Raja Kumari’s ‘City Slums’ Video is an Ode to Mumbai
The track, which also features Mumbai rapper Divine, blends California West Coast elements and desi vibes to create a new narrative
Mumbai rapper Divine features on Indian-American artist Raja Kumari's new vibrant California West Coast vibe inspired track “City Slums.” Photo: Courtesy of Sony Music
Indian-American rapper Raja Kumari illustrates Mumbai’s vibrancy with a California West Coast vibe inspired track in the new video for “City Slums,” which also features Mumbai hip-hop artist Divine. The track is the rapper’s first release since her 2016 debut EP The Come Up.
The clip opens with Raja Kumari and Divine driving on Mumbai’s Bandra-Worli sea link. The visuals then shift to both artists spitting bars in one of the many slums in the city. “We wanted to show the real Mumbai and we wanted it to be fun,” she says about the video.
Raja Kumari also contributes melodic vocals over Divine’s rapping which creates an appealing contrast of rhythms. On working with Divine, Raja Kumari says, “We really intended this to be an international collaboration and we wanted to use melodies that paid homage to my California West Coast upbringing and the sounds of the gully. Indian music is intrinsically rhythmic and melodic and it was very easy for us to blend the two together.”
For her next few projects, Raja Kumari reveals there are a few solo records that she wants to release soon as well as Bollywood-centric plans in the pipeline.
Watch the video for “City Slums” below:
