Badshah: Want rap to grow as a genre

Mumbai: The popularity of rap in the country, especially via Bollywood, has given rapper Badshah of "Abhi toh party shuru hui hai" fame a reason to cheer. But he hopes it doesn't fade away and instead grows as a genre.

Currently riding high on the success of his latest song 'DJ waley babu', Badshah, whose real name is Aditya Singh, told IANS: "I am a bit concerned about my genre. Like EDM (electronic dance music) was a phase, right? Bollywood came to the EDM wagon and then it faded out. Similarly, I think they are picking up on rap. I just don't want it to fade out. I want rap to grow as a genre."

The 'Get up jawani' crooner says Bollywood has come up with a 'whole new genre' of rap music and it should be aptly called pop rap or Bollywood rap.

"Right from its roots in the west, it has always been touted as rebellion music but in India, I think we have created a whole new genre. I won't call it rap. I would call it 'pop rap' or 'Bollywood rap', which is about parties," the rapper said.

And he has cashed in on it fully by delivering multiple hit songs like 'Abhi toh party shuru hui hai', 'Proper Patola' and 'Saturday Saturday'. Badshah makes no bones in admitting that it is because of Bollywood, he has got the 'pan-Indian reach'.

"It's now that I know a lot of people (who) listen to me....and it's now that I have got the pan-Indian reach since I am in Bollywood," he said.

But Badshah also believes in being a socially responsible talent.

He says he knows he has "responsibilities". So, through his songs, he wants to create awareness about social issues but in an "entertaining manner".

"I realise that as an artist I have a responsibility towards the society... I have made a song on female foeticide, 'Pinjra' is another song that tackled the issue of honour killings in a subtle way," he said.

"Today's generation doesn't want to be preached...so you have to give out a message in a way that entertains them at the same time and makes them realise something," he added.

After his song "Saturday Saturday" got picked for Shashank Khaitan's directorial "Humpty Sharma Ki Dulhania", which has become a huge success, the musician's other song, "Chull" will be featured in an upcoming Karan Johar production.

The "Bandook" rapper, who started his musical journey in 2006, also cleared the air surrounding a song he was going to be doing for "Welcome Back". In fact, he will be doing two songs for the film "Kapoor and Sons".

"I think the 'Welcome Back' song is not happening. I'm definitely doing a song in 'Hero'. 'Chull' would be in Karan Johar's next and I have done another song for the same, which not a lot of people know. So I have got two songs in that movie 'Kapoor and sons' and I am doing a song for 'Jazbaa'," Badshah said.