Gully rap

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Gully rap is an emerging genre of hip-hop music that originated from Mumbai. [1] It has since spread across India. [2] Inspired by American rappers like Tupac, The Notorious B.I.G. and Nas the music discusses the street life in distinct Hindu-Urdu rhythm and cadence. [1] [3] Gully means "narrow lane" in Hindi. [1] DIVINE and Naezy are artists that are considered at the forefront of the genre. [1] It stands in contrast to mainstream desi rap or Bollywood which focus on more superficial aspects of life (e.g. partying, alcohol). [1] [3] By contrast, gully rap has a socio-political emphasis. [4]

Gully rap has been an outlet for underprivileged youth and has been used as a tool for activism. [4] Incorporating the fundamentals of US hip-hop, the rappers were able to express their emotions regarding their daily lives and frustrations. [4] They were able to do so with minimal costs. [4] No formal training is required. [4] Chinese smartphones, cheap data packages, and free online platforms like YouTube have been used. [3] [4] This represents the Indian philosophy of jugaad . [5] Although some artists are signed to music labels, the majority are independent. [3] They are primary promoted through word of mouth. [3] Rappers set up a microphone and speakers on the street and rap for free to audiences. [3]

Hip-hop culture had been present in Mumbai for over decade before gully rap became popular. [2] The rap started off as a derivative of American rap, but within a few years became original and become mainstream. [2] Rappers would post rap battles on a social media networking site called Orkut, which is now defunct. [2] Originally, the language was English, but then a turning point occurred when the rappers used local Bambaiyya slang as well other languages (e.g. Hindi, Marathi, Tamil or Konkani). [2] In 2015, "Mere Gully Mein" performed by DIVINE featuring Naezy was released, and its success marked the first time the genre hit the mainstream. [2]

The 2019 Bollywood film Gully Boy tracks the story of an aspiring rapper from the slums of Mumbai. [6] VICE made a documentary called Kya Bolta Bantai discussing the emergence of the genre. [2] [7] Another documentary called Gully Life follows the rags-to-riches story of DIVINE. [4]

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References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 Sarrazin, N. (2019). Focus: Popular Music in Contemporary India. Focus on World Music Series. Taylor & Francis. p. 188. ISBN   978-0-429-99931-4 . Retrieved 2022-09-12.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 "The Rise of Street Rap in India". VICE. 2019-01-17. Retrieved 2022-09-12.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Ellis-Petersen, Hannah (2016-05-16). "Poverty, corruption and crime: how India's 'gully rap' tells story of real life". the Guardian. Retrieved 2022-09-12.
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Pool, Ali Bharmal/Red Bull Content (2019-07-25). "Why gully rap is liberating India's youth". Red Bull. Retrieved 2022-09-12.
  5. Daga, Bhagyalakshmi (2022). "Straight Outta Mumbai: Exploring Informality and Innovation in Dharavi's Hip-Hop Industry". Music Business Research. Cham: Springer International Publishing. pp. 131–149. doi:10.1007/978-3-031-09532-0_8. ISBN   978-3-031-09531-3. ISSN   2522-0829.
  6. Morrow, G.; Nordgård, D.; Tschmuck, P. (2022). Rethinking the Music Business: Music Contexts, Rights, Data, and COVID-19. Music Business Research. Springer International Publishing. p. 146. ISBN   978-3-031-09532-0 . Retrieved 2022-09-12.
  7. Indulge, Team (2018-06-20). "Documentary on Gully Rap titled Kya Bolta Bantai released online". The New Indian Express. Retrieved 2022-09-12.