Danzal Baker may have once cheekily called himself “The Fresh Prince of Arnhem Land”, but the rapper better known as Baker Boy has been taking some time away from the Northern Territory. He and his partner, stylist and creative director Aurie Spencer-Gill, have been chilling out in Ocean Grove, an hour and a half south of Melbourne.

“We moved down here a few years ago,” Baker tells Broadsheet. “It’s not Arnhem Land, but it’s good for me to be close to the saltwater and get out of the city. I love it here.”

Since picking up five Aria awards for his 2021 debut, Gela, the dancer turned hip-hop superstar has taken a step back to focus on mellower pursuits, including walking his dog, playing golf and fishing. But he also spent time in Los Angeles last year and has been in and out of the studio in 2024, releasing the swaggering single KING in August and landing a guest turn on a new version of Imagine Dragons’ Take Me to the Beach in October.

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Next, he will close out the year by headlining Blaktivism, the fourth annual celebration of First Nations artists and Blak cultures, at Melbourne’s Hamer Hall on November 22. Presented by Always Live – a 17-day concert series held around the state – this year’s show has the theme “holding Koorie space” and features Tasman Keith, Bart Willoughby (No Fixed Address), Deline Briscoe (Black Arm Band), Kaiit and the Kulin Nation Songwomen, among many others. Also on the bill are rapper Sprigga Mek and Indigenous hip-hop forerunners Yung Warriors.

“It’s just a massive celebration of Bla(c)k excellence, sharing culture, stories [and] language,” says Baker. “It’s really powerful for us to come together. It’s not just a celebration for us, but a space for people to come and learn, to listen to our perspectives.”

Emerging in response to 2020’s global Black Lives Matter movement, Blaktivism is a showcase of First Nations resistance that’s just as crucial now as it was four years ago. “It can be so heavy being Yolngu, Bla(c)k, POC in this country,” Baker says. “We have always fought, and that can be exhausting. To be able to come together and celebrate our resistance and collective strength … there is so much power in us all standing together.”

Baker has always celebrated his culture in his songs, rapping in Yolngu Matha language and English on his 2017 debut single, Cloud 9. He dips into his mother’s language, Burarra, and brandishes the yidaki (didgeridoo) while knocking back the haters on the aforementioned KING. And in the wake of Gela, the charismatic young rapper repped his culture in performances at both the 2021 AFL Grand Final in Perth and the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham, England, in 2022.

“The biggest thing for me through my music is education,” he says. “I want to share my language and my culture. There are so many lies told about the history of this country. And using my music, [I can] play a small part in helping to correct some of those lies, to change misconceptions and generalisations.”

That includes the staunch Koorie activist families that will be celebrated at Blaktivism, which pays tribute this year to those who have fought to retain their land and voice over generations. “I’m inspired by all Blakfullas, everywhere, all the time,” says Baker. “Just continuing to share and tell our stories. We’re not just surviving, we’re thriving.”

It’s been a while since the last Baker Boy appearance in Naarm/Melbourne, and he promises “big energy and deadly vibes” at Hamer Hall. And when the year is finished, Baker can go back to finishing off the long-awaited follow-up to Gela. But rather than pushing himself to the point of burnout to capitalise on his first album’s success, he has made a concerted effort to step back and give some refreshing perspective before moving forward. Hence the cruisy golfing, fishing and dog-walking near the coast.

“It can be easy to just keep pushing and grinding,” he says, “but I wanted to consciously have a break and take everything in. The biggest focus is having some balance, but also creating and pushing myself.”

Gaba Musik, Always Live and Arts Centre Melbourne present Blaktivism with Baker Boy on Friday November 22. Tickets are on sale now.

Broadsheet is a proud media partner of Arts Centre Melbourne.