Dobby (musician) facts for kids

Rhyan Clapham, known as Dobby (or DOBBY), is a talented musician from Australia. He has both Filipino and Aboriginal heritage. Dobby calls himself a "drapper," which means he is both a rapper and a drummer. He also plays other instruments and writes music.

Dobby also helps lead workshops and gives talks. In 2018, he spoke at Vivid Ideas in Sydney. In 2019, he spoke at the JLF Adelaide festival. He is well-known for his project Warrangu: River Story, which won an ARIA Music Award.

Early Life and Learning

Rhyan Clapham was born in Wollongong, Australia. His mother came from the Philippines in 1985. His father is from Brewarrina, New South Wales. Dobby's grandmother on his father's side was a Muruwari woman from the Ngemba country near Brewarrina. He is part of the Murrawarri Republic in Brewarrina.

Dobby started learning classical piano when he was seven. He studied jazz drumming in high school from age 14. He listened to famous rappers like Lauryn Hill and Common. He got the nickname Dobby in primary school.

He went to UNSW and earned a degree in music. He focused on percussion and piano. Later, he also studied Indigenous Australian topics. He looked at how Aboriginal hip hop music is used.

Musical Journey

Dobby describes himself as a "drapper." This word combines "rapper" and "drummer." He also plays the piano.

In 2017, Dobby received the Peter Sculthorpe Fellowship. This award helps new composers and performers. He used the award to improve his music. He especially worked on stories about the Brewarrina Ngunnhu. These are ancient fish traps important to the Ngemba people.

In 2018, Dobby released his first music collection, called an EP. It was named Dobby. He performed at the OzAsia Festival in Adelaide that year.

In 2019, Dobby performed at the Boomerang Festival. This festival is part of Bluesfest. It celebrates Indigenous Australian performance, art, and culture. He also released a cover version of "We Have Survived." This song was originally by the Aboriginal band No Fixed Address.

His 2020 song "I Can't Breathe" featured BARKAA. It became an important song for the Black Lives Matter movement in Australia. The song talks about important issues for Indigenous Australians. These include past events where children were taken from their families. It also mentions the high number of Indigenous Australians in jail. "I Can't Breathe" won an award for Best Video in 2020. Dobby and BARKAA performed it at the Sydney New Year's Eve celebrations in 2021/22.

In June 2022, Dobby presented Warrangu: River Story. This was at the Art Gallery of New South Wales. It was part of Vivid Sydney. This project is a video with eight songs. It tells a story about how land and rivers are used around Brewarrina.

In November 2022, Dobby worked with other First Nations artists. They created a song called "Forever 15." It was made to remember Cassius Turvey. He was a young boy who passed away at 15. The song was played at his funeral.

In May 2023, Dobby released "Walk Away." This song talks about how Australia's Indigenous history is sometimes ignored.

In December 2023, Dobby released "Dirrpi Yuin Patjulinya." This was the first song from his album Warrangu: River Story. The album came out on June 14, 2024. It won the ARIA Award for Best World Music Album at the 2024 ARIA Music Awards.

In 2024, Dobby was the narrator for Baleen Moondjan. This was a special performance at the Adelaide Festival. It combined dance, storytelling, and songs in different languages.

In January 2025, Christine Anu released a song called "Piki Lullaby" that Dobby produced.

Jackie Brown Jr

Dobby also raps with a band called Jackie Brown Jr. This indie rock and soul band has five members. They met while studying music in 2013. In October 2018, they released their first EP, Over-Abroad. They then toured around Australia. The band members are:

• Madeleine Mallis – lead singer and saxophonist
• Rhyan Clapham (DOBBY) – drummer and MC (rapper)
• Michael J Brady – guitarist and keyboard player
• Gideon Traurig – bass player
• Hilary Geddes – guitar

Music Style and Messages

Dobby believes that hip hop music is a great way to teach and share stories. He says:

Hip hop helps you tell your story and express yourself. No one can take that story away from you, especially when you shout those words over a beat that makes people dance. Your whole story in a few lines, it reaches their ears...
In Australia, we use hip hop to teach, express, and bring people together. For our people, we also use it to make us stronger and to speak the truth about unfairness.

Music Releases

Albums

• Warrangu: River Story (Released: June 14, 2024)

Extended Plays (EPs)

• Dobby (Released: September 4, 2018)

Singles (Selected)

• "I Can't Breathe" (with Barkaa) (2020)
• "Walk Away" (featuring The Merindas) (2022)
• "Dirrpi Yuin Patjulinya" (2023)
• "Ancestor" (2024)

Awards and Nominations

ARIA Music Awards

The ARIA Music Awards are big awards in Australia for music.

National Indigenous Music Awards

The National Indigenous Music Awards celebrate the best Indigenous Australian musicians.