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10 Videos & 1 Million YouTube Subscribers. What's the Game? Rapper Dino James' over 1 million subscribers on YouTube with only 10 songs released is a testimony to his huge fan base

By Aastha Singal

You're reading Entrepreneur India, an international franchise of Entrepreneur Media.

Indians harbour a special love of music. Every nook and corner of the country reverberate a vibrant melody, different from the other. While the nation will always lead in terms of classical music, the western style of singing has started making inroads in our diversity, which has accepted the concept wholeheartedly.

Swaying to the beat of the contemporary music, the millennials today are especially fond of raps. The clever poetry with rhyming lyrics has become a rage among the youngsters. Many Indian artists including Honey Singh, Badshah and Raftaar have already established themselves as a renowned rapper in the music industry.

However, the netizens are currently taken by an emerging star who has proved his mettle on his own. Without any godfather and strong backing, a boy from Bhopal wrote his own destiny and is today among the most followed rappers in the country. Dino James is an inspiration for every youngster who had setbacks in life.

Heartbroken, de-motivated and depressed, James had battled an arduous phase where suicide seemed like an easy way out. That was until he took things into his own hands and used music as a source to vent out. A journey which started a few years back by a small town man has so far inspired over 50 million viewers on YouTube.

With the unique style of writing motivational anthem like rap songs, James beautifully addresses the extremities people face at a very young age in life. Despite what life threw at him, his spirit of "never giving up" saved him from self-destructive ideas. The iconic lyrist, composer and rapper have over 1 million subscribers on YouTube with only 10 songs released, which in itself is a testimony to his huge fan base.

Taking Inspiration from Life

Like any loved artist, James takes inspiration to go on from his audience. "They welcomed me into their lives with open arms. They inspired me to keep going on. And I never gave up," he shared. His honesty and originality have empowered him as an artist whereas his decision to speak about real life incidents and topics close to his heart became his recipe to woo the Indian music enthusiasts. "Money can't buy their love."

Winning Hearts

Upon looking at the rate of his success, people get doubtful but James is certain that if there were any malicious activities involved in his popularity, "I wouldn't have been able to make my mark. The best way to win subscribers is to win over their hearts." And won he has, millions of hearts from all over the world. With the support from his team, which he proudly calls a tightly knit family of like-minded individuals, he has come a long way but a long distance is yet to be crossed.

Journey of Self-discovery

James has seen extremely tough times in life. Battling through depression and struggle as a musician, he had once lost himself in alcohol. However, that phase helped him gain a lot of perspective and clarity in life. "That was a time of utter chaos but I discovered the depth of human emotion at that time. This helped me write better songs and deliver deeper and meaningful music. I am whatever I am because I went through the grind," he shared.

Quick 5 with Dino James

Favourite Rapper: Eminem

Favourite Songs (by self): Maa and Hancock

Competition From Foreign Players: Hindustani Bhi Kisise Kam Nahi! (Indians are not less than anyone)

Unconventional Songs: Nothing Can be Pushed Under a Rug

Life Mantra: Never Give Up

Aastha Singal

Entrepreneur Staff

Former Features Writer

A business journalist looking to find happiness in the world of startups, investments, MSMEs and more. Officially started her career as a news reporter for News World India, Aastha had short stints with NDTV and NewsX. A true optimist seeking to make a difference, she is a comic junkie who'd rather watch a typical Bollywood masala than a Hollywood blockbuster. 

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