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]
^ abcdeSarrazin, 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.
^ abcdefg"The Rise of Street Rap in India". VICE. 2019-01-17. Retrieved 2022-09-12.
^ abcdefEllis-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.
^ abcdefgPool, Ali Bharmal/Red Bull Content (2019-07-25). "Why gully rap is liberating India's youth". Red Bull. Retrieved 2022-09-12.
^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.
^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.
^Indulge, Team (2018-06-20). "Documentary on Gully Rap titled Kya Bolta Bantai released online". The New Indian Express. Retrieved 2022-09-12.
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