Was Badshah Ever A Member Of ‘Mafia Mundeer’? Learn All About Yo Yo Honey Singh’s Hip Hop Platform

Remember the catchy melodies and memorable lyrics that flooded the Punjabi music industry? There was a time when we couldn’t get the lyrics of popular songs like ‘Gabru’, ‘Get Up Jawani’ and ‘Haye Mera Dil’ out of our heads. The Punjabi music landscape was shaken to its core by Mafia Mundeer, who were more than just a band. This talented group of musicians, led by the legendary Yo Yo Honey Singh, shook up a generation with their brazen new sound. Fusing classic Punjabi rhythms with elements of hip-hop, Mafia Mundeer ushered in a new era of music that has had, and continues to have, a lasting impact on musicians and listeners alike.

In a recent interview with The Lallantop, Yo Yo Honey Singh revealed the real meaning of ‘Mafia Mundeer’ and whether Badshah was ever part of their platform.

What is ‘Mafia Mundeer’?

According to Honey Singh, Maafi Mundeer was not a group, it was just a platform. I thought that different artists would come and perform, record and release their songs in this group and no one would be legally bound. Anyone who wants to come can come and anyone who wants to go can go.

The band’s last performance was in 2012. Raftaar, Ikka and Lil’ Golu were members of ‘Mafia Mundeer’, alongside Honey Singh.

How did ‘Mafia Mundeer’ come about?

In the mid-2000s, when Honey Singh’s song “Soda Whiskey” became popular, Mafia Mundeer was formed. Badshah approached Honey Singh for a possible collaboration. Around the same time, Honey Singh got in touch with Raftaar, who in turn brought in Lil Golu and Ikka, two musicians who were already making waves on Orkut. A number of musicians, including Alfaaz, Ninja, Money Aujla and J-Star, became part of the group over time.

Origin of ‘Mundeer’

In the same interview, Honey Singh gave the context of ‘Mundeer’. He said, “I was the one who gave it a name, but today the person who taught me writing, Raj Brar Paaji, is no more in this world. He gave me the name in 2007 when I was going through a very difficult time. He was a very famous singer and writer in Punjab. So I asked him, ‘Paaji, tell me a purely Punjabi word for a gang which is non-violent, like the guys who just hang around on the streets of Delhi. What would you call such guys?’

The singer-rapper added: “So he gave me the name ‘Mundeer Mafia’. It was like an organised platform, similar to a street theatre group, where anyone could come, perform and promote hip-hop. We wanted to talk about real issues, street issues, entertainment – nothing more.”

READ ALSO: Honey Singh talks about his drug addiction and the people who got him into it: ‘Few big names…’

Badshah was never a member of ‘Mafia Mundeer’

Honey Singh made it clear that the “people who claim to be part of ‘Mafia Mundeer’ were never really part of it”. When asked if he meant Badshah, the singer clarified, “No, Badshah is the son of a very senior officer. His father gave me money to do the music for Badshah’s English album. So he is not a talent picked from the streets; he comes from a big family. He is the son of a respected army officer. That’s why he was never part of Mafia Mundeer. Why would someone who comes from a rich family need a small platform like Mafia Mundeer.”

Badshah on ‘Mafia Mundeer’

A year ago, Badshah spoke about his breakup with Honey Singh in an interview with Raj Shamani, in which he said, “Mafia Mundeer was an idea, and like-minded people came together. Initially, it was just me and Honey. In 2009, there was a rift between me and Honey. I used to do a job and I was very scared. Honey too had disappeared from my radar and when I tried to call him, he would avoid my calls. But till the time we were in Mafia Mundeer, we never met. If we had met, things might have been different.”