Hip Hop is taking a stand against authority in Somalia

The Guardian printed a fascinating interview this week with Shine Ali, leader of the 11-member hip hop collective Waayaha Cusub.

The group, which consists dominantly of Somalis but also features Kenyan, Ethiopian and Ugandan input, frequently come under fire (literally) from the authority as they challenge the Islamist rebel mindset with their lyrics and imagery. However, despite various battle wounds, and one of their group even being forced into hiding, the rappers still continue to make their anti-establishment music with the hope that it will inspire those around them.

Ali tells the newspaper, “Awareness…These youth have bad ideology. If we give them good ideology, talk to them about life, marriage, children … If we show them these things, we can stop them. You cannot fight someone who wants to die, you can only save them.”

Read the rest of the article here .