Auckland hip-hop trio Team Dynamite are getting ready to take the stage for their biggest show together, at the eighth annual Homegrown music festival tomorrow.
As the name suggests, it's a day packed full of New Zealand artists showcasing our local talent.
They may be about to hit the big outdoor stage at Homegrown, but Team Dynamite's rehearsal space is decidedly more cosy.
The trio have been huddled away in a central Auckland basement to prepare for the big day.
It's their first time playing there as a trio. While the crew played last year, Tony TZ was unable to make it.
"It's my first time I get to rub shoulders with all these cool artists that are going to be there," he says.
Since last year's festival they've hit the road with Ladi 6, and Lucky Lance and Tony said touring with her has been their favourite gig so far.
Haz Beats is also part of Kiwi hip-hop group Home Brew, who've been on and off New Zealand airwaves since 2007.
Their politically motivated hit 'Listen to Us' made worldwide headlines when it was released in 2011.
Haz said it was to get people to vote.
"It's relevant now, but people didn't see it back then," he says.
Both groups belong to a larger collective -- Young, Gifted and Broke, which encompasses the likes of Kiwi creatives @Peace, Average Rap Band, and a slew of other artists and musicians.
"It pretty much started with us, 'brew and @Peace and then Tom went wild. Then all of a sudden we had all these other awesome people we could feed off," says Tony.
Tony and Lance have been friends since high school.
"We made our own music to instrumentals and we were sick of doing and needed a producer, so our mutual friend knew Haz, so we went on a date at his house," says Tony.
But being a hip-hop artist in New Zealand isn't smooth sailing.
"All that you can do as rappers in New Zealand, which is put out music, gig and do side hustle jobs while trying to make rent money," the trio say.
Music is keeping them busy though -- as well as this weekend's performance, Team Dynamite has a video for their song 'Marvin' coming out in the next few weeks, and an album in the works.
"It's pretty good! You guys wait for it," says Tony.
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