Young rappers who grew up in refugee colonies find new connections with their lost homeland through a gritty genre
Tibetan music used to be unmistakable — think guttural chants of Buddhist monks, and healing bowls and bells set to the rock and reggae anthems of the ’90s that tapped into sentiments of Tibetan refugees to unite and fight for independence. It was a window into their relationships and traditions in exile.
So, when G-Tashi, 32, born in a refugee settlement in Karwar, Karnataka; K Kush, born Tenzin Kulsang in McLeod Ganj; and Tenzin Namsel, 27, better known as T-Nammy, from Delhi’s Tibetan colony Majnu Ka Tilla decided to flip the script, few took their bedroom raps seriously. They took the unconventional route of dropping their impromptu freeverses on YouTube with its laidback swagger, and gritty hooks and riffs often paired with low-budget videos shot in deserted alleys, bedrooms, atop cars, in under-construction buildings — classic hip-hop territory — and their persistence and potent voice are paying off.
So, when G-Tashi, 32, born in a refugee settlement in Karwar, Karnataka; K Kush, born Tenzin Kulsang in McLeod Ganj; and Tenzin Namsel, 27, better known as T-Nammy, from Delhi’s Tibetan colony Majnu Ka Tilla decided to flip the script, few took their bedroom raps seriously. They took the unconventional route of dropping their impromptu freeverses on YouTube with its laidback swagger, and gritty hooks and riffs often paired with low-budget videos shot in deserted alleys, bedrooms, atop cars, in under-construction buildings — classic hip-hop territory — and their persistence and potent voice are paying off.