Entertainment / 10 Desi Rappers To Watch Out For In 2020

10 Desi Rappers To Watch Out For In 2020

Entertainment Jan 13, 2020

by Sara Singh

When it comes to new year things, there’s always the excitement of tracking your fave artists. Check out our list of 10 Desi rappers to watch out for in 2020.

Hip hop’s emergence in South Asia over the past few years has altered the music industry. The genre has come a long way as it was not too long ago that hip hop originating from India was typically a cliché version performed by Bollywood stars, and largely dismissed by the outside world. Desi hip hop from artists outside of South Asia have also continued to flourish, with Desi rappers constantly reaching new heights. As we look what this decade will bring, we revisit our previous list of the 10 South Asian Rappers Who Are Recognized Globally and updated it this time around.

1. Bohemia

**10 Desi Rappers To Watch Out For In 2020: Bohemia.** Photo Credit: www.TimesofIndia.indiatimes.com

While most of our list is comprised of relatively new stars, our number one spot goes to Bohemia, the godfather of Desi Hip Hop. The reason for this is he remains the one Desi artist to capture fans in India and across the globe. Bohemia’s style is old school, but through collaborations he has maintained relevance, and through his Kali Denali label, he has empowered the next wave of Desi artists.

2. Divine

The fact that he did not appear on our previous list shows just how far the Indian rap scene has come. He has not only risen from the slums of Mumbai to achieve stardom in India, but he has also achieved success outside of music, serving as the inspiration for the film Gully Boy. He has inspired the next generation of Indian rappers, similar to how Bohemia exposed the previous wave of Desi Hip Hop. Now it will be interesting to see if Divine can become the first Indian rapper to become an international star.

3. Shah

He’s viewed as the Desi rapper destined to achieve true international superstardom rivaling that of rappers Drake and Kanye West and Bollywood star Shah Rukh Khan. Shah who released his first single in 2016 has amassed a hardcore following in America and recently toured Europe. Shah’s achievements have all come as an independent artist, which is impressive, but have likely limited Shah’s growth. Shah also has yet to perform in India, which will be an important step in Shah fulfilling his exciting potential.

4. Nav

Nav has garnered more North American music industry success than any other Desi rapper, including Bohemia. Nav is a bonafide North American rap star. However, Nav is not widely considered to possess the ‘it factor’ needed to achieve global superstardom in Hollywood or Bollywood. His lyrical content lacks the depth of the other rappers on this list and might fail to captivate an Indian audience, but given that he has already achieved a number 1 album in America his lack of Indian success might be inconsequential.

5. Raftaar

Raftaar possesses a larger following than any other rapper on this list. He appears in Bollywood hits and more traditional Indian hip hop songs. He was formerly a member of Mafia Mundeer, a group formed by Yo Yo Honey Singh. Unlike Singh, however, Raftaar is highly regarded in India as a rapper, and not a Bollywood singer who also raps. However, Raftaar has not attracted a fanbase outside of India, which will be important for Raftaar to be considered a true international heavyweight.

6. Anik Khan

Anik Khan is the Bengali-born rapper who represents Queens, New York and raps about overcoming obstacles as an immigrant. Similar to Shah he is a respected lyricist who is engaged in social causes, including the campaign for 2020 US Presidential Candidate Bernie Sanders. Similar to Bohemia he has received music industry support that has enabled his presence in South Asia. The doors have opened for Anik Khan and we look forward to seeing him parlay these opportunities and advance his career to a truly international level.

7. Raja Kumari

Raja Kumari has achieved impressive success in the American music industry, including a Grammy nomination in 2015. While this accolade was as a songwriter, and not an artist, Kumari has since emerged as an impressive solo artist. Similar to Bohemia, Kumari was able to translate her American success into India, following her collaboration with Divine in 2017.

8. Emiway Bantai

Emiway Bantai quickly emerged as one of the most buzzed about rappers in India, following his rap battle with Raftaar and appearance in Divine’s film Gully Boy. Similar to Shah and Anik Khan, Bantai is an independent rapper, however Bantai’s following far exceeds that of any other independent Desi rapper. The reason Bantai doesn’t appear higher on this list is he remains relatively unknown outside of India as his style sounds somewhat dated relative to his international counterparts. His path to stardom, beginning with a diss track and being amplified by a movie, isn’t the most sustainable, making him the artist on this list most at risk of fizzling out.

9. Abhi The Nomad

**10 Desi Rappers To Watch Out For In 2020: Abhi The Nomad.** Photo Credit: www.facebook.com

Abhi The Nomad was one of the most talked about artists during 2019’s SXSW, the world’s biggest festival for emerging music acts. The buzz surrounding Abhi has quieted, this isn’t necessarily problematic. Abhi has a similar sized following as Shah and Anik Khan, but because Abhi’s musical style serves a much smaller niche, he isn’t viewed as possessing the same superstar potential. Similarly, there is no anticipation of a foreign market explosion for Abhi as there is for Divine in North America, or for Shah and Nav in South Asia. This lack of pressure should allow Abhi to organically grow at his own pace.

10. Hard Kaur

10 Desi Rappers To Watch Out For In 2020: Hard Kaur. Photo Credit: www.hindustantimes.com

Hard Kaur’s place on this list is not strictly due to her current success as an artist, but also due to the trail she blazed as the first internationally recognized female Desi rapper, paving the way for artists like Raja Kumari. These days, Hard Kaur might be known as much for her activism as she is for her music.

Honourable Mentions:

Raxstar

The British rapper has been making waves since his 2005 release “Keep It Undercover” and his consistency over the last 15 years have made him a stalwart of Desi Hip Hop

Fateh Doe

Since his 2009 debut, Fateh has become a household name in Punjabi hip hop. Similar to Shah and Nav who appear on our top 10 list, Fateh is also from Toronto.

Thoughtsfornow aka Shiv

New York’s Shiv collaborated with world renowned AR Rahman for his breakout single “Hayati”.

Main Image Photo Credit: Steve West, www.tunecore.com, www.facebook.com

Sara Singh

Author

Sara Basma (https://medium.com/@sarabossma) is an emerging entertainment journalist from Athens, GA. She's currently studying communications at the University of Miami. Among her areas of interest & expertise are hip-hop subgenres, including: Desi hip-hop, Soundcloud rap, golden trap and politic...

COMMENTS

December 2019-Hot South Asian Films From Bollywood And Beyond

ANOKHI Life Holiday Gift Guide 2019: Get Lit With These Cool Books By Desi Authors

South Asian TV Stars: Desis Who Dominated Prime Time In 2019

Gurinder Chadha On The Timeless Story Of Empowerment In "Bend It Like Beckham: The Musical"

8. Twitter War: Celebs From India And Pakistan Sound Off On Article 370

5. Why 'Period. End Of Sentence.' Is The Most Important Movie That You Need To See Now

1. A Little Late With Lilly Singh: Have We Finally Convinced Hollywood That We Exist?

January 2020 Hot South Asian Films From Bollywood And Beyond

5 Pakistani Dramas Worth The Binge

Grammys 2020 Highlights: Top 12 Moments We Can't Forget

February 2020 Hot South Asian Films From Bollywood And Beyond

Sohan S. Koonar Tackles The Whitewashing Of Sikh History In His Book "Paper Lions"

10 Desi Rappers To Watch Out For In 2020

by Sara Singh

Sara Singh

COMMENTS

YOU MAY ALSO LIKE