This Gumbaynggirr music dynasty is taking over the Opera House

Wire MC, Tasman Keith and Kapital J, each renowned artists in their own right, are joining forces as a father and sons trio for a showcase of storytelling across generations

A young Tasman Keith and Kapital J alongside their father, Wire MC in 2000 Credit: Michael Hutchings

Our homegrown music scene is no stranger to dynasties: names like 'Knox' and 'Cassar-Daley' have been made famous by more than one talented artist.

Now the cultural impact of those families is being celebrated.

The Sydney Opera House's 'Generations and Dynasties' has pulled together a formidable series of shows, showcasing the past, present and future of Australian music being led by mob.

Generation and Dynasties series is being held at the Sydney Opera House over May Credit: Sydney Opera House

One of those shows features the Jarrett Family, a collaboration of Wire MC (Will Jarrett) father of Tasman Keith (Jarrett) and Kapital J (Sam Jarrett) who grew up on the Bowraville Mission and in Sydney, and are synonymous with hip-hop in Australia.

Tasman says that coming on to do the shows were an obvious move, and described it as a full circle moment on the anniversary of his 2018 debut album 'Mission Famous'.

"Being able to do this with Dad and Sam, it's been a while since we've been on stage together," he said.

"A lot of the stories that play into the music that I make, and what these fullas make, has never really been told on that type of stage."

Story-telling across generations

Tasman Keith forms part of the Jarrett family music dynasty. Credit: Provided

The programming is one of story-telling across generations.

Along with the Jarretts, it features the Kuku Yalanji sisters, the Briscoe Family, and fellow Gumbaynggirr and Bundjalung father and daughter Troy Cassar-Daley and Jem Cassar-Daly.

Wire MC says that story-telling within families is important as mob, but it's not the full picture.

"It's something that's innate. It's something that we're born with. It's something that we've done for a long time and it's something that we will continue to do is be story-tellers."

Will Jarrett, aka Wire MC, pictured in the early 2000s, the patriarch of the Jarrett musical family. Credit: Michael Hutchings

The influence of our story-telling is something Tasman feels and understands intimately.

"I'm very aware of it, bringing in a listener outside of our people to understand our story because I think that's where change truly happens - when we can find a reference point for people to be able to also feel like they are a part of this," he said.

"Music is a universal thing, and I've always wanted my music to be seen in that universal light."

Wire MC added that he sees himself and his music as sharing a reality and experience, a reality influenced by the stories passed down to him.

"They're all contemporary experiences of a human man who just happened to be Blak in a small country town.

"From my uncles and aunts, that are still relevant and still being played out today," says Wire MC.

Blak artists on the rise and the blak genre 'box'

Blak artists have firmly established themselves as a driving force of our cultural fabric, particularly when compared with the time when Wire MC was active.

But Tasman Keith, along with some of his peers like Kobie Dee, have described an experience of being known just as a Blak artist and feeling constricted into a box.

"I feel like ultimately, we can't control how people perceive us," he said.

"But I think what I had to do is kind of let the music do that job of not boxing me in because I think that's probably the most powerful way to do it."

Kapital J says he just wants to do art because he loves creating.

"To be boxed in as an Aboriginal artist for me it's not really about that, I'd rather just make music to make music and not be boxed as someone else."

Kapital J (Sam Jarrett) Credit: Provided

Wire MC has a unique perspective, having been an Blak artist in Australia for some time.

"I understand the Western world likes to categorise things and then put it in a box and that's all fine and dandy if you're going shopping," he said.

"When I was first penning raps, yeah sure, I was writing from the perspective of a small town Black man and sharing my experience with other Black people, but I'm just trying represent reality as I know it as a human."

The Jarrett Family will share the stage and their stories at the Sydney Opera House as part of the Generations and Dynasties series on April 24th.

Tasman Keith will also be performing with father and son duo, Flewnt and Inkabee at Vivid LIVE on June 1^.