Gold Cube, RizwanOnTheBeat & Paital – Hip Hop from Dhaka
In this episode of Long Take: Life as an Artist, we meet young Bangladeshi hip-hop artists Gold Cube, Paital, and RizwanOnTheBeat. Through their lyrics and beats, they tackle social issues and shed light on the challenges young people face in Bangladesh. Plus, Gold Cube sent us his «Dec 18, 2024 Quota Reform Movement Monologue»—a spontaneous recording. We’ve included it as an add-on to Episode Six. Tune in now on YouTube, Spotify, or other platforms!
We meet Nirob, also known as Gold Cube, along with Paital and Rizwan, at the home of their local idol, Skibkhan – listen to the episode featuring him here. Together, we explore Puran Dhaka, the Old City of Dhaka, where Gold Cube was born and lives – a place he is deeply proud of. Through hip hop, the three strive to represent the people of their neighborhood and the generation of college students in Bangladesh, who often face limited opportunities, as they explain in the interview.
They wield rap as a powerful weapon against negativity. Their international influences include iconic American artists such as Ice Cube (whose name inspired the Gold Cube moniker), Dr. Dre, Kanye West, and the beat-producing collective Internet Money, led by Taz Taylor. RizwanOnTheBeat produces a podcast and creates content for Bangladeshi music platforms such as BDHiphop and previously for DESIHIPHOP and BeatsBangla.
This interview took place during Sheikh Hasina’s 15-year tenure as prime minister, which ended in August 2024 when she reportedly fled to India following massive protests against her regime. Gold Cube was actively involved in these protests, released the hit song «Desh Shongskar» and reportedly went into hiding for fifteen days as authorities sought him.
Credits
Host: Thomas Burkhalter
Sound: Daniel Jakob, Melodies In My Head
Mix and Mastering: Daniel Jakob
Graphic Design (Cover): Pamuditha Zen Anjana
Photography: Ørjan Ellingvåg and Thomas Burkhalter
Editorial support: The Norient team and Rebecca Favale
Support in Dhaka: Kazi Tahsin Agaz Apurbo
Listen to the full episode on YouTube and find outtakes in this YouTube playlist.
The podcast «Long Take: Life as an Artist» dives into deep conversations with artists from across the globe, focusing on musicians and sound creators. Hosted by Norient founder, anthropologist, writer and audiovisual artist Thomas Burkhalter, it explores the personal journeys of these artists – their aspirations, successes, challenges, creative processes, and perspectives on the world. The podcast is minimally edited, offering authentic portrayals of each artist, revealing the person behind the art. It serves as a valuable, freely accessible resource for anyone researching music, sound, culture, and politics.
The podcast is funded by
Biography
Published on December 18, 2024
Last updated on December 19, 2024
Topics
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From classism in techno clubs to clashing ideals of masculinity in Brazilian «bate bola».
From Bangladeshi electronica to global «black midi» micro scenes.
Place remains important. Either for traditional minorities such as the Chinese Lisu or hyper-connected techno producers.
About Tunisian rappers risking their life to criticize politics and musicians affirming 21st century misery in order to push it into its dissolution.
From Korean visual kei to Brazilian rasterinha, or the dangers of suddenly rising to fame at a young age.
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