Hip-hop star Raftaar reflects on his journey on the Indian music scene with his latest 16-track album
Sonia Lulla (MID-DAY; April 13, 2020)

Over the past year, Raftaar has been hard at work giving shape to his second studio album, Mr Nair. Today, as the eponymous album drops online, Dilin Nair — better known as Raftaar to his fans and the music industry — wears a look of contentment. "This album is an opportunity for me to narrate my life to the world," says the artiste, who was among the few to bring hip-hop music into the mainstream.

The 16-track album is almost autobiographical in nature as it gives listeners an insight into his journey in the Indian music industry. "Mr Nair is not only my last name but also represents an acronym I coined. It stands for 'National Ambassador of Indian Rap'. [This album] is a [retelling] of how my life has shaped up owing to all the struggles and how far I have come [with] a middle-class upbringing. Since my initial years, whether it was music, dance, painting, or any [form of] creative expression, there was a hint of hip-hop culture in everything I did." The album, released by Zee Music, features collaborations with artistes like KR$NA, Yunan, Deep Kalsi, Harjas, Rashmeet Kaur, Karma, Brodha V and Gully Gang-signee Shah Rule.