The Tongue

Last updated

The Tongue
The Tongue @ Metro City (20 5 2011) (5771500314).jpg
Background information
Birth nameXannon Shirley [1]
Also known asLil' Teezy, Yung Tunga
OriginSydney, Australia
Genres Hip hop
Years active2004–2022
Website Official Webpage

Xannon Shirley, better known by the stage name The Tongue, is an Australian rapper, DJ and high school teacher from Sydney. He released two EPs (Bad Education and "Victorious Remixes"), four albums (Shock And Awe, Alternative Energy, Surrender To Victory and Hard Feelings) and three mixtapes (Redux, [2] The Tongue Is Dead and "The Sextape). [3] He also released "Bloodwork: The Best of The Tongue" in 2022. [4]

Contents

Musical career

The Tongue represented Australia in the "Battle 4 Supremacy" competition against New Zealand in 2005 and won the Revolver MC battle the same year. [5] Tongue's songs have been placed on rotation by national Australian youth broadcaster Triple J. [6]

Tongue was signed by independent Sydney record label Elefant Traks following the submission of the Bad Education EP to the Marrickville-based label—the EP was a result of the Revolver victory and featured the production skills of the Bag Raiders (Jack Glass and Chris Stacey), who were former schoolmates of the MC.

In 2009 Tongue hosted the Elefant Traks 10th Anniversary Party Live DVD that was released nationally the same year. [7] The MC also performed the songs "Bad Education", "The Punch", "The Blues" and "The Real Thing" at the anniversary event. [8]

On 11 November 2012, Elefant Traks performed a tribute to children's author Dr Seuss. Featuring over 25 musical performers, the event occurred at the Sydney Opera House in Sydney, Australia and featured a recital of "Gerald Mc Boing Boing" by The Tongue. [9] [10]

His second album Alternative Energy features production from El Gusto (Hermitude) and M-Phazes, [11] while his third album Surrender To Victory was solely produced by Cam Bluff from Queensland, Australia. Tongue has also released three free mixtapes in the years 2008, 2009 and 2011. [12]

The Tongue's third album entitled Surrender to Victory, would officially be released on 29 March 2013. The release of a single, entitled "Drums", preceded the album release date and a promotional video was published on the label's YouTube profile. The video also reveals that the album was produced by Cam Bluff and features Suffa from the Hilltop Hoods. [13]

In early May 2013, the MC announced a national Australian tour in support of the third album that will be undertaken over June and July 2013. [14]

The official music video for the song "Australian Dreaming" from Surrender to Victory was produced by the LESMEC company, the video features Tongue in a variety of roles, including a street-based sex worker, a police officer, and a drug dealer. [15]

In 2015 The Tongue released his forth solo album "Hard Feelings", executive produced by Sydney's Papertoy and featuring the likes of Ngaiire, Ev Jones (Jones Jnr), Tenth Dan and Jeswon from Thundamentals. [16]

After touring the album nationally in 2016, The Tongue parted ways with Elefant Traks.

In March 2022 The Tongue released a new single "Joy ft Inês" with an accompanying film-clip directed by Tyler Smith. [17]

In May 2022 The Tongue released "Bloodwork: The Best of The Tongue" [18] a 19 track compilation featuring songs selected from across his four albums, EPs and mixtapes.

In August 2022 The Tongue released "Sadly", a song exclusive to his Youtube channel. The song was rumoured to be a diss track to Urthboy, the CEO of Elefant Traks but this has never been confirmed [19]

On Dec 1 2022 The Tongue released the music video for his new single "Neck + Neck" – the first Australian hip hop clip ever to be made entirely using A.I (Artificial Intelligence) generated art. The video features 'cameos' from Vladimir Putin, Flume, James Packer, Kobe Bryant, Tai Tuivasa, Elle Macpherson, Danny Lim, Kanye West, Jim Morrison, Adam Goodes and many more. The clip was a collaboration/co-direction between The Tongue and Sydney-based filmmaker Bernadette Murray, with the pair creating the hundreds of prompts/images/animations over the course of two months. [20]

Live performance

The Tongue undertook many headline tours around Australia from 2006 to 2016 in support of his various albums and mixtapes. He also toured as a backup vocalist with Sydney group Astronomy Class (Ozi Batla, Chasm and Sir Robbo). [21]

The Tongue and Astronomy Class performed in Cambodia in 2012 as part of The Tiger Translate Festival. [22]

The Tongue performed at major Australian festivals, including the Big Day Out, Good Vibrations Festival, Groovin The Moo, Sydney Festival, Peats Ridge, Sounds of Spring, Coaster and Park Jam. [23] [24] He has also completed national tours with Mac Miller, Astronomy Class, Drapht and Pharoahe Monch. [25] [26]

In November 2012, as part of the "Elefant Traks meets Dr Seuss" show, The Tongue performed at the Sydney Opera House [27]

