Meet Prithu Vashishth aka Pri-V, 15-yr-old rapper from Delhi’s Presidium School

Mukta Munshi

A student of Presidium School in New Delhi’s Ashok Vihar, 15-year-old Prithu Vashishth calls himself “just a normal 15-year-old kid who does normal stuff like going to school”. But many know him as Pri-V, the rapper, who keeps his passion for music alive amid all his books. “Though I am born and brought up in Delhi, my heart belongs to Haryana, my hometown is Bhiwani,” he says. Excerpts from an interview:

When did you start rapping? Why rap and not any of the other music forms?
I started rapping at 10, though I was introduced to the genre much earlier. My first single was out when I was 12. The song was called Dad-Son rap song. I dabbled in writing when I was 9, and my dad noticed my spark and dad helped hone it.

Take us through your process of making songs. Who writes it, who composes it? Where are the songs released?
I take inspiration from what’s happening to me to pick up sounds that I want to experiment with. This is how I pick the beat, the rhythm, the flow, and based on what the music is making me feel, I write the lyrics while the music plays on loop. I usually work alone, but my dad suggests a few changes from time to time, and I truly value his contribution.

How do you divide your time between studies and music?
I wake up early in the morning and write my lyrics because I truly believe that my best work comes when I wake up and feel fresh. There is just something about the morning peace that helps motivate me. The rest of the day is devoted to studies. It’s been a journey finding out what works best for me, but I have realised that while pursuing passions is important, so is education. They really do go hand in hand.

What are your other interests and hobbies apart from rapping?
Music is my passion, but it is just one of the things I’m into. I also like to think I’m okay at cricket, although I have played for the under 14 and 16 teams for my school. I’ve always been interested in chess, it’s such an interesting sport I have written some poetry and published a few articles with Scholastic.

Do you plan on pursuing music as a full-time career? What’s your future course of action?
Definitely! If I’m lucky enough, and the people give me a chance, I would love to pursue it as my full-time career. I want to concentrate on my academics for now but I do think I have found a good balance. In the years to come, I see myself as a lyricist/rapper/musician. I want to keep being inspired by the world and hopefully, share even a little bit of what I see with the people around me.

Who is your inspiration?
My father. I am so inspired by everything he does. He is also very engaged with rap and hip-hop culture; he is quite the rapper himself. I also am very inspired by Eminem.

So far how many songs have been out, and can we expect more coming up?
Together we’ve made three songs- The Dad-Son Rap Song, Killer Hai Killer, and 14 Saal. While the other two songs were duets with my dad, 14 Saal is actually my first solo. I’ve been writing all my verses myself. There’s so much in the world to write about, and I find inspiration in the little-big things.

In our society, rapping is something that is not seen as a good career option. What is your father’s take on your rapping journey? Does he approve?
Yeah, he does! In fact, he’s the one who introduced me to this world and I am so grateful to him for not just that, but his continued support. His encouragement has kept me going. He is a rapper too, so he understands.