He has a certain calm in his voice, and is both patient and enthusiastic. He listens intently to questions being asked and answers them thoroughly. The Express Tribune brings you an exclusive interview with Surj of Rhythm Dhol Bass (RDB). The British-Sikh duo, comprising of Surj and Manj has been around for a while. Their catchy, bhangra-infused numbers are both addictive and energetic, and a regular feature at most weddings this side of the globe.
Bollywood is no stranger to this eclectic duo. Songs like Tamanche Pe Disco, Sadi Gali and Aloo Chat became mehendi anthems after their respective releases. “With Bollywood, there’s a certain sound, but with our own work we can play around and experiment with different flavours,” says Surj.
Daddy Da Cash is a standalone single that comes after a long line of numbers for Bollywood films. “We’ve been doing Bollywood for quite a while now, and we wanted to get back to doing our own stuff,” explains Surj. The song features none other than two-time Grammy award winning artist Faheem Rasheed Najm, more commonly known a T-Pain, whose notable hits include songs like Low, Bartender, Buy you a drank and . Apple bottom jeans and boots with the fur, anyone?
The cheeky song digresses from the Bollywood/bhangra sound of their previous singles and item numbers. “We knew Daddy Da Cash would be an international collaboration, so we fine-tuned the song for that,” says Surj. “The style of the song is very Dirty South; it sounds like a track T-Pain would be on. It had to have a powerful global sound as we’re catering to an international audience with this number.”
On the subject of working with T-Pain, Surj was generous with his praise for the artist. “T-Pain is awesome! He went out of his way to break down boundaries, he was joking around on set, we had a great time with him,” says Surj.
The duo must have absolutely loved T-Pain, as they’ve recently presented him with a diamond and gold-studded auto rickshaw, which features a personalised name plate with T-Pain’s moniker engraved on it. RDB gave T-Pain the souvenir after the US star became fascinated by the mode of transport during his last visit to Mumbai.
RDB have already worked with a number of international artists such as Ludacris and Snoop Dogg in the past, and it sounds like they have a long bucket list for future collaborations. “There are so many artists we want to work with, Justin Timberlake, Eminem… Collaborating with Jay-Z would be a dream come true!”
RDB debuted Daddy Da Cash at the MTV India VMA’s back in March with a live performance featuring T-Pain. “He [T-Pain] was electrifying! He wanted to come to this side of the world and we thought this would be the perfect opportunity for him to do so,” he says. The reaction of the song at the event was unbelievable, according to Surj, and it has been performing well since its official release.
Surj says that fans should expect their fourth studio effort, Worldwide, to tentatively be released in the first quarter of the next year. For this album, RDB are looking to bring together rhythms from across the world, and are attempting to fuse genres like hip hop, dubstep, reggae, acoustic, EDM and Punjabi folk to create a fresh and current new sound. “The name of the album came about while we were touring, we felt a connection with the world, and how every place had its own unique sound, along with the fact that all music is so international these days,” he says. “Someone sitting in Russia has access to Bollywood music, the same way some in India would know who T-Pain is, and it’s amazing.”
RDB themselves are an ode to the international music scene. Born and bred in England, the band is as British as they are Sikh. “Being raised abroad gave us a different flavour and an understanding of Western culture,” says Surj. They grew up listening to musicians such as Michael Jackson and Snoop Dogg. Working with the latter after idolising him his entire youth was a dream come true for Surj. “It was brilliant, being able to work with Snoop Dogg. I’m a big fan of his music,” he says.
Their Sikh background has also had a great influenced on their music. “We’re very proud of who we are and our roots. We had to learn Punjabi, but it’s our first language now!” says Surj with a laugh.
RDB is also in talks with concert promoters in Pakistan. The duo hasn’t been touring too often since their brother and fellow band member Kuly passed away last year, but they feel that they are ready to change that now. “We want to reconnect with the fans we have in Pakistan,” says Surj. Tours have been fickle in the country, due to security concerns, but RDB hopes to perform here soon. “We actually go to Lahore quite often, we’re good friends with Mustafa Zahid,” says Surj. Zahid is the lead singer of Pakistani rock band Roxen, and RDB have jam sessions with him whenever they’re in the city.
The band has come a long way, facing both trials and triumphs, but with their new song it’s clear that they’re all set for a comeback. So, what’s next on the agenda for the band?
“We’re currently in talks with David Guetta, so hopefully that’ll work out,” says Surj with a chuckle.
As do we RDB. Imagine the dances one could choreograph to that.
Published in The Express Tribune, December 21st, 2013.
Like Life & Style on Facebook, follow @ETLifeandStyle on Twitter for the latest in fashion, gossip and entertainment.