Introduction: So here we are with part 2 of ‘Talking to London’. Mahtab is another South Londoner taking us through his own unique experience. A completely different experience to that of Lee in part 1. He is one of many characters we shall be speaking to in the future. For added quality, this conversation is available in audio format via mixcloud. Simply click play in the box below to hear the whole conversation. Additionally there are selected quotes from our conversation to accompany the photography’s below. Enjoy. Peace & Love.

2. Talking to London – Mahtab – September 2014 by Hark1karan on Mixcloud

Interview Highlights

2min: Mate born and bred Thornton Heath init. Straight what people consider to be a ghetto area. That’s where we grew up.

2:25min: Living around with people from all over the world just means you meet different people and learn different things.

2:55min: I was the only Sikh in our school. I mean growing up was difficult.Kids did kinda treat you differently.

3:39min: I stand out as it is but, trying to explain to people what a Sikh is the easiest part. But I think growing up the hardest thing was trying to… you didn’t want to stand out cos you already stand out visually.

4:55min: Being a Sikh has never been difficult it’s just trying to explain to people why we do what we do.

6:30min: When I went to uni 90% of my class was international. The way everybody hit it off, the way I learned by about different cultures, different people and the experiences I had with food just going out and about. I mean parts of London I’ve never visited… I strolled about, and I was like this is cool cos they had their own little communities. And they were just doing whatever they wanted to do day-to-day. It was cool!

6:50min: One day I was with my Azeri friend and he was like let’s go to a Azeri restaurant. When you walk in it’s nice and normal until he dropped a goat head on the table!

8:35min: Our perception of the world in England is pretty awkward compared to what it actually is.

10:17min: We are who we are. We should make a mark so whenever we leave someone they should remember us just for positive things init!

10:52min: I’ve been to a few job interview’s and people are like where are you from? Oh and I’m like, Croydon. And they’re like that’s a really bad area, you’ve done really well to go to university and do this.

11:36min: It’s dangerous for some but Thornton Heath is home for us and we feel comfortable being in it.

12:22min: Why should you be judged because you’re from a different part of London to someone else?

16:00min: Maybe I except people for who they are and they expect me for who I am, so I don’t have many problems.

17:56min: When you do something your actions don’t have a consequences on nobody else, apart from yourself.

18:20min: Elephant and Castle! That’s cool man because you have the university on one side and then you have like the so called poorly developed area next to it…. That’s my favourite area of London. Elephant and Castle just because it’s culturally diverse, so many places to eat and it’s just full of people that are like me.

20:13min: These stupid rich people that are living in London think that they need to get rid of the locals, and those are the locals and they make Elephant and Castle what it is, isn’t it?… What’s Elephant & Castle without a little drama.

20:29min: Where else are you gonna buy Gucci belts for 50p or something?

21:55min: When I was an under-age person going to these random Dubstep raves… I didn’t know what the hell a rave was.

23:30min: I think growing up the majority of my influence in music comes from my Dad init, and it’s all Punjabi. Old skool punjabi and new skool.

26:45min: To be honest with you right now if I got offered a job anywhere in the bloody world I’d probably move and go.