From the ochre-red dust of Australia’s far-northwest, the hip-hop crew DEM MOB deliver their latest track, ‘Suit Vibes’. Written by DEM MOB, produced by PAYDAY, and mixed and mastered by Grammy-nominated engineer Bruce Bang (Miguel, USHER), the single marks a new chapter for the group, expanding their sound, reach, and message. LISTEN HERE.

In ‘Suit Vibes’, the arrival of Bala Muugzy from the Torres Strait Islands expands the group’s sonic palette and reinforces their unapologetic assertion of Indigenous and remote presence. The “suit” in the title gestures wryly towards formality, but what follows moves with an energy that’s alive, urgent, and grounded in land, language, and legacy.

‘Suit Vibes’ brings Bala Muugzy’s powerful island war cry into collision with DEM MOB’s Central Desert flow. The result is a fierce celebration of culture and brotherhood, powered by what the group calls OGV or “Only Good Vibrations”. It’s a declaration of strength and unity through rhythm, language, and spirit, a sound that uplifts but also challenges. As the group puts it, “if you’re not bringing the energy, beware the war cry.”

Formed in the remote APY Lands of South Australia, DEM MOB are the first hip-hop group to rap in Pitjantjatjara. More than performers, they are educators and community changers, using hip-hop not just to entertain, but to empower young First Nations people, rewrite narratives, and reshape what equity looks like in remote Australia. Their work challenges the systems that marginalise First Nations youth and reimagines education as a tool of empowerment, not assimilation. Their activism has directly influenced education policy, reshaped pathways for young people in remote Australia, and sparked an international conversation about what real equity looks like, speaking at conferences on using hip hop as an education vehicle across 3 different continents.

Last month, the group’s work assisted in the opening of the new Fregon Anangu School, in the remote far north of South Australia on the Anangu Lands. Collaborating with ARIA Award-winning rapper BARKAA, DEM MOB delivered songwriting, performance, and stage craft workshops that empowered students to create and perform their own original works at the opening concert. DEM MOB also co-produced the event, alongside industry partners, to provide staging, lighting, and livestreaming of the event. As TAFE-engaged educators, they also helped co-design and deliver Certificate II music courses teaching in Pitjantjatjara language and equipping students with accredited skills in music and event production across the APY Lands.

Their rise has been rapid and international. From their breakout single ‘Still No Justice’, which confronted deaths-in-custody, racism, and youth hope in Central Australia, to appearances at WOMADelaide, Primavera Sound (Barcelona), and SXSW Sydney, DEM MOB have brought remote voices to global stages. They’ve performed at the Lincoln Center in New York, the Toronto International First Nations Music Summit, and have supported national acts like Seth Sentry and Regurgitator, all while staying grounded in community. Recognised with 10 South Australian Music Awards in just three years – including Best Hip Hop Act, Best Aboriginal/Torres Strait Islander Artist, Best Music Educators (twice), and Best Regional Artist three years running, alongside the APRA Emily Burrows Award and the Helpmann Academy’s Elise Ross Prize – DEM MOB are rewriting the story of what hip hop, education, and First Nations power can look like when driven from the most remote corners of the country.