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How Das Racist and its Indian-American rappers have redefined the New York indie rap scene.
I'm at the Pizza Hut. (What?)
I'm at the Taco Bell (Naw)
I'm at the combination Pizza Hut and Taco Bell
Their music polarises. Gibberish to some, the future of rap to others. But Das Racist - with Indian Americans Himanshu Suri, Ashok Kondabolu and Californian Victor Vazquez - attracts attention. Simmering anarchy prevails through their brainy lyrics, boisterous videos and haphazard live shows. Even their stage names suggest quiet rebellion. MC Suri goes by Heems,Vazquez is Kool AD and Kondabolu - Dap. At first glance, their 2008 song Combination Pizza Hut Taco Bell might sound like catchy twaddle, but for many listeners, it was a commentary on the prevalence of commercialisation and the illusion of choice.
A Guardian article commented, "Das Racist are bringing new racial and cultural identities to rap that have rarely spoken before, erasing the tribal baggage hip-hop's getting squashed by and opening things up to a Technicolor, worldwide future." 2011 was their year, with Rolling Stone anointing their album Relax...