Tyree

Multi award-winning, chart-topping urban artist TY (Tyree Tautogia) has travelled a long and winding road since his early days making mixtapes in South Auckland with fellow Smashproof members Deach and Sid Diamond. A Papatoetoe native of Niuean descent, TY was spotted by hip-hop producer Juse (Justin Ferguson) in 2004. Recognising his talent after seeing a video of TY’s on Maori Television, Juse linked up and set about recording demos with him and developing his talents as a rapper, songwriter, musician and producer. Subsequently on a visit to the US Juse took the opportunity to play the demos to NYC NZ-expat music executive Kirk Harding. Within a week the pair had planned a record label - Move The Crowd - with TY as the first signing and Smashproof following quickly after. TY has toured extensively throughout New Zealand, Australia and the Pacific, gaining an extensive fan base, including opening for Jay-Z on the Australian leg of his tour, and picked up ‘Best Male Artist’ at the Australasian Urban Music Awards in 2007. TY started his own label in 2010, Empire Records, signing artists such as Cody Wave, bKIDD and Tazman Jack.