AmuThaMC Is Ready To Surprise Us Again

AmuThaMC has made his dreams a reality: he’s made music a full-time career, taking care of his family and doing it all on his terms. But none of it surprises him. As the Brisbane rapper tells Complex AU, he’s worked for this, and now he and his peers are reaping the rewards.

The latest might just be the sweetest yet—starring in a JD Sports campaign with New Balance alongside A.GIRL and his brother, fellow rapper Nokz. The campaign has seen his picture up in lights across Australia and New Zealand and has reached swathes of proud friends and family.

It’s a far cry from growing up in Forest Lake, Brisbane, an area Amu describes as “Not like a hood area, but not a nice area.” In the span of two decades, Amu has gone from writing poetry outside of his local supermarket to rocking a festival stage with his brother, growing from being an upstart of his city’s hip-hop scene to one of its elder statesmen.

Amu would fire his first shot on the national stage way back in 2016, responding to an industry-wide diss from MLBRN to spark a back-and-forth. After nearly half a decade out of the spotlight, Amu resurfaced in 2020 with “Some Nights,” a sonic shift that saw the emcee pair lyricism with melody. It set the table for a run of hits, the most prominent being “My Team,” a raucous all-in anthem that’s since racked up upwards of a million streams and solidified Amu as one of the Brisbane scene’s most beloved veterans.

Looking ahead to the second half of 2024, Amu is ready to get busy. He’s launching a new era. In a conversation with Complex AU, Amu discussed the evolution of his sound, his family, and his most memorable show.

How did you start making music?
I've been writing music since I was 11 or 12. I used to write outside on a milk crate at the local FoodWorks. People would see me and they always thought I was crazy. Friends will tell me, “Man, we used to think you were a dreamer,” but I’m glad I stuck at it. Obviously, I’m one of the oldest in the scene. I’m 30. So I was making music before a lot of these artists—it was all I wanted to do.

With my brother Nokz, he was very talented from the start. He's gifted at anything he does because he’s that type of person—he finds a way of getting stuff done, whereas for me, music has always been my only focus.

Were you writing raps from the start?
I started off with poetry; I love poetry. People say now I'm a lyricist, but before that, it was all about poetry. I was just really into how you can manipulate words. I was also into battle rap. Battle rap is a form of poetry, as well.

So, I was just always writing poems and breaking words, and then it kind of led into rap. Even in school, I got an A in English; in the rest, I would get Fs.

Your first song, “Some Nights,” was released in 2020, instantly putting you on the radar. Can you tell me the story behind that?
Well, before that track dropped, it was the era when MLBRN was dissing everybody. I was one of the people who responded. I remember Complex AU did a story on it. So, that's when my name actually came up on a national level. But then I disappeared because I just wasn't doing music at the time. I was working a 9 to 5 and didn't have a studio.

When I did “Some Nights,” people had already heard of me, but they didn't know where I’d gone. I’m always grateful to MLBRN. We had the opportunity to go back and forth on a rap beef, and back then, we were just little shits. But because of that, in people’s brains, it built the hype about “Where did he go?” So, when “Some Nights” came out, it started clicking for people like, “Oh, this is the guy from the MLBRN beef,” and then just led into that.

“Some Nights” was like a rebirth for me—I wanted to make different music. I didn't want to make drill; I wanted to make a different sound, and I think that's what I did on “Some Nights.”

What’s next for you on the music front?
I've just been in the studio working. I think now I'm at a point in my life where what I create next is very important. My fans are waiting on an album, an EP. I think that's the stage that I've reached now.

So, it's very important what I decide to push next. And I can't wait, man, because I’ve got a lot of people backing it. I can't wait for it. It's just a different sound. I never like to be the same as every other artist.

How do you describe the new sound that you're heading towards?
More live instruments. When we were making music in the studio, thanks to Yissa, my producer, we got people who played instruments on the tracks rather than running them through a MIDI keyboard. We wanted to get the actual natural sound of certain guitars and pianos. Even drummers—we've had drummers come in to make stuff.

For me, it's all about elevating my sound. I can't stay on the same level. I have to try and one up myself every time. So, I think that's the difference between the music I’m making now and the music I was making before—the production—I think it's very important.

Heaps of people are recording from their garages, and that's cool. I started there as well, but there has to come a point where you hold yourself accountable to the promise you’ve made to yourself about elevating to the next level. That's what I decided to do when making this music, and I love the sound that came from that mindset.

How did the JD Sports and New Balance campaign come together?
Nokz’s team messaged me, saying, “JD wants Amu and Nokz in the same campaign.” In Aus, at least, it’s not heard of for two brothers signed to different labels sharing the spotlight.

So, I'm really grateful to Castille Records, JD Sports, and New Balance for shining the light on both of us and teaming us up with A.GIRL. I’m a big fan of A.GIRL, I’m glad I got to be a part of the campaign.

You also shared the stage with Nokz at Promiseland last year. What did it mean for you to get to do the festival with your brother?
Man, it meant the world. I honestly can't explain it. There was a moment on stage where it felt like everything was perfect: my brother and I, and in front of us, about 2000 people who were just singing our songs back to us. This is what we work for.

I couldn't be on the stage at the same time as my brother because we’re signed to different labels, but during “My Team,” my brother ran out and surprised the crowd, and we all sang it together. It was just a moment that I can’t explain.

It was the best. It goes so quickly when you're on the stage, so you have to enjoy those moments. Promiseland was the best show I’ve ever done—one hundred percent.

You can shop the latest New Balance collection online and in store at JD Sports.