It wasn’t until recently that India began witnessing a true rise in independent music artists. With names like Anuv Jain, Prateek Kuhad, and Sai Abhyankkar making waves post-COVID, a new door has opened for raw, homegrown talent. Hanumankind took things up a notch, letting the world bop to his bold verses. Indie rap once a fringe player in the Indian music scene, has now become a simmering hotpot of fresh, fiery voices. One such emerging name is Don, known by his rapper alter ego DRAKO, who’s already turning heads with his two breakout singles. In a candid chat, DRAKO walked us through his journey, his hustle to get heard, the grind of balancing a corporate life, and the fire that keeps his music alive. For him, it’s all rooted in the city that raised him, the brotherhood of his homies, and the strength he draws from fitness.

Out of all the music genres in the world, why Hip Hop? What drew you to this space, and how did American hip hop and sports culture influence your journey?
Music’s always been my escape. I explore all kinds of genres, but Hip Hop hit different—it felt like a mirror to my life. The struggle, lifestyle, fashion, and that nonstop head bop? Addictive. It’s freedom in its purest form, no rules, just art. My real intro was Los Santos Radio on GTA. From there, I studied rappers—their styles, stories, crews, even business moves. I’d rap their tracks on repeat like rituals. Most of my inspiration came from New York—the Mecca of Hip Hop. That Rucker Park, AND1, streetball vibe shaped me. Today, I carry that energy as DRAKO.

Where did it all begin for you? Was there a defining moment or memory that led you to discover the rapper within?
It’s like the dots I laid down over time, now, when I look back, they all connect. I always rapped the tracks I vibed with. Then I landed this job, talking to clients from the US. One day, they hit us with this vocab test “Write anything, make it sound like a story.” So I dropped some rhymes about that night shift grind. The trainer was a guitarist. Catches me in the smoking zone and goes, “Yo… that was kinda fire.” Next thing I know, I’m pulling up to the hood, rapping that same verse to the boys. And they like, “Bruv… you gotta write more.”

Fast forward a bit, COVID hits. World on pause, but it’s just me, my pen, and instrumentals, working on the craft.
Neighborhood homies still around, lockdown didn’t stop nothin’ for the three of us. Every time I write, I’d rap it to them. One chill sesh, both my homies tell me to just drop music “Us 3 can pull this off.” And I sat with that… thought about it…Waking up and doing this every day? Not the worst move we made, and I never looked back.

You’ve dropped two singles so far — and both came with top-notch music video productions. In a space crowded with talent and hustle, how challenging is it for emerging artists to stand out and sustain?
Emerging artists, at least from where I stand, don’t really break into the global market unless they’ve got a record deal backing them. Even making it to the national radar? That ain’t simple either. There are layers to it. Historically, most of our tracks came from movies. We never had a real mixtape culture. Albums are just now starting to gain traction, and yeah, hip hop is growing.

But what does that really change for someone coming from nothing? When hip hop hits the spotlight, it also brings gatekeeping. Producers don’t easily work with new artists, either they don’t wanna risk it, or they’re booked out for months.
And if you really wanna push through, you gotta pay for the beat, the masters, DSP uploads, and handle your own marketing. Everything’s on you. You gotta show up, stand out, and put yourself up.

Balancing a corporate job and a creative career isn’t easy. What fuels your drive to keep creating music despite the grind? Is there a deeper motivation or ‘divine secret’ behind it?
Corporate helps me balance life out. Yeah, I’ve got a dream, but I still gotta put food on the table. Life’s never been easy, but all I’ve ever known is to go hard. Music, right now, doesn’t bring in enough to cover my bills. Still, I’d never let that creative voice inside me fade.

I’ve made peace with the uncertainty, this dark tunnel. If this is what it takes to make it, then so be it. Ain’t no divine secret, just straight lessons from my inspirations. Like 50 Cent said I’m gonna do what I wanna do, and if I die in the process, I was doin’ what I wanted to do.

Bangalore has been a melting pot for new-age music. What is it about the city that nurtures such raw and diverse talent?
My love for my city came way before the music. Everything that made me, my childhood, my mindset, it’s all rooted in these streets. With hip hop growing, BLR is shifting. You got a wave of diverse artists representing the city, each bringing their own sound, their own language, their own stories.
And that’s what really paints the full picture, this diversity, this raw expression. For me, I’m just grateful I get to put my city and my hood on the map through my own style. Rap about what I’ve lived, what I’ve seen, and be part of this whole cultural movement.

With two strong releases behind you, what’s currently cooking in your lab? Can you tease what’s next? And what would you say to someone standing on the edge, wondering whether to take the leap into music?
Both my earlier drops came under Madd Dawg—we were just a small crew figuring out production, artwork, and distribution. Every step was a lesson, and the grind of marketing showed me what it really takes.

Right now, I’m focused on building my discography. Got a single lined up with SHASTRA—special since he’s someone I’ve always looked up to from BLR. Two more releases with fresh producers are on the way, pushing my lyricism further.

That crossroad feeling with music? If you feel it, it’s already in you. Don’t doubt yourself—how you move and build decides everything.