Hip hop pioneer DLT recognised by National Waiata Māori Music Awards

October 9, 2020

In 1988 as a teenager he co-wrote what's believed to be Aotearoa's first hip hop single, E Tū.

Pioneering New Zealand hip hop artist Darryl Leighton Thomson - better known as DLT - is being recognised tonight by the National Waiata Māori Music Awards.

As a teenager in 1998, DLT co-wrote what is believed to be the country's first hip hop single, Upper Hutt Posse's E Tū.

He described the moment as "instant rockstar stuff".

"Stood in front of the camera for the first time and mouthed the song. It was incredible,” he said.

E Tū was made to support young Māori men at risk of suicide.

“We noticed that some friends were dropping off," he explained. “The idea of E Tū was to tell the neighbourhood kids where we lived to stand up and stop being subservient to anyone.”

DLT started out in 1988 as the band's DJ.

Teremoana Rapley was there from the very beginning.

"I learned about Tītokowaru," she said. "I mean, I wasn't taught this stuff at high school and I was still at high school when we did that song so that wasn't part of the history that I learnt about so that sent me on a certain journey."

Rapley said her bandmates were really calling out institutional racism.

"It's an acknowlegment that the fight has been there for a very long time," she said.

The father of seven said the award means everything.

"I would love to dedicate this award to my youngest ... because my older kids have seen all this - Ray's new to it," he said.

The graffiti artist - who has also worked on radio, had his own TV show and released a number 1 hit - is now tackling a new creative endeavour - being a Māori art student.

"It's the closest thing I can get beyond reo weaving and carving to being in touch with the ancestors - it's incredible here," he said.

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