TZU (pronounced Tee Zed Yoo) are an Australian hip hop group, originating from Melbourne, Victoria. They are known for live shows with significant crowd involvement, at festivals such as Big Day Out, Falls Festival, MS Fest and the Meredith Music Festival, in addition to smaller shows. TZU differs from typical hip hop groups because they use instruments in their performances. The use of guitars, keyboards and drums gives their shows a rock infused vibe.
The group formed in 1999 as a side project, combining members of the groups Curse ov Dialect and Pan. The name TZU is taken from the Chinese Philosopher Lao Tzu. The band originally called themselves Tzu (pronounced tsoo) but changed their name due to the public pronouncing it as T-Z-U. In 2005 keyboard player Duzy What was added to the group's lineup. They have received regular Triple J airplay of Position Correction and Smiling at Strangers . In early 2006, they won Yahoo! Music's "Who's Next" monthly music poll.
