It’s the mid 80’s in Aotearoa, amidst a racially tense time on the streets Upper Hutt Posse form, setting the bar for the new sound of New Zealand rap & hip hop.
Later in the decade, UHP with D-Word, DLT, MC Wiya and more release E-TU, the first commercially released NZ hip hop song, and blow the nation's mind.
1988 see’s one of the first international hip hop concerts happen in Auckland, Run DMC, which becomes a formative event in New Zealand Hip hop. Che Fu, DLT, D-Word, DJ Tee Pee, DJ Raw, Rhys B, our host DJ Sir-Vere, and many more key members of the Aotearoa Hip Hop scene attended.
Further reading:
https://www.audioculture.co.nz/articles/aotearoa-hip-hop-jeremy-toomata
https://www.audioculture.co.nz/people/upper-hutt-posse
Find out more Aotearoa Music History at Audioculture.
Made with support from NZ On Air.