Bio
“I really love your style and your songs!”
- Speech from Arrested Development
The Fonke Knomaads have risen to the top of the Australian Hip Hop Funk Fraternity being cemented as founders of the genre and artistic boundary pushers both in their recorded body of work and with their explosive live shows.
Being often referred to as Australia’s answer to Arrested Development, The Roots and Native Tongues the comparison is strong in that lyrically TeOp’s sound and laid back delivery rivals that of Speech, Posdnous, Q-Tip and EPMD while Soups production has been set alongside the Dust Brothers, Madlib and Prince Paul. Musically the overall sound is Funk and is Hip Hop. Innovative and Retro at the same time with influences being called upon from hip hops golden age yet with the newness and invention of now.
As for the pioneering spirit the history records state that in 1993 TeOp & Soup burst onto the fledgeling Oz Hip Hop scene with the EP The Hills Are Alive With The Sound Of… (Poboy Records) which immediately gained rotation on Triple J (Australias National Youth Radio) and was among the first Australian Hip Hop releases to do so. The E.P. was one of the first Jazz-Funk Hip Hop releases in Australia. The track U Can’t Deny Genetics also featured on the Oz Hip Hop Compilation 15oz – 15 Years of Oz Hip Hop on Vinyl (Crookneck records).
After several solo outings and a lengthy hiatus the Fonke Knomaads returned in 2008 with their Full Length Album – CLEOPATRA’S BATH MILK released on Creative Vibes/SoulJourner which was named Triple J’s Hip Hop Show Album of the Week upon release. The Fonke Knomaads have toured the album extensively and received much love from JJJ, 2SER, FBI Radio, 4ZZZ, 3RRR and 3PBS as well as a myriad of local and net based radio stations.
The Album Cleopatra’s Bath Milk album was recorded and produced by DJ Soup & TeOp the Emphatical and guests artists such as the ol’ school funk legend Thadeus Rimshot, Elder Oracle the Wise, the wordsmith Abz, label mates 2UP and Nick Knowledge, as well as E.E.S., Brethren, Oakbridge, Kilente the Mo6, Sonic Solo, R.E.L. and the Multiple Arrow Crew.
While touring the album the Fonke Knomaads developed an explosively heavy funk set that has been blowing away crowds across Australia. Some of the Knomaads also squeezed in a trip to west coast USA and played in Compton, L.A. The Knomaads live set has been inspiring audiences wherever they play. The revolving live line up has featured instrumentation from Chris Gudu, Chris Soulos, Shaminder Marandawela, Andrew Cutugno, Victor Akpokodge, Peter Noble and on Jazz and Soul vocals Rumbi Mutsiwa, Charlotte Jane and Laurian Bougaardt , all solo and session musicians and singers in their own right.
DJ Soup, TeOp and the Fonke Knomaads have played a myriad of locations, venues and festivals such as the Sydney Superdome (Acer Arena), Oxford Art Factory, Compton – LA, Darling Harbour Foreshore, South Sydney Football Stadium, Penrith Panthers Football Stadium, Meltbar, UTS Loftbar, The Supper Club, Earthdance 07/08, AGMF/Easterfest 07/08, Peats Ridge Festival, Revolver, Bar Broadway, Beach Rd, Brackets n Jam, Youthfest, The Chilli Lounge, Pulse Niteclub, Blush Niteclub, the Old Manly Boatshed, The Manly Fig, Blackstump 07/08, 351 MMAD camps, Ruby Rabbit & Hermann’s.
The Knomaads have supported major local and international artists such as of Michael Franti, Bliss n’ Esso, The Potbelleez, 2UP, Def Wish Cast, Good Buddha, Wrex ‘N Effect, KJ-52, Lecrae, Mind Over Matter, Brethren, 046, Corn Cob Mob, Voodoo Flavour, Urban Poets/Easybass & Metabass n Breath.