What does an Australian Trio from Australia have to do with Minnesota? Well quite a bit. Hilltop Hoods not only has made a few trips to the Twin Cities but have songs with local favorite Brother Ali and have used samples from label mate Atmosphere. As they get ready for their show tonight at Fine Line Café, they took some time out to talk a little more about what makes them an act not to miss. 

UHH: First off can you tell me who you are and what you represent?

Hilltop Hoods: I am Matt, Suffa, from the hip hop trio Hilltop Hoods from Adelaide, South Australia.

What is the importance of Run DMC album Raising Hell? 

It was the first hip hop album that I bought. It was a gateway into Walk This Way (by Aerosmith) That album changed everything for me. [Because of] that album I fell in love with hip hop. 

Going off of that, what artists influenced your early styles within US and Australia and how have you seen your music grow since then?

There is not a lot of hip hop around when we were starting. So when we were in high school it was a lot of US hip hop. We listen to a lot of New York style hip hop and Big Daddy Kane, KRS-ONE, Run DMC… what else, like Schooly D etc. Because we weren’t from a specific coast we drew from a lot of different aspects.  

I really loved this answer because its very true of their music. Not just in a sense that they aren’t from a specific coast, but in that their background gives them a unique perspective on the hip hop culture. They, like a lot of others, hold onto the value of musical instruments and pay homage to the jazz music that came before them. While I do enjoy a lot of hype/trap/party music at times, I have always been drawn towards music that shows a little more intricacies in it, not just through wordplay and lyricism but the actual beats having layers, this is something that lives on in Hilltop Hoods.

I know that you guys have a different style than most of what is popular in US currently, how do you find the crossover to stay relevant while staying true to making art that you are proud of?

We go by what we like to call the “Beastie Boys Motto” where the Beastie Boys would put out a record but never try to sound like what’s going on around them. So what they would do is try to sound like the Beasties Boys and that’s it. And so what we do is not try to keep up with the sounds around us. So when it comes to Trap, I have nothing against it, but the music I’ve always listened to has been much more introspective. If I were to try it, it would be disingenuous because I don’t understand it and therefore not something I’d be able to create. So our “Beastie Boys Motto” is just about being a better version of ourselves while having fun.

As I have said before, most interviews come with an interesting moment and this was it for me. Murs talked a lot about the importance of Beasties Boys recently on his Hip Hop DX YouTube series. This is a prime example of that importance. It was never about bringing in audiences and selling records, but those things are nice. Music in its rawest forms has been about expression of self and when that comes through you are bound to make real connections that create life long bonds. Maintaining yourself even while you change is when great music is made. Whether its death of a close soul, a hard break up, a new milestone or in the case of Matt (Suffa), becoming a father.  

The sample of "Guns and Cigarettes" by Atmosphere. Why I wanted to bring it up is because they made the transition into Dad rapper even going by dadmosphere as a joke on it. How have you guys felt becoming parents has influenced your music in songs like Clark Griswald?

Well, I am a more recent dad rapper. I have a 3 year old and 1 year old. Just becoming a parent by the nature of responsibility make you more mature. If you are a good person, it makes you more mature. You have to be more serious about your health, think about your future and generally think about how you’re acting around your kids. It definitely effects the ways in which you approach things. For us, it effected the way we approached touring. Well, it gets pretty wild, but it definitely isn’t as wild as it use to be. It has also gotten a lot harder to be away from home than it use to be. Clark Griswald is about being a touring musician, but its also about being a person. 

Yeah, it’s definitely visible the change you see in a person with kids. I don’t have any kids, but I have 5 nieces and nephews and your attitude about life changes when you think about the kids that in your life. Finishing up, I just wanted to get into your latest adventures in Europe. How has the tour been and did anything stand out to you guys?

Oh man, we had a ball! After years of doing this you find some joy in the [grodiness] of it all.  Taking the road with eight other dudes, going to shows every night, showering at the clubs, waking up at 8 AM to travel to the next venue. We had fun man, we had a ball. Germany was great, Switzerland was incredible. European crowds, maybe even more than North America, are in tune to a more traditional style of hip hop. It was just really fun to be out on a headlining tour and then next to North America!

Hilltop Hoods is not a group that makes its way into everyone’s radar, but they are one I wish was brought up more. Having only really heard them in passing or on a couple playlists I am upset that it took me until this interview to really give them a listen. I can blame it on their Australian roots or my busy schedule but the truth is I was sleeping on this act and having sat down with Matt for a few minutes I can tell you that I won’t be missing them when they come to town tonight or in the future. 

View upcoming shows and buy tickets at hilltophoods.com

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