NEW AUS VIDS: CHILLINIT, ASHWARYA, NERVE
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Our weekly picks from the New Hip-Hop Videos From Aus playlist; as always, highlighting the latest and best videos from across the AU. Don’t miss out! Subscribe to our channel to be the first across the hottest new clips. Updated weekly, there are thousands to watch in our YouTube playlist! Which video are you into this week? Slam the comments with who we missed…
CHILLINIT – PAC ENERGY
(Slippn)
Chillinit delivers ‘PAC Energy’ and then some on his long-awaited first release of the year. A throwback to when bars reigned supreme, the Eora/Sydney rapper returns with his potent wordplay over sleek production from Tasker and cuts by DJ IZM from Bliss N Eso. While Chill is still crafting punchlines around rap culture, cricket, and weed, his time off adjusting to fatherhood has seemingly given his aesthetic and execution a welcomed new sense of maturity. Directed by Slippn, the music video is full of crisp camera work and rich imagery that switches from B&W to coloured visuals, with appearances from A.GIRL and KAHUKX. ‘PAC Energy’ arrives with the announcement of Chillinit’s next full-length mixtape 420DNA, and his upcoming five-stop national tour.
NERVE – PARIS.
(Josh Hickie)
While the Matildas beat France in a nail biting World Cup quarter final, Nerve scores an easy win on latest cut ‘PARIS’. The Meanjin/Brisbane rapper slides with steeze over the smooth and bouncy self-production with mixing and mastering by Smak, and additional keys by Dan Khoury to close out Nerve’s second single of 2023. In the music video by Josh Hickie, he performs the track with the Eiffel Tower in the picturesque background, with yellow subtitles making sure every punchline is heard and seen. Following his last solo effort ‘Keep It Simple Stupid’, and his most recent collaboration with Miko Mal, Nerve continues to prove he’s got a verse ready for any beat or mood.
ASHWARYA – ENOUGH
(Charles Buxton-Leslie)
Indian-Australian artist ASHWARYA reveals the second taste to her forthcoming EP with new single ‘Enough’. Boasting her melancholic melodies and raw tone across one of her best tracks yet, ASHWARYA continues to impress as an exciting pop and R&B prospect from Naarm/Melbourne. Directed by Charles Buxton-Leslie, the accompanying music video finds ASHWARYA singing inside a moving telephone booth, and serves as a visual sequel to her previous release ‘Up In My Head’. Packed with more progressive pop/electronic and R&B sonics, her forthcoming EP Why’s It Gotta Hurt will arrive September 29.
MOSES – BUMP
(Zacobro)
New Wave member Moses continues to swim against the tide with latest single ‘Bump’. Following his successful solo releases ‘Hold On’ and ‘HNL’ from earlier this year, the Naarm based rapper has hit a new level of prestige. Directed by Zacobro, the official music video captures Moses and crew in smooth transitions to match the smooth bars. Set to the backdrop of B2K and Diddy’s R&B hit ‘Bump, Bump, Bump’, Moses reflects on his elevated status – sold-out shows, exclusive circles, and impactful moves as an unsigned independent artist. Emphasising his own lyrics, “Moses (has) been a trending topic” and continues to be as the new wave of the Australian rap scene.
TOON TARO & MRLUKEYLUKE – STRANGER THAN FICTION
(Crow City Visuals)
Hailing from Melbourne’s north, TOON TARO and MrLukeyLuke are taking no prisoners with new track ‘Stranger Than Fiction’. Over self-production that would sound at home on any Griselda project, the duo spit their bars with that same confidence and grit. The music video directed by Crow City Visuals captures the same love for the classic hip-hop look and feel that is all over the track with late night, car park visuals. Steadily dropping projects separately and together over the past couple of years, ‘Stranger Than Fiction’ is from their collaborative project Lead By Example 2 released earlier this month. Just last week the prolific pair also dropped The 7 Lords of St Georges Motor Inn, so be on the lookout because these boys aren’t slowing down anytime soon.
KUDA – UNO FT. GOLD FANG
(Sheppard)
You may know Kuda for being Melbourne starboy J-Verse’s producer, but away from the viral hype, he’s been working tirelessly on his own body of work. Following ‘Melanin’ with lxrdmc and DSP, and ‘Ting Fine’ with Abeba, Kuda’s new release ‘Uno’ featuring Gold Fang is the producer’s latest hit collaboration. It’s got that energy that makes you knock your head, and you can tell that the pair have a good working chemistry. In the Shepard-directed visualiser, Kuda dances in a mirror room to his own production and Gold Fang’s captivating flow. ‘Uno’ is Kuda’s fifth official release so far this year, one can only expect more exciting things on the way.
Written by Frank Tremain, Declan Bailey, Matt Slocum and Tahlia La Galia.
