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Obese Records

Obese Records was a record label that released music from the Australian hip hop genre. It was the largest Australian independent hip hop label, including performers Pegz, Hilltop Hoods, Thundamentals, Reason, Andy Struksha, and Dialectrix. Obese Records also operated two retail stores in Melbourne, a record distribution company, a soul imprint named Plethora Records, and operated the artists' management and touring company, Obese Records Artist Management.

Obese Records
Parent companyWarner Music Group
Founded1995 (1995)
FounderTirren Staaf
Defunct2016 (2016)
StatusDefunct
Distributor(s)Atlantic Records
GenreHip hop
Country of originAustralia
LocationMelbourne
Official websiteobeserecords.com
Slogan"Fatter Than Ya Mamma"

History

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1995–2005: Formation, Pegz, early releases

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Obese Records was founded in 1995 as a small record store[1] called OB's by Ollie Bobbitt, in the Melbourne suburb of Prahran. Specialising in hip hop music,[2] the store changed its name to "Obese Records" after Bobbitt sold the business to Australian artist Don Shazlek. (p.k.a. Shazlek One)

In mid-2002 the store was bought by Melbourne-based artist Tirren Staaf (a.k.a. Pegz) who transformed it into a record label.[3]

According to Pegz, there were few other labels specializing in Australian hip-hop at the time, and none putting significant funds into marketing.[4] Pegz claims that he "saw the opening and went for it. It was about giving the people around me the opportunity they deserved."[5] Pegz used the label to create a distribution network,[6] and also purchased the Zenith Records vinyl pressing plant, one of only two companies then still pressing vinyl records in Australia.[7] The pressing plant was subsequently sold in November 2007.[8]

The first artist released on the label was MC Reason's EP Solid in 2000,[9][10] produced by Jolz with appearances from Brad Strut, Bias B and Pac D.[11]

Other early releases included the compilation album series Culture of Kings (which featured formative releases from acts like Hilltop Hoods, TZU, Hunter, Koolism, Terra Firma, Lyrical Commission, Downsyde, Layla, Bliss n Eso, Funkoars, DJ Bonez, Delta, Brad Strut, Bias B, Hospice and Brothers Stoney) [11] and Obesecity, both of which Pegz described as "key networking tools" for the growing Australian hip hop scene.[10]

The second volume of Culture of Kings, released in October 2002, was the first Australian hip hop album to be selected for the Triple J feature album spot.[11]

2006–2010: Expansion, Culture of Kings, Hilltop Hoods

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In 2003, Obese released the Hilltop Hoods album The Calling, which became the first Australian hip hop album to go gold.[12] Mark Pollard, founder of Stealth Magazine, commented during an interview with Tony Mitchell in 2004 that Hilltop Hoods’ success had been helped by Obese.[13]

— Mark Pollard, founder of Stealth Magazine (2004)[13]

In 2006 the Hilltop Hoods were nominated and won awards for Best Performing Independent Album (The Hard Road) and Best Independent Artist at that year's Australian Independent Record Labels Association (AIR) Chart Awards.

Two artists associated with the label were nominated for four AIR Chart Awards in 2007 (three for Hilltop Hoods and one for Muph & Plutonic).[14] At the 2007 ARIA Awards, the Hilltop Hoods won 'Best Urban Release' for their album The Hard Road: Restrung.[15] The Hilltop Hoods DVD, The City of Light, released by Obese Records in 2007, has also been classified gold. In 2008, two artists on the Obese label, Muph & Plutonic and Spit Syndicate, received nominations for 'Best Urban Album' at the ARIA Awards.[16] In 2010 M-Phazes' album, Good Gracious, was nominated for 'Best Urban Album' at the ARIA Awards.[17]

Obese also had a soul imprint, Plethora Records,[18] and operated an artists' management and touring company, Obese Records Artist Management.[9]

2011–2016: Later years, defunction

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Following Hilltops Hoods departure to start their own label with EMI,[19] Obese Records continued to focus on both established artists and underground locals.[10] Plethora Records was founded as Obese' Records subsidiary soul label in 2010.[19]

In 2012,Obese filmed episodes for Obese TV, their web series.[19] In 2013, Obese Records signed its first management contract with emcee Kerser, at that point having divisions for sales, publicity, marketing, accounts, and A&R.[9] In 2013, Pegz expanded the company by opening a second retail store in the Melbourne neighborhood of Frankston, which stocked music, merchandise, street apparel, spray paint, art supplies, DVDs, and street art magazines.[9]

Periscope Pictures announced on 19 September 2013, that Obese Records would be distributing its documentary Hunter: For The Record locally in Australia. The feature film chronicles hip hop artist Robert Hunter before his death from cancer in 2011. Hunter had released all his albums on Obese, and in conjunction with the DVD, the label released his final album, Bring it All Back, posthumously.[20]

In 2016, after 21 years, Obese Records shut down for good, with no specific reason ever given.[21] However, Pegz wrote a short statement about the label.[22] It read:

"I am so thankful for the times we shared. We ruled the country for a beautiful moment. The little record store that launched Australian hip hop to the masses. Thank you for your amazing support and contribution over her 21 years."

