In just 58 seconds, the rapper makes it clear what he thinks of the two – a snippet that hits home.
The Berlin rapper Apsilon, known for his profound and mostly political lyrics, surprised everyone on Monday, May 18th with a listen that was quite something. He expresses his dissatisfaction with the political situation on hard beats. In 58 seconds he draws clear boundaries with Vice Chancellor Lars Klingbeil and Prime Minister Cem Özdemir. The song is called “None of You.
Please tell Vice Chancellor, why are you following me on Insta? Better keep your distance / I don’t want to have anything to do / They’re driving the country to the wall here
Vote for those without a platform
Apsilon doesn’t mince words and speaks openly about topics such as racism and the feeling of being a foreigner in one’s own country. As a Berliner of Turkish origin, he tells his story – that of his parents, grandparents, friends and the people who don’t have a platform for it. Arda, as his real name is, puts the facts on the table, even if they are often anything but easy to digest.
In the snippet he criticizes the Vice Chancellor, who follows him on Instagram. The background could be: Klingbeil sees the contributions, probably knows his songs and yet, in Apsilon’s eyes, is not committed to any improvements in the country. Apsilon would therefore like him to “keep a little distance”. As the second highest official in Germany, Klingbeil definitely has an influence on political events.
That’s not all: there is also something to be said about the Prime Minister. The following line reads:
We don’t hang with Cem Özdemir…Brother let it go
This could be an allusion to the fact that Cem Özdemir was often portrayed as a mouthpiece for the different cultures in Germany – since he himself is Turkish and the son of a guest worker who came to Germany in 1963. Nevertheless, he is perceived by many, possibly including Apsilon, as too conservative.
A discography that touches and broadens your horizons
In addition to this snippet, Apsilon’s discography to date deserves special attention – it is not only moving for people with a migration background, but also horizon-broadening and always emotional for everyone. His last release “Sommermärchen” tells the story of Gamze Kubaşık. In 3:29 minutes, the rapper describes the fateful story of a woman who lost her father Mehmet Kubaşık far too early on April 4, 2006 in a so-called “Kebab Murder”.
Apsilon addresses the issues that politicians close their eyes to – and in doing so opens them up to an entire generation so that they don’t make the same mistakes.
Almost twenty years ago to the day / She came home and her father wasn’t there / Because a Nazi with a gun unfortunately took her Baba away / That was back then, April 4th, 2006
