Music
20 Australian rappers blowing up in 2024
Meet the acts changing the face of Aussie hip-hop, rap and R&B.
Australia's hip-hop scene has never looked better. A new generation of artists have broken through, bringing with them politically conscious rhymes that tackle race, home and heritage in vital ways. Today the local landscape is more diverse than ever before, spanning sounds from drill to dancehall.
So just who are the names leading the charge in 2024? In previous editorials, we’ve shouted out the established acts running things right now: 1300, Genesis Owusu, OneFour, Barkaa, Lisi, Youngn Lipz, A.Girl and more. But with so much bubbling up around the country, today we’re turning our attention to the fast-risers who’ve just broken through -- or are about to. While this list is mostly rappers, we’ve also included a few of the vocalists in R&B and hip-hop that we couldn’t ignore.
Some of them are a few years into the game, others just dropped their first single. They’re all incredibly talented and each bring something fresh and exciting to the scene. Dive in to get to know rappers who’ll be turning heads in 2024 and beyond.
01
Miss Kaninna
Hometown: Sydney
Why they matter: Who had a stronger start to their career in 2023 than Miss Kaninna? Last April the proud Yorta Yorta, Djadja Wurrung, Kalkadoon and Yirendali woman dropped her first single, Blak Britney, and stopped the Australian music industry in its tracks. With a fierce flow, great bars (“I’m a deadly bitch/A Blak Britney Spears”) and a neo-soul-meets-R&B beat destined to get stuck in your head, it was a slam dunk debut.
It quickly landed on full rotation on Triple J, becoming the station’s most #1 played track within a fortnight. Before the end of the year, she’d been crowned “Unearthed Artist of The Year” at 2023’s J Awards, nabbed a place on the Laneway 2024 line-up, and earned the Best Emerging Artist award at the inaugural SXSW Sydney. Oh, and her follow up single Pinnacle Bitch is an absolute killer as well.n from Cassius Select and Utility.
What to watch: Blak Britney, if you haven’t already.
02
Chef Chung
Hometown: Melbourne
Why they matter: Chef Chung is the name on everyone’s lips right now, and with good reason. His alternative approach to rap pairs woozy, low-fi beats with his ultra-laid-back flow, creating music you can’t help but bliss out to. And he doesn’t just rap – Chef Chung, born Nathaniel Lau and also known as Lau Shek Wah, also produces, mixes and masters his own tracks. The Melbourne-based musician has both the vision and talent to take this all the way to the top.
What to watch: Holy Water, a track that has us believing.
03
Dylan Atlantis
Hometown: Sydney
Why they matter: Last year, Dylan Atlantis quietly made an internet first. Together with hip-hop party-thrower and producer extraordinaire Sollyy, they became the first artists from Western Sydney to be written up on music bible Pitchfork. It was the pair’s collaboration No Assumptions that was named the must-hear rap song of the day, and it’s not hard to see why – No Assumptions hits hard, with Atlantis’ vocals adding a lovely levity to the track.
The Pitchfork write up isn’t the only big win Atlantis has had lately. The Filipino-Australian singer-songwriter, producer and multi-instrumentalist has also been supported by Triple J and FBi Radio, and picked up ‘Record Of The Year’ at the 2023 FBi SMAC Awards for their Violet EP. Taking the sweet soulfulness of R&B and sprinkling it with a little grit and grunge, Atlantis is making something very special with their music. Listen up.
What to watch: No Assumptions, the track that turned international heads.
04
Zafty
Hometown: Perth
Why they matter: Even if you knew nothing about Zafty before hitting play on one of his tracks, you’d immediately be won over. On top of beats that fuse hip-hop, R&B and jazz, the Perth MC weaves clever, catchy rhymes in his honeyed flow. But what’s most impressive about Zafty is that he’s just getting started – in fact, he’s only 17-years-old. Already, with just a few tracks under his belt, he’s won airplay and serious love from Triple J. It’s big, fun, bold hip-hop that puts a spring in your step, all from the freshest of fresh new names.
What to watch: John Doe, the 2024 single that’s being rinsed on the radio.
05
Lithe
Hometown: Melbourne
Why they matter: At this point, Lithe is almost too big to be on this list. The Melbourne MC has clocked up millions of streams this year on his mega hit single Fall Back, a slick, dark and completely addictive slice of rap perfect for your next late-night drive. But Lithe has been working hard for years as a rapper and producer before this viral moment, so we simply had to tip our hat to his incredible ascent. 2024 already is Lithe’s year, and things are only going to get bigger from here.
What to watch: Fall Back, the global social media hit.
