Born as a voice of rebellion in Bronx, the hip-hop is more than just music. It is a culture, a language of oppressed, a sound space where the truth cuts faster than a raga. In India, where the mainstream rap is often kidnapped by professionalism and copying, the aware rap remains a low journey path; A one who dare to question deeply, facing the capitalists, patriarchy and the government and resistance. The conscious rap is not about flexing rich or fast cars, but is about awareness using the mike as a weapon.
The 28-year-old tribal rapper of Maharashtra is Madhura Ghana alias Mahi ji, whose music is re-shaping the meaning of Indian hip-hop due to emergence from this powerful dynasty of style.
Inspired by poetry
Mahi’s journey in rap did not start in a studio, but her village in Ahmednagar during the first phase of lockdown. As the world stops, he got time to “reflect, again add and write”. His verses found rhythm in anger. Mahi, an IT engineer from the Mahadev Koli tribe, turned the hip-hop into a means of storytelling, inspired by the poem, he once wrote in solitude.
She accepts the role of her parents in nurturing her social consciousness. “They listen with enthusiasm every time,” she shares.
The forest is home for animals and tribes, why should they leave?, Asks the wrappers. Photo Credit: Special Arrangement
His first track, ‘Jungle Cha Raja’, captures the struggle of the Mahadev Koli tribal community, and is against systemic neglect in the name of development. Amidst the epidemic, while living in the village, he saw how “the government tried to snatch people’s freedom, quietly offered ration supplies while constructing dams and harassing ecological balance and agriculture”. This “maligns” her and had the origin of the first rap – one who changed the trajectory of her life.
It was only when she decided to pursue the rap seriously that she met Ajit Shelak, also known as Rapbos. Mahi says that it is with his support ‘Jungle Cha Raja’ came into life.
In a few years, Mahi detected the home ground to perform at the most prestigious educational and cultural places in India, including Jawaharlal Nehru University, IIT Bombay, Kalina University and TIS. He received the 18th Vidarohi Marathi Sahityan Samlan Puruskar and was awarded Fatimbi Savitri Puruskar (for speaking fearlessly on social injustice) in 2025.
Dedicated to transgender community
Mahi uses her poem to highlight tribal identity, caste inequality, rights of the transgender community and the rights of ecological destruction. His track is dedicated to ‘Haq Se Hijra Hun’ to the transgender community. This was the result of a question that harassed him during his college days – the transgenders had to beg for money, while the sesnder people reached jobs and opportunities? While working on the track, she reached the Humasafar Trust in Pune to ensure the accuracy of the song. Once they beat it, the song was made. His desire to put a trans-vuman in the video was released from the budget issue. Therefore, he asked a male friend to perform instead, which he did for free.
Every track is self-funded, which is financially challenging his journey. Nevertheless, it did not reduce the effect of his work.
Environmental issues
His music video on the harvesting of forests in Hasdev for coal mining went viral. “Every voice matters in preventing destruction. It is home for animals and tribes. Why should they leave?” She asks. Greenpeace in collaboration with its recent single ‘heatwave’, rising temperatures, burning forests and reality of millions, which work under the scorching sun and are unsafe.
Mahi’s greatest inspiration is “nature”. As a tribal woman, she feels connected to it and finds peace and power in it. When the injustice stings, she turns into her notebook, knowing that she has to speak.
S
He often asked, “Are you not afraid to call those people in power?” And, she replies: “When these issues are resolved, I will stop talking. Till then, I will rap about them.” She also hopes that her songs begin the conversation. Rapper says, “I want my music to plant a seed of idea”
His music journey did not start in a studio, but his village in Ahmednagar. Photo Credit: Special Arrangement
Mahi dreamed of adding a sweet hook to her songs to make her more memorable. She is an upcoming cooperation with the indigenous movement and urges the artists to stand on their land. “Believe in yourself. Never mind.”
Published – July 29, 2025 05:15 pm IST
