shahadat winter 2012

58
Winter 2012

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This edition of Shahadat's Exploring Popular Literature Series is a special issue on hip hop, edited by Rayya El Zein. The issue functions as liner notes to an album filled with radical potential, and features translations of sixteen hip hop tracks by artists from Egypt, Palestine, Lebanon, and the Arab diaspora. Ranging from the highly political to the contemplative, these songs offer listeners and readers insight into the hopes and critiques of a generation of contemporary Arab hip hop artists.

TRANSCRIPT

Page 1: Shahadat Winter 2012

1

Winter 2012

32

ArteEast is a leading international arts organization presenting work by contemporary artists from the Middle East North Africa and the diaspora Founded in 2003 as a New York based not-for-profit organization ArteEast supports and promotes artists by raising awareness of their most significant and groundbreaking work and by bringing this work to the widest possible audience We do this through public events art exhibitions film screenings international touring programs a dynamic virtual gallery and a resource-rich website Partnering with some of the most prestigious cultural institutions around the world mdash such as The Museum of Modern Art Tate Modern and the Sharjah Art Foundation mdash ArteEastrsquos film visual arts and literary programs reach thousands of new audiences each year

The organization is committed to bringing the highest quality and form of artistic content on multiple platforms Our innovative use of technology and partnerships to present programs that are highly mobile rather than bound to a particular physical space make us one of the most nimble cutting-edge art organizations today ArteEast is also consistently providing relevant context so that audiences can fully appreciate the work that is being presented

wwwarteeastorg

January 2012 New York

Exploring Popular Literature Series

hip hop

Edited by Rayya El Zein

54

Media Moments

In early December ABCrsquos icon of vetted journalism Barbara Walters sat down with Syrian President Bashar al-Assad on an exclusive episode of Nightline Assadrsquos soft-spoken polite almost gentle performance in the interview he staged with Walters playing Master of Ceremonies induced mild but notable reactions Therersquos a ldquodisconnectrdquo the US State Department declared between what Assad says and the situation in Syria Walters herself seemed shocked at his presentable demeanor describing him upon her return from Damascus as ldquocalmrdquo ldquosoft-spokenrdquo and ldquoarticulaterdquo She further stressed during the introduction to the piece that Assad spoke ldquovery good Englishrdquo and ldquoanswered every questionrdquo Impressive it seems for an accused Arab dictator

What is overwhelmingly unsettling in Walterrsquos episode of Nightline is that it assumes certain qualities of chaos both in Damascus and in the person of the Syrian president that would stipulate the understandable conditions of civil unrest Damascus markets are stocked people shop ldquoonlyrdquo the ldquohigh-endrdquo stores are feeling the pinch Assad is polite he answers her questions invites her in Where are the snipers The rape attempts The crying children in the shadows What ABC and Walters cringingly fail to highlight is in fact the glaring normalcy of the brutality of Assadrsquos regime

Further the first US television journalist inside Syria since the nine-month-old uprising began showcased one voice almost exclusively that of the disconnected president Walters did not go though she did send a correspondent to Deraa the town where protests started in March There a bewildered Alex Marquardt wondered why Assadrsquos promise to go anywhere he wanted (accompanied by an 8-car motorcade) was not kept or why when permitted to meander through the streets on his own no one would talk to him Without an official at the other end of the mic and

save one brave manrsquos hushed testimony ABCrsquos mics picked up only silence A journalistic venture designed to shine light on a country in distress instead gave the stage to its president and the insights we glean are that he doesnrsquot really seem crazy at least not like we thought hersquod be

But if a startling lack of imagination with regards to power and human nature especially vis-agrave-vis Arab leaders is one aspect of the problematic Western media coverage and an almost complete dearth of voices from the actual Arab street is another these are not the only shortcomings with consequences for understanding a fuller picture of a dynamic Arab world

Earlier in 2011 TIME magazine named Hamada Ben Amor the Tunisian rapper better known as El Geacuteneacuteral one of the top 100 most influential people of the year singling out his track ldquoMr Presidentrdquo (ldquoRais LeBledrdquo) which was critical of Ben Alirsquos regime as an inciting force of the Tunisian Revolution It is but one example of heightened attention paid to hip hop and rap in the Arab world since the so-called ldquoArab Springrdquo began In July the BBC asked ldquoIs Hip Hop Driving the Arab Springrdquo in an article reminiscent of those in months earlier which debated the role of Facebook and Twitter in the realization of the Egyptian Revolution Both are facile treatments that should be quickly (and if necessary constantly) reassessed

There is a danger in a non-critical focus of Western media on the recent spike however significant in Arabic hip hop during a time of political revolution US and European politicians canrsquot seem to get a grip on The New York Times and others in the months after Hosni Mubarakrsquos abdication from the presidency in Egypt attributed significance to Massachusetts-based retired professor Gene Sharprsquos pamphlet ldquoFrom Dictatorship to Democracyrdquo in the political strategies of Egyptian activists despite the fact that many in Egypt found this claim simply ludicrous if not overtly manipulative The urge to attribute success

from the Editorto Sharprsquos document stems not entirely from an attempt to ldquoWesternizerdquo the revolution but to ldquoglobalizerdquo it Sharprsquos piece is not an exciting story necessarily because it was written by an American but because his tract is understood to have had currency in regime changes from Burma to Ukraine since the late 1990s

A similar instinct is at play in the attribution of efficacy to hip hop in the Arab revolutions in 2011 Hip hop though it sprung from specifically US environs has become a global phenomenon These two approaches taken by US and European press illustrate that an old neocolonial danger remains It may be summed up as such hip hop is a tool for understanding the rhythm of the revolting Arab street because it is a ldquoWesternrdquo and familiar form That danger however has morphed hip hop is a tool for understanding the rhythm of the revolting Arab street because it is a ldquoglobalrdquo and therefore significant form The trap of course lies in this notion of ldquoglobalrdquo that is notorious for substituting simple sweeping narratives at the expense of the local And in the ease with which one can replace ldquoWesternizedrdquo with ldquoglobalizedrdquo

The challenge then for a responsible look at both the changing Arab street and hip hop on and in it is to strive for a compassionate understanding that places the local within global flows It lies in an understanding of ldquocontemporaryrdquo that is not exclusively ldquoWesternrdquo or ldquoOrientalrdquo and an understanding of networks that is not only ldquoglobalrdquo nor ldquolocalrdquo The potential benefit for a responsible critical reading of this material is an understanding of ldquothe Arab streetrdquo which consistently evades commercial media and by extension popular conception in the ldquoWestrdquo

It is with this in mind that I am proud to present the following issue of Shahadat The Winter 2012 issue features the work of 16 MCs or collectives from Egypt Lebanon Palestine and the Arab diaspora in Arabic and English and in English translation It represents the extensive collaboration of 10 translators An interactive publication that hosts the music along with its lyrics it is the first experiment of its kind for ArteEast and to our knowledge the first document of its kind on the web

Street Talk

It is not just theoretically important that ears outside the Arab world hear and understand the voices of more of those within it The means of articulation and the words themselves displace the dominant media narrative in substantial practical ways In an age of a seemingly infinite ldquoWar on Terrorrdquo whose main weapons mask aggressive humiliation techniques as ldquodefensiverdquo security hip hop in Arabic opens a place for an important assertion of dignity by young Arab men who demographically bear the brunt of these expanded security tactics Assertions of pride and respectability take different forms from overt political critique to declarations of identity to calls to lyrical arms to provocations of other poets and MCs One of the most significant things about hip hop in Arabic is that it is projecting images of dignified (articulate proud well-read compassionate astute critical) young masculinity to thirsty listeners at home and abroad

But neither is the genre nor the collection featured here homogeneous in terms of gender Young women have nearly from the beginning of the scene been a part of the construction of this field Also particularly noteworthy (not because of their ethnic or religious background but because of the history of hip hop and rap in the West) is how adamantly young Arab male MCs eschew and challenge misogyny in both their content and performances

This should not suggest that hip hop creates an ideal or egalitarian playing field for Arab men and women Social stigma has made it

The potential benefit for a responsible critical reading of this material is an understanding of ldquothe Arab streetrdquo which consistently evades commercial media and by extension popular conception in the ldquoWestrdquo

76

especially difficult for women to break through cultural stereotypes and dogma (though a handful have notably Malikah based in Lebanon Shadia Mansour (featured in the collection) and Abeer alias Sabreena da Witch) I find it safe to presume that when young Arab women break into the genre in greater numbers or find their own methods to voice political and social critiques reclamations of dignity collective and individual will be at the top of the list of significant effects

The second critically important antidote to mainstream media that these voices provide is the true cornucopia of social grievances they cite and political critiques they offer The 16 tracks featured here take on variously the Muslim Brotherhood greed and corruption poverty and hunger inefficacy of NGOs betrayal of and by fellow Arabs (notably the ldquobrain drainrdquo phenomenon which has seen young Arabs across the region relocate overseas in hopes of greater opportunity) capitalism sectarianism and religious extremism in addition to Western colonialism and the policies of the state of Israel towards Palestinians

The letters they address to the world in each track should make it harder and harder to believe that all Arabs all Muslims or all Egyptians Palestinians or otherwise are set on the destruction of ldquothe Westrdquo at the expense of critical thinking about the local economies and systems of government that have also failed them

Not just the content but the form of these articulations showcases a way of seeing the world of processing it and of asserting oneself in it that young people globally will identify with This is vitally important as a new generation comes to terms with itself internationally it will have to decide how much of the old divisions of ldquousrdquo and ldquothemrdquo it wishes to retain The work of these artists and their colleagues worldwide has the potential to remind listeners how alike they are and how arbitrary national and ethnic divisions can be

A Bigger Picture

It is true that hip hop does not have a long history in the Arab world It is however older than 12 or even 15 months first taking root in North Africa in the early 1990s and in Palestine several years later just before the Second Intifada The largest markets and scenes for hip hop in the Arab world have long been in Morocco Algeria and Palestine and lately in Lebanon

Incidentally these countries are rarely the focus of recent press which hails an explosion of Arabic hip hop in recent months Similarly despite the many creative hypotheses posited in English-language press about catalysts and influences of the Arab Spring the very real history of popular resistance in Palestine (ie the Intifadas of the late 1990s and mid 2000s) is hardly ever mentioned as a probable influence of the popular Arab revolutions of this year

distinct sounds of each artist or collaboration and the musical traditions from which they borrow from funk to electronica and in between

The rhythms and flows vary too in some places the impact of the political critique comes as much from the aural quality as from the lyrical content The rhythm of Fareeq el Atrashrsquos ldquoThe Stars are Getting Closerrdquo (ldquoNjoom 3am Tersquorabrdquo) for example

الكاس عل الطاولي و منو عم مز مز لتفتل براصي وحس من حالي عم كز كزعل ورقة كالمي مدروس و ما بزت زت بجرب ما عيد حالي متا يقولو عم نق نق

موزع قافياتي جواز كأن عم فت فت

with its sustained rhythm of repeated syllables at the ends of phrases and its almost flippant characterizations of a musicianrsquos routine is distinctly different from the defiant declaration of MC Gaza in his piece with Arabian Knightz and Ameer ldquoHand in Handrdquo (ldquoEid fi Eidrdquo)

ما في حجة لربطي خلبطي حلطي ألوطي ألغير خطي

Which is also very different from the imaginative poetic (and humorous) play on words and political critique in El Rassrsquos

كان احلريري ما طار وما صار مطار احلريري

Each of the artists featured here manipulates sound and meaning in unique and fiercely creative ways making of the genre a distinct form of popular poetry

One of the most compelling political components of the genre is how powerful rather simple declarations of preference or identity can be or become These take on overt incarnations as in Offendumrsquos celebratory ldquoDestinyrdquo H2Zrsquos figurative ldquoI am Palestinianrdquo (ldquoAna Falasteenirdquo) or more subtle declarations of preference as in Ramallah Undergroundrsquos ldquoI am trying not to care but politics pulls at merdquo in the track ldquoFrom the Caverdquo (ldquoMin el Kaheffrdquo) Private processings of a public world linger in nearly all the pieces It is from these subject positions and thousands

of others that those outside of the Arab world must also hear not only from their ldquodisconnectedrdquo leaders who happen to speak like thousands of their constituents ldquovery good Englishrdquo

The implicit and explicit declarations of identity in Arabic hip hop is perhaps also especially noteworthy because they are immediately noticeable All the tracks featured here are predominantly in dialect (Egyptian Lebanese Syrian Palestinian) and not in the standard modern or classical Arabic typically broadcast across national borders Moreover the political critiques they offer are especially specific some relying almost entirely on subtext to carry meaning across The translations alongside them then should make equally useful learning tools for students of Arabic language as those of culture politics and art

But if anything comes from hearing and reading these texts simultaneously it should be a reevaluation of the question of ldquomodernizationrdquo or ldquoWesternizationrdquo in our contemporary moment Facile readings from both sides will call these works ldquoWesternizations of Arab culturerdquo or ldquoOrientalizations of Western culturerdquo In reality they are neither If they feel modern or more specifically postmodern (and they undoubtedly are - the articulations of identity mentioned above are almost always manifest as split or double) it is because they were written and are performed in our contemporary moment not because they encompass more or less of one part of the globe And if the pieces feel Arab (and they undoubtedly will) it is because they are Arab too

One of the most important but embarrassingly obvious implications then is that the two are completely conceivable within the same body within the same text in the same exact moment They are not opposite not a give and take followed by synthesis The tracks and the artists are both Many Multitude Concurrently East and West After all what is East What is West

Rayya El ZeinNew York

It is from these subject positions and thousands of others that those outside of the Arab world must also hear not only from their ldquodisconnectedrdquo leaders who happen to speak like thousands of their constituents ldquovery good Englishrdquo

Denying the influences of US rap on hip hop in Arabic or of the Internet (Facebook Twitter) on the events of the past twelve months is futile But if a productive dialogue between the Middle East and West is to be created we must also learn to listen to local histories and to hear regional catalysts

Politics and Aesthetics

Shared political concerns hardly confine the range of creative impulses within the genre The tracks collected in this issue explore a range of thematic considerations as well as aesthetic choices Most bear implicit if not explicit (and here we see a healthy range) of political critiques Indeed the aesthetic choices of rhythm melody when appropriate and beat become political choices in and of themselves In this collection we have tried to illustrate a wide gamut of approaches and rhythms Listeners will undoubtedly note the

98

This issue of Shahadat is an interactive experiment and a virtual media work in progress It is designed for multiple audiences from the aspiring poet and critic to the classroom to established fans and everything in-between

Download all the tracks featured in this issue and absorb the various layers of sound rhythm politics and poetry at your own leisure

Or download the pdf of this document and listen as you go The green button on each page starts the track the red button pauses Click above the set of buttons and a small media player will appear which allows one to navigate through the track at will These interactive features only function if you download the pdf of this document The

Note for Mac users if you are viewing the downloaded pdf the tracks will stop playing at the flip of the page To reactivate sound click in the upper left hand corner of each two-page

spread (Hovering should produce a text box that says ldquoclick to activaterdquo) A small player will appear with which the track can be navigated Be sure to open with Adobe Reader not Apple Preview for interactive functions

Flip through the virtual publication in the order wersquove suggested or find your favorite track in the table of contents on the opposite page and click on the title to be led directly to it

We appreciate your feedback (and your patience) as we experiment with new forms of media while exploring the various incarnations of popular literature in the Middle East and North Africa

how to use this Document table of Contents

Editorrsquos Remarks 4

From the Cave | Ramallah Underground 10

Rise Egyptian | El Deeb + Edd 16

Not Your Prisoner | Arabian Knightz + Shadia Mansour 24

Ignite | Boikutt 30

I am Palestinian | H2Z 36

Kufeyyeh Arabeyyeh | Shadia Mansour 40

Destiny | Omar Offendum 46

What Happened Yesterday | Stormtrap 54

Brass | The Narcicyst 60

Beirutrsquos Volcano | El Rass 64

A Letter from Boikutt | Boikutt 70

Hold Me Back If You Can | Katibeh 5 74

Hand in Hand | Arabian Knightz + MC Gaza + Ameer 82

Addiction to Fame | El Deeb + Stormtrap 88

The Stars are Getting Closer | Fareeq el Atrash 94

Words | DAM 100

Further Reading 106

About the Artists 108

About the Translators 111

1110

بدهم يجوعوا األهالي ألنو الناس ملا يجوعو ما بوعودو يفكروا باملقاومة

نازل العب باملوت بدي اعرف ايش عدد املوت هون

مش سامع وال صوت اطفي التلفون

اسأل ألنو وال حد سائل سواءا سياسي أو دوبلوماسي

قاعدين على هالكراسي وبتحدثوا

بروحوا بحوطوا رؤوسهم و بتمددووالبيوت في لبنان و غزة عم يتهدموا اجا الوقت نرفع بعبوص لكل العالم

ألنو راح يضلو يحكي وعمرو ما حيعمل فئيش بدنا نضلنا نقنع و نستنا بتمنى بس عالفاضي من زمان نسييو عنا

R a m a l l a h U n d e r g r o u n d

They wanna starve our people because when people are starving they no longer think of

leading resistance

I am going to play with death

I wanna know the death count here

I canrsquot hear a sound

Turn off your phone

Ask because no one else has

Whether politicians or diplomats

Theyrsquore planted in their seats

Chatting

They relax rest their heads

While homes in Lebanon and Gaza are leveled

The time has come to screw the world

Because theyrsquoll keep talking without ever doing anything

Why would we keep holding on waiting hoping

But for nothing They forgot about us a while ago

from tمن الكهف he cave

3 Min Ill Kahef

Ramallah Underground ft Lethal Skillz

The Peace Revolution 20

24420868

eng - iTunNORM 00000E33 00000D93 0000B0A7 00008C71 0001CD0B 0002129C 00008000 00008000 0000A2CF 0000633A

1312

ساعة بتمسك حالك ملا تشوف قدامك

اللي قامك واللي شالك مش مستغرب اذا افكار جهنمية عم بدور ببالك

نازل بتنادي عالدنيا بس الدنيا نامت وحتى اذا قامت ما حتسمع كالمك

ما حتسمع كالمك

هون يوم معاك مية عليك حواجز حواليك كلبشات عايديك

قولي شو سويت مابدي فوت باحليط ياريت بس انا فايت هيك هيك

حياتي عجل بسكليت وهأل فلت اجلنزير اجا الوقت ادعس بنزين

ابدا شد ابدا مد حكيي لكل النواحي

ألنو كلماتي سالحي

بدهم يجوعوا األهالي ألنو الناس ملا يجوعو ما بوعودو يفكروا باملقاومة

11 22 33 عم ميحونا هات لننزل عال مالجئ قبل ما يشوفونا

بقصوفونا وين ما روحنا بس بحياتهم ما بطحونا

صامدون ألخر حلظة لصوار يخكم ايصابونا

R a m a l l a h U n d e r g r o u n d

In the moments when you try to get a hold of things

When you look in front of you

At the one who picked you up and removed you

Donrsquot be surprised if evil thoughts fill your mind

You went on calling the world but the world is sleeping

And even if it wakes up it wonrsquot hear your voice

It wonrsquot hear your voice

Here therersquos one day with you and a hundred others against you

Barriers around you

Handcuffs on your hands

Tell me what you did

I hope I donrsquot crash into a wall

But Irsquom crashing anyways

My life is more like a bike tire

But now wersquore off the tracks time to hit the gas

Never pull never stretch my speech

For any reason

Because my words are my weapons

They wanna starve our people because when people are starving they no longer think of

leading resistance

One by one two by two three by three theyrsquore trying to wipe us out

Letrsquos go to the shelters before they see us

They shoot us wherever we go

But we never give up

Steadfast lsquotil the last breath when your missiles hit

3 Min Ill Kahef

Ramallah Underground ft Lethal Skillz

The Peace Revolution 20

24420868

eng - iTunNORM 00000E33 00000D93 0000B0A7 00008C71 0001CD0B 0002129C 00008000 00008000 0000A2CF 0000633A

1514

و رؤساء العرب سابونا تركونا و هربوا لعند عدونا

ألنو ما قدروا يعدونا وعدونا باملستقبل بس شوف لوين جابونا

2007 عالم مبشي دوغري و احنا فجرونا جوعونا بدهم ينسونا

قعدنا سنني نبني و اجو فجأة هيك هدونا هددونا و خوفونا

بالدميقراطية سمموناحتى نعيش حياة طبيعية ما خلونا

حطونا عخط النار ونسفونا دمرونا نشفولنا دمنا كل هاد و لسا ما خلصونا من همنا

بحاول اطنش بس السياسة بتشدني بقولها افلتي ما بدي

بتقولي انا جزء من حياتك مش حتقدر متشي ضدي

بحاول اطنش بس السياسة بتشدني بقولها افلتي ما بدي

بتقولي انا جزء من حياتك مش حتقدر متشي ضدي

R a m a l l a h U n d e r g r o u n d

And Arab leaders let us down

Abandoned us fled to our enemies

Because they couldnrsquot infect us with their cowardice

They promised the future and look what they got us into

2007 the worldrsquos moving ahead and they blow us up

Starve us they wanna forget us

We spent years building and they came suddenly led us on

Threatened and frightened us

Poisoned us with democracy

Wouldnrsquot let us have a normal life

They set us right on line of fire they ruined us destroyed us dried up our blood

All that and still they couldnrsquot finish the job

I am trying not to care anymore but politics pulls at me

I say leave me alone

She says I am part of your life

You wonrsquot be able to resist me

I am trying not to care anymore but politics pulls at me

I say leave me alone

She says I am part of your life

You wonrsquot be able to resist me

T r a n s l a t e d b y L o u b n a B i l a l i

3 Min Ill Kahef

Ramallah Underground ft Lethal Skillz

The Peace Revolution 20

24420868

eng - iTunNORM 00000E33 00000D93 0000B0A7 00008C71 0001CD0B 0002129C 00008000 00008000 0000A2CF 0000633A

1716

)مصر داميا بتناديك(

التورتة رجعت للشعبالبورصة وقعت من اللعب

الشعار القدمي رجعالشرطة في خدمة الشعب

احلال كان صعب بس النهار ده أفضل احنا نقدر نزرع صحرتنا أخضر

اتخلصنا من حكم هتلر فرعون ملعون وبحكم تويتر وفيسبوك املصري ثاير مدعوم بلغة احلق

كانوا بيقولولنا أل مش فارقة معاهم إن شاء الله حتى االرض تنشق ثورتنا ثورة شعبية سلمية وطنية

طالبنا با حلرية الكرامة عدالة اجتماعية الشعب كان ممسوك بقبضة فوالذية

شغل مقاولة ومصالح شخصية كانوا بيتعاملوا معانا بكل همجية

يطلعوا عالقنوات الفضائية بتصاريح استفزازية

e l D e e b + E d d

(Egypt is always calling on you)

The people have regained the pie

The stockmarketrsquos been put out of commission

The old slogan is back

Police are in the service of the people

The situation was tough but today is better

We can make our desert green

We got rid of Hitlerrsquos rule a damned pharaoh

In the age of Twitter and Facebook the Egyptian walks confidently using the language of righteousness

They used to tell us no they didnrsquot care even if God wished the earth to split open

Our revolution is a popular peaceful national revolution

We have demanded freedom dignity and social justice

The people were controlled with an iron fist

Business contacts and personal interests

They treated us viciously

They appeared on satellite TV channels and issued provocative statements

rقوم يا مصري ise egypt ian

2oum Ya Masry (feat Edd) (Prod by Edd)

Deeb

null

2011

24930304

eng - Visit httpdeebbandcampcom

1918

انتصرنا في 11 فبراير بفرحة مليونية زغرطتي يا مصر يا بهية حققنا احلرية

الثورة بعد ما خلصت هلق بعدا مبلشةلدورنا شكلها وصلت وإنت بعدك بالفرشة

ولك قوم وقاف الحق بسنانك تفرشيولك قوم وقاف هز فيك نظامك عم بخزوق قوم يا مصري ما فيش ثورة بتخلص في يوم وليلة

دوس على نفسك شويةاستحمل شد حيلك

ما تخافش على عجلة اإلنتاج الزم ثورة على الذاتبكرا أحسن من اللي فات

ديكتاتوري هاإلنسان كان ببلد دميقراطيعايش فوق الغيم كان مرتاح رأسه فاضياملمنوع إلو مسموح كان ألن صاحبه قاضي

مطنش عاملخدرات ليضل شعبه طافيتيضل شعبه مسلطن ملتهي عم يضحك

كونه غير واعيفمن السهل فيه تتحكم ضو أخضر للشرطة

عليها ما فيك تتشكىفي حال فيك شكك بشكلك بشنغلك

تالتني سنةأكتر من أي رئيس بقي

ولك كسرسكور اإلستاذ نبيه بريمبصر بيقولوا معليه أنا التعتير إبني

eعم شوف شو في أكل من مبارح بقي ألعطيه لقمة l D e e b + E d d

We won on February 11 the joy of millions

Ululate oh Egypt oh Bahia we have achieved freedom

The revolution is not over yet it has just begun

Looks like itrsquos our turn now and yoursquore still in bed

Crsquomon get up Yoursquoll brush your teeth later

Crsquomon get up Move your regime is screwing you

Rise up oh Egyptian No revolution finishes in a night and a day

Bear with it a little

Have endurance and tolerance

Donrsquot be afraid of the cycle of production there should be a revolution against oneself

Tomorrow is better than the past

The man was a dictator in a democratic country

Living on clouds he was comfortable and carefree

What is prohibited was permitted for him because he was friends with a judge

He turned a blind eye to drugs so that his people would remain unaware

So that his people would remain high busy laughing

Because they are unconscious

It is easy to control them the police have a green light

You couldnrsquot report them

If they are suspicious of you of the way you look they would hang you

Thirty years

He ruled more than any other president

He even broke the record of Mr Nabih Berri [longstanding Lebanese head of parliament]

In Egypt they say itrsquos ok misfortune is my son

I will check what is left over from yesterday to feed it

2oum Ya Masry (feat Edd) (Prod by Edd)

Deeb

null

2011

24930304

eng - Visit httpdeebbandcampcom

2120

ملني بشكيحالتي متل هاملاليني مرتة

ولك قوم ننزل عساحة التحرير دغريب11 شهر 2 سجلنا رحيل حسني

اللي قضى كل هالسنني يشتغل عميل ضدي

ثورة بعد ما خلصت هلق بعدا مبلشةلدورنا شكلها وصلت وإنت بعدك بالفرشة

ولك قوم وقاف الحق بسنانك تفرشيولك قوم وقاف إذ فيك نظامك عم بخزوق

قوم يا مصري ما فيش ثورة بتخلص في يوم وليلةدوس على نفسك شوية

استحمل شد حيلكما تخافش على عجلة اإلنتاج

الزم ثورة على الذاتبكرا أحسن من اللي فات

أنا مدنيبلوح بقلمي كأنه علمي

من عرقي بروي عملي كأنه عطشيالبركة ببلدي العربي

إني فيني كون عفويفيني قوم ثور

إذا بس كان مسموم بدنيحلريتي بالتعبير

ما في حدود حتدنيبتشوفني بساحة التحرير بوسط بيروت

مش كرمال السما ترجع زرقاإلسقاط النظام اللي احلرية سلبنا

e l D e e b + E d d

To whom will I complain

My situation like that of millions is bad

Crsquomon letrsquos go straight to Tahrir Square

On February 11 we witnessed the departure of Hosni

Who has been working as an agent all these years against mehellip

The revolution is not over yet it has just begun

Looks like itrsquos our turn now and yoursquore still in bed

Crsquomon get up Yoursquoll brush your teeth later

Crsquomon get up Move your regime is screwing you

Rise up oh Egyptian No revolution finishes in a night and a day

Bear with it a little

Have endurance and tolerance

Donrsquot be afraid of the cycle of production

There should be a revolution against oneself

Tomorrow is better than the past

I am a civilian

I wave my pen as if it is my flag

I water my work with my sweat as if itrsquos my thirst

Whatrsquos good about my Arab country

Is that I can be spontaneous

I can rise up and revolt

When Irsquom angry

For my freedom of expression

There are no limitations

You see me in Tahrir Square and in downtown Beirut

But not for the sky to become blue again [in reference to the slogan of the Lebanese Future Movement]

But to topple the regime that has taken away freedom

2oum Ya Masry (feat Edd) (Prod by Edd)

Deeb

null

2011

24930304

eng - Visit httpdeebbandcampcom

2322

فترة إنتقاليةفقرة إعالنية

شاي وكليوبتراوشوش صفرا سهرانة

عالنشرة اإلخباريةركلة جزائية

واجلمهور مستني الهدفكل يوم في الصحف

نقرا نبأ عن كلب نهب البلدأوقف عندك رجع الذهب

مش إنت بردو اللي كنت مسؤول عن إعالم بلدتصاريح كاذبة كالم عجب

الصعب عدا والتاريخ إنكتبأوعى تفتكر الشعب تعب

الثورة بعد ما خلصت هلق بعدا مبلشةلدورنا شكلها وصلت وإنت بعدك بالفرشة

ولك قوم وقاف الحق بسنانك تفرشيولك قوم وقاف إذ فيك نظامك عم بخزوق

قوم يا مصري ما فيش ثورة بتخلص في يوم وليلةدوس على نفسك شوية

استحمل شد حيلكما تخافش على عجلة اإلنتاج

الزم ثورة على الذاتeبكرا أحسن من اللي فات l D e e b + E d d

A transitional period

A commercial break

Tea and Cleopatra

Yellow faces staying up at night

To follow the newscast

A penalty

The audience is waiting for the goal

Every day in newspapers

We read news about a dog that has looted the country

Stop return the gold

Werenrsquot you in charge of the countryrsquos media

False statements odd expressions

The hard part is over and history has been written

Donrsquot think that the people are exhausted

The revolution is not over yet it has just begun

Looks like itrsquos our turn now and yoursquore still in bed

Crsquomon get up Yoursquoll brush your teeth later

Crsquomon get up Move your regime is screwing you

Rise up oh Egyptian No revolution finishes in a night and a day

Bear with it a little

Have endurance and tolerance

Donrsquot be afraid of the cycle of production

There should be a revolution against oneself

Tomorrow is better than the past

T r a n s l a t e d b y F a r a h E l R e w a i s s a t i

2oum Ya Masry (feat Edd) (Prod by Edd)

Deeb

null

2011

24930304

eng - Visit httpdeebbandcampcom

2524

بلسان فاكريني انو مافيهوش فن هتكلم عن كل حلم اترسم من غضبهم اتدفن

اتقسم احتاط باأللم منلفكر فاملرحلة السمعيه واحللول اللى تنقذ عناوين جانبيه ارهابية من عيون معنية باستقاللية بعد حروب عاملية محمية متدارية

منسية مرمية على اكتاف مش مرضية مستخبية بطريقة اتكالية عاالراضى العربية

بسلبية مرئية انتهازية وراء االعالم االسالمية بباينوا النيه

احتيالية عنادية سيكوباتية سرية انانية استراتيجية ضد االنسانية

و بعد املسايسة متابعة من قاعة املشاهدة لكل عربى بيتزل مستانى مساعدة

A r a b i a n K n i g h t z + S h a d i a M a n s o u r

They presume the tongue has no art so I will speak

About every dream that was drawn from their anger and got buried

It got divided surrounded by pain

And the solutions that might work are sidelined and smeared as terrorist

From eyes that are interested in independence

After world wars protected and hidden

Forgotten and thrown on unsatisfied shoulders

Concealed with consent in Arab lands

With obvious opportunism

Beneath Islamic publicity intentions show through

Fraudulent stubborn psychopathic

A secret selfish strategy against mankind

And after politics we keep tabs on things from the screening room

For every Arab who gets humiliated I am waiting for help

prisonerThis track contains verses that were originally written in English السجني

Prisoner

Arabian Knightz + Shadia Mansour

Shahadat Winter 2012 track 316

Hip Hop

26518704

2726

ماخالص كسروا بنا كلمة مسانده و من عقولنا اخدوا الورق اللى يكسب فى اللعبة

أنا عايز بلد حرة من الظلم

عايز بلد حرة من القهر عايز بلد حرة من الشر

عايز أرضي وأرض العرب العرب العرب العرب

A r a b i a n K n i g h t z + S h a d i a M a n s o u r

But itrsquos over they shattered for us the word ldquosolidarityldquo

And from our minds they took the cards that win the game

I want a country free of tyranny

I want a country free of oppression

I want a country free of evil

I want my land and the land of Arabs

Arabs Arabs Arabs

Destructive destruction destroying my district

Anti-Christ running in spreading evil wisdom

Irsquom destroying the oppressors in Arabic settlements

Known for blowing up beats and governments

My peeps die in their cribs while yrsquoall close your eyes

Two of yrsquoall are kidnapped you call it a terrorist crime

The media

Is backing up

Murderous propaganda

While we fight eternally like immortal high landers

Al Durrah Sheikh Yassin the pains unseen

Forging your own stories for the blind to see

Want to draw your own opinions bout the bombs we face

Whatrsquos your opinion if yoursquore enslaved and your mom is raped

Itrsquos too easy to speak when yoursquore far from the heat

To the White House I creep and yes Irsquom armed to the teeth

With a mic and a pen and a pad herersquos your evidence

ldquoWeapons of Mass Destructionldquo Mr President

Prisoner

Arabian Knightz + Shadia Mansour

Shahadat Winter 2012 track 316

Hip Hop

26518704

2928

أنا عايز بلد حرة من الظلم عايز بلد حرة من القهر

عايز بلد حرة من الشر عايز أرضي وأرض العرب

العرب العرب العرب

إحنا منمشي بالكرامة والثقة بالنفس معصنا قوانينكم بالثبوت بالدم

لو إن ضميركم بتريحكم بتتكلموا من ورا الفرد

قللي مني ما عم ينام بالليل عنجد ع بني انتو بتبنوا حواجز إحن بنكبر عيالنا

وبنظلنا نزيد العدد إحن السبب ليش ما بتسترجوا تغمضوا عني

في فرق كبير بني مقاوم ومقررين

A r a b i a n K n i g h t z + S h a d i a M a n s o u r

I want a country free of tyranny

I want a country free of oppression

I want a country free of evil

I want my land and the land of Arabs

Arabs Arabs Arabs

Theyrsquore dropping bombs over Baghdad

Libnan Afghan Palestinians Bin Laden Saddam

Listen Islam is all about the peace man

But wars up in these streets man

Got me loosinrsquo sleep damn

Mr Politician I got a little question

How come you are eating and all your peoples isnrsquot

I am on a mission to break up out of this prison

If yoursquore with me share my vision

Letrsquos start by saving the children

We walk with dignity and confidence in ourselves

We crushed your laws with our steadfastness and blood

If your conscience was giving you peace

You wouldnrsquot be communicating from behind a gun

Tell me whorsquos the one not getting sleep at night

While you build your checkpoints we raise the kids

Our numbers will keep increasing

We are the reason you donrsquot dare to blink

There is a big difference between a man of resistance and decision makers

T r a n s l a t e d b y N i z a r G h a n e m + S h a d i a M a n s o u r

Prisoner

Arabian Knightz + Shadia Mansour

Shahadat Winter 2012 track 316

Hip Hop

26518704

3130

النظام العاملي اجلديداحلاسة السادسة

و بدهم يردوا يعلموك النشيدنار شديد بس كله نسبي

جينا و نسيناأخبار فورية بتنهضم و بتمشينا

إللي فينا مكفينا رايح عغزة بالسفينة

و ما يأتي قبل الفكر أم الفعلملجرد الذكر لشخص مبنج قلب نكد وزعل

و طلب السعرمش حنبيع

ملا بتشتي بتشتي عاجلميعو زمن أول حتول

و مش قادرين نتجول فا مش حنضيعbشيء مريع o i k u t t

The new world order

The sixth sense

And they want to teach you the anthem anew

Heavy fire but itrsquos all relative

We came and forgot

Instant news digested and keeps us moving

Wersquove had enough

Going to Gaza by boat

What comes first Thought or action

The mere question to a numb person makes him grumpy and upset

And asking for the price

We wonrsquot sell

When it rains it rains over everybody

The old times have changed

We are under house arrest so we wonrsquot get lost

Itrsquos a horrible thing

igniteولع

Walle

boikutt

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3332

مرات بتفهم النبرة غلطبس هلئ فهمني منيح

جريح بدون تلقيح تصريح صريح بدون تلميح

فظيعكيف خلونا نطيع

بوقت تشييع جثمان الضاضمضاض لإلنتفاض ثورة الثروة قيد التصنيع

فيعبوجه عقود بقبضة من حديد

من هون لقرية بال متديدبدون مانروح لبعيد

جتميد روؤس أموال و نوويةمصلحة أول مستفيد

بتدوب بشعلة من سيدي بوزيد

ولعشوف اكمن دكتاتور منقلعولعشوف اكمن دكتاتور منقلع

ولع شوف اكمن دكتاتور منقلعصوت الثورة بكل مكان و عم منسمع

من حكام لنوابو ال استثني احدا منكم

ما بيهمكمحلد ما الهتافات تتوجه إلكم إتهزكم

أفهمكمbاإلستبداد تارك الشارع بإستعداد o i k u t t

Sometimes you misunderstand a tone

But now you understand me correctly

Wounded without vaccination

A blatant statement without any hinting

Unbelievable

How they made us obey

At the funeral of the corpse of the [quintessential Arabic letter] Ddad

Counter revolution the revolution of wealth is in process

Rise

In the face of decades under an iron fist

From here to a village without extension

Without going too far

Freezing of capital and nuclear war heads

The interest of the primary beneficiary

Melts with a flame from Sidibouzid

Ignitesee how many dictators wersquoll uproot

Ignitesee how many dictators wersquoll uproot

Ignitesee how many dictators wersquoll uproot

The sound of revolution is everywhere we make it heard

From leaders to parliamentarians

I do not exclude any of you

But you donrsquot care

Until chants are directed at you and shake you

Let me explain

Tyranny leaves the street prepared

Walle

boikutt

null

1746378

3534

من املزارع بوسط البالدفعل مضارع للرماد

فا إنصرف زاي فلوس الدولة إللي طريقها إنحرفوإنعرف و إنصبت بجيوب هالطرف من شوفرية الشرف

حتية خاصة ألسود ميدان التحريرلتعديل دستور التعتير

إن صح التعبير

عندي نظر األطرشو سمع األعمى

عايشني حياة و مكلبشني باخلوف بنفس الوقت فا قللي شو املعنىتاريخ شجعنا

الوضع الراهن منعناناس بتمر و بتسمعنا

بدون جتاوب جتارب فجاوبيا ضدنا يا معنا

إرفع قبضة الصمود فوق في الهوا ثابتةإنتفاضة أولى و ثانية بس الثالثة نابتة

أطراف كابتةبس قد ما يحاولوا ميحوا ويحطوا الناس كاتبة

بالتفاصيل و كامتة

ولعhellip شوف اكمن دكتاتور منقلعولعhellip شوف اكمن دكتاتور منقلع

ولع شوف اكمن دكتاتور منقلعصوت الثورة بكل مكان و عم منسمع

ولعhellip شوف اكمن دكتاتور منقلعbو صفهم عالدور واحد واحدhellipو شنع o i k u t t

From the farmers in the center

Changing present tense to ashes

So vanish like the statersquos money whose road has deviated

It is known that it ended up in the pockets of the corrupt who claim to be clean

A special salute to the lions of Tahrir Square

For amending the constitution of misfortune

If that can be said

I have the sight of the deaf

And the hearing of the blind

Leading a life while chained by fear at the same time so tell me whatrsquos the point

History encouraged us

The current situation prevented us

People pass by and hear us

Without any response -- testing -- so answer

Yoursquore either with us or against us

Raise the fist of resistance up in the air

A first and second Intifada but the third is sprouting

Oppressive groups

No matter how hard they try to erase and replace people have written

In details and know by heart

Ignitesee how many dictators wersquoll uproot

Ignitesee how many dictators wersquoll uproot

Ignitesee how many dictators wersquoll uproot

The sound of revolution is everywhere we make it heard

Ignitesee how many dictators wersquoll uproot

Line them up in turn one after the other and defame them

T r a n s l a t e d b y F a r a h E l R e w a i s s a t i

Walle

boikutt

null

1746378

3736

ولك انا ابن عكا وبن يافا و طولكرم انا ابن كل شبر من البحر للنهر

االرض الي حملت موسى مرمي واملسيح انااملقابر يلي فاضت من كتر التوابيت

انا اخليمة بيت التنك واحلصيرة والكانون والبيوت املسروقة والدم املهدور

انا الهوى يالي حامل الغضب والبكاوالطرقات يلي بتغرق مع كل نقطة الشتا

انا رصاصة من املجاهد عم تعبر حلدود انا حزام من القنابل مشتاق لليهود

لطفل على باب املستشفى عم بيموتانا الجئ ممنوع من العمل مكروه

انا اين املخيم يلي عاطل عن العمل سيجارة احلشيش يلي بتمحي شوية الم

H 2 Z

Irsquom the son of Acre Jaffa and Tulkarem

Irsquom the son of every inch from the river to the sea

Irsquom the land that carried Moses Mary and the Christ

Irsquom the cemeteries that overflow with coffins

Irsquom the tent the tin house the mat and the stove

The stolen houses and the wasted blood

Irsquom the wind that bears anger and tears

The roads that drown in a single drop of rain

I am a bullet that crosses borders

Irsquom a grenade against Zionists

A child that dies waiting outside the hospital

Irsquom a hated refugee whorsquos prohibited from working

Irsquom the son of the camps always unemployed

The hash cigarettes that ease the pain

iانا فلسطيني am palest inian

Ana Falasteeni

H27

null

17782504

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3938

حيطان هالبيت يلي بكره رح ينردم انا االحمر واالسود واالخضر من هالعلم

من دم االبطال من دموع الاطفالمن اجلحيم التشرد واجلوء واالنكسار

من ظلم االحتاللمن حلم االستقالل

من ارض الزيتونوالصليب والهالل

انا حافظ احلواجز بكل بالد العالممن النادر انو بيوم يعتبروني بني ادم انا سنني االعتقال انا غرف التعذيب

الوجع والصريخ واجلروح الي ما بطيبانا شعب ما انهزم بس عمرو ما انتصر

انا اكبر ارهابي الني حامل حجر اسير طول عمرو رافض انو بيوم ميوت بس معاهدة سالم بتنفي اني موجود

انا القدس بيت حلم ومخيم جننياالدان واجلراس الهالل والصليب

املدافن واملدارس وكنسية املسيح الشوارع القدمية والبيت العتيق

انا ركوة الشاي و سندويشة الفالفلالكرم والبخل واالخالق واملهازل

الكذب والصدق واخليانة والصمود Hانا فلسطيني حلتى اموت 2 Z

The walls of the house that I hate thatrsquos about to get demolished

I am the red and black and green in this flag

From the blood of heroes from the tears of children

From the hell of homelessness and broken refugees

From the oppression of the occupation

From the dream of independence

Irsquom from the land of the olives

The cross and crescent

I know all the checkpoints in all countries of the world

It is where they consider me a human being

Irsquom years of capture Irsquom the torture chambers

The pain and the screams and the wounds that never heal

I was never defeated but never had a victory

Irsquom the biggest terrorist because I carry a stone

A prisoner who spends his whole life refusing to die

But a peace treaty forgets that Irsquom alive

Irsquom Jerusalem Bethlehem and Jenin refugee camp

The call to prayer the bells the crescent and the cross

The old cemeteries schools and church of Christ

The old streets and the ancient house

Irsquom the tea cup and the falafel sandwich

Generosity and greed morality and farce

Lies and betrayal and honesty and persistence

I am Palestinian until I die

T r a n s l a t e d b y t h e a r t i s t

Ana Falasteeni

H27

null

17782504

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4140

صباح اخلير با والد عمومناتفضلوا شرفونا

شو بتحبوا نضيفكم دم عربي وال دموع من عيوننابعتقد هيك تأملوا نستقبلن

هيك تعقدوا ملا تدركوا على غلطتهنمن هيك لبسنا الكوفية

البيضة والسودةصاروا كالب الزمان يلبسوها كموضة

مهما تفننوا فيامهما غيروا بلونا

كوفية عربية بتضال عربية

حطتنا بدن ياهاثقافتنا بدن ياها

S h a d i a M a n s o u r w i t h M 1 o f D e a d P r e z

Good morning cousins

Come in and honor us with your presence

What would you like us to serve you Arab blood or tears from our eyes

I think thatrsquos how they hoped we would recieve them

Thatrsquos why they got tangled up when they tripped up on their own mistake

Thatrsquos why we wore the kufeyyeh

The black and white one

Dogs of the past started to wear it as a fashion statement

However they change it

Whatever colour they make it

The Kufeyyeh is Arab and will always be Arab

Our scarf they want it

Our intellect they want it

kufeyyeh arabeyyeh الكوفية عربية

Kufeyyeh Arabeyyeh

Shadia Mansour and M1

Shahadat Winter 2012 track 616

Hip Hop

26239166

4342

كرامتنا بدن ياهاكل شي إلنا بدن ياه

ما رح نسكتلن نسمحلن الالبقلن يسرقوا شغلة مش إلهن ما خصن فيا

بيقلدونا باللبسكل هاألرض بيكفيهنش

طمعانني عالقدسإعرفوا كيف تكونوا بشر

قبل ما تلبسوا الكوفيةجينا نذكرن مني إحنا

وغصبا من عن أبوهم هاي حطتنا

من هيك لبسنا الكوفيةألنها وطنية

الكوفية الكوفية عربيةمن هيك لبسنا الكوفية

هويتنا األساسيةالكوفية الكوفية عربية

يال علي الكوفيةعلولي هالكوفية

الكوفية الكوفية عربيةعلوها لبالد الشام

كوفية عربية بتضال عربية

ما في بعد متل الشعب العربيفرجوني أية أمة بالدنيا أكثر مأثرة

الصورة واضحة نحنا مهد احلضارة

S h a d i a M a n s o u r w i t h M 1 o f D e a d P r e z

Our dignity they want it

Everything thatrsquos ours they want it

We will not be silent will not allow it

It suits them to steal something that ainrsquot theirs

They imitate our style

As if all this land werenrsquot not enough

Thirsting after Jerusalem

Know how to be human

Before you wear our scarf

We came to remind them who we are

And like it or not itrsquos our right

Thatrsquos why we wore the kufeyyeh

Because it is nationalistic

The kufeyyeh is Arab

Thatrsquos why we wore the kufeyyeh

Because it is our original identity

The kufeyyeh is Arab

Come on raise your kufeyyehs

Raise that kufeyyeh

The kufeyyeh is Arab

Raise it up for bilad ersquosham [Greater Syria the wider Arab world]

The kufeyyeh is Arab and will always be Arab

There are no others like the Arab people

Show me one region in the world that is more influencial

The picture is clear we are the origins of civilization

Kufeyyeh Arabeyyeh

Shadia Mansour and M1

Shahadat Winter 2012 track 616

Hip Hop

26239166

4544

تاريخنا وتراثنا الشاهد على وجودنامن هيك لبست التوب الفلسطيني

من حيفا جنني جبل النار إلى رام اللهخليني شوف الكوفية

البيضة واحلمراخلينا نعليها لفوق بالسما

أنا شادية العربلساني بغز غزبلساني بهز هز

كلمات احلربسجل أنا شادية منصور

واحلطة هويتيمن يوم ما خلقت

سيدي والشعب مسؤوليتيلكن تربيت بني الشرق وبني الغرب

بني لغتنيبني بخيل بني فقير

شفت احلياة من اجلهتنيبس علمتني الكوفية

كيف ما لبستونيوين ما شلحتوني

بضلني عأصولي فلسطينية

S h a d i a M a n s o u r w i t h M 1 o f D e a d P r e z

Our history traditions and customs bear witness to our existence

Thatrsquos why I wear the Palestinian dress

From Haifa Jenin Jabal El Naar to Ramallah

Let me see the kufeyyeh

The red and white one

Letrsquos raise it up to the sky

I am the singer of the Arabs

Like an earthquake I shake the ground

My words are war

Record this

I am Shadia Mansour

And this scarf is my ID

From the day I was born the people have been my responsibility

Look I was raised between the East and the West

Between two languages

Between the rich and the poor

Irsquove seen life from both sides

However the kufeyyeh has taught me

However you wear me

Wherever you leave me

I stay true to my origin Palestinian

T r a n s l a t e d b y t h e a r t i s t w i t h F a r a h E l R e w a i s s a t i

Kufeyyeh Arabeyyeh

Shadia Mansour and M1

Shahadat Winter 2012 track 616

Hip Hop

26239166

4746

حمامة سالم افتحي أجنحتكي و طيري

وين الوعي - وين امشوا معي هني وادي بني اجلبلني عني حب للطرفني

أمهاتنا حبت ذاتنا بس مو عاجبهن مسباتنا هذا احلكي بني اخواتنا

Oزين العرب واألمريكان m a r O f f e n d u m

This track contains verses that were originally written in English

You are my

(Destiny)

Itrsquos hard livinrsquo in the West - when I know the East got the best of me

(Destiny)

Could be lookinrsquo in my eyes - but yoursquoll never really see the rest of me

(Destiny)

Can you hear me maseeri [my destiny] Bi-lingualrsquos what Irsquom blessed to be

(Destiny)

Dove of Peace

Spread your wings amp fly

Consciousness What consciousness - where is it

Take a walk with me

Here in this valley between two ldquomountainsldquo

Where the source of love for both ldquosidesldquo can be found

Our mothers like us

But donrsquot like our foul language

So letrsquos keep this between the siblings

The best of Arabs amp Americans

destمصيري iny

7 Destiny

Omar Offendum

The Peace Revolution 20

21332892

eng - iTunNORM 000006D3 000006F2 000038BA 0000322F 0000E4FA 0000E4FA 00008716 0000864B 0002AB5E 000083D6

eng - iTunSMPB 00000000 00000210 0000094B 00000000008F7FA5 00000000 004108FB 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000

4948

وألله يرحم كل أمواتنا أغاني

مثل املهامتة إذا قلنا العني بالعني

ما صفى عندنا عيون بالشام بالد الشام

من فلسطني إلى جبال لبنان قبل ما اخترعوا احلدود

من اإلسكندرون إلى كردستان فهمان

جنجس خان ما خان قد ما خانونا أوالد العم بس دمنا دمهم

بني أدم - بنو ذمنبهم على أكتافنا - شلنا همهم

ليه الله بيعلم

بس ليك هذا الفتيش والبسكليت احسنلك من 100000000 مسدس

تعرف ليه ألن مو عاجبهم بسمتك

بس إبتسم برسمتك شاب عربي ومثقف

أعطيهم ختمتك وإذا لسة مو راضني

ذكرهم بكالم إيليية )أبي ماضي( raquoنسي الطني ساعة أنه طنيlaquo

Oوهذه هي القضاء والقدر يا حبيبي m a r O f f e n d u m

And may God have mercy on all our dead

Songs I sing

Like the Mahatma [the line above and the line below are linked through the sound of the name and the figure of Mahatama Ghandi]

If we say lsquoan eye for an eyersquo

There wont be any eyes left in Sham [Damascus]

Bilad al-Sham [Greater Syria the wider Arab world]

From Palestine to the mountains of Lebanon

Before they made up these borders

From Iskandaroon to Kurdistan

Understand

Genghis Khan never deceived us quite like our ldquopaternal cousinsldquo [khan also means ldquodeceiveldquo in Arabic]

But our blood is their blood

Children of Adam -- who built their sins

Upon our shoulders -- we carried their burden

Why

God knows

But listen this little firecracker amp bicycle

Are better for you than 100 million guns

Wanna know why

Because they dont like seeing you smile

But smile you will - in your human being

A young cultured Arab male

Give them your stamp of approval

And if they still donrsquot accept you

Then remind them of the words of Elliye [Abi-Madhee a Lebanese poet whose poem begins with]

ldquoHow soon a piece of dirt can forget that all he really is is just dirtldquo [ie we are all from this earth amp

will come back to it so there is no logic in viewing yourself as better than someone else]

And that my friend is our destiny

7 Destiny

Omar Offendum

The Peace Revolution 20

21332892

eng - iTunNORM 000006D3 000006F2 000038BA 0000322F 0000E4FA 0000E4FA 00008716 0000864B 0002AB5E 000083D6

eng - iTunSMPB 00000000 00000210 0000094B 00000000008F7FA5 00000000 004108FB 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000

5150

O m a r O f f e n d u m

Dove of Peace

Spread your wings amp fly

Make it easier to borrow

The aesthetics you bite

Like all the Arabic loanwords

From Spaniards amp Morros

The Karma of Inquisition

Visions of horror

So whorsquos the explorer

Really was it Columbus

Muhammad al-Idrisi or Alfaragnus

Throw a Hobson Jobson

While you figure it out

Irsquom gonna start with a cipher

Thatrsquos a siffir [zero] - no doubt

See you might not have learned to live with me

But sure as hell canrsquot without

You are my

You are my

(Destiny)

Itrsquos hard livinrsquo in the West - when I know the East got the best of me

(Destiny)

Could be lookinrsquo in my eyes - but yoursquoll never really see the rest of me

(Destiny)

Can you hear me maseeri [my destiny] Bi-lingualrsquos what Irsquom blessed to be

(Destiny)

حمامة سالم افتحي أجنحتكي و طيري

I write right to left

You write left to right

Metaphor of a foreignerrsquos plight

Dressed to type

Stereo amp a mic

Scenario of a fight

The burial of a white

Imperial at his heightrsquos

A Turkish Rapperrsquos Delight

Semetic etiquette might

Just have you rollin your ldquoRrsquosldquo

Poetic amp light

And grab a hold of your sorrows

To relieve your tomorrows

7 Destiny

Omar Offendum

The Peace Revolution 20

21332892

eng - iTunNORM 000006D3 000006F2 000038BA 0000322F 0000E4FA 0000E4FA 00008716 0000864B 0002AB5E 000083D6

eng - iTunSMPB 00000000 00000210 0000094B 00000000008F7FA5 00000000 004108FB 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000

5352

O m a r O f f e n d u m

Dove of Peace

Spread your wings amp fly

Bitched out by the West

Press get a big shout

From the people gettinrsquo rich out of this (bout)

Now whatrsquos this really all about

Land money or power

It was the colonizerrsquos fault

But now itrsquos really just ours

Leavinrsquo a sour tase in our mouths

Like generational slave names

Whenever speakinrsquo out

Out-spoken leaders gettinrsquo taken out

Quicker than belligerent drunks in a bar

We a far cry from livinrsquo as one

T r a n s l a t e d b y t h e a r t i s t

(Destiny)

Itrsquos hard livinrsquo in the West - when I know the East got the best of me

(Destiny)

Could be lookinrsquo in my eyes - but yoursquoll never really see the rest of me

(Destiny)

Can you hear me maseeri [my destiny] Bi-lingualrsquos what Irsquom blessed to be

(Destiny)

حمامة سالم افتحي أجنحتكي و طيري

See arab [Arabs] shootin at each other

From Iraq to Falasteen [Palastine]

Syria to Libnan [Lebanon]

Algeria to Sudan

Pedagogy of the oppressed tricklinrsquo down

Conquerinrsquo through divisions

And sadly this isnrsquot the first time

One land one love one chance one blood

No fuss no fight Yeah right young blood

AKrsquos cheaper than a book

Crooked leaders in a hook

Gettinrsquo fished out

Missles gettinrsquo dished out

7 Destiny

Omar Offendum

The Peace Revolution 20

21332892

eng - iTunNORM 000006D3 000006F2 000038BA 0000322F 0000E4FA 0000E4FA 00008716 0000864B 0002AB5E 000083D6

eng - iTunSMPB 00000000 00000210 0000094B 00000000008F7FA5 00000000 004108FB 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000

5554

زي ما صار مبارح صار اليوم اطف التلفزيون امسك مايكروفون

زي ما صار مبارح صار اليوم اطف التلفزيون امسك مايكروفون

زي ما صار مبارح صار اليوم اطف التلفزيون امسك مايكروفون

زي ما صار مبارح صار اليوم اطف التلفزيون امسك مايكروفون

النه الوقت عم يسبق بقلك خي سالم بس اصبر

بدك تستني هاي اخلطط بعمرها ما تضبطبيدفعلك قد ما بدك عشان تسكت

واذا بتفتح متك طخة وحده وبعد بتسقط

s t o r m t r a p

What happened yesterday happens today

switch off your TV and grab a microphone

What happened yesterday happens today

switch off your TV and grab a microphone

What happened yesterday happens today

switch off your TV and grab a microphone

What happened yesterday happens today

switch off your TV and grab a microphone

Because time is racing

He keeps telling you peace is coming just be patient

You want to wait these plans never succeed

Hersquoll pay you as much as you want to keep you quiet

And if you open your mouth one shot will silence you

what happened yesterdayزي ما صار مبارح

Zey ma sar mbareh

Stormtrap

null

2009

1728613

eng - Visit httpstormtrapbandcampcom

5756

اركض اركض وخليك راكض

واذا بتفتح متك رح يقلك خليك ساكت رح يقلك انساك من هاملشاكل

حوشوا هالشواك وضبوا شناتكم واشتروا التذاكرففكر شوي وما تكنش أهبل

وين ما تروح في الدنيا رح تتبهدلمش شايف قدامي عم بسمع أصوات بيسألني

ليش لسه عايش هون روح عيش محل تانيبدي احك بس الكلمات مش طالعة من لساني

عنصرية هونن عنصرية هناك عنصرية كل ما اطلع برا الشباك

شيطان بيعمل حاله مالكبس هو بالواقع بدو يعيش بالك

جدار بيمثل عقلية ناس بدهاش تعيش معاك

زي ما صار مبارح صار اليوم اطف التلفزيون امسك مايكروفون

ما مبثل شخص او اشخاص مبثل فكرةاسم احلرية حاملينه

من بلد ما فيه حياة عاديةسواءا ضد االحتالل أو ضد العنصرية

أصواتكم وينايي خلوها تنسمع وتطلع نتائج ايجابية

فكمل كتابة او تسجيل وصدقني شغلك مش رايح عالفاضي

عشان الشي الوحيد اللي رح يروح هو احن اذا منضلنا علقانني فاملاضي

s t o r m t r a p

Run run

Keep running

And if you decide to speak hersquoll tell you just stay silent

Hersquoll tell you forget these problems

Save up some money pack your bags and buy your tickets

Think about it donrsquot be a fool

Wherever you go yoursquoll get humiliated

I canrsquot see in front of me Irsquom hearing voices asking

Why are you still living here Go live somewhere else

I want to respond but the words wonrsquot come out

Racism here racism there

Racism each time I look out the window

A devil in an angelrsquos disguise

In reality he wants to live without you

The apartheid wall represents the mentality of a people who donrsquot care to coexist

What happened yesterday happens today

switch off your TV and grab a microphone

I dont represent a person or a people I represent an idea

An idea called freedom

From a land lacking a normal life

Whether yoursquore struggling against occupation or against racism

Where is your voice

Let it be heard to achieve your goals

So keep writing and recording

Believe me your work wonrsquot be lost in vain

The only thing thatrsquoll disappear is us

If we stay stuck in the past

Zey ma sar mbareh

Stormtrap

null

2009

1728613

eng - Visit httpstormtrapbandcampcom

5958

شو الي حدثجينا من حتت األرض

هيهة القصة بدة عنا هدفوننشر أصواتنا لكل حدا

جيت من حتت أرض رام اللهما ح وقف اكتب كلمات وال مرة

عندي طاقة الزم أطلعها كل يوم وكل ساعةفاو انبنى مع الوقت ولسة عم بيطور تصور

تصورفاو انبنى مع الوقت ولسة عم بيطور تصور

زي ما صار مبارح صار اليوم اطف التلفزيون امسك مايكروفون

زي ما صار مبارح صار اليوم اطف التلفزيون امسك مايكروفون

s t o r m t r a p

What happened

We came from underground

The story begins we have an objective

To spread our voices to everyone

I came from the ruins of Ramallah and

I wonrsquot ever stop writing words

I have energy that I must release every day every hour

A flow thatrsquos been built and is still developing imagine

Imagine a flow thatrsquos been built and is still developing

What happened yesterday happens today

Switch off your TV and grab a microphone

What happened yesterday happens today

Switch off your TV and grab a microphone

T r a n s l a t e d b y t h e a r t i s t

Zey ma sar mbareh

Stormtrap

null

2009

1728613

eng - Visit httpstormtrapbandcampcom

6160

Wake up the People

Donrsquot doubt it

The Maker can see you

Right now

You want to get out and see doe

So clouded

Sell out to be dope

Right now

I see you plagued by your own doubt

Canrsquot step the game up

Like a snake when it rolled down

Staircase of a lone child

No bricks lain in a cold house

Where you sold out

All alone on an old couch

t h e N a r c i c y s t

No click like an untapped phone dial

Oh wow

I felt the same homie

Donrsquot shelter pain only

Then it came slowly

Never let the frame hold me (down)

Picture life for the love though

People tend to look the other way like Columbo

We deceived by the law just to love doe

Guess they took all the worth out to numb folks

And make a severed plan

Out of bitter man

What you want a medal man

Huh Do you really think yoursquore better than Then

All you really need is a long look

Two sixteens and a strong hook like

brassThis track was originally written in English

null

2149748

6362

Wake up the People

Donrsquot doubt it

The Maker can see you

Right now

You want to get out and see doe

So clouded

Sell out to be dope

Right now

Break

Hip hop like a fresh pelvis

Yoursquore gonna regret this shit like a dead Elvis

Busy wishing you could live less selfish

Crabs in a bucket duckinrsquo these dead shellfish

Industry got a brother feeling helpless

With an ill chorus and ride yoursquore more in the tide

When a flow canrsquot keep me above the water

t h e N a r c i c y s t

Let a wave carry me out and push me farther now

Internal Inferno ten journals written but Irsquom still not sure though

Do I really want to tour to jump hurdles To be heard

So-I-Can-Feel-Like-This

Man therersquos something that I might miss--

Naw Irsquove been bluffinrsquo

Lifersquos backwards like Ben Buttonsrsquo

Irsquom in love with the stage fright on a strange night

Feels good to get the words on a page right

Wake up the People

Donrsquot doubt it

The Maker can see you

Right now

You want to get out and see doe

So clouded

Sell out to be dope

Right now

null

2149748

6564

مبارح شفت بلمنام بيروت عمتغرق حتت رماد بركان فحموا الناس بس ال raquoسكاي بارlaquo كان بعده ولعان

بيروت ثبتت حبة الثورة اللي فينا نبتت ملا أحبطت نفوسنا من اجلمود

فينا بيروت حتركت عدم دمارنا وعدم حرية خيارنا

بيوت بيروت تعمرت سكرنا عجفاف دموعنا جفوننا عليها تسكرت فتخمرت

إذا بطلت تطير قدرك عألرض مقهور إذا وقفت تكسير بتصير جزء من الديكور

e l R a s s

Yesterday I dreamt Beirut was drowning under volcanic ash

The people were turned to charcoal but Sky Bar [a posh Beirut club] was still lit up

Beirut suppressed the seed of the revolution the one that sprouted

When our spirits were foiled from immobility

In us Beirut moved

On the blood of our destruction and the negation of our freedom of choice

The houses of Beirut are rebuilt

We got drunk on the dryness of our tears our eyelids closed on them and fermented

If you stop flying your destiny on land is distress

If you stop breaking you become part of the decoration

beirutبركان بيروت rsquos volcano

Blues

2125713

6766

بحاور بناور باآلخر بواجه التاج بتوضى بصلي بتوصلني أصوات أنات احملتاج

تأمل العلم بعري العمل من العمل خياري عنار خفيفة دوب املسمار وتستوي األفكار النظيفة

عمروا دمروا زمروا تذمروا ربك صبره دربه جربه

عقلن خربوا غربوا هربوا وقبلوا بالفن عحيط الشارع

عشرط ما يكون في شك بشارع هيدي مش عاصمة ثقافة هيدي حلبة املصارع بيروت ال تعرف في املاضي وال تعرب باملضارع

حتول التركيبة خلى العقل اجلامد فكر حاله مالك املدينة رقبته طويلة متل مالك احلزين وايده لوزيري

اعتبر نفسه أول مني اكتشف هلجزيرة بأجر الفقير شقق بأسعار مدروسة

بشكل تضل طموحاته ممعوسة نهبوا األرض من ربعي وصارت احلرب شركة استثمار مبفعول رجعي

حتت شعار إعادة اإلعمار لو ما كان خلص دوره وانتهى عقد االيجار

كان احلريري ما طار وما صار مطار احلريري عاصمة لبنان بتوازن بني ضريحني

واتنيناتن عاغتيالن في عالمة استفهام e واحد قدس املوت بس لسبب l R a s s

I discuss I maneuver ultimately I confront the crown

I perform ablutions I pray I receive the moaning of the needy

The meditation of knowledge strips work from hope

My choice is on low fire melting the nails and clean thoughts are ripening

They built they destroyed they honked they complained

Your god made him patient tested him and trained him

Their minds ruined westernized chased off

They accepted art pissed on back alleys

As long as there is no doubt in the streets

This is no capital of culture itrsquos a wrestling ring

Beirut canrsquot speak of itself in the past nor conjugate itself in the present

Transitions and transformations made the closed mind think he owns the city

His neck is long like a stork his fingers long like a politicianrsquos

He thinks himself the first who discovered this peninsula

He lets the poor rent apartments at prices studied

To crush ambitions

They stole the land from my cousins

And the war became a backward-looking investment

Under the slogan of reconstruction

If his time wasnrsquot up and his contract finished

Hariri didnrsquot have to fly and it wouldnrsquot have become the Hariri airport

Lebanonrsquos capital keeps balance between two shrines

And on both assassinations there is a question mark

One sanctifies death but for a reason

Blues

2125713

6968

واحد قدس احلياة بس بالكذب واحد بايدو حتول الذهب سم وواحد تخبى من الذهب بالدم

مني الشهيد

اللي مات حتت صبابيط ثورة عبيد شهيد اللي مات فتحول على حملة اعالنات هدفها ترفع الطايفة معدالت التجنيد

قنابل بالبريد وصل سيوف علوريد حصل

املوت للبليد صنم الصبر للعنيد حلم تأليه الشهيد ظلم

خليط احلديد والدم العالج والسم الرفاه والهم النوعية والكم

الدعارة وورقة التوت مبدينة بيروت علم

e l R a s s

And one sanctifies life with lies

In onersquos hand gold turned into poison

And the other hid from gold with blood

Who is the martyr

The one who died under the shoes of the oppressedrsquos uprising is a martyr

Is it he whose death was transformed into an advertising campaign to raise the levels of

sectarian enlistment

Bombs came in the mail

Swords to the jugular true stories

Death to the cold is statuette

Patience to the stubborn is a dream

Divinity to the martyr is oppression

The mixture of steel and blood the cure and poison

Luxury and distress quality and quantity

Prostitution and modesty

The science of the city of Beirut

T r a n s l a t e d b y M o e A l i N a y e l amp + A z i z

Blues

2125713

7170

بقرأ في اجلريدة زفت شوارع جديدة

إزالة مطبات و كثير أشياء هيك مفيدة أشخاص مستفيدة

دعم من هون و من هون منظمات بس احلرية بعيدة

مقاطعة مستوطنات تعون الضفة الغربية وطنية حصرية إدعائية

طب و فلسطني التاريخية مع ألساس كانت القدس عاصمة الثقافة العربية

بس كلوحكي سياسية للشعب إحنا نتحمل الشغل و التعب و الوضع صعب

b o i k u t t

Irsquom reading in the paper

About roads newly paved

Speed bumps removed and a lot of other useful stuff (yes very)

Certain inviduals benefit

Funding from here and there

Organizations are plentiful but freedom is far-fetched

Calling for a boycott of settlements around the West Bank

Pretentious exclusive nationalism

But what about historical Palestine

I thought Jerusalem was supposed to be the ldquocapital of Arab cultureldquo

But itrsquos all political speeches for the people

We put up with the work and the sweat and itrsquos rough

a letterرسالة من مقاطعة from boikutt

risaleh mn muqataa (pt1)

boikutt

null

2010

1086983

eng - iTunPGAP0

eng - iTunNORM 00000A1E 00000A0E 000099D9 000098A0 0000CC63 0000CC63 0000826D 000080B0 000131D0 000131D0

eng - iTunSMPB 00000000 00000210 000008F3 000000000049197D 00000000 0027BA9D 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000

7372

يقنعونا إن كلشي متام و بقدر أعيش حياة عادية

زي في األفالم على مبس واحد إثنني ثالثة أربعة إلخ

كن منيح و بتنزل عليك املصاري زخ نصيحة من أخ ألخ

خليك مستقل ألن اللعبة إنلعب فإبعد عن الفخ

خليهم يقعدوا يستنوا الدعم ليموتوا يلفلفوا داخل اجلدار حلد ما يفوتوا

في متاهات مبسافات مش محددة مجددة لتوسع التوسع مش مهددة

إنتهاك احتالل بس مش على الكل

في ناس في فلسطني هون حياتهم زي الفل مش عارف شو بيفكر

شكلوا مش داري شي يوم حنروح كل الدكاكني هي حتسكر

سالم

b o i k u t t

Try to convince me that everythingrsquos fine

And that I can lead a normal life

Like in the movies

On MBC one two three four etcetera

Be good and money will rain on you

Advice from one brother to another

Stay independent because the games are being played

So steer clear of the trap

Let them wait for foreign aid until they die

Spinning in circles within the apartheid wall until they enter

Into unlimited mazes with unspecified spaces

That are renewed to fit settlement expansion unthreatened

Violation occupation

But not for everyone

There are people here in Palestine living ldquothe good lifeldquo

I donrsquot know what hersquos thinking

Seems like he doesnrsquot know one day wersquoll be gone

And all these shops will close

Peace

T r a n s l a t e d b y t h e a r t i s t w i t h L o u b n a B i l a l i

risaleh mn muqataa (pt1)

boikutt

null

2010

1086983

eng - iTunPGAP0

eng - iTunNORM 00000A1E 00000A0E 000099D9 000098A0 0000CC63 0000CC63 0000826D 000080B0 000131D0 000131D0

eng - iTunSMPB 00000000 00000210 000008F3 000000000049197D 00000000 0027BA9D 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000

7574

الضغط عاليالعدو فات جاري احملادثات

صمت دوليكمية الغازى عم تزداد

تهجير جديد مولود جديدتكرر عزو مش تارك ورا شي مفيد غير غراب

من كل البيت ما تركو شي إال البابمن االرض ل سما مسافة عاليه

إمشي الصحرا وعد لياليوجنوما

كمشوا رئيس دولة بجورةحصار

توزيع مخدراتباألحمر تلون الفرات سجون معتقالتقبلة الوداع مع الصبات

تنصت بالشبكة خيانات باألزهر

k a t i b e h 5

The pressure is high

The enemy has entered discussions are taking place

Global silence

The numbers of the occupier are increasing

A new expulsion A newborn child

The perpetuation of an invasion that leaves behind it nothing of any use except for a crow

From an entire house they left nothing but the door

From the ground to the sky is a long distance

Walk the desert and count the nights

And its stars

They caught a president in a pit

Siege

Drug dealing the Euphrates is stained red prisons detention centers

A farewell kiss with a shoe

Networks wiretapped betrayals in Al Azhar

hold me back ifهديني اذا فيك you can

null

23098943

7776

حوار أديانالكف تنجس

متسح فيه وجك مع كل شروق عالوضوءتسمع شرارة فتيل مولوتوف ينادي أصوات تتلبى

باإلنفجار

هديني إذا فيك صرت موجود بكل مكانوجي مغبش عامل زي جيش زباتا

منصرخ بوجكم raquoاحلرية ل برغوتيlaquoإعالمكو بيعرفني كلماتكو حملت إسمي

شركاتكو بتهرب مني )كتيبه خمسه هديتي إذا فيك(

بتالقيني بني والد حفظوا غنية املخيماتبنفسية فالح عمال يزو املدينة

افالم تافهةبرنامج تافه

بتدور على مخك بتالقي مش موجوداخلليج يتحكم بإعالم

هادول حبوب التنومي ٦1 سنة بعدن مش شغالني

عالمادامك واخد وجهة نظري

ع محمل اجلدمسموح لك تستعجب وتظهر إنزعاجك بوجودي

ألني صديق لكل املشاهد الغير مرغوبة فيهاش بيختار حياتو بالتحديد بحكيلك هيك منحياها ومحد

ضغط رصاص وابارود بخليكاش حتيدالتجارب بتدلك عطريق

هديتي إذا فيك

k a t i b e h 5

A dialogue of religions

The hand is tainted

And with it you cleanse your face at ablution each sunrise

You hear the sparking of the fuse of a molotov calling voices respond

Explosion

Hold me back if you can I have become present everywhere

My face is concealed like the army of Zapata

We shout in your face ldquoFreedom for Barghoutildquo

Your media knows me your words have glimpsed my name

Your corporations flee from me

(Katibe Khamseh hold me back if you can)

Yoursquoll find me among children that have memorized the song ldquoAl Moukhayamatldquo

In the persona of a peasant that is visiting the city

Shallow films

Shallow programs

You look for your mind but you find it is not there

The Gulf controls media with its boundaries

These sleeping pills 61 years and theyrsquore still not effective

Great

As long as you are taking my point of view seriously

Yoursquore allowed to be taken aback and to show your irritation

Just like you show your irritation at my presence

Because I am a friend to all the images that are not desirable

This is how we live out these images and no one chooses their life specifically Irsquoll tell you

The pressure of bullets and gunpowder does not allow you to move away

Experience will guide you on the road

Hold me back if you can

null

23098943

7978

موقف واحد صريح من صميم روح لشعوب املقاومة ضمير ظهور البشرية

السبيل صعب ورا الغضبدعم لكل أسالوب محارب

د لنحرق نظامك منتدرب منجرب منخرب منستععم نحرق نظامك

هديتي إذا فيك

إطلع منيحمش رح تقدر توخذ كل شي من أول نظرة

نظرة عامة raquoبشرة مش بيضةlaquoجبني عريضة مكتوب مولود عنيد بالفطرة

فوت بالتقاليد عد التجاعيدلك هاي مش أول مرة

لغات ودراسات حط العلم بغالفمش رح تقدر تفهم ليه بعد في بارود ع الكتافلون األرض ولون الليل بيعطيك البني و السواد

بوعدك مش لوحدي رح أضل عد رماد الال اللعبة اجلديدة وال والدنا ع اللعبة جداد

بكفيش إنفلونزا الصقور صار في إنفلونزا اخلنازيرموسم مرض جديد لرئيس مبثل ع نفوس ومريض بهدوء البيض

