Reggae Rajahs To Play Blue Frog

Photo: Platform.

New Delhi’s Reggae Rajahs don’t compose any of their music, yet they’re widely credited for exposing Indian audiences to sounds we’ve never heard before. The trio, comprising Diggy Dang (Raghav Dang), Mr. Herbalist (Zorawar Shukla) and DJ MoCity (former Iraq resident Mohammed S. Abood), is, in fact, “India’s first reggae sound system”. In other words, they’re a traveling group of DJs and MCs that carry their own equipment and stage gigs where they entertain the crowd with a mix of reggae, ska, and rocksteady.

The members of a sound system, a performance tradition that originated in Jamaica, typically take turns selecting and mixing the tunes they play and interacting with the crowd. They distinguish themselves from other sound systems—with which they occasionally have “sound clashes” (as Reggae Rajahs did with BASSFoundation at the NH7 Weekender festival last month)—by playing rarely-heard “riddims” (the instrumental accompaniment over which they perform) and “dubplate specials” (customised recordings made especially for their ensemble). “We approach international reggae and dancehall artists, and ask them to sing over traditional reggae tracks or riddims, and they customise the lyrics to talk about us [Reggae Rajahs] or about Delhi, and include shout-outs to members,” said Dang. Like, for instance, their anti-corruption track “Mr. Politician”, which features verses by British reggae artist YT.

Their gig tonight, Thursday, December 15, at Blue Frog, has been billed as a “Christmas Jamdown”, and will showcase the talents of three visiting MCs, Mr. Williamz from London, and Mungo’s Hi Fi and Soom T. from Scotland, each of whom Reggae Rajahs is hoping will help clear people’s misconceptions about their epynomous genre. “There’s a perception that reggae is all about Bob Marley and it isn’t quite ‘dance music’, which isn’t true,” said Dang. “There’s a whole lot more to it, and we try to have funky, energetic sets.” Given how well received they were at Weekender, where incidentally their sound clash was more of an exhibition match, Reggae Rajahs should have little problem ruling the floor at the Frog.

Blue Frog

LocationMathuradas Mills Compound
Tulsi Pipe Road
Lower Parel

Phone6158 6158

Relevant DatesThursday, December 15

Hours10pm

Ticketing & Price InfoRs300

Websitewww.bluefrog.co.in