In the poor suburbs of Casablanca , Morocco 's largest city , home-grown hip-hop artists blare from radios , clubs and street corners around the clock . Unlike the majority of their commercial American counterparts , these rappers do n't talk much about women , partying and luxury lifestyles ; but poverty , illiteracy , crime , and the high cost of living . According to a recent report from the World Bank , nearly half of young Moroccans are either unemployed or out of school . For 28-year-old rapper Mohammed Hoummas , who goes by the stage name Si Simo , the situation reflects a growing inequality between Morocco 's rich and poor . Indeed , his most popular song , `` Kilimini '' speaks directly of the wealth gap in Moroccan society . `` They have croissant for breakfast while we eat bread dipped in cheap oil . They dine on grilled meat while we fight over an ounce of meat like worms , '' he sings . `` Why did I write 'Kilimini ? ' Look around where I live and you 'll understand why I wrote it . To say it simply : Here in Morocco the people who have power , they can do what they want , say what they want , and no one will judge them or say anything to them , '' he said . As a child Si Simo listened to Bob Marley and was inspired to write his own music . He says he could n't afford to buy a guitar so his words became his instrument , and he started rapping at 15 . `` I expressed my feelings about things I lived through , the things that hurt me , the life experiences that marked me , '' he said . Internet penetration in Morocco has increased from just 15 % of the population in 2007 , to 49 % in 2011 , according to Internet World Statistics . As such , the country 's rap and hip-hop scene has exploded in popularity in urban centers -- where internet access is highest -- as home-grown artists take advantage of the ability to share and distribute their productions more widely . National festivals such as Casablanca 's Casa Music Festival and capital city Rabat 's Mawazine increasingly showcase the talents of both domestic and international musicians , including the likes of Busta Rhymes and Kanye West . Now a stalwart on the scene , Si Simo gained fame with the rap group Fez City Clan , making enough money from concerts and touring to move out of his run-down neighbourhood in Casablanca . He still returns regularly , and is regarded as a local success story and inspiration . `` I listen to rap and fusion music , but mostly rap , and especially Si Simo because he 's from this neighborhood , '' said a local man . `` I 'm 19 and I 'm a rapper . I think hip-hop is a way to express ourselves . I think it can change a lot of things , '' said another . But that change can come at a price . In February of last year , as the Arab Spring swept across the region , pro-reform protests erupted across Morocco . The government reacted swiftly . Morocco 's king , Mohammed VI , announced several reforms , including new parliamentary elections , civic and social equality for women , and recognition of the indigenous Berber language as an official state language along with Arabic . But for many , especially among Morocco 's disenchanted young , it was n't enough . Rapper Mouad Belghouat , better known as `` Al Haqed '' ( `` The Enraged One '' ) , became a figurehead for the pro-reform February 20 Movement when he was arrested in March 2011 for his song `` Kilab Al Dawla '' or `` Dogs of the State , '' in which he criticizes the police for brutality and corruption . `` You are paid to protect the citizens , not to steal their money , '' read the lyrics . `` Did your commander order you to take money from the poor ? '' The song asks the police to arrest the wealthy businessmen who , he says , have divided the country up for themselves . A Casablanca court sentenced Belghouat to one year in prison for hurting the image of the police . The conviction drew widespread criticism from Belghouat 's supporters on both his website and on social media outlets , as well as condemnation from Human Rights Watch , among others . For Ali Chabani , a Moroccan sociology professor , the discontentment expressed in the lyrics of Morocco 's growing band of hip hop artists is an inevitable product of the country 's lack of social unity : . `` The youth started suffering from unemployment , they started feeling marginalized and found it difficult to afford a dignified life or to establish themselves in society and so began to feel excluded , '' he said . Follow the Inside the Middle East team on Twitter : Presenter Rima Maktabi : @ rimamaktabi , producer Jon Jensen : @ jonjensen , producer Schams Elwazer : @ SchamsCNN , writer George Webster : @ George_Web and digital producer Mairi Mackay : @ mairicnn .
Myanmar 's hip - hop scene is focused on the country 's social inequalities . Groups such as Si ##mba protest against perceived corruption of society and state . Music has become more popular as internet access increased across country .