British Asian Music Comes Again

In continuing the mutiny’s hommage to the UK today, an in trying to steer clear of the all MIA all the time, I salute the Sheffield-based South Asian producers, the Kray Twinz, who were scheduled to make an appearance at the recent Music of Black Origin (MOBO) awards show to promote their latest single, What We Do Yes the two British sardars who (silently) co-produced Panjabi MC’s Mundian To Bach Ke and Backstabbers are at it again. This time however the silencers are off, and Sepia Friendly MC Twista along with grime specialist MC Lethal Bizzle and ragga rapper Gappy Ranks are dropping the lyrics on top of a tabla and kanye west influenced sped-up-vocal-hip hop beat.  The tune, What We Do, which is getting some heavy airplay in the UK, and is also being dropped in American clubs could mean the resurgence of desi production in mainstream hip-hop.  Or it could just mean the Kray Twinz are finally getting some recogntion for their production.  Regardless, What We Do is only the first single off of the Kray Twinz forthcoming debut album, Indian Summer and if the Twinz photogallery is any indication of who they will collaborate with on Summer, lookout for appearances from the Pharcyde, Truth Hurts, and DMX.

Check out the music website pitchforkmedia’s mention of What We Do here, and check out the video for the track, here.

21 thoughts on “British Asian Music Comes Again

  1. Completely agree, Patti Kaur-ji. They’re good looking. Though I don’t know how I feel about the half-naked women in the video.

  2. oh boys .. learn to tie pughs! You’re not 10 anymore! Hopefully listening to the song will dissuade me from believing these guys are total dorks.

  3. the resurgence of desi production in mainstream hip-hop

    Sadly I don’t think that bodes well for desi music producers or hip hop — at least US hip hop. Desi sounds in these tracks are just another color in the producer’s palette — it’s stripped of any cultural context and is just thrown in for effect.

    UK based hip hop and R&B with desi flavors, on the other hand, while it can be cheesed out, to me sounds more authentic because it has its own cultural identity and it speaks to UK desis in a more honest way, that they can relate to.

    Well, maybe except for Raghav’s ‘baby baby’ tracks. Which would be all of them. 🙂

  4. Is it just me who thinks the females in the background to the what we do song sound like tortured kittens?

  5. oh my goodness.. they look like that in the video too? Learn something from Tigerstyle boys!

    Kenyandesi~ I agree. All the meow meow’s hurt my ears.

  6. Those guys might prefer patkas because they look a lot like the “skully” caps popular among the hip-hop crowd…

  7. Completely agree, Patti Kaur-ji. They’re good looking. Though I don’t know how I feel about the half-naked women in the video

    :)! Manpriya,Let’s just put it this way, even I have my limits. They are indeed cute, but I chose not to view the video fearing the nearly naked women. If there’s one thing I truly needn’t see, it’s that. Really. One thing comes to mind though…they are cute, by no agrument, but are they really sardars for allowing such a thing? I mean, not to mention our dear rabbi AGAIN, but his videos don’t show that kind of deal unless to make a point, and even then. ( I mean, jees, at the end of jugni when he’s sitting on the bed, he even has a jacket or sothing covering bits of HIM – under his guitar). That’s more deserving of the title, I’d think. Ayehoo..

    oh boys .. learn to tie pughs! You’re not 10 anymore! Hopefully listening to the song will dissuade me from believing these guys are total dorks.

    Ok…yeahp. lol..I gota admit, they are dorks….cute dorks, but have a(warning: understatement) few things to learn.

    I’m glad now I DID pass on watching the video, as cute as they are.

  8. Agreed with Sonia. Although I wonder if, in the hip-hop world, their patkas come off as desi do rags …

  9. excuse my ignorance, but are they really twins? and i thought twins hate wearing the same outfits…even at the tender age of twenties…?

    i can’t watch the video since i have an apple. but the song…eh…not feeling it.

  10. Although I wonder if, in the hip-hop world, their patkas come off as desi do rags …

    I would understand that if they had their jooras on the back of their heads or flattened out (as I’ve seen on a few guys) but this is straight up ‘I’m 10 and my mom tied my patka’ style.

  11. but adolscence ends in the late 20’s nowdays

    For the extremely mature. Otherwie, tack on another 10 or 20 years, and even that’s a wee conservative. 😉

  12. Sonia, I’ve seen guys in their 40s going to work wearing patkas in India.

    Recently, I was at a wedding were close relatives of the groom showed up wearing patkas – they were in their 20s – in college and professional school. Why? Because they never made the transition.

    I’m sorry – once you have facial hair you should learn how to tie a dastaar. Once it’s past the peach fuzz phase, you really should be wearing a pagh (of whatever style) when you’re out in public and not playing sports.

    But then, I’m old school. Just look at my pic 😉

  13. That was hot, yo.

    …if they had their jooras on the back of their heads or flattened out…

    That would really be whack.

    Keepin it real !!!

  14. K firstly big up Kray Twins!

    And next whats with you guys asking bout the patkas, it’s obvious that they look more like bandanas that everyone in the game wears now and again.

    And this track is wicked so is the video so step the hell off!

    Peace