Lockdown E Bondho: Australian and Kolkota Indian disabled hip hop artists create bilingual cross cultural collaboration

The ground breaking intercontinental disability hip hop project, LOCKDOWN E BONDHO “Because Of The Lockdown”, will launch to an international audience simultaneously in Melbourne, India and to the global network of hip hop artists through Krip Hop Nation (USA) on 3 December, International Day of People with Disability.

During lockdown, Inkrewsive a group of 13 young Australian disabled hip hop artists collaborated with 6 students with intellectual disabilities from Monovikas School in Kolkata, India to produce a bilingual hip hop track. The Australian Inkrewsive members worked alongside the young people from Kolkata over Zoom in a bilingual workshop setting to write, record, film and launch the music video in a ground breaking intercontinental cross-cultural collaboration.

The project explored the experience of the story tellers across two cities throughout the extraordinary period of the Covid19 pandemic – the struggle and suffering, the human solidarity and desire to overcome as told through the unique voice of people with disability. The English and Bengali title, Lockdown E Bondho translates to “Because of Lockdown”.

Professional hip hop artists Yung Philly (Melbourne) and iconic Beganli rapper Cizzy (Kolkata) facilitated the writing, beat making and recording of the new song. Film makers from each city worked with the young disabled artists to shoot footage in both cities which was edited to create a unified music video from two distinctly different lands.

On 3 December, International Day of Persons With Disabilities, the project will culminate with a fully accessible in person live and internationally streamed launch in Melbourne featuring live performances, cyphers and freestyles by Inkrewsive, Emmy Award winning disabled African American hip hop artist, Keith Jones, well known Melbourne freestyle rapper Yung Philly and live streamed appearances from Kolkata participants and iconic Bengali rapper Cizzy.
 
The project was designed and directed by long term disability arts collaborator and leader Phil Heuzenroeder, Executive Director of Wild At Heart.  Heuzenroeder and Reena Dewan, Director of Kolkata Creativity Centre, met as participants of an international arts leaders program in 2019. Both have a shared passion for access to creativity and community. 

“The project has achieved a powerful new artistic work from young people who are never seen or heard. These are voices of people never heard, an underclass, telling their story through the power of hip hop, in a project spanning two continents at a time of global pandemic and human disconnection. It has been an audacious and exciting journey,” said Phil Heuzenroeder.

MUSIC VIDEO LAUNCH:

Date: 3 December – International Day for Persons with Disability
Time:  6pm for 6.30pm start until 7.30pm
Venue: Loop Project Space and Bar – 23 Meyers Pl, Melbourne 
Cost: FREE
Launch will be live streamed on Wild At Heart’s Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/wildatheartcommunityarts)
 
The single will be available on YouTube post launch

Short URL: https://indiandownunder.com.au/?p=17196