The song "Rebel Warrior" appeared on

British British may refer to: Peoples, culture, and language * British people, nationals or natives of the United Kingdom, British Overseas Territories and Crown Dependencies. * British national identity, the characteristics of British people and culture ...

musical group

Asian Dub Foundation Asian Dub Foundation (ADF) is an English electronic music band that combines musical styles including rap rock, dub, dancehall, ragga, ReggaeEDM, and South Asian music. The group also includes traditional rock instruments such as electric bas ...

's 1995 debut album, ''

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'', and also on the group's fourth album, '' Community Music'', under a slightly different arrangement. The song was inspired by the poem '' Bidrohi'', translated from

Bengali Bengali or Bengalee, or Bengalese may refer to: *something of, from, or related to Bengal, a large region in South Asia * Bengalis, an ethnic and linguistic group of the region * Bengali language, the language they speak ** Bengali alphabet, the w ...

as "The Rebel", and written by Kazi Nazrul during the 1920s. Kazi Nazrul was a

poet, patriot and composer during the end of the colonial era in

India India, officially the Republic of India, is a country in South Asia. It is the List of countries and dependencies by area, seventh-largest country by area; the List of countries by population (United Nations), most populous country since ...

who supported Indian unity. Nazrul wrote ''Bidrohi'' as a call to arms for those who were oppressed in

by the British and a call for unity between

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and

Hindus Hindus (; ; also known as Sanātanīs) are people who religiously adhere to Hinduism, also known by its endonym Sanātana Dharma. Jeffery D. Long (2007), A Vision for Hinduism, IB Tauris, , pp. 35–37 Historically, the term has also be ...

. The poem politically and metaphorically called for Indians to oppose

colonialism, by physically taking the government back and by mentally removing the imitation of British ideals and ideas from the country and returning to more traditional ways. His poem was the first aggressive poem published against colonialism and it was immediately successful and popular with both Muslims and Hindus. In his quest to unify India, Nazrul attempted to make Hindus and Muslims overlook their internal issues with each other and instead fight against the British. Kazi Nazrul went on to write more poems, as well as the first

protest music, though he was later arrested for his outspoken beliefs, becoming one of the most important men in the Indian independence movement.

roughly translated the original text of ''Bidrohi'' on their track "Rebel Warrior" and used the song to support a modern take on Nazrul's original stance. The poem was chosen in part because of its significance to the

Indian Indian or Indians may refer to: Associated with India * of or related to India ** Indian people ** Indian diaspora ** Languages of India ** Indian English, a dialect of the English language ** Indian cuisine Associated with indigenous peoples o ...

independence movement and because of its place in Indian traditional culture and its powerful and unifying lyrics. It speaks out against

neo-colonialism Neocolonialism is the control by a state (usually, a former colonial power) over another nominally independent state (usually, a former colony) through indirect means. The term ''neocolonialism'' was first used after World War II to refer to ...

, both in

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and

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, while also expanding the message to oppose modern racism in post-colonial England and the

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in general. The lyrics, primarily derived from the original poem, advocate for a forceful stance against the dominance of Western hegemony, urging individuals to confront and resist racism through active opposition, even suggesting the dismantling of the Western empire. This sentiment closely aligns with Nazrul's initial call to arms against colonialism, advocating for direct resistance. Furthermore, the song articulates that overcoming racism entails bridging cultural divides, employing the metaphor of the siren and flute to argue that such separations are psychological rather than inherent. The rendition by Asian Dub Foundation extends the reach of the original message to a broader Western audience, utilizing a fusion of modern hip-hop and South Asian musical elements. It serves not only as a musical adaptation but also as a means of reinforcing South Asian identity by echoing historical challenges against oppression.Sanjay Sharma: Noisy Asians of Asian Noise. in Disorienting Rhythms: The Politics of the New Asian Dance Music. Ed. Sanjay Sharma, John Hutnyk, Ashwani Sharma. Zet Books 1996, pp. 32-57.

References

{{hiphop Asian Dub Foundation songs British hip-hop songs Political songs