Yacko, reflects on experience

Yacko, reflects on experience

Ruslan Sangadji, The Jakarta Post, Palu, Sulawesi Tengah

Another woman rapper has appeared on Indonesia's musical stage,
as Denada, the country's foremost female rapper, has for some
time moved away from this hip-hop music lane.

The newcomer is Yacko Octaviani, more commonly known as simply
Yacko. Born in Surabaya on Oct. 10, 1979, Yacko did emerge on
Indonesia's musical scene a few years back but then left for
Sydney, Australia, where she had to complete her studies for a
master's degree.

In 1996, Yacko, singing Nongkrong (Hanging Out), was included
in a compilation of several rappers taking part in the 1996
Rapping Fiesta. Her unique voice was also heard singing noted
male rapper Iwa K's favorite song, Apa Seeh? (What's That?) in an
album titled Vini Vidi Vunky.

Thereafter, she disappeared to complete her studies in
Australia. Now that she has earned her master's degree, she has
returned to Indonesia's musical stage with her first album,
Refleksi (Reflection)

In an interview with The Jakarta Post earlier this week, she
said that, as per the title, all the songs in this album, which
took a year to make, were a reflection on people's daily lives.

Surprisingly, Yacko composed all the songs in this album
herself, drawing inspiration from her own experiences. The first
single in the album, So What, is about a girl that a boy, who has
his own girlfriend, has an eye on. In this album, which is
produced by DJ Edo of Sydney, Yacko presents 13 tracks of catchy
songs that people of all ages can enjoy.

"In short, I have tried my best to help highlight Indonesia's
increasingly varied musical scene. Still, I will remain in the
hip-hop and R&B lane," she stressed.

Yacko was not alone when making this album. Thanks to help
from rappers like Soulid, Doyz Da Noyz (Indonesia's hip-hop
underground artist dwelling in Sydney) and Michael Iveson (a
Sydney musician), her Refleksi album has come out as an excellent
product.

Yacko's reappearance with her melodious and unique voice amid
an increasing number of male rappers in Indonesia is really
refreshing for rap music lovers, especially also because she is
quite different from other female Indonesian rappers.

Thanks to her consistency in the hip-hop and R&B lane, Yacko
received an award in Sydney's 2004 Best Vocal Competition while
her band came second in the same competition.