It was the late Tupac Shakur who said “I did not bring Thug Life to America. I simply diagnosed it.” His words are finding resonance in the lanes of Dharavi. The latest EP, Into the slum, from the ensemble 7Bantai’Z flexes the attitude, vision and ambitions of 20-year-olds from this neighbourhood. The collective was formed in 2014 when childhood friends — David Klyton, Siddesh Jammi, Yogesh Kurme and Abhishek Kurme, Aditya Vhatkar, Nishant Mohite and Nitesh Patel — decided to put their skills to the test. The members hail from diverse backgrounds, cultures, languages and tastes that capture the kaleidoscopic address.

Jammi recalls being schoolboys who hung out after school to listen to rappers like Divine, Naezy and Dopeadelicz. “When we would listen to Tupac, it felt like he was speaking about our struggles against injustice,” he recalls.  Aditya Vhatkar aka Crackpot says, “It also influenced our writing process. Our verses are born from our experiences, and what we see around us.” Art became a way for the youngsters to correct the misconceptions that clung to their identity. “We wanted our work to shine a light on the brighter side; the joy, the unity and the attitude it teaches you,” David Klyton aka Mr Scam says.