November has been a huge month for underground Australian hip-hop and R&B artists, with new songs, music videos, albums being released as well as new festival announcements. If you're not watching closely, you'll miss some gems – so we've got you covered.
Tommy Tang levels up with Underdog Behaviour
First up is Tommy Tang, who's spent 2025 quietly levelling up. He's one of those modern R&B artists who can do both – sing and rap – and on his second full album, Underdog Behaviour, you can hear how much sharper everything's become.
Lyrically, he feels fused to the beats now. There's more connection, more intention, and the production has taken a step up too – slicker, more advanced, yet still emotional without losing the bounce.
'Full Throttle' is the lone 2025 single that made the album's tracklist, sneaking in as track three. It's our personal favourite, up-tempo, very melodic, and criminally underrated. If this had been rolled out with a bit more fanfare, or by a US artist with a big machine behind them, it would've done serious numbers.
YNG Martyr gets weird with 'Milkshakes'
YNG Martyr continues his run of creative, and in this case, slightly unhinged visuals with 'Milkshakes' this month. The video has him flexing in a muscle suit and literal bull-fighting over the top of Kelis' classic 'Milkshake'.
The bull is super creepy. But that's kind of the point, it's goofy, unserious, and very YNG Martyr. He's one of those artists who's genuinely true to himself: he can rap harder when he wants to, go softer and introspective, or drop a surrealist shitpost backed by a great instrumental.
'Milkshakes' isn't an instant classic. It's just him having fun and bringing us along for the ride. If you're looking for a local artist committing to the bit and having fun with it, start here:
Inkabee's 'Mind Control' could go global
Inkabee's 'Mind Control' is one that really stops you.
The instrumental is lush and woozy, with keys that feel like a '70s soul record – with a touch of Childish Gambino's 'Redbone' warmth in there – and Inkabee glides over it. His flow is smooth, like cream poured into glass, like pure sugar, instantly palatable from the first listen.
The crazy part is that he's 13.
If you didn't see the cover photo and didn't know his age, it wouldn't be obvious at all. There's no 'he's good for a kid' caveat here. He sounds like he can comfortably compete with much older artists.
This track is severely underrated right now, but if people start to catch on, it has real 'go global' energy.
If you're looking for some Bryson Tiller-adjacent smoothness and want to get in early on young talent, start here:
Anieszka's alt-R&B heartbreak spell
Anieszka, our Australian R&B angel, is an artist that builds worlds through atmosphere. On 'Love without meaning', she leans into her alt-R&B space, reminiscent of Ravyn Lenae – think an ethereal, floaty production, with falsetto lines and a sense of weightlessness.
This song is for when you're going through it, in your feelings. It's breakup energy, but not the screaming kind – more like you're alone and quietly processing it.
If you're having a tough November and need a soft, emotionally heavy, alt-R&B track to hold some space for you, start here:
Hooligan Hefs and Day1 rework hip-hop classic
Hooligan Hefs with Day1 took on a hip-hop classic this month, flipping Lil Wayne and Drake's 2011 track 'She Will'. For rap fans, this beat is canon at this point, and they do a great job reworking it without just cosplaying the original.
The verses are handled with intent as you expect from Hooligan Hefs, and the chorus is where they make it their own – Day1 is very strong on this track.
If you need proof of how deep Australia's hip-hop talent runs, listen here:
Rolling Loud is back
Speaking of Hooligan Hefs and Day1, they've been announced to appear at Rolling Loud in 2026 alongside some big US acts headlining the show, including Gunna, Sexxy Red, Ken Carson and Tyga among others.
Getting US artists through Australian customs is a real mission, so that's a win. But what stands out is how deep the local side of the line-up runs in both cities. There's real depth in the Australian hip-hop scene right now. It's not just a few names, but a growing list of underground artists that can easily hold their own on a bill that size.
You can see the full line-up here:
A lot has changed since Rolling Loud first arrived on our shores, and if this month is anything to go by, Australian hip-hop and R&B is festival-ready. So keep it simple: click play on these tracks, dig through the Rolling Loud set list and we'll see you in December.