From 2013 to 2015, The Tongue produced and hosted a monthly spoken-word event called Speech Therapy at Work-Shop in Redfern. [28] Guest performers at Speech Therapy included the likes of Remi, Mantra, Brad Strut, Omar Musa, N'fa, Sky'High, Jimmy Nice, Tom Scott, Class A, Solo, P Smurf, Joyride and Joelistics [29]

Collaborations

The Tongue recorded with Dudley Perkins, Ozi Batla, DJ Diaz, [30] Bertie Blackman, Bag Raiders, Gift of Gab (Blackalicious), Katalyst, Braintax, Georgia Anne Muldrow, and Muph & Plutonic. [31]

Personal life

Shirley graduated from his Masters of Teaching degree in 2014, receiving qualifications to teach high school English and Geography. He began teaching at Sydney Boys High School in 2016, teaching English, History and Values Education. He also coached basketball there. He went on to teach English and English Extension at International Grammar School. [32]

Shirley had an acting role in the 2019 feature documentary "Machine", a film about how the exponential growth of AI will change humanity in the next century [33]

Shirley has also been a professional DJ since 2021, playing under the name DJ Xolo. He has had residencies at various Sydney venues such as Ivy Pool, [34] The Dock, Buddy's Bar [35] and The Lord Gladstone as well as playing interstate and internationally- most recently co-headlining DJ Festival in Vanuatu. [36]

Discography

Singles

EPs

Albums

Mixtapes

Compilation appearances

Guest appearances

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Herd (Australian band)</span> Australian hip hop group

The Herd is an Australian hip hop group formed in Sydney. The group employs a "full band" format and is recognised for its live shows. The Herd is composed of Ozi Batla, Urthboy, Berzerkatron (MCs), Unkle Ho (beats), Traksewt, Sulo, Toe-Fu (guitar), Rok Poshtya (bass) and singer Jane Tyrrell. The band's songs often feature politically oriented lyrics. The group has been largely inactive since 2013, reuniting for select performances.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hilltop Hoods</span> Australian hip-hop group

Hilltop Hoods is an Australian hip hop group that formed in 1996 in Blackwood, Adelaide, South Australia. They are regarded as pioneers of the "larrikin-like" style of Australian hip hop. The group was founded by Suffa and Pressure, who were joined by DJ Debris after fellow founder, DJ Next, left in 1999. The group released its first extended play, Back Once Again, in 1997 and have subsequently released eight studio albums, two "restrung" albums and three DVDs.

ApSci is an Australian video-centric avant pop duo with origins in indie hip hop. As individuals, their roots go back to punk rock and opera. The duo consists of Bronx born, New Jersey-bred Ra Lamotta and his Filipino-Australian wife Dana Diaz-Tutaan. The duo, which has been performing together since meeting in 1998, has received added attention after being signed to underground hip hop label Quannum Projects in 2004. The band name is a portmanteau of "applied science."

Elefant Traks is a record label based in Sydney, Australia, that predominantly releases Australian hip hop music. The label is distributed in Australia by Inertia Distribution.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Urthboy</span> Musical artist

Tim Levinson, better known by the stage name Urthboy, is an Australian hip hop MC and producer from New South Wales. He is widely known for his solo music under the moniker Urthboy, as a founding member of the hip-hop group The Herd, and for co-founding and managing the Elefant Traks record label. Levinson has released six solo albums: Distant Sense of Random Menace (2004), The Signal (2007), Spitshine (2009), Smokey's Haunt (2012), The Past Beats Inside Me Like a Second Heartbeat (2016) and Savour (2023) ; as well as five studio albums with The Herd.

Joelistics is an Australian MC, producer and multi-instrumentalist, who is a member of the Melbourne-based Australian hip hop group TZU and a solo artist on the Elefant Traks music label.

Reggae is a music genre that originated in Jamaica in the late 1960s. Australia has several bands and sound systems that play reggae music in a style faithful to its expression in Jamaica. Australia has a relatively small Jamaican community, but reggae penetrated local consciousness via the popularity of reggae among the non-Jamaican population of England in the 1960s and 1970s. Many indigenous musicians have embraced reggae, both for its musical qualities and its ethos of resistance. Examples include Mantaka, No Fixed Address, Zennith and Coloured Stone.

Astronomy Class are an Australian hip-hop / reggae group from Sydney. The group comprises Ozi Batla, Sir Robbo and Chasm.

<i>Exit Strategy</i> (album) 2006 studio album by Astronomy Class

Exit Strategy is the debut album from Astronomy Class and was released on 30 September 2006. It also features collaborations from several prominent Australian MCs and musicians.

Hermitude are an Australian electronic-hip hop duo, originating from the Blue Mountains, New South Wales.

