The Future of Hip-Hop and RnB In New Zealand

University of Auckland lecturer in Ethnomusicology in the Department of Anthropology Kirsten Zemke-White said New Zealand hip-hop and R n B has a strong future if they an overcome the economic factors, continue to get record company support and if people keep supporting New Zealand music.

Dr Zemke-White said the Pacific community distribute their music at markets and R n B is distributed in other Pacific networks and this will always happen whether it becomes mainstream or not.

"Pacific R n B is a phenomenon. It’s just a matter of getting recognised by the mainstream."

She said R n B, which began in the United States, is popular in New Zealand because the music resonates with Pacific communities who often identify more with African Americans than with white New Zealanders.

But New Zealand hip-hop artists are not just clones of American artists, she said.

"People say pop music is passive. But people engage with it – they learn the moves and sing along. It’s something people do and not just absorb from America."

She said R n B is popular in New Zealand because a lot of people can relate to it and it allows them to escape their ordinary lives while they listen to it.

"R n B speaks for the oppressed and talks about wanting to get high, get laid and dance. People don’t want to have to think about issues when they listen to this music and that’s why people like it."

Unique New Zealand artists like Annie Crummer, Sara-Jane and Adeaze have music in their native pacific languages and songs with religious content because that reflects their heritage.

New Zealand R n B artists are influenced by American artists, but Zemke-White said their music is unique and heavily influenced by their Pacific backgrounds.

She said the Maori and Pacific record label Gifted and Brown shows how New Zealand R n B can co-exist alongside the major American music on New Zealand music charts and show that New Zealand music labels can stamp their unique influence on their music.

So while New Zealand R n B artists may often look like American artists, their music has a Maori or Pacific Island feel that sets them apart.

Polynesian instruments like drums and ukeleles are often used in New Zealand R n B, and artists often refer to their culture or New Zealand slang and landmarks that illustrate its New Zealand and pacific island influence.

Deceptikonz use a Pacific Island choir in their music andBen Lummis sings in Tongan as well as English, which makes the music unique but also makes the island communities proud, Dr Zemke-White said.

It gives Pacific Islanders and Maori in New Zealand musicians they can relate to in the New Zealand music industry.

Dr Zemke-White said the increase in popularity of New Zealand hip-hop illustrated in the music charts is a result of people buying New Zealand music.

"It only works because people want to buy it and have pride in New Zealand products and go out and buy it. There’s funding and support but also attitudes have changed in New Zealand…If we don’t support New Zealand music, we won’t have any."

She said New Zealand musicians like Mareko and Savage have more slick videos than New Zealand artists in the past because they have to be on the same music chart as American artists like Usher andBeyonce.

The New Zealand R n B music videos are a source of pride that New Zealand musicians can produce something that looks as good as the American videos.

More recently New Zealand R n B is beginning to influence music outside of the country.

Scribe’s music has been used in an advertisement in Australia andAdeaze’s music has been sampled by Mariah Carey for her track Your Girl on her latest album, 'The Emancipation of Mimi'.

Yet Dr Zemke-White is sceptical about the future of New Zealand R n B and said although it is growing in popularity nationally, "it is wishful thinking that it will explode".

She said the second season of New Zealand Idol could showcase more musical talent by hip-hop artists and help the New Zealand music industry.

"Eight out of ten finalists in the first New Zealand Idol were brown-skinned", and she said this could encourage even more talented musicians to enter this year.

Dr Zemke-White said the key to success in music is to not only musical talent but for musicians to surround themselves with people who know about money and the music industry.

"I know they’ve got the skills. They just need the money and the knowledge."

She said she hoped to do more research on New Zealand pop music and hoped there will be more hip-hop subjects taught in music departments at University level.