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Following their comeback single ‘In the Clouds‘, eight piece Wellington hip-hop and funk outfit, Raw Collective, are back with another solid tune, ‘Tables Turned‘, the second single from their upcoming fourth album.

‘Tables Turned’ evokes dreams of summer to come and features the vocals of multi-platinum reggae artist Iharaira Starr (formally Israel Starr), a two-time recipient of Best Reggae Album at the Waiata Māori Music Awards and recipient of Best Roots Artist award at the Aotearoa Music Awards.

With a fresh drive & sound for 2026 the band release their epic collaboration, breaking the mold and placing reggae at the centre of their sound, with this release.

Worth the wait, the collaboration has been almost a decade in the making.

“This song is really about patience. We’ve all had moments where you wonder if the hard work is ever going to pay off. Looking back now, it’s funny that a song called Tables Turned ended up waiting nearly ten years before finding its moment. Maybe it was just waiting for its own tables to turn.” – Raw Deezy

Emcee Raw Deezy first met Iharaira Starr through Wellington’s Newtown Sound community in the early 2010s while both were collaborating with producer DJ Art Official. After years of friendship, shared stages and mutual respect, the opportunity finally arrived in 2016 when Raw chopped up a rare ska sample into a swinging hip-hop beat and immediately heard Israel’s voice over it. Within days, Israel had written and recorded the chorus that would become the heart of the song.

Over the following years, every member of Raw Collective added their own musical ideas to the track, transforming the demo into a rich, full-band production featuring live horns, guitars, percussion, keys and three vocalists. The result is a uniquely Wellington collaboration that blends reggae, hip-hop and soul while remaining unmistakably Raw Collective.

One of the song’s standout moments sees Raw Deezy mirror Julian Kirgan’s trombone solo note-for-note with his verse, while Moira Jean and Israel Starr trade soulful melodies over the band’s warm, groove-driven rhythm section.

The single also continues the comic-inspired story of Raw Collective’s monkey mascot, with each artwork revealing another chapter in an adventure that unfolds across the band’s releases.

Tables Turned is the second of three singles leading into Raw Collective’s fourth studio album, due for release this coming summer. 2026 see’s Raw Collective back with a force, and a renewed focus after several years spent writing, recording and raising young families.

‘Tables Turned’ featuring Iharaira Starr releases Friday September 4th on all major digital platforms.

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