RAPublic: Nep-hop roots behind Nepal's Prime Minister Elect Balen Shah

On a grainy YouTube video from the early 2010s, a young rapper steps into a Raw Barz cypher, trading sharp lines with rivals as the crowd leans closer. This rapper is Balen Shah, years before Kathmandu would elect him mayor and long before he would become Nepal’s next prime minister.

Shah first gained attention through Raw Barz, Nepal’s best known rap battle platform at the time. The series captured the growing Nep-hop movement through crowded rooms, improvised stages and viral YouTube uploads where rappers competed through wit, wordplay and social commentary. For many young Nepalis, these battles became a new language for discussing corruption, inequality and the frustrations of urban life.

The scene was already being shaped by one of its most influential figures, Yama Buddha, widely known as the King of Nep-Hop. His storytelling approach expanded the genre beyond battle rap and helped bring Nepali hip-hop into the mainstream. Songs such as Saathi spoke openly about friendship, addiction and the pressures facing urban youth, giving Nep-hop an emotional depth that resonated across the country.

Shah’s own music emerged from that same landscape. In Balidan he rapped about sacrifice and civic responsibility, presenting social change as something that demanded personal commitment. The track travelled widely online and gradually became associated with his public image. His songs captured the restless energy of Kathmandu’s streets, echoing the experiences of young listeners navigating ambition, uncertainty and city life.

By the time Shah entered electoral politics, he was already familiar to a generation raised on Nep-hop. His victory as Kathmandu’s mayor in 2022 reflected that connection. His election as Nepal’s prime minister extends the same story further, placing a former rap battle artist at the centre of the country’s leadership.

As Madhesi voices and Nep-hop continue to grow, what new rhythms and stories will shape the next chapter of Nepal’s hip-hop scene?