Artist: Deneil
Title: Khandon
Genre(s): House, Hip-Hop, Rap
Length: 3:34
Writer(s): D.Khan
Producer(s): Deneil
Label: Five Pesky Kids
From The Album: TBC

INFORMATION

Khandon is a song recorded by British-Pakistani rapper and producer Deneil. The track serves as Khan's first solo release in five years, following an unannounced personal sabbatical from the music industry. Although Deneil appeared on a small handful of guest spots in other artist's tracks, a ferocious media backlash surrounding Khan's controversial relationship with fellow rapper Drew Westbrook prompted Khan to retreat from the spotlight, halting plans on his long-awaited debut album indefinitely. "Khandon" was surprise-released on March 24, 2025 via Five Pesky Kids Records with no prior formal announcement or pre-saving option. The track was written and produced entirely by Khan himself in January 2025. Although no album, EP, or mixtape has been announced by the rapper, Khan revealed that "a bunch of material" has been recorded over the past six months with more single releases in the offing.

Lyrically, "Khandon" is a braggadocious track in which Deneil refers to London as "Khandon", his own personal playground and empire. The song has multiple British references plastered throughout as Khan fully leans into his well-known London Boy persona. His Cockney accent is turned up to an eleven, taking front and centre as he growls and spits in a gruff, aggressive manner throughout the verses before erupting into a "purposely annoying", "teasing", "nursery rhyme" like chanting chorus. The brash, playful hook of the song can be likened to classic, old-timey Cockney pub songs. "Khandon" sees Deneil address imitators and coattail riders who try to latch on to the success of Khan and his famous siblings as well as acknowledging his own personal accolades and the impact he has made on the local community and British rap scene. He lets it be known that he has earned his place, put in the work and that any potential newcomer will have no fast-pass ticket to the top so long as Khan reigns. "Khandon" begins and ends with the sound of trains moving on a track and a sample of the famous London Underground automated voice announcement system.

"Khandon" is a House and Hip-Hop song with elements of Eurodance and Grime throughout its DNA. The heavily produced dance beats against Khan's unmistakable Cockney vocals marries Deneil's London roots with the sonics of New York, where he spends half the year with his partner, Drew Westbrook. Khan claims that he wishes for the song to feel like an "absolute rush of a Saturday night out in the Capital", with the hefty beats and bombastic gang chanting of the chorus to evoke feelings of the bustle of a major city, sounds of the nightlife and the chaotic journeys home on public transport.

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SONG COMMENTARY

"I didn't mean to step away for so long, you know? Life just happened. In fact, it fucking rebooted. Over the last five and a bit years, everything I thought I knew and had built up had been turned on its head and shifted. I went from being quite lowkey and, in my opinion, underrated, to tabloid fodder, a reality TV star and a whole new level of celebrity all while entering a new relationship, figuring myself out, entering a new chapter of my personal life as well as losing and trying to patch up other connections. Was never the plan to step away from music. I just had to rebuild from the ground up and get my shit in order. Laser-focused mentality. I never forgot who the fuck I am though and that's what Khandon is all about, should you need a bloody reminder!"

"Everyone knows I'm all about "fam". If you're a good one, I'll look out for you. We all will and expect the same in return. Even though London's a huge place, the grime, rap and MC scene is pretty concentrated. We all know each other by maybe only one or two degrees of separation. Aside from the odd cunt or two, we all got mad love and respect for each other. Most of us came from nothing; places rife with knife crime and drug abuse. We know the struggle but we also see the hustle. We know how hard it is and what it requires to pull yourself out of those situations or at least attempt to. However, there are some hangers-on who don't do shit and are a blight on our community. You know the sort; the wasteman groupies. The haters in disguise plotting the downfall. The ones bringing drugs and shit into the circle and in the ears of the real talent. The unwashed. That's who "Khandon" is aimed at. Know your place, fam. I ain't your "bruv". I ain't your "cuz". You just live in the area and know where to get ketamine. You ain't a star, you ain't a talent, you get me? Don't associate yourself with me or the good ones trying to make a change."

"I've got a shit-tonne of new songs to share with everyone but this one definitely had to come first. I've been away for so long. There's no denying man needed to come back with an absolute BANGER. Sonically, it's a bit different and more club-leaning than anything I've put out before but it's still Deneil. I'm still writing from my own experiences, giving you that LDN Grime flare but it's backed by huge, commanding House beats. My DNA is woven throughout the track, definitely not lost. If anything, the bombastic production only elevates and draws more attention to the good old Cockney bravado!"

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CRITICAL RECEPTION

"Khandon" received universal appraisal and accolades upon its surprise release, with critics and fans alike lauded Khan's lyricism, production and his general return to music after his unexpected hiatus. Mark Leighton of AllMusic wrote, "Deneil's aggressive-cum-comical wordplay and biting delivery are an unavoidable wallop around the head from the moment he first breaks breath over the most delicious, 90's inspired House beat. From that moment on, the song only escalates and takes over like a form of sonic adrenaline. By the end, we're all left weak at the knees and rattling for our next immediate fix." Jade Hart of Pitchfork named the song Best New Track and stated that it has "instant replay value", also applauding Deneil's "unpredictable lyricism and glowing personality". Gary Ellis from The Guardian also made note of Deneil's character and persona, writing "No matter how cocky, braggadocious, or bizarre Khan gets on his hot comeback track, you can't help fall more in love with the cheeky-chappy as he exudes a natural warmth and charisma that simply cannot be bought or taught." Tilly Sutton of NME lauded the "melting pot of styles" and the track's "massive crossover appeal", opining, "Deneil has always been effortlessly cool but the youngest Khan cranks the dial up to 100 on this quick-witted, forward-thinking sugar rush of a track which combines everything from Hip-Hop stylings, to European rave sonics, to Cockney colloquial tics." Sutton rounded off her review by branding the song as "deliciously attention-grabbing and intriguing" before claiming that "Deneil is back and better than ever!" Dale Arthur of Slant Magazine humorously claimed that the House inspired track is "just as much for rap culture as it is for the gay clubs."

