Rising Hip Hop star headlines at Busselton Block Boom Party

The Busselton foreshore amphitheatre was bursting with energy and excitement when the first beats of the hip hop-based Block Party Boom blasted out, at a free concert on Saturday. The concert, which was part of the Perth Festival, was a celebration of WA Indigenous hip hop, a mix of live music and a contemporary cultural statement. Deborah Robertson, the senior program manager at Perth Festival, explained the thinking behind the Block Party Boom concerts.. “There is a strong family vibe to the show, which is first nations hip hop in all its beautiful glory, and it’s amazing to see the crowds just so full of excitement for this,” she said. “The young people absolutely go off for Inkabee, they just love seeing him perform. Block Party Boom is the realisation of a dream for award-winning Noongar/Wongi hip hop artist and youth worker, Joshua “Flewnt” Eggington. Headlining the Block Party Boom concert is Flewnt’s 11 year-old son Ethan “Inkabee” Eggington who is following in his father’s footsteps. Flewnt is proud of his Noongar heritage and his passion for country, which is reflected in many of his tracks. He explained that elements of indigenous culture find their way into his music and that he sees hip hop as the voice of youth, and the voice of the oppressed. “The biggest inspiration for my music is my family, who have encouraged me to use my music and hip hop as a way to give the Aboriginal people a powerful voice,” he said. “This is what our lives and our struggle looks like today. “My tracks are a more contemporary story telling of what the modern world looks like through the lens of Indigenous people. Flewnt also spends a great deal of time working with youth, including young people incarcerated in Banksia Hill, and unit 18 at Casuarina. “We deliver a program of therapeutic hip hop to give them something to work towards,” Flewnt said. Inkabee who made his performance debut around a year ago at a Block Party said “Its kind of crazy that here I am a year later headlining.” The talented 11 year-old collaborates with his father on the lyrics, but Inkabee writes many of the melodies for his tracks. “He is not just a rapper, he is an amazing singer,” Flewnt said. The Block Party Boom concept was put together by Flewnt and is designed as a launchpad for other artists. “We are trying to give other young artists a platform, and the opportunity to play on a stage in front of a big crowd. “When we finish up here today, we wrap up the tour and head back to Boorlo for a massive block party back where it all started,” he said. Tani Webb is Inkabee and Flewnt’s manager and co-director of First Nations Focus, which is an independent record label. “Flewnt and Inkabee have signed with us, and they are going to be a huge success,” she said.