Bad business decisions
as well as a decline in revenue have been cited as the reason for the demise of
South Auckland, New Zealand Hip-Hop record label Dawn Raid, which left a mark
on the international music scene. According
to The New Zealand Herald, the company, whose artist roster included Aradhna,
was put in to voluntary liquidation on Thursday (Apr. 19) by its founders Andy
Murnane and Danny "Brotha D" Leaosavai’i.While
Dawn Raid was "an exciting and fun journey for us, our artists and our dedicated
fans over the last 10 years" for the duo, Leaosavai’i told The New Zealand
Herald: "it’s a sad day for all involved and we want everyone to know
that we view Dawn Raid as a success and we look forward to new opportunities in
the future."During
its tenure, Dawn Raid expanded beyond its beginnings as a clothing label at the
Otara flea markets to become a multi-layered entertainment firm, as well as one
of the biggest and most influential Hip-Hop labels in New Zealand/Australia area.The
company was noted for representing and recording top local Hip-Hop artists as
well as producing a fashion range and running a graphic design business. As
for the status of Dawn Raid’s artists, liquidators are currently considering
whether their contracts can be assigned to companies who may want to take over
the business. Although
the Inland Revenue Department is the preferential creditor, there are various
secured creditors waiting in the wings for any payout from Dawn Raid’s assets.
The
company’s physical assets, which were removed in March, were in safe storage
and insured.
