Baker Boy is the performing name of Danzal Baker, a hip hop artist from Darwin, Australia. He is raised in the remote Northern Territory communities of Milingimbi and Maningrida and is of Yolngu heritage. He raps in Yolngu Matha, drawing on his Arnhem Land family connections, and is associated with the Gela skin and the Dhuwa moiety. His totem is the Olive Python.

Background

Baker Boy is related to the artists Gawurra and Yirrmal. He completes year 12 at Shalom Christian College in Townsville and later studies performing arts at the Australian Centre for the Arts in Brisbane (ACPA). Alongside music, he has an active interest in dance and acting.

Career

He works as a lead artist for Indigenous Hip Hop Projects, contributing to work with students in remote communities. He is also an original member of the dance group Djuki Mala and tours widely across Australia and internationally, performing at major festivals, conferences and community events in Indigenous communities.

Style and identity

Baker Boy is known for Yolngu-language rap and for presenting himself as a young Yolngu hip hop artist from the Top End. He describes his work as a way of representing his family and encouraging others to recognise their own value. In Arnhem Land, he is referred to as the “fresh new prince”.

Recording career

He releases music through Island Records Australia.