Rishi Rich - the UK Asian super producer who shot to fame through his innovative fusion of Asian and urban sounds - releases his eagerly anticipated debut album 'The Project' through 2Point9 Records on August 7th. Rishi is already one of the leading lights on the UK music scene and is well established through his previous work producing and remixing the likes of Mary J Blige, Britney Spears, Misteeq and Craig David. He linked up with DJ Dev recently; this is what went down!
DJ Dev: So, Rishi, it's been a little while, how have things been?
Rishi: Hey, yeah things have been real good, been working on the album, working on Jay's album and been travelling a lot also so keeping busy!
DJ Dev: Guess you've been busy with the album - are you happy with the end product?
Rishi: Yeah, been working on it really hard, and I'm really happy with the result.
DJ Dev: When it comes to the mainstream, unlike in the desi industry, there are not a whole lot of producers bringing out their solo albums. In fact, it seems many of them have to take to the mic to get the recognition they feel they deserve. I'd give Pharell n Timbo as the main examples of this. Did you guys ever think about releasing the album as a group effort, rather than just under your name?
Rishi: Erm not really… for me it been about releasing the album under my name, and why shouldn't it be you know? I work hard and this is what represents me so I'm happy.
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DJ Dev: Would you ever take to the mic yourself?
Rishi: No chance! I'm happy producing and song writing and being in the background, I like it this way.
DJ Dev: Now, there seem to be some relatively new names on the album. Tell us about the likes of Sol and Mr Phillips?
Rishi: Well sol is a new artist I've been working with. He very talented guy and got a great vocal, you should be hearing a lot more from him. Mr Philips is an artist from the Luny tunes camp, so when we were out in Puerto rico, we hooked up with him and he loved stomp so we got him to feature on it.
DJ Dev: How did you hook up with these guys?
Rishi: I've known sol for a couple of years and like I said Mr Phillips hooked up in Puerto Rico when we were over there. |
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DJ Dev: There are also a couple of appearances by JD who was associated with the So Solid Crew a while back. What's his actual involvement on the album? Did he help production-wise on any of the tracks?
Rishi: There was no involvement from JD in production but he did write a few songs on the album. We had a great vibe working on the tracks on the album and he's also been on the road with us and definitely added a great vibe to the whole project.
DJ Dev: There has been some production credits given to the Loony Tunes, do you think the whole Bhangratron/Desitron thing is just a fad; like we had Bhangarage a few years back.
Rishi: Well, for me it's just about a vibe. We're not here to set a new form of music; it's just an album that we are gonna be doing with the Luny Tunes and merging different types of music. If by doing that, we happen to create a new genre, great!
DJ Dev: The Loony Tunes have done a remix of Paris Hilton's tune, while JD was rumoured to be doing an R'n'B track for Victoria Beckham. Would you like to work with artists of that nature?
Rishi: As a producer you work with a lot of people who are maybe not singers first and foremost. I like challenges, so why not!
DJ Dev: So if you were given the opportunity, would you or wouldn't you?
Rishi: I think I would, and I have worked with people on that kinda of vibe already!
DJ Dev: The album also features Alison Hinds, who is known as the queen of Soca. How would you distinguish between soca n reggaetron? Soca has been around a little while, do you expect it to start making more of an impact on the mainstream stage?
Rishi: Both are completely different genres of music and yeah Soca has of course been around a long time and has a whole industry for itself, as with reggaeton. I can't really comment on whether it will become the next big thing mainstream wise.
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DJ Dev: What's your whole take on the UK grime scene? Which MC's do you rate in the UK right now?
Rishi: There's a lot of MC's that I respect from the UK scene and we would have loved to get more people on the album but time and schedule wise, it didn't happen. I'm definitely feeling Baby Blue and J2K who are on the album sound real good on the track 'Lets Start Talking' on the album, both are very talented.
DJ Dev: There was talk of Sway being on the album? How come that didn't materialise? How do you rate him?
Rishi: I'm not 100% sure but I think it was just finding time when both of our schedules were free, he's mad busy and we're always here and there so it just didn't happen but of course I rate him, he's very talented. |
DJ Dev: You've also got a Qawali singer in the shape Rafaqat Ali Khan, who has a very powerful voice. How did you hook up with him?