Staff

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  • Tirren Staaf – CEO
  • Fern Greig-Moore – Operations Manager, Artist Management[20]
  • Lindsey Martin – Publicity, Communications[9]
  • Lee Rawlings – Sales, Distribution [9]

Distribution

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Obese Records Distribution provided distribution for the following labels, in addition to Obese Records:[23]

  • The Ayems
  • Born Fresh
  • Broken Tooth Entertainment
  • Crate Cartel
  • Fat Beats
  • Karsniogenics
  • Lookup
  • Myspherical
  • Nuff Said Records
  • Plethora Records
  • Uknowho Records
  • WordBurner Entertainment/Bias B

Artists

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Discography

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Cat. # Title Artist Year
OBR001 Solid Reason[24] 2000
OBR002 Culture of Kings: Volume 1 (CD,[25] vinyl[26]) Various 2000
OBR003 Hip Hop Life Bias B 2001
OBR004-
OBR008		 Culture of Kings: Volume 2[27] Various (Solomon Klepto, Pegz, Bob Balans, Hilltop Hoods, Hospice, Art of War, Layla, etc.) 2002
OBR009 The Courageous L.P. Matty B 2002
OBR010 The Authentic LP Brad Strut 2002
OBR013 ObeseCity[28] Various (Terra Firma, Brothers Stoney, Sol Klept, Chopper Read-Brad Stru -Bias B-Balans, The Hospice, Koolism, etc.) 2003
OBR015 Culture of Kings: Volume 3 Various 2003
OBR016 Drastik Measures Hyjak N Torcha 2004
OBR017 The Calling Hilltop Hoods 2003
OBR018 Andy Social Andy Struksha 2003
OBR019 Flowers in the Pavement Bliss N Eso 2004
OBR020 Pegasus Pegz 2001
OBR021 12" Apostles Task Force & Pegasus 2002
OBR022 Capricorn Cat Pegz 2003
OBR023 One Step Ahead Reason 2004
OBR024 Hunger Pains Muph n Plutonic 2004
OBR025 Lesfortunate Downsyde 2004
OBR026 When the Dust Settles Downsyde 2004
OBR027 The Fuss About Sluts Layla) 2005
OBR028 Heretik Layla) 2005
OBR029 Bonez Presents The Mamma's Kitchen Mix DJ Bonez 2005
OBR030 More Than Music Muphin 2003
OBR031 For The Ladies Mr. Trials) 2005
OBR032 Who Am I Drapht 2005
OBR033 Aces High DJ Bonez 2005
OBR034 Axis Pegz 2005
OBR035 Nothing But Silence Grayskul & Debaser 2005
OBR036 Back Then Pegz 2005
OBR037 Chechen Gorilla Pegz 2005
OBR038 Heaps Good Muph & Plutonic 2005
OBR039 Codes Over Colours Plutonic Lab 2005
OBR040 The Waiting / Midnight on Pluto Plutonic Lab 2005
OBR041 Clown Prince Hilltop Hoods 2006
OBR042 The Hard Road Hilltop Hoods 2006
OBR043 Life's a Lesson Reason 2006
OBR044 Jase Connection, Beathedz Vol.01 Jase 2006
OBR045 The Greatest Hit Funkoars 2006
OBR046 The Greatest Hits Funkoars 2006
OBR047 The Hard Road (single) Hilltop Hoods 2006
OBR048 Silence the Sirens Muph & Plutonic 2006
OBR049 What a Great Night Hilltop Hoods 2007
OBR050 Been There Done That Bias B 2007
OBR051 The Hard Road: Restrung Hilltop Hoods 2007
OBR052 Hard to Kill Vents 2007
OBR053 Roll Call DJ Bonez 2007
OBR054 Burn City Pegz 2007
OBR055 Don't Let Your Guard Down Chasm 2008
OBR056 Jimmy Recard Drapht 2008
OBR057 Brothers Grimm Drapht 2008
OBR058 Towards the Light Spit Syndicate 2008
OBR059 And Then Tomorrow Came Muph & Plutonic 2008
OBR060 The Tides Are Turning Reason 2008
OBR061 Thundamentals Thundamentals 2008
OBR062 Cycles of Survival Dialectrix 2008
OBR063 Left To Write Skryptcha 2009
OBR064 Known Unknowns The Coalition Crew 2009
OBR065 Long Story Short Illy 2009
OBR066 Unregrettable Hyjak N Torcha 2009
OBR067 The Great Divide Gully Platoon 2009
OBR068 Sleeping on Your Style Thundamentals 2009
OBR069 Move Chasm & Vida Sunshyne 2009
OBR070 Good Gracious M-Phazes 2010
OBR071 Power of the Spoken Mantra 2010
OBR072 Exile Spit Syndicate 2010
OBR073 The Numbers Skryptcha 2010
OBR074 Audio Projectile Dialectrix 2010
OBR075 The Chase Illy 2010
OBR076 Audio Biography Simplex 2011
OBR077 Drama Pegz 2011
OBR078 Phaze One M-Phazes & Emilio Rojas 2011
OBR079 Foreverlution Thundamentals 2011
OBR080 Speaking Volumes Mantra 2011
OBR081 Window of Time Reason 2011
OBR082 This is How We Never Die Chasm 2012
OBR083 Mindful Skryptcha 2012
OBR084 ObeseCity 2[28] Various 2012
OBR085 Bring It Back Illy 2012
OBR086 Sunday Gentlemen Spit Syndicate 2013
OBR087 Diamond Cuts EP Chasm 2013
OBR088 The Cold Light of Day Dialectrix 2013
OBR089 Smoking Aces EP Chasm 2013
OBR090 The Works M-Phazes 2013
OBR091 Sunday Gentlemen: Deluxe Edition Spit Syndicate 2013
OBR092 Day Turns to Night EP Chasm 2013
OBR093 So We Can Remember Thundamentals 2014
OBR094 Night Vision EP Chasm 2014
Source: Official Discography
Plethora Records (imprint)
Cat. # Title Artist Year
PLR001 Neon Heartache Jess Harlen 2010
PLR002 Park Yard Slang Jess Harlen 2012

