Hard talk

Brit rapper Hard Kaur’s bringin’ down the house with her rap revolution

There is musicology,and then there is rap-ology. The rules,extracted from Hard Kaur’s ‘dummy’s guide to being a rapper’,are as follows: Number one: there is no school of rap. It’s a street language and you’ve got to pick up it on your own. Number two: be original. Number three: when you rhyme,make sure it’s hot. Number four: always write your own lyrics. “For if you talk about things you haven’t seen or experienced,you will have no connect with your audience,” Britain’s Asian female rap-star Hard Kaur raps on. In town for Glimpse magazine’s first anniversary bash,Kaur confides how “being a rapper is tougher than being a singer. I find it more hard for the vocal techniques are tougher. Sounding different without singing is difficult,” says the girl who wanted to be the first Indian female rapper. “Bappi Lahiri was responsible for the disco gig in ‘70s and ‘80s,Anu Malik gave his melody in ‘90s,and when it comes to 2000,I’ll be remembered as the one who brought in a rap revolution,” she’s now looking forward to her work in Toonpur Ka Superhero,Ajab Prem Ki Gajab Kahani,Kill Chhabra,Chai Garam and Jai Veeru. But more than that,the girl’s excited about her second album. “It’s still untitled but I’ve got to work with Eminem’s banner D12! It’s a half ‘n’ half compilation,a mix of the east and west and has my favourite people in it including Shankar Ehsaan Loy,Labh Janjua,Richa Sharma,Mika,Tigerstyle D Boy et al.” While her music label,Hard Kaur Music Ltd,keeps on the lookout for new talent,Kaur’s also mulling a perfume and clothing line. “Before that,there is Jhalak Dikhla Ja. I love dancing and you are going to see me on the show soon,” she squeals,all set to sway and lose those extra pounds!

From a studious quiet Punjabi girl with pigtails,Taran Kaur has come up with a rapping rage. “I’m the mad woman in UK! To think of it,I hold that reputation in Mumbai too…a fighter-cock,so no casting couch for me!” shoots Hard,still waiting for director Aditya Bhattacharya to come around and make a film on her. In the meanwhile,when the music is off,Hard Kaur turns to campaigning for her UK-based friend and celeb,Meera Syal against domestic violence and other issues. “I still feel that India is a better place. Back home,they don’t let girls go out. They’re told to sit at home and make babies. If there is a party,kids are stopped from dancing! But here,if you can sing and dance,folks take you to Boogie Woogie! Talent gets a better deal here.” That’s debatable.