Bobby Friction and Nihal: Bhangra Knights

The Guardian (UK) has published a nice profile of British Asian Radio DJ's, Bobby Friction and Nihal (Did you guess that from the Title?). The two DJ's left last week for India, where they were going to play an afterparty for the MTV India IMMIES, to broadcast a show of what music is hot in India, and to play a set at the country's first stand-alone nightclub in Delhi, whose very existence is evidence of a seismic shift in Indian youth culture.

The fact that Friction and Nihal's show has a primetime slot on national radio also speaks volumes for the rising profile of British Asian culture. A few years ago it would have been unthinkable to hear a Radio 1 DJ play an unreleased bhangra track to a nationwide audience. Then, in 2003, Panjabi MC's Mundian To Bach Ke, with its sample from the theme tune to Knight Rider, became a national hit. A huge and vibrant culture, that had hitherto remained isolated, was exposed to the wider world.

If you don't listen to their show, you should. To do so, click here. Each show can be played back in real player for an entire week after the air date.

To read the rest of the article, click here.

posted by sajit @ 10:50 PM