Dee MC raps her way into hearts

KOCHI: It is hard to miss the female rapper in the rap battle of 2019 Ranveer Singh starrer ‘Gully Boy’ which brought India’s underground hip-hop circuit to centre stage. Deepa Unnikrishnan, popularly known in the hip-hop scene as Dee MC, rapped her way into our hearts with her distinctive ‘swag’ and songs such as ‘No More Limits’, an anthem created in association with Menstrual Hygiene Day India 2018.

With the upcoming release of her first solo album this year created with SunitMusic from the UK and her latest from the Bollywood film ‘Article 15’, the Malayali talks to Express about the growing acceptance towards the hip-hop community in India. 

Could you provide a brief about your native place and where you were brought up? 
My parents grew up in Kerala and moved to Mumbai for better work opportunities. I was born and brought up in the city, but my roots in Kerala go pretty deep. I’ve grown up with memories of taking mail trains to Kerala every year and still have a lot of relatives back there. My childhood has been rich not with wealth but with the abundance of natural beauty I was fortunate to grow up around. 

How did Deepa Unnikrishnan become Dee MC? 
Rap verses I heard from pop songs by artists like Akon was my early introduction to hip-hop. I used to love memorising those verses and reciting them. In college, I was intrigued by the numerous hip-hop dance crews. My mind started focusing on the words more than the music and eventually, I put out a cover video on YouTube. At this point, an artist who was close to me introduced the Mumbai hip-hop scene that had been thriving since the past five-six years. A whole new world had introduced itself to me, and since then it became my life.

Could you say ‘Gully Boy’ was close to portraying the struggles of rappers?
Yes, it sure did strike a chord in portraying a rapper’s struggle especially when it comes to explaining our craze for this culture in a society that doesn’t necessarily understand it. Although, I would say it only touched the surface of the evolution of hip hop in India. 

Which was your best performance? How important is it to spread awareness through the genre?
All three of my international shows have been the best performances for me. The UK in 2017, Belgium in 2018 and Canada this year, all these shows broadened my perspective and gave me valuable life experience. Knowledge is actually one of the five elements of hip hop, which binds everything together. It begins with knowledge of self, leading to a need to know about one’s surroundings. Since ‘No More Limits’ I have joined forces with several NGOs creating anthems that spread awareness through music.  

Why do you think rappers have it difficult in India? 
Due to the emergence of the internet generation, there has been an inflow of different forms of music and hip-hop is relatively a niche genre. From my experience, accepting anything offbeat or taking a road less travelled is frowned upon in the South-Asian society. Also, it goes without saying that women have more constraints. Luckily for me I’m in the capital city of entertainment and hence have the option of fully pursuing my passion without the need to seek approval. 

What advice would you give to upcoming rappers? 
Value your thoughts as they shape who you are. If you believe something is holding you back, be fearless in questioning the same.

What does Deepa Unnikrishnan see for Dee MC in the future? Or, rap in India?
Future is still pretty uncertain but looks bright. For me personally, if rap brings forth a revolution in India, I would say hip-hop has fulfilled its purpose. If it ends up becoming just another form of entertainment, I don’t know how long it will last, as trends are just that — trends.