Taking a fierce step forward into a new chapter, Meanjin-based hip hop artist Denzel Kennedy offers up a selection of revealing and ambitious new material in new album, The Lucky Ones.

An album that is at home blending different sonic influences, as it is confident in stripping things back to let intimate and honest storytelling take the spotlight, The Lucky Ones presents Kennedy at a new, fulfilled peak.

The Lucky Ones is an album that refuses to be pinned down with any one perception of Australian hip hop levelled at it. The music and arrangements; from the classic beats driving album opener ‘The Lucky Ones’ and ‘Under The Same Sky’, through to the jazzy, soulful rhythms of ‘Innalude’ and ‘Calculated’, point towards Kennedy’s diverse music tastes. 

Flecks of inspiration, from artists like Kendrick Lamar, J.Cole and even Malibu-era Anderson .Paak, can be found threaded through this album – further positioning Denzel Kennedy as one of the East Coast’s most exciting talents. 

The Lucky Ones saw Kennedy work with engineer Mitaru McGaughey out of his Brisbane studio; sessions that had the songwriter and rapper reflect on his experience growing up and navigating his life in Australia as an Indigenous Australian.

The result here is music that confidently moves between moments of heartache and emotional depth; witty humour woven through bars and ultimately, a brand of honesty that makes The Lucky Ones such an engaging listen. 

“Tonally, this is the first time I’ve sat down and thought, “What do I want to write about?”, before starting these tracks. Generally, I’ve made music that I like sonically and haven’t given much thought into what I want the audience to hear or feel after listening. The album is the culmination of my three years in the music industry and the first time I feel like I’ve really been myself in my music. There’s a purpose to every line and every song, some more explicit than others, but at the end of the day, this is exactly what I wanted people to know about me and who I am.”
DENZEL KENNEDY

The portrait The Lucky Ones paints is one of Kennedy still working out what is on the horizon in terms of his career, and his life moving forward as an artist. In reflecting on how life’s experiences have formed his current outlook on life, Kennedy has matured and developed a unique perspective, which ultimately feeds back into the genesis of the album title.

“The album is a thinking-out-loud reflection on what it means to grow up as Indigenous Australian. My perspective is as unique as the next, and the title ‘The Lucky Ones’ stems from the belief that my upbringing was that of great privilege compared to the upbringing many Indigenous Australians face and are still facing in 2025.” DENZEL KENNEDY

Recent years have seen Denzel Kennedy’s music and performance presence attract national attention and momentum.

Earning fans and support right around the country from fans and tastemakers within the music industry, as well as from triple j and Triple J Unearthed, Kennedy has made his presence known in a significant way. 

Kennedy’s music to date has earned over 100,000 streams across DSPs, playlist support from Spotify (Beats ‘n’ Bars, R&B Feels, The Drip, Deadly Beats, Blak Australia), Apple Music (New Music Daily, FIRST, Blacklist) and Amazon Music (Blak Loud). On TikTok, Kennedy has also maintained a strong presence, his music used over 2 million times on the platform.

As a live performer, he has supported the likes of Horrorshow, Kobie Dee, Tasman Keith, JK-47 and more, with audiences being drawn to Kennedy’s natural confidence on stage – a style reminiscent of artists such as Joey Bada$$ and J. Cole. 

Denzel will be bringing ‘The Lucky Ones’ to the stage in September this year, with an upcoming appearance at BIGSOUND. Denzel will be performing alongside a full band for the first time in his career, showcasing his new music as well as some catalogue favourites – and will even have some exclusive merch for those who attend his showcase.