|
|
|
BACK TO CURRENT ISSUE
|
||
The wide world of music is cluttered with rappers from all genres of rap, and so it’s no wonder that we have a Punjabi rapper who joins the clan with a truly remarkable gift for rapping in Punjabi. From the challenging streets of California, Bohemia unloads automatic rounds of street-savvy Punjabi rap interlaced with pounding kicks, chunky bass lines and contagious melodies. This new genre of music known as desi hip-hop is not only for those who speak Punjabi, but for those who love rap music, as well. Bohemia’s lyrics expose us to the western streets from a young desi’s point of view. Make way for the pioneer of desi hip-hop, King of Punjabi rap.
Bohemia or Ra (short for Raja, his real name), is a descendant of Southern Asia, primarily India and Pakistan who arrived with his family in America, settling in San Francisco’s Mission District ten years ago. He left his family to follow his dream of becoming a musician. His musical family grew, but it also fell apart when certain members of his group started taking drugs. He packed his bags and raced to his cousin in Oakland, CA — a city known for both its abundance of independent rap labels and its uncontrollable murder rate. But life took a bad turn for him when he went into drugs, crime and women. Bohemia found himself living amongst murderers and drug dealers. The streets became a priority to Ra, and so to get away from it all he would occasionally play keyboards at local desi events, which earned him recognition.
His cousin introduced him to hip-hop producer Sha One. Sha flipped on hearing Ra rapping in Punjabi. He had found his mentor who would make him what he is today, the Punjabi rapper widely recognized as the pioneer of desi hip-hop.
Bohemia’s first album Vich Pardesan De (’In The Foreign Land’) was released independently in 2002, and the title track soon became one of the top ten most requested songs on BBC Radio1 in the UK. Most striking is Ra’s skill in penning songs or poetry mostly in Urdu and Punjabi which can be seen on his second work. Pesa Nasha Pyar (’Money, Drugs, Love’) in 2006 was the first-ever full-length desi-rap album to be released by a major music label worldwide. In April this year Ra released his third album Da Rap Star and going by the sound of it the production is top class and the sound as original as possible, surely a clubber’s delight.
VERUS FERREIRA met up with this desi rapper to learn more about his music and his work in Bollywood.
Is Bohemia your real name?
It’s just a name really. In the studio a friend of mine Sha, used to often refer to me as a true Bohemian, thus Bohemia came to be and it stuck. I initially fell into the wrong hands and I knew I had to make a start in what I wanted. It was either do it or go down the way the others are going and make a mess of your life.
Going back to your earlier album and the one you have released lately, what would be the difference in both of them?
My second album was an autobiography of my life as a desi youngster adapting to the streets of America. This album is not only a voice for the young desi who is known to constantly balance between desi culture and American culture, but it is a totally new genre of music which I call desi rap. The songs show you what is happening in another part of the world. Most of the lyrics are in Punjabi, while I have kept almost all the hooks in English, cradled with hip hop beats. The sound is gangster, party music, and dark stuff, similar to what you’ll find on any hip-hop album. On my new album that has 15 tracks, I have written and produced all the tracks the way I felt it should be. I have put in an intro Guess Who’s Back that invites you into the groove. There’s Ek Tera Pyar that features the articulate voice of upcoming California-based singer Devika Chawla. It’s a hip-hop party song. This is followed by Punjabi Rapper where one gets a taste of live bass played by Vince ’DJ Daris’ Hudson.
Why the name Da Rap Star for your album?
Da Rap Star introduces you to Bohemia. Though the name Rap Star might throw you off and one may feel I am blowing my own horn and calling myself a ’star’, in truth the songs show the struggle of the star.
Your experience of working with Snoop Dogg.
My second album had a song with hip-hop king Snoop Dogg. It was an honour to work with him. If he can put his stamp of approval on my album well there is a lot that I have already passed by. Just being there in the studio all the time and recording this amazing track for me was more than enough. He told me to be very focused in whatever I do, and not listen to what others would say. I had to be myself and make music that was mine and no one else’s.
The artist on your new album...
On this new album I have rapper J. Hind who has featured on almost all the songs. I have done a tribute to my all-time favourite Punjabi legend Malkit Singh, and have reproduced a version of the old-school super hit Gur Nal Ishq turning it into a desi hip-hop classic. There’s also desi hip-hop ballad Dil which is very close to my heart. It’s about the things in life that I speak about on this track.
Can you throw some light on your collaborators on this album?
As far as new artistes go, Devika is an upcoming singer who shuttles between Delhi and California. She has done an old school classical song called Kende De Naina. She is pretty much new on the scene but is a very well trained vocalist. Then there’s J Hind. J Hind has collaborated with prominent artistes from rapper Akon’s label. I never planned to have anyone on the album, it was supposed to be a Bohemia album, but after we ran into each other and after we spoke we felt we were pushing the same subject and before you realised it J Hind was on it.
Any music videos to support your album?
Presently Ek Tera Pyaar is on air on all the TV music channels. I have also shot another video which will go on air in two months (June) time. Both videos are shot in the US.
Your genre of music is desi hip-hop. How did you come to label this genre?
I don’t want to say I invented desi hip-hop because it was going to happen regardless, since rap is such a powerful genre, I just spearheaded the movement and took it to all time new level.
Who is this Punjabi-Hindi album targeted at?
I would not say that it is only targeted to people who speak Punjabi. A Hindi album is not targeted only to Hindi speaking people. It’s basically the music that is more important. So it’s anyone who loves listening to pop, rap and good music.
