Author and sociologist Nida Kirmani shared her two cents on privilege and rap on Twitter that did not sit well. She referred Faris Shafi as an ‘elite‘ rapper a genre used to voice the plight of the underprivileged.
Nida Kirmani wrote about how “class and ethnic privilege effects every field in Pakistan“.
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Class & ethnic privilege effect every field in Pakistan, but one of its most profound effects is on the arts. From music to literature to tv/film, most of those who make it big are members of the Punjabi elite. Coke studios throws in some Sindhis & Baloch as tokens but that’s it.
— Nida Kirmani (@NidaKirmani) January 31, 2022
She continued her thoughts in the thread and said that Faris’ rap “may be entertaining but only reinforces this”. According to Nida Kirmani, rap is an art form of the marginalised,
“adopted and transformed by folks from the inner city”.
Class & ethnic privilege effect every field in Pakistan, but one of its most profound effects is on the arts. From music to literature to tv/film, most of those who make it big are members of the Punjabi elite. Coke studios throws in some Sindhis & Baloch as tokens but that’s it.
— Nida Kirmani (@NidaKirmani) January 31, 2022
Kirmani’s comments prompted singer Meesha Shafi to jump in and defend her brother, Faris. She called Kirmani’s take “flat and problematic”, taking offense to the allegation of being elite.
“Faris and I were raised by an extremely hard working, very financially stressed single mother. We do not come from money.”
Faris Shafi’s rap may be entertaining but only reinforces this. Rap is an art form of the marginalised, adopted & transformed by folks from the inner city. This is why the rappers like Eva B coming from Lyari are part of a wider tradition. The elite should leave at least this.
— Nida Kirmani (@NidaKirmani) January 31, 2022
The singer also wondered if Nida Kirmani was suggesting that the Shafi siblings should “should step aside from our merits and talent and go do something else?”
.. Managing to give us a private education, we should step aside from our merits and talent and go do something else? Besides.. he is a self made star, has done commercial work in music after over 10 years of making no money just so he doesn’t have to censor himself.
— MEESHA SHAFI (@itsmeeshashafi) January 31, 2022
In a separate tweet, Meesha Shafi also took a jibe at Nida Kirmani, who teaches at LUMS. “The elite should only be allowed to teach at universities and educate other elites. How dare they appear on Coke Studio.” When a user also shared that they did not even know Meesha and Faris were related, the Boom Boom singer assured, “Lots and lots of people don’t know this because we were taught to rely on merit instead of ‘connections’ to open doors. There is no nepotism here.”
Lots and lots of people don’t know this because we were taught to rely on merit instead of ‘connections’ to open doors.
Nepotism ka koi scene nahin hai. https://t.co/YQDPLltCC0
— MEESHA SHAFI (@itsmeeshashafi) January 31, 2022
the elite should only be allowed to teach at universities and educate other elites. How dare they appear on Coke Studio.
— MEESHA SHAFI (@itsmeeshashafi) January 31, 2022
What do you think guys? Talent or Nepotism? Let us know in the comment section
