Rapper King opens up about love, challenges and the number game

The emotional depth of rapper King's latest track ‘STAY’ has left a mark, not only on his listeners and fanbase, but also on the artist himself. In a recent interview with Gaana, when asked what he thinks about the overwhelming response to his newest drop, King is seen getting emotional, “Main bas jis hisaab se wo pasand aa raha hai ek din ek shaam mere ko hit karne wali hai baat aur main ro doonga uss baat pe… khushi ke aansu yaar. Ke dil se likhi koi cheez dil tak pahuch gayi.” Read on to know what else was talked about in the interview.

The force behind King’s songwriting
Diving into the star’s songwriting and ideation process, King dismisses any overly logical or technical explanation. For him, writing comes from something divine, something beyond explanation. “Main bada bewakoof lagoonga ye baat bolte agar main ye boloon ki bhai wo likhwata hai hum likhte hain… mujhe nahi pata wo jo pehla ek point hai na, jo pehla trigger point hai, spark hai, wo idea hai wo baat aise aani uparwale ka hai, ki tu aisi baat likhega.” While he understands that it may sound stupid that he has no control over what he writes, he revels in the surprise element that this process brings. “Mujhe bhi nahi pata main kya likh dunga.” Something similar happened with ‘STAY’: “Jab ye dhunon mein jab shabd toot'te hain na, aur jab wo bilkul baith jaate hain uspe, aur sense bhi bana rahe hote hain to wo bohot bohot pyaara lagta hain… jaise tumne perfect half fry omelette bana diya ho…bina toote.”

King’s self-proclamation and the importance of honesty in music.

It took King 4-5 years to look back and accept his own greatness as a writer. He exudes confidence when he says, “Main ache gaane likhta hoon, I’m a good writer… Main writer kharab nahi hoon. Mujhe gaana banana aata hain. Yahi ek cheez hain jo mujhe jaanni thi.” But what truly drives his music isn’t always personal experience — it’s honesty. He believes that honesty and rawness are important in life and music, whether it’s being happy for another’s success or acknowledging your parents’ hard work. “Experience zaroori nahi hai, but honesty… Yeh zaroori hai, music ke saath bhi. Ki jab main gaana banao toh doosra bole mera gaana hai. Wo khushi, wo gham, wo feeling, saamne waale bhi agar le pa rahe hain aur tum bhi le pa rahe ho toh tum ek hi nao pe sawaar ho.”

King on love, loss & performing for strangers in love
King doesn’t believe in the importance of experience, but one experience he has had is one of love and loss. When asked if he draws from recent heartbreaks for his songs, he says: “Mere experiences bohot purane ho gaye... Ab toh aisa lagta hai jabardasti karoonga… Jab main perform kar raha hota hoon, Jab main dekhta hoon ki banda apni bandi ko lekar aaya hai show par…uski aankhon mein aankhon daal kar wo gaa raha hai… jisne yeh cheez banayi uske paas wo cheez nahi hai.” That moment, he says, reminds him of something powerful: “Jiski ice-cream ki dukaan hoti hai na, wo apni ice-cream nahi khata kabhi bhi.” Moreover, he says he draws from the love he sees around him during performances and channels it into his songs.

King’s treasure chest of songs: A work in progress

King reveals that he has a massive stash of unreleased tracks: “Mere bhai honge 300–400 mere khayal se, 300-400 badhiya badhiya gaane.” Even the older tracks, he thinks, have timeless potential: “Stay do saal purana hai, Mann Meri Jaan chaar–paanch saal purana hai”. He says that his album, ‘MONOPOLY MOVES’ originally has 42 tracks, but only 16-18 of them got released. I guess fans will have to believe him when he says he has so many songs in the works.

King’s challenges and “bewaqoof” people

In this interview, he remains extremely candid and says that the most difficult part of his entire process is getting up early in the morning for work. Is the creative process tough? Not really. Put him in a studio and he’s happy. “Uthna hi challenging hai mere liye… Uske baad studio mein baitha do, main khush hoon.” But there’s one thing he avoids at all costs, and that is working with energy-draining people.

“Main bewakoof ke saath kaam hi nahi karta… aur main aisa hoon bahi main bewakoof ke saath bhi kaam karke bohot acha kaam kar dunga magar agli baar nahi baithunga.” He also mentions that when his producers make a song out of whatever he’s thinking or saying, “bhai wo toh alag tarah ka orgasm hain.”

Reach, numbers, traction & what truly matters to King

Does it bother him if a track doesn’t become a viral sensation? Not at all. “Dekho baccha toh apna hi hai. Ab Shahrukh Khan lage ya na lage… Apna baccha sabse khoobsurat lagta hain. Duniya ko bhi lagein zaroori nahi hain. Tumhe lagne chahiye.” He’s more focused on making music that feels right. “Achha gaana banana hai . When I say ‘good music’, yeh bohot badi statement hain khud mein. Kyunki sabse aasan cheez karni sabse mushkil hoti hai music mein.”

His message to listeners: keep the magic personal

Before signing off, King left a message that’s as heartfelt as his music: “Maine ‘STAY’ nikaal diya hai. Aap suniye. Agar aapko pasand aaye toh aap usko apne paas rakhiye –aap chahe kisi ko de ya na de kyunki personal feelings hote hai har insaan ki, aur bohot kadar karta hoon.” He dreams of one day hearing a stadium full of voices singing ‘STAY’ with him, creating a magical moment that lives forever. “Agar aap uss magic ka hissa banna chahte ho, toh aap mere saath judh sakte ho… in gaanon ko follow karte hue.” Watch the full conversation on Gaana:


(This interview is transcribed by Yashvi Sonawala).

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