RAP P ED ATTENTION
THE NEW ALBUM FROM RAFTAAR WAS RELEASED DURING THE LOCKDOWN. THE RAPPER HOPES THAT WILL MAKE US LISTEN ALL THE MORE CLOSELY
A number of mainstream music
acts around the world have postponed the releases of their albums owing to the ongoing lockdown. Hindi hip-hop star Raftaar, however, decided to stick to his plan and put out his second full-length effort, Mr. Nair, in the middle of April. He feels the extra time people have on their hands could mean that the 16-track collection is experienced the way he intended. “[Usually] people are so busy with their jobs and businesses that not every song gets the attention it needs,” says the rapper born Dilin Nair. “Now that people are [working from] home, they have the patience to listen.”
Mr. Nair is decidedly different from his 2018 debut Zero to Infinity, which was packed with Punjabi party numbers. Raftaar, who is from Kerala but was raised in Delhi, says the former was “more like a compilation” while the latter tells his “story”, covering his childhood, struggles and rise to fame.
The tale is shared through clever rhymes laid over contemporary trap and reggaeton beats. (The international references are so obvious that in the song ‘Damn’, his business partner Ankit Khanna references American rapper Future.) The mix of local and global styles mirrors the balancing act Raftaar has attempted to stage between household popularity and street credibility throughout his near-decade-long career. Parents might recognise him as one of the judges on Dance India Dance, young kids may know him from his similar roles on MTV shows Roadies and Hustle. In the hip-hop circuit these days, his name is most frequently taken in connection with his long-running feud with rapper Emiway, with whom he exchanged a series of “diss” tracks in 2018. Though Mr. Nair doesn’t include any overt references to Emiway, artists signed to Raftaar label’s Kalamkaar have consistently fanned the flames of their crossfire by taking shots at his rival in their tracks. Indian rap fans have long suspected that Raftaar helps write his signees’ verses, which he denies. “It’s difficult to believe, but most of their songs don’t come to me for review,” says Raftaar. He agrees that the endless rounds of put-downs can get tiresome, but believes they are necessary for the upcoming emcees “to prove their worth”. Several of them feature on Mr. Nair, which focuses more on the personal than the political. Raftaar has been among the few popular musicians to speak out against the Citizenship Amendment Act and the National Register of Citizens, but his album is free of controversial subject matter. Irrespective of whether his worldviews make their way into his music, that he took a stand was commendable. “Apart from entertaining, that’s what the purpose of an MC is,” says Raftaar. “If we don’t provide our perspective, then this voice is useless.” ■