Preserving Efforts volume 1

Local database geek and hip hop supporter compiles DVD for the true believers.

Preserving Efforts volume 1 is a top collection of hip hop videos from beyond the mainstream. Clearly intended (hoped) to be an ongoing collection, volume 1 has 14 tracks, exactly half of which are Aussie.

There are some very cool tracks and videos here, most of which you won’t see on Channel V anytime soon. There are some exceptions to that rule, like Guru’s excellent ‘Hood Dreamin’, which is getting solid airplay, but this is a street-level collection, and the bulk of the Aussie acts deserve more attention than they’re getting.

Which is why this DVD will probably and deservedly do well with hardcore hip hop fans. For music lovers with just a passing interest in hip hop, it’s still a rewarding watch.

Each video has a summary screen of info, and that’s exactly where this hop hop DVD distinguishes itself from what’s expected from other genres. Nowhere else will you find a summary of how much the video cost to produce (as little as $100, genuinely surprisingly), plus location info and how long it took to make each one. Several clips actually have ‘N/A’ shown as the cost of producing the film clip, which just shows what you can do with a handycam and a bit of talent.

The Preserving Efforts DVD is a labour of love of local hip hop believer Drainos, who’s as much a big geek as he is hip hop supporter. Preserving Efforts comes from combining his SQL database expertise (he’s a computer science and engineering graduate) with his love for hip hop.

We asked Drainos what his criteria was for selecting what went on the DVD. "If I liked their music I would ask them if they had any clips. I was sent a total of 30 different clips and out of the 30 I made sure 7 were Australian and 7 were from overseas. I tried to have a variety of music styles and visual styles. From the cartoon style to Hollywood effects to simple but classy visuals, I wanted to create an avenue for these classic hip hop music videos to be preserved and enjoyed over and over again."

If anything, this DVD serves as inspiration to artists with some good tracks that want to make a decent video to get it out there. If this compilation takes off the producers will undoubtedly be looking to fill future volumes with local acts to give them the leg-up they may find difficulty getting anywhere else.

Tracklist:

Atmosphere – Say Hey There (USA)
Bliss N Eso – Then Till Now (AUS)
Def Tex – Freaks (UK)
Guru – Hood Dreamin (USA)
Koolism – Adrenalin (AUS)
Living Legends Down for Nothin (USA)
Mnemonic Ascent – Hold Back (AUS)
Muphin – A Better Man (AUS)
Murs – H-U-S-T-L-E (USA)
Pete Philly & Perquisite – Grateful (Netherlands)
The Optimen – Give it Up (AUS)
Tzu – Dam Busters (AUS)
Urthboy - Come Around (Aus)
Wordburglar - The Wordburglar (CAN)