All together, now

Desi hip-hop hits different. We freestyle in Bihari, Nagamese, Konkani and Tamil. Delhi rappers trade disses with Kashmiri crews. Dalit rap follows bhajan beats... even Spotify can’t keep up. Give the genre an Aadhar card

- Taranna Khetpal

Turn the volume up. India is in the middle of an epic hip-hop takeover.

The music - in English and regional languages - was among the top four most-streamed genres in the country, with 490 billion streams. As Billboard launches its awards in India this year, they're already prepping to formally track DHH (Desi Hip-Hop). India got its own edition of Rolling Loud, the world’s largest hip-hop festival, last year. This year, it is also organising regional warm-ups, club nights and year-round events. Delhi duo Seedhe Maut is taking its sound to Singapore, France, the US and seven more countries this summer. And indie labels are busy signing on the Amdavad sound from Gujarat, desert folk rap from Rajasthan, gaana rap from Tamil Nadu, Dakhini rap from Hyderabad and Karnataka, Koshur Rap from Kashmir and more.

Gully Boy references? Leave them back in 2019. The genre is levelling up, branching out and changing our idea of Indian music. Let's break it down.

Entry is free-ish

There's less gatekeeping in hip-hop than there is in, say, classical or jazz. “It’s a genre you can participate in without heavy investment or years of training,” says Vidya Venugopal, director at Chennai-based label Atti Culture. “You can go on YouTube, find a beat, pick up a pen, and start writing.” The DIY vibe extends to the recording too. There’s been a sharp spike in the sales of home-studio gear since the pandemic. Most artists start off with a Focusrite interface and condenser mic, and take it from there.