We have had some great exposure from our record breaking run, check it out:
TVNZ, STUFF, RADIO NZ, UNDER THE RADAR, NZ HERALD, GIRLFRIEND, NIGHTLINE NEWS, C4, SPASIFIK, ZM, FLAVA, SCOOP, NZ MUSICIAN
Thanks to everyone who covered this story and special thanks to Jane at Universal for making it all happen.
Thursday, April 30, 2009
Wednesday, April 29, 2009
MAYER HAWTHORNE - “Just Ain’t Gonna Work Out” video:
My dude Emile put me up on this cat a few months back, Mayer Hawthorne is definitely on some shit:
Mayer Hawthorne - Just Ain't Gonna Work Out from Stones Throw on Vimeo.
Mayer Hawthorne - Just Ain't Gonna Work Out from Stones Throw on Vimeo.
SMASHPROOF on TV3 news:
I think the boys have now officially been on the news for more positive things than negative things now! Result! LOL!
Check out the TV3 news video piece HERE
Smashproof smash 23-year-old singles chart record
Tue, 28 Apr 2009 2:07p.m.
Local hip-hop group Smashproof have broken a 23-year-old record by holding the longest consecutive run at No. 1 by a Kiwi act on the NZ Singles Chart.
The hit single ‘Brother’, which features the Gin Wigmore made Smashproof a household name and has now made New Zealand Chart history.
According to RIANZ NZ Top 40 Singles Chart released today, 'Brother' has held the No. 1 spot for ten weeks running.
In a statement, Smashproof say: “We’re totally overwhelmed! We never expected ‘Brother’ to get this big – we were stoked to get to number one, but breaking a record? That’s massive!"
"We really just want to thank everyone who has supported the track and especially all the fans who have bought it”
Smashproof, comprising Deach, Tyree and Young Sid, first burst onto the scene in 2005 and describe themselves as “three young Polynesians from South Auckland with big dreams”.
The record for the longest run at No. 1 on the NZ Singles chart by a local act was previously set by the America’s Cup-themed single ‘Sailing Away’ by All Of Us, which spent nine consecutive weeks at the top in 1986.
3 News
Check out the TV3 news video piece HERE
Smashproof smash 23-year-old singles chart record
Tue, 28 Apr 2009 2:07p.m.
Local hip-hop group Smashproof have broken a 23-year-old record by holding the longest consecutive run at No. 1 by a Kiwi act on the NZ Singles Chart.
The hit single ‘Brother’, which features the Gin Wigmore made Smashproof a household name and has now made New Zealand Chart history.
According to RIANZ NZ Top 40 Singles Chart released today, 'Brother' has held the No. 1 spot for ten weeks running.
In a statement, Smashproof say: “We’re totally overwhelmed! We never expected ‘Brother’ to get this big – we were stoked to get to number one, but breaking a record? That’s massive!"
"We really just want to thank everyone who has supported the track and especially all the fans who have bought it”
Smashproof, comprising Deach, Tyree and Young Sid, first burst onto the scene in 2005 and describe themselves as “three young Polynesians from South Auckland with big dreams”.
The record for the longest run at No. 1 on the NZ Singles chart by a local act was previously set by the America’s Cup-themed single ‘Sailing Away’ by All Of Us, which spent nine consecutive weeks at the top in 1986.
3 News
SMASHPROOF on Music 101:
Local music legend and all round nice guy, Trevor Reekie; has dedicated a segment on Music 101 to Smashproof's chart success. The show goes to air this Saturday after the news at 2pm and features an in depth interview with me (Kirk Harding) alongside some important music and chart experts.
Check out Radio New Zealand's frequencies across NZ - it will also stream on the Radio NZ site
Check out Radio New Zealand's frequencies across NZ - it will also stream on the Radio NZ site
Tuesday, April 28, 2009
The record is OURS!!!
We did it! 10 weeks at #1!!! "Brother" now holds the record for the longest consecutive run at #1 in New Zealand by a local artist.
Additionally, "It's Friday" debuted at #19 on the singles chart and The Weekend moves up from #11 to #8 on the albums chart.
THANK YOU!!!!!
By the way, congrats to Dave Dallas and Devolo. Their "Indulge Me" single just hit the NZ Top 40 at #38. South Auckland is most definitely up in this bitch!
Monday, April 27, 2009
Snoop co-signs NIPSEY HUSSLE:
Snoop D.O Double G lets it be known that Nipsey has his full support. Good move! Nipsey got next.
Saturday, April 25, 2009
Friday, April 24, 2009
The CHART RACE continues...
Man! This Eminem track must be selling like hotcakes. We have thrown everything that we have at trying to dislodge it from the #1 slot.
Thanks for all of your efforts.
Thanks for all of your efforts.
Chart RACE update... we are in 2nd place:
THE GOOD NEWS... "Brother jumped #3-2 on iTunes today and we moved up to #3 at Vodafone. Thank you all!But now...
THE BAD NEWS... Eminem's single jumped back to #1 on iTunes today and moved to #2 at Vodafone.
We need your help more than ever.
Please dig in and reach out to everyone that can help by copping the track at iTUNES NZ , DIGIRAMA or VODAFONE
Or freeTXT 'SMASH' to 'LIVE' (5483) on your Vodafone mobile.
Thank you.
Thursday, April 23, 2009
The CHART RACE is on!
It's working people! We moved from #4-3 on iTunes today and we are holding down #2 on the airplay chart.Eminem is currently #2 on iTunes and #4 on the airplay chart. It's going to be a tight race, but we can do this.
Please please please encourage your friends and fam to cop "Brother" at iTUNES NZ or AMPLIFIER, so that we can make history together.
Thank you!!!!
Wednesday, April 22, 2009
YOUR country needs you:
My fellow New Zealanders, your country needs you!We are reaching out to all of our fans, families and supporters to please dig in for us for one more week.
We have an opportunity to change the record books and it would be a shame if we let this pass us by. If "Brother" manages to top the singles chart for a 10th week, we will have beaten All Of Us' record for the longest consecutive run at #1 in NZ by a local artist. I'm sure that you agree that this is no small feat, and by doing so we will be eliminating the putrid "Sail Away" from the NZ record books.
Now for those of you that are too young to remember "Sail Away" or All Of Us; this track (which is very hard to find online) was put together in 1986 by a group of New Zealand singers and personalities who sang the song to support KZ7 in the 1987 America's Cup. Does this sound cool, meaningful or sexy to you? Believe me it wasn't!
Now what would you rather have represent our country... a dose of thought provoking reality from four young newcomers in 2009 or some drivel that symbolizes when the nation was caught up in the beginnings of America’s Cup madness?
We only need one more week at the top to put All Of Us to rest, BUT the ever popular Eminem is moving very quickly to pole position on the singles chart.
How can you help? You can help us by purchasing "Brother" at iTUNES NZ or AMPLIFIER.
Please do what's right for the greater good of our wonderful country. We appreciate you.
Thank you
Tuesday, April 21, 2009
SMASHPROOF's "Brother" equals 23-year-old record with 9th consecutive week at #1:
Smashproof's debut #1 platinum selling single ‘Brother’, notches up its ninth consecutive week atop the New Zealand singles chart.
This run at #1 equals the New Zealand record set by the single ‘Sailing Away’ by All Of Us back in June 1986, when the nation was caught up in the beginnings of its strong relationship with the America’s Cup sailing regattas.
Second place (8 consecutive weeks) is held by Dave Dobbyn & Herbs, with their song ‘Slice Of Heaven” which was also released in 1986.
Smashproof's debut album The Weekend moves from #10 to #11 on the NZ albums chart this week
This run at #1 equals the New Zealand record set by the single ‘Sailing Away’ by All Of Us back in June 1986, when the nation was caught up in the beginnings of its strong relationship with the America’s Cup sailing regattas.
Second place (8 consecutive weeks) is held by Dave Dobbyn & Herbs, with their song ‘Slice Of Heaven” which was also released in 1986.
