Tamil hip-hop legend Yogi B on returning with Natchatra and value of tangible music in a streaming world
(Originally published in The Hindu on January 24, 2023)
With warmth and an infectious smile, Yogi B, inarguably the pioneer of Tamil hip-hop, speaks about how excited he is to perform in Chennai. “There’s just something about coming back to my motherland that makes it soulful and refreshing. Even if it is just about sitting with a friend and sipping chai.” This time, however, it feels like stepping into a different world, says Yogi. “Coming here after the pandemic feels like a reset; to my life and the world as I know it. Seeing how people are living now, after surviving the pandemic, makes it feel like a new world to me.”
This Thursday, Yogi is performing at Phoenix Marketcity, Chennai, along with Emcee Jesz and Dr Burn. Popularly known as Yogi B & Natchatra, the Malaysia-basedensemble is returning to perform in Tamil Nadu after almost 15 years, and Yogi says that it was the music consumption trends during the pandemic that gave them the push to do this. “There is a demand among fans to see artists they grew up with; it’s a retro wave that’s happening all over the world.
“During the pandemic, when there was silence all around, people thought ‘mavane, what is valuable in life? Which music kept us going and captured those valuable moments?’ And there came a value in looking back. We, Yogi B & Natchatra, are lucky to still have a place in the hearts of people.” There’s another reason for the concert as well, one that is close to Yogi. The artist rightfully wears it on his sleeve…
Read the full interview here: