It's the Flavor podcast network.
Island Roots Auckland Ways. This one's for the Brown brothers and sisters who want to be one with themselves, their culture, their identity, their roots.
This is Island Roots Auckland Ways. What was up? It's Mas and Alyssa.
Hey everyone, welcome on into Thursday Island Roots Auckland Ways Day.
Yes, I love Thursdays.
I really look forward to Thursdays.
It's like how they say the day before a day off feels good. It's like the day before Friday feels good.
I think just because I know that Ira is coming out.
That's why I.
Like, that's what drives you for the entire week. What's your least favorite day?
Least favorite day? That is such a good question. Wednesdays, I feel like because it's like for me, I work Tuesday to Saturday, so Wednesday's like, oh, we're still at the start of the week. Oh gee, But Thursday's like my hump day. So I think that it's also why I like Thursdays. We're almost there a Wednesday.
That would make sense because yeah, hunt day's a good day.
Yeah yeah, yeah.
Hence why Thursday is also like beach day.
Yeah.
Anyway, this week, we have our Missus Fullback.
She was a vibe.
Oh my gosh, so much fun.
I'm so sad that I didn't make it to Layas to see her do her set live as you went?
Was it the best thing ever?
It truly was. Layers is always like upa oh. I saw Fallback before she started her set. Actually she was nervous. She had nothing to be worried about, though, And she was.
Even nervous before she started changing with us.
And I was like, girl, come on now, look at you face, body brain. You'll be fine. I promise you.
She was fine. Have a listen now, and welcome back to Alan roots Auckland Ways. The congress Or Star Editor presents a DJ messus four bad. What's that guys?
I'm good, I'm good, Hi guys, thank you for having me.
Context Just before we record, we're talking about raisins yes, and I was like, oh, yeah, I don't really need better, like I don't mind, Yeah, I just have it because you know that's so funny in it and do you eat it wrong? And I could.
Just start to read episode we share what we Love about Home and a segment aptly called what we Love about Home? It could be where you currently live, where you were born, where you feel grounded, it ever feels like home to you. To give you an example, will start off and this week what I love about home? Obviously grown up in money do we the nightety two sixty seven And I love Kitchen, which is this beautiful
Vietnamese restaurant. The prices are incredible, the food is incredible, and it's just so so so so good.
Money. Oh yeah, it's delicious.
It's so so so good. Everyone who posts it on Instagram like makes it look so nice because it is so nice and delicious and cheese.
Yeah, I love Yeah.
We do love cheap, We really do.
Maybe we should go there one time. We should and next time your.
On a tour of all the best spots. I think I went to Monaco Food Junction. Okay, so young, I was like one of one from everything year, got.
Some good tool guides, growls.
Yeah, I had some good Indian there. It was.
We love our food core because they're cheap.
They're cheap and they're guaranteed to be good, especially if it's like a little kid taking your order.
He's obviously just gonna.
I love about home. This is a very tongue in thing. When I was growing up with my tongue and family, there was this brand of T shirt called Look Sharp, and like everyone had a look Sharp tongue a T shirt okay, And so they had various prints. It was giving like printed teas before printed teas were a thing, and so like there was a small print on the
chest and then a massive print on the back. And I just have fond memories of every tongue and I know jamming Look Sharp t shirts and you would take them to tongue and everyone was wearing them like that were the cool thing to wear. And also they were cheap. People didn't care for like dressing up back in when we were kids, I feel like we dressed like kids, you know what I mean. It's nowadays they very sophisticated, while I'm just in a hoodie if anything, I'm the kids.
That's what I love about home. How about you feel back? What do you love about home?
Home for me would be Melbourne because I yeah, I grew up there. So I've obviously moved away from home now, so I miss a lot of my family, so probably just my family. It's nice to like, I feel like now that I'm away from all of it. I miss like the craziness and like the loudness and having like twenty people in the house. So yeah, that's probably that's what feels like home for me.
Do you come from a big family? I do. I do.
Most of my mum's family is in Melbourne, so my one family, there's a lot of us. There's a lot a lot of us, like grandkids and grandkids and grandkids.
But yeah, where abouts did you move to from Melbourne?
Where'd I move to? Yeah, I'm in the Goldie now, I'm in Gold Coast now.
Yes, you see a gold guy.
