Punjabi-Canadian rapper Shubh's Mumbai concert to be cancelled over old 'Khalistani' post?

Rapper Shubh is facing backlash ahead of his India tour

Punjabi-Canadian rapper Shubhneet Singh, popularly known as Shubh, is gearing up for his multi-city ‘Still Rollin India Tour'. However, his Mumbai concert is facing cancellation demands from the members of Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha (BJYM), the youth wing of BJP. The BJYM wants Shubh's India concert to be cancelled as they have alleged that the artiste supports Khalistani elements.

Shubh had previously shared a distorted map of India in which the states of Punjab and Haryana were blackened.

The BJYM have demanded a cancellation of his entire India tour. "There is no space for Khalistanis who are the enemy of the integrity and unity of India. We won't allow Canadian singer Shubh to perform in the auspicious land of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, Mumbai. If no proper action is taken, then the organizers will have to face our opposition," BJYM President Tajinder Singh Tiwana was quoted as saying by Hindustan Times.

Indian company boAt, one of the sponsors of the tour, has withdrawn its support amid the allegations. They said in a statement, "When we became aware of the remarks made by artist Shubh earlier this year, we chose to withdraw our sponsorship from the tour. We will continue to foster a vibrant music culture in India."

As part of a three-month long tour starting September 2023, the young viral artist is set to perform across 12 cities including Bengaluru, Hyderabad, New Delhi, Mumbai, Ahmedabad, Ludhiana, Chandigarh, Gurgaon, Mumbai, Kolkata, Pune and Jaipur. The ‘Still Rollin India Tour' is part of the 24-year-old artist's world tour that will see him travel to the UK, UAE, Australia, New Zealand, Canada and USA.

Shubhneet Singh had said in a statement, "India is home for me in more ways than one, and this is an extremely special moment for me as it's my homecoming tour. I get to kick off my debut in the live arena domain in a country that has been instrumental in the evolution of my creativity and my growth as an artist. I can't wait to step on that stage and interact with all my amazing desi fans."

In 2021, Shubh became an overnight internet sensation, courtesy his breakout single ‘We Rollin' which went on to garner over 201 million views on YouTube. This was followed by the release of his singles ‘Elevated', ‘Offshore' and ‘Baller' which made it to the Billboard Canadian Hot 100. Earlier this year, he released his debut 4-track album titled ‘Still Rollin'. His dominance as one of the highest streamed Indian artists continues with over 12 lakh monthly listeners on Spotify to his credit.

In the recent past, celebrities such as Virat Kohli and Ranveer Singh have generously endorsed Shubh's music over social media which is a seamless blend between western and eastern influences.