Life as a postrap beat-poet
The transition from rap to poetry was an easy one for Dominic ‘Tourettes’ Hoey.
The Auckland local spoke to
ahead of his two gigs in Christchurch. An understated talent, Hoey has released four studio albums, two books of poetry, wrote and starred in a oneman-show, and recently released his first novel.
‘‘Basically the tour is myself and I’m doing poetry and telling stories and some s ..... jokes,’’ Hoey said from Lyttelton’s Hellfire Club, where he will perform on Thursday.
Australian singer-songwriter Skyscraper Stan will share the stage with Hoey, although they will play separate sets.
‘‘He’s a really amazing lyricist and songwriter, and I think there is a lot of crossover in subject material and themes.’’
From the gentrification of his home suburb of Grey Lynn to poverty among Kiwis, the housing crisis and the rental generation, Hoey is not afraid to cross the lines of political correctness. One of his biggest hits is called
clearly confronting qualms he had with the former National Government.
‘‘I’ve left the rapping behind, I got too old. I did this show in Wellington and someone videoed it, sent it to me, and I just looked like someone’s dad,’’ he said.
‘‘Also I’m not passionate about hip hop any more in the way I was. It was my whole life, you know, making rap music and listening to rap music. One day I just woke up and was sick of it.’’
His creative influence took a turn in recent years with his diagnosis of ankylosing spondylitis, an autoimmune disease that can cause vertebrae to fuse together.
‘‘I had a sore back and just didn’t really think anything of it. Then over time I got really sick, I lost 15kgs and couldn’t get out of bed, all that kind of stuff, thought I was going to die.’’
He said the disease was ‘‘sort of under control now – I’m in remission’’, but it had made the 40-year-old speed up his creative outlet ‘‘because you are faced with your mortality’’.
‘‘But it’s also been about slowing down my life. Everything was quite crazy before that. Weirdly it’s been really positive in my life.’’
Hoey hoped his style of performance would bring in a diverse crowd.
‘‘I do want it to be accessible, you know, I’m dyslexic and had barely an education, and I want people in that situation to be able to enjoy it as well.
‘‘In saying that I will try and put subtext in and you try and use all these poetic techniques and metaphors and symbolism.’’
Hoey and Skyscraper Stan are performing at Hellfire Club in Lyttelton on Thursday tomorrow at 7.30pm, and Space Academy on St Asaph St on Friday at 8pm.
'I do want it to be accessible. I'm dyslexic and had barely an education, and I want people in that situation to be able to enjoy it as well.'
Dominic "Tourettes" Hoey
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