Is This India’s First Incel Rapper?

Hailing from Bhopal, Dino James is a surprise find that came to our notice with his latest single “Achi Maza Aayi”. While the rest of the country has been focussed on the rise of gully rap from the streets of Mumbai, James’ songs have been stealthily going viral on YouTube.

What sets him apart though, is the way his songs revolve around the narrative popularised by incel (involuntary celibate) groups— relying on tropes that place women as central figures of pain in one’s life. From creating a fictional ‘treatment centre’ for heartbroken men to donning the role of a government representative out to warn men about the evil ways of women, James has acquired a cult following on the internet.

Follow Uday Kapur on Twitter.