Aug 5, 2026 – 6.30pmRapper Omar Musa took six years and 21 drafts to write his second novel, Fierceland, and the effort has won the Malaysian-Australian the Miles Franklin Literary Award.The Queanbeyan-born 42-year-old – a champion slam poet who counts actor Russell Crowe among his fans – was announced winner of the 70th edition of Australia’s most prestigious literary prize on Wednesday night at Sydney’s State Library.Subscribe to gift this articleGift 5 articles to anyone you choose each month when you subscribe.Subscribe nowAlready a subscriber? Fetching latest articles
Rapper wins Australia’s biggest literary gong
Omar Musa might be best known for off-the-cuff versifying, but he’s won the Miles Franklin Literary Award with a novel that took him six years to write.
88 words~1 min read
