#NZ Hip Hop

[viola-verse]

VIOLA (비올라) is a South Korean-New Zealand singer, dancer and songwriter belonging to the now disbanded Big Hit girl group LE FLEURS. She made her solo debut on the 3rd of February 2023.

Stage Name: Viola Birth Name: Viola Ha-Neul Kwon Korean Name: Kwon Ha-Neul Birthday: Dec 26, 1993 Zodiac Sign: Capricorn Height: 163cm (5 ft 3) Weight: 45 kg (101 lbs) Blood Type: O- MBTI Type: INFJ Ethnicity: Korean-New Zealand European Solo Fandom: Violettes Instagram: @/violaverse - masterlist coming soon Youtube: Viola Kwon Twitter: @/viola-verse - masterlist coming soon Weverse: @/violakwon

Viola Facts: – Viola was born in Wellington, New Zealand. – She has 3 younger brothers, twins Simon (Su-Han) & Robert (Chan - 1994), Michael (Seong-Yu - 1997), and Daisy (Mun-Hee - 2016).  – She is cousins with SEVENTEEN's Hoshi (Kwon Soonyoung). – Her dad is Korean and Mum is NZ European. – Her family moved around a lot until they moved to South Korea when she was 11. – She said in an interview that if she wasn't a kpop idol she would be a photographer or dance teacher. – She loves songwriting and said she finds it therapeutic. – She loves doing anything creative like painting, making friendship bracelets, and arts and crafts with her nieces and nephew. – She was 14 (2007) when she started as a trainee. She was under Cube Entertainment before moving to Big Hit three years later (2010) with fellow Le Fleurs member Lee Jun-Ha . – She is trained in ballet, hip-hop and contemporary dance. – She was 8 when she started playing piano and 3 when she started ballet. – She gets her name Viola from her grandmother (Violet) on her mother's side. – Is fluent in Korean and English. She can speak some Japanese but isn't confident in her ability to speak it. – She loves taking photos and is often seen with a camera in her hand when she's not working – She debuted with her group Le Fleurs on Jan 16th 2014. They disbanded after three years (Sept 09th 2017). – Despite having not been a kpop idol since her group disbanded, she has many connections in the kpop world due to working for Hybe. – She broke her ankle in April 2017 and went on hiatus. Her group disbanded 5 months later. – She is still close friends with Le Fleurs Unnies Lee Jun-Ha and Lee Su-Jo. – She is credited on two songs that she co-wrote with Suga (BTS) in their trainee days. The two have been close friends since they met in 2010. One of the songs is featured on the Le Fleurs debut album. – She's close with the BTS and TXT members. – After she finished her rehab on her ankle, Big Hit offered her a job helping train the new trainees (2018). She also helps with choreography and has worked with some of HYBE's groups, including TXT & her cousin's group SEVENTEEN. – She loves Lego and will spend hours putting together a Lego kit. – She's good friends with Hwasa (Mamamoo). There group promotions often aligned with each others so they quickly formed a friendship. – She was an athletic child and played cricket and netball in primary school. – In a poll, she was voted most biased in her group but she thinks she's the least biased. – She wanted to be an actress until she moved to South Korea and got more into KPOP. – She hates aegyo but would always give in to her fans and do it. – She loves kids and has said hopes to have a family of her own one day. – On Dec 15th Big Hit announced that Viola, after 6 years, will be making her debut as a soloist in early 2023. They are quoted saying, "After a lot of convincing, former Le Fleur's member, Viola Kwon, will be debuting as a soloist early next year. No set date has been announced yet. Please go show her lots of support."

More facts about Viola

©️2025 @viola-verse & @dancinglikebutterflywings - Do not copy. modify and/or repost anywhere.

