A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | CH | I | J | K | L | M | N | O | P | Q | R | S | T | U | V | W | X | Y | Z | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9
Baker Boy | |
|---|---|
 Baker Boy performing at Laneway in 2019 | |
| Background information | |
| Birth name | Danzal James Baker |
| Born | 10 October 1996 Adelaide, South Australia, Australia |
| Origin | Milingimbi Island, Arnhem Land, Northern Territory, Australia |
| Genres | |
| Occupation(s) |
|
| Instrument(s) |
|
| Years active | 1999–present |
| Labels | |
| Website | www |
Danzal James Baker OAM (born 10 October 1996), known professionally as Baker Boy, is a Yolngu rapper, dancer, artist, and actor. Baker Boy is known for performing original hip-hop songs incorporating both English and Yolŋu Matha and is one of the most prominent Aboriginal Australian rappers.
He was made Young Australian of the Year in 2019, and his song "Cool as Hell" was nominated in several categories in the 2019 ARIA Awards. In 2018, he won two awards at the National Indigenous Music Awards, and was named Male Artist of the Year in the National Dreamtime Awards. His debut album, Gela, was released on 15 October 2021. At the 2022 ARIA Music Awards he won five categories from seven nominations.
Early life
Danzal James Baker[1] was born on 10 October 1996[2] in Darwin, Northern Territory, and grew up in the Arnhem Land communities of Milingimbi and Maningrida.[3] He has one brother.[4] His totem is the Olive python, his moiety is Dhuwa and his skin name is Burralung / Gela boy.[5]
He completed Year 12 at Shalom Christian College in Townsville, Queensland, before attending the Aboriginal Centre for the Performing Arts in Brisbane.[6][7] He developed his love of dancing and acting there, and was an original member of the Djuki Mala dance troupe, which toured Australia.[5]
In 2016, Baker Boy featured in the video for "Yolngu Style", a modern contemporary dance music video created by a group of artists to inspire the world to dance, move and absorb the Yolngu style.[8]
In 2016, Baker appeared on the "Indigenous" episode of the first series of Australian television series You Can't Ask That on ABC TV.[9][10]
Personal life
As of 2020[update] Baker was residing in Bendigo, Victoria,[11] with his partner Aurie Spencer-Gill and his bulldog.[11][12]
He has said that he wants to be an inspiration to Indigenous kids living in remote communities, and to combat "shame."[13]
Career
In 2017, Baker Boy attracted national attention as the winner of the Triple J Unearthed National Indigenous Music Awards (NIMAs) Competition.[14] releasing the singles "Cloud 9" featuring Kian and "Marryuna" featuring Yirrmal in the same year. Both singles were featured in Triple J's Hottest 100 of 2017.[15]
.jpeg)
In 2018, he performed with acts such as Yothu Yindi and Dizzee Rascal.[16]
He performed as an opening act for American rapper 50 Cent in January 2018, along with A.B. Original.[17][18]
His third single, "Mr. La Di Da Di" was released in April 2018.[19] "Black Magic" featuring Dallas Woods, was released in July 2018.[citation needed]
The Yolngu rapper also performed at the Riddu Riđđu Festival in Norway in 2018, his first international performance outside of Australia.[20]
On 25 January 2019, Baker released "Cool as Hell"[21] Two days later, "Mr. La Di Da Di" was voted into Triple J's Hottest 100 of 2018.
In June 2019, Baker released "In Control".[22] On 7 July, Baker Boy appeared on the children's television show, Play School, and performed "Hickory Dickory Dock" as part of NAIDOC Week.[23]
Baker Boy was the headline act at the opening night of the 2019 Tarnanthi exhibition of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander art at the Art Gallery of South Australia on 17 October 2019, performing outside the Gallery on North Terrace, Adelaide.[24]
Baker made his acting debut in True History of the Kelly Gang, released in cinemas in early January 2019 and later released on streaming service provider Stan from 26 January.[25]
2020–present: Gela
During the COVID-19 pandemic, Baker spent time in the studio finishing of Gela. The time allowed him to focus and take things slow rather than the usual busy back-to-back shows and then straight into the studio schedule.[26]
On 16 September 2020, Baker began teasing a new song on social media, posting images of himself alongside Dallas Woods and Sampa the Great.[27] On 23 September 2020, Baker released the single "Better Days".[27]
On 25 September 2021, Baker Boy performed as part of the pre-match entertainment at the 2021 AFL Grand Final at Perth Stadium.[28]
On 15 October 2021, he released his debut studio album Gela,[29] on which he is accompanied by Glen Gurruwiwi's vocals and Kevin Gurruwiwi playing yidaki on the track "Announcing the Journey".[30]
Baker has performed in televised advertisements for Menulog[31] and for Google.[32]
Baker performed at the closing ceremony of the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham, as part of the handover to the Australian hosts of Victoria 2026.
