Ty-Ty Smith, the renowned hip-hop producer and best buddy of Jay Z, first stumbled upon Punjabi music almost two decades ago, while cruising on the road through Europe. It was a chance encounter, courtesy of a radio station that played "Mundiya tu Bach ke" by Panjabi MC, the towering figure in the British-Indian hip-hop scene. "We were like, this shit is so fire," says Smith, adding how the first hip-hop influence was clearly discernible. Jay Z was equally impressed, and he didn't waste any time collaborating with Panjabi MC, and has since gone on to perform this song in big-ticket events like Coachella and Rock Am Ring.

"That was my introduction to anything regarding the South Asian Indian sound," says Smith. Twenty years later when his ex-colleague and great confidant Shabz Naqvi floated the idea of setting up a record label that showcases the South Asian culture, Ty-Ty couldn't help but reminisce the day when he was awestruck by the upbeat, funky groove of MC Panjabi. Naqvi tells how Ty-Ty's background in hip-hop made it easier to convince him. What Naqvi was looking for was guidance, but Ty-Ty was so convinced by the idea, he decided to join in as a partner. And that's how Desi Trill was formed. "The name sort of breaks it down of our relationship. I'm Desi and Ty-Ty, coming from a 100% hip-hop background, is Trill," says Naqvi.

The record label has had a great start, having penned a deal with Universal Music Group, and the response on the streaming platform has been nothing short of commendable. We talk to Naqvi and Ty-Ty, to understand their vision behind putting South Asian music on a global map.

MW: What inspired the creation of Desi Trill and the unique genre of music it represents?

Naqvi: My parents were born in Uttar Pradesh, India, and ended up in London in the 60s. I'm one of five siblings, I'm the youngest. I was born in the 80s, an era when South Asians were still missing home, there was no technology. So Bollywood music was the biggest connection. I've been blessed enough to be working in the UK hip-hop and dancing scene, also working for Ty-Ty at Roc Nation. But I almost felt like a void and what bugged me was when will the South Asian culture become global? So I went to Ty-Ty for help. He immediately resonated with him. I let him tell his side. And then the rest is history from there.

MW: Tell us how you felt when Shabz came up with this idea?

Ty-Ty: When Shabz approached me with this concept, I was reminded of the time when Panjabi MC made an appearance on Hot 97 in New York City, the renowned hip hop station. Although I didn't understand the language, I found myself captivated by the music. In my opinion, music transcends borders. It is the gatekeepers who attempt to confine it within certain boundaries. Language has never posed a barrier to me; music is a universal language.

Fast forward to 2024, and I am familiar with artists such as Shakira from the Latin music scene, BTS, Blackpink from Korea, and numerous Afrobeats artists. Yet, I find it perplexing that I am not familiar with any significant music from India. This is a new experience for me, and I am determined to champion this cause alongside Shabz. Just like the struggles faced by hip hop in its journey to success, we are prepared to face similar challenges in promoting Indian music on a global scale.

MW: How do you two divide your time and responsibility at Desi Trill?

Ty-Ty: We share everything. We have the same mindset, so it's easy. We flow, we flow perfectly. Because we know what we want.

Naqvi: As Ty-Ty said, it's a mindset. Everything is built on passion. We wear multiple hats. Our staff are like our family, and everyone who's on the board resonates with the idea of Desi Trill. We wear multiple hats.

MW: There has been a confluence of East and West in the musical sphere, be it Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan collaborating with the Beatles, or how the Coke Studio has been combining both elements. How is Desi Trill unique?

Ty-Ty: If you listen to our music, it doesn't sound like anything that you've heard before. I told Shabz that the artists we signed, should, they should in the mother tongue. The way I hear Shabz speaks with his family, he's speaking in Hindi and then he's putting English in the middle of it. I said they should just be that. They should speak in their mother tongue. We didn't want artists that wanted to just sing in English. I wouldn't, we wouldn't assign artists that wanted to sing just in English because I could do that at Roc Nation. What's the sense of me doing it if you want to do that, right? I think it's important. BTS don't sing in English. They might put a song in English, but they sing in the mother tongue and it works.

