The tattoos covering Iranian rapper Tataloo’s look basal retired against the grey situation azygous the 37-year-old present wears arsenic helium awaits execution, his ain emergence and autumn tracing the chaos of the past decennary of Iranian politics.
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Tataloo, whose afloat sanction is Amir Hossein Maghsoudloo, faces a decease condemnation aft being convicted connected charges of “insulting Islamic sanctities”. It's a acold outcry from erstwhile helium erstwhile supported a hardline Iranian statesmanlike candidate.
Tataloo's euphony became fashionable among the Islamic Republic's youth, arsenic it challenged Iran's theocracy astatine a clip erstwhile absorption to the country's authorities was splintered and mostly leaderless.
The rapper's lyrics became progressively governmental aft the 2022 decease of Mahsa Amini and the consequent question of nationwide protests. He besides appeared successful euphony videos which criticised the authorities.
“When you amusement your look successful a euphony video, you are saying, ‘Hey, I'm here, and I don't attraction astir your restrictions,’” said Ali Hamedani, a erstwhile BBC writer who interviewed the rapper successful 2005. “That was brave.”
The Iranian Supreme Court past period upheld his decease sentence.
“This ruling has present been confirmed and is acceptable for execution,” judiciary spokesperson Asghar Jahangir told reporters astatine a property league past month.
Activists person decried his looming execution and expressed interest for his information aft helium reportedly tried to termination himself successful prison.
From a euphony video connected a warship to exile
Tataloo began his euphony vocation successful 2003 arsenic portion of an underground genre of Iranian euphony that combines Western styles of rap, rhythm-and-blues and stone with Farsi lyrics. His archetypal album, released successful 2011, polarised audiences, though helium ne'er played publically successful Iran, wherever its Ministry of Culture and Islamic Guidance controls each concerts.
Tataloo appeared successful a 2015 euphony video backing Iran's paramilitary Revolutionary Guard and Tehran's atomic programme, which agelong has been targeted by the West implicit fears it could let the Islamic Republic to make an atomic bomb. While helium ne'er discussed the information down this, it appeared that the rapper had hoped to triumph favour with the theocracy oregon possibly person a question prohibition against him lifted.
In the video for “Energy Hasteei”, oregon “Nuclear Energy”, Tataloo sings a powerfulness ballad successful beforehand of rifle-wielding guardsmen and aboriginal aboard the Iranian frigate Damavand successful the Caspian Sea. The vessel aboriginal sank during a tempest successful 2018.
“This is our implicit right: To person an equipped Persian Gulf,” Tataloo sang.
Tataloo adjacent issued an endorsement for hardliner Ebrahim Raisi successful 2017. That year, the 2 sat for a televised quality arsenic portion of Raisi's failed statesmanlike run against the comparative mean Hassan Rouhani. Raisi aboriginal won the presidency successful 2021, but was killed successful a chopper clang successful 2024.
Fame successful Turkey, situation backmost successful Iran
In 2018, Tataloo — who faced ineligible problems successful Iran — was allowed to permission the state for Turkey, wherever galore Persian singers and performers signifier lucrative concerts.
Tataloo hosted unrecorded video sessions arsenic helium roseate to fame connected societal media, wherever helium became well-known for his tattoos covering his look and body. Among them are an Iranian emblem and an representation of his parent adjacent to a cardinal and heart.
Instagram deactivated his relationship successful 2020 aft helium called for underage girls to articulation his “team” for sex. He besides acknowledged taking drugs.
“Despite being a arguable rapper, Tataloo has rather the instrumentality basal successful Iran, known arsenic Tatalities,” said Holly Dagres, a elder chap astatine the Washington Institute for Near-East Policy.
“Over the years, they've flooded societal media with messages of solidarity for him and adjacent campaigned for the rapper's merchandise successful the past erstwhile helium was detained connected abstracted charges.”
Tataloo's rebellious euphony struck a chord with disenfranchised young radical successful Iran arsenic they struggled to find work, get joined and commencement their big lives. He besides progressively challenged Iran's theocracy successful his lyrics, peculiarly aft the decease of Amini pursuing her apprehension implicit allegedly not wearing the hijab to the liking of authorities.
His collaboration ‘Enghelab Solh’ — ‘Peace Revolution’ successful Farsi — called retired Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei by name.
“We don't privation teardrop gas, due to the fact that determination are tears successful everyone's eyes,” helium rapped.
But the euphony stopped for Tataloo successful precocious 2023. He was deported from Turkey aft his passport had expired, and was instantly taken into custody upon accomplishment to Iran.
Death condemnation draws protests
Tehran's Criminal Court initially handed Tataloo a five-year condemnation for blasphemy. Iran's Supreme Court threw retired the determination and sent his lawsuit to different court, which sentenced him to decease successful January. The rapper already faced 10 years successful situation for a drawstring of abstracted convictions, including promoting prostitution and motivation corruption.
“Tataloo is astatine superior hazard of execution,” Mahmood Amiry-Moghaddam, the manager of advocacy radical Iran Human Rights, said successful a statement. “The planetary community, artists and the nationalist indispensable enactment to halt his execution.”
Tataloo earlier expressed remorse astatine a trial.
“I person surely made mistakes, and galore of my actions were wrong,” helium said, according to the state-owned Jam-e Jam regular newspaper. “I apologise for the mistakes I made.”
Tataloo joined portion connected decease row, his uncle said. Last month, Tataloo reportedly attempted to termination himself, but survived.
His decease condemnation comes astatine a politically fraught infinitesimal for Iran arsenic the state is astatine its “most isolated”, said Abbas Milani, an Iran adept astatine Stanford University.
The Islamic Republic is “desperately trying to spot whether it tin get astatine a woody with the US connected its atomic programme and person the sanctions lifted,” helium said. Drawing the ire of Tataloo's fans is “one headache they don't need,” helium added.
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