everything happened through hip-hop, through music.

That connection has been the foundation for my journey,” says Smith.

Shabz resonates with Smith’s sentiment of shared humanitarian values and belief in the unifying power of music.

Both see music, especially hip-hop, as a force that brings people together.

This year, Desi Trill’s ‘Brown is Everywhere’ slogan resonated with recently launched tracks like ‘Mumbai Magic’ and Yung Sammy’s ‘Intro’, among other significant releases.

The talent search extends beyond India, embracing artists from across the South Asian diaspora, including Bangladesh, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, and more.

“Brown is everywhere,” Naqvi reiterates.

“We’re looking for talent from all parts of South Asian culture.

” Smith adds, “India is the motherland, but we embrace talent from all over South Asia.

This inclusive approach ensures that Desi Trill represents the entire South Asian community.

”Smith and Naqvi approach artist selection intuitively rather than following strict criteria.

They believe that artists choose them rather than the other way around.

“We are lucky for artists to even want to believe in what we’re doing right,” says Smith.

Additionally, they emphasize promoting a mindset rather than specific genres or styles, welcoming any artist who resonates with their mindset and vision.

This approach allows a diverse range of artists to be considered for their label.

Desi Trill is open to collaborating with the Hindi film industry, seeing it as an integral part of South Asian culture.

Smith and Naqvi believe that their unique sound can bring a fresh perspective to Bollywood, enhancing its storytelling with new musical dimensions.

Speaking about his Bollywood exposure, Smith says that although he did not grow up with Bollywood music, his exposure to it was quite memorable.

“About 20 years ago, Jay-Z and I were in London—we’ve been close since I was 14—and we heard Panjabi MC on the radio.

Despite not understanding the lyrics, we were captivated by the sound.

Just like how kids in Russia would go crazy for Michael Jackson without understanding his lyrics, it was the same with us and Panjabi MC.

The sound and rhythm are all connected to us on a different level.

This exposure stuck with me.

It opened my eyes to how diverse music could be appreciated regardless of the language barrier.

”Smith started correlating this with other genres, such as reggae and Latin music.

“Many of my friends are Latin, and I’d jam to their music without understanding the words, but it didn’t matter because the music itself was powerful,” he says, adding, “If Panjabi MC’s music had caught on more back then, who knows how big that South Asian influence would be today? I believe we’re coming full circle now.

We’re at a point where South Asian sounds are becoming the next big genre.

I predict that every major artist globally will adopt this style in the next three to five years.

Remember, we had this conversation,” says Smith with a smile.