Balakrishna Ganeshan Yogeswaran Veerasingam (born December 14, 1974), popularly known by his stage name Yogi B or Yogi B., is a Malaysian Tamil rapper and music producer. He is noted for his pioneering contributions to the Tamil hip-hop genre.
Early life Yogeswaran Veerasingam was born on December 14,1974, in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, and grew up in a multicultural environment that would later influence his musical career. Raised in an Indian Tamil-speaking family, Yogeswaran's early exposure to diverse languages and cultural traditions played a crucial role in shaping his unique musical style. His grandfather, Kumaraswamy, was a notable Dravidian leader in Malaysia, known for his advocacy and impact within the Dravidian movement.
Career
Poetic Ammo
Yogi B founded the Malaysian hip-hop group Poetic Ammo in the mid-1990s. Besides Yogi B, it consisted of Chandrakumar Balakrishnan (aka Land Slyde), Nicholas Ong (aka Point Blanc), and Sashi Kumar Balakrishnan (aka C. Loco). Although most of the group's songs were written in English, they also released tracks in Malay, Tamil, and Cantonese. Retrieved 2016-10-4 (Google translation)
The band won the 'Best English Album' award at the Malaysian Anugerah Industri Muzik (AIM) Music Awards in 1999. (Malaysian) They also received the 'Best Music Video' award at AIM in 2000 and 2001. Their music video 'Money Money' gained widespread national and international acclaim.
Rise to fame The mid-2000s were transformative for Yogi B, marked by a surge in the popularity of Tamil hip-hop. His collaboration with the rap duo Natchatra (consisting of Dr. Burn and Emcee Jesz) played a pivotal role in this rise. In 2006, Yogi B achieved notable success with the release of the album Vallavan. Yogi B also served as the executive producer of the album.
The album's standout track, "Madai Thiranthu", became a sensation, resonating with both the Tamil diaspora and the Tamil community in India. The song, a unique fusion of the classic Ilaiyaraaja number with contemporary rap, captivated audiences worldwide. It garnered significant recognition from the Tamil diaspora in London, Australia, Sri Lanka, and Scandinavian countries. In South India, the song became closely associated with the now-defunct SS Music channel, which played it frequently. The album sold more than 25,000 units.
Playback singing In 2007, Yogi B made his debut in the Tamil film industry with Polladhavan. He performed the song "Engaeyum Eppothum", a track that featured legendary playback singer S. P. Balasubrahmanyam and which was a remix of the similarly-named song from Ninaithale Inikkum. Yogi B's collaboration on this track marked a significant milestone in his career, bridging his independent music success with mainstream cinema.
Following his success with Polladhavan, Yogi B continued to collaborate with several renowned music composers, further establishing his presence in the Tamil film industry. He has worked with Vidyasagar (Kuruvi), A. R. Rahman (Enthiran), Sean Roldan (Velaiyilla Pattathari 2), Santhosh Narayanan (Kaala), D. Imman (Tik Tik Tik), and Anirudh Ravichander (Darbar).
Discography
With Poetic Ammo YearAlbumArtistsRef.1998It's a Nice Day to Be AlivePoetic Ammo2000The World is Yours2003Return of tha' Boombox
With Natchatra YearAlbumArtistsRef.2006VallavanYogi B and Natchatra
As singer Year Movie Song Co-artists Composer Language Notes 2007 Polladhavan "Engeyum Eppothum" S. P. Balasubrahmanyam, Sunitha Sarathy Yogi B Tamil Also co-lyricist 2008 Kuruvi "Happy New Year" Dr. Burn, Emcee Jesz, Sunidhi Chauhan Vidyasagar Ghajini "BGM Rap Verse (Run Run)" A. R. Rahman Hindi 2010 Enthiran "Boom Boom Robot Da" Keerthi Sagathia, Shweta Mohan, Tanvi Shah Tamil Robo (D) "Boom Boom Robo Da" Telugu 2011 Aadukalam "Porkkalam (Tamil Rap)" Alwa Vasu G. V. Prakash Kumar Tamil "Warriors (English Rap)" Also lyricist2017 Velaiilla Pattadhari 2 "Life of Raghuvaran — Nada Da Raja" Dhanush Sean Roldan Also co-lyricist VIP 2 (D) Rahul Nambiar Telugu VIP 2 (D) "Life of Raghuvaran — Chal Re Raja" Hindi Vivegam "Surviva" Anirudh Ravichander, Mali Manoj Anirudh Ravichander Tamil Vivekam (D) Anirudh Ravichander, Ranjith, Mali Telugu2018 Kaala "Katravai Patravai" Arunraja Kamaraj, Roshan Jamrock Santhosh Narayanan Tamil Tik Tik Tik "Tik Tik Tik (Title Track)" Yuvan Shankar Raja, Sunitha Sarathy D. Imman Ezhumin "Poraadu Da" Anand Aravindakshan Ganesh Chandrasekaran 2020 Darbar "Thani Vazhi" Anirudh Ravichander, Shakthisree Gopalan Anirudh Ravichander Also co-lyricist Athigaari "Rudra V Parama" Yunohoo, Pavithra Nair Shameshan Mani Maran Tamil Also lyricist 2021 Salaga "Salaga Title Track" Sharath, Charan Raj, Sanjith Hegde Charan Raj Kannada 2023 Tamilarasan "Thamilarasan (Title Track)" Suzanne D'Mello, Nakash Aziz Ilaiyaraaja Tamil 2024 Viduthalai Part 2 "Poruthadhu Podham" 2025 Kaantha "Rage Of Kaantha" Siddharth Basrur, AbhinavaKavi Jhanu Chanthar Tamil Also co-lyricistKaantha - (D) Telugu
As music director Year Movie Language 2011 Oru Vaarthai Pesu Tamil
Personal life Yogi B attributes much of his success as a Tamil hip-hop artist to the invaluable support of his mother, who died in 2013. Her demise affected him both personally and professionally. This loss, combined with two major surgeries for goitre, created a period of intense difficulty for him. Yogi B's mother played a crucial role in his musical career by assisting with the translation of Tamil rap portions, ensuring that the poetry and lyrical integrity were preserved.
Yogi B has expressed admiration for The Casteless Collective, an anti-caste music group founded by filmmaker Pa. Ranjith's Neelam Cultural Centre. Yogi B said that the collective’s alignment with social justice themes and its stance against caste discrimination resonate with his own values and artistic vision.
Legacy Yogi B's contributions to Tamil hip-hop have had a lasting impact on the genre. His ability to merge Tamil cultural elements with contemporary hip-hop has influenced a new generation of artists and shaped the evolution of South Asian music. His innovative work earned him the nickname 'Godfather of Tamil Hip-Hop'.
References
External links
Yogi B on Spotify