Rap Wisdom: How Hip-Hop Can Empower You

An average human life is surrounded and saturated by a number of different factors that put us in a situation where a path of guidance is all that we need. Music, especially, is one of the constant companions of those who find inspiration in art - for it is not only about its ability to produce infinite melodies, but also the space for lyricism. Talking of lyrics, how can one not talk about rap music? And to mention, rap music is NOT party music. While party rap could be another subgenre for commercial musicians, rap in itself was always beyond entertainment. The genre took birth from the dark truths of the Bronx, New York, that involved poverty, lack of resources, and gang violence. To raise their voices, the youth then found a way to convey their feelings into something positive through an art form. Over time, these chants over music, which evolved from the late 1970s to a more mainstream form in the 1990s, have now become potentially the most popular and most listened-to form of music around the globe.

Now that we live in South Asia and this is our very society, the contexts and themes revolving around what we call the “Desi Rap” were termed by Pakistani Punjabi rap pioneer Bohemia, which then spread across India through contributions from the Mafia Mundeer Group (comprising Yo Yo Honey Singh, Badshah, Raftaar, Ikka, and Lil Golu) who commercially spread a lot of music in the rap form, followed by proper lyrical hip-hop promoted by many more artists, including DIVINE, Sikander Kahlon, KR$NA, and contributions from Raftaar, yet again.

Getting to know your regular source of inspiration and wisdom is no less than a blessing. Rappers in India, with their pen and what they write, have given a lot to the ‘scene’ and culture across the subcontinent with their quotable lyrics, called bars in the genre. Here’s a look at how Indian Hip-Hop has grown into a fireball of creativity - empowering the listeners to grow and thrive:


Well, Zoya Akhtar wasn’t playing around when she decided to make a film representing the real hip-hop culture in the ‘desi’ context. The influence of Gully Boy is such that the rap scene in India has become majorly synonymous with hustle, something we define as a raw emotion that drives a person into achieving something beyond circumstances. Tracks like Apna Time Aayega and Sher Aaya Sher, written by DIVINE for the movie, have become anthems for each and every underdog who finds positive influence in rhythm and poetry. The spirit of this film is not only about showcasing a music genre on the national and international level, but also about the representation of how the right amount of effort in the right direction, backed with passion and self-belief, shall lead to glory, regardless of humble beginnings. Their words represent their journeys straight from the hurdles that have come their way to achieving glory, motivating the listeners to invest themselves into achieving their own goals.

This message resonates emotionally with Indian youth, especially the ones finding their way in a highly competitive world. Whether it’s for students approaching their board exams, youngsters working on passion projects, or individuals breaking free from societal norms, Indian hip-hop consistently works as a daily dose of motivation for you to keep hustling.

Potentially one of the most important narratives of hip-hop has been to keep it real - conveying to society how crucial it is to embrace your roots and where you come from before you hop on to something you are not. The flagbearers of this very concept across the Indian rap scene have been artists like MC Stan, Ikka, Naezy, and most importantly, the late Sidhu Moose Wala, with his music topping global charts, and yet, he chose to live in his village in Punjab. Having kept his identity real, rooted, and aligned with the essence of hip-hop, he has vocally conveyed a message of breaking barriers and owning your true persona to the masses - something he will always be remembered for.

Expression, protest, and the idea of giving your voice a platform to reach people through art has always been the DNA of hip-hop — straight from the very inception of the genre back in America to the popularization of the same here in India, rap music has always been there to provide an ecosystem for emotions to flow out and create a space somewhere in the hearts of those who listen to it. This idea of rebellion against societal norms through the art form of rap grew with commercial recognition after the renowned artist Raftaar wrote and performed the song ‘Mantoiyat’ — a song that spoke volumes of how society has set its own set of double standards in certain spheres of life, with his verse highlighting the ill treatment of women, gaining widespread attention and recognition in the country. This also marked a point where the mass audience actually understood how deep and influential the art of rap is and that it stands for way more than just entertainment, for our country had majorly considered the same to be a party genre of commercial music.

Having crossed the break-even point of telling the audience what their genre stands for, artists like Seedhe Maut, Prabh Deep, Sikander Kahlon, DIVINE, and many more constantly made music revolving around a message with their distinct flavors of rebellion through philosophies and principles they believe in. Hence, hip-hop also teaches us how to fearlessly voice your expression out with utmost confidence and dignity.

While India already has a significantly large collection of philosophical rap songs, for every other artist has his/her own story to tell with their own principles that they believe in, there are some projects that stand out from the crowd and have influenced the mass audience in the most productive manner possible:

Kohinoor by DIVINE
Do Guna by Seedhe Maut
Protest Poetry (Album) by EPR Iyer
295 by Sidhu Moose Wala
Astaghfirullah by MC Stan
Nishu by Ikka
Never Back Down by Raftaar
100 Bars 2 by Sikander Kahlon
Dream by KR$NA
52 Bars by Karan Aujla
Aage Chal by Raftaar
Shuru by Badshah

While these are a few of the very successful projects of renowned names, there are surely many more underground rappers penning their poetry down to flows on fresh melodic beats in the modern-day scene. It is best to suggest that one should explore more of this genre to learn about how rap not only represents a writing art form but also an entire heritage of hustlers who’ve been through certain stages in their lives — with philosophies that shape their music and thoughts, hereby giving us a hack by learning from their experiences.

All in all — the rap scene in India is at its very pinnacle in 2025, and is expected to grow into an even larger entity by the next decade, for a majority of the audience is now shifting their preferred vibe of music into something more relatable and fresh, and rap fulfils their very demand for something the listeners can hear, or see themselves in.