I'm feeeeelin' it... You??

Alright!!! Now, how many of you have ever piad attention to what the 2nd Generation Indian kids indulge/listen to when it comes to music? Apart from the usual Bollywood/Bhangra/Hip-hop stuff, most often you can listen to something they have come out with something of their own..Remix!!! Its not just music, but sorta like a new culture of their own! Remix Culture???

I hear some of you saying, yea so what.. What's new about this? Nothing authentic, right? Not really.. Of course, most migrant cultures did the same and I guess these 2nd Gen kids have done with some "extra" appeal..Often blending the music from their roots into what is available locally, these new generation of migrant children have often forged new trends in music..With the music, evolved their attitudes and cultural choices in life..

Now, I'm not sure how it was in the earlier years of migration to the US for most of the Indian familes, but I can tell you what I experienced..Half the time it was the usual boring Bollywood non-sense and the only few "Indian" alternatives available were the ones played/experimented by a DJ/Doctor friend of mine .. It gets too boring especially when you don't even know Hindi, the language of choice in Bollywood..

He exposed me to this remix culture as he trained/learned from his days in New York City..It was quite fascinating to listen to these Bollywood songs blended with local urban sounds you hear often at the clubs & on the radio..Poor me , the town where I was had only one radio station that rarely played hip-hop .. So, those reggae/reggaeton discs my friend brought from NYC was the first exposure to something so urban & chic..With not in a position to afford, TV and Cable Television, time passed by listening to these remixed tapes..But with the move to a bigger city that had gazillion radio stations that played urban hits came the opportunity to listen to some of these new & familiar tunes often..From being experimental, I could see the desi remix culture proliferating beyond the experimental state and exploding on the club scenes across the city..New DJs displayed their skills behind the turntables, scratching the decks and innovating new themes..All this happened while captivating the audience to things that are so unique.. Glad that these 2nd Gen Indians found these traditional/original music videos and traditional folk (Bhangra) songs not serving their palatte, they started to experiment more vigourusly - fusing the local music trends into the Desi music tapes..Voila! There comes a new generation of Indian kids listening to the most catchy, chic, Indian beats mixed wonderfully with the local rap/reggae/reggaeton/hip-hop chart-busters..

Often times these remixed experiments paved way for the renewed interest in Desi music among their communities (you can listen to some local Rappers opting to mix the Indian Music into their grooves) .. Most of these songs have often found a celebrity status and have climbed into the Top 10 lists in UK/US Club scenes.. Unlike the typical Indian boy/girl who is always associated with Geeky images, these young 2nd Gen Indians are roaring to change the music landscape when they get/got their opportunity..As they do/did this, they defied the stereotypes with their ultra kool music videos and lyrical skills..the costumes, dancing, lyrics, everything has become a blend of cultures and often its hard to tell which one of these cultures influenced the other.. With the evolution ofmusic came a new generation of music makers..Below is a Desi Video by Aman, featuring Bohemia- the famous Punjab Rapper from California.



Rapper Bohemia is true example of what is real Talent .. His Website bio sketch indicates that "after immigrating to the West over ten years ago, Bohemia came to realize that the South Asian experience in America wasn't all about nice cars and palm trees. On the contrary, he found himself living amongst murderers and drug dealers.

Through his experiences, come raw, hard-edged raps depicting not just California street life, but a life many South Asians lead in America. His lyrics are primarily Punjabi, while many of the hooks are in English. Placed over hip-hop beats, Bohemia makes it seem as though Punjabi was made to be rapped rather than merely spoken."

Aother exmaple is Inderjeet Singh Chana aka Kidd Skilly.. This kid got true talent and can rap so well..Born into a mixed family backgournd (mexican mother & punjabi dad), this young man took to rapping as he grew up in the hard streets of Detroit, Michigan (as he calls - the Motor City Punjab).. Listening to some of his songs, makes me tap my feet and the rhythm gets you hooked, leaving you wanting more..Especially the one, Bytch Please, stands testimony to his incredible talents..

Kudos to these kids who defy the odds of being a rapper, representing the Indian community.. As we all know what kinda pressures/expectations are piled on these 2nd Gen Desi kids here in the US/UK among various cultures .. PhD parents with their expectations of turning their son/daughter into a successful Doctor/Engineer/Dentist/Lawyer can do a number on these kids who aspire to be someone different.. Can't even imagine me telling my Dad/mom that I don't wanna be an engineer anymore and want to explore Music, and probably turn into a rapper churning out some sexy videos..Can't help but stay praising these talented young Indians who defy the odds stocked up against them and continue to excel in what they truly love and believe in..Gotta love it as they still try their level best to save whatever was given to them as part of their Indian culture from their 1st Gen parents..Be it the music or the love for India, they sure don't hide it..

Now the funniest part is that the Glam-loving bollywood is starting to adopt this new remix version directly/indirectly into its traditional Filmy music..Movie such as Ek Khiladi Ek Haseena Thee (not sure what the hell this stands for)..


Are we witness to some change in usual Bollywood stuff.. who knows.. it might very well be happening..