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Middle East Magazine YYOUTHOUTH Randa Safi eh describes the state of Palestinian Hip-hop in the light of Israel’s recent off ensive in Gaza BBombedombed iintonto ((temporary)temporary) ssilence,ilenCe, nnotot ooblivionblivion © Camps Breakerz Crew Camps Breakerz Crew hosts an open day for the families that moved to the Nuseirat UN Primary School after their homes were destroyed during Israel's recent off ensive in Gaza (2014) ow can artists in Gaza operate and and Israeli restrictions on imports and been credited with launching Palestinian reach their audience when the exports and a government f nancial Hip-hop into the international arena. T eir relentless and inhumane Israeli crisis triggered by a freeze on foreign aid emergence gave birth to a rising tide of Hbombardment of Gaza has isolated them following the Hamas election victory in interest in the genre and DAM have inspired from the rest of the world with only sparse 2006. Travel restrictions, the closing of a multiplication of Palestinian Hip-hop electricity sources and intermittent Internet cinemas, cafes and other public venues artists throughout Palestine. Among them access and mobile phone networks? T e combined with curfews and road blocks are Camps Breakerz Crew, T e DARG Hip-hop scene in Gaza is also part of the following the collapse of the peace process, Team, Palestinian Rapperz, MC Gaza, Black ‘collateral damage’ of the war on Gaza. signed in1993, and the emergence of the Al- Unit and Street Band Rappers. Much like their American counterpart, Hip- Aqsa Intifada (2000) gave Palestinian youth T e Palestinian Hip-hop scene has a hop mogul Jay-Z, they got 99 problems, and additional frustrations to transform into strong community spirit, which became access to their audience is one. rap. When invited to perform outside of the very apparent during the assault on Gaza. War and politics have long been borders of Gaza, obtaining a travel visa can Mohammed Ghraiz, better know as Bboy intertwined with the arts in Palestinian seem like mission impossible. Funk, founder and director of the Camps culture. Since the late-1990s, Hip-hop has T e Palestinian Hip-hop communities Breakerz Crew Hip-hop breakdancing functioned as a global soundtrack for pro- operate as much in Gaza as in the West collective explained: ‘We have been trying democracy movements all over the world. Bank and pre-1948 Palestine. DAM, a three- to contact each other; it’s very hard. Most Despite its appeal to young Palestinians, piece collective from Lydd who started of us are out of phone networks and Palestinian Hip-hop did not emerge without rapping in 1998, can be said to be the electricity. We are worrying about each a struggle. T e Palestinian economy has original pioneers and heavyweights of the other. Bboy Hanson lives in Gaza City in a been paralysed by years of border closures Palestinian Hip-hop movement and have camp called Al-Shate. Ja-rule and Shaark are living together in one house, which is T e Hip-hop scene in Gaza is also part of the above our dance centre. Bboy Dark lives in a dif erent area in our refugee camp, Nuseirat. ‘collateral damage’ of the war on Gaza Bboy Kevin, who is f f een years old, and October – November 2014 The Middle East in London 13 Camps Breakerz Crew believe that by teaching children Hip- babies? Perhaps this is why Palestinian Hip-hop artists in the diaspora have mainly hop they can help rehabilitate and support their mental health, communicated the tragedy of their situation giving them an outlet for their sadness, tragedy and frustration, through social networking rather than transform their experience into Hip-hop, and attempting to restore a piece of their lost childhood until now. Af er the guns fall silent, will there Bboy Chino are living in our camp too. theory of the Hierarchy of Needs, explaining be a def ant and increased output from Unfortunately, we can’t reach each other to the pattern of human motivations – basic Palestinian artists to try to express the know if we are all okay or not. We are scared survival and needs being the fundamental horror of their experience? Will there be to move freely too. We really can’t wait for and f rst preoccupation, with self- hope again? Or will they have lost their this awful war to end so we can meet up actualisation and creativity only being admirable ethos of positivity as a collective again and start dancing for Gaza children possible once the former is achieved. How cry for freedom out of captivity and and youth.’ can the people of Gaza focus on creativity bondage? Most artists have tried to stay in touch when they are forced to focus on survival? with one another and the outside world In the af ermath of the assault on Gaza, With many thanks and sincere gratitude during the siege. In other messages I where a quarter of the victims are children, to T e Camps Breakerz Crew, Mothafar received during the siege, Funk, Shaark, also Hip-hop will certainly continue to be part Alassar, Dai Dream and MC Jay for of the Camps Breakerz Crew, and Mothafar of the ef orts to deal with their trauma. T e giving their time and helping to inform Alassar express their despair about the informative networking of the artists has this article. https://www.facebook.com/ sparsity of the means of communication proved itself very valuable in the battle of CampsBreakerzCrewOf cailpage and the threat to their lives: Shaark – ‘I don't information; communication during the have power; I can’t do anything right now, conf ict will undoubtedly also increase Randa Saf eh is an ethnomusicologist and I’m sorry.’ And most poignantly, Mothafar in the weeks to come, as will their artistic secondary school music teacher. Her research Alassar of Street Band Rappers – ‘I will try output once peace is restored. on Palestinian Hip-hop has recently been to answer all of your questions asap if I stay T e best art may not be produced during published in the book Palestinian Music and alive.’ the immediacy of a violent conf ict from Song: Expression and Resistance Since 1900, Funk shares his music online to humanise within bomb shelters and refugee camps. and she has appeared on BBC World News the distorted image of the people of Gaza: But the intriguing question remains why, and Voice of America ‘We are very peaceful people who ref ect contrary to what happened during the Arab peace and love through our art, we are Spring revolts, few new songs have managed doing this [Hip-hop] to live and survive. to galvanise anyone beyond the occupied Sometimes we dance in darkness or with territories? Is it out of respect for the victims candles. We had to get a big battery that you and not wanting to exploit the tragedy? Or Students practice their breakdancing skills at the can charge for four hours, so we turn it on is it creative impotence when faced with Camps Breakerz Crew Centre, Nuseirat refugee when we want to practice or teach.’ tragic images of deceased children and camp, Gaza strip Rap and breakdancing is a growing trend in Gaza, of en part of rehabilitation ef orts © Camps Breakerz Crew for young children. T e Gazan rapping and breakdancing collective, Camps Breakerz Crew, whose eight members were still under bombardment in Nuseirat Refugee Camp while this article was being written, believe that by teaching children Hip-hop they can help rehabilitate and support their mental health, giving them an outlet for their sadness, tragedy and frustration, and attempting to restore a piece of their lost childhood. T ey host summer schools and workshops on breakdancing as volunteers at the UNRWA school and their dance centre located in their camp which has received funds from the international community. For the time being however, both the school and the dance centre are currently sheltering refugees displaced by Israel’s assault, and they have not been able to dance nor teach. T is illustrates the urgency of survival as a more immediate concern for them, yet again, than their musical output. T is a direct parallel with Maslow’s 1943 14 The Middle East in London October – November 2014.
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