King (rapper)
King | |
|---|---|
 King at a concert in 2024 | |
| Background information | |
| Birth name | Arpan Kumar Chandel |
| Also known as | King Rocco |
| Born | Uttar Pradesh, India |
| Genres | Rap, Indie, Pop, Hip hop |
| Occupation(s) | Singer, Songwriter, Rapper |
| Instrument(s) | Vocals, guitar |
| Years active | 2019-Present |
Arpan Kumar Chandel, professionally known as King, is an Indian singer-songwriter, rapper, and music producer. In 2019, he rose to fame as a finalist on the MTV India reality show MTV Hustle.[1]
He is best known for his singles "Ghumshudaa" (2019), "Tu Aake Dekhle" (2020), "Oops" (2022), and "Maan Meri Jaan" (2022).[2] "Maan Meri Jaan" achieved substantial commercial success, becoming the most streamed song of 2023 on Spotify India, and other music streaming platforms.[3]
Early life
[edit]Arpan was born on October 10, 1995 in Uttar Pradesh, India. He attended a government school for his early education before enrolling in Vinay Marg Navyug Secondary School in New Delhi. He later gained admission to Dyal Singh College through the sports quota to pursue a Bachelor of Arts degree.[4][5]
Arpan played for the national under -20 team for four years during his time in college. Despite his athletic achievements, he eventually dropped out to focus on his passion for rapping.[6]
King began sharing his music online through his YouTube channel, "King Rocco," which he launched in 2012. He continued to upload his music to various social media platforms while in school.[7] In an interview with NME, he cited early musical influences including pop groups like the Backstreet Boys and Vengaboys.[8]
Career
[edit]His professional career began in 2019 with his participation in the inaugural season of the rap reality show MTV Hustle, where he was judged by Raftaar, Raja Kumari, and Nucleya. He rose to fame as a finalist on the MTV India reality show MTV Hustle in 2019.[9]
Following MTV Hustle, King released his debut album, The Carnival, in 2020. The album featured the sleeper hit "Tu Aake Dekhle," which became his first breakthrough and garnered significant attention, becoming one of his signature tracks and a chart-topping hit.[10][11] He followed this with his second album, The Gorilla Bounce, in 2021.[12]
In 2022, King made his major-label debut with his Khwabeeda EP, which featured tracks like “Baazi”, “Ektarfa”, and “Sinner” and was his first release with Warner Music India.[13] Later that year, he released his album, "Champagne Talk" which consisted of singles like “Pablo”, "Oops" and "Maan Meri Jaan," which went on to become the most streamed song on Spotify, Apple Music, and Shazam in India in 2023.[14][15] He subsequently released multiple versions of "Maan Meri Jaan" featuring artists from different language backgrounds, including a Hindi-English version titled "Afterlife" with Nick Jonas.[16] “Maan Meri Jaan” was also featured in Spotify’s Top 50 Viral Charts in 2023.[17]
In April 2023, King partnered with Indian entrepreneur Raj Shamani and his company, House of X, to launch his debut perfume brand, Blanko.[18][19]
In 2023, King released a three-track EP titled Shayad Woh Sune, which included songs such as "Laapata" and "Teri Ho Na Saki."[20] Following the EP's release, he launched his fourth studio album, New Life, featuring collaborations with international artists Gucci Mane and Julia Michaels.[21] Tracks such as "Crown," "Good Trip," and "Sarkaare" from the album garnered critical acclaim, with "Good Trip" being featured in the Grammy Recording Academy’s Global Spin series.[22][23] Additionally, his song "We Are The Ones" was included in the official soundtrack for EA SPORTS FC 24.[24] He performed a 9-city tour across India in support of his album New Life. The tour included performances in Bengaluru, Jaipur, Hyderabad, Delhi NCR, Mumbai, and Goa, among other cities.[25]
