KOCHI: For most of us, 2020 was a year replete with learning, and most importantly, unlearning. For emerging Malayalam rapper Marthyan (@marthyan1), there couldn’t have been a better year for his comeback. Almost a year after the single ‘Thirupaad’, the 25-year-old is back in the game with ‘Ghajanaav’ which was recently released on YouTube. Beautifully synchronised with Arabian influences, the catchy hip-hop track is filled with hooks that will keep ringing in your head.
Marthyan carved a niche for himself and found a groove initially through writing, an activity which helped him get through some disturbing circumstances in life. “If you ask me, hip-hop is the only genre that can bring a change in this world. I found it relatively effortless to vocalise my thoughts and feelings through this genre. Additionally, I was instantly attracted to the rhythm that could accentuate my poetry,” says the rapper who began writing verses around 2014.
What took him so long to release ‘Ghajanaav’? “Several rappers and artists have reiterated that it is wise to keep releasing tracks to remain relevant. That isn’t in my scheme of things. Artistic expressions must be pursued for its sake and not for fame or money. I took a year-long break and worked on myself. While the beats of Ghajanaav were recorded a year-and-a-half ago, I randomly began freestyling to it recently,” says the Kozhikode native.
Marthyan wrote the song in just 30 minutes. “Primarily, everything that encompassed 2020 forms the crux of the track. All this while, we’ve been in an endless rat race. The pandemic halted us in our tracks and made us retrospect our lives and the relationships that we have built. Also, there are misconceptions that the road to excellent work is filled with toxicity. Straightforwardness is the way to choose. These have been delved into, in the track,” explains Marthyan.
Under Mix Mo studios, Kalla Sha produced the track which was directed by Down Trodden. Samuel Henry is the director of photography(DoP) and Karthik Sajeev crisply edited the scenes. Jithu Thomas gave an aesthetic touch to ‘Ghajanaav’ with VFX detailing and Mathews Joy is the associate DoP. Dancers included Sherooq Shereef, Aswini, Srilakshmi, Neeraj Sukurmaran and Suraj Sukumaran. Team Rdrz comprising Rashid Rdrz, Noufal Naaf, Safwan, Seban and Melvin added to the visual treat with their line of modified vehicles. You can watch the video on YouTube Channel Marthyan.