Best Indian Rappers: India has come a long way in making its presence felt across the world with its amazing music, cultural heritage, and unique blend of cultures and dance styles. However, as time went by, there were developments and changes that no one had imagined. While the old will always be gold, new music styles, art, and dance are being adopted due to Western culture. Meanwhile, rap music has become one of the most popular and fastest-growing musical subgenres, loved by Indians.
India has a huge number of talented Indian rapper who have been making the country proud by showcasing their talent on both domestic and global platforms for decades. Not so soon, but this gradual but promising growth will lead to greater inclusion in the long run and give the Indian wrapping industry a great offering in the years to come. In this blog, we will highlight the best rapper in India who is ruling the rap scene across the country.
15 Best Rappers in India 2024:
From Badshah to Raftaar and Honey Singh, countless rappers have been a part of the Indian rap music industry. All of these artists have successfully introduced music lovers to this genre of music. Below are the top 15 artists who are achieving success in rapping.
1. Yo Yo Honey Singh:
If you are a 90s kid, you would be aware of the rape scene that was prevalent in the country at that time. Honey Singh aka Hirdesh Singh, the most acclaimed and finest rappers of India, has long been known as the Godfather of Rapping. He redefined Indian rap music with his powerful lyrical prowess, unruly attitude, and unabashed style.
Honey Singh, who works as a music producer and is popular as a rapper, debuted in the Punjabi music world as a recording and session artist in 2003. For the youth of the country, Singh was a cult figure for the first two decades of the 21st century who lined the path for young artists from Punjab. Perhaps, this legend is craving for the No.1 spot in Indian rap music which he created all by himself.
Age: 41 years
Hit Song: Desi Kalakaar, Blue Hai Paani Paani, Angrezi Beat, High Heels, Chhote Chhote Peg
2. Badshah:
Known as the Badboy of the Hindi Film industry, Badshah is one of the best Indian rappers. His childhood name is Aditya Prateek Singh Sisodia. Delhi-based Badshah is a songwriter and singer who got introduced to the world of music after enrolling at NIT, Durgapur to become a civil engineer and became a rapper. Also known for his catchphrase “It’s your boy Badshah”, Aditya played a key role in turning rappers into the hottest genre in India. Moreover, he brought together some of the best young MCs.
Age: 38 years
Hit Song: Kar Gayi Chull, DJ Waley Babu, Genda Phool, Abhi Toh Party Shuru Hui Hai, Kala Chashma
Also Read: Top 20 Punjabi Singers in India | Photos & Networth
3. Raja Kumari:
Despite not being born and raised in India, Raja has established herself as an Indian rapper. Real name Swetha Yallapragadha Rao, she is a veteran of the rapping industry who truly represents the powerful women of India with rigorous standards. Raja is a true inspiration and has a huge influence on Indian rap and hip-hop to this day. It is pertinent to mention that Raja was the only female MC on the Moosetape LP, an iconic piece by the late Sidhu Moose Wala.
Age: 38 years
Hit Song: Shook, City Slums, Out of Love, Karma, Roots
Also Read: Top 15 Bollywood Greatest Indian Singers
4. Raftaar:
Raftaar aka Kalathil Kuzhil Devadasan Dilin Nair is a great rapper and has gained popularity through TV reality shows. One of the best Indian rappers and lyricists, Raftaar initially started his career as a dancer. After working with many reputed artists, this boy started his journey individually and gained fame with Swag Mera Desi. Dilin Nair, a veteran in the rap music business, inspired the youth of India and influenced the rap industry at a time when the genre had not even taken shape.
Age: 35 years
Hit Song: All Black, baby Marvake Maanegi, Haseeno Ka Deewana, Bandook Meri Laila
5. Dino James:
Dino Jam’s stature in the Indian rap scene is a symbol of much more hustle and the constant pursuit of ambition. Dino, who hails from Madhya Pradesh, initially worked hard to become an actor, but God had something else in store for him. He turned to popping and rapping and today has several songs to his name. Introducing his original style of rapping to audiences via YouTube, Dino is known for his profound lyricism as well as his influence on rap music.
Age: 32 years
Hit Song: Hoye Ishq Na, WOH, Dooriyan, Loser, Boyfriend
6. Divine:
Hail from Mumbai, Divine is one of the best rapper in India and perhaps the most influential Indian artist today. This young rapper has released some of the biggest hit albums in India including albums like Punya Paap, and Kohinoor. DIVINE, whose real name is Vivian Wilson Fernandes, began his career as an underground rapper more than a decade ago. He was the first Indian rapper to feature on the Spotify Times Square Billboard in New York for his biggest hit Punya Paap. Also, perhaps, he is the only Indian rapper to have worked with global hip-hop artists including Dave East, Nas, Russ, etc.
Age: 33 years
Hit Song: Bombay to Punjab, Baazigar, Satya, Naya Sher
7. MC Stan:
Born in Maharashtra in 1999, MC stan aka Vijay DK has grown to prominence in India’s underground hip-hop scene. Despite joining the rapping world quite late, he came in with a bang and quickly became popular. The 21-year-old MC, who many say is a disciple of Pune-raised MC Stan, has released some of the best freedom hits in India. The audience saw the face behind the popular name after his recent stint on the TV reality show, Bigg Boss. Stan debuted in 2018 with the rap song Wata.
