Change Stereotypes about the Roma
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A group of Roma children, returned to Serbia from the countries of the EU, with the help of urban culture, decided to change the prevailing stereotypes about the Roma as thieves, street-sweepers and loiterers.
They have spent the better part of their childhood in Western countries, where they got immersed into the urban hip-hop culture. Deported from the host countries and back in Serbia, they chose not to give in the fate, but to take the matters in their own hands. Following the examples of their role-models, such as rappers 50 Cent, Eminem or Snoop Dog, they established two hip-hop groups. "We want to be hip-hoppers and rappers. These are the styles of the street. We write music and break-dance”, says Muharem Fazlijevic from the Flying Crew. They got a place to practice and hang out with the friends from the Break Bangers Crew (the other hip-hop group) on the 7th floor or BIGZ’s office building (formerly, the building housed the printing presses and was since squatted by various alternative culture groups). With the help of Uros Petkovic from Shazalakazoo and Dragan Milovanovic, professor of music and jazz musician, and the support by R-Point (UK non-governmental organization), they create music, write songs and practice their choreography. Ramiz Ajrulovic from the Break Bangers Crew says that they work on this for three or four years. “Now that we got to know these guys from R-Point, we work with them. They help us arrange gigs and concerts”, says Ajrulovic. "Three or four of us write music, three or four dance, and another three write the music. That is basically how the day goes, we come here, they organize everything and then we get to work”, adds Ajrulovic. The two crews had their first public appearance at the start of December, at the Roma Festival in Subotica. That is just the beginning, for they have piles of plans. First of all, they want to break the existing taboos. "There is a lot that we want to achieve, but primarily, we want to prove that the Roma can make it in life, that we are not bad people”, says Ajrulovic. "We work in several languages, since we all grew up in Germany, in Europe, and then we returned. We are Roma and we want to show to the world that we are not just trumpeters, drummers, but can do what the others are doing”, says Fazlijevic. They write and rap in ten languages. They hope that this fact will help the society understand that they are not second-class citizens and achieve full integration into the society. |
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