Aussie hip hop troupe Horrorshow wrote and recorded “a rallying cry to the nation” over the weekend. It’s called Any Other Name, and it features the talents of local MC Urthboy, singer-songwriter Thelma Plum and Adelaide producer, MC and vocalist Jimblah.
In a statement, Horrorshow’s Nick Bryant-Smith, aka Solo, says Any Other Name (below) calls Australia to honestly reflect on the debates currently surrounding Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders.
“The first step towards resolving any problem is being able to acknowledge that you have one,” Solo says.
“This song is a response to the intense and inescapable debates swirling around the nation right now and the darker truths this whole episode chips away at the surface of to reveal in full.
“In a time where so many feel compelled to broadcast their opinions via social media and newspaper column inches, what comes naturally to us is to use the medium of music to help us make sense of it all and articulate our response.
“Our friends Jimblah, Thelma and Urthboy got on board with amazing contributions to help us pull the song together over the last few days. We hope you like it but above that we hope it might inspire us all to take a long hard look at ourselves and the country we live in.”
Reflecting on the song, Urthboy says, “There’s a movement from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders around the phrase ‘Nothing about us, without us’. It’s about time we non-Indigenous people actually listened.”
Any Other Name references the recent saga surrounding Sydney Swans AFL player Adam Goodes, who has suffered relentless abuse from AFL fans and followers. Shepparton rapper Briggs also recently weighed in on Goodes’ situation, saying, “Adam Goodes deserves far better than this.”
Catch Horrorshow’s Any Other Name featuring Jimblah, Thelma Plum & Urthboy, below.
Listen: Horrorshow – Any Other Name feat. Jimblah, Thelma Plum & Urthboy
