Bohemia (musician)
Bohemia is a Rapper and Music Producer from California, USA. Bohemia quickly gained popularity in 2003 with his independent debut album, ‘Vich Pardesan De’ which hit the Top Ten on BBC Radio 1 UK. The following album, ‘Pesa Nasha Pyar’, became the first full-length Punjabi-Rap album released by a major label in the history. It brought Bohemia increased popularity, including his recent multi-record deal with music mogul Universal Music Group Pvt. Ltd. India. It also brought his creation of Punjabi Rap to mainstream recognition making Bohemia known as a pioneer of a new genre of music: Desi-Hip-Hop or Desi-Rap. In 2006 ‘Pesa Nasha Pyar’ hits #2 on Maxim Magazine’s Top 10 Downloads, and #3 on Planet M Chart. Bohemia appears in XXL Magazine New York, USA. He enters Bollywood in 2009 with the title track for Warner Bros. feature film ‘Chandni Chowk to China’, in which he also appeared in the film with Akshay Kumar and Deepika Padukone. In 2010 ‘Da Rap Star’, his third album receives four nominations at the UK Asian Music Awards and PTC Punjabi Music Awards, including ‘Best Punjabi Album’ and ‘Best Music Director’. ‘Da Rap Star’ also remains #1 on Planet M Chart India for several weeks. Bohemia then went on touring for the rest of 2009 performing all over Europe, Asia and America. He has appeared on many of Universal India’s mega-compilations including "The Chart busters" with Bohemia on three tracks. Universal called this compilation The biggest hits in Punjabi one massive album! Bohemia is one of the best-selling artists of the year, making him the flagship artist of Universal Music Group India.
Bohemia was ranked 25th on Desiclub.com’s list of the 50 Coolist Desis. “Ek Tera Pyar”, his second single from ‘Da Rap Star’ entered the B4U Top Ten Chart, becoming the first none film track to do so. Bohemia was amongst the top 100 most searched Asian artists on yahoo.com. He has been featured on over 30 major label compilations and collaborations to date.
Biography
Bohemia (Born Roger David) is an ethnic Punjabi and was born in the city Karachi located in province Sindh in Pakistan. He referes to the hisotrical Punjabi city of Lahore (his home town) in several of his songs. “I am from Punjab, where my great-grandfather converted from Sikhism to Christianity for some reason, however in my house, the Granth Sahib and the Bible were both there, though I was raised as a Christian. As for me, I believe in God, but I am not religious.” says Bohemia. He started learning music at a very young age from his father. He started writing Punjabi poetry around then as well. After migrating to the Bay Area California USA at about fourteen years of age, Ra was introduced to America that was much the opposite of palm trees and green grass. The town was infested with drugs and violence. About a year later being in the states, he lost his mother to cancer. At that time, Ra left home and became a local musician. He started working as a keyboard player/music arranger while living at local studios with other musicians. After a few years of success, the local group of musicians fell apart and Ra left to pursue music on his own. Bohemia soon started putting his poetry to the music he composed and gave birth to a new genre of music.
Making of a Pioneer
The term “Bohemia” suggests flouting traditional mores. And rap is all about personal angst or feelings. So what is Bohemia the man all about? “Well, I lost my mom when I was just 14 or 15, and I was quite a momma’s boy. That made me mad and I was kind of pushed into negative things. I have to thank God for music, for that’s what finally made me wake up and gave a reason to live. Dad played the harmonium and I learnt the keyboard.”He goes on, “When we shifted to the U.S., I lived a strange life. I was virtually living at the Milan Recording Studios in Sacramento and sleeping there or in cars... I was friends with Suresh Margoli, a tabla player, and when he was murdered at a young age and was replaced by another tabla player just as easily as if he was a broken instrument, I was mad again. I told the studio engineer that I was through with being a keyboard player who could go into anonymity if he died tomorrow. I wanted to do something where I would stand out!”
Bohemia’s first album was Vich Pardesan De in 2002, which was about coming to a foreign land. Hip-hop was then limited to the underground, and he pioneered Punjabi rap. Then came Pesa Nasha Pyar (Money, Intoxication, Love) in 2006 in India, the first-ever full-length Desi rap album to be released worldwide on a major music label (Universal Music Group).
Da Rap Star, his new album he says, “is all me, without any samples used other than my tribute track to Malkit Singh. I am showing off how good a producer I am! I have used a lot of bass, beats and keyboards and I have even done the sequencing. My associate J. Hind has added the desi hip-hop. There are tracks that describe my journey. To sum up, it’s me saying, ‘I’m me! Look, I’m still here!’”
Through his experiences, come raw raps depicting not just California street life, but a life many south Asians lead in America. Bohemia looks up to artists such as Jagjit Singh and the late Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan and rapper's like Nas and KRS-One.
After having burnt up music charts with his Bollywood songs, Bohemia's highly awaited album Da Rap StarDa Rap Star, written and produced entirely by Bohemia hit #1 on the Planet M Chart India and is nominated as the Best Punjabi Album at the UK Asian Music Awards. has finally released (Universal Music Group, April 2009).
Bohemia's Albums
- 2002: Vich Pardesian De (In The Foreign Lands)
- 2006: Pesa Nasha Pyar (Money Addiction Love)
- 2009: Da Rap Star
- 2012: Gulabi- Jasmine Sandlas Ft. Bohemia
- 2012: Thousand Thoughts
- 2016: KDM MixTape Vol. 1
Bohemia in Bollywood
- Chandni Chowk to China
- 8 x 10 Tasveer
