Why boAt just partnered with a hip-hop reality platform instead of another ad campaign

boAt, one of India’s best-known audio and wearables brands, has entered a partnership with Legacy, a hip-hop talent discovery platform judged by rappers Raftaar and KR$NA. Rather than a conventional advertising deal, the company is framing the move as an investment in the community and creator ecosystem around India’s growing rap scene.

According to the company, the collaboration is part of its ongoing efforts to back creators, communities and cultural movements as it expands its focus beyond audio hardware into music and youth culture. Through Legacy, boAt will support aspiring hip-hop artists and give newer names in the scene greater visibility.

Legacy runs as a hip-hop reality show with a three-phase structure: an opening Top 30 field, live one-on-one battles among a Top 15, and a closing stretch of Sudden Death rounds culminating in a Grand Finale between the Top 10 finalists.

A spokesperson for boAt said the brand has ‘always believed that the strongest communities create the biggest cultural movements,’ adding that the company is ‘proud to support the next generation of artists and the communities helping them build India’s cultural future.’

KR$NA, already a boAt brand ambassador, said extending that association through Legacy was ‘exciting’ and praised the brand for investing ‘in the culture beyond campaigns.’ Raftaar echoed the sentiment, saying that when brands back communities instead of single moments, ‘they help strengthen the entire ecosystem and empower the next generation of artists.’

The company said the partnership fits into a broader strategy of working with musicians, creators and community-led platforms as new forms of creator-driven entertainment continue to take shape in India.

Wikimedia Commons/by Bollywood Hungama