Star rapper Badshah faced flak for allegedly plagiarising the lyrics of Bengali singer Ratan Kahar song ‘Genda Phool’ recently. He also faced backlash after sending Rs 5 lakh to the lyricist. Speaking of the same, Badshah told Hindustan Times that he and his team did complete research before using the song lyrics and found no records of Ratan Kahar related to the same.
“My team and I had done our complete research on the sample before using the sound, done our due diligence and everywhere it was mentioned as a traditional folk song,” he said.
“There was no existing record on any of the past releases of Shri Kahar as the lyricist and which is why we went ahead and used the sound in the first place. However, in a couple of days, we started getting tagged in a lot of articles and posts that suggested otherwise according to just popular belief and still with no documented proof. But when I saw and heard his story, irrespective of the credits, I think he is one of the gems that should have been preserved and taken care of. My team reached out to him through some of the people who had run his story, as I definitely wanted to get him the recognition that he deserves,” he told TOI.
Badshah also said that he wishes to record a new song with Kahar. “A lot of work has obviously been difficult because of the current lockdown, but as soon as things are back on track, I intend to visit him and request him to do a song with us that Sony Music India will release and do whatever I can do being from the same fraternity, financially or otherwise. But I really wish and hope that he had been taken care of, being the traditional legacy that he is. I come from Punjab and we really nurture and celebrate our legends here and it was sad to see shri Kahar in a situation that he is right now. Hopefully, this will change things,” he said.
Badshah said due to lockdown he could only manage to speak to him on a video call and assured he would meet him as soon as the lockdown ends. “He is like any of our elders — lovable and extremely affectionate. He sang a few of his songs for me, blessed me and I have promised him I am going to be seeing him and do whatever I can in my strength to celebrate and take care of his legacy. Make a new song with him and do justice to it. If required, get him registered on the copyright bodies and register his works and whatever else is required for him to receive his royalties. It was sad to see that an artist of his stature has been in such a situation,” he said.