Cairns rapper Vexed – aka Kirk Thomas – has been nominated for a Queensland Music Award for the first time. VEXED is one of Australia’s most promising emerging emcees. Based in the tropical far north of Cairns, his perspective is a unique addition to the country’s already highly diverse hip hop community — distilling a raw honesty on his most recent EP A Fact of Life that few dare to tap into.

Vexed is one of four finalists for Hip Hop-Rap Artist of the Year for his single ‘Superficial’. The track is a fist-pumping party anthem that matches lyrical barbs with equally sharp musical hooks. Different without sounding out of place, Superficial shows off VEXED’s ability to avoid repetition, keep his ideas fresh, and write a bangin’ tune.

The winner will be announced at the Queensland Music Awards ceremony at the Royal International Convention Centre in Brisbane on Monday May 14. In the past six months Vexed has released his acclaimed EP A Fact of Life and performed with Aussie hip hop heavyweights 360 and Thundamentals.