20-year-old YASHRAJ MEHRA recently released his EP Azaad Hu Mein. The rapper speaks with SHALINI SAKSENA about his journey, collaborations and the rap scene in the country
How did you get interested in rap?
Right from school days, my friends and I would listen to rap whenever we met at each other’s place. To begin with, it was a combination of pop and rap – the Eminem era. I also joined dance classes and got introduced to hip-hop. My interest piqued in rap from there.
Tell us about yourself – where are you from and music journey?
I am still a student and in second year of BMM with Jai Hind College. I have practically been on stage my entire life, either acting or hosting events. To be on stage was my destiny. Back during school days, I used to write a lot of poetry and that transcended into rap now. My first rap verse was penned pre-Gully Boy days when few knew about this genre and I was still exploring it. The only rappers I had heard of in India were Divine and Naezy. Since I was always on stage, when the film was being made, they wanted extras. That’s when I realised that there was huge rap scene in India including Mumbai. I put out my first track and entered a competition and did gigs after gigs. This is when I met my manager and here I am.
How tough and competitive are open mics?
I honestly believe that if one wants to be part of the hip-hop scene competition is part and parcel of the genre. It is about being the best lyrics wise, it is about being the best delivery wise. If one wants to know where he stands in this huge pool of rappers, is when you go to these open micers. The entite culture is based on how good your writing is and how well you can deliver that. Psychologically, this is tough but physically not so much given that there are so many venues for new rappers to showcase their talent.
You recently released an EP with three songs – what are they about?
It all about how when one is mentally free, how it affects one’s work and how it affects relationships – when all the haze clears – one can see things is a clearer light. That is what Azaad Hu Mein, Sote Raho and Kaise Badlenge about. I chose this theme because I wanted the lyrics to emote how I would feel and think in such a situation rather than just addressing the situation.
Is rap and songs the same?
There is a misconception that rap and music is different but this is not true. Take an example, if I write a verse, it means I am rapping but it doesn’t mean I am making rap music. It is the responsibility of every rapper to make it musical. Anybody can write a verse and rap it to a beat but a true rapper will make great music. This is what I am trying to do, take elements from other genres and do my thing.
What is your collaboration with Zaeden and Lost Stories about?
I let them through my manager. These are the people looking up to. I just came onboard to learn from them. The collaboration was how we could come together, help each other and work on Tere Bina and Thandi Hawa remixes.
Where you get your subject for rap?
When I rap, I don’t have a story to tell. I don’t come from a poor background and then reached a stage where I want people to look at my back story. I am boy from a middle-class family who gets to express what he wants from music. I have the responsibility to dig in a little deeper to research on topics I can write on. I want to put an effort into my writing hence my topics are different.
Did your parents support you?
One thing that gets your parents going is when they see their child grow in the career he has chosen. I have tried to prove it to them. My mother is extremely supportive. But I am young and have a long way to go.
