Roll Rida

{{Infobox musical artist

| name = Roll Rida

| image = Roll Rida.png

| caption =

| image_size =

| birth_name = Rahul Kumar Velpula

| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|df=yes|1989|01|26}}

| birth_place = Warangal District, Telangana

| origin = Hyderabad, Telangana, India

| genre = Hip hop, R&B, Indi-pop

| instrument = {{flatlist|

Vocals
keyboards
drums
sampler

}}

| occupation = Rapper, songwriter, actor

| years_active = 2010 – present

}}

Rahul Kumar Velpula (born 26 Jan 1989), known professionally as Roll Rida, is an Indian rapper, songwriter and actor in Telugu films and music.{{cite news | url=https://www.hindustantimes.com/tv/bigg-boss-2-telugu-june-16-update-nani-appreciates-deepthi-sunaina-calls-out-samrat-for-being-a-bad-captain/story-O0OMc9Ovqs0iI6HynN7QmM.html | title=Bigg Boss 2 Telugu, 16 June update: Nani appreciates Deepthi Sunaina, calls out Samrat for being a bad captain | date=17 June 2018 | newspaper=Hindustan Times | accessdate=8 June 2019 }}

He became popular with his YouTube rap song on Sankranthi, Patang,{{Cite web|date=2016-01-12|title=Watch Here: 'PATANG' Rapper Music Video Which Made People Go Craze All Over{{!}} Sankranthi Special {{!}} Roll Rida, Kamran|url=https://allindiaroundup.com/news/patang-rapper-music-video-roll-rida-kamran/|access-date=2021-12-25|website=All India Roundup|language=en-US}} was a huge hit with over 17 million views. His other popular songs are Kirana rap, Breaking news Kattif, Shankar Ka Beta, Ivvalane Dilkush, Ignite, Arupu{{Cite web|last=Kanoj|first=Priyanka|date=2018-08-27|title=Bigg Boss Telugu 2 contestant Roll Rida's rap song Arapu takes the internet by storm|url=https://www.ibtimes.co.in/bigg-boss-telugu-2-contestant-roll-ridas-rap-song-arapu-takes-internet-by-storm-778846|access-date=2021-12-25|website=www.ibtimes.co.in|language=en}} etc.[https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/events/hyderabad/Hyderabad-raise-a-toast-to-mana-very-own-Telangana-rapper-Roll-Rida/articleshow/53911055.cms Telugu Rapper: Hyderabad, raise a toast to mana very own Telangana rapper, Roll Rida | Events Movie News – Times of India] In 2018, he appeared as a contestant for Bigg Boss 2 and successfully reached the 15th week of the show and finished in 6th place.{{Cite web|date=2018-09-23|title=Bigg Boss 2 Telugu: Roll Rida to be eliminated|url=https://www.tollywood.net/bigg-boss-2-telugu-roll-rida-to-be-eliminated/|access-date=2021-12-25|website=Tollywood|language=en-US}}

Early life

Roll Rida was born in Karimnagar, Telangana, India. He did his schooling at Johnson Grammar School in Hyderabad; intermediate at Narayana Junior College, Tarnaka and completed his BTech in computer science from CVR College of Engineering, Hyderabad. He was popular for his singing in school and started a band in college with Syed Kamran.{{citation needed|date=September 2020}}

Career

Roll Rida initially worked at Google, Hyderabad and as Quality Analyst at Tech Mahindra.{{citation needed|date=August 2018}}

