Pop Shuvit
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
By Pat Ferris

Pop Shuvit is an ultra high-energy rap-core band from Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. I reviewed them last October before the release of their debut CD, but Pop Shuvit had already started a groundswell of followers in their own city of 5 million. Out of the gate, their first single Jump, went to #1 on Hitz radio Malaysia for three weeks, followed by a two week #1 hit, Skaters Anthem, which recently reclaimed #1 for an additional two weeks, following this years Asian X Games skating championships.

As I listened through the album several times, I was impressed with the production and ability to build energy throughout the CD to a climactic finish and resolve. Another interesting thing is that there isn't a 'rhythm section' for Pop Shuvit. Rudy is their backbone...a solid and tasty drummer, but from DJ UNO's turntable, AJs funkified bass (this guy has the chops!), and the vocals of Moots and Point, to JD's guitar oscillating between chime and crunch...then entire band is so rhythmically talented, that it's no wonder they've had the success that seems to come so easy to some. One of my favorite tracks, Dog Eat Dog World, shows some incredible rhythm work by ALL of them with an amazing (although brief) DJ solo by DJ UNO. They are powerful, rhythmic, musical and poetic. In every respect Pop Shuvit has the sound that speaks to a Generation. To say it briefly, Pop Shuvit totally kicks ass!

The first time I actually spoke with Pop Shuvit (via voice chat), they had just finished headlining the Asian X Games - inline park skating competition championships. Since then, we've talked several times, and I find them to be polite, intelligent and enthusiastic about life, rock, Sony Playstation 2, and girls. I had the pleasure of hearing their debut CD for the first time as I was interviewing them which added to the freshness to the interview, but in retrospect, it took away from my ability to talk about some of the lyrics and other aspects of their songs.

<Pop Shuvit> Hey

<HotBands> Hey! I have your music blasting right now!

<Pop Shuvit> Good!

<HotBands> Right on. Let's go. How many of you there tonight?

<Pop Shuvit> 5 of us. Moots! , AJ, JD, UNO, and Rudy (me).

<HotBands> Tell us about yourselves. How old are you, how did you meet, what was your music experiences up to that point? Were you involved with music as children? I'm listening to the album for the first time right now. I wanted to wait so I could get the 'live' experience of being in the same room as you while we're talking and listening.

<Pop Shuvit> Moots, Rudy and AJ are 26, JD and Point are 24 and UNO is 22. Moots and Rudy were in high school together. We've been together as a band since 2000 but we were all dabbling in music for the last 5 years or so.

<HotBands> Did you start as musicians in high school, or did any of you have formal training as children?

<Pop Shuvit>

• UNO -started turtabling at age 16, learned at a formal DJ school.
• AJ - started at 13 playing drums for a metal band. Picked up the bass one day and got hooked and is self-taught.
• Rudy - started as a vocalist and then picked up drumming at 15; self taught by ear and heart.
• JD - started music lessons when he was 6 picked up guitar at 15 mom kicked him outta the house at 17.
• Point - emceeing since 16; member of a hip hop group...released 3 albums to date.............
• Moots! - emceeing since 14 at school. Met Rudy at school. Had a hip hop/metal crossover band that played Cypress Hill covers in 1994. They released one underground single and reformed as Pop Shuvit.

We recorded a demo track (Jump) and went shopping to the labels. EMI liked it and was interested in releasing it as a single so we got the album deal. Jump went to #1 in 2001 for 3 weeks. Skaters Anthem to #1 for 2 weeks in December of 2001 and is back in at #1, as we speak, for the 2nd consecutive week.

<HotBands> So Moots and Rudy were playing in high school...how did you meet after that point? When did all of you come together as a band and how?

<Pop Shuvit> Rudy hooked up with JD and AJ and had a jazz-funk fusion band called Watered Down. Moots left to the UK in 1996, and opened for Point's hip hop group (Poetic Ammo) in London in 1998 and hit it off. Moots! came back in 1999, met up with Rudy and the band in 2000, started jamming and Jump came along, so we decided to shop for a label. While we were recording Jump, we needed some DJ elements, and along came UNO as a sessionist, and he has been with us ever since.

<HotBands> Point is from London and came back to Malaysia?

<Pop Shuvit> Moots was studying in London. Point was on tour in London and Moots hooked up with him over there

<HotBands> I see. So all of you are originally from Malaysia.

<Pop Shuvit> Yes. Malaysia is a 'muhibah' country, muhibbah means harmonious but its the lingo for multi-racial we are a multi-racial country. The three major three ethnicities are Malays, Indians and Chinese. Rudy is Chinese/Malay, UNO and AJ are Malay, JD and Point are Chinese and Moots is Indian. This is why Rudy looks Filipino, Point looks Japanese and the rest of us are just plain ugly.

<HotBands> In 2001, you recorded Jump, and it went to #1 how long after you released it, and on what polls?

<Pop Shuvit> Jump was recorded in February of 2001, released in September and entered the charts at 8-4-3-1-1 on Hitz.fm which is the Malaysian top 10. We were on a single deal with EMI when we released Jump. The execs at EMI really liked jump so they gave an album deal....we have a collaboration on the album with a Filipino nu-metal band called Slap Shock on track 15.

<HotBands> What kind of a following have you developed locally and abroad?

<Pop Shuvit> We have strong support from the local teen market.....we've done gigs locally and a couple of big shows too....underground gigs with other local bands at small clubs and woodstock like concerts with the more established Malaysian bands and events like the Asian x-games for the last two years...we headlined

<HotBands> What were your musical influences to Pop Shuvit's style

<Pop Shuvit> 'rojak' another Malaysian word which means 'mix and match'. Everybody has different influences, which makes our music unique. Some of us are hip hopsters, some jazz heads and some metal-heads. This makes the writing process more fun too. AJ plays in the jazz circuit here as a sessionist too

<HotBands> How big is Kuala Lumpur?

