Cartel Madras both direct and star in the new video for “DRIFT,” their lifted, collaborative single with Toronto hip hop producer Dom Dias, available now on DSPs in Canada from Royal Mountain Records and the rest of the world through Sub Pop.
Cartel Madras’s Eboshi and Contra had this to say about “DRIFT,” “We teamed up with Toronto’s Dom Dias to make a sequel of sorts to ‘Goonda Gold’ - something that sounds hype, fun, and sets the tone for the new year and our upcoming new project. ‘DRIFT’ is about BIPOC women enjoying themselves and the fruits of their labor. In our music video, we wanted to show a beautiful group of creatives and artists from various backgrounds dabbling in marijuana. We also wanted to show a group of women owning the means of production. Lyrically, this song exists in the Cartel Madras Universe and follows us doing what we do best; self-referentially discussing high powered, risky, good times. ‘DRIFT’ opens 2021 for Cartel with new energy, big vibes, and ganja fuelled heat.”
“DRIFT” is Cartel Madras’s first new music of 2021, and is from their forthcoming project TheSerpent and The Tiger, the third installment of the Project Goonda trilogy (which includes 2018’s Trapistan and 2019’s Age of the Goonda) due out later this year on Royal Mountain Records/Sub Pop.
What people are saying about Cartel Madras: “They’ve got an absolutely wicked flow — think M.I.A. meets Cardi B. Hints of traditional Tamil music are sprinkled throughout.” [“Goonda Gold”] - Stereogum
“Cartel Madras are smashing barrier musically and are sure to blow your mind with their uniqueness.” [Age of the Goonda] - CLASH
“Full of raw, powerful, nonchalant energy” [“Goonda Gold”] - Gal-Dem
“Age of the Goonda is an invigorating five-track blast…More, please.” - The Wire
“Comprised of six tracks, the EP possesses layered bass lines pumped with adrenaline, a range of Indian classical instruments weaved in and hooks that stay in your brain for days.” [Age of the Goonda] - NME
“Age of the Goonda provides an electrifying burst of the duo’s live show energy in concentrated form.” - Loud & Quiet
“In pop analogy, this hip-hop duo comprising Calgary-bred, Chennai-born siblings Bhagya and Priya Ramesh is somewhat like a Tamil Pulp Fiction-meets-MIA. With a carousel of bad-ass, no-fucks-given, brown girl anthems, Cartel Madras is brought to life by two sisters who don’t shy of braggadocio (you can’t miss their stack of gold jewelry) as they spout songs about feminism, empowerment and inclusivity.” [“12 New Musicians Set to Breakthrough in 2020”] - Vogue India
“WORKING” is an empowering new hip house track and official video from Cartel Madras, which was directed by the group and Gabriela Osio Vanden. The visual, which stars the duo and fellow THOTNATION collective member Jide (who produced and mixed the song), saw it’s premiere earlier today at Berlin’s Pop Kultur Festival. “WORKING” marks Cartel Madras’s first new material since the release of their Age of the Goonda EP late last year, and is available now through all DSPs worldwide through Sub Pop (with the exception of Canada from Royal Mountain Records).
Single Art Photo Credit: Oliver Whitfield Smith
Cartel Madras’s Eboshi and Contra had this to say about the song, “Ever since ‘Housey’ off of our first mixtape, Trapistan, we’ve been really excited to make our next house track. In terms of hip house, we’ve been influenced by the likes of sharp lyricists with strong aesthetics such as Azealia Banks and Cakes Da Killa; they’ve been genre touchstones for us since before Cartel Madras. Much like ‘Housey,’ ‘WORKING’ is a queer, party track which pulls from our experiences as bad bitches in the music scene from the LGBTQ+ community. Once Jide, also a member of our collective, made us this beat we knew exactly what we wanted to do with it. This video is a love letter to the campy, color-coded Eurodance videos of the 90s.” And producer Jide offers this, “‘WORKING’ is heavily inspired by artists like Disclosure and Geotheory. I wanted to go for a vibey UK House track. I wanted some tension and didn’t want to give it to you all at once.”
