Onefour

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Onefour
OriginMount Druitt, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
Genres
Years active2014–present
Websitewww.onefour27.com
Members
  • Spenny
  • YP
  • Celly
  • Lekks
  • Jemz

ONEFOUR (stylised in all caps) are an Australian drill and rap group originating from the Western Sydney suburb of Mount Druitt. They are regarded by many as the pioneers of drill-rap in Australia. Paving the way for the Australian Drill scene, heavily influenced by the drill scenes of the UK and New York. The group consists of 5 core members, Spenny, YP, Celly, Lekks, and Jemz.

Their 2019 singles "The Message" and "Spot the Difference" caught the attention of rap fans internationally, particularly in the UK. The group's debut album Against All Odds, released November 2020 peaked at #7 on the ARIA Charts (Australia) and #8 in New Zealand. Their collaborations with The Kid LAROI, A$AP Ferg, Stormzy, AJ Tracey and Headie One further increased their popularity overseas, gaining the attention of Skepta, Dave, Central Cee, Tyga, Lil Mosey, Sheff G, Murda Beatz and T-Pain.

Their fame heavily influenced youth and teen culture in Australia, becoming the focal point of the group's legal issues with state authorities. The group was prevented from performing live music in Australia. Lekks, a core member of the group, is incarcerated until December 2024, whilst member, Celly, had been already in prison one year prior.

Name and history[]

Onefour's name derives from a local street gang called NF14, and the fact the music group was founded in 2014. All five core members grew up in Mount Druitt, one of the most disadvantaged suburbs in Sydney. The members all knew each other from young at their schools and from their local church (Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints). Onefour, religiously, consider themselves as Mormons, and are all of Samoan (Pacific-Islander) descent.

The group's rivalry with 21District (a group from Parramatta, NSW) plays a big role in the lyrics of the group's music. The rivalry between the two groups applies to a greater crime and gang war between the Greater West suburbs of Sydney and the Inner West suburbs of Sydney, a feud that stemmed back to the 1990s.

Band members[]

Current members[1]

  • YP (born Pio Misa) – vocals (2019–present)
  • Spenny (born Spencer Magologo) –vocals (2017–present)
  • Celly (born Dahcell Ramos) – vocals (2017–present)
  • Lekks (born Salec Sua) – vocals (2017–present)
  • Jemz (born Jerome Misa) – vocals (2017–present)

Producers[]

  • HOLLABACKBEATS - (2017-2018)
  • Gotcha - (2019-2020)
  • i.amsolo - (2019–present)
  • Willstah - (2019–present)
  • KhaledBEATS (born Khaled Rohaim) - (2020–present)

Music[]

Onefour have been labelled Australia's first drill rappers,[2] with a sound heavily derivative of UK drill music, with the group incorporating UK drill's production style.[3][2] However, they have a unique sound, which represents a Western Sydney subculture where young men are "lads", "earchers" or "eshays". Onefour were the first Islanders in this subculture to sing in an Australian accent.[4]

The video for their single "In the Beginning" achieved one million views on YouTube in 48 hours,[5] and became the group's first single to chart, debuting at number 39 on the ARIA Singles Chart.[6] There song "Welcome to prison" amassed 7.4 million views in a year.

Legal issues[]

Whilst the group has established themselves as one of the most prominent acts to have come out of Australia, the group has also been plagued by many run ins with the law, with two out of the five core members (Celly14 and Lekks14) currently incarcerated.

In 2019, Onefour were forced to cancel their first national tour following police pressure[7][8][9] on venues.[4] In December 2019, three members of the rap group—YP (Pio Misa), Lekks (Salec Sua) and Celly14 (Dahcell Ramos)—were jailed over several charges including reckless grievous bodily harm after a violent interaction at the Carousel Inn in Rooty Hill in July 2018. Misa was sentenced to four years in prison with a two-year non-parole period; he was released in December 2021.[10]

Sua was sentenced to four-and-a-half years' jail with a non-parole period of two years and three months, and will be eligible for parole in December 2021, whilst Ramos was sentenced to ten years' jail with a non-parole period of six; he will be eligible for parole in December 2024.[11]

According to NSW Police, the group was involved in rival street gangs in Western Sydney; however, J Emz stated in September 2020 that Onefour members had left the disputes of their teenage years behind them.[4]

Discography[]

Extended plays[]

