Where's the RnB in the 03?

Pre-earthquake, the RnB scene in Ōtautahi was fizzing, drawing Cantabrians out to numerous gigs and venues across the city. Club Kingz DJ, Hip Hop and RnB specialist, Red Ngaia-Setu remembers SOL Square (similar to the Terrace) which now is home to the majority of Ōtautahi’s busiest bars.

“My favourite place to play at was Toast Bar, it was a good crowd, everyone was dressed up- no drama and then the earthquake happened.”

Following the earthquake, numerous bars were forced to close and relocate, pushing Ōtautahi’s party-goers to the Terrace; which is also referred to as “The Strip”. Located on the strip is a selection of restaurants that turn into bars after dark. These bars have moved away from genre-specific gigs and play a more generalised selection of music, attempting to cater to all crowds. 

“I’m into my Hip Hop and RnB, and going out to the strip in Christchurch- you don’t really get that anymore,”

said DJ M from Bar 185, a dance and shisha pub located on Manchester Street in the CBD.

“Coming to Bar 185 and playing the type of music I play has drawn people to the place. There’s a lot of diversity in the Christchurch community who like RnB, Hip Hop and Afro Beats but we need more bars to cater to the demand,” he expressed. 

Not only is there a need for more bars, but there's also a need for more DJ’s who know how to navigate the RnB and Hip Hop scene in Ōtautahi. When deportation from Australia began for New Zealand born criminals in 2011, Red noticed that their presence at RnB and Hip Hop gigs tarnished the scene in Ōtautahi, leaving bar owners to “not want a bar” of hosting these gigs. Since then, he said it’s predominantly young people going out, approaching bars because they are busy - not because of the music they play.

Red aims to open a non-profit DJ School for underprivileged rangatahi at the beginning of 2025, where he will teach the younger generation of aspiring DJs and promoters how to market themselves, how to carry themselves and handle situations they might feel are racist.

This DJ School will hopefully spawn graduates who are passionate about bringing back the RnB scene, to the 03.