Hip hop must stay grounded, it’s the essence of the art form: Yogi B

CHENNAI: Yogi B is back in Chennai with a live performance instore for Chennai fans along with band Natchatra at Phoenix Marketcity on January 26.

Actor and VJ MaKaPa will host the concert, while Dr Burn and Emcee Jesz will also perform. The show will also feature artistes Mc Sanna, Madurai Soldiers, Devoid, Vozhi, and Jack Styles in supporting acts.

Speaking to DT Next about the concert, Yogi B says, “We’re excited and nervous. It’s slightly nerve-racking as Chennai has evolved so much since the last time I performed here. The people here are exposed to such great music and artistes and you have to be on top of your game to give the fans a good time. Chennai fans have always been wonderful and have given us so much love over the years.”

He says the fans can expect nostalgia from the concert as they will perform many of their old songs and songs from their album. They will also be performing some of their Kollywood hits. He says what is unique about the concert is that rappers and dancers from the Tamil hip hop scene will join the band.

Commenting on how Tamil hip hop has come a long way and is blending with local folk art forms, he says, “Hip hop must stay grounded, it’s the essence of the art form. Seeing more and more local artistes venture into hip hop while fusing it with local flavours has been amazing. I would love for the trend to continue. For the rappers to work towards truly enhancing the ‘sound’ of Tamil hip hop and create our own trends rather than emulate what’s already commercially there.”

Talking about how his 2008 cover of Madai Thiranthu gained popularity on social media, he says the song was released at a time of social media infancy. “After I re-released the video recently, the love we have received is truly gratifying. Since I’m an artiste of the early 2000s, I’ve had to work extra hard to gain traction and visibility for my songs. Social media has blurred the lines today, and the ‘share’ button has truly changed the game. Your music can travel far and wide,” he adds.

So what’s next for the Tamil hip hop icon? “I plan to get my long pending album out this year. It has to come out because I’ve made everyone wait far too long,” he chuckles.

Tickets are available on BookMyShow.