Hama Mapapalangi: Rapper Mac 11 in OneFour, Inner West brawl

A rapper has said he’s “done” with gang life following a blood-soaked brawl in which broken bottles, pool cues and even a golf club were used as weapons.

A court has heard it was a “miracle” nobody was killed in a violent brawl that erupted between rival western Sydney gangs at a popular pub.

However, a colourful rapper who was charged over the brawl has since declared that he will “hang up his boots” after avoiding jail on Tuesday.

Hama Mapapalangi, more widely known as Mac 11, was the eighth person to be sentenced in court over the now infamous fight between rival gangs OneFour and Inner West in Mt Druitt in 2019.

Hama Mapapalangi known by his rap name 'Mac 11', with his legal team Mohammed Wafai, Javid Faiz and barrister AJ Karim at Parramatta District Court on Tuesday. Picture: Kate Lockley

Parramatta District Court heard that the former 21 District rapper, who is a long-term associate of the Inner West Brotherhood, acted as a “lookout” on the night of the melee.

Mapapalangi left the scene just as the violence broke out in the carpark of the Mt Druitt Village Hotel on State of Origin night in July 2019.

The terrifying confrontation saw as many as 20 males attacking each other, many armed with knives, bottles and pool cues, as the Inner West gang sought revenge over an earlier gang beef.

The court heard Mapapalangi was one of several members connected to the Inner West gang who met up at the Guildford Hotel earlier that night following an attack on an associate at Guildford train station.

Mapapalangi is a popular rapper on the western Sydney rap scene. Picture: Instagram

After scheming a revenge attack, the Inner West males drove in a convoy of vehicles to the Mt Druitt hotel where members of the OneFour gang, including rapper Salec Sua or ‘Lekks’, were drinking and watching the footy. Sua was jailed for a maximum of 14 months last August.

The crown prosecutor humorously likened Mapapalangi’s role to that of a general in the US Civil War, describing him as a “scout”.

“He was a part of the joint criminal enterprise and he had a role to play, akin to the SAS going out within the enemy territory, with a view of reporting back to his group what was happening at the hotel,” the prosecutor said.

“He left before the physical confrontation and was not seen to be involved in the actual fighting.”

Defence barrister AJ Karim said that while Mapapalangi did not participate in the fighting, the brawl was extremely serious.

Mt Druitt Village Hotel. Picture: Supplied

“He did not participate in the fight or make threats and his involvement is at the lowest end of the scale,” Mr Karim said.

“He had a meal and a few drinks, then returned to the drinking area looking for friends and opposition members and then conveys information to his friends and leaves.

“This incident that took place in Mt Druitt was extremely serious and the community would have some significant concerns.

“I am surprised and it was probably a miracle that someone did not die that night.”

Judge Stephen Hanley described the fight as “extremely violent”, with two men stabbed and another hit by a car during the chaos.

Broken bottles, knives, pool cues and a bloodied golf club that had been snapped in half were found at the scene.

OneFour rapper Salec Sua, 27, was jailed over his role in the brawl. Picture: Instagram

“Those within the hotel were so afraid of what they saw was happening that they locked the gates to the hotel in fear of their safety,” Judge Hanley said.

“Mapapalangi was in the group of protagonists that went in a convoy with the purpose to confront whoever was at the Village Hotel, where they knew the other gang would hang out.”

He was sentenced to a Community Corrections Order for two years after pleading guilty to affray.

Speaking outside court, Mapapalangi spoke of his relief at not being sent to jail.

“I was supposed to go to jail today. If it wasn’t for my legal team, I would be going to jail right now. Even my fans thought I was going to jail today,” he said.

“I was supposed to be releasing my EP today but I put it on hold because I thought I was going to jail.

“I’m hanging up my boots. I’ve done my time. From the age of sixteen I’ve been involved with these guys. I’ve got kids now. I’m a father. I’m retiring.”