YOUTH is used as an asset in Phillip Murray’s deliberate efforts to be seen as a leader and role model in the indigenous community.
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Despite being just 23 years old and relatively new to the national touring circuit, the Mildura rapper known as Philly knows his position and success has already made him a role model to many.
For example, in between the long flights and driving it takes to get to Mildura to Warrnambool and back, Philly will hold a hip hop dance workshop with Gunditjmara Aboriginal Co-op before his performances at Your Break tomorrow night.
His will to teach and inspire young people is genuine and not simply for show. In fact, it didn’t even come up in our interview.
“Before music I wanted to be professional athlete and play basketball, so when that didn’t work out I turned to music,” he said.
“I wanted to be a role model for youth in general.
“Growing up, indigenous role models were mainly AFL or rugby league players so I didn’t have many role models to look up to.
“I pressure myself to be that role model for younger people.
“That’s another reason I don’t smoke or drink — I really want to bring a positive message.”
The focus on music and being a role model is clearly paying off, after a 2014 that saw Philly take to the road on various national tours.
In the past 12 months he’s been handed the prestigious triple j award for 2014, performed at the National Indigenous Music Awards in Darwin and toured with Australian rapper Briggs.
“I got to live solely off my music this year.
“It was an adventure.
“I got to visit the Northern Territory and do some indigenous projects with the kids in the area.
“I had a lot of fun and got to see a lot of places in Australia I hadn’t been before.”
Philly said it was typical to see mostly indigenous supporters at his shows, but the national tours had opened his eyes to the universal nature of music.
“Most of the shows I did with Yung Warriors, the majority were indigenous crowds but in Sydney and Wollongong, the majority of people there were non-indigenous, which was really cool.
“It was new for me.
“Everyone likes listening to music and everyone can take something from it and can relate to it in certain ways.”
With hip hop influences from the early ’90s through to modern artists, Philly believes the genre’s strongest weapon is the ability to find positive messages in times of struggle.
“In terms of bringing a message in music, it’s an easier way to get something out across Australia than to just talk.
“If people love hip hop they must have an idea of where the roots of hip hop came from ... so there’s already a respect for it when it comes to bringing messages.
"With a lot of the African-American rappers I grew up on, like 2Pac and NWA, they had some of their music talking about nonsense and partying, but there was also a conscience side where they talked about struggles in their communities and what they’d been through.
“I can relate to lot of those things they’re talking about so I’ve picked that up and I feel like if they did that for me, hopefully I can do that for someone else.”
With plans for a new album under way, 2015 looks to be another big year for Philly.
Tomorrow night’s performance with Miss Hood also includes a support line-up of Richmond AL, DK and DJ Riva Boi.