The rapper who railed against corruption now set to be Nepal’s new leader

By Rhea Mogul, CNN

(CNN) — Before he dismantled Nepal’s political elite, Balendra Shah was destroying his opponents in underground rap battles.

More than a decade ago, armed with a microphone and his signature sunglasses, he spat verses about Kathmandu’s corruption, its broken roads, and social inequality. Those in power dismissed it as noise, but the country’s young people were listening.

Today, the kids who streamed his music have grown up; and in nationwide elections last week, they handed the 35-year-old the keys to the country.

Shah, widely known as Balen, is on track to become the Himalayan nation’s next prime minister after youth-led protests toppled the previous government. His Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP) has made history, securing the largest mandate in Nepal’s modern electoral era.

Shah is expected to take office in the coming days after the formal declaration of results.

“Because of Balen, this nation is happy, tears of joy are flowing,” Sakchyam Sangraula told the news agency Reuters at a celebration rally in Nepal, where cheers and ringing bells echoed over victory chants. “Balen will build this nation, he definitely will.”

Shah is now expected to lead Nepal, a country of more than 30 million people with a notoriously turbulent political scene. The nation has had more than a dozen governments since 2008, when it abolished its 239-year-old monarchy and transitioned to a republic following a decades-long civil war.

Many view his party’s rise as a harsh rebuke of Nepal’s political elite. After years of facing corruption allegations, the establishment’s grip slipped during last year’s anti-government protests, which left more than 50 dead and brought down the communist government of the country’s longtime former leader, KP Sharma Oli.

Social justice rapper

Born in Nepal’s vibrant capital Kathmandu in 1990 to an Ayurvedic doctor and a homemaker, Shah took a wildly unconventional path to the highest seat of political power.

Before entering politics, he trained as a structural engineer, earning degrees in both Nepal and India. Yet, while buried in his studies, he was carving out a bold reputation in his home country’s rap scene.

Channeling the influence of hip-hop icons like Tupac Shakur and 50 Cent, Shah took to the 2013 YouTube series Raw Barz. There, he penned lyrics that shed light on the deep-rooted inequality and systemic corruption plaguing the nation.

His cousin, Prashant Shah, told The Kathmandu Post in 2022 that this drive to highlight local issues started in childhood.

“From a young age, he was dissatisfied with the way the metropolitan city was being run,” Prashant told the Nepali newspaper. “He would often say Kathmandu is beautiful and can be developed into a liveable city.”

That same year, Shah ran for Kathmandu’s mayoral seat as an independent. Relying heavily on a grassroots online campaign, he stunned the political establishment by defeating candidates fielded by the old guard.

“The path ahead is not easy. The real test of our campaign has just begun,” his team wrote in a post on Facebook at the time.

“Please warn us if we go off track.”

Clean-up drives and controversy

Shah’s tenure as mayor was defined by a crackdown on corruption and clean-up drives. He initiated a campaign to demolish illegal structures, live-streamed municipal council meetings to ensure transparency, and pushed for the preservation of indigenous heritage.

He also made headlines for his fiercely nationalist and provocative posture when it came to Nepal’s giant neighbors, China and India.

In June 2023, Shah placed a controversial map of “Greater Nepal” in his office, depicting Indian territories as part of Nepal. The move was a direct response to India’s own “Akhand Bharat” map, unveiled in its new Parliament building, which depicted an ancient Indian civilization encompassing modern-day Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Nepal.

He has been equally combative to its northern neighbor. Shah canceled a scheduled trip to China in 2023 after Beijing released a new standard map that did not acknowledge Nepal’s updated 2020 political map, which included some disputed Himalayan territories, local media reported.

Shah’s unfiltered style reached a peak late last year, when he posted an expletive-laden message on Facebook aimed at the US, India and China. He has since deleted the post, but it underscored his image as a leader unbound by diplomatic niceties.

Gen-Z uprising

Shah’s victory follows a massive wave of unrest.

Public anger over what many view as rampant, decades-long corruption had been simmering for years, spilling into the streets of the capital last September when the government blocked major social media platforms, including Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp, YouTube, and X.

But the protests were about much more than a digital blackout; they reflected a deep generational frustration over a lack of economic opportunity. According to the World Bank, youth unemployment (ages 15-24) in Nepal reached 20.8% in 2024.

“There aren’t many opportunities to explore here, which is why there’s a lot of brain drain,” said 23-year-old Mahaharsha Rawal, who took part in the demonstrations. “A lot of people (are) going outside.”

Nepal’s economy is heavily reliant on money sent home by Nepalis living abroad. About a quarter of Nepal’s GDP comes from personal remittances, according to the World Bank, a number that has steadily risen over the past three decades.

“We didn’t expect to be shot at… We went there for a peaceful protest,” Rawal said.

As angry protesters defied a curfew, police fired water cannon, tear gas and live ammunition at crowds gathered at the parliament complex in Kathmandu.

Shah provided the soundtrack to the protests, releasing “Nepal Haseko,” a song that has more than 11 million views on YouTube. In it he raps: “I want to see Nepal smiling, I want to see the hearts of Nepalis dancing. I want to see Nepal smiling, I want to see Nepalis living happily.”

The uprising catapulted Shah to national prominence.

Though crowds in the streets demanded he take the helm immediately, Shah bided his time, waiting for this month’s formal elections to secure a true democratic mandate. When he did run, he made a symbolic choice: contesting the seat held by former prime minister Oli, the 74-year-old establishment figure he’d soon defeat.

As tens of thousands of young people celebrate in the streets and on social media, Shah’s party has said it won’t hold any victory rallies, to “honor the martyrs of the revolution.”

Maintaining his signature air of mystery, he hasn’t made any big statements on social media either.

On the streets of Kathmandu, there is palpable excitement.

“Now we have finally got the youngest prime minister in the world,” Aayush Bhattarai told Reuters.

“Hope he will not forget all his promises and will work on the behalf of the people… We trusted you, now you should not play with our trust.”

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CNN’s Hanako Montgomery, Esha Mitra and Sugam Pokharel contributed reporting