[artisticlegshake]

THE DANCE AWARDS LAS VEGAS 2024

HIGH SCORE BY PERFORMANCE DIVISION (PEEWEE)

BALLET:

1st Parisian Can Can - THE COMPANY SPACE 

CONTEMPORARY:

1st Soft Black Stars - LARKIN 

2nd Yellow Brick Road - CSPAS

3rd Somewhere Only We Know - LARKIN

4th Ave Maria - EXPRESSENZ

5th Illusory Light - BOBBIE’S 

Take On Me - SAN DIEGO 

LYRICAL:

1st Blackbird - CSPAS 

2nd Lift Me Up - LARKIN

3rd Thousand Years - DC2

4th Yesterday - DANCEOLOGY

5th My Heart Will Go On - EXPRESSENZ 

JAZZ:

1st Ladies - CSPAS

2nd Mambo #5 - LARKIN 

3rd Treat Myself - WOODBURY 

4th Great Big Kiss - LARKIN

4th Whip It - DC2 

5th My Boyfriend’s Back - LARKIN

TAP:

1st Get Up Offa That Thing - EXPRESSENZ

2nd Blue Plaid Pants - LARKIN  

3rd Hokey Pokey - LARKIN

4th Jive Aces - EXPRESSENZ

5th Feel Like Dancing - DC2

MUSICAL THEATRE:

1st Stuff Like That - DC2

2nd All I Do Is Dream Of You - THE COMPANY SPACE

3rd Show Off - ARTISTIC DANCE PROJECT

HIP HOP:

1st Welcome To The Jungle - CSPAS

2nd NZ TV - EXPRESSENZ

3rd Hair Up - ARTISTIC FUSION 

4th West Coast Best Coast - THE COMPANY SPACE

5th Big Mood - BOBBIE’S

BALLROOM:

1st BARBIE - CSPAS

2nd Gold Watch - DC2

3rd Dear Future Husband - BUNKER

SPECIALTY:

1st Car Wash - MARIES

[algds]

after much soul searching over the past 3 days i have decided these are my top 9 albums of all time. and an honourable mention to this:

hiroshi yoshimura - soundscape surround (ambient)

emily a. sprague - water memory (ambient)

the garden - mirror might steal your charm (experimental punk, plunderphonics)

blackalicious - blazing arrow (2000s hip hop)

risera - the old testament (nz rap)

fall out boy - folie a deux (2000s pop punk garbage)

my chem - three cheers + black parade (you know)

jpegmafia - veteran (jpegmafia)

and of course panic at the disco

[popmusic101]

Lovin On Me - Jack Harlow

20th November 2023.

After the slight chaos of the last few weeks, what with Taylor Swift blowing the charts up and then disappearing again, we have a new #1. Jack Harlow is back with his latest single 'Lovin On Me' which has debuted in the top spot.

This song is really simple - but I don't mean that in a bad way. Harlow's served us up a perfect little slice of hip hop just in time for the southern hemisphere summer. I think it'll probably be quite popular here with it's throwback vibes courtesy of a well-used sample of a lesser known song from the mid-90s, Cadillac Dale's 'Whatever'

'Lovin On Me' is Harlow's third #1 in NZ. Impressively he's had a #1 single each year for the past three years (and should have also had one in 2020 with 'Whats Poppin' in my opinion, although unfortunately that song only reached #6).

I guess I don't have much else to add. It's a fun song. What more do you need?

[kurdishrice]

About me! (Edited)

Hi, my name is Asra and my pronouns are he/him.

This is just going to be like random things like I don’t use tumblr that much.

I enjoy writing even though I haven’t really done it in years and I am currently working on a gintama fanfiction with sporadic updates (DM for link).

My Twitter @ is the same but I’m also inactive on there.

(Also I like using tone indicators when I find that my message isn't getting across the way I want it to. If you have a problem with that please realise that it does not matter if it seems awkward I just like being able to communicate).

I like listening to Hip-Hop and R&B. I especially like the Roots, Ms. Lauryn Hill, Verb T, MF DOOM, Thundercat, Tyler, The Creator, Kendrick Lamar, the Pharcyde, LONS, ATCQ and De La Soul.

Other artists I like are Gorillaz, MCR, FOB, Gym Class Heroes, Jamiroquai, Weezer, AKG, Radiohead, the Cure, Prince, Otoboke Beaver, Santana, Joy Division, the Specials (🕊️Terry Hall) and Blur.

I also listen to electronic music like DnB, Jungle and some Lo-Fi (emphasis on some).

