HipHopistan -- upcoming in Chicago

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April 15, 2008

(Link stolen from PTR.) I have no idea what the song is about [translation help, anyone?], but I love the video, beats, and the sound of the rap.

People in Chicago this week might want to head down to the University of Chicago for a Desi Hop Hop Conference, HipHopistan (April 17-19). It’s a mix of performances, roundtable discussions, and hands-on workshops. Among the performers present will be Yogi B & Natchatra (featured in the video above), as well as Chee Malabar, Kabir, Abstract/Vision, and the ubiquitous DJ Rekha.

I must admit I’ve stopped aggressively following developments in Desi Hip Hop and Bhangra/hip hop fusion somewhat lately. (Have I been missing much?) If I were in Chicago, I might show up at this event just to see if anything these guys are doing might inspire renewed interest.

Music

POSTED BY amardeep @ 09:30 PM

29 comments

1 · Sil on April 15, 2008 10:03 PM · Direct link

Its an old Iliayaraja song remixed(with extra rapping) by Malaysian Tamil rappers. One of the guy it seems was a video rental guy with too much interest in music.

2 · Irreverend on April 15, 2008 10:14 PM · Direct link

Malay Tamil Rappers are quite poplar on youtube. They have a few catchy numbers.

3 · Mumbaikar on April 15, 2008 10:34 PM · Direct link

Here is the original ilayaraja version

4 · Babu on April 15, 2008 10:42 PM · Direct link

It's a very famous song by Illaiyaraja, the dominant music director of Kollywood during the late 70s,80s and early 90s. Here is the original song

HipHop is gradually gaining traction, especially in Kollywood. Yogi B got a lot of deals, thanks to his YouTube fame.

5 · Babu on April 15, 2008 10:44 PM · Direct link

Mumbaikar Here is the original ilayaraja version

grrhhh...A "Northie" beat me to it..... :D

6 · Mumbaikar on April 16, 2008 09:25 AM · Direct link

grrhhh...A "Northie" beat me to it..... :D

Maharashtra (Bombay) is not in the north :p. Also you should not assume that everyone from Bombay is automatically a non-madrasi.

7 · bess on April 16, 2008 09:41 AM · Direct link

Yogi B! a-hem, 2006.a>

8 · translate on April 16, 2008 11:58 AM · Direct link

Transliterated Tamil lyrics for the original song (minus the rap) from http://www.rakkamma.com/filmsongdetails.phtml?filmid=425&songid=1814

madai thirandhu... thaavum nadhiyalai naan
manam thirandhu koovum siru kuyil naan
isai kalaingan yen aasaigaL aayiram...
ninaithathu paliththadhu....... hoi
nanananna.....naana nanananna..

hey hey.....papappaaa...

kaalam kanindhadhu kadhavugaL thirandhadhu
gnanam viLaindhadhu.. nallisai pirandhadhu
pudhu raagam padaippadhaalE naanum iraivanE...(2)
viralilum kuralilum swarangaLin naattiyam
amaiththEn ... naan.......(madai thirandhu)

nEtren arangilE... nizhalgaLin naadagam
indren yedhirilE.. nijangaLin dharisanam
varungaalam vasantha kaalam
naaLum mangalam (2)
isaikkena isaikindra rasigargaL raajjiyam
yenakkE dhaan...........(madai thirandhu)

9 · translate on April 16, 2008 12:09 PM · Direct link

Here's my attempted translation, the song is from the movie "Nizhalgall" - Shadows; One of the characters a struggling music composer gets an audition with some movie producers and composes this song about how he feels about the impending big break and as usual the song shifts into a dream sequence. This is some what auto biographial of Illayaraja who was becoming big back then, and he cameos as the singer in the dream sequence.

madai (flood gates) thirandhu (open)... thaavum (springing/jumping) nadhiyalai (river wave) naan (I)

I am the bursting river wave as the flood gates open

manam (Heart) thirandhu (open) koovum (singing/bird cry) siru (small) kuyil (cuckoo/koyal) naan (I)

I am the song bird that sings its heart out

isai (music) kalaingan (artiste) yen (my) aasaigaL (Desires) aayiram (thousand)...

