Behind The Mic: A Tribute To The MC’s Of Hard Dance

March 1st, 2015. 7:00AM. Sportpaleis, Antwerp.

After conducting interviews throughout the night at Reverze, I had a very special request for my last interview. After thinking about all of the amazing performances that the DJ’s had brought to the night, I suddenly realised that I had forgot one very important artist who made the night extra special. Pulling aside the timelessly enthusiastic MC Villain, who had been MCing for the entire night at Reverze, I felt honoured to have a chat with him after his mega shift.

Being an MC is definitely not easy and many challenges stand in the way of being an average MC to being an iconic one. For me, a good MC is there working with the DJ, they support each other to make each moment extra special. MC’s aren’t annoying and for those of you who think MC’s are a waste of space, then after you read this article, you will see some light. The masters behind the mic transform a DJ’s set from simply music to a complete show, they interact with the crowd in the most unique ways and of course, they make sure that everybody in the crowd is having a damn good time!

Whilst I was chatting to Villain at Reverze, it came to me – these MC’s need some damn appreciation and well, we’re here today to give a small tribute to those standout MC’s in the hard dance scene. So, sit back, relax and get to know a little more about these dedicated MC’s who are non-stop from 9 until 7 in the morning.

In no particular order…

 

1. MC Villain

If there was a God for American/Chilean hardstyle fans, MC Villain would undoubtedly be him. With countless amounts of fanpages made in worship of him and fans worldwide begging for him to MC in their country, MC Villain is not only an MC but an icon of the harder styles. Known for his undying passion for music and his #teamvillain hashtag, Michael Brons is an all-round down to Earth guy who also has an enormous infatuation for Nike’s! Building up an impressive cred over the years, Villain has climbed to perform at some of the most prestigious events worldwide such as Defqon.1 (Australia & The Netherlands), Mysteryland Chile, Reverze, Q-BASE and Tomorrowland.

His signature voice has also featured on tracks with D-Block & S-te-Fan, Headhunterz, Wildstylez, Zatox, Dr. Rude and many more! To add to his hectic schedule, Villain spends his spare hours compiling fresh new tracks to feature on his monthly XXlerator podcast! With a fuckload of ‘Villain’ snapbacks at every event, it’s no secret that this dude is a force to be reckoned with!

2. E-Life

Elvis de Oliveira, or better known on stage as E-Life is the definition of a truly diverse artist. Using his talents throughout a whole range of BPM’s, E-Life is not just an MC, but a true musician. Many of you probably don’t know that E-Life began his career as a rapper in a crew before he continued his career solo and began touring throughout Europe as well as releasing 2 studio albums. With chart-topping hits and world tours, as a rapper, E-Life has undoubtedly helped shape modern day Dutch hip-hop.

As one of his many other talents, since 2010, E-Life has been injecting his talented into hard dance music. Bringing a fresh, unique and versatile edge to all of his performances, E-Life has become a widely recognised name, scoring performances at some damn impressive festivals like Tomorrowland, Qlimax, Mysteryland and Defqon.1. Apart from his hectic performance schedule, Elvis also uses his talents in the studio and has featured on some huge hits such as “Broken” by Evil Activities and Endymion, “The Hunt” by Ran-D and “Swoosh Fever” by Coone and Hard Driver.

3. MC DL

This next MC is also another annoyingly underrated figure within the harder styles. If you haven’t experienced MC DL in action, then you haven’t experienced life. But in all seriousness, this dude knows his shit! The man behind the act, Huub Dieltjens kicked off his MC career back in 2006 when a local party didn’t have an MC and he stepped up to do the deed. Whilst he continued writing and performing hip-hop, his love was also increasing for hard dance music which led him to keep pursing his path. In 2008, he became a part of the live-act ‘Blademasterz’ which saw him performing at a number of festivals and indoor events until the live-act split and the name MC DL was engraved into the future.

In the current day, MC DL is known for his highly distinctive voice and knack for writing lyrics that can tell stories and make listeners feel true emotion. He features in some huge tracks such as “Music Rules The Noize” and “Fadin” by Phuture Noize, “The Hunter” by Hard Driver, “Crash And Burn” by Digital Punk and Hard Driver and of course, “Beast Mode” by Waverider. Performing at some of the most renowned hardstyle events such as Defqon.1, Rebirth, C.R.A.F.T Festival, MC DL also made his Hard Bass Debut as a part of the killer live act Freakz At Night.

4. MC Chucky

Taking the title as Belgium’s top MC, Chucky represents hard dance music with versatility, passion and enthusiasm. Being notorious for MCing mostly at freestyle and tek events, MC Chucky also spreads his talents out in collaborations and performances with hardstyle artists such as DJ Stephanie, Da Tweekaz, Audiofreq and Hard Driver. One particular highlight that I had the chance to experience was watching Chucky perform alongside Dark-E and Ruthless during the flashback set at Reverze this year and the energy that he brought to that performance was incredibly unique and unforgettable.

He has the ability to work with any and every artist to lift their performance to a peak and whether it be tek or hardstyle, Chucky can do it and do it damn good! As a renowned figure of hard dance, Chucky shares his passions with thousands of fans around the world.
This notorious Belgian has performed at parties such as Tomorrowland, Defqon.1 Australia, Decibel Outdoor Festival, Laundry Day, Reverze and The Qontinent.

