He introduced a combination of the traditional Indian bhangra music with the style of raggamuffin, the mix-up often known as bhangramuffin, to the world with his first album, 1993's 'No Reservations'. That release was produced by Simon & Diamond, Phil Chill, Robert Livingston, Bobby Digital, and Sly Dunbar. It was followed by 'Make Way for the Indian', produced by Sly & Robbie, The Press, Mafia & Fluxy, Pandit Dinesh, and Chris Lane. That album notably featured rapper Tim Dog and spawned the massive hit Boom Shack-A-Lak", which has been used in several movies and has become a sort of 'signature song' for Apache Indian .
'Real People', produced by Harjinder Noparat, proved to be his most experimental album and also featured more Indian elements than many of his previous releases. 'Karma', his first album of the new century, was a return to more traditional forms of reggae. That album featured Luciano, Boy George, and Mafia & Fluxy.
As stated before, Apache Indian merged raggamuffin with Indian music as well as influences from mainstream dance music and pop rap. Born in Handsworth, Birmingham, England. He helped to start a trend that has found a huge following. He's also the only Asian to date to have seven Top 40 Hits on the mainstream British charts. Stylistically, Apache Indian generally moved from mixing Indian music with raggamuffin and commercial rap to exploring more traditional forms of reggae on his most recent albums.
Lyrically, Apache Indian - who always uses Jamaican English - is known for his sharp social criticism ("Arranged Marriage" featuring Natacha Atlas; "Mention") as well as his party tracks ("Boomshackalak", "Jump Up").
Apache Indian has recorded with Boyz II Men, Blackstreet, Wreckx 'n' Effect, UB40, US chart topper Sean Paul, Maxi Priest, General Levy, Brian and Tony Gold, Shaggy, Yami Bolo, Boy George, A.R. Rahman, Sameera Singh. Asha Bhosle and Pras of the Fugees.
Reggae singer Sean Paul, who has been on the top of Billboard charts with his single with Beyonce, toured the US with Apache Indian.
For his first album "No Reservation", he had signed a contract worth £250,000 pounds with Island Records - one of the largest sums paid for a debut album by a non-white artist.
"Boomshackalak" was featured in five different Hollywood movies, including "Dumb And Dumber". More significantly, the song has featured in a record 52 commercials across the globe, featuring various brands.
Now it features on the "Scooby Doo 2" soundtrack, along with international names like Fatboy Slim, The B-52's, 2 Unlimited and New Radicals.
His composition "Om Namah Shivay" also features on Putumayo World Music World Reggae, a collection of reggae-influenced tracks performed by artists from around the world. The World Reggae compositions blend the upbeat and soulful groove of reggae with exotic local influences to create new and appealing variations that will appeal to music lovers everywhere.
Apache Indian was also nominated for the Central Britain Media and Arts Asian Jewel Award in 2004.
Discography
* 1993 No Reservations
* 1995 Make Way for the Indian
* 1997 No Reservations
* 1998 Real People
* 2000 Karma
* 2005 Time for Change
Badd Indian
Apache Indian Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
(Chorus)
Bad be -bad Bad Bad Indian
And if a bwoy try a thing
Them there youth have fe wrong
Bad Bad Bad Bad Bad Arawak
And if a bwoy try a thing
(Verse 1)
With me bow and arrow hitch up there pon me back
Say me arrow to me bow then me pull the arrow back
And when me let it go cowboy them a drop
Me say take it from Apache Indian when me chat
From the top a where me start from the bottom where me stop
When me go a Canada me a launch and attack
Capture the Arawak put me in a cell block
Me no mind how them talk, me no mind how them chat
If a bwoy try a thing them there youth have fe drop
(Chorus)
Bad be -bad Bad Bad Indian
And if a bwoy try a thing
Them there youth have fe wrong
Bad Bad Bad Bad Bad Arawak
And if a bwoy try a thing
Them there youth hove fe drop
(Verse 2)
Say the sheriff him a come mon with a ranger
9 and 16 pon cock to fire
But you take Apache bare back rider
Round the back a fe me head a no me have 2 feather
With me bow and arrow hitch up pon me shoulder
Say me arrow to me bow pull it back further
And when me let it go must a that a murder
Goin fe lik him pon him back mon a pon him shoulder
From Supa Cat where me get me order
So you listen when me chat like you could a never
(Chorus)
Bad be -bad Bad Bad Indian
And if a bwoy try a thing
Them there youth have fe wrong
Bad Bad Bad Bad Bad Arawak
And if a bwoy try a thing
Them there youth hove fe drop
(Verse 3)
Ca me me me have me own stylee
Me me me in a category
Boy talk bout them 9 and a end a cemetry
But anytime say me come me have me own stylee
Goin fe chop up a boy put him in me curry
Put in the gundair put in the hulthee
Mon mix it all up mon make me subjee
And when me done that me have me sound boy curry
(Chorus)
Bad be -bad Bad Bad Indian
And if a bwoy try a thing
Them there youth have fe wrong
Bad Bad Bad Bad Bad Arawak
And if a bwoy try a thing
Them there youth hove fe drop
(Verse 4)
So you take it from the youth Arawak Indian
When me chatta pon the mic me under good condition
Goin fe sit down pon the rhythm sit down pon the version
And anytime say me come make the dancehall ram
Goin fe ram it fe the woman goin fe ram it to the mon
Me say yes raggamuffin dancehall have fe jam
(Chorus)
Bad be -bad Bad Bad Indian
And if a bwoy try a thing
Them there youth have fe wrong
Bad Bad Bad Bad Bad Arawak
And if a bwoy try a thing
Them there youth hove fe drop
(Verse 5)
Ca in a fe me wig-wam place a where me shak
Me no eat out of plate say me eat out of wok
If a boy try a thing say him wan fe attack
Mon 2 smoke signal mon from me fire pot
Apache scatchie ride in with the Don Junior cat
Supa Cat him a ride swak hitch up round back
And a guy start run when the chief start chat
(Chorus)
Bad be -bad Bad Bad Indian
And if a bwoy try a thing
Them there youth have fe wrong
Bad Bad Bad Bad Bad Arawak
And if a bwoy try a thing
Them there youth hove fe drop
(Back to verse 1 then chorus to fade)
The song "Bad Indian" by Apache Indian is a blistering critique of cultural misappropriation as well as a commentary on the value of cultural pride. The song begins with a chorus that labels the singer as a "bad Indian," but the term is later reclaimed as a source of pride. The lyrics describe a native Indian dressed in traditional garb with a bow and arrow on his back. When he pulls out his arrow, he warns that the "cowboys" will drop. He speaks of his experiences in Canada, where he attacks and captures "Arawaks," and ends up in a cell block, but he is not deterred from his mission. He is proud of his culture and is willing to go to extreme lengths to defend it against thieves and invaders.
