Emiway Bantai

Bilal Shaikh (born 13 November 1995), best known by his stage name Emiway Bantai, is an Indian hip-hop artist, rapper and producer. An independent artist, he has built a fan base entirely through social media, releasing popular videos for singles such as "Machayenge" and "Firse Machayenge" (2020) to reach a global audience with hundreds of millions of views. Inspired as a teen in Mumbai by American rapper Eminem. Emiway has collaborated with American rappers such as Macklemore, Snoop Dogg and Token. He is also known for his involvements in major feuds with rappers like Raftaar, DIVINE, MC Stan, and KR$NA.

Early life and education Mohammed Bilal Shaikh was born in 1995 in Bengaluru, India.

In 2010, his classmates introduced him to his first hip-hop track, "Not Afraid" by Eminem. After dropping out from class 12, he became depressed and did not complete school. Bantai is Mumbai slang for friend, brother, or "bro".

In 2013, at the age of 18, Emiway Bantai released his debut track "Glint Lock (ft. Minta)", mostly in English. The song failed to gain much notice. Emiway then followed his father's advice and switched to rapping in Hindi. In 2015, his single "Aur Bantai" became a breakthrough hit. In 2017, Emiway and Raftaar had collaborated on "#Sadak". In the following year, in September, Raftaar appeared on a podcast with Raaj Jones, where he questioned if fellow rapper Emiway Bantai was generating enough revenue from hip-hop. Emiway took offense and shot back with the track "Samajh Mein Aaya Kya?" ("Do You Understand?"), in which he defends himself as an independent artist. Raftaar responded with his own track, "Sheikh Chilli", where he called out Emiway for taking the statement out of context, while Emiway responded again with "Giraftaar". All the diss tracks by Emiway gained 100 million plus views.

2019-2021: Mainstream popularity By 2019, Rolling Stone India noted that Emiway was "one of the very few music artists in India that [had] catapulted themselves into stardom solely with the use of social media".

In 2019, Emiway Bantai went viral with the song "Machayenge" on TikTok and other platforms. Producer Tony James composed the dance track. Emiway released "Boht Hard" featuring Thoratt in the same year, which also went viral.

Emiway Bantai was featured in the music video of the song "Asli Hip-Hop" from the movie Gully Boy starring Ranveer Singh and directed by Zoya Akhtar, released in 2019. The film helped to bring desi hip-hop to a mass audience. Other popular tracks by Emiway in 2019 included "Dhyan De" and "Skrrt Karenge".

On Valentine's Day in 2020, Emiway Bantai released "Firse Machayenge". Co-starring Swaalina and shot by Nepal-born filmmaker Nishan Bujel, the video garnered 100 million views within its first 50 days. In June 2020, Emiway released "Firse Machayenge Remix", a collaboration with American hip-hop artist Macklemore. "Firse Machayenge" went on to become one of the top 10 YouTube music videos in India in 2020, peaking at No. 7 with 315 million views.

After 8 years of releasing singles, Emiway finally released his debut album, Malum Hai Na in 2021. Emiway was featured as the cover artist for the October edition of Rolling Stone India.

2021: Bantai Records In 2021, Emiway started his own independent label, Bantai Records. Emiway told Rolling Stone India that Bantai Records gave artists "complete freedom to decide what they want to release, when and where". In its first year, artists with the label included Hellac, Loka, Meme Machine, Minta, Swaalina, Thoratt, Tony James, and Young Galib. In an interview with The Indian Express, Emiway described the label as "a record label, where we give artistes complete creative freedom to make the music they like to make". 2022-present : Feud with KR$NA, King of the Streets and other projects After the release of some tracks containing subliminal disses on each other, the beef between KR$NA and Emiway escalated in 2022, when Emiway released "Chusamba", in response to which KR$NA released "Lil Bunty". Emiway again responded with "KR L$DA SIGN", and KR$NA released "Machayenge 4", referring to Emiway's popular song series. Emiway retorted with his own version, "MACHAYENGE 4", and was met with widespread backlash, which prompted him to delete the track for a while after its original release. In 2023, Emiway released his third album, King of the Streets. The longest of the 17 tracks on the album, "King of the Streets", had dropped the week prior, with diss bars targeting MC Stan and an implied subliminal diss against Badshah. had received music videos prior to the album's release. Calling the album "refreshing", a review in The Indian Music Diaries called out "Chhod Dala", "Rule No. 123", and "Survive" as "standouts" from Emiway's usual style.

