Irshad Khan made his brass-backed, foot-tapping debut with Punjabi party track “Boozer Babe” in 2022. But the Haryanvi rapper, singer and songwriter’s follow-up later that year, “Haryana Hood”, showed how quickly and effectively the artist had found his groove. That anthem​​—packed with direct lyrics and shining with a real sense of community pride—went viral, soon allowing the Yamunanagar-born, Australia-based Khan to claim the crown of unofficial ambassador for “desi balaks” (Haryanvi boys) across both India and the diaspora. In 2023, he doubled down on the fraternal theme on subsequent singles: the drill-like “Haryana Bateu” and the gangsta-rap “Blood Street” on which he hailed not only his home state but also his country of origin. His fierce verse on fellow Haryanvi MCs Billa Sonipat Ala and Prince Jamba’s “Albadi Hood”, also in 2023, provided further proof that this “desi balak” is a force to be reckoned with when it comes to Indian regional-language hip-hop.