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It’s a wrap

Jill of all trades Hard Kaur

British rapper Hard Kaur is Punjabi by birth but she prefers her name to be pronounced “Hard Core”. More than the British influence on accent, it also draws from the kind of music that she does and the person that she is. The vivacious rapper who has sung and featured in hit Bollywood numbers “Move your body” in Johnny Gaddar and Talli Ho Gayi in Ugly aur Pagli has seen a tough life. The name, her poems that pack in a solid punch and her whole style draws from the struggles that she and her mother has lived post anti-Sikh riots in 1984.

The hip-hop singer’s talent, her particular English twang and never-say-die attitude has got noticed by many in Bollywood. The musician trio of Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy gave her a break in Johnny Gaddar and the song turned out to be a rage.

Then followed Singh is Kinng and Bachna E Haseeno, Haal-e-Dil and Kismet Connection The singer whose real name is Taran Kaur Dhillon has Ajay Devgan’s animation flick Toonpur Ka Super Hero and many more in her kitty.

Hard Kaur is a multi-faceted personality and has her own label. She manages artists, writes and composes albums and is also a dancer.

She has produced and written albums. Last year, she also released her solo album Supawoman (Saregama). The album boasted of Ek Glassy which created waves in club-music circuit. Hard is also associated with “Breakthrough”, an organisation working on HIV and domestic violence issues, and has penned a song for women’s empowerment.

It all started when Hard’s father died during anti-Sikh riots in 1984. Her grandparents sent her mother out of the house. The mother daughter duo went to U.K and her mother started a beauty salon there. In school, Hard was bullied around for her Asian roots and lack of knowledge of English. The vivacious Punjabi rap singer was a dancer originally. Being a dancer, she had the access to the world of music as well. “I am from the streets. When I started rapping, the Punjabi community in U.K. said all kind of things about me and now when I am successful, they are saying things like saadi Punjabi ladki and are proud of me. Since no Indian woman has ever rapped before, I wanted to be the first. Plus, I am a Punjabi and have this deep voice, which suits rap very well,” explains Hard. Life has been hard for Hard Kaur but good times have for sure ushered in.

SHAILAJA TRIPATHI

TANEJA

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