0075 Pentertainment, the artist-led label founded by Badshah, has partnered with hip-hop creator Rohan Cariappa to launch Pentertainers, an online rap challenge offering ₹16 lakh in prize money and professional release opportunities for 12 independent artists. Since its announcement on 9 October, the challenge has received more than 1,000 entries.
Entries close at 11:59 PM IST on 31 October. The initiative builds on Cariappa’s 1 Minute Rap Challenge, which ran for three seasons and helped introduce artists including Parv, Prathamesh, Hard Bone, Dhruv Aesthetic, Panther, Spectra and Paradox.
Pentertainers will select 12 artists for a year-long programme focused on music production, releases and industry mentorship. Each month, one selected artist will be named Artist of the Month and receive a professionally re-produced, mixed and mastered track, accompanied by a music video and marketing budget. The songs will be released on the 0075 Pentertainment YouTube channel.
All 12 selected artists will receive ₹50,000, a fee for their song and a lifetime royalty share once the song recoups its costs. They will also receive mentorship covering production, marketing and the business side of the music industry.
The top three participants will receive additional prizes of ₹5 lakh, ₹3 lakh and ₹2 lakh, respectively, taking the total prize pool to ₹16 lakh.
The challenge is open to artists across genres and languages, with no entry fee or public voting. Participants must post a performance reel on Instagram using #pentertainers, tag @dhhrohan and @0075pentertainment, and submit an official audition form with links to the reel, a previously released YouTube track and an unreleased song hosted on Google Drive. Each email ID is limited to one entry.
Cariappa will review all submissions, with Badshah and the producers involved in the final selection. The organisers have also stated that selected artists will not be bound by a contract after the programme ends, leaving them free to pursue other label or management partnerships.
Meta description: 0075 Pentertainment and Rohan Cariappa launch Pentertainers, a rap challenge offering ₹16 lakh in prizes and professional releases for 12 independent artists. Entries close on 31 October.
