Yes yes, y’all! We are back again for another edition of Desi Hip Hop’s Hot 5 Of The Week! To call this week eventful would just be an understatement. The artists community grows day by day and we see the level of music just rise with each release. Be it music wise or video wise, the community is on an upward spiral. As usual, we have handpicked 5 noteworthy tunes to add to your playlist from all corners of the country. This list is not in an ascending or descending order.

This week saw a healthy mix of artists who dropped new music. There are videos from newcomers and videos from OG’s. The surprising bit is that the quality on all of them are just top notch! The scene is really reacting to its own growth and is evolving on a daily basis. OG’s like Kru172 (straight outta Chandigarh), Enkore, Anik Khan and MF hit hard with their new content. And the fast rising new kids on the block – Gravity, Shreyas & Hashim Ishaq come through with the heat too! So sit back, relax and get ready to bump some great new music by some veteran artists and newcomers alike!

1) Kru172 – Rockin With The Best

Kru172 are probably one of the first (if not the first ever) binary crews in India. They are two brothers who have been on the grind since the early days of the Hip-Hop scene in India. It is the perseverance and the dedication to the artform that counts, and Kru172 has shown that since Day 1! The duo has dropped a lot of hit singles along the way and are widely recognized in the scene.

Their latest track “Rockin With The Best” blasts a fresh vibe back in on old-school way. This is one bumpy song, and the video is executed perfectly too! The song starts off seyeing both members in a newsroom format announcing that they are the best in the biz. The video is comical, energetic and filled with some fantastic lyricism. The video also includes cameos from Bangalore based femcee Siri and Bombay based duo Enkore and D’Evil. The video is fun to watch and the song is definitely a must have in your Desi Hip Hop playlist. Check out the video for Kru172 – Rockin With The Best and don’t forget to subscribe to their channel and share the track!

2) Anik Khan – Big Fax

Anik Khan dropped the “official” immigrants anthem this week with “Big Fax”. In case you have been living in a cave for the past year, the name Anik Khan must ring a bell to all Desi Hip Hop fans worldwide. The come up has been very real, and so has been the hype. Anik Khan is reaching outward to a worldwide community of Desis and he is doing it in his own way. This is a new wave of music that is not to be missed.

Big Fax is an immigrant anthem. Period. The swagger that Anik Khan carries the Desi culture is as different as it gets. He rocks his roots with pride. And he knows just what is needed to push that culture to the forefront. Too long have brown skinned Desi artists been in the shadows, and Anik Khan is shining the light to a lot of different Desi sounds. Big Fax has a heavy tune to it and the beat is constructed to sound like a masterpiece. With the raw tabla breakdowns in the middle, Anik Khan rides this beat and spits bars about the Immigrant lifestyle.

Anik Khan definitely is establishing a core sound of his own and this music means a lot to a lot of Immigrants around the world. In these times, it is good to see a Desi thriving in Hip-Hop culture abroad representing his/her own roots!

3) Enkore – U Dont Know

Bombay OG Enkore is back again with the classic vibes that he brings to the table. This is the soulful Enkore that we have grown accustomed to listening to. After the storming success of Libra Scale, the emcee has been working on a few different independent projects. Most prominently on-ground works with event companies and many more. He has developed into more of a skilled performer than a lot of top cats in the game due to this frequent live exposure.

Leading us to this fresh new video with some fresh new vibes. “U Dont Know” is yet another rhymefest from the skillful emcee. The song sees Enkore chilling with the homies Dream Team. A short and to-the-point music video, there is a hype element to this track. Enkore hints at his upcoming project named “Bombay Soul”. Expect more of this lyrical madness with Enkore’s next project. Until then, keep your eyes peeled to this and many other updates on his Instagram and IGTV uploads.

4) Gravity – Kaisa Yeh Sawaal

Bombay Lokal is Mumbai’s leading Hip-Hop Collective. The group has a lot of talent in store. What the group also has in abundance is diversity. These diverse sounds, visuals and performances combine to make them a force to be reckoned with in the scene. Gravity is on his way to become a voice to be heard in the scene. The emcee has been relentless in improving his skillset and his songwriting talent.

The latest drop from Gravity is a buildup to his upcoming project, which stands as a debut EP named “Prashna Chinha”. The first single “Kaisa Yeh Sawaal” truly captures his vision and ideas for the project he is currently working on. The voice variation, the flow, delivery and lyrics seal Gravity as the new kid on the block to be looked out for. Gravity is launching himself as a proficient artist and to see the rate of growth from him is something that keeps this artist bound for great things. Check out Kaisa Yeh Sawaal down below and share this song. Prashna Chinha season incoming!

5) Mumbais Finest – Mumbai Locals

Fans and listeners of Mumbai’s Finest know that each year they represent the city thoroughly in their own way. Their latest track is dedicated to the bloodline of Mumbai city – the Mumbai Local Trains. Mumbai’s Finest crew has been around the most since its inception, and each year they keep building their repertoire. Be it dropping singles, albums, branded projects, or remixes, the crew and its members never disappoint.

The latest track sees them in a raw video style, similar to some of their previous work along the years. The core team of Ace, Ninja and Diefferent is joined by Adro. Whats great to see about this song is the individual approach of all the four emcees towards the topic. Each of them come through with their unique styles and keeps the song vibrant and to the theme. Check out the video and let us know what you think in the comments section.

Honorable Mentions

Shreyas – Decorated With Deficiencies Pt. 2

Shreyas is a Pune based emcee who is multi-skilled. He is learning the ropes in production and has delivered some quality instrumentals on his channel too. A couple of weeks ago, Shreyas dropped his debut EP – “Fucked Up & Grateful”. It was covered in the previous edition of DHH Hot 5, and now we see the first music video off of one of the songs from the EP. In very poetic fashion, the title is named in reference to the theme of the whole EP.

This is one part of the full story in the EP. The video is simple and doesn’t brag or bother much. Just shows Shreyas pouring his heart out. “Fucked Up & Grateful” is a must have for your Desi Rap playlist. It follows a common struggle and a reality of 9-5ers who want to chase dreams.

Hashim Ishaq – Full Marks

Representing Karachi, Pakistan – Hashim Ishaq is a rapper like no other. The rapper is intensely skilled and it shows in his pen game. The way he has crafted this song is a sound to be heard. Karachi has a handful of emcees who are really putting it out there. The emcee has done an outstanding job of keeping the sound of Desi hip-hop to the core level. This is some great flows, verses and delivery we are witnessing.

The future of Desi Hip Hop sure seems bright as we can see these pockets of talent cross over different markets. Hashim Ishaq (also known as Big H) is one such emcee who should not be overlooked. The songwriting leads in to a comical flex zone here and there, but this is braggadocio in one of its forms. Big H keeps the flex alive. He knows the game is a test, and he just wants “full marks”. Watch the full video for Hashim Ishaq (Big H) – Full Marks – down below and do let us know what you think!

See you guys on the next edition of Desi Hip-Hop’s HOT 5 with more such content. Keep it real, keep it Desi!