Rapper-activist Sofia Ashraf sings to Sasikala ‘We did not vote for you'

 

With even dissent growing inside AIADMK, Saiskala’s way to the post of the chief minister doesn’t look smooth. Many people in Tamil Nadu also has expressed their anger against Sasikala taking the seat. Sofia Ashraf, a known activist, rapper has expressed her anger against an un-elected person sitting in the seat of the chief minister.

 

Her Facebook live made in front of the Jayalalithaa’s Poes Garden House has Suren Vikash U as the guitarist and the lead singer accompanied by three other ladies. The rap song is that ‘We did not vote for you’. The song with an angry tone terms political leaders and parties as looters, traitors, cheats and clowns.

 

Watch Sofia’s Facebook Live

 

In fact, Sasikala has never contested any election and now rumours are strong that incumbent Panneerselvam will be asked to step down, and Sasikala will sit on the CM’s chair. Thus literally making a person who was never directly involved in politics nor was elected by people become the chief minister.

 

The song goes on to say that “The ministers who have been elected without elections are not welcome.” The rap song ends with the line “we will put an end to this.”

 

The strong lyrics of the song sung in Tamil has won many hearts, and people have come in support of the idea as her post is filled with thousands of comments and nearly thousand shares.

 

Sofia came to limelight with her rap “Kodaikanal Won’t Step Down” against Uniliver. She said that the company just closed the Kodaikanal Thermometer Unit 14 years ago but failed to clean up the toxic mercury waste.

 

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The rap song had a great impact as Unilever responded to the concerns. They enquired the health of the ex-employees and tweeted on their official handle: “Safety is our number one priority. Extensive studies found no harm to workers or environment in Kodaikanal.”

 

Her rap against Dow Chemicals inspired a group of people stage a protest during Olympics in 2012 in London.

 

She has also rapped in support of the Bhopal gas leak victims and against Kudankulam nuclear power plant. The rap portion of the song Jiya Re Jiya Re in the film Jab Tak Hai Jaan was sung by Sofia.

 

Sofia has been a vocal about anything that she feels is unfair, and not democratic. She has been a voice of the voiceless. Her first rap was a remixed version of Frozen. This was followed by a strong rap ‘Burqa Woman’. First she came to the spotlight through this song which was a remix of the Twinkle Twinkle Little Star, clad in Burqa.

 

Sofia, born in a conservative Muslim family, studied in Stella Maris as a student of graphic design. Then she moved to Mumbai, from where she created many campaigns (through her songs) against injustice.

 

A report in Business Standard says that Sofia gave up Islam at the age of 22 and continued with her music journey. In Mumbai, she was working with Ogilvy & Mather. Now back in Chennai, she is on to her cause of creating awareness against anything which is unjust.

 

This time, it is for her state, and against choosing a person who was not elected by people to the seat of the chief minister.