NOMISe
When community television station, Channel 31’s licence ceased at midnight at the end of last month, many independent programs went off-air for ever. One of these programs was NOMISe’s, late night hip hop show, NOMISe TV. NOMISe is a young and emerging rapper. He identifies as Palestinian, was born in Lebanon and raised in the ‘United States of Australia’ in Bankstown, Western Sydney. Nomise launched his career through a live theatre show with Urban Theatre Projects in Bankstown, which gave him the confidence to begin his own Channel 31 TV show. As the first hip hop TV show aired in Australia, it was also a bit of a breakthrough for the rapper who says that being of ‘middle-eastern’ appearance doesn’t make it easy to have a career in TV. Elissar Mukhtar spoke to NOMISe about his music, politics and hopes for young and emerging hip hop artists in the South Western Sydney area.