Basement Bhangra Unplugged

This event is free with RSVP on Eventbrite.

In 1997, DJ Rekha (Rekha Malhotra), brought her love of bhangra and hip-hop to the New York City party scene and launched Basement Bhangra at SOBs. One of the longest-running club nights, Basement Bhangra has provided the soundtrack for a generation of diasporic South Asians, and created a progressive, inclusive nightlife experience for the past two decades. On Thursday, July 13, just weeks before Basement Bhangra’s last hurrah, we celebrate the party’s twenty-year legacy, and the communities, life-long friendships, and enduring organizations that were born on its dance floor. Featuring remarks, readings, and toasts from partygoers and fans Chiraag Bhakta (*Pardon My Hindi), Gayatri Gopinath (NYU Department of Social & Cultural Analysis), Swati Khurana (writer/artist), Joseph Patel (Vevo), Bushra Rehman (novelist), and Greg Tate (writer/musician/producer). Guests will have the chance to share and record their own Basement Bhangra memories with the South Asian American Digital Archive.

Co-sponsored by the South Asian American Digital Archive and the South Asian Women’s Creative Collective.