MUMBAI: A year in the making, the wait for India’s premier hip-hop star DIVINE’s debut album, Kohinoor, finally gets over on 9 October. Kohinoor is the first release from the Indian imprint of Nas, iconic label, Mass Appeal after its launch in India in collaboration with Universal Music Group.

The eight-track album – that includes the hip-hop legend Nas on a track – showcases different facts of DIVINE’s personality and skills, and introduces fans and listeners to the world of Vivian Fernandes.

With collaborations at the heart of the album, Kohinoor is the mark of an artist who has found his voice and is unafraid to stake his claim on the world.

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From working with producers like Grammy Award-winning Ill Wayno – who also produced the Nas, Naezy and DIVINE track, NY Se Mumbai – to old-time collaborators Phenom aka Pinaki Rattan and Gully Gang associates like Shah Rule, Aavrutti and D’evil, and names like New York rapper and US hip-hop’s next big thing, Dave East and Carnatic singer and songwriter Sid Sriram, on Kohinoor listeners get to hear of variety of styles and sounds.

The face of the hip-hop movement in India, Kohinoor is an introduction to DIVINE for the world watching.

Razor sharp words with a bite and set to beats that wouldn’t be out of place in a bar in Brooklyn, all eight tracks on Kohinoor are personal, and an insight into DIVINE’s world. Like in Kohinoor, where DIVINE invokes the city he grew up in, his mother, friends and the hip-hop community. Or in Wallah which features Shah Rule, where he talks about how his success drove his friends away. Or Vibe hai, which is his salute to the Gully Gang movement, and his crew. On ‘Remand’, DIVINE’s fiery passion meets Dave East’s street cred.

“This album is a part of me, and a chance for me to tell people my story,” says DIVINE of Kohinoor. “I wanted to give my fans my side of the story, to move the curtain and let them see what my life is all about. I have learnt some truths the hard way, and I have no regrets in life. Music wise, I have worked with people that I have a great working relationship with, people who get me like Pinaki aka Phenom or my Gully Gang boys. And I was very clear about the kind of people I wanted on this album. Like Ill Wayno, Dave East and even Sid, who I have wanted to work with for such a long time,” he adds.

While the album is packed with sounds and themes that those familiar with DIVINE have come to expect, it does have a few surprises in store. Like the reggaeton-infused cheeky Chal Bombay, DIVINE’s first-ever ‘love’ song or the R&B style Too Hype with Sid Sriram.

Kohinoor is one of the hotly-anticipated albums of the year, and will release on Mass Appeal India. And on 12 October , DIVINE will launch Kohinoor in Mumbai in what will be his first-ever public performance of the album. The album launch will be presented by OnePlus Music Festival.

Universal Music Group, MD and CEO, Devraj Sanyal, India and South Asia, said, “DIVINE’s Kohinoor is the most awaited indigenous hip-hop album of all time and at Mass Appeal India, we are proud to ensure that this epic album is heard by Indians, the Asian diaspora worldwide and the hip-hop loving population the world over. For the first time ever an album from India is being worked in a global partnership between Mass Appeal US for the American markets, Island UK for the UK markets and Mass Appeal India for the Indian, Asian and other emerging markets. We’re getting some amazing global feedback on Kohinoor already, ahead of its release & we can’t wait to share this with all the DIVINE fans here and everywhere.”

Mass Appeal CEO Peter Bhittenbender said, “This is a monumental day for Indian Hip Hop with DIVINE claiming his rightful spot at the top of the game. For Nas and the team at Mass Appeal India this is an incredibly proud moment as Kohinoor is a perfect body of work to showcase DIVINE's immense talents and take his music to the world. The best part of Kohinoor is that it's just the beginning for DIVINE and all we have planned at Mass Appeal India!

With a focus on working DIVINE to the mainstream in the US, Canada and the UK we will showcase just how big this movement truly can get on a global level"