Kiwi hip-hop artists blazing back for more

Deceptikonz come up with slamming hip-hop hooks and grimy street appeal.

Local hip-hop releases tend to come in waves. Thankfully, the first wave of summer is a (mostly) satisfying affair ...

Even after three of their four members have gone solo, Deceptikonz still sound ferocious as a team.

Second album Heavy Rotation is their most polished, accomplished work across the field, a blazing hip-hop album that suggests they've spent more than a few nights chilling at their label's nightclub, Chocolate City. Bomb in the Building, Don't [expletive] with Me and Go Home, Stay Home show they've mastered the art of writing slamming hip-hop hooks while still maintaining their grimy street appeal.

"D-konz" also know the merit of good grooves that don't overpower them as lyricists. Producers Emile, Unknown and the crew's own Mareko keep things menacingly simple so the rappers own the tracks, not vice versa. Although Savage's gruff vocals tend to dominate, Mareko reminds us who the hardest man really is: "You wanna know if I flow the truth? Look at your school map, little boy - is the ocean blue?"

This also deftly covers the spectrum from rugby chants to club-friendly anthems and minimal crunk, and the hypnotic reggae of Don't [expletive] with Me is one of their best tracks. That blunt message permeates much of the material, even the soulful Listen to the Music with Adeaze.

Cyphanetik is just as blunt on his riskily titled debut album, Commercial Suicide. The man behind Breakin' Wreckwordz is a straight shooter who takes an industry-eye-view of his craft. Having friends in high places means access to guests like Tyna, Mareko and Louie Knuxx and an impressive grab-bag of MCs on Danger Room.

But he lets the side down on the patronising Bring It To Me, about his two-tiered career: "I'm a genuine guy, I won't lie to ya, I'm an industry cat, yeah I'll lie to ya." One thing's true though: he's not aiming for the pop market. This is bleak, street-friendly hip-hop that throws a spotlight on the MC, and this MC doesn't have time for tweens or "disrespecters". If there is a radio-friendly track it's Blaze Em, virtually an instant catchcry, where he deservedly proclaims "I'm amay-zin!"

Not so amay-zin is Ill Semantics' second album. It's called Good Musik, which should give you an indication of how much creativity went into it. To their credit, the bold, epic beats by the always impressive DJ CXL show the group have a newfound sonic confidence, somewhere between a sexually forward G-Unit (Roll With Ya) and a Pacific, family-friendly style (On & On).

But the rhymes are a constant stream of cliches that fail to ignite: they worked hard to get here, they want to get your [expletive] hands in the air, they're holding it down in the hood, they're holding it down for the kids in the street.

MC Patriarch hammers it home with a "you can't stop, and you won't quit" while female MC Nemesis prefers to make bland statements about "staying true" or threatening to blow you away, rather than actually doing it by getting lyrically adventurous.

It's not always easy to reconcile the harder hitting party tracks like Break You Off, written for "the thugs in the club" with their softer, R&B style, either. The more successful tracks feature the guest vocalists Adeaze, Tommy Stowers and Aaradhna or are those that stick to safe, funk territory (Fever). And it's devoid of the big hooky track they need to break them into the pop charts.

Tyree, on the other hand, has plenty of catchy cuts to do just that. The Smashproof MC may not be quite up to par with, say, Scribe's articulation - his youth limits his lyrical themes to those revolving around his career, parties and girls. But he's just as focused and fiery.

With the backing of New York-based music executive Kirk Harding, remixes in the can for the likes of Chamillionaire and David Banner, and beats that elicit a ladies' man, Nelly feel, he's the one Kiwi with a shot at the American market.

Now Or Never is a fun hip-hop album geared for "house parties to the club" (Ladies & Gentleman). Tyree has the charisma to pull off some self-assured lyrics: "I wanna hit the sack wit ya, you ain't [expletive] with an amateur," he raps convincingly on Would You Mind. It's too long and there are irritating spoken-word skits from a woman who sounds like she's old enough to be his mother. But these are mostly chunky, hook-laden songs that will get you to your feet.

Finally, PNC may sound like a type of plastic but the Palmerston North MC is a genuine talent to emerge from the Dirty Records stable with Rookie Card. His natural flow is proof he's not really a rookie.

Experience performing with Frontline, Scribe, Sir Vere and Chong Nee has paid off with this self-assured debut, produced by P-Money. The pop influences - everything from Milli Vanilli to PM Dawn - will give those close to his age much to get nostalgic about. "Trading cards, hustling crime for the rookies, playing hooky, heating Cookie Time cookies," he raps on Memory Lane.

Bomb! Just Roll and P. N. Whoa! also pay homage to his hip-hop playground with P-Money's funky, mid-tempo cuts helping to temper the MC's often forceful flow. PNC has as weighty a presence on the mic as he does on the stage.

Although he writes like he's been studying Jay-Z, the tricky rhythms often obscure what he's trying to say. He could benefit from pausing for breath once in a while. Even on the touching Miss You, with Chong Nee, the rhymes don't let up.

Deceptikonz: Heavy Rotation
Herald rating: * * * *
Label: Dawn Raid
Verdict: Gritty second album shows D-konz are still the baddest boys in the biz

Cyphanetik: Commercial Suicide
Herald rating: * * *
Label: Breakin' Wreckwordz
Verdict: Label exec shoots from the lip with mixed results

Ill Semantics: Good Musik
Herald rating: * *
Label: Dawn Raid
Verdict: Confident but cliched second album

Tyree: Now Or Never
Herald rating: * * * *
Label: Move the Crowd
Verdict: Lock up your daughters - NZ's answer to Nelly has arrived

PNC: Rookie Card
Herald rating: * * *
Label: Dirty Records
Verdict: Ambitious MC doesn't let up on debut