List of EPs, with release date and label shown
Title Details Peak chart positions
AUS
[12] 		NZ
[13]
Against All Odds 7 8

Singles[]

As lead artists[]

List of singles, with year released, selected chart positions, and album name shown
Title Year Peak chart positions Album
AUS
[15] 		NZ
"Ready for War" 2017 — — Non-album singles
"What You Know" 2018 — —
"Shanks and Shivs" 2019 — —
"The Message" — —
"Spot the Difference" — —
"Ladz in the Hood" — —
"Ben 10" — —
"In the Beginning"[16] 39 —
"Hectic"
(with Manu Crooks, featuring J Emz) 		2020 — —
"Welcome to Prison"[17] 33 —
"Say It Again"
(with A$AP Ferg)[18] 		34 —[A]
"Home and Away" 48 — Against All Odds
"My City"
(with The Kid Laroi) 		28 —
"Better"
(with Dutchavelli & Carnage) 		52 —
"Won't Stop"
(with B Wise)[20] 		— —[B] TBA
"Street Guide (Part 01)" 2021 54 —[C]
"Breaks & Caddy's (Street Guide, Pt. 2)"
(featuring Cg)[23] 		— —[D]
"How We Livin'"
(Kapulet)[25] 		— —

As featured artists[]

List of singles, with year released and album name shown
Title Year Album
"Maddest of the Maddest"
(Burner featuring Tiny Boost, M24 and Onefour) 		2019 Non-album singles
"The Coldest Link Up Part 2"
(Tweeko x Sebz Beatz featuring Double Lz, S Wavey, TS, , Onefour, Trizzac & PS and Pete & Bas) 		2020
"Ain't It Different (Remix)"
(Headie One featuring AJ Tracey, Stormzy and Onefour)
"Bando Diaries Remix"
(Dutchavelli featuring Kekra, Noizy, Divine and Onefour)
"Hot Minute"
( x Onefour)

Notes

  1. ^ "Say It Again" did not enter the NZ Top 40 Singles Chart, but did peak at number twelve on the NZ Hot Singles Chart.[19]
  2. ^ "Won't Stop" did not enter the NZ Top 40 Singles Chart, but did peak at number thirty on the NZ Hot Singles Chart.[21]
  3. ^ "Street Guide (Part 01)" did not enter the NZ Top 40 Singles Chart, but did peak at number six on the NZ Hot Singles Chart.[22]
  4. ^ "Breaks & Caddy's (Street Guide, Pt. 2)" did not enter the NZ Top 40 Singles Chart, but peaked at number 13 on the NZ Hot Singles Chart.[24]

Awards and nominations[]

APRA Awards[]

The APRA Awards are several award ceremonies run in Australia by the Australasian Performing Right Association (APRA) to recognise composing and song-writing skills, sales and airplay performance by its members annually.

Year Nominee / work Award Result Ref.
2021 "In the Beginning" Most Performed Hip Hop / Rap Work Nominated [26]

J Awards[]

The J Awards are an annual series of Australian music awards that were established by the Australian Broadcasting Corporation's youth-focused radio station Triple J. They commenced in 2005. Onefour have received one nomination.[27]

Year Nominee / work Award Result Ref.
2020 "Welcome to Prison" Australian Video of the Year Nominated [28]

References[]

  1. ^ Riley, Christopher (5 September 2019). "Meet OneFour: The Western Sydney rap group taking over hip hop". GQ Australia. Archived from the original on 3 December 2019. Retrieved 3 December 2019.
  2. ^ a b Fazal, Mahmood (1 August 2019). "Behind the scenes with Onefour Australia's first drill rappers". Vice. Archived from the original on 7 August 2019. Retrieved 3 December 2019.
  3. ^ Moran, Lucy; Cormack, Robert (26 November 2019). "Rap group OneFour says national tour now 'unlikely to proceed', points finger at police". The Sydney Morning Herald. Archived from the original on 28 November 2019. Retrieved 3 December 2019.
  4. ^ a b c Fazal, Mahmood (September 2020). "The trenches of Mount Druitt: Onefour". The Monthly. Retrieved 6 September 2020.
  5. ^ Newstead, Al (15 November 2019). "Onefour's new banger 'In The Beginning' puts the Aussie posers on notice". Triple J. Retrieved 24 June 2021.
  6. ^ "Tones and I holds off Billie Eilish to stay #1". ARIA Charts. 23 November 2019. Archived from the original on 10 December 2019. Retrieved 24 June 2021.
  7. ^ Faruqi, Osman (25 November 2019). "Controversial Sydney drill rappers cancel tour dates, accusing police of 'censorship'". ABC News. Archived from the original on 27 November 2019. Retrieved 3 December 2019.
  8. ^ Fazal, Mahmood (6 August 2019). "OneFour Is Banned From Performing In Sydney, Again". Archived from the original on 4 December 2019. Retrieved 3 December 2019.
  9. ^ "Aussie rappers fume after tour cancelled". NewsComAu. 29 November 2019. Archived from the original on 3 December 2019. Retrieved 3 December 2019.
  10. ^ Van Homrigh, Mitchell (6 December 2021). "A OneFour rapper has celebrated his release from jail with a champagne tower and new chain". News.com.au. Retrieved 19 December 2021.
  11. ^ Kidd, Jessica (5 December 2019). "Sydney rapper jailed for smashing chair leg over man's head in violent pub brawl". ABC News. Archived from the original on 5 December 2019. Retrieved 6 December 2019.
  12. ^ "ARIA Top 50 Albums Chart". Australian Recording Industry Association. 23 November 2020. Retrieved 21 November 2020.
  13. ^ "NZ Top 40 Albums Chart". Recorded Music NZ. 23 November 2020. Retrieved 20 November 2020.
  14. ^ Lim, Eddy (3 November 2020). "OneFour reveal release date for debut EP 'Against All Odds'". NME Australia. Retrieved 18 November 2020.
  15. ^ Peaks in Australia:
    • All except noted: "Onefour". australian-charts.com. Retrieved 1 August 2020.
    • "Better": "The ARIA Report: Week Commencing 23 November 2020". The ARIA Report. No. 1603. Australian Recording Industry Association. 23 November 2020. p. 4.
    • "Street Guide (Part 01)": "The ARIA Report: Week Commencing 29 March 2021". The ARIA Report. No. 1621. Australian Recording Industry Association. 29 March 2021. p. 4.
  16. ^ Newstead, Al (15 November 2019). "OneFour's new banger 'In The Beginning' puts the Aussie posers on notice". Triple J. Retrieved 1 June 2020.
  17. ^ Newstead, Al (7 February 2020). "First Spin: OneFour get reflective on new single 'Welcome To Prison". Triple J. Retrieved 1 June 2020.
  18. ^ Newstead, Al (6 May 2020). "Onefour hook up with A$AP Ferg on 'Say It Again', here's how it happened". Triple J. Retrieved 7 May 2020.
  19. ^ "Hot Singles Chart for week of 10 May 2020". Recorded Music NZ. 10 May 2020. Archived from the original on 3 June 2020. Retrieved 14 June 2021.
  20. ^ Lim, Eddy (4 December 2020). "B Wise teams up with OneFour for party-ready 'Won't Stop'". NME Australia. Archived from the original on 27 November 2020. Retrieved 25 April 2021.
  21. ^ "Hot Singles Chart for week of 13 December 2020". Recorded Music NZ. 13 December 2020. Archived from the original on 20 January 2021. Retrieved 25 April 2021.
  22. ^ "Hot Singles Chart for week of 29 March 2021". Recorded Music NZ. 29 March 2021. Archived from the original on 25 April 2021. Retrieved 25 April 2021.
  23. ^ "Breaks & Caddy's (Street Guide, Pt. 2) (feat. Cg) – Single by Onefour on Apple Music". Apple Music. 14 May 2021. Retrieved 15 May 2021.
  24. ^ "NZ Hot Singles Chart for week of 24 May 2021". Recorded Music NZ. 24 May 2021. Archived from the original on 21 May 2021. Retrieved 22 May 2021.
  25. ^ "How We Livin' – Single by Onefour on Apple Music". Apple Music. 13 August 2021. Retrieved 13 August 2021.
  26. ^ "Nominees announced for the 2021 APRA Music Awards". APRA AMCOS. Retrieved 31 March 2021.
  27. ^ "Here are your nominees for the 2020 J Awards!". Triple J. 2 November 2020. Retrieved 3 November 2020.
  28. ^ Triscari, Caleb (19 November 2020). "Lime Cordiale take home Australian Album of the Year at the 2020 J Awards". NME Australia. Retrieved 19 November 2020.
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