Giving Quechuan communities a voice
Renata Flores sings and raps in Quechua, the indigenous language of the Andean people, who've suffered discrimination. In one of her latest songs, she denounces police violence during the protests that's been rocking the South American country for months. She says the protests are driven by deep-rooted inequity that has defined Peru for centuries. Flores says she wants to shine a light on this almost forgotten part of Peruvian history through her music.
Report: Anne Herrberg, voiced by Neil King
From rap and self-censorship in Kashmir
The volatile region of Kashmir in South Asia has been disputed between India and Pakistan since both countries achieved independence some 75 years ago. Since 2019, when the Indian government unilaterally revoked Kashmir's special autonomous status and imposed a media blackout on the region, many rappers began using their music for social messaging. But many say rappers are now self-censoring and avoiding overly political topics in fear of being questioned or harassed by the authorities.
Report: Murali Krishnan, Srinagar
Shaking things up across cultures
Imane Raissali Salah was born in Tangier, Morocco, and came to Barcelona when she was eight. Since 2019, the 26-year-old has been a hip-hop artist under the moniker "Miss Raisa" and has built up a considerable following on social media platforms. When she wore a hijab, she was attacked for it; when she announced she was taking it off, there were attacks and threats because of it. When she advocated for the LGTBQ community, death threats followed.
Report: Franka Welz, voiced by Ben Restle
Sharing Tuareg culture in modern times
Obaz, which translates to "little cousin," is a rapper from Niger who aims to merge his culture with his music. He raps about traditional themes like old Tuareg stories and the role of women. His goal is to blend Tuareg culture with modern rap and perform it on the international stage.
Report: Dunja Sadaqi, voiced by Ineke Mules