In the same year, Sony India appointed King as the brand ambassador for its audio product category.[26] He was also shortlisted as one of GQ India’s 35 Most Influential Young Indians and performed at the closing ceremony of the Indian Premier League Final at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad.[27][28]
In 2024, King released his fifth studio album, Monopoly Moves, featuring collaborations with Indian rappers like MC Stan, Ikka, and Raftaar.[29] He also released the single "Bumpa" with Jason Derulo in the same year,[30] as well as his long-awaited collaboration “Aawara” with American producer KSHMR and Indian singer Zaeden.[31] King partnered with Red Bull to release “Shining Star,” which served as the official anthem for the Red Bull Dance Your Style World Final 2024.[32]
That year, King attended the 77th Cannes Film Festival as part of the Brut India delegation, becoming the first Indian pop artist to walk the red carpet at the event.[33] He was later featured in the Forbes 30 Under 30 Asia list in the Entertainment & Sports category.[34] In April 2024, he appeared on the cover of Rolling Stone India as part of their Future of Music ‘24 list.[35]
Albums (LPs)
[edit]| Year | Album | Track | Co-artist(s) | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 | Circumstances | I'm Back | - | |
| Circumstances | ||||
| Clearly by Now | ||||
| She Know | ||||
| That's My Word | ||||
| Beat | ||||
| Gastronamics | ||||
| Red Dirt State | ||||
| Skit | ||||
| Snitches N Cops | ||||
| The Division | ||||
| 2019 | Mashhoor Chapter 1 | Maahaul | - | [36] |
| Fantasy | ||||
| Umar 73 | ||||
| Akeli Awara Azad | ||||
| Ghumshudaa | ||||
| I Know You | ||||
| Going Bas | ||||
| Outta My Mind | Nateboi | |||
| 2020 | The Carnival | She Don't Give A | - | [37] |
| Thoda Samjha Karo | ||||
| Dracula | ||||
| 90s | ||||
| MAFIIA | ||||
| "TalLet The Eyes Talk | ||||
| IICONIC | ||||
| Tu Aake Dekhle | ||||
| 2021 | The Gorilla Bounce | PICASSO | [38] | |
| BLANKO | ||||
| SALOOT | ||||
| Godfather | ||||
| Casanova | Rahul Sathu | |||
| Desi Dan Bilzerian | - | |||
| Koo Koo | Aesap, Jaz | |||
| Shaamein | Harjas Harjaayi | |||
| Main Bas Kehti Nahi | - | |||
| ERA | ||||
| Tera Hua Na Main Kabhi | HIGHBORN | |||
| 2022 | Champagne Talk | Na Ja Tu | - | [39] |
| OOPS | ||||
| Broken Dreams | ||||
| Maan Meri Jaan | ||||
| Dejalo | ||||
| Pablo | ||||
| Champagne Talk | ||||
| Me & Me | ||||
| 2023 | NEW LIFE | Aafat | [40] | |
| Runaway | Julia Michaels | |||
| Tu Jaana Na Piya | - | |||
| Good Trip | ||||
| Sarkaare | ||||
| Tum Saath Rehnaa | ||||
| Legends | ||||
| We Are the Ones | Gucci Mane | |||
| High Hukku | Nikhita Gandhi | |||
| No Loss | - | |||
| CROWN | Natania | |||
| Legends (B Side) | - | |||
| 2024 | MONOPOLY MOVES | GOAT SHIT | Karma | [41] |
| STILL THE SAME | Abhijay Sharma | |||
| WAY BIGGER | - | |||
| BAWE MAIN CHECK | Raga | |||
| MISFIT | - | |||
| KODAK | Seedhe Maut | |||
| SAZA | MC Heam | |||
| PYAAR HUMARA | - | |||
| F*CK WHAT THEY SAY | MC Stan | |||
| WARCRY | Raftaar | |||
| MASHINEY | Ikka | |||
| SUPREME LEADER | Talha Yunus | |||
| SUITS & STREETS | Yashraj, Gravity | |||
| CAN'T AFFORD | Sikander Kahlon | |||
| TERE HO KE | Bella | |||
| DELULU DANCE | - |
EPs
[edit]| Year | Album | Track | Co-artist(s) | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 | Talismann | Dur Kyun | - | |
| FLEX | ||||
| Main Ho Gaya Tera | ||||
| Hennessy | ||||
| Talismann | ||||
| 2022 | Khwabeeda | Baazi | [42] | |
