DLT (far left) Teremoana Rapley, Te Kupu, Acid Dread and MC Wiya - Photo / Supplied
NZ Music Hall of Famer Darryl Thomson, aka DLT, was a key figure in the beginnings of Aotearoa's hip hop scene.
Starting with Upper Hutt Posse (UPH), DLT's producing genius was the secret sauce for bangers such as the very first Aotearoa rap single, E Tū, and the single Chains featuring Che Fu.
Having spent decades in NZ's musical landscape, DLT talks about some highs and lows in the industry.
He challenged the logic of how NZ Music Month has operated over the years.
“It’s a time when those same five artists get the same prime time, and the emerging young people who look up to New Zealand music get no love.
“Why are we sending the same horse to the lake you know? It’s just so dumb!” Thomson says.
Musical Influences
The pioneering DJ/Producer paid homage to Golden Harvest, the five-piece band that performed, I Need Your Love. The Kaukau brothers, Gavin, Mervyn, Gene and Kevin were an inspiration to the boy from Maraenui.
“Thank you Golden Harvest - Māori Commodores!” Thomson says.
“Seeing four Māori guys being Māori. Wearing leather jackets, having long scraggy hair, chilling on the guitar.
“It was the first time that I saw my family on telly.”
At a time when Māori were not commonly seen in such spaces, Golden Harvest stood out.
Almost 30 years later, would see former Golden Harvest band member Kevin Kaukau starring on the 2013 film Mt Zion. That, Thomson says, brought a tear to the corner of his eye.
"Before that, you imagine the media in those days. One TV channel that we had Good Times, was the only black people on TV.
“The other 99.9% was white folk being white and we were stuck in a housing project called Maraenui where no one was white!”
His second major influence was the band, Herbs.
He says their provocative protests against environmental damage stood out to him.
Career Highlights
KRS-ONE (left), DLT (right) - Photo / Supplied
Travelling to New York, the birthplace of hip hop and meeting founding fathers Afrika Bambaata and DJ Kool Herc remains his number one moment in the industry.
But a very close second was taking emceeing pioneer KRS-ONE onto Takaparawhau, Ōrākei Marae in Tāmaki.
“Having the pōhiri, whakatau for him and making him speak in the marae.
“To sit next to him in his socks, in the meeting-house, watching him twiddle his fingers out of nervousness was up there!”
Lockdown & future plans
When Alert Level 4's lockdown came into force, Thomson admits it caused some disruption to his artwork - painting. However, the safety precautions he took for his whānau was the main priority.
The veteran radical says the post-COVID world will be the same for Māori.
"Just another day in Babylon cuz. You know, what you been doing for 200 years cuz? We had our six weeks of telling Pākehās to go home. Now it's back on us again.
"Level one doesn't mean good sh*t for a Māori. Level one means get down to the back of the class with your mates."
Once restrictions are downgraded, Thomson and the rest of Upper Hutt Posse intend to be hitting the booth to record another album.
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