Greek American rapper and YouTube sensation So-Tiri set foot in the Land Down Under last month for his first Australian tour. He performed to a massive following in Adelaide, Sydney and Melbourne and was supported by DJ G-Tech, the youngest DJ ever to play at an American club due to his unprecedented talent. DJ G-Tech currently holds a residency at New York’s newest and hottest night club Cienna.
Speaking with Neos Kosmos in his first exclusive interview, So-Tiri – or Billy as he’s known to his family and friends – tells us the latest about his music success, his trip to Australia, his family upbringing, Greek culture and what’s next on the menu.
Why did you choose the Greek rap genre?
I chose it because I’m a fan of Greek rap. Firstly because it’s a lot more difficult, two I respect it and three I thought it would be a lot funnier in Greek. I’m not entirely a comedian, I’m a mixture of both. I’m myself and what I did was comical.
Why did you get into singing?
I guess you don’t really get into it: it gets into you. It’s like being born into it. When did you start working with G-Tech, in order to produce the music that you perform? I started working with G-Tech after I made the song Feta kai Psomi. I started touring and needed someone to be able to play the music that I was performing to.
How did you get Feta kai Psomi produced?
I basically had an instrumental off the Internet I started rapping to it myself, it was mixed by a friend of mine named Cal.
How did you get discovered?
Off YouTube, I didn’t really get discovered I kind of made my own fate. I did something, I put it on the Internet and people enjoyed it and it spread on it’s own like wildfire. Did your family encourage you to pursue your dream of becoming a music artist? Yeah a little of both. I come from a really strict Greek background, so my parents are always sceptical. They encouraged me to follow a successful path receiving a consistent salary rather than a path of being an artist, but they always believed in me and believed I had talent.
Who are your musical inspirations?
There so many to mention, but just off the top my head … I’m a fan of Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, Michael Jackson and U2. For hip-hop, I would say I’m a fan of old school rap like Das EFX … catchy tunes that will just make you repeat it and sing it in your head and you can’t forget it.
Were you expecting your music to receive such a successful response from the public?
No, I really didn’t expect the success it’s gotten, but I did think it was very funny. I thought that people would get it and at one point thought it would be a great laugh for my friends and family but never expected it to be able to take me around the world. I just wanted to take a shot at something and see how it would go. When you put yourself out there you’re always going to get judged so I really just took a shot.
Where did the name So-Tiri come from?
So-Tiri is my father’s name and it was a name I just came up with off the top of my head. I was thinking to myself if I’m going to be a Greek rapper what would be a really Greek name. I chose my father’s name because he is my role model and the person I respect most in this world.
Where do you want to perform next?
Australia was definitely up there, I’d like to go anywhere around the world where there’s a big Greek population where I can experience their community. I heard South Africa has a big Greek population. I’ve already been to Canada, that was also on my list. I’d just like to travel the world. Which music artist would you most like to open for? I would say Nivo. I think it would be funny to have someone like me who does comedy to open for someone who takes it seriously and is also very creative. I like his music, he is someone who I am a fan of.
How would you compare Greek Australians to Greek Americans?
I think Greek Australians and Greek Americans are very similar. I think Americans are a little more fast-paced and more stressed out, where the Australian saying ‘no worries’ depicts and sums up Australians. They are really laid back and cool and that’s a great way to be. It’s a great mentality to have. Greek culture definitely unites Greeks all over the world. The fact that the Greek culture outside of Greece is very similar, that we live outside of Greece so we have our native country, which is either Australia or America where we are trying to assimilate to that culture, yet we are Greeks in heart and mind and spirit.
What did you think of Australia, was it what you expected?
I loved Australia. It was what I expected, except for the weather. I assumed it would be like 90 degrees every day all year round. When you think of Australia, you think of surfers and beautiful women on the beach, which I did experience. It’s one of the most beautiful places that I’ve ever been to in my life and I would love to come back. What can we expect to see from So-Tiri in the near future? You can expect to see the unexpected. I came out with my style of music and people expect me to do certain things. I’m going to follow in the direction of what people want, but give it to them in a different way to keep them interested and on their toes.