“Street culture is street culture. There are differences between different countries, sure. But at its most basic, the ethos remains the same.”
This is how Żdong, part of hip hop outfit Sempliċiment tat-Triq, kicks off our interview. Sempli-ċiment tat-Triq, or STT to give them their popular abbreviation, are just back from a two-week long tour gigging across Europe, where their hardcore style was very well-received by a mind-boggling array of nationalities.
This positive reception surprises me, and the cause of my surprise has nothing to do with the artists’ undoubted talent. As is often the case with hip hop, the lyrics are fundamental to the message of the track.
STT’s no-holds-barred lyrics are welcomed by those who understand Maltese and who are on the same political wavelength as the artists. Tracks like Qumu Minn Hemm, which loosely translates to an explicit call to action for people to react to social issues, and Iswed , Tnejn Zokkor (black, two sugar – a reference to the preferred way of ordering coffee in Malta’s traditional tea shops and, by association, to street culture), provide a cutting social commentary.
But the question begs itself: if the audience can’t understand what’s being said, can they still appreciate it?
The reply to that is a definite yes because, it turns out there is a lot more to hip hop than just understanding the words.
“We had one gig in Italy, two in Croatia, two in Slovenia and nine in France. For all the gigs, the audience was extremely diverse and not limited to those four nationalities. And yet, they all appreciated the music and really got into it, going as far as to chat with us about it afterwards,” il-Fre, another STT member says.
Nick Morales, also part of the permanent STT line-up, adds that this is probably down to both the vibe and the band’s approach to these gigs.
“We usually had someone explain the lyrics in English before the track started. At least, that way, the audience could identify the theme. Then the vibe does the rest,” he adds with a grin.
The best part of this experience, all three agree, was the community aspect of the places they performed at. Rather than regular, licensed venues, most were communes and small ‘free villages’ where migrants and gypsies (among others) found refuge.
The places where they performed, the artists tell me, reflected the very ideal that STT was conceived with, and the audience was part of a bigger movement for an alternative lifestyle that the group really identifies with.
“Many of these people are used to being exposed to a variety of cultures, and this probably explains why they were so open to our music. Some of the places we played at were genuine squats, complete with eviction notice for the following day. The whole tour had a strong social aspect to it,” il-Fre says.
And this is, after all, at the very roots of hip hop; providing a social commentary in criticism of a society that needs to recognise its short-comings. Which, given the local tendency to maintain a political status quo, might explain why hip hop remains such an underground genre that is not appreciated by many in Malta.
“In Malta the lifestyle is convenient and comfortable, so very few are motivated to criticise or challenge a political structure they disagree with,” Żdong says.
There is more to hip hop than just understanding the words
Morales, who is used to touring frequently not just with STT but also with his other bands, Dripht and nosnow/noalps, agrees.
“Whenever I come back from a foreign gig, I’m always full of ideas and energy. A couple of weeks pass and I settle into the apathy that seems to be all-pervasive here,” he confesses.
Il-Fre agrees, adding that few people are prepared to make an effort to move out of their comfort zone in Malta.
“When we were missing a particular piece of equipment in Croatia, a mate of ours thought nothing of doing the three-hour drive to get it for us. If that had happened in Malta, most people would bring forth some excuse to avoid the 10-minute drive,” he points out.
Żdong goes a step further, adding that even within the hip hop scene itself, few are willing to actually “live what they talk about in their works”. I ask him what he means.
“If you are criticising the establishment, you need to have the courage of your convictions. You can’t point out all the things that are wrong from the safety of the stage on the weekend, and then come Monday, embrace those very aspects of society that you are criticising,” he tells me.
Il-Fre adds that too many bands in Malta focus on the money aspect, rather than on the music itself, with the focus seemingly being placed on getting on the radio and breaking into the mainstream.
“Very few bands in Malta are hardcore. Maybe it’s because Malta is too small, everyone knows each other and every-one is ready to judge each other,” Morales adds.
Clearly, hip hop is not a nine to five thing, and this is something that all members of STT firmly believe in. Originally the brainchild of Żdong and Ħaxxaxxin, aided by Susa (hype-man) and Gilson (producer/beat-maker), the outfit today is a collaboration between a number of artists. Il-Fre, Morales and For Strings Inn’s Ryan Abela provide the punk edge, and there are a couple of foreign collaborators too.
“We count DJ Brozzer, who is French, as one of us nowadays and he tends to join us on gigs abroad, and even for some performances in Malta. So is Flo,who co-ordinated the tour for us,” il-Fre says.
The tour saw about seven guys and one dog squeezed in one vehicle, in the ultimate road-trip. Landing in Bologna, Italy at seven in the evening, the group had to drive all the way up to Llubljana, Croatia, to make it in time for that night’s gig. They made it in time, albeit with a few mishaps along the way.
“The logistics part was far from easy, and we probably would not have made it without Flo, who is used to travelling constantly, taking his labrador with him everywhere. That dog became our mascot for those two weeks,” Żdong says fondly.
What made the discomforts worth it was, of course, the audience, which they all agree was extremely receptive. In a reference to the fact that many in Malta will not make an effort to show up anywhere before at least 9pm, they explain that people are more appreciative in the places they visited.
Not that this discourages the group from living their message – and spreading it – in any way. Until then, wieħed iswed, tnejn zokkor please.