Smashproof's debut album The Weekend moves from #10 to #11 on the NZ albums chart this week
SMASHPROOF NZ Musician Feature:
Welcome to the Weekend
Author: Andrew Hughes
Like-minded MCs Deach, Young Sid and Tyree make up Smashproof, a kind of super group who are currently enjoying the status of New Zealand's favourite homegrown hip hop act. Released late in March, Smashproof's debut album 'The Weekend' is considerably more than just home for a number one hit single - and that itself was no lucky strike. The trio talked with Andrew Hughes about rapping about their world and taking over the local hip hop scene.
Smashproof appeared in 2005, signing to Auckland/US label Move The Crowd Records (MTC). They released a slew of street-level mixtapes here and in Australia, including 'Tales Of The Southside' hosted by international RnB phenomenon Akon, and a follow on series called 'Speed Of Sound'.
The group came into the game as underdogs. At the time there was a strict hip hop hierarchy and exclusive scene in Auckland which revolved around K'Rd club 4:20. The South Auckland crew fought for their place in the spotlight early on and proved themselves through touring and hard work, gaining the respect of some key industry figures including the super well-connected MTC co-owner Kirk Harding.
Four years later Smashproof have sat atop the NZ Top 40 Singles chart for over a month, their social commentary crossover success Brother giving their debut album 'The Weekend' a healthy foundation for release.
'Notify the king of the city, we're coming to take his crown', spits Young Sid on the opening bars of the album, and he is right on point judging by the charts. Brother (which brilliantly includes the counterpoint of North Shore-gone international girl Gin Wigmore) has pushed local and international competition aside in its highly impressive chart involvement, five weeks spent sitting in the number one spot.
Little wonder the song has enjoyed heavy rotation on radio and TV given the publicity generated by the accompanying Chris Graham video that quickly had well over 200,000 views on YouTube. Shot in East Tamaki, the video includes Gin and notably a scene re-enacting the controversial Pihema Cameron/Bruce Emery case, showing a middle-aged man chasing a kid who has tagged his fence. Extensive mainstream media coverage of the video aided Brother to quickly achieve gold single sales, also bringing welcome attention to the kind of South Auckland issues which loom large in their writing.
Tyree wrote and sung the hook in the original version, Gin Wigmore's involvement an afterthought.
"Tyree didn't want to do the part that he's singing, he was meant to do Gin's part", reveals Young Sid. "We laid our verses down during the day," Tyree picks up. "It was serious…[and then] when it came to the night we were just mucking around, and we came up with a masterpiece!" Tyree explains that Brother is more than just a song, and the group's message more than hip hop frippery.
"I had a dude hit me up on Bebo and his wife had just died. He said it was hard for him and his daughter and Brother helped him out. I was touched for real… for our music to help other people out, I'm happy, I'm ecstatic."
'The Weekend' is MTC's most important release to date, there is a lot riding on it for the group and the label. Despite around 30 songs not making the final cut, the album is still a comprehensive 15 tracks. At Harding's recommendation, it is a journey in time, taking listeners through a rowdy weekend where three friends find themselves in some sticky, scary and surreal situations.
The album was recorded in its entirety at Woodcut Studio's in Eden Terrace by Juse, who says the album took around a year to record. Producer Cochise lent his hand to recording, and also helped with the mixing in New York, alongside Benjamin Wollner in France, while Angus McNaughton handled mastering duties.
Breaking in waves, the album begins with the high-energy title track, moving toward more contemplative topics at its conclusion, in the form of Sunday Star-Times and Ordinary Life which shows the group's recognition of their position as influential local leaders.
Following the album's theme concept each track leads into the next, Hot Boy for example leading into The Morning After where Tyree spits, '… that's when the police came, try to put me in chains, I swung and hit one in the face'. Blacking out shortly after, he wakes up with a headache in 'a fucked up jail cell… guess that's what happens when I try fighting with the cops'.
The subject matter is well balanced with RnB tracks like My Crib and I Could Take You There countering solid hip hop joints like the Dr. Dre-esque Somebody Like Me and the infectious Breathe In, Breathe Out. Second single It's Friday is more club oriented than Brother and demonstrates the (still young) crew's party-starting demeanour. Full of energy, synthy sounds, 808 percussion, gang vocals and seismic kick drums, the result is adrenaline laced. Video director Tim Van Dammen used a complex point-of-view concept, with shot filmed in the first person, similar to Kanye West's All Falls Down video.
Inevitably the next question is whether Smashproof secure another Top 10 hit? And if they do, will it signify the beginning of another hip hop movement such as that which Scribe's 'The Crusader' began in 2003?
"We're more than Brother because we've paid our dues in terms of songs," Tyree says enthusiastically. "How many songs have we done, before 'Tales Of The Southside?' We were spitting the truth before Brother, we were spitting that real shit, before Brother! I'm telling you man, I stress that to anyone that's reading this!"
Move The Crowd have dropped five albums to date, two of which were the solo albums of Young Sid and Tyree. They gained personal acclaim with Sid's nomination for Best Urban Album at the 2008 NZ Music Awards, while Tyree won Best Male Artist at the 2007 Australasian Urban Music Awards.
Tyree explains that MTC's vision from the start was to slowly build momentum for the debut Smashproof album.
"All the albums that came out on MTC, including Ethical's album, were all leading up to this album now, and it shows because this is MTC's first number one hit."
Sid continues. "Juse set a platform for (Tyree), he set a platform for me, I set a platform for all of us and Smashproof will set a platform for whatever else we got coming next."
Many of the artists featured on the album come by way of international connections. MTC regulars Cochise, F.B.I and Shuko are all active in the U.S market and have themselves worked with various big name artists from Ice Cube to Raphael Saadiq.
Largely unknown in NZ, beat maker Khaled of Australian group The Formula, who constantly works with Tyree, drops in to assist on three of the album's standout tracks. New York-based RnB duo Nina Sky came to international attention with Move Ya Body in 2004, which blazed urban radio worldwide. A surprising big ticket cameo, the group feature on the dancehall-inspired All Night Long.
MTC co-owner Kirk Harding, whose day job is as Senior Vice President of Universal Motown in the U.S has guided the group since the start, and although his criticism and honesty can sometimes be a hard pill to swallow, especially after working so hard, it has clearly paid off.
"I'd just finish sending him six tracks, that's just on the regular. It's a matter of getting his approval, his advice and his opinion", says Tyree. "And then you enhance the track and re-send it and he goes 'I'm still not sold on it'. It's like, 'What the fuck man?' It's unpredictable sometimes," he laughs.
'The Weekend' will be released in Australia with Universal, there are also rumours of Brother dropping in the U.S, and with the new single hitting local radio, the next few weeks will be closely scrutinised by the hip hop market. No matter what, Smashproof believe in investing in the future as Tyree concludes.
"This was so important for us to drop this. It's the benchmark for NZ hip hop at the moment… it's going to open up a lot of NZ artists to think like, 'I've got to do this as well'."
Author: Andrew Hughes
Like-minded MCs Deach, Young Sid and Tyree make up Smashproof, a kind of super group who are currently enjoying the status of New Zealand's favourite homegrown hip hop act. Released late in March, Smashproof's debut album 'The Weekend' is considerably more than just home for a number one hit single - and that itself was no lucky strike. The trio talked with Andrew Hughes about rapping about their world and taking over the local hip hop scene.
Smashproof appeared in 2005, signing to Auckland/US label Move The Crowd Records (MTC). They released a slew of street-level mixtapes here and in Australia, including 'Tales Of The Southside' hosted by international RnB phenomenon Akon, and a follow on series called 'Speed Of Sound'.
The group came into the game as underdogs. At the time there was a strict hip hop hierarchy and exclusive scene in Auckland which revolved around K'Rd club 4:20. The South Auckland crew fought for their place in the spotlight early on and proved themselves through touring and hard work, gaining the respect of some key industry figures including the super well-connected MTC co-owner Kirk Harding.
