Music is biggest business and at the same time a space for revolt against the status quo, the regulations and constraints of society. This edition of The Art of Assembly looks at the dissident side of music, how it can suggest alternative ways of living, create identities and foster feelings of belonging and support. Author Anne Hahn organized in punk concerts in the GDR, lost her study-permission and later was imprisoned: East German sub-cultures were one of the few ways to carve out a bit of freedom within the system. For visual artist Phil Collins, who grew up in the North of Eng­land in the ’70s and ’80s, clubbing has always been political. He organised a disco-dance marathon in Palestine, worked with fans of The Smiths across three conti­nents, and recently released a benefit album of house music recorded with formerly incarcerated individuals. Linguist and author Reyhan Şahin aka Lady Bitch Ray – the most prominent and controversial female rapper in German language – lost her journalistic job fifteen years ago over lyrics that were considered as too sexually explicit. With her songs and writings, she fights against racism, sexism and discrimination – and has proved that hard rap and feminism may well go together.