Move over, Yuvan Shankar Raja!
For you are, officially, no longer the one-eyed king of the blind…
Check this video out. The track (featuring Lockup) is from Vallavan, an album by Yogi B & Natchatra, a Malaysian hip hop group. Read more about the album here.
This video seems to have been doing the rounds of the Tamil Blogosphere for a couple of weeks now (saw at least two references), but Pallu dada forwarded the link to me late last night. This morning, I saw that Manoj has blogged about it over the weekend. Manoj has listened to the whole album and he says,
..some of the other tracks are solid. The rapping is impressive and from what little I could make out, the lyrics sounded better than anything from Kollywood.
Interstingly, I found the video of the original song on Youtube (via Google). It is funny that it has IR lip-syncing the song (to SPB’s voice).
This remix is classic Ilayaraja packaged in a new box! I don’t know however if the masses in Tamilnadu need the repackaging though. IMHO, IR is so well entrenched in the minds of the listeners around TN that he’s not going anywhere for a few more generations. And Madai thirandhu surely ranks among his best. In fact, if you ask me, Nizhalgal (the album the original track is from), would rank close to, if not at the very top, of any “Best of IR” list.
Anyways, is Vallavan available in India? I hope it is, cos these guys rock. In fact, I don’t think Yuvan Shankar Raja deserves my brownie points any more for improvising and experimenting with hip hop. These guys are the real deal, if this particular track is any indication. And because the ethos would gel (in a positive sense, that is), the culture police in Tamil Nadu ought to love these guys too.
ÜberDesi
nanopolitan http://nanopolitan.blogspot.com/2006/12/two-music-videos.html
December 12th, 2006 at 8:21 amC-rappy Cacophony http://raapi.blogspot.com
November 2nd, 2006 at 4:40 pmsudha
October 26th, 2006 at 12:24 am(rap எனà¯à®±à®¾à®²à¯à®®à¯) இநà¯à®¤ தமிழ௠மிகவà¯à®®à¯ à®…à®°à¯à®®à¯ˆ, எநà¯à®¤ வேறà¯à®±à¯ மொழி வாடையà¯à®®à¯ இலà¯à®²à®¾à®®à®²à¯. கேடà¯à®Ÿà®¤à¯à®®à¯ instant high – url கà¯à®•à¯ நனà¯à®±à®¿!
Abi http://nanopolitan.wordpress.com/
October 26th, 2006 at 6:17 amநெடà¯à®¨à®¾à®Ÿà¯à®•à®³à®¾à ®• நினைவில௠நிறà¯à®•à¯à®®à¯ இளையராஜாவினà பாடலà¯à®•à®³à®¿à®²à¯ ஒனà¯à®±à¯ “மடை திறநà¯à®¤à¯” [நிழலà¯à®•à®³à®¿à®²à®¿à®°à ¯à®¨à¯à®¤à¯ “இத௠ஒர௠பொன௠மாலைப௠பொழà¯à®¤à¯”-வà¯à®®à¯, மெலà¯à®²à®¤à¯ திறநà¯à®¤à®¤à¯ கதவிலிரà¯à®¨à¯à®¤à “தேடà¯à®®à¯ கண௠பாரà¯à®µà¯ˆ தà¯à®Ÿà®¿à®•à¯à®•”-வà¯à®®à¯ , கூட!)
இநà¯à®¤ வீடியோவà¯à®•à¯à®• ௠நனà¯à®±à®¿! ஒரிஜினல௠பாடà¯à®Ÿà®¿à®©à¯ வீடியோவà¯à®•à¯à®• ான சà¯à®Ÿà¯à®Ÿà®¿à®•à¯à®•à¯‹ இரடà¯à®Ÿà®¿à®ªà¯à®ªà¯ நனà¯à®±à®¿!!
superstarksa http://superstarksa.com
October 27th, 2006 at 5:33 pmAbi: Glad to be of service. Btw, there are a number of videos tagged “Ilayaraaja” on YouTube.
sudha: “rap endralum” nu sollara alavukku aayittru nu Tupac kku therinjidhu naa, he will be turning over in his grave. I listened to almost (almost because this particular track keeps be engrossed each time I get to the album) every song in the album, and overall, the quality of Tamil in this album is superlative and poetic. The group actually terms itself “kavidhai goondargals for life” multiple times in the album! It appears that the diaspora is much more interested in their Tamil roots than in the home country. I am wondering if, In spite of Kollywood having made inroads into East Asia (and Canada) as much as Bollywood has in most of the Western Hemisphere, they seem to have kept the worlds separate musically. And, I was surprised to see all the religious/mystical references in a couple of songs, quite similar to the Sufi rock from Pakistan.
