Yas

Biography

Yaser Bakhtiari (Persian: یاسر بختیاری, born 1982) better known by his stage name Yas (یاس), is an Iranian rapper. He wears a Faravahar pendant, a symbol of Iranian nationalism and Zoroastrianism.
On 21 December 2011 Yas was chosen by the voters as the Artist of the Week in MTV IGGY Entitled Tehran’s Hard-Hitting MC.
Yas is one of the founders of Persian rap, and in 2013 he became the first Iranian rapper to be allowed by the Islamic Republic to legally perform in Iran.

Early life

Yas developed an interest in hip hop music during his teenage years. According to biographical accounts, he was introduced to rap music at the age of 14 after his father returned from a business trip to Germany with recordings including a Tupac album and other hip-hop music.
Following the death of his father, Yas took on greater family responsibilities and left his plans for higher education in order to work and contribute financially to his household. During this period, he began writing poetry, which later developed into songwriting and rap lyrics, marking the beginning of his career in music.

Music career

Yas started his work after the 2003 Bam earthquake. Devastated by the disaster, it was then, that he wrote his first song "Bam". This was the beginning of his rapping career. Yas in 2006 made a song called CD Ro Beshkan (Break The Disk) which was written about actress Zahra Amir Ebrahimi in Iran who was the victim of a Sex scandal tape. The scandal ultimately ended her career. In the song, Yas criticizes the people for playing a role in her demise and asked everyone to stop spreading her shame and to get rid of the footage from their computers and cellphones. The song was listened to and downloaded by millions in Iran alone.
Yas in June 2008 made a song called Hoviate Man [my identity] describing his pride in his Iranian heritage and mention of the controversial 300 film. Yas in 2008 made and wrote a song named "Darkam Kon" (Understand me). Yas's music was a protest against the government and for poverty and people who can't find jobs.

In May 2011 Yas made a song called "Az Chi Begam" (What Can I Say) which is a protest song for those schoolchildren who suffered from a fire in addition to injustice and misery, like their fellow countrymen. Yas criticizes the negligence of the Islamic Republic of Iran in providing substandard facilities, in this case, a very old oil burning heater, which caused eight 7-year-old schoolchildren burned in Doroudzan village’s school disaster.
In 2013 he became the first rapper authorized to perform by the Iranian government. In 2014 Yas decided to cooperate with Tech N9ne. The pair are the first rappers from Iran and the United States to work together musically. Their single was titled "The Sound of Unity" which was released along with a Music video.

Manner

Yas, who raps in Persian, states he was heavily influenced as a young man by Tupac Shakur albums brought back to Iran by his father, as well as the Classical Persian poetry especially Rumi. He is one of the few Persian rappers who do not use any swear words in their song
Yas theme songs are the social problems. Yas’ accomplishments paved the way for new rappers to perform in Iran.

Media appearances

Yas signed a contract with an American music publishing company Modiba. IEvergreen Publishing is also the home of the late Tupac Shakur catalog who has granted permission for a mashup song between Yas and Tupac.

Bad shodam (I become bad)

The song “Bad Shodam” (meaning “|
Became Bad” in English) is about the influence of the environment on human actions like domino effect, highlighting how an unhealthy environment by society and culture can transform even good people into bad ones.
Yas describes his transformation from someone who used to help everyone into a cold person without moral principles. He also emphasizes, through the story of his girlfriend’s betrayal, that her pride and showing off her fame were the result of her betrayal.
Still, Yas doesn’t try to excuse what he’s become. He owns it honestly, without pretending he’s right.
The song “Bad Shodam” became one of the most popular Persian rap tracks. Its storytelling, emotional delivery, and message were highly praised, and many people could relate to the song

Beem (fear)

"Beem" is Yas's first political single. "Beem" has been referred to as Yas's best work and one of the best Persian rap songs. The structure and framework of the song closely resemble that of the song "Sarkoob" (another Yas's song).It consists of 5 verses and 3 different beats, with a duration of approximately 12 minutes.
For the first time in persian rap, Yas blended classical Persian poetry with modern music. Lyrically, the song marked a significant leap compared to his previous works. The use of literary devices such as metaphor, simile, and wordplay increased, and the range of both modern and classical vocabulary expanded, resulting in a more complex and richer poetic composition.
The song's themes are mostly political, protesting Government of Iran and the censorship and propaganda surrounding Persian rap. However, it also includes social elements such as forced migration, public ignorance, and normalization the protests. Yas criticized the undue attention given to the opinions and statements of certain figures and media outlets, condemning public gullibility and the failure to grasp the truth. He also strongly criticized the political views of the "Meltefat" group. Additionally, the song references events such as Ukraine International Airlines Flight 752,
2021 Iranian presidential election, and 2019–2020 Iranian protests.
The song was widely acclaimed by listeners and critics, topping various polls as the best "Persian rap song." Released before Mahsa Amini protests, some saw its lyrics as prophetic due to their relevance. Pouya Poutk, who had previously criticized Yas for being "conservative" and "cowardly," praised his courage for releasing a "political song in Iran." However, the track also faced criticism. Amir Tataloo criticized the mix-mastering, Yas's delivery, and the song's resemblance to his own works. Sepehr Khalseh also criticized the complexity and loss of meaning in the rhymes, giving it a 7 out of 10.