The Rise of Rap Culture in India; Meet top 10 Indian rappers

Written By Sanjay Maurya

India has long been recognized for its diverse cultural legacy, incredible music and dance forms, and a cultural melting pot unlike any other. However, as generations have passed, changes and evolution have occurred that no one could have predicted. New dance forms, art forms, and music styles continue to enter the market, and while the old will always be gold, people are updating their ways by seeking to adapt to other cultures! Rap music has become one of the most popular and fastest developing music cultures in the twenty-first century.

First Indian Rapper

Baba Sehgal, a Punjabi rapper, brought hip-hop to India in 1990. Harjeet Singh Sehgal (Baba Sehgal) with successful songs like “Thanda Thanda Paani” and “Dil Dhadke,” established the hip-hop v and rap genres. Following that, Bohemia (Roger David), a Pakistani American rapper based in California, ignited the Indian Hip Hop scene in the early 2000s. Bohemia launched his debut album “Vich Pardesan De” with the help of Hip-Hop producer Sha One (Seth Agress). He rose to prominence quickly with the launch of his debut full-length Punjabi rap album, “Pesa Nasha Pyar,” which was a smash hit in India.

The birth of Rap Culture

A group of five individuals, Yo Yo Honey Singh (richest rapper in India), Lil Golu, Badshah, Raftaar, and Ikka, together known as “Mafia Mundeer,” came crashing into the Punjabi rap industry, influenced by Bohemia’s popularity. Throughout their history, the trio has released a slew of popular Punjabi rap songs. Alfaaz and J Star (richest rapper in India), two additional performers, joined the group after some time.

Unfortunately, this group’s glory was fleeting. Several members of the group eventually split away to work on their own. Then, in the early 2010s, Punjabi rappers had a lot of success as they quickly soared to stardom and began writing Bollywood songs. Yo-Yo Honey Singh got paid a whopping 70 lakh for a single song at the height of his popularity.

A youngster named Naved Shaikh (Naezy) came from the streets of Mumbai. “Aafat!” was Naezy’s debut single track. Because of Naezy”s variety, excellent talents, and constructive narrative, the song became viral. Divine’s popularity grew to the point that he was signed to Sony Music Entertainment as an artist. Divine and Naezy collaborated on the song “Mere Gully Mein” in 2015.

Gully Boy, a movie by Zoya Akhtar that was greatly influenced by DIVINE and Naezy, was released in February 2019. The low-key gully rap culture reached a tipping point at this moment. The soundtrack for the film had outstanding poetry and regional music. Many rap artists were included, including MC Altaf, Spitfire, and Kaam Bhari. The voices of the streets gained notoriety and popularity as a result of Gully Boy. From being a small subculture with only a few musicians, India’s rap culture has evolved into a large community.

Even college festivals have begun to feature rap battles, which attract a large number of young people. Rap culture is slowly but steadily becoming one of the most significant aspects of young culture, and it is expanding at a rapid rate.

Rising Rap Culture: Meet Top 10 Indian rapper

01 – Bohemia

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Born: 15 October 1979 (age 42 years), Karachi, Pakistan
Full name: Roger David
Net Worth: 4 million dollars

02 – Divine

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Born: 2 October 1990 – Andheri
Full name: Vivian Fernandes
Labels: Mass Appeal Records India, Universal Music India, Gully Gang Entertainment, Sony Music India
Net Worth: $1 million

03 – Yo Yo Honey Singh

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Born: 15 March 1983 – Hoshiarpur
Labels: T-Series, Mafia Mundeer Records
Net Worth: $25 Million

04 – Badshah

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Born: 19 November 1985 (age 35 years), New Delhi
Full name: Aditya Prateek Singh Sisodia
Net Worth: $5 Million

05 – Raftaar

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Born: 16 November 1988, Thiruvananthapuram
Full name: Dilin Nair
Net Worth: 1.2 crores

06 – Emiway Bantai

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Real Name: Bilal Shaikh
Profession: Singer/Rapper, Editor, Music Composer, Lyricist, Dancer
Net Worth: 29 Crore

07 – Naezy

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Born: 1993, Kurla, Mumbai
Full name: Naved Shaikh
Net Worth: INR 40 crore (2014)

08 – Brodha V

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Born: 27 March 1990, Kanchipuram
Full name: Vighnesh Shivanand
Net Worth: $1 Million – $5 Million

09 – Ikka

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Full name: Ankit Singh Patial
Labels: T-Series, Mass Appeal India (current), Speed Records, Universal Music India, Fab Entertainment
Net Worth: INR 7 Crore

10 – Dino James

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Full Name/ Real Name: Dino James
Debut: Music Song: Loser
Net Worth: 50 lakh – 2 Crore

FAQ

Who are the top 10 rappers in India?
The top 10 rappers in India and richest rapper in India are as follows: –
1. Bohemia
2. Divine
3. Yo-Yo Honey Singh
4. Badshah
5. Raftaar
6. Emiway Bantai
7. Naezy
8. Brodha V
9. Ikka
10. Dino James

Read the full article to explore the Rising Rap Culture of India, the top 10 rappers in India, and the richest rapper in India.

Who is the highest-paid rapper in India?
The highest-paid rapper in India – Yo-Yo Honey Singh – Net worth – $ 25 Million or INR 180 crore /- Charges – INR 15 Lakhs to 40 Lakhs. Yo-Yo Honey Singh got paid a whopping 70 lakh for a single song at the height of his popularity. Read the full article to explore the Rising Rap Culture of India, the top 10 rappers in India, and the richest rapper in India.

Who are the top 10 rappers worldwide?
The top 10 rappers worldwide are as follows: –
1. Notorious B.I.G.
2. Jay Z
3. Eminem
4. Rakim
5. Nas
6. Andre 3000
7. Lauryn Hill
8. Ghostface Killah
9. Kendrick Lamar
10. Lil Wayne

Read the full article to explore the Rising Rap Culture of India, the top 10 rappers in India, and the richest rapper in India.

Who is the highest-paid rapper in the world?
The highest-paid rapper in the world – Kanye West- $2.9 Billion Net Worth – Kanye West is a producer, fashion designer, rapper, and entrepreneur from the United States. Kanye West’s net worth is $6.6 billion as of this writing. He is one of the three wealthiest self-made black men in American history. Read the full article to explore the Rising Rap Culture of India, the top 10 rappers in India, and the richest rapper in India.

Who is the first Indian Rapper?
Baba Sehgal, a Punjabi rapper, brought hip-hop to India in 1990. Harjeet Singh Sehgal (Baba Sehgal) with successful songs like ”Thanda Thanda Paani”and ”Dil Dhadke,” established the hip-hop and rap genres. Read the full article to explore the Rising Rap Culture of India, the top 10 rappers in India, and the richest rapper in India.