Wild Wild Women: India's First Female Rap Collective at Sakifo Festival

At the 22nd edition of the Sakifo festival in Saint-Pierre, La Réunion, the collective Wild Wild Women has emerged as the revelation of the event. Formed in Mumbai, the group consists of five women aged 24 to 32 who rap in Hindi, Marathi, Tamil, Kannada, and English. They are recognized as India's first all-female hip-hop collective. The artists—Pratika, Hashtag Preeti, and MC Mahila among them—founded the group after experiencing exclusion in male-dominated rap battles. Their lyrics address resilience, family pressure, body autonomy, safety, and female identity, often infused with humor and joy to avoid victimization. The collective has faced mixed reactions from men but has also found allies in the Indian hip-hop scene. Their presence at Sakifo, which concludes on June 7, 2026, marks a step forward for women in Indian hip-hop. The group's style, including a pink sari and sneakers, sometimes draws more attention than their music, but they view this as material for their art. They report an increase in women's interest in hip-hop in India, signaling gradual change.