My favourite genre of music is UKG. I listen to a lot of producers and DJs and it’s one of the few things my attention span can handle.

Some of my favourite big producers are J Dilla, Brian Eno and Pete Rock.

Some of my favourite shows are:

Taskmaster (UK and NZ)

Garth Marenghi’s Darkplace

Gintama

BBC Ghosts

Fleabag

My mad fat diary

Don’t hug me I’m scared (channel 4 ver)

The disastrous life of saiki k

Outnumbered

SU2C Bake Off

Joe Lycett’s got your back

Moral Orel

Man like Mobeen

People just do nothing

Arcane

AMC iwtv

Good omens (fuck Neil)

IT crowd (fuck Graham)

I also like ace attorney and ACNL

I don’t post much on social media and sometimes I’m inactive on platforms for extended periods of time. That being said, if I do post something unintentionally offensive or out of pocket, please DM me and I’ll try to sort it as soon as possible. Also if you just want to chat, I’d be happy to, but I might just go radio silent at points.

[themainspoon]

I also don't think it's what the composers of these games would have wanted either. You don't make something like Persona 5's Acid Jazz soundtrack or Persona 3's Trip Hop soundtrack that's actually good without having respect for the genre itself.

I apologise in advance because this turned into a whole train of thought, because this is a symptom of a larger issue and I got real into it here.

But this is just kind of what happens when non-black people make black music. This is the story of basically every white rapper ever, along with many other white musicians in black genres as well. Even those who have deep respect for the music and culture, who use their popularity to try and make people realise how important black music is, and even those who grew up in predominantly black neighbourhoods who have been able to engage with the culture from a young age, end up kind of hurting black music no matter what they do (even if they've also genuelny contributed positively to them, and some actually have and do.)

The fundamental issue here is that the music is good (we wouldn't be talking about this if it wasn't) and a lot of people would like it if they heard it, but a lot of people don't listen to it because, blunty, they're racist and they instinctively reject black art. But so what right? Racists are missing out, boo hoo, who gives a fuck about them? I'll tell you who cares, record labels. A white rapper or any other genre equivalent is a way to sell black music to a wider audiance, to make it more palatable to a wider audiance. A lot of them don't even realise that it's happening, but these artists, in an act they likely wouldn't ever approve of, get used to white wash these black genre's for the sake of appropriation and cynical profit chasing. This is why those "I don't really listen to hip hop, but I like Eminem" dudes exist.

The thing is that non-black people taking inspiration from black music in an ideal world wouldn't be a problem at all, it would instead be a powerful and awesome example of cultural exchange, how cultures talk, interact, and take inspiration from one another, both coming out richer as a result. But it isn't that, because not all cultures are on equal footing, not all are equally valued. There is not exchange, instead the dominant culture takes things from the subjegated culture and claims them as their own.

This is part of where all the "white people have no culture" stuff comes from btw. It's mostly applied to settler colonial nations like the US, Canada, Australia, Aotearoa (NZ), etc. Becuase while the white majorities in these nations do have cultures, said cultures were invented as a part of colonialism. They were necessary for establishing a sense of beloning to and having ownership over land that didn't belong to them. The cultures of the settlers had to split and become seperate from the cultures of the European motherlands from which the settlers originated, and so the actual connections to history and place the settlers had were severed. The settlers had to form new cultures, despite having no attachment to place or history. Settler-colonial cultures lack substance for this reason, and this is why they try to appropriate things from other cultures, even without knowing that they're doing it.

To return to video game music here, the fact that Japanese composers are so clearly taking inspiration from and engaging in black music should be awesome, it shouldn't be a problem at all. In fact, a game like Persona 5 should be able to stand as an example of why cultural exchange is so fucking awesome: JRPG's are classified as seperate to Western RPG's becuase while both share the ancestors in early TTRPG's like ADnD, both translated what is now a pop culture touchstone into the medium of videogames differently. The wider Megaten franchise (which the Persona series is a part of) draws from a wide array of mythologies from across the globe. Persona 5's playable characters take the form of gentlemen theives, cat burglars, pirates, femme fatales, bikers, sci-fi hackers, and masked avengers. Most of which are media tropes that certainly didn't originate in Japan. The game has a soundtrack deeply inspired by black music and culture, and this is a core part of it's identity. And then the game uses all of this as part of a quite counter cultural grand critique of Confucianism's valuing of hierarchy and social harmony over justice, and the effects those values have within Japanese society and culture. Persona 5 could not exist without the wide range of different cultural influences that it draws from, and it would be a worse game without them.