06
Cherry Ripe
Hometown: Sydney
Why they matter: I mean, who else has a song called Burwood Westfield? Cherry Rype’s music is unapologetically HER, whether it’s odes to the Inner West neighborhood that raised her or tracks about crying at the rave (the latter called, literally, Crying at the Rave). Her style is experimental, blending neo-soul, indie and breaks, all topped with her cool, spoken word-esque delivery. Cherry Rype says she makes music to cry to and her songs definitely feel like a safe space to emote.
What to watch: Smoochie, a blissed-out step into Cherry Rype’s world.
07
YAWDOESITALL
Hometown: Sydney via Ghanna
Why they matter: Yawdoesitall, AKA multidisciplinary artist Eugene Yaw Obeng, really does do it all. Yes, he makes music – but he also does photography and film. And his tracks are something special, combining his rapid-fire flow with witty lyricism and a progressive hip-hop sound. We’d been keeping an eye on Yaw for a while now, but in 2023 he really turned heads with a pair of big singles in DOOFENSHMIRTZ and Love Jones. Already in 2024, he’s got Rick Ross on a track (!) and stepped into the booth for Triple J’s Bars of Steel. Killing it.
What to watch: His Bars of Steel, for an unfiltered look at the talent.
08
Josef
Hometown: Sydney
Why they matter: For an idea of what inspires Josef’s music, you just have to look at the video for Mind At Ease / Ten Toes. In that clip, Josef stands proudly in front of a high-rise housing estate tower in Riverwood, south-west Sydney. The double single sees Josef, AKA Joseph Wells, reflect on growing up in public housing and the journey towards making peace with the past. But the depth of his lyrics is paired with a breezy R&B-meets-funk beat, making Josef's music go down like a smooth glass of whiskey.
What to watch: The beautiful 7-minute clip for Mind At Ease / Ten Toes, which is more like a short film than a music video.
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09
Mammoth
Hometown: Melbourne
Why they matter: Mammoth’s talent hits you like a sucker punch. The Melbourne-raised musician prefers to be seen as a writer rather than simply a rapper and sure enough, there’s a poetry to his rhymes, whether he’s going hard on Dog Food or pairing his breathless flow with live somber live instrumentation on the Silentjay collaboration Damned If I Do. After a strong start in 2023, Mammoth has returned in 2024 with the Eric Spice collab Both My Hands and the dark, gooey Simon Says. Mammoth just has that intangible, very special quality – we see, er, mammoth things ahead for him.
What to watch: Damned If I Do, to hear a very different type of Australian hip-hop.
10
Brazen Barbie
Hometown: Perth via Kenya
Why they matter: Brazen Barbie has an attitude – and we like it. At just 19, the Perth-raised, now Melbourne-based rapper has already carved out a serious place in the homegrown hip-hop scene with her charisma, confidence and undeniable talent. Her 2023 track Deserve It clocked up a cool 180,000 streams on Spotify and she’s followed that up with the 2024 release Got It. The flow is rapid, the rhymes are cheeky, and beats are oh-so-catchy.
What to watch: The earworm that is Check. Disclaimer: it’ll be stuck in your head all day..
11
J-MILLA
Hometown: Adelaide via Darwin and the NT
Why they matter: J-Milla makes music with purpose, sharing tracks that tackle issues like racial discrimination, Indigenous incarceration and police violence. The Marranunggu man – who grew up in the Northern Territory and is now based between Darwin and Adelaide – first turned heads with the powerful debut single My People back in 2018. But it feels he’s hit a new ascendancy point in the past couple of years – he’s been backed by fellow Adelaide MC Jimblah, clocked up almost 3 million streams on his 2022 Xavier Rudd collaboration Ball and Chain, and released a pair of powerful 2023 singles in On My Soul and Gammon. 2024 looks to be the year he breaks all the way through.
What to watch: Gammon, one of his latest – and one of his best.
12
Devaura
Hometown: Sydney via New Zealand
Why they matter: In 2023, fellow inductee to this list YAWDOESITALL dropped the single DOOFENSHMIRTZ. On it was a verse from a newcomer called Devaura – which promptly knocked our proverbial socks all the way off. If that verse hinted at Devaura’s immense talent, her solo release, Ketamine, put it on full display, showcasing her fierce, powerful flow and feisty rhymes. The best bit? Devaura doesn’t only rap – she’s also an incredible vocalist, as her track Deeper Waters made clear. She’s returned in 2024 with the single Venice, which has her singing again. Talk about a multi-talent.
What to watch: Ketamine, to feel the power of Devaura.
13
VV Pete
Hometown: Sydney
Whey they matter: In the last twelve months, VV – real name Veronica Peters – has hit us with the singles Jordan 1s and then Mashallah, both of which pair her signature effortlessly cool delivery with an icy, minimalist beat from producer Utility. Already, she’s picked up the FBi Radio SMAC Award for Next Big Thing, scored a sync on Netflix’s Heartbreak High with her first track, Bussit and stepped into the booth with triple j’s Bars of Steel. We remain obsessed.hey're back and better than ever.
