The death of a well-known musician who rose to fame in Brampton, Ontario, has caused shock waves in Punjabi communities around the world.
Shubhdeep Singh Sidhu, known by his stage name Sidhu Moose Wala, was shot dead in the Punjab on Sunday, Indian state police confirmed. He was 28 years old.
Many say the impact of Moose Wala on Punjabi music, culture and the community at large, in Brampton and beyond, is a success story for the underprivileged.
“Brampton is where he found his success,” said journalist Jaskaran Sandhu.
Sandhu, who co-founded and directed Baaz News, a media outlet focused on the Sikh and Punjabi diaspora, says Moose Wala’s story is international. But in Brampton, it’s a story many can relate to.
“A very unique voice”
Moose Wala came to the city, northwest of Toronto, in 2016 to study, like many other Punjabis.
“This is very Brampton. You have come here as an international student, you have found your voice, your team, and he is fulfilling a long dream of becoming a popular and famous Punjabi singer,” Sandhu said.
Brampton’s Punjabi music scene is massive and growing, he says, with songs broadcast by millions around the world. Moose Wala’s uniqueness, says Sandhu, stemmed from his ability to combine classical Punjabi musical traditions with modern rap and hip hop.
But what also set Moose Wala apart from the rest were his lyrics.
“This just happened because of the kind of ecosystem that exists locally,” Sandhu said.
It would address various social issues facing the Punjabi community, including a song about widespread protests by farmers in India.
“It was a very unique voice, and the kind of outpouring, love and condolence you’re seeing is the result of that,” Sandhu said. “I think it represented a lot of internal dialogue and struggles within the community.”
Moose Wala’s background in Brampton helped him connect not only with those born and raised in the city, but also with those who came as immigrants or students.
Sandhu says he has heard stories of people taking a day off from work or school to mourn the death of Moose Wala, which he says he remembers when Tupac Shakur was assassinated in 1996.
Roots in the Punjab
But Canadians who have never heard of him may not recognize the importance of his death. Sandhu says the Punjabi community in Canada is more likely to be Sikh, and is a transnational community that connects Canada, the United States, the United Kingdom, and India, and many more countries where Punjabi Sikhs have settled.
“You can’t disconnect us from what’s happening in the Punjab and South Asia,” Sandhu said.
That’s part of the reason Moose Wala’s music resonated with so many.
“We are listening [Punjabi] music more than we listen to English music, “he said.” Even though you were born and raised here, even though Punjabi has become your second language, you still listen to it more. “
Moose Wala “has left a huge impact on the community, widespread around the world.” says Rupen Bhardwaj, a Brampton-based music video director.
Bhardwaj directed many of Moose Wala’s hit videos, including Legend and B-Town, a song dedicated to Brampton. In all, he and his brother recorded six music videos for the acclaimed rapper, some of them in Brampton.
Rupen Bhardwaj and his brother have directed six music videos for Sidhu Moose Wala, including Legend, which was shot in Brampton, just behind Bhardwaj. (CBC)
When Bhardwaj learned of Moose Wala’s death, he could only think of one of his lyrics “te parallel chalda aan death de” (parallel path to death).
“Sidhu’s impact on Brampton is spreading across the city,” Bhardwaj said.
“So many people never thought I would be an artist, but they see a success story from another college student from India who came here to live in Canada and went so far with such acclaim,” he said.
“It’s just the case of a story of the underprivileged,” he added.
Deepinder Singh, an international student now calling Brampton at home, said he could not overcome the shock of hearing the news.
“It’s like us,” Singh said. “He came here as an international student, he fought, he composed his music, but now he’s not with us.”
“May God bless his soul.”