Key message

Find YOUR best way to express yourself!

Rap And Skateboarding – Summary

A Perfect Match Rap music and skateboarding are closely connected. They share the same culture.
Rap music is a way for Asha to express what she cannot say in words. The chapter
follows her journey of discovering her talent for rap, writing and performing her
song “I am THAT girl,” and her battles with self-doubt and laziness. Despite these
obstacles, Asha finds her unique voice, creates a music video for her song, and
aspires to empower other girls through her music.

Questions
• What is your strongest way to express yourself? Words? Music? What is it?
• What role does music play in your life? Where does it support you?
Or bring you down?
• With what kind of music where you socialised and what did it
“make” with you?
• What do YOU express with music?
• Power of music – what does it mean to you?
• Which role does music play in society?

If you can’t say its, sing it! …

Rap music goes along well with skateboarding.
There is this cultural fit – no matter where you are in the world.
The skateboarders, on their playlists, there is rap music.
And so it is in Janwaar. Asha loves rap music.
My friend Rachael, who is supporting us every now and then, told me so.
She is a social worker from the US with a long history in India.
Her main field of interest are the creative arts,
as a tool to address mental health issues.
In March 2020, just before Covid hit, Rachael accompanied Asha, Anil and Arun
to Rajasthan for the Open Learning UnConference.1
It is an interesting event exploring the shift from a schooling to a learning society.
Exactly what we are trying to do in Janwaar.
The conference brings people together who are resisting
the monoculture of the mind.
And who are co-creating diverse learning communities and
sustainable learning spaces.
At night they offer individuals the opportunity to share their personal
talents on stage. Rachael remembered:
“The crowd was large and lively the first night.
The Janwaar gang enjoyed sitting in the audience.
However, by the end of night, Asha stood up.
She felt the urge to share one of her many talents, rapping.
She did so in front of a small group.
And decided to go on the main stage the next evening.”
Asha unleashed her talent on stage – and won over the audience!
“Asha was nervous to preform in front of such a large live audience.
But she set her goal, practiced throughout the day.
And was ready to shine by the time the night came.
1
Shikshantar – The Open Learning UnConference
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It was a Hindi rap song, expressing the hardships of life.
Asha sung with cool rhythm, grace and an easy confidence.
She came off the stage – radiant as the audience applauded.
She understood her story. Developed it with words and rhythm.
And saw the opportunity to share it.
And she made her way up to the stage.”
I was amazed to hear that. I had never seen Asha like that.
Maybe, but only maybe, when she danced in the evening.
At our Janwaar Skateboarding Challenge. There was this spark as well.
I know, there is this very special thing about Asha.
If she is really up to something, she will make it!
Her willpower and resilience are remarkable.
And then she has the ease to let it play out. And to let it unfold.
No bitterness or unhealthy ambition.
Just focus and confidence: I can do it!
This is really something beautiful.
A voiceless woman shines!
While thinking how to unleash more of this beautiful power in Asha,
I remembered Sylwia telling me a similar story:
“It was Asha’s last week in UK.
We took her to a local youth club. And Asha went on stage.
It is really hard to explain in words what I have witnessed:
I saw a voiceless woman shine!
Like something really important, a power, entered her.
And she embodied her voice.
As she sang every single person in the club flocked to the stage.
I think she loved it.” Sylwia added.
“She was a different person after that day.”
So definitely, there was something for Asha to “unpack.”
And she wanted to unpack it. She just didn’t know how.
She told me that she loves to sing. And especially to rap.
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After the UnConference in Rajasthan, Asha wrote to me:
“I can express in rhymes, what I cannot express in normal words!
And I have a lot to say! And I want to shout it out.
To the people, so that they can hear how I feel.
How they make me feel. And maybe then they will change!
In my rap there is a lot of ME. And a lot of HOPE.”
The priceless worth of a network – there is always someone up to the task!
I sensed it was the right time to aid Asha in uncovering her music-talents.
But how to write a rap song? I thought.
How to help Asha to express what she wanted to say?
I asked her to write down whatever comes into her mind.
“Just write it”, I said. “Don’t think in rhymes! Just let it flow”.
She started writing a few lines. About her life and her origins.
Being an Adivasi girl in a small village.
What she had learned through skateboarding.
The struggles and threats she was facing.
How she felt about it. How she dealt with it.
What made her angry. And what encouraged her.
It was an uphill task to get the words out of her.
She was never asked to talk about herself.
And to express what she was feeling and living through.
The good news is, that she wanted to get it out!
And eventually, I was sure, it would flow.
Little by little she filled a page with her own words.
Choppy sentences. No flow. There was a lot of defiance.
And it was good, that it was coming out.
There was more than enough for one song.
So here I was, sitting somewhere in Europe during Covid, trying to make
rhymes out of Asha’s words.
I managed to frame it in verses. Which was actually fun.
But far from being practical. And in any way “hip”.
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And rap needs to be “hip”. Clearly I’d reached my limits.
The only thing which was clear to me, was the title of the song:
“I am THAT girl!” It expresses confidence.
And embodies the perfect defiant tone.
I can make it – no matter if you like it or not!
Well-matched for a rap song.
I needed help. And suddenly it dawned to me.
There was this wonderful guy in Delhi, Rijul.
Rijul is a theatre person, working with groups of young people.
He has an active interest in theatre, debating and research.
I knew he had rhythm and an excellent vocabulary. In English and Hindi!
And Asha knew him – she had worked with him before.
During the youth outreach program of the Jaipur Literature Festival.2
The Jaipur Litfest is the largest free literature festival in the world.
Its outreach program integrates students from Jaipur schools
with participants from NGOs across the country.
This diverse group comes together a week before the festival.
And they explore a socially relevant theme using theatre.
Our Janwaar kids participated five times in this event!
And it was always great fun. Asha was there as a participant.
And she also helped Rijul mentoring the other children.
I knew I was on the right track and that I had the right guy!
So I called him and told him about our idea of a rap song.
I showed him what I already had, mentioning that it is far from perfect.
And I asked if he would like to join the team.
Rijul loved the idea. And jumped in! How great was that?
It made me happy. And I knew, the outcome would be wonderful!
He spoke with Asha. She gave more input. And then he started to work.
I was excited. And couldn’t wait to see the outcome!
2
Outreach program at the Jaipur Litfest
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What Rijul delivered, was simply divine.
Every word was just perfect. Not one word too much. Or too less.
All made 100% sense and was just up to the mark. And beyond!
I was blown away. In utter amazement!
It was much more than what I ever had expected.
Take a moment to read the lyrics and share your thoughts!3
I am That girl!
> The story begins when I was a child,
born in Janwaar, into the wild.
As a girl, Adivasi, there was always a line.
And If I stepped over, there would be a fine.
But my eyes saw the future and I could dream.
As I climb the hill and loudly scream.
That this is my time and I want to rise,
I will claim what’s mine, earn this prize.
I am that girl who wants to roar,
up in the sky, as I soar.
The words are mine, but I speak for you,
and without fear, I will say what’s true.
I went to school, but I wanted to play.
I wanted to learn, but in my own way.
So hard I worked, in everything I did,
I wanted to do, what I couldn’t as a kid.
This skatepark is my zone, I fly on four wheels.
I came on TV, newspapers, and film reels.
Flew to London, China, to show what I can do:
Representing India, me, and you.
3
I_am_THAT_girl_on_soundcloud
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I am that girl who wants to roar,
yup in the sky, as I soar.
The words are mine, but I speak for you.
And without fear, I will say what’s true.
Today I feel proud, for what I have done.
But I also know I am not the only one,
my parents, neighbours, everyone around.
This is my Janwaar, my very own ground.
But you see me as a woman, and call my name
Harass, Embarrass, play this horrible game.
You see me rise and pull me down.
But you are scared, hiding, and I will not frown.
I am that girl who wants to roar,
up in the sky, as I soar,
The words are mine, but I speak for you.
And without fear, I will say what’s true.
My family support me, they set me free.
I live my life and I don’t need to marry.
My terms are mine and so is my time,
I won’t wait to take what’s mine.
I thank all those who support me today,
for without their help I wouldn’t know my way.
My parents, my idols, and all my guides,
thanks for the wings, for now I can glide.
I am that girl who wants to roar,
up in the sky, as I soar.
The words are mine, but I speak for you.
And without fear, I will say what’s true.
A long road ahead, but I have just begun.
If I rest right now, there will be only one.
And all that work I did on myself,
will be sitting there alone, by itself.
