THAT’S OUR BAKER BOY
Arnhem Land rapper wins Artist of the Year at NIMAs
ARNHEM Land rapper Danzal “Baker Boy” Baker has had his place among Aboriginal music royalty cemented after taking home the Artist of the Year gong at the National Indigenous Music Awards.
At just 22, Baker, who was earlier this year named Young Australian of the Year, was praised by judges as “leading a definitive new generation of Australian musicians”.
Baker last year took out NIMA awards for best new talent and best film clip.
Born in Darwin and raised in the remote NT communities of Milingimbi and Maningrida, Baker performs in both Yolngu Matha and English, his third language.
Baker has previously said he aims to use music “to honour and respect my culture”.
This year marks the 10th iteration of the awards, with Baker now among only five artists – alongside Gurrumul Yunupingu, Jess Mauboy, Dan Sultan and Troy Cassar-Daley – to be named artist of the year.
The award was all the more remarkable given Baker, a founding member of dance group Djuki Mala, has only been performing as a rapper since 2016 and only released his debut single in 2017, the year he won Triple J’s Unearthed competition with Cloud 9 and finished 17th in Triple J’s Hottest 100 contest with Marryuna.
Baker has drawn widespread praise for his work with young people around Australia, and for encouraging young Aboriginal people to embrace their culture.
Melbourne artist Mojo Juju took home both the Song of the Year award and the Album of the Year award for her critically acclaimed album Native Tongue.
Melbourne’s Kaiit took home the Best New Talent award, while Briggs was awarded Film Clip of the Year for Life is Incredible.
Deni Mob’s State of the Heart took out Community Clip of the Year.
Folk trio Tiddas and jazz singer Wilma Reading were inducted into the NIMA Hall of Fame.