Singaporean-Indian rapper Rajid, known as Yung Raja, is preparing to make Mumbai a second home. The artist, who first broke through in 2018 with a playful spin on a Lil Pump track, told GQ India that his career can be split into two chapters: before and after India. A multi-city tour in 2022 reconnected him with his heritage and reshaped how he saw his own potential.
Building a Bilingual Sound
Raja is known for pioneering “Tanglish,” a blend of Tamil and English that he arrived at only after experimenting unsuccessfully with writing purely in English and purely in Tamil. Since everyday life in Singapore is naturally bilingual for him, mixing the two languages in his lyrics finally felt authentic. The style has since resonated with South Asian diaspora audiences across Singapore, Malaysia and London.
A Full-Circle Moment With 50 Cent
One of the artist’s most emotional milestones came in 2023, when he opened for 50 Cent in Mumbai. He recalled buying a copy of 50 Cent’s album Curtis as a bullied ten-year-old and later described watching his idol perform from the same stage as one of the most powerful moments of his life.
Raja, who obtained his Overseas Citizenship of India status earlier this year, plans to split his time between Singapore and Mumbai going forward, spending at least six months annually in the Bandra neighborhood he’s chosen as his base. He credits the city’s creative energy, and its concentration of top Indian artists, as central to his decision. Beyond music, Raja has also built a reputation as a style figure, with strong ties to Louis Vuitton and the fashion world surrounding Pharrell Williams.