هديتي إذا فيك

k a t i b e h 5

A single honest stance from the bottom of the soul for the people of the resistance the conscience

that exposes humanity

The path is difficult when following anger

A support for every style of battle

We train we strive we disrupt we prepare to burn your system

We are burning your system

Hold me back if you can

Look closely

You wonrsquot be able to see it all at first sight

An overview ldquocomplexion that is not whiteldquo

A broad forehead written born stubborn by nature

Look at the traditions and count the wrinkles

This is not the first time

Languages and scholarship put education under wraps

You wonrsquot be able to understand why there is still gunpowder on shoulders

The color of earth and the color of night gives you brown and blackness

I promise you that I will not be alone to count the ashes no

This game to us is not new and nor are our children new to the game

As if the influenza of eagles was not enough now therersquos the influenza of pigs

The season of a new disease for a president acting for a public and sick with the

calmness of white people

Hold me back if you can

null

23098943

8180

اإلحتالل نكه البشر بنكهة املجاريبالسالم حوار أديانبإقرار ملكية كذابة

بتشويه تاريخ وسرقة حضاراتولك أه

فلسطني إفريقيا الدجلة والفراتإجتاه البشرية لإلضمحالل سرطان بشري بعضها

الشتا ميسح اخلطايا واآلثاروليش بتتخبى وبتتغطى بنفس كل سفارة سميك الستار

لساتني باكل الضربة ورا الضره ورا الضربةوحتى ما أفعل وأساوي تكمشني الرجفة

بدل ما أضرب فيك بضرب بحاليبوعدكش حضلني كامش حالي حفلتها

حفلتها

هديني إذا فيك هديني إذا فيكهديني إذا فيك

k a t i b e h 5

The occupation has seasoned humanity with the flavor of sewers

With peace with dialogue of religions

With the declaration of false ownership

With the distortion of history and the theft of civilizations

Oh yes

Palestine Africa the Tigris and Euphrates

Humanity is leading to reduction a human cancer bites it

Exile wipes clean the sins and the traces

And why are you hiding and seeking cover when all the embassies are already well concealed

I am still taking one beating after another

And so that I donrsquot take action and do something shudders grip my body

Instead of beating you I beat myself

I canrsquot promise you that I can keep myself restrained

Irsquom gonna let go

Hold me back if you can

Hold me back if you can

Hold me back if you can

T r a n s l a t e d b y R i m a N a j d i a n d F a y s a l B i b i

null

23098943

8382

طول عمر الشعب املصري مع بعض أحلك الظروفبص وفر في التاريخ وانت ياما هاتشوف

الدين ده ليا وليكوفيا وفيك

حاجة روحانية بتخليك حتس اللي بيك

ايد في ايد نبني فيها من جديد

مصر زعلت علي حاصل وسطنا مش مفيد

بعد ثورة وبعد عيد فتنة تقتل حلم واتتحقق لنا

واحد اتننيالذكري بتعيش اكتر من عمر االنسان

بصمتنا تغييرنا جوة وبرة امليدان مش هانضيع نصر ثورتنا بفتنة نشئت بينا

A r a b i a n K n i g h t s + M C G a z a + A m e e r

The Egyptian people have always stuck together

Through the worst times look at history

And see how often wersquove been there for each other

That whole idea of religion

Is for you and for me something spiritual that makes you feel whatrsquos inside you

Hand in hand

We build Egypt up again

Egypt is angry at whatrsquos happening between us

Itrsquos not helpful

After the revolution after the celebration

Sectarian strife is killing the dream we fulfilled

One two

The memory lasts more than a lifetime

Our mark is our change in and outside Tahrir Square

We wonrsquot give up the victory of our revolution in exchange for sectarian strife between

us

hand inايد في ايد hand

Eid Fe Eid

Yasser Ameer Youssef Rush E Money amp MCGaza | by BOGEY

Single Hit track 11

20112011

Hip-Hop

24002867

eng - Hip-Hop 4 Life

eng - iTunNORM 000005E2 0000058E 0000424E 00003537 00026E95 0001C2B3 00008000 00008000 00005045 00005045

8584

بلدنا محتجانا ايدنا واحدة ضد احملنة تفرق ايه معاك ديانتي ملا ربك هو ربي

اصلك هو اصلي ارضك هي ارضي

ملا اتقال لي اكتت فيول فتنة انا قولت غلط علشان الفتنة مفتعلة في بلدنا وكان وراها غرض

فالفرد افترض فبفرض السياسة األمر اختلط

فالزم يبقي املصل سياسي من اصل املرض العسس واحلرس مافرقوش صليب وهالل

وكنا كلنا واحد وراء االقفالدم الشهيد شاهد

ياما بالفتنة انكسرنا وحدتنا بصوت واحد وضد الظلم انتصرنا

وديني هو ديني صلة بيني وبني ربي هارفع علمي وارفع راسي فوق

انا مصري

ايد في ايد نبني فيها من جديد

مصر زعلت علي حاصل وسطنا مش مفيد

بعد ثورة وبعد عيد فتنة تقتل حلم واتتحقق لنا

خلو حمامة السالم من الطيور املنقرضةعلشان تبقي القلوب مبتعدة منقسمه سهل تتسم

فكرين مناعة و قوة أم الدنيا بالطمع مرتبطةنسر املصريني ليس له دين احنا بنحميها بالدم

العنف بذوره بتكتر عاوز يوصل واحلروب حتصل

A r a b i a n K n i g h t s + M C G a z a + A m e e r

Our country needs us all together against the hard times

What difference does my religion make to you when your god is my god

Your origin is mine

Your land is my land

When they told me about sectarian strife I said thatrsquos wrong

Because itrsquos been planted in our country and behind it is some purpose

Makes one think somethingrsquos going on

By playing politics everythingrsquos gotten mixed up

The antidote has to be political just like the poison itself

The military doesnrsquot distinguish between cross and crescent

Wersquore all held together behind bars

The blood of the martyrs bears witness

To how much wersquove been broken by sectarianism

Through our unity we triumphed with one voice over injustice

And my religion is my own a rapport between me and God

Irsquoll raise my flag and my head up

Irsquom Egyptian

Hand in hand

We build Egypt up again

Egypt is angry at whatrsquos happening between us

Itrsquos not helpful

After the revolution after the victory

Sectarian strife is killing the dream we fulfilled

They drove the dove of peace to extinction

To keep hearts apart and divided itrsquos easy to poison them

Do they really think the resilience and strength of Egypt is connected to greed

The Egyptian eagle has no religion we protect it with our blood

The roots of violence are increasing want to gain control to start wars

Eid Fe Eid

Yasser Ameer Youssef Rush E Money amp MCGaza | by BOGEY

Single Hit track 11

20112011

Hip-Hop

24002867

eng - Hip-Hop 4 Life

eng - iTunNORM 000005E2 0000058E 0000424E 00003537 00026E95 0001C2B3 00008000 00008000 00005045 00005045

8786

للعاقيدة يكسر وألعضاء املشاعر تتشال تصتأصلعلى كالم ربهم اتكبرو فعملو قدر واتقدر

وقته مستنينه ليه خططوا مضمون الرسائل اتغير الن الهدف هو تدمير قعدة الوحدهوقتل كل قائد يقود الناس بره احملنه

فيبقي سهل يزيحنا ميحي أوصول عليها كبرناوكل واحد علي حداه يقول أنا محدش يقول احنا

فاببطء بحرص بص بعقل بحذر شوفقبل ما يخلوا خيالك يتخلله اخلوف

واخلوف ده افراز بيطلع من غده ملا الكلب بيشوفهابيعرف انك فاريسه سهل ياكلها ركز

فرق تسد إخلعوفق جتد إرفع

ثورة تقدصمت يفرد- يفرق

ما بيجمع بيننامن حقي النقد من حقك - تسمع

طب إسمع وراجع ما صور التاريخ طب باله بيكفي صور زمانييوم حصار كنيسة املهد مني دافع مني اتقمع مني اتنفا

مسلم مسيحي أل كان فلسطيني اتذكر معي ثورة غضب يناير

اتذكر معي الوحدة اإليد الوحدة اتشرف انتا مصرياتذكر معي األخ بإيد األخ يحمي األخ بدون إلخ

كالمي ماشي ماشي ال-لتفهمني بهويتي مسلم وال نصراني قبطي

ما في حجة لربطي خلبطي حلطي ألوطي ألغير خطيخير أجناد األرض

من أرض بيت املقدس كل السالم بعد ما قلت إلنقسام في وطنيانا ملزم أقول ال لفتنة

تفتت مجد شعب تعب عانى ضحى بالغالي حتى بناه

A r a b i a n K n i g h t s + M C G a z a + A m e e r

The relationship between Egyptians breaks down and the organs that feel are taken out

They got full of themselves in the name of their god and invented a new fate for us

Theyrsquore waiting for a time and theyrsquore plotting The meaning of their messages changes

Because the goal is to destroy the foundation of unity

And kill every leader who takes the people out of hard times

Itrsquos easy to remove us to wipe out the traditions we grew up with

Everyone on his own everyone says ldquoIldquo and no one says ldquoweldquo

Slowly carefully look Wisely with caution see

Before they make your imagination a slave to fear

And that fear releases a secretion from a gland

And when the dog sees it he knows yoursquore easy prey

Divide yoursquoll conquer

Bring harmony and yoursquoll reap Start

A revolution and it will catch on

Silence is solitary It divides

It doesnrsquot bring us together

It is my right to criticize and your right to listen

So listen and look back at history or better look at my life time

The day the Nativity Church was under siege who was persecuted Who was exiled

A Muslim A Christian No he was Palestinian

Letrsquos remember the angry revolution of January

Letrsquos remember the unity the one hand Be proud yoursquore Egyptian

Remember the brother holding hands with a brother protecting a brother

And I can go on

Donrsquot teach me about my identity whether Irsquom a Muslim or a Christian Copt

Therersquos no excuse to tie me down beat me to make me cower and kneel and stray from my courseThe Earthrsquos most virtuous soldiers

Come from the land of Bayt al-Maqdis [Jerusalem] I salute you After I said no to division in my countryIrsquom committed to saying no to seditionThat dissolves the glory of a people who labored suffered sacrificed what was most dear to build it

T r a n s l a t e d b y A l e x O r t i z + A h m e d S h a w k e t + K h a l e d A l H i l l i

Eid Fe Eid

Yasser Ameer Youssef Rush E Money amp MCGaza | by BOGEY

Single Hit track 11

20112011

Hip-Hop

24002867

eng - Hip-Hop 4 Life

eng - iTunNORM 000005E2 0000058E 0000424E 00003537 00026E95 0001C2B3 00008000 00008000 00005045 00005045

8988

الفن واملواهب زي حرب الكواكب الكل عايز يكون جنم صراع في الداخل

بهدي جنون العظمة بفلفل حر توابل تسيل دموع زي القنابل

زي مابتكلم وداني شغالة كون سامع نبض الشارع علشان أ

حالف أقضي على اإلعالم املتآمر مغامر في الكالم بس إنت مش سامع

ملا بأمسك القلم والورقة الهم بينزاح مخي بيرتاح بأقول اللي على البال

ملا بأقعد بحس بتأنيب ضمير كون في ستوديو بسجل على بيت خطير مفروض أ

e l D e e b + S t o r m t r a p

Art and talent are like Star Wars

Secretly everyone wants to be a star of conflict

I make megalomania tranquil with chilli hot spices

Tears flow like bombs

Thatrsquos how I talk and the world keeps moving

So that I can hear the pulse of the streets

Irsquove sworn to obliterate the media conspirators

I am adventurous in my speech but you do not hear

When I hold the pen and the paper my anxiety is lifted

My mind relaxes and I say whatrsquos on it

When I sit down I feel guilty

I should be in the studio recording dangerous beats

addictأدمان الشهرة ion to fame

Edman El Shuhra

Stormtrap amp Mohamed El Deeb

2011

Hip-Hop

15305855

- vocals Mohamed El Deeb Stormtrap13produced by Stormtrap

9190

إحساس غريب إنك تدمن الكالم ارسم يا فنان واخترع زي دافينشي الرسام

ولو مفيش ورقة باستخدم تليفوني خايف إن فكرة متعديش على صوتي

دنيا غريبة يوم مر يوم بونبوني بس أنا عمري ماغيرت لوني

املوسيقى بنادولي وبطابعي فضولي مهما قالوا لي هافهمها مبفهومي فـساعات أالقي نفسي بكلم نفسي واسمع أصوات غريبة في دماغي

وهو ده الصدى الصوت اللي بسمعه اكن مفيش حد فارقة معاه احالمي

شوف شوف مش هدف إنو أنا شخصيا أنا

هدفي انه كلماتي وموسيقتي تنتشرعشان هيك حتشوفني دوما مستمر مستثمر

كل وقتي كل طاقتي على أصواتي خوذ شك خوذ حتويل خوذ كاش

بس ما تنساش أي شي بيتعلق بالواقع بدناش ما تخاف ألنها قضيتنا مش منسية مية باملية هايذي ثورة كمان ثقافية

خليني أوضح هاي املوسيقى مش معمولة للتلفازeهاي املوسيقى مش معمولة لهز الطياز l D e e b + S t o r m t r a p

Strange feeling to be out of words

Paint oh artist and discover like Da Vinci the artist

If I donrsquot have paper I use my cell

I am afraid that the idea does not come through my voice

Strange world one day is bitter another like candy

But Irsquove never changed my color

Music is my Tylenol and my nature curious

So whatever they tell me Irsquoll understand it my way

Sometimes I find myself talking to myself

And I hear weird voices in my head

Which is just the echo of the sound I hear

As if no one cares about my dreams

See see

My goals are not self serving

My goal is that my words and music spread

Thatrsquos why yoursquoll see me always and continuously investing

All my time my energy on my sounds

Take a check take a transfer take cash

But never forget anything related to reality wersquore not interested

Donrsquot be afraid because our cause is not forgotten

One hundred percent this is also a cultural revolution

Let me explain this music is not meant to be televised

This music is not made for booty shaking

Edman El Shuhra

Stormtrap amp Mohamed El Deeb

2011

Hip-Hop

15305855

- vocals Mohamed El Deeb Stormtrap13produced by Stormtrap

9392

مش فاهم ليش الكل قاتل حاله يكون في مسابقةحابني نتصابح حياكم زات املكافحة

واالعالم ميت ع حيالله قصة ما بيدرس هالقصة من نصها

وبعدن بينفخهامش احلق علينا اذا ما بيبحثوا

وملا يبدوا يحكوا عنا أل عنجد بيبعصوابيفكروا انه كل شي هشك بشك

بس حدن الزم يقلهم انه الهب هوب مش هيكبدك تدير بالك عشانها هاي اللحظة احلاسمة

ملا يجوا عليك الديب والعاصفةنكسر حدود وبنبني وحدة عشان نحيي مجتماعاتنا

وننهي معانتناعشان هيك منكتب كلمات صريحة والها معنى

مش للشهرة مش حتى يجي حدن يدفعلنا

e l D e e b + S t o r m t r a p

I donrsquot understand why everyone is killing themselves to be in the contest

Wersquod like to say goodmorning to salute you in this same struggle

The mediarsquos dying for any story

But they donrsquot study the storyrsquos real text

And then they blow it out of proportion

Itrsquos not our fault if they donrsquot search

And when they talk about us then they really screw it up

They think everything is empty pointless

Somebody needs to tell them that hip hop is not like that

You should take care because this is the critical moment

When the wolf and storm come haunting you

We break borders and we create a unity to revitalize our communities

And stop our suffering

That is why we write frank words that have meaning

Itrsquos not for fame or even so that someone pays us

T r a n s l a t e d b y N i z a r G h a n e m

Edman El Shuhra

Stormtrap amp Mohamed El Deeb

2011

Hip-Hop

15305855

- vocals Mohamed El Deeb Stormtrap13produced by Stormtrap

9594

حضل عهل مود يعنيما إنتلك النجوم عم تقرب

بهل ال مود حكون عطول لبهل جنوم إدءر لو مضطر شن هجوم عل النجوم كلها

خللي األرض تدور حول أصبعي تنلك

ما إنتلك متلي متلك مولع طيار ألفكاري من العقدي تنفك فرد قعدي بني 4 حيطان ما بتنهز و منها ما بنهز

يلز املا بينلزالكاس عل الطاولي و منو عم مز مز

لتفتل براصي وحس من حالي عم كز كزعل ورقة كالمي مدروس و ما بزت زت بجرب ما عيد حالي متا يقولو عم نق نق

موزع قافياتي جواز كأن عم فت فت

بهل األطشة خلي الديني اللي تسمعني ترن رنFبسبيلي جاري يوم ع يوم عم برك رك a r e e q e l A t r a s h

Irsquoll stay in this mood

Didnrsquot I tell you The stars are getting closer

Irsquoll stay in this mood until I touch these stars

Even if I have to launch an attack on all the stars

Irsquoll make the Earth rotate around my finger I told you

Didnrsquot I tell you Irsquom just like you I lit up a joint so my ideas would untie their knot

Sitting this way in between four walls I wonrsquot budge

The most delectable

Drink is on the table from which Irsquom taking sips

Till my head starts spinning and Irsquom sick of myself

On the paper my words are calculated I donrsquot just toss them about

I try not to repeat myself so they wonrsquot say Irsquom nagging

I deal my rhymes out like theyrsquore cards

In this verse Irsquoll make those ears ring

My fountain is running and every day I excel

tالنجوم عم تقرب he stars are gett ing closer

null

29781717

9796

لضل ماشي جالس بينما غيري عم بلك لك شريط معلق ريحة العة عم بتفح فحكل ما فتح متو بتالقي عم بكب كب

عايشها إرهاب و مفي إال بسب سببزبالتي ما بكبو تيكون بعلمك

األالف مسم و بحياتو ما بينسم بزقة من هل التم تخلي سقفك ينش نش

تلمو ردم و ما تفكر إنو ترد رد و عم بحكي عالواطي متا الصالي فيك ترج رج

بطبعي عاقل بس بالراب بزل زل عل الرايق بال ما نط وال فز فز

type of shitعال بارد أبرد من شباط بس يقز قزتخلي عضامك ع بعض تسك سك

ما إنتلك النجوم عم تقرب بهل ال مود حكون عطول لبهل جنوم إدءر

لو مضطر شن هجوم عل النجوم كلهاخللي األرض تدور حول أصبعي تنلك

أنا متنبئ بنبه و بحقق ما قلتلك بعد وقتها ما عم نكت

عاملكرفون إبرة هرون عم بشكشك في شكcheck one two

هيك بدسدس عالنبض

F a r e e q e l A t r a s h

So I can walk straight when others are still playing

A broken record that reeks of a musty smell

Every time he opens his mouth he spews them out

He lives in terror and all he does is curse

I wouldnrsquot throw him in my garbage just so you know

Irsquove irritated thousands and never been irritated in my life

One spit out of this mouth will make your roof leak

And yoursquoll pick up the rubble and donrsquot even think about answering back

Irsquom talking in a low voice so the hall wonrsquot shake with you in it

Irsquom reasonable by nature but when it comes to rap I humiliate cold-heartedly

Without jumping or leaping around

I do it coldly colder than icy February-type of shit

Irsquoll make your bones rattle against each other

Didnrsquot I tell you The stars are getting closer

Irsquoll stay in this mood until I touch these stars

Even if I have to launch an attack on all the stars

Irsquoll make the Earth rotate around my finger I told you

Irsquom a psychic I predict and deliver

Didnrsquot I tell you to stand back when Irsquom not joking

Irsquom pricking the microphone with a heroin needle Is there any doubt

Check one two

Thatrsquos how I feel the pulse

null

29781717

9998

بدقق و زتزت حكي بتزجزج كأنها مزهزها عم بتشمشم عم خطط عم تكتيك و مني ملحلح من هون للساعة توقف تك تيك تك تيك

لك ليك منفخ حاله عامبيكازيب عا غيري بس بوجهي بتاءتإوجهه بيباءبإ من أد ما بعصب بسبسب

زر إنذار إذني بتطنطن و بشوف من عالباب عم بدقدق

عكروت بدو يفوت ليشوف الفن فني بس الفن هون بجسمي معبأ

من حلقي طايف و من متي عم بت شرشر و بيس البيس زلزال برجرج خليك تضبضب تنضب بالبيت لتكنكن

و أنا متأسف ألني بدي استأذن بس بعد شفت كابتشينو بتصحصح

ما إنتلك النجوم عم تقرببهل ال مود حكون عطول لبهل جنوم إدءر

لو مضطر شن هجوم عل النجوم كلهاخللي األرض تدور حول أصبعي تنلك

هيدا هب هوبمش هبل و ال بهل

هيدا زجل تتغزل في

ورايي إيقاع عليي إتبع و ما إطلع عنو يا بصير متل غير مسيس

زقفوا مع االيقاعزقفوا مع االيقاع

F a r e e q e l A t r a s h

Checking and hurling words that tickle as if I was high and sniffing

I am planning and scheming and Irsquom not going anywhere till the clock stops ticking

Look hersquos so full of it lying to others but in my face he stutters

And his face turns red from all the anger and he curses

My earsrsquo alarm bells start ringing

And I go to see whorsquos knocking at the door

Some bastard who wants to see where ldquothe artldquo is

But the art is right here packed in my body

Flowing from my throat running out of my mouth

And the bass is an earthquake that shakes and forces you to pack up and go home

And Irsquom sorry because I need to take leave

But after a sip of cappuccino yoursquoll come around

Didnrsquot I tell you The stars are getting closer

Irsquoll stay in this mood

Until I touch these stars even if I have to launch an attack on all the stars

Irsquoll make the Earth rotate around my finger I told you

This is hip hop

Itrsquos not stupid nor dumb

Itrsquos zajal [a form of Arabic poetry in the Levant]

That you flirt with

There is a beat that I have to follow canrsquot lose it or Irsquoll be like other MCs

Clap with the beat

Clap with the beat

T r a n s l a t e d b y K h a l e d A l H i l l i

null

29781717

101100

انا ببلعهم بتفهم وال مره بسبهمبخليهم داميا يضاربو بتفكيرهم

أنا وراهم قدامهم جنابهم محتلهممش طايقهم مرات وزنهم بكون منزلهم

مرتبهم صاففهم وبقلم أنا حاكمهم زاتتهم مش عاجبيني أنا ماحيهم قائدهم وبنفس الوقت أنا عبيدهم

وبفك وربط أنا بلعب مبعانيهمانا حاميهم بأسطر اللي تقويهم

انا واعدهم اني أستر على فاضحهم ومطلعهم بصوره اللي تبشعهم

بس أنا محترمهم وبسطور ساجنهم مكتفهم كأسير بجنازير القهر

ومهديهم بحبل اللي يبشر بالصبر وانا لي الفخر أكون الشوك اللي فيهم

Dوأكون القهر اللي داميا يسقيهم A M

Yo this is dedicated to the lyrics

Irsquom swallowing them spitting them never dissing them

Giving them freedom of speech

Irsquom behind them in front of them because of them always standing with them

Sometimes get sick of them sick of how you abuse them

Gather them in line with my pen I order them

Didnrsquot like it Throwing them out and replacing them

Irsquom their leader and also their slave

Small changes make huge differences

I train them in pages to make them strong

Promising to use them not abuse them

Or allow the wrong mouths to utter them

Approach them with a military mind and find peace in them

Irsquom lucky to be full of thorns and even luckier that I found the lyrics

So theyrsquoll help me find the roses in me

wordsكلمات

null

26837427

103102

raquoالكل سمعك بس السؤال اذا اللي سمعك فهمكlaquoكلمات ليست كالكلمات بل raquoعالماتlaquo

اللي توجهنا وين مابدنا عحبال السيرك هي تثبتنا ريح العالم من كل جهه اذا احنا ضعاف بتوقعنا بس

raquoأل بلمره ألlaquo raquoكلمات عندي طنlaquoكل واحده الها هدف اخدت حرف عحرف

نسجت جمل اللي البسهم وقت البرد raquoراح اضلني اناديlaquo raquoبنحكي كلماتlaquo

انت بتعرف انهم مبنصب شهاد بحكو املاضي وتنبوا حاضر أي بالد

قد ماحكيت قد ما أحكي فش كالم يغطي بسفي كالم يربي وينمي انت بس أروي

في شوف انه قوه والقوه بتقويفيك و أن رويته مصيره يسقيك )مثل للقوه( العدو من أمامكم

والبحر من ورائكم فال تخيبوا أسيادكمفأين أشعاركم وأين مجادلتكم

فأنتم تسكتون وتخمدون أحالمكم)انهي( نهيت ورجعت للعامية بكلمات

مرمية طالعه من عقليه شعبيهمتل جنيب اللي بذاكرة كل واحد محفوظ مدروس واذا أل معناته في خلل معكوس

عاملجتمع اللي قمع كتاباته Dاللي سمح لنسيانه يشيل خطواته A M

ldquoThey all hear you but few listen to youldquo

Lyrics ainrsquot just a bunch of words they are ldquosignsldquo

Leading us stabilizing us on tight ropes

Winds every way if we are thin we will fall

ldquoBut hell noldquo ldquoyou can measure my words in tonsldquo

Every word has a meaning I knitted a letter with another letter

Made warm sentences to wear in cold days

ldquoSo Irsquoll still shoutldquo ldquowe control lyricsldquo

You know lyrics are like a witness

They witnessed the past and forecast the future

As much as I said or say I canrsquot describe them

But there is a way to find the description and thatrsquos through them

Quench the thirst of the pages with them

So in the future itrsquoll quench your thirst

Keep feeding them as soon as they grow up

Theyrsquoll give you strength

ldquoExample for the strengthldquo

ldquoThe enemy is before you the sea is behind you

So donrsquot you dare disappoint our ancestors

Where are our deep poems Where are our strong statements

From generation to generation we kill our dreamsldquo

ldquoEnough philosophizingldquo ok lets get back to street talk

Words coming outta simple minds

Like Najeeb Mahfuz [literally lsquowell-rememberedrsquo also a famous author]

They keep living in our minds

And if you donrsquot know who he is - then I rest my case

null

26837427

105104

raquoالكل سمعك بس السؤال اذا اللي سمعك فهمكlaquoكلمات ليست كالكلمات بل raquoعالماتlaquo

اللي توجهنا وين مابدنا عحبال السيرك هي تثبتنا ريح العالم من كل جهه اذا احنا ضعاف بتوقعنا بس

raquoأل بلمره ألlaquo raquoكلمات عندي طنlaquoكل واحده الها هدف اخدت حرف عحرف

نسجت جمل اللي البسهم وقت البرد raquoراح اضلني اناديlaquo raquoبنحكي كلماتlaquo

ألف با كبايه أوعك تكسرهاامسكها للنهاية وكل ما تفضى مليها

كلمه أو رواية ومع املراحل زيدها شيحكاية وهيك ضلك زود فيها

وجيبها لتجمعاتك وساعتها استعملها لنقاشاتك وملواقفك استخدمها

هادي مدافعك اللي مداها بسيطرتك وما دافعك انه ما تخليها رايتك

ما هي تكتب ما هي توصف ما هي تكذب ما هي تنصف

ما هي هي الهروب هياللجوء هي الدروب هي

العبور باحلدود واللي مبرؤهم مبدع وبفوز باخللود واللي بسرقهم مش مقنع

واذا بتديهم احلرية بنادوك ممنوعDواذا بتوخد احلريه بنادوك مسموح A M

ldquoThey all hear you but few listen to youldquo

Lyrics ainrsquot just a bunch of words they are ldquosignsldquo

Leading us stabilizing us on tight ropes

Winds every way if we are thin we will fall

ldquoBut hell noldquo ldquoyou can measure my words in tonsldquo

Every word has a meaning I knitted a letter with another letter

Made warm sentences to wear in cold days

ldquoSo Irsquoll still shoutldquo ldquowe control lyricsldquo

The Arabic alphabet is like a glass donrsquot break it

Hold it tight and keep filling it

And then bring it to our arguments

Scream till your throat gets dry and then wet it

It holds our body itrsquos like our legs

If you stand for nothing yoursquoll fall for anything

The words write create

They kill lead and sometimes even lie

You can use them to build borders

And those who are gifted

Can use them to walk through borders

And in some governments

Itrsquos forbidden to give words freedom

But if you choke them and kill them

Thatrsquos allowed

F i g u r a t i v e t r a n s l a t i o n o f f e r e d b y t h e a r t i s t s

null

26837427

107106

further reading

The tracks presented in this document are not a comprehensive sampling of the genre of the market of hip hop in Arabic or of hip hop and rap in the wider Middle East

Artists featured here hail from Egypt Lebanon Palestine and the anglophone Arab diaspora The thriving North African hip hop scene is not represented nor is the work of the established francophone Arab diaspora nor the expanding hip hop scenes of especially Iran or Turkey

This collection does not attempt a comprehensive chronology Tracks featured here are not primarily new releases (though some are) neither are they all ldquoclassicsrdquo These limitations of scope are important to note

Many tracks of the popular Libyan group Ibn Thabitt and other groups from across the region have been translated and are hosted with commentary on the notable blog

revolutionaryarabrapblogspotcom

Another valuable resource is the Beirut-based blog by Jackson Allers ldquoBeats and Breathrdquo which features articulate critiques and reviews of events and releases from the region

jacksonallerswordpresscom

Hass Dennaoui (alias Big Hass) who recently launched started the first all hip-hop FM radio show in Saudi Arabia Laish Hip Hop (Why Hip Hop) manages a lively blog which

hosts an internet feed of his radio show and interviews with MCs and influential hip hop figures from around the world

revoltradioblogspotcom

Lebaneseundergroundcom hosts coverage of underground music in Lebanon including hip hop

And finally an excellent article by Hishaam Aidi on implications of the use of hip hop as foreign policy ldquoThe Grand (Hip-Hop) Chessboard Race Rap and Raison DrsquoEtatrdquo was published in The Middle East Report Fall 2011 Excerpts of the piece were published by Al Jazeera English in the article ldquoLeveraging Hip Hop in US Foreign Policyrdquo

All the artists and many of the translators whose work is showcased here host a significant online presence Their sites are listed with more about each of them on the following pages

109108

artist bios

ARABIAN KNIGHTZ the premier hip hop group from the land of the Nile River have not only established themselves as the lyricists with the sharpest swords in their land but they have also created the most consistent voice for rebellion strength and hope for the youth of the Middle East During the 2011 Revolution Arabian Knightz released two singles ldquoRebelrdquo and ldquoNot Your Prisonerrdquo anthems of resistance which gained worldwide attention and major media coverage for their powerful lyrics against a wicked system The group formed in 2006 through the cipher hip hoprsquos natural way of choosing like mindsets on the mic Rush Sphinx and E-Money were ahead of their peers adapting an authentic Arab perspective to the art dominated by Western voices mixing English and Arabic raps After hitting the studio for successful underground tracks AK enlisted super-producer Fredwreck (Snoop Dogg Xzibit Tha Dogg Pound) ldquoFokkakrdquo the single from this studio session was an instant hit and (surprisingly for Arabic Hip Hop) projected them to the top ten of the singles charts Arab League Records was formed amidst a growing fanbase and numerous collaborations with other Arab hip hop artists the first international Arab hip hop record label Desert Saga Volume 1 mixtape was the debut release led by ldquoThe Onerdquo featuring Egyptrsquos MC Amin Arabian Knightz have recorded their debut album Uknighted State of Arabia a masterpiece for Arab hip hop years in the making featuring instrumentals dominated by traditional percussions and players are scheduled for a Winter 2012 Release They are on Facebook

BOIKUTT is a musician and MC based in Ramallah Palestine Creating sounds using sampled material field recordings and electronic devices the results range between hip-hop downtempo ambient glitch and experimental He has composed and produced music for artists such as Kronos Quartet Bukue One Spiritchild Tamer Abu-Ghazaleh Bleubird and others and has appeared as an MC on albums for artists such as Slovo Heliodrome Bonnot and Lethal Skillz A co-founder of the Ramallah Underground Collective which has toured across the Arab World Europe and Australia Boikutt is also co-founder and member of audio-visual group Tashweesh with whom he is currently touring Also as a solo performer he has been in Beirut Cairo Manila Copenhagen London Hamburg Dubai Bethlehem and other cities He has produced and exhibited a few sound-art pieces composed several film scores has most recently composed the music for a dance theater performance entitled Bound by

New York-based company Yaa Samar Dance Theatre and is now working on different collaborative and solo projects His work may be heard at soundcloudcomboikutt and on Facebook

DAM Da Arabian MCrsquos are Suhell Nafar Tamer Nafar and Mahmoud Jreri The first Palestinian hip hop crew and among the first to rap in Arabic the group began working together in the late 1990s Struck by the uncanny resemblance of the reality of the streets in a Tupac video to the streets in their own neighborhood of Lyd they were inspired to tell their stories through hip hop Their timely song ldquoMin Irhabirdquo (ldquoWhorsquos the Terroristrdquo) was downloaded a million times shortly after its internet realese in 2001 and DAM became a household name among youth throughout the Middle East Ten years of performing all over the world has strengthened the grouprsquos commitment to continue living and working in their hometown of Lyd 15 minutes from Tel Aviv and working to provide the youth of the city and neighboring communities with programs and opportunities that have been denied to Palestinian citizens of Israel Their music is a unique fusion of East and West and encompasses influences as varied as Ghassan Kanafani Ahlam Mosteghanemi Mahmoud Darwish Naji al Ali Tupac Biggie Public Enemy MBS Krsquonaan and Pharoahe Monch IHDA (Dedication) DAMrsquos long-awaited first international album was released in 2007 and DAM has seen its songs and members featured in films such as Ford Transit (Dir Hany Abu Assad) Where in the World is Osama Bin Laden (Dir Morgan Spurlock) Salt of this Sea (Dir Annemarie Jacir) Local Angel and Forgiveness (Dir Udi Aloni) DAMrsquos history and influence on the Arab hip hop scene is detailed in the feature-length documentary Slingshot Hip Hop (Dir Jackie Reem Salloum) The group has also been featured in Vibe National Geographic Rolling Stone Q Basement Reuters and The New York Times and has appeared on MTV CNN BBC and Al Jazeera Their work can be heard and explored at damrapcom

EL DEEB first ventured into Egyptian Hip Hop when he joined Asfalt in 2005 He left in 2007 to create Wighit Nazara duo represented by Mohamed Yasser and himself It was a successful musical project that lasted until mid 2010 Currently he is working on his solo career with plans to release an EP every couple of months or so Cairofornia is his first solo EP His work may be heard at deebbandcampcom and on Facebook

EL RASS was born in Tripoli Lebanon He started writing poetry in literary Arabic at age 11 and started rhyming in spoken Lebanese dialect in 1999 at age 15 At that time he formed one third of a group of 3 MCrsquos going under the name of ldquoMlouk el Micrdquo (ldquoKings of the Micrdquo) They recorded one album and performed locally At 17 he left for France to study Finance and Economics Studies were hard money was scarce and exile was tough but music and poetry never left him as he continued rhyming with some underground French MCrsquos like Medline and Moebius and developed new musical skills on percussion in classical Arabic singing and baglama (turkish buzuk) After graduating and working for almost two years in the hell of banking and market finance El Rass decided to return to Lebanon He spent a year just re-discovering Beirut and making and learning music He now works as a journalist at the newspaper Assafir while concurrently pursuing joint projects with other producers and musicians He calls his work Taalik in reference to the same word in Arabic for ldquocommentrdquo and another word that comes from the same semantic root moaallakat which is a corpus of selected pre-Islamic poetry that was written with gold ink on the walls of the Karsquoaba in Mecca His work may be heard at soundcloudcomElRass

FAREEQ EL ATRASH is a hip hop band based out of Hamra St Beirut with a sound that is distinguished by laid back topical flows over live instrumentation It consists of Edd (raps) Nasser (raps) FZ (vocal production and FX) Fouad Afra (drums) Goo (plays guitar keys heart strings) and Abed Kobeissy (plays bass and buzuk) Their 2010 album and 2009 prealbum are available online More of their work may be found on Facebook Eddrsquos solo work can also be heard at soundcloudcomEdd

H2Z was born in Kuwait in 1986 where he lived for four years Due to the gulf war his family moved to Lebanon where he lived for the most part of his life Inspired by the tragic events in the Middle East and elsewhere in the world H2Z adopted rap music as a way to raise awareness about the injustices suffered by his people and to deliver a message through his music to anyone who supports the Palestinian cause His career began in 2004 when he was introduced to the production business by fellow rappers and soon he started producing his own tracks and established a local band producing many tracks for himself and other musicians in Lebanon In 2008 he released his first solo album titled 3aed which contained

17 tracks The political influence was noticed throughout the album and was generally well-received He is now studying for a degree in business administration at Wayne State University in Michigan His work may be heard at reverbnationcomh2z

KATIBEH 5 are based in Borj el Barajneh Lebanon Their work can be found at reverbnationcomkatibeh5 and myspacecomkatibe5palestine and on Facebook

M1 is Mutulu Olugbala of the New York based collective Dead Prez whose work is online at deadprezcom M1 is also on Facebook

MC GAZA is Adnan Mahmoud Ghonim an Algerian born artist and university student based in Gaza It was the beginning of 2005 when he attended one of the hip hop concerts in Gaza City ndash Gaza City that never appreciated the art he loved and attached himself to ndash and it was love at first sight between them Through some of the concerts he participated in a number of songs he collaborated on with Arabs from Egypt Algeria and Palestine and some active participation to represent the Palestinian people and interviews for both Arab and foreign press he was able to make a name for himself in the Gazan hip hop community His work may be found at youtubecomMCGaza and on Facebook

THE NARCICYST Having pioneered the Arab Hip-Hop movement with seminal Iraqi-Canadian crew Euphrates The Narcicyst recently broke through borders and shattered traveling etiquette touring solo around the world sharing stages with the likes of Brother Ali Mos Def and Kanye West to name a few On top of music The Narcicyst is a celebrated theorist whose academic work Fear of an Arab Planet has him from the stage to the classrooms of internationally renowned universities He is now also a professor at Concordia University teaching a Fine Arts course ldquoHip-Hop Past Present and Futurerdquo His writings have been published by multiple university presses and magazines internationally he is also a self-published author having recently released the biographical and social-study on the Arab world The Diatribes of a Dying Tribe As a true artist interested in really pushing his own artistic boundaries The Narcicyst has stepped into acting currently starring in the short music film PHATWA and in the first internationally-released film from the United Arab Emirates called City of Life A true multi-media

111110

KHALED AL HILLI is a PhD candidate in Comparative Literature at the Graduate Center City University of New York He has a BA in English Literature and a Masterrsquos degree in Teaching Second Languages Born in Iraq Khaled has taught in Lebanon and Saudi Arabia at both college and high school levels He has also worked with various Iraqi news outlets and has subtitledtranslated documentary films dealing with current social and political issues His research interests include Arabic political literature prison literature and literature in the diaspora He may be reached at hillykhalidgmailcom

+AZIZ is a NYC-based marketing consultant and a musician He is working through The World Music Parade to develop an animation project based on his music More about that project can be found at themusicparadetumblrcom He tweets from plusaziz

FAYSAL BIBI is a paleontologist and electronic musician currently based in Berlin

LOUBNA BILALI is originally from Morocco She did her undergrad and first MA in English Linguistics at Chouaib Doukkali University El Jadida She came to the US in 2008 to pursue a Masterrsquos degree in French to English translation and is currently working on a PhD in translation studies at Kent State University in Ohio She is very interested in learning and teaching languages as well as translating and localizing computer applications and websites She may be reached at loubnabilaligmailcom

FARAH ELREWAISSATI is a freelance translator pro-Palestine activist and BDS advocate who blogs at youthanormalizationblogspotcom She tweets from 3beee

NIZAR GHANEM was born in Lebanon He has been active in intercultural education interactive learning and conflict resolution across the Arab world His work on conflict resolution involved using theater comics and music as tools for emotional expression and social mobilization

RIMA NAJDI is a Performing Artist She studied dramatic arts at the Lebanese University in Beirut and obtained a Masterrsquos degree in Performance Studies at NYU New York She has written and performed in various plays and performances Najdi is particularly interested in multi-media performing arts and the position of the spectators

BARRAK ALZAID (copy editor) is the Artistic Director of ArteEast He is the editor of the ArteEast Quarterly a dynamic online portal featuring four publications that highlight contemporary art and culture from the Middle East and diaspora ndash ArtersquoZine Shahadat (contemporary short-form literature) Gallery and Cinematek (an online film center) He is also the curator for ArteEastrsquos Across Histories Art Talk Series featuring a series of panels on residencies in Fall 2011 He tweets from barrakster

RAYYA EL ZEIN (editor) is working towards a PhD in Theatre at the Graduate Center City University of New York Her research is increasingly focusing on theories of reception historical studies of audience behavior and popular culture in the Arab world She holds an MA in Performance Studies from NYU and is currently a teaching fellow at City College in Harlem She tweets from rayelz

translator biosdreamer Yassin recently established an arts label in the UAE called The Medium focusing on delivering art from Arabs in the diaspora and at lsquohomersquo to the rest of the world iraqisthebombcom He tweets from TheNarcicyst

OMAR OFFENDUM is a Syrian-American hip hop artist born in Saudi Arabia raised in Washington DC and living in Los Angeles Known for taking audiences on a lyrical journey from the jasmine-tree-lined courtyards of Nizar Qabbanirsquos Damascene homes to the flooded riverbanks of Langston Hughesrsquo Harlem Renaissance poems - Offendum has been featured on several major news outlets (BBC Yahoo ABC News Aljazeera PBS) toured the world to promote his ground-breaking music helped raise thousands of dollars for various humanitarian relief organizations (PCRF KinderUSA ANERA Islamic Relief) lectured at a number of prestigious academic institutions (Harvard MIT Stanford Columbia American University of Beirut NYU-AbuDhabi Qatar Education City) and most recently been involved in creating several critically-acclaimed songs about the popular democratic uprisings throughout the Middle East amp North Africa He is currently hard at work promoting his solo release - affectionately dubbed SyrianamericanA His work may be heard (and read) at offendumbandcampcom He is on Facebook and he tweets from Offendum

RAMALLAH UNDERGROUND based in Ramallah Palestine was born from the immediacy of musical experimentation and out of the need to give voice to a generation of Palestinians and Arabs facing a turbulent and uncertain political landscape The collective was founded by artists Boikutt Stormtrap and Aswatt and has always held a commitment to both the honesty of their work and the need to creatively rejuvenate Arabic culture To this end they combine music ranging from Arabic electronic music hip-hop and trip hop to downtempo with a deep sense of their local culture and the imposing presence of Palestine in their lives The outcome is a new specific and distinct sound RU (as producers and as MCrsquos ) has collaborated with numerous artists across the globe including countries like Lebanon UK Switzerland Italy USA France and many more including a collaboration with Slovo (a band headed by the guitarist from faithless) in their track ldquoNakbardquo which appears on their album Todo Cambia and with Kronos Quartet in the track ldquoTashweeshrdquo which appears on Floodplain RU has also performed live shows in Ramallah Bethlehem Vienna London Cairo Lausanne Amsterdam and Washington DC Their shows are mainly a performance of their hip-hop tracks as well as a few of their own electronic productions as a warm up More recently RU has incorporated a visual set in their live

performances brought to you by Palestinian visual artist Ruanne RU hopes to give a voice to Palestinians and Arabs bringing an alternative voice from the Arab world Their lyrics and music are an expression of anguish and defiance ultimately remaining a defiant voice of the colonized against the colonizer They continue to play a big role in the Arab underground cultural scene while slowly gaining wide global and local popularity

SHADIA MANSOURrsquos work can be found at myspacecomshadiamusic and on Facebook

STORMTRAP is a music producercomposerMC from Palestine Experimenting with old samples instruments and field recordings his sound is the result of a fusion of ambient atmospheres combined with various noises and hip hop beats His lyrics deal with different themes inspired mainly by his personal experiences in Palestine and life in the diaspora Stormtrap played a fundamental role in forming the band Ramallah Underground with which he has performed worldwide the past few years Currently he is working in Vienna with Aras Seyhan and Eren Ileri on a new album which combines live instruments synthesizers turntables beats and Arabic lyrics- which will be released early 2012 His work may be heard at soundcloudcomstormtrap He tweets from asifeh

AMEER YOSSEF 25 has sung and writen music with the band Klaket for the past four years His work may be heard at youtubecomAmeer and on Facebook

towards the work Her work for now concentrates on the process of making interactive and participatory performances that question borders stereotypes and languages

MOE ALI NAYEL is a fixer and a journalist based in Beirut Lebanon He uses social media blogging non-mainstream music journalism and writing as a word spreading eye opening socializing arena He uses social media as a bridge that cuts distance between people on this planet making it a tiny village This bridge starts in his office and takes him to every corner in the world enabling him to connect and network with people and cultures sharing and exchanging stories of the unheard and the neglected He blogs at Words of Action and he tweets from MoeAliNay

ALEX ORTIZ is a video and radio journalist and translator based in Cairo Egypt He graduated from Brown University in 2009 with a double major in Comparative Literature and Middle East Studies He was a CASA I fellow from 2009-2010 and a CASA II fellow from 2010-2011 He currently works for CBS News as a field producer He tweets from cairowitness

AHMED SHAWKET is an independent translator living in Cairo Egypt He is a graduate of the Helwan University Faculty of Arts where he majored in philosophy Ahmed works on literary media and commercial translation

113112

ABOUT SHAHADATShahadat is a quarterly online series designed to provide a platform for short-form writing and experimentation in writing by young and underexposed writers from the MENA region (Middle East and North Africa) The series features stories vignettes reflections and chronicles in translation and the original language of Arabic Farsi Turkish or Kurdish It makes up one quarter of ArteEastrsquos online programming the AE Quarterly For past issues of Shahadat click here

ABOUT THIS SERIES Shahadat is proud to run two alternating series and releases two issues a year of each The issue yoursquove just perused is part of the ldquoExploring Popular Literaturerdquo series This series challenges traditional understandings of ldquoliteraturerdquo emerging from the Middle East and North Africa by presenting genres of creative production that rely on words and language but which have not typically been studied as literature Works are presented in their original language and in translation

In each issue we gather texts from a spectrum of writers to challenge the singular status of the artistauthor and to encourage a more complex presentation of the Middle Eastern and North African ldquostreetrdquo for English-speaking audiences Shahadatrsquos other series ldquoContemporary Literature in Translationrdquo features the work of a single young author in the original language and in English translation

BEHIND THE DOCUMENTShahadat is co-edited by Rayya El Zein Alex Ortiz and ArteEastrsquos Artistic Director Barrak Alzaid All three are young professionals and scholars with artistic inclinations (literature poetry translation and performance) All three have strong connections to New York City and various metropole of the MENA region Shahadat is for us an experiment and a labor of love An editorial board of established scholars and authors is currently being conceived

SPECIAL THANKS TOAnmar El ZeinKinda AkashAndrew JohnstonLivia Alexander

Shahadat logo design by Rima Farouki

114

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Page 2: Shahadat Winter 2012

32

ArteEast is a leading international arts organization presenting work by contemporary artists from the Middle East North Africa and the diaspora Founded in 2003 as a New York based not-for-profit organization ArteEast supports and promotes artists by raising awareness of their most significant and groundbreaking work and by bringing this work to the widest possible audience We do this through public events art exhibitions film screenings international touring programs a dynamic virtual gallery and a resource-rich website Partnering with some of the most prestigious cultural institutions around the world mdash such as The Museum of Modern Art Tate Modern and the Sharjah Art Foundation mdash ArteEastrsquos film visual arts and literary programs reach thousands of new audiences each year

The organization is committed to bringing the highest quality and form of artistic content on multiple platforms Our innovative use of technology and partnerships to present programs that are highly mobile rather than bound to a particular physical space make us one of the most nimble cutting-edge art organizations today ArteEast is also consistently providing relevant context so that audiences can fully appreciate the work that is being presented

wwwarteeastorg

January 2012 New York

Exploring Popular Literature Series

hip hop

Edited by Rayya El Zein

54

Media Moments

In early December ABCrsquos icon of vetted journalism Barbara Walters sat down with Syrian President Bashar al-Assad on an exclusive episode of Nightline Assadrsquos soft-spoken polite almost gentle performance in the interview he staged with Walters playing Master of Ceremonies induced mild but notable reactions Therersquos a ldquodisconnectrdquo the US State Department declared between what Assad says and the situation in Syria Walters herself seemed shocked at his presentable demeanor describing him upon her return from Damascus as ldquocalmrdquo ldquosoft-spokenrdquo and ldquoarticulaterdquo She further stressed during the introduction to the piece that Assad spoke ldquovery good Englishrdquo and ldquoanswered every questionrdquo Impressive it seems for an accused Arab dictator

What is overwhelmingly unsettling in Walterrsquos episode of Nightline is that it assumes certain qualities of chaos both in Damascus and in the person of the Syrian president that would stipulate the understandable conditions of civil unrest Damascus markets are stocked people shop ldquoonlyrdquo the ldquohigh-endrdquo stores are feeling the pinch Assad is polite he answers her questions invites her in Where are the snipers The rape attempts The crying children in the shadows What ABC and Walters cringingly fail to highlight is in fact the glaring normalcy of the brutality of Assadrsquos regime

Further the first US television journalist inside Syria since the nine-month-old uprising began showcased one voice almost exclusively that of the disconnected president Walters did not go though she did send a correspondent to Deraa the town where protests started in March There a bewildered Alex Marquardt wondered why Assadrsquos promise to go anywhere he wanted (accompanied by an 8-car motorcade) was not kept or why when permitted to meander through the streets on his own no one would talk to him Without an official at the other end of the mic and

save one brave manrsquos hushed testimony ABCrsquos mics picked up only silence A journalistic venture designed to shine light on a country in distress instead gave the stage to its president and the insights we glean are that he doesnrsquot really seem crazy at least not like we thought hersquod be

But if a startling lack of imagination with regards to power and human nature especially vis-agrave-vis Arab leaders is one aspect of the problematic Western media coverage and an almost complete dearth of voices from the actual Arab street is another these are not the only shortcomings with consequences for understanding a fuller picture of a dynamic Arab world

Earlier in 2011 TIME magazine named Hamada Ben Amor the Tunisian rapper better known as El Geacuteneacuteral one of the top 100 most influential people of the year singling out his track ldquoMr Presidentrdquo (ldquoRais LeBledrdquo) which was critical of Ben Alirsquos regime as an inciting force of the Tunisian Revolution It is but one example of heightened attention paid to hip hop and rap in the Arab world since the so-called ldquoArab Springrdquo began In July the BBC asked ldquoIs Hip Hop Driving the Arab Springrdquo in an article reminiscent of those in months earlier which debated the role of Facebook and Twitter in the realization of the Egyptian Revolution Both are facile treatments that should be quickly (and if necessary constantly) reassessed

There is a danger in a non-critical focus of Western media on the recent spike however significant in Arabic hip hop during a time of political revolution US and European politicians canrsquot seem to get a grip on The New York Times and others in the months after Hosni Mubarakrsquos abdication from the presidency in Egypt attributed significance to Massachusetts-based retired professor Gene Sharprsquos pamphlet ldquoFrom Dictatorship to Democracyrdquo in the political strategies of Egyptian activists despite the fact that many in Egypt found this claim simply ludicrous if not overtly manipulative The urge to attribute success

from the Editorto Sharprsquos document stems not entirely from an attempt to ldquoWesternizerdquo the revolution but to ldquoglobalizerdquo it Sharprsquos piece is not an exciting story necessarily because it was written by an American but because his tract is understood to have had currency in regime changes from Burma to Ukraine since the late 1990s

A similar instinct is at play in the attribution of efficacy to hip hop in the Arab revolutions in 2011 Hip hop though it sprung from specifically US environs has become a global phenomenon These two approaches taken by US and European press illustrate that an old neocolonial danger remains It may be summed up as such hip hop is a tool for understanding the rhythm of the revolting Arab street because it is a ldquoWesternrdquo and familiar form That danger however has morphed hip hop is a tool for understanding the rhythm of the revolting Arab street because it is a ldquoglobalrdquo and therefore significant form The trap of course lies in this notion of ldquoglobalrdquo that is notorious for substituting simple sweeping narratives at the expense of the local And in the ease with which one can replace ldquoWesternizedrdquo with ldquoglobalizedrdquo

The challenge then for a responsible look at both the changing Arab street and hip hop on and in it is to strive for a compassionate understanding that places the local within global flows It lies in an understanding of ldquocontemporaryrdquo that is not exclusively ldquoWesternrdquo or ldquoOrientalrdquo and an understanding of networks that is not only ldquoglobalrdquo nor ldquolocalrdquo The potential benefit for a responsible critical reading of this material is an understanding of ldquothe Arab streetrdquo which consistently evades commercial media and by extension popular conception in the ldquoWestrdquo

It is with this in mind that I am proud to present the following issue of Shahadat The Winter 2012 issue features the work of 16 MCs or collectives from Egypt Lebanon Palestine and the Arab diaspora in Arabic and English and in English translation It represents the extensive collaboration of 10 translators An interactive publication that hosts the music along with its lyrics it is the first experiment of its kind for ArteEast and to our knowledge the first document of its kind on the web

Street Talk

It is not just theoretically important that ears outside the Arab world hear and understand the voices of more of those within it The means of articulation and the words themselves displace the dominant media narrative in substantial practical ways In an age of a seemingly infinite ldquoWar on Terrorrdquo whose main weapons mask aggressive humiliation techniques as ldquodefensiverdquo security hip hop in Arabic opens a place for an important assertion of dignity by young Arab men who demographically bear the brunt of these expanded security tactics Assertions of pride and respectability take different forms from overt political critique to declarations of identity to calls to lyrical arms to provocations of other poets and MCs One of the most significant things about hip hop in Arabic is that it is projecting images of dignified (articulate proud well-read compassionate astute critical) young masculinity to thirsty listeners at home and abroad

But neither is the genre nor the collection featured here homogeneous in terms of gender Young women have nearly from the beginning of the scene been a part of the construction of this field Also particularly noteworthy (not because of their ethnic or religious background but because of the history of hip hop and rap in the West) is how adamantly young Arab male MCs eschew and challenge misogyny in both their content and performances

This should not suggest that hip hop creates an ideal or egalitarian playing field for Arab men and women Social stigma has made it

The potential benefit for a responsible critical reading of this material is an understanding of ldquothe Arab streetrdquo which consistently evades commercial media and by extension popular conception in the ldquoWestrdquo

76

especially difficult for women to break through cultural stereotypes and dogma (though a handful have notably Malikah based in Lebanon Shadia Mansour (featured in the collection) and Abeer alias Sabreena da Witch) I find it safe to presume that when young Arab women break into the genre in greater numbers or find their own methods to voice political and social critiques reclamations of dignity collective and individual will be at the top of the list of significant effects

The second critically important antidote to mainstream media that these voices provide is the true cornucopia of social grievances they cite and political critiques they offer The 16 tracks featured here take on variously the Muslim Brotherhood greed and corruption poverty and hunger inefficacy of NGOs betrayal of and by fellow Arabs (notably the ldquobrain drainrdquo phenomenon which has seen young Arabs across the region relocate overseas in hopes of greater opportunity) capitalism sectarianism and religious extremism in addition to Western colonialism and the policies of the state of Israel towards Palestinians

The letters they address to the world in each track should make it harder and harder to believe that all Arabs all Muslims or all Egyptians Palestinians or otherwise are set on the destruction of ldquothe Westrdquo at the expense of critical thinking about the local economies and systems of government that have also failed them

Not just the content but the form of these articulations showcases a way of seeing the world of processing it and of asserting oneself in it that young people globally will identify with This is vitally important as a new generation comes to terms with itself internationally it will have to decide how much of the old divisions of ldquousrdquo and ldquothemrdquo it wishes to retain The work of these artists and their colleagues worldwide has the potential to remind listeners how alike they are and how arbitrary national and ethnic divisions can be

A Bigger Picture

It is true that hip hop does not have a long history in the Arab world It is however older than 12 or even 15 months first taking root in North Africa in the early 1990s and in Palestine several years later just before the Second Intifada The largest markets and scenes for hip hop in the Arab world have long been in Morocco Algeria and Palestine and lately in Lebanon

Incidentally these countries are rarely the focus of recent press which hails an explosion of Arabic hip hop in recent months Similarly despite the many creative hypotheses posited in English-language press about catalysts and influences of the Arab Spring the very real history of popular resistance in Palestine (ie the Intifadas of the late 1990s and mid 2000s) is hardly ever mentioned as a probable influence of the popular Arab revolutions of this year

distinct sounds of each artist or collaboration and the musical traditions from which they borrow from funk to electronica and in between

The rhythms and flows vary too in some places the impact of the political critique comes as much from the aural quality as from the lyrical content The rhythm of Fareeq el Atrashrsquos ldquoThe Stars are Getting Closerrdquo (ldquoNjoom 3am Tersquorabrdquo) for example

الكاس عل الطاولي و منو عم مز مز لتفتل براصي وحس من حالي عم كز كزعل ورقة كالمي مدروس و ما بزت زت بجرب ما عيد حالي متا يقولو عم نق نق

موزع قافياتي جواز كأن عم فت فت

with its sustained rhythm of repeated syllables at the ends of phrases and its almost flippant characterizations of a musicianrsquos routine is distinctly different from the defiant declaration of MC Gaza in his piece with Arabian Knightz and Ameer ldquoHand in Handrdquo (ldquoEid fi Eidrdquo)

ما في حجة لربطي خلبطي حلطي ألوطي ألغير خطي

Which is also very different from the imaginative poetic (and humorous) play on words and political critique in El Rassrsquos

كان احلريري ما طار وما صار مطار احلريري

Each of the artists featured here manipulates sound and meaning in unique and fiercely creative ways making of the genre a distinct form of popular poetry

One of the most compelling political components of the genre is how powerful rather simple declarations of preference or identity can be or become These take on overt incarnations as in Offendumrsquos celebratory ldquoDestinyrdquo H2Zrsquos figurative ldquoI am Palestinianrdquo (ldquoAna Falasteenirdquo) or more subtle declarations of preference as in Ramallah Undergroundrsquos ldquoI am trying not to care but politics pulls at merdquo in the track ldquoFrom the Caverdquo (ldquoMin el Kaheffrdquo) Private processings of a public world linger in nearly all the pieces It is from these subject positions and thousands

of others that those outside of the Arab world must also hear not only from their ldquodisconnectedrdquo leaders who happen to speak like thousands of their constituents ldquovery good Englishrdquo

The implicit and explicit declarations of identity in Arabic hip hop is perhaps also especially noteworthy because they are immediately noticeable All the tracks featured here are predominantly in dialect (Egyptian Lebanese Syrian Palestinian) and not in the standard modern or classical Arabic typically broadcast across national borders Moreover the political critiques they offer are especially specific some relying almost entirely on subtext to carry meaning across The translations alongside them then should make equally useful learning tools for students of Arabic language as those of culture politics and art

But if anything comes from hearing and reading these texts simultaneously it should be a reevaluation of the question of ldquomodernizationrdquo or ldquoWesternizationrdquo in our contemporary moment Facile readings from both sides will call these works ldquoWesternizations of Arab culturerdquo or ldquoOrientalizations of Western culturerdquo In reality they are neither If they feel modern or more specifically postmodern (and they undoubtedly are - the articulations of identity mentioned above are almost always manifest as split or double) it is because they were written and are performed in our contemporary moment not because they encompass more or less of one part of the globe And if the pieces feel Arab (and they undoubtedly will) it is because they are Arab too

One of the most important but embarrassingly obvious implications then is that the two are completely conceivable within the same body within the same text in the same exact moment They are not opposite not a give and take followed by synthesis The tracks and the artists are both Many Multitude Concurrently East and West After all what is East What is West

Rayya El ZeinNew York

It is from these subject positions and thousands of others that those outside of the Arab world must also hear not only from their ldquodisconnectedrdquo leaders who happen to speak like thousands of their constituents ldquovery good Englishrdquo

Denying the influences of US rap on hip hop in Arabic or of the Internet (Facebook Twitter) on the events of the past twelve months is futile But if a productive dialogue between the Middle East and West is to be created we must also learn to listen to local histories and to hear regional catalysts

Politics and Aesthetics

Shared political concerns hardly confine the range of creative impulses within the genre The tracks collected in this issue explore a range of thematic considerations as well as aesthetic choices Most bear implicit if not explicit (and here we see a healthy range) of political critiques Indeed the aesthetic choices of rhythm melody when appropriate and beat become political choices in and of themselves In this collection we have tried to illustrate a wide gamut of approaches and rhythms Listeners will undoubtedly note the

98

This issue of Shahadat is an interactive experiment and a virtual media work in progress It is designed for multiple audiences from the aspiring poet and critic to the classroom to established fans and everything in-between

Download all the tracks featured in this issue and absorb the various layers of sound rhythm politics and poetry at your own leisure

Or download the pdf of this document and listen as you go The green button on each page starts the track the red button pauses Click above the set of buttons and a small media player will appear which allows one to navigate through the track at will These interactive features only function if you download the pdf of this document The

Note for Mac users if you are viewing the downloaded pdf the tracks will stop playing at the flip of the page To reactivate sound click in the upper left hand corner of each two-page

spread (Hovering should produce a text box that says ldquoclick to activaterdquo) A small player will appear with which the track can be navigated Be sure to open with Adobe Reader not Apple Preview for interactive functions

Flip through the virtual publication in the order wersquove suggested or find your favorite track in the table of contents on the opposite page and click on the title to be led directly to it

We appreciate your feedback (and your patience) as we experiment with new forms of media while exploring the various incarnations of popular literature in the Middle East and North Africa

how to use this Document table of Contents

Editorrsquos Remarks 4

From the Cave | Ramallah Underground 10

Rise Egyptian | El Deeb + Edd 16

Not Your Prisoner | Arabian Knightz + Shadia Mansour 24

Ignite | Boikutt 30

I am Palestinian | H2Z 36

Kufeyyeh Arabeyyeh | Shadia Mansour 40

Destiny | Omar Offendum 46

What Happened Yesterday | Stormtrap 54

Brass | The Narcicyst 60

Beirutrsquos Volcano | El Rass 64

A Letter from Boikutt | Boikutt 70

Hold Me Back If You Can | Katibeh 5 74

Hand in Hand | Arabian Knightz + MC Gaza + Ameer 82

Addiction to Fame | El Deeb + Stormtrap 88

The Stars are Getting Closer | Fareeq el Atrash 94

Words | DAM 100

Further Reading 106

About the Artists 108

About the Translators 111

1110

بدهم يجوعوا األهالي ألنو الناس ملا يجوعو ما بوعودو يفكروا باملقاومة

نازل العب باملوت بدي اعرف ايش عدد املوت هون

مش سامع وال صوت اطفي التلفون

اسأل ألنو وال حد سائل سواءا سياسي أو دوبلوماسي

قاعدين على هالكراسي وبتحدثوا

بروحوا بحوطوا رؤوسهم و بتمددووالبيوت في لبنان و غزة عم يتهدموا اجا الوقت نرفع بعبوص لكل العالم

ألنو راح يضلو يحكي وعمرو ما حيعمل فئيش بدنا نضلنا نقنع و نستنا بتمنى بس عالفاضي من زمان نسييو عنا

R a m a l l a h U n d e r g r o u n d

They wanna starve our people because when people are starving they no longer think of

leading resistance

I am going to play with death

I wanna know the death count here

I canrsquot hear a sound

Turn off your phone

Ask because no one else has

Whether politicians or diplomats

Theyrsquore planted in their seats

Chatting

They relax rest their heads

While homes in Lebanon and Gaza are leveled

The time has come to screw the world

Because theyrsquoll keep talking without ever doing anything

Why would we keep holding on waiting hoping

But for nothing They forgot about us a while ago

from tمن الكهف he cave

3 Min Ill Kahef

Ramallah Underground ft Lethal Skillz

The Peace Revolution 20

24420868

eng - iTunNORM 00000E33 00000D93 0000B0A7 00008C71 0001CD0B 0002129C 00008000 00008000 0000A2CF 0000633A

1312

ساعة بتمسك حالك ملا تشوف قدامك

اللي قامك واللي شالك مش مستغرب اذا افكار جهنمية عم بدور ببالك

نازل بتنادي عالدنيا بس الدنيا نامت وحتى اذا قامت ما حتسمع كالمك

ما حتسمع كالمك

هون يوم معاك مية عليك حواجز حواليك كلبشات عايديك

قولي شو سويت مابدي فوت باحليط ياريت بس انا فايت هيك هيك

حياتي عجل بسكليت وهأل فلت اجلنزير اجا الوقت ادعس بنزين

ابدا شد ابدا مد حكيي لكل النواحي

ألنو كلماتي سالحي

بدهم يجوعوا األهالي ألنو الناس ملا يجوعو ما بوعودو يفكروا باملقاومة

11 22 33 عم ميحونا هات لننزل عال مالجئ قبل ما يشوفونا

بقصوفونا وين ما روحنا بس بحياتهم ما بطحونا

صامدون ألخر حلظة لصوار يخكم ايصابونا

R a m a l l a h U n d e r g r o u n d

In the moments when you try to get a hold of things

When you look in front of you

At the one who picked you up and removed you

Donrsquot be surprised if evil thoughts fill your mind

You went on calling the world but the world is sleeping

And even if it wakes up it wonrsquot hear your voice

It wonrsquot hear your voice

Here therersquos one day with you and a hundred others against you

Barriers around you

Handcuffs on your hands

Tell me what you did

I hope I donrsquot crash into a wall

But Irsquom crashing anyways

My life is more like a bike tire

But now wersquore off the tracks time to hit the gas

Never pull never stretch my speech

For any reason

Because my words are my weapons

They wanna starve our people because when people are starving they no longer think of

leading resistance

One by one two by two three by three theyrsquore trying to wipe us out

Letrsquos go to the shelters before they see us

They shoot us wherever we go

But we never give up

Steadfast lsquotil the last breath when your missiles hit

3 Min Ill Kahef

Ramallah Underground ft Lethal Skillz

The Peace Revolution 20

24420868

eng - iTunNORM 00000E33 00000D93 0000B0A7 00008C71 0001CD0B 0002129C 00008000 00008000 0000A2CF 0000633A

1514

و رؤساء العرب سابونا تركونا و هربوا لعند عدونا

ألنو ما قدروا يعدونا وعدونا باملستقبل بس شوف لوين جابونا

2007 عالم مبشي دوغري و احنا فجرونا جوعونا بدهم ينسونا

قعدنا سنني نبني و اجو فجأة هيك هدونا هددونا و خوفونا

بالدميقراطية سمموناحتى نعيش حياة طبيعية ما خلونا

حطونا عخط النار ونسفونا دمرونا نشفولنا دمنا كل هاد و لسا ما خلصونا من همنا

بحاول اطنش بس السياسة بتشدني بقولها افلتي ما بدي

بتقولي انا جزء من حياتك مش حتقدر متشي ضدي

بحاول اطنش بس السياسة بتشدني بقولها افلتي ما بدي

بتقولي انا جزء من حياتك مش حتقدر متشي ضدي

R a m a l l a h U n d e r g r o u n d

And Arab leaders let us down

Abandoned us fled to our enemies

Because they couldnrsquot infect us with their cowardice

They promised the future and look what they got us into

2007 the worldrsquos moving ahead and they blow us up

Starve us they wanna forget us

We spent years building and they came suddenly led us on

Threatened and frightened us

Poisoned us with democracy

Wouldnrsquot let us have a normal life

They set us right on line of fire they ruined us destroyed us dried up our blood

All that and still they couldnrsquot finish the job

I am trying not to care anymore but politics pulls at me

I say leave me alone

She says I am part of your life

You wonrsquot be able to resist me

I am trying not to care anymore but politics pulls at me

I say leave me alone

She says I am part of your life

You wonrsquot be able to resist me

T r a n s l a t e d b y L o u b n a B i l a l i

3 Min Ill Kahef

Ramallah Underground ft Lethal Skillz

The Peace Revolution 20

24420868

eng - iTunNORM 00000E33 00000D93 0000B0A7 00008C71 0001CD0B 0002129C 00008000 00008000 0000A2CF 0000633A

1716

)مصر داميا بتناديك(

التورتة رجعت للشعبالبورصة وقعت من اللعب

الشعار القدمي رجعالشرطة في خدمة الشعب

احلال كان صعب بس النهار ده أفضل احنا نقدر نزرع صحرتنا أخضر

اتخلصنا من حكم هتلر فرعون ملعون وبحكم تويتر وفيسبوك املصري ثاير مدعوم بلغة احلق

كانوا بيقولولنا أل مش فارقة معاهم إن شاء الله حتى االرض تنشق ثورتنا ثورة شعبية سلمية وطنية

طالبنا با حلرية الكرامة عدالة اجتماعية الشعب كان ممسوك بقبضة فوالذية

شغل مقاولة ومصالح شخصية كانوا بيتعاملوا معانا بكل همجية

يطلعوا عالقنوات الفضائية بتصاريح استفزازية

e l D e e b + E d d

(Egypt is always calling on you)

The people have regained the pie

The stockmarketrsquos been put out of commission

The old slogan is back

Police are in the service of the people

The situation was tough but today is better

We can make our desert green

We got rid of Hitlerrsquos rule a damned pharaoh

In the age of Twitter and Facebook the Egyptian walks confidently using the language of righteousness

They used to tell us no they didnrsquot care even if God wished the earth to split open

Our revolution is a popular peaceful national revolution

We have demanded freedom dignity and social justice

The people were controlled with an iron fist

Business contacts and personal interests

They treated us viciously

They appeared on satellite TV channels and issued provocative statements

rقوم يا مصري ise egypt ian

2oum Ya Masry (feat Edd) (Prod by Edd)

Deeb

null

2011

24930304

eng - Visit httpdeebbandcampcom

1918

انتصرنا في 11 فبراير بفرحة مليونية زغرطتي يا مصر يا بهية حققنا احلرية

الثورة بعد ما خلصت هلق بعدا مبلشةلدورنا شكلها وصلت وإنت بعدك بالفرشة

ولك قوم وقاف الحق بسنانك تفرشيولك قوم وقاف هز فيك نظامك عم بخزوق قوم يا مصري ما فيش ثورة بتخلص في يوم وليلة

دوس على نفسك شويةاستحمل شد حيلك

ما تخافش على عجلة اإلنتاج الزم ثورة على الذاتبكرا أحسن من اللي فات

ديكتاتوري هاإلنسان كان ببلد دميقراطيعايش فوق الغيم كان مرتاح رأسه فاضياملمنوع إلو مسموح كان ألن صاحبه قاضي

مطنش عاملخدرات ليضل شعبه طافيتيضل شعبه مسلطن ملتهي عم يضحك

كونه غير واعيفمن السهل فيه تتحكم ضو أخضر للشرطة

عليها ما فيك تتشكىفي حال فيك شكك بشكلك بشنغلك

تالتني سنةأكتر من أي رئيس بقي

ولك كسرسكور اإلستاذ نبيه بريمبصر بيقولوا معليه أنا التعتير إبني

eعم شوف شو في أكل من مبارح بقي ألعطيه لقمة l D e e b + E d d

We won on February 11 the joy of millions

Ululate oh Egypt oh Bahia we have achieved freedom

The revolution is not over yet it has just begun

Looks like itrsquos our turn now and yoursquore still in bed

Crsquomon get up Yoursquoll brush your teeth later

Crsquomon get up Move your regime is screwing you

Rise up oh Egyptian No revolution finishes in a night and a day

Bear with it a little

Have endurance and tolerance

Donrsquot be afraid of the cycle of production there should be a revolution against oneself

Tomorrow is better than the past

The man was a dictator in a democratic country

Living on clouds he was comfortable and carefree

What is prohibited was permitted for him because he was friends with a judge

He turned a blind eye to drugs so that his people would remain unaware

So that his people would remain high busy laughing

Because they are unconscious

It is easy to control them the police have a green light

You couldnrsquot report them

If they are suspicious of you of the way you look they would hang you

Thirty years

He ruled more than any other president

He even broke the record of Mr Nabih Berri [longstanding Lebanese head of parliament]

In Egypt they say itrsquos ok misfortune is my son

I will check what is left over from yesterday to feed it

2oum Ya Masry (feat Edd) (Prod by Edd)

Deeb

null

2011

24930304

eng - Visit httpdeebbandcampcom

2120

ملني بشكيحالتي متل هاملاليني مرتة

ولك قوم ننزل عساحة التحرير دغريب11 شهر 2 سجلنا رحيل حسني

اللي قضى كل هالسنني يشتغل عميل ضدي

ثورة بعد ما خلصت هلق بعدا مبلشةلدورنا شكلها وصلت وإنت بعدك بالفرشة

ولك قوم وقاف الحق بسنانك تفرشيولك قوم وقاف إذ فيك نظامك عم بخزوق

قوم يا مصري ما فيش ثورة بتخلص في يوم وليلةدوس على نفسك شوية

استحمل شد حيلكما تخافش على عجلة اإلنتاج

الزم ثورة على الذاتبكرا أحسن من اللي فات

أنا مدنيبلوح بقلمي كأنه علمي

من عرقي بروي عملي كأنه عطشيالبركة ببلدي العربي

إني فيني كون عفويفيني قوم ثور

إذا بس كان مسموم بدنيحلريتي بالتعبير

ما في حدود حتدنيبتشوفني بساحة التحرير بوسط بيروت

مش كرمال السما ترجع زرقاإلسقاط النظام اللي احلرية سلبنا

e l D e e b + E d d

To whom will I complain

My situation like that of millions is bad

Crsquomon letrsquos go straight to Tahrir Square

On February 11 we witnessed the departure of Hosni

Who has been working as an agent all these years against mehellip

The revolution is not over yet it has just begun

Looks like itrsquos our turn now and yoursquore still in bed

Crsquomon get up Yoursquoll brush your teeth later

Crsquomon get up Move your regime is screwing you

Rise up oh Egyptian No revolution finishes in a night and a day

Bear with it a little

Have endurance and tolerance

Donrsquot be afraid of the cycle of production

There should be a revolution against oneself

Tomorrow is better than the past

I am a civilian

I wave my pen as if it is my flag

I water my work with my sweat as if itrsquos my thirst

Whatrsquos good about my Arab country

Is that I can be spontaneous

I can rise up and revolt

When Irsquom angry

For my freedom of expression

There are no limitations

You see me in Tahrir Square and in downtown Beirut

But not for the sky to become blue again [in reference to the slogan of the Lebanese Future Movement]

