Since writing this white paper, we have carried out a ‘beta campaign’ of sorts - the results can be seen here.
If you are not familiar with Azadi Records, or their impact on Indian independent music since their inception in 2017, you can run a quick Google search and do a bit of your own research, or take a look at this info pack[1] the label has made available to readers of this white paper. There are also a number of sources listed at the end of this white paper linking to credible reports of the label, its activities and information about the artists it represents which you can reference.
It is well recognised that South Asia’s creative industries and the infrastructures that support them are geared towards facilitating creators from tier-1 cities (large metropolitan areas) and those coming from well-to-do, middle-to-upper class / privileged backgrounds that have easier access to the same.[2]
As an organisation that has a credible track record in creating avenues that help democratise these infrastructures,[3] we recognise the difficulty artists belonging to regions without the required access or those coming from areas experiencing socio-political unrest face in creating, releasing, marketing and monetising their art to not just the outside world, but also the exact communities they live in and are surrounded by.
These regions constitute a vast percentage of the population in the sub-continent - communities that have played a vital role in developing its cultural landscape but have been systematically and symbolically removed from the mainstream’s narrative of their respective societies, governments and economies.
For example, the Indian mainstream narrative has completely erased the voices of local Kashmiris from the conversation surrounding the geopolitical strife in the region, as well as systematically deployed forces that have helped in eroding Koshur culture and identity from the population’s collective conscience. By working with artists such as Ahmer Javed[4] and Ali Saffudin[5], and through the releases of projects such as Little Kid, Big Dreams[6] and Inqalab[7] - Azadi Records and its artists have played a pivotal role in cultivating hip-hop artists[8] that recognise the need to reinstall a sense of pride in local traditions, language and culture.
From an estimated 50 operating in the region prior to the release of Ahmer’s debut album in 2019, Kashmir currently has over 300 hip-hop artists (500% + increase) active within its borders. From a single recording studio operating in the region that mostly dealt with commercial inquiries, at the time of writing this white paper, Srinagar now has 5 recording studios operating with the sole purpose of helping create independent music in the region.
The label has focussed on replicating this success across communities in West Delhi, Tamil Nadu and Mizoram with artists such as Prabh Deep[9], Rak and Jelo respectively, with much success[10].
Our aim is to expand our ability to find, nurture and cultivate creative talent across the region and take our services to more communities in the country. We also aim to provide an efficient and optimised way for creatives to monetise their rights, either directly with their fan bases or via strategic partnerships we will have in place with like-minded organisations and other web3 DAOs and companies.
The Azadi Records Foundation DAO will aim to: