The Journey of Kidd Mange, Goa's Emerging Hip Hop Artist

By IG Team

IG TEAM: Tell us about your b a c k g r o u n d a n d s t a g e name a little bit. How did you get into the side of Music?

KM: Honestly, I didn’t plan on choosing the name so it was kind of spontaneous in that sense Initially I didn’t think about what it means but it actually is a Crocodile and by nature I snap and talk so I guess that stuck. At this point, everyone I know calls me “Mange” and not my actual name.

I was into music before I was into music. My dad’s a Musician and my mother’s an art teacher, so technically I was a l w a y s s u r r o u n d e d b y Creativity and it was a part of my blood. When I was in class, I couldn’t sit in one place or just focus on the math lessons, I could do it if I wanted to but honestly that interest wasn’t there as it was hard to do with the attention span that I have which is super short. I like being around music and playing football which keeps me engrossed.

IG TEAM: How did you enter Rap and this genre of music?

was predominantly Hindi I know my way around Hindi enough to get by, but not write or rap in it.

When I write, I put a lot of thought into my bars and I want them to be lyrical. Not just the bars, it’s usually more than what you see or read. So it would be difficult if I don’t particularly understand the language or the tools I am working with.

A big part of my journey started when I was introduced to Tsumyoki’s music by my friend Elttwo and Ranen. When they first showed me his music, I assumed it was by some American artist that later t u r n e d o u t t o b e t h i s homegrown local artist from South Goa building a culture for Rap . These guys started hanging out with Tsumyoki and eventually we all got to talking. I’d mentioned about my raps to friends, but I was still nervous about telling Tsumyoki because he was already working in his own zone.

Meet Daniel Sequiera, also known as Kidd Mange in the music world. Born and raised in Goa, India, Kidd Mange found himself drawn to music at a young age, growing up with a musician father and an art teacher mother. Despite his love for music, Kidd Mange didn't initially plan on pursuing a career in the industry, but his talent and passion for writing eventually led him down the path of rap music.

KM: I cannot specifically pinpoint where it started, but I remember I used to enjoy writing, and my mom played a really important role in this. She was this creative arts teacher, and she would have me write stuff and later on in school I went on to try Essay Contests and eventually I got better at writing things. But then again, nobody teaches you how to write rap especially not in school. I absorb a lot of this stuff listening to other rappers, a n d I a m v e r y h e a v i l y influenced by Western Rap because I rap in English with the accent. This is the only way I thought I could learn rapping, and a lot of it I’ve picked up from Tsumyoki because prior to that I only thought that rapping was in places like the USA and UK or even Mumbai where it

Some of the initial songs that I worked on were, Babzin, Beast Mode, Budapest with Tsumyoki, and Primal. As the collective of “ G o a Tr a p C u l t u r e ” w e released ‘Jackets’ where it was Tsumyoki, 2Jaym, Elttwo and I who were part of the song. This was a great experience because I got to see and work with people who weren’t just Rapping and somehow it all came together nicely as everyone bought their best to the table. The odds somehow stack against things when it is too saturated but in our case, it just clicked for the best.

IG TEAM: Any challenges that you faced along the way?

K M : E v e r y o n e f a c e s challenges, and I don’t believe that anyone is out there without facing their share of challenges unless they paid their way to be there and even if they do, it wouldn’t be worth it because eventually you fall down.

The challenge isn't to convince people to turn up to our shows and listen to the music, it is more about convincing myself because there are times where I do get delayed when it comes to working on my own music and there’s this writers block because there are different ideas to how the song will turn out to be and I also want it to be it's best version.

Quite recently I was a part of this event by GetCreativeGoa which was started by Vince Costa who has been a real driving force in promoting the culture of creativity in Goa in the recent times. For him it doesn’t matter what the cost is, but he will really go the extra mile to push the Artist because he cares for them.

There is a Kidd Mange without Goa Trap Culture, and that is who I am actively trying to define and this is something I am working towards this year. I want to be able to push what my art is for the people to listen to, and I want to build a bigger audience for that. I want to be able to make a name for myself and craft my own audience regardless of the fact that I am part of a collective.

The idea is for the people to listen to what my music sounds like and know who Kidd Mange is and what he sounds like. Even being a part of the Goa Trap Culture, I know these guys are putting in the work so I am trying to put in just as much so when we all come together as a group it'll be insane. Especially in Goa, when you’re an artist trying to enter the industry, build an audience, get fans it is very different. Goa’s music culture is very different from the other states in India and here people like to listen to music and party so building something from scratch is also slightly a challenge People here still listen to bands that play cover music, and there are instances at festivals and shows where there are 4 bands in a row playing the same set list of songs! It is not the bands fault because they also might have not gotten the support for their original music at the time. The audience may or may not welcome the music, because in the end every musician just wants to be heard So the culture for Original music is growing slowly and steadily. As for the Future plans, I just want the people to listen to what I have to say and listen to my bars this year with the music I put out. I am just trying to do a lot more than what I have done before, so definitely watch out for that stuff.

