Sidney Diamond (born 7 July 1986), previously known by the stage name Young Sid, is a New Zealand rapper.
Biography Sid Diamond was born in South Auckland, New Zealand and later moved to Manukau City, Auckland. He is of Cook Island and Māori descent, and was raised in the Manukau suburb of Ōtara. Diamond's father, Vincent George, was the president of a gang called the Tribesmen, and his mother, Victoria, was an alcoholic who died of lung cancer in 2009. His older brother, Karlos, who is currently imprisoned, was an aspiring rapper under the name Mr Sicc, and a member of an Ōtara gang called Bad Troublesome Ward. At a young age, Diamond was arrested twice for fighting, and carried weapons such as a knife and an axe, but said in a 2009 interview that Karlos worked to prevent him from getting involved with gangs.
Sid first became attracted to American hip hop after listening to Karlos' copy of the 1988 N.W.A single "Gangsta Gangsta."[ Young Sid biography] – Allmusic He recorded his first song at the age of eleven, and was part of a short-lived group called The Murder Squad.
Career Diamond formed hip-hop trio Smashproof in 2005 with members Tyree and Deach, and they signed a contract with Move The Crowd Records (a subsidiary of Universal) during his first semester of university; he dropped out shortly thereafter in order to pursue his music career full-time. His solo debut, The Truth, was released on Move The Crowd in 2007, and featured a guest appearance by Chamillionaire. He spent three weeks in New York recording the tracks, many of which were produced in Croatia, France, and Auckland. The album would then go on to debut at No. 27 in its lone week on the RIANZ top-40 album charts on 10 September,RIANZ Albums Chart, 10/9/07 and won Urban Album of the Year honors at the 2008 Māori Music Awards. However, he came under controversy in February 2008 when he appeared in a music video for the track "Put Your Colourz On", which featured South Auckland street gang members.
His first album with Smashproof, titled The Weekend, was released in March 2009. The featured single, "Brother," broke a 23-year-old record for the longest consecutive run at number one by a New Zealand-based act on the country's singles chart.Smashproof – The Weekend – Move the Crowd Blog, 1 January 2009 Sid was the opening act for Ice Cube's Straight Outta Compton Tour concert in Manukau City on 22 August 2007.
In 2010, Diamond released his second album, What Doesn't Kill Me..., which charted for eight weeks and won him his second Urban Album of the Year at the Māori Music Awards.
Discography
Albums Date Title Label Chart peak September 2007 The Truth Move the Crowd/Universal No. 27 (NZ) May 2010 What Doesn't Kill Me... Move the Crowd/Universal No. 11 (NZ) April 2026 Everything Move the Crowd No. 24 (NZ)
Singles Title Featured Performers Album Producers Year "Hood Like Me" The Truth Shuko 2007 "Hood Like Me (Remix)" Fizek, Louie Knuxx, Ethical, Flowz, K54 The Truth Shuko 2007 "Too Much Pain" Brad Marquis The Truth Lyr1kz 2007 "Undisputed" The Truth Noble 2007 "MTC its OVA" Ethical, Deach The Truth Cochise, Juse 2007 "My Letter" Brad Marquis The Truth Lyr1kz 2007 "MADE" What Doesn't Kill Me Twice As Nice 2009 "Never Waste a Day" Kayo What Doesn't Kill Me Twice As Nice 2010 "Stuck in a Box" Stan Walker What Doesn't Kill Me Emile 2010 "You" Deach What Doesn't Kill Me Twice As Nice 2010
Mixtape Appearances Title Featured Artists DJ Year Speed of Sound Vol 1| MTC | DJ Nino Brown | 2005 |- | ''Speed of Sound Vol 2 | MTC | DJ Manchoo | 2006 |- | Speed of Sound Vol 3| MTC | DJ SMV | 2007 |- | Major Flavours Vol 2 (Australia)| Urban Artists from NZ, Aus, USA | DJ Sirvere | 2008 |- | ''Speed of Sound Vol 4 (Domestic Disturbance) | Young Sid | DJ Danny-ill | 2009 |- | Get Ready Mixtape Sir T Hosted By Young Sid DJ SMV 2010 ''Speed of Sound Vol 5''' MTC DJ Manchoo 2010
Other guest appearances Title Performers Album Producers Year "Oh No" Tyree (feat. Deach) Global Casino Juse 2005 "Ride Till I Die" Juse (feat. Smashproof and Kaeson) Global Casino Juse 2005 "Who Better Than This (Remix)" PNC (feat. Scribe, David Dallas, Louie Knuxx, Koma, and Mareko) P, N Whoa (Single) 41 2006 "Turn it Up" DJ Sirvere (feat. Smashproof and MZRE) Major Flavours N/A 2006 "Put Ya Colours On" Fizek (feat. Face Killa, Gravity, Punchline, and 187) Skull Fingers Up (The Sample) (EP) N/A 2008 "3rd Class Living" Ethical (feat. M1) Ages Turn N/A 2008 "Problem Child" Ethical (feat. Cyphanetic) Ages Turn N/A 2008 "Talk of the Town" (remix) Ethical (feat. Tyson Tyler, Kardinal Offishall, and Grandmaster Roc Raida) Coming of Age (EP) Emile 2008 "Chop 'Em Down" Ethical Coming of Age (EP) Twice As Nice 2008 "You Already Know" Nesian Mystik Elevator Musiq DMON 2008 "Brother" Smashproof with Gin Wigmore The Weekend F.B.I 2009 "It's Friday" Smashproof The Weekend Styles Fuego 2009 "Ordinary Life" Smashproof The Weekend Twice As Nice 2009 "Monstars Ink (Remix)" Tyson Tyler (feat. Monsta Ganjah and Flowz) Reality Cheque Yorel 2009 "First Time" David Dallas (feat. Jordache and Niko) Something Awesome P-Money & 41 2009 "Really Don't Care (Remix)" Derty Sesh (feat. Ethical) Sic Love Derty Sesh 2009 "Deachy is Back (SP Remix)" Deach (feat. Tyree) Vision Twice as Nice 2010 "Move The Crowd" MTC Speed of Sound Vol.5 Styalz Fuego 2010 "Ready For Whatever" SIR T Walk With Me Twice As Nice 2010
Awards and nominations
Nesian Vibes Awards Year Award Category Work Result 2007 Nesian Vibe Awards Best Artist Best M.C. Best Group Smashproof Best Album The Truth
Māori Music Awards Year Award Category Work Result 2008 Māori Music Awards Māori Urban Album of the Year The Truth Māori Male Solo Artist of the Year 2010 Māori Urban Album of the Year What Doesn't Kill Me Māori Male Solo Artist of the Year
New Zealand Music Awards Year Award Category Work Result 2008 New Zealand Music Awards Hip-Hop Album of the Year The Truth 2009 Most Singles Sold Smashproof featuring Gin – Brother Best Music Video Chris Graham – Brother People's Choice Award Smashproof Urban/Hip-Hop Album of the YearSmashproof – The Weekend Single of the Year Smashproof featuring Gin – Brother Breakthrough Artist of the Year Smashproof 2010 Urban/Hip-Hop Album of the Year What Doesn't Kill Me
References
External links
Official MySpace page Music videos Amplifier.co.nz