Emiway also embroiled in a feud with rapper King due to the latter's song "F*CK WHAT THEY SAY" containing subtle jabs at the rapper. Emiway responded with a track titled, "ROKO 2MG". King further released two tracks exclusively on Instagram, "Mere Pyaare Emiway" and "Hum Teri Lele", and Emiway responded with "Meet the Instagram Yapper" and "Dependent Kauve".

In 2025, Emiway released the single, "Badshah", from his EP, Bajis. He further released four more tracks from the EP, including "Tribute to Sidhu Moose Wala". In an interview with Firstpost, he revealed that old Hindi film songs featuring actor Shah Rukh Khan were the main inspiration behind the EP's sound.

In 2025, Emiway released his fifth studio album From The Streets To The Streams, releasing 10 music videos from the album.

In 2026, Emiway collaborated with American rapper Token for the song "#SADAK 2.0". He further released his eighth EP CNSTNCY. In the wake of 2026 Delhi Jantar Mantar protests, Emiway released the protest anthem "BOLRA HAI SADAK".

Awards

People's Choice Award (2017-19) for Best Hip-Hop Artist for three consecutive years at the Radio City Freedom Awards. MTV Europe Music Awards for Best India Act in 2019. Indian Independent Music Awards (2022) for Best Classical Song - "Machayenge"

Personal life Emiway Bantai married actor and singer Swaalina, sharing pictures from their private wedding ceremony on Instagram in January 2025. They had worked together on "Firse Machayenge" in 2020, "Paani Mai" in 2021, "Chalte Firte" in 2021, "Kudi" in 2023 "Kaali Kaali Aankhein" in 2025 and "KYU?" in 2026.

Filmography

Movies

Gully Boy (2019) as himself

Documentaries

The Mind Behind (2019) The Story Behind Machayenge (2020)

Television

India's Got Talent (2018) as Contestant Red Bull Spotlight (2021) as Judge Bigg Boss OTT (2023) as Guest

Discography

Albums +Year Album Tracks Artist Producer(s)2021Malum Hai Na Malum Hai Na (Intro) Momma Chalte Firte Freeverse Feast 2 My Time Machayenge 3 Always On Top Hai Tu Kaun Kyu Jane De Gum Ko Vata Jawab De Bantai Ki Public Aisa Kuch Shot Nahi Hai (Remix) Believe (Outro)Emiway BantaiMeme Machine, Tony James, Jaykll, AAKASH, Young Taylor, Flamboy, Ryini Beats20228 Saal Mera (Intro) Mera 8 Saal Kaha Par Hun Pain Focus Haq Hai Life Is Good KOTS (Intro) Chhod Dala Jhakas Meherbani Company Beta Karta Rap Kya Din The Woh Roots Scene Change Rule no.123 Waqt Ke Sath (Interlude) Survive (ft. VBreak) KOTS (Freestyle) Kya Bolti Public (ft. Young Galib) Classy Chapri Bolna Tu Bantai Tu Tera Dekh Aksar (ft. The Rish) Fake Ones (ft. Shez & Flowbo) 4U Remix (ft. Maanu) Boht Kuch (ft. Flowbo & Young Galib) Theek Hu Main (ft. Hellac) Aflatoon (ft. Naezy) Hawa Mei Hu Mat Kar Lala Lightspeed Mera Naam Hai Samandar Woh Banaya Sorat Log Kya Kahenge Those Dayz FTSTTS FreeverseEmiway BantaiTony James, Memax, Keman Beatz, Emiway Bantai EPs

