Mohammad Abu Hajar is working on his latest lyrics and sound, blending traditional Middle eastern melodies with Western rap.
“People when they think about a musician from Syrian they think, ‘Ah he’s playing the oud (a string instrument) and dabke (a traditional dance) and this kind of thing,” Abu Hajar said.
But he quickly points out that his music is much more than the traditional sounds of his homeland.
Working at a local NGO by day, Abu Hajar performs with his group, Mazzaj Rap, in the clubs and squats of the underground music scene in Berlin by night
His music is often filled with politics and lyrics about the refugee experience in Germany.
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He would prefer not to be seen as a refugee but knows that’s a reality in Germany.
“When you are invited to perform 90 per cent of the venues will just see you as the refugee musician,” he said.
Leaving Syria in 2012, he fled to escape imprisonment for his outspoken political views against the Assad regime and, having spent time in prison already, he had no desire to go back.
He decided to go to Italy first as a student.
By the time he finished his Master’s degree in political economics in 2014, the situation in Syria had deteriorated even further.
“I thought it’s like two years and Assad would be done and we would be able to go back and start building a new democratic Syria,” he said. “But after two years in Italy, nothing changed and actually the situation got worse.”
That’s when he knew he had to go elsewhere in Europe and make the tough choice to become a refugee.
“I didn’t choose to be a refugee I was not born as a refugee so I’m something else and I wish that people would just see that I’m a human being before being a refugee,” said Abu Hajar.
In Germany he says he’s never really felt at home. “Here I’m always this extraordinary thing might be cool sometimes for some people, oh cool refugee, might be dangerous for others but… I’m not gonna feel and I think even my children won’t feel part of here.”
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Abu Hajar doesn’t know when or if he will ever be able to return to Syria but hopes that day will come.
For now Abu Hajar spends his time creating unique music to express his views. As his music gains more popularity inside Germany he’s now finding his weekends taken up by traveling around the country performing his unique blend of traditional and rap music for a diverse audience.
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Abu Hajar incorporates those sentiments and ideas in his latest music, which he performs even in cities where demonstrations have been held against refugees and against the idea of integration.
“I am trying to tackle that idea, what is integration. what they’re talking about, it’s assimilation,” said Abu Hajar. “Integration is when me and you create something else that fits for both of us. But it doesn’t happen in Germany.”
As Abu Hajar continues to navigate the experience of being a refugee, unable to return home, he is grateful for the music.
“It’s the only moment when I feel pure and real ecstasy when I’m producing music, or when I’m working on music… It’s my passion,” said Abu Hajar.
Melanie de Klerk is an assignment editor at Global National. She reported from Germany as a 2016 Arthur F. Burns Journalism Fellow.
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