Che Fu to be inducted into NZ Music Hall of Fame

Aotearoa hip hop legend Che Fu will be inducted into Te Whare Taonga Puoro o Aotearoa | New Zealand Music Hall of Fame at the 2026 Aotearoa Music Awards on Thursday 28 May at The Civic in Auckland.

Of Niuean and Māori descent, Che Fu rose to prominence through the 1990s Tāmaki Makaurau hip hop scene, scoring a number one hit with Chains before releasing his critically acclaimed debut 2B S.Pacific in 1998. His follow-up album Navigator debuted at number one, won five Tūī awards and the 2002 APRA Silver Scroll - and turns 25 this year, marked by a limited edition silver vinyl reissue on 22 May.

A pioneer of conscious hip hop in Aotearoa, Che Fu was made a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit in 2009 and received the Pacific Music Awards Lifetime Achievement award in 2014.

The ceremony will be livestreamed via RNZ, with Che Fu and his band The Kratez performing a live medley of his most iconic tracks on the night.