Shahin Najafi is a popular Iranian rapper and song writer known for his provoking lyrics that question the social and political norms of the country. As one of the vanguards of the Iranian hip hop scene, Najafi’s songs deal with issues such as poverty, sexism, censorship, child labor, execution, and drug addiction. His songs often consist of strong poetic, literary, and philosophical elements that highlight the various dichotomies between the traditional aspects of the Iranian society and the modern values practiced by the new generation.
The 33-year-old artist’s new album, 1414, consists of four powerful songs that evoke unsettling emotions such as fear, confusion, loss, and longing. The new album is a telling melancholic self-portrait of the artist, but it also expresses the emotional state of many youth in post-revultionary Iran.
Confidential, a track from the album, deals with the state of paranoia experienced in the society due to government censorship and other imposed restrictions. Let’s listen!
What if there is a window behind my cross?
What if there is a mic in my pocket?
What if this SMS gets registered somewhere?
What if my cries over the phone get recorded?
What if they witness our quarrel in the car?
What if they watch you in the shower?
What if he enunciates your name with his mouth?
What if the television broadcasts my secret?
What if he knows something that I know!?
What if the day after tomorrow, I become Keyhan’s top headline?
What if doubt slips into my faithful heart?
What if I give up your name under beatings?
What if they publish my forged letter?
What if all the badness weakens my heart?
I’m bitter and the nightmare of my existence is dissolved in poison
Except you, I’m scared of all people
Everyone, intentionally or unintentionally, is a spy!
Their hands are the noose and they kiss you
I wish at the end of this chilling time, there would be a spring
I wish there was a escape route in your embrace
I wish I could conceal [my] joy from everyone
I wish your love could be tied to freedom
I wish this bad story does not end badly
I wish we sleep again, but for eternity
What if doubt slips into my faithful heart?
What if I give up your name under beatings?
What if they publish my forged letter?
What if all the badness weakens my heart?