The Grand Theft Auto video game series are in my top five of all time. Furthermore, social media has been swept time and again with different versions of GTA videos. Recently we came across this video by budding emcee called MaaHaa, straight out of Hyderabad. We as an Indian Hip-Hop community don’t get to hear much out of places like Hyderabad. So this rapper coming up with a video called “GTA” caught our eye instantly.
The beat for this song has a quirky, off-centre feel to it, but its really fun to listen to. MaaHaa lays simple verses down describing his introduction to the rap “game”. But nonetheless, the rhymes do a good job in describing how he got hooked to rap. In addition, the simple hook does a fair job in carrying the listener from one verse to the next. DOP Mani and Editor Vijay together pulled off this one of a kind music video.
The verses lay down the story of how he chose to pursue his music in the midst of his academic life. The video cuts from him rapping to him being the character played in what can only be called “GTA Hyderabad”. The video follows him taking on a usual free-roam route within an area. Cuts to stealing a rickshaw and then a verse later, stealing a car. At the end of the video he tries to steal a cop car, which as you know ends up in a mess.
The oddity in rapping serious verses on such an uptempo beat was what got to me and yet, MaaHaa pulls it off pretty well. Its great to hear new talent coming out of different parts of India everyday. “GTA” serves as an example that potential talent lies everywhere in our country. Desi Hip Hop emphasises the need to support all parts of India when it comes to our music. There’s some real funky vibes on MaaHaa’s “GTA”!