Tuckered Out with Ami Thakkar

Utkarsh and Kaly: Blazing The Trail for South Asian Rappers

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Episode notes

Utkarsh Ambudkar, aka UTK, is an actor, rapper, and singer and is featured in the CBS hit show Ghosts. He is also known for his roles in Pitch Perfect, The Mindy Project, and Never Have I Ever. 

Kaly, aka Kunal Patel, is a highly-respected rapper who has collaborated with artists such as Indian musical composer and Oscar winner A.R. Rahman. As a side hustle, he also happens to be an attorney.

These guys have been friends forever, but they've never really worked together. Now, in collaboration with their producer, Shankar Tucker, they have released their independent seven-track EP titled Too Grown Men, exploring themes of heartbreak and struggle and defying stereotypes.

In this episode, we dive into the familiar theme of growing up on the fence between American and South Asian cultures, their own personal growth and experiences as artists, what they each bring to their music, and their plans for the future.

Utkarsh discusses his early years in the music scene with MTV Desi, the BTS of his epic Oscar Performance with Questlove,  why he hasn't been to an ashram in India to find himself yet, and the potential plans for going on tour.  Kaly tells me about growing up Jersey without any brown people around him, why he is a rappers rapper,  how he still keeps his east coast roots living in LA, and what  it has been like working with the legendary A.R. Rahman.
 

  • The Story of Too Grown Men: Utkarsh and Kaly dive into the creation of the EP and the theme of growing up between cultures and achieving a sense of freedom + Don’t Care, the first album Utkarsh and Kaly worked on together + how Utkarsh’s writing compliments Kaly’s prolific output + getting married and having kids + their producer Shankar and white people who are more Indian than Indians (03:45)
  • Back in the Day: Utkarsh talks about leaving college, VJing for MTV, and his first break + the early Indian music scene and meeting Karsh Kale and future Grammy winners Goldspot(13:10)
  • Indian Music Scene: Kaly celebrates his good luck in working with A.R. Rahman + Punjabi rappers going viral on TikTok + Indian artists who now write for mainstream performers (16:52)
  • Out on the Road: Utkarsh lays out his movie and TV schedule for the next six months + how he’d love to tour with Kaly and his wife + not getting enough Indian food in the White House + the age and beauty of Indian culture (19:01)
  • Growing up Indian and American: Kaly talks about not growing up in India and seeing his relatives in India every six months + Ami and Utkarsh go deep into what makes a healthy attitude to being South Asian and American,  proudly wear the flag on your chest or just relax and operate as a human being + Utkarsh describes being relaxed about taking roles originally for white and black people, and being less worried about what people think + Kaly and Ami discuss growing up brown and being ignored rather than discriminated against + the importance of a natural, organic pride in South Asian culture (23:40)
  • Organic Chemistry in the Studio: The story of the song Bring in the 808s. From thinking up the first line driving into the studio to writing the whole song in less than an hour (30:53)
  • Rapid Fast Round: Highlights include rapping at the Oscars, asking Tom Hanks' wife permission to use the restroom and changing in a janitor’s dressing room (35:24)


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This podcast is produced by Ginni Media.