Nika D is on a mission to celebrate British Asian MCs with his Trading Routes campaign. Bombay Moves with Ikka is the latest drop:
Buy and stream Bombay Moves here.
“After years of travelling to India with my Dad to visit family, I was always trying to find something that I could connect with. Then when my Dad passed away, I felt compelled to seek this out further. Then when I came across GULLY GANG and the Mumbai Hip Hop scene it was the catalyst for me, which then inspired this whole Trading Roots project.
“I’m hoping to create something that’s both groundbreaking and thought provoking – all through the universal language of music. It’s symbolic of the history and colonialism which ties our two countries together, but reconnecting this in a positive way that’s of its time.”
Read more about the Trading Routes project over at Rishma Dhaliwal’s interview for I Am Hip Hop.
Nika D has been kind enough to pull some influences together for Bonafide:
NIKA D’S FAVOURITE 5: INFLUENCES
Wiley
Still without doubt one of the greatest UK MCs of all time. He was one of the first MCs to push the sound forward from dumbed down UK Garage party lyrics to ones with substance and content. He’s also one of the most influential producers of the last 20 years.
Divine
One of the first non-English speaking rappers that I really connected with. His flow pattern, cadence and delivery is next level. Learning about his backstory into music made his movement all the more inspiring.
Potter Payper
Potter is currently the artist I’m listening to most. His ability to create images in your mind when you’re listening makes every album feel like a movie. I feel Potter has the potential to really impact the world stage and I hope he does. It would be fully deserved.
Ghetts
I’ve always really resonated with Ghetts’ approach to lyrics, his patterns and delivery hits me on pretty much every song I’ve ever heard him on. Even before he was making tracks and just freestyling on pirate radio and Sidewinder CD packs Ghetts was always bringing the energy.
Nas
Listening to Nas as 10 year old kid trying to write down all of his lyrics and learn them off by heart was one of the reasons I first got into making music. Nas has proven he can stand the test of time and his latest album Kings Disease 3 I would say is on par with some of his 90s classic albums.
