Political controversy has never ceased to surround the artistic career of Iranian rapper Amir Hossein Maghsoudlou, known by his fans as Amir Tataloo. On March 24, the 35-year-old rapper created a fresh backlash of furious reactions during his latest performance at a Tbilisi concert attended by hundreds of Iranians. Tataloo apparently smoked marijuana on stage and even encouraged his fans to do so.
The unconventional behavior also drew the ire of many Georgians, who staged a protest outside of the Iranian Embassy in Tbilisi. In an official statement, the embassy expressed regret at what happened, declared that it had no role in organizing the event and made it clear that "the person in question" was facing legal charges at home.
