New Delhi (PTI): Reality shows are often criticized for being overhyped and hip-hop artist Hard Kaur who recently featured on a TV dance show feels though it's easy to poke fun at them, it is quite a different story altogether for a participant.

"We make fun of reality shows from the outside. But it was brilliant, although I had to be careful. This was a dance show and I always wanted to dance," says Kaur who has now been voted out of Jhalak Dikhla Ja contest.

Being a rapper is tough but for Kaur, billed as the country's first female rapper, the road to success has not exactly been a cakewalk.

"To become an artiste is easier in India because the English society is predominantly male dominated. As an amateur whenever I used to perform the boys always got their payment but I was left stranded at times," says Kaur.

After her family moved to England, the rapper says she began to be called Hard Kaur rather than her real name Taran Kaur because of her ability to stare down at problems and because she was "not afraid of anyone."

"While most people appreciated my work and said "Chak de Phatte" there were others who clearly looked down on me. Even my mother had given me the go ahead in this career on the condition that I be successful," recollects Kaur.

Kaur, shot into fame in India with her hit single Ek Glassy that was part of album by the band Sona Family.

She also crooned the song Move your body in Neil Nitin Mukesh's film Johhny Gaddar.

"Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy took a big risk when they took me for the film. If the song was a success, the credit goes to them," says the rapper who was recently in the national capital to cheer the Indian T20 cricket squad.

Meanwhile, about the reality show which pitted teams of celebrities and choreographers against each other, Kaur says it was fun to be a part of even though she was eliminated from it.

"In my case, I think the right choreographer and got the right celebrity. Just be yourself, and look how much love I got from the audience," says the Punjab born rapper who picked up hip-hop from TV.

"I fell in love with hip-hop and now I see people in India are grooving to it in their day-to-day lives."

Kaur, whose first solo album Supawoman was released in 2007 gains satisfaction in being a role model for the young.

"It feels good to be India's first female rapper and a role model for the youth. But I say, just look at yourself. For me the meaning of a star is someone who didn't compromise and did exactly what they wanted to do. To believe in yourself is the key to stardom."

Being a rapper means a lot to Kaur who wants women to explore the world outside their homes.

"The life of a woman is not just about sorrows and sitting at home. I respect my culture and values but I don't limit myself. I am an artist, I am not hurting anyone," says Kaur.