Mvüko Koza, a Kohima-based multilingual recording artist and songwriter, who popularly is going by way of Moko Koza, hasn’t ever been afraid to specific his Naga id and constitute his other folks.
Status at the vanguard of Nagaland’s younger Hip Hop neighborhood, Moko makes use of his track and his distinctive storytelling skills as a medium to captivate audiences and seize the on a regular basis realities of a other folks residing in an ceaselessly forgotten nook of India.
Songs like ‘Naga Manu’ — which has racked up just about 1.9 million perspectives on YouTube and impressed numerous reels on-line, ‘Boy From The Hills’, and ‘Tribally Savage’ are only a few examples of the way Moko expresses satisfaction in his indigenous id, talks concerning the trials and tribulations of his other folks and tells their tales.
Belonging to the indigenous Chakhesang Naga tribe, Moko has develop into a vital voice within the Northeast’s burgeoning Hip Hop scene. That is his tale.
‘Hip Hop Simply Modified My Lifestyles’
Born on 15 June 1996 into “an ordinary Christian circle of relatives” in Kohima, Moko Koza grew up in a family the place conventional Naga track used to be an ordinary function, along six siblings. Hip Hop got here into Moko’s existence when he used to be slightly 9 after paying attention to iconic rapper Eminem’s ‘8 Mile’ CD.
Talking to The Higher India, he recollects, “There have been others like 50 Cent and Ja-Rule who had been beefing on the time and striking out track, however the first Hip Hop artist I fell in love with used to be Eminem. His fearless storytelling, humour and the track itself made me fall in love with this style. The entire scene used to be scorching and I believe I found out Hip Hop on the proper time.”
Rising up, Moko recollects how he used to be a timid and shy one who used to be scared to speak in entrance of other folks. Hip Hop helped him in finding his voice. “Hip Hop used to be like a 2nd father to me. It gave me the boldness to specific myself,” he recollects.
Moko used to be 14 when he wrote his first track and two years later composed and recorded his first track ‘Pay attention to Your Middle’ on a cell phone at his grandmother’s position. “The primary track I recorded used to be on a telephone. I transferred the audio to a pc and used a device known as Digital DJ the place I needed to sync the track and audio with none blending,” he reminisces.
But even so writing songs and making track, Moko used to be additionally a just right scholar. After highschool, he were given into the celebrated Christian Scientific School (CMC) in Vellore, Tamil Nadu, to review drugs however grew to become down the chance to review there. He makes a connection with this tournament within the first verse of his newest unmarried ‘Aji Kali’ which used to be launched previous this month.
Why did he make a decision to not pursue drugs from one in all India’s main scientific schools?
He says he didn’t need to depart Kohima. In hindsight, he argues that pursuing his commencement on the Kohima Science School grew to become out to be a “plus level” in serving to him mold his craft as a rapper and performer. “Given the calls for of scientific college, perhaps if I had long gone out to review there, I’d be a health care provider now as an alternative of a rapper,” he notes.
“All over school purposes, I’d at all times take the chance to get on level and carry out as a result of I sought after to eliminate level fright. Within the years I spent in school, I’d at all times request my seniors to let me carry out on level and they’d give me an opportunity,” he provides.
In 2017, as he used to be coming in opposition to the top of his grasp’s stage in Anthropology, he started acting in entrance of reside audiences and incomes some cash from it.
“My circle of relatives has at all times been supportive of my track. All over my school days, I by no means flunked out, introduced unhealthy grades or were given held up by way of ‘again papers’. That allowed my circle of relatives to consider what I used to be doing with my existence. On the similar time, I used to be making track,” he says.
“In school, making track began as a pastime however quickly changed into a zeal. In 2017, I carried out in entrance of a reside target market and were given paid for the first actual time. That is how I realised that I will pursue track as a qualified profession as an alternative of finding out, giving tests, and pursuing authorities jobs,” he provides.
However for any artist beginning out, it’s tricky to pay for studio periods when they may be able to’t have the funds for it. Early on, Moko would borrow cash from his mom to pay for those periods as a result of he didn’t have a correct recording studio at house.
Infinity Inc.
Proper after incomes his grasp’s stage in (Bodily) Anthropology in 2018, then again, he were given a decision from Asalie Peseyie, the founding father of Dimapur-based report label, Infinity Inc.
“I first heard of Moko Koza again in past due 2017 after paying attention to a Nagamese monitor he launched known as ‘Puisa’. After I met him for the primary time in 2018, I discovered an absolutely devoted and humble particular person — two traits that experience remained consistent since then,” says Asalie.
