''2b S.Pacific'' is the debut solo album by New Zealand musician

Che Fu Che Kuo Eruera Ness (born 1974), better known by his stage name Che Fu, is a New Zealand singer, songwriter and producer. A founding member of the band Supergroove, as a solo artist he has gone on to sell thousands of albums both in New Zeal ...

. Released through

BMG BMG may refer to: Organizations Music publishing companies * Bertelsmann Music Group, a 1987–2008 division of Bertelsmann that was purchased by Sony on October 1, 2008 ** Sony BMG, a 2004–2008 joint venture of Bertelsmann and Sony that was pur ...

in October 1998, it reached No. 2 on the New Zealand charts.

Background and development

Che Fu's decision to embark on a solo career came after being kicked out of the band

Supergroove Supergroove is a New Zealand funk rock music group. Their debut album '' Traction'' was released in 1994. The group disbanded in 1997 but reformed in 2007. History The band was founded on New Year's Eve 1989/1990, having previously been name ...

, of which he had been a member for eight years. He presented executives at record label BMG with his plans to sing on top of

East Coast rap East Coast hip-hop is a regional subgenre of hip-hop music that originated in New York City during the 1970s. Hip-hop is recognized to have originated and evolved first in the Bronx borough of New York City. In contrast to other styles, East Co ...

beats but was instead interpreted as wanting to make a

reggae Reggae () is a music genre that originated in Jamaica during the late 1960s. The term also denotes the modern popular music of Jamaica and its Jamaican diaspora, diaspora. A 1968 single by Toots and the Maytals, "Do the Reggay", was the first ...

album. Unsure as to how to promote reggae, the label sent him and fellow New Zealand rap musician DLT to New York to develop a more straightforward direction for the project. The two had previously collaborated on the New Zealand chart-topping song "

Chains A chain is a serial assembly of connected pieces, called links, typically made of metal, with an overall character similar to that of a rope in that it is flexible and curved in compression but linear, rigid, and load-bearing in tension. A ...

" and began work on more songs together after returning to New Zealand. However, amicable creative differences led to Che working with DJ Andy "Submariner" Morton for most of ''2b S.Pacific'' instead. He did not aspire for a globally successful album as much as one that properly represented his country and culture. The two worked on the album at Morton's small Auckland studio, The Hut, over a three-year period which included many arduous overnight sessions.

Chong Nee Matakite John Chong Nee, better known by his stage name Chong Nee, is a New Zealand hip hop and R&B singer-songwriter and producer. Widely regarded as one of New Zealand's top musicians, he has produced songs for many New Zealand artists inclu ...

and Che himself contributed to production alongside Morton.Award History
(search for 'Che Fu'). ''Aotearoa Music Awards''. Retrieved 17 July 2023. BMG ultimately released the album in October 1998, its title stemming from Che's desire for it to represent an address.

Songs

''2b S.Pacific'' is primarily a

hip-hop Hip-hop or hip hop (originally disco rap) is a popular music genre that emerged in the early 1970s from the African-American community of New York City. The style is characterized by its synthesis of a wide range of musical techniques. Hi ...

and R&B album but contains a variety of musical styles. "Chains" was released as a single in 1996 prior to the official album promotion campaign and contains lyrics against French nuclear testing. The proper lead single, "Scene III," was released in 1998 and peaked at No. 4 in New Zealand.

Double A-side The A-side and B-side are the two sides of vinyl records and cassettes, and the terms have often been printed on the labels of two-sided music recordings. The A-side of a single usually features a recording that its artist, producer, or ...

"Without a Doubt" / "Machine Talk" was released the same year, "Without a Doubt" being a "slick R&B track" and "Machine Talk" having

electro-funk Electro (also known as electro-funk, and sometimes referred to as electro-pop)
Gl ...

stylings. It became the second single from ''2b S.Pacific'' to top the New Zealand charts. "Waka" was released as the album's final single in 1999 and reached No. 6 in the New Zealand charts. Based around a hip-hop beat, the song features guest vocals from

Teremoana Rapley Tere Veronica Rapley (born 1973), generally known as Teremoana Rapley, describes herself as a 'Black Moana Sovereign Storyteller'. Many consider her a hugely influential New Zealand hip-hop artist, musician, television presenter and television ...

and Cook Island drums. Other tracks from the album which were not released as singles include the

soul The soul is the purported Mind–body dualism, immaterial aspect or essence of a Outline of life forms, living being. It is typically believed to be Immortality, immortal and to exist apart from the material world. The three main theories that ...

and

funk Funk is a music genre that originated in African-American communities in the mid-1960s when musicians created a rhythmic, danceable new form of music through a mixture of various music genres that were popular among African-Americans in the ...

-based "Hoodies" as well as the reggae album closer "Trust." Che's upbringing in the Auckland suburb of Ponsonby and the influence of his father

Tigilau Ness Tigilau Ness (born 19 May 1955) is a Niuean New Zealand activist and reggae artist, and performs as Unity Pacific. Ness is a political activist and first generation Pacific Island New Zealander. Lifetime achievement award In May 2009, Ness was pr ...

during that time, the Dawn Raids, and marijuana are among the topics discussed in the album's lyrics.

Accolades and impact

At the 1999 New Zealand Music Awards, ''2b S.Pacific'' and those involved with its creation garnered four nominations: Best Engineer (Morton), Best Producer (Che Fu and Morton), Album of the Year, and Single of the Year ("Scene III"), with the latter winning its category. In the years since its release, Morton and former BMG A&R assistant Philip Bell have noted the impact of the album on the

New Zealand hip hop New Zealand hip hop derives from the wider hip hop cultural movement originating amongst African Americans in the United States. Like the parent movement, New Zealand hip hop consists of four parts: rapping, DJing, graffiti art and breakdancing ...

scene.

Track listing

Track listing and credits adapted from Spotify. All tracks written by Che Fu, except where noted.2 B.S. Pacific by Ché-Fu
''Spotify''. Retrieved 17 July 2023.

Charts

References

{{reflist 1998 debut albums Che Fu albums