FORTHRIGHT – STRONGER THAN A WEAPON
Zayar Thaw
Yan Yan Chan
Zayar Thaw, Burma
Anegga
ACID, Burma
“We were not allowed to have pen and paper, so I wrote on the wall."
- Zayar Thaw -
ACID was the first hip hop group in Burma. They produced and launched their first album, Beginning, unofficially in 2000. Founded by Zayar Thaw, Annaga, Yan Yan Chan and Hein Zaw, they quickly became popular. Addressing hard life circumstances in Burma and attacking the government, they appointed for a pro-democracy movement within Burma. Zayar Thaw and Yan Yan Chan were arrested for several pro-democracy activities.
Everything was restricted and censored in a military-ruled Burma, but the members of ACID kept on fighting for social rights and democracy.
Zayar Thaw was elected to parliament and traveled the world together with Aung San Suu Kyi to represent their country and raise awareness for the problems of Burma.
After the military coup in 2021, Zayar Thaw was arrested again and tragically executed by the junta in July 2022 for his involvement in the resistance.
Lisha, Cambodia
Jessica Lisha Srin was born in Cambodia in 1981.
She is the first female hip hop artist in Cambodia and helped the whole hip hop culture to be recognized in Cambodia.
While working at a radio station she joined KlapYaHandz in 2007 and became a hip hop artist herself.
Singing, rapping and writing songs in her mother tongue Khmer, she is Cambodia’s hip hop queen, combining her culture and traditions to hip hop music and raising awareness.
Diana Avella, Colombia
“My lyrics are inspired by the lives of women, who fought against the violence of men.”
Diana Avella was born in Bogotá, Colombia and grew up in a Barrios.
She is one of the first female rap artists in Colombia and became a popular artist raising her voice against injustice and inequality.
With her strong voice and powerful lyrics, she inspires a lot of people in her own country but also abroad.
Especially the role of women is a huge concern which is a central topic in her music.
Criolo, Brasil
“As long as you do something with your heart, you can reach someone’s heart.”
Kleber Gomez, known as Criolo, is a Brasilian rap artist, who was born in 1975. As a son of migrants, he grew up in a Favela near Sao Paulo.
At a very young age, he began to sing and to do rap music, giving a voice to millions of people facing the hard life in a Favela.
He soon became one of the most important artists in Brazil through telling his own story. His lyrics deal with all kind of social issues and emphasize several inequalities.
His second album was released in 2011 which made him a well-known artist.
He won Best Album at the Brazilian Music Video Awards with “No na Orelha.”
