KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 24 — More than two decades after emerging from Kajang’s hip-hop scene, K-Town Clan have taken their music to a new corner of the world.
The Malaysian hip-hop trio made their Australian debut in Melbourne on August 8, playing to a near-capacity crowd at Fringe Common Rooms in a show that brought together longtime Malaysian fans and new listeners.
For Roshan Jamrock, Ganesh and Vidya, the Melbourne show added another country to a 21-year journey that has already taken their music to South Korea, India, Thailand, the Philippines and the United Kingdom.
“Australia has been on our radar for a long time,” Roshan said.
“There were enquiries over the years, but nothing materialised until now. To finally perform here and see the venue packed was a surreal feeling.
“Our music has taken us to South Korea, India, Thailand, the Philippines and the United Kingdom, and now we get to add Australia to that list. Melbourne welcomed us with open arms.”
Presented by Kuala Lumpur-based promoter All Access Asia, K-Town Clan Live in Melbourne drew Malaysians as well as Australians and music fans from South-east Asian, South Asian and Middle Eastern communities.
For the trio, however, it was the strong Malaysian presence thousands of kilometres from home that made an impression.
“Even though we were in another country, we felt completely at home,” Roshan said.
“Malaysians showed up and brought their friends, partners and colleagues from different backgrounds.
“Some people came without knowing who we were and left saying they had become fans. That’s incredibly meaningful because it shows Malaysian music can connect with anyone, anywhere.”
The one-hour set travelled through the group’s catalogue, with longtime favourites Come Get Some, KawKaw and Give Em The Ughh! appearing alongside newer tracks including Issa Vibe, Makeya Badego and Chak Chun Chak.
There was no opening act.
Instead, K-Town Clan turned the music before their performance into a tribute to home, curating a playlist spanning generations of Malaysian acts including the late Tan Sri P. Ramlee, KRU, V.E., Poetic Ammo, Too Phat, Zainal Abidin and Ella.
The trio also used their Melbourne debut to revisit their own beginnings.
A segment produced especially for the show retraced how the three came together before competing in — and eventually winning — Astro’s nationwide talent competition Blast Off, which helped propel them into Malaysia’s hip-hop scene.
Personal anecdotes and archival audio from their early years took the audience through the group’s history before the focus returned to the music.
One of the night’s biggest reactions came with the opening beats of Give Em The Ughh!, prompting cheers and a singalong from longtime fans.
For Ganesh, those reactions demonstrated how music can maintain a connection to home for Malaysians living abroad.
“Seeing Malaysians in the crowd, so far away from home, created an instant connection,” he said.
“When they reacted to the songs, the references and the memories tied to Malaysia, it genuinely felt like we had brought a piece of home to Melbourne.
“At the same time, seeing people from different nationalities enjoying the music together reminded us that music can transcend borders and cultures.”
Vidya described the atmosphere as feeling less like the group’s first show in a new country and more like a homecoming.
“The warmth was incredible. The Malaysians in attendance experienced a slice of home, while local audiences discovered something entirely new.
“Both connected with the music in different ways, and that made the experience special for us.”
Getting three members of a group to remain together for 21 years is one thing. K-Town Clan have done so while building lives and careers away from the stage.
Vidya runs several food and beverage businesses, while Ganesh works in IT.
Roshan, meanwhile, has built a career spanning music and commercial production, including work on international advertising campaigns as well as writing and performing for films Kabali and Kaala, both starring Indian superstar Rajinikanth.
Through it all, the trio have continued to record and perform independently.
The Melbourne show was organised by All Access Asia, which previously brought Malaysian rapper Yogi B and Indian artist Paal Dabba to Sydney and Melbourne for its Mathra In Your Hood Australian tour in 2024.
All Access Asia founder Shaktyvel Neelamekan said the way Malaysians in Melbourne brought people from outside their own community to the concert was particularly encouraging.
“What stood out most was the way Malaysians in Melbourne embraced the event. They didn’t just attend; they brought their friends and communities with them,” he said.
“These shows create a sense of belonging and connection for Malaysians living abroad, while also introducing international audiences to the richness of Malaysian music and culture.”
Shaktyvel said several attendees from Australia, India and Sri Lanka approached the artists after the concert to say they had discovered K-Town Clan for the first time that evening.
“Moments like that are incredibly fulfilling because they show Malaysian music has the ability to travel,” he said.
Ahead of the concert, K-Town Clan and All Access Asia representatives also paid a courtesy visit to the Consulate General of Malaysia in Melbourne, where they met Consul General Nik Muhammad Nasyron Syah Nik Daud and his team.
The meeting touched on international touring, support for Malaysia’s creative industries, visa processes for performing artists and opportunities for future cultural exchanges between Malaysia and Australia.
“Meeting the Consulate General was a proud moment because we were representing not only ourselves, but also Malaysian music and culture,” Ganesh said.
The concert also received support through Dana Kandungan Kreatif (DKK2025), administered by MyCreative Ventures Sdn Bhd under the Communications Ministry.
For K-Town Clan, Melbourne is another pin on an international map that has steadily expanded since three men from Kajang began making music together more than two decades ago.
Twenty-one years later, they are still doing it together — and taking a little bit of Malaysia with them.
