On the road again... ASHER ROTH:

The blog posts are kinda slow at the minute because i'm in the UK with Asher. This kid is the truth people, his album is going to surprise cats...

DAVID DALLAS feat. Devolo - "Indulge Me" video:

This new single from D Dot is smooth as shit! Nice work Messers Dallas & Devolo!

SMASHPROOF #1:

We did it!

"Brother" is now officially the #1 single in NZ. Thank you to everyone that has supported this track.

Special love goes out to Jess Peters, who directed Gin our way and suggested that we put her on the track.

SMASHPROOF's "Brother" moves back to #1 on iTunes:

Take that Mraz! LOL!

SMASHPROOF - "The Weekend":

Check out the title track for Smashproof's soon-to-be-released album THE WEEKEND.

Produced by Shuko.

Music Playlist at MixPod.com

NZ ON AIR funding, Feb 2009:

We had a good day yesterday. We received two video grants for Smashproof & Kidz In Space, and Sid qualified for Phase Four Album funding for his second solo album.

Video funding went to:

· Audio Empire/Paper Soldiers (Isaac Promotions)

· Boh Runga/Names In The Sand (CRS Records)

· Bruce Conlon/City That Never Sleeps (Isaac Promotions)

· David Dallas/Little More Time (Dirty Management)

· Deja Voodoo/Girls With Guitars (Deja Voodoo)

· Dimmer/Cold Water (Warner Music)

· Fur Patrol/Little Fists (Isaac Promotions)

· J Williams featuring Lavina Williams/Stand With You (Illegal Musik)

· Kidz In Space/Downtime (Move The Crowd Records)

· Lawrence Arabia/Apple Pie Bed (Honorary Bedouin Records)

· Luger Boa/I Wanna Girlfriend (Stuka Records)

· Midnight Youth/Start Saving (Warner Music)

· Mumsdollar/Catch Me If You Can (Mumsdollar)

· Nesian Mystik/RSVP (Bounce Records)

· P-Money/Angels (Dirty Management)

· PNC/Bazooka Kid (Ooh Baby) (Dirty Management)

· Savage/I Love The Islands (Dawn Raid Music)

· SJD/Baby You’re Oh So (Round Trip Mars)

· Sleepy Kid/Summer Skies (Border Music)

· Smashproof/It's Friday (Move The Crowd Records)

· Sola Rosa featuring Bajka/Humanised (Way Up Records)

· State Of Mind featuring Tiki/Kinetic (SOM Music)

· Sweet & Irie/Sweet & Irie (Dawn Raid Music)

· The Black Seeds/Come To Me (The Black Seeds)

· The Checks/Disco Thump (Pie Club Records)

· The Mint Chicks/Don’t Sell Your Brain Out (Warner Music)

· The Tutts/Odyssey (Isaac Promotions)

· Vince Harder/Lyrical Love (Dirty Management)

K'NAAN - "The Great Depression" video:

If my memory serves me correctly, this track is a collaboration with Damon Albarn.

KID CUDI - "Day N Nite" video:

At long last! Directed by So Me. Word to the broski's Emile & Pat.

NZ HIP HOP is not dead:

Have you seen the singles chart charts lately? Don't call it a comeback! We've been here for years!

Smashproof - "Brother" #2
Nesian Mystik - "Mr. Mista" #4
Savage - "Wild Out" #11
P Money "Everything" #40

I know that Mr Money's single is not strictly a Hip-Hop track, but he is one of us, despite his need to explore other territories.

By the way, i know i'm late with this; but here's P's second foray into the dance world. It's an impressive trailer for a movie/song called "Angels". And as my 4.5 year old son would say, "it's skooky"! OooooOOOoooOOOOoooooOOOOOoo!

We still love ya P, even if you are currently making music for glowstick twirling men in tights in Nelson! :) You'll be back!

SMASHPROOF'S "Brother" holds at #2 on the NZ singles chart:

Jason Mraz still #1 - GRRRRRRRR!

Droppin’ Knowledge Part 7 - DOGS & CYCLES:

Have you ever watched a dog chase a motorcycle? I have. I used to live on a cul-de-sac when I was growing up and my old dog used to run after any motorcycle that entered our street. And best believe that she got a few kicks in the head for her troubles too!

