The Forgotten Hub: Revitalising Birmingham's Place in British Asian Music
South Asian music courses through the veins of the global music scene and recently it’s been achieving the kind of prominence its pioneers could not have imagined. While London luxuriates in South Asian artists, promising talents in Birmingham and the Midlands are overlooked. Despite its rich history, can the region adequately nurture its young creatives in today's climate? The city's infrastructure is either unfit to serve today's artists or altogether nonexistent. But with innovative investment and fresh ideas the Midlands can reclaim its influence and place at the centre of the South Asian music map.
The South Asian Scene Going Global
In the UK recently we’ve seen junglist powerhouse Nia Archives mixing Jazzy B’s Naag into her Glastonbury and Parklife sets and I’ve heard from verified people (my mate Hayden) that it went off. Further afield Jay Z treated the world’s elite to a rendition of Panjabi MC’s classic Mundian to Bach Ke at the Louis Vuitton Paris Fashion Week show.
There was also the watershed moment of Diljit Dosanjh’s emphatic entrance onto the Coachella stage. Donning a Carhatt vest and Jordans combined with a traditional black kurta and lungi, he announced “Punjabi aagaye Coachella oye” - proclaiming the Punjabis have reached Coachella. Not since Micah Richards burst onto the scene in the early 10s have we seen such an entrance. And not since the systematic destruction of the Whites, during the 2018 Asians vs Whites El Clàsico, have we felt such impact.
Diljit’s performance rightfully earned widespread global attention and acclaim. Yet the role of Birmingham in cultivating this moment has gone overlooked. Diljit chose G.O.A.T as his opener, a track the festival then spotlighted online, garnering 3.3 million Youtube views. The producer behind this viral hit? Birmingham's own G-Funk, just 20 years old at the time. As his age mate, I was staggered by the gravity of this and ended up scouring the internet to find some kind of recognition for this achievement. Nothing came up. I searched through socials and local media. Nothing.
Why does the Brum scene not reflect this today?
My limited findings made me question the state of Birmingham and the wider Midlands' British Asian music scene. This is an area whose DNA is interwoven into the global tapestry. Home to trailblazers like Apna Sangeet, Apache Indian, the aforementioned Panjabi MC, and Bally Sagoo just to name a few. Yet today, why is there such a blockage preventing the Midlands being able to sustain its influence on the map? I put this down to a distinct lack of infrastructure and support, which prevents artists from being able to gain a platform, collaborate and really get some momentum going.
And it’s not a question of a lack of willingness on the part of the artists. When I bumped into G-Funk on Soho Road doing Seva (a Sikh practice of selfless service), by handing out ice creams to passers-by for Midland Langar Seva Society, an organisation which provides over 150,000 meals per month to those in need. He echoed a strong willingness to collaborate, help fellow artists out and drive the scene forward.
There is no question that the community brims with promising talent. I recently caught up with producer A.S. Kullar, an up-and-comer out of Handsworth bending genres with soulful, sample-based, hip-hop rooted beats. He independently released the raw yet impressive Rules of Engagement EP in collaboration with another West Midlands artist, Beant Dhillon. Demonstrating his versatility, Kullar has secured a hugely impressive coup with his new track Chemical Reaction featuring New York giant Benny the Butcher, releasing this Friday. His obvious talent provides a refreshing contrast to the cookie-cutter offerings too often seen in Punjabi music right now.
Throughout our chat, Kullar lamented Birmingham's current scene and the barriers faced. He's fed up with sanitised Desi Beatz events at venues like Broad Street's Pryzm and Rosies, while Digbeth's creative hub rarely welcomes Asian music. Kullar also feels a lack of industry support from legacy institutions like Birmingham Mela, who generally invest in overseas acts rather than homegrown talent. For example the festival blew a chunk of their budget on Abdu Rozik, known largely for slapping Hasbulla, while demanding local artists foot the bill just for their own performance slots.
Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference.
While well-intentioned, SAMPAD's Birmingham Festival takeover fell short of capturing the full spectrum of British Asian talent and expression. Its somewhat docile curation seemed to fall in line with stale eurocentric aesthetics, lacking vibrancy and original thought. To genuinely reflect the multiplicity of modern British Asian creativity, a new collaborative approach is needed to represent the boldness and boundary-pushing spirit of today's talent.
How can we revitalise the scene?
London groups like Dialled In and Jawani 4eva platform South Asian artists, spur collaboration, and provide an alternate model. Birmingham must also look to the successful blueprint of Britain's black music community. Groups like GRM Daily have built a thriving ecosystem that proudly rallies behind emerging singers, rappers and producers. Birmingham is much smaller than London, yet somehow far less interconnected. Infrastructure is needed to weave the existing talent together and cultivate more, which then further reinforces the infrastructure.
As mentioned earlier, the Midlands needs innovative investment and fresh thinking to nurture its young talent. This begins with ripping up the existing blueprint and cultivating grassroots spaces and events for and by local youth, where their potential can overflow. It requires a media that properly celebrates homegrown stars rather than overlooks them. With this change in direction, Birmingham could reclaim its vanguard status in the South Asian scene.
Written by Rohan Ram