Mumbai, June 22 : Rapper Naezy, who first broke into mainstream rap with the song 'Mere Gully Mein' featuring fellow rapper Divine and is a contestant in 'Bigg Boss OTT 3', said that people now are more bothered about emotions and stories rather than raps about women and alcohol.

"Rap and hip-hop have maintained their authenticity because of artists like us. We have brought a dramatic change in the lyricism of Indian raps. Everything has changed. People are now more bothered about emotions and stories instead of rapping about women and alcohol,' Naezy, whose real name is Naved Shaikh, told IANS.

The 30-year-old rapper added: "I introduced hip hop to India, and I have been successful in doing that, and now everything has changed for the better, so I am happy and proud."

Naezy, who grew up in a tenement for the impoverished working class called Ram Bachan Chawl in Mumbai, describes his journey as "very interesting."

"I have seen an incline and I have seen a decline (I have seen ups and downs). From the bottom, I have gone up to the top. It has been an exciting journey. I love this journey, and I want to keep doing hard work to become a better artist in my life and represent India all over the world," he said.

The rapper, whose life inspired the story of Zoya Akhtar's 2019 film 'Gully Boy' starring Ranveer Singh, Siddhant Chaturvedi, and Alia Bhatt, looks forward to joining Bollywood after 'Bigg Boss OTT 3' and doing some "historic things".

So, what made Naezy join the controversial reality show, hosted by Anil Kapoor?

'I want to come into the limelight, I want to spread my message, and I want to conquer people's hearts,' he said.

However, he has no strategy or game plan.

'I have not seen earlier shows. I am going in without any information about it or any game plan.'

/IANS