The Indie Hip Hop scene in India is on fire. Since the massive success of Hindi language ‘Gully Rap’ exploded into the mainstream in 2019, it seems every corner of the country suddenly has its own Hip Hop scene – often with rappers rhyming in their own dialects. Tre Ess is a great example, coming from the small northeastern state of Jharkhand, one of India’s most turbulent regions. On ‘Bicycle Thieves’ he rhymes in English and enlists fellow MC, Gravity for the second verse in Hindi. Through the power of the internet, local rappers are exposed to the history of Hip Hop, and technology gives them the tools to make DIY tracks – the rest is up to creativity. This track feels like it could have been a jazzy hit by Digable Planets or A Tribe Called Quest back in the day. It’s minimal, jazzy and blue – perfect for rapping about your place in time.
Listen to Tres Ess x Gravity's Bicycle Thieves below.