After successful editions in New Zealand, Australia, Italy, and Japan, Red Bull 64 Bars came to India for the first time last year and had a riveting lineup of rappers [Rawal, Hanumankind, Shah Rule, Sikander Kahlon, Agsy & MC Altaf] on a Karan Kanchan beat.
While the first edition saw its run time end last year, Red Bull x Gully Gang is now releasing bonus episodes from the first edition with Kannada rapper Rahul Dit -O and Jamnapaar OG Ikka being part of it.
Nostradamus by Ikka as the name suggests is a brag track where the former Mafia Mundeer member flexes the mastery he has on this rap game with slick rhymes, clever references, and hard-hitting bars.
MUSIC
Karan Kanchan creates an eerie atmosphere permuting the snares, drums, and samples to translate a sense of inevitability. Choosing a mezzo-soprano vocal range with a horror vibe as the sample for a flex track is something unique and only a master producer like Karan Kanchan could’ve pulled it off.
Karan achieved it by having a constant hi-hat loop with a single kick playing in the background while the snares followed a boom-bap pattern. The hi-hats helped create an upbeat mood and thus served the purpose of the track. Genius and Bold as always from Karan Kanchan!
LYRICISM
Badshah today is in the same position that Ikka was in a few years ago where a lot of people questioned Ikka’s ability to be lyrical. But it all changed after “I”. The shift has been so immense that today, there is no one better than Ikka in a feature verse, maybe Kr$na or Raftaar but that is debatable.
Nostradamus has Ikka bring his ‘A’ game in terms of lyricism and boy oh boy is it filled with bars. The song embodies 64 bars in the truest sense. Ikka’s main strength has always been using pop culture references in the most creative manner and the Delhi OG doesn’t miss that here.
From history to Osho to Al Pacino, ‘Nostradamus’ was filled with effective pop culture metaphors. But technicalities aren’t everything. It’s often the poetic lines that leave a lasting impact and some of the quotables in this song were simply amazing. This song was a perfect response from Ikka to all those who doubted his skills and talents.
BEST BARS
- Buddhi bal shaali, clan mujhe bole donatello Opps muihse dare jaise dekh li ho Annabelle
- Scarface, Al Pacino waala mera Don Flow
- Getting all the love, all the haters, call me Osho
- Yeh 64 bar nahi, yeh fire of vendetta hai
- Godzilla ko kabhi kutte se ladte hue dekha hai?
- Yeh hai jamnapaar, yaha paani daalo kaante ugte paudho me
- Messiah aaya message mujhe Nas ka aaya, bhai tera khush, do din tak khaana nahi khaaya
- “I* ke baad na koi faltu kuch bol paya
- 10 lakh ka verse likhke, 10 waala ball pen
