The Delhi-born rapper talks about immigration, identity, independence, and building a global sound on his own terms.

The lights inside Taka Maka glow as the crowd buzzes before Jetley takes the stage. For the Delhi-born, Los Angeles-based rapper, this is a homecoming years in the making.

After nearly a decade building his career independently in the United States, Jetley has returned to the city that shaped him. Fans crowd the venue rapping back lyrics written alone in dorm rooms, apartments, and late-night studio sessions thousands of miles away.