Simyager is a 24-year-old young Kurdish rap artist. Simyager, who lives in Diyarbakır and also teaches, discovered his connection with music when he was a child. The young artist, who started rapping in Turkish in his early years, turned to Kurdish rap in time, where he could express his own identity and language more strongly.

Today, Simyager, who stands out among the young generation of Kurdish rap artists, sees his music not only as a form of expression, but also as a cultural memory and language of resistance.

The connection between rap and dengbej

One of Simyager’s most striking comments on Kurdish music is about the similarity between rap music and the dengbej tradition:

“When you beat the rhythm of Şakiro’s kilams, you feel like you are listening to today’s rap. It gives such a color, such a feeling. Dengbej are also rappers, today’s rappers are also dengbej.”

With these words, Simyager brings together the Kurdish people’s ancient oral tradition of dengbej with modern street art rap. According to him, both narrative forms are born from the streets, speak the language of the people and tell stories with melodies.

Identity, language and the voice coming from the street

Simyager’s music deals with the themes of identity search, street experience, belonging and struggle. Emphasizing that rap is not just a musical genre; it is the rhythmic state of emotion, anger and the desire for narrative, Simyager believes that being authentic is the most fundamental element of music.

One microphone, two traditions

Simyager is a new voice that brings together tradition and modernity, past and present, dengbej and rap. He does not only make music; he also redefines the power of words for Kurdish youth.