UPSOT: Retaliation is a must, ain't no maybe, ifs or buts / We took numerous trips round there but lad that something I can't discuss (no way) / I don't wanna end up in cuffs (ugh) / / I can't call them opps, lad we beefing flops / I got friends, looking at 10, you watched yours getting put in a box (put in a box) / Who wants smoke? (who?) / They don't want smoke, trust me mothers them boys ain't ready / 21 what? But one got knocked, ha, I guess that makes them 20

ALICE BRENNAN: These last 13 words are the centre of one of the biggest shitstorms in the Australian music industry right now.

If you missed them, here they are again.

UPSOT: 21 what? But one got knocked, ha, I guess that makes them 20

ALICE BRENNAN: 21 what? But one got knocked, ha, I guess that makes them 20

These are the lyrics to one of Australia's most popular songs this year.

It's by an Australian hip hop group called OneFour.

They're a YouTube phenomenon.

YOUTUBE HOST: Now this is Australian drill...I never even knew Australia had this stuff though.

ALICE BRENNAN: Their videos have clocked up more than 25 million views and they've been streamed 30 million times on Spotify.

Their most recent release was Australia's #1 trending video on YouTube for four days.

But their lyrics... especially these ones...

UPSOT: 21 what? But one got knocked, ha, I guess that makes them 20

ALICE BRENNAN: Are getting them into a whole lot of trouble... right Osman Faruqi?

OSMAN FARUQI: Yeah, OneFour's members are now being targeted by one of the country's most high-profile police strike forces.

A strike force that usually takes down gangs in NSW and has put away some of Australia's most notorious bikies from the Hells Angels to the Comancheros.

NATHAN TRUEMAN: I'm going to use everything in my power to make your life miserable, until you stop doing what you're doing. every aspect of your life. I'm going to make it uncomfortable for you.

ALICE BRENNAN: Despite their online success OneFour have struggled to play a headline show and the police want to keep it that way...

NATHAN TRUEMAN: I'd say there's no way there'll be a performance here in New South Wales and I'll do everything I can to stop it. I believe it incites the violence.

ALICE BRENNAN: They say OneFour are a dangerous gang who DO incite violence, and have compared them to the notorious Bloods and the Crips in the US.

OneFour say they're just making music about what they see. They say it's art. Their videos start with a disclaimer, stating all the characters and lyrics are fictional.

SPENNY: We make music. You know, we don't incite violence.

OSMAN FARUQI: I want to know what's really going on... Is this about keeping the public safe, censorship, race, class... or all of those things?

ALICE BRENNAN: yeah Just a few weeks ago, OneFour were on the cusp of making it.

They were on the eve of their first-ever national tour. They were about to turn social media hype into what they hoped would be real world success, money and fame.

OSMAN FARUQI: This is the story of how all of that changed so quickly.

UPSOT: In the beginning, it was only me and the gang(True) / Introducedthis country todrillin' / All of a sudden they allwanna bang

OSMAN FARUQI: I'm in a small, dark room, my back is pressed up against the wall, and I'm watching four well-built guys decked out in Adidas jump around, practising how to hype up a crowd.

ONEFOUR: Ay fucking oath, make some fucking noise Melbourne!

OSMAN FARUQI: OneFour and their manager rehearse in a studio inside a pretty unremarkable industrial estate in inner city Sydney.. it's squeezed between a computer supply shop and an indoor children's playground.

ONEFOUR: "We're one four!" Ay fucking what's good in Melbourne?

OSMAN FARUQI: Their tour kicks off in Melbourne in three days, one of the shows has already sold out...you can feel the nerves in the room.

ONEFOUR MEMBERS: a lot of money to make this weekend come on man. Fucked the whole thing up mate. Listen to my voice it's already fucked.

OSMAN FARUQI: The last few times OneFour have tried to perform their gigs have been shut down due to concerns about public safety. So they've actually barely played to a live audience before...

It's hard to find information on who OneFour are, which is pretty surprising for a group with such a big online following.

Officially OneFour are four guys. They all grew up in Mount Druitt, have Pacific Islander backgrounds, and got to know each other through the Mormon church in Hebersham, the next suburb over.

They're all in the late teens or 20's. J-Emz is the most extroverted member. He's known for rocking both a designer bumbag and a ponytail.

