Cronulla surfer and rap artist Todd Mingramm,aka Slippery, is currently riding high on the Triple J Unearthed Hip Hop charts with his latest single Surfboard.
The song combines Todd’s two greatest loves, surfing and hip hop in a sound that Todd says in totally new.
Todd is just back from the United States where he performed his first headline show in Boston with his DJ, Rhyme.
He has arrived home to find his latest single, Surfboard number three on the Unearthed Hip Hop charts and 18 on the Triple Js overall all genres charts.
His song 'Land Down Under' with Maroubra artist 'Kid Mac' was number 1 for six weeks in 2013 and has crept back into the charts and now sits at 16 followed by another new single 'Holiday' with 'Leeze The Kid' from Byron Bay at 18.
With having three songs at once on the charts and performing overseas in America, Todd is on a dream run right now.
His career success hasn’t been accidental but it started with an accident.
“I was a competitive short-board rider and broke my back at 18,” Todd said.
“I continued with competitive for a while but the pain was bad and I couldn’t handle it,” he said.
“My older brother, Troy was a singer in a heavy metal band ‘Bullfight in Mexico’ and that’s where I had my influence to take up music.
“Every time I was injured and was recovering I started writing rap. At first I kept it to myself but around my mid-20s I came out of the woodwork and started performing.
“I’m a bit of a late bloomer but I’m charging ahead with it.”
While he is not performing, Todd runs his business, the Cronulla Standup Paddleboard Shop and School.
Todd described his recent experience of headlining his own show in Boston with DJ Rhyme as “intimidating and exciting” at the same time.
“I’ve never played in that country and the guys are a lot more serious,” he said. “I wanted to see what the level (of performing) was over there.”
He needn’t have worried.
His song Pizza Boi was recorded with US-based rapper and comedian Andy Milonakis and has had 350,000 views on YouTube.
“My biggest songs have been produced in America,” he said.
Todd’s performing name, Slippery is a nickname from his Cronulla childhood.
“Slippery was a nickname I had when I was a kid, given to me by ex professional Cronulla surfer Luke Weinert,” he said.
“When I wanted to start doing rap I thought of Slippery to refer to my surfing background. My DJ is Rhyme, so we are known as Slippery and Rhyme, so everything gelled.”
Todd’s latest song could be an anthem for surfing.
Lyrics include, “You see me riding on my surfboard, get off my wave.”
Todd said he has tried to do something different with his music.
“It is surf raps laid over trap beat which is really different,” he said.
“My style is surf rap which no-one else is doing.”
Slippery's looking to take the number 1 spot next week, you can rate his song your self at - https://www.triplejunearthed.com/artist/slippery
