60 Seconds with Dusty of Sweatshop Union
Colin “Dusty” McCue of Vancouver hip-hop collective Sweatshop Union talks to Metro about performing in outdoor festivals, being in the music industry for more than a decade, and the group’s future plans. Sweatshop Union plays the Center of Gravity Festival in Kelowna on Aug. 5th.
You guys have sold out shows across the world, opened for high-profile artists, and gained a big following. What’s the secret to the group’s success?
I think it’s just that we genuinely love doing it. I think regardless if people are into it or not, we’d still be doing it. I have the time of my life on stage and I know everyone else feels the same way. Getting in the studio and making songs is an even better feeling. A lot of times I watch bands on stage and they seem like assembled bands. They put on a great show, but it’s more like they’re going through the motions and they’re not actually genuinely loving what they’re doing. We’re like a family. There’s just so much love in what we do I think people just pick up on and it’s contagious.
The group has been known for being politically and socially conscious and mixing it with your rhymes? Where did this interest come from?
We want to be about something, whether it’s something that has some social impact or about impacting someone with a feeling. Right now, our whole thing is encouraging people to enjoy life and make the most of it. It might not be a political thing, but I think it has huge social importance. Once people start enjoying life and seeing the beauty in it, all of a sudden it just becomes better and it spreads. People are happier and they start making better choices.
Sweatshop Union put Vancouver in the hip-hop map, what do you think is the state of hip-hop in the city?
There are all these established guys who are really good and these up and comers. They have amazing venues now in the city and they’re bringing a lot of acts from out of town to the city. I think it’s great.
What impact did growing up in Vancouver have on you in starting the group and joining the hip-hop scene?
For one, it’s a beautiful place. The scene when we were coming up was really close knit and really supportive. To feel the support behind and seeing people doing so it’s actually feasible to have a shot at was just really inspiring and motivating to get the ball rolling and try it out.
Have you grown and how has your music evolved since your first record came out in 2001?
I feel like now we’re all established individuals. When we first put out our first record, it was kind of like we’re all indistinguishable and just little pieces in this machine whereas now, we’re all like individual machines that come together to make this huge force. That to me is the thing I’m the most proud of with the group. To see how everyone can stand on their own and do amazing things, but we still come together and work on things. It’s really awesome to see.
Are you still in love with making rhymes and the rap game even after doing it for more than a decade already?
Yes, absolutely probably even more so now. When I was kid, I loved the music so much. It was what my whole life revolved around. To see hip-hop get huge, die down and watch it rise back up again, go all through these twists and turns and try to find your spot in it and how you can take it to the next level just makes it so stimulating and interesting.
How do you like performing in outdoor music festivals?
I love playing shows in clubs or small bars. That’s a great feeling. But my goal in the next few years is to travel the world and only play in festivals year round. I believe that music is kind of like a turtle tank. You have a small tank, your turtle’s only going to grow so big. But give him a huge tank and he grows even larger. I feel like our music is the same thing. If you put us on a huge stage in front of a huge crowd, we can do huge things.
What kind of experience can/do people get from watching you guys?
We want to project.