Founder of the YBN collective YBN Nahmir makes his way down to Australia and New Zealand next month for the very first time to play a string of headline shows after a whirlwind 18 months. Performing across Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane and then Auckland represents another major international move for the still teenage superstar from Alabama who has already managed two Platinum-selling singles, as well as a Top 20 charting mixtape with fellow YBN core members YBN Almighty Jay and YBN Cordae.
Influenced by West Coast legends including E-40, Eazy-E, Tupac, and Bone Thugs N Harmony, YBN Nahmir come up was unique in that he largely developed the early stages of his music career through online video games and social media. Currently signed to Atlantic Records, YBN Nahmir has since collaborated with the likes of Yo Gotti, G-Eazy, Wiz Khalifa, G Herbo, Blac Youngsta, Wifisfuneral, Chris Brown, Gucci Mane, Machine Gun Kelly and Cuban Doll amongst many others.
Currently, on tour with the infamous Bhad Bhabie throughout America before heading down for his Australasian tour, YBN Nahmir then turns back home to America and has a Canadian tour already scheduled for later this year. Eager to prove he is more than just a one or two hit wonder.
Power house rapper and Australian Hip Hop Pioneer BRIGGS has announced the release of his brand–new single‘LIFE IS INCREDIBLE’, available today through Island Records.
His first new solo material since the 2014 critically acclaimed ‘Sheplife’, Briggs says ‘Life Is Incredible’ is…
‘Taking into context the disparity in the mortality rate between Indigenous Australians and White Australians. Where Aboriginal people are faced with a life expectancy that barely matches up to what white people consider ‘Middle Aged’ – we pose the question, Is it OK to be white? It’s Incredible to be white! One could argue it’s advantageous, even a privilege to be white.’
Awarded APRA
songwriter of the Year in 2018, Briggs
recorded ‘Life
Is Incredible’ in LA during an APRA SongHubs session. An initiative that
partners emerging and established songwriters and producers, the single features
Greg Holden on the hook with the track produced by New Zealander Troy Samuela.
Born and raised in Shepparton, it has taken Yorta Yorta man Briggs no less than a decade to make
his mark as one of the country’s most diverse talents in media, music and
comedy. From an
ARIA-dominating rap career, to the regular stints in LA writing rooms, to his
most recent role as founder and owner of his own Indigenous hip hop record
label, Bad Apples Music.
With a long list of mixtape and guest appearances, three solo albums,
and 2017’s multi-award-winning A.B
Original record ‘Reclaim Australia’
– Briggs has for many years been a
household name for his music alone.
The
brand new single ‘Life Is Incredible’
is lifted from forthcoming Album number four from Briggs due out late in 2019. Stay tuned for more details.
You can catch Briggs performing
a one-off show as part of Vivid Festival with his ‘Bad Apples Music House Party’ at the Sydney Opera House on Thursday May 30. The event will see Briggs on stage beside electro-soul
(and Eurovision contenders) duo Electric Fields, New Zealand’s
game-changing hip-hop artist David Dallas, rising star The Kid Laroi,
Melbourne based Birdz, Brisbane rapper Jesswar, and many more.
’Life Is Incredible’
is out now through Island Records – available Here
Award-winning, Grammy-nominated rapper Travis Scott has announced that his Astroworld: Wish You Were Here tour will make its way down to Australia in November for five shows across Brisbane, Sydney and Melbourne with Interscope Records labelmate Sheck Wes and Virgil Abloh.
It has been a standout previous year for Travis Scott, earning his first Hot 100 number one single in one of the anthems of late 2018 in “Sicko Mode” featuring Drake as well as his 17-track Astroworld album also going number 1 in a dozen countries and top four in a further dozen. The hour-long release went platinum or better in numerous countries, performing particularly well in Australia and New Zealand in addition to America, Canada, and the UK. Australian fans don’t miss out on one of the biggest shows from one of hip hop true current superstar – watch below to see what you can expect live.
BUY/STREAM HERE
TAKEN FROM HIS FORTHCOMING
PLACE OF DREAMS EP,
OUT FRIDAY MAY 3
Having wowed crowds at his headline shows in Sydney and Melbourne last month, hip hop star on the rise Birdz returns today with his latest single & lyric video for “On The Run”, out via Bad Apples Music. The release arrives alongside the announcement of Birdz’ Place of DreamsEP to enter the world on Friday May 3rd, putting Bad Apples Music at the forefront of championing Aboriginal and Torres Strait Island musicians across the country.
