Even with only four singles to his name, Kamal Raja has quickly become one of the most sought-after desi hip-hop artists coming out of Europe. Half-Pakistani, half-Mongolian, Raja was born and raised in Amsterdam, and has recently signed a contract with Universal India. The artist is currently on a countrywide tour of Pakistan, performing in a number of cities including Lahore, Islamabad and Multan.
The Express Tribune caught up with the rising star ahead of his concerts. “I never do a show if there is no demand. I don’t have time to leave my country or work, to experiment to see if people are going to like my music, the reason I came [to Pakistan] was because I got a response,” remarks Raja, who is visiting Pakistan for the first time.
He is influenced by an array of genres of music, namely hip-hop, Latin music, and other sounds. Raja was introduced to desi music around three years ago, which provided a new trajectory to his music.
“I didn’t really grow up with desi music. I listened to it for the first time only three years ago, and when I did listen to it, it changed my life,” says Raja. His first single, No Clue ft Salah Edin quickly became a success, reaching all the major channels in India and Pakistan.
“I love to perform, I don’t say I like to sing live because it becomes difficult, but what I really love is the way I entertain, I’ve got so much self-confidence,” says Raja.
The urban desi hip-hop market has grown over the last 15 years, and has seen several popular artists, such as Jay Sean, leave a mark on a global level. Raja has been quick in devising creative beats, along with exuding his own sense of style and fashion. He also is the first to openly sport a Mohawk and experiment with his own look. It’s a whole attitude that he represents, and wants to promote.
“Yes, I need my X-factor; I need my style, because I have to make people look at me. People need someone who can represent Pakistan,” says Raja.
“He does the dancing, and he also designs his own clothes, what the people need to know is he is a trendsetter,” says Sahil Raja, his brother, MC and manager.
“About two years ago, he started out from the beginning like everyone does, but in one-and-a-half year, with only four singles, he has toured all over the world. Not many artists in this scene can do that with [just] four singles,” continues his brother.
Raja’s brother has tracked his career, and thinks it’s Raja’s hard work that has allowed him to grow so quickly. Producers in Bollywood have been approaching him for tracks, and his untitled album, which is in the process of completion, will be released with a major label.
Interestingly, the show comes at time when privately organised shows have digressed. With security issues, and an overall environment that has not catered to large scale tours, there is still a push for privately organised shows. Raheel Minhas of Glorious productions, who organised a tour for Bohemia, said that while has become harder for international artists to tour due to security restraints, people are still working to organise shows.
“The concert scene has been down since 2006, but I thought I should do something for the youngsters, because this avenue of live performances has really stopped,” says Minhas.
Minhas feels the biggest challenge is convincing international artists about the viability of touring in Pakistan, along with showing them that the market here is still strong. With Karachi being the centre of violence and security issues, shows in the port city of Pakistan may not go ahead as planned. Regarding other venues and performances, Raja’s concert schedule can be easily found on his Facebook page.
Published in The Express Tribune, September 18th, 2013.
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