<Pop Shuvit> KL population is 5 million including suburbs. Malaysia 25 million

<HotBands> Would you say you have a thriving original music scene there?

<Pop Shuvit> Yes, we have a thriving underground scene. Bands play anything and everything ska, punk, Seattle grunge, emo, hardcore, we even have acoustic jams.  Gigs are held like every weekend

<HotBands> Do you have many different clubs?

<Pop Shuvit> Most supporters are kids who are not old enough to get in clubs so gigs are mostly in the daytime. Most local bands here play at clubs in the day or special events like the x-games. 

<HotBands> Why would you say there is more support among teens for the live music scene...would you say this reflects all music, or your style of music?

<Pop Shuvit> I guess bands that play rap core, ska punk, hardcore and emo appeal to the kids whereby the old foggies prefer the pub (cover bands) bands at clubs.

<HotBands> What is the drinking age there?

<Pop Shuvit> 18, but a 6 yr old can buy a 6 pack.  There aren't restrictions like the States.

<HotBands> Let's talk about the Internet for a second. How would you say it has affected you? Would you say that you get musical influences from the net, or do you see it more as a 'line-out' for people to hear you?

<Pop Shuvit> Of course. We released Skaters Anthem exclusively for download on our website 2 weeks before it was released on radio and that really helped us a lot. We are always online exchanging notes people from the scene here and also because most of the music we listen to is not readily available at the stores here.

<HotBands> You're releasing your first music video when?

<Pop Shuvit> Skaters Anthem video clip is a montage of our shows with local Malaysian skaters doing their thing on the streets. Slip Away is going to be filmed in a week or so...we are having our press conference for the album on march 11 and plan to release Skaters Anthem and Slip Away then to the media along with the newly revamped website.

<Pop Shuvit> The Malaysian equivalent of the Grammy awards is going to be held in April and we hope to get a couple of nods so Skaters Anthem should be out on local television in a couple of weeks; the Slip Away video clip will be used for promo on MTV Asia

<HotBands> Right on! I think most of in the US are ignorant to what's up in Muslim countries like Malaysia

<Pop Shuvit> It the media mate...no exposure for Asian especially Muslim countries. We are exposed to everything from the United States and Europe.

<HotBands> How strict is the religion enforced?

<Pop Shuvit> Malaysia is an Islamic Nation and Islam is the official religion. But there are no restrictions to other races to embrace in other religions. All citizens have lots of respect for the other races and there is no discrimination in religion. Malaysia lives in a harmonious state. Muslim law is not enforced on all citizens but Muslim law (syariah) is enforced on Muslims (Islam).

<HotBands> who's doing the ragga bit of Jump?

<Pop Shuvit> Ragga bit is courtesy of Yogi-B...the main head from Poetic Ammo (Point's group) and is also co-producer on the track.

<HotBands> You're releasing a video timed for the Malaysian Grammy’s and are organizing a new tour. How about a new CD?

<Pop Shuvit> Gigs and road shows till we die...hopefully a nationwide road tour, but are looking for sponsors. Our album is still relatively new, as we need to break the non-English listening market. Malay language bands and artist dominate the bulk of the Malaysian music market. English language music is the minority. Very few have crossed over, but wee are going to try and do that this year and hopefully break other Malay speaking countries like Indonesia.

<HotBands> Do you record some of these songs in both languages?

<Pop Shuvit> Funny you said that because the label has suggested we re-record Slip Away in both languages as a bilingual track to help cross over. Malay makes 70% of the listening market. Our ultimate goal is to take Malaysian music to the world. Not many Malaysians have managed to achieve that and we hope to do so.

<HotBands> So right now you're catering to a 30% market in your local scene as far as music listeners, but how about as club and festival patrons? What is national language there?

<Pop Shuvit> The national language is Malay but everybody speaks English so that's not a barrier. Most club and festival patrons are the English buying market. Kids dig the music and quality regardless of language.... music has no barriers. We have a thriving dance club scene here so most clubs have DJs flown down for club nights.

<HotBands> This is a cool interview. It's opening my eyes to the similarities and differences of our cultures and how it's bonded through music. As far as the growth and direction of the band, you seem to have a plan and are moving along a path to your goal. As far as your discipline goes for reaching your goals, how would you convey your basic 'business plan' to artists reading this interview?

<Pop Shuvit> Business plan? Don't compromise the music. It doesn't stop with releasing an album. Any band should connect with people. Go out, be heard and work your asses off.

<HotBands> Did you have any final wishes/words to the readers?

<Pop Shuvit> We have the belief that we do not have fans.... they are all friends. It's really great to have this opportunity to connect with someone from across the world like you. It's amazing what the Internet has done in the way of connecting people. The Internet has truly helped us bring our music to the world. There exist no boundaries anymore and it just proves the point that music is truly a universal language. Special thanks to the support we have gained from friends and fans, local bands, the local media, the label (PT/EMI) , John Hussain, Amy, Emmett, Slapshock, Yogi B; we appreciate it very much!! Last but not least, to GOD for giving us the chance to prove ourselves that we are nothing more than humans struggling to survive and to make this world a better mosh pit. Lets make love and not war. Peace

<HotBands> Thanks so much for your time today!

<Pop Shuvit> Thank you! We really appreciate all the help that you have given us. Sitting here and typing this message to you really means a great deal to us, and we look forward to seeing you in the States someday!

For more information on Pop Shuvit, CLICK HERE

Top of Page