Sarkash Festival

Sarkash سرکش Underground is a Berlin-based festival dedicated to showcasing hip-hop, rap, trap, and experimental sounds from Afghanistan, Balochistan, and Kashmir. The festival marks a pivotal cultural moment, bridging subcultural resistance with cutting-edge electronic and hip-hop music. The word “Sarkash” (Dari for rebellious, disobedient) serves as both the title and the foundational mission of the festival. In an era marked by severe political repression and cultural erasure from these regions, Sarkash سرکش Underground honours music as a vital language of protest. The festival draws inspiration from the long-standing tradition of Black diasporic music culture, using hip-hop as a vehicle for truth-telling and defiance against false narratives of hopelessness.

Sarkash Festival is a collaborative initiative born from a partnership between the Berlin-based non-profit Roshā e.V. and Afghan Punk.