Bengaluru hip-hop artist Farhan Ahmed ruminates on solitude and finding one’s feet in the midst of transition
Bengaluru-based hip-hop artist Agaahi Raahi aka Farhan Ahmed. Photo: Vyshnav Vinod
Dressed up to his nines in a white suit, armed with an umbrella and a briefcase, Bengaluru-based hip-hop artist Agaahi Raahi aka Farhan Ahmed vibes in Puducherry in the music video for “Maghrib.”
The groovy single – produced by New Delhi-based producer Natiq and Lucknow-based beatsmith Circle Tone – marks a vulnerable, personal and introspective style from Agaahi Raahi, who is aided by artist Faizan providing additional vocals. The rapper was previously putting out hard-hitting socially conscious music, best heard on his 2020 collaborative album Ye Hai Baghawat. He says in a statement, “This is unfamiliar territory for me as an artist, I spent years trying to be the voice of the people and in the process, I forgot how to raise my voice for myself.”
To that end, the song blurs the lines between the angsty man who’s part of Bengaluru hip-hop collective Wanandaf and the person that he’s become after big life changes like a full-time career in banking and moving cities. Ahmed adds, “‘Maghrib’ is not Agaahi Rahi, how can I guide someone in this phase of my life. This is Farhan, bare, naked, explicitly talking about himself as he deserves to.”
Ahmed teamed up with Wanandaf co-founder and filmmaker Vyshnav Vinod (previously known as Karim Poocha) and headed to Puducherry to shoot the sunny music video for “Maghrib.” The rapper is seen by the beach and different locales but soon gets interrupted by what seems like a work call. However, the camera doesn’t stop rolling, offering a deeper glimpse into the meaning of “Maghrib.” Vinod says in his statement, “As soon as I heard the track, I instantly knew that Pondicherry is going to be the perfect setting for the music video. We tried to use the natural, vibrant colors of the place to portray the story. We tried to present Farhan as he said in the single, while also showing him recovering from the pain or as one can say accepting it and moving on with it.”
Watch the video for “Maghrib” below. The song releases on March 5th on streaming platforms.
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