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Hip-hop, positively

Mattafix, a hot new band with an Indian vocalist, believes that hip-hop music needn't promote violence and a negative lifestyle

ANOTHER LIFE Mattafix: `Many rappers speak of womanising and violence because that is part of the life they lead'

Preetesh Girji is Gujarati. And in collaboration with Marlon Roudette, he has floated an all new hip-hop band called Mattafix. The duo's first full-length album, `Signs Of A Struggle' has just been launched in India. The duo speaks about its music, ideas about life and inspirations in an email interview.

Excerpts:

Globally, hip-hop and R&B has been the storm centre of a lot of criticism. And there are allegations that this genre of music promotes violence and negative lifestyles. As a recent hip-hop act, what do you have to say?

Though our music is inspired by hip-hop, we are essentially not a hip-hop band. We do not rap. We sing and this very fact makes us stand out from the crowd of hip-hop rappers. Hip-hop and R&B has received criticism for its negative content, and unfortunately, this overshadows the work done by groups who are positive and responsible with their lyrics. Many rappers speak of womanising and violence because that is part of the life they lead. In some cases, these activities are a rung on the ladder of survival, especially in the United States where social oppression among minorities is a chronic problem. We don't live that way. We don't believe in gratuitous materialism or violence because we have never needed to. Our greatest desires are for peace and change through creativity and freedom of expression. The lyrics in our album reflect this.

Hip-hop began as being a genre of dance music, but has gone on to become the pop music of today. Is this an encouraging trend, or does this mean that the genre of music is losing its independent identity?

Genres of music evolve over time. As musicians we simply enjoy this process and become inspired by its many movements. Who knows where hip-hop is going in the future? For all you know, it could take a full circle and come back to where it started.

What do the songs in `Signs Of A Struggle' talk about?

Love, politics, incarceration, victimisation and more. In many songs these themes lap over. We like to write songs than can be interpreted differently depending on the listeners' personality and experience.

A. VISHNU

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