Music from the streets
BY REBECCA HENSCHKE Spinach7.Com | June 2005 http://spinach7.com/signature/sig-stories.php?id=440 (REBECCA HENSCHKE meets the hip-hop crews of Yogyakarta, Indonesia.) Before MC Mamox from Indonesian hip-hop band `Jahanam' returns to his village outside Yogyakarta, he removes his piercing and swaps his Wu-tang Clan t-shirt for collared one. He doesn't usually speak to his relatives about his success in the Yogyakarta hip-hop scene he says that would be rude. "I don't think they would understand. It's a different world," he tells me. But on stage at the weekly hip-hop street party, Mamox is a different person. It's a Saturday night at an underground music gig at one of the many universities in Yogya, and Jahanam are the feature act. MC Mamox, MC Otong, MC SiBoy and MC Balance are on the microphone and their crew of supporters 30 boys and a few girls are packed on stage with them. Dressed in labels: DADA headbands, Bad Boy hoodies, Wu-tang Clan t-shirts and New York jackets; they've got funky beats, smooth rhythms and infectious energy, and they represent a growing underground hip-hop scene in Indonesia. Hip-hop, with its roots in the black American ghettos of the 1970s, has always acted as a voice of the repressed. It tends to thrive in the underbelly of society, among the strugglers. Indonesian hip-hop is no exception; acting as an outlet for young people to express views on social and political issues in the post-Soeharto era. Jahanam's track `Power to the Have Nots' calls for an end to corruption in Indonesia, while `Hanya Tuhan' (only God) is a personal reflection on life in some of the poor areas of Yogyakarta. But Indo crews also write humorous playful lyrics, love songs and battle raps. Wisha, a solo artist from Surabaya, put out an excellent album in 2004, which opens with an Islamic prayer and includes the track `Ala Reggae' which talks about the need to stay in touch with "a laid back lifestyle" and not be seduced by fast-paced Western living. Although Indo hip-hop doesn't feature the sexist lyrics of a lot of mainstream American hip-hop, it's a very male dominated genre, and most of the time the girls that make it to the gigs are the girlfriends. However, two female MCs known as Twin Sista feature on `Perang Rap', a defining compilation of underground hip-hop that was released in 2000. Their track `Otak Asap' deals with environmental issues. They rap: "pollution is created by idiots!" These two MCs from Malang have also produced a dynamic solo EP but they are still looking for money to get it released. It's a beautiful album, using traditional Javanese beats. While hip-hop may have originated in America, Indonesian artists have digested the hip-hop elements and style and given them new meanings. There is a strong determination to be seen as artists in their own right, not copycats trying to emulate American hip-hop stars. Mamox puts the difference down to the fact that he writes about what he sees and what he experiences on a day-to-day level, and that is always going to be distinctly Indonesian. Jahanam released their first album on an indie label in 2003 and it sold 1800 copies in just two months. They are in the process of writing their next album. From humble beginnings playing at university gigs, they now get regular airplay on radio stations, and recently flew to Jakarta to make a video clip for MTV. They insist that they remain committed and in touch with what happens on the street. When I first became involved in the scene in Yogyakarta in 2001, hip-hop was underground and fairly small scale. Now you can buy independent hip-hop releases from crews in Yogyakarta at local cassette stores and distro (booming independent clothing and music stores). There are also strong local hip-hop scenes in Surabaya, Bandung and Jakarta. Back then I would always find the Jahanam crew at Otong's house. They spent days there, just hanging out, listening to music, creating new hairstyles and planning their next performance. They would sleep there for nights on end, rarely going home. The underground music scene is made up of tightly-knitted crews. The culture becomes a place of refuge from families who don't understand their aspirations, and a corrupt political system. When I returned a year later things were different. The chosen hangout had changed and some of those involved were married and had `real jobs'. Producing music is not a viable career option for the majority of Indonesian artists. It's extremely hard to make a good living out of music, particularly outside of Jakarta. Mamox's sisters and relatives in one of the poorer villages still don't believe it when his song comes on the radio. One night when I returned with him recently, he pulled out the DVD of Jahanam's launch party, which was held in a car park. I sat watching it with his grandma, who was dressed in traditional Javanese dress. She was shocked as she watched her grandson prance around the stage in front of hundreds with his shirt off and told me that she regarded his behaviour as rude. The generation gap is large, and the music scene is one way of rebelling against the strict structure of Indonesian society. While MC Mamox's grandma is not yet a devoted fan, Indonesia's hip-hop scene continues to find its own feet and looks set to develop in its own unique way to reflect a diverse and complex country. Other Indonesian artists worth investigating are Saykoji from Jakarta, Impairtarial from Bandung and X-Calibour from Surabaya. -- This is ZESTGlobal. 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