From Hanumankind To Munawar Faruqui And Raftaar, Top 5 Multitasking Rappers From India Who Have Side Hustles

These rappers are the hustlers with day jobs, side gigs, and businesses that bleed into their rhymes.

In a country where survival is a daily grind and dreams are currency, India’s rap scene is about juggling lives as much as it's about spitting bars. Take Raftaar, the guy who went from engineering exams to engineering beats, now running a label, acting in movies, and dropping tracks that slap harder than a Mumbai monsoon. Or Divine, the "Gully Boy" who turned slums into symphonies while co-founding a hip-hop label to give the next kid with a mic and a dream a shot.

These rappers show that at a time when everyone’s got a side hustle, the real flex is doing it all without missing a beat.

1. Hanumankind

Sooraj Cherukat also known as Hanumankind (who gave the international banger Big Dawgs) is not only an emcee but an actor too. The rapper who started his journey as an analyst in Goldman Sachs soon realised how much he wanted to switch towards his calling: music. Not only does he have a thriving rap career, he debuted last year in a Malayalam movie called Rifle Club, now available to watch on OTT.

2. Raftaar

Dilin Nair or Raftaar for the world, began his journey on TV years ago as a participant on Dance India Dance (DID)in 2011. He is now known for not only his music but as a judge in MTV Hustle, Roadies, and DID. Raftaar has also been invited to many shows such as India’s Got Latenttoo.

3. Munawar Faruqui

Munawar Faruqui has charmed the netizens with his reality TV wins in the past already, with Bigg BossS7 and Lock UppS1. He continues to work on his stand up comedy career and his music. Other than collaborations with Spectra and Ganesh Acharya, Munawar is releasing his acting project soon. The teaser of First Copyshowed him as a promising debutant.

4. Badshah

The rapper has made himself into a walking brand in the music industry. From judging reality shows to the hospitality business, he has tried it hands at multiple gigs. Badshah owns a lavish club in Chandigarh called Seville Bar and Lounge and an aesthetic restobar in Mumbai called Dragonfly. Moreover, he has his own production house (Afterhours) and a clothing brand (Badfit).

5. Kr$na

Not many know that rapper Krishna Kaul starred in Bollywood movie Gully Boyas a rapper battling with the character MC Sher (Siddhant Chaturvedi). However, Krishna is applauded more for the video game launched to promote his track Roll Up as fans enjoyed the creative spirit of the artist.