Rap Recap: Ed Sheeran Taps Karan Aujla, Seedhe Maut’s Tour, Lehar Chandigarh Mixtape and More
The past few weeks of hip-hop headlines in India have been stacked. International heavy-hitters ranging from Playboi Carti to Central Cee, Denzel Curry to Lil Yachty are slated for debuts at Rolling Loud India, Travis Scott’s long-awaited India debut is set to take place in Delhi NCR in October, followed by a standalone Mumbai show in November, and Spotify is gearing up for its most ambitious edition of Rap91 yet.
There’s plenty of music festival headliners, but also homegrown artists firing on all cylinders. Here’s a glimpse of everything going down in Indian hip-hop right now.
Ed Sheeran Confirms New Punjabi Collab With Karan Aujla
Ed Sheeran — the British pop artist who has just released his new album Play — made another case for his Indophile credentials when he announced in a Sep. 17 appearance on BBC Asian Network with Nikita Kanda that he’s working with Punjabi star Karan Aujla. He said in the interview, “The first time I sang in Punjabi was doing ‘Lover.’ Diljit [Dosanjh] was teaching, and then obviously doing it with Arijit [Singh, on their song ‘Sapphire’]. And I’ve just done a tune with Karan Aujla as well, where we’ve done like a little bit of that,” he said casually, hinting at the scale of the track. With a music video shot in New York, Sheeran hinted that this massive collab is due in October.
Farhan Khan – Alif Laila
When Urdu hip-hop artist Farhan Khan dropped Alif Laila (Part 2) in 2024, it was his way of flipping the script — he was unveiling the concept story with the sequel before diving into the origin story. Alif and Laila met and fell in love, but in Part 2, we were already deep into their heartbreak with songs like the searing “Jawab De.” With the full album spanning 17 tracks, two parts, and 43 minutes now out, songs like “Masoom” featuring vocalist Mujtaba Aziz Naza and production by Mr. Doss and the guitar-flittered “Ghar” with sitarist Mehtab Ali Niazi, produced by Deetocx, are top bops that take us from love in bloom to total despair. After hard-hitting Urdu rap with his album Khansaab, there’s a turn towards more R&B and pop sounds on Alif Laila, with world-building at the center that makes this one of Indian hip-hop’s finest albums this year.
Hatsmyth – Not So Hip-Hop
With four out of 11 songs out so far, Kerala producer and singer-songwriter Hatsmyth, aka Rajat Prakash, has been working on his genre-blending album Not So Hip-Hop for nearly six years. An artist since 2011, four collab-heavy tracks pull the project in several directions — in a good way. “Kelkkam Kelkkathirikkam,” for example, has fast-paced rap, but it goes over a sparkling foundation of synth-pop and funk featuring Simmo and CJ J. “Omalaale” bursts with old-school energy that also tips its hat to nostalgic videogame-like synth, folk music, and more with Lil Payyan and Ekan. “Mone Baa” featuring Jazadin, Anohnymouss, and G.V. is like a rap theatrical condensed to about six minutes, while the pop-leaning “Sundara Lokam” channels freestyle storytelling in English and Malayalam. Not So Hip-Hop is clearly a labor of love, and in the time of two-minute tracks, there’s intensity and depth in Hatsmyth’s songs that make the average hip-hop listener sit up and take notice. The project will likely get expansive in sound, as well as collaborators from Kerala’s rap scene.
Naam Sujal – “Ankurit Moong”
Nagpur hip-hop artist Naam Sujal represents a new wave of rap auteurs in the game, and his pop culture-packed, frenetic music video for “Ankurit Moong” is proof of that. Dropping references to Doechii, his run on hip-hop talent show MTV Hustle, the beef between Kashmir’s SOS and Seedhe Maut, there’s an unmistakable swagger that he brings to the table, coupled with a roving, violent, and humorous music video directed by Xxception & Naam Sujal. His first single since Hustle, which concluded with him as runner-up, understandably brings a lot of pent-up energy. The rapper says, “For me, ‘Ankurit Moong’ is about growth. I had to face different parts of myself and let some go in order to move forward. This song is my way of putting that journey into words, and I think a lot of people will connect with it.”
Poetik Justis – Kala Pani
An ambitious undertaking from a seasoned name in Mumbai hip-hop, Kala Pani is an animated film, an album, and a takedown of technological dystopia all rolled into one. Rapper Poetik Justis has been chipping away at the songs and concept behind Kala Pani for a few years, even releasing irony-laced songs like “Chalega” over the years. But the 10-track album is a deeply philosophical, focused, and yet accessible project from an artist who cut his teeth in the battle rap scene for years. Featuring fellow rappers like Smokey The Ghost, Enkore, and Krantinaari, the album “explores the concepts of generative AI, screen addiction, mythology, philosophy, breaking the shackles of society, and the overall human condition in an increasingly digital world.”
Poetik Justis even walks the talk when it comes to taking the project live, with an experimental, nu-metal band called No Future also performing Kala Pani in all its hard-hitting rap glory.
Lehar Chandigarh Mixtape
If there’s anything we can use more of, it’s the power of community. As rappers get bigger and fly higher, it’s reassuring when the foundation stays strong. Case in point: the Lehar Movement from Chandigarh, whose cypher footage went so viral that it caught the attention of label Mass Appeal and landed them a mixtape. The Lehar Chandigarh Mixtape features 19 rappers across 10 tracks performed in Hindi, Punjabi, English, and Haryanvi. With producer Dev Ocean as the constant, tracks like “Street Talk” and “Loot” bring the cypher energy into the booth. Rappers like Meaow (“Star”) and Convith (“Shinobiz”) shine alongside their peers, while Rapper Jyoti takes a dancefloor-ready beat on “Sail Thru – Freestyle” for resolute bars. There isn’t a single weak link on the Lehar Chandigarh Mixtape, which goes to show what happens when artists choose to lift each other up.
Lady Skavya – Peru Gurthu Pettukondi
Breaking new barriers in Telugu hip-hop, Lady Skavya moves beyond her reggae and ska influences into more rap on her latest album Peru Gurthu Pettukondi (which translates to “remember the name”). There’s a playful yet confident swagger across 10 tracks, with a few fusion touches like the percussive elements by producer Vedam on “Choostu Undu.” She calls on fellow female rappers like Sherni on “Maryaada” and Marathi-Hindi rapper Demyth on “Pedda Noru.” Lady Skavya says in a statement, “These dramatic and satirical bunch of tunes could change Telugu indie music and the community’s visibility forever. This album is also my humble take and tribute to all of the baddies who were bad even before being a baddie was even a thing.”
Khasi Bloodz Announce New Album Blood, Sweat & Tears
After a few years of flying under the radar, Shillong hip-hop duo Khasi Bloodz have announced their debut album Blood, Sweat & Tears. Summed up as 13 years in the making for Donbok Kharkongor and Big Ri, the album will be out as a three-part EP, each part comprising four tracks. The first part drops on Oct. 15, 2025. The group said on Instagram, “What began as a six-member crew has now distilled into two voices, carrying the legacy forward. None of the original tracks made it to this album, but what we’ve created is 100 percent Khasi Bloodz — raw, unfiltered, and entirely our own. It doesn’t ride the wave of any global trend. Instead, it stands on a sound we’ve built and rebuilt through relentless effort, endless arguments, and an almost obsessive attention to detail.”
Seedhe Maut’s SMX Tour
Indian hip-hop’s firepower duo Seedhe Maut have announced a 15-city India tour to mark a decade in the game. Rapper Encore ABJ, aka Abhijay Negi, and rapper-producer Calm, aka Siddhant Sharma, will kick off their SMX Tour in Jaipur on Nov. 1, 2025, and close on home ground in Delhi NCR on Dec. 27, 2025. Tickets are now live on SkillBox, with more cities expected to be added.
“Seedhe Maut isn’t just music; it’s a movement,” the duo says in a statement. “This tour is a celebration of our journey, our fans, and everything Indian hip-hop has become over the past 10 years.” True to their far-reaching audience within India, the duo are heading to cities that rarely get stops on country-wide tours. That includes Nagpur, Indore, Raipur, Lucknow, and Dehradun, among others.
Spotify Rap91 Live Returns
Before Seedhe Maut kicks off their tour, they’re heading to Spotify India’s annual hip-hop showcase Rap91 Live in Mumbai on Oct. 16, 2025. Named after the music platform’s flagship Indian hip-hop playlist, Rap91 Live takes place at the Dome SVP Stadium, bringing a diverse lineup including rap stars like Ikka, Karma, Yung Dsa, KD DesiRock, Yelhomie, Reble, Pho, Malayalam rappers like Arjn, Gabri, Kerala producer M.H.R., Tamil rapper Asal Kolaar, rising names like Naam Sujal, Yung Sammy, Vichaar, Young Aytee, and several more. The free show is already at capacity in terms of RSVPs, so expect a full house for India’s top rap talent.
Red Bull 64 Bars India Season 3
The latest outing of Red Bull 64 Bars India brings in more rappers and producers across the board for fiery (mostly) hook-free songs. Bringing freestyle rap to the front for a few years now, the show has spawned hits like Marathi rap powerhouse Sambata’s “Vazan” with producer Karan Kanchan in 2024. This season opened with Dehradun rapper Karma’s “Zi Freestyle” with producer Stunnah Beatz, while Mumbai’s Vijay DK worked with Kanchan on “43 Ki Hawa,” which samples the iconic A.R. Rahman song “Kehna Hi Kya” sung by K.S. Chithra. The most recent release from the series pairs Malayalam rapper Gabri with ornate verbal firepower over Kerala producer Hrishi’s beats on “Aanavaal Mothiram.”
The post Rap Recap: Ed Sheeran Taps Karan Aujla, Seedhe Maut’s Tour, Lehar Chandigarh Mixtape and More appeared first on Rolling Stone India.
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