The New Delhi-based hip-hop artist signals a new step for his No Flag movement, which aims to impact change through ‘art, business and activism’
Anurag Tagat
Oct 14, 2020
New Delhi rapper Raoul Kerr (center, in black) with members of the No Flag movement. Photo: Courtesy of the artist
It’s been a busy span of 12 months for New Delhi hip-hop artist Raoul Kerr, who spent last summer touring Europe with folk metallers Bloodywood. In tandem with knocking out rap verses for the metal band’s songs such as “Ari Ari” and “Jee Veerey,” Kerr was releasing his own hard hitting, socially conscious material. His debut EP The Guerilla Games is fully revealed with the release of the final track “Raise No Flag,” which premiered on October 12th.
Sonically, Kerr jumps into a different kind of atmosphere, with trap beats produced by American artist Beast Inside Beats. The rapper’s gruff, low vocal flow changes pace markedly on this song compared to the EP’s previous releases “Exhale” and “The Nation Needs to Know.” He says in a statement, “‘Raise No Flag’ is a rallying cry for the world to continue to work together after we defeat COVID-19. It’s an international call to arms against the climate emergency and every global injustice faced by humanity today.”
Kerr and his troupe are shown to break away from their daily grind to become changemakers as the clock runs down in the music video, directed and written by the rapper in 2019. Seeking to stir the viewer into action, Kerr “initiates a gentle hack that spreads across devices all over the Earth, interrupting daily life in an attempt to recruit like minded people for the movement.”
With an eye on properly launching and maintaining his movement No Flag, Kerr has also dived into affecting change not just via music, but also a merchandize line and activism. The No Flag range of T-shirts — called No Flag Original — are made from Fair Trade organic cotton and is described as “100 percent certified, environmentally responsible” packaged in a recycled paper box.
Kerr says that the chief goal with No Flag is to address the climate crisis. He adds, “Our primary objective as a movement is to reverse its effects, but there is no climate justice without social justice, so we’re going all out in every direction. The art puts the challenge into perspective and draws attention to it. The business facilities action in pursuit of a solution. The movement combines both, and brings people together to create a lasting impact.”
Watch the video for “Raise No Flag” below.
