FAT FREDDY’S DROP

18March2019–Today I received an email from my friend Mahmud Rahman. He wrote:

Some 13 years ago when I passed through New Orleans, my friend Kalamu Salaam shared his discoveries of New Zealand music with me. He introduced me to the work of Fat Freddy’s Drop. On the drive to work today, one of the songs came up in my mixtape. Written for a different context, it speaks aptly today. “Hope for a generation, just beyond my reach, not beyond my sight”

Compared to the USA, New Zealand is a small, island nation in the South Pacific, adjacent to Australia. Kiwi country has been in the news lately because of a racist murder spree that left 50 people dead.

The indigenous people of New Zealand are the Maori and though they are no longer the majority, and certainly not in charge politically or economically, the Maori have had a profound cultural impact, especially in terms of music.

In addition to native culture, musically reggae, R&B, and hip-hop are popular influences. Here are a double-handful of classics from New Zealand. I honor and salute them. Thank you Mahmud for inspiring me to share some of their up-full music.