<i>Trampled – The Elefant Traks Remix Album</i> 2006 compilation album by Various Artists

Trampled – The Elefant Traks Remix Album by various artists is the first compilation remix album via Australian hip hop label, Elefant Traks, and was released in August 2006. The label's artists remixed tracks by fellow label mates from the previous eight years.

Horrorshow is an Australian hip-hop music duo from the Inner West region of Sydney that consists of producer Adit and rapper MC Solo. Horrorshow, together with Spit Syndicate, Jackie Onassis and Joyride, are members of One Day collective. Horrorshow are recognised as pioneers of the sub genre known as "Aussie hip-hop," alongside Illy, Drapht, the Herd, Bliss n Eso, and Hilltop Hoods.

The Last Kinection is an Indigenous hip-hop group from Newcastle, New South Wales, Australia. The band was formed in 2006 by Joel Wenitong, DJ Jay Tee and Naomi Wenitong (Shakaya). The Last Kinection first came to attention with its reworking of the Peter Allen song, "I Still Call Australia Home".

Combat Wombat is an Australian hip-hop group from Melbourne. The group comprises Monkey Marc, DJ Wasabi, Elf Tranzporter and MC Izzy.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Die Antwoord</span> South African rap-rave group

Die Antwoord is a South African alternative hip hop group formed in Cape Town in 2008. The group consists of rappers Ninja and Yolandi Visser, a male/female duo, and producers HITEK5000 and Lil2Hood. Their image revolves around the South African counterculture movement known as zef and has incorporated work by other artists associated with the movement, such as photographer Roger Ballen.

<i>Spitshine</i> 2009 studio album by Urthboy

Spitshine is the third studio album by Australian hip hop artist and member of The Herd, Urthboy. It was released on 28 August 2009.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Krewella</span> American electronic dance music band

Krewella is an American electronic dance music band from the Chicago suburb of Northbrook, Illinois, United States, that formed in 2007. Their musical style has been mainly described as EDM, dance-rock, and dance-pop. However, Krewella's style has been influenced by a number of electronic sub genres, including progressive house, electro, dubstep, drum and bass, trap music and future bass.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Thundamentals</span> Australian hip hop group

Thundamentals are an Australian hip hop group originating from the Blue Mountains region bordering the metropolitan area of Sydney. The members are currently Tuka, Jeswon, and Morgs. They have released five studio albums.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Alison Wonderland</span> Australian musician

Alexandra Margo Sholler, known professionally as Alison Wonderland, is an Australian electronic dance music producer, DJ, and singer. Her debut album, Run, was released on 20 March 2015, which peaked at No. 6 on the ARIA Albums Chart and was certified gold by ARIA. Her second album, Awake, debuted at No. 1 on Billboard's Top Dance/Electronic Albums. She was listed at No. 96 on DJ Mag's Top 100 DJs in October 2018. She is also the highest billed female DJ in Coachella history. Outside of being well-known for her music, she is outspoken about her support for mental health and frequently shares her experiences with her fans.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jimblah</span> Musical artist

Jimblah is an indigenous Australian hip hop artist from the Larrakia nation who lives in South Australia and tours nationally. He has released two solo albums and an album with his duo Homeward Bound. He is signed to the Elefant Traks label and has collaborated with many Australian artists including Coda Conduct, Horrorshow, The Tongue and Urthboy. Jimblah is also an advocate for indigenous music and indigenous rights.

