Rourkela: Even as he is a rap music director who shoots videos on various social issues and uploads them on YouTube channel, he has to sell mocktail (a non-alcoholic drink prepared from fruits) along the roads of Steel City to realise his dream of becoming a famous rapper.
Meet Richard, the rapper having hundreds of viewers on YouTube channel who flood his videos with ‘likes’. Recently, Richard has released a video with the theme on Rourkela. Titled ‘Rourkela Beauty Gangstarap’, the video reflects the real picture of the city.
Though the city was accorded a Smart City tag, there are filthy pockets in Rourkela that need immediate attention, Richard showed in his videos.
He has displayed in composition that tonnes of ash and trash are being dumped near human habitations. These toxic substances flow into the farmland and destroy crops during rainy season. This also adds to the pollution level of the city.
Similarly, the rapper has highlighted the plight of street kids of the Steel City in one of his videos. There are lots of children in the slums and on the foothills of the city’s outskirts. Though they don’t lack in talent, they continue to suffer since their abilities are not recognised.
Every day, Richard arrives at 9 am on the dot with his ‘thela’ at the Fitness Park near RMC office and prepares a variety of non-alcoholic drinks for his customers.
There are certain customers whose days don’t begin without a sip of Richard’s mocktail.
“His modulation and hairstyle separate him from others. He looks completely different from us, like an American. I enjoy spending a few minutes at his stall,” said Bibhuti Bhusan Tripathy, a regular customer of Richard.
Richard said he has been learning rap music and lyrics for last five years from YouTube after being influenced by Eminem, a rapper from US and known as the god of rap music.
Meanwhile, he has so far composed 15 lyrics including ‘Corrupted Law in India’, ‘Addiction and Loneliness’, ‘Illuminated Soul’, ‘Gangster Mind’ and others.
According to Richard, the rap music composed these days is mostly based on subjects related to women, liquor and drugs. This is misuse of the meaning of rap, he said.
Rapper god Eminem was a rag picker and he vented out his pain in his songs and became a world celebrity, Richard added.
The Steel City rapper said he is trying to bring the social evil to the fore through his rap. However, he faces a lot of hardship in preparing the albums. It costs around Rs 15,000 and he manages the money by selling mocktail at road side.
He thanked Ajay Rao and Kunal Mahanandia, the well known sound recorders to help him in his production.
According to reports, American rapper Eminem set a world record by composing rap of 100 words in 15 seconds whereas Richard has so far managed to compose a 95-word rap within 15 seconds.
