Editorial by Dawoud Kringle
Before the October 7th, 2023 attack by Hamas, and Israel’s genocidal response, a fascinating music scene was growing out of Palestine.
Unlike Tel-Aviv, which enjoys an international reputation as a city with a vibrant music scene and nightlife, Palestine is segregated by borders imposed upon them by the zionist government of Israel, forcing Palestinians to live under occupation. Israel imposed a West Bank wall of apartheid upon Palestinians, which they claim protects their citizens from terrorism. Those who live in the West Bank are effectively trapped and separated from the Palestinian citizens in Israel, who also face both legal and de facto discrimination.
It has always been difficult for Palestinian culture to express itself and flourish. Nonetheless, there is a music scene in Palestine. Some of the major players behind it are the third generation to live under the Israeli occupation that began in 1948. Music is helping to bring Palestinians from both sides of the wall together, while also reconnecting them with the 7.2 million refugees who make up the global Palestinian diaspora.
Building a music scene under military occupation within a conservative culture is problematic at best. The people of Ramallah (a Palestinian city in the West Bank) have an agreement with the government, which bans loud music in public after midnight, and means much of the nightlife blooms at house parties rather than clubs. Residents of the West Bank also need permits to travel within Israel (which the Israeli government usually denies them). As such, it is easier for promoters in Israel to book international artists than it is for them to bring an artist over from Palestine. To add insult to injury, those with Israeli passports can travel into the Palestinian territories at will.
Since 2011, the Jazar Crew has operated at the forefront of the Palestinian music scene. The Jazar Crew is a collective of five friends from the Israeli city of Haifa. They began holding parties in 2011. Musically, their live sets combine their heritage with newer influences: traditional Arabic samples mixed into anything from glitchy electronica to liquid DnB. Their events (which operated a strict safe space policy) were held at Kabareet, the first Palestinian-owned club in Haifa.
Anyone can come to the parties; the only caveat is that you must support the Palestinian cause. Ayed, a Jazar Crew member, said, “We are making a statement about a cause of humanity and justice. There are many Israelis on our dance floor; the Israeli people who are next to us also believe in our statements, they also believe in our agenda, and they stand next to us for justice”.
Other artists in this scene include Odai, a DJ who has often jumped the wall dividing Israel and Palestine to play a gig. There is Sama’ Abdulhadi, a techno DJ and producer, Saleb Wahed, a rap group who are using their music and specific Ramallah-centric dialect and slang to speak to their community, and Muqata’a, the ‘Godfather’ of Palestinian hip-hop, and a rapper whose name translates into ‘interference’ or ‘boycott’.
Sama’, who now lives in Paris, combines hard techno with samples from archives of old Palestinian music – something these artists have never had access to. She believes that the scene is important because it provides the key to freedom in their prison, and humanizes the Palestinians, in contrast to the anti-Arab propaganda that Israel infects the world with.
A lot of Palestinian artists have been making an impact on the world of music while preserving and expanding their culture. Elyanna is a Chilean-Palestinian singer who rose to prominence with her debut EP “Ana Lahal.” A Ramallah-based Palestinian record label called BLTNM (pronounced Blatinum) is a consortium of rappers and producers, such as Shabjdeed, Al Nather, and Shabmouri, who are all spearheading the underground rap scene in the Middle East.
Simi and Haze are identical twins based in Los Angeles. They are a well-known DJ duo who perform at fashion events and music festivals, including the Off White x Jimmy Choo launch party, Coachella, and Saudi Arabia’s inaugural MDL Beast Festival. A Palestinian-born Canadian rapper and producer, who goes by the stage name Belly (short for rebellious), has also co-written several songs for Beyonce. 47 Soul is a London-based band of Palestinian origin. They have received critical acclaim for their songs and high-energy, wildly celebratory live shows.
Many other Palestinian artists of note create within other genres. Toot Ard is a roots reggae band from the Golan Heights whose lyrics deal with themes about nature, the disappearance of national borders, and the concept of freedom. Jowan Safadi is an avant-garde rocker from Nazareth whose music blends ‘Hafla Rock’ with other music such as African blues. Khalas is a heavy metal band that blends thrashing guitars with sufi-inspired ney. Amal Murkus‘ music is inspired by the folk music of her homeland and by the great classical divas of Arabic music. Sanaa Moussa‘s music is inspired by Palestinian songs that date back to the Ottoman period. There is the acoustic guitar-based folk stylings of Haya Zaatry.
Others who feature the Arabic Oud include the Oud maestro Hosam Hayek—Awan Group whose music features the oud alongside violin and percussion, and Le Trio Jourban. There are also jazz-inspired artists such as Momken Band, and Michel Sajrawy (who plays what he calls ‘Arab-bop’).
Palestinians have had their culture stolen and systematically erased under Israeli occupation. Creating new music that holds a strong connection to its roots is one way for Palestinians to fight back, if only in the sense that documentation keeps them from disappearing entirely. While their future may not look good, history shows that oppressors inevitably fail in one way or another. The Israeli government’s genocidal pogrom against Palestine is failing both militarily and demographically. Many of their people are resisting the horrors of their government. The new wave of music coming from the Palestinians is undermining the zionist agenda, and the zionists are powerless to prevent it.
