IFEEL – "Love My Vegan Life"
Interview With The Vegan Rapper & Activist
IFEEL is a Croatian-American rapper and activist whose music amplifies the voices of the voiceless. Since 2012, he has been creating powerful, independent hip hop rooted in compassion, animal rights, and the vegan lifestyle. His mission is clear: to inspire people to reflect on their choices and embrace a life of empathy for animals, the planet, and one another. I had the chance to interview him and ask him about his life, music, and activism
In 2018, IFEEL released "Let's Talk About It ", an album described as a blueprint for a feel-good life. Blending raw storytelling with urgent advocacy, the record speaks from the perspective of animals and challenges listeners to take a stand. To keep his message accessible, IFEEL offers his music for just one dollar, proving that activism comes before profit.
Beyond his music, IFEEL collaborates with Animal Friends Croatia[^1], organizes vegan events and workshops, and promotes health through his fitness business. His art and activism are inseparable—both aiming to build a kinder, more compassionate world.
His latest release, "Love My Vegan Life" (2025), created with UK artist Vegan Queen V, is a vibrant celebration of vegan living, radiating positivity and love for animals, people, and the planet. With his unique mix of activism and artistry, IFEEL has carved out a voice in the global music scene that is both urgent and uplifting.
Anne: You've been active since 2012. What sparked your vision, and how did it all begin? What was the spark that drove you to centre your music so deeply around animal rights and compassion?
How It All Began
IFEEL: Music is a way to reach hearts and minds. Hip-hop culture originated as a movement for social justice and a better world. Since its beginnings, I have been inspired by the messages that Rakim, Afrika Bambaataa, KRS-One, Public Enemy, and A Tribe Called Quest brought into existence. I rap about what I am passionate about, so I tell stories about the lives of animals. A lot of songs are from animals' point of view, because they cannot talk and tell us how they feel. We have all been cleverly and systematically lied to and desensitized to ignore violence around us. My mission is to bring this to light and inspire people to lead better lives, while also helping animals live better lives.
Anne: Your album "Let's Talk About It" is described as a "feel-good blueprint" for compassionate living. What inspired that framing?
IFEEL: I have literally crafted an album with all the information needed for a happier, more compassionate, healthier life. All the songs are put in order to take you on a trip through different feelings, aha moments, and reasons to make a positive change. With the album, I offer a program designed to help those who choose to make a positive change, featuring feel-good lifestyle information, recipes, and workouts. I don't make music about doing drugs or songs that disrespect others to feel better about myself. I see value in creating songs that make our world a better place.
Anne: You've consistently offered your music at accessible prices—often just one dollar—so more people can engage. What motivates this approach?
IFEEL: I wanted to make it accessible to anyone. Fans have the option to pay more if they want to support my independent music, but the album has been available for one dollar since its release.
Anne: Many of your songs are written from animals' perspectives. What does it feel like to give voice to those who can't speak for themselves?
Giving Animals a Voice
IFEEL: I have visited many animal sanctuaries, where I met numerous animals that were saved from the hands of monstrous humans and evil corporations. I met them, felt them, and I was very grateful for their trust and curiosity when we met in person. It is incredibly humbling and unimaginably heart-warming at the same time... that is what motivates me to share their stories. It's impossible to see and hear their pain and suffering and not want to help in any way you can.
Anne: On your album, you blend activism with emotional storytelling. Is there a line between art and advocacy for you, or are they inseparable?
IFEEL: When you make music about helping animals, the art and activism are inseparable. I do not make songs that attack and accuse people of being evil... I paint pictures and share animal stories in a way that can be both heard and felt. My message is here to inspire people to look in that direction and try to awaken compassion. My animal rights activism is similar to my music—it's positive, inspiring, and informative. Most people are not evil. We all just need to see things from a different perspective. There are psychopaths in this world, too, but I do not speak to them.
Anne: How has your experience with your fitness business influenced your music and your message of healing?
IFEEL: In my wellness and fitness business, I help people form new habits that make their lives better. That part of my life has given me the opportunity to learn more about how to treat our body and how to maximize its potential. I practice what I "preach" so I live a healthy and active lifestyle—especially now that I turned 52.
Anne: You founded the VEGAN THUGZ and collaborate with Animal Friends Croatia. What are some standout moments or breakthroughs from your activism?
Activism in Action: VEGAN THUGZ & Animal Friends Croatia
IFEEL: With the VEGAN THUGZ team, I have organized animal sanctuary visits (where we meet animals and help out at the sanctuaries), fundraisers for animal sanctuaries, vegan workshops, demonstrations, vegan food events, and lots more. We often collaborate with Animal Friends Croatia on vegan / animal rights projects, supporting each other. Since forming VEGAN THUGZ in 2017, I have learned that many people want to help animals but often lack clarity on how to do so. People seek new ideas and opportunities to go and do something. Our lives are hard and challenging as is, so people who organize events that help animals have to make things easier for those people who are willing to give their time, effort, and money to help.
