Yogi B
Yogi B | |
|---|---|
| Born | Yogeswaran Veerasingam December 14, 1974 |
| Genres | Hip hop, rap |
| Occupations | Singer, songwriter, record producer |
| Years active | 1990–present |
| Formerly of | Poetic Ammo |
Balakrishna Ganeshan Yogeswaran Veerasingam (born December 14, 1974), popularly known by his stage name Yogi B or Yogi B., is a Malaysian Tamil rapper and music producer. He is noted for his pioneering contributions to the Tamil hip-hop genre.[1][2]
Early life
[edit | edit source]Yogeswaran Veerasingam was born on December 14,1974, in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, and grew up in a multicultural environment that would later influence his musical career.[2] Raised in an Indian Tamil-speaking family, Yogeswaran's early exposure to diverse languages and cultural traditions played a crucial role in shaping his unique musical style. His grandfather, Kumaraswamy, was a notable Dravidian leader in Malaysia, known for his advocacy and impact within the Dravidian movement.[2]
Career
[edit | edit source]Poetic Ammo
[edit | edit source]Yogi B founded the Malaysian hip-hop group Poetic Ammo in the mid-1990s.[3] Besides Yogi B, it consisted of Chandrakumar Balakrishnan (aka Land Slyde), Nicholas Ong (aka Point Blanc), and Sashi Kumar Balakrishnan (aka C. Loco). Although most of the group's songs were written in English, they also released tracks in Malay, Tamil, and Cantonese.[4][5]
The band won the 'Best English Album' award at the Malaysian Anugerah Industri Muzik (AIM) Music Awards in 1999.[6] They also received the 'Best Music Video' award at AIM in 2000 and 2001. Their music video 'Money Money' gained widespread national and international acclaim.[7]
Rise to fame
[edit | edit source]The mid-2000s were transformative for Yogi B, marked by a surge in the popularity of Tamil hip-hop. His collaboration with the rap duo Natchatra (consisting of Dr. Burn and Emcee Jesz) played a pivotal role in this rise.[8] In 2006, Yogi B achieved notable success with the release of the album Vallavan.[1] Yogi B also served as the executive producer of the album.
The album's standout track, "Madai Thiranthu", became a sensation, resonating with both the Tamil diaspora and the Tamil community in India.[9] The song, a unique fusion of the classic Ilaiyaraaja number with contemporary rap, captivated audiences worldwide. It garnered significant recognition from the Tamil diaspora in London, Australia, Sri Lanka, and Scandinavian countries. In South India, the song became closely associated with the now-defunct SS Music channel, which played it frequently. The album sold more than 25,000 units.[2]
Playback singing
[edit | edit source]In 2007, Yogi B made his debut in the Tamil film industry with Polladhavan. He performed the song "Engaeyum Eppothum", a track that featured legendary playback singer S. P. Balasubrahmanyam and which was a remix of the similarly-named song from Ninaithale Inikkum. Yogi B's collaboration on this track marked a significant milestone in his career, bridging his independent music success with mainstream cinema.
