Rapper, a truck driver’s son, lifts spirits at Ghazipur

Vinayak Padmadeo
Tribune News Service
New Delhi, January 20

“Haq de haqook di ladai, aj hisse sadhe ayi, itteh koi nahi Sikh, te koi nahi hai isai, na hai Hindu, na hai Muslim, itteh sab hai bhai bhai”.

Clad in a denim jacket and shades, a 26-year-old is busy recording a song. Armed with a borrowed SLR and helped by his friend Gursewak Singh who is doubling as his professional cameraman, Karandeep recorded his first rap in one go.

“Don’t know how it went, but I am keen to release this song on my YouTube channel soon,” the Hapur lad said minutes after completing his first mega project. Karandeep, whose father Ravinder Singh is a truck driver in Hapur, came to the protest site for the first time.

A trained vocalist, who has been recording covers of popular songs and releasing those on his YouTube channel ‘Karrandeep’, an extra ‘R’ in the name is only for a different effect, says the song titled ‘Kisan di Takrir’ was his way to get attached to this historic farm protest.

“My kin have farms in Punjab. I wanted to do my bit. My brother encouraged me to go to the protest site. So, here I am doing what I always wanted to do,” the postgraduate said.

“Today was the first time I visited a protest site. I came here (Ghazipur) as this is only 50 km from my place,” he explained. His journey from a cover artiste to an upcoming rapper had a few obstacles. Not having a good quality camera was his big headache. “My brother has a high-end phone, but I couldn’t get it as he is away,” Karan said.

“Finally, a friend gave me his SLR. I wanted to contribute and even if it doesn’t work out, I will not give up,” he said.