MUMBAI: “Look at me dance!” - The Shtambi is back! 25-year-old Indian rapper born and raised in Singapore, and prized member of the Def Jam South East Asia roster YUNG RAJA lifts the veil on his effortlessly swaggering new single, “The Dance Song”, along with a visually spectrum-blasting music video directed by frequent collaborator Jasper Tan aka Vadbibes.
With this release, the party hip hop prince of Southeast Asia joins the Alamo Records roster - a joint venture label of Interscope Records/Geffen/A&M based in the United States.
Already one of the leading voices in Southeast Asian hip-hop, with over 3 million streams on Spotify and more than 3 million views on YouTube, RAJA affirms his pioneering and one-of-a-kind status with this latest release. Hailed as one of the first few to come to the limelight amongst Indian rappers for his easy-going English-Tamil rap, a seamless bilingual delivery and distinct cultural references, he flexes his seamless bilingual flow in The Dance Song, proving to the world that Tamil rap has taken a life of its own in Asian Hip Hop. Yung Raja, known for making music ripe with culture, shows fans how powerful owning your story and heritage can be in his latest release.
Over an immaculate instrumental - kinetic, playful and irresistibly infectious, by famed Singaporean producer Flightsch, the single features the singular and most compelling helping of what the audiences have come to love about YUNG RAJA: A dashing sense of humour, unrelenting charm and a distinct self-belief that manifests in a hybridised English-Tamil flow that is deeply potent and intensely poignant without trying too hard to be so. Never before has there been an artist like RAJA in the ecosystem of Southeast Asian hip-hop and never before has this been more apparent.
“This is the third and the biggest one, in terms of my artistry. Whatever I’ve been figuring out with the YUNG RAJA brand, comes to a head on here. There was inspiration drawn from my parents for the lyrics of the song while there’s a lot more Tamil usage in this track than my last two tracks. It has the Lil Wayne, I’ll-make-you-think-and-chuckle-afterwards-type of tongue-in-cheek writing that I’ve always enjoyed” is RAJA’s explanation of the song’s philosophical behind-the-scenes.
Yet, for all its’ sensory delights, “The Dance Song” is a self-celebrating identity-driven anthem that affirms a valid perspective: That we shouldn’t let society define who we are and we must strive to create our own definition of self-worth.
“The Dance Song embodies celebrating your identity and spreading positivity in the world in a jubilant manner. I believe this song encourages the message of embracing your authenticity rather than being caught up in what’s expected of you as an artiste. Being yourself is far more important than being cool. A lot more importance needs to be given to expressing your true self rather than conforming to something that is phony. Celebrating yourself is a powerful act of self-care. I don’t know why, but rappers are so obsessed with wanting to be cool all the time This is a personal undertaking for me as well to learn how to let go and embrace the person I am and through that process inspire others to do the same! Be free!”, outlines RAJA.
Indeed, “The Dance Song” is a brand-new defining experience for the artist himself – and it is amply reflected in the side of himself that he presents therein. Language and charm, his most formidable veneers, rapid-fire, bar-for-bar delivery blend into a singularity like never before. Whether English or Tamil, every line is quotable and liberally interspersed. Every line is a sweet spot of humour, confidence and charisma.
The music video is a likewise next-level endeavour. Featuring eye-popping green-screen visuals, hilarious dance sequences that defy the meaning of “dance” and a glorious panorama of technicolour splendour, it’s the perfect visual rendering of RAJA’s lyrical vision. Its’ director Vadbibes is keenly aware of this and states, “I think ‘Mustafa’ was maintained, ‘Mad Blessings’ was slightly crazy and ‘The Dance Song’, it's almost at the end of the spectrum of crazy!”
With this release, RAJA also establishes his keen intent towards the exploration of the Indian music industry; with his global management Def Jam South East Asia inking a collaborative deal with leading Indian talent management agency, Third Culture Entertainment for representation purposes in the Indian sub-continent.
Speaking of this Joe Flizzow, Managing Director, Def Jam South East Asia states, “We are delighted to enter into this partnership with Third Culture in India, and look forward to working together to create new opportunities for our artist Yung Raja.”
Adding on Tej Brar, Founder and Managing Director, Third Culture Entertainment says, "Partnering with an iconic hip-hop label like Def Jam is a major milestone for us here at Third Culture. Yung Raja is an incredible artist and we are so proud to represent him here in India. His cross-cultural mix of music, languages and style make him a great addition to our roster. We're looking forward to growing the Indian market together and contributing to his global success."
With “The Dance Song”, RAJA turns in his most musically ambitious and fully realised work yet. The track will be out on all major platforms on October 9, 2020.