Hip-hop artist 01.EKKA says it all came about while he was stuck in peak hour traffic.
He was braked — pretty much with the rest of the world — on that nasty stretch of Punt Road hill, only just south of the adjacent Yarra River. It was here that 01.EKKA saw the iconic Nylex sign beaconing across the river.
It was a time of frustration with life in general for 01.EKKA, he says, and in that moment, he got to ruminating away about how iconically Melbourne the Nylex sign is. He could have braked those thoughts there, with the gridlock, but a realisation hit instead.
“When I saw that building, I knew I had to find a way on top of it. That would represent me rising above the day-to-day rush-hour traffic, for myself, and also align me with an iconic Melbourne piece of heritage.”
Now all 01.EKKA had to do was scale the monument. On that, however, he now speaks from experience. He shot the video clip for his poetic hip-hop single Rise (from debut album Iron Garden), in the wilds of the aforementioned summit.
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“It’s the best view of the city – it’s a money-can’t-buy view,” says 01.EKKA. “The building itself is ridden with asbestos, which is part of the reason they haven’t been able to knock it down.
“There is a prior word of warning to anyone who does decide to go in there on their own free will, that it’s worth taking that into consideration. It’s very dusty, and very dark, and incredibly dilapidated.
“However, there is a sub-culture of exploration, and there is a sub-culture of so-called illegal freedom. And I enjoyed witnessing that as I climbed the stairs or walked around the site.”
Beat in no way condones the climbing of the Nylex building (or any others). Mid-year, 01.EKKA released his debut album, Iron Garden.
The sub-20-minute hip-hop outburst is a shotgun wedding of lively samples, throbbing beat walls and rapid-fire lyricism. It whirlwinds between themes inspired or informed by everything from funerals to false-positive pregnancy tests to financial mentality. 01.EKKA counts young men at risk of exposure to misguided leadership, violence, and isolation as a big core of his intended audience.
He says his inclination to speak to this group is influenced by his own experiences with young men.
“Originally, it came through music,” he says. “They found me often with my music, and I found those were the people that would approach me.
“They wouldn’t talk about a certain lyric or merch item or whatever — they would always talk about how they’d started doing push ups in their room, or they’d just quit drinking. Or they’d just told their sister they loved them, or something like that.
“And I felt incredibly seen, beyond the music. That was very inspiring, and that continues to this day. Now, outside of music, in my professional life, I also work with young men — helping develop healthy skills to succeed in life.”
This November (Sat Nov 2), 01.EKKA is bound for Revolver to perform Iron Garden in its entirety for the first time.
The show, he says, will amplify the passionate vibe that’s oozing out of Melbourne’s independent hip-hop scene right now.
Supports on the bill will include Music Victoria Award nominee Mammoth (along with his producer Eric Spice), rapper/hip-hop artist MOG.Y, and DIY hip-hop collective the Kelly Gang.
Amongst the sponsors tied to the event — some sponsors include Union Heights and 3000 Podcast — custom dental adornment business the Cheshire’s Grin is notable for its unique offering for the night.
They’ll be giving away six custom-made gold teeth (believed to be new, at time of writing) to randomly-selected ticket holders (four to a first-prize winner, and two to second).
According to 01.EKKA, if all goes to plan, gig-goers should expect to experience a rap show like never before. Nuts and bolts-wise, he’ll perform with live instrumentation, including re-rendered live drums for all songs, and he’ll have special guests from past collaborations.
“It won’t follow the format of any rap event I’ve ever seen,” says 01.EKKA. “I’m utilising different groups of people and genres that would usually never be seen together, and bringing them in to creating an exciting and inviting experience.
“Overall, I just want people to come with an open heart and mind. My job is to serve them the best I possibly can.”
01.EKKA plays Revolver on Saturday November 2. Get tickets here. And stream Iron Garden here!
