Musicians typically say their closest collaborators are like siblings to them. Within the case of Tommy Gunn and 99HURTS, it’s the reality. The siblings are one among Australia’s hottest rapper/producer pairs, with Tommy’s hypnotic, melodic rap cadence mixing nicely with 99 HURTS’ means to infuse each beat with sufficient oomph to shatter a subwoofer. The pair are at present within the States, however Complicated Australia stole a little bit of their time to speak about their music and their latest JD Sports activities x ASICS marketing campaign.
When speaking to Tommy and 99HURTS, it’s straightforward to see that they’re snug with the roles they play inside their dynamic. Tommy’s the animated showman, whereas 99HURTS chimes in with insights into the pair’s relationship out and in of the sales space. Bouncing off one another with ease, there’s an apparent mutual appreciation for his or her respective skills, in addition to a way of gratitude. Because the pair level out, each rappers and producers are always looking for like-minded creatives to work with. For the duo, their excellent collaborator grew up beneath the identical roof as them.
I am curious: which one among you first acquired into making music? Have been you doing it on the identical time, or did one among you encourage the opposite?
Tommy Gunn: I began rapping with the boys first. I imply, me and the boys would simply freestyle raps, and I might rap to Kelvin [99HURTS] and stuff. And, , I might be like “Kelvin, take heed to this.”
99HURTS: I might get aggravated! I did not even actually like rap like that again within the day.
TG: After which he began making beats.
99: Yeah, my pal acquired me into FL Studio. I simply began making beats, and he already had bars. So we had been like, “Let’s simply purchase a mic and begin recording. See the place it goes.”
Wanting again at these early days to now, how do you each really feel you’ve grown as musicians?
99: Nonetheless seems like early days.
TG: This nonetheless seems like hella early days, however I imply, like this entire journey, though we’re nowhere close to the place we wish to be…I really feel like as human beings, we have grown greater than as artists, as a result of as artists and musicians, it seems like the identical shit. Like this entire time we’ve had the identical drive, the identical work ethic, the identical self-discipline. Yeah, nothing’s actually modified on the music aspect.
99: I’d say our music is best.
TG: Yeah, our music is best. However I really feel like, should you ask about progress as folks and as brothers, that is what’s grown probably the most.
99: I believe our artistry aspect grows as we develop as folks.
You have to dwell life to develop as artists, proper?
99: Precisely. Tommy truly taught me rather a lot about that, as a result of I’ve all the time been fairly introverted. I simply keep inside, play video games. And if I am not making beats, I am on a League of Legends recreation, what I imply. He undoubtedly helped me see an even bigger aspect of being a human, alongside being an artist or being a producer.
How do you guys handle being brothers and dealing collectively professionally?
99: It is undoubtedly fascinating. There’s rather a lot that we’re juggling—we’re making an attempt to develop into artists, in addition to adults, ?
TG: I believe the largest factor is that we clearly undergo what we undergo as brothers. However if you wish to be brothers on this recreation, you must put that shit apart, ? It is always like, “Okay, are we being brothers or being adults proper now? And are we being professionals? Are we about enterprise proper now?” We’re juggling between being household, being enterprise, being adults, being musicians. It’s not straightforward, however we make it work.
Do you ever get sick of one another?
99: Yeah in fact, 100%.
TG: Nicely, yeah, however, like…
99: —folks get sick of their very own girlfriends. You already know what I imply?
TG: Our coronary heart is on this shit deep down. We’re sick of one another, however on the finish of the day—like I all the time inform Kelvin—it is a blessing to be doing this shit. I might relatively get sick of him than anybody else.
Do you’re feeling from the beginning your sounds naturally complemented one another, or do you’re feeling such as you’ve type of grown into artists who work nicely alongside one another?
99: It is a mixture.
TG: Yeah, it is each. As a result of, like, we grew up hella totally different, like we have been hella totally different folks. I grew up exterior of the home, doing no matter. He is all the time been a gamer.
