Ansar - Rap Is So Mainstream Now, and It's Sonically Changing So Rapidly as Well

I randomly decided to start making music with one of my friends back in 10th grade. We recorded on my laptop with those cheap dollar-store headphones. It's been a continuous journey of evolving with the times and studying music as well.

1. Tell us more about your background and journey.

I grew up in Pakistan and came to Canada for university. Musically, my journey has always been centred around rap. It was a bit tougher in Pakistan considering rap was not mainstream at all at the time and no one really listened to it. But it truly resonated with me like nothing else and so I decided to try my hand in it and keep at it!


2. When did you first decide you wanted to pursue music and how did you start?

I randomly decided to start making music with one of my friends back in 10th grade. We recorded on my laptop with those cheap dollar-store headphones. It's been a continuous journey of evolving with the times and studying music as well. Rap is so mainstream now, and it's sonically changing so rapidly as well. 

It's a beautiful sight to see. I still can't pinpoint a single time in my life where I knew this was what I specifically wanted to do, there are days where there's nothing else i want to do and definitely some days where I want nothing to do with it.


3. Who is your favourite artist and why?

I have so many favourite artists.... My favourite singers are Frank Ocean, Michael Jackson, and Marvin Gaye. My favourite rappers are Big L, Nas, and Andre 3000. I'm obsessed with Kanye West's music, a big fan of Big Pun. 

Then there's contemporary artists like Giveon, Drake, Flo Milli, Freddie Gibbs, Conway The Machine. I love me some Vybz Kartel and Gunna too! It's impossible for me to pick a single person at any given time, unfortunately. Too many categories to consider.


4. Can you throw some light on opportunities one gets as a singer?

I can't really speak much on this specifically because I've always been so obsessed with making music rather than performing it. The opportunities are always there though. 

Open Mics are abundant, surely you might know someone willing to play your song at a function. Little things help a lot and slowly build towards a greater presence which some may refer to as clout.


5. Is formal training required or can one train themselves purely on the basis of talent?

Hard work is the only talent. Train yourselves, get training, never stop working. What does talent matter if you don't have the drive to do anything with it?


6. What piece of advice would you like to give to future and aspiring artists?

There's always room to grow. There's always room to get better. One can never be the best at this game. Learn, study, prepare, practice, perform, take notes, get better, and do it all again.


7. Which is your favourite book and why?

I have two favourite books and they're the complete opposite. The first is Crime and Punishment by Dostoyevsky and the second is The Hitchhikers Guide To The Galaxy by Douglas Adams. The former is one of the most harrowing and hard-to-digest books i've ever read. 

A true look into the psyche of a man at the lowest lows imaginable and the effect his actions have on his mental and physical self. The second is the only book I've read which has made me laugh out loud. It's extremely entertaining, very witty, and got me into reading!

- Interviewed by - Pratika Dahal