Words by Christopher Kevin Au

Having traveled across the country as both a solo artist and DJ for Ivan Ooze, Steven ‘Juñor’ Ondaatje found himself running into endless rap talents that were begging for some sort of creative outlet.

With all eyes on Australia’s current hip-hop renaissance – which has sent artists from Tkay Maidza to Manu Crooks into international attention – Juñor eventually founded his AUD’$ radio program airing on SYN 90.7 FM and additionally live-streamed on Facebook, dedicated wholeheartedly to uncovering emerging artists.

Since launching last October, AUD’$ has become the go-to program for new tunes and a hub for local emcees to flex their hardest bars. Impressively, 75% of the artists played on the program are independent or unsigned, while they’ve hosted 24 live cyphers in their first season. In fact, their statistics are so eyebrow-raising that they’ve even made this colourful and informative picture about their very notable achievements.

With Season 2 of AUD’$ kicking off on February 1, we caught up with Juñor to discuss the whirlwind first season of AUD’$, the current happenings in local hip-hop and what he’s got in store on all fronts. Read it below, and tune in next week:

Tell us about how AUD$ started and how you managed to build momentum after such a short run? Were you taken back by the response?

AUD’$ literally started because of the demand. I started spinning & Facebook live streaming some hip-hop DJ sets from my studio and i wanted to highlight all the ca$h coming out of Australia that isn’t on heavy notice. I wanted to use my platform to big up some music that really badly needs an outlet to solidify that culture in this country. In Australia. Ca$h culture. Thats’s how the name AUD’$ was born.

The first streamed set went way crazier than expected – hundreds of likes, thousands of views, a tonne of shares & heaps of comments from people shocked that such dope music was coming out of Australia and they had no idea about it. I streamed a couple more sets and the response kept getting bigger and the question of a radio show kept being asked. I’d recently been interviewed on SYN FM about my Free.Mined tour, so I already had a connection there, I pitched the idea, they loved it and within 3 weeks AUD’$ was on-air!

I wasn’t really surprised when the response was awesome, because the culture was dying for it. What took me back was how quickly everything happened. The workload got really heavy, really fast and meant a lot of late nights with our team. We love the hard work though, because the culture deserves it. The quality of art and this crazy opportunity means we have to keep it 100 every single day.

We keep the AUD’$ program to a constant structure every episode so people can get familiar with the format and easily discover new art. I’m in a lucky position as a presenter also being one of these artists on the same grind & knowing most people personally, so everyone was really down & excited to come on. With AUD’$ there’s a lot of power back in the artists’ hands in presenting who they are, because I’m one of them. I can’t pull any fufu shit on anyone.

One of the best statistics about AUD$ is that 75% of acts you play are independent or unsigned. How do you go about finding these new acts? Any plans to head into A&R in your future music career?

I’m fortunate enough to have been touring the country playing music & meeting everyone for a while now. That’s just inspired me more to push the culture for us all. It’s actually fucking everywhere online if you’re in tune with it. Everyone is hustling like I’ve never felt or seen before. We all feel it. I’m just repping the most finessed parts all in one place. The hardest part is choosing only the 12-15 most ca$h new songs each week. If I had a two hour show it’d genuinely be easier.

A&R is definitely something I’d think about further down the track. I mean, I’m also a DJ, so of course I think my own palette is the best out there haha. I’ve actually already had some labels coming to me asking for my insight on new music, so they’re listening. That’s not even on the radar right now with everything that’s going on though, but when the times right, labels – holla atcha boy$.

Another great part of AUD$ are the live cyphers. If you could gather any four Australian emcees – past or present – for a live cypher, who would they be and what beat would it be over?

HARD. WHY YOU DO ME LIKE THIS KEV?

Everyone has their own taste, but my favourite music out of Australia is happening right now. So this isn’t some “who’s the best” bullshit, just what’s ca$h to me. Ain’t no way I’m choosing anything other than some AUD’$ ca$h, by the way. And it’d be over that Manu Crook$ – Assumptions beat by Dopamine. I could definitely vibe to that, go look that up right now:

Lord Levi – He’s got all the sauce & probably had my favourite cypher verse & track in Season 1. I see potential.

