into the field. And now, an Iranian-American is trying to make his mark.
His name is Azad Right.
A 23-year-old native of Santa Monica, California, Azad holds a degree in Political Science from the University of California at Irvine. However, he is no newcomer to the music, as he has been rapping since the age of 14 and learned to play both piano and violin at an early age.
Starting as a spoken word artist, Azad takes after his father, Majid Naficy, a poet known around the Iranian community.
Azad was one of three artists to be selected by adidas in 2010 for an international spoken word campaign. He was chosen after being discovered while performing at a Def Jam rap star videogame release party.
He then went on to open for Method Man and Redman in 2010 and in 2011 he opened for UK Pop Sensation Tinie Tempah, Hip-Hop veterans Phonte & 9th Wonder and West Coast representers Jay Rock and Kendrick Lamar.
His says his personal philosophy is to “aspire to inspire.” This has been molded by his personal inspiration and hero, his father, whom Azad refers to as the “epitome of perseverance.”
When Azad was in 6th grade, his father went blind. But he never allowed his disability to grant him an advantage or stand in the way of his ambition, Azad says.
Azad’s musical inspirations come from artists such as Nas, Tupac and Jay-Z, whom he regards as icons in the hip-hop world.
Azad’s debut EP, “A Piece of Mine,” was released in February. Azad plans to kick off a nationwide tour following the release of his mixtape, “The Time is Right” in September.