Catchy lyrics and crisp beats bring together the teens of Aarhus
The municipality of Aarhus has the past two years organized for a minors exclusively HipHop-concert at Radar. Suprisingly this year ticket sales exploded.

Don, Lee and Barber hit the stage, and the audience jumped to its feet. It was THIS they were waiting for. Arms flying around and everybody from the somali girl with hijab to danish boy with blonde hair hurling them young arms in the air singing “Gucci bag sikini, bad bitch in bikini,”. The presenter glanced over the crowd.
“We all look different, but we all look the same — music binds us together like brothers and sisters wether you are from Mogadishu or Maribo”, he shouted with a big smile before handing his microphone over.
At Aarhus Festival Week they have tried different approaches to attract the teenagers attention. This the code was cracked. With over 365 attendees to Kalas, this music event, where you have to be between 13–17. It has by far been the most succesful event for younger people. Wednesday at Radar at “Godsbanen”, an old freight yard turned into a free haven full with colorful DIY crafts and arts.

And in the near vicinity there was other events targeted for the teens sparked the interest of nobody and had to be cancelled.
The somali Rap-group Don x Lee x Barber are definetely the biggest suspects for the great attendance, which most of of the guests can’t deny. So let’s ask two groups of friends.



“I was introduced to the music through my cousin and i felt like it was really good! Then I heard they were performing in Aarhus and thought why not join? So now I hope that it is going to be awesome and to have a good time,” says Jasmin who is here with her three friends Fadi, Liva and Marcus.
The venue manager, Mia Fuglsang Holm, states that the point of doing this whole gig for the youngsters is to create a safe space without drugs or alcohol and to give them a fair chance to enjoy the music as they please without adults. But of course there are a lot of adults to take care of security if something goes wrong. Another thing is to make it affordable for a teenager to go to music events.
“I think it is so awesome because the ticket is so cheap! It definetely adds some points to go to the event,” Liva says.
Outside of the venue, there are kids who weren’t quick enough to grab themselves a ticket, so a lot of them were licking their hands to try and transfer the stamp from their wrists to their friends.

But it is not only todays artists and the price that are important for Marcus.
“I think as well that it is really good for us to get a community, bring the young culture together and gather it all at one place. Then you can meet up and do different activities, listen to music or talk together,” says 15 year old Marcus.
But when you are young, you are racing towards adulthood and can find yourself in a situation where the crowd feels too young for you.
Ottilia and Maria are both 18 in a few months, so they feel a bit misplaced.
“I came because Ottilia was going but I feel we are getting kinda too old”, says Maria Gavor.
And Ottilia thinks there should be served alcohol.
”I was here last year and I know “Don” from parties. I wish though the event was open for adults as well,” says Ottilia Bek.

As the final performance was finished, the before fully loaded Radar was empty in a matter of a seconds.
