Malayalam Rappers Are Representing India On Global Hip-Hop Scene

The ‘Big Dawgs’ are currently roaring in the international hip-hop scene with the success of Hanumankind and other rappers from Kerala who are gaining attention from around the world. Currently, there is a track called “Manka” which is captivating hip-hop enthusiasts as well as Ranbir Kapoor with Dabzee’s creative works. Don’t confuse Kapoor with the Bollywood actor as he is the senior representative of artists and repertoire (A&R) at the American record label Mass Appeal’s India division.

 It starts with a flavor of Muslim Folk track Mappila pattu and it soon offers a major hook with groovy digital beats along with breathless Malayali bars. The same goes with Hanumankind’s infectious bars that made the whole world groove and spread through social media like fire.

These highly talented Malayalam Rappers are constantly evolving with each release using an experimental approach. There is an amazing fusion approach to embracing the regional language and flavors of music while taking inspiration from the Western hip-hop culture.

The Influence of Kapoor is also there since he made sure to push Mass Appeal for Kerala when saw Dabzee from Malappuram performing at the Spotify’s Rap 91 hip-hop festival in Mumbai which took place in December 2022.

The label which was co-founded by American rapper Nas worked with Dabzee in August 2023 along with other top rappers from Kerala namely Baby Jean, Vedan, ThirumaLi, Yung Raja, MC Couper, and Hrishi.  Kapoor further emphasized that “There is no language barrier for music consumption,” just like the Latin track ‘Gasolina’ became an instant global hit.

A lot of hip-hop lovers would already know that Bengaluru-based rapper, Hanumankind is currently on the top 10 of Billboard Global charts as ‘Big Dawgs’ made its place to the no. 9. There is a big influence on the music video for the track that focuses on the local hip-hop scene in Kerala along with the ‘Well of Death’. Wearing a white vest with a mustache surely created the craze like Freddie Mercury.

The Kerala hip-hop scene has been blowing up for the past couple of years and it is at its prime now. A rapper from Thiruvananthapuram named MC Couper is best known for his intriguing lyricism. He said, “Back then, we often wondered if rap would even be accepted here and if we could ever build careers in music.” And further added, “It’s crazy to think how far we’ve come, it all seems like a dream at times.”

Due to Malayalam rap, Spotify is witnessing 300% growth in followers which is creating a huge market for India.