Open Thought's Beatbox Love

Few hip-hop acts can combine music and grass roots activism with organic warmth like New York's 'Open Thought'.

Exclusively released on Earshot alongside Ugly Duckling and Ghetto Pros & Diverse their new album 'Force of life' is politically fuelled and poetically delivered.

On lead vocals, didgeridoo and flute is the fisherman-hat wearing Baba Israel. In charge of bass, beat boxing and percussion is Yako. On the turntables is DJ Center.

Baba was formerly a member of Australia's hip-hop collective 'Meta Bass 'n' Breath'. After the group split he headed back to his home town, New York City. By chance DJ Center had a copy of the Metabass album, the pair hooked up and they instantly connected. As fate would also have it DJ Center had to move to Boston to take up study at the Berkley Institute of Music. It was here that he met Yako.

"Yako and DJ Center were doing the turntables & bass thing, but they didn't have an MC. They were frustrated with the scene in Boston so they came back to NYC and we all hooked up and started doing things there."

Being drawn to the true grit that defines the City of New York has detached 'Open Thought' from the bling of today's hip-hop market. Possessing what can only be described as genuine musicianship, this trio has a social conscious that informs rather than preaches. As they speak about the pitfalls of life they are quick to remind us to live each moment to the fullest and as a group of white boys they never forget where hip-hop came from.

"'Force of Life' contains social commentary and storytelling. We cover politics, war, racism and terrorism, life in NYC, interactions with youth, love and relationships. We also pay respect to the legacy of black music."

Dubbed by DJ Logic as 'a rare breed' that would be 'dope at anything they did', Open Thought's life affirming tracks are set to a fusion of rockin' hip-hop beats, live instrumentation, mid to up-tempo grooves and precise cuts and scratches. Without sounding gimmicky the trio expertly utilise their skills to combine the didgeridoo with the fine art of beat boxing.

"The didgeridoo definitely has a place in hip-hop; anything can end up in hip hop music. You can play the didgeridoo with break beats, original sub bass and beat boxing. Beat boxing should be considered as the fifth element of hip hop. Rahzel mastered the ability to recreate tracks with beat boxing and a lot of people bite from him. We try to be original by incorporating the didg in different ways."

In New York 'Open thought' are well respected and widely admired for their 'essence' as a group and on an acceptance level in the US, hip-hop is where it's at. As Baba points out though, the hip-hop scene in Australia is growing in all the right directions.

"Hip-hop is massive in the US in all segments of the population; suburbs, city and country. Hip-hop in Oz is growing both on a commercial level and underground level. The challenge in Oz is to nurture the local scene."

'Force of Life' is out now through Inertia
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