Darjeeling gears up for a rap battle at unique music event at Glenary’s

The hills are ready to witness a royal battle of words, music and wit.

The Darjeeling Initiative and the Edwards Foundation, two social organizations in Darjeeling, and the Artists of Darjeeling (AOD) have decided to hold the very first “freestyle rap battle” in this hill town next month.

The aim of the event is to connect with young people and spread the message about the evils of drug abuse.

“The very first freestyle rap battle will take place at Buzz (a pub) in Glenary’s on October 8 and there are cash prizes to be won,” said Praggya Lama, a well-known musician in the Nepalese music industry.

In a freestyle rap battle, a concept in the music world that began in the 1980s, an impromptu musical piece is performed by the organizers and participants have to “fight” against each other through lyrics and clever word games. The emphasis is on the rapper’s improvisational skills. It is considered shameful to recite pre-written or memorized rap during a freestyle battle.

“Such contests weren’t held in the hills, but many young people are adopting this genre. We wanted to give due recognition to this genre and provide a platform for talented young people, ”said Arbind Subba, member of Darjeeling Initiative.

In the freestyle rap battle, many believe that much of the victory depends on how the audience reacts to a rapper. The winner is however judged by a jury.

“We invite everyone to participate in the event because our motto is to raise awareness about the evils of drug abuse,” said Subba.

Forms for the event will be distributed at Glenary’s starting Sunday.