Justice Crew
| Company type | Independent |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music, dance entertainment |
| Founded | 2009 |
| Headquarters | Australia |
Area served | Australia, New Zealand, United States |
Key people | John Pearce, Len Pearce, Lukas Bellesini, Paul Merciadez, Samson Smith, Solo Tohi |
| Products | Music singles and albums, live performances, dance entertainment |
Justice Crew is a dance and music ensemble from Australia, established in 2009. The lineup includes John and Len Pearce, Lukas Bellesini, Paul Merciadez, Samson Smith, and Solo Tohi. While the group is primarily Australian-based, members Samson and Solo hail from New Zealand. Their rise to fame began after winning the fourth season of Australia's Got Talent in 2010. Following this success, they signed with Sony Music Australia and evolved into recording artists; since 2018, they have operated as an independent act.
The group’s initial singles, such as "And Then We Dance", "Friday to Sunday", and "Dance with Me", achieved moderate chart placements. Their major breakthrough was the chart-topping single "Boom Boom", which earned sixfold platinum status from the Australian Recording Industry Association. Subsequent releases like "Best Night" and "Everybody" entered the top ten charts, while "Que Sera" became their second number-one hit. Throughout their career, Justice Crew has garnered eight ARIA Music Awards nominations and has supported renowned international performers including Chris Brown, Janet Jackson, One Direction, Kesha, and Pitbull on various tours.
2009–2011: Formation, Australia's Got Talent, and early releases
Justice Crew formed in 2009 by combining two distinct dance groups. Much of their choreography was developed by utilizing online platforms such as YouTube. Representing Australia at the 2009 World Hip Hop Dance Championships held in Las Vegas, they achieved a 13th-place finish.
Motivated by the success of Diversity, winners of Britain's Got Talent, they auditioned for the fourth season of Australia's Got Talent in 2010 with the intention of motivating young people to follow their ambitions. Their victory awarded them a prize of $250,000.
In August 2010, Justice Crew secured a recording contract with Sony Music Australia. Their debut single "And Then We Dance" released that same month reached number 26 on the ARIA Singles Chart and was certified platinum for sales exceeding 70,000 units. Additionally, they issued a video album titled And Then We Dance, showcasing their early dance routines and experiences.
The group’s second single "Friday to Sunday" (December 2010) climbed to number 18 on the ARIA chart and received double platinum certification for selling over 140,000 copies. Their third release "Dance with Me", featuring Flo Rida (March 2011), peaked at number 44 and attained gold status.
In April 2011, Justice Crew served as the opening act for Chris Brown during his Australian F.A.M.E. Tour dates. They subsequently embarked on their inaugural headline tour across Australia—the Dance with Me Live Tour—from August through September 2011. After releasing their fourth single "Sexy and You Know It," they supported Janet Jackson on her Australian Number Ones: Up Close and Personal tour in October.
On 18 November 2011, Justice Crew unveiled their first compilation album titled Justice Crew Party Mix. This release included a DJ mix featuring five of their tracks alongside songs by other artists and was accompanied by a bonus DVD. The album entered the ARIA Compilation Albums Chart at number five.
2012–2018: Live by the Words
Between January and February 2012, Justice Crew embarked on their Sexy and You Know It Live Tour throughout Australia. In April of the same year, they joined One Direction as the opening act for the Australian segment of the Up All Night Tour. Their fifth single, "Boom Boom", released on 2 July 2012, marked their first chart-topping hit on the ARIA Charts and achieved sixfold platinum status with sales reaching 420,000 units. On 1 October 2012, Justice Crew inked a deal with Pitbull’s label Mr. 305 Inc., a partnership with RCA Records, to distribute "Boom Boom" in the United States.
Their seventh single, "Best Night", released on 30 November 2012, climbed to number seven on the ARIA Singles Chart and received double platinum certification. The subsequent release, "Everybody" (11 October 2013), peaked at number six and also earned double platinum recognition.
