Pakistan’s surprise hip-hop hub Karachi, where violent past has given way to underground rap culture
- Lyari is one of Pakistan’s most dangerous neighbourhoods. The area in Karachi has a history of violence and lawlessness
- Now the neighbourhood has a reputation for producing top soccer players, iron-chinned boxers, and most recently, socially conscious rappers
Haunted by gang violence and poverty for decades, Lyari was once considered one of Pakistan’s most dangerous areas, but those grim realities also inspired a generation of artists and spawned a burgeoning hip-hop scene.
With its proximity to the sea and history of smuggling, the largely ethnic Balochi neighbourhood in Karachi stands apart for its history of violence and lawlessness – even by Pakistan’s standards.
When Karachi served as a major transport hub during the Afghan jihad against the Soviets, Lyari was hit hard by the influx of weapons and drugs – and the surge in brutality such black-market businesses bring.
Heavily armed gangs and political hit squads exerted iron-fisted control over large swathes of Lyari, squashing economic growth while residents battled with the fallout, including rampant drug abuse and poverty.
“Lyari was a notorious place because of the gangs and the war. It was almost impossible for outsiders to even think about entering,” explains resident and rapper Mohammad Omar.