Sidney Diamond (born 7 July 1986), previously known by the stage name Young Sid, is a New Zealand rapper.
Sid Diamond | |
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| Background information | |
| Birth name | Sidney Diamond |
| Also known as | Sid Diamond, Young Sid |
| Born | 7 July 1986 Auckland, New Zealand |
| Genres | Trip hop, New Zealand hip hop |
| Years active | 2005–present |
| Labels | Move The Crowd Records |
| Website | http://www.movethecrowd.co.nz/ |
Biography
editSid Diamond was born in South Auckland, New Zealand and later moved to Manukau City, Auckland.[citation needed] He is of Cook Island and Māori descent, and was raised in the Manukau suburb of Ōtara.[1] Diamond's father, Vincent George, was the president of a gang called the Tribesmen,[2] and his mother, Victoria, was an alcoholic[2] who died of lung cancer in 2009.[3] His older brother, Karlos, who is currently imprisoned, was an aspiring rapper under the name Mr Sicc, and a member of an Ōtara gang called Bad Troublesome Ward.[2] At a young age, Diamond was arrested twice for fighting, and carried weapons such as a knife and an axe, but said in a 2009 interview that Karlos worked to prevent him from getting involved with gangs.[2]
Sid first became attracted to American hip hop after listening to Karlos' copy of the 1988 N.W.A single "Gangsta Gangsta."[4] He recorded his first song at the age of eleven, and was part of a short-lived group called The Murder Squad.[4][2]
Career
editDiamond formed hip-hop trio Smashproof in 2005 with members Tyree and Deach, and they signed a contract with Move The Crowd Records (a subsidiary of Universal) during his first semester of university; he dropped out shortly thereafter in order to pursue his music career full-time.[2] His solo debut, The Truth, was released on Move The Crowd in 2007, and featured a guest appearance by Chamillionaire. He spent three weeks in New York recording the tracks,[5] many of which were produced in Croatia, France, and Auckland.[1] The album would then go on to debut at No. 27 in its lone week on the RIANZ top-40 album charts on 10 September,[6] and won Urban Album of the Year honors at the 2008 Māori Music Awards.[7] However, he came under controversy in February 2008 when he appeared in a music video for the track "Put Your Colourz On", which featured South Auckland street gang members.[8][2]
His first album with Smashproof, titled The Weekend, was released in March 2009. The featured single, "Brother," broke a 23-year-old record for the longest consecutive run at number one by a New Zealand-based act on the country's singles chart.[9] Sid was the opening act for Ice Cube's Straight Outta Compton Tour concert in Manukau City on 22 August 2007.[10]
In 2010, Diamond released his second album, What Doesn't Kill Me..., which charted for eight weeks and won him his second Urban Album of the Year at the Māori Music Awards.[11]
Discography
editAlbums
edit| Date | Title | Label | Charted | Certification |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| September 2007 | The Truth | Move The Crowd/Universal | No. 27 (NZ) | RIANZ |
| May 2010 | What Doesn't Kill Me | Move The Crowd/Universal | No. 11 (NZ) | RIANZ |
Singles
edit| Title | Featured Performers | Album | Producers | Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| "Hood Like Me" | The Truth | Shuko | 2007 | |
| "Hood Like Me (Remix)" | Fizek, Louie Knuxx, Ethical, Flowz, K54 | The Truth | Shuko | 2007 |
| "Too Much Pain" | Brad Marquis | The Truth | Lyr1kz | 2007 |
| "Undisputed" | The Truth | Noble | 2007 | |
| "MTC its OVA" | Ethical, Deach | The Truth | Cochise, Juse | 2007 |
| "My Letter" | Brad Marquis | The Truth | Lyr1kz | 2007 |
| "MADE" | What Doesn't Kill Me | Twice As Nice | 2009 | |
| "Never Waste a Day" | Kayo | What Doesn't Kill Me | Twice As Nice | 2010 |
| "Stuck in a Box" | Stan Walker | What Doesn't Kill Me | Emile | 2010 |
| "You" | Deach | What Doesn't Kill Me | Twice As Nice | 2010 |
Mixtape Appearances
edit| Title | Featured Artists | DJ | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Speed of Sound Vol 1' | MTC | DJ Nino Brown | 2005 |
| Speed of Sound Vol 2' | MTC | DJ Manchoo | 2006 |
| Speed of Sound Vol 3' | MTC | DJ SMV | 2007 |
| Major Flavours Vol 2 (Australia)' | Urban Artists from NZ, Aus, USA | DJ Sirvere | 2008 |
| Speed of Sound Vol 4 (Domestic Disturbance)' | Young Sid | DJ Danny-ill | 2009 |