But to topple the regime that has taken away freedom

2oum Ya Masry (feat Edd) (Prod by Edd)

Deeb

null

2011

24930304

eng - Visit httpdeebbandcampcom

2322

فترة إنتقاليةفقرة إعالنية

شاي وكليوبتراوشوش صفرا سهرانة

عالنشرة اإلخباريةركلة جزائية

واجلمهور مستني الهدفكل يوم في الصحف

نقرا نبأ عن كلب نهب البلدأوقف عندك رجع الذهب

مش إنت بردو اللي كنت مسؤول عن إعالم بلدتصاريح كاذبة كالم عجب

الصعب عدا والتاريخ إنكتبأوعى تفتكر الشعب تعب

الثورة بعد ما خلصت هلق بعدا مبلشةلدورنا شكلها وصلت وإنت بعدك بالفرشة

ولك قوم وقاف الحق بسنانك تفرشيولك قوم وقاف إذ فيك نظامك عم بخزوق

قوم يا مصري ما فيش ثورة بتخلص في يوم وليلةدوس على نفسك شوية

استحمل شد حيلكما تخافش على عجلة اإلنتاج

الزم ثورة على الذاتeبكرا أحسن من اللي فات l D e e b + E d d

A transitional period

A commercial break

Tea and Cleopatra

Yellow faces staying up at night

To follow the newscast

A penalty

The audience is waiting for the goal

Every day in newspapers

We read news about a dog that has looted the country

Stop return the gold

Werenrsquot you in charge of the countryrsquos media

False statements odd expressions

The hard part is over and history has been written

Donrsquot think that the people are exhausted

The revolution is not over yet it has just begun

Looks like itrsquos our turn now and yoursquore still in bed

Crsquomon get up Yoursquoll brush your teeth later

Crsquomon get up Move your regime is screwing you

Rise up oh Egyptian No revolution finishes in a night and a day

Bear with it a little

Have endurance and tolerance

Donrsquot be afraid of the cycle of production

There should be a revolution against oneself

Tomorrow is better than the past

T r a n s l a t e d b y F a r a h E l R e w a i s s a t i

2oum Ya Masry (feat Edd) (Prod by Edd)

Deeb

null

2011

24930304

eng - Visit httpdeebbandcampcom

2524

بلسان فاكريني انو مافيهوش فن هتكلم عن كل حلم اترسم من غضبهم اتدفن

اتقسم احتاط باأللم منلفكر فاملرحلة السمعيه واحللول اللى تنقذ عناوين جانبيه ارهابية من عيون معنية باستقاللية بعد حروب عاملية محمية متدارية

منسية مرمية على اكتاف مش مرضية مستخبية بطريقة اتكالية عاالراضى العربية

بسلبية مرئية انتهازية وراء االعالم االسالمية بباينوا النيه

احتيالية عنادية سيكوباتية سرية انانية استراتيجية ضد االنسانية

و بعد املسايسة متابعة من قاعة املشاهدة لكل عربى بيتزل مستانى مساعدة

A r a b i a n K n i g h t z + S h a d i a M a n s o u r

They presume the tongue has no art so I will speak

About every dream that was drawn from their anger and got buried

It got divided surrounded by pain

And the solutions that might work are sidelined and smeared as terrorist

From eyes that are interested in independence

After world wars protected and hidden

Forgotten and thrown on unsatisfied shoulders

Concealed with consent in Arab lands

With obvious opportunism

Beneath Islamic publicity intentions show through

Fraudulent stubborn psychopathic

A secret selfish strategy against mankind

And after politics we keep tabs on things from the screening room

For every Arab who gets humiliated I am waiting for help

prisonerThis track contains verses that were originally written in English السجني

Prisoner

Arabian Knightz + Shadia Mansour

Shahadat Winter 2012 track 316

Hip Hop

26518704

2726

ماخالص كسروا بنا كلمة مسانده و من عقولنا اخدوا الورق اللى يكسب فى اللعبة

أنا عايز بلد حرة من الظلم

عايز بلد حرة من القهر عايز بلد حرة من الشر

عايز أرضي وأرض العرب العرب العرب العرب

A r a b i a n K n i g h t z + S h a d i a M a n s o u r

But itrsquos over they shattered for us the word ldquosolidarityldquo

And from our minds they took the cards that win the game

I want a country free of tyranny

I want a country free of oppression

I want a country free of evil

I want my land and the land of Arabs

Arabs Arabs Arabs

Destructive destruction destroying my district

Anti-Christ running in spreading evil wisdom

Irsquom destroying the oppressors in Arabic settlements

Known for blowing up beats and governments

My peeps die in their cribs while yrsquoall close your eyes

Two of yrsquoall are kidnapped you call it a terrorist crime

The media

Is backing up

Murderous propaganda

While we fight eternally like immortal high landers

Al Durrah Sheikh Yassin the pains unseen

Forging your own stories for the blind to see

Want to draw your own opinions bout the bombs we face

Whatrsquos your opinion if yoursquore enslaved and your mom is raped

Itrsquos too easy to speak when yoursquore far from the heat

To the White House I creep and yes Irsquom armed to the teeth

With a mic and a pen and a pad herersquos your evidence

ldquoWeapons of Mass Destructionldquo Mr President

Prisoner

Arabian Knightz + Shadia Mansour

Shahadat Winter 2012 track 316

Hip Hop

26518704

2928

أنا عايز بلد حرة من الظلم عايز بلد حرة من القهر

عايز بلد حرة من الشر عايز أرضي وأرض العرب

العرب العرب العرب

إحنا منمشي بالكرامة والثقة بالنفس معصنا قوانينكم بالثبوت بالدم

لو إن ضميركم بتريحكم بتتكلموا من ورا الفرد

قللي مني ما عم ينام بالليل عنجد ع بني انتو بتبنوا حواجز إحن بنكبر عيالنا

وبنظلنا نزيد العدد إحن السبب ليش ما بتسترجوا تغمضوا عني

في فرق كبير بني مقاوم ومقررين

A r a b i a n K n i g h t z + S h a d i a M a n s o u r

I want a country free of tyranny

I want a country free of oppression

I want a country free of evil

I want my land and the land of Arabs

Arabs Arabs Arabs

Theyrsquore dropping bombs over Baghdad

Libnan Afghan Palestinians Bin Laden Saddam

Listen Islam is all about the peace man

But wars up in these streets man

Got me loosinrsquo sleep damn

Mr Politician I got a little question

How come you are eating and all your peoples isnrsquot

I am on a mission to break up out of this prison

If yoursquore with me share my vision

Letrsquos start by saving the children

We walk with dignity and confidence in ourselves

We crushed your laws with our steadfastness and blood

If your conscience was giving you peace

You wouldnrsquot be communicating from behind a gun

Tell me whorsquos the one not getting sleep at night

While you build your checkpoints we raise the kids

Our numbers will keep increasing

We are the reason you donrsquot dare to blink

There is a big difference between a man of resistance and decision makers

T r a n s l a t e d b y N i z a r G h a n e m + S h a d i a M a n s o u r

Prisoner

Arabian Knightz + Shadia Mansour

Shahadat Winter 2012 track 316

Hip Hop

26518704

3130

النظام العاملي اجلديداحلاسة السادسة

و بدهم يردوا يعلموك النشيدنار شديد بس كله نسبي

جينا و نسيناأخبار فورية بتنهضم و بتمشينا

إللي فينا مكفينا رايح عغزة بالسفينة

و ما يأتي قبل الفكر أم الفعلملجرد الذكر لشخص مبنج قلب نكد وزعل

و طلب السعرمش حنبيع

ملا بتشتي بتشتي عاجلميعو زمن أول حتول

و مش قادرين نتجول فا مش حنضيعbشيء مريع o i k u t t

The new world order

The sixth sense

And they want to teach you the anthem anew

Heavy fire but itrsquos all relative

We came and forgot

Instant news digested and keeps us moving

Wersquove had enough

Going to Gaza by boat

What comes first Thought or action

The mere question to a numb person makes him grumpy and upset

And asking for the price

We wonrsquot sell

When it rains it rains over everybody

The old times have changed

We are under house arrest so we wonrsquot get lost

Itrsquos a horrible thing

igniteولع

Walle

boikutt

null

1746378

3332

مرات بتفهم النبرة غلطبس هلئ فهمني منيح

جريح بدون تلقيح تصريح صريح بدون تلميح

فظيعكيف خلونا نطيع

بوقت تشييع جثمان الضاضمضاض لإلنتفاض ثورة الثروة قيد التصنيع

فيعبوجه عقود بقبضة من حديد

من هون لقرية بال متديدبدون مانروح لبعيد

جتميد روؤس أموال و نوويةمصلحة أول مستفيد

بتدوب بشعلة من سيدي بوزيد

ولعشوف اكمن دكتاتور منقلعولعشوف اكمن دكتاتور منقلع

ولع شوف اكمن دكتاتور منقلعصوت الثورة بكل مكان و عم منسمع

من حكام لنوابو ال استثني احدا منكم

ما بيهمكمحلد ما الهتافات تتوجه إلكم إتهزكم

أفهمكمbاإلستبداد تارك الشارع بإستعداد o i k u t t

Sometimes you misunderstand a tone

But now you understand me correctly

Wounded without vaccination

A blatant statement without any hinting

Unbelievable

How they made us obey

At the funeral of the corpse of the [quintessential Arabic letter] Ddad

Counter revolution the revolution of wealth is in process

Rise

In the face of decades under an iron fist

From here to a village without extension

Without going too far

Freezing of capital and nuclear war heads

The interest of the primary beneficiary

Melts with a flame from Sidibouzid

Ignitesee how many dictators wersquoll uproot

Ignitesee how many dictators wersquoll uproot

Ignitesee how many dictators wersquoll uproot

The sound of revolution is everywhere we make it heard

From leaders to parliamentarians

I do not exclude any of you

But you donrsquot care

Until chants are directed at you and shake you

Let me explain

Tyranny leaves the street prepared

Walle

boikutt

null

1746378

3534

من املزارع بوسط البالدفعل مضارع للرماد

فا إنصرف زاي فلوس الدولة إللي طريقها إنحرفوإنعرف و إنصبت بجيوب هالطرف من شوفرية الشرف

حتية خاصة ألسود ميدان التحريرلتعديل دستور التعتير

إن صح التعبير

عندي نظر األطرشو سمع األعمى

عايشني حياة و مكلبشني باخلوف بنفس الوقت فا قللي شو املعنىتاريخ شجعنا

الوضع الراهن منعناناس بتمر و بتسمعنا

بدون جتاوب جتارب فجاوبيا ضدنا يا معنا

إرفع قبضة الصمود فوق في الهوا ثابتةإنتفاضة أولى و ثانية بس الثالثة نابتة

أطراف كابتةبس قد ما يحاولوا ميحوا ويحطوا الناس كاتبة

بالتفاصيل و كامتة

ولعhellip شوف اكمن دكتاتور منقلعولعhellip شوف اكمن دكتاتور منقلع

ولع شوف اكمن دكتاتور منقلعصوت الثورة بكل مكان و عم منسمع

ولعhellip شوف اكمن دكتاتور منقلعbو صفهم عالدور واحد واحدhellipو شنع o i k u t t

From the farmers in the center

Changing present tense to ashes

So vanish like the statersquos money whose road has deviated

It is known that it ended up in the pockets of the corrupt who claim to be clean

A special salute to the lions of Tahrir Square

For amending the constitution of misfortune

If that can be said

I have the sight of the deaf

And the hearing of the blind

Leading a life while chained by fear at the same time so tell me whatrsquos the point

History encouraged us

The current situation prevented us

People pass by and hear us

Without any response -- testing -- so answer

Yoursquore either with us or against us

Raise the fist of resistance up in the air

A first and second Intifada but the third is sprouting

Oppressive groups

No matter how hard they try to erase and replace people have written

In details and know by heart

Ignitesee how many dictators wersquoll uproot

Ignitesee how many dictators wersquoll uproot

Ignitesee how many dictators wersquoll uproot

The sound of revolution is everywhere we make it heard

Ignitesee how many dictators wersquoll uproot

Line them up in turn one after the other and defame them

T r a n s l a t e d b y F a r a h E l R e w a i s s a t i

Walle

boikutt

null

1746378

3736

ولك انا ابن عكا وبن يافا و طولكرم انا ابن كل شبر من البحر للنهر

االرض الي حملت موسى مرمي واملسيح انااملقابر يلي فاضت من كتر التوابيت

انا اخليمة بيت التنك واحلصيرة والكانون والبيوت املسروقة والدم املهدور

انا الهوى يالي حامل الغضب والبكاوالطرقات يلي بتغرق مع كل نقطة الشتا

انا رصاصة من املجاهد عم تعبر حلدود انا حزام من القنابل مشتاق لليهود

لطفل على باب املستشفى عم بيموتانا الجئ ممنوع من العمل مكروه

انا اين املخيم يلي عاطل عن العمل سيجارة احلشيش يلي بتمحي شوية الم

H 2 Z

Irsquom the son of Acre Jaffa and Tulkarem

Irsquom the son of every inch from the river to the sea

Irsquom the land that carried Moses Mary and the Christ

Irsquom the cemeteries that overflow with coffins

Irsquom the tent the tin house the mat and the stove

The stolen houses and the wasted blood

Irsquom the wind that bears anger and tears

The roads that drown in a single drop of rain

I am a bullet that crosses borders

Irsquom a grenade against Zionists

A child that dies waiting outside the hospital

Irsquom a hated refugee whorsquos prohibited from working

Irsquom the son of the camps always unemployed

The hash cigarettes that ease the pain

iانا فلسطيني am palest inian

Ana Falasteeni

H27

null

17782504

eng - iTunNORM 0000057E 0000056B 00004E0F 00004D32 00021C96 00021C96 00008000 00008000 0000ECEA 00007530

3938

حيطان هالبيت يلي بكره رح ينردم انا االحمر واالسود واالخضر من هالعلم

من دم االبطال من دموع الاطفالمن اجلحيم التشرد واجلوء واالنكسار

من ظلم االحتاللمن حلم االستقالل

من ارض الزيتونوالصليب والهالل

انا حافظ احلواجز بكل بالد العالممن النادر انو بيوم يعتبروني بني ادم انا سنني االعتقال انا غرف التعذيب

الوجع والصريخ واجلروح الي ما بطيبانا شعب ما انهزم بس عمرو ما انتصر

انا اكبر ارهابي الني حامل حجر اسير طول عمرو رافض انو بيوم ميوت بس معاهدة سالم بتنفي اني موجود

انا القدس بيت حلم ومخيم جننياالدان واجلراس الهالل والصليب

املدافن واملدارس وكنسية املسيح الشوارع القدمية والبيت العتيق

انا ركوة الشاي و سندويشة الفالفلالكرم والبخل واالخالق واملهازل

الكذب والصدق واخليانة والصمود Hانا فلسطيني حلتى اموت 2 Z

The walls of the house that I hate thatrsquos about to get demolished

I am the red and black and green in this flag

From the blood of heroes from the tears of children

From the hell of homelessness and broken refugees

From the oppression of the occupation

From the dream of independence

Irsquom from the land of the olives

The cross and crescent

I know all the checkpoints in all countries of the world

It is where they consider me a human being

Irsquom years of capture Irsquom the torture chambers

The pain and the screams and the wounds that never heal

I was never defeated but never had a victory

Irsquom the biggest terrorist because I carry a stone

A prisoner who spends his whole life refusing to die

But a peace treaty forgets that Irsquom alive

Irsquom Jerusalem Bethlehem and Jenin refugee camp

The call to prayer the bells the crescent and the cross

The old cemeteries schools and church of Christ

The old streets and the ancient house

Irsquom the tea cup and the falafel sandwich

Generosity and greed morality and farce

Lies and betrayal and honesty and persistence

I am Palestinian until I die

T r a n s l a t e d b y t h e a r t i s t

Ana Falasteeni

H27

null

17782504

eng - iTunNORM 0000057E 0000056B 00004E0F 00004D32 00021C96 00021C96 00008000 00008000 0000ECEA 00007530

4140

صباح اخلير با والد عمومناتفضلوا شرفونا

شو بتحبوا نضيفكم دم عربي وال دموع من عيوننابعتقد هيك تأملوا نستقبلن

هيك تعقدوا ملا تدركوا على غلطتهنمن هيك لبسنا الكوفية

البيضة والسودةصاروا كالب الزمان يلبسوها كموضة

مهما تفننوا فيامهما غيروا بلونا

كوفية عربية بتضال عربية

حطتنا بدن ياهاثقافتنا بدن ياها

S h a d i a M a n s o u r w i t h M 1 o f D e a d P r e z

Good morning cousins

Come in and honor us with your presence

What would you like us to serve you Arab blood or tears from our eyes

I think thatrsquos how they hoped we would recieve them

Thatrsquos why they got tangled up when they tripped up on their own mistake

Thatrsquos why we wore the kufeyyeh

The black and white one

Dogs of the past started to wear it as a fashion statement

However they change it

Whatever colour they make it

The Kufeyyeh is Arab and will always be Arab

Our scarf they want it

Our intellect they want it

kufeyyeh arabeyyeh الكوفية عربية

Kufeyyeh Arabeyyeh

Shadia Mansour and M1

Shahadat Winter 2012 track 616

Hip Hop

26239166

4342

كرامتنا بدن ياهاكل شي إلنا بدن ياه

ما رح نسكتلن نسمحلن الالبقلن يسرقوا شغلة مش إلهن ما خصن فيا

بيقلدونا باللبسكل هاألرض بيكفيهنش

طمعانني عالقدسإعرفوا كيف تكونوا بشر

قبل ما تلبسوا الكوفيةجينا نذكرن مني إحنا

وغصبا من عن أبوهم هاي حطتنا

من هيك لبسنا الكوفيةألنها وطنية

الكوفية الكوفية عربيةمن هيك لبسنا الكوفية

هويتنا األساسيةالكوفية الكوفية عربية

يال علي الكوفيةعلولي هالكوفية

الكوفية الكوفية عربيةعلوها لبالد الشام

كوفية عربية بتضال عربية

ما في بعد متل الشعب العربيفرجوني أية أمة بالدنيا أكثر مأثرة

الصورة واضحة نحنا مهد احلضارة

S h a d i a M a n s o u r w i t h M 1 o f D e a d P r e z

Our dignity they want it

Everything thatrsquos ours they want it

We will not be silent will not allow it

It suits them to steal something that ainrsquot theirs

They imitate our style

As if all this land werenrsquot not enough

Thirsting after Jerusalem

Know how to be human

Before you wear our scarf

We came to remind them who we are

And like it or not itrsquos our right

Thatrsquos why we wore the kufeyyeh

Because it is nationalistic

The kufeyyeh is Arab

Thatrsquos why we wore the kufeyyeh

Because it is our original identity

The kufeyyeh is Arab

Come on raise your kufeyyehs

Raise that kufeyyeh

The kufeyyeh is Arab

Raise it up for bilad ersquosham [Greater Syria the wider Arab world]

The kufeyyeh is Arab and will always be Arab

There are no others like the Arab people

Show me one region in the world that is more influencial

The picture is clear we are the origins of civilization

Kufeyyeh Arabeyyeh

Shadia Mansour and M1

Shahadat Winter 2012 track 616

Hip Hop

26239166

4544

تاريخنا وتراثنا الشاهد على وجودنامن هيك لبست التوب الفلسطيني

من حيفا جنني جبل النار إلى رام اللهخليني شوف الكوفية

البيضة واحلمراخلينا نعليها لفوق بالسما

أنا شادية العربلساني بغز غزبلساني بهز هز

كلمات احلربسجل أنا شادية منصور

واحلطة هويتيمن يوم ما خلقت

سيدي والشعب مسؤوليتيلكن تربيت بني الشرق وبني الغرب

بني لغتنيبني بخيل بني فقير

شفت احلياة من اجلهتنيبس علمتني الكوفية

كيف ما لبستونيوين ما شلحتوني

بضلني عأصولي فلسطينية

S h a d i a M a n s o u r w i t h M 1 o f D e a d P r e z

Our history traditions and customs bear witness to our existence

Thatrsquos why I wear the Palestinian dress

From Haifa Jenin Jabal El Naar to Ramallah

Let me see the kufeyyeh

The red and white one

Letrsquos raise it up to the sky

I am the singer of the Arabs

Like an earthquake I shake the ground

My words are war

Record this

I am Shadia Mansour

And this scarf is my ID

From the day I was born the people have been my responsibility

Look I was raised between the East and the West

Between two languages

Between the rich and the poor

Irsquove seen life from both sides

However the kufeyyeh has taught me

However you wear me

Wherever you leave me

I stay true to my origin Palestinian

T r a n s l a t e d b y t h e a r t i s t w i t h F a r a h E l R e w a i s s a t i

Kufeyyeh Arabeyyeh

Shadia Mansour and M1

Shahadat Winter 2012 track 616

Hip Hop

26239166

4746

حمامة سالم افتحي أجنحتكي و طيري

وين الوعي - وين امشوا معي هني وادي بني اجلبلني عني حب للطرفني

أمهاتنا حبت ذاتنا بس مو عاجبهن مسباتنا هذا احلكي بني اخواتنا

Oزين العرب واألمريكان m a r O f f e n d u m

This track contains verses that were originally written in English

You are my

(Destiny)

Itrsquos hard livinrsquo in the West - when I know the East got the best of me

(Destiny)

Could be lookinrsquo in my eyes - but yoursquoll never really see the rest of me

(Destiny)

Can you hear me maseeri [my destiny] Bi-lingualrsquos what Irsquom blessed to be

(Destiny)

Dove of Peace

Spread your wings amp fly

Consciousness What consciousness - where is it

Take a walk with me

Here in this valley between two ldquomountainsldquo

Where the source of love for both ldquosidesldquo can be found

Our mothers like us

But donrsquot like our foul language

So letrsquos keep this between the siblings

The best of Arabs amp Americans

destمصيري iny

7 Destiny

Omar Offendum

The Peace Revolution 20

21332892

eng - iTunNORM 000006D3 000006F2 000038BA 0000322F 0000E4FA 0000E4FA 00008716 0000864B 0002AB5E 000083D6

eng - iTunSMPB 00000000 00000210 0000094B 00000000008F7FA5 00000000 004108FB 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000

4948

وألله يرحم كل أمواتنا أغاني

مثل املهامتة إذا قلنا العني بالعني

ما صفى عندنا عيون بالشام بالد الشام

من فلسطني إلى جبال لبنان قبل ما اخترعوا احلدود

من اإلسكندرون إلى كردستان فهمان

جنجس خان ما خان قد ما خانونا أوالد العم بس دمنا دمهم

بني أدم - بنو ذمنبهم على أكتافنا - شلنا همهم

ليه الله بيعلم

بس ليك هذا الفتيش والبسكليت احسنلك من 100000000 مسدس

تعرف ليه ألن مو عاجبهم بسمتك

بس إبتسم برسمتك شاب عربي ومثقف

أعطيهم ختمتك وإذا لسة مو راضني

ذكرهم بكالم إيليية )أبي ماضي( raquoنسي الطني ساعة أنه طنيlaquo

Oوهذه هي القضاء والقدر يا حبيبي m a r O f f e n d u m

And may God have mercy on all our dead

Songs I sing

Like the Mahatma [the line above and the line below are linked through the sound of the name and the figure of Mahatama Ghandi]

If we say lsquoan eye for an eyersquo

There wont be any eyes left in Sham [Damascus]

Bilad al-Sham [Greater Syria the wider Arab world]

From Palestine to the mountains of Lebanon

Before they made up these borders

From Iskandaroon to Kurdistan

Understand

Genghis Khan never deceived us quite like our ldquopaternal cousinsldquo [khan also means ldquodeceiveldquo in Arabic]

But our blood is their blood

Children of Adam -- who built their sins

Upon our shoulders -- we carried their burden

Why

God knows

But listen this little firecracker amp bicycle

Are better for you than 100 million guns

Wanna know why

Because they dont like seeing you smile

But smile you will - in your human being

A young cultured Arab male

Give them your stamp of approval

And if they still donrsquot accept you

Then remind them of the words of Elliye [Abi-Madhee a Lebanese poet whose poem begins with]

ldquoHow soon a piece of dirt can forget that all he really is is just dirtldquo [ie we are all from this earth amp

will come back to it so there is no logic in viewing yourself as better than someone else]

And that my friend is our destiny

7 Destiny

Omar Offendum

The Peace Revolution 20

21332892

eng - iTunNORM 000006D3 000006F2 000038BA 0000322F 0000E4FA 0000E4FA 00008716 0000864B 0002AB5E 000083D6

eng - iTunSMPB 00000000 00000210 0000094B 00000000008F7FA5 00000000 004108FB 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000

5150

O m a r O f f e n d u m

Dove of Peace

Spread your wings amp fly

Make it easier to borrow

The aesthetics you bite

Like all the Arabic loanwords

From Spaniards amp Morros

The Karma of Inquisition

Visions of horror

So whorsquos the explorer

Really was it Columbus

Muhammad al-Idrisi or Alfaragnus

Throw a Hobson Jobson

While you figure it out

Irsquom gonna start with a cipher

Thatrsquos a siffir [zero] - no doubt

See you might not have learned to live with me

But sure as hell canrsquot without

You are my

You are my

(Destiny)

Itrsquos hard livinrsquo in the West - when I know the East got the best of me

(Destiny)

Could be lookinrsquo in my eyes - but yoursquoll never really see the rest of me

(Destiny)

Can you hear me maseeri [my destiny] Bi-lingualrsquos what Irsquom blessed to be

(Destiny)

حمامة سالم افتحي أجنحتكي و طيري

I write right to left

You write left to right

Metaphor of a foreignerrsquos plight

Dressed to type

Stereo amp a mic

Scenario of a fight

The burial of a white

Imperial at his heightrsquos

A Turkish Rapperrsquos Delight

Semetic etiquette might

Just have you rollin your ldquoRrsquosldquo

Poetic amp light

And grab a hold of your sorrows

To relieve your tomorrows

7 Destiny

Omar Offendum

The Peace Revolution 20

21332892

eng - iTunNORM 000006D3 000006F2 000038BA 0000322F 0000E4FA 0000E4FA 00008716 0000864B 0002AB5E 000083D6

eng - iTunSMPB 00000000 00000210 0000094B 00000000008F7FA5 00000000 004108FB 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000

5352

O m a r O f f e n d u m

Dove of Peace

Spread your wings amp fly

Bitched out by the West

Press get a big shout

From the people gettinrsquo rich out of this (bout)

Now whatrsquos this really all about

Land money or power

It was the colonizerrsquos fault

But now itrsquos really just ours

Leavinrsquo a sour tase in our mouths

Like generational slave names

Whenever speakinrsquo out

Out-spoken leaders gettinrsquo taken out

Quicker than belligerent drunks in a bar

We a far cry from livinrsquo as one

T r a n s l a t e d b y t h e a r t i s t

(Destiny)

Itrsquos hard livinrsquo in the West - when I know the East got the best of me

(Destiny)

Could be lookinrsquo in my eyes - but yoursquoll never really see the rest of me

(Destiny)

Can you hear me maseeri [my destiny] Bi-lingualrsquos what Irsquom blessed to be

(Destiny)

حمامة سالم افتحي أجنحتكي و طيري

See arab [Arabs] shootin at each other

From Iraq to Falasteen [Palastine]

Syria to Libnan [Lebanon]

Algeria to Sudan

Pedagogy of the oppressed tricklinrsquo down

Conquerinrsquo through divisions

And sadly this isnrsquot the first time

One land one love one chance one blood

No fuss no fight Yeah right young blood

AKrsquos cheaper than a book

Crooked leaders in a hook

Gettinrsquo fished out

Missles gettinrsquo dished out

7 Destiny

Omar Offendum

The Peace Revolution 20

21332892

eng - iTunNORM 000006D3 000006F2 000038BA 0000322F 0000E4FA 0000E4FA 00008716 0000864B 0002AB5E 000083D6

eng - iTunSMPB 00000000 00000210 0000094B 00000000008F7FA5 00000000 004108FB 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000

5554

زي ما صار مبارح صار اليوم اطف التلفزيون امسك مايكروفون

زي ما صار مبارح صار اليوم اطف التلفزيون امسك مايكروفون

زي ما صار مبارح صار اليوم اطف التلفزيون امسك مايكروفون

زي ما صار مبارح صار اليوم اطف التلفزيون امسك مايكروفون

النه الوقت عم يسبق بقلك خي سالم بس اصبر

بدك تستني هاي اخلطط بعمرها ما تضبطبيدفعلك قد ما بدك عشان تسكت

واذا بتفتح متك طخة وحده وبعد بتسقط

s t o r m t r a p

What happened yesterday happens today

switch off your TV and grab a microphone

What happened yesterday happens today

switch off your TV and grab a microphone

What happened yesterday happens today

switch off your TV and grab a microphone

What happened yesterday happens today

switch off your TV and grab a microphone

Because time is racing

He keeps telling you peace is coming just be patient

You want to wait these plans never succeed

Hersquoll pay you as much as you want to keep you quiet

And if you open your mouth one shot will silence you

what happened yesterdayزي ما صار مبارح

Zey ma sar mbareh

Stormtrap

null

2009

1728613

eng - Visit httpstormtrapbandcampcom

5756

اركض اركض وخليك راكض

واذا بتفتح متك رح يقلك خليك ساكت رح يقلك انساك من هاملشاكل

حوشوا هالشواك وضبوا شناتكم واشتروا التذاكرففكر شوي وما تكنش أهبل

وين ما تروح في الدنيا رح تتبهدلمش شايف قدامي عم بسمع أصوات بيسألني

ليش لسه عايش هون روح عيش محل تانيبدي احك بس الكلمات مش طالعة من لساني

عنصرية هونن عنصرية هناك عنصرية كل ما اطلع برا الشباك

شيطان بيعمل حاله مالكبس هو بالواقع بدو يعيش بالك

جدار بيمثل عقلية ناس بدهاش تعيش معاك

زي ما صار مبارح صار اليوم اطف التلفزيون امسك مايكروفون

ما مبثل شخص او اشخاص مبثل فكرةاسم احلرية حاملينه

من بلد ما فيه حياة عاديةسواءا ضد االحتالل أو ضد العنصرية

أصواتكم وينايي خلوها تنسمع وتطلع نتائج ايجابية

فكمل كتابة او تسجيل وصدقني شغلك مش رايح عالفاضي

عشان الشي الوحيد اللي رح يروح هو احن اذا منضلنا علقانني فاملاضي

s t o r m t r a p

Run run

Keep running

And if you decide to speak hersquoll tell you just stay silent

Hersquoll tell you forget these problems

Save up some money pack your bags and buy your tickets

Think about it donrsquot be a fool

Wherever you go yoursquoll get humiliated

I canrsquot see in front of me Irsquom hearing voices asking

Why are you still living here Go live somewhere else

I want to respond but the words wonrsquot come out

Racism here racism there

Racism each time I look out the window

A devil in an angelrsquos disguise

In reality he wants to live without you

The apartheid wall represents the mentality of a people who donrsquot care to coexist

What happened yesterday happens today

switch off your TV and grab a microphone

I dont represent a person or a people I represent an idea

An idea called freedom

From a land lacking a normal life

Whether yoursquore struggling against occupation or against racism

Where is your voice

Let it be heard to achieve your goals

So keep writing and recording

Believe me your work wonrsquot be lost in vain

The only thing thatrsquoll disappear is us

If we stay stuck in the past

Zey ma sar mbareh

Stormtrap

null

2009

1728613

eng - Visit httpstormtrapbandcampcom

5958

شو الي حدثجينا من حتت األرض

هيهة القصة بدة عنا هدفوننشر أصواتنا لكل حدا

جيت من حتت أرض رام اللهما ح وقف اكتب كلمات وال مرة

عندي طاقة الزم أطلعها كل يوم وكل ساعةفاو انبنى مع الوقت ولسة عم بيطور تصور

تصورفاو انبنى مع الوقت ولسة عم بيطور تصور

زي ما صار مبارح صار اليوم اطف التلفزيون امسك مايكروفون

زي ما صار مبارح صار اليوم اطف التلفزيون امسك مايكروفون

s t o r m t r a p

What happened

We came from underground

The story begins we have an objective

To spread our voices to everyone

I came from the ruins of Ramallah and

I wonrsquot ever stop writing words

I have energy that I must release every day every hour

A flow thatrsquos been built and is still developing imagine

Imagine a flow thatrsquos been built and is still developing

What happened yesterday happens today

Switch off your TV and grab a microphone

What happened yesterday happens today

Switch off your TV and grab a microphone

T r a n s l a t e d b y t h e a r t i s t

Zey ma sar mbareh

Stormtrap

null

2009

1728613

eng - Visit httpstormtrapbandcampcom

6160

Wake up the People

Donrsquot doubt it

The Maker can see you

Right now

You want to get out and see doe

So clouded

Sell out to be dope

Right now

I see you plagued by your own doubt

Canrsquot step the game up

Like a snake when it rolled down

Staircase of a lone child

No bricks lain in a cold house

Where you sold out

All alone on an old couch

t h e N a r c i c y s t

No click like an untapped phone dial

Oh wow

I felt the same homie

Donrsquot shelter pain only

Then it came slowly

Never let the frame hold me (down)

Picture life for the love though

People tend to look the other way like Columbo

We deceived by the law just to love doe

Guess they took all the worth out to numb folks

And make a severed plan

Out of bitter man

What you want a medal man

Huh Do you really think yoursquore better than Then

All you really need is a long look

Two sixteens and a strong hook like

brassThis track was originally written in English

null

2149748

6362

Wake up the People

Donrsquot doubt it

The Maker can see you

Right now

You want to get out and see doe

So clouded

Sell out to be dope

Right now

Break

Hip hop like a fresh pelvis

Yoursquore gonna regret this shit like a dead Elvis

Busy wishing you could live less selfish

Crabs in a bucket duckinrsquo these dead shellfish

Industry got a brother feeling helpless

With an ill chorus and ride yoursquore more in the tide

When a flow canrsquot keep me above the water

t h e N a r c i c y s t

Let a wave carry me out and push me farther now

Internal Inferno ten journals written but Irsquom still not sure though

Do I really want to tour to jump hurdles To be heard

So-I-Can-Feel-Like-This

Man therersquos something that I might miss--

Naw Irsquove been bluffinrsquo

Lifersquos backwards like Ben Buttonsrsquo

Irsquom in love with the stage fright on a strange night

Feels good to get the words on a page right

Wake up the People

Donrsquot doubt it

The Maker can see you

Right now

You want to get out and see doe

So clouded

Sell out to be dope

Right now

null

2149748

6564

مبارح شفت بلمنام بيروت عمتغرق حتت رماد بركان فحموا الناس بس ال raquoسكاي بارlaquo كان بعده ولعان

بيروت ثبتت حبة الثورة اللي فينا نبتت ملا أحبطت نفوسنا من اجلمود

فينا بيروت حتركت عدم دمارنا وعدم حرية خيارنا

بيوت بيروت تعمرت سكرنا عجفاف دموعنا جفوننا عليها تسكرت فتخمرت

إذا بطلت تطير قدرك عألرض مقهور إذا وقفت تكسير بتصير جزء من الديكور

e l R a s s

Yesterday I dreamt Beirut was drowning under volcanic ash

The people were turned to charcoal but Sky Bar [a posh Beirut club] was still lit up

Beirut suppressed the seed of the revolution the one that sprouted

When our spirits were foiled from immobility

In us Beirut moved

On the blood of our destruction and the negation of our freedom of choice

The houses of Beirut are rebuilt

We got drunk on the dryness of our tears our eyelids closed on them and fermented

If you stop flying your destiny on land is distress

If you stop breaking you become part of the decoration

beirutبركان بيروت rsquos volcano

Blues

2125713

6766

بحاور بناور باآلخر بواجه التاج بتوضى بصلي بتوصلني أصوات أنات احملتاج

تأمل العلم بعري العمل من العمل خياري عنار خفيفة دوب املسمار وتستوي األفكار النظيفة

عمروا دمروا زمروا تذمروا ربك صبره دربه جربه

عقلن خربوا غربوا هربوا وقبلوا بالفن عحيط الشارع

عشرط ما يكون في شك بشارع هيدي مش عاصمة ثقافة هيدي حلبة املصارع بيروت ال تعرف في املاضي وال تعرب باملضارع

حتول التركيبة خلى العقل اجلامد فكر حاله مالك املدينة رقبته طويلة متل مالك احلزين وايده لوزيري

اعتبر نفسه أول مني اكتشف هلجزيرة بأجر الفقير شقق بأسعار مدروسة

بشكل تضل طموحاته ممعوسة نهبوا األرض من ربعي وصارت احلرب شركة استثمار مبفعول رجعي

حتت شعار إعادة اإلعمار لو ما كان خلص دوره وانتهى عقد االيجار

كان احلريري ما طار وما صار مطار احلريري عاصمة لبنان بتوازن بني ضريحني

واتنيناتن عاغتيالن في عالمة استفهام e واحد قدس املوت بس لسبب l R a s s

I discuss I maneuver ultimately I confront the crown

I perform ablutions I pray I receive the moaning of the needy

The meditation of knowledge strips work from hope

My choice is on low fire melting the nails and clean thoughts are ripening

They built they destroyed they honked they complained

Your god made him patient tested him and trained him

Their minds ruined westernized chased off

They accepted art pissed on back alleys

As long as there is no doubt in the streets

This is no capital of culture itrsquos a wrestling ring

Beirut canrsquot speak of itself in the past nor conjugate itself in the present

Transitions and transformations made the closed mind think he owns the city

His neck is long like a stork his fingers long like a politicianrsquos

He thinks himself the first who discovered this peninsula

He lets the poor rent apartments at prices studied

To crush ambitions

They stole the land from my cousins

And the war became a backward-looking investment

Under the slogan of reconstruction

If his time wasnrsquot up and his contract finished

Hariri didnrsquot have to fly and it wouldnrsquot have become the Hariri airport

Lebanonrsquos capital keeps balance between two shrines

And on both assassinations there is a question mark

One sanctifies death but for a reason

Blues

2125713

6968

واحد قدس احلياة بس بالكذب واحد بايدو حتول الذهب سم وواحد تخبى من الذهب بالدم

مني الشهيد

اللي مات حتت صبابيط ثورة عبيد شهيد اللي مات فتحول على حملة اعالنات هدفها ترفع الطايفة معدالت التجنيد

قنابل بالبريد وصل سيوف علوريد حصل

املوت للبليد صنم الصبر للعنيد حلم تأليه الشهيد ظلم

خليط احلديد والدم العالج والسم الرفاه والهم النوعية والكم

الدعارة وورقة التوت مبدينة بيروت علم

e l R a s s

And one sanctifies life with lies

In onersquos hand gold turned into poison

And the other hid from gold with blood

Who is the martyr

The one who died under the shoes of the oppressedrsquos uprising is a martyr

Is it he whose death was transformed into an advertising campaign to raise the levels of

sectarian enlistment

Bombs came in the mail

Swords to the jugular true stories

Death to the cold is statuette

Patience to the stubborn is a dream

Divinity to the martyr is oppression

The mixture of steel and blood the cure and poison

Luxury and distress quality and quantity

Prostitution and modesty

The science of the city of Beirut

T r a n s l a t e d b y M o e A l i N a y e l amp + A z i z

Blues

2125713

7170

بقرأ في اجلريدة زفت شوارع جديدة

إزالة مطبات و كثير أشياء هيك مفيدة أشخاص مستفيدة

دعم من هون و من هون منظمات بس احلرية بعيدة

مقاطعة مستوطنات تعون الضفة الغربية وطنية حصرية إدعائية

طب و فلسطني التاريخية مع ألساس كانت القدس عاصمة الثقافة العربية

بس كلوحكي سياسية للشعب إحنا نتحمل الشغل و التعب و الوضع صعب

b o i k u t t

Irsquom reading in the paper

About roads newly paved

Speed bumps removed and a lot of other useful stuff (yes very)

Certain inviduals benefit

Funding from here and there

Organizations are plentiful but freedom is far-fetched

Calling for a boycott of settlements around the West Bank

Pretentious exclusive nationalism

But what about historical Palestine

I thought Jerusalem was supposed to be the ldquocapital of Arab cultureldquo

But itrsquos all political speeches for the people

We put up with the work and the sweat and itrsquos rough

a letterرسالة من مقاطعة from boikutt

risaleh mn muqataa (pt1)

boikutt

null

2010

1086983

eng - iTunPGAP0

eng - iTunNORM 00000A1E 00000A0E 000099D9 000098A0 0000CC63 0000CC63 0000826D 000080B0 000131D0 000131D0

eng - iTunSMPB 00000000 00000210 000008F3 000000000049197D 00000000 0027BA9D 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000

7372

يقنعونا إن كلشي متام و بقدر أعيش حياة عادية

زي في األفالم على مبس واحد إثنني ثالثة أربعة إلخ

كن منيح و بتنزل عليك املصاري زخ نصيحة من أخ ألخ

خليك مستقل ألن اللعبة إنلعب فإبعد عن الفخ

خليهم يقعدوا يستنوا الدعم ليموتوا يلفلفوا داخل اجلدار حلد ما يفوتوا

في متاهات مبسافات مش محددة مجددة لتوسع التوسع مش مهددة

إنتهاك احتالل بس مش على الكل

في ناس في فلسطني هون حياتهم زي الفل مش عارف شو بيفكر

شكلوا مش داري شي يوم حنروح كل الدكاكني هي حتسكر

سالم

b o i k u t t

Try to convince me that everythingrsquos fine

And that I can lead a normal life

Like in the movies

On MBC one two three four etcetera

Be good and money will rain on you

Advice from one brother to another

Stay independent because the games are being played

So steer clear of the trap

Let them wait for foreign aid until they die

Spinning in circles within the apartheid wall until they enter

Into unlimited mazes with unspecified spaces

That are renewed to fit settlement expansion unthreatened

Violation occupation

But not for everyone

There are people here in Palestine living ldquothe good lifeldquo

I donrsquot know what hersquos thinking

Seems like he doesnrsquot know one day wersquoll be gone

And all these shops will close

Peace

T r a n s l a t e d b y t h e a r t i s t w i t h L o u b n a B i l a l i

risaleh mn muqataa (pt1)

boikutt

null

2010

1086983

eng - iTunPGAP0

eng - iTunNORM 00000A1E 00000A0E 000099D9 000098A0 0000CC63 0000CC63 0000826D 000080B0 000131D0 000131D0

eng - iTunSMPB 00000000 00000210 000008F3 000000000049197D 00000000 0027BA9D 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000

7574

الضغط عاليالعدو فات جاري احملادثات

صمت دوليكمية الغازى عم تزداد

تهجير جديد مولود جديدتكرر عزو مش تارك ورا شي مفيد غير غراب

من كل البيت ما تركو شي إال البابمن االرض ل سما مسافة عاليه

إمشي الصحرا وعد لياليوجنوما

كمشوا رئيس دولة بجورةحصار

توزيع مخدراتباألحمر تلون الفرات سجون معتقالتقبلة الوداع مع الصبات

تنصت بالشبكة خيانات باألزهر

k a t i b e h 5

The pressure is high

The enemy has entered discussions are taking place

Global silence

The numbers of the occupier are increasing

A new expulsion A newborn child

The perpetuation of an invasion that leaves behind it nothing of any use except for a crow

From an entire house they left nothing but the door

From the ground to the sky is a long distance

Walk the desert and count the nights

And its stars

They caught a president in a pit

Siege

Drug dealing the Euphrates is stained red prisons detention centers

A farewell kiss with a shoe

Networks wiretapped betrayals in Al Azhar

hold me back ifهديني اذا فيك you can

null

23098943

7776

حوار أديانالكف تنجس

متسح فيه وجك مع كل شروق عالوضوءتسمع شرارة فتيل مولوتوف ينادي أصوات تتلبى

باإلنفجار

هديني إذا فيك صرت موجود بكل مكانوجي مغبش عامل زي جيش زباتا

منصرخ بوجكم raquoاحلرية ل برغوتيlaquoإعالمكو بيعرفني كلماتكو حملت إسمي

شركاتكو بتهرب مني )كتيبه خمسه هديتي إذا فيك(

بتالقيني بني والد حفظوا غنية املخيماتبنفسية فالح عمال يزو املدينة

افالم تافهةبرنامج تافه

بتدور على مخك بتالقي مش موجوداخلليج يتحكم بإعالم

هادول حبوب التنومي ٦1 سنة بعدن مش شغالني

عالمادامك واخد وجهة نظري

ع محمل اجلدمسموح لك تستعجب وتظهر إنزعاجك بوجودي

ألني صديق لكل املشاهد الغير مرغوبة فيهاش بيختار حياتو بالتحديد بحكيلك هيك منحياها ومحد

ضغط رصاص وابارود بخليكاش حتيدالتجارب بتدلك عطريق

هديتي إذا فيك

k a t i b e h 5

A dialogue of religions

The hand is tainted

And with it you cleanse your face at ablution each sunrise

You hear the sparking of the fuse of a molotov calling voices respond

Explosion

Hold me back if you can I have become present everywhere

My face is concealed like the army of Zapata

We shout in your face ldquoFreedom for Barghoutildquo

Your media knows me your words have glimpsed my name

Your corporations flee from me

(Katibe Khamseh hold me back if you can)

Yoursquoll find me among children that have memorized the song ldquoAl Moukhayamatldquo

In the persona of a peasant that is visiting the city

Shallow films

Shallow programs

You look for your mind but you find it is not there

The Gulf controls media with its boundaries

These sleeping pills 61 years and theyrsquore still not effective

Great

As long as you are taking my point of view seriously

Yoursquore allowed to be taken aback and to show your irritation

Just like you show your irritation at my presence

Because I am a friend to all the images that are not desirable

This is how we live out these images and no one chooses their life specifically Irsquoll tell you

The pressure of bullets and gunpowder does not allow you to move away

Experience will guide you on the road

Hold me back if you can

null

23098943

7978

موقف واحد صريح من صميم روح لشعوب املقاومة ضمير ظهور البشرية

السبيل صعب ورا الغضبدعم لكل أسالوب محارب

د لنحرق نظامك منتدرب منجرب منخرب منستععم نحرق نظامك

هديتي إذا فيك

إطلع منيحمش رح تقدر توخذ كل شي من أول نظرة

نظرة عامة raquoبشرة مش بيضةlaquoجبني عريضة مكتوب مولود عنيد بالفطرة

فوت بالتقاليد عد التجاعيدلك هاي مش أول مرة

لغات ودراسات حط العلم بغالفمش رح تقدر تفهم ليه بعد في بارود ع الكتافلون األرض ولون الليل بيعطيك البني و السواد

بوعدك مش لوحدي رح أضل عد رماد الال اللعبة اجلديدة وال والدنا ع اللعبة جداد

بكفيش إنفلونزا الصقور صار في إنفلونزا اخلنازيرموسم مرض جديد لرئيس مبثل ع نفوس ومريض بهدوء البيض

هديتي إذا فيك

k a t i b e h 5

A single honest stance from the bottom of the soul for the people of the resistance the conscience

that exposes humanity

The path is difficult when following anger

A support for every style of battle

We train we strive we disrupt we prepare to burn your system

We are burning your system

Hold me back if you can

Look closely

You wonrsquot be able to see it all at first sight

An overview ldquocomplexion that is not whiteldquo

A broad forehead written born stubborn by nature

Look at the traditions and count the wrinkles

This is not the first time

Languages and scholarship put education under wraps

You wonrsquot be able to understand why there is still gunpowder on shoulders

The color of earth and the color of night gives you brown and blackness

I promise you that I will not be alone to count the ashes no

This game to us is not new and nor are our children new to the game

As if the influenza of eagles was not enough now therersquos the influenza of pigs

The season of a new disease for a president acting for a public and sick with the

calmness of white people

Hold me back if you can

null

23098943

8180

اإلحتالل نكه البشر بنكهة املجاريبالسالم حوار أديانبإقرار ملكية كذابة

بتشويه تاريخ وسرقة حضاراتولك أه

فلسطني إفريقيا الدجلة والفراتإجتاه البشرية لإلضمحالل سرطان بشري بعضها

الشتا ميسح اخلطايا واآلثاروليش بتتخبى وبتتغطى بنفس كل سفارة سميك الستار

لساتني باكل الضربة ورا الضره ورا الضربةوحتى ما أفعل وأساوي تكمشني الرجفة

بدل ما أضرب فيك بضرب بحاليبوعدكش حضلني كامش حالي حفلتها

حفلتها

هديني إذا فيك هديني إذا فيكهديني إذا فيك

k a t i b e h 5

The occupation has seasoned humanity with the flavor of sewers

With peace with dialogue of religions

With the declaration of false ownership

With the distortion of history and the theft of civilizations

Oh yes

Palestine Africa the Tigris and Euphrates

Humanity is leading to reduction a human cancer bites it

Exile wipes clean the sins and the traces

And why are you hiding and seeking cover when all the embassies are already well concealed

I am still taking one beating after another

And so that I donrsquot take action and do something shudders grip my body

Instead of beating you I beat myself

I canrsquot promise you that I can keep myself restrained

Irsquom gonna let go

Hold me back if you can

Hold me back if you can

Hold me back if you can

T r a n s l a t e d b y R i m a N a j d i a n d F a y s a l B i b i

null

23098943

8382

طول عمر الشعب املصري مع بعض أحلك الظروفبص وفر في التاريخ وانت ياما هاتشوف

الدين ده ليا وليكوفيا وفيك

حاجة روحانية بتخليك حتس اللي بيك

ايد في ايد نبني فيها من جديد

مصر زعلت علي حاصل وسطنا مش مفيد

بعد ثورة وبعد عيد فتنة تقتل حلم واتتحقق لنا

واحد اتننيالذكري بتعيش اكتر من عمر االنسان

بصمتنا تغييرنا جوة وبرة امليدان مش هانضيع نصر ثورتنا بفتنة نشئت بينا

A r a b i a n K n i g h t s + M C G a z a + A m e e r

The Egyptian people have always stuck together

Through the worst times look at history

And see how often wersquove been there for each other

That whole idea of religion

Is for you and for me something spiritual that makes you feel whatrsquos inside you

Hand in hand

We build Egypt up again

Egypt is angry at whatrsquos happening between us

Itrsquos not helpful

After the revolution after the celebration

Sectarian strife is killing the dream we fulfilled

One two

The memory lasts more than a lifetime

Our mark is our change in and outside Tahrir Square

We wonrsquot give up the victory of our revolution in exchange for sectarian strife between

us

hand inايد في ايد hand

Eid Fe Eid

Yasser Ameer Youssef Rush E Money amp MCGaza | by BOGEY

Single Hit track 11

20112011

Hip-Hop

24002867

eng - Hip-Hop 4 Life

eng - iTunNORM 000005E2 0000058E 0000424E 00003537 00026E95 0001C2B3 00008000 00008000 00005045 00005045

8584

بلدنا محتجانا ايدنا واحدة ضد احملنة تفرق ايه معاك ديانتي ملا ربك هو ربي

اصلك هو اصلي ارضك هي ارضي

ملا اتقال لي اكتت فيول فتنة انا قولت غلط علشان الفتنة مفتعلة في بلدنا وكان وراها غرض

فالفرد افترض فبفرض السياسة األمر اختلط

فالزم يبقي املصل سياسي من اصل املرض العسس واحلرس مافرقوش صليب وهالل

وكنا كلنا واحد وراء االقفالدم الشهيد شاهد

ياما بالفتنة انكسرنا وحدتنا بصوت واحد وضد الظلم انتصرنا

وديني هو ديني صلة بيني وبني ربي هارفع علمي وارفع راسي فوق

انا مصري

ايد في ايد نبني فيها من جديد

مصر زعلت علي حاصل وسطنا مش مفيد

بعد ثورة وبعد عيد فتنة تقتل حلم واتتحقق لنا

خلو حمامة السالم من الطيور املنقرضةعلشان تبقي القلوب مبتعدة منقسمه سهل تتسم

فكرين مناعة و قوة أم الدنيا بالطمع مرتبطةنسر املصريني ليس له دين احنا بنحميها بالدم

العنف بذوره بتكتر عاوز يوصل واحلروب حتصل

A r a b i a n K n i g h t s + M C G a z a + A m e e r

Our country needs us all together against the hard times

What difference does my religion make to you when your god is my god

Your origin is mine

Your land is my land

When they told me about sectarian strife I said thatrsquos wrong

Because itrsquos been planted in our country and behind it is some purpose

Makes one think somethingrsquos going on

By playing politics everythingrsquos gotten mixed up

The antidote has to be political just like the poison itself

The military doesnrsquot distinguish between cross and crescent

Wersquore all held together behind bars

The blood of the martyrs bears witness

To how much wersquove been broken by sectarianism

Through our unity we triumphed with one voice over injustice

And my religion is my own a rapport between me and God

Irsquoll raise my flag and my head up

Irsquom Egyptian

Hand in hand

We build Egypt up again

Egypt is angry at whatrsquos happening between us

Itrsquos not helpful

After the revolution after the victory

Sectarian strife is killing the dream we fulfilled

They drove the dove of peace to extinction

To keep hearts apart and divided itrsquos easy to poison them

Do they really think the resilience and strength of Egypt is connected to greed

The Egyptian eagle has no religion we protect it with our blood

The roots of violence are increasing want to gain control to start wars

Eid Fe Eid

Yasser Ameer Youssef Rush E Money amp MCGaza | by BOGEY

Single Hit track 11

20112011

Hip-Hop

24002867

eng - Hip-Hop 4 Life

eng - iTunNORM 000005E2 0000058E 0000424E 00003537 00026E95 0001C2B3 00008000 00008000 00005045 00005045

8786

للعاقيدة يكسر وألعضاء املشاعر تتشال تصتأصلعلى كالم ربهم اتكبرو فعملو قدر واتقدر

وقته مستنينه ليه خططوا مضمون الرسائل اتغير الن الهدف هو تدمير قعدة الوحدهوقتل كل قائد يقود الناس بره احملنه

فيبقي سهل يزيحنا ميحي أوصول عليها كبرناوكل واحد علي حداه يقول أنا محدش يقول احنا

فاببطء بحرص بص بعقل بحذر شوفقبل ما يخلوا خيالك يتخلله اخلوف

واخلوف ده افراز بيطلع من غده ملا الكلب بيشوفهابيعرف انك فاريسه سهل ياكلها ركز

فرق تسد إخلعوفق جتد إرفع

ثورة تقدصمت يفرد- يفرق

ما بيجمع بيننامن حقي النقد من حقك - تسمع

طب إسمع وراجع ما صور التاريخ طب باله بيكفي صور زمانييوم حصار كنيسة املهد مني دافع مني اتقمع مني اتنفا

مسلم مسيحي أل كان فلسطيني اتذكر معي ثورة غضب يناير

اتذكر معي الوحدة اإليد الوحدة اتشرف انتا مصرياتذكر معي األخ بإيد األخ يحمي األخ بدون إلخ

كالمي ماشي ماشي ال-لتفهمني بهويتي مسلم وال نصراني قبطي

ما في حجة لربطي خلبطي حلطي ألوطي ألغير خطيخير أجناد األرض

من أرض بيت املقدس كل السالم بعد ما قلت إلنقسام في وطنيانا ملزم أقول ال لفتنة

تفتت مجد شعب تعب عانى ضحى بالغالي حتى بناه

A r a b i a n K n i g h t s + M C G a z a + A m e e r

The relationship between Egyptians breaks down and the organs that feel are taken out

They got full of themselves in the name of their god and invented a new fate for us

Theyrsquore waiting for a time and theyrsquore plotting The meaning of their messages changes

Because the goal is to destroy the foundation of unity

And kill every leader who takes the people out of hard times

Itrsquos easy to remove us to wipe out the traditions we grew up with

Everyone on his own everyone says ldquoIldquo and no one says ldquoweldquo

Slowly carefully look Wisely with caution see

Before they make your imagination a slave to fear

And that fear releases a secretion from a gland

And when the dog sees it he knows yoursquore easy prey

Divide yoursquoll conquer

Bring harmony and yoursquoll reap Start

A revolution and it will catch on

Silence is solitary It divides

It doesnrsquot bring us together

It is my right to criticize and your right to listen

So listen and look back at history or better look at my life time

The day the Nativity Church was under siege who was persecuted Who was exiled

A Muslim A Christian No he was Palestinian

Letrsquos remember the angry revolution of January

Letrsquos remember the unity the one hand Be proud yoursquore Egyptian

Remember the brother holding hands with a brother protecting a brother

And I can go on

Donrsquot teach me about my identity whether Irsquom a Muslim or a Christian Copt

Therersquos no excuse to tie me down beat me to make me cower and kneel and stray from my courseThe Earthrsquos most virtuous soldiers

Come from the land of Bayt al-Maqdis [Jerusalem] I salute you After I said no to division in my countryIrsquom committed to saying no to seditionThat dissolves the glory of a people who labored suffered sacrificed what was most dear to build it

T r a n s l a t e d b y A l e x O r t i z + A h m e d S h a w k e t + K h a l e d A l H i l l i

Eid Fe Eid

Yasser Ameer Youssef Rush E Money amp MCGaza | by BOGEY

Single Hit track 11

20112011

Hip-Hop

24002867

eng - Hip-Hop 4 Life

eng - iTunNORM 000005E2 0000058E 0000424E 00003537 00026E95 0001C2B3 00008000 00008000 00005045 00005045

8988

الفن واملواهب زي حرب الكواكب الكل عايز يكون جنم صراع في الداخل

بهدي جنون العظمة بفلفل حر توابل تسيل دموع زي القنابل

زي مابتكلم وداني شغالة كون سامع نبض الشارع علشان أ

حالف أقضي على اإلعالم املتآمر مغامر في الكالم بس إنت مش سامع

ملا بأمسك القلم والورقة الهم بينزاح مخي بيرتاح بأقول اللي على البال

ملا بأقعد بحس بتأنيب ضمير كون في ستوديو بسجل على بيت خطير مفروض أ

e l D e e b + S t o r m t r a p

Art and talent are like Star Wars

Secretly everyone wants to be a star of conflict

I make megalomania tranquil with chilli hot spices

Tears flow like bombs

Thatrsquos how I talk and the world keeps moving

So that I can hear the pulse of the streets

Irsquove sworn to obliterate the media conspirators

I am adventurous in my speech but you do not hear

When I hold the pen and the paper my anxiety is lifted

My mind relaxes and I say whatrsquos on it

When I sit down I feel guilty

I should be in the studio recording dangerous beats

addictأدمان الشهرة ion to fame

Edman El Shuhra

Stormtrap amp Mohamed El Deeb

2011

Hip-Hop

15305855

- vocals Mohamed El Deeb Stormtrap13produced by Stormtrap

9190

إحساس غريب إنك تدمن الكالم ارسم يا فنان واخترع زي دافينشي الرسام

ولو مفيش ورقة باستخدم تليفوني خايف إن فكرة متعديش على صوتي

دنيا غريبة يوم مر يوم بونبوني بس أنا عمري ماغيرت لوني

املوسيقى بنادولي وبطابعي فضولي مهما قالوا لي هافهمها مبفهومي فـساعات أالقي نفسي بكلم نفسي واسمع أصوات غريبة في دماغي

وهو ده الصدى الصوت اللي بسمعه اكن مفيش حد فارقة معاه احالمي

شوف شوف مش هدف إنو أنا شخصيا أنا

هدفي انه كلماتي وموسيقتي تنتشرعشان هيك حتشوفني دوما مستمر مستثمر

كل وقتي كل طاقتي على أصواتي خوذ شك خوذ حتويل خوذ كاش

بس ما تنساش أي شي بيتعلق بالواقع بدناش ما تخاف ألنها قضيتنا مش منسية مية باملية هايذي ثورة كمان ثقافية

خليني أوضح هاي املوسيقى مش معمولة للتلفازeهاي املوسيقى مش معمولة لهز الطياز l D e e b + S t o r m t r a p

Strange feeling to be out of words

Paint oh artist and discover like Da Vinci the artist

If I donrsquot have paper I use my cell

I am afraid that the idea does not come through my voice

Strange world one day is bitter another like candy

But Irsquove never changed my color

Music is my Tylenol and my nature curious

So whatever they tell me Irsquoll understand it my way

Sometimes I find myself talking to myself

And I hear weird voices in my head

Which is just the echo of the sound I hear

As if no one cares about my dreams

See see

My goals are not self serving

My goal is that my words and music spread

Thatrsquos why yoursquoll see me always and continuously investing

All my time my energy on my sounds

Take a check take a transfer take cash

But never forget anything related to reality wersquore not interested

Donrsquot be afraid because our cause is not forgotten

One hundred percent this is also a cultural revolution

Let me explain this music is not meant to be televised

This music is not made for booty shaking

Edman El Shuhra

Stormtrap amp Mohamed El Deeb

2011

Hip-Hop

15305855

- vocals Mohamed El Deeb Stormtrap13produced by Stormtrap

9392

مش فاهم ليش الكل قاتل حاله يكون في مسابقةحابني نتصابح حياكم زات املكافحة

واالعالم ميت ع حيالله قصة ما بيدرس هالقصة من نصها

وبعدن بينفخهامش احلق علينا اذا ما بيبحثوا

وملا يبدوا يحكوا عنا أل عنجد بيبعصوابيفكروا انه كل شي هشك بشك

بس حدن الزم يقلهم انه الهب هوب مش هيكبدك تدير بالك عشانها هاي اللحظة احلاسمة

ملا يجوا عليك الديب والعاصفةنكسر حدود وبنبني وحدة عشان نحيي مجتماعاتنا

وننهي معانتناعشان هيك منكتب كلمات صريحة والها معنى

مش للشهرة مش حتى يجي حدن يدفعلنا

e l D e e b + S t o r m t r a p

I donrsquot understand why everyone is killing themselves to be in the contest

Wersquod like to say goodmorning to salute you in this same struggle

The mediarsquos dying for any story

But they donrsquot study the storyrsquos real text

And then they blow it out of proportion

Itrsquos not our fault if they donrsquot search

And when they talk about us then they really screw it up

They think everything is empty pointless

Somebody needs to tell them that hip hop is not like that

You should take care because this is the critical moment

When the wolf and storm come haunting you

We break borders and we create a unity to revitalize our communities

And stop our suffering

That is why we write frank words that have meaning

Itrsquos not for fame or even so that someone pays us

T r a n s l a t e d b y N i z a r G h a n e m

Edman El Shuhra

Stormtrap amp Mohamed El Deeb

2011

Hip-Hop

15305855

- vocals Mohamed El Deeb Stormtrap13produced by Stormtrap

9594

حضل عهل مود يعنيما إنتلك النجوم عم تقرب

بهل ال مود حكون عطول لبهل جنوم إدءر لو مضطر شن هجوم عل النجوم كلها

خللي األرض تدور حول أصبعي تنلك

ما إنتلك متلي متلك مولع طيار ألفكاري من العقدي تنفك فرد قعدي بني 4 حيطان ما بتنهز و منها ما بنهز

يلز املا بينلزالكاس عل الطاولي و منو عم مز مز

لتفتل براصي وحس من حالي عم كز كزعل ورقة كالمي مدروس و ما بزت زت بجرب ما عيد حالي متا يقولو عم نق نق

موزع قافياتي جواز كأن عم فت فت

بهل األطشة خلي الديني اللي تسمعني ترن رنFبسبيلي جاري يوم ع يوم عم برك رك a r e e q e l A t r a s h

Irsquoll stay in this mood

Didnrsquot I tell you The stars are getting closer

Irsquoll stay in this mood until I touch these stars

Even if I have to launch an attack on all the stars

Irsquoll make the Earth rotate around my finger I told you

Didnrsquot I tell you Irsquom just like you I lit up a joint so my ideas would untie their knot

Sitting this way in between four walls I wonrsquot budge

The most delectable

Drink is on the table from which Irsquom taking sips

Till my head starts spinning and Irsquom sick of myself

On the paper my words are calculated I donrsquot just toss them about

I try not to repeat myself so they wonrsquot say Irsquom nagging

I deal my rhymes out like theyrsquore cards

In this verse Irsquoll make those ears ring

My fountain is running and every day I excel

tالنجوم عم تقرب he stars are gett ing closer

null

29781717

9796

لضل ماشي جالس بينما غيري عم بلك لك شريط معلق ريحة العة عم بتفح فحكل ما فتح متو بتالقي عم بكب كب

عايشها إرهاب و مفي إال بسب سببزبالتي ما بكبو تيكون بعلمك

األالف مسم و بحياتو ما بينسم بزقة من هل التم تخلي سقفك ينش نش

تلمو ردم و ما تفكر إنو ترد رد و عم بحكي عالواطي متا الصالي فيك ترج رج

بطبعي عاقل بس بالراب بزل زل عل الرايق بال ما نط وال فز فز

type of shitعال بارد أبرد من شباط بس يقز قزتخلي عضامك ع بعض تسك سك

ما إنتلك النجوم عم تقرب بهل ال مود حكون عطول لبهل جنوم إدءر

لو مضطر شن هجوم عل النجوم كلهاخللي األرض تدور حول أصبعي تنلك

أنا متنبئ بنبه و بحقق ما قلتلك بعد وقتها ما عم نكت

عاملكرفون إبرة هرون عم بشكشك في شكcheck one two

هيك بدسدس عالنبض

F a r e e q e l A t r a s h

So I can walk straight when others are still playing

A broken record that reeks of a musty smell

Every time he opens his mouth he spews them out

He lives in terror and all he does is curse

I wouldnrsquot throw him in my garbage just so you know

Irsquove irritated thousands and never been irritated in my life

One spit out of this mouth will make your roof leak

And yoursquoll pick up the rubble and donrsquot even think about answering back

Irsquom talking in a low voice so the hall wonrsquot shake with you in it

Irsquom reasonable by nature but when it comes to rap I humiliate cold-heartedly

Without jumping or leaping around

I do it coldly colder than icy February-type of shit

Irsquoll make your bones rattle against each other

Didnrsquot I tell you The stars are getting closer

Irsquoll stay in this mood until I touch these stars

Even if I have to launch an attack on all the stars

Irsquoll make the Earth rotate around my finger I told you

Irsquom a psychic I predict and deliver

Didnrsquot I tell you to stand back when Irsquom not joking

Irsquom pricking the microphone with a heroin needle Is there any doubt

Check one two

Thatrsquos how I feel the pulse

null

29781717

9998

بدقق و زتزت حكي بتزجزج كأنها مزهزها عم بتشمشم عم خطط عم تكتيك و مني ملحلح من هون للساعة توقف تك تيك تك تيك

لك ليك منفخ حاله عامبيكازيب عا غيري بس بوجهي بتاءتإوجهه بيباءبإ من أد ما بعصب بسبسب

زر إنذار إذني بتطنطن و بشوف من عالباب عم بدقدق

عكروت بدو يفوت ليشوف الفن فني بس الفن هون بجسمي معبأ

من حلقي طايف و من متي عم بت شرشر و بيس البيس زلزال برجرج خليك تضبضب تنضب بالبيت لتكنكن

و أنا متأسف ألني بدي استأذن بس بعد شفت كابتشينو بتصحصح

ما إنتلك النجوم عم تقرببهل ال مود حكون عطول لبهل جنوم إدءر

لو مضطر شن هجوم عل النجوم كلهاخللي األرض تدور حول أصبعي تنلك

هيدا هب هوبمش هبل و ال بهل

هيدا زجل تتغزل في

ورايي إيقاع عليي إتبع و ما إطلع عنو يا بصير متل غير مسيس

زقفوا مع االيقاعزقفوا مع االيقاع

F a r e e q e l A t r a s h

Checking and hurling words that tickle as if I was high and sniffing

I am planning and scheming and Irsquom not going anywhere till the clock stops ticking

Look hersquos so full of it lying to others but in my face he stutters

And his face turns red from all the anger and he curses

My earsrsquo alarm bells start ringing

And I go to see whorsquos knocking at the door

Some bastard who wants to see where ldquothe artldquo is

But the art is right here packed in my body

Flowing from my throat running out of my mouth

And the bass is an earthquake that shakes and forces you to pack up and go home

And Irsquom sorry because I need to take leave

But after a sip of cappuccino yoursquoll come around

Didnrsquot I tell you The stars are getting closer

Irsquoll stay in this mood

Until I touch these stars even if I have to launch an attack on all the stars

Irsquoll make the Earth rotate around my finger I told you

This is hip hop

Itrsquos not stupid nor dumb

Itrsquos zajal [a form of Arabic poetry in the Levant]

That you flirt with

There is a beat that I have to follow canrsquot lose it or Irsquoll be like other MCs

Clap with the beat

Clap with the beat

T r a n s l a t e d b y K h a l e d A l H i l l i

null

29781717

101100

انا ببلعهم بتفهم وال مره بسبهمبخليهم داميا يضاربو بتفكيرهم

أنا وراهم قدامهم جنابهم محتلهممش طايقهم مرات وزنهم بكون منزلهم

مرتبهم صاففهم وبقلم أنا حاكمهم زاتتهم مش عاجبيني أنا ماحيهم قائدهم وبنفس الوقت أنا عبيدهم

وبفك وربط أنا بلعب مبعانيهمانا حاميهم بأسطر اللي تقويهم

انا واعدهم اني أستر على فاضحهم ومطلعهم بصوره اللي تبشعهم

بس أنا محترمهم وبسطور ساجنهم مكتفهم كأسير بجنازير القهر

ومهديهم بحبل اللي يبشر بالصبر وانا لي الفخر أكون الشوك اللي فيهم

Dوأكون القهر اللي داميا يسقيهم A M

Yo this is dedicated to the lyrics

Irsquom swallowing them spitting them never dissing them

Giving them freedom of speech

Irsquom behind them in front of them because of them always standing with them

Sometimes get sick of them sick of how you abuse them

Gather them in line with my pen I order them

Didnrsquot like it Throwing them out and replacing them

Irsquom their leader and also their slave

Small changes make huge differences

I train them in pages to make them strong

Promising to use them not abuse them

Or allow the wrong mouths to utter them

Approach them with a military mind and find peace in them

Irsquom lucky to be full of thorns and even luckier that I found the lyrics

So theyrsquoll help me find the roses in me

wordsكلمات

null

26837427

103102

raquoالكل سمعك بس السؤال اذا اللي سمعك فهمكlaquoكلمات ليست كالكلمات بل raquoعالماتlaquo

اللي توجهنا وين مابدنا عحبال السيرك هي تثبتنا ريح العالم من كل جهه اذا احنا ضعاف بتوقعنا بس

raquoأل بلمره ألlaquo raquoكلمات عندي طنlaquoكل واحده الها هدف اخدت حرف عحرف

نسجت جمل اللي البسهم وقت البرد raquoراح اضلني اناديlaquo raquoبنحكي كلماتlaquo

انت بتعرف انهم مبنصب شهاد بحكو املاضي وتنبوا حاضر أي بالد

قد ماحكيت قد ما أحكي فش كالم يغطي بسفي كالم يربي وينمي انت بس أروي

في شوف انه قوه والقوه بتقويفيك و أن رويته مصيره يسقيك )مثل للقوه( العدو من أمامكم

والبحر من ورائكم فال تخيبوا أسيادكمفأين أشعاركم وأين مجادلتكم

فأنتم تسكتون وتخمدون أحالمكم)انهي( نهيت ورجعت للعامية بكلمات

مرمية طالعه من عقليه شعبيهمتل جنيب اللي بذاكرة كل واحد محفوظ مدروس واذا أل معناته في خلل معكوس

عاملجتمع اللي قمع كتاباته Dاللي سمح لنسيانه يشيل خطواته A M

ldquoThey all hear you but few listen to youldquo

Lyrics ainrsquot just a bunch of words they are ldquosignsldquo

Leading us stabilizing us on tight ropes

Winds every way if we are thin we will fall

ldquoBut hell noldquo ldquoyou can measure my words in tonsldquo

Every word has a meaning I knitted a letter with another letter

Made warm sentences to wear in cold days

ldquoSo Irsquoll still shoutldquo ldquowe control lyricsldquo

You know lyrics are like a witness

They witnessed the past and forecast the future

As much as I said or say I canrsquot describe them

But there is a way to find the description and thatrsquos through them

Quench the thirst of the pages with them

So in the future itrsquoll quench your thirst

Keep feeding them as soon as they grow up

Theyrsquoll give you strength

ldquoExample for the strengthldquo

ldquoThe enemy is before you the sea is behind you

So donrsquot you dare disappoint our ancestors

Where are our deep poems Where are our strong statements

From generation to generation we kill our dreamsldquo

ldquoEnough philosophizingldquo ok lets get back to street talk

Words coming outta simple minds

Like Najeeb Mahfuz [literally lsquowell-rememberedrsquo also a famous author]

They keep living in our minds

And if you donrsquot know who he is - then I rest my case

null

26837427

105104

raquoالكل سمعك بس السؤال اذا اللي سمعك فهمكlaquoكلمات ليست كالكلمات بل raquoعالماتlaquo

اللي توجهنا وين مابدنا عحبال السيرك هي تثبتنا ريح العالم من كل جهه اذا احنا ضعاف بتوقعنا بس

raquoأل بلمره ألlaquo raquoكلمات عندي طنlaquoكل واحده الها هدف اخدت حرف عحرف

نسجت جمل اللي البسهم وقت البرد raquoراح اضلني اناديlaquo raquoبنحكي كلماتlaquo

ألف با كبايه أوعك تكسرهاامسكها للنهاية وكل ما تفضى مليها

كلمه أو رواية ومع املراحل زيدها شيحكاية وهيك ضلك زود فيها

وجيبها لتجمعاتك وساعتها استعملها لنقاشاتك وملواقفك استخدمها

هادي مدافعك اللي مداها بسيطرتك وما دافعك انه ما تخليها رايتك

ما هي تكتب ما هي توصف ما هي تكذب ما هي تنصف

ما هي هي الهروب هياللجوء هي الدروب هي

العبور باحلدود واللي مبرؤهم مبدع وبفوز باخللود واللي بسرقهم مش مقنع

واذا بتديهم احلرية بنادوك ممنوعDواذا بتوخد احلريه بنادوك مسموح A M

ldquoThey all hear you but few listen to youldquo

Lyrics ainrsquot just a bunch of words they are ldquosignsldquo

Leading us stabilizing us on tight ropes

Winds every way if we are thin we will fall

ldquoBut hell noldquo ldquoyou can measure my words in tonsldquo

Every word has a meaning I knitted a letter with another letter

Made warm sentences to wear in cold days

ldquoSo Irsquoll still shoutldquo ldquowe control lyricsldquo

The Arabic alphabet is like a glass donrsquot break it

Hold it tight and keep filling it

And then bring it to our arguments

Scream till your throat gets dry and then wet it

It holds our body itrsquos like our legs

If you stand for nothing yoursquoll fall for anything

The words write create

They kill lead and sometimes even lie

You can use them to build borders

And those who are gifted

Can use them to walk through borders

And in some governments

Itrsquos forbidden to give words freedom

But if you choke them and kill them

Thatrsquos allowed

F i g u r a t i v e t r a n s l a t i o n o f f e r e d b y t h e a r t i s t s

null

26837427

107106

further reading

The tracks presented in this document are not a comprehensive sampling of the genre of the market of hip hop in Arabic or of hip hop and rap in the wider Middle East

