Hyderabad: King Jassim of Low Rhyderz is all geared up for his 12-track solo debut album, due this year. But that’s not all, the musician has been widely travelling, thus blurring borders while bolstering his music with diverse ideas and styles.
“I make music which revolves around life and thoughts that spontaneously come to me as I move forward. See, I have always maintained a fine balance between conscious poetry and some fun literature. So one can listen to the message being instilled in the lyrics and should feel like dancing to it, because the tempo is very much alive there,” says the musician.
Nevertheless, he promises surprises in his latest offering, Inheritance. “Most of the album is produced in India along with my long-time associates Bharath Kumar, Poison9 and Mukul. There is also much of production from Jamaica, Bulgaria and Russia. Besides, a bit of new-age bass music and to expect the unexpected elements are of course there,” he briefs, adding: “As of now, it’s going to be an independent release with our banner LR Records. I am also planning to print vinyl apart from a collector’s edition of CDs and digital copies.”
And he handles his tight schedule with ease too. “Be it a solo show or with Low Rhyderz or now with the Monkey Radio India — it’s all about music. Camps, projects and the way we arrive at our music always keep us on the go and our mood, ever pepped up. You know, as long as there is good positive music playing around, we never mind the pressure,” he explains.
For those wondering about his name, Jassim is his real identity. The ‘King’ affix, however, has an interesting story. “‘King’ comes from a source of inspiration — Diana King. I admire her for the music she has made, courage she has and the life she has lived so far, which influenced me a great deal. I grew up with her music,” he raves.
Jassim’s exposure to music came early in life with his dad and cousins’ mixtapes. “There was Arabic music, Sri Lankan music, Western pop, country, regional and Bollywood stuff. Most of this was from the ’70s and ’80s’ era. And the first reggae song that I heard was from my cousin’s mixtape. It was Buffalo Soldier by Bob Marley. I was hardly five then but the number certainly moved me ” he adds.
Talking of his continuous journey of overcoming harsh challenges, the livewire with unruly dreadlocks affirms that “when we (Low Rhyderz) were being pummeled by dismissals everywhere, there was one man who liked what we did. That was Lucky Ali.” “We toured with him for over a year across the country promoting our music,” he says.
Good news is that as a soloist, Jassim has also been a part of last two Apache Indian tours in the country, seven years on the road now.
“Having belted out my kind of music at over 500 gigs till date, I think it’s time now to move onto greater things,” he says declaring that a tour is on the cards.
