Lil Dust is like nothing New Zealand or the rest of the hemisphere has ever seen or heard before, which is an understatement to his charisma, skillset, unique taste, and drive as an artist. The Wellington-based rapper started making waves in 2018 with numerous single releases, mixtapes, and groundbreaking music videos, working alongside some of the best in New Zealand, landing him on numerous Spotify editorial playlists and getting the attention of local music blogs. He has created a blueprint and pushed the boundaries for New Zealand rap artists over the years. When asked, "What has inspired you to have such a niche and individual sound and aesthetic?" he responded, "My sound and aesthetic take influence from the music I grew up with, like late 90s/early 2000s hip hop, and more recently Bay Area and Detroit-style trap music”. The combination of these influences has gained Dust over 1 million plays across platforms in a very short amount of time, and he is constantly working on new releases and new ways to push his sound.