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 I want to rap, tell you my story.
And I don’t want fame, or name, or glory.
What I want to do is be a voice,
for all those girls who don’t have a choice.
My voice alone will not win this fight.
We need to come together to win this, right?
I invite the boys to write their song.
Join me in this chorus and sing along …
I am that girl who wants to roar,
up in the sky, as I soar.
The words are mine, but I speak for you.
And without fear, I will say what’s true.
(I silently applaud!)
Practicing. Recording. Adding the Music.
The text was done. Now it was Asha’s turn to practice.
To learn all the English words. And to pronounce them right.
In the beginning she got stuck frequently.
It was difficult for her. But she didn’t give up.
Once she was savvy with the words, Rijul helped her with the rhythm.
She downloaded a metronome and practiced the beat.
Asha was really drawn into it. Every day she sent a new audio recording.
She was recording with her phone. And she improved day by day.
She was very emotional. Expressed her frustration and anger.
And her love to show to the world “Yes, I can!”
She was very authentic. And she clearly identified herself with her words.
She had a message. And she wanted to get it out.
It was actually a very elegant way for her to tell the villagers:
“Look, I don’t care about what you say. I will do it my way, anyhow!
And I will take other girls with me on my journey. If you like it or not!”
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Because of this, and only because of this, we did a Hindi version of the song.
So that the villagers and the people in Panna can understand!
It was astonishing for me to see, how Asha was working on this.
I’ve never observed her in such a manner before. Not even in skateboarding.
With music she showed much more passion. Drive. Perseverance.
And an ironclad determination to make it succeed!
Music had ignited her deep passion.
Fortune favours the bold!
The sound clarity in Asha’s phone recordings left much to be desired.
We needed much better quality.
Another media outlet was scheduled for a video shoot in Janwaar.
So I asked the producer, if he could help with the recording.
He was happy to do so. He even had experience in music production.
Hence he had some tricks up his sleeve. And handed over a first-rate recording.
The final element was yet to be added: the music!
Rijul is friends with Subhadra, a musician in Delhi.
She agreed to help us. And we decided to play low key.
And only add background music.
And the sound of skateboard wheels in motion.
We wanted to keep it raw. And very authentic.
From enthusiasm to frustration
Asha was delighted when she heard HER song for the first time!
“I have a song with proper music, just like other singers!
I am so so happy. I’ve listened to it a million times!”
We uploaded it on SoundCloud. And announced it on social media.
Quite some people liked it. But not much followed up.
No one particularly noticed it. It just drowned in the sea of online music.
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Asha’s initial determination ebbed rapidly. I don’t know why,
She claimed to have plenty to say, but no new ideas came through.
Dead silence. No efforts. No more enthusiasm.
She didn’t follow up with the people who supported her.
Neither Rijul nor Subhadra, the musician, heard back from Asha.
Over time the rap turned into a cherished memory.
It wasn’t my job to keep Asha going, to push her.
She had to do it on her own.
It took her two years to re-awake.
A new start with a new learning?
Asha has sent me these lines while we were working on this book.
“I am very lazy sometimes.
Laziness is like a big wall for me to overcome.
I think about things, but I don’t do them.
I think and think and think. And I see all the doubts.
This overthinking gets me in a very uncomfortable place.
And then I don’t do! And then I feel bad about myself.
That’s childish. Not at all mature!
And I do not understand the value of things!
So I didn’t appreciate that people are supporting me.
I’ve realised that this is not fair. And I will correct this.
I will now work on these two things wholeheartedly.
I feel that I need to do this. I need to change.
And I will become better on this!”
Her message reached me, after Anurag Gupta, had contacted her.
Anurag is an entrepreneur from Mumbai.
His latest endevour is a chain of coffee shops in India’s cities,
where the people can watch music videos on huge screens.
He envisioned Asha skateboarding to a specific music in a video.
Asha expressed her interest and asked me to get in touch with him.
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A second chance for Asha’s rap song
I connected with Anurag and listened to what he had to say.
He explained his business idea and said, he had “found” Asha on instagram.
He outlined his idea of a music video.
And forwarded a brief clip of a girl skateboarding and “dancing”.
To be frank, I thought the video was a bit dull.
No message. No vibes. No energy.
