One of the few Malaysian female rappers, Bunga said that she at first did not consider a career in music.
“My initial dream was to be a politician or a lawyer,” the 19-year old rapper told reporters before her first performance in Singapore for last weekend’s Pesta Raya arts festival.
Her success has her changing her tune.
Photo: AP
Bunga, whose real name is Noor Ayu Fatini Mohd Bakhari, is one of the only known rappers who wears a hijab and baju kurung, a traditional Malay dress, at her performances.
Selfies on her Instagram account show her wearing various shades of hijab, but she did not start that way.
From Perak, the fourth-largest state in Malaysia, she became popular after a video of her performing in baju kurung in a local rap competition went viral in November.
“When I reached the venue, I was wearing regular clothes,” Bunga said.
However, even though she was the only female at the event, she did not stand out.
“At the very last minute, I bought myself a baju kurung at the venue itself,” she said.
Bunga raps about her own personal life, her experiences of being bullied, facing love and working at a gadget shop.
She also gives advice to girls through her rap. She steers clear of obscenity and racism.
“[Being a female rapper] doesn’t mean I have to act like boys or talk about gangsters,” Bunga said.
Rapping in traditional garments comes with its own challenges.
“We can’t jump around so much wearing baju kurung,” Bunga said.
Another challenge is facing criticism.
Bunga said she has been criticized for “bringing down the image of women” by rapping in a hijab.
Bunga said she is “living proof” that women can make it in a male-dominated rap.
“I’ve realized that there are more hijabis who want to rap,” Bunga said. “I think that’s a good thing because you shouldn’t worry about what others say.”
Decked out with fake crystal chandeliers and velvet sofas, cosmetic surgery clinics in Afghanistan’s capital are a world away from the austerity of Taliban rule, where Botox, lip filler and hair transplants reign. Despite the Taliban authorities’ strict theocratic rule, and prevailing conservatism and poverty in Afghanistan, the 20 or so clinics in Kabul have flourished since the end of decades of war in the country. Foreign doctors, especially from Turkey, travel to Kabul to train Afghans, who equally undertake internships in Istanbul, while equipment is imported from Asia or Europe. In the waiting rooms, the clientele is often well-off and includes men
BEIJING FORUM: ‘So-called freedom of navigation advocated by certain countries outside the region challenges the norms of international relations,’ the minister said Chinese Minister of National Defense Dong Jun (董軍) yesterday denounced “hegemonic logic and acts of bullying” during remarks at a Beijing forum that were full of thinly veiled references to the US. Organizers said that about 1,800 representatives from 100 countries, including political, military and academic leaders, were in Beijing for the Xiangshan Forum. The three-day event comes as China presents itself as a mediator of fraught global issues including the wars in Ukraine and Gaza. Addressing attendees at the opening ceremony, Dong warned of “new threats and challenges” now facing world peace. “While the themes of the times — peace and development —
COMFORT WOMEN CLASH: Japan has strongly rejected South Korean court rulings ordering the government to provide reparations to Korean victims of sexual slavery The Japanese government yesterday defended its stance on wartime sexual slavery and described South Korean court rulings ordering Japanese compensation as violations of international law, after UN investigators criticized Tokyo for failing to ensure truth-finding and reparations for the victims. In its own response to UN human rights rapporteurs, South Korea called on Japan to “squarely face up to our painful history” and cited how Tokyo’s refusal to comply with court orders have denied the victims payment. The statements underscored how the two Asian US allies still hold key differences on the issue, even as they pause their on-and-off disputes over historical
BRIBERY ALLEGATIONS: A prosecutor said they considered the risk of Hak-ja Han tampering with evidence to be very high, which led them to seek the warrant South Korean prosecutors yesterday requested an arrest warrant for the leader of the Unification Church, Hak-ja Han, on allegations of bribery linked to the country’s former first lady and incitement to destroy evidence. The move came a day after the 82-year-old was questioned over her alleged role in bribing former first lady Kim Keon-hee and a lawmaker. Founded in 1954 by her late husband, Sun Myung Moon, the Unification Church has long been the subject of controversy and criticism, with its teachings centered on Moon’s role as the “second coming” and its mass weddings. Followers are derisively referred to as “Moonies.” However, the church’s
RSS