Another incredible release from the NT raised, Melbourne based artist, “On The Run” showcases Birdz branching further into his fusion of rap and singing, showcasing an effortless flow and captivating lyrical talent that speaks directly towards the social injustices affecting him and his community. Amongst the powerful beats and heavy hitting percussion Birdz fierce rap prowess is undeniable, firing off a commanding performance cultivated from his heritage. Birdz on the single:
“On The Run” is a direct response to those who relentlessly try and deny the truth about Australia’s history, and subsequently continue to suppress our voices today. Lest we forget.”
With the Place of Dreams EP announced for release in just a few short months, Birdz season is officially upon us. His last release“Place of Dreams” feat. Ecca Vandal made waves across the country, with Complex naming Birdz “one of the most exciting rappers in the Australian scene right now” In celebration of new the single and to treat fans to a taster of what’s to come, Birdz played his headline “Place of Dreams” shows in Melbourne and Sydney, performing with such fervent passion and technical mastery that leaves no doubt as to why he at the forefront of Australia’s future of hip hop.
Since drawing the nation’s attention with his 2017 debut album Train of Thought, Birdz garnered support from not only his peers but also via the airwaves of community radio, triple j and triple j unearthed for his unwavering passion and commitment to his craft. Awarded Best Independent Hip-Hop Album at the 2018 AIR Awards, Birdz has consistently found himself in the company of greatness, having shared stages with the likes of Briggs, Sampa The Great, Loyle Carner, The Funkoars, and Thundamentals, while also performing across renowned Australian festivals such as Woodford, Sprung Festival, The Hills Are Alive, St Kilda Festival, Groovin the Moo and 2018’s Bad Apples showcase at Melbourne’s CHANGES Music Industry Summit.
With a number of performances on the horizon and counting down to a highly anticipated EP, Birdz continues to impress and surpass expectations with every track he releases. An activist for change in his music and life, “On The Run” is no exception to the poignant and lyrically mesmerising music we have come to expect from Birdz.
Continuing their growth as Australia’s leading Aboriginal label, Bad Apples Music have announced their latest cultural exchange partnership with Los Angeles based, Artivist Entertainment – founded by Aloe Blacc and Maya Jupiter. With a shared commitment to supporting artists dedicated to using their art for positive social transformation, Bad Apples Music will host Native American singer/songwriter, rapper and spoken word artist Calina Lawrence, when she heads down under to perform in Sydney & Melbourne, including a performance with Bad Apples Music presents: Music For The Mob for Brunswick Music Festival.
An enrolled member of the Suquamish Tribe, Calina Lawrence was born and raised within her Indigenous culture in the Pacific Northwest area of Washington State. Her musical career and activism have remained mutually exclusive since the beginning, always lending her voice to the preservation of Suquamish traditions while she explored her love for many contemporary genres. Having released her debut album Epicenter in 2018, Lawrence’s R&B, soul and spoken word fused artistry dedicates itself to addressing social injustices globally, including racial injustice, police brutality, climate injustice, suicide prevention, violence against women, and many other causes.
Lawrence will play shows in Sydney and Melbourne, including a performance with the recently announced Music For The Mob at Brunswick Music Festival on Sunday, March 17. Presented by Bad Apples Music, the all female, all First Nations concert in Shore Reserve will close out the festival, seeing Lawrence perform alongside a lineup of fierce females in Australian music, including Emma Donavan and The Putbacks, Alice Skye, Miiesha and DJ Soju Gang.
Last year, Bad Apples Music participated in their first cultural artists exchange when they invited Canada’s Indigenous hip hop duo, Snotty Nose Rez Kids to perform as a hip hop supergroup with Bad Apples artist Birdz and label-mate Nooky for Darwin Festival. Lawrence represents the first movement for 2019 through the partnership between Bad Apples Music and Artivist Entertainment through this artist cultural exchange. Founded in LA by Aloe Blacc, Maya Jupiter, Quetzal Flores, Alberto Lopez and Veronica Gonzalez, Artivist Entertainment is committed to supporting artists who use their creativity for positive social transformation. From promoting discussions about important social issues to sponsoring cultural events that bridge diverse communities, Artivist Entertainment shines a spotlight on activists who express themselves artistically.
