SabinaGuffey at 12:11, 8 May 2026

2026-05-08T12:11:28Z

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{{Short description|Subgenre of hip hop originating in Kerala, India}}
'''Malayalam hip hop''' is a genre of [[popular music]] developed in [[Kerala]] starting in around 2004.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Malayalam music's massive growth: What's driving this phenomenal rise? |url=https://www.theweek.in/theweek/leisure/2024/05/18/how-indie-artistes-are-driving-the-phenomenal-rise-of-malayalam-music.html |access-date=2024-05-31 |website=The Week |language=en}}</ref> The term has also come to be used as an alternative for rap music, and even pop music, which involves rappers of South Asian origins.<ref>{{cite web |title=Outta da hoods|publisher= newindianexpress|date=2023|url=https://www.newindianexpress.com/kochi/2023/Sep/15/outtada-hoods-2614910.html}}</ref>

==Overview==
[[Street Academics]] were the first ever hip hop band to be established in 2009, in Malayalam hip hop. They started with freestyling.<ref>{{cite web |title= Bengaluru: Kerala band forced off stage after unruly pub-goers object to singing in Malayalam|publisher= Indian Express |date=2019|url=https://indianexpress.com/article/cities/bangalore/bengaluru-kerala-band-forced-off-stage-after-unruly-pub-goers-object-to-singing-in-malayalam/}}</ref>
[[File:Ocha Festival.png|thumb|The Ocha Music Festival organized by Saina Music Indie and Pacayafog held in [[Bolgatty Palace]] in 2024 was the biggest Hip Hop stage which Kerala has seen , Ocha played a crucial part in its first season in 2023 to showcase the raw talent in the state such as baby jean doing his first stage performance , Season 2 introduced the Rising Panther Gabri too .]]
Malayalam hip hop was initially introduced widespread by [[Fejo (rapper)|FEJO]] and [[ThirumaLi]] during the 2018 to 2019 period, they played significant role in introducing the genre among the Malayali community. FEJO's first debut release in 2018 "Vere Level" and ThirumaLi's first debut hit "Malayali Da," in 2019, marked the onset of Malayalam rap.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2023-01-09 |title=Catch Up With ThirumaLi, The Malayali Rapper Who's Here To Stay And Slay |url=https://pinklungi.com/catch-up-with-thirumali-the-malayali-rapper-whos-here-to-stay-and-slay/ |access-date=2024-05-31 |website=PinkLungi |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title= Fejo: Knowing that rappers in other languages too face the same struggles was inspiring|publisher= timesofindia |date=2019|url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/malayalam/music/fejo-knowing-that-rappers-in-other-languages-too-face-the-same-struggles-was-inspiring/articleshow/71758639.cms}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |date=2018-09-01 |title=Rap finally finds its rhythm in Mollywood |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/malayalam/music/rap-finally-finds-its-rhythm-in-mollywood/articleshow/65623280.cms |access-date=2024-05-31 |work=The Times of India |issn=0971-8257}}</ref>

In 2022 Saina Music a Homegrown Label which was a Household label for last 4 decades signed the first track with Dabzee while representing Manushyar , Which happened to be just after the Event Utopian Dystopia which showcased few talents across the state, Meanwhile the label has been in the front row for the new and unrecognized artist to showcase and release their Indie tracks to the public .
In 2023, [[Mass Appeal India]] initiated a scouting program in the South Indian market to sign [[Malayalam]] hip-hop artists. Later, Spotify officially announced that Malayalam music consumption has increased, with a significant portion attributed to Malayalam hip-hop.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Malayalam music's massive growth: What's driving this phenomenal rise? |url=https://www.theweek.in/theweek/leisure/2024/05/18/how-indie-artistes-are-driving-the-phenomenal-rise-of-malayalam-music.html |access-date=2024-05-31 |website=The Week |language=en}}</ref> During the period, The [[Spotify]] has noticed several releases by Malayalam hip hop artists featured in the Global and Hip hop Charts.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Priya |first=Akchayaa Rajkumar,Lakshmi |date=2024-03-14 |title=Spotify says Malayalam music consumption grew by 5300% in 5 years: Here’s why |url=https://www.thenewsminute.com/flix/spotify-says-malayalam-music-consumption-grew-by-5300-in-5-years-heres-why |access-date=2024-05-31 |website=The News Minute |language=en}}</ref>

