Six Upcoming Desi Rap Artists You Need on Your Playlist

This is a Nagaland based band which thrives on their austere attitude of simply loving Hip-Hop music, writing poems, painting and sketching. Still Rhyming is the youngest Hip-Hop and Rap band from India which featured on the biggest International Music channels namely Vh1, 9XO and MTV Indies. They were also chosen for the Readers' Choice for Band Of The Month amidst the 83 bands and Artists throughout the world. They have won the Songdew, 9XO I'm on contest and the Best Music Video award at the 4th Music Awards of Nagaland.

Young Dirrt or Geetachandra 'Zing' Chongtham is a Bangalore based Hip-Hop, Rap and RnB singer and songwriter who was born in Imphal, Manipur. If you've heard of the Bangalore rap crew TWO MUCH then you must know that he Young Dirrt- is one half of the band. He has won the Vh1 Rap Battles in the year 2011. Young Dirrt was also awarded the Songdew pick in the June of 2016.

Brotha Hood is a Mumbai based unsigned Rap and Hip-Hop artist who has been releasing his albums and tracks along with Shanawaz Khan since last few years. He had globally released his debut full length album in the year 2016 titled Belief which had garnered him lot of praises.

Darwin Dev is a Dubai based Hip-Hop and Rap artist who is a skilful Aeronautical Engineer and football coach. Darwin quit his job three years back to create rap and since then he has been unstoppable. In an interview with popular English daily Indian Express He said, 'People think that fast rapping makes a good artist. For me, it's more about content, lyricism, delivery, and to use the words to convey your personal experiences to people'. His latest release 'The Indian Struggle' holds testimony to his statement.

Karthik Sundar Gubbi going by the stage name Gubbi is a Bangalore based English, Hindi, Kannada and German rapper who is famous for his multi-lingual raps. He is one of the most gifted rappers in the country who is focused on Kannada raps. In an interview with the popular daily English newspaper- Deccan chronicles- he highlighted that Rap is honest and straightforward. Furthermore his raps are an effort to hold on to his traditions and cultures in an ever-changing cosmopolitan city.

Samir Rishu Mohanty, the Indian rapper who goes by the name Big Deal was born in Puri, Orissa. He is currently based in Bangalore. His songs are a clear reflection of the struggles of Indians in this constricted and hypocritical society. This 25 year old rapper has already formed quite an impressive fan following on YouTube and other social media handles.

Today's youth prefer something real, upbeat and fast. Indie Rappers feel that this is a brilliant opportunity that helps them bring Hip-Hop music in the forefront and also talk about the issues affecting the country. Self- taught rapper Shivanand says that, 'While Rappers in Mumbai talk about life in the streets, rappers in the south talk about their middle class struggles'. However, when you think of rap you can't just think of these glittering Bollywood ones. The real rap is happening beyond the gleaming world of Bollywood. With the incessant burgeoning of Indie artists and talented bands across the country, there is a whole new list of desi rap artists who are all set to rock the country with their music. Here is a list of some of the exceptional desi rap artists whom you must add to your playlist.