கிலà¯à®²à®¿ – Gilli » Move over Yuvan Sankhar Raja – Anti http://gilli.in/2006/10/30/move-over-yuvan-sankhar-raja-anti/
October 29th, 2006 at 4:01 pm[...] மலேஷியாவை சேரà¯à®¨à¯à®¤ hip hop group இன௠வலà¯à®²à®µà®©à¯ ஆலà¯à®ªà®¤à¯à®¤à¯ˆ பறà¯à®±à®¿ அனநà¯à®¤à®¾à®µà®¿à®©à¯ பதிவ௠In fact, I don’t think Yuvan Shankar Raja deserves my brownie points any more for improvising and experimenting with hip hop. These guys are the real deal, if this particular track is any indication. And because the ethos would gel (in a positive sense, that is), the culture police in Tamil Nadu ought to love these guys too. [...]
sudha
October 30th, 2006 at 3:34 amhow did you loop it – am going nuts here, cant loop it on youtube…tried &loop=1 also .
Ravages http://www.selectiveamnesia.org/
October 30th, 2006 at 3:39 amDood! I just found it (a colleague emailed it to me) and blogged it. Just saw your post too. OOph! This is a brilliant album and track. am in raptures
superstarksa http://superstarksa.com
October 30th, 2006 at 10:16 amSudha: I have the whole album!
Ravages: I KNOW! Brilliant is an understatement. Did you listen to the track where they sampled “Manmadha Leelai” ?
sudha
October 30th, 2006 at 12:18 pmam a got it too now
…….couldnt sleep w/o last nite.
WA
October 30th, 2006 at 1:54 pmEdho periyavunga ellam pesureenga, me listening
d.n.a. http://boomboommadu.blogspot.com
October 30th, 2006 at 3:32 pmAnantha, rapping 100% in Tamil is nice only. But this is so “wannabe 50 paisa”, not that it is wrong.
Anu http://anoosrini.blogspot.com
October 30th, 2006 at 10:27 pmSooper.
superstarksa http://superstarksa.com
November 1st, 2006 at 12:44 amAnu: yes.. soooper only.
d.n.a: dei, just because 50 paisa is rapper, you can’t label every effort as a wannabe 50 paisa!
WA: Yakkow. Naanga ellam podi aal! Neenga dhaan periyaal!
sudha: Less tension, more sleep!
raapi
November 2nd, 2006 at 12:04 pmhttp://www.novinthen.com/flash/vallavan.swf
PREVIEW OF MALAYSIAN VALLAVAN SONGS..
visithra http://visithra.blogspot.com/
November 2nd, 2006 at 10:58 pmThese guys have been around for a pretty long time or rather Yogi B – in the group called poetic ammo – a group comprimising of 3 indian guys and one chinese guy in 1997 if im not mistaken
they first started with an english album (that included 1 tamil and chinese track)
The tamil song was – sakala kalavallavan – listen to that if you can get a hold of it – theyve been here before 50 paisa – so they arent wanabe 50 paisas – dont put labels when you have no idea of their history
their english albums (2) made the english charts of mtv – but unfortunately the group broke up a few years back – n this is yogib’s re-entrance into the local music scene with a fully tamil album
btw the producer of this album is an accomplished local carnatic violinist
superstarksa http://superstarksa.com
November 2nd, 2006 at 11:44 pmVisit: Thanks ma! Exactly the right person I wanted to comment here to throw some light and give us some local insights. Btw, that first tamil song is included in this album as well. The album rocks! And as for the producer being a carnatic vocalist, it shows in the album. I love that Siva Siva song!
Btw, I am sure my pal did not mean it. Kochikaadheenga
Raapi: Danks machi!
TM
November 3rd, 2006 at 10:10 amAddictive stuff. Where can I get the entire album?
superstarksa http://superstarksa.com
November 3rd, 2006 at 7:17 pmTM: Hmmm..
DesiGirl http://desigirlposts.blogspot.com
November 5th, 2006 at 3:06 pmI guess I must be the only one who didn’t like it one bit! I love the original song and couldn’t bear to hear this one.
