BREAKING the glass ceiling has often been necessary for Sharifah Zamaera Syed Zafilen Al Edros, popularly known as Zamaera in the local hip-hop community.
As one of the few prominent female rappers in Malaysia, the 30-year-old had to carve her own path while navigating the inequality of a male-dominated industry. But that did not prevent Zamaera from charting a course that challenges preconceptions of what a female rapper can achieve.
The Subang Jaya native has gone on to break new ground since emerging as the only female finalist in the 2016 Red Bull Blend Cypher rap battle. Upon making her debut with Helly Kelly, she opened for major artistes such as Masego, Sza and Vince Staples.
She was also the first artiste to headline a hip-hop show at Istana Budaya during the 2020 Asean-Korean Music Festival.
