Hear Jaipur Hip-Hop Duo Bad Trip Symphony Sophomore Record ‘B12’

In their pursuit to “spark the brains” of listeners, Jaipur duo Bad Trip Symphony — rapper BadLuck aka Lakshay Singh and rapper-producer RBBT aka Shivam Sharma — unveil stories of growing up and sticking to passion on their new album B12. 

Drawing from true incidents — including the opening skit “Chor Police” that narrates how BadLuck was arrested “on suspicion of a bar brawl” and “Geet Sangeet” which revolves around conversations of risks of being a full-time musician — it’s no surprise to hear that BadLuck and RBBT were majorly influenced by Eminem. BadLuck says, “Eminem’s not-giving-a-fuck and challenging society’s norms lyrics is what caught my attention and inspired me to write music.” 

Rapping since 2013 and producing songs since 2014, BadLuck met RBBT in 2016 and began work on what became B12 in 2017 itself. “During that period I had a lot of experiences, from touring with the band to heartbreaks and having all the responsibilities of home. My experiences were changing the content of my songs and later on, it progressed into an album.” He changed his style from mocking, sarcastic lyrics to sharper criticisms of himself and what’s around him, which adds darker thematic hues to the 12-track album. 

RBBT adds that he shaped B12 to be a statement for BadLuck. “I wanted to stick to one specific sound, that is trap drums and synth and then to play around with other instruments to make this album more colorful and vibrant sound-wise.” Songs like “Naukari Milegi Kya?” employ a slinky guitar melodies, while “Khatara” brings in heavier riffs and “Critics” and “Nastik” bear an unmistakable Indian traditional music element. 

The Jaipur hip-hop scene does have its familiar share of issues like fewer promoters and even fewer willing venues for gigs — the launch gig for B12 in November was canceled owing to COVID-19 restrictions — but the duo are going to persevere nevertheless. BadLuck says, “I guess we need more albums to solidify the sounds of hip-hop here.” RBBT adds, “It does give a listener who’s keen to discover hip-hop here in Jaipur something worthy.” 

Stream ‘B12’ below and hear it on more platforms here.