Speaking. Yeah, it is. It's very peaceful there, very very.
I remember when we saw each other in the Gold Coast for Promised Land last year because I was staying with the mutual friend of ours, Rebecca, so shout out to her. And we were staying at this nice house on the it's so beautiful. There are many balconies and there was lots of alcohol too, and so in the midst of in between drink ups, four that came I was like, they put up the truck.
Yeah.
Yeah. We we dropped back at home and and Becca was like, I'm staying with Maths. I was like, like where it was our first time meeting in person. Oh my god, yeah, it was. That was crazy, what a time.
What's so funny is that four Beck and offering Rebecca were saying to me, Oh, you can come back to the house, because we're going back to the house. And then I saw on four Beck's Instagram story there were.
Some this house.
I was like, damn, I really should have gone.
Very beautiful people.
I don't deny this. You surround yourself with beautiful people.
Guys, those are just the bridge, but they are beautiful. I can say that go Hard, Go Hard is turning red. By the way, it's like a.
De nominator around all our episodes, me in our pursuit of.
Jesus love, do you think it's possible to find love? And because we had this thing where like in Aukland, the men.
The mean.
In the because I haven't been looking, to be honest, I love just like walking in so if yeah, I can do some research when I get back back to Yeah, I haven't been looking at all to be honest.
To be honest, though, I promised Land.
Yeah, if you do want to come, come for promise that everyone from all over comes to Yeah.
Yeah, because it's I mean from everywhere.
I'm scared.
Was a bit of a.
I had no idea what talking about.
Let's get back on you. Tell us about your upbringing in Aldo, New Zealand and because I understand this is where you are raised.
No, not at all. Do you research? I swear this.
Article that seen you were raised in Lower Heart or you spent.
Someone Yeah, and then I moved to OZ when I was six months old. Oh my god, I never lived here before since then?
Yeah, ever reported on you.
I was thinking, like, she's such a beautiful Australian accent, Like how do you acquire that? If you haven't, I've heard some strong accents and I love you.
It's beautiful. It's not to love it?
Can you say?
No?
And cleo?
Oh damn?
So you and your fano moved over to OS when you're six months old?
Yeah, when I was a baby baby. So like I'm very much as crazy blue.
Yeah, I'm a true blue Aussie ye kangaroo.
Yeah, I still claim New Zealand though, like even like I come here, I'm like I'm home, but I've never actually lived here longer than like that first period of my life.
But when you do come back here like that sense of home. Yes, everything's still quite familiar.
Well now it is, like because I've been like intentionally coming back like every few months. Yeah, and obviously being surrounded by our community, it just feels like home anyway. Everyone's like, where are you from? Like here, I'm like everyone just like, I'm not from here. I'm just a fraud. But yeah, so I grew up in Melbourne like my whole life.
True.
I hope I get this right. You are someone Maudy. Yes, okay, so who's smilety?
Your dad? Your dad and then my someone family all moved over to yeah and my dad, but my Maori family still live like all over like christ Church, Wellington, uh, the Summon, Perth, but none in Auckland surprisingly yeah, because we're all all of us were from Wellington originally.
We've had a couple of sal Maudi in the studio And I guess my question to you is like, did you feel close to both sides of your culture growing up? How was that relationship being a someone Maudy.
I don't know anything about my Maori side, to be honest, I'm very much someone like raised traditional cultures. I just haven't because obviously we moved to OZ and my Muori family stayed here. I just didn't get the like honor of like growing up with my Maori side and like getting to learn the traditions and all of it, which I really wish I did. But something of your control, Yeah, stay out of my control. But I'm very much someone included a.
Lot of like Maudi that I know that have moved or grown up in Australia. That's like a very similar she had experience. But then I can also see why when you come back to musical and you're like, I'm yes, this is your.
Is one thing.
I have a lot of cousins who live in Australia, all across Australia, and they say that, like there's not a lot of culture in Australia in terms of like Pacific or like Simon culture.
Have you had a similar experience or do you feel quite like strong? I feel like I feel like if you were to compare it, then there's not a lot because it's all I really know. I feel like it's strong. I feel like the presence is strong because like obviously we have a lot of other cultures as well. But you know, for me, it's been it's been okay. I think it also depends on the area you're in because there's like, like for a Melbourne example, there's like South
and West is where all the islanders are based. So if you're in there you will feel it strongly, but if you're anywhere else you feel nothing. Yeah, but yeah, it's been okay for me.
