One of the most influential albums in Aotearoa’s history has been re-released – years after hard copies went out of production.
The revolutionary Māori hip-hop album Kaupapa Driven Rhymes Uplifted has been so popular, people have been paying more than $320 for old CDs.
The album has never before been released on vinyl until now – and it’s also now on streaming platforms for the first time.
The fusion of tikanga Māori, te reo Māori and hip-hop lyricism changed the direction of New Zealand music, cementing Maori hip-hop as a highly acclaimed genre.
The music’s themes focussed on being Māori, with the rapping incorporated te reo. The album cover featured a tokotoko (carved walking stick).
The group’s founding members never expected the recordings to have such a lasting resonance but it has given them pride.
“You know, ain’t sh*t changed but the political parties in power – and the fact that the album still rings today, still is relevant today – it’s astounding,” Bennett Pomana told 1News.
The music was heavily influenced by the resurgence of te ao Māori at the time.
Daniel Haimona credits “the resurgence of tā moko, the amazing mahi done by our freedom fighters in regards to kōhanga reo, te reo Māori. Bastion Point, we had Whina Cooper with the land marchers and the Polynesian Panthers”.
“And so that, colliding with this hip-hop-obsessed kid, is how you get Dam Native.”
At the time, he said: “I wanted to be the greatest Māori MC ever.”
The album, which won three Aotearoa Music Awards, is still considered by many as the greatest hip-hop album our country has ever produced. But it’s long been out of production, making the CDs collector’s items.
Haimona said: “The thing is for me is that the unavailability of this record has added to its mystery… So I kind of liked it, the exclusivity of it, the rareness of it. I really enjoyed it.”
Pomana added that he would have to “get me a turntable so I can play it”.
“And it’s been remastered so it sounds even meaner.”
The album’s producer, Kiwi Zane Lowe, is now Apple Music’s global creative director, interviewing the biggest names in music each week. He told reporters he still takes great pride in the Dam Native recordings.
“We were bros back then and to see him go on and do what he’s doing now, it’s crazy,” Pomana said.
A signing event was held yesterday at Flying Out in Auckland, where fans bought their first vinyl copies.
