A Pakistani-British artist hailing from South London is creating quite a stir in the Punjabi music industry with his strong voice, genre-bending music, and crisp lyrics. Adeel Sardar Khan, better known by his stage name, Raf-Saperra, released his much anticipated debut mixtape Ruff Around The Edges on March 9th, 2023.

Saperra originally started off as a music video director, going onto direct notable videos for Sidhu Moosewala such as Celebrity Killer and Signed To God. He eventually transitioned to making music and released a few singles that amassed millions of views on YouTube, such as Modern Mirza and N.L.S. which are featured on the mixtape.

His decision to release a debut mixtape, during a time in Punjabi music which Saperra himself says is “overly fascinated by EP’s” was intentional. Saperra wanted to do something distinct with this release. The tape, and how it’s been presented to the world, he says on a recent Instagram post, is a love letter to the mixtapes he’s been influenced by, to cinema, art, independent music and the streets of South London that made him who he is.

Overall, the project is cut and mastered beautifully with drums and bass that provide innovation over nostalgic 90s/early 2000s feel. As a listener, I can feel just how much care and intention went into arranging it. 19 songs is an extensive body of work, but Saperra has strategically interspersed small skits throughout to convey shifts between sections.

The skits are effective for indirectly communicating with the audience. Some signify a change in either genre, language or vibe, while others give the audience an insight into a particular song’s significance. I love when an artist thinks about a body of work in a cohesive manner and puts it together in a curated way. I also deeply appreciate when an artist puts work into the chronology of their album, so that it tells a story, rather than just a mash up of various songs.

This project took me on a journey. It starts off very strong with a quintessential late 90s/early 2000s Bhangra sound, with equally substantial lyrics to match. Saperra’s voice in Saperra, Lalkaareh and Jatti Lahore Di echoes OGs like Chamkila and Kuldeep Manak. These songs really make you want to dance, and I wouldn’t be surprised if they’re a part of every DJ’s set this summer.

Punjabi music from the U.K. has its own unique signature and sound, which is easily recognized throughout this mixtape. The U.K was the epicenter of Punjabi music outside of India for a long time, however over the last few years, the focus has shifted arguably to Canada.

At the beginning of Jatti Lahore Di, you hear a recording stating, “For a moment, the Punjabi music industry shifted over to India, Canada, North America. Raf was that breath of fresh air that came out that said, the U.K. 's still here.”

Tales Of The Snake Charmer is a complete 180 from the first few songs. It’s a slow R&B/jazz inspired vocal heavy song featuring Myrgasmic. While it’s a beautiful song, I do think it’s an anomaly, and doesn’t pair with any of the other tracks.

Saperra gets right back into it with a hilarious skit called The Bhangra Helpline followed by Table Top Boliyan which actually sounds like it was recorded on a phone while sitting around a table and someone is using the table as the instrument. Saperra makes genius artistic choices such as lowering the quality of the sound, which almost seems sacrilegious—however, this choice elevates the audience’s overall experience in a visceral way instead. It reminds me of the old school PTC Punjabi interviews where artists would riff with the interviewer. 

Saperra is channeling his inner Jazzy B with Taveet because everything about it reminds me of Jazzy B’s Naag. Jazzy B has been especially influential for Saperra, who referred to him as the “crowned prince of Bhangra”. 

‍N.L.S. (Nach Le Soniye) feels like an ode to U.K. Punjabi songs that came out in the early 2000s, such as RDB’s Aja Mahi. With sharp vocals over a familiar sound, it transports me back to a different time.

‍Badami Rangiye featuring Loun and Modern Mirza are very different from one another and unique from the rest of the mixtape. Saperra is showcasing his range here once again, with one song rooted in African/dancehall music and the other is comparative to contemporary Punjabi songs coming out nowadays, respectively.

‍Saari Ummar (Desi Sad Joint) needs no other description. It is a classic Punjabi sad song with heart wrenching lyrics and flute-heavy music to match. It transported me right back to the first time I heard Hans Raj Hans’ Ae Jo Silli SillI Hawa and experienced heartbreak vicariously.

Saperra signals the end of the mixtape with the skit called Words From The Wise. I think Saperra is letting the audience know where he’s coming from and what he’s trying to accomplish through Ustaad Latafat Ali Khan’s words.  

During the skit, Ustaad ji explains that whosoever is classically trained in music will always do justice to the sound, and incidentally, Saperra “still continues his classical singing training as part of the prestigious Sham Chaurasi gharana, or Hindustani musical house”. Ustaad ji continues and explains that an artist must trust the process and the audience must not judge the process, but rather the end result. I think it’s safe to say Raf Saperra shares Ustaadji’s sentiments.

‍Mast Qalandar (The Sufi Qawali Joint) is also self explanatory and Saperra presents his rendition of a classic qawali attempted by many. Saperra’s vocal range is on display during this song, and he doesn’t hold back. It is bold, raw, and Sufi to its core.

Saperra ends his mixtape using Kanye’s words from his infamous Sway interview in the outro, which I assume is a calculated decision. Kanye states, “I am the number one most impactful artist of our generation, now who's gonna let me create more, or do you wanna marginalize me until I am out of my element.” The mixtape ends on that note and that quote speaks for itself.

This mixtape feels like a love letter to Punjabi music, because it pays homage to so many different eras and recreates them with a modern touch. Saperra has created a body of work that showcases his immense talent and range while paying respect to all the genres that influenced him. He seamlessly blends traditional Punjabi flavour, the U.K. vibe, Afrobeats, qawali, boliyaan, sufi and a sad joint into one project that somehow works together. The love is palpable with each bar, which enriches the listening experience. To quote the Fan Mail skit “sira lahte, end lahta Raf Saperra bai ne”.

Special shout out to Saperra for repping a Vancouver Grizzlies hat in his mixtape cover. Respect.