A hip-hop music festival called "Ocha Music Festival", was introduced in 2023. It is currently one of the leading hip-hop music festivals in Kerala. It is usually held in the [[Bolgatty Palace]] Arena in Kochi.<ref>{{Cite web |last=B |first=Parvana K. |date=2024-01-30 |title=Ready to groove @ Kerala’s biggest beach music fest? |url=https://www.newindianexpress.com/cities/kochi/2024/Jan/30/ready-to-groove-keralas-biggest-beach-music-fest |access-date=2024-05-31 |website=The New Indian Express |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Service |first=Express News |date=2024-05-16 |title=Kerala’s hip-hop scene to get loud at Ocha music festival |url=https://www.newindianexpress.com/cities/kochi/2024/May/16/keralas-hip-hop-scene-to-get-loud-at-ocha-music-festival |access-date=2024-05-31 |website=The New Indian Express |language=en}}</ref>

In 2024, The hip hop artist [[Dabzee]] significantly gained fame, producing and singing for Malayalam movies.<ref>{{cite web |title= 'Manavaalan Thug' was meant for my album: Indie artist Dabzee |publisher= newindianexpress |date=2023 |url=https://www.newindianexpress.com/kochi/2023/Sep/15/interview-manavaalan-thug-was-meant-for-my-album-indie-artistdabzee-2614911.html#:~:text=Dabzee%20is%20one%20of%20the,has%20catapulted%20several%20international%20hitmakers.&text=%27Manavaalan%20Thug%27%2C%20from%20%27,the%20colloquial%20slang%20of%20Malabar}}</ref> He is the first ever artist from [[Kerala]] to perform at Earth Soul in [[Coca-Cola Arena|Coco-Cola Arena]]<ref>{{Cite web |title=earthsoulfestival |url=https://earthsoulfestival.com/ |access-date=2024-05-31 |language=en}}</ref>

== Major artists ==
List of established artists in Malayalam hip hop genre .

* [[Dabzee]]
* [[ThirumaLi]]
* [[Fejo (rapper)|FEJO]]
* MC Couper<ref>{{Cite web |last=Prasanna |first=Likhitha |date=2022-03-12 |title=Coup d’état |url=https://www.newindianexpress.com/cities/kochi/2022/Mar/12/coup-deacutetat-2429042.html |access-date=2024-05-31 |website=The New Indian Express |language=en}}</ref>
* [[Vedan (rapper)|Vedan]]
* [[Baby Jean]]<ref>{{Cite web |date=2023-08-17 |title=Breaking: Southern India's Fierce Rapper Baby Jean Signs Exclusive Record Deal With Mass Appeal India - Culture Haze |url=https://culturehaze.com/breaking-southern-indias-fierce-rapper-baby-jean-signs-exclusive-record-deal-with-mass-appeal-india/ |access-date=2024-05-31 |language=en-US}}</ref>
* [[Neeraj Madhav|NJ]]
* Parimal Shais<ref>{{Cite web |last=Khan |first=Mikhail |date=2022-08-24 |title=PARIMAL SHAIS: Inside The Mind Of Southsides’ Resident Bass Dropping Alien |url=https://homegrown.co.in/homegrown-explore/parimal-shais-inside-the-mind-of-southsides-resident-bass-dropping-alien |access-date=2024-05-31 |website=Homegrown |language=en}}</ref>
* [[San Jaimt]]

== See also ==
* [[Indian hip-hop]]
* [[Gully rap]]

==References==
{{reflist}}

[[Category:Indian hip-hop]]
[[Category:Music of India]]
[[Category:Culture of Kerala]]
[[Category:Kerala music|Hip hop]]

Malayalam hip-hop - Revision history

SabinaGuffey at 12:11, 8 May 2026