An artist and song-writer, Adil Omar is one of the few musicians in Pakistan pursuing the hip-hop genre of music in the country. His rise to fame can be attributed to his constant struggle to be himself and to draw inspiration from his inner core, he says. He talks to Blue Chip about his upcoming album The Mushroom Cloud Effect and reveals the list of renowned names the album features.
Not coming from a musical family background, how did you develop an interest in this career?
Adil Omar: “I cannot put my finger on the exact moment I decided to pursue the career of a fulltime rapper. As a child I remember being fascinated by the music itself and the culture that it. I don’t remember a single incident that shaped my future, but I wanted to be a rapper since I was 7 or 8 years old.”
How is the production of your debut album The Mushroom Cloud Effect progressing? Who does the album feature?
AO: ”The Mushroom Cloud Effect is about 70% recorded and 98% written. The mixing process will start as soon all the tracks have finished recording. The album features Xzibit, Everlast, Kool G Rap, B-Real of Cypress Hill, Sick Jacken of Psycho Realm, and my next single titled “50 Feet Tall” featuring Hard Target. Meesha Shafi has also been added to the roster of guests. As far as production goes, I’m working with Rubee Jawbotik of the Florida based Southern Rock band the Gladezmen, DJ Solo and G Rocka both of Soul Assassins, Talal Qureshi, DJ Lethal from Limp Bizkit and House of Pain, underground heavyweight and rapper/producer Apathy, Traumah, mainstream producer Fredwreck, Chaz Patz, and Finnish producer KFied.”
How did your collaboration with comedian Penn Jillette come about?
AO: “I got in touch with Penn through a mutual friend, Greydon Square, because I was a fan of his work and found it interesting. I approached him as a fan on a non-work note and he admired my work and thought I was brave for doing what I do in Pakistan. We were literally just friends until one day I suggested we do a song together. He loved the idea, and we did a song with DJ Solo and Penn had it included in his friend’s compilation album which also featured members from Pearl Jam, Sound Garden and Sonic Youth.”
What can budding young musicians from Pakistan learn from your rise to fame?
AO: ”My honest advice to them would be to just be you and invest in yourself. Don’t bet on anybody else helping you out but yourself. In order to survive you need to take risks and believe that your investment in your skills will pan out to your advantage. When pursuing a career in music you need to transform yourself into a business rather than a human being and market yourself like you would market a business. Otherwise you won’t survive. If you take your talent and your music seriously then you need to invest in a studio or a good recording leading to the release of an album or else you will be lost in the industry. Being a young musician in Pakistan is like being a tear drop in an ocean – small and insignificant. Nobody would care about your music unless you bring something different to the table. When it comes to music you need to tap into your inner core and draw inspiration from your true self.”
Who is your musical inspiration and what inspires your lyrics?
AO: ”My biggest musical influences would probably be Trent Reznor of Nine Inch Nails, and Everlast. My lyrics are inspired by my life. My everyday experiences, the people I meet and what I observe around me form the greatest inspiration for my lyrics.”
