| Bohemia |
|
|---|---|
| Background information | |
| Born | Lahore, Punjab |
| Genres | Desi Hip Hop / Rap |
| Years active | 2002–present. |
| Labels | Universal Music Group Pvt. Ltd. India |
| Associated acts | Akshay Kumar, Bally Sagoo, Malkit Singh, Mika Singh, Snoop Dogg, Devika Chawla |
| Website | Bohemia's Official Site |
Known world wide as the creator of Punjabi rap music, Bohemia is a Pakistani American Punjabi rapper and a music producer from California, Bohemia quickly gained popularity in 2003 with his independent debut album, ‘Vich Pardesan De (In The Foreign Land)’ which hit the Top 10 on BBC Radio 1 UK. The following album, ‘Pesa Nasha Pyar’, became the first full-length Punjabi-rap album released by a major label in the history. It brought Bohemia increased popularity, including his recent multi-record deal with music mogul Universal Music Group Pvt. Ltd. India. It also brought his creation of Punjabi rap to mainstream recognition making Bohemia known as pioneer of a new genre of music: Desi-Hip-Hop or Desi-rap. In 2006 ‘Pesa Nasha Pyar’ hits #2 on Maxim magazine’s Top 10 downloads, and #3 on Planet M chart. Bohemia appears in XXL magazine New York. He enters Bollywood in 2009 with the title track for Warner Bros. feature film ‘Chandni Chowk to China’ released by T-Series, the #1 music company of India, in which he also appeared in the film with Akshay Kumar and Deepika Padukone.[1] In 2010 ‘Da Rap Star’, his third album receives 4 nominations at the UK Asian music awards and PTC Punjabi music awards, including ‘Best Punjabi Album’ and ‘Best Music Director’. ‘Da Rap Star’ also remains #1 on Planet M chart India for several weeks. Bohemia then went on touring for the rest of 2009 performing all over Europe, Asia and America. He has appeared on many of Universal India’s mega-compilations including "The Chart busters" where he appears on three tracks. Universal called this compilation The biggest hits in Punjabi on one massive album![2] Bohemia is one of the best-selling artists of the year, making him the flagship artist of Universal Music Group India.
Bohemia was ranked 25th on Desiclub.com’s list of the 50 Coolest Desis.[3] “Ek Tera Pyar”, his second single from ‘Da Rap Star’ entered the B4U Top 10 chart, becoming the first none film track to do so. Bohemia was amongst the top 100 most searched Asian artists on yahoo.com. He has been featured on over 30 major label compilations and collaborations to date.
Bohemia is #3 on the Top 15 Desi Atists of the Decade. "This list is like no other" says Urban Desi radio. The list features artists that came onto the urban Desi scene and changed it forever.[4]
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Bohemia started learning music at a very young age from his father. He started writing Punjabi and Urdu poetry around then as well. After moving to San Francisco Bay Area California, USA at about 14 years of age, Bohemia was introduced to America that was much the opposite of palm trees and green grass. The town was infested with drugs and violence. About a year later being in the states, he lost his mother to cancer. At that time, Bohemia left home and survived as a local musician. He started working as a keyboard player/music arranger while living at local studios with other musicians. After a few years of success, the local group of musicians fell apart and Bohemia left to pursue music on his own. Bohemia soon started putting his poetry to the music he composed and gave birth to a new genre of music. He is now the most successful Punjabi rappers of all time. His music has changed the Urban South Asian music scene forever and has spread all over the world. A number of up and coming artists consider Bohemia as their biggest inspiration as they embrace the genre of Desi Hip Hop. Bohemia has mentioned numerous times in his interview that he does not belong to any cultures, or represent any religions. He considers himself to be someone who came from the streets, struggled with the world, and made it where most people die before reaching that success and now I am on the top......
About Bohemia the Punjabi rapper. The term “Bohemia” suggests flouting traditional mores. And rap is all about personal angst or feelings. So what is Bohemia the man all about? “Well, I lost my mom when I was just 14 or 15, and I was quite a momma’s boy. That made me mad and I was kind of pushed into negative things. I have to thank God for music, for that’s what finally made me wake up and gave a reason to live. Dad played the harmonium and I learnt the keyboard.”
