Fatty Phew
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Fatty Phew

Within every city there is one name that springs to mind when it comes to rap/hip hop. That’s not to say theirs is a lone name in the game, but due to talent (and a share of hard work), theirs is a name highly regarded. For Geelong, that name is Fatty Phew, and we were lucky enough to share a little Q & A with him.
For those people out there who don’t know who you are (very few I would suggest), can you please introduce yourself and specify your craft?
Name is Fatty Phew and I am the real Mayor of Geelong, haha. Nah, I guess you can say I am a songwriter/performer, but most people know me as an MC/rapper.
It’s been a minute since we have caught up with you. What has been going on over the last year or so?
I have recently just come off a brief hiatus of music to focus more on working and fatherhood, and I put a lot of energy the past couple of years working with a lot of different artists on their shit and learning other sides of the bizzo like filmmaking. Recently I stepped back in and gone hard to finish the third instalment to the Best Things in Life series… and I am pumped to be back to music.
You are back again this coming month with the third instalment of the ‘Best Things in Life are Free’ series. Can you tell us a bit about this EP?
I always wanted to make it a trilogy – the best series are always trilogies! I wanted the series to be a growing experience and the third one definitely shows the growth. This one is definitely the “me” I believe I have grown into.
I’ve brought on some new heads on this one too. Got Bwiv, Alter Ego, Spit and Dan Murphy beats, DJ Immaculate on the 1’s and 2’s, and a burners from Flu (aka Fluent Form) and Maund. I also got some beautiful vocals from local girl Steph Chang and some gritty vocals by well-known bluesman Pugsley Buzzard. For an EP, there is a lot of depth in here.
Most artists are loath to give away their material. What is the philosophy behind the free EPs?
Fans that love my shit will always wanna give their hard-earned for the music, so that option is there. But there is people out there that wouldn’t usually go into their pocket and pay to listen to my music. But if it’s there for free they will click it and grab it, and maybe that way I might make a few new fans. It’s also given back for all the dubbed tapes and burnt discs, haha!
Forte has noticed you have just launched news of a national headliner tour – your first. We are also led to believe this whole tour is self-managed. That must be a massive undertaking?!
Massive! Musos aren’t built for ringing and promoting shows, I don’t think, haha! But, I am happy I have done it this way for my first. I have gotten a chance to see the time and effort it takes to build a venture like this. It will definitely give good basis for future tours when I pay someone else to do it, haha!
Whilst it’s been a number of years since your last full-length release, you are always working. What features and bits and pieces have you been working on lately?
I don’t think there is a single rapper in this country that has featured on as many and a variety of shit that I have …don’t know if that’s a good thing!? Everyone from Funkoars, Rates, Deece, City Wide, Strike Won, Autism… and that’s just in the past six months!
You have been running a comp to put up-and-coming support acts on your shows. What was the inspiration behind that? Have you uncovered anyone dope through the process?
I have been checking a few that have been interested and some have been crazy good. I find that it’s the people that have everything to be grateful for that end up putting the most amount of energy into their craft. This way, it gives those that usually don’t have the opportunity the chance. I’m as keen to watch these sets as I am sure they are to perform it. It reminds me of where I came from.
What hip hop are you listening to at the moment?
It changes all the time. The albums I have been playing lately are Pusha T, Split Prophets, Underachievers, Chino XL, Joey Bada$$, Meyhem Lauren. I also cannot stop playing Plan B’s Ill Manors (favourite album ever I think).
There has been talk about an LP for some time now. What are the plans there? Is it going to be more ‘Best things in Life are Free’ for the foreseeable future, or do you think you will step to another LP at some stage soon?
This is it for EPs. I am going to put all three onto the one disc in the very near future, with maybe a few bonus cuts. After that, it’s the LP finally. I have some very exciting news regarding the LP, and what is going on with it that I will be letting everyone know soon. Exciting shit!
People from Geelong should know, but in case they don’t, why should people get along to your gig at the BC, The New Market or the Karova in March?
You want to see a picture perfect performance choreographed and rehearsed a million times? Don’t come to the shows. You want to see a group of people who are passionate about what they do and love every second of it? I’ll see you there!
Anything else?
As always, thanks to the street press magazine that supports the music scene! See you at the BC – come say what up and share with us! P.
When&Where: The Barwon Club, Geelong – March 8; The Karova, Ballarat – March 13; Yahoo Bar, Shepparton – May 14; The Newmarket, Bendigo – March 15.

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