In its' short existence hip-hop music has found a way to captivate people of all cultures. Now Bed-Stuy, Brooklyn has bred a Bengali rapper named Brooklyn Shanti. Although he's gained the respect of his hip-hop peers, his family has not been as open to the idea of him becoming a hip-hop superstar.

Columbia University operated online blog/vlog, Brooklyn Ink, dropped by for an interview in my creative space in Bedstuy. Visit the publication here, or view the interview via the embed above.

Brooklyn Shanti & Sierra Carrère present the Tape Deck Prophets (TDP) video for “Trust”. Shot in Bedstuy, Brooklyn, the video snippet serves as a quick glance into the direction TDP will be taking for their debut album, due out later this year. A mixture of French, Bengali and Global Bass styles – TDP have been touring and recording with the who’s who of different genres of music for the past three years. You can download their mixtape, Tape Deck Prophecies, free from their website.

We’re all aware of exactly how frail the human psyche is. What I had never known is precisely where my own breaking point resides. I broke that night, and there’s really only one person who can piece together the shards of what’s left…

I’ve had many loved ones come and go during my life’s short journey thus far, and I’ve cherished their energy as gifts from the universe. Many loved ones are joining me now, as I gain momentum. I, however, am living in the context of the audio snapshots contained in these two songs. I’ve never regretted being honest. I don’t know if these songs should be shared or buried forever, but I feel compelled to release them.

Because it may bring me a step closer to healing.

I thank my friends at When Giants Meet for introducing me to Man Mantis. I thank Man Mantis for understanding what’s happening in my heart and blessing me with the soundscapes to finally release what began uncaging itself that fateful night in Delhi. I thank Amia Miley for gracing the cover and understanding the music’s vibration.

Man Mantis on Twitter: @manmantis
Man Mantis on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/manmantis
Amia Miley on Twitter: @amiamiley
Amia Miley on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/realamiamiley

The exciting aspect of this work, for me, has been that idealogically and musically we are creating something which lives in a space of its own. A range of influences from Indian classical to electronic to funk and hip-hop have been showing up to the party: And what a celebration it is shaping up to be.

From my work with the Dum Dum Project to Func Spec and Bonita Applebum, and now with Karsh and the Midival Punditz – it’s been my focus to stay true to both of the worlds which raised me: Hip-hop and India. This year marks the intersection of these two speheres. And what to expect of my musical family in the near future? A lot of genre jumping and cross pollination. Welcome to the year of the Cinema. It’s time to make the Planet Rock once again.

Update: Here’s one of the many articles re: Bambaataa having designated me fit for the task at hand…

Before I answer, let’s revisit a few of the higher points from the not so recent past.

So, where have we all been?

I wrapped up my last world tour with the crew in 2007 at which point I came back to New York full time to work with Rawkus Records on my second solo album. After that, I flipped my name from the1shanti to Brooklyn Shanti and began moving in as many different musical directions possible. This website houses much of the other stuff I’ve been working on.

Sean has been living in China and building scenes and brands since 2007. Musically, he’s collaborated with MC Yogi and a few other people over the last few years.

Niraj has had a wonderful solo career and has dropped two solo albums while being based out of London.

Our crew member, Orifice Vulgatron, has gone on to have a tremendous career with his crew the Foreign Beggars.

Sean and Niraj have been quietly working together on material recently, peeking above water to drop a teaser here and there. Here’s a little behind-the-scenes video from China.

I can also confirm that we’ve been recording my vocals and there’s a bit of “magic” happening. Here’s a few teasers that have made their way to the internets recently, but you’ll have to wait for the finished “song” versions with my vocals a bit longer…

Want more details? You can “like” the Dum Dum Project on Facebook and be kept up to date.

I’ve been living in New York on and off for about 15 years now. There are so many subtle and distinct nuances which one becomes accustomed to that slowly allow you to know that the city is institutionalizing you. Conditioning you in a permanent way, instilling mannerisms which will follow you around for the rest of your natural life. There is one phrase uttered by New York real estate agents which led me to an amazing “aha” moment a few years ago: Location, location, location. Traditionally, the phrase references how close a particular apartment may be to important landmarks in New York City, particularly in Manhattan. One fateful spring morning, I had been contemplating how to inspire the artists around me to deliver more “natural” performances for our recordings. Then it hit me: Location, location, location.

I had been experimenting with portable sound recorders for years already – and had just recently picked up a number of USB microphones. What I had yet to do was prove, via practical application, was that the key to capturing awesome performances didn’t reside in how much cool gear resided in the old fashioned style super sterile studio environments that we had all been recording in for decades, rather it was in capturing a single moment – a single emotion – and having THAT be the star of a recorded piece. My theory was that it wouldn’t matter how crappy the actual recording may be in the end – I could always engineer the sound frequencies to seem as if I had always meant them to be lower in quality (which in most cases, most of us normal humans can’t even discern). The key to making something timeless and classic would be to subject the singer or rapper to being in an environment that moved them, would encourage an emotional moment, and ultimately have them surrender. That moment of surrender, in theory, would create a “hit” record (where my definition of “hit” is a song that will live far longer than you and I ever will).

I put my theories to test while recording the Bonita Applebum album with Shefali K. Low and behold, to my delight, I was right. I began crafting a creative process which I use to this very day. Luckily, Shefali and I were smart enough to bring a friend with a video camera along with us to document our process. These three short videos articulate far more than what I can place into words.

Shefali and I are releasing our album via both of our labels later this year. We have two releases available via this website, Why Can’t Love (single) and The Genius Machine (EP) which were both recorded in various locations around New York City. Enjoy

Produced by Man Mantis. Amia Miley on the cover shot beauty. Free download.

In 2001 when A.R. Rahman needed someone to flex a hip-hop angle, I got the call. In 2006 when Afrika Bambaataa selected a cultural ambassador for hip-hop to India, I got the call. In that regard, the phone has been ringing off the hook since I was 12. Matter of fact, it’s ringing as I type this [no lie]…and the person on the other end is someone you know, adore and love. When shit happens, I call Karsh Kale. That’s love. He’s the Jay to my Kanye. He’s my co-pilot and big brother in co-producing Bambaataa’s body of work for India. Ladies and gentlemen, pay close attention. It’s all happening right…now. Welcome to the Cinema.

Tape Deck Prophets (Sierra Carrère and Brooklyn Shanti) share the release the video for “Goin Away” from their mixtape, Tape Deck Prophecies (download free below). Recorded over a classic Dilla instrumental, the short teaser video was shot and directed by Dutty Artz heavyweight, Geko Jones. “Goin Away” is a first glance of the group as they launch their mixtape and continue to tear down concert venues for their fans from New York to India to Africa.

I lived in Flatbush Junction for a number of years after 9/11. It was a place of growth, experimentation, and artistic self-discovery. It marked the first time I lived absolutely alone in New York. To me, that was “making it”. For six of the seven years I spent on the road with the Dum Dum Project, I called Flatbush home. “Flatbush Junction” always takes me back to a time, a place, a vibration of being, and most of all: A New York which will never exist again. I’ll never try and re-create or re-live it, but I’ll keep it alive perpetually through the visions embedded in these rhymes and songs as I continue to spread the love for my culture from person to person – place to place.

There’s no hope for the future if we can’t respect our understanding of the past. Home is where the heart is. Welcome home. You are now tuned in to the future.