FRINGE BENEFITS LOCAL ARTIST OF THE WEEK

Originally hailing from Whyalla in country South Australia, Shadows - acronym for Soldiers Hungry Approaching Difficult Obstacles Wanting Survival - are a three piece hip hop outfit consisting of Caper, Johnny G, and Big D teaming up with DJ Mikey who are based in Adelaide and emerge as a powerful voice in the Australian hip hop scene. Here’s their story…

Shadows sounds like... Shadows sound like no other group around.
And we stand out because... Shadows stand out because were on that real shit, we represent the struggle, our music’s inspiring that brings hope and it connects with people on an emotional level.
Our love affair for music all started when... our love affair for hip hop started when we heard NWA and was then exposed to our black Jesus Tupac Shakur. We connected and identified to their struggle and pain because of what we were going though in life.
What track of yours is on rotate at Fresh FM? Just Give A Little, Stormy Weather, Destiny & Reflections.
Best thing about local scene? The best thing about the local scene at the moment is that Indigenous artists such as us are being taken seriously and getting a real chance to make a mark.
Do you have an album coming out? We released our debut album Reflections that we recorded in the UK in 2007 and it’s available on iTunes and can be ordered via our MySpace and website <myspace.com/shadowssoldiers> or <kingsofyacity.com>.
Most cherished album? Tupac’s Greatest Hits.
Where can we see you working your music magic? We have a big show on Sat Jul 26 at the Crown & Sceptre called Hip Hop Lives as part of Coopers Alive so everyone who loves real hip hop come on down and support Shadows.
Plans in the pipeline? Were going to start recording our second album in September that promises to be our best work to date, at the moment were in negotiations for a collaboration with Snoop Dogg’s group Tha Dogg Pound. We’re hoping for a release date around Feb ‘09. Also our documentary Word Of Mouth is in its final stages of editing so will be screened at Mercery Cinema late ‘08. Word Of Mouth is the storey behind Shadows’ music, which is an emotional and inspirational film giving a good look into our personal struggles in life and follows our journey through the ups and downs of trying to break into the mainstream music industry. Filmmaker Shalom Almond Linde has high aspirations for it to be aired on national TV in the near future, you can watch a preview of Word Of Mouth on our MySpace.

For more info on Shadows head to <freshfm.com.au> or listen to Fresh Air on 92.7 every Monday from 8pm to 10pm to hear more local talent.