Hip hop from the outside looking in

So the troops are dying, what you trying prove? And all I see is shit on the 6 o’clock news, how many express their views to get them out of Iraq, why they not doing nothing just to bring them back?

This is solo hip-hop artist NJE “Politically Speaking” on a track from his latest album From The Outside Looking In.

“I’ve had a relatively easy life, not really dramatic,” NJE says. “But growing up in Campbelltown, you see a lot of people going through bad things. There are many housing commission blocks in this suburb and you don’t hear a lot of good things about the area.”

This is partly why NJE started writing lyrics in his late teens to express not only himself, but also issues he saw affecting those around him.

“Whether it be drugs or kids having babies too young… seeing friends go downhill really impacts you.”

Influenced by soulful, old jazz, NJE’s latest album also illustrates how Aussie hip-hop has developed over the past ten years, shifting away from strong nationalistic themes and associations with beer, BBQs and Southern Cross tattoos. Although there is still a focus on the “Aussie battler”, hip-hop artists are increasingly articulating lyrical rhymes and bouncy beats that connect with those living in areas in which NJE says the expectation for individuals to succeed is “pretty low”.

However, member of hip hop duo Koolism and Triple J presenter, Hau Latukefu, thinks describing the genre as “Aussie” hip-hop misses the point.

“The only Australian music is indigenous music. When we were starting out in the early nineties, we were trying to create an identity for ourselves, so we differentiated the genre by calling it Aussie hip-hop. But now that’s irrelevant, we can just say ‘local artist’ instead.”

But whether you define NJE as a local or Aussie hip-hop artist, his rhymes represent a genre imbued with a do-it-yourself attitude and a dedication to give a voice to those often left out of social change.

NJE’s goal of elevating his underground beats to a universal stage looks set to become a reality with an upcoming collaboration with skilled and influential American MC Kool G Rap. Combine this with an album that buzzes with originality, and you have an MC no longer looking from the outside in, but poised for success.

By Milly Caffrey