Knowledge is one of the five essential elements of the hip-hop philosophy, and that's the aspect that a bunch of Indian hip-hop artistes focused on while creating songs centred on the pandemic. We pick four of the best tracks that spread the message of how it's not just important to play by the rules, but also acknowledge others who are putting their own lives on the line to help people in need.

Easy does it

It's pretty simple. Wash your hands, wear a mask, work from home if you can, and maintain social distancing when surrounded by people. There's no need to be brazen or foolhardy about these basic safety measures. If you are, more fool you, says Stay home, stay safe, a track that Ace (above, in pic), founder of veteran hip-hop crew Mumbai's Finest, created during the lockdown. "We primarily wanted to educate people; hip-hop has always been a tool for that," he says, adding that the entire track was made at home, since studios were out of commission during the lockdown.