Kalamkaar, the independent label founded by Raftaar and his business partner Ankit Khanna has announced an exclusive recording agreement with rapper-lyricist IKKA, aka Ankit Singh who is known for his tracks like ‘Shuruwat’, ‘Theek Hai Theek Hai’, ‘Main Fan Bhagat Singh Da’ and more.
Raftaar’s label has partnered with Believe, the Paris-based independent digital music distribution and artist services company earlier this year in January. Since then, the French company has been extending its distribution services to Raftaar’s independent hip-hop label headquartered in India.
Kalamkaar features a roster of young Indian musical talent like KRSNA, Deep Kalsi, Brishav, Karma, Rashmeet Kaur, MC Stan, Jassa Dhillon, Gur Sidhu and Yunan. Now Ikka joins the list, albeit for a year under the recording agreement. The label was founded in 2018 by entrepreneur Ankit Khanna (AK Projekts) and DNH Artists with rapper Raftaar.
As part of new partnership between Believe, Raftaar’s Kalamkaar and Ikka, the French company will helm the digital music distribution and artist services for Ikka’s year-long independent music.
IKKA said in a public statement, “I am super excited to partner with Kalamkaar for a one-year independent non-film music deal and take Indian hip-hop to the next level with a label that has an artist’s interest vested at its’ core. The hip hop scene is gaining a considerable amount of exposure and over the course of the next one year my fans will be entertained with music that marries creative freedom with quality soundscapes.”
IKKA has been steadily gaining followers since 2012 and he has been part of crews from Mafia Mundeer to Black Wall Street Desis and Nau Sau Bai. Last year, he released his debut album collaborating with artists such as Raftaar, DIVINE, Lil Golu, Sez On The Beat and Sikander Khalon. ‘Angaar’ which is part of the album, racked more than six million streams only two days after its release and is now up to 26 million; a testament to the popularity of IKKA.
