RhysFrisina87 at 00:40, 27 February 2026

2026-02-27T00:40:01Z

New page

{{Short description|Rap video by Rene Sharanya Verma}}
{{italic title}}
'''''An Open Letter to Yo Yo Honey Singh''''' is a 3.5-minute [[rap]] [[video]] featuring Rene Sharanya Verma, a student of [[St. Stephen's College, Delhi]], performing at Café Zingo Star in [[Greater Kailash-II]] organised by Delhi Poetry Slam, an initiative that aims to "restore the art of spoken word into the everyday culture of the Capital".<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.thehindu.com/features/metroplus/events/words-of-wonder/article5455560.ece/ |title=Words of Wonder |last=Bhattacharya |first=Budhaditya |date=13 December 2013 |newspaper=[[The Hindu]] |accessdate=13 December 2013 |quote=Organised by Delhi Poetry Slam, an initiative that aims to “restore the art of spoken word into the everyday culture of the Capital”, the event brings together poets and performers from various backgrounds. |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131218084351/http://www.thehindu.com/features/metroplus/events/words-of-wonder/article5455560.ece |archive-date=18 December 2013 |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref name="IE-20150204">{{cite news |url=http://indianexpress.com/article/entertainment/music/dont-mess-with-her-2/|title=Don't Mess with Her |last= Lakhani |first=Somya |date=4 February 2015 |newspaper= [[The Indian Express]] |accessdate=4 February 2015 |quote=Verma never anticipated that a rap she performed in front of 30 people in Delhi would go viral, and that her inbox would be full of people congratulating her.}}</ref> She performed before a 30-person audience.<ref name="IE-20150204"/> The subject of the slam was "Portrait of a Lady". The rap number was composed in one hour at the cafe.<ref name="NDTV-20150203">{{cite news |url= http://www.ndtv.com/india-news/my-rap-rebuttal-to-yo-yo-honey-singh-a-college-students-story-736596 |title=My Rap Rebuttal to Yo Yo Honey Singh: A College Student's Story |last=Rawat |first=Gargi |date=3 February 2015 |work=[[NDTV]] |accessdate=4 February 2015}}</ref> The video has been uploaded to YouTube using the handle "Delhi Poetry Slam".<ref name="YT video">{{cite AV media |date=28 January 2015 |title=Open Letter to Honey Singh |medium=YouTube video |publisher=Delhi Poetry Slam|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Soazvqpr53U}}</ref> The addressee referred to in the title is Indian artist [[Yo Yo Honey Singh]]. Besides challenging Singh, the video criticizes extant value systems in the media, advertising and the arts that demean women and treat women as [[Objectification|commodities]], instead of [[Dehumanization|persons]].<ref name="IE-20150204" />

==Context==
Honey Singh is an Indian rapper whose work has been perceived as being vulgar, [[misogyny|misogynist]], promoting [[violence against women]] and a bad influence on youth.<ref>{{Cite web|title = Yo Yo Honey Singh: A vulgar obsession or our own creation?|url = http://blogs.reuters.com/india/2012/12/31/yo-yo-honey-singh-a-vulgar-obsession-or-our-own-creation/|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20130102154739/http://blogs.reuters.com/india/2012/12/31/yo-yo-honey-singh-a-vulgar-obsession-or-our-own-creation/|url-status = dead|archive-date = 2 January 2013|website = Reuters Blogs|date=31 December 2012|accessdate=1 January 2016|first = Sankalp|last = Phartiyal}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title = The biggest problem with Yo Yo Honey Singh: Bollywood's embrace of him|url = http://www.firstpost.com/bollywood/the-biggest-problem-with-yo-yo-honey-singh-bollywoods-embrace-of-him-574960.html|website = Firstpost|date=1 January 2013|accessdate=1 January 2016|last=Chintamani|first=Gautam }}</ref> There have been reactions in prose to Singh, such as from [[Annie Zaidi (writer)|Annie Zaidi]], who wrote her own "An Open Letter to Honey Singh" in January 2013,<ref name="TSG-20130105">{{cite news|url=http://www.sunday-guardian.com/artbeat/an-open-letter-to-honey-singh-2 |title=An open letter to Honey Singh|last= Zaidi|first=Annie|date=5 January 2013|work=The Sunday Guardian|accessdate=4 February 2015}}</ref> and Sandipan Sharma, who wrote "Thanks for the crassness: An open letter to Honey Singh from a parent" in July 2014.<ref name="HT-20140723">{{cite news|url=http://www.hindustantimes.com/music/thanks-for-the-crassness-an-open-letter-to-honey-singh-from-a-parent/article1-1242802.aspx|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150205105646/http://www.hindustantimes.com/music/thanks-for-the-crassness-an-open-letter-to-honey-singh-from-a-parent/article1-1242802.aspx|url-status=dead|archive-date=February 5, 2015|title=Thanks for the crassness: An open letter to Honey Singh from a parent|last=Sharma|first=Sandipan|date=23 July 2014|work=The Hindustan Times|accessdate=4 February 2015}}</ref>

