Australian hip hop

Australian hip hop began in the early 1980s, primarily influenced by hip hop music and culture imported via radio and television from America.

Related Topics:
Australia - Hip hop

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The first Australian hip hop record release was "Combined Talent (1988)" by Just Us. Another release of note is "Knights Of The Underground Table (1992)" by Def Wish Cast, which sold well locally and in Europe. Also in 1992 "Postcards From the Edge of the Undersound" was released by Sound Unlimited (also known as the Sound Unlimited Posse). Released by Sony records, it was for the best part of a decade the only such major label release of an Australian hip hop act.

Related Topics:
Just Us - Def Wish Cast - Sound Unlimited

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American versus Australian accents used by local MCs has caused much heated debate within the Australian hip hop community over the years.

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Australian hip hop is a part of the underground music scene with only a few successful commercial hits in the last decade. Albums and singles are released by mostly independent record labels, often owned and run by the artists themselves. Most are downloaded as MP3's.

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In recent years however Australian hip hop has grown in popularity and acceptance. The most commercially successful hip hop group in Australia is the Hilltop Hoods. They have reached Gold status for their album "The Calling" - a feat that no other Austrialian hip hop group has achieved. The Sydney-based collective The Herd achieved considerable success with their album "An Elefant Never Forgets", featuring the controversial hit "77%" and the single "Burn Down The Parliament". This success was mirrored by 1200 Techniques, who established a reputation as one of the leading live acts in Australian music. Groups such as The Cat Empire, who perform a fusion of many styles of music including hip hop, have also found success.

Related Topics:
Hilltop Hoods - The Herd - 1200 Techniques - The Cat Empire

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Producer J Wess, former basketball player, achieved huge sales of his debut "The J Wess LP".

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In 2005, independent film-maker Oriel Guthrie's documentary Skip Hop debuted at the Melbourne International Film Festival. The film includes live footage of Freestyle battle and prominent gigs around Australia. Also featured are interviews with the Hilltop Hoods, Def Wish Cast, DJ Peril, The Herd, Danielsan from Koolism and Wicked Force Breakers.

Related Topics:
Freestyle battle - Hilltop Hoods - Def Wish Cast, - The Herd - Koolism

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