Urban Vault caught up with Rockingham, Western Australia based emcee OptiMystic to ask him some questions about his latest release SALTY WATERZ and more…

Rockingham, Western Australia based emcee OptiMystic drops his new album SALTY WATERZ, via Fredro Starr of ONYX label, MAD MONEY. ‘Salty Waterz’ is nothing but grit & grime, but then spit-polished to expose the raw gem inside. An album orchestrated by OptiMystic for those real underground Hip Hop heads.

What is your name?

OptiMystic

Where are you from?

I hail from Rockingham, Western Australia

How long have you been making music?

I’ve been messing around with Hip Hop since a young child, but I guess I starting making proper tracks in the late 90’s/early 2000’s

How many songs/albums have you released to date?

The first official release I did was with my original crew ‘The Freakz of the Nature’ (a hybrid electro/Hip Hop outfit) – an EP called Artistic Intergrity we dropped in 2003/2004. I then dropped my first solo album ‘Re-Vamp’ in 2009 which I was blessed to have Speech from Arrested Development feature on, over the next couple years I worked on 2 different projects which were both released in 2012 – The Freakz of the Nature album ‘2000ZEN’ and also a liveband that I formed called Camazotz Sword ( A mixture of hip-hop, funk, rock & dub ), the album was called ‘Tribe of the Lost Vibe’. Then I went back to my hip-hop roots and began work on my second solo album ‘Day of the
Guiding Light… Followed by the Shadow’ – a monstrous double album that showed the maturity and growth of my art, this was released in 2016 and had a numerous amount of featured artists. Then we come to my latest project and third solo album ‘Salty Waterz’ !! Just been released !! Easily my best works I have orchestrated to date.

Tell us more about your latest release/project?

‘Salty Waterz’ is the pinnacle of my creations so far. I am so proud and excited about this album and how it has turned out. It has become exactly what I wanted it to be… a banging Hip Hop album that contains so many classic elements but still sounding fresh and relevant. It’s filled with some of the
biggest names that I am personally a huge fan of, so obviously that in itself is a blessing to me, to be spitting alongside many of my idols and inspirations. The beats on the album are mind blowing!! You have my 2 main producers from Australia, Loftwah the Beatsmiff & Rob Shaker, then you have Endemic Emerald from the UK and last but not least there is U.G from the Cella Dwellas. All 4 of these producers brought some real Hip Hop magic to the album. Salty Waterz is for the real underground Hip Hop heads. Being released through Onyx’s Fredro Starr’s label Mad Money Movement and physical copies via Shake Down Records.

Who have you collaborated with so far in your Career?

Oh man, I’m the king of collaborations! LOL !! seriously on all my solo albums there are heaps of other artists, it’s one thing I loved about hip-hop was the networking and creating with others, but some of the more well-known ones would be… Speech ( Arrested Development ) / Onyx / Keith Murray / Krazy Drayz ( Das EFX ) / Mr Cheeks / Rock ( Heltah Skeltah ) / Chip-fu / Doitall / Afu-Ra / Jeru the Damaja / Big Shug / Killah Priest / Prodigal Sunn / Cappadonna / Ruste Juxx / Sickflo / Mic Handz / Smif-N-Wessun / M.O.P / Kali Ranks / Wise Intelligent / Canibus / Bizzy Bone / KRS One / Sadat X / Timbo King / Lords of the Underground …and many more.

Who would you like to collaborate with in the future?

Oh shit that list is huge… so many people I’d love to work with… but to name a few I guess Red & Meth, Dope D.O.D, Ocean Wisdom, would have loved to have done a track with Craig Mack, RIP. Eric Sermon, Busta, Twista, Rakim… hahaha, the list goes on man.

What inspires you when you make your music?

It could just simply be the beat I have been given, a banging beat gives rise to ideas and creativity for me very quickly. Or sometimes it’s just a topic or concept that has come to the forefront of my everyday life… maybe something I have seen on t.v or read, or even a conversation I have had that sparked that fire.

How have you ended up in the music industry?

I’ve just always had that passion for creating music, in particular, Hip Hop music, so because of this continuous drive and love that I have had for it, I have just become a part of it. If we have to go back to the source of it all then I blame my father haha, who was a drummer in a band, I’d say that really got the interest and ball rolling.

What do you think of the music industry in 2018?

Can’t say I’m a huge fan of today’s music, there is some really good stuff out there but also a lot of shit. I’m still stuck in the 90’s sound, especially for Hip Hop, so much more rawness to it back then, not liking all this vocoder style that seems to be plaguing the industry and don’t get me started on mumble crap. But there are those out there keeping that realness alive, and I respect those that are.

What have you got planned for 2018?

Foremost I’m going to be working hard to promote this new album…. Buuuut I also have 2 other albums that I’m close to finishing up with other emcee’s I’m working with. So in the near future, you will get a taste of the ‘Protektahz’ & ‘Renegades of Raw’.

What’s your favourite track at the moment?

I seem to be playing a lot of Ocean Wisdom at the moment, I have definitely become a bit of a fanboy towards his music lol. As an emcee, that man has got some great skills… truly impressive. His track ‘Revvin’ gets blasted a fair bit.

What do you do when your not making music?

If I’m not working on music then I’m actually at work working. I have been in the mining industry for the past 5 years, flying out to the middle of the desert to work for 2 weeks and then fly back home for 1 week before repeating it all again. This took a lot of my time away from home to record but it also gave me the space to write most of my last two albums. I have only just recently scored a job close to home where I can be with my loved ones more as well as being home every day where I have more creative freedom.

Facebook or Twitter?

Facebook. I don’t really use twitter very much. In fact, I’m honestly terrible with my social media, Which is foolish for this day and age where we can promote ourselves and others a lot easier. I definitely need to start pushing my game up… guess I was just too busy creating the albums.

In a few words sum up your thoughts about Urban Vault and what we’re trying to do?

In a few words…. Preserving what’s sacred…. Spreading and sharing the culture on a worldwide scale and being a supportive platform for those who’ve been in the industry for some time as well as the up and coming artists, and for this, I thank you Urban Vault UK.

Thank you for your time and may you carry on making dope, fresh music….

OptiMystic – Salty Waterz via iTunes/Vinyl & CD

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