Soroush Lashkari ( fa, سروش لشکری; born 9 May 1985), known professionally as Hichkas ( fa, هیچکس), is an Iranian rapper,
singer
Singing is the act of creating musical sounds with the voice. A person who sings is called a singer, artist or vocalist (in jazz and/or popular music). Singers perform music (arias, recitatives, songs, etc.) that can be sung with or without ...
, and
songwriter
A songwriter is a musician who professionally composes musical compositions or writes lyrics for songs, or both. The writer of the music for a song can be called a composer, although this term tends to be used mainly in the classical music gen ...
.
Credited with popularizing Persian hip hop to the Iranian people and other Persian-speaking countries such as
Afghanistan
Afghanistan, officially the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan,; prs, امارت اسلامی افغانستان is a landlocked country located at the crossroads of Central Asia and South Asia. Referred to as the Heart of Asia, it is bordere ...
and
Tajikistan
Tajikistan (, ; tg, Тоҷикистон, Tojikiston; russian: Таджикистан, Tadzhikistan), officially the Republic of Tajikistan ( tg, Ҷумҳурии Тоҷикистон, Jumhurii Tojikiston), is a landlocked country in Centr ...
, Hichkas's national success and acclaimed works are widely regarded as having broken the barriers that were in place by the
Islamic regime for the acceptance of rappers in popular music. Hichkas is considered one of the pioneers of
Iranian hip hop
Iranian hip hop (Persian language, Persian: هیپهاپ ایرانی), also known to as Persian hip hop (هیپهاپ فارسی), refers to hip hop music developed in Iran (Name of Iran, Persia) and in Persian language. It is rooted in Am ...
and is nicknamed "Father of Persian Rap" by his fans.
He became a representation of the Iranian underclass and reflected the angst of the young Iranians. He has been influential for many artists of various genres and is often cited as one of the greatest rappers of Iranian hip hop.
Hichkas is also the founder of the label 021 (alongside Shayan and Yashar) which is considered the first Persian hip hop group. After that, he founded the labels Saamet (alongside Reza Pishro and Reveal), and Moltafet (alongside Ali Quf, Ashkan Fadaei, and Dariush). Hichkas's songs are themed around social and cultural issues in Iran and his
lyrical
Lyrical may refer to:
*Lyrics, or words in songs
*Lyrical dance, a style of dancing
*Emotional, expressing strong feelings
*Lyric poetry, poetry that expresses a subjective, personal point of view
*Lyric video
A music video is a video of variab ...
ability and influence pervade the hip hop and rap genre, placing him at the forefront of contemporary
Iranian music
The music of Iran encompasses music that is produced by Iranian artists. In addition to the traditional folk and classical genres, it also includes pop and internationally celebrated styles such as jazz, rock, and hip hop.
Iranian music influ ...
, inspiring a new generation of Iranian songwriters and artists. Hichkas's first album ''
Jangale Asfalt'' ( fa, جنگل آسفالت; The Asphalt-paved Jungle) was the first
Iran
Iran, officially the Islamic Republic of Iran, and also called Persia, is a country located in Western Asia. It is bordered by Iraq and Turkey to the west, by Azerbaijan and Armenia to the northwest, by the Caspian Sea and Turkmeni ...
ian hip hop album released in 2005.
Hichkas's early releases combined traditional Persian instruments and urban beats to create a hybrid genre, a combination of east and west.
In addition to performance, Hichkas's work further spans into art direction, production and artist development, working closely with up and coming artists and providing mentoring and coaching, and consistently being the inspiration behind many Iranian artists in urban arts. He has appeared as guest speaker in many universities including
Oxford University
Oxford () is a city in England. It is the county town and only city of Oxfordshire. In 2020, its population was estimated at 151,584. It is north-west of London, south-east of Birmingham and north-east of Bristol. The city is home to the ...
,
Cambridge University
, mottoeng = Literal: From here, light and sacred draughts.
Non literal: From this place, we gain enlightenment and precious knowledge.
, established =
, other_name = The Chancellor, Masters and Schola ...
