Dear Rahmaniacs , The Great Rapper of India, Blazee became rapper since year 1991, and from then onwards everything has been history. He started his interview by a Rap on AAHA FM and on the Rahmania show itself.
*1. How did you become a RAPPER ?* I grew up in Zambia, but was born in Chennai. For the past 25 years, we have been in Zambia. As we play cricket for time pass here in India, we do Rap there in Zambia as time pass. All my friends used to rap, and it became a habit. Then slowly it became a career. Rap about everything and anything, but at that age it was more of a negative rap. somebody will tell something abt me, and I will start on somebody else and it will go on like this. Thats how we cultivated the habit of expressing whatever we wanted to say. And then when you start using your brains, you start writing sensible stuff. *2. what other serious issues have you done a Rap for ?* I started Rap for fun. But my first serious Rap was in 1991 in Zambia for the Presidential elections. A new President was coming after a continuos period of the old president being there for 27 years. So seeing the new President, I wrote a little poerm, which my father saw and he brought his office colleague, who played the guitar. he was an handicapped guy ( without leg ) . he played the guitar , and I used to do the RAP. That was new at that time, and it was shown in all TV channels at that time. Then I started rapping for Lions CLub, part Rap and more yo yo yo.... That started to work and then it would blend ino Pop Songs, Remix songs . After my film work started with Mr. Rahman , that continued with songs with situations in the movies, and now I am back on the circle of doing some serious songs on Shankaracharya, religion, on the Gujarat Riots. Its a mixture of all that. I used to keep myself updated with events through newspapers. 3. *Your childhood days in Zambia ?* We had a one community hall, and all Indians would meet there. Every Diwali we used to celebrate, and for all functions we used to meet and celebrate. A lot of Tamilians are there in Zambia, but my friends have been Africans. I was into Break Dancing, Rapping, which the other Indian kids were not into. But for me, it is something which I liked to do. I grew as a ZAMBIAN. we go to the church, the Hindu temple. There its just that people. But after coming back, I see in India, the first question they ask is " Whether you are a South Indian ? North Indian ??". and then they become friends, which anywhere in the world , I have not seen yet. You are alive, I am alive. we both are struggling . Good. Lets work together and become big. Its such a good style there in Zambia, and I also want my kids to grow up there. The work is not that much. You are not carrying books all the time. You learn, but with enjoyment. 4.* What lanuguage do you speak at home ?. Is it Tamil ?. How do you manage ?* My parents used to talk to me in Tamil. But i used to reply in English. The local language there was bemba. I can understand Tamil, as I have been spoken to in Tamil. But when I speak I am very conscious. But obviously its my mother tongue. Vanakkam ( Tamil ) - Munishani Mukhuwaye ( bemba language ) for saying I am fine - you say Buino All African languages are musical. Now we have got an album coming up called Zambasi Fung, coming out in two months. I have used a lot of syllables which are African. *5. They say that in Africa, they sing so naturally, The choir people .. Hows is it ?* Right from scholtime, the tehnology is not that advanced, and hence choir is the biggest thing, and all school students are part of the choir. The Choir just grows in you. They are so used to sining together. *6. African Drums are so famous. Did you also learn it ?* I didnt learn drums. But I can play it for fun. But the rhtyhm in Zambia is like that. Even when they talk, they put their hands in the rhythm of drums. Even while walking, there is an African walk. *7. The First Rap that You wrote ??* The first Rap was to the President , and the lyrics goes like this " We wish you well. Short and Sweet; thats the way...........". It was in 1991 at the age of 16 that it was written. I feel that Rap is my way of expresing whatever I want to say. My father was a member in Lions Club. They had a function for Diabetes. So for that function, I was asked to RAP. So, instead of rapping for the party song, I said I will write something on Diabetes, about how the problem is and how we can cure it. That was well received. At the same time, there were South African riots which were happening, and we wrote for that. It always works well, when we write a RAP on something that affects us . Its real, and from the heart. So definirely, it finds its next step, next step. *8. So, How did it affect you, when you were asked to write a RAP for a situation ??* It depens on the audience, music and song. In Films , thats what happens. Here is the situation, and you have to write it to suit that situation. So you start to imagine. when Mr. Rahman called me for Rajni's MOTTA BOSS, I hadnt seen the Motta Boss. But he had told me. So, I was imagining a lot.. When I came to the studio, He showed me the visual, of the helicopter arriving , and that inspired me to say something. So something brand new came up on my mind, and he told me that " The Hero comes after rebirth. Its like he has come back after death. So you have to write something to display that vengeance, and the voice should also carry that forward". I wa shown that and hence I got inspired. Otherwise, you have to hopefully understand what the Directors explain to you. *9. The Motta Boss resembled you ( hahahaha ) ????* We saw it in Dallas, and you were sitting right next to me . and you were yelling at me , when the scene came " BLAZEEEEEEEEE". Thats the best moment of my life . All the singers were there , when we watched the movie. Madhushree, Sayanora, Vijay jesudas, Tanvi *10. WHEN DID YOU MEET RAHMAN ?