As the streaming wars heat up with more and more players coming in, Netflix is exploring new ways to win over the hearts of the massive Indian diaspora. While platforms like Disney+ and Hulu have yet to step foot in Asia, Netflix’s strategy is to expand their glocalized cultural impact and build stronger connections with local audiences. To that end, Netflix recently announced that they are launching an exclusive social handle for South India audiences, tapping regional rappers to represent the ‘Southside’ with a hard-hitting promotional anthem.

Titled ‘Namma Stories - The South Anthem,’ Arivu, SIRI, Hanumankind, and NJ [well-known actor Neeraj Madhav from The Family Man] took turns bigging up their respective states with spicy South Indian stories. Rooted in Dubstep with Tamil drums, the percussive electronic beat is a perfect sonic bed for Arivu’s Tamil bars as he elaborates on the history of Tamil culture, the beauty of its literature, stories, art, and intellect. Next up is female rapper SIRI, known for her unique Rap style in the Kannada language, a Dravidian language spoken predominantly in Karnataka. In her verse, SIRI proudly celebrates her Kannada identity while rhyming about the region’s distinctive cuisine, culture, and history.

Arivu returns to flex on mythical stories in Telegu [one of the oldest languages ever recorded] and English, showcasing his language skills as well as the vibrant culture’s ancient roots. In a strong but brief dream-like flex, Hanumankind hops in on a beat switch and rhymes a few bars about the women, the weather, and the parties in the south.

Malayalam rapper NJ wraps it up with spitfire bars that touch on, among other things the Malayalam film industry [also known as Mollywood] while name-dropping renowned directors like Mohanlal and Oscar-winning sound designer Resul Pookutty in his fiery verse. With Netflix producing, it’s only fair they mention some of their original Indian content, right?

Overall, ‘Namma Stories - The South Anthem’ is a tasteful tribute to the so-called Indian ‘Southside’, and the music video is beautifully shot and edited as you might expect. Seeped in traditional dances, costumes, and imagery, it also utilizes plenty of local pop culture references. Director Akshay Sundher has a keen eye on the vibrant Southern Indian cultural landscape, as Netflix makes a strong case for eyeballs.

Kudos to the rappers and Netflix for tastefully elevating Hip Hop and South Indian culture!

Check out ‘Namma Stories - The South Anthem’ below.