ManiM

A former MIT math geek and Wall Street bond trader, Iranian-born ManiM gave up the moneyed life to address social politics in confrontational hip-hop rhymes. Over varied musical backdrops--from explosive, distorted guitars to Persian-pop synths—ManiM drops edgy lyrics that cannot be ignored. - Download.com

When I first closed my eyes and listened to Mani-M’s intense track “Irans Finest”, it felt like it could be any other successful solid Rap/Hip-Pop track…but, I quickly realized there was so much more to his music than your everyday rap track. The backing music’s repetitive and hypnotic beats drew me in immediately as did the tale of two individuals both going in different directions with their life. Most of the song is from the perspective of watching one of the men go down a troubled road becoming lost in selling drugs and making their millions at the expense of others. The compelling narrative sits rhythmically well with the music, which is why you will find yourself moving your head to the beat and connecting with the lyrics, without realizing your body is moving.

When something works, it works… and Mani-M has garnered his fair share of Songwriting contest credits and an impressive statistic of downloads. I think what makes his message real to the people is his personal background and the struggles he and his family faced to build a life here in America. He is honest and he is not trying to impress anyone which shows his maturity as a songwriter. Spend some time with this song….especially read up on his background and the soul searching he did during the 2003 Iraq invasion that brought him to his musical mission…..you will be glad you did.


- JULIAN SKYE, AlphaMusicGroup, www.alphamusicgroup.com

I have never heard such a well constructed political track on soundclick. And then the only time I've heard a nicely constructed political track from anyone its been Mos Def,Talib Kweli,or El-p or Aesop Rock. Red Sand is certified beautiful,and this proves that the music still has life left outside the hands of Corporate America, its crazier still hearng it from someone who existed in Corporate America.Thanks For helping breathe Fresh Air into the dying entity we know as "HipHop".
- Darq Soul, Tortured Soul Records

I couldn't help wanting to know what the lyrics were about probably because of your nationality. Wondering what you would rap about politically with all that is going on in the world right now. I believe what you bring to the rap game and live performance could be greatly embraced or drastically frowned upon. Either way it sounds like great publicity and great album sales, huh? I believe people will draw to you just because you are you and what you do. You are possibly very marketable right now. Maybe.
- Patricia Brower, Brower Entertainment

In Irans Finest do you really say skewed distribution? I don't think I have ever heard that or will ever hear that again in a song." - Samantha from www.myspace.com

Welcome to the Third World is a great hip-hop song with an intense and driving groove giving a strong and unique political message. - Oliver Meissner, President, FlightSafe Music

AMG: Can you also tell us a little about your song-writing process?


Mani: I always start with rhymes, because to me, rhymes are a perfect place to store creative energy. For example, I was sitting in a rickshaw in India when I saw this woman give me a look that left me sprung – luckily I had a pen, here’s some of what I wrote on my arm (the song is called ‘That Look’):
share rainbows/hair tangles/bare ankles /stare strangled
stare at fresh life/arabesque sighs/marakhesh vibe

I actually wrote all the rhymes for the song, on my arms and legs, on that rickshaw ride. I had to rush to the hotel before I started sweating, because it was very hot and I was excited! Writing the actual verse is about weaving a story out of the raw energy you have in the rhymes. This part is a little more analytical, but it’s still important to trust in feeling. For ‘That Look’, here’s what I came up with:

. . . but I’ll be evolving
I’m calling my calling pulling hair tangles
got my stare strangled wit ya bare ankles
we could share rainbows, arabesque sighs
and I ain’t arab but I get a marakhesh vibe
when I stare at fresh life like its love at first sight
as I stand there, aware of mother earth’s light

When the verses are done and I’ve produced a beat, that’s when the hook comes into play. Its important that the hook bring everything I’m feeling into focus. Here’s what I came up with for ‘That Look’:

you could leave a pair of eyes paralyzed
when ya eyes gimme that look
I could die in the terrified pride that resides in ya eyes
when ya eyes gimme that look


AMG: Do you use samples?

Mani: I use “pure reflection.” I close my eyes. Go through instruments. I don’t use samples. There are two kinds of ways to record. There is what is really inside you and what you want people to see. To bring out what is really inside you is what makes a track interesting. If you are trying to be what everyone else wants you to be - it doesn’t work. If your voice cracks, if you hit a snare unexpectedly and if you have the confidence to leave it in there…it could come out confidently and with honesty. It creates something that is you as opposed to what is already on the radio.

AMG: So, would you say the song-writing process (for you) is a little bit about self-discovery?

Mani: For me, writing and making music is meditation – creating a song is about discovering something about Mani.



AMG: What has the public’s response been to the winning son Iran’s finest?

Mani: After September 11, it became increasingly difficult to mix Wall Street portfolio manager with Middle Eastern man living in New York. For reasons I still don’t really understand, I felt deeply aligned with the plight of Iraqi mothers interviewed on Arab TV in front of their bombed houses. (I’m actually Iranian, not even Iraqi.) One woman said something like ‘Why are you doing this to us? Where is your humanity? Where is your God?’ I felt broken in two. On the one hand, America has given my family everything-from political asylum (my father was a professor and active in the Iranian revolution) to paying for my MIT education. On the other hand, I look at the TV and see these people who look just like me, and I feel torment, humiliation, and anger. The only way I could express this was to split myself into two people, each loyal to his own cause for his own reasons.

One cool thing is the song doesn’t tell people what to do. Fans from the U.S. and Iran and all over the world listen to the song and they come out with their own experiences. I have gone to open mics where the audience is all hip-hop or rap. I come in a business suit. And, I rap Iran’s finest…at first, it’s odd to see me get on stage. When the beat comes on and I get into the music, the response is overwhelmingly positive! Underground hip-hop crowds can be extremely critical but if you do your own thing…the crowd is extremely accepting. It’s the honesty. People don’t care what you write about unless you are trying to sell a false image of yourself. The reward is not in being famous or popular. The real reward is being able to reach people and learn about yourself. I would rather be the guy who has a CD that someone still listens to in five years from now than the guy who sells ten million.


AMG: What can we look forward to?
I’m shooting a video for Iran’s Finest. All I can tell you is that some shots are extremely political. It will be done on Wall Street, and the album will be released end of April.
- AlphaMusicGroup