BACK TO MAIN
BACK TO ARTICLES
By Allan Pulga - The Carillon (Regina)
Although quickly becoming veterans in Canadian rap, Swollen Members are having some trouble making sure that they¹re roots are apparent when they travel outside of their country¹s borders. The Vancouver-based hip-hop duo of Madchild and Prevail are following up the success of their Juno Award-winning debut album, Balance, with their latest work, Bad Dreams.
Bad Dreams was released in mid-November and since then the first single and music video, "Fuel Injected," which features fellow Battle Axe recording artist Moka Only, has received heavy airplay in both Canada and the U.S.
2001 was a big year for Swollen Members, including four tours covering all the major cities in Canada and 40 cities in the U.S.
In March, the MC tandem was honoured to receive the Juno Award for Best Rap Recording for Balance.
"[Winning a Juno Award] was a huge honour. It really opened up a lot of ears. In the beginning, we just didn't have our music out there as much as we do now," says Prevail.
In a music genre dominated by Americans, Swollen Members are a strong voice for Canadian hip-hop artists, especially from the West Coast. Recognising their important role, they are proud of their Canadian identity.
"It's funny because we've seen posters or flyers when we're playin' out East or down South and they're like, ¹Swollen MembersL.A.¹, and we're like, ŒHey, we're from Vancouver!¹" recalls a laughing Prevail. "We're so proud to be Canadian and we live in such a beautiful place that we wear [our identity] with honour everywhere we go."
Naturally, such mainstream exposure has been instrumental in Swollen Members' rise to rap stardom.
Although Swollen Members seem to be moving away from the mythical, "Dungeons & Dragons" sound of the North Coast, which they established on Balance, they insist that Bad Dreams is only different in its conceptual maturity.
"I think a big thing that changed for us is the amout of time that we've spent together between albums, building as brothers, as friends, and as musicians. We realise that people enjoy listening to some lighter subjects as well and I think that our main objective with Bad Dreams was to show that we're still gonna speak about those private thoughts, about things you're afraid of and the things that you're afraid to be afraid of. I think we're more focused on this album, able to speak on one topic at a time," explains Prevail.
As for 2002, these guys have a full plate of activity ahead: North American and European tours promoting Bad Dreams, a B-sides and singles release called Monsters in the Closet slated for late summer, and work on a third album to be released in November. Self-diagnosed workaholics, they insist on putting out one new album each year.
Originally born in Regina (although he moved to Vancouver when he was two months old), Prevail is looking forward to coming back on February 7 along with Bif Naked. "It's always nice to come see family," he says.
With this upcoming cross-Canada tour, Swollen Members want to get the word out on Bad Dreams and get their music out there. Prevail emphasises the importance of having fun at a show.
"Obviously, if we're doing a show, it's not fun for anyone if it's not fun for us. So we always have a good time and hopefully people leave saying, ŒYeah man, that was a good show. I had a good time."
January 31, 2002 [The Carillon]