Indo-American DJ and producer KSHMR recently released the second single from his highly anticipated Indian hip-hop album Karam. The song, titled as Bhussi, features Delhi-based rap duo Seedhe Maut. The single is notable for its clever wordplay and groovy rhythms. KSHMR is known for adding Indian elements to his songs and this upcoming album features only Indian artistes. KSHMR lets us in on the single, the experience of working with Seedhe Maut, his favourite artiste to collaborate with and lots more…
Can you tell us more about your second single?
I made this track with Seedhe Maut. I was a big fan of them. Even before getting into the studio, I asked if we could make it happen and they were down with it. They came in from Delhi and we recorded the whole song in a single day. They were fabulous to work with.
How was your experience working with Seedhe Maut for this second track?
It was incredible. They came in very humble and open-minded. I told them about the concept of Karam and they were down. So, the story of the album follows a young kid who forms a gang, starts robbing and stealing anything to make money and eventually rises to power. They put themselves in the perspective of the main character. Their storytelling ability was second to none.
The music video is very interesting. What thought process went into the making of the video?
The idea of the video was to show a robbery because that is the lyrical content of the song, not that we are promoting it, but you know, it is a concept. It is like going to watch an action movie. So, we wanted the video to feel like an action movie as well. Instead of having Seedhe Maut be the rappers, we wanted them to inadvertently be at the bank that is getting robbed and then we play on the special effect where a button gets hit and they slow down time and then Seedhe Maut can rap and do their thing amid a crazy action scene that has come to a standstill.
Can you tell us a bit more about the other songs that are part of the album and the artistes you have collaborated with?
I do not want to give too much away about the collaborators. But some of the names that are part of the album are Stan, Seedhe Maut, Yashraj and Yungsta. A lot of people I really looked up to in the scene have made it onto the album. It covers such a wide variety of emotions because each artiste is embodying a moment in the story and the story is filled with different emotions. You see the rise and fall of a young kid who becomes a notable gangster and he has got happy moments, moments where he has got nothing at all, a moment where he has lost his best friend, who was murdered. So, instead of a collection of songs that are all just showing off lyricism and showing off how cool a rapper is, we are getting a lot more in-depth, touching on specific emotions and telling stories through them.
You have collaborated with many artistes and it would have been fun working with all of them but if there is one collaboration that you loved working on the most, which one would it be?
That is very difficult to say, but I am going to say Yashraj, because, out of all the guys, I think he is still the one that people need to know about. He is so good on any track that I give him, he just eats the beat up. I think he is so versatile and if anyone should be paid more attention to, it’s him.
What can the listeners expect from KSHMR for the rest of the year?
I am finishing up Karam, with all Indian artistes, which is going to come out very soon. Then I will be back to dance music, the music that KSHMR is known for, with cinematic elements, Indian elements and going in a darker direction because I want everything I make, to work on the dance floor.