While the war on music continues in Sydney, the local hip hop and electronic genre has been flourishing with upcoming artists.
Australia has never been one to shy away from the music industry. With icons like Tame Impala and Flume taking Australia international, it was only a matter of time before we stepped into the hip hop and electronic world. We’ve kept an eye on upcoming artists so we’re back to give you the scoop on who you should be checking out in Sydney, Australia.
Here’s FIB’s favourite local hip hop artists right now.
The Kid LAROI.
Perfoming with hip-hop contempories, Denzel Curry and Juice Wrld and even the local Manu Crook$, The Kid LAROI. is living out every fifteen-year-old’s dream. Based out of Redfern, the 15-year-old began his professional career with the 2018 release of ‘14 With A Dream’. The 13-minute EP was just a sneak peek into what the Sydney native was going to do for the local scene.
Kicking off the tape with ‘GO GET IT’, it’s tough to imagine The Kid is only 15 with his cadence and bounce. Opting for trap-influenced instrumentals, he flows effortlessly, reflecting on the transition phase he’s experiencing. And clearly it hasn’t always been smooth sailing.
“Used to worry about so called ‘friends’/But they’d never hit me back” – DISCONNECT
Regardless, he remains unphased, pushing his rightfully titled single, ‘Blessings’. Flicking up pictures with hip hop royalty, Drake, and giving YouTuber Adam22 a tour through his neighbourhood of Redfern, it’s more than just blessings – The Kid LAROI. is a product of hard work and talent.
Stretching beyond international waters, collaborating with Lil Skies, while simultaneously putting on local artists, The Kid LAROI. shows no signs of slowing down.
Donatachi
Stepping into the electronic world, Donatachi is producing some of the most up-tempo, dreamy tunes on the local scene. Borrowing from multiple genres, the Sydney producer boasts a catalogue of pop-infused electronic tracks with his latest EP, ‘Taste’. Within seconds of throwing on the 6-track project, fans will feel transported to the arcade world – reminiscing on games you never even played before.
With collaborations sprinkled in all over the EP, fans in for a treat with American pop artist, Slayyyter, making an appearance on ‘Crush On U‘. With assisted vocals from Slayyyter and Evangeline, amongst others, Donatachi builds a perfect getaway for electronic and pop fans.
Amassing over 1 million streams on Spotify, Donatachi is one to keep an eye on in the local producer scene.
Hooligan Hefs
Doonside local, Hooligan Hefs, has been active on the local scene recently. Representing Western Sydney, the 21-year-old rapper is turning the game on it’s head, bringing house music and hip hop together. Sticking true to Western Sydney slang, it’s almost impossible to incorrectly guess where he hails from. And if you do, he’ll let you know – 2767.
After a 6-month stint in prison, the upcoming artist is now focusing on his music career. Amassing over 6 million Spotify streams in just 5 months, his focus is clearly unmatched.
“That six months just made me think that there’s no life there. There’s more to life than me being inside” – Hooligan Hefs via Filter
Blending EDM and hip hop, Hooligan Hefs is bringing his locals with him. His latest release, ‘IYKYK’ features Hooliganskinny. As he explains to Acclaim Magazine, Hefs started out with his teenage friends in the Hooligan squad, thus the name. At this time, the final member of the squad is in prison, but it’ll be exciting to see what they can put out at full strength.
From the attire to the sound, the 21-year-old is making sure his impact is felt internationally. Garnering reaction videos from the United Kingdom, Hooligan Hefs is making all the right moves.
VNCCII
One of Sydney’s most multifaceted artists, VNCCII is an upcoming producer, singer, songwriter, rapper and DJ. Whether you’re looking for an EDM-inclined instrumental or a more pop-centric track, the Sydney creative has something for everyone.
Her most recent release, Astro Life, should be a first choice for any fan of the electronic genre. Building up the track with sensual vocals, listeners are transported to extreme depths of the genre as the instrumental begins to drop. And if the audio isn’t enough to transcend you into another realm, the visuals are sure to leave you wondering whether you’ve just experienced the future of music.
The futuristic theme is one that VNCCII is looking to explore deeply, drawing on the concept of virtual reality in her visuals.
“What I love about music is that you can be whoever you want. There are of course elements that draw on inspiration from my personal life, but it’s fun to also create a fantasy or a characterization and even a projection of the future” said VNCCII via edm.com.
In ‘Citizen A.I.’, VNCCII is clearly whoever she wants to be as we’re treated to a cyborg-like visual. Sprinting through the futuristic dystopia, listeners feel the tension build up as the instrumental quickly speeds up and cuts out, leaving us wondering what’s to follow.
““CITIZEN AI” IS THE FIRST TASTE OF MY CYBORG AVATAR WHO WILL BE SPEARHEADING THE BRAND AND THE MUSIC. IN THIS SONG, I QUESTION WHETHER SHE IS A FRIEND OR FOE TO HUMANITY AS SHE HAS GONE ROGUE AND CAN NO LONGER BE CONTROLLED BY AUTHORITATIVE FIGURES,” said VNCCII.
