(1 October 1975 – 20 October 2011)
Biography
Robert Alan Hunter was born on 1 October 1975 and grew up in Yokine, a Perth suburb, with his father, Bob, his mother, Trish, and his sister, Simmone.[1][2] He was known for writing raps about his home and life.In the 1990s Hunter emerged as a battle MC and hip hop artist.[3] Hunter, and fellow Perth-based hip hop artists, established the MC collective Syllabolix (SBX) Crew. In 2002, Hunter's song "Jam Roll", produced by Optamus, was included on the Obese Records compilation, Culture of Kings Volume 2.[4] In the same year, his song "Wake Up" was included on the Obese compilation Obesecity.[5] On 10 May 2002, Hunter's first album, Done DL, was released in collaboration with Downsyde's Dazastah on the Syllabolix label via Obese Records.[6][7][8] In 2006, Hunter and his partner, Laura, became the parents of a son, Marley.
On 1 June 2006, his second album, Going Back to Yokine, followed.[9] His song, "The Big Issue", was released on the 2006 Kiss my WAMi audio CD and audio jukebox DVD for the 2006 West Australian Music Industry Awards Festival[10] after he was nominated for an award that year.[11] His next album, Monster House was issued in 2010,[12] he collaborated with Sydney-based DJ Vame. Hunter's fourth album, Fear and Loathing – with SBX member Roy Mortimer aka Mortar – was issued in May 2011.[6][13]
In November 2009 Hunter was diagnosed with terminal neuroendocrine cancer.[1][14] He wrote, "I was diagnosed with cancer. Neuroendocrine tumours on the pancreas with metastasis to liver... I was devo'd of course as this is pretty much a death sentence".[15] The news generated support from the Australian hip hop community and, in November 2010, a charity eBay auction was organised by fellow MCs, Bias B and Len One called Heat 4 Huntz to raise money to help Hunter and his son.[1] Hunter died of his cancer on 20 October 2011, aged 36.[3] In August, one of Hunter's last live shows was at the Railway Hotel, with Mortar, performing the entire Fear and Loathing album.[6]
At the time of his death, Hunter was working on a charity album in support of youth cancer organisation, CanTeen.[1][16][17] The album, Australian Hip Hop Supports CanTeen, was released on 2 December 2011, and completed with the help of fellow SBX crew member, Dazastah.[18] It includes songs from Hunter, Hilltop Hoods, Drapht, Downsyde, Koolism, Bias B and Hermitude.[19]
Hunter was an influence on Australian hip hop artists such as Drapht, who had been included on Hunter's 2002 Done DL album, after writing raps secretly for three or four months and showing them to Hunter. Hunter had been in Drapht's sister's class at school, and Drapht had seen him perform at the Hyde Park Hotel along with Dazastah and Downsyde.[20] Drapht helped raise funds for cancer research based on his friendship with Hunter in the 2011 Dry July fundraiser.[21] A documentary entitled Hunter: the Documentary was made about his career and battle with cancer.[22][23]
Hunter is survived by his 5-year old son, Marley, his partner, Laura, his mother, Trish and his sister, Simmone.[2][24]
At the 2012 Western Australian Music Industry Awards Hunter was post-humously inducted into the WAM Hall of Fame.
Discography
Studio albums
- Done DL - Hunter and Dazastah - Syllabolix / Obese Records (10 May 2002)
- Going Back to Yokine - Hunter (solo album) - Syllabolix (1 June 2006)
- Monster House - Hunter and DJ Vame (2010)
- Fear and Loathing - Hunter and Mortar – Obese Records CLND004 (6 May 2011)
- Australian Hip Hop Supports CanTeen Compilation, Hunter plus various Australian hip hop artists – SBX for Charity Hiphopcan001 (2 December 2011)
Extended plays
- Lucky Matt's Tatts – Hunter (solo EP) – Obese Records (2005)
Contributions
- "Jam Roll" song on Culture of Kings Volume 2 - Obese Records (2002)
- "Wake Up" song on Obesecity - Obese Records (2002)
- "The Big Issue" song on Kiss My WAMi CD and audio DVD - Western Australia Music Industry (2006)
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