18:00 – 18:50 Finnish Institute presents: Rap message - from bragado to empowerment (in English) Terminal Records&Bar (Telliskivi 60/2)
Rap music was born as the voice of the underprivileged and the marginalised. Rappers regained their power by boasting about their wealth, success, skills or achievements. This helped establish their credibility, attract fans, engage peers in competition, and express self-confidence. Bragging also took on negative manifestations like toxic masculinity and sexism. Provocatory words which in other contexts sound racist could be used to reclaim or redefine ownership of one’s own identity. Conversely, mumble rap is often framed as having the opposite problem; most of its detractors accuse the genre of almost entirely lacking lyrical substance.
Does empowering require messages of superiority? Can we rap about being sad or exhausted, mentally strained, poor or lonely? Do we need verbal messages anymore? Is it all still the talk of streets and the key to unlocking Gen Z codes?
Talkers & rappers: Aleksi Lemola, founder of the Track Factory community Tiia Meriläinen aka Tiia Karoliina, member of rap crew BÄMÄ
The talk is followed by margiiela’s live