Also, a note on their style – why couldn’t these singers develop a style of their own instead of copying the nadai, udai, bhavanai of American Rap and Hip Hop artists? That’s my main gripe! But good on them for doing something different.
DesiGirl http://desigirlposts.blogspot.com
November 5th, 2006 at 3:07 pmOh while I am at it, thank you kindly for blogrolling me!
superstarksa http://superstarksa.com
November 5th, 2006 at 8:39 pmDG: No, I think there must be quite a few others. Guess you are the only one who commented
As for their style, if you would scroll above and read the comment from visithra (and also look at one of the links I have given), these guys have been doing this since 1997. Besides I think you should listen to the whole album to see what they have actually done. I think your dislike stems up from the whole “How dare they remix Illayaraja” gripe 
DesiGirl
November 12th, 2006 at 6:10 amhmm, not really, yaar – I love remixes, but these guys are annoying me cos:
1. they haven’t got a style of their own. their clothes, their mannerisms – everything smacks of Afro-American and they sing Tam-Rap.
2. maybe as a result of 1, the whole concept doesn’t sit well on them – like, a set of borrowed robes that don’t become you.
On the other hand, they wore battered jeans, khadi kurtas, kholapuri chappals and rapped Ilaiyaraja’s numbers, I would be like ‘yeah man!’
superstarksa http://superstarksa.com
November 12th, 2006 at 10:32 pmDG: These guys have been doing it for almost 10 years now. To me, its more about the music (since I have heard the album as a whole) in this album than this particular video. And while the video might seem to be wanna-be to all/most of us who are exposed to r&B/hip hop on a regular basis, not everyone else would be of that opinion. In fact there are a couple of songs in the album that I’d have my dad/mom listen to and tell them that “dandanaka” music is not that bad after all.
DesiGirl
November 15th, 2006 at 3:07 am“dandanaka” music – man! that takes me back!!!
superstarksa http://superstarksa.com
November 15th, 2006 at 11:39 amDG: Ya, thats what my father calls it!
Dr burN – NatchATRA-VallavaN http://www.vallavan.com.my
November 19th, 2006 at 3:44 pmhi to all ma makkez around de world..
i waz amazed visitin this page coz we gettin responz from all over de world..thnks alot fur your support..we goin to launch our album in india soon maybe around end of december..keep on supportin
thnks superstarksa…
mail me fur more info
drburn@vallavan.com.my
http://www.vallavan.com.my
Dr burN
natchatra
vallavanz
PlaYeRz WoRLd
November 20th, 2006 at 6:37 amHi makkelz…
Big respect to Yogi B ‘n’ Natchatra…!!! Da album is freaking superb…!!!
People out der who dun know how 2 enjoy da music..better dun comment…
*(editted to remove offensive reference)* Yogie B with an extremely n extra-ordinary beat box killz…Dr Burn and MC JeSS…ya Tamil Rockz…!!! Keep up wt the good work..!!!
***Get the original copy..support our Vallavanz..!!!
-EsH-
axeman
November 20th, 2006 at 12:42 pmQuestion for DG,
They are singing rap and hip hop that is part of afro american culture, and their act is representative of it. So attire and actions too reflect that.
Rap in kurta and kholapuris hmm.. imagine a white person in jeans and t-shirt standing up singing in a mic with do-rags tied on it rendering carnatic music. As much as they may sing it to perfection, something would be wrong with that picture I would think.
These guys have done a good job. Dr. Burn rappin like bone thugs and harmony in tamil was good to hear. Their word play is good too. Rap is about smart word play and lyrics as well , as much as wrong english and ebonics it may have introduced in the process.
I have been listening to rap for a loong time now, there have been a lot of wannabes in india as well, baba shegal etc to name a few, but their act wore our quite fast. These guys songs have variety and variation. Hip hop era – Suriyan Uthayum song has some good beats in it.
Kudos to Vallavan.. kavithai gunder 4 life…
superstarksa http://superstarksa.com
November 20th, 2006 at 12:56 pmEsH: Thanks for the comment! And yes, respect!
Dr.Burn: Wonderful! Thanks for the comment. As I told you on my email, this is the least I could have done
Rock, i mean, Rap on guys!! 
axeman: Nicely put! Thats one of the strong points in this album, the Tamil! And the clean language is what sets this album apart.
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