MORE RESPONSIBLE AFTER GULLY BOY, SAYS NAEZY
Naved Shaikh aka rapper Naezy discusses his latest song Vahem; also talks about how fame has affected not just his personality, but his music as well, which is now more consciously written
Mumbai-based rapper Naezy has become a household name, thanks to the massive success of the Ranveer SinghAlia Bhatt film Gully Boy. Based on his and rapper Divine’s lives, the film is India’s official entry for the 2019 Oscars. But while Naezy feels “blessed” with the fame and love he has been receiving, he is not happy about losing his “personal space”.
“I am getting international tours, nice brands want to partner with me... so, life is changing. Gradually, life shows you different sides of it. I am going through this side, where I feel blessed to have got this chance. Life has changed for good, but some bad things are happening, too. Some people irritate us by asking the wrong questions. When we walk on the streets, or are in a mall, I lose my personal space. I’ve no privacy,” says Naezy.
On the positive side, he feels more “responsible” about his music now, which is something he wasn’t bothered about before his privacy went for a toss. Naezy insists that the change can be seen in his lyrics as well.
“[Excessive attention] makes you feel responsible. My writing is changing in hiphop, too. Earlier, I used to write without thinking [much], but now I have become more conscious. I think about a larger audience; everyone’s eyes are on us. Whatever we do becomes a big thing,” he adds.
While Naezy’s first release was Aafat in 2014, it was the 2015 song Mere Gully Mein — also used in Gully Boy — which caught the attention of the masses, especially those who love listening to rap music. Fast forward to 2019, and Naezy has come up with another song, Vahem, which is about to hit the million-views milestone on YouTube and also features Canadian music producer Byg Byrd.
Naezy says that the new song is about him and the people dear to him. “The song is about my relationships with my close ones, and the misconceptions they are going through,” he says, adding, “This song is trying to clear them (misunderstandings), and I am urging them to understand me in a better way. It’s an expression of how I was feeling about them. All people close to me have taken me for granted. For a while, they were not understanding me, and vice versa. I have real issues going on. They [have to] realise what I am going through is not easy. I wrote this on a flight back from a Delhi show, and we recorded a proper music video on an indoor set,”he shares.
Earlier, I used to write without thinking [much], but now I have become more conscious. I think about a larger audience; everyone’s eyes are on us. Whatever we do becomes a big thing.
NAEZY RAPPER