Items from Australia’s biggest hip hop stars feature in Australian Music Vault showcase

The jumpsuit worn by Tkay Maidza at Splendour In The Grass, 2015, a Resin Dogs sampler and drum machine, a customised pair of Bliss n Eso, a hand-painted Lady Lash denim jacket, the outfit worn by Maya Jupiter on her ‘Move’ video, ARIA statues won by 1200 Techniques and Koolism, and a DJ Peril double cassette boom box.

These are some of the items loaned by the artists for a new Australian Music Vault display honouring the story of Australian hip hop.

Other items include mics, posters, magazines, rare records and CDs covering A B Original, Hilltop Hoods, Baker Boy, Illy, Sampa The Great, Def Wish, Downsyde, Drapht, Elefant Traks, Obese, Urthboy and TZU among others.

The display was opened by Melbourne artists Mantra and 1200 Techniques’ DJ Peril.

Peril recounted: “They thought it was going to be a passing phase but wow how wrong they were.”

He said the collection began in the early ‘80s “right up until today, highlighting our journey and timeline of how we came to develop our own unique sound, style, flavour, street art and how we made the culture unique to us.”

Vault senior curator Carolyn Laffan pointed out,  “Hip hop has been a vibrant part of Australian culture for almost 40 years yet it remains a largely misunderstood art form.

“We’re hoping that by shining a light on the stories of Australia’s hip hop pioneers and emerging superstars we’ll kick-start a new conversation about hip hop’s positive messages of inclusion, community and respect.”