Scribe

As writerly as his name suggests, Scribe has made a career out of deft lyricism. Born Malo Luafutu in 1979, the New Zealand rapper took inspiration from golden age artists like KRS-One as he began crafting a style characterized by dense rhyme schemes and sincerity. After recording his first verse on Beats n Pieces' song "Credentials" in the late ‘90s, Scribe cultivated a buzz that exploded with the release of his album, The Crusader, and accompanying single "Stand Up," in 2003. Filled with soulful boom bap instrumentals and thoughtful lyrics, the project established him as a force on the New Zealand rap scene. He reinforced his name with Rhyme Book, a 2007 album laced with all the verbal acrobatics for which he had become known. While he updated his formula with a smooth R&B duet and a few party anthems on the project, songs like the Talib Kweli-assisted "Be Alright" proved his rhyme skills remained as fierce as any in his region.