Supporters rallied behind Irish rap group Kneecap as British prosecutors moved to revive a terrorism-related charge against member Liam O’Hanna over a controversial stage act in London. Watch for more details!


Irish rap group vs UK govt: Legal battle over punk-rap lyrics 

Tibetan artists and rappers are reviving and reinventing their heritage — blending centuries-old traditions with hip-hop, street art, and contemporary music. From the historic alleys of Old Lhasa to vibrant festivals and digital art, discover how young Tibetans are preserving culture while redefining identity in a changing world.

A new life for old Lhasa landmarks | Artists use rap to promote culture

When Prime Minister Narendra Modi hugged Hanumankind after he performed at a diaspora event in New York this weekend, it was a defining&nbsp;moment in the Indian rapper's career.&nbsp;

While hugging him, Modi said "Jai Hanuman", hailing the Hindu god.

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Pop sensation Hanumankind performs at Modi&amp;US diaspora event in New York <a href="https://t.co/5oxDZiG9Qb">pic.twitter.com/5oxDZiG9Qb</a>
— Sidhant Sibal (@sidhant) <a href="https://twitter.com/sidhant/status/1837890479217574291?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 22, 2024</a></blockquote>
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&nbsp;

Born to Malayali parents, Hanumankind, real name Sooraj Cherukat, has emerged as the new sensation in the Desi Hip Hop or DHH scene.

His viral hit "Big Dawgs" has been at number 1 of Spotify's India top 50 for weeks. Having debuted at number 57 on Billboard Hot 100, it also moved ahead of Kendrick Lamar’s "Not Like Us" on Spotify's global Hip Hop list in August. It was at one point at number 9, while Lamar's track was at 11th position on the music streaming app. 
 
Watch:&nbsp;PM Modi's US visit: Indian PM to address Indian diaspora in New York

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&nbsp;

Spotify also featured Hanumankind on the cover of the Global Hip Hop Playlist.&nbsp;

Here is what you need to know about Hanumankind:

<h2>Who is Hanumankind? His real story</h2>

Sooraj Cherukat was born in 1992 in Ponnani, a town in Malappuram, a northern district in the south Indian state of Kerala, to Malayali parents.

He moved to the US as a child to Texas, where his father worked at an oil company.

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Indian PM Modi with Hanumankind, Aditya Gadhvi and Devi Sriprasad at diaspora event in New York <a href="https://t.co/FPvUizBb7D">https://t.co/FPvUizBb7D</a> <a href="https://t.co/ysz9bxITGP">pic.twitter.com/ysz9bxITGP</a>
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&nbsp;

He did his schooling in Houston and attended Houston Community College.

Hanumankind had been bullied as a child, as he mentioned in his lyrics.

During his formative years in the US, he listened to hip hop from artists including Project Pat, whom he gave a shoutout in "Big Dawgs."&nbsp;

He was a keen listener of US music, particularly southern hip hop. His musical sensibilities were shaped by artists like Three 6 Mafia, UGK, and DJ Screw.&nbsp;His style is influenced by Kendrick Lamar, J Cole and Logic, and one can find traces of Lil Wayne in his delivery.

The word Hanumankind is a play on the humankind, with the Hindu god Hanuman added to it. But Cherukad had said there was no particular religious significance to the name.

<h2>How Hanumankind became an Indian hip hop sensation</h2>

After attending college in Texas, he moved to India for further studies, enrolling for a course in business administration in 2012 at PSG College in Coimbatore in the southern state of Tamil Nadu.&nbsp;

After studies, he moved to the south Indian city of Bengaluru, where he worked at Goldman Sachs for some time before deciding to pursue a full-time career in music.

He released several singles and collabs while performing at events like the NH7 Weekender and earning a name for himself in the underground hip-hop scene in the Indian city.

His debut Extended Play album was named Kalari, in a nod to the Kerala martial art form. The rapper-songwriter released his first single "Daily Dose" in 2019.

The Malayalam-language hit movie Aavesham had a song by him, "The Last Dance", in its soundtrack.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/entertainment/kerala-rapper-hanumankind-goes-global-with-big-dawgs-know-all-about-the-viral-sensation-746951">Also read:&nbsp;Kerala rapper Hanumankind goes global with 'Big Dawgs'; know all about the viral sensation</a>

"Big Dawgs", featuring Kalmi, became viral not only for the song but also for the stunning music video directed by Bijoy Shetty.

Shot in a 'well of death' car circus at Sooraj's native town of Ponnani,&nbsp;"Big Dawgs" was released this July and went on to become a global hit.

(With inputs from agencies)

When Prime Minister Narendra Modi hugged Hanumankind after he performed at a diaspora event in New York this weekend, it was a defining moment in the Indian rapper's career.

When Prime Minister Narendra Modi hugged Hanumankind after he performed at a diaspora event in New York this weekend, it was a defining moment in the Indian rapper's career. While hugging him, Modi said "Jai Hanuman", hailing the Hindu god. Pop sensation Hanumankind performs at Modi&US diaspora event in New York pic.twitter.com/5oxDZiG9Qb — Sidhant Sibal (@sidhant) September 22, 2024 × Born to Malayali parents, Hanumankind, real name Sooraj Cherukat, has emerged as the new sensation in the Desi Hip Hop or DHH scene. His viral hit "Big Dawgs" has been at number 1 of Spotify's India top 50 for weeks. Having debuted at number 57 on Billboard Hot 100, it also moved ahead of Kendrick Lamar’s "Not Like Us" on Spotify's global Hip Hop list in August. It was at one point at number 9, while Lamar's track was at 11th position on the music streaming app. Watch: PM Modi's US visit: Indian PM to address Indian diaspora in New York × Spotify also featured Hanumankind on the cover of the Global Hip Hop Playlist. Here is what you need to know about Hanumankind: Who is Hanumankind? His real story Sooraj Cherukat was born in 1992 in Ponnani, a town in Malappuram, a northern district in the south Indian state of Kerala, to Malayali parents. He moved to the US as a child to Texas, where his father worked at an oil company. Indian PM Modi with Hanumankind, Aditya Gadhvi and Devi Sriprasad at diaspora event in New York https://t.co/FPvUizBb7D pic.twitter.com/ysz9bxITGP — Sidhant Sibal (@sidhant) September 22, 2024 × He did his schooling in Houston and attended Houston Community College. Hanumankind had been bullied as a child, as he mentioned in his lyrics. During his formative years in the US, he listened to hip hop from artists including Project Pat, whom he gave a shoutout in "Big Dawgs." He was a keen listener of US music, particularly southern hip hop. His musical sensibilities were shaped by artists like Three 6 Mafia, UGK, and DJ Screw. His style is influenced by Kendrick Lamar, J Cole and Logic, and one can find traces of Lil Wayne in his delivery. The word Hanumankind is a play on the humankind, with the Hindu god Hanuman added to it. But Cherukad had said there was no particular religious significance to the name. How Hanumankind became an Indian hip hop sensation After attending college in Texas, he moved to India for further studies, enrolling for a course in business administration in 2012 at PSG College in Coimbatore in the southern state of Tamil Nadu. After studies, he moved to the south Indian city of Bengaluru, where he worked at Goldman Sachs for some time before deciding to pursue a full-time career in music. He released several singles and collabs while performing at events like the NH7 Weekender and earning a name for himself in the underground hip-hop scene in the Indian city. His debut Extended Play album was named Kalari, in a nod to the Kerala martial art form. The rapper-songwriter released his first single "Daily Dose" in 2019. The Malayalam-language hit movie Aavesham had a song by him, "The Last Dance", in its soundtrack. Also read: Kerala rapper Hanumankind goes global with 'Big Dawgs'; know all about the viral sensation "Big Dawgs", featuring Kalmi, became viral not only for the song but also for the stunning music video directed by Bijoy Shetty. Shot in a 'well of death' car circus at Sooraj's native town of Ponnani, "Big Dawgs" was released this July and went on to become a global hit. (With inputs from agencies)

Who is Hanumankind, the Indian rapper whom Prime Minister Narendra Modi hugged in US?

If you thought you have had enough of Instagram's 'Reels' features, <a href="https://www.wionews.com/topics/facebook">Facebook</a> has one more similar concept for you, but with a twist.

The social media giant, Facebook, has launched a new app called BARS that is being dubbed as a 'TikTok look-alike' but with a more concentrated audience and slight change.

Also read|&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/can-we-do-without-big-tech-companies-364919" hreflang="en">Can we do without big tech companies?</a>

Developed by Facebook's New Product Experimentation (NPE) R&amp;D team, the app is currently available only under closed beta testing.

"No formal rap experience required — you can create something great whether you’ve just thought of a dope couplet or have been freestyling for years," BARS Community Manager DJ Iyer said in a blog post.

Also read|&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/the-real-power-of-facebook-364913" hreflang="en">The real power of Facebook</a>

This app will allow users to create and share raps with built-in tools, that will let the users create raps without any formal background or experience of rapping.

While the timeframe and other concepts are similar to TikTok and Instagram's Reels feature, the BARS app is specifically designed for creating content only in rap style, setting it aside from all other short-video platforms.

Also read|&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/technology/facebook-to-launch-smartwatch-with-messaging-fitness-features-363611" hreflang="en">Facebook to launch smartwatch with messaging, fitness features</a>

This app can suggest rhymes using a rhyming dictionary to help the budding rappers with the flow. There are also pre-recorded beats and pre-loaded tools such as Clean, AutoTune, Imaginary Friends, and AM Radio to help record a rap professional-style.

"I know access to high-priced recording studios and production equipment can be limited for aspiring rappers. On top of that, the global pandemic shut down live performances where we often create and share our work," DJ Iyer said. "So, along with a group of aspiring rappers, we've been building BARS: a place for aspiring rappers to create and share their art."

As of now, the app is available in the US App Store only and is available for select iOS users. The app also has a waitlist where people can sign up to use the platform post-release.

If you thought you have had enough of Instagram's 'Reels' features, Facebook has one more similar concept for you, but with a twist. The social media giant, Facebook, has launched a new app called BARS that is being dubbed as a 'TikTok look-alike' but with a more concentrated audience and slight change.

If you thought you have had enough of Instagram's 'Reels' features, Facebook has one more similar concept for you, but with a twist. The social media giant, Facebook, has launched a new app called BARS that is being dubbed as a 'TikTok look-alike' but with a more concentrated audience and slight change. Also read| Can we do without big tech companies? Developed by Facebook's New Product Experimentation (NPE) R&D team, the app is currently available only under closed beta testing. "No formal rap experience required — you can create something great whether you’ve just thought of a dope couplet or have been freestyling for years," BARS Community Manager DJ Iyer said in a blog post. Also read| The real power of Facebook This app will allow users to create and share raps with built-in tools, that will let the users create raps without any formal background or experience of rapping. While the timeframe and other concepts are similar to TikTok and Instagram's Reels feature, the BARS app is specifically designed for creating content only in rap style, setting it aside from all other short-video platforms. Also read| Facebook to launch smartwatch with messaging, fitness features This app can suggest rhymes using a rhyming dictionary to help the budding rappers with the flow. There are also pre-recorded beats and pre-loaded tools such as Clean, AutoTune, Imaginary Friends, and AM Radio to help record a rap professional-style. "I know access to high-priced recording studios and production equipment can be limited for aspiring rappers. On top of that, the global pandemic shut down live performances where we often create and share our work," DJ Iyer said. "So, along with a group of aspiring rappers, we've been building BARS: a place for aspiring rappers to create and share their art." As of now, the app is available in the US App Store only and is available for select iOS users. The app also has a waitlist where people can sign up to use the platform post-release.

TikTok lookalike? Facebook launches new app, BARS, for rappers

Ranveer Singh, Alia Bhatt and director Zoya Akhtar discuss Indian rap drama, ‘Gully Boy’

Vladimir Putin wants to 'control' rap music in Russia

&nbsp;Former rap mogul Marion "Suge" Knight was sentenced in a Los Angeles courtroom on Thursday (October 4) to 28 years in prison for manslaughter in the death of a man he ran over with his pickup truck outside a hamburger stand in 2015.

The sentence appeared to forestall any chance of a future recording business comeback for Knight, 53, known as much for repeated run-ins with the law as for his career as a hip-hop executive promoting the likes of Snoop Dogg, Dr Dre and Tupac Shakur during the 1990s.

The co-founder of the influential label Death Row Records pleaded no contest on Sept. 20 to one count of voluntary manslaughter for the hit-and-run killing of 55-year-old Terry Carter.

He admitted then to using a "deadly and dangerous weapon" on Jan. 29, 2015, when he ran down two men with his pickup truck in an altercation outside Tam's Burgers that spilt over from a quarrel on the nearby set of a TV commercial for the film "Straight Outta Compton."

Carter later died of his injuries. The second man, Cle "Bone" Sloan, was left with a badly mangled left foot and head injuries. Knight, who was out on bail in a robbery case at the time, fled the scene but was later arrested.

Seated beside his lawyer and wearing an orange jail uniform and horned-rimmed glasses, the burly, bald ex-college football player showed no visible emotion as the sentence was pronounced. He did not address the court.

Knight previously served more than half of a nine-year term for violating the probation he received in 1995 for an assault on two aspiring rappers at a Hollywood recording studio.

The probation violation stemmed from a scuffle involving Knight at a Las Vegas hotel in September 1996, hours before Shakur was shot to death while riding in a car with Knight on the Las Vegas Strip. Knight was slightly wounded in the attack.

Former rap mogul Marion "Suge" Knight was sentenced in a Los Angeles courtroom on Thursday (October 4) to 28 years in prison for manslaughter in the death of a man he ran over with his pickup truck outside a hamburger stand in 2015.

Former rap mogul Marion "Suge" Knight was sentenced in a Los Angeles courtroom on Thursday (October 4) to 28 years in prison for manslaughter in the death of a man he ran over with his pickup truck outside a hamburger stand in 2015. The sentence appeared to forestall any chance of a future recording business comeback for Knight, 53, known as much for repeated run-ins with the law as for his career as a hip-hop executive promoting the likes of Snoop Dogg, Dr Dre and Tupac Shakur during the 1990s. The co-founder of the influential label Death Row Records pleaded no contest on Sept. 20 to one count of voluntary manslaughter for the hit-and-run killing of 55-year-old Terry Carter. He admitted then to using a "deadly and dangerous weapon" on Jan. 29, 2015, when he ran down two men with his pickup truck in an altercation outside Tam's Burgers that spilt over from a quarrel on the nearby set of a TV commercial for the film "Straight Outta Compton." Carter later died of his injuries. The second man, Cle "Bone" Sloan, was left with a badly mangled left foot and head injuries. Knight, who was out on bail in a robbery case at the time, fled the scene but was later arrested. Seated beside his lawyer and wearing an orange jail uniform and horned-rimmed glasses, the burly, bald ex-college football player showed no visible emotion as the sentence was pronounced. He did not address the court. Knight previously served more than half of a nine-year term for violating the probation he received in 1995 for an assault on two aspiring rappers at a Hollywood recording studio. The probation violation stemmed from a scuffle involving Knight at a Las Vegas hotel in September 1996, hours before Shakur was shot to death while riding in a car with Knight on the Las Vegas Strip. Knight was slightly wounded in the attack.

Onetime rap mogul Marion 'Suge' Knight sentenced to 28 years for manslaughter

It’s very rare for rap star Jay-Z to open up about personal issues. The last time he did was when he spoke about his equation with singer-wife Beyonce as the <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/entertainment-jay-z-had-to-fight-to-save-his-marriage-with-beyonce-31062">controversy around their breakup-divorce</a> started doing the rounds in the wake of him <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/entertainment-listening-to-beyonces-music-was-very-very-uncomfortable-jay-z-on-infidelity-25478">cheating on her.&nbsp;</a>

Now that the two have moved past it, Jay-Z who appeared on David Letterman’s “My Next Guest Needs No Introduction” spoke about his mother coming out of the closet and telling him that she loves someone. He told Letterman that it prompted him to write a song the next day -- Smile.&nbsp;

On the work front, Jay-Z released an album <a href="http://www.wionews.com/photos/jay-z-confesses-to-cheating-in-new-album-444-318#photo-50889">4:44 </a>and is collaborating with Beyonce for a<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/beyonce-and-jay-z-announce-the-on-the-run-ii-tour-35561"> joint tour</a> that will see them and their kids open the stadium tour on June 6 in the Welsh city of Cardiff. The 36-date show will have them travel across Europe, including a Bastille Day show at the Stade de France in Paris, before a North American leg that closes on October 2 in Vancouver.

While announcing the tour, Jay-Z and Beyonce dubbed the tour "OTR II," a reference to their first co-headlining "On the Run" tour in 2014 which grossed some $100 million.

Beyonce is set to return to the stage in April to headline Coachella, the biggest-name US music festival, in her first performance since giving birth to the couple's second and third children.

Watch a clip from the Netflix show:&nbsp;

 
<iframe allow="autoplay encrypted-media" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="480" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/bU-vnDmxd1Q" width="970"></iframe>&nbsp;

Jay-Z was the most recent guest on David Letterman's latest episode of "My Next Guest Needs No Introduction"

It’s very rare for rap star Jay-Z to open up about personal issues. The last time he did was when he spoke about his equation with singer-wife Beyonce as the controversy around their breakup-divorce started doing the rounds in the wake of him cheating on her. Now that the two have moved past it, Jay-Z who appeared on David Letterman’s “My Next Guest Needs No Introduction” spoke about his mother coming out of the closet and telling him that she loves someone. He told Letterman that it prompted him to write a song the next day -- Smile. On the work front, Jay-Z released an album 4:44 and is collaborating with Beyonce for a joint tour that will see them and their kids open the stadium tour on June 6 in the Welsh city of Cardiff. The 36-date show will have them travel across Europe, including a Bastille Day show at the Stade de France in Paris, before a North American leg that closes on October 2 in Vancouver. While announcing the tour, Jay-Z and Beyonce dubbed the tour "OTR II," a reference to their first co-headlining "On the Run" tour in 2014 which grossed some $100 million. Beyonce is set to return to the stage in April to headline Coachella, the biggest-name US music festival, in her first performance since giving birth to the couple's second and third children. Watch a clip from the Netflix show:

Rap mogul Jay-Z cried when his mother told him she is 'gay' and she 'loves someone'

Rap has been called a universal language -- but it can also be a tool to preserve languages at risk.

In small communities around the world, indigenous people have been embracing rap as a means of communication, giving new lifeblood to their languages while reaching unexpected new audiences.

The artists&#39; backgrounds and motivations are diverse -- but one common thread is a realisation of the power of hip-hop.

Born in the street culture of The Bronx in the 1970s, hip-hop has since spread across the world and become, stylistically at least, a lingua franca embraced by many young people.

In Colombia&#39;s mountainous northern department of Antioquia, indigenous teenage brothers Brayan and Dairon Tascon first encountered rap several years ago when they spotted a street performance in the central square of the town of Valparaiso.

They found an energy and immediacy in rap, which they adapted to their own language of Embera, estimated to be spoken by fewer than 100,000 people in Colombia and Panama.

In videos posted on YouTube, the duo take the moves of early rappers, punching their hands forward as if to say &quot;yo.&quot; But instead of gold chains they are sporting the colourful threaded necklaces and headbands of the Embera people.

The songs, with hip-hop beats and occasional traditional flute, show pride in the culture -- &quot;We are speaking well, representing well, and showing the beauty,&quot; goes one lyric in Embera.

&quot;Some people previously thought that rap was simply music about drugs and violence. But for us music is about how we speak and how we live,&quot; Dairon Tascon told AFP by telephone.&nbsp;

Dairon voiced pride that, through YouTube, their videos have gained tens of thousands of views and generated interest far beyond Colombia.

The politics of language 
Native hip-hop has increasingly emerged as a sub-genre in the United States and Canada, with rappers -- much like some of the African American trailblazers of the musical form -- often taking up inequalities through their lyricism.

Minneapolis and St. Paul, with its vibrant music scene and indigenous heritage, has become one of the hotbeds of native hip-hop. Local rapper Tall Paul mixes English with Anishinaabemowin.

His track &quot;Prayers in a Song&quot; reflects on his struggles to learn his ancestral tongue, one of the oldest Native American languages, which he employs in the chorus to ask for spiritual strength.

&quot;I feel regarding language and the obligation of revitalising something sacred / Failure to carry through is disgracing a nation,&quot; he raps in an English verse.

Separately in the far north of Norway, Nils Rune Utsi, who goes by the stage-name SlinCraze, has found in rap a new form of storytelling in his Sami language.&nbsp;

&quot;A rap song has so many more lyrics than a regular song. Of course you can write a great song, but you have to compress it into the song and chorus. With rap, if you have the lyrics, you get to write much more and if you have a story, you can get very detailed,&quot; SlinCraze told AFP by Skype.&nbsp;

Growing up chubby, the 26-year-old said he was bullied and found an escape in hip-hop, especially the angry rhymes of Eminem. SlinCraze has since found a more political use of rap.&nbsp;

His song &quot;Suhtadit,&quot; or &quot;Arguing,&quot; shows the influence of Eminem with rapid-fire lyrics over ominous backing riffs. The video is full of symbolism as a pastor preaches to the crowd and a masked group takes aim at reindeer, whose herding has historically been a way of life for the Sami.

&quot;Yes, I am Sami,&quot; SlinCraze raps. &quot;They destroy our signs, step on our language, they do whatever they want / Because they can.&quot;

Broadening an audience 
SlinCraze said he wrote the song in outrage after reading a newspaper account of a girl whose jacket was set alight because she was Sami.

With no more than 20,000 people who speak his dialect of northern Sami, SlinCraze acknowledged that he risked limits in his audience. But he expressed delight in drawing listeners to his music even if they cannot understand the lyrics.&nbsp;

Initially SlinCraze gave little thought to language preservation, but as he builds a fan base he said he has made a more concerted effort to revitalise Sami words rather than borrowing from Norwegian and English.&nbsp;

At the same time, he is working on his first EP in Norwegian. He said that he and other artists have &quot;basically lifted up the Sami culture&quot; in Norway after decades in which the government tried aggressively to integrate indigenous people.&nbsp;

&quot;It&#39;s kind of stupid to say, but it&#39;s now more of a hipster thing. A lot of kids are now not afraid to show they are Sami -- they are proud of it,&quot; he said.&nbsp;

&quot;So it&#39;s very cool to see this development among the younger people, and of course the elder people who lost their language and are more interested in regaining their identity.&quot;&nbsp;

(AFP)

Born in the street culture of The Bronx in the 1970s, hip-hop has since spread across the world and become, stylistically at least, a lingua franca embraced by many young people

Rap has been called a universal language -- but it can also be a tool to preserve languages at risk. In small communities around the world, indigenous people have been embracing rap as a means of communication, giving new lifeblood to their languages while reaching unexpected new audiences. The artists' backgrounds and motivations are diverse -- but one common thread is a realisation of the power of hip-hop. Born in the street culture of The Bronx in the 1970s, hip-hop has since spread across the world and become, stylistically at least, a lingua franca embraced by many young people. In Colombia's mountainous northern department of Antioquia, indigenous teenage brothers Brayan and Dairon Tascon first encountered rap several years ago when they spotted a street performance in the central square of the town of Valparaiso. They found an energy and immediacy in rap, which they adapted to their own language of Embera, estimated to be spoken by fewer than 100,000 people in Colombia and Panama. In videos posted on YouTube, the duo take the moves of early rappers, punching their hands forward as if to say "yo." But instead of gold chains they are sporting the colourful threaded necklaces and headbands of the Embera people. The songs, with hip-hop beats and occasional traditional flute, show pride in the culture -- "We are speaking well, representing well, and showing the beauty," goes one lyric in Embera. "Some people previously thought that rap was simply music about drugs and violence. But for us music is about how we speak and how we live," Dairon Tascon told AFP by telephone. Dairon voiced pride that, through YouTube, their videos have gained tens of thousands of views and generated interest far beyond Colombia. The politics of language Native hip-hop has increasingly emerged as a sub-genre in the United States and Canada, with rappers -- much like some of the African American trailblazers of the musical form -- often taking up inequalities through their lyricism. Minneapolis and St. Paul, with its vibrant music scene and indigenous heritage, has become one of the hotbeds of native hip-hop. Local rapper Tall Paul mixes English with Anishinaabemowin. His track "Prayers in a Song" reflects on his struggles to learn his ancestral tongue, one of the oldest Native American languages, which he employs in the chorus to ask for spiritual strength. "I feel regarding language and the obligation of revitalising something sacred / Failure to carry through is disgracing a nation," he raps in an English verse. Separately in the far north of Norway, Nils Rune Utsi, who goes by the stage-name SlinCraze, has found in rap a new form of storytelling in his Sami language. "A rap song has so many more lyrics than a regular song. Of course you can write a great song, but you have to compress it into the song and chorus. With rap, if you have the lyrics, you get to write much more and if you have a story, you can get very detailed," SlinCraze told AFP by Skype. Growing up chubby, the 26-year-old said he was bullied and found an escape in hip-hop, especially the angry rhymes of Eminem. SlinCraze has since found a more political use of rap. His song "Suhtadit," or "Arguing," shows the influence of Eminem with rapid-fire lyrics over ominous backing riffs. The video is full of symbolism as a pastor preaches to the crowd and a masked group takes aim at reindeer, whose herding has historically been a way of life for the Sami. "Yes, I am Sami," SlinCraze raps. "They destroy our signs, step on our language, they do whatever they want / Because they can." Broadening an audience SlinCraze said he wrote the song in outrage after reading a newspaper account of a girl whose jacket was set alight because she was Sami. With no more than 20,000 people who speak his dialect of northern Sami, SlinCraze acknowledged that he risked limits in his audience. But he expressed delight in drawing listeners to his music even if they cannot understand the lyrics. Initially SlinCraze gave little thought to language preservation, but as he builds a fan base he said he has made a more concerted effort to revitalise Sami words rather than borrowing from Norwegian and English. At the same time, he is working on his first EP in Norwegian. He said that he and other artists have "basically lifted up the Sami culture" in Norway after decades in which the government tried aggressively to integrate indigenous people. "It's kind of stupid to say, but it's now more of a hipster thing. A lot of kids are now not afraid to show they are Sami -- they are proud of it," he said. "So it's very cool to see this development among the younger people, and of course the elder people who lost their language and are more interested in regaining their identity." (AFP)

Rap, a universal language, in service of endangered ones

Rap, News on Rap, stories on Rap, articles on Rap, Rap stories at Wion, Rap news, Rap latest news