Rishi: I met Rafaquat through his manager waleed (Mumbai rouge) and we wanted to do some work together. I had seen Rafaqat perform in Norway and was completely blown away.
DJ Dev: I also see Aamir Khan in the track listings - I take it that's not the Bollywood actor or the boxer?!?
Rishi: Ha nah not the boxer or the Bollywood actor (but there's an idea!) Amir is featuring on a track with Sol, he is from the UK.
DJ Dev: Now the first single is Push It Up, which to me represents a very cheesy, pop orientated song. Would you agree, and is this intentional?
Rishi: Well, to me pop means popular so it's not a bad thing for something to be a pop record. We had fun making Push It up and the video and I like people to take my music as they like, if you don't like Push it Up, they'll be other tracks on the album which you'll like more so it's all good!
DJ Dev: The Video certainly looks like it was a lot of fun in the making - what was it like?
Rishi: It was lots of fun, and real good vibes.
DJ Dev: You also have Josh on the album, who I interviewed a while back (if indeed it is the same Canadian band; click here to view) What do you think of them? I would class them almost as Pop-bhangra - would you agree?
Rishi: Yep, it's the same group, I really got mad love for Rup and Q from Josh and think they are extremely talented. We both wanted to work together, so I did a remix on their forthcoming album and they did a track on my album. I really like their vibe.
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DJ Dev: Now the most obvious next single on the album for me would be Stomp. Can you confirm whether this is potentially the next single to be taken from the album?
Rishi: Yes, your right, Stomp is the next track of the album. We've done a really different and mad video which I can't wait for everyone to see, it's got robots and all sorts!
DJ Dev: Jay's solo tune on the album is an upbeat desi kinda number - do you think he is best suited to this kind of beat? Personally I preferred all his more soul based tunes on 'Me against Myself.' |
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Rishi: Well for me jay sounds good on anything…his album has a lot of soulful tracks on it so I thought why not put an up tempo track on my album.
DJ Dev: With the global success you've achieved, would you say this album was produced with more than one eye on the Indian market?
Rishi: To be honest, there was no set plan for this album. For once, I wanted to just sit down and make music that I wanted to make with no-one telling me what to do, I wanted to mix things up and I think that's what I've achieved with some great results.
DJ Dev: This ones from Richard; the Desi Gorah: The whole buzz around Asian R&B seems to have died off a little, have 'The Project' began thinking about different types of music?
Rishi: It's not that Asian R&B has died; it's just that we all have different tastes and listen to all sorts of music. It would be cool to make an Asian R&B album, but it's also nice to be different and include different genre influences as I've done on this album.
DJ Dev: You certainly give good value for money - I mean 19 tracks! Was this something you were always aiming for?
Rishi: I try my best!
DJ Dev: Do you consider this album to be your best piece of work as a producer?
Rishi: Yeah, I think it is. I enjoyed it the most, you know?
DJ Dev: How do you think industry has treated you last couple of years?
Rishi: I think the industry has been there for me, shown me a lot of support. I'm really proud to be in this industry and represent it to the best I can. For me, I've got a long way to go and I hope that they continue supporting me with this album and anything else in the future.
DJ Dev: We know there's the Bhangratron album in the pipeline - can you give us any exclusive news about it? What artists can we expect to see on that album? How long will we have to wait before we hear it?
Rishi: Well this month's issue of Touch magazine has a free CD which shows behind the scenes footage with us and the Luny Tunes which is a nice insight. You'll have various artists from their camp and our camp and it should be released before the end of the year.
DJ Dev: What is your view on the quality of lyrics we are exposed to in the desi scene. Lately there seems to be a lot more politically conscious lyrics. Would you encourage more?
Rishi: I've always said you got to write and sing what you feel. Jay does that a lot, and I think it's great. For me as a producer and composer, I produce on the vibe I'm on at that point in time. I'm not that political so my music really represents my vibe.
DJ Dev: Any final words for the millions of Desitunes4u readers?
Rishi: Thanks so much for all your support, please keep supporting and make sure you grab a copy of my album. Peace. RR.
That concludes the interview, firstly a big thanks to Rishi Rich for taking some time out to do the interview.
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