@PEACE RETURNS TO WELLINGTON (FOR ONE NIGHT ONLY)

In general, people who aren’t in the loop like to accuse locally made hip-hop of a lot of things. The beats aren’t musical enough. The rappers sound too American. The rappers sound too Kiwi. They can’t perform live properly. They aren’t real musicians. Ad infinitum, the list goes on. Those in the know however, know that the stereotypes don’t always ring true, and are more than aware that we have some quality hip-hop acts in the country, real class ones at that.

Perhaps you don’t believe me, or perhaps you have friends who don’t believe you? Should either of the above apply, I encourage you to head down to the San Francisco Bath House on Saturday night and check out @Peace. A forward leaning community based hip-hop project from Auckland, @Peace blend mature, heart warming and humorous lyrical content with slick, sophisticated raps and singing, all submerged in a bed of world class, vividly musical orchestration. This is a group of real people, making songs about real life issues for listeners living real lives. It’s music with a tone that is down-to-earth, yet uplifting and riddled in genuine aspiration.

Executive produced by underrated Auckland beat architect Christoph El Truento, @Peace’s lyrical quotient is handled by Homebrew MC Tom Scott, his partner in rhyme Lui Tuiasau and various guests. On record, it’s a studio affair, but on the night, they will be performing with a five piece band, which aside from Truento, Scott and Tuiasau, will see additional instrumental assistance from Dandruff Dicky and Brandon Midi-Fingers, also both well known in the local underground.

Support will be handled by Auckland DJ party collective The ARC, a fresh faced live beats act named The Side Steps Quintet, DJ’s Mazdef, Dam G and The Hip-Drop Collective. You can listen to @Peace’s debut album on bandcamp by CLICKING HERE. Tickets are $20 + booking fee via presale at 1-night, or more on the door. Don’t delay though, following two sold-out @Peace appearances in Wellington last year, there is a good chance this event will be an exercise in capacity crowd déjà vu.