It’s been 14 long years since JK and Tru-Skool have crafted a multi-track record together. Gabru Panjab Dha was well received upon its release in 2011 and while they’ve made plenty of singles as a team since then, their fans have had to wait until 2025 for a follow-up full-length offering. UK bhangra artist JK, known for his Punjabi music and lively hip-hop blends, and fellow Desi Brit Tru-Skool—a go-to producer for stars like Karan Aujla and Diljit Dosanjh—have gone all out over seven tracks for ART OF PANJAB. The result is a record that delicately balances classic hip-hop and the distinctive bhangra sound with modern, club-friendly beats. Tru-Skool tells Apple Music that it was “important for JK and I to share a body of work because we’ve [got] a lot of singles between us” so this project, he adds, “was well overdue”. For JK, ART OF PANJAB is about celebrating the vibrancy of Punjabi culture—“its colours, energy, language and traditions”. He says that the goal was to capture Punjabi culture and music’s high energy and soul in an authentic way. Many will say they achieved their aims with this vibrant effort that’s full of euphoric moments and slick grooves. Here, the duo take us through their celebratory record, track by track. “WELCOME TO THE A.O.P” Tru-Skool: “We originally wanted it to be an actual song but then we decided to make it an intro because we thought it’d be a good introduction to the album in terms of, ‘You’ve got a good balance of the hip-hop sounds and the folk sounds as well, blended in.’ And then the ad-libs are just sort of random, which reflects our personality and glimpses of certain things.” “THINK TWICE (BACH KE HAANIAH)” Tru-Skool: “I actually began this beat in 2017 but we didn’t have a song until now. The melody is from the legendary Azaad group, based in Wolverhampton, England. I always loved that melody and have been saying for years, ‘I’m gonna do something with that one day,’ and it just fell into place. I suggested to JK to put that melody on this beat.” JK: “This track explores the playful side of love, with the girl confidently saying, ‘If you’re not ready to commit, don’t even look into my eyes—because they’ll pull you in like a drug.’ It’s cheeky, flirty and full of attitude. It’s a beautiful fusion of tradition and modern charm, wrapped in irresistible energy.” Tru-Skool: “With this record, rather than me telling people what it is, I think there are people out there, especially from my generation, who are gonna know exactly what it is, you know?” “PHAIR MUK GAI (EMPTY CLIP)” JK: “This track is a true Punjabi anthem, bursting with energy and fast-paced boliyan [short Punjabi verses] that keep the momentum alive from start to finish. It blends creativity with power, featuring a crispy dhol and intense, hard-hitting instrumentation that commands attention. The sound is unmistakably Tru-Skool and myself—a raw, authentic vibe that fans have loved since day one. At its core, the song is pure celebration: Punjabi queens are dancing giddha with pride, while the kings are letting off rounds—bullet shells hitting the floor in a wild expression of joy and culture.” Tru-Skool: “Lyrically, this one is a clever play on words because it’s saying, ‘De nalia phair muk gai,’ which would make people think it’s a gunshot or artillery-based song—but it’s actually not. It’s actually a friendly song. It’s talking about the bullets running out because the girls are waving their dupatta in the air. It’s just pure unadulterated folk.” “SURMA” JK: “This one features powerhouse Punjabi vocalist Karam Brar, who absolutely nails it—her voice brings strength and soul, and perfectly matches the vibe of the track. The song plays out like playful banter between a couple—it’s sweet and loving, but full of nakhra [fuss] and personality. It’s more laid-back in tempo yet still rich with raw folk textures, especially in the vocals.” Tru-Skool: “JK spurred the theme of this one by suggesting, ‘Let’s make something a bit more mellow, something that I don’t usually make.’ This was actually made extremely quickly. Production-wise, this is a combination of some samples with live [instruments] playing. Originally a solo, we decided to change direction to a duet song. I’ve worked with some really tough female vocalists so I thought, ‘Is there anybody else that we can add to that list?’ And I thought of Karam Brar. She’s an excellent vocalist, a great all-rounder—she can sing folk-style songs but she can also sing the mellow ones. We actually got a female part written afterwards to fit in with what JK already had with the solo parts—that’s how it became a duet. We recorded that vocal on a FaceTime session and Karam did a brill job. She’s a high-calibre vocalist.” “STRAIGHT UP (ASLA)” Tru-Skool: “This was the last song to be created for the [record]. I felt that with what we already had, this would be a nice fit, giving it a smoother vibe with the head-nod hip-hop feel. I added some laid-back, cool chords.” JK: “This track brings in a strong ’90s hip-hop influence, from the drum patterns to the scratching and sampling—it’s all there, done with real attention to detail. Lyrically, it reflects on the theme of weaponry and the mindset around it. There’s a rawness to it that connects with both the hip-hop roots and that gritty Punjabi spirit.” “DHOL FIRE (ALL NIGHT LONG)” JK: “This track is signature us—high energy, intense and instantly recognisable. It carries the same spirit as classics like [2018’s] ‘Shindeh Di Tape’, with that powerful, upbeat sound that hits hard from the start. The lyrics, written by myself, pay tribute to the dhol drum—celebrating its role in weddings, melas and festivals. It’s a full-on anthem for those moments of joy and gathering, rooted in tradition but delivered with a punch.” Tru-Skool: “There are people out there who are going to absolutely love this. It might end up being their favourite because this has the influence of Sukshinder Shinda [on it]. This was originally meant to be on JK’s second album, which ended up getting split up into singles. I actually started this in 2011 and we didn’t get the lyrics for it until now. It leans into peak ’90s bhangra music and was something that I really enjoyed making. I’m glad to be putting this sort of music out in today’s age.” “LIVE AND MAINTAIN (OUTRO)” Tru-Skool: “We were not gonna make an outro. In ‘DHOL FIRE’ there was one part in the middle verse where the dhol kicked in and I really liked the way it sounded when I muted the vocal. It was just like a break piece. I had it on loop for ages. I was like, ‘I wish I could have had more of this element in the songs.’ Then I thought, ‘Hang on, why don’t I just make an outro with that? Sign out with a few words.’ The words that you hear on the outro, they are definitely delivering a message. So, you know, if anyone can understand what’s being said, then that’s excellent!”