Interview - Diggis

Diggis is an independent emcee who loves and lives hip-hop culture. He has performed around Australia, and New York, and supported a range of Australian and international artists from a variety of genres. His conscious, soulful, positive, and lyrical styles have been influenced by all types of music, but mainly reggae, and hip-hop. He draws inspiration from his surroundings and upbringing in his hometown Kuranda and FNQ. He returns with fresh material to release in 2023, “I am ready to turn it all the way up.”

His latest offering, ‘Straight Chillin' Pt2 Be About The Balance’ is a hip-hop track infused with different styles like soulful, 90s Boom Bap, and old school. Diggis created a smooth and conscious anthem to tap into a peaceful and aware frame of mind and energy. The tune is impactful with its storytelling, relaxing and positive vibes, and overall chill liveliness that will engage the listener from the very beginning.

“The song is a self-reminder, a symbol of growth, and a new chapter in the journey of self-improvement and discovery.” - Diggis comments on the track.

We sat down with Diggis to discuss his music and much more. Here’s what he had to say:

Hey Diggis, welcome to FLEX! How are you?

Hi, I’m great thanks, and I hope you are too! Thanks for having me, and the opportunity to talk about and promote my new song.

Congratulations on your new single ‘Straight Chillin’ Pt2 Be About The Balance’- what inspired this particular song?

Thank you, I’m very excited to be releasing this single and more conscious positive music. I was inspired by a few different factors. Firstly, the smooth soulful production / instrumental made by the legend Phoniks. I’ve had this beat for a while and was waiting for the right feeling, idea, and lyrics to complement the energy of Phoniks’ amazing work.

Secondly, my home and environment around me, the tropics of the far north of Australia. It’s paradise here and the beautiful views and serenity always inspire me to create.

Finally, my own personal and spiritual growth. Learning to find more balance in life and appreciate every stage and emotion and the process. This song is a self-reminder, the result of progress, and signifies a new chapter in the journey of self-improvement and discovery. I love to create different flavours and especially positive art. Conscious lyrics and messages speak to my soul, so naturally, I enjoy eternalising beautiful expressions into songs.

And do you have to be in a certain mood to write?

I generally create when I’m feeling happy and productive. When there are issues going on in life, I like to address them first.

How was the recording and writing process?

Sometimes I will write a song in one sitting, or over a few days, weeks, or months. Straight Chillin’ Pt2 took me a few days to get my expressions, feelings, and rhymes right. I generally record a draft once the writing is complete to vibe to, then rehearse it a lot, and re-record the polished final song later. I have a lyricist’s studio set up in my rainforest jungle shack on Platypus Creek in Kuranda village, nothing fancy, just the essentials for an emcee to get busy. I had my lyrics well rehearsed so the recording process was fun and fluent.

For viewers that don’t know Diggis, how would you describe your sound?

For the last 20 years I've been creating boom-bap Hip Hop, with a little bit of Reggae influences here and there. Some conscious and soulful boom bap and some party and braggadocio songs depending if it was a solo or collaboration song or project. Although in the last couple of years, I’ve been branching out and creating 2 Step / UK Garage, Ska, Afrobeat, DnB, Glitch Hop, and whatever flavours and fusions excite me! Now I want to experiment with everything haha or as much as possible.

And what are some of those activities that you engage yourself in when you aren’t writing or recording in the studio?

I love to garden and grow food, especially different exotic fruits. Staying active and fit is important, considering how much time I dedicate to my music. I love to go on bush walks and hikes around the region and explore new areas. I also love to travel and experience different cultures and countries. My second home is a local creek here in Kuranda haha it gets very hot and humid over summer, so the Creeks waterfalls and ocean are the place to be! Outside of running my business, most of my spare time is spent creating, performing, maintaining, socialising, and soaking up paradise.