They’ve been compared to the hip-hop group Black Eyed Peas, but Zero T are true blue East Coasters representing Gisborne. SPASIFIKmag.com editor PETER REES speaks to band member Nikki Kennedy.
They’ve been compared to the popular American hip-hop group Black Eyed Peas because of their look and musical style, but Zero T are true blue East Coasters proud of their Gisborne roots.
“We could have moved to Auckland to be closer to the scene, but we are proud to represent Gisborne,” says Nikki Kennedy, aka Lil Nikki, the group’s youngest member at 19 years of age, and the only female.
Isolation from New Zealand’s urban music scene has sometimes been a disadvantage for Zero T. But since releasing their debut album ‘Second to None’ in mid-2006, two of their singles have broken into the New Zealand music charts top 40. The debut single ‘Cruzin’, which featured SPASIFIKmag.com music reviewer Feleti Strickson-Pua of Nesian Mystik, got a lot of airplay when it was released in July 2006.
“It was one of the top five most played Kiwi tracks for the July/September quarter and spent four weeks in the NZ Top 40 Charts,” Kennedy tells SPASIFIKmag.com. The follow up single 'Get Em Up' released in November of the same year, did even better reaching number 19 on the charts.
Zero T goes against the grain from the average hip-hop group in New Zealand with its multicultural makeup and Christian roots.
“We started out four years ago here in Gisborne. There's seven of us; 5 in the band members, a soundman and a DJ. Our style is pretty laidback happy go lucky hip hop - definitely not gangster,” Kennedy explains.
The lead rapper Dan Strange, aka 1D, is a 26 year-old Pakeha while the other members are either Maori or Cook Islander. Reuben Takoko aka Rhymin B - 2.I.C, is a 28 year-old Maori/Cook Islander, Rawiri Wanoa, aka Raza, 25, is Maori, while rapper Karu Campbell aka K, is a 25 year-old Maori/Cook Islander.
The band toured extensive in 2007, performing at numerous gigs and engagements including the 'Te Matatini Festival', the 'Maori Expo' in Auckland and 'Pao Pao Pao 07' with artists such as 'Four Corners' and 'Whirimako Black' in Wellington last November. They were there also at the Pasifika Festival in March. They’ve also appeared on television regularly, and the video clip for their third single Souljah has proven popular.
“It's one of our best video clips yet; it took a lot of time editing and cost us quite a lot of money as well,” adds Kennedy.
“We were humbled to have a producer who had worked on the Brooke Fraser videos and a film crew who had worked on the 'Narnia' movie.
“The concept of the video clip is of an underdog and how they can achieve incredible things if they only believe and put their mind to it. It's something as a group we're passionate about, and managed to spend some time last year going around high schools speaking to the rangatahi/youth that they can achieve their dreams and reach their full potential.”
The remainder of 2008 will see Zero T focus on making their second album set for release at the end of the year. The band is using the downtime to catch up on their personal and family lives after a hectic 18 month period. Getting a couple of singles in the NZ music charts has got Zero T on the radar, but the band still pretty much funds itself, with little left over. The next move is to get more attention from the big-wigs and established labels of New Zealand’s music industry. Kennedy says they are keeping their hopes high and staying optimistic.
“As a group we're real passionate about our music, and have set goals for the future, and will do whatever we can to achieve them,” she explains.
“For a group coming from Gisborne and the East Coast we have accomplished a lot and we're a walking testimony that you can still achieve dreams being in a small city away from the whole nation.”
