Farhan Khan Raps on Family, Life and Rebelling on Slick Debut Album ‘Khansaab’

Donning a white suit, white shoes, a chain around his neck and mimicking the pose in the portrait behind him, Mumbai-based Farhan Khan is pulling a total homage to cult movies like Scarface on the front cover of his debut album Khansaab.

On the 10-track album, there’s also a knockout song called “Godfather,” where Khan rages alongside his Bombay Lokal and Lokal Gang friends and Mumbai rap faves Gravity and Shaikhspeare. Khan says, “There’s no gangster rap in India, so if an artist has to channel some of that side to him, that vibe and emotion is more metaphorical. You can’t say ‘I’ll kill you.’ It’s more that Tony Montana is a rebel character”

There are messages of confidence, growing up, family and more that are heard loud and clear on Khansaab, which released late last year. Featuring producers such as Rekoil Chafe, Rhymix, Jayhaan, Audiocrackerr, shvngdu, Noran Beatz, there’s a fiery energy running across songs like “100 Bars” and “Awazein” and the title track. But then, there’s also club-friendly bops like “Do Duni Char” and “Ishaare De,” which Khan describes as a “bubbly, romantic” song. 

“Alhumdulillah” is potent and lethal, whereas “Hafta Nikaal” is hilarious with its music video as well as Khan’s satirical takedowns going over upbeat production. About putting the album together over the span of 2020 and 2021, he says: “I didn’t think which kind of songs would go in. I’m not one particular type of person; I get angry, but I also feel love and just want to have fun. The rough idea was to have an album so that people know who I am.”

A strong part of his identity that’s heard on Khansaab—right from the title itself—draws from his father, who has often been a source of wisdom and inspiration over the years. Khan talks about the time his dad was kidnapped, leading them to flee his hometown of Agra. The rapper was even running his father’s garment store at one point in Mira Road. “Walidsaab” features Khan Senior’s voice, recreating a piece of advice about self-defense and preparedness to his son. “My dad used to write ghazals too but only as a hobby,” the rapper adds.

Poetry is something that Khan took on as well, but he was actually spurred on by rapper DIVINE’s hit song “Jungli Sher” in early 2017. Then a call center employee, Khan took on writing poetry even as he dived deeper into Indian hip-hop and found other artists like Shaikhspeare and attended rap battles. Khan wrote a song with lyrics about anti-terrorism, but wasn’t confident about rapping until his dad told him to sing it himself rather than give it away to another rapper. “You know how they say, ‘khoon lag jata hai’? I just kept writing a lot. I liked hip-hop for the lyrics first,” Khan adds.

Another massive boost was being called in to be part of rap movie Gully Boy, as a background character. “I got a mail to come in for the shot. When I got there, it felt like I was at a mela. Cyphers were happening there and I made some friends,” he says. Aware of the Bombay Lokal crew and their members, Khan had his first interaction with Gravity in the washroom. Over the course of the next few years, he found valuable guides in the crew. “They would tell me, ‘Don’t do the same thing as everyone else.’” And that certainly comes through on Khansaab.

More recently, Khan worked on “Kalandar,” the chill, yet confident and verbose song released by stand-up comedian and musician Munawar Faruqui. In his verse, Khan bares his heart and soul, entwined in his steely cadence.

Listen to ‘Khansaab’ below.