The popularity of the rap and hip-hop genres in the Indian music landscape has increased significantly in recent years. This transformation has resulted in the emergence of many talented artists who have won the affection of millions of Americans. As we delve deeper into 2023, the question arises: who reigns at the top of the Indian rap game? Get your answer in our list of top 10 rappers in India in 2023, ranging from Divine to Naezy.
Best Rap Artists in India
Rappers are musicians who compose and perform rap music that originated in African American and Latino communities in the 1970s in the United States. Rap music is distinguished by its rhythmic, rhyming lyrics, which are usually spoken or sung rather than sung, and by its typical drum machine beats, samples or live instruments.
Rappers frequently compose and perform lyrics that reflect their personal experiences and perspectives, and they frequently use rap music to address social and political issues. Old-school rap included early MCs and DJs like Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five, Kurtis Blow, and the Cold Crush Brothers.
Grandmaster Caz, a member of the Cold Crush Brothers, is controversially considered the true author of some of the most powerful lyrics in “Rapper’s Delight”, the song that marked the beginning of rap’s commercial success. Some of the most famous rappers in history include Divine, Emiway Bantai, Jay-Z, Nas, Eminem and Kanye West, among others.
Top 10 Indian rappers in 2023
| S. No | Names of rappers |
| 1 | Divine |
| 2 | Yo Yo darling Singh |
| 3 | Raftar |
| 4 | Emiway Bantai |
| 5 | Badshah |
| 6 | Krishna |
| 7 | MC Stan |
| 8 | Brodha V |
| 9 | Ikka Singh |
| ten | Naezy |
1. Divine
Divine (stylized as DIVINE) is the stage name of Indian rapper Vivian Wilson Fernandes. Born in Mumbai, Maharashtra, on October 2, 1990, “Yeh Mera Bombay” (2013) helped him gain popularity, and “Mere Gully Mein” (2019), a collaboration with Mumbai-based rapper Naezy, the catapulted to stardom.
Divine achieved a milestone on December 12, 2020, when his album Punya Paap (2020), which topped the Apple Music India chart, was featured on a billboard in New York’s Times Square for Spotify. As the first Indian rapper to appear on Spotify’s Times Square billboard in New York and attend the 64th Annual Grammy Awards in 2022, he has also achieved several milestones in his career. Divine is known for depicting the street life of Mumbai. Divine’s estimated net worth is around Rs. 9,999. $8.2 million.
2. Yo Yo darling Singh
Yo Yo Honey Singh, born in Hoshiarpur, Punjab on March 15, 1983, is well known for fusing mainstream music and hip-hop. In the music industry, he is also recognized as Hirdesh Singh. Honey Singh is one of India’s most prominent rap artists, having gained worldwide fame and popularity. He is also a music producer, performer, songwriter and actor in addition to being a rapper.
His popular albums include ‘International Villager’, ‘Desi Kalakaar’ and ‘Honey 3.0’. He charged Rs. 7 million for a song from the film ‘Mastan’, making him the highest paid Bollywood singer to date. Many Bollywood films feature his compositions. According to reports, Yo Yo Honey Singh’s estimated net worth is Rs. $180 million.
3. Raftar
Raftaar, real name Dilin Nair, is a well-known rapper and television personality who is currently one of the best-known rap artists in India. Born in Delhi to Malayali parents, he rose to fame with the song ‘Swag Mera Desi’. Raftaar has contributed his vocals to a number of popular Bollywood tracks, including those from the films ‘Bullet Raja’, ‘Fugly’ and ‘Dishoom’. From 2013 to 2020, he recorded more than thirty Bollywood compositions.
In addition to his music career, Raftaar has been a judge on numerous reality television shows, including MTV Hustle, Dance India Dance and Roadies. His estimated net worth is around Rs. 80 billion, according to reports.
4. Emiway Bantai
Emiway Bantai, also known as Bilal Sheikh, is a well-known underground hip-hop artist, widely recognized for his famous song “Machayenge”. He started his musical career in 2013 with “Glint Lock” and rose to prominence with “Aur Bantai” in 2014.
Currently, he is considered one of the most renowned independent artists in India, as evidenced by the fact that his official YouTube channel has over 10 million subscribers. Emiway Bantai’s “Samjh me aya kya”, a dissident track directed against famous rapper Raftaar, earned him widespread attention.
5. Badshah
Badshah, real name Aditya Prateek Singh Sisodia, was born in Delhi to a Haryanvi father and Punjabi mother on November 19, 1985. As a rapper, singer, film producer and businessman who creates music in hindi, haryanvi and punjabi. , he has gathered a huge fan base in a short time.
His track “Kar Gayi Chull” was featured in the 2016 Bollywood film “Kapoor & Sons”. His tracks ‘Abhi Toh Party Shuru Hui Hai’, ‘Aaj Raat Ka Scene’, ‘Genda Phool’ and ‘DJ Waley Babu’ became popular at parties, weddings, night clubs and even in automobiles.
