Drapht is a solo hip-hop MC from Perth, Western Australia. Drapht (born Paul Ridge) is from Perth, Australia. His father, Gary Ridge, a jazz drummer[1][2] introduced Drapht to music from a very young age - he had his first taste of hip hop at the age of eight. The name Drapht is based on a Swan Brewery beer, Swan Draught, which was on a watch that his father brought home when he was 13 or 14.[3] Drapht attended Perth Modern School in Subiaco but was not involved in the school's music program.[4] At school he became friends with Damien Allia (aka DJ Armee) who introduced him to hip hop via gigs at the Hyde Park Hotel.[4][5][6] Drapht became a vital part of Perth's hip hop crew Syllabolix at the age of 17.[7][8] "I was real lucky. ...show more

Drapht is a solo hip-hop MC from Perth, Western Australia. Drapht (born Paul Ridge) is from Perth, Australia. His father, Gary Ridge, a jazz drummer[1][2] introduced Drapht to music from a very young age - he had his first taste of hip hop at the age of eight. The name Drapht is based on a Swan Brewery beer, Swan Draught, which was on a watch that his father brought home when he was 13 or 14.[3] Drapht attended Perth Modern School in Subiaco but was not involved in the school's music program.[4] At school he became friends with Damien Allia (aka DJ Armee) who introduced him to hip hop via gigs at the Hyde Park Hotel.[4][5][6] Drapht became a vital part of Perth's hip hop crew Syllabolix at the age of 17.[7][8] "I was real lucky.

I hung around all the SBX members before I even started rapping. I was right in the middle of it all, I had access to the fucking dopest producer at the time Dazastah, freestyle sessions at Hunter's and constant schooling from the whole crew. So it was hard for me not to learn quick and be involved with it all." - Drapht[9] This involvement resulted in his first contributions being recorded and included on the Done DL album in 2000, only months after he had started seriously writing.[5] Drapht's first track, "Misunderstood", which sampled Nina Simone's 1964 song, "Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood",[10] was released as part of the Culture of Kings - Volume 3 release in 2003. "I know a lot of people were big fans of that song, but I never put it in my live show 'cause it's a downtempo sort of beat.

It was just a track I wrote in a span of a few days, and it was just lying around. So I put it on Culture of Kings. Luckily enough, it was the intro song for the album. It has definitely help to carry my career on." --Drapht (2008)[11] His debut album, Pale Rider, was released in October 2003,[12] with all production handled by Dazastah (Downsyde), Fdel and Drapht.[6] Special appearances on the album include: Fdel (Invada Records), Downsyde, MC Layla, Hunter, Selekt, Carlsani and Porsah Lane.[13] "With my first album, I just kinda got into it because I was hanging around the guys from Downsyde and Syllabolix. ...show less