Artists featured here hail from Egypt Lebanon Palestine and the anglophone Arab diaspora The thriving North African hip hop scene is not represented nor is the work of the established francophone Arab diaspora nor the expanding hip hop scenes of especially Iran or Turkey

This collection does not attempt a comprehensive chronology Tracks featured here are not primarily new releases (though some are) neither are they all ldquoclassicsrdquo These limitations of scope are important to note

Many tracks of the popular Libyan group Ibn Thabitt and other groups from across the region have been translated and are hosted with commentary on the notable blog

revolutionaryarabrapblogspotcom

Another valuable resource is the Beirut-based blog by Jackson Allers ldquoBeats and Breathrdquo which features articulate critiques and reviews of events and releases from the region

jacksonallerswordpresscom

Hass Dennaoui (alias Big Hass) who recently launched started the first all hip-hop FM radio show in Saudi Arabia Laish Hip Hop (Why Hip Hop) manages a lively blog which

hosts an internet feed of his radio show and interviews with MCs and influential hip hop figures from around the world

revoltradioblogspotcom

Lebaneseundergroundcom hosts coverage of underground music in Lebanon including hip hop

And finally an excellent article by Hishaam Aidi on implications of the use of hip hop as foreign policy ldquoThe Grand (Hip-Hop) Chessboard Race Rap and Raison DrsquoEtatrdquo was published in The Middle East Report Fall 2011 Excerpts of the piece were published by Al Jazeera English in the article ldquoLeveraging Hip Hop in US Foreign Policyrdquo

All the artists and many of the translators whose work is showcased here host a significant online presence Their sites are listed with more about each of them on the following pages

109108

artist bios

ARABIAN KNIGHTZ the premier hip hop group from the land of the Nile River have not only established themselves as the lyricists with the sharpest swords in their land but they have also created the most consistent voice for rebellion strength and hope for the youth of the Middle East During the 2011 Revolution Arabian Knightz released two singles ldquoRebelrdquo and ldquoNot Your Prisonerrdquo anthems of resistance which gained worldwide attention and major media coverage for their powerful lyrics against a wicked system The group formed in 2006 through the cipher hip hoprsquos natural way of choosing like mindsets on the mic Rush Sphinx and E-Money were ahead of their peers adapting an authentic Arab perspective to the art dominated by Western voices mixing English and Arabic raps After hitting the studio for successful underground tracks AK enlisted super-producer Fredwreck (Snoop Dogg Xzibit Tha Dogg Pound) ldquoFokkakrdquo the single from this studio session was an instant hit and (surprisingly for Arabic Hip Hop) projected them to the top ten of the singles charts Arab League Records was formed amidst a growing fanbase and numerous collaborations with other Arab hip hop artists the first international Arab hip hop record label Desert Saga Volume 1 mixtape was the debut release led by ldquoThe Onerdquo featuring Egyptrsquos MC Amin Arabian Knightz have recorded their debut album Uknighted State of Arabia a masterpiece for Arab hip hop years in the making featuring instrumentals dominated by traditional percussions and players are scheduled for a Winter 2012 Release They are on Facebook

BOIKUTT is a musician and MC based in Ramallah Palestine Creating sounds using sampled material field recordings and electronic devices the results range between hip-hop downtempo ambient glitch and experimental He has composed and produced music for artists such as Kronos Quartet Bukue One Spiritchild Tamer Abu-Ghazaleh Bleubird and others and has appeared as an MC on albums for artists such as Slovo Heliodrome Bonnot and Lethal Skillz A co-founder of the Ramallah Underground Collective which has toured across the Arab World Europe and Australia Boikutt is also co-founder and member of audio-visual group Tashweesh with whom he is currently touring Also as a solo performer he has been in Beirut Cairo Manila Copenhagen London Hamburg Dubai Bethlehem and other cities He has produced and exhibited a few sound-art pieces composed several film scores has most recently composed the music for a dance theater performance entitled Bound by

New York-based company Yaa Samar Dance Theatre and is now working on different collaborative and solo projects His work may be heard at soundcloudcomboikutt and on Facebook

DAM Da Arabian MCrsquos are Suhell Nafar Tamer Nafar and Mahmoud Jreri The first Palestinian hip hop crew and among the first to rap in Arabic the group began working together in the late 1990s Struck by the uncanny resemblance of the reality of the streets in a Tupac video to the streets in their own neighborhood of Lyd they were inspired to tell their stories through hip hop Their timely song ldquoMin Irhabirdquo (ldquoWhorsquos the Terroristrdquo) was downloaded a million times shortly after its internet realese in 2001 and DAM became a household name among youth throughout the Middle East Ten years of performing all over the world has strengthened the grouprsquos commitment to continue living and working in their hometown of Lyd 15 minutes from Tel Aviv and working to provide the youth of the city and neighboring communities with programs and opportunities that have been denied to Palestinian citizens of Israel Their music is a unique fusion of East and West and encompasses influences as varied as Ghassan Kanafani Ahlam Mosteghanemi Mahmoud Darwish Naji al Ali Tupac Biggie Public Enemy MBS Krsquonaan and Pharoahe Monch IHDA (Dedication) DAMrsquos long-awaited first international album was released in 2007 and DAM has seen its songs and members featured in films such as Ford Transit (Dir Hany Abu Assad) Where in the World is Osama Bin Laden (Dir Morgan Spurlock) Salt of this Sea (Dir Annemarie Jacir) Local Angel and Forgiveness (Dir Udi Aloni) DAMrsquos history and influence on the Arab hip hop scene is detailed in the feature-length documentary Slingshot Hip Hop (Dir Jackie Reem Salloum) The group has also been featured in Vibe National Geographic Rolling Stone Q Basement Reuters and The New York Times and has appeared on MTV CNN BBC and Al Jazeera Their work can be heard and explored at damrapcom

EL DEEB first ventured into Egyptian Hip Hop when he joined Asfalt in 2005 He left in 2007 to create Wighit Nazara duo represented by Mohamed Yasser and himself It was a successful musical project that lasted until mid 2010 Currently he is working on his solo career with plans to release an EP every couple of months or so Cairofornia is his first solo EP His work may be heard at deebbandcampcom and on Facebook

EL RASS was born in Tripoli Lebanon He started writing poetry in literary Arabic at age 11 and started rhyming in spoken Lebanese dialect in 1999 at age 15 At that time he formed one third of a group of 3 MCrsquos going under the name of ldquoMlouk el Micrdquo (ldquoKings of the Micrdquo) They recorded one album and performed locally At 17 he left for France to study Finance and Economics Studies were hard money was scarce and exile was tough but music and poetry never left him as he continued rhyming with some underground French MCrsquos like Medline and Moebius and developed new musical skills on percussion in classical Arabic singing and baglama (turkish buzuk) After graduating and working for almost two years in the hell of banking and market finance El Rass decided to return to Lebanon He spent a year just re-discovering Beirut and making and learning music He now works as a journalist at the newspaper Assafir while concurrently pursuing joint projects with other producers and musicians He calls his work Taalik in reference to the same word in Arabic for ldquocommentrdquo and another word that comes from the same semantic root moaallakat which is a corpus of selected pre-Islamic poetry that was written with gold ink on the walls of the Karsquoaba in Mecca His work may be heard at soundcloudcomElRass

FAREEQ EL ATRASH is a hip hop band based out of Hamra St Beirut with a sound that is distinguished by laid back topical flows over live instrumentation It consists of Edd (raps) Nasser (raps) FZ (vocal production and FX) Fouad Afra (drums) Goo (plays guitar keys heart strings) and Abed Kobeissy (plays bass and buzuk) Their 2010 album and 2009 prealbum are available online More of their work may be found on Facebook Eddrsquos solo work can also be heard at soundcloudcomEdd

H2Z was born in Kuwait in 1986 where he lived for four years Due to the gulf war his family moved to Lebanon where he lived for the most part of his life Inspired by the tragic events in the Middle East and elsewhere in the world H2Z adopted rap music as a way to raise awareness about the injustices suffered by his people and to deliver a message through his music to anyone who supports the Palestinian cause His career began in 2004 when he was introduced to the production business by fellow rappers and soon he started producing his own tracks and established a local band producing many tracks for himself and other musicians in Lebanon In 2008 he released his first solo album titled 3aed which contained

17 tracks The political influence was noticed throughout the album and was generally well-received He is now studying for a degree in business administration at Wayne State University in Michigan His work may be heard at reverbnationcomh2z

KATIBEH 5 are based in Borj el Barajneh Lebanon Their work can be found at reverbnationcomkatibeh5 and myspacecomkatibe5palestine and on Facebook

M1 is Mutulu Olugbala of the New York based collective Dead Prez whose work is online at deadprezcom M1 is also on Facebook

MC GAZA is Adnan Mahmoud Ghonim an Algerian born artist and university student based in Gaza It was the beginning of 2005 when he attended one of the hip hop concerts in Gaza City ndash Gaza City that never appreciated the art he loved and attached himself to ndash and it was love at first sight between them Through some of the concerts he participated in a number of songs he collaborated on with Arabs from Egypt Algeria and Palestine and some active participation to represent the Palestinian people and interviews for both Arab and foreign press he was able to make a name for himself in the Gazan hip hop community His work may be found at youtubecomMCGaza and on Facebook

THE NARCICYST Having pioneered the Arab Hip-Hop movement with seminal Iraqi-Canadian crew Euphrates The Narcicyst recently broke through borders and shattered traveling etiquette touring solo around the world sharing stages with the likes of Brother Ali Mos Def and Kanye West to name a few On top of music The Narcicyst is a celebrated theorist whose academic work Fear of an Arab Planet has him from the stage to the classrooms of internationally renowned universities He is now also a professor at Concordia University teaching a Fine Arts course ldquoHip-Hop Past Present and Futurerdquo His writings have been published by multiple university presses and magazines internationally he is also a self-published author having recently released the biographical and social-study on the Arab world The Diatribes of a Dying Tribe As a true artist interested in really pushing his own artistic boundaries The Narcicyst has stepped into acting currently starring in the short music film PHATWA and in the first internationally-released film from the United Arab Emirates called City of Life A true multi-media

111110

KHALED AL HILLI is a PhD candidate in Comparative Literature at the Graduate Center City University of New York He has a BA in English Literature and a Masterrsquos degree in Teaching Second Languages Born in Iraq Khaled has taught in Lebanon and Saudi Arabia at both college and high school levels He has also worked with various Iraqi news outlets and has subtitledtranslated documentary films dealing with current social and political issues His research interests include Arabic political literature prison literature and literature in the diaspora He may be reached at hillykhalidgmailcom

+AZIZ is a NYC-based marketing consultant and a musician He is working through The World Music Parade to develop an animation project based on his music More about that project can be found at themusicparadetumblrcom He tweets from plusaziz

FAYSAL BIBI is a paleontologist and electronic musician currently based in Berlin

LOUBNA BILALI is originally from Morocco She did her undergrad and first MA in English Linguistics at Chouaib Doukkali University El Jadida She came to the US in 2008 to pursue a Masterrsquos degree in French to English translation and is currently working on a PhD in translation studies at Kent State University in Ohio She is very interested in learning and teaching languages as well as translating and localizing computer applications and websites She may be reached at loubnabilaligmailcom

FARAH ELREWAISSATI is a freelance translator pro-Palestine activist and BDS advocate who blogs at youthanormalizationblogspotcom She tweets from 3beee

NIZAR GHANEM was born in Lebanon He has been active in intercultural education interactive learning and conflict resolution across the Arab world His work on conflict resolution involved using theater comics and music as tools for emotional expression and social mobilization

RIMA NAJDI is a Performing Artist She studied dramatic arts at the Lebanese University in Beirut and obtained a Masterrsquos degree in Performance Studies at NYU New York She has written and performed in various plays and performances Najdi is particularly interested in multi-media performing arts and the position of the spectators

BARRAK ALZAID (copy editor) is the Artistic Director of ArteEast He is the editor of the ArteEast Quarterly a dynamic online portal featuring four publications that highlight contemporary art and culture from the Middle East and diaspora ndash ArtersquoZine Shahadat (contemporary short-form literature) Gallery and Cinematek (an online film center) He is also the curator for ArteEastrsquos Across Histories Art Talk Series featuring a series of panels on residencies in Fall 2011 He tweets from barrakster

RAYYA EL ZEIN (editor) is working towards a PhD in Theatre at the Graduate Center City University of New York Her research is increasingly focusing on theories of reception historical studies of audience behavior and popular culture in the Arab world She holds an MA in Performance Studies from NYU and is currently a teaching fellow at City College in Harlem She tweets from rayelz

translator biosdreamer Yassin recently established an arts label in the UAE called The Medium focusing on delivering art from Arabs in the diaspora and at lsquohomersquo to the rest of the world iraqisthebombcom He tweets from TheNarcicyst

OMAR OFFENDUM is a Syrian-American hip hop artist born in Saudi Arabia raised in Washington DC and living in Los Angeles Known for taking audiences on a lyrical journey from the jasmine-tree-lined courtyards of Nizar Qabbanirsquos Damascene homes to the flooded riverbanks of Langston Hughesrsquo Harlem Renaissance poems - Offendum has been featured on several major news outlets (BBC Yahoo ABC News Aljazeera PBS) toured the world to promote his ground-breaking music helped raise thousands of dollars for various humanitarian relief organizations (PCRF KinderUSA ANERA Islamic Relief) lectured at a number of prestigious academic institutions (Harvard MIT Stanford Columbia American University of Beirut NYU-AbuDhabi Qatar Education City) and most recently been involved in creating several critically-acclaimed songs about the popular democratic uprisings throughout the Middle East amp North Africa He is currently hard at work promoting his solo release - affectionately dubbed SyrianamericanA His work may be heard (and read) at offendumbandcampcom He is on Facebook and he tweets from Offendum

RAMALLAH UNDERGROUND based in Ramallah Palestine was born from the immediacy of musical experimentation and out of the need to give voice to a generation of Palestinians and Arabs facing a turbulent and uncertain political landscape The collective was founded by artists Boikutt Stormtrap and Aswatt and has always held a commitment to both the honesty of their work and the need to creatively rejuvenate Arabic culture To this end they combine music ranging from Arabic electronic music hip-hop and trip hop to downtempo with a deep sense of their local culture and the imposing presence of Palestine in their lives The outcome is a new specific and distinct sound RU (as producers and as MCrsquos ) has collaborated with numerous artists across the globe including countries like Lebanon UK Switzerland Italy USA France and many more including a collaboration with Slovo (a band headed by the guitarist from faithless) in their track ldquoNakbardquo which appears on their album Todo Cambia and with Kronos Quartet in the track ldquoTashweeshrdquo which appears on Floodplain RU has also performed live shows in Ramallah Bethlehem Vienna London Cairo Lausanne Amsterdam and Washington DC Their shows are mainly a performance of their hip-hop tracks as well as a few of their own electronic productions as a warm up More recently RU has incorporated a visual set in their live

performances brought to you by Palestinian visual artist Ruanne RU hopes to give a voice to Palestinians and Arabs bringing an alternative voice from the Arab world Their lyrics and music are an expression of anguish and defiance ultimately remaining a defiant voice of the colonized against the colonizer They continue to play a big role in the Arab underground cultural scene while slowly gaining wide global and local popularity

SHADIA MANSOURrsquos work can be found at myspacecomshadiamusic and on Facebook

STORMTRAP is a music producercomposerMC from Palestine Experimenting with old samples instruments and field recordings his sound is the result of a fusion of ambient atmospheres combined with various noises and hip hop beats His lyrics deal with different themes inspired mainly by his personal experiences in Palestine and life in the diaspora Stormtrap played a fundamental role in forming the band Ramallah Underground with which he has performed worldwide the past few years Currently he is working in Vienna with Aras Seyhan and Eren Ileri on a new album which combines live instruments synthesizers turntables beats and Arabic lyrics- which will be released early 2012 His work may be heard at soundcloudcomstormtrap He tweets from asifeh

AMEER YOSSEF 25 has sung and writen music with the band Klaket for the past four years His work may be heard at youtubecomAmeer and on Facebook

towards the work Her work for now concentrates on the process of making interactive and participatory performances that question borders stereotypes and languages

MOE ALI NAYEL is a fixer and a journalist based in Beirut Lebanon He uses social media blogging non-mainstream music journalism and writing as a word spreading eye opening socializing arena He uses social media as a bridge that cuts distance between people on this planet making it a tiny village This bridge starts in his office and takes him to every corner in the world enabling him to connect and network with people and cultures sharing and exchanging stories of the unheard and the neglected He blogs at Words of Action and he tweets from MoeAliNay

ALEX ORTIZ is a video and radio journalist and translator based in Cairo Egypt He graduated from Brown University in 2009 with a double major in Comparative Literature and Middle East Studies He was a CASA I fellow from 2009-2010 and a CASA II fellow from 2010-2011 He currently works for CBS News as a field producer He tweets from cairowitness

AHMED SHAWKET is an independent translator living in Cairo Egypt He is a graduate of the Helwan University Faculty of Arts where he majored in philosophy Ahmed works on literary media and commercial translation

113112

ABOUT SHAHADATShahadat is a quarterly online series designed to provide a platform for short-form writing and experimentation in writing by young and underexposed writers from the MENA region (Middle East and North Africa) The series features stories vignettes reflections and chronicles in translation and the original language of Arabic Farsi Turkish or Kurdish It makes up one quarter of ArteEastrsquos online programming the AE Quarterly For past issues of Shahadat click here

ABOUT THIS SERIES Shahadat is proud to run two alternating series and releases two issues a year of each The issue yoursquove just perused is part of the ldquoExploring Popular Literaturerdquo series This series challenges traditional understandings of ldquoliteraturerdquo emerging from the Middle East and North Africa by presenting genres of creative production that rely on words and language but which have not typically been studied as literature Works are presented in their original language and in translation

In each issue we gather texts from a spectrum of writers to challenge the singular status of the artistauthor and to encourage a more complex presentation of the Middle Eastern and North African ldquostreetrdquo for English-speaking audiences Shahadatrsquos other series ldquoContemporary Literature in Translationrdquo features the work of a single young author in the original language and in English translation

BEHIND THE DOCUMENTShahadat is co-edited by Rayya El Zein Alex Ortiz and ArteEastrsquos Artistic Director Barrak Alzaid All three are young professionals and scholars with artistic inclinations (literature poetry translation and performance) All three have strong connections to New York City and various metropole of the MENA region Shahadat is for us an experiment and a labor of love An editorial board of established scholars and authors is currently being conceived

SPECIAL THANKS TOAnmar El ZeinKinda AkashAndrew JohnstonLivia Alexander

Shahadat logo design by Rima Farouki

114

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Page 3: Shahadat Winter 2012

54

Media Moments

In early December ABCrsquos icon of vetted journalism Barbara Walters sat down with Syrian President Bashar al-Assad on an exclusive episode of Nightline Assadrsquos soft-spoken polite almost gentle performance in the interview he staged with Walters playing Master of Ceremonies induced mild but notable reactions Therersquos a ldquodisconnectrdquo the US State Department declared between what Assad says and the situation in Syria Walters herself seemed shocked at his presentable demeanor describing him upon her return from Damascus as ldquocalmrdquo ldquosoft-spokenrdquo and ldquoarticulaterdquo She further stressed during the introduction to the piece that Assad spoke ldquovery good Englishrdquo and ldquoanswered every questionrdquo Impressive it seems for an accused Arab dictator

What is overwhelmingly unsettling in Walterrsquos episode of Nightline is that it assumes certain qualities of chaos both in Damascus and in the person of the Syrian president that would stipulate the understandable conditions of civil unrest Damascus markets are stocked people shop ldquoonlyrdquo the ldquohigh-endrdquo stores are feeling the pinch Assad is polite he answers her questions invites her in Where are the snipers The rape attempts The crying children in the shadows What ABC and Walters cringingly fail to highlight is in fact the glaring normalcy of the brutality of Assadrsquos regime

Further the first US television journalist inside Syria since the nine-month-old uprising began showcased one voice almost exclusively that of the disconnected president Walters did not go though she did send a correspondent to Deraa the town where protests started in March There a bewildered Alex Marquardt wondered why Assadrsquos promise to go anywhere he wanted (accompanied by an 8-car motorcade) was not kept or why when permitted to meander through the streets on his own no one would talk to him Without an official at the other end of the mic and

save one brave manrsquos hushed testimony ABCrsquos mics picked up only silence A journalistic venture designed to shine light on a country in distress instead gave the stage to its president and the insights we glean are that he doesnrsquot really seem crazy at least not like we thought hersquod be

But if a startling lack of imagination with regards to power and human nature especially vis-agrave-vis Arab leaders is one aspect of the problematic Western media coverage and an almost complete dearth of voices from the actual Arab street is another these are not the only shortcomings with consequences for understanding a fuller picture of a dynamic Arab world

Earlier in 2011 TIME magazine named Hamada Ben Amor the Tunisian rapper better known as El Geacuteneacuteral one of the top 100 most influential people of the year singling out his track ldquoMr Presidentrdquo (ldquoRais LeBledrdquo) which was critical of Ben Alirsquos regime as an inciting force of the Tunisian Revolution It is but one example of heightened attention paid to hip hop and rap in the Arab world since the so-called ldquoArab Springrdquo began In July the BBC asked ldquoIs Hip Hop Driving the Arab Springrdquo in an article reminiscent of those in months earlier which debated the role of Facebook and Twitter in the realization of the Egyptian Revolution Both are facile treatments that should be quickly (and if necessary constantly) reassessed

There is a danger in a non-critical focus of Western media on the recent spike however significant in Arabic hip hop during a time of political revolution US and European politicians canrsquot seem to get a grip on The New York Times and others in the months after Hosni Mubarakrsquos abdication from the presidency in Egypt attributed significance to Massachusetts-based retired professor Gene Sharprsquos pamphlet ldquoFrom Dictatorship to Democracyrdquo in the political strategies of Egyptian activists despite the fact that many in Egypt found this claim simply ludicrous if not overtly manipulative The urge to attribute success

from the Editorto Sharprsquos document stems not entirely from an attempt to ldquoWesternizerdquo the revolution but to ldquoglobalizerdquo it Sharprsquos piece is not an exciting story necessarily because it was written by an American but because his tract is understood to have had currency in regime changes from Burma to Ukraine since the late 1990s

A similar instinct is at play in the attribution of efficacy to hip hop in the Arab revolutions in 2011 Hip hop though it sprung from specifically US environs has become a global phenomenon These two approaches taken by US and European press illustrate that an old neocolonial danger remains It may be summed up as such hip hop is a tool for understanding the rhythm of the revolting Arab street because it is a ldquoWesternrdquo and familiar form That danger however has morphed hip hop is a tool for understanding the rhythm of the revolting Arab street because it is a ldquoglobalrdquo and therefore significant form The trap of course lies in this notion of ldquoglobalrdquo that is notorious for substituting simple sweeping narratives at the expense of the local And in the ease with which one can replace ldquoWesternizedrdquo with ldquoglobalizedrdquo

The challenge then for a responsible look at both the changing Arab street and hip hop on and in it is to strive for a compassionate understanding that places the local within global flows It lies in an understanding of ldquocontemporaryrdquo that is not exclusively ldquoWesternrdquo or ldquoOrientalrdquo and an understanding of networks that is not only ldquoglobalrdquo nor ldquolocalrdquo The potential benefit for a responsible critical reading of this material is an understanding of ldquothe Arab streetrdquo which consistently evades commercial media and by extension popular conception in the ldquoWestrdquo

It is with this in mind that I am proud to present the following issue of Shahadat The Winter 2012 issue features the work of 16 MCs or collectives from Egypt Lebanon Palestine and the Arab diaspora in Arabic and English and in English translation It represents the extensive collaboration of 10 translators An interactive publication that hosts the music along with its lyrics it is the first experiment of its kind for ArteEast and to our knowledge the first document of its kind on the web

Street Talk

It is not just theoretically important that ears outside the Arab world hear and understand the voices of more of those within it The means of articulation and the words themselves displace the dominant media narrative in substantial practical ways In an age of a seemingly infinite ldquoWar on Terrorrdquo whose main weapons mask aggressive humiliation techniques as ldquodefensiverdquo security hip hop in Arabic opens a place for an important assertion of dignity by young Arab men who demographically bear the brunt of these expanded security tactics Assertions of pride and respectability take different forms from overt political critique to declarations of identity to calls to lyrical arms to provocations of other poets and MCs One of the most significant things about hip hop in Arabic is that it is projecting images of dignified (articulate proud well-read compassionate astute critical) young masculinity to thirsty listeners at home and abroad

But neither is the genre nor the collection featured here homogeneous in terms of gender Young women have nearly from the beginning of the scene been a part of the construction of this field Also particularly noteworthy (not because of their ethnic or religious background but because of the history of hip hop and rap in the West) is how adamantly young Arab male MCs eschew and challenge misogyny in both their content and performances

This should not suggest that hip hop creates an ideal or egalitarian playing field for Arab men and women Social stigma has made it

The potential benefit for a responsible critical reading of this material is an understanding of ldquothe Arab streetrdquo which consistently evades commercial media and by extension popular conception in the ldquoWestrdquo

76

especially difficult for women to break through cultural stereotypes and dogma (though a handful have notably Malikah based in Lebanon Shadia Mansour (featured in the collection) and Abeer alias Sabreena da Witch) I find it safe to presume that when young Arab women break into the genre in greater numbers or find their own methods to voice political and social critiques reclamations of dignity collective and individual will be at the top of the list of significant effects

The second critically important antidote to mainstream media that these voices provide is the true cornucopia of social grievances they cite and political critiques they offer The 16 tracks featured here take on variously the Muslim Brotherhood greed and corruption poverty and hunger inefficacy of NGOs betrayal of and by fellow Arabs (notably the ldquobrain drainrdquo phenomenon which has seen young Arabs across the region relocate overseas in hopes of greater opportunity) capitalism sectarianism and religious extremism in addition to Western colonialism and the policies of the state of Israel towards Palestinians

The letters they address to the world in each track should make it harder and harder to believe that all Arabs all Muslims or all Egyptians Palestinians or otherwise are set on the destruction of ldquothe Westrdquo at the expense of critical thinking about the local economies and systems of government that have also failed them

Not just the content but the form of these articulations showcases a way of seeing the world of processing it and of asserting oneself in it that young people globally will identify with This is vitally important as a new generation comes to terms with itself internationally it will have to decide how much of the old divisions of ldquousrdquo and ldquothemrdquo it wishes to retain The work of these artists and their colleagues worldwide has the potential to remind listeners how alike they are and how arbitrary national and ethnic divisions can be

A Bigger Picture

It is true that hip hop does not have a long history in the Arab world It is however older than 12 or even 15 months first taking root in North Africa in the early 1990s and in Palestine several years later just before the Second Intifada The largest markets and scenes for hip hop in the Arab world have long been in Morocco Algeria and Palestine and lately in Lebanon

Incidentally these countries are rarely the focus of recent press which hails an explosion of Arabic hip hop in recent months Similarly despite the many creative hypotheses posited in English-language press about catalysts and influences of the Arab Spring the very real history of popular resistance in Palestine (ie the Intifadas of the late 1990s and mid 2000s) is hardly ever mentioned as a probable influence of the popular Arab revolutions of this year

distinct sounds of each artist or collaboration and the musical traditions from which they borrow from funk to electronica and in between

The rhythms and flows vary too in some places the impact of the political critique comes as much from the aural quality as from the lyrical content The rhythm of Fareeq el Atrashrsquos ldquoThe Stars are Getting Closerrdquo (ldquoNjoom 3am Tersquorabrdquo) for example

الكاس عل الطاولي و منو عم مز مز لتفتل براصي وحس من حالي عم كز كزعل ورقة كالمي مدروس و ما بزت زت بجرب ما عيد حالي متا يقولو عم نق نق

موزع قافياتي جواز كأن عم فت فت

with its sustained rhythm of repeated syllables at the ends of phrases and its almost flippant characterizations of a musicianrsquos routine is distinctly different from the defiant declaration of MC Gaza in his piece with Arabian Knightz and Ameer ldquoHand in Handrdquo (ldquoEid fi Eidrdquo)

ما في حجة لربطي خلبطي حلطي ألوطي ألغير خطي

Which is also very different from the imaginative poetic (and humorous) play on words and political critique in El Rassrsquos

كان احلريري ما طار وما صار مطار احلريري

Each of the artists featured here manipulates sound and meaning in unique and fiercely creative ways making of the genre a distinct form of popular poetry

One of the most compelling political components of the genre is how powerful rather simple declarations of preference or identity can be or become These take on overt incarnations as in Offendumrsquos celebratory ldquoDestinyrdquo H2Zrsquos figurative ldquoI am Palestinianrdquo (ldquoAna Falasteenirdquo) or more subtle declarations of preference as in Ramallah Undergroundrsquos ldquoI am trying not to care but politics pulls at merdquo in the track ldquoFrom the Caverdquo (ldquoMin el Kaheffrdquo) Private processings of a public world linger in nearly all the pieces It is from these subject positions and thousands

of others that those outside of the Arab world must also hear not only from their ldquodisconnectedrdquo leaders who happen to speak like thousands of their constituents ldquovery good Englishrdquo

The implicit and explicit declarations of identity in Arabic hip hop is perhaps also especially noteworthy because they are immediately noticeable All the tracks featured here are predominantly in dialect (Egyptian Lebanese Syrian Palestinian) and not in the standard modern or classical Arabic typically broadcast across national borders Moreover the political critiques they offer are especially specific some relying almost entirely on subtext to carry meaning across The translations alongside them then should make equally useful learning tools for students of Arabic language as those of culture politics and art

But if anything comes from hearing and reading these texts simultaneously it should be a reevaluation of the question of ldquomodernizationrdquo or ldquoWesternizationrdquo in our contemporary moment Facile readings from both sides will call these works ldquoWesternizations of Arab culturerdquo or ldquoOrientalizations of Western culturerdquo In reality they are neither If they feel modern or more specifically postmodern (and they undoubtedly are - the articulations of identity mentioned above are almost always manifest as split or double) it is because they were written and are performed in our contemporary moment not because they encompass more or less of one part of the globe And if the pieces feel Arab (and they undoubtedly will) it is because they are Arab too

One of the most important but embarrassingly obvious implications then is that the two are completely conceivable within the same body within the same text in the same exact moment They are not opposite not a give and take followed by synthesis The tracks and the artists are both Many Multitude Concurrently East and West After all what is East What is West

Rayya El ZeinNew York

It is from these subject positions and thousands of others that those outside of the Arab world must also hear not only from their ldquodisconnectedrdquo leaders who happen to speak like thousands of their constituents ldquovery good Englishrdquo

Denying the influences of US rap on hip hop in Arabic or of the Internet (Facebook Twitter) on the events of the past twelve months is futile But if a productive dialogue between the Middle East and West is to be created we must also learn to listen to local histories and to hear regional catalysts

Politics and Aesthetics

Shared political concerns hardly confine the range of creative impulses within the genre The tracks collected in this issue explore a range of thematic considerations as well as aesthetic choices Most bear implicit if not explicit (and here we see a healthy range) of political critiques Indeed the aesthetic choices of rhythm melody when appropriate and beat become political choices in and of themselves In this collection we have tried to illustrate a wide gamut of approaches and rhythms Listeners will undoubtedly note the

98

This issue of Shahadat is an interactive experiment and a virtual media work in progress It is designed for multiple audiences from the aspiring poet and critic to the classroom to established fans and everything in-between

Download all the tracks featured in this issue and absorb the various layers of sound rhythm politics and poetry at your own leisure

Or download the pdf of this document and listen as you go The green button on each page starts the track the red button pauses Click above the set of buttons and a small media player will appear which allows one to navigate through the track at will These interactive features only function if you download the pdf of this document The

Note for Mac users if you are viewing the downloaded pdf the tracks will stop playing at the flip of the page To reactivate sound click in the upper left hand corner of each two-page

spread (Hovering should produce a text box that says ldquoclick to activaterdquo) A small player will appear with which the track can be navigated Be sure to open with Adobe Reader not Apple Preview for interactive functions

Flip through the virtual publication in the order wersquove suggested or find your favorite track in the table of contents on the opposite page and click on the title to be led directly to it

We appreciate your feedback (and your patience) as we experiment with new forms of media while exploring the various incarnations of popular literature in the Middle East and North Africa

how to use this Document table of Contents

Editorrsquos Remarks 4

From the Cave | Ramallah Underground 10

Rise Egyptian | El Deeb + Edd 16

Not Your Prisoner | Arabian Knightz + Shadia Mansour 24

Ignite | Boikutt 30

I am Palestinian | H2Z 36

Kufeyyeh Arabeyyeh | Shadia Mansour 40

Destiny | Omar Offendum 46

What Happened Yesterday | Stormtrap 54

Brass | The Narcicyst 60

Beirutrsquos Volcano | El Rass 64

A Letter from Boikutt | Boikutt 70

Hold Me Back If You Can | Katibeh 5 74

Hand in Hand | Arabian Knightz + MC Gaza + Ameer 82

Addiction to Fame | El Deeb + Stormtrap 88

The Stars are Getting Closer | Fareeq el Atrash 94

Words | DAM 100

Further Reading 106

About the Artists 108

About the Translators 111

1110

بدهم يجوعوا األهالي ألنو الناس ملا يجوعو ما بوعودو يفكروا باملقاومة

نازل العب باملوت بدي اعرف ايش عدد املوت هون

مش سامع وال صوت اطفي التلفون

اسأل ألنو وال حد سائل سواءا سياسي أو دوبلوماسي

قاعدين على هالكراسي وبتحدثوا

بروحوا بحوطوا رؤوسهم و بتمددووالبيوت في لبنان و غزة عم يتهدموا اجا الوقت نرفع بعبوص لكل العالم

ألنو راح يضلو يحكي وعمرو ما حيعمل فئيش بدنا نضلنا نقنع و نستنا بتمنى بس عالفاضي من زمان نسييو عنا

R a m a l l a h U n d e r g r o u n d

They wanna starve our people because when people are starving they no longer think of

leading resistance

I am going to play with death

I wanna know the death count here

I canrsquot hear a sound

Turn off your phone

Ask because no one else has

Whether politicians or diplomats

Theyrsquore planted in their seats

Chatting

They relax rest their heads

While homes in Lebanon and Gaza are leveled

The time has come to screw the world

Because theyrsquoll keep talking without ever doing anything

Why would we keep holding on waiting hoping

But for nothing They forgot about us a while ago

from tمن الكهف he cave

3 Min Ill Kahef

Ramallah Underground ft Lethal Skillz

The Peace Revolution 20

24420868

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1312

ساعة بتمسك حالك ملا تشوف قدامك

اللي قامك واللي شالك مش مستغرب اذا افكار جهنمية عم بدور ببالك

نازل بتنادي عالدنيا بس الدنيا نامت وحتى اذا قامت ما حتسمع كالمك

ما حتسمع كالمك

هون يوم معاك مية عليك حواجز حواليك كلبشات عايديك

قولي شو سويت مابدي فوت باحليط ياريت بس انا فايت هيك هيك

حياتي عجل بسكليت وهأل فلت اجلنزير اجا الوقت ادعس بنزين

ابدا شد ابدا مد حكيي لكل النواحي

ألنو كلماتي سالحي

بدهم يجوعوا األهالي ألنو الناس ملا يجوعو ما بوعودو يفكروا باملقاومة

11 22 33 عم ميحونا هات لننزل عال مالجئ قبل ما يشوفونا

بقصوفونا وين ما روحنا بس بحياتهم ما بطحونا

صامدون ألخر حلظة لصوار يخكم ايصابونا

R a m a l l a h U n d e r g r o u n d

In the moments when you try to get a hold of things

When you look in front of you

At the one who picked you up and removed you

Donrsquot be surprised if evil thoughts fill your mind

You went on calling the world but the world is sleeping

And even if it wakes up it wonrsquot hear your voice

It wonrsquot hear your voice

Here therersquos one day with you and a hundred others against you

Barriers around you

Handcuffs on your hands

Tell me what you did

I hope I donrsquot crash into a wall

But Irsquom crashing anyways

My life is more like a bike tire

But now wersquore off the tracks time to hit the gas

Never pull never stretch my speech

For any reason

Because my words are my weapons

They wanna starve our people because when people are starving they no longer think of

leading resistance

One by one two by two three by three theyrsquore trying to wipe us out

Letrsquos go to the shelters before they see us

They shoot us wherever we go

But we never give up

Steadfast lsquotil the last breath when your missiles hit

3 Min Ill Kahef

Ramallah Underground ft Lethal Skillz

The Peace Revolution 20

24420868

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1514

و رؤساء العرب سابونا تركونا و هربوا لعند عدونا

ألنو ما قدروا يعدونا وعدونا باملستقبل بس شوف لوين جابونا

2007 عالم مبشي دوغري و احنا فجرونا جوعونا بدهم ينسونا

قعدنا سنني نبني و اجو فجأة هيك هدونا هددونا و خوفونا

بالدميقراطية سمموناحتى نعيش حياة طبيعية ما خلونا

حطونا عخط النار ونسفونا دمرونا نشفولنا دمنا كل هاد و لسا ما خلصونا من همنا

بحاول اطنش بس السياسة بتشدني بقولها افلتي ما بدي

بتقولي انا جزء من حياتك مش حتقدر متشي ضدي

بحاول اطنش بس السياسة بتشدني بقولها افلتي ما بدي

بتقولي انا جزء من حياتك مش حتقدر متشي ضدي

R a m a l l a h U n d e r g r o u n d

And Arab leaders let us down

Abandoned us fled to our enemies

Because they couldnrsquot infect us with their cowardice

They promised the future and look what they got us into

2007 the worldrsquos moving ahead and they blow us up

Starve us they wanna forget us

We spent years building and they came suddenly led us on

Threatened and frightened us

Poisoned us with democracy

Wouldnrsquot let us have a normal life

They set us right on line of fire they ruined us destroyed us dried up our blood

All that and still they couldnrsquot finish the job

I am trying not to care anymore but politics pulls at me

I say leave me alone

She says I am part of your life

You wonrsquot be able to resist me

I am trying not to care anymore but politics pulls at me

I say leave me alone

She says I am part of your life

You wonrsquot be able to resist me

T r a n s l a t e d b y L o u b n a B i l a l i

3 Min Ill Kahef

Ramallah Underground ft Lethal Skillz

The Peace Revolution 20

24420868

eng - iTunNORM 00000E33 00000D93 0000B0A7 00008C71 0001CD0B 0002129C 00008000 00008000 0000A2CF 0000633A

1716

)مصر داميا بتناديك(

التورتة رجعت للشعبالبورصة وقعت من اللعب

الشعار القدمي رجعالشرطة في خدمة الشعب

احلال كان صعب بس النهار ده أفضل احنا نقدر نزرع صحرتنا أخضر

اتخلصنا من حكم هتلر فرعون ملعون وبحكم تويتر وفيسبوك املصري ثاير مدعوم بلغة احلق

كانوا بيقولولنا أل مش فارقة معاهم إن شاء الله حتى االرض تنشق ثورتنا ثورة شعبية سلمية وطنية

طالبنا با حلرية الكرامة عدالة اجتماعية الشعب كان ممسوك بقبضة فوالذية

شغل مقاولة ومصالح شخصية كانوا بيتعاملوا معانا بكل همجية

يطلعوا عالقنوات الفضائية بتصاريح استفزازية

e l D e e b + E d d

(Egypt is always calling on you)

The people have regained the pie

The stockmarketrsquos been put out of commission

The old slogan is back

Police are in the service of the people

The situation was tough but today is better

We can make our desert green

We got rid of Hitlerrsquos rule a damned pharaoh

In the age of Twitter and Facebook the Egyptian walks confidently using the language of righteousness

They used to tell us no they didnrsquot care even if God wished the earth to split open

Our revolution is a popular peaceful national revolution

We have demanded freedom dignity and social justice

The people were controlled with an iron fist

Business contacts and personal interests

They treated us viciously

They appeared on satellite TV channels and issued provocative statements

rقوم يا مصري ise egypt ian

2oum Ya Masry (feat Edd) (Prod by Edd)

Deeb

null

2011

24930304

eng - Visit httpdeebbandcampcom

1918

انتصرنا في 11 فبراير بفرحة مليونية زغرطتي يا مصر يا بهية حققنا احلرية

الثورة بعد ما خلصت هلق بعدا مبلشةلدورنا شكلها وصلت وإنت بعدك بالفرشة

ولك قوم وقاف الحق بسنانك تفرشيولك قوم وقاف هز فيك نظامك عم بخزوق قوم يا مصري ما فيش ثورة بتخلص في يوم وليلة

دوس على نفسك شويةاستحمل شد حيلك

ما تخافش على عجلة اإلنتاج الزم ثورة على الذاتبكرا أحسن من اللي فات

ديكتاتوري هاإلنسان كان ببلد دميقراطيعايش فوق الغيم كان مرتاح رأسه فاضياملمنوع إلو مسموح كان ألن صاحبه قاضي

مطنش عاملخدرات ليضل شعبه طافيتيضل شعبه مسلطن ملتهي عم يضحك

كونه غير واعيفمن السهل فيه تتحكم ضو أخضر للشرطة

عليها ما فيك تتشكىفي حال فيك شكك بشكلك بشنغلك

تالتني سنةأكتر من أي رئيس بقي

ولك كسرسكور اإلستاذ نبيه بريمبصر بيقولوا معليه أنا التعتير إبني

eعم شوف شو في أكل من مبارح بقي ألعطيه لقمة l D e e b + E d d

We won on February 11 the joy of millions

Ululate oh Egypt oh Bahia we have achieved freedom

The revolution is not over yet it has just begun

Looks like itrsquos our turn now and yoursquore still in bed

Crsquomon get up Yoursquoll brush your teeth later

Crsquomon get up Move your regime is screwing you

Rise up oh Egyptian No revolution finishes in a night and a day

Bear with it a little

Have endurance and tolerance

Donrsquot be afraid of the cycle of production there should be a revolution against oneself

Tomorrow is better than the past

The man was a dictator in a democratic country

Living on clouds he was comfortable and carefree

What is prohibited was permitted for him because he was friends with a judge

He turned a blind eye to drugs so that his people would remain unaware

So that his people would remain high busy laughing

Because they are unconscious

It is easy to control them the police have a green light

You couldnrsquot report them

If they are suspicious of you of the way you look they would hang you

Thirty years

He ruled more than any other president

He even broke the record of Mr Nabih Berri [longstanding Lebanese head of parliament]

In Egypt they say itrsquos ok misfortune is my son

I will check what is left over from yesterday to feed it

2oum Ya Masry (feat Edd) (Prod by Edd)

Deeb

null

2011

24930304

eng - Visit httpdeebbandcampcom

2120

ملني بشكيحالتي متل هاملاليني مرتة

ولك قوم ننزل عساحة التحرير دغريب11 شهر 2 سجلنا رحيل حسني

اللي قضى كل هالسنني يشتغل عميل ضدي

ثورة بعد ما خلصت هلق بعدا مبلشةلدورنا شكلها وصلت وإنت بعدك بالفرشة

ولك قوم وقاف الحق بسنانك تفرشيولك قوم وقاف إذ فيك نظامك عم بخزوق

قوم يا مصري ما فيش ثورة بتخلص في يوم وليلةدوس على نفسك شوية

استحمل شد حيلكما تخافش على عجلة اإلنتاج

الزم ثورة على الذاتبكرا أحسن من اللي فات

أنا مدنيبلوح بقلمي كأنه علمي

من عرقي بروي عملي كأنه عطشيالبركة ببلدي العربي

إني فيني كون عفويفيني قوم ثور

إذا بس كان مسموم بدنيحلريتي بالتعبير

ما في حدود حتدنيبتشوفني بساحة التحرير بوسط بيروت

مش كرمال السما ترجع زرقاإلسقاط النظام اللي احلرية سلبنا

e l D e e b + E d d

To whom will I complain

My situation like that of millions is bad

Crsquomon letrsquos go straight to Tahrir Square

On February 11 we witnessed the departure of Hosni

Who has been working as an agent all these years against mehellip

The revolution is not over yet it has just begun

Looks like itrsquos our turn now and yoursquore still in bed

Crsquomon get up Yoursquoll brush your teeth later

Crsquomon get up Move your regime is screwing you

Rise up oh Egyptian No revolution finishes in a night and a day

Bear with it a little

Have endurance and tolerance

Donrsquot be afraid of the cycle of production

There should be a revolution against oneself

Tomorrow is better than the past

I am a civilian

I wave my pen as if it is my flag

I water my work with my sweat as if itrsquos my thirst

Whatrsquos good about my Arab country

Is that I can be spontaneous

I can rise up and revolt

When Irsquom angry

For my freedom of expression

There are no limitations

You see me in Tahrir Square and in downtown Beirut

But not for the sky to become blue again [in reference to the slogan of the Lebanese Future Movement]

But to topple the regime that has taken away freedom

2oum Ya Masry (feat Edd) (Prod by Edd)

Deeb

null

2011

24930304

eng - Visit httpdeebbandcampcom

2322

فترة إنتقاليةفقرة إعالنية

شاي وكليوبتراوشوش صفرا سهرانة

عالنشرة اإلخباريةركلة جزائية

واجلمهور مستني الهدفكل يوم في الصحف

نقرا نبأ عن كلب نهب البلدأوقف عندك رجع الذهب

مش إنت بردو اللي كنت مسؤول عن إعالم بلدتصاريح كاذبة كالم عجب

الصعب عدا والتاريخ إنكتبأوعى تفتكر الشعب تعب

الثورة بعد ما خلصت هلق بعدا مبلشةلدورنا شكلها وصلت وإنت بعدك بالفرشة

ولك قوم وقاف الحق بسنانك تفرشيولك قوم وقاف إذ فيك نظامك عم بخزوق

قوم يا مصري ما فيش ثورة بتخلص في يوم وليلةدوس على نفسك شوية

استحمل شد حيلكما تخافش على عجلة اإلنتاج

الزم ثورة على الذاتeبكرا أحسن من اللي فات l D e e b + E d d

A transitional period

A commercial break

Tea and Cleopatra

Yellow faces staying up at night

To follow the newscast

A penalty

The audience is waiting for the goal

Every day in newspapers

We read news about a dog that has looted the country

Stop return the gold

Werenrsquot you in charge of the countryrsquos media

False statements odd expressions

The hard part is over and history has been written

Donrsquot think that the people are exhausted

The revolution is not over yet it has just begun

Looks like itrsquos our turn now and yoursquore still in bed

Crsquomon get up Yoursquoll brush your teeth later

Crsquomon get up Move your regime is screwing you

Rise up oh Egyptian No revolution finishes in a night and a day

Bear with it a little

Have endurance and tolerance

Donrsquot be afraid of the cycle of production

There should be a revolution against oneself

Tomorrow is better than the past

T r a n s l a t e d b y F a r a h E l R e w a i s s a t i

2oum Ya Masry (feat Edd) (Prod by Edd)

Deeb

null

2011

24930304

eng - Visit httpdeebbandcampcom

2524

بلسان فاكريني انو مافيهوش فن هتكلم عن كل حلم اترسم من غضبهم اتدفن

اتقسم احتاط باأللم منلفكر فاملرحلة السمعيه واحللول اللى تنقذ عناوين جانبيه ارهابية من عيون معنية باستقاللية بعد حروب عاملية محمية متدارية

منسية مرمية على اكتاف مش مرضية مستخبية بطريقة اتكالية عاالراضى العربية

بسلبية مرئية انتهازية وراء االعالم االسالمية بباينوا النيه

احتيالية عنادية سيكوباتية سرية انانية استراتيجية ضد االنسانية

و بعد املسايسة متابعة من قاعة املشاهدة لكل عربى بيتزل مستانى مساعدة

A r a b i a n K n i g h t z + S h a d i a M a n s o u r

They presume the tongue has no art so I will speak

About every dream that was drawn from their anger and got buried

It got divided surrounded by pain

And the solutions that might work are sidelined and smeared as terrorist

From eyes that are interested in independence

After world wars protected and hidden

Forgotten and thrown on unsatisfied shoulders

Concealed with consent in Arab lands

With obvious opportunism

Beneath Islamic publicity intentions show through

Fraudulent stubborn psychopathic

A secret selfish strategy against mankind

And after politics we keep tabs on things from the screening room

For every Arab who gets humiliated I am waiting for help

prisonerThis track contains verses that were originally written in English السجني

Prisoner

Arabian Knightz + Shadia Mansour

Shahadat Winter 2012 track 316

Hip Hop

26518704

2726

ماخالص كسروا بنا كلمة مسانده و من عقولنا اخدوا الورق اللى يكسب فى اللعبة

أنا عايز بلد حرة من الظلم

عايز بلد حرة من القهر عايز بلد حرة من الشر

عايز أرضي وأرض العرب العرب العرب العرب

A r a b i a n K n i g h t z + S h a d i a M a n s o u r

But itrsquos over they shattered for us the word ldquosolidarityldquo

And from our minds they took the cards that win the game

I want a country free of tyranny

I want a country free of oppression

I want a country free of evil

I want my land and the land of Arabs

Arabs Arabs Arabs

Destructive destruction destroying my district

Anti-Christ running in spreading evil wisdom

Irsquom destroying the oppressors in Arabic settlements

Known for blowing up beats and governments

My peeps die in their cribs while yrsquoall close your eyes

Two of yrsquoall are kidnapped you call it a terrorist crime

The media

Is backing up

Murderous propaganda

While we fight eternally like immortal high landers

Al Durrah Sheikh Yassin the pains unseen

Forging your own stories for the blind to see

Want to draw your own opinions bout the bombs we face

Whatrsquos your opinion if yoursquore enslaved and your mom is raped

Itrsquos too easy to speak when yoursquore far from the heat

To the White House I creep and yes Irsquom armed to the teeth

With a mic and a pen and a pad herersquos your evidence

ldquoWeapons of Mass Destructionldquo Mr President

Prisoner

Arabian Knightz + Shadia Mansour

Shahadat Winter 2012 track 316

Hip Hop

26518704

2928

أنا عايز بلد حرة من الظلم عايز بلد حرة من القهر

عايز بلد حرة من الشر عايز أرضي وأرض العرب

العرب العرب العرب

إحنا منمشي بالكرامة والثقة بالنفس معصنا قوانينكم بالثبوت بالدم

لو إن ضميركم بتريحكم بتتكلموا من ورا الفرد

قللي مني ما عم ينام بالليل عنجد ع بني انتو بتبنوا حواجز إحن بنكبر عيالنا

وبنظلنا نزيد العدد إحن السبب ليش ما بتسترجوا تغمضوا عني

في فرق كبير بني مقاوم ومقررين

A r a b i a n K n i g h t z + S h a d i a M a n s o u r

I want a country free of tyranny

I want a country free of oppression

I want a country free of evil

I want my land and the land of Arabs

Arabs Arabs Arabs

Theyrsquore dropping bombs over Baghdad

Libnan Afghan Palestinians Bin Laden Saddam

Listen Islam is all about the peace man

But wars up in these streets man

Got me loosinrsquo sleep damn

Mr Politician I got a little question

How come you are eating and all your peoples isnrsquot

I am on a mission to break up out of this prison

If yoursquore with me share my vision

Letrsquos start by saving the children

We walk with dignity and confidence in ourselves

We crushed your laws with our steadfastness and blood

If your conscience was giving you peace

You wouldnrsquot be communicating from behind a gun

Tell me whorsquos the one not getting sleep at night

While you build your checkpoints we raise the kids

Our numbers will keep increasing

We are the reason you donrsquot dare to blink

There is a big difference between a man of resistance and decision makers

T r a n s l a t e d b y N i z a r G h a n e m + S h a d i a M a n s o u r

Prisoner

Arabian Knightz + Shadia Mansour

Shahadat Winter 2012 track 316

Hip Hop

26518704

3130

النظام العاملي اجلديداحلاسة السادسة

و بدهم يردوا يعلموك النشيدنار شديد بس كله نسبي

جينا و نسيناأخبار فورية بتنهضم و بتمشينا

إللي فينا مكفينا رايح عغزة بالسفينة

و ما يأتي قبل الفكر أم الفعلملجرد الذكر لشخص مبنج قلب نكد وزعل

و طلب السعرمش حنبيع

ملا بتشتي بتشتي عاجلميعو زمن أول حتول

و مش قادرين نتجول فا مش حنضيعbشيء مريع o i k u t t

The new world order

The sixth sense

And they want to teach you the anthem anew

Heavy fire but itrsquos all relative

We came and forgot

Instant news digested and keeps us moving

Wersquove had enough

Going to Gaza by boat

What comes first Thought or action

The mere question to a numb person makes him grumpy and upset

And asking for the price

We wonrsquot sell

When it rains it rains over everybody

The old times have changed

We are under house arrest so we wonrsquot get lost

Itrsquos a horrible thing

igniteولع

Walle

boikutt

null

1746378

3332

مرات بتفهم النبرة غلطبس هلئ فهمني منيح

جريح بدون تلقيح تصريح صريح بدون تلميح

فظيعكيف خلونا نطيع

بوقت تشييع جثمان الضاضمضاض لإلنتفاض ثورة الثروة قيد التصنيع

فيعبوجه عقود بقبضة من حديد

من هون لقرية بال متديدبدون مانروح لبعيد

جتميد روؤس أموال و نوويةمصلحة أول مستفيد

بتدوب بشعلة من سيدي بوزيد

ولعشوف اكمن دكتاتور منقلعولعشوف اكمن دكتاتور منقلع

ولع شوف اكمن دكتاتور منقلعصوت الثورة بكل مكان و عم منسمع

من حكام لنوابو ال استثني احدا منكم

ما بيهمكمحلد ما الهتافات تتوجه إلكم إتهزكم

أفهمكمbاإلستبداد تارك الشارع بإستعداد o i k u t t

Sometimes you misunderstand a tone

But now you understand me correctly

Wounded without vaccination

A blatant statement without any hinting

Unbelievable

How they made us obey

At the funeral of the corpse of the [quintessential Arabic letter] Ddad

Counter revolution the revolution of wealth is in process

Rise

In the face of decades under an iron fist

From here to a village without extension

Without going too far

Freezing of capital and nuclear war heads

The interest of the primary beneficiary

Melts with a flame from Sidibouzid

Ignitesee how many dictators wersquoll uproot

Ignitesee how many dictators wersquoll uproot

Ignitesee how many dictators wersquoll uproot

The sound of revolution is everywhere we make it heard

From leaders to parliamentarians

I do not exclude any of you

But you donrsquot care

Until chants are directed at you and shake you

Let me explain

Tyranny leaves the street prepared

Walle

boikutt

null

1746378

3534

من املزارع بوسط البالدفعل مضارع للرماد

فا إنصرف زاي فلوس الدولة إللي طريقها إنحرفوإنعرف و إنصبت بجيوب هالطرف من شوفرية الشرف

حتية خاصة ألسود ميدان التحريرلتعديل دستور التعتير

إن صح التعبير

عندي نظر األطرشو سمع األعمى

عايشني حياة و مكلبشني باخلوف بنفس الوقت فا قللي شو املعنىتاريخ شجعنا

الوضع الراهن منعناناس بتمر و بتسمعنا

بدون جتاوب جتارب فجاوبيا ضدنا يا معنا

إرفع قبضة الصمود فوق في الهوا ثابتةإنتفاضة أولى و ثانية بس الثالثة نابتة

أطراف كابتةبس قد ما يحاولوا ميحوا ويحطوا الناس كاتبة

بالتفاصيل و كامتة

ولعhellip شوف اكمن دكتاتور منقلعولعhellip شوف اكمن دكتاتور منقلع

ولع شوف اكمن دكتاتور منقلعصوت الثورة بكل مكان و عم منسمع

ولعhellip شوف اكمن دكتاتور منقلعbو صفهم عالدور واحد واحدhellipو شنع o i k u t t

From the farmers in the center

Changing present tense to ashes

So vanish like the statersquos money whose road has deviated

It is known that it ended up in the pockets of the corrupt who claim to be clean

A special salute to the lions of Tahrir Square

For amending the constitution of misfortune

If that can be said

I have the sight of the deaf

And the hearing of the blind

Leading a life while chained by fear at the same time so tell me whatrsquos the point

History encouraged us

The current situation prevented us

People pass by and hear us

Without any response -- testing -- so answer

Yoursquore either with us or against us

Raise the fist of resistance up in the air

A first and second Intifada but the third is sprouting

Oppressive groups

No matter how hard they try to erase and replace people have written

In details and know by heart

Ignitesee how many dictators wersquoll uproot

Ignitesee how many dictators wersquoll uproot

Ignitesee how many dictators wersquoll uproot

The sound of revolution is everywhere we make it heard

Ignitesee how many dictators wersquoll uproot

Line them up in turn one after the other and defame them

T r a n s l a t e d b y F a r a h E l R e w a i s s a t i

Walle

boikutt

null

1746378

3736

ولك انا ابن عكا وبن يافا و طولكرم انا ابن كل شبر من البحر للنهر

االرض الي حملت موسى مرمي واملسيح انااملقابر يلي فاضت من كتر التوابيت

انا اخليمة بيت التنك واحلصيرة والكانون والبيوت املسروقة والدم املهدور

انا الهوى يالي حامل الغضب والبكاوالطرقات يلي بتغرق مع كل نقطة الشتا

انا رصاصة من املجاهد عم تعبر حلدود انا حزام من القنابل مشتاق لليهود

لطفل على باب املستشفى عم بيموتانا الجئ ممنوع من العمل مكروه

انا اين املخيم يلي عاطل عن العمل سيجارة احلشيش يلي بتمحي شوية الم

H 2 Z

Irsquom the son of Acre Jaffa and Tulkarem

Irsquom the son of every inch from the river to the sea

Irsquom the land that carried Moses Mary and the Christ

Irsquom the cemeteries that overflow with coffins

Irsquom the tent the tin house the mat and the stove

The stolen houses and the wasted blood

Irsquom the wind that bears anger and tears

The roads that drown in a single drop of rain

I am a bullet that crosses borders

Irsquom a grenade against Zionists

A child that dies waiting outside the hospital

Irsquom a hated refugee whorsquos prohibited from working

Irsquom the son of the camps always unemployed

The hash cigarettes that ease the pain

iانا فلسطيني am palest inian

Ana Falasteeni

H27

null

17782504

eng - iTunNORM 0000057E 0000056B 00004E0F 00004D32 00021C96 00021C96 00008000 00008000 0000ECEA 00007530

3938

حيطان هالبيت يلي بكره رح ينردم انا االحمر واالسود واالخضر من هالعلم

من دم االبطال من دموع الاطفالمن اجلحيم التشرد واجلوء واالنكسار

من ظلم االحتاللمن حلم االستقالل

من ارض الزيتونوالصليب والهالل

انا حافظ احلواجز بكل بالد العالممن النادر انو بيوم يعتبروني بني ادم انا سنني االعتقال انا غرف التعذيب

الوجع والصريخ واجلروح الي ما بطيبانا شعب ما انهزم بس عمرو ما انتصر

انا اكبر ارهابي الني حامل حجر اسير طول عمرو رافض انو بيوم ميوت بس معاهدة سالم بتنفي اني موجود

انا القدس بيت حلم ومخيم جننياالدان واجلراس الهالل والصليب

املدافن واملدارس وكنسية املسيح الشوارع القدمية والبيت العتيق

انا ركوة الشاي و سندويشة الفالفلالكرم والبخل واالخالق واملهازل

الكذب والصدق واخليانة والصمود Hانا فلسطيني حلتى اموت 2 Z

The walls of the house that I hate thatrsquos about to get demolished

I am the red and black and green in this flag

From the blood of heroes from the tears of children

From the hell of homelessness and broken refugees

From the oppression of the occupation

From the dream of independence

Irsquom from the land of the olives

The cross and crescent

I know all the checkpoints in all countries of the world

It is where they consider me a human being

Irsquom years of capture Irsquom the torture chambers

The pain and the screams and the wounds that never heal

I was never defeated but never had a victory

Irsquom the biggest terrorist because I carry a stone

A prisoner who spends his whole life refusing to die

But a peace treaty forgets that Irsquom alive

Irsquom Jerusalem Bethlehem and Jenin refugee camp

The call to prayer the bells the crescent and the cross

The old cemeteries schools and church of Christ

The old streets and the ancient house

Irsquom the tea cup and the falafel sandwich

Generosity and greed morality and farce

Lies and betrayal and honesty and persistence

I am Palestinian until I die

T r a n s l a t e d b y t h e a r t i s t

Ana Falasteeni

H27

null

17782504

eng - iTunNORM 0000057E 0000056B 00004E0F 00004D32 00021C96 00021C96 00008000 00008000 0000ECEA 00007530

4140

صباح اخلير با والد عمومناتفضلوا شرفونا

شو بتحبوا نضيفكم دم عربي وال دموع من عيوننابعتقد هيك تأملوا نستقبلن

هيك تعقدوا ملا تدركوا على غلطتهنمن هيك لبسنا الكوفية

البيضة والسودةصاروا كالب الزمان يلبسوها كموضة

مهما تفننوا فيامهما غيروا بلونا

كوفية عربية بتضال عربية

حطتنا بدن ياهاثقافتنا بدن ياها

S h a d i a M a n s o u r w i t h M 1 o f D e a d P r e z

Good morning cousins

Come in and honor us with your presence

What would you like us to serve you Arab blood or tears from our eyes

I think thatrsquos how they hoped we would recieve them

Thatrsquos why they got tangled up when they tripped up on their own mistake

Thatrsquos why we wore the kufeyyeh

The black and white one

Dogs of the past started to wear it as a fashion statement

However they change it

Whatever colour they make it

The Kufeyyeh is Arab and will always be Arab

Our scarf they want it

Our intellect they want it

kufeyyeh arabeyyeh الكوفية عربية

Kufeyyeh Arabeyyeh

Shadia Mansour and M1

Shahadat Winter 2012 track 616

Hip Hop

26239166

4342

كرامتنا بدن ياهاكل شي إلنا بدن ياه

ما رح نسكتلن نسمحلن الالبقلن يسرقوا شغلة مش إلهن ما خصن فيا

بيقلدونا باللبسكل هاألرض بيكفيهنش

طمعانني عالقدسإعرفوا كيف تكونوا بشر

قبل ما تلبسوا الكوفيةجينا نذكرن مني إحنا

وغصبا من عن أبوهم هاي حطتنا

من هيك لبسنا الكوفيةألنها وطنية

الكوفية الكوفية عربيةمن هيك لبسنا الكوفية

هويتنا األساسيةالكوفية الكوفية عربية

يال علي الكوفيةعلولي هالكوفية

الكوفية الكوفية عربيةعلوها لبالد الشام

كوفية عربية بتضال عربية

ما في بعد متل الشعب العربيفرجوني أية أمة بالدنيا أكثر مأثرة

الصورة واضحة نحنا مهد احلضارة

S h a d i a M a n s o u r w i t h M 1 o f D e a d P r e z

Our dignity they want it

Everything thatrsquos ours they want it

We will not be silent will not allow it

It suits them to steal something that ainrsquot theirs

They imitate our style

As if all this land werenrsquot not enough

Thirsting after Jerusalem

Know how to be human

Before you wear our scarf

We came to remind them who we are

And like it or not itrsquos our right

Thatrsquos why we wore the kufeyyeh

Because it is nationalistic

The kufeyyeh is Arab

Thatrsquos why we wore the kufeyyeh

Because it is our original identity

The kufeyyeh is Arab

Come on raise your kufeyyehs

Raise that kufeyyeh

The kufeyyeh is Arab

Raise it up for bilad ersquosham [Greater Syria the wider Arab world]

The kufeyyeh is Arab and will always be Arab

There are no others like the Arab people

Show me one region in the world that is more influencial

The picture is clear we are the origins of civilization

Kufeyyeh Arabeyyeh

Shadia Mansour and M1

Shahadat Winter 2012 track 616

Hip Hop

26239166

4544

تاريخنا وتراثنا الشاهد على وجودنامن هيك لبست التوب الفلسطيني

من حيفا جنني جبل النار إلى رام اللهخليني شوف الكوفية

البيضة واحلمراخلينا نعليها لفوق بالسما

أنا شادية العربلساني بغز غزبلساني بهز هز

كلمات احلربسجل أنا شادية منصور

واحلطة هويتيمن يوم ما خلقت

سيدي والشعب مسؤوليتيلكن تربيت بني الشرق وبني الغرب

بني لغتنيبني بخيل بني فقير

شفت احلياة من اجلهتنيبس علمتني الكوفية

كيف ما لبستونيوين ما شلحتوني

بضلني عأصولي فلسطينية

S h a d i a M a n s o u r w i t h M 1 o f D e a d P r e z

Our history traditions and customs bear witness to our existence

Thatrsquos why I wear the Palestinian dress

From Haifa Jenin Jabal El Naar to Ramallah

Let me see the kufeyyeh

The red and white one

Letrsquos raise it up to the sky

I am the singer of the Arabs

Like an earthquake I shake the ground

My words are war

Record this

I am Shadia Mansour

And this scarf is my ID

From the day I was born the people have been my responsibility

Look I was raised between the East and the West

Between two languages

Between the rich and the poor

Irsquove seen life from both sides

However the kufeyyeh has taught me

However you wear me

Wherever you leave me

I stay true to my origin Palestinian

T r a n s l a t e d b y t h e a r t i s t w i t h F a r a h E l R e w a i s s a t i

Kufeyyeh Arabeyyeh

Shadia Mansour and M1

Shahadat Winter 2012 track 616

Hip Hop

26239166

4746

حمامة سالم افتحي أجنحتكي و طيري

وين الوعي - وين امشوا معي هني وادي بني اجلبلني عني حب للطرفني

أمهاتنا حبت ذاتنا بس مو عاجبهن مسباتنا هذا احلكي بني اخواتنا

Oزين العرب واألمريكان m a r O f f e n d u m

This track contains verses that were originally written in English

You are my

(Destiny)

Itrsquos hard livinrsquo in the West - when I know the East got the best of me

(Destiny)

Could be lookinrsquo in my eyes - but yoursquoll never really see the rest of me

(Destiny)

Can you hear me maseeri [my destiny] Bi-lingualrsquos what Irsquom blessed to be

(Destiny)

Dove of Peace

Spread your wings amp fly

Consciousness What consciousness - where is it

Take a walk with me

Here in this valley between two ldquomountainsldquo

Where the source of love for both ldquosidesldquo can be found

Our mothers like us

But donrsquot like our foul language

So letrsquos keep this between the siblings

The best of Arabs amp Americans

destمصيري iny

7 Destiny

Omar Offendum

The Peace Revolution 20

21332892

eng - iTunNORM 000006D3 000006F2 000038BA 0000322F 0000E4FA 0000E4FA 00008716 0000864B 0002AB5E 000083D6

eng - iTunSMPB 00000000 00000210 0000094B 00000000008F7FA5 00000000 004108FB 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000

4948

وألله يرحم كل أمواتنا أغاني

مثل املهامتة إذا قلنا العني بالعني

ما صفى عندنا عيون بالشام بالد الشام

من فلسطني إلى جبال لبنان قبل ما اخترعوا احلدود

من اإلسكندرون إلى كردستان فهمان

جنجس خان ما خان قد ما خانونا أوالد العم بس دمنا دمهم

بني أدم - بنو ذمنبهم على أكتافنا - شلنا همهم

ليه الله بيعلم

بس ليك هذا الفتيش والبسكليت احسنلك من 100000000 مسدس

تعرف ليه ألن مو عاجبهم بسمتك

بس إبتسم برسمتك شاب عربي ومثقف

أعطيهم ختمتك وإذا لسة مو راضني

ذكرهم بكالم إيليية )أبي ماضي( raquoنسي الطني ساعة أنه طنيlaquo

Oوهذه هي القضاء والقدر يا حبيبي m a r O f f e n d u m

And may God have mercy on all our dead

Songs I sing

Like the Mahatma [the line above and the line below are linked through the sound of the name and the figure of Mahatama Ghandi]

If we say lsquoan eye for an eyersquo

There wont be any eyes left in Sham [Damascus]

Bilad al-Sham [Greater Syria the wider Arab world]

From Palestine to the mountains of Lebanon

Before they made up these borders

From Iskandaroon to Kurdistan

Understand

Genghis Khan never deceived us quite like our ldquopaternal cousinsldquo [khan also means ldquodeceiveldquo in Arabic]

But our blood is their blood

Children of Adam -- who built their sins

Upon our shoulders -- we carried their burden

Why

God knows

But listen this little firecracker amp bicycle

Are better for you than 100 million guns

Wanna know why

Because they dont like seeing you smile

But smile you will - in your human being

A young cultured Arab male

Give them your stamp of approval

And if they still donrsquot accept you

Then remind them of the words of Elliye [Abi-Madhee a Lebanese poet whose poem begins with]

ldquoHow soon a piece of dirt can forget that all he really is is just dirtldquo [ie we are all from this earth amp

will come back to it so there is no logic in viewing yourself as better than someone else]

And that my friend is our destiny

7 Destiny

Omar Offendum

The Peace Revolution 20

21332892

eng - iTunNORM 000006D3 000006F2 000038BA 0000322F 0000E4FA 0000E4FA 00008716 0000864B 0002AB5E 000083D6

eng - iTunSMPB 00000000 00000210 0000094B 00000000008F7FA5 00000000 004108FB 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000

5150

O m a r O f f e n d u m

Dove of Peace

Spread your wings amp fly

Make it easier to borrow

The aesthetics you bite

Like all the Arabic loanwords

From Spaniards amp Morros

The Karma of Inquisition

Visions of horror

So whorsquos the explorer

Really was it Columbus

Muhammad al-Idrisi or Alfaragnus

Throw a Hobson Jobson

While you figure it out

Irsquom gonna start with a cipher

Thatrsquos a siffir [zero] - no doubt

See you might not have learned to live with me

But sure as hell canrsquot without

You are my

You are my

(Destiny)

Itrsquos hard livinrsquo in the West - when I know the East got the best of me

(Destiny)

Could be lookinrsquo in my eyes - but yoursquoll never really see the rest of me

(Destiny)

Can you hear me maseeri [my destiny] Bi-lingualrsquos what Irsquom blessed to be

(Destiny)

حمامة سالم افتحي أجنحتكي و طيري

I write right to left

You write left to right

Metaphor of a foreignerrsquos plight

Dressed to type

Stereo amp a mic

Scenario of a fight

The burial of a white

Imperial at his heightrsquos

A Turkish Rapperrsquos Delight

Semetic etiquette might

Just have you rollin your ldquoRrsquosldquo

Poetic amp light

And grab a hold of your sorrows

To relieve your tomorrows

7 Destiny

Omar Offendum

The Peace Revolution 20

21332892

eng - iTunNORM 000006D3 000006F2 000038BA 0000322F 0000E4FA 0000E4FA 00008716 0000864B 0002AB5E 000083D6

eng - iTunSMPB 00000000 00000210 0000094B 00000000008F7FA5 00000000 004108FB 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000

5352

O m a r O f f e n d u m

Dove of Peace

Spread your wings amp fly

Bitched out by the West

Press get a big shout

From the people gettinrsquo rich out of this (bout)

Now whatrsquos this really all about

Land money or power

It was the colonizerrsquos fault

But now itrsquos really just ours

Leavinrsquo a sour tase in our mouths

Like generational slave names

Whenever speakinrsquo out

Out-spoken leaders gettinrsquo taken out

Quicker than belligerent drunks in a bar

We a far cry from livinrsquo as one

T r a n s l a t e d b y t h e a r t i s t

(Destiny)

Itrsquos hard livinrsquo in the West - when I know the East got the best of me

(Destiny)

Could be lookinrsquo in my eyes - but yoursquoll never really see the rest of me

(Destiny)

Can you hear me maseeri [my destiny] Bi-lingualrsquos what Irsquom blessed to be

(Destiny)

حمامة سالم افتحي أجنحتكي و طيري

See arab [Arabs] shootin at each other

From Iraq to Falasteen [Palastine]

Syria to Libnan [Lebanon]

Algeria to Sudan

Pedagogy of the oppressed tricklinrsquo down

Conquerinrsquo through divisions

And sadly this isnrsquot the first time

One land one love one chance one blood

No fuss no fight Yeah right young blood

AKrsquos cheaper than a book

Crooked leaders in a hook

Gettinrsquo fished out

Missles gettinrsquo dished out

7 Destiny

Omar Offendum

The Peace Revolution 20

21332892

eng - iTunNORM 000006D3 000006F2 000038BA 0000322F 0000E4FA 0000E4FA 00008716 0000864B 0002AB5E 000083D6

eng - iTunSMPB 00000000 00000210 0000094B 00000000008F7FA5 00000000 004108FB 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000

