Sound Unlimited

:"For the 1980s TV show, see Sound Unlimited (TV show)."

Infobox musical artist
Name = Sound Unlimited

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Img_capt = "A Postcard From The Edge Of The Under-Side" album art
Img_size = 200
Background = group_or_band
Alias = Westside Posse
Sound Unlimited Posse
Origin = Sydney, Australia
Genre = Hip hop
Occupation =
Years_active = 1990–1994
Label = CBS Records
Associated_acts = Renegade Funktrain
URL =
Current_members = Rosano (El Assassin) Martinez
Tina (T-Na) Martinez
MC Kode Blue
Vlad DJ BTL
Past_members =

Sound Unlimited, formerly known as Sound Unlimited Posse and Westside Possecite news | work = Local Noise | url = http://www.localnoise.net.au/site-directory/papers/indigensing-hip-hop-an-australian-migrant-youth-culture/ | title = Indigensing hip-hop: an Australian migrant youth culture | first = Tony | last = Mitchell | date = | accessdate = 2008-03-13 ] , were an Australian hip hop group from Sydney, Australia that was known for being the first Australian hip hop act signed to a major label (Sony BMG) during the 1990s. [cite news | work = Stealth Magazine | url = http://www.stealthmag.com/board/viewthread.php?tid=316 | title = Australian Hip Hop | first = Mark | last = Pollard | date = 2003-05-10 | accessdate = 2008-03-12 ] ["Australian Ministry" magazine, "Australian hip hop", April 2003] cite news | work = Sydney Morning Herald | url = http://www.smh.com.au/news/Music/The-great-hip-hopes/2005/04/07/1112815660464.html | title = The Great hip hopes | first = Tim | last = Colman | date = 2005-04-08 | accessdate = 2008-03-12 ] The band's members were: Rosano (El Assassin) and Tina Martinez (who were brother and sister), MC Kode Blue and Vlad DJ BTL [ [http://www.discogs.com/artist/Sound+Unlimited+(2) Discogs - Sound Unlimited (2)] ]

History

Westside Posse originated from the western suburbs of Sydney, Australia in the Burwood subdivision in 1983. Their first semi-successful album, called "Down Under by Law", was released by Virgin Records in 1988. Later in 1989 the group would become the Sound Unlimited Posse.

The group had members of Russian and mixed Spanish and Filipino origin ["Global Noise: Rap and Hip-hop Outside the USA" - Page 273,by Tony Mitchell, ( [http://books.google.com/books?id=itcAedBA5CIC&pg=PA273&dq=%22Sound+Unlimited%22&ei=bqXXR8DOOonUsgPYponuAQ&sig=uMQF0JTFmW2f4aiaZAQBgX4C7pk Google Books] )] and released several singles from an album called "A Postcard from the Edge of the Underside", among them "Kickin' to the Undersound", "One More From The City" and "Saturday". [cite news | work = Soundbuzz Australia | url = http://www.soundbuzz.com/soundbuzzhk_ch/pressreleasedetail.asp?releaseid=43 | date = 2004-02-06 | title = Soundbuzz | accessdate = 2008-03-12 ] "A Postcard from the Edge of the Underside" was the only Australian rap album to be released by a major label (Columbia Sony) in the 1990s. [cite news | work = The Ultimo Series Seminar | url = http://www.cia.com.au/peril/youth/tonym2.pdf | date = 1998-03-18 | title = Australian hip hop as a 'glocal' subculture | accessdate = 2008-03-12 ] This "breakthrough recording deal" was negotiated with the help of Public Enemy. [Maxwell, Ian. "Sydney Stylee: Hip-Hop Down Under Comin' Up." "Global Noise: Rap and Hip-Hop Outside the USA." Ed. Tony Mitchell. Middletown, CT: Wesleyan University Press, 2001: 268.]

The group's origins in Sydney's western suburbs impacted the music they produced. The western suburbs of Sydney are "traditionally regarded as working-class, underprivileged and crime-ridden," and have substantial immigrant communities. These suburbs have significantly less access to the cultural and social capital of those in more affluent, serviced suburbs, creating space for a different cultural form, that of underground hip-hop. Sound Unlimited publicly declares their underground status in their album title, "A Postcard from the Edge of the Under-side." [Mitchell, Tony. "Australian hip hop as a 'glocal' subculture." Presented at "The Ultimo Series Seminar". 18 March 1998: 5. ]

Despite major label support, the group initially received some criticism from the Australian hip hop community as their music was said to be "slick and heavily instrumental" and also because of claims by the band to represent Sydney Hip Hop. ["Phat Beats, Dope Rhymes: Hip Hop Down Under Comin' Upper" - Page 49, By Ian Maxwell ( [http://books.google.com/books?id=do3tdWJECucC&pg=PA49&dq=%22Sound+Unlimited%22&sig=Xoip6n7Q1Ro46wGGf8GaJPXftMQ#PPA49,M1 Google Books] )] They have contributed to the Australian Hip Hop scene due to supporting several other bands. The group supported acts such as Public Enemy, New Kids on the Block and De La Soul during their Australian tours, including opening for Public Enemy during their 1992 Australian tour. [Maxwell, Ian. "Sydney Stylee: Hip-Hop Down Under Comin' Up." "Global Noise: Rap and Hip-Hop Outside the USA." Ed. Tony Mitchell. Middletown, CT: Wesleyan University Press, 2001: 268.] They also performed at the Big Day Out Music Festival. [Big Day Out - [http://www.bigdayout.com/history/pastlineups.php#1992 Past Lineups, 1992] ]

The group split up in 1994, with Rosano and Tina forming the UK-based acid jazz band Renegade Funktrain with Tina's husband, Derek Antunes (a former drummer for New Kids on the Block's touring band). [Mitchell, Tony: [http://www.localnoise.net.au/site-directory/papers/indigensing-hip-hop-an-australian-migrant-youth-culture/ Indigensing hip-hop: an Australian migrant youth culture] , "Local Noise" (Australian Research Council).]

Discography

External links

* [http://www.discogs.com/artist/Sound+Unlimited+Posse Sound Unlimited Posse artist profile on Discogs]

References