Interview: Hyderabad's beatboxer Yung Raj talks about his music and performing live on VH1 Listen

Yung Raj is definitely one of the most popular beatboxers from Hyderabad, who has made his mark in the circuit with his energetic and groovy beats. In his six-year-journey, the Hyderabad-based music producer has performed with both nationally and internationally acclaimed acts like Foreign Beggars, Shri, Karsh Kale, Niladri Kumar, Shiva Sound System, Func, and was also an active member of popular acapella outfit – Voctronica till late 2017. Raj is now all set to perform live as a part of Vh1 Listen - a platform that aims to bring artists and listeners together with live performances on Facebook, followed by an interactive question and answer session with the fans. Excerpts:

What can we expect in your upcoming performance on VH1 Listen?
It’ll be a mix of songs I’ve previously released and some improvised material performed on my loop station. There will also be a bit of beatboxing. I did a show with Vh1 (Sunday Soul Sante) in February, which was fun. I’m looking forward to this show.

Tell us about your journey. When did you first explore beatboxing?
I first came across beatboxing in 2009 and I ended up watching tutorials on the internet. I was at it for three months, until I could achieve the basic sounds and once that happened it inspired me to keep going. It’s really crazy where that moment has led me to because it defined my taste in music and helped me explore genres that I otherwise would have never looked into. I also went to music school for two semesters to work on my piano skills and music theory. It all started with beatbox though, but slowly the bigger picture of music took over my life. I've built a studio for myself here at home in Hyderabad and I make beats on most days and play gigs whenever I get the opportunity.

Who are some of your musical influences?
Mndsgn, J dilla, Knxwledge, Samiyam, Bsd.U and Mr Carmack.

What do you think about the music scene in Hyderabad?
There's a lot happening every now and then with more venues than before. I do wish there were more musicians to jam with over here though.

April 19, 4.30 pm.
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