Melbourne rapper Daniel Elia has recorded more tracks in the last six months than many musicians produce in an entire lifetime. The guy pretty much lives in his studio and has just celebrated his twenty-second birthday by dropping a surprise EP.Part of Creative Rebellion Youth, a loose collection of South Sudanese refugees doing very positive things in Australia, Daniel raps in a loose but natural flow that speaks of his experience living and creating in Melbourne.He bought me lunch even though it was his birthday, so I asked him a bunch of questions about his E.P.Noisey: So you released an EP on your birthday. Cool.
Daniel Elia: Yeah, we’d been recording way too many tracks but I just felt like I needed a solid deadline for my first release. I figured it would make sense to have the birth of my music on my birthday. I guess it just helps it feel more special.Is there any over-arching theme to the EP?
The whole concept is just being content with what you have and making the best out of it. This is my pilot, my first episode. Hopefully I can get picked up for a whole season!Most of the beats are quite laid back. Does this match your personality?
I feel like I heard 500 beats, these ones definitely felt like they were most in line with my personality and I’m mostly pretty laid back. There’s some more hype stuff towards the end but I’m still really trying to deliver a message because I just can’t help myself. I left my favourite track for last (produced by So Much Lasagna), which sounds like you’re in a desert with a massive tornado ripping all the sand up, it’s a weird mix of chaos and control. I think that sums up the whole E.P.What do you think you’ll change for your next release? What areas would you like to grow in?
Concepts on concepts on concepts. The last song connects to my next project, so I guess it’s a cliffhanger.You’re part of the Creative Rebellion Youth Collective, how did that come about?
I met Abe Nouk through friends and when I wanted to get serious about music he took me under his wing. He kinda became my mentor and I kept going back because it’s about more than music, it’s about trying to be better and do more for the people around you. I’ll be a member for life.
Advertisement
Daniel Elia: Yeah, we’d been recording way too many tracks but I just felt like I needed a solid deadline for my first release. I figured it would make sense to have the birth of my music on my birthday. I guess it just helps it feel more special.Is there any over-arching theme to the EP?
The whole concept is just being content with what you have and making the best out of it. This is my pilot, my first episode. Hopefully I can get picked up for a whole season!Most of the beats are quite laid back. Does this match your personality?
I feel like I heard 500 beats, these ones definitely felt like they were most in line with my personality and I’m mostly pretty laid back. There’s some more hype stuff towards the end but I’m still really trying to deliver a message because I just can’t help myself. I left my favourite track for last (produced by So Much Lasagna), which sounds like you’re in a desert with a massive tornado ripping all the sand up, it’s a weird mix of chaos and control. I think that sums up the whole E.P.What do you think you’ll change for your next release? What areas would you like to grow in?
Concepts on concepts on concepts. The last song connects to my next project, so I guess it’s a cliffhanger.You’re part of the Creative Rebellion Youth Collective, how did that come about?
I met Abe Nouk through friends and when I wanted to get serious about music he took me under his wing. He kinda became my mentor and I kept going back because it’s about more than music, it’s about trying to be better and do more for the people around you. I’ll be a member for life.
Like this story? Like NOISEY on Facebook.