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"KHANDON"


"This is a Circle Line train via Embankment and Tower Hill.
The next station is Khandon."

Imitators, duplicators spawning by the dozen
Another cookie cutter fresh from the oven
A sticky-fingered, palms-out ragamuffin
Man's calling me fam all of a sudden
I'm like "when the fuck did I get all these cousins?!"
Ain't no blood ties, no underground E2 coven
Individual grading, there's no group discussion
What fucking union? Neily's going Russian!
More records than the KGB
Respected from Battersea to overseas
Even cool with the nutter clutching a Jesus piece
Inshallah, you all find some inner peace
Got all the eyes I need out on these streets
Big Brother's watching, yeah, won that bitch
Motherfuckers stuck to me like PVA
Half-Moon creaming for my ETA
My utmost apologies for these delays
But you know this shit been worth the wait

Used the vitriol to fertilize my growth
Fucker, photosynthesise and overdose
Neily's new banger gon' leave you comatose
Make you wanna swing, I'll provide enough rope
Man, I really wish I knew the antidote
Oh no, mate, is everything distorting?
In fairness, you were a dead man walking
Such a shame there's no respawning
Just levelled up, you're back to the drawing

Oi! Oi! Saveloy!
Come and have a go if you think you're hard enough, hard enough
Oi! Oi! Silly boy!
Now open wide if you can handle the harder stuff, harder stuff
Dilated, eviscerated, you can't fucking run now
Shaking, palpitating, take a breath and calm down
Read the rules, read the room, you'll soon come 'round
Motherfucker, welcome down to Khandon
Where the party's at
Where the fire's at
Better watch your step here in Khandon
Where the family's at
Where it's always at

Pockets fatter than our good old Tony
Ginuwine article, now ride the pony
If there's a shot to shoot, I'm going Mangione
Land of Opportunity and I fucking own it!
Little white boys trynna moderate my Discord
Keyboard badmen dissect and preach about hip-hop
Experts on the game 'cause they watched some TikTok
Discourse in the drafts for my next drop
Try to poke holes, rehash the same slop
But Neily keeps it fresh, keeps the goods ziplocked
The Saviour of British Rap
Young's gone done a disappearing act
Houdini with no last trick, man ain't coming back
Yeah, yeah, I'm the Second Coming and all that
Stopped the Hackney youts from selling crack
In the same breath, I got these 16 bars stacked

Me, B, and Sayy done beat the system
And if we're villains, you a perpetual victim
Three of us, so to fuck with those Kray Twins
Just lay back and think of England
For King and country, for the east and the west ends
Smart mouf, no need for the guns and tanks
And I ain't changing my diction to appease the Yanks
Just doing it My Way, allow me to be Frank
Whether GBP or USD, still got that shit in the bank

Oi! Oi! Saveloy!
Come and have a go if you think you're hard enough, hard enough
Oi! Oi! Silly boy!
Now open wide if you can handle the harder stuff, harder stuff
Dilated, eviscerated, you can't fucking run now
Shaking, palpitating, take a breath and calm down
Read the rules, read the room, you'll soon come 'round
Motherfucker, welcome down to Khandon
Where the party's at
Where the fire's at
Better watch your step here in Khandon
Where the family's at
Where it's always at

You hard enough for the harder stuff?
(Where the party's at, the fire's at!)
You hard enough for the harder stuff?
(Where the party's at, the fire's at!)
You hard enough for the harder stuff?
(Where the party's at, the fire's at!)
You hard enough for the harder stuff?
(Where the party's at, the fire's at!)
You hard enough for the harder stuff?
(Where the party's at, the fire's at!)

Oi! Oi! Saveloy!
Come and have a go if you think you're hard enough, hard enough
Oi! Oi! Silly boy!
Now open wide if you can handle the harder stuff, harder stuff
Dilated, eviscerated, you can't fucking run now
Shaking, palpitating, take a breath and calm down
Read the rules, read the room, you'll soon come 'round
Motherfucker, welcome down to Khandon
Where the party's at
Where the fire's at
Better watch your step here in Khandon
Where the family's at
Where it's always at

Oi! Oi! Saveloy!
Come and have a go if you think you're hard enough, hard enough
Oi! Oi! Silly boy!
Now open wide if you can handle the harder stuff, harder stuff
Dilated, eviscerated, you can't fucking run now
Shaking, palpitating, take a breath and calm down
Read the rules, read the room, you'll soon come 'round
Motherfucker, welcome down to Khandon
Where the party's at
Where the fire's at
Better watch your step here in Khandon
Where the family's at
Where it's always at

"Please mind the gap between the train and the platform."


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