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "Obese Records Interview by Writin' Exact". Scene Magazine. Retrieved 20 March 2011.
  2. ^ "Australian Music Online - record label profile 'Obese Records'". Archived from the original on 29 July 2008. Retrieved 17 March 2008.
  3. ^ "Reason, Local Noise (02/10/2004)". Archived from the original on 23 March 2011. Retrieved 20 March 2011.
  4. ^ Dennes, Caz (1 May 2008). "OBESE BLOCK PARTY - Block Rockin' Beats". BMA Magazine. Retrieved 13 May 2008.
  5. ^ Kuch, Jesse (24 September 2009). "The Don". The Cairns Post. Retrieved 22 March 2011.
  6. ^ Colman, Tim (9 December 2005). "Milkbar Stars". Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 1 April 2008.
  7. ^ "New vinyl records donated to the NFSA". Australian Film Commission. Archived from the original on 24 August 2006. Retrieved 17 March 2007.
  8. ^ Walter, John. "Fatter Than Ya Mama". Melbourne Pixel magazine. Archived from the original on 23 March 2011. Retrieved 17 March 2008.
  9. ^ a b c d e f Steps, Jim (8 March 2013). "Obese Records – Frankston Store Opening". All Aussie Hip Hop. Retrieved 19 September 2013.
  10. ^ a b c "Tales of Obese City". Mag. Slattery Media Group. June 2009.
  11. ^ a b c "Obese Records interview". Scene Magazine. Retrieved 29 March 2011.
  12. ^ "Tiptop hip-hop with an Aussie accent". Record Scout Music News. 18 October 2004.
  13. ^ a b Mitchell, Tony. "Mark Pollard Interview". Local Noise. University of Technology, Sydney. Retrieved 21 March 2011.
  14. ^ "Jagermeister AIR Award nominees". FasterLouder.com.au. 19 October 2007. Retrieved 22 March 2011.
  15. ^ "ARIA Awards – History: Winners by Year 2007: 21st Annual ARIA Awards". Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA). Archived from the original on 18 July 2008. Retrieved 5 December 2009.
  16. ^ "ARIA Awards – History: Winners by Year 2008: 22nd Annual ARIA Awards". Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA). Archived from the original on 13 August 2009. Retrieved 5 December 2009.
  17. ^ Ferris, Rina; Brennan, Kristyn (28 September 2010). "2010 ARIA Awards Nominations & Artisan Award Winners Announced" (PDF). Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA). Archived from the original (Portable Document Format (PDF)) on 7 August 2011. Retrieved 7 October 2010.
  18. ^ "Releases". Plethora Records. Retrieved 13 September 2013.
  19. ^ a b c "Chewing the fat with Obese Records – Red Bull website". Red Bull. 18 July 2012. Retrieved 19 September 2013.
  20. ^ a b "Obese Records to Distibute [sic] Hunter: For The Record Documentary". if.com.au. 19 September 2013. Archived from the original on 3 March 2016. Retrieved 19 September 2013.
  21. ^ "Obese Records Store To Close After 21 Glorious Years • Howl & Echoes". Howl & Echoes. 3 May 2016. Retrieved 17 October 2024.
  22. ^ "Dialectrix Facebook". www.facebook.com. Retrieved 17 October 2024.
  23. ^ "Distribution". Obese Records. Retrieved 6 May 2014.
  24. ^ "Releases". Obese Records. Retrieved 13 September 2013.
  25. ^ "Various - Culture Of Kings Volume 1". Discogs. Retrieved 21 March 2011.
  26. ^ "Various - Culture Of Kings Volume 1 - vinyl". Discogs. Retrieved 21 March 2011.
  27. ^ "Various - Culture Of Kings Volume 2". Discogs. Retrieved 21 March 2011.
  28. ^ a b "Various - Obesecity". Discogs. Retrieved 21 March 2011.
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