Herald: This is your 25th anniversary tour. Did you ever think you'd be playing for this long.
DJ Kay Gee: When we were trying to get some stuff together, we couldn't have imagined anything. We were just trying to do what we were doing, it was just something that we loved to do and we were just hoping. Once we got to the 20th anniversary we thought, 'Wow'. Now we're 25.
A couple of years back it seemed like Naught By Nature was over. What was the catalyst for the group getting back together?
It's the fans. The fans are what drive us. At the end of the day we started this, so why not finish out what we started.
Does that mean it's the last we might see of you guys down here?
No, it's definitely not the last. We hope it ain't. As long as the demand is there and as long as people are willing to bring it and we're able and willing to do it, we'll get there.
What is it about your biggest hits, OPP and Hip-Hop Hooray, that made them last the test of time?
They're incredible records. That's it. If you make great, timeless records they'll stand the test of time. That's in any genre of music. If you make a record like that, it's never going to go away. We're just blessed enough to be able to have two of those records that fall into that category.
Did OPP feel like a hit when you were making it in the studio?
Yeah, it had a great feeling about it. We had the Jackson Five sample in there. It just felt like all the elements were there. Same with Hip-Hop Hooray, it's like we had a good french rack, and everything else was gravy.
They were inecapable songs for a long time. What was it like being in the band when those singles broke?
It was a great feeling. You scratch and claw and fight to get into this music business, and when you get into it and you're successful and you make a historic moment nothing can beat that moment.
Who is showing up to your shows these days? Are there new fans as well as old?
New and old generation. Definitely the hardcore older fans are coming but there are new fans there too. You can't escape those records, so younger fans are looking around and discovering new music, they're like, 'I wonder what they're like live? Let's go see them.'
Naughty By Nature:
Where: The Studio, Auckland
When: Sunday, November 15
- nzherald.co.nz