MC Square Talks Post-‘Hustle’ Fame and New Song ‘Laado’

Hip-hop artist MC Square aka Abhishek Baisla draws from Indian traditional music forms and puts them in a rap context on his latest song “Laado,” produced by Hiten.

The Haryana-raised artist says the music came about when he was at a session with Hiten and heard a beat that was sampling Indian classical vocals. “There was a raag playing and he was looping and sampling that. I was sitting there and thinking this could sound interesting with a folk aspect,” MC Square says. With his towering and resolute vocal delivery, the rapper says he was thinking about an “old song from yesteryears. “We were all vibing with it so much. We knew it was going to blow up,” he adds. From an influence perspective, the artist says he was experimenting with four different elements – a “folkish melody” derived from raags, “flirty rap,” “lo-fi kind of singing” and ghazal.

“Laado” becomes a style-switching new release out via Sony Music India, one that follows songs like “Ram Ram,” “Aadha Gyaan,” “Bhoj” and “Chhore NCR Aale” (with Paradox) which were showcased on reality show MTV Hustle 2.0. Although the show churned a few new rising stars in desi hip-hop, MC Square clinched the title of winner of season two of MTV Hustle, which he describes as a “very beautiful” experience spanning three to four months.

He says about his time on the show, “All of us contestants shared a lot of culture, got to learn a lot of things as well from everyone. Where I’ve reached today as MC Square Lambardar, I owe it to the person I was on that show. I got to learn from people from all over, and connect with different cultures, like UNB in the North East. He’s in India’s Got Talent right now, so please support him.”

MC Square points to artists like Gravity and Srushti Tawade being from Maharashtra which made him learn more about the culture of the state, while Uttar Pradesh was repped by the likes of Panther. Now out in the larger music industry with features in Bollywood songs like “Sher” from Selfiee, MC Square says he’s still in touch with his peers from the show.

With auditions for the next season of MTV Hustle already underway, the outgoing winner says his advice for anyone thinking of contesting is to “be real and stay real.” He adds, “Real is the new cool. You’ll get ahead on your own. Time and god look to that and when you’re real, you’re set. If you believe in your craft, then just keep at it.”

For his own part, there’s a lot more coming out this year. “2023 ka aisa scene hai ki sab kuch aa raha hai [2023 is such that everything’s coming out]. The MC Square You Saw in Hustle 2.0 is nothing compared to what you’ll see next. I’m about to be 100, 200 times more of an artist and put out all different kinds of music. You’ll hear ghazals, lohris… everything. Brace yourselves,” he adds.

Watch the video for “Laado” below. Stream the song here.