Rocking the party charts of 2016, Badshah breezed through the city on February 10 as the star rapper performed at the MTV Unplugged night at JW Marriott’s banquet.
Congrats on becoming a father! How is fatherhood?
Thank you (smiles).... Tension kaafi ho gayi hai I think. Since I am here and my baby is back in London, dimag kahin na kahin wahin rehta hai. But apart from that life has become beautiful. I have become more responsible, mellowed down a bit... aggressive nahin hoon.
Your daughter has already debuted on Twitter in a way... what’s her name?
She’s actually got two names. I call her Kashni, which means hazel.
Kar gayi chull, Baby ko bass pasand hai, Kala chashma... 2016 was superb for you. What do you think is the formula for a hit party number?
I actually ask myself the same question but then I feel the formula is to reinvent yourself, to be honest with yourself. I feel I am lucky and blessed that 2016 was such a good year and my body of work was quite dynamic. Chull tha, Kala chashma, Baby ko bass and The breakup song… I was a part of it.
The common people connect with your party songs...
I probably come from that school of writing. I haven’t diverged too much towards hardcore poetry... toh main wahi likhunga jo main sunta hoon ya jo maine seekha hai, and which happens to be the most common language of the youth and I think I connect to that.
You always wanted to remix Humma humma and you have done that (for Ok Jaanu). How did it feel to remix an A.R. Rahman song?
See, I heard a lot of things that he wasn’t happy… it was in the news… but eventually he was happy because the song had become a hit. I was happy because main hamesha khush hi rahta hoon.
What’s your take on the remake trend in Bollywood now?
I had only done Kala chashma and Humma humma, baaki sab mere hi gaane thhe jo remake huye hain. But I feel this remake thing is done with, 2017 will be full of originals, good or bad I don’t know but a lot of original stuff.
Which of your songs do you like the most or consider most vital in your career? And whom would you like to dedicate it to?
Diljit (Dosanjh) paji ko I would like to dedicate Abhi toh party shuru hui hai... because I think he has just entered the industry and has taken it by storm!
There are so many Punjabi artistes making good music… do you see that as a positive thing or a threat?
I feel good! Pehle main Bombay jata tha, mereko koi milta nahin tha. Now when I go to Bombay lagta hai saare Punjabi hain, toh woh comfortable lagta hai.
One artiste you wish to collaborate with..
I think Alia (Bhatt)! She sings very well…
Looks like Tamma tamma again is going to be the next party hit…
We stuck to the original vocals by Bappi Lahiriji and Anuradha Paudwalji and Tanishq Bagchi has done the music… it was very difficult for us actually. Pehle maine bhi ek version banaya tha par woh mujhse bana nahin; then Tanishq suddenly called at night and said ban gaya song and everybody liked it!
You said you would focus on making your own music so who will your dream music video star as DJ and as your lady love?
Main hi hoonga! With me will be Gigi Hadid! (Laughs) And DJ Nucleya and if the DJ has to be from the film industry then Ranveer Singh!
Why Nucleya?
I love him! I have been listening to him kab se… from Akkad bakkad-Koocha monster days! Touch wood, I wish him all the best, he has got all the calibre…and I love his songs!
Upcoming songs?
My single called Mercy is coming up and should be out in March. And then I am doing a Bengali song.
Live performance or recording in the studio?
Live any day because record karte hain toh wait karte hain ke yeh sunenge, then batayenge, but live mein ankhein hoti hain... instant gratification. In an instant you will find out what you have done and that is amazing!
Pictures: Rashbehari Das
