DIVINE & Karan Aujla: The Indian hip-hop duo take it to the streets in their 'Nothing Lasts' music video

Need a breath of freshness and uniqueness? How about Indian hip-hop pair DIVINE and Karan Aujla delivering something different for The Culture? Say less. They come through with their ‘Nothing Lasts’ music video and it slaps.

DIVINE & Karan Aujla take it to the streets in their ‘Nothing Lasts’ music video

Fresh from putting out their Street Dreams album to the masses, the rap duo come through with the visual treatment to their standout tune.

DIVINE and Karan Aujla's new collaborative album Street Dreams is a watershed moment for the Indian rap scene, topping music charts across the globe and winning the hearts of millions of music lovers. The two subcontinental superstars share the video for "Nothing Lasts," the album's powerful and melodic introductory track. The song was produced by Yeah Proof & Jay Trak, with the video directed by Joey D'Souza (JD). The "Nothing Lasts" video features scenes from a Langar and Sneaker Distribution for the local kids of Dharavi (a neighborhood in Mumbai, India), organized by DIVINE and Karan Aujla with assistance from the Hemkunt Foundation. The distribution of sneakers benefitted over 100 students and staff members of the Dharavi After School of Hip-Hop, where students actively work towards realizing their dreams of pursuing careers as artists and musicians. The video complements the song's powerful message, encouraging people to face their fears and enjoy their lives, because nothing lasts forever.

Sharing his thoughts on the song, Karan Aujla expressed, “‘Nothing Lasts’ is a very special song and one of my personal favorites. Spending time with the children in Dharavi was a lovely experience, embracing the simple joys of life. Through this song, we have shared our life learnings that nothing truly lasts forever and we should treasure the moments we have and be grateful for the life we live. We hope the song resonates with everyone and conveys our emotions.”

Adding to the same, DIVINE said, “Nothing Lasts’ in its very essence highlights the impermanence in life, we come into this world with nothing and we leave with nothing. We are ecstatic to see the response the song has received so far and look forward to everyone’s reaction to the video with the lovely kids. We had the best time with them.”

Harteerath Singh Ahluwalia, Director of Hemkunt Foundation, expressed in a statement, “We always want like minded people to join hands with us at Hemkunt Foundation to serve humanity. Sewa [humanitarian charity] can be done in numerous ways. I feel that spreading the message of sewa through music is happening for the first time thanks to Karan Aujla and DIVINE. This association will help us take the message of Sewa to millions of Karan Aujla and DIVINE listeners and help us impact more lives for the greater good.”

Dolly Rateshwar, Director & Co-Founder of The Dharavi DREAM Project, said in a statement, “We are honored to have Vivian Divine and Karan Aujla visit our project and inspire our young talents. Their generosity and commitment to giving back to the community align perfectly with our mission of empowering under-resourced talents through hip-hop.”

"Nothing Lasts" is one of seven songs on Street Dreams that demonstrates why they are among the most exciting artists in the Indian scene. Out now via Mass Appeal India, Street Dreams had an extremely successful debut, reaching #1 on Apple Music within 24 hours of release, and taking over the number one spot on Apple Music's Album Charts in 40 countries, including India, Canada, New Zealand, and Australia. All seven songs from Street Dreams charted on Spotify's Daily Top Songs in India, and are currently trending on Instagram. 

The album is a relentless effort, bringing bilingual bars that express sentiments that need no translation. The album features production from Western heavy-hitters like Boi-1da, WondaGurl, Harry Fraud, Leven Kali, and Trox, who deliver premium productions for Karan and DIVINE to annihilate, along with hip-hop producers from the Indian scene. "HISAAB," which inspired a visually-striking animated video, finds the two artists counting their myriad accomplishments in 6/8 time, taunting any comer who can't match their quick maths, while "Top Class / Overseas" lays playful strings atop sliding 808s as DIVINE and Karan proclaim their valedictory status. "Yaad," meanwhile displays a softer side of the duo, as they trade off vocals with Indian-Canadian singer Jonita Gandhi.