Yas

Yas first began to listen to rap music at the age of 16 when his father returned from his business trip in Germany and brought him the latest Tupac album and other hip hop songs and he was heavily influenced by them. After the sudden death of his father, he was faced with the responsibility of becoming the primary caretaker of his household with his father's debts to pay.[7] Yas was forced to leave his college ambitions behind and begin to work and support his entire family. It was at this time that he began to write poetry which soon turned into lyrics for his music.[8]

Yas started his work after the 1997 earthquake in Iran. Devastated by the disaster, it was then, that he wrote his first song "Bam". This was the beginning of his rapping career. He realized that through rap music he had the ability to reach people by telling full stories that he thought was not easy to do through other forms of music which only consisted of a few versus and a chorus. Realizing that through his music, he had the ability to inspire people and reach millions of other young people in Iran.[9] Yas in 2006 made a song called CD Ro Beshkan (Break The Disk) which was written about a well known female actress Zahra Amir Ebrahimi in Iran who was the victim of Sex scandal tape that was getting widespread. The scandal ultimately ended her blossoming career. In the song Yas criticizes the people for playing a role in her demise and asked everyone to stop spreading her shame and to get rid of that infamous footage from their computers and cellphones. The song hit a nerve among the Iranian youth and thousands wrote in and confessed that they went ahead and Broke that Disk. The song was listened to and downloaded by millions in Iran alone. His music has crossed the International waters and he is now fast becoming the voice of his generation For Iranians inside and outside of their country.[10]

Yas in June 2008 made a song called Hoviate Man[my identity] describing his pride in his Iranian heritage and a mention of the controversial 300 film. The song has become sort of a national anthem for the younger generations especially the Iranian diaspora that are eager to connect to their rich culture and history. His music has set a new standard for Persian rap and has inspired many up and coming rappers to follow his lead and sing of more meaningful and positive messages in their own music and when he is not recording himself, you will find him collaborating with other musicians so that together they can introduce Persian rap to the world.[11] Yas in 2008 made and wrote a song named "Darkam Kon" (Understand me).This song was great and it was welcomed a lot among people who can't find jobs. Yas's music was a protest to the government and for poverty and people who can't find jobs and they are poor.

In May 2011 Yas made a song called "Az Chi Begam" (What Can I Say)[12] which is a protest song for those schoolchildren who suffered from a fire in addition to injustice and misery, like their fellow countrymen. Yas’s voice rises against the negligence of the Islamic Republic of Iran in providing substandard facilities[13], in this case a very old oil burning heater, which caused eight 7-year-old schoolchildren burned in Doroudzan village’s school disaster. Yas wrote and performed this song when popular Korean drama series Jumong kept the majority of Iran’s population preoccupied (or you could use distracted) that they did not notice the fire or the limitations a real Iranian artist has to tolerate. Yas presents the material circumstances of Iran in which production and importation are the monopoly of a small group of people, the ones in power, living in palaces and towers. He suggests that aristocrats maintain the status quo while the majority fall into the abyss of false consciousness through manipulation from selected entertainment productions. However, he selects his position as an artist trying to find a solution to social problems by creating his own art and literature. In 2013 he became the first rapper authorized to perform by the Iranian government.[14] In 2014 Yas decided to cooperate with Tech N9ne. The pair are the first rappers from Iran and the United States to work together musically. Their single was titled "The Sound of Unity" which was released this year along with a Music video.[15][16]

Yas, who raps in Persian, states he was heavily influenced as a young man by Tupac Shakur albums brought back to Iran by his father, as well as the Classical Persian poetry especially Rumi. He is one of the few Persian rapper who do not use any swear words in their song[17] Yas theme songs is the social problems. Yas’ accomplishments paved the way for new rappers to perform in Iran. Though it was illegal for individuals to perform in Iran prior to Yas, today, numerous rappers are letting their voices be heard, and challenging the economic disparity that exists in Iran.[18]

• Bezarin Bokoshamesh (Let Me Kill Him)
• ba To bi Dige Na Aslan (Never without you) (Ft Aamin)
• Raaz(Mano To) (The secret between me and you) (Ft Sasan)
• Ghesseye Zirzamin (Underground Story) (Ft The Ways & Arad Aria & Erwin Khachikian(Karmandan(Employees)Band & Arian Naeini(Nik Aeen(Good Procedure)Band)
• Bekhatere Man (For my sake)
• Sarbaze Vatan (Homeland Soldier)
• Trash The Club (Ft Dj Aligator & Al Agami)
• Az Chi Begam (What Can I Say)
• Vaghte Raftan (Time To Leave) (Ft Aamin)
• Faryas (Faryad E Yas) (Shout Of Yas)
• Sound Of Unity (Sedaye Ettehad) (Ft Tech N9ne)
• Mosafer (Passenger)
• Hamechi Dorost Mishe (Everything Will Be Fine)
• Nameyi Be Farzand (Letter To A Child)
• Bande Naaf Ta Khatte Saaf (From An Umbilical Cord To A Smooth Line) (Ft Moer)
• "Sefareshi" (Special Request)

Yas has been interviewed by the media, including CNN,[19] BBC and The Guardian.[20] He also signed a contract with an American music publishing company Modiba. IEvergreen Publishing is also the home of the late Tupac Shakur catalogue who has granted permission for a mashup song between Yas and Tupac to show how hip hop can help bridge the cultural divide between us.

• United States (University of Michigan), (San Francisco), (California) (Los Angeles) (Yale University)
• United Arab Emirates (Dubai)
• Canada (Toronto)
• England (London)
• Australia (Melbourne)
• Turkey (Istanbul)

• Rock On (documentary)
• Paparazzi (documentary)
• Raad,A Woman's Story (movie)

• Official website
• Yas on Twitter
• Yas on Facebook
• Yas on Instagram
• Yas on SoundCloud