My holidays: King Kapisi

New Zealand rapper King Kapisi with actor Rob Lowe. Photo / Supplied

The rapper shares his travel memories.

What was your greatest holiday?

Damn ... most of my holidays have been working holidays. Rarotonga is one of my favorite places to chill in the world, though. I really like the laidback Island feeling and I especially love the scooters over there. Laidback, chill-out type of steeze. I dig the Island lifestyle - eat when you're hungry, sleep when you're sleepy, gotta love that.

Actually, if you can call my honeymoon a holiday: My wife and I went to Jamaica and New York for a reggae/hip-hop honeymoon, as we're both musicians. We spent about six days over in Jamaica chilling at one of our good friends' hotels called the Rockhouse Hotel. It was an incredible boutique hotel. I recognised the pool from one of the first music videos Biggie (rapper Notorius B.I.G) and Puff Daddy shot in the Caribbean.

I casually asked our friend Lisa about them. She was like: "yeah, those two were here. I know Puff Daddy and him."

I quietly was in awe as Biggie is one of my favorite MCs in the world.

After that we went and covered our hip-hop part of our honeymoon in New York by sneaker shopping, and comic and toy shopping - we're collectors of toys and comics.

We also attended one of the biggest hip-hop concerts in the world called Rock the Bells. We saw the Wu-tang, Immortal Technique, Rakim, Pharoah Monche, Cypress Hill, Public Enemy, Rage Against The Machine - all play on the same night. It was a dream come true for both of us. Jamaica then New York all in one go - now that's my type of holiday.

And the worst?

The worst holiday I've been on was probably Japan. I ventured into town by myself and I got lost and couldn't remember the name of the hotel we were staying at. The taxi driver was quietly mumbling obscenities at me under his breath. I had a bunch of coins in my pocket which ended up being more than $400 but I didn't know that at the time.

He dropped me off to the only place he understood - "Visa" - he dropped me at the bank. I walked in around 4.45pm and found one person who spoke English but she couldn't help me because she didn't know what the hotel name was either. I was getting a bit worried after the eighth hour of not speaking to anyone who could speak English. I was a bit scared to be honest.

Later on that night I nearly got to the point that I had to stay in one of those little box cubicle things that businessmen stay in but decided to go get a taxi after taking some more money out of the bank. After the seventh hotel I found it. Funny thing is I didn't leave the hotel for another three days.

I was there singing my track Screams from tha Old Plantation as a walk-out-to-the-arena song for my bro [kickboxer and MMA fighter] Mark Hunt. That was incredible. But not finding my hotel was not.

The moral of this story is learn how to speak Japanese.

If we bump into you on holiday, what are you most likely to be doing?

Shooting a video or swimming in the sea or pool, or else I'll be rocking a gig somewhere. I've gotten pretty good at shooting/directing music videos. I normally shoot two or three per place I go to. I shot four videos in Noumea a couple of weeks ago in only six days. Recorded three tracks and also did three workshops and rocked three gigs. My hashtag is #worktodo.

If we could teleport you to one place in New Zealand for a week-long holiday, where would it be?

Probably Queenstown, I dig that place as a chill/party destination. You can party if you want to and just chill if you want to as well. I snowboard, so getting up on the hill at least one time per year is my buzz. The scenery is awesome as most of you know. When I'm overseas I always tell people: "I'm from the place they shot Lord of The Rings." It's always an easy way to explain to those who don't know where Aotearoa is and how our lifestyle is.

How about for a dream holiday internationally?

I would love to head to Havana, in Cuba, and chill with the Buena Vista Social Club musos. That style of music appeals to me because I haven't had the chance to make it yet. Their rhythms, melodies and percussion is what I dig. I'm a drummer so taking time to learn from a master of percussion instruments would definitely be a biggie for me.

Being able to soak up the culture, try all the different types of foods, learn how to play the guitar, conga with all their different drum patterns - that would be the most ideal place to journey for me. Send me there - hurry up, OK?

What's the dumbest thing you've ever done when travelling?

Jumped off a cliff - I was trying to do a bomb in Jamaica at a spot called Rick's Cafe - but it was at night. I hit the water and nearly knocked myself out underwater. My wife was filming it. I've done mega bombs before, but never at night. The light was at the top where I jumped off, so I misjudged how far the water was. It was higher than the top diving board you find at swimming pools.

Moral of this story is "Don't uppercut yourself while doing bombs off very high places."

Complete this sentence: I can't travel without ...

... my wife.

What's the best travel tip you've ever been given?

Make sure to change your money in New Zealand before you jet overseas. Also, my tip to everyone: "Take clean undies, clean socks and a whole change of clothing with you in your carry bags if you're travelling a direct flight through to New York or Europe. Travelling long trips 101."

What was the most memorable meal you've had while travelling?

A feed of fried chicken and waffles at Roscoe's in Los Angeles. It was totally off the hook. I wouldn't even think of putting Fried Chicken with Waffles, two of my most favourite things to eat. Once I tried them both at the same time I was hooked. I randomly met Rob Lowe there. I asked him for a photo. Cool cat. Y'all have got to try it.

What's the best thing you've brought back from a trip?

I'm a toy collector so I'm a big fan of the Lone Wolf and Cub manga book series. I found a figure of the three main characters in Tokyo and one in Canada.

Another memorable story was from when I was in Singapore. They had amazing toy shops there. I was in heaven - bought about $2000 worth of toys. I took them to the Air NZ counter and it was going to cost me more than two thousand just to fly them back home to Aotearoa. I was like, damn. But just then I remembered I had been featured in one of the latest Air New Zealand magazines.

I asked the counter person if they had the latest magazines. She said "yes" and handed me the magazine.

I pointed out the article and said: "Y'all are supporting me... see I'm even in the magazine."

Cut a long story short, she let me ship my toys back to New Zealand for free.

Thank you Air New Zealand, you are truly and honestly my favourite airline to fly anywhere in the world!

Favourite airport at which to land?

Rarotonga or Jamaica. I'm planning to head to Kingston, Jamaica around November or December to record at Tuff Gong studios (Bob Marley's family owns the studios) and mix down this reggae album I'm recording on at the moment with my bro Steven Maxwell aka "The Rev" who plays with our very own reggae legends Katchafire.

What's the next trip you've got planned?

I'll be on the road with the Harlem Globetrotters in June. We'll be touring NZ, Australia and South Africa. I'm looking forward to that. Kingston, Jamaica later on in the year and on the way through to Europe we always stop off in LA to record or catch some gigs. Samoa in January for family stuff.

King Kapisi is a finalist at the 2015 Vodafone Pacific Music Awards for NZ Music Commission Best Pacific Male Artist. Tickets at ticketdirect.co.nz.