Born Nepali, but grown up in Chicago with his parents, Rahul, 16, is an internationally recognized DJ (Disc Jockey). He must be one of the youngest DJs in Chicago who has done the sound mixing together with internationally acclaimed DJs like DJ Paul Van Dyk, Mixin Marc, and DJ Infinity.
He was eight when moved to the States to live with his parents. At the age of 11, he realized that he had a keen interest in music, and after listening to J Master J’s music combinations, he knew it deep within him that he was born to become a musician. To focus only on music for a Nepali lad was not an easy journey. He had to overlook his parents’ expectations from him to become a DJ.
“Babu, dherai padnu parchha, doctor athawa engineer hunuparchha (Dear, you must study hard and become either a doctor or an engineer). This is what I often heard from my parents. I don’t know what the hell’s wrong with them. They are so ‘Nepali’ type,” Rahul opened up.
He was ready to come to Nepal only after MTV approached him to shoot a documentary on his true life, about how he faces cultural clashes with his own parents, how he is a spoiled brat in his school, and how is a promising young DJ in Chicago. Another reason why he is here is to play his music at PartyNepal.Com’s musical event at Club Platinum on Friday evening. But before coming to Nepal, he says he was haunted by scary thoughts.
“Load shedding, traffic problems, narrow-minded people, too much of culture and religious activities, and low internet speed! I was scared. Thank God! I’m living luxuriously and quite in space at Hotel Shankar. Sadly, I haven’t seen Nepal beyond this hotel,” he beamed.
Prajapati started DJ-ing when he was 11. He learnt sound mixing on his own and started playing gigs at Nepali conventions. In America, NRNs host ceremonies to celebrate Nepali festivals like Dashain-Tihar and New Year through their conventions.
When Rahul started playing for such ceremonies, it was only his parents who did not like him doing this job. He was complimented by many, but his parents wanted him to focus on his studies and school. Ironically he hated academics.
“Because I had to work late night as a DJ, I often slept in my class, skipped my exams, flunked, and as a result, I was kicked out from my middle school, and from high school too. I was even sent to a behavioral school to improve my behaviors,” he said. But he does not regret because he never liked academics. “Everyone of my age wants to become a rockstar. The difference is just that I decided to go against the odd Nepali tradition and norms while many sit behind the boundaries set by their parents.”
The first time he played a gig was at the Medusa Night Club in Chicago. He got 20 dollars for playing electro house for an hour. Rahul still remembers the day when his photo was printed on a party’s flyer that read his name as the main DJ of the night. Soon, many started noticing him, and he was liked by many other international DJs.
Rahul also plays some Nepali songs in Chicago during Nepali conventions.
While growing up as a promising DJ to look up to in Chicago, he developed distance with his parents, and though the only son of his mom and dad, he says he still hasn’t been able to make them happy.
“They are very disappointed with me. In fact, they hate my job. But I can’t help it. I can’t just live their dream. Come on dude, allow me to live my life the way I want. Allow me to fulfill my own dreams. I can do justice to that. Why are Nepalis so narrow-minded?” he questioned.
“Yes, I may not be a very Nepali guy. But I’m at least happy that I’m getting to represent Nepal and Nepali culture through MTV to the world,” he added.
Rahul was approached my MTV True Life four months ago. MTV True life makes documentaries on those who are rebellious, whose life is full of dramatic modes and who live life differently than others. The crew started shooting all about Rahul’s life four months ago. And now, they have come to Kathmandu where he was born, and through their documentary, they will not only share about Rahul’s family life and profession, but they will also show different rituals that take place in Nepal. They will also cover Rahul hosting PartyNepal jamming at Club Platinum. Last Wednesday, they shot his Bratabandha.
“Man, it was a hell of an experience. I was just waiting for the entire process to end. I was just waiting for my gifts,” he chuckled. MTV will broadcast his true life in mid-September.
About the DJs in Nepal, Rahul is not that positive. He said as much, “Nepali DJs don’t know anything. To become a promising DJ, you have to read the crowd, you got to feel the energy, and you’ve to make sure that you promote good music. A DJ can bring alive those old tracks that went unheard by people and can fill with them with magic.”
Somewhere deep inside his heart he, however, has a feeling that he needs to complete his high school, if not for himself, then to get back his parents’ love and trust. But if he becomes a big-time producer in America, he’ll give up everything for his profession – that is, his studies and his parents, too. “If I make good money, I guess my parents will stop bugging me,” he said.
At the age of 16, he already has a huge fan following in Chicago, and he is often asked by girls to go out on dates with him. On tomorrow’s to-do list, he says he can’t imagine living life with a Nepali girl.
“No way, man! I can’t imagine myself getting married to a Nepali girl. As I sit to think about them, it reminds me of the faces of my mom and my aunts who are so Nepali. They’re always stuck up with don’t do this and don’t do that attitude. I want someone who lets me live my life on my own terms and conditions. I don’t want a nanny. So, it’s obvious it has to be a white chick for me,” Rahul blurted out bluntly.
And on coming back to Nepal to do Nepali music, he enunciated, “I’ll come back only if Nepal is ready to accept me as the best DJ in the country. I need a lot of money, and for sure, I won’t be doing music for films. I’d love to try classical, though. I want to create my own music.”
In the meantime, Robin Sitaula of PartyNepal says he wants to talk to the Minister of Culture to promote Rahul because he is showing Nepal to the world through MTV; however he may not like it personally.
For now, DJ Rahul Prajapati is all excited about playing electro and house music at Friday night’s gig at Platinum of Hotel Yak & Yeti that starts from 9 p.m.
avash@myrepublica.com
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