I think I love that so And it definitely depends on your family, but it sounds there's a huge.
And a lot of us. Yeah, a lot of us. I had no lack of. Yeah, someone presence in my life. I love, yeah very much in Melbourne, girly whatever spots in Melbourne. If we're planning a trip and we want to get in touch with some Melbourne culture, where where are we to?
I don't want to see the along I.
Need to go there.
And literally.
We're talking about I want to go South and West?
Where are we going?
You're going to? Probably where I grew up was like poin Cookbe or like Hoppers crossing wind and Vale. Tanya doesn't mean much to you guys when I say it, but because I have family. Yeah, Usually when people say, like I've got family in Melbourne, I'll just start naming like the suburbs and they're like, yep, that's the one.
I'm like, I guess that's how Ozzies must feel when we say, yeah.
Those are all the ones I know, like because I usually stay in who oh yeah, but this trip, I've been staying in Henderson, and I'm like, I don't know any of these suburbs that we're going through, like I to like Toto like all that stuff. But I've been learning how did I all come about?
And what were the vibes that you wanted to put out into the universe? With Ile?
Oh gosh, with Ile, what was the first question? It was it how did I come? How did it come about? So I got some funding and I had to like put together a concept and stuff to like what I would use the funding for, which was I feel like it's such a long story, Like I think I could go back to like I don't know if you remember poly Connection, which was like ages ago. So I started as a collective in like twenty nineteen, which we had Partia July, Craigie, Susanna who's a DJ now and moj
who's a Mormon. But yeah, so we started as a collective in Melbourne in twenty nineteen, We're doing photo shoots and stuff, nothing too deep. And then we went to Sydney and I did another photo shoot with like Billy Marie killing Me We Love killing Me Gyra. Yeah, like some really just like people that I thought were really cool and like not getting maybe the flowers that they deserved. And then twenty twenty was when I got the grant
and then we went into COVID. Yeah, so I started it online and then and then at the end of twenty twenty was when I like go did the print magazine. But it came about basically I was just like when I was younger, like eighteen nineteen in the industry, I just didn't feel like seeing people like us was common in the media, and I just kept complaining about it. I was like, Eh, you know what, I'm just gonna start a magazine. What no one else is gonna do,
I'm gonna do it. So yeah, that's that's how it started to be honest, and like I haven't done it in a while, which I think is because I feel like the people I would cover now are getting their flowers now, so I feel like my job is not needed or not needed maybe like it's being candled out, like whereas before like people that I really wanted to see like covered, Like I feel like our first articles we did, like Daily Shaka Hoodsieish is a rapper from
from Sydney and Goldie. He's a graphic designer that does like Luci and HP Boys. But it was just like really cool people in our chamber that I just felt like weren't like being celebrated. But now I see like like Coconut'll cover them and like forsh TV. So I'm like, my job's done. I like, I feel like it's good now. I feel like, yeah, I feel like like I'm almost redundant, like you know what I mean. But yeah, that's how it came about. I kind of just was just like
I'm sick of I'm sick of this. I'm sick of not being seen by force what.
Yeah, because media representation of Basifica and OS, I don't know much about that, but I do know a bit about it here in New Zealand, and that's something that we're working on. But even when I compare New Zealand to Australia, I feel like we're leaps and bounds ahead.
Yeah, we had that same chat with JP, and he was saying in America even like they're craving it. They're consuming the content that we produce here in New Zealand and Australia, even if it's not actually relevant to their experience in America, but just because they want to see people who look like them. Yeah, exactly, It's wild and that was kind of why we started the podcast as.
Well, even say, your podcast is something that would like covers people that I as well.
Yeah, and also like wanting to platform more joy and like creativity rather than we have a lot of history that is very important to tell and like we've had collective trauma and everything, but sometimes just platforming the really nice things is like such an important representation for our people.
Yep.
Yeah, yeah, And even because we started the podcast, i'd say twenty.
Twenty one, twenty one, I feel.
Twenty twenty one back then, like they weren't that many poly podcasts and we were just crazy.
Yeah, yeah, you guys are one of the first.
Yeah, I don't even think the Morning Shift had started.
Yeah, we didn't realize until we were like reflecting, were like and.
You guys are like charting immediately, Yeah, I think, Yeah, people like finally finally and tuning and yeah, yeah, crazy.
And then we kind of went on a little.
Yeah life, I get you. I did watch the JP episode though, how people were like organizing their own screenings. Oh, like that's how badly they needed it. I was like, wow, that is so cool. Like the States is definitely different. Yeah, they have a lot of media, but I don't know if they have a lot of media focused on us over there. I'm not sure. Actually, how was it?
And Oz, did you see much of yourself on the TV growing up and media?
Not really? I feel like whatever was popular here just like we watched over there, but in terms of like mainstream stuff, I don't think so. It wasn't. It was more like just us tuning in here and watching everything that happens here.
And the popular public figures would just be like our players everyone.
I was thinking NRL players. And then that was like the extent of it.
Yeah, I think. I mean I remember watching Preschool is a preschool, play school.
Everyone's So that was literally that's oh my god, that's like completely unlocked my childhood memory.
Know that.
Yeah Jay from play school won what he's up to?
Yeah?
I hope, Well I think he as well would we catch up with.
Yeah, we need to get.
Yeah, we will play the speck to him and thank you for my childhood because, come to think of it, I think you are.
Back first Australia.
And he just broke that glassing Australian.
Wow. I'm mean first I was a guest.
I mean apart from a clip we played Jordan Ricky.
Oh yeah, do you know Jordan Ricky the.
Rugby player.
Yeah?
I don't know him personally, but I know who do about.
He's fine.
Then I'm te hear interview his mom and she was like just so you know, yeah, mom.
Yeah, because our breakfast flavor is friends with Jordan's mom. Because Jordan's mom still lives here.
Oh wow, he's originally from here.
Yeah, christ got you and they organized for her to ring me up on the show because I got.
A clip of Jordan Ricky saying hi to mess for our last episode last.
Season, when you where did you? Where was here?
Just just like he took a video okay, like hey mass, hey bro, I don't want it on swish.
Yeah.
When you get.
Everyone thinks I like pulled some crazy connects.
And be like, yes, someone who knows.
We wish we knew someone we do.
Know someone who knows someone needn't pull through for us.
Oh my gosh, yes, we do know someone. We'll tell you off the.
But after the video, his mom saw it, right, yeah, and.
Then she rang me on my first anniversary here at Flavor and she was like, I just want to celebrate with you, and yeah, I've seen everything that you've been saying about my son and we'd welcome you went to the paro and like she was kind of like free, like kind hinting to me that he's straight. And I'm like, oh, I know, I know, I'm just I've seen this Instagram following us. It's okay it she actually called for Yeah, that's crazy. Shout out to Janelle, my mum in law.
Fall back. You are a Converse All Star, yes, and you've been able to travel around the world and meet some pretty awesome people. How did you become an All Star? And off the back of that, what are the highlights that you've been able to achieve At.
The back of it, that's a big question. I became an old star, like they dmd me on Instagram, Like in twenty eighteen, they asked me to come to an event. Do you want to come to an event. We're launching a shoe and we'd love you there. And at the time I wasn't. I wasn't really in the creative industry at Also, I kind of felt I was like is this real? Like I was like showing my sister. I was like, I was like it was like in my DM requests and I was like is it? Like can
like people fake these messages? But I ended up like obviously replying and being like, yeah, like where is it. I'll come through. And then when I went to the event, it was basically an initiative they were starting a community in Melbourne and Sydney where they just like gathered creatives and just kind of help them like honing in on their crafts and stuff. But see, I was confused at that time because I had I had no creative like pursuit at all at that time, So I don't know
what they saw on me. But I was just like being a gul and wearing like nice outfits at the time, taking fit picks and like posting it.
Yeah.
I was like okay, cool. Like they kind of explained to us that like, oh, like global opportunities could come about like just like wear our shoes when you're out like and just like tag us like all this kind of stuff. And then yeah, I was doing that. I was just like being a taking photos tagging them. And then it came that was like the end of twenty eighteen, and then it came to like May twenty nineteen and they asked me to go with them to Malaysia and I was like, I was like what for why? So
we went to Malaysia in May twenty nineteen. We did like a bunch of workshops and stuff that had people from like all over the world that like from Chile, from South Africa, from Vietnam, from Poland, like literally they had bought like two people from like every city literally just to like collaborate with each other and like meet each other and like do a bunch of projects. And then that same year we went to la for Camp Flognore,
which is Tyler the Creators Festival. We did something really similar where they brought like again like two people from every city. But yeah, like what what was the original question? How did it come about? Yeah? Sorry, that's how it came about. So I just like started to I just continued my journey. But that's amazing, incredible yeah, so like I've been, I do like little projects here and there with them, Like some highlights would be I interviewed dis Array,
Do you remember that? Yes, I love her too, so of course it was online, but yeah, man, I was shaking. I was like shaking that whole that whole time. I love so much, Like I feel like the platform she's created, like radio, acting, producing, like everything. Yeah, she's just so cool. She's so cool. She's like childish Gambino, Like she just does everything.
She does it well.
Everything is quality, everything is quality, really really well thought out. So yeah, to interview her, I was just like, gosh, get to pick such an amazing mind. Like, but yeah, that's definitely one of the highlights I've had for commerce. And the travel has been good. We went to New York as well, we came here last year, we came here last year, Sydney. But yeah, no, it's honestly been like such a fruitful journey for me. I feel like without them, I wouldn't be, like I wouldn't believe in
myself so much. Like they really like backed me.
Shout outs to Converse, Yeah, if you're a sponsor.
Like that. Yeah, but like even my magazine, they were the one who who gave me the grant like for that magazine. So like that's like that's what I'm saying. Like the people they are for the people, like they were really really like they're like not they don't put the of course they put the corporation first, but I feel like they really do care about like the community and like represent and stuff too.
Corporate social responsibility.
Yeah, I like I really owe it to them to that that I've like that I'm here right now on your show, Like just like there's a lot of little things that I've built up to like like where I am now.
But also I think that you've worked really hard to get to where you are and to learn all these new skills and to make the most of the opportunities that you have been given.
It's one thing to just like be there along for the ride, but then to take the tools or the learnings and like apply it to work hard and like become the miss you know, Like it's so much more than just being a Converse all star.
It's like soaking up the whole experience and running and run here.
Yes, girl, should you meet Tyler the creator?
I did?
I have the photo of my mind right, and he's like, yeah, that.
Was twenty twenty two and Sydney. We did like a like a panel talk where he was interviewed by Lydia tu Sermon, which is like a Melbourne she's a Melbourne host prisoner. And then after we just like got out or got out individual chats with him. He's so cool. He's like exactly as you would think, like every person, not every the personality that he shows on his like
interviews and stuff. It's what you get very come through, very like honest, like if he doesn't fuck with it, he doesn't fuck with it, and he will tell you if he likes it, he likes it, he will tell you, you know. But yeah, that that that whole that whole experience was such a blow. Like if I didn't have the photos, I feel like I wouldn't believe that. Like so I'm so glad it was like photographed and recorded. Other than that, I would just be like I promise I met him.
I met him in Sydney, like you don't know I'm a converse, you don't.
Even know me. But yeah, no, that was yeah, very buzzy, that moment so cool.
O gosh, well for Beck you and a at the moment for some DJ and gigs at the time of recording. How cool has it been to be back home? And how did you start DJ? That's the question, how did you start DJ?
It was so after that Sydney trip where I met Tyler, I had watched one of the Converse All Star DJ's Munji from Malaysia play and honestly, it was that whole hour set that I was like, I want to do this. I was like, I want to do this. I want to bring this type of energy and like bring the crowd like the way she does. So shout out Munji because like I honestly, that moment like shifted my whole life. So I got back from Sydney and then my best friend Blake from back home was also learning how to
DJ through our other mate Taylan. So I was just going to their house like because they lived like five minutes for me when I still lived in Melbourne. I was just going to their house and they were teaching me like the basics of DJing, like one transition, like nothing too complex. And our friend Taylor runs events, so he was like, oh, you want to just like jump on, jump on, And I was like, yo, I was like okay. I was like yeah, okay, cool, and then I ended
up opening that event called Marvin's Room. And then because I had like roots in the industry already, people were like taking me seriously and they're like offering me gigs and I was just like I'm just gonna do it. Like like people were after as soon as I debuted,
like I was getting gigs weekly. Wow, and I was just like not me in my one transition, just like like I was using a lot of my gigs to practice, like because I had just like learned for like a month, and then I was just like yep, let's run it. So cool. So like yeah, like consistently since I started, I was like working weekly and then like I feel
like I fell in love with it through that. Like it was at the start, it was just kind of like, uh, like I want to do it because I saw a Munie do it and like I loved like the energy she bought. And then yeah, like I started taking it like really seriously like towards this. So that was the end of September, so end of twenty twenty two. In September, and then at the start of twenty twenty three is when I was like, Okay, I'm gonna take this seriously, like I actually really love this a lot, a lot,
a lot. So I went full time in Melbourne and was just like trying to do like four or five gigs a weekend. But yeah, that's how I fell into it, Like it was very random and like I feel like I just allowed it to happen. I was just like, I'm just gonna ride the wave, like see where it takes me.
