Meet the bad boy of rap: Badshah, in an exclusive about his debut album, Bollywood, and more

Giving rap a whole new beat is Badshah, who gets candid about his debut album O.N.E., life in Bollywood and more
Badshah
Badshah

With a voice that seamlessly shifts between melodic, blunt and playful, Aditya Prateek Singh Sisodia, better known as Badshah, is taking rap in India to a whole new beat. He’s now one of the most sought-after music producers and artistes in India, and is the person you turn to when you need a pumping club hit. Often called the King of Indian Rap, his music regularly rakes in over 250 million views and more on YouTube, and has collaborated with the likes of dancehall icon Sean Paul and American EDM trio Major Lazer. From working as a civil engineer to being featured in a recent India Top 100 Celebrities list, it’s been quite a roller-coaster ride for the 32-year-old artiste from West Delhi. Badshah brings his first album O.N.E. (Original Never Ends; released on August 16) to Chennai and is all set for his debut performance in the city at Phoenix MarketCity this weekend, and is largely unfettered about performing in the South. “Music does not need a language to be interpreted. Anybody who loves music will be able to enjoy mine even if they don’t understand the words,” he says with a smile.

Back to square O.N.E. 
After a lot of deliberation, the album, which was originally set to have 30 songs, has been curtailed to 17, because the lyrics were too intimate for him to release just yet. “There is a lot of exposure about my personal life in the album. It’s a reflection of my state of mind, and while I want my fans to know more about me, now is not the right time for it. I wanted the vibe around the album to be very light,” Badshah shares. Interestingly, the debut album was not always going to be titled O.N.E. “I initially wanted to change the name to something that would grab more attention, but realised that a lot of my fans already got ‘O.N.E.’ tattooed on them after the initial announcement was made,” says the Kala Chashma rapper.
He released his first single for O.N.E. early in 2017, titled Mercy, and the album was announced three years back. Badshah, who wanted to allow the music to evolve over the years, has been working on the much-awaited album since his days as a college student, and is looking forward to the release. “I didn’t want to finish tracks for the sake of it, rather, I needed it to grow over the years. Each song reflects a different phase of my life, and I’m so glad it’s finally out.” 
Pop and trap influences dominate his new album, including several Kanye-style ballads, contemporary trap and electronica beats. The album has something for everyone, including a generous offering of slow melodious tunes that one wouldn’t traditionally associate with the rapper, with only Light Kar Do Bandh fitting the traditional party bill.

Star attractions
His music is without a doubt on every party and wedding playlist, and this album comes with a heavy dose of personal lyricism, given collaborations with Sunidhi Chauhan, Lisha Mishra and others. Another highlight of his album is Heartless, which was initially written in 2005, and narrates a story about a terminally ill girl whose last wish is to meet Badshah. “People enjoy the sort of music I make, and words I use in my music, though it’s quite different from the lifestyle that I enjoy. I love staying at home and spending time with friends and family,” he says. Though he was notorious in the past for producing music with several innuendoes, he has now stepped away from that, and calls himself a “family rapper”, of sorts. “I enjoy musical liberty and freedom, but censorship is very subjective. Having said that, I am from a family where I have a mother, sister, wife and daughter. I’d never dare to objectify anyone who has fed, loved or protected me. I’m a family rapper!” says Badshah.

Fit us fine
The rap star also prides himself on being involved with several entrepreneurial ventures. These include a streetwear clothing line called BadFit, a club franchise, and a film and TV production house. “I have a great team working with me, and I need to put in more energy and work hours than someone normally would, but it’s a great opportunity. I do it not because I can, but because I want to.”
The artiste can usually be spotted in stellar bomber jackets, luxe textures, and colourful sneakers. A large part of his inspiration for the clothing line BadFit is drawn from his personal style. “Over time, my manner of dressing has become a statement of sorts, and a lot of people look forward to it. BadFit is similar to what I wear, and I wanted to spread my sense of style through the brand.” The label is set to launch in September, and merchandise has a range of garments and accessories, including socks, caps, backpacks and more.

Bollywood connect
With over 13 years in the music industry and several chart-topping numbers like Kar Gayi Chull, Tareefan and DJ Wale Babu under his belt; Aditya has worked with the likes of Sonam Kapoor, Alia Bhat, Kareena Kapoor and more over the years. 
“Bollywood produces some of the best music because it is very demanding. I’d still call myself an independent music artiste, and it is a conscious decision to create a balance between independent music and Bollywood,” shares The Breakup Song singer, insisting that his motto is to create good music, be it for movies or albums. “Producing music gives me a lot of freedom to discover unexplored genres and sounds,” he signs off, on a note of promise.

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