You wouldn’t think it was possible when you hear fierce songs like ‘Kaleshi Chori’ or ‘Kheench Maari’, but New Delhi hip-hop artist Raga actually has a cold side.
New mixtape Raga, consisting of 21 songs lasting an hour and 10 minutes, No formula proposes to combine what the rapper calls “Old Raga” and “New Raga”. The beat selection ranges from boisterous to breezy, the rap rhythm has a signature growl but also mellows out, and the mood shifts from raucous to introspective.
His first major collection of songs since his debut album. Rap Ka Mausam in 2019, says Raga Rolling Stone India“It’s more like an audition for me in the industry, where I tell them that this is not just what I am.” Seeking to redefine what “Raga-core” truly means, the tape marks an evolution and expansion of his sound that he says will prepare listeners for his second full-length album.
Consistent with the principle of no rigid approach to songs and creative process, the only rule that Raga adheres to. No formula packs a mixtape with several collaborations. From longtime friends like Seedhe Maut, Yungsta, Rawal (“Dhyaan Se”) and Ikka (“I Get It”) to fellow New Delhi rap stars Panther (“Sab Set Hai”), Fotty Seven (on the powerful opening track “Khurafaat”), the artist also brings artists like Bella (“Part of the Plan”), Yung Sammy (“Vagwan”), Sambatha to the bars (“Lucky”), Siyaakhi (“Philam”), Shikriwal (“Super”), Ab 17 (“Satyanaas”), O.G. Lucifer and others. “There are hardcore lyrics, but there are also vulnerable lyrics that let the fans know that I’m not in shackles, I’m evolving,” he explains.
Raga has a special soft spot for his own gang like Akbr and Izer (Chaktan) and RAHT (Nakshe Pe, Philam) and says they are worth keeping an eye on. “They are the main group that I work with on my music and on their projects. I wanted to introduce these guys to the industry because they have a special sound,” says Raga. They help explore alter egos on ‘Chatkan’ and with ‘Nakshe Pe’, hardcore rap is offered. Raga says, “This is the blueprint for your success if you are still in the phase of asking, “Can I do this or not?” This is for the kids I was in 2008.”
In ‘Taqleefein’, these artists bring out a new side of Raga as he leans towards a more melodic, introspective sound and delivers some of his favorite heart-wrenching bars. “This is a real Raga, man. I was amazed at how I even wrote this verse. This verse is the closest to me,” he says. The vulnerable side of raga seems to come out just as easily in songs like “Mudde” with Yungsta and Mr. Doss and the closing track “Ghoom Raha Hai” with Satyum and Steezer. “These are the songs I wanted people to listen to so they would be ready for my second album,” he says.
Finalization of 21 songs from 40 tracks to choose from. No formula there are songs that have been in development for at least four years, while the name of the project appeared last year, and serious work began a year and a half ago. “I have all the experience in this,” he says.
Recorded online and in studios in Ghaziabad, Mumbai and Paris, the mixtape was the result of a combination of planned sessions and spontaneous collaborations. In Paris, Raga worked with producer Saycee at the Universal Music Group camp, where they wrote about five songs in three days. “I proposed to my wife there too. And I just came back,” he laughs.
Raga went into the Paris sessions with a clear goal, even if he didn’t know exactly how the songs would sound. “I’m one of those artists who started by raising enough money to rent a studio for one hour and recorded three songs in that hour. Even though I may have become more comfortable in life after becoming a bigger artist, it didn’t leave me. I had a vision that I would write three or four songs. I didn’t take any notes this time because I know I’ll have to face other producers and I didn’t want to be in a box,” he recalls.
Proudly calling them experimental songs, Raga is also happy that he was able to express his opinion with his lyrics “without disappointing the fans who wanted hardcore tracks.” At the same time, he said that tracks were often rejected during discussions with labels because they “wanted the same track over and over again.” About releasing these songs, he says: “I needed to do this so badly. I kept myself in shackles for a long time.”
Being friends with Sidhe Maut is one thing, but Raga clarifies that they have two tracks (“Kuch Mat Kar”, “Untitled”) on No formula together for a different reason. “Kuch Mat Kar” came out of a production session with New Delhi-based bassist and producer Hashbass a couple of years ago, along with several tracks originally written by Pakistani artist Faris Shafi. The Pahalgam attack in April 2025 undermined ties between India and Pakistan, including cultural ones, meaning it created a “legal constraint” on promoting the song as a cross-border collaboration. “So Universal had to abandon this plan and maine bhi dil ke pattar rakh ke kara (I put on a brave face and walked forward),” he recalls.
The song was still very dear to Raga because, according to him, the chorus was born out of the philosophy he follows in life. “Often we humans try to hold on to everything, even when everything goes wrong. When we just let go and see things from afar, everything becomes clear. I wanted to put it out no matter what. I sent this to the boys [Seedhe Maut]who can save this track, I felt. They omitted this verse that same day. It moved to another spectrum. The guys took it differently, it’s a great honor for me,” says Raga.
Even with Rawal on ‘Dhyaan Se’, the duo behind sizzling songs like ‘Jungli Kutta’ and ‘Bombay Sapphire’ is yet another banger produced by Subspace. Raga says, “I called him and just said, ‘Of course, you need to record a verse on my tape.’ I thought he was busy [Rawal’s 2025 mixtape] Sherdilbut he said, “When did you start talking like that?” Come,” and I came to his house with four beers, and that same evening we recorded the song. This is the kind of energy we walk across the stage with and it comes out in the song.”
With Ab 17 and Yungsta on the menacing ‘Satyanaas’, Raga says they have touched something primal. “Av and I come from the same places where sattabazi (stakes) come first, and then people think about careers [to earn money]. The whole day is spent trying to get something done. We were almost in this space if rap hadn’t saved us. It’s straight [Delhi] NCR, this song is like a movie,” he says.
Be it sessions over beers with Panther and Yungsta, finding beat switches that suit artists like Sambatha’s distinct flow on the trap track ‘Got Lucky’, or teaming up with Shikriwal as a producer and rapper on the video game music inspired music track ‘Super’, Raga is putting a lot of courses together. No formula. These songs are made not only for big stages, but also for reflection. “I had to respect every space I was in. It was a mixtape, so I never allowed myself to feel like anything didn’t fit,” he says. Of course, everything is planned with his next move in mind. “The album will be something different,” adds Raga.
