With her latest track, 'My Jam' enjoying over 1.3 million views within a month of its release, Siri is one of the few Indian rappers who is ruling the roost, in a regional language. Belonging to a rare breed of multi-lingual rappers in the country, Siri is looking at rewriting the rulebook of Indian hip-hop with verses that start dialogues, internally and socially.

On behalf of Radio City Freedom, I spoke to the 27-year old performer from Bengaluru, who is undeterred by herself being one of the few female players in the hip-hop playground and when will she officially release her much-awaited, crowd-favourite composition.

How do you look at the hip-hop community being vastly male dominant? Why in your opinion are women not encouraged to delve into their creative sides?

Siri: Definitely need more women because the ratio is alarming. Most men won't necessarily support a female artist the same way they show support or even interact (on a comfort level) with a male artist. So, the need for more women in the industry is definitely there, which would also directly help in creating a more supportive and balanced creative ecosystem for all of us. Both men and women need to stop adhering to these gender roles based on gender binaries. Our biology does not determine our roles in life. Period.

How do you look at the evolution of Kannada rap with the likes of Gubbi, ALL OK and yourself taking centrestage?

Siri: Everyone is doing their bit. Baby steps. Kannada Industry isn't as big as Tamil or Telugu, so it's both the consumers' and creators' job to consume and create quality content and not make the same old brain numbing content. Good content should challenge perceptions, unearth emotions and truly move you and get you involved. Right now, we have people who're churning the same old content and then there are people creating beautiful, moving, and challenging content too (in Kannada). The audience needs to evolve and start appreciating the latter and expect more such content.

You were awarded the Best Electronica Artist and the Best Indie Collaboration at Radio City Freedom Awards 6 for 'Tu Bas Naach'. Both awards were as per the jury's vote. How did it feel to be hailed as the jury's favourite?

Siri: It was definitely a first and a well deserved one. Everyone involved worked so hard and it was great to be amidst women who are really killing it in the scene that too from different parts of the entertainment industry. Amyra Dastur, Priyankha Khimani, Srishti Shrivastava, Supriya Joshi, Tracy Dsouza were few of the names I had an opportunity to be alongside. VS42 (Vaibhav Bundhoo) hit me up, DeeMC, Kavya and Kriti to make this super fun project, and winning the Best Electronica Artist and the Best Indie Collaboration at Radio City Freedom Awards was the cherry on top.

When can we expect the release of the crowd favourite track, 'Beda Beda'?

Siri: Hopefully within two months, depending on the lockdown and the current situation. Whoever has heard it (even people who don't understand Kannada) have said really good things about it. That track really has a global sound to it and major props to the Hip Hop Maestro Sez On The Beat for the production and sound. It is a scene changing track for sure.

'My Jam' by Siri featuring Sez On The Beat, is now playing on Radio City Freedom.