Chani Nattan

Based in Canada and active in the contemporary Punjabi scene, Chani Nattan develops Punjabi rap that blends narrative writing, cultural references and production anchored in the South Asian diaspora hip-hop. His journey sits within a generation of artists who connect Punjab, North America and the United Kingdom through tracks where rap, Punjabi sounds and formats close to current urban music coexist. Chani Nattan has broadened his audience with tracks widely streamed online, notably “Daku”, which circulated far beyond the Punjabi audience, and through a series of collaborations with other artists in this sphere. His music rests on direct phrasing, lyrics built around identity, daily life, collective memory and codes tied to Punjabi culture, without straying from an accessible and rhythmic form. Present on both records and stages tied to South Asian diasporas, Chani Nattan occupies an identifiable place in this transnational current where Punjabi rap feeds as much on linguistic traditions as on contemporary uses of hip-hop.