Emiway Bantai has become one of the most popular voices in hip-hop. Let us explore the singer's journey from the underground scene to opening for international stars.
Emiway Bantai, born Bilal Shaikh, is an Indian hip-hop artist who hails from Bengaluru, Karnataka. The rapper was born on November 13, 1995. Emiway Bantai rose to prominence with his three successful consecutive tracks, Aur Bantai, Asli Hip Hop and Machayenge. These tracks established the artist's position in the Indian hip-hop community.
During an interview with The Teenager Today, Emiway Bantai shared that he was in grade 10 when he heard his classmates singing a song by legendary rapper, Eminem. The artist revealed that his class fellows were humming Eminem's 2010 track, Not Afraid. However, he had no idea who the artist was, so he looked the song up upon his return from school.
Emiway, within a few days, had enough information about rap music and Eminem. He added that since the discovery of the genre, he has considered Eminem his idol and has started singing raps by American artists. The artist's friends were amazed by what he had learnt in such a short period of time. However, what surprised them the most was that he had mastered Eminem's song, Not Afraid, verbatim.
Emiway Bantai eventually fully immersed himself in hip-hop, and as he got focused on his passion for rap, he lost interest in his studies. However, this resulted in him failing the 12th standard, due to which the hip-hop star went into depression. Nonetheless, even then, his passion came to his rescue, and eventually, he overcame his depression and started making videos of rap songs for fun.
Emiway Banati adopted this stage name as a homage to the two of his idols. His name is supposedly a combination of the names of rappers, Eminem and Lil Wayne. The artist sang through his young adulthood and was immensely appreciated by his friends, who further even encouraged him to write his own songs. Emiway released his first English rap in 2013, titled, Glint Lock. However, it was his father who advised him to incorporate Hindi raps, which helped him succeed.
Emiway rose to fame with his first hit single, Aur Bantai, in 2014. Bantai’s singles have gained millions of views on YouTube, garnering fans from all across the country. Emiway not only enjoys packed concerts but is the only artist to have won the Best Hip-Hop Artist People’s Choice Award at Radio City Freedom Awards three years in a row from 2017-2019. The rapper enjoys a net worth of approximately Rs. 60 crores, which he has accumulated from his music, YouTube activities and sponsorship payments.
Emiway Bantai was seen alongside Ranveer Singh in the film, Gully Boy, which celebrated the real rappers of our country. He was also rising star Celina Sharma's pick to team with on her debut single, Lean On. A track which is a perfect blend of Western music and Celina’s Indian heritage. Emiway also headlined Wiz Khalifa's two-city Sunburn Arena showcase in India in September 2019, where the former had the audience on its feet even before Wiz could take the stage.
Emiway, on January 23, 2025, shared the news of his marriage with his fans on Instagram. He married his long-time partner, Swalina, at an intimate wedding. For the unversed, Swalina has stood by his side since the rapper's initial days in the industry.
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