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The writer of a song which has won the first Independent Music NZ Classic Record award says he always knew it was an important song.
A panel of music media and industry specialists selected Upper Hutt Posse's 1988 Jayrem single E Tu for the new tohu, which was given last night as part of the Taite Music Prize.
Dean Hapeta, also known as Te Kupu, says the Posse formed in 1985 as a reggae band but soon acquired drum machines and started to add rap and hip hop to the sound.
He says when the song's video aired on the weekly Radio With Pictures television show, it challenged people's preconceptions that rap was a novelty that could be rubbished.
"But they couldn't rubbish a song like E Tu which mentioned tipuna names like Hone Heke and Te Rauparaha. I think it gave people a big shock, this was rap music which was meant to be kids' music but it was mentioning important people in history, Maori leaders, and the chorus is 'E tu, stand tall, kia kaha, say it loud.' It was great days, pushing that out," Te Kupu says.
Copyright © 2016, UMA Broadcasting Ltd: www.waateanews.com
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