# 3 the Hard Way > Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/3_the_Hard_Way > Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/3_the_Hard_Way.md > Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/3_the_Hard_Way > Source revision: 1346500570 > License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/) {{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](/source/New_Zealand) | instrument = | genre = [hip hop](/source/hip_hop_music) | 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](/source/hip_hop_music) group formed in 1994. They are best known for their two New Zealand number one singles, "[Hip Hop Holiday](/source/Hip_Hop_Holiday)" from 1994, and "[It's On (Move to This)](/source/It's_On_(Move_to_This))" from 2003. ==History== 3 The Hard Way's first release was "Hip Hop Holiday", released on [Deepgrooves Entertainment](/source/Deepgrooves_Entertainment) in 1994. The song spent three weeks at the top of the New Zealand singles chart,{{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}} 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", the group released their debut album later that year, ''[Old School Prankstas](/source/Old_School_Prankstas)''. "Hip Hop Holiday" also charted in Australia, peaking at No. 17 on the [ARIA](/source/ARIA_Charts) singles chart, and becoming the 93rd highest-selling single of 1994 in Australia.{{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}} The song featured an element of "[Dreadlock Holiday](/source/Dreadlock_Holiday)" by [10cc](/source/10cc). Due to a mix up with the clearance rights, all of this song's royalties now go to [10cc](/source/10cc) members [Graham Gouldman](/source/Graham_Gouldman) and [Eric Stewart](/source/Eric_Stewart).{{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}} 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](/source/Simon_Grigg)'s Joy label through [Sony Music](/source/Sony_Music). 3 The Hard Way released their second album ''[Eyes on the Prize](/source/Eyes_on_the_Prize_(album))'' in November 2003. It peaked at number 14 in New Zealand. The first single released from this album, "[It's On (Move to This)](/source/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,{{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 }} 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. This time, their single replaced [Scribe](/source/Scribe_(rapper))'s "[Stand Up](/source/Stand_Up_(Scribe_song))", which went on to spend a total of 12 weeks at the top of the NZ charts.{{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}} Former member Lance 'DJ Damage' Manuel did not rejoin the band when they reformed. 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](/source/Official_New_Zealand_Music_Chart)
|- |1994 |''[Old School Prankstas](/source/Old_School_Prankstas)'' |[Deepgrooves Entertainment](/source/Deepgrooves_Entertainment) |align="center"| 50 | | DG037 |- |2003 |''[Eyes on the Prize](/source/Eyes_on_the_Prize_(album))'' |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](/source/Official_New_Zealand_Music_Chart)
{{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}} !style="width:3em"|[AUS](/source/ARIA_Charts)
Australian ([ARIA Chart](/source/ARIA_Charts)) 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](/source/Australian_Recording_Industry_Association)|access-date=10 March 2016}} |- |rowspan="3"|1994 |"[Hip Hop Holiday](/source/Hip_Hop_Holiday)" |align="center"| 1 |align="center"| 17 | * RMNZ: Gold{{Cite certification|region=New Zealand|id=1994-04-01|source=newchart|access-date=2024-11-20|type=single}} |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)](/source/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}} {{Authority control}} {{DEFAULTSORT:3 The Hard Way}} Category:Musical groups established in 1994 Category:New Zealand hip-hop groups Category:1994 establishments in New Zealand {{Hiphop-band-stub}} --- Adapted from the Wikipedia article [3 the Hard Way](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/3_the_Hard_Way) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/3_the_Hard_Way?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.