AFKAP Breaks Down His Latest EP Parat: 'Experiences Shouldn't Be Judged With A Binary Lens' | Exclusive

Panini Pandey, known by his stage name AFKAP, has marked his comeback to the music world with his eagerly anticipated debut EP titled ‘Parat,’ which translates to ‘layer’ in Hindi. This six-track EP serves as a profound personal journey, providing a sonic exploration of the complex layers of human emotions and the intricate weave of life. It also offers an honest reflection into the creative sphere of AFKAP.

The EP skillfully encapsulates a spectrum of emotions – from confusion and shame to frustration, solitude, and eventually, freedom. AFKAP skillfully narrates his experience spanning seven years abroad, with a narrative rooted in realism and contemporary relevance.

A consistent theme threaded throughout the EP is the tug-of-war between personal desires and societal expectations. AFKAP navigates the delicate balance between the fulfillment of communal duties and the pursuit of self-expression. The debut promises an eclectic and profound auditory experience, shedding a poignant light on familial ties, societal norms, and the quest for personal fulfillment.

AFKAP spoke exclusively with News18 Showsha and divulged a more detailed view of Parat and the philosophy behind his music.

Here are the excerpts:

A post shared by Afkap / अफ़काप (@afkapanini)

Before delving into your first EP Parat, how would you describe your journey from Kyuyu till now and how all that experience culminated into Parat?

Musically there isn’t much of a journey because neither was I consistent, nor was I

actively engaging with an audience. When Aaina took off there were a lot of factors that kept me from releasing music – my voice condition, my job etc. but most importantly there was a confusion on how to follow up on such a successful single. At one point I surrendered to the overthinking and just decided to make Parat to express how I’m feeling about everything…

Coming to the name of the EP i.e Parat which means layer. How is the name synonymous to what you wanted to convey with the EP?

I am not sure how well I am able to articulate this but I’ll try….I have observed that the society has a tendency to make everything binary. Good vs Evil, Liberal vs Conservative etc. no matter what spectrum you introduce, society will find a way to break things down into ‘for or against’ always. Parat is about how we are complex beings and have a lot of layers, and our simple experiences have a lot of depth that shouldn’t be judged with a binary lens. Since the best person I know is me I just tried to explore the complexities of my feelings and expressed it. All the songs are connected and talk to each other while also talking to the listener.

What’s the story behind some of the tracks in the EP like Sookhi and Rukawat? Also, how would you describe your experience collaborating with Karan Kanchan on a couple of tracks?

‘Rukawat’ embraces the past while welcoming the prospect of a fresh start. The song explores the frustration that comes with people pleasing and the letting go of everything to wander off. Sookhi on the other hand is about pride and ambition. Kind of wanted to also check my skills with this that’s why there’s different sounds and beat switches in that track. There’s a dreamlike hook contrasted with heavy realism in verses. Something like this was only possible because of someone like Karan. In general he makes production look easy because he is so versatile. Karan was able to understand what I wanted and he tried to add his own flavour to the track without sacrificing the intent. He understands the delicacy which honestly makes the process so much fun. Most importantly he doesn’t let anything slide and gives his A game which kept me in check to give my absolute best.

One of the most defining factors of this EP is the musical backdrop, which sort of forms the skeletal structure for your verses. It’s very unique, fresh and different from the usual Indian Hip Hop tracks that I have listened to. How did you develop this style and howdoes it define your musical acumen?

Music is the form of art that I enjoy the most, and spend most of my time with. I listen to

all sorts of genres and that just keeps me inspired. There’s always an emotion associated with a sound so I rely on my instincts to come up with the melodies and then if the overall sonics hit the spot, the lyrics automatically flow. I experience joy only while making music so I like to keep it fun and authentic because there’s nothing more entertaining than being able to surprise yourself.

As opposed to your contemporaries in this genre, you focus more on the quality than the quantity. Has that been a conscious decision on your end? And whether you would like to increase the frequency of dropping tracks in the coming times?

Absolutely not. I overthink too much and that’s why my writing process is very slow. I would love to drop music more frequently. There is a part of me that really wants to make sure every bar is at its 100% but that’s not sustainable. Every now and then I would like to not think too much. That being said yes this year I am going to drop more frequently so like 1 drop a month is the aim.

Desi Hip Hop scene is only growing at a breakneck speed. But along with that growth,

the competition to stand out is real. As such, more often than not, something mediocre

hogs the limelight of something that is otherwise very profound. How do you navigate

these choppy waters and whether you get intimated by the competition around you?

You know I have stopped questioning why something I find mediocre is doing so good.

You can’t control everything and business/market don’t anchor their objectives around

the quality of craft/art. We will all find our audience if we make good music and there is

so much more music to be made, so I am optimistic and excited. My journey has just

started so I expect some tough challenges but it doesn’t intimidate me I feel ready.

Let’s also talk about commercialization of Hip Hop and Rap. In recent years, due to

the influence of Bollywood, a very different perception of this genre has gone out

which might not be entirely factual. But on the other hand, Bollywood has also helped

this genre by making it popular among the masses. What are your thoughts on that?

Commercialization of anything means there’s going to be a lot of manufacturing. Obviously when you put any kind of art through a money machine it will get diluted and exploited. Bollywood is a giant manufacturer, I think it’s a fair trade that it gets some creative juice from DHH and in return DHH gets more exposure. My issue will always be with our own artists and communities that facilitate the inauthentic perception of the genre. I think if we put down our foot more often, the giants will adapt. Easier said than done but we need to draw a line the big checks harm the culture. I cannot expect much from other’s family, I can only expect from mine. But more power to the artists on a

global stage that still maintain the integrity of the craft. I think every medium of entertainment plays its role in shaping a culture, we should know where we stand.

Among your contemporaries, which artists do you admire and with whom you would like to collaborate with? Also, during collaborations, how do you sort out creative differences?

The game is really rich right now. My top 5 change every two weeks but right now I look forward to works of Raf Saperra, Talwiinder, DIVINE, Seedhe Maut, Vijay DK, Raga, DG Immortal, Sambata, PDNY, HYDR, Bharg and Rawal. I’d like to collaborate with them all at some point. My discography is riding solo right now so I haven’t gone through creative tensions with others.

Apart from Parat, what should one look forward to from you in the coming times?

I am working on things beyond music. I think I cannot function without doing visuals so I will be combining it all. That’s a long term goal, but otherwise some sort of an animated video? A bunch of collabs. Maybe another EP?