Last year was a big year for Hip Hop in Australia with a stack of quality releases. Here’s a quick Top 5 list from 2015 to familiarize yourself with rap’s leading names down under.
Golden Era Records Mixtape 2015
Featuring all artists on Australia’s biggest Hip Hop label (A. B. Original, Adfu, Briggs, Hilltop Hoods, K21, The Funkoars, Vents), the Golden Era Records Mixtape 2015 is the fifth installment in this yearly mixtape series from Golden Era Records since 2011. A full roster plus more including Jayteehazard of Elefant Traks and Maundz, the release is a great taste of Hip Hop from Australia. The mixtape shows the diverse sides contained within the Golden Era Records camp and the yearly cypher is now a staple in the Hip Hop calendar in Australia.
Hau – The No End Theory LP
Marking Hau’s long awaited return to releasing music after his most recent album The ‘Umu with his group Koolism, The No End Theory does not disappoint. With guests appearances from Oddisee, NZ super producer and DJ P-Money and Che Fu among others, the release is excellent from front to back and a very worthwhile addition to the legacy of Hau, placing him front and center in the history books of Hip Hop in Australia.
Kings Konekted – Corrupted Citizens LP
Kings Konekted’s long awaited debut album on Unkut Recordings not only lived up to expectations but preceded them. With features from Australian legends including Trem One, DJ 2Buck and Prowla among others, this is Kings Konekted’s most polished release to date and raises the bar for rap albums in Australia. Intricate wordplay, complex rhyme patterns and a perfectly created soundtrack to the raps gives Corrupted Citizens high playback value.
Mantra – Scenefour EP
Short in nature but high in quality sums up Mantra’s Scenefour EP. Designed to keep fans in the loop before his new album drops, Scenefour features the banging single “Nowhere To Go” featuring E-Swift and J-Ro of Tha Alkaholiks. The b-side “Rapper’s Duality” is also a favourite and sets the stage well for the upcoming album.
Maundz – Nobody’s Business LP
Following the success of his previous release Zero, Melbourne emcee Maundz is back once again with his highly anticipated and well-received LP on Crate Cartel / Golden Era Records. Maundz goes from strength to strength with each release and looks set to break into the upper echelons of Hip Hop in Australia, steadily gaining news fans through his furious lyrical style. An excellent release from Maundz and big things to come.
Honourable Mention
1200 Techniques ft. Ghostface Killah ‘Flow is Trouble’ 7-inch
Following up 1200 Techniques’ long awaited return with The Time Has Come EP earlier in 2015, they released the stand alone 7-inch featuring Ghostface Killah of the Wu-Tang Clan. The track is a signature DJ Peril classic funk with a booming sound and Nfa and Ghostface combine like a seasoned duo. The b-side remix is arguably as good as the original and definitely a polished product not to be slept on.
