Indian hip hop right now is rising steadily and at a peak stage of experimentation. Away from one single sound, artists are carving their own lanes from cities and regions that once sat on the margins. The scene is louder, more spread out, and more self-assured than it has ever been. Only Uparwala Can Judge Me comes out of that shift. (Yes, can you feel it? The confidence that the title ignites.)
The track brings together Dhanji and Reble, two artists whose paths may not look alike on paper, but whose outlooks overlap in unexpected ways. Dhanji, from Amdavad, has spent the last year and a half almost constantly moving. Four tours, over a hundred performances, and shows across 45 cities have shaped his sense of direction. When you’re living out of a suitcase and stepping on new stages every week, clarity comes fast. You learn what sticks, and you learn what doesn’t deserve your attention.
As for Reble, anyone who keeps up with what’s new in music knows how fierce a force she’s been in recent times. Belonging from Meghalaya, she may have started building her voice in a landscape where visibility is rare and support systems are limited, but over time, her sharp writing and distinct flows have begun to travel further, earning her growing attention across the country. Her recent work for Dhurandhar marked another step in that momentum. But even as that reach expands, her intent remains grounded in representing Northeast India without diluting her experience to conform to the system’s demands.
The production is handled by Clifr, a Mumbai-based producer and multi-instrumentalist associated with Export Quality Records. His approach on the track is direct and no-nonsense, driven by no rush to decorate the sound. It does what it needs to do and gets out of the way of the voices, giving them space to breathe rather than being an overproduced mess.
Released on Azadi Records, Only Uparwala Can Judge Me ensconces itself within a catalogue that has always made room for artists who don’t come from the same places or move in the same ways. The label’s role here feels less like curation and more like alignment bringing together voices that are already clear about who they are.
The collaboration also finds a home within the ecosystem of Jameson Connects Distilled Sounds, a music-collaboration platform that brings artists together through creative retreats, jam sessions, and cross-cultural exchange. Guided by Anderson .Paak, the initiative creates space for artists to experiment, connect, and build outside rigid industry structures.
At a time when the scene is expanding faster than anyone can keep track of, Only Uparwala Can Judge Me feels like a confidence catalyst, you know the kind that says “My path. My rules.” It arrives as a marker of where Indian hip hop stands right now — self-assured and decentralised. It doesn’t chase absolute refinement or permission. Instead, it reflects a kind of growth rooted in instinct, lived experience, and conviction. When artists move with that level of clarity, judgment loses its weight, fading into background noise as the work continues forward and Only Uparwala Can Judge Me stands as a living testament to that, adding to the non-conformity that hip hop’s always been about.
