Vedan (rapper)

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Vedan
Vedan at his concert.jpg
Vedan in 2024
Background information
Birth nameHirandas Murali
Born25 October 1994 (age 31)
Thrissur, Kerala, India
Genres
Occupations
Years active2020–present
Labels Mass Appeal India, Sony Music India, Karupp Records

Hirandas Murali (born 25 October 1994), known professionally as Vedan, is an Indian rapper and songwriter from Kerala, India. [1] [2] He is best known for his tracks, "Kuthanthram" (from " Manjummel Boys "), "Kondal Vedan Song" (from "Kondal"), "La Vida", "Muana Loa", and "Voice of Voiceless". His songs often address themes of caste, class, and resistance, and spans both independent releases and contributions to Malayalam cinema.

Contents

Early life

Vedan was born in Thrissur, Kerala. His mother, an Eelam Tamil from Jaffna, Sri Lanka, migrated to Ooty, Tamil Nadu, during the Sri Lankan civil war. She was granted asylum in India and later received Indian citizenship from the Government of India. Vedan’s father, Murali, is a Malayali from the Panaya community and a native of Thrissur. [3] Vedan spent his childhood in a residential complex called Swapnabhoomi, located near the Thrissur railway station. [4] [5]

His early musical influences included Tamil hip-hop artists such as Yogi B, Natchatra, and Dhilip Varman, as well as international musicians like Michael Jackson and Bob Marley. He gave his first public performance of an original composition during a protest against the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) and the National Register of Citizens (NRC) in Fort Kochi. The performance, by an invitation from the band Oorali, marked the beginning of his career as a socially engaged artist. [6] [7]

Career

2020: Debut with “Voice of the Voiceless”

Vedan began his career in 2020 with the release of his debut music video “Voice of the Voiceless,” which addressed caste-based discrimination, marginalization, and social injustice. [8] [9] The video, released on YouTube, received attention for its political themes and direct lyricism, and has garnered over 1.8 crore views.

He followed it the same year with "Bhoomi", a song reflecting on global humanitarian issues, including the Syrian civil war, the Israeli–Palestinian conflict, and the death of Aylan Kurdi. [10] [11]

2021–2023: Film Debut, Label deals

In 2021, Vedan made his debut in film music with the track "Narabali" from the Malayalam film “ Nayattu ”. [12] Later that year, he released the music video for “Vaa”, which addressed themes of caste-based oppression and the societal position of marginalized communities. [13] The video garnered over seven million views on YouTube.

He continued to grow his presence with "Social Criminal", released in 2023, a track that challenged systems of oppression on both local and global levels. [14] That same year, Vedan signed a non-exclusive deal with the music label Mass Appeal India. [15] [16] He collaborated with KSHMR and Dabzee on “La Vida” featured on the album “Karam,” released through Mass Appeal India and Dharma Worldwide. [17] [18]

2024 - present: Mainstream Recognition with Manjummel Boys, Launching "Karupp Records"

In 2024, Vedan gained mainstream recognition with the track "Kuthanthram", which he co-wrote and performed for the Malayalam film "Manjummel Boys ", composed by Sushin Shyam. [19] The song received widespread attention alongside the success of the film and accumulated over 50 million streams. He followed this with Kondal (2024) for the film Kondal, Veeran for the film "Checkmate" and Maranathin Niram for the film "No Way Out" [20] [21] His most recent film contribution is Va Veda (2025) for the movie " Narivetta". [22] He was also featured in the song Kisses in the Clouds from the critically acclaimed movie All We Imagine as Light (2024). [23]

In May 2024, Vedan launched Karupp Records, an independent record label aimed at promoting and supporting underrepresented artists. Since its beginning, the label has signed several talents. Alongside his film works, Vedan continued to release independent tracks that explored a range of themes. Later In 2024, he released Theruvinte Mon, a song rooted in street life and resistance. [24] In 2025, he surprised his listeners with Mauna Loa, a love themed song that was widely appreciated and showed a new side to his music. [25] Released through Mass Appeal India, it became his fastest track to surpass 10 million streams.

