Hear Gujarati Rapper Parshuraavan’s Satirical Takedown ‘Low IQ’
Arjun Mehta teams up with Jaipur producer Owlist aka Nitesh Jhurani for their third single together
Rajkot-bred Gujarati rapper MC Parshuraavan aka Arjun Mehta. Photo: Courtesy of the artist
Always one to call out injustices in the social and political space, Rajkot-bred hip-hop artist MC Parshuraavan aka Arjun Mehta ups the ante with his new song “Low IQ,” produced by Jaipur beatsmith Owlist.
The duo – who connected via a mutual friend – have released their third single together. “I felt like Owlist has a unique humorous element in his music which I loved the most,” Parshuraavan says. The Gujarati MC’s humor, however, is satirical and acerbic in turns on “Low IQ.” Drawing from “traumatic incidents with the police,” the rapper throws down about the insidious nexus between law enforcement and politicians in India, among other things.
He says in a statement, “It’s a mockery on human nature and the society and system that facilitate it. From the law system to freedom of speech; it questions injustices caused by governments/rulers who are in power and in an indirect way it tries to call this system an official form of antagonizing the people.” It’s accompanied with an animated music video created by Kolkata animator Birendra B. Singha, which shows the rapper in a carnival fair atmosphere, except he’s amidst toxic forces. The grim monster that appears at the end of the video is adapted from the single’s artwork, made by artist Rohit Saha. Parshuraavan adds, “He [Singha] understood the whole concept and converted it into the video, adding his unique style and puns in the visuals.”
The rapper continues steadfast and headstrong with his critique of the powers that be on “Low IQ,” which follows 2019 songs like “Antarmann,” “Bipadsanka” (both with producer Debo Sanyal) and “Panchtantra.” Between then and now, Parshuraavan provided rap for the music to T.V. series Bhak in 2019 and got selected for a sound program/fellowship called Transmitterance, created by non-profit organization Drishti Media in Ahmedabad in 2020. “I’m making art pieces on communal harmony and pillars of democracy. They provided me with few resources which I was in need of to continue making music,” the rapper says.
There’s also a debut full-length album in the works now, slated to release at the end of the year. Three upcoming singles include “Myth,” “Baap Re Baap” (which talks about artists growing up in typical Indian families) and “Seva.”
Watch the video for “Low IQ” below.
