From Beach Breaks to Big Breaks: Ghostwriting for The Mad Hueys

Right, so a few years back, I'm chilling in Bali with Dean Hazza from The Mad Hueys. We're knocking back a few Bintangs, watching the sunset, when he hits me with this crazy idea: a rap song. For him. Written by me. The best surf rapper alive. The sheer absurdity of it almost made me choke on my Bintang. I mean, yeah, I love music – killer hooks and lyrics that get stuck in your head are my thing. But while I'm a pretty good writer, let's be real—my bread and butter is surf rap. Still, here I was, tasked with capturing the essence of The Mad Hueys – a brand all about Aussie fishing culture, adventure, and a healthy dose of larrikin humour. It was a huge challenge, and the pressure was definitely on.

Honestly, the whole thing came together ridiculously fast. Extensive research? Nah, mate. We skipped the library and went straight for the beers. Turns out, the Mad Hueys vibe is best absorbed via osmosis (and alcohol). We tapped straight into that Mad Hueys vibe – the Aussie fishing spirit, the mateship, the thrill of the catch. We translated that raw energy into lyrics that would resonate with their fans. I built all the flows and rhythms myself, shaping my lyrical ramblings into something truly musical.

That thirty-minute brainstorm in Bali was just the beginning, though. The Mad Hueys team weren't totally sold on the rap song idea at first. Dean championed it for a year, finally saying, "Right, let's do this and see what the ad team thinks." So, Dean made the trip to Sydney for the recording session. Let's just say, it involved a crash course in rap delivery. It was a bit like Slippery Surfa's Rap School – lots of vocal exercises, rhythm practice and plenty of laughs. He was a natural, though! Then, out of the blue, Mad Hueys asked for a lyric change. That meant another flight for Dean and another recording session at the 100 Foot Music Studio.

Getting the song ready for their campaign involved a few back-and-forths with the Mad Hueys team to make sure the lyrics were perfect. After some revisions, we nailed it, and now the song's set to feature in their upcoming campaigns. So stoked! Oh, and did I mention the music video? Yeah, I helped film it and did all the editing myself. It's gonna be epic. I'll spill all the behind-the-scenes tea in my next blog. Stay tuned! Got some seriously rad projects brewing, so stay locked in! 

This whole ghostwriting gig was a total mind-melt.  Never thought I'd be crafting a rap track for a fishing brand, but hey, it pushed me creatively and showed me just how versatile storytelling can be.  Stoked with how it all came together.  This collab proves what happens when you mix different creative flavours.  Big things are brewing, so stay tuned!

Regards,

Slippery Surfa a.k.a White Shark