HARTFORD, Conn. — A South Windsor native with a passion for hip hop celebrates his Iranian heritage by putting pen to paper and capturing those words on a microphone.

Shaheen Samadi, a 31-year-old UConn graduate, calls himself the “Friendly Neighborhood Persian Rapper” because he writes songs that are true to his roots.

After spending most of his life in Connecticut, Samadi took a risk several years ago and moved to Los Angeles to pursue his dream. There, he has grown as both an artist and a person.

During a recent visit home, Samadi stopped by the FOX61 studio.

He spoke on the importance of using his craft to showcase Iranian culture. He said hip hop has given him a platform to educate people.

“It inspired me to really learn more about where I came from, what’s going on in my own m

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