, and
Calgary University and discussing Iranian poetry, Iranian underground music scene, and the effect of
internet
The Internet (or internet) is the global system of interconnected computer networks that uses the Internet protocol suite (TCP/IP) to communicate between networks and devices. It is a '' network of networks'' that consists of private, pub ...
on music publishing in Iran.
Hichkas has collaborated with a number of International hip hop artists including the American hip hop artist
Kool G Rap
Nathaniel Thomas Wilson (born July 20, 1968), better known by his stage name Kool G Rap (or simply G Rap), is an American rapper from Queens, New York City. He began his career in the mid-1980s as one half of the group Kool G Rap & DJ Polo and as ...
. His highly anticipated second album ''Mojaz'' ( fa, مجاز; permissible) was released in March 2020, after 8 years of its initial announcement.
[Edwards, Paul, 2009, '']How to Rap
''How to Rap: The Art & Science of the Hip-Hop MC'' is a book on hip hop music and rapping by Paul Edwards. It is compiled from interviews with 104 notable rappers who provide insights into how they write and perform their lyrics.Edwards, Paul, ...
: The Art & Science of the Hip-Hop MC'', Chicago Review Press, p. viii, 88, 324.
Early life
Soroush Lashkary was born on May 8, 1984, in Tehran and is the son of a family of five. He lived in Germany until he was two years old and then lived in the Vanak neighborhood of Tehran. He was studying translation at Garmsar University but has dropped out of college due to personal reasons and pursue of the Persian hip hop. His father is from
ziaabad
Ziaabad ( fa, ضياءآباد, also Romanized as Ẕīā’ābād, Ẕeyā’ābād, and Zīya Abad; formerly, Shahr-e Shaqayeq (Persian: شَهرِ شَقايِق), also Romanized as Shahr-e Shaqāyeq) is a city and capital of Ziaabad District, ...
village of
qazvin
Qazvin (; fa, قزوین, , also Romanized as ''Qazvīn'', ''Qazwin'', ''Kazvin'', ''Kasvin'', ''Caspin'', ''Casbin'', ''Casbeen'', or ''Ghazvin'') is the largest city and capital of the Province of Qazvin in Iran. Qazvin was a capital of the ...
and has a family relationship with Hossein Lashkari (pilot of Iran's Air Force who was captured in Iraq during the
Iran-Iraq war). Hichkas currently lives in London after emigrating to Great Britain in the aftermath of the
2009 Iranian presidential election protests
After incumbent president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad declared victory in the 2009 Iranian presidential election, protests broke out in major cities across Iran in support of opposition candidates Mir-Hossein Mousavi and Mehdi Karroubi. The protests co ...
. He's married to the British-based Iranian feminist activist Azadeh Akbari.
In his early years, Hichkas was known for founding a
supergroup Supergroup or super group may refer to:
* Supergroup (music), a music group formed by artists who are already notable or respected in their fields
* Supergroup (physics), a generalization of groups, used in the study of supersymmetry
* Supergroup ...
called
021
021 is:
* in Brazil, the telephone area code for the city of Rio de Janeiro and surrounding cities (Greater Rio de Janeiro)
* in China, the telephone area code for the city of Shanghai.
* in Indonesia, the area code for the city of Jakarta and su ...
(the area code for Tehran).
Around about 2003, he started his music career work in
Vanak
Vanak () is a neighbourhood in the northern part of Tehran, capital of Iran and there is a square and a street named after it. The word Vanak means "Small (ash) Tree" in Persian.
The name derives from the original older village of Vanak (''Deh-e ...
participating in
Persian
Persian may refer to:
* People and things from Iran, historically called ''Persia'' in the English language
** Persians, the majority ethnic group in Iran, not to be conflated with the Iranic peoples
** Persian language, an Iranian language of the ...
free-styling with people who also cover some English language songs in the
Rap battle
Battle rap (also known as rap battling)Edwards, Paul, 2009, p. 25. is a type of rapping performed between two or more performers that incorporates boasts, insults and wordplay. Battle rap is often performed or freestyled spontaneously in live ...
.
Hichkas gained attention when he began rapping in
Persian
Persian may refer to:
* People and things from Iran, historically called ''Persia'' in the English language
** Persians, the majority ethnic group in Iran, not to be conflated with the Iranic peoples
** Persian language, an Iranian language of the ...
about social problems and the younger generation in Iran.
