Kabir
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Kabir

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"Music Reviews"

Kabir
Fuel for the Fire (Uncle Trouble)
We’re suckers for righteous, topical, Bush-is-a-demon raps. We’re also suckers for solid, hard-hitting, no-frills beats. Cambridge, MA’s Kabir, perhaps the only son of a Nobel laureate to share a stage with KRS-One, has got both. (For the record: pops Amartya Sen won the Econ award in 1998.) - Race Records


"Kabir :: Fuel for the Fire :: Uncle Trouble Records"

During the intro to "Hater Players" on the Black Star LP, Talib mutters that there's "mad talented cats underground with that raw shit." I suppose he was talking about the London-born MC from Bean Town, Kabir Sen. "Amartya Sen, a Nobel Laureate renowned for his insights into the economics of poverty," met a lovely woman (in the '70s) with whom he had a son; they named him after the sixteenth-century Muslim poet, Kabir.

A half-Indian, half Italian rapper is hard to come by these days; and so is one so blessed with talent. This cat has been the lead vocalist, songwriter and keyboardist of a funk outfit by the name of Uncle Trouble, and dropped his 1st solo project entitled "Cultural Confusion" a couple years back. Not bad for the son of a Nobel Prize winner.

"Fuel for the Fire" is the new 16-track banger and features a span of guest appearances from the likes of Esoteric and III Kings, to name a few. Solomon Grunge and Terminal Bytz handle the bulk of the production, and Kabir even steps behind the boards on a number of tracks; resulting in a synthesis of filthy, melodic composition. The first cut is the title track, where the LP opens up with silky horns and guitar loops, and as you think you are about to hear some Cold Play, the boom-bap comes in and Kabir introduces us to his art, in a voice smoother than 'Jerome on Martin."

"I make hip hop music real and raw
'cause everything they say I heard it before
it's that same old bull, they can't pull the wool
over my eyes, realize, I'm wise, uprise
From your present state, featherweight, levitate
get it straight if you have to
I'll relax too in fact you
Need time to hone your skills
Yo Grunge drop digital fills
Undone ill rhythms and some will be kept, while some still
Will be clicked and dragged into the trash
Masked into a blurry nothingness
No bluffing this is just the way things are
I'm shaping solar systems
Rhyming words before I list 'em
In my prose on Papyrus and fire us up with
Beats for your soul [...]
But I'm far too advanced and enhanced
The phrasing of my raps dance and glance at me
Lookin up wonderin' why I've chosen 'em
Frozen in my journal they're helpless prey
And I'm a famished Eagle in this world today"

Shit gets upped a notch on "Essence of Life;" the organic bass thumps deep on this one, while haunted keys resonate in the background. Scratches by none other than Axel Foley are heard throughout the hook, and Kabir croons:

"What sublime beginnings to this essence of life
Blade running strife cuts through my sense of liberty
My sensibilities tend to be challenged with imbalance
Forming intricate patterns of lost forbidden talents
Never cast your ballots when your King gets dethroned
My raps are classic like the voice of James Earl Jones"

"Rise" features Virtuoso and Ajahni, and is a reggae-influenced journey about finding revolution within your self. The beat takes a while to get used to, but it's a display of Kabir's fearlessness in creativity. On "Ambition," Dan Berkson constructs such a soulful-bass guitar-fused crunk-joint that Kabir laces with a thought-inspiring significance. Peep the dope shit:

"Nothing worth believing is too complex
whether it's a visual image or if it's on text
Take the time to find the proper context
Probably discoverin' another concept
I'm like a bomb threat in the midst of the cold war
Scarin rappers shitless from DC to Warsaw
I saw war way before it happened
I'm the Stanley Kubrick Dr. Stranglelove of rappin [...]
I wanna kick new flows and prose that glow
Like moonlight on the ocean I wanna feel emotion
That can't be described by the most vivid imagination
And can't be fazed by the most livid condemnation
I wanna be part of something bigger than rap got
I figure the jackpot is addictive like crack rock
I wanna use rhymes as means to mobilize the masses
Connect words with thread the needle passes
Life through my glasses reveals the ambition
I'm sittin' in my car with the keys, lookin for the ignition"

