Scribe writes himself into history

Hip-hop is the new pop, say music industry insiders - and record buyers - after an unprecedented week for New Zealand hip-hop artists.

On Tuesday night, Auckland Polynesian five-piece Nesian Mystik won the annual APRA Silver Scroll songwriter's Award for the hit single For the People. The next day Christchurch solo rap star Scribe made history when he became the first New Zealander with a No 1 single and No 1 album in the charts simultaneously.

Scribe - real name Malo Luafutu - says although he didn't want to be a pop star, his success is partly the result of a change in public perception towards hip-hop.

"It's always been a negative thing until now. It's always been associated with gangsters and tagging and destructive stuff, when the essence of hip-hop to New Zealanders is the opposite. For me it's about trying to come together and trying to go the opposite route of what happened in America. The war between Ja Rule and Eminem, that sells records but it's just destructive. Over here it's too small to do that."

Scribe, whose dream was once to act on Broadway, began recording rhymes on a beat-up tape deck.

In his teens he joined the hip-hop four-piece Bits and Pieces.

The 24-year-old is a cousin of TV personality Oscar Kightley and attributes his song-writing success to writing children's plays with him.

Although passionate about his Samoan heritage, he says his music is about his New Zealand identity.

His number one single Stand Up (B-side Not Many) calls for fellow New Zealand hip-hop artists to stand up and be counted. The music video features appearances by Nesian Mystik, P-Money and Deceptikonz.

His album The Crusader is nearing double platinum status, having sold 25,000 copies since its October 16 release.

Nesian Mystik, whose debut album Polysaturated has been certified triple-platinum (45,000 copies sold), were unable to collect their Silver Scroll in person, as they are in London on a promotional tour.

Hip-hop's rise is a combination of American influences and better local production, says Aotearoa Hip-Hop Summit organiser Phil Bell. His fourth Major Flavours compilation has just been certified platinum.

"We've always followed what America does," he says.

"Look at Shania Twain or Neil Diamond. But that's not to say we don't keep our hip-hop inherently local. Scribe's album has a good balance of polished production and MC'ing, but it would have no relevance in America."

Sounds Music marketing manager Shaun Joyce agrees we have finally overcome cultural cringe.

"Kiwis don't like the 'I've-got-the-biggest ... ' attitude that the American hip-hop community has. Finally artists have managed to put a true Kiwi element into some good tunes.

"A year ago, if you'd told me a New Zealand hip-hop record would be the second-biggest and fastest selling we've ever had I would have laughed," he says of Scribe.

"White people have been saying rap is going to die for years. I can just see it getting bigger and better."

Nesian Mystik are not the first hip-hop artists to win a Silver Scroll. Three of the previous five Silver Scroll winners were hip-hop artists, including last year's winners Che-Fu and Godfrey de Grut for Misty Frequencies.