Blaaze has created history by winning MTV’s Youth Icon Award! Considered the harbinger of new fashion fads, MTV has been presenting these awards to people who rivet the attention of youth with their style and work. The purpose of the award is to help today’s youth to identify their “new-age” role models.
Coming from a channel which embodies the youthfulness and highly regarded by today’s youth, this award carries great value. It is also a redefining moment considering it is Lakshmi Narasimha Vijaya Rajagopal – Blaaze’s christened name – who won the award. It is a welcome change as “South Indianiasms” are still used for evoking humorous reactions on many famous TV channels. Thankfully, MTV, which buried that habit long ago, is giving equal importance to everyone and is trying to create a new society sans differences, though in its own ways that might not appeal to some prudent senior citizens. But even they can understand that when they were young, their elders disagreed with their ways and that “history repeats”.
Blaaze, the youth icon, added a new dimension to the Tamil Film Music. A rapper is required to possess an unconditional love and respect for freedom; a strong will to safeguard it; compassion and ability to standup for others when needed; and high individualism apart from good knowledge in music.
Developed by Africans, who were taken as slaves during the days of imperialism and when the “new world” (America) was being built, “rap” speaks mostly about the struggle of the downtrodden and the need for a revolution to achieve an equalitarian society.
Raised in Zambia, Africa, the continent where Rap was born, Blaaze took to rap just like fish takes to swimming and the qualities required to be a successful rapper were instilled in him early on in his childhood. His first rap performance was for the Zambian presidential election campaign when he was barely 16!
Self-reliant right from his childhood, Blaaze was looking for proving his worth to the world, and the big break came when A.R. Rahman recognized the immense potential in him. The rest is history. Today, he is a highly-regarded rap artist in the entire nation.
Even United Nations sought the help of this talented rapper for its diabetes awareness campaign. It recalled his services again in 2007 and this time the rapper joined hands with his mentor A.R. Rahman to create the magical song ‘Pray For Me, Brother’.
His rap about the Gujarat riots, the police brutality, and religion and equality, and many other issues has made him quite popular amongst today’s youth.
The award is a fitting tribute to this great artist.
Courtesy: galatta.com