However, it's usage of black music is a complex topic, because whether the developers and composers like it or not, their useage of this music acts as another way people can seperate it from its black history and claim it for themselves, it's not black music, it's Persona music now. This is not actually Persona's fault either, it's the fault of the players who engage with the game. Just like how a lot of white rappers don't actually want to harm the genre they love, but the harm ends up happening anyway because of record labels and white supremacy.

If you value art and culture, if you recognise videogames as a part of both those things, and if you think that cultrual exchange is a positive thing that makes art and culture better, than this is something you have to care about. Productive, non-exploitative, and mutually beneficial cultural exchange cannot occur while black culture continues to be denied the respect and recognition it deserves for the sheer quality and magnitude of its contributions to culture on an international scale. And for those of us who live in colonial cannibal cultures, we need to wire our cultures jaws shut. We need to learn to collaborate instead of consuming, how to exchange instead of appropriate, and a big part of that is recognition and respect. So it's important that we point out that it isn't and never was Persona music, it's Acid Jazz, and if you like it you should go listen to more Acid Jazz and learn about thr history of the genre.

really not a fan of entire (mostly black) music genres being compressed and confined to being seen as "video game" music to be totally honest

[hoodvisionzentertainment]

On My Mind (ProdBy.Duncan Beatz) - Written and Recorded By 86.

86 LXXXVIMUSIC HOODVISIONZ ENTERTAINMENT©

[se1inah]

POLITICAL STATEMENT / design exploration #3

'Listen to us' - Home Brew

'Listen to us' by Home Brew ( NZ hip hop band) was released in late 2011, and highlighted the struggles and hardships of Aotearoa youth and those trapped in poverty, calling out the political state of the nation and how their policies and control negatively impacted many lives in NZ.

Although released 12 years ago now, the messages and issues in 'Listen to us' still resonates deeply today in Aotearoa, remaining relevant in regards to many issues and problems people are still facing. This is evident in current problems such as the rise of ram raids, mostly being committed by young kids/teenagers - with people failing to recognise or empathise with the causes, or the significance of focusing on prevention (which would be more accessibility for youth support, etc).

Reflective notes ----- ->

I begun this design exploration through experimentation with the pathfinder tool, using text (lyrics of listen to us) to create imagery/shape.

The repetitive circular type reminded me of the grooves in a record and I expanded on that idea to create a poster/design that aligns with both aspects of the statement, as a song and demand.

What I would work on next time/develop would certainly be the type design for the statement itself, as there a few points that make the design seem incomplete (Eg. the 'T' in Listen). I'm also not sure if the design is easy to understand, as some elements such as the record needle lacks a distinct silhouette.

Also I would probably develop the design to feel more impactful/successful in regards to the context, as this design exploration sort of feels more like a music poster rather than one about a political statement.

[powercoreactive]

Amp Up Your Office Vibes with Powercore's Hip Desks in NZ!

Step into the world of cool desks at Powercore! They've got some awesome options for your NZ office that'll bring a fun twist to your workspace. Check out these fantastic features:

Standing Desk: Feel like a superstar with Powercore's standing desks. These desks are like your personal hype squad, making you stand tall and conquer your work like a boss!

Sit-Stand Desk: Get ready for desk fun with Powercore's sit-stand desks. Sit, stand, dance around – these desks are all about going with the flow and matching your mood throughout the day.

Electric Standing Desk: Bring on the tech magic with Powercore's electric standing desks. Press a button, and ta-da! Your desk adjusts to the perfect height. It's like having a desk from the future right at your fingertips.