I have also been ambushed many times by dogs while cruising on two-wheeled machines of differing varieties. These mutts seemingly appearing from out of nowhere running alongside the bike and barking furiously. While doing so, they are desperately trying to get their jaws locked around one of your wheels. None of them have actually ever fulfilled their mission, and luckily for me they didn’t, because the resulting carnage could have been nasty for all.

But what if one did actually succeed, miraculously surviving it with their bodies and brains intact? What next?

Here sits Mr. Dog, with a wheel in its mouth, the vehicle is silenced and he has emerged victorious, having just slayed the noisy dragon.

And once the pride of achieving its goal dissipates, what next? How long do you think the dog would sit there looking proud for?

I know the answer, because my old dog was a motorcycle chaser. And although she never caught one, failure wasn't an option. She would stay put only long enough for the next motorcycle to come along; and then the cycle (no pun intended) would repeat!

I have no reason to believe that catching one would change her daily grind. She just loved chasing them because that’s what she did and I’m sure she would’ve kept on going forever regardless!

I use that anecdote to illustrate what it feels to have a hit single, hit album or pretty much achieve nearly any personal goal in ones life.

We at MTC have our first legitimate hit at the moment with “Brother”. And most would envisage that after 4-5 solid years of grind; we would be enjoying the fruits of our labors, kicking back spending time to savor the moment. But please believe that that’s not that case at all.

The reality is that we are rushing to finish up the final mixes of the remaining album tracks so that our friend, Angus McNaughton; can get to mastering it. We are also setting up the marketing and promo, looking for viable touring options, setting up the Australian plan and trying to figure out the single roll out for The Weekend.

As for the boys… they are all focused on working on their upcoming solo projects. This Smashproof album was finished for them a few weeks ago, so each of them are now going in for delf. Deach is continuing to get his album recorded. Sid owes us all a mixtape and has to finish up the tracks for his second solo album that he recorded with Emile in NY over the break. And Tyree is in talks with the squad of people that he wants to bring together to produce his entire album. He is also finishing up a mixtape. Ty before he flys home in a week or so, and will spend time adding a few bit and pieces to Sids album. Not to mention that Aaron, Juse and myself are also busy prepping to launch the Kidz In Space project.

And that my friends, is where my little story about our furry friends comes in. You see, we are the dogs that finally caught that motorcycle. And with “Brother” sitting comfortably at #2 on the NZ singles chart and #2 on iTunes (as of today). We are now looking to see how we can build on what this single has achieved. We are now in the process of choosing the next single, which is quite an art form in itself. Like our canine friends above, we have spent so long trying to get to the top of the game, that as soon as we got what we were chasing, we don’t have time to take a minute to pause; so it’s only natural that our focus would move to trying to create the next hit.

Ahhhhhh the dreaded single selection process. It’s not as easy as one might think.

Case in point… “Brother” has laid down a very solid foundation for our boys. As did our previous album releases. But the look and content of our “hit single” makes it difficult to follow it up with anything that’s a lot lighter. But we do have to lighten up a bit, because CHR radio (ZM, The Edge etc) probably won’t deal with a super heavy track like “Ordinary Life”. Even though in my opinion, it’s the best track on the album. We have the ears of the programmers at CHR now and we are cognizant of the fact that we have to make the most of that attention while we can. We have lived within the confines of Mai FM & Flava for many years, and while we would never turn our backs on our brothers & sisters who have supported us at those stations; it’s nice to have a broader reach too. These people at the CHR stations never gave us this shot before, so we want to keep their attention while we have it.

There is a track on the album called “All Night Long”, which has been identified by our Australian company as a song that they would like to get out there as a single at some stage. I’m not mad at them for suggesting that we consider this song as a single, in fact I am happy that they have taken the time out to check out the album and form an opinion of their own.

