Tiranga is my identity, Hindustan my country: Rappers set Internet on fire with Badalta Kashmir song

This is one nation, a free nation. Terrorism is completed. No innocents are dying. A brand new daybreak has come. Boys and women at the moment are equals. Those are the ideas expressed within the lyrics of Badalta Kashmir, a song by Kashmiri rappers Raasiq Sheikh (MC Raa) and Humaira (8MR).

Rapping about “Uniting hearts, breaking down divides” within the reworked state of Jammu & Kashmir after the scrapping of Article 370, the 2 younger performers have received over the Internet — the song has acquired greater than 2 million views throughout social networks in only a week, since its YouTube debut on December 3, 2023.

Badalta Kashmir has additionally obtained excessive reward from officers posted in Jammu & Kashmir. Those who’ve shared the song embody Corps Commander of the Srinagar-based 15 or Chinar Corps, Lt Gen Rajiv Ghai. “Good to see this… The younger listed below are remarkably gifted and music has all the time resonated in Kashmir… Power to the youth,” Ghai mentioned in a publish on X.

Lyrics of hope and progress

The rap observe, whose title means “Changing Kashmir”, highlights the optimistic transformation within the Kashmir valley, following the abrogation of Article 370 in August 2019, ending particular standing for the state of Jammu & Kashmir and shrinking the area for many years of Pakistan-backed terrorism.

The song talks in regards to the success of G20; spiritual inclusiveness; and the liberty of women to put on Western garments with out being shamed for it. It additionally references vacationer seasons, the Amarnath yatra, Srinagar Smart City and the digital revolution.

The two kids sing about how individuals within the valley at the moment are proud to be Indian. “Tiranga (tricolour) is in my coronary heart, it is my identification, Hindustan is my nation,” go their lyrics, that are a mixture of Hindi, Urdu, and English phrases.

Rapping out their emotions

The concept of the song, mentioned Raasiq Sheikh, got here after observing the modified state of affairs and improvement within the valley. “Every hip-hop artiste observes issues minutely. I noticed the transformation in Kashmir, like Smart City, G20, and different developments, and that was my inspiration. I wished to vent my emotions,” mentioned Sheikh, a resident of south Kashmir’s Shopian, in an interview with Press Trust of India.

Sheikh, who works with an infotech agency in Srinagar, mentioned that it didn’t take a lot time to write down the lyrics. He then approached Humaira, who is from central Kashmir’s Ganderbal district, to be part of the song.

“I didn’t anticipate it to garner hundreds of thousands of views,” mentioned the rapper in regards to the reputation of the song. “About 90 per cent of the viewers have beloved the song and their feedback are optimistic. The relaxation 10 per cent are unfavorable, however I ignore them. If the song has about three million views, 10 per cent unfavorable feedback don’t matter. I take optimistic feedback in my stride and ignore the unfavorable ones.”