From street food to nightlife, Chinese rapper Jackson Wang soaks in all things India

Popular singer-rapper Jackson Wang, who is on his second trip to India, says he is in the country to “observe, absorb and be inspired” by everyday lives, whether it is sampling Mumbai’s street food or playing cricket on the beach with locals.

Wang is in Mumbai to promote his upcoming album “Magic Man 2”. He previously visited the country for a performance at Lollapalooza India in 2023.

During his week-long trip, the singer said he has picked up words like ‘namaste’, and ‘shukriya’. He hopes to spend the rest of his time “without a direction and destination.”

“(Where) I can just go out and experience it myself, and not someone trying to show me around the town. So, whatever the locals are doing, I want to just follow, observe, absorb, learn and also be inspired,” Wang told PTI.

The 31-year-old singer is a part of the popular K-pop group “Got7”, and is credited for hits such as “Blow” and “100 Ways”.

The singer’s video of eating spicy street food like vada pav and meeting Hrithik Roshan has already gone viral on social media. His meeting with Roshan also sparked rumours of a possible collaboration on “Krrish 4”. But Wang said these reports are fake. “When we’re together, especially Hrithik and I, we don’t talk about work”, he said.

When asked what all he has experienced during his short trip, Wang said, “I forgot the name, but I liked the yoghurt and the crispy ball with beans in it (dahi sev puri). I’ve also had a sandwich on the street with mayonnaise and cheese, and the potato ball inside the bun (vada pav), I like that too. I am allergic to chilis, but I am okay with spices. I had a great time.”

“When I was recharging, I started writing my personal diaries, which turned into music. The way the entire ‘Magic Man 2’ looks is what I felt internally, it’s not based on one thing, it’s everything in general. Every single song is about what and how I feel about reality, society, and humanity.”