Roach Killa has brought a fresh, innovative sound to the Desi music scene. Although he is labelled as a reggae artist, like the most successful reggae artists his music is a fusion of different genres creating music which is a clever reflection of the multiple cultures and surroundings he has been influenced by. Roach Killa's recent track ‘Yaara Dildaara' is currently topping the charts and his album ‘The Revolution' is like a gasp of fresh air for the UK Asian Music scene… so I catch up with him to find out what else is in store!
Having lived in Libya up until the age of 10, and then in Canada, how has your background and surroundings influenced the music you make?
I grew up around a few different cultures, as Libya was ruled by Italians and French in the early 1900’s and also growing up to Arabic which is the native tounge mixed with our Indian roots, it just gave me a chance to see the world on a bigger scale which allowed me to step out of the box and try different styles and genres.
 What inspired you to become a reggae artist?
On the real, Apache Indian, My brother brought a tape home one day, I think I was like 12 and he played it for me and I was amazed because he was doing reggae and he was Indian and the way he blended the 2 cultures, it sounded perfect so that inspired me to believe anything is possible.
Would you say you were influenced by the earlier reggae artists, like Super Cat (the original don dada!) whose music was also heavily fused with hip hop?
Definitely, Apache got my ear which opened me up to other reggae artists and from there Super Cat, Cutty Ranks, Buju Bantan, Shabba became my biggest influences. Also they were doing fusions with other hiphop artists at the time which was impressive because they didn’t just stick to one dimension.
Being an artist who works with many different genres, do you feel that you bring something innovative and fresh to the desi scene?
Music is made from the heart. I don’t like to force anything, If it fits then lets make it happen but if you don’t feel it flowing through your veins then you should step back and re analyze the situation. I want to make music that is timeless, I wanted to bring a fresh sound to the industry and let our people know that its ok to be different, its ok to experiment, you cant make everyone happy, as long as you try your best and give it your all, that energy will channel to the people.
What are your thoughts on the current reggae scene? Are there any artists we should watch out for?
There is always new artists breaking into the scene. My favourite artists right now are Mavado, Busy Signal, Collie Buddz, Demarco these are the new generation of artists and are bringing great music to the scene.
With music that is influenced by different cultures, Can we hear you working on a few chutney tracks soon? For the soca lovers out there?!
Music has no boundaries, I love the Caribbean culture and the people are amazing, so yes definitely you will be hearing Roach killa doing some crazy collaborations, and of course how could you say no to Jerk Chicken Rice and Peas lol
With the UK Asian music scene rapidly growing, what is the scene like in Canada ?
Canada has an evolving scene and we are doing our best to take to a next level. Uk is where people usually look out for Urban Asian Culture as its been like this for ages. So slowly but surely we will create an empire that gives opportunities to up coming artists, the chances we never had growing up.
Are there any artists in particular you have worked with that you feel stand out?
I have worked with a few artists and all of them have been elite. Just because an artist is hot, doest mean you should work with them, it’s about the chemistry of music. The artist that I would say to watch out for is the Hatian Sensation Freedom from Freedom Recordz, Look out for his 1st Single Like You Feat Snoop Doggy Dogg dropping soon. Also the New Bollywood Sensation, Parichay who is the next Heart throb for all the ladies, what can I say he has got an amazing voice, if you close your eyes you might mistake him for Sonu Nigam.
Your track ‘Yaara Dildaara' is doing particularly well in the charts! Tell us a bit about it…
The song is about a real story and im sure you can hear the emotion in my voice and with the amazing vocals of Shahid Ali Khan the student of the Great Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan, it gives it a nice blend between qawali and hip hop. The song is No.1 on the BBC Asian Network Charts currently and Im so overwhelmed with the response, thanks to everyone for the love and support, we cant do it without you!!!
What can we expect from your album ‘The Revolution'?
The album is out in the UK and is getting a tremendous response. The album reflects all the cultures I was exposed to growing up . We have a mix of Reggae, Hip Hop , Hindi and Punjabi. You have to adapt to your surroundings but can never forget where you come from that’s why I teamed up with the Legendary producer Surinder Rattan to create a new sound, a breath of fresh air.
 Are there any tracks that were especially enjoyable to make?
Of course teaming up with Apache Indian was a blessing and history in the making, No words to explain the feeling. All the songs hold meaning to me; I have a song on the album dedicated to my Mother who has been supporting me through thick and thin. The vocals are by Shahid Ali Khan and were written by Nazir Sadar who passed away recently R.I.P. so it holds a great value in my heart.
What's in the pipeline for Roach Killa?
Right now we are pushing the album THE REVOLUTION, we want to make sure that we get it to all corners of the world, we are in the process of organizing a world tour, By the grace of GOD, we have had a great response and the love from the fans is overwhelming.
Any messages for your B4U fans out there?
Music is for the people, and I want to make sure that its represented right. I believe that you have one life to achieve your dreams and goals, Don’t put todays work off till tomorrow!
Find out more about Roach Killa at www.roachkilla.com
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