360

Overview

360 is not just a moniker, it’s actually what the Melbourne rapper has done in the past couple of years. Hailing from the eastern suburbs, this Aussie hip hop pioneer probably had no idea in 2012 he’d be one of the biggest names in Australian music, or that he’d sound a whole lot better than his peers – ahem, Hilltop Hoods and Bliss n Eso.

Much like the beginnings of a relatively unpopular guy called Marshall Mathers III, 360 gained leverage in the hip hop community because of his skills at rap battling. Imagine an underground club with a chanting group and you probably get the picture. He is best known for his collaborations with Pez, for example The Festival Song. The track did surprisingly well on the Australian charts and Triple J’s Hottest 100 of 2008, despite almost completely consisting of bogan-esque lyrics and rhyming eBay with BPay.

Since emancipating himself from Pez (the artist, not the lolly), 360 has gone on to enjoy success all on his lonesome. His second album, Falling & Flying, topped the iTunes charts in 2011, as well as putting him in good stead to nab the Channel [V] Oz artist of the year award. In an arguably better honour, 360 also had two singles feature in last week’s Triple J Hottest 100 countdown; #84 Throw It Away, featuring the amazing Josh Pyke and #9, with Boys Like You, which features the vocal stylings of Gossling (not Ryan).

Now that you’ve been schooled in all to do with 360, it's probably best that you catch the man in action at The Zoo this Friday and see what all the fuss is about.