“It is a great time to be a hip-hop artist in India,” says the iconic New Delhi rapper on the most-awaited episode of India’s ultimate hip-hop podcast
When we dropped the teaser for Hennessy Freestyle podcast sometime ago, the loudest cheers came from the unbelievably loyal legion of Kr$na devotees online. The wait is finally over and here is the rare, uncensored, unfiltered episode featuring one of India’s pioneering hip-hop stars.
For the uninitiated, Krishna Kaul aka Kr$na commands a hip-hop status among audiences that can be identified as both reverential and controversial. The New Delhi artist’s rap roots date back to a time over a decade ago when he released his song “Kaisa Mera Desh.” Many beats and beefs later, today Kr$na stands stronger than ever. “We have seen how far Indian hip-hop has come, so I feel it is a great time to be here and now.”
From the time he released his debut album Sellout in 2014, the prolific artist has gathered YouTube views, streaming numbers and diverse audiences at the speed of light. Known for his calm demeanor and acerbic rhymes, Kr$na has been one of controversy’s favorite children in Indian hip-hop, and on his rare appearance on this podcast, he discusses all of that as well as how it all began. “A lot of it was the environment. I started rapping when I was in London and everyone around me was into the culture. As soon as I got into it, it became a thing that I always wanted to do,” says Kr$na.
Kr$na’s episode marks the culmination of India’s ultimate hip-hop podcast, Hennessy Freestyle, presented by Rolling Stone India and Hennessy. The previous five episodes featured top guns from Indian hip-hop: Raftaar, Fotty Seven, Dino James, Dee MC and Karma. Hosted by Rolling Stone India’s Executive Editor Nirmika Singh, the conversations on this pathbreaking podcast have ranged from the latest hip-hop trends and controversies to competition, feminism and beef wars. The candid chats also revealed the creative cores of the artists underneath the cover of celebrity and stardom.
Says Nirmika Singh, “With Hennessy Freestyle, we were able to create a safe space for dialogue and deliberation, something that was missing in the scene so far. We’re delighted that the artists not only discussed the building blocks of their remarkable journeys but also offered tips, tricks and wisdom to the scores of budding talent who want to make it big in the industry.”
She continues, “Over the last few years, hip-hop has grown tremendously, giving rise to some of the most prolific rappers and storytellers. We all know about Hennessy’s relationship with hip-hop in the West, but now it’s time to blend the brand’s ethos with exceptional hip-hop artists who have worked tirelessly to put Indian hip-hop on the map.”
(Hennessy Freestyle Podcast is for viewing by those aged 25 and above only. Drink
Hennessy responsibly)
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