DJ SAAZNot even a fortnight has passed since Delhi got a shocker in the form of cricketer Maninder Singh being arrested for allegedly possessing cocaine that India’s one of the top DJs Dj Aqueel is being arrested for possessing .4 grams of ecstacy at Dubai airport. Media is in frenzy and obviously these high profile arrests are just the right mix of cocktail for media to thrive upon.
However Delhi’s leading DJ - Saaz – feels that the frenzied approach of media and building such hype over these arrests only create more excitement for the youngsters to go and try it more. “Rather than tackling the drug menace, they just build the hype and kids get adventurous and go ahead with trying it for once and than ever.”
“Everything in Delhi is on a boom right now. Delhi is getting more nightclubs, a lot more TV channels and newspapers are being launched so there’s lot of awareness which only leads us to copy the western culture. And in doing so we are just falling ourselves apart,” he adds.
The Delhi-based DJ, who is a regular on the UK nightclubs as well as the Indian party circuit, feels, “There’s no harm in copying the western culture, but only problem is that we can’t copy the UK system here. I play regularly here and see teenagers binging and dancing here, whereas in London, they check your ID for age proof (only above 21 are allowed) and do a thorough search for drugs on people entering the nightclub. And if you are caught, no way you can escape. Whereas in Delhi, we have a law which says serving liquor to only 25 and above, but actually we end up serving to girls as young as 17.”
The DJ feels, this is the root cause of the drug menace in the Capital. Talking about DJ Aqueel’s arrest, he says, “I have met Aqueel several times and have spoken to him when he comes to Delhi. He is a sane person and wouldn’t do such a foolish thing of carrying Ecstacy tablets in the airport and that too in the Middle East. I can bet on it that he has been framed. Aqueel is in a different league altogether and he has the Bollywood tag too. Almost in all the Asian circuit he commands a respect and has carved a niche for himself. In this business there are too many competitors and anybody would have planted the two pills on his bag. I know him personally and he can’t do such a foolish act. Basically it’s not about him, it’s about anybody. Any person, until he is a peddler, won’t take such a great risk of landing in the cop’s net along with drugs at the airport.”
Talking about Londoners as the biggest snorters, Saaz says, “Well, a drug addict there does it privately and takes utmost care of not getting caught. Although you see in nightclubs people snorting in groups, but then they get it from peddlers and they have links. I don’t know how they do it, but there are instances. But just linking up drugs with nightclubs is not correct. In London, a drug addict will do drugs, no matter where he is, but with care. In India they have a feeling that their dad’s wealth can help them get away with the crime if they are caught. And like London, they gain entry easily into nightclubs. Youngsters too have misconception that certain genres can only be enjoyed when you are high on drugs.
“As a musician, I would like to request people especially youngsters that DO NOT ASSOCIATE ANY KIND OF MUSIC WITH DRUGS. The problem in Delhi is that youngsters find it hip to do drugs. They think that if they do it, they are IN the scene. Youngsters do it not for the kicks, but to merely show off. What typically happens is a 17-year-old girl starts smoking dope and gradually progresses to other forms of chemical drugs. By the age she reaches 23, she’s already a veteran and you know what they call them then? (Coke sluts),” he adds. “It’s just a way of ruining your future.”
Talking about drug scene in Delhi, Saaz says, “Everybody does it at an individual level. I don’t say that DJs don’t do drugs, but tell me any field where you won’t find cokeheads? It’s totally individual. There are DJs who demand cocaine at the nightclubs before performing; otherwise they threaten not to play. What can you do? Event managers succumb to their demand. And if you visit some of the nightclubs here you can see traces of cocaine at the most probable places.
“Another myth is people associate certain genres like funk, trans, acid house and progressive rock to drugs. There’s nothing of that sort. You don’t particularly need drugs to enjoy the music. Music is in itself a high. It’s lot of fun and the easiest language to understand,” he adds.
DJ Saaz has some advice for the media also. The DJ feels that media shouldn’t blow drug cases out of proportion. “When you blow it up then kids get more adventurous of trying it out. And I feel that youngsters between 17-23 are the most vulnerable. Authorities should ensure that rules are followed of not serving liquor to kids below 25.”
