Background
Young Sid was born in Otara, South Auckland, New Zealand and later moved to Manukau City, Auckland.
Young Sid was born in Otara, South Auckland, New Zealand and later moved to Manukau City, Auckland.
His 2007 debut album, The Truth, was named the Urban Album of the Year at the 2008 Māori Music Awards. He is of Cook Island and Maori descent, and was raised in the Manukau suburb of Otara. Sid used his aunt"s address to attend Papatoetoe High School.
He was first attracted to American hip hop after listening to his older brother"s copy of the 1988 North.W.A single "Gangsta Gangsta." Sid recorded his first song when he was eleven, and was part of a short-lived hip-hop group called The Murder Squadron
Sid, along with fellow rappers Tyree and Deach, formed hip-hop trio Smashproof in 2005, and they signed a contract with Move The Crowd Records (a subsidiary of Universal) during Sid"s first semester of university. He dropped out shortly thereafter in order to pursue his music career full-time.
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, many of which were produced in Croatia, France, and Auckland.
The album would then go on to debut at Number.
27 in its lone week on the RIANZ top-40 album charts on 10 September. His first album with Smashproof, titled The Weekend, was released in March 2009, and featured their Number. 1 hit song, "Brother," which 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.
Sid was the opening act for Ice Cube"s Straight Outta Compton Tour concert in Manukau City on 22 August 2007.
2007 Nesian Vibes 2007 Best Artist – Nominated 2008 New Zealand Music 2008 Māori Music 2009 New Zealand Music 2010 Māori Music 2010 New Zealand Music.
2007 Best Artist – Nominated 2007 Best Medical Corps – Nominated 2007 Best Group (Smashproof) – Nominated 2007 Best Album (The Truth) – Nominated 2008 Hip-Hop Album of the Year (The Truth) – Nominated 2008 Māori Urban Album of the Year (The Truth) – Won 2008 Māori Male Solo Artist of the Year – Nominated 2009 Most Singles Sold (Smashproof featuring Gin – Brother) – Won 2009 Best Music Video (Chris Graham – Brother) – Won 2009 People"s Choice Award (Smashproof) – Won 2009 Urban/Hip-Hop Album of the Year (Smashproof – The Weekend) – Nominated 2009 Single of the Year (Smashprooffeat Gin – Brother) – Nominated 2009 Breakthrough Artist of the Year (Smashproof) – Nominated 2010 Māori Urban Album of the Year (What Doesnt Kill Maine) – Won 2010 Māori Male Solo Artist of the Year – Won 2010 Urban/Hip-Hop Album of the Year (What Doesnt Kill Maine) – Nominated.