IG TEAM: Any Message or Tips for the People who are entering this side of the field?

KM: I still feel that I am still trying to climb up there and make it up there, and build yourself is more important as an artist. Working on things in the Creative and Social side should be every artist’s goal and that is something I am personally working towards With the creative part, every time you write something and no matter what your personal perception is, it will eventually help you improve your art in some ways. So my advice is to just keep writing, creating and putting stuff out so it really adds up to your benefit. Secondly, surrounding yourself with people that support you is more important, rather than being around ‘Yes Men’ and you got to learn the difference between these things.

PLANET DAILIES - ROUND THE CLOCK FOOD OUTLET OF PLANET HOLLYWOOD

Planet Dailies situated in Goa’s top-notch five-star property, the Planet Hollywood Beach Resort, Goa, is a 24x7 food outlet serving multi-cuisine with a full-fledged attached bar. Needless to say, the ambiance of the hotel is a perfect match with the property that it is located in.

We were greeted with warmth on our arrival at the Planet Dailies by the senior staff and Chef Yoginder, the executive chef of the hotel, and Chef Rodney Fernandes, Executive Sous Chef.

We started with a chicken Manchow soup which was prepared with condiments of noodles prepared with a mixture of chicken and vegetables, presented pre-plated, and served on the table. It was a classic experience that one can enjoy in a five-star property.

Chicken Murg Mlai Tikka

Following the soup, we were served the tender and mouthwatering Chicken Murg Malai Tikka served on a plate garnished with onions and chutneys. The aglio olio. The chicken breast was t e n d e r i z e d w i t h p r o p e r marination of salt, pepper, garlic, and mustard and it was dusted with crumbs and shallow fried. The dish was topped with tomato and basil leaves with fresh mozzarella and then baked in the oven.

Chicken In Thai Green Pepper

command at the moment. “We also look after Poseidon's Cove, a beachside pan-Asian food outlet of Planet Hollywood and The Fame Restaurant which will be launching soon, ” said Chef Yoginder.

Once the team settled down, we were served soup and some mouth-watering starters to begin our journey into a culinary delight. The food quality and quantity is the best at the Planet Dailies and service is undoubtedly superior, matching the name of the hotel. Chef Rodney believes that the visuals should match the taste of the food and this was evident with each dish and serving. Here are some of the dishes that we tried at Planet Dailies.

Chicken Manchow Soup chicken is perfectly cooked on the slow flame of their tandoor, giving it a lovely smoky taste..

Prawns Salt and Pepper

The next dish was a signature dish of the Planet Dailies that I had never before eaten. The dish was a perfect combination of succulent prawns, cooked with salt and pepper giving it a crisp and crunchy texture.

Chicken Parmigiana

The main course started with a serving of Chicken Parmigiana, an Italian dish served with spaghetti

The next dish that was served on the table was chicken in Thai green pepper and it was served with jasmine rice. The dish was made of tender chicken with a green Thai paste, galangal, ginger, and lemongrass, which gives fresh flavours to the dish. The other dishes that were served were butter chicken, mutton sukkah with the rotis, and naan of course, these dishes do not require much of a description since most of you are already aware of these Indian cuisines. After finishing our food, I met Chef Rodney to find out more about him as I am already wellacquainted with Chef Yoginder. Chef Rodney Fernandes is the Executive Sous Chef of Planet Hollywood Beach Resort, Goa. He joined the property 2 years ago.

“My role is to look after kitchen operations and presentation and at the same time, keep track of the quality of the food served to our guests. I am also involved in the minute detailing and training of the chefs so that the standard of quality and consistency is maintained,” he said.

While Chef Yoginder is looking after overall operations in the hotel, Chef Rodney assists him with this work and is second in

Chef Rodney specialized in western cuisine but being a skilled culinary expert, he takes care of m u l t i c u i s i n e w i t h s i m i l a r efficiency. “When you reach this position, you must be an expert in all food items I also possess knowledge of pastries and baking and this helps us to keep our staff well trained and keep them up to d a t e w i t h i n t e r n a t i o n a l standards,” he said.

Speaking on the reviews from their customers, Chef Rodney said, “They always appreciate the efforts we put into our cooking. T h e f o o d i n d u s t r y i s v e r y challenging and there is no 100% perfection anywhere, hence there are ups and downs sometimes but we make sure that we handle the situation very carefully. It all depends on how you handle the guest- if any guest does not like the food, we convert it into a better experience. We constantly keep training the chefs, making sure the food standard is maintained to the mark.”

Chef Yoginder and Chef Rodney keep investing in new dishes and training their downline to handle them “We work as a teamsometimes I give suggestions to Chef Yoginder and sometimes and he conveys new ideas to me,” said Chef Rodney adding that the priority is cooking good food.