Premiere: Jaipur Hip-Hop Duo Bad Trip Symphony Get Existential on ‘Bawara 2’

On their 2019 full-length called A Bad Album, Jaipur hip-hop duo Bad Trip Symphony – comprising rapper BadLuck aka Lakshay Singh and rapper-producer rbbt aka Shivam Sharma – had put out a bolstering song for young Indians called “Bawara.”

Sharma says, “We realized that ‘Bawara’ really appealed to the audience, specially whenever we performed it live. The first part of the song was written from a young frustrated mind with lots of power and energy to vent out in the verses, carrying the subject of low audience reach and struggle to find a place in Indian hip-hop community.”

Now, Bad Trip Symphony have released a sequel to the track, off their new EP The Evolution, plus a music video directed by Sharma which delves into the psyche of a young person trying to make ends meet. Sharma says about the difference between the songs, “’Bawara 2’ has a more mature approach which we learnt over the time, where we started focusing on the process of making music rather than the reach.” The song features Hindi verses by rbbt and BadLuck and a poignant chorus by vocalist Divya Bhatia, who also stars in the video.

Sharma says about enlisting the singer, “I met Divya through a common friend and she had a classical background and at same time I was sampling Indian instruments over 808s. I really wanted to move forward with that idea where I can properly get a near-perfect blend of classical and rap music. She did an amazing job over vocals.”

The music video reflects Bad Trip Symphony’s own struggles with sustenance while focusing on music, yearning for satisfaction between a job, relationships and family. “BadLuck has served his verse an alter ego which speaks about Divya discovering her love for music and moving forward with motivation to find happiness whenever she writes or sings,” Sharma says.

Watch the video for “Bawara 2” below.