From established legends to exciting young world-beaters
Our modern-day storytellers reveal the nuance and diversity of experience and tradition within Indigenous culture in Australia, underscored by bass and laced with beats.
The future of First Nations hip hop is in good hands.
Lady Lash – ‘Thieving Hearts’
Kokatha/Greek artist Lady Lash weaves trademark sultry vocals with lush beats in this track, which sits in her own zone of jazzy, soulful First Nations hip hop.
On this 2020 release, Lady Lash sweeps you up gently in the subtle rise and fall of her delivery, lulling you into her poetic world, which references nature, the feminine, family, relationships, and where they all intersect.
A gifted storyteller drawing on both sides of her cultural heritage, the evolution of Lady Lash as an artist and musician is clear with this track and her mature delivery sets her apart from contemporaries in this genre.
Birdz ft. Fred Leone – ‘Bagi-la-m Bargan’
Cousins Nathan Bird aka Birdz, and Fred Leone team up on this powerful and moving track.
Opening with a soaring vocal from Butchulla songman Leone, ‘Bagi-la-m Bargan’ was a chant that came to him in lucid dreams back in 2010.
After consulting with Uncles, he was told that the tune was a gift from his ancestors, and he needed to put language down with it to tell the story of what he had been shown in his dreams.
Reclaiming the dominant narrative which only tells one side of the story of Cook’s arrival on Aboriginal land, Birdz offers the view of a Butchulla warrior standing on the shoreline anticipating the destruction and bloodshed to come.
This dynamic collaboration showcases the combined 30+ years in the hip hop scene for both artists: they each offer their best performance to date, which is clearly balanced with their passion for giving voice to the stories that have been passed down to them from their elders.
DRMNGNOW – ‘Indigenous Land’
An impassioned activist and talented lyricist, Neil Morris aka DRMNGNOW‘s music is political, though undemanding.
He embodies a quiet spirituality and conveys his connection to country in his assured delivery, which you sense comes from an ability to listen as much as he speaks.
On ‘Indigenous Land’, Drmngnow reminds the listener that they live and walk on sacred land. That the history beneath their feet is rich with story and wisdom, cultivated over thousands of years, and never by chance.
A.B. Original – ‘January 26’
Yorta Yorta rapper Adam Briggs and Ngarrandjeri producer/mc Dan Rankin aka Trials are A.B. Original.
Anthemic, cheeky and bold, their music is overtly political and unreservedly draws a distinct line between colonisation and the issues facing First Nations communities today.
On their 2016 single ‘January 26’, which features Dan Sultan, all of these potent elements come together, underscored with a West Coast bounce.
The trio asks the nation to question their allegiance to a date that excludes the real history and experience of us as First Nations people.
JK-47 – ‘Guess Again’
One of the newer artists on the scene, Jacob Paulson aka JK-47‘s debut album delivers track after track that reveals a confident artist who has clearly been shaping his craft for years.
With ‘Guess Again’, JK brings a self-assurance that hints at someone that has reckoned with the expectations on his shoulders as an MC, but knows his value and what he can bring to the table.
He’s stated that he wants to be a “voice for the unheard” and speak about issues close to his people and culture, rather than chase the illusory trappings of fame.
With disarming vulnerability and a sense that he does not take the stage or his platform for granted, JK is serving up classic ’90s-style hip hop with a powerful blak heart.
Baker Boy – ‘Meditjin’ {ft. JessB}
The first hip hop artist in the country to rhyme in his native Yolŋu Matha language, Baker Boy broke through barriers with his debut track ‘Cloud 9’.
A seasoned performer, Danzal Baker arrived on the scene with confidence, deftly pivoting from his many years as a hip hop dancer, to a front-man giving us something we hadn’t heard before. He quickly gained a keen following in the process.
With every release, he has stuck with what he does best; delivering bangers in a mix of English and Yolgnu Matha.
‘Meditjin’ opens with yidaki and driving bass and, in under three minutes, it brings together all of Baker Boy’s best elements, serving up nothing but pure energy and good vibes.
This is an artist who is equally passionate and generous in sharing his culture through his music, making sure everyone has fun along the way.
Mackridge x Barkaa – ’22 Clan’
Malyangapa, Barkindji rapper Barkaa is a fierce and unapologetic First Nations hip hop artist. A young mother who has been through incarceration and the trials of drug addiction, she’s faced down personal demons, and risen with a voice imbued with purpose.
In ’22 Clan’, Barkaa affirms that she stands for herself, her family and her mob and it’s impossible not to take notice.
The sincerity and determination in her lyrics, her experiences as a mother and First Nations woman proclaiming her sovereignty, makes Barkaa one of the most exciting voices to come on the scene.
The Kid Laroi – ‘Go’ {ft. Juice WRLD}
The Kid LAROI has tapped straight in to the vein of contemporary hip hop that just sounds good and is packaged with an ironic dose of unaffected yet emotive lyricism and delivery.
In 2020, at the age of 16, the young Kamilaroi artist announced his arrival on the world stage with his breakout single ‘Go’, a collaboration with his mentor, the late Juice WRLD.
With a maturity and nuance that belies his age, this release – which seemingly came out of nowhere – stands up against the best in this genre.
Learning of his musical roots – his father is a well-established music producer, and his music exec Mum introduced him to ’90s hip hop – goes someway in explaining the golden touch that continues to varnish each release.
The Kid LAROI sits at one extreme of hip hop that is purely commercial but has a musical foundation in his cultural roots. And he has the potential to bring a lot of attention to his heritage if he chooses.
DOBBY – ‘Peregrine’
A gifted composer, drummer and MC, DOBBY is one of the hardest working hip hop artists on the scene. In ‘Peregrine’ the Murrwarri/Filipino divers a whip smart, rapid fire shunning of the music business and its constraints on artistic potential.
For an artist deeply enmeshed in his culture as an advocate and educator, we can be thankful that we have the unadulterated version of his lyrics and musicianship.
Mau Power – Warupau Nur {ft. King Kadu}
Torres Strait’s Mau Power, a proud Dhoebaw man of the Guda Malullgal nations, talks about the value of passing on knowledge and staying strong in culture on his track ‘Warupau Nur’ from his debut album The Show Will Go On.
Murray Island band King Kadu keep this track firmly rooted in the islands with traditional Torres Strait drums (warup) and chants, while Mau Power ventures a little further with his rhymes and delivery, exploring his love of hip hop culture.
The first to rap in both English and his Torres Strait language, Mau Power gives us a unique perspective into his culture, and with Warupau Nur a distinct island hip hop sound.
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