So we have had to step back and look at the song in isolation and check how people will perceive the group if we pop that track out there. Smashproof as a group has until recently been branded with a reputation for putting out “fake American” music, and putting that song into the ether wouldn’t do much to help our cause. It is an uptempo club track that features Nina Sky singing about heading out to a club on Saturday night during The Weekend. And let's face it, most club tracks doesn’t register too far into the deep end of things. But do not get it twisted, it’s not a fake record at all. The boys do go clubbing regularly and it is part of their lifestyle, and Deach is even known for hosting and staging parties/club nights on the regular. It’s reality, but not the reality that people want to hear from the boys right now.

So here’s the dilemma… if we go too far and pop out “All Night Long”, we would most likely lose the attention of all of the people out there that love “Brother”. And if we morph to the heavy vibe of “Ordinary Life” we lose CHR radio.

You see my point?

Back in the day I made the mistake of launching Tyree’s project with the wrong singles and I learnt my lesson the hard way. Ty made a solid album, but most of y’all wrote him off because of the singles that we launched. It’ not your fault, you judge the Chef’s abilities based on what he gives you to taste. If we had of led with “Outplayed” or a harder track, Ty would’ve been perceived entirely differently from jump.

Imagine if we lead Young Sid’s project with “Undisputed”? People would’ve fronted hard on the Young’N! But putting out “Hood Like Me” and “Too Much Pain” helped us to have an opportunity to cement his image, sound and base in the minds of the critical masses. And believe me, it was all thought about extensively during the run up to the release of his album.

So when in doubt, I think it’s best to go with what felt right prior to all of the other factors coming in to play. And my gut always told me that “Its Friday” was the track to move to next. But you do have to take everything else into account during the decision making process. Even if you do eventually come full circle to the same place that you started.

So the next motorbike that we are chasing is “Its Friday”, which will be followed up by “Ordinary Life”. Please let us know if you beg to differ once you hear the album. I’m always the first to admit I’m wrong if presented with a compelling reason to the contrary.

So here we go again, the cycle repeats… and we do it because we love the process. And now we have to make a video, create single artwork and get back in there again promoting, marketing and touring with barely a minute to fully absorb the fact that we just achieved a four-five year long goal.

But we did! And it feels fuckin’ great!!!

SMASHPROOF'S "Brother" moves to #1 on iTunes:

But that Godawful Flo Rida track is coming up fast! Grrrrrrrr!

New KIDZ IN SPACE track:

Check out "Starsign" on the Kidz In mySpace page.

And if you dig it, download it for freeeeee!

"SMASHPROOF have previously worked with producer Juse. Now they've got Gin."

Russell Baillie from the NZ Herald had this to say about Smashproof as part of his Spoiler Alert piece:

I silently cheered at the Weekend Herald front page in which reporter Vaimoana Tapaleao broke the story about Smashproof's new video for Brother which re-enacts the confrontation between Pihema Cameron and Bruce Emery which ended in the 15-year-old tagger's death. Not because of the case itself. And that's not the only South Auckland sadness Chris Graham's powerful clip illustrates.

It's a long time since hip-hop, especially the local stuff, has made the front page or the 6 o'clock news, which it did that night. It's not that NZ hip-hop has lacked for something to say about its stamping ground, just the way to say it with clarity and purpose.

Smashproof's quietly powerful song - helped by the counterpoint vocals of Gin Wigmore - and accompanying clip does that. Just a pity it took an angry white guy other than say Eminem to inspire them all the way to the number two spot in the singles charts. Oh and there's a nice symmetry here somewhere. Smashproof have previously worked with producer Juse. Now they've got Gin. Those who know their Snoop Dogg will think that's quite a punchline.

PERRILLI: IP Laws Need To Go Further To Tackle Piracy:

Entertainment industry attorney Tom Perrelli, President Obama's choice for associate attorney general, told the Senate Judiciary Committee during his confirmation hearing today that existing U.S. intellectual property laws "don't seem to be addressing the problem" of global counterfeiting and piracy.

Perrelli said he hoped to bring a renewed focus to the issue. "This committee was the source of a bill that created a broader IP position through the administration," he pointed out, referring to legislation, sponsored by Senate Judiciary Chairman Patrick Leahy and signed into law in October that toughened civil and criminal IP laws and created an IP czar within the White House. That position is now vacant and Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse, D-R.I., has urged the administration to fill it.

