MUMBAI: When we say Taran Kaur Dhillon, it might be a little difficult for you to identify with. If we say, Hard Kaur, then she doesn’t really need an introduction. The British-Indian rapper and hip-hop singer is all set to release a new independent hip hop album called The Rising MixTape Vol 1, exclusively on Apple Music on 2 August 2017. The entire album will be available exclusively on Apple Music for an entire month, as part of the Apple Music Hear It Here. 

The approach of hip-hop music is not very familiar in India. However, she strongly believes that times are changing and many underground singers and musicians are emerging. The idea behind this project was to create an authentic hip-hop album to build a strong stance among the fan and followers. Talking about it Hard Kaur says elatedly, “I get bored at a time with my own stuff. As I’m inclined to hip-hop music in person, I thought why not get everybody together for an album of praise. It’s not about me me me all the time, it is about undertaking something for the industry with new reverberation and approach. I initially planned to get four-five artists for this venture and it turned out to be a massive one. Collaborating with 30 artists was not easy, however, I feel blessed to get the chance to work with these bunch of talented folks. Everyone gave out their best.

Some moments from behind the scenes

Hard Kaur will be featuring raw talent from all around the country for this first-of-its-kind mega project that features over 30 Indian artists. It has taken Hard Kaur almost two decades to put this much-anticipated hip-hop movement in motion, creating a scalable platform for Indian underground rappers around the world. The artists who will be featured on the album are Tony Sabastian, Jubin Nautiyal, Illa Straight, Shah Rule, Apeksha Dandekar, Big Deal, Suzanne D'mello, Swami Baracus, Ikka, MC Zani, Fura, Borkang Hrangkhawal, Pardhaan, DJ Kave, P Man, D Boy, Su Real, Feyago, Nasty Ninja, Ravan, Parry G, Balan Kashmir, Tigerstyle, Vipul Kapoor, Bunty Rajput, and Radnyi. The music video for the title track All Star Anthem is directed by Gifty and has been exclusively shot on iPhone 7 Plus and will be available on Apple Music.  

According to Hard Kaur and Gifty, “It was a new and exciting experience for us to work with the iPhone 7 Plus for the first time to shoot this video for Hard Kaur. Shooting with the iPhone with a professional crew and lighting setup was different for us. I am very happy with the movement shots because we don’t need to stabilise any of the footage, so basically no cropping or losing frame and quality. It was amazing as we were able to use the iPhone just as a professional camera and I am definitely looking forward to shooting more videos with it in the near future.” 

You can pre-order the album (Started from 23 July) on iTunes, and receive a free track along with the order. Post launch, the album will be available exclusively on Apple Music for a month, after that it will be available on other digital platforms.