He goes on, “When we moved to the U.S., and after losing my mom, I left home. I was virtually living in recording studios and sleeping in cars. And of mine who was also a musician was murdered :( and replaced by another musician just as easily as if he was a broken instrument, I was mad again. I told the studio engineer that I was through with being a keyboard player who could go into anonymity if he died tomorrow. I wanted to leave my own music behind”.
Bohemia’s first album was Vich Pardesan De 2003, which was about coming to a foreign land. Hip Hop was then limited to the underground. But with this album, he pioneered Punjabi rap. Then came Pesa Nasha Pyar (Money, Intoxication, Love) 2006, the first-ever full-length Desi rap album to be released worldwide on a major music label (Universal Music Group).
Da Rap Star, his new album he says, “is all me, without any samples used other than my tribute track to Malkit Singh. I am showing off how good a producer I am! I have played all the instrutments keyboards, drums and did all the sequencing. There are tracks that describe my journey. To sum up, it’s me saying, ‘I’m me! Look, I’m still here!’”
Through his experiences, come raw raps depicting not just California street life, but a life many south Asians lead in America. Bohemia looks up to artists such as late Jagjit Singh and the late Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan and rapper's like Nas and KRS-One.
After having burnt up music charts with his Bollywood songs, Bohemia's highly awaited album Da Rap Star has finally released. Da Rap Star, written and produced entirely by Bohemia hit #1 on the Planet M chart India and is nominated as the Best Punjabi Album at the UK Asian music awards.
A game-changing musician and an impervious artist, Bohemia started his career as a near-novelty, a Desi teenager from California, delivering, hardcore rap music, a style of music which was unheard of at the time. But within a few years he has pretty much reinventing the Desi pop music scene and influenced not only youth to start rhyming Punjabi lyrics to hip-hop beats, but the Bollywood superstars as well. According to press releases and twitter updates, Bohemia is currently visiting India for a month and a half long tour. The tour started March 11th. in Delhi with Bohemia headlining at Amity International University and will take Bohemia through Delhi with events planned in Mumbai and Punjab as well. The tour is being handled by YS Events, Bohemia's official management for the past two years in the South Asian countries.[5]
Anu Malik, Pritam even Shankar, Ehsaan & Loy upset when Bohemia composed music for Chandni Chowk to China. According to Times of India,"... a source said, There is no denying that Bohemia give good music but it is unfair to the music directors of the films if any other group is asked to compose music at the eleventh hour. Anu and Pritam's annoyance is justified. Even Shankar, Ehsaan and Loy were miffed when Bohemia composed music for Chandni Chowk to China, but they let it pass..."[6]
Chandigarh, Nov 28 2010 (IANS) Calling Britain-based musician Bally Sagoo a 'joker', American Punjabi rapper Bohemia Sunday accused him of taking undue advantage of his popularity and making wrong statements in the media.
Bohemia was visibly irritated with the recent statement of Bally in which he had claimed to bring the rapper into the limelight.[7]
'It is wrong to say that Bally Sagoo brought me to the limelight. I am here only because of my own talent and creativity. In fact Bally used me to gain audiences and to create hype during his own shows. He is telling a lie. He is not a musician or a lyricist, he has not even written a single line till date,' said Bohemia, while talking to reporters here Sunday.
'But yes, he brought musicians from different countries to the forefront. Bally had money and he could do this. But I was only 16 when I left my home. I had no money and I was on the streets but today I am charging three times money as compared to Bally for a show.'
Bohemia was in this union territory to perform on the concluding day of the three-day Chandigarh carnival Sunday evening
'Bally is a joker, he wanted to use me as hype. He never made music and people like him are always afraid of me. Initially, I thought all of them were like me but nobody can compare me with them,' Bohemia said.
'I scrapped my relations with Bally during a show in the US. I was just over with my power-packed performance in which I had actually screamed my heart out. Immediately after it, Bali wanted me to go on stage because he was not confident about his own performance. I refused and ended my relationship with him.'
The controversy increased when Bohemia also condemned the Universal Music Group Pvt. Ltd. India.
