Premiere: Junta Party Music Brings Together New Hype from Ahmedabad and New Delhi on ‘DZs Control’

After listening to a hip-hop album as unflinching and domineering as DZs Control – featuring Ahmedabad rapper-producer Dhanji aka Jayraj Ganatra and New Delhi rapper Zorba aka Vaibhav Wilson – one can’t help but ask if they’re out to make more enemies than friends with their latest project.

The artists jokingly entertain the possibility, but Zorba adds, “We’re saying what we want to say for the art.” Across 10 tracks, DZs Control hones in on a visceral, no holds barred hip-hop sound that’s accentuated by Dhanji and Zorba, relatively new names putting out music over the last two to three years. They’re joined by fellow hip-hop artists such as Skoll, Tosh!, Siyaahi and Khan Mak. Dhanji says, “We were just making songs, I hit up Zorba over the internet and we started making one song and a year later, it spiraled into a whole project. This was all pretty much remote around the time of the lockdown.

Released via a new content community called Junta Party Music, DZs Control also receives a music video for the hazy, swiveling track “Bruhm.” Arriving in straightforward style with his PURPLEMAFIA crew, 24-year-old Zorba runs his verses in an impeccable drill style, referencing ego and drugs. Zorba says about his approach to the record, “I write about whatever is going in my life. I’m not the kind of rapper who thinks about an overall message.”

Watch the video for “Bruhm”

“Bruhm” is one integral piece amongst nine others that really allow the rappers to shine and speak their mind, whether it’s Zorba and PURPLEMAFIA’s uncensored East Delhi experiences or Dhanji’s continuous hustle in Ahmedabad, best heard on tracks like “Bla Ka Ka Ka,” “YB” and “Kon Artist.” Interestingly, while they run swiftly on most tracks, it’s the five-minute interlude “FORMERBESTFRNDZ” that’s most personal with its reflective Hindi and English tag team of Dhanji and Zorba.

With this record out, there’s plenty more happening separately for both artists. Dhanji previously released Lost in AMD and Boy Cut. He’s also keen to keep hip-hop stable in Ahmedabad. “I’m performing at any and every opportunity I get, because there’s no set way of going about it. We start anywhere, starting cyphers at cafés and stuff. It’s pulling together pretty well,” he says.

Zorba, for his part, has had a slew of releases since his 2018 debut EP Chattak, even having PURPLEMAFIA’s own tape Jamun St. out earlier this month. The goal in sight is to elevate Jamnapaar as a community and its musicians. He says, “Jamnapaar ka naam bohot kharab ho rakha hai (Jamnapaar area’s name is a bit tarnished right now), in the music industry and the rest of Delhi in general as well. I want to improve the impression, so that people don’t see it as this trampled place.”

Stream ‘DZs Control’ below and hear on more platforms here.