Dobby (musician) facts for kids

Rhyan Clapham, known by his stage name Dobby (or DOBBY), is a talented musician from Australia with Filipino and Aboriginal heritage. He calls himself a "drapper," which means he's both a rapper and a drummer. Dobby also plays other instruments and writes music. He shares his knowledge by leading workshops and giving talks, like at Vivid Sydney in Sydney and the Jaipur Literature Festival in Adelaide. He is famous for his 2024 album Warrangu: River Story, which even won an ARIA Music Award.

Early Life and Learning

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

Dobby started learning classical piano when he was seven years old. He reached a high level in piano and music theory. Later, in high school, he began studying jazz drumming at age 14. He listened to many different rappers, from popular artists like Outkast and Eminem to more thoughtful musicians like Lauryn Hill and Common. He got the nickname Dobby in primary school.

He went on to study music at UNSW, focusing on percussion and piano. In 2015, he completed an advanced degree in Indigenous Studies, also at UNSW. For this, he studied Aboriginal hip hop music.

Musical Journey

Dobby describes himself as a "drapper," combining his skills as a rapper and a drummer. He also plays the piano.

In 2017, Dobby received the Peter Sculthorpe Fellowship, a special award for new composers and performers. He used the award to improve his music and to work on stories about the Brewarrina Ngunnhu, which are ancient fish traps important to the Ngemba people.

In 2018, he released his first music collection, an EP called Dobby. That same year, he performed in Adelaide at the OzAsia Festival.

In April 2019, Dobby performed at the Boomerang Festival, which is part of Bluesfest in Byron Bay. This festival celebrates Indigenous performance, art, and culture. He also performed at OzAsia again in October 2019. In 2019, he released a cover version of "We Have Survived" by the Aboriginal band No Fixed Address.

His 2020 song "I Can't Breathe," featuring BARKAA, became a powerful song for the Black Lives Matter movement in Australia. This song talks about important issues for Indigenous Australians, like the forced removal of children from their families in the past, and the high number of Indigenous people in prison and deaths in custody. "I Can't Breathe" won an award for Best Video at the FBi SMAC Awards in 2020. Dobby and BARKAA performed together at the Sydney New Year's Eve celebrations in 2021/22.

In June 2022, Dobby presented Warrangu: River Story at the Art Gallery of New South Wales as part of Vivid Sydney. This project is a video series with eight songs that tell a story about how land and rivers around Brewarrina have been used and misused.

In November 2022, he worked with other First Nations artists like Emma Donovan and Emily Wurramara to create a song called "Forever 15." This song was a tribute to Cassius Turvey, a 15-year-old Noongar-Yamatji boy who sadly passed away. The song was played at Cassius's funeral and released a few days later.

In May 2023, Dobby released "Walk Away." This song talks about how Australia's Indigenous history and the effects of colonialism are often ignored.

In December 2023, Dobby released "Dirrpi Yuin Patjulinya," the first song from his album Warrangu: River Story. "Ancestor" followed in January 2024. The full album, Warrangu: River Story, was released on June 14, 2024. At the 2024 ARIA Music Awards, the album won the award for Best World Music Album.

In 2024, Dobby was the narrator for Baleen Moondjan, a special performance at the Adelaide Festival. This show, created by Stephen Page, combined modern dance, storytelling, and songs in English, Jandai, and Gumbaynggirr/Yaegl languages.

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

Jackie Brown Jr

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

• Madeleine Mallis – lead singer and saxophonist
• Rhyan Clapham (DOBBY) – drummer and MC
• 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 is a way to 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 all night. 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 mob (Indigenous people) especially, we use it to make us stronger and to speak the truth about unfairness.

Music Releases

Albums

Extended Plays

Singles

Other Songs Featured On

Awards and Nominations

Dobby has been recognized with several awards for his music.

AIR Awards

The Australian Independent Record Awards (AIR Awards) celebrate the success of independent music artists in Australia.

ARIA Music Awards

The ARIA Music Awards are Australia's biggest music awards, recognizing excellent music across all styles.

Australian Music Prize

The Australian Music Prize (the AMP) gives a large award to an Australian artist for a great album released that year.

J Awards

The J Awards are annual Australian music awards created by the radio station Triple J.

National Indigenous Music Awards

The National Indigenous Music Awards celebrate the achievements of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander musicians in Australia.

National Live Music Awards

The National Live Music Awards (NLMAs) recognize people who contribute to live music in Australia.