Harmony & heritage.
This summer, two distinct pillars of Australian hip hop unite for a landmark national journey.
Veteran jazz-rap maestro Rapaport and acclaimed Bundjalung lyricist/producer Mr Rhodes are embarking on a major co-headline tour, supported by Creative Australia and Sounds NSW.
Spanning from November 2025 to February 2026, the tour celebrates their new releases, Rapaport’s MPC-crafted album Rap Major and Mr Rhodes’ soulful Rhode House EP.
Rapaport will deliver his introspective stories with a dynamic jazz-infused band, while Mr Rhodes offers a cinematic sonic journey with his trio.
From Melbourne to Perth, they’re bringing connection, raw energy, and unforgettable moments to stages across the country.
We sat down with the duo to discuss their craft, community, and the unique alchemy of their live show.
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Happy: What’d you both get up to today?
Rapaport: I’ve been on an artist residency near Wauchope NSW for a couple weeks so I’ve just been practicing guitar while I watch the local wallabies and doing some song writing by the river which is not my usual steez but it is amazing!
Mr Rhodes: I’ve been in the studio all day working on a few different things that will see the light of day soon!
Happy: Tell us a little about where you’re both from, and what you love about it!
Rapaport: Lived in Sydney all my life mostly inner west but now live in Bexley North which is a kind of suburban suburb in the south west.
I really love the different cultures in Western Sydney and I also like being a bit further away from the action.
Mr Rhodes: LISMORE, NSW 2480!!!! Lismore is great. We are 20 minutes away from the ocean, a super creative community and an incredibly underrated music scene. We get overlooked a lot. I love it
Happy: You’re both performing with a live band. Can you describe the energy you’re aiming to create that might differ from a standard DJ-and-MC setup?
Rapaport: I have a 3 piece band for most of the tour so Josh Ahearn on drums, Matt Lamb on Bass and Dan Pliner on keys and I play guitar in about half the songs.
I love playing with a band as it means the show can have a more jazz/soul vibe , and there is flexibility with the arrangement so every night it’s a bit different.
It’s been amazing to do a tour with the band as the show just keeps developing every night rather than only playing together once every 2 months where it’s always a bit one step forward two steps back.
Mr Rhodes: For me it’s a trio set-up Myself upfront, DJ Mud Rocking the scratches and beats and Art Pleasley on Keys and BV’s. I get to have 2 of my best mates on stage with me every night.
I think our show is really unlike anyone else, we want to take you on a sonic journey across genres and worlds.
Happy: With such a wide range of locations, from Port Kembla to Perth, what are you most looking forward to about bringing this show to different communities?
Rapaport: We were trying to reach places where we had contacts with venues or local bands. I went to Perth a number of times when Big Village was happening and we had some good crowds there so I’ve been itching to go back for a while.
Mr Rhodes: As a regional boy I love playing regional shows, but its getting back to places we haven’t been to in a while or before that makes it exciting and seeing how different places react to what we do!
Happy: Rapaport, your album Rap Major was crafted entirely on the MPC4000. How did that specific piece of analogue gear shape the sound and feel of Rap Major?
Rapaport: Yeah P.Major does pretty much all the production in the box which is a bit unusual these days.
I think it forces Peter (P.Major) to be more musical and judicial about decisions, you can’t just undo a step like on a computer, and I think it encourages a more minimal approach processing the samples.
Happy: Themes of grief and friendship are central to Rap Major. Did approaching these topics with a long-time collaborator like P.Major change how you wrote about them?
Rapaport: Yeah it is great to work with someone you have a long history with.
Peter is not someone I have deep conversations with about life but I guess we share a lot through the music and he is very open in telling me if he thinks lyrics are working or not, and I have a huge amount of respect for him and his taste so I always take his advice.
Happy: Mr. Rhodes, as a Bundjalung artist and a recent participant in the Space to Create First Nations Residency, how does your connection to Country weave into the music of Rhode House?
Mr Rhodes: Rhodes House to me is hip hop in its purest form, a throwback to the golden age with a sprinkle of modernity. The connection to country is throughout the entire project.
A lot of it was started on Bundjalung land, and we both grew up here so It’s a part of both our journeys and what we do.
Happy: The EP features ‘Lights’ with Elliot Hammond. What did his contribution bring to the project’s sonic palette?
Mr Rhodes: Elliot is such a freaking Rockstar, he has swagger about him that nobody else does. You can hear it in everything he touches. He was the first person I thought of when I heard the beat initially.
Happy: Beyond the music, what’s the one feeling or idea you both hope audiences take away from this co-headline experience?
Rapaport: I think connection, hopefully they can connect with the stories and the music and have heard something new.
Mr Rhodes: I want people to leave feeling like they have seen something special, not necessarily an idea but a moment they will remember forever, an unforgettable experience that’s what I strive for every time I step on stage.
Happy: Lastly, what makes you both happy? :-)
Rapaport: Very happy playing guitar and running while listening to music, lately lots of R.A.P Ferreira and Miniskirt.
Mr Rhodes: Seeing my friends thrive 🥰 , also food!
