Iran's Government Intensifies Crackdown on Dissident Rappers

​​The repression of rappers in Iran continues unabated, with at least three individuals recently arrested, underscoring the ongoing suppression of artistic expression and dissent in Iran.

Iranian rappers have faced continuous suppression by authorities since the genre first emerged in the 2000s. The crackdowns intensified following Iran's 2009 Green Movement protests and have reached new heights in the aftermath of the 2022 "Woman, Life, Freedom" protests, ignited by the killing of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini while in morality police custody.

On Sunday, reports emerged of the arrest of Iranian rapper and blogger Vahid Nemati on election day, Friday.

Nemati had published a satirical music video on Instagram about one of the Guardian Council's 6 handpicked Iranian Presidential candidates, Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf’s daughter. The viral video was released amidst ongoing public backlash against Ghalibaf, following fresh revelations about the "layette-gate" scandal involving his daughter.

Following reports of Nemati's arrest on June 28, coinciding with Iran’s snap presidential election, all the posts on his Instagram page, including the video, were taken down. A notice was posted stating, "This page has been blocked by the order of the respected judicial authority." Such notices are common following the arrests of influencers in Iran. A similar notice was posted on Iranian rapper Dorcci's Instagram page when he was arrested in August 2023 following the release of a viral song.

However, shortly after news of his arrest surfaced, a video of Nemati was released in which he claimed he was at home and had not been detained, explaining that his Instagram account was merely being "assessed." Forcing individuals to record videos of themselves is a common tactic used by Iranian authorities to suppress news, particularly as the government seeks to control the narrative during the widely boycotted election season.

Additionally, on Sunday, the Human Rights Activist Network in Iran (HRANA) reported that Iranian pop singer, Mohammad Fathi, was summoned to the Evin courthouse for publishing a song on his Instagram page in support of Iran’s Woman Life Freedom uprising. He was charged with “propaganda against the state” and later released on bail.

On May 9, two Iranian rappers, Vafa Ahmadpour and Danial Maghaddam were arrested after the release of a music video titled “Standy” criticizing the government on their Instagram pages.

In April, Iranian rapper Toomaj Salehi was given a death sentence for publishing music in support of the Woman Life Freedom uprising.

His death sentence was eventually overturned in the Supreme Court and he awaits retrial. Salehi alongside rappers Saman Yasin and Behrad Ali Konari were all arrested during the Woman Life Freedom uprising.

Yasin who was also facing a death sentence verdict, recently received a reduced sentence of 5 years imprisonment. According to an audio message from Yasin from prison published by Kurdistan Human Rights group, Yasin was subject to severe torture while in prison.

Konari who was facing a “corruption on Earth” charge which carries the death sentence was eventually released on bail.

In light of these events, Iran International spoke to Iranian rappers in Iran to get their perspective on the increased crackdowns. Their identities cannot be disclosed for their safety.

“They don’t have a problem with rap. They have a problem with anti-government content that becomes viral - be it a song, video, film, photograph and it just so happens that dissident rap is well received among Iranians reflecting the anti-Islamic Republic sentiment among Iranians,” a rapper based in Tehran said.

In Iran, all artists must obtain a permit from the Ministry of Guidance and Culture to be able to release and perform music.

“The truth is we have never even applied for the permit because we are against art being subject to such levels of censorship and the whole system. We release our music on Instagram and SoundCloud and self-publish through distribution companies,” another Tehran-based rapper said when asked about how music is released in the absence of permits in light of the genre being banned and viewed as Western decadence by the authorities.

“They sentenced Toomaj Salehi to death because they want to use him as an example to warn us against releasing music in support of the people, but their fear tactics only drive us to release more music. The truth is when you decide to release socio-political rap in this country, you have to accept that any minute they will come to raid your house and you are prepared for everything including prison. I do not fear them,” the rapper continued.

“The IRGC [Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps] intelligence ministry agents arrested me and two of my friends a few years ago. Our music wasn’t even viral. Even so, they held us under detention for a day. They beat us and told us that if we released political music, they would put us in a sack next time and throw our corpses in a place where no one could find them,” another rapper based in Tehran added after being asked about threats he had faced regarding his music.

A rapper who has worked with pro-regime artists, said “It is the law. Just like it is the law to wear hijab, you can't sing songs against the government. If you rap against the government, of course, you get arrested. If you look at North Korea and China it's the same. It’s the law. If people don’t like it they can go to another country.”

However, it isn’t as simple as the rapper puts it. Iranian rappers aren’t safe even in Western countries and face threats and pressure from the authorities.

In 2022, London-based Iranian rapper Hichkas received death threats including a direct death threat on X at the peak of the nationwide uprising as he published content in support of the Iranian people.

He was further subject to a large-scale smear campaign widely circulated in state media including IRGC-affiliated news agencies Tasnim and Fars aimed at discrediting him to reduce his influence among Iranian youth.

Similarly in the past, Iranian rapper Shahin Najafi living in Germany was threatened with a death sentence Fatwa with a $100,000 bounty to anyone who would kill him. Despite the threats, Najafi and Hichkas continue to use their platforms in support of the Iranian people. As such transnational repression of dissident artists is rife even outside Iran.

A female rapper based in Tehran says the challenges are multidimensional for female rappers.

“I don’t think the Iranian society has an issue with female rappers. It is the Islamic Republic that has waged a war on women…being a woman and rapper considering that women are banned from singing solo, in general, increases the risks of arrest in Iran and this is why many studios refuse to have you as a client for recording songs… several female rappers use home studios for recording songs,” she said.

When asked about the influence of pro-regime rappers on Iranian youth, almost all the rappers interviewed stated that they don’t have much influence because their content doesn’t resonate with the struggles of the Iranian people.

“Nobody listens to their music...that's why many of these rappers have opened up burger joints and restaurants…they have been canceled in the hip hop scene because they were silent during the Mahsa Amini protests…” said one rapper.

“The Islamic Republic no longer views rap as Satanistic…they are trying to capitalize on it but their efforts have failed… the Iranian youth who listens to rap is the same youth who bravely went to the frontlines of the protests in 2022 and were shot at by government security forces…and we sing for them despite facing arrests. How could we not when they gave their lives for this land?” the rapper added.