If You Liked 'Big Dawgs', Here Are Some Of The Wildest Homegrown Hip-Hop MVs Ever

When the hip-hop movement first started it was all about the art of MCing, which mostly involved live performances, word-of-mouth and rap battles. As it grew and gained popularity in the 80s, the visual medium also became a tool of expression in the culture for artists to connect with their audience. Merging their lyrics with a visual narrative, artists like LL Cool J and Run-D.M.C. were among the first ones to experiment with the medium.

But the 90s were when music videos really blossomed as a phenomena. Artists like Missy Elliot, Snoop Dogg, The Wu Tang Clan and Tupac took over MTV. And who could ever forget the golden era of Slim Shady, who broke just about every trope that had freshly formed when it came to music videos.

Over the years visuals have become an inseparable part of hip-hop culture, going through different eras and waves and transforming MCs and musicians into auteurs. On this occasion of World Hip-Hop Day, Homegrown has curated a list of the best videos that accompanied the music of hip-hop artists from India over the years. These videos don't just highlight the creativity of artists here at home, they also put a cultural lens on their expressions while building a distinct homegrown hip-hop movement.

Chaar Diwari’s music video for Mera Saman Kahan Hai? is a trippy, puzzle-headed journey through the city. Chaar Diwari looks like he's piecing his life together: literally. In the video he has not only lost his stuff, but also lost himself which he's now looking for with two masked creatures beside him. The video is as chaotic and disorienting as the track itself and represents the confused and trapped feelings therein. Oh, and did I mention Arpit Bala and Yashraj have cameos in the video? Written, shot, and directed by the rapper himself, Chaar Diwari took the bull by the horns here and is cementing himself as a Indian hip-hop's resident enfant terrible.

Follow Chaar Diwari here.

Adi's Rain Girl music video is a reimagining of the classic Bollywood track by Kishore Kumar. Director Drishti Jain pays homage to the iconic ‘Chalti Ka Naam Gaadi’ garage, while recontextualizing the drenched-in-rain motif made famous by the iconic song, Ek Ladki Bheegi Bheegi Si. Adi's clever fusion of Hindi hooks and English verses, creates a dynamic interplay between old and new, bringing us a fresh perspective on Bollywood nostalgia that starts right from the videos opening shot.

Follow Adi here.

Rae Mulla's music video for Maggi is a visually striking and disturbing representation of the song's dark themes. Directed by Rae himself, the video has a trigger warning and rightly so. It features a series of unsettling images, including hazmat suits and black baby dolls, reflecting the themes of psychological turmoil that are explored in the track. The climax of the video, a gory shot of Mulla with a razor to his neck, reinforces the self-destructive mood of the track. The video's aesthetic is influenced by various cinematic styles and is somehow both eye candy and gaze-averting.

Follow Rae here.

We're all aware of the viral Wall of Death video by Hanumankind that became a global sensation. But the collaborative history of  the rapper and his partner in crime, director Bijoy Shetty, goes way back.The music video for DAMSON features an 80s thriller-style car scene straight out of a Tarantino flick. With creative jump cuts and dynamic visuals, the video is as menacing as the production on the track by homegrown producer and frequent Hanumankind collaborator, Parimal Shais.

Follow HanumanKind here.

Prabh Deep's music video for Chitta explores power dynamics and societal critique. The hybrid animation style, brought to life by Debjyoti Saha and his team, perfectly complements the song's complex themes. Director Aakash Bhatia shifts the narrative to the antagonist's perspective, challenging viewers to question the traditional hero-villain dichotomy. With its bold visuals, intricate symbolism, and a colour palette that elicits a sense of claustrophobia, the video creates a disturbing but compelling world that mirrors the song's dissection of societal ills. The result is a powerful and unforgettable cinematic experience rich in comic book-like storytelling.

Follow Prabh Deep here.

Raf-Saperra’s self-directed music video for Modern Mirza has the visual quality of old school hip-hop videos that focus on the locale of the rapper. It feels very gangster rap, but it's a desi version of it. The NY-style hip-hop track with scratched samples and a classic, catchy bassline plays over montages of the artist, who can be seen singing on the streets of Lahore, Pakistan, taking us into the lives of the native people and their culture. It's the rapper's tribute to his roots and his musical history with Punjabi folk music. 

Follow Raf-Saperra here.

It's neither a bird nor a plane: it's a purple-haired Yung Raja in his tube man era. With hidden references for his Tamil audience, the artist stars in a goofy music video, directed by Jasper Tan, as a caricature of himself. The song is as catchy as the video is funny and it breaks tired old tropes of rappers needing to be hardcore. The colourful aesthetics of the music video are reminiscent of Tyler the Creator's unserious approach towards rap. Despite the comical tones, you cannot help but admire Yung Raja’s abilities as a lyricist. The constant smile and unrelenting dance combined with the graphics and animations sum turn this video into a three-and-a-half minute-joyride.

Follow Yung Raja here.

Straight out of Hyderabad, the Bangaru Bomma music video takes us right into a criminal frenzy. Filled with action and violence, the music video was produced by Crystolite Media Creations and directed by Rakshit Gururi. The bilingual track features some of the hottest artists from Hyderabad's hip-hop scene using the much-loved visual narrative of a heist. Made by independent artists for the love of underground hip-hop, the music video embraces creativity and collaboration against the backdrop of a thrilling crash-and-burn adventure.

Follow Prozach here & MC Hari here.

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