5. MC D

Now, it’s time to celebrate some passion from down under! Carlos Fernandes, or better known as the crazy Aussie MC D knows how to keep the clubs pumping non-stop until closing time. MC D has become a renowned figure not only in the Australian hard dance scene, but has made himself known on a global scale too. Branching out and cutting across genres such as RnB, hip-hop, hard trance and even happy hardcore, MC D has a serious knack for performing and improvising. With the incredible ability of being able to stand up and command the mic like no other, D doesn’t just MC, he puts his passion and love and creates a performance. Over his many years of MC’ing, D has built up an impressive resume with his residencies at nightclubs such as Home Nightclub, Masif Saturdays and Family Nightclub.

Apart from his club residencies, Carlos has performed alongside some of the most renowned artists within the harder styles such as Endymion, The Prophet, Da Tweekaz, Scot Project, Showtek, Isaac, and many more. He has also had the honour to host the Defqon.1 Australia black stage and the white stage at Defqon.1 in The Netherlands. His hectic touring schedule has also seen MC D jumping aboard on Australian tours with Noisecontrollers, Headhunterz, Coone and most recently, Zatox.
All tours aside and down to the studio! MC D spends his spare hours in the lab writing lyrics that explore all emotion from happiness to rage. His voice and scriptures have been featured on various tracks such as “I’m Bulletproof” by Tuneboy, “Highest Ace” by Evil Activities and The Viper and “Who We Are” by Nosferatu and The Viper.

 

6. MC Da Syndrome

Did somebody say ADHD?! Because we’re always feeling a little extra hyped when in the company of MC Da Syndrome! Imagine that the fate of a crowds liveliness was laid in right in front of you and it was your sole responsibility to ensure that this crowd has one bangin’ time. Well for Wouter Koops, or better known as the notorious MC Da Syndrome, this is his exciting reality every time he steps up on stage. Notorious for his extremely hyperactive state on stage, Da Syndrome admits that he puts every ounce of his ADHD energy into MCing.

With his extremely unique stage presence and ability to hakkuh better than half the crowd, Da Syndrome’s career has climbed to some pretty impressive heights, seeing him perform at some of the most anticipated hard dance events. One memorable and unforgettable moment was at Beat The Bridge, 2014 during Thera’s set when both were doing the hakkuh on stage! Fun is what it’s all about for MC Da Syndrome as he brings pure happiness and joy to all performances. Spreading his ADHD energy at parties such as Reverze, Rebirth, Defqon.1 Festival, Intents Festival and many more, MC Da Syndrome really knows how to transform a party to an unforgettable experience!

7. Ruffian

This next artist has built up a dedicated and worldwide fanbase, has celebrated many memorable performances at Qlimax and also prefers to be called a ‘mic wreckah’ or ‘crowd controller’ rather than an MC. Carlos Antunes, or better known as Ruffian, is the definition of an all-time legend and veteran who has helped shape hardcore and has also paved the way for upcoming MC’s. His inspiration and presence on stage has served as an inspiration to many as he timelessly connects with any and every crowd that he stands upon. Being not only a host, but a thoroughbred entertainer, lyricist and producer, it is no wonder why Ruffian has had the honour to work with some of the biggest names in the scene like Paul Elstak, Technoboy, Neophyte, Evil Activities, Outblast and Gunz For Hire.

He is man behind the mic who brought you hits such as “Thrillseeka” by The Stunned Guys and DJ Paul, “Rage” by Paul Elstak and “The Undersound” by Technoboy. Ruffian has racked up a pretty impressive performance resume as he has entertained crowds at events such as Qlimax, Q-BASE, Pussy Lounge, Thunderdome, Hardshock Festival and many more!

8. MC Jeff

Last but not least, this next MC isn’t afraid to play raw and brutal! He has warned you all to ‘not fuck with the Radical’ and is notorious for his edgy and rough edge to his lyrics. Jeffrey van Opstel or better known as MC Jeff has grown to become a widely recognised name to many, especially fans of raw hardstyle and hardcore. Since kicking his career off at the ripe young age of nineteen, Jeff has climbed his way to be recognised as one of the most unique and respected MC’s in the scene today. His style of presentation and his distinct voice is what had him recognised by some of the biggest clubs and organisations in The Netherlands. Since then, Jeff has developed into performing at large-scale parties such as Defqon.1, Dominator, Decibel Outdoor Festival, Hard Bass, Masters Of Hardcore, Project Hardcore, Q-Base and Tomorrowland.

You may recognise his voice from some killer hits such as “Just Like Me” by Tha Playah and Angerfist, “Don’t Fuck With The Radical” by Radical Redemption, “The Future” and “Agony” by DJ Mad Dog and “Get MF Raw” by Angerfist. Through these collaborations with such huge producers within the hard dance sphere, MC Jeff has proved his talents to listeners and partygoers worldwide.

So to the dedicated MC’s that keep the party rocking from 9-7 in the morning, WE LOVE YOU! Keep up the passion and love.