EXCLUSIVE: Watch Part One Of L-FRESH The LION's 'Becoming One' Series

Ahead of L-FRESH The LION's new record, Become, launching on 13 May, the emcee took part in our exclusive Becoming One series to offer a bit of insight into the uncharted territory he had to traipse, to navigate, to learn, about his cultural identity in Australia. 

Look out for Part Two and Part Three, coming very soon on theMusic.com.au.

“Never forget where you come from. Your history is something you can’t run from,” — lyrics from song titled Never Alone by L-FRESH The LION from his newest album, BECOME.

I was born and raised in South West Sydney.

As soon as I was introduced to the world, I immediately inherited a number of different cultures: Australian and Western culture, and Indian, Punjabi and Sikh cultures.

I grew up trying to navigate between those distinct worlds. There were moments where I would discover them intertwining and working in harmony with each other. And there were times where I’d find them at war with one another.

As a teenager, I adopted hip hop culture and added that to the mix. Hip hop became the mediator. It was through hip hop that I was able to strike a balance and make sense of it all. It was then that I was able to articulate a vision: The LION.

My debut album, One, which was released in 2014, was my first public expression of that vision. It is very positive and optimistic, which is my natural state. I was gifted that mind state by my parents, who endured hardships of which I can only imagine during their migration and settlement in Australia from the late 1980s onwards, and by my ancestors, whose stories of courage, resilience, sacrifice, survival and triumph continue to inspire me.

My newest album, BECOME, goes into how a vision like that can be established. It does so, not from a point of view of flowing towards that vision harmoniously, instead it goes much deeper into what I’m about, where I come from and how I got to be the person I am today.

We come to truly appreciate the positive when we’ve experienced and endured the negative.

Check out Part 1 of the ‘Becoming One’ video series on our website, where L-FRESH The LION introduces us to his newest album, BECOME. You can pre-order BECOME at www.L-FRESH.com.