An enduring commitment to nurturing artists and providing platforms for excellence in the music sector, Bad Apples Music continues to grow as Australia’s most prolific Aboriginal record label. Founded by Briggs, the label maintains a foundational objective in using music as a platform for social change and educating and fostering the talent of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander artists. Now linking up with Artivist Entertainment to bring the inspiring Calina Lawrence to our shores, don’t miss your chance to see her, alongside some of Australia’s biggest First Nations artists when she plays Music For The Mob at Brunswick Music Festival in March.
Ahead of his headline shows in Sydney and Melbourne kicking off later this month, Melbourne-based Birdz today releases the video to his latest single “Place of Dreams” feat. Ecca Vandal, out now via Bad Apples Music & announces signing to Niche Talent Agency.
Set inside a leafy greenhouse, the video sees Birdz and Ecca shot in a soft, dreamlike haze. Despite this gentle atmosphere, the pair perform with incredible presence and vigour, evoking the commanding lyricism and effortless hip-hop flow that comes naturally to both artists. An aesthetically captivating addition to the story, the “Place of Dreams” video is a reminder of the track’s compelling message of breaking through imposed glass ceilings.
As the first taste of his upcoming EP, Birdz will bring “Place of Dreams” to the stage later this month, performing at Melbourne’s Gasometer Hotel on February 1 before making his way to Wayward’s in Sydney on February 2. Performing tracks off his critically acclaimed debut record Train of Thought, and forthcoming EP, lucky Melbourne and Sydney fans will get the chance to see Birdz on his way to the top as one of the country’s most exciting hip-hop acts.
Since drawing the nation’s attention with his 2017 debut album, Birdz has since found increasing fandom across the country, garnering support not only from his peers but from the airwaves of community radio, triple j and triple j unearthed for his lyrical mastery and honest perspective on social issues. With Train of Thought awarded Best Independent Hip-Hop Album at the 2018AIR Awards, Birdz has consistently found himself in the company of greatness. Since 2017, he has shared stages with some of the biggest players in hip-hop, including Briggs, Sampa The Great, Loyle Carner, TheFunkoars, and Thundamentals, while also hitting up the festival circuit with appearances at Woodford, Sprung Festival, The Hills Are Alive, St KildaFestival, Groovin the Moo and 2018’s Bad Apples showcase at Melbourne’s CHANGES Music Industry Summit.
Today marks the next phase of the “Place of Dreams” journey. Catch Birdz lighting up stages across Sydney and Melbourne in the coming weeks. For now, press play and repeat on the “Place of Dreams”film clip for a 2019 teaser of what’s to come. “PLACE OF DREAMS” FEAT. ECCA VANDAL WATCH HERE BUY/STREAM HERE
OUT NOW VIA BAD APPLES MUSIC
Cardi B is set to take off to Australia and New Zealand for the first time for a string of festival shows on either side of New Year’s Eve. With the Migos recently canceling their related Australian festival tour appearances earlier this month, Cardi B now herself headlines the Origin Fields out west in Perth, Australia with Denzel Curry, Smokepurpp, AJ Tracey and Khalid also on the bill. Cardi then heads to Sydney for her sold-out New Year’s Day Festival headline, continuing her whirlwind tour.
Cardi B then heads down to New Zealand for the very first time to headline the both 20,000+ sold-out North and South Bay Dreams festival shows the very next day – proving New Zealand has a very strong appetite for large hip hop festivals.
Nicki Minaj and Rae Sremmurd are set to headline the massive 7-date FOMO Festival Tour which takes in all major capital cities across Australia and New Zealand by BBE early in the new year. Leading an all-star lineup including also Amine (replacing Lil Pump) and Mura Masa, FOMO is the first major summer festival of 2019 in Australia and promises to draw in massive festival crowds throughout with some shows already sold out. With further sideshows announced, major Hip-Hop festivals seem to be back in action down in Australia to stay after a couple of years in more recent times of relative absence.
This year’s FOMO festival builds off the back of a wildly successful festival run for FOMO previously, aided by a stellar line up of SZA, Post Malone, RL Grime, Kaytranada and Zhu amongst others back in early 2018. Their 2017 bill included Desiigner, Metro Boomin, GoldLink, Flosstradamus, JME (UK) while their first festival bill in 2016 had Skepta (UK), RL Grime, Boys Noize, Jamie xx and the award-winning Australian rapper Tkay Maidza taking to the stage. With both Nicki and Rae Sremmurd making their way to Australia this time, 2019 promises to be the biggest one yet.
