Diggy Dupé & choicevaughan

Diggy Dupé has come a long way from his teenage days spent making music with his cousins, using the most basic of tools: a Motorola phone and SingStar microphone. A finalist for Best Hip Hop Artist at the 2019 Vodafone New Zealand Music Awards (alongside Avantdale Bowling Club and Church & AP) with his 2018 EP Island Time, the 2020 release of Diggy’s debut album, That’s Me, That’s Team cemented the artist’s position in the local music industry being his first full-length project.
 
Since arriving on the scene with his 2017 EP K.O.T.I.C (Kids Of The Inner City), Diggy has become a core member of Tāmaki Makaurau’s hip hop community and an in-demand feature artist. While some of his peers represent South Auckland or the city’s Westside, Diggy’s inspiration and stories are always about being a Central Auckland Polynesian kid. Family, his Niuean heritage, gentrification and identity are recurring themes throughout his releases culminating in his work with choicevaughan for the soundtrack of TVNZ drama The Panthers, earning him the APRA Screen Music Award in 2022 for Best Original Music in a Series and centrestage at the Auckland Town Hall.
 
choicevaughan (Te Aitanga-a-Hauiti, Ngāti Hine, Ngāti Porou, Ngapuhi, Ngāti Kahungunu) is an acclaimed, multiple award-winning producer and composer who has become a pivotal figure in the Aotearoa music landscape. Known for his versatility and soulful sound curation, he has driven some of the country’s most impactful and celebrated hip-hop and R&B releases.
 
Internationally, his talents were recognized by Grammy-winning producer 9th Wonder, who personally selected choicevaughan for an exclusive APRA SongHubs session. This connection led to him being signed to 9th Wonder's legendary label, Jamla Records, where he serves as both a producer and a member of the rap group YONDER.
 
Together, they capped off 2025 with the ""Brown Velvet"" EP, showcasing a deliberate shift toward a polished, disco-funk and soul sound with hip-hop roots, featuring Troy Kingi and Sam V.
 
Nominated for:  Brown Velvet (EP)
Finalist for:
ONErpm BEST PACIFIC HIP HOP ARTIST
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