Lyrics and Performance: Nishant Sharma
Video Editor: Vivek Gupta
The fight isn’t against the country. It’s about fighting for our constitutional rights. We have to understand that the country and those who rule it temporarily (the government) are two different things. Criticising the people in power is not criticising the country.Nishant Sharma
This was the sentiment behind ‘Ladai’ (‘Fight’), a Hindi rap song penned by rapper Nishant Sharma.
In a conversation with The Quint, Sharma revealed the inspiration behind his rap songs. They’re a way to echo the voices of students who take to the streets to protest against injustices, the young artist said.
We will strive to defend the precepts of our great constitution.Nishant Sharma
Sharma, who studied English Literature in Delhi University, had his first tryst with rap music when he was exposed to Eminem in Class 12 like ‘millions of others’ at the time. But he soon felt distant from the world described in international rap songs.
He then took solace in the radical poetry of P B Shelley, whose works resonated with his political and social viewpoints.
Studying English Literature in DU started transforming me. I was becoming more keen, observant, and sensitive with respect to issues like feminism, neo-liberalism, World Bank, IMF, and other topics which the mainstream media didn’t expose.Nishant Sharma
When asked about the state of vernacular rap, especially Hindi rap in India, this is what he said.
I can never relate to the popular Hindi rap that we hear on mainstream entertainment channels. I believe the onus is on people like Raftaar and Badshah to follow suit and not mince words. Rap is a deeply political art form and domesticating hip-hop/rap would be like making a lion toothless.Nishant Sharma
While Sharma is aware that he perhaps can’t make a living off his music, he plans to continue pursuing it as a passion, alongside photography. He uploads self-recorded and self-mixed tracks on his YouTube channel quite regularly.
(The views expressed in the above music video are the songwriter’s. The Quint neither endorses nor is responsible for them)
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