The world’s largest hip hop competition formally opened its arms to India for the primary time, and the Indian crowd didn’t disappoint. Screaming on high of their lungs, followers crammed up the newly inaugurated Loud Park in India’s industrial capital and island metropolis, Mumbai.
Who did they welcome? A stellar line up together with Don Toliver, Central Cee, Wiz Khalifa, Denzel Curry, Westside Gunn, Swae Lee, Rob Banks, and lots of extra! Whereas your complete lineup got here ready to ship, Indian pop and Hip Hop sensation Karan Aujla had all eyes on him as he claimed the title of being the one artist ever at Rolling Loud with the identical nationality because the host nation. Try the whole lineup under!
Unfold out over two days, the live performance occurred in Navi Mumbai at a devoted house that catered not solely to music, but additionally to skate boarders and basketball gamers. With a strict give attention to environmental affect, the fest mandates additionally included low cost but prime quality reusable cups with refilling stations throughout the venue.
Holding in thoughts Mumbai’s site visitors challenges, the organisers even managed to have devoted taxi and parking areas to streamline entry and exit to the venue. Protected to say the competition made a superb first impression in India. Moreover, as Day 2 concluded, Tariq (co-founder, Rolling Loud) additionally introduced plans of bringing the competition again for a second time in 2026!
Now, right here’s a spherical up of a few of our favorite performances from the 2 days:
Central Cee
Photograph Credit score: (Rolling Loud / Yash Pardeshi @FLECKMEDIA)
Central Cee made an entry that will probably be remembered fondly by many in India. From placing visuals that gleamed of a hero backstory, to Cench carrying a tee shirt with Hindu diety Shiva on it — each transfer screamed of the artist’s love for the host nation. He carried out crowd favourites and with hardly (if any) backing vocals. The efficiency was crisp and seasoned, shortly after which he additionally teased his upcoming launch on social media the place he identify dropped the host metropolis of Mumbai.
Westside Gunn
Photograph Credit score: (Rolling Loud / Shanmukh @FLECKMEDIA)
Westside Gun took the stage in a ski masks, rapping and revealing his id on the way in which. Rapping stay over grimey instrumentals, the rapper remarked how Mumbai was as grimey as his music, and the way he appreciated the love being proven to him on the streets. At one level, he even resorted to rapping a capella, going ham with intricate flows and flawless supply that left followers surprised. In direction of the tip, the artist additionally hinted at making a return to India sooner or later.
Don Toliver
Photograph Credit score: (Rolling Loud / Abhishek Samuel @FLECKMEDIA)
Don Toliver was actually a spectacle to behold at Rolling Loud. Completely in sync along with his staff and particularly the guitarist, Don Toliver innovated and improvised autotuned melodies from present tracks — all completely stay. Many would run out of breath, however Don clearly put in hours into his craft, which is one thing that clearly paid off. Remarkably, his on-screen visuals had been among the finest throughout the 2 days of the competition, and blended stay footage with virtually psychedelic animation, making a surreal model of a as soon as in a lifetime efficiency.
Sheck Wes
Photograph Credit score: (Rolling Loud / Sanketmali Patil @FLECKMEDIA)
Sheck Wes had the Rolling Loud crowd turned up from the get go. With infectious vitality on stage as he bounced from one finish to the opposite, the artist has the gang consuming out of his palms, so to talk. From his verse on F!EN to his notorious Mo Bamba drop, the rapper showcased unbelievable stamina with naked vocals ripping previous the bass heavy instrumentals. The group, so packed at one level within the common admission part, kicked off chants of “f**ok VIP” — to which Sheck Wes responded with performing Stick stay. The vitality was rightly channeled into moshpits instantly. Discuss crowd management!
Dababy
Dababy owns the stage like no different. After having largely shunned by many, Dababy’s defiant perspective translated itself completely to assured, chest thumping performances of among the slickest flows heard throughout the competition. For the Indian followers, it was a sight to behold as he performed throughout bar strains, stacking syllables in a fashion that may solely be described as a good dribble. And boy, does Dababy have the handles proper!
In fact, an honorable point out goes out to Wiz Khalifa, Swae Lee and Karan Aujla, who did their factor with followers that sang phrase for phrase. What different performances caught your eye? Should you’re in India, you may look ahead to the already introduced return of the competition in 2026.