Mumbai, Jul 16 (IANS): Rapper Naezy, whose life served as one of the inspirations for the Ranveer Singh and Alia Bhatt-starrer "Gully Boy", feels proud to see the growth of rap culture in India.

"I feel really proud to see the booming rap culture in India. It has been widely loved and appreciated and, needless to say, 'Gully Boy' played an influential role in providing an edge to the rappers in the country," Naezy said.

Filmmaker Zoya Akhtar's "Gully Boy", which released earlier this year, was inspired by the life of street rappers Divine and Naved Shaikh --- aka Naezy. The hit film had minted Rs 139.8 crore in the domestic market.

"After its grand success, the trend of actors working on rap numbers for their films is on the rise. As Bollywood rules the hearts and minds of the people, I know for a fact that it will be instrumental in further elevating the rap revolution in India," added Naezy, who was a part of a panel for the audition episode of "MTV Hustle", which will provide a platform for budding rappers.