Photo Gallery German Rapper Demands Respect
Massiv (seen here in a 2007 photo) has risen to become one of the most successful and important rap artists in Germany. He says he finds the level of ignorance displayed towards immigrants unacceptable in a country as free as Germay.
In his new album, Massiv raps about the difficulties of immigrant life and coping with stereotyping.
In a SPIEGEL interview, Massiv spoke out against the author Thilo Sarrazin, whose controversial 2010 book "Germany Does Itself In" shocked the country with its statements about immigration, race and religion.
Protesters carry a caricature of Sarazzin in Berlin (Aug. 2010 photo): "It is insulting that Sarrazin labels us all lazy Muslims," Massiv told SPIEGEL.
Bushido, one of Germany's most successful and infamous gangsta rappers, has, like Massiv, toned down his rhetoric while still promoting the immigrants' voice and their right to respect.
