MUMBAI: Recognized as one of the strong contenders in the rap fraternity, MC Altaf (Altaf Shaikh) is coming off of the most productive season of his music career. Following the success of his last single, ‘Stay Home Stay Safe’ aimed to raised awareness amongst slum dwellers in India in the wake of COVID-19, the hometown music prodigy is gearing up for yet another drop that will be launched today on Gully Gang Records.
The fresh reflective release titled ‘Cash Do’ produced by Emmy award-winning multi-instrumentalist and producer AAKASH (Aakash Ravi Krishnan) adds to the local music titan’s unique list of heavy trap bangers. The 20-year-old hip-hop rising star hailing from Asia’s largest slum, Dharavi, opines that the track will encapsulate a relatable episode in every artist’s life. Catering to a profusion of topics which include human attributes like morality, righteousness, equality, he has addressed the subject matter of exploitation of artistes in the business of entertainment and music.
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AAKASH’s new school ambient sound layers the track with a currently trending lo-fi trap soundscape while MC Altaf holds the fort down with his chopper flow and spitfire rap. The production consists of some progressive synths, trippy baselines and wavy percussion which presents the rapper with the perfect canvas to deliver his non sanctimonious implications and deeper layer of lyricism in an unperturbed fashion. With the chorus tossing verses like ‘dosti wosti chodo mujhe cash do’ and ‘chahiye mera time toh phir cash do’, the track is unapologetic and authentic .
The music video was shot and directed during lockdown by Confuse and features cameos from D’Evil, Yoku B.I.G. from 7 Bantaiz and JD while the artwork was created by Delhi-based doodle artist Santanu Hazarika
“This was an idea that I came up with almost 3 years ago but I could never put my head around it. I feel this is a good time to release the track since there is so much dialogue underway with regards to manipulation and disrespect of creative talent at large within the entertainment industry. Artists strive very hard to create art, some hailing from humble backgrounds like myself, and then on the other hand you have corporations who will go to any extent to hold artists hostage and trade their art at marginal throw away prices to profiteer one-sidedly. If we are investing a 100% in our art, isn’t it morally right that we are compensated for this effort handsomely. I’m against the eco-system and how there are no questions raised when there is any form of exploitation. I’m grateful that DIVINE took a chance on me and afforded me the luxury of being able to put out good music. But my suggestion to creative talents, your inventions are your babies. It’s only fair that you get them back if they’re not being valued enough. Hip-hop stands for the voice of the voiceless, forging solidarity through shared experiences of marginalization. This is not just my story but the story of a thousand others and its’ just plummeting every single day. Just like a sense of the communal and collaborative is the backbone of hip hop, every artist, irrespective of the industry, must unite and replicate this ideal to stand up and fight against abuse” MC Altaf said of the track.
MC Altaf’s rise in the hip hop scene is truly commendable as it highlights the importance of consistency. He has established himself as a game changing artist who can embed serious messages in tracks that penetrate the mainstream, tackling social issues with intelligence and humor. Popular for the street’s inspired guileless style of music, MC Altaf who featured in Zoya Akhtar’s Gully Boy came to the fore as one of the Dharavi kids who taught Bollywood actor Ranveer Singh how to rap authentically like a Gully Boy. Having a flair for ingenuity, he has collaborated with a multitude of artists including LOKA, D’EVIL, J-Kila, 7 Bantaiz, The Rish and A$AD, and MC Tod Fod. A signee on DIVINE’s independent venture, Gully Gang Entertainment, he recently collaborated on ‘Brinks’, ‘Alag Hai Disha’ and ‘Flavours’ in the Mass Appeal India and Gully Gang Records promoted EP ‘Shutdown’ that released last month.