Four years later Smashproof have sat atop the NZ Top 40 Singles chart for over a month, their social commentary crossover success Brother giving their debut album 'The Weekend' a healthy foundation for release.
'Notify the king of the city, we're coming to take his crown', spits Young Sid on the opening bars of the album, and he is right on point judging by the charts. Brother (which brilliantly includes the counterpoint of North Shore-gone international girl Gin Wigmore) has pushed local and international competition aside in its highly impressive chart involvement, five weeks spent sitting in the number one spot.
Little wonder the song has enjoyed heavy rotation on radio and TV given the publicity generated by the accompanying Chris Graham video that quickly had well over 200,000 views on YouTube. Shot in East Tamaki, the video includes Gin and notably a scene re-enacting the controversial Pihema Cameron/Bruce Emery case, showing a middle-aged man chasing a kid who has tagged his fence. Extensive mainstream media coverage of the video aided Brother to quickly achieve gold single sales, also bringing welcome attention to the kind of South Auckland issues which loom large in their writing.
Tyree wrote and sung the hook in the original version, Gin Wigmore's involvement an afterthought.
"Tyree didn't want to do the part that he's singing, he was meant to do Gin's part", reveals Young Sid. "We laid our verses down during the day," Tyree picks up. "It was serious…[and then] when it came to the night we were just mucking around, and we came up with a masterpiece!" Tyree explains that Brother is more than just a song, and the group's message more than hip hop frippery.
"I had a dude hit me up on Bebo and his wife had just died. He said it was hard for him and his daughter and Brother helped him out. I was touched for real… for our music to help other people out, I'm happy, I'm ecstatic."
'The Weekend' is MTC's most important release to date, there is a lot riding on it for the group and the label. Despite around 30 songs not making the final cut, the album is still a comprehensive 15 tracks. At Harding's recommendation, it is a journey in time, taking listeners through a rowdy weekend where three friends find themselves in some sticky, scary and surreal situations.
The album was recorded in its entirety at Woodcut Studio's in Eden Terrace by Juse, who says the album took around a year to record. Producer Cochise lent his hand to recording, and also helped with the mixing in New York, alongside Benjamin Wollner in France, while Angus McNaughton handled mastering duties.
Breaking in waves, the album begins with the high-energy title track, moving toward more contemplative topics at its conclusion, in the form of Sunday Star-Times and Ordinary Life which shows the group's recognition of their position as influential local leaders.
Following the album's theme concept each track leads into the next, Hot Boy for example leading into The Morning After where Tyree spits, '… that's when the police came, try to put me in chains, I swung and hit one in the face'. Blacking out shortly after, he wakes up with a headache in 'a fucked up jail cell… guess that's what happens when I try fighting with the cops'.
The subject matter is well balanced with RnB tracks like My Crib and I Could Take You There countering solid hip hop joints like the Dr. Dre-esque Somebody Like Me and the infectious Breathe In, Breathe Out. Second single It's Friday is more club oriented than Brother and demonstrates the (still young) crew's party-starting demeanour. Full of energy, synthy sounds, 808 percussion, gang vocals and seismic kick drums, the result is adrenaline laced. Video director Tim Van Dammen used a complex point-of-view concept, with shot filmed in the first person, similar to Kanye West's All Falls Down video.
Inevitably the next question is whether Smashproof secure another Top 10 hit? And if they do, will it signify the beginning of another hip hop movement such as that which Scribe's 'The Crusader' began in 2003?
"We're more than Brother because we've paid our dues in terms of songs," Tyree says enthusiastically. "How many songs have we done, before 'Tales Of The Southside?' We were spitting the truth before Brother, we were spitting that real shit, before Brother! I'm telling you man, I stress that to anyone that's reading this!"
Move The Crowd have dropped five albums to date, two of which were the solo albums of Young Sid and Tyree. They gained personal acclaim with Sid's nomination for Best Urban Album at the 2008 NZ Music Awards, while Tyree won Best Male Artist at the 2007 Australasian Urban Music Awards.
Tyree explains that MTC's vision from the start was to slowly build momentum for the debut Smashproof album.
"All the albums that came out on MTC, including Ethical's album, were all leading up to this album now, and it shows because this is MTC's first number one hit."
Sid continues. "Juse set a platform for (Tyree), he set a platform for me, I set a platform for all of us and Smashproof will set a platform for whatever else we got coming next."
Many of the artists featured on the album come by way of international connections. MTC regulars Cochise, F.B.I and Shuko are all active in the U.S market and have themselves worked with various big name artists from Ice Cube to Raphael Saadiq.
Largely unknown in NZ, beat maker Khaled of Australian group The Formula, who constantly works with Tyree, drops in to assist on three of the album's standout tracks. New York-based RnB duo Nina Sky came to international attention with Move Ya Body in 2004, which blazed urban radio worldwide. A surprising big ticket cameo, the group feature on the dancehall-inspired All Night Long.
MTC co-owner Kirk Harding, whose day job is as Senior Vice President of Universal Motown in the U.S has guided the group since the start, and although his criticism and honesty can sometimes be a hard pill to swallow, especially after working so hard, it has clearly paid off.
"I'd just finish sending him six tracks, that's just on the regular. It's a matter of getting his approval, his advice and his opinion", says Tyree. "And then you enhance the track and re-send it and he goes 'I'm still not sold on it'. It's like, 'What the fuck man?' It's unpredictable sometimes," he laughs.
'The Weekend' will be released in Australia with Universal, there are also rumours of Brother dropping in the U.S, and with the new single hitting local radio, the next few weeks will be closely scrutinised by the hip hop market. No matter what, Smashproof believe in investing in the future as Tyree concludes.
"This was so important for us to drop this. It's the benchmark for NZ hip hop at the moment… it's going to open up a lot of NZ artists to think like, 'I've got to do this as well'."
Monday, April 20, 2009
SMASHPROOF NZ tour press release:
SMASHPROOF TO TOUR NEW ZEALAND
Acclaimed South Auckland Hip-Hop superstars Smashproof (Tyree, Deach and Young Sid) have taken New Zealand by storm this year with their #1, platinum selling single ‘Brother’, and their debut album THE WEEKEND that debuted at #3 on the album charts in its first week of release.
The conceptual nature of THE WEEKEND is almost cinematic, and the trio weave in and out of complex topics, personal experiences and would-be scenarios with ease. Young Sid explains the album’s concept: “This is an album for everyone, it shows the social and emotional side of what could, or does go on during the weekend, from the time you clock out on Friday to the time you start work on Monday.”
While some may think Smashproof are new kids on the block, they have in fact been performing together since 2004. They have toured around Australia with Jay-Z, and performed twice at The Big Day Out. Being seasoned veterans of the tour circuit in New Zealand and Australia, the trio offer a confidence and swagger unparalleled in local Hip-Hop.
And now, this May, Smashproof are taking their show around New Zealand.
It’s been a long time since Smashproof have toured together and they are pretty excited about it. After the long wait, Smashproof and “The Weekend” Tour is coming to a venue near you…and its time to celebrate!
THE WEEKEND TOUR (confirmed events)
Fri 1st May Studio Venue Auckland - With Guests: Devolo, J Williams, Kidz in Space, Jae O & Cavell and Recommended Dosage
Sat 2nd May Heaven Bar Whangarei (2 x shows)
Wed 6th May Coyotes Club Wellington
Thur 7th May 10 Bar Dunedin
Fri 8th May Revolver Queenstown
Sat 9th May Saints & Sinners Invercargill
Fri 15th May The Grumpy Mole Rotorua
Sat 16th May Bedford Christchurch
Thur 21st May Altitude Club Hamilton
Fri 22nd May Zeal Café Henderson, Waitakere City
Sat 23rd May Westfield Shopping Centre Square Manukau City
Sat 23rd May Pacific Music Awards Manukau City
Fri 29th May Soho Bar Gisborne
Sat 30th May Boiler Room Whakatane Hotel
Sun 31st May Colosseum Bar Tauranga
Acclaimed South Auckland Hip-Hop superstars Smashproof (Tyree, Deach and Young Sid) have taken New Zealand by storm this year with their #1, platinum selling single ‘Brother’, and their debut album THE WEEKEND that debuted at #3 on the album charts in its first week of release.
