Here's how Pepsi has been promoting Pakistani rap music with latest campaign 'Why Not Meri Jaan'
Ever since its emergence in the 1970s in the USA, rap music has taken the world by storm.
Young - and often undervalued - artists, producing a creative spin of their own in music and dance came up with what we today recognise as hip-hop culture.
Back in the day, most rap artists around the world were individuals who hoped to find their own space in the popular media industry, bringing to light their own unique talent and technique in music.
Since the formal routes were either too expensive, unapproachable or biased against minorities, young street artists started to look for ways of performing their art.
Soon artists around the world caught up with the new wave in music, producing their own spins of rap in their native languages.
Pakistan's contribution to hip-hop culture
In Pakistan, Urdu rap has slowly but steadily gained popularity due to its fun and relatable off-the-street language and upbeat rhythm, which in general is received well by our young audiences.
With the emergence of singers like Young Stunners, Abid Brohi, Ali Gul Pir and many others, hip-hop music has been seen to be widely applauded and loved by listeners, particularly in the past half decade.
However, rap culture in Pakistan has come a long way since its first public introduction, meeting challenges and uncertainties that were never publicly recognised.
Since rap culture aims to deconstruct the hegemony of traditional music in the industry - pushing in more versatile, street-like, conversational style of music done by unpopular street artists - it does not receive the same support that other forms of music get to enjoy.
Considering hip-hop culture is still relatively new in Pakistan, local artists have little to no following except in certain niche segments, making it difficult for many to find their way into the industry.
Pepsi Pakistan's efforts to promote rap music
Recognising the need of bringing street artists and young rappers to the limelight, Pepsi Pakistan has come up with a new campaign 'Why Not Meri Jaan', bringing forth young talent that has what it takes to transform the music industry in Pakistan.
The brand has taken it upon itself to find, recognise and display the work of these artists through their highly celebrated campaign.
For starters, amongst numerous TVCs and social media posts, the brand launched a music video in collaboration with talented rap duo, Talha Anjum and Talha Yunus, aka the Young Stunners.
Check it out here:
The music video has received over 12 million views on Youtube in just one month!
Taking the vision forward, Pepsi has recently collaborated with Rap Demon who brought his own innovative twist to the campaign's popular Why Not Meri Jaan rap song.
In his version of the song, Rap Demon asks people to agree to disagree and build a tolerant environment for others to prosper.
Since its release on September 24, the music video has received over 4.7 million views with many fans appreciating Pepsi's efforts to support rap artists and promote the hip-hop culture in Pakistan.
Watch it here:
With this initiative, here's to hoping that Pepsi continues to find and bring forward more talent, helping Pakistan's music industry flourish and strengthen from within.
Stay updated with the latest music releases and TVC launches on Pepsi Pakistan's official Youtube channel.
This content is produced in paid partnership with Pepsi Pakistan and is not associated with or necessarily reflective of the views of Images or Dawn.com.