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India's Hip-Hop Renaissance: From streets to stadia with Travis Scott & Beyond
With Travis Scott set to perform two already sold-out shows in Delhi-NCR this October, it's not just witnessing a major international debut, we are witnessing hip-hop in India step into its most visible, powerful era yet. read more
The energy that once lived in street corners is now being amplified on the country's biggest live stages. There is a seismic cultural shift in India's music landscape - one that's echoing across youth culture, fashion, streaming platforms and global touring circuits. At the heart of this transformation? Hip-hop. With global rap superstar Travis Scott set to debut in India with two sold-out shows in Delhi this October, the country's hip-hop narrative is hitting an undeniable inflection point.
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What began in cyphers and street corners is now spilling into stadiums. From Divine, Raftaar, Kr$na, Hanumankind, Talwiinder, The Karan Kanchan Experience, Prabh Deep and AP Dhillon taking over the stage at Lollapalooza India, to artists like Yung Raja lighting up Nykaaland, with King opening at the Feeding India concert in 2022 produced by BookMyShow Live, Badshah performing at YouTube FanFest 2023, India has quietly built a vibrant, raw and relevant hip-hop ecosystem, and now, the world is taking note.
On October 18th and 19th, 2025, Travis Scott will perform two back-to-back sold-out shows at Delhi's Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium marking not just his India debut, but a cultural milestone for hip-hop fans across the country.
What was once 'underground' is now a movement that's shaping pop culture at large. Music has always been a countercultural force and hip-hop has led that charge. In India, it's more than a sound, it's a movement where marginalised communities speak for themselves and through their words, for an entire generation.
India's Hip-Hop Renaissance: From streets to stadia with Travis Scott & Beyond
From India to the world; a new era for hip-hop
With global giants like Travis Scott now entering the Indian touring circuit, the narrative is shifting. India is no longer a fringe market - it's fast becoming a strategic stop for international hip-hop tours, just like Europe or Southeast Asia. What's more, Indian artists are increasingly collaborating across borders, bringing their unique regional sounds and lyrical identities to the global stage.
How Hip-hop is no longer niche, what the data says
It's now amongst the Top 4 streamed genres in India on Spotify, with 70% of its fans being youth one of the highest age skews for any genre globally. India also ranks 8th globally in hip-hop listenership.
BookMyShow has already sold more hip-hop tickets in 2025 (Jan–May) than it did in all of 2024. Artists like Hanumankind and Diljit Dosanjh who performed at BookMyShow Live shows, went on to perform at global festivals like Coachella.
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Audiences from metros and non-metros alike are tuning in top hip-hop ticket buyers in 2024 included those from cities like Mumbai, Bengaluru, Shillong, Coimbatore, Dehradun, Raipur, Thrissur and Nashik. It's a truly geography-agnostic genre, speaking to identity, authenticity and rebellion - themes that resonate with Indian youth today.
Reasons for the popularity of hip-hop
Hip-hop shows as 'therapeutic', 'emotionally liberating' and 'a form of collective release'. They're drawn to the lyrical honesty, genre fluidity and the emotional range hip-hop offers: from rage to loneliness to joy. The way artists rhyme and construct their lyrics resonates with me deeply. They have a unique ability to evoke a wide range of emotions—from rage to loneliness—through their words and music."
About Rap cyphers
Naman Pugalia, Chief Business Officer – Live Events, BookMyShow explains that Cyphers are the heartbeat of hip-hop. They're less about fame and more about skill, respect and the raw joy of wordplay. In a cypher, there's no autotune, no elaborate production, just bars, beats and authenticity. It's where talent is tested and sharpened. Even today, cyphers remain the truest form of expression in hip-hop culture, where emerging voices earn their stripes and veterans remind everyone why they still matter. It's hip-hop in its most democratic form where anyone can step in, but only a few can hold the floor, and that's the beauty of it.
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From underground roots to become mainstream
It's not so much a shift as it is a slow takeover. Naman says, 'This evolution has been a steady rise. Audiences started craving honesty in music and hip-hop delivered raw, unfiltered and unapologetically.'
He further explains, 'Add to that the internet penetration and audio streaming across the world and you have a generation that grew up on Kendrick, Nas, Divine and Prabh Deep where suddenly, the underground became the blueprint. Over time, as social consciousness shifted and the world became more open to diverse narratives, hip-hop found its place not just on playlists, but in advertising, cinema and global discourse. Artists stopped waiting for validation from traditional gatekeepers and instead built their own communities online.'
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