Vijay Raju
Vijay Raju was born in the summer of '86 to immigrant Indian parents in Chicago, IL. Throughout his early years, he moved frequently due to his parents’ relocation. As a result, he was exposed to cultures from all regions of the country and learned to embrace them all as his own. At the age of 7, his family settled in Chapel Hill, NC where he lived for several years.
In Chapel Hill, he spent his…
Artist Interview with
Vijay Raju
by Cynthia Sun
My music is unique because, aside from being a nerdy Indian accountant, I'm from Atlanta and I'm good at rap. But the type of rap I do is influenced by a lot of other genres like jazz and esp. rock. I try to keep a positive image in my lyrics and the way they are presented rather than the typical monotonous ideas. Also the complexity of the wordplay makes it one of a kind...the typical listener will only think they know what’s going on...
I don't have plans for a musical career... I have my own dreams of things I want to accomplish though, and mainly it's to bring back a feeling of substance to rap. I don't really need the success and money (although I would like it). It's mainly to let me tell my stories to the public and to see people enjoying and vibing to it.
I think nonprofits are a must in order to have a successful community and environment (I'm not democrat though). There is never an even playing field and it's a necessity for those who are able to help better another person's circumstance to do so. It shouldn't be seen as an obligation but rather as a privilege to affect the people around you.