15 July 2019 - 0 Comments

The dialogue on gentrification takes centre stage in Ed Waaka’s (Te Rarawa, Te Aupouri, Ngati Pahauwera) evocative video for War On The Street, which releases today.

Beautiful in its simplicity, the hypnotic black and white video captures the march of old Auckland towards the new during a leisurely walk through the streets of Ed’s childhood in Belmont, Auckland - which is in the midst of a transition from Navy housing into an upmarket housing development. Partnered with the lyrical acknowledgement of struggle in the face of adversity, War On The Street becomes a statement on the current housing crisis and its effect on the mental wellbeing of people within our communities, particularly for those already on the fringe of society.

“In discussion with Producer Matiu Sadd, we agreed a simple video capturing this idea of gentrification would be best shown by returning to my childhood neighbourhood,” Ed explains. “By coincidence, the street Matiu had chosen was one I used to live on when I was a young child. This was a neighbourhood primarily made up of Armed Forces housing, and was where my parents moved after joining the Navy. The house I used to live on, 1 Hillary Crescent, had been completely demolished, along with all surrounding houses except for a remaining few.”

Having this visual story, along with his experiences and messages in the song makes for a personal time piece for Ed, and is a reminder of his humble beginnings in Auckland. “For me returning to an  area that held fond childhood memories and seeing it demolished in the name of progress resonated with me,” says Ed. “It was a humbling experience to realise that the neighbourhood that had helped me and my family get to a better place was being destroyed, and how important it was for me as a child to have a place called home.”

War On The Street is the first single from Ed’s forthcoming EP. An assembly of groove-laden, conscious classics in the making, the EP has been influenced by Ed’s own musical journey, and his perspective on the importance of mental wellbeing, particularly as an artist in the music industry. Expect more singles before the EP release in Summer 2020.

War On The Street is out now on Spotify, Apple Music and iTunes. The music video is made with the support of NZ On Air.

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