Who Is Amir Tataloo, Iran's Tattooed Rap Star Now Facing Death Sentence

Iran's Supreme Court has sentenced renowned pop singer Amir Hossein Maghsoudloo, popularly known as Tataloo, to death after he was convicted of blasphemy, including insulting the Prophet Mohammed. 

Earlier, he was handed a five-year prison sentence on similar charges; however, the case was later reopened following a prosecutor's objection. After the review, the court overturned the previous ruling and issued the death penalty in January this year.

Who Is Amir Hossein Maghsoudloo, aka Tataloo?

1. He was born on September 21, 1987, in Tehran, Iran. Due to his family's financial condition, he started working as a carpenter when he was 14 while continuing his studies. During high school, between 16 and 18, he was employed at a grocery store. After completing his studies, he decided to follow his passion and began pursuing a career in music.
2. His first single, which he released in 2003, marked the beginning of his career as an underground musician. He recorded the song Manam Yeki az un Yazdahtam (I'm Also One of Those Eleven Players) for the Iranian National Football Team at the 2014 FIFA World Cup. He is well-known for his distinctive fusion of pop, R&B, and rap.
3. He then released the pro-Iranian nuclear song Energy Hastei during the July 2015 Iran/5+1 nuclear talks in Vienna. The Iranian navy ship Damavand served as the production location for the song video. The song topped the Persian trending Google search. This song immediately caused controversy in Iran, mostly among Iranian Reformists who compared this song to Mohammadreza Shajarian's songs in support of the 2009 Iranian protests.
4. In 2016, he was arrested by the Iranian police, reportedly for promoting lyrics and a lifestyle that were seen as violating Islamic rules. In 2018, he moved to Turkey, where he created albums and organised big concerts. In 2020, he was under the spotlight again when he said that children under the age of 16 should be allowed to get married.
5. His first album, Zire Hamkaf, was released in 2021. Since then, he has put out 21 albums. He is the first Iranian to collaborate with Universal Music Group. He was handed over to Iran by Turkish authorities in 2023 and given a 10-year prison sentence for encouraging prostitution. He was also charged with disseminating propaganda against the Islamic Republic and spreading obscene content. He was given the death penalty in May after being found guilty of blasphemy in January.