Many first and second generation Asian Americans are taught to be humble, keep their heads down, and work harder than their white counterparts to make it in the rat race. But what happens when they earn the right to flex a little? Dandila's "Melanin In The Hamptons" video fully embraces that reality.
Produced by Boukis, the track is disruptive and Dandila is borderline shouting his confidence through his lyrics. He relayed via email that part of that confidence is owed to some of his favorite rappers: "I wrote 'Melanin' during a period where I was rediscovering the music that made me fall in love with hip-hop during my time in New York (tons of old Mobb Deep and Clipse records). [Director] Shomi and I have been talking a lot about South Asian representation over the past year and we wanted to create a piece of art that shows we have the capacity to be arrogant."
He also comments on the portrayal of fellow Indians in the news and popular culture with pointed questions like, "The fuck I need to shoplift?" He also revealed that he teamed up with Shomi Patwary to feature "some of the most talented South Asian creatives in our circles together and paint the version of high society with our faces in it."
Look out for more music from Dandila sooner than later.