The conceptual nature of THE WEEKEND is almost cinematic, and the trio weave in and out of complex topics, personal experiences and would-be scenarios with ease. Young Sid explains the album’s concept: “This is an album for everyone, it shows the social and emotional side of what could, or does go on during the weekend, from the time you clock out on Friday to the time you start work on Monday.”
While some may think Smashproof are new kids on the block, they have in fact been performing together since 2004. They have toured around Australia with Jay-Z, and performed twice at The Big Day Out. Being seasoned veterans of the tour circuit in New Zealand and Australia, the trio offer a confidence and swagger unparalleled in local Hip-Hop.
And now, this May, Smashproof are taking their show around New Zealand.
It’s been a long time since Smashproof have toured together and they are pretty excited about it. After the long wait, Smashproof and “The Weekend” Tour is coming to a venue near you…and its time to celebrate!
THE WEEKEND TOUR (confirmed events)
Fri 1st May Studio Venue Auckland - With Guests: Devolo, J Williams, Kidz in Space, Jae O & Cavell and Recommended Dosage
Sat 2nd May Heaven Bar Whangarei (2 x shows)
Wed 6th May Coyotes Club Wellington
Thur 7th May 10 Bar Dunedin
Fri 8th May Revolver Queenstown
Sat 9th May Saints & Sinners Invercargill
Fri 15th May The Grumpy Mole Rotorua
Sat 16th May Bedford Christchurch
Thur 21st May Altitude Club Hamilton
Fri 22nd May Zeal Café Henderson, Waitakere City
Sat 23rd May Westfield Shopping Centre Square Manukau City
Sat 23rd May Pacific Music Awards Manukau City
Fri 29th May Soho Bar Gisborne
Sat 30th May Boiler Room Whakatane Hotel
Sun 31st May Colosseum Bar Tauranga
Sunday, April 19, 2009
Awesome PHILIPS Carousel commercial:
SMASHPROOF interview for Radio NZ:
I just snatched this interview from the fella's at shotthen.
I'm glad that it surfaced elsewhere, because Leilani sent this to me early in the week. But i must have deleted her email during my drunken night out with Suga Sean, Emile, Armen and Pro. Whoops!
This features the boys (and me) discussing The Weekend and their careers to date.
This is very well put together. Thank you Leilani.
I'm glad that it surfaced elsewhere, because Leilani sent this to me early in the week. But i must have deleted her email during my drunken night out with Suga Sean, Emile, Armen and Pro. Whoops!
This features the boys (and me) discussing The Weekend and their careers to date.
This is very well put together. Thank you Leilani.
Thursday, April 16, 2009
SMASHPROOF chart facts:
The record for most consecutive weeks at #1 by a NZ act is 9 weeks… held by "Sailing Away" by All Of Us, set in June 1986.
This week "Brother" moves to second equal on that list with 8 weeks… alongside "Slice Of Heaven" by Dave Dobbyn & Herbs from October 1986.
Please note that this is just NZ artists, there have been longer runs by overseas acts. And this is specifically about back-to-back weeks on the charts. There have been other NZ acts which have spent the same, or more, weeks at #1 overall – just not consecutively. For example, Scribe’s Stand Up / Not Many holds that overall record – 12 weeks at #1 – but he did that in 3 separate blocks over the course of 16 weeks.
So one more week and we'll be tied for top spot. Fingers crossed!
This week "Brother" moves to second equal on that list with 8 weeks… alongside "Slice Of Heaven" by Dave Dobbyn & Herbs from October 1986.
Please note that this is just NZ artists, there have been longer runs by overseas acts. And this is specifically about back-to-back weeks on the charts. There have been other NZ acts which have spent the same, or more, weeks at #1 overall – just not consecutively. For example, Scribe’s Stand Up / Not Many holds that overall record – 12 weeks at #1 – but he did that in 3 separate blocks over the course of 16 weeks.
So one more week and we'll be tied for top spot. Fingers crossed!
You know I had to post this:
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 15, 2009
KID CUDI JOINS UNIVERSAL MOTOWN
RED-HOT CHART NEWCOMER
HAS TOP 5 iTUNES SMASH, ‘DAY ’N’ NITE’
BILLBOARD HOT 100 NO. 7 SINGLE; R&B/HIP-HOP NO. 20
DEBUT ALBUM IS DUE SUMMER, 2009
NEW YORK –KID CUDI, whose unique multi-format breakout hit single, “Day ’N’ Nite” is a radio and digital smash, is joining the artist roster of Universal Motown, the label announced today.
“Kid Cudi is at the vanguard of a game-changing new generation of artists,” said Universal Motown President Sylvia Rhone. “He crosses musical boundaries with an appeal that goes beyond genre, format, race, language, and culture. Cudi lives easily in the hip-hop, indie rock, pop, and R&B worlds – a diversity that shows in his innovative music and his all-embracing persona. He is a born storyteller who brings a positive, life-affirming message to his brilliant lyrical flow and compelling music. There are no clichés in what Cudi does. He is a breath of fresh air – a dynamic and important new voice, not only in the next phase of hip-hop, but as a groundbreaking trendsetter who represents the future. I am thrilled to welcome Kid Cudi into the Universal Motown family.”
Cleveland, Ohio native KID CUDI (pronounced CUT-ty, with short ‘u’), now residing in Brooklyn, New York, is completing his debut album, Man on the Moon: The Guardian, for late summer 2009 release on Dream On/G.O.O.D. Music/Universal Motown. Cudi also is launching his own label, Dream On, along with partners Emile and Plain Pat, in a joint venture with G.O.O.D. Music later this year. “Cudi is a combination of constant inspiration, struggle, reality and dreams put to melody!” declared superstar producer/artist and G.O.O.D. Music label founder Kanye West. KID CUDI holds two slots in the Billboard Top 20 singles this week: as an artist on his own single, and as co-writer of West’s double-platinum smash “Heartless.” “Partnering Kid Cudi with Universal Motown and Sylvia Rhone couldn't be a more natural fit,” commented Emile and Plain Pat. “They were the first major company to take notice of our movement and truly grasp our vision. We are thrilled to extend and deepen our relationship. It's a great feeling to watch the world discover the talent we saw in Cudi over these past years.”
The ingenious, spaced-out wit and sparse but addictive electronic arrangement of “Day ’N’ Nite” has already made the song a Top 5 iTunes download – No. 4 on the Top Songs list, and No. 3 on Rap/Hip-Hop -- while debuting in Billboard’s Hot Digital Tracks chart at No. 6, at the threshold of gold certification with over 450,000 digital singles sold; and on Hot Ringmasters at No. 10. “Day ’N’ Nite” is a bulleted No. 7 On Billboard’s Hot 100 singles chart and is Greatest Gainer in sales on that list. On national radio, the track is Top 5 in the Rhythmic-Crossover format, Top 25 on Mainstream Top 40 and Top 15 on Urban formats, where it is among the week’s top 5 Greatest Gainers in spins. Alternative stations are also following, in a building multi-format surge. Online, the song has driven almost 5 million page views on MySpace.com, and several posted tracks have generated nearly 30 million individual song streams.
“Day ’N’ Nite” is also building an immediate worldwide story, with radio and sales breakouts in Canada, New Zealand, Sweden and especially Belgium, where the track is already Top 5, and the U.K., where the club mix of the track by Crookers entered the national singles chart at No. 2. “Kid Cudi is that rare artist who exists without boundaries of genre,” said Universal Motown Senior Vice President, International Kirk Harding, who last summer initiated the talks between Universal Motown, Cudi and his management team that led to his signing. “You don’t meet many like Cudi, with that breadth of musical spectrum,” he added. “That’s how we identified his international potential long ago.”