5554

زي ما صار مبارح صار اليوم اطف التلفزيون امسك مايكروفون

زي ما صار مبارح صار اليوم اطف التلفزيون امسك مايكروفون

زي ما صار مبارح صار اليوم اطف التلفزيون امسك مايكروفون

زي ما صار مبارح صار اليوم اطف التلفزيون امسك مايكروفون

النه الوقت عم يسبق بقلك خي سالم بس اصبر

بدك تستني هاي اخلطط بعمرها ما تضبطبيدفعلك قد ما بدك عشان تسكت

واذا بتفتح متك طخة وحده وبعد بتسقط

s t o r m t r a p

What happened yesterday happens today

switch off your TV and grab a microphone

What happened yesterday happens today

switch off your TV and grab a microphone

What happened yesterday happens today

switch off your TV and grab a microphone

What happened yesterday happens today

switch off your TV and grab a microphone

Because time is racing

He keeps telling you peace is coming just be patient

You want to wait these plans never succeed

Hersquoll pay you as much as you want to keep you quiet

And if you open your mouth one shot will silence you

what happened yesterdayزي ما صار مبارح

Zey ma sar mbareh

Stormtrap

null

2009

1728613

eng - Visit httpstormtrapbandcampcom

5756

اركض اركض وخليك راكض

واذا بتفتح متك رح يقلك خليك ساكت رح يقلك انساك من هاملشاكل

حوشوا هالشواك وضبوا شناتكم واشتروا التذاكرففكر شوي وما تكنش أهبل

وين ما تروح في الدنيا رح تتبهدلمش شايف قدامي عم بسمع أصوات بيسألني

ليش لسه عايش هون روح عيش محل تانيبدي احك بس الكلمات مش طالعة من لساني

عنصرية هونن عنصرية هناك عنصرية كل ما اطلع برا الشباك

شيطان بيعمل حاله مالكبس هو بالواقع بدو يعيش بالك

جدار بيمثل عقلية ناس بدهاش تعيش معاك

زي ما صار مبارح صار اليوم اطف التلفزيون امسك مايكروفون

ما مبثل شخص او اشخاص مبثل فكرةاسم احلرية حاملينه

من بلد ما فيه حياة عاديةسواءا ضد االحتالل أو ضد العنصرية

أصواتكم وينايي خلوها تنسمع وتطلع نتائج ايجابية

فكمل كتابة او تسجيل وصدقني شغلك مش رايح عالفاضي

عشان الشي الوحيد اللي رح يروح هو احن اذا منضلنا علقانني فاملاضي

s t o r m t r a p

Run run

Keep running

And if you decide to speak hersquoll tell you just stay silent

Hersquoll tell you forget these problems

Save up some money pack your bags and buy your tickets

Think about it donrsquot be a fool

Wherever you go yoursquoll get humiliated

I canrsquot see in front of me Irsquom hearing voices asking

Why are you still living here Go live somewhere else

I want to respond but the words wonrsquot come out

Racism here racism there

Racism each time I look out the window

A devil in an angelrsquos disguise

In reality he wants to live without you

The apartheid wall represents the mentality of a people who donrsquot care to coexist

What happened yesterday happens today

switch off your TV and grab a microphone

I dont represent a person or a people I represent an idea

An idea called freedom

From a land lacking a normal life

Whether yoursquore struggling against occupation or against racism

Where is your voice

Let it be heard to achieve your goals

So keep writing and recording

Believe me your work wonrsquot be lost in vain

The only thing thatrsquoll disappear is us

If we stay stuck in the past

Zey ma sar mbareh

Stormtrap

null

2009

1728613

eng - Visit httpstormtrapbandcampcom

5958

شو الي حدثجينا من حتت األرض

هيهة القصة بدة عنا هدفوننشر أصواتنا لكل حدا

جيت من حتت أرض رام اللهما ح وقف اكتب كلمات وال مرة

عندي طاقة الزم أطلعها كل يوم وكل ساعةفاو انبنى مع الوقت ولسة عم بيطور تصور

تصورفاو انبنى مع الوقت ولسة عم بيطور تصور

زي ما صار مبارح صار اليوم اطف التلفزيون امسك مايكروفون

زي ما صار مبارح صار اليوم اطف التلفزيون امسك مايكروفون

s t o r m t r a p

What happened

We came from underground

The story begins we have an objective

To spread our voices to everyone

I came from the ruins of Ramallah and

I wonrsquot ever stop writing words

I have energy that I must release every day every hour

A flow thatrsquos been built and is still developing imagine

Imagine a flow thatrsquos been built and is still developing

What happened yesterday happens today

Switch off your TV and grab a microphone

What happened yesterday happens today

Switch off your TV and grab a microphone

T r a n s l a t e d b y t h e a r t i s t

Zey ma sar mbareh

Stormtrap

null

2009

1728613

eng - Visit httpstormtrapbandcampcom

6160

Wake up the People

Donrsquot doubt it

The Maker can see you

Right now

You want to get out and see doe

So clouded

Sell out to be dope

Right now

I see you plagued by your own doubt

Canrsquot step the game up

Like a snake when it rolled down

Staircase of a lone child

No bricks lain in a cold house

Where you sold out

All alone on an old couch

t h e N a r c i c y s t

No click like an untapped phone dial

Oh wow

I felt the same homie

Donrsquot shelter pain only

Then it came slowly

Never let the frame hold me (down)

Picture life for the love though

People tend to look the other way like Columbo

We deceived by the law just to love doe

Guess they took all the worth out to numb folks

And make a severed plan

Out of bitter man

What you want a medal man

Huh Do you really think yoursquore better than Then

All you really need is a long look

Two sixteens and a strong hook like

brassThis track was originally written in English

null

2149748

6362

Wake up the People

Donrsquot doubt it

The Maker can see you

Right now

You want to get out and see doe

So clouded

Sell out to be dope

Right now

Break

Hip hop like a fresh pelvis

Yoursquore gonna regret this shit like a dead Elvis

Busy wishing you could live less selfish

Crabs in a bucket duckinrsquo these dead shellfish

Industry got a brother feeling helpless

With an ill chorus and ride yoursquore more in the tide

When a flow canrsquot keep me above the water

t h e N a r c i c y s t

Let a wave carry me out and push me farther now

Internal Inferno ten journals written but Irsquom still not sure though

Do I really want to tour to jump hurdles To be heard

So-I-Can-Feel-Like-This

Man therersquos something that I might miss--

Naw Irsquove been bluffinrsquo

Lifersquos backwards like Ben Buttonsrsquo

Irsquom in love with the stage fright on a strange night

Feels good to get the words on a page right

Wake up the People

Donrsquot doubt it

The Maker can see you

Right now

You want to get out and see doe

So clouded

Sell out to be dope

Right now

null

2149748

6564

مبارح شفت بلمنام بيروت عمتغرق حتت رماد بركان فحموا الناس بس ال raquoسكاي بارlaquo كان بعده ولعان

بيروت ثبتت حبة الثورة اللي فينا نبتت ملا أحبطت نفوسنا من اجلمود

فينا بيروت حتركت عدم دمارنا وعدم حرية خيارنا

بيوت بيروت تعمرت سكرنا عجفاف دموعنا جفوننا عليها تسكرت فتخمرت

إذا بطلت تطير قدرك عألرض مقهور إذا وقفت تكسير بتصير جزء من الديكور

e l R a s s

Yesterday I dreamt Beirut was drowning under volcanic ash

The people were turned to charcoal but Sky Bar [a posh Beirut club] was still lit up

Beirut suppressed the seed of the revolution the one that sprouted

When our spirits were foiled from immobility

In us Beirut moved

On the blood of our destruction and the negation of our freedom of choice

The houses of Beirut are rebuilt

We got drunk on the dryness of our tears our eyelids closed on them and fermented

If you stop flying your destiny on land is distress

If you stop breaking you become part of the decoration

beirutبركان بيروت rsquos volcano

Blues

2125713

6766

بحاور بناور باآلخر بواجه التاج بتوضى بصلي بتوصلني أصوات أنات احملتاج

تأمل العلم بعري العمل من العمل خياري عنار خفيفة دوب املسمار وتستوي األفكار النظيفة

عمروا دمروا زمروا تذمروا ربك صبره دربه جربه

عقلن خربوا غربوا هربوا وقبلوا بالفن عحيط الشارع

عشرط ما يكون في شك بشارع هيدي مش عاصمة ثقافة هيدي حلبة املصارع بيروت ال تعرف في املاضي وال تعرب باملضارع

حتول التركيبة خلى العقل اجلامد فكر حاله مالك املدينة رقبته طويلة متل مالك احلزين وايده لوزيري

اعتبر نفسه أول مني اكتشف هلجزيرة بأجر الفقير شقق بأسعار مدروسة

بشكل تضل طموحاته ممعوسة نهبوا األرض من ربعي وصارت احلرب شركة استثمار مبفعول رجعي

حتت شعار إعادة اإلعمار لو ما كان خلص دوره وانتهى عقد االيجار

كان احلريري ما طار وما صار مطار احلريري عاصمة لبنان بتوازن بني ضريحني

واتنيناتن عاغتيالن في عالمة استفهام e واحد قدس املوت بس لسبب l R a s s

I discuss I maneuver ultimately I confront the crown

I perform ablutions I pray I receive the moaning of the needy

The meditation of knowledge strips work from hope

My choice is on low fire melting the nails and clean thoughts are ripening

They built they destroyed they honked they complained

Your god made him patient tested him and trained him

Their minds ruined westernized chased off

They accepted art pissed on back alleys

As long as there is no doubt in the streets

This is no capital of culture itrsquos a wrestling ring

Beirut canrsquot speak of itself in the past nor conjugate itself in the present

Transitions and transformations made the closed mind think he owns the city

His neck is long like a stork his fingers long like a politicianrsquos

He thinks himself the first who discovered this peninsula

He lets the poor rent apartments at prices studied

To crush ambitions

They stole the land from my cousins

And the war became a backward-looking investment

Under the slogan of reconstruction

If his time wasnrsquot up and his contract finished

Hariri didnrsquot have to fly and it wouldnrsquot have become the Hariri airport

Lebanonrsquos capital keeps balance between two shrines

And on both assassinations there is a question mark

One sanctifies death but for a reason

Blues

2125713

6968

واحد قدس احلياة بس بالكذب واحد بايدو حتول الذهب سم وواحد تخبى من الذهب بالدم

مني الشهيد

اللي مات حتت صبابيط ثورة عبيد شهيد اللي مات فتحول على حملة اعالنات هدفها ترفع الطايفة معدالت التجنيد

قنابل بالبريد وصل سيوف علوريد حصل

املوت للبليد صنم الصبر للعنيد حلم تأليه الشهيد ظلم

خليط احلديد والدم العالج والسم الرفاه والهم النوعية والكم

الدعارة وورقة التوت مبدينة بيروت علم

e l R a s s

And one sanctifies life with lies

In onersquos hand gold turned into poison

And the other hid from gold with blood

Who is the martyr

The one who died under the shoes of the oppressedrsquos uprising is a martyr

Is it he whose death was transformed into an advertising campaign to raise the levels of

sectarian enlistment

Bombs came in the mail

Swords to the jugular true stories

Death to the cold is statuette

Patience to the stubborn is a dream

Divinity to the martyr is oppression

The mixture of steel and blood the cure and poison

Luxury and distress quality and quantity

Prostitution and modesty

The science of the city of Beirut

T r a n s l a t e d b y M o e A l i N a y e l amp + A z i z

Blues

2125713

7170

بقرأ في اجلريدة زفت شوارع جديدة

إزالة مطبات و كثير أشياء هيك مفيدة أشخاص مستفيدة

دعم من هون و من هون منظمات بس احلرية بعيدة

مقاطعة مستوطنات تعون الضفة الغربية وطنية حصرية إدعائية

طب و فلسطني التاريخية مع ألساس كانت القدس عاصمة الثقافة العربية

بس كلوحكي سياسية للشعب إحنا نتحمل الشغل و التعب و الوضع صعب

b o i k u t t

Irsquom reading in the paper

About roads newly paved

Speed bumps removed and a lot of other useful stuff (yes very)

Certain inviduals benefit

Funding from here and there

Organizations are plentiful but freedom is far-fetched

Calling for a boycott of settlements around the West Bank

Pretentious exclusive nationalism

But what about historical Palestine

I thought Jerusalem was supposed to be the ldquocapital of Arab cultureldquo

But itrsquos all political speeches for the people

We put up with the work and the sweat and itrsquos rough

a letterرسالة من مقاطعة from boikutt

risaleh mn muqataa (pt1)

boikutt

null

2010

1086983

eng - iTunPGAP0

eng - iTunNORM 00000A1E 00000A0E 000099D9 000098A0 0000CC63 0000CC63 0000826D 000080B0 000131D0 000131D0

eng - iTunSMPB 00000000 00000210 000008F3 000000000049197D 00000000 0027BA9D 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000

7372

يقنعونا إن كلشي متام و بقدر أعيش حياة عادية

زي في األفالم على مبس واحد إثنني ثالثة أربعة إلخ

كن منيح و بتنزل عليك املصاري زخ نصيحة من أخ ألخ

خليك مستقل ألن اللعبة إنلعب فإبعد عن الفخ

خليهم يقعدوا يستنوا الدعم ليموتوا يلفلفوا داخل اجلدار حلد ما يفوتوا

في متاهات مبسافات مش محددة مجددة لتوسع التوسع مش مهددة

إنتهاك احتالل بس مش على الكل

في ناس في فلسطني هون حياتهم زي الفل مش عارف شو بيفكر

شكلوا مش داري شي يوم حنروح كل الدكاكني هي حتسكر

سالم

b o i k u t t

Try to convince me that everythingrsquos fine

And that I can lead a normal life

Like in the movies

On MBC one two three four etcetera

Be good and money will rain on you

Advice from one brother to another

Stay independent because the games are being played

So steer clear of the trap

Let them wait for foreign aid until they die

Spinning in circles within the apartheid wall until they enter

Into unlimited mazes with unspecified spaces

That are renewed to fit settlement expansion unthreatened

Violation occupation

But not for everyone

There are people here in Palestine living ldquothe good lifeldquo

I donrsquot know what hersquos thinking

Seems like he doesnrsquot know one day wersquoll be gone

And all these shops will close

Peace

T r a n s l a t e d b y t h e a r t i s t w i t h L o u b n a B i l a l i

risaleh mn muqataa (pt1)

boikutt

null

2010

1086983

eng - iTunPGAP0

eng - iTunNORM 00000A1E 00000A0E 000099D9 000098A0 0000CC63 0000CC63 0000826D 000080B0 000131D0 000131D0

eng - iTunSMPB 00000000 00000210 000008F3 000000000049197D 00000000 0027BA9D 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000

7574

الضغط عاليالعدو فات جاري احملادثات

صمت دوليكمية الغازى عم تزداد

تهجير جديد مولود جديدتكرر عزو مش تارك ورا شي مفيد غير غراب

من كل البيت ما تركو شي إال البابمن االرض ل سما مسافة عاليه

إمشي الصحرا وعد لياليوجنوما

كمشوا رئيس دولة بجورةحصار

توزيع مخدراتباألحمر تلون الفرات سجون معتقالتقبلة الوداع مع الصبات

تنصت بالشبكة خيانات باألزهر

k a t i b e h 5

The pressure is high

The enemy has entered discussions are taking place

Global silence

The numbers of the occupier are increasing

A new expulsion A newborn child

The perpetuation of an invasion that leaves behind it nothing of any use except for a crow

From an entire house they left nothing but the door

From the ground to the sky is a long distance

Walk the desert and count the nights

And its stars

They caught a president in a pit

Siege

Drug dealing the Euphrates is stained red prisons detention centers

A farewell kiss with a shoe

Networks wiretapped betrayals in Al Azhar

hold me back ifهديني اذا فيك you can

null

23098943

7776

حوار أديانالكف تنجس

متسح فيه وجك مع كل شروق عالوضوءتسمع شرارة فتيل مولوتوف ينادي أصوات تتلبى

باإلنفجار

هديني إذا فيك صرت موجود بكل مكانوجي مغبش عامل زي جيش زباتا

منصرخ بوجكم raquoاحلرية ل برغوتيlaquoإعالمكو بيعرفني كلماتكو حملت إسمي

شركاتكو بتهرب مني )كتيبه خمسه هديتي إذا فيك(

بتالقيني بني والد حفظوا غنية املخيماتبنفسية فالح عمال يزو املدينة

افالم تافهةبرنامج تافه

بتدور على مخك بتالقي مش موجوداخلليج يتحكم بإعالم

هادول حبوب التنومي ٦1 سنة بعدن مش شغالني

عالمادامك واخد وجهة نظري

ع محمل اجلدمسموح لك تستعجب وتظهر إنزعاجك بوجودي

ألني صديق لكل املشاهد الغير مرغوبة فيهاش بيختار حياتو بالتحديد بحكيلك هيك منحياها ومحد

ضغط رصاص وابارود بخليكاش حتيدالتجارب بتدلك عطريق

هديتي إذا فيك

k a t i b e h 5

A dialogue of religions

The hand is tainted

And with it you cleanse your face at ablution each sunrise

You hear the sparking of the fuse of a molotov calling voices respond

Explosion

Hold me back if you can I have become present everywhere

My face is concealed like the army of Zapata

We shout in your face ldquoFreedom for Barghoutildquo

Your media knows me your words have glimpsed my name

Your corporations flee from me

(Katibe Khamseh hold me back if you can)

Yoursquoll find me among children that have memorized the song ldquoAl Moukhayamatldquo

In the persona of a peasant that is visiting the city

Shallow films

Shallow programs

You look for your mind but you find it is not there

The Gulf controls media with its boundaries

These sleeping pills 61 years and theyrsquore still not effective

Great

As long as you are taking my point of view seriously

Yoursquore allowed to be taken aback and to show your irritation

Just like you show your irritation at my presence

Because I am a friend to all the images that are not desirable

This is how we live out these images and no one chooses their life specifically Irsquoll tell you

The pressure of bullets and gunpowder does not allow you to move away

Experience will guide you on the road

Hold me back if you can

null

23098943

7978

موقف واحد صريح من صميم روح لشعوب املقاومة ضمير ظهور البشرية

السبيل صعب ورا الغضبدعم لكل أسالوب محارب

د لنحرق نظامك منتدرب منجرب منخرب منستععم نحرق نظامك

هديتي إذا فيك

إطلع منيحمش رح تقدر توخذ كل شي من أول نظرة

نظرة عامة raquoبشرة مش بيضةlaquoجبني عريضة مكتوب مولود عنيد بالفطرة

فوت بالتقاليد عد التجاعيدلك هاي مش أول مرة

لغات ودراسات حط العلم بغالفمش رح تقدر تفهم ليه بعد في بارود ع الكتافلون األرض ولون الليل بيعطيك البني و السواد

بوعدك مش لوحدي رح أضل عد رماد الال اللعبة اجلديدة وال والدنا ع اللعبة جداد

بكفيش إنفلونزا الصقور صار في إنفلونزا اخلنازيرموسم مرض جديد لرئيس مبثل ع نفوس ومريض بهدوء البيض

هديتي إذا فيك

k a t i b e h 5

A single honest stance from the bottom of the soul for the people of the resistance the conscience

that exposes humanity

The path is difficult when following anger

A support for every style of battle

We train we strive we disrupt we prepare to burn your system

We are burning your system

Hold me back if you can

Look closely

You wonrsquot be able to see it all at first sight

An overview ldquocomplexion that is not whiteldquo

A broad forehead written born stubborn by nature

Look at the traditions and count the wrinkles

This is not the first time

Languages and scholarship put education under wraps

You wonrsquot be able to understand why there is still gunpowder on shoulders

The color of earth and the color of night gives you brown and blackness

I promise you that I will not be alone to count the ashes no

This game to us is not new and nor are our children new to the game

As if the influenza of eagles was not enough now therersquos the influenza of pigs

The season of a new disease for a president acting for a public and sick with the

calmness of white people

Hold me back if you can

null

23098943

8180

اإلحتالل نكه البشر بنكهة املجاريبالسالم حوار أديانبإقرار ملكية كذابة

بتشويه تاريخ وسرقة حضاراتولك أه

فلسطني إفريقيا الدجلة والفراتإجتاه البشرية لإلضمحالل سرطان بشري بعضها

الشتا ميسح اخلطايا واآلثاروليش بتتخبى وبتتغطى بنفس كل سفارة سميك الستار

لساتني باكل الضربة ورا الضره ورا الضربةوحتى ما أفعل وأساوي تكمشني الرجفة

بدل ما أضرب فيك بضرب بحاليبوعدكش حضلني كامش حالي حفلتها

حفلتها

هديني إذا فيك هديني إذا فيكهديني إذا فيك

k a t i b e h 5

The occupation has seasoned humanity with the flavor of sewers

With peace with dialogue of religions

With the declaration of false ownership

With the distortion of history and the theft of civilizations

Oh yes

Palestine Africa the Tigris and Euphrates

Humanity is leading to reduction a human cancer bites it

Exile wipes clean the sins and the traces

And why are you hiding and seeking cover when all the embassies are already well concealed

I am still taking one beating after another

And so that I donrsquot take action and do something shudders grip my body

Instead of beating you I beat myself

I canrsquot promise you that I can keep myself restrained

Irsquom gonna let go

Hold me back if you can

Hold me back if you can

Hold me back if you can

T r a n s l a t e d b y R i m a N a j d i a n d F a y s a l B i b i

null

23098943

8382

طول عمر الشعب املصري مع بعض أحلك الظروفبص وفر في التاريخ وانت ياما هاتشوف

الدين ده ليا وليكوفيا وفيك

حاجة روحانية بتخليك حتس اللي بيك

ايد في ايد نبني فيها من جديد

مصر زعلت علي حاصل وسطنا مش مفيد

بعد ثورة وبعد عيد فتنة تقتل حلم واتتحقق لنا

واحد اتننيالذكري بتعيش اكتر من عمر االنسان

بصمتنا تغييرنا جوة وبرة امليدان مش هانضيع نصر ثورتنا بفتنة نشئت بينا

A r a b i a n K n i g h t s + M C G a z a + A m e e r

The Egyptian people have always stuck together

Through the worst times look at history

And see how often wersquove been there for each other

That whole idea of religion

Is for you and for me something spiritual that makes you feel whatrsquos inside you

Hand in hand

We build Egypt up again

Egypt is angry at whatrsquos happening between us

Itrsquos not helpful

After the revolution after the celebration

Sectarian strife is killing the dream we fulfilled

One two

The memory lasts more than a lifetime

Our mark is our change in and outside Tahrir Square

We wonrsquot give up the victory of our revolution in exchange for sectarian strife between

us

hand inايد في ايد hand

Eid Fe Eid

Yasser Ameer Youssef Rush E Money amp MCGaza | by BOGEY

Single Hit track 11

20112011

Hip-Hop

24002867

eng - Hip-Hop 4 Life

eng - iTunNORM 000005E2 0000058E 0000424E 00003537 00026E95 0001C2B3 00008000 00008000 00005045 00005045

8584

بلدنا محتجانا ايدنا واحدة ضد احملنة تفرق ايه معاك ديانتي ملا ربك هو ربي

اصلك هو اصلي ارضك هي ارضي

ملا اتقال لي اكتت فيول فتنة انا قولت غلط علشان الفتنة مفتعلة في بلدنا وكان وراها غرض

فالفرد افترض فبفرض السياسة األمر اختلط

فالزم يبقي املصل سياسي من اصل املرض العسس واحلرس مافرقوش صليب وهالل

وكنا كلنا واحد وراء االقفالدم الشهيد شاهد

ياما بالفتنة انكسرنا وحدتنا بصوت واحد وضد الظلم انتصرنا

وديني هو ديني صلة بيني وبني ربي هارفع علمي وارفع راسي فوق

انا مصري

ايد في ايد نبني فيها من جديد

مصر زعلت علي حاصل وسطنا مش مفيد

بعد ثورة وبعد عيد فتنة تقتل حلم واتتحقق لنا

خلو حمامة السالم من الطيور املنقرضةعلشان تبقي القلوب مبتعدة منقسمه سهل تتسم

فكرين مناعة و قوة أم الدنيا بالطمع مرتبطةنسر املصريني ليس له دين احنا بنحميها بالدم

العنف بذوره بتكتر عاوز يوصل واحلروب حتصل

A r a b i a n K n i g h t s + M C G a z a + A m e e r

Our country needs us all together against the hard times

What difference does my religion make to you when your god is my god

Your origin is mine

Your land is my land

When they told me about sectarian strife I said thatrsquos wrong

Because itrsquos been planted in our country and behind it is some purpose

Makes one think somethingrsquos going on

By playing politics everythingrsquos gotten mixed up

The antidote has to be political just like the poison itself

The military doesnrsquot distinguish between cross and crescent

Wersquore all held together behind bars

The blood of the martyrs bears witness

To how much wersquove been broken by sectarianism

Through our unity we triumphed with one voice over injustice

And my religion is my own a rapport between me and God

Irsquoll raise my flag and my head up

Irsquom Egyptian

Hand in hand

We build Egypt up again

Egypt is angry at whatrsquos happening between us

Itrsquos not helpful

After the revolution after the victory

Sectarian strife is killing the dream we fulfilled

They drove the dove of peace to extinction

To keep hearts apart and divided itrsquos easy to poison them

Do they really think the resilience and strength of Egypt is connected to greed

The Egyptian eagle has no religion we protect it with our blood

The roots of violence are increasing want to gain control to start wars

Eid Fe Eid

Yasser Ameer Youssef Rush E Money amp MCGaza | by BOGEY

Single Hit track 11

20112011

Hip-Hop

24002867

eng - Hip-Hop 4 Life

eng - iTunNORM 000005E2 0000058E 0000424E 00003537 00026E95 0001C2B3 00008000 00008000 00005045 00005045

8786

للعاقيدة يكسر وألعضاء املشاعر تتشال تصتأصلعلى كالم ربهم اتكبرو فعملو قدر واتقدر

وقته مستنينه ليه خططوا مضمون الرسائل اتغير الن الهدف هو تدمير قعدة الوحدهوقتل كل قائد يقود الناس بره احملنه

فيبقي سهل يزيحنا ميحي أوصول عليها كبرناوكل واحد علي حداه يقول أنا محدش يقول احنا

فاببطء بحرص بص بعقل بحذر شوفقبل ما يخلوا خيالك يتخلله اخلوف

واخلوف ده افراز بيطلع من غده ملا الكلب بيشوفهابيعرف انك فاريسه سهل ياكلها ركز

فرق تسد إخلعوفق جتد إرفع

ثورة تقدصمت يفرد- يفرق

ما بيجمع بيننامن حقي النقد من حقك - تسمع

طب إسمع وراجع ما صور التاريخ طب باله بيكفي صور زمانييوم حصار كنيسة املهد مني دافع مني اتقمع مني اتنفا

مسلم مسيحي أل كان فلسطيني اتذكر معي ثورة غضب يناير

اتذكر معي الوحدة اإليد الوحدة اتشرف انتا مصرياتذكر معي األخ بإيد األخ يحمي األخ بدون إلخ

كالمي ماشي ماشي ال-لتفهمني بهويتي مسلم وال نصراني قبطي

ما في حجة لربطي خلبطي حلطي ألوطي ألغير خطيخير أجناد األرض

من أرض بيت املقدس كل السالم بعد ما قلت إلنقسام في وطنيانا ملزم أقول ال لفتنة

تفتت مجد شعب تعب عانى ضحى بالغالي حتى بناه

A r a b i a n K n i g h t s + M C G a z a + A m e e r

The relationship between Egyptians breaks down and the organs that feel are taken out

They got full of themselves in the name of their god and invented a new fate for us

Theyrsquore waiting for a time and theyrsquore plotting The meaning of their messages changes

Because the goal is to destroy the foundation of unity

And kill every leader who takes the people out of hard times

Itrsquos easy to remove us to wipe out the traditions we grew up with

Everyone on his own everyone says ldquoIldquo and no one says ldquoweldquo

Slowly carefully look Wisely with caution see

Before they make your imagination a slave to fear

And that fear releases a secretion from a gland

And when the dog sees it he knows yoursquore easy prey

Divide yoursquoll conquer

Bring harmony and yoursquoll reap Start

A revolution and it will catch on

Silence is solitary It divides

It doesnrsquot bring us together

It is my right to criticize and your right to listen

So listen and look back at history or better look at my life time

The day the Nativity Church was under siege who was persecuted Who was exiled

A Muslim A Christian No he was Palestinian

Letrsquos remember the angry revolution of January

Letrsquos remember the unity the one hand Be proud yoursquore Egyptian

Remember the brother holding hands with a brother protecting a brother

And I can go on

Donrsquot teach me about my identity whether Irsquom a Muslim or a Christian Copt

Therersquos no excuse to tie me down beat me to make me cower and kneel and stray from my courseThe Earthrsquos most virtuous soldiers

Come from the land of Bayt al-Maqdis [Jerusalem] I salute you After I said no to division in my countryIrsquom committed to saying no to seditionThat dissolves the glory of a people who labored suffered sacrificed what was most dear to build it

T r a n s l a t e d b y A l e x O r t i z + A h m e d S h a w k e t + K h a l e d A l H i l l i

Eid Fe Eid

Yasser Ameer Youssef Rush E Money amp MCGaza | by BOGEY

Single Hit track 11

20112011

Hip-Hop

24002867

eng - Hip-Hop 4 Life

eng - iTunNORM 000005E2 0000058E 0000424E 00003537 00026E95 0001C2B3 00008000 00008000 00005045 00005045

8988

الفن واملواهب زي حرب الكواكب الكل عايز يكون جنم صراع في الداخل

بهدي جنون العظمة بفلفل حر توابل تسيل دموع زي القنابل

زي مابتكلم وداني شغالة كون سامع نبض الشارع علشان أ

حالف أقضي على اإلعالم املتآمر مغامر في الكالم بس إنت مش سامع

ملا بأمسك القلم والورقة الهم بينزاح مخي بيرتاح بأقول اللي على البال

ملا بأقعد بحس بتأنيب ضمير كون في ستوديو بسجل على بيت خطير مفروض أ

e l D e e b + S t o r m t r a p

Art and talent are like Star Wars

Secretly everyone wants to be a star of conflict

I make megalomania tranquil with chilli hot spices

Tears flow like bombs

Thatrsquos how I talk and the world keeps moving

So that I can hear the pulse of the streets

Irsquove sworn to obliterate the media conspirators

I am adventurous in my speech but you do not hear

When I hold the pen and the paper my anxiety is lifted

My mind relaxes and I say whatrsquos on it

When I sit down I feel guilty

I should be in the studio recording dangerous beats

addictأدمان الشهرة ion to fame

Edman El Shuhra

Stormtrap amp Mohamed El Deeb

2011

Hip-Hop

15305855

- vocals Mohamed El Deeb Stormtrap13produced by Stormtrap

9190

إحساس غريب إنك تدمن الكالم ارسم يا فنان واخترع زي دافينشي الرسام

ولو مفيش ورقة باستخدم تليفوني خايف إن فكرة متعديش على صوتي

دنيا غريبة يوم مر يوم بونبوني بس أنا عمري ماغيرت لوني

املوسيقى بنادولي وبطابعي فضولي مهما قالوا لي هافهمها مبفهومي فـساعات أالقي نفسي بكلم نفسي واسمع أصوات غريبة في دماغي

وهو ده الصدى الصوت اللي بسمعه اكن مفيش حد فارقة معاه احالمي

شوف شوف مش هدف إنو أنا شخصيا أنا

هدفي انه كلماتي وموسيقتي تنتشرعشان هيك حتشوفني دوما مستمر مستثمر

كل وقتي كل طاقتي على أصواتي خوذ شك خوذ حتويل خوذ كاش

بس ما تنساش أي شي بيتعلق بالواقع بدناش ما تخاف ألنها قضيتنا مش منسية مية باملية هايذي ثورة كمان ثقافية

خليني أوضح هاي املوسيقى مش معمولة للتلفازeهاي املوسيقى مش معمولة لهز الطياز l D e e b + S t o r m t r a p

Strange feeling to be out of words

Paint oh artist and discover like Da Vinci the artist

If I donrsquot have paper I use my cell

I am afraid that the idea does not come through my voice

Strange world one day is bitter another like candy

But Irsquove never changed my color

Music is my Tylenol and my nature curious

So whatever they tell me Irsquoll understand it my way

Sometimes I find myself talking to myself

And I hear weird voices in my head

Which is just the echo of the sound I hear

As if no one cares about my dreams

See see

My goals are not self serving

My goal is that my words and music spread

Thatrsquos why yoursquoll see me always and continuously investing

All my time my energy on my sounds

Take a check take a transfer take cash

But never forget anything related to reality wersquore not interested

Donrsquot be afraid because our cause is not forgotten

One hundred percent this is also a cultural revolution

Let me explain this music is not meant to be televised

This music is not made for booty shaking

Edman El Shuhra

Stormtrap amp Mohamed El Deeb

2011

Hip-Hop

15305855

- vocals Mohamed El Deeb Stormtrap13produced by Stormtrap

9392

مش فاهم ليش الكل قاتل حاله يكون في مسابقةحابني نتصابح حياكم زات املكافحة

واالعالم ميت ع حيالله قصة ما بيدرس هالقصة من نصها

وبعدن بينفخهامش احلق علينا اذا ما بيبحثوا

وملا يبدوا يحكوا عنا أل عنجد بيبعصوابيفكروا انه كل شي هشك بشك

بس حدن الزم يقلهم انه الهب هوب مش هيكبدك تدير بالك عشانها هاي اللحظة احلاسمة

ملا يجوا عليك الديب والعاصفةنكسر حدود وبنبني وحدة عشان نحيي مجتماعاتنا

وننهي معانتناعشان هيك منكتب كلمات صريحة والها معنى

مش للشهرة مش حتى يجي حدن يدفعلنا

e l D e e b + S t o r m t r a p

I donrsquot understand why everyone is killing themselves to be in the contest

Wersquod like to say goodmorning to salute you in this same struggle

The mediarsquos dying for any story

But they donrsquot study the storyrsquos real text

And then they blow it out of proportion

Itrsquos not our fault if they donrsquot search

And when they talk about us then they really screw it up

They think everything is empty pointless

Somebody needs to tell them that hip hop is not like that

You should take care because this is the critical moment

When the wolf and storm come haunting you

We break borders and we create a unity to revitalize our communities

And stop our suffering

That is why we write frank words that have meaning

Itrsquos not for fame or even so that someone pays us

T r a n s l a t e d b y N i z a r G h a n e m

Edman El Shuhra

Stormtrap amp Mohamed El Deeb

2011

Hip-Hop

15305855

- vocals Mohamed El Deeb Stormtrap13produced by Stormtrap

9594

حضل عهل مود يعنيما إنتلك النجوم عم تقرب

بهل ال مود حكون عطول لبهل جنوم إدءر لو مضطر شن هجوم عل النجوم كلها

خللي األرض تدور حول أصبعي تنلك

ما إنتلك متلي متلك مولع طيار ألفكاري من العقدي تنفك فرد قعدي بني 4 حيطان ما بتنهز و منها ما بنهز

يلز املا بينلزالكاس عل الطاولي و منو عم مز مز

لتفتل براصي وحس من حالي عم كز كزعل ورقة كالمي مدروس و ما بزت زت بجرب ما عيد حالي متا يقولو عم نق نق

موزع قافياتي جواز كأن عم فت فت

بهل األطشة خلي الديني اللي تسمعني ترن رنFبسبيلي جاري يوم ع يوم عم برك رك a r e e q e l A t r a s h

Irsquoll stay in this mood

Didnrsquot I tell you The stars are getting closer

Irsquoll stay in this mood until I touch these stars

Even if I have to launch an attack on all the stars

Irsquoll make the Earth rotate around my finger I told you

Didnrsquot I tell you Irsquom just like you I lit up a joint so my ideas would untie their knot

Sitting this way in between four walls I wonrsquot budge

The most delectable

Drink is on the table from which Irsquom taking sips

Till my head starts spinning and Irsquom sick of myself

On the paper my words are calculated I donrsquot just toss them about

I try not to repeat myself so they wonrsquot say Irsquom nagging

I deal my rhymes out like theyrsquore cards

In this verse Irsquoll make those ears ring

My fountain is running and every day I excel

tالنجوم عم تقرب he stars are gett ing closer

null

29781717

9796

لضل ماشي جالس بينما غيري عم بلك لك شريط معلق ريحة العة عم بتفح فحكل ما فتح متو بتالقي عم بكب كب

عايشها إرهاب و مفي إال بسب سببزبالتي ما بكبو تيكون بعلمك

األالف مسم و بحياتو ما بينسم بزقة من هل التم تخلي سقفك ينش نش

تلمو ردم و ما تفكر إنو ترد رد و عم بحكي عالواطي متا الصالي فيك ترج رج

بطبعي عاقل بس بالراب بزل زل عل الرايق بال ما نط وال فز فز

type of shitعال بارد أبرد من شباط بس يقز قزتخلي عضامك ع بعض تسك سك

ما إنتلك النجوم عم تقرب بهل ال مود حكون عطول لبهل جنوم إدءر

لو مضطر شن هجوم عل النجوم كلهاخللي األرض تدور حول أصبعي تنلك

أنا متنبئ بنبه و بحقق ما قلتلك بعد وقتها ما عم نكت

عاملكرفون إبرة هرون عم بشكشك في شكcheck one two

هيك بدسدس عالنبض

F a r e e q e l A t r a s h

So I can walk straight when others are still playing

A broken record that reeks of a musty smell

Every time he opens his mouth he spews them out

He lives in terror and all he does is curse

I wouldnrsquot throw him in my garbage just so you know

Irsquove irritated thousands and never been irritated in my life

One spit out of this mouth will make your roof leak

And yoursquoll pick up the rubble and donrsquot even think about answering back

Irsquom talking in a low voice so the hall wonrsquot shake with you in it

Irsquom reasonable by nature but when it comes to rap I humiliate cold-heartedly

Without jumping or leaping around

I do it coldly colder than icy February-type of shit

Irsquoll make your bones rattle against each other

Didnrsquot I tell you The stars are getting closer

Irsquoll stay in this mood until I touch these stars

Even if I have to launch an attack on all the stars

Irsquoll make the Earth rotate around my finger I told you

Irsquom a psychic I predict and deliver

Didnrsquot I tell you to stand back when Irsquom not joking

Irsquom pricking the microphone with a heroin needle Is there any doubt

Check one two

Thatrsquos how I feel the pulse

null

29781717

9998

بدقق و زتزت حكي بتزجزج كأنها مزهزها عم بتشمشم عم خطط عم تكتيك و مني ملحلح من هون للساعة توقف تك تيك تك تيك

لك ليك منفخ حاله عامبيكازيب عا غيري بس بوجهي بتاءتإوجهه بيباءبإ من أد ما بعصب بسبسب

زر إنذار إذني بتطنطن و بشوف من عالباب عم بدقدق

عكروت بدو يفوت ليشوف الفن فني بس الفن هون بجسمي معبأ

من حلقي طايف و من متي عم بت شرشر و بيس البيس زلزال برجرج خليك تضبضب تنضب بالبيت لتكنكن

و أنا متأسف ألني بدي استأذن بس بعد شفت كابتشينو بتصحصح

ما إنتلك النجوم عم تقرببهل ال مود حكون عطول لبهل جنوم إدءر

لو مضطر شن هجوم عل النجوم كلهاخللي األرض تدور حول أصبعي تنلك

هيدا هب هوبمش هبل و ال بهل

هيدا زجل تتغزل في

ورايي إيقاع عليي إتبع و ما إطلع عنو يا بصير متل غير مسيس

زقفوا مع االيقاعزقفوا مع االيقاع

F a r e e q e l A t r a s h

Checking and hurling words that tickle as if I was high and sniffing

I am planning and scheming and Irsquom not going anywhere till the clock stops ticking

Look hersquos so full of it lying to others but in my face he stutters

And his face turns red from all the anger and he curses

My earsrsquo alarm bells start ringing

And I go to see whorsquos knocking at the door

Some bastard who wants to see where ldquothe artldquo is

But the art is right here packed in my body

Flowing from my throat running out of my mouth

And the bass is an earthquake that shakes and forces you to pack up and go home

And Irsquom sorry because I need to take leave

But after a sip of cappuccino yoursquoll come around

Didnrsquot I tell you The stars are getting closer

Irsquoll stay in this mood

Until I touch these stars even if I have to launch an attack on all the stars

Irsquoll make the Earth rotate around my finger I told you

This is hip hop

Itrsquos not stupid nor dumb

Itrsquos zajal [a form of Arabic poetry in the Levant]

That you flirt with

There is a beat that I have to follow canrsquot lose it or Irsquoll be like other MCs

Clap with the beat

Clap with the beat

T r a n s l a t e d b y K h a l e d A l H i l l i

null

29781717

101100

انا ببلعهم بتفهم وال مره بسبهمبخليهم داميا يضاربو بتفكيرهم

أنا وراهم قدامهم جنابهم محتلهممش طايقهم مرات وزنهم بكون منزلهم

مرتبهم صاففهم وبقلم أنا حاكمهم زاتتهم مش عاجبيني أنا ماحيهم قائدهم وبنفس الوقت أنا عبيدهم

وبفك وربط أنا بلعب مبعانيهمانا حاميهم بأسطر اللي تقويهم

انا واعدهم اني أستر على فاضحهم ومطلعهم بصوره اللي تبشعهم

بس أنا محترمهم وبسطور ساجنهم مكتفهم كأسير بجنازير القهر

ومهديهم بحبل اللي يبشر بالصبر وانا لي الفخر أكون الشوك اللي فيهم

Dوأكون القهر اللي داميا يسقيهم A M

Yo this is dedicated to the lyrics

Irsquom swallowing them spitting them never dissing them

Giving them freedom of speech

Irsquom behind them in front of them because of them always standing with them

Sometimes get sick of them sick of how you abuse them

Gather them in line with my pen I order them

Didnrsquot like it Throwing them out and replacing them

Irsquom their leader and also their slave

Small changes make huge differences

I train them in pages to make them strong

Promising to use them not abuse them

Or allow the wrong mouths to utter them

Approach them with a military mind and find peace in them

Irsquom lucky to be full of thorns and even luckier that I found the lyrics

So theyrsquoll help me find the roses in me

wordsكلمات

null

26837427

103102

raquoالكل سمعك بس السؤال اذا اللي سمعك فهمكlaquoكلمات ليست كالكلمات بل raquoعالماتlaquo

اللي توجهنا وين مابدنا عحبال السيرك هي تثبتنا ريح العالم من كل جهه اذا احنا ضعاف بتوقعنا بس

raquoأل بلمره ألlaquo raquoكلمات عندي طنlaquoكل واحده الها هدف اخدت حرف عحرف

نسجت جمل اللي البسهم وقت البرد raquoراح اضلني اناديlaquo raquoبنحكي كلماتlaquo

انت بتعرف انهم مبنصب شهاد بحكو املاضي وتنبوا حاضر أي بالد

قد ماحكيت قد ما أحكي فش كالم يغطي بسفي كالم يربي وينمي انت بس أروي

في شوف انه قوه والقوه بتقويفيك و أن رويته مصيره يسقيك )مثل للقوه( العدو من أمامكم

والبحر من ورائكم فال تخيبوا أسيادكمفأين أشعاركم وأين مجادلتكم

فأنتم تسكتون وتخمدون أحالمكم)انهي( نهيت ورجعت للعامية بكلمات

مرمية طالعه من عقليه شعبيهمتل جنيب اللي بذاكرة كل واحد محفوظ مدروس واذا أل معناته في خلل معكوس

عاملجتمع اللي قمع كتاباته Dاللي سمح لنسيانه يشيل خطواته A M

ldquoThey all hear you but few listen to youldquo

Lyrics ainrsquot just a bunch of words they are ldquosignsldquo

Leading us stabilizing us on tight ropes

Winds every way if we are thin we will fall

ldquoBut hell noldquo ldquoyou can measure my words in tonsldquo

Every word has a meaning I knitted a letter with another letter

Made warm sentences to wear in cold days

ldquoSo Irsquoll still shoutldquo ldquowe control lyricsldquo

You know lyrics are like a witness

They witnessed the past and forecast the future

As much as I said or say I canrsquot describe them

But there is a way to find the description and thatrsquos through them

Quench the thirst of the pages with them

So in the future itrsquoll quench your thirst

Keep feeding them as soon as they grow up

Theyrsquoll give you strength

ldquoExample for the strengthldquo

ldquoThe enemy is before you the sea is behind you

So donrsquot you dare disappoint our ancestors

Where are our deep poems Where are our strong statements

From generation to generation we kill our dreamsldquo

ldquoEnough philosophizingldquo ok lets get back to street talk

Words coming outta simple minds

Like Najeeb Mahfuz [literally lsquowell-rememberedrsquo also a famous author]

They keep living in our minds

And if you donrsquot know who he is - then I rest my case

null

26837427

105104

raquoالكل سمعك بس السؤال اذا اللي سمعك فهمكlaquoكلمات ليست كالكلمات بل raquoعالماتlaquo

اللي توجهنا وين مابدنا عحبال السيرك هي تثبتنا ريح العالم من كل جهه اذا احنا ضعاف بتوقعنا بس

raquoأل بلمره ألlaquo raquoكلمات عندي طنlaquoكل واحده الها هدف اخدت حرف عحرف

نسجت جمل اللي البسهم وقت البرد raquoراح اضلني اناديlaquo raquoبنحكي كلماتlaquo

ألف با كبايه أوعك تكسرهاامسكها للنهاية وكل ما تفضى مليها

كلمه أو رواية ومع املراحل زيدها شيحكاية وهيك ضلك زود فيها

وجيبها لتجمعاتك وساعتها استعملها لنقاشاتك وملواقفك استخدمها

هادي مدافعك اللي مداها بسيطرتك وما دافعك انه ما تخليها رايتك

ما هي تكتب ما هي توصف ما هي تكذب ما هي تنصف

ما هي هي الهروب هياللجوء هي الدروب هي

العبور باحلدود واللي مبرؤهم مبدع وبفوز باخللود واللي بسرقهم مش مقنع

واذا بتديهم احلرية بنادوك ممنوعDواذا بتوخد احلريه بنادوك مسموح A M

ldquoThey all hear you but few listen to youldquo

Lyrics ainrsquot just a bunch of words they are ldquosignsldquo

Leading us stabilizing us on tight ropes

Winds every way if we are thin we will fall

ldquoBut hell noldquo ldquoyou can measure my words in tonsldquo

Every word has a meaning I knitted a letter with another letter

Made warm sentences to wear in cold days

ldquoSo Irsquoll still shoutldquo ldquowe control lyricsldquo

The Arabic alphabet is like a glass donrsquot break it

Hold it tight and keep filling it

And then bring it to our arguments

Scream till your throat gets dry and then wet it

It holds our body itrsquos like our legs

If you stand for nothing yoursquoll fall for anything

The words write create

They kill lead and sometimes even lie

You can use them to build borders

And those who are gifted

Can use them to walk through borders

And in some governments

Itrsquos forbidden to give words freedom

But if you choke them and kill them

Thatrsquos allowed

F i g u r a t i v e t r a n s l a t i o n o f f e r e d b y t h e a r t i s t s

null

26837427

107106

further reading

The tracks presented in this document are not a comprehensive sampling of the genre of the market of hip hop in Arabic or of hip hop and rap in the wider Middle East

Artists featured here hail from Egypt Lebanon Palestine and the anglophone Arab diaspora The thriving North African hip hop scene is not represented nor is the work of the established francophone Arab diaspora nor the expanding hip hop scenes of especially Iran or Turkey

This collection does not attempt a comprehensive chronology Tracks featured here are not primarily new releases (though some are) neither are they all ldquoclassicsrdquo These limitations of scope are important to note

Many tracks of the popular Libyan group Ibn Thabitt and other groups from across the region have been translated and are hosted with commentary on the notable blog

revolutionaryarabrapblogspotcom

Another valuable resource is the Beirut-based blog by Jackson Allers ldquoBeats and Breathrdquo which features articulate critiques and reviews of events and releases from the region

jacksonallerswordpresscom

Hass Dennaoui (alias Big Hass) who recently launched started the first all hip-hop FM radio show in Saudi Arabia Laish Hip Hop (Why Hip Hop) manages a lively blog which

hosts an internet feed of his radio show and interviews with MCs and influential hip hop figures from around the world

revoltradioblogspotcom

Lebaneseundergroundcom hosts coverage of underground music in Lebanon including hip hop

And finally an excellent article by Hishaam Aidi on implications of the use of hip hop as foreign policy ldquoThe Grand (Hip-Hop) Chessboard Race Rap and Raison DrsquoEtatrdquo was published in The Middle East Report Fall 2011 Excerpts of the piece were published by Al Jazeera English in the article ldquoLeveraging Hip Hop in US Foreign Policyrdquo

All the artists and many of the translators whose work is showcased here host a significant online presence Their sites are listed with more about each of them on the following pages

109108

artist bios

ARABIAN KNIGHTZ the premier hip hop group from the land of the Nile River have not only established themselves as the lyricists with the sharpest swords in their land but they have also created the most consistent voice for rebellion strength and hope for the youth of the Middle East During the 2011 Revolution Arabian Knightz released two singles ldquoRebelrdquo and ldquoNot Your Prisonerrdquo anthems of resistance which gained worldwide attention and major media coverage for their powerful lyrics against a wicked system The group formed in 2006 through the cipher hip hoprsquos natural way of choosing like mindsets on the mic Rush Sphinx and E-Money were ahead of their peers adapting an authentic Arab perspective to the art dominated by Western voices mixing English and Arabic raps After hitting the studio for successful underground tracks AK enlisted super-producer Fredwreck (Snoop Dogg Xzibit Tha Dogg Pound) ldquoFokkakrdquo the single from this studio session was an instant hit and (surprisingly for Arabic Hip Hop) projected them to the top ten of the singles charts Arab League Records was formed amidst a growing fanbase and numerous collaborations with other Arab hip hop artists the first international Arab hip hop record label Desert Saga Volume 1 mixtape was the debut release led by ldquoThe Onerdquo featuring Egyptrsquos MC Amin Arabian Knightz have recorded their debut album Uknighted State of Arabia a masterpiece for Arab hip hop years in the making featuring instrumentals dominated by traditional percussions and players are scheduled for a Winter 2012 Release They are on Facebook

BOIKUTT is a musician and MC based in Ramallah Palestine Creating sounds using sampled material field recordings and electronic devices the results range between hip-hop downtempo ambient glitch and experimental He has composed and produced music for artists such as Kronos Quartet Bukue One Spiritchild Tamer Abu-Ghazaleh Bleubird and others and has appeared as an MC on albums for artists such as Slovo Heliodrome Bonnot and Lethal Skillz A co-founder of the Ramallah Underground Collective which has toured across the Arab World Europe and Australia Boikutt is also co-founder and member of audio-visual group Tashweesh with whom he is currently touring Also as a solo performer he has been in Beirut Cairo Manila Copenhagen London Hamburg Dubai Bethlehem and other cities He has produced and exhibited a few sound-art pieces composed several film scores has most recently composed the music for a dance theater performance entitled Bound by

New York-based company Yaa Samar Dance Theatre and is now working on different collaborative and solo projects His work may be heard at soundcloudcomboikutt and on Facebook

DAM Da Arabian MCrsquos are Suhell Nafar Tamer Nafar and Mahmoud Jreri The first Palestinian hip hop crew and among the first to rap in Arabic the group began working together in the late 1990s Struck by the uncanny resemblance of the reality of the streets in a Tupac video to the streets in their own neighborhood of Lyd they were inspired to tell their stories through hip hop Their timely song ldquoMin Irhabirdquo (ldquoWhorsquos the Terroristrdquo) was downloaded a million times shortly after its internet realese in 2001 and DAM became a household name among youth throughout the Middle East Ten years of performing all over the world has strengthened the grouprsquos commitment to continue living and working in their hometown of Lyd 15 minutes from Tel Aviv and working to provide the youth of the city and neighboring communities with programs and opportunities that have been denied to Palestinian citizens of Israel Their music is a unique fusion of East and West and encompasses influences as varied as Ghassan Kanafani Ahlam Mosteghanemi Mahmoud Darwish Naji al Ali Tupac Biggie Public Enemy MBS Krsquonaan and Pharoahe Monch IHDA (Dedication) DAMrsquos long-awaited first international album was released in 2007 and DAM has seen its songs and members featured in films such as Ford Transit (Dir Hany Abu Assad) Where in the World is Osama Bin Laden (Dir Morgan Spurlock) Salt of this Sea (Dir Annemarie Jacir) Local Angel and Forgiveness (Dir Udi Aloni) DAMrsquos history and influence on the Arab hip hop scene is detailed in the feature-length documentary Slingshot Hip Hop (Dir Jackie Reem Salloum) The group has also been featured in Vibe National Geographic Rolling Stone Q Basement Reuters and The New York Times and has appeared on MTV CNN BBC and Al Jazeera Their work can be heard and explored at damrapcom

EL DEEB first ventured into Egyptian Hip Hop when he joined Asfalt in 2005 He left in 2007 to create Wighit Nazara duo represented by Mohamed Yasser and himself It was a successful musical project that lasted until mid 2010 Currently he is working on his solo career with plans to release an EP every couple of months or so Cairofornia is his first solo EP His work may be heard at deebbandcampcom and on Facebook

EL RASS was born in Tripoli Lebanon He started writing poetry in literary Arabic at age 11 and started rhyming in spoken Lebanese dialect in 1999 at age 15 At that time he formed one third of a group of 3 MCrsquos going under the name of ldquoMlouk el Micrdquo (ldquoKings of the Micrdquo) They recorded one album and performed locally At 17 he left for France to study Finance and Economics Studies were hard money was scarce and exile was tough but music and poetry never left him as he continued rhyming with some underground French MCrsquos like Medline and Moebius and developed new musical skills on percussion in classical Arabic singing and baglama (turkish buzuk) After graduating and working for almost two years in the hell of banking and market finance El Rass decided to return to Lebanon He spent a year just re-discovering Beirut and making and learning music He now works as a journalist at the newspaper Assafir while concurrently pursuing joint projects with other producers and musicians He calls his work Taalik in reference to the same word in Arabic for ldquocommentrdquo and another word that comes from the same semantic root moaallakat which is a corpus of selected pre-Islamic poetry that was written with gold ink on the walls of the Karsquoaba in Mecca His work may be heard at soundcloudcomElRass

FAREEQ EL ATRASH is a hip hop band based out of Hamra St Beirut with a sound that is distinguished by laid back topical flows over live instrumentation It consists of Edd (raps) Nasser (raps) FZ (vocal production and FX) Fouad Afra (drums) Goo (plays guitar keys heart strings) and Abed Kobeissy (plays bass and buzuk) Their 2010 album and 2009 prealbum are available online More of their work may be found on Facebook Eddrsquos solo work can also be heard at soundcloudcomEdd

H2Z was born in Kuwait in 1986 where he lived for four years Due to the gulf war his family moved to Lebanon where he lived for the most part of his life Inspired by the tragic events in the Middle East and elsewhere in the world H2Z adopted rap music as a way to raise awareness about the injustices suffered by his people and to deliver a message through his music to anyone who supports the Palestinian cause His career began in 2004 when he was introduced to the production business by fellow rappers and soon he started producing his own tracks and established a local band producing many tracks for himself and other musicians in Lebanon In 2008 he released his first solo album titled 3aed which contained

17 tracks The political influence was noticed throughout the album and was generally well-received He is now studying for a degree in business administration at Wayne State University in Michigan His work may be heard at reverbnationcomh2z

KATIBEH 5 are based in Borj el Barajneh Lebanon Their work can be found at reverbnationcomkatibeh5 and myspacecomkatibe5palestine and on Facebook

M1 is Mutulu Olugbala of the New York based collective Dead Prez whose work is online at deadprezcom M1 is also on Facebook

MC GAZA is Adnan Mahmoud Ghonim an Algerian born artist and university student based in Gaza It was the beginning of 2005 when he attended one of the hip hop concerts in Gaza City ndash Gaza City that never appreciated the art he loved and attached himself to ndash and it was love at first sight between them Through some of the concerts he participated in a number of songs he collaborated on with Arabs from Egypt Algeria and Palestine and some active participation to represent the Palestinian people and interviews for both Arab and foreign press he was able to make a name for himself in the Gazan hip hop community His work may be found at youtubecomMCGaza and on Facebook

THE NARCICYST Having pioneered the Arab Hip-Hop movement with seminal Iraqi-Canadian crew Euphrates The Narcicyst recently broke through borders and shattered traveling etiquette touring solo around the world sharing stages with the likes of Brother Ali Mos Def and Kanye West to name a few On top of music The Narcicyst is a celebrated theorist whose academic work Fear of an Arab Planet has him from the stage to the classrooms of internationally renowned universities He is now also a professor at Concordia University teaching a Fine Arts course ldquoHip-Hop Past Present and Futurerdquo His writings have been published by multiple university presses and magazines internationally he is also a self-published author having recently released the biographical and social-study on the Arab world The Diatribes of a Dying Tribe As a true artist interested in really pushing his own artistic boundaries The Narcicyst has stepped into acting currently starring in the short music film PHATWA and in the first internationally-released film from the United Arab Emirates called City of Life A true multi-media

111110

KHALED AL HILLI is a PhD candidate in Comparative Literature at the Graduate Center City University of New York He has a BA in English Literature and a Masterrsquos degree in Teaching Second Languages Born in Iraq Khaled has taught in Lebanon and Saudi Arabia at both college and high school levels He has also worked with various Iraqi news outlets and has subtitledtranslated documentary films dealing with current social and political issues His research interests include Arabic political literature prison literature and literature in the diaspora He may be reached at hillykhalidgmailcom

+AZIZ is a NYC-based marketing consultant and a musician He is working through The World Music Parade to develop an animation project based on his music More about that project can be found at themusicparadetumblrcom He tweets from plusaziz

FAYSAL BIBI is a paleontologist and electronic musician currently based in Berlin

LOUBNA BILALI is originally from Morocco She did her undergrad and first MA in English Linguistics at Chouaib Doukkali University El Jadida She came to the US in 2008 to pursue a Masterrsquos degree in French to English translation and is currently working on a PhD in translation studies at Kent State University in Ohio She is very interested in learning and teaching languages as well as translating and localizing computer applications and websites She may be reached at loubnabilaligmailcom

FARAH ELREWAISSATI is a freelance translator pro-Palestine activist and BDS advocate who blogs at youthanormalizationblogspotcom She tweets from 3beee

NIZAR GHANEM was born in Lebanon He has been active in intercultural education interactive learning and conflict resolution across the Arab world His work on conflict resolution involved using theater comics and music as tools for emotional expression and social mobilization

RIMA NAJDI is a Performing Artist She studied dramatic arts at the Lebanese University in Beirut and obtained a Masterrsquos degree in Performance Studies at NYU New York She has written and performed in various plays and performances Najdi is particularly interested in multi-media performing arts and the position of the spectators

BARRAK ALZAID (copy editor) is the Artistic Director of ArteEast He is the editor of the ArteEast Quarterly a dynamic online portal featuring four publications that highlight contemporary art and culture from the Middle East and diaspora ndash ArtersquoZine Shahadat (contemporary short-form literature) Gallery and Cinematek (an online film center) He is also the curator for ArteEastrsquos Across Histories Art Talk Series featuring a series of panels on residencies in Fall 2011 He tweets from barrakster

RAYYA EL ZEIN (editor) is working towards a PhD in Theatre at the Graduate Center City University of New York Her research is increasingly focusing on theories of reception historical studies of audience behavior and popular culture in the Arab world She holds an MA in Performance Studies from NYU and is currently a teaching fellow at City College in Harlem She tweets from rayelz

translator biosdreamer Yassin recently established an arts label in the UAE called The Medium focusing on delivering art from Arabs in the diaspora and at lsquohomersquo to the rest of the world iraqisthebombcom He tweets from TheNarcicyst

OMAR OFFENDUM is a Syrian-American hip hop artist born in Saudi Arabia raised in Washington DC and living in Los Angeles Known for taking audiences on a lyrical journey from the jasmine-tree-lined courtyards of Nizar Qabbanirsquos Damascene homes to the flooded riverbanks of Langston Hughesrsquo Harlem Renaissance poems - Offendum has been featured on several major news outlets (BBC Yahoo ABC News Aljazeera PBS) toured the world to promote his ground-breaking music helped raise thousands of dollars for various humanitarian relief organizations (PCRF KinderUSA ANERA Islamic Relief) lectured at a number of prestigious academic institutions (Harvard MIT Stanford Columbia American University of Beirut NYU-AbuDhabi Qatar Education City) and most recently been involved in creating several critically-acclaimed songs about the popular democratic uprisings throughout the Middle East amp North Africa He is currently hard at work promoting his solo release - affectionately dubbed SyrianamericanA His work may be heard (and read) at offendumbandcampcom He is on Facebook and he tweets from Offendum

RAMALLAH UNDERGROUND based in Ramallah Palestine was born from the immediacy of musical experimentation and out of the need to give voice to a generation of Palestinians and Arabs facing a turbulent and uncertain political landscape The collective was founded by artists Boikutt Stormtrap and Aswatt and has always held a commitment to both the honesty of their work and the need to creatively rejuvenate Arabic culture To this end they combine music ranging from Arabic electronic music hip-hop and trip hop to downtempo with a deep sense of their local culture and the imposing presence of Palestine in their lives The outcome is a new specific and distinct sound RU (as producers and as MCrsquos ) has collaborated with numerous artists across the globe including countries like Lebanon UK Switzerland Italy USA France and many more including a collaboration with Slovo (a band headed by the guitarist from faithless) in their track ldquoNakbardquo which appears on their album Todo Cambia and with Kronos Quartet in the track ldquoTashweeshrdquo which appears on Floodplain RU has also performed live shows in Ramallah Bethlehem Vienna London Cairo Lausanne Amsterdam and Washington DC Their shows are mainly a performance of their hip-hop tracks as well as a few of their own electronic productions as a warm up More recently RU has incorporated a visual set in their live

performances brought to you by Palestinian visual artist Ruanne RU hopes to give a voice to Palestinians and Arabs bringing an alternative voice from the Arab world Their lyrics and music are an expression of anguish and defiance ultimately remaining a defiant voice of the colonized against the colonizer They continue to play a big role in the Arab underground cultural scene while slowly gaining wide global and local popularity

SHADIA MANSOURrsquos work can be found at myspacecomshadiamusic and on Facebook

STORMTRAP is a music producercomposerMC from Palestine Experimenting with old samples instruments and field recordings his sound is the result of a fusion of ambient atmospheres combined with various noises and hip hop beats His lyrics deal with different themes inspired mainly by his personal experiences in Palestine and life in the diaspora Stormtrap played a fundamental role in forming the band Ramallah Underground with which he has performed worldwide the past few years Currently he is working in Vienna with Aras Seyhan and Eren Ileri on a new album which combines live instruments synthesizers turntables beats and Arabic lyrics- which will be released early 2012 His work may be heard at soundcloudcomstormtrap He tweets from asifeh

AMEER YOSSEF 25 has sung and writen music with the band Klaket for the past four years His work may be heard at youtubecomAmeer and on Facebook

towards the work Her work for now concentrates on the process of making interactive and participatory performances that question borders stereotypes and languages

MOE ALI NAYEL is a fixer and a journalist based in Beirut Lebanon He uses social media blogging non-mainstream music journalism and writing as a word spreading eye opening socializing arena He uses social media as a bridge that cuts distance between people on this planet making it a tiny village This bridge starts in his office and takes him to every corner in the world enabling him to connect and network with people and cultures sharing and exchanging stories of the unheard and the neglected He blogs at Words of Action and he tweets from MoeAliNay

ALEX ORTIZ is a video and radio journalist and translator based in Cairo Egypt He graduated from Brown University in 2009 with a double major in Comparative Literature and Middle East Studies He was a CASA I fellow from 2009-2010 and a CASA II fellow from 2010-2011 He currently works for CBS News as a field producer He tweets from cairowitness

AHMED SHAWKET is an independent translator living in Cairo Egypt He is a graduate of the Helwan University Faculty of Arts where he majored in philosophy Ahmed works on literary media and commercial translation

113112

ABOUT SHAHADATShahadat is a quarterly online series designed to provide a platform for short-form writing and experimentation in writing by young and underexposed writers from the MENA region (Middle East and North Africa) The series features stories vignettes reflections and chronicles in translation and the original language of Arabic Farsi Turkish or Kurdish It makes up one quarter of ArteEastrsquos online programming the AE Quarterly For past issues of Shahadat click here

ABOUT THIS SERIES Shahadat is proud to run two alternating series and releases two issues a year of each The issue yoursquove just perused is part of the ldquoExploring Popular Literaturerdquo series This series challenges traditional understandings of ldquoliteraturerdquo emerging from the Middle East and North Africa by presenting genres of creative production that rely on words and language but which have not typically been studied as literature Works are presented in their original language and in translation

In each issue we gather texts from a spectrum of writers to challenge the singular status of the artistauthor and to encourage a more complex presentation of the Middle Eastern and North African ldquostreetrdquo for English-speaking audiences Shahadatrsquos other series ldquoContemporary Literature in Translationrdquo features the work of a single young author in the original language and in English translation

BEHIND THE DOCUMENTShahadat is co-edited by Rayya El Zein Alex Ortiz and ArteEastrsquos Artistic Director Barrak Alzaid All three are young professionals and scholars with artistic inclinations (literature poetry translation and performance) All three have strong connections to New York City and various metropole of the MENA region Shahadat is for us an experiment and a labor of love An editorial board of established scholars and authors is currently being conceived

SPECIAL THANKS TOAnmar El ZeinKinda AkashAndrew JohnstonLivia Alexander

Shahadat logo design by Rima Farouki

114

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Page 4: Shahadat Winter 2012

76

especially difficult for women to break through cultural stereotypes and dogma (though a handful have notably Malikah based in Lebanon Shadia Mansour (featured in the collection) and Abeer alias Sabreena da Witch) I find it safe to presume that when young Arab women break into the genre in greater numbers or find their own methods to voice political and social critiques reclamations of dignity collective and individual will be at the top of the list of significant effects

The second critically important antidote to mainstream media that these voices provide is the true cornucopia of social grievances they cite and political critiques they offer The 16 tracks featured here take on variously the Muslim Brotherhood greed and corruption poverty and hunger inefficacy of NGOs betrayal of and by fellow Arabs (notably the ldquobrain drainrdquo phenomenon which has seen young Arabs across the region relocate overseas in hopes of greater opportunity) capitalism sectarianism and religious extremism in addition to Western colonialism and the policies of the state of Israel towards Palestinians

The letters they address to the world in each track should make it harder and harder to believe that all Arabs all Muslims or all Egyptians Palestinians or otherwise are set on the destruction of ldquothe Westrdquo at the expense of critical thinking about the local economies and systems of government that have also failed them

Not just the content but the form of these articulations showcases a way of seeing the world of processing it and of asserting oneself in it that young people globally will identify with This is vitally important as a new generation comes to terms with itself internationally it will have to decide how much of the old divisions of ldquousrdquo and ldquothemrdquo it wishes to retain The work of these artists and their colleagues worldwide has the potential to remind listeners how alike they are and how arbitrary national and ethnic divisions can be

A Bigger Picture

It is true that hip hop does not have a long history in the Arab world It is however older than 12 or even 15 months first taking root in North Africa in the early 1990s and in Palestine several years later just before the Second Intifada The largest markets and scenes for hip hop in the Arab world have long been in Morocco Algeria and Palestine and lately in Lebanon

Incidentally these countries are rarely the focus of recent press which hails an explosion of Arabic hip hop in recent months Similarly despite the many creative hypotheses posited in English-language press about catalysts and influences of the Arab Spring the very real history of popular resistance in Palestine (ie the Intifadas of the late 1990s and mid 2000s) is hardly ever mentioned as a probable influence of the popular Arab revolutions of this year

distinct sounds of each artist or collaboration and the musical traditions from which they borrow from funk to electronica and in between

The rhythms and flows vary too in some places the impact of the political critique comes as much from the aural quality as from the lyrical content The rhythm of Fareeq el Atrashrsquos ldquoThe Stars are Getting Closerrdquo (ldquoNjoom 3am Tersquorabrdquo) for example

الكاس عل الطاولي و منو عم مز مز لتفتل براصي وحس من حالي عم كز كزعل ورقة كالمي مدروس و ما بزت زت بجرب ما عيد حالي متا يقولو عم نق نق

موزع قافياتي جواز كأن عم فت فت

with its sustained rhythm of repeated syllables at the ends of phrases and its almost flippant characterizations of a musicianrsquos routine is distinctly different from the defiant declaration of MC Gaza in his piece with Arabian Knightz and Ameer ldquoHand in Handrdquo (ldquoEid fi Eidrdquo)

ما في حجة لربطي خلبطي حلطي ألوطي ألغير خطي

Which is also very different from the imaginative poetic (and humorous) play on words and political critique in El Rassrsquos

كان احلريري ما طار وما صار مطار احلريري

Each of the artists featured here manipulates sound and meaning in unique and fiercely creative ways making of the genre a distinct form of popular poetry

One of the most compelling political components of the genre is how powerful rather simple declarations of preference or identity can be or become These take on overt incarnations as in Offendumrsquos celebratory ldquoDestinyrdquo H2Zrsquos figurative ldquoI am Palestinianrdquo (ldquoAna Falasteenirdquo) or more subtle declarations of preference as in Ramallah Undergroundrsquos ldquoI am trying not to care but politics pulls at merdquo in the track ldquoFrom the Caverdquo (ldquoMin el Kaheffrdquo) Private processings of a public world linger in nearly all the pieces It is from these subject positions and thousands

of others that those outside of the Arab world must also hear not only from their ldquodisconnectedrdquo leaders who happen to speak like thousands of their constituents ldquovery good Englishrdquo

The implicit and explicit declarations of identity in Arabic hip hop is perhaps also especially noteworthy because they are immediately noticeable All the tracks featured here are predominantly in dialect (Egyptian Lebanese Syrian Palestinian) and not in the standard modern or classical Arabic typically broadcast across national borders Moreover the political critiques they offer are especially specific some relying almost entirely on subtext to carry meaning across The translations alongside them then should make equally useful learning tools for students of Arabic language as those of culture politics and art

But if anything comes from hearing and reading these texts simultaneously it should be a reevaluation of the question of ldquomodernizationrdquo or ldquoWesternizationrdquo in our contemporary moment Facile readings from both sides will call these works ldquoWesternizations of Arab culturerdquo or ldquoOrientalizations of Western culturerdquo In reality they are neither If they feel modern or more specifically postmodern (and they undoubtedly are - the articulations of identity mentioned above are almost always manifest as split or double) it is because they were written and are performed in our contemporary moment not because they encompass more or less of one part of the globe And if the pieces feel Arab (and they undoubtedly will) it is because they are Arab too

One of the most important but embarrassingly obvious implications then is that the two are completely conceivable within the same body within the same text in the same exact moment They are not opposite not a give and take followed by synthesis The tracks and the artists are both Many Multitude Concurrently East and West After all what is East What is West

Rayya El ZeinNew York

It is from these subject positions and thousands of others that those outside of the Arab world must also hear not only from their ldquodisconnectedrdquo leaders who happen to speak like thousands of their constituents ldquovery good Englishrdquo

Denying the influences of US rap on hip hop in Arabic or of the Internet (Facebook Twitter) on the events of the past twelve months is futile But if a productive dialogue between the Middle East and West is to be created we must also learn to listen to local histories and to hear regional catalysts

Politics and Aesthetics

Shared political concerns hardly confine the range of creative impulses within the genre The tracks collected in this issue explore a range of thematic considerations as well as aesthetic choices Most bear implicit if not explicit (and here we see a healthy range) of political critiques Indeed the aesthetic choices of rhythm melody when appropriate and beat become political choices in and of themselves In this collection we have tried to illustrate a wide gamut of approaches and rhythms Listeners will undoubtedly note the

98

This issue of Shahadat is an interactive experiment and a virtual media work in progress It is designed for multiple audiences from the aspiring poet and critic to the classroom to established fans and everything in-between

Download all the tracks featured in this issue and absorb the various layers of sound rhythm politics and poetry at your own leisure

Or download the pdf of this document and listen as you go The green button on each page starts the track the red button pauses Click above the set of buttons and a small media player will appear which allows one to navigate through the track at will These interactive features only function if you download the pdf of this document The

Note for Mac users if you are viewing the downloaded pdf the tracks will stop playing at the flip of the page To reactivate sound click in the upper left hand corner of each two-page

spread (Hovering should produce a text box that says ldquoclick to activaterdquo) A small player will appear with which the track can be navigated Be sure to open with Adobe Reader not Apple Preview for interactive functions

Flip through the virtual publication in the order wersquove suggested or find your favorite track in the table of contents on the opposite page and click on the title to be led directly to it

We appreciate your feedback (and your patience) as we experiment with new forms of media while exploring the various incarnations of popular literature in the Middle East and North Africa

how to use this Document table of Contents

Editorrsquos Remarks 4

From the Cave | Ramallah Underground 10

Rise Egyptian | El Deeb + Edd 16

Not Your Prisoner | Arabian Knightz + Shadia Mansour 24

Ignite | Boikutt 30

I am Palestinian | H2Z 36

Kufeyyeh Arabeyyeh | Shadia Mansour 40

Destiny | Omar Offendum 46

What Happened Yesterday | Stormtrap 54

Brass | The Narcicyst 60

Beirutrsquos Volcano | El Rass 64

A Letter from Boikutt | Boikutt 70

Hold Me Back If You Can | Katibeh 5 74

Hand in Hand | Arabian Knightz + MC Gaza + Ameer 82

Addiction to Fame | El Deeb + Stormtrap 88

The Stars are Getting Closer | Fareeq el Atrash 94

Words | DAM 100

Further Reading 106

About the Artists 108

About the Translators 111

1110

بدهم يجوعوا األهالي ألنو الناس ملا يجوعو ما بوعودو يفكروا باملقاومة

نازل العب باملوت بدي اعرف ايش عدد املوت هون

مش سامع وال صوت اطفي التلفون

اسأل ألنو وال حد سائل سواءا سياسي أو دوبلوماسي

قاعدين على هالكراسي وبتحدثوا

بروحوا بحوطوا رؤوسهم و بتمددووالبيوت في لبنان و غزة عم يتهدموا اجا الوقت نرفع بعبوص لكل العالم

ألنو راح يضلو يحكي وعمرو ما حيعمل فئيش بدنا نضلنا نقنع و نستنا بتمنى بس عالفاضي من زمان نسييو عنا

