If you remember grooving to the 1994 popular song ‘Boom Shack-A-Lack’, you will also most certainly remember the reggae rage of the time, Apache Indian. After a hiatus of three years, he once again performs in India, at Raasta in the capital city. Old favourites such as ‘Chok There’ and ‘Arranged Marriage’ will thrown in equal measures to tunes from his new album In JA.
He was first artiste in the UK of Indian origin to make a huge impact on the musical scene in the 90s. And since then, life has changed only for the better. “I’ve been spending a lot of time in the US. I recorded In JA with two of my favourite producers, Jim Beanz and Charlie Hype. It’s a genuine reggae album that changed a lot for me,” says Apache Indian, whose name comes from a reggae artist he grew up listening to, Wild Apache.
Besides recording, work at his Apache Indian Music Academy (AIM), that he started four years ago in his hometown of Handsworth Birmingham, has picked pace. He dedicates a lot of time each day to help young people with music and life skills and give back to the local community from the same streets where he grew up. “I would love to open a branch in India. That may be a project for 2018,” he says.
Music has been his first love, but in the last few years, he’s let himself fall into an affair with food. Here’s a little secret. He is considering opening a line of restaurants called Apache’s Indian. Watch out for that.
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June 8, at Raasta, Hauz Khas Village, 9 pm onwards. Reservations required.