Royal Banarasi: Turning a Troubled Past Into Dark, Unfiltered Hip-Hop

Based in Varanasi, India, Dev Pandey’s journey into hip-hop started early, long before structure, discipline or direction entered the picture. As a kid, he was drawn to music through energy and vibe, songs that felt exciting, immediate and addictive.

But that phase did not define him.

What came next did.

From Influence to Identity

The early spark came from mainstream tracks and childhood exposure, but everything changed when he discovered artists like Eminem.

It was not just the sound.

It was the honesty.

The way personal struggles, mistakes and chaos could be turned into music without filters. That idea shifted something internally.

Music stopped being entertainment.

It became expression.

And more importantly, it became a tool to process things he could not ignore anymore.

Owning a Past Most People Hide

Royal Banarasi does not position his past as a clean, inspirational story.

It was messy.

Bad decisions.
Damaged reputation.
Habits that affected not just him, but his family.

This is where most artists choose distance.

He chose the opposite.

Instead of hiding it, he decided to use it.

That shift is what defines his music today. The struggles are not background context. They are the foundation of his writing.

The honesty in his tracks does not come from imagination.

It comes from experience.

Learning Without a System

Unlike artists who come up through structured environments, Royal Banarasi built his foundation alone.

No mentors.
No formal guidance.
No clear roadmap.

He learned by experimenting.

Writing.
Failing.
Rewriting.

That phase shaped his raw approach to music. Later, support from someone like Shant Bhaiya helped him understand the technical side of recording, but the core identity was already formed by then.

Self-built.
Unfiltered.
Unpolished in the right ways.

Choosing a Lane Most Avoid

What makes Royal Banarasi stand apart is not just his story.

It is the lane he has chosen.

He focuses on:

• hardcore lyrical rap
• horrorcore elements
• dark, atmospheric storytelling

This is not a commercially safe direction.

It is not designed for easy consumption.

His music often leans into discomfort, cold tones and themes people usually avoid. The intention is not just to entertain, but to provoke.

To make listeners pause.

To make them think.

Discomfort as a Creative Tool

For a first-time listener, his goal is not immediate acceptance.

It is impact.

He wants the listener to feel something unsettling at first. Aggression, intensity, unpredictability. But beneath that surface, there are layers.

Pain.
Thought.
Dark humor.
Internal conflict.

If a listener has to replay the track to fully understand it, that is not a failure.

That is the point.

Featured Tracks: Intensity With Depth

Tracks like Swadde Ka and Soch Ke Dekh represent two sides of his approach.

One leans into raw energy and hardcore delivery.

The other moves toward introspection, showing that behind the aggression lies reflection and thought.

Together, they highlight what he is trying to build.

Music that is not one-dimensional.

The Reality of the Path He Chose

Royal Banarasi is operating in a space where one major conflict exists.

Depth vs accessibility.

His writing focuses on:

• layered meanings
• complex rhyme structures
• references and storytelling

But a large part of the audience prefers simpler, more immediate music.

This creates pressure.

To simplify.
To adjust.
To fit in.

He is choosing not to.

That decision slows growth in the short term, but defines identity in the long term.

Current Phase: Doubt and Direction

Right now, he is navigating a difficult phase.

Creative block.
Lack of motivation.
Questions about whether this path is sustainable.

At the same time, he is handling everything independently.

Writing.
Recording.
Releasing.
Promoting.

Without a team, without structured guidance.

This is the phase where many artists either dilute their sound or stop completely.

He is still pushing through it.

What Comes Next

One of his upcoming tracks, Letter for Myself, reflects a deeper direction.

A horrorcore narrative built around a conversation between his present self and his inner child.

Innocence vs reality.
Who he was vs who he became.

This is not just another release.

It is a continuation of his core idea.

Turning internal conflict into structured storytelling.

What People Often Miss

One of the biggest misunderstandings about his music is surface-level interpretation.

Listeners often hear aggression and darkness, and stop there.

But the intent is not shock value.

It is reflection.

Every line comes from a real place, shaped by mistakes, growth and self-awareness.

The Meaning Behind the Journey

Royal Banarasi is not trying to present a perfect version of himself.

He is documenting the imperfect one.

The mistakes.
The learning.
The evolution.

He wants listeners to understand that this journey is not just about music.

It is about becoming someone different from who you used to be.

The Takeaway

Royal Banarasi is not building for easy acceptance.

He is building for depth.

For listeners willing to go beyond the surface.
For people who understand that discomfort can carry meaning.
For those who are not looking for polished perfection, but for something real.

Because sometimes, the most powerful music does not come from clarity.

It comes from confronting everything that isn’t.