Vivo per Questo – Power to the Words – Canada Tour

In recognition of Black History Month, Green College and French, Hispanic and Italian Studies are pleased to host a live concert by Afro-Italian hip-hop artist and activist Amir Issaa. The concert will include a Q&A with the artist, and it will be followed by a reception where attendees will have a chance to chat informally with our guest. 

This event has been organized in partnership with the Department of French, Hispanic and Italian Studies and the Istituto Italiano di Cultura Toronto.

Amir Issaa was born in Rome in 1978 from an Italian mother and an Egyptian father. His passion for hip-hop culture dates back to the 1990s, and has become a medium to ease the emotional distress caused by his difficult childhood, and to help other kids improve their own situation. Together with his activity as a rapper, Amir has collaborated with several not-for-profit associations throughout his career. Amir has recorded seven albums and several EPs. In 2011, together with the Italian band The Caesars, Amir worked on the soundtrack for Francesco Bruni’s movie Scialla!. Amir is the founder and artistic director of Potere alle parole (Power To The Words - beats and rhymes against discriminations), a writing laboratory with the purpose of unpacking stereotypes and prejudices that lead to discrimination, created in collaboration with UNAR (National Anti-Racism Union) and the not-for-profit association Il Razzismo è una brutta storia (Racism is a Nasty Business). The workshop took place in public schools, and it involved rap artists such as Ghemon, Kiave, Madbuddy and Mistaman. In June 2017, Amir published his memoir, Vivo per questo/I Live For This (Chiarelettere Edizioni), and in 2021, he published his second book Educazione Rap/Rap Education (ADD Editore).