Fluent Form
{{Use Australian English|date=May 2014}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=May 2014}}
{{Infobox musical artist
| name = Flu
| image = File:Fluent Form (black and white).jpg
| image_size = 200px
| landscape =
| alt =
| caption =
| birth_name = Ryan Stewart
| native_name =
| native_name_lang =
| alias = Fluent Form
| birth_date =
| birth_place = South eastern suburbs, Melbourne, Australia
| origin =
| death_date =
| death_place =
| genre = Hip hop
| occupation =
| instrument =
| years_active = 2006–present
| label = Crate Cartel
| associated_acts =
| website =
}}
Ryan Stewart, better known by the stage name Fluent Form or, more recently, Flu, is an Australian rapper and hip hop musician.
Career
=Solo career=
Although Stewart participated in rap battles in his early days, using the experience to gain exposure and get his name out, he has said that he was never really part of the "battle scene" and his dedication is to recording songs.
His independent debut production, Chapters of Substance, was released in 2008 under the name Fluent Form.{{cite web|title=Fluent Form – Chapters of Substance|url=http://cratecartel.com/audio/fluent-form-chapters-of-substance/|publisher=Crate Cartel|accessdate=1 May 2014}}{{cite web|title=Fluent Form – The Furnace|url=http://www.rhythmandpoetry.net/2009/10/20/fluent-form-the-furnace/|work=Rhythm & Poetry|accessdate=1 May 2014|date=20 October 2009}} This was quickly followed the next year by The Furnace, released under the newly formed Crate Cartel label and distributed through Obese Records.{{cite web|title=Fluent Form – The Furnace|url=http://cratecartel.com/audio/fluent-form-the-furnace/|publisher=Crate Cartel|accessdate=1 May 2014|archive-date=15 April 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150415030824/http://cratecartel.com/audio/fluent-form-the-furnace/|url-status=dead}} Described by an interviewer as "a dark manifesto, serving as an outlet for rage and dissatisfaction", he said that The Furnace reflects his "burning desires, rage,{{nbsp}}... life, lessons, greed, envy, growth, anger, obstacles, reward, death, life... everything."{{cite web|title=Fluent Form|url=http://certifiedscribe.wordpress.com/2009/10/29/fluent-form/|work=Certified Scribe|date=29 October 2009|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20100624130527/http://certifiedscribe.wordpress.com/2009/10/29/fluent-form/|archivedate=24 June 2010|df=dmy-all}} He was praised for his "complex rhyming structure, deep concepts, and overall flow" and as having "the composure of a veteran long in the game."{{cite web|title=Fluent Form – The Furnace Review|url=http://allaussiehiphop.com/2010/03/01/fluent-form-the-furnace-review-2/|work=All Aussie Hip Hop|accessdate=6 May 2014|date=1 March 2010}} In an interview, he said that telling personal stories through the tracks on the album was "very important".
