Hip hop artist Ankur Johar has verses for everything -- from family memories to reaching out for success -- on his debut nine-track album
Mumbai rapper Ankur Johar aka Enkore releases his debut album Libra Scale. Photo courtesy of the artist.
If you’re not much for horoscopes and astrology, Mumbai rapper Ankur Johar aka Enkore suggests you take his debut album Libra Scale on face value for its music. The nine-track album, which released on November 13th, thematically revolves around Johar’s traits as a Libran and finding balance in life. Says Johar, “I work in a digital media company, study for my M.B.A, go to a jam and record the [hip hop podcast] Voice of Tha People episode. I balance a hundred different things.”
Johar follows the trend of rapping about himself on Libra Scale, but unlike American hip hop, it comes across as inspiring rather than boastful. The album follows how the 23-year-old wants to work hard to be a musician [“1, 2, Dream”] while dealing with middle class expectations of supporting one’s family [“Million Dollar Smile,” written the day after Johar got into the college of his choice for an M.B.A course]. He addresses failed relationships [“4ever”], how his mother taught him to stay positive [“Walk Again”] and embracing faults rather than hiding them [“One Eyed Monster”].
On the music front, Johar, who won the Radio City Freedom Award for Best Indian Hip Hop Artist [People’s Choice] for his single “Fall of Babylon” ft Mo Boucher in 2013, has been working with producers such as DJ Chantz [Chandu Kunder, from hip hop group Bombay Bassment], Guwahati/Shillong’s Stunnah [Vicky Singha] and Delhi-based Sez [Sajeel Kapoor, who worked on this year’s big hip hop hit “Meri Gully Mein” with rappers Naezy and Divine]. After finishing eight songs for the album in December last year, Johar added the title track this year in May, to show listeners just how much he had grown in the last two years. Says Johar, “These songs were made independently and came together later on. This album is the perfect summation of my life.”
Enkore will perform tracks from Libra Scale at the upcoming edition of Pepsi MTV Indies Ribbit on November 19 at Blue Frog, Mumbai.
Watch the video for “Walk Again”
Buy Libra Scale here.
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