3 The Hard Way is a New Zealand

New Zealand

New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...

 hiphop group formed in 1994.

History

3 The Hard Way's first release was Hip Hop Holiday, which was released in 1994. The song spent five weeks at the top of the New Zealand charts, selling in excess of thirty thousand copies, and became a Kiwi

Kiwi

Kiwi are flightless birds endemic to New Zealand, in the genus Apteryx and family Apterygidae.At around the size of a domestic chicken, kiwi are by far the smallest living ratites and lay the largest egg in relation to their body size of any species of bird in the world...

 anthem. Backed by the success of the record and the top three status of its follow-up, Many Rivers, the group released their debut album later that year, Old School Prankstas

Old School Prankstas

"Old School Prankstas" is the debut album by New Zealand hip-hop group, 3 The Hard Way released in 1995.-Track listing:#Intro Here It Is#Rock Tha Nation#Many Rivers#Bass Freak#Cheech Interlude#All Around#Dialog Interlude...

, which went platinum in 1995.

Hip Hop Holiday spent three weeks at #1 and also charted across the Tasman, peaking at #5. The song featured an element of Dreadlock Holiday

Dreadlock Holiday

-In popular culture:* The song is featured on the first episode, "Killeroo", of the first series of the British cult comedy The Mighty Boosh. Bob Fossil, head of the Zooniverse, dances to the first verse of the song while a confused Howard Moon looks on, before switching it off and explaining "And...

 by 10cc

10cc

10cc are an English art rock band who achieved their greatest commercial success in the 1970s. The band initially consisted of four musicians -- Graham Gouldman, Eric Stewart, Kevin Godley, and Lol Creme -- who had written and recorded together for some three years, before assuming the "10cc" name...

 - due to a mix-up with the clearance rights, all of this song's royalties now go to 10cc

10cc

10cc are an English art rock band who achieved their greatest commercial success in the 1970s. The band initially consisted of four musicians -- Graham Gouldman, Eric Stewart, Kevin Godley, and Lol Creme -- who had written and recorded together for some three years, before assuming the "10cc" name...

 members Graham Gouldman

Graham Gouldman

Graham Keith Gouldman is an English songwriter and musician who is a long-time member of British band 10cc.-Early life and 1960s pop career: 1946–1968:Gouldman was born in Broughton, Salford, England...

 and Eric Stewart

Eric Stewart

Eric Stewart is an English musician, songwriter and record producer most known for his tenure with The Mindbenders in the 1960s, and 10cc from 1972 to 1995....

.

By the end of 1995 the boys decided to take a break. That break lasted longer than anyone anticipated, and, despite a number of demos freshly recorded, it wasn’t until a chance meeting with Alan Jansson in 2001 that 3 The Hard Way found themselves back in the studio, signing a deal with Joy label through Sony Music.

3 The Hard Way released their second album Eyes On The Prize

Eyes On The Prize

Eyes On The Prize is an album by New Zealand group, 3 The Hard Way released in 2003. It charted at number 14 in November, 2003.-Track listing:#Higher Than High #Eyes On The Prize#It's On #Girls#Talk Is Cheap...

in 2003. The first single released from this album, It's On (Move to This)

It's On (Move to This)

"It’s On " is a single by New Zealand R&B group, 3 The Hard Way, released in 2003. The single entered the New Zealand singles chart at number one and was certified gold.-Track Listings:#It's On ...

, which featured ex-pat R&B singer Clement Karauti, went #1 after 4 weeks in the chart's and made New Zealand music history by being the first NZ artist/s to take the #1 spot from another NZ artist, Scribe

Scribe

A scribe is a person who writes books or documents by hand as a profession and helps the city keep track of its records. The profession, previously found in all literate cultures in some form, lost most of its importance and status with the advent of printing...

 whose single Not Many

Not Many

"Not Many" is a hip hop single by New Zealand rapper Scribe, taken from his debut album, The Crusader. It was released as a double A-side with "Stand Up".-Background and recording:...

 spent 10 weeks at the top of the NZ charts. Third member Lance 'DJ Damage' Manuel did not rejoin the band when they reformed, and the band have been quiet since.

Band members

• Chris "Mighty Boy C" Maiai
• Mike "DJ Mike Mixx" Paton

former

• Lance "DJ Damage" Manuel

Discography

Date	Title	Label	Charted	Certification	Catalog Number
1995	Old School Prankstas Old School Prankstas "Old School Prankstas" is the debut album by New Zealand hip-hop group, 3 The Hard Way released in 1995.-Track listing:#Intro Here It Is#Rock Tha Nation#Many Rivers#Bass Freak#Cheech Interlude#All Around#Dialog Interlude... Festival Records.	-	-	-
2003	Eyes On The Prize	Joy Records	14	Gold	JOY 105

Singles

Year	Single	Album	NZ Singles Chart	Certification
1994	"Hip Hop Holiday"	Old School Prankstas	#1 (NZ)	Triple Platinum
	"Many Rivers"		#10 (NZ)	-
	"All Around"		#22 (NZ)	-
2003	"It's On (Move to This) It's On (Move to This) "It’s On " is a single by New Zealand R&B group, 3 The Hard Way, released in 2003. The single entered the New Zealand singles chart at number one and was certified gold.-Track Listings:#It's On ... "		#1 (NZ)	Gold