Def Wish Cast

The foothills of Western Sydney came alive with the boom bap of Hip Hop four decades ago, when pioneering groups like Def Wish Cast embraced the four elements of the culture: graffiti, B-boying/B-girling, MCing and DJing.

In this interview and photo story for the Western Sydney Hip Hop Archive, DefWish, Die C and Sereck revisit some of the places and events in the area that influenced and strengthened their connections with local Hip Hop culture. Their music was crafted on analog tapes and equipment, using experimental techniques with the resources available to them. At a time before the internet, they relied on Australia Post and word of mouth to build a local and international following, laying a solid foundation for themselves and other Australian Hip Hop artists.

At the all-boys school Die C and DefWish attended in Penrith, sport was always a big deal — scores of alumni have played professional Rugby League, AFL and soccer — though there weren’t many Hip Hop heads there in the early 1980s.

DefWish got into Hip Hop in 1983 after hearing Herbie Hancock’s Rockit on the local radio station and joined a breakdance crew called the Future Dance Team at Penrith Leagues Club, learning from pioneers like Jason Marshall. The crew even danced on Channel Ten in 1984, just as breakdancing blew up in popular culture.

‘Breaking became so big, a fad. Like every kid of that age was literally breaking at one stage, whether they were good or not,’ remembers Die C. ‘Everybody tried to backspin, everyone tried to caterpillar. Then after that, people held onto it. It wasn’t just a fad: it was something people could identify with. In 1986 I’m starting high school, and I hear about this spinner: he’s a breakdancer, he does graffiti and it’s just like, “That’s the dude I want to know”. So I hunted him down and we’ve been best friends ever since.’

‘We ended forming a crew: Def Wish Posse. And started getting right into it. Like hardcore,’ says DefWish. ‘This is our life. And I remember one time we were just talking. We said, “Imagine one day we walk down the street and people would know us: that’s DefWish and Die C”. We were just giggling about it … another crazy thing, I remember a dream that I was performing with the Beastie Boys and I went to school and was like, “Yo, I will perform with the Beastie Boys, man”. And we were laughing because it’s just so unrealistic: just two kids in high school.’

[That dream came true: in October 1994 Def Wish Cast performed on the same bill as the Beastie Boys at the Hordern Pavilion.]

In the late 1980s, DefWish and Die C heard about a graffiti artist called Unique (aka Paul Westgate aka Sereck) who’d recently won an art competition at the Joan Sutherland Performing Arts Centre. (The artist was on probation for illegal graffiti when his case officers encouraged him to enter the competition.)

‘He was a bit of a superstar to us kids and we were so excited to meet him,’ says DefWish. ‘So we’ve gone the long way home from school to go past this wall with his art,’ adds Die C. ‘And that’s how we connected. We were already doing talent quest-kind of circuits as Def Wish Posse back then. And we said to him, “Oh yeah, we’re performing in this battle” and he goes “Yeah, I heard about that”. We ended up doing this battle against Bad Rep, Just Us and R.I.D. and some other crews.’ After the freestyle rap battle Sereck began hanging out with Def Wish Posse— ‘And I was really digging it and it just naturally came along … I gave something over [to DefWish] and then you told Pablo (Die C).’

Die C picks up the story: ‘I remember him ringing me and going, “Man, Paul’s incredible. He’s making mad beats. We’ve got to have him in the crew.” It was kind of instantaneous.’

When Sereck joined they decided to rebrand as Def Wish Cast, because there were already a few crews with ‘Posse’ in their names, like Sound Unlimited Posse and Upper Hutt Posse.

‘When we come together, we really took it away from what everyone else was doing. What we've learnt about Australian accents and things like that from everyone around you, we knew what to do, but our style was more vicious, Sereck explains. ‘This sound comes from Public Enemy, T La Rock. It’s a very vicious drum machine and electro style.’

Sereck recalls the European radio DJs like Tommy T, who hosted NRK’s Hip Hop show in Norway, probably tracked down the group’s first EP — Mad as a Hatter — after reading about it in Hip Hop culture magazine Hype. Before the internet, people formed intercontinental friendship groups through the post, sometimes finding new friends via pen pal sections in magazines, then sharing letters, photos, magazines and tapes across the globe. Die C remembers a day he was working in a record store called Lopez when a guy came in who was surprised to see him working there: ‘He’s freaking that here I am working in this store and telling us, “You guys are actually a household name”.’ ‘We weren’t even aware that we were releasing back then some of the first Australian Hip Hop content,’ adds DefWish.

Def Wish Cast is a pioneering Australian Hip Hop group formed in Penrith in 1990, featuring MCs DefWish, Die C and Sereck. Other members over the years have included DJ Vame, Tommy Rock and DJ Murda One. The crew encompasses all elements of Hip Hop culture, including graffiti and B-boying, and its distinct Australian sound helped it gain notoriety both locally and internationally through Australian graffiti magazines like Hype and Vapours. The first Def Wish Cast EP, Mad as a Hatter, was released on vinyl in 1992 and included Proppa Ragga, the first Australian Hip Hop track to receive international recognition, debuting at Number 2 on Norway's NRK's Hip Hop show. The following year Def Wish Cast released one of the first full-length Australian Hip Hop albums, Knights of the Underground Table, which featured A.U.S.T, an early Australian first Hip Hop anthem. Radio station Triple J included the album in its Hottest 100 Australian Albums of All Time in 2011.

MC Trey aka Thelma Thomas is a Western Sydney-based Fijian Samoan creative, with 30 years’ experience as a Hip Hop soul artist, storyteller, writer and MC. She has released several solo and collaborative albums, performing locally and internationally, which have been nominated for Urban Music, 3D and Jack Music Awards, as well as an ARIA with Foreign Heights. MC Trey has also hosted a Hip Hop soul music show on Channel V and Red, written and performed Hip Hop theatre, and curated festivals. She has more than 30 years' experience working with culturally diverse communities, young people and women. Her qualifications include a Bachelor in Social Work and Mental Health, Youth Work, Music Business and Small Business Qualifications.

Tristan Edouard is a photographer and director with more than 15 years' experience working at the intersection of photography and music. Originally from Western Sydney, Tristan is a self-described storyteller who attempts to use his photography to evoke an emotional response in the viewer and encapsulate the true essence of each subject. Tristan's ability to connect with people, coupled with his creative foresight and technical ability, has seen his work take him around the world. He has worked with a diverse array of clients, ranging from global corporations and not-for-profit charities to major players and cultural icons in music and pop culture.

The Western Sydney Hip Hop Archive is a major initiative that engages and connects with industry and community to build and elevate Hip Hop's history and profile. Developed in a collaboration between Powerhouse Parramatta, Vyva Entertainment, Blacktown Arts and pioneers of Sydney Hip Hop, the archive will give depth and context to a generation of artists as well as creating a space to celebrate how Western Sydney Hip Hop is a vital part of Australian and international music culture.