Sampa The Great – Need I say more? In a cypher, I want to be out of my chair and hands over my head because each artist is on their unique flex. Sampa’s got that and then some.

Selasie Wussah – SELASIE THE TRUTH. I have 0% doubt he’d have me slapping the air saying it’s unfair how good he is.

I AM D – if you’re hosting a live cypher in Australia right now, D will bring that heat. Believe that.

Obviously there is something special happening at the moment with hip-hop in this country. What are your thoughts on the term ‘new wave’ and do you think it can be in any way be detrimental or sonically restrictive in the same way that ‘Australian sound’ has been for dance music?

While I think the artists appreciate being defined as on their own wave, instead of being boxed into ‘Aussie hip-hop’ or worse, totally slept on – I don’t think artists love the term. We’ve been dying for some recognition and the term ‘new wave’ is at least that, so it’s been used. I don’t love the term ‘new wave’, America has the new wave. We’re unique. So yes, it’s restrictive. This movement has it’s own flavours.

We need our own name for the culture. Something that doesn’t sonically restrict artists, but pushes us forward globally & is unique. I think we’ve got one to be honest. It’s ca$h. AUD’$ is just a bank for that ca$h.

A lot of younger artists have emphasised separating themselves from popular Australian hip-hop acts of yesteryear. Do you think some of these guys are underestimating the influence that older acts had in earning a home for hip-hop in Australia in the first place?

Not at all. I think any artist who steps out and pursues music of any form respects those that have walked paths before them. Every artist is grateful to be able to push boundaries creatively because of the courage of those before them who pushed their own, but they have no responsibility to be aligned with them in any way.

If you look at it globally though, it’s not just young Australian artists separating themselves from acts of yesteryear, it’s global. It’s 2017 and the internet age is a completely different universe. This generation doesn’t want to be restricted by yesteryear. There’s new rules. Theres no rules. It wants to create without any limits.

Let the kids have their day b. The next generation will always be grinding for greater heights.

There has been a lot of talk about Brisbane being a new capital for hip-hop. You premiered a new track by Midas.Gold recently, who else has impressed you from Brisbane and the Sunshine State?

Brisbane’s dope, but the talent is country wide. Brisbane has just been grinding smart and has it’s shit together right now as a scene. If you haven’t yet, check out Erik Sanders, Gallus, Tides, Jesswar, Travy P, Swilo, Carmouflage Rose, Z.Lewis and TheOutdoorz.

Who do you think are the most slept on rappers in Australia right now?

Queensland artists aside – Kash Kal, Cult Shotta, Phillabu$trr, Dimitrios, Jannah Beth, Devarn, Reiis, Netti, Craigiewave, Evanda. That barely even scratches the surface.

What, if anything, do you think is holding back Australian hip-hop at the moment?

The readiness of the globe. Other than that at the moment? Nothing. Watch.

What have you got in store for AUD$ Season 2?

Well we’ve had the chance to plan season 2 with more than a fortnight’s notice, so it’s going to be huge! It’s cool because everyone wants to be on the show now. There will be some bigger artists coming through, cyphering & mixing with the artists we already play which is going to be dope. A whole lot more content too. Lots more exclusive premieres!

There’s also going to be much more than just a radio show as the platform, the audience is pouring in and the culture deserves it. We’re launching some Soundcloud & Spotify things this week & some other really exciting announcements are just around the corner. It’s going to be epic for everyone.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jVsWvdMtTYc

You also spend time rapping yourself and DJing alongside Ivan Ooze. What can we expect from Junor on that front in 2017?

Yeah nothing slows down there! Expect bigger drops, bigger tours, bigger festivals & a bigger turn up pretty much. The new Ooze stuff I’ve been working with is sounding the best work he’s ever done, 2017 on that front is exciting.

On the rap front, I’m fairly deep into my new project & the new single is super close to being done. I’ve worked with some dope US artists I admire for the first time so can’t wait to drop that. On the DJ front, my first set of the year was about 10 minutes in to it at NYE On The Hill, so heaps of gigs ahead including at Laundry Bar where I play pretty regularly. I’ve just come off a bunch of dates & festivals through December and my next show is with Midas.Gold on February 10 for his tour. Other than that, I’ll be posted up in the studio, behind the decks for Ooze or in a nightclub spinning your tunes!