Finnish rappers in the spotlight
The annual Emma gala takes place on Friday, rewarding the most successful Finnish music of the past year. English-language hip-hop from artists with immigrant backgrounds is this year's hot tip.
A survey of industry figures by YleX and Rumba magazine found many saying that 2012 is likely to be a breakthrough year for a new generation of English-language Finnish rappers. The Congolese-Finn Gracias (real name Deogracias Masomi) is inspired by transatlantic sounds.
"My main influences are basically 90s New York rap,” he told YLE News.
“That's what I really like, the basis of it. The really sampled, really raw sound of New York. The really lyrical sound, that's mainly what I grew up on and that's what I get all my influences from."
The much-hyped rappers are often New Finns, that is, Finnish people with a background in another culture. Daco Junior was born in Angola, while Noah Kin has roots in Nigeria.
Gracias has lived in Finland for 20 years and speaks a variety of languages. He chose to make music in English at an early stage.
"It really came naturally, it was a really natural choice for me to start rapping in English. It was kind of an easy way for me to express my feelings and write it down."
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