It was crystal clear to me that Asha’s rap song should be our choice.
And I asked him if he can produce a video for it. The idea appealed to Asha as well.
I shared the audio “I am THAT girl!” and a shortly after he responded:
“Yes, we can do that! It is very raw and authentic!”
He was using exactly the same words I had used,
when I explained my idea to Rijul and Subhadra, the musician.
An idea was born – and Asha’s rap song got a second chance.
I figured out all the details with Anurag.
And he signed a brief contract with Asha.
In a matter of days, Anurag’s team reached Janwaar.
Once again it was showtime in Janwaar.
And the girls had the starring roles.
I would have loved to be there and share their excitement.
Alongside Asha, they featured a few more girls in the shoot.
The bright little queens of Janwaar. Shining in the spotlight.
Even Asha’s mother, Kamla, joins the scene with her warm smile.
And at the end, Kallu, Asha’s neighbour, makes her debut in English,
uniting with Asha in the refrain “I am THAT girl!”
Asha summed up the experience of the shoot in a Facebook post:
“I sang my first rap song “I am THAT girl!”.
This was more than two years ago.
Last week I received a message from Anurag Gupta ji.
He said he was keen to make a music video with me.
I liked the idea of a music video and skateboarding.
So I talked with Ulrike.
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She is a good person to communicate about these things.
Ulrike spoke with him and she suggested to use my rap song.
And Anurag ji agreed !
Yesterday they came to shoot in Janwaar.
I was quite nervous because I wasn’t sure, what will happen.
I had practiced the song …. Yet ….
They asked me to sing, but without a voice.
So that I only move my lips. That was tricky.
But after practicing it a few times. I felt more comfortable with it.
The words are mine in the rap song so I was able to feel them!
It was a lot of fun. And a lot of girls from the village joined me.
They all were looking pretty. Colourful beauties in their outfits!
We all really enjoyed the shoot! Event though it was really hot!
Sometimes the girls were falling while dropping in the skatepark.
It looked funny in their clothes …. We had to laugh.
No one got hurt – luckily.
It was such fun to skate with different and colourful clothes.
Once the video is finalised, I am so happy to share it with you!
Thank you so much @Anurag Gupta @Indrajit Nattoji and your whole team.
It was a very nice and lovely experience to work with you all!
Thank you so much.
Waiting to watch the video!”
Asha rediscovered her self-confidence
Once the team had left, I asked Asha:
“What is hindering you to work on a new rap song?
Besides your laziness? I feel there is much more?”
Her answer revealed all her doubts:
“Well, after my first rap I was thinking to write more. And I did.
But then I thought: Maybe I am not able to do it in a good way.
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Because I don't know the words which sound so cool in a rap.
Words all the other singers use. I can only write in a very simple way.
I am not as good as they are. That kept me away from writing.
It was my overthinking. It created so many doubts.”
“Be who you are!” I answered. “Your style is exactly what makes YOU unique!
You don’t need to copy others!
And in case you get stuck, you can always ask for help.
You are embedded in a very supportive network, Asha!
So engage with your network, initiate conversations and follow up.
This is how you start a new project!”
She remembered that she had learned exactly this earlier.
To be herself. And to do it HER way.
She did it HER way, when she went to England.
She did it HER way, when it came to skateboarding.
So, why not doing it HER way, when it comes to writing a rap song?
So hopefully Asha will revive her ambitions in rap music.
She said the next topic she is working on is about mothers.
About their hard work. And everything they give to their children.
The video has put a smile on Asha’s face
The music video was released on YouTube in early October 2023.4
And a pilot is running in a small theatre in Devas, Madhya Pradesh.
Just before a movie. Anurag and his team are fine-tuning the tech.
By the end of the year it will be seen in 12 other locations.
That’s the plan so far. We will see how it goes.
Asha is in high spirits – she loves the video, especially the animations.
She shared it with the other kids, and they were pulled in by it.
They clearly favour video over audio, Asha said.
Visible action is added to the words. They can see something.
That enriches their experience. And is much more fun.
4
I_am_THAT_girl_on_on youtube
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In private, Asha continues to sing in Hindi, she said.
“I just let it flow. Whatever is in my head, comes out.
My feelings, my love, my problems, my complaints.
I express my sadness. My joy. Sometimes it’s prayers.
I just do it for me. Occasionally I add some accords with my guitar.”

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