Jara, A Saudi Trailblazing Girl Rapper Is Creating Her Own Space Unique to HerselfSaudi’s woman rapper Jara is creating her own style in the world of rap as a ‘halal rapper’- delivering strong messages with her rap lines without losing her values. Possessing a strong moral code and uncompromising belief in her faith, she is doing more than just making music, she is starting a revolution against the mainstream.
Cursing & Swearing in Halal Rap
Jara’s migration to rap was not a carefully structured plan, but a natural, or rather an unnatural progression. She had been freestyling and writing lyrics as a child without her even knowing it was an art form called rap. Today, at 24, Jara is one of the first Saudi women to bring the genre to her native country and to incorporate her religious values into the music she makes. 
Her upcoming single “Morals” is all about the importance of aligning her creative space where she can speak and sings her truth with her beliefs. For Jara, rap has always been more than just entertainment — it’s her vehicle to social comment. In Morals, she tackles topics like gender expectations, mental health, and racial issues, while testing the limits of what you’d expect from a woman in hip-hop.
A Precious Sound with Intentional Lyrics
Unlike many popular rappers, Jara doesn’t build a persona on explicit content or edgy themes. She remains true to what she does best: Strong, heartfelt lyrics that connect with her fans. “You can be Muslim, religious, and rap without cussing,” she says, adding that it’s more important for her to be herself, whatever the industry might be doing. She is among a new wave of artists, especially women, who are shattering the traditional confines of the rap world, advocating empowerment and positive messages instead of the typical racy or violent rhetoric.
How to Make Music and Be Indie on the Cheap
Even in an industry with a reputation for high production costs, Jara has shown that success doesn’t have to be expensive. She works with minimal equipment — beats culled from YouTube and recording sessions conducted with a basic USB mic. “You don’t need an army of a production team or a lot of funding to do a good music video. “If you have push and push and push, you can make it work in a more resource-starved environment,” she says. And, not only does this get-your-hands-dirty approach further prove her creativity, but shows that one needn’t have a huge budget to get talent, and talent only.
Fifty Three: A Movement for Women to be Ourselves
In a scene where women are expected to abandon their morals in order to fit in, Jara’s the girl you can look to knowing that you can take it that all that glitters on top of her dress is real gold. She urges young women rappers to stick to their beliefs. “Never feel like you have to sell your soul just to make it,” Jara says. “It could be a little bit slow, but eventually you feel good that you’ve done the right thing. And Jara’s version of success shows that you can keep it real while you’re at it.
Jara’s journey is a testament that we can all be successful when we unite our passion with our principles. While continuing to experiment with new sounds and languages to accompany her verses, who knows where the pioneer of halal rap will take it next.
