MaryellenBuckman at 06:32, 13 May 2025

2025-05-13T06:32:41Z

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{{Short description|Genre of hip-hop music}}
[[File:Gully_rap_on_a_train.webm|thumb|Example of gully rap]]
'''Gully rap''' is an emerging [[genre]] of [[Hip hop music|hip-hop music]] that originated from [[Mumbai]].<ref name="Sarrazin 2019 p. 188">{{cite book |last=Sarrazin |first=N. |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ucTADwAAQBAJ&pg=PT188 |title=Focus: Popular Music in Contemporary India |publisher=Taylor & Francis |year=2019 |isbn=978-0-429-99931-4 |series=Focus on World Music Series |page=188 |access-date=2022-09-12}}</ref> It has since spread across [[India]].<ref name="VICE 2019">{{cite web | title=The Rise of Street Rap in India | website=VICE | date=2019-01-17 | url=https://www.vice.com/en/article/street-gully-rap-india-documentary/ | access-date=2022-09-12}}</ref> Inspired by [[Americans|American]] [[Rapping|rappers]] like [[Tupac Shakur|Tupac]], [[The Notorious B.I.G.]] and [[Nas]], the music discusses the street life in distinct [[Hindustani language|Hindu-Urdu]] [[rhythm]] and [[cadence]].<ref name="Sarrazin 2019 p. 188" /><ref name="Ellis-Petersen 2016">{{cite web | last=Ellis-Petersen | first=Hannah | title=Poverty, corruption and crime: how India's 'gully rap' tells story of real life | website=the Guardian | date=2016-05-16 | url=http://www.theguardian.com/world/2016/may/16/poverty-corruption-and-how-indias-gully-rap-tells-story-of-real-life | access-date=2022-09-12}}</ref> ''Gully'' means "narrow lane" in [[Hindi]].<ref name="Sarrazin 2019 p. 188" /><ref>{{Cite news |last=Biju |first=Ancilin |date=28 July 2024 |title=Gully rap finds its rhythm |url=https://www.thehindu.com/opinion/open-page/gully-rap-finds-its-rhythm/article68426271.ece |access-date=31 January 2025 |work=The Hindu |language=en-IN |issn=0971-751X}}</ref> [[DIVINE (rapper)|DIVINE]] and [[Naezy]] are artists that are considered at the forefront of the genre.<ref name="Sarrazin 2019 p. 188" /> It stands in contrast to mainstream ''[[desi]]'' rap or [[Hindi cinema|Bollywood]] which focus on more superficial aspects of life (e.g. partying, alcohol).<ref name="Sarrazin 2019 p. 188" /><ref name="Ellis-Petersen 2016"/> By contrast, gully rap has a [[Power (social and political)|socio-political]] emphasis.<ref name="Pool 2019">{{cite web | last=Pool | first=Ali Bharmal/Red Bull Content | title=Why gully rap is liberating India's youth | website=Red Bull | date=2019-07-25 | url=https://www.redbull.com/us-en/why-gully-rap-is-liberating-indian-youth | access-date=2022-09-12}}</ref>

Gully rap has been an outlet for underprivileged youth and has been used as a tool for [[activism]].<ref name="Pool 2019"/> Incorporating the fundamentals of US hip-hop, the rappers were able to express their emotions regarding their daily lives and frustrations.<ref name="Pool 2019"/> They were able to do so with minimal costs.<ref name="Pool 2019"/> No formal training is required.<ref name="Pool 2019"/> [[China|Chinese]] [[smartphone]]s, cheap data packages, and free online platforms like [[YouTube]] have been used.<ref name="Ellis-Petersen 2016"/><ref name="Pool 2019"/> This represents the Indian philosophy of ''[[jugaad]]''.<ref name="Daga 2022 pp. 131–149">{{cite book | last=Daga | first=Bhagyalakshmi | title=Music Business Research | chapter=Straight Outta Mumbai: Exploring Informality and Innovation in Dharavi’s Hip-Hop Industry | publisher=Springer International Publishing | publication-place=Cham | year=2022 | isbn=978-3-031-09531-3 | issn=2522-0829 | doi=10.1007/978-3-031-09532-0_8 | pages=131–149}}</ref> Although some artists are signed to [[Record label|music labels]], the majority are independent.<ref name="Ellis-Petersen 2016"/> They are primary promoted through [[word of mouth]].<ref name="Ellis-Petersen 2016"/> Rappers set up a microphone and speakers on the street and rap for free to audiences.<ref name="Ellis-Petersen 2016"/>

[[Hip hop (culture)|Hip-hop culture]] had been present in Mumbai for over decade before gully rap became popular.<ref name="VICE 2019"/> The rap started off as a derivative of American rap, but within a few years became original and become mainstream.<ref name="VICE 2019"/> Rappers would post [[Battle rap|rap battles]] on a social media networking site called [[Orkut]], which is now defunct.<ref name="VICE 2019"/> Originally, the language was [[English language|English]], but then a turning point occurred when the rappers used local [[Bombay Hindi|Bambaiyya]] slang as well other languages (e.g. [[Hindi]], [[Marathi language|Marathi]], [[Tamil language|Tamil]] or [[Konkani language|Konkani]]).<ref name="VICE 2019"/> In 2015, "Mere Gully Mein" performed by DIVINE featuring Naezy was released, and its success marked the first time the genre hit the mainstream.<ref name="VICE 2019"/>

The 2019 Bollywood film ''[[Gully Boy]]'' tracks the story of an aspiring rapper from the slums of Mumbai.<ref name="Morrow Nordgård Tschmuck 2022 p. 146">{{cite book |last=Morrow |first=G. |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=TRaIEAAAQBAJ&pg=PA146 |title=Rethinking the Music Business: Music Contexts, Rights, Data, and COVID-19 |last2=Nordgård |first2=D. |last3=Tschmuck |first3=P. |publisher=Springer International Publishing |year=2022 |isbn=978-3-031-09532-0 |series=Music Business Research |page=146 |access-date=2022-09-12}}</ref> [[Vice Media|VICE]] made a documentary called ''Kya Bolta Bantai'' discussing the emergence of the genre.<ref name="VICE 2019"/><ref name="Indulge 2018">{{cite web | last=Indulge | first=Team | title=Documentary on Gully Rap titled Kya Bolta Bantai released online | website=The New Indian Express | date=2018-06-20 | url=https://www.indulgexpress.com/entertainment/cinema/2018/jun/20/documentary-on-gully-rap-titled-kya-bolta-bantai-released-online-8303.html | access-date=2022-09-12}}</ref> Another documentary called ''Gully Life'' follows the [[Rags to riches|rags-to-riches]] story of DIVINE.<ref name="Pool 2019"/>

==See also==
* [[Indian hip-hop]]
* [[Naezy]]

== References ==
{{reflist}}

== External links ==
{{Portal bar|Music|India}}

[[Category:Music of India]]
[[Category:Indian hip-hop]]

Gully rap - Revision history

MaryellenBuckman at 06:32, 13 May 2025