If you haven’t heard of Desi Rap, you will soon. Desi stands for the South Asian diaspora, and Rap is self-explanatory. For a long while, until the late 2000s, it was a genre limited to the underground audience. Then it started gaining popularity in major cities like Delhi and Mumbai. There are over 2.000 official rappers in India at the moment, and this number is just gonna grow more, and more, and more.
Udit is telling me ”Indian Rap, otherwise known as Desi Hip Hop, wasn’t this popular until recently when the movie Gully Boy became a phenomenon. Now rap music has become a huge trend in India.” Noteworthy: Nas, the American rapper, was the executive producer for this movie. You know what this means? There’s a huge market for rap in India.
I’m extremely curious at this point, as Udit has just educated me on a whole new genre that is prominent and yet, neither the European nor the American press is talking about it. YET. Because take my word for it, soon Desi Rap will be as popular as Bollywood music (Indian Pop Music), if not more.
I’m watching and listening with utmost attention Udit’s music video for his song, Chalte Reh, which translates as Keep Going. Which by the way, gathered more than 3.000 views in ONE WEEK since it’s release. Yooo… I don’t understand the lyrics but holy wow! If you like rap music, YOU GET THIS GUY!!! He got everything covered: incredible fast flow, almost Eminem-like, dope visuals (I’ve counted a minimum of 5 different scenes), aggressive attitude and a determination to convince you of his greatness that takes over your attention. Oh, and not to forget his exceptionally well-mixed and mastered song quality! Udit is better at this very moment than 90% of Western rappers that send me their music videos for reviewing. And I’m not trying to offend anyone, but this is the level of professionalism any self-respecting rapper should have in regards to the material they create.
Udit Singh Rajput is an artist, not just a rapper (he plays the guitar as well) from Gwalior, India. He is 23 years old and mad serious about his music career, having quit his day job to pursue his passion full time. ”I learned how to play the guitar by watching tutorials on YouTube. Then I opened a music club at my college. I went as far as focusing on my music mostly even when I was working an office job for an e-commerce company. So I had to leave that, in order to follow my dream”, tells me Udit proud of the choices he’s made so far, ”I play the guitar, I sing and I also rap. I am all independent, putting all my savings into my music. I am the one who pays for the studio time and mixing, as well as the cameraman to do my videos.”
Friends have played a huge role in Udit’s decisions: ”I started writing lyrics when my friend Kaine, who is also a rapper and a sound engineer, encouraged me to do so. And I realized that Rap is the best way to express yourself through poetry and rhythm.”
I am honestly in awe of Udit’s professionalism and drive to succeed. Now I want to know what his future plans look like: ”I was accepted at the Asian Academy of Film and Television for a degree in Music Production and Sound Design. The classes start this spring, in May 2020.” Once he gets to mix and master his own songs as well, he’s only gonna be left paying for the camera guy. And that is a huge portion of his income that’s gonna stay in his pockets. Smart thinking Udit!
Udit’s confidence is not overnight or barely acquired, it comes from having prevailed over being rejected numerous times: ”I went to so many auditions for different talent shows but I kept failing. I was almost broken. Then I opened my own YouTube channel and things started looking up.”
For those who are pursuing a career within the Rap genre, take some notes from Udit Singh Rajput’s book: invest your money in all facets of your music career. Invest in your music videos, in your songs, and even in your musical education. And KEEP PUSHING.
For those eager to listen to more of Udit’s music, go check out his YouTube channel HERE, his Twitter HERE, his Instagram HERE, and his Facebook Profile HERE.
Interview conducted by Mariana Berdianu
Blue Rhymez Entertainment © 2020
Blue Rhymez Entertainment 