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It is, on paper at least, an unlikely foundation for a game-changing record label. It was 1999 when Andy Murnane and Tanielu Leaosavai'i (aka Brotha D) met at Manukau Polytechnic’s business school. Buoyed by the enterprising spirit, their friendship soon turned to commerce, starting with the pair hustling bootleg t-shirts at the Ōtara Markets, before eventually running a music empire unlike anything the local industry had seen before, breaking records and barriers for more than a decade. The duo behind Dawn Raid Entertainment, New Zealand's most iconic Polynesian music label, hope a new ...

'Dawn Raids' - two words that mean so much in Pacific history in Aotearoa. This is also the choice of name for one of New Zealand's most renowned and controversial hip hop record labels, who are famous from bringing the sound of South Auckland to the world. A new doco directed by Oscar Kightley follows their journey from bang to bust. Here is their extraordinary story of reaching the heights of international fame and the lows of losing everything. Catch the movie in NZ and Australian theatres from tomorrow, Thursday 21st January.

Oscar Kightley on his documentary about iconic South Auckland hip-hop label Dawn Raid 20 Jan, 2021 04:00 PM 4 minutes to read Karl Puschmann is a senior entertainment writer and columnist for the New Zealand Herald.karl.puschmann@nzherald.co.nz@CritiKarl The story of the iconic Dawn Raid Entertainment record label begins with its founders Andy Murnane and Danny 'Brotha D' Leaoasavaii selling t-shirts at the Otara Markets at the tail end of the '90s, sees the pair triumphantly scaling the heights of the music charts in the 2000s, before losing their grip and plummeting as far...

"It's always been a dream, and I think when I was 23 I set it as a five-year goal, and every five years I had to keep pushing it, and now here we are 27 years later," Kightley told Newshub.  He may have ticked a huge thing off his personal bucket list, but Kightley says "the coolest thing" about directing Dawn Raid was showcasing the journey of the high school mates who changed Aotearoa's hip-hop scene with their vision.  "We're not very good at celebrating our people, we usually wait till they die... that's our way in New Zealand," Kightley said.  "I think they're amazing." 

Of course at the heart of this tale are Dawn Raid founders Brotha D and Andy Murnane, mates since selling t-shirts at Otara Markets 20 years ago.  They went on to showcase the very best in Pasifika and New Zealand hip hop until it all came grinding to a heart-breaking halt. Their story is an emotional, rewarding ride. You can have the most compelling story full of life and love and colour and drama but if it isn't told right it's a tragic waste. This was told right.   New Zealand is witnessing the birth of New Zealand's next big thing, he was sitting right there in front of our very eyes t...