HYDERABAD: Afzal Minhaaj presents a confident picture. As a hip hop music producer, he has taken baby steps in the music industry and has uploaded three music videos and six tracks. “They were basic because there was not much budget,” he smiles.
However, the youngster dreams to make it big and is working in that direction. He is studying sound at Patsav (earlier called Panache - School of Sound) in Banjara Hills. “In this creative field, one always has ideas but to make an impact, the quality has to be top class,” he points out and adds, “I am the first one to go to the institute and the last one to leave.”
Afzal was a teenager when his family shifted from Visakhapatnam to Hyderabad. “My friend introduced me to rap and I heard One Love by Blue,” he smiles. He ‘was blown away’ when he heard Eminem. He calls his music unique as he mixes Indian elements with hip hop drum patterns. He agrees hip hop scene is niche in Hyderabad. “It is for the focussed folks and those who understand and appreciate this music,” he affirms.
What is the USP of his music? “It is fresh and not copied,” he quips. “I know a few producers who are good but they make beats according to an artiste,” he says and adds, “Drake is such a popular rapper and there are producers who make beats for Drake. I am not like that; I am trying to make something by myself. That’s what music lovers are also looking for. They want something new and fresh.” Afzal is open to working with others, but on his terms. “I am open to collaborating with anyone if they are good. I am willing to make hip hop music for others if I get good artistes; I will produce music for other artistes but my word has to be final,” he states. When we quiz him on his over confidence, he retorts, “It is not pride. I want to be perfect.”
His role model is rapper Dr. Ray. “I want to be like him. Apparently, he recorded 108 times because he didn’t like a line. In one rap, he has only six words and for those six words he recorded so many times because he wanted to be perfect. I want to be somebody like him.”
