Astronomy Class

Astronomy Class are an Australian hip-hop / reggae group from Sydney.[1] The group comprises Ozi Batla (Shannon Kennedy), Sir Robbo (Shane Roberts) and Chasm (Chris Hamer-Smith).

This article is about the Australian musical band. For classes in astronomy, see astronomy education.

Astronomy Class
OriginSydney, New South Wales, Australia
GenresHip hop / Reggae
Years active2006–present
LabelsElefant Traks
MembersShannon Kennedy (aka Ozi Batla)
Shane Roberts (aka Sir Robbo)
Chris Hamer-Smith (aka Chasm)
WebsiteOfficial webpage

Kennedy is a member of The Herd, whilst Roberts is a member of Frigid and prog, downtempo and Krautrock band Tooth.[2]

Biography

The group formed when Kennedy decided to collaborate with producers Roberts and Hamer-Smith in 2006.

"The original concept for Chasm and I was to do a production album, with various MCs and singers," Roberts says. "We'd both worked separately with Batla in the past, he was our main MC, so we gave him the beats [first]. He was really taken with them and expressed a desire to have them all for himself. That was how it started."[3]

The resulting album, Exit Strategy was released in September 2006 and was selected by Triple J as its first feature album for 2007.[4][5] The album features guests such as Lotek, Hau from Koolism, Urthboy, Ben Ezra (ESL), Gina Mitchell (Fbi's Basslines), DJ Skoob (NSW DMC Champ), 2Buck, Murda1, Lotek and BVA (Mnemonic Ascent), as well as Jane Tyrell (The Herd). Tracks from the album such as "A Bright Tomorrow", "Done The Sums" and "Rewind The Tape" all receiving airplay on Triple J[6] and community radio stations across Australia.[7][8] On the back of the album release Astronomy Class undertook a national tour covering five states and seventeen destinations over three months.[9]

When asked how the name of the band came about, Kennedy advised (in an interview with Scene Magazine):

"A theme started to emerge that kind of had an astral flavour. There’s a bit of a history in hip hop and also reggae of doing astral/space themes. As I kept writing, there was sort of a narrative coming out about that same theme going on – it just started to stick after a while."[10]

This notion was confirmed in a recent interview with Music Feeds where Ozi Batla discusses his love of sci-fi and related subject matter.[11]

It just came about because of a few of the first tracks that I wrote. Midnight at the Observatory and also Brink of War and Exist Strategy. There is a sci-fi theme there and I am a pretty big sci-fi fan. We kept on the sci-fi theme with War of the Worlds and a few other tracks that are on this album as well. There is a hiphop and reggae tradition as well of that kind of outer space theme. We just were drawing on that as inspiration.

— Ozi Batla[11]

Astronomy Class were the sole support artists for Lily Allen's Brisbane and Sydney tour dates in 2007.[12]

Marking the International Year of Astronomy, Astronomy Class released their second album, Pursuit of Happiness, on 2 May 2009. The album features guest vocals by Vida-Sunshyne, The Tongue, Diafrix, Kween G (KillaQueenz), and Ash Grunwald. The group toured nationally in support of the release between May and June 2009.

Discography

Albums
List of albums, with release date and label shown
Title Details
Exit Strategy
Pursuit of Happiness
  • Released: 2 May 2009
  • Label: Elefant Traks (ACE 046)
  • Formats: CD, Digital download
Mekong Delta Sunrise
  • Released: 25 April 2014
  • Label: Elefant Traks (ACE098-ACE0107)
  • Formats: CD, LP, Cassette, Digital download

Awards and nominations

ARIA Music Awards

The ARIA Music Awards is an annual awards ceremony that recognises excellence, innovation, and achievement across all genres of Australian music. They commenced in 1987.

Year Nominee / work Award Result Ref.
2014 Mekong Delta Sunrise ARIA Award for Best World Music Album Nominated [13]

References
  1. "Astronomy Class - "This is Hip Hop, Baby"". The Dwarf. 11 April 2007. Archived from the original on 5 August 2008. Retrieved 10 March 2008.
  2. Paton, Bec (November 2006). "Astronomy Class". Cyclic Defrost. Archived from the original on 27 September 2011. Retrieved 10 March 2008.
  3. "Astronomy Class". The Age Newspaper. 10 November 2006. Retrieved 10 March 2008.
  4. "Triple J Album review - Exit Strategy". Triple J. 27 December 2006. Archived from the original on 22 March 2008. Retrieved 10 March 2008.
  5. "Debut Album From Chasm". Groove On. 5 February 2008. Archived from the original on 24 September 2015. Retrieved 10 March 2008.
  6. J Play track listing
  7. "PBS 106.7FM Album review". Archived from the original on 26 July 2008. Retrieved 10 March 2008.
  8. "Program Info". FBi Radio. Archived from the original on 17 February 2011. Retrieved 9 January 2015.
  9. "Astronomy Class". Beat Magazine. 25 April 2007. Retrieved 10 March 2008.
  10. "Astronomy Class - Space Madness". Scene Magazine. 6 June 2007. Archived from the original on 28 October 2007. Retrieved 13 March 2008.
  11. Blazer, Zoltan (26 May 2009). "Astronomy Class". Musicfeeds.com.au. Archived from the original on 15 June 2009. Retrieved 2 June 2009.
  12. "Astronomy Class support Lily Allen!". Access All Areas. 16 January 2007. Retrieved 10 March 2008.
  13. ARIA Award previous winners. "ARIA Awards – Winners by Award – Best World Music Album". Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA). Retrieved 12 November 2020.
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