So what is the latest trend in Persian music? You would have never guessed. It’s rap. But the rappers themselves do not present the typical image of this genre. They’re not quite gangsta. They all seem to be skinny little 21 year olds with excessive amounts of gel in their hair and lots of trendy jewelery.
see…
They do win a bit of street cred for the fact that what they’re doing is actually illegal – it’s all underground. Non-traditional forms of music are against Islam, as they excite the emotions, etc. As time has gone by this law has become more lax. However there are still not that many Persian musicians living in the country. Some of these rappers have been arrested also.
For a culture that has been so polite and closed off for so long, with censorship of simple things such as men and women even touching each other, it is shocking to have this type of content suddenly explode onto the music scene, with lyrics about drinking, drugs and sex.
Here’s an example from Zedbazi’s Tabestoon Kootahe – Summer is Short.
to o man, tooye takht, rooye ham/ rooye bang, ood o sham, ba noore kam
you and me, on the bed, on each other, on pot, insense and candles, with dimmed lights
(so romantic) a little later…
Falsafe donya 2 rooze / Harshabesh Cognaco doode
The philosophy of the world is 2 days (ie life’s short)/ every night is cognac and smoke
oon dokhtare hambazime/ harja mire barname barf bazie
That girl is my play mate/ wherever she goes the plan is playing in the snow (I don’t know if this is a metaphor)
chand maahie midoone shab ba kie/ (hah) man beram oonam tanha mishe
For a few months she knows who she’s with at night/ if I go she’ll be lonely
too fekresh manam o too livan vodka/ Emshab mikhad ‘Livin la vida loca’
In her thoughts are me and 2 glasses of vodka/ tonight she wants to ‘livin la vida loca’
weed o Coca ta be nesfeshab zadan/ tamoom mishe ba ye cheshm beham zadan
we did weed and coke until midnight/ it’s over with the blink of an eye.
Here are Zedbazi… they’re probably the most hood looking. They’re all 21!
Others, such as Hichkas, choose to rap about more political topics, which are just as controversial:
Ekhtelaafe Tabaghati Inja Bidad Mikone
Economic disparity overwhelms here
Roohe Mardomo Zakhmio Bimar Mikone
It makes people’s souls injured and sick
Hame Kenar e Haman Faghira O Maye Dare
Everyone is next to each other, poor and rich
Hatta Tooye Taxi Hame Mikhan Keraye Nadan
Even in taxis everyone wants to evade the fare
Main member of Hichkas on left, Pishro is also one of the more famous rappers.
