Indian Rappers Replace Gang Signs With Indian Sign Language In Music Videos To Promote ISL Awareness

Mumbai: In an attempt to teach Indian Sign Language (ISL) to hearing people, multiple organisations have collaborated with Indian rappers. These rappers have re-launched their famous rap song videos depicting usage of ISL instead of the traditional gang signs.

On Wednesday, VerSe Innovation, Signing Hands Foundation, Wondrlab and Lucifer Music announced the launch of 'The Right Sign' initiative which aims to elevate ISL beyond a creative campaign into a meaningful social movement for inclusion.

As part of this initiative, acclaimed Indian rappers including Indeep Bakshi, V-Town Chronicles, Enkore, and Y-ASH 1HUNNED have re-released four of their music videos like Alone, Flex, Dhalta Chand and Jo Dekha Wo Likha respectively, replacing traditional gang signs with meaningful ISL expressions. The campaign has also released a comprehensive tutorial featuring 40 essential phrases taught by these rappers, empowering millions to communicate effectively with the deaf community.

The initiative also encourages other artists and creators to include sign language in their performances, helping make ISL a widely accepted communication tool. With creative execution by Wondrlab and music collaboration from Lucifer Music, the campaign harnesses the power of music and digital storytelling to drive a nationwide movement for accessibility and inclusion.

Alok Kejriwal, founder and CEO of Signing Hands Foundation, said, "I have been deaf from birth and while growing up I realised that even those who cannot hear, needs to be heard. Sign language is more than just a communication tool as it represents culture, identity, and fundamental rights that deserve recognition. This initiative is an attempt to normalise the use of ISL among Indians.”

Rapper Enkore said, "One of the reasons I love HipHop is because it brings people together. Through ‘The Right Sign’ we will be able to bring more people together, including those who are not able to hear. Music has always been about expression, but now I realise our visual language matters too. There are millions in India using sign language daily, yet we barely try to understand them.”

Rapper Astarif from V Town Chronicles said, “We generally use the gang signs used in the USA in out rap music videos but using them in India does not make any sense. We throw signs in videos all the time, but this is the first time those gestures mean something real. Using rap, which is something authentic and from the streets, to mainstream sign language was an instant yes for me.“

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