Amayo of Antibalas steps onto the scene to sing the hook on "Revenge," a pseudo-race riot inciting song of praise that actually espouses the values of 'thought before action.' "Adversity" is of tales of the minimum wage earners. The production on this one falters to some extent though. One couldn't expect them to get it right on the first 9 tracks of the LP; so 8 tracks had to suffice. Moments later the syrupy, reassuring sounds of Lady K can be heard on "Family Feud." This dysfunctional family cut speaks profoundly on a personal level, and the narrative is authentic. The popcorn-sounding "Money" is a forgettable diatribe on capitalism and how it leads to one choosing a life partner. The theme of love is pursued again with "Mrs. Butterfly" and this is where Kabir's "Valium milkshake"-smooth voice professes devotion to a slim. Solomon Grunge's "Disaster" then steps up to the fore with a demented, psychotic bass-driven groove about the dawn of the apocalypse. Here, Kabir switches up his flow and ups the tempo:

"Dingy dungeon roach-infested shambles
scramble out the pocket, fracture eye sockets
tear cartilage want no part of this dark shit
Always tryin to start shit
Artist with a heart of darkness
Mark this as a date to remember
No light just stained glass silhouettes
3-D effects and mic checks no sight just sounds
Bust rounds duck down or get blasted in pitch black
You could give a lecture on how a bitch act
Where's that 'switch' at? Blown fuse
Don't lose perspective, people get neglected
Infected with the 'I don't give a damn' death wish
Don't mess with the poison I've ingested
Arabs get arrested, patients get tested
Anthrax in my mail inhaled and digested
Wall Street crashes, no stocks invested
Brokers on the corner feelin sad and rejected"

The penultimate "Dreams" is sung over an overtly organic and musical beat, and is great for a cigar lounge. "Inspiration" ultimately ends this LP with the appearance of III Kings, and here the artists ask us whether this track will be played again for inspiration? Probably, but only if you let the other 15 tracks play through first.

Music Vibes: 9 of 10 Lyric Vibes: 9 of 10 TOTAL Vibes: 9 of 10

- as reviewed by Vukile Simelane


"SOME QUOTES"

"On an independent quest for artistic integrity and creative experimentation"
- Billboard, June 2002

"Kabir lays down his dissertation with skill, style and tabla loops that roll like the Ganges"
- Spin, April 2002

"Well thought out and impressive....Kabir tells real-life tales in a compelling way."
- URB, March 2002

"What's intriguing about Kabir is his ability to take familiar hip hop themes and approach them with a fresh mind-set"
- Boston Globe, Oct. 2003

"Kabir is one of the most innovative and stunningly original lyricists and musicians in underground hip hop."
-Weekly Dig, 2003

"An intelligent, dense debut from an MC who has much to say, and who says it well."
- CMJ, January 2002

"Clean, clear and crisp are Kabir's rhymes, delivered with intensity and intelligence."
-XLR8R, November 2003

"The world definitely needs more MCs like Kabir...solid production, fresh perspectives and lots of heart."
- URB Next 100, April 20004 - various publications


"Artist Spotlight"

MC Kabir, writes rhymes to entertain and to enlighten; infusing a dose of intellect to stimulate the minds of his listeners.  He is an emcee committed to creating a positive message; his flows are thought-provoking and introspective.  Never scared to deal with sensitive issues he frequently turns to the issues of the day such as the war in Iraq or the current socio-political climate.  Conscious lyrics are laid over innovative beats and live instrumentation with DJ Axel Foley on turntables and an assortment of live performers on bass and drums.  Live instrumentation adds to the raw energy created by Kabir’s staccato voice and passionate lyrical flow.  In many of his songs he jumps from a heavy hitting rap tirade to a meandering sing-song harmony, taking his audience on a rollercoaster ride in aural stimulation. His highly praised albums include an LP called “Cultural Confusion” and an EP titled “Fuel for the Fire”.   - Skope Magazine


"Through hip-hop music, artist represents who he is"

CAMBRIDGE, Mass. - Rap artist MC Kabir has an Indian father and an Italian mother; he was born in London and holds an American green card. It is no surprise then, that his first album was titled "Cultural Confusion."

According to Kabir, hip-hop has a unique ability to allow artists to convey a sense of cultural belonging.

"I wanted my first album to be honest and I wanted to put my personal stamp on it," he says. "I was not pretending to be someone I was not."

Hip-hop grew outwards from the confines of the ghetto a while ago and the ability to showcase your own ideas is the coolest thing about the art, according to Kabir.