'Universal music also tells people that they have made Bohemia, it is again wrong. I cannot give any credit to Bally or to Universal. I have 100 percent rights on my music, concept and lyrics; even the graphics and fonts on the CD cover are also decided by me. I only needed them to distribute my music,' Bohemia said. [8]
Rapper Bohemia, who was scheduled to appear live at the Croatian Cultural Center in Vancouver, was refused entry to Canada on Friday and detained for 8 hours in a holding cell by Immigration Canada, said the concert promoter. "The version we got from Immigration Canada was vague because of their confidentiality and privacy laws," said Jhind of Dream Time Records LA, who was accompanying The Punjabi Rapper "Bohemia and his entourage arrived Friday at 10 a.m. from Oakland. Every member of his entourage was allowed in except him. All the paperwork was fine. "Bohemia felt he was waiting too long. You could tell he was getting aggravated," Jhind said "He was asked a few questions by the immigration officer and was detained and put under watch. Then he was escorted out at 7:00 p.m. the same night."
Through an unconfirmed source, The Punjabi Rapper might have been denied entry into Canada because a criminal charge was laid against him two years ago in the United States. An official at Immigration Canada said he could not discuss the specifics of individual cases, but confirmed the rapper was denied entry into the country. "Normally, someone coming here as an entertainer is referred to us," said Jean Edmonds, manager of Immigration Canada for Vancouver. "I can't comment on whether he has (a criminal record) or not, but individuals with a criminal record would have problems entering unless they had prior consent." Officials would not comment on whether the rapper was detained at the Vancouver airport, but they confirmed, "individuals who are denied entry are sometimes held until the next available flight." At the Croatian Cultural Center in Vancouver where the much anticipated debut appearance was to take place, an announcement was made for the crowd, followed by tracks from Bohemia's latest album blasting through the loud speakers. The Punjabi rapper's follow up Sunday performance in Edmonton was also cancelled. Jhind said Bohemia was arrested two years before he tried to enter Canada, but was not sure what he has been charged with. "It appeared as it the Canadian Officials had his whole Rap Sheet -- it had all his charges listed on it -- I guess they were holding him on that and questioning him on that. They kept him in the immigration interview for a few hours." The 25-year old Bohemia is widely recognized as the pioneer of 'Desi-Hip-Hip'. His latest album 'Pesa Nasha Pyar' [Money, Drugs, Love] under the Music Mogul Universal Records India and Ishq Records UK was released in April 2006 and remain in the Top Ten for 7 weeks in India. Many recent performers brought to the city from the U.S. by local promoters have faced hassles at the Vancouver International Airport, including Eminem and DJ Clue. "Bohemia's management is in contact with the Canadian promoters in efforts to organize a makeup date," Jhind said. "However, I firmly believe there is a red flag on Bohemia's name. He may not get into Canada even with a minister's pardon due to heighten security by Immigration Canada and given his [Bohemia] record. Many eager fans paid the VIP $65 looking forward to meet the king of Punjabi Rap in-person.[9]
Bohemia wrote and produced the title track for Warner Bros. Chandni Chowk to China is a Hindi film directed by Nikhil Advani. Bohemia appears in the film for the title track along with stars Akshay Kumar and Deepika Padukone. The soundtrack of CC2C was launched by T-Series known as the #1 music company of India.
Akshay teams up with Bohemia for a song in 8 x 10 Tasveer of Percept Picture Company, says, "...Bohemia is a very popular rap artist and we are very happy that he has given his music for our film. The Name Of the Song is "I got the picture"8 x 10 Tasveer, starring Julian S. Low, Akshay Kumar, Ayesha Takia, Sharmila Tagore, Javed Jaffrey, and Anant Mahadevan is directed by Nagesh Kukunoor. The music for the film 8 x 10 Tasveer is launched by T-Series.
Speedy Singhs (also known as Breakaway) is an 2011 Sports film directed by Robert Lieberman, starring Vinay Virmani, Russell Peters, Camilla Belle, and Anupam Kher. Akshay Kumar, Drake ,and Ludacris make cameo appearances. The film is produced by Paul Gross and Akshay Kumar.