Notable Performances

In 2024, he performed at Gully Fest, in Mumbai, one of India’s major hip-hop festivals, headlined by rapper Divine. The same year, he was also part of Rap91, another prominent event featuring rap artists from across the country. His other notable performances include Para Hip Hop Festival (2024) organised by the Kochi Music Foundation, Royal Enfield Motoverse (2024) in Goa, and Ocha Festival (2024), Kochi, among many others. [26]

Controversies

Sexual abuse

In 2021, Vedan was allegedly accused of sexual misconduct by a few women via a post that was shared on a Facebook page as part of the MeToo movement. [27] However, there were no formal legal cases that progressed. [28]

In July 2025, A rape case was filed against Vedan by the Thrikkakara police in Kochi, Kerala, following a complaint by a young doctor. The complainant alleged that Vedan sexually assaulted her multiple times between August 2021 and March 2023 under the false promise of marriage, after they connected through social media. [29]

Vedan was later granted bail by the court. The court noted that treating physical intimacy as rape after the end of a relationship would be "illogical and harsh," and that there was no claim that the promise of marriage was false from the beginning.

In his bail plea, Vedan said that he and his team had earlier received threats of being framed in such cases. He alleged that the complaint was part of a plan to damage his reputation and extort money. [30]

Drug activities and the possession of protected wildlife assets

On 28 April 2025, Vedan and eight others were arrested by the Kerala Excise Department for alleged possession of approximately six grams of cannabis at a flat in Kochi. [31] During a search of his residence, authorities discovered a tiger tooth pendant, which had been gifted to him by a Sri Lankan national he met through Instagram. Following this, the Kerala Forest and Wildlife Department took him into custody under provisions of the Wildlife Protection Act. [32]

After a case was registered against Vedan for alleged possession of a tiger tooth, a resident of Thrissur filed a separate complaint against actor and politician Suresh Gopi, alleging that he was also in possession of a pendant featuring a leopard tooth. Possession of such items is considered a non-bailable offense under the Wildlife Protection Act. Vedan was later released on bail. [33]

Discography

Singles

YearTitleCo-Artist(s)Label
2020"Voice Of Voiceless"
"Bhoomi"
2021"Vaa"
"Budhanayi Pira"HRISHI
2023"Social Criminal"HRISHI
"Ana"
"La Vida" KSHMR, Dabzee Mass Appeal India & Dharma Worldwide
2024"Theruvinte Mon"HRISHISaina Music Indie
"Karma"AbhiSaina Music Indie
"Kadha"ABRAW Mass Appeal India
"Urangatte"HRISHISaina Music Indie
2025"Muana Loa"AZWIN Mass Appeal India

Film songs

YearSong TitleFilmComposerCo-Singer(s)NotesRef.
2021"Narabali" Nayattu Vishnu Vijay Lyricist, Singer [34]
2022"Maranathin Niram" No Way Out Hrishi
"Paanju Paanju" Padavettu Govind Vasantha [35]
2024"Kuthanthram" Manjummel Boys Sushin Shyam [36]
"Veeran"CheckmateRatish Sekhar [37]
"Kondal Vedan Song" Kondal Sam C. S. [38]
"Kisses in the Clouds" All We Imagine as Light Topshe Haniya Nafisa [39]
2025"Vaada Veda" Narivetta Tippushan, Shiyas Hassan Jakes Bejoy [40]