Representing Australia at the ABU TV Song Festival 2013 held in Vietnam, Justice Crew performed a medley combining "Boom Boom" and "Best Night". On 24 January 2014, they issued a rendition of "I Am Australian" alongside artists such as Dami Im and Jessica Mauboy, timed with Australia Day celebrations; this track reached number 51 on the ARIA Singles Chart. In April 2014, they launched their third headline tour, the #HypeTour, across Australia featuring special guest Jai Waetford.
In May 2014, Justice Crew unveiled their tenth single "Que Sera", which debuted at number one on the ARIA Singles Chart and maintained that position for nine consecutive weeks. It achieved five times platinum certification corresponding to sales of 350,000 copies. Their eleventh single, "Rise & Fall", released on 24 October 2014, entered the charts at number eleven. Their first studio album, Live by the Words, launched on 28 November 2014, debuted at number seven on the ARIA Albums Chart.
Continuing their live performances, Justice Crew toured regional New South Wales with the Live & Local Tour in January 2016, followed by their 'What We Do' tour during September and October of that year.
2019: America's Got Talent and "So Long"
In January 2019, Justice Crew took part in America's Got Talent: The Champions, but were eliminated during the opening episode. Shortly thereafter, on 18 January 2019, they independently released the single "So Long."
2024 Paris Olympics Commentary
Samson Smith from Justice Crew appeared on Channel 10’s The Project to provide commentary on the Breaking competition at the Paris 2024 Olympics, focusing particularly on Australian Olympian Rachael Gunn, known as Raygun, and addressing public criticism. He called for increased acknowledgment of medal-winning breakers and encouraged viewers to appreciate Raygun’s performance as an artistic expression rather than dismissing it as slowed-down meme content. Smith highlighted, "Ultimately, it’s just a person showcasing their creativity."
Commercial endorsements
Justice Crew has been involved in numerous commercial partnerships that have bolstered their brand image. In June 2010, they appeared in television advertisements promoting the second season of The X Factor Australia. Later that year, they featured in promotional campaigns for underwear brand Sly. In May 2011, they starred in Swisse Vitamins’ television commercials performing to their track "Dance with Me." In January 2012, the group participated in Meat and Livestock Australia spokesperson Sam Kekovich’s music video for his Australian version of Aqua’s "Barbie Girl", supporting the lamb industry.
Philanthropy
In 2010, Justice Crew introduced complimentary dance classes that quickly gained widespread attention, with Karen Day providing crucial funding and facilitating their performances at prominent events. These sessions developed into the MMAD Moves initiative, managed by the charity Musicians Making a Difference (MMAD), which motivates young people through dance and music. To enhance the program’s reach, MMAD formed a partnership with The Salvation Army in Australia. Justice Crew has worked closely with multiple Salvation Army corps and frequently participates in charitable occasions such as Carols in the Domain and Carols in the City, generously volunteering their time to support fundraising efforts.
In 2011, four members made an unannounced visit to Canowindra High School’s anti-bullying event, backing the "back off bully" campaign by performing and advocating messages against bullying.
Current members
- John Len Ruela Adamo Pearce and Lenny "Len" John Ruela Pearce are twin brothers hailing from Sydney with Filipino and Australian heritage. Their passion for hip-hop dance began early, leading them to create a school dance group called the Athelites, which performed at competitions and venues including the Sydney Opera House. Len also produces pop and house music under the name Wippy Lion and is a member of the deep house-pop duo Rumor. In 2021, John became an auxiliary member of The Wiggles.
- Lukas Bellesini (known as Wildrok) has been active in B-boying groups such as Mass Mayhem and Anarchy Tribe. He secured victory at the 2007 Australian B-boy Championships and appeared on So You Think You Can Dance Australia.
- Paul Eric Merciadez (nicknamed Paulie) competed with crews Barbie Boyz and Psyke in contests including Groove and Looze Control. He started B-boying in 2007 after performing with Youth For Chicks in 2006.
