It has been an interesting decade for India in every way possible so far. The economy has boomed, making it the 3rd largest in the world. The number of Indian podcasts on the internet talking about absolutely nothing has grown tremendously, we reached the moon, and much more. But, if analyzed through the ears of a true Indian, you would agree with me when I title this decade as "The Decade Indian Music Went Global." The Western perception of Indian music has evolved over the years, from a man sitting by a river with his sitar to an absolute superstar rocking the largest of crowds in stadiums around the world. Leading the charge in this transformation is none other than Majhe wala, AP Dhillon.
Earlier last month, news broke that AP had signed a deal with Republic Records and Universal Music Canada, making him the first India-born Punjabi artist to join the label. Another stamp of validation of global stardom on his resume, and a new journey set in motion for him. What more evidence do you need not to crown him at the helm of the Indian movement toward the global stage? Adding to the fire of momentum behind the Punjabi pop star came the news of his first project with Republic, The Brownprint. As I write this, Jay Z’s The Blueprint has just completed 21 years since its release. To be honest, when I first heard the name of AP’s latest project, it felt like a homage to the King of New York. Even the rollout for the album felt special.
You see, AP is not the type to tease projects for a long time, build mass curiosity, and then drop it. He pops in, drops a project, and retreats into the shadows. But this time around, it was different. The rollout felt special, with him teasing the stories behind the tracks—one being his track with Gunna, originally written by his dad, and what his collaboration with Jazzy B meant to him—along with other details shared during the rollout. All in all, everything related to the album, the title, and the direction I assumed it was headed in got me really excited.
To me, the bass and AP’s voice are a love story etched in gold. From "Not by Chance" to "Two Hearts Never Break the Same", it has always brought out the best in the artist, and the same tale is found in "The Brownprint". The album is laced with basslines that are glass-sharp at one moment and fire-like turbulent in another. It all starts with the first chord struck in the intro, "Brownprint", featuring longtime collaborator and Majha mate Shinda Kahlon. They team up yet again, this time on a grander stage set by executive producer Luca Mauti, as they open the album with their latest Majha anthem, which now feels like a necessity in an AP project. The duo comes out with aggression and pride, blazing at their enemies. Let me quote Uncle Snoop on this duo: “They don’t miss.”
Progressing further, the next three-track run on the album is definitely where the meat on the bone lies. The main selling point of the project during its rollout was the variety and star power of the features AP brought in this time, with Atlanta rapper Gunna, Nigerian singer Arya Starr, and the beloved Punjabi folk legend who ruled the 2000s, Jazzy B. Not to mention music video appearances from Salman Khan and Sanjay Dutt in the video for "Old Money." No stone was left unturned to make this project tap into various cultures with this star-studded lineup of cultural shifters in their respective fields.
“Losing Minds,” the second track featuring Gunna, is what you’d expect a collaboration between these megastars to sound like. While both artists fulfill their parts with impressive performances, the chemistry between them seemed a bit off, with Gunna’s verse feeling somewhat “lazy.” The track will definitely put you in the groove, but hey, why hit a six just over the boundary when you could knock it out of the park? They played it safe with this one. While “Bora Bora” was enjoyable, its placement right after “Losing Minds” made it sound monotonous at certain moments, not grabbing much attention from me.
Coming to the one I was personally most excited for: a collaboration between the past and present of Punjabi music. I didn’t know what to expect—a folk legend like Jazzy joining forces with a contemporary pop star like AP, and adding Shinda to the mix. What’s the middle ground? Well, there was one, and they stomped on it heavily. Returning to the roots with the classic chest-pumped folk-style Punjabi, and adding a tinge of modern freshness on top, “315” lived up to my hype.
While the feature-heavy first half seemed to be the album’s centerpiece, I, as a listener, found myself gravitating more towards the second half. Tracks like “Distance,” “Sweet Flower,” and “After Midnight” are where AP shines the most. After a collaboration-heavy start, he gets the space to breathe and float in his own way, singing his heart out on the themes of love and heartbreak—what he does best.
The project ends with two standout performances. In “After Midnight,” AP leans into his rock influences, bringing the bass, hidden in the backdrop for long, to the forefront, setting the stage on fire with the fury of hurt sung by AP. The outro of the album, “To Be Continued (Bonus Track),” sees AP dimming the bright lights, sitting with his piano, and performing a calmer, deeper version of the fifth track, “Distance.” The screeches of the violin paired with drops of piano keys finish the album with a stroke of grace and deep emotion.
“The Brownprint” feels like a complete sonic experience. From the aggression of the Majha boy to the softness of his heart, AP portrays each emotion with precision—but that’s something he’s been doing since day one. The star-studded feature list adds to the grandeur of what the project signifies: the artist’s arrival on the global stage and the further cementing of his artistry.
The music was great, but a part of me still yearns for a deeper dive into the artist’s story, culture, and life, which was what I initially expected from a project titled “The Brownprint,” thinking it would be more of a life story of a brown rapper. That wasn’t the case this time around. But moving on from expectations to reality, AP delivers—and in style. This project brings together cultures, sounds, and the world’s attention on his standing as a world-renowned superstar. He leaves “The Brownprint” book open-ended with a “To Be Continued” for what’s to come in the future.
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