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Slim Sunny by Charandeep Matharu

Charandeep is 18 and is in the first year of a BA degree course in textile design at the University of Central England, in Birmingham. He says he is not really a film-maker but enjoys writing song lyrics to raise awareness of the issues that deaf people face daily. This is his first signed rap video.

Slim Sunny was inspired by Eminem's Slim Shady music video, Charandeep says. 'It's about a deaf rapper who decides to produce a song lyric in sign language rather than singing, and I called it "deaf rap" just like Eminem's "white rap" and Dr Dre's "black rap" – simple as that!' He sees the video as a way of getting back at 'those who make fun of me or are not deaf-aware'.

One problem Charandeep faced was time. 'In three minutes a hearing pop star can sing a lot of words, but you can sign only a quarter of the lyrics in that time.'

Charandeep is thinking about making another film during the summer break from university. 'Some of my friends want to get involved in my next video! I may do it again – it depends on my next song. I feel it gives me experience and may help my CV.'

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