Meet Swollen Member’s Mad Child. Hailing from Vancouver, he not only posses a unique rap style which has taken him to amazing heights of success, he is also the founder of his own record label, Battle Axe Records.

For those who have been living in a cave, take note, class is now in session. One of Shock Mansion’s favourite rappers hands down, we’ve been following the success of Swollen Members and Mad Child for years now.

Swollen are now working on their latest album titled ‘Beautiful Death Machine’. It will hopefully drop this year and we cannot fucken wait to blast it so loud our angry neighbours are able to recite the lyrics.

Speaking of new albums, Mad Child is also working on his solo debut, which is coming soon and will hopefully be the first of many!

EXCLUSIVE TRACK – MY LIFE

Shock Mansion: G’day dude! How are you?

Mad Child: I’m good bro, how are you?

Shock Mansion: Mate life is good! Just cracking a beer now, let’s get stuck into it shall we! The anticipation for the solo album is high, can we get a little insight as to what we can look forward to, and how much longer we have to wait?

Mad Child: It will still be a little while longer, as I was working pretty heavily on it for a while and then Prevail brought these two mc’s Young Kazh and Tre Nyce to my house while we were working on music.

They came up to have me do a guest appearance on one of their songs and I was so impressed with their skill that we started making song after song together! We just kept working and they literally never left!

We are so excited about the music we have been making that we started a new group called Battleaxe Warriors. These guys have brought so much excitement back to the game for me that I am putting our new group at the front of the line as far as releases are concerned. We will release a Battleaxe Warriors mix tape this summer. We will also release a Swollen Members greatest hits album this summer with three brand new songs. Then we will release the Warriors album and then the new Swollen album just after summer, so I guess my solo album will this winter. Damn! I’m excited about it as well though! My first solo album after all these years!

Shock Mansion: Over the past month we’ve seen some crazy new tattoos on your hands and forearms, you mentioned to us the other day that you are planning to push it further this winter. Can you fill us in on any up and coming pieces?

Mad Child: I just got a couple small ones last week, one in memory of my dog THOR. He was my first dog and I had to put him to sleep last month. That was one of the hardest fucking things I’ve ever had to do. He lived till he was 10 and a half, which is a pretty good run for a dog his size and he had a great life.

The 2nd tattoo is a dollar sign on my fore arm to remind me to be focused on making money again! I kinda took the last few years off. Before summer, I plan to get a lot done on my legs and finish my back and the other side of my neck and my first face tattoo! I don’t know if I can get it all done in that short amount of time though, probably not, but I’ll get as much done as I can fit in.

Shock Mansion: Being car fanatics ourselves we had to ask you about your whips. What do you have hiding away in your garage at the moment?

Mad Child: I have a “69 mustang that is so sick! I have a custom FXR chopper (crazy). I have a BMW convertible 6 series on 22′s (sick). I have a jaguar and a new Suburban with 5 TVs and a crazy system. It also has nice rims, but I want to raise it and put bigger tires on it, black on black instead of chrome.

I’m getting a Mercedes S500 this summer, my friend lent it to me and it drives like a space ship! It drives so smooth, plus I’m getting a really good deal on it. I’m also getting an old van to customize and I’m looking for a “69 Camaro ss.
Almost all my whips are black except for my muscle car, which is silver with black stripes over the hood / roof.

Shock Mansion: Can you tell us a bit about your home recording studio? Has that been a dream since day one?

Mad Child: Yes, for the last while that has definitely been part of the plan. I have a hand full of rental properties and two houses that I live in.

The one in north van is an 85 year old log cabin that I fully renovated. My main residence is in Kelowna B.C., which is a lake town and I love it here. I moved here a couple years ago after coming up every summer, when I could for the last 7 years.

It’s a 5,000 sq ft. house on almost an acre with a 2 bedroom guest house and a pool and an out door kitchen and bathroom. It’s pretty awesome, but i still have a lot of things that I want to do it.

I’m selling some of my other places so I can fully renovate my new house. I’ve been working on it for the last year and we have a pretty dope studio and I just finished putting in a dope home theatre. I love watching movies! It’s one of my favorite things to do and it’s where I draw most of my inspiration from.

As far as the studio, I know we use the same mic that Dr. Dre uses and we have a great pre amp. We run off Pro Tools like most people, and that’s really the main things to spend the money on as far as hip hop is concerned. We have a bunch of stuff that Rob uses, but I don’t really know what it’s all for. We may get some neve strips in a bit, for a warmer sound, when we want it.

