GAJENDRA PURI GOSWAMI
Outside Bombay’s Fading
Gully Rap, Inside Delhi’s
Burgeoning Hip Hop Scene
On the stage they’re fierce opponents
ready to go at each other’s neck at
any given point, off the stage they are
confidants who strive to better each
other. I could hear their croaky voice
from the moment I reached underneath
the building of an upscale co-living
space in Delhi’s Hauz Khas locality - an
area which has beared witnesses to the
incredible journey of these artists from
organising their first rap battle in a
lacklustre parking lot to performing in
clubs across the country. My eyes veered
towards the rostrum as soon as I reached
upstairs, where Prabhdeep - one of Delhi
Hip-Hop’s mainstays - was resonating
a similar message on the mic, urging
his fellow colleagues to lock this day
in their memory boxes as they venture
to scale higher feats in their career.
The Azadi Records artist reiterated
the message after the show where he
urged them to not succumb to industry
pressure and lose the essence of their
struggle in search of internet visibility
and commercial success. Prabhdeep’s
heartfelt message and an evening among
Delhi’s Hip Hop heralds reinstated the
faith in me that India’s hip-hop scene was
alive (and flourishing) even outside the
successful mirage of Bombay’s Gully rap.
There is something unique about the
soul of Delhi Hip-Hop that motivates
its artists to keep their voice raw and
distinctive even in times when most
artists on the other spectrum are
caught up in the whirlwind of Youtube
views and brand collaborations. The
artists here are engaged in an endless
endeavour to sharpen their craft even
when the spotlight is not shining them.
The audience here too, unlike Mumbai,
has set a precedent in keeping the art
above the artists and refused to exalt
rappers into godly figures who cannot
be critiqued. In return, the artists have
kept themselves in check and focused
on creating a timeless body of work
that resulted in albums (and EPs) like
Class Sikh, 2 Ka Pahada, Showtime, and
Bayaan.
Yet, there is an excessive shortage of
work in the industry for these artists.
Apart from the Azadi Records signees,
none have had a regular touring circuit.
Artists like Yungsta and Frappe Ash have
managed to pull in standalone gigs but
only with the genius of their own artistic
brilliance. As MC Kode, one of the scene’s
adhesive players, points out, “The venues
and IPs in the city have failed to reach
out to the artists. Whatever gigs are held
are organised by the artists themselves,
mostly in exchange for some barter with
the venue or brands.” One of the reasons
for the same is the lack of a cohesive
music industry in the city where artists
could flourish alongside managers, venue
owners, promoters, brands, and the
audience. Kode also points out towards
the lack of performing venues in the city.
He remarks,“Bombay has venues like
The Habitat where IPs like ATKT hosts
regular gigs. The atmosphere here is not
that encouraging.”
Kode may be right, but the fact is
that Delhi has as many performance
venues as Mumbai. The discrepancy
between the two cities lie in the lifestyle
pattern of their audience. Mumbai is a
cosmopolitan hub with a vibrant nightlife
scene which gives venues there an edge
in pulling crowds. Delhi, on the other
hand, remains largely shut after 10 PM.
Thus, the only audience the venues here
draw are a handful of music enthusiasts
are the artists’ earliest supporters and
will remain loyal to them even if the
hip-hop fervour in India fades away. Yet,
hip-hop acts in Delhi keep toiling their
muscle in a fit of artistic inspiration.
They strive not to attain a million
Youtube views, but to earn respect from
their peers which is a reflection of the
city’s deep-rooted hip hop culture.
The
Score Magazine
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