Kobie D – Warriors & Storytellers
Kobie Dee is an Australian rapper, songwriter, and storyteller making big waves on the hip-hop scene. Also known as Kobie Duncan, he combines genuine homegrown tales with strong production and great flow. Kobie Dee is a proud Gomeroi man from Bidjigal Land, coming from Maroubra in the heart of south Sydney. He released his debut EP in 2021 and won the JJJ Done Good Award for enriching First Nations communities in 2022.
Kobie makes a mark wherever he goes, inspiring his base and attracting new listeners with uplifting lyrics and beats. With an innate gift for storytelling and a desire to connect with young people, Kobie Dee is a strong new voice in the world of Aussie hip-hop.
The Kobie Dee story
Kobie Duncan grew up on Bidjigal country, ancient land that includes much of western and southern Sydney. Born and bred in the NSW capital, Kobie was always an attentive listener. Whether it was local elders, Aussie rappers, or US hip-hop stars, young Kobie always had his ear to the ground.
Kobie grew up without a father in his life, learning from other role models near and far. After listening to “Eazy-Duz-It” by Eazy-E at age 10, he wrote his first song. Kobie was inspired by hip-hop sounds from Australia and overseas, and he started connecting with local mentors through the Weave Kool Kids Program. It was there that he met Mardi Diles, who would later become his manager.
Kobie also looked up to Briggs during this time, the iconic Australian rapper known for his great music and staunch activism. He met Briggs at a local performance in 2018 and signed to his label in 2019. On board with Bad Apples Music and full of stories waiting to be told, Kobie Dee was ready to take on the world.
Breakthrough sounds and shows
As an artist, Kobie is deeply engaged in performance and community. He is driven every day by a passion for culture, and he loves nothing more than inspiring the younger generations. Kobie Dee released his debut single “Right Now” in May 2018 and his first certified single “Jody” in 2019. Kobie’s talent was now recognized beyond his immediate peers, as he won New Talent of the Year at The National Indigenous Music Awards in 2019.
After he got signed, Kobie Dee made his way onto some great lineups. Along with his childhood hero Briggs, he performed alongside artists such as Jessica Mauboy, Nooky, and Barkaa. He hit the stage at the Yabun Festival in Sydney, Australia’s largest one-day celebration of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures. He also performed at the Bad Apples House Party at the Sydney Opera House and supported UK artist Dave during his Psychodrama Tour at the Enmore Theatre.
Recent singles and future vision
Kobie Dee dropped his first EP in 2021, released on Bad Apples and distributed on Universal Music Australia. Titled Gratitude Over Pity, this five-track recording told the Kobie Dee story so far. Kobie was a 23-year-old man at the time of this release, and he was working hard to manage both parenthood and sobriety.
He talks of the “pity party” inside his head when he entered rehab, followed by his triumphant return with a newfound sense of gratitude. According to Kobie, “A major turning point for me was focusing on my gratitude over pity. Really reflecting on what I’m grateful for in my life. Those layers of gratitude are my mum, my daughter, my culture, the area where I grew up, the people around me, and also feeling grateful to be who I am.”
Kobie won two major awards around this time. The EP took out Best Independent Hip Hop Album or EP at the ARIA Awards, and the artist himself won the Done Good Award as part of the J Awards program. The live shows also kept coming, with Kobie doing a huge headline tour through Gomeroi Country. He played his first headline shows in Sydney and Melbourne, joined by UK rapper Jords. Kobie also headed to Germany as part of the Import Export Open festival program, with Wor(l)d Connects presenting Conscious HipHop, Roots & Spoken Word between Sydney, London, and Munich.
Warriors & Storytellers
The latest single by Kobie Dee is titled “Warriors and Storytellers.” Inside a rolling 3-minute slice of Aussie hip-hop, Kobie drops personal lines about his life and its transformation. He speaks of putting “a ring on my girl now,” mentions his new “studio in his home town,” and talks of the “blood and sweat that I’ve dropped” to make it this far. Much more than a typical hip-hop flex, however, Kobie tells his story with gratitude and represents his people with pride.
“Warriors and Storytellers” is set against a tight backdrop, with hard-hitting beats and a looping synth line providing momentum. As the song progresses, Kobie speaks of his passion and hopes for the future. We can expect more great things from Kobie Dee over the coming years as he builds on the strength of his community and cements his voice as a major player in the world of Aussie hip-hop.