Emiway Bantai (Rapper) Biography: Wiki, Age, Height, Wife, Family, Net Worth and More.
Emiway Bantai full biography in simple English. Know his real name Bilal Shaikh, age 30, height 5'7, wife Swaalina, family, religion Islam, father, company Bantai Records, net worth, songs Machayenge and career.
Emiway Bantai is India's biggest independent rapper and hip-hop artist whose real name is Bilal Shaikh (Mohammed Bilal Shaikh). He is known as the "independent hustle" king who built a massive fan base only through YouTube and social media without any company support.
Born on 13 November 1995 in Bengaluru and raised in Antop Hill, Mumbai, Emiway became famous with songs like "Aur Bantai" (2015), "Machayenge" (2019) and "Firse Machayenge" (2020) - the latter becoming a Top 10 YouTube video in India with 315M+ views. He is the founder of Bantai Records (2021) and has collaborated with Macklemore, Snoop Dogg and Token. In January 2025 he married singer-actress Swaalina.
Quick Facts / Personal Information - Emiway Bantai
| Real Name | Bilal Shaikh / Mohammed Bilal Shaikh |
|---|---|
| Stage Name | Emiway Bantai (Emi + Way from Eminem + Lil Wayne, Bantai = Mumbai slang for brother/bro) |
| Nickname | Shahrukh Shaikh |
| Profession | Rapper, Singer, Producer, Songwriter, Dancer, Composer, Editor |
| Famous For | Machayenge series, Asli Hip Hop (Gully Boy) |
| Date of Birth | 13 November 1995 |
| Age (2026) | 30 years (29 in 2024, 22 in 2018 during Raftaar feud) |
| Birthplace | Bengaluru, Karnataka |
| Hometown | Mumbai, Maharashtra (Antop Hill) |
| Nationality | Indian - Yes, he is Indian |
| Zodiac Sign | Scorpio |
| Height | 5 feet 7 inches (170 cm) |
| Weight | 60 kg (132 lbs) |
| Religion | Islam (Muslim) - middle-class orthodox Muslim family |
| Education | 11th Standard Pass (Failed 12th, dropped out, worked at Hard Rock Cafe) |
| School | LHS, Mumbai |
| Company | Bantai Records (Founded 2021), Bantai The Studio |
| Marital Status | Married |
| Wife | Swaalina (Singer-Actress, married Jan 2025) |
| Famous Songs | Machayenge, Firse Machayenge, Aur Bantai, Boht Hard |
Social Media Links
| Platform | Handle / Link |
|---|---|
| @emiwaybantai - https://www.instagram.com/emiwaybantai/ | |
| Emiway37 - https://www.facebook.com/Emiway37 | |
| YouTube | @EmiwayBantai - https://www.youtube.com/@EmiwayBantai |
Early Life and Family
Bilal Shaikh was born on 13 November 1995 in Bengaluru and at age 3 moved with his father to Mumbai's Antop Hill where he learned Mumbai slang. He belongs to a middle-class orthodox Muslim family with roots in Karnataka. His father once wanted to be an actor and even featured in one of Emiway's videos, and later advised him to rap in Hindi for wider reach.
He was good at studies till 10th, wanted to become a doctor, but after hearing Eminem's "Not Afraid" in 2010 in class 10, he fell in love with hip-hop. In class 11 his focus shifted fully to rap, he failed in class 12 and went into depression. To earn money he worked as a helper at Hard Rock Cafe - coincidentally the same place where he later received Radio City Freedom Award.
Family: Father (name not public), Mother (seen in photos, name not public). He is very close to his father who supported Hindi rap idea.
Career Journey
Early Years - Glint Lock to Aur Bantai (2013-2017)
At 18 in 2013 he released debut track "Glint Lock (ft. Minta)" in English - it failed. Following father's advice, he switched to Hindi and in 2014-2015 released "Aur Bantai" - breakthrough hit with 6M+ views in 5 years. He performed Aur Bantai on India's Got Talent in 2015 but was rejected by judges including Karan Johar. He now raps in Hindi, English, Marathi and Tamil.
Feud with Raftaar (2018)
In 2017 they collaborated on "#Sadak". In Sept 2018 Raftaar questioned on a podcast if Emiway earns enough from hip-hop. Emiway replied with "Samajh Mein Aaya Kya?", Raftaar replied "Sheikh Chilli", Emiway "Giraftaar", Raftaar "Awein Hai", finally Emiway "Khatam". The 5-diss feud made Emiway famous as an independent artist vs label artist.
Mainstream Success - Machayenge Era (2019-2021)
Rolling Stone India (2019) called him one of few artists to catapult to stardom solely via social media. He changed look to beard and shades. "Machayenge" (2019, producer Tony James) went viral on TikTok. Then "Boht Hard ft. Thoratt" also viral. He featured in "Asli Hip Hop" for Gully Boy (2019, Ranveer Singh, Zoya Akhtar) and consulted script. Other hits: Dhyan De, Skrrt Karenge.
On Valentine's Day 2020 he released "Firse Machayenge" co-starring Swaalina, shot by Nishan Bujel - 100M views in 50 days, 315M total, Top 7 YouTube India 2020. In June 2020 came Firse Machayenge Remix with Macklemore (American rapper). Also released "Khatam Korona" (4M views by April 2020) and "New World" with Lexz Pryde and Snoop Dogg. After 8 years of singles, he released debut album Malum Hai Na (2021) - tracks Machayenge 3, My Time, Jawab De etc., cover of Rolling Stone India Oct 2021.
Bantai Records (2021)
In 2021 he started his independent label Bantai Records giving artists complete creative freedom. First year artists: Hellac, Loka, Meme Machine, Minta, Swaalina, Thoratt, Tony James, Young Galib. His own studio is Bantai The Studio.
