Dalit erasure, or how Rolling Stone India failed to demonstrate diligent storytelling · Global Voices
Screenshot from the music video “Enjoy Enjaami” by <PERSON> ft. <PERSON> via YouTube. Fair use.
Pop culture magazine Rolling Stone India and music platform Maajja launched a special cover in August 2021 titled ‘Back to the Roots,’ carrying in-depth interviews of Sri Lankan Tamil singer <PERSON> (<PERSON>) and Tamil Canadian recording artist <PERSON> as part of their reportage on Tamil indie musicians blurring local and global borders — the same spotlight was denied to Indian Tamil rapper <PERSON> (<PERSON>), known for his anti-caste lyrics and for anchoring the hugely popular tracks ‘Enjoy Enjaami‘ and ‘Neeye Oli,’ which were part of the story. This stirred controversy and widespread displeasure, forcing those in charge to hastily make reparations.
In India, when a song reaches the radios that play in corner tea shops, it’s hit the masses. Enjoy Enjaami did just that. Conceived by a group of independent Tamil musicians (<PERSON>, and <PERSON> amongst others), the groovy song weaved together incendiary words, and incorporated hip hop elements of R&B and oppari, a folk music style from Tamil Nadu. <PERSON> also wrote the lyrics, which bring his trademark radical words layered with bold political commentary from the streets. They are inspired by events of colonial India, talking about civilizations and natural resources, and are a homage to Tamil culture and people. <PERSON> described the song as an evocative tribute to his grandmother <PERSON> and their ancestors.
<PERSON> and her family are descended from a large group of forgotten landless Tamil labourers who migrated to Sri Lanka in the 18th and 19th centuries in search of better livelihoods. They navigated oppression and disenfranchisement and retraced their steps to South India, only to be treated as outsiders there too. <PERSON>’s grandmother and others like her faced this head-on and survived, reclaiming joy and pride one middling day at a time.
This is the emotion, wisdom and soul that Arivu poignantly blends and celebrates. Sample these words:
“Naan anju maram valarthen… Azhagana thottam vachchen… Thottam sezhithaalum en thonda nanaiyalaye.a”
I planted five trees… and nurtured a beautiful garden…. 23
though the garden is flourishing, my throat remains dry.
However, the release was not without its fair share of discomfort. As soon as it was released, the video was declared feudal, unsavoury and contrary to the politics that the lyrics stood for. It drew heavily on African symbolism which, apart from not being culturally related to Dalit, Bahujan (a Pali word that means “the many”), and Adivasi (indigenous tribe) aesthetics, felt gimmicky and forced. The video foregrounded <PERSON> and sidelined <PERSON>, almost relegating him to a prop meant to garner some woke tokens.
This was not a popular opinion, though. The song went on to become a resounding global success and gained phenomenal mileage. With 30 million views on YouTube, in less than two weeks, it was curated in 11 Spotify playlists, including 2 international ones, a first for a Tamil single.
<PERSON> soon landed the opportunity to remix the song with French Algerian record producer <PERSON> as a part of Spotify's new global music singles. Prominent billboards in New York’s Times Square showcased the duo to the world as part of promotional campaigns for the streaming platform. <PERSON> was visibly missing. Whispers started brewing about the possible appropriation of heritage and more.
An irked <PERSON> tweeted:
Enjoy Enjaami is a song written by Dalit rapper <PERSON> about his grandma who was a plantation worker. Brahmin singer <PERSON> appropriates the song, now DJ <PERSON> collabs with her. <PERSON> is totally erased from his own song by everyone. This is how UCs have historically stolen Dalit art pic.twitter.com/o5UK5W4Du1
— <PERSON> (@Sankul333) June 26, 2021
A few months down the line, Maajja (the music house behind the single) chose to launch <PERSON> and <PERSON>, a singer with Jaffna Tamil roots from Canada, in their upcoming releases. This led to a cover and long-form interview with Rolling Stone India in August 2021. 23