Pakistani rapper Talha Anjum (PHOTO: X)
Pakistani rapper Talha Anjum caused a commotion in Kathmandu, Nepal, during a performance. During his diss track performance, “Kaun Talha,” directed at Indian Gully Gang rapper Naezy, a fan threw an Indian flag on the stage.
It was snatched by Anjum mid-air, turned about and hung upon his shoulders. In a few minutes, the act went viral.
The move made by Anjum attracted a lot of criticism among the Pakistani nationals, particularly considering the escalated tension between India and Pakistan that existed after the four-day war in May.
The terror attack at Pahalgam, where 26 civilians died due to the terror attack by Pakistani and Pakistan-trained terrorists, preceded the war. India then retaliated in a befitting manner to Pakistan by launching Operation Sindoor which targeted terror structures in Pakistan.
The mini-war and the tension that ensued resulted in a ban on Pakistani artists in India, along with their music, on such streaming platforms as Spotify, Instagram, and YouTube.
According to the critics, Pakistani citizens condemned the act of Talha Anjum as reckless and provocative. Others said he was attempting to appeal to Indian fans during content prohibitions, and hailed his performance as a cry of solidarity.
But Anjum justified himself in a social media post. “My heart has no place for hate. My art has no borders. In case the hoisting of an Indian flag is provocative, then so. I’ll do it again. I will never be interested in media, governments or their propaganda. Urdu rap is and will forever be borderless.”
Anjum is also half of the hip-hop duo based in Karachi Young Stunners, along with Talhah Yunus.
The conflict between Talha Anjum and Indian rapper Naezy (Naved Shaikh) started in mid-2024 when Naezy appeared on the podcast and was questioned about potential cooperations with Pakistani rap artists like Anjum. Naezy responded in a nonchalant manner, Kaun Talha? (Who is Talha?).
Anjum did not treat it lightly as he is prominent in Urdu rap.
The comment seemed to be dismissive to many, as Naezy was a pioneer of Gully Gang whose style of rap, known as Bombay ki Boli because of his vernacular, was a reference to a generation.
Talha soon followed with a diss track, Kaun Talha, that specifically marked Naezy. The song was aggressive in tone and emphasizes the success of Anjum, his network in the industry, and his ruling the South Asian rap industry.
It is now that, as Anjum is waving and wrapping the Indian flag over his shoulders, Pakistani general feeling can best be described by an X post made by Syed M Saad Ahsan, who wrote under his verified handle, “Talha Anjum will now have a lot more than bottles hurled at him.
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