Manu Crooks redefined Australian hip-hop with his unique fusion of Atlanta trap and Australian rap. The MC/producer was born Emmanuel Adu in Ghana in 1993 and relocated to Australia at age 12 with his family. As a youth, Crooks began making beats inspired by the likes of J. Cole, Pharrell and Kanye West, before breaking through with 2016’s trap-tinged hit “Assumption.” His raw lyricism and addictive melodies made him the go-to opener for international artists such as Stormzy, Tory Lanez, and YG when they toured Australia. (He also received co-signs from A$AP Ferg and Apple Music’s own Zane Lowe.) With his 2017 debut EP, Mood Forever, Crooks solidified his position as a leader of his country’s flourishing rap scene.