Based in New Delhi, rapper Raftaar is currently spending the lockdown period in Mumbai, as he had come here on work. “I'm happy to be in the good company of friends, and I’m also finding time to write more music and learn new things,” he says. Born Dilin Nair, Raftaar has recently released his latest album Mr Nair , a 16-song project that’s autobiographical in nature. He says, “I wanted to talk about my roots and my journey, and thus the title is very apt. The songs are about my approach to music and how I battled the odds.”
Having been exposed to pop music and rap at an early age, Raftaar took part in rap competitions. “I come from a middle class family but my parents always encouraged me to pursue the arts. My father was a huge Michael Jackson fan so that played a lot. I then got into rap and Eminem,” he says. He began his career in 2013, and initially collaborated with Yo Yo Honey Singh and Badshah. He recalls, “All that was part of the learning experience but a time came when I felt I must go solo.”
Music masala
Raftaar’s song ‘ Swag Mera Desi ’ featuring Manj Muzik became a big hit, and he was soon approached by Bollywood filmmakers. “Films gave me exposure but I always enjoyed writing my own songs. It’s your own music which gives you a musical personality and identity,” he says. On what is required to make it big in the rap world, Raftaar says, “You should keep writing. It could be your own life story, what you observe about others or the environment. But it’s important to pen down your thoughts, and vent out your feelings. Rapping is like cooking. You learn the basics fast, but only through experience will you put the right masala.”
Keeping his focus on writing in mind, Raftaar formed the label Kalamkaar. He released the album Zero To Infinity in 2018, and immediately began work on the new one. “The new album has many collaborations, like Shah Rule, Brodha V, Kr$na, Manj Muzik, Deep Kalsi, Jordan Sandhu, Bunty Bains and Yunan. We're all close friends, so it’s like one big family get-together,” he says.
Though the album broadly focuses on his life, the songs look at various aspects. ‘Me And My Pen’ is about Raftaar's approach to songwriting, and ‘Proud’ is about being happy about his achievements. On ‘ Main Wahin Hoon ’, he talks of doing what one believes in, and on ‘Damn’, he takes a dig at his critics.
Raftaar believes the success of the film Gully Boy last year was a big boost to the Indian hip-hop movement. “The reach and power of Bollywood are huge. Now it’s the responsibility of us musicians to keep producing good music which carries a story and message,” he asserts.