| Get Ready Mixtape' | Sir T Hosted By Young Sid | DJ SMV | 2010 |
| Speed of Sound Vol 5' | MTC | DJ Manchoo | 2010 |
Other guest appearances
edit| Title | Performers | Album | Producers | Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| "Oh No" | Tyree (feat. Deach) | Global Casino | Juse | 2005 |
| "Ride Till I Die" | Juse (feat. Smashproof and Kaeson) | Global Casino | Juse | 2005 |
| "Who Better Than This (Remix)" | PNC (feat. Scribe, David Dallas, Louie Knuxx, Koma, and Mareko) | P, N Whoa (Single) | 41 | 2006 |
| "Turn it Up" | DJ Sirvere (feat. Smashproof and MZRE) | Major Flavours | N/A | 2006 |
| "Put Ya Colours On" | Fizek (feat. Face Killa, Gravity, Punchline, and 187) | Skull Fingers Up (The Sample) (EP) | N/A | 2008 |
| "3rd Class Living" | Ethical (feat. M1) | Ages Turn | N/A | 2008 |
| "Problem Child" | Ethical (feat. Cyphanetic) | Ages Turn | N/A | 2008 |
| "Talk of the Town" (remix) | Ethical (feat. Tyson Tyler, Kardinal Offishall, and Grandmaster Roc Raida) | Coming of Age (EP) | Emile | 2008 |
| "Chop 'Em Down" | Ethical | Coming of Age (EP) | Twice As Nice | 2008 |
| "You Already Know" | Nesian Mystik | Elevator Musiq | DMON | 2008 |
| "Brother" | Smashproof with Gin Wigmore | The Weekend | F.B.I | 2009 |
| "It's Friday" | Smashproof | The Weekend | Styles Fuego | 2009 |
| "Ordinary Life" | Smashproof | The Weekend | Twice As Nice | 2009 |
| "Monstars Ink (Remix)" | Tyson Tyler (feat. Monsta Ganjah and Flowz) | Reality Cheque | Yorel | 2009 |
| "First Time" | David Dallas (feat. Jordache and Niko) | Something Awesome | P-Money & 41 | 2009 |
| "Really Don't Care (Remix)" | Derty Sesh (feat. Ethical) | Sic Love | Derty Sesh | 2009 |
| "Deachy is Back (SP Remix)" | Deach (feat. Tyree) | Vision | Twice as Nice | 2010 |
| "Move The Crowd" | MTC | Speed of Sound Vol.5 | Styalz Fuego | 2010 |
| "Ready For Whatever" | SIR T | Walk With Me | Twice As Nice | 2010 |
Awards and nominations
editNesian Vibes Awards
edit| Year | Award | Category | Work | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2007 | Nesian Vibe Awards | Best Artist | Nominated | |
| Best M.C. | Nominated | |||
| Best Group | Smashproof | Nominated | ||
| Best Album | The Truth | Nominated |
Māori Music Awards
edit| Year | Award | Category | Work | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2008 | Māori Music Awards | Māori Urban Album of the Year | The Truth | Won |
| Māori Male Solo Artist of the Year | Nominated | |||
| 2010 | Māori Urban Album of the Year | What Doesn't Kill Me | Won | |
| Māori Male Solo Artist of the Year | Won |
New Zealand Music Awards
edit| Year | Award | Category | Work | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2008 | New Zealand Music Awards | Hip-Hop Album of the Year[12] | The Truth | Nominated |
| 2009 | Most Singles Sold | Smashproof featuring Gin – Brother | Won | |
| Best Music Video | Chris Graham – Brother | Won | ||
| People's Choice Award | Smashproof | Won | ||
| Urban/Hip-Hop Album of the Year | Smashproof – The Weekend | Nominated | ||
| Single of the Year | Smashproof featuring Gin – Brother | Nominated | ||
| Breakthrough Artist of the Year | Smashproof | Nominated | ||
| 2010 | Urban/Hip-Hop Album of the Year | What Doesn't Kill Me | Nominated |
References
edit- ^ a b Smithies, Grant (10 September 2007). "Young Auckland rapper speaks the truth". Stuff NZ. Archived from the original on 1 June 2008.
- ^ a b c d e f g Staff (21 February 2008). "Rapper Young Sid". Sunday Star Times. Retrieved 21 February 2008.
- ^ Umbers, Lee (19 June 2011). "Sid finds diamond in a dark place". Stuff.co.nz. Retrieved 7 January 2018.
- ^ a b Young Sid biography – Allmusic
- ^ "Move the Crowd: Young Sid". Move the Crowd Records.
- ^ RIANZ Albums Chart, 10/9/07
- ^ "Young Sid wins @ Waiata Māori Awards". Pacific Superheroes. 20 November 2008. Archived from the original on 6 July 2009. Retrieved 5 January 2009.
- ^ "Killer Beez diss stings Dawn Raid". Sunday Star Times. 17 February 2008.
- ^ Smashproof – The Weekend – Move the Crowd Blog, 1 January 2009
- ^ Straight Outta Compton Tour, 22 August 2007 on YouTube
- ^ Staff (13 September 2010). "2010 Walata Maori Music Awards Winners Announced". New Zealand Music Commission. Retrieved 7 January 2018.
- ^ "2008 Vodafone NZ Music Award Finalists". Muzic.net.nz. 3 September 2008. Retrieved 5 January 2009.