KID CUDI released his first mixtape, A Kid Named Cudi, in July, 2008 as a free download sponsored by New York streetwear company 10 Deep, leading to an introduction and signing to Kanye West’s G.O.O.D. Music imprint, and in turn, to Cudi’s co-writing of four tracks on the platinum Kanye West album 808s & Heartbreak, including the Top 5 single, “Heartless” and stepping out in a featured vocal on “Welcome to Heartbreak.”
Cudi appeared on television and cable shows including MTV’s Dogg After Dark, BET’s 106th and Park, MTVu’s Spring Break special and NBC’s Last Call With Carson Daly to debut the single and video, while being tipped as an artist to watch in such authoritative print outlets as Rolling Stone, Vibe, The Source, Interview, and XXL.
Adding to a deafening buzz with a much-commented-on appearance at South By Southwest’s music festival, KID CUDI is currently on a national press and radio promo tour, scheduled to run through late spring and beyond, that will also include stops at such festivals as Bamboozled and Rothbury. He is also prominent in MTV’s Spring Break programming across its various cable platforms, and is this week’s greatest gainer in spins on FUSE’s video playlist.
April 15, 2009
KID CUDI JOINS UNIVERSAL MOTOWN
RED-HOT CHART NEWCOMER
HAS TOP 5 iTUNES SMASH, ‘DAY ’N’ NITE’
BILLBOARD HOT 100 NO. 7 SINGLE; R&B/HIP-HOP NO. 20
DEBUT ALBUM IS DUE SUMMER, 2009
NEW YORK –KID CUDI, whose unique multi-format breakout hit single, “Day ’N’ Nite” is a radio and digital smash, is joining the artist roster of Universal Motown, the label announced today.
“Kid Cudi is at the vanguard of a game-changing new generation of artists,” said Universal Motown President Sylvia Rhone. “He crosses musical boundaries with an appeal that goes beyond genre, format, race, language, and culture. Cudi lives easily in the hip-hop, indie rock, pop, and R&B worlds – a diversity that shows in his innovative music and his all-embracing persona. He is a born storyteller who brings a positive, life-affirming message to his brilliant lyrical flow and compelling music. There are no clichés in what Cudi does. He is a breath of fresh air – a dynamic and important new voice, not only in the next phase of hip-hop, but as a groundbreaking trendsetter who represents the future. I am thrilled to welcome Kid Cudi into the Universal Motown family.”
Cleveland, Ohio native KID CUDI (pronounced CUT-ty, with short ‘u’), now residing in Brooklyn, New York, is completing his debut album, Man on the Moon: The Guardian, for late summer 2009 release on Dream On/G.O.O.D. Music/Universal Motown. Cudi also is launching his own label, Dream On, along with partners Emile and Plain Pat, in a joint venture with G.O.O.D. Music later this year. “Cudi is a combination of constant inspiration, struggle, reality and dreams put to melody!” declared superstar producer/artist and G.O.O.D. Music label founder Kanye West. KID CUDI holds two slots in the Billboard Top 20 singles this week: as an artist on his own single, and as co-writer of West’s double-platinum smash “Heartless.” “Partnering Kid Cudi with Universal Motown and Sylvia Rhone couldn't be a more natural fit,” commented Emile and Plain Pat. “They were the first major company to take notice of our movement and truly grasp our vision. We are thrilled to extend and deepen our relationship. It's a great feeling to watch the world discover the talent we saw in Cudi over these past years.”
The ingenious, spaced-out wit and sparse but addictive electronic arrangement of “Day ’N’ Nite” has already made the song a Top 5 iTunes download – No. 4 on the Top Songs list, and No. 3 on Rap/Hip-Hop -- while debuting in Billboard’s Hot Digital Tracks chart at No. 6, at the threshold of gold certification with over 450,000 digital singles sold; and on Hot Ringmasters at No. 10. “Day ’N’ Nite” is a bulleted No. 7 On Billboard’s Hot 100 singles chart and is Greatest Gainer in sales on that list. On national radio, the track is Top 5 in the Rhythmic-Crossover format, Top 25 on Mainstream Top 40 and Top 15 on Urban formats, where it is among the week’s top 5 Greatest Gainers in spins. Alternative stations are also following, in a building multi-format surge. Online, the song has driven almost 5 million page views on MySpace.com, and several posted tracks have generated nearly 30 million individual song streams.
“Day ’N’ Nite” is also building an immediate worldwide story, with radio and sales breakouts in Canada, New Zealand, Sweden and especially Belgium, where the track is already Top 5, and the U.K., where the club mix of the track by Crookers entered the national singles chart at No. 2. “Kid Cudi is that rare artist who exists without boundaries of genre,” said Universal Motown Senior Vice President, International Kirk Harding, who last summer initiated the talks between Universal Motown, Cudi and his management team that led to his signing. “You don’t meet many like Cudi, with that breadth of musical spectrum,” he added. “That’s how we identified his international potential long ago.”
KID CUDI released his first mixtape, A Kid Named Cudi, in July, 2008 as a free download sponsored by New York streetwear company 10 Deep, leading to an introduction and signing to Kanye West’s G.O.O.D. Music imprint, and in turn, to Cudi’s co-writing of four tracks on the platinum Kanye West album 808s & Heartbreak, including the Top 5 single, “Heartless” and stepping out in a featured vocal on “Welcome to Heartbreak.”
Cudi appeared on television and cable shows including MTV’s Dogg After Dark, BET’s 106th and Park, MTVu’s Spring Break special and NBC’s Last Call With Carson Daly to debut the single and video, while being tipped as an artist to watch in such authoritative print outlets as Rolling Stone, Vibe, The Source, Interview, and XXL.
Adding to a deafening buzz with a much-commented-on appearance at South By Southwest’s music festival, KID CUDI is currently on a national press and radio promo tour, scheduled to run through late spring and beyond, that will also include stops at such festivals as Bamboozled and Rothbury. He is also prominent in MTV’s Spring Break programming across its various cable platforms, and is this week’s greatest gainer in spins on FUSE’s video playlist.
Wednesday, April 15, 2009
SMASHPROOF- "Brother" still #1:
"Brother" holds at pole position on the NZ singles chart for it's eighth week and climbs to #2 on the airplay chart.
The Weekend drops to #10 on the albums chart.
Awesome!
The Weekend drops to #10 on the albums chart.
Awesome!
Monday, April 13, 2009
SMASHPROOF return to #1 on iTunes:
"Brother" returns to pole position on iTunes after a few weeks drifting around the Top 5.
Shout out to Dane Rumble at #4.
Shout out to Dane Rumble at #4.
Saturday, April 11, 2009
Friday, April 10, 2009
SMASHPROOF album review in The New Zealand Herald:
Average review from the Herald, but you have to take the good with the bad...
Rating: * * *
Smashproof's Brother is one of those rare songs that doubles as a pop anthem and a true blue hip-hop classic. That catchy tune by the South Auckland trio, made up of Young Sid (the street smart one), Tyree (the smooth operator), and Deach (the suave one), and featuring the nasally delights of singer Gin Wigmore, is still riding high on top of the singles charts after more than 10 weeks.
But a hit single does not a hit album make. And even though it's one of the poppier hip-hop albums of recent times one doubts Smashproof's debut, The Weekend, will have the all-encompassing appeal of Brother. Still, the hard nuts from South Auckland give it a good crack.
The idea behind the album is simple: in the intro Smashproof clock out of work and it's Friday ("I'm about to get some liquor, meet up with all the soldiers,") and off they swagger on a debauched, staunch, and sometimes soulful and soul-searching trip through the weekend. There's the aftermath of Friday night in The Morning After ("The paddy wagon showed up/I guess that's what happens when I start fighting with the cops."), a visit to My Crib (where there's lots of, er, vanilla yoghurt and a girl with a bottom like Beyonce), and even a flick through the Sunday paper.
