1. BABA SEHGAL
Thanda Thanda Paaniwas India's introduction to rap. The 1992 Hindi version of Vanilla Ice's Ice Ice Babyrocked the music scene. The Kanpur rapper then came out with Main Bhi Madonna but didn't have that icon's staying power

2. BLAAZE
Born in Chennai, brought up in Zambia and educated in England, Blaaze is one of India's biggest rap acts. AR Rahman introduced Blaaze to playback singing for Tamil films. Later, it was his rap with Amitabh Bachchan in Bunty aur Babli that got him noticed. His lyrics touch on religion, riots and terrorism

3. BOHEMIA
Bohemia is one of the flashiest names on the Punjabi rap and hip hop scene. The Pakistan-American artist is single-handedly responsible for mainstreaming Punjabi rap. His first album Vich Pardesan De (2003) was on the BBC Top 10 but his second album, Pesa Nasha Pyar (2006) won him acclaim. It was the first-ever full-length Desi rap album to be released worldwide by a major music label

4. JAY SEAN
Kamaljit Singh Jhooti or Jay Sean is a British singer-songwriter, rapper, beatboxer and record producer of Indian origin. He shot into the limelight with Rishi Rich's Dance With You in 2003 and is one of the most groundbreaking international Asian artists in the US

7. PANJABI MC
Rajinder Singh Rai or Panjabi MC shot to fame in 1998 with Mundian To Bach Ke. An underground hit, Mundian made it to the spotlight when rapper Jay Z re-released it as Beware of the Boys. The Coventry resident mixes bhangra and hip hop

8. RISHI RICH
Rishpal Singh Rekhi, better known as Rishi Rich, is a British Punjabi music producer. He is known for his Bhangra tracks, Hindi remixes, and is a pioneer of the Indian-R&B fusion music. Remember Nachna Tere Naal?

9. TAMIL RAP
It's a scene that has been picking up the beat. Yogi B, part of a Malay hip hop troupe called Poetic Ammo, is considered the architect of the Tamil rap scene. His album Vallavan (2006) and remixing of the Ilayaraja's Madai Thiranthukickstarted the revolution