Music
10 Queensland rappers to watch
The hip-hop scene of Brisbane and beyond is set for a big 2023. Here are some of the names you need to know.
Forest Lake rapper Nokz knows which way Queensland’s rap scene is headed: up.
“We’re definitely creating something here and hopefully in a year’s time, we’ll be able to swing with the big boys in Sydney and Melbourne,” he told Red Bull earlier this year. “I think our best days are to come.”
So with the Sunshine State poised to take things to the next level, who are the names leading the charge? Here’s ten you need to know.
Nokz
When Nokz started rapping, it was alongside his older brother in their garage at home in Forest Lake, a suburb in the outer southwest of Brisbane. Together, they spat bars about “what we thought love was as a 12-year-old” into a $2 headset from Crazy Clark’s, a mattress pushed up next to the wall to keep the sound out.
It wasn’t until last year that the now 25-year-old stepped into a real studio, motivated by the drive to provide for his family. But once he did, things immediately took off for Nokz: in 2020, he made waves with tracks like Chat and Into Drinking and this year stepped up for an incendiary Red Bull 64 Bars as well dropping a pair of new singles.
Now signed to his mate Lisi’s new imprint Castille Records, things are only poised to get bigger from here. In a short amount of time, he’s come a long way from the $2 headset in the garage.
3 min
Nokz78 Red Bull 64 Bars
The Queensland rapper isn't in it for the fame -- he does it for his family, his community and the people of Forest Lake.
Baby Prince
Another name for the Sunshine State to feel proud of is Baby Prince. The Harare-born rapper has been quietly grinding away for a few years now, uploading his prolific output to SoundCloud.
Baby Prince had a big 2022, collaborating with Mason Dane on Pretty Pearl and clocking up a cool 300,000 streams on his single Zimbabwe. He’s starting 2023 strong with his Purple Rag Prince EP coming out through Warner Music. Based on the strength of his recent singles, we think Baby Prince is set for his biggest year yet.
Unamii
Australia first met Unamii in 2020 as part of Brisbane-based collective Swish Music. In a crew of 12 rappers, hailing variously from the likes of South Sudan, Zimbabwe and Uganda, Unamii was the sole female member. But that wasn’t what really made her stand out -- on the track Showtime she stole the show with her sharp and witty lyrics, immediately marking herself as one to watch.
Since then, Unamii has returned to knock a Red Bull 64 Bars out of the park. We can’t wait to see how she follows it up this year.
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Unamii Red Bull 64 Bars
The Swish Music member has stepped up to deliver a powerful Red Bull 64 Bars.
Nerve
“The way I see how my career’s gone, I think everything’s been a slow but steady pace,” says Nerve.
The Brisbane rapper, producer and engineer first started releasing music in 2017 but his path into rap began many years before that. He started rapping in high school, a time when he was “obsessed” with 90s heroes like A Tribe Called Quest, Nas, Biggie and Tupac as well as contemporary names like Tyler, The Creator and A$AP Rocky.
A grime phase opened Nerve up to new styles and today, the triple-threat talent glides between R&B, neo-soul and even punk. With the right foundations laid, he’s got the charisma and vision to take things all the way to the top.
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Red Bull 64 Bars Nerve
A powerhouse performance that shows off exactly why the Brisbane talent has become one of Australia’s most respected rappers.
Lisi
In 2021, Lisi made his biggest move yet. The Goodna-based emcee launched Castille Records, a label he wants to use to uplift his local area.
“We started this label to help build up what is not yet common in Ipswich and Brisbane,” Lisi says. “We have opened a door for all the hidden talent within the streets of our city to reach for an opportunity that can change their lives and better their communities. Castille Records is here to not just help ourselves, but to help our people as well.”
The launch of Castille Records follows a string of releases that marked Lisi as one of Australian hip-hop’s best new names – and a grounded, inspiring figure to boot. From Say Less, the 2019 track that started it all, through to his Red Bull 64 Bars and the 2020 EP Average Man, Lisi has proven that in a scene dominated by bravado and chest-puffery, talent trumps all else.
Day1
This year, Brisbane’s Day1 dropped his biggest release yet. His debut EP, Day Uno, is an eight-track collection that spans both smooth R&B and harder-edged rap. One of the biggest tracks from the EP is also something of a mission statement: on King Of My City, the 21-year-old makes his intent to run the Queensland capital clear.
Day1 has plenty of cause to brag. Since he dropped his breakout, now-platinum selling single BOSS, he’s amassed over 45 million streams and 13 million YouTube views. The crown might just be his.
Jesswar
With music that celebrates both her queerness and her Fijian heritage, Jesswar has long been a vital voice in Australian hip-hop.
But 2021 was an especially big year for the Brisbane-based talent: in March, she dropped her debut EP, Tropixx, which packed the big singles Medusa and Venom’ October saw her cover Limp Bizkit for triple j Like A Version. And in November, she came back with the immediate hit single Bad Like Riri, an anthem about channeling the strength, resilience and confidence of our lord and saviour Rihanna. After a streak this hot, we can’t wait to see where she takes things next.
Creed Tha Kid
Creed Tha Kid has a whole lot under his belt for someone who’s barely 18. The fast-rising teen broke through a couple years back with his feature verse on an official remix of Mood Swings alongside fellow fast-risers Youngn Lipz and Day1. In 2021, Creed dropped four big singles including the Jaecy link-up Body, proving both his talent and work ethic.
Carmouflage Rose
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Carmouflage Rose is on a hot streak that’s been burning five years long. With his early singles -- Late Nights, Wildflowers, Let Me Down -- the Zimbabwe-born, Brisbane-based rapper established a sound that blends dancehall, R&B and Mike WiLL Made-It-esque late-night beats.
This year he returned with the one-two punch of Tipsy and Bittersweet, two swaggering tracks that made it clear he’s only getting better. Bring on the next EP.
NME
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