Breakout queen of Mongolian hip hop Mrs M on rapping in English and touring overseas
- Ulan Bator is the hub of Mongolia’s vibrant hip hop scene and Mrs M is leading the charge
- Her first single in English comes out this month and she is starting to tour overseas
The SoundCloud-inspired spread of hip hop may continue to inspire new scenes around the world, but there’s one Asian city where a vibrant hip hop culture has been hiding in plain sight for several decades: Ulan Bator.
The first breakout star of that scene is rapper Mrs M – real name Tamir Enkhatul, also known as Tami – who’s gaining increasing international attention with a following in China and, increasingly, the West. As a result, she’s starting to tour overseas and perform in English.
Hip hop so thoroughly permeated Mongolian youth culture in the first place, she says, because it was a rare voice of common sense during a turbulent period.
“There are many different kinds of hip hop here, from underground to commercial. After the Russians left there was political uncertainty. Everyone was so angry about politics. Rappers were the only people telling the truth with their rhymes,” she told the South China Morning Post.
