[song lyrics]   

One day I asked myself, “What is humanity”?   

My mind answered in a strong tone: peace, justice, freedom, love, equality.   

All human beings are the same, there is no racism.   

I asked, “Why then we suffer?”  

 Our pain is for years, our joy is for seconds.   

The hunger is devouring us, we drink from thirst.  

 We have no food or medicine.   

Our mouths are dry from not having water.   

My mind tearfully asked, “Who are you”?   

I introduced us with a document that said “Refugees.”  

[song lyrics]  

My name is Yassin, nicknamed Yash, or Kamikaze in rap. I am from Sudan, and I currently live in Jordan. 

I lived a simple and normal life in Darfur. A life based on agriculture. We were a very happy family. Because of the war and deteriorating security conditions, I had to move to Khartoum to continue my studies. After completing my studies, the situation became even more difficult. Everyone from the same region was struggling to find a job, which left us all feeling a great deal of anxiety. Therefore, I decided that the best remedy for the situation was to move to another country.  

I moved to Jordan and applied for asylum to find a way out of the situation I was living in. Upon arriving, I encountered a difficult reality as well, but somehow there was more freedom than in Sudan. 

I met Modhi, a friend of mine, nicknamed Equalizer. He helped me. I was determined to change our situation as refugees, which is why I wanted to become a rapper. He was already a rapper, and he helped me grow and develop my skills in music. Through his guidance, I was also able to offer significant support to others, both in Sudan and to fellow refugees here in Jordan  

Although we faced many challenges, we confronted them through our music. We also have many songs that have become popular among refugees.  

[song lyrics]   

The world has the good, the bad, and the ugly.   

The enemy and the friend. You find them two-faced.   

There are people like a chameleon, change colours every minute.  

In a minute they change a thousand colours.   

[song lyrics]  

I have been passionate about rap for a long time. Back in my university days, there were competitions where students performed in both English and Arabic. At that time, rap was not as popular in Sudan as it is today. But it was my thing, I had a deep passion for rap. So, when I came to Jordan, I found more space to grow, and I began to take my hobby to a more professional level.  

Rap for me is a message. Contrary to what some might think, rap does not promote violence – it can be a message of peace. We’ve produced many songs that have become popular among refugees, and we’ve performed at events hosted by JRS and at a cultural centre called Jadal. It was a safe space that allowed us to take things a step further: we volunteered at JRS to provide rap workshops for teenagers. It was a great opportunity to teach people how to rap as a tool for expression. A person can rap about anything — whether it’s bullying at school or the struggles of everyday life — it allows people to express themselves more freely than through traditional music.  

It is said that rap cannot be taught, but we try because no rules are unbreakable. I often hear people say, “What are your dreams?” and I’ve developed a philosophy around this question. To me, a dream represents a limit: so, when you have reached it, you have reached your limit. That’s why I don’t see the word “dream” as part of my vocabulary — it places boundaries on what’s possible. I want to be famous, for example, but I don’t want my dream to be my limit, I also want to be accessible, to help others amplify their voices, and to turn their messages into something we can all share.