Episode 37: MC Wheels: telling stories, spitting bars

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Choice and Control episode 6.4 

MC Wheels: telling stories, spitting bars 

Transcript 

 0:00 Carers Queensland announcement: LAC Connect:  It's a new way to stay in touch with your Local Area Coordinator, Carers Queensland with everything you need right here on your device. It's a handy app to keep track of your LAC appointments, browse workshops and events, check out information and support, and get the latest news, stories and podcasts. It's available on Android and iOS, so whatever device you have, you can stay in touch. Head to our website to sign up at carersqld.com.au and look for LAC Connect.   

0:40 Voiceover: Choice and Control, a podcast celebrating people with disability, brought to you by Carers Queensland NDIS Local Area Coordination Partner in the Community.   

MC Wheels is a Sunshine Coast based hip hop artist known off stage as Nathan Tessman. Nathan uses a wheelchair, and for the last couple of years has been living independently with support from the NDIS. He's also been honing his craft, releasing original music, and performing at gigs around South East Queensland.  

1:07 Music: 

It’s those sunny days 

Where I sit back and just 

Chill with the waves 

And reminisce 

When feelin’ the bliss 

On my mind 

Out of this maze 

1:16 MC Wheels: It's been a pretty amazing ride that's for sure. I can't sing, so it was easy enough, well, not ‘easy enough’, but it was an easy choice for me to pick that kind of genre because there wasn't really any singing involved. It's a more rhythmic sort of thing, and keeping time and percussion with your voice matching with the beat. And so I really like that aspect of it. But I like the storytelling element in hip hop. You can get more out, what you want to say in your story, rather than singing songs, because we have more words, more lines in our songs. So I really like that aspect of it. And the actual beat that we rap over, I like the style that most artists used to go with, which was like this ‘boom bap’ kind of style. Yeah, very old school sort of feel.  

2:10 Fiona Stutz: What do you like about Bliss n Eso, how were they like to work with?  

2:15 MC Wheels: They’re an awesome bunch of guys, I've met them a couple of times now and they’re some of the most humble, nicest, all the words you can think of under the sun to describe. Just amazing people, that's exactly what they are like, they treat their fans like best friends basically. I got to open for them in Brisbane in 2014 and they did this tour called Circus under the Stars. They wanted to have a local artist, an underground local artist, opening each part of their tour. They didn't come to the Sunshine Coast they just came to Brisbane and so I entered that one there, and I managed to win the Brisbane slot which was pretty amazing. So, to play 20 minutes on the main stage at Riverstage was just yeah, incredible. Obviously it was the opening act so there was still people slowly coming in later in the night, but we still had a fair amount of people right down the front, like, really getting into what we were doing.  

3:22 Fiona: And you've released some albums, is that right?  

3:24 MC Wheels: So I’ve released three albums, and before that I've released an EP. So I've got my first album came out in 2013 which was called “My Introduction”, my next album came out in 2017 which is called “Dark Side of Happiness” and then my latest album “Story So Far” came out just last year in September. 

3:50 music: 

[record scratch] 

I think the first thing you need to know about hip hop 

[record scratch] 

Hip hop is this: 

It’s my Call of Duty 

So when I upgrade to pack a punch 

Combinations, bruv  

I’ve got a bunch 

Hip hop is an attitude 

It’s a style 

4:04 MC Wheels: It’s done alright for what I was able to achieve with them. Like, got a little bit of radio play and people seemed to really enjoy songs and stuff like that. But to get them on the bigger radio stations like Triple J and all that sort of stuff is quite tough. But you know, we try as hard as we can, like anyone else, to get them to a much broader audience. But it can be difficult. For me, I'm just I'm just happy to release music and if there's a couple people that really enjoy it, they like to listen to it on a regular, I'm happy with that. There's gotta be at least someone out there that really enjoys it, and if there is I'm just happy with that.  

4:45 Fiona: That's fantastic. And what's coming up for you, music-wise?  

4:49 MC Wheels: I don't know if I’ll do albums. At the moment I'm following a lot of my mates who do like hip hop music and stuff, and they seem to do singles more than albums because you can keep up the content quicker and faster, and get more stuff out there. So, I think that's a road that I'd take just because writing an album takes so much process. If you can you know get a beat, you write a song, you record it, you can put it out and then if you can keep that flowing you could have released like at least 12 tracks and you can put one out maybe once every month or something like that. It's just a lot easier to promote than an album basically, especially if you're an underground artist.  

5:32 Fiona: Do you use any support workers to help with your music career?  

5:35 MC Wheels: Yes, so Shane who is DJ Crooked, he's one of my support workers and he  jumps up on stage and is pretty much like the backbone of my band basically. Other than that, it's mostly just using support workers and they'll just maybe take me to either a gig if it's just by myself, or to a recording. So they'll like drive us there and be there for assistance if I need it for anything and all that sort of stuff.  

6:06 voiceover: Sport is for everyone. Whether you're playing for fun, competing seriously, watching from the grandstand, or volunteering in the canteen, there's a place for everybody and every ability in the sporting community. Carers Queensland is running discussion groups and surveys to find out more from people with disability, families and carers, their experiences, thoughts, opinions and insights into making sports more inclusive and accessible. Because that's a great goal!  

Find out more, get in touch or look for events and opportunities coming up near you. Visit our website at carersqld.com.au or call our enquiries line on 1300 999 636.  