J-EMZ: J-Emz im a onefour veteran, boss of my hood because I back my section.

OSMAN FARUQI: His younger brother is YP, who often has the grittiest lyrics

YP: Call me YP (YP)

AKA that dipper (Dip dip)

Young boss of my hood

And like my brothers lad I've been itching to squeeze that trigger

OSMAN FARUQI: Spenny stands out in the group because his higher voice cuts through on their music.

SPENNY: "Uhh I know that they know that Spenny's about to blow / All of my dubs coming in a row / But I'm still writing raps on my broken phone"

OSMAN FARUQI: And the fourth guy is Lekks, known for his intricate flow.

LEKKS: We twist up while them boy just dancing, strictly shiv and shankin' (Ching) and push that sword like captain step on deck and plank em / Too much talk

OSMAN FARUQI: They often wear Adidas and Nike tracksuits in their music videos but sometimes they take it up a notch with designer shirts and bags by Givenchy and Louis Vuitton.

One of the first things you notice though when you watch their videos is that two of the guys - YP and Lekks - also wear balaclavas and face masks. Courts have issued non-association orders against these two, so they're not allowed to interact with each other. They've even rapped about it.

ONEFOUR: Why do you think our faces are hidden? The gang's on strict conditions.

OSMAN FARUQI: About half an hour into the rehearsal, while the group are practicing their on-stage banter, something unexpected happens.

Ricky, OneFour's manager, taps me on the shoulder and shows me an email on his phone.

So I follow him outside.

RICKY SIMANDJUNTAK: So we've received information from the venue that the New South Wales Police has been in contact with the Victorian police stating that under no circumstance should the show go ahead.

OSMAN FARUQI: So that's it -- the Melbourne show they're meant to be playing in three days -- The one they're rehearsing for right now -could be called off

OSMAN FARUQI: And the venue said that they've never had anything like this ever before in their existence from the police?

RICKY SIMANDJUNTAK: Yeah, that's right.

OSMAN FARUQI: I've never heard of this happening in Australia before.

We all know of the classic examples.. Police shutting down The Sex Pistols and NWA gigs...

NWA ARCHIVE: Fuck the police, fuck the police, fuck the police...[chorus ends]

ARCHIVE: This is frankly offensive to me and I think to any parent that would eh would hear and would know what these lyrics are all about. They would find it is nothing but filth.

OSMAN FARUQI: But what's happening to OneFour is unprecedented in Australia... So what makes OneFour different? I decided I needed to go there to find out. To the 2770. The Area. Mounty County. Mount Druitt.

ARCHIVE: 28 miles west of Sydney, a whole new city's taking shape. It's described by officials of the state planning authority as the biggest positive step in town planning in the history of New South Wales.

OSMAN FARUQI: So just pulled into Mount Druitt station, just rolled past the Mount Druitt courthouse, which features in the music video for the message, which was sort of the breakthrough hit for the group.

Coming from the Sydney CBD, Mount Druitt is one of the last stops on the train line before you hit the Blue Mountains.

The suburb's crime rate is much higher than the state average ... and that's one of the few things non-locals know about the area.

According to the most recent Census the unemployment rate is 11%, that's nearly twice the state average.

And it's one of the most culturally diverse suburbs in the country.

Even though I'm not from Mount Druitt, when I arrive here I feel pretty comfortable... nearly 90% of the residents identify as having non-Australian ancestry and the most commonly spoken language other than English is Urdu, the language I grew up speaking. so I fit right in.

I'm just walking up to Street University, based here in Mount Druitt and it basically is a youth service that provides space, activities, recreational stuff for kids in the area to keep them busy And it's where Onefour first got together and started working in the studio.

ESKII: Hey, everyone this is a guy from ABC who's doing a story on One Four.

OSMAN FARUQI: How you doing?

KID: Hellooo boy! (laughter) Why are you doing a story? Is OneFour coming here?

OSMAN FARUQI: Inside, to my left, there are around fifteen kids hanging out in a common area, sitting on couches

To my right is what looks like a tiny, makeshift recording studio, and I can't hear what's going on but it looks like someone is rapping.

CYPHER: I ain't here to play from the Mt. Druitt graves, you know, I fill in space about a field trip to the throw up in like a rip off cold. You know, I'm in my zone I'm ripping the hood. And this is what I do. I'm ripping all truthless.