| Ektarfa | ||||
| Sinner | ||||
| 2023 | Shayad Woh Sune | Laapata | [43] | |
| Hum Tumse | ||||
| Teri Ho Na Saki |
Singles
[edit]| Year | Track | Co-artist(s) | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2015 | Boombass | - | [44] |
| 2016 | Zinnda | ||
| 2017 | Hitman | ||
| Promise | |||
| 2018 | Chorus | ||
| Hauley | |||
| Taaliyaan | |||
| 2020 | Jaane De Yaara | Rahul Sathu | [45] |
| 2021 | Ishq Samundar | Arjun Kanungo | [46] |
| Dhoondein Sitare | Aastha Gill | [47] | |
| 2022 | Ilzaam | Arjun Kanungo | [48] |
| OOPS (feat. Masked Wolf) | Masked Wolf | [49] | |
| Naya Nazariya | - | [50] | |
| 2023 | Beqadar Piya | Sunidhi Chauhan, Salim Sulaiman | |
| Maan Meri Jaan (African Version) | Rayvanny | [51] | |
| Maan Meri Jaan (Afterlife) | Nick Jonas | [52] | |
| Sona Re | - | [53] | |
| 2024 | Rang Barse x Yaaron Wali Baat | Karan Kanchan, Shiv-Hari | [54] |
| Aawara | KSHMR, Zaeden | [55] | |
| Bumpa | Jason Derulo | [56] |
Film songs
[edit]| Year | Song | Film | Composer | Lyricist | Co-artist(s) | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | Sahi Galat | Drishyam 2 | Devi Sri Prasad | Amitabh Bhattacharya | - | [57] |
| 2023 | Mere Sawaal Ka | Shehzada | Pritam | Shloke Lal | [58] | |
| Baap Aa Gaya Hai | Rana Naidu | Karan Kanchan | King, Roll Rida | Roll Rida | [59] |
References
[edit]- ^ "Rapper King says Indians only criticise desi artists: 'Ghar ki murgi daal barabar…'". Hindustan Times.
- ^ Azeem, Eba Fatima. "Rapper King Birthday Special: Did You Know King Wrote His First Song In 9th Grade? Read Deets!". News24. Retrieved 8 December 2024.
- ^ Bureau, The Hindu (30 November 2023). "Spotify Wrapped India 2023: Arijit Singh takes top spot for fourth consecutive year; 'Maan Meri Jaan' most-streamed song". The Hindu. ISSN 0971-751X. Retrieved 8 December 2024.
{{cite news}}:|last=has generic name (help) - ^ "10 Indian rappers and their educational qualifications". mirchi.in. Retrieved 8 December 2024.
- ^ "The Unstoppable Journey of King in the World of Rap". Eat My News. Retrieved 8 December 2024.
- ^ Sabharwal, Punita (9 February 2024). "Reign of the 'King': Arpan Kumar Chandel". Entrepreneur. Retrieved 8 December 2024.
- ^ Daswani, Venesa (6 June 2024). "Breakout Artist King Makes His Mark in Southeast Asia". Masala Magazine. Retrieved 8 December 2024.
- ^ Levine, Nick (28 October 2023). "King: "I want to show that Indian sounds can blend with any sound in the world"". NME. Retrieved 8 December 2024.
- ^ IANS (8 September 2022). "MTV Hustle 2.0: Rapper King's Life Comes To Full Circle As He Returns As Squad Boss After Being A Contestant In 1st Season". Koimoi. Retrieved 8 December 2024.
- ^ "EXCL! Tu Aake Dekhle fame King reveals the secret behind every generation vibing on his songs, 'I was not expecting ...'". Times Now. 31 October 2022. Retrieved 8 December 2024.
- ^ author/ians (5 May 2024). "Rapper King reflects on importance of Indian artistes taking their culture across the world - www.lokmattimes.com". Lokmat Times. Retrieved 8 December 2024.
{{cite web}}:|last=has generic name (help) - ^ The Gorilla Bounce by King on Apple Music, 15 October 2021, retrieved 8 December 2024
- ^ "King's cinematic EP 'Khwabeeda' to feature a collection of short stories". The Times of India. 13 May 2022. ISSN 0971-8257. Retrieved 8 December 2024.
- ^ "Spotify wrapped 2023: Arijit Singh becomes most-streamed artist, King's "Maan Meri Jaan" is most-streamed song in India". The Indian Express. 29 November 2023. Retrieved 8 December 2024.
- ^ "Warner Music India artists dominate major streaming platforms' Year End Roundup in 2023". www.radioandmusic.com. Retrieved 8 December 2024.
- ^ Mier, Tomás (20 April 2023). "Nick Jonas and Indian Star King's Duet About 'Everlasting Love' Is Transcending 'Borders'". Rolling Stone. Retrieved 8 December 2024.
- ^ "Why Spotify Is Hitting High Notes In India". Forbes India. Retrieved 8 December 2024.
- ^ "In Three Months Since Launch, Popstar King's Brand Blanko Hits Rs1 Crore Per Month Run Rate In Revenue With House Of X". Forbes India. Retrieved 8 December 2024.
- ^ "Latest in entertainment, lifestyle, fashion | t2ONLINE - Vibe With The tRIBE". www.t2online.in. Retrieved 8 December 2024.
- ^ "King: 'Mana Teri Ho Na Saki' is dedicated to girls who've given their all but couldn't express". The Times of India. 17 February 2024. ISSN 0971-8257. Retrieved 8 December 2024.
- ^ "King To Drop His New Album 'New Life': 'Sometimes Being Late, Is Being Right On Time'". Outlook India. 5 October 2023. Retrieved 8 December 2024.
- ^ "Watch King's Vibrant Poolside Performance Of "Good Trip" | Global Spin | GRAMMY.com". grammy.com. Retrieved 8 December 2024.
- ^ "Rapper King's song 'Good Trip' gets featured at Grammys Recording Academy!". mirchi.in. Retrieved 8 December 2024.
- ^ Taylor, Poppy (29 September 2023). "EA SPORTS CELEBRATES A NEW ERA FOR THE WORLD'S GAME WITH FC 24 SOUNDTRACK - Music". Verge Magazine. Retrieved 8 December 2024.
- ^ Tagat, Anurag (14 September 2023). "KING's 'New Life' India Tour Announced with 11 Cities". Rolling Stone India. Retrieved 8 December 2024.
- ^ "Sony India appoints King as brand ambassador | Marketing". Campaign India. Retrieved 8 December 2024.
- ^ Kappal, Bhanuj (3 July 2023). "GQ Hype: Hail to the King". GQ India. Retrieved 8 December 2024.
- ^ "Rapper King performs at IPL 2023 final, crowd grooves to his songs. Watch video". The Indian Express. 29 May 2023. Retrieved 8 December 2024.
- ^ Chakravorty, Reshmi (28 August 2024). "Rap music is a raw and real form of expression: Arpan Kumar Chandel". The New Indian Express. Retrieved 8 December 2024.
- ^ "Singer King collaborates with Jason Derulo for his next party song 'Bumpa'". India Today. 26 April 2024. Retrieved 8 December 2024.
- ^ "Singer Zaeden shares his experience of working with American musician KSHMR". mirchi.in. Retrieved 8 December 2024.
- ^ "How King created his latest banger track, 'Shining Star'". RedBull.
- ^ "Rapper King To Make Debut Appearance At 77th Cannes Film Festival". Zee News. Retrieved 8 December 2024.
- ^ "Arpan Chandel (King)". Forbes. Retrieved 8 December 2024.
- ^ Hirwani, Peony (3 April 2024). "COVER STORY: They Don't Call Him King for No Reason". Rolling Stone India. Retrieved 8 December 2024.
- ^ "Indian rapper 'King' perform live at the Calcutta Boating Club". www.telegraphindia.com. 10 January 2023. Retrieved 28 August 2024.
Famous for chartbusters like 'Tu aake dekhle', 'Maan meri jaan' and 'Ghumshudaa', King made his fans dance to his beats
- ^ Shah, Masumi (20 August 2024). "Rap music is a huge ecosystem in India now: King". Times of India. Retrieved 22 August 2024.
From his early days at MTV Hustle to producing hits like Maan Meri Jaan and Tu Aake Dekhle and coming up with albums like The Carnival to his latest Monopoly Moves, King has come a long way.
- ^ Singh Sisodia, Upendra (25 May 2021). "Listen To King Rocco's New Album, "The Gorilla Bounce"". Siachen Studios. Retrieved 23 August 2024.
- ^ "Rapper King Chuffed With The Response To His Album 'Champagne Talk'". Outlook India. 16 November 2022. Retrieved 23 August 2024.
- ^ Ray, Sanjana (14 December 2023). "King's New Life, Ankur Tewari's Akela: Top 10 Indian albums of 2023". GQ India. Retrieved 23 August 2024.
