Daniel Elia is striving to make a difference with his art. Taking the mantle of ‘Conscious Rap’ –the controversial subgenre of hip hop – Elia shares stories of his experience as a Sudanese immigrant, in one of the most hostile periods in Australia for African youth.
Self-produced and passionate, Elia is constantly evolving his craft, showing growth in lyrics and production throughout his discography. Recently as part of music industry development program, GRID, Elia produced what is now his most successful track ‘I Know It Very Well’,a smooth flowing hip hop tune played over live session instruments.
“I’ve danced since I was little, back in Sudan. When we moved to Australia I really got into hip hop and joined a crew,” he says. Elia’s love for music transitioned from dance to emceeing after he graduated high school. Surrounded by peers who were hip hop fans or participants themselves, he decided to join in. “When I graduated I wanted to do something with the music. I thought, ‘Why not try to make music?’ and I’ve been doing that since,” he says.
Hip hop is traditionally made via sampling on a laptop requiring very few participants other than a vocalist and/or producer, but being a part of GRID gave Elia the chance to expand his creative direction, allowing for broader experimentation on production and instrumentation. “[GRID] was a really good experience, I’ve never been in a studio where someone was playing live instruments, I’ve always worked with MIDI,” he says. “It was great to construct something with complex arrangements.”
Elia is riding a wave of progressive hip hop that has been cultivating over the last decade – especially right here in Melbourne. “In recent years there have been some great artists emerging with Remi, Baro and even Kaiit, who’s been bringing that R&B and soul sound,” he says.
Although primarily underground, hip hop has a home in Australia, and Melbourne has cultivated its own talent and sound. Regular showcases are held at hip hop venues such as Laundry Bar and Horse Bazaar allowing for artists to gain experience and network throughout the industry. “I think the Melbourne scene is still developing,” Elia says. “Remi, Baro, Kaiit have been pushing for a unique sound and if the scene keeps pushing to be different it’s going to develop even more.”
With the popularity of hip hop rising in Australia, the scene has become an important voice for protest and opposition, with artists like A.B. Original leading the charge. “A.B. Original being at the forefront and having a message gives me confidence to do the same,” Elia says.
“I’m conscious rap, rap about reality. I’m presenting you with what’s happening and allowing you to take away what you can from it.”
His influences flow out to heavy hitters of the international scene. “J Cole is lyrical but you can still enjoy the music. Artists like Kendrick and Andre 3000 always have a message and I take away something from their music,” Elia says. “It feels better if someone gives you advice through music.”
Elia will be headlining his show as part of Leaps and Bounds festival. This will be an opportunity for him to debut his new live set. “I’m performing with my band for the first time. I’ll be playing all the songs I’ve released, all the sample-based and trap-based songs and putting them with a band,” he says.
Previously only performing vocals alongside a DJ, the addition of live instrumentation will add a unique touch to this performance. “It sounds different with the band than in the studio recordings, it makes my lyrics stand out more. I’m excited to see how the message comes out with the live band.”
