Ankur Tewari: Saying that all hip hop sounds the same is like saying all Asians look the same
Singer-songwriter Ankur Tewari, who is a member of Music Composer’s Association of India’s (MCAI), is appalled by the body’s recent statement that hip hop songs can be plagiarised since they sound similar.
Singer-songwriter Ankur Tewari, who is a member of the Music Composers Association of India (MCAI), doesn’t agree with the body’s decision to give a clean chit to this years IPL Anthem, titled Aayenge Hum Waps. “I have heard both the versions, Kr$na’s original and the IPL anthem and as a musician, I see this as a clear case of plagiarism,” Tewari tells us.
For the uninitiated, last week, Delhi-based rapper Krishna Kaul aKa Kr$na had accused the maker of the anthem, Pranav Ajayrao Malpure, of copying the track from his song, Dekh Kaun Aaya Wapas, which released in 2017. Malpure defended the accusations and also furnished a certificate from the MCAI clearing him off all the plagiarism accusations.
Tewari, on Twitter, also called out the MCAI for making a “boomer comment” after the body, as accused by Kr$na, said that plagiarism is permissible in the case of rap songs because they sound similar.
He feels the observations are inappropriate. “From what I read in Kr$na’s tweet it seems that MCAI and I have different points of view on the matter. Them [MCAI] saying that all hip hop sounds the same is like saying all Asians look the same - It’s highly insensitive and inappropriate,” he tells us.
Recently Raftaar had told us that MCAI need to have someone “who understands” hip hop music, on their decision-making panel. “I understand where they are coming from and their logic as well. But they are not aware about this style of music, and naturally don’t understand the technicalities of it. Its therefore important, that someone from our community (of rappers) is a member of their decision making team, who can help them reach the truth,” he had told us in an interview.
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