Desi hip-hop seems to be getting it right since the recent past. MCs from around the country have been linking up, putting on shows and proving the fact that they’ve got their flow as well as their priorities on point. The holy underground duo of Naezy and DIVINE might have caught your eye, but there’s a whole bunch of these gully-wanderers rippin’ it up and really putting their own organic, Desi twist on the genre.
Here are some you should check out!
1. Naezy
The quintessential Bombay fly boy, Naezy lays down conscious, Desi rap with a flair seldom seen in the scene. This guy talks local, rapping about the place he grew up and the issues we face today.
2. MC Prabh Deep
This guy’s been building up quite the reputation recently. Based out of Delhi, his face and his blistering bars have been popping up at venues around the country to considerable acclaim. Check out his track titled ‘Feel Me‘, the production’s immaculate.
3. DIVINE
DIVINE is one of the most recognisable faces to come out of the Indian hip-hop underground. His breakout track ‘Mere Gully Mein‘ was a shout out to the people of the slums of Mumbai, and he’s been on a roll ever since it dropped sometime last year.
4. Mumbai’s Finest
These guys have been going at it for a couple of years now, but they’ve shown no signs of slowing down. The Mumbai collective is made up of members Ace aka 39, Kinga Rhymes aka Cynical Phanton, Ninja aka Shinobi, I’n’Stine and D- hood. Most people dig em’, so you should give them a listen.
5. Brodha V
His strange fusion of hip-hop with largely Hindustani/devotional music makes for an interesting listen, plus his delivery is pretty effortless as well. He’s been getting them Youtube hits, but not the attention he deserves.
6. Smokey The Ghost
Perhaps the most flawless chopper on this list, Smokey The Ghost raps in English, and his style and delivery is fuckin’ fantastic. He was part of the seminal (?) group MWA, or Machas with Attitude, which is a great fuckin’ name as well. Overall, this guy’s quite a boss.
7. MC Mawali
A Mumbai boy through and through, Mawali raps in Marathi, and has been going at it since he was in the 9th grade. His family might be all about that devotional music, but this guy’s used those schoolboy musical inklings to forge an identity in the Desi rap circuit all on his lonesome.
8. MC Tod Fod
Real name Dharmesh Parmar, MC Tod Fod is all about keeping it real, and stripping away the shitty idea people have about rap or hip hop music being everything Honey Singh considers holy. He tells it like it is, and it’s pretty damn refreshing.
9. Dee MC
Dee MC aka Deepa Unnikrishnan is one of the few underground female rappers the country has to offer, and, wouldn’t you know it, she’s from aamchi Mumbai. Starting off as a Indian classical dancer, Deepa soon transitioned into a more neo hip-hop dance form, which finally culminated in her turning to full blown rapping.
10. Pardhaan
This Karnal based beat dropper raps in Hindi and Haryanvi, and has an uncharacteristically raw production sound that seams perfectly with his voice. Check out his collaboration called ‘Rapper’s Delight‘ with the ever-suave Harry Cheema, it’s a banger.
This should sort out your playlist for a while!