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Interview With Sash

August 3rd, 2011 | By NepHop

As a member of the Canadian Hip-Hop group RedRoom, Sash is the most sought after emcee that everybody is looking to collaborate with. Having dropped a mixtape back in January and an album expected by the end of the year, taking time out of the studio, NepHop.net caught up with the rapper/singer for an exclusive interview.

For those who don’t know you, please introduce yourself

My name is Shashwat Karkee and I was born on March 3rd, 1988 in Patan Hospital, Kathmandu, Nepal. At the tender age of 1, I boarded my first flight to Japan (one of MANY planes that I would fly on over the years) with my mother to unite with my father who held a job as a civil engineer there. I would go on to spend most of my childhood as a typical ‘nihonjin’ (Japanese person) as there were very minimum foreign population in Japan, with not much knowledge on the culture and people of my home country. I read/wrote/spoke Japanese, went to Japanese schools, ate Japanese food and kept busy watching immense selection of animes. Even with my parents’ effort to keep us in touch with our roots, the most I knew about Nepal was the Mount Everest that I saw on documentaries and my mother’s ‘Bhaitika” and “Dashain” celebrations.

My first real connection with my beautiful motherland occurred when my parents decided to take my two elder sisters and I back to Nepal in my fourth year of middle school. As far as the younger version of me was concerned, Japan was my home country and the idea of moving away somewhere else was absurd. Needless to say, it took a lot out of me and my siblings to get used to such a sudden change of technology and living standards. But we were no strangers to adapting into new environments – in a year or so we were just one of the the many kids running around with our cousins / extended families. I would continue living in Nepal for two more years, all the while learning more about my culture, religion and language. I should mention that I was one of the first batch students of Malpi International School in Panauti, Kavre, where I became fluent in reading/writing/speaking Nepali and English. I also made some great friends there including Nattu Shah and Kavir Tamang (Mastamind), who I later find out, are pursuing music outside of Nepal much like myself. Nattu is a great singer/songwriter that I would love to work with in the near future, and you all might know I already shared a track with Mastamind in NepHop’s Finest.

I would then move back to Japan and stay there for three more years to complete my junior high. It was just around then that my parents decided on moving to Canada. It was time to pack the bags and hop inside a plane yet one more time. We touched down in Toronto in the summer of 2003, and I have rested my ever-immigrating feet on this city ever since. It would be the place where I’d meet some of my major influences, where I would struggle to find my identity again, where I would muster enough courage to challenge the unquestioned cycle of schooling and make my own career choice. It is the land where my magical journey of music begins.

How is the Hip-Hop scene in Toronto?

Hip-Hop scene in Toronto… let me put it to you this way – we call Toronto the “Screwface Capital”. Basically, people are really reluctant to take you and your music seriously, because 9 out of 10 times, they think they can do it better. Which means, there are A LOT of unfiltered artists and materials circling around (thanks to the easy/economical access to basic recording devices), and very LITTLE chances of gaining recognition/success. To put it in perspective, even Drake – who is one of the hottest new artist to emerge in the game – got little but no love from the city until he moved onto the US mainstream and earned a co-sign from an already established artist (namely, Lil’ Wayne). But again, using the same example, it is still possible to make it here, given the right connections and a thorough knowledge of the industry.

As far as my own musical influences, it actually comes from wide variety of musical genres, probably because I see all styles of music as one entity. In Japan, it was all about pop/soft rock and a fair share of classical works, thanks to the great school system. My father was the one who got me into the western music early on in my life; The Beatles, Abba, Stevie Wonder, Eagles, Rolling Stones, to name a few. Once in Nepal, I developed strong likings to the world of rock, heavy metal, grunge, punk and the more alternative avatars of music. It wasn’t until I came to Canada that I fell in deep love with the world of Hip-Hop. In the following years, I must of spent countless hours listening to all the “classic rap albums” as well as keeping a close ear to what is hot at the moment. To hear actual names of my Hip-Hop influences, you can always listen to a song called “Where Would I be” from the “All you can See is Red” mixtape, I do a whole lot of naming there. (smiles)

You’ve performed at many gigs as part of Redroom and Resident Frequency, what is the response you get from the crowd?

