The Indian Hip Hop Movement has picked pace with more brands, streaming services and representatives wanting to be associated with the rapidly growing musical sound.
Okay, let’s put it this way. It’s the beginning of a new year, and we ask you to list out some of your favourite songs of 2017. A normal yearly ritual, and something everyone can easily answer. Once you’ve listed your songs, chances are that somewhere there, there is that type-breaking track that has been your jam for the better part of the year, just because it’s infectious, isn’t mainstream and is something so good, that we have a name for it now – the Indian Hip Hop Movement!
With artists like Badshaah, Raftaar, Naezy, DIVINE, Prabhdeep, and more, Indian Hip Hop has seen a phenomenal rise and had especially made its mark as serious business in the year 2017. So much so that even Bollywood has taken to adapting the lives and stories of rappers in the Ranveer Singh and Alia Bhatt starrer, “Gully Boy”, that is scheduled to release later this year.
Music streaming platform, Saavn, is one of the forerunners in recognizing and promoting new and worthy music, and 2017 has been a testament of its efforts in putting the Indian Hip Hop sound on the map. Saavn burgeoned the genre by kick-starting a 360 degree campaign dedicated to it, and launched the #HipHopMovement trend.
Saavn’s Hip Hop Highway audio show streamlined and documented the growth of hip hop in India which further went on to create more awareness about the music and explain how integral it is to the Indian Music Scene on the whole.
February, 2017, further saw Hip Hop artists making it to the limelight as Saavn launched its Artist Originals (AO) show that featured original music by South Asian artists, songwriters and producers from across the world. Mumbai’s own rap mogul, Naezy, was the first to be featured with his track, “Azaad Hu Mai“.
Overall, Hip Hop music in India has seen a steep rise and better representation even at music festivals with the inclusion of live stages that featured a number of hip hop acts. Brands such as Puma and Bira 91, partnered with Saavn, have also caught on to the rising metrics of the musical genre and have been active supporters of the movement via direct association. The song “Suede Gully” that launched under the Puma banner garnered great attention and ensured acceptance and a cult following from the youth as well.
Check out the Bira 91 Hip Hop Playlist here.
The launch of the Bira 91 Hip Hop Channel on Saavn’s streaming platform ensured a dedication and base for curation and representation of some of the best international and desi hip hop songs and artists. With the major success we’ve seen the Hip Hop scene in India get in 2017, it’s only natural that hip hop finds its way to being an unignorable part of music in India.
Stay tuned to the Sherp for more updates.