R a m a l l a h U n d e r g r o u n d

They wanna starve our people because when people are starving they no longer think of

leading resistance

I am going to play with death

I wanna know the death count here

I canrsquot hear a sound

Turn off your phone

Ask because no one else has

Whether politicians or diplomats

Theyrsquore planted in their seats

Chatting

They relax rest their heads

While homes in Lebanon and Gaza are leveled

The time has come to screw the world

Because theyrsquoll keep talking without ever doing anything

Why would we keep holding on waiting hoping

But for nothing They forgot about us a while ago

from tمن الكهف he cave

3 Min Ill Kahef

Ramallah Underground ft Lethal Skillz

The Peace Revolution 20

24420868

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1312

ساعة بتمسك حالك ملا تشوف قدامك

اللي قامك واللي شالك مش مستغرب اذا افكار جهنمية عم بدور ببالك

نازل بتنادي عالدنيا بس الدنيا نامت وحتى اذا قامت ما حتسمع كالمك

ما حتسمع كالمك

هون يوم معاك مية عليك حواجز حواليك كلبشات عايديك

قولي شو سويت مابدي فوت باحليط ياريت بس انا فايت هيك هيك

حياتي عجل بسكليت وهأل فلت اجلنزير اجا الوقت ادعس بنزين

ابدا شد ابدا مد حكيي لكل النواحي

ألنو كلماتي سالحي

بدهم يجوعوا األهالي ألنو الناس ملا يجوعو ما بوعودو يفكروا باملقاومة

11 22 33 عم ميحونا هات لننزل عال مالجئ قبل ما يشوفونا

بقصوفونا وين ما روحنا بس بحياتهم ما بطحونا

صامدون ألخر حلظة لصوار يخكم ايصابونا

R a m a l l a h U n d e r g r o u n d

In the moments when you try to get a hold of things

When you look in front of you

At the one who picked you up and removed you

Donrsquot be surprised if evil thoughts fill your mind

You went on calling the world but the world is sleeping

And even if it wakes up it wonrsquot hear your voice

It wonrsquot hear your voice

Here therersquos one day with you and a hundred others against you

Barriers around you

Handcuffs on your hands

Tell me what you did

I hope I donrsquot crash into a wall

But Irsquom crashing anyways

My life is more like a bike tire

But now wersquore off the tracks time to hit the gas

Never pull never stretch my speech

For any reason

Because my words are my weapons

They wanna starve our people because when people are starving they no longer think of

leading resistance

One by one two by two three by three theyrsquore trying to wipe us out

Letrsquos go to the shelters before they see us

They shoot us wherever we go

But we never give up

Steadfast lsquotil the last breath when your missiles hit

3 Min Ill Kahef

Ramallah Underground ft Lethal Skillz

The Peace Revolution 20

24420868

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1514

و رؤساء العرب سابونا تركونا و هربوا لعند عدونا

ألنو ما قدروا يعدونا وعدونا باملستقبل بس شوف لوين جابونا

2007 عالم مبشي دوغري و احنا فجرونا جوعونا بدهم ينسونا

قعدنا سنني نبني و اجو فجأة هيك هدونا هددونا و خوفونا

بالدميقراطية سمموناحتى نعيش حياة طبيعية ما خلونا

حطونا عخط النار ونسفونا دمرونا نشفولنا دمنا كل هاد و لسا ما خلصونا من همنا

بحاول اطنش بس السياسة بتشدني بقولها افلتي ما بدي

بتقولي انا جزء من حياتك مش حتقدر متشي ضدي

بحاول اطنش بس السياسة بتشدني بقولها افلتي ما بدي

بتقولي انا جزء من حياتك مش حتقدر متشي ضدي

R a m a l l a h U n d e r g r o u n d

And Arab leaders let us down

Abandoned us fled to our enemies

Because they couldnrsquot infect us with their cowardice

They promised the future and look what they got us into

2007 the worldrsquos moving ahead and they blow us up

Starve us they wanna forget us

We spent years building and they came suddenly led us on

Threatened and frightened us

Poisoned us with democracy

Wouldnrsquot let us have a normal life

They set us right on line of fire they ruined us destroyed us dried up our blood

All that and still they couldnrsquot finish the job

I am trying not to care anymore but politics pulls at me

I say leave me alone

She says I am part of your life

You wonrsquot be able to resist me

I am trying not to care anymore but politics pulls at me

I say leave me alone

She says I am part of your life

You wonrsquot be able to resist me

T r a n s l a t e d b y L o u b n a B i l a l i

3 Min Ill Kahef

Ramallah Underground ft Lethal Skillz

The Peace Revolution 20

24420868

eng - iTunNORM 00000E33 00000D93 0000B0A7 00008C71 0001CD0B 0002129C 00008000 00008000 0000A2CF 0000633A

1716

)مصر داميا بتناديك(

التورتة رجعت للشعبالبورصة وقعت من اللعب

الشعار القدمي رجعالشرطة في خدمة الشعب

احلال كان صعب بس النهار ده أفضل احنا نقدر نزرع صحرتنا أخضر

اتخلصنا من حكم هتلر فرعون ملعون وبحكم تويتر وفيسبوك املصري ثاير مدعوم بلغة احلق

كانوا بيقولولنا أل مش فارقة معاهم إن شاء الله حتى االرض تنشق ثورتنا ثورة شعبية سلمية وطنية

طالبنا با حلرية الكرامة عدالة اجتماعية الشعب كان ممسوك بقبضة فوالذية

شغل مقاولة ومصالح شخصية كانوا بيتعاملوا معانا بكل همجية

يطلعوا عالقنوات الفضائية بتصاريح استفزازية

e l D e e b + E d d

(Egypt is always calling on you)

The people have regained the pie

The stockmarketrsquos been put out of commission

The old slogan is back

Police are in the service of the people

The situation was tough but today is better

We can make our desert green

We got rid of Hitlerrsquos rule a damned pharaoh

In the age of Twitter and Facebook the Egyptian walks confidently using the language of righteousness

They used to tell us no they didnrsquot care even if God wished the earth to split open

Our revolution is a popular peaceful national revolution

We have demanded freedom dignity and social justice

The people were controlled with an iron fist

Business contacts and personal interests

They treated us viciously

They appeared on satellite TV channels and issued provocative statements

rقوم يا مصري ise egypt ian

2oum Ya Masry (feat Edd) (Prod by Edd)

Deeb

null

2011

24930304

eng - Visit httpdeebbandcampcom

1918

انتصرنا في 11 فبراير بفرحة مليونية زغرطتي يا مصر يا بهية حققنا احلرية

الثورة بعد ما خلصت هلق بعدا مبلشةلدورنا شكلها وصلت وإنت بعدك بالفرشة

ولك قوم وقاف الحق بسنانك تفرشيولك قوم وقاف هز فيك نظامك عم بخزوق قوم يا مصري ما فيش ثورة بتخلص في يوم وليلة

دوس على نفسك شويةاستحمل شد حيلك

ما تخافش على عجلة اإلنتاج الزم ثورة على الذاتبكرا أحسن من اللي فات

ديكتاتوري هاإلنسان كان ببلد دميقراطيعايش فوق الغيم كان مرتاح رأسه فاضياملمنوع إلو مسموح كان ألن صاحبه قاضي

مطنش عاملخدرات ليضل شعبه طافيتيضل شعبه مسلطن ملتهي عم يضحك

كونه غير واعيفمن السهل فيه تتحكم ضو أخضر للشرطة

عليها ما فيك تتشكىفي حال فيك شكك بشكلك بشنغلك

تالتني سنةأكتر من أي رئيس بقي

ولك كسرسكور اإلستاذ نبيه بريمبصر بيقولوا معليه أنا التعتير إبني

eعم شوف شو في أكل من مبارح بقي ألعطيه لقمة l D e e b + E d d

We won on February 11 the joy of millions

Ululate oh Egypt oh Bahia we have achieved freedom

The revolution is not over yet it has just begun

Looks like itrsquos our turn now and yoursquore still in bed

Crsquomon get up Yoursquoll brush your teeth later

Crsquomon get up Move your regime is screwing you

Rise up oh Egyptian No revolution finishes in a night and a day

Bear with it a little

Have endurance and tolerance

Donrsquot be afraid of the cycle of production there should be a revolution against oneself

Tomorrow is better than the past

The man was a dictator in a democratic country

Living on clouds he was comfortable and carefree

What is prohibited was permitted for him because he was friends with a judge

He turned a blind eye to drugs so that his people would remain unaware

So that his people would remain high busy laughing

Because they are unconscious

It is easy to control them the police have a green light

You couldnrsquot report them

If they are suspicious of you of the way you look they would hang you

Thirty years

He ruled more than any other president

He even broke the record of Mr Nabih Berri [longstanding Lebanese head of parliament]

In Egypt they say itrsquos ok misfortune is my son

I will check what is left over from yesterday to feed it

2oum Ya Masry (feat Edd) (Prod by Edd)

Deeb

null

2011

24930304

eng - Visit httpdeebbandcampcom

2120

ملني بشكيحالتي متل هاملاليني مرتة

ولك قوم ننزل عساحة التحرير دغريب11 شهر 2 سجلنا رحيل حسني

اللي قضى كل هالسنني يشتغل عميل ضدي

ثورة بعد ما خلصت هلق بعدا مبلشةلدورنا شكلها وصلت وإنت بعدك بالفرشة

ولك قوم وقاف الحق بسنانك تفرشيولك قوم وقاف إذ فيك نظامك عم بخزوق

قوم يا مصري ما فيش ثورة بتخلص في يوم وليلةدوس على نفسك شوية

استحمل شد حيلكما تخافش على عجلة اإلنتاج

الزم ثورة على الذاتبكرا أحسن من اللي فات

أنا مدنيبلوح بقلمي كأنه علمي

من عرقي بروي عملي كأنه عطشيالبركة ببلدي العربي

إني فيني كون عفويفيني قوم ثور

إذا بس كان مسموم بدنيحلريتي بالتعبير

ما في حدود حتدنيبتشوفني بساحة التحرير بوسط بيروت

مش كرمال السما ترجع زرقاإلسقاط النظام اللي احلرية سلبنا

e l D e e b + E d d

To whom will I complain

My situation like that of millions is bad

Crsquomon letrsquos go straight to Tahrir Square

On February 11 we witnessed the departure of Hosni

Who has been working as an agent all these years against mehellip

The revolution is not over yet it has just begun

Looks like itrsquos our turn now and yoursquore still in bed

Crsquomon get up Yoursquoll brush your teeth later

Crsquomon get up Move your regime is screwing you

Rise up oh Egyptian No revolution finishes in a night and a day

Bear with it a little

Have endurance and tolerance

Donrsquot be afraid of the cycle of production

There should be a revolution against oneself

Tomorrow is better than the past

I am a civilian

I wave my pen as if it is my flag

I water my work with my sweat as if itrsquos my thirst

Whatrsquos good about my Arab country

Is that I can be spontaneous

I can rise up and revolt

When Irsquom angry

For my freedom of expression

There are no limitations

You see me in Tahrir Square and in downtown Beirut

But not for the sky to become blue again [in reference to the slogan of the Lebanese Future Movement]

But to topple the regime that has taken away freedom

2oum Ya Masry (feat Edd) (Prod by Edd)

Deeb

null

2011

24930304

eng - Visit httpdeebbandcampcom

2322

فترة إنتقاليةفقرة إعالنية

شاي وكليوبتراوشوش صفرا سهرانة

عالنشرة اإلخباريةركلة جزائية

واجلمهور مستني الهدفكل يوم في الصحف

نقرا نبأ عن كلب نهب البلدأوقف عندك رجع الذهب

مش إنت بردو اللي كنت مسؤول عن إعالم بلدتصاريح كاذبة كالم عجب

الصعب عدا والتاريخ إنكتبأوعى تفتكر الشعب تعب

الثورة بعد ما خلصت هلق بعدا مبلشةلدورنا شكلها وصلت وإنت بعدك بالفرشة

ولك قوم وقاف الحق بسنانك تفرشيولك قوم وقاف إذ فيك نظامك عم بخزوق

قوم يا مصري ما فيش ثورة بتخلص في يوم وليلةدوس على نفسك شوية

استحمل شد حيلكما تخافش على عجلة اإلنتاج

الزم ثورة على الذاتeبكرا أحسن من اللي فات l D e e b + E d d

A transitional period

A commercial break

Tea and Cleopatra

Yellow faces staying up at night

To follow the newscast

A penalty

The audience is waiting for the goal

Every day in newspapers

We read news about a dog that has looted the country

Stop return the gold

Werenrsquot you in charge of the countryrsquos media

False statements odd expressions

The hard part is over and history has been written

Donrsquot think that the people are exhausted

The revolution is not over yet it has just begun

Looks like itrsquos our turn now and yoursquore still in bed

Crsquomon get up Yoursquoll brush your teeth later

Crsquomon get up Move your regime is screwing you

Rise up oh Egyptian No revolution finishes in a night and a day

Bear with it a little

Have endurance and tolerance

Donrsquot be afraid of the cycle of production

There should be a revolution against oneself

Tomorrow is better than the past

T r a n s l a t e d b y F a r a h E l R e w a i s s a t i

2oum Ya Masry (feat Edd) (Prod by Edd)

Deeb

null

2011

24930304

eng - Visit httpdeebbandcampcom

2524

بلسان فاكريني انو مافيهوش فن هتكلم عن كل حلم اترسم من غضبهم اتدفن

اتقسم احتاط باأللم منلفكر فاملرحلة السمعيه واحللول اللى تنقذ عناوين جانبيه ارهابية من عيون معنية باستقاللية بعد حروب عاملية محمية متدارية

منسية مرمية على اكتاف مش مرضية مستخبية بطريقة اتكالية عاالراضى العربية

بسلبية مرئية انتهازية وراء االعالم االسالمية بباينوا النيه

احتيالية عنادية سيكوباتية سرية انانية استراتيجية ضد االنسانية

و بعد املسايسة متابعة من قاعة املشاهدة لكل عربى بيتزل مستانى مساعدة

A r a b i a n K n i g h t z + S h a d i a M a n s o u r

They presume the tongue has no art so I will speak

About every dream that was drawn from their anger and got buried

It got divided surrounded by pain

And the solutions that might work are sidelined and smeared as terrorist

From eyes that are interested in independence

After world wars protected and hidden

Forgotten and thrown on unsatisfied shoulders

Concealed with consent in Arab lands

With obvious opportunism

Beneath Islamic publicity intentions show through

Fraudulent stubborn psychopathic

A secret selfish strategy against mankind

And after politics we keep tabs on things from the screening room

For every Arab who gets humiliated I am waiting for help

prisonerThis track contains verses that were originally written in English السجني

Prisoner

Arabian Knightz + Shadia Mansour

Shahadat Winter 2012 track 316

Hip Hop

26518704

2726

ماخالص كسروا بنا كلمة مسانده و من عقولنا اخدوا الورق اللى يكسب فى اللعبة

أنا عايز بلد حرة من الظلم

عايز بلد حرة من القهر عايز بلد حرة من الشر

عايز أرضي وأرض العرب العرب العرب العرب

A r a b i a n K n i g h t z + S h a d i a M a n s o u r

But itrsquos over they shattered for us the word ldquosolidarityldquo

And from our minds they took the cards that win the game

I want a country free of tyranny

I want a country free of oppression

I want a country free of evil

I want my land and the land of Arabs

Arabs Arabs Arabs

Destructive destruction destroying my district

Anti-Christ running in spreading evil wisdom

Irsquom destroying the oppressors in Arabic settlements

Known for blowing up beats and governments

My peeps die in their cribs while yrsquoall close your eyes

Two of yrsquoall are kidnapped you call it a terrorist crime

The media

Is backing up

Murderous propaganda

While we fight eternally like immortal high landers

Al Durrah Sheikh Yassin the pains unseen

Forging your own stories for the blind to see

Want to draw your own opinions bout the bombs we face

Whatrsquos your opinion if yoursquore enslaved and your mom is raped

Itrsquos too easy to speak when yoursquore far from the heat

To the White House I creep and yes Irsquom armed to the teeth

With a mic and a pen and a pad herersquos your evidence

ldquoWeapons of Mass Destructionldquo Mr President

Prisoner

Arabian Knightz + Shadia Mansour

Shahadat Winter 2012 track 316

Hip Hop

26518704

2928

أنا عايز بلد حرة من الظلم عايز بلد حرة من القهر

عايز بلد حرة من الشر عايز أرضي وأرض العرب

العرب العرب العرب

إحنا منمشي بالكرامة والثقة بالنفس معصنا قوانينكم بالثبوت بالدم

لو إن ضميركم بتريحكم بتتكلموا من ورا الفرد

قللي مني ما عم ينام بالليل عنجد ع بني انتو بتبنوا حواجز إحن بنكبر عيالنا

وبنظلنا نزيد العدد إحن السبب ليش ما بتسترجوا تغمضوا عني

في فرق كبير بني مقاوم ومقررين

A r a b i a n K n i g h t z + S h a d i a M a n s o u r

I want a country free of tyranny

I want a country free of oppression

I want a country free of evil

I want my land and the land of Arabs

Arabs Arabs Arabs

Theyrsquore dropping bombs over Baghdad

Libnan Afghan Palestinians Bin Laden Saddam

Listen Islam is all about the peace man

But wars up in these streets man

Got me loosinrsquo sleep damn

Mr Politician I got a little question

How come you are eating and all your peoples isnrsquot

I am on a mission to break up out of this prison

If yoursquore with me share my vision

Letrsquos start by saving the children

We walk with dignity and confidence in ourselves

We crushed your laws with our steadfastness and blood

If your conscience was giving you peace

You wouldnrsquot be communicating from behind a gun

Tell me whorsquos the one not getting sleep at night

While you build your checkpoints we raise the kids

Our numbers will keep increasing

We are the reason you donrsquot dare to blink

There is a big difference between a man of resistance and decision makers

T r a n s l a t e d b y N i z a r G h a n e m + S h a d i a M a n s o u r

Prisoner

Arabian Knightz + Shadia Mansour

Shahadat Winter 2012 track 316

Hip Hop

26518704

3130

النظام العاملي اجلديداحلاسة السادسة

و بدهم يردوا يعلموك النشيدنار شديد بس كله نسبي

جينا و نسيناأخبار فورية بتنهضم و بتمشينا

إللي فينا مكفينا رايح عغزة بالسفينة

و ما يأتي قبل الفكر أم الفعلملجرد الذكر لشخص مبنج قلب نكد وزعل

و طلب السعرمش حنبيع

ملا بتشتي بتشتي عاجلميعو زمن أول حتول

و مش قادرين نتجول فا مش حنضيعbشيء مريع o i k u t t

The new world order

The sixth sense

And they want to teach you the anthem anew

Heavy fire but itrsquos all relative

We came and forgot

Instant news digested and keeps us moving

Wersquove had enough

Going to Gaza by boat

What comes first Thought or action

The mere question to a numb person makes him grumpy and upset

And asking for the price

We wonrsquot sell

When it rains it rains over everybody

The old times have changed

We are under house arrest so we wonrsquot get lost

Itrsquos a horrible thing

igniteولع

Walle

boikutt

null

1746378

3332

مرات بتفهم النبرة غلطبس هلئ فهمني منيح

جريح بدون تلقيح تصريح صريح بدون تلميح

فظيعكيف خلونا نطيع

بوقت تشييع جثمان الضاضمضاض لإلنتفاض ثورة الثروة قيد التصنيع

فيعبوجه عقود بقبضة من حديد

من هون لقرية بال متديدبدون مانروح لبعيد

جتميد روؤس أموال و نوويةمصلحة أول مستفيد

بتدوب بشعلة من سيدي بوزيد

ولعشوف اكمن دكتاتور منقلعولعشوف اكمن دكتاتور منقلع

ولع شوف اكمن دكتاتور منقلعصوت الثورة بكل مكان و عم منسمع

من حكام لنوابو ال استثني احدا منكم

ما بيهمكمحلد ما الهتافات تتوجه إلكم إتهزكم

أفهمكمbاإلستبداد تارك الشارع بإستعداد o i k u t t

Sometimes you misunderstand a tone

But now you understand me correctly

Wounded without vaccination

A blatant statement without any hinting

Unbelievable

How they made us obey

At the funeral of the corpse of the [quintessential Arabic letter] Ddad

Counter revolution the revolution of wealth is in process

Rise

In the face of decades under an iron fist

From here to a village without extension

Without going too far

Freezing of capital and nuclear war heads

The interest of the primary beneficiary

Melts with a flame from Sidibouzid

Ignitesee how many dictators wersquoll uproot

Ignitesee how many dictators wersquoll uproot

Ignitesee how many dictators wersquoll uproot

The sound of revolution is everywhere we make it heard

From leaders to parliamentarians

I do not exclude any of you

But you donrsquot care

Until chants are directed at you and shake you

Let me explain

Tyranny leaves the street prepared

Walle

boikutt

null

1746378

3534

من املزارع بوسط البالدفعل مضارع للرماد

فا إنصرف زاي فلوس الدولة إللي طريقها إنحرفوإنعرف و إنصبت بجيوب هالطرف من شوفرية الشرف

حتية خاصة ألسود ميدان التحريرلتعديل دستور التعتير

إن صح التعبير

عندي نظر األطرشو سمع األعمى

عايشني حياة و مكلبشني باخلوف بنفس الوقت فا قللي شو املعنىتاريخ شجعنا

الوضع الراهن منعناناس بتمر و بتسمعنا

بدون جتاوب جتارب فجاوبيا ضدنا يا معنا

إرفع قبضة الصمود فوق في الهوا ثابتةإنتفاضة أولى و ثانية بس الثالثة نابتة

أطراف كابتةبس قد ما يحاولوا ميحوا ويحطوا الناس كاتبة

بالتفاصيل و كامتة

ولعhellip شوف اكمن دكتاتور منقلعولعhellip شوف اكمن دكتاتور منقلع

ولع شوف اكمن دكتاتور منقلعصوت الثورة بكل مكان و عم منسمع

ولعhellip شوف اكمن دكتاتور منقلعbو صفهم عالدور واحد واحدhellipو شنع o i k u t t

From the farmers in the center

Changing present tense to ashes

So vanish like the statersquos money whose road has deviated

It is known that it ended up in the pockets of the corrupt who claim to be clean

A special salute to the lions of Tahrir Square

For amending the constitution of misfortune

If that can be said

I have the sight of the deaf

And the hearing of the blind

Leading a life while chained by fear at the same time so tell me whatrsquos the point

History encouraged us

The current situation prevented us

People pass by and hear us

Without any response -- testing -- so answer

Yoursquore either with us or against us

Raise the fist of resistance up in the air

A first and second Intifada but the third is sprouting

Oppressive groups

No matter how hard they try to erase and replace people have written

In details and know by heart

Ignitesee how many dictators wersquoll uproot

Ignitesee how many dictators wersquoll uproot

Ignitesee how many dictators wersquoll uproot

The sound of revolution is everywhere we make it heard

Ignitesee how many dictators wersquoll uproot

Line them up in turn one after the other and defame them

T r a n s l a t e d b y F a r a h E l R e w a i s s a t i

Walle

boikutt

null

1746378

3736

ولك انا ابن عكا وبن يافا و طولكرم انا ابن كل شبر من البحر للنهر

االرض الي حملت موسى مرمي واملسيح انااملقابر يلي فاضت من كتر التوابيت

انا اخليمة بيت التنك واحلصيرة والكانون والبيوت املسروقة والدم املهدور

انا الهوى يالي حامل الغضب والبكاوالطرقات يلي بتغرق مع كل نقطة الشتا

انا رصاصة من املجاهد عم تعبر حلدود انا حزام من القنابل مشتاق لليهود

لطفل على باب املستشفى عم بيموتانا الجئ ممنوع من العمل مكروه

انا اين املخيم يلي عاطل عن العمل سيجارة احلشيش يلي بتمحي شوية الم

H 2 Z

Irsquom the son of Acre Jaffa and Tulkarem

Irsquom the son of every inch from the river to the sea

Irsquom the land that carried Moses Mary and the Christ

Irsquom the cemeteries that overflow with coffins

Irsquom the tent the tin house the mat and the stove

The stolen houses and the wasted blood

Irsquom the wind that bears anger and tears

The roads that drown in a single drop of rain

I am a bullet that crosses borders

Irsquom a grenade against Zionists

A child that dies waiting outside the hospital

Irsquom a hated refugee whorsquos prohibited from working

Irsquom the son of the camps always unemployed

The hash cigarettes that ease the pain

iانا فلسطيني am palest inian

Ana Falasteeni

H27

null

17782504

eng - iTunNORM 0000057E 0000056B 00004E0F 00004D32 00021C96 00021C96 00008000 00008000 0000ECEA 00007530

3938

حيطان هالبيت يلي بكره رح ينردم انا االحمر واالسود واالخضر من هالعلم

من دم االبطال من دموع الاطفالمن اجلحيم التشرد واجلوء واالنكسار

من ظلم االحتاللمن حلم االستقالل

من ارض الزيتونوالصليب والهالل

انا حافظ احلواجز بكل بالد العالممن النادر انو بيوم يعتبروني بني ادم انا سنني االعتقال انا غرف التعذيب

الوجع والصريخ واجلروح الي ما بطيبانا شعب ما انهزم بس عمرو ما انتصر

انا اكبر ارهابي الني حامل حجر اسير طول عمرو رافض انو بيوم ميوت بس معاهدة سالم بتنفي اني موجود

انا القدس بيت حلم ومخيم جننياالدان واجلراس الهالل والصليب

املدافن واملدارس وكنسية املسيح الشوارع القدمية والبيت العتيق

انا ركوة الشاي و سندويشة الفالفلالكرم والبخل واالخالق واملهازل

الكذب والصدق واخليانة والصمود Hانا فلسطيني حلتى اموت 2 Z

The walls of the house that I hate thatrsquos about to get demolished

I am the red and black and green in this flag

From the blood of heroes from the tears of children

From the hell of homelessness and broken refugees

From the oppression of the occupation

From the dream of independence

Irsquom from the land of the olives

The cross and crescent

I know all the checkpoints in all countries of the world

It is where they consider me a human being

Irsquom years of capture Irsquom the torture chambers

The pain and the screams and the wounds that never heal

I was never defeated but never had a victory

Irsquom the biggest terrorist because I carry a stone

A prisoner who spends his whole life refusing to die

But a peace treaty forgets that Irsquom alive

Irsquom Jerusalem Bethlehem and Jenin refugee camp

The call to prayer the bells the crescent and the cross

The old cemeteries schools and church of Christ

The old streets and the ancient house

Irsquom the tea cup and the falafel sandwich

Generosity and greed morality and farce

Lies and betrayal and honesty and persistence

I am Palestinian until I die

T r a n s l a t e d b y t h e a r t i s t

Ana Falasteeni

H27

null

17782504

eng - iTunNORM 0000057E 0000056B 00004E0F 00004D32 00021C96 00021C96 00008000 00008000 0000ECEA 00007530

4140

صباح اخلير با والد عمومناتفضلوا شرفونا

شو بتحبوا نضيفكم دم عربي وال دموع من عيوننابعتقد هيك تأملوا نستقبلن

هيك تعقدوا ملا تدركوا على غلطتهنمن هيك لبسنا الكوفية

البيضة والسودةصاروا كالب الزمان يلبسوها كموضة

مهما تفننوا فيامهما غيروا بلونا

كوفية عربية بتضال عربية

حطتنا بدن ياهاثقافتنا بدن ياها

S h a d i a M a n s o u r w i t h M 1 o f D e a d P r e z

Good morning cousins

Come in and honor us with your presence

What would you like us to serve you Arab blood or tears from our eyes

I think thatrsquos how they hoped we would recieve them

Thatrsquos why they got tangled up when they tripped up on their own mistake

Thatrsquos why we wore the kufeyyeh

The black and white one

Dogs of the past started to wear it as a fashion statement

However they change it

Whatever colour they make it

The Kufeyyeh is Arab and will always be Arab

Our scarf they want it

Our intellect they want it

kufeyyeh arabeyyeh الكوفية عربية

Kufeyyeh Arabeyyeh

Shadia Mansour and M1

Shahadat Winter 2012 track 616

Hip Hop

26239166

4342

كرامتنا بدن ياهاكل شي إلنا بدن ياه

ما رح نسكتلن نسمحلن الالبقلن يسرقوا شغلة مش إلهن ما خصن فيا

بيقلدونا باللبسكل هاألرض بيكفيهنش

طمعانني عالقدسإعرفوا كيف تكونوا بشر

قبل ما تلبسوا الكوفيةجينا نذكرن مني إحنا

وغصبا من عن أبوهم هاي حطتنا

من هيك لبسنا الكوفيةألنها وطنية

الكوفية الكوفية عربيةمن هيك لبسنا الكوفية

هويتنا األساسيةالكوفية الكوفية عربية

يال علي الكوفيةعلولي هالكوفية

الكوفية الكوفية عربيةعلوها لبالد الشام

كوفية عربية بتضال عربية

ما في بعد متل الشعب العربيفرجوني أية أمة بالدنيا أكثر مأثرة

الصورة واضحة نحنا مهد احلضارة

S h a d i a M a n s o u r w i t h M 1 o f D e a d P r e z

Our dignity they want it

Everything thatrsquos ours they want it

We will not be silent will not allow it

It suits them to steal something that ainrsquot theirs

They imitate our style

As if all this land werenrsquot not enough

Thirsting after Jerusalem

Know how to be human

Before you wear our scarf

We came to remind them who we are

And like it or not itrsquos our right

Thatrsquos why we wore the kufeyyeh

Because it is nationalistic

The kufeyyeh is Arab

Thatrsquos why we wore the kufeyyeh

Because it is our original identity

The kufeyyeh is Arab

Come on raise your kufeyyehs

Raise that kufeyyeh

The kufeyyeh is Arab

Raise it up for bilad ersquosham [Greater Syria the wider Arab world]

The kufeyyeh is Arab and will always be Arab

There are no others like the Arab people

Show me one region in the world that is more influencial

The picture is clear we are the origins of civilization

Kufeyyeh Arabeyyeh

Shadia Mansour and M1

Shahadat Winter 2012 track 616

Hip Hop

26239166

4544

تاريخنا وتراثنا الشاهد على وجودنامن هيك لبست التوب الفلسطيني

من حيفا جنني جبل النار إلى رام اللهخليني شوف الكوفية

البيضة واحلمراخلينا نعليها لفوق بالسما

أنا شادية العربلساني بغز غزبلساني بهز هز

كلمات احلربسجل أنا شادية منصور

واحلطة هويتيمن يوم ما خلقت

سيدي والشعب مسؤوليتيلكن تربيت بني الشرق وبني الغرب

بني لغتنيبني بخيل بني فقير

شفت احلياة من اجلهتنيبس علمتني الكوفية

كيف ما لبستونيوين ما شلحتوني

بضلني عأصولي فلسطينية

S h a d i a M a n s o u r w i t h M 1 o f D e a d P r e z

Our history traditions and customs bear witness to our existence

Thatrsquos why I wear the Palestinian dress

From Haifa Jenin Jabal El Naar to Ramallah

Let me see the kufeyyeh

The red and white one

Letrsquos raise it up to the sky

I am the singer of the Arabs

Like an earthquake I shake the ground

My words are war

Record this

I am Shadia Mansour

And this scarf is my ID

From the day I was born the people have been my responsibility

Look I was raised between the East and the West

Between two languages

Between the rich and the poor

Irsquove seen life from both sides

However the kufeyyeh has taught me

However you wear me

Wherever you leave me

I stay true to my origin Palestinian

T r a n s l a t e d b y t h e a r t i s t w i t h F a r a h E l R e w a i s s a t i

Kufeyyeh Arabeyyeh

Shadia Mansour and M1

Shahadat Winter 2012 track 616

Hip Hop

26239166

4746

حمامة سالم افتحي أجنحتكي و طيري

وين الوعي - وين امشوا معي هني وادي بني اجلبلني عني حب للطرفني

أمهاتنا حبت ذاتنا بس مو عاجبهن مسباتنا هذا احلكي بني اخواتنا

Oزين العرب واألمريكان m a r O f f e n d u m

This track contains verses that were originally written in English

You are my

(Destiny)

Itrsquos hard livinrsquo in the West - when I know the East got the best of me

(Destiny)

Could be lookinrsquo in my eyes - but yoursquoll never really see the rest of me

(Destiny)

Can you hear me maseeri [my destiny] Bi-lingualrsquos what Irsquom blessed to be

(Destiny)

Dove of Peace

Spread your wings amp fly

Consciousness What consciousness - where is it

Take a walk with me

Here in this valley between two ldquomountainsldquo

Where the source of love for both ldquosidesldquo can be found

Our mothers like us

But donrsquot like our foul language

So letrsquos keep this between the siblings

The best of Arabs amp Americans

destمصيري iny

7 Destiny

Omar Offendum

The Peace Revolution 20

21332892

eng - iTunNORM 000006D3 000006F2 000038BA 0000322F 0000E4FA 0000E4FA 00008716 0000864B 0002AB5E 000083D6

eng - iTunSMPB 00000000 00000210 0000094B 00000000008F7FA5 00000000 004108FB 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000

4948

وألله يرحم كل أمواتنا أغاني

مثل املهامتة إذا قلنا العني بالعني

ما صفى عندنا عيون بالشام بالد الشام

من فلسطني إلى جبال لبنان قبل ما اخترعوا احلدود

من اإلسكندرون إلى كردستان فهمان

جنجس خان ما خان قد ما خانونا أوالد العم بس دمنا دمهم

بني أدم - بنو ذمنبهم على أكتافنا - شلنا همهم

ليه الله بيعلم

بس ليك هذا الفتيش والبسكليت احسنلك من 100000000 مسدس

تعرف ليه ألن مو عاجبهم بسمتك

بس إبتسم برسمتك شاب عربي ومثقف

أعطيهم ختمتك وإذا لسة مو راضني

ذكرهم بكالم إيليية )أبي ماضي( raquoنسي الطني ساعة أنه طنيlaquo

Oوهذه هي القضاء والقدر يا حبيبي m a r O f f e n d u m

And may God have mercy on all our dead

Songs I sing

Like the Mahatma [the line above and the line below are linked through the sound of the name and the figure of Mahatama Ghandi]

If we say lsquoan eye for an eyersquo

There wont be any eyes left in Sham [Damascus]

Bilad al-Sham [Greater Syria the wider Arab world]

From Palestine to the mountains of Lebanon

Before they made up these borders

From Iskandaroon to Kurdistan

Understand

Genghis Khan never deceived us quite like our ldquopaternal cousinsldquo [khan also means ldquodeceiveldquo in Arabic]

But our blood is their blood

Children of Adam -- who built their sins

Upon our shoulders -- we carried their burden

Why

God knows

But listen this little firecracker amp bicycle

Are better for you than 100 million guns

Wanna know why

Because they dont like seeing you smile

But smile you will - in your human being

A young cultured Arab male

Give them your stamp of approval

And if they still donrsquot accept you

Then remind them of the words of Elliye [Abi-Madhee a Lebanese poet whose poem begins with]

ldquoHow soon a piece of dirt can forget that all he really is is just dirtldquo [ie we are all from this earth amp

will come back to it so there is no logic in viewing yourself as better than someone else]

And that my friend is our destiny

7 Destiny

Omar Offendum

The Peace Revolution 20

21332892

eng - iTunNORM 000006D3 000006F2 000038BA 0000322F 0000E4FA 0000E4FA 00008716 0000864B 0002AB5E 000083D6

eng - iTunSMPB 00000000 00000210 0000094B 00000000008F7FA5 00000000 004108FB 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000

5150

O m a r O f f e n d u m

Dove of Peace

Spread your wings amp fly

Make it easier to borrow

The aesthetics you bite

Like all the Arabic loanwords

From Spaniards amp Morros

The Karma of Inquisition

Visions of horror

So whorsquos the explorer

Really was it Columbus

Muhammad al-Idrisi or Alfaragnus

Throw a Hobson Jobson

While you figure it out

Irsquom gonna start with a cipher

Thatrsquos a siffir [zero] - no doubt

See you might not have learned to live with me

But sure as hell canrsquot without

You are my

You are my

(Destiny)

Itrsquos hard livinrsquo in the West - when I know the East got the best of me

(Destiny)

Could be lookinrsquo in my eyes - but yoursquoll never really see the rest of me

(Destiny)

Can you hear me maseeri [my destiny] Bi-lingualrsquos what Irsquom blessed to be

(Destiny)

حمامة سالم افتحي أجنحتكي و طيري

I write right to left

You write left to right

Metaphor of a foreignerrsquos plight

Dressed to type

Stereo amp a mic

Scenario of a fight

The burial of a white

Imperial at his heightrsquos

A Turkish Rapperrsquos Delight

Semetic etiquette might

Just have you rollin your ldquoRrsquosldquo

Poetic amp light

And grab a hold of your sorrows

To relieve your tomorrows

7 Destiny

Omar Offendum

The Peace Revolution 20

21332892

eng - iTunNORM 000006D3 000006F2 000038BA 0000322F 0000E4FA 0000E4FA 00008716 0000864B 0002AB5E 000083D6

eng - iTunSMPB 00000000 00000210 0000094B 00000000008F7FA5 00000000 004108FB 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000

5352

O m a r O f f e n d u m

Dove of Peace

Spread your wings amp fly

Bitched out by the West

Press get a big shout

From the people gettinrsquo rich out of this (bout)

Now whatrsquos this really all about

Land money or power

It was the colonizerrsquos fault

But now itrsquos really just ours

Leavinrsquo a sour tase in our mouths

Like generational slave names

Whenever speakinrsquo out

Out-spoken leaders gettinrsquo taken out

Quicker than belligerent drunks in a bar

We a far cry from livinrsquo as one

T r a n s l a t e d b y t h e a r t i s t

(Destiny)

Itrsquos hard livinrsquo in the West - when I know the East got the best of me

(Destiny)

Could be lookinrsquo in my eyes - but yoursquoll never really see the rest of me

(Destiny)

Can you hear me maseeri [my destiny] Bi-lingualrsquos what Irsquom blessed to be

(Destiny)

حمامة سالم افتحي أجنحتكي و طيري

See arab [Arabs] shootin at each other

From Iraq to Falasteen [Palastine]

Syria to Libnan [Lebanon]

Algeria to Sudan

Pedagogy of the oppressed tricklinrsquo down

Conquerinrsquo through divisions

And sadly this isnrsquot the first time

One land one love one chance one blood

No fuss no fight Yeah right young blood

AKrsquos cheaper than a book

Crooked leaders in a hook

Gettinrsquo fished out

Missles gettinrsquo dished out

7 Destiny

Omar Offendum

The Peace Revolution 20

21332892

eng - iTunNORM 000006D3 000006F2 000038BA 0000322F 0000E4FA 0000E4FA 00008716 0000864B 0002AB5E 000083D6

eng - iTunSMPB 00000000 00000210 0000094B 00000000008F7FA5 00000000 004108FB 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000

5554

زي ما صار مبارح صار اليوم اطف التلفزيون امسك مايكروفون

زي ما صار مبارح صار اليوم اطف التلفزيون امسك مايكروفون

زي ما صار مبارح صار اليوم اطف التلفزيون امسك مايكروفون

زي ما صار مبارح صار اليوم اطف التلفزيون امسك مايكروفون

النه الوقت عم يسبق بقلك خي سالم بس اصبر

بدك تستني هاي اخلطط بعمرها ما تضبطبيدفعلك قد ما بدك عشان تسكت

واذا بتفتح متك طخة وحده وبعد بتسقط

s t o r m t r a p

What happened yesterday happens today

switch off your TV and grab a microphone

What happened yesterday happens today

switch off your TV and grab a microphone

What happened yesterday happens today

switch off your TV and grab a microphone

What happened yesterday happens today

switch off your TV and grab a microphone

Because time is racing

He keeps telling you peace is coming just be patient

You want to wait these plans never succeed

Hersquoll pay you as much as you want to keep you quiet

And if you open your mouth one shot will silence you

what happened yesterdayزي ما صار مبارح

Zey ma sar mbareh

Stormtrap

null

2009

1728613

eng - Visit httpstormtrapbandcampcom

5756

اركض اركض وخليك راكض

واذا بتفتح متك رح يقلك خليك ساكت رح يقلك انساك من هاملشاكل

حوشوا هالشواك وضبوا شناتكم واشتروا التذاكرففكر شوي وما تكنش أهبل

وين ما تروح في الدنيا رح تتبهدلمش شايف قدامي عم بسمع أصوات بيسألني

ليش لسه عايش هون روح عيش محل تانيبدي احك بس الكلمات مش طالعة من لساني

عنصرية هونن عنصرية هناك عنصرية كل ما اطلع برا الشباك

شيطان بيعمل حاله مالكبس هو بالواقع بدو يعيش بالك

جدار بيمثل عقلية ناس بدهاش تعيش معاك

زي ما صار مبارح صار اليوم اطف التلفزيون امسك مايكروفون

ما مبثل شخص او اشخاص مبثل فكرةاسم احلرية حاملينه

من بلد ما فيه حياة عاديةسواءا ضد االحتالل أو ضد العنصرية

أصواتكم وينايي خلوها تنسمع وتطلع نتائج ايجابية

فكمل كتابة او تسجيل وصدقني شغلك مش رايح عالفاضي

عشان الشي الوحيد اللي رح يروح هو احن اذا منضلنا علقانني فاملاضي

s t o r m t r a p

Run run

Keep running

And if you decide to speak hersquoll tell you just stay silent

Hersquoll tell you forget these problems

Save up some money pack your bags and buy your tickets

Think about it donrsquot be a fool

Wherever you go yoursquoll get humiliated

I canrsquot see in front of me Irsquom hearing voices asking

Why are you still living here Go live somewhere else

I want to respond but the words wonrsquot come out

Racism here racism there

Racism each time I look out the window

A devil in an angelrsquos disguise

In reality he wants to live without you

The apartheid wall represents the mentality of a people who donrsquot care to coexist

What happened yesterday happens today

switch off your TV and grab a microphone

I dont represent a person or a people I represent an idea

An idea called freedom

From a land lacking a normal life

Whether yoursquore struggling against occupation or against racism

Where is your voice

Let it be heard to achieve your goals

So keep writing and recording

Believe me your work wonrsquot be lost in vain

The only thing thatrsquoll disappear is us

If we stay stuck in the past

Zey ma sar mbareh

Stormtrap

null

2009

1728613

eng - Visit httpstormtrapbandcampcom

5958

شو الي حدثجينا من حتت األرض

هيهة القصة بدة عنا هدفوننشر أصواتنا لكل حدا

جيت من حتت أرض رام اللهما ح وقف اكتب كلمات وال مرة

عندي طاقة الزم أطلعها كل يوم وكل ساعةفاو انبنى مع الوقت ولسة عم بيطور تصور

تصورفاو انبنى مع الوقت ولسة عم بيطور تصور

زي ما صار مبارح صار اليوم اطف التلفزيون امسك مايكروفون

زي ما صار مبارح صار اليوم اطف التلفزيون امسك مايكروفون

s t o r m t r a p

What happened

We came from underground

The story begins we have an objective

To spread our voices to everyone

I came from the ruins of Ramallah and

I wonrsquot ever stop writing words

I have energy that I must release every day every hour

A flow thatrsquos been built and is still developing imagine

Imagine a flow thatrsquos been built and is still developing

What happened yesterday happens today

Switch off your TV and grab a microphone

What happened yesterday happens today

Switch off your TV and grab a microphone

T r a n s l a t e d b y t h e a r t i s t

Zey ma sar mbareh

Stormtrap

null

2009

1728613

eng - Visit httpstormtrapbandcampcom

6160

Wake up the People

Donrsquot doubt it

The Maker can see you

Right now

You want to get out and see doe

So clouded

Sell out to be dope

Right now

I see you plagued by your own doubt

Canrsquot step the game up

Like a snake when it rolled down

Staircase of a lone child

No bricks lain in a cold house

Where you sold out

All alone on an old couch

t h e N a r c i c y s t

No click like an untapped phone dial

Oh wow

I felt the same homie

Donrsquot shelter pain only

Then it came slowly

Never let the frame hold me (down)

Picture life for the love though

People tend to look the other way like Columbo

We deceived by the law just to love doe

Guess they took all the worth out to numb folks

And make a severed plan

Out of bitter man

What you want a medal man

Huh Do you really think yoursquore better than Then

All you really need is a long look

Two sixteens and a strong hook like

brassThis track was originally written in English

null

2149748

6362

Wake up the People

Donrsquot doubt it

The Maker can see you

Right now

You want to get out and see doe

So clouded

Sell out to be dope

Right now

Break

Hip hop like a fresh pelvis

Yoursquore gonna regret this shit like a dead Elvis

Busy wishing you could live less selfish

Crabs in a bucket duckinrsquo these dead shellfish

Industry got a brother feeling helpless

With an ill chorus and ride yoursquore more in the tide

When a flow canrsquot keep me above the water

t h e N a r c i c y s t

Let a wave carry me out and push me farther now

Internal Inferno ten journals written but Irsquom still not sure though

Do I really want to tour to jump hurdles To be heard

So-I-Can-Feel-Like-This

Man therersquos something that I might miss--

Naw Irsquove been bluffinrsquo

Lifersquos backwards like Ben Buttonsrsquo

Irsquom in love with the stage fright on a strange night

Feels good to get the words on a page right

Wake up the People

Donrsquot doubt it

The Maker can see you

Right now

You want to get out and see doe

So clouded

Sell out to be dope

Right now

null

2149748

6564

مبارح شفت بلمنام بيروت عمتغرق حتت رماد بركان فحموا الناس بس ال raquoسكاي بارlaquo كان بعده ولعان

بيروت ثبتت حبة الثورة اللي فينا نبتت ملا أحبطت نفوسنا من اجلمود

فينا بيروت حتركت عدم دمارنا وعدم حرية خيارنا

بيوت بيروت تعمرت سكرنا عجفاف دموعنا جفوننا عليها تسكرت فتخمرت

إذا بطلت تطير قدرك عألرض مقهور إذا وقفت تكسير بتصير جزء من الديكور

e l R a s s

Yesterday I dreamt Beirut was drowning under volcanic ash

The people were turned to charcoal but Sky Bar [a posh Beirut club] was still lit up

Beirut suppressed the seed of the revolution the one that sprouted

When our spirits were foiled from immobility

In us Beirut moved

On the blood of our destruction and the negation of our freedom of choice

The houses of Beirut are rebuilt

We got drunk on the dryness of our tears our eyelids closed on them and fermented

If you stop flying your destiny on land is distress

If you stop breaking you become part of the decoration

beirutبركان بيروت rsquos volcano

Blues

2125713

6766

بحاور بناور باآلخر بواجه التاج بتوضى بصلي بتوصلني أصوات أنات احملتاج

تأمل العلم بعري العمل من العمل خياري عنار خفيفة دوب املسمار وتستوي األفكار النظيفة

عمروا دمروا زمروا تذمروا ربك صبره دربه جربه

عقلن خربوا غربوا هربوا وقبلوا بالفن عحيط الشارع

عشرط ما يكون في شك بشارع هيدي مش عاصمة ثقافة هيدي حلبة املصارع بيروت ال تعرف في املاضي وال تعرب باملضارع

حتول التركيبة خلى العقل اجلامد فكر حاله مالك املدينة رقبته طويلة متل مالك احلزين وايده لوزيري

اعتبر نفسه أول مني اكتشف هلجزيرة بأجر الفقير شقق بأسعار مدروسة

بشكل تضل طموحاته ممعوسة نهبوا األرض من ربعي وصارت احلرب شركة استثمار مبفعول رجعي

حتت شعار إعادة اإلعمار لو ما كان خلص دوره وانتهى عقد االيجار

كان احلريري ما طار وما صار مطار احلريري عاصمة لبنان بتوازن بني ضريحني

واتنيناتن عاغتيالن في عالمة استفهام e واحد قدس املوت بس لسبب l R a s s

I discuss I maneuver ultimately I confront the crown

I perform ablutions I pray I receive the moaning of the needy

The meditation of knowledge strips work from hope

My choice is on low fire melting the nails and clean thoughts are ripening

They built they destroyed they honked they complained

Your god made him patient tested him and trained him

Their minds ruined westernized chased off

They accepted art pissed on back alleys

As long as there is no doubt in the streets

This is no capital of culture itrsquos a wrestling ring

Beirut canrsquot speak of itself in the past nor conjugate itself in the present

Transitions and transformations made the closed mind think he owns the city

His neck is long like a stork his fingers long like a politicianrsquos

He thinks himself the first who discovered this peninsula

He lets the poor rent apartments at prices studied

To crush ambitions

They stole the land from my cousins

And the war became a backward-looking investment

Under the slogan of reconstruction

If his time wasnrsquot up and his contract finished

Hariri didnrsquot have to fly and it wouldnrsquot have become the Hariri airport

Lebanonrsquos capital keeps balance between two shrines

And on both assassinations there is a question mark

One sanctifies death but for a reason

Blues

2125713

6968

واحد قدس احلياة بس بالكذب واحد بايدو حتول الذهب سم وواحد تخبى من الذهب بالدم

مني الشهيد

اللي مات حتت صبابيط ثورة عبيد شهيد اللي مات فتحول على حملة اعالنات هدفها ترفع الطايفة معدالت التجنيد

قنابل بالبريد وصل سيوف علوريد حصل

املوت للبليد صنم الصبر للعنيد حلم تأليه الشهيد ظلم

خليط احلديد والدم العالج والسم الرفاه والهم النوعية والكم

الدعارة وورقة التوت مبدينة بيروت علم

e l R a s s

And one sanctifies life with lies

In onersquos hand gold turned into poison

And the other hid from gold with blood

Who is the martyr

The one who died under the shoes of the oppressedrsquos uprising is a martyr

Is it he whose death was transformed into an advertising campaign to raise the levels of

sectarian enlistment

Bombs came in the mail

Swords to the jugular true stories

Death to the cold is statuette

Patience to the stubborn is a dream

Divinity to the martyr is oppression

The mixture of steel and blood the cure and poison

Luxury and distress quality and quantity

Prostitution and modesty

The science of the city of Beirut

T r a n s l a t e d b y M o e A l i N a y e l amp + A z i z

Blues

2125713

7170

بقرأ في اجلريدة زفت شوارع جديدة

إزالة مطبات و كثير أشياء هيك مفيدة أشخاص مستفيدة

دعم من هون و من هون منظمات بس احلرية بعيدة

مقاطعة مستوطنات تعون الضفة الغربية وطنية حصرية إدعائية

طب و فلسطني التاريخية مع ألساس كانت القدس عاصمة الثقافة العربية

بس كلوحكي سياسية للشعب إحنا نتحمل الشغل و التعب و الوضع صعب

b o i k u t t

Irsquom reading in the paper

About roads newly paved

Speed bumps removed and a lot of other useful stuff (yes very)

Certain inviduals benefit

Funding from here and there

Organizations are plentiful but freedom is far-fetched

Calling for a boycott of settlements around the West Bank

Pretentious exclusive nationalism

But what about historical Palestine

I thought Jerusalem was supposed to be the ldquocapital of Arab cultureldquo

But itrsquos all political speeches for the people

We put up with the work and the sweat and itrsquos rough

a letterرسالة من مقاطعة from boikutt

risaleh mn muqataa (pt1)

boikutt

null

2010

1086983

eng - iTunPGAP0

eng - iTunNORM 00000A1E 00000A0E 000099D9 000098A0 0000CC63 0000CC63 0000826D 000080B0 000131D0 000131D0

eng - iTunSMPB 00000000 00000210 000008F3 000000000049197D 00000000 0027BA9D 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000

7372

يقنعونا إن كلشي متام و بقدر أعيش حياة عادية

زي في األفالم على مبس واحد إثنني ثالثة أربعة إلخ

كن منيح و بتنزل عليك املصاري زخ نصيحة من أخ ألخ

خليك مستقل ألن اللعبة إنلعب فإبعد عن الفخ

خليهم يقعدوا يستنوا الدعم ليموتوا يلفلفوا داخل اجلدار حلد ما يفوتوا

في متاهات مبسافات مش محددة مجددة لتوسع التوسع مش مهددة

إنتهاك احتالل بس مش على الكل

في ناس في فلسطني هون حياتهم زي الفل مش عارف شو بيفكر

شكلوا مش داري شي يوم حنروح كل الدكاكني هي حتسكر

سالم

b o i k u t t

Try to convince me that everythingrsquos fine

And that I can lead a normal life

Like in the movies

On MBC one two three four etcetera

Be good and money will rain on you

Advice from one brother to another

Stay independent because the games are being played

So steer clear of the trap

Let them wait for foreign aid until they die

Spinning in circles within the apartheid wall until they enter

Into unlimited mazes with unspecified spaces

That are renewed to fit settlement expansion unthreatened

Violation occupation

But not for everyone

There are people here in Palestine living ldquothe good lifeldquo

I donrsquot know what hersquos thinking

Seems like he doesnrsquot know one day wersquoll be gone

And all these shops will close

Peace

T r a n s l a t e d b y t h e a r t i s t w i t h L o u b n a B i l a l i

risaleh mn muqataa (pt1)

boikutt

null

2010

1086983

eng - iTunPGAP0

eng - iTunNORM 00000A1E 00000A0E 000099D9 000098A0 0000CC63 0000CC63 0000826D 000080B0 000131D0 000131D0

eng - iTunSMPB 00000000 00000210 000008F3 000000000049197D 00000000 0027BA9D 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000

7574

الضغط عاليالعدو فات جاري احملادثات

صمت دوليكمية الغازى عم تزداد

تهجير جديد مولود جديدتكرر عزو مش تارك ورا شي مفيد غير غراب

من كل البيت ما تركو شي إال البابمن االرض ل سما مسافة عاليه

إمشي الصحرا وعد لياليوجنوما

كمشوا رئيس دولة بجورةحصار

توزيع مخدراتباألحمر تلون الفرات سجون معتقالتقبلة الوداع مع الصبات

تنصت بالشبكة خيانات باألزهر

k a t i b e h 5

The pressure is high

The enemy has entered discussions are taking place

Global silence

The numbers of the occupier are increasing

A new expulsion A newborn child

The perpetuation of an invasion that leaves behind it nothing of any use except for a crow

From an entire house they left nothing but the door

From the ground to the sky is a long distance

Walk the desert and count the nights

And its stars

They caught a president in a pit

Siege

Drug dealing the Euphrates is stained red prisons detention centers

A farewell kiss with a shoe

Networks wiretapped betrayals in Al Azhar

hold me back ifهديني اذا فيك you can

null

23098943

7776

حوار أديانالكف تنجس

متسح فيه وجك مع كل شروق عالوضوءتسمع شرارة فتيل مولوتوف ينادي أصوات تتلبى

باإلنفجار

هديني إذا فيك صرت موجود بكل مكانوجي مغبش عامل زي جيش زباتا

منصرخ بوجكم raquoاحلرية ل برغوتيlaquoإعالمكو بيعرفني كلماتكو حملت إسمي

شركاتكو بتهرب مني )كتيبه خمسه هديتي إذا فيك(

بتالقيني بني والد حفظوا غنية املخيماتبنفسية فالح عمال يزو املدينة

افالم تافهةبرنامج تافه

بتدور على مخك بتالقي مش موجوداخلليج يتحكم بإعالم

هادول حبوب التنومي ٦1 سنة بعدن مش شغالني

عالمادامك واخد وجهة نظري

ع محمل اجلدمسموح لك تستعجب وتظهر إنزعاجك بوجودي

ألني صديق لكل املشاهد الغير مرغوبة فيهاش بيختار حياتو بالتحديد بحكيلك هيك منحياها ومحد

ضغط رصاص وابارود بخليكاش حتيدالتجارب بتدلك عطريق

هديتي إذا فيك

k a t i b e h 5

A dialogue of religions

The hand is tainted

And with it you cleanse your face at ablution each sunrise

You hear the sparking of the fuse of a molotov calling voices respond

Explosion

Hold me back if you can I have become present everywhere

My face is concealed like the army of Zapata

We shout in your face ldquoFreedom for Barghoutildquo

Your media knows me your words have glimpsed my name

Your corporations flee from me

(Katibe Khamseh hold me back if you can)

Yoursquoll find me among children that have memorized the song ldquoAl Moukhayamatldquo

In the persona of a peasant that is visiting the city

Shallow films

Shallow programs

You look for your mind but you find it is not there

The Gulf controls media with its boundaries

These sleeping pills 61 years and theyrsquore still not effective

Great

As long as you are taking my point of view seriously

Yoursquore allowed to be taken aback and to show your irritation

Just like you show your irritation at my presence

Because I am a friend to all the images that are not desirable

This is how we live out these images and no one chooses their life specifically Irsquoll tell you

The pressure of bullets and gunpowder does not allow you to move away

Experience will guide you on the road

Hold me back if you can

null

23098943

7978

موقف واحد صريح من صميم روح لشعوب املقاومة ضمير ظهور البشرية

السبيل صعب ورا الغضبدعم لكل أسالوب محارب

د لنحرق نظامك منتدرب منجرب منخرب منستععم نحرق نظامك

هديتي إذا فيك

إطلع منيحمش رح تقدر توخذ كل شي من أول نظرة

نظرة عامة raquoبشرة مش بيضةlaquoجبني عريضة مكتوب مولود عنيد بالفطرة

فوت بالتقاليد عد التجاعيدلك هاي مش أول مرة

لغات ودراسات حط العلم بغالفمش رح تقدر تفهم ليه بعد في بارود ع الكتافلون األرض ولون الليل بيعطيك البني و السواد

بوعدك مش لوحدي رح أضل عد رماد الال اللعبة اجلديدة وال والدنا ع اللعبة جداد

بكفيش إنفلونزا الصقور صار في إنفلونزا اخلنازيرموسم مرض جديد لرئيس مبثل ع نفوس ومريض بهدوء البيض

هديتي إذا فيك

k a t i b e h 5

A single honest stance from the bottom of the soul for the people of the resistance the conscience

that exposes humanity

The path is difficult when following anger

A support for every style of battle

We train we strive we disrupt we prepare to burn your system

We are burning your system

Hold me back if you can

Look closely

You wonrsquot be able to see it all at first sight

An overview ldquocomplexion that is not whiteldquo

A broad forehead written born stubborn by nature

Look at the traditions and count the wrinkles

This is not the first time

Languages and scholarship put education under wraps

You wonrsquot be able to understand why there is still gunpowder on shoulders

The color of earth and the color of night gives you brown and blackness

I promise you that I will not be alone to count the ashes no

This game to us is not new and nor are our children new to the game

As if the influenza of eagles was not enough now therersquos the influenza of pigs

The season of a new disease for a president acting for a public and sick with the

calmness of white people

Hold me back if you can

null

23098943

8180

اإلحتالل نكه البشر بنكهة املجاريبالسالم حوار أديانبإقرار ملكية كذابة

بتشويه تاريخ وسرقة حضاراتولك أه

فلسطني إفريقيا الدجلة والفراتإجتاه البشرية لإلضمحالل سرطان بشري بعضها

الشتا ميسح اخلطايا واآلثاروليش بتتخبى وبتتغطى بنفس كل سفارة سميك الستار

لساتني باكل الضربة ورا الضره ورا الضربةوحتى ما أفعل وأساوي تكمشني الرجفة

بدل ما أضرب فيك بضرب بحاليبوعدكش حضلني كامش حالي حفلتها

حفلتها

هديني إذا فيك هديني إذا فيكهديني إذا فيك

k a t i b e h 5

The occupation has seasoned humanity with the flavor of sewers

With peace with dialogue of religions

With the declaration of false ownership

With the distortion of history and the theft of civilizations

Oh yes

Palestine Africa the Tigris and Euphrates

Humanity is leading to reduction a human cancer bites it

Exile wipes clean the sins and the traces

And why are you hiding and seeking cover when all the embassies are already well concealed

I am still taking one beating after another

And so that I donrsquot take action and do something shudders grip my body

Instead of beating you I beat myself

I canrsquot promise you that I can keep myself restrained

Irsquom gonna let go

Hold me back if you can

Hold me back if you can

Hold me back if you can

T r a n s l a t e d b y R i m a N a j d i a n d F a y s a l B i b i

null

23098943

8382

طول عمر الشعب املصري مع بعض أحلك الظروفبص وفر في التاريخ وانت ياما هاتشوف

الدين ده ليا وليكوفيا وفيك

حاجة روحانية بتخليك حتس اللي بيك

ايد في ايد نبني فيها من جديد

مصر زعلت علي حاصل وسطنا مش مفيد

بعد ثورة وبعد عيد فتنة تقتل حلم واتتحقق لنا

واحد اتننيالذكري بتعيش اكتر من عمر االنسان

بصمتنا تغييرنا جوة وبرة امليدان مش هانضيع نصر ثورتنا بفتنة نشئت بينا

A r a b i a n K n i g h t s + M C G a z a + A m e e r

The Egyptian people have always stuck together

Through the worst times look at history

And see how often wersquove been there for each other

That whole idea of religion

Is for you and for me something spiritual that makes you feel whatrsquos inside you

Hand in hand

We build Egypt up again

Egypt is angry at whatrsquos happening between us

Itrsquos not helpful

After the revolution after the celebration

Sectarian strife is killing the dream we fulfilled

One two

The memory lasts more than a lifetime

Our mark is our change in and outside Tahrir Square

We wonrsquot give up the victory of our revolution in exchange for sectarian strife between

us

hand inايد في ايد hand

Eid Fe Eid

Yasser Ameer Youssef Rush E Money amp MCGaza | by BOGEY

Single Hit track 11

20112011

Hip-Hop

24002867

eng - Hip-Hop 4 Life

eng - iTunNORM 000005E2 0000058E 0000424E 00003537 00026E95 0001C2B3 00008000 00008000 00005045 00005045

8584

بلدنا محتجانا ايدنا واحدة ضد احملنة تفرق ايه معاك ديانتي ملا ربك هو ربي

اصلك هو اصلي ارضك هي ارضي

ملا اتقال لي اكتت فيول فتنة انا قولت غلط علشان الفتنة مفتعلة في بلدنا وكان وراها غرض

فالفرد افترض فبفرض السياسة األمر اختلط

فالزم يبقي املصل سياسي من اصل املرض العسس واحلرس مافرقوش صليب وهالل

وكنا كلنا واحد وراء االقفالدم الشهيد شاهد

ياما بالفتنة انكسرنا وحدتنا بصوت واحد وضد الظلم انتصرنا

وديني هو ديني صلة بيني وبني ربي هارفع علمي وارفع راسي فوق

انا مصري

ايد في ايد نبني فيها من جديد

مصر زعلت علي حاصل وسطنا مش مفيد

بعد ثورة وبعد عيد فتنة تقتل حلم واتتحقق لنا

خلو حمامة السالم من الطيور املنقرضةعلشان تبقي القلوب مبتعدة منقسمه سهل تتسم

فكرين مناعة و قوة أم الدنيا بالطمع مرتبطةنسر املصريني ليس له دين احنا بنحميها بالدم

العنف بذوره بتكتر عاوز يوصل واحلروب حتصل

A r a b i a n K n i g h t s + M C G a z a + A m e e r

Our country needs us all together against the hard times

What difference does my religion make to you when your god is my god

Your origin is mine

Your land is my land

When they told me about sectarian strife I said thatrsquos wrong

Because itrsquos been planted in our country and behind it is some purpose

Makes one think somethingrsquos going on

By playing politics everythingrsquos gotten mixed up

The antidote has to be political just like the poison itself

The military doesnrsquot distinguish between cross and crescent

Wersquore all held together behind bars

The blood of the martyrs bears witness

To how much wersquove been broken by sectarianism

Through our unity we triumphed with one voice over injustice

And my religion is my own a rapport between me and God

Irsquoll raise my flag and my head up

Irsquom Egyptian

Hand in hand

We build Egypt up again

Egypt is angry at whatrsquos happening between us

Itrsquos not helpful

After the revolution after the victory

Sectarian strife is killing the dream we fulfilled

They drove the dove of peace to extinction

To keep hearts apart and divided itrsquos easy to poison them

Do they really think the resilience and strength of Egypt is connected to greed

The Egyptian eagle has no religion we protect it with our blood

The roots of violence are increasing want to gain control to start wars

Eid Fe Eid

Yasser Ameer Youssef Rush E Money amp MCGaza | by BOGEY

Single Hit track 11

20112011

Hip-Hop

24002867

eng - Hip-Hop 4 Life

eng - iTunNORM 000005E2 0000058E 0000424E 00003537 00026E95 0001C2B3 00008000 00008000 00005045 00005045

8786

للعاقيدة يكسر وألعضاء املشاعر تتشال تصتأصلعلى كالم ربهم اتكبرو فعملو قدر واتقدر

وقته مستنينه ليه خططوا مضمون الرسائل اتغير الن الهدف هو تدمير قعدة الوحدهوقتل كل قائد يقود الناس بره احملنه

فيبقي سهل يزيحنا ميحي أوصول عليها كبرناوكل واحد علي حداه يقول أنا محدش يقول احنا

فاببطء بحرص بص بعقل بحذر شوفقبل ما يخلوا خيالك يتخلله اخلوف

واخلوف ده افراز بيطلع من غده ملا الكلب بيشوفهابيعرف انك فاريسه سهل ياكلها ركز

فرق تسد إخلعوفق جتد إرفع

ثورة تقدصمت يفرد- يفرق

ما بيجمع بيننامن حقي النقد من حقك - تسمع

طب إسمع وراجع ما صور التاريخ طب باله بيكفي صور زمانييوم حصار كنيسة املهد مني دافع مني اتقمع مني اتنفا

مسلم مسيحي أل كان فلسطيني اتذكر معي ثورة غضب يناير

اتذكر معي الوحدة اإليد الوحدة اتشرف انتا مصرياتذكر معي األخ بإيد األخ يحمي األخ بدون إلخ

كالمي ماشي ماشي ال-لتفهمني بهويتي مسلم وال نصراني قبطي

ما في حجة لربطي خلبطي حلطي ألوطي ألغير خطيخير أجناد األرض

من أرض بيت املقدس كل السالم بعد ما قلت إلنقسام في وطنيانا ملزم أقول ال لفتنة

تفتت مجد شعب تعب عانى ضحى بالغالي حتى بناه

A r a b i a n K n i g h t s + M C G a z a + A m e e r

The relationship between Egyptians breaks down and the organs that feel are taken out

They got full of themselves in the name of their god and invented a new fate for us

Theyrsquore waiting for a time and theyrsquore plotting The meaning of their messages changes

Because the goal is to destroy the foundation of unity

And kill every leader who takes the people out of hard times

Itrsquos easy to remove us to wipe out the traditions we grew up with

Everyone on his own everyone says ldquoIldquo and no one says ldquoweldquo

Slowly carefully look Wisely with caution see

Before they make your imagination a slave to fear

And that fear releases a secretion from a gland

And when the dog sees it he knows yoursquore easy prey

Divide yoursquoll conquer

Bring harmony and yoursquoll reap Start

A revolution and it will catch on

Silence is solitary It divides

It doesnrsquot bring us together

It is my right to criticize and your right to listen

So listen and look back at history or better look at my life time

The day the Nativity Church was under siege who was persecuted Who was exiled

A Muslim A Christian No he was Palestinian

Letrsquos remember the angry revolution of January

Letrsquos remember the unity the one hand Be proud yoursquore Egyptian

Remember the brother holding hands with a brother protecting a brother

And I can go on

Donrsquot teach me about my identity whether Irsquom a Muslim or a Christian Copt

Therersquos no excuse to tie me down beat me to make me cower and kneel and stray from my courseThe Earthrsquos most virtuous soldiers

Come from the land of Bayt al-Maqdis [Jerusalem] I salute you After I said no to division in my countryIrsquom committed to saying no to seditionThat dissolves the glory of a people who labored suffered sacrificed what was most dear to build it

T r a n s l a t e d b y A l e x O r t i z + A h m e d S h a w k e t + K h a l e d A l H i l l i

Eid Fe Eid

Yasser Ameer Youssef Rush E Money amp MCGaza | by BOGEY

Single Hit track 11

20112011

Hip-Hop

24002867

eng - Hip-Hop 4 Life

eng - iTunNORM 000005E2 0000058E 0000424E 00003537 00026E95 0001C2B3 00008000 00008000 00005045 00005045

8988

الفن واملواهب زي حرب الكواكب الكل عايز يكون جنم صراع في الداخل

بهدي جنون العظمة بفلفل حر توابل تسيل دموع زي القنابل

زي مابتكلم وداني شغالة كون سامع نبض الشارع علشان أ

حالف أقضي على اإلعالم املتآمر مغامر في الكالم بس إنت مش سامع

ملا بأمسك القلم والورقة الهم بينزاح مخي بيرتاح بأقول اللي على البال

ملا بأقعد بحس بتأنيب ضمير كون في ستوديو بسجل على بيت خطير مفروض أ

e l D e e b + S t o r m t r a p

Art and talent are like Star Wars

Secretly everyone wants to be a star of conflict

I make megalomania tranquil with chilli hot spices

Tears flow like bombs

Thatrsquos how I talk and the world keeps moving

So that I can hear the pulse of the streets

Irsquove sworn to obliterate the media conspirators

I am adventurous in my speech but you do not hear

When I hold the pen and the paper my anxiety is lifted

My mind relaxes and I say whatrsquos on it

When I sit down I feel guilty

I should be in the studio recording dangerous beats

addictأدمان الشهرة ion to fame

Edman El Shuhra

Stormtrap amp Mohamed El Deeb

2011

Hip-Hop

15305855

- vocals Mohamed El Deeb Stormtrap13produced by Stormtrap

9190

إحساس غريب إنك تدمن الكالم ارسم يا فنان واخترع زي دافينشي الرسام

ولو مفيش ورقة باستخدم تليفوني خايف إن فكرة متعديش على صوتي

دنيا غريبة يوم مر يوم بونبوني بس أنا عمري ماغيرت لوني

املوسيقى بنادولي وبطابعي فضولي مهما قالوا لي هافهمها مبفهومي فـساعات أالقي نفسي بكلم نفسي واسمع أصوات غريبة في دماغي

وهو ده الصدى الصوت اللي بسمعه اكن مفيش حد فارقة معاه احالمي

شوف شوف مش هدف إنو أنا شخصيا أنا

هدفي انه كلماتي وموسيقتي تنتشرعشان هيك حتشوفني دوما مستمر مستثمر

كل وقتي كل طاقتي على أصواتي خوذ شك خوذ حتويل خوذ كاش

بس ما تنساش أي شي بيتعلق بالواقع بدناش ما تخاف ألنها قضيتنا مش منسية مية باملية هايذي ثورة كمان ثقافية

خليني أوضح هاي املوسيقى مش معمولة للتلفازeهاي املوسيقى مش معمولة لهز الطياز l D e e b + S t o r m t r a p

Strange feeling to be out of words

Paint oh artist and discover like Da Vinci the artist

If I donrsquot have paper I use my cell

I am afraid that the idea does not come through my voice

Strange world one day is bitter another like candy

But Irsquove never changed my color

Music is my Tylenol and my nature curious

So whatever they tell me Irsquoll understand it my way

Sometimes I find myself talking to myself

And I hear weird voices in my head

Which is just the echo of the sound I hear

As if no one cares about my dreams

See see

My goals are not self serving

My goal is that my words and music spread

Thatrsquos why yoursquoll see me always and continuously investing

All my time my energy on my sounds

Take a check take a transfer take cash

But never forget anything related to reality wersquore not interested

Donrsquot be afraid because our cause is not forgotten

One hundred percent this is also a cultural revolution

Let me explain this music is not meant to be televised

This music is not made for booty shaking

Edman El Shuhra

Stormtrap amp Mohamed El Deeb

2011

Hip-Hop

15305855

- vocals Mohamed El Deeb Stormtrap13produced by Stormtrap

9392

مش فاهم ليش الكل قاتل حاله يكون في مسابقةحابني نتصابح حياكم زات املكافحة

واالعالم ميت ع حيالله قصة ما بيدرس هالقصة من نصها

وبعدن بينفخهامش احلق علينا اذا ما بيبحثوا

وملا يبدوا يحكوا عنا أل عنجد بيبعصوابيفكروا انه كل شي هشك بشك

بس حدن الزم يقلهم انه الهب هوب مش هيكبدك تدير بالك عشانها هاي اللحظة احلاسمة

ملا يجوا عليك الديب والعاصفةنكسر حدود وبنبني وحدة عشان نحيي مجتماعاتنا

وننهي معانتناعشان هيك منكتب كلمات صريحة والها معنى

مش للشهرة مش حتى يجي حدن يدفعلنا

e l D e e b + S t o r m t r a p

I donrsquot understand why everyone is killing themselves to be in the contest

Wersquod like to say goodmorning to salute you in this same struggle

The mediarsquos dying for any story

But they donrsquot study the storyrsquos real text

And then they blow it out of proportion

Itrsquos not our fault if they donrsquot search

And when they talk about us then they really screw it up

They think everything is empty pointless

Somebody needs to tell them that hip hop is not like that

You should take care because this is the critical moment

When the wolf and storm come haunting you

We break borders and we create a unity to revitalize our communities

And stop our suffering

That is why we write frank words that have meaning

Itrsquos not for fame or even so that someone pays us

T r a n s l a t e d b y N i z a r G h a n e m

Edman El Shuhra

Stormtrap amp Mohamed El Deeb

2011

Hip-Hop

15305855

- vocals Mohamed El Deeb Stormtrap13produced by Stormtrap

9594

حضل عهل مود يعنيما إنتلك النجوم عم تقرب

بهل ال مود حكون عطول لبهل جنوم إدءر لو مضطر شن هجوم عل النجوم كلها

خللي األرض تدور حول أصبعي تنلك

ما إنتلك متلي متلك مولع طيار ألفكاري من العقدي تنفك فرد قعدي بني 4 حيطان ما بتنهز و منها ما بنهز

يلز املا بينلزالكاس عل الطاولي و منو عم مز مز

لتفتل براصي وحس من حالي عم كز كزعل ورقة كالمي مدروس و ما بزت زت بجرب ما عيد حالي متا يقولو عم نق نق

موزع قافياتي جواز كأن عم فت فت

بهل األطشة خلي الديني اللي تسمعني ترن رنFبسبيلي جاري يوم ع يوم عم برك رك a r e e q e l A t r a s h

Irsquoll stay in this mood

Didnrsquot I tell you The stars are getting closer

Irsquoll stay in this mood until I touch these stars

Even if I have to launch an attack on all the stars

Irsquoll make the Earth rotate around my finger I told you

Didnrsquot I tell you Irsquom just like you I lit up a joint so my ideas would untie their knot

Sitting this way in between four walls I wonrsquot budge

The most delectable

Drink is on the table from which Irsquom taking sips

Till my head starts spinning and Irsquom sick of myself

On the paper my words are calculated I donrsquot just toss them about

I try not to repeat myself so they wonrsquot say Irsquom nagging

I deal my rhymes out like theyrsquore cards

In this verse Irsquoll make those ears ring

My fountain is running and every day I excel

tالنجوم عم تقرب he stars are gett ing closer

null

29781717

9796

لضل ماشي جالس بينما غيري عم بلك لك شريط معلق ريحة العة عم بتفح فحكل ما فتح متو بتالقي عم بكب كب

