I just met the pioneer of Desi/Punjabi hip hop. I didn’t meet him at a concert or a signing or any other place you’d expect to meet someone of his stature and interest. Instead, I met him at his day job, a completely mundane (though not at all unimportant nor unexciting) position compared to his work as a rapper. In order to help him maintain his air of mystery before his hundreds of thousands (seriously!) of fans, I’ll keep the details of his everyday life to myself, aside from this - he’s an extremely easy going, personable guy who, frankly, I can totally see rocking the mic under the bright lights. Both jobs are fitting.

I’ve known Bohemia for a month now through a relationship that has nothing to do with his music or culture. I only learned of his rapping alter ego yesterday. He’s such a laid back, normal guy I never would have guessed that he led such an exciting and fascinating double life. It makes me wonder who else around me is actually a rapper, fashion model or super hero masquerading as, say, that person in the cube next to me or the guy I wave at in the morning when I go out to grab the paper. What other secret lives are people living?

A better question: What secret life are you living?