Over three million views in five days. And that’s only for 30 seconds of ‘Surviva’, the recently-released single from the much-awaited Ajith starrer, Vivegam. Although the collaboration between Ajith and director Siva is a familiar one, the latest track brings a never-before-seen pairing to the Chennai studio. Rapper Yogi B is back in the house, jamming to music director Anirudh’s latest beats, and he says the experience has been “nothing short of amazing.” Excerpts from a quick chat with the rapper:
A project with Anirudh for a Thala movie seems nothing short of a dream. How was the experience?
I’m a fan of Ajith’s work and, more importantly, I’m a huge fan of Ani’s music. He’s doing amazing things with modern Tamil music, so when he called me and asked if I’d rap on his track, I was excited.
Anirudh’s known for tapping into the Chennai youth’s musical sensibilities. What is it like to be in a studio with him?
He understands new music genres and the current music culture. I feel that with his energy, he gives music life. What’s amazing is how humble and classy he is; I think that’s what keeps his music topping the charts every year.
Tell us more about ‘Surviva’, which was released as a single...
We’ve actually used a genre called EDM hip-hop in this single. It’s huge in Hollywood right now and fits perfectly with a spy movie like Vivegam. Our aim was to match the standards that EDM hip-hop is held to in Hollywood. The Tamil-English balance shouldn’t detract from the music.
Was that a major challenge while recording?
It was! EDM and techno is not really what we do as rappers, so to keep my style intact was a challenge. I made a conscious effort to keep the groove that I’m known for and it’s come out sounding really cool.
You’ve been referred to as the pioneer of Tamil hip-hop. How do you think the genre has changed over time?
Pioneer is a big word, but when I put out my first single in 1997, it was one of its kind. I think the boom happened in 2006 though. The virality and the true epidemic of Tamil rap has been over the last 10 years, with the emergence of people like Hip-Hop Tamizha, for instance. It’s exploded.
What are the other projects you’re working on?
I’m currently training a quartet from Madurai called the Madurai Soldiers. They will be releasing an album with my record label soon. Currently, my aim is to define Tamil hip-hop with a unique music signature. I feel a certain pressure from Tamil boys all over the world to be the voice of this generation. I want to set the ideology right, though: keep the music simple, sweet, and just right.