عايشها إرهاب و مفي إال بسب سببزبالتي ما بكبو تيكون بعلمك

األالف مسم و بحياتو ما بينسم بزقة من هل التم تخلي سقفك ينش نش

تلمو ردم و ما تفكر إنو ترد رد و عم بحكي عالواطي متا الصالي فيك ترج رج

بطبعي عاقل بس بالراب بزل زل عل الرايق بال ما نط وال فز فز

type of shitعال بارد أبرد من شباط بس يقز قزتخلي عضامك ع بعض تسك سك

ما إنتلك النجوم عم تقرب بهل ال مود حكون عطول لبهل جنوم إدءر

لو مضطر شن هجوم عل النجوم كلهاخللي األرض تدور حول أصبعي تنلك

أنا متنبئ بنبه و بحقق ما قلتلك بعد وقتها ما عم نكت

عاملكرفون إبرة هرون عم بشكشك في شكcheck one two

هيك بدسدس عالنبض

F a r e e q e l A t r a s h

So I can walk straight when others are still playing

A broken record that reeks of a musty smell

Every time he opens his mouth he spews them out

He lives in terror and all he does is curse

I wouldnrsquot throw him in my garbage just so you know

Irsquove irritated thousands and never been irritated in my life

One spit out of this mouth will make your roof leak

And yoursquoll pick up the rubble and donrsquot even think about answering back

Irsquom talking in a low voice so the hall wonrsquot shake with you in it

Irsquom reasonable by nature but when it comes to rap I humiliate cold-heartedly

Without jumping or leaping around

I do it coldly colder than icy February-type of shit

Irsquoll make your bones rattle against each other

Didnrsquot I tell you The stars are getting closer

Irsquoll stay in this mood until I touch these stars

Even if I have to launch an attack on all the stars

Irsquoll make the Earth rotate around my finger I told you

Irsquom a psychic I predict and deliver

Didnrsquot I tell you to stand back when Irsquom not joking

Irsquom pricking the microphone with a heroin needle Is there any doubt

Check one two

Thatrsquos how I feel the pulse

null

29781717

9998

بدقق و زتزت حكي بتزجزج كأنها مزهزها عم بتشمشم عم خطط عم تكتيك و مني ملحلح من هون للساعة توقف تك تيك تك تيك

لك ليك منفخ حاله عامبيكازيب عا غيري بس بوجهي بتاءتإوجهه بيباءبإ من أد ما بعصب بسبسب

زر إنذار إذني بتطنطن و بشوف من عالباب عم بدقدق

عكروت بدو يفوت ليشوف الفن فني بس الفن هون بجسمي معبأ

من حلقي طايف و من متي عم بت شرشر و بيس البيس زلزال برجرج خليك تضبضب تنضب بالبيت لتكنكن

و أنا متأسف ألني بدي استأذن بس بعد شفت كابتشينو بتصحصح

ما إنتلك النجوم عم تقرببهل ال مود حكون عطول لبهل جنوم إدءر

لو مضطر شن هجوم عل النجوم كلهاخللي األرض تدور حول أصبعي تنلك

هيدا هب هوبمش هبل و ال بهل

هيدا زجل تتغزل في

ورايي إيقاع عليي إتبع و ما إطلع عنو يا بصير متل غير مسيس

زقفوا مع االيقاعزقفوا مع االيقاع

F a r e e q e l A t r a s h

Checking and hurling words that tickle as if I was high and sniffing

I am planning and scheming and Irsquom not going anywhere till the clock stops ticking

Look hersquos so full of it lying to others but in my face he stutters

And his face turns red from all the anger and he curses

My earsrsquo alarm bells start ringing

And I go to see whorsquos knocking at the door

Some bastard who wants to see where ldquothe artldquo is

But the art is right here packed in my body

Flowing from my throat running out of my mouth

And the bass is an earthquake that shakes and forces you to pack up and go home

And Irsquom sorry because I need to take leave

But after a sip of cappuccino yoursquoll come around

Didnrsquot I tell you The stars are getting closer

Irsquoll stay in this mood

Until I touch these stars even if I have to launch an attack on all the stars

Irsquoll make the Earth rotate around my finger I told you

This is hip hop

Itrsquos not stupid nor dumb

Itrsquos zajal [a form of Arabic poetry in the Levant]

That you flirt with

There is a beat that I have to follow canrsquot lose it or Irsquoll be like other MCs

Clap with the beat

Clap with the beat

T r a n s l a t e d b y K h a l e d A l H i l l i

null

29781717

101100

انا ببلعهم بتفهم وال مره بسبهمبخليهم داميا يضاربو بتفكيرهم

أنا وراهم قدامهم جنابهم محتلهممش طايقهم مرات وزنهم بكون منزلهم

مرتبهم صاففهم وبقلم أنا حاكمهم زاتتهم مش عاجبيني أنا ماحيهم قائدهم وبنفس الوقت أنا عبيدهم

وبفك وربط أنا بلعب مبعانيهمانا حاميهم بأسطر اللي تقويهم

انا واعدهم اني أستر على فاضحهم ومطلعهم بصوره اللي تبشعهم

بس أنا محترمهم وبسطور ساجنهم مكتفهم كأسير بجنازير القهر

ومهديهم بحبل اللي يبشر بالصبر وانا لي الفخر أكون الشوك اللي فيهم

Dوأكون القهر اللي داميا يسقيهم A M

Yo this is dedicated to the lyrics

Irsquom swallowing them spitting them never dissing them

Giving them freedom of speech

Irsquom behind them in front of them because of them always standing with them

Sometimes get sick of them sick of how you abuse them

Gather them in line with my pen I order them

Didnrsquot like it Throwing them out and replacing them

Irsquom their leader and also their slave

Small changes make huge differences

I train them in pages to make them strong

Promising to use them not abuse them

Or allow the wrong mouths to utter them

Approach them with a military mind and find peace in them

Irsquom lucky to be full of thorns and even luckier that I found the lyrics

So theyrsquoll help me find the roses in me

wordsكلمات

null

26837427

103102

raquoالكل سمعك بس السؤال اذا اللي سمعك فهمكlaquoكلمات ليست كالكلمات بل raquoعالماتlaquo

اللي توجهنا وين مابدنا عحبال السيرك هي تثبتنا ريح العالم من كل جهه اذا احنا ضعاف بتوقعنا بس

raquoأل بلمره ألlaquo raquoكلمات عندي طنlaquoكل واحده الها هدف اخدت حرف عحرف

نسجت جمل اللي البسهم وقت البرد raquoراح اضلني اناديlaquo raquoبنحكي كلماتlaquo

انت بتعرف انهم مبنصب شهاد بحكو املاضي وتنبوا حاضر أي بالد

قد ماحكيت قد ما أحكي فش كالم يغطي بسفي كالم يربي وينمي انت بس أروي

في شوف انه قوه والقوه بتقويفيك و أن رويته مصيره يسقيك )مثل للقوه( العدو من أمامكم

والبحر من ورائكم فال تخيبوا أسيادكمفأين أشعاركم وأين مجادلتكم

فأنتم تسكتون وتخمدون أحالمكم)انهي( نهيت ورجعت للعامية بكلمات

مرمية طالعه من عقليه شعبيهمتل جنيب اللي بذاكرة كل واحد محفوظ مدروس واذا أل معناته في خلل معكوس

عاملجتمع اللي قمع كتاباته Dاللي سمح لنسيانه يشيل خطواته A M

ldquoThey all hear you but few listen to youldquo

Lyrics ainrsquot just a bunch of words they are ldquosignsldquo

Leading us stabilizing us on tight ropes

Winds every way if we are thin we will fall

ldquoBut hell noldquo ldquoyou can measure my words in tonsldquo

Every word has a meaning I knitted a letter with another letter

Made warm sentences to wear in cold days

ldquoSo Irsquoll still shoutldquo ldquowe control lyricsldquo

You know lyrics are like a witness

They witnessed the past and forecast the future

As much as I said or say I canrsquot describe them

But there is a way to find the description and thatrsquos through them

Quench the thirst of the pages with them

So in the future itrsquoll quench your thirst

Keep feeding them as soon as they grow up

Theyrsquoll give you strength

ldquoExample for the strengthldquo

ldquoThe enemy is before you the sea is behind you

So donrsquot you dare disappoint our ancestors

Where are our deep poems Where are our strong statements

From generation to generation we kill our dreamsldquo

ldquoEnough philosophizingldquo ok lets get back to street talk

Words coming outta simple minds

Like Najeeb Mahfuz [literally lsquowell-rememberedrsquo also a famous author]

They keep living in our minds

And if you donrsquot know who he is - then I rest my case

null

26837427

105104

raquoالكل سمعك بس السؤال اذا اللي سمعك فهمكlaquoكلمات ليست كالكلمات بل raquoعالماتlaquo

اللي توجهنا وين مابدنا عحبال السيرك هي تثبتنا ريح العالم من كل جهه اذا احنا ضعاف بتوقعنا بس

raquoأل بلمره ألlaquo raquoكلمات عندي طنlaquoكل واحده الها هدف اخدت حرف عحرف

نسجت جمل اللي البسهم وقت البرد raquoراح اضلني اناديlaquo raquoبنحكي كلماتlaquo

ألف با كبايه أوعك تكسرهاامسكها للنهاية وكل ما تفضى مليها

كلمه أو رواية ومع املراحل زيدها شيحكاية وهيك ضلك زود فيها

وجيبها لتجمعاتك وساعتها استعملها لنقاشاتك وملواقفك استخدمها

هادي مدافعك اللي مداها بسيطرتك وما دافعك انه ما تخليها رايتك

ما هي تكتب ما هي توصف ما هي تكذب ما هي تنصف

ما هي هي الهروب هياللجوء هي الدروب هي

العبور باحلدود واللي مبرؤهم مبدع وبفوز باخللود واللي بسرقهم مش مقنع

واذا بتديهم احلرية بنادوك ممنوعDواذا بتوخد احلريه بنادوك مسموح A M

ldquoThey all hear you but few listen to youldquo

Lyrics ainrsquot just a bunch of words they are ldquosignsldquo

Leading us stabilizing us on tight ropes

Winds every way if we are thin we will fall

ldquoBut hell noldquo ldquoyou can measure my words in tonsldquo

Every word has a meaning I knitted a letter with another letter

Made warm sentences to wear in cold days

ldquoSo Irsquoll still shoutldquo ldquowe control lyricsldquo

The Arabic alphabet is like a glass donrsquot break it

Hold it tight and keep filling it

And then bring it to our arguments

Scream till your throat gets dry and then wet it

It holds our body itrsquos like our legs

If you stand for nothing yoursquoll fall for anything

The words write create

They kill lead and sometimes even lie

You can use them to build borders

And those who are gifted

Can use them to walk through borders

And in some governments

Itrsquos forbidden to give words freedom

But if you choke them and kill them

Thatrsquos allowed

F i g u r a t i v e t r a n s l a t i o n o f f e r e d b y t h e a r t i s t s

null

26837427

107106

further reading

The tracks presented in this document are not a comprehensive sampling of the genre of the market of hip hop in Arabic or of hip hop and rap in the wider Middle East

Artists featured here hail from Egypt Lebanon Palestine and the anglophone Arab diaspora The thriving North African hip hop scene is not represented nor is the work of the established francophone Arab diaspora nor the expanding hip hop scenes of especially Iran or Turkey

This collection does not attempt a comprehensive chronology Tracks featured here are not primarily new releases (though some are) neither are they all ldquoclassicsrdquo These limitations of scope are important to note

Many tracks of the popular Libyan group Ibn Thabitt and other groups from across the region have been translated and are hosted with commentary on the notable blog

revolutionaryarabrapblogspotcom

Another valuable resource is the Beirut-based blog by Jackson Allers ldquoBeats and Breathrdquo which features articulate critiques and reviews of events and releases from the region

jacksonallerswordpresscom

Hass Dennaoui (alias Big Hass) who recently launched started the first all hip-hop FM radio show in Saudi Arabia Laish Hip Hop (Why Hip Hop) manages a lively blog which

hosts an internet feed of his radio show and interviews with MCs and influential hip hop figures from around the world

revoltradioblogspotcom

Lebaneseundergroundcom hosts coverage of underground music in Lebanon including hip hop

And finally an excellent article by Hishaam Aidi on implications of the use of hip hop as foreign policy ldquoThe Grand (Hip-Hop) Chessboard Race Rap and Raison DrsquoEtatrdquo was published in The Middle East Report Fall 2011 Excerpts of the piece were published by Al Jazeera English in the article ldquoLeveraging Hip Hop in US Foreign Policyrdquo

All the artists and many of the translators whose work is showcased here host a significant online presence Their sites are listed with more about each of them on the following pages

109108

artist bios

ARABIAN KNIGHTZ the premier hip hop group from the land of the Nile River have not only established themselves as the lyricists with the sharpest swords in their land but they have also created the most consistent voice for rebellion strength and hope for the youth of the Middle East During the 2011 Revolution Arabian Knightz released two singles ldquoRebelrdquo and ldquoNot Your Prisonerrdquo anthems of resistance which gained worldwide attention and major media coverage for their powerful lyrics against a wicked system The group formed in 2006 through the cipher hip hoprsquos natural way of choosing like mindsets on the mic Rush Sphinx and E-Money were ahead of their peers adapting an authentic Arab perspective to the art dominated by Western voices mixing English and Arabic raps After hitting the studio for successful underground tracks AK enlisted super-producer Fredwreck (Snoop Dogg Xzibit Tha Dogg Pound) ldquoFokkakrdquo the single from this studio session was an instant hit and (surprisingly for Arabic Hip Hop) projected them to the top ten of the singles charts Arab League Records was formed amidst a growing fanbase and numerous collaborations with other Arab hip hop artists the first international Arab hip hop record label Desert Saga Volume 1 mixtape was the debut release led by ldquoThe Onerdquo featuring Egyptrsquos MC Amin Arabian Knightz have recorded their debut album Uknighted State of Arabia a masterpiece for Arab hip hop years in the making featuring instrumentals dominated by traditional percussions and players are scheduled for a Winter 2012 Release They are on Facebook

BOIKUTT is a musician and MC based in Ramallah Palestine Creating sounds using sampled material field recordings and electronic devices the results range between hip-hop downtempo ambient glitch and experimental He has composed and produced music for artists such as Kronos Quartet Bukue One Spiritchild Tamer Abu-Ghazaleh Bleubird and others and has appeared as an MC on albums for artists such as Slovo Heliodrome Bonnot and Lethal Skillz A co-founder of the Ramallah Underground Collective which has toured across the Arab World Europe and Australia Boikutt is also co-founder and member of audio-visual group Tashweesh with whom he is currently touring Also as a solo performer he has been in Beirut Cairo Manila Copenhagen London Hamburg Dubai Bethlehem and other cities He has produced and exhibited a few sound-art pieces composed several film scores has most recently composed the music for a dance theater performance entitled Bound by

New York-based company Yaa Samar Dance Theatre and is now working on different collaborative and solo projects His work may be heard at soundcloudcomboikutt and on Facebook

DAM Da Arabian MCrsquos are Suhell Nafar Tamer Nafar and Mahmoud Jreri The first Palestinian hip hop crew and among the first to rap in Arabic the group began working together in the late 1990s Struck by the uncanny resemblance of the reality of the streets in a Tupac video to the streets in their own neighborhood of Lyd they were inspired to tell their stories through hip hop Their timely song ldquoMin Irhabirdquo (ldquoWhorsquos the Terroristrdquo) was downloaded a million times shortly after its internet realese in 2001 and DAM became a household name among youth throughout the Middle East Ten years of performing all over the world has strengthened the grouprsquos commitment to continue living and working in their hometown of Lyd 15 minutes from Tel Aviv and working to provide the youth of the city and neighboring communities with programs and opportunities that have been denied to Palestinian citizens of Israel Their music is a unique fusion of East and West and encompasses influences as varied as Ghassan Kanafani Ahlam Mosteghanemi Mahmoud Darwish Naji al Ali Tupac Biggie Public Enemy MBS Krsquonaan and Pharoahe Monch IHDA (Dedication) DAMrsquos long-awaited first international album was released in 2007 and DAM has seen its songs and members featured in films such as Ford Transit (Dir Hany Abu Assad) Where in the World is Osama Bin Laden (Dir Morgan Spurlock) Salt of this Sea (Dir Annemarie Jacir) Local Angel and Forgiveness (Dir Udi Aloni) DAMrsquos history and influence on the Arab hip hop scene is detailed in the feature-length documentary Slingshot Hip Hop (Dir Jackie Reem Salloum) The group has also been featured in Vibe National Geographic Rolling Stone Q Basement Reuters and The New York Times and has appeared on MTV CNN BBC and Al Jazeera Their work can be heard and explored at damrapcom

EL DEEB first ventured into Egyptian Hip Hop when he joined Asfalt in 2005 He left in 2007 to create Wighit Nazara duo represented by Mohamed Yasser and himself It was a successful musical project that lasted until mid 2010 Currently he is working on his solo career with plans to release an EP every couple of months or so Cairofornia is his first solo EP His work may be heard at deebbandcampcom and on Facebook

EL RASS was born in Tripoli Lebanon He started writing poetry in literary Arabic at age 11 and started rhyming in spoken Lebanese dialect in 1999 at age 15 At that time he formed one third of a group of 3 MCrsquos going under the name of ldquoMlouk el Micrdquo (ldquoKings of the Micrdquo) They recorded one album and performed locally At 17 he left for France to study Finance and Economics Studies were hard money was scarce and exile was tough but music and poetry never left him as he continued rhyming with some underground French MCrsquos like Medline and Moebius and developed new musical skills on percussion in classical Arabic singing and baglama (turkish buzuk) After graduating and working for almost two years in the hell of banking and market finance El Rass decided to return to Lebanon He spent a year just re-discovering Beirut and making and learning music He now works as a journalist at the newspaper Assafir while concurrently pursuing joint projects with other producers and musicians He calls his work Taalik in reference to the same word in Arabic for ldquocommentrdquo and another word that comes from the same semantic root moaallakat which is a corpus of selected pre-Islamic poetry that was written with gold ink on the walls of the Karsquoaba in Mecca His work may be heard at soundcloudcomElRass

FAREEQ EL ATRASH is a hip hop band based out of Hamra St Beirut with a sound that is distinguished by laid back topical flows over live instrumentation It consists of Edd (raps) Nasser (raps) FZ (vocal production and FX) Fouad Afra (drums) Goo (plays guitar keys heart strings) and Abed Kobeissy (plays bass and buzuk) Their 2010 album and 2009 prealbum are available online More of their work may be found on Facebook Eddrsquos solo work can also be heard at soundcloudcomEdd

H2Z was born in Kuwait in 1986 where he lived for four years Due to the gulf war his family moved to Lebanon where he lived for the most part of his life Inspired by the tragic events in the Middle East and elsewhere in the world H2Z adopted rap music as a way to raise awareness about the injustices suffered by his people and to deliver a message through his music to anyone who supports the Palestinian cause His career began in 2004 when he was introduced to the production business by fellow rappers and soon he started producing his own tracks and established a local band producing many tracks for himself and other musicians in Lebanon In 2008 he released his first solo album titled 3aed which contained

17 tracks The political influence was noticed throughout the album and was generally well-received He is now studying for a degree in business administration at Wayne State University in Michigan His work may be heard at reverbnationcomh2z

KATIBEH 5 are based in Borj el Barajneh Lebanon Their work can be found at reverbnationcomkatibeh5 and myspacecomkatibe5palestine and on Facebook

M1 is Mutulu Olugbala of the New York based collective Dead Prez whose work is online at deadprezcom M1 is also on Facebook

MC GAZA is Adnan Mahmoud Ghonim an Algerian born artist and university student based in Gaza It was the beginning of 2005 when he attended one of the hip hop concerts in Gaza City ndash Gaza City that never appreciated the art he loved and attached himself to ndash and it was love at first sight between them Through some of the concerts he participated in a number of songs he collaborated on with Arabs from Egypt Algeria and Palestine and some active participation to represent the Palestinian people and interviews for both Arab and foreign press he was able to make a name for himself in the Gazan hip hop community His work may be found at youtubecomMCGaza and on Facebook

THE NARCICYST Having pioneered the Arab Hip-Hop movement with seminal Iraqi-Canadian crew Euphrates The Narcicyst recently broke through borders and shattered traveling etiquette touring solo around the world sharing stages with the likes of Brother Ali Mos Def and Kanye West to name a few On top of music The Narcicyst is a celebrated theorist whose academic work Fear of an Arab Planet has him from the stage to the classrooms of internationally renowned universities He is now also a professor at Concordia University teaching a Fine Arts course ldquoHip-Hop Past Present and Futurerdquo His writings have been published by multiple university presses and magazines internationally he is also a self-published author having recently released the biographical and social-study on the Arab world The Diatribes of a Dying Tribe As a true artist interested in really pushing his own artistic boundaries The Narcicyst has stepped into acting currently starring in the short music film PHATWA and in the first internationally-released film from the United Arab Emirates called City of Life A true multi-media

111110

KHALED AL HILLI is a PhD candidate in Comparative Literature at the Graduate Center City University of New York He has a BA in English Literature and a Masterrsquos degree in Teaching Second Languages Born in Iraq Khaled has taught in Lebanon and Saudi Arabia at both college and high school levels He has also worked with various Iraqi news outlets and has subtitledtranslated documentary films dealing with current social and political issues His research interests include Arabic political literature prison literature and literature in the diaspora He may be reached at hillykhalidgmailcom

+AZIZ is a NYC-based marketing consultant and a musician He is working through The World Music Parade to develop an animation project based on his music More about that project can be found at themusicparadetumblrcom He tweets from plusaziz

FAYSAL BIBI is a paleontologist and electronic musician currently based in Berlin

LOUBNA BILALI is originally from Morocco She did her undergrad and first MA in English Linguistics at Chouaib Doukkali University El Jadida She came to the US in 2008 to pursue a Masterrsquos degree in French to English translation and is currently working on a PhD in translation studies at Kent State University in Ohio She is very interested in learning and teaching languages as well as translating and localizing computer applications and websites She may be reached at loubnabilaligmailcom

FARAH ELREWAISSATI is a freelance translator pro-Palestine activist and BDS advocate who blogs at youthanormalizationblogspotcom She tweets from 3beee

NIZAR GHANEM was born in Lebanon He has been active in intercultural education interactive learning and conflict resolution across the Arab world His work on conflict resolution involved using theater comics and music as tools for emotional expression and social mobilization

RIMA NAJDI is a Performing Artist She studied dramatic arts at the Lebanese University in Beirut and obtained a Masterrsquos degree in Performance Studies at NYU New York She has written and performed in various plays and performances Najdi is particularly interested in multi-media performing arts and the position of the spectators

BARRAK ALZAID (copy editor) is the Artistic Director of ArteEast He is the editor of the ArteEast Quarterly a dynamic online portal featuring four publications that highlight contemporary art and culture from the Middle East and diaspora ndash ArtersquoZine Shahadat (contemporary short-form literature) Gallery and Cinematek (an online film center) He is also the curator for ArteEastrsquos Across Histories Art Talk Series featuring a series of panels on residencies in Fall 2011 He tweets from barrakster

RAYYA EL ZEIN (editor) is working towards a PhD in Theatre at the Graduate Center City University of New York Her research is increasingly focusing on theories of reception historical studies of audience behavior and popular culture in the Arab world She holds an MA in Performance Studies from NYU and is currently a teaching fellow at City College in Harlem She tweets from rayelz

translator biosdreamer Yassin recently established an arts label in the UAE called The Medium focusing on delivering art from Arabs in the diaspora and at lsquohomersquo to the rest of the world iraqisthebombcom He tweets from TheNarcicyst

OMAR OFFENDUM is a Syrian-American hip hop artist born in Saudi Arabia raised in Washington DC and living in Los Angeles Known for taking audiences on a lyrical journey from the jasmine-tree-lined courtyards of Nizar Qabbanirsquos Damascene homes to the flooded riverbanks of Langston Hughesrsquo Harlem Renaissance poems - Offendum has been featured on several major news outlets (BBC Yahoo ABC News Aljazeera PBS) toured the world to promote his ground-breaking music helped raise thousands of dollars for various humanitarian relief organizations (PCRF KinderUSA ANERA Islamic Relief) lectured at a number of prestigious academic institutions (Harvard MIT Stanford Columbia American University of Beirut NYU-AbuDhabi Qatar Education City) and most recently been involved in creating several critically-acclaimed songs about the popular democratic uprisings throughout the Middle East amp North Africa He is currently hard at work promoting his solo release - affectionately dubbed SyrianamericanA His work may be heard (and read) at offendumbandcampcom He is on Facebook and he tweets from Offendum

RAMALLAH UNDERGROUND based in Ramallah Palestine was born from the immediacy of musical experimentation and out of the need to give voice to a generation of Palestinians and Arabs facing a turbulent and uncertain political landscape The collective was founded by artists Boikutt Stormtrap and Aswatt and has always held a commitment to both the honesty of their work and the need to creatively rejuvenate Arabic culture To this end they combine music ranging from Arabic electronic music hip-hop and trip hop to downtempo with a deep sense of their local culture and the imposing presence of Palestine in their lives The outcome is a new specific and distinct sound RU (as producers and as MCrsquos ) has collaborated with numerous artists across the globe including countries like Lebanon UK Switzerland Italy USA France and many more including a collaboration with Slovo (a band headed by the guitarist from faithless) in their track ldquoNakbardquo which appears on their album Todo Cambia and with Kronos Quartet in the track ldquoTashweeshrdquo which appears on Floodplain RU has also performed live shows in Ramallah Bethlehem Vienna London Cairo Lausanne Amsterdam and Washington DC Their shows are mainly a performance of their hip-hop tracks as well as a few of their own electronic productions as a warm up More recently RU has incorporated a visual set in their live

performances brought to you by Palestinian visual artist Ruanne RU hopes to give a voice to Palestinians and Arabs bringing an alternative voice from the Arab world Their lyrics and music are an expression of anguish and defiance ultimately remaining a defiant voice of the colonized against the colonizer They continue to play a big role in the Arab underground cultural scene while slowly gaining wide global and local popularity

SHADIA MANSOURrsquos work can be found at myspacecomshadiamusic and on Facebook

STORMTRAP is a music producercomposerMC from Palestine Experimenting with old samples instruments and field recordings his sound is the result of a fusion of ambient atmospheres combined with various noises and hip hop beats His lyrics deal with different themes inspired mainly by his personal experiences in Palestine and life in the diaspora Stormtrap played a fundamental role in forming the band Ramallah Underground with which he has performed worldwide the past few years Currently he is working in Vienna with Aras Seyhan and Eren Ileri on a new album which combines live instruments synthesizers turntables beats and Arabic lyrics- which will be released early 2012 His work may be heard at soundcloudcomstormtrap He tweets from asifeh

AMEER YOSSEF 25 has sung and writen music with the band Klaket for the past four years His work may be heard at youtubecomAmeer and on Facebook

towards the work Her work for now concentrates on the process of making interactive and participatory performances that question borders stereotypes and languages

MOE ALI NAYEL is a fixer and a journalist based in Beirut Lebanon He uses social media blogging non-mainstream music journalism and writing as a word spreading eye opening socializing arena He uses social media as a bridge that cuts distance between people on this planet making it a tiny village This bridge starts in his office and takes him to every corner in the world enabling him to connect and network with people and cultures sharing and exchanging stories of the unheard and the neglected He blogs at Words of Action and he tweets from MoeAliNay

ALEX ORTIZ is a video and radio journalist and translator based in Cairo Egypt He graduated from Brown University in 2009 with a double major in Comparative Literature and Middle East Studies He was a CASA I fellow from 2009-2010 and a CASA II fellow from 2010-2011 He currently works for CBS News as a field producer He tweets from cairowitness

AHMED SHAWKET is an independent translator living in Cairo Egypt He is a graduate of the Helwan University Faculty of Arts where he majored in philosophy Ahmed works on literary media and commercial translation

113112

ABOUT SHAHADATShahadat is a quarterly online series designed to provide a platform for short-form writing and experimentation in writing by young and underexposed writers from the MENA region (Middle East and North Africa) The series features stories vignettes reflections and chronicles in translation and the original language of Arabic Farsi Turkish or Kurdish It makes up one quarter of ArteEastrsquos online programming the AE Quarterly For past issues of Shahadat click here

ABOUT THIS SERIES Shahadat is proud to run two alternating series and releases two issues a year of each The issue yoursquove just perused is part of the ldquoExploring Popular Literaturerdquo series This series challenges traditional understandings of ldquoliteraturerdquo emerging from the Middle East and North Africa by presenting genres of creative production that rely on words and language but which have not typically been studied as literature Works are presented in their original language and in translation

In each issue we gather texts from a spectrum of writers to challenge the singular status of the artistauthor and to encourage a more complex presentation of the Middle Eastern and North African ldquostreetrdquo for English-speaking audiences Shahadatrsquos other series ldquoContemporary Literature in Translationrdquo features the work of a single young author in the original language and in English translation

BEHIND THE DOCUMENTShahadat is co-edited by Rayya El Zein Alex Ortiz and ArteEastrsquos Artistic Director Barrak Alzaid All three are young professionals and scholars with artistic inclinations (literature poetry translation and performance) All three have strong connections to New York City and various metropole of the MENA region Shahadat is for us an experiment and a labor of love An editorial board of established scholars and authors is currently being conceived

SPECIAL THANKS TOAnmar El ZeinKinda AkashAndrew JohnstonLivia Alexander

Shahadat logo design by Rima Farouki

114

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Page 5: Shahadat Winter 2012

98

This issue of Shahadat is an interactive experiment and a virtual media work in progress It is designed for multiple audiences from the aspiring poet and critic to the classroom to established fans and everything in-between

Download all the tracks featured in this issue and absorb the various layers of sound rhythm politics and poetry at your own leisure

Or download the pdf of this document and listen as you go The green button on each page starts the track the red button pauses Click above the set of buttons and a small media player will appear which allows one to navigate through the track at will These interactive features only function if you download the pdf of this document The

Note for Mac users if you are viewing the downloaded pdf the tracks will stop playing at the flip of the page To reactivate sound click in the upper left hand corner of each two-page

spread (Hovering should produce a text box that says ldquoclick to activaterdquo) A small player will appear with which the track can be navigated Be sure to open with Adobe Reader not Apple Preview for interactive functions

Flip through the virtual publication in the order wersquove suggested or find your favorite track in the table of contents on the opposite page and click on the title to be led directly to it

We appreciate your feedback (and your patience) as we experiment with new forms of media while exploring the various incarnations of popular literature in the Middle East and North Africa

how to use this Document table of Contents

Editorrsquos Remarks 4

From the Cave | Ramallah Underground 10

Rise Egyptian | El Deeb + Edd 16

Not Your Prisoner | Arabian Knightz + Shadia Mansour 24

Ignite | Boikutt 30

I am Palestinian | H2Z 36

Kufeyyeh Arabeyyeh | Shadia Mansour 40

Destiny | Omar Offendum 46

What Happened Yesterday | Stormtrap 54

Brass | The Narcicyst 60

Beirutrsquos Volcano | El Rass 64

A Letter from Boikutt | Boikutt 70

Hold Me Back If You Can | Katibeh 5 74

Hand in Hand | Arabian Knightz + MC Gaza + Ameer 82

Addiction to Fame | El Deeb + Stormtrap 88

The Stars are Getting Closer | Fareeq el Atrash 94

Words | DAM 100

Further Reading 106

About the Artists 108

About the Translators 111

1110

بدهم يجوعوا األهالي ألنو الناس ملا يجوعو ما بوعودو يفكروا باملقاومة

نازل العب باملوت بدي اعرف ايش عدد املوت هون

مش سامع وال صوت اطفي التلفون

اسأل ألنو وال حد سائل سواءا سياسي أو دوبلوماسي

قاعدين على هالكراسي وبتحدثوا

بروحوا بحوطوا رؤوسهم و بتمددووالبيوت في لبنان و غزة عم يتهدموا اجا الوقت نرفع بعبوص لكل العالم

ألنو راح يضلو يحكي وعمرو ما حيعمل فئيش بدنا نضلنا نقنع و نستنا بتمنى بس عالفاضي من زمان نسييو عنا

R a m a l l a h U n d e r g r o u n d

They wanna starve our people because when people are starving they no longer think of

leading resistance

I am going to play with death

I wanna know the death count here

I canrsquot hear a sound

Turn off your phone

Ask because no one else has

Whether politicians or diplomats

Theyrsquore planted in their seats

Chatting

They relax rest their heads

While homes in Lebanon and Gaza are leveled

The time has come to screw the world

Because theyrsquoll keep talking without ever doing anything

Why would we keep holding on waiting hoping

But for nothing They forgot about us a while ago

from tمن الكهف he cave

3 Min Ill Kahef

Ramallah Underground ft Lethal Skillz

The Peace Revolution 20

24420868

eng - iTunNORM 00000E33 00000D93 0000B0A7 00008C71 0001CD0B 0002129C 00008000 00008000 0000A2CF 0000633A

1312

ساعة بتمسك حالك ملا تشوف قدامك

اللي قامك واللي شالك مش مستغرب اذا افكار جهنمية عم بدور ببالك

نازل بتنادي عالدنيا بس الدنيا نامت وحتى اذا قامت ما حتسمع كالمك

ما حتسمع كالمك

هون يوم معاك مية عليك حواجز حواليك كلبشات عايديك

قولي شو سويت مابدي فوت باحليط ياريت بس انا فايت هيك هيك

حياتي عجل بسكليت وهأل فلت اجلنزير اجا الوقت ادعس بنزين

ابدا شد ابدا مد حكيي لكل النواحي

ألنو كلماتي سالحي

بدهم يجوعوا األهالي ألنو الناس ملا يجوعو ما بوعودو يفكروا باملقاومة

11 22 33 عم ميحونا هات لننزل عال مالجئ قبل ما يشوفونا

بقصوفونا وين ما روحنا بس بحياتهم ما بطحونا

صامدون ألخر حلظة لصوار يخكم ايصابونا

R a m a l l a h U n d e r g r o u n d

In the moments when you try to get a hold of things

When you look in front of you

At the one who picked you up and removed you

Donrsquot be surprised if evil thoughts fill your mind

You went on calling the world but the world is sleeping

And even if it wakes up it wonrsquot hear your voice

It wonrsquot hear your voice

Here therersquos one day with you and a hundred others against you

Barriers around you

Handcuffs on your hands

Tell me what you did

I hope I donrsquot crash into a wall

But Irsquom crashing anyways

My life is more like a bike tire

But now wersquore off the tracks time to hit the gas

Never pull never stretch my speech

For any reason

Because my words are my weapons

They wanna starve our people because when people are starving they no longer think of

leading resistance

One by one two by two three by three theyrsquore trying to wipe us out

Letrsquos go to the shelters before they see us

They shoot us wherever we go

But we never give up

Steadfast lsquotil the last breath when your missiles hit

3 Min Ill Kahef

Ramallah Underground ft Lethal Skillz

The Peace Revolution 20

24420868

eng - iTunNORM 00000E33 00000D93 0000B0A7 00008C71 0001CD0B 0002129C 00008000 00008000 0000A2CF 0000633A

1514

و رؤساء العرب سابونا تركونا و هربوا لعند عدونا

ألنو ما قدروا يعدونا وعدونا باملستقبل بس شوف لوين جابونا

2007 عالم مبشي دوغري و احنا فجرونا جوعونا بدهم ينسونا

قعدنا سنني نبني و اجو فجأة هيك هدونا هددونا و خوفونا

بالدميقراطية سمموناحتى نعيش حياة طبيعية ما خلونا

حطونا عخط النار ونسفونا دمرونا نشفولنا دمنا كل هاد و لسا ما خلصونا من همنا

بحاول اطنش بس السياسة بتشدني بقولها افلتي ما بدي

بتقولي انا جزء من حياتك مش حتقدر متشي ضدي

بحاول اطنش بس السياسة بتشدني بقولها افلتي ما بدي

بتقولي انا جزء من حياتك مش حتقدر متشي ضدي

R a m a l l a h U n d e r g r o u n d

And Arab leaders let us down

Abandoned us fled to our enemies

Because they couldnrsquot infect us with their cowardice

They promised the future and look what they got us into

2007 the worldrsquos moving ahead and they blow us up

Starve us they wanna forget us

We spent years building and they came suddenly led us on

Threatened and frightened us

Poisoned us with democracy

Wouldnrsquot let us have a normal life

They set us right on line of fire they ruined us destroyed us dried up our blood

All that and still they couldnrsquot finish the job

I am trying not to care anymore but politics pulls at me

I say leave me alone

She says I am part of your life

You wonrsquot be able to resist me

I am trying not to care anymore but politics pulls at me

I say leave me alone

She says I am part of your life

You wonrsquot be able to resist me

T r a n s l a t e d b y L o u b n a B i l a l i

3 Min Ill Kahef

Ramallah Underground ft Lethal Skillz

The Peace Revolution 20

24420868

eng - iTunNORM 00000E33 00000D93 0000B0A7 00008C71 0001CD0B 0002129C 00008000 00008000 0000A2CF 0000633A

1716

)مصر داميا بتناديك(

التورتة رجعت للشعبالبورصة وقعت من اللعب

الشعار القدمي رجعالشرطة في خدمة الشعب

احلال كان صعب بس النهار ده أفضل احنا نقدر نزرع صحرتنا أخضر

اتخلصنا من حكم هتلر فرعون ملعون وبحكم تويتر وفيسبوك املصري ثاير مدعوم بلغة احلق

كانوا بيقولولنا أل مش فارقة معاهم إن شاء الله حتى االرض تنشق ثورتنا ثورة شعبية سلمية وطنية

طالبنا با حلرية الكرامة عدالة اجتماعية الشعب كان ممسوك بقبضة فوالذية

شغل مقاولة ومصالح شخصية كانوا بيتعاملوا معانا بكل همجية

يطلعوا عالقنوات الفضائية بتصاريح استفزازية

e l D e e b + E d d

(Egypt is always calling on you)

The people have regained the pie

The stockmarketrsquos been put out of commission

The old slogan is back

Police are in the service of the people

The situation was tough but today is better

We can make our desert green

We got rid of Hitlerrsquos rule a damned pharaoh

In the age of Twitter and Facebook the Egyptian walks confidently using the language of righteousness

They used to tell us no they didnrsquot care even if God wished the earth to split open

Our revolution is a popular peaceful national revolution

We have demanded freedom dignity and social justice

The people were controlled with an iron fist

Business contacts and personal interests

They treated us viciously

They appeared on satellite TV channels and issued provocative statements

rقوم يا مصري ise egypt ian

2oum Ya Masry (feat Edd) (Prod by Edd)

Deeb

null

2011

24930304

eng - Visit httpdeebbandcampcom

1918

انتصرنا في 11 فبراير بفرحة مليونية زغرطتي يا مصر يا بهية حققنا احلرية

الثورة بعد ما خلصت هلق بعدا مبلشةلدورنا شكلها وصلت وإنت بعدك بالفرشة

ولك قوم وقاف الحق بسنانك تفرشيولك قوم وقاف هز فيك نظامك عم بخزوق قوم يا مصري ما فيش ثورة بتخلص في يوم وليلة

دوس على نفسك شويةاستحمل شد حيلك

ما تخافش على عجلة اإلنتاج الزم ثورة على الذاتبكرا أحسن من اللي فات

ديكتاتوري هاإلنسان كان ببلد دميقراطيعايش فوق الغيم كان مرتاح رأسه فاضياملمنوع إلو مسموح كان ألن صاحبه قاضي

مطنش عاملخدرات ليضل شعبه طافيتيضل شعبه مسلطن ملتهي عم يضحك

كونه غير واعيفمن السهل فيه تتحكم ضو أخضر للشرطة

عليها ما فيك تتشكىفي حال فيك شكك بشكلك بشنغلك

تالتني سنةأكتر من أي رئيس بقي

ولك كسرسكور اإلستاذ نبيه بريمبصر بيقولوا معليه أنا التعتير إبني

eعم شوف شو في أكل من مبارح بقي ألعطيه لقمة l D e e b + E d d

We won on February 11 the joy of millions

Ululate oh Egypt oh Bahia we have achieved freedom

The revolution is not over yet it has just begun

Looks like itrsquos our turn now and yoursquore still in bed

Crsquomon get up Yoursquoll brush your teeth later

Crsquomon get up Move your regime is screwing you

Rise up oh Egyptian No revolution finishes in a night and a day

Bear with it a little

Have endurance and tolerance

Donrsquot be afraid of the cycle of production there should be a revolution against oneself

Tomorrow is better than the past

The man was a dictator in a democratic country

Living on clouds he was comfortable and carefree

What is prohibited was permitted for him because he was friends with a judge

He turned a blind eye to drugs so that his people would remain unaware

So that his people would remain high busy laughing

Because they are unconscious

It is easy to control them the police have a green light

You couldnrsquot report them

If they are suspicious of you of the way you look they would hang you

Thirty years

He ruled more than any other president

He even broke the record of Mr Nabih Berri [longstanding Lebanese head of parliament]

In Egypt they say itrsquos ok misfortune is my son

I will check what is left over from yesterday to feed it

2oum Ya Masry (feat Edd) (Prod by Edd)

Deeb

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2011

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2120

ملني بشكيحالتي متل هاملاليني مرتة

ولك قوم ننزل عساحة التحرير دغريب11 شهر 2 سجلنا رحيل حسني

اللي قضى كل هالسنني يشتغل عميل ضدي

ثورة بعد ما خلصت هلق بعدا مبلشةلدورنا شكلها وصلت وإنت بعدك بالفرشة

ولك قوم وقاف الحق بسنانك تفرشيولك قوم وقاف إذ فيك نظامك عم بخزوق

قوم يا مصري ما فيش ثورة بتخلص في يوم وليلةدوس على نفسك شوية

استحمل شد حيلكما تخافش على عجلة اإلنتاج

الزم ثورة على الذاتبكرا أحسن من اللي فات

أنا مدنيبلوح بقلمي كأنه علمي

من عرقي بروي عملي كأنه عطشيالبركة ببلدي العربي

إني فيني كون عفويفيني قوم ثور

إذا بس كان مسموم بدنيحلريتي بالتعبير

ما في حدود حتدنيبتشوفني بساحة التحرير بوسط بيروت

مش كرمال السما ترجع زرقاإلسقاط النظام اللي احلرية سلبنا

e l D e e b + E d d

To whom will I complain

My situation like that of millions is bad

Crsquomon letrsquos go straight to Tahrir Square

On February 11 we witnessed the departure of Hosni

Who has been working as an agent all these years against mehellip

The revolution is not over yet it has just begun

Looks like itrsquos our turn now and yoursquore still in bed

Crsquomon get up Yoursquoll brush your teeth later

Crsquomon get up Move your regime is screwing you

Rise up oh Egyptian No revolution finishes in a night and a day

Bear with it a little

Have endurance and tolerance

Donrsquot be afraid of the cycle of production

There should be a revolution against oneself

Tomorrow is better than the past

I am a civilian

I wave my pen as if it is my flag

I water my work with my sweat as if itrsquos my thirst

Whatrsquos good about my Arab country

Is that I can be spontaneous

I can rise up and revolt

When Irsquom angry

For my freedom of expression

There are no limitations

You see me in Tahrir Square and in downtown Beirut

But not for the sky to become blue again [in reference to the slogan of the Lebanese Future Movement]

But to topple the regime that has taken away freedom

2oum Ya Masry (feat Edd) (Prod by Edd)

Deeb

null

2011

24930304

eng - Visit httpdeebbandcampcom

2322

فترة إنتقاليةفقرة إعالنية

شاي وكليوبتراوشوش صفرا سهرانة

عالنشرة اإلخباريةركلة جزائية

واجلمهور مستني الهدفكل يوم في الصحف

نقرا نبأ عن كلب نهب البلدأوقف عندك رجع الذهب

مش إنت بردو اللي كنت مسؤول عن إعالم بلدتصاريح كاذبة كالم عجب

الصعب عدا والتاريخ إنكتبأوعى تفتكر الشعب تعب

الثورة بعد ما خلصت هلق بعدا مبلشةلدورنا شكلها وصلت وإنت بعدك بالفرشة

ولك قوم وقاف الحق بسنانك تفرشيولك قوم وقاف إذ فيك نظامك عم بخزوق

قوم يا مصري ما فيش ثورة بتخلص في يوم وليلةدوس على نفسك شوية

استحمل شد حيلكما تخافش على عجلة اإلنتاج

الزم ثورة على الذاتeبكرا أحسن من اللي فات l D e e b + E d d

A transitional period

A commercial break

Tea and Cleopatra

Yellow faces staying up at night

To follow the newscast

A penalty

The audience is waiting for the goal

Every day in newspapers

We read news about a dog that has looted the country

Stop return the gold

Werenrsquot you in charge of the countryrsquos media

False statements odd expressions

The hard part is over and history has been written

Donrsquot think that the people are exhausted

The revolution is not over yet it has just begun

Looks like itrsquos our turn now and yoursquore still in bed

Crsquomon get up Yoursquoll brush your teeth later

Crsquomon get up Move your regime is screwing you

Rise up oh Egyptian No revolution finishes in a night and a day

Bear with it a little

Have endurance and tolerance

Donrsquot be afraid of the cycle of production

There should be a revolution against oneself

Tomorrow is better than the past

T r a n s l a t e d b y F a r a h E l R e w a i s s a t i

2oum Ya Masry (feat Edd) (Prod by Edd)

Deeb

null

2011

24930304

eng - Visit httpdeebbandcampcom

2524

بلسان فاكريني انو مافيهوش فن هتكلم عن كل حلم اترسم من غضبهم اتدفن

اتقسم احتاط باأللم منلفكر فاملرحلة السمعيه واحللول اللى تنقذ عناوين جانبيه ارهابية من عيون معنية باستقاللية بعد حروب عاملية محمية متدارية

منسية مرمية على اكتاف مش مرضية مستخبية بطريقة اتكالية عاالراضى العربية

بسلبية مرئية انتهازية وراء االعالم االسالمية بباينوا النيه

احتيالية عنادية سيكوباتية سرية انانية استراتيجية ضد االنسانية

و بعد املسايسة متابعة من قاعة املشاهدة لكل عربى بيتزل مستانى مساعدة

A r a b i a n K n i g h t z + S h a d i a M a n s o u r

They presume the tongue has no art so I will speak

About every dream that was drawn from their anger and got buried

It got divided surrounded by pain

And the solutions that might work are sidelined and smeared as terrorist

From eyes that are interested in independence

After world wars protected and hidden

Forgotten and thrown on unsatisfied shoulders

Concealed with consent in Arab lands

With obvious opportunism

Beneath Islamic publicity intentions show through

Fraudulent stubborn psychopathic

A secret selfish strategy against mankind

And after politics we keep tabs on things from the screening room

For every Arab who gets humiliated I am waiting for help

prisonerThis track contains verses that were originally written in English السجني

Prisoner

Arabian Knightz + Shadia Mansour

Shahadat Winter 2012 track 316

Hip Hop

26518704

2726

ماخالص كسروا بنا كلمة مسانده و من عقولنا اخدوا الورق اللى يكسب فى اللعبة

أنا عايز بلد حرة من الظلم

عايز بلد حرة من القهر عايز بلد حرة من الشر

عايز أرضي وأرض العرب العرب العرب العرب

A r a b i a n K n i g h t z + S h a d i a M a n s o u r

But itrsquos over they shattered for us the word ldquosolidarityldquo

And from our minds they took the cards that win the game

I want a country free of tyranny

I want a country free of oppression

I want a country free of evil

I want my land and the land of Arabs

Arabs Arabs Arabs

Destructive destruction destroying my district

Anti-Christ running in spreading evil wisdom

Irsquom destroying the oppressors in Arabic settlements

Known for blowing up beats and governments

My peeps die in their cribs while yrsquoall close your eyes

Two of yrsquoall are kidnapped you call it a terrorist crime

The media

Is backing up

Murderous propaganda

While we fight eternally like immortal high landers

Al Durrah Sheikh Yassin the pains unseen

Forging your own stories for the blind to see

Want to draw your own opinions bout the bombs we face

Whatrsquos your opinion if yoursquore enslaved and your mom is raped

Itrsquos too easy to speak when yoursquore far from the heat

To the White House I creep and yes Irsquom armed to the teeth

With a mic and a pen and a pad herersquos your evidence

ldquoWeapons of Mass Destructionldquo Mr President

Prisoner

Arabian Knightz + Shadia Mansour

Shahadat Winter 2012 track 316

Hip Hop

26518704

2928

أنا عايز بلد حرة من الظلم عايز بلد حرة من القهر

عايز بلد حرة من الشر عايز أرضي وأرض العرب

العرب العرب العرب

إحنا منمشي بالكرامة والثقة بالنفس معصنا قوانينكم بالثبوت بالدم

لو إن ضميركم بتريحكم بتتكلموا من ورا الفرد

قللي مني ما عم ينام بالليل عنجد ع بني انتو بتبنوا حواجز إحن بنكبر عيالنا

وبنظلنا نزيد العدد إحن السبب ليش ما بتسترجوا تغمضوا عني

في فرق كبير بني مقاوم ومقررين

A r a b i a n K n i g h t z + S h a d i a M a n s o u r

I want a country free of tyranny

I want a country free of oppression

I want a country free of evil

I want my land and the land of Arabs

Arabs Arabs Arabs

Theyrsquore dropping bombs over Baghdad

Libnan Afghan Palestinians Bin Laden Saddam

Listen Islam is all about the peace man

But wars up in these streets man

Got me loosinrsquo sleep damn

Mr Politician I got a little question

How come you are eating and all your peoples isnrsquot

I am on a mission to break up out of this prison

If yoursquore with me share my vision

Letrsquos start by saving the children

We walk with dignity and confidence in ourselves

We crushed your laws with our steadfastness and blood

If your conscience was giving you peace

You wouldnrsquot be communicating from behind a gun

Tell me whorsquos the one not getting sleep at night

While you build your checkpoints we raise the kids

Our numbers will keep increasing

We are the reason you donrsquot dare to blink

There is a big difference between a man of resistance and decision makers

T r a n s l a t e d b y N i z a r G h a n e m + S h a d i a M a n s o u r

Prisoner

Arabian Knightz + Shadia Mansour

Shahadat Winter 2012 track 316

Hip Hop

26518704

3130

النظام العاملي اجلديداحلاسة السادسة

و بدهم يردوا يعلموك النشيدنار شديد بس كله نسبي

جينا و نسيناأخبار فورية بتنهضم و بتمشينا

إللي فينا مكفينا رايح عغزة بالسفينة

و ما يأتي قبل الفكر أم الفعلملجرد الذكر لشخص مبنج قلب نكد وزعل

و طلب السعرمش حنبيع

ملا بتشتي بتشتي عاجلميعو زمن أول حتول

و مش قادرين نتجول فا مش حنضيعbشيء مريع o i k u t t

The new world order

The sixth sense

And they want to teach you the anthem anew

Heavy fire but itrsquos all relative

We came and forgot

Instant news digested and keeps us moving

Wersquove had enough

Going to Gaza by boat

What comes first Thought or action

The mere question to a numb person makes him grumpy and upset

And asking for the price

We wonrsquot sell

When it rains it rains over everybody

The old times have changed

We are under house arrest so we wonrsquot get lost

Itrsquos a horrible thing

igniteولع

Walle

boikutt

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3332

مرات بتفهم النبرة غلطبس هلئ فهمني منيح

جريح بدون تلقيح تصريح صريح بدون تلميح

فظيعكيف خلونا نطيع

بوقت تشييع جثمان الضاضمضاض لإلنتفاض ثورة الثروة قيد التصنيع

فيعبوجه عقود بقبضة من حديد

من هون لقرية بال متديدبدون مانروح لبعيد

جتميد روؤس أموال و نوويةمصلحة أول مستفيد

بتدوب بشعلة من سيدي بوزيد

ولعشوف اكمن دكتاتور منقلعولعشوف اكمن دكتاتور منقلع

ولع شوف اكمن دكتاتور منقلعصوت الثورة بكل مكان و عم منسمع

من حكام لنوابو ال استثني احدا منكم

ما بيهمكمحلد ما الهتافات تتوجه إلكم إتهزكم

أفهمكمbاإلستبداد تارك الشارع بإستعداد o i k u t t

Sometimes you misunderstand a tone

But now you understand me correctly

Wounded without vaccination

A blatant statement without any hinting

Unbelievable

How they made us obey

At the funeral of the corpse of the [quintessential Arabic letter] Ddad

Counter revolution the revolution of wealth is in process

Rise

In the face of decades under an iron fist

From here to a village without extension

Without going too far

Freezing of capital and nuclear war heads

The interest of the primary beneficiary

Melts with a flame from Sidibouzid

Ignitesee how many dictators wersquoll uproot

Ignitesee how many dictators wersquoll uproot

Ignitesee how many dictators wersquoll uproot

The sound of revolution is everywhere we make it heard

From leaders to parliamentarians

I do not exclude any of you

But you donrsquot care

Until chants are directed at you and shake you

Let me explain

Tyranny leaves the street prepared

Walle

boikutt

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1746378

3534

من املزارع بوسط البالدفعل مضارع للرماد

فا إنصرف زاي فلوس الدولة إللي طريقها إنحرفوإنعرف و إنصبت بجيوب هالطرف من شوفرية الشرف

حتية خاصة ألسود ميدان التحريرلتعديل دستور التعتير

إن صح التعبير

عندي نظر األطرشو سمع األعمى

عايشني حياة و مكلبشني باخلوف بنفس الوقت فا قللي شو املعنىتاريخ شجعنا

الوضع الراهن منعناناس بتمر و بتسمعنا

بدون جتاوب جتارب فجاوبيا ضدنا يا معنا

إرفع قبضة الصمود فوق في الهوا ثابتةإنتفاضة أولى و ثانية بس الثالثة نابتة

أطراف كابتةبس قد ما يحاولوا ميحوا ويحطوا الناس كاتبة

بالتفاصيل و كامتة

ولعhellip شوف اكمن دكتاتور منقلعولعhellip شوف اكمن دكتاتور منقلع

ولع شوف اكمن دكتاتور منقلعصوت الثورة بكل مكان و عم منسمع

ولعhellip شوف اكمن دكتاتور منقلعbو صفهم عالدور واحد واحدhellipو شنع o i k u t t

From the farmers in the center

Changing present tense to ashes

So vanish like the statersquos money whose road has deviated

It is known that it ended up in the pockets of the corrupt who claim to be clean

A special salute to the lions of Tahrir Square

For amending the constitution of misfortune

If that can be said

I have the sight of the deaf

And the hearing of the blind

Leading a life while chained by fear at the same time so tell me whatrsquos the point

History encouraged us

The current situation prevented us

People pass by and hear us

Without any response -- testing -- so answer

Yoursquore either with us or against us

Raise the fist of resistance up in the air

A first and second Intifada but the third is sprouting

Oppressive groups

No matter how hard they try to erase and replace people have written

In details and know by heart

Ignitesee how many dictators wersquoll uproot

Ignitesee how many dictators wersquoll uproot

Ignitesee how many dictators wersquoll uproot

The sound of revolution is everywhere we make it heard

Ignitesee how many dictators wersquoll uproot

Line them up in turn one after the other and defame them

T r a n s l a t e d b y F a r a h E l R e w a i s s a t i

Walle

boikutt

null

1746378

3736

ولك انا ابن عكا وبن يافا و طولكرم انا ابن كل شبر من البحر للنهر

االرض الي حملت موسى مرمي واملسيح انااملقابر يلي فاضت من كتر التوابيت

انا اخليمة بيت التنك واحلصيرة والكانون والبيوت املسروقة والدم املهدور

انا الهوى يالي حامل الغضب والبكاوالطرقات يلي بتغرق مع كل نقطة الشتا

انا رصاصة من املجاهد عم تعبر حلدود انا حزام من القنابل مشتاق لليهود

لطفل على باب املستشفى عم بيموتانا الجئ ممنوع من العمل مكروه

انا اين املخيم يلي عاطل عن العمل سيجارة احلشيش يلي بتمحي شوية الم

H 2 Z

Irsquom the son of Acre Jaffa and Tulkarem

Irsquom the son of every inch from the river to the sea

Irsquom the land that carried Moses Mary and the Christ

Irsquom the cemeteries that overflow with coffins

Irsquom the tent the tin house the mat and the stove

The stolen houses and the wasted blood

Irsquom the wind that bears anger and tears

The roads that drown in a single drop of rain

I am a bullet that crosses borders

Irsquom a grenade against Zionists

A child that dies waiting outside the hospital

Irsquom a hated refugee whorsquos prohibited from working

Irsquom the son of the camps always unemployed

The hash cigarettes that ease the pain

iانا فلسطيني am palest inian

Ana Falasteeni

H27

null

17782504

eng - iTunNORM 0000057E 0000056B 00004E0F 00004D32 00021C96 00021C96 00008000 00008000 0000ECEA 00007530

3938

حيطان هالبيت يلي بكره رح ينردم انا االحمر واالسود واالخضر من هالعلم

من دم االبطال من دموع الاطفالمن اجلحيم التشرد واجلوء واالنكسار

من ظلم االحتاللمن حلم االستقالل

من ارض الزيتونوالصليب والهالل

انا حافظ احلواجز بكل بالد العالممن النادر انو بيوم يعتبروني بني ادم انا سنني االعتقال انا غرف التعذيب

الوجع والصريخ واجلروح الي ما بطيبانا شعب ما انهزم بس عمرو ما انتصر

انا اكبر ارهابي الني حامل حجر اسير طول عمرو رافض انو بيوم ميوت بس معاهدة سالم بتنفي اني موجود

انا القدس بيت حلم ومخيم جننياالدان واجلراس الهالل والصليب

املدافن واملدارس وكنسية املسيح الشوارع القدمية والبيت العتيق

انا ركوة الشاي و سندويشة الفالفلالكرم والبخل واالخالق واملهازل

الكذب والصدق واخليانة والصمود Hانا فلسطيني حلتى اموت 2 Z

The walls of the house that I hate thatrsquos about to get demolished

I am the red and black and green in this flag

From the blood of heroes from the tears of children

From the hell of homelessness and broken refugees

From the oppression of the occupation

From the dream of independence

Irsquom from the land of the olives

The cross and crescent

I know all the checkpoints in all countries of the world

It is where they consider me a human being

Irsquom years of capture Irsquom the torture chambers

The pain and the screams and the wounds that never heal

I was never defeated but never had a victory

Irsquom the biggest terrorist because I carry a stone

A prisoner who spends his whole life refusing to die

But a peace treaty forgets that Irsquom alive

Irsquom Jerusalem Bethlehem and Jenin refugee camp

The call to prayer the bells the crescent and the cross

The old cemeteries schools and church of Christ

The old streets and the ancient house

Irsquom the tea cup and the falafel sandwich

Generosity and greed morality and farce

Lies and betrayal and honesty and persistence

I am Palestinian until I die

T r a n s l a t e d b y t h e a r t i s t

Ana Falasteeni

H27

null

17782504

eng - iTunNORM 0000057E 0000056B 00004E0F 00004D32 00021C96 00021C96 00008000 00008000 0000ECEA 00007530

4140

صباح اخلير با والد عمومناتفضلوا شرفونا

شو بتحبوا نضيفكم دم عربي وال دموع من عيوننابعتقد هيك تأملوا نستقبلن

هيك تعقدوا ملا تدركوا على غلطتهنمن هيك لبسنا الكوفية

البيضة والسودةصاروا كالب الزمان يلبسوها كموضة

مهما تفننوا فيامهما غيروا بلونا

كوفية عربية بتضال عربية

حطتنا بدن ياهاثقافتنا بدن ياها

S h a d i a M a n s o u r w i t h M 1 o f D e a d P r e z

Good morning cousins

Come in and honor us with your presence

What would you like us to serve you Arab blood or tears from our eyes

I think thatrsquos how they hoped we would recieve them

Thatrsquos why they got tangled up when they tripped up on their own mistake

Thatrsquos why we wore the kufeyyeh

The black and white one

Dogs of the past started to wear it as a fashion statement

However they change it

Whatever colour they make it

The Kufeyyeh is Arab and will always be Arab

Our scarf they want it

Our intellect they want it

kufeyyeh arabeyyeh الكوفية عربية

Kufeyyeh Arabeyyeh

Shadia Mansour and M1

Shahadat Winter 2012 track 616

Hip Hop

26239166

4342

كرامتنا بدن ياهاكل شي إلنا بدن ياه

ما رح نسكتلن نسمحلن الالبقلن يسرقوا شغلة مش إلهن ما خصن فيا

بيقلدونا باللبسكل هاألرض بيكفيهنش

طمعانني عالقدسإعرفوا كيف تكونوا بشر

قبل ما تلبسوا الكوفيةجينا نذكرن مني إحنا

وغصبا من عن أبوهم هاي حطتنا

من هيك لبسنا الكوفيةألنها وطنية

الكوفية الكوفية عربيةمن هيك لبسنا الكوفية

هويتنا األساسيةالكوفية الكوفية عربية

يال علي الكوفيةعلولي هالكوفية

الكوفية الكوفية عربيةعلوها لبالد الشام

كوفية عربية بتضال عربية

ما في بعد متل الشعب العربيفرجوني أية أمة بالدنيا أكثر مأثرة

الصورة واضحة نحنا مهد احلضارة

S h a d i a M a n s o u r w i t h M 1 o f D e a d P r e z

Our dignity they want it

Everything thatrsquos ours they want it

We will not be silent will not allow it

It suits them to steal something that ainrsquot theirs

They imitate our style

As if all this land werenrsquot not enough

Thirsting after Jerusalem

Know how to be human

Before you wear our scarf

We came to remind them who we are

And like it or not itrsquos our right

Thatrsquos why we wore the kufeyyeh

Because it is nationalistic

The kufeyyeh is Arab

Thatrsquos why we wore the kufeyyeh

Because it is our original identity

The kufeyyeh is Arab

Come on raise your kufeyyehs

Raise that kufeyyeh

The kufeyyeh is Arab

Raise it up for bilad ersquosham [Greater Syria the wider Arab world]

The kufeyyeh is Arab and will always be Arab

There are no others like the Arab people

Show me one region in the world that is more influencial

The picture is clear we are the origins of civilization

Kufeyyeh Arabeyyeh

Shadia Mansour and M1

Shahadat Winter 2012 track 616

Hip Hop

26239166

4544

تاريخنا وتراثنا الشاهد على وجودنامن هيك لبست التوب الفلسطيني

من حيفا جنني جبل النار إلى رام اللهخليني شوف الكوفية

البيضة واحلمراخلينا نعليها لفوق بالسما

أنا شادية العربلساني بغز غزبلساني بهز هز

كلمات احلربسجل أنا شادية منصور

واحلطة هويتيمن يوم ما خلقت

سيدي والشعب مسؤوليتيلكن تربيت بني الشرق وبني الغرب

بني لغتنيبني بخيل بني فقير

شفت احلياة من اجلهتنيبس علمتني الكوفية

كيف ما لبستونيوين ما شلحتوني

بضلني عأصولي فلسطينية

S h a d i a M a n s o u r w i t h M 1 o f D e a d P r e z

Our history traditions and customs bear witness to our existence

Thatrsquos why I wear the Palestinian dress

From Haifa Jenin Jabal El Naar to Ramallah

Let me see the kufeyyeh

The red and white one

Letrsquos raise it up to the sky

I am the singer of the Arabs

Like an earthquake I shake the ground

My words are war

Record this

I am Shadia Mansour

And this scarf is my ID

From the day I was born the people have been my responsibility

Look I was raised between the East and the West

Between two languages

Between the rich and the poor

Irsquove seen life from both sides

However the kufeyyeh has taught me

However you wear me

Wherever you leave me

I stay true to my origin Palestinian

T r a n s l a t e d b y t h e a r t i s t w i t h F a r a h E l R e w a i s s a t i

Kufeyyeh Arabeyyeh

Shadia Mansour and M1

Shahadat Winter 2012 track 616

Hip Hop

26239166

4746

حمامة سالم افتحي أجنحتكي و طيري

وين الوعي - وين امشوا معي هني وادي بني اجلبلني عني حب للطرفني

أمهاتنا حبت ذاتنا بس مو عاجبهن مسباتنا هذا احلكي بني اخواتنا

Oزين العرب واألمريكان m a r O f f e n d u m

This track contains verses that were originally written in English

You are my

(Destiny)

Itrsquos hard livinrsquo in the West - when I know the East got the best of me

(Destiny)

Could be lookinrsquo in my eyes - but yoursquoll never really see the rest of me

(Destiny)

Can you hear me maseeri [my destiny] Bi-lingualrsquos what Irsquom blessed to be

(Destiny)

Dove of Peace

Spread your wings amp fly

Consciousness What consciousness - where is it

Take a walk with me

Here in this valley between two ldquomountainsldquo

Where the source of love for both ldquosidesldquo can be found

Our mothers like us

But donrsquot like our foul language

So letrsquos keep this between the siblings

The best of Arabs amp Americans

destمصيري iny

7 Destiny

Omar Offendum

The Peace Revolution 20

21332892

eng - iTunNORM 000006D3 000006F2 000038BA 0000322F 0000E4FA 0000E4FA 00008716 0000864B 0002AB5E 000083D6

eng - iTunSMPB 00000000 00000210 0000094B 00000000008F7FA5 00000000 004108FB 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000

4948

وألله يرحم كل أمواتنا أغاني

مثل املهامتة إذا قلنا العني بالعني

ما صفى عندنا عيون بالشام بالد الشام

من فلسطني إلى جبال لبنان قبل ما اخترعوا احلدود

من اإلسكندرون إلى كردستان فهمان

جنجس خان ما خان قد ما خانونا أوالد العم بس دمنا دمهم

بني أدم - بنو ذمنبهم على أكتافنا - شلنا همهم

ليه الله بيعلم

بس ليك هذا الفتيش والبسكليت احسنلك من 100000000 مسدس

تعرف ليه ألن مو عاجبهم بسمتك

بس إبتسم برسمتك شاب عربي ومثقف

أعطيهم ختمتك وإذا لسة مو راضني

ذكرهم بكالم إيليية )أبي ماضي( raquoنسي الطني ساعة أنه طنيlaquo

Oوهذه هي القضاء والقدر يا حبيبي m a r O f f e n d u m

And may God have mercy on all our dead

Songs I sing

Like the Mahatma [the line above and the line below are linked through the sound of the name and the figure of Mahatama Ghandi]

If we say lsquoan eye for an eyersquo

There wont be any eyes left in Sham [Damascus]

Bilad al-Sham [Greater Syria the wider Arab world]

From Palestine to the mountains of Lebanon

Before they made up these borders

From Iskandaroon to Kurdistan

Understand

Genghis Khan never deceived us quite like our ldquopaternal cousinsldquo [khan also means ldquodeceiveldquo in Arabic]

But our blood is their blood

Children of Adam -- who built their sins

Upon our shoulders -- we carried their burden

Why

God knows

But listen this little firecracker amp bicycle

Are better for you than 100 million guns

Wanna know why

Because they dont like seeing you smile

But smile you will - in your human being

A young cultured Arab male

Give them your stamp of approval

And if they still donrsquot accept you

Then remind them of the words of Elliye [Abi-Madhee a Lebanese poet whose poem begins with]

ldquoHow soon a piece of dirt can forget that all he really is is just dirtldquo [ie we are all from this earth amp

will come back to it so there is no logic in viewing yourself as better than someone else]

And that my friend is our destiny

7 Destiny

Omar Offendum

The Peace Revolution 20

21332892

eng - iTunNORM 000006D3 000006F2 000038BA 0000322F 0000E4FA 0000E4FA 00008716 0000864B 0002AB5E 000083D6

eng - iTunSMPB 00000000 00000210 0000094B 00000000008F7FA5 00000000 004108FB 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000

5150

O m a r O f f e n d u m

Dove of Peace

Spread your wings amp fly

Make it easier to borrow

The aesthetics you bite

Like all the Arabic loanwords

From Spaniards amp Morros

The Karma of Inquisition

Visions of horror

So whorsquos the explorer

Really was it Columbus

Muhammad al-Idrisi or Alfaragnus

Throw a Hobson Jobson

While you figure it out

Irsquom gonna start with a cipher

Thatrsquos a siffir [zero] - no doubt

See you might not have learned to live with me

But sure as hell canrsquot without

You are my

You are my

(Destiny)

Itrsquos hard livinrsquo in the West - when I know the East got the best of me

(Destiny)

Could be lookinrsquo in my eyes - but yoursquoll never really see the rest of me

(Destiny)

Can you hear me maseeri [my destiny] Bi-lingualrsquos what Irsquom blessed to be

(Destiny)

حمامة سالم افتحي أجنحتكي و طيري

I write right to left

You write left to right

Metaphor of a foreignerrsquos plight

Dressed to type

Stereo amp a mic

Scenario of a fight

The burial of a white

Imperial at his heightrsquos

A Turkish Rapperrsquos Delight

Semetic etiquette might

Just have you rollin your ldquoRrsquosldquo

Poetic amp light

And grab a hold of your sorrows

To relieve your tomorrows

7 Destiny

Omar Offendum

The Peace Revolution 20

21332892

eng - iTunNORM 000006D3 000006F2 000038BA 0000322F 0000E4FA 0000E4FA 00008716 0000864B 0002AB5E 000083D6

eng - iTunSMPB 00000000 00000210 0000094B 00000000008F7FA5 00000000 004108FB 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000

5352

O m a r O f f e n d u m

Dove of Peace

Spread your wings amp fly

Bitched out by the West

Press get a big shout

From the people gettinrsquo rich out of this (bout)

Now whatrsquos this really all about

Land money or power

It was the colonizerrsquos fault

But now itrsquos really just ours

Leavinrsquo a sour tase in our mouths

Like generational slave names

Whenever speakinrsquo out

Out-spoken leaders gettinrsquo taken out

Quicker than belligerent drunks in a bar

We a far cry from livinrsquo as one

T r a n s l a t e d b y t h e a r t i s t

(Destiny)

Itrsquos hard livinrsquo in the West - when I know the East got the best of me

(Destiny)

Could be lookinrsquo in my eyes - but yoursquoll never really see the rest of me

(Destiny)

Can you hear me maseeri [my destiny] Bi-lingualrsquos what Irsquom blessed to be

(Destiny)

حمامة سالم افتحي أجنحتكي و طيري

See arab [Arabs] shootin at each other

From Iraq to Falasteen [Palastine]

Syria to Libnan [Lebanon]

Algeria to Sudan

Pedagogy of the oppressed tricklinrsquo down

Conquerinrsquo through divisions

And sadly this isnrsquot the first time

One land one love one chance one blood

No fuss no fight Yeah right young blood

AKrsquos cheaper than a book

Crooked leaders in a hook

Gettinrsquo fished out

Missles gettinrsquo dished out

7 Destiny

Omar Offendum

The Peace Revolution 20

21332892

eng - iTunNORM 000006D3 000006F2 000038BA 0000322F 0000E4FA 0000E4FA 00008716 0000864B 0002AB5E 000083D6

eng - iTunSMPB 00000000 00000210 0000094B 00000000008F7FA5 00000000 004108FB 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000

5554

زي ما صار مبارح صار اليوم اطف التلفزيون امسك مايكروفون

زي ما صار مبارح صار اليوم اطف التلفزيون امسك مايكروفون

زي ما صار مبارح صار اليوم اطف التلفزيون امسك مايكروفون

زي ما صار مبارح صار اليوم اطف التلفزيون امسك مايكروفون

النه الوقت عم يسبق بقلك خي سالم بس اصبر

بدك تستني هاي اخلطط بعمرها ما تضبطبيدفعلك قد ما بدك عشان تسكت

واذا بتفتح متك طخة وحده وبعد بتسقط

s t o r m t r a p

What happened yesterday happens today

switch off your TV and grab a microphone

What happened yesterday happens today

switch off your TV and grab a microphone

What happened yesterday happens today

switch off your TV and grab a microphone

What happened yesterday happens today

switch off your TV and grab a microphone

Because time is racing

He keeps telling you peace is coming just be patient

You want to wait these plans never succeed

Hersquoll pay you as much as you want to keep you quiet

And if you open your mouth one shot will silence you

what happened yesterdayزي ما صار مبارح

Zey ma sar mbareh

Stormtrap

null

2009

1728613

eng - Visit httpstormtrapbandcampcom

5756

اركض اركض وخليك راكض

واذا بتفتح متك رح يقلك خليك ساكت رح يقلك انساك من هاملشاكل

حوشوا هالشواك وضبوا شناتكم واشتروا التذاكرففكر شوي وما تكنش أهبل

وين ما تروح في الدنيا رح تتبهدلمش شايف قدامي عم بسمع أصوات بيسألني

ليش لسه عايش هون روح عيش محل تانيبدي احك بس الكلمات مش طالعة من لساني

عنصرية هونن عنصرية هناك عنصرية كل ما اطلع برا الشباك

شيطان بيعمل حاله مالكبس هو بالواقع بدو يعيش بالك

جدار بيمثل عقلية ناس بدهاش تعيش معاك

زي ما صار مبارح صار اليوم اطف التلفزيون امسك مايكروفون

ما مبثل شخص او اشخاص مبثل فكرةاسم احلرية حاملينه

من بلد ما فيه حياة عاديةسواءا ضد االحتالل أو ضد العنصرية

أصواتكم وينايي خلوها تنسمع وتطلع نتائج ايجابية

فكمل كتابة او تسجيل وصدقني شغلك مش رايح عالفاضي

عشان الشي الوحيد اللي رح يروح هو احن اذا منضلنا علقانني فاملاضي

s t o r m t r a p

Run run

Keep running

And if you decide to speak hersquoll tell you just stay silent

Hersquoll tell you forget these problems

Save up some money pack your bags and buy your tickets

Think about it donrsquot be a fool

Wherever you go yoursquoll get humiliated

I canrsquot see in front of me Irsquom hearing voices asking

Why are you still living here Go live somewhere else

I want to respond but the words wonrsquot come out

Racism here racism there

Racism each time I look out the window

A devil in an angelrsquos disguise

In reality he wants to live without you

The apartheid wall represents the mentality of a people who donrsquot care to coexist

