Beacho2700 - November 2022 Artist of the Month
At just 16 Xavier Beauchamp is a young talented up-and-coming professional rap artist from the Western Riverina who goes by Beacho2700 and whose original tracks are available through Spotify, Apple Music, Instagram, Youtube and Sound Cloud.
Beacho2700 is a combination of Xavier Beauchamp’s nickname and the postcode for Narrandera NSW where he comes from. Xavier works hard to carve out his own future in the music industry and said he was drawn to music and songwriting from an early age: “I was getting caught up in the system and things were happening to me all the time that I couldn't control”. He said as a child he decided for himself that he would change his future: “It came to one point where I decided, and I was good at music, so I took that opportunity.” He says one day he was in a recording studio at Tirkandi Inaburra Cultural and Development Centre in the regional town of Coleambally NSW: “I was with my mate…and I just started mucking around in the studio and that's when everyone started getting into it”. It was only a couple of months later that he officially released ‘Make It Out’ with fellow rapper Jacky Serg, “big shout out to Jack - he and everyone just got around the beat”.
In the Heaps Decent studios, Sydney.
The rap genre is an artform that Xavier relates to: “I just wanted to write my own songs and then I wanted to record them all in different studios”. He says what draws him to it is the lifestyle, the stories, and how they live; he feels a cultural connection: “In the Australian scene I really look up to Onefour, Briggs and the 046… and in the American scene I look up to Biggie, Dr Jay, Jay-Z, Ice Cube,” among others. On how he creatively discovered his music, Xavier says, “I don't know if I really learned it, I was just telling my story and I was good at music. I was doing it for my family.”
Xavier says that arts organisations in rural areas play a big role if someone wants to grow their career in the arts: “We don’t get much with what they get in the big cities out here, out here is different, and it’s the place that needs the most help…in the regional areas of the state.” He said he has received a lot of support from cultural organisations who work in regional areas, like Western Riverina Arts and the team from Heaps Decent who are based in Sydney but do outreach programs across NSW: “Heaps Decent, they have done a lot for me over the years, especially Adam Bozzetto, I have done a lot of recording with him".
Xavier is also a regular collaborator with The Cad Factory. In 2021 “we did a presentation show called ‘Wirramarri: Long Way From Home’. It was about the fish up at Menindee that started passing away from the big drought we had. We worked on them with that”. He describes how he was part of the Wiradjuri dance performance and how it brought the whole Narrandera community together at Koori Beach. Part of the night was a moment when the fish larva that came from rescued fish from the Menindee Lakes were set free into the Marrambidya Bila (Murrumbidgee River) and “we ended up dancing in the river”. This proved to be a historic and significant event both culturally and environmentally. The evening’s performance was created through a partnership between the Wiradjuri Elders, Barkindji Elders, Clontarf Academy at Narrandera High School, the Narrandera Fisheries Centre, and The Cad Factory (The Cad Factory, 2021).
Xavier performs at ‘Wirramarri: Long Way From Home’ at Koori Beach.
Xavier said his musical journey extended from there: “I won a recording session with Western Riverina Arts and The Cad Factory. That's when I was doing a lot of country music so I started working with The Cad Factory doing a lot of singing”. In 2022 he worked with them on his song ‘Struggles’, “that was about things that happened in the past and how to go into the future. I made all the parts of the beat and the vocals and worked with Vic, so shout out to Vic and Sarah at The Cad Factory!” Sarah McEwan, Creative Producer and Founder of The Cad Factory, said
Xavier is an amazing young person who is dedicated to his practice and has so much to share through his music and performing. The Cad Factory has worked with him on different projects over the years and it’s been great to witness his creative growth. We know that when we work with Xavier as an artist that he will bring a keen insight and professional outcome to any project.
Xavier records at the Cad Factory studios as part of the Recording Sessions.
He also received an opportunity to attend the 2022 SongMakers regional outreach workshops in Leeton NSW that run a mentorship program for Next-Gen Hitmakers in Australian schools. Here Xavier got to collaborate with other young artists on original material.
Xavier describes how important his Wiradjuri Culture is to his art: “It’s everything, it's good being On Country, learning everything…NDA (a local term for Narrandera) it means everything to me...all the local kids all know me. It’s the place we rap about. It’s where we come from, being on Wiradjuri Land, I pay respect to the Elders, where we are doing stuff On Country, they are the ones before us.” He says that “the most important song that I have written, the one that means the most to me, is ‘Cultural Proud’ . It’s about Aboriginal culture and all the things that have happened over the years, like back into the past coming into the future, and what's getting changed.” Important figures for him include Elder Uncle Michael Lyons, “I look up to him a lot for Aboriginal culture especially in Narrandera, and Uncle Dez, he just passed away, I danced at his funeral. Rest in Peace Dez. Steve Taylor from Dinawan’s Connections; I look up to him a lot he's always been there for all the boys and all the men.”
Fundamental to Xavier’s musical career is the support of his family and community: “I really look up to my mother and all the things she's done for me” and he stresses that it’s important for him to support his family and that his music is connected to his family’s story. He respects this with regular visits to the cemetery to honour his two Nans who have passed on. Xavier also performs with singer songwriter Damian Thorne: “Dookie… from Griffith and NDA, he was the one that got me into Tirkandi to learn about my culture…he was the one who gave me my first professional gig.” Narrandera Clontarf Academy supports Xavier’s creative achievements in his education and Neville Bamblett from Clontarf said
Every day Xavier would practise guitar and sing at recess and lunchtimes. He would always perform at our award nights and is very confident doing so. This year Xavier has won our Academy Member of the Year 2022. This is because he has worked hard at everything…he is always happy to help out wherever he can and carries Clontarf Values with him every day. Xavier is very proud of his culture and is a great role model for our Aboriginal people and community. The love he has for song and dance is incredible.
Xavier performs at ‘Wirramarri: Long Way From Home’ at Koori Beach.
Xavier Beauchamp’s star is rising rapidly. Beacho2700 has been offered major opportunities to perform alongside nationally recognised artists. Burrundi Theatre of Performing Arts has confirmed him for the line-up of the Warangesda Festival where he joins Philly, Dizzy Doolan and others on Friday 17th and Saturday 18th February 2023.
Xavier’s other talents include painting and making and playing didgeridoos. His advice to other young artists is, “you’ve got to be different, you’ve got to have something different to be in this game. Stand up for yourself, tell your story about things you have been through.”
Xavier Beauchamp collaborates with Adam Bozzetto and Martin Green in the Heaps Decent Studios, Sydney to produce tracks ‘Different Day Same Grind’ and ‘Cultural Proud’.
You can stream Beacho2700’s tracks on Spotify, Soundcloud and Triple J Unearthed.
You can keep up to date with the latest news via Xavier’s Instagram account including upcoming live performances at Warangesda Festival, Dinawan’s Connection Cultural Day in Narrandera on the 10th December and further tour dates which are yet to be announced.
Story Aanya Whitehead, Wednesday 9th November 2022.
Images by Aanya Whitehead , Camille Whitehead, Sarah McEwan and Dinawan’s Connection.