+YearEP Tracks Artist Producer(s)2017MEIN Asli Nakli

ABBU Jhand Hai MEINEmiway BantaiEmiway Bantai 2019No Brands Checkmate Zaruratich Nahi Hai Sab Kuch New Dhundke Dikha Miss Tujhe Grind Bantai Bhool Ja (ft. Ben Z, Memax, Young Galib) Kuch Aur (ft. Vaksh) Changed (ft. Young Galib) Yakeen (ft. Young Galib & Memax)Emiway BantaiHarsh Sohi, Memax, PALE 1080, Nishit Basumatary2024sPEAK The End EVIL = EVIL Gani Bhai Nazare Misunderstood Mera Na Hua Maaf Karo Safar Josh Mei (ft. Young Galib) Tribute to Sidhu Moosewala Paisa Paisa Life Chhabi Kar (ft. MC R1) Meri Tarah Kaun Jab Tak Mein Zinda Hu (ft. MC Insane) Jo Mein Hu Kyu? (ft. Swaalina) Bus Tu PRIMOEmiway BantaiMemax, Emiway Bantai, 10A

Singles discography

As lead artist +Title Year Notes Glint Lock (ft. Minta)2013Emiway BantaiFirst singleTap on the Floor (ft. Minta & Damsy)Yeh Meri Zindagi (ft. Monu Bid)F.O.U.R. Square (ft. Meme Machine)BluesanovaAbe Chodna (ft. Muhfaad)MuhfaadMazak Hai KyaRobert TarKaun Hu MeinFlamboyKadak BanSong was featured in the movie Gully BoyOut of SamparkSamajh Mein Aaya Kya?Diss track aimed at Raftaar, DIVINE and MC StanGiraftaarBass MutantDiss track aimed at RaftaarKhatamBoht Hard (ft. Meme Machine)CrazyvibeFreeverse FeastJacko BeatsJalladFlamboyI Been That (ft. THEMXXNLIGHT)Sledgren, AlectoFirse MachayengeTony JamesMaalikFlamboyBatista BombChris Rich BeatsKhatam KaronaPSYIKSuperhitJuanko BeatsHARDHippy JackGully Ka KuttaFlamboyDiss track aimed at DIVINENew World (ft. Lexz Pryde & Snoop Dogg)Kiran Bengal, Nick PriceAb PuchStwo, Singawd, Blomkamp, JT GagarinUses the instrumental from "One Way" by 6lack & T-PainFirse Machayenge (Remix) (ft. Prznt)VodliCharge (ft. Meme Machine)Meme MachineDon't Be The One (ft. Loka)AakashTHC Cypher (ft. Minta, Hellac, Meme Machine, Dopeadelicz)FlamboyFirst single from Bantai RecordsJamaica To India (ft. Chris Gayle)Tony JamesShyMeme MachineSath Mai (ft. Meme Machine & Swaalina)Paani Mai (ft. Young Galib & Swaalina)Yoki, Tony JamesHealEmiway BantaiThat's How I FeelAndyrShukriyaStreet TalkMemaxRuthless (ft. Memax & Jaxk)2022ChusambaRefixDiss track aimed at Raftaar and KR$NAKR L$DA SIGNSaint CardonaDiss track aimed at KR$NAJhootha (ft. Lazarus)Stan Da ManBaby (ft. Young Galib)Tony JamesGUESSKabu BeatsPyaar HaiHippy JackDRILLlejJAKudi2023deyzSong released from Namoh StudiosIndian Hip Hop Cypher (ft. Token)PSYIKBolra Hai SadakMemaxSong for 2026 Jantar Mantar ProtestSafalRed Bull 64 Bars by Def Jam Recordings India

As featured artist +Track Year Producer(s) Project Lean On (Celina Sharma ft. Emiway Bantai)2019Tremaine SandhuBad Munda (Jass Manak ft. Emiway Bantai)2021Deep JanduBad MundaKya Bolte Bro (Memax ft. Loka and Emiway Bantai)MemaxMEMAXRaja (Hellac ft. Emiway Bantai)Madhur ShindeRAJAMaante Naahi Haar (Minta ft. Emiway Bantai)2022BS Beats, Flossy DracoMaante Naahi HaarShow Me (Prznt ft. Emiway Bantai)2024Adrian SchaferMain Hawa Mein Hu (Maninder Buttar ft. Emiway Bantai)Tony JamesKYU (Swaalina ft. Emiway Bantai)2026Emiway Bantai S.W.A

Promotional tracks