He picked his professional name, Roll Rida, upon a friend's suggestion, after popular American rapper, Flo Rida, of Low song fame.[https://www.thehindu.com/entertainment/music/roll-ridas-ignite-a-musicians-travails/article17465829.ece Roll Rida’s Ignite: A musician’s travails – The Hindu][https://www.thehindu.com/features/metroplus/dilkush-hyderabad-on-the-rap-map/article8508779.ece Dilkush: Hyderabad on the rap map – The Hindu] He quit his job to pursue his successful singing career in 2017.{{citation needed|date=March 2020}} His rap song ‘Arupu’ with Syed Kamran became popular.{{Cite web|title=రోల్ రైడా 'అరుపు'.. గౌరవం పెరిగిందంటూ ప్రశంసలు|url=https://telugu.samayam.com/telugu-movies/cinema-news/roll-ridas-telugu-rap-arupu-garners-respect-for-the-issues-it-addresses/articleshow/65562205.cms|access-date=2021-12-25|website=Samayam Telugu|language=te}}[https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/telugu/music/roll-rida-and-manishas-arupu-rakes-in-almost-2m-views/articleshow/65669609.cms Roll Rida and Manisha's 'Arupu' rakes in almost 2M views] He was the first to do a rap song in Telugu language from Telangana State.{{Cite news|title=Hyderabad, raise a toast to mana very own Telangana rapper, Roll Rida - Times of India|url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/events/hyderabad/hyderabad-raise-a-toast-to-mana-very-own-telangana-rapper-roll-rida/articleshow/53911055.cms|access-date=2021-12-25|website=The Times of India|date=30 August 2016 |language=en}} In 2013, he debuted on Sankranthi with a single, Patang, on YouTube became a huge hit, with over 14 million views.{{Cite web|date=2016-01-12|title=Watch Here: 'PATANG' Rapper Music Video Which Made People Go Craze All Over{{!}} Sankranthi Special {{!}} Roll Rida, Kamran|url=https://allindiaroundup.com/news/patang-rapper-music-video-roll-rida-kamran/|access-date=2021-12-25|website=All India Roundup|language=en-US}} His songs Patang, Kirana song, Dilkush are popular among young listeners. He toured USA in 2015 and 2016 to promote his Telugu rap and Hip Hop songs. Roll Rida was featured on VH1 in 2010.

He worked with Telugu music directors like M. M. Keeravani, S. S. Thaman and Anoop Rubens. He also performed with Divine.{{citation needed|date=August 2018}} He worked as a voice artist for Akhil Akkineni in the film Manam, and Jr. NTR in Temper.{{citation needed|date=August 2018}} He acted in a short film, Hello!, an urban rom com. It was released on YouTube. He was selected for Bigg Boss 2 for his popularity.[https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/tv/news/telugu/bigg-boss-telugu-2-written-update-july-5-2018-tejaswi-has-a-change-of-heart-on-her-bday-eve/articleshow/64879343.cms Bigg Boss Telugu 2 written update, 5 July 2018: Tejaswi has a change of heart on her b'day eve – Times of India]{{Cite web|date=22 June 2018|title=Bigg Boss Telugu 2: Nani's show impresses viewers, tops the TRP ratings|url=https://www.indiatvnews.com/entertainment/tv-bigg-boss-telugu-2-nani-show-impresses-viewers-tops-the-trp-ratings-448725}}{{Cite web|last=Hooli|first=Shekhar H.|date=2018-06-11|title=Bigg Boss Telugu 2 contestants list: Here are profiles and pictures of 16 participants [Photos]|url=https://www.ibtimes.co.in/bigg-boss-telugu-2-here-all-you-need-know-about-16-contestants-photos-771653|access-date=2021-12-25|website=www.ibtimes.co.in|language=en}} He stayed in the house till the week before the finale of that season.

Artistry

Roll Rida's rapping is a combination of Hyderabadi Telugu and Deccani slang spoken in Hyderabad old city.

Discography

= Singles/Music Videos =

class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders"
scope="col" \|Year ! scope="col" \|Track ! scope="col" \|Lyrics ! scope="col" \|Artist
rowspan="2" \| 2013 \| Patang \| Roll Rida \| Roll Rida
The Kirana \| Roll Rida \| Roll Rida
rowspan="3" \| 2015 \| Dilkush \| Roll Rida \| Roll Rida
Kattif \| Roll Rida \| Roll Rida
Ivvalane \| Roll Rida \| Roll Rida
rowspan="2" \| 2017 \| Shankar ka Beta \| Roll Rida \| Roll Rida
Baitikochi Chuste (RAP Version) \| Shree Mani \| Roll Rida & Dan Madhireddy
rowspan="5" \| 2018 \| Saava Kottethadi \| Roll Rida \| Roll Rida
O Pilla \| Roll Rida \| Roll Rida
KTR Birthday song \| Roll Rida \| Roll Rida
Arupu \| Roll Rida \| Roll Rida
Raadhu \| Roll Rida \| Roll Rida
rowspan="2" \| 2020 \| Don't ride rude \| Roll Rida \| Roll Rida
Nagali \| Roll Rida \| Roll Rida
rowspan="3" \|2021 \|Allu Arjun Rap Song \|Roll Rida, The Hyderabad Nawabs \|Roll Rida & Harika Narayan S. Thaman (composer)
Thaggede Le \|Roll Rida \|Roll Rida & Praveen Lakkaraju (composer)
Chinna \|Roll Rida \|Roll Rida

