Tasman Keith is one of the most exciting voices in hip hop in Australia right now. TASMAN KEITH is from Bowraville, he explores his cultural identity as a Gumbaynggirr man and speaks his truth through rhythm and sound. He delivers messages of pride and offers stories of resilience and community through song. His skills as a rapper have already made him impossible to ignore as a leader of Australia’s hip hop resurgence, but Tasman’s message and his storytelling are quickly making him into an essential artist, a wholly indispensable new voice in the conversation. The idea of hometown pride runs deeper than most in Tasman’s music: everything he does is indebted to the community that raised him, to the idea of giving back and carrying on the storytelling traditions of his family.
Tasman started performing at 8 years old after being a massive fan of Michael Jackson, "I’d even pull out the old Billie Jean dance moves at talent quests, haha. Rapping started around the same time as well, performing with my father Wire MC and my brother on many festival stages. At 14, I knew it could be a way for me to speak on my truths and make a living whilst doing what I love. I remember me and my cousins were always in this small room, every afternoon. Straight after school the 5 of us would be shoulder to shoulder writing and recording. The mutual feeling was just freedom, freedom to say what we want and really speak on the things that mattered to us, that’s one of the things which I love about creating, the freedom. Story told by Purple Sneakers".
Tasman Keith was at the bowl over the weekend with BLAKTIVISM on Saturday.
Featuring
Yothu Yindi
Bart Willoughby
Tasman Keith
Emma Donovan
Deline Briscoe
Allara
and Kee’ahn
Sorong Samarai
Ziggy Ramo
Mundanai - Embrace (Healing Ceremony)
Artistic Director
Deline Briscoe
Curated by Gaba Musik, a First Nations owned and operated company