Emiway Bantai

Emiway Bantai, born Shahrukh Bilal Shaikh on November 13, 1995, is an Indian rapper, singer, and producer widely regarded as one of the biggest names in Indian hip-hop, having built a massive following on YouTube. He began rapping in English before switching to Hindi at his father's suggestion, and his stage name combines the names of two of his early influences, Eminem and Lil Wayne.

He uploaded his first track, «Glint Lock», in 2013, but it was «Aur Bantai» in 2014 that made him an internet sensation. In 2017 he collaborated with fellow rapper Raftaar on «#Sadak» and appeared on the reality show India's Got Talent. The following year, a public falling-out with Raftaar spawned a high-profile diss track series starting with «Samajh Mein Aaya Kya?», which helped fuel wider mainstream interest in the Indian hip-hop scene.

Emiway's output spans aggressive, rapid-fire street rap alongside more melodic, radio-friendly tracks, reflecting the range covered by songs like «Khatam» and «Jallad». Known for his prolific release schedule and independent, self-driven career path, he remains one of the most streamed rap artists to come out of Mumbai's hip-hop underground.