Saniya MQ aka the ‘Gully Girl’: The 16-Year-Old Hip-Hop Artist on Why India Needs Less Division

Saniya MQ aka Saniya Qaiyummuddin Mistri’s hip-hop is inextricably linked to her conscience. The 16-year-old artist, who recently featured on reality series Hunarbaaz, has made her mark in the genre’s landscape with tracks that explore the themes of corruption, feminism, politics, poverty and more. “Sar dhak ke chalne waali nikli hain sar uthaane/ Ab kya hi kar sakoge jo chahe kar zamaane/ Kal haanth kaapte the, aaj kalam bolti hain/ Ab kore kaagazon par hain likh rahe afsaane (The girl with the headscarf sets out to hold her head high/ What can the world do to keep me down, let me see it try/ My hands used to shake but now my pen speaks/ We’re now writing brave stories on blank pages,) Saniya MQ declared as she made her national television debut in February in front of celebrated Indian creatives Karan Johar, Parineeti Chopra and Mithun Chakraborty, as well as millions of viewers across the country who were tuned into the Colors show. All it takes is one listen to notice that this poet-rapper from Mumbai’s Govandi is fearless in her verses that challenge the status quo. 

“Normally, main street pe perform kar chuki hoon, toh maine socha ki yeh mera street hain aur yeh sab street waale log hain. Bas farak itna hain ki saamne teen judges baithe hain (I’ve performed on the streets so I imagined that I was there and the audience members were the people of the street. The only real difference I felt was that of three judges sitting before me,)” says Saniya MQ about how she tackled pre-performance jitters on the set of Hunarbaaz. She adds, “Mujhe nahin pata tha ki main hip-hop ko aise represent karungi ki jinhe rap nahin pasand hain, unhe bhi pasand aane lage ga. Ek proud moment tha aur meri story logon ne suni; Mujhe bahut khushi hui (I didn’t know that I would represent hip-hop in front of an audience that didn’t like the genre very much, and when even they liked my performance, I felt proud. They even heard my story. I felt very happy.)” The poet-rapper was met with a standing ovation and widespread applause for her act on the show. 

It was only four years ago that Saniya MQ first discovered hip-hop as she and her friends hovered over the “Sheikh Chilli” diss track by veteran artist Raftaar. “Yeh toh main bhi likh sakti hoon (Even I can write this,)” was a 12-year-old Saniya MQ’s response. This led to the birth of her first song, “Sach.” “Badal ke faisley nazariyen hain badal rahe/ Hain arzoo ke zindagi safal rahe/ Hain kashmakash mein toh kahin sambhal rahe/ The jazbaat dil mein woh panktiyon mein pal rahe (We change mindsets with our choices/ The hope is that we’re successful in this life/ Through hardship may we also find our footing/ The words of the heart are now thriving in the pen’s action,)” she relates on the track about the harsh realities of life. It would also lead to a slate of powerful and incisive songs such as “Janta Gumrah,” “Izzat,” “Hum” and more that would see the musician realizing her conscious artistry. About speaking truth to power through her tracks on the pandemic, patriarchy, colorism and more, Saniya MQ says, “Aise baatein agar hum kisi ko bhi batayein toh woh ignore kar denge, right? Toh usse main poem ya fir rap ke through logon tak pahunchana chahti hoon (People tend to ignore these issues when we speak about them. But I weave them into my raps so that they sit up and take notice.)”

The hip-hop artist’s latest offering “Hum” with rapper Risk In Peace (aka Sharik Khan) opens with the National Pledge: “India is my country. All Indians are my brothers and sisters. I love my country and I’m proud of its rich and varied heritage.” In the music video, Saniya MQ takes on the role of a teacher in a classroom imparting knowledge of India’s diverse history. The rapper-poet doesn’t mince her words in this piece; she’s razor-sharp and critical in the track that takes on the issue of rising communalism in the country. “Yeh song India ke liye hain; yeh India jo bat raha hain aapas mein, jo aapas mein lad raha hain. Yehi yaad dilaana hain logon ko ki hum Bharati hain – yeh mat bhoolon. Aur Bharat toh isiliye mashoor hain na ki yahan alag-alag mazhab rehte hain? Agar hum hi yahan ladne lage, toh hum ye kaise expect kar sakte hain ki doosri country humse haar jayegi (This song is for India; the India that is experiencing division, the India that is at war with itself. This song is a reminder to people that we must not forget that we are all Indians. India is famous because people of different faiths coexist together in this country. If we start fighting among ourselves, how can we expect to ever triumph globally?,) says Saniya MQ, dropping an ocean of wisdom with her opinion. It’s only fitting that the rapper-poet turns to art for peace, for relief, and hopes that she can create a difference with her message.

Dubbed the ‘Gully Girl’ (due to the popularity of the Bollywood film Gully Boy that ushered Indian hip-hop into the mainstream) by the media, Saniya MQ rejects the title and reclaims her identity through her artist title. She wants to be represented by her own, real name. “Meri alag ek pehchaan hain. Maine kissi ko copy nahi kiya, ya fir aisa nahi hain ki main unki tarah banna chahti hain. Mera khud ka ek genre hain aur main khud ko represent karna chahti hoon. Mujhe mere naam se jaana jaaye, mujhe mere kaam se jaana jaye (I’ve my own identity. I don’t copy anyone, nor do I want to be like anyone else. I want to represent myself in this genre. I should be known by name and work,)” she says.

Saniya MQ is currently a college student who is also studying at The Dharavi Dream Project, Asia’s largest school of hip-hop. Here, she continues her endeavor to learn and practice the revolutionary genre. “Ab main peeche hat nahin sakti (I can’t stop now,)” the rapper-poet signs off.