Chhun Dymey was a little-known rapper in Cambodia until he received a boost from a prominent political figure who shared one of Dymey’s songs on his Facebook page this month. The musician, who goes by the hip-hop handle Dymey-Cambo, first posted the track online months ago.
Videos of the song have been viewed tens of thousands of times online.
The post by Cambodian opposition-leader-in-exile Sam Rainsy may have helped promote his song to a wider audience, but also put Dymey in a precarious spotlight. Titled Sangkum Nis, or This Society, the song references injustices such as corruption, economic inequality, land disputes and police brutality, while suggesting that the Cambodian government is to blame.