Height Adjustable Desk: Meet the superhero of desks with Powercore's height-adjustable desks. No more desk struggles; make it tall, make it short – your desk, your rules!

Rising Desk: Get ready for a desk that's on the rise with Powercore's rising desks. It's not just a desk; it's a desk that loves to show off its moves.

Cable Grommets: Tame the cable chaos with Powercore's Aluminum Cable Grommets. Keep those cables in check and add a touch of sleekness to your desk.

Balance Board and Exercise Board: Turn work into play with Powercore's balance boards and exercise boards. Wiggle, wobble, and get active while you work. Who said work can't be a mini dance party?

Bar Leaner and Commercial Bar Stools: Spice up your chill zone with Powercore's bar leaners and commercial bar stools. Make your break area the coolest spot in the office.

Cable Management Box and Tray: Declutter like a pro with Powercore's cable management solutions. Say goodbye to cable mess and hello to a tidy and organized workspace.

Revitalize your workspace with Powercore's desks and accessories, turning your office into a place where work meets fun. Hop over to Powercore today and give your office the upgrade it's been waiting for!

[oliviamartinphotography]

Tom Gould

Tom Gould is an incredible NZ photographer and director. He’s worked for huge global names including the New York Times, Ralph Lauren, NBA, British Vogue, Nike, New Balance, MTV, Vans and many more. He so artfully captures the black experience and hip hop culture through his photography and film making. He brings such a unique perspective to commercial photography as it still maintains such an artistic quality especially with the colour, lighting and portraiture. His balance of vivid, earthy colour vs black and white photography is also very well done. What I found particularly interesting when looking at his short films/ads was his Bury Me With The Lo On work for Ralph Lauren. The Archival footage takes us back to late 80’s New York where groups of teens came together to form a crew. Their goal was to accumulate as much Ralph Lauren clothing as possible – an act meant to empower them as young black peoples. The footage gives us a quick snapshot into their culture – their clothing and hip hop music being key ways of expression for them. I find it so beautiful how their shared experience and values brought them so close and created such a special culture despite the difficulties of being people of colour.  

[artisticlegshake]

THE DANCE AWARDS LAS VEGAS RESULTS 2023

BEST HIP-HOP PERFORMANCE:

WINNER: Monster - LARKIN

RUNNERS-UP:

Money - ELEMENTS

Phresh Off The Runway - NEXT STEP

Pure Blue - ELEMENTS

X-NZ - EXPRESSENZ

[oliviamartiin]

Tom Gould

Tom Gould is an incredible NZ photographer and director. He’s worked for huge global names including the New York Times, Ralph Lauren, NBA, British Vogue, Nike, New Balance, MTV, Vans and many more. He so artfully captures the black experience and hip hop culture through his photography and film making. He brings such a unique perspective to commercial photography as it still maintains such an artistic quality especially with the colour, lighting and framing of his subjects. His balance of vivid, earthy colour vs black and white photography is also very well done. What I found particularly interesting when looking at his short films/ads was his Bury Me With The Lo On work for Ralph Lauren. The Archival footage takes us back to late 80’s New York where groups of teens came together to form a crew. Their goal was to accumulate as much Ralph Lauren clothing as possible – an act meant to empower them as young black peoples. The footage gives us a quick snapshot into their culture – their clothing and hip hop music being key ways of expression for them. I find it so beautiful how their shared experience and values brought them so close and created such a special culture despite the difficulties of being people of colour.  

[popmusic101]

Flashback: Swing - Savage

27th Jan 2025

I'm very very bored with 'APT.' at this point to be completely honest. It's still at #1, for the eleventh week now, and yes it's a fun song, but it's not so great that it should have this much of a chokehold on the charts. Give us something new! For the love of dog!

Annnnyyyway, we'll flashback twenty years and take a look at the charts in 2005 when the #1 was Savage's 'Swing'

The quality of this music video is absolutely shocking, but it's the best I could find on YouTube. Apologies. Good old 2005, aye? Fortunately the song itself is still excellent - this is an absolute classic of the early 2000s NZ hip-hop scene.

When I was at university, Savage performed this song at the uni bar and I guess his hips were swinging a bit too much because the stage broke and he fell through it. He was fine though! and the show went on.

