INTERVIEW | There was a time when the Indian music scene in Malaysia began and ended with whatever was churned out by the music industry in India.

As local acts experimented with rock, metal, and mainstream pop styles, they found themselves accepted by a niche audience.

However, in recent years, the rap and hip-hop music scene has started to thrive in Southeast Asia. From only attracting a small following or being relegated to the underground scene, rap has now become mainstream.

The Tamil rap scene in Malaysia and Singapore also began to thrive and even made inroads into the Tamil film industry.

Rap historically has been associated with the disenfranchised African American community. However, that has evolved and now, rap is essentially a style employed by different cultures as a form of lyrical expression.

Malaysiakini spoke to some of the biggest names in Malaysian Tamil rap who shared their insight into the music scene here - and to where it is heading after pandemic-related lockdowns...