References

  1. "Vedan is a huge hit at Kochi Music Foundation hip hop festival". Times of India. Archived from the original on 27 February 2024. Retrieved 27 February 2024.
  2. "Double edged word". The New Indian Express. Archived from the original on 8 March 2024. Retrieved 8 March 2024.
  3. Mathew, Ranjina P. (6 May 2025). "rapper-vedan-trolled-for-dating-fair-girl-youtuber-s-reaction-video-goes-viral". Filmibeat (Malayalam). Oneindia Venture. Retrieved 9 June 2025.
  4. "Meet Vedan, whose Malayalam anti-caste rap song is a hit". The News Minute. Archived from the original on 27 February 2024. Retrieved 27 February 2024.
  5. "I am my own inspiration: How Malayalam rapper Vedan became the 'Voice of the Voiceless'". Archived from the original on 27 February 2024. Retrieved 27 February 2024.
  6. Cris (16 June 2020). "Meet Vedan, whose Malayalam anti-caste rap song is a hit". The News Minute. Retrieved 17 July 2025.
  7. Tagat, Anurag (11 July 2025). "Vedan: 'Because Of The Things I Choose To Hunt Down, I End Up Being Hunted'". Rolling Stone India. Retrieved 17 July 2025.
  8. Menon, Anasuya (2 July 2020). "Malayalam rapper Vedan's songs of the hunted". The Hindu. ISSN   0971-751X . Retrieved 8 July 2025.
  9. Cris (16 June 2020). "Meet Vedan, whose Malayalam anti-caste rap song is a hit". The News Minute. Retrieved 8 July 2025.
  10. ഡെസ്ക്, വെബ് (7 November 2020). "'ഭൂമി ഞാൻ വാഴുന്നിടം, അനുദിനം നരകമായ് മാറുന്നിടം'; മൂർച്ചയുള്ള വാക്കുകളുമായി വേടൻ വീണ്ടും | Madhyamam". www.madhyamam.com (in Malayalam). Retrieved 8 July 2025.
  11. "Vedan's song included in Calicut University syllabus". The Hindu. 11 June 2025. ISSN   0971-751X . Retrieved 8 July 2025.
  12. "Who is Vedan? Know all about Kerala rapper arrested for alleged possession of cannabis". PINKVILLA. 29 April 2025. Retrieved 8 July 2025.
  13. UR, Arya (24 April 2021). "Vaa, make a change". The New Indian Express. Retrieved 8 July 2025.
  14. Soman, Sreelakshmi (1 May 2025). "Forest official: Vedan, S/o Sri Lankan Tamil refugee; Kerala's reply: We don't care!". The South First. Retrieved 8 July 2025.
  15. John, Michelle Rebekah (29 April 2025). "Malayalam rapper Vedan arrested in Kochi for alleged drug possession". Indulgexpress. Retrieved 8 July 2025.
  16. Bhatt, Shephali (7 September 2024). "Hip-Hop Stars from Kerala: How Malayalam rappers create a remarkable sound that is both familiar and inventive". The Economic Times.
  17. KSHMR, Dabzee & Vedan – La Vida , retrieved 8 July 2025
  18. Shah, Surbhi (28 November 2023). "Indian music needs to steer in a 'more cool direction': KSHMR talks about rap music, album KARAM, Bollywood and more". Indulgexpress. Retrieved 8 July 2025.
  19. Features, C. E. (25 January 2024). "Sushin Shyam collaborates with Vedan for Manjummel Boys first single". Cinema Express. Retrieved 8 July 2025.
  20. "Title Song From Antony Varghese's Kondal Is A Typical Vedan Banger!". Times Now. 13 September 2024. Retrieved 8 July 2025.
  21. "Watch: First Single Veeran From Anoop Menon's Checkmate Is A Jazzy, Powerful Rap Track". Times Now. 13 July 2024. Retrieved 8 July 2025.
