NRL 2024: Their unlikeliest hip hop collaboration but Roosters teammates Joey Manu and Joseph Suaalii are about to drop a rap album
A Tricolours quartet are stars on the footy field but are swapping the Steeden for a microphone with their sights set on stardom in the hip hop and R&B scene.
Western Sydney has dominated the rap game but now the unlikeliest hip-hop posse will put the eastern suburbs on the map.
Meet the Roosters’ rap group – Joey Manu, Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii, Sitili Tupouniua and Siua Wong.
The Tricolours quartet are stars on the footy field but are swapping the Steeden for a microphone with their sights set on stardom in the hip hop and R & B scene.
The teammates have been busy recording tracks for an album that will be launched in the coming months.
Suaalii posted a sneak peak on social media showing himself, Manu, Tupouniua and Wong behind the mic laying down rap verses for the up-and-coming record.
“We’re about to hit the stu (studio), the boys Si (Wong), Tu, Joe (Manu), Mansus and Mitch (producers) there, too. So check it out,” Suaalii said.
While the NRL stars have not yet decided on a name, Manu confirmed an album is “on its way”.
“Yo, what’s up everybody. We’re in the works of our album right now. It’s gonna be on (its) way,” Manu said.
Manu has even set up a recording studio in his home.
The 27-year-old would bring his catalogue of tracks to training and soon enough Suaalii, Tupouniua and Wong offered their skills and exploits.
“One of my mates, he’s a producer and he had his own little set up. Me and my brother would make beats. I used to come back and show it to the boys in here and then Suaalii, Sua, Sitili are jumping in on the back of it,” Manu told Roosters radio.
“We have heaps of tracks on the phone. I’ve set up my own little studio at home and make beats.
“We’ve got a lot of tracks, we are working on a little album and hopefully in a few months it will be ready to go.”
The writing process is also a collaborative approach. “We have the beat going and everyone is writing their own (lyrics),” Manu said.
The group has the full support of coach Trent Robinson, who has always encouraged players to express themselves.
The coach even asked Manu to come up with some team songs.
“Robbo has already been trying to get us to do team songs but we can’t really vibe with that,” Manu said.
It’s not Manu’s first foray into the studio.
The New Zealand international already has a single release on Spotify called Party All Night.
Manu and his Kiwi teammates belted out the tune in the shed after defeating Australia during the Pacific Championship finals with the likes of Joseph Tapine, Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad and Ronaldo Mulitalo in full voice.
Jarryd Hayne’s shock Fiji role alongside Michael Jennings
Former NRL star Jarryd Hayne has returned to rugby league after officially joining the Fijian Bati for the side’s Pacific Championship campaign.
Dragons unmoved as Ben Hunt cold war heats up
St George Illawarra privately insist they won’t be pressured into tabling a contract extension to captain Ben Hunt as they prepare to hold talks with a $900,000 free agent.