Toomaj Salehi had been sentenced to death in April after releasing music in support of antigovernment demonstrations two years ago.
Tag: Rap and Hip-Hop
A Hungarian Rapper’s Bandwagon Gets an Unlikely New Rider
Azahriah, who has rapped about the joy of cannabis, has shot to fame in Hungary. That may explain why he has been applauded by the country’s conservative leader, Viktor Orban.
African Music to the World
Artists from the continent are breaking into the Western mainstream. We’ve got a playlist for your weekend cookout.
Iran Sentences Prominent Rapper to Death, Lawyer Says
The rapper, Toomaj Salehi, was initially arrested after releasing music in support of the 2022 protests over the death of a young woman in police custody.
How Africans Are Changing French — One Joke, Rap and Book at a Time
More than 60 percent of French speakers now live in Africa. Despite growing resentment at France, Africans are contributing to the evolution and spread of the French language.
Was That an Earthquake in Rome? No, It Was a Travis Scott Concert.
The rap star’s show in Rome at the Circus Maximus, an archaeological site by day and concert venue by night, has raised concerns about the risks posed by crowds.
Can a Rapper Change Italy’s Mind About Migrants?
As the country’s right-wing government takes a hard line on Mediterranean immigration, the hip-hop artist Ghali has become a prominent voice of compassion.
From Rap Star to Engineer to Young Mayor Demolishing Swaths of Kathmandu
A music idol in his early 20s and then an engineer, Balen, 33, next won an upset victory as mayor of Nepal’s capital, inspiring a wave of young politicians. Now, he’s tearing down parts of the city.
AKA, Influential South African Rapper, Is Fatally Shot
The rapper, whose legal name was Kiernan Forbes, was one of the most formidable songwriters in South African hip-hop. He and another man were killed outside a restaurant on Friday.
Teenage Rapper, Rooted in Mapuche Identity, Roars for Indigenous Rights
MC Millaray, 16, an emerging music star in Chile, uses her fierce lyrics to convey five centuries of struggles by the country’s largest Indigenous group against European colonizers.