A quick look at The Beatles, who jammed together in the pubs of Liverpool before making it big, or Eminem, who kicked things off by rapping in lunchrooms with his friends, tells us that experimenting with music at a young age could set you up for success. Such is the case of SVDP, a Jaffna-born singer and rapper who rose to prominence in the last two years with his unique blend of a sharp, snappy rapping style set to Carnatic-inspired beats.

Humble beginnings

The rapper will take the stage at a performing arts space in Mahalaxmi, alongside rapper Reble this weekend. Recalling his formative years fondly, he says, “My earliest memories of experimenting with music are casually freestyling with friends and learning other artistes’ rap lyrics. I have no formal training in music. Gangsta’s paradise by Coolio was the first song I memorised front to back. The first tape I ever owned was LL Cool J’s Mamma said knock you out. These are core memories that are etched in my mind in terms of my rapping foundation.”