"Hip-hop is a lot about who you are, where you are from, what ideas you represent," he says. "There was a very competitive nature to hip-hop battles before, but now in an age where hip-hop has become such a global thing, ideas are being exchanged globally."

The 27-year-old has been performing locally for a while now, and his audiences have loved his music. There is a fusion of different sounds in his music that promises something for everyone.

"If you come in for purely hip-hop sounds, it doesn't conform to that," he says. "This is bringing sounds and music in front of people and hope they can take something from it."

Kabir brought his music to the Massachusetts Institute of Technology on April 21 and delighted the audience of about 70.

One of the coordinators of the event, Tuli Banerjee, who teaches a course on Indian popular culture at the institute, remarked that she received a lot of mail from students and faculty telling her how much they enjoyed Kabir.

"Yes, it went very well," says Kabir. "I had a Q&A with the audience and also sold a bunch of albums."

Kabir graduated from Wesleyan University in Connecticut with a major in music. His senior thesis evaluated the evolution of political hip-hop music.

While his second album, "Fuel for the Fire," does make a few political statements, Kabir admits that he doesn't restrict himself to political messages anymore.

"People make music for different kinds of reasons," he points out. "I release anger through my songs sometimes. Sometimes I am trying to get a point across. Sometimes there is much less of an agenda. My songs also express emotions such as love, jealousy, express dreams."

Kabir's father is the Nobel Prize winning economist Amartya Sen. When asked how his father reacted to his career choice, Kabir said Sen at first was concerned that his son wouldn't be able to support himself.

"It is a natural reaction for any parent," Kabir points out. "But he saw that I started making money doing lessons also. He has been in tune and very supportive."

Those lessons are private music lessons - Kabir hosts 15 every week, teaching piano, guitar, drums, sight reading and music theory, even how to record and produce music.

During the day, he teaches at Shady Hill School, a private school in Cambridge, and at public schools in Brighton and Jamaica Plain. In addition, he coaches soccer and basketball.

All this leaves him with little time to promote his music, which he does on his own.

"In general, the music business is not doing so well," he says, even if he doesn't believe that the free downloading of music has affected his sales very much.

If anything, the advantages for an independent label like his offset the disadvantages.

"In terms of my music, it gives me greater exposure if they can hear it for free," he says. "It does play a role in leveling the playing field for smaller labels."

When asked if his father has shown up at his events, Kabir says, "He attends a few of my events sometimes," he says. "But usually they start late, well past his bedtime."



For more information on MC Kabir, visit www.mckabir.com. - By Poornima Apte


"Kabir: Just your average Indian-Italian rapper"

Hip-hop escaped the confines of the 'hood years ago. These days, rappers can come from any place and any background.

But Kabir, without doubt, is the only London-born, Boston-based, half-Indian, half-Italian, college-educated rapper with a Nobel Prize-winning father.

"The first record I came out with was called 'Cultural Confusion,' " said Kabir, who plays tomorrow with his band at Bill's Bar in Boston. "It was about that feeling of being pulled in several different directions."

The 27-year-old member of Boston's rap underground spoke on a recent sub-zero morning while sitting in his warm, sun-drenched Cambridge apartment. His living room looks out over the Charles River and is filled with books, CDs, LPs, turntables, guitars and keyboards.

"I don't live a life of poverty," he said. "I don't come from the ghetto. But I freely admit that I'm influenced by black culture. I grew up playing basketball and my heroes were all black."

Then Kabir pointed to the Celtic jersey he was wearing and laughed. "Well, except for Larry Bird and Kevin McHale."

While his style has its sonic roots in urban and underground hip-hop, Kabir brings his own multi-cultural worldview. He points out that he's named after a 15th century mystic Indian poet who urged Hindus and Muslims to abandon their sectarian disputes and live together harmoniously.

"I write from my own experiences," Kabir said, "but I also like writing from different perspectives. On 'Fuel for the Fire,' my new album, every song is about a different emotion that inspires people to do what they do.

"I'm trying to create a dialogue between people. That's one of my purposes when I write message-oriented songs as opposed to just bravado or trash-talking songs, though sometimes I'll write those kind of songs, too. But I don't want to make hip-hop that sounds like everybody else. I want to fuse my influences so my music is distinct."

