The theme of this year’s NAIDOC Week was “Because of her, we can”, which aimed to celebrate the role women play, and continue to play, in the community. With this in mind, there’s no better time to give light to an Indigenous artist who’s been creating hip hop music for more than a decade. Hailing from Brisbane, Kaylah Truth is a Meerooni woman of the Gurang nation, who’s also connected with the Ngugi people of Queensland’s Quandamooka area. Known as a pillar of the Australian hip hop scene, her musical style is reminiscent of a Lemonade-era Beyoncé combined with gritty, old school hip hop. Truth uses pop, neo-soul and rap to address personal, national and transnational politics. Her influences include Salt ‘n’ Pepa, TLC and Spice Girls – so if you’re a fan of passionate, female-powered R&B, then this one is for you.
Kendrick Lamar left his mark on Melbourne fans over the weekend, playing two epic, highly sought-out Rod Laver Arena shows. Those of us who didn’t get to see the legend live in the flesh this time around can at least offer a bit of trivia in conversation this week. On Kendrick’s latest album, DAMN., the Grammy Award-winning artist sampled a song from Australian four-piece Hiatus Kaiyote, called ‘Atari’ in his track ‘DUCKWORTH’. Another unlikely sample is one from Lamar’s record Good Kid, M.A.A.D City, which uses the sound of American dream-pop band Beach House in the intro to ‘M.A.A.D City’. True Lamar fans will also appreciate To Pimp A Butterfly from 2015, which samples a number of greats including Michael Jackson, Jay Z, Oprah Winfrey, The Notorious B.I.G, Ice Cube and Busta Rhymes. So when you hear a friend, co-worker or family member talking about how good Kung Fu Kenny was live, see if they’re as knowledgeable on his samples as you now are.
This week’s local spotlight is on Melbourne’s Krown. Starting his music career at the age of 15, Krown’s music has a powerful message as he navigates the issues of conflict in South Sudan, as well as the representation of the Sudanese community in the Australian media. After releasing a successful debut EP in 2017, titled Wake Em Up, the artist is back with debut album, Hold The Flag. The record is dedicated to addressing and giving light to the contemporary struggles that the Sudanese community face. The up-and-comer, with the help of local artists Ajok, Mac–Eleven and NIASHA, has produced an incredibly dynamic and personal statement – with tracks ranging from old-school hip hop, lullabies and unique samples from the Centrelink’s Department Of Human Services. Krown’s music not only prompts you to look at the world more critically, but his lyricism is complex and beautifully poetic. With a new musical project already in the works, Krown’s “military mind” is showing no signs of slowing down.
