MUMBAI: Hip-hop artist Shayaan Bhat aka Shen B has released the first single from his debut EP, Zamaana. The four-track EP — comprising the powerful, eponymous track — is an empowering collection of songs that will highlight key issues the youth face today. From belting poetically incisive bars on bullying and censorship to weaving inspiring verses on self-esteem, corruption, faith and more, Shen B invokes nostalgia to deliver a message of overcoming the odds on Zamaana. The title track itself is a testament to the Urdu poet/rapper’s inspiring journey. Hailing from the city of Jammu in the union territory of Jammu & Kashmir — a region that experienced a clampdown on 4G Internet for a period of 18 months — Shen B was one of the few artists from the area who triumphed through thick and thin to consistently create and release his music. In the aftermath of a challenging two years, a period during which the artist birthed 9 successful releases, Shen B now releases “Zamaana,” his first single of 2021. The track will be followed by his timeless debut EP which is expected to drop soon.

Watch the music video for ‘Zamaana’ here:

The EP opens with “Zamaana,” a track that hearkens back to old-school hip-hop’s nostalgic sonic roots. Floating on thumping drum and bass grooves, “Zamaana” encapsulates Shen B’s yearning to go back in time, to undo the actions that brought the world to the brink upon which it stands today. Beyond the proverbial playground, “Zamaana” is also a message to people who’ve been bullied and who are bullies: this era of exploitation and wickedness must pass; we must be the change. Sheathed in hues of black and white, the music video for “Zamaana” juxtaposes two sides of the poet/rapper — the black side is where Shen B indulges in braggadocio, flaunting the weight of his bars while maintaining the image of success, and the white side is where Shen B is at peace with the world, a boy out to enjoy the fruits of living.

Says Shen B,

“I’m proud to release my debut EP Zamaana. It’s a special collection of songs that I hope inspire a positive shift in the world at large. Through ‘Zamaana,’ I really wanted to tap into the power of nostalgia to create change. The song speaks about how I don’t like what the world has turned into and how I wish I could go back in time. On Zamaana, I’ve revealed different facets of me as an artist — the dark and light side of my being. The EP is both fun and introspective; it’ll make people question, it’ll make them think. Zamaana, as a whole, is a call to action.

We are the breathing fabric of history; let’s build a world worthy of living in.”

Edited by Shen B and directed by the hip-hop artist’s long-term creative collaborator, Mumbai/Jammu-based filmmaker Wikki Cole, the music video for “Zamaana” is a nostalgic trip into the musician’s past. It was shot in the photography studio of a close friend. The DIY poet/rapper filmed the music video for “Zamaana” with the Sony A6300 camera, coupled with a single kit lens, much like he did with the haunting music video for his 2020 R&B/lo-fi hit “Sone Do.” Dancers from a local dance school too join Shen B in the clip. The result is “Zamaana,” an inspiring and celebratory music video; a rebellious anthem for the ages.

The hip-hop artist’s previous hits, the explosive “Chal Beta,” the revolutionary “Fankaar” and the swaggering “Mujhe Dekh,” will form the rest of the EP. Together, all the songs that make up Zamaana pose a question to the world at large - is this how you want to live; how can you do better? The Jammu-based musician is at his artistic best in his debut EP, presenting a changing portrait of the world as he reveals personal lessons from his past. With this release, Shen B continues to shatter ceilings through lyrics that meld Urdu, English and Hindi’s beauty and power. A multilingual tour de force, this poet/rapper out of J&K is now kickstarting a revolution. He invites you to witness it.