There are times when The Weekend is slick, powerful and thumping, like it's living up to their self-proclamations that they're coming straight out of South Auckland to take over the world. And they do sound all-conquering with Breathe In, Breathe Out's stealth flow and steely mantra and on the neck-snapping and rump-rattling All Night Long - like Destiny's Child meets the Roots. However, elsewhere, like the loping, one-dimensional tedium of Hot Boy, it's monotonous and laboured, and even though I Could Take You There has a feel-good factor, the rhymes lack refinement.
Then there's eight-minute last track Ordinary Life which starts out brilliantly as a hypnotic hip-hop life lesson but gives way to a condescending spoken word lecture in the form of "Take a good hard look at yourself". The kids are likely to say, "Yeah, whatever. Stuff you." It's a shame because that song and the album as a whole were doing a fine job of social commentary without spoiling it by spelling it out.
Scott Kara
Rating: * * *
Smashproof's Brother is one of those rare songs that doubles as a pop anthem and a true blue hip-hop classic. That catchy tune by the South Auckland trio, made up of Young Sid (the street smart one), Tyree (the smooth operator), and Deach (the suave one), and featuring the nasally delights of singer Gin Wigmore, is still riding high on top of the singles charts after more than 10 weeks.
But a hit single does not a hit album make. And even though it's one of the poppier hip-hop albums of recent times one doubts Smashproof's debut, The Weekend, will have the all-encompassing appeal of Brother. Still, the hard nuts from South Auckland give it a good crack.
The idea behind the album is simple: in the intro Smashproof clock out of work and it's Friday ("I'm about to get some liquor, meet up with all the soldiers,") and off they swagger on a debauched, staunch, and sometimes soulful and soul-searching trip through the weekend. There's the aftermath of Friday night in The Morning After ("The paddy wagon showed up/I guess that's what happens when I start fighting with the cops."), a visit to My Crib (where there's lots of, er, vanilla yoghurt and a girl with a bottom like Beyonce), and even a flick through the Sunday paper.
There are times when The Weekend is slick, powerful and thumping, like it's living up to their self-proclamations that they're coming straight out of South Auckland to take over the world. And they do sound all-conquering with Breathe In, Breathe Out's stealth flow and steely mantra and on the neck-snapping and rump-rattling All Night Long - like Destiny's Child meets the Roots. However, elsewhere, like the loping, one-dimensional tedium of Hot Boy, it's monotonous and laboured, and even though I Could Take You There has a feel-good factor, the rhymes lack refinement.
Then there's eight-minute last track Ordinary Life which starts out brilliantly as a hypnotic hip-hop life lesson but gives way to a condescending spoken word lecture in the form of "Take a good hard look at yourself". The kids are likely to say, "Yeah, whatever. Stuff you." It's a shame because that song and the album as a whole were doing a fine job of social commentary without spoiling it by spelling it out.
Scott Kara
MR HUDSON "There Will Be Tears" video:
I have been digging Hudson's music for a couple of years now, and the new album is very impressive. Keep your eyes and ears on this man.
Thursday, April 9, 2009
Tuesday, April 7, 2009
French National Assembly passes THREE-STRIKES clause:
It looks like France will become the first country to adopt a government-mandated graduated response policy to persistent file-sharers, cutting their internet access after two warnings.
The French National Assembly has voted to adopt the three-strikes clause in the new Creation and Internet law, despite opposition from consumer groups. The full legislation is now being scrutinised by the French parliament before being officially passed into law.
Music industry bodies the IFPI and Impala have both welcomed the news, with IFPI boss John Kennedy saying it's "setting an example to the rest of the world". Whether governments elsewhere will follow this example remains to be seen, though.
In France, the new rules will be administered by a new body called HADOPI, which will maintain a blacklist of banned users.
The French National Assembly has voted to adopt the three-strikes clause in the new Creation and Internet law, despite opposition from consumer groups. The full legislation is now being scrutinised by the French parliament before being officially passed into law.
Music industry bodies the IFPI and Impala have both welcomed the news, with IFPI boss John Kennedy saying it's "setting an example to the rest of the world". Whether governments elsewhere will follow this example remains to be seen, though.
In France, the new rules will be administered by a new body called HADOPI, which will maintain a blacklist of banned users.
SMASHPROOF - tour dates:
MAY 2009:
01 - Studio Venue Auckland
02 - Heaven Bar Whangarei
06 - Coyotes Club Wellington
07 - 10 Bar Dunedin
08 - Revolver Queenstown
09 - Saints & Sinners Invercargill
16 - Bedford Christchurch
22 - Zeal Café Henderson Waitakere City
23 - Pacific Music Awards Manukau City South Auckland
01 - Studio Venue Auckland
02 - Heaven Bar Whangarei
06 - Coyotes Club Wellington
07 - 10 Bar Dunedin
08 - Revolver Queenstown
09 - Saints & Sinners Invercargill
16 - Bedford Christchurch
22 - Zeal Café Henderson Waitakere City
23 - Pacific Music Awards Manukau City South Auckland
SMASHPROOF - Back2Basics album review:
SMASHPROOF
The Weekend
(MTC/Universal)
4.5 out of 5
If the release of Scribe’s Crusader album in late 2003 signalled the entry of Aotearoa Hip Hop into New Zealand’s commercial and media conciousness, Smashproof’s latest album, The Weekend, feels like the beginning of a new wave. Not to discount Savage’s phenomenal success in the US, but even million-plus sales in a foreign land didn’t seem to wake the local love for homemade urban that was rampant in those Scribe heydays.
The Smashproof story began three years back, with the signing of Papatoetoe rapper Tyree to MTC Records. The lukewarm reception his Now Or Never set received was partially due to some weak song selections, and also New Zealand’s inherent love-to-hate relationship with it’s own talent. When Tyree came out as a solo act, Smashproof was established as a crew, but wasn’t really known to the public. Enter Young Sid and his album The Truth, the release of which coincided with the beginning of a tumultuous couple of years in New Zealand. Society witnessed an explosion of gang activity, murder and violence, and, like it or not, The Truth was the perfect soundtrack. Sid’s elevation to hood hero/middle New Zealand enemy was pivotal to Smashproof’s success.
Now in 2009, Tyree, Deach and Sid are back as a unit and have delivered what is essentially a local Hip Hop classic. Screw what the purists say, because this is not only produced well, it’s also exactly what people want to hear. By ‘people’ I’m talking about seventies head nod babies, eighties b-boys, nineties newjacks and even my kids. It appeals to literally everyone. The flow of the album is basic - it’s about a weekend. From knocking off work on Friday to the back to work Monday anthem ‘Ordinary Life’, The Weekend a journey in song.
The title track is the perfect beginning; it’s celebratory tone not only matches every person’s elation at getting off work each Friday afternoon, it also feels like the group are taking a collective sigh of relief - perhaps at the arrival of their album. ‘Brother’ is an unconventional pop anthem, although featuring vocalist Gin Wigmore was the stroke of genius that lead to countless radio and TV spins. I wasn’t overly into ‘Hot Boy’ and it’s clubby tone, but the summer feel of ‘I Could Take You There’ with MZJ, Stunner and Mr. Sicc is sublime. Chasing it is my favourite track, ‘Somebody Like Me’. Over a hot Shuko beat, all three MCs spit hard about their journey to date, especially Sid who fires “the Truth dropped/I had the hardest s*** with no chick songs/but get two rows of chicks each time I perform”, and clears up the media accusations with a few choice words: “and for the record/I’m not with any gang/I grew up with many gangs/respected by plenty Gs”. ‘All Night Long’ featuring New York twins Nina Sky is an obvious club banger, and ‘My Crib’ gets local soulsters Awa and Pieter T in on the action. The set rounds out with the heavy ‘Sunday Star Times’. This moody Khaled produced cut addresses multiple hood issues and offers hope to those less fortunate. Sid kills it with some vivid wordplay and visual lines like “slugs in his lungs”, cementing his place as one of the top three MCs in New Zealand.