“WORKING” was produced as a commissioned work of the Pop-Kultur Festival, funded by FACTOR Canada and the Government of Canada.
What people are saying about Cartel Madras: “They’ve got an absolutely wicked flow — think M.I.A. meets Cardi B. Hints of traditional Tamil music are sprinkled throughout.” [“Goonda Gold”] - Stereogum
“Cartel Madras are smashing barrier musically and are sure to blow your mind with their uniqueness.” [Age of the Goonda] - CLASH
“Full of raw, powerful, nonchalant energy” [“Goonda Gold”] - Gal-Dem
“Age of the Goonda is an invigorating five-track blast…More, please.” - The Wire
“Comprised of six tracks, the EP possesses layered bass lines pumped with adrenaline, a range of Indian classical instruments weaved in and hooks that stay in your brain for days.” [Age of the Goonda] - NME
“Age of the Goonda provides an electrifying burst of the duo’s live show energy in concentrated form.” - Loud & Quiet
“In pop analogy, this hip-hop duo comprising Calgary-bred, Chennai-born siblings Bhagya and Priya Ramesh is somewhat like a Tamil Pulp Fiction-meets-MIA. With a carousel of bad-ass, no-fucks-given, brown girl anthems, Cartel Madras is brought to life by two sisters who don’t shy of braggadocio (you can’t miss their stack of gold jewelry) as they spout songs about feminism, empowerment and inclusivity.” [“12 New Musicians Set to Breakthrough in 2020”] - Vogue India
Supports Sudan Archives March 3rd-13th, 2020 (select dates)
South Indian rap group Cartel Madras have just announced their first-ever U.S. shows in support of the Age of the Goonda EP, their Sub Pop debut, available now on all DSPs. The duo will support Stones Throw recording artist Sudan Archives beginning March 3rd in Minneapolis at 7th Street Entry and ending March 13th in Philadelphia at Johnny Brenda’s (select dates). Preceding the tour Cartel Madras will also headline Barboza in Seattle on January 16th. For updated information on tickets and live performances, please visit subpop.com/artists/cartel_madras/tours.
Jan. 16 - Seattle, WA - Barboza Mar. 03 - Minneapolis, MN - 7th St. Entry * Mar. 04 - Chicago, IL - Sleeping Village * Mar. 05 - Detroit, MI - Deluxx Fluxx * Mar. 06 - Toronto, ON - Longboat Hall * Mar. 07 - Montreal, QC - Bar Le Ritz Mar. 09 - Allston, MA - Great Scott * Mar. 11 - Washington, DC - Union Stage * Mar. 12 - New York, NY - Bowery Ballroom * Mar. 13 - Philadelphia, PA - Johnny Brenda’s *
* w/ Sudan Archives
Cartel Madras’ Age of the Goonda EP, featuring the singles “Goonda Gold” and “Lil’ Pump Type Beat,” is available now worldwide through all DSPs from Sub Pop (with the exception of Canada through Royal Mountain Records).
What people are saying about Cartel Madras’ Age of the Goonda: “They’ve got an absolutely wicked flow — think M.I.A. meets Cardi B. Hints of traditional Tamil music are sprinkled throughout.” [“Goonda Gold”] - Stereogum
“Age of the Goonda is an invigorating five-track blast…More, please.” - The Wire
“At its core, Age of the Goonda is trap music: it’s brash, it’s rowdy and it’s fun. But laced throughout are nods to South Asian culture, Hinduism, race and queer identity that speak specifically to people who see themselves in one or more of those spaces.” - Exclaim!