His third album, Word Merchant, released in 2011, was produced by Crate Cartel co-founder Geko and featured guest verses from various artists including Dialectrix and numerous veterans in the local hip hop scene.{{cite web|title=Fluent Form – Word Merchant|url=http://cratecartel.com/audio/fluent-form-word-merchant/|publisher=Crate Cartel|accessdate=1 May 2014|archive-date=3 March 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160303221658/http://cratecartel.com/audio/fluent-form-word-merchant/|url-status=dead}}{{cite web|title=Fluent Form – Word Merchant|url=http://allaussiehiphop.com/2011/05/18/fluent-form-word-merchant/|work=All Aussie Hip Hop|accessdate=1 May 2014}} Throughout 2012, he released the tracks "FLU32" and "Ricochet Rabbit" via Bandcamp{{cite web|title=FLU32|url=http://fluentform.bandcamp.com/track/flu32|work=Bandcamp|accessdate=6 May 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140508042749/http://fluentform.bandcamp.com/track/flu32|archive-date=8 May 2014|url-status=dead|df=dmy-all}}{{cite web|title=Ricochet Rabbit|url=http://fluentform.bandcamp.com/track/ricochet-rabbit|work=Bandcamp|accessdate=6 May 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140508025138/http://fluentform.bandcamp.com/track/ricochet-rabbit|archive-date=8 May 2014|url-status=dead|df=dmy-all}}{{cite web|title=Fluent Form – Ricochet Rabbit|url=http://pangproductions.com.au/2012/11/03/fluent-form-ricochet-rabbit/|work=Pang Productions|accessdate=6 May 2014}} and appeared on the Obese Records Obesecity 2 compilation with the track "The Code" featuring Has-Lo.{{cite web|title=The Code|url=http://fluentform.bandcamp.com/track/the-code|work=Bandcamp|accessdate=6 May 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140508042930/http://fluentform.bandcamp.com/track/the-code|archive-date=8 May 2014|url-status=dead|df=dmy-all}}
His fourth solo album, Flu Season, was released in 2013 and debuted at number 39 on the Aria Hip Hop Charts.{{cite web|title=ARIA Urban Albums Chart|url=http://ariacharts.com.au/chart/urban-albums|date=12 August 2013|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20130813175640/http://ariacharts.com.au/chart/urban-albums|archivedate=13 August 2013|df=dmy-all}} It again featured a host of guest artists including American rappers One Be Lo and Has-Lo.{{cite web|title=Flu aka Fluent Form – Flu Season|url=http://cratecartel.com/audio/flu-aka-fluent-form-fluseason/|publisher=Crate Cartel|accessdate=1 May 2014|archive-date=8 May 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140508030552/http://cratecartel.com/audio/flu-aka-fluent-form-fluseason/|url-status=dead}}{{cite web|title=Flu AKA Fluent Form: Flu Season out 02.08.2013|url=http://obeserecords.com/obs/flu-aka-fluent-form-flu-season-out-02-08-2013/|publisher=Obese Records|accessdate=1 May 2014}} This marked his first release to be issued in vinyl and on cassette tape in addition to CD.{{cite web|title=Flu – LP|url=http://waxmuseumrecords.com.au/?product=flu-flu-season-lp|publisher=Wax Museum Records|accessdate=1 May 2014}} He stated that he hope the style of Flu Season "gives the listener an opportunity to digest everything I’m saying." It won awards in the 2013 at the Oz Hip Hop Awards for best album and best wax release, as well as best beat for the track "Arrows" featuring Geko, which was produced by Must Volkoff.{{cite web|title=11th Annual Oz Hip Hop Awards 2013|url=http://ozhiphop.com/awards/|publisher=Oz Hip Hop|accessdate=1 May 2014|archive-date=25 April 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140425160733/http://ozhiphop.com/awards/|url-status=dead}} The Australian edition of Rolling Stone magazine reviewed Flu Season, awarding it {{frac|3|1|2}} stars.{{citation needed|date=May 2014}} A review on US website RapReviews.com complimented Flu's "ear popping lines" and production that "lifts him up high", rating the album 8 out of 10.{{cite web|last=Juon|first=Steve "Flash"|title=Fluent Form :: Flu Season|url=http://rapreviews.com/archive/2013_12_fluseason.html|work=RapReviews.com|accessdate=6 May 2014|date=24 December 2013}}
In 2017, he released his fifth album Flu Dust, which was his first self-produced album as well as being his first album since officially moving on from the name Fluent Form to simply Flu, which was considered his secondary stage name for many years prior.
