MUMBAI: The knowledge that Indian audience at large has about hip-hop and reggae is limited and to form a band is a task. Bombay Bassment is one of the very few bands in India that perform these genres. “The audience is smaller than a niche for hip-hop and reggae, if I may say so. But as a four piece band, we really love what we do and therefore we are doing this,” says Ruell Barretto. The four-piece band comprises Bob Omulo - MC/Rap, Ruell Barretto - Bass/Guitars, Major C - Producer/DJ and Jeremy D'Souza – Drums.

The band Bombay Bassment, has performed at the biggest music festivals in India including Jaipur Literature Fest, VHI 1 Supersonic and many more. Abroad too, the band has performed at mammoth festivals like Glastonbury festival; in fact, they were the first band from India to have performed there. Their name has appeared with global superstars like Adele and yet there is little awareness of their form of music and the band. “Till now we have been able to garner audience through word of mouth. I have worked in corporate, so I would invite my colleagues, peers and their kin for the performances. But we would like to perform more and more.”

The band was formed 10 years ago and continues to enthral the audiences. “We want more and more audience to be developed for this form of music too. Most people we invite are Bollywood music lovers in India. So, yes awareness of our band and music is important. Thankfully now in India, the taste in music is changing and evolving.”

Ruell remembers, “Once we were performing in Delhi and we had two people for the gig in the audience. But we performed just the way we would if the auditorium was packed.”

The band recently had a rocking gig at Hard Rock Café, Andheri in Mumbai and they keep performing across. Ruell also shares his desires for the band, “In next few years we look forward to performing at every gig and event and more importantly have a packed auditorium. We are also coming up with a single in next couple of months.”