The list of nominees for The Age Music Victoria Awards has been announced, and hip hop artists have secured nominations for some of the evening’s biggest awards, including the inaugural Premier’s Prize for the best Victorian Album of 2018. Baker Boy is up for solid field of awards, including Best Song for his track ‘Marryuna’, as well as the Premier’s Prize, Best Live Act, Best Solo Artist, Best Male Musician and Best Hip Hop Act. Sampa The Great is also up with for range of nominations, like the Premier’s Prize, Best Solo Artist, Best Hip Hop Act, Best R&B album and Best Female Musician. The Archie Roach Foundation Award for emerging talent nominees include a huge helping of hip hop acts like Baker Boy, Kaiit, Oetha and Willow Beats. Drmngnow, Jordan Dennis and Kaiit are also up for the Best Hip Hop Act, and Billy Davis has secured a spot in the Best Soul/Funk/R&B Album. The ceremony will be hosted at the Melbourne Recital Centre, with live performances on Thursday November 1. You have until Friday November 9 to vote for your favourites.
You might remember the international R&B hit, ‘Boo’d Up’, which skyrocketed Ella Mai’s music career into an overnight success. The London-born singer was studying music at university, working in retail and posting 15-second covers on Instagram. One of these videos caught the attention of DJ Mustard, the producer behind hits for TY Dolla Sign, T.I. and Big Sean. It was thanks to this collaboration that ‘Boo’d Up’ was born, which went viral and became the first UK star to top the US RnB singles charts since 1992. It has received mentions from the likes of Rihanna, Migos as well as Nicki Minaj, who remixed the track. Now, the singer follows this breakout hit with a self-titled, full-length debut; a powerful, confident collection of music which proves she’s more than just the one hit wonder. Combining a mix of spoken-word and energetic R&B, the album throws back to music from the ‘90s and early noughties, given a modern update of eclectic synths and bubbling beats. It’s a must listen.
This week’s local artist is SOULEH, who has just released his debut song, ‘On’. If you’re a fan of stripped back beats accompanied with wavy vocals, this track has a tranquillity to it that has to be heard to be appreciated. Based out of Sydney, the artist said he never liked the beat until hearing Kali Uchis’ track, ‘Got To Get Up’, inspiring the artist to clear his head by walking the streets. He wrote the track to remind listeners and himself that the artist is doing it his way, not recreating songs that are in the hip-hop world, but ‘getting the music and the bread right’. SOULEH belongs to collective WORLDWIDE BOYS, comprised of SOULEH, Farayi (Luther), Block Boy and Yung Thottie/Voldermort, who currently have a few concepts released on Soundcloud. Give this one a listen if you like the idea of Lil Uzi Vert crossed with audio storytelling and lo-fi hip hop.
