The Generations of Persian Rap
Updated daily · June 26, 2026
Persian rap (rap-e Farsi) is often described in generations — waves of artists who carried Iranian hip-hop from an underground movement in late-1990s Tehran to one of the biggest forces in Persian music today. The split isn't rigid or official, but the broad arc — from the pioneers to the rappers topping the charts right now — looks like this.
The roots: Tehrangeles and the first Persian raps
Before rap took hold inside Iran, Iranian musicians in the Los Angeles diaspora ("Tehrangeles") were already folding rap into pop in the 1990s — groups like Black Cats and artists such as Sandy (Shahram Azar). Because of this, who counts as the very first Persian rapper is debated: some credit the Tehrangeles pioneers, but most credit the Tehran underground that came next.
First generation — the Tehran pioneers
The first generation of Persian rap "in its purest form" took shape in Tehran in the late 1990s and early 2000s. Hichkas (Soroush Lashkari), lead figure of the group 021 (named after Tehran's area code), is most widely called the father of Persian rap; his 2006 album Jangale Asfalt ("Asphalt Jungle"), produced by Mahdyar Aghajani, is recognized as the first original Iranian hip-hop album. Yas became the first Iranian rapper authorized to perform inside Iran, and Reza Pishro was another defining voice. Zedbazi — formed in 2002 by Saman Wilson and Mehrad Hidden — pioneered Iranian gangsta rap and exploded in popularity. Because rap was unofficial, artists circulated tracks however they could: Hichkas and Yas famously handed CDs through car windows at traffic lights.
Second generation — going mainstream
As the internet made distribution easy through the late 2000s and early 2010s, a second wave reached a mass audience and made rap one of Iran's biggest genres. Amir Tataloo broke through with Zire Hamkaf (2011); Erfan and the Paydar crew — where Behzad Leito started before becoming a teen favorite — pushed a polished, melodic, club-ready sound. Bahram rose around 2008 with a socially conscious style, and Sepehr Khalse returned to Iran in 2015 to become a central collaborator of the era.
Third & newest generation — trap, drill, and global streams
The newest generation — often called the third (and, for the very latest artists, fourth) — took Persian rap global from the mid-2010s on, blending trap, drill, and melodic styles and racking up hundreds of millions of streams. The line between "third" and "fourth" generation isn't fixed and sources disagree, so rather than freeze a list, FarsiChart shows exactly who is leading right now by live streaming numbers (below). The full roster is the Top Iranian & Persian Rappers hub; the full genre chart is the Persian rap chart.
Who dominates Persian rap today?
As of June 26, 2026, these are the most-streamed Iranian and Persian rappers on Spotify — the list refreshes live every 24 hours:
Frequently asked questions
What are the generations of Persian rap?
Persian rap is usually grouped into generations, though the boundaries are debated: diaspora ("Tehrangeles") roots in the 1990s (Black Cats, Sandy); a first generation inside Iran (Hichkas and the 021 group, Yas, Reza Pishro, Zedbazi) in the late 1990s–early 2000s; a mainstreaming second generation (Amir Tataloo, Erfan, the Paydar crew / Behzad Leito, Bahram, Sepehr Khalse); and a third/newest generation that took Persian trap and drill global. The grouping is cultural and not exact.
Who is the father of Persian rap?
Hichkas (Soroush Lashkari), lead figure of the 021 group, is the most widely credited "father of Persian rap" — his 2006 album Jangale Asfalt is recognized as the first original Iranian hip-hop album. Some also point to Tehrangeles diaspora pioneers such as Sandy for the earliest Persian raps.
Who pioneered Iranian gangsta rap?
Zedbazi, formed in 2002 by Saman Wilson and Mehrad Hidden (later including Sohrab MJ, Sijal, Alireza JJ and Nassim), pioneered Iranian gangsta rap and became hugely popular with young audiences.
Who are the most popular Persian rappers now?
By live Spotify data on FarsiChart, the current leaders start with Arta, Koorosh, Behzad Leito, Amir Tataloo, Sijal. The full daily-updated list is at farsichart.com/iranian-rappers.
More: Top Iranian & Persian Rappers · Persian rap chart · Top Iranian singers