Hip-hop royalty in town for street unveiling
A trio of Adelaide hip-hop legends drew family and fans to the CBD for the unveiling of a tribute in their honour. See the new artwork.
Adelaide pioneers Hilltop Hoods have celebrated the official opening of Hilltop Hoods Lane off Hindley Street, joining five other iconic South Australian musicians.
Formerly Clubhouse Lane, Hilltop Hoods Lane pays tribute to the trio with two large-scale murals created by Adelaide artist Vans the Omega, and custom commemorative plaques to honour the group.
The trio was joined by hundreds of family members, friends and fans at their new laneway on Thursday afternoon.
MC Pressure says the honour was “incredibly humbling”.
“We grew up in this area, paying our dues and cutting our teeth on Hindley Street in so many bars back in the day,” he says.
“Teenage me would have never dreamed that we’d have a street named after us.”
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Among the group’s favourite memories performing live in Adelaide is their first ever single launch at Lion Arts Factory and the launch of the hit album The Calling in 2003.
“That was the album that kind of took us from performing in front of a few hundred to a few thousand,” Pressure says.
“The launch at Planet Nightclub, that no longer exists anymore, was a big moment or turning point.
“That was the year we all quit our day jobs as well, so they kind of went hand in hand.”
Hilltop Hoods join fellow SA music pioneers with tributes on the City of Music Laneway, including international superstars Sia Furler, Cold Chisel, No Fixed Address, Paul Kelly and The Angels.
The group has become the pioneers of Australian hip-hop during the past three decades, helping give the underground genre mainstream recognition.
When asked if there were concerns the sign would be stolen, Pressure says he would be “very disappointed in the up-and-coming rap generation if they don’t steal that sign”.
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From humble beginnings in Blackwood in 1994, the group found mainstream success following the release of their third album The Calling in 2003.
The album’s lead single ‘The Nosebleed Section’ has since become a classic of Australian hip-hop and was recently voted as the second greatest Australian song of all time in a 2025 Triple J Hottest 100 countdown.
Other notable hits include ‘Chase That Feeling’, ‘Leave Me Lonely’, ‘Cosby Sweater’ and ‘I Love It’ featuring fellow Adelaide local Sia.
The group is one of the most prolific at the ARIA Music Awards, having sold more than one million albums, amassed 1.9 billion streams and achieved seven ARIA number one albums.
Outside of Australia, the group has played the world’s biggest festivals including Glastonbury in 2008 and Reading and Leeds Festival in 2018, and has since maintained a strong international fanbase.
Hilltop Hoods member Suffa says the street-naming gesture “just connects us even further to the place that we call home” and the group would always “love Adelaide”.
Arts Minister Kyam Maher says the Hilltop Hoods are “an iconic part” of Adelaide’s “incredible legacy”.
“I have been a massive Hilltop Hoods fan since their early breakout days on Triple J,” Maher says.
“I’ve been lucky enough to attend many of their concerts over the years from huge venues like the Adelaide Entertainment Centre, to more intimate shows like concerts set amongst our magnificent vineyards.
“To see them recognised in this way only builds on the amazing impact they have had on the music industry right here and across Australia.”
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