JOIN USRapper Hard Kaur has come a long way in a male-dominated field. The hip-hop artist, who is best remembered for Glassy from her debut album and more recently Peenay Do has proved her point by becoming the first woman rapper.
Talking to Metrolife and sharing her life story, Taran Kaur Dhillon aka Hard Kaur, who originally belongs to Kanpur remembers how difficult it was for her to establish herself. “It was horrible initially. I didn’t even know English when I went to UK with my mom after my father passed away. I was bullied there by everyone, even by the Indian community. So I used hang around with the Blacks. Indian girls only used to talk about make-up, boys and relationships but I hated it all. I was more into sports.”
“While going home, I used to rap songs and my friends used to encourage me as my deep voice suited rapping. It was during that time that it struck me that I can take up rapping as a career. You don’t have to be a typical ‘girlie’ to be a rapper,” adds Hard.
But Hard wanted to prove a point. “I wanted to prove that someone from India can rap in UK and also that a girl can rap. I have had many fights with organisers during my |initial days, where shows were cancelled at the last minute because of some other rapper,” she says.
Talking about the current musical scene which is seeing a lot of development, Hard says, “People are experimenting now. Earlier there were only handful of musicians but now new shows have given a new platform to budding talents. Now, even a rickshaw wala knows what is hip-hop since even dance shows have hip-hop categories. So, things have changed,” shares the singer.
Making a career in rapping is quite tough and people are still not open to this genre. “MTV was launched as a musical channel, but one finds only Bollywood music on it now. There is absolutely no support for budding rappers and there is no one to help anybody make records and sell them.”
The singer, who calls her journey painful, wonderful, exciting, full of abuses and love says, “I have had all kinds of experiences – good and bad. I have a big mouth and am not afraid. I don’t limit myself just because I am a woman. If you have the talent, you should go forward and work hard. It will definitely pay.”
Hard who has also tried her hands in acting in Patiala House starring Akshay Kumar is not keen on it anymore, “I am not heroine material, but if something comes up like the role of a villain or a boxer, I will take it up.”
Giving guru mantra to the budding rappers, Hard shares, “The glamour world is not easy. So, don’t do anything for the wrong reasons. Maintain the diction, breathing, flow and do thorough research on rapping and then decide to make it a career. Don’t sing crap, do it from your heart.”