==Review==
In part, the work is a response to the perceived misogyny in Singh's work. Verma said in an interview that on initially hearing Singh's "[[Blue Eyes (Yo Yo Honey Singh song)|Blue Eyes]]" it "hooked" her, but that when she "paid attention to the lyrics" she realized they were "very problematic".<ref name="BBC-20150202">{{cite news|url=http://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-india-31087812|title=Yo Yo Honey Singh: The Indian student who took on 'misogynist' rapper|last=Yadav|first=Shalu|date=2 February 2015|publisher=[[British Broadcasting Corporation]]|accessdate=4 February 2015}}</ref> ''[[Femina (India)|Femina]]'' said that Verma uses phrases in Singh's works to express her disgust, and appreciates that the message Verma wishes to convey that every woman is intrinsically good the way she is.<ref name="Femina-20150130">{{cite news|url=http://femina.in/women/women-like-you/an-open-letter-to-honey-singh-3361.html|title=An open letter to Honey Singh|date=30 January 2015|newspaper=[[Femina (India)|Femina]]|accessdate=4 February 2015}}</ref> The target is not only Singh but also [[Eve teasing|eve teasers]], who were the template for works such as Singh's.<ref name="CNN-IBN-20150129">{{cite news|url=http://ibnlive.in.com/news/watch-this-woman-raps-out-an-open-letter-to-honey-singh/525525-79.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150201020455/http://ibnlive.in.com/news/watch-this-woman-raps-out-an-open-letter-to-honey-singh/525525-79.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=1 February 2015|title=Watch: This woman raps out an open letter to Honey Singh|date=29 January 2015|work=IBNLive|publisher=[[Cable News Network]]|accessdate=4 February 2015}}</ref> Although there have been other protests against Singh's work, including petitions and an open letter written by Annie Zaidi in ''[[The Sunday Guardian]]'', Verma's rap number uses the same artistic format as Singh and incorporates some of his own lyrics.<ref name="FP-20150130">{{cite news|url=http://www.firstpost.com/living/are-you-a-fking-transformer-delhi-students-anti-honey-singh-rap-is-epic-win-2071539.html|title='Are you a f***king transformer?' Delhi student's anti-Honey Singh rap is epic win|date=30 January 2015|work=[[First Post]]|accessdate=4 February 2015}}</ref> Verma's work has been considered as an example of Indian women confronting adversities.<ref>{{Cite web|title = Rap Against Rape: How India's Young Women Are Using YouTube Video To Stand Up For Themselves|url = http://www.ibtimes.com/rap-against-rape-how-indias-young-women-are-using-youtube-video-stand-themselves-2090776|newspaper=[[International Business Times]]| date=10 September 2015 |accessdate=1 January 2016}}</ref> Verma's work has been cited as an example of a [[spoken word]] performance being used as a revolutionary tool,<ref name="HT-20150810">{{Cite web|title = I'm not 'ambaran di queen' or 'kudi namkin': The spoken word|url = http://www.hindustantimes.com/art-and-culture/i-m-not-ambaran-di-queen-or-kudi-namkin-the-spoken-word/story-YHDKa5STDS4CRdiHzsePhK.html|newspaper=[[Hindustan Times]]|date=10 August 2015|accessdate=1 January 2016|last=Bhasin |first=Simar}}</ref> and as parodying Singh while attacking the sexism in Singh's rap.<ref>{{Cite web|title = Rap on the knuckles - Mumbai Mirror -|url = http://www.mumbaimirror.com/others/sunday-read/Rap-on-the-knuckles/articleshow/48407504.cms|newspaper=[[Mumbai Mirror]]|accessdate=1 January 2016}}</ref> Subsequently the video of another work of hers received over 180,000 hits on YouTube and was the subject of media attention,<ref>{{Cite web|title = Student Who Rapped About Honey Singh Says This About Periods|url = http://www.ndtv.com/offbeat/after-open-letter-to-yo-yo-honey-singh-heres-what-she-has-to-say-about-menstruation-773295|website =NDTV.com|accessdate=1 January 2016}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title = Because it's natural. Period|url = http://www.indianweekender.co.nz/Pages/ArticleDetails/72/5864/Pimp-Your-Cause/Because-its-natural-Period|newspaper=Indian Weekender|accessdate=1 January 2016}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title = En Inde, un slam contre la honte autour des règles|url = http://rue89.nouvelobs.com/2015/06/19/inde-slam-contre-honte-autour-regles-259838|website = Rue89| date=19 June 2015 |accessdate=1 January 2016}}</ref> in which she was described as someone who had confronted Singh,<ref>{{Cite web|title = My period is not my shame: Girl who challenged Yo Yo Honey Singh says in new video!|url = http://www.india.com/stream/my-period-is-not-my-shame-girl-who-challenged-yo-yo-honey-singh-says-in-new-video-423934/|website = India.com|date = 16 June 2015|accessdate=1 January 2016}}</ref> and "slamming"<ref>{{Cite web|title = After slamming Yo Yo Honey Singh, Rene Sharanya Verma now has a poetic message about periods for Indian girls|url = http://www.folomojo.com/after-slamming-yo-yo-honey-singh-rene-sharanya-verma-now-has-a-poetic-message-about-periods-for-indian-girls/|website = Folomojo| date=13 June 2015 |accessdate=1 January 2016|language = en-US}}</ref> and "knocking the wind out of" him.<ref>{{Cite web|title = The Girl Who Knocked The Wind Out Of Honey Singh Is Back. This Time Rapping About Her Periods!|url = http://www.indiatimes.com/videocafe/the-girl-who-knocked-the-wind-out-of-honey-singh-is-back-this-time-rapping-about-her-periods-233607.html|newspaper=[[India Times]]| date=14 June 2015 |publisher=indiatimes.com|accessdate=1 January 2016}}</ref> She was featured on ''The Arts Hour'' for the [[BBC World Service]] presented by [[Nikki Bedi]], with her rap number "Reclaim the night".<ref>{{Cite web|title = Delhi rapper, Rene Sharanya Verma performs 'Reclaim the Night', The Arts Hour - BBC World Service|url = http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p032v0zj |first1=Nikki |last1=Bedi |work=The Arts Hour |date=18 September 2015 |publisher=BBC |accessdate=1 January 2016}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title= BBC The Arts Hour {{!}} India Blog |url= http://blog.britishcouncil.org.in/tag/bbc-the-arts-hour/ |website = blog.britishcouncil.org.in |accessdate=1 January 2016}}</ref>

