From the very polished street and uncluttered energy of Chandigarh, it was coincidence, or rather fate, that Sangram Malik found himself in a crowd full of HARD MCs under a bypass back in 2020. Mystified by the poetry and fire-spewing capacity of these rappers , Sangram already had conjured an idea for his next project, “Rapperoid 15SM.”
With no boundaries in language or style, the cypher’s unfiltered narratives resonated deeply with Sangram’s meticulous musician’s heart and sharp storytelling instincts. After a very careful curation of MCs like Bagi Munda, Khatra, Rage 24, Da Mirror, Rap Devi, et cetera, the Chandigarh-based artist took no further to lay down a versatile array of beats dipped in the laid-back sunny west coast sound/east coast boombap , the iconic punjabi beats with an abstract twist, and the artist’s affluence of Indian classical music. Spanning 11 tracks, the album is a dynamic exchange of stories, delivered by 15 of the most promising emerging MCs, each bringing their unique voice to this hard-hitting compilation. Here’s a mild dissection of what I thought about this mixtape.
The cheesy intro somehow reminds of a very scholarly Deepak Kalal but creates a sense of anticipation as the voice dramatically describes the project as “yeh tracks ak langde arm ke tarah hain, patla silka, chotti ghutli, der sara flesh, and extremely juicy.” And with a very open-minded approach to thought, we sit in suspense as the laugh fades and the next track kicks off.
The Kodak film-inspired cover art speaks volumes about the album’s ‘cinematic’ resonance, setting the tone for a storytelling experience. And what better way to kick things off than with Once Upon a Time in Punjab—the intro steeped in the gritty, Tarantino-esque essence of a spaghetti western, reimagined through the lens of Punjab’s street culture? As the vocals of Bagi Munda take over with “main haan ghetto da product,” all the instruments of the track collide. The rapper weighs in on the topic of substance abuse and the dream of making a name in the industry against the constant coercion of the environment. The grim storytelling of Bagi Munda, paired with Malik’s eclectic beat, makes way for a perfect electronic bhangra bounce to the next track, Sidha Shamri Te.
Da Mirror takes no time to introduce himself in this one. As the moniker suggests, the Punjabi/Haryanvi rapper Da Mirror reflects the ’Jatt life’, taking a proud stance for his tradition and lineage. The feature conVlth stays confined only to hooks as we wait for Mirage later in the project.
Daahad’s beat choice and construction by Malik prove to be an absolute annihilation in this project! Classical Indian alongside trap never seems so effortless and effective, the way the producer put forth! Rap Devi’s rolling flow, paired with Praise’s cutthroat delivery, turns this track into a downhill rollercoaster straight into a war-ready outro. The creative direction of this album veers away from Malik’s Sediment EP, though traces of his signature sound still cut through. (Check out our Sediment review here.)
Coming again, Rap Devi slices through the beat like a katana, as if the goddess of destruction herself has been provoked. Raining down relentless bars, she takes aim at societal disillusionment, standing firm in her poise while delivering a blood-spilling flow for the naysayers. Praise, on the other hand, layers his prose with intricate wordplay and razor-sharp delivery—his penmanship unpacks hard truths, wrapped in a facade of poetic finesse.
The guitar licks and beat switches paired with Nau Nihal Singh’s lucid flow and Shergah’s storytelling are executed flawlessly in Independent. The song structure is also placed in an unconventional yet satisfying way, with different elements here and there, showcasing Malik’s experimental side.
Rap ID’s verse-spitting skills shine on the short, bass-riding Interlude, delivering sharp-witted bars that ride the groove effortlessly. The next track, Mirage, is the second time ConVlth is featured on this mixtape. The menacing-sounding guttural vocal of the rapper is the highlight of this track. Behind the bilingual transitions of the rapper’s flow is a theme surrounded in retrospection where he reveals his complex artistry while subjugating emotions.
The throbbing bass intro in Early Bird sets the tone, while the airy flute melody weaves through a 90s West Coast-inspired beat that still feels ahead of its time. Himachal rappers ga66ar and BONTT slide onto the track with effortless grit, spitting fire as they dismantle the flaws of an ineffective education system and media brainwashing. The track’s humor, infectious hook, and rapid-fire exchange of bars act as the Midas touch.
Ghisa Kalam blends drill, tech-house electronica, with a trap twist, setting the stage for verses that cut deep. The slow, eerie buildup morphs into a hauntingly delicate beat, laced with gallow-seeking introspection. 56 & Amitoz’s kalams flow relentlessly, bleeding ink with each recitation, as they unload bar after bar with unflinching intensity.
Hardest rappers of Himachal and Chandigarh, Khatra and Rage 24, continue the vicious exchange of verses in Hardest. A story about the love for desi hip-hop is weaved besides the rappers denouncement of their unapologetic rise in the scene. The ‘Outro’ of the mixtape features Aryan BBX, displaying a core element of hip-hop’s subculture, beatboxing. Aryan’s beatboxing is a mix of wet-sounding melodies, a rumbling/farting bass, and somehow, a desi/Bhangra drum groove.
The connoisseur, Sangram Malik’s vision for this mixtape comes from an unorthodox and wide-eyed perspective. Unorthodox in the way, he shifted the creative direction from Sediment to Rapperoid 15SM; and the ability to absorb and reinterpret what was laid before him reflects an open-hearted approach to artistry. From curating a diverse pool of talent to overseeing production, mixing, mastering, and even illustrating the artwork, Malik and his team have crafted every minute detail to make this album come to life. Inspired by ‘the people, studios, and the relentless energy of the city,’ Malik and his team paint the album with the sounds of the ’90s and the culture that shaped them. This compilation weaves together street experiences, aspirations, and raw narratives, brought to life by 15 rappers who have witnessed both sides of the world.