In reality, Asalie used to be a rapper within the early 2000s and a pioneer of Hip Hop in Nagaland. However pissed off by way of the loss of a improve machine, he traded in his mic for different interests.
“Infinity Inc. stemmed from my brief stint as a rapper previous within the 2000s. The loss of a improve machine made it nearly not possible for native artists to wreck out. After all, social media used to be no longer even round on the time. Those stories impressed me to create Infinity Inc. — a springboard for upcoming Naga artists to succeed in the degrees that they’re in a position to doing. At the moment, now we have 4 artists, 3 DJs and two manufacturers who’re signed to our label,” he says.
“Ever since I began Infinity Inc. in February 2018, our precedence used to be to signal Moko as an artist. I’ve at all times liked that his artwork stems from his love of his tradition and other folks and is marked by way of originality — an extraordinary commodity in artists this present day,” provides Asalie.
In the meantime, Moko recollects the decision he won from Asalie following his post-graduation.
“Over the decision, Assalie informed me how they sought after to signal me as an artist. With none 2nd ideas, I signed with them as a result of I sought after to pursue track. Becoming a member of Infinity Inc. gave me get entry to to a pro studio with in-house manufacturers and sound engineers who would lend a hand me make the track I sought after. From suffering early on to position out track and asking my mom for cash to pay for a studio consultation, these days I’ve get entry to to the equipment I would like,” says Moko.
Convincing his oldsters wasn’t arduous. “After I informed them that I’m going with track full-time and shifting to Dimapur, they stated that I used to be sufficiently old to make my choices,” he says.
‘Naga Manu’
Ase emi ekta Naga Manu chokora (First off, I’m a Naga)
D-Block, Kohima the city jonom hoa laga jaga (D-Block, Kohima the city used to be the place I used to be born)
Ama laga peth para ula bole time te (As I got here out from my mom’s womb)
Naga Manu khoom tu bukhi kena olaisheh (The blood of a Naga has been in me ever since)
Ahead of liberating ‘Naga Manu’ in August 2022, Moko Koza stuck the ears of Hip Hop aficionados from across the nation along with his combat rap songs and cyphers marked by way of fascinating wordplay, float and cadence. However ‘Naga Manu’ in reality put him at the map. The muse got here from his reminiscence of ‘Puisa’, the primary Nagamese track he put out, and the nice reception it were given on-line.
‘Puisa’, this means that cash in Nagamese, displays on how the adolescence are exhausted by way of systemic corruption that has stricken Nagaland for many years. Nagamese is the recurrently approved lingua franca in a state with many tribes that experience their very own indigenous languages.
“Because the reaction to Puisa used to be just right, I considered making extra Nagamese songs. Writing and rapping in Nagamese and different dialects has offered me to an entire new target market, specifically the older generations. In terms of ‘Naga Manu’, I recognised that no longer everybody has the voice to talk for the neighborhood. As an artist, I’ve that platform. So, I in reality sought after to handle some key social problems in Nagaland like alcohol prohibition,” explains Moko.
“But when we speak about one thing very critical, other folks don’t normally concentrate. So I considered bringing in some humour in order that other folks would concentrate. This helped me determine the concept that of the track,” he provides.
The track uncovered an entire new target market to Moko’s track and equipped some fascinating insights into what’s going on in Nagaland, specifically in the case of prohibition. Within the track, as an example, Moko displays on how alcohol is against the law in Nagaland however we all know the place to seek out it and the way that unlawful liquor comes from Assam at the price of the native financial system.
“I in reality sought after to handle the hypocrisy at the back of alcohol prohibition in Nagaland. Many in Nagaland are requesting prohibition to be lifted, however the church and different civil society teams are coming in sturdy to oppose it. Mockingly, I’ve observed the sons of church individuals getting inebriated,” he notes.
“The humorous factor is that the track has anti-government undertones, however at positive purposes the place I carried out the track in entrance of presidency officers, they gave the impression to revel in it,” he provides.
However the track additionally makes transparent references to the satisfaction Moko feels in his Naga id and the prejudices that folks in mainland Indians harbour in opposition to Nagas, together with their meals conduct.
