MUMBAI: When music meets movement, it creates more than sound it creates culture. In a powerful crossover of rhythm and sport, rising hip-hop artist QK lent her voice to NBA India’s “Hoop Nation”, a streetball project created in collaboration with Skechers that turned more than just heads. It turned up the volume on stories from the court, the hood, and the heart.
“It felt like scoring a goal.”
In a space traditionally dominated by men, QK’s presence brought a fresh, fierce energy.
“Being part of this project felt like scoring a goal,” she says. “For someone like me, it doesn’t matter if it’s a woman scoring or a man—what matters is that there’s a score. As long as I’m making music, I’m good.”
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With that clarity and confidence, QK stepped into a narrative bigger than her own—one that pulsed with the life of India’s underground basketball culture.
Rapping the Real
This wasn’t just another track—it was a tribute.
“The process was very close to my heart,” she shares. “I wasn’t just telling the story of a legend through my rap—I was channeling the spirit of an entire community.”
Drawing inspiration from their hustle, their losses, their wins, and the pride in their identity, QK’s writing wove together slang, swagger, and sincerity. “I used the language that represents their hood, their pain, their power. I felt overwhelmed—but also excited—to bring that to life.”
Hip-Hop as Heartbeat
Indian hip-hop has come a long way—from underground cyphers to mainstream recognition. And QK believes projects like this one are helping drive that evolution.
“In the last few years, hip-hop has become more than music here—it’s now a part of culture,” she says. “This project only adds to that heartbeat. It keeps it alive and pumping.”
Creative Risks, Real Growth
What stayed with her most from the experience? Growth.
“I stepped out of my comfort zone with this. It was a rush, doing something so different from what I normally do,” she reflects. “That’s why this project will always mean a lot to me. It helped me grow—as an artist, and as a person.”
From the street to the studio, QK is carving her own lane—fearless, focused, and on fire. And if this project is any sign of what’s next, Indian hip-hop has plenty more stories to tell.
