Acid (hip hop group)

Acid (often written ACID; Burmese: အက်စစ်, Burmese pronunciation: [ʔɛʔ sɪʔ]) is a Burmese hip hop group often credited with releasing Burma's first hip hop album, Beginning, in 2000. Two of the group's founders were later imprisoned for the group's allegedly pro-democracy lyrics.

Acid
OriginYangon, Myanmar
GenresHip hop
Years active2000 (2000)–present
Members
Past members
  • Hein Zaw (2000–2006; deceased)
  • Zayar Thaw (2000–2011)

Beginning

Acid was founded by Zayar Thaw (26 March 1981 – 23 July 2022), Annaga (Born 19 May 1979), Hein Zaw (12 June 1981 – 10 April 2006) And Yan Yan Chan (Born 5 December 1979).[1][2] In 2000, Acid released Burma's first hip-hop album, Beginning. Despite predictions of failure by many in the Burmese music industry, Beginning remained on the number-one position of the Burmese charts for more than two months.[2] A Democratic Voice of Burma reporter described the group's music as blending a "combative, angry style with indigenous poeticism".[3]

The band's repertoire has been said to contain many "thinly veiled attacks" on Burma's military government, the State Peace and Development Council.[4] The Independent stated that while the band "focused on the mundane, their lyrics inevitably touched on the hardships of life in Burma, drawing them into dangerous territory."[5]

Arrests of Acid members

On 12 March 2008, Zayar Thaw was arrested at a Yangon restaurant with friends on charges relating to his involvement in the youth pro-democracy movement Generation Wave.[6] In April, Yan Yan Chan was also arrested.[7] Although it was widely reported in English pro-democracy papers that he was arrested in relation to democracy activities, the military junta claims that he was actually arrested on drug charges.

Zayar Thaw was allegedly beaten during his interrogation.[8] On 20 November 2008, he was sentenced to five years' imprisonment for breaking State Law and Order Restoration Council Law No. 6/88,[6] "illegal organizing under the Unlawful Association Act".[9] Amnesty International described this statute as "a vaguely worded law whose sweeping provisions can be interpreted as making it illegal to set up any kind of organization".[8] He was given an additional year's imprisonment for possession of foreign currency, as he had been carrying approximately $20 USD in Thai baht, Singapore dollars, and Malaysian ringgit at the time of his arrest.[8] He served his sentence at Kawthaung prison.[6] Amnesty International named him a prisoner of conscience and called for his immediate release.[10]

After nearly a year's detention, Yan Yan Chan was released without charges on 7 January 2009.[11] Zayar Thaw was pardoned and released on 17 May 2011.[12]

In November 2021, Zayar Thaw was arrested by the Myanmar military junta and charged with planning attacks on junta targets under the Counterterrorism Law and the Public Property Protection Act. He was sentenced to death in January 2022, and executed alongside three other democracy activists on 23 July 2022.[13]

References
  1. "ACID Hip Hop Group". 1 July 2013. Archived from the original on 3 December 2013. Retrieved 2 December 2013.
  2. Alex Elgee (26 March 2010). "Another Birthday behind Bars". The Irrawaddy. Archived from the original on 3 December 2013. Retrieved 7 May 2011.
  3. Joseph Allchin (30 December 2009). "Fresh blood for a new decade". Democratic Voice of Burma. Archived from the original on 2 March 2011. Retrieved 8 May 2011.
  4. "Junta imprisons Yan Yan Chan". thefirstpost.co.uk. 18 April 2008. Retrieved 8 May 2011.
  5. "Burma jails comedian for 45 years". The Independent. 22 November 2008. Archived from the original on 6 April 2011. Retrieved 12 May 2011.
  6. "AAPP Case No. 0062". Assistance Association for Political Prisoners. Retrieved 7 May 2011.
  7. Min Lwin (18 April 2008). "Popular Burmese Rap Performer Arrested". The Irrawaddy. Archived from the original on 5 June 2011. Retrieved 8 May 2011.
  8. "MYANMAR: Hip-Hop Artist and Student Activist Jailed for Peaceful Protest" (PDF). Amnesty International. Archived from the original (PDF) on 29 April 2011. Retrieved 8 May 2011.
  9. "5 Generation Wave activists sentenced". Mizzima News. 20 November 2008. Archived from the original on 19 January 2011. Retrieved 8 May 2011.
  10. "Myanmar, Unlock the Prison Doors!" (PDF). Amnesty International. Archived from the original (PDF) on 29 April 2011. Retrieved 17 April 2011.
  11. Than Htike Oo (7 January 2009). "Detained Hip Hop singer Yan Yan Chan released". Mizzima News. Archived from the original on 19 January 2011. Retrieved 8 May 2011.
  12. "ပြည်သူ့ နာကျင်၊ခံစားမှုကို အနုပညာဖန်တီးချင်တယ်". မဇ္ဈိမသတင်းဌာန (in Burmese). 29 July 2011. Archived from the original on 3 October 2011. Retrieved 7 August 2011.
  13. Helen Regan; Rhea Mogul (25 July 2022). "Myanmar junta executes leading democracy activists". Cnn.com. Retrieved 25 July 2022.
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