Bahar mannu ki ki kobi etu moi najane (Let other folks pass judgement on us as a result of our meals conduct and our techniques)
Moi ki khai taikhan los angeles ki jai (What I devour and the way I glance is none in their industry)
Matha kati kena ahya manu asede (We got here from a era of headhunters)
Muikhan Naga manu khan bi kmoti nohoi de (We’re all proud to be known as a Naga)
‘Boy From The Hills’
In ‘Boy From The Hills’, which used to be launched in September 2023, Moko Koza celebrates his Naga ancestry and speaks of rising from “the soil that used to be stained by way of the armies”.
The track attracts inspiration from the tales his grandmother informed him concerning the horrors visited upon the Naga other folks all the way through Global Warfare II when the Jap introduced their U-go offensive into India, which ended in the epic Struggle of Kohima in 1944. Because the advent of the track video notes, “An tournament that modified the direction of global historical past. An tournament that examined the resilience of the Nagas. An tournament that has been famously dubbed ‘The Stalingrad of the East’.”
“Once we had been youngsters, my grandma would let us know tales about how she grew up all the way through Global Warfare II whilst the British and Jap infantrymen had been preventing each and every different. Maximum of our tales are handed down orally from one era to the following. However on this procedure, they get changed, and now and again, in consequence, the actual tale doesn’t exist anymore. On this track, I in reality sought after to get the actual tale recorded in order that it remains on ceaselessly and is helping the more youthful era perceive what in reality took place,” he says.
“Additionally, as an artist, I additionally sought after to experiment with new sounds, taking inspiration from our people traditions. I attempted to experiment with it whilst additionally taking inspiration from my grandma who just lately informed me extra about those occasions whilst I used to be visiting her,” he provides.
A standout function of the track is the hook (refrain), which Moko describes as “a lullaby that used to be sung to us as youngsters by way of our grandparents.” Sung in Tenyidie, an indigenous language spoken by way of the Chakhesang Naga tribe, it brings a undeniable serenity amidst the chaos.
“There are two verses within the track, which might be very chaotic — speaking concerning the warfare and what our other folks went via. So I sought after the refrain to be very soothing and calm. When the refrain is available in after the primary verse, it’s like striking the newborn to sleep. You are feeling that calmness. After which the second one verse comes during which talks concerning the warfare in opposition to the Jap, which once more could be very violent and chaotic. That is as soon as once more adopted by way of the refrain and the calmness,” explains Moko.
“To start with, I didn’t know what to mention within the refrain. It so took place that I used to be staring at a brief documentary about Naga people track after I heard that lullaby. This used to be highest for my track. After this, I were given in contact with my pal Nourhe Zatsu who sang the refrain,” he provides.
“Like Moko’s grandmother who spoke of her enjoy of the warfare in Khezhakeno village in Phek district, my past due maternal grandmother extensively utilized to relate tales of when the Jap troops entered her village of Jakhama. It used to be a annoying time of their lives,” explains Asalie.
“I believe Moko does an ideal process of being musically related with fashionable types but on the similar time staying hooked up to his roots with the content material of his songs,” he provides.
And this selection additionally seems in songs like ‘Tribally Savage’ which used to be launched remaining yr.
On the finish of the track video, Moko makes a connection with the occasions of four December, 2021, when Indian safety forces killed 14 blameless civilians from Oting village in Mon district, mistaking them for armed militants. He is going directly to make a plea for repealing the draconian Armed Forces (Particular Powers) Act (AFSPA), which supplies Indian safety forces immunity to make use of power “even to the level of inflicting loss of life”. In previous interviews, Moko has spoken of in need of to finish this cycle of violence which has been happening for greater than 5 many years.
In spite of a long-standing ceasefire between the Indian state and armed teams searching for a separate fatherland for the Naga other folks, core political disputes stand unresolved.
Leaving at the back of a legacy
“When I used to be beginning out, the scene used to be very quiet. The rappers sooner than us had their very own time after which existence took place for them. What I discovered early on used to be that the older era wasn’t very receptive to Hip Hop track. They had been most commonly into rock track and your outdated classics. But if I made songs in Nagamese and different native dialects, each the adolescence and the older era began taking understand of rap track and playing it. By no means in my existence, I assumed that Naga other folks older than 50 would recognise me, however it’s the place we at the moment are,” says Moko.
Asalie additionally hails the have an effect on Moko Koza has made in his profession up to now. “With an in depth connection to his roots and the usage of multilingual rap, he has hooked up with the hundreds from little children to elders in far flung villages making a song his songs. I nonetheless really feel Moko doesn’t get the due reputation he merits despite the fact that he’s obviously said as one of the most greatest Naga artists these days.”
(Edited by way of Pranita Bhat; Photographs courtesy Moko Koza/Instagram)