Sifu VERSUS

When asked about his involvement with Hip Hop, Thessaloniki native Sifu VERSUS usually states that he's, above all, a fan. No doubt, because you're probably going to see him among the crowds in pretty much every gig, jam or party in Greece. Then again, you're probably also going to see him performing, practicing the spray-can art or hosting the event you attended, too.



At 28 years of age, and with a presence in the Greek Hip Hop scene that goes back more than a decade, Sifu VERSUS can claim that he grew up along with it. The story goes back to the mid 90s, when he became known as the "freestylin' kid with the headband". Word of mouth and hand-to-hand circulation of tapes made Sifu VERSUS a subject to talk about throughout the Greek Hip Hop cores, and it wasn't long before he got himself a contract with Universal. A self-proclaimed owner of a weird idiosyncrasy, he personally shelved his solo album, after participating in a group project for Def Jam, and went on to release his material independently. "Hip Hop Didahi", his homage to the Culture, became an underground anthem, while "Doppelganger", his face off with his alter ego, Bobby Dega, was a permanent request on Greece's premiere Hip Hop radio show of that era, "To Diastimoplio".



Being more than just a studio rapper, Sifu VERSUS showed his freestyling skills (and verified his mid-90s nickname) by stepping up in the annual Greek Ultimate Battle of MCs in 2005. Participation is what matters most, but second place is not a winner, so Sifu VERSUS was officially the "Freestyling Champion of Greece" for that year, in an event that gathered the heavyweights of freestyling in Greece (such as Taraxias and Phyro Sun).



An avid lover of anything that's Hip Hop, Sifu VERSUS has hosted the local Battle of the Year eliminations trice, while he still participates in events such as the Meeting of Styles, both as a graff writer and a performer (still being in the extended fam of renowned Greek graff crew WOF). With a show list that includes appearances with GZA, Heltah Skeltah, Phi-Life Cypher, 7L & Esoteric, and Q-Unique among others, Sifu VERSUS is a 'beast' on stage.



So, what's in it for the future?



Stay tuned.



Check out the new video of SNOWGOONS, edited by Sifu VERSUS!



Check out the new video of Professional Sinnerz, directed by Sifu VERSUS!