OGs and Younglings alike are pushing the boundaries of the state’s traditionally-perceived music scene, one Cypher at a time. By Bhanu Priya Vyas

The word “Rajasthan” instantly conjures up images of a sandy desert upon whose sand sits a turban-clad man playing a melancholic tune on the traditional ikatara, while his partner renders a soulful tune in Marwari, the state’s regional language. But there’s more than what meets the eye when it comes to Rajasthan’s music scene. The Rajasthan of 2022 now also vibes, grooves—and dances—to the tunes of hip hop. A genre of music born out of New York’s Bronx back in the 1970s, traditional, old-school hip hop was carved as an expression of rebellion against the popular order of things, predominantly by the African-American population in the area. Some even identify with it as a broad school of thought with its elements branching into areas of fashion including baggy clothes, painting graffiti, beatboxing, and even EmCeeing (moderating an event using language littered with hip hop lingo). In India, the past decade has seen a significant rise when it comes to people’s interest in the hip-hop genre, particularly rapping. Popular rappers like Badshah, Yo Yo Honey Singh and Raftaar have been dominating the hip hop scene by bringing to the fore songs that are a mix of Hindi and English. Others in the Indie circuit are artists like Divine and Naezy who echo the culture of Dharavi, Asia’s largest slum located in the bustling metropolis of Mumbai. In Rajasthan, on one hand, are established artists, fondly called the OGs by younglings, that include the likes of NRS, J19 squad (found by Young H and PK Nimbark) and Rapperiya Balam.

On the other hand, Rajasthan’s underground hip hop scene bears a strong presence of amateur, teenage college students, as well as working professionals in their early 20s pursuing music as a passion. They come together at Cyphers, a term used for an informal get-together for hip-hop artists to showcase their talent in front of a regular audience, much like any other street art performance. A collective called Rajasthan Hip-hop Center (RHC) holds these gatherings simultaneously across the three cultural hubs of Rajasthan – Jaipur, Udaipur and Jodhpur. Reverberating through the sprawling area of the Patrika Gate in Rajasthan’s capital Jaipur was one such Cypher. An onlooker’s attention is drawn to a conspicuous man in loose pyjamas, sporting a daring Mohawk and black nail paint. Channelling his rebel spirit in front of the crowd stood 23-year-old Neil Bhardwaj, a beatboxing artist from the pink city, confidently engaging people as an Emcee. “As a kid, I was fond of artists like Li’l Wayne and Snoop Dogg. In high school, I taught beatboxing by watching videos on YouTube and began practising it myself”, said Bhardwaj.

Neil Beatbox sporting a mohawk as he performs at a hip-hop stage show. (Image courtesy: Rajasthan Hip Hop Center) Over the years, as college drew to a close, he jumped into hip-hop full time and now devotes his time to managing and anchoring shows for Rajasthan Hip-Hop Center (RHC). Bhardwaj likes to go by the name NEIL BEATBOX; he is one of the few prized artists who broke ground at a young age and managed to make his passion financially viable. Hip-Hop Ft. Swachhta Abhiyaan

It has been a trend that hip-hop artists across the world usually coin a pseudonym for themselves with which they are known. One such popular name is EMCEE NRS or Naresh Kumar Verma, the founder of RHC, who has been rapping for over a decade now. “I began practising hardcore hip-hop back in college after listening to Bohemia,” reminisces EMCEE NRS. At the young age of 30, EMCEE NRS already has big plans for its collective. “My aim was to give a new meaning to rap, unify the artists in this state hence our tagline ‘Aao sagla, vibe karan’ (Let’s all join and vibe),” he said.

EMCEE NRS, practising hip hop for over a decade, uses this art for a social causes. (Image courtesy: Rajasthan Hip Hop Center)

Besides doing shows dedicated to hip-hop, he also managed to bring about social awareness using his art as a medium and partnering with the state government. “As part of the centre’s Swachhta Survekshan Abhiyaan, we brought awareness to cleanliness. Hip-hop helps us get the attention of young people and simultaneously we use our art for a noble cause,” he said. No change is small

While biggies like him concentrate on societal issues, there are others in the state that treat hip-hop as just a medium of self-expression. A rapper from Sikar, Yogesh Sharma, who goes by the name RAANJHA (an Urdu word for lover), is drawn to romance in hip-hop. “The songs I write often are about my romantic imagination,” he said. Working as a tech professional during the day, RAANJHA showcases his passion for hip-hop through YouTube and Instagram channels. “Even though I hail from a small town like Sikar where there isn’t a lot of local interest in hip-hop, I make it a point to attend Cyphers in cities like Jaipur so that my presence (in the scene) is known. My day job funds my passion today so that in the future I can devote my entire attention to this (hip-hop) without any help from others,” he explains. No pain, no gain

Struggles—however varied—feature in the tales of most artists in Rajasthan. Two such artists are YOUNG H and PK NIMBARK, the creators of the popular group J19 Squad. J19 is a tribute to their city wherein J is for Jodhpur and 19 is the city’s vehicle code.

J 19 Squad duo, YOUNG H (left) and PK NIMBARK’s use local dialect in their raps. (Image courtesy: Rajasthan Hip Hop Center)

Operating out of a studio located in the blue city, the duo boasts thousands of subscribers on their YouTube channel. Their videos garner lakhs of views from both curious novices and a set of loyal audiences. What separates this group from the rest is their use of local dialect while rapping. Songs like Lado Rani, Kaaliyo and Kesariyo provide listeners with delicious regional lyrics. “Both my partner and I love Marwari and hence our music translates that love into words and beats,” said YOUNG H aka 28-year-old Harsh Vyas. The duo creates, mixes and records in their own studio in Jodhpur and also provides audio and video services to other creators, thereby making it a financially viable option for themselves. However, as fate would have it, 12 years ago when they embarked on this journey, things weren’t this rosy. PK NIMBARK aka Pankaj Vaishnav, 27, hailed from a village called Bilara near Jodhpur while YOUNG H was raised in Jodhpur. Soon, they met each other and shared their common love for hip-hop. Over a decade ago, “there rarely were any opportunities here,” explains YOUNG H, who worked as a DJ before taking a leap as a rapper. “To top that, the internet wasn’t as readily available, so we used to record our music on rudimentary devices and upload it on a platform called ReverbNation, which got us visibility among artists.” Despite this state-level recognition, PK NIMBARK says that for artists to reach the next level, “when a big recording house approaches local hip-hop artists from Rajasthan and invests in their talent, we would definitely see mainstream pan-Indian presence. That’s what catapulted big artists to international recognition.” Mainstream or not, hip-hop culture seems to be a strong, underlying presence that goes beyond Rajasthan’s conventionally-perceived notion of folk and tradition.

Source: CityScope