Finally DJ Saaz has an advice for youngsters: “Choose your life over drugs, ’coz there’s lot more to it.”
However Delhi’s leading DJ - Saaz – feels that the frenzied approach of media and building such hype over these arrests only create more excitement for the youngsters to go and try it more. “Rather than tackling the drug menace, they just build the hype and kids get adventurous and go ahead with trying it for once and than ever.”
“Everything in Delhi is on a boom right now. Delhi is getting more nightclubs, a lot more TV channels and newspapers are being launched so there’s lot of awareness which only leads us to copy the western culture. And in doing so we are just falling ourselves apart,” he adds.
The Delhi-based DJ, who is a regular on the UK nightclubs as well as the Indian party circuit, feels, “There’s no harm in copying the western culture, but only problem is that we can’t copy the UK system here. I play regularly here and see teenagers binging and dancing here, whereas in London, they check your ID for age proof (only above 21 are allowed) and do a thorough search for drugs on people entering the nightclub. And if you are caught, no way you can escape. Whereas in Delhi, we have a law which says serving liquor to only 25 and above, but actually we end up serving to girls as young as 17.”
The DJ feels, this is the root cause of the drug menace in the Capital. Talking about DJ Aqueel’s arrest, he says, “I have met Aqueel several times and have spoken to him when he comes to Delhi. He is a sane person and wouldn’t do such a foolish thing of carrying Ecstacy tablets in the airport and that too in the Middle East. I can bet on it that he has been framed. Aqueel is in a different league altogether and he has the Bollywood tag too. Almost in all the Asian circuit he commands a respect and has carved a niche for himself. In this business there are too many competitors and anybody would have planted the two pills on his bag. I know him personally and he can’t do such a foolish act. Basically it’s not about him, it’s about anybody. Any person, until he is a peddler, won’t take such a great risk of landing in the cop’s net along with drugs at the airport.”
Talking about Londoners as the biggest snorters, Saaz says, “Well, a drug addict there does it privately and takes utmost care of not getting caught. Although you see in nightclubs people snorting in groups, but then they get it from peddlers and they have links. I don’t know how they do it, but there are instances. But just linking up drugs with nightclubs is not correct. In London, a drug addict will do drugs, no matter where he is, but with care. In India they have a feeling that their dad’s wealth can help them get away with the crime if they are caught. And like London, they gain entry easily into nightclubs. Youngsters too have misconception that certain genres can only be enjoyed when you are high on drugs.
“As a musician, I would like to request people especially youngsters that DO NOT ASSOCIATE ANY KIND OF MUSIC WITH DRUGS. The problem in Delhi is that youngsters find it hip to do drugs. They think that if they do it, they are IN the scene. Youngsters do it not for the kicks, but to merely show off. What typically happens is a 17-year-old girl starts smoking dope and gradually progresses to other forms of chemical drugs. By the age she reaches 23, she’s already a veteran and you know what they call them then? (Coke sluts),” he adds. “It’s just a way of ruining your future.”
Talking about drug scene in Delhi, Saaz says, “Everybody does it at an individual level. I don’t say that DJs don’t do drugs, but tell me any field where you won’t find cokeheads? It’s totally individual. There are DJs who demand cocaine at the nightclubs before performing; otherwise they threaten not to play. What can you do? Event managers succumb to their demand. And if you visit some of the nightclubs here you can see traces of cocaine at the most probable places.
“Another myth is people associate certain genres like funk, trans, acid house and progressive rock to drugs. There’s nothing of that sort. You don’t particularly need drugs to enjoy the music. Music is in itself a high. It’s lot of fun and the easiest language to understand,” he adds.
DJ Saaz has some advice for the media also. The DJ feels that media shouldn’t blow drug cases out of proportion. “When you blow it up then kids get more adventurous of trying it out. And I feel that youngsters between 17-23 are the most vulnerable. Authorities should ensure that rules are followed of not serving liquor to kids below 25.”
Finally DJ Saaz has an advice for youngsters: “Choose your life over drugs, ’coz there’s lot more to it.”
No comments:
Post a Comment