OSMAN FARUQI: The person I'm here to meet looks up and waves me in.

ESKII: My name is Ian Eskano. But everyone here knows me as Eski. I'm a youth worker. I'm a drug and alcohol counselor and also I'm a community member of Mount Druitt.

OSMAN FARUQI: Eksii's surprised by how quickly OneFour have blown up.

ESKII: I remember I was very shocked to see the .. . the views just like, skyrocketing

OSMAN FARUQI: He's talking about their YouTube numbers...he was there when OneFour first started recording - right here in this DIY studio.

ESKII: I was working with a couple of them And they're experimenting with different ways to rap.

OSMAN FARUQI: did you see when they decided to pivot to the drill sound?

ESKII: Yes, I remember um it was Lekks who showed me what was happening in the UK and he was like, hey Eski, we identify with these dudes like their sound is cool. We're gonna start venturing into this. And then from there. Guess yeah they blew up.

OSMAN FARUQI: Eskii tells me that OneFour connected with UK drill music because they saw something that reminded them of their lives: People of colour in disadvantaged neighbourhoods, growing up in social housing, making music about their reality.

It's a faster, darker form of hip-hop . Lyrically it's kind of like early 90's gangster rap, with violent metaphors and plenty of gunshot sound effects.

But part of what makes drill different is social media. YouTube has been a huge part of spreading it around the world, and entire communities have been built up around it, linking kids from Brixton to Mount Druitt.

KENNY ALLSTAR: If you are coming from a London community, where there isn't much money in it, and you're already being put in a box just because of where you're coming from.And the only way out is through sport, or music and not everyone is athletically gifted.

OSMAN FARUQI: That's Kenny Allstar, he's a BBC One DJ and a champion of drill music.

KENNY ALLSTAR: a lot of drill artists will talk about what they've seen it's social commentary what they're around, you know, and they took that and that's what drill is.

OSMAN FARUQI: In drill, where you come from matters. In the UK, it's become synonymous with the so-called 'postcode wars'.

Where Rival groups from different suburbs and housing estates diss each other in their music.

KENNY ALLSTAR: guys can't help their reality. And if their reality gets them in trouble, and that's what they want to talk about, then that is their reality to talk about.

OSMAN FARUQI: Kenny also tells me drill rappers in the UK have been attracting the same kind of attention as OneFour - police have shut down their shows too.

KENNY ALLSTAR: from an authority standpoint, we're just going to shut these guys down,

As much as there are racial elements class, classism stands a bit more.

OSMAN FARUQI: In London, the Metropolitan Police have used laws aimed at disrupting gang crime and terrorism to target drill rappers and stop them from performing and releasing music.

And NSW Police are now threatening to use similar powers to stop OneFour.

The first OneFour track to go viral, The Message, opens with a prison phone call from someone called Celly.

CELLY: "It's Celly 14 from the Western Sydney..."

OSMAN FARUQI: Celly's one of the original members of OneFour. He's been in jail for the past year, waiting to be sentenced on robbery and assault charges

In July 2018, he and two other OneFour members, Lekks and YP, were arrested after a pub fight in Rooty Hill.

A court found that Lekks got into an argument with two drunk patrons over the pokies and was kicked out. Soon afterwards he returned, with Celly and YP. YP pulled a wooden chair leg from his jacket and used it to hit one of the men three times in the head. Celly pulled out a hammer and started to hit the other man, and then stomped on his head.

When the duty manager ran into the room, Celly used the chair leg to knock him out.

YP, Lekks, and Celly were kicked out of the pub by security, but Celly managed run back inside, where he used the chair leg to knock down the other drunk patron.

All three were charged and pleaded guilty. YP was released on bail.

The judge in the case said that the two drunk victims were making "racial comments, perhaps extending to slurs", but that the assaults were "appalling" and "vicious".

So a few days before the tour's meant to kick off, I go to Parramatta Court. YP's bail conditions mean he can't travel interstate for the tour, and his lawyers are trying to change that.

I walk into the courtroom and the public gallery is about half-full. YP is sitting in the back row with his barrister and his mum... and Ricky, OneFour's manager, is there too.

The crown prosecutor is opposing the bail variation. He doesn't want YP to be able to travel for the tour, and he's telling the court police suspect OneFour have criminal links.

