Sakifo: Wild Wild Women, the Feminine Offensive of Indian Rap

In a country where the urban scene has long been dominated by men, these women decided to make their voices heard. Wild Wild Women, the "untamed women," arrive from India with five voices and five languages. Hindi, Marathi, Tamil, Kannada, and English, their hip-hop knows no borders. As a standout revelation of the 22nd edition of Sakifo, these artists, aged between 24 and 32, form the first all-female hip-hop collective in India. Just hours before the festival wraps up in La Réunion on Saturday, June 7, 2026, they have turned the microphone into a battleground.

In a country where hip-hop has long remained a male-dominated territory, they chose to take the stage. Wild Wild Women, "the untamed women," arrive from India with five voices, five journeys, and five languages. Hindi, Marathi, Tamil, Kannada, and English: their rap transcends borders and challenges stereotypes.

A highlight of the 22nd edition of Sakifo in La Réunion, these artists aged 24 to 32 make up the first female rap collective in India.

It’s hard to believe, watching them captivate the festival audience in the city of Saint-Pierre in the south of the island. Yet, Wild Wild Women has only existed for a handful of years. Behind their explosive energy and confidence on stage lies a story of resilience. Pratika recalls, "When we attended rap battles and hip-hop events in India, there were very few women on stage, and those who were present were not taken seriously. All faced some form of exclusion from men. So, instead of waiting for a place to be made for us, we stormed in to claim ours. That's how our collective, Wild Wild Women, was born."

The group was formed in Mumbai, India's economic capital and a metropolis with over twelve million inhabitants. A city full of promises, but not for everyone, explains Hashtag Preeti.

"Mumbai is the city of dreams where different cultures coexist. But for young women like us, freedom often comes with challenges. Since childhood, we have had to negotiate our place, our appearance, and our freedom with men. Our songs reflect this reality: resilience, family pressure, the female body, safety, and female identity. But at the same time, we infuse humor and joy into our misfortunes in our songs to portray Indian women beyond the lenses of victimization and struggle."

On stage and off, Wild Wild Women are shaking up an established order that had previously excluded them. This is a clear symptom of the prejudices still at play in India, according to MC Mahila.

"The reaction of men to our group has been mixed. But we have also found allies in Indian hip-hop. Music has allowed us to gauge the challenges women face in very patriarchal environments. As we are a new feminine presence in the Indian rap scene, our pink saris and sneaker look sometimes attract more attention than our songs. It doesn’t matter. All these stories become rich material for our music. And progress is being made. Today, more women are interested in hip-hop than before. There is still a long way to go, of course. But coming to Sakifo in La Réunion to represent Indian women is already a small sign of change."

Source: RFI