Scott Griffiths, better known by the stage name Optamus, is one of the MCs of the Perth-based Australian hip-hop group Downsyde and member of WA's Syllabolix Crew. Optamus is also the name of Griffiths' solo project.
Music career.
Downsyde.
Griffiths with fellow Craigie Senior High School classmate Shahbaz Rind (Dyna-mikes ) founded Downsyde in 1996. It was the following year that they released a demo cassette "Behind the Bucket" which topped the independent charts within a week of its release. Optamus and Dyna-mikes met their third and last MC and producer, Darren Reutens Dazastah at Leederville TAFE. The group further expanded adding Damien Allia (DJ Armee), Mathew Cheetham (Cheeky) on bass guitar and keyboard together with Salvatore Pizzata (Salvatore) on drums to form Downsyde. In 2000 they released their debut album, "Epinonimous", this was followed by "Land of the Giants" in 2003 and "When the Dust Settles" in 2005. The group went into hiatus for three years before releasing "All City" in 2008.
2010 onwards.
As well as being a skilled MC, Griffiths is a producer. As well as working on beats for Downsyde, he has produced for many Australian acts, including Hunter, Drapht and Bias B. As of 2010 he was running his own local independent label, Opt Shop Records.
Optamus released his debut solo album "Forever &amp; A Day" on 12 June 2010. Optamus is also the name of his group, a trio with keyboardist Chris 'Imposter' Foster and multi-instrumentalist Jeremy Jongsma (Moondog). The album includes a number of guest artists including Hunter, Trials (Funkoars), Drapht, Hau (Koolism), Downsyde and MC Layla.
Optamus previewed the album to a sold-out home crowd (Rosemount Hotel W.A) and a tour through the southwest in June 2010. "Forever and A Day" went on to sell 3500 copies from his website. "Lookaround" became a Triple J single and they toured Australia extensively.
A second album, "A Hero's Concerto", was released on 20 September 2019.
In November 2022, Optamus collaborated with other First Nations artists Emma Donovan, Emily Wurramara, Drmngnow, and DOBBY to create a song in memory of Cassius Turvey, a Noongar-Yamatji boy who had died at the age of 15 the result of an assault by a random attacker when walking home from school in Perth, Western Australia. The song, titled "Forever 15", was played at Turvey's funeral on 18 November 2022 funeral and released three days later on 21 November 2022.
Other activities.
Griffiths also conducts workshops for African immigrants and Aboriginal youth.
 ;templatestyles src="Template:Blockquote/styles.css" / ;I run a hip hop workshop program where the participants get to write a song and learn about the hip hop culture and the Australian hip hop culture. For me it's another aspect of what I do as a musician, that makes me feel like I'm balancing the karma from being able to tour and live a life where I get to do something I love, I think this is my 'give back'.
Discography.
Production.
When The Dust Settles 
References.
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