I love performing live. The butterflies in my stomach when I hit the stage, the energy you get from the crowd when I touch the mic, the demand of flawless performance where one mistake could turn everything bad – its all makes a thrilling experience that cannot be replaced. I want to show people whatever you hear on my record, is exactly what I can do live. As you mentioned, I have been a part of many shows, and now I am at a point where every-time I hit the stage I am confident I can get the crowd going. I usually have them either dancing or bobbing their heads by the end of it.

Performing with RedRoom has been much like what you would expect from a Hip-Hop showcase, where the DJ plays the instrumental and the artist spits his/her rhymes. This is always fun since you know the beat is going to be on point, so you can focus solely on the lyrical delivery and interacting with the crowd; in short, you have a considerable control over your gig. Resident Frequency is a whole different beast of its own. Performing with a three piece band with two front men, requires a lot more coordination and trust within its members. It means you need to rehearse often (with ALL members present), constantly compromise, and most of all, you must be on the same page. It takes years to have this kind of relationship and it definitely was the hardest part for us as a band, but when everybody delivered with the right attitude, the resulting chemistry was undeniable. I felt like The Roots when we performed, like we were the Fugees. We ripped shows throughout the city, and it is a lovely memory and experience that really helped shape my on-stage delivery. I keep in touch with Mikey G, still stay close to Druski, and My-kal has been my twin/mentor from day one. Enough said.

How is it working with DJ AJ and Lazy Boi?

I have been working with AJ and Lazy from day one. They were the two people that really influenced me to take music seriously, and to explore my artistic talent that I was oblivious to until I met them. They both had indulged in their share of music when they met me – AJ was a well known producer / artist who had rappers craving for his beats ; Deep had also been perfecting his beat-making and establishing his name in the NepHop world as an emcee with skills to be reckoned with. It didn’t take long for me to follow in their footsteps and start writing rhymes to their beats, but it would take about a year for me to actually show them some of my works and for the three of us to form RedRoom.

The name RedRoom comes from the color of paint on the wall of AJ’s room that we used as our studio setup. At this point, I had recorded couple of songs on their beats, and I was going through a transition from becoming an amateur writer to a full-on emcee. One afternoon, boiling up in AJ’s room recording a fresh material at the mercy of Toronto summer, we figured a name would be necessary for our crew. We wanted it to be simple, meaningful, yet catchy. After a short deliberation, we settled on RedRoom right away. We liked the sound of it, the hidden meaning behind it, and thought of it as a very marketable title. We are a dynamic trio that handle all aspects of music – from writing, rapping, singing, playing instruments, composing instrumentals, recording, mixing, mastering, live performance – between the three of us, we got it covered. We are like brothers that have common love for music and we share close friendship outside of that too. I consider them family.

From your ‘All You See Is Red’ mixtape, which cut is your favorite and why?

Aghhh… This is always a hard question to answer, but I will do give it my best shot. Well, “Gotta Go” is the first song that I wrote entirely and recorded from front to back. With that said, I have a really close attachment to the song. I remember myself confused, still questioning my own skills, with no clue of studio protocols, just trying to give my best performance. Looking back, I absolutely love how it turned out, and it is still one of my favorites to this day.

Other song that is dear to me is “Sorry Mama”. I wrote it for my mom – who is also my best friend – about all of the worries and stress I must have caused her during my adolescent years. It is an innocent, straight forward song that any son or daughter can relate to. It is also a song that made me realize that the more personal and raw I go on a track, the more the listeners can relate to.

My absolute favorite? That would be “Suicide”. I wanted to make it like a motion picture using vivid imagery to narrate a story of myself going on this journey to keep my passion alive. It is an ambitious song with extra long verses and a hook that repeats only twice, but I feel like I was able to deliver a powerful lyrical performance. When you close your eyes and listen to the lyrics carefully, you might find it a joy to listen to.