As managing partner of Jenner & Block's Washington office and co-chairman of the firm's entertainment practice, Perrelli represented record labels and movie studios in copyright cases. He previously served as deputy assistant attorney general in the Clinton administration. Despite some GOP resistance, the panel is expected to approve his nomination, as well as that of Harvard Law School Dean Elena Kagan for solicitor general, after the Presidents Day recess.

Emery jailed for killing TAGGER:

I just peeped this on Stuff:

Aucklander Bruce Emery has been jailed for four years and three months for the manslaughter of a tagger he stabbed to death last year.

It came at an emotion-charged sentencing at the High Court at Auckland this morning.

Emery, 50, caught two teenagers tagging his property in January last year and chased them armed with a knife. It ended with 15-year-old Pihema Cameron dead from a single stab wound to the chest.

Emery was charged with murder but, in December last year, was found not guilty of murder and instead guilty of manslaughter.
Defence lawyer Chris Comesky this morning asked for home detention, but Justice Hugh Williams said it was not an option.
The starting point for sentencing was five and a half to six years jail because it was a homicide with the use of a knife, the judge said. But Emery received the benefit of mitigating factors, including his "family standing" in the community.

Emery showed no reaction to his sentence.

Leanne Cameron, Pihema's mother, said justice had not been served today. The sentence was totally inadequate. Emery would be out in two years and should have got 10, she said.

Ms Cameron had earlier today told the court through a victim impact statement that her life had been a nightmare since the fateful night.

"I have never felt so much hatred for a person than what I feel for this man. He destroyed and broke up my family.
"Not a day goes by when I don't cry about my son. This man who killed my son had 300m to stop and think about what could have been."

Another young family member had said she wanted to rip Emery's eyes out with her fingernails.

Pihema's family and supporters were in the courtroom with a number of supporters, many wearing T-shirts with a photo of the dead teen and the words "in loving memory".

Emery, a businessman married for 20 years with three daughters, said in an interview after his December conviction: "I so deeply regret the tragedy that has happened. It is just a complete tragedy for both families and I ask for them to forgive me. I can't fix this. I've created a complete mess."

During Emery's trial, the court heard how Cameron and a 16-year-old relative went tagging in the south Auckland suburb of Manurewa after drinking alcohol and smoking cannabis.

Emery chased after them armed with a 13cm knife. The Crown said Emery was an angry man whose property had been repeatedly tagged and decided to take the law into his own hands.

Throughout the trial, Emery maintained the killing was self defence.

Pihema's mother has also said in interviews before today's sentencing that Pihema had been brought up knowing tagging was wrong, but had got into a bit of trouble, like many teenagers.

She did not support what her son had done, and had previously signed a petition against graffiti to make parents more accountable for their children's actions.

She said her son was raised in a loving, caring family but had stopped attending high school late last year because he hated it, much to the disagreement of his separated parents.

Pihema would be remembered as being family-oriented, and he enjoyed working on cars. He played in a tag touch competition for a team called the Strickly Green Tag Team.

Pihema's grandfather, Brian Cameron, has previously expressed anger at the image of his grandson that emerged in court: "They portrayed him as an alcoholic and a drug addict. He had a couple of puffs of dope each with his mate and a couple of beers, but they tried to say he drank a couple of boxes of booze and it was just out of hand."

Leanne Cameron moved to Australia last year and her children joined her later. She said Pihema had been living with his father, Pihama Edmonds, who was a tetraplegic.

Pihema was a student at Papakura High School until 2007, but had not re-enrolled, despite his parents' best efforts.
Friends of Emery's Indonesian-born wife Sotju and three daughters - Nicoletta, 15, Kimberley, 13, and Jennifer, 10 - have said the family is devastated, with the youngest daughter often not being able to sleep at night "because she misses her dad so much".

Emery had said in an interview with the Sunday News after his conviction: "When I am able to get out of here I want to do the right thing and say sorry to the poor guy's family. I have to do that to be at peace."

Emery had said he wished he had remained inside with his wife that night rather than chasing Cameron down Mahia Rd. "Under normal circumstances I would have been in bed and would not have been alerted to it."

Emery said if he could turn back the clock he would, and urged anyone in a similar position to follow a simple piece of advice.
"I would suggest people in this situation ring the police and stay on your property. For goodness sake, don't even try to apprehend them. Just wake up the next morning and clean it off."

R.I.P Pihema Cameron

SMASHPROOF'S "Brother" moves to #2 on the NZ singles chart:

We're wrapped! Thank you everyone for your support!

SMASHPROOF are still Top 5 on iTunes:

Not bad considering the two tracks above us are the #1 airplay track in NZ and a track that features Dr. Dre, 50 alongside Eminem!

KIDZ IN SPACE logo:

More about PIHEMA CAMERON's death and "Brother" on TVNZ & TV3 news:

The story is spreading...





R.I.P Pihema Cameron.

SMASHPROOF feature on the front page of the NZ Herald today:

And for once we're not being attacked by the papers...






"TAGGER KILLING NOW A MUSIC VIDEO"
4:00AM Saturday Feb 07, 2009. By Vaimoana Tapaleao

A new music video re-enacts the moment South Aucklander Pihema Cameron was caught tagging shortly before he was killed.

The video - to the song Brother, by South Auckland hip-hop group Smashproof - shows lookalikes acting out the scene when the 15-year-old was caught vandalising the property of businessman Bruce Emery in January last year.

Emery chased and stabbed Pihema, who bled to death. He is due to be sentenced next Friday for manslaughter.

In the video, a Maori youth wearing black is tagging a property fence when he is interrupted and chased by a chubby Pakeha man wearing spectacles.

The man grabs the teenager and struggles with him, before the camera cuts away. In the background, rapper Tyree says: "Man, take away a kid's life just because he tagged? Damn."

The song, which features singer Gin Wigmore, deals with social issues in South Auckland, including criminal activity, drug dealing and gang affiliation.

Director Chris Graham said recreating the scene - which had the potential to be sensitive for some - was important to fully illustrate the seriousness of the incident.

"You have to do justice to a song with such strong issues ... You had some people saying that kid deserved it and others saying he didn't. We consciously wanted to provoke thought and to reopen dialogue."

Mr Graham said the group, consisting of Tyree and fellow South Auckland-raised rappers Young Sid and Deach, wanted to "shine a light" on an incident that many people had debated without understanding what it was like to live in South Auckland.

"It was really important to get people thinking. People can look and listen to it and either relate to it or - if you're at the other end of the spectrum - to consider what's happening around them."

Pihema Cameron's mother, Leanne, said she had yet to see the video but supported using the incident to highlight local issues.

"I heard about it and my daughter said it was okay. Seeing [musicians'] views through that - those kids are pointing out and expressing their views - good on them."

She hoped Emery would see it, saying: "He gets fame in a different way - good."

Emery's lawyer, Chris Comesky, said the video had the potential to cause disorder, with people acting "unfavourably" towards his client as a result. However, given that the scene was being used in an artistic context that highlighted social issues, it was fair.

"If it's a fair portrayal then I'd be the first person to say I wouldn't have a problem with it. After all, it was sort of a landmark case in New Zealand, so if it provokes people to think about particular issues - crime and how life can easily be taken - then that's a good thing."


R.I.P Pihema Cameron

GIN WIGMORE on Kiwibox.com:

Gin speaks on the creative process for her upcoming debut album.

SMASHPROOF - "The Morning After" (Trailer):

Trailer directed by Dkays. Song produced by Juse.

CAM'RON - "I Hate My Job": video:

I like this new track from Killa. It's a left turn for him. The track features none of the flossing that we have become accustomed to from him, with Killa rapping about the reality that the "ain't gots and have nots" face day to day. This kinda reminds me of some of the subject matter that Smashproof wrote about on THE WEEKEND.

SMASHPROOF to perform on Waitangi Day:

Sid & Deach will be flying the MTC flag at Waitangi this year.

They are set to perform at the Waitangi Treaty grounds on February 6th at 3pm.

Go check 'em out if you're in the area.

SMASHPROOF'S "Brother" moves in to the NZ Top 10:

"Brother" moves #23-8 on the NZ singles chart this week. Giving us our first ever NZ top 10 single!! Thank you to all of you that have supported the track and the boys.