Kununurra kids song used by AFL for Sir Doug Nicholls Indigenous Round trailer

In collaboration with Save the Children, Kununurra Waringarri Aboriginal Corporation, and East Kimberley Job Pathways, Kununurra PCYC supported and hosted ‘Hip Hop Heals’, a program providing local young people with the chance to learn how to write and record their own songs.

The program, co-ordinated by local woman Nawoola Davey-Newry, brought Hip Hop artists Optamus and Flewnt from Perth to deliver one week of Hip Hop workshops.

Throughout the week young people developed skills in Hip Hop, providing them with a platform to safely express themselves, discuss things that were meaningful to them and giving them a sense of pride in themselves and their community.

Ten regular Kununurra PCYC participants collaborated with Optamus and Flewnt to record a final track, titled ‘Stomp the Floor’. Young people were uplifted and empowered by the experience and their families filled with pride as they listened to the song their children had produced.

And it wasn’t just the families that were impressed – the song garnered so much attention that the AFL used an instrumental version for the Sir Doug Nicholls Indigenous Round trailer.

The song is currently in final production and will become part of a four track EP featuring Hip Hop songs written and recorded by Kununurra young people with the support of Optamus and Flewnt. The EP will be available on Spotify in the coming months so make sure you’re following Kununurra PCYC and WA PCYC on Facebook for updates!

To ensure young people who contributed to the track are recognised for their hard work, PCYC is currently in the process of signing the participants up with the Australasian Performing Right Association (APRA) to ensure they receive royalties for any usage of their song.

Photos: Nawoola Davey-Newry

Short documentary about the 'Hip Hop Heals' program starting at 4 minute 30.