Hip-hop jam Breezer Vivid Shuffle enlivened the City of Nizams for the first time in its history, recently. After five spectacular seasons, the sixth edition of the festival gave a platform to the biggest hip-hop talents in the country. The event celebrated the culture of the streets with open dance cyphers, street-style souk, live music and much more under its theme Beats Of The Streets. It had youth icon Vijay Deverakonda as the brand ambassador of the festival for the third time in a row, all thanks to his love for the performing art form. Alongside, the event had an impressive line-up of high-octane performances from India’s popular hip-hop artistes — Brodha V, Seedhe Maut, Hanumankind, DJ Kan-i and more.
For the uninitiated, Bengaluru-based Brodha V is known for his unique mix of rap with Indian classical tunes and folk ditties while Delhi-based Seedhe Maut charms with his lyrical dexterity to push the boundaries of Hindi rap. Kerala-born and Bengaluru-based rapper Hanumankind shot to fame after his debut at the NH7 Weekender in 2019 while DJ Kan-i is the pioneer of video turntablism — the art of creating music using turntables — in India. All the artistes turned up for the night of words and delivered some power-packed live performances. Moreover, the event also hosted an enthralling block party that let the fans interact with their favourite stars. Amid all this excitement, we managed to catchup with artistes Brodha V, Hanumankind, Seedhe Maut and actor Vijay Deverakonda to talk music, shop and much more.
How did it feel to perform in Hyderabad?
Brodha V: It was phenomenal! I love Hyderabad and I always have a great time when I am here! The crowd was absolutely fantastic and their energy was electrifying. I always enjoy every song I perform because each song has its own audience but the highlight of the night for me was performing Aigiri Nandini with Vijay Deverakonda. It was so unexpected and hence absolutely magical to have him on stage jamming with me. It was humbling to find out that Vijay is a fan of my music and has been listening to it for a while now.
Hanumankind: I was excited to perform at BVS and prepared a custom line-up of tracks for the event. It included some known fan-favourites and, as a special reveal, some unreleased songs that I performed for the first time, exclusively for the fans at BVS. Seeing the crowd vibe with the new tracks was thrilling.
Seedhe Maut: The event had one of the tightest line-ups we’ve ever come across! Kudos to BVS for doing this and for giving the community what they want.
Brodha, your music style often fuses carnatic, classical and folk tunes with upbeat hip-hop. It is an ode to regional culture and yet is modern. How do you do that?
Brodha V: My fusion style is a nod to the marriage of what I grew up with and my individual taste and love for hip-hop. It is essentially the best of both worlds. The dichotomy between these two is what brings me closer to my listeners. My style is my way of celebrating our cultural intricacies by weaving together carnatic and classical music with hip-hop. It makes hip-hop more accessible to even those who don’t consume the genre and at the same time, appeals to those who treasure the genre and want catchy rhythms.
And, according to you, how has hip-hop evolved in India and how can we make the scene even better?
Brodha V: The hip-hop genre in India is still evolving and finding its footing, but having said that, I do believe it has become a lot more inclusive since I started. There is new talent sprouting everywhere and audiences have also become a lot more accepting towards the genre. For a long time, hip-hop was a genre that was heavily westernised, we did not have rap music specific to our culture, but now we have numerous rappers across the country who are such key contributors to the genre. Today, hip-hop is no longer just a genre; it has become a movement.
Seedhe Maut, given your style often portrays the youth’s rebellion, do you feel hip-hop is a kind of catharsis for you? What makes the youth relate to it?
Seedhe Maut: It definitely is! The youth, not only now, but since the birth of hip-hop have been relating to the genre because it helps them to express things in an assertive yet poetic manner. There might be things you’d never speak of in front of a friend or a family member but when you hear someone say it in a song, you feel like you’re not alone.You can be who you are and that’s why people relate to hip-hop so much!
Do you think hip-hop can draw attention to pivotal social issues around us?
Seedhe Maut: It can definitely seep in change. As musicians, our goal isn’t just to put out music and thrive but we want to build something that’s meaningful. We want to tell our listeners that they’re not alone; we’re all in this together. Music has the power to change the world!
Hanumankind: Absolutely, it does. The hip-hop cultural movement emerged as a form of original expression and has transformed so many fields in the world today — music, fashion, street art and even language. It captures people’s imaginations because it is constantly evolving, pushing boundaries and most of all, is original and true to itself.
What change do you wish to see in the hip-hop scene of India?
Hanumankind: The Indian hip-hop scene is a powerhouse of skill and talent and it is only going to grow in the coming years. The biggest change I’d like to see is a shift in the perspective towards the genre in India. From being a budding or underground scene to being a full-fledged and original hip-hop community with unique sounds and culture, that’s what I desire. Secondly, I think there needs to be a greater acceptance of different styles and new approaches, because newcomers have a lot to offer.
Vijay, this is the third year of you being associated with BVS?
I enjoy the vibe that comes with music festivals, the energy of the crowd and the opportunity these festivals bring for the discovery of new music. I am thrilled to be a part of BVS for the third time in a row. Over the past two years, it’s been great to see new talent taking the stage at BVS and becoming an important part of the hip-hop scene in India. The festival provides a stage for talent representation from all cities and towns of India and opens a world of opportunities for talented dancers, musicians, artistes and designers to bring their A-game.
And tell us about your tryst with hip-hop and your favourite artistes in the genre?
Hip-hop has always been an integral part of my life — and I really love that it’s a genre that transcends boundaries and influences larger cultural conversations. It lets today’s youth express their individuality and redefine themselves. Some of my personal favourite artistes are Lil Wayne, MC Zaac, Sampa the Great, Black Eyed Peas, Joey Valence and A$AP Rocky; and I also listen to some outstanding Indian hip-hop voices such as Brodha V and Hanumankind.
Do you feel Gen Z is different from previous generations in terms of perceiving and contributing to the hip-hop scene?
It’s great to be young in this day and age, with multiple opportunities and resources to pursue any art form and career. This is possibly why Gen Z sees art as more than just a hobby. Today, DJing, MCing, graffiti, break dancing, slam poetry, beatbox and beat making have become effusive ways for young people and adults to express their thoughts, feelings, ideas, values, knowledge and wisdom. Globally, youth engagement in hip-hop is often linked to social change that can build power, ability and inspiration. As more young artistes dabble with the hip-hop scene in India, I am curious to see where they take the genre and how it grows in the country.
Breezer Vivid Shuffle heads to Mumbai on November 12 and Guwahati on November 19.
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Twitter: @RanaPriyamvada