Crack in the Pavement was not a meticulously planned venture, according to co-founder Nandith Jaisimha, who says it began, “with our common love for hip-hop.” Going by the 800-strong footfall that its third edition in October witnessed, it would seem Crack the Pavement (CITP) has made a significant dent in the city’s cultural calendar.
CITP was founded by DJ Panic, DJ Arah (Bharat) and Nandith in 2024; DJ Shiva Manvi joined the founding team for the third edition.
Their core motivation was clear. “Playing hip-hop at clubs has been dying for a while now and we wanted to revive it,” explains Nandith. CITP’s foundational philosophy revolves around the trinity of streetwear, hip-hop, and sneakers. And while hip-hop is their main agenda, the collective acts as a comprehensive hub for street culture, embracing verticals such as streetwear fashion and collectible art, aiming to bring the “whole OG vibe back” to Bengaluru.
Shiva Manvi, who has been a DJ for over 12 years, says, “We are out here to push the culture. At CITP, we bring like-minded people and like-minded music together.”
For DJ Panic, the idea is to see CITP grow into a full scale celebration of street culture from music, b boying, graffiti, skate boarding, rap to fashion, street art, handicrafts and more. “The vision is to take the movement across cities and eventually, around the world as a full blown festival. We also look forward to creating dedicated spaces such as skate parks, dance studios, and open cyphers for upcoming artistes. It is about building a vibrant community that gives street culture in India the recognition and platform it truly deserves.”
Slow and steady
The first edition of CITP drew close to 400 people and had a lineup of 12 DJs, two rappers, and 10 pop-ups, and has been going from strength to strength with every iteration. The organisers ensured the event remained affordable, particularly for students and young enthusiasts, by offering tickets in the ₹499-₹999 bracket.
DJ Santana Maria Lambert at Crack In the Pavement
| Photo Credit:
Special Arrangement
While the event is self-funded by the founders, it thrives on a reciprocal relationship with supporting sneaker brands, which provide giveaways and products to the community. Nandith says, “That is how you build a community; without collaboration, we cannot succeed.”
CITP primarily functions as a “great platform to find artistes” and a launchpad for underground talent. “There is so much hidden talent in the city. Every third day, we are approached by underground artistes who want to come and perform,” says Nandith. The platform is inclusive, welcoming artistes across languages — Kannada, Tamil, Hindi, Urdu — as long as they are talented and fit the event’s ethos, he adds.
The third edition of CITP featured Iyaz, the singer-songwriter from the British Virgin Islands best known for ‘Replay’. Iyaz, who was particularly appreciative of the event, said, “I love India and its food; the people shower a lot of love when we visit. CITP was quite an intimate performance — I got to see the fans and take pictures with them. Kudos to the team!”
While rapper Anup KR (stage name Kata), praised the audience engagement, saying, “This is the crowd that you would like to perform to, as they understand the song”, DJ Santana Maria Lambert highlighted the event’s social value: “The collective offers a space to get to know each other and enjoy at the same time.”
According to Karthik Sundar Gubbi, a multilingual rapper, what started out as an event initiated by hip-hop lovers has grown into a community where everyone is on the same level and are there out of love for its culture. “The founders are the oldest attendees of the hip-hop scene in Bengaluru. This collective has everything associated with hip-hop and is building a community of artistes,” he says.
Glimpses of Crack In the Pavement
| Photo Credit:
Special Arrangement
He adds, “The third edition was bigger, better and a huge upgrade from the second. Not only did it feature an international act, but was also better organised.”
The successful execution of this international collaboration, while maintaining the community-focused ethos, solidifies the collective’s position as a driving force in the South Indian hip-hop ecosystem. Looking ahead, the team aims for sustained growth, planning to host an event “every quarter, or at least four good events a year.”
As Nandith put it, “If you believe in something, just do it. And stick to your roots, never forget where you started from.”
Information on upcoming CITP events available on social media
Published – December 08, 2025 09:39 pm IST
