India’s first all-female hip-hop collective, Wild Wild Women, is set to perform in Bengaluru this week

THIS WEEKEND, WHEN Wild Wild Women take the stage at Indian Music Experience’s (IME) Women’s History Month celebrations in the city, they won’t just be performing — they’ll be making a statement. Wild Wild Women, believed to be India’s first all-female hip-hop collective, was never just about music — it was about defiance, about storytelling, about carving out a space that for too long had been closed to them. What began as a casual meeting in Marol (Mumbai) in 2020 — a gathering of poets, rappers, singers and artistes — quickly ignited into something far greater.

“Wild Wild Women started as an informal gathering and within no time turned into a shared mission — to carve out space for female-centred hip-hop in India and challenge the male-dominated industry,” says Ashwini Hiremath, better known by her stage name Krantinaari, the collective’s founder. By 2021, the group had officially taken form, with a formidable lineup of rappers, break-dancers, a graffiti artist and even a skateboarder — each member adding a distinct layer to the movement

Hip-hop, by nature, has always been a voice for the unheard. But in India, where the genre has long been defined by men, Wild Wild Women is rewriting the narrative with their raw, unfiltered lyrics and unapologetic inclusion of various talents. Their members — HashtagPreeti (Preeti N Sutar), MC Mahila (Shruti Raut) , JQueen (Jacquilin Lucas) and Pratika (Pratika E Prabhune), alongside break-dancers FlowRaw (Deepa Singh), MGK (Mugdha Mangaonkar) and graffiti artist Gauri Dabholkar — bring a multilingual, multi-genre dynamic that reflects the diverse realities of Indian womanhood. “Coming from different backgrounds, we bring a mix of Hindi, Marathi, English, Tamil and Kannada into our music, making our sound deeply rooted yet globally relevant,” she explains.

Their songs are more than beats and rhymes; they are declarations of identity, freedom and defiance. With lyrics that tackle everything from body shaming to street harassment, from patriarchal oppression to mental health struggles, Wild Wild Women is using hip-hop as a weapon — one that fights for representation, justice and change. “Our vision is clear: to reshape the conventions of art and music by telling the real, raw stories of women in society. We use hip-hop as a tool to highlight issues like feminism, women’s safety, empower ment, body shaming and breaking patriarchal norms. Our songs aren’t just music — they are movements, amplifying voices that need to be heard,” the musician shares. Their music refuses to be background noise; it demands to be listened to, felt, and understood.

If you have watched any of their YouTube videos like Title Track or Game Flip, you will know that their performance style is a spectacle in itself — unrelenting energy, fierce choreography and a stage presence that exudes confidence and camaraderie. “We blend traditional elements with contemporary hip-hop, creating performances that are high-energy, unapologetic and deeply personal. Our multilingual approach allows us to connect with a diverse audience, ensuring that our music carries an impact beyond just words. Our songwriting process is rooted in our lived experiences. Every track we create is a reflection of our journey, our struggles and our triumphs. We write collaboratively, pulling from real-life stories to make sure our lyrics resonate with authenticity and power,” she reveals.

Now, as they prepare to take the stage at IME’s Women’s History Month celebrations, they are ready to bring this same intensity to a Bengaluru audience. It’s a fitting stage for them — an event dedicated to honouring women’s voices and as proof of how far female representation in hip-hop has come and how much further it can go. But even as they take over India’s stages, their sights are set on an even bigger horizon. “What’s next for us? We are taking Wild Wild Women to the world! Our first international tour took place in Germany on March 6 and 7 at the Jenseits von Nelken und Pralinen Festival. This is a huge milestone for us and we can’t wait to share our music on a global stage. We’re here to challenge the system, create space and push boundaries. This is just the beginning because Wild Wild Women is more than a collective — it’s a revolution,” Ashwini concludes.

Entry free. March 15, 7 pm. At Indian Music Experience, JP Nagar.