IN CONVERSATION WITH TOWFIQUE AHMED, A MASTERMIND WHEN IT COMES TO MAKING A DIFFERENCE, BE IT AS A RAPPER, A LAWYER, OR A TEACHER.
Tell us a bit about yourself – at what point in your life did get drawn towards rap?
There’s nothing that I love more in this world than music. I learnt how to play the tabla when I was a kid. My family provided me with an adequate amount of training to learn how to play musical instruments. During my childhood, they also enrolled me in various schools that specialised in acting, poetry recitation, and music. I didn’t like the whole process at first, but now I realise the contribution of those experiences towards who I am today.
When I joined Cadet College, I cultivated my passion even more. While most of my friends chose to take participate in sports, I took part in stage competitions. The teachers and the senior cadets encouraged and supported me enourmously. That’s when I first realised that stage related performance art was my jam; the stage was where I was truly in my element.
My admiration and interest for rap came out of the blue when I moved to the UK to study Law. I used to listen to Eminem’s music and write songs while working night shifts to make ends meet. I found that ridiculously enjoyable as I was able to relate to Eminem’s journey and felt as though my own 8 Mile was in the works.
When making music, the environment had a massive influence on me, especially the fashion, hip-hop, and culture. My approach to writing music is also pretty simple. I just need a beat that I am content with, a pen, and my own company.
Another factor that was a rather pivotal part in my journey was the discrimination I faced for my complexion and ethnic identity during my time abro
ad. Although many years have passed and my feelings towards that experience have subsided over the years, I was filled with a lot of rage and anger back then because of what I was going through, which fueled me to express my feelings through writing lyrics.
Besides a thriving music career, you are also an academic teaching law at a private university in Bangladesh. How does your image as a rapper affect your career?
It doesn’t hamper my career at all. As a matter of fact, it boosts my motivation, even though it wasn’t always like that. I used to feel that it was impossible to find the perfect balance between the two because of how different the two career paths are and how different their regimes are, but once I realised that the way I perceived it was what mattered the most at the end of the day, I was able to overcome my discomfort and work past it.
There is a significant difference between casual rapping and producing commercial songs while studying abroad. What inspired you to produce rap music despite the meagre chance of it being commercially viable?
Rajotto, the first album that my band and I released back in 2010 wasn’t really commercial. Even though only one of the songs on the tracklist was more on the commercial side, the rest of them really weren’t.
It was mostly passion that led us to work on the album. The assistance of the Bangladeshi Student Community in the UK at the time also played a key role. Not only did they help us get a positive reception, they also helped us to produce the album by collecting various donations, for which I’m eternally grateful for.
Do you think your lyrics created any impact on the society? Do you consider those influences being positive?
Yes, and I’m extremely proud of that. Social media platforms deserve the credit for allowing me to receive feedback from my listeners. Some of them reached out to me and told me how listening to my tracks when preparing for their exams helped them. Some of them told me that my songs helped them during hardships. The endeavour of becoming a voice for social justice and human rights movements through my lyrics has been a success.
Giving an interview and being able to talk about these things makes me realize how far I’ve come and how my hard work has truly paid off. I’m beyond lucky for being able to make a difference in this world through my music.
In a short period, you have released numerous hit singles and collaborated with popular brands in the country. Any project/song you are especially proud of?
I can’t really pick one song amongst the ones I’ve composed, but if I had to choose, one of the many songs I’m especially proud of is Khepa Gaan, in which I was able to collaborate with Adit Bhai. Moreover, if I were to pick amongst the solo songs I have worked on, Atto Khoton would be my top pick. Lastly, if I were to pick amongst the songs I have created with my band, I would go with Bidrohi. I feel as if I was really able to connect with the audience through the lyrics of these songs, which is what really makes them stand out as opposed to the others.