| Sounds of the Sands |
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Hip Hop culture, in her raw form, is the communication of struggle. It is because of this basic founding principle, that it is no surprise that Hip Hop has become such a large part of the Middle Eastern youth movement. Arabian Hip Hop is stirring and moving with the intensity of a sandstorm across the Sahara. Many Middle Eastern youth have picked up a pen and a microphone and begun to devote themselves to a new way to wake up the world. I have been a devoted follower of Arabian hip hop for as long as I can remember, and to me it was the most perfect bridge between my two worlds. Two worlds, that seem so often completely without understanding of the other. The gap is however, beginning to close. Now with the eagerly anticipated, and some may say controversial, launch of MTV Arabia, more mainstream focus is being placed upon the Middle Eastern musical influence. With some two-thirds of the Arab world's population under the age of 30, the market for MTV Arabia is huge. On top of that, the large Arab youth presence within the United States has been crying out for a media venue that expresses who they are, not just as Arab youth, but as Americans as well. Arab youth are not the only ones with their eyes and ears to the Middle East, all of the United States has sat up and taken notice. With this type of attention the need to perpetuate truth and defeat ignorance has become more and more important. What greater way to communicate this than in the international language of revolutionary music, Hip Hop. If you have no knowledge of the mission of Arabian emcees, sit up and take notice, because they are coming up fast with a strength and devotion never seen by western eyes.
P.R The Palestinian Rapperz Palestinian hip hop is a very raw form of revolutionary hip hop that has grown out of the youth's desire and passion to speak out in a form the west can understand. P.R, The Palestinian Rappers or Palestinian Resistance, started out as four separate colleagues each with their own talents and personal career ambitions. Coming together as a group in 2003, the collaboration was a simple yet brilliant idea. "One day one of us suggested an idea to collaborate, using our rap to do something for our country, to get away from the violence, let the people outside of Palestine know the truth about our tears, ask the question why. Why are we always the victims? Why is death the only friend for our people?" It is a powerful statement coming from the group, who state they stand unified in their struggle as well as their vision for their music. The guys discuss the initial skepticism from elders in a similar way to other young Arabs trying to pursue something outside of what can be very traditional norms. However, that initial skepticism has begun to disappear which they credit to their perserverence in their dream. "Day after day, concert after concert, they started to think, to know, to support our beliefs because our beliefs are their beliefs. It's all about human rights, especially Palestinian rights." PR contains the principles and ideals that give them an edge that is unseen in the western world. Their tracks are powerful, sustained with commanding lyrics and progressive beats. The group credits "Sajeen" as one of their favorite tracks, and for good reason. Sajeen, which in English means prisoner, speaks prophetically about the pain felt by Palestinian people, many spending their best years watching their family and friends massacred, feeling imprisoned by circumstance and trapped within violence. Sajeen's strong Arabic verses supported by a somber, yet beautiful melodic beat are brilliantly complimented by an English hook. Even those who are unfamiliar with the Arabic language, can feel the evocation of P.R's pain. The skill necessary to put together rap verses in Arabic is not simply about finding words that rhyme, but also about finding a flow that compliments the beat as well as the lyrical content. PR makes this appear effortless, and when you hear their tracks you can't help but feel their revolutionary spirit. With their talent and dedication PR has the potential to take the mainstream by storm, however they are quite determined to let others know that it is not about making money or gaining fame, rather it is about gaining a voice for their people, for Palestine. "Our goal is not necessarily the American market, rather, it is sending the truth and proof to the whole world that Palestine is it own country with a suffering people. To tell the world through our songs and our words, in our language as well as the languages of others that we need peace in our land and have the right to live free within that land as all people of all nations deserve to live." They have the message, they have the medium, you can expect that PR will reach the world with their music because they get a very basic idea, "I think rap is the power of youth, so as long as there are youth the rap movement will continue."
Patriarch Nationality: Palestinian / Homepage: www.patriarchmusic.com / Track You Have To Hear: Gangsta N Politiks Ibrahim Batshon a.k.a Patriarch is without a doubt an Arab reincarnation of all great hip hop innovators. Patriarch is more than just an artist, he is a trailblazer. Born in San Francisco and raised in the East Bay, Hayward, California, Patriarch was fortunate enough to be exposed to pioneers in the hip hop industry from an early age. Growing up only a block away from legendary west coast rap artist Spice 1, the influence of the hip hop movement upon Patriarch never lacked stimulation. The strong presence of rap legends such as Tupac Shakur, Digital Underground, Richie Rich, and many others in such a close vicinity to him as a child, influenced greatly his visions and ideals for hip hop as his own personal art form. As Patriarch grew older his talent and determination grew stronger as well as his desire to be a voice for his people. Patriarch discusses his defining push into becoming a hip hop artist as being after his visit back to Palestine to see family. "After I got to see the refugee camps, and how the people, my cousins, were living I kind of put two and two together and went, Man, this is the same racist, oppressive struggle that I see at home in my own neighborhood. After that I just went back to the US and started writing poetry and by thirteen, fourteen years old I was laying down tracks." He discusses passionately how the anger he felt for the injustices against his people began to uplift and speak to him. "I couldn't just keep telling myself I'm angry, I wanted to tell other people as well." Patriarch is a perfect example of the Arab American young mind. Even though he has not lived in the same warzone as his Palestinian Rapperz counterparts, he has made the correlation between two struggles, that of Palestine, and that of the urban minority in America. Now through his passion and devotion to bridge the gap he has used his knowledge of the digital music revolution as well as his undeniable talent to pioneer a sound that is not just Arabic hip hop, but hip hop as a whole. Regardless of your race or religion, you can relate to his point of view. His music is edgy, the beats are strong, and the lyrics are controversial, but all in all it is a formula for success. When you listen to hard hitting track "Gangsta N Politiks" you feel just how powerful his talent is. His vocals gritty, his impact obvious, and the lyrical content is at a level all can respect. Gangsta N Politiks has the potential to be a hard hit, and he's by no means a one trick pony. Patriarch has been able to not only submerse himself in his own work, but has become a mentor for other Arab American artists. His role as a manager, a producer, a promoter and an educator all make him a valuable asset to the music community as a whole. He has worked to promote his message and his vision with many prominent American artists such as The Dogg Pound, The Outlawz, Dead Prez, Immortal Technique, Akon, Tyrese, San Quinn, D12, Obie Trice, Furious, Get Lit Ent. and the list continues to grow. He shares his voice with students including an invitation in April to speak alongside former president Jimmy Carter at the University of Michigan Dearborn, and showcase his music to that community. He has now launched HipHopArabia.net, a project that he feels is very close to his heart and is the next step in taking Arab artists to the next level by way of using the phenomenon of internet social websites. HipHopArabia.net is an incredible resource for many trying to learn more and become more involved with Arab artists. They offer messaging, personal pages, the chance to upload your own music, news articles, videos and forums as a way to share fans and share the passion that is growing within the youth for more music with a message. Patriarch is without a doubt one of Arab hip hop's most promising advocates as well as artists.
The Movement has begun, and the list of emcees goes on and on. Others you may want to check out include Hasan Salaam, Eslam Jawaad, Salah Edin, Arabesque, and the ever impressive female powerhouse Shadia Mansour. Arabian Hip Hop will hit you where it counts, in your heart and in your head, and these artists are only the tip of the talent iceberg, or maybe I should say pyramid…
words by Eva Hernandez-El Fayed
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The sounds are cutting edge, a cross between traditional Arabic melodies and western contemporaries. The instrumentals are incredible, but they become even more sensational when paired with vocals that give you chills. Even to westerners with no knowledge of the Arabic language, the smooth and complicated sound commands respect as it is paired with English verses. 