==Social media==
The video was uploaded to [[YouTube]] on 28 January 2015.<ref name="YT video" /> It went [[viral video|viral]] on social media and had received about a million hits on YouTube by 2 February 2015.<ref name="BBC-20150202" /> As of August 10, 2015, the video had received over 1.6 million hits.<ref name="HT-20150810">{{Cite web|title = I'm not 'ambaran di queen' or 'kudi namkin': The spoken word|url = http://www.hindustantimes.com/art-and-culture/i-m-not-ambaran-di-queen-or-kudi-namkin-the-spoken-word/story-YHDKa5STDS4CRdiHzsePhK.html|newspaper=[[Hindustan Times]]|date=10 August 2015|accessdate=1 January 2016|last=Bhasin |first=Simar}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Soazvqpr53U |title=An Open Letter to Honey Singh |publisher=YouTube |accessdate=10 January 2016}}</ref>

==References==
{{reflist|30em}}

==External links==
* [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Soazvqpr53U An Open Letter to Honey Singh Video] [[YouTube]]

{{DEFAULTSORT:Open Letter to Honey Singh}}
[[Category:2015 YouTube videos]]
[[Category:Yo Yo Honey Singh]]
[[Category:Indian music industry]]
[[Category:Sexism in India]]
[[Category:2010s viral videos]]

An Open Letter to Honey Singh - Revision history

RhysFrisina87 at 00:40, 27 February 2026