Upper Hutt Posse

UHP formed as a four-piece reggae band in 1985. Since their inception, Dean Hapeta (also known as D Word or Te Kupu) and the Posse have been fighting racial injustice through their music. In 1988 they released the first rap record and music-video in Aotearoa (NZ) E Tū, through Jayrem Records. The song combined African American revolutionary rhetoric with an explicitly Māori frame of reference. It pays homage to Māori warrior chiefs resistant of British colonialism, Hone Heke, Te Kooti, and Te Rauparaha.[1]

Releasing their debut album, Against The Flow in 1989 through Southside Records, the group performed nationally and the following year in Sydney, Australia, and in Detroit, U.S.A. Against The Flow consists of sequenced/programmed rap and reggae songs and a political slow jam titled Stormy Weather, the unique lineup of two rappers, a reggae toaster, a female singer, a male singer, and a DJ allowed main songwriter D Word to compose without having to use 'featured' vocalists outside the group. In 1990, the group toured marae (Māori community centers), and supported Public Enemy when they visited Aotearoa, and performed with the ragga artist Macca B and the Zimbabwean group the Bhundu Boys in Australia.[1] October 1992 saw the completion of a music-documentary, Solidarity, showing UHPosse's visit to the U.S., co-directed by Dean Hapeta and Rongotai Lomas, the music-documentary was aired on TV ONE's Marae. With the departure of Darryl Thompson around this time, and then Teremoana Rapley 1993, who became a member of Moana and the Moahunters, and a presenter on television series Mai Time, being joined later by MC Beware who had left the group in late 1989. D Word formed Kia Kaha Productions Ltd and continues up to the present day as the leader of UHP through various lineup changes. Upon the release of the movie Once Were Warriors, the group's single Ragga Girl appeared on the soundtrack, with MC Wiya and D Word making cameo appearances. In 1993 UHP performed at the inaugural Polynesian Music Festival held in Rarotonga.

A new lineup in 1994 of live musicians produced the 1995 album Movement in Demand, mixing their signature Hiphop style with their reggae roots, and adding the distinctive raggamuffin rap of Wiya. In 2000 album Mā Te Wā saw the re-introduction of founding member Blue Dread, and also Katarina Kawana who had 'jammed' with the group in their formative years in the mid 1980s. Mā Te Wā is a digital reggae album completely in the Māori language. In 2002 UHP released Te Reo Māori Remixes, a 10-track album of earlier favourites remixed and featuring only Māori-language lyrics. This album received a Tui Award at the 2003 NZ Music Awards for 'Best Mana Māori Album'. In 2005, the group released a double album titled Legacy which includes two tracks performed by Te Kupu's daughter Ātaahua, notably a Māori-language version of The Greatest Love of All. Disc One, Ngāti is predominantly in English language, while Disc Two, Huia, is all in Māori.

In 2007 another 'live' lineup was formed including Maaka McGregor (drums) who had performed live with the group at various gigs since 1995, Dez Mallon (guitar) and Nathan Warren (bass), Te Kupu and MC Wiya made up the five core members at that time which also included additional musicians. In July 2008 the first recording session for a new 'live band' studio album commenced at Trident Studio and in September 2008 Ka Whawhai Tonu Mātou from this first recording session was released digitally (alongside a music-video) as a special song denoting 20 years since the release of debut recording E Tū. While production continued for the live band album through 2009, production began also on a bilingual (Māori and English language) electronica album titled Tohe released in July 2010. Then in October 2011 the live band album Declaration of Resistance was released, featuring images on its front cover from Te Kupu's six-part rap documentary Ngātahi – Know The Links. Supported by the most extensive touring by the band to date, with Te Kupu fronting the band on electric guitar and MC Wiya on bass (a significant revamp), performing with a fluid lineup of live musicians.

In November 2018 Upper Hutt Posse were inducted into the New Zealand Music Hall of Fame | Te Whare Taonga Puoro o Aotearoa. Te Kupu selected eighteen past and present band members, and additional musicians whose contributions to the group warranted their being recognised: Dean Hapeta, Matthew Hapeta, Aaron Thompson, Darryl Thomson, Bennet Pomana, Teremoana Rapley, Steve Rameka, George Hubbard, Earl Robertson, Kiki Marama, Taki Matete, Katarina Kawana, Ātaahua Hapeta-Taereau, Maaka McGregor, Emma Paki, Des Mallon, Jeff Henderson, Kevin Rangihuna.

In January 2019 the first recording session for the next UHP album is held with Earl Robertson drumming to music sequenced by Te Kupu, followed by further sessions with drummers Ruben Das Gonzales, and then Riki Gooch, as well as recording sessions held at Matakahi Studio with various live musicians pulled in by Te Kupu, who himself plays bass, guitars, piano, synthesizer, alto saxophone and percussion, creating what he says is probably "the most musically-realised UHP album yet." 2021 will see Say Do Don't Do People the first single released prior to the album.

• AudioCulture profile
• A review from Te Kupu
• Official site