In an effort to do something different, Auckland hip hop group SWIDT released their latest album, The Most Electrifying, on the popular online game Fortnite.
“We’re like mad Fortnite players, we thought we would do a livestream, we would play Fortnite with fans and then just stream the new music,” Daniel Latu, who goes by SPYCC, explained to TVNZ1’s Breakfast.
“The power of the internet now, it’s like you can engage with your fans more, so that was like a different platform for us to do that.”
“It was good for the fans to see how we are as people, connect with us on a different level,” INF, real name Amon McGoram, added.
The pair said they are not concerned about pressure to follow up Stoneyhunga, their successful first album which was dedicated to Onehunga, the suburb where they grew up.
“People can get a little taste of what’s coming in this five-course meal.”
The five-man group, which also includes Asher Schwencke (Boomer), Jamal Muavae (JAMAL) and Aaryn Orchard (A.Z.A), are at the forefront of a new era of New Zealand hip hop, which they say is in rude health.
“There’s a lot of talent and a lot of people pushing out quality work, that feeling I got when Scribe and them were coming out with their music (in the early 2000s), I’m getting that feeling again,” SPYCC said.
Latu said the group weren’t concerned about producing tracks that could cut through internationally so long as they were content with what they were producing.
“As long as we’re making music that we’re happy with then that’s the main thing for us.”
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