Rap Recap: Straight Outta Srinagar, Yung Sammy, Panther

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This week in Indian hip-hop, Kashmiri hip-hop favorites Straight Outta Srinagar aka SOS dropped new material, veteran artist G-Deep dropped his long-anticipated album, while Shillong’s A’Hosea flexed his rap game on his new album. Over the last few weeks, we’ve also seen some prolific, emerging rap talents like Vinayvvs and Shayar play to their strengths. Here’s what’s stood out.

G-Deep – Best Boy

In the works for several years with a handful of collab-heavy singles already out, Indo-American hip-hop artist G-Deep’s debut album Best Boy puts together 23 tracks that run up to an hour and 19 minutes. He gathers G-Unit’s Kidd Kidd for the glitzy “Gangsta Party,” rapper Paul Cain on “Tha Desi Kidd,” and Mobb Deep’s Havoc for production and vocals on the infectious “Mesmerizing Eyez.” In a world where Punjabi music is quickly crossing over into global hip-hop territory, G-Deep’s Best Boy is a labor of love, even with all its gangster bravado at the front.

Straight Outta Srinagar, 30Key! – “Kala”

After signing to Mass Appeal earlier this year, Kashmiri hip-hop duo Straight Outta Srinagar, aka SOS, have dropped their first release through the international label. “Kala” is a track that balances cutthroat bars with club-friendly hooks produced by their go-to collaborator 30Key! The artists say in a statement, “‘Kala’ is a razor-sharp reflection of pride, pain, and poetry straight from the streets of Srinagar. It’s a declaration of how art becomes magic when it’s real and rooted. As the hook says: ‘Kala hai Jaadugari, bete mai Jaadugar, kalam ki dhaar tez, kaate laundon ke par.’ The pen is their blade, and every verse cuts through the noise with purpose.”

A’Hosea – The Call

Shillong hip-hop artist A’Hosea’s second album, The Call, goes a level deeper than his 2023 project, GTG, with a little help from his friends. Banrap Lyngdoh lights up “Count” and “Lock In A Year” alongside Wanme, while Ksan Edicius fires off with Khasi rap. Love becomes the common thread on “Confession,” a team effort with Manipuri rapper Yelhomie and Shillong artists U. Lyngskor, Iari and Wanpli. On the suitably R&B-flavored “Keep It That Way,” Meba Ofilia adds her distinct, understated flair, while “Eastside” moves with a celebratory flow brought by Naga rapper Moko Koza. A’Hosea says in a statement, “When I set out to create The Call, I wasn’t just trying to make music I was trying to make a statement to say something that had been weighing on me for a long time, this project wasn’t just a collection of tracks; it was the soundtrack of my journey, my struggles, my growth, and ultimately, my rise.”

Yung Sammy, BBB, Wamp – “Top Boys”

The latest cut from Nigeria-origin India-based rapper Yung Sammy is “Top Boys,” dedicated to running the town with longtime collaborator BBB and producer Wamp. Released via Desi Trill, Yung Sammy brings a bit of Afro slang with BBB leading the song’s first verse. It comes with a music video shot at a racetrack, complete with a hype crew and a racecar doing donuts. Sammy says in a statement, “It’s a flex on our hustle, our come-up, and where we’re at now. It’s made for the clubs, for the streets, and for hip-hop heads. This is my third link-up with BBB, and the track really shows how we move, repping UP16 hard. That’s home, that’s the code.” BBB adds, “Cherishing both our personal artistic growth as well as our Day Zero friendship, wrapped around with our secret sauce, our magic touch, this project just came naturally to us.”

Shayar, Basspaper – “STFU”

Pune-based hip-hop artist Shayar teams up with producer Basspaper for his latest single “STFU,” which takes shots and turns braggadocious bar by bar. Shayar goes all guns blazing on a majestic beat by Basspaper, referencing everything from MTV Hustle to Covid-19 to his independent grind, flowing like the Jhelum river. Releasing music since 2023, “STFU” follows his debut EP Suno and the single “Akela,” both out earlier this year.

Vinayvvs – Worli2TheWorld

Mumbai-born trap artist Vinayvvs, aka Vinay Vasnani, has been running at a prolific rate ever since he started in 2020 after discovering inspirations like Travis Scott. For example, his concept record Worli2TheWorld is his fifth album out this year. The Hindi rap is certainly right up the alley for anyone into the likes of Travis Scott, and Vinayvvs cuts loose on all tracks, which average less than two minutes. He says, “The title, Worli2TheWorld, has two meanings—one representing the protagonist’s story of growing up in the chawls of Worli to going worldwide, and the other meant to represent the protagonist’s story and hometown to the world.”

Siroyi – “8 Haath”

New Delhi artist Siroyi’s debut song “8 Haath” is making waves for its message and a fairly refreshing approach to desi hip-hop, drenched in sarcasm and rage for the way Indian society treats its women. With music by Abhiruk Patowary and production by Siddhant Bhatia and Rishabh Banerjee from SoulTrax, it’s an interplay of fusion and rap. Siroyi says, “Written as a tribute to my mom, it highlights how the often under-appreciated homemakers actually play countless roles—often all at once. The chorus line ‘Mai Ek, Haath 8’ is meant to shine a spotlight on these modern-day goddesses who are navigating patriarchy, family expectations, and personal ambitions with eight metaphorical hands.”

Panther – “Manwa”

Described as a “love letter” by the Uttar Pradesh hip-hop artist Panther, “Manwa” takes a pop turn on while retaining a few hip-hop elements. Panther sets off on adventures in love and, in the process, delivers a club-friendly tune, all in the name of romance. He says, “This was honestly out of my comfort zone, but that’s what made it exciting. I’m usually in my zone with hard-hitting rap, but this time I just wanted to follow the feeling. Love’s got this crazy power to shake you up, and I wanted the track to feel like that. I hope my fans connect with this side of my music as much as they do with my raps.”

Amli – Bars & Bruises

Punjabi, Hindi and a smattering of English bars power rapper Amli’s new EP Bars & Bruises, for which the artist enlists ace producers like Sez On The Beat, Stunnah Beatz and Simran. The result is a banger set of tunes, featuring tracks like the melancholic “Egging,” with lyrics like “Fuck love, play FIFA 23 on my lappy, got no PlayStation.” Meanwhile, “Papi Chulo” is fueled by rage, and “9 to 5” enters topsy-turvy drill and grime territory. He says in a statement, “It’s an EP which tells my story in bits, about how a heartbreak can fuel you to make better music.”