Fluent Form has toured Australia, supporting international artists including Ghostface Killah, Ill Bill, Chino XL, Masta Ace and DJ Premier. He has also provided guest verses for local artists including Bias B, Ciecmate and Bigfoot.{{cite web|title=Fluent Form - Synthetic Love|url=http://airit.org.au/airit/Fluent-Form-Synthetic-Love.html|work=Amrap|accessdate=6 May 2014}} He also produced the track "Half Full" by J.Mac, appearing on the compilation album Rawthentic The Roster.{{cite web|title=Rawthentic The Roster|url=http://allaussiehiphop.com/2014/03/31/rawthentic-the-roster/|work=All Aussie Hip Hop|accessdate=6 May 2014|date=31 March 2014}}
=4 Aces=
Having worked with fellow Melbourne-based rappers Mata, Must and 1/6 on the tracks "4 Aces" (released on The Furnace) and "Poison" (on Flu Season), they appeared on stage around Australia in 2013 as part of the Alliance Tour{{cite web|title=Matt Van Rooy Presents: The Alliance Tour|url=http://allaussiehiphop.com/2013/08/26/matt-van-rooy-presents-the-alliance-tour/|work=All Aussie Hip Hop|accessdate=6 May 2014|date=26 August 2013}}{{cite web|title=The Alliance Tour ft. 4 Aces (1/6, Fluent Form, Mata & Must), Maundz, Dialect & Dispair, Social Change, Rawthentic Crew Tickets VIC|url=http://www.moshtix.com.au/v2/event/the-alliance-tour-ft-4-aces-1-6-fluent-form-mata-must-maundz-dialect-d/66967|work=Moshtix|accessdate=6 May 2014}} and produced an EP titled Four Aces, a collaboration between the Crate Cartel and Pang Productions labels, released exclusively on vinyl to coincide with World Record Store Day on 19 April 2014. They also performed a live gig that night outside Wax Museum Records in the Campbell Arcade subway under Flinders Street railway station.{{cite web|title=4 Aces EP Launch World Record Store Day|url=http://allaussiehiphop.com/2014/04/16/4-aces-ep-launch-world-record-store-day/|work=All Aussie Hip Hop|accessdate=6 May 2014}}
Discography
=Albums and EPs=
| class="wikitable" | |||
| Title | Released | Label | Format |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chapters of Substance | 2008 | Independent | CD |
| The Furnace | 2009 | Crate Cartel | CD |
| Word Merchant | 2011 | Crate Cartel | CD |
| Flu Season | 2013 | Crate Cartel | CD, vinyl, cassette |
| Four Aces (with Mata, Must and 1/6) | 2014 | Crate Cartel and Pang Productions | Vinyl |
| Flu Dust | 2017 | Crate Cartel | CD, vinyl, cassette |
=Individual tracks=
=Guest verses=
Personal life
Flu was raised and continues to reside in the south eastern suburbs of Melbourne.{{cite web|title=Fluent Form Interview|url=http://allaussiehiphop.com/2010/03/01/fluent-form-interveiw/|work=All Aussie Hip Hop|accessdate=6 May 2014|date=1 March 2010}}{{cite web|title=Fluent Form Interview|url=http://www.ripitup.com.au/beats/article/fluent-form|work=Rip It Up|accessdate=6 May 2014|date=13 August 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140506170131/http://www.ripitup.com.au/beats/article/fluent-form|archive-date=6 May 2014|url-status=dead|df=dmy-all}} He is a father of two children.{{citation needed|date=May 2014}}
He also played for the Eastside Kings in the Robert Hunter Cup in 2013, an Australian rules football match honouring the memory of Perth MC Hunter.{{cite web|title=The teams have been selected for the Robert Hunter Cup. It seems there is a little internal GE rivalry with Briggs playing on the other team. Who are you supporting?|url=http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=4654099514291&set=p.4654099514291&type=1&theater|work=Golden Era Facebook fan page|publisher=Facebook|accessdate=7 May 2014|date=16 September 2012}}
References
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External links
- {{facebook|fluentform|Flu AKA Fluent Form}}{{dead link|date=October 2017}}
- {{Twitter|name=Flu}}{{dead link|date=October 2017}}
- {{SoundCloud|name=Flu (Fluent Form)}}{{dead link|date=October 2017}}
- [https://web.archive.org/web/20130509111743/http://fluentform.bandcamp.com/ Fluent Form] on Bandcamp
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Category:Australian male rappers