What does NepHop mean to you and are there any rappers you are feeling and would like to collaborate with?

NepHop to me is a community/culture that consist of new generation of Urban-minded Nepali people. It is still very new, with no clear definition or distinct common identity. It finds its inspiration from Hip-Hop, blends itself with regional or other musical influences, and is powered by big dreams and raw ambition. I feel like I did not make myself available to the whole culture early on in my career, but as soon as I started paying attention and getting involved, I felt at home right away. I support all my fellow NepHoppers and I strive to inspire as many of them as much as they have inspired me.

Artist-wise, I like Kasey (Mr. KC) right off the bat. We BEEN talking about getting on a track so we can the clubs jumpin’. Shout outs to Sagar Moktan, Mani, Fuba Tamang, and the whole NepHop UK, them youngins got the swag and the newschool approach, which they play very well. OneSun is a talented artist/producer that I want to work with. I have been a big fan of Nepsydaz, specially Loorey. That boy can spit o my. I dig Mastakush and of course my dude Mastamind. More recent discovery, Mc Flo and Yamabuddha – would love to share a song with them.

You came out on top in the NepHop’s Finest poll with the best verse. Do you feel any pressure when putting out new music now?

No. I feel like I am my best critic, I always have been. If I put up a verse, that is because I am satisfied with it… here’s the catch – it takes a LOT for me to be satisfied.

Na, but for real, I am overjoyed to be recognized and that is what fuels me to be better. I have been taking a long break from recording, but I promise you the new material will make you roll over your chair. My word. [Click Here To Vote]

Your new music hears you move away from rapping to singing. Is that what your fans can expect from your new project?

Yes, you can definitely expect more singing from the upcoming projects. At this point, I am just really taking my time writing what I want, what is real to me. I want to create a medley of songs that defines my perspective towards music as a whole. We are still in the process of fully developing the new sound, but one thing I can tell you is that it is NOT going to be safe – it is definitely going to be daring, radical and thought-provoking. AJ’s got the sexy new studio set-up all working now, so best believe there are going to be lots of trial-and-errors happening regularly in that basement.

I don’t want to get into to dates until I finalize things, but I am going to have something for ya’ll by the end of this year as far as a solid tape/album. As far as videos, throwaways and freestyles, I am going to stay consistent with that. I just need to get my main man Mr. Sainzu working the cameras.

From the music we’ve heard so far, none has reference to Nepal or Japan. Will we get to hear you rap in Nepali or Japanese?

“Language is something I had to learn as a means of survival as I moved around often, and even in terms of music, I consider it as an invaluable instrument that allows you to convey various emotions.”

As far as references, I have made them in my music, but maybe not in the songs that you might have heard so far. You will hear them soon enough, though. As far as speaking it, I will do it when I feel comfortable. I don’t want to do it because people are telling me to do it or to prove that I am trilingual. Language is something I had to learn as a means of survival as I moved around often, and even in terms of music, I consider it as an invaluable instrument that allows you to convey various emotions. So it has to feel right. No worries. As soon as I’m ready, I’m gonna buss out all three languages in one track. That way, only my family would really understand what I am saying!

Do you have plans to tour soon and return back to Nepal?

YES! I have a show coming up in NY!! It is going to be at a club on the October 8th weekend, and I am going to officially announce the location and details shortly. Our good friend Abhishek Amatya is an entrepreneur and genuinely cares for our music, and he is the person who is helping us organize this.

Plans to return to Nepal? Dude, I AM DYING TO GO BACK. I mean its crazy. The last time I was there was just before Y2K. I absolutely cannot wait to find some time between everything going on here, to go back and witness my homeland all over again. I think about it so often that I dream about it. At this point, I don’t even care, I am going there within a year. If not this winter, for damn sure the next summer. I want to interact with all the fans that hit me up on Facebook. I have a great family that is so eager to help me get my music out. Most of all, I want to travel all over Nepal and see all the things I have been missing out on all my life from living abroad, and simply realize her beauty.

Stay up to date with Sash’s tour news and dates on the RedRoom Facebook Fan Page