Tiger Baby Records Unveils EP 'Baccha Kisko Bol Raha Hai' Showcasing Young Talent From The Dharavi DREAM Project"

Tiger Baby Records was launched with the aim to delve into the diverse soundscapes of the subcontinent and represent them globally. It’s second release – and first of 2024 – a five-track EP Baccha Kisko Bol Raha Hai features two young rappers Saniya MQ and Kavikaar – part of The Dharavi Dream Project, and guided by prolific producer Hashbass with label co-founder Ankur Tewari serving as creative director.

Baccha Kisko Bol Raha Hai is part of a series of four children’s music EPs – the first was Tewari’s Aaja Nindiya – and in collaboration with Platoon Music, an Apple-owned artist services, A&R, and music distribution company. The EP is scheduled to release on Tiger Baby Records on February 2.

Baccha Kisko Bol Raha Hai addresses themes that are both entertaining and educational, and include songs that talk about imagination, creativity, friendship, and the joy of learning. The songs tackle issues that affect most teenagers in their growing years like the disdain for subjects like mathematics, and even includes a love letter to super moms.

Young rappers Saniya MQ and Kavikaar are graduates of The Dharavi Dream Project’, an after-school of hip-hop nurturing, mentoring and empowering under-resourced hip-hop talent from Dharavi. Picked by Dolly Rateswar, co-founder of TDDP, they bring a heart-warming mix of youthful exuberance, innocence and rebellion to the EP, that is mirrored in the catchy beats that Hashbass laid down.

Dolly, who has seen the two precocious talents from up close, is also similarly proud of the way her wards worked on the EP. “Witnessing their journey from the early days of our hip-hop movement to now, collaborating on Baccha Kisko Bol Raha Hai with Ankur and Tiger Baby Records, has been truly rewarding,” she says. “The EP not only showcases their artistic growth but also reflects the spirit of collaboration and mentorship fostered by TDDP, and marks an important milestone, reinforcing our commitment to empowering and showcasing young talents from the streets of Dharavi,” she adds.

Baccha Kisko Bol Raha Hai is Hashbass’ first full-length production and despite a children’s music album being unfamiliar territory for him, he is understandably delighted with the end result.

“I went with a completely open mind when it came to working with these two young talents,” says Hashbass. “I only had a brief that they were young and hungry. I felt like I really zoned in when I created the sounds of this EP. In two days, I had made six ideas based on just their scratch vocals. It was a really fulfilling experience, and as I made the beats, both Saniya and Ayush aka Kavikaar brought their best pen game out and what got created was very quick and deep. Real magic,” he added, recollecting his experience.

Saniya, who was a part of the television reality show, ‘Hunarbaaz’, wanted to write about the friction between academics and art. “On one hand, there is frustration at how to handle studies, and on the other side, they say art doesn’t have an age restriction, and that anybody can be an artist – that’s what I wanted to write about,” says Saniya.

For Ayush aka Kavikaar, the project was an opportunity to learn, and his easy camaraderie with Saniya also makes for easy listening. “Working alongside Saniya has been an incredible experience, and she is so dedicated to her art that it inspires me too,” he says, adding, “This EP will show to the world the creativity and passion that young artists like us can bring to the table!”

“Tiger Baby Records is excited to put out something new and exciting in the world of hip-hop,” says co-founder and creative director on this EP, Ankur Tewari. “Both Saniya MQ and Kavikaar are such amazing talents, and it was about time that their talent was backed by a label. They have written stories about their life and what they go through and how they feel. We’re excited to see how kids will react to these stories and their expression. Hashbass has done a beautiful job producing old school hip-hop beats, to the amazing flow that these artists have,” he adds.