Cambodian Rap’s Beaten-Down Social Conscience

“The notion of confrontational, hard-hitting rap is embedded in the Western, liberal mindset, said ethnomusicologist Jeff Dyer. “It comes out of this framing of liberalism that says, ‘You are your voice, and you only are a person if you can speak truth to power.’”

Cambodia-based singers like rapper DJ Khla embraced this ethos, aligning themselves with the political opposition, and were ultimately forced into exile and obscurity after facing death threats and arrest. Speaking directly against government policies is not a realistic or fair expectation for artists, Dyer argued.

“Do you support somebody who maybe you want to support and get yourself in trouble?” Dyer said. “Or do you let him get run over by the bus and jump out of the way? That’s an impossible ethical question to answer. [Cambodians] have to live with that daily.””

Writing for Voice of Democracy, Jack Brook paints a complex portrait of what is the Cambodian rap scene, a genre dominated by feel-good lyricism tinted with nationalist sentiment, but with murmurs from below of political discontent. Discussing the history and present of this circle, Brook illustrates both the pertinent legacy of Black hip-hop from the U.S that has informed the growth of the genre globally, as well as the precarious tight-rope Cambodian musicians must walk to make social commentary through art when censorship and political persecution loom large as consequences for crossing the government’s red lines.