ABOUT

As hip-hop marked its 50th anniversary in 2023, L-FRESH The LION took the stage at The Aussie BBQ during Summerstage Festival in New York’s Central Park, representing a thriving Australian scene. For the MC, it was a full-circle moment—hip-hop had shaped his identity, empowering him to embrace his heritage in a world that often dismissed it.

Born Sukhdeep Singh to Punjabi immigrant parents in South-West Sydney, L-FRESH grew up trying to find his place as a third culture kid, caught between two worlds. Inspired by Public Enemy, KRS-One, and 2Pac, he found solace and purpose in hip-hop, using it as a vehicle to share stories of resilience, justice, and self-determination. His music blends personal narratives with the Sikh values his parents taught him of equality and purpose, carving out a space for diasporic identity within the global hip-hop movement.

His rise has been marked by milestones: an ARIA nomination, a YouTube Creators For Change ambassadorship that took him to the United Nations to speak and perform, and collaborations with industry heavyweights like Mike Elizondo (Eminem, 50 Cent). After debuting with One in 2014, featuring rap legend KRS-One, he signed with Elefant Traks, dropping Become (2016) and SOUTH WEST (2020), a heartfelt tribute to his roots. His international reach has grown, from UK stages to India's hit music television show MTV Hustle, and a post-SummerStage tour across Canada.

Grounded with a strong purpose, his music has been sought after by many. L-FRESH is the author and performer of WE THE KINGS, the official theme song for the Sydney Kings of the National Basketball League (NBL). He was selected as the Australian national support act for Nas’ first headline tour of the country and has shared stages with Sir Elton John, Talib Kweli, Dead Prez, DJ Jazzy Jeff and Rag ‘n’ Bone Man.

L-FRESH’s music transcends entertainment—it’s a call for self-determination, visibility and recognition. As a South Asian artist, he challenges tokenism and systemic exclusion, highlighting the resilience and aspirations of his community.

Co-Founder & Artistic Director, conscious

Conscious is a program by Campbelltown Arts Centre that supports the vibrant hip-hop community of Western Sydney. Facilitated by hip-hop artist and South-West Sydney local L-FRESH The LION and his team at Village Boy Entertainment, Conscious develops socially minded hip-hop artists, connects them with their communities and puts Western Sydney voices and stories centre stage locally and beyond.

Conscious provides professional development and mentorship support, commissions new tracks and music videos, and provides opportunities for artists to perform, talk about their practice, connect with their local community and build valuable industry relationships.

Its vision is to keep building the Conscious family of artists and creatives with its collaborators in the local region and beyond to share resources, exchange knowledge and support local artists to realise their goals and potential.

With four cohorts now alumni, Conscious has expanded to include a practical skills development day called Conscious Connects, an academy for school-aged young people called Conscious NXT and a residency-mentorship program for First Nations artists (currently) titled Conscious FIRST.

Conscious was co-founded by L-FRESH The LION alongside the team at Campbelltown Arts Centre as a way to build much needed music industry infrastructure for artists in Western Sydney.