URBAN RELEASE: Major Flavours by DJ Sir-Vere

Sir-Vere has always been at the forefront of the movement, learning the tricks from guys like Grandmaster Flash and DJ Premier while gathering knowledge of what makes a great sound. Gradually training himself to use the turntables and how to move a crowd, when he was ready he just seemed to burst with talent. Record spinning runs in the family, his father ran mobile discos and the young Sir-Vere helped out whenever he got the chance, this early baptism into the world of using records as a tool, stood him well as his own hip hop career took off. For he knew that it was more than just sounds, that it was an important cultural development with opportunities to expand upon. In a way he became an ambassador of the growing culture, moving from live work to the world of radio, with his first radio show called The True School show on B.F.M. starting in 1993 and gained its strong reputation due to its exciting mix of tunes which led to the popular television version and then to the Wreckognise show on M.T.V. Sir-Vere’s journey now sees him as the host of the Major Flavour on national radio station Mai FM.

He has also become a TV personality in his own right as the host of the Holla Hour on C4. What is important about all these media appearances is the promotion Sir-Vere gave to hip hop in general and in particular to local acts, presenting them in conjunction with international acts showed that Aotearoa had its own hip hop voice, different from America but just as vital and interesting. As well as his TV and numerous djing commitments, nowadays you’ll find Sir-Vere at his College Hill office in Auckland as the editor of NZ’s dedicated Hip Hop magazine, Back2Basics.

His hugely successful Major Flavours compilations are now in their sixth instalment in New Zealand, and with the his first Australian release of Major Flavours Vol 1 setting off on 12th August 2006, Australian mixtape fans will be introduced to an album that features New Zealand acts, local artists and is packed with free-styles from our best artists mixed with big international hits and the local hip hop dialect all swirled together. All of the previous Major Flavours albums have sold in excessive units in New Zealand , the first hitting gold, the second reaching platinum, the third also going Gold, and Volume 4 and 5 selling in excess of Double Platinum.

Sir-Vere has been taking the Major Flavours road show around the country to great response, which will include an Australian tour with the July release of Major Flavours 1 in 2006. As an in-demand club DJ, a Sir-Vere set can pull in numbers from 80 to 2000 strong, whether it be a hot nightspot or The Big Day Out in the Boiler Room. Alongside hype man MZRE, Sir-Vere’s DJ style if effortless, sharp and original, which the use of Serato Scratch Live DJ software together with two turntables and a mic, this is one DJ who remains on point throughout his fast paced sets.

Similar to a beat practitioner, Sir-Vere transforms one record into another, changing the beats and re-working sounds by scratching or juggling between a myriad of beats and vocals. Following in the footsteps of the legendary Hip Hop heavyweight Russell Simmons of Def Jam fame, DJ Sir-Vere is also one of the original masterminds behind The Aotearoa Hip Hop Summit, which is now entering it's seventh year.

Major Flavours Tracklisting
CD1:

1> DJ Sir-Vere feat. Smashproof & MZRE 'Turn It Up'
2> Remy Ma 'Concieted'
3> Busta Rhymes 'Touch It'
4> Juelz Santana 'There It Go'
5> Christina Milian 'Say I'
6> Phrase & Ill Al 'Freestyle'
7> Tony Yayo 'I Know You Don't Love Me'
8> 50 Cent & Olivia 'Best Friend Remix'
9> Ashanti 'Still On It'
10> Jigsaw 'Freestyle'
11> Rihanna 'S.O.S.'
12> Black Eyed Peas 'Pump It'
13> Phrase 'Hookville'
14> Mobb Deep 'Have A Party'
15> Mareko 'Freestyle'
16> Ludacris 'Georgia'
17> Rick Ross 'Hustlin'
18> Bonus video: DJ Sir-Vere feat. Smashproof & MZRE 'Turn It Up'
19> Bonus video: Behind the scenes

CD2:
1> Pussycat Dolls 'Beep'
2> Young Leek 'Jiggle It'
3> David Banner 'Play'
4> Ghostface & Ne-Yo 'Back Like That'
5> Ne-Yo 'So Sick Remix'
6> Weapon X & GMC 'Freestyle'
7> India Arie 'I Am Not My Hair'
8> T-Pain 'I'm Sprung'
9> Nick Cannon 'Dime Piece'
10> Dirty Mob 'Freestyle'
11> Mobb Deep 'Put Em In Their Place'
12> Stat Quo 'Like Dat'
13> DJ Sir-Vere 'Scratch Break'
14> Savage 'Freestyle'
15> Chamillionaire 'Ridin'
16> Dem Franchise Boyz 'Lean Wit It'
17> The Game 'Dreams'
18> Dirty Mob ‘Summertime’ (Bonus Australian Flavour)
19> 4 Corners ‘In The Game For Life’ (Bonus NZ Flavour)