{{For|the 1974 action movie|Three The Hard Way (film)}} {{Use New Zealand English|date=July 2024}} {{Use dmy dates|date=June 2018}} {{Infobox musical artist | name = 3 the Hard Way | image = | caption = | alias = | origin = New Zealand | instrument = | genre = hip hop | occupation = | years_active = 1994–2005 | label = | website = | past_members = * Mighty Boy C * DJ Mike Mixx * DJ Damage | }} '''3 The Hard Way''' were a New Zealand hip hop group formed in 1994. They are best known for their two New Zealand number one singles, "Hip Hop Holiday" from 1994, and "It's On (Move to This)" from 2003.<ref name=nz/>
==History== 3 The Hard Way's first release was "Hip Hop Holiday", released on Deepgrooves Entertainment in 1994. The song spent three weeks at the top of the New Zealand singles chart,<ref>{{cite web|url=https://charts.nz/showitem.asp?interpret=3+The+Hard+Way&titel=Hip+Hop+Holiday&cat=s|title=charts.nz > 3 the Hard Way – Hip Hop Holiday (song)|publisher=Hung Medien|access-date=10 March 2016}}</ref> selling in excess of 7,500 copies.{{citation needed|date=March 2016}} Following the success of the record and the top-ten status of its follow-up, "Many Rivers",<ref name=nz/> the group released their debut album later that year, ''Old School Prankstas''.
"Hip Hop Holiday" also charted in Australia, peaking at No. 17 on the ARIA singles chart,<ref name=aus/> and becoming the 93rd highest-selling single of 1994 in Australia.<ref>{{cite web|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151025122130/http://i.imgur.com/LHigR9p.jpg|title=The ARIA Australian Top 100 Singles 1994|url=http://i.imgur.com/LHigR9p.jpg|publisher=Australian Record Industry Association Ltd.|archive-date=25 October 2015|access-date=10 March 2016}}</ref> The song featured an element of "Dreadlock Holiday" by 10cc. Due to a mix up with the clearance rights, all of this song's royalties now go to 10cc members Graham Gouldman and Eric Stewart.<ref name="audioculture">{{cite web |last1=Shute |first1=Gareth |title=3 The Hard Way |url=https://www.audioculture.co.nz/profile/3-the-hard-way |website=AudioCulture (Iwi Waiata) |access-date=1 April 2026 |date=19 December 2013}}</ref>
At the end of 1995, after a dispute with Deepgrooves, the group decided to take a break. That break became a lengthy hiatus, and, despite recording a number of demos, it was not until a chance meeting with producer Alan Jansson in 2001 that the group signed a deal with Jansson and Simon Grigg's Joy label through Sony Music.
3 The Hard Way released their second album ''Eyes on the Prize'' in November 2003. It peaked at number 14 in New Zealand.<ref name=nz/> The first single released from this album, "It's On (Move to This)", which featured R&B singer Clement Karauti, went to No. 1 after 4 weeks on the New Zealand charts,<ref>{{cite web|url=https://charts.nz/showitem.asp?interpret=3+The+Hard+Way&titel=It%27s+On&cat=s |title=charts.nz > 3 the Hard Way – It's On (song) |publisher=Hung Medien |access-date=10 March 2016 }}</ref> and made further New Zealand music history when 3 The Hard Way became the only NZ artist/s to take the No. 1 spot from another NZ artist twice.<ref name="audioculture" /> This time, their single replaced Scribe's "Stand Up", which went on to spend a total of 12 weeks at the top of the NZ charts.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://charts.nz/showitem.asp?interpret=Scribe&titel=Stand+Up+%2F+Not+Many&cat=s|title=charts.nz > Scribe – Stand Up / Not Many (song)|publisher=Hung Medien|access-date=10 March 2016}}</ref>
Former member Lance 'DJ Damage' Manuel did not rejoin the band when they reformed.<ref name="audioculture" /> The band has been quiet since.
''Old School Prankstas'' was reissued by Joy Records in 2012.
==Original Band members== *Chris 'Mighty Boy C' Maiai *Mike 'DJ Mike Mixx' Paton *Lance 'DJ Damage' Manuel
==Discography==
===Albums===
{| class="wikitable" !scope="col" rowspan="2"|Date !scope="col" rowspan="2"|Title !scope="col" rowspan="2"|Label !scope="col"|Chart position !scope="col" rowspan="2"|Certification !scope="col" rowspan="2"|Catalog number |- !style="width:3em"|NZ<br><ref name=nz/> |- |1994 |''Old School Prankstas'' |Deepgrooves Entertainment |align="center"| 50 | | DG037 |- |2003 |''Eyes on the Prize'' |Joy Records |align="center"| 14 | | JOY 105 |}
===Singles=== {| class="wikitable" |- !scope="col" rowspan="2"|Year !scope="col" rowspan="2"|Single !scope="col" colspan="2"|Peak chart positions !scope="col" rowspan="2"|Certification !scope="col" rowspan="2"|Album |- !style="width:3em"|NZ<br><ref name=nz>{{cite web|url=https://charts.nz/showinterpret.asp?interpret=3+The+Hard+Way|title=charts.nz > 3 the Hard Way in New Zealand Charts|publisher=Hung Medien|access-date=10 March 2016}}</ref> !style="width:3em"|AUS<br><ref name=aus>Australian (ARIA Chart) peaks: *Top 50 peaks: {{cite web|url=http://australian-charts.com/showinterpret.asp?interpret=3+The+Hard+Way|title=australian-charts.com > 3 the Hard Way in Australian Charts|publisher=Hung Medien|access-date=10 March 2016}} *Top 100 peaks: {{cite Ryan|page=280}} *"Many Rivers": {{cite web|url=http://i.imgur.com/IJOucko.jpg|title=The ARIA Australian Top 100 Singles Chart – Week Ending 07 Aug 1994|publisher=ARIA|access-date=10 March 2016}}</ref> |- |rowspan="3"|1994 |"Hip Hop Holiday" |align="center"| 1 |align="center"| 17 | * RMNZ: Gold<ref>{{Cite certification|region=New Zealand|id=1994-04-01|source=newchart|access-date=2024-11-20|type=single}}</ref> |rowspan="3"| ''Old School Prankstas'' |- | "Many Rivers" |align="center"| 10 |align="center"| 88 | |- | "All Around" |align="center"| 22 |align="center"| — | |- |2003 |"It's On (Move to This)" |align="center"| 1 |align="center"| — | |''Eyes on the Prize'' |}
==External links== *[https://www.audioculture.co.nz/profile/3-the-hard-way AudioCulture profile]
==References== {{reflist}}
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{{DEFAULTSORT:3 The Hard Way}} Category:Musical groups established in 1994 Category:New Zealand hip-hop groups Category:1994 establishments in New Zealand
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