Using an interpolation of the nursery rhyme ‘Oma Rāpeti’ (Run Rabbit), Rei is comparing his running rise to the heights of the NZ music world to a running rabbit.‘Rāpeti’ (made with support from Te Māngai Pāho) comes at the end of Rei’s busiest Summer schedule yet, playing NZ’s top festivals, RnV, One Love, Splore, Soundsplash, Festival of Lights and much more.

The new track follows Rei's double VNZMA nominated album ‘The Bridge’ (nominated for best RnB and best Māori) which has gained over 3 million streams on Spotify and seen Rei complete a 9 date tour around New Zealand. Singles from the album also achieved major playlisting across NZ’s top stations, Mai, ZM and Flava.

The release follows Rei’s Australia writing trip in March where he collaborated with various Oz artists including Olivia Foa’i and Rydah. 

 ‘Rāpeti’ also includes additional production from D. Love (Credits on Timmy Trumpet/Savage - Freaks, Pieter T - My Baby). ‘Rāpeti’ was also mixed and mastered by Kog Studio’s Chris Chetland (mastering credits for Dua Lipa, Snoop Dog and Bebe Rexha).

Rei - Rāpeti Kupu Translation

Pre Chorus

Ehara tēnei i tō kaputī This ain’t your cup of tea

Pai ki ahau, katia te kī Just be quiet, that’s fine by me

Whakarongo ki te ariki Just listen up to the chief

Ki te ariki to the chief

Ehara tēnei i tō kaputī This ain’t your cup of tea

Pai ki ahau, katia te kī Just be quiet, that’s fine by me

E oma ana ki te taumata me kī I’m running to the top of the game

Oma rāpeti Run rabbit 

oma oma Run

Chorus

Oma oma oma rāpeti Run run run rabbit

Oma oma oma rāpeti Run run run rabbit

Oma oma oma rāpeti Run run run rabbit

Oma ki te taumata taumata e Run till you reach the top

Verse 1

Ehara i te rūkahu I’m no liar

Ehara i te whara taihara I’m no criminal

Ehara nō te UK I’m not from the UK

Ehara i te Amerikana I’m not American at all

Ehara au nō Wīwī I’m not from France

Kāore au i te takahi mana I’m not here to disrespect you one bit

Ka pao pao pao ana au ka kī mai koe 'auahi ana' I’m just here to rap, all you’re gonna say is ‘damn he’s lit’. 

Nō te whenua (hī), I come from this land

Te wāhi mahi hāti, the land where we mahi hard

I Muri mai, pāti And after we that we party

I muri mai, kāti, Repeat, stop and start

Kei te hanga ahi, I’m just making fire

Mā te rangatahi To fire up the youth

Ngāti ‘arty whāti’ The future creators go hard, g

Ki te kore koe e mōhio ki a au And if you don’t already know me

Pātai atu ki tōu aunty Just ask your aunty..

Pre Chorus

Ehara tēnei i tō kaputī This ain’t your cup of tea

Pai ki ahau, katia te kī Just be quiet, that’s fine by me

E oma ana ki te taumata me kī I’m running to the top of the game

Oma rāpeti Run rabbit 

oma oma Run

Chorus

Oma oma oma rāpeti Run run run rabbit

Oma oma oma rāpeti Run run run rabbit

Oma oma oma rāpeti Run run run rabbit

Oma ki te taumata taumata e Run till you reach the top

Verse 2 

Kāore i te hamanga, e rapi ana i ia wiki I’m a rapper full time, from the end of the week to the start

He pukumahi ahau ehara i te pukuriri I’m never quick tempered, I’m just quick to work hard

Ko taku reo ko taku pū ānō ko Tame Iti I use my voice as my gun, like Tame iti, that’s how I win

Ka rere te reo rangatira hei aha te mā o taku kiri! Rapping in the language of chiefs, so what if I’ve got light skin!

Ka oma oma ake au ki te panekiretanga I’m running to the top of the game

Kua kite koe i taku rau, kua mau i te tīmatanga Ever since I started repping this feather, nothing was the same

He tino tohu tēnā o te rangatiratanga It’s a symbol of my chiefs, I use it to cut through the clutter

E ai ki ngā wāhine, ‘he's smooth’ he pīnati pata Just ask the ladies, I’m smooth like peanut butter

Bridge

Ahakoa ahakoa ngā toro No matter if the road is long

Ahakoa ahakoa ngā piko No matter the ups and downs I’m always on.

Ahakoa ahakoa ngā toro No matter if the road is long

Ko ahau te tamatoa I know I’m the champion

Pre Chorus

Ehara tēnei i tō kaputī This ain’t your cup of tea

Pai ki ahau, katia te kī Just be quiet, that’s fine by me

E oma ana ki te taumata me kī I’m running to the top of the game

Oma rāpeti Run rabbit 

oma oma Run

Chorus

Oma oma oma rāpeti run run run rabbit

Oma oma oma rāpeti run run run rabbit

Oma oma oma rāpeti run run run rabbit

Oma ki te taumata taumata e run until you’re at the top of the game

Oma oma oma rāpeti run run run rabbit

Oma oma oma rāpeti run run run rabbit

Oma oma oma rāpeti run run run rabbit

Oma ki te taumata taumata e run until you’re at the top of the game