With EDM taking over the music industry, it’s good to know that Sydney is in good hands with VNCCII leading the way. ‘Citizen A.I.’ and ‘Astro Life’ are out on streaming services now.
Her ‘Astro Life’ Remix EP, released December 13, included remixes by Aussie artists: Paces, Godlands & VNCCII herself.
OneFour
Diving into the sub-genre of hip hop, OneFour is “Sydney’s realest” rap crew. Hailing from Mount Druitt, OneFour are the latest addition to the international drill scene. Originating in Chicago, drill has become an outlet for artists to share their grimiest experiences, and OneFour are no different.
“I was on the streets since fifteen tryna force a shiv on these opps” – Spenny14 on Spot The Difference
Consisting of five members, JM14, Lekks14, YP14, Spenny14, Celly14, OneFour have been active since 2017 and have recently dropped the visuals for ‘Ladz in the Hood’. Set in Mount Druitt, JM14 kicks off the track by ‘kicking knowledge’ to the young ones ‘in the hood’. While drill may be a saturated genre at the moment, OneFour isolate themselves from the competition with their flow and slang.
Although they are yet to release a full-length project, OneFour have been dominating with their singles. Recognised by VICE and Complex AU, Sydney’s Realest are letting the music talk for them.
“Introduced this country to drillin’/All of a sudden they all wanna bang/All of a sudden they all wanna trap, drill, ching, and shoot” said JM14 on In The Beginning.
While they were set to tour Australia this year, authorities have forced them to cancel their Melbourne and Adelaide shows. The possibility of the remaining shows running on is now in question and the Sydney rap group will update fans as soon as possible.
Ninajirachi
Tapping into the electronic and dance genre at the tender age of 19, Ninajirachi is making a statement with her music. Being new to the electronic genre myself, Ninajirachi drew me in instantly with her variety.
The 19-year-old opts for an electronica style to her tracks making them perfect for a party or for after a long day’s work. Her latest song, ‘Water Gun’ reels listeners in with isolated sounds before they are accompanied by a paced instrumental. Before listeners know it, they are flung into a full-out bass drop, elevating the stresses of life.
Earlier this year, Ninajirachi released her album, ‘Lapland’, scoring features from Oh Boy, Freya Staer, Naah and Sequel. Ninajirachi knows how to pick her features as the vocals mesh with the production perfectly. As soon as Human begins playing, listeners are treated to some of the Sydney’s most innovative instrumentals. And just as you think she can’t top it, the beat switches in the same song.
With Ninajirachi opting for more alternative production in an already alternative genre, it’s clear Sydney will be staying one step ahead of everyone in the electronic sphere.
21 District & Sydney Yungins
Not too much is known about these upcoming acts, known as 21 District and 21 SydneyYungins. The most recent release from 21 District, ‘Still Here’, let listeners know that much like other Sydney rap groups, they aren’t to be taken lightly (seems to be a popular theme).
21 District consist of members, JayLekz, A1, Mac11, RonGotti and Malik and currently have two tracks available on Youtube; ‘The Reply‘ & ‘Still Here‘. While they may not have a loaded catalogue, 21 District do show signs of potential in the rap genre, opting for a more trap sound.
Due to some personal differences, some shade has been thrown between 21 District and other groups including, OneFour and Hooligan Hefs, however, in spite of this, all three upcoming acts have been producing quality content.
What seems to be an off-spring of 21 District, 21 Sydney Yungins (aka InnerWest Yungins) have been putting out their own content. ‘Come Through’ is a nice switch up from the usual nitty, gritty style from Sydney’s upcoming rappers.
Titoez, Hefty2161 & Ricotonga currently make up the Yungins crew.
ChillinIT
Set to perform at FOMO2020, this list wouldn’t be complete without Sydney MC ChillinIT. Since releasing his 2018 album, ‘Women, Weed & Wordplay‘, ChillinIT did indeed prove that he has some wordplay.
“Shutdown sesh/No voice like Lockyer/Still old school with an old school Nokia” – Energy.
A beautiful Darren Lockyer for fans of the League.
ChillinIt is perfect for a house party or if you’re looking for a soundtrack to an ignorant night out. His new album, The Octagon, is due for a 2019 release.
Perto
Linking up with musical icons Justin Timberlake, Timbaland & upcoming artist, Billie Eilish, Perto is on the rise. Starting out as a DJ in Sydney, Perto is now in the same realm as his icons, Skrillex and Diplo. At just 17, Perto has begun performing at sold-out shows, including Listen Out.
Cooking up his latest track, ‘Bad Maybe Good’ featuring Kah-Lo in just two hours, the Sydney prodigy has proved he’s next on the horizon for Sydney’s music scene.
Take a listen to some of these new artists and let us know what you think in the comments down below!