Pakka Politics Ep 5: Comrade Gangsta on Marx, music, makkal politics

This is the fifth episode of Pakka Politics, a podcast by The News Minute to make sense of politics and its socio-cultural impact. From local to national events and global issues, we will focus on everything in the political sphere. As disinformation wreaks havoc around the world, host Shabbir Ahmed will bring in varied voices and opinions to delve deep into the heart of issues. 

In this episode, we discuss the relevance of music made for the working class in conversation with two members of hip-hop band The Comrade Gangsta – rapper Dinesh and RJ Prasath – who have been capturing people’s imaginations with their music, born out of resistance, since 2021.

Tamil Nadu has a rich history of counter-culture and progressive politics through music, and The Comrade Gangsta has been following in the footsteps of musicians like Arivu and The Casteless Collective. The band blends socialism, Ambedkarite and Periyarist ideologies, and has been drawing more people to the socialist cause of being free of caste and communalism.

We discuss the significance of making socially relevant music in the current political climate.

Tune in.

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