"Ziggy's going straight to the jugular… He's not saying shit you don't know. He's telling you stuff you know, and if you feel weird about that, that's on you." – Remi

“My new favourite rapper” - Kehlani

To say Ziggy Ramo’s voice is an important one in the Australian hip hop scene would be a gross understatement – over a very short period it’s become as integral as peers like Briggs and Remi. At a time when artists like A.B. Original are (quite rightly) swinging sledgehammers in their efforts to expose Indigenous issues in this country, Ziggy is right there beside them with a cut-throat razor, slicing deep into the heart of race relations in modern Australia.

Over the last year, the 22-year-old Perth-based artist has risen from “emerging” to “established” with his insightful, emotional and arresting debut EP Black Thoughts, quickly followed by the powerful single, ‘Black Face’. With a style that owes itself more to the Golden Era of hip hop than the glossy, over-produced, auto-tuned “rap gods” of today, Ziggy’s scything flow, effortlessly combined with a politically-charged focus, puts him in a league of his own.

Growing up in remote Arnhem Land, regional NSW, Sydney and Perth and with family connections in Far North Queensland, his voice whether through music or public speaking, addresses the silenced injustices of Aboriginal Australia as well as other social issues. Lyrically influenced by artists such as Yasiin Bey (Mos Def), Lauryn Hill and Common, along with activists like Charlie Perkins, Gary Foley and Adam Goodes, Ziggy finds passion in giving voice to issues affecting those often unheard.

Tipped by triple j Unearthed Artist To Watch in 2017, you’ll get the chance when he begins the next phase of the Ziggy journey – that is, in the live arena. With the live act, featuring his production partner in crime JCAL on the drums, Ziggy is only just getting warmed up, and he’s about to change the face of what it means to be a hip hop artist in Australia right now.