Pune-based rapper and producer, Vedang Deshpande, dropped a 5-track fusion EP Shastriya Hip Hop, last week. It is a distillation of the producer’s niche of Marathi flips and Indian samples. With the release, he wanted to “fuse the emotions of Shastriya Sangeet with the raw gritty vibe of hip-hop”.
Opener ‘Pahaat’ samples legendary singer Asha Bhosle’s melodic vocals from the Marathi track ‘Kevha Tari Pahate’ and blends it with lo-fi hip-hop beats. ‘Chandra’ is sure to educe feet tapping with its pulsating bassline and skittering 808s. It’s playful follow-up, aptly titled ‘Mendikot’, explodes into a boom-bap number under rapper EMF’s fiery rhymes. The penultimate ‘Maaherchi Drip’ features Bhimsen Joshi’s chopped up vocals strung around Deshpande’s trap-infused beats. Deshpande rounds out the package with ‘Radhika’, complete with gritty production, slivers of tabla, and a surprise beat switch.
The self-taught producer emerged on the scene with his diverse range of type beats. After being a part of the 2016 underground hip-hop collective Pune Hip-Hop Renaissance, he has since collaborated with numerous artists including rapper That Dude AJ and singer Bawari Basanti. He is extremely active on his Youtube channel where he continues to post type beats as well as beat breakdowns.
