Kris is joined by co-founders Andy Murnane & Brotha D of music label Dawn Raid, to talk about their documentary film of the same name.
LINER NOTES:
This week, Kris chats with Andy Murnane & Brotha D, and they discuss their untold story of acclaimed New Zealand music label Dawn Raid Entertainment.
About the film:
Dawn Raid is the story of two Manukau Polytechnic students, Andy Murane and Tanielu Leaosavai'i (aka Brotha D) who turned a bootleg t-shirt business and Hip-Hop night at a local bar in Otara into the influential Dawn Raid Entertainment empire. From humble beginnings to fame and fortune, Andy, Brotha D and the Dawn Raid artists gave voice to a disenfranchised Pacific community, for which the violence of the dawn raids, twenty years previously, was still raw. But the bravado and contempt for the status quo that drove Andy and Brotha D to the top, was also the unravelling of their empire. Unpaid tax debts, rifts between artists, and a feeling of betrayal and failure underpinned the downfall of Dawn Raid Entertainment, though not before they had created an immeasurable musical legacy that would pave the way for future New Zealand artists to reach international audiences.
More from Dawn Raid:
Learn more about the movie and watch the Trailer here. and watch the film here.
Watch the film on Apple iTunes.
Dawn Raid on Social Media:
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About the Podcast:
‘TEXT PROSE AND ROCK N ROLL’- is the only podcast dedicated to the written account of musicians. From artist memoirs to band bios, and anything in between. You'll hear first accounts from those who lived the lifestyle; a Book Club that rocks - literally.
It was Created, Hosted & Executive Produced by Kris Kosach.
It was Produced & Edited by Charlene Goto of Go-To Productions.
For more on the show, visit the website.
Or follow us on Instagram and Facebook @Textproserocknroll
Follow Kris on Social Media: @KrisKosach
Follow Producer Char on Social Media: @ProducerChar
There's a good chance you already know this song:
(Savage, Swing plays)
South Auckland New Zealand record label Dawn Raid is the subject of the number one documentary on Apple right now. From their humble beginnings to the top of their game, the Dawn raid story is one for the books as you're about to here and the powerhouse duo behind the label have a soft spot for our local Polynesian Community right here in Long Beach and Carson. They joined me this week on Text Prose and Rock and Roll.
Track 29: Dawn Raid and the Rise of a Hip Hop label.
Kris Kosach:
Thank you so much for joining me you are talking to us from Auckland tomorrow night right?
(laughs)
Kris:
The film is Dawn Raid. Brotha D and Andy Murname are the duo behind the label Dawn Raid. Tell our audience would you please, the meaning behind that name?
Brotha D:
First off, all our Polynesian people out there in LA understand what Dawn Raid means you know. The government of New Zealand invited our Pacific people to come here you know for for for labor and then a little bit later on we had another change of government and then they wanted to send our people back to the islands is so they instead of just letting us go back, they started hunting us down and and see what they did was started these raid the homes of our families in the morning with dogs. It happened in my family in the seventies so yeah it's something that we we we fought about and I asked my mom about, you know, what what what is my cousin do wrong and she said he's just been here too long you know that's what it was. And then just recently just last year the government of New Zealand formally apologized to the families that went through that.
Kris:
That's amazing that they've done that and actually I'm just put this out there- I wanted to know if you had a message for our very large Polynesian Community here in Southern Califormia.
Andy Murname:
We been coming out there for the last few 19 to 20 years and they show us nothing but love you know I am family and Inglewood you know how long beach in the Bay Area they all just they open their arms by send you know we were so thankful and and so I pleased to have them there when we came over.
Kris
One of the things that you're saying is that that hip hop the struggle is real it's very real all over the world that's not uniquely American?
Andy:
Yeah and I think that's that was one of the biggest things like in hip-hop labels in America that a lot of them have movies and tell their story and what we wanted to show America was that we listen to. We’re thankful and grateful for you providing the culture to us in the show that year did you get everywhere in the world you know it in New Zealand especially with a big Samoan molding Polynesian Community but really in the UK all around the world is a little hip-hop Community everywhere in the world and we hope this film shows that to the international audience.
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