2001...the world was changing. The twin towers went down, and so did the innocence of a generation. Influenced by Hip-Hop beats from US trendsetters, fused with Polynesian harmonies, the songs on Trade Secrets are a timestamp of what Generation X had to speak about. Trauma, violence, hopes and dreams might be the subjects, but they are skilfully woven together with tasty beats and catchy choruses. 
 These are the stories of a generation who were too young to benefit from New Zealand’s lost prosperity and too old to know no better, told with grit and authenticity. 
 Both Macro and Tyna were musically trained so loops were kept to a minimum, and samples were cut up and played back on keyboards to keep a more organic soulful sound. Tyna explains, “... We try to mix up our live instrumentation and samples to the point where it is impossible to tell the two apart”. The warm natural sound of TRADE SECRETS results from recording using two-inch analog tape when computer editing was already becoming the norm. 
 This release is the 20th anniversary of Trade Secrets. After this album, Dubious Bros, Tyna Keelan, and Chris Macro moved on to have fruitful and successful careers. This album was the foundation on which their careers were born. So jump in, and listen to some of New Zealand’s most critically acclaimed and loved Hip-hop. Grassroots-conscious NZ hip-hop at its best.