Yo Yo Honey Singh: India's rap rebel makes a comeback after battling addiction

About 15 years ago, an Indian rapper from humble beginnings burst onto the then-unflourishing hip-hop scene and completely transformed it. He created bold lyrics themed around parties, drugs, and "seducing" women, stimulating, enticing, and even infuriating listeners, challenging them to explore the contours of his "wicked" mind. His songs played in clubs and at weddings, blaring from sound systems at large parties and roadside tea stalls.

However, at the peak of his career, he suddenly disappeared. Seven years later, Yo Yo Honey Singh has returned with a new album and an ongoing concert tour, claiming to have become a completely new person after a long battle with substance abuse and mental health issues. The 41-year-old singer and producer, once one of India's most popular music stars, "shifted the cultural center of gravity of hip-hop," according to music journalist Bhanuj Kappal in the Netflix documentary about Singh, "Famous."

But he was also highly controversial and, by his own admission, a "offensive and reckless person," often accused of promoting vulgarity, debauchery, and violence through his music. Many criticized Singh's lyrics for their violent and rape depictions of women, an image further exacerbated in the media after his ex-wife and childhood sweetheart accused him of domestic violence in a divorce lawsuit. Singh has denied the accusation.

Seven years have passed, and the singer is no longer the rebellious songwriter who once ruled the charts with his provocative, toe-tapping anthems. Much has changed over the years, including Indian hip-hop, which has evolved into a thriving and vibrant field. Artists once inspired by his sound have now surpassed him, becoming leaders in the genre. Singh also seems to have changed. From someone who once proclaimed himself the "omniscient master of the universe," he now considers himself a God-fearing man who believes in good energy, the cyclical nature of life, and "scientific astrologers."

He claims his music is now more conscious, moving beyond drugs to something deeper. But loyal fans say his music has lost its original edge, and his latest tracks have failed to impress. "He has a core audience that will always support him... but his vision is now outdated," Kappal said. But Singh is not ready to be written off. Instead of trying to hide or defend his personal struggles with fame and drugs, he has made it the core of his comeback.

Since his return, Singh has been candid about his struggles with addiction and mental health. "Drugs completely destroyed me," he told the digital news platform Lallantop. "I lost myself because of fame, money, and women. I was like a devil, completely Satan." In interviews, he is witty and relaxed, speaking with the clarity of a tormented artist who seems to have unlocked a spiritual truth after battling his inner demons. "Good deeds are rewarded, and bad deeds are punished, I really believe that," he recently said. "It took me a long time to get out of where I was trapped. But I'm back now."

Born Hridesh Singh in Punjab, Singh grew up in a cramped neighborhood in Delhi. Those difficult early years shaped his music and continue to resonate in his work to this day. "This slum is my home, my turf, and always will be," he often says. Singh always knew he wanted to pursue a career in music. He started as a college DJ and later transitioned to a full-time producer. "I wanted to make beats and music, not sing or write," he said. But after years of being a small-time producer in Punjab, he realized it wasn't enough. "My voice was too metropolitan for the place. People didn't understand it. For that, I had to go beyond the state."

Therefore, he chose to go solo. In 2011, Singh released his breakthrough album, "The International Villager." He blended Punjabi folk music (including its dhol beats and string melodies) with global hip-hop to create something entirely new. For three months, it seemed the formula had failed. Then everything changed. Overnight, the songs became hits, topping the charts, winning awards, and propelling Singh into Bollywood. "Brown Rang," a song about a brown man's global ambitions, became the most-watched video on YouTube in 2012. Filmed in Dubai and costing a million dollars, it introduced many Indians to the glitz of hip-hop—luxury cars, baggy clothes, jewel-encrusted watches, and gold chains—set to a smooth, thumping beat.

Despite growing criticism of his misogynistic lyrics, Singh continued to fill stadiums and create hit songs, breaking into Bollywood with songs for stars like Shah Rukh Khan and Akshay Kumar. "A lot of times, my lyrics are trash, even I know that myself. But people are still listening to it because the sound is very good and fresh," he told Lallantop.

But Singh's rise to fame coincided with his personal downfall. "I indulged in drugs and alcohol, smoked 12-15 joints of marijuana, and drank bottles of liquor. I abandoned my family and lost control. Once, I was so high on drugs that I bit a friend's stomach eight times," he told Lallantop. In 2017, Singh collapsed during a tour—a moment that shook him. He quit music and drugs, returned to Delhi, and began rehabilitation with a team of global doctors and therapists. "I told my family I was mentally unwell. I couldn't do anything until I got better." Singh says he has been sober for seven years, except for the occasional beer.

"I've been to hell and back," he says in "Famous." "Even now, I still wake up feeling foggy because of the drugs." However, fans appreciate Singh's candor about his self-destructive tendencies and his efforts to overcome them. "No one is perfect. But at least Singh is trying to be better. He may have left the stage briefly, but his music never stopped playing," said Nandini Gupta, a student in Delhi. Others believe his transformation is performative, pointing to the problematic nature of his new music. "While the tone has softened, he is still objectifying women and only talking about money and fame," said listener Bushra Neyazi.

Regardless of how you see it, Singh's redemption feels like another challenge to his audience—urging them to accept his complex past and give his music another chance. "I left for seven years, but I will make everyone crazy again for the next seven years," he recently said. "I'm back, and I want the same love I got seven years ago."