Following his success with Polladhavan, Yogi B continued to collaborate with several renowned music composers, further establishing his presence in the Tamil film industry. He has worked with Vidyasagar (Kuruvi), A. R. Rahman (Enthiran), Sean Roldan (Velaiyilla Pattathari 2), Santhosh Narayanan (Kaala), D. Imman (Tik Tik Tik), and Anirudh Ravichander (Darbar).[10]
Discography
[edit | edit source]Yogi B discography
[edit | edit source]| Year | Album | Artists | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1998 | It's a Nice Day to Be Alive | Poetic Ammo | [11] |
| 2000 | The World Is Yours | Poetic Ammo | [12] |
| 2003 | Return of Tha' Boombox | Poetic Ammo | [13] |
| 2006 | Vallavan | Yogi B and Natchatra | [9] |
Discography
[edit | edit source]As singer
[edit | edit source]| Year | Movie | Song | Co-artists | Composer | Language | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2007 | Polladhavan | "Engeyum Eppothum" | S. P. Balasubrahmanyam, Sunitha Sarathy | Yogi B | Tamil | Also co-lyricist |
| 2008 | Kuruvi | "Happy New Year" | Dr. Burn, Emcee Jesz, Sunidhi Chauhan | Vidyasagar | ||
| Ghajini | "BGM Rap Verse (Run Run)" | A. R. Rahman | Hindi | |||
| 2010 | Enthiran | "Boom Boom Robot Da" | Keerthi Sagathia, Shweta Mohan, Tanvi Shah | Tamil | ||
| Robo (D) | "Boom Boom Robo Da" | Telugu | ||||
| 2011 | Aadukalam | "Porkkalam (Tamil Rap)" | Alwa Vasu | G. V. Prakash Kumar | Tamil | |
| "Warriors (English Rap)" | Also lyricist | |||||
| 2017 | Velaiilla Pattadhari 2 | "Life of Raghuvaran — Nada Da Raja" | Dhanush | Sean Roldan | Also co-lyricist | |
| VIP 2 (D) | Rahul Nambiar | Telugu | ||||
| VIP 2 (D) | "Life of Raghuvaran — Chal Re Raja" | Hindi | ||||
| Vivegam | "Surviva" | Anirudh Ravichander, Mali Manoj | Anirudh Ravichander | Tamil | ||
| Vivekam (D) | Anirudh Ravichander, Ranjith, Mali | Telugu | ||||
| 2018 | Kaala | "Katravai Patravai" | Arunraja Kamaraj, Roshan Jamrock | Santhosh Narayanan | Tamil | |
| Tik Tik Tik | "Tik Tik Tik (Title Track)" | Yuvan Shankar Raja, Sunitha Sarathy | D. Imman | |||
| Ezhumin | "Poraadu Da" | Anand Aravindakshan | Ganesh Chandrasekaran | |||
| 2020 | Darbar | "Thani Vazhi" | Anirudh Ravichander, Shakthisree Gopalan | Anirudh Ravichander | Also co-lyricist | |
| Athigaari | "Rudra V Parama" | Yunohoo, Pavithra Nair | Shameshan Mani Maran | Tamil | Also lyricist | |
| 2021 | Salaga | "Salaga Title Track" | Sharath, Charan Raj, Sanjith Hegde | Charan Raj | Kannada | |
| 2023 | Tamilarasan | "Thamilarasan (Title Track)" | Suzanne D'Mello, Nakash Aziz | Ilaiyaraaja | Tamil | |
| 2024 | Viduthalai Part 2 | "Poruthadhu Podham" | Ilaiyaraaja | Tamil |
As music director
[edit | edit source]| Year | Movie | Language |
|---|---|---|
| 2011 | Oru Vaarthai Pesu | Tamil |
Personal life
[edit | edit source]Yogi B attributes much of his success as a Tamil hip-hop artist to the invaluable support of his mother, who died in 2013.[14] Her demise affected him both personally and professionally. This loss, combined with two major surgeries for goitre, created a period of intense difficulty for him.[2] Yogi B's mother played a crucial role in his musical career by assisting with the translation of Tamil rap portions, ensuring that the poetry and lyrical integrity were preserved.
Yogi B has expressed admiration for The Casteless Collective, an anti-caste music group founded by filmmaker Pa. Ranjith's Neelam Cultural Centre.[2] Yogi B said that the collective’s alignment with social justice themes and its stance against caste discrimination resonate with his own values and artistic vision.
Legacy
[edit | edit source]Yogi B's contributions to Tamil hip-hop have had a lasting impact on the genre.[15][16] His ability to merge Tamil cultural elements with contemporary hip-hop has influenced a new generation of artists and shaped the evolution of South Asian music. His innovative work earned him the nickname 'Godfather of Tamil Hip-Hop'.[2][8]
References
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