Apache Indian (musician)

Life and career

Steven Kapur, known as Apache Indian, grew up in Handsworth, Birmingham, a neighbourhood where Black and Asian communities mixed and reggae groups like Steel Pulse were based. By the early 1980s, he was involved with local sound systems and had started wearing dreadlocks. A few years later, he was gaining recognition as a dancehall deejay. In 1990, he released his debut single, "Movie Over India", under the name Apache Indian. The track, which blended ragga and bhangra, was picked up by reggae distributor Jet Star and found fans in both genres. Two more singles, "Chok There" and "Don Raja", followed, catching the attention of major record labels. In 1992, he signed with Island Records.

Working with his cousins Simon & Diamond, Kapur created a new hybrid style called bhangragga or bhangramuffin. His first album, No Reservations, came out in 1993 and was recorded in Jamaica. It was produced by Simon & Diamond, Phil Chill, Robert Livingston, Bobby Digital, and Sly Dunbar. The next album, Make Way for the Indian, featured rapper Tim Dog and included the hit "Boom Shack-A-Lak". Its producers were Sly & Robbie, the Press, Mafia & Fluxy, Pandit Dineysh, and Chris Lane. By 1997, Kapur had left Island Records, and his following album, Real People, was released by Warner Bros. Sweden.

In 2004, his single "Om Namaha Shivaya" appeared on the Putumayo World Music compilation World Reggae. In 2013, he contributed a song to the soundtrack of the Indian film Iddarammayilatho. That same year, he released the album It Is What It Is through Universal India. Its first single, "Celebrate", was a collaboration with Canadian pop singer Raghav and producer Jim Beanz. In 2018, Kapur co-hosted the Brit Asia TV Music Awards with Preeya Kalidas. He also performed during the closing ceremony of the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham.

Accolades

Apache Indian’s 1993 debut album No Reservations earned a Mercury Music Prize nomination, and his track “Arranged Marriage” was up for an Ivor Novello Award for best contemporary song. In 2004, he was a nominee for the Central Britain Media and Arts Asian Jewel Award. His talk show Real Talk won him an Asian Media Awards prize in 2013, and he received the event’s Lifetime Achievement Award the following year. The 2021 New Year Honours granted him the British Empire Medal for his contributions to music and young people.