He has coined himself as the Spiritual Gangster in the Sydney hip hop community and has been gaining the attention of local and national fans with his unique brand of socially conscious hip hop with a higher purpose.

Representing the creative nuances of both the film and music worlds, Matuse is a multi-talented solo artist who conveys the struggle of the people and their stories through his authentic style and brand of Hip-Hop. With a variety of solo and collaborative music projects available, Matuse has raised the bar for what it takes to be an original, brave and passionate solo artist on the hip hop industry. He defies convention by creating a musical canvas that could be labelled anywhere from personal, provocative, opinionated and at times controversial.

From his political hip hop project Third Eye King as part of the duo Matuse and Kasi, to forming part of the Sydney vs Everybody movement to his own upcoming solo release Songs for H.E.R EP, under the alias Tusey, this is an artist whose mission in hip hop is just beginning.

As an actor Matuse has built an impressive body of work having featured in the Australian prime time TV series, Underbelly: The Golden Mile, and in the movie Cedar Boys which secured him as a creative to watch. His earlier foray in the world of TV film was a feature in the short film Between the Flags which saw him take out the Best Male Actor gong at 2007 Trop Fest Short Film Festival.

2016 brings forward a deeper level of expression for the hip hop artist, international actor, writer, motivational speaker, poetic artist and visual artist as his creativity evolves onto a greater realm where poetry, art, music and political awareness fuse into one.

Hi Tuse – great to connect with you – how are you doing?

Peace & blessings, I’m doing very well!

Can you tell us a little bit about who Matuse is, his music style and what his overall message is in this hip hop game? 

I guess Matuse is an artist in its truest sense. I just connect with different forms and mediums of art and allow my inner self to flow via consciousness in creating something from music to paintings, acting to writing. My style of music varies and I like to switch it up. The idea of being pigeon holed or told what you can and cannot do doesn’t fit well with me, to the point where I don’t even really classify my music as rap or hip hop but rather Poetry Over Beats. My message is diverse but is heavily grounded in spirituality and progression. I make music that reflects the human experience & condition – so undoubtedly it’s very diverse both sonically and vocally.

What are your perceptions on Australia’s urban music community and how has it embraced you and the sound you are creating with a career that is gaining positive traction with every release you make?

The urban market in Australia is rather small and reasonably young and dumb so to put it. It has gained a lot more attention and credit over the years but it has a long way to go. My experience has always been two fold within the Oz urban demographic… I get lots of love but I also don’t get a lot of support out here for various reasons. I relocated bases to New York for both my music and acting amongst other things and I’ve found over the years that it’s about seeing yourself as an international artist with a greater world view. I think a lot of talented Sydney artists have been giving me props for years in regards to my freestyles and my music & it’s a blessing to be recognised for the abilities The Most High bestows.

Who would you say is your greatest influence / inspiration in your musical journey thus far and why?

My inspiration is usually my life experiences, be it people I meet along my travels or experiences or even landmarks. I tend to tap into my subconscious and let the energy flow.

 

What are you currently working on right now – current music, tours, collaborating?

I have just released Songs for H.E.R EP, under the alias Tusey, and I’ve been working on shooting visuals as well as collaborating with other artists while I’m still in Sydney.

When did you first fall in love with Hip Hop and how has it changed your life since then?

I fell in love with Hip Hop years ago when I was around 12 years of age. It was initially 2Pac, Bone Thugs N Harmony, Nas, Ice Cube, Master P… I fell deep into the music and its powerful capability to tell real & raw stories. What really caught me was the usage of language and rhyme, the poetic techniques always impressed me so much and it gave me a genuine outlet to release my thoughts, feelings and ideas in such a creative way, for a troubled teen that had no other outlet, it definitely gave me a release.

You are also an avid artist, sharing some of your unique artworks on social media of late. What is it about painting that ignites your spirit and what do you hope people gain from looking at your finished pieces?

I consider myself a renaissance man – I’m not a rapper or actor etc. I’m a spiritual gangster, a traveling stranger – I’m a human on a journey and I love to express that journey through whatever means I find drawn towards. I just trust in my inner artist and don’t let society mould what I can and cannot do. I feel the same connection with drawing that I do with writing – it’s all one form of expression. I hope people can look into the pieces and find their own meaning just like my music & gained some form of insight that leads to reflection & connection to the common human journey.

If you could be a hip hop superhero, who would you be and why?

I would be an anti-hero…Targeting the world of whack & negative rappers … Most artist are too concerned with their own come up that it’s at any expense.. Even to the detriment of the same audience they are representing. As for a superhero name… Probably be Vendetta.

( All images supplied )  

For more information on Matuse Peace visit: 

Facebook: www.facebook.com/matusefanpage

Twitter: https://twitter.com/OFFICIALMATUSE

 

 Always hip hop

Ms Hennessey