Mumbai: Rapper Badshah recently opened up about his initial hesitation to come on board as a judge on the hip-hop reality show ‘Hustle.’
He revealed that he had certain conditions before agreeing to be part of it. Badshah said he insisted on fair contracts for artists and prize money substantial enough to change a contestant’s life, recalling the silence in the room when he mentioned the amount. Taking to Instagram, the rapper shared a series of pictures along with a lengthy note. He recalled that his first instinct was to turn down the offer to judge ‘Hustle’ because of the difficult experiences his friends and the wider hip-hop community had faced in the past. However, after hearing the team out, he saw their genuine commitment to building a meaningful platform for young artists. This prompted him to reconsider his decision.
Badshah wrote, “I still remember the room where the Hustle team first approached me to be a judge. My first instinct was to say no. Too much had happened in the past, and I couldn’t ignore what my friends and the hip-hop community had been through. But I listened. And I saw a new team that genuinely cared. Not just about a show, but about a platform that meant the world to so many young artists. I agreed, but not without a few conditions. No unfair contracts. And prize money that could actually change someone’s life. I still remember the silence in that room when I mentioned the amount.”
“Because talent needs more than applause. It needs opportunity. It needs resources. It needs someone to believe in it. And then I met these kids. Strangers became familiar faces. Familiar faces became people I cared about. And somewhere along the way, they became family. Their fears became my worries. Their little victories became my happiness. I wanted to protect them from everything I could, because I knew how much they were already carrying on their shoulders. And before I knew it, we were at the finale,” he added.
The ‘Abhi Toh Party Shuru Hui Hai’ singer went on to state, “Life is strange. Sometimes it opens a door you never intended to walk through. And on the other side, you find something so beautiful that you wonder what you would have missed had you never taken that chance. Hustle was that door for me. And you guys were the beautiful view on the other side.”
“Go out and open as many doors as you can. Make memories and make bangers. I came here to judge a competition. I leave having learned so much about love, courage, dreams, and myself. I don’t know if I’ll be in that big clumsy judge chair next year but I know I’ll carry a little bit of each one of you with me, wherever I go. Your judge, brother, Bade Bhaiya or whatever you want to call me, Badshah, signing off. Love you guys. Always.”
The grand finale of MTV Hustle Season 5: Apna Homeground, concluded October 11.