On "Fuel for the Fire," Kabir tackles topics both global and local. He ponders the wisdom of attacking Iraq ("War") before describing the frustration of working for a jerk of a boss at a dead-end job ("Adversity"). And he turns autobiographical on tracks such as "Ambition":

"I was born in North London in '76

The product of a bi-racial heavenly mix

My mom looked like she was straight out of a '70s flick

...such a beautiful lady but my momories are hazy

So I do my best to think of her once or twice daily...

...I've tried to overcome creative fear

It took me so long to write my first song

But now I find it all quite clear."

"My mom died when I was 9 and we moved to Boston when I was 10," Kabir said. "My father (1998 Nobel Prize-winning economist Amartya Sen) got a job offer at Harvard and he saw it as a chance for a fresh start.

"When we moved here I got involved in playing in cover bands. I was really into the Beatles, Hendrix, classic rock. I got into hip-hop in '92 during my freshman year at Concord Academy. All my friends would get together and we'd make beat with our mouths or rap over instrumental music. We didn't know what we were doing. All that mattered was whether it rhymed and sounded good.

"When I went to college at Wesleyan, I played in a funk-soul band called Uncle Trouble, which is now the name of my record label. I played keyboards and sang, but there was always a part of the set where I would get up and rap and try to get the crowd going. That was my favorite time. I was always fiending for that part where I got the crowd yelling and stuff. There would be this huge rush of energy.

"When I moved to Boston after college," Kabir continued, "my desire to work with other people was really strong. One of the things I love about Boston is that there's a coalition of artists committed to making music that's original. Esoteric and Mr. Lif are real pioneers of Boston hip-hop. The rapper Virtuoso, who's from Cambridge, has been on both of my albums. And I've been performing with the Caribbean hip-hop group III Kings a lot."

Kabir's first CD brought him two Boston Music Award nominations in 2002, and the new "Fuel for the Fire" had an eight-week run in the Top 20 of the college music charts. With his convincing mix of brawny rapping and brainy lyrics, along with his Indian heritage, he seems positioned to attempt a move from the underground to the mainstream. But Kabir's social consciousness is not just part of his act.

"It's funny," he said. "It is important to reach people with my music and the more the better. But I work with kids teaching music privately and at the Shady Hill School, where I'm also a sports coach. That's also something I really love. So while there are reasons to push my music, I haven't received a response that would make me want to work with a big label."

But wouldn't it be worthwhile to get on MTV and become a role model for South Asian youth?

Kabir grinned. "Yeah, in theory. But I don't care about getting on MTV. I just care about putting out my music on my own terms and making music I'm proud of."

Kabir, with Virtuoso, Manifest Nexttome and Illville Sound Crew, tomorrow at 9:30 p.m. at Bill's Bar, 5.5 Lansdowne St., Boston. Tickets are $10. Call 617-421-9678.

LKatz@boston herald.com
- Boston Herald


Discography

"Cultural Confusion" - 10 song LP released in 2001
Featuring: Mr. Lif, Virtuoso & Esoteric

"Fuel for the Fire" - 16 song LP released in 2003
Featuring: Esoteric, Virtuoso, Shuman, III Kings & Amayo (of the Antibalas Afro-Beat Orchestra)

Photos

Bio

Kabir's influences as a songwriter range from the Beatles, Stevie Wonder and Sly Stone to Outkast and Kanye West. As a hip hop producer his beats are heavily inspired by De La Soul, Wu Tang, Timbaland and the Neptunes while also integrating elements of rock n' roll, reggae and Indian music. Three of his favorite emcees are Rakim, Chuck D and Talib Kweli and he is particularly influenced by those who use music and lyrics as a way to educate people. Kabir's songs are about the way we live our lives and the emotions that inspire us to do what we do. His music takes a very broad view of cultures and the conflicts between people.

Kabir has received significant press over the last few years. He appeared on the cover of Billboard Magazine (June, 2002) and was featured in other national publications such as SPIN, VIBE, CMJ and The Wire (UK). This year he was featured as one of URB Magazine's Next 100 artists and his last album "Fuel for the Fire" remained in the CMJ radio top 30 hip hop charts for several weeks. He has performed alongside a wide variety of musical giants such as Wyclef-Jean, the Roots, the Beatnuts, the Pharcyde, Dilated Peoples, Jurassic 5, Rahzel, Company Flow, Akrobatik, Mr. Lif, Galactic, Soulive, Maceo Parker and many more.