CLANCY OVERELL | Editor | Contact
The unruly youth of Redfern and Waterloo are having their moment tonight, as they form a hip hop entourage that would rival Death Row Records.
For the first time since he took off to chase his dreams in the United States, Sydney’s very own The Kid LAROI is attending the ARIA Awards in person tonight.
This is a big moment for the Australian music industry, who usually have to ask their global exports to accept awards via video call in early hours of a different time zone.
But not only with the Kid LAROI be attending, he will also be performing live on stage at the Hordern Pavilion in Moore Park later this evening.
Tonight marks one hell of a homecoming for the 21-year-old, who grew up in the public housing towers just down the road from the venue – and the Australian music industry have had to accept that they must treat it as such.
It is not just about the record labels, or the A&Rs who claim to have first discovered the Kid LAROI when he was just a teenager scrapper wearing Rabbitohs trackies on stage in Redfern pub gigs.
Tonight is about the people of South Sydney.
Most specifically, it’s about the Kid LAROI’s family and hometown mates – of which, at least 43 are currently making their presence known on the red carpet.
Hordern Pavilion security have been advised to choose de-escalation tactics when necessary, as the wildest eshays to ever wear a lanyard begin charging up, and mingling with the industry types.
At time of press, Victorian indie rockstar Missy Higgins was marvelling at the entourage’s matching Nike TNs, and emotive shin tattoos.
The Kid LAROI is nominated in four categories at this year’s awards, including for Best Solo Artist and Best Hip Hop/Rap Release for the deluxe reissue of his 2023 album, The First Time, which peaked at No. 24 on the Billboard 200 in August.
Glory Glory To South Sydney.
