Apache Indian is the stage name of the reggae dee jay/toaster, Steven Kapur (born 11 May 1967, Handsworth, Birmingham).[1]
Biography and career
Born into a family of Indian origins, Kapur grew up in Handsworth, a racially mixed area with large Black and Asian communities, home of reggae bands such as Steel Pulse, and by the early 1980s he was working with local sound systems and wearing dreadlocks.[1] By the mid-1980s he had trimmed his hair and began to make a name for himself as a dancehall deejay, and he recorded his first single in 1990, "Movie Over India", initially a white-label pressing, until it was picked up by the reggae distributor Jet Star.[1] The single mixed ragga and bhangra and was hugely popular among audiences of both genres.[1] Two further singles followed in a similar vein, "Chok There" and "Don Raja", bringing him to the attention of the major labels, and in 1992 he signed a recording contract with Island Records.[1]
With the collaboration of his cousins Simon & Diamond now referred to as Dj Swami, he introduced the new hybrid sound of bhangra raggamuffin - also known as bhangramuffin - to the world with his first album No Reservations, recorded in Jamaica and produced by Simon & Diamond, Phil Chill, Robert Livingston, Bobby Digital and Sly Dunbar) in 1993.[1] It was followed by Make Way for the Indian, (produced by Sly & Robbie, The Press, Mafia & Fluxy, Pandit Dinesh and Chris Lane), which featured rapper Tim Dog and spawned the hit, "Boom Shack-A-Lak". By 1997 he had been dropped by Island and his next album,[2] Real People / Wild East (produced by Harjinder Boparai) proved to be his most experimental album, and also featured more Indian elements than the other albums. In his heyday, he also made an appearance in the Tamil film, Love Birds, dancing alongside Prabhu Deva.
Lyrically, Apache Indian usually sings in Jamaican patois, and is known for his sharp social criticism - ("Arranged Marriage" featuring Natacha Atlas; "Mention") as well as his party tracks ("Boom Shack-A-Lak", "Jump Up").
Apache Indian has recorded with Boyz II Men, Blackstreet, Wreckx 'n' Effect, UB40, the United States chart topper Sean Paul, Maxi Priest, General Levy, Brian and Tony Gold, Shaggy, Yami Bolo, Boy George, A. R. Rahman, Sameera Singh, Asha Bhosle and Pras of the Fugees, Malkit Singh, Dalvinder Singh, Kaptain Laadi plus more recently with Jazzy B (self proclaimed as the Crown Prince of Bhangra) on the album Dil Luteya and Aman Hayer on the album Groundshaker II.
Reggae singer Sean Paul, who has been on the top of Billboard charts with his single with Beyoncé Knowles, toured the U.S. with Apache Indian.
For his first album No Reservation, he had signed a recording contract worth £250,000 with Island Records - one of the largest sums paid for a debut album by a non-white artist.
"Boomshackalack" was featured in five different Hollywood movies, including Dumb and Dumber. More significantly, the song has featured in a record 52 commercials across the globe, featuring various brands.[citation needed] It is also featured on the soundtrack for Scooby-Doo 2: Monsters Unleashed, along with artists such as Fatboy Slim, The B-52's, 2 Unlimited and New Radicals.
His single "Om Numah Shivaya" features on the Putumayo World Music compilation album, World Reggae which is a collection of reggae tracks performed by artists from around the world.
Apache Indian was also nominated for the Central Britain Media and Arts Asian Jewel Award in 2004.
Apache Indian is fluent in Punjabi, which makes his collaborations with Bhangra artists a regular endeavour.He also collaborated with sunidhi chauhan and alisha chinai in his new album sadhu- the movement. Two of the productions on Sadhu - The Movement which featured Alisha Chinai were produced by the highly popular Hip Hop & Rnb DJ - DJ Fricktion of Def Jam Uk.
Apache Indian has also been involved with numerous multicultural initiatives, such as appearing on stage as special international guest performer at Toronto's Dundas Square as part of the 'desiFest' May 2008 South Asian Heritage Month celebration.
Awards
- Best Newcomer British Reggae Industry Awards 1990[1]
- Best Male Newcomer British Reggae Industry Awards 1992
- Outstanding Service & Contribution Yuva Rttan Awards 1992
- Vaisakhi Awards Vaisakhi Celebration Awards 1993
- Appreciation Awards Rotary Club Delhi 1993
- Appreciation Awards National Association of The Blind 1993
- Best Reggae Video Black Music Awards 1993
- Ambassador Awards Caribbean Crucible 1993 (CANADA)
- Best Rapper/Rap Track/Best Live Act Independent Asian Music Poll Awards 1994
- Best Asian Mainstream Singer Movie Bhangra Awards 1997 (UK)
- Appreciation Awards BBC Networks East Mega Mela 1999 (UK)
- DJ Awards Asian DJ Awards (Entasi & Apna Beat) 1994
- Best Newcomber Reggae Awards 1991
- Best Newcomber Asian Awards 1991
- Four Nominations Brit Awards 1993
Discography
Albums
Singles
- 1990 "Movie Over India"
- 199? "Chok There"
- 199? "Don Raja"
- 1992 "Fe' Real" UK #33
- 1993 "Boom Shack-A-Lak"
- 1993 "Arranged Marriage" UK #16
- 1993 Chok There UK #30
- 1993 Nuff Vibes (EP) UK #5
- 1993 "Movin' On" UK #48
- 1994 "Music Relief" Charity Single #12
- 1994 "Wrecxx Shop" UK #26 (Wreckx-N-Effect Featuring Apache Indian)
- 1995 "Make Way for the Indian" UK #29 (Apache Indian & Tim Dog)
- 1995 "Ragamuffin Girl" (feat. Frankie Paul) UK #31
- 1997 "Lovin' (Let Me Love You)" UK #53
- 1997 "Real People" UK #66
- 2005 "Om Numah Shivaya"
- 2005 "The Israelites" (vs. Desmond Dekker) UK #239
- 2006 "Teriyan Adawaan" (Preet Harpal)
- 2005 "Dil Lutiye" (Jazzy B)
- 2007 "Ground Shaker 2" (Kudi Dekhi Lagdi by Aman Hayer)
- 2009 "Sohni Lagdi" (Punjabi by nature)
References
- ^ a b c d e f g Larkin, Colin (1998) The Virgin Encyclopedia of Reggae, Virgin Books, ISBN 0-7535-0242-9, p.13
- ^ Moskowitz, David V. (2006) Caribbean Popular Music: an Encyclopedia of Reggae, Mento, Ska, Rock Steady, and Dancehall, Greenwood Press, ISBN 0-313-33158-8, p.14
External links
