Vibes that make a difference
Pix by Nissanka Meegoda
Sometimes in a world where many differences can create a divide be it religious or racial it is often through music, that one makes a connection, it’s the melody that brings people together.
Twenty five years in the international music industry, this is just what renowned musician Apache Indian(aka Steven Kapur), believes in, and it’s what makes his music relevant, we find out.
We met up with Apache, while he was in the country to promote his album ‘IN JA’. But first, we ask him, to take us through a day in his life, back in the United Kingdom (UK).
Apache runs a music academy, which he started three years ago as a charity. “When people talk about giving back, I thought what can I do?” he recalls. This pushed him to set up a youth club, called Apache Indian Music (AIM) at the Handsworth campus, (‘South and City College Birmingham’), for kids off the street.
Three years on, the academy comprises 250 young people between the ages 16 and 24, all of whom are employed. A few of them are into music and are guided by Apache. Free recording facilities are also provided. Aside from this, the academy also provides life skills training and free meals.
“I spend a lot of time doing that when I’m in the UK. So that’s a day in my life. It’s go to the academy, look after my kids, share knowledge, experiences and learn from them as well, because they’re young people,” he explains.
Back when his family, first moved to the UK, from India, they had to make their way in the country, he recalls. One had to make sense of the culture, the religions, the schools etc. Apache made sense of it, through music. This drives him to help the young people, find their voices, find their way and try to break down racism in the process.
“Let them enjoy music, let them contribute to the community that we’re in. I’m very passionate about that and we’ve written songs about it over the years,” he tells us.
As our photographer fumbles with his camera, we observe the beautiful sunset in the distance. Staring out at the Galle face beach, Apache, recalls it was his first trip to India, back in 1993, which inspired him.
The poverty stricken city of Bombay and the homeless children, he had never seen something like that before. When Apache left India, his life changed completely.
“I wanted to write about it, I got inspired by it. My academy was inspired by those days. I believe in making a difference and it came from those images that I saw in India,” he tells us.
We talk about his musical journey. This began when his vibrant sounds of Dancehall, Reggae and Raga, fusedwith his distinctive vocal style, got him a quarter million pound, record deal with Island records. He was 22 at the time.
Sooner his songs, “Chok There”, “Arranged Marriage”, “Don Raja”, “Boom Shack-A-Lak”, “Raggamuffin Girl” and “Make way for the Indian” saw its way to the music charts.
“I like to keep things simple,” Apache explains. His long dreadlocks hang about him, while he adds he didn’t write any songs to please anybody. “Doing my own thing, being proud of my roots and my culture, that’s how I started. It became like a movement. To tell people who we are and where we’re from. It was recognising a change in the British culture,” he recalls.
Growing up and constantly hearing people telling him, he was not British, it’s all these things that he tried to capture, through the music.
“So I had lots of things to say and it wasn’t easy, but it was real and honest.”
Following his success, Apache realized that he was in a position to make a change. He decided to use his name to help his community.
He lives in Hamsworth, where just last week someone got stabbed on a bus, he recalls. Lots of kids get into drugs at a young age, they have gangs fighting, shootings etc. But Apache believes in making a difference in his community, through music. This is just what AIM academy strives to achieve.
You can have ten people in the room and there could be fighting, but they can play music together even if they don’t speak the same language, he explains. “That way when they’re in the community, they know each other, there’s communication. Otherwise they’re walking past each other every day as strangers and that leads to tension, and that leads to racism. We grew up with all of that I don’t want to see it again.”
Our conversation leads to Sri Lanka. Apache first visited in November, last year. Here he shot two videos, for ‘IN JA’.
Apache shares that his experience in the country was fresh and lovely. He explains the dancers and the crew, in those videos, were all Sri Lankan and the team’s main objective was to showcase Sri Lankan talent to the world.
IN JA (or `In Jamaica’) Produced by Jim Beanzand Charlie Hype is a fun album, with strong lyrical content. It takes you on a journey back to Jamaica and celebrates Apache’s deep love of Reggae music. However, as he tells us, it’s not just a mere album.
Twenty five years on and Apache is still trying to make a difference with his new music. According to him, unity is strength and that’s why music is powerful.
“People don’t care anymore; they do their own thing, so who’s caring for the young people? Who’s making a change?”, he asks. According to Apache, with music you can have 10,000 people in front of you, but you have to make sure, you use that stage to say and do the right things.
Our conversation comes to a close with Apache encouraging local musicians, to make their music meaningful.
“Make it something that will change someone’s life. People don’t want to keep hearing about the bling and the girls etc. Write songs that could still be played 25 years on and mean something.”