Rapper-producer Iraj Weeraratne's drive, ambition and creativity has brought hip-hop into the mainstream of Sri Lankan music. And he is not stopping there

In 1997, a small group of Sri Lankan journalists and musicians released a little-known CD titled the Colombo Tribe Project. The disc featured 16 tracks of original rap, rock and R&B music played by Sri Lankan artists who were inspired by the western popular music that they grew up with. Using popular radio as a springboard, the project's organizers hoped to make a mark on the general public and create a culture of original Sri Lankan western-influenced music. Although the album existed in an extremely limited and its production standards had much to be desired, it served to inspire many, and served to demonstrate that Sri Lankan original content was a very real possibility. A lifelong fan of rap and hip hop music, young Iraj Weeraratne was inspired, realizing that his dream was indeed a very real possibility. "When the Colombo Tribe Project CD came, it was really something new. I used to listen to 2Pac and Snoop. From the local acts I heard Brown Boogie Nation and Rude Boy Republic. That's from where it all started."

Iraj is now a man at the top of his game. He took the early influence of his leanings towards western-style hip hop and along with acts such as Bathiya & Santhush, pioneered it into a unique Sri Lankan hybrid sound that is now ubiquitous. "It is a combination of 2Pac and A. R. Rahman," says Iraj, whose music has now pushed the boundaries of pop music in Sri Lanka. "And Ranga Dassanayake," he adds, not forgetting one of the country's most respected producers responsible for creating a new, polished sound in Sri Lanka's pop music. "Ranga helped us a lot, in mixing and in giving his studio."

His road to stardom was one of gradual stepping blocks. Always being interested in creating his own music, his original intention was to somehow break into the mainstream pop music market in the west. "I had a different picture. I wanted to get into the UK and US," he said.