Coventry Producer Coolie [@Coolieuk] team’s up with Jay1 [@jay1offical], Temz [@temz._] and more for new single and video ‘KISAN’ to support the Indian Farmers Crisis

Words: Emily Olivia Roney 

Coventry’s Coolie has summoned up a 7-man-strong team for powerful new track and video titled ‘Kisan’.

To some he’ll be better known as the man behind some of Pa Salieu and Jay 1’s tracks, today Coventry producer Coolie brings himself to the forefront with ‘Kisan’. For the track he enlisted some of the most exciting artists in the UK scene with names like Jay 1, Jaz Dhami, Temz, Tana, J Fado & Hargo all present. The new single is dropping tomorrow – Friday, February 19th with the video coming out at 5pm.

Translated to English, “Kisan” means ‘farmer’ in Punjab. If you haven’t already heard, tens of thousands of farmers in India have been protesting for over 3 months against Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s farming reforms. Indian farmers want these reforms scrapped, as they are predicted to change rules put in place to protect farmers from exploitation and earning their keep. Mainstream media outlets were not covering the full extent of this crisis up until recently. 

Coolie on the other hand wanted to shout it from the rooftops, and did it in the medium he knows best – music. Released today on Coolie and Mugal Records, all proceeds of the record go to Khalsa Aid International to support the farmers’ cause. Coolie raises awareness via his brave marriage of bhangra vocals to a chilling drill beat. The British mainstream media’s depiction of drill music as a ‘moral panic’ only heightened its reputation as a problematic genre. Coolie’s release spins the stereotype on its head, using the hard hitting beats to deliver a message of consolidation. With a strong Punjab diaspora living in the UK, some with farming backgrounds and close ties to family and friends back home, Coolie wanted to do something to help.

Coolie says “In my culture we believe in justice for all. There’s no justice if we don’t stand up for the oppressed, and there’s no purity if we don’t speak the truth. Truth will not be silenced, truth will always prevail.”

You can pre-save the single here: https://distrokid.com/hyperfollow/coolie5/kisan-feat-jaz-dhami-jay1-temz-tana-j-fado–hargo 

Catch the music video on Coolie‘s YouTube tomorrow at 5pm.

Photo Credits: @camera.papi