He references an eight page brief prepared by NSW Police that's been previously tendered as evidence - in it, the police lay out alleged links between OneFour and organised gang activity.. In particular, with a gang the police call the Greater West Brotherhood. Here's a part of what it says:

ACTOR: The individuals are primarily male and aged approximately between 15 to 20 years. The majority of individuals involved have been described as of "Pacific Islander" appearance.

OSMAN FARUQI: The police brief goes on to set out the Greater West group's rivalry with an inner west Sydney gang.

ACTOR: The groups have consistently been recognised via their geographical affiliations and majority of members cultural backgrounds. This has resulted in the groups being referred to as the "Inner West" and "Greater West" Islander Youth Gangs.

The "Greater West" has been known to be based out of the Mt Druitt area. Other names used in relation to the "Greater West" gang have included "NF14", "Great West Brotherhood", "Loco Familia", "Notorious Familia", "OneFour", "Mounty County",.... (Fade under from here).... "2770", "27 District", "Double7" and "GMS".

OSMAN FARUQI: In other words, OneFour share their name with what police say is a gang.

And according to the brief, Police claim that those gangs are responsible for acts of violence stretching back to 2011 - including multiple stabbings, public brawls, fights in pubs, and an assault in a shisha bar.

One inner west gang member was allegedly murdered in Parramatta by someone from greater west group in October 2018. The details are in the police brief. One teenager was charged.

He's not in the rap group OneFour. But in the brief, here's what the police say about it:

ACTOR: In June 2019 the Greater West Brotherhood Gang Rap group known as "Onefour". released a song called, "Spot the difference." It is the Prosecution's position that the following lyrics relate to the murder:

UPSOT: One them youngins took that trip

And phoned our line saying, "Kill confirmed" (ha ha)

He was out for his stripes

And on that night that villain's respect was earned

Now he's doing a stretch for the gang

Can't wait for the day that he makes a return (free him)"

ACTOR: In their song the "Message" published in March 2019 it's the Prosecution's position that lyrics from this song also relate to the murder.

ONEFOUR: "21 what? But one got knocked, ha, I guess that makes them 20"

OSMAN FARUQI: It's these lyrics, and the ongoing feud between the two gangs, that are the basis for the police's concerns about public safety at OneFour shows.

They claim that the shows will attract retaliation from the inner west group and the public will get caught in the crossfire.

YP's bail hearing wraps up pretty quickly. His barrister has convinced the magistrate to let him travel for the tour... as long as his mum travels with him.

Outside the court I speak with OneFour's manager, Ricky.

RICKY SIMANDJUNTAK: this is a really important,win for the group. The judge seeing this as an opportunity for YP to use his music as uhm... a process to rehabilitate. The view is that he's contributing and being an active member of society.

OSMAN FARUQI: For now, YP is out on bail and able to tour. But his sentencing is only a couple of weeks away. This tour is a chance for him to perform with OneFour before he's potentially sent to prison.

So what do OneFour have to say about the allegations they're involved in gang activity, and that their music is providing the backdrop to a violent turf war?

It's a few days since YP's bail hearing, and now it's official the first two shows of the tour have been cancelled... leaving just the Perth, Auckland and Sydney concerts.

Remember the email Ricky got at rehearsal about the Melbourne show? It's scrapped.

Victoria Police has confirmed to me they met with the venue, but said any decision to cancel events are made by the event organiser and venue operator.

The Adelaide show has been cancelled now too. I asked South Australia Police to comment, but they declined.

Tonight's the night that the Adelaide Show for One Four's tour was supposed to happen I'm about to head from my place to a studio in Alexandria in Sydney's inner city, where One Four are hanging out, it's gonna be interesting to see what the vibe is like there when they were so hyped to go on tour and instead they're in a industrial estate.

J-EMZ: Give me some of that T-Pain shit. Could you like lessen the auto-tune.

OSMAN FARUQI: I walk into the studio and the group are hanging out on couches while their sound engineer sets up some new beats.

They're working on a new song together... and unsurprisingly, it's influenced by recent events

J-EMZ: Ay, and the cops want to shut me down.

RICKY SIMANDJUNTAK: I think the reason why we're in this position is because there's people out there who think that something world class isn't meant to come out of Mount Druitt.

OSMAN FARUQI: What's your vibe tonight, Ricky? You like obviously tonight was supposed to be Adelaide.

