Have you heard San Jaimt's 'Intensity'?

WHEN IT COMES to music, rap can often be the victim of a fair degree of snobbery amongst listeners. Although diminishing since the turn of the century, the claim that it's not 'real music' remains a common complaint. It is this attitude Abu Dhabi hip hop artist San Jaimt wishes to invert with his latest releases Win and These Wings from his debut album Intensity.
Growing up in Sharjah, Jaimt, real name Sanju Jaison, caught the rap bug in school before evolving the hobby into a potential career after returning to his ancestral homeland Kerala for college. Moving back to the UAE five years ago and taking up residence in Abu Dhabi, he is determined to make it big, spreading his love of hip hop throughout the UAE and South India before turning his sights further afield.
Here he tells us about his grand plan.   

What do you mostly rap about?
I usually rap about my life -my story, things I have experienced, things that I value and care about, that's what I believe real hip hop is about. It's about messages.

Is there a big South Indian rap scene?
No, the rap scene is South India is not that big, but it is definitely growing. In a couple of years the rap scene in India will be much bigger. There are a lot of independent rap artists who are doing well. A few years ago there were no need of rappers in south and no music directors. But now the music scene has changed because if you see the big movies coming out from South India these days a lot of rap vocals are being used.

Do you think you need to be embraced by the movie industry, either the Southern or Bollywood?
I have already worked on a couple of South Indian movies, but I wish to grow my art on my own, making music on my own terms - the kind of music that would define me as an artist. I really wish to inspire people through my music. That's what my new album Intensity is all about. My first single from the album Win was released earlier this month. The song is about perseverance. It's about staying true to yourself no matter how hard the situation may sometimes get. A week back my second song called These Wings was released and I have been getting a lot of positive reviews for both. The full length album will be out in a few weeks.

How was the process of making your videos?
I will have a story line or an idea that's connected to the song. I explain it to the cinematographer who helps me to execute the visuals. I have produced six music videos so far. Making music videos is definitely expensive, but the results are always worth it and the response has been amazing. My videos are being viewed by people from different parts of the world and that's a good sign.

Who are your rap inspirations? Are there previous Indian rappers you admire?
I am inspired by a lot of artists, some of them have almost immortal techniques: Eminem, Tupac and Rakim for example. There's one Indian rapper that I like and that's Blaze for his unique voice and style.

How do you find the music scene over here in the UAE?
The music scene in the UAE is great, but I don't think it's great when it comes to rap music. I would love to shoot a music video here about the life style and culture to open peoples' eyes to how good hip hop is.
 
Do you think rap has a bad reputation? What do you say to people who have that belief?
I would say to them that they should take some time to understand the content before judging it. I think it's just a misconception that many people have. Hip hop is a beautiful art form. I was not so keen on rap music when I was a kid because I never understood the content. I used to listen to mainly AR Rahman songs but once I understood what hip hop was about I just fell in love with it. It's such a beautiful form of self expression.

What are you working on at the moment?
I am currently working on my debut album. I am done with the music production. I have a music video called Walk Alone featuring Dubai-based band  MasterPlan to be released on April 16. I am actually making music videos for every one of my songs from the album. My Mind and Rap Rambo are the two music videos that are in line to be released after Walk Alone. I am very excited about it especially for Rap Rambo because it's a huge project.

What is your ultimate musical ambition?
My ultimate ambition is to have my song on every hip hop lover's top playlist. I know those days are not far. I believe in my dreams.
david@khaleejtimes.com