DJ Nihal's U.K. Flex: Iyaz Brings the Bling-Bling
2010 has now begun to roll out before us and the possibilities are endless and exciting. People are starting to plot and plan the takeover and I'm having more meetings than Obama. I am currently speaking to three big names on the U.K. Bhangra scene to organize a unique live event. It's going to be called Alchemy Presents Desi Live. Full live band, three, yes three headliners, and more audio power than a thousand Metallica gigs. That's how we roll in 2010. If you can get to London on April 8 then make sure you don't miss this event.
This week I caught up with Iyaz who came to do one of my radio shows. We spent an hour talking about music and when I asked him about Jay Sean he replied "Who doesn't like 'Down'?!" He had the most bizarre Ice I have ever seen. Clearly having your own name shaped into platinum and diamonds isn't enough anymore. He had the word 'time' made into a maharajah's necklace with the 'i' being a microphone. The message being that 'time is money.' He must have a whole heap of trouble trying to explain that to airport security when the machines start bleeping. His hit record "Replay" has netted the young man from the Carribean so much money that Sean Kingston and him recently went shopping for houses. He told me "my house is so close to Sean's I can smell his farts." He needs to get better AC.
By now you must be thinking that's cool but what about my Urban Desi news? What's happening in the U.K.? Well last Tuesday I caught up with the beautiful and talented Amar. She came and gave me two exclusive tracks from her forthcoming album "Show It Off" which is due out in February in India on Universal Records. The first track called "Bombay Billionaire," featuring a certain singer called Sonu Niigaam, is amazing, "the Indian Justin Timberlake." "He's a real thinker, he takes everything really seriously." While she was in India recording with Sonu, the press couldn't help but suggest romance. Amar found the whole experience a bit bizarre. The track itself is pure Hindi Hop with Sonu dropping some English vocals into the mix. Amar's vocal delivery is
You may have heard of the 'dubstep' scene out here in the U.K., (it's big and getting bigger by the second) well if you haven't yet, check out British crew Engine Earz online and you'll get an idea of the sound. A mixture of dub reggae and dirty south hip-hop with rumbling squelchy basslines. I am pleased to say that U.S.-based label High Chai Recordings has released the first Desi Dubstep compilation album called "dimmSummer Presents Nu Asian Soundz." If you're up for having your South Asian soundscape expanded then I'm begging you to get hold of this album.
I was supposed to have spent the day at Tru Skool's studio last week but the snow meant that I had to cancel. If we have three inches of snow in the U.K. it's a snowpocalypse. It has begun to thaw out a bit so hopefully I will spend some time at the Bhangra maestro's studio next week. I'll be back next week to bring you the latest sounds so make sure you keep up with my life at twitter.com/therealnihal and holla at me if you want to.
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January 18, 2010 06.10 PST
