NOTE: If you would like the super duper "official" bio please click here FOOD FOR THOUGHT Much of my life has been spent appreciating food. I am in deep admiration of those who are able to feed the rest of us. To put it plainly: If left to my own devices in the kitchen, I will starve. It is a horrible state to be in, but in all honesty, it has created within me a certain set of rituals which have enabled me to transform what would be otherwise mundane daily eating habits into independent religious experiences. In my life, dinner parties are celebrations of communal worship. I have amassed a number of people in my universe who are, if nothing else, amazing artists in the kitchen. I spend countless hours keeping friends company in kitchens as my olfactory receptors dance as a result of the aromas which are the by-products of our afternoon activities. Of all aspects of cooking, the most amazing details to me are ones which are merely common sense. It has inspired me, over the years, to implore one single question from at-home cooks and restaurant chefs alike: What is the most important ingredient of all? The answer? Love. I don't find this to be ironic. I have learned that universally, this is a necessity for a certain caliber of culinary concocter. Salesmen may be born, however artists are evolved. They must learn the intricacies of love first and foremost. Only then can they grow in unique directions of self-exploration, leading to self-expression whether it be gastronomic or otherwise. (Note that even self-loathing and depression require an understanding of the mechanics of affection and the lack thereof.) Given a choice in life, I would have opted to become a chef. Although culinary art is subjective, the consumption of food for nourishment is not a choice, rather a necessity for existence. Choice is only implemented when deciding *how* to nourish ourselves, not *if* we will. If I were a chef, I would be guaranteed an audience on a nightly basis, and would live with the obligation to love and be loved alike in a communal setting. We all gotta eat. In 1999, I decided that reading about great adventures, innovation and discoveries in books was no longer enough. I am much too pragmatic. I packed a laptop, a mic, a tiny tube amp and compressor and hit the road. The last decade at-a-glance has gone as follows: Where I was told rules would apply, there were none. Where education would have come in handy, all I had learned failed me and I had to trust my intuition. When blueprinted success was guaranteed, it backfired. When money was necessary, I found myself impoverished. When death came knocking at my door on more than one occasion, I somehow negotiated with the universe and have continued on with an amazing life. Make-shift studios are my transient kitchens. As a chef of sorts, what I concoct can't always be found in the elegant surroundings of Park Avenue eateries which concern themselves with star ratings and urbane behavior. If it is, I remain nameless and faceless in the back room. I'm very comfortable with the small groups of friends who sit in my humble apartment and enjoy my recipes for as long as we can keep them a secret. The less people know about it, the more love to go around the table. As of late, more and more new faces have been showing up to our intimate gatherings and I welcome them with open arms. I have enough love in me to keep cooking for a great while. What the heck. Why not open a restaurant?
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At the age of 12, the1shanti began his career coming in as a runner-up in a BET Rap City sponsored rap contest. The exposure afforded the pre-teen an opportunity to support acts such as Doug E. Fresh and Ultramagnetics MCs.
Although his adolescent path included signings to a variety of major label and independent deals, it wasn’t until 2000’sBlaxploitation, on Soulspazm Records, that the artist was capable of showcasing his rhyming and production talents on wide release. The single charted #13 (GAVIN) and featured L Fudge, the Masterminds, R-Son and louis logic, with long time collaborator J.J. Brown aiding with production.
2001 saw the release of the1shanti’s Deadline EP. The release peaked at #1 on Rap Attack’s Hip Hop charts and featured L Fudge, louis logic, J Zone and was primarily self-produced. Shortly thereafter, the1shanti joined the Dum Dum Project (DDP) with whom collaborations with Asha Puthli and a supporting cast of Bollywood-based musicians would lead to relocation to London.
2001-2003 in London provided an opportunity to tour Europe and Asia in support of DDP’s Export Quality. Collaborations with A.R. Rahman for Bombay Dreams, Sonik Gurus, the Foreign Beggars,Sean “DJ Cavo” Dinsmore, Italy's Feel Good Productions, ElekTro4and Billy Martin (Medeski, Martin and Wood), and Niraj Chag would provide an ample opportunity to continue releasing a consistent catalogue of music and the fuel to keep the artist touring non-stop while DDP recorded Spiritual Bling. It was during this time the1shanti enjoyed a residency at Swaraj with DDP and was a frequent guest at DJ Pathaan’s Stoned Asia.
2003-2006, spent primarily between Mumbai, Bangkok, London, and New York would see DDP raise global awareness for their fusion-based brand of hip-hop. In 2006, Afrika Bambaataa, aware of the1shanti’s efforts to spread a positive message through hip-hop in South Asia, dubbed the artist the “Indian Bambaataa”.
2006 to the present day have been hyper productive years for the artist, who upon returning to New York full-time has released two solo records; 2006’s India Bambaataa (Laskar Music) and 2007’sthe1shanti (Rawkus). DDP’s Spiritual Bling (Universal) has become a benchmark in South Asian hip-hop. the1shanti has continued touring, written for and produced numerous projects ranging from soundtracks to advertising; and has mentored new talent for various labels including his own, such as Func Spec andBottle Service.
In the digital space, the1shanti has launchedopensourcehiphop.org as a route for artists to contribute to a global dialogue rooted in the recording arts by using software which is provided free of charge; and has partnered with global sponsors in order to push forward his baseline vision:
To remain a catalyst whose ultimate goal is to help discover each individual’s one shanti.
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