Home Brew (band)

Home Brew Crew
Home Brew at Homegrown, Wellington 2012
Home Brew at Homegrown, Wellington 2012
Background information
OriginWest Auckland, New Zealand
GenresConscious Rap
InstrumentsSinging
Years active
  • 2006–2018
  • 2023–present
LabelsYoung, Gifted & Broke
Members

Home Brew, also known as Home Brew Crew, is a New Zealand hip hop group.

They released their self-titled debut full-length album in May 2012 to some critical acclaim.[1] It hit number 1 on the New Zealand album charts in its first week,[2] and is the first New Zealand hip hop album to top the charts since Scribe's album The Crusader in 2003.[3]

In 2010 Home Brew were shortlisted for the New Zealand Music Awards Critics Choice Prize.[4] In 2012 they won Best Urban / Hip Hop Album at the New Zealand Music Awards and were nominated for four others, including Best Group and Album of the Year.[5][6]

One of their promotional videos, 'Police Stop Seven', has been criticised for condoning drunk-driving.[7] In 2010 they also played at the Big Day Out.[8]

In 2012, Massive Magazine wrote:

Their fun and often satirical take on hip-hop is no less pure or cultured because of that, and the well-rehearsed flows and crafted beats are the result of hours of hard work. This fact also makes them an impressive live outfit, and this reputation has seen them steadily become more in demand throughout New Zealand.[9]

In 2014, one of the band's performances at Lincoln University in Christchurch was shut down after one of its members allegedly punched an audience member in the face.[10]

In 2023, Home Brew released an 11th-anniversary re-issue of their self-titled debut on vinyl and CD.[11] On 27 October 2023, Home Brew announced their sophomore album, Run It Back. It was subsequently released on 8 December 2023.[12]

  1. ^ Brown, Russell (3 May 2012). "Home Brewed". Public Address. Retrieved 30 October 2012.
  2. ^ Charts.org.nz
  3. ^ NZ Herald Review of Home Brew (2012)
  4. ^ Cite error: The named reference nzma2010 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  5. ^ "2012 Vodafone New Zealand Music Awards Winners Announced". NZ Music Awards. Archived from the original on 6 August 2013. Retrieved 1 November 2012.
  6. ^ Cite error: The named reference nzma2012 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  7. ^ Home Brew drink-drive vid slammed
  8. ^ "Homebrew Crew thrilled to be playing at Big Day Out". Archived from the original on 10 March 2014. Retrieved 11 October 2011.
  9. ^ "HOME BREW AND @PEACE". Massive Magazine. 21 February 2012. Archived from the original on 3 February 2016. Retrieved 15 October 2016.
  10. ^ Ensor, Blair (6 March 2014). "Hip-hop musician allegedly punched teen". Stuff.co.nz. Retrieved 15 October 2016.
  11. ^ "Home Brew (11th Anniversary Edition), by Home Brew".
  12. ^ Cudby, Chris (27 October 2023). "Release Roundup: Home Brew, Dimmer, Troy Kingi, Raiden Freeman, Romi Wrights, SCRAN + More". undertheradar.co.nz. Retrieved 25 March 2024.