In Tajik folk, there are rich and colorful oral literature, and unique folk songs are just one of them.
As early as in ancient times, the ancestors of the Tajiks had their own totem worship and nature worship, and gradually evolved their primitive religion.
Although the Tajik people have no specific written records of this period of history, as a form of folk literature, these primitive religions, which have been hard to find until now, still faithfully record an aspect of the history of the Tajik people.
In addition to folk songs, I think in Taxkorgan and even in China, there is a form of music that has not entered the mainstream media until this year, and is known to most people, and that is hip-hop music.
Hip-hop is “Hip-Hop”. Hip-Hop means “swinging ass” and originated from the African-American community.
There are also many excellent rappers in China, but most of them are still in the underground state.
Today, what I want to talk about is also an underground rapper. He is from the Tajik ethnic group and was born in Tashkurgan, a border town in the westernmost part of China. His name is Salmansha Mardansha (B. K).
The Pamir Plateau is indeed a place that exhausts your imagination,
You can’t imagine that there are green grass houses under the barren mountains,
You can’t imagine the brightly colored embroidered bedding in the low earth house,
You can’t imagine that there are large alpine pastures hidden deep in the exposed mountains,
Of course, you can’t imagine that there is a rapper who loves hip-hop since he was a child in this conservative and closed remote mountainous area.
In the fifth grade of elementary school, Salman heard the song “smack that” sung by Eminem and Akon from his sister. At first, he didn’t understand what the lyrics were singing, but was attracted by the strong rhythm.
Later, Eminem’s song “lose yourself” completely affected him. He searched the lyrics of this song, and he knew that this was Eminem singing about his own life. A person who needs to seize opportunities crazily, not give up on himself and keep trying and working hard person’s life.
For the first time, he felt the power of rap, a real positive force.
So he asked his sister to help him buy Eminem’s entire album, and he started to get in touch with rap music.
Gradually began to meet more rap musicians,
Lil Wayne、Tupac、50cent、Jay-z…
It was also from this time that Salman’s musical dream became clear—to rap in his own language.
Don’t ruin yourself from Zhan Kong Kong Wandering 00:0003:37
In junior high school, Salman started to write lyrics. Even though his lyrics were full of positive energy, the ignorant boy was as shy as all Tajik people. He didn’t dare to share his works, but tore them up page by page. It’s as if creation is just looking for an outlet to express what’s in your heart.
The first poem written by Salman is called “Thanks”. Although the mother version no longer exists, Salman still remembers that it was the parents who sang the first thank you.
Salman’s father is the most humorous Tajik I have ever seen. He supported his family through his career as a policeman, so his expectation for his children is that they can be stable and happy.
In the first semester of freshman year, on a rainy afternoon, Salman came to a coffee shop on the corner of a street in Urumqi, listening to the pattering rain, and “Don’t Destroy Yourself” was born.
This is Salman’s first Tajik rap.
He was very excited, and immediately returned to Ta County, and spent three days recording this song with the help of Ta County musicians.
When he shared this song, almost everyone except his friends did not understand this form of music.
For the Tajiks at that time, any music that could not make them dance was not good music.
Even if it is difficult for locals to accept, Salman has the support of many strangers. In his opinion. As long as a person gets strength from his music, all these things he does have meaning of existence.
After dropping out of university, Salman returned to his home in Ta County. He didn’t want to follow his father’s guidance and step into the life of a civil servant. He resolutely decided to change from now on.
However, after returning home, he couldn’t find the state he should have, and suffered from severe depression a year later. Fortunately, in the end, he saved himself with music.
He really wanted to leave his comfort zone and take a look at the outside world.
But it was obviously inappropriate to seek help from his family, so Salman sorted out the music he had made over the years, and prepared to hold an unprecedented youth party in Ta County.
Unexpectedly, this unprecedented big party attracted many people, and the tickets were quickly sold out.
On February 7, 2016, the youth party was held as scheduled. Facing the packed audience, Salman on the stage was still singing in his usual style.
However, the audience in the audience reacted extremely calmly, as if their bodies were restrained, and they did not have the enthusiasm for attending weddings at all.
Until the song “office” reflecting corruption, work and life was sung, the audience in the audience seemed to be turned on a certain switch, their bodies were mobilized, and they began to sway with the rhythm.
For Salman, the youth party was a success, which not only allowed him to see that his compatriots began to respect his music, but also gave him the capital to go out and see it.
“Why did you choose to go to Beijing?”
“Because of these two words.”
Almost all Tajiks will yearn for Beijing, and Salman is no exception. Apart from knowing these two characters, Salman knows nothing about Beijing.
But he still embarked on the journey alone. When the plane landed in Beijing, his first feeling was “finally home.”
However, this “family” is too big, all-encompassing, and the weak eat the strong. In order to survive “at home”, Salman quickly found work, working in a French restaurant. From waiter to front desk to supervisor, Salman only took three months.
After work, Salman would come to the live house in Gulou to listen to performances almost every night, and gradually met some like-minded musicians, writing lyrics and composing music. This was his happiest moment every day.
For Salman, using his work to support his hobbies is the most important thing.
In this way, he can maintain his original intention as always, and maintain the most primitive and pure love for music.
Now, due to various reasons, Salman left Beijing and returned to Ta County,
