As ANZ hip-hop surges, Lisi lands partnership with Warner Music

The hip-hop community from the lands Down Under scores again, this time with Ipswich-based rapper Lisi landing a new deal with ADA/Warner Music Australia.

The 20-year-old MC, scene-builder and educator along with his Samoan-owned label Castille Records strike a partnership with ADA and Warner, unveiled this week.

Lisi seemingly has the world at his feet. Global streams of his music have topped 30 million since his debut, gold-certified ‘Say Less’ dropped in 2019. The track has enjoyed more than 4.7 million views on YouTube and 8.1 million plays on Spotify.

Last year, Lisi guested on Chillinit’s single ‘Stand For,’ lifted from the Sydney rapper’s second career Top 10 mixtape, Full Circle, peaking at No. 3 on the ARIA Albums Chart, and dropped his own, well-received EP Average Man.

Stream Lisi’s ‘Say Less’:

The New Zealand-born emcee is “at the forefront of the local hip-hop scene and this partnership represents our commitment to work with the very best in Australian rap music,” comments Dan Rosen, President of Warner Music Australia.

Lisi’s musical output “is world class and his sense of community is inspiring,” notes Ben Ralph, General Manager of ADA Australia.

It’s the latest in a growing collection of artist and label deals that should help spread Australasian hip-hop to the furthest corners.

In recent months, Virgin Music Label and Artist Services Australia entered into a global distribution partnership with Biordi Music, the Sydney label that Virgin says has “quickly proven itself as one of the most influential entities in the rapidly growing Australian hip-hop, R&B and Rap scenes”.

At the same time, the likes of Masked Wolf, Sampa The Great, and The Kid Laroi are blowing up on both sides of the Atlantic.

Watch Lisi’s ‘Good Life’:

And in March, Spotify launched a platform dedicated to unearthing homegrown hip-hop talent, A1: The Show.

“We have started this label to help build up what is not yet common in Ipswich and Brisbane,” says Lisi on Castille Records.

“We have opened a door for all the hidden talent within the streets of our city to reach for an opportunity that can change their lives and better their communities. Castille Records is here to not just help ourselves, but to help our people as well.”

This article originally appeared on The Industry Observer, which is now part of The Music Network.