Decoding Nawaj Ansari's "Hazaar Quitaab"

And That's Nawaj Ansari!

During the time when most artists are following the trend of releasing singles, there are few of them who are willing to take the high road with studio albums. I remember Eminem doing that with his album “Music to Be Murdered By” back in 2020. And if there’s another name that comes to my mind… that's Nawaj Ansari! By the way, did you check out his latest album, Hazaar Quitaab?

If you are one of those enlightened who have followed Nawaj Ansari since he started from the bottom, you know what he is made of. Nawaj and I went to the same college, the same alma mater. He had the rhymes ready every time we got up on the stage. From Lose Yourself and No Love to Young, Wild, and Free, and his own dope verses as well. Good ol’ days!

As of now, Nawaj is doing what he always used to do. Before Hazaar Quitaab, Nawaj released an epic EP “25-In The Rain”. Although based in the USA for almost half a decade, his lyrics, music, and composition still hit directly to the heart of most Nepalese music lovers. Like he says in Django Blade: “Ma Nepal ma chhaina tara Nepal ettikai hallaxa ( I ain’t in Nepal, but I can still pull strings there)”. I won’t deny that. Change my mind!

So What Exactly Is Hazaar Quitaab?

Like Linkin Park’s “A Thousand Suns”, Hazaar Quitaab literally means “A Thousand Books” in English. “A Thousand Suns” has its reference to the Bhagavad Gita later popularized by J. Robert Oppenheimer in 1945 to describe the atomic bomb, the deadliest weapon in the world. In a similar line, “Hazaar Quitaab: A Thousand Books” might refer to something as powerful as an atom bomb, but in terms of knowledge and wisdom.

In Nawaj’s own words, Hazaar Quitaab features a mixture of braggadocio and emotional lyrics, with a hint of nostalgia for his past life in Nepal. He further elaborates by touching on topics like romance, relationships with friends and family, sex, narcissism, alcohol, hustle, and ambitions.

Hazaar Quitaab (Side A and B)

There are two sides to Hazaar Quitaab, with 16 songs on each side. Mathematically, that amounts to a massive track list of 32 songs. Each of the songs is like a separate chapter in the book. I would love to write about each of them like I did last time with his “Lost in the Serengeti”, but that would make this post so long that the internet might just break down. Let’s save the best for later because I can’t get enough of listening to the beats and lyrics. They are simply dope. Once is not enough. And with every replay, something new comes to my mind. I will write what I think of his songs in the upcoming post. Almost every single song deserves a separate post to perfectly decode Nawaj Ansari’s encrypted “Hazaar Quitaab”. Respect bro!

Bottom Line

“Hazaar Quitaab” has been out for a while, and I may have been a little too late to write this post. But better late than never. I hope Nawaj understands.

I have known Nawaj for more than a decade, and he is a real gem in the Nepalese music industry. If you haven’t purged your soul yet with his down-to-earth creations, you better do it now. It’s never too late to start listening to Nawaj Ansari.

See you soon!

Till then, Keep Calm and Listen to Nawaj Ansari.

©Linking the Myths 2022: Decoding Nawaj Ansari's "Hazaar Quitaab"