Fascinating. In america, black rap music has become popular with white americans, regardless if the artist talks shit about white people. Apparently, Israeli's are listening to Palestinian rap, even though the artist expresses anti-Semitic remarks.
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Hip-hop for the Palestinian intifada
By: David Brophy
From Socialist Alternative Ed: 77 April 2004
“Take care! They’ve entered Palestine. Ruined houses, murdered people, orphans in the shadow of death. Why are we quiet about these criminals? The tables are turned, the world is against us. A land soaked with blood, people sick with worry, yet our Arab leaders don’t give a stuff.”
Since 1948 Palestinians have struggled for survival against the violence of Israeli occupation. Street battles and demonstrations have provided the most visible acts of resistance, but no less significant in maintaining a culture of struggle have been the works of Palestinian writers, artists and musicians. The challenge of expressing the plight of the Palestinian people in new and provocative ways has given Palestinian music a strong impetus to change and development, shown in the recent growth of pro-Intifada hip-hop.
Hip-hop is a musical style with wildly differing associations. To some it’s one long ode to sexism and gang violence, to others it’s the voice of youth rebellion. Whatever the lyrical content, though, hip-hop’s origins on the black street give it an identification with victims of oppression that no other music can claim.
In the US, even mainstream stars like 50-cent, who represent no threat to white power whatsoever, face continual police harassment and surveillance.
Outside America, hip-hop has generally been taken up by marginalised groups first. In France, African and Arab immigrants initially dominated the scene, and here in Australia Lebanese and Pacific Islanders were among the first to produce rap with Australian accents.
So it’s not surprising that hip-hop is growing in popularity among Palestinians. What’s more, Arab rappers have developed a following among Israelis, and not by toning down their anti-Israel message. One popular track by DAM (“blood”) goes: “If a Jew is shot you come down on us like the rain. When my cousin was bleeding for half an hour how many times were you called and didn’t give a stuff? We’re fed up!”
As one Israeli DJ said: “This music breaks barriers. When [Israelis] listen to these songs, they can relate, they can understand. They can understand the pressure.”
Lyric-heavy hip-hop is a perfect vehicle for conveying the Palestinian message with clarity and urgency. We can only hope that DAM and other Palestinian groups have the freedom to travel to our shores one day.
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Hip-hop for the Palestinian intifada
By: David Brophy
From Socialist Alternative Ed: 77 April 2004
“Take care! They’ve entered Palestine. Ruined houses, murdered people, orphans in the shadow of death. Why are we quiet about these criminals? The tables are turned, the world is against us. A land soaked with blood, people sick with worry, yet our Arab leaders don’t give a stuff.”
Since 1948 Palestinians have struggled for survival against the violence of Israeli occupation. Street battles and demonstrations have provided the most visible acts of resistance, but no less significant in maintaining a culture of struggle have been the works of Palestinian writers, artists and musicians. The challenge of expressing the plight of the Palestinian people in new and provocative ways has given Palestinian music a strong impetus to change and development, shown in the recent growth of pro-Intifada hip-hop.
Hip-hop is a musical style with wildly differing associations. To some it’s one long ode to sexism and gang violence, to others it’s the voice of youth rebellion. Whatever the lyrical content, though, hip-hop’s origins on the black street give it an identification with victims of oppression that no other music can claim.
In the US, even mainstream stars like 50-cent, who represent no threat to white power whatsoever, face continual police harassment and surveillance.
Outside America, hip-hop has generally been taken up by marginalised groups first. In France, African and Arab immigrants initially dominated the scene, and here in Australia Lebanese and Pacific Islanders were among the first to produce rap with Australian accents.
So it’s not surprising that hip-hop is growing in popularity among Palestinians. What’s more, Arab rappers have developed a following among Israelis, and not by toning down their anti-Israel message. One popular track by DAM (“blood”) goes: “If a Jew is shot you come down on us like the rain. When my cousin was bleeding for half an hour how many times were you called and didn’t give a stuff? We’re fed up!”
As one Israeli DJ said: “This music breaks barriers. When [Israelis] listen to these songs, they can relate, they can understand. They can understand the pressure.”
Lyric-heavy hip-hop is a perfect vehicle for conveying the Palestinian message with clarity and urgency. We can only hope that DAM and other Palestinian groups have the freedom to travel to our shores one day.
