'Nucleya is like my big bro', says rapper Divine ahead of his gig in Mumbai

Divine's music is about struggle and his love for Mumbai

RAP as a genre is also known as protest poetry. Rappers often express their frustration with smartly penned lines backed by a rhythm. The stories, in most cases, are original. Even Rap great, Eminem, faced legal hurdles for slandering his mother on The Slim Shady LP. Vivian Fernandes, Mumbai-based rapper who goes by the moniker Divine, is on the same track. The 25-year-old's music is inspired by a childhood of struggle in the slums of JB Nagar (Andheri) and his gradual rise to prominence. Divine will narrate snippets from his book of adolescence at tonight's gig.

Childhood memories
Divine's mother works in Europe but despite being out of the country through his growing-up years, she took care of his education. They barely meet but the bond and rapport is rock-solid. "We speak over the phone. She is going to retire soon," says Divine, who wrote the song Farak for her. "It was officially released last month. This gig is part of the Farak tour, and started last week in Ahmedabad (with Nucleya) where more than 5,000 people came to listen," recalls Divine, whose father abandoned him and his older brother, Anthony, when they were kids. "Farak is about the conversations that I never had with my mother. There are certain things that I can't tell her over the phone. It will freak her out," he laughs.

Divine (in white) with Nucleya in concert

The lyrics of the song go like this: "Main mere maa ke liye jee raha hoon, gum mein bhi pee raha hoon, sarr se toh dheela hoon, kyon? Sadkon pe seekha hoon," (I am living for my mother, I drink when I am sad and I am a bit mad, Why? I learnt it on the streets).

Success stories
His first taste of success came via a performance at the now-defunct blueFROG last year. "I had a regular gig but I didn't realise that the Sony Music officials (who released Farak) would be in the audience. They offered me a contract after listening to the tracks, Yeh Mera Bombay and Mere Gully Mein," he shares.

The same song also opened the gates to Nucleya's studio. Now, they are friends. "He is like my big bro. We connected instantly, and made the popular track, Jungle Raja. He supports the independent scene, and that is my mission too. It is about not taking the Bollywood route to get on the billboards," adds Divine, who will be accompanied tonight by drummer Jai Row Kavi and a turntablist.

He adds, "I am learning with every gig. Exactly a decade ago, all I had was a microphone, and a few friends as audience in my bedroom."

On March 23, 9.30 pm
At antiSOCIAL, Rohan Plaza, 5th Road, Khar (W).
Call 65226324
Entry Rs. 500