Early life
Bohemia was born on 15 October 1979 in Karachi, Sindh[3] into an ethnic Punjabi, Christian family. He also has a bible and a guru granth sahib at his home, as one of his forefathers was Sikh at one point. His father was an employee at Pakistan International Airline. The family were transferred to Lahore, where he spent his childhood, followed by seven years in Peshawar. While he was in his early teens his family moved to the United States, settling in San Francisco's Mission District.
Bohemia started learning music from his father, and writing Punjabi poetry around that time.[1] He occasionally played keyboards at local Desi events. He wrote songs and poetry, mostly in Urdu and Punjabi. His mother died of cancer[3] when he was 16 years old. At the same time he got a job at a recording studio in Sacramento. He dropped out of school and left his family to become a full-time musician. Along with a group of other musicians, he toured and playing gigs in the US and Canada, sleeping in cars and on recording studio floors.
He moved to join his cousin in Oakland, who was working at a West Oakland recording studio, and introduced him to a young hip hop producer called Sha One. Sha heard Bohemia reciting something he had written in Punjabi, and asked him to rap it over one of his beats. Over the next few months, Bohemia wrote the lyrics for his debut album Vich Pardesan De (In The Foreign Land) – an autobiographical story of his life as a Desi youngster adapting to life in the US. This album was a new genre of music which is today known as Desi Hip hop. Bohemia claims to be inspired by the poets Faiz Ahmed Faiz, Mirza Ghalib and Allama Iqbal. He said in an interview, "People like Faiz Ahmed Faiz and Mirza Ghalib are our icons and most of my poetry is inspired by them.[4] For instance, in one of my songs, I talk about 'going beyond the stars', the idea of which is essentially taken from Allama Iqbal's 'Sitaron Se Aagay Jahan Aur Bhi Hain'."[1]
Career
His independent debut album, Vich Pardesan De reached the Top 10 on BBC Radio UK in 2002. The following album, Pesa nasha pyar [Money, intoxication, love][5] became the first full-length Punjabi rap album released by a major label. He subsequently signed a multi-record deal with music label Universal Music Group [2006 – 2009]. In 2006 Pesa nasha pyar was on the Top 10 downloads of Maxim, and No. 3 on Planet M chart India.[3] Da rap star, his third album, received four nominations at the UK Asian Music Awards and PTC Punjabi music awards, including Best Punjabi Album and Best Music Director.[citation needed] It also remained at No. 1 on Planet M chart several weeks.[6] Bohemia toured in 2009. performing in North America, Australia, Europe and Asia. He has appeared on several of Universal India's compilations. Bohemia was one of the best-selling artists of the year in 2009 for Universal Music Group India.[citation needed]
Bohemia likes to wear caps and hoodies
He performed the title track for Warner Bros film Chandni Chowk to China, appearing in the film with Akshay Kumar and Deepika Padukone.[7] A few months later he did the title track for another Akshay Kumar film, 8 x 10 Tasveer.[8] In 2011 he gave a song as a present to Akshay Kumar for his first Hollywood Production Breakaway.[9]
Bohemia also made a voice performance for the film Desi Boyz to set the cameo scene for Sanjay Dutt. In September 2012 he released his fourth album Thousand thoughts.[10] He also produced the album Gulabi for Jasmine Sandlas[11]
In 2013, it won Best Non-Resident Punjabi Album award at PTC Punjabi Music Awards.[12] At the Coke Studio Sessions he was the first rap artist, appearing in their season 5 and performing three songs, as well as the poem 'Geet mere yaad jiven school di kitaab' at Coke Studio.[citation needed]
He recorded a collaboration with Sonu Kakkar and Jamaican American artist Sean Kingston.[13] He is also working with new artists.[14] Bohemia is recording his 5th albumThousand Thoughts Deluxe, which is scheduled to be released in early 2015.[citation needed]
2009–2014
Bohemia Performing Live.
Bohemia toured in 2009 performing in Europe, Asia and America. His work was included in several of Universal India's compilations, including three tracks on The Chart Busters.
BOHEMIA