Age: 24 years
Hit Song: Tadipaar, Ek Din Pyaar, Basti Ka Hasti, Nusta Paisa
8. MC Altaf:
Better known as MC Altaf aka Sheikh, he emerged as a big name in India’s rap industry with “Soch”. However, many overlook the fact that he carried the Gully Gang label on his shoulders during Divine’s 3-year hiatus. The MC continues to put out amazing bars and is considered one of the best rappers in India. A renowned hip-hop singer who hails from Dharavi, Asia’s largest slum, is known for his Bronx-inspired simple approach to music.
Age: 25 years
Hit Song: Disco Rap, Mirchi, Soch, Jama Kar
9. King:
Renowned singer and rapper, King whose stage name is synonymous with his status in Indian rap. A new-generation rapper pioneer who switches genres as per his will, King aka Arpan Kumar Chandel has performed across the country over the past few years. King, who hails from Delhi, is often known as King Rocco. He began his music career at a very young age, eventually succeeding in his goal and achieving tremendous success with his YouTube channel. When MCs and record producers were making rap records, Arpan was far ahead of them.
With the masterpiece “Champagne Talk,” King pivoted her career toward larger-scale live sets, including a national tour and an opening set for hip-hop superstar Post Malone. The veteran singer and rapper will be working alongside Lil Uzi Vert, Travis Scott, India’s rap royalty and gully gang Bossman Divine, and the Young Stunners.
Age: 27 years
Hit Song: Tu Aake Dekhle, Maan Meri Jaan, Tu Jaana Na Piya, Legends
10. Shubh:
Born in Punjab but raised in Brampton, Shubh is one of the hottest and most popular voices among the Indian rapper industry today. He has achieved international stardom with just a few hit songs including Baller, We Rollin, No Love, Elevated, etc. While younger artists prefer to constantly drop singles and flex out of desperation after a big hit or a fall, they choose to plan their way to the top with grace. His concise discography has been streamed over a billion times on various sites and has made him one of the artists with the best discographies of all time.
Age: 27 years
Hit Song: We Rollin, One Love, King Shit, No Love, Elevated
11. Gurinder Gill:
Punjabi Rap’s leading record producer and artist Gurinder Gill gained international fame with Brown Munde along with top artist – AP Dhillon. However, like many others, it was Gill who spearheaded the immense popularity of the track with brilliant verses and amazing rhyme schemes. He is one of the top artists in the rapper name list. Additionally, he has toured Canada, the United States, India, and Australia with his artists including Shinda Kahlon and GMINXR.
Age: 27 years
Hit Song: Excuses, Brown Munde, Insane, Goat, Saada Pyaar, Droptop
12. Hanumankind:
Real name Sooraj Cherukat, Hanumankind has emerged as one of the best artists in Indian hip-hop. Known for his impeccable production and exceptional lyricism, Bengaluru-based Sooraj MC has recently collaborated with Def Jam Recordings India for a stunning record titled Go To Sleep. After the Damson rapper gained fame with his debut Southside EP, the fiery artist has gone on to release several explosive songs including No Hook, Southside, Genghis, Rush Hour, and Skyline.
Age: 32 years
Hit Song: Big Dawgs, The Last Dance, Namma Stories, Go to Sleep, Maadeva, That’s A Fact!
13. Shez:
Sheez, whose full name is Shehzad Khan A.K., has quickly become one of the label’s hottest hip-hop artists. While the talented, young MC from Mumbai has chosen to stay low-key, his powerful rap music defines the trap influences of Bantai Records. Also, some of the hits lean hard into the 80s and avant-grade record production. The popular artist has been set to elevate his status in Indian hip-hop for a few years now by infusing sounds that have never been heard before.
Age: Not found
Hit Song: Ride, Fake Ones, Hosh Me AA, Deja Vu
14. Raga:
He is in Delhi’s top-selling rap scene. Raaga is a young MC who has powerful bars and has established his position as one of the best MCs in India. A regular at the major music festivals of the country, he has produced some of the best rap records like Badam, Microphone, etc. Raaga has become one of the very few consistent hip-hop stars of India in the last few years. Renowned for his soulful voice and fiery lyricism, the young artiste either gives concerts or performs across the country.
Age: 28 years
Hit Song: Kehendi Si, Mastikhor, Jamnapaar, Hona Hi Tha, Biba
15. Emiway Bantai:
Mumbai-based Emiway hardly needs a long introduction. A fiercely independent artist since the beginning of his rap career, he has uplifted and influenced Indian artists like no one else. While his career had a rough start after a feud with MC Stan and Raftaar, Emiway came back and created some of the best Indian rap records.
These include Machayenge, Maalum Hai Na Album, Kra La$da Sign, etc. Apart from releasing superhit rap music himself, the young artist also operates his hip-hop label called Bantai Records. With an amazing roster of artists like Jacquees, Young Ghalib, Flobo, and many more, Bantai is creating the way for the next generation of Indian rappers.
Age: 28 years
Hit Song: King of Indian Hip Hop, Malum Hai na, Independent
Closing Words!
Hip-hop and rap are well-known music genres, gaining immense popularity in India. Having witnessed remarkable growth, prospective rappers now have several options to build a lucrative career. Moreover, the artists who have already proven themselves in this field are paving the way for upcoming rappers and promoting young rappers in India. Rappers like Naezy, Honey Singh, Raftaar, Divine, and more have played a pivotal role in popularizing rap music nationwide. Some other rappers like Abhay Prasad aka Devil the Rhymer established themselves as the fastest Indian rapper in the world. The artists above have not only earned fame & names but are also making their mark globally. In essence, as more rappers emerge, the scope of rap music in the country continues to evolve and shape the cultural landscape.
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