“Comprised of six tracks, the EP possesses layered bass lines pumped with adrenaline, a range of Indian classical instruments weaved in and hooks that stay in your brain for days.” [Age of the Goonda] - NME
“Age of the Goonda provides an electrifying burst of the duo’s live show energy in concentrated form.” - Loud & Quiet
“There’s a lot more to come from the duo, with Eboshi and Contra firing together trap and their South Indian heritage with an almost punk-like relish for DIY. New EP Age Of The Goonda..is an explosion that should resonate in all corners of the globe. The EP is led by fiery new hymn ‘Goonda Gold’ and it emphasizes their pan-continent mosaic of sound - ‘goonda’ means thug, a word used across India, Bangladesh, and Pakistan.” [“Goonda Gold”] - CLASH
“In pop analogy, this hip-hop duo comprising Calgary-bred, Chennai-born siblings Bhagya and Priya Ramesh is somewhat like a Tamil Pulp Fiction-meets-MIA. With a carousel of bad-ass, no-fucks-given, brown girl anthems, Cartel Madras is brought to life by two sisters who don’t shy of braggadocio (you can’t miss their stack of gold jewelry) as they spout songs about feminism, empowerment and inclusivity.” [“12 New Musicians Set to Breakthrough in 2020”] - Vogue India
1. The powerful juxtaposition of a Western term aimed at ghettoizing other cultures and the English colonial name foisted on Chennai, India; 2. A queer, female, Desi act igniting a revolution because they’re sick of this bullshit
“We really want people who come to our shows to feel like they’ve been punched in the face,” says Contra, one-half of rap provocateurs Cartel Madras, of their FOMO-inducing live shows. “It’s like a riot just passed you, and you’re like, ‘What was that? What did I just experience?’” But also, “‘How do I do that again?’”
Cartel Madras also includes Contra’s sibling, Eboshi—both born in Chennai in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu and raised in Calgary, Canada. Like their upbringing, their music is a cultural syncretism, a heady mix of trap with punk, house, and South Indian aesthetics that they’ve anointed “goonda rap.” Their second EP is Age of the Goonda, (out November 1st, 2019 on Sub Pop Records), a sonically expansive successor to their first EP, Trapistan, which boasted the party-down hit “Pork & Leek. A manifesto for the times, Age of the Goonda is an in-your-face call to arms for—immigrants, women of color, the LGBTQ+ community, Desis (a.k.a. Westernized Indians)—those who must resist being treated as underdogs.
“Goonda Gold” is the EP’s central pulse, its anthem. “When you hear it, it feels big like you’re watching this crazy-ass gangsta movie,” says Contra. “And it does borrow from certain vintage South Indian filminess.” Rapid-fire in delivery—“Gold on my neck I’m a goonda / Got guns in the air like a junta”—and hastened along by shimmery beats from D.C. Desi upstart SkinnyLocal, it pointedly shows off the duo’s legit rapping skills.
The new track is available worldwide through all DSPs from Sub Pop, with the exception of Canada through Royal Mountain Records.
Cartel Madras (aka Eboshi and Contra) is sharing the official video for “Goonda Gold” the duo’s new single, directed by Bhaveek Makan and Jashan Makan (see CLASH premiere October 7th).
The “Goonda Gold” video integrates the Desi influence in the track, compelling visuals, and the fashion of the Goondas. There is tension throughout the video, but at the heart of the song, it is an anthemic party track.
Eboshi says of the “Goonda Gold” video, “This is a song for the underdog. We are two queer, POC rappers that are actively creating space for ourselves and other artists like us. ‘Goonda Gold’ announces itself and demands your attention. We wanted a video that was true to the nature and the sound of the ‘Goonda.’ We wanted to convey how our audiences feel when they hear this song. ‘Goonda Gold’ captures the danger and excitement of Cartel Madras.” And Contra adds this, “We’ve always imagined the Goonda as someone from different walks of life moving through the world fiercely, readying themselves for a fight. Gold chains on, cut lip; this song is for the baddies.”
The “Goonda Gold” single is available now at all DSPs worldwide through Sub Pop with the exception of Canada through Royal Mountain Records. The track is from Age of The Goonda, the duo’s forthcoming EP, out November 1st, 2019.
Cartel Madras has added a few new Canadian dates to its performance schedule for 2019, which now ends December 13th in Toronto at Danforth Music Hall (supporting Hollerado). New shows include: supporting Sub Pop labelmates Clipping at The Garrison in Toronto on October 11th; A show in Lethbridge, Alberta at Firehall No. 1 on October 26th; And opening for Fetty Wap in Calgary at McMahon Stadium for the Fusion: Music + Grey Cup Show on November 22nd. There will be U.S. live dates announced soon.