Shock Mansion: When you’re out on tour, does your mind stay back at the Battle Axe office?

Mad Child: I haven’t really been on tour for the last couple years. I’ve just been enjoying life and recording. I put in a long hard 5 years prior to that and it was a decision I made to take some time off. We are now getting back to work on a full scale though and we have just started touring again, so yes, I would say I bring my work on the road with me and work out of the hotel rooms when we’re on the road.

Shock Mansion: What is life like living on a tour bus for months on end?

Mad Child: Kinda like living in a submarine I would think. It’s exciting at first, but you start really feeling cooped up after a few months of being on the same bus. We are doing this new tour in the suburban with a trailer that we just got custom painted and we’re finding that we enjoy it. More money in our pocket and we get hotel rooms every night. Which is nice to have your own space.

Shock Mansion: Being a heavily business minded person, do you ever think about moving into other industries later down the track?

Mad Child: I am currently getting samples made for a clothing company I am starting, called UPSET. We have sick designs; I know you guys are into t shirts, so I’ll send you some. I’m also seriously thinking of starting a touring agency in Canada that caters to mostly hip hop artists. We would supply the artist with transportation as well as a tour manager, if required. I also own part of a music licensing company and I dabble in Real Estate. I could see myself taking the clothing company very seriously and I could also see myself in the movie industry.

Shock Mansion: What is your master plan to come out on top through the economic crisis?

Mad Child: Sell my excess Real Estate and invest back into my music. Music is where I made the most money. I believe in what we are doing that much.

Shock Mansion: Do you listen to much music out of the hip-hop genre?

Mad Child: Mostly hip hop. I have my times where I break out Willie Nelson and Johnny Cash but mostly Hip Hop.

Shock Mansion: Who would be your ultimate person to collab with musically, dead or alive?

Mad Child: Can I pick a few?

Shock Mansion: Fuck yeah dude…

Mad Child: Kanye West, Frank Sinatra, Bob Marley, Super Cat and probably the Beastie Boys. I’m sure there’s more…

Shock Mansion: So you’ve traveled to some pretty amazing places, where would you recommend we should travel to next?

Mad Child: Come stay with me in the summer, other wise I’ll come visit you in the winter!

Shock Mansion: Haha, book it in mate! Dude, if you were ever homeless, what would your cardboard sign have written on it?

Mad Child: I was homeless for a year and a half in the Bay Area and I slept on pizza boxes for half of the time, so I guess the card board would say ‘Pizza’ on it. Haha

Shock Mansion: What is the first thing your think of when you wake up?

Mad Child: Tea, pills, cigarettes. I need to change my ways, for real!

Shock Mansion: What’s your favourite comfort food?

Mad Child: Because I’m addicted to pain killers, I like sugar, so popsicles or creamsicles or crunch n munch (which is like cracker jacks, but better) before I was on pain killers, I would say steak and lobster or crab legs. I love the way they do scampi at this Italian restaurant I go to. I love real Italian food. I’m addicted to Pepsi cola if that counts.

Shock Mansion: Mate you rock a lot of Gucci, what would be your most expensive clothing item bought?

Mad Child: Don’t forget the Louie Vuitton! I would say about $4,000 each on a couple of jackets. Nothing too crazy, but yes, over all, I do have a lot of Gucci and Louie Vuitton.

Shock Mansion: Are you still down with Red Dragon and DC Shoes these days?

Mad Child: I think so. I haven’t kept in touch with them as I wasn’t on tour, but we’ll see now that we’re getting back out there. I’m still down if they are!

Shock Mansion: Is there any potential of seeing you here in Australia again with Swollen or even on a solo mission?

Mad Child: Absolutely, I always said if I ever had to leave North America and couldn’t come back because I committed some crazy crime, or whatever, I would be able to live in Australia with out getting home sick. I feel very much at home there, even though it’s so far away. I love Australia for real! So beautiful and the people are so friendly and down to earth (kinda like Canada , Eh?!!!) so, yes, I’ll be back first chance.

Shock Mansion: Looking forward to it mate! Any shout outs before we wrap this up?

Mad Child: Shout out to yo mama.

Shock Mansion: Thank you for your time dude. We wish you all the best!

Mad Child: Right back at you brother, can’t wait to start working with you on the art tip!!! Hope people enjoy this solo song, this is the first time anyone is able to hear it. It’s about my addiction, called “My Life.”

EXCLUSIVE TRACK – MY LIFE

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