LONDON, Nov 13 (Reuters Life!) - Baggy jeans, baseball caps and 13th century Farsi poetry may not appear to be natural bedfellows, unless you are an Iranian rap artist. Iranian rappers from around the world gathered in London for the first time this month to rap in Farsi using the lyrics of 13th century Persian Sufi poet Mawlana Jalaludin Rumi.

Young men and women packed London’s Queen Elizabeth Hall to hear artists like 23-year-old Farinaz rap the words of one of Iran’s most revered poets to a pounding hip hop beat. Born in Iran and now living in the Netherlands, the track-suited, lip-pierced Farinaz said Rumi remained a role model for today’s young Iranians.

The London concert was a showcase for Iran’s underground hip hop scene which has grown in popularity over the past five years despite the fact that Western music is illegal in Iran. “Rapping in Iran is very widespread because it’s the easiest way for young people to talk about their feelings and their daily life,” concert organizer Behzad Bolour said.