A portrait of Baker, titled Rhythms of heritage, by Matt Adnate won the 2024 Packing Room Prize at the Archibald Prize awards.[33]
Discography
Studio albums
| Title | Album details | Peak chart positions |
|---|---|---|
| AUS [34] | ||
| Gela |
|
3 |
Singles
As lead artist
| Title | Year | Certifications | Album |
|---|---|---|---|
| "Cloud 9" (featuring Kian) |
2017 | Non-album singles | |
| "Marryuna" (featuring Yirrmal) |
|||
| "Mr. La Di Da Di"[35] | 2018 | ||
| "Black Magic" (featuring Dallas Woods) |
|||
| "Cool as Hell" | 2019 |
|
Gela |
| "In Control"[38] | Non-album single | ||
| "Meditjin" (featuring JessB) |
Gela | ||
| "Move"[39] | 2020 | ||
| "Better Days" (with Dallas Woods and Sampa the Great) |
Non-album single | ||
| "Ride" (featuring Yirrmal)[40] |
2021 | Gela | |
| "My Mind" (featuring G Flip)[41] |
|||
| "Butterflies"[42] | |||
| "Survive" (featuring Uncle Jack Charles)[43] |
|||
| "Wish You Well" (featuring Bernard Fanning)[44] |
2022 | TBA |
As featured artist
| Title | Year | Album |
|---|---|---|
| "Treaty '18" (Yothu Yindi & Gavin Campbell featuring Baker Boy) |
2018 | Non-album single |
Filmography
| Year | Title | Role | Notes | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 | The Nightingale | Captured man 1 | ||
| 2019 | True History of the Kelly Gang | Uncredited | [25] | |
| 2019 | Play School | Himself | Performed "Hickory Dickory Dock" | [23] |
Music videos
| Title | Year | Director |
|---|---|---|
| "Cloud 9" (featuring Kian) |
2017 | Not known |
| "Marryuna" (featuring Yirrmal) |
Daniel King | |
| "Black Magic" (featuring Dallas Woods) |
2018 | BraydenFunFilm |
| "Cool as Hell" | 2019 | Gabriel Gasparinatos |
| "In Control" | ||
| "Meditjin" (featuring Jess B) | ||
| "Move" | 2020 | Freya Esders |
Awards and nominations
AIR Awards
The Australian Independent Record Awards (known informally as the AIR Awards) is an annual awards night to recognise, promote and celebrate the success of Australia's Independent Music sector.
| Year | Nominee / work | Award | Result | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 | Himself | Best Independent Artist | Nominated | [45][46] |
| "Marryuna" | Best Independent Single or EP | Nominated | ||
| Himself | Breakthrough Independent Artist | Won |
APRA Awards
The APRA Awards are held in Australia and New Zealand by the Australasian Performing Right Association to recognise songwriting skills, sales and airplay performance by its members annually.
| Year | Nominee / work | Award | Result | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 | "Marryuna" (Danzal Baker, Dion Brownfield, Jerome Farah, Yirrmal Marika) | Song of the Year | Shortlisted | [47] |
| Urban Work of the Year | Nominated | [48] | ||
| "Mr La Di Da Di" (Danzal Baker, Dion Brownfield, Jerome Farah, Dallas Woods) | Nominated | |||
| Danzal Baker p.k.a. Baker Boy | Breakthrough Songwriter of the Year | Nominated | ||
| 2020 | "Cool as Hell" (Danzal Baker, Carl Dimataga, Jesse Ferris, Morgan Jones, Brendan Tuckerman, Dallas Woods) | Most Performed Urban Work of the Year | Nominated | [49] |
| 2021 | "Meditjin" - Baker Boy featuring JessB (Danzal Baker, Jess Bourke, Dion Brownfield, Jerome Farah, Dallas Woods) | Song of the Year | Shortlisted | [50] |
| 2022 | "Ride" (Danzal Baker, Yirrmal Marika, Philip Norman, Dallas Woods) | Song of the Year | Shortlisted | [51] |
| 2023 | "Headphones" (featuring Lara Andallo) | Song of the Year | Shortlisted | [52] |
| "Wish You Well (featuring Bernard Fanning) (Danzal Baker, Bernard Fanning, Pip Norman) | Shortlisted | |||
| Most Performed Hip Hop/ Rap Work of the Year | Nominated | [53] |
ARIA Music Awards
The ARIA Music Awards is an annual award ceremony event celebrating the Australian music industry. At the ARIA Music Awards of 2019, Baker Boy was nominated for three categories,[54][55] and received three more nominations in 2020.[56][57] He headed the leader board in 2022 with five wins from seven nominations.[58]