BADSHAH BIOGRAPHY - AGE, CAREER, SONGS & FACTS

Badshah, born Aditya Prateek Singh, is a Delhi-born rapper, singer, songwriter and music producer who rose from the underground hip-hop collective Mafia Mundeer to become one of Bollywood's most bankable hitmakers.

Born on 19 November 1985 in Delhi, Badshah (age 40 as of October 2026) broke into the mainstream with his 2012 single "Saturday Saturday" and went on to deliver a string of chart-topping party anthems, including "Abhi Toh Party Shuru Hui Hai", "DJ Waley Babu", "Kar Gayi Chull" and "Kala Chashma". This biography covers his age, career milestones, hit songs, awards, personal life and the latest updates.

Early Life

Aditya Prateek Singh was born on 19 November 1985 in Delhi. He studied civil engineering at Punjab Engineering College, Chandigarh, before choosing music as his full-time career.

He began performing under the stage name "Cool Equal" and later renamed himself Badshah on the suggestion of fellow rapper Yo Yo Honey Singh. He co-founded the hip-hop group Mafia Mundeer with Honey Singh and Raftaar; the group split in late 2011-early 2012 over credit disputes, a story Badshah recounted in a September 2024 interview with The Lallantop.

Career

Badshah's breakout came with his 2012 single "Saturday Saturday", which was later featured in the film Humpty Sharma Ki Dulhania (2014). His Bollywood run includes "Abhi Toh Party Shuru Hui Hai" (Khoobsurat, 2014), which crossed 1 billion YouTube views, "DJ Waley Babu" (2015), "Kar Gayi Chull" (Kapoor & Sons, 2016), "Kala Chashma" (Baar Baar Dekho, 2016), "Garmi" (Street Dancer 3D, 2020), "Genda Phool" (2020) and "Naina" (Crew, 2024), a collaboration with Diljit Dosanjh.

He also scored his Bhojpuri hit 'Paani Paani' with Khesari Lal Yadav, expanding his reach beyond Hindi and Punjabi audiences.

Internationally, Badshah released "Voodoo" with J Balvin and Tainy in 2022 (via Rolling Stone), which later received a Lil Baby remix.

His albums and EPs include O.N.E. (Original Never Ends) (17 August 2018), The Power of Dreams of a Kid (7 August 2020), 3:00 AM Sessions (2023), Ek Tha Raja (18 March 2024, released via Universal) and the Fitoor EP (16 August 2025), his first independent project with no featured artists.

On television, he has served as a judge on MTV Hustle, Indian Idol (2024-present), India's Got Talent, Dil Hai Hindustani and India's Got Latent.

Awards

Badshah's verified award wins (all per Wikipedia) include the BritAsia TV Music Awards 2017 for Best Bollywood Act and the PTC Punjabi Film Award for Best Punjabi Music of the Year for "Wakhra Swag".

He has also been nominated for the Filmfare Award for Best Playback Singer (Male) for "Tareefan" from Veere Di Wedding, and for Best Playback Singer-Male at the 25th IIFA Awards for "Naina" from Crew.

Recent Work

In 2025, Badshah released the Fitoor EP (16 August 2025), his first fully independent project with no features.

In February 2026, he became the first Indian rapper to appear at the NBA All-Star Celebrity Game (News18). In June 2026, he was featured on Jasleen Royal's single "Inaam" (Times of India).

On 26 August 2026, at All About Music 2026 in Mumbai, Badshah announced his fifth album, Gentle Monster (Billboard India; Mirchi.in, 27 August 2026), revealing a recorded collaboration with Shreya Ghoshal and the launch of his own label, Pentertainment 0075.

In March 2026, his track "Tateeree" drew an FIR in Haryana over allegedly obscene content; Badshah issued a public apology and re-released the song as "Tateeree Phir Se" (Hindustan Times, TheQuint, India Today).

Personal Life

Badshah married Jasmine Masih in 2012. The couple have one daughter, born in 2017, and divorced in 2020 (Hindustan Times, September 2024).

He married actress Isha Rikhi in March 2026; the couple announced their mutual separation on Aug 31, 2026 (TOI, NDTV, Hindustan Times, ANI).

Badshah is a teetotaler. Beyond music, he runs hospitality ventures including the Dragonfly Experience in Delhi and Mumbai, three restaurants in Chandigarh - Sago Spice Symphony, Seville and Sidera - and Badboy Pizza in Mumbai (2025).

Watch the Official Video

Watch the official video of "Genda Phool" by Badshah, released on Sony Music India.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: What is Badshah's real name?
A: His real name is Aditya Prateek Singh; he was born on 19 November 1985 in Delhi.

Q: How old is Badshah?
A: He is 40 years old as of October 2026.

Q: What was Badshah's first Bollywood hit?
A: His breakout was the 2012 single "Saturday Saturday", which featured in Humpty Sharma Ki Dulhania (2014).

Q: Is Badshah married?
A: He was married to Jasmine Masih from 2012 until their divorce in 2020, and to actress Isha Rikhi from March 2026 until the couple announced their mutual separation on 31 August 2026.