[Reader-list] Ashish Kaul aka Emcee Hash

[Pawan Durani]

[ Wonder why the reporters are not linking Panun Kashmir song with Panun
Kashmir ? ]

http://www.dnaindia.com/report.asp?newsid=1136112

*Non-resident Kashmiri wraps pain of militancy into song*
 Ishfaq-ul-Hassan
Thursday, November 29, 2007  03:39 IST


*The rap song highlights the suffering of pandits who had to leave the
valley because of violence*

SRINAGAR: A song expressing the pain and trauma of Kashmiri migrant pandits
is creating waves in the West. A 26-year-old non-resident Kashmiri Pandit
rapper is going places with the song which highlights the suffering of the
thousands of people who were made refugees in their own land by militancy.

California-based rapper Ashish Kaul aka Emcee Hash has not only penned the
song – Panun Kashmir (My Kashmir) – but sings it as well.

"I wanted to write a song that would highlight our story, our struggle. I
hope to inspire the Kashmiri community as a whole (Hindus, Muslims and all)
to realise that it's not about religion, but about terrorism, and it's time
to take a stand and unite to destroy this horror," Hash told DNA via e-mail
from California.

Hash's grandfather suffered a stroke after he was forced to migrate from
Srinagar. The pain of his grandfather had tremendous impact on Hash.

"I did not personally experience the exodus and the atrocities that have
scarred my brethren. But at my home in the US, I am deeply hurt
witnessing the condition of my grandfather who suffers from dementia caused
by the stroke. Circumstances forced him to sell our lovely ancestral home
(where I spent the formative years of my childhood) in Srinagar," he says.

"I could not begin the song until I found the perfect instrumental. But as
soon as I heard a beat created by Rapid Fly Beats, I got to writing, and
when I did, I could not stop till the song was complete. Having completed
the lyrics for the song in early August 2007, I forwarded them almost
immediately to my harshest critics, my family and friends, and all of them
gave a positive feedback," Hash says.

Produced by Steve Burich, the song was released on November 17 and there has
been no looking back since. "I did not get a chance to actually complete
this track until very recently due to schedule conflicts with my producer in
California. Finally, on Saturday, November 17, we completed the track and
released it. It is a hit."

Hash never lived in Kashmir, though he visited the valley every summer till
1988 when trouble began. His family, however, was born and brought up
primarily in Kashmir. Having migrated to Australia and then to the US since
1992, he has incorporated multiple cultures in his life.

"I started writing songs around 2001 and recorded on my PC microphone using
simple beats. Even then, my friends were excited and I knew I had found
something in myself that I could not hold back," he said.

"I have performed at multiple events, including campus shows, IIT Alumni
events and certain clubs in California, to excited responses and I will
continue to perform as the album is completed," he added.

Hash's album is scheduled for release next year. "I began recording with a
producer in October 2006 and since have been working diligently to complete
the album which will contain 13 or so songs and will be released in early
2008.

"The content of the album is diverse – stories of terrorism, love, pain,
struggles of being a musician and some fun tracks that depict the
experiences of my life," he says.