Hichkas's early releases combined traditional Iranian instruments and urban beats to create a hybrid genre, a combination of east and west.
Discography
Studio albums
*''
Jangale Asfalt'' (2006)
* ''Mojaz''
(2020)
Compilation albums
*''
Anjām Vazife'' (The Tour of Duty EP) produced by
Mahdyar Aghajani
Mahdyar Aghajani ( fa, مهدیار آقاجانی; born 22 January 1989) is a musician, record producer and composer born and raised in Tehran, Iran. He raised the standard of Iranian underground music, using Persian traditional instruments (s ...
(2011)
International collaborations
*''Young N Foolish'' (featuring
Kool G Rap
Nathaniel Thomas Wilson (born July 20, 1968), better known by his stage name Kool G Rap (or simply G Rap), is an American rapper from Queens, New York City. He began his career in the mid-1980s as one half of the group Kool G Rap & DJ Polo and as ...
,
Reveal, Quf) produced by
Mahdyar Aghajani
Mahdyar Aghajani ( fa, مهدیار آقاجانی; born 22 January 1989) is a musician, record producer and composer born and raised in Tehran, Iran. He raised the standard of Iranian underground music, using Persian traditional instruments (s ...
(2012)
*"Long Live Palestine, Part II" (
Lowkey
Kareem Dennis (born 23 May 1986), better known by his stage name Lowkey, is a British rapper and activist from London. He first became known through a series of mixtapes he released before he was 18, before taking a hiatus from the music busi ...
'' featuring Hichkas,
Reveal,
Dam
A dam is a barrier that stops or restricts the flow of surface water or underground streams. Reservoirs created by dams not only suppress floods but also provide water for activities such as irrigation, human consumption, industrial use, a ...
,
Narcy,
Eslam Jawaad
Wissam Khodur ( ar, وسام خضر), better known as Eslam Jawaad ( ar, اسلام جواد), is a rapper of Lebanese- Syrian origin. His debut album, '' The Mammoth Tusk'', was released in 2009. The album was considered an international advanc ...
,
Hasan Salaam
Hasan Salaam (born January 12, 1981) is an American rapper and sex educator born in New York City and raised in New Jersey. His lyrics touch on such subjects as "post-colonial exploitation of African ( hip-hop) culture", "the African diaspora". ...
, and
Shadia Mansour
Shadia Mansour ( ar, شادية منصور , born 1985), also known as "the first lady of Arabic hip hop" See also is a British-Palestinian rapper who performs in Arabic and English. Much of her music revolves around Middle Eastern politics ...
) produced by Nutty P (2010)
As featured artist
* "Long Live Palestine, Part II" (
Lowkey
Kareem Dennis (born 23 May 1986), better known by his stage name Lowkey, is a British rapper and activist from London. He first became known through a series of mixtapes he released before he was 18, before taking a hiatus from the music busi ...
featuring Hichkas,
Reveal,
Dam
A dam is a barrier that stops or restricts the flow of surface water or underground streams. Reservoirs created by dams not only suppress floods but also provide water for activities such as irrigation, human consumption, industrial use, a ...
,
Narcy,
Eslam Jawaad
Wissam Khodur ( ar, وسام خضر), better known as Eslam Jawaad ( ar, اسلام جواد), is a rapper of Lebanese- Syrian origin. His debut album, '' The Mammoth Tusk'', was released in 2009. The album was considered an international advanc ...
,
Hasan Salaam
Hasan Salaam (born January 12, 1981) is an American rapper and sex educator born in New York City and raised in New Jersey. His lyrics touch on such subjects as "post-colonial exploitation of African ( hip-hop) culture", "the African diaspora". ...
, and
Shadia Mansour
Shadia Mansour ( ar, شادية منصور , born 1985), also known as "the first lady of Arabic hip hop" See also is a British-Palestinian rapper who performs in Arabic and English. Much of her music revolves around Middle Eastern politics ...
