JUST before our interview with Roshan Jamrock (real name Roshan Nair), he and his K-Town Clan buddies Big Bo and Dra-Vid had just finished a recording session. Roshan runs a studio with another partner and when the movement control order (MCO) was announced, all the band’s activities were put on hold.
When asked about the recording, he said: “This is for a single. This is the direction we are taking. We will be focusing more on singles, and not so much on albums.
“I recently launched my solo album, ROCSTEADY. I took the full digital approach. What makes my album different is that not all my songs have been released on streaming platforms. So when you buy my album (available on the band’s website), you will get songs that [have never been] released elsewhere. It has been selling well.”
He noted that due to the times, the band has had to release all its work digitally, and also saw a lot of shows cancelled.
“We have had three shows cancelled and done jobs in the side. It is a bit tough on the live performance side, but we have still been doing things from home. We have been streaming concerts, but nothing beats live shows.”
Malaysia has had a rap and hip hop scene for many years, but artistes are still considered a part of the independent music industry. When international recording label Def Jam Recordings set up a Southeast Asian branch late last year, it was a testament to the thriving hip hop scene in this part of the world.
Roshan said: “I think many people are [now] looking at Asia.”
The name K-Town Clan was derived from the fact that all three members hail from Kajang, and from their love for Ninja comics, which featured different clans.
“We kept it as ‘Kajang Town Clan’, which means everyone from Kajang can be a member of this clan.”
The band has released two albums to date, Playground (2011) and Crunk Cowboys and the Moon $hine Music (2018).
Though their music is ‘hip hop crunk’, K-Town Clan has their own unique vibe, making them sound different from other hip hop bands.
“[On] the production side, we like to add some Indian sounds in our music. Otherwise everything will sound the same.”
As a solo artiste, Roshan likes a wide variety of musical genres.
“K-Town has been doing this for 15 years now. We have our own sound, audience and target market. K-Town does ‘party music’, crazy, loud and very suited for parties. To be very blunt, if you are drinking, that is the kind of music you want to listen to.
“When I sing solo, I could suddenly pick up a guitar and sing a love song and do the party sound as well.”
Roshan admitted that he spent too much time in his younger days trying to fit into a mould and to be accepted.
“I believe you should be yourself, do what you want. If you want to do a love song, do a love song. Don’t worry about people putting a label on you. As a solo artiste I can produce, and pull off a lot of different things.”
Roshan has been featured on the soundtrack of the hit 2016 Indian movie Kabali, as well as on the soundtracks of other Indian Tamil-language films such as Kaala (2018) and Bairavaa (2017).
“It was cutting edge for me, especially. I don’t speak proper Tamil. As with people pursuing something, you have goals and dreams. I never had any intention to tap into the Indian market but all of a sudden I was in the studio recording a Rajnikanth song.
“It led to two different movies, singing four different songs. Why I feel it is amazing is that it shows that life can take a different turn. You never expect it to happen.
“I am the last person you would think would do a song for Rajnikanth. For a guy who could barely speak Tamil, I hit the jackpot with the King. I embrace it and am grateful for this opportunity. Sometimes things like this make you wonder.”
He feels when things like this happens, it gives younger artistes the hope that it could also happen to them. “All I have to do is put in the work and it could happen to me. We never know what could bloom out of our perseverance.”
