Deeder Zaman

Saidullah "Deeder" Zaman (Bengali: সাঈদউল্লাহ দিদার জামান; Hindi: सईदउल्लाह दीदार जमान; born 25 July 1978), is a Bangladeshi-British rapper and former lead vocalist for British band Asian Dub Foundation.

Deeder Zaman
Birth nameSaidullah Zaman
Also known as
  • Deeder Zaman
Born (1978-07-25) 25 July 1978
London, England
Genres
Occupation(s)Rapper
Instrument(s)
  • Vocals
  • percussion
  • bass
  • electric guitar
Years active1993–present
Labels
  • Simple Tings
  • Beat
  • Modulor
  • United Sound Records
Member of
Websitedeederzaman.com

Early life

Zaman got involved with music when he was six years old and used to breakdance.[1] He was nine years old[2] when he first started making music and performed his first live performance aged 11. He used to performance with his sister, Parul. He was also a member of Joi Bangla[1][3] Zaman grew up on reggae and hip hop music, and got into jungle in his teens.[4]

Zaman's father is a homoeopathic doctor, and his elder brother, Saifullah "Sam" Zaman (1965–2015, also known as State of Bengal), was a DJ and music producer.[5] In 1987, Zaman became an original member of his brother's State of Bengal group which included MC Mustaq.[1][2][6] Zaman attended Stratford School.

Career

At the age of 14, Zaman joined the Community Music,[4] a London-based educational organisation that focuses on collective music making,[7] at Community Music House in Farringdon[1] where bassist Dr Das (Aniruddha Das) taught music technology and civil rights worker DJ John Pandit (Pandit G)[8] helped him out as a youth worker. Zaman attended workshops teaching youths the basics of music technology.[9] In late 1993, the three formed Asian Dub Foundation as a sound system[9] to play at anti-racist gigs. The following year, they recruited guitarist Chandrasonic[10] and evolved into a band.[9] The final member Sun-J joined in 1995.[10] Zaman was the lead vocalist[7] for Asian Dub Foundation[4] and was known as Master D.[8][11][12][13]

In December 2000,[1] he left the band after being inspired by activist work while recording the Asian Dub Foundation song "Free Satpal Ram" about a Satpal Ram, a young man who was convicted of murder in what he claimed was self-defense against a racist attack.[4] Zaman then devoted his energies to civil rights and anti-racism organisations.[7] He has worked for National Civil Rights Movement, the Campaign Against Racism and Fascism, the Miscarriages of Justice Organisation and the Children with AIDS Charity.[4]

In 2002, Zaman formed Rebel Uprising with multi-instrumentalist Passion and bassist Dennis Rootical from Irration Steppas.[4] In January 2008, Zaman's debut solo album Minority Large was released by Beat Records. In October 2011, his second solo album Pride of the Underdog was released by Modulor.[4]

Zaman contributed to the soundtracks of the 1999 film Brokedown Palace and the 2006 film The Namesake.[14]

Zaman's music features hip hop, reggae and ragas. When he was in Asian Dub Foundation, the genres featured were also punk or jungle punk but his music is now roots based with early reggae and nyabinghi influences. He plays percussion, bass and guitar. His musical influences include Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan, Lata Mangeshkar, Mohammed Rafi, Public Enemy, Tony Rebel and Paban Das Baul.[1]

Discography

Albums

Title Album details Chart positions Certifications
Minority Large
  • Released: 28 January 2008
  • Label: Beat Records
  • Formats: CD, Digital Download
Pride of the Underdog
  • Released: 31 October 2011
  • Label: Modulor
  • Formats: CD, Digital Download
Pride of the Underdog
  • Released: 31 October 2020
  • Label: United Sound Records
  • Formats: Digital Download

See also

References

  1. Iqbal, Jamil (25 April 2006). "Mr Deeder Zaman". Swadhinata Trust. Retrieved 1 September 2015.
  2. Karlach, Jan (12 May 2005). "Interview with Deeder Zaman". Karosh. Retrieved 1 September 2015.
  3. Nelson, Alondra; Tu, Thuy Linh N.; Hines, Alicia Headlam (2001). Technicolor: Race, Technology, and Everyday Life. New York University Press. p. 97. ISBN 978-0814736043.
  4. Ward, Mat (14 February 2012). "Former Asian Dub Foundation frontman: From pop star, to activist and back again". Green Left Weekly. Retrieved 1 September 2015.
  5. K, Sanj (20 May 2015). "Sam Zaman: Musician who emerged from London's Asian Underground to work with Bjork and Massive Attack". The Independent. Retrieved 1 September 2015.
  6. Lavezzoli, Peter (2007). The Dawn of Indian Music in the West. Continuum-3PL. p. 344. ISBN 978-0826428196.
  7. Prasad, Anil (2006). "Innerviews: Asian Dub Foundation - Collective musings". Innerviews: Music Without Borders. Retrieved 1 September 2015.
  8. Brackett, Nathan; Hoard, Christian David (2004). The New Rolling Stone Album Guide. Simon & Schuster. p. 25. ISBN 978-0743201698.
  9. Buckley, Peter (2003). The Rough Guide to Rock. Rough Guides. p. 43. ISBN 978-1843531050.
  10. Meyer, Michael (2001). Word and Image in Colonial and Postcolonial Literatures and Cultures. New York University Press. pp. 264–265. ISBN 9042027436.
  11. Lester, Paul (24 January 2003). "Rappers with a cause". The Guardian. Retrieved 1 September 2015.
  12. Armstrong, Stephen (3 April 2005). "Pop: Asian, but not underground". The Sunday Times. Archived from the original on 7 November 2017. Retrieved 1 September 2015.
  13. Taylor, Timothy Dean (2004). Beyond Exoticism: Western Music and the World. Simon & Schuster. p. 158. ISBN 978-0822339687.
  14. "Deeder Saidullah Zaman". Movies & TV Dept. The New York Times. New York. 2016. Archived from the original on 9 March 2016. Retrieved 1 February 2015.
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