Badshah releases debut Marathi hip-hop track ‘Chimna’

Rapper Badshah has released ‘Chimna’, his first Marathi hip-hop track, which blends traditional Marathi folk elements with modern hip-hop production. Produced by Hiten, the song features collaborations with Bollywood playback singer Divya Kumar and Marathi folk artist Nagesh Morwekar.

The music video was filmed in Kolhapur, Maharashtra, capturing local cultural scenes such as wedding processions, daily wage workers, and traditional mud wrestlers training in an akhada. The track incorporates rural folk poetry and hooklines, such as ‘ek chimna chiv chivla / majha sajan jaga zhala ho / surya ugavla’, alongside Badshah’s rap verses.

Badshah described the project as a ‘love letter to Maharashtra’s rich creative canvas’ and expressed his desire to celebrate India’s regional music, which he characterized as a ‘goldmine’. The song is available on all major streaming platforms as of August 31.