Although 'Swing' only charted in NZ and Australia, the song featured in the movie Knocked Up and a subsequent remix with Soulja Boy managed to get it onto the US Billboard Charts as well, peaking at #45 there, which is impressive for a kiwi musician.

In 2013, Joel Fletcher, an Australian DJ, remixed the track at it recharted in both NZ and Australia. Frankly, I think the remix is pretty bad (the original didn't need to be improved on), but it's nice to see the song living on.

[grad604ethangeers]

20 Objects that are meaningful to you:

Guitar

My guitar is important to me because it is my creative outlet that has no restrictions or rules. I find music to be one of the best ways to explore my creativty in a free, open way without feeling pressure or stress. I started playing guitar when I was 13 and it has always played an important part in my life.

Amplifier

My amplifier is aesthetically one of my favourite componants to my musical setup. The vintage look and feel is beautiful to me and actually helps to drive my creativity and musical themes when I’m playing.

Loop Pedal

The loop pedal I own is probably one of the more useful pieces of technology that I own. This allows me to practice, write and perform music by myself with layers and rythem where I would otherwise need a band or collaboration with other musicians.

Painting of angel pissing

This painting was given to me on my 21st birthday by a popular NZ artist who was displaying work in my parents art gallery. It is one of my favourite pieces of art because of the loose style, use of colours and the sense of humour which really speaks to my own sense of humour.

‘Bernard’ my indoor plant

A fairly new addition to my room, Bernard has been an important part in my room feeling happier and healthier. My brother first spoke to me about how having a plant in his room helped his mental health and helped his room to feel like a better, more positive place to be. After he told me this, I adopted Bernard from a garden store and ever since I have found more love for my bedroom.

My Hei-tiki

My Hei-tiki (Maori pendant) was given to me by my auntie when I was 18 and was blessed by a Maori sculpture in my parents Art Gallery. It represents the meeting of the sea and the land, with one side being made of whale bone and the other side being made of wood.

The metal sculpture of guy playing guitar

This is one of the older items on my tallboy in my room which was given to me on my 10th birthday by my parents. It was one of the original inspirations for my to learn guitar and become a rockstar.

Watch from my grandfather

This watch is from my grandfather and was engraved with my name by him before he passed away. It has been a part of my life for over 20years and is a reminder to stay strong and connected to my family whenever I look at it.

Tim Burton poetry book

My Tim Burton poetry book really inspires my sense of humour and I read at least one poem from it a day to help keep humour on the forefront of how I view the world.

Orange Chair

Another element I got from my grandfather, this was the chair he sat in every day whilst working at his desk at home as a jeweller. I sit in it at home when I’m working on design and creativity and it helps me feel inspired and connected to my grandfather.

Car keys

My car keys represent my freedom. Having a car is one of the biggest changes I experienced in life that pushed me from feeling like a teenager to feeling like an adult. My keys help my feel free and autonomous.

Sampa the Great Vinyl

The first vinyl I ever bought, this was my introduction to Hip-Hop music and a massive diversion from the music I listened to when I was younger and the journey I went on when I turned 21 into more pop-style music.

My Apple Pencil

My Apple Pencil has been an important element in fuelling my creative outlet of art and design, allowing more ease and freedom with being creative and drawing. I use my Apple Pencil every day on my IPAD and without it, I feel almost as though I am missing a limb.

Tetris Light

This modular tetris neon light is something that I use to exercise my creativity and problem solving ability. Each element can be moved and connected in different ways to create different shapes. This helps me do a mental workout and explore different ways of connecting the same shapes to create different shapes and balance.

Football

Physical exercise is important to me and is also something I fight with and struggle to get inspired about. Football is one way I can channel my love for sport and exercise into a more accessible way to get out of the house and be active.

[nzisraelnews]

LIMMUD NZ – less than one month to go!

... biblical prophecies, hip-hop to heroic Israelis, and the Mongrel Mob to mindfulness! ... Rami Even-Esh (aka KOSHA DILLZ) – An Israeli American ... https://bit.ly/3YzZkEs