Pashto rap song gets widespread popularity on social media
Sher Alam Shinwari
PESHAWAR: A young university student stormed the music charts by releasing his maiden album comprised rap songs and received an overwhelming response on social media from Pashtun diaspora across the globe as it has crossed more than a million in just 40 days, claimed Afaq Zafar, a resident of Peshawar.
The first ever rap song in Pashto was aimed at raising awareness on observance of traffic rules, said Afaq Zafar. The title rap song focuses on self-education rather than pointing finger to others’ wrong doings.
In a private chat with this scribe, Afaq Zafar, student of a local engineering university, said that four years ago he thought of a plan to compose a rap song, a music genre not so popular among typical Pashtun youth and discussed it with his father, Zafar Khan Zafar, a noted humorous poet and he came up with a wonderful script.
The title rap song ‘Laara Pregde Laara’ (Clear away the path) proved an instant success and received a widespread popularity owing to its satirical overtones and shoots as the video has been shot in UAE, Qatar and Peshawar city on a huge cost.
The rap song featured Zafar Khan Zafar, his son Afaq Zafar and an Iranian lady Meena. Being the first attempt in Pashto rap song, large audience enjoyed its flavours. It served as a scathing satire on the attitude of general public towards social issues and problems of the violation of traffic rules which most often put lives of many at risk due to its violations by all and sundry.
Afaq Zafar told that he was currently doing graduation in electrical engineering from a private university in Peshawar and wanted to do something different with an objective to convey his poet father’s message in a positive manner.
“When I presented the idea of rap album to my father, he struck with wonder but took a risk and encouraged me to go ahead with my dream. At first seemed an uphill task as it was a costly project and time consuming and we had no resources and experience in any such initiative. Anyway my dream came true and my father’s message was duly conveyed,” Mr Zafar proudly elaborated.
Zafar Khan Zafar, script writer and director of the album said that he spent every single penny he had and also borrowed money from his relatives and embarked upon a thorny journey and luck favoured him.
Afaq Zafar about his future plans said that he would work on projects having a public message and also would launch similar albums in Urdu and Pashto with English subtitles. He further stated if sponsored, he would work on thematic rap songs, including girls education, peace building, interfaith, tourism, cultural heritage, anti-polio, and anti-drugs rap songs.
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