Indo-American princess of rap comes to the fore

Indian-American rapper Raja Kumari, performing in Los Angeles, California, in January, releases a five-track debut EP, Bloodline.
Indian-American rapper Raja Kumari, performing in Los Angeles, California, in January, releases a five-track debut EP, Bloodline. PHOTO: AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE
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Indian-American singer-songwriter Raja Kumari might be better known for her behind-the-scenes work, writing songs like Fall Out Boy's smash hit Centuries and working on multiple tracks for Gwen Stefani's 2016 album This Is What The Truth Feels Like.

But Svetha Rao, whose stage name Raja Kumari translates to "princess", has come to the fore as rap royalty with her brand of Indo-American hip-hop and a five-track debut EP.

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A version of this article appeared in the print edition of The Straits Times on April 04, 2019, with the headline Indo-American princess of rap comes to the fore. Subscribe