Baba Sehgal

In India, one performer dominates the rap scene: the Lucknow-born Baba Sehgal. Baba Sehgal's rap is far removed from the sting and grit of Public Enemy, Ice-T, or, to take an example of rap transplanted into another language, French wit MC Solaar. Sehgal's safe, inoffensive pop/rap employs a cutesy-pie image with cheeky Hindi lyrics about hobnobbing with Madonna on the telephone. Interjections of a Hinglish nature (a relative of Japlish, the seemingly dyslexic or random plucking of English words in adverts or on bomber jackets or baseball caps in Japan), like "Five star hotel,...