Goes by the stage name Badshah, do you know Aditya Prateek Singh Sisodia’s father wanted him to become an IAS officer?

The year was 1992, when a music artist named Baba Sehgal introduced the rap genre to India. Gen Z may not be aware of Sehgal’s name, but they certainly know about Badshah, one of the leading rappers in India who took the genre to another level. Known for chartbusters like Saturday Saturday, Chull, DJ Waley Babu, Abhi Toh Party Shuru Hui Hai, Morni, Kokaina, and Daaku, November 19 marks the birthday of Badshah, who turns 40 this year.

To mark his birthday, we have compiled some lesser-known facts about Badshah for his diehard fans.

IAS Officer

(Credit- GQ)

Hailing from a middle-class family, Badshah’s father wanted him to be an IAS officer. In an interview with IANS, the rapper admitted, “At one point in time, I wanted to become an IAS officer. For many middle-class individuals, this is the desired path. Studying engineering, getting an MBA degree, and appearing for the UPSC exam is the way to go. So, my father wanted me to become an IAS officer too.”

A different stage name

(Credit- The Indian Express)

Aditya Prateek Singh Sisodia didn’t always go by his present stage name, Badshah. Before choosing Badshah as his stage name, his moniker was “Cool Equal”. However, Aditya changed his stage name to Badshah after the release of Shah Rukh Khan’s film of the same name in 1999. The rapper, being a fan of SRK, was heavily inspired by the name and kept it as his stage name.

A family man

(Credit- ZoomTV)

Given his cool rapper lifestyle, many perceive Badshah to be a single, which is correct. However, Badshah was once married to Jasmine Masih. They met through a common friend and got married in 2012. The couple had a daughter named Jessemy Grace Masih Singh, and unfortunately, Badshah and Jasmine separated in 2020. Badshah, who rarely speaks about this chapter from his life, shared a few details on the podcast, Prakhar Ke Pravachan. He also stated, “We separated because it was not healthy for our child. I get to meet my child, but not that often, as she lives in London.” Despite drawbacks in his former marital life, Badshah remains a man heavily committed to his other family members.

A man of taste

(Credit- British GQ)

From shoes to cars, Badshah is undoubtedly a man of fine taste. However, many may not be aware that he also has a thing for good movies. In fact, Badshah admires the work of Christopher Nolan, Martin Scorsese, and Anurag Kashyap. While speaking to IANS, he revealed that he had acted in several school plays and believes he has the necessary acting skills to make it to the big screen.

As Badshah turns a year older and wiser, we wish him a healthy and happy life with even more success, because for him, the sky is the limit.