- ^ News Network, Bollywood Hungama (11 July 2024). "KING set to embark on Monopoly Moves Album Listening Party Tour across 8 Indian cities". Bollywood Hungama. Retrieved 23 August 2024.
- ^ "King's cinematic EP 'Khwabeeda' to feature a collection of short stories". Times of India. 13 May 2022. Retrieved 23 August 2024.
- ^ Vaigankar, Shukrta (15 July 2023). "Rapper King's latest track 'Teri Ho Na Saki' from his extended playlist 'Shayad Woh Sune' is out now!". Business UpTurn. Retrieved 23 August 2024.
- ^ "King". Apple Music. Retrieved 26 August 2024.
Also known as King Rocco, the man born Arpan Kumar in 1997 made his first waves in India's hip-hop community with a self released pair of confrontational early singles, "Zinnda" and "Hitman".
- ^ "KING's New Track Jaane De Yaara Brings The Heat". Urban Asian. 15 October 2020. Retrieved 26 August 2024.
- ^ "Arjun Kanungo releases 3 tracks from debut studio album 'Industry'". Times of India. 16 June 2022. Retrieved 26 August 2024.
The tracks include the official Indian rendition of Vaultboy's number one international hit 'Everything Sucks', 'Foto' featuring Rashmeet Kaur and 'Ishq Samundar' featuring KING.
- ^ Murthy, Neeraja (28 December 2021). "'Dhoondein Sitaare' will resonate with everyone, say Aastha Gill and King". The Hindu. Retrieved 26 August 2024.
- ^ "Watch New Hindi Trending Song Music Video - 'Ilzaam' Sung By Arjun Kanungo, King". Times of India. 7 April 2022. Retrieved 26 August 2024.
- ^ "Warner Music India Signs Indian Breakout Artist King". PR Newswire. 15 December 2022. Retrieved 23 August 2024.
He even released a remix for his groovy track "OOPS," featuring Masked Wolf of the viral chartbuster "Astronaut in the Ocean" fame.
- ^ "Popular Hindi Video Song 'Naya Nazariya' Sung By King". Times of India. 25 April 2023. Retrieved 25 August 2024.
- ^ Milimo, Dennis (1 March 2023). "Rayvanny teams up with India's King for a new tune 'Maan Meri Jaan'". Classic FM. Retrieved 23 August 2024.
- ^ Banerjee, Diya. "Hip hop artist, 'King' collabs with Nick Jonas for 'Maan Meri Jaan' (Afterlife)". Radio Mirchi. Retrieved 23 August 2024.
- ^ Tagat, Anurag (29 October 2023). "KKING Flexes a Diverse Catalog at 'New Life' Tour Kickoff in Bengaluru". Rolling Stone India. Retrieved 26 August 2024.
Whether it was moshpits or sing-alongs, KING balanced it all with songs across his catalog, traversing synthwave, jazz, rock, tropical house vibes and a tip of the hat to Bollywood/Indipop with his version of "O Mere Sona Re Sona" from 1957's Teesri Manzil
- ^ "Get ready to groove as The House of McDowell's Soda showers festive cheer with classic remix of Rang Barse". Radio and Music. 19 March 2024. Retrieved 26 August 2024.
- ^ "American DJ KSHMR collaborates with Indian pop stars King & Zaeden on new track 'Aawara'". CNBC TV18. 22 March 2024. Retrieved 25 August 2024.
- ^ "King joins force with global pop star Jason Derulo for a summer anthem Bumpa". Hindustan Times. 26 April 2024. Retrieved 23 August 2024.
- ^ "King lent his voice to the 'Mere Sawaal Ka' track from the Kartik Aryan and Kriti Sanon film 'Shehzada'". Koimoi. 10 March 2023. Retrieved 27 August 2024.
- ^ "Drishyam 2: King On His Bollywood Debut With Rap Song 'Sahi Galat', "I Have Always Believed In Hard Work…"". Koimoi. 17 November 2022. Retrieved 23 August 2024.
- ^ "Rana Naidu New Song: 'Baap Aa Gaya' By King And RollRida Shows The World Of 'Fixer' Rana Daggubati". ABP Live. 16 March 2023. Retrieved 23 August 2024.