Nawaj Ansari drops new single from upcoming EP

By Mannu Shahi,Kathmandu, Apr. 7: Born on August 31, 1993, Nawaj Ansari is a rapper and musician from Nepal currently based in Texas, USA. After discovering emcees such as Lil Wayne, Drake and Rick Ross to name a few, Ansari during his post-teen years transitioned from his aspirations of becoming a singer to his newfound fascination with the realm of hip-hop music. 

An earnest poetry admirer beforehand, changing his focus thus seemed like an inevitable next step for his creative growth. Initially, he would only write and rap in English, as he was more comfortable with the language and most of his influences were also native English speakers. In 2014, Nawaj got a chance to partake in a Tihar-song collaboration with musicians like Nima Rumba, Almoda, Axata, Roland Carbety Miclee and Prince Nepali, which blew up the internet and is cherished to date as the festival’s modern anthem. 

Although things were smooth back home, it was only in 2017 right after he moved to the US, the emcee launched his official YouTube channel and started publishing his oeuvre on a digital platform. This is when one by one people started to notice Nawaj as this creative, versatile and consistent artist on his way to engrave a mark for himself in the music industry. 

In 2017, the rapper released 5 singles and has been dropping music rapidly ever since; two singles in 2018; thirty-nine songs in 2019 alone; twenty-three singles and a 25-track self-produced album titled ‘25 In The Rain’ (September) in 2020; twenty four tunes in 2021; twelve singles and his 33-tracks sophomore album ‘Hazar Quitaab’ (July) in 2022, the album also includes the rapper’s most viral tune Vim Saboon; fifteen singles in 2023; and already five singles were published in the initial four months of 2024, out of which three songs are a part of his gradually unveiling EP ‘Gako’. 

Despite Nawaj’s staggering discography that well exhibits his caliber and range as an inventive powerhouse, he is usually ostracised in the Nep-hop scene, which is an actual recurring complaint amidst his devoted pack of followers. The reason for such partiality could be the rapper not participating in reality rap shows unlike his contemporaries, but also his ahead-of-time work which needs more time to gel in with the nonchalant music consumption culture 

of Nepal. 

And a week prior on March 29, 2024, the emcee released his third single, “Trip Ma Blind” from his upcoming EP. Written, composed and produced by Nawaj Ansari, the song is presented in association with Rinasa Records. Published with just an attached cover photo, the song has already garnered over sixty-nine thousand streams in a week. On the very first listen, the lyrics to the tune stood out 

the most for me. 

The rapper’s choice of words and the lyrical arrangement of verses is pristine, the delivery and articulations are witty and clever simultaneously. Such great association of rhymes in the chorus which enhances the entire tune with its catchy flow. The laid-back vibe is quintessentially true to the aesthetic the emcee is portraying via the song, however, even when the rap multiplies in double speed during the second verse it seamlessly alters without hindering the vibe. Overall, a commendable execution by one of the most promising creatives of Nep-hop.