16 October 2020 - 0 Comments

Renowned and respected New Zealand rapper Diaz Grimm has today released his lead single Manuka off his upcoming EP Yung NewZealand.

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A special release for the rapper, Manuka marks Grimm’s first time ever putting a self-produced song out into the world, and also explores a different facet to Grimm and what is to come off his EP, Yung NewZealand - due out in December.

Also expected out in the coming weeks, Grimm has written his own video treatment and plans for the clip, during the second Auckland lockdown. Wanting to convey his identity in the video, he shows off his half Maori and half hip-hop sides.

“I began making Manuka in Toronto when I was quite homesick. I wanted to find a sample from Aotearoa and ended up with a young Maisey Rika playing the guitar in her room with a friend on YouTube. I had been teaching myself how to produce for a couple of months and decided to attempt a drum and bass track, Manuka is the result of that attempt,” says Grimm.

The final push to get the track out came when Grimm ended up stuck in Aotearoa when he travelled home for a wedding.

“In Level 4 I decided to get the project I had nearly finished completely done. I wrote the rest of ‘MANUKA’ going for walks around my bubble’s neighbourhood, the first line “Gimmie my room, I need space to myself” came to me as I approached someone else on a walk one day.”

His upcoming EP Yung NewZealand is made up of six elements - nature, Maoridom, imagination, technology, colonialism and Hip-Hop - 50% of the tracks have been created via collaboration in Toronto and 50% have been self-produced in Aotearoa.

It’s a sonic clash of the two flavours, Americanised rap blended with the humble reality of a small island on the bottom of the globe. A celebration of Grimm’s skill with a pen and an ear for what’s next.

Manuka - single out now.

Yung NewZealand - EP to be released December 2020.

Find Diaz Grimm:
Apple / Spotfiy / YouTube
Facebook / Instagram

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