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.