6:54 Music: 

‘Cause I got power, space, reality 

Soul, time and mind 

All intertwined as one 

For my existence to be purified. 

And I won’t be hypnotised 

And stagger down that road 

To my demise. 

I finally left my cocoon and transformed 

Into something new just like a butterfly. 

Say I don’t know the meaning of life 

But I know the meaning of mine, 

To be happy with my world 

That I’ve forged and designed. 

So as I watch this bottle sail away, 

On the ocean beautifully glide, 

I’ve finally severed my connection 

With my monsters 

Inner peace I can find. 

7:28 MC Wheels: I've been living independently now with the NDIS for about four years on the Sunshine Coast and yes, it's been incredible.  

7:37 Fiona: That's great. Do you live by yourself or with friends?  

7:40 MC Wheels: No, by myself, yeah I live all by myself. I moved out of home in 2018 and managed to get a place of my own through Department of Housing. They managed to find me a place and yeah, and I've been living there ever since so it’s been fantastic.  

7:59 Fiona: And so what sort of NDIS supports are you getting to ensure you can live independently?  

8:04 MC Wheels: When I was first living by myself it was probably around about eight hours in total a week that I was getting, only because of the fact that NDIS wasn't around at that time on the Sunshine Coast. So then when it kicked in the next year, it ramped up to around about like maybe 30 hours a week.  

8:22 Fiona: A support worker?  

8:23 MC Wheels: Yeah, just core stuff, social stuff, keeping the house maintained and all that sort of stuff, things that I just couldn't do myself. That's definitely been the main  focus with my  funding. And obviously just getting out and about, if I need to go somewhere to like either grocery shops, or like appointments or whatever, or things that I've got booked, all that sort of stuff. I guess just company-wise as well.  

8:51 Fiona: And so what other supports do you access?  

8:54 MC Wheels: I've used, you know, OTs and stuff like that to help with accessing needs within disability equipment and stuff. So like with wheelchairs and stuff like that. Most of my support’s like in-home support, obviously community access support, companionship support I guess, it's mostly just all that sort of stuff, and personal care and all the main important sort of stuff really.  

9:22 Fiona: Why do you think it's important to have these supports to develop your independence?  

9:27 MC Wheels: I just think it's a great thing, because years ago when funding was quite tough for people to get, all the care and everything that needed to be done was basically with the parents. And they had to do that 24/7, you know, every single day and it can be tiring. My mum was pretty much the sole carer for me, and she was also a private house cleaner for many years and so if I wasn't able to go to school or something like that she wasn't able to go to work. And so she, running her own business, then she would have to take the day off to take care of me and stuff like that.  

It wasn't until when NDIS came in we both were looking into potentially. I asked her, I said if ‘I live independently how would you feel about that?’ And we both thought it would be a good thing. Because it gives her her own independence, that she doesn't have to worry so much about taking care of me, and I get my own independence to be able to go and do all the things that I want without having to either bring her along or  all that sort of stuff. So I think it's wonderful for both parties, basically.  

10:43 Fiona: Absolutely, you're living life like any other 28 year old. 

10:45 MC Wheels: Yeah, you know, most people who are in wheelchairs or have any kind of disability they're wanting to just get out and do the things that they want to do, either with their friends or whoever and you know they probably don't really want to bring their parents along all the time. They just want to go and hang out with mates and the NDIS funding allows that. It gives freedom to go and do the things that they've been wanting to do for a while because it's there, you know.  

I also think it's great in the sense that people who are struggling maybe to get jobs, they're keen to jump in and support people in disability work. With Shane, you know he was a chef and you know a baker and all of this stuff was all in food for most of his career, and then he took the leap and changed all of it, now he’s a full time support worker with many clients that he goes and takes care of and stuff. So, I think it works both ways in that sort of regard. It helps people with support, but it also helps people find work to be able to support people.  

11:50 Fiona: So, it really does sound like the NDIS is making a difference in your life?  

11:55 MC Wheels: Yeah, I mean it's making a massive difference in my life as well as, I think, many people around Australia. It’s had a massive impact on my life and I can't fault it, it's been terrific ever since it’s came in for me. One of the best things to come in to help for myself and my family and just give us both that independence and easier sort of lifestyle.  

12:21 Music: 

[record scratch] 

Check, check on the mic 1-2 

Wheels is burning rubber so come check the view. 

Can’t see through the smoke or see through the mist, 

But I tell you what, you never heard a flow-er like this go. 

Check, check on the mic 1-2 

Wheels is burning rubber so come check the view. 

Can’t see through the smoke or see through the mist, 

But I tell you what, you never heard a flow-er like this go. 

12:39 voiceover: To find out more about MC Wheels, listen to his music or follow his adventures, you can find him in all the usual places online, Mcwheels.com.au or look for MC Wheels on Facebook, Instagram, Spotify or iTunes.  

Thanks for joining us with Choice and Control, a Carers Queensland podcast. For more information about the National Disability Insurance Scheme or Carers Queensland contact us online at carersqld.com.au. You can call us on 1300 999 636 or head to Facebook and look for Carers Queensland NDIS.   

Mentioned in this episode

• MC Wheels website
• MC Wheels on Spotify
• MC Wheels on iTunes
• Carers Queensland upcoming events and workshops
• Carers Queensland NDIS on Facebook
• Register for LAC Connect

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