HYDERABAD: Indian hip-hop is witnessing a seismic shift, with a new wave of artists emerging from diverse backgrounds, bringing fresh sounds and stories to the forefront. Among these rising stars is the rapper Arpan Kumar Chandel aka King, who has captured the imagination of millions with his unique style, poignant lyrics, and relentless drive that has propelled him to the top of the charts. King’s big break came in 2019 when he participated in the popular reality show ‘MTV Hustle’, India’s first rap reality show.
After his stint on the show, King released several singles and collaborations that quickly gained traction. Songs such as ‘Tu Aake Dekhle’ and ‘Maan Meri Jaan’ became instant hits, amassing millions of views on YouTube and streams on music platforms. His music resonated with the youth, who found his lyrics relatable and his beats infectious.
The singer-rapper will be in Hyderabad on August 30 at Air Live, Gachibowli, as a part of Monopoly Moves Album India Tour presented by Paytm Insider, in association with Bluprint and WMS Entertainment. The ‘Monopoly Moves’ Listening Party tour is our experiential attempt rooted in the ethos of togetherness, and to showcase my latest body of work in its most authentic form. It’s been an insane ride for me over the past couple of weeks, and I plan to make some crazier memories on the rest of our tour! Hyderabad has been an integral part of the country’s music scene at a nationwide level.
And the kind of music and talent that thrives here. And parallelly, it’s been one of the most beautiful cities one can perform in. The energy is always unmatched, and I love the fans here with all my heart.
I’ve always looked up to rap music as a raw and real form of expression, while also being very true to itself and unorthodox in many ways. And that’s what has drawn me towards the genre and my ever-growing love for it. Mohammed Rafi, Kishore Kumar, Manna Dey, Justin Timberlake, Timbaland, Kanye West, Elvis Presley, and AC/DC are just some of my biggest inspirations.
But the list goes on. I think my music has sonically grown over the years, while also being more particular about the technical aspects of my music. And I believe that training yourself in the craft that you practice daily, and being passionate about it ultimately drives your growth, and enables you to analyse the different facets of your music a lot better, which also includes stepping into the listeners’ shoes and consuming your own music as a listener as opposed to being the creator of it, simultaneously.
Writing songs has been a core way of emoting for me. And it’s been a deeply personal, yet empowering experience. My songwriting process primarily revolves around the feeling/emotion or attitude I’m trying to put together for a particular song, which also often gets derived from the sonics of the track.
Collaborations have been a special part of my journey which have allowed me to sit with multiple creative minds and come together to create art. I’ve been an admirer and fan of every collaborator I’ve had the opportunity to work with. And I believe that is what has influenced most of my decisions towards wanting to collaborate with a particular artist/producer/songwriter.
I’m a curious listener when it comes to music. So there’s never any particular genre at any point that I might be indulging in specifically. But it comes down to what ends up inspiring me during a particular session or the kind of sound/genre that might wrap itself around the music I’m trying to create.
Music-making always remains a very open-ended process for me as a whole. I’m currently working on a bunch of new music and some interesting projects with brands! We also have an Australia-NZ tour in November that will soon be announced..
