Domestic violence survivor Rap Angel sends message of hope

Victorian rapper Rap Angel has sent a message of hope to those suffering from domestic violence with her song ‘Walk Away’.

As the title spells out, the message is not to put up with abuse – and is bookended with another of her songs, ‘Sistas Stay Strong’ where she emphasises the importance of women supporting one another. 

Rap Angel (born Carol George) knows about domestic violence.

She survived a three-year abusive relationship and been involved in research on the subject.

“The problem with domestic violence is that you’re not taught at school how to deal with it," she explains. 

“Because you go into a relationship thinking it's going to make you happy.

“Initially, you think that you are the one causing the problem because you are being manipulated into thinking that.

“I want to make sure that others don’t go through what I went through.”

Rap Angel remembers how she burst into tears when she completed ‘Walk Away’.

“It was such a release for me, and I guess it helped me move forward.

“People get emotional about that song. I remember playing at the Dame Phyllis Frost Centre [a women’s prison] and all these tough women came up to me in tears about how overwhelming the song’s message was.”

Rap Angel is from the Bidwell people of Gippsland, and says that her love for hip hop and her Indigenous roots are very strong in her quest to change attitudes.

As a teenager, she was inspired by Melbourne's Indigenous rap scene, which included the Yung Warriors, her cousin Meriki Hood and acts on the Payback label, which was set up by AFL footballer Nathan Lovett-Murray and signed up acts as Koori Boy, Alter Egoz and DJ Deadly.

They created music supporting their Aboriginal culture, speaking up about their challenges and strengths, and sending the right vibrations to their communities.

It stemmed from their belief that music can break cycles.

With a compensation pay-out received last year, Rap Angel turned her spare room in her home in Bairnsdale into a studio.

It’s where she has created songs as ‘Fresh On The Scene’ and ‘Nurture The Youth’, released through her RAP AN GEL label.

She encourages local rappers to come in and put down their thoughts as well.

In Rap Angel’s case, her songs are inspired by her ancestors who visit her in her dreams and encourage her to continue helping her community.