Naarm rapper Realname has been a prominent figure in Australia’s alt hip-hop scene for a minute now. As a member of industrial group Too Birds alongside Teether and Society he’s proven himself as a master of twisting verses and sharp delivery. On his latest solo project MOTHMAN though, he’s levelled up.
Run from it, hide from it, try what you like, you can’t avoid pain forever. Through a collision of sounds that are scratching, piercing, haunting and ass-shaking, Realname is forced to undergo metamorphosis. Torn apart limb from limb and melted down into primordial soup, MOTHMAN is the story of piecing yourself back together, strengthening who you are in the process.
Realname doesn’t go through this alone though. Supported by his Too Birds bandmates as well as a bevy of talent including Aus hip-hop mainstays Sevy, Stoneset and BAYANG (tha Bushranger), the journey of crumbling down and building back up is approached with a trepid eagerness.
The cocoon can be a scary place, but it’s necessary for transformation. On MOTHMAN Realname embraces the chaos, using it to transform into a version of himself that’s truer, more resilient, and ready to take on the world.
Words by Jim Kretschmer