Known for belting numbers such as Kaam 25, Apna Time Aayega, Chal Bombay and Baazigar, Rapper Divine is all set to premiere his fifth studio album ‘Walking On Water’, which he says is a declaration of evolution, dominance, reflection and a spiritual grounding.
Divine said: “This album is a declaration of evolution, dominance, reflection and spiritual grounding celebrating everything I’ve built and everything I’ve survived. It’s an album for the streets. For the culture. For the believers. And for those who doubted.” The 16-track testimonial chronicling his ascent from the gullies of Mumbai to the global hip-hop arena.
Released via Gully Gang, the album features an elite roster of collaborators including artists like Hanumankind, Gurinder Gill, Riar Saab, MC Altaf, Sammohit and Kalyani Priyadarshan, producers ZZORAWAR, Stunnah Beatz and Phenom alongside bold reinterpretations of some of Bollywood’s most iconic tracks such as A.R. Rahman’s timeless ‘Kehna Hi Kya’, and R.D. Burman’s classics ‘Mehbooba Mehbooba’ along with ‘Give Me Some Sunshine’ from 3 Idiots.
‘Walking on Water’ has a diverse sonic palette ranging from trap and Afro-pop to Bollywood film samples, introspective minimalism and high-energy Gully Gang cyphers. Divine is credited as one of the pioneers of the Indian hip-hop scene and for bringing it to mainstream attention.
His lyrics often reflect his experiences growing up in the chawls of Mumbai, focusing on themes such as street life, struggles, and aspirations. He started gaining popularity after the release of his single "Yeh Mera Bombay" in 2013. He broke through with the release of "Mere Gully Mein" in 2015, which featured fellow Mumbai-based rapper Naezy.
He became the first Indian rapper to be featured on Spotify Times Square billboard in New York City for his album Punya Paap in 2020. He made his debut at the 64th Annual Grammy Awards in 2022 becoming the first Indian hip-hop star to attend the Grammys.
His third studio album, Gunehgar was released in 2022, which was preceded by the hit single "Baazigar" featuring American rapper Armani White. Further, Divine went on to release his fourth multi track project in the form of a collaborative album with Punjabi singer Karan Aujla.