Osama Com Laude, aka OCL, a rapper who hails from Rawalpindi and also doubles as a doctor, has transformed from his earlier days. Rapping in English with a great deal of frivolity and an unclear narrative is now a thing of OCL’s past.

After releasing paKING - his first EP earlier this year - as well as the roaring collaborative single, ‘Pindi Aye’ to 9 million plus hits on YouTube, OCL has moved on to his second EP.

OCL announced the news with a new single attached with a crimson-tinted lyrical music video titled ‘Bar God’ from the upcoming sophomore EP titled Barbaadi. On ‘Bar God’ OCL is collaborating with MRKLE once more who has mixed and mastered it with DavidOnTheBeat playing the role of music producer. The single sounds fresh and thematically builds on ideas that began with paKING.

Speaking to Instep about the single, OCL shared, “The way Barbaadi and paKING connect is that every king must defend his throne from all kinds of naysayers and enemies. Even if that means stepping down and leading the charge head on along with the rest of his kingdom and army and causing as much barbaadi as possible in order to keep the throne.”

He further explained, “With that theme and continuity in mind, I constructed Barbaadi by taking some of my favorite hard hitting elements of paKING and mixing them with what is more my signature sound. The three tracks on it serve as a stepping stone and a transition to what will eventually lead into my third EP (that will be out before this year ends).”

In essence, it is a trilogy with a third EP also planned before the year 2020 ends, confirmed OCL, before stating that the third one is his favourite from the lot because it comprises a lot of the ‘anthem music’ that I love doing.”

Saba Qamar apologises for ‘Qubool’ ­and explains the imagery

Saba Qamar, who has risen through the ranks to become one of Pakistan’s most exciting actors to watch, may have landed herself in some serious trouble. Saba recently collaborated with musician Bilal Saeed on a single titled ‘Qubool’ with Saba also taking on the role of director. A portion of the song’s behind the scene imagery was shot in Lahore’s Wazir Khan Mosque. It has not gone down well with people.

Apart from becoming a trending topic on social media with nearly 4 million plus views, ironically enough, the music video has landed them in hot water. An F.I.R (First Information Report) complaint was filed by advocate Sardar Farhat Manzoor against the two as well as the team of the video, shared multiple news reports.

Some people have gone to the extinct of stating they should and/or have been booked under Pakistan’s dangerous blasphemy law. No one needs to be charged under this heinous law, particularly artists who depict a narrative that can take them anywhere.

Saba Qamar, nonetheless, took to Twitter and rendered a public apology for hurting any and all sentiments.

She tweeted, “The BTS [behind the scene] video that’s been circulated on social media was just a circular movement to click stills for the poster of ‘Qubool’ depicting a happily married couple right after their Nikah.”

She added: “Despite this if we have unknowingly hurt anyone’s sentiments we apologise to you all with all our heart. Love & Peace!”

Similarly, Bilal Saeed also apologized in a standalone video.

Given that they have apologized, the issue must be closed. An artist tends to go far and wide to depict a certain narrative, but if anyone is responsible, it is the management of Wazir Khan Mosque. Given how religion has divided the country, the onus falls on the management who should not have taken a shoot fee of 30,000 rupees and should have declined the request if the law prohibited it.

Ali Sethi, Noah Georgeson drop series of summer mixes

Ali Sethi, a singer who has developed into a songwriter, and composer with time, has had glorious success in popularizing ghazals to an entirely new generation that had previously been ambivalent to its existence.

Whether on Coke Studio, through his multiple appearances, or how he started his career several years ago, Ali is responsible for popularizing the format through his modern covers while maintaining the sanctity of the original. Remember ‘Dil Jalaney Ki Baat’ that put him on the map?

But those years are behind Ali, who was once known only for covering popular and non-popular ghazals and folk songs with poetry by some of the most legendary poets and writers the sub-continent has produced.

In recent years, he has united with Narcos theme producer and Grammy Award winning music producer Noah Georgeson for a series of songs that will extend beyond just one album.

To that end, Ali Sethi has gone on to release singles such as ‘Chandni Raat’, ‘Khabar-e-Tahayyur-e-Ishq’, ‘Ishq’, and ‘Dil Ki Khair’ where the lyrics have been a blend of poetry by the likes of Ali Sethi himself and/or others including giants such as Faiz Ahmed Faiz. However, the music has come from Ali by himself and the songs have been produced by Noah Georgeson with several instruments being played that are not common to studios in Pakistan. The result has been a tremendous sonic landscape.

As Ali Sethi gears up to drop more singles after the holy month of Muharram, he has worked with Noah once more to create a series of remixes for some of his songs during the coronavirus pandemic. Among them are singles such as ‘Dil Lagaayein’ (piano mix), ‘Dil Ki Khair’ (Lockdown Blues), ‘Khabar-e-Tahayyur-e-Ishq’ (remix) and ‘Ishq’ (Summer Nights Mix).

Each song is different and fans of Ali Sethi should rejoice for these are the kind of songs that might get you through the strange times we are living in while being a reminder of Ali Sethi’s consistence growth and ambition as a musician.