'Gully Boy' brought rap into India's mainstream music: Rapper Dino
Indian rapper-composer Dino James is presently busy touring the country for Royal Stag Boombox, an event that brings hip-hop and Bollywood music together. James, who won the 13th season of Khatron Ke Khiladi, is at the center of the rap scene in India. In a conversation with NewsBytes, the rapper spoke of how Zoya Akhtar's Gully Boy (2019) changed the scenario drastically in India.
'India is a reflection of the West'
Underground music in India has picked up at a fast pace. James believes that not only in India, but the genre, worldwide has gained traction. "The underground music scene has changed a lot worldwide. We (India) are a reflection of what's exactly happening in the West. Overall, the genre sits right at the top of the world," he said while speaking to us.
Hip-hop's influence on India
James also said that the influence, especially that of hip-hop music, reflects a lot through the way people dress. "The way people talk, wear, or behave, has a lot of hip-hop influence. India is at its prime and we (artists) are all here as its example of where the genre is going," he added. "It's mesmerizing how we are doing today."
Future of Indian underground music
With reality shows promoting rap music, James said that talented kids as young as 16 have started coming forward. He foresees a bright future for underground music as he says, "The scope is only going up. There will be a lot of mixes between hip-hop and other genres. We'll be witnessing a lot of artist collaborations, like how it is happening in the West."
Rap's recognition has changed drastically since 'Gully Boy'
While the music scene is at its prime, it is because of Gully Boy, said James. Crediting Akhtar's film for bringing "the entire rapping scene into the mainstream" music, he said, "I was involved in one of the meetings; Akhtar was very specific about the sound she wanted. The film, and our talented music artists who backed it up, brought in the change."
Today, rap has reached India's remote places too
Per James, rap is no longer limited to metropolitan cities. "The reality shows that we have today have contestants coming from the remotest locations in India. I also do not come from a metro city, but Sarni, a small town in Madhya Pradesh's Betul district," he concluded, adding that it is a myth that only an English-speaking audience connects with rap.