99: Yeah, we’re totally different folks, too.
TG: And the music we take heed to. I’ve was into pop and R&B earlier than rap. However I am additionally actually large into rap.
99HURTS: I used to be a jazz musician earlier than I used to be absolutely into R&B and hip-hop and stuff. And he listens to heaps of old-school rap.
TG: And old skool R&B. By disagreements, via fights, via no matter, we got here along with a sound, and now we’re simply rising. Lately, I really feel like we’re merging collectively and getting into the identical path, and in addition growing a brand new sound.
We have spoken somewhat bit about the way you guys work nicely collectively. However what do you assume one another’s greatest power is as a musician?
99: I believe Tommy’s greatest power is certainly writing songs that resonate, that stick. Writing not only a track that sounds good, however a track meaning one thing as nicely. He can flip his personal expertise into one thing that the listener can soak up.
TG: I believe for Kelvin, it could be that he has a very good ear. His musical aspect of issues. His ears are simply unimaginable. All through the years, we have been capable of work collectively to develop a brand new sound. Should you inform regular producers [your ideas], they will’t all the time convey it to life. However we’ve that brother chemistry. I am going to yap random phrases to him, and he’ll be capable to translate it.
You’ve got additionally performed issues with different artists—Kelvin, you’ve produced for ONEFOUR, and Tommy, you’ve additionally linked up with different artists. Once you’re working individually, do you miss one another somewhat bit?
TG: It is a steadiness. I am spoiled, having Kelvin, and I am very conscious of that. I understand how it’s for regular artists. It’s important to attain out to producers, you must purchase beats, you must do that, try this. You do not discover nice producers that you may correctly dangle in there with as a result of if you do not have a brother like this, you must run to 10 totally different producers and shit will take time.
On the identical time, I find it irresistible in a manner, working in instances when Kelvin’s not obtainable. I am like “Okay, I really like this, as a result of this places me beneath strain.” I really like working beneath strain. Once I make music abroad, after I make music with different folks, it places me in an entire totally different mode. Personally, I do know I want each.
99: I used to be simply telling Tommy the opposite day how a lot I’ve realized working with ONEFOUR as nicely. Simply for example, they clearly give me totally different views to convey again into our personal sound. Having to work with 4 or 5 folks on one observe, that taught me the way to construction songs in a extra inventive manner, since you’re working with so many verses and hooks in the identical track. And I have been capable of take that again into my very own manufacturing work on that with Tommy.
I used to be curious, how did you each react if you first acquired hit up about collaborating with JD Sports activities?
TG: I did not assume it was going to be what it was! I didn’t assume it was going to be an entire marketing campaign round us, I believed it was gonna be a bunch of various artists and we might take images. However I am grateful as a result of JD devoted the entire marketing campaign to our story. I didn’t assume it was gonna be like that. I solely came upon that a few weeks earlier than the shoot. I began studying the entire script and I am like, “Rattling, they’re doing an entire film on us. And I’ve to do all these items!” So yeah, undoubtedly very grateful.
You fly again from the States in a few weeks. What are you hoping 2025 brings you each?
TG: These couple weeks right here in America, it is a large turning level for us. Plenty of loopy issues. We’re assembly loopy folks and we’re always having new avenues put in entrance of us. It is thrilling. Subsequent 12 months we’re gonna focus rather a lot on Asia. And we have some festivals coming.
99: In 2025, we’re gonna preserve pioneering this factor. Particularly for Australia, lots of people are going to see us do issues for the primary time for the nation, or not even for the nation, however for our personal folks too.
Lastly, should you needed to describe one another utilizing three phrases, what would they be?
TG: Compassionate, proficient, affected person.
99: Passionate, go-getter, caring.
You’ll be able to store the newest ASICS Sport Model drop solely on-line and in-store at JD Sports activities.
Supply hyperlink