RICKY SIMANDJUNTAK: We're supposed to be doing our second show of the tour but we're just going to keep on moving. It's not like it's going to slow down. If anything, it's just getting bigger and it's getting faster.

OSMAN FARUQI: I ask J-Emz about the feud between the Greater West and the Inner West, and whether it relates to OneFour

J-EMZ: us boys we haven't been involved in that shit. Us rappers you know what I mean. We've gotten out of that safe to say.

OSMAN FARUQI: So much attention has been placed on one particular lyric.

YP: 21 what? But one got knocked, ha, I guess that makes them 20

OSMAN FARUQI: the cops are now using that line as an argument as to why you shouldn't be allowed to go on tour and perform. How does that make you feel?

YP: that sucks. Yes.just come up with it one day in my room. Thought it sound cool hey. I was like yeah it's a sick, sick line. And then jumped in the studio and rapped it, bro.

OSMAN FARUQI: And so the cops say that that's..uhm... that's evidence that you want more people to do more bad things. What do you say to that?

YP: That's not true. Nah, Everyone's got, you know, a brain.

BANDMEMBER: Everyone's got... He's just expressing his feelings about someone. YP: wrong or right...

OSMAN FARUQI: So you just talk about something that happened. You're not saying you want this to keep happening to people.

I don't even know what happened I just thought it was a cool line. And yeah, that's about it.

OSMAN FARUQI: Ricky jumps into to defend the group's position

RICKY SIMANDJUNTAK: art is open to interpretation. You don't have to take everything literally. It's meant to make you feel something.

If you listen to the music, that's what it is. It's pure honesty about what they see and struggle with on a day to day basis.

MC: Live from Sydney, this is the 2019 ARIA awards. Now welcome your host, Guy Sebastian.

OSMAN FARUQI: Tonight the Australian music industry's biggest event - the ARIA awards - are being held at The Star. OneFour have just hit the ARIA charts for the first time and they're hoping to make an appearance.

But J Emz can't go - police handed him an exclusion order just this morning, confirming he's banned from entering the venue until further notice.

J-EMZ: They could have served it whenever you know what I mean and ...uhm... they probably got like news that all at the ARIA barbecues, parties. So yeah. No awards for us. (laughter)

OSMAN FARUQI: Instead of going to the awards, OneFour make plans to head to an afterparty at Sydney's Museum of Contemporary Art.

It's the morning after the ARIA's, and while most of Australia's biggest names in music sleep off their hangovers, OneFour are announcing that their entire tour has been cancelled.

Only the Auckland show will go ahead.

I reached out to all the tour venues about the cancellation, but only the Metro Concert Club in Perth would comment on record. They said the show was cancelled at the request of the event organisers and the police did not contact them.

The public statements from venues are pretty vague. They're just blaming "unavoidable circumstances".

OneFour blame police:

ACTOR: "This sets a dangerous precedent in Police ultimately determining which artists can and can't play at music venues in Australia. NSW Police also risk the perception that they have an inherent, in-built bias against youth and disadvantaged communities."

OSMAN FARUQI: While NSW Police "reject any assertion that the investigation of and response to violent crimes is based on bias of any kind."

They also haven't spoken in detail about why OneFour's tour was cancelled... Until now.

After weeks of chasing... one of the officers in charge of the operations targeting OneFour agrees to an exclusive interview.

I'm at police headquarters in Parramatta, about halfway between Sydney's CBD and Mount Druitt.

I pass through security and the police media officer escorts me to the top floor

I'm feeling both nervous and relieved. I've been trying to speak to police for a long time, but things keep falling through at the last minute.

NATHAN TRUEMAN: I'm Nathan Trueman, Sergeant at Strike Force Raptor.

OSMAN FARUQI: Sergeant Trueman sits across from me at a long, rectangular table, he's wearing police overalls with the word "Raptor" emblazoned on the front.

Strike Force Raptor usually targets bikie gangs, but now it's also focussing on One Four.

A detective from another Strike Force called Imbara -- sits in the corner. That strikeforce specifically investigates the turf war between the Greater West and Inner West gangs and if they have any connections to hip-hop artists, like OneFour.

NATHAN TRUEMAN: Initially you had small acts of assaults. But then it sort of started to develop and get bigger, to the point now where we've had public place stabbings, we've had drive by shootings. Uhm...We've had large affrays in the public eye.

