Xatar

Biographie

Rapper Giwar Hajabi who is better known by his stage name Xatar is of Kurdish origin and was born in the village of Kuh-e Qala in Iran. He came to Germany as a refugee and was raised in Bonn and as a young teenager became involved in the city's gang culture. During this period he became aware of hip-hop through listening to artists such as Dr. Dre and began rapping with two friends Samy and Ssio who later went on to become stable mates with Hajabi on the same record label. He was given a break when he landed the role of a gangster rapper in the German reality show 'Der Bluff' but the show received very negative reviews and was withdrawn.

Hajabi released his first solo album titled 'Alles Oder Nix' in 2008 but it was later banned by Germany's Federal Department for Media Harmful to Young Persons. Hajabi's material contains frequent references to drugs and armed violence and in 2009 he brought it all to life when he and seven accomplices attacked a security vehicle transporting gold on the autobahn. He fled to Iran with Samy but was later arrested by Interpol. Hajabi was sentenced to eight years imprisonment but was released in 2014 and has since continued to release material glamorising crime and violence.

Artist biography compiled by BDS/West 10. All rights reserved