Description
Three Māori boys from the winterless north who grew up fast in Central Auckland. Mokomokai, is the group project of Manu (formerly Dirty), and producer duo, Dusty & Ghos. Over the last few years, they’ve dropped two effortlessly stylish hip-hop albums, in which Dusty & Ghos’ drumless soul, jazz chops and low-slung neo-boombap instrumentals serve as the backdrop for Manu and his unvarnished storytelling.
Written from an inner-city perspective that highlights te ao māori perspectives and belief systems while never shying away from brazen honesty or rib-cracking humour, across their self-titled debut and ‘Whakarehu’. Mokomokai has collaborated with Troy Kingi, Brandn Shiraz, We$, Melodownz and the bassist Chip Matthews. Along the way, they’ve crafted flawless street anthems like ‘Roofracks’ and ‘Tumeke’, rocked sold-out shows in Auckland and Wellington, and been celebrated by Radio New Zealand, Sniffers and Rolling Stone.
Described by Radio New Zealand’s So'omalo Schwalger as “a masterclass in local hip-hop” and “a collection of some of the best talent Aotearoa has to offer”, Whakarehu presents Mokomokai in apex form. Throughout seven bruised, bleeding and unbroken songs that could be vignettes from a black-and-white neo-noir film, Manu and his friends talk down on stripper shaming, rolling loose blunts with lovers, pay homage to polynesian legends and flex with stylish flair. It’s an undeniable statement of intent from a trio of talents with plenty more tales to tell.
Martyn Pepperell, July 2024
