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Hip-hop in the Islamic Republic

 

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In every society many things

could be considered illegal.

 

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We're not saying our style

 isn't controversial,

 

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or there aren't problems along the way,

 

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or that we don't

touch certain subjects.

 

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We do consider

the consequences.

 

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But you've got to do it anyway.

 

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We know where the lines are drawn.

 

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We also know what would

happen if we cross those lines.

 

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We would like to

improve this situation,

 

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but we don't want to overthrow

what we already have

 

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as long as there is room for improvement.

 

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My name is Saeed Deghan.

 

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I'm Safir, a rapper and author.

 

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I live in Tehran.

 

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I remember my first impression

 

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when I first got into rap as a kid.

 

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I was really hooked.

 

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The way the words were being used,

 

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fast-flowing with a particular tone,

 

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was comforting in a sense.

 

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There were many other things

 

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that were being said

beneath the surface.

 

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A handful of social taboos

were being questioned.

 

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Those norms were being bent, if not broken.

 

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You could curse too

 

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and I liked this unapologetic honesty.

 

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The issues I'm interested in rapping about

 

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stem from the classical written culture of Iran

 

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of foregone authors and poets.

 

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I want to 'redress' the folk culture,

 

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or the pop culture of Iran, if you will.

 

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I want my work to reflect

on a broader spectrum

 

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not just individually

 

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but also on the collective

conscience of society.

 

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Turn the volume up a bit in my ear.

 

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The fact that we can sell our

singles and EPs online, independently,

 

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is, in itself, dope.

 

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But this can't go on forever.

 

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To publish and sell your songs on CDs

 

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is actually kind of illegal.

 

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The idea of music labels in Iran...

 

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It's more like there are no labels in the traditional sense.

 

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We have gathered around and are working together

 

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and we don't get much in exchange.

 

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What I do in a sense is

personal and experimental.

 

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The technical terms for it

 

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is computational music production.

 

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It was in the early 2000s

 

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that the new generation of Iran

 

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had become adults.

 

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They needed new forms

of entertainment

 

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new music, new ideas

that are relevant to our time.

 

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At the time it was very popular around the world

 

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so they got into the hip-hop culture.

 

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When this style became mainstream,

 

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it merged with the tones of other genres

 

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even with 6/8 and upbeat pop.

 

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Others commented on it,

calling it 'rhythmic poetry',

 

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but hip-hop continued its way,

 

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sticking to its core values,

 

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the idea of giving everyone a

safe space to speak their mind.

 

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That's why the genre continued.

 

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Dancers, graffiti artists,

 

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rappers, beat-makers, they are collectively doing this.

 

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Compared to the past,

 

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Iran's hip-hop subculture has diversified.

 

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I think the progress of hip-hop and

electronic music in Iran is pretty new.

 

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But when I compare [to abroad],

it's like 50 years outdated.

 

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Maybe not 50 but it's out of

fashion for sure.

 

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I want to see this community grow

 

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so I can compete with others

 

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and not feel like it's just me.

 

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My next step is performing

 

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because the situation is

 more open now.

 

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and some people I know are

already doing live performances.

 

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A few years ago it was illegal.

 

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But now it has received a legal permit

 

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under the name of experimental music

 

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and artists can perform.

 

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In my view, it's not just the

future of hip-hop in Iran,

 

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it's the future of music

 

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and being passionate about creating art.

 

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The more people that want to follow their heart

 

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and have a hobby aside from their day job,

 

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the more things will improve.

 

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At the very least, everyone could smile.

 

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The future of hip-hop in Iran will

have new artists, better artists,

 

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saying new things and expressing new concerns

 

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and that becomes a tool,

which lets them speak out

 

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and to realise their rights.

 

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We will carry this flag

 

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for the next generation of rappers.

 

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We will do that and we will continue.

 

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Director - Jordan Woodgate, Editor - Jordan Woodgate, Fixer - Rastyn Radvar, Translator - Rambod Rohani

 

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Thanks to Safir and Saeed of Melli Records