Toronto is growing one of the largest Desi hip hop communities in North America.
When Toronto-based music artist Shivam Wadhwa first moved to the city, he struggled to find other rappers that were performing in languages other than English.
As more international students pour in from India and other countries, they too began looking for spots where they could rap in Hindi, Punjabi, Telugu, and other South Asian languages.
As more community events started popping up to gather artists rapping in these languages, Wadhwa recognized a need for both fans and rappers to unite in the Desi or South Asian hip hop sphere.
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“Mach means the speed of light, so when we’re saying Mach 6ix we’re referring to the fact that we’re six times the speed of light but also because the 6ix refers to Toronto,” Wadhwa told Now Toronto.
Mach 6ix had its first event in May and Wadha didn’t think many people would show up because he didn’t have a lot of time to promote it.
That first event saw over fifty people packed at the back of Taco Taco in Kensington Market. The next event set to happen on July 17 is expected to be sold out with a mix of nearly 100 rappers and audience members in attendance.
This event will also feature a short Desi hip hop dance performance and a spinning set by DJ Brisky.
The first part of the night is dedicated to the joy of classic hip hop, which consists of a cypher and the rappers getting to know each other.
“The first time we did this, the cypher was for 30 minutes, but then rappers actually went outside during the rest of the night and organized their own thing. That’s why we’ve extended the cypher time to an hour this time,” Wadhwa said.
Since Mach 6ix prides itself as a growing community, it’s less about ticket sales and prioritizing artists based on their social media followings. In fact, Wadhwa says all profits go back into the community for marketing costs, venue costs, and special invites.
Headline performances are instead based on how many fans artists bring to the event. The top three artists that bring the most fans are awarded with 30 to 10-minute set times.
In addition, attendees can only perform if they have other artists featured on the song, in an effort to create a collaborative environment, according to Wadhwa.
As Desi hip hop continues to rise, Wadhwa has had many conversations with artists telling him that they’ve been exploited into paying to perform.
“An artist should never have to pay to perform. At Mach 6ix, artists are actually learning how to build their fanbase, practice their skills in front of an audience, and network with industry leaders,” Wadhwa said.
Wadhwa hopes to connect artists with paying opportunities at South Asian restaurants in the city, and with music producers and event managers.
When Wadha left India a few years ago, the Desi hip hop scene was already booming with hundreds of rappers in New Delhi, and now that industry is starting to bloom in Toronto.
The past two years have already seen the growing wave of Desi rappers and fans that Mach 6ix hopes to push forward.
“Toronto already has more than 20 rappers so I have hopes for how big the industry can be in this city,” Wadhwa said.
People can buy tickets to Mach 6ix here.
