A group of Valley-based youth has chosen hip-hop and rap to give vent to their emotions and are on a mission to create awareness against social evils through music.
After the release of their first album — Anecdote EP — here recently, the musical band — The Rhyme Machines — has struck a chord with the young listeners.
The band has raised contentious issues like gang rapes, acid attacks and other prevalent problems in society through their numbers.
“Our first album is getting good response from youth. We have chosen music to give vent to our emotions. Besides entertainment, we send a message through our genre of hip-hop, rap, R&B and fusion. We want to inspire the youth,” said Aamir Ame (22), a member of The Rhyme Machines.
Aamir, however, said he and other five members of the group Malik Suhail, Khan Yawar, Burhan Mir, Iram Bhat and Danish Bhat had to run from pillar to post to get sponsors for their first album.
“But now, it feels really amazing when people from the Valley call me up and congratulate me and my teammates,” he added.
Aamir, who is going through a personal trauma after his father was diagnosed with cancer, said music also helped the group and its listeners to de-stress.
The happenings in the Valley after the eruption of militancy too reverberate in their music as a song “lapata (missing)” in their upcoming album talks about the disappeared persons.
Yawar (15), who is the youngest member of the band, said he took to music just for his passion and not for money or fame.
Meanwhile, Aamir said the Valley youth were full of talent but needed encouragement and support. “I believe Kashmiris are very talented. They have great potential. Given a chance, they can surely prove themselves in every field, whether its science, arts or music,” he said.