What to watch: Mashallah, her latest. Great song, even better outfit.
14
Juwan
Hometown: Gold Coast via Logan
Why they matter: Not unlike fellow Queenslander Lisi, Juwan built his following by posting videos of himself freestyling – clips that quickly clocked up big numbers on social media. The raw talent that was on display in those early iPhone-shot missives has translated to his releases, which are only getting better as he goes. 2022 saw Juwan drop a mixtape produced by Sollyy and in 2023 he returned with two big new singles, both of which showcase not only the dexterity of his flow but the potency of his lyricism, which explore life in Australia as a young Māori and Samoan man. There’s real depth to these rhymes, and we can’t switch off.
What to watch: Vent, which comes straight from the heart.
15
Curtis Damage
Hometown: Sydney
Why they matter: Curtis Damage makes, by his own description, “South Sydney underground hip-hop” – and boy does he do it well. His flows are seamless and smooth, the lyrics are punchy, and the beats are dark and a little dastardly. Curtis had a big moment in 2023 with the trapped out single Fat Tony, which scored airplay on Triple J, but that’s far from his first release – in a sign of his commitment to the craft, he’s been prolifically releasing tracks since 2019. We’re seated to see where he takes things in 2024.
What to watch: Coach Carter, one of his latest.
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16
Semiirè
Hometown: Gold Coast via Nigeria
Why they matter: He may be more of a vocalist than a rapper, but Semiirè’s talent absolutely demands your attention. Blending R&B, soul, pop and his honeyed voice, his songs grab you from the get-go and don’t let go. Semiirè was born in Nigeria, raised in Europe and now lives in the Gold Coast, and you can hear those diverse cultural influences in his songs. He's also fresh out the gates, having only begun releasing his music in 2024, which arrived fully formed and impossible to ignore. So rich, so lush and already Triple J are onboard – we see big things ahead.
What to watch: The Heavenly Decisions.
17
DXVNDRE
Hometown: Sydney
There’s an easy way to see who Sydney’s best upcoming MCs are: have they made a track with Sollyy? That producer, DJ, triple j presenter and Hotter Out West party thrower is tapped into the city’s best rising talents – and DXVNDRE is one of them.
The Ingleburn-raised rapper teamed up with Sollyy last year on the incredible OPPBOYZ mixtape, which set DXVNDRE's whip-fast rhymes to deep and dark beats. With a powerful flow and natural knack for lyricism, DXVNDRE has the talents to take this big.
What to watch: OPP BOY DOWN, one of our picks of the mixtape with Sollyy.
18
Sophiya
Hometown: Melbourne
Why they matter: We’ve been fans of Sophiya for a while now – in fact, we tapped her to hop in the booth with Red Bull 64 Bars a few years back. But 2024 has seen the Melbourne MC add a new direction to her sound, and we love where she’s taking things. Her rhymes have always dripped with raw confidence and a don’t-mess-with-me attitude; now, on her 2024 single 2MUCH$, she’s fusing them with fun electronic beats (think trap, Jersey Club and tech house). It’s fresh, unlike anything else out there and totally exciting.
What to watch: Sophiya’s Red Bull 64 Bars, to see her powerful flow in action.
19
Khi’leb
Hometown: Brisbane
Why they matter: There’s a lot of great rap talent coming out of Brisbane right now. Case in point: Khi’leb. The baby-faced rapper has been clocking up big numbers on his tracks for the past few years, from the bouncy Creed tha Kid collaboration Cheques through to darker solo bangers like Where The Food At. But 2023 was a particularly prolific year for Khi’leb, seeing him drop both the 10-track EP Project in the Suburbs and three big follow-up singles including Sweep. He’s got the drive, he’s got the talent and he’s only 21 – watch out.
What to watch: Cheques, his catchy Creed tha Kid collaboration.
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20
Anesu
Hometown: Perth
Why they matter: We’ve had our eye on Anesu for a while. The Zimbabwean-born, Perth-raised and now Sydney-based rapper’s 2021 debut single, Black Girl, showcased how much hunger and determination they have – that track originated as a poem in tribute to their late sibling and was initially performed as part of a speech during the Black Lives Matter protests of 2020. But it feels like their career has hit a new level in the last year. 2023 saw Anesu nab a label deal, play at SXSW Sydney and land on the line-up for this year’s Vivid. They also released the delectably smooth single Mrs Jackson, which set them off on a headline tour of their own.
What to watch: The bright and bouncy Crown, to see Anesu in action.
Overall, Australia continues showing the green shoots of a thriving underground rap scene with so many artists on the cusp of breaking out.
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