) produced by Nutty P (2010)''
*"Chera Badi?" (with
Zedbazi
Zedbazi ( fa, زدبازی) is an Iranian hip hop band, formed by longtime friends Saman Wilson and Mehrad Hidden and later joined by Sohrab MJ, Sijal, Alireza JJ and Nassim.
In a 2022 concert, the founder of the group (Saman Wilson) announced ...
) (Why Are You So Mean?) (2012) produced by Alireza JJ
*"Chi Shenidi?" (with Fadaei) (2012)
Filmography
* ''Trip e Ma'' (Our Style) (2004), music video edited by
Fred Khoshtinat
* ''Ye Mosht Sarbaz'' (A Bunch of Soldiers) (2008), music video directed by Fred Khoshtinat, with guest appearances by
Mahdyar Aghajani
Mahdyar Aghajani ( fa, مهدیار آقاجانی; born 22 January 1989) is a musician, record producer and composer born and raised in Tehran, Iran. He raised the standard of Iranian underground music, using Persian traditional instruments (s ...
, Reveal, Reza Pishro, Ali Quf, Atour and
Bahram Nouraei. Sections of the video are included in the ''Cultures of Resistance'' full-length documentary feature film by
Iara Lee Iara Lee (Ponta Grossa, Brazil, 1966) is a Brazilian film producer, director and activist of Korean descent who works mainly in the Middle East and Africa. Her recent projects include ''From Trash to Treasure: Turning Negatives into Positives'' (20 ...
.
* ''
No One Knows About Persian Cats
''No One Knows About Persian Cats'' ( fa, کسی از گربه های ایرانی خبر نداره, Kasi az Gorbehaye Irani Khabar Nadareh) is a 2009 Iranian film directed by Bahman Ghobadi produced by Wild Bunch. The film offers the perspective ...
'' (2009) feature film directed by
Bahman Ghobadi
Bahman Ghobadi ( fa, بهمن قبادی; ; born 1 February 1969 in Baneh, Kurdistan province, Iran) is an Iranian Kurdish film director, producer and writer. He belongs to the " new wave" of Iranian cinema.
Biography
He was born in Baneh, a K ...
, which won an Un Certain Regard Special Jury Prize Ex-aequo at the
Cannes Film Festival
The Cannes Festival (; french: link=no, Festival de Cannes), until 2003 called the International Film Festival (') and known in English as the Cannes Film Festival, is an annual film festival held in Cannes, France, which previews new films o ...
.
See also
*
Iranian hip hop
Iranian hip hop (Persian language, Persian: هیپهاپ ایرانی), also known to as Persian hip hop (هیپهاپ فارسی), refers to hip hop music developed in Iran (Name of Iran, Persia) and in Persian language. It is rooted in Am ...
*
List of Iranian musicians
This is a list of Iranian (Persian) musicians and musical groups.
Classical
Persian classical/traditional
*Moein
* Homayoun Shajarian
* Mohammad-Reza Shajarian
* Hossein Khajeh Amiri (Iraj)
* Shahram Nazeri
* Iraj Bastami
* Anoushiravan ...
*
Music of Iran
The music of Iran encompasses music that is produced by Iranian artists. In addition to the traditional folk and classical genres, it also includes pop and internationally celebrated styles such as jazz, rock, and hip hop.
Iranian music infl ...
*
Persian pop music
Iranian pop music or Persian pop music ( fa, موسیقی پاپ ایرانی) refers to pop music originated in Iran, with songs mainly in Persian and other regional Persian dialects of the country and region.
History Early Iranian popular music ...
*
Rock and alternative music in Iran
Iranian rock (also known as Rocka red) refers to rock music produced by Iranian artists. Rock music has been popular in Iran since the late forties, with the emergence of singers such as Kourosh Yaghmaei, Farhad Mehrad, Fereydoon Forooghi, Fereyd ...
References
External links
*
*
*
*
Hichkason
Spotify
Spotify (; ) is a proprietary Swedish audio streaming and media services provider founded on 23 April 2006 by Daniel Ek and Martin Lorentzon. It is one of the largest music streaming service providers, with over 456 million monthly active us ...
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Hichkas
1985 births
Living people
Iranian hip hop musicians
21st-century Iranian male singers
Singers from Tehran