* I went off to the US. I did my Film Degree. I finished my B.A ( Cinema ) , and learnt Direction, from 1997 to 1999. I am waiting a chance to become a Director myself. I have asked all Directors a chance, but nobody wants to give a Rapper a chance. Everybody tells me " You have the skills, YOu have the talent ; YOu know what to do. But you are BLAZEE; RAPPER. How can you be an Assistant to me ??''' . I tell them " Thats another part of Life. Right now, this is what I want to do. ". But no one is listening to me. . So time will tell. But God willing, it will be good. I want to direct a film, which makes a difference. Something that needs something. It is entertainment . I do not feel the purpose of spending so much to entertain, unless there is some message in that. There should be some justification of what you are doing. Otherwise you do it for yourself. Do not pull in so many people ,when you do not have something to say. everything will happen when time comes. Everything happens as per GOD's Wish and it will happen. I got a job in MTV after I finished that course. I was working as a Producer based in Bombay for two years. I thought that all my study in the Film Institute would be used in my work. Not really but. Because TV and Film are completely different medium, and I realised that at that point of time. whatever work you do in TV, it comes and goes off in a minute, whereas the some hardwork that you do in a Film, its there. And the film will be there, existing somewhere, and somebody would be seeing it, like an album. *RAHMAN'S PRAY FOR ME BROTHER WILL BE THERE FOR ANOTHER 200 YEARS TO COME.*Somebody in Some place will have it. I had a brilliant time, but I realised that nothing was going fine in TV. It all used to fade off, and not stay like Films. But end of the day, it wasnt what I wanted to do. At that time, many Radio Channels started in bombay. So. I thought that the coolest job would be to talk abt music, play music , get paid and go home.. No stress. I jumped and joined a Radio Station. but within 2 months, the Radio Station became 100 % Hindi. , from English. At the same time, I got the final MAGICAL Call from Rahman Sir's Office. But, when I came from the US in 2000, like everybody, I picked up the CD, looked backside, saw Rahman's Panchathan Inn Address. So I put my CD, cassette and a good sentimental letter and sent to him. One year passed and there was no reply. No nothing. Where it is , nobody knew. The next year, I met Louie Banks, and through him met Shivamani. And Shiva was jamming , and I was rapping and that vibes was good that I found with him. So I was telling Shivamani," One day, pls introduce me to Rahman. I want to meet him. Because, he alone knows and understands what Rap is ?". shivamani introduced me to Rahman, when Rahman came to Bombay. Shivamani called me at 2 AM in Bombay saying " Blazee. Rahman is here. If you want to meet him, come immediately to the studio". My wife didnt understand what was happening. Sudeenly a call came at 2 AM , and he is going somewhere, and at that time, I was not doing any recording. I was just working at that time. I told her " Rahman has come. This is my only chance. So am leaving". so, I met Rahman, and the first question that he asked me was " Can you RAP in tamil ?". Honestly I said " No". I RAP in english, but I am a Tamilian but have never thought abt rapping in Tamil. But I can try. One more Year went off. No Call. Nothing. So, expecting my time to come, I joined the Radio Station once again. At the same time, my wife was working with SONY Music. So, at that time, Rahman had come to Chennai for Bombay Dreams. So I told my wife . " when you meet Rahman, just tell him that if he has the time, he should take the CD. Otherwise No". My wife said " I cant say like that to Rahman". So I told her ' Dont say anything then". Because I feared that another year will pass of just like that. My wife mentioned " My husband, the RAPPER. But before she could continue, RAHMAN himself said everything about me. RAHMAN doesnt forget anything. He remembers every minute detail". So he said " Ask him to come now. This night I want to do something ". At that time, Noel called me . I didnt believe the phone calls. This was Tuesday, and at that time, I was working Live on Air from Mondays to Fridays on Radio Station. So, I asked my boss at the Radio Station. I have got a call, and this is my Dream Call. A.R.Rahman calling and I have to go. He said " IMPOSSIBLE. You finish your shift on Friday and go ". I said " It doesnt work like that. God gives you a calling and you take it NOW:". That very same moment , I left the JOB. I quit right there. I put in my papers. I said " From tomorrow, no DJ nothing. I am going. This is my dream and I have got to go. I cant miss this ". They said to me " If you leave now, you cannot come back". I said " NO PROBLEM". I walked out, got onto a flight , came to CHENNAI That same night I met Rahman, and we were talking abt the Dating Song ( BOYS ) . When we were discussing it, suddenly Rahman got a thought. It was end of July and beginning of August, and Rahman told me " I am doing something for Baba. Can you just hear it and write something on Baba ?". I was wondering ' what Baba ?.Sai Baba ?". I was thinking it was too late for all that. The film was going to get released. Then He told me Rajnikanth's BABA. He told me " Just write something and give me". I wrote one heavy Gangstar RAP. Then Rahman made me understand that no one can understand your style of RAPS here . They wont like it , or they will just forward it. So, even a person going on an autorickshaw should be able to get the feel out of the RAP. So, write a simple RAP. So, I wrote the RAP like a nursery poem, where first you learn the poem, and then gradually increase it to other lessons. So i started writing from the Alphabets and hence came B to the A ; B to the A, and then came Dating Song, and then the NEW Song ( NEW ) , and then came Sivaji Rap song After that, the following day, I was at Mumbai at 7 AM , with no sleep, no job . everything is over. whether I will get a call from rahman or not was a big question mark. Six days passed, and Rahman called me. He told me that Rajnikanth came to the studio; he heard it and he Loves it . All the promos and everything has been changed to put this into that film. So, I will call you soon, and we will do the Dating song:". It was just a *MIRACLE, a BLESSING.* It could have gone eitherways. His request to listeners ( prospective singers ) : - "* Its not easy in this field to get a chance with Rahman. Many people had given their CDs to Rahman. You have to keep on purusing it and eventually it will come true ( and this is definite ) ".* ( Part II will continue next Friday ) -- regards, Vithur A.R.RAHMAN - MY BREATH & LIFE FORCE