Well, before we wrap up our chests, we always play like a rapid fire Kim a little game to in the episode. And today we've decided that Masm, I need to plead our case to you. Oh and we're gonna be sharing our favorite like dance or like club tracks perfecably, like throwback tracks.
You know those songs of the night.
Maybe it's like the last song that's playing as you're leaving the club, and we need you to decide which one is better. Okay, And I'm a little bit scared because I'm not knowing for my music taste. I'm not one for other stuff, but not my music. So I'm really scared right now.
But as we'll go first, Okay, I hand a song in my mind, but I've changed, you changed it.
I'm going to go. Can we talk? Tivin Campbell? It's always such a good song.
Wait am I like? Who's better? Yeah, but you've already won.
What's your trick?
No, I don't even want to say one song that's always going to get me on the dance as a song, you can't even want to say it. Club Can't handle Me by flow Rider. It's just like a singer.
But can we talk?
Can we talk? The song?
Yeah, I'm forfeiting.
I don't want to please, I want to lose. It's the way. Can we talk is a good job. I feel like that's the last song. A lot of DJs will play just to get people to sing it out and then be like, can now go home? No?
You like for real? The DJs have that look like the fun after the finished, like you're.
Lucky I played this. That's a that's a good one. That's also a good song too. They're different vibes, different middle of the night. That's like the end of the night.
Yeah.
Yeah.
When we went out for my graduation and we went to what's the other one? Rivalry because we went to Rivalry after Rivalry is not like a hip hop and R and B club. It's like a white club. I haven't even known of it, just like Central.
I probably wouldn't recommend that area, but.
I will say that night they were playing the white bangers, No white banks.
There are some really good white banks, like.
Welcome to my House, like everyone was going and then here, you know, I know how something about it?
Even like Paramore, that's a white bangs. Were they popular here?
Okay?
Yeah? Yeah, untouched right now? So good? There's some good bollowing bangs that there. I won't lie. I will lie.
Natasha beating Field is another one and written and written no one.
Else, no one else was kid.
What's your favorite white bang do you have?
I really like Evanescence wake Up? You know, that's like my go to if I want to be like really bolowing. I really want to start somewhere different. I want to impress the bowing. You don't know. What do you know about this?
I went to Paramol when they came to New zeal And. It was it was just like strictly brown people. So many brown people in a white concert before brown people write we have no good music.
Good music?
Yeah, that was such a good concept.
How was it. I think I was away when they were in Australia.
Oh my gosh, Hailey Williams is incredible. She still looks so amazing good Like, that was such a good concept. If they ever go back to Astrolia, you should, I will.
Yeah, gosh, you.
Ever come back to you have to come back?
Yes, I guess that's time to start playing. Can we talk? Because to say goodbye to missus forbad.
Hi guys, thank you for having me.
That was such a good Yeah, it's so easy.
I was like so nervous for a reason, truly.
Not you know how to hold a conversation. Yeah, yeah, we love to. Yet next time you come to let's.
Go for a drink and let's go to kitchen and not real.
And that brings us to the end of another episode of Island Roots Aalkland Ways. Find us on the socials Island Roots Talkland Ways Instagram. TikTok TikTok people, can you guys calm.
Down on TikTok please?
I every time I open up TikTok feels like I'm in the tree and just find.
For my life and said we'll catch you next Thursday. On What is the Lista's Favorite day Thursday,