southern culture

Rip It Up, Issue 242, 1 October 1997, Page 10

southern culture

Lost Tribe

Urban Pacifika, the indie label run by Phil Fuemana (a key player behind Proud), released Lost Tribe’s debut single ‘Summer in the Winter’ last month, and watched as it entered the local charts in the Top 20. This early success was a welcome confidence booster for the group, explains rapper Danny Leaosavaii. “It was good for us, because with ‘Summer in the Winter’ there was no compromise, we did it the way we wanted it, so it’s a blessing to know that a lot of people appreciated our music.” Lost Tribe formed 18 months ago out of the ashes of the Pacifican Descendants. Their arrival coincided with the emergence of Urban Pacifika, and the two entities immediately joined forces as they shared similar goals. “It’s all about us as Polynesians, expressing ourselves, and we can do that through the label,” says Leaosavaii. “We want to say our piece about our lives in Aotearoa, telling our stories as Polynesians the way we see it. Lost Tribe is all about trying to reach our young ones, and we are trying to get ourselves into a position where we can deliver our message out to the kids.” Without question, and like all local hip hop crews, Lost Tribe have a battle on their hands to bend the ears of young hip hop fans in this country, who are bombarded through video shows and radio with bland Stateside R&B. Leaosavaii points out the single biggest hurdle facing indigenous hip hop is the narrow minded attitudes of TV and radio programmers.

Three years ago, when a —- .?■ , • -, / '- South Auckland compilation ■■ ■ - . . . called Proud hit the streets, that region was championed as fostering a simmering underground of . Polynesian musical talent, that was itching to explode. Out of that scene came Pauly Fuemana’s OMC and a million selling single . . . . . . . . . worldwide. And before that, Sisters Underground, who - scored a hit in New Zealand and Australia with c ln the Neighbourhood’. After a period of relative guiet, there’s serious rumblings from the South once again, ...,- . . . . in the form of hip-hop - group. Lost Tribe.

“It’s vital for the kids to hear what we have to offer, there’s so much happening here, but we’re getting blocked off. The people with the power to expose our music need to feed us to the young ones so they at least have the option to choose either the American stuff or ours. I know that if kids here listen to our rhymes, they’ll realise that we have a message that is more relevant to them than what the Americans have to say.” And no longer can it be argued, says Leaosavaii, that “Aotearoa styles” don’t make the grade; “Local hip hop has gone beyond being compared to the Americans. Guys like DLT, Che Fu, and Dam Native, have proven that we have our own voice.” Coupled with an absence of airplay, NZ hip hop is also hindered by a lack of rolling momentum. Few of the higher profile groups release records in quick succession, and therefore are unable to build on existing popularity. Lost Tribe plan to reverse that trend by knocking out a second single in November, and an album early in the new year. “If we had our way we’d be turning music out every week, and I wish those decisions could be made by us, but there’s other channels we have to go through. Our biggest goal at the moment is to drop an album, that’s a big stepping stone for any hip hop group. If local hip hop groups could be dropping music regularly, the kids would react to it, and there would be a constant vibe happening. It could only be good for everyone.”

JOHN RUSSELL