Cocogun Launches ‘F*ck the Cup’ Rap to Protest Melbourne Cup

Independent agency Cocogun has launched a rap, co-written by co-founder Ant Melder and hip-hop artist Chandler Jewels, called ‘Fuck the Cup’, continuing “the great tradition of game-changing protest songs.”

Launched ahead of Melbourne Cup day next Tuesday 5 November, ‘Fuck the Cup’ is a continuation, versus an establishment, of the agency’s stance. For years, the team has been running Melbourne Pup Day, heading to Monika’s Doggie Rescue in Ingleside instead of gathering in a pub to watch the race. This year, Cocogun wanted to go further. 

“We wanted to step things up, spark conversation, and agitate for change,” creative partner Ant told LBB.

“To be honest, it was a 50-something hip hop fanboy’s dream project. I wrote the initial lyrics, Chandler took them away, wrote some beats and put his own spin on the words to fit the music. We collaborated back and forth a bit, while I fantasised that I was some kind of Rick Rubin figure.”

Ant noted that upwards of $223 million is gambled on the Melbourne Cup each year. He and other members of the team have historically attended Melbourne Cup events, but “when you know better, you should do better,” he said.

Ant said the track continues “the great tradition of game-changing protest songs, like Billie Holiday’s Strange Fruit, Marvin Gaye’s What’s Going On and Public Enemy’s Fight The Power. The ambition was to create a track with a potent blend of anger and intelligence, and a hook that’s hard to get out of your head. 

“I’m a big hip hop fan, particularly of more thoughtful artists like Kendrick and Frank Ocean. I also love the way the new generation of artists like 21 Savage, Lil Uzi Vert and Playboi Carti bring really raw, visceral emotion to their music. We wanted to work with an up and coming Australian artist who blended bits of all of that, while bringing their own unique creativity, style, and flow. Chandler Jewels was spot on.”

In addition to the song, the agency has launched a music video, directed by mp4Oscar, who, according to Ant, “will no doubt one day be bigger than Spike Jonze, Michel Gondry and Chris Cunningham put together.”

Ant said the project has been in the works for a couple of months, but he’s been building up to this moment for a long time. 

“On a personal note, I’ve been a vegetarian for 25 years, passionate about animal rights all my life, and, despite having zero musical talent, have always harboured wannabe rock star fantasies.”

While ‘purpose’ has become a “slightly unfashionable word” - “perhaps because lots of brands had begun making tenuous links with seemingly random causes in a cynical attempt to drive sales” - Ant said brands that align with a cause have the power to “move things forward. And when I talk about brands, I think it’s super important that, as agencies, we see ourselves as brands too.”

“As a creative agency, we want to be associated with the biggest, most important conversations going on in culture,” he said. 

“And not just piggy-backing them, but helping to shape them. We want to do that with our clients and, sometimes, for ourselves. This may seem lofty but, as a creative company, why would we limit ourselves to the sole job of selling stuff when we can do so much more?”