Mr. SPIN's Arsenal themed rap song - Indian Gooner gains widespread attention on social media

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aksceditor
August 13, 2017
Editorial Featured

Indian Gooner , the Arsenal themed debut rap song by Mr.SPIN and the Arsenal Kerala Supporters Club (AKSC) was released on YouTube on 10 Aug 2017 to rave reviews. With the opening weekend of the new Premier League season underway, Arsenal and Leicester started off proceedings right where things ended last season. Opening the scoreboard with just two minutes on the clock, the match ended 4-3 with the Gunners scoring two late goals to snatch away the tie from the visitors.

“It’s because of unmatched drama like this that many of us have a special place in our hearts for Arsenal” says rapper Siddharth Madathilkatt who goes by the stage name Mr.SPIN. The poetic lyrics of Indian Gooner take the viewer through the journey of an Arsenal fan who got the first glimpse of his beloved club in the early 2000s.

The music video shifts between the picturesque shrimp fields of Panangad to Jogo, the newly laid football turf in Kochi along with iconic locations such as the Lighthouse beach in Puthuvype and the Vadakumnathan temple in Thrissur.

“The whole idea of this song came to me a few months back after what was a disappointing season for Arsenal fans all over the world. Since we have a very active group of Gooners in AKSC, it struck me that collectively, it was within us to execute this project. It was a way of showing our unconditional support for the players in North London.”, says Siddharth.

Shot over two days, the cast and crew of Indian Gooner consisted entirely of Arsenal fans from all over Kerala including junior Gooner, Joel George. The artwork displayed in the beginning of the video was hand drawn by Balu Sadasivan, a regular at the weekly live screenings conducted by AKSC.

“I usually take up the paint brush when I feel the need to express myself. As my heart beats in unison with Arsenal’s style of play,the paintings came effortlessly to me.”, says Balu.

Storytelling through hip-hop has long been something associated with renowned rappers such as The Notorious B.I.G.,Tupac Shakur and Eminem. Bringing that art form to Indian shores has been a dream that was always close to the Kerala rapper’s heart.

“Since the video went viral on social networks, we have had a lot of positive feedback and rave reviews coming in. A large number of these were from fans of rival clubs, who felt they could connect with the lyrics of the music single as it described their own journeys to becoming supporters of their respective clubs. It feels fantastic to have your efforts appreciated, I want to thank everyone who helped make my debut a success”, adds Siddharth.