  22. "Jakes Bejoy and Vedan join forces for hard-hitting Narivetta song Vaada Veda. Watch". The Indian Express. 20 May 2025. Retrieved 8 July 2025.
  23. Tagat, Anurag (24 December 2024). "'All We Imagine As Light' Composer Topshe Talks Scoring and Songs". Rolling Stone India. Retrieved 8 July 2025.
  24. "Vedan Unleashes 'Theruvinte Mon' Music Video, A Raw Tribute To Kerala's Street Life". News18. Retrieved 8 July 2025.
  25. "Celebrated rapper Vedan releases new song 'Mouna Loa'". Celebrated rapper Vedan releases new song 'Mouna Loa'. Retrieved 8 July 2025.
  26. M, Athira (7 January 2021). "Kochi Music Foundation organises 'Para', a digital hip-hop festival". The Hindu. ISSN   0971-751X . Retrieved 17 July 2025.
  27. "Malayalam rapper Vedan, known for anti-caste songs, accused of sexual misconduct". The Week. Archived from the original on 27 February 2024. Retrieved 27 February 2024.
  28. PA, Aneesa (1 May 2025). "How rapper Vedan's arrest in back-to-back cases has sparked debate on caste & suppression in Kerala". ThePrint. Retrieved 8 July 2025.
  29. "'ലഹരി നൽകി പിഡീപ്പിച്ചു; ടോക്സിക്കും പൊസസ്സീവുമാണെന്ന് പറഞ്ഞ് വേടൻ ബന്ധത്തിൽനിന്ന് പിന്മാറി'". ‘ലഹരി നൽകി പിഡീപ്പിച്ചു; ടോക്സിക്കും പൊസസ്സീവുമാണെന്ന് പറഞ്ഞ് വേടൻ ബന്ധത്തിൽനിന്ന് പിന്മാറി’ (in Malayalam). Retrieved 31 July 2025.
  30. Bureau, The Hindu (27 August 2025). "Vedan rape case: High Court grants bail to Malayalam rapper". The Hindu. ISSN   0971-751X . Retrieved 2 September 2025.{{cite news}}: |last= has generic name (help)
  31. Service, Express News (29 April 2025). "Rapper Vedan, eight others arrested from Kochi flat for possession of cannabis". The New Indian Express. Retrieved 8 July 2025.
  32. "'Leopard tooth gifted by fan': Rapper Vedan arrested by Forest Department". 'Leopard tooth gifted by fan': Rapper Vedan arrested by Forest Department. Retrieved 8 July 2025.
  33. "'Why jail Vedan for leopard tooth pendant but not Suresh Gopi?': Man files complaint". english.mathrubhumi.com. 30 April 2025. Retrieved 3 May 2025.
  34. "'നായാട്ടി'ലെ വേടന്‍റെ 'നരബലി' പാട്ട്; 'നായാട്ടിന് നരബലിയിരനീ ഞാൻ' ശ്രദ്ധേയമാകുന്നു". Times of India Samayam (in Malayalam). Retrieved 19 April 2021.
  35. "Padavettu | Song - Paanju Paanju". The Times of India. Retrieved 8 July 2025.
  36. "Manjummel Boys Kuthanthram song is a groovy, hip-hop number; here's why we dig it!". OTTPlay. Retrieved 8 July 2025.
  37. "Watch: First Single Veeran From Anoop Menon's Checkmate Is A Jazzy, Powerful Rap Track". Times Now. 13 July 2024. Retrieved 8 July 2025.
  38. ലേഖകൻ, സ്വന്തം (29 April 2025). "'വേടനെ പൊലീസ് പിടിച്ചപ്പോൾ, ആ ടൈമിൽ വന്നു കാണുന്ന ആരേലും ഉണ്ടോ'; വീണ്ടും ട്രെന്‍റിങ്ങായി Kondal Song". Manoramanews. Retrieved 8 July 2025.
  39. Tagat, Anurag (24 December 2024). "'All We Imagine As Light' Composer Topshe Talks Scoring and Songs". Rolling Stone India. Retrieved 8 July 2025.
  40. "Narivetta song: Rapper Vedan is back with another striking track titled 'Vaada Veda'". OTTPlay. Retrieved 8 July 2025.