Badshah: Fame is like a rented house

Mumbai, July 17 (IANS) Rapper Badshah has reflected on the responsibility that comes with having a powerful voice and why he believes fame is only temporary.

Badshah, who was seen as a guest on Shekhar Tonite, admitted that creating music initially felt like a carefree expression of creativity.

He shared, “Agar aap sochoge toh pareshaniya hi pareshaniya hai lekin agar aap sirf kaam pe dhyan doge toh koi pareshani nahi hai. But ek time ke baad, aapko yeh realize nahi hota ke aapke shabdo ka impact kahan kahan jaa raha hai. Aap jab shuruat karte hai as a writer, as an artist shuruat karte ho.”

“(If you keep thinking, you’ll only find problems everywhere. But if you simply focus on your work, there are no problems. However, after a certain point, you don’t even realize how far the impact of your words reaches. When you begin your journey as a writer, as an artist… you start with that creative intent, but over time, your words begin to influence people in ways you may not even be aware of.)”

“Aapko lagta hai ki mazaa aa raha hai. Lekin aapko yeh nahi pata ki koi aapke shabdo ko kaise perceive kar raha hai. Shayad 10 me se 8 logo ko acha lagega kisi 2 ko ajeeb bhi lag sakta hai, bura bhi lag sakta hai.”

“Fir jaise jaise aapka daayra bada hota hai, aapke art ka aur uski consumption ka daayra bada hota, I think somehow you become or you’re made probably aware that you have to become socially more responsible.”

(You feel like you’re simply having fun. But you don’t realize how someone else might perceive your words. Maybe eight out of ten people will like what you’ve said, but the other two may find it strange or even offensive.)

(Then, as your reach grows and the audience consuming your art expands, I think you gradually become or are made aware that you have to be more socially responsible.)

“Toh ek challenge bhi hai. Mazaa bhi ussi me hai ki aapka daayra chota hota ja raha hai magar aapko dhamaka utna hi karna hai.”

(So, that’s a challenge as well. But that’s also where the excitement lies—you may feel your creative space is becoming smaller, yet you still have to make just as big an impact.)

Badshah brought up one of his most thought-provoking lines about fame.

The “Genda Phool” hitmaker added: “Fame ek kiraye ka makan hai. Usse khali karna hoga ek din. Yeh aapko milta hai. Aap isko enjoy karo lekin ispe zyada kharcha mat karo yeh kiraye ka makan hai, aapko chhodna padega.”

(Fame is like a rented house. One day, you’ll have to vacate it. It’s something that comes to you, so enjoy it while you have it—but don’t invest too much in it. It’s only a rented house, and eventually, you’ll have to let it go.)

–IANS

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