Oct. 11 - Toronto, ON - The Garrison ^ Oct. 26 - Lethbridge, AB - Firehall No.1 Nov. 14 - Peterborough, ON - Red Dog Tavern* Nov. 15 - London, ON - Rum Runners Music Hall* Nov. 16 - Oshawa, ON - The Music Hall* Nov. 22 - Calgary, AB - McMahon Stadium / Fusion: Music + Grey Cup Show ** Dec. 13 - Toronto, ON - Danforth Music Hall*
Available worldwide in all DSPs from Sub Pop and in Canada through Royal Mountain Records.
Cartel Madras (aka Eboshi and Contra) have shared official video for “Lil Pump Type Beat,” the duo’s hyperkinetic (and cheekily-titled) new single, directed by Asim Overstands and Vince Raquel, and produced by Thotpolice (see Hip Hop DXpremiere September 4th).
Cartel Madras members Eboshi and Contra had this to say of the “Lil Pump Type Beat, “We wanted to make a fun trap song that captures the explosive energy of our live shows. We also wanted to give a nod to type beats and their ubiquity. Our shows often turn into sweaty mosh pits, so the video had to be an extension of that. It was really fun - especially having a ton of shirtless dudes moshing while we dictate the energy in the video from the middle, with the drip.”
The “Lil Pump Type Beat” single was produced by Cartel Madras, Oso Familiar, and Casey Lewis, mixed by Jae Sterling and Lewis at Echo Base Studio in Calgary, and is available now at all DSPs worldwide through Sub Pop with the exception of Canada through Royal Mountain Records. The track is from Age of The Goonda, the duo’s forthcoming EP, out November 1st, 2019.
Cartel Madras Tour Dates
Cartel Madras has scheduled a series of Canadian dates for the remained of 2019, which span September 8th in Winnipeg, Manitoba at Bastid BBQ through November 16th in Oshawa, Ontario at The Music Hall. Along the way, the duo will support Hollerado (November 14th-16th), make appearances at the Bastid BBQ (with DJ Maseo of De La Soul and Lil Brother), Quebec’s LVL Up Festival, and Toronto’s RBC Echo Beach (with Mac DeMarco, Prince Innocence, Dustin Wong & Takako Minekawa). There will be U.S. live dates announced soon.
Sep. 08 - Winnipeg, MB - Bastid’s BBQ (at La Carnita) ^ Sep. 21 - Laval, QC - LVL Up Festival (at Place Bell Esplanade - Outdoor) Sep. 24 - Toronto, ON - RBC Echo Beach # Nov. 14 - Peterborough, ON - Red Dog Tavern* Nov. 15 - London, ON - Rum Runners Music Hall* Nov. 16 - Oshawa, ON - The Music Hall*
* w/ Hollerado ^ w/ Dj Maseo of De La Soul, Brother Ali # w/ with Mac DeMarco, Prince Innocence, Dustin Wong & Takako Minekawa
1. The powerful juxtaposition of a Western term aimed at ghettoizing other cultures and the English colonial name foisted on Chennai, India; 2. A queer, female, Desi act igniting a revolution because they’re sick of this bullshit
“We really want people who come to our shows to feel like they’ve been punched in the face,” says Contra, one-half of rap provocateurs Cartel Madras, of their FOMO-inducing live shows. “It’s like a riot just passed you, and you’re like, ‘What was that? What did I just experience?’” But also, “‘How do I do that again?’”
Cartel Madras also includes Contra’s sibling, Eboshi—both born in Chennai in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu and raised in Calgary, Canada. Like their upbringing, their music is a cultural syncretism, a heady mix of trap with punk, house, and South Indian aesthetics that they’ve anointed “goonda rap.” Their second EP is Age of the Goonda, a sonically expansive successor to their first EP, Trapistan, which boasted the party-down hit “Pork & Leek. A manifesto for the times, Age of the Goonda is an in-your-face call to arms for—immigrants, women of color, the LGBTQ+ community, Desis (a.k.a. Westernized Indians)—those who must resist being treated as underdogs (read more at Sub Pop dotcom).
