Indie Music Video – YAS

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Every time you think hip-hop has done surprising you with it’s ability to instantly connect to what the youth of the world are feeling and needing to say, hip-hop comes through again in some new hope-inducing way. Have you heard about Yas? Did you catch the National Geographic mention or CNN interview? In essence, motivated by Tupac CD’s (at first just the sounds, then eventually the words) and the frustrations of his own lost youth, Yas began to tell the kinds of stories he felt needed telling in Iran and about Iran to the world, combining pride in the thousands of years of Persian history with a profound critique of his society and an overarching desire for peace between West and East.

After the Bam earthquake in Iran, YAS was devastated at the number of lives lost (nearly 50,000 people) in the disaster, it was then, that he wrote his first song “Bam”. This was the beginning of his singing career. He realized that through rap music he had the ability to reach people by telling full stories that he thought was not easy to do through other forms of music which only consisted of a few versus and a chorus. Realizing that through his music, he had the ability to inspire people and reach millions of other young people in Iran, he decided to present his songs to the government and request a permission to release an album. Many years of being denied of releasing his music to the public and being ridiculed countless times for his singing style (rap) resembling that of “reading a newspaper”, his efforts, finally paid off. To date, in an unprecedented move, six of his ten songs have been granted permission to be released in the Islamic Republic of Iran. “I don’t curse in my music or sing about sex and violence. I want to be able to proudly sing my music in front of my family. My music usually begins with a complaint or the social ills of my society — but it always ends with hope. It’s important to inspire the younger generations to be their best potential. We need this.” Indeed, in a short amount of time, YAS went from singing in front of small groups to now being one of Iran’s 1 hip hop artist. His music is now being listened to and downloaded by millions across the world through various websites and hundreds of Persian blogs.

Myspace.

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