Balakrishna Ganeshan Yogeswaran Veerasingam (born December 14, 1974), popularly known by his stage name Yogi B or Yogi B., is a Tamil Malaysians Rapping and music producer. He is noted for his pioneering contributions to the Tamil language Hip-hop music genre.
Early life
Yogeswaran Veerasingam was born on December 14,1974, in
Kuala Lumpur,
Malaysia, and grew up in a multicultural environment that would later influence his musical career.
Raised in an Indian
Tamils-speaking family, Yogeswaran's early exposure to diverse languages and cultural traditions played a crucial role in shaping his unique musical style. His grandfather, Kumaraswamy, was a notable Dravidian leader in
Malaysia, known for his advocacy and impact within the Dravidian movement.
Career
Poetic Ammo
Yogi B founded the
hip-hop group
Poetic Ammo in the mid-1990s.
Besides Yogi B, it consisted of Chandrakumar Balakrishnan (aka Land Slyde), Nicholas Ong (aka Point Blanc), and Sashi Kumar Balakrishnan (aka C. Loco). Although most of the group's songs were written in English, they also released tracks in
Malay language,
Tamil language, and
Cantonese.
[ Retrieved 2016-10-4 (Google translation)]
The band won the 'Best English Album' award at the Malaysian Anugerah Industri Muzik (AIM) Music Awards in 1999.[ (Malaysian)] They also received the 'Best Music Video' award at AIM in 2000 and 2001. Their music video 'Money Money' gained widespread national and international acclaim.
Rise to fame
The mid-2000s were transformative for Yogi B, marked by a surge in the popularity of Tamil hip-hop. His collaboration with the rap duo Natchatra (consisting of Dr. Burn and Emcee Jesz) played a pivotal role in this rise.
In 2006, Yogi B achieved notable success with the release of the album
Vallavan.
Yogi B also served as the executive producer of the album.
The album's standout track, "Madai Thiranthu", became a sensation, resonating with both the Tamil diaspora and the Tamil community in India.
Playback singing
In 2007, Yogi B made his debut in the
Tamil cinema with
Polladhavan. He performed the song "Engaeyum Eppothum", a track that featured legendary playback singer S. P. Balasubrahmanyam and which was a remix of the similarly-named song from
Ninaithale Inikkum. Yogi B's collaboration on this track marked a significant milestone in his career, bridging his independent music success with mainstream cinema.
Following his success with Polladhavan, Yogi B continued to collaborate with several renowned music composers, further establishing his presence in the Tamil film industry. He has worked with Vidyasagar ( Kuruvi), A. R. Rahman ( Enthiran), Sean Roldan ( Velaiyilla Pattathari 2), Santhosh Narayanan ( Kaala), D. Imman ( Tik Tik Tik), and Anirudh Ravichander ( Darbar).
Discography
Yogi B discography
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| 1998 | It's a Nice Day to Be Alive | Poetic Ammo | |
| 2000 | The World Is Yours | Poetic Ammo | |
| 2003 | ''Return of Tha' Boombox' | Poetic Ammo | |
| 2006 | Vallavan | Yogi B and Natchatra | |
Discography
As singer
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| Telugu |
| Hindi |
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As music director
Personal life
Yogi B attributes much of his success as a Tamil hip-hop artist to the invaluable support of his mother, who died in 2013.
Her demise affected him both personally and professionally. This loss, combined with two major surgeries for
goitre, created a period of intense difficulty for him.
Yogi B's mother played a crucial role in his musical career by assisting with the translation of Tamil rap portions, ensuring that the poetry and lyrical integrity were preserved.
Yogi B has expressed admiration for The Casteless Collective, an Caste music group founded by filmmaker Pa. Ranjith's Neelam Cultural Centre.
Legacy
Yogi B's contributions to Tamil hip-hop have had a lasting impact on the genre.
His ability to merge Tamil cultural elements with contemporary hip-hop has influenced a new generation of artists and shaped the evolution of South Asian music. His innovative work earned him the nickname 'Godfather of Tamil Hip-Hop'.
External links
