They are the most famous hip hop act in Australia but you won’t recognise them in their new video

THEY are one of the most recognisable — and cool — hip hop acts in Australia. The Hilltop Hoods have had a makeover and they’re barely recognisable.

THEY are one of the most recognisable — and cool — hip hop acts in this country.

But you won’t be able to unsee the Hilltop Hoods as dorky, dad-dancers in the video for their much-anticipated single Clark Griswold.

Modelling themselves on the hapless Chevy Chase character from the cult classic Vacation movies, Matt Lambert (MC Suffa) and Daniel Smith (MC Pressure) relished the chance to disguise themselves in beige and model dad bods for the song.

Barry Francis (DJ Debris) plays the video’s policeman searching for the serial killer who is knocking off the daggy dads.

Hilltop Hoods get their daggy dads on in Clark Griswold video. Picture: Supplied

The trio’s wives aren’t as impressed by their husbands’ transformation.

“My wife Carlie saw that photo and said ‘sex is off the table until I can get this out of my head,’” Lambert said.

While the video is slapstick comedy, the song’s message is from the heart.

The Hoods, who have sold almost three million singles and albums in Australia over the past two decades, hit the top of the charts with party anthems and “songs about the sport of rapping.”

But in recent years, they have struck a resounding chord with fans young and old with their aspirational hits such as Higher and raw confessionals about dealing with confronting subjects such as childhood cancer in Through The Dark.

The Hoods will premiere the song at Splendour In The Grass next week. Picture: Jerad Williams

The single and video, released on Friday, was written just two weeks after the birth of Lambert’s second daughter Poppy last month.

Its central theme is about fathers wanting to be better men for their children.

“I’m the same as Dan, we’re excited to be dads and we lean into it, if you know what I mean. We love being dads, that’s our favourite part of being,” Lambert said.

“The people who grew up with the Hoods are at the same stages of their lives as us so they can connect with that as well.

“And maybe the kids have some dorky dads so they can relate.”

Clark Griswold marks the return to the airwaves ahead of their Splendour In The Grass headlining set next weekend.

It features the stunning voice of emerging singer Adrian Eagle who grew up listening to the Hoods and stunned the Australian music scene with his single 17 Again.

That song bravely shared his harrowing battle against obesity — he weighed a dangerous 270kg at his heaviest — and mental health issues.

The Hoods said Eagle was the perfect choice for Clark Griswold.

Expect a new album from the Hoods in November. Picture: Britta Campion.

“It’s an amazingly unique voice. And he may be the nicest guy you will ever meet. Triple J have been giving him a spin in the last six months so he has a real good buzz about him.”

The trio joke the Clark Griswold video will come in handy when it comes to these daggy dads embarrassing their children when they hit their teens.

“When my daughter brings around her mates in about 10 years, it will be ‘Right sit down, open up the YouTube and look at all of this, you are going to love it’,” Lambert said.

The band are prepping their new album for release in November as Smith also deals with the prosecution of a man who allegedly assaulted him with a glass in June.

“I got attacked … I’m fine, I’m all good now,” the rapper said.

“I don’t really know what’s going on beyond they have had the initial hearing. These are not the headlines we want.”

Originally published as They are the most famous hip hop act in Australia but you won’t recognise them in their new video