Why Do We Still Crave Western Validation in Indian Music?

2024 was undeniably the year of Hanumankind. With the release of Big Dawgs, he didn’t just make a statement—he redefined the game in Indian hip hop.

From razor-sharp bars to genre-bending production, the Bengaluru-based rapper has been building a solid body of work for years. And now, with features, playlists, and international recognition coming his way, it feels like he’s finally getting what he deserves.

But here’s the uncomfortable question: Why do we, as a culture, often wait for the West to tell us someone is great before we believe it ourselves?

This isn’t new. We’ve seen it happen time and time again. A.R. Rahman was already a musical genius before Slumdog Millionaire, but it took an Oscar for much of India to fully embrace him on a global scale.

Indian Ocean, one of the most groundbreaking bands to come out of the subcontinent, didn’t get their flowers back home until American and European audiences began appreciating their work in the 1990s.

It’s a pattern: the stamp of Western approval often becomes a prerequisite for national pride.

And it doesn’t stop at awards or press coverage. In Indian hip-hop, foreign reaction channels on YouTube—often with no understanding of the language or cultural context—are celebrated and promoted.

Some of the biggest Desi rap artists proudly repost these reactions, almost as if the legitimacy of their work hinges on a confused “fire emoji” from someone overseas.

Yes, the Grammys and the Oscars are prestigious. They carry weight, and there’s nothing wrong with aiming for them. Indian artists should absolutely aspire to take their craft to global stages.

But the audience’s obsession with external validation is something else entirely. It speaks to a deeper issue: a lingering colonial mindset that equates “foreign” with “superior.”

Having lived abroad for over a decade, I can confidently say: no one is inherently superior. We’re just different—in culture, language, rhythm, and perspective. That diversity is beautiful. Learning from each other? Absolutely.

But putting one on a pedestal and the other in a corner based on skin color or accent? That’s a cycle we urgently need to break.

Why should Hanumankind need a co-sign from the West to be considered a legend? His art already speaks volumes. His voice already moves a generation.

If we don’t recognise our own before the world does, we risk always being a step behind in defining our culture, on our terms. It’s time we change that narrative.

Celebrate Hanumankind not because he’s catching the West’s attention—but because he’s one of the finest to ever do it, period.

Let’s build a culture that doesn’t wait for permission to be proud.