Syrian rap duo making a mark in Joburg
Slowly making their mark worldwide with lyrics that seek to that entertain and educate, Sham-MC’s hopes to use their music to spread a positive message.
The hip-hop duo, consisting of members Shootaz and MicSon, originated from Syria but were forced to leave the war-torn country after facing threats for daring to express themselves through music.
Looking calm and collected, the duo’s faces relay nothing of the long and difficult journey from Damascus to Johannesburg which included passing through dangerous territories and being robbed multiple times.
Despite these challenges they continued spreading the message and entertaining audiences wherever they went.
“We decided to leave Syria and intended on settling in the United States but as we travelled through Africa, we decided that this would become our adventure,” Shootaz explained.
MicSon added that hip-hop is a relatively new genre in Syria and because of its potential as a genre, the government persecuted hip-hop artists who dared to express themselves.
The duo also explained that their families did not want them pursuing the path they took because they knew of the consequences involved in pursuing hip-hop.
“We wanted to use music to express ourselves and spread the message and that is something we remain committed to,” MicSon explained.
They have only been here for 25 days but have already featured on the local hip-hop scene through their participation in various competitions such as End of the Weak, an international hip-hop movement that gives artists a platform to showcase their talent, and Back to the City.
MicSon said that future plans included continuing to spread the message and working on becoming an international act, something the group had been relentlessly pursuing.
The two also mention that although they would love to return to Syria, they cannot because of the conflict.
“We are glad we got out, we believe that God saved our music by getting us out of Syria,” Shootaz said.
The name Sham-MC’s pays homage to the city of Damascus. They group was originally formed by six members in 2009 but was forced to split because most of its members left Syria.
