Band touches bass with music lovers

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Their unique sounds at best can be described as a blend of hip-hop, reggae and funk. Formed in 2010, Bombay Bassment has earned itself an impressive fan following in just three years and performed at some of the coolest gigs in the country. The band opened for American rapper Snoop Dogg a.k.a. Snoop Lion’s concert in January and is looking forward to the release of its debut music album later this year.

The band consists of rapper and MC of the band Robert Bob Amulo, drummer Levin Mendes, bassist Ruell Barretto and sampler Chandrashekhar Kunder. “Levin and Ruell started the band. It was through common friends that we got to know of each other. We decided to sit one evening and jam together. We instantly knew that we were on the same page,” says Bob. Experimenting with a lesser-exposed genre was a boon more than a bane for them. “When you give people something that’s not run-of-the-mill, it works like a double-edged sword. You’re not sure how it will go down with the audience. Then again, our music is something everybody can dance to. It’s alright if you’ve never heard hip-hop before. Our sounds speak to the grandfather and the grandchild in the room at the same time,” says Bob, adding, “There are more pros in trying out something new than cons.”
While hip-hop and reggae are associated with being anti-establishment most of the time, that’s not the case with Bombay Bassment. “We tend to stay away from political issues and focus more on the lighter things,” he says.