Athul KP
PANJIM: From Goa’s local rhythms to the Grammy Awards’ global stage, Waking Grunt is taking Konkani hip- hop where few regional artistes have gone before. Goan rapper and lyricist Amit Jaiwant Naik has been selected as a Voting Member of the Recording Academy, bringing a Konkani voice into the Grammy voting fold.
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“I was happy to see that despite be- ing a rapper in Konkani, I was accept- ed. I did not believe it when I got the mail, Naik said, recalling the moment he learned that he had been selected. Rather than immediately celebrating. he messaged Milroy Goes (Hollywood Film director and co founder of Miss Goa International), who had recom- mended his name for the membership.
For Naik, the recognition is signifi- cant not only because of the Grammy connection but also because it challenges a belief he has encountered throughout his career, that artistes working in regional languages need to switch to Hindi or English to find a larger audience. “Most of the time, I have heard that I must switch to Hindi or English for more viewers and a better future in- stead of rapping in Konkani. That belief of people must change now,” he said O Heraldo.
Naik’s journey into music began around 2014, following Goa’s mining ban, when he found himself unem- ployed. He turned his frustration into creativity, learning to play the guitar and writing songs around social issues.
“It’s been a decade. I think back in 2014 after the mining ban and me get- ting unemployed. I channelled my frus- trations with music,” he said. Konkani, for Naik, was never a stra- tegic choice designed to create a niche. It was simply the language in which he could express himself most naturally.
“It’s my mother tongue and close to my heart. I can ex- press well in this language. So effortlessly I can create my art,” he said.
But making hip-hop in a regional language came with its own challenges. Acceptance was one of the biggest hurdles, with regional artistes often being viewed as having limited exposure and audiences.
“As a rapper from a regional language, people believe that your exposure and audience is limited. But on the oth- er side, once you prove that your mother tongue can do wonders, they selflessly support you,” Naik said.
He found inspiration in artistes such as Kanye West and Jay-Z, drawn to the way they used rhythm and lyrics to ex- press themselves.
“I felt rap is the best way to express yourself. It’s like po- etry on the beats,” he said.
One of the major turning points in Naik’s career came when his Konkani rap was featured in the Hindi film “In- spector Zende”. The appearance, he believes, helped change perceptions about his work. Among his own work, Naik points to “Lofde” as a particularly meaningful song. The track encourages young people to avoid fights, remain calm and think about the consequences of their actions.
He credits music producer Squishy Stone and filmmak- er Joy Mayday for their contributions to the song and its video.
Despite working in Konkani, Naik does not view his lan- guage as either an advantage or a limitation. Instead, he sees it as something that keeps him grounded. From watch- ing the Grammys to voting. The Recording Academy mem- bership has now opened a new chapter in that journey. Naik said O Heraldo he has watched the Grammy Awards since his college days and often wondered what it would feel like to be inside the arena where the ceremony takes place.
“First of all, I will get exposure to the music scene outside of Goa and India. I always watched Grammy Awards since college days and wondered how it would feel to be in the arena where it happens. Well, now I am a Voting Member. In the years to come, my other wish also can come true,” he said.
As a Voting Member, he can participate in the Acade- my’s voting process and submit his own eligible work for consideration. However, he acknowledges that mak- ing the final nomination list remains the Academy’s de- cision. For Naik, the significance goes beyond a personal achievement. “The recognition is for Konkani, I feel. Be- ing a Konkani artiste, the Recording Academy has select- ed me. That means it will be for Konkani,” he said.
After a decade of using music to speak about social is- sues, identity and the experiences around him, Naik now sees the Grammy recognition as encouragement to contin- ue creating in the language closest to him.
“I guess this is the most important as it can lead to some- thing big,” he said.
For a rapper who began making music during a period of uncertainty, the journey has come a long way. And if Naik gets his way, the next chapter will not involve leaving Konkani behind to reach the world, it will involve taking Konkani with him.
