Sofia Ashraf: Difference between revisions

In 1987, Sofia Ashraf was born and brought up in an orthodox Malayali Muslim household in [[Chennai]], [[Tamil Nadu]] in 1987. Sofia was part of a youth Muslim youth group in Chennai, and studied Islamic History and Philosophy ardently. She studied graphic design in [[Stella Maris College, Chennai]], where she used to zealously participate in extracurricular activitesactivities. She began rapping on stage during a college festival, where she donned a [[Hijab]] and rapped to her own lyrics in which she questioned the people's attitude towards Muslims after [[September 11 attacks]]. The press referred to her as "The Burqa Rapper" after the incident.<ref>{{citeCite webnews|title =bpb's BookMeet offirebrand Tattoos:rapper Sofia Ashraf, Copywriter,who O&M|url=http://brownpaperbag.in/mumbai/intel/tattoo-story|publisher=Brownis Paperall Bagset for her maiden performance in Mumbai|datework=19[[Daily FebruaryNews 2015& Analysis]]}}</ref> Despite this she now identifies as [[atheist]] and has several tattoos.<ref>{{Citecite web|title =bpb's MeetBook firebrandof rapperTattoos: Sofia Ashraf, whoCopywriter, is all set for her maiden performance in MumbaiO&M|url = http://www.iaminbrownpaperbag.in/enmumbai/nodeintel/71973tattoo-story|website publisher=Brown Paper www.iamin.inBag|accessdate date=19 February 2015-10-25}}</ref>

In 2008, she sang "Don't Work for Dow" while wearing a [[hijab]] to criticize [[Dow Chemical Company|Dow]] for its response to the [[Bhopal disaster]] in 1984.<ref name=nyt>{{cite news|author1=Mackey, Robert|title=Indian Rapper Calls Out Unilever to a Nicki Minaj Beat|url=httphttps://www.nytimes.com/2015/08/01/world/asia/indian-rapper-calls-out-unilever-to-a-nicki-minaj-beat.html?_r=0|accessdate=9 August 2015|work=The New York Times|date=31 July 2015}}</ref>

In July 2015, she released the single "Kodaikanal Won't" to protest the pollution of a river in [[Kodaikanal]].<ref name=Dot>{{cite news|last1=Larson|first1=Selena|title=Indian rapper protests corporation's toxic waste dump with "Anaconda" remix|url=http://www.dailydot.com/entertainment/anaconda-india-kodaikanal-sofia-ashraf-unilever/?tw=dd|accessdate=4 August 2015|work=Daily Dot|date=1 August 2015}}</ref> In the song she appeals to Unilever to help former workers in Kodaikanal, [[Kodaikanal mercury poisoning|whose river was contaminated]] 14 years before with mercury from a thermometer plant owned by Unilever. Ashraf released a [[YouTube]] video of the song to campaign against the [[mercury poisoning]]. Ashraf used the [[Nicki Minaj]] tune "[[Anaconda (Nicki Minaj song)|Anaconda]]" as the beat for "Kodaikanal Won't."<ref name=nyt/><ref name="business-standard1">{{cite web|url=http://justnowindia.com/thats-some-toxic-shitunilever-ceorapper-sofia-ashraf/ |title=Unilever poisoning Kodaikanal with Mercury |work=[[Business Standard]] |date=13 January 2013 |accessdate=14 July 2013}}</ref> In 2015, she collaborated with Chennai-based singer Maalavika Manoj and Sapta on the song Deen. The song was written by Ashraf to combat moral policing and insist the faith must be a choice, not an imposition.<ref>{{cite news | url=https://www.thehindu.com/features/metroplus/society/sapta-and-sofia-ashraf-create-a-tuneful-conversation/article7900042.ece | title=Sapta and Sofia Ashraf create a tuneful conversation | date=20 November 2015 | first=Hafsa | last=Fathima | newspaper=The Hindu | accessdate=20 August 2018 }}</ref>

Ashraf has recorded a song each in the Bollywood movie ''[[Jab Tak Hai Jaan]]'' and the Tamil movie [[Maryan (film)]], for music director [[A. R. Rahman]],<ref>{{cite news|last1=Ayub|first1=Jamal|title=Sofia Ashraf: Rapping for a cause|url=http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/bhopal/Sofia-Ashraf-Rapping-for-a-cause/articleshow/17457148.cms|work=The Times of India|date=3 December 2012}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title = ‘Burqa'Burqa rapper’rapper' Sofia Ashraf is face of viral Nicky Minaj parody video|url = http://indianexpress.com/article/india/india-others/burqa-rapper-sofia-ashraf-is-face-of-viral-nicky-minaj-parody-video/|website = The Indian Express|publisher = https://plus.google.com/+indianexpress|date = 2015-08-07|accessdate = 2015-10-25}}</ref> and also for Santhosh Kumar in his [[Tamil cinema|Tamil]] film ''[[Inimey Ippadithan]]''.<ref>{{cite news|last1=Srinivasan|first1=Karthik|title=Hitman|url=http://www.thehindu.com/features/cinema/for-all-music-lover/article7239085.ece|work=The Hindu|date=23 May 2015}}</ref>

[[Category:1980s1987 births]]

[[Category:PeopleIndian fromformer Tamil NaduMuslims]]

[[Category:YearWomen ofmusicians birthfrom missingTamil (living people)Nadu]]

[[Category:Indian rappers]]