It's rhyme to speak up

Saurabh Abhyankar, Dharmesh Pamar, Yash M Mahida, Tushar Adhav and Aklesh Sutar

The basis behind hip-hop music is to call a spade a spade. The intent is to shine a light on the injustices that we take for granted and hang the people responsible for them out to dry. It's what city-based rap crew Swadesi have done with their new single, Mahamaari.

The track does the job of a good journalist, questioning the authorities about their sketchy response to the global pandemic. No words are minced. No punches are pulled. Instead, the musicians take potshots at the powers that be with lines like, "Cases toh millions se paar/ Hua khud pe waar/ Insaan ka bhookh bana uska gunhegaar."

Aklesh Sutar aka MC Mawali, who conceived the track, tells us, "I was confused in the first month of the crisis, but then I realised that all we can do right now is do our best to save our fellow human beings." It's a noble thought, and his modus operandi towards that end involved writing this song because, well, music heals. So what if it is not the vaccine we are all waiting for desperately?

Log on to Swadesi Movement on YouTube

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