I am a music artiste with a thousand dreams

ninaithathu (what I thought) paliththadhu (came true)....... hoi

My wishes have come true

nanananna.....naana nanananna..

10 · Translate on April 16, 2008 12:18 PM · Direct link

kaalam (time) kanindhadhu (ripened) kadhavugaL (doors) thirandhadhu (opened)

My time has come, doors have opened

gnanam (Wisdom/Knowledge) viLaindhadhu (bore fruit).. nallisai (great music) pirandhadhu (was born)

Knowledge prevailed and great music was born

pudhu (new) raagam (tune/raaga) padaippadhaalE (because I create) naanum (I am also) iraivanE (god)...(2)

Since I create new tunes I am brahma/god too

viralilum (in my fingers) kuralilum (in my voice) swarangaLin (of musical notes) naattiyam (dance)

Musical notes dance in my fingers and voice

amaiththEn (composed) ... naan (I).......(madai thirandhu)

As I Composed

11 · bess on April 16, 2008 12:23 PM · Direct link

Translate, you're the best.
Isn't this Illaiyaraja song autobiographical? Having something to do with his career finally taking off - the flood gates opening...?
May I add that I love hearing Tamil rapped. To me, Tamil sounds percussive.

12 · Translate on April 16, 2008 12:26 PM · Direct link

nEtren (yesterday On my) arangilE (Stage/Arena)... nizhalgaLin (of Shadows) naadagam (drama)

Yesterday/Past was a drama of shadows (Desires) on my stage

indren (Today my) yedhirilE (front of).. nijangaLin (Truths/facts) dharisanam (Sight/View/Darshan)

Today I can see them as truths in front of me

varungaalam (Future) vasantha (Spring) kaalam (Time)

My future looks like spring time

naaLum (everyday) mangalam (prosperous)(2)

Everyday is filled with joy

isaikkena (for the sake of music) isaikindra (performing music) rasigargaL (fans') raajjiyam (kingdom)

This kingdom of fans where music is performed for music's sake

yenakkE dhaan...........(madai thirandhu)

is all mine

13 · Translate on April 16, 2008 12:39 PM · Direct link

The lyricist "vairamuthu" shot to fame with this movie, although he is known to pass off mediocre stuff as arcane or cloaked in rhyme - http://openscroll.org/ramesh/ramesh4.html ( the legendary Ramesh from the newsgroup days) .

Bess, Tamil Rap/Hip Hop equivalents have been around int he sub genre of "Gaanaa" - Slum/Tapori songs, and "Kuthu" - beats songs (played and danced to in processions for the dead), funny that in Madras the dance is for death processions and not so much for weddings (Atleast not on roads). The elite do neither :)

Also, Tamil movie music has been incorporating/copying heavy bass and rhythm and hip-hopish feels more so than Bollywood, Bally Sagoo complains about the missing Bass and beats that could transform some tepid old bolly numbers

Any e.gs for
Gaana
Kuthu
plain old Hip Hop/Rap

14 · Gargoyle on April 16, 2008 01:18 PM · Direct link

It's great! Tamil movies have played with this genre several times, and it's generally worked. Check out this one (though some of you have probably seen it before). Not Tamilian rap, but Malayalam rock.

http://youtube.com/watch?v=d4yX0kZOM2s

15 · Gargoyle on April 16, 2008 01:22 PM · Direct link

Just read my comment again. To clarify, the video has nothing to do with the movies :D

16 · glass houses on April 16, 2008 01:26 PM · Direct link

amardeep,

Kabir is fresh...most def worth a listen but you probably already knew that!

17 · Neerja on April 16, 2008 03:10 PM · Direct link

This was great. Thanks for finding it. Enjoyed it very much. It seems some Tamil song being rapped. beautiful.

18 · TamBram on April 16, 2008 03:26 PM · Direct link

Amardeep,

Respect for posting this. Made my day. You are the coolest prof around - hands down!

19 · Kam on April 16, 2008 04:47 PM · Direct link

hey i'll be there! Anyone else planning on going?

20 · PropaMcGandhi on April 16, 2008 06:41 PM · Direct link

I'll be there too! [I'm one of the organizers, I'll be at the ticket table, come say hi!] Do I hear impromptu SM meet-up?