Anne: Your performances often take place at events focused on activism. How do you tailor your message when you perform in front of broader, potentially non-vegan audiences?
IFEEL: I perform mostly at vegan and animal rights events and festivals. Those events have lots of non-vegans in the audience, so the message reaches all the right ears. As for non-activist music venues, most of the topics I discuss are not mainstream, so from the start, I'm reaching a smaller percentage of people than a typical rapper. What's surprising is that, throughout my entire music career, I have not met or heard of a music manager who works with musicians who discuss the topics that I, along with many other musicians I know, also talk about. We all do everything by ourselves.
Anne: Your latest video, "Love My Vegan Life", feels celebratory. How did the collaboration with Vegan Queen V come about, and what feelings were you aiming to evoke?
Celebrating Compassion: "Love My Vegan Life" Video
IFEEL: It is a celebration of vegan life—a celebration of compassion. We wanted to make a feel-good, feel-proud song that celebrates our lifestyle—a song that represents many other people who choose that life. Vegan Queen V and I are both vegan musicians and animal rights activists, and we are both vocal about saving the animals and our planet. We met at the Animal Pride Day festival in Konstanz, Germany, where we both performed and helped give voice to animals. We will perform Love My Vegan Life for the first time together at Animal Pride Day this September 13th!
Anne: This video radiates love—for animals, for the planet, and for compassionate lifestyles. How do you balance soft messaging with the urgency of activism?
IFEEL: We created "Love My Vegan Life" as a reminder that living with compassion can have a positive impact on the world. Our music video brings this message to life by inspiring compassion for animals, love for the Earth, and the need to make choices that can provide a better future for us all. It is here to remind us how deeply interconnected we are with every living being and with the planet that sustains us. Those who feel this message know that the time to act is now.
Anne: In songs like "Why I Do It", your messages are raw and unapologetic. Do you grapple with shocking or confronting your audience, or is that part of the goal?
Raw and Unapologetic: "Why I Do It"
In "Why I Do It", I simply told the world why I do what I do. I shared the pain, disappointments, and anger that I had as a result of seeing what we do to animals. So I shouted it out for others to hear, feel, and connect. We humans have a seed of goodness in our hearts, and I believe that empathy and compassion can be discovered at any point in life. That is why I continue to create music and music videos.
Anne: You aim to inspire change, not just awareness. Have you witnessed listeners making lifestyle shifts—and if so, which stories touched you the most?
IFEEL: Honestly, if I did not receive feedback from my listeners, I doubt that I would continue doing this for 13 years. People often come up to me after the concerts and usually say that they loved the songs, the energy, or the message—that they felt like it spoke to them. Lots of them ask for information about the vegan lifestyle, and I love it when I receive messages on Instagram or Facebook from people saying that they went vegan because of the messages in my music. Animal rights activists feel supported by my music... I have songs just for them to show appreciation for what they do for animals ("Thank You" & "My Vegan Life", for example). Things like that inspire you to keep going.
Anne: Looking ahead, is there a new project in the works—or a new direction—for your music and activism beyond the "Love My Vegan Life" chapter?
Future Projects & Movements
IFEEL: Now that the "Love My Vegan Life" chapter has been written, there are several new projects on the way. I decided to release singles instead of albums. The world is moving at a fast pace, and it requires fast responses—as I did with "Trump Music" and "Amazon (Stop The Destruction)". The world is going to hell and we need to speak about it... fast... and more of us.
At the end of this month, I am releasing "Still". It's a message from the animals and a reminder that we are still using, abusing, and seeing animals as commodities and slaves. My next major project is to expose and dismantle the hunting industry. I am still working on all angles to approach this as a movement, not just a song, so the project is still in formation. We will need many organizations that are working separately to fight hunting to join us, so our voices will be united and amplified. Feel free to reach out to me if you want to learn more and join the fight.
Anne: What role do you think independent artists like you play in the broader animal rights and music scenes today?
IFEEL: Independent artists like me are here to make a difference in this world. We have the freedom, ability, and responsibility to point out what is happening around us—each in our own unique way. We are not bound by shady contracts or powered by greed. We do what we do because our passions and our hearts guide us to sing our songs. There should be more of us brave enough to do that.
Anne: If you could record a track with any influential figure—musician, activist, or other creative—who would it be, and what would you hope the collaboration to achieve?
IFEEL: Make the song with Billie Eilish. Her millions of fans are ready for a good vegan song (smiles).
Anne: Thank you so much, IFEEL, for taking the time to answer my questions and for sharing these insights with me. Please keep up the good work you're doing, and all the best for your future releases.
IFEEL: Thank you, Anne.