Naqvi: We're never in competition with anyone but ourselves always. And what makes us unique is the fact of how it's being built, Both of us are bringing in our personal experiences. Ty-Ty is bringing in his incredible experience and fight in hip hop. Together we're bringing in our understanding of what it means to break culture. I'm not trying to shade, but we're literally working from the ground up. We're in international corporations, enlightening them for the first time on what South Asian culture is, right?

MW: So you're not chasing virality or traffic. Can you walk us through the process of selecting and working with artists?

Ty-Ty: "I believe that, personally, the kind of person I am looking for is someone who has a strong passion to be visible, heard, and cares deeply about their community. I am particularly interested in meeting individuals from India or other parts of the South Asian community who are willing to stand up and fight for their beliefs. I am seeking the same energy and drive that I saw in Shabz, who was truly passionate about their work. It is not exciting for me if an artist lacks that same level of passion and simply wants to conform to Western standards or achieve fame in America.

What excites me is when individuals fight for their culture, much like in the world of hip hop where we constantly battle to be heard and understood. Although we have made progress, there is still a long way to go. I am looking for artists who are enthusiastic about making their voices heard and want to be role models for the younger generation within their own community. That is my priority and what drives me in this industry. Without that ambition and drive, I have no interest in being involved.

Naqvi: It's purely based on sound. So we come from hip hop, pop, R&B, electronic, like, so we've got the sound, but then we also bring in the incredible instruments, like, that have been built in Indian history for centuries. The world's going to wake up eventually and pay attention.

MW: South Asia is an umbrella term. It includes a diverse set of music from varied artists spread across India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, and Bangladesh. How do you plan to maintain this kind of diversity providing somewhat equal representation and visibility to artists from those countries?

Naqvi: Diversity is a mere dialect. Despite differences in faith and dialects, the similarities among South Asian countries are believed to outweigh these distinctions. The dominance of Bollywood music and industry throughout the region demonstrates a unity that transcends linguistic differences. In this view, India's unity and commonalities serve as the foundation of its identity as the core land.

MW: Are you solely focused on the rising artists or have you kept yourself open to the collab from the more established ones?

Ty-Ty: We are always open to collaborations, that's a lesson I learned from hip-hop. Collaboration is key to reaching different audiences and making a genre big. We are definitely open and eager to collaborate with others, as we want to inspire and be team players in making this genre the biggest in the world. It is not just about the Desi Trill sound, but about all subgenres coming together to shine. We admire artists like Diljit Dosanjh who are breaking barriers and paving the way for Desi Trill and other artists. Supporting and cheering on such artists is crucial. We also have a passion for finding underdogs and bringing them into the spotlight.

In a world driven by algorithms and trends, we prefer to focus on the artists and sounds that resonate with audiences on a deeper level. Our approach to collaboration is rooted in building strong relationships.

Naqvi: Just to add, we are already working on collaborations. Our artist Nataniya is collaborating with Ali Sethi, and Yung Sammy's got great connection with Yo-Yo Honey Singh.

Ty-Ty: We want to mirror what we've done in the hip-hop culture, in the South Asian community, but our clothing brand, for example, right? You know, the streetwear brand, all of the things you see that hip hop has done, we have to mirror that. It can't just be music and it can't just be us.

MW: Tell us your favourite project from Desi Trill so far.

Naqvi: Mumbai Magic has always brought me joy, thanks to its record-breaking success orchestrated by the Indian connection. The song celebrates the vibrant city of Mumbai, formerly known as Bombay, and emphasizes empowerment for women, a value championed by Ty-Ty. Three female Indian artists made history by having their songs featured on a Times Square billboard, showcasing their love for their city unapologetically. This achievement fills me with pride and highlights the passion behind Mumbai Magic.