Young Sid

Young Sid
Young Sid in Dunedin, Otago in 2008
Background information
Birth name	Sidney Diamond
Also known as	Young Sid
Born	(1986-07-07) 7 July 1986 Auckland, New Zealand
Origin	Auckland, New Zealand
Genres	New Zealand hip hop, Rap
Years active	2005–present
Labels	Move The Crowd Records
Associated acts	Smashproof, David Dallas, Ethical, Brad Marquis, Nesian Mystik
Website	http://www.movethecrowd.co.nz/

Sidney Diamond (born 7 July 1986), best known by his stage name Young Sid, is a New Zealand rapper and member of hip-hop group Smashproof. His 2007 debut album, The Truth, was named the Urban Album of the Year at the 2008 Māori Music Awards.^[1]

Biography

Young Sid was born in Otara, South Auckland, New Zealand and later moved to Manukau City, Auckland.^{[citation needed]} 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.^[2] He was first attracted to American hip hop after listening to his older brother's copy of the 1988 N.W.A single "Gangsta Gangsta."^[3] Sid recorded his first song when he was eleven, and was part of a short-lived hip-hop group called The Murder Squad.^[3][4]

Career

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. Sid explained in an interview with the Sunday Star Times that the name "Smashproof" was a play on the word "bulletproof."^[4] He briefly came under controversy in February 2008 when he appeared in a music video featuring a South Auckland street gang, of which his brother is a member.^[5]

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,^[6] many of which were produced in Croatia, France, and Auckland.^[2] 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.^[7]

His first album with Smashproof, titled The Weekend, was released in March 2009, and featured their No. 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.^[8] Sid was the opening act for Ice Cube's Straight Outta Compton Tour concert in Manukau City on 22 August 2007.^[9]

Discography

Albums

Singles

Mixtape Appearances

Other guest appearances

Awards and nominations

2007 Nesian Vibes Awards

• 2007 Best Artist – Nominated
• 2007 Best M.C. – Nominated
• 2007 Best Group (Smashproof) – Nominated
• 2007 Best Album (The Truth) – Nominated

2008 New Zealand Music Awards

• 2008 Hip-Hop Album of the Year (The Truth) – Nominated^[10]

2008 Māori Music Awards

• 2008 Māori Urban Album of the Year (The Truth) – Won
• 2008 Māori Male Solo Artist of the Year – Nominated

2009 New Zealand Music Awards

• 2009 Most Singles Sold (Smashproof.feat 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 (Smashproof.feat Gin – Brother) – Nominated
• 2009 Breakthrough Artist of the Year (Smashproof) – Nominated

2010 Māori Music Awards

• 2010 Māori Urban Album of the Year (What Doesnt Kill Me) – Won
• 2010 Māori Male Solo Artist of the Year – Won

2010 New Zealand Music Awards

• 2010 Urban/Hip-Hop Album of the Year (What Doesnt Kill Me) – Nominated

References

External links

• Young Sid at AllMusic
• Official MySpace page
• Music videos
• Amplifier.co.nz
• Smashproof group photo – shotthen.com