Anzac rap battles between Australia and New Zealand are part of the reason why Kiwis can cross over to Australian rap and hip hop markets quite easily, but the favour is not returned for Australian artists, says MC Suffa from the Hilltop Hoods.
Hilltop Hoods from left: Pressure, Suffa, DJ Debris. Photo: Unknown
Before Scribe released 'Not Many' in 2001, rap battles between Australia and New Zealand had an unhealthy sense of competition, Suffa says.
“Not the sort of competition where people just build and better themselves. It was the sort of competition that was like, 'we’re just not going to support you…And then Scribe dropped ‘Not Many’”.
“No matter where you were on the planet it was just a hit song, everyone had to play it and everyone had to like it, you didn’t have a choice.”
Suffa says the group have always felt a sense of brotherhood with New Zealand rappers. “We never got into the, like nit-pickery and the pettiness and that paid dividends because we’ve been able to come over here and build something.”
LISTEN to the full interview with Sam Wicks: