Few would disagree that Indian Hip-Hop grew at an unprecedented scale this year. From the iconic Def Jam Recordings record label making its foray into India to the release of Gully Gang bossman Divine’s third LP ‘Gunehgar’, Indian rap was everywhere. Appearances by Indian emcees and record producers alongside international acts including Dreamville’s finest J.I.D., Post Malone and Offset elevated Indian Rap’s stature to an unforeseen level.
Here’s a look at some of the most influential rap records by Indian emcees this year. The list doesn’t rely on streaming counts and strives to capture the impact that the records had on Indian rap culture. Check it out below.
1. ‘Insaan’ by MC Stan
Release Date: February 18th 2022
2. ‘D’ by Dino James
Release Date: May 24th 2022
2. ‘Nayaab’ by Seedhe Maut
Release Date: May 27th 2022
4. ‘Gunehgar’ by Divine
Release Date: November 10th 2022
5. ‘Nakshatra’ by Dhruv Rajpal a.k.a. D₹V
Release Date: November 10th 2022
6. ‘Nishu’ by Ikka
Release Date: July 26th 2022
7. ‘8 Saal’ by Emiway Bantai
Release Date: May 9th 2022
8. ‘Way Ahead’ EP by Karan Aujla
Release Date: May 10th 2022
