Rappers Raftaar and KR$NA have dropped their mics for a brief while, adopting the roles of judges and mentors for their new show, Legacy, which aims to unearth new hip-hop talent in India. As the show generates nationwide buzz, the two rappers, joined by Kalamkaar’s Ankit Khanna, talk to Hindustan Times about its impact and what the ‘legacy’ of Indian hip-hop truly is.
KR$NA and Raftaar on legacy
KR$NA and Raftaar have very distinct identities as hip-hop artistes. But that does not mean their vision for the future of hip-hop is different. KR$NA explains, “Even though we are two artists who are different, we have always been on the same page. We were on the same page when we created this show. I think we are pretty aligned, but of course, we have small disagreements on what we like and dislike. Raftaar, a bit more philosophical, adds, “Destination same hai. Ek hi jagah pahunchanna hai. Gaadi ki choice ko leke kayi baari thoda lad jaate hain (The destination is the same. We want to reach the same place, but the choice of vehicle is different, so we fight sometimes).”
‘We knew this will take time to grow’
Ankit, who has co-created the show with the two rappers, says he wanted to bring artistes and not just ‘TV-ready personalities’. “100%, we had a vision that we are building it slowly. And honestly, if we get artistes starting from scratch, the audiences will naturally build slowly. We are very hopeful that this will take time to grow. People will relate to the show, and they will probably become fans of the upcoming talent,” he explains.
‘You can’t sustain a manufactured career’
But sticking to that in an age when most shows focus on viral moments and personalities that ‘click’ is a challenge. Raftaar says it boils down to the core belief that skill and talent overpower any viral marketing. When asked if it is easier to ‘manufacture’ a new artiste’s career today, he replies, “Manufacture kar sakte hain, but sustain nahi karega (We can manufacture it, but it won’t sustain).”
The rapper explains, “I am not gonna lie, that one can’t manufacture a career. Let me explain with an example. Imagine, KR$NA bhai and I write five songs for some guy, and help him take out an EP. And let’s assume it’s a hit, at least one of those songs is. Ye kar diya humne manufacture (We have manufactured it). Part one is done. Ab uske baad jab usko follow up karna hoga aur hum mein se ek bhi banda hat gaya to woh distinct lagne lag jaayega. To kaise manufacture karenge? Sustain tabhi karega jab apni aawaaz ho, apni identity ho (But after that, when he will follow it up, and we are not there, it will sound very different. Then how do we manufacture it? One can only sustain when they have their own voice and identity).”
Both rappers admit they are still getting used to being ‘veterans’ in the genre now, as mentors and senior figures. Talking about that role, KR$NA says, “I would love to look back and see that we created a wave of rappers or artists that are successful and that have had successful careers, and we want to keep the whole hip-hop community as stakeholders in this process.”
Legacy streams on Zee5 and also on Kalamkaar’s YouTube channel.