Edit history

Over three decades, Downsyde’s music has had an immense impact on WA and Australian music culture. Formed in 1996 for a school talent competition, Downsyde kicked open the doors for West Australian hip hop artists as well as being trail blazers on the national scene. Since then, they’ve released five acclaimed albums, won a stack of awards and toured Australia and the world numerous times including South and Central America with indigenous elder and singer Richard Walley. They’ve even been to Mumbai and Germany, building up a legion of fans across the globe. They’ve toured with and supported the likes of The Roots, A Tribe Called Quest, Jurassic 5, Cypress Hill, The Black Eyed Peas and Public Enemy with the latter’s Chuck D a fan of the band. They were also one of the artists featured in 2007 Australian Hip Hop documentary Words From The City. After the release of 2009’s “All City”, the group took some time off, with members busy on numerous projects. Dazastah has produced for and tours with Drapht and produced for A.B. Original. Optamus released a solo album as well as run hip hop workshops everywhere from regional indigenous communities to prisons and schools and was nominated for a golden WAMi (West Australian Music Award for services to the industry) in 2017. After eight years in between drinks, the WA hip hop institution returned with the release of their fifth album ClassicILL at the end of 2017. Featuring the singles "Only Got Now”, "Richman” and "Back In The Game", ClassicILL is classic Downsyde with elements of boom bap, disco and funk. On the album's ten minute centerpiece "Life Is Music", Downsyde MCs Optamus, Dazastah and Shabaz are joined by their Syllabolix crew including Layla, Drapht and the late Hunter. The album was launched at The Rosemount Hotel in Perth with another launch at Acacea Prison, followed by national dates and festival appearances. At the start of 2018 the band announced the addition of WA MC Beni Bjah to the group while original member Shabaz takes a break to focus on family. In 2016 Beni became the first indigenous songwriter to win the WAM (WA Music Association) song of the year award for his track “Survivor”. In April 2019 the band dropped their new single “Odds”, the first record featuring Beni who takes the first blistering verse. In March 2021, Downsyde released the single “Call” which features James Abberley and First Nations Fire Management Practitioner Victor Steffensen. The track was added to rotation on Double J radio with the song’s clip being premiered by Pile Rats. Winding Road, the next taste of their forthcoming album came out in early 2022, coupled with a performance at the Perth Festival as part of Flewnt’s Boorloo Block Party. Hot on the heals of “Winding Road”, came “Po’ Boy”, a collaboration with Harts and fresh take on Howling Wolf’s “Poor Boy”. This was part of the Chess Records tribute album “Everybody Knows I’m Here”.