Yassin Alsalman, also known by his stage name ‘Narcy,’ is an Iraqi-Canadian rapper, writer, and professor at Montreal’s Concordia University. As a rapper, Alsalman’s work often explores issues of identity, diaspora, and social justice, drawing on his experiences as a second-generation Iraqi immigrant. He has released several albums and collaborated with artists across the hip-hop spectrum from Shadia Manour to Talib Kweli. In addition to his music career, Alsalman is also a professor, where over the past several years, he’s been teaching hip-hop, whilst building progressive curricula, such as his course centred around legendary rapper Kendrick Lamar.
In this sit-down, Alsalman talks about the progress of the rap scene in the region, but also the exciting new talent coming out of Iraq, specifically. He also mentions that his next phase of hip-hop-related work will be to spotlight these artists and help give them the platform their art deserves.
Watch the full interview here:
