Lyricist and composer Ikka Singh, who came into the limelight with 2017 release Badri Ki Dulhania starring Varun Dhawan and Alia Bhatt, is not a new name in the world of music. The rapper has given us songs like Dilbar featuring Nora Fatehi, the party song Oh Ho Ho Ho and Chamma Chamma from Fraud Saiyaan. And now, Ikka is set to release his new album Nishu, and title track Nishu and Trap Munde from the album are already out.
Through Nishu, Ikka tries to tell the story of his own childhood which was filled with a passion for hip-hop music. He tells us that the inspiration behind the album was the reminiscence of his childhood. “Nishu shows my childhood and the struggle to pursue my love for hip-hop music. What people know as Ikka is something that was made from all that I have seen in my childhood and carried with me as I grew up. The inspiration of this album is me and my thoughts about my childhood and what I have dreamt of,” says the composer, who has also collaborated with Badshah for another track Trap Munde in the album.
Written collaboratively by Ikka and Badshah, the song is about a state of mind and what it wants to fulfill. “Through this song, I am trying to do what I can’t do in my real life. That’s what music is for and with Badshah on board, you have a creativity overload in the process. He has even penned some verses in the song and he loved the track when he heard it for the first time. There was a lot to learn from him during the entire process,” he expresses and adds that Badshah is not only a musician but also a good businessman.
Although rap culture is fairly new in India, when asked if Bollywood has contributed to its fame with films like Gully Boy and Sadak, the lyricist says, “Rap has become mainstream music now. Bollywood has made it more popular with films.” But how does he see the trend growing in India overall? “There is immense potential in rap and hip-hop music. However, as of now rap and hip-hop is trending for all the wrong reasons. Disco is not hip-hop and there are very few artistes who understand this difference. There are no artistic ideas and topics, so there is no variety in songs. I hope this will improve and we will have some authentic rap and hip-hop music in the future,” opines the performer.
Ikka further adds that the modern music genre has been restricted to a very limited audience and this needs to be changed. “I think we still look at hip-hop and rap as Gen Z music. We shouldn’t restrict that. I also feel that artistes are also not putting enough effort to make this kind of music suitable for everyone. Many musicians lack depth in their lyrics and music. I am sure one day musicians will improve on their music and lyrics and put their heart into it and rap and hip-hop will become a genre for all kinds of audiences,” Ikka says in conclusion.
Nishu and Trap Munde are streaming on YouTube
priyanka.chandani@newindianexpress.com