Tuka (rapper)

Brendan Tuckerman (born 20 March 1985),[1] who performs as Tuka, is an Australian hip hop artist from the Blue Mountains, New South Wales. He is a member of Thundamentals and a previous member of Rumpunch and Connect 4. He is also a solo artist, having released three studio albums,[2] and he co-produces his original music. He supported Horrorshow on their "Listen Close" tour[3] and in late 2015 toured Australia and the US on his first headline tour to support his third album Life Death Time Eternal (10 July 2015). He felt this album was less introspective.[4] It peaked at number 6 on the ARIA Albums Chart.[5]

Tuka
Birth name	Brendan Tuckerman
Born	20 March 1985[1] Medlow Bath
Origin	Blue Mountains, New South Wales, Australia
Genres	Australian hip hop
Occupation(s)	Rapper, record producer
Instruments	Vocals
Years active	2009–present
Labels	EMI Big Village Obese
Associated acts	Thundamentals
Website	tuka.net.au

Early life

Brendan Tuckerman was born on 20 March 1986 in Medlow Bath, Blue Mountains.[6]

Personal life

Tuckerman was a victim of child abuse as a child and frequently witnessed his mother's boyfriend abuse his mother.[6] Both his father and his mother's boyfriend suffered from alcoholism.[6]

In an interview with Triple J, he discussed his childhood and:

"I don't really know my father that well, I just know that looking back, my mother may have been stuck in a cycle... through no fault of her own consciously, so I don't hold anything against her for that.

When things did get violent, it wasn't as brutal as I imagine a lot of people go through, but it's still kind of traumatic watching your mother not in power.

Basically, I moved out as soon as I could, age 17 or 18. I moved down to the city. I guess I was escaping it, but at the time I said I was following a music career."[6]

Additionally, Tuckerman states that witnessing his father and his mother's boyfriend struggle with alcoholism ultimately led to having personal struggles with alcohol himself:

"It took awhile for me to learn a healthy relationship with alcohol. So, I don't really drink anymore. I do as a musician when I go out for a gig, but my relationship to [sic] alcohol is black and white."[6]

Musical style and influences

Tuckerman cites Wu-Tang Clan as a musical influence.[6] Additionally, Tuckerman has described acts such as Urthboy and Ozi Batla of The Herd as "super inspiring".[6]

Discography

Studio albums

List of studio albums, with selected chart positions shown

Title	Album details	Peak chart positions
		AUS [5][7]
Will Rap for Tuka	Released: 5 November 2010 Label: Big Village Formats: CD, digital download	—
Feedback Loop	Released: 26 October 2012 Label: Big Village Formats: CD, digital download	92
Life Death Time Eternal	Released: 10 July 2015 Label: EMI Formats: CD, LP, digital download, streaming	6
Nothing in Common But Us	Released: 31 July 2020[8] Label: EMI Australia, Universal Music Australia Formats: CD, digital download, streaming	45 [9]

Extended plays

List of EPs, with release date and label shown

Title	Details	Peak chart positions
		AUS [10]
Alive Death Time Eternal Sessions (Live)	Released: 18 March 2016 Label: EMI Formats: Digital download	80

As lead artist

List of singles as lead artist, with year released and album shown

Title	Year	Album
"Just to Feel Wanted"	2012	Feedback Loop
"Die a Happy Man" (featuring Jane Tyrell)
"Too Soon"	2013
"Nirvana"	2015	Life Death Time Eternal
"Tattoo"
"My Star"
"Naked Heart"	2018	Non-album single
"F*ck You Pay Me"	2019	Nothing in Common But Us
"Selling Me Out"
"Trailer Trash"
"Dickheads" (featuring Alex the Astronaut)[11]	2020	Non-album single
"January 1st"[12]		Nothing in Common But Us
"Wish I Knew"
"—" denotes releases that did not chart or were not released.

As featured artist

List of singles as featured artist, with year released and album shown

Title	Year	Album
"Christmas Number 1" ("Triple J and Friends")[13]	2013	Non-album single
"—" denotes releases that did not chart or were not released.

Music videos

List of music videos, with year released and director shown

Title	Year	Director(s)
"Time & Space"	2012	Dean Wells
"Die a Happy Man" (featuring Jane Tyrell)		Primo Creative
"Christmas Number 1" (Triple J & Friends)	2013	None
"Nirvana"	2015	Oh Yeah Wow
"Yeah Right"		Tuka & Sean McDermott
"Tattoo"		Adam Callen
"My Star"		Harry Hunter & Mike Williamson

Guest appearances

List of non-single featured appearances, with year released and album shown

Title	Year	Album
"We've Arrived" (Chasm featuring Jeswon, Tuka, Skryptcha, Scott Burns, Rinse & Dialectrix)	2012	This Is How We Never Die
"Tipping Point" (Surburban Dark featuring Tuka & Elemont)	2013	Second Front
"Waste Your Time" (Remix) (Horrorshow featuring Tuka)	2014	Nice Guys Finish Last (B-side)
"House of the Rising Sun" (alt-J featuring Tuka)	2018	Reduxer

References

1. Simpson, Paul (2020). "Tuka on Apple Music". Apple Music AU. Retrieved 28 June 2020.
2. http://willrap4tuka.bandcamp.com/
3. http://www.bandsintown.com/event/9231258?artist=Tuka&came_from=90&fb_ref=Default
5. "Discography Tuka". Australian Charts Portal. Hung Medien. Retrieved 16 August 2018.
6. Byrne, Declan (9 July 2020). "Male role models and alcoholism: Thundamentals' Tuka on overcoming a tough upbringing". ABC. Retrieved 9 July 2020.
7. Ryan, Gavin (4 November 2012). "Taylor Swift [sic] "Red" spends second week atop ARIA Chart". Noise11. Retrieved 28 June 2020.
8. "Nothing in Common But Us by Tuka on Apple Music". Apple Music AU. 31 July 2020. Retrieved 28 June 2020.
9. "ARIA Australian Top 50 Albums". Australian Recording Industry Association. 10 August 2020. Retrieved 8 August 2020.
10. "ARIA Chart Watch #361". auspOp. 26 March 2016. Retrieved 28 June 2020.
11. "Dickheads (feat. Alex the Astronaut) – Single by Tuka on Apple Music". Apple Music AU. 5 February 2020. Retrieved 7 February 2020.
12. Rose, Anna (20 March 2020). "Tuka of Thundamentals releases new single 'January 1st'". NME. Retrieved 28 June 2020.
13. Vincent, Peter (13 December 2013). "Triple J's Christmas Number One tops iTunes chart". Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 28 June 2020.