Los Angeles hip-hop trio Ugly Duckling graced our shores in the early part of January with their brand of intelligent hip-hop; bangin’ beats and socially conscious lyrics. They recently completed their fourth studio album; Bang for the Buck and spent a large portion of the start of the year touring to pay off massive gambling debt sand to re coup monies they were screwed out of by Motown founder, Berry Gordy, or so Andy C tells me.

Ugly Duckling’s traveled across our wide brown land in the early part of the year to also celebrate their collaboration with one of Australia’s finest producers; Katalyst. The Ducklings approached Katalyst to weave a remix to the leading single off Bang for the Buck, a little ditty called Slow the Flow. “We've known Katalyst for a long time and we wanted to get some Aussie flavor on one of our tracks.” Said Andy of the cross-continental collabo.

The guys from Ugly Duckling have long been seen as a group that opposed Gangsta Rap, Andy C informed me of the contrary; they don’t hate Gangsta Rap at all, Andy C admittedly had some hoes he needed to beat up directly after our interview and he finished sipping his 40. “What I get sick of is the clichéd and predictable sex and violence that is shined up to be pop enough for the kiddies but scary enough to be street credible. It's just stupid and boring.”

Ugly Duckling are from Long Beach, California but appear to show no traces of gangstaism nor do they show symptoms of gansgtaism like totin’ gats, slappin’ hoes or shizzling anyone’s dizzle. Andy related a time in the 80s before Gangsta Rap took off when they grew up listening to an AM radio station called K.D.A.Y that played all the great hip-hop music before it was allowed on mainstream radio.

Andy C is a fervent defender of Hip Hop as an art form and holds a deep resentment to those that contribute to its artistic down fall. Clearly even Hip Hop is a victim of corruption by the almighty dollar.

“Because rap is so popular, it's marketed to a mainstream audience (i.e. 14 year old, suburban girls). The music used to be created for people who were intellectually invested in the music; people who critically held an artist to account. That's all gone now” muses Andy on the current state of the mainstream market. However he does take heart in the fact that there is still plenty of people rocking audiences with good music, of which Ugly Duckling are glad to be apart of.

Andy is worried about the Australian hip-hop scene, he fears that with all the burgeoning talent flying around the place here that pretty soon us Aussies won’t want Ugly Ducking to come back. Oh Andy! You have nothing to worry about mate!

Ugly Duckling’s latest musical offering, I’ve been told, is at least good value for money. Thus; Bang for the Buck. Andy says that they wanted to create an LP that was up-tempo, high octane and attacking, but over all good spirited.

The next time Ugly Duckling hit our shores Andy says you can expect “Juggling midgets, stripping grizzly bears, dangerous fireworks displays, magic tricks and plenty of Motown hits.” And if they cant fit all that in then at least you can look forward to a crackerjack hip-hop night.