OSMAN FARUQI: He acknowledges that growing up in an area like Mount Druitt can be challenging.

NATHAN TRUEMAN: Living in Mount Druitt is tough. Living in any community where there's housing and no employment, it is tough. but you don't need to make it tougher by starting a beef with someone, another crew from another area. They're making life tough for other kids in Mount Druitt. Kids in Mount Druitt can't catch a train to Parramatta now because of where they live.

OSMAN FARUQI: He's clearly very committed to stopping the violence. He punctuates his sentences by banging his fist on the table.

NATHAN TRUEMAN: It's just I'm from this postcode. You're from this postcode. Let's go with each other. It's ridiculous.

OSMAN FARUQI: I already know from the brief that the police think there's an overlap between the social scene the group is in and the criminal gangs the police are after. The band says they're not in a gang. So I want to know what was behind the officers' rationale.

NATHAN TRUEMAN: we definitely believe that there is a connection between them. The young blokes involved with the rap music, they've definitely been involved in incidents of affrays and all that stuff. You could definitely draw a comparison between the lyrics and offenses that have occurred.

OSMAN FARUQI: And do you see that, them singing those lyrics does that contribute to the ongoing tension from your perspective.

NATHAN TRUEMAN: Absolutely. I believe it incites the violence.

OSMAN FARUQI: As Sergeant Trueman's talking, I pull my phone out of my pocket. I'm curious about what he thinks of the OneFour lyrics in the context of the music. And what I'm about to play him is what you heard earlier - those 13 words.

OSMAN FARUQI: There's a song, The Message, and there's a lyric actually, can I just play the lyric if that's all right. And then tell me if this is what you guys are talking about: "21 what... one got knocked ha I guess that makes them 20"

Playing the lyrics in front of members of Strike Forces Raptor and Imbara ... doesn't go down too well.

Is that is that lyric one that you're familiar with that relates to this stuff?

NATHAN TRUEMAN: Yeah.

OSMAN FARUQI: You'd rather not talk about the specifics.

NATHAN TRUEMAN: Yeah

OSMAN FARUQI: Okay. Sure

I want to get their reaction to more of the music, but the mood becomes so uncomfortable, I shift tack.

OSMAN FARUQI: I know that the New York Police have, I think they're informally called the rap unit where they, will research different artists and build up connections, their links to gang or criminal activity are you observing what's happening in those other jurisdictions

NATHAN TRUEMAN: We're definitely aware of it. Obviously, we've had to do our research because this is all new to us. You know, we primarily targeted outlaw motorcycle gangs. You know, we're not going to reinvent the wheel if other jurisdictions have had success with it. We're going to jump on the back of it.

You look at London, they're implementing Serious Crime Prevention orders, that's something that we have here we have in our back pocket we could potentially use. I'm not saying we are going to use them, but we have it here that we could use it as well.

OSMAN FARUQI: The Prevention Orders Sergeant Trueman is talking about came into force in the UK in 2008 and have been used to target serious gang criminals and terrorists. They've recently been used against drill rappers to stop them performing.

New South Wales passed similar legislation in twenty sixteen. It gives police and the courts extremely broad powers to control a person's travel or associations or even their internet use, so long as police can say the restrictions will stop serious crime.

I want to know why the police want to use laws normally used against bikie gangs and terrorists to stop OneFour performing.

NATHAN TRUEMAN: essentially we can't reduce the risk by any other means, besides canceling the concert. So essentially we're saying that the music that they're promoting, is inciting violence but then they turn around and say, Oh, no, we're not involved in that stuff. We're just singers. Well, which one is it?

OSMAN FARUQI: I guess their defense to that is that, they're making art about what they've experienced. What's your response to that?

NATHAN TRUEMAN: So it makes it all right. That makes it all right. It doesn't make it all right.

OSMAN FARUQI: Sergeant Trueman compares OneFour and the feud between the Greater West and Inner West gangs to the fight between notorious outlaw motorcycle gangs.

NATHAN TRUEMAN: If the Comancheros started singing a song and trying to call out and provoke the Hells Angels, and they wanted a concert, you know, the public would expect us to shut that down.

OSMAN FARUQI: One thing that has been hard to unpack is when the concerts don't go ahead, the group immediately say police have stopped this from happening.