- Samson Cosray Smith, originally from New Zealand, relocated to Sydney in 2007. Beginning breakdancing in 2002, he later incorporated krumping and hip-hop styles. Samson has toured globally as a dancer, performer, and instructor.
- Solo Tohi, also from New Zealand, possesses Tongan, New Zealander, and Tanzanian roots. Having taught himself breakdancing since age 11, Solo was introduced to B-boying by his mother as an alternative to conventional sports activities. He played a key role in founding the Newtown break dance crew CMB (City Mission Breakers), which includes family members such as his younger brother Tumaini "TJ" Lupala.
Former members
- Omar Kamara, known as Scrap, of African Australian background, departed from Justice Crew in 2011.
- Anastasios Tass Repousis, or Kid Taz, a B-boy dancer active since 2004 who belonged to groups like Hybrid Formz and Rebelance. He earned several dance titles between 2007 and 2009 and served as a backup dancer for rapper Vanilla Ice. He advanced to the top 100 contestants on the 2009 season of So You Think You Can Dance Australia before leaving Justice Crew in 2011.
- Emmanuel Rodriguez, also called E-Man, a self-taught dancer from Orange, New South Wales, began breakdancing at age 12. He reached the final 20 on the 2009 season of So You Think You Can Dance Australia. Emmanuel was dismissed from Justice Crew in 2014 following internal disagreements regarding sharing the spotlight.
Discography
- Live by the Words (2014)
Tours
As Headliners
- Dance with Me Live Tour (2011)
- Sexy and You Know It Live Tour (2012)
- HypeTour (2014)
- Live & Local Tour (2016)
- What We Do Tour (2016)
- Pop Dat Buckle Tour (2017)
- Kick Ons Tour (2017)
- So Long Tour (2018)
- X Tour (2019)
- X Tour Part 2 (2019)
As Supporting Act
- Chris Brown's F.A.M.E. Tour: Australian segment (2011)
- Janet Jackson's Number Ones: Up Close and Personal Tour: Australian segment (2011)
- One Direction's Up All Night Tour: Australian segment (2012)
- Pitbull's Planet Pit World Tour: Australian segment (2012)
- Jay Sean's I'm All Yours Tour: Australian segment (2012)
- Reece Mastin's Summer Nights Tour: Australian segment (2012–13)
- Pitbull and Kesha's North American Tour (2013)
Awards and nominations
| Year | Awarding Body | Category | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2011 | Nickelodeon Australian Kids' Choice Awards | Aussie Musos | Template:Nom |
| ARIA Music Awards | Most Popular Australian Artist | Template:Nom | |
| Most Popular Australian Live Artist | Template:Nom | ||
| Poprepublic.tv IT List Awards | Favourite Australian Group | Template:Nom | |
| 2012 | ARIA No. 1 Chart Awards | Number One Single ("Boom Boom") | Template:Nom |
| ARIA Music Awards | Song of the Year ("Boom Boom") | Template:Nom | |
| Channel [V] Awards | [V] Oz Artist of the Year | Template:Nom | |
| 2013 | ARIA Music Awards | Song of the Year ("Best Night") | Template:Nom |
| Best Video ("Best Night") | Template:Nom | ||
| Channel [V] Awards | [V] Oz Artist of the Year | Template:Nom | |
| Poprepublic.tv Awards | Favourite Australian Group | Template:Nom | |
| 2014 | ARIA No. 1 Chart Awards | Number One Single ("Que Sera") | Template:Nom |
| World Music Awards | World's Best Group | Template:Nom | |
| World's Best Live Act | Template:Nom | ||
| World's Best Entertainer of the Year | Template:Nom | ||
| World's Best Song ("Everybody") | Template:Nom | ||
| Channel [V] Awards | [V] Oz Artist of the Year | Template:Nom | |
| MTV Europe Music Awards | Best Australia Act | Template:Nom | |
| ARIA Music Awards | Song of the Year ("Que Sera") | Template:Nom | |
| Best Pop Release ("Que Sera") | Template:Nom | ||
| Best Video ("Que Sera") | Template:Nom |