Raja Kumari and Shah Rule’s maiden collaboration

City Slums hitmaker Raja Kumari and recording artiste-music producer Shah Rule have collaborated for the first time on Kaun Hai Tu, which is all set to release today. The track by the Grammy-nominated Indian-American singer-songwriter and the rapper is high-octane and cold-blooded. The straightforward lyrics and impactful hook line take pertinent potshots at naysayers and trolls, bringing to the fore the passion and aggression of both the artistes’ distinctive personas.

Shah Rule gained fame this year as the artiste who took down Ranveer Singh’s Murad in Gully Boy, and also wrote the chorus of Kaun Hai Tu with D’Evil. It was after he played the track for Raja Kumari at a social gathering that the duo landed up in the studio for this track.

Raja Kumari says, “Shah Rule and I have been friends for a long time now and collaboration was long overdue. I am a big fan of his voice and melodies and knew our tones would blend together so well. This record is about being confident and not accepting trash talking of any form. The lyrics talk about loving yourself, being comfortable in your own skin and owning what you stand for.” She adds that this is the first song where she is singing a hook entirely in Hindi.

Shah Rule adds, “Kaun Hai Tu was something on my list ever since I met Raja Kumari a couple of years ago. Once I saw where the track was headed, I thought right away that she’d sonically fit perfectly on the track and topic-wise, I knew she’d slay it.” For him, it came from a place of receiving criticism and hate from people who don’t have the authority or the credentials. “The lead hook line is something Raja and I have heard on countless occasions and this is what we would tell someone who’s negative opinion does not register with us,” he states.