NATHAN TRUEMAN: We are shutting down their concerts, but it's to stop the violence. since the concerts have been shut down. We haven't had an act of violence yet. You know what I'm saying? I want these kids to succeed. I want them to go ahead and do something. But while there's violence I can't allow it. I feel sorry for the venues they're caught in the middle.

OSMAN FARUQI: Hearing Sergeant Trueman say this is a big deal. He tells me more about the tactics they use.

NATHAN TRUEMAN: While the violence is escalating, I'd say there's no way there'll be a performance here in New South Wales and I'll do everything I can to stop it. And yes, I provide all the information to the venues, alright, and I say to them, Ey, this is probably not a good idea for your venue, you can't prevent everything and you can't provide the safety that needs to be provided for this event to go ahead.

And they'll say things like, oh, how many police am I going to need to get this event to go ahead? And in terms of that, you know, we're saying, well, you need X amount of police, and you know, the cost of the tickets of that are never going to cover the amount of police they need to try and safely run an event like this.

OSMAN FARUQI: So you're basically saying it's not going to be a profitable event for the security reasons

NATHAN TRUEMAN: Hundred percent. I'll do that for every event in New South Wales until the violence stops. But the violence stops, the music changes its tune a bit mate I've got no problem in saying you can now perform in New South Wales. I just don't see why it has to be around violence. Why can't they sing about something else?

Changing your lyrics a little bit so that you're singing about like we said, yeah, it's tough to live in Mount Druitt, sing about that speak about how brilliantly beautiful your wife is I don't know, I'm not a songwriter.

OSMAN FARUQI: It's not just venues though -- it's online platforms too - NSW Police told me they even contacted streaming platforms asking them to pull OneFour's music.

As we wrap up the interview Sergeant Trueman has one final message for OneFour.

NATHAN TRUEMAN: I'm going to use everything in my power to make your life miserable, until you stop doing what you're doing. every aspect of your life. I'm going to make it uncomfortable for you.

OSMAN FARUQI: Thank you, thanks again. Thanks for your time.

I later asked NSW Police whether there were any active police investigations into members of OneFour. They wouldn't comment.

It's the day after the tour cancellation and I'm catching up with Spenny in a CBD cafe.

He looks dejected. He's slumped in his chair and he's scrolling through YouTube videos on his phone, like he's looking for a distraction.

J-Emz and YP couldn't even muster up the motivation to make it into the city.

SPENNY: We're trying to do the best to change and become better people, but obviously, some people out there wanna stop us from doing that, but at the end of the day nothing is gonna stop us from like doing what we wanna do. And that's music and doing everything that comes with music. Know what I mean?

SPENNY: We make music. You know, we don't incite violence. We don't make people go out there and do things that we're saying. You know, it's like if if someone makes a movie or like a video game doesn't mean the video game with the person that made it. It's telling them to go do this. We're changing our lives and let us do it, let us perform.

We're underdogs. They wish they were in our position. You know, they just hate to see young black kids come up so easy and live this life. You know what I mean? Specially for people like us. They hate to see that. They just ... they want us in jail.

OSMAN FARUQI: Back in Mount Druitt, at the Street University, OneFour's tour cancellation is all anyone's talking about.

ESKII: Are we good with this beat?

GUY 2: Yeah, Whatever

GIRL: Who's rapping?

ESKII: Alright alright, if you feel like you want to jump in

OSMAN FARUQI: Whatever you think about OneFour, the music, the police... there's no denying the impact they've had on the young people here.

UPSOT: Alright let's go. Hip hop shop. If any freestylers come by...

ESKII: Mount Druitt had such a bad name for itself. And soon as One Four came in it like everyone, everyone wants to be here and they've gotten rid of the bad name.

OSMAN FARUQI: But not all of them agree.

ESKII: like they're making moves. But then again, they're putting heat on themselves.

I reckon they're going to struggle a lot, now that they're making their name big.

VOX POP: If you want me to tell you the truth, it's shit you know. The boys are trying to do something with their lives. Get out of here. The police are trying to shut their shows down and stuff. Let alone they're telling us to get everyone off the streets. They're trying to make reasons to express themselves and stuff. But I reckon it's bullshit you know.

OSMAN FARUQI: To get another local take on the fall out from the OneFour tour cancellation I meet up with Winnie Dunn, a Tongan-Australian writer who grew up in Mount Druitt.

