Music
8 Melbourne rappers to watch in 2023
These are the hip-hop, rap and R&B stars ruling Melbourne right now -- from solo acts like Srirachi and Mulalo to the superpower duo of Fly Boy Jack.
For a look at names setting the hip-hop agenda this year, Red Bull rounded up 20 of the Australian rappers ruling 2023. Today, we’re zooming in even further and focussing on the Melbourne artists doing big things.
Some of them are a few years into the game, others just dropped their first single. They're all exceptionally talented and destined for greatness, so read on to meet Victoria's finest.
Mulalo
Whytheymatter: Yes, we shouted out Mulalo in last year’s list of rappers to watch, but how could we not bring her back again for 2023? The Melbourne-based hip-hop act has continued to ascend at rapid pace over the past 12 months, ticking off wins like a huge set at Golden Plains, an absolutely no-holds-barred Red Bull 64 Bars and a trio of big 2022 singles.
The biggest among those new releases was Tracy Grimshaw, a two minute-40 second hit of perfectly-Australiana lines like “I’m Cathy Freeman while you’re sitting on the bench” and “ACA they talking ‘bout me / 60 Minutes they creepin’ on me.” With this much charm, charisma and talent, who wouldn’t be talking about Mulalo?
Whattowatch: Mulalo’s Red 64 Bars, which puts her unapologetic confidence front and centre. You love to see it.
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Mulalo Red Bull 64 Bars
Australian Hip Hop artist Mulalo steps up in the booth for Red Bull 64 Bars
Babyface Mal
Whytheymatter: Babyface Mal began turning heads in 2021 when he signed with 66 Records, the Melbourne-based, African-owned label also home to acts like ECO$YSTEM. The 23-year-old came out firing with five singles in as many months, then followed that up with an even bigger 2022 that included the huge hit Ya Rab, which paired his trademark effortlessly cool, half-slurred delivery with propulsive Arabic drums.
Mal – who, a few years into things, is looking a little less baby-faced than when he began – has capitalised on that momentum by starting 2023 with a re-imagining of Ya Rab steered by Melbourne producer Willaris K as well as sharing the new single Bubblin Up. We can’t wait to see where he takes things in the rest of this year.
Whattowatch: Ya Rab, to see what all the fuss is about.
Srirachi
Why they matter: Srirachi isn't just wildly talented, she also knows how to entertain. In her bars, the Melbourne rapper drops tongue-in-cheek rhymes about hook-ups and feeling herself. In her videos, she gets cinematic. And on TikTok – where she has over 300,000 followers – she posts very funny videos taking the piss out of herself.
After sharing a pair on-point singles in 2022 and gettin tapped for triple j’s Bars of Steel, Srirachi has kicked off 2023 with the banging new track El Nido. We're obsessed with everything she does, so pray she drops the music video soon.
What to watch: The tour-de-force that is U Want More Sir?.
Pania
Why they matter: Yes, this may be a list of ‘rappers’ to watch, but for Pania we’re willing to bend the rules. The Melbourne R&B sensation had a glittering breakout year in 2022 with her single Tiki, which went large and was followed by a 7-track debut EP that cemented her talent. Since then, Pania has started 2023 by supporting Kehlani in her hometown, locked in a headline show at Sydney Opera House with Vivid and continued to grow her huge streaming numbers with the new singles 'P STANDS 4 PLAYA' & '2Sides (freestyle)'. With a start this strong, there’s no limit to how high Pania can take things.
What to watch: The incredible Tiki.
Forest Claudette
Why they matter: Few had a breakout 2022 like Forest Claudette. In one short year, the 23-year-old has risen to become one of Australia’s guaranteed next-big-things. It all began with the impossibly smooth debut single Creaming Soda, an incredible success that’s clocked over a million streams between Spotify and YouTube. Proving they’ve got plenty more in the tank, Forest Claudette (real name Kobe Hamilton-Reeves) quickly followed that up by traversing R&B, hip-hop, soul and pop with tracks like Hologram, Goodbye and Gone Without A Trace – all of which you’ve likely heard by now. Can’t wait to see what they do next.
What to watch: Creaming Soda, to see where it all began.
Teether and Kuya Neil
Why they matter: Rapper Teether and producer Kuya Neil began collaborating in late 2020 and immediately started making music unlike anything else out there – by their own description, future-focused rap informed by club styles like footwork, bass and South Africa's gqom. The pair’s nine-track album Stressor is a wild journey that peaks with the incredible Reno, a track they’ve spotlighted as a single to kick off 2023. Experimental, exciting and bold.
What to watch: Reno, the perfect introduction to the duo’s sonic palette.
Fly Boy Jack
Whytheymatter: You already know both halves of Fly Boy Jack. Melbourne MC Jordan Dennis and beatmaker JUJO are respected solo artists, each with a good few years in the game under their belt. Last year, the pair came together to launch a collaborative project that would combine their sizeable talents. As Fly Boy Jack, Jordan Dennis and JUJO have created an intoxicatingly cool mix of hip-hop, punk and R&B. They had a very busy 2022 output-wise and we can’t wait to see where they take things next.
Whattowatch: Weed Walk, the perfect introduction to Fly Boy Jack’s low slung energy.
Ijale
Whytheymatter: Ijale turned all the right heads last year with his mixtape, OTTN (On To The Next). That 18-track release drew from Afrobeat, drill, R&B, soul and funk to create a soundscape you could really sink into, with each track anchored by Ijale’s smooth vocals.
But it was his sharp, insightful lyrics about what it means to be a black man in Australia that really made OTTN unforgettable. With an overabundance of brains, talent and vision, we’re tipping big things for the Nigerian-born, Melbourne-based artist.
Whattowatch: The tour-de-force that is Don't Run, from Ijale’s OTTN mixtape.