class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders"

scope="col" |Year

! scope="col" |Track

! scope="col" |Lyrics

! scope="col" |Artist

rowspan="2" | 2013

| Patang

| Roll Rida

The Kirana

| Roll Rida

rowspan="3" | 2015

| Dilkush

| Roll Rida

Kattif

| Roll Rida

Ivvalane

| Roll Rida

rowspan="2" | 2017

| Shankar ka Beta

| Roll Rida

Baitikochi Chuste (RAP Version)

| Shree Mani

| Roll Rida & Dan Madhireddy

rowspan="5" | 2018

| Saava Kottethadi

| Roll Rida

O Pilla

| Roll Rida

KTR Birthday song

| Roll Rida

Arupu

| Roll Rida

Raadhu

| Roll Rida

rowspan="2" | 2020

| Don't ride rude

| Roll Rida

Nagali

| Roll Rida

rowspan="3" |2021

|Allu Arjun Rap Song

|Roll Rida, The Hyderabad Nawabs

|Roll Rida & Harika Narayan

S. Thaman (composer)

Thaggede Le

|Roll Rida

|Roll Rida & Praveen Lakkaraju (composer)

Chinna

|Roll Rida

=Film songs=

class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders"
scope="col" \|Year ! scope="col" \|Work ! scope="col" \|Song ! scope="col" \|Music director !Notes
rowspan="2" \| 2015 \| Bruce Lee \| Chiranjeevi Entry Rap \| Thaman \|
Gopala Gopala \| Pawan Kalyan Intro Rap \| Anup Rubens \|
2016 \| A Aa \| "Anasuya Kosam" Rap Pieces \| Mickey J. Meyer \|
rowspan="2"\|2018	Kumari 21F \|"Lets Party in Bangkok" \|Mahati Swara Sagar \|Kannada
Husharu	"Kaboom", "Bad Boys" (rap portions)	Sunny M.R. \|
2019	Suryakantham \| "Friday Night Baby" (rap) \| Mark K Robin \|
2020 \| Ala Vaikunthapurramloo \| "OMG Daddy" Rap Pieces \| Thaman \|
rowspan="3" \|2021 \|Cinema Bandi \|"Cinema Teesinam" \|Varun Reddy \|also lyrics
Veyishubamulukaluginku \|"Hey Senorita" \|Gyaani \|
Anubhavinchu Raja \|"Kaki Nemali Ke Votu" \|Gopi Sundar \|
rowspan="5" \|2022 \|Hero \|"Donal Daggu" \|Ghibran \|also lyrics
rowspan="2" \|Rowdy Boys \|"Date Night " \| rowspan="2" \|Devi Sri Prasad \|only lyrics
"Rowdy Boys Title Song" \|also lyrics
Bheemla Nayak \|"Bheemla Back On Duty" \|Thaman \|only lyrics
Lucky Lakshman \|"College Song" \|Anup Rubens \|as singer
rowspan="4" \|2023 \| rowspan="4" \|Leo (Dubbed Version) \|"Ney Ready" \| rowspan="4" \|Anirudh Ravichander \|Telugu
"Naa Ready" \|Kannada
"Njan Ready" \|Malayalam
"Ready Chal" \|Hindi
2025 \|{{Pending film\|Bakasura Restaurant\|italic=yes\|align=left}} \| \|Vikas Badisa \|Telugu

class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders"

scope="col" |Year

! scope="col" |Work

! scope="col" |Song

! scope="col" |Music director

!Notes

rowspan="2" | 2015

| Bruce Lee

| Chiranjeevi Entry Rap

| Thaman

Gopala Gopala

| Pawan Kalyan Intro Rap