Rappers steal the show in Fahadh Faasil’s soundtrack surge Composed by Sushin Shyam – Dubzee, MC Cooper, Malayalee Monkeys, Hanumankind and Pal Dabba. However Tovino Thomas’ latest release Nadikar Opened to mixed reviews, the rap tracks went viral – MC Cooper’s ‘Kireedam’ and Baby Jean’s ‘Komban’. ‘Kuthanthram’, another composition by Sushin Manjummel BoysIt is steadily garnering views, having crossed the 10 million mark so far.
Rappers are making a splash in Malayalam cinema by working with several composers. Jax Bejoy, Gopi Sundar, Vishnu Vijay, Ajmal Hisbullah, Govind Vasantha, Rahul Raj and Hesham Abdul Wahab have also incorporated rap artists in their work in the last few years.
Fejo, whose voice has been heard in over 20 films so far, says Arjun Sasi and Joselee, also known as Lonely Doggy, are among the first few rappers to have sung in films.
“There was a time when rap was used as fillers, theme songs and promo tracks. Now, that is changing. One reason for this could be the popularity of the genre among teenagers and people in their 20s. Also, some musicians feel that rap tracks can express certain emotions better. This is an advantage for us. When a musician can present a new soundscape, we are able to reach out to more listeners,” says Fejo, who first sang maradona For Susheen.
She sang songs in the following movies: Naradan, Ranam, Arattu, Athiran, Operation Java (with Thirumali)the king of the room And RDX,
Rapper Fejo | Photo Credit: Special Arrangement
MC Cooper says the huge gap between film music and rap is now closing as skilled rap composers are emerging and the quality of music they produce is also good, opening up new avenues for them. Cooper, whose hits include “Nietha” (Nardan), which he sang with fellow rapper Marthyan, ‘Thalatherichavar’ ((Romancham)and the single tracks ‘Super Sebastian’ and ‘Anjalum Pathalum’ which he wrote and sang Male Phantom For music composer Ajmal.
“’Neeetha’ [composed by DJ Sekhar] It was a modified version of a track we had already recorded and was used in the film because the circumstances demanded such a song. Male PhantomHip-hop was used in the main soundtrack,” says Cooper, who sang for Bijibal in 2013 VadakkanWhich was screened at the Marché du Film Fantastique pavilion at this year’s Cannes Film Festival.
Rappers are not limited to this genre. For example, Dabzzi’s song ‘Illuminati’ surge and ‘Vatteppam’ Mandakini,
Cooper says, “Artists are getting the opportunity to show their versatility and dynamism while still maintaining their identity as rappers.” To this Fejo adds, “‘Thannathan’ (Nardan) ‘Ullasamo’ was a reggae track, while ‘Ullasamo’ (Ullasam) ‘Kalapakara’ (was in country pop genre)the king of the room) ‘It was a commercial number, while in the same film I sang a hip-hop track with Shaan Rehman.’
Dubji believes that doing playback is a part of learning about new genres. “I am always excited to do something for the music I represent, which I call Malabar hip-hop; at the same time, I also need to upgrade my art,” says Dubji. He has been on the move since ‘Manavaalan Thug’ Thallumala, which also featured rapper S.A., went viral.
Rap artist Dabzi | Photo Credit: Ashwin Prakash
He said singing in films is like a collaboration, which is “about giving the best to the other artiste. I am not a trained musician and so I am keen to break the boundaries of music. I am ready to write, compose or sing, whatever is required,” says Dabji, who has sung in several films. Jackson Bazaar Youth, Pulimada [‘Mada Trance’ which he wrote and composed] And the king of the room,
Known for his distinctive voice, Baby Jean considers his cinematic opportunities to be “a result of the hard work I put in as an indie artist. An indie artist has to win over the audience and that’s not easy.”
He further added, “It is a one-person job that requires many sleepless nights. I write, compose, sing, record and market my songs. It took me a year to release my first work. And when you want to make a music video, the work is very difficult. You have to take care of everything, even the costumes.”
Musicians say singing in films gives indie artists more attention and recognition. “It’s an advantage because we also get to write our own songs. Once I find my audience, I can naturally introduce them to my independent work,” says Baby Jean, who is now starring in Khalid Rahman’s untitled film.
Rapper Baby Jean | Photo Credit: Special Arrangement
Singer-composer Neha Nair, who has written the lyrics for this song Nadikar with Yakzan Gary Perera, mentioning that it was the director’s [Jean Paul Lal] The idea of incorporating rap came from Cooper. “Being a fan of the genre, he was looking for a chance to use it in his films. The track had to go with the rockstar vibe of the lead character. Baby Jean was chosen for ‘Komban’ because we like the way he uses his voice,” says Neha, adding, “It’s interesting to collaborate with artistes from different genres as they always come up with something new and the exchange of ideas makes the process interesting. In ‘Kireedam’, we were inspired by the lyrics written by Cooper. It was he who created the hook phrase.”
Neha Nair and Yakzan Gary Perera | Photo Credit: Special Arrangement
Sushin explains why he chose the indie artist line-up surge keeping in mind the style of the songs he composed. [director Jithu Madhavan] “They clearly stated that they didn’t want a ‘Kuthantram’-like melody or a typical rap track. Out of the tracks, only Hanumankind’s ‘The Last Dance’ is pure rap,” says Sushin.
Plenty of voices
Female rappers who have sung in films include Irfana Hameed, Rap Kid, Indulekha Warrier, Vivzy and Veno Miss
Jax Bejoy features Tamil rapper Arivu Miss and in real kolar the king of the room
He said the cast was chosen for various reasons. “‘Galatea’ had a specific flavour and that’s why I chose it [Tamil rapper] Pal Dabba. ‘Illuminati’ was a true commercial number, and I needed a different voice. That’s when Dabzee came into the picture. Perspective [Nazriya Nazim, actor and co-producer of Aavesham] “This also plays an important role in the selection of certain voices,” he added.
The composer believes that lyrics play a major role in the popularity of rap. “People are connecting with the lyrics more than the tune. As a composer, it is easier to work in a scenario where these artistes write the lyrics and perform. I have to provide the beat,” Sushin said, citing the example of ‘Mathapithakkale’. surgein which Cooper, one of the track’s vocalists, is a co-songwriter.
Music: Sushin Shyam | Photo Credit: Special Arrangement
“After working with them Thranham [‘Thalatherichavar’] I wanted a similar atmosphere in ‘Mathapithakkale’. The kind of storytelling he brings in his writing is a lot of fun, which I experienced while working with him. Thranham. For surgeSushin says, “I gave him the beat and went out for half an hour. By then the song was ready. Initially, I didn’t understand anything because of the speed of the rhymes!”
Vishnu, who did the rap track ‘Narbali’ in 2008 NayattuVishnu says he is keen to work with more hip-hop artistes. “There is currently space for all genres of music. We currently have a dominance of rappers from Malabar and so I would love to see rap from across Kerala. We need to take advantage of local nuances,” says Vishnu.
However, Fejo points out that not all rap tracks get noticed. “If the film doesn’t do well, the songs are not talked about. I have had many such experiences,” says the artiste.
Meanwhile, Cooper talks about the risk of reaching a saturation point. “When everyone starts doing it, that is a possibility. Also, rap is not everyone’s cup of tea as it is a self-empowering art form and hence its lyrics do not have subtlety or romanticism. However, it is also true that if we break the pattern there will be acceptance and that is what is happening right now,” he says.
