The album positions DIVINE not only as India’s leading hip-hop export, but as a cultural vanguard shaping one of the world’s fastest-growing music markets
Rapper DIVINE unveils his highly anticipated fifth studio album, ‘Walking on Water’, a 16-track testimonial chronicling his ascent from the gullies of Mumbai to the global hip-hop arena.
Marking ten years since his breakthrough redefined the sound and scope of Indian hip-hop, the album stands as DIVINE’s most complete artistic statement yet—an ambitious, meticulously crafted body of work that merges spiritual conviction with street-hardened truth, expansive sonic exploration with the unmistakable swagger that has cemented his legacy. While firmly at the top of his game, DIVINE approaches the entire celebratory work with the passion and fearlessness of an artist still in constant evolution.
Released via Gully Gang, the album features an elite roster of collaborators including artists like Hanumankind, Gurinder Gill, Riar Saab, MC Altaf, Sammohit and Kalyani Priyadarshan, producers ZZORAWAR, Stunnah Beatz and Phenom alongside bold reinterpretations of some of Bollywood’s most iconic tracks. Bridging nostalgia with contemporary global rap sensibilities, DIVINE effortlessly samples A.R. Rahman’s timeless ‘Kehna Hi Kya’ (Bombay), and R.D. Burman’s classics ‘Mehbooba Mehbooba’ (Sholay) and ‘Give Me Some Sunshine’ (3 Idiots).
A pioneering figure known for breaking international barriers and collaborating with heavyweights such as Nas, Pusha T, Vince Staples, KSHMR, Jadakiss, Russ, Cocoa Sarai, LIT Killah, and Dutchavelli, DIVINE delivers what he describes as his most spiritually rooted and narratively rich work to date. ‘Walking on Water’ showcases the full breadth of DIVINE’s creative universe, blending autobiographical storytelling with a diverse sonic palette—ranging from trap and Afro-pop to Bollywood film samples, introspective minimalism and high-energy Gully Gang cyphers.
The album positions DIVINE not only as India’s leading hip-hop export, but as a cultural vanguard shaping one of the world’s fastest-growing music markets. It reveals every dimension of an artist who has pushed Indian hip-hop onto the global map while staying deeply connected to its origins. True to form, DIVINE remains a project-first artist at heart—placing the album experience at the center of his creative vision and reaffirming his commitment to delivering fully realized bodies of work.
At its core, ‘Walking on Water’ explores a recurring theme: DIVINE protection against adversity—a metaphor for resilience, clarity and self-belief forged over ten years in the spotlight. Yet the rapper balances these introspective threads with the swagger, urgency and street ethos that built his career. Equally global and local in its resonance, DIVINE moves fluidly across genres—club-ready bangers, speaker-rattling trap cuts, coastal Indian samples, cross-regional collaborations, and emotionally raw meditations—reflecting an artist comfortable operating across borders, genres and cultural codes.
DIVINE states, “This album is a declaration of evolution, dominance, reflection and spiritual grounding—celebrating everything I’ve built and everything I’ve survived. It’s an album for the streets. For the culture. For the believers. And for those who doubted.”
DIVINE remains one of the few Indian artists to earn global critical acclaim while maintaining fierce authenticity. With ‘Walking on Water’, he reinforces why he continues to be the face of Indian hip-hop globally and an artist who brought the gully to the world and the world to the gully. The album marks a defining new chapter in his journey: a work rooted in spirituality, ambition and lived experience, delivered with sonic versatility designed to transcend borders. Beyond being a milestone for DIVINE, ‘Walking on Water’ reflects the expanding global footprint of Indian music and its evolving cultural influence.
End of Article
