City-based hip-hop duo Streetfood Music, which comprises rappers Cizzy and Joesjoint, unveiled the music video for their new song, Bunohansh, at Norwegians recently.
The duo have been a prominent part of Kolkata’s Bangla indie rap scene since 2017, and their latest is an ode to Kolkata’s potential – of becoming an epicentre of culture again. “Bunohansh – a wild goose – is our mascot, through which we urge people to remind themselves of their full potential and roar back at nay-sayers. This song is a testament to the intrinsic fire people have, to be their best self,” said the duo. The song attempts to find a correlation between the hurdles artists face and the struggles of the city, while pondering over its gossip culture, politics, social media and jumping causes.
Conceptualised during the first lockdown in 2020, the music video was shot over two days during the first unlock phase at Country Roads Resort. Apart from featuring the duo, the video also captures artist Steve80 painting the portrait of the single’s cover art.
The video has been produced by psychiatrist Dr Ranjan Ghosh of Good Karma, who has been trying to create mental health awareness through his love for hip hop, and in the process, also break preconceived notions about rap. “Both Cizzy and Joesjoint have greatly educated me, and have done groundbreaking work in the last few years,” he said.
The event was a moment of celebration for the city’s hip-hop community, which gathered to celebrate independent Bangla rap. “In the current situation, we require a space where we can protest, have our voices heard and form a different identity. The underground rap community has a large contribution in creating such a space,” said Jayanti Datta, a professor at South City College and an academic writer on hip-hop culture.
