The nature of Aussie hip hop is well and truly changing, with a new generation of artists ushering in a new beginning for the culture down under. You may remember that Stoney Roads covered this changing nature at the back end of last year, providing you, dear reader, with some of our hot takes in the scene. And after a lot of back slapping and admiring of said list, we here at Stoney Roads HQ have decided to delve back into the genre and put some bets on who we think will kill the game in 2018 and beyond.

We’ve searched deep and low throughout the internet to bring you this list of up and comers. Let us know your thoughts and see if we missed any!

Aussie Hip Hop artists watch in 2018:

Anfa Rose

A Sydney native who has been steadily gaining a cult following. With a bit of radio play on All I Need (ft. Manu Crooks) we predict a strong end to the year for the talented rapper.

Triple One

Four piece from the inner west who have gained a cult like following as a result oft heir super high energy live shows (suss the video from their recent EP launch in Newtown). Combining vocals with hard hitting bars over some smooth production, there’s an exciting future ahead for Triple One.

Jeida Woods

Jeida Woods could be the most exciting prospect in Aussie hip hop right now. Other than the fact that he produces all his own beats, the South African born, Sydney based rapper is improving with every track, giving us some major OG Weeknd vibes. For fans of R&B, get on this kid before he blows up!

Nardean

Nardean is an extremely talented spoken word artist/poet/singer/songwriter that caught all of our attention after releasing the stunning Nothing Matters on Triple J Unearthed. With an EP expected on May 9 we’re super keen to see what else she has in store.

Rennan
One of the quirkiest but most catching voices in the game right now. Rennan’s abstract approach to hip-hop and production is similar to that of Childish Gambino in the sense that he is simply just doing it in his own fashion.

Jesswar

Hard hitting production paired wit vocals that make you stop and stare. Jesswar brings the energy out in full force with her music videos as well. Definitely one to keep tabs on

Slim Set

Straight outta western Sydney, Slim Set are a couple of blokes dishing up honest, catchy tracks and building quite an impressive catalogue.

Sophiegrophy

This artist might be behind one of my favourite tracks of 2018 thus far. The driving bass line in ‘Bag’ matched with flawless vocal performance come together perfectly and we’re hooked on Sophiegrophy instantly.

Turquoise Prince

Coming out of the nation’s capital, Turquoise Prince not only looks the part but brings one of the most ferocious live performances out. If we can recommend you do one thing in 2018, it’s seeing this guy live.

JamarzOnMarz

Last but definitely not least is the 19 year old wunderkid JamarzOnMarz. Having set the tone with some nice releases last year, he has started 2018 with a huge bang, releasing the massive Fire Extinguisher which was quickly added to Spotify’s A1 Hip Hop and All Aussie Hip Hop playlists. With his influences ranging from RL Grime to William Shakespeare we’re super excited to see his career progress in the coming months.

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Who are some other Aus hip hop newcomers you’ve been enjoying of late? Let us know in the comments.