HipHop music is an art form that arose from the streets of the South Bronx and spread like wildfire to other slums and ghettos of the world. Some caught on to the culture later than others, but it is still interesting to watch people learn the nuances and apply it to their own situations. Now, that movement is spreading to a new group of people, people that come from some of the poorest areas of the world with conflicts in their countries that impact them every day of their lives in contrast to the rest of the world where the impact only hits you as long as you keep your news channel on. That new demographic is Desi.
One of the major prerequisites of HipHop is to always stay true to yourself and keep your story as authentic as possible. There are rappers coming up that are willing to share their story and tell the uncut truth about life around them. Artists such as The1Shanti and Chee Malabar not only embrace HipHop, they embody the lifestyle. They remain rooted in its essence, speaking out about the ills of the world when there's no other way for the Desi youth to speak out. While that same Bollywood song and dance is deep rooted and entertaining to watch, Desi HipHop has given the youth a voice to speak out without needing to have a smile on their face or a dance number to adhere to.
Much like Urban Desi, Desi HipHop highlights the best and the brightest, but unlike R&B and Bhangra, the music is built around the story and the message that one chooses to convey. The world is always interested in hearing about new stories from different environments. With HipHop being a global phenomenon, we have seen rappers come from areas such as the UK, Somalia, Japan, France, Germany, and the Caribbean. While Desi HipHop has been a bubbling genre, can it grow and develop to become one of the preeminent soundtracks to Desi society? Time will only tell on that front, but some Desi HipHop artists already believe they're making progress.
"Given the influence of South Asian music in HipHop today and the general evolution of HipHop, I think it is only a matter of time before some of the very talented South Asian American MC's in the underground scene leap into the mainstream," Malabar said.
The demographic is there. So far, it looks like the desire, motivation, and drive are there too. If the Desi wordsmiths can share a story worth telling, there will be droves of fellow Desis who share the same feelings of being the minority, constantly being misunderstood, and searching for a voice that Bhangra and traditional Indian music just can't provide that will be willing to listen. HipHop is all about breaking down barriers, and with Desi HipHop, the potential is there to not only show the world a different take on what being Desi is all about, but to also prove to themselves that HipHop should not have to be the road less traveled, but rather the road that more people should explore to find out more about themselves and everything around them.
One of the major prerequisites of HipHop is to always stay true to yourself and keep your story as authentic as possible. There are rappers coming up that are willing to share their story and tell the uncut truth about life around them. Artists such as The1Shanti and Chee Malabar not only embrace HipHop, they embody the lifestyle. They remain rooted in its essence, speaking out about the ills of the world when there's no other way for the Desi youth to speak out. While that same Bollywood song and dance is deep rooted and entertaining to watch, Desi HipHop has given the youth a voice to speak out without needing to have a smile on their face or a dance number to adhere to.
Much like Urban Desi, Desi HipHop highlights the best and the brightest, but unlike R&B and Bhangra, the music is built around the story and the message that one chooses to convey. The world is always interested in hearing about new stories from different environments. With HipHop being a global phenomenon, we have seen rappers come from areas such as the UK, Somalia, Japan, France, Germany, and the Caribbean. While Desi HipHop has been a bubbling genre, can it grow and develop to become one of the preeminent soundtracks to Desi society? Time will only tell on that front, but some Desi HipHop artists already believe they're making progress.
"Given the influence of South Asian music in HipHop today and the general evolution of HipHop, I think it is only a matter of time before some of the very talented South Asian American MC's in the underground scene leap into the mainstream," Malabar said.
The demographic is there. So far, it looks like the desire, motivation, and drive are there too. If the Desi wordsmiths can share a story worth telling, there will be droves of fellow Desis who share the same feelings of being the minority, constantly being misunderstood, and searching for a voice that Bhangra and traditional Indian music just can't provide that will be willing to listen. HipHop is all about breaking down barriers, and with Desi HipHop, the potential is there to not only show the world a different take on what being Desi is all about, but to also prove to themselves that HipHop should not have to be the road less traveled, but rather the road that more people should explore to find out more about themselves and everything around them.
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