And now, it's Kannada Rap!

Something is completely right with the way the usage of Kannada is increasing in register after linguistic register. The doomsayers are being proven wrong again. Yeah, we've now got Kannada Rap, a new form of music to most Kannada listeners.

A band called "Urban Lads" based in Basavanagudi, Bengaluru, has come out with an ultra-cool "Kanglish" rap album which is making waves all over the world even before the album is out for sale, before the lads have a website and even before there's more concrete proof than the circulating mp3 that they actually exist. You could listen to the song in the player below:

To those who think "these fellows are destroying the beauty of Kannada", our message is that the whole philosophy that the Kannada tongue needs to be "protected" from other languages unto death is flawed. These experiments are what keep the language alive. These experiments are what keep the language current. No language can live in isolation. Kannada is no exception. And the rise of Kanglish rap is a positive, not negative development.

As Kannada Rap evolves, and evolve it will like the now absolutely hip Kannada film music, the Englishness of Kanglish will evolve towards more Kannadaness. One remembers Dr. Raj's "If you come today, it's too early" as an early example of the thinking that anything hip around Vidhana Soudha needs to be in pure English -- a thinking which Dr. Raj himself never shared, but was led to make believe by directors (according to his own words). Now, Kannada songs are whole lot hipper, and the hippest of 'em a whole lot Kannada-er.

To the brand of purists who are convinced that rap itself is a degradation of music, our message is that they've probably reached a wrong blog post thinking we talk about the fineties, subtleties and otherties of music. We don't.

The number of linguistic registers in which Kannada is being used is on a steady rise. We got Kannada TV channels, putting an end to the Hindi drudgery we went through during the days of DD. We got FM radio after putting up with a brief period of lapse of reason in the programmers' camp. We got good newspapers who have finally started breaking loose of the clutches of the purists and are coming up with catchy headlines. We've started to get ads on electronic media (although they remain cheap translations of Hindi or Tamil). And now, it's Kannada Rap.

By the way, the first Kannada Rap number was Auto Soori, not this one from the Urban Lads. Take it down as a history trivia question for 2020!

26 comments:

Anonymous said...

This is FANTASTIC! I really appreciate this new venture. This is the right thing. If there is something great happening anywhere in the world, get it here in our language, add a dash of our local culture and make it hip.
This is fabulous stuff guys. Keep it going. I am ready to buy a copy of this if they are on sale!

Anonymous said...

I have been listening to this song back2back since yesterday! what an amazing experiment and what terrific lyrics... Guys where are the other tracks? and where can one find the lyrics for this track 5?
well a rap song indeed has to be like this... some parts of the lyrics have to bounce over the head!

"maga naan kano sandeepa" - ee comment bardavnu :)

ಶ್ವೇತ said...

sakkat hot agide :-)
kannada is not meant only for sahitya, jyanapeetha prashasthi but for everything in the world like rap music, science R&D etc etc
Gr8 blog

Unknown said...

Superb Maga, Rest of the tracks ?

Anonymous said...

hi guys, sakkathagittu nima song .
enjoyed, u have used north karnataka language this is really great.

i enjoyed and sure all those who listen will enjoy.

Anonymous said...

Bhari aithripa e haada, NK bhasha anthu ekdum cholo aithi agdi authentic.
The blending is just awesome.

Rock on..... sorry Rap on :-)

Pete

Anonymous said...

First things first, kudos to these enthu boys.

Each song is composed in a different beat, guitar and bass are awesome.

What if Linkin Park,2Pac sings in Kannada, thats wht UL is all about.

Some songs can be anthem for College fests...Hope we can see UL in palace grounds shortly.

vooooooooo..voila UL.

Anonymous said...

Even I've been listening to these tracks for a week now, just can't stop it!

Best thing to happen to Kannada since Mungaaru Male! :-)

Anonymous said...

namaskara gurugalige!

music sakthagi ide . inno inthahade kannada rap moodi barlendu harisuva
Prakasha

Anonymous said...

Fyantastik guru..
Reminds of my PUC days @ Basweshwara college Rajajinagar

Freespirit said...

More here...
hxxp://www.kannadaaudio.com/Songs/Pop/home/ExplosionI-UrbanLads.php

Anonymous said...

Wow...I just listened to the songs at Kannadaaudio

It just rocks....these guys will surely need log of encouragement and support...forward the url to all ya friends...

Regards,
prax

Anonymous said...

Well done Lads,

Heege hosathannu kodi and keep rocking

Pradeep

Anonymous said...

these guys are gonna rock maga...

Anonymous said...

keep rocking .... sakkattagide ... especially NK bhashe !!

Jabir said...

Hi,
You can download the Kannada rap from this url:
http://www.flvto.com/get.php?1202361268_795268_488605

Jabir said...

Hi,
Download this song (mp3 format) from this url:
http://www.flvto.com/get.php?1202361857_026890_871763

Anonymous said...

Watch the guys on TV9:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gIWDKcSNfaM

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DTazqWyYiUc

Anonymous said...

http://www.urbanlads.net

rafi said...

tumba cheenagi hadidare namma hudugru...hage lyricsuuu kooda bahala chennagide..
matte nimage kannada hadu kelabeku andre...ee sitege hogi..
http://www.kannadaaudio.com

Anonymous said...

you can find the lyrics here

http://chum-banavaasi.blogspot.com/


:)

Unknown said...

hey guys how to download this urban lads album pls tell me...

Anonymous said...

Damn...Too Good....Let kannada Rap be a part of Sandalwood.

Anonymous said...

GREAT ! bhaala chalo aitri.. Kannada ROCKS man, let others understand Kannada is HOT ! Kongas, wake-up :)

Anonymous said...

This is COOL! I enjoyed it very much. Kudos to the Urban Lads!

Girish H T said...

Guru,

i have been observing from last one week that TV9 channel
is telecasting lot of Telugu related news.

Tuesday night at 8.30pm, they were telecasting reviews of
some telugu movie and last week, they had telecasted film
telugu actress interview and it was completely in
telugu.

I dont know why they telecast Telugu more in Karnataka. I
think we have to ask them to stop.

let me know if you people know any one in TV9 channel. we
should stop it now otherwise they will continue promoting
telugu in karnataka.

I request you to do some thing on this ... ...........

Regards
Kannadiga

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