Arshaq Malik is a Bangalore-born and UK-based rapper/producer who has established himself as one of the most versatile hip-hop voices from the Indian underground.
Malik cut his teeth into Bangalore’s scene working with giants like Hanumankind, Smokey the Ghost, Pasha Bhai and more.
Currently he is performing around the London music scene sharing stages with the likes of underground hip-hop legend – Homeboy Sandman.
Malik has experimented with multiple genres over the span of his catalogue fusing hip-hop with influences from industrial to jazz. While his bars can outshine and outflow any average rapper – he still chooses to making narrative commentaries.
‘For me, the drive is in the attempt to immerse the listener in the state of mind that I’m in when I’m making the song. When that connection really happens, it’s special.’
‘Home Ground Disadvantage’ approaches the conversation of the impact that family constructs have over an individual.
‘Yung KK’ revolves around a dystopian future where oxygen on the surface of the Earth has become toxic and as a result the wealthy and the influential have set up a new civilization underground while the poor suffers above on the surface.
The antihero is a villainous cat named KK that smuggles oxygen from the underground and sells it to the surface dwellers for a quick buck.
‘Circus Freestyle’ revolves around a leopard (Smokey the Ghost) that is captured by a poacher (Arshaq Malik) and sold to a circus where he’s stripped of his dignity and freedom until one night he escapes to find his way back home.
‘What you call a career is just an Instagram page.’ When he’s not sticking to narrative commentaries – he’s outrapping your favorite rapper.
‘Joint Custody’ is a 7-track project where Arshaq Malik and 47k join forces to deliver an experimental offering playing with various subgenres of hip-hop. The entirety of ‘Joint Custody’ is full of great bars, unsurpassable flows, crafty producing and solid sampling. The album turns out to be an unskippable banger.
Arshaq is an artist capable of both dissing hard and talking sensitively. He is intentional, intelligent and lyrical in his approach to hip-hop. Between the cockiness on ‘Coming For Your Necks’ and the vulnerability on ‘Deeper Than Skin’ lies a great balance.
The standout for me is ‘Tangents’ that features Hanumankind. The verse by Malik on the song is ferocious and full of double entendre. The track almost seems to be crafted for a global taste.
Arshaq is an artist that has a solid chance at becoming a global powerhouse. From Hanumankind to Smokey the Ghost – his collaborations are curated choices since he’s as good as any of these greats.
‘TAMILS ON THE ROOF’ is the first release off his upcoming debut solo LP. The song breaks down Malik’s negative coping mechanisms and how they’ve taken their toll.
With the words on borrowed time
I signed a lease
Left a shell of a man
But one hell of a priest
Pianist Karan Viegas shines on the track with his jazzy embellishments and a fluid piano solo to close the track. Mastering duties were handled by hip-hop staple – Akash Shravan.
The music video is shot in the English countryside showing Malik up against a rage-quitting opponent while engaged in a game of chess. The visuals were a collaboration between filmmaker Soham Kundu and Chennai based Duo films.
‘Gimme’ is the latest single off the project. More singles are on the way…
Arshaq’s upcoming album is called ‘THE PHONE ISN’T RINGING’ and is heavily rooted in the feeling of being in a limbo, waiting for the fruits of your hard work, waiting for “the phone to ring”. The project has a sharp focus on deep lyricism and intense wordplay to paint a detailed picture and Arshaq says – ‘A lot of my favorite artists are also featured on my album – 47K, Sakre, Faizan, Mohit Rao, Karan Viegas, Sukruth Rao & more.’
The album artwork is an oil painting done by LA artist Tyler Scully. The album will be out soon and will also be released on vinyl.
Malik is global hip-hop etched via brilliant sound engineering, curated collaborations and hours of hard work. You could almost mistake this for an international artist. That’s a good mistake since Malik is global both in his taste and appeal.
