Issue date: 11/4/09 Section: Features

Media Credit: Courtesy of Ranjit Phagura Ranjit Phagura, known as DJ ranCAN, mixes Indian and hip-hop music for his show on KRYC Rhythm 105.9 FM. [Click to enlarge]

Sacramento State student Ranjit Phagura takes his own spin on traditional Indian music as he mixes on the turntables for his radio show DesiBlastOFF.

Phagura, senior communication studies major, is the host of a radio show called DesiBlastOFF that airs from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Sundays on KRYC Rhythm 105.9 FM in Yuba City.

Phagura, known as DJ ranCAN, has been producing his own style of music that integrates both Indian and hip-hop genres for more than five years. Phagura said he started off by being a disc jockey at small parties and, as his experience grew, he began mixing together these two different styles of music.

"What I want to do is get Indian music out of the Indian community where everyone can enjoy it. That is my main goal," Phagura said.

Shortly after Phagura began creating his mixes, he started releasing mixed tapes on the Internet for free download and the music became an instant hit.

"I wanted to do a show where I could attract younger people around my age because there are already radio shows for older people, but no one listens to them because no one my age is interested in the music," Phagura said. "So what we did was took a different approach to Indian music. It has hip-hop and different rappers on there."

Phagura is currently working on establishing an online radio show that will broadcast music 24 hours a day, seven days a week, so guests can tune in any time and enjoy his creations.
Phagura said someone from KRYC Rhythm contacted him about starting his radio show in Yuba City, a location with a heavy Indian population, and the rest is history.

Phagura was born in India and grew up in Yuba City. He said he has always been interested in Indian music, but has noticed that his generation stopped listening because Indian music was considered a conventional genre.

"Indian music is bigger now, but I felt there was a moment where I felt like no one was listening to it anymore. I want to make it where there is an actual market and not just one song every year," Phagura said.

Phagura said DesiBlastOFF was first geared toward teens and college-aged students, but he has noticed that all age groups are responding positively to his alternative Indian music.

"Adults see it not as the traditional music, but as music their kids are liking and tuning into. They like it because it is still our Indian language and we still use a lot of our instruments along with the hip-hop beats," Phagura said.

Parmveer Dhoot, senior general management, marketing and entrepreneurship major, helped Phagura launch the radio show and hosted DesiBlastOFF for the first year and a half with Phagura as DJ.

Dhoot said the radio show is primarily about having an Indian musical presence in today's society. He said the show is about having something that people his age can listen to and enjoy.

"It reflects the creativity and passion of Sac State students. Students from this campus are doing creative things all the time. Some are launching their own businesses, while others are working hard and putting themselves through school," Dhoot said.

Sac State graduate Jaspaul Bains tunes in regularly to listen to Phagura's show.

"DJ ranCAN is a great DJ and is one of the best I know. He has great talent in Indian music. He keeps the music going nonstop, which makes him different," Bains said.

Miranda Marsalla can be reached at mmarsalla@statehornet.com

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