Hip-Hop Artist From Srinagar Dedicates Song To All Kashmiris

Srinagar: Amir is busy these days preparing for his next assignment in Srinagar - a hip hop song. "We are gonna rise" is produced by the 23-year-old hip-hop artist along with a team of three - Srinagar youngster Husteer, a Nigerian rapper Shady Joe and a Nagaland resident Vsumi.  It is scheduled to be released on the anniversary of 1991 Kunan-Poshpora tragedy on February 23, in which at least 23 women were allegedly raped by soldiers.

Dedicating it to the Kashmiri people, the business administration student said, "We want Kashmiri people to get motivated, we want them to say one day we will rise. It doesn't matter if we are politically subjugated, if we are going through a bad phase."

The music of more than half-a-dozen hip-hop bands that came up in Srinagar is mostly dominated by scenes from stone-pelting protests in Kashmir. An album, titled 'dead eyes' is dedicated to the victims of pellet guns, was released earlier.

"We are getting a lot of support. Our last song has more than 10,000 views on YouTube. People will support us if we do good work," said Yawar, another hip-hop artist.

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People of Kashmir, who have had little exposure, due to violence in the state, are now coming up with new concepts, like rap and hip-hop to tell their own stories and show that if given a chance, they are next to none.

Last year, the Kashmir Valley was gripped by turmoil which lasted five months and left a trail of destruction, claiming scores of lives and maiming many more.

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