Overall, some of the interludes don’t quite work and ‘Ordinary Life’ is nearly too much, but these are minor flaws. From the multiple gang references, to the youthful free-for-all attitude, to the sudden politically righteousness, Smashproof embody everything you love to hate. It feels like little or no thought was put into the conceptualisation of the overall project (although I know there was), and that’s the genius of it. It simply is what it is. It’s not concocted, pompous or fictitious. It’s three South Auckland friends telling it exactly as they see and feel it. Their honesty and commitment to accurate rhyme will capture you, and - as well as all three MCs being completely on top of their game - they’ve also chosen some stunning beats to work with.
The Weekend is a modern day classic. Get it on Friday, listen to it Saturday and Sunday, and by Monday you’ll realise it’s one of the best weekends you ever had.
DJ Sir-Vere
The Weekend
(MTC/Universal)
4.5 out of 5
If the release of Scribe’s Crusader album in late 2003 signalled the entry of Aotearoa Hip Hop into New Zealand’s commercial and media conciousness, Smashproof’s latest album, The Weekend, feels like the beginning of a new wave. Not to discount Savage’s phenomenal success in the US, but even million-plus sales in a foreign land didn’t seem to wake the local love for homemade urban that was rampant in those Scribe heydays.
The Smashproof story began three years back, with the signing of Papatoetoe rapper Tyree to MTC Records. The lukewarm reception his Now Or Never set received was partially due to some weak song selections, and also New Zealand’s inherent love-to-hate relationship with it’s own talent. When Tyree came out as a solo act, Smashproof was established as a crew, but wasn’t really known to the public. Enter Young Sid and his album The Truth, the release of which coincided with the beginning of a tumultuous couple of years in New Zealand. Society witnessed an explosion of gang activity, murder and violence, and, like it or not, The Truth was the perfect soundtrack. Sid’s elevation to hood hero/middle New Zealand enemy was pivotal to Smashproof’s success.
Now in 2009, Tyree, Deach and Sid are back as a unit and have delivered what is essentially a local Hip Hop classic. Screw what the purists say, because this is not only produced well, it’s also exactly what people want to hear. By ‘people’ I’m talking about seventies head nod babies, eighties b-boys, nineties newjacks and even my kids. It appeals to literally everyone. The flow of the album is basic - it’s about a weekend. From knocking off work on Friday to the back to work Monday anthem ‘Ordinary Life’, The Weekend a journey in song.
The title track is the perfect beginning; it’s celebratory tone not only matches every person’s elation at getting off work each Friday afternoon, it also feels like the group are taking a collective sigh of relief - perhaps at the arrival of their album. ‘Brother’ is an unconventional pop anthem, although featuring vocalist Gin Wigmore was the stroke of genius that lead to countless radio and TV spins. I wasn’t overly into ‘Hot Boy’ and it’s clubby tone, but the summer feel of ‘I Could Take You There’ with MZJ, Stunner and Mr. Sicc is sublime. Chasing it is my favourite track, ‘Somebody Like Me’. Over a hot Shuko beat, all three MCs spit hard about their journey to date, especially Sid who fires “the Truth dropped/I had the hardest s*** with no chick songs/but get two rows of chicks each time I perform”, and clears up the media accusations with a few choice words: “and for the record/I’m not with any gang/I grew up with many gangs/respected by plenty Gs”. ‘All Night Long’ featuring New York twins Nina Sky is an obvious club banger, and ‘My Crib’ gets local soulsters Awa and Pieter T in on the action. The set rounds out with the heavy ‘Sunday Star Times’. This moody Khaled produced cut addresses multiple hood issues and offers hope to those less fortunate. Sid kills it with some vivid wordplay and visual lines like “slugs in his lungs”, cementing his place as one of the top three MCs in New Zealand.
Overall, some of the interludes don’t quite work and ‘Ordinary Life’ is nearly too much, but these are minor flaws. From the multiple gang references, to the youthful free-for-all attitude, to the sudden politically righteousness, Smashproof embody everything you love to hate. It feels like little or no thought was put into the conceptualisation of the overall project (although I know there was), and that’s the genius of it. It simply is what it is. It’s not concocted, pompous or fictitious. It’s three South Auckland friends telling it exactly as they see and feel it. Their honesty and commitment to accurate rhyme will capture you, and - as well as all three MCs being completely on top of their game - they’ve also chosen some stunning beats to work with.
The Weekend is a modern day classic. Get it on Friday, listen to it Saturday and Sunday, and by Monday you’ll realise it’s one of the best weekends you ever had.
DJ Sir-Vere
SMASHPROOF still high on the NZ charts:
"Brother" holds at #1 on the singles chart for it's seventh week and climbs to #3 on the airplay chart.
The Weekend drops a notch to #4 on the albums chart.
Thank you!
The Weekend drops a notch to #4 on the albums chart.
Thank you!
SMASHPROOF album review in The Listener:
Smash Hit
Smashproof’s unrepentantly gritty hip-hop is a triumph.
Though reports of its demise have been greatly exaggerated, hip-hop has gone through an awkward creative phase over the past couple of years. On the one hand there has been phenomenal success for the nursery rhyme endeavours of Souljah Boy and his ilk, producing simplistic ringtone rap that is ruthlessly effective, brazenly commercial and thankfully, quickly forgettable. At the opposite end of the scale artists such as Kayne West, Kid Cudi, Wale, The Knux and others have been pushing the music to its outer limits, incorporating strong, unapologetic influences from a variety of music and untypical lyrics. Even though it doesn’t always hit the mark, they are creating something new that suggests the future is light years away from the rigid confines of that old boom bap. Locally, the debate about American accents and influences became irrelevant with the breakout U.S. success of Savage’s Swing, proving that, with a little good fortune and a lot of planning and hard work, the right song has its own free trade agreement.
Amid this ever-changing environment, South Auckland trio Smashproof have been quietly building up a head of steam releasing several street mixtapes, and solo efforts (from Tyree and Young Sid), allowing them to arrive at their debut album in a position of knowledge and confidence.
However well planned - and The Weekend is a testament to rigid quality control and solid stewardship from their label, Move The Crowd - it’s unlikely that anyone involved could have imagined they would be releasing their album, as the lead single Brother, sat at the top of the singles chart for its fourth week. The song is a genius, bittersweet ode to South Auckland that encompasses dairy stabbings, gang affiliations, police rape, parental abuse, the P epidemic and more, although, typically it has garnered media attention solely for a couple of bars about the notorious Bruce Emerey “tagger killing”. The subject matter is hard and unrepentantly gritty, but the delivery - especially on the hook featuring the combination of rising star Gin Wigmore and Tyree - counterbalances perfectly. It’s a trick they use with ruthless efficiency throughout the album.
In a testament to the growth of the music in the southern hempisphere, it is hard to distinguish between the antipodean beatmakers, and those chosen from overseas. Once again, the triumph is in balance and tone, and there’s only a couple of the overly commercial cuts towards the end (All Night Long and My Crib) that detract from a refreshingly consistent album, musically and lyrically.
The loose concept, following the trio of Tyree, Young Sid and Deach from Friday afternoon knock-off to Monday morning’s resumption of 9-5, may just be perfectly in time with where hip-hop is moving. “Recession Rap” is the latest term to enter the lexicon, with Harlem’s Cam’ron recently releasing a superb song aimed squarely at menial workers and cubicle jockeys, called I Hate My Job, even though that experience is probably far more alien to him than Smashproof .
Naturally, it wouldn’t be a hip hop album if there weren’t a little braggadocio, but the overwhelming impression, at the album’s stunning conclusion Ordinary Life, is this is first class reportage, delivered with depth and honesty. Although so much recent hip-hop has been dedicated to little more than aggrandisement and the culture of me, on The Weekend, South Auckland is the star, and Smashproof are the vehicle. For all its grit and grime, there’s enough warmth, humour and strong sense of community to offer a more than fair representation of the group, and their hood.
THE WEEKEND, Smashproof (Move The Crowd)
Smashproof’s unrepentantly gritty hip-hop is a triumph.
