CONCERTS TAKE OVER CONSOLES: HOW THE GAMING INDUSTRY BECAME MUSIC'S NEW STAGE

Desi hip-hop is a mainstay at Esports events, bands are inspiring video game characters and artists have a lot to gain from the boom in video games

- ANURAG TAGAT

At gaming talent hunt series College Rivals’ finale in Mumbai, gamers were quizzed about their favorite lyrics by New Delhi hip-hop duo Seedhe Maut. When asked to complete the lyrics, a pair of girls reeled off the New Delhi rap duo’s quickfire lyrics to “Namastute.” Elsewhere, someone nailed the hook to “Hola Amigo.”

Some might argue that this kind of activity is more suited to a music festival, but gamers are more tuned in than ever to Calm and Encore ABJ's hard-hitting tunes. It helps that the duo are avid gamers themselves, and have often worked in references to gaming on tracks like “Sick & Proper.”

Perhaps that’s why Seedhe Maut have been favorites at College Rivals, performing at the first edition’s finale in Bengaluru alongside the likes of Chaar Diwaari and Muhfaad. ABJ Encore and Calm returned to take the stage at the Mumbai finale last month as well, alongside pop/hip-hop artist Dizlaw and singer-songwriter Pho.

The event is part of a wave of Esports outings popping up in cities across India. But College Rivals, a joint venture between Singapore gaming and entertainment company Ampverse and digital financial solutions company DMI Finance, isn’t the only festival making a mark. There’s Nodwin Gaming’s BGMI Masters Series for the game Battlegrounds Mobile India (BGMI), several Esports competitions within college cultural festivals and the Indian Ministry of Information and Broadcasting’s Waves festival in Mumbai from May I to 4, 2025, which also includes an Esports championship.

Ampverse Group CEO and co-founder Charlie Baillie says, “Gaming in India is evolving much like music streaming did a decade ago—experiencing rapid growth and shifting consumer habits. At the heart of this transformation is the need to create authentic experiences that seamlessly blend gaming and music, whether through in-game concerts, gaming x music collaborations, or immersive digital events.”