From doctor to rapper: Tamil Indie music crowns a bold new queen — Iykki Berry

As we shift the conversation towards her journey as a hip-hop artiste, Iykki shares how hip-hop is being perceived in the South, currently. “The biggest challenge in the hip hop or rap community is getting people to take women seriously in a genre dominated by men. In the South, hip-hop or rap is popular now. But when I started, people had no idea. When I was telling people that I wanted to become a rapper, their response was, “Can you shine in rap or hip hop?” “It’s not for our people,” some of the labels told me. I still remember that. But now, they have to take notice (laughs) Sorry for being so sassy!” she quips. “South India wasn’t expecting a female rapper to step in and dominate. I felt like that always. And now I’m proud of that part, about what I’m doing,” Iykki enthuses.Tamil indie music has never thrived more! With singer-rapper Iykki Berry emerging like a storm sweeping us all away, she unabashedly presents her latest track, Ithihasam. With legends like AR Rahman and Mani Ratnam present during the special screening of the music video, Iykki is far from going unnoticed. She is also letting her presence known with pride as she embarks on a tour, bearing the same name, starting with the a show curated by Quriosity this weekend in Chennai. Ahead of her first show, we rope Iykki in for a candid chat about this project. We also delve into her discovery of her identity, how she transitioned into a singer from a doctor and lots more.

Ithihasam, as Iykki explains, is all about sharing the journey of women in their day-to-day lives. It delves deep into a cultured conversation around the struggles they face every day irrespective of their profession or identity. “It’s all about our femininity, which has been struggling and hustling every single day,” she says, adding, “It’s also about our culture and our Tamil literature. I wanted to quote Silappatikaram (by Ilango Adigal), Avvaiyar, and Queen Velu Nachiyar. I introduced all of them into the lyrics and compared them with women who exist in the present.” In doing so, Iykki aims to reiterate how women’s struggles have existed for ages and how difficult it was for such icons to overcome the challenges they were put through during their time. “With the platforms we have now — like social media, it has been easier to address and communicate issues. Even today’s family mindset has started to broaden and open up. But if you notice, even at that point of time, when, in the ADs and BCs, the whole cultural structure was all built by men, despite that, people like, Avvaiyar came up. Despite the large number of male poets emerging during those eras, icons emerging like her have inspired me greatly,” she adds.

For Iykki, Ithihasam is not just a one-and-done song. “I’m here to make them feel seen and empowered,” she says. “From just playing around with words, to creating lyrical stories that reflect not just me, but an entire generation, my flow is getting refined with each passing day. But still, it’s packed to the punch,” she reflects. “I’ve gone from just having raw energy to blending with precision and finesse. So, I feel like, my music, without losing the bite, should be sharper, smarter and always in my lane. But at the same time, I want to convey to my people, that, “yes, this is us! And this is me!” Iykki adds. This is Ikky’s strong notion that constitutes the foundation for Ithihasm.

Discussing the upcoming tour, Iykki says that it was a heartfelt decision to begin the same in Chennai. “I started my music career in Chennai. So, it’s a kind of sweet sentiment for me, returning here for my first show,” she says. She further highlights that the audience in the city would be able to connect best with the characters she plays in the song’s music video. “I want to make my people, the audience, feel the same energy as those characters. I want to exchange the same with them,” she highlights.

As we shift the conversation towards her journey as a hip-hop artiste, Iykki shares how hip-hop is being perceived in the South, currently. “The biggest challenge in the hip hop or rap community is getting people to take women seriously in a genre dominated by men. In the South, hip-hop or rap is popular now. But when I started, people had no idea. When I was telling people that I wanted to become a rapper, their response was, “Can you shine in rap or hip hop?” “It’s not for our people,” some of the labels told me. I still remember that. But now, they have to take notice (laughs) Sorry for being so sassy!” she quips. “South India wasn’t expecting a female rapper to step in and dominate. I felt like that always. And now I’m proud of that part, about what I’m doing,” Iykki enthuses.

Iykki Berry, whose stage name isn’t that far from her real name — Iykya, has been a performer since inception. Having been encouraged by her father to participate in all co-curricular activities, she tells us that she never developed stage fright. “When I got on to the stage I was maybe two and a half or three years old. My very first stage appearance was at a fancy dress competition! (laughs). I participated as Avvaiyar in it! In the following year, I dressed up like Princess Diana. So, all those cute moments made me the Iykki Berry I am now,” she reminices. With many collaborations to look forward to from the show, Iykki promises that there are more singles in the making, which will be released after the Ithihasam tour.

Ithihasam is streaming on all platforms.

Details for Chennai show:

Tickets start at INR 499

Happening today, 8pm onwards.

At Dank Resto-Bar, T. Nagar.