The verses are filled with stories of his prowess as an archer and his ability to outsmart his enemies. He speaks of being chased by a sheriff and a ranger, but he is not afraid because he has his bow and arrow, and he is a native Indian. In one verse, he boasts that he has his own style, his own category, and that he is not afraid to use it. He discusses the use of his cultural practices in his culinary abilities, where he will "chop up a boy" and turn him into his "sound boy curry." Finally, he describes his pride in his cultural heritage and how he is willing to stand up for his people, no matter what the cost.
Line by Line Meaning
Bad be - bad Bad Bad Indian
Apache Indian is a bad, bad Indian
And if a bwoy try a thing
If someone tries something against him
Them there youth have fe wrong
Those guys will have to face the consequences
With me bow and arrow hitch up there pon me back
Apache Indian carries his bow and arrow on his back
Say me arrow to me bow then me pull the arrow back
He aims the arrow with his bow and pulls it back
And when me let it go cowboy them a drop
He shoots and cowboys fall down
Me say take it from Apache Indian when me chat
He brags about his skills
From the top a where me start from the bottom where me stop
He started from the bottom and now he is on top
When me go a Canada me a launch and attack
He went to Canada and attacked
Capture the Arawak put me in a cell block
He captured the Arawak tribe and was jailed for it
Me no mind how them talk, me no mind how them chat
Apache Indian doesn't care about what people say
If a bwoy try a thing them there youth have fe drop
If someone tries something against him, there will be consequences
Say the sheriff him a come mon with a ranger
The sheriff with a ranger is coming
9 and 16 pon cock to fire
They are ready to fire their guns
But you take Apache bare back rider
You underestimate Apache Indian
Round the back a fe me head a no me have 2 feather
He only has one feather on the back of his head, not two
With me bow and arrow hitch up pon me shoulder
He now carries his bow and arrow on his shoulder
Say me arrow to me bow pull it back further
He pulls back the arrow even further
And when me let it go must a that a murder
When he shoots, it's deadly
Goin fe lik him pon him back mon a pon him shoulder
He aims for their back or shoulder
From Supa Cat where me get me order
He learned from Supa Cat
So you listen when me chat like you could a never
Listen to him because you've never heard someone like him before
Ca me me me have me own stylee
He has his own style
Me me me in a category
He belongs to a particular category
Boy talk bout them 9 and a end a cemetry
People talk about guns that end up in the cemetery
But anytime say me come me have me own stylee
He always brings his own style
Goin fe chop up a boy put him in me curry
He will chop up a boy and put him in his curry
Put in the gundair put in the hulthee
He adds ingredients to his curry
Mon mix it all up mon make me subjee
He mixes it all up and makes his dish
And when me done that me have me sound boy curry
He has his sound boy curry ready
Ca in a fe me wig-wam place a where me shak
He lives in his wigwam
Me no eat out of plate say me eat out of wok
He eats out of a wok, not a plate
If a boy try a thing say him wan fe attack
If someone tries something against him, they want to attack
Mon 2 smoke signal mon from me fire pot
He sends smoke signals from his fire pot
Apache scatchie ride in with the Don Junior cat
Apache rides in on his horse with Don Junior Cat
Supa Cat him a ride swak hitch up round back
Supa Cat is also riding a horse
And a guy start run when the chief start chat
When he starts talking, people start running away
So you take it from the youth Arawak Indian
Listen to what the Arawak Indian has to say
When me chatta pon the mic me under good condition
When he talks on the mic, he's in good condition
Goin fe sit down pon the rhythm sit down pon the version
He's going to sit down on the rhythm and the version
And anytime say me come make the dancehall ram
He always makes the dancehall jam
Goin fe ram it fe the woman goin fe ram it to the mon
He's going to make it work for both men and women
Me say yes raggamuffin dancehall have fe jam
He confirms that the raggamuffin dancehall will always jam
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: STEPHEN KAPUR, DIAMOND JYOTI DUGGAL, SIMON JYOTI DUGGAL
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind