"Hip hop music is not celebrated to the same degree other genres are in Australia, yet it helps to create cultural identity and brings together communities," Barkaa says.
Barkaa, who recently hosted the triple J hip hop show on the ABC, says young people connect with hip hop and rap because it helps them talk about their experiences. "It's still a very male-dominated industry, and as a woman you have to work 10 times harder than your male counterparts to get respect in this industry.Barkaa says young people connect with hip hop and rap because it helps them talk about their experiences.Carolina De La Piedra, a manager at Australian hip hop record label Elefant Traks, says hip hop is still seen as a niche market in Australia and doesn't receive anywhere near the amount of radio airtime as other music genres.