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This article was originally submitted by Westrex
“Every passion demands hard work” –Mr Dawar, the youngest underground rapper from Lahore.
Mr Dawar was born on 23 December 2001 in Lahore, Pakistan to a family with humble means. He was 13 years old when he released his first track on a Pakistani music site as an independent artist. He mostly targets societal issues and the social problems of slums in his lyrics. Today his struggle pays him back in the form of success and he’s one of the notable icons of Pakistani underground rap scene.
We sat down with Dawar and asked him a few interesting questions; which once again, proved that real maturity comes with experience. So without further ado:
When did you start your journey as an underground rapper?
“I used to do poetry since class 7 or 6 and I’ve also had a lot of interest in hip-hop music from day one. In 2015 I made a track named “No-Friends” using my PC and handsfree microphone. When that track was released I showed it to my mother and she asked me twice if it was really written by me? When I assured by showing my diary on which I had written all the stuff she was really impressed and showed a lot of support and advised me that ” Do good things but always give first priority to your studies”. From that to now I am doing this along with my studies.”
What was your inspiration? What made you choose singing as a career?
In starting days I presented my pre-written poetry in my tracks but later I realize that music hits listeners in a very deep way. So, I started to write on social issues and poor people’s problems that target our society. Senior artists are not my inspirations my real inspiration are the teenage day-labour boys; who leave the house early morning and return at night with little money. Their hard work makes me become their voice and hip-hop music is my medium.
What was your vision behind this whole journey of becoming an individual artist? What motivated you?
I have a lot of visions behind this such as, to give the knowledge to our public about real hip-hop music. They don’t even know what real rap is the image of the rapper in Pakistan is just like a dude with chains and rings with some tattoos and lyrics of cars money etc. My motivation is each and every positive comment, review and support.
Do you think that it is the role of our music industry to support individual artists like you?
Our music industry is just looking for contract signing with rising artists who make their fanbase by their own hard work. but they also only chose the artists who make commercial tracks that are not even close to real hip-hop.
What do you think stops our music industry from giving you a chance to reach the maximum audience? What might be the possible reasons?
The main and only reason is our music industry wants artists to work as dummies.
If you could bring any change in our music industry, what would it be?
I am damn sure I can bring change to the problem of making a difference between rich and poor. Women’s rights, Women harassment, Social awareness, and such.
Do you often get offers for performing in concerts? How many times have you performed so far?
Alhamdulilah I have performed on 10+ platforms and the people who hear my music always ask for my channel or more released music because my lyrics hit them and this gives me a lot of motivation.
What do you think our audience loves more: songs with filthy lyrics that are mostly based on the projection of women bodies or do they like positive content produced by artists like you?
Our audience is like a newborn baby when it comes to underground hip-hop. If they get the right music in their playlist or right music will be pumped or promoted on large scale they will definitely like it more as compared to commercial tracks ( showing: women bodies, cars, money )
Do you think that Pakistani listeners are supportive enough? Do they show support by following you on social media accounts?
Yes, the real listeners are like as loyal as brothers/sisters they share tracks as much as they can. They try their best to promote track and artists too they follow us on all platforms they share our kinds of music.
What is the most trouble you’ve ever gotten into because of the explicit lyrics of your songs about social issues?
I don’t use that much of explicit lyrics that consider my song as 18+ or stuff. But yeah I use some of the bitter wordings – humour; which hit commercial artists most of the time and they start tricks to bring my voice down by spreading hate about my style my music but they are failing every time Alhamdulilah.
Do you think that you can change your audience’s perception in a better way, through your positive content?
I am changing the perception of my listeners even they are 1000 or 10 whenever they listen to me there’s always a positive change in them. InshAllah if I get millions of listeners I will change their bad thinking or concepts in good ways.
Do you believe that music can help you to shed light on the current social issues and to spread awareness?
Music/Hip-hop is the best medium to express your feelings because it directly hits in the feelings of listeners and we all know if something hits us it leaves a change in us.
