Assasi

Assasi is a Syrian rapper and Hakawati storyteller from Aleppo, and the creator of Hip-Hop Sharqi, a style that blends contemporary rap with Middle Eastern instruments, maqamat, and the spirit of Syrian storytelling. In every performance, he wears his signature red tarboush and drapes a scarf over his left shoulder, drawing inspiration from the character of the Hakawati to transform his shows into journeys through love and betrayal, loss and joy, memory and reality. Assasi began his career in Aleppo in 2003, turning to hip-hop as a way to express himself and speak to the concerns of his community. After losing his friend and fellow co-creator of the Bilad El-Sham movement, the artist Big K, he transformed his grief into the driving force behind his acclaimed project, “Clinic of Bilad El-Sham.” The seven-track release fused classic Oriental samples with Arabic rap and social commentary, and featured Rai singer Cheb Wahid. Since leaving Syria in 2012, Assasi has lived in Beirut, India, Nepal, Malaysia, and the United States, with hip-hop remaining his constant companion throughout exile. Assasi has even had his song “The Blue Giant” featured on the major television series NCIS-LA. Now based in NYC, he continues to build bridges between his Syrian roots and the cultures he has encountered around the world through his music and upcoming project, “Third World Wide.” He believes that storytelling and hip-hop can create solidarity while keeping home alive through voice and memory.