Saniya MQ
| Photograph Credit score: Particular Association
Each rap track of Saniya Kaiyumuddin Mistri (Saniya MQ) revolves round politics, gender equality, social biases, corruption and poverty. On a wet day, as I stroll across the slender alleys of Shivaji Nagar in Mumbai’s Govandi space, I see individuals busy protecting the roofs of their homes with plastic sheets. Just a few youngsters assist me find Saniya’s home. I may hear the teen rapping at the same time as her mom is busy cleansing rice on a bamboo sieve. An excited Saniya, alongside together with her 13-year-old brother, welcomes me.
As we sit down to speak, the 17-year-old hip hop artiste reveals that she is engaged on an EP with a group of underground rappers and beat producers. Titled Sheher, it has six tracks of which 4 are sung by Saniya. “We anticipate Sheher to be out this yr. The EP speaks of the individuals in Mumbai and the issues and challenges they face. Not one of the artistes have been paid. It’s made with the assist of every one us,” says Saniya, who plans to share the story concerning the making of the EP as soon as it’s launched on YouTube and different streaming platforms.
Saniya is engaged on a brand new set of raps for the EP
| Photograph Credit score:
Purnima Sah
Her slow-paced raps have been simpler for listeners to grasp and rap alongside. However for the EP, Saniya has stepped out of her consolation zone to attempt rapping quick. “As an artiste, I don’t wish to restrict myself. I’m sport for rapping in several rhythms.”
For the previous three years, Saniya has been assembly hip-hop artistes, beat producers, and sound engineers for this undertaking. “I’ve met them at reveals, and on Instagram. I’ve collaborated with a few of them earlier. The dialogue began a month in the past and everyone agreed to come back on board.”
Saniya was solely 13 when she started maintaining a diary of poetry and likewise wrote about points that affected her. “I used to be 5 when my household moved into Govandi. Initially, we confronted rejection. I skilled loneliness in my childhood. Right this moment the identical youngsters, who as soon as used to bully me name themselves my pals.”
By way of her raps, Saniya raises questions concerning the training system that’s not equal for all. “If we’ve got a free training system, then each youngster on this nation will get to study and earn a residing for himself/herself. Policymakers are conscious of this truth however no one desires to vary it,” says Saniya, who emphasises that she isn’t an activist however an artiste.
Speaking about her current rap that she posted on Instagram, she says, “Sirpihiri narrates many tales from my life. There was a pal at school who had mentioned I can by no means rap, some mentioned I’ve no costume sense since I don’t put on trendy garments. One among my raps talks about this. ‘Jo kehte hai dressing sense nahi, dikhti hun bas wahi kaafi hai…’ (those that say I’ve no costume sense, I’m seen and that’s sufficient). To those that gave her the ‘hijab lady’ tag, Saniya says, “When we don’t name a rapper in a hoodie a ‘hoodie boy/man/rapper’ then why make an enormous deal about my hijab.”
The way it started
When she began writing poetry she didn’t know the way to play with phrases or the way to please the viewers. “In 2016, I started by importing my raps as audio recordsdata on YouTube. Solely in 2021, I started sharing movies as a result of I used to be instructed by many rappers that folks like to observe the artistes as a lot as they wish to take heed to them. My raps replicate my goals, my angst, and my hopes and aspirations.
Through the COVID-19 lockdown, many teenage women in Govandi had been compelled into marriage. Feeling helpless, Saniya wrote ‘Chalo theek hai’ (it’s okay), a rap track that spoke about points individuals had been experiencing throughout lockdown together with youngster marriage, home violence and starvation. “I couldn’t do something to cease these weddings. Apnalaya, the NGO in our locality, organised an consciousness camp the place I rapped for the primary time. When ammi got here to know I used to be performing, she was there sitting within the viewers. Once I received down the stage, she hugged me. That second will stay etched in my coronary heart because it meant the acceptance of my artwork.”
In 2022, when Saniya carried out within the tv actuality present, ‘Hunarbaaz’, her father too started to assist her. “Now abba asks me on a regular basis what am I engaged on and when is the following rap coming?”
Saniya additionally shares how the little revenue from her rap performances have helped her pursue her training. She is presently doing Bachelor of Mass Media. She aspires to be a author in future. “I’ll proceed rapping however the aim is to turn out to be financially unbiased.”