Recent Years - Feuds, Albums, Global Features (2022-Present)
KR$NA feud 2022: "Chusamba" vs "Lil Bunty", "KR L$DA SIGN" vs "Machayenge 4" (he deleted then re-uploaded his version due to backlash). Album King of the Streets (2023 - 17 tracks) - only Indian hip-hop artist to be on Times Square twice (2020 Malum Hai Na, 2023 King of Streets). Track "King of Indian Hip Hop" had diss bars targeting MC Stan and Badshah subliminal.
Feud with King: After King's "F*CK WHAT THEY SAY", Emiway replied "ROKO 2MG", King released Instagram tracks, Emiway "Meet the Instagram Yapper" and "Dependent Kauve".
2025: EP Bajis (Badshah, Tribute to Sidhu Moose Wala - inspired by old SRK film songs as per Firstpost), album From The Streets To The Streams (10 videos). 2026: Song #SADAK 2.0 with American rapper Token, EP CNSTNCY and protest anthem "BOLRA HAI SADAK" for Delhi Jantar Mantar protests 2026.
Personal Life - Wife, Marriage, Religion
| Religion | Islam (Muslim) - Yes, he is Muslim |
|---|---|
| Wife | Swaalina (Singer-Actress - real name Swaalina, not alias) |
| Marriage Date | January 2025 (private wedding, photos on Instagram) |
| How They Met | Worked together on Firse Machayenge (2020), Paani Mai (2021), Chalte Firte, Kudi (2023), Kaali Kaali Aankhein (2025), KYU? (2026) |
| Children | None yet |
Is he married? Yes, married since Jan 2025 to Swaalina. Before that he was unmarried. Raftaar vs Emiway who is richer? Both are top rappers, but Emiway as independent owner of Bantai Records is generally considered among 3 richest rappers in India with net worth higher than many label artists, though exact comparison fluctuates.
Physical Appearance and Favourite Things
| Height | 5'7" (170 cm) |
|---|---|
| Favourite Food | Dal Chawal with Papad |
| Favourite Actors | Shah Rukh Khan, Ranveer Singh |
| Favourite Actresses | Kajol, Jacqueline, Alia Bhatt |
| Favourite Singers | Arijit Singh, Atif Aslam |
| Favourite Rappers | Eminem, Tech N9ne, NF, Token |
| Favourite Films | DDLJ, Kuch Kuch Hota Hai |
| Bike | Hero Splendor |
| Hobbies | Football, Dancing |
Net Worth and Income
| Net Worth (2025-26 est.) | Rs. 25-40 Crore approx. ($3-5 Million) |
|---|---|
| Income Sources | YouTube (200M+ views per hit), Streaming, Shows/Concerts (Rs 10-20 lakh per concert reported), Bantai Records, Brand deals (Big Bazaar, Realme etc.) |
| Concert Charge | Rs 8-15 lakh per show approx. (reported, varies by city/event) |
| Awards | People's Choice Best Hip-Hop Artist Radio City Freedom Awards 2017-19 (3 years), MTV Europe Best India Act 2019 (Machayenge), Indian Independent Music Award 2022 for Machayenge |
| Contact | Via Instagram / YouTube / Bantai Records - No public phone, beware fake numbers |
Discography Highlights - Emiway Bantai
| Type | Title | Year |
|---|---|---|
| Album | Malum Hai Na (14 tracks) | 2021 |
| Album | 8 Saal | 2022 |
| Album | King Of The Streets (17 tracks) | 2023 |
| Album | Wholeheartedly | 2024 |
| Album | From The Streets To The Streams | 2025 |
| Single Hit | Machayenge / Firse Machayenge / Firse Machayenge Remix ft Macklemore | 2019-2020 |
| Single Hit | Aur Bantai, Boht Hard, Samajh Mein Aaya Kya (Diss) | 2015-2018 |
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Real name is Bilal Shaikh (Mohammed Bilal Shaikh). Yes, he is Indian from Bengaluru/Mumbai. His religion is Islam (Muslim).
Yes, he married singer-actress Swaalina in Jan 2025 (private ceremony, Instagram photos). Swaalina's real name is Swaalina itself. They worked together on Firse Machayenge.
Contact via official Instagram @emiwaybantai, YouTube @EmiwayBantai or Bantai Records. No public phone - avoid fake numbers.
Estimated net worth Rs 25-40 Crore. He is among top 3 richest rappers in India (with Badshah, Raftaar). As independent label owner, his earnings are very high, often considered richer than many peers due to owning masters. Exact ranking changes yearly.
Global hits are Machayenge (2019) and Firse Machayenge (2020) - Firse Machayenge has 315M+ views Top 7 India 2020. Also Aur Bantai, King of Indian Hip Hop, Boht Hard are fan favourites.
Reported approx Rs 8-15 lakh per concert/show, depending on event and city.
In 2025-2026 he released EPs Bajis & CNSTNCY, album From The Streets To The Streams, singles with Swaalina and Token (#SADAK 2.0), and protest anthem BOLRA HAI SADAK for Jantar Mantar protests.
Born 13 Nov 1995 - 30 years in 2026 (23 in 2018, 29 in 2024). Height 5'7" (170 cm).
Bantai Records - founded 2021, independent label with Bantai The Studio, giving artists creative freedom.
Final Thoughts
Emiway Bantai's journey from failing 12th and working as helper at Hard Rock Cafe to becoming India's most viewed independent rapper is a true hustle story. By mixing Eminem and Lil Wayne inspiration into Mumbai slang "Bantai", he built a crore+ fanbase without a big label, feuded with Raftaar and KR$NA, went global with Macklemore and Snoop Dogg, and now runs Bantai Records with wife Swaalina by his side. At 30, he remains the king of the streets who machayenge every time.
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