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David Dallas is the Artist Formerly Known As. Formally known as Con Psy. Formally known as one-half of the award-winning local hip hop group Frontline. Formally known as the next to blow.

Bring these pronouncements forward to the present tense and David Dallas is now known as the most gifted wordsmith New Zealand hip hop has birthed. And the most valued lyricist on Dirty Records’ roster is armed with a soon-to-drop solo debut simply titled Something Awesome, an album again set to have other rappers reassess their own rap blueprints.

Early in the piece, label mate P-Money was quick to spot the prodigious talents of the new kid comin’ up, recognition that led to Dave’s searing verse on ‘Not Many – The Remix’. The song heralded the arrival of an untapped rap talent that New Zealand Hip Hop was quick to make room for.

Four years on from that 16 bar introduction to David Dallas’ untapped flow, D.Dot has amassed an impressive history of ticked boxes. Unit-shifting independent album Check. Tui award for the Best Hip Hop Album Check. Surgically precise wordplay few can approach Check.

A freshly minted solo long player can now be added to this list of career achievements. This year, the Artist Formally Known As returns under his government name of David Dallas to deliver Something Awesome, the re-up on a rhyme skill set that hasn’t stopped expanding.

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