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 Read the interview with Lal bhai, the hit Sylheti rapper here. Please email us your comments or suggestions about the section.
To download lal bhai's free songs, please go to the downloads section.
LAL BHAI'S INTERVIEW WITH WEBSYLHET.COM:
• First of all I would like to convey to you many thanks on behalf of all Sylhetis for the album ‘Ekla Eksho’. It’s a big hit. More than 30,000 albums sold in the market. How do you feel about the huge success of this album?
It’s just incredible! “Ekla Eksho” was a huge task at hand. Many sceptics strongly believed the end result would yield not an album but grandeur of comedy. Fans from the United Kingdom put the initial slap in the cheeks of those sceptics by cleaning out the shelves of all the music stores. I feel simply proud and honoured by being a part of this Bangla Rap movement.
• What inspired you to release the album?
Always wanted to do something for my people then it hit me. What would be better than a gift of First ever full length Sylheti Rap album? Wanted Bangladesh to realize best bauls and fokirs isn’t the only title owned by Sylhet.
• What influenced you to write the songs ‘Sylheti anthem’ and ‘Sylheti gaan gai’?
“Sylheti Anthem” is just a lyrical way of celebrating our Sylheti Pride. People of Sylhet take a great pride in being Sylheti and I am no different then them. “Sylheti Anthem” was written in a way so that people can sing along to and be proud of their own music written in their own dialect.
“Sylheti Gaan Gaai” lolz. I am a proud Bangladeshi. I love Bangladesh and would do anything for my country if time calls upon me. All the Bangladeshi rappers from New York carried that same mentality and loyalty like me until a recent album broke the code of honor bragging about not Bangladesh but a particular place in Bangladesh.
• From the above songs it becomes clear that there were some partiality about Sylheti rap and the rest of the typical Bengali rap songs. What inspired Lal bhai to come out of the typical Bengali rap/song scenario and make a Sylheti rap album focused on the unity of Sylhetis?
Sylheti rap has been knocking on the door for quite sometime now. It was time to break the doors wide open and show the country what this splendid dialect of Sylhet is capable of doing. Partiality existed and it is quite obvious to everyone but I been working against all odds all my life and never even thought of backing down and I wasn’t going to this time. First ever Bangla Rap was by a Sylheti named Iqbal Shishir from UK he talked about Bengalis on his track never mentioned Sylhetis just so that the whole country doesn’t feel left out. From Iqbal to Lal, from Old School to New School, Sylheti rappers kept the Bangla Rap title right around their waist. If the Rap category of Bangladesh is dominated by Sylheti Rappers then why isn’t Sylhet being mentioned? It was time for a change and when that “One Bangladesh” code was broken I was just lucky that I happened to be on the Sylhet side.
• Which song or songs are your most favourites in the album?
I love “Lal Ekla Eksho” when I hear it I can’t believe what a masterpiece it turned out to be. The content, beat and the accuracy of flow was just simply flawless. But “Buccho ni ba baai” is my favourite track because that was the first Sylhety Rap song I recorded.
• Was there any particular problem you faced while releasing or before releasing the album?
We held countless meetings with A&Rs and Record Labels but none of the Record Labels wanted to sign Lal Miah. Then we decided to sell the master copy to the highest bidder just to cover the music and studio expense but that attempt was also a letdown. Some Labels requested to have “Lal Ekla Eksho” left out of the album. At last, we decided to finance the complete production of the album and release it independently.
• Do you think that most of the big record companies in Bangladesh are not interested in Sylheti rap or Sylheti music?
I wouldn’t put it that way, nowadays people would sell anything to fill their pockets. They just don’t have faith in Sylheti Rap, perhaps they think this Sylheti Rap isn’t profitable enough. When a Bangla Rap comes out shouting Dhaka, they get record deals, sponsors, production and distribution. We had nothing everything we did on our own and we still have legal documents of how many copies we sold if anybody still thinks they sold more albums than us.
• What do you think we have to do in order to promote Sylheti rap / music more?
Every time a Sylhety Rap album comes out, our website developers should give a free ad on their site and open a new thread about the album in their forum section. Best way to get the news out is the word of mouth. If you hear a good album make sure you tell people about it and encourage them to buy a copy don’t let them borrow or burn your copy. In award shows we should have a category Rap Music that will inspire and promote many up and coming artists.
• Who would you like to thank for the big success of this album?
I would like to thank my dad for inspiring me to write poetry when I was seven. He bought me my first diary where he encouraged me to save all my work. President of Lowa Clique Productions Hamidur Rashid (Kukon) for raining sweats to make this album happen. This album was impossible without him. My fans who cheered me on since my first single came out.
• What are your suggestions for the new and upcoming Sylheti rap artists or the singers who would like to make a name in producing Sylheti music?
Rap is poetry respect it before you start recording your own tracks. Understand the core grounds of Rap (Rhyme&Reason). Master your flow on a steady musical composition before you hit the studio. Practice and always stick with it don’t give up.
• We have received many queries about the next album. When are you planning to release the next album?
Album Titled “Soi Lombor Bibod Songket” is set to come out somewhere around mid July of 2009.
• In the end, thank you for being patient and for taking the time out in answering these questions. You have a huge and a fast growing fan base, what would you like to say to them?
My special thanks to websylhet.com for your love and support. The interview was a pleasure. To all the fans out there you do know that Lal Miah is here because you wanted him to be here. All my dreams of Sylhety Rap would have gone with the dust if you didn’t show me the support you did. You all have a special place in my heart.
Interview taken by Shakz
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