Though reports of its demise have been greatly exaggerated, hip-hop has gone through an awkward creative phase over the past couple of years. On the one hand there has been phenomenal success for the nursery rhyme endeavours of Souljah Boy and his ilk, producing simplistic ringtone rap that is ruthlessly effective, brazenly commercial and thankfully, quickly forgettable. At the opposite end of the scale artists such as Kayne West, Kid Cudi, Wale, The Knux and others have been pushing the music to its outer limits, incorporating strong, unapologetic influences from a variety of music and untypical lyrics. Even though it doesn’t always hit the mark, they are creating something new that suggests the future is light years away from the rigid confines of that old boom bap. Locally, the debate about American accents and influences became irrelevant with the breakout U.S. success of Savage’s Swing, proving that, with a little good fortune and a lot of planning and hard work, the right song has its own free trade agreement.
Amid this ever-changing environment, South Auckland trio Smashproof have been quietly building up a head of steam releasing several street mixtapes, and solo efforts (from Tyree and Young Sid), allowing them to arrive at their debut album in a position of knowledge and confidence.
However well planned - and The Weekend is a testament to rigid quality control and solid stewardship from their label, Move The Crowd - it’s unlikely that anyone involved could have imagined they would be releasing their album, as the lead single Brother, sat at the top of the singles chart for its fourth week. The song is a genius, bittersweet ode to South Auckland that encompasses dairy stabbings, gang affiliations, police rape, parental abuse, the P epidemic and more, although, typically it has garnered media attention solely for a couple of bars about the notorious Bruce Emerey “tagger killing”. The subject matter is hard and unrepentantly gritty, but the delivery - especially on the hook featuring the combination of rising star Gin Wigmore and Tyree - counterbalances perfectly. It’s a trick they use with ruthless efficiency throughout the album.
In a testament to the growth of the music in the southern hempisphere, it is hard to distinguish between the antipodean beatmakers, and those chosen from overseas. Once again, the triumph is in balance and tone, and there’s only a couple of the overly commercial cuts towards the end (All Night Long and My Crib) that detract from a refreshingly consistent album, musically and lyrically.
The loose concept, following the trio of Tyree, Young Sid and Deach from Friday afternoon knock-off to Monday morning’s resumption of 9-5, may just be perfectly in time with where hip-hop is moving. “Recession Rap” is the latest term to enter the lexicon, with Harlem’s Cam’ron recently releasing a superb song aimed squarely at menial workers and cubicle jockeys, called I Hate My Job, even though that experience is probably far more alien to him than Smashproof .
Naturally, it wouldn’t be a hip hop album if there weren’t a little braggadocio, but the overwhelming impression, at the album’s stunning conclusion Ordinary Life, is this is first class reportage, delivered with depth and honesty. Although so much recent hip-hop has been dedicated to little more than aggrandisement and the culture of me, on The Weekend, South Auckland is the star, and Smashproof are the vehicle. For all its grit and grime, there’s enough warmth, humour and strong sense of community to offer a more than fair representation of the group, and their hood.
THE WEEKEND, Smashproof (Move The Crowd)
Monday, April 6, 2009
SMASHPROOF in the NZ Herald:
Urban park gets multicultural start
4:00AM Monday Apr 06, 2009
By Wayne Thompson
The Doyle Academy of Irish Dance was one of many acts celebrating the opening of Barry Curtis Park yesterday. Photo / Martin Sykes
Hip-hop, Irish dancing and crosscountry running came together yesterday in a multicultural opening celebration for one of the country's largest new urban parks.
Several thousand Manukau residents formed "DiverzCity" for the day in a grassy amphitheatre where they saw 15 acts, from Korean breakdancers Gambler Crew to the Doyle Academy of Irish Dance.
Opening the 94ha park which bears his name, former mayor Sir Barry Curtis said he hoped "the Manukau sun will continue to shine on this idyllic place".
He recalled that it was a valley of dairy farms when it came into the sights of the city council, which had a policy of buying strategic land for parks well ahead of development.
"We bought it for a fair and reasonable price from the Anglican Church Trust Board - $2.9 million for 290 acres."
Sir Barry said he hoped construction would start soon on the Flat Bush Town Centre, which will be partly surrounded by the park.
Flat Bush is planned to become a town of more than 40,000 people but work on civic facilities has been put off for at least three years because of the economic downturn.
But at the park yesterday, the talk was of creating jobs and opportunities.
Prime Minister John Key and Labour leader Phil Goff strolled among the crowd, Mr Key stopping to chat to rap artists Smashproof, whose members are from Manukau and have a No 1 hit single "Brother".
Away from the stage, many people sought the breeze in a twisting walkway through a planted wetland.
The playground was an instant hit.
Half Moon Bay couple Elizabeth and Darron Gedge said they came out of curiosity.
Mrs Gedge said "parks are important when you are a mum because you spend a lot of time visiting them and kids love them".
She was enjoying the new park. "There's a good sense of community out in the city's eastern suburbs."
The city council says the park, which is still being developed, will be bigger than the Auckland Domain and a cross-country fun run tested its gullies and hills as a future venue for national events.
From yesterday, most of the northern section is open to the public.
In addition to the festival lawn for events, the park includes a promenade known as the cultural axis, a number of areas for picnics, walkways, a walking and running route that will eventually go round the whole park, wetlands, and native trees planted along streams.
4:00AM Monday Apr 06, 2009
By Wayne Thompson
The Doyle Academy of Irish Dance was one of many acts celebrating the opening of Barry Curtis Park yesterday. Photo / Martin Sykes
Hip-hop, Irish dancing and crosscountry running came together yesterday in a multicultural opening celebration for one of the country's largest new urban parks.
Several thousand Manukau residents formed "DiverzCity" for the day in a grassy amphitheatre where they saw 15 acts, from Korean breakdancers Gambler Crew to the Doyle Academy of Irish Dance.
Opening the 94ha park which bears his name, former mayor Sir Barry Curtis said he hoped "the Manukau sun will continue to shine on this idyllic place".
He recalled that it was a valley of dairy farms when it came into the sights of the city council, which had a policy of buying strategic land for parks well ahead of development.
"We bought it for a fair and reasonable price from the Anglican Church Trust Board - $2.9 million for 290 acres."
Sir Barry said he hoped construction would start soon on the Flat Bush Town Centre, which will be partly surrounded by the park.
Flat Bush is planned to become a town of more than 40,000 people but work on civic facilities has been put off for at least three years because of the economic downturn.
But at the park yesterday, the talk was of creating jobs and opportunities.
Prime Minister John Key and Labour leader Phil Goff strolled among the crowd, Mr Key stopping to chat to rap artists Smashproof, whose members are from Manukau and have a No 1 hit single "Brother".
Away from the stage, many people sought the breeze in a twisting walkway through a planted wetland.
The playground was an instant hit.
Half Moon Bay couple Elizabeth and Darron Gedge said they came out of curiosity.
Mrs Gedge said "parks are important when you are a mum because you spend a lot of time visiting them and kids love them".
She was enjoying the new park. "There's a good sense of community out in the city's eastern suburbs."
The city council says the park, which is still being developed, will be bigger than the Auckland Domain and a cross-country fun run tested its gullies and hills as a future venue for national events.
From yesterday, most of the northern section is open to the public.
In addition to the festival lawn for events, the park includes a promenade known as the cultural axis, a number of areas for picnics, walkways, a walking and running route that will eventually go round the whole park, wetlands, and native trees planted along streams.
AKON live in Tokyo:
This is what i have been doing in Tokyo. Rollin' with my long time homie Kon as he smashed on audiences in Japan.
More footage to follow...
More footage to follow...
Thursday, April 2, 2009
THE HORRORS - "Sea Within A Sea:
Impressive! Geoff Barrow turned The Milkshakes into Sonic Boom inspired psych. I like! I know it's left, but...?
The Horrors - Sea Within A Sea from XL Recordings on Vimeo.
The Horrors - Sea Within A Sea from XL Recordings on Vimeo.
Wednesday, April 1, 2009
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