Shaheen Ariefdien

Born in Cape Town, son of jazz musician Issy Ariefdien, he grew up in Elsie's River, on the Cape Flats, but spent most of his earlier years travelling various parts of South Africa with his father - a performing musician.

The Sugarhill Gang's: Rappers Delight had a big influence on him, and he ranks today as one of the most talented rappers or MC's in South Africa. He gained recognition at "The BASE" (legendary club which featured Saturday afternoon hip-hop jams), with his supremacy in freestyle battles. He is credited with having set the standards with rap styles, skills and lyrical content in Cape Town. [http://www.discogs.com/artist/Shaheen+Ariefdien?anv=Shaheen] He has always been politically and socially conscious, which stems from his school days when he was a member of the Student's Representative Council and was actively involved in protests at school. He brought an air of political awareness and criticism to his lyrics, and has been understandably harsh on the old Apartheid government.As an MC, he is almost unsurpassed in South Africa, while his production skills are dominant on all of POC's releases to date. He has also made his mark on hip-hop history in South Africa, as he was one of the key members who were responsible for setting up the African Hip Hop Movement, and still concentrates on development in the hip-hop community. [http://www.discogs.com/artist/Shaheen+Ariefdien?anv=Shaheen]

Former member of the pioneering South African hip-hop group Prophets of da city, he is now involved in a number of youth educational projects using hip-hop as a tool for social justice and has facilitated several youth programs in South Africa and abroad.He is currently completing his M.A. in social anthropology at York University in Toronto, Canada, with his research area focusing on hip-hop and education. [Ariefdien, Shaheen and Nazli Abrahams. “Cape Flats Academy: Hip-Hop Arts in South Africa.” In Total Chaos: The Art and Aesthetics of Hip-Hop, ed. Jeff Chang, 262-70. New York: BasicCivitas / Perseus Books, 2006.]

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