Dhanda Nyoliwala is known for getting Haryana’s raw energy into his music, and into the mainstream. He is also one of the most streamed hip-hop artists in India right now – his songs “Russian Bandana” and “Knife Brows” now have over 237 million and 119 million streams on Spotify respectively. The hip-hop sensation has also crossed over to Bollywood: “Do Numbari” by Dhanda was released as the first track from Mirzapur: The Movie last month.
In April 2026, he collaborated with rapper Kr$na for “Boom Shaka”. The track is yet to make its way off the charts. 74 million views on YouTube, 37 million streams on Spotify, and counting. It’s vivid visuals take you to the fields of Haryana, and the catchy bars have you nodding your head along. The wordplay is razor-sharp, and he knows it. With lyrics like “Haryanvi rap mein paisa aur izzat / Main dono le aaya main Rick Ross”, he has you grinning from ear-to-ear.
Dhanda Nyoliwala on “Boom Shaka” and Haryanvi Rap
Billboard India caught up with Dhanda in June 2026, where he built his ideal playlist for “What Would You Queue”. When asked to show a song which is an example of great wordplay, he chose “Boom Shaka” and “Maruti”, stating that both had great wordplay. He also performed some of his biggest hits including “Russian Bandana”, “Mia Cara”, and “Nobody Came”. Watch the full video here:
