by Suman Gupta
The Dharavi Dream Project (TDDP) stands as India’s inaugural hip-hop school, committed to nurturing and fostering the innate talent and passion for hip-hop within underprivileged children from Dharavi, Mumbai. This innovative initiative strives to uplift the lives of marginalized youth in Dharavi, providing a channel to channelize their emotions and energy, while amplifying their voices on a global scale. The project has already impacted over 200+ Gen-Z students, providing mentorship and training in rap music, beatboxing, graffiti art, and more. Several celebrities and stars have taken note of it, including rap sensation Badshah who associated with them and also visited the kids recently.
However, to take the dance and rap revolution brewing in Dharavi to the next level, TDDP is joining hands with Roposo, India’s leading LIVE platform, where they will dedicate more than 30 LIVE streams every month. What makes this partnership significant is that it is a step towards nurturing and empowering young Hip Hop enthusiasts in Dharavi, India’s largest slum, by giving them an opportunity to break-a-leg in front of over 80 million audience on the platform. With rapping, beatboxing, and hip-hop being a hit amongst the core audience, the unheard talents of TDDP stand to benefit from the huge spectatorship it will get.
On International Hip-Hop Day, celebrated on August 11, this partnership was unfurled in a spectacular fashion with an all-day extravaganza of live shows by the accomplished young talents from TDDP. This unique showcase allowed artists to demonstrate their prowess in dance, rap, and diverse hip-hop expressions. TDDP’s rising stars, including notable achievers such as Bboy Kancha, who is celebrated for his inventive breaking style infused with emotional storytelling, Ayush – a multifaceted rapper and the celebrated Bboy dancer performed as well. Vikram, a revered mentor and b-boy also performed some Hip-Hop moves, while the prodigious Bboy Mayur, who holds the distinction of being TDDP’s youngest champion, also displayed his talent on the platform.
Commenting on this collaboration, Mansi Jain, Senior Vice President and General Manager at Roposo India, stated, “Our association with The Dharavi Dream Project reaffirms our dedication to nurturing emerging talent who can have a significant impact on the lives of the Gen-Z. We deeply believe in the influence of Hip Hop, which holds the capacity to ignite inspiration and foster unity across diverse backgrounds. Through our platform, we are not just providing an avenue for these young and talented Hip Hop enthusiasts to reach out to more than 80 million users on Roposo, but we are also wholeheartedly fuelling the expansion and resonance of this vibrant cultural revolution on our platform.”
In the words of TDDP’s co-founders Dolly Rateshwar, Sushant Yattam, and Tejashree Pol, “Through our innovative partnership, we’re bridging gaps, fostering collaboration, and empowering under-resourced hip-hop artists to rise above limitations. Together, we’re rewriting the narrative of the hip-hop industry and creating a platform where every talent has the opportunity to shine.”
Apart from the association with The Dharavi Dream Project and live streams featuring its aspiring creators, Roposo also hosted a series of live shows across dance, music, fashion, and more. Audiences can expect a thrilling showcase of Hip-Hop talent and creativity throughout the day on International Hip-Hop Day.