Badshah is the only rapper to have appeared on Forbes India’s Celebrity 100 list three times as one of the highest-paid personalities in India. He has received numerous honors including the 2016 GIMA Award for Breakthrough Artist of the Year and Best Punjabi Music Director. According to reports, Badshah has a net worth of around Rs 41,300,000,000.
6.Krishna
Krishna Kaul, better known by his stage moniker Krishna, is a rapper based in New Delhi. At the beginning of the 21st century, he started rhyming in English and signed with a label. In 2010, he rose to prominence with the song “Kaisa Mera Desh”, then released “Vijay” for the benefit of a children’s NGO. Raftaar observed that Krishna raps in Hindi and English and invited him to join his label, Kalamkaar.
Recently, he engaged in a dissident fight with Emiway following the success of his song “Vyanjan”. Krishna’s “Free Verse Feast (Langer)” was a response to Emiway’s “Free Verse Feast (Dawat)”, and his response track “Makeover” showed off his abilities as an English rapper. Although he began his rapping career in English, Krsna has an impressive cadence and an extensive Hindi and English vocabulary.
7. MC Stan
Altaf Tadavi, also known as MC Stan, is a controversial artist in the Indian hip-hop scene. Born on August 30, 1999, he released his first single “Wata” in 2018. Since then, he has continued to release hits and become known for his incredible rhymes.
MC Stan’s distinctive style and powerful lyrics have made him a prominent figure in the music industry. He has collaborated with a number of notable artists, including Divine and Emiway Bantai, and his popularity has increased since he won Bigg Boss 16. According to reports, MC Stan’s estimated net worth is between Rs 15 and 20 cr.
8. Brodha V
Brodha V, also known as Vighnesh Shivanand, is an Indian rapper, lyricist, music producer and hip-hop artist who gained recognition despite the language barrier for rapping in English in India. Brodha V has struggled to attract a large audience despite his excellent flow and vocabulary in English rap due to the low number of English rap listeners in India.
However, he collaborated with Raftaar and released a song titled “Naachne Ka Shaunq” with rap verses in English and Hindi. Brodha V has focused on rapping in regional Indian languages, and his music frequently incorporates Indian classical instruments and Hindi vocals. He rose to prominence in 2010 with “Aathma Raama” and has since released other hit singles, including “Aigiri Nandini”, “Indian Flava” and “Let Em Talk”. According to reports, Brodha V’s estimated net worth is between 10 and 20 million.
9. Ikka Singh
Ankit Singh Patyal, better known by his stage name Ikka, is a well-known musician from Delhi, India. Along with Lil Golu and Raftaar, he debuted with the composition “Gadbad-Gadbad” in 2014. Honey Singh noticed the trio and recruited them to create the group “Mafia Mundeer” with similar musical styles. However, Ikka eventually left the group due to disagreements, while Honey Singh and Raftaar continued to gain popularity.
Ikka made a comeback with the hit single ‘Half-Window Down’, followed by other popular songs like ‘Bholeynath’ and ‘Pani Wala Dance’. He has also made musical contributions to Bollywood. Ikka, known for his narrative rap style, collaborated with popular Indian YouTuber Amit Bhadana on a rap song about Bhadana’s life and previously released a song titled “Interview.” Ikka continues to hold Bohemia and Honey Singh in high esteem as ardent admirers. His estimated net worth is between Rs 5 and 10 crores.
10. Naezy
Naezy The Baa, a true pioneer of Indian hip-hop, started producing music on iPad before becoming one of India’s most popular rappers. The film Gully Boy, starring Ranveer Singh as Murad, a 22-year-old rapper from Dharavi, Mumbai, is loosely based on the life of Gully rap pioneer Naved Shaikh, also known as Naezy The Baa. Naezy is a Hindi and Marathi rapper based in Mumbai. In January 2014, he released his debut single, “Arafat”, which quickly went viral and garnered over a million views.
Naezy’s rap approach is notable for his use of Mumbai slang. His collaboration with Mumbai-based lyricist Divine, ‘Mere Gully Mein’, was a breakthrough for both of them. Recently, Naezy released his new album titled “Maghreb”, which received mixed reviews from listeners. However, Naezy remains a pioneer in the use of slang in rap, and the way he tells stories in his raps is incredibly admirable. He received a lot of adoration from Indian rap fans.
FAQs
1. Who is Divine?
Divine is a Mumbai-based rapper who rose to prominence in 2015 with his song “Mere Gully Mein”. He is well known for his socially conscious lyrics and distinct flow, and he has worked with a number of renowned Indian singers.
2. What is the state of Indian hip-hop in 2023?
In 2023, Indian hip-hop has grown and evolved, with various exceptional musicians coming from cities across the country. The genre has gained popularity and acceptance in India, as well as international fame.
3. Who is the richest Indian rapper?
Honey Singh, Emiway Bantai, Krsna, Raftar, Divine and MC Stan are the richest rappers in India in 2022.