We have heard of a Gully rapper, Bollywood, underground, hip-hop and even a desi rapper, but have you ever heard of a ‘wedding rapper’? Well, yes, there exists one in our very own country. In fact, his identity was born, much before Gully Boy and MC Sher hit the silverscreen. He is none other than MC Sid aka Siddharth Sood, who boasts of being India’s first wedding rapper. Sid, who has been an inseparable part of the wedding rap circuit since 2007, has played at many Indian as well as international weddings. In an exclusive interview with Radioandmusic, MC Sid reveals about his discovery of liking for wedding rapping, travel, his process of blending as well as presenting rap, Bollywood and the scope of being a ‘wedding rapper’ in India.

What led to the discovery of this bizarre passion of yours called wedding rapper?

It just happened by mistake, a coincidence. I was at an event and this person walked up to me and asked if I would perform at a wedding? I told him, ‘I'll perform in the bathroom if you want.’ But the idea of sharing my act with an enthusiastic audience present at the weddings and travelling to awesome destinations motivated me to choose this profession.

Can you tell us more about your musical journey?

I have been working on tracks for a while now and have evolved over the years learning to imbibe a lot more of the Punjabi nuances to my music and act.

You opened Akon's India show.

It was mind-blowing! The energy, vibe, the people and the fact of being with a superstar was quite something!

Do you write your own raps? How is the ideation process?

Yes, I write my own raps. The ideation stems from me wanting to share my thoughts on a particular feeling more than a topic. It's very emotional for me, especially when it relates to music. I prefer to just lock myself up with my thoughts for as long as possible and then share the product with my friends, who always criticize it like no one's business. They are ruthless, but this brings about the true change in what I feel.

Your rap is famous for its surprise elements, combined with humour and comedy. How do you manage to blend them all?

By staying very sober! The idea is to push the envelope and keep trying to keep the audience engaged. If you have them, everything is easy.

How do you blend hip hop with Punjabi beats? Are Bollywood/Punjabi film songs a part of your list?

My producer and I always try to experiment with new sounds and Punjabi sound is just natural now for us. We work on a lot of non commercial tracks and hence film songs are not on the purview as of now. We're more focused on the online version of tracks for brands and virality.

How according to you is your wedding rap different from a normal rap?

It is far more family oriented and needs a lot of patience as at weddings. Abuses are not always acceptable and roasting also has to be done with some amount of sensitivity.

How has been so far?

The response has been fantastic! Hence, I've made it my career for over a decade! People at weddings just simply love it. International crowds love it even more. They are foxed that there can be a rapper at a wedding from India. 

Do you get paid the amount you deserve?

It's rare for any artist to get paid what they deserve at least while they're alive. We can't all be Picasso, but yes the commercials at weddings are much better than regular club/lounge gigs.

As India’s first wedding rapper, you have created a benchmark. Do you think this profession has a scope?

Everything at weddings has super scope! It is a booming industry and the ultimate live entertainment avenue. Hence, I encourage everyone to very seriously consider it. 

What advice do you want to give to budding rappers, keen to pursue style?

I will advice them to work on their wit, keep it simple and remember that the client is always right. You can only make extra fun or roast him/her in your rap if he's paid you in advance, otherwise don't be surprised if he's offended as all people at weddings have very small egos, but high expectations.

Are there any plans of entering Bollywood?

Yes! I've been working closely with Sukbhir on a few tracks and hopefully will have something soon for Bollywood.

Any independent single/album in the pipeline?

Yes, I have another single planned this year, which should be out soon!