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With a career built on precision, lyrical dexterity and unrelenting self-belief, KR$NA has long established himself as one of the most respected names in Indian hip-hop. But with Yours Truly, his debut mixtape, the rapper goes beyond just bars and bravado. This time, it’s personal.
Getting Candid With KR$NA
Yours Truly isn't just a project. It's a love letter to himself, his fans and to the journey that shaped him. “It reflected what I wanted to say to myself and also to my fans,” KR$NA shares. “The track' Yours Truly is a letter to myself but also an ode to everyone who’s been with me on this journey. I did this for them.”
Unlike a traditional album, KR$NA sees this mixtape as a stepping stone. “I knew this was not going to be the album,” he explains, adding, “I wanted to experiment with different genres within hip-hop, work with a multitude of producers and artists. The idea was to learn and find my sound. I now feel confident enough to take all of that and create something even more cohesive.”
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For some reason, I was never accepted by the underground community or supported by larger commercial artists. I kept to my own lane, driven only by passion. But this podcast gave me a way to contextualise that and acknowledge those who saw it back then
The mixtape cleverly stitches together moments from a 2015 podcast titled Voice of the People, where KR$NA was a topic of discussion on episode 15. It’s a powerful inclusion, one that offers a rare peek into his mindset. He shares: “They were saying things I’d always felt. It was almost like validation. For some reason, I was never accepted by the underground community or supported by larger commercial artists. I kept to my own lane, driven only by passion. But this podcast gave me a way to contextualise that and acknowledge those who saw it back then.”
Collaborations on his debut mixtape read like a bold, unexpected line-up. From Seedhe Maut and Badshah to Aitch, each name brings a distinct flavour to the mix, yet none of it feels out of place. “None of it was forced,” KR$NA explains. “With Seedhe Maut, we spent an entire night trying to get the track right. Enkore came through with a hook idea that tied everything together. With Badshah, I was done with the mixtape but he reached out and said we should work together. We made that track in a day; it all happened organically.”
At its core, Yours Truly is anchored in self-belief, something KR$NA had to draw on often during the making of the tape. He admits, “There were moments I felt burnt out. Some tracks didn’t sound right and it was frustrating. But I knew I could do this. Once I had a clear vision, everything began to fall into place.”
Despite pulling from diverse sonic influences, the mixtape flows effortlessly. The key, KR$NA says, lies in the structure. “The interludes from the podcast, the themes I was exploring, they acted like anchor points. I kept checking how it flowed from one track to another, making sure it was smooth. There’s a bit of Dancehall, Afrobeat, something funkier with Seedhe Maut but it all comes together.”
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At a time where music is often released in bite-sized pieces and artists chase virality, KR$NA’s choice to craft a full-length body of work feels intentional, almost defiant. “I’ve done singles and EPs. People were expecting an album, but I decided to challenge myself with a mixtape. I’m my biggest critic, and I take my time. I believe that music should be given space to breathe. There are so many little details people haven't caught even days after the release. That’s what I wanted for the project to be lived with.”
Raftaar calls the mixtape, “Raw, honest and global in its appeal”, while Badshah describes KR$NA as, “a brilliant artist who has always worked towards creating a legacy,” and Aitch says, “He’s a proper guy; hopefully we'll make some more music in the future.”
And if there’s one thing he wants his listeners to take away from Yours Truly, it’s this: “Life will throw good and bad your way. The secret is to not give up. If you have the strength to say no and believe you’ll bounce back, that’s everything. Self-belief and hard work, that’s the formula. That’s the message I wanted to share.” It’s a sentiment echoed by those who’ve worked with him. Raftaar calls the mixtape “raw, honest and global in its appeal”, while Badshah describes KR$NA as “a brilliant artist who has always worked towards creating a legacy”. Even Aitch drops a note of appreciation: “He’s a proper guy, hopefully he'll make some more music in the future'.”
With Yours Truly, KR$NA hasn’t just dropped a mixtape. He’s laid out his heart, revisited old wounds, found clarity in chaos, and shared a project that feels deeply human. It’s honest, unfiltered and full of intent and maybe that’s exactly what the scene needs right now.