We’re seeing a resurgence of hip hop, rhythm and bass (R&B), rap and electronic dance music (EDM) in the current music scene in Pakistan. Out of these, one area that has ‘owned’ one of these genres, rap, is Lyari in Karachi. From artists like Abid Brohi to groups like the Lyari Underground to hip hop collectives like From Lyari Streets, the area is giving birth to one talent after another. Each use rap and hip hop as a vehicle to tell their stories and how they feel about the world around them.

This shouldn’t come as a surprise considering the origins of rap music. When it first broke into the mainstream in the late 1980s in the United States, it was considered a platform for political resistance and for people to speak out about racial and social inequalities in the country.

Having said that, globally, in the last decade or so, hip hop music has been commercialized and appropriated by major labels and corporates — much like African American music had been ruined by the appropriation of their music and the influence of commercialisation in the 1970s. Nowadays, rap and hip hop in the United States largely serves merely to entertain and encourage consumerism through their lyrics rather than give voice to oppressed communities to and highlight their issues.

She’s the latest artist from emerging hip hop and rap scene in Lyari to make a mark. Here we review her latest offering Rozi

That hasn’t happened in Pakistan yet, possibly because our rap and hip-hop scene is still in its infancy. One of the artists who has recently joined the repertoire of those making a mark for themselves in the emerging scene from Lyari is Eva B. She broke on to our TV and mobile screens earlier this year when a video of her veiled and baseball cap-wearing self was uploaded on the internet. She spoke her own story about being breaking boundaries as a female rapper from Lyari in her song Gully Girl.

Eva B (not her real name) later appeared on stage at the Lux Style Awards along with Momina Mustehsan. While the mainstream media published many reports on her, Eva B was nowhere to be found, seemingly keeping a low profile. She’s somewhat active on her socials and recently released another song called Rozi. Eva’s own style is simple, crisp and clear. Her voice still sounds very, very young and her songs are easy to follow.

Rozi is Eva’s coming-of-age, feminist anthem, part of a short documentary project, where she talks about transforming from being a homebound, meek girl who tried to fit in the mould of what society expected ‘good’ and proper girls to be, to the little lioness she is today. She’s learned from her mistakes, fought to make her dreams come true, stepped outside and became the target of societal criticism, kept herself strong and stood on her own two feet and became independent. “Log peechay bolay but koi burray waqt mein na poochta [People talked behind my back, but no one was there for me when I needed them],” she sings in Rozi. Well, now she doesn’t need them to. One looks forward to what else she has coming for us next.

Published in Dawn, ICON, December 15th, 2019