Smitten by the hip hop culture and rap music, youngsters in Himachal Pradesh are becoming a sensation on social media as they are weaving pahari dialect into their rap songs! What makes their initiative different is that many of the rappers have blended local dialects and culture of the state in their songs. Be it in Hindi, English, Chambiyali, Mandyali or Kangri, rappers from across the state are making their presence felt on social media as well as various other platforms.
Some of these young stars have made their way to MTV Hustlers, a popular hip hop reality show that features upcoming rappers. These artistes are also making their presence felt in popular audio streaming platform Spotify and on YouTube with many of their songs gaining acclaim.
Know these young artistes
Shimla Cypher, a hip hop community envisioned and established in Shimla, has set the foundation and given a platform to budding rap artistes. A 20-year-old rapper from Shimla and the founding member of Shimla Cypher, who goes by the stage name Eddy, said he was introduced to the hip hop genre in 2020. “I was instantly drawn to the genre and later got introduced to Indian artistes such as Raftaar and Krishna. From thereon began our journey. With time, our community has only got bigger with our page getting collective views that are in millions. The only hurdle for us is that we do not have much funds to make music videos and record songs in big studios,” Eddy said.
Not the ones to be left behind, even girls are making waves in the world of rap with Rapper Rani, her stage name, winning accolades. “I love going to Shimla Cypher because it’s a space where I can truly speak my mind without fear of judgement. As a female rapper, that sense of belonging is so important, and here I feel like I’m exactly where I’m supposed to be, surrounded by people who understand and respect my craft.”
What started with five teenagers has now developed into an underground sensation with over 150 rap artistes from across the state and in Shimla itself. Since March 2023, the artistes have been showcasing their talent with freestyle raps, beat boxing and music production. They gather twice a month on Sundays and showcase their skills. Not just Shimla, rap artistes from Mandi, Solan, Kangra and other areas also reach Shimla to participate in these sessions.
Gaining ground
With increase in their popularity, the rappers also got a chance to perform during Summer and Winter Carnivals held in Shimla. Their hard work started to pay, as Eddy and his fellow rappers got a chance to perform in a show featuring a renowned rapper from Delhi, named Raga, in Ahmedabad, Gujarat.
The youngsters have also bagged a sponsorship from Urban Monkey — a Mumbai-based hip hop fashion brand. Now these young guns plan to make an impact at the national and even at the international level by making Himachali hip hop as popular as rap songs in other languages.
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