DEM MOB set to perform at Uni Days
Emerging Indigenous rappers DEM MOB will take to the stage for a night of food and music at the University of Adelaide.
Hailing from the Anangu Pitjantjatjara Yankunytjantjara (APY) Lands, DEM MOB are the first rappers to perform and record in Pitjantjatjara language.
The trio will perform at the Tasting Australia presented by RAA Travel event, Uni Days, on Saturday 29 April, fresh from their impressive WOMADelaide debut and making headlines with a blistering performance at the 2022 South Australian Music Awards.
They will be joined on stage by Yolngu six-piece surf rock band King Stingray, who gained a cult following being named 2021 Triple J Unearthed Artist of the Year and were recently heralded as Rolling Stone Australia’s Best New Artist for 2022.
Uni Days is a celebration of delicious food, quality drinks and live music, featuring a range of Asian-inspired dishes highlighting fresh South Australian produce curated by leading food identity and University of Adelaide alumnus, Adam Liaw.
The Tasting Australia event will be hosted at the iconic UniBar, located in the University of Adelaide’s North Terrace campus on Saturday, 29 April from 7:00 pm.
“The best part about music is learning from each other and sharing our stories – connecting through music is how the best music and best ideas can get out.”Jontae Lawrie
DEM MOB members Elisha Umuhuri and Jontae Lawrie are students at the University of Adelaide’s Centre of Aboriginal Studies in Music Studies (CASM), the only university-based centre for studies in Australian Indigenous music.
Jontae Lawrie, who has a number of CASM alumni in his extended family, said this was a great opportunity for the crew to share their music with a new audience.
“This is a really important gig for us because it is at our university. It’s a big opportunity and we can’t wait to perform there and share our music,” Jontae said.
“Sharing the stage with King Stingray is exciting because we both have Indigenous crew and sounds, but are really different and bring different influences.
“The best part about music is learning from each other and sharing our stories – connecting through music is how the best music and best ideas can get out.
“Our story telling as DEM MOB is pretty strong. We speak the truth and make strong choices about our message. We love putting out music and sharing our story and our culture and our truth.”
The University of Adelaide’s Grayson Rotumah, Co-Director, CASM said this opportunity was a great reward for DEM MOB’s hard work over the past few years.
“At CASM, we often work with artists who want to combine their passion for their culture and language with more modern traditions,” Grayson said.
“DEM MOB are a young group, but they speak truthfully about their experiences, struggles and culture, and it is fantastic that the University of Adelaide has provided an opportunity for them to be part of an event and expose their unique sounds to a new audience.”
