Indian rap superstar Ikka signs with Mass Appeal India 15 Oct 2020
Acclaimed rapper and songwriter partners with Mass Appeal to further evolve Indian Hip-Hop genre
Mass Appeal India will release IKKA’s lead single ‘Level Up’ featuring DIVINE, from his upcoming debut album ‘I,’ on 26th October 2020
“We started Mass Appeal India to give local, talented artists a platform to rise and achieve their dreams. IKKA is just that, an incredible talent making great music, and I am proud to welcome him to the squad” – NAS
Mass Appeal India - India’s trailblazing hip-hop label has announced the signing of multi-talented rapper, singer-songwriter, producer and composer, IKKA.
One of India’s most prolific young musical talents, with more than 1 billion streams to his name to date - IKKA’s signing further reinforces Mass Appeal India’s commitment to evolving Indian hip-hop to reach new heights and audiences, both in India and around the world.
IKKA’s highly-anticipated, self-penned, full-length debut hip-hop album “I” will be released on Mass Appeal India in the coming months. The album revolves around IKKA’s real life story and his experiences within India’s hip-hop community and will feature an array of high-profile collaborations including; DIVINE, Raftaar, Lil Goluand many more. The album’s first single, “Level Up,” will be released on October 26th 2020, and features Indian rap godfather and Mass Appeal label mate, DIVINE.
Mass Appeal India was launched in August 2019 as a partnership between Mass Appeal, Nas’ urban culture focused entertainment company and Universal Music India, a division of Universal Music Group, the world leader in music entertainment, to nurture and promote young talent to evolve the Indian hip hop community globally.
Announcing the signing, Nas, said, “We started Mass Appeal India to give local, talented artists a platform to rise and achieve their dreams. IKKA is just that, an incredible talent making great music, and I am proud to welcome him to the squad.”
Talking about the signing, IKKA, said, “I’m so excited to join Nas and the Mass Appeal India family. I first started my music career as a hip hop artist. Hip-hop has always been my first priority and passion, ever since I started listening to the genre with Eminem back in 2003, when i was just 14 years old. It’s an honour to be part of such a thriving ecosystem and I am looking forward to collaborating with Mass Appeal India to deliver some path-breaking hip hop hits for global audiences.”
Devraj Sanyal, MD & CEO of UMG, India & South Asia, said, “Mass Appeal India is dedicated to bringing the best and most authentic Indian hip-hop to the world, and I am thrilled that we have now added IKKA to our incredible artist roster. One of the most talented hip hop writers in the scene and with a flow that equals the best in the business, signing him to Mass Appeal India was a no brainer. Having already worked together on his hit non-film releases for our Vyrl Originals label, I know that his passion for hip-hop will help elevate the scene to new heights and I couldn’t be more proud that we are the team that will A&R, market and work with IKKA to unleash his music globally together.”
Talking about IKKA, Peter Bittenbender, CEO of Mass Appeal, said, “I met IKKA earlier this year and immediately recognized his immense talents and humble approach from our first conversation. We are so glad to now have him part of the Mass Appeal India team. His signing is yet another major step in our quest to bring Hip Hop to the masses of India”
“Level Up” Featuring DIVINE will be released on October 26th on Mass Appeal India. The video will premiere on https://www.youtube.com/massappealindia
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THE HEADLINES
Goldman Sachs publishes its influential Music In The Air report (see Analysis)
Music fandom’s future (and its existential crisis) (see Comment)
Can anyone learn to be a top songwriter? (see Features)
We must ensure AI is the music industry's servant, not its master (see Comment)
New law should ban AI deepfakes of music stars, MPs say (see News)
When does our taste in music stagnate? (see Analysis)
Billboard’s 2024 International Power Players revealed (see News)
Hipgnosis board recommends new $1.6bn bid from Blackstone (see Business)
Should the state step in to save our live music scene? (see Features)
Gary Roden exits Co-op Live following troubled venue launch (see News)
Spotify talks growth, bundle royalties and short-video plans (see Digital)