IRAQ-RAPPERS/PROTESTS Iraqi rappers protest against corruption through medium of music

Record ID: 141180

  • Title: IRAQ-RAPPERS/PROTESTS Iraqi rappers protest against corruption through medium of music
  • Date: 13th September 2015
  • Summary: AL ARABI RAPPING
  • Embargoed: 28th September 2015 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Iraq
  • Country: Iraq
  • Topics: General
  • Reuters ID: LVA4H9GE0SYJTHPZ89RI5JP4TT4B
  • Aspect Ratio: 16:9
  • Story Text: A group of friends from the Iraqi city of Basra have achieved virtually overnight success by taking up rap music to voice their frustrations over what they call years of government corruption and nepotism in Iraq.
    The group, known as "SSK", performed at a protest in the southern city recently, revving up the crowds with their witty lyrics and denouncements of corrupt politics.
    SSK use a combination of western rap rhythms and Arabic language in both Iraqi dialect, standard Arabic and English to deliver political rhetoric through their music.
    "I found that RAP is the best way to express myself, using a simple rhythm so that when the people listen to me they will like my music and like the way I present my words. So I tried, by using this art, to take the good part of it and tried to deliver my message. Thank God, I found there was a big turnout, many listened to me and supported me," said rapper Hussein Al Arabi, fondly referred to as 'The Iraqi Eminem' or 'Hussein Ay-Rap' on social media sites.
    Al Arabi said their aim is to highlight the difficulties faced by ordinary Iraqis in their day to day lives.
    "I'm not intending to deliver my message to Iraq, no, Iraq is living the tragedy. I explain the tragedy of Iraq to the Iraqis and deliver it to other countries, to any place that listen to me, my call - I know it's through my voice- but it carries the voice of each Iraqi, each oppressed, voice of all the poor and of every son of a martyr," explained Al Hussein.
    The rappers come from economically disadvantaged backgrounds. Lead rapper, Al Arabi "Hussein Ay-Rap", earns 300 thousand Iraqi dinars a month (270 dollars) working in construction. The others are in similar employment.
    The group say they use the most basic equipment to record their music, which takes place in Al Arabi's family's home.
    "My friends in the sit-in after the tents' sit-in, came and said 'Hussein you can sing and reach TV channels through your voice, so we hope that you make a song that talks about our suffering' and all of the people saw the protests, the suffering of the people and the persecution of youth etcetera. So we tried all that with words and delivered this image to the receiver and the protester, using simple equipment and filming, so that we can deliver our idea to as many people as we can, so that they can hear us and know our demands," said Al Arabi.
    Initially, SSK had been apprehensive about producing rap music for the conservative Iraqi society. They said they were amazed at how popular their songs have been.
    "We didn't expect our work to get this sort of attention, we hoped to just present our work to protesters, so we didn't know that we will see this turnout about our work. Thank God, we had this turnout. We were afraid that people would not accept rap in the Iraqi street. But thank God, as you saw in the footage, the people themselves came and participated and liked this thing when they listened to the words," said rapper, Fahad Mazin.
    The rappers say they have not been fazed by the level of attention they have received, saying they see themselves as ordinary Iraqis, playing their part to voice grievances about the political situation in their country.
    The oil-rich province of Basra, and many other cities in Iraq in addition to the capital, have witnessed demonstrations in recent weeks calling for the provision of basic services, the trial of corrupt politicians, and the shakeup of a system riddled with graft and incompetence.
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