Hard Kaur: ‘I am the bomb on stage’

Indian rapper Hark Kaur says she has been inspired my Busta Rhymes.

Hard Kaur will perform at Beats on the Beach. Courtesy Beats on the Beach

Hard Kaur is tailor-made to perform in front of Beats on the Beach’s eclectic crowds.

The British-Indian artist, who performs at the Corniche on Friday, leads a chameleon-like career as a rapper, Bollywood singer, actress and social activist. She prefers it this way, too.

“It keeps it fun for me and gives me new things to enjoy,” she says. “This why my career keeps on going, as it keeps me fresh and relevant at all times.”

Born in Uttar Pradesh, India, Kaur (real name Taran Kaur Dhillon) move to Birmingham as a 12 year old. It was in school that she developed a love for hip-hop, having been inspired by the likes of the dexterous rapper Busta Rhymes.

She says being involved in the underground hip-hop scene in the early 2000s was difficult enough, but being of Asian descent made it even more ­challenging.

“I was always working hard releasing some music and performing in a few festivals,” she says. “I love hip-hop, but at the same time, I also need to make some money, yo.”

The tough financial situation necessitated that Kaur relocate back to India. Armed with industry knowledge and a hustler’s tenacity, Kaur quickly established herself as one of the leaders of the country’s growing hip-hop scene.

Her pedigree was useful for savvy Bollywood filmmakers; in their wish to appeal to the youth market, they enlisted Kaur to appear and sing in numerous films including Johnny Gaddaar (2007) and Ajab Prem Ki Ghazab Kahani (2009).

Her growing profile resulted in her venturing back to music and releasing three albums, the last of which, 2012's Party Loud All Year was released with the major label Sony.

With a career showing no signs of slowing down, Kaur says the biggest reward has been to pass down the knowledge to aspiring independent artists in her homeland.

“It is important to see my country develop and be educated about hip-hop music,” she says. “Before I came here, there were a lot of people who used to laugh at rappers in India. Then once they heard me spit out a few rhymes they shut up. The message is ‘don’t judge us’. We know what we are doing and all we need is a platform.”

Kaur is looking forward to smashing such stereotypes in Abu Dhabi at the weekend.

“My advice is to come with your eyes and ears open,” she says. “I am the bomb on stage.”

Hard Kaur performs at Beats on the Beach on Friday