Rapping new style into music scene | Bundaberg Music | Music ...

The Reks ? Ross Thorpe and Jay Abercrombie ? are trying to get a head start in the music industry with a heavy YouTube presence.

Max Fleet

IN A city dominated by pub rock acts, two young, aspiring Bundaberg hip-hop artists have turned to another means to get their work noticed.

Avoca-based The Reks has spent the past year making its own music videos and uploading them to YouTube in an effort to create some buzz.

At just 21, rapper Jay Abercrombie, or MC GZup, and beatboxer Ross Thorpe have been together for about six years after they discovered they had a mutual love of hip-hop and rap at the end of school.

Since getting together the pair have played shows together in Bundaberg, the Sunshine Coast, Brisbane and Sydney.

But it's been YouTube where they have been finding their niche.

With just 17 videos on the site, the band has more than 150 subscribers and more than 22,000 views of their work.

"We believe that if you don't get signed you can do it yourself if you have a big enough backing," Abercrombie said.

"We will keep going with what we do to try and build that base up."

They are planning to use the video website to help them break into the unforgiving industry.

"In 2012 we have released seven film clips and plan to release more," Abercrombie said.

"We are getting about 100 views a week."

But being an urban duo in Bundaberg has definitely posed a challenge for the pair.

"There is so much rock," Abercrombie said.

"When you do get the opportunity to play, you take it."

But there was never any question about what type of music the two would play.

"Basically what I'm feeling in life I can explain by rapping," he said.

"Lyrically rap is really powerful."

Abercrombie said he had long been a fan of rap music but it was mostly Australian rap that inspired him now.

"We did both start out listening to American bands but it's the Australian stuff which means more to us," he said.

Abercrombie listed bands such as 360 and the Hilltop Hoods as among his favourites.

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