Mumbai Rapper Kidshot Takes the High Road on New EP ‘The Come Up’

Even by Mumbai rapper Kidshot aka Rahul Khadtare’s own admission, the constant telling and re-telling of “struggles” and speaking about one’s origins has become a tad generic in Indian hip-hop. “Everyone raps about it, even the privileged ones who have everything. You’re from a crorepati household, why are you talking about this?” he says in a bemused tone.

His solution is simple. “If you haven’t seen those things, you should just talk about what you’ve seen and your truths,” the rapper says. On his latest EP The Come Up, Kidshot reiterates the story of a decade-long climb to the top rungs of desi hip-hop, bringing in friends and heavy-hitters like New Delhi’s Raga (“Ride Slow,”) Sikander Kahlon (“Samurai”), Bella (“Udd Chale”) and Harjas Harjaayi (“GOAT”).

To those getting newly acquainted with Kidshot, the name Mack Varpe on the song “Dramebaaz” might not be immediately familiar, but it’s actually the rapper’s childhood friend who got introduced to hip-hop together. “It’s because of him I’ve discovered hip-hop. We’ve been friends for 10 to 12 years. We lived nearby and played cricket together,” Kidshot says of Varpe. Then, one fine day, they stole a phone and found music on it from rappers like Nas, Lil Wayne and 50 Cent. Kidshot recalls that as they began bumping those songs, he wanted to understand the essence of American hip-hop. “Mack took me to the cyber [café] and we looked up lyrics. We found that they were coming from the same background as us, just rapping in English,” Kidshot says.

Varpe holds his own on “Dramebaaz,” and he’s also part of Kidshot’s new label The Chosen One. It’s starting out in merchandize but also becoming a record label to put out music, with the first release being the seven-track EP The Come Up. Kidshot cites the likes of J. Cole’s Dreamville as a blueprint and hopes he can put back into artists whenever revenue starts coming in. As someone who’s worked with labels like Mass Appeal India (they released his 2020 EP Bhot Kuch), the rapper says having a major label backing is good, but nothing beats being independent. “It [record labels in Indian hip-hop] is all new, so artists don’t really know how the deal works out. If an artist can do it all independently, that’s even more beneficial. I’ve had a good experience with Mass Appeal, though,” he adds.

There’s a whole range on The Come Up, which is produced by beatsmith HRMN, from Kidshot’s own take on a party song like “Ride Slow” to soul-baring tunes like “Yaar Parivaar” and a grandiose outro on “Udd Chale.” The rapper says, “The listener should have all the flavors by the end of the EP, that was the intention.”

While there are music videos being planned for “Dramebaaz” and “Gang Life,” Kidshot’s focus is on finishing a 13-track debut album, due by December this year or January 2024. “The beats are already selected. It’s a proper debut. I’m waiting because my style hasn’t been adapted yet. I have to give it more time for audiences to grasp what I’m trying to say,” he adds. While he might be known for his inimitable chopper flow and freestyle, Kidshot says experimenting is necessary. “I like to et into different styles. I don’t want to overdo just one style, so there’s bangers, lo-fi and occasionally a party song but in my own way,” he adds.

Listen to ‘The Come Up’ EP below.