Phil Bell is behind the hip-hop campaign against street violence. Photo / Supplied.
Phil Bell is behind the hip-hop campaign against street violence. Photo / Supplied.
KEY POINTS:
New Zealand's top hip-hop artists have come together to record a song speaking out against street violence.
Local hip-hop stalwart DJ Sir-Vere (real name Phil Bell) came up with the idea following a spate of violence in South Auckland during January and this month, during which three peoplewere killed.
Producer P Money is also involved; however the line-up of artists and full details about the song called Think Twice are still under wraps.
It is believed Scribe, a number of Dawn Raid artists, and a who's-who of Aotearoa hip-hop are contributing to the single, which will be on sale in the first week of March.
Sir-Vere says on his blog at back2basics.co.nz that his son celebrated his birthday around the same time "a bunch of people were killed", which made him think about the world his three children are growing up in. These deaths included Krishna Naidu who was killed in his family's Clendon dairy and the fatal stabbing of Pihema Cameron in Manurewa.
Sir-Vere points out the song is not just about South Auckland but society in general. "This song is about the next generation of youth and about the hurdles they face. Like other people involved in the project, I'm a parent with genuine concern for their well-being and wanting to give them a future."
All the musicians are working on the project for free and the proceeds from the single will be donated to a charity that "will make a difference".
