Introduction

Earlier this year, Ahmer released his debut album Little Kid, Big Dreams, a refreshing addition to Kashmiri hip hop that took the Kashmiri rap game to the next level, reminding fans and enthusiasts that the “Little Kid” had outdone himself, right from the start. Many only see the success and the flare that comes with being a hip hop artist, but Ahmer’s history is far too complex to expand upon in this presentation of his second video release after ELAAN. Nonetheless, while the scene was growing, with MC Kash going on tour, Ahmer—since a very early age, barely having entered his teens—had woken up to the rap game. The Little Kid had begun practicing with improv, rhymes, verses, rap battles, early unapologetic diss tracks and memorizations of word-for-word songs by the G.O.A.Ts of the international game, developing his own style and elocution, changing it up, switching it around, coming back to the strong bits, revisiting whatever needed to be reviewed or revised, going along with his own flow, and finally cultivating the aura of a new hip hop artist that contemporary Kashmir had never seen before.

While listening to Ahmer’s Little Kid, Big Dreams, it is fairly easy to realize that a hip hop artist of his magnitude does not emerge overnight. For veteran listeners and enthusiasts, not just in South Asia, but in Latin America, North America, Europe, Africa and elsewhere, an artist like Ahmer is self-cultivated through discipline and a tough routine of practice, improvisation, research, exploration and introspection that requires years to develop. And beyond that, there is his poetic sensibility at such a young age; so much so that beyond his refined flow and skills, that make him competent at an international level among the new cats, there is a strange maturity and wisdom revealed in his verses. That strangeness is one that many Kashmiri youth are familiar with, the simple fact of having childhoods tarnished by conflict and violence, in an environment that is inimical to the very idea of childhood. He is indeed wise beyond his words, and such wisdom is communicable through the versification that pours out from his multiple poetic unwindings, with lyrics that evoke power, tenacity, anger and one key element; an affirmation of the self. In this case, the Kashmiri self, past all obstructions and obstacles, from societal scorn, jealousy and hatred; to dismissal, petty criticism and marginalization; to political alienation and besiegment, injustice, oppression, inequality, tyranny and abuse. As such, to say that the Little Kid with Big Dreams has potential, is as of now an understatement. More wise would be to observe that Ahmer can take his craft to a spiritual terrain if he wants to. It is just that the conditions have to be right, and they never are, which is why this first album is marked by a certain catharsis, where anger, grief, trauma, indignation, discontent, remembrance and self-affirmation find a conduit through the artist’s versified polyphony.

There is far too much that can be written about, discussed and critiqued in Ahmer’s first album, but with the current enforced conditions that Kashmiris are having to deal with, this new video for his single, “Kasheer”, arrives in a timely manner. Following the tradition of resistance, protest and dissent that has characterized hip hop as a worldwide and global genre, Ahmer again follows the tenets of those who have preceded him to visually present the verses in Kashmiri that shape one of the most memorable Kashmiri hip hop song of our times. This song, along with the album, merits a much lengthier critical visitation, but since it premiered quite recently, we will leave the critiques, interpretations and meaning-making for later, and have the video and the groundbreaking track speak for itself. Here is Kasheer (which means Kashmir in the Kashmiri language) by Ahmer, from the house of Azadi Records in association with producer Sez on the Beat.

‘Kasheer’ | Ahmer x Sez On The Beat | Music Video | Azadi Records

From the Artist Himself

*TURN ON CC FOR LYRICS*

Watch the official music video for ‘Kasheer’ from my debut album with Sez On The Beat called ‘Little Kid, Big Dreams’.

“The song is the first track off the album that Sez and I finished. We decided to do something in Kashmiri, something that’s never been done before, especially not like this. I just wanted to be as truthful as possible about the situation back home – whatever we have been through – past and present. Through Kasheer, I want everyone to know that nothing has changed in Kashmir over the years and we are still being controlled back home. This is the anthem, the people’s anthem. We are depressed even when things seem to be normal around us, because you never know what’s going to happen tomorrow. Who knows, there can be a complete shut down for months. You can’t even use your mobile phones anymore and no one is going to give a damn about it, because that’s how it’s supposed to be in Kashmir. I’ve also talked about a few events that took place in the past, Kashmir during the 90s, and what my family has seen back then. I’m just out here, sharing stories that they don’t want you to know about because it’s too dangerous. But I’m going to share it, regardless, because they can’t kill the truth.” – Ahmer

Buy, download or stream my debut album ‘Little Kid, Big Dreams’, OUT NOW on all major platforms – http://azadirecords.lnk.to/LKBD

Lyrics – http://bit.ly/LKBD-Lyrics

All Rights Reserved – 2019 Azadi Records
Directed by Vaksh Vimal
Music Produced, Mixed and Mastered by Sez On The Beat
Lyrics by Ahmer Javed Dar
Ahmer https://facebook.com/ahmermusic https://instagram.com/ahmermusic
Sez on the Beat https://facebook.com/sezonthebeat https://instagram.com/sezonthebeat https://twitter.com/sezonthebeat
Vaksh Vimal https://www.instagram.com/vakshvimal/
Azadi Records https://facebook.com/azadirecords
https://instagram.com/azadirecords
https://twitter.com/azadirecords #Ahmer #LittleKidBigDreams #Kashmir

The Album: Little Kid, Big Dreams