Vishal Jhaveri has followed the Urban Desi movement since its early stages.  He’s also immersed in the scene as a composing artist.  In this section, Vishal Jhaveri analyzes how artists have developed their sound.

This week we screen Brooklyn Shanti – Not an unexposed musician most listeners often assume of “Urban Desi” artists.  Anyone close to the scene has witnessed his work span across one decade.  Though he wasn’t known as “Brooklyn Shanti” throughout this time frame.  He’s recorded under various monikers, the most recognized being “the1shanti”.  If that doesn’t flicker an inner light bulb, perhaps his portfolio will.

It was at age 12 when Brooklyn Shanti first supported Hip Hop pioneers Doug E. Fresh and Ultramagnetics MCs.  In time he was signed to various major and independent record labels to work as a musician, DJ and producer.  Brooklyn Shanti found commercial success with Soulspazm Records’ “Blaxploitation” in 2000, which charted at #13 on GAVIN.  But it was his joint effort with the Dum Dum Project (DDP) that created sparks amongst South Asians.  While with DDP, Brooklyn Shanti traveled between Bangkok, London, Mumbai and New York, to raise awareness for their fusion Hip Hop band. 

Since then he’s collaborated with veterans like A. R. Rahman and most recently released a festive track which caught Bipasha Basu’s attention.  The music video to “Rani Rani” incorporated stills of the actress and nothing more.  But it was enough to reel anyone in.  To everyone’s surprise she noticed the video and tweeted “saw a cute Bengali song by Brooklyn Shanti called 'Rani Rani' with my pix as visuals for the video! Liked the song :)”.

It seems he’s created more than just a “moniker” for himself.  As the latter part of Brooklyn Shanti’s name suggests, he explores compositions that calm one’s soul and push self-expression.  In fact his views of music seem spiritual.  His stance on it is motivational and his outlook is positive.  We caught up with Brooklyn Shanti to ask him a few questions.

DH!: How did the “art of noise” (music) evolve in your life?  Was there a specific instance that caused you to embark in music?

BS: Music has been in my soul since I was born, and I began openly expressing myself through it by the age of eight.  By 12, I was certain that there was something larger than myself at play, as I began performing in front of large audiences and traveling to feed my curiosity.  It makes me think that perhaps it was something I had reached for in a past life which could only truly be grasped in my current physical embodiment.  As time has passed, I have tried everything in my power to develop my other skills such as bringing up new talent, and running a label.

DH!: What’s the story behind the various aliases?

BS: I look at the craft of configuring sound as concept art, whether it be for the pop charts or an art gallery.  I've always felt that certain sounds I generate come from different categories of energy.  As an artist, I come up with names for those vibrations - much like a fashion designer crafts a name for a season's collection.  At moments it makes more sense to create a "group" with a collaborator so that we can encapsulate the shared energy in a meaningful way.  In this case, it is simply me having evolved past a moment within myself.  To me, "the1shanti" was a period of theoretical projection, but I have now entered an artistic period of applied theory.  Brooklyn Shanti is a term with a cause and effect methodology at play:  Brooklyn is home, where I have phoenixed in life and have been reborn as a new artist.  Shanti is where I am at in my spiritual vibration today.

DH!: You’ve worked with a serious veterans in Bollywood and Hip-Hop.  Who’s been the most inspirational and what have you learned through these experiences? 

BS: I think all the experiences have been learning ones with three main important lessons:

1. Change is the only constant in life. Tools change.  Mediums change.  What the universe asks of you as an artist will change.  All you can adjust and focus upon is your personal energy and the energy you project outward to those around you, and those your work will touch.
 
2. If the art originates from a place of genuine expression, the work will stand a chance of gaining some attention, and perhaps encourage others to take a moment from their busy lives to appreciate the moments your work reflects upon.

3. Art is more than communication; it is historical documentation - a snapshot of where we are as a civilization at any given moment.  You must learn to speak with new creative vocabularies constantly in order to separate your own signal from the noise at large.

DH!: “Rani Rani” caught the attention of Bipasha Basu.  What does that mean in terms of personal achievement or glorification? 

BS: It signifies the current moment we are experiencing in the evolution of digital culture. It doesn't take long to get an idea shot across the world.  As artists, we are all contributing to a generational dialog.  It is good to get a reminder every now and then that your own contribution to the conversation is greatly appreciated.

DH!: What's your current project and/or what should fans anticipate?

BS: I'm in the studio finishing songs for my first Bengali language release.  Fans can also go to http://bit.ly/muUE33 to download a free mixtape entitled “Brookyln Circa 2012”. 

I am writing and producing projects for my own label, Brooklyn Shanti.  One particular project I am honored to be a part of is co-producing Afrika Bambaataa's release for India with him. We have been collaborating with some of the biggest names in India at the moment. At the completion of the project, for me, it will signify the roots of Hip Hop culture properly being planted in India.  In a sense, after the "guru" has spoken, we as the students will carry along the lessons through our work.  India has always been a playground for fusion in music, I am excited to see what we can influence.

Additionally, I am preparing the first proper commercial release for Mandeep Sethi, which is proving to be a dynamic and vibrant journey for the two of us.  As an artist, Mandeep is not afraid to tackle very challenging subjects in his work and is now ready to share his ideas with a larger global audience.  I believe that long time fans of his will be pleasantly surprised with our collaboration.  Our movement is called SlumGods, and that's something worth typing into Google to find out more about.
 
Inner Thoughts:
DH!: Who is one person you want to work with?

BS: My mother.  It is because of my dedication to music that I was asked to leave my family's home at a young age.  My mother is a brilliant visual artist and a trained singer who understands that the life of an artist is far from stable or secure.  Not understanding American popular culture or hip-hop culture when I was growing up, she reacted in the only way she could:  She let me know that if I was passionate about the pursuit of hip-hop, I would need to go it alone.  It has shaped who I am as a person, because it forced me to develop the work ethic and discipline necessary to succeed on the business end of artistic expression.  By removing me from the dynamic which could not sustain my curiosity, she also removed any possible obstacles in the way of my success.  In my opinion, that's a dope woman, yo.

DH!: Which Bollywood actress (other than Bipasha Basu) would you hire for a music video?

BS: As artists, I think we are entering into a new age of collective collaboration.  I've recently been picking up film making, in addition to designing sound for everything from fashion shows to television advertisements, to art spaces.  I'm finding a lot of delight in bringing together elements of the visual space and the aural experience.  What I am truly looking forward to is hand crafting pieces where I can collaborate with actresses and visual artists on a few stories I have come up with.  In today's digital culture, the visual space has become more important than ever as a tool to complete an expressive statement.  I am speaking with a few actresses, but I'll keep things hush until there's more to talk about.

DH!: What’s one track you wish was yours?

BS: "Rani Rani".

I don't speak the best Bangla, much in the same way most rappers don't speak in the "Queen's English".  I'm also learning to write my music, in all languages, as simple as possible.  The *concept* behind a song like "Rani Rani", much like a song such as "Punjabi Five-0", is the true value we must consider.  This is what creates a shift in thought amongst groups of people, and why art is so powerful.
 
We all own "Rani Rani", Thornato and I simply tuned into the right frequency at the right time.  How it lives and breathes is now up to all of us.  I hope with this next project, I am able to present some of the new ideas which have begun to bloom in my garden of expression.

More music is in the works for this artist!