Pegz (musician)

Pegz (musician)
Name	Pegz
Background	solo_singer
Birth name	Tirren Staaf
Birth date	1975
Birth place	Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
Genres	Hip hop
Occupation	Rapper, record label executive, graffiti artist
Years active	1990s–present
Labels	Obese Records
Associated acts	Hilltop Hoods, Drapht, Muph, Funkoars

Pegz (musician) is the stage name of Tirren Staaf, an Australian hip hop artist, record label executive, and graffiti artist from Melbourne, Victoria. He rose to prominence in the 1990s and 2000s through solo albums, label leadership, and collaborations that helped shape Australian hip hop alongside peers and groups across Australia and internationally. Pegz has been noted for lyricism, production work, and contributions to the development of independent hip hop infrastructure.

Early life and background

Tirren Staaf was born in Melbourne and grew up immersed in urban culture that connected him with local scenes in Fitzroy, St Kilda, and surrounding suburbs. Early influences included graffiti crews and skate culture that intersected with emerging Australian hip hop communities such as those around Triple J, SBS, and community radio stations like 3RRR. He developed ties with Australian artists and collectives including Hilltop Hoods, Funkoars, and Muph while also following international movements from New York City, Los Angeles, and the United Kingdom.

Musical career

Pegz began performing and releasing material in the late 1990s, participating in the same era that produced acts like Hilltop Hoods, Macklemore (internationally influential for independent rap timing), and Australian contemporaries such as Drapht and Bliss n Eso. He co-founded or became closely associated with independent operations including Obese Records, which worked alongside distributors and promoters connected to entities like EMI Australia, Sony Music Australia, and independent retailers in Melbourne CBD. Pegz released a series of albums and singles that charted domestically, toured nationally with artists such as The Herd (band), Hermitude, and Seth Sentry, and performed at festivals including Big Day Out, Splendour in the Grass, and regional events allied with community stations. As a label executive he signed and promoted acts interacting with networks like ARIA and with media platforms including triple j and Rage (TV program). His career trajectory paralleled growth in Australian hip hop infrastructures involving venues, studios, and grassroots promoters in cities such as Sydney, Brisbane, and Perth.

Discography

Pegz's recorded output includes studio albums, EPs, and singles released through independent and major-affiliated channels. Notable releases span the period when Australian hip hop albums by artists such as Hilltop Hoods, Bliss n Eso, and Sia (musician) were gaining national attention. Key entries in his discography are appreciated alongside compilations and label samplers that featured peers like Muph & Plutonic, The Funkoars, and Rare Essence-style collaborations. His catalogue has been distributed in physical and digital formats across platforms associated with JB Hi-Fi, iTunes, and independent record stores.

Collaborations and production work

Pegz collaborated extensively with Australian rappers, producers, and bands including Hilltop Hoods, Drapht, Muph, The Funkoars, SURESHOT, and producers linked to studios in Melbourne and Adelaide. He contributed vocals and production to tracks involving artists who also worked with producers from scenes connected to Perth, Brisbane, and Canberra. Pegz's production and executive roles placed him in contact with touring promoters, radio programmers at triple j, and festival bookers for events like SxSW-adjacent showcases and domestic lineups. He has also appeared on collaborative releases and compilation projects alongside regional and international artists who toured Australia, including crews influenced by Wu-Tang Clan-era aesthetics and UK Grime movements.

Artistry and influences

Pegz's style reflects influences from American and British hip hop traditions, with nods to artists and movements from New York City, Los Angeles, Chicago, and the United Kingdom grime and garage scenes. Locally, he cites interactions with groups and artists such as Hilltop Hoods, The Herd (band), Bliss n Eso, and producers from Melbourne studios. His background in graffiti links him to visual artists and street art traditions shared with crews across Fitzroy and inner-city Melbourne. Lyrical themes often mirror narratives similar to those explored by contemporaries who worked within independent Australian hip hop circuits and community-driven outlets like Triple J Unearthed.

Awards and recognition

During his career Pegz received attention from Australian music media and industry organizations including ARIA, Triple J, and national print and broadcast outlets. His work was acknowledged in reviews and features alongside albums by artists such as Hilltop Hoods, Bliss n Eso, and Drapht, and he played a role in elevating independent hip hop visibility in Australia through label work, touring, and media engagement. Pegz's contributions remain cited in discussions of the development of the Australian hip hop scene and its institutional growth across the 1990s and 2000s.

Category:Australian hip hop musicians Category:Musicians from Melbourne