Beautiful Rowdy Prisoners

Chee Malabar is a Los Angeles based rapper and writer. Born in Bombay and raised in Baroda, India, Chee Malabar immigrated to the United States at the age of twelve, landing in San Francisco first and then New York. Inspired by the parallels between his own life and rap music's themes of bewilderment and alienation, Chee immediately gravitated to hip-hop as a tool for navigating through his newfound American life. Chee Malabar's musical resume includes six albums: three with Himalayan Project, followed by an LP and EP with Oblique Brown and two albums under his own moniker. Chee's previous efforts are an exploration of the immigrant experience, love, relationships, politics, and art. His latest release, The Beautiful, Rowdy Prisoners, is a series of loosely connected songs and vignettes inspired by years of Chee's work with incarcerated youth and their families. Chee Malabar's work has found it's way into college curriculums, discussion panels, and papers that address identity and hip-hop. Most recently, Chee's was one of the subjects in a monograph by Dr. Nitasha Sharma of Northwestern University that explores aspects of American identity. In addition to music, Chee has contributed several essays and multimedia pieces to books and literary magazines. Recently, Chee completed his MFA in Fiction from Brooklyn College and is finishing his first novel. Discography Selected Discography: The Middle Passage--- Himalayan Project (2001) Wince at the Sun--Himalayan Project (2003) Oblique Brown- Oblique Brown (2006) Broken World- Himalayan Project (2007) Dust-Oblique Brown (2008) Burning Tire Artisan-Chee Malabar (2011) The Beautiful, Rowdy Prisoners--Chee Malabar (2013)