15 December,2009 07:17 AM IST | | Fiona Fernandez
Eminem on CD can wait. This wedding season, dial Siddharth Sood, a freestyle rapper who will turn up at your shaadi to custom-rap for your lover, your best pal, even your chachi
"It's impromptu and all about rhyming with your audience," is how 26-year-old former Channel [V] VJ Siddharth Sood chooses to introduce us to his curious profession. He is part of a new breed that has reinvented genres to vibe with the changing tastes of Indian youth. Sid opened for Akon, performed with rapper-wrestler Rey Mysterio and Mobb Deep, and has been part of gigs for VH1's Hip Hop Hustle.
"My acts are prepared on the spot, my jokes are instant. I stand where Eminem meets Russell Peters," he says. So, why freestyle rap? "I don't like rapping to love or poverty, nor do I do Gangsta Rap, where it's all about guns and bullets. I concentrate on having fun." For five years, he did mainstream hip-hop.
Two years ago, he decided to change track and it's caught on slowly. Word of mouth, Facebook and the web have kept Sid busy entertaining office pals at high-brow pool parties or spinning his stuff at big, fat shaadis across luxury destinations the world over. "At weddings, Bollywood works.
I draw inferences from Indian actors and actresses," he shares. So, if a pretty lady is dressed in a yellow saree, Sid will come up with a Madhubala connect. Peppered with seven-eight tracks, his acts last for about an hour, with breaks to warm up the crowdsu00a0-- "No point boring them. The DJ holds fort, and I work in sync with him."
Sid localises things. Depending on where he's performing, you'll hear him rap in Punjabi, Telugu or Marathi. "In an Indian set-up, Bollywood is the only fixed format. The Bollywoodisation of rap is a slow process because most Indians prefer techno or house.
When you are rapping in English, it's tough to figure out the lyrics. With my rapping, people can sing along because I don't have an accent. Besides, by adding the local flavour, the crowds are on a high."
Get in touch with Siddharth Sood on mcsid.in