Few names if any hold the legacy in Australia for the stamp of quality that Unkut Recordings does. Since its founding in 1997 by Rob Nat of Unkut.com and Trem of Lyrical Commission, it has developed into the epitome of its tagline – quality over quantity. While the broad fan base may at times be hanging for a new Unkut release, once it is delivered it has always proven to be raw dope. Held with the utmost respect by all, somewhat your favorite rappers most respected label, it has been responsible for not only arguably the greatest group album release ever but also several classic solo releases that are timeless classics.
The Unkut Recordings story was born out of Rob Nat’s fledgling Unkut Productions in 1996 and became formalized the year after in the lead up to the debut Sheer Talent EP from Trem. The excellent 4-track 12” release was followed up with the year after in 1999 with Trem’s Amateurs and served to cement both Trem’s and Unkut’s position as in a then still-developing Hip-Hop landscape in Australia at the time.
The following year saw Rob Nat release A Night On The Tiles, proving to be his most substantial solo release and now a highly sort after classic nationally. The label’s close working relationship to Melbourne’s legendary Nuffsaid Recordings provided them with a quality stamp of approval even before the music was played at a time when relationships were about quality control over industry favors. Coupled with significant notable features, live shows, radio appearances, crushing open mics and the sorts, Unkut forged their own path when there really was none and created their own brand.
A couple of years hiatus until the next release resulted in December 2002’s The Stage Is Set by Lyrical Commission. A super-group of sorts, the new group saw the bringing together of Melbourne’s two leading solo emcees in Brad Strut and Trem with Bob Balans (of The Formulators duo previously with Rob Nat) plus arguably Australia’s greatest ever hip-hop DJ in DJ J-Red. The result of these four coming together was what many consider as the greatest hip hop album ever to be released from Australia.
Going from strength to strength, Unkut put out Terntable Jediz classic August 2004 album All Out War before following up the next year with Lyrical Commission’s highly anticipated next chapter with their “Murderous Metaphors” 2005 EP. This release was internationally notable for containing features from Brooklyn’s Q-Unique (of The Arsonists) and Celph Titled of The Demigodz, along with the overall quality again proving to be much more than a good release hip hop from Australia, but of such quality as a great Hip-Hop release full stop. This would in retrospect prove to be a key feature of the Unkut story, that they were bringing Hip-Hop in all its aspects to the fullest quality that could hang on any stage worldwide.
The next release would be Brad Strut’s long-awaited sophomore LP Legend: Official that dropped in June 2007. The first track for this classic solo release was the three-minute heater diss-track “Monopoly” produced by Prowla and aimed largely at Obese Records, widely regarded as the best diss track from Australia Ala Ice Cube’s “No Vaseline.”
This 16-track release from Strut was a classic from start to finish, featuring Philadelphia’s Outerspace and Brooklyn’s late and great Sean Price (RIP) of Boot Camp Clik / Random Axe and a wealth of the usual Unkut suspects. Following the reissue release of Strut’s classic 2001 debut album The Authentic LP, Brad Strut released the substantial double-disc The Fallout Shelter EP, which featured a Remix disc from a somewhat who’s who of Australian producers.
Following this, all eyes turned to the most highly anticipated Hip-Hop release in Australia ever in Trem’s debut full solo album in 2011’s For The Term Of His Natural Life and it even exceeded the lofty expectations surrounding it by all. The 18-track release is the solo release of the last decade from Australia and featured DJ Revolution, long-time collaborator Q-Unique and a who’s who of Hip-Hop legends from Australia. The award-winning accompanying visuals completed the entire roll-out, with the video filmography team of FULL CLIP showcasing why they are widely considered as the best in the business down under.
Following a string of monumental releases in a rapidly changing musical landscape, Unkut Recordings seemingly took a bit of a break until the signing of Brisbane group Kings Konekted. K-Double proceeded to drop the Hip-Hop album of the year in 2015 in their debut LP on Unkut Recordings in Value Of Adaption. Superbly crafted from start to finish, the release was arguably the most polished product to have been released from Australasia since Trem’s 2011 debut solo album.
Fans of Unkut Recordings can look forward to new releases coming from the Kings Konekted camp, L-Flows and possibly more in the short-term. The wait is always worth it, so get familiar with Unkut Recordings extensive back catalog in the meantime to hear some of the best music Australia has offered over the last two decades. Quality over Quantity.