21 · Babu on April 16, 2008 07:58 PM · Direct link

Mumbaikar Maharashtra (Bombay) is not in the north :p.

LOL....yaar,very few Mumbaikars accept that geographical fact. Kudos! you are one of them.

Mumbaikar Also you should not assume that everyone from Bombay is automatically a non-madrasi.

haha..expected that..I know that very well, machaan. I was the only "southie" in a team filled with "northies". I was just kidding...guess you didn't read the comments in this dosa post

Translate, nice job. I couldn't even get one line properly. Thanks for reminding about gaana, kuthu

Gaana from Amaran

Kuthu from Vallavan

22 · portmanteau on April 16, 2008 08:09 PM · Direct link

translate...awesome job. thanks!
yeah, bess i feel the same way about tamil. it flows so well in rap. although traditional tamil speakers consider it a very graceful and dainty language, and compare it to a modest woman, or so i've heard. those characterizations hardly meld with the popular conception of rap :)

23 · Babu on April 16, 2008 08:22 PM · Direct link

Gargoyle on April 16, 2008 01:18 PM
It's great! Tamil movies have played with this genre several times, and it's generally worked. Check out this one (though some of you have probably seen it before). Not Tamilian rap, but Malayalam rock.

Avial just released their CD. Buy here. I'm not sure they'll ship to US. My copy is on its way :)

24 · TheBrownReason on April 16, 2008 08:27 PM · Direct link

The only Desi Hip Hop/Rap, I listen to comes from UK -- RDB, Lightnin MC, GI Jatt, MC Metz, MIA (??). Haven't heard any decent hip hop from Indian-Americans here.

If I was in Chicago, would defintely be there.

25 · bess with A.D.D. on April 16, 2008 11:13 PM · Direct link

One of the characters a struggling music composer gets an audition with some movie producers and composes this song about how he feels about the impending big break and as usual the song shifts into a dream sequence. This is some what auto biographial of Illayaraja who was becoming big back then, and he cameos as the singer in the dream sequence.

Translate, thanks again for the Tamil to English poetry. Of course, I realize now that in my hurry to read your tranlation I totally missed the preface - the answer to my question being within it.(insert red-faced emoticon here)

Bess, Tamil Rap/Hip Hop equivalents have been around int he sub genre of "Gaanaa" - Slum/Tapori songs, and "Kuthu" - beats songs (played and danced to in processions for the dead)...

Why does this have me thinking of a traditional New Orleans funeral? I'm going to be looking up ganaa and kuthu beat songs.

although traditional tamil speakers consider it a very graceful and dainty language, and compare it to a modest woman, or so i've heard.

Lady Port,I'm guessing this wasn't said by one of those moustachioed Tamil tough guy types. I love listening to Tamil in all its accent variations.

26 · Kam on April 17, 2008 04:14 PM · Direct link

20 Ã‚Â· PropaMcGandhi said

Kam

so are we the only mutineers going?

27 · Translate on April 20, 2008 12:54 PM · Direct link

Correction

isaikkena (for the sake of music) ~~isaikindra~~ (performing music) rasigargaL (fans') raajjiyam (kingdom)

This kingdom of fans where music is performed for music's sake

should be

isaikkena (for the sake of music) isaiGindra (Agreeing) rasigargaL (fans') raajjiyam (kingdom)

This kingdom of fans where music reins supreme

Just realized the subtlety, had blindly translated the original transliteration. The "kka" and a "ga" make a differene, the former is performing and the latter means agreeing, the original english transliteration is ambiguous, it should have been "isaikkindra" or "isaigindra" but was "isaikindra" :) The second version is far more appealing and I am sure thats what "Vaira-muthu" (Diamond-Pearl ???) the poet wrote and SPB sang

28 · DJ Drrrty Poonjabi on April 20, 2008 04:33 PM · Direct link

So, how was it?

29 · Manoj on April 23, 2008 07:36 AM · Direct link

The lyricist "vairamuthu" shot to fame with this movie

It's a common misconception that Vairamuthu wrote every song in Nizhalgal - he only wrote 'Pon Maalai'.
'Dhoorathil Naan Kanda' (I could be wrong about this) & 'Madai Thirandhu' were by Vaali, and Gangai Amaran wrote 'Poonkathavae'.

PS: Nice job with the translation.

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