Hustle has been that Homeground for Indian hip-hop where raw talent meets mentorship, where culture finds its voice, and where every artist gets the chance to turn their hustle into a movement.
This year, ‘Hustle 5 – Apna Homeground’ celebrates the very spirit, bringing together artists, mentors and communities that continue to shape the future of Desi hip-hop. Leading the season is Badshah, returning as Rap Supremo, alongside OG Squad Boss EPR. Joining them are MC Square, Paradox and Agsy, who return to the Hustle stage as Squad Bosses after first making their mark as contestants.
For MC Square and Paradox, Delhi is more than just a city—it is where their stories began, their influences took shape and their love for hip-hop found a home. As part of their Hustle 5 city engagement, MC Square and Paradox spent time with Delhi’s media and fans, sharing their experiences of returning to the show as Squad Bosses and witnessing a new generation of rappers begin the journey they once undertook themselves. The visit also saw the two artists indulge in Delhi’s iconic food, revisit the streets that shaped their journeys, and meet with emerging hip-hop talent. The city visit became a celebration of Delhi’s thriving hip-hop community and the culture that continues to give Indian rap its distinctive voice.
Returning to the city where he built his identity, MC Square said, “Delhi NCR has always been a big part of my story. This is where I found a lot of my inspiration, my sound and the people who believed in me when I was still figuring things out. Coming back as a Squad Boss feels different because I can now see the journey from the other side. Meeting young artists brought back that same hunger I had when I was starting. That’s what Homeground means to me, coming back to the place that gave you your first push and giving that energy back.”
Paradox added, “A lot of who I am as an artist comes from Delhi-the people, the energy, the music and the experiences that shaped me. Coming back here always takes me back to where the journey started and reminds me why I fell in love with hip-hop in the first place. Now, as a Squad Boss, I want to see more artists from this culture take their talent beyond their homeground and make their mark across the country.”
Hustle 5 starts this 8th August on JioHotstar and MTV India at 7 pm every Saturday and Sunday, bringing the culture back to where it all began!