Based around the core of front-man Rival MC (aka Fred Leone) and DJ Returnagain (aka James Vincent), Impossible Odds are an Indigenous Hip Hop/Soul group from Brisbane. Their long awaited debut album “Against All odds” has just been released.

First single “Everything” was ushered out late July and went about cutting a swathe through alternative radio. Tue August 16th it became the 4th most downloaded track on Australian radio through AMRAP’s AIR IT, where it has also spent 6 straight weeks in the top 5 tracks on the AIR IT Hip Hop chart (currently #2).

With one EP and 3 singles released over the last 5 years, Impossible Odds have held a steady line. Though still instinctively founded in the indigenous community – through strong national community radio and triple J play, heavy media coverage, killer live shows, big support slot’s and national touring – the band have also earned themselves a large mainstream audience. This is tribute to their tenacity, longevity and of course, the quality of their music. It is also due to the fact that Rival MC (aka Fred Leone) is nationally respected and a born community leader, intelligent, steadfast, passionate, balanced and able to clearly vocalise his opinion’s without pointing fingers or denigrating others.

With strong Australian Aboriginal, Tongan & South Sea Island family roots, Rival Mc’s lyrics are a journey through the mind of contemporary Aboriginal Australia, addressing not only issues facing his people, but more to the point, Australian society and the global community in general. A socially conscious attitude that speaks volumes, triple J has described Impossible Odds as “ferociously intelligent… Fred Leone quips with the informed subtlety of Kev Carmody and spits with a visceral slag like Henry Rollins’s. ‘Cept hip-hoppier with specifically Aussie concerns.”

“Against All Odds” covers a lot of ground. From battle raps to faith, facebook to musicality and of course Indigenous identity, as seen through the eyes of somebody who gives a damn about all of it.

Leone himself explains:
“It was a challenge to myself after the first EP (funded by the JB SEED, now The Seed Fund) to say, hey Australia, you’ve heard one particular side & style of me…. but now try this on for size. This album aims to takes people on a personal but not unfamiliar journey, touching on things we all think and experience, but don’t often talk about with our friends and sometimes even loved ones. Being our debut album, it was important for me in particular to express where I’m at. Lyrically, it’s a snapshot of my attitude toward life, hip hop and music right now. I’ve been rapping for 14 years, I needed the lyrics & rhythmic flows to reflect my experience.”

Renowned Australia wide, Impossible Odds list of award’s reads like a tome. From Deadly Award Nominated Artists in 2008 & 2010, they were 2010 QSONG finalists in the “Song of The Year” category, 2010 QSONG winners of the “Urban” Category, 2011 QSONG finalists in the “Most Popular Male Artist” category (Fred Leone) and JB Seed Speak: ‘Indigenous Hip Hop Competition’ Winners. They were also just nominated in the ‘Indigenous Hip Hop’, ‘Best Hip Hop Group’ & ‘Lyle Munro Urban Legend Award’ categories in this year’s BUMP awards (Redfern Records).

2011 TOUR DATES:
With Victorian and South Australian launch dates TBA for November Impossible Odds launch the album nationally:

FRIDAY OCTOBER 21ST @ THE LOFT, GOLD COAST, QLD
54A THOMAS DRIVE, CHEVRON ISLAND

SATURDAY OCTOBER 22ND @ GLOBE THEATRE, BRISBANE, QLD

SATURDAY NOVEMBER 5TH @ LAUNDRY, MELBOURNE VIC

SATURDAY DECEMBER 3RD @ OXFORD ARTS FACTORY, SYDNEY, NSW
38-46 OXFORD ST, DARLINGHURST, NSW