References

  1. ↑ Rule, Dan (4 January 2008), "Over the Hilltops, still far away?", The Age
  2. ↑ "The Tongue & DJ Skoob Redux 2008 – The Tongue and DJ Skoob at Fanny's Nightclub, Newcastle, NSW on 4 July 08". Liveguide.com.au. 4 July 2008. Retrieved 20 July 2010.
  3. ↑ KRISSI WEISS (23 January 2013). "The Tongue". Beat. Furst Media Pty Ltd. Retrieved 25 May 2013.
  4. ↑ "Bloodwork: The Best of The Tongue". Archived from the original on 21 September 2022.
  5. ↑ MATTSHEA (12 April 2013). "The Tongue: "I don't have to like every Australian hip-hop artist, do I?"". The Vine. Digital Media. Retrieved 25 May 2013.
  6. ↑ Young, Kane (18 October 2007), "Rolling off The Tongue", Hobart Mercury
  7. ↑ Cameron (22 September 2009). "Elefant Traks 10th Anniversary Party DVD". Certified Scribe. WordPress. Retrieved 25 May 2013.
  8. ↑ "Elefant Traks – 10th Anniversary Party Live @ the Forum". iTunes Preview. Apple, Inc. 15 August 2009. Retrieved 25 May 2013.
  9. ↑ "Dr Seuss Meets Elefant Traks". Sydney Opera House. 2012. Retrieved 3 October 2012.
  10. ↑ Elefantraks (21 April 2013). "Dr Seuss: Gerald Mc Boing Boing (Recited by the Tongue)" (Video upload). YouTube. Google, Inc. Retrieved 24 April 2013.
  11. ↑ Apter, Jeff (24 September 2010), "Alternate Energy review", The Sydney Morning Herald
  12. 1 2 "The Tongue Facebook Page". Facebook. Retrieved 13 August 2011.
  13. ↑ Benny Edwards; Frank Meets Wolf (28 January 2013). "The Tongue: Surrender To Victory (Out March 29, 2013)" (Video upload). YouTube. Google, Inc. Archived from the original on 15 December 2021. Retrieved 30 January 2013.
  14. ↑ Sosefina Fuamoli (5 May 2013). "The Tongue's "Surrender to Victory" tour kicking off in Melbourne on 8 June!". the AU review. Heath Media & the AU review. Retrieved 25 May 2013.
  15. ↑ Elefanttraks (5 June 2013). "The Tongue – Australian Dreaming (Official Video)" (Video upload). YouTube. Google, Inc. Archived from the original on 15 December 2021. Retrieved 19 June 2013.
  16. ↑ "The Tongue: Hard Feelings". 9 December 2015.
  17. ↑ "The Tongue – Joy ft Inês (Official Video)". YouTube. 15 April 2022.
  18. ↑ "Bloodwork: The Best of the Tongue by the Tongue".
  19. ↑ "The Tongue – Sadly". YouTube. 4 August 2022.
  20. ↑ "The Tongue – Neck + Neck (Official Music Video)". YouTube. 30 November 2022.
  21. ↑ "Astronomy Class". Elefant Traks. 1998–2013. Retrieved 25 May 2013.
  22. ↑ Archived at Ghostarchive and the Wayback Machine : Astronomy Class x Preap Sovath at Tiger Translate Cambodia 2012. YouTube.
  23. ↑ "triple j events: Ausmusic Month 06: Next Crop Artist: The Tongue". Abc.net.au. 31 October 2005. Retrieved 20 July 2010.
  24. ↑ "Stream: The Tongue Returns With Explosive New Single "The Show"!". inertia-music.com. Retrieved 26 July 2010.
  25. ↑ "The Tongue Artist Page". Elefanttraks. Retrieved 13 August 2011.
  26. ↑ Gene (18 October 2006). "Astronomy Class take their debut release on the road". The Dwarf. Retrieved 25 May 2013.
  27. ↑ Archived at Ghostarchive and the Wayback Machine : Dr Seuss: Gerald Mc Boing Boing (Recited by the Tongue). YouTube.
  28. ↑ "SPEECH THERAPY 9". Work-Shop.
  29. ↑ The Tongue & P Smurf: Speech Therapy. YouTube. Archived from the original on 11 December 2021.
  30. ↑ Moran, Jonathon (30 September 2007), "Shock & Awe review", The Sunday Mail
  31. ↑ "The Tongue op MySpace Music – Gratis gestreamde MP3's, foto's en Videoclips". Myspace.com. Retrieved 20 July 2010.
  32. ↑ "SPIT SYNDICATE "Money Over Bullshit Tour" Live @ The Jack – Backpackers Cairns". The Jack. Union Jack Hotel. 14 September 2013. Archived from the original on 8 August 2014. Retrieved 3 August 2014.
  33. ↑ "Machine". IMDb .
  34. ↑ "Instagram".
  35. ↑ "Instagram".
  36. ↑ "Instagram".
  37. ↑ "Joy Feat. Ines by Tongue". Archived from the original on 10 December 2022.
  38. ↑ "Neck and Neck by Tongue". Archived from the original on 10 December 2022.
  39. ↑ "Two Girlfriends". Spotify .
  40. 1 2 "Hard Feelings". Spotify .
  41. 1 2 "Surrender to Victory". Spotify .
  42. 1 2 "Alternative Energy". Spotify .
  43. ↑ "Animal Crackers – the Tongue feat. Dudley Perkins". YouTube. 15 February 2008.
  44. ↑ "Shock and Awe". Spotify .
  45. 1 2 "Bad Education – EP". Spotify .
  46. ↑ Sasson, Chloe (19 October 2007), "Shock & Awe review", 29 September 2006
  47. ↑ "HR Dept. Highly recommended releases", MX (Australia), 15 October 2007
  48. ↑ Sasson, Chloe (19 October 2007), "Shock & Awe review", The Sydney Morning Herald
  49. ↑ "The Gallery". Spotify .
  50. ↑ Archived at Ghostarchive and the Wayback Machine : Triple One – D.O.L. ft. The Tongue & Diego Rivera (Official Music Video). YouTube.
  51. ↑ "Cold Streets (Feat. The Tongue)". YouTube . 29 February 2024.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.