ONEFOUR: Against All Odds | 4ZZZ Brisbane 102.1FM

- It’s hard to name a more highly anticipated Australian debut release than ONEFOUR’s Against All Odds. It’s only three years since the formation of the hip hop group from Mt Druitt in  Western Sydney, and in that time they have racked up tens of millions of youtube views, been the main focus of a police street gang taskforce, had an international tour cancelled by the New Zealand government, and now have more than half the members serving lengthy prison terms for violent crimes.

It’s no exaggeration to say ONEFOUR have revolutionised Australian hip hop in the last two years, with their hard edged drill style and lurid tales of Western Sydney gang wars. In 2019 they exploded like one of those signal flares they set off in their film clips, releasing one thrilling single after another while being surrounded by endless controversy. This year has been understandably quieter given the incarcerated state of half the band, but they still chalked up high profile international collaborations with A$AP Ferg and Headie One, and now have released a debut EP.

Somewhat surprisingly, Against All Odds doesn’t include any of last year’s singles - and is in fact a bit of a departure from that drill style. Most of the songs in fact are slow pop rap tunes with beats that sound like they could have come from the early 2000’s top 40 charts. Unfortunately the dynamic of different MC’s diving in on top of one another is less prevalent too. The best moments are still the harder drill tracks Home and Away and Better, and even on the slower numbers the lyrical subject matter hasn’t changed much - all violent bravado and loyalty to the crew. In Leaving, they venture for the first time into the world of romance - in fact it may be the first time one of their songs has acknowledged the existence of the female gender. But there’s no affection or emotion, just a mistrust of women and a determination not to get involved.

Interspersed through the record are reminders of what’s missing - rhymes from incarcerated members Celly, Leeks and YP. All three are present with single verses, their unfinished songs symbolic of the waste of three talented young men currently wasting away in prison. There are moments of lyrical regret and acknowledgements of mistakes made, but few hints of any kind of transformation that could lead these men away from the lifestyle that got them there.

Part of the appeal of ONEFOUR is surely due to the fact that Australia now has a real life gangsta rap crew after years of enduring a scene dominated by suburban white boys. Many commentators have talked about how ONEFOUR authentically represent the lives of Pacific Islanders in the housing commission filled suburbs of outer Western Sydney.

Hip hop has often conflated its cherished “realness” with tales of urban violence, but of course “real” is subjective. The suburbs of Mt Druitt can certainly be violent places, but the constant references to firearms in ONEFOUR lyrics are surely exaggerated given Australia’s strict gun legislation. Even the most committed gang warrior doesn’t spend their entire life smacking down rivals either, not that you would pick that up from the average drill song. And sure, experiences on the street are “real”, but so are dreams and aspirations - two subjects that sadly don’t get much coverage on this record.

It’s certainly not trendy, and I hate to be that white guy who complains about the subject matter of gangsta rap. The genre may claim authenticity, but it is still self-consciously entertainment. The humour in ONEFOUR songs, where gang violence is compared to the soap opera Home and Away or the board game Guess Who, hints at the fact that these songs are at least partly showbiz. But what does it mean if these guys can get famous but still end up in prison or inflicting violence on kids from the same poor suburbs as the band?

ONEFOUR have successfully put the lives of brown-skinned youth from low socio-economic localities into the mainstream. What’s more, they have done it by creating some of the best hip hop this country has ever seen. But is it wrong to hope for something more from art? That it could not only hold up a mirror to society but also carry a vision of a better world to aspire to? Surely we can aim for more than some vicarious thrills for listeners in quieter suburbs and a reinforcement of the false idea that if you’re poor and migrant then a life of violent crime is something to be aspired to. ONEFOUR have made another great release, but if they struggle to keep enough members out of lockup to record the next one, it’s worth asking what it was all for.

- Andy Paine.
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