By Willie Gordon Suting
Mawlai Emcees recently released their music video Cypher 2 on YouTube. Written by the band members, the video has spectacular cinematography by Bashan L Mawnai and SK Lyngdoh, and music production by Iomiki Thangkhiew and Eric Franky Kharsyiemiong. The video was shot at Lynti Rim in Mawiong.
Mawlai Emcees’s bilingual rap compositions have always centred on local issues. Banphira “Mizfit” Kharsati puts forth commentary on the subtle sanctimoniousness and fragmentation of society. He says in the verse people are divided in sense of judgement. This is inherently fathomable from the influence of moral codes and societal norms.
Jeffrey “Laitluid” Do Marbaniang shatters illusions. He points out that incongruity is within, compared to public perceptions. His verse paints a metaphor of a society that cannot be broken like a stone.
Zeno Walter “Prince Zeno” Kahit shifts to lives in the periphery dogmatically neglected by hierarchical and organisational structures. He vividly lays critique on recurrent wars in the Middle East. Wanlambok “Wanlam Garyland” Jana inconspicuously raps about seeing a particular clownishness in hatred for one another, that it is sometimes too much to take. Toiarbor “Maverick T” Toi lyrically hints at independent thinking free of irrational and negative influence.
Cypher 2, in many ways, is a message of varying concern and depth. There is no preoccupation with pretentiousness or artificiality. “The camerawork focuses on our rapping and not appearance. If you listen closely, we look for positivity,” says Mizfit.
Laitluid says the image conjured of a stone that could break into pieces are the negativities surrounding man. “But I do not long for such a stone as there is still some hope in our society.”
Commenting on the society’s decadence, Prince Zeno says, “The urban poor, rural folk and border people are always put aside by the mainstream community. They should be considered as equals.”
He adds that war is due to lack of understanding and compromise. “We should listen to our hearts and not be drawn by herd mentality,” says Maverick T.
With mainstream hip hop not waking up to manifest truth, Damanbhalang “Rumnoc” Rumnong says, “It is better to tread life within our safe boundaries. Bad influence is bad influence.”
Laitluid wants to weave more verses that look into social evils. Mizfit desires to bring forth focus on dying Khasi language in cosmopolitan Shilllong. “I want to pen new compositions on harm on the environment, poverty, corruption, unemployment and many other issues,” he says.
The band, which is an offshoot of U Thugs, says they position their rapping to be representative of the Khasi community. Originality is identifiable in accurate enunciation and intonation of Khasi words.
The video has over 26,861 views on YouTube, and was received positively by fans and viewers alike.
