The rise of Indian hip-hop has primarily been driven by the success and push given to vernacular and gully-rap artists. While this has increased accessibility and target audiences for most artists, it has also led to hip-hop artists that rap in English being sidelined or forced to adapt to writing in a narrative that doesn't suit their specific talents. Some of these artists, such as Mumbai-based boy-wonder Tienas and Azadi Records' latest collaborator Adi, are producing forward-thinking alternative hip-hop that stands on par with their peers from the USA and UK.

Azadi Records is proud to present the latest release by Mumbai-born / New York-based hip-hop artist Adi. Titled 22 (pronounced ‘Point Twenty Two’), the record is the promising young rapper's debut release on the label and dives deep into the mental health crisis faced by a concerning number of India's youthful population today. By tackling the taboo of and intricacies surround the discussion of mental health, Adi hopes to add value and hope to the narrative around the ongoing crisis.

Titled '.22' (pronounced 'point twenty-two), the track sees Adi navigating his way through the music business as a newcomer. It talks about the loss of relationships that comes as the cost of prioritizing work, all against a ticking clock that tells you that there is a limit to when one can make great music or be recognized for it. It addresses suicidal thoughts, but in a way to normalize the occurrences of them.

Click on the link below to watch the video:

www.youtube.com/watch?v=5QPthXFuwgc