Zambian rapper and human rights activist Samuel Miyoba, known by his stage name Smack Jay, believes that a country’s music reveals a lot about its character and culture.
He is visiting Northern Ireland in partnership with the peacebuilding charity Beyond Skin and its Zambian partner organisation OpenNet 40.
Smack Jay uses music to promote hope and advocate for social change, and has been collaborating with local artists in Belfast.
“If you want something to change, music is one of the best tools for advocacy,” he said.
On Friday, he conducted workshops at Rathcoole Primary School in north Belfast, performing songs that carried powerful messages.
His lyrics highlight the fight for fundamental rights, such as education and access to food and water, by young people in Zambia.
The broader messages, however, are not so distant from some of the debates in Northern Ireland’s society today.
