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Shikriwal at Rolling Loud India 2026: The Bhojpuri Rapper Making Jazz-Soaked Hip-Hop
Saxophone, folk and Bhojpuri bars from an artist rewriting what the language sounds like.
Bhojpuri rap is usually stereotyped as loud and brash. Shikriwal is out to prove otherwise, and he is bringing the proof to Rolling Loud India on Sunday, December 13.
The rapper redefining Bhojpuri
Desi Renaissance calls Shikriwal "one of the flag bearers of Bhojpuri rap." Rolling Stone India put him in its regional hip-hop "gamechangers" feature in October 2025, noting that he challenges mainstream portrayals of Bhojpuri music. Even his first interview only arrived in September 2025.
Sound
Think soft saxophone, looped piano, folk textures and jazz influence, a vibe Rolling Stone India compared to Tyler, The Creator's Flower Boy on his track "Real Baat." He plays sax himself, and his albums mix Indian folk, hip-hop and experimental ideas.
Tracks and projects to know
- "Real Baat", the sax-led Bhojpuri rap highlight
- Natya Alaapika (May 27, 2025), an 18-track album Desi Renaissance called his most ambitious yet, with standouts "Kaaya," "Mahabharat," "Matrabhav," "Tanashahi" and "Rajmukut"
- Super Shakti and Super Shakti 2, projects made with Yash Raj Mishra
In that first interview, he describes a close-knit group of collaborators spanning Mumbai and Noida, and a studio in Garhwa.
Why catch the set
Festival sets are usually about volume. This one promises texture. If you want a hip-hop set that sounds nothing like the rest of the bill, Shikriwal is the one.
Get there
Rolling Loud India 2026 takes over Mumbai on December 12-13, and Shikriwal is booked for Sunday, December 13, alongside Karan Aujla, Skepta and Seedhe Maut. Grab tickets on the District app; the venue is still to be announced. More at rollingloud.com/india.