How Hilltop Hoods continue to define Aussie Hip Hop across generations
In an era dominated by bedroom producers and viral micro-hits, you’d be forgiven for thinking the hip hop heavyweights of the early 2000s had called it a night.
But Hilltop Hoods continue to defy that logic, remaining not only relevant but vital to the shape of Australian music in 2025.
With a career spanning over two decades, the Adelaide trio – Suffa, Pressure and DJ Debris – have done more than just hang around.
Constantly evolving with the times, their recent festival appearances have been nothing short of explosive, packing out stages with an unlikely blend of millennials who grew up listening to The Calling and Gen Z fans discovering their discography via TikTok remixes.
So what keeps Hilltop Hoods at the top of their game? For starters: authenticity. They’ve never chased trends, only created their own.
Their production has matured, their lyrics have deepened and their ability to move between introspection and bangers (1995, Cosby Sweater) cements them as timeless staples in Aussie hip hop.
Their 2019 collab-heavy LP The Great Expanse: Revisited brought in younger artists from across genres, proving they’re not just gatekeepers – they’re collaborators.
If you caught their last Splendour set in 2023, you’d know they’re still one of the tightest live acts in the country, never afraid to evolve and roll with the times.
Suffa’s approach has always been about growth over glory — a sentiment fans clearly understand and appreciate. It’s part of what’s helped cement Hilltop Hoods’ status as lifers or legends in a culture that often burns fast and fades even faster.
With a new full-length album out this week, don’t expect them to pass the mic just yet. In fact, their Nosebleed Section is still #2 on Triple J’s hottest 100, only just falling short of the nation’s number 1 favourite song.
Says it all, really.
Georgie Tancred
