Fast Crew

Auckland Hip Hop group, Fast Crew, have turned the local Hip Hop scene on its head with their infectious singles ‘Mr Radio’ and ‘I Got’, and are now on the brink of scoring national and international acclaim with their debut album.

Hooked up with fledging independent label, Akrite, and distributed via the might of Universal Music, the Fast Crew have come a long way since they formed in 1999. Compadres and Hip Hop fans, they began making music for fun but soon realised they were destined for greater things. “Before we got the band together we were all good friends and we’d hang out together all the time,” explains Jerome. “We all had a passion for music and as soon as we started writing songs it became apparent that we should take it more seriously.”

Fast Crew began playing live around Auckland, and with te music they were listening to at the time – Notorious B.I.G, Tupac Shakur, Led Zeppelin, The Doors and The Ohio Players – informing their unique sound, they rapidly built a serious and loyal following in underground Hip Hop circles.

Inevitably, this success led to mainstream exposure. Fast Crew’s debut single, ‘Mr Radio’, was released in 2002 and was soon on high rotate on radio and television, paving the way for its irresistible successor. ‘I Got’, released in May 2004, was a Top 5 smash hit for the group and reached Gold status within weeks. Already seasoned performers at events such as the Big Day Out and the Aotearoa Hip Hop Summit, the popularity of ‘I Got’ saw the Fast Crew receive rapturous ovations at recent support gis for international Hip Hop stars, Missy Elliott and Busta Rhymes.

Fast Crew’s third single, ‘It’s The Incredible’ came off their debut album ‘Set The Record Straight’. The record is an eclectic release, featuring a mix of Hip Hop, Pop, Funk, Underground Styles, MC Boasts and even a ballad or two. “Both singles have been very pop-oriented,” says Jerome, “but we’ve got a pretty vast and varied album. There’s a lot of different styles on there, it’s quite experimental, we’re trying to do something new. And the way I make music and beats is unique to this country as far as Hip Hop goes, there aren’t any samples, everything comes from a ‘live instrument’ basis rather than samples or loops. The main thing is that we are musicians and we love music, and we love writing songs – that ‘s what we’d like people to remember about us and respect us for.”