Adelaide laneway named in honour of hip hop pioneers Hilltop Hoods

Pioneering Australian hip hop group Hilltop Hoods rapped about "Goin' down a hard road" in 2006.

Now, the Adelaide trio are being honoured with a laneway in their hometown.

Clubhouse Lane, running off Hindley Street in Adelaide's CBD, was renamed Hilltop Hoods Lane at a ceremony today.

Two large-scale murals featuring the group and their associated iconography, created by Adelaide artist Vans the Omega, run down both sides of the laneway.

The Hoods, who still call Adelaide home, say it's an "incredible honour" to have their own laneway in the heart of the city they know and love.

"We have great memories of gigging in that part of town," Pressure told Double J's Dylan Lewis.

"When we were paying our dues and coming up there was heaps of old bars and clubs that we used to play. Some of them are still there, some are not."

Paying tribute to one of Australia's most successful and enduring musical acts, Hilltop Hoods Lane is the sixth addition to City of Adelaide's City of Music Laneway trail.

The growing collection includes landmarks recognising South Australian music legends Cold Chisel, Sia, Paul Kelly, No Fixed Address, and The Angels.

Hilltop Hoods even have some suggestions for the next honorary music landmark.

"I reckon Funkoars need a lane! Surely Guy Sebastian should have one," they told Lewis. "Guy Lane? Does have a ring to it."

Lord Mayor Jane Lomax-Smith said Hilltop Hoods's enduring impact on Australian music and culture made them a worthy addition to Adelaide's City of Music Laneways.

"Once considered the Australian music industry's underdogs, the Hoods have harnessed their talent and determination to not only top the charts but build a multi-generational fan base in their mosh pits," Dr Lomax-Smith said.

"Despite their global success, they have never forgotten their Adelaide roots. That's why it's fabulous to permanently recognise their achievements on the streets."

Starting as teenagers in 1994 around the hills of Blackwood, Hilltop Hoods elevated Australian hip hop from the underground and into the mainstream. And to resounding success.

The trio — Suffa (Matthew Lambert), Pressure (Dan Smith) and DJ Debris (Barry Francis) — have released a record-making seven ARIA number one albums, won 10 ARIA Awards, six APRA Awards, and sold out multiple national arena tours.

They have made triple j's annual Hottest 100 on a record 27 occasions, the most entries of any music group.

Their 2003 breakout single The Nosebleed Section came second place to INXS's poll-topping Never Tear Us Apart in last year's Hottest 100 of Australian Songs, in which they charted twice more (Cosby Sweater at #64 and 1955 at #73).

"Few music acts are as deeply woven into the cultural fabric of South Australia as Hilltop Hoods," said Vans the Omega, wanting his artwork to honour their connection to devoted fans and the wider public alike.

"This work aims to be both uplifting and historic, offering a place to reflect on our own lives and the journey we have shared alongside music that has shaped generations of fans of all ages.

"Like the Hoods, these walls stand as a lasting testament to what can be achieved through hard work and determination in our beautiful, humble city of Adelaide."

The first Australian hip hop group to have a laneway named in their honour, Hilltop Hoods join a growing list of musical landmarks around the country. That includes lanes named for AC/DC and Chrissy Amphlett in Melbourne, and The Go Between Bridge in Brisbane.