Divine Rapper, born Vivian Fernandes, is a trailblazing Indian hip-hop artist hailing from Mumbai’s gritty streets. With her raw, unapologetic flow and hard-hitting lyrics, she fearlessly tackles societal issues, gender inequalities, and the harsh realities of life in the slums. Divine’s breakthrough album “Gully Rap” propelled her to fame, earning critical acclaim for its authentic portrayal of urban struggles. Transcending boundaries, she has collaborated with international artists and continues to be a powerful voice for the marginalized, using her music as a catalyst for social change and empowerment.
Started his career by participating in rap battles
2013
Released his debut single “Yeh Mera Bombay”
2014
Gained popularity with the song “Mere Gully Mein”
2016
Collaborated with Naezy for “Jungli Sher”
2018
Featured in the Netflix documentary “Gully Boy”
2019
Released his debut album “Kohinoor”
2020
Continued to release singles and collaborate with other artists
Divine Rapper Career Statistics
Detail
Information
Smoking Habits
Yes
Alcohol Consumption
Yes
Family Background
Hails from a lower-middle-class orthodox Christian family; brought up in the chawls of J. B Nagar in Andheri, Mumbai
Childhood
Raised in a broken family; father left, mother moved to Qatar, leaving him and his brother with their grandmother
Introduction to Rap
Encountered rap through a friend’s CD of songs by Eminem and 50 Cent; sparked interest in rap music
Rap Career Start
Started writing rap songs in 11th standard; spent hours perfecting verses
Artistic Name
Adopted the name “Divine” during rap practice sessions in a church; later embraced Hindi rap
Musical Influences
Joined hip-hop group “Mumbai’s Finest” in college; learned from rapper named Ace
Early Works
Filmed first song “Coming For You” with a Nokia N8 phone; released debut track “Yeh Mera Bombay” in 2013
Career Breakthrough
Collaborated with Naezy for “Mere Gully Mein” in 2015, termed as “Mumbai rap anthem”
Notable Achievements
First Indian artist with a single released by Apple Music worldwide; first Indian rapper to rap in Hindi for BBC 1 radio show “Fire in the Booth” series
Entrepreneurial Ventures
Founder of Mumbai-based crew Gully Gang; runs music label Gully Gang
Personal Interests
Avid dog lover; owns a pit bull named Grumpee
Notable Gift
Received a ‘Mahindra Thar CRDe’ from Anand Mahindra on October 8, 2018
Inspiration for Film Gully Boy
Zoya Akhtar decided to make the film “Gully Boy” based on Mumbai’s street rappers including Divine and Naezy
