Is love ever enough to feel complete? Nothing is ever black or white, says Hyderabad-based rapper Almo.
His latest rap song, So Far speaks of his erstwhile long-distance relationship. The song works like a conversation between two people trying their hardest to make their relationship work. They wanted to. But the damage was already done beyond repair. “It didn’t work as that’s how it was meant to be. We had a lot of things going on in our lives. Sometimes, it’s just bad timing.
You go the extra mile to make things work. At one point, you have to look at yourself, stop and say that it was all that you could do,” Almo tells us. Offstage, 26-year-old Dr Shreetan Gurrala is inspired by the idea that looking back on life, many things often end up being ‘almost’ a success or an achievement. He puts this idea into his music, using detailed storytelling and strong wordplay.
Although Almo initially began with poetry and short stories, he spent some time in the underground hip-hop scene, rarely appearing in public. He focused on refining his skills, ensuring he was committed for the long term before he started performing on stage. A lot of people might not understand or appreciate rap as a genre of music. But it is indeed a form of music that doesn’t have a set vibe.
Nobody expects happiness, sadness, or darkness from a rap song. People expect it to be rap in its unadulterated kind. “It doesn’t limit me from talking,” Almo adds. So Far, which also happens to be one of his self-produced tracks is all about the unexpected, more like the genre of hip-hop as a whole.
While dabbling in literature, and poetry with the Hyderabad Poetry Project when he first moved to the city, he was always inclined towards the written word. “I didn’t know what to do but I knew I love writing. And, rap helped me as a writer. It just ended up happening,” he shares and mentions that although he produces his tracks to save up on finances, he has grown genuinely to enjoy the process.
Rap has given him the freedom to say whatever he wants. Usual suspects in the likes of Eminem, Kendrick Lamar and J Cole catch his intrigue. Currently a member of an IP, Almost All Music, he also performs around the city and soaks in all the love. Be it his last gig in November, or opening for rap sensations like SVDP, he looks forward to performing in upcoming music festivals in the city.
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