mp3: RDB feat ELEPHANT MAN ishq naag (love bites)
mp3: RDB feat ELEPHANT MAN ishq naag (love bites) (reggaeton remix)
mp3: 4-IZE & RDB under attack
mp3: RDB & DEEMI deemi!
rdb, or rhythm dohl bass, are one of the most successful asian bands in the uk, selling over 100,000 albums and touring extensively worldwide. yet, mainstream western media (or even alternative indie media) still can’t find a place for bhangra or desi, despite its obvious appeal. kuly, manj and surj singh – brothers from bradford – released their first self-titled album in 2001, and instantly aligned themselves to a generation of artists fusing bhangra with a love of american hip-hop and r’n’b. thus, a new younger fan base for traditional asian music was born, albeit in a tasty new guise.
the obvious crossover between contemporary asian and ‘urban’ music was fleshed out last year on an excellent compilation entitled ‘bhood’. described with tongue firmly in cheek by ‘the fader’ as “dirty south asia”, the album paired american, caribbean and asian artists in a series of collaborations – and whilst the project seemed like an obvious marriage, there was still room for plenty of surprises. rdb‘s collab with elephant man, ‘ishq naag (love bites)’ is one of the highlights – taking cues simultaneously from both bhangra and dancehall. rdb also mixed their own reggaeton rerub (not on the album, but available on a new 12″ from bollyhood) – whic, in bolting on a third genre, really shouldn’t work at all, but it’s a persistent mix that grows with each listen. you can hear previews of all tracks at bollyhoodrecords.com.
also above is a brand new track from rdb & female solo artist deemi. the self-proclaimed ‘hoodz princess’, deemi’s album ‘soundtrack of my life’ (which chronicles her hardcore upbringing) is released this month.