Dawn Raid tells the story of the rise, fall, and everlasting hustle of a New Zealand hip hop record label striving to make a name for themselves in a drastically changing music business, and does so with heart and style.

The story of Dawn Raid is a prime example of what to do, and not to do, with an inspiring business venture. Founded by Danny “Brother D” Leaosavai’i and Andy Murnane, the rise of New Zealand hip hop label Dawn Raid Entertainment is an inspirational story in many ways, considering it began in 1999 era South Auckland, an area more notorious for its hard-knock-life than entrepreneurship. Yet entrepreneurs are exactly what Murnane and Brother D are, with these two street thugs turned business school dropouts establishing a profitable T-shirt company and other ventures, before laying the foundations for their main goal: to be hip hop czars by bringing Polynesian-tinged rap and R&B to the world.

The name “Dawn Raid” is in of itself provocative, as it is inspired by the 1970s police raids that targeted Polynesian immigrants. Yet such is the attitude and pride these two men have for Polynesian culture in New Zealand, and love for the hip hop music scene exported from America. Soon “Dawn Raid” became more than a shameful event in New Zealand’s past: it was the name of a cultural revolution. Yet not all good things last, especially when a multi-million-dollar business is achieved under the manta of “learn by doing” and the taxman comes calling.

It is all a part of a remarkable story that director Oscar Kightley (the famed New Zealand actor and playwright) brings to the screen with energy and style to spare. Kightley, along with editor Tim Woodhouse (Wayne) never lets the film’s pace waver during its 98 minute runtime, chronicling the Dawn Raid journey that jumps from one chapter to the next of this could have been hip hop empire. Clever animations add much humour to it all, and there is plenty of archive footage available for Kightley to choose from.

It all culminates to the age-old message of “mo’ money, mo’ problems”, as these young men from the mean streets of South Auckland let their ambition ride them to the top of their profession, creating a brand that revolutionised the local music scene, only to see it fall apart in a volatile industry. Yet as Kightley’s film proves, the sun may have gone down on Dawn Raid, but their legacy will live on forever.