What is Desi Hip Hop?
Desi hip hop is a term for music and culture which combines hip-hop with desi influences; the term desi referring to the Indian subcontinent (specifically India, Pakistan and Bangladesh). The term “desi hip-hop” was given by Bohemia for music and culture which combines the influences of hip-hop and the Indian subcontinent; the term desi referring to the South Asian diaspora. The genre encompasses rap performed in Hindi, Punjabi, Urdu, Bengali, Tamil, Marathi, and other South Asian languages, often layered over beats that incorporate traditional instrumentation—tabla, dhol, sitar—alongside Western production techniques. Desi hip hop functions both as popular music and as a medium for articulating diasporic identity, social critique, and street-level storytelling.
Origins & Lineage
In the 1990s, the first rap song India ever heard (in the mainstream, at least) came out of discos. Harjeet Singh “Baba” Sehgal dropped his massive hit, “Thanda Thanda Paani,” and it caught fire quickly. In the '90s, a wave of first-gen Asian immigrants in the UK were dealing with a racism-drenched society that was steadily diversifying. Speaking to the tensions and struggles of living in a foreign, often hostile language, the music blended Indian classical instrumentation, Bollywood vocals, jazz, dub, drum and bass, hip-hop, and jungle. Apache Indian burst onto the scene in the early to mid-1990s, fusing reggae beats seamlessly with rap lyrics. Hailing from the United Kingdom, he became one of the first Desi rap artists to captivate audiences worldwide with his fresh sound. In the late 1990s, a groundbreaking Desi rap group by the name of Karmacy emerged on the scene, leaving an indelible mark on the evolution of the genre. What set Karmacy apart and solidified their position as pioneers was their innovative use of various Indian languages in their albums.
The release and popularity of Bohemia’s second album Pesa Nasha Pyar in 2006, which also featured veteran American rapper Snoop Dogg, is considered as a turning point for Desi hip-hop, accompanying the growing role of NRIs and cultural intermediaries bringing fundamental hip hop elements like DJing, graffiti, and breakdancing into Indian masses. Meanwhile, Yo Yo Honey Singh transformed, popularized hip-hop and rap into the mainstream Indian audience, beginning with the release of the track “Glassy” in 2006 with Ashok Masti which featured Singh rapping in English and the music being produced by himself as well. The 2010s saw the rise of “gully rap” from Mumbai’s slums, exemplified by Naezy’s “Aafat!” (2014) and the collaboration “Mere Gully Mein” (2015) with DIVINE, which captured street-level narratives of urban struggle.
How It’s Practiced
Desi hip hop is practiced through rap performance, beat production, cyphers, rap battles, graffiti, breakdancing, and video production. Although it draws heavily from US hip-hop and UK grime, its MCs rap in slang-infused regional languages and dialects, each with their own theatrical cadences and quirks. And with an emphasis on socio-political issues, and pride in where they’re from, these MCs rap about life on Mumbai’s streets and the troubles facing everyday people. Artists started mixing traditional sounds and instruments like the tabla, dhol, and sitar into their tracks, creating a distinct fusion that resonated with local listeners. V’s greatest hits stand out for being distinctly Indian—while he raps in English, his hooks often include Sanskrit shlokas emerging from Vedic texts.
Also, 2017 saw a major boost in this genre through the start of rap battle culture introduced by an entertainment and music production house named 6FU. Rap battles being a culture of western countries, saw India inheriting it and witnessing its first rap battle in regional languages through 6FU’s first event, Frontline, that was held in Delhi. Another big hip-hop collective, SpitDope Inc., was founded in Hauz Khas, Delhi, by rappers MC Kode, Encore ABJ, and yungsta in 2014, which organised events, especially rap battles, every weekend in Deer Park.
Desi Hip Hop Today
Their music caught the attention of director Zoya Akhtar and inspired her to make a film about the Mumbai rap scene called Gully Boy starring Ranveer Singh and Alia Bhatt. The film is loosely based on the lives of DIVINE and Naezy who were consulted for the rap aspects of the film. The reality TV show MTV Hustle, which aired its first season in 2019, has also been credited for pushing the genre forward and providing a platform to aspiring rappers, like King amongst others. After Gully Boy, hip-hop truly took off in India. Within a couple of years, scores of talented artists started releasing music in every possible Indian language—Bengali, Khasi, English, Marathi, Gujarati, Punjabi, Tamil, and so many more. Given the vast diversity of India’s ethnic and cultural identities, desi rap now represents the voices of people who may be different in where they come from, but united in what keeps them going.
In April 2025, Nas visited India again to perform at the Mass Appeal Presents: The World Reunion—A Charity Concert, hosted by Mass Appeal India, at The Nesco Center, in Mumbai. He was accompanied by various Indian-origin rappers, such as, Divine, Raftaar, Ikka, KR$NA, King, and Steel Banglez. Diaspora artists continue to bridge cultures: rappers Riz MC and Heems of the group Swet Shop Boys incorporate many South Asian influences in their music.
Common Misconceptions
Desi hip hop is not synonymous with Bollywood rap. While some artists have contributed to Hindi film soundtracks, due to the exposure through Bollywood, rap became a household term and an increased production of rap music was observed, especially in the Punjabi music industry. There is also a negative sentiment among some followers of hip-hop culture in India regarding the recent commercialization of the genre. There is an ongoing debate among the hip-hop community about the contribution of Honey Singh to the genre. While some artists including Badshah, Ikka, Deep Money and Manj Musik have acknowledged his contribution to the industry, others like Raftaar, Bohemia and Imran Khan have openly denied it. The tension between underground authenticity and commercial success has shaped the scene since the late 2000s.
Desi hip hop also does not constitute cultural appropriation of Black American art. South Asian American hip-hop culture, the authors show, was conceived in resistance to oppression and mobilized a brown liberation movement. Many artists explicitly acknowledge hip hop’s African American origins and position their work in solidarity with racialized communities worldwide.
How to Begin
For those seeking to understand desi hip hop, start with the 2019 film Gully Boy and its soundtrack, which offers a cinematic entry point into Mumbai’s gully rap scene. Listen to foundational albums: Bohemia’s Pesa Nasha Pyar (2006), DIVINE’s Kohinoor (2019), and tracks by Naezy, Raftaar, Prabh Deep, and Brodha V. Explore the 2008 essay collection Desi Rap: Hip Hop and South Asian America, edited by Ajay Nair and Murali Balaji, for scholarly context on the diaspora dimension. For live experience, attend cyphers and battles organized by collectives like Azadi Records or Gully Gang Entertainment. YouTube channels like DesiHipHop TV curate emerging artists across languages and regions.