Interview with Raja (Radio DJ), Walsall, Birmingham (18 April 2010)

Abstract

In the face of racial and religious prejudice, young British Kashmiris on the streets of Walsall use music as a means to articulate the struggles they face. Territories are fiercely defended from rival gangs through a mixture of violence, intimidation and rap music. This interview, with a local Kashmiri radio DJ, focuses on the experiences of Kashmiri Muslims who live in Walsall, an industrial town in the West Midlands, England. Other British Asians, the media, politicians and academics have described Kashmiris as 'backward', of a low social status and of having little interest in music. In addition to this, young Kashmiri boys have low educational achievement rates and disproportionate numbers are found in the country's prisons. This interview identifies some of the reasons why these issues are particular to Kashmiris, and attempts to shine a spotlight on some of the creative ways in which young Kashmiris articulate and challenge the everyday problems they face.