Desi Hip-Hop has taken its identity far and wide on the global scale. The scene is constantly in a state of motion with a wave of artists working hard and releasing their music every other day. There is a strong connection worldwide between themselves and that’s what ensures the continual growth of the culture.
One such artist waving the Desi Hip-Hop banner loud and proud is Lazarus. His name is synonymous with a strong desi connection and his life story essentially keeps the brown pride alive. A real-life practicing doctor who also goes surgical in the booth! He has dropped a string of tracks that have elevated the scene one by one. His tracks also include verses from the rap supergroup D12, Royce Da 5’9, Crooked I, Rick Ross, Bohemia, Gucci Mane, among other legends in the game.
Links In The Chain
Needless to say, Laz has earned his respect in the rap circuit by being one of the consistent emcees in the game. Consistent in terms of quality output and songs as well. And this time he’s back with another one in the history books. Lazarus confirmed via social media that he is collaborating with the legendary Wu Tang Clan! The veteran emcee even gave us some glimpses from the studio. And not just a collaboration, he just performed with the Wu Tang Clan in London.
During Lazarus’s Studio session with Ghostfae Killah, Desi Hip Hop’s very own DJayRaf was with them in the studio. “Those 2 vibed well together and produced a track that fans of lyrical Hip Hop classics will appreciate.” said DjayRaf. The new single, titled “Decapitation Chamber” is in queue to be the next drop by Lazarus, following his UK tour with Wu Tang Clan.
To fully understand what the feelings were, we got a chance to interview Lazarus as he was gearing up for the big releases ahead. Here’s what went down:
Interview With Lazarus
Q1) There are a lot more South East Asian Hip-Hop acts than there were five years ago or even two years ago. This is an unprecedented growth in terms of the sounds being created by all of us brown artistes. Is this the best time to be a Desi Hip Hop artist/enthusiast? Or is that time yet to come?
Laz: I believe this is the best it’s been for the Desi Hip Hop culture. However, I feel we still have a long ways to go. My goal is to see Desi rappers being recognized on an international level from Desi and non-Desi audiences alike. As it is now, there is yet to be a Desi rapper who can compete with and collaborate with the top tier emcees in Hip Hop. That’s the lane I’m trying to blast all the way open. But as far as South Asians building a name for themselves within their own audience, it’s great to see the growth.
Q2) The Wu Tang Clan are (in a lot of listeners’ opinion) the GOAT Hip Hop crew to ever exist. And it prides all of the DHH family worldwide to see that there is a collaboration happening between you and them. What can we expect from this track?
Laz: Expect a lot of people to get offended by what is being said on the song. And it’s not a cry for attention. It’s just that there are certain things that all die hard Hip Hop fans want said that artists are too scared to say directly in regards to the direction Hip Hop as a whole has been moving towards. On this song, there is no holding back. It’s time to go all out.
Q3) This is a benchmark not just for the Lazarus brand of music, but to Desi Hip Hop artists and listeners worldwide. What was that studio session like working with the OG’s of this culture?
Laz: The studio session was incredible. I’m a student of the Wu-Tang’s music. Their lyricism is what drove me to want to be a Hip Hop artist in the first place. Listening to Inspectah Deck on “Triumph” in 1997 is what made me grab the pen for the very first time. And to now be in the studio with him is definitely a proud moment for me. The energy with Ghostface Killah is on another level. Watching legends work motivates me to get my pen game up. And getting their nod of approval takes my confidence to another planet.
Q4) Not only are you collaborating on a track with the legendary veterans, you are also set to share the stage with them.Tell us about that.
Laz: I just want to give my all whether I’m in the studio or on the stage. I want to carry the weight of every voiceless South Asian and every voiceless Hip Hop head and throw it on top of the world. All my years of emceeing has got me ready for that
Q5) Lastly, since you are all about the Desi Hip-Hop culture and keep pushing the limits, what is next in store for us? Lazarus is now a worldwide brand name relating to DHH and our audience would love to know what’s coming.
Laz: Firstly, look out for “Decapitation Chamber” to drop real soon. We plan on debuting the song on stage May 11 in London and releasing the song publically soon after that. I also look forward to dropping my full length album “Music Is My Medicine” this year. In addition, I am in talks with a lot of Desi Hip Hop artists about collaborations. So I hope to keep giving you guys a range of different kind of songs for the rest of the year.