WINNIE DUNN: Pacific Islanders in Australia for so long have been starved for representation. The only representative we have at the moment is Chris Lilley, who's a white guy who puts a brown face, puts on an afro wig. And so to see one full kind of come to prominence by telling their own stories, by writing their own music, by starring in their own music videos, and really getting kind of the nuances of what it means to grow up as a Pacific Islander in Mount Druitt.

They are artists. And it just so happens that they're performing a stereotype that makes white people scared. And that's why I think, like the police force is so adamant about stopping all of their concerts

OSMAN FARUQI: the police so far have been pretty successful in stopping the group from performing. If they continue to succeed. What impact do you think that will have.

WINNIE DUNN: if the police actively stop onefour from ever performing in their hometowns, in their home cities, in their home country... they're sending the message that Pacific Islanders who are born and raised in Australia, can't ever be anything. But violent criminals. it is gonna be really sad for me to see that if the police do actively stop one four from ever having a viable career, that they stop generations of Pacific Islander Australians ever having careers that are outside of the stereotypes of being a security guard or being a footballer.

OSMAN FARUQI: NSW Police tell me that their proactive involvement in engagement programs with various community groups speaks for itself.

There was one date on OneFour's tour that wasn't cancelled... it was a sold out show outside the country ... in New Zealand.

OSMAN FARUQI: So I'm at the Sydney International Airport on Wednesday, the fourth of December and today before ONEFOUR's performance in Auckland

I meet the group at the Virgin counters where they're checking in their bags.

It's going to be exciting to play New Zealand but you know you probably would have loved to play Australia first.

J-EMZ: 100 of course, of course, but you know what? They don't like us right now so fuck them. Nah...

OSMAN FARUQI: And is there any messages you want to send your Australian fans?

J_EMZ: love ya's all, we love everyone.

OSMAN FARUQI: The good vibes are tinged with some sadness. There's a lot going on.

The day before this, OneFour member Spenny was raided by police. He says they kicked down his door and put a gun to his head while he was in bed. They were there looking for firearms. They didn't find any.

A New South Wales Police spokesperson did confirm to me that a firearms search took place, but added "there is no record of any police drawing their firearm at any time during the operation".

Only two members of OneFour are actually here at check-in, Spenny and J-Emz.

Lekks is in prison. What fans don't know is that for the past five months, his younger brother has been wearing Lekks' balaclava and performing under the same name.

The other member missing from the airport is YP.

He's at Downing Centre court about to be sentenced for his role in the pub fight at Rooty Hill...what happens in Court today could change everything for the group.

Surrounded by dozens of family members and supporters, YP looks like he's wearing his best church clothes.

YP: I wish I was with the other guys hey.

Even if the result here is bad, I'll continue to... to write music even if I was behind those walls, you know

If you're going to grow up going to court hearings this and that going to go into jail and that you're going to write about that

Just be able to travel and work you know, I want to be able to go on tour as well with the boys

OSMAN FARUQI: He goes inside.

Meanwhile, the rest of the crew land in Auckland, but J-Emz is refused entry because of his Australian criminal record. Sergeant Trueman told me that he'd been in touch with the New Zealand police about OneFour... The show will still go ahead -- but the cast is half of what it was.

And to think just a few weeks ago, I was sitting in on rehearsals with OneFour as they prepped for a tour... that would never take place.

Now they've been shut down, seperated, deported and jailed.

The police have also given their manager Ricky an official warning, saying that if he communicates with the two remaining members of OneFour who aren't in prison he could be charged...

YP is sentenced to four years in jail -- two years non parole.

Before he's taken away to a cell in Oberon Correctional Centre he says OneFour will play together again.

YP: The day is coming soon where all four of us artists will be there on stage together

YP: Yeah, I want to be able to perform at home as well soon.

Background Briefing's Sound Producers are Leila Shunnar and Ingrid Wagner.

Sound engineering by Martin Peralta

Fact-checking by Meghna Bali

Additional reporting by Alex Tighe

Additional production by Gina McKeon

Supervising Producer is Benjamin Sveen.

Our Executive Producer is Alice Brennan.

I'm Osman Faruqi

You can subscribe to Background Briefing wherever you get your podcasts, and on the ABC Listen app.

Thanks for listening, fam.