Faridabad-born rapper Agrita Dhawan, known on stage as Agsy, has spoken out about the deep-rooted gender bias in India’s Desi hip hop scene. The 28-year-old artist, who rose to fame as the only female rapper to earn a direct entry into the Top 15 of MTV Hustle Season 1, returned to the show this year as a Squad Boss. Seven years after her debut on the reality series, Agsy is using her platform to call out the unequal treatment women face in the industry.
“There is a lot of misogyny in DHH. That is a fact,” Agsy told Hindustan Times in an interview published on September 13, 2026. “Female rappers have to work twice as hard and still not be as respected as the men out there.”
Agsy on the Double Standards Women Face in Desi Hip Hop
Agsy explained that male rappers are often given room to grow and experiment, while women are judged far more quickly. “A male rapper can often be allowed to make mistakes, experiment or take time to find his sound, while a woman can find herself being judged much more quickly, not just for the music, but for her appearance, personality and the way she chooses to conduct herself,” she said.
The rapper, known for tracks like “Khal” and “VAN GOGH,” shared that she had to put in extra effort across every part of her craft, from audio and video production to mastering and setting her own quality standards. “It shouldn’t be that a female rapper has to prove herself ten times before people say, ‘Okay, she’s good,’” she added.
“I consider myself one of the best rappers in the country. No gender. And lyrically, the kind of songs that I have personally written previously, I feel that they are right there, up to the mark. But still people would not give me the same respect as they would to a male artist.”
— Agsy
Objectification in Rap Music Has Shaped Audience Taste
Agsy also pointed to the way women have been represented in rap music, saying that years of objectification have created a certain expectation within the Desi hip hop community. “The kind of songs male rappers have released and set precedence with, there has been a lot of objectification. So a taste has developed in DHH per se,” she explained.
Her comments arrive during a period of renewed scrutiny over how women are portrayed in mainstream Indian music. Punjabi singer Guru Randhawa’s song “Fine Shyt,” released on August 6, 2026, faced heavy criticism for its lyrics and its office setting, with many social media users saying it sexualised the workplace and treated women as props. Randhawa later defended the track, calling the language “just silly little slang.”
Rapper Badshah also faced backlash earlier this year over his Haryanvi track “Tateeree,” which drew objections for its lyrics and visuals. The controversy led to an FIR and a notice from the Haryana State Commission for Women. Badshah issued a public apology in March 2026 and pledged to sponsor the education of 50 girls as part of his response to the row.
Other Female Rappers Have Shared Similar Experiences
Agsy is not alone in describing these challenges. Shia OG, who recently entered mainstream entertainment with the film Maa Behen, told Filmibeat in August 2026 that people would tell her she was getting opportunities because she was a woman. “That was a barrier I had to break,” she said, adding that women in rap still face extra scrutiny because audiences are more used to male vocals.
Wild Wild Women, a five-member Mumbai-based collective formed in 2020, told DESIblitz that they were often treated as temporary participants in the hip hop scene. “They would think, ‘Oh, this is just a hobby. You’re going to do this for a few years and then you’ll get married, or you’ll be cooking in the kitchen at some point,’” the group recalled.
A Mid-Day report from September 2025 highlighted similar patterns across India’s independent music scene. Rapper Soniya Pondcar said she was often the only woman in rap contests and that producers pushed her to adopt a “poppier” sound instead of encouraging her experimental style. Another artist, Heeya Tikku, shared screenshots of an organiser telling her she was “just a woman who won’t end up anywhere.”
Agsy Is Using Her Hustle 5 Role to Push for Change
Agsy returned to MTV Hustle 5 – Apna Homeground as a Squad Boss in August 2026, seven years after competing on the show’s first season. The season airs every Saturday and Sunday at 7 PM on MTV and streams on JioHotstar. She is joined by fellow former contestants MC Square and Paradox, along with EPR and Badshah as the Rap Supremo.
“It honestly felt surreal,” Agsy told Moneycontrol in August 2026. “Seven years ago I walked into Hustle as someone who was just hoping people would hear my voice. This time I walked back in carrying the responsibility of helping someone else find theirs.”
During the season, Agsy met Pooja Sharma, a Mumbai local train performer also known as Rekha, in an episode that brought together two women who built their own stages outside traditional spaces. “There’s something really powerful about meeting another woman who has created her own space without waiting for someone to give it to her,” Agsy said.
“My core agenda coming into this industry is to change that narrative, to write songs that females can relate to, that they can grow up to.”
— Agsy
What Agsy Wants to See Change in Desi Hip Hop
Agsy has been clear about the change she hopes to see in the industry. “I would like to remove patriarchy. There is a lot in the desi hip hop culture. That’s a change I wish to see,” she told Hindustan Times. “Away from the male gaze, people can actually see the talent, which they ignore.”
Related:
She also pointed out that women are often judged first on their looks and are “automatically mostly called cringe for even the smallest things that we do.” Her mission, she says, is to write songs that women can connect with and grow up listening to.
Beyond music, Agsy made her Punjabi cinema debut in July 2026 with “Dhol Jageero Da 2.0,” a promotional track for the film Carry On Jatta 4. The song features Gippy Grewal and Master Saleem and blends rap, melody and modern production while keeping the spirit of the original Punjabi classic alive.
Agsy also collaborated with Pakistani rapper Eva B on the track “Bachke” in September 2026, a cross-border collaboration between two women who have carved out their own paths in South Asian hip hop.
Also Read: ALLLDAY’s Male Idol Sparks Misogyny Debate as Female Idols Face Harsher Backlash; See Reactions
Stay tuned to VvipTimes for more updates on the artists shaping Indian hip hop and the stories behind the music.
Leave a Reply