Opgezwolle

From HitStory, the pop encyclopedia of School of Rock · Artist

Opgezwolle was a rap group from Zwolle, founded around 1998 by the rappers Sticky Steez, known as Sticks, and Phreako Rico, and DJ and producer Delic. In 2001 the trio won the final of the Oogst van Overijssel, a competition for new talent, and that same year the debut Spuugdingen op de mic was released. The group signed with Top Notch, the label of much Dutch-language hip hop.

Music and breakthrough

The second album, Vloeistof (2003), was released together with an extra record, Brandstof, which could be downloaded for free. Eigen wereld (2006) reached number 4 in the Album Top 100, reportedly the highest position at the time for a Dutch-language rap album. The album came with a film and three videos. Opgezwolle won, among other things, Gouden Grepen for best group (2005) and best album (2006), a 3voor12 Award and a Zilveren Harp. In 2016 voters of Hiphop in je Smoel chose Eigen wereld as the hardest Dutch-language hip hop album of the Low Countries.

Influence

Around the group a scene of its own arose in Zwolle. After the solo project Fakkelteit, Opgezwolle stopped around 2007. Rico and Sticks continued in the Fakkelbrigade, with Typhoon among others, who later became known throughout the country. In 2016 they were on stage together again, in a sold-out Heineken Music Hall, followed by a tour. Opgezwolle showed that Dutch hip hop did not have to come only from the big cities in the west.

Listening

Discography

Studio albums

• 2001Spuugdingen op de mic
• 2003Brandstof
• 2003Vloeistof
• 2006Eigen wereld

In School of Rock

The chapters, maps and magazine stories of School of Rock are currently available in Dutch only.

• Mixtape 11: Nederpop^NL Reader

Mentioned in other articles

• Hemel valt SongHe grew up in 't Harde and began rapping in Zwolle, where a hip-hop scene of its own had grown up around the group Opgezwolle.

See also

• Hemel valt