But Ranveer’s style has not been widely accepted by rappers in the industry. The actor has also rapped in three songs. Its lyrics really resonate with the youth.īut what undoubtedly also helped the popularity of the tracks is Ranveer Singh taking on a larger-than-life persona of a rapper for the marketing of the movie. Even international DJ Diplo posted a picture on Instagram copying Ranveer’s look with the caption ‘My time will come’. From T-shirts to hashtags to viral videos, it’s everywhere. While the track Azaadi (freedom) has been criticised, as its anti-national message has been muted in the movie, the single Apna Time Aayega (Our Time Will Come) has become an anthem for the youth in India. “I got a chance to work with the legendary Javed Akhtar,” he adds with a hint of reverence. “I have worked on five songs: singing on Mere Gully Mein, Azaadi, Sher Aaya Sher and writing two others, Apna Time Aayega and Doori,” he says. The rapper is obviously very involved in the music of the movie. “I shared what my environment was when I grew up, I got Zoya to understand what the hip-hop community stands for, and what it wants to do,” Vivian says, explaining his contribution to the film. The youngster harbours dreams of becoming a rapper one day, but his parents want him to take a secure white-collar job. In the movie, Murad (Ranveer Singh) is a 22 year-old-boy, whose father is a driver. He soon began making tracks for movies and TV shows, and even collaborated with a few international artistes.Īll this, of course, makes the cut in the movie’s script. In 2014, he released Yeh Mera Bombay and Meri Gully Mein (with Naezy) - the songs that really made DIVINE a name that was not just restricted to the circuit. In his 12th standard, he was initiated to the still nascent Mumbai underground hip-hop subculture blossoming in Dharavi. He was drawn to the rapper’s style and his lyrics about childhood, life on the streets, and the African-American sense of community. His first taste of rap was when he saw American rapper 50 Cent’s image on a friend’s T-shirt. The lyrics talk about fights with his father every day at home, his mother being the family’s breadwinner, and his brother helping out in raising him. The hard-hitting lyrics from his most raw song, Jungli Sher, suggest: “I’m the voice of the streets.” The song also talks about his experiences growing up, and how everything was not hunky dory at home those days.
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The area’s pin code (59) features heavily in his songs, and the streets are very much a part of his identity. Vivian grew up in Mumbai’s JB Nagar, a part of Andheri East.
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“Zoya Akhtar met me after one of the shows at Blue Frog (in Mumbai), and said that she wanted to make a movie based on Naezy’s and my life,” says Vivian, quickly clarifying, “Our story is the inspiration for Gully Boy, it’s not based on our life.” He explains that he is more of a creative consultant, so to speak. The lives of Vivian, and fellow rapper Naezy, sit at the core of the movie, which is set to hit theatres today. One hopes that this attention will also help push new talent through,” he adds, showing his love for the genre, and “keeping it real”. “ Gully Boy has definitely brought a lot more attention to hip-hop in India, and that’s a great start. Vivian Fernandes, as he’s known to friends and family, begins with a note of gratitude. “Hip-hop zindabad!” exclaims the star, as we start our interview. Now with Zoya Akhtar’s movie Gully Boy about Indian hip-hop, starring Ranveer Singh and Alia Bhatt, there is no looking back for the uncharacteristically humble 28-year-old from Andheri, and his “boys from the naka” (hood). If you have tracked the rapper and his crew, the Gully Gang’s career like us, it reveals a steep rise from small underground-style gigs at The Humming Tree in Bengaluru to throngs of thousands singing along to his bass heavy rags-to-riches style songs. A representative of the “voice from the streets,” the Mumbai-based rapper DIVINE appears on stage and hollers, “ Sunega sher log ki kahani?” (“Are you ready to hear the story of the lions?”) and the fans go wild. (“It’s like a political mosh pit in here,” we overhear).
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An amphitheatre full of fans chanting, “Divine, Divine, Divine!” peppered with slogans about Maharashtra. Picture this: A music festival on the outskirts of Nashik.