Jayraj ‘Dhanji’ Ganatra burst onto the Indian hip-hop scene from the unassuming city of Amdavad, Gujarat. From the outset, he chose to rap in Gujarati, a bold move in a music industry dominated by Hindi & Punjabi rap music. When asked about performing in his native tongue, Dhanji was clear that Gujarati was integral to his identity, ‘I realized it’s something I cannot strip away. I can’t remove it from myself, even if I tried. It’s more like, how do you own something that’s already a part of you? It’s just the natural order of things.’ This authenticity set Dhanji apart early on, as he honed his craft through a run of seven genre-bending mixtapes before announcing himself to the world with a bang with his 2023 debut album Ruab. A project that changed the course of everything that was going to follow.
Dhanji’s music is an eclectic blend that draws from global influences yet remains grounded here with us. Ruab, hailed as ‘one of the most innovative projects of the year’ for its Motown- and funk-inspired hip-hop, exemplifies his genre-blurring approach. He effortlessly fuses old-school funk grooves, jazzy instrumentals, and even G-funk synth lines into a unique sonic brew. Indeed, his lyrics swing between high-brow and irreverent. Yet behind the playful, left-field persona, Dhanji is deadly serious about his craft.
Linguistic Identity & Regional Representation
One of the pillars of Dhanji’s artistry is his proud representation of the Gujarati language and culture. He peppers his verses with local slang and cultural references, painting an authentic portrait of life in Gujarat’s streets. ‘I think the best creative stuff happens when there isn’t a lot of conscious thought involved. For anyone, speaking in your native tongue is as natural as breathing. So it becomes a very real outlet for expression, it just happens to be in Gujarati,’ By rapping in a language often overlooked in mainstream pop culture, he draws on Gujarati literary and folk influences in his lyrics, proving that regional identity can fuel world-class hip-hop. This unforced integration of language and art has resonated deeply with young listeners across the state and country, who finally hear their dialect and experiences reflected in rap music.
Influencing Youth Culture & the Local Scene
A few years ago, the idea of a Gujarati rap ‘scene’ was almost non-existent. Dhanji proved that authenticity can trump formulas. He and a handful of peers laid the foundation of underground music for Gujarati hip-hop at a grassroots level, building a small but prolific Ahmedabad rap community. In the span of just a few years, that community has exploded into the spotlight. ‘Everything has changed since we started. How do you move a scene forward when it didn’t even exist yet? A lot of groundwork went into this,’ Dhanji reflects on the transformation. His success with Ruab in particular brought unprecedented attention to Gujarati rap and put AMD City on the map. Young listeners across Gujarat have embraced his music as an anthem of their lives, and many have been emboldened to pick up the mic themselves. His impact on youth culture is evident at his shows, where crowds rapping along in Gujarati proudly own their slang and identity. In an entertainment landscape where Gujarati youth once had little representation outside of traditional music, Dhanji has given them a fresh cultural voice.
The Road Ahead
Dhanji is acutely aware that his journey is just beginning, but he’s already thinking about the mark he will leave. He operates with a DIY ethos (even organizing one of India’s biggest independent rap tours to reach fans in smaller cities) and a long-term vision for his art. ‘I’m very conscious of what I’m leaving behind as my legacy, musically speaking. I want to be remembered for the choices I made, for the decisions I took,’ he says, underscoring the deliberate path he’s carving. That legacy will likely include not only a boundary-pushing catalogue of songs but also a redefined idea of what Gujarati music can achieve. By flipping a once-overlooked dialect into the vehicle for sharp social commentary, witty storytelling, and genre-melting experimentation, Dhanji has expanded the possibilities for regional language rap in India. He is currently working on dropping Drive-In Cinema 2, a follow-up to his acclaimed 2020 mixtape Drive-In Cinema. This upcoming release will carry forward the experimental spirit of the original while undoubtedly exploring new ground for Gujarati rap.
Words Harita Odedara
9.06.2025