This is an old argument, which I constantly hear about. When I say this I often hear the term 'jumping on the bandwagon' so I just thought I'd give my view on it all!

So what do people mean when they say such a person is 'jumping on the bandwagon?' Well, they mean that people are following the current trend in music just because it's the 'in' thing at the moment. I honestly cannot understand this argument! In recent times I've heard Rishi Rich's name mentioned frequently as somebody who jumps on the bandwagon. If you carry on making music and ignore what is going on around you then you are likely to get left behind. Gone are the days when you can make your album sound the same as your last album and expect people to buy it. Anyone thinking this way is likely to be all set for a nasty surprise when no one buys their next album. Continue on this path and it's likely that you are will become a 'has been' within a short space of time. It might not be too long before you are just another artist in an already saturated industry and then the last straw, it's time to look for another day job. That's the harsh reality of this cutthroat business known as the music industry. So if you like doing what you are doing then you need to stop just going with the flow!

DJ Swami

I'd say DJ Swami and Rishi Rich are both perfect example of artists that move with the times. When garage music was 'in' Rishi Rich produced 3 garage albums along with Mentor, Don Dee and the Audiorec crew. DJ Swami did some garage releases to take part in Envy's garage series. Now that the garage scene has died down do you see Rishi Rich and DJ Swami coming out with more garage tunes? Hell, No! Now that Asian music is part of the mainstream they have adapted their style to be part of it. The Untouchables crew have rinsed garage good and proper when it was in, all credit to them for that at the time. However each release you hear from them you get the feeling of déjà vu so they need to move away from churning out the same old bhan-garage tunes as their stuff is beginning to sound well and truly dated.

So what happens to people who continue to do their own thing and ignore what is going on around them? Well, I don't care who you are and what your music genre is but fusing music in line with the current trends is more necessary now than it has ever been. I saw 'Sean Paul' on TV recently talking about how his style of reggae music is the 'in' thing at the moment but music evolves and the trends come back in circles with no obvious pattern. He said that his style is likely to go out of fashion but it will be back again when it's time comes. Even Malkit Singh has done a collabo with 'Pay As You Go' recently, which I am sure no one in his or her right mind would have predicted 5 years ago. I just want to give him a 'big up' for doing it, even though it's a garage collabo and that scene has died down a little it was something new as that style hadn't been heard with his vocals so was still something new. In music these days anyone standing still is moving backwards.

Switches sides hear now, lets look at the mainstream using Asian, as it's the so-called 'in' thing at the moment. You just have to look at 2003 and look at the amounts of artists wanting a bit of desi input into their stuff. The likes of Jay-Z, Britney Spears, Craig David, Timbaland & Magoo, Ricky Martin, Mariah Carey, Mis-Teeq and many more! The level of involvement with so many top quality artists has been a shock to all of us. It's just been non-stop with collabos coming left, right and centre. So are all these mainstream artists 'jumping on the bandwagon' or are they 'moving with the times?' Well, you can look at it

Britney Spears with Rishi Rich

whichever way you want but I don't see anyone pointing fingers at Jay-Z and co for their involvement. Personally, I see absolutely nothing wrong with what they have done and hope more mainstream artist follow suit.

Having said all of this I still think certain styles of music will always have their audiences. People that love 'dhol' and 'desi beats' are not going to change. These sorts of listeners hate 'MC's' and the thought of fusing desi music with what they consider to be gora music is seen as nothing short of a crime to them. However, I feel that such people are fast becoming a minority in the desi music listeners, especially in the UK. Having said that I don't think people should forget them and the roots of Asian music. Desi music fans will always love an all out original desi track but qualities ones of these are few and far between these days.

I think that people like Rishi Rich are smashing it at the moment! It annoys me when people come up with these 'jumping on the bandwagon' statements against his name such as 'he should stick to doing bollywood remixes like he started off.' I put this down to pure ignorance on the part of desi people. Many Asians cannot stand to see another person doing well! What is wrong with us? Why is jealousy so prevalent in our nature? Rishi has the ability to adapt his style to current trends, does that warrant a dissing? His beats are original and unique yet we continue to cuss him. He isn't ripping any samples of anybody. It's time to shut up, listen up and take notice of his ability. Another artist who has managed to evolve as well as anybody is Taz. Over the years he has fused every worldwide style of music you could think off! All credit to the man for bringing out a massive 16 albums, all with their own unique vibe.

Taz

Another common accusation is there in it for a quick money grab! Artists are there to make money and if they can find the veins of what the public (both, desi and mainstream) want, then they'll make more money. What's wrong with that? I mean if Rishi Rich carried on with his Bollywood stuff would he sell enough to become a professional producer? Would he be jetting around the world with his projects or in a 9 to 5 office job and spending his weekends in a studio making Bollywood remixes? I know which appeals more to the fans. Having been an avid bhangra fan for years now, in my view what is happening at the moment is brilliant! I can't understand how people can complain about artists making a scene blow up onto the streets and make Asian artists hit the top ten. If you're happy that the only place to get Asian music is on Soho Road, Southall Broadway or Wilmslow Road then cool, but what's wrong with popping into HMV's bhangra section to pick up a new album?

Rishi Rich

A very important factor that needs not to be forgotten when fusing music is sampling. I think it's 'cool' to use the odd sample here and there but blatant sampling is taking the pi**. It's not right for any artists to think 'that sounds nice, we'll have that.' I mean I thought desi music had moved away from all that! So if you are contemplating fusing a style of music you still have to create 'original' beats for that style. If you've got the ability to do that then good luck to you, as personally I can't seen nothing wrong with it. Dr Zeus did it in style by fusing hip-hop music with his own beats on the album 'Unda Da Influence' which rightly so was voted as the album of the year for 2003 by the desitunes4u crew . If anything it shows how skilful you are as an artist. Producers who have this ability on the desi scene include the likes of Taz, Dr Zeus, Rishi Rich (left), Tigerstyle, Bally Sagoo, DJ Swami and Panjabi Mc. These are the guys that have the ability to create an all out original track, no matter what the style of music is, that does well in the mainstream as a single, so keep an eye out for them. That's not to rule anyone else out as well, as there are many talented under rated producers on the scene at the moment!

So my advice to people within the desi music industry is don't worry about what people say as adapting your style and 'moving with the times' is an absolute must and who cares what people might think! So what I am saying in a nutshell is 'jump on the bandwagon' or get left behind. So are we all ready? Jump, Jump, Jump, Jump…! Have you hit the roof yet?