What happened yesterday happens today

switch off your TV and grab a microphone

I dont represent a person or a people I represent an idea

An idea called freedom

From a land lacking a normal life

Whether yoursquore struggling against occupation or against racism

Where is your voice

Let it be heard to achieve your goals

So keep writing and recording

Believe me your work wonrsquot be lost in vain

The only thing thatrsquoll disappear is us

If we stay stuck in the past

Zey ma sar mbareh

Stormtrap

null

2009

1728613

eng - Visit httpstormtrapbandcampcom

5958

شو الي حدثجينا من حتت األرض

هيهة القصة بدة عنا هدفوننشر أصواتنا لكل حدا

جيت من حتت أرض رام اللهما ح وقف اكتب كلمات وال مرة

عندي طاقة الزم أطلعها كل يوم وكل ساعةفاو انبنى مع الوقت ولسة عم بيطور تصور

تصورفاو انبنى مع الوقت ولسة عم بيطور تصور

زي ما صار مبارح صار اليوم اطف التلفزيون امسك مايكروفون

زي ما صار مبارح صار اليوم اطف التلفزيون امسك مايكروفون

s t o r m t r a p

What happened

We came from underground

The story begins we have an objective

To spread our voices to everyone

I came from the ruins of Ramallah and

I wonrsquot ever stop writing words

I have energy that I must release every day every hour

A flow thatrsquos been built and is still developing imagine

Imagine a flow thatrsquos been built and is still developing

What happened yesterday happens today

Switch off your TV and grab a microphone

What happened yesterday happens today

Switch off your TV and grab a microphone

T r a n s l a t e d b y t h e a r t i s t

Zey ma sar mbareh

Stormtrap

null

2009

1728613

eng - Visit httpstormtrapbandcampcom

6160

Wake up the People

Donrsquot doubt it

The Maker can see you

Right now

You want to get out and see doe

So clouded

Sell out to be dope

Right now

I see you plagued by your own doubt

Canrsquot step the game up

Like a snake when it rolled down

Staircase of a lone child

No bricks lain in a cold house

Where you sold out

All alone on an old couch

t h e N a r c i c y s t

No click like an untapped phone dial

Oh wow

I felt the same homie

Donrsquot shelter pain only

Then it came slowly

Never let the frame hold me (down)

Picture life for the love though

People tend to look the other way like Columbo

We deceived by the law just to love doe

Guess they took all the worth out to numb folks

And make a severed plan

Out of bitter man

What you want a medal man

Huh Do you really think yoursquore better than Then

All you really need is a long look

Two sixteens and a strong hook like

brassThis track was originally written in English

null

2149748

6362

Wake up the People

Donrsquot doubt it

The Maker can see you

Right now

You want to get out and see doe

So clouded

Sell out to be dope

Right now

Break

Hip hop like a fresh pelvis

Yoursquore gonna regret this shit like a dead Elvis

Busy wishing you could live less selfish

Crabs in a bucket duckinrsquo these dead shellfish

Industry got a brother feeling helpless

With an ill chorus and ride yoursquore more in the tide

When a flow canrsquot keep me above the water

t h e N a r c i c y s t

Let a wave carry me out and push me farther now

Internal Inferno ten journals written but Irsquom still not sure though

Do I really want to tour to jump hurdles To be heard

So-I-Can-Feel-Like-This

Man therersquos something that I might miss--

Naw Irsquove been bluffinrsquo

Lifersquos backwards like Ben Buttonsrsquo

Irsquom in love with the stage fright on a strange night

Feels good to get the words on a page right

Wake up the People

Donrsquot doubt it

The Maker can see you

Right now

You want to get out and see doe

So clouded

Sell out to be dope

Right now

null

2149748

6564

مبارح شفت بلمنام بيروت عمتغرق حتت رماد بركان فحموا الناس بس ال raquoسكاي بارlaquo كان بعده ولعان

بيروت ثبتت حبة الثورة اللي فينا نبتت ملا أحبطت نفوسنا من اجلمود

فينا بيروت حتركت عدم دمارنا وعدم حرية خيارنا

بيوت بيروت تعمرت سكرنا عجفاف دموعنا جفوننا عليها تسكرت فتخمرت

إذا بطلت تطير قدرك عألرض مقهور إذا وقفت تكسير بتصير جزء من الديكور

e l R a s s

Yesterday I dreamt Beirut was drowning under volcanic ash

The people were turned to charcoal but Sky Bar [a posh Beirut club] was still lit up

Beirut suppressed the seed of the revolution the one that sprouted

When our spirits were foiled from immobility

In us Beirut moved

On the blood of our destruction and the negation of our freedom of choice

The houses of Beirut are rebuilt

We got drunk on the dryness of our tears our eyelids closed on them and fermented

If you stop flying your destiny on land is distress

If you stop breaking you become part of the decoration

beirutبركان بيروت rsquos volcano

Blues

2125713

6766

بحاور بناور باآلخر بواجه التاج بتوضى بصلي بتوصلني أصوات أنات احملتاج

تأمل العلم بعري العمل من العمل خياري عنار خفيفة دوب املسمار وتستوي األفكار النظيفة

عمروا دمروا زمروا تذمروا ربك صبره دربه جربه

عقلن خربوا غربوا هربوا وقبلوا بالفن عحيط الشارع

عشرط ما يكون في شك بشارع هيدي مش عاصمة ثقافة هيدي حلبة املصارع بيروت ال تعرف في املاضي وال تعرب باملضارع

حتول التركيبة خلى العقل اجلامد فكر حاله مالك املدينة رقبته طويلة متل مالك احلزين وايده لوزيري

اعتبر نفسه أول مني اكتشف هلجزيرة بأجر الفقير شقق بأسعار مدروسة

بشكل تضل طموحاته ممعوسة نهبوا األرض من ربعي وصارت احلرب شركة استثمار مبفعول رجعي

حتت شعار إعادة اإلعمار لو ما كان خلص دوره وانتهى عقد االيجار

كان احلريري ما طار وما صار مطار احلريري عاصمة لبنان بتوازن بني ضريحني

واتنيناتن عاغتيالن في عالمة استفهام e واحد قدس املوت بس لسبب l R a s s

I discuss I maneuver ultimately I confront the crown

I perform ablutions I pray I receive the moaning of the needy

The meditation of knowledge strips work from hope

My choice is on low fire melting the nails and clean thoughts are ripening

They built they destroyed they honked they complained

Your god made him patient tested him and trained him

Their minds ruined westernized chased off

They accepted art pissed on back alleys

As long as there is no doubt in the streets

This is no capital of culture itrsquos a wrestling ring

Beirut canrsquot speak of itself in the past nor conjugate itself in the present

Transitions and transformations made the closed mind think he owns the city

His neck is long like a stork his fingers long like a politicianrsquos

He thinks himself the first who discovered this peninsula

He lets the poor rent apartments at prices studied

To crush ambitions

They stole the land from my cousins

And the war became a backward-looking investment

Under the slogan of reconstruction

If his time wasnrsquot up and his contract finished

Hariri didnrsquot have to fly and it wouldnrsquot have become the Hariri airport

Lebanonrsquos capital keeps balance between two shrines

And on both assassinations there is a question mark

One sanctifies death but for a reason

Blues

2125713

6968

واحد قدس احلياة بس بالكذب واحد بايدو حتول الذهب سم وواحد تخبى من الذهب بالدم

مني الشهيد

اللي مات حتت صبابيط ثورة عبيد شهيد اللي مات فتحول على حملة اعالنات هدفها ترفع الطايفة معدالت التجنيد

قنابل بالبريد وصل سيوف علوريد حصل

املوت للبليد صنم الصبر للعنيد حلم تأليه الشهيد ظلم

خليط احلديد والدم العالج والسم الرفاه والهم النوعية والكم

الدعارة وورقة التوت مبدينة بيروت علم

e l R a s s

And one sanctifies life with lies

In onersquos hand gold turned into poison

And the other hid from gold with blood

Who is the martyr

The one who died under the shoes of the oppressedrsquos uprising is a martyr

Is it he whose death was transformed into an advertising campaign to raise the levels of

sectarian enlistment

Bombs came in the mail

Swords to the jugular true stories

Death to the cold is statuette

Patience to the stubborn is a dream

Divinity to the martyr is oppression

The mixture of steel and blood the cure and poison

Luxury and distress quality and quantity

Prostitution and modesty

The science of the city of Beirut

T r a n s l a t e d b y M o e A l i N a y e l amp + A z i z

Blues

2125713

7170

بقرأ في اجلريدة زفت شوارع جديدة

إزالة مطبات و كثير أشياء هيك مفيدة أشخاص مستفيدة

دعم من هون و من هون منظمات بس احلرية بعيدة

مقاطعة مستوطنات تعون الضفة الغربية وطنية حصرية إدعائية

طب و فلسطني التاريخية مع ألساس كانت القدس عاصمة الثقافة العربية

بس كلوحكي سياسية للشعب إحنا نتحمل الشغل و التعب و الوضع صعب

b o i k u t t

Irsquom reading in the paper

About roads newly paved

Speed bumps removed and a lot of other useful stuff (yes very)

Certain inviduals benefit

Funding from here and there

Organizations are plentiful but freedom is far-fetched

Calling for a boycott of settlements around the West Bank

Pretentious exclusive nationalism

But what about historical Palestine

I thought Jerusalem was supposed to be the ldquocapital of Arab cultureldquo

But itrsquos all political speeches for the people

We put up with the work and the sweat and itrsquos rough

a letterرسالة من مقاطعة from boikutt

risaleh mn muqataa (pt1)

boikutt

null

2010

1086983

eng - iTunPGAP0

eng - iTunNORM 00000A1E 00000A0E 000099D9 000098A0 0000CC63 0000CC63 0000826D 000080B0 000131D0 000131D0

eng - iTunSMPB 00000000 00000210 000008F3 000000000049197D 00000000 0027BA9D 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000

7372

يقنعونا إن كلشي متام و بقدر أعيش حياة عادية

زي في األفالم على مبس واحد إثنني ثالثة أربعة إلخ

كن منيح و بتنزل عليك املصاري زخ نصيحة من أخ ألخ

خليك مستقل ألن اللعبة إنلعب فإبعد عن الفخ

خليهم يقعدوا يستنوا الدعم ليموتوا يلفلفوا داخل اجلدار حلد ما يفوتوا

في متاهات مبسافات مش محددة مجددة لتوسع التوسع مش مهددة

إنتهاك احتالل بس مش على الكل

في ناس في فلسطني هون حياتهم زي الفل مش عارف شو بيفكر

شكلوا مش داري شي يوم حنروح كل الدكاكني هي حتسكر

سالم

b o i k u t t

Try to convince me that everythingrsquos fine

And that I can lead a normal life

Like in the movies

On MBC one two three four etcetera

Be good and money will rain on you

Advice from one brother to another

Stay independent because the games are being played

So steer clear of the trap

Let them wait for foreign aid until they die

Spinning in circles within the apartheid wall until they enter

Into unlimited mazes with unspecified spaces

That are renewed to fit settlement expansion unthreatened

Violation occupation

But not for everyone

There are people here in Palestine living ldquothe good lifeldquo

I donrsquot know what hersquos thinking

Seems like he doesnrsquot know one day wersquoll be gone

And all these shops will close

Peace

T r a n s l a t e d b y t h e a r t i s t w i t h L o u b n a B i l a l i

risaleh mn muqataa (pt1)

boikutt

null

2010

1086983

eng - iTunPGAP0

eng - iTunNORM 00000A1E 00000A0E 000099D9 000098A0 0000CC63 0000CC63 0000826D 000080B0 000131D0 000131D0

eng - iTunSMPB 00000000 00000210 000008F3 000000000049197D 00000000 0027BA9D 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000

7574

الضغط عاليالعدو فات جاري احملادثات

صمت دوليكمية الغازى عم تزداد

تهجير جديد مولود جديدتكرر عزو مش تارك ورا شي مفيد غير غراب

من كل البيت ما تركو شي إال البابمن االرض ل سما مسافة عاليه

إمشي الصحرا وعد لياليوجنوما

كمشوا رئيس دولة بجورةحصار

توزيع مخدراتباألحمر تلون الفرات سجون معتقالتقبلة الوداع مع الصبات

تنصت بالشبكة خيانات باألزهر

k a t i b e h 5

The pressure is high

The enemy has entered discussions are taking place

Global silence

The numbers of the occupier are increasing

A new expulsion A newborn child

The perpetuation of an invasion that leaves behind it nothing of any use except for a crow

From an entire house they left nothing but the door

From the ground to the sky is a long distance

Walk the desert and count the nights

And its stars

They caught a president in a pit

Siege

Drug dealing the Euphrates is stained red prisons detention centers

A farewell kiss with a shoe

Networks wiretapped betrayals in Al Azhar

hold me back ifهديني اذا فيك you can

null

23098943

7776

حوار أديانالكف تنجس

متسح فيه وجك مع كل شروق عالوضوءتسمع شرارة فتيل مولوتوف ينادي أصوات تتلبى

باإلنفجار

هديني إذا فيك صرت موجود بكل مكانوجي مغبش عامل زي جيش زباتا

منصرخ بوجكم raquoاحلرية ل برغوتيlaquoإعالمكو بيعرفني كلماتكو حملت إسمي

شركاتكو بتهرب مني )كتيبه خمسه هديتي إذا فيك(

بتالقيني بني والد حفظوا غنية املخيماتبنفسية فالح عمال يزو املدينة

افالم تافهةبرنامج تافه

بتدور على مخك بتالقي مش موجوداخلليج يتحكم بإعالم

هادول حبوب التنومي ٦1 سنة بعدن مش شغالني

عالمادامك واخد وجهة نظري

ع محمل اجلدمسموح لك تستعجب وتظهر إنزعاجك بوجودي

ألني صديق لكل املشاهد الغير مرغوبة فيهاش بيختار حياتو بالتحديد بحكيلك هيك منحياها ومحد

ضغط رصاص وابارود بخليكاش حتيدالتجارب بتدلك عطريق

هديتي إذا فيك

k a t i b e h 5

A dialogue of religions

The hand is tainted

And with it you cleanse your face at ablution each sunrise

You hear the sparking of the fuse of a molotov calling voices respond

Explosion

Hold me back if you can I have become present everywhere

My face is concealed like the army of Zapata

We shout in your face ldquoFreedom for Barghoutildquo

Your media knows me your words have glimpsed my name

Your corporations flee from me

(Katibe Khamseh hold me back if you can)

Yoursquoll find me among children that have memorized the song ldquoAl Moukhayamatldquo

In the persona of a peasant that is visiting the city

Shallow films

Shallow programs

You look for your mind but you find it is not there

The Gulf controls media with its boundaries

These sleeping pills 61 years and theyrsquore still not effective

Great

As long as you are taking my point of view seriously

Yoursquore allowed to be taken aback and to show your irritation

Just like you show your irritation at my presence

Because I am a friend to all the images that are not desirable

This is how we live out these images and no one chooses their life specifically Irsquoll tell you

The pressure of bullets and gunpowder does not allow you to move away

Experience will guide you on the road

Hold me back if you can

null

23098943

7978

موقف واحد صريح من صميم روح لشعوب املقاومة ضمير ظهور البشرية

السبيل صعب ورا الغضبدعم لكل أسالوب محارب

د لنحرق نظامك منتدرب منجرب منخرب منستععم نحرق نظامك

هديتي إذا فيك

إطلع منيحمش رح تقدر توخذ كل شي من أول نظرة

نظرة عامة raquoبشرة مش بيضةlaquoجبني عريضة مكتوب مولود عنيد بالفطرة

فوت بالتقاليد عد التجاعيدلك هاي مش أول مرة

لغات ودراسات حط العلم بغالفمش رح تقدر تفهم ليه بعد في بارود ع الكتافلون األرض ولون الليل بيعطيك البني و السواد

بوعدك مش لوحدي رح أضل عد رماد الال اللعبة اجلديدة وال والدنا ع اللعبة جداد

بكفيش إنفلونزا الصقور صار في إنفلونزا اخلنازيرموسم مرض جديد لرئيس مبثل ع نفوس ومريض بهدوء البيض

هديتي إذا فيك

k a t i b e h 5

A single honest stance from the bottom of the soul for the people of the resistance the conscience

that exposes humanity

The path is difficult when following anger

A support for every style of battle

We train we strive we disrupt we prepare to burn your system

We are burning your system

Hold me back if you can

Look closely

You wonrsquot be able to see it all at first sight

An overview ldquocomplexion that is not whiteldquo

A broad forehead written born stubborn by nature

Look at the traditions and count the wrinkles

This is not the first time

Languages and scholarship put education under wraps

You wonrsquot be able to understand why there is still gunpowder on shoulders

The color of earth and the color of night gives you brown and blackness

I promise you that I will not be alone to count the ashes no

This game to us is not new and nor are our children new to the game

As if the influenza of eagles was not enough now therersquos the influenza of pigs

The season of a new disease for a president acting for a public and sick with the

calmness of white people

Hold me back if you can

null

23098943

8180

اإلحتالل نكه البشر بنكهة املجاريبالسالم حوار أديانبإقرار ملكية كذابة

بتشويه تاريخ وسرقة حضاراتولك أه

فلسطني إفريقيا الدجلة والفراتإجتاه البشرية لإلضمحالل سرطان بشري بعضها

الشتا ميسح اخلطايا واآلثاروليش بتتخبى وبتتغطى بنفس كل سفارة سميك الستار

لساتني باكل الضربة ورا الضره ورا الضربةوحتى ما أفعل وأساوي تكمشني الرجفة

بدل ما أضرب فيك بضرب بحاليبوعدكش حضلني كامش حالي حفلتها

حفلتها

هديني إذا فيك هديني إذا فيكهديني إذا فيك

k a t i b e h 5

The occupation has seasoned humanity with the flavor of sewers

With peace with dialogue of religions

With the declaration of false ownership

With the distortion of history and the theft of civilizations

Oh yes

Palestine Africa the Tigris and Euphrates

Humanity is leading to reduction a human cancer bites it

Exile wipes clean the sins and the traces

And why are you hiding and seeking cover when all the embassies are already well concealed

I am still taking one beating after another

And so that I donrsquot take action and do something shudders grip my body

Instead of beating you I beat myself

I canrsquot promise you that I can keep myself restrained

Irsquom gonna let go

Hold me back if you can

Hold me back if you can

Hold me back if you can

T r a n s l a t e d b y R i m a N a j d i a n d F a y s a l B i b i

null

23098943

8382

طول عمر الشعب املصري مع بعض أحلك الظروفبص وفر في التاريخ وانت ياما هاتشوف

الدين ده ليا وليكوفيا وفيك

حاجة روحانية بتخليك حتس اللي بيك

ايد في ايد نبني فيها من جديد

مصر زعلت علي حاصل وسطنا مش مفيد

بعد ثورة وبعد عيد فتنة تقتل حلم واتتحقق لنا

واحد اتننيالذكري بتعيش اكتر من عمر االنسان

بصمتنا تغييرنا جوة وبرة امليدان مش هانضيع نصر ثورتنا بفتنة نشئت بينا

A r a b i a n K n i g h t s + M C G a z a + A m e e r

The Egyptian people have always stuck together

Through the worst times look at history

And see how often wersquove been there for each other

That whole idea of religion

Is for you and for me something spiritual that makes you feel whatrsquos inside you

Hand in hand

We build Egypt up again

Egypt is angry at whatrsquos happening between us

Itrsquos not helpful

After the revolution after the celebration

Sectarian strife is killing the dream we fulfilled

One two

The memory lasts more than a lifetime

Our mark is our change in and outside Tahrir Square

We wonrsquot give up the victory of our revolution in exchange for sectarian strife between

us

hand inايد في ايد hand

Eid Fe Eid

Yasser Ameer Youssef Rush E Money amp MCGaza | by BOGEY

Single Hit track 11

20112011

Hip-Hop

24002867

eng - Hip-Hop 4 Life

eng - iTunNORM 000005E2 0000058E 0000424E 00003537 00026E95 0001C2B3 00008000 00008000 00005045 00005045

8584

بلدنا محتجانا ايدنا واحدة ضد احملنة تفرق ايه معاك ديانتي ملا ربك هو ربي

اصلك هو اصلي ارضك هي ارضي

ملا اتقال لي اكتت فيول فتنة انا قولت غلط علشان الفتنة مفتعلة في بلدنا وكان وراها غرض

فالفرد افترض فبفرض السياسة األمر اختلط

فالزم يبقي املصل سياسي من اصل املرض العسس واحلرس مافرقوش صليب وهالل

وكنا كلنا واحد وراء االقفالدم الشهيد شاهد

ياما بالفتنة انكسرنا وحدتنا بصوت واحد وضد الظلم انتصرنا

وديني هو ديني صلة بيني وبني ربي هارفع علمي وارفع راسي فوق

انا مصري

ايد في ايد نبني فيها من جديد

مصر زعلت علي حاصل وسطنا مش مفيد

بعد ثورة وبعد عيد فتنة تقتل حلم واتتحقق لنا

خلو حمامة السالم من الطيور املنقرضةعلشان تبقي القلوب مبتعدة منقسمه سهل تتسم

فكرين مناعة و قوة أم الدنيا بالطمع مرتبطةنسر املصريني ليس له دين احنا بنحميها بالدم

العنف بذوره بتكتر عاوز يوصل واحلروب حتصل

A r a b i a n K n i g h t s + M C G a z a + A m e e r

Our country needs us all together against the hard times

What difference does my religion make to you when your god is my god

Your origin is mine

Your land is my land

When they told me about sectarian strife I said thatrsquos wrong

Because itrsquos been planted in our country and behind it is some purpose

Makes one think somethingrsquos going on

By playing politics everythingrsquos gotten mixed up

The antidote has to be political just like the poison itself

The military doesnrsquot distinguish between cross and crescent

Wersquore all held together behind bars

The blood of the martyrs bears witness

To how much wersquove been broken by sectarianism

Through our unity we triumphed with one voice over injustice

And my religion is my own a rapport between me and God

Irsquoll raise my flag and my head up

Irsquom Egyptian

Hand in hand

We build Egypt up again

Egypt is angry at whatrsquos happening between us

Itrsquos not helpful

After the revolution after the victory

Sectarian strife is killing the dream we fulfilled

They drove the dove of peace to extinction

To keep hearts apart and divided itrsquos easy to poison them

Do they really think the resilience and strength of Egypt is connected to greed

The Egyptian eagle has no religion we protect it with our blood

The roots of violence are increasing want to gain control to start wars

Eid Fe Eid

Yasser Ameer Youssef Rush E Money amp MCGaza | by BOGEY

Single Hit track 11

20112011

Hip-Hop

24002867

eng - Hip-Hop 4 Life

eng - iTunNORM 000005E2 0000058E 0000424E 00003537 00026E95 0001C2B3 00008000 00008000 00005045 00005045

8786

للعاقيدة يكسر وألعضاء املشاعر تتشال تصتأصلعلى كالم ربهم اتكبرو فعملو قدر واتقدر

وقته مستنينه ليه خططوا مضمون الرسائل اتغير الن الهدف هو تدمير قعدة الوحدهوقتل كل قائد يقود الناس بره احملنه

فيبقي سهل يزيحنا ميحي أوصول عليها كبرناوكل واحد علي حداه يقول أنا محدش يقول احنا

فاببطء بحرص بص بعقل بحذر شوفقبل ما يخلوا خيالك يتخلله اخلوف

واخلوف ده افراز بيطلع من غده ملا الكلب بيشوفهابيعرف انك فاريسه سهل ياكلها ركز

فرق تسد إخلعوفق جتد إرفع

ثورة تقدصمت يفرد- يفرق

ما بيجمع بيننامن حقي النقد من حقك - تسمع

طب إسمع وراجع ما صور التاريخ طب باله بيكفي صور زمانييوم حصار كنيسة املهد مني دافع مني اتقمع مني اتنفا

مسلم مسيحي أل كان فلسطيني اتذكر معي ثورة غضب يناير

اتذكر معي الوحدة اإليد الوحدة اتشرف انتا مصرياتذكر معي األخ بإيد األخ يحمي األخ بدون إلخ

كالمي ماشي ماشي ال-لتفهمني بهويتي مسلم وال نصراني قبطي

ما في حجة لربطي خلبطي حلطي ألوطي ألغير خطيخير أجناد األرض

من أرض بيت املقدس كل السالم بعد ما قلت إلنقسام في وطنيانا ملزم أقول ال لفتنة

تفتت مجد شعب تعب عانى ضحى بالغالي حتى بناه

A r a b i a n K n i g h t s + M C G a z a + A m e e r

The relationship between Egyptians breaks down and the organs that feel are taken out

They got full of themselves in the name of their god and invented a new fate for us

Theyrsquore waiting for a time and theyrsquore plotting The meaning of their messages changes

Because the goal is to destroy the foundation of unity

And kill every leader who takes the people out of hard times

Itrsquos easy to remove us to wipe out the traditions we grew up with

Everyone on his own everyone says ldquoIldquo and no one says ldquoweldquo

Slowly carefully look Wisely with caution see

Before they make your imagination a slave to fear

And that fear releases a secretion from a gland

And when the dog sees it he knows yoursquore easy prey

Divide yoursquoll conquer

Bring harmony and yoursquoll reap Start

A revolution and it will catch on

Silence is solitary It divides

It doesnrsquot bring us together

It is my right to criticize and your right to listen

So listen and look back at history or better look at my life time

The day the Nativity Church was under siege who was persecuted Who was exiled

A Muslim A Christian No he was Palestinian

Letrsquos remember the angry revolution of January

Letrsquos remember the unity the one hand Be proud yoursquore Egyptian

Remember the brother holding hands with a brother protecting a brother

And I can go on

Donrsquot teach me about my identity whether Irsquom a Muslim or a Christian Copt

Therersquos no excuse to tie me down beat me to make me cower and kneel and stray from my courseThe Earthrsquos most virtuous soldiers

Come from the land of Bayt al-Maqdis [Jerusalem] I salute you After I said no to division in my countryIrsquom committed to saying no to seditionThat dissolves the glory of a people who labored suffered sacrificed what was most dear to build it

T r a n s l a t e d b y A l e x O r t i z + A h m e d S h a w k e t + K h a l e d A l H i l l i

Eid Fe Eid

Yasser Ameer Youssef Rush E Money amp MCGaza | by BOGEY

Single Hit track 11

20112011

Hip-Hop

24002867

eng - Hip-Hop 4 Life

eng - iTunNORM 000005E2 0000058E 0000424E 00003537 00026E95 0001C2B3 00008000 00008000 00005045 00005045

8988

الفن واملواهب زي حرب الكواكب الكل عايز يكون جنم صراع في الداخل

بهدي جنون العظمة بفلفل حر توابل تسيل دموع زي القنابل

زي مابتكلم وداني شغالة كون سامع نبض الشارع علشان أ

حالف أقضي على اإلعالم املتآمر مغامر في الكالم بس إنت مش سامع

ملا بأمسك القلم والورقة الهم بينزاح مخي بيرتاح بأقول اللي على البال

ملا بأقعد بحس بتأنيب ضمير كون في ستوديو بسجل على بيت خطير مفروض أ

e l D e e b + S t o r m t r a p

Art and talent are like Star Wars

Secretly everyone wants to be a star of conflict

I make megalomania tranquil with chilli hot spices

Tears flow like bombs

Thatrsquos how I talk and the world keeps moving

So that I can hear the pulse of the streets

Irsquove sworn to obliterate the media conspirators

I am adventurous in my speech but you do not hear

When I hold the pen and the paper my anxiety is lifted

My mind relaxes and I say whatrsquos on it

When I sit down I feel guilty

I should be in the studio recording dangerous beats

addictأدمان الشهرة ion to fame

Edman El Shuhra

Stormtrap amp Mohamed El Deeb

2011

Hip-Hop

15305855

- vocals Mohamed El Deeb Stormtrap13produced by Stormtrap

9190

إحساس غريب إنك تدمن الكالم ارسم يا فنان واخترع زي دافينشي الرسام

ولو مفيش ورقة باستخدم تليفوني خايف إن فكرة متعديش على صوتي

دنيا غريبة يوم مر يوم بونبوني بس أنا عمري ماغيرت لوني

املوسيقى بنادولي وبطابعي فضولي مهما قالوا لي هافهمها مبفهومي فـساعات أالقي نفسي بكلم نفسي واسمع أصوات غريبة في دماغي

وهو ده الصدى الصوت اللي بسمعه اكن مفيش حد فارقة معاه احالمي

شوف شوف مش هدف إنو أنا شخصيا أنا

هدفي انه كلماتي وموسيقتي تنتشرعشان هيك حتشوفني دوما مستمر مستثمر

كل وقتي كل طاقتي على أصواتي خوذ شك خوذ حتويل خوذ كاش

بس ما تنساش أي شي بيتعلق بالواقع بدناش ما تخاف ألنها قضيتنا مش منسية مية باملية هايذي ثورة كمان ثقافية

خليني أوضح هاي املوسيقى مش معمولة للتلفازeهاي املوسيقى مش معمولة لهز الطياز l D e e b + S t o r m t r a p

Strange feeling to be out of words

Paint oh artist and discover like Da Vinci the artist

If I donrsquot have paper I use my cell

I am afraid that the idea does not come through my voice

Strange world one day is bitter another like candy

But Irsquove never changed my color

Music is my Tylenol and my nature curious

So whatever they tell me Irsquoll understand it my way

Sometimes I find myself talking to myself

And I hear weird voices in my head

Which is just the echo of the sound I hear

As if no one cares about my dreams

See see

My goals are not self serving

My goal is that my words and music spread

Thatrsquos why yoursquoll see me always and continuously investing

All my time my energy on my sounds

Take a check take a transfer take cash

But never forget anything related to reality wersquore not interested

Donrsquot be afraid because our cause is not forgotten

One hundred percent this is also a cultural revolution

Let me explain this music is not meant to be televised

This music is not made for booty shaking

Edman El Shuhra

Stormtrap amp Mohamed El Deeb

2011

Hip-Hop

15305855

- vocals Mohamed El Deeb Stormtrap13produced by Stormtrap

9392

مش فاهم ليش الكل قاتل حاله يكون في مسابقةحابني نتصابح حياكم زات املكافحة

واالعالم ميت ع حيالله قصة ما بيدرس هالقصة من نصها

وبعدن بينفخهامش احلق علينا اذا ما بيبحثوا

وملا يبدوا يحكوا عنا أل عنجد بيبعصوابيفكروا انه كل شي هشك بشك

بس حدن الزم يقلهم انه الهب هوب مش هيكبدك تدير بالك عشانها هاي اللحظة احلاسمة

ملا يجوا عليك الديب والعاصفةنكسر حدود وبنبني وحدة عشان نحيي مجتماعاتنا

وننهي معانتناعشان هيك منكتب كلمات صريحة والها معنى

مش للشهرة مش حتى يجي حدن يدفعلنا

e l D e e b + S t o r m t r a p

I donrsquot understand why everyone is killing themselves to be in the contest

Wersquod like to say goodmorning to salute you in this same struggle

The mediarsquos dying for any story

But they donrsquot study the storyrsquos real text

And then they blow it out of proportion

Itrsquos not our fault if they donrsquot search

And when they talk about us then they really screw it up

They think everything is empty pointless

Somebody needs to tell them that hip hop is not like that

You should take care because this is the critical moment

When the wolf and storm come haunting you

We break borders and we create a unity to revitalize our communities

And stop our suffering

That is why we write frank words that have meaning

Itrsquos not for fame or even so that someone pays us

T r a n s l a t e d b y N i z a r G h a n e m

Edman El Shuhra

Stormtrap amp Mohamed El Deeb

2011

Hip-Hop

15305855

- vocals Mohamed El Deeb Stormtrap13produced by Stormtrap

9594

حضل عهل مود يعنيما إنتلك النجوم عم تقرب

بهل ال مود حكون عطول لبهل جنوم إدءر لو مضطر شن هجوم عل النجوم كلها

خللي األرض تدور حول أصبعي تنلك

ما إنتلك متلي متلك مولع طيار ألفكاري من العقدي تنفك فرد قعدي بني 4 حيطان ما بتنهز و منها ما بنهز

يلز املا بينلزالكاس عل الطاولي و منو عم مز مز

لتفتل براصي وحس من حالي عم كز كزعل ورقة كالمي مدروس و ما بزت زت بجرب ما عيد حالي متا يقولو عم نق نق

موزع قافياتي جواز كأن عم فت فت

بهل األطشة خلي الديني اللي تسمعني ترن رنFبسبيلي جاري يوم ع يوم عم برك رك a r e e q e l A t r a s h

Irsquoll stay in this mood

Didnrsquot I tell you The stars are getting closer

Irsquoll stay in this mood until I touch these stars

Even if I have to launch an attack on all the stars

Irsquoll make the Earth rotate around my finger I told you

Didnrsquot I tell you Irsquom just like you I lit up a joint so my ideas would untie their knot

Sitting this way in between four walls I wonrsquot budge

The most delectable

Drink is on the table from which Irsquom taking sips

Till my head starts spinning and Irsquom sick of myself

On the paper my words are calculated I donrsquot just toss them about

I try not to repeat myself so they wonrsquot say Irsquom nagging

I deal my rhymes out like theyrsquore cards

In this verse Irsquoll make those ears ring

My fountain is running and every day I excel

tالنجوم عم تقرب he stars are gett ing closer

null

29781717

9796

لضل ماشي جالس بينما غيري عم بلك لك شريط معلق ريحة العة عم بتفح فحكل ما فتح متو بتالقي عم بكب كب

عايشها إرهاب و مفي إال بسب سببزبالتي ما بكبو تيكون بعلمك

األالف مسم و بحياتو ما بينسم بزقة من هل التم تخلي سقفك ينش نش

تلمو ردم و ما تفكر إنو ترد رد و عم بحكي عالواطي متا الصالي فيك ترج رج

بطبعي عاقل بس بالراب بزل زل عل الرايق بال ما نط وال فز فز

type of shitعال بارد أبرد من شباط بس يقز قزتخلي عضامك ع بعض تسك سك

ما إنتلك النجوم عم تقرب بهل ال مود حكون عطول لبهل جنوم إدءر

لو مضطر شن هجوم عل النجوم كلهاخللي األرض تدور حول أصبعي تنلك

أنا متنبئ بنبه و بحقق ما قلتلك بعد وقتها ما عم نكت

عاملكرفون إبرة هرون عم بشكشك في شكcheck one two

هيك بدسدس عالنبض

F a r e e q e l A t r a s h

So I can walk straight when others are still playing

A broken record that reeks of a musty smell

Every time he opens his mouth he spews them out

He lives in terror and all he does is curse

I wouldnrsquot throw him in my garbage just so you know

Irsquove irritated thousands and never been irritated in my life

One spit out of this mouth will make your roof leak

And yoursquoll pick up the rubble and donrsquot even think about answering back

Irsquom talking in a low voice so the hall wonrsquot shake with you in it

Irsquom reasonable by nature but when it comes to rap I humiliate cold-heartedly

Without jumping or leaping around

I do it coldly colder than icy February-type of shit

Irsquoll make your bones rattle against each other

Didnrsquot I tell you The stars are getting closer

Irsquoll stay in this mood until I touch these stars

Even if I have to launch an attack on all the stars

Irsquoll make the Earth rotate around my finger I told you

Irsquom a psychic I predict and deliver

Didnrsquot I tell you to stand back when Irsquom not joking

Irsquom pricking the microphone with a heroin needle Is there any doubt

Check one two

Thatrsquos how I feel the pulse

null

29781717

9998

بدقق و زتزت حكي بتزجزج كأنها مزهزها عم بتشمشم عم خطط عم تكتيك و مني ملحلح من هون للساعة توقف تك تيك تك تيك

لك ليك منفخ حاله عامبيكازيب عا غيري بس بوجهي بتاءتإوجهه بيباءبإ من أد ما بعصب بسبسب

زر إنذار إذني بتطنطن و بشوف من عالباب عم بدقدق

عكروت بدو يفوت ليشوف الفن فني بس الفن هون بجسمي معبأ

من حلقي طايف و من متي عم بت شرشر و بيس البيس زلزال برجرج خليك تضبضب تنضب بالبيت لتكنكن

و أنا متأسف ألني بدي استأذن بس بعد شفت كابتشينو بتصحصح

ما إنتلك النجوم عم تقرببهل ال مود حكون عطول لبهل جنوم إدءر

لو مضطر شن هجوم عل النجوم كلهاخللي األرض تدور حول أصبعي تنلك

هيدا هب هوبمش هبل و ال بهل

هيدا زجل تتغزل في

ورايي إيقاع عليي إتبع و ما إطلع عنو يا بصير متل غير مسيس

زقفوا مع االيقاعزقفوا مع االيقاع

F a r e e q e l A t r a s h

Checking and hurling words that tickle as if I was high and sniffing

I am planning and scheming and Irsquom not going anywhere till the clock stops ticking

Look hersquos so full of it lying to others but in my face he stutters

And his face turns red from all the anger and he curses

My earsrsquo alarm bells start ringing

And I go to see whorsquos knocking at the door

Some bastard who wants to see where ldquothe artldquo is

But the art is right here packed in my body

Flowing from my throat running out of my mouth

And the bass is an earthquake that shakes and forces you to pack up and go home

And Irsquom sorry because I need to take leave

But after a sip of cappuccino yoursquoll come around

Didnrsquot I tell you The stars are getting closer

Irsquoll stay in this mood

Until I touch these stars even if I have to launch an attack on all the stars

Irsquoll make the Earth rotate around my finger I told you

This is hip hop

Itrsquos not stupid nor dumb

Itrsquos zajal [a form of Arabic poetry in the Levant]

That you flirt with

There is a beat that I have to follow canrsquot lose it or Irsquoll be like other MCs

Clap with the beat

Clap with the beat

T r a n s l a t e d b y K h a l e d A l H i l l i

null

29781717

101100

انا ببلعهم بتفهم وال مره بسبهمبخليهم داميا يضاربو بتفكيرهم

أنا وراهم قدامهم جنابهم محتلهممش طايقهم مرات وزنهم بكون منزلهم

مرتبهم صاففهم وبقلم أنا حاكمهم زاتتهم مش عاجبيني أنا ماحيهم قائدهم وبنفس الوقت أنا عبيدهم

وبفك وربط أنا بلعب مبعانيهمانا حاميهم بأسطر اللي تقويهم

انا واعدهم اني أستر على فاضحهم ومطلعهم بصوره اللي تبشعهم

بس أنا محترمهم وبسطور ساجنهم مكتفهم كأسير بجنازير القهر

ومهديهم بحبل اللي يبشر بالصبر وانا لي الفخر أكون الشوك اللي فيهم

Dوأكون القهر اللي داميا يسقيهم A M

Yo this is dedicated to the lyrics

Irsquom swallowing them spitting them never dissing them

Giving them freedom of speech

Irsquom behind them in front of them because of them always standing with them

Sometimes get sick of them sick of how you abuse them

Gather them in line with my pen I order them

Didnrsquot like it Throwing them out and replacing them

Irsquom their leader and also their slave

Small changes make huge differences

I train them in pages to make them strong

Promising to use them not abuse them

Or allow the wrong mouths to utter them

Approach them with a military mind and find peace in them

Irsquom lucky to be full of thorns and even luckier that I found the lyrics

So theyrsquoll help me find the roses in me

wordsكلمات

null

26837427

103102

raquoالكل سمعك بس السؤال اذا اللي سمعك فهمكlaquoكلمات ليست كالكلمات بل raquoعالماتlaquo

اللي توجهنا وين مابدنا عحبال السيرك هي تثبتنا ريح العالم من كل جهه اذا احنا ضعاف بتوقعنا بس

raquoأل بلمره ألlaquo raquoكلمات عندي طنlaquoكل واحده الها هدف اخدت حرف عحرف

نسجت جمل اللي البسهم وقت البرد raquoراح اضلني اناديlaquo raquoبنحكي كلماتlaquo

انت بتعرف انهم مبنصب شهاد بحكو املاضي وتنبوا حاضر أي بالد

قد ماحكيت قد ما أحكي فش كالم يغطي بسفي كالم يربي وينمي انت بس أروي

في شوف انه قوه والقوه بتقويفيك و أن رويته مصيره يسقيك )مثل للقوه( العدو من أمامكم

والبحر من ورائكم فال تخيبوا أسيادكمفأين أشعاركم وأين مجادلتكم

فأنتم تسكتون وتخمدون أحالمكم)انهي( نهيت ورجعت للعامية بكلمات

مرمية طالعه من عقليه شعبيهمتل جنيب اللي بذاكرة كل واحد محفوظ مدروس واذا أل معناته في خلل معكوس

عاملجتمع اللي قمع كتاباته Dاللي سمح لنسيانه يشيل خطواته A M

ldquoThey all hear you but few listen to youldquo

Lyrics ainrsquot just a bunch of words they are ldquosignsldquo

Leading us stabilizing us on tight ropes

Winds every way if we are thin we will fall

ldquoBut hell noldquo ldquoyou can measure my words in tonsldquo

Every word has a meaning I knitted a letter with another letter

Made warm sentences to wear in cold days

ldquoSo Irsquoll still shoutldquo ldquowe control lyricsldquo

You know lyrics are like a witness

They witnessed the past and forecast the future

As much as I said or say I canrsquot describe them

But there is a way to find the description and thatrsquos through them

Quench the thirst of the pages with them

So in the future itrsquoll quench your thirst

Keep feeding them as soon as they grow up

Theyrsquoll give you strength

ldquoExample for the strengthldquo

ldquoThe enemy is before you the sea is behind you

So donrsquot you dare disappoint our ancestors

Where are our deep poems Where are our strong statements

From generation to generation we kill our dreamsldquo

ldquoEnough philosophizingldquo ok lets get back to street talk

Words coming outta simple minds

Like Najeeb Mahfuz [literally lsquowell-rememberedrsquo also a famous author]

They keep living in our minds

And if you donrsquot know who he is - then I rest my case

null

26837427

105104

raquoالكل سمعك بس السؤال اذا اللي سمعك فهمكlaquoكلمات ليست كالكلمات بل raquoعالماتlaquo

اللي توجهنا وين مابدنا عحبال السيرك هي تثبتنا ريح العالم من كل جهه اذا احنا ضعاف بتوقعنا بس

raquoأل بلمره ألlaquo raquoكلمات عندي طنlaquoكل واحده الها هدف اخدت حرف عحرف

نسجت جمل اللي البسهم وقت البرد raquoراح اضلني اناديlaquo raquoبنحكي كلماتlaquo

ألف با كبايه أوعك تكسرهاامسكها للنهاية وكل ما تفضى مليها

كلمه أو رواية ومع املراحل زيدها شيحكاية وهيك ضلك زود فيها

وجيبها لتجمعاتك وساعتها استعملها لنقاشاتك وملواقفك استخدمها

هادي مدافعك اللي مداها بسيطرتك وما دافعك انه ما تخليها رايتك

ما هي تكتب ما هي توصف ما هي تكذب ما هي تنصف

ما هي هي الهروب هياللجوء هي الدروب هي

العبور باحلدود واللي مبرؤهم مبدع وبفوز باخللود واللي بسرقهم مش مقنع

واذا بتديهم احلرية بنادوك ممنوعDواذا بتوخد احلريه بنادوك مسموح A M

ldquoThey all hear you but few listen to youldquo

Lyrics ainrsquot just a bunch of words they are ldquosignsldquo

Leading us stabilizing us on tight ropes

Winds every way if we are thin we will fall

ldquoBut hell noldquo ldquoyou can measure my words in tonsldquo

Every word has a meaning I knitted a letter with another letter

Made warm sentences to wear in cold days

ldquoSo Irsquoll still shoutldquo ldquowe control lyricsldquo

The Arabic alphabet is like a glass donrsquot break it

Hold it tight and keep filling it

And then bring it to our arguments

Scream till your throat gets dry and then wet it

It holds our body itrsquos like our legs

If you stand for nothing yoursquoll fall for anything

The words write create

They kill lead and sometimes even lie

You can use them to build borders

And those who are gifted

Can use them to walk through borders

And in some governments

Itrsquos forbidden to give words freedom

But if you choke them and kill them

Thatrsquos allowed

F i g u r a t i v e t r a n s l a t i o n o f f e r e d b y t h e a r t i s t s

null

26837427

107106

further reading

The tracks presented in this document are not a comprehensive sampling of the genre of the market of hip hop in Arabic or of hip hop and rap in the wider Middle East

Artists featured here hail from Egypt Lebanon Palestine and the anglophone Arab diaspora The thriving North African hip hop scene is not represented nor is the work of the established francophone Arab diaspora nor the expanding hip hop scenes of especially Iran or Turkey

This collection does not attempt a comprehensive chronology Tracks featured here are not primarily new releases (though some are) neither are they all ldquoclassicsrdquo These limitations of scope are important to note

Many tracks of the popular Libyan group Ibn Thabitt and other groups from across the region have been translated and are hosted with commentary on the notable blog

revolutionaryarabrapblogspotcom

Another valuable resource is the Beirut-based blog by Jackson Allers ldquoBeats and Breathrdquo which features articulate critiques and reviews of events and releases from the region

jacksonallerswordpresscom

Hass Dennaoui (alias Big Hass) who recently launched started the first all hip-hop FM radio show in Saudi Arabia Laish Hip Hop (Why Hip Hop) manages a lively blog which

hosts an internet feed of his radio show and interviews with MCs and influential hip hop figures from around the world

revoltradioblogspotcom

Lebaneseundergroundcom hosts coverage of underground music in Lebanon including hip hop

And finally an excellent article by Hishaam Aidi on implications of the use of hip hop as foreign policy ldquoThe Grand (Hip-Hop) Chessboard Race Rap and Raison DrsquoEtatrdquo was published in The Middle East Report Fall 2011 Excerpts of the piece were published by Al Jazeera English in the article ldquoLeveraging Hip Hop in US Foreign Policyrdquo

All the artists and many of the translators whose work is showcased here host a significant online presence Their sites are listed with more about each of them on the following pages

109108

artist bios

ARABIAN KNIGHTZ the premier hip hop group from the land of the Nile River have not only established themselves as the lyricists with the sharpest swords in their land but they have also created the most consistent voice for rebellion strength and hope for the youth of the Middle East During the 2011 Revolution Arabian Knightz released two singles ldquoRebelrdquo and ldquoNot Your Prisonerrdquo anthems of resistance which gained worldwide attention and major media coverage for their powerful lyrics against a wicked system The group formed in 2006 through the cipher hip hoprsquos natural way of choosing like mindsets on the mic Rush Sphinx and E-Money were ahead of their peers adapting an authentic Arab perspective to the art dominated by Western voices mixing English and Arabic raps After hitting the studio for successful underground tracks AK enlisted super-producer Fredwreck (Snoop Dogg Xzibit Tha Dogg Pound) ldquoFokkakrdquo the single from this studio session was an instant hit and (surprisingly for Arabic Hip Hop) projected them to the top ten of the singles charts Arab League Records was formed amidst a growing fanbase and numerous collaborations with other Arab hip hop artists the first international Arab hip hop record label Desert Saga Volume 1 mixtape was the debut release led by ldquoThe Onerdquo featuring Egyptrsquos MC Amin Arabian Knightz have recorded their debut album Uknighted State of Arabia a masterpiece for Arab hip hop years in the making featuring instrumentals dominated by traditional percussions and players are scheduled for a Winter 2012 Release They are on Facebook

BOIKUTT is a musician and MC based in Ramallah Palestine Creating sounds using sampled material field recordings and electronic devices the results range between hip-hop downtempo ambient glitch and experimental He has composed and produced music for artists such as Kronos Quartet Bukue One Spiritchild Tamer Abu-Ghazaleh Bleubird and others and has appeared as an MC on albums for artists such as Slovo Heliodrome Bonnot and Lethal Skillz A co-founder of the Ramallah Underground Collective which has toured across the Arab World Europe and Australia Boikutt is also co-founder and member of audio-visual group Tashweesh with whom he is currently touring Also as a solo performer he has been in Beirut Cairo Manila Copenhagen London Hamburg Dubai Bethlehem and other cities He has produced and exhibited a few sound-art pieces composed several film scores has most recently composed the music for a dance theater performance entitled Bound by

New York-based company Yaa Samar Dance Theatre and is now working on different collaborative and solo projects His work may be heard at soundcloudcomboikutt and on Facebook

DAM Da Arabian MCrsquos are Suhell Nafar Tamer Nafar and Mahmoud Jreri The first Palestinian hip hop crew and among the first to rap in Arabic the group began working together in the late 1990s Struck by the uncanny resemblance of the reality of the streets in a Tupac video to the streets in their own neighborhood of Lyd they were inspired to tell their stories through hip hop Their timely song ldquoMin Irhabirdquo (ldquoWhorsquos the Terroristrdquo) was downloaded a million times shortly after its internet realese in 2001 and DAM became a household name among youth throughout the Middle East Ten years of performing all over the world has strengthened the grouprsquos commitment to continue living and working in their hometown of Lyd 15 minutes from Tel Aviv and working to provide the youth of the city and neighboring communities with programs and opportunities that have been denied to Palestinian citizens of Israel Their music is a unique fusion of East and West and encompasses influences as varied as Ghassan Kanafani Ahlam Mosteghanemi Mahmoud Darwish Naji al Ali Tupac Biggie Public Enemy MBS Krsquonaan and Pharoahe Monch IHDA (Dedication) DAMrsquos long-awaited first international album was released in 2007 and DAM has seen its songs and members featured in films such as Ford Transit (Dir Hany Abu Assad) Where in the World is Osama Bin Laden (Dir Morgan Spurlock) Salt of this Sea (Dir Annemarie Jacir) Local Angel and Forgiveness (Dir Udi Aloni) DAMrsquos history and influence on the Arab hip hop scene is detailed in the feature-length documentary Slingshot Hip Hop (Dir Jackie Reem Salloum) The group has also been featured in Vibe National Geographic Rolling Stone Q Basement Reuters and The New York Times and has appeared on MTV CNN BBC and Al Jazeera Their work can be heard and explored at damrapcom

EL DEEB first ventured into Egyptian Hip Hop when he joined Asfalt in 2005 He left in 2007 to create Wighit Nazara duo represented by Mohamed Yasser and himself It was a successful musical project that lasted until mid 2010 Currently he is working on his solo career with plans to release an EP every couple of months or so Cairofornia is his first solo EP His work may be heard at deebbandcampcom and on Facebook

EL RASS was born in Tripoli Lebanon He started writing poetry in literary Arabic at age 11 and started rhyming in spoken Lebanese dialect in 1999 at age 15 At that time he formed one third of a group of 3 MCrsquos going under the name of ldquoMlouk el Micrdquo (ldquoKings of the Micrdquo) They recorded one album and performed locally At 17 he left for France to study Finance and Economics Studies were hard money was scarce and exile was tough but music and poetry never left him as he continued rhyming with some underground French MCrsquos like Medline and Moebius and developed new musical skills on percussion in classical Arabic singing and baglama (turkish buzuk) After graduating and working for almost two years in the hell of banking and market finance El Rass decided to return to Lebanon He spent a year just re-discovering Beirut and making and learning music He now works as a journalist at the newspaper Assafir while concurrently pursuing joint projects with other producers and musicians He calls his work Taalik in reference to the same word in Arabic for ldquocommentrdquo and another word that comes from the same semantic root moaallakat which is a corpus of selected pre-Islamic poetry that was written with gold ink on the walls of the Karsquoaba in Mecca His work may be heard at soundcloudcomElRass

FAREEQ EL ATRASH is a hip hop band based out of Hamra St Beirut with a sound that is distinguished by laid back topical flows over live instrumentation It consists of Edd (raps) Nasser (raps) FZ (vocal production and FX) Fouad Afra (drums) Goo (plays guitar keys heart strings) and Abed Kobeissy (plays bass and buzuk) Their 2010 album and 2009 prealbum are available online More of their work may be found on Facebook Eddrsquos solo work can also be heard at soundcloudcomEdd

H2Z was born in Kuwait in 1986 where he lived for four years Due to the gulf war his family moved to Lebanon where he lived for the most part of his life Inspired by the tragic events in the Middle East and elsewhere in the world H2Z adopted rap music as a way to raise awareness about the injustices suffered by his people and to deliver a message through his music to anyone who supports the Palestinian cause His career began in 2004 when he was introduced to the production business by fellow rappers and soon he started producing his own tracks and established a local band producing many tracks for himself and other musicians in Lebanon In 2008 he released his first solo album titled 3aed which contained

17 tracks The political influence was noticed throughout the album and was generally well-received He is now studying for a degree in business administration at Wayne State University in Michigan His work may be heard at reverbnationcomh2z

KATIBEH 5 are based in Borj el Barajneh Lebanon Their work can be found at reverbnationcomkatibeh5 and myspacecomkatibe5palestine and on Facebook

M1 is Mutulu Olugbala of the New York based collective Dead Prez whose work is online at deadprezcom M1 is also on Facebook

MC GAZA is Adnan Mahmoud Ghonim an Algerian born artist and university student based in Gaza It was the beginning of 2005 when he attended one of the hip hop concerts in Gaza City ndash Gaza City that never appreciated the art he loved and attached himself to ndash and it was love at first sight between them Through some of the concerts he participated in a number of songs he collaborated on with Arabs from Egypt Algeria and Palestine and some active participation to represent the Palestinian people and interviews for both Arab and foreign press he was able to make a name for himself in the Gazan hip hop community His work may be found at youtubecomMCGaza and on Facebook

THE NARCICYST Having pioneered the Arab Hip-Hop movement with seminal Iraqi-Canadian crew Euphrates The Narcicyst recently broke through borders and shattered traveling etiquette touring solo around the world sharing stages with the likes of Brother Ali Mos Def and Kanye West to name a few On top of music The Narcicyst is a celebrated theorist whose academic work Fear of an Arab Planet has him from the stage to the classrooms of internationally renowned universities He is now also a professor at Concordia University teaching a Fine Arts course ldquoHip-Hop Past Present and Futurerdquo His writings have been published by multiple university presses and magazines internationally he is also a self-published author having recently released the biographical and social-study on the Arab world The Diatribes of a Dying Tribe As a true artist interested in really pushing his own artistic boundaries The Narcicyst has stepped into acting currently starring in the short music film PHATWA and in the first internationally-released film from the United Arab Emirates called City of Life A true multi-media

111110

KHALED AL HILLI is a PhD candidate in Comparative Literature at the Graduate Center City University of New York He has a BA in English Literature and a Masterrsquos degree in Teaching Second Languages Born in Iraq Khaled has taught in Lebanon and Saudi Arabia at both college and high school levels He has also worked with various Iraqi news outlets and has subtitledtranslated documentary films dealing with current social and political issues His research interests include Arabic political literature prison literature and literature in the diaspora He may be reached at hillykhalidgmailcom

+AZIZ is a NYC-based marketing consultant and a musician He is working through The World Music Parade to develop an animation project based on his music More about that project can be found at themusicparadetumblrcom He tweets from plusaziz

FAYSAL BIBI is a paleontologist and electronic musician currently based in Berlin

LOUBNA BILALI is originally from Morocco She did her undergrad and first MA in English Linguistics at Chouaib Doukkali University El Jadida She came to the US in 2008 to pursue a Masterrsquos degree in French to English translation and is currently working on a PhD in translation studies at Kent State University in Ohio She is very interested in learning and teaching languages as well as translating and localizing computer applications and websites She may be reached at loubnabilaligmailcom

FARAH ELREWAISSATI is a freelance translator pro-Palestine activist and BDS advocate who blogs at youthanormalizationblogspotcom She tweets from 3beee

NIZAR GHANEM was born in Lebanon He has been active in intercultural education interactive learning and conflict resolution across the Arab world His work on conflict resolution involved using theater comics and music as tools for emotional expression and social mobilization

RIMA NAJDI is a Performing Artist She studied dramatic arts at the Lebanese University in Beirut and obtained a Masterrsquos degree in Performance Studies at NYU New York She has written and performed in various plays and performances Najdi is particularly interested in multi-media performing arts and the position of the spectators

BARRAK ALZAID (copy editor) is the Artistic Director of ArteEast He is the editor of the ArteEast Quarterly a dynamic online portal featuring four publications that highlight contemporary art and culture from the Middle East and diaspora ndash ArtersquoZine Shahadat (contemporary short-form literature) Gallery and Cinematek (an online film center) He is also the curator for ArteEastrsquos Across Histories Art Talk Series featuring a series of panels on residencies in Fall 2011 He tweets from barrakster

RAYYA EL ZEIN (editor) is working towards a PhD in Theatre at the Graduate Center City University of New York Her research is increasingly focusing on theories of reception historical studies of audience behavior and popular culture in the Arab world She holds an MA in Performance Studies from NYU and is currently a teaching fellow at City College in Harlem She tweets from rayelz

translator biosdreamer Yassin recently established an arts label in the UAE called The Medium focusing on delivering art from Arabs in the diaspora and at lsquohomersquo to the rest of the world iraqisthebombcom He tweets from TheNarcicyst

OMAR OFFENDUM is a Syrian-American hip hop artist born in Saudi Arabia raised in Washington DC and living in Los Angeles Known for taking audiences on a lyrical journey from the jasmine-tree-lined courtyards of Nizar Qabbanirsquos Damascene homes to the flooded riverbanks of Langston Hughesrsquo Harlem Renaissance poems - Offendum has been featured on several major news outlets (BBC Yahoo ABC News Aljazeera PBS) toured the world to promote his ground-breaking music helped raise thousands of dollars for various humanitarian relief organizations (PCRF KinderUSA ANERA Islamic Relief) lectured at a number of prestigious academic institutions (Harvard MIT Stanford Columbia American University of Beirut NYU-AbuDhabi Qatar Education City) and most recently been involved in creating several critically-acclaimed songs about the popular democratic uprisings throughout the Middle East amp North Africa He is currently hard at work promoting his solo release - affectionately dubbed SyrianamericanA His work may be heard (and read) at offendumbandcampcom He is on Facebook and he tweets from Offendum

RAMALLAH UNDERGROUND based in Ramallah Palestine was born from the immediacy of musical experimentation and out of the need to give voice to a generation of Palestinians and Arabs facing a turbulent and uncertain political landscape The collective was founded by artists Boikutt Stormtrap and Aswatt and has always held a commitment to both the honesty of their work and the need to creatively rejuvenate Arabic culture To this end they combine music ranging from Arabic electronic music hip-hop and trip hop to downtempo with a deep sense of their local culture and the imposing presence of Palestine in their lives The outcome is a new specific and distinct sound RU (as producers and as MCrsquos ) has collaborated with numerous artists across the globe including countries like Lebanon UK Switzerland Italy USA France and many more including a collaboration with Slovo (a band headed by the guitarist from faithless) in their track ldquoNakbardquo which appears on their album Todo Cambia and with Kronos Quartet in the track ldquoTashweeshrdquo which appears on Floodplain RU has also performed live shows in Ramallah Bethlehem Vienna London Cairo Lausanne Amsterdam and Washington DC Their shows are mainly a performance of their hip-hop tracks as well as a few of their own electronic productions as a warm up More recently RU has incorporated a visual set in their live

performances brought to you by Palestinian visual artist Ruanne RU hopes to give a voice to Palestinians and Arabs bringing an alternative voice from the Arab world Their lyrics and music are an expression of anguish and defiance ultimately remaining a defiant voice of the colonized against the colonizer They continue to play a big role in the Arab underground cultural scene while slowly gaining wide global and local popularity

SHADIA MANSOURrsquos work can be found at myspacecomshadiamusic and on Facebook

STORMTRAP is a music producercomposerMC from Palestine Experimenting with old samples instruments and field recordings his sound is the result of a fusion of ambient atmospheres combined with various noises and hip hop beats His lyrics deal with different themes inspired mainly by his personal experiences in Palestine and life in the diaspora Stormtrap played a fundamental role in forming the band Ramallah Underground with which he has performed worldwide the past few years Currently he is working in Vienna with Aras Seyhan and Eren Ileri on a new album which combines live instruments synthesizers turntables beats and Arabic lyrics- which will be released early 2012 His work may be heard at soundcloudcomstormtrap He tweets from asifeh

AMEER YOSSEF 25 has sung and writen music with the band Klaket for the past four years His work may be heard at youtubecomAmeer and on Facebook

towards the work Her work for now concentrates on the process of making interactive and participatory performances that question borders stereotypes and languages

MOE ALI NAYEL is a fixer and a journalist based in Beirut Lebanon He uses social media blogging non-mainstream music journalism and writing as a word spreading eye opening socializing arena He uses social media as a bridge that cuts distance between people on this planet making it a tiny village This bridge starts in his office and takes him to every corner in the world enabling him to connect and network with people and cultures sharing and exchanging stories of the unheard and the neglected He blogs at Words of Action and he tweets from MoeAliNay

ALEX ORTIZ is a video and radio journalist and translator based in Cairo Egypt He graduated from Brown University in 2009 with a double major in Comparative Literature and Middle East Studies He was a CASA I fellow from 2009-2010 and a CASA II fellow from 2010-2011 He currently works for CBS News as a field producer He tweets from cairowitness

AHMED SHAWKET is an independent translator living in Cairo Egypt He is a graduate of the Helwan University Faculty of Arts where he majored in philosophy Ahmed works on literary media and commercial translation

113112

ABOUT SHAHADATShahadat is a quarterly online series designed to provide a platform for short-form writing and experimentation in writing by young and underexposed writers from the MENA region (Middle East and North Africa) The series features stories vignettes reflections and chronicles in translation and the original language of Arabic Farsi Turkish or Kurdish It makes up one quarter of ArteEastrsquos online programming the AE Quarterly For past issues of Shahadat click here

ABOUT THIS SERIES Shahadat is proud to run two alternating series and releases two issues a year of each The issue yoursquove just perused is part of the ldquoExploring Popular Literaturerdquo series This series challenges traditional understandings of ldquoliteraturerdquo emerging from the Middle East and North Africa by presenting genres of creative production that rely on words and language but which have not typically been studied as literature Works are presented in their original language and in translation

In each issue we gather texts from a spectrum of writers to challenge the singular status of the artistauthor and to encourage a more complex presentation of the Middle Eastern and North African ldquostreetrdquo for English-speaking audiences Shahadatrsquos other series ldquoContemporary Literature in Translationrdquo features the work of a single young author in the original language and in English translation

BEHIND THE DOCUMENTShahadat is co-edited by Rayya El Zein Alex Ortiz and ArteEastrsquos Artistic Director Barrak Alzaid All three are young professionals and scholars with artistic inclinations (literature poetry translation and performance) All three have strong connections to New York City and various metropole of the MENA region Shahadat is for us an experiment and a labor of love An editorial board of established scholars and authors is currently being conceived

SPECIAL THANKS TOAnmar El ZeinKinda AkashAndrew JohnstonLivia Alexander

Shahadat logo design by Rima Farouki

114

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Page 6: Shahadat Winter 2012

1110

بدهم يجوعوا األهالي ألنو الناس ملا يجوعو ما بوعودو يفكروا باملقاومة

نازل العب باملوت بدي اعرف ايش عدد املوت هون

مش سامع وال صوت اطفي التلفون

اسأل ألنو وال حد سائل سواءا سياسي أو دوبلوماسي

قاعدين على هالكراسي وبتحدثوا

بروحوا بحوطوا رؤوسهم و بتمددووالبيوت في لبنان و غزة عم يتهدموا اجا الوقت نرفع بعبوص لكل العالم

ألنو راح يضلو يحكي وعمرو ما حيعمل فئيش بدنا نضلنا نقنع و نستنا بتمنى بس عالفاضي من زمان نسييو عنا

R a m a l l a h U n d e r g r o u n d

They wanna starve our people because when people are starving they no longer think of

leading resistance

I am going to play with death

I wanna know the death count here

I canrsquot hear a sound

Turn off your phone

Ask because no one else has

Whether politicians or diplomats

Theyrsquore planted in their seats

Chatting

They relax rest their heads

While homes in Lebanon and Gaza are leveled

The time has come to screw the world

Because theyrsquoll keep talking without ever doing anything

Why would we keep holding on waiting hoping

But for nothing They forgot about us a while ago

from tمن الكهف he cave

3 Min Ill Kahef

Ramallah Underground ft Lethal Skillz

The Peace Revolution 20

24420868

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1312

ساعة بتمسك حالك ملا تشوف قدامك

اللي قامك واللي شالك مش مستغرب اذا افكار جهنمية عم بدور ببالك

نازل بتنادي عالدنيا بس الدنيا نامت وحتى اذا قامت ما حتسمع كالمك

ما حتسمع كالمك

هون يوم معاك مية عليك حواجز حواليك كلبشات عايديك

قولي شو سويت مابدي فوت باحليط ياريت بس انا فايت هيك هيك

حياتي عجل بسكليت وهأل فلت اجلنزير اجا الوقت ادعس بنزين

ابدا شد ابدا مد حكيي لكل النواحي

ألنو كلماتي سالحي

بدهم يجوعوا األهالي ألنو الناس ملا يجوعو ما بوعودو يفكروا باملقاومة

11 22 33 عم ميحونا هات لننزل عال مالجئ قبل ما يشوفونا

بقصوفونا وين ما روحنا بس بحياتهم ما بطحونا

صامدون ألخر حلظة لصوار يخكم ايصابونا

R a m a l l a h U n d e r g r o u n d

In the moments when you try to get a hold of things

When you look in front of you

At the one who picked you up and removed you

Donrsquot be surprised if evil thoughts fill your mind

You went on calling the world but the world is sleeping

And even if it wakes up it wonrsquot hear your voice

It wonrsquot hear your voice

Here therersquos one day with you and a hundred others against you

Barriers around you

Handcuffs on your hands

Tell me what you did

I hope I donrsquot crash into a wall

But Irsquom crashing anyways

My life is more like a bike tire

But now wersquore off the tracks time to hit the gas

Never pull never stretch my speech

For any reason

Because my words are my weapons

They wanna starve our people because when people are starving they no longer think of

leading resistance

One by one two by two three by three theyrsquore trying to wipe us out

Letrsquos go to the shelters before they see us

They shoot us wherever we go

But we never give up

Steadfast lsquotil the last breath when your missiles hit

3 Min Ill Kahef

Ramallah Underground ft Lethal Skillz

The Peace Revolution 20

24420868

eng - iTunNORM 00000E33 00000D93 0000B0A7 00008C71 0001CD0B 0002129C 00008000 00008000 0000A2CF 0000633A

1514

و رؤساء العرب سابونا تركونا و هربوا لعند عدونا

ألنو ما قدروا يعدونا وعدونا باملستقبل بس شوف لوين جابونا

2007 عالم مبشي دوغري و احنا فجرونا جوعونا بدهم ينسونا

قعدنا سنني نبني و اجو فجأة هيك هدونا هددونا و خوفونا

بالدميقراطية سمموناحتى نعيش حياة طبيعية ما خلونا

حطونا عخط النار ونسفونا دمرونا نشفولنا دمنا كل هاد و لسا ما خلصونا من همنا

بحاول اطنش بس السياسة بتشدني بقولها افلتي ما بدي

بتقولي انا جزء من حياتك مش حتقدر متشي ضدي

بحاول اطنش بس السياسة بتشدني بقولها افلتي ما بدي

بتقولي انا جزء من حياتك مش حتقدر متشي ضدي

R a m a l l a h U n d e r g r o u n d

And Arab leaders let us down

Abandoned us fled to our enemies

Because they couldnrsquot infect us with their cowardice

They promised the future and look what they got us into

2007 the worldrsquos moving ahead and they blow us up

Starve us they wanna forget us

We spent years building and they came suddenly led us on

Threatened and frightened us

Poisoned us with democracy

Wouldnrsquot let us have a normal life

They set us right on line of fire they ruined us destroyed us dried up our blood

All that and still they couldnrsquot finish the job

I am trying not to care anymore but politics pulls at me

I say leave me alone

She says I am part of your life

You wonrsquot be able to resist me

I am trying not to care anymore but politics pulls at me

I say leave me alone

She says I am part of your life

You wonrsquot be able to resist me

T r a n s l a t e d b y L o u b n a B i l a l i

3 Min Ill Kahef

Ramallah Underground ft Lethal Skillz

The Peace Revolution 20

24420868

eng - iTunNORM 00000E33 00000D93 0000B0A7 00008C71 0001CD0B 0002129C 00008000 00008000 0000A2CF 0000633A

1716

)مصر داميا بتناديك(

التورتة رجعت للشعبالبورصة وقعت من اللعب

الشعار القدمي رجعالشرطة في خدمة الشعب

احلال كان صعب بس النهار ده أفضل احنا نقدر نزرع صحرتنا أخضر

اتخلصنا من حكم هتلر فرعون ملعون وبحكم تويتر وفيسبوك املصري ثاير مدعوم بلغة احلق

كانوا بيقولولنا أل مش فارقة معاهم إن شاء الله حتى االرض تنشق ثورتنا ثورة شعبية سلمية وطنية

طالبنا با حلرية الكرامة عدالة اجتماعية الشعب كان ممسوك بقبضة فوالذية

شغل مقاولة ومصالح شخصية كانوا بيتعاملوا معانا بكل همجية

يطلعوا عالقنوات الفضائية بتصاريح استفزازية

e l D e e b + E d d

(Egypt is always calling on you)

The people have regained the pie

The stockmarketrsquos been put out of commission

The old slogan is back

Police are in the service of the people

The situation was tough but today is better

We can make our desert green

We got rid of Hitlerrsquos rule a damned pharaoh

In the age of Twitter and Facebook the Egyptian walks confidently using the language of righteousness

They used to tell us no they didnrsquot care even if God wished the earth to split open

Our revolution is a popular peaceful national revolution

We have demanded freedom dignity and social justice

The people were controlled with an iron fist

Business contacts and personal interests

They treated us viciously

They appeared on satellite TV channels and issued provocative statements

rقوم يا مصري ise egypt ian

2oum Ya Masry (feat Edd) (Prod by Edd)

Deeb

null

2011

24930304

eng - Visit httpdeebbandcampcom

1918

انتصرنا في 11 فبراير بفرحة مليونية زغرطتي يا مصر يا بهية حققنا احلرية

الثورة بعد ما خلصت هلق بعدا مبلشةلدورنا شكلها وصلت وإنت بعدك بالفرشة

ولك قوم وقاف الحق بسنانك تفرشيولك قوم وقاف هز فيك نظامك عم بخزوق قوم يا مصري ما فيش ثورة بتخلص في يوم وليلة

دوس على نفسك شويةاستحمل شد حيلك

ما تخافش على عجلة اإلنتاج الزم ثورة على الذاتبكرا أحسن من اللي فات

ديكتاتوري هاإلنسان كان ببلد دميقراطيعايش فوق الغيم كان مرتاح رأسه فاضياملمنوع إلو مسموح كان ألن صاحبه قاضي

مطنش عاملخدرات ليضل شعبه طافيتيضل شعبه مسلطن ملتهي عم يضحك

كونه غير واعيفمن السهل فيه تتحكم ضو أخضر للشرطة

عليها ما فيك تتشكىفي حال فيك شكك بشكلك بشنغلك

تالتني سنةأكتر من أي رئيس بقي

ولك كسرسكور اإلستاذ نبيه بريمبصر بيقولوا معليه أنا التعتير إبني

eعم شوف شو في أكل من مبارح بقي ألعطيه لقمة l D e e b + E d d

We won on February 11 the joy of millions

Ululate oh Egypt oh Bahia we have achieved freedom

The revolution is not over yet it has just begun

Looks like itrsquos our turn now and yoursquore still in bed

Crsquomon get up Yoursquoll brush your teeth later

Crsquomon get up Move your regime is screwing you

Rise up oh Egyptian No revolution finishes in a night and a day

Bear with it a little

Have endurance and tolerance

Donrsquot be afraid of the cycle of production there should be a revolution against oneself

Tomorrow is better than the past

The man was a dictator in a democratic country

Living on clouds he was comfortable and carefree

What is prohibited was permitted for him because he was friends with a judge

He turned a blind eye to drugs so that his people would remain unaware

So that his people would remain high busy laughing

Because they are unconscious

It is easy to control them the police have a green light

You couldnrsquot report them

If they are suspicious of you of the way you look they would hang you

Thirty years

He ruled more than any other president

He even broke the record of Mr Nabih Berri [longstanding Lebanese head of parliament]

In Egypt they say itrsquos ok misfortune is my son

I will check what is left over from yesterday to feed it

2oum Ya Masry (feat Edd) (Prod by Edd)

Deeb

null

2011

24930304

eng - Visit httpdeebbandcampcom

2120

ملني بشكيحالتي متل هاملاليني مرتة

ولك قوم ننزل عساحة التحرير دغريب11 شهر 2 سجلنا رحيل حسني

اللي قضى كل هالسنني يشتغل عميل ضدي

ثورة بعد ما خلصت هلق بعدا مبلشةلدورنا شكلها وصلت وإنت بعدك بالفرشة

ولك قوم وقاف الحق بسنانك تفرشيولك قوم وقاف إذ فيك نظامك عم بخزوق

قوم يا مصري ما فيش ثورة بتخلص في يوم وليلةدوس على نفسك شوية

استحمل شد حيلكما تخافش على عجلة اإلنتاج

الزم ثورة على الذاتبكرا أحسن من اللي فات

أنا مدنيبلوح بقلمي كأنه علمي

من عرقي بروي عملي كأنه عطشيالبركة ببلدي العربي

إني فيني كون عفويفيني قوم ثور

إذا بس كان مسموم بدنيحلريتي بالتعبير

ما في حدود حتدنيبتشوفني بساحة التحرير بوسط بيروت

مش كرمال السما ترجع زرقاإلسقاط النظام اللي احلرية سلبنا

e l D e e b + E d d

To whom will I complain

My situation like that of millions is bad

Crsquomon letrsquos go straight to Tahrir Square

On February 11 we witnessed the departure of Hosni

Who has been working as an agent all these years against mehellip

The revolution is not over yet it has just begun

Looks like itrsquos our turn now and yoursquore still in bed

Crsquomon get up Yoursquoll brush your teeth later

Crsquomon get up Move your regime is screwing you

Rise up oh Egyptian No revolution finishes in a night and a day

Bear with it a little

Have endurance and tolerance

Donrsquot be afraid of the cycle of production

There should be a revolution against oneself

Tomorrow is better than the past

I am a civilian

I wave my pen as if it is my flag

I water my work with my sweat as if itrsquos my thirst

Whatrsquos good about my Arab country

Is that I can be spontaneous

I can rise up and revolt

When Irsquom angry

For my freedom of expression

There are no limitations

You see me in Tahrir Square and in downtown Beirut

But not for the sky to become blue again [in reference to the slogan of the Lebanese Future Movement]

But to topple the regime that has taken away freedom

2oum Ya Masry (feat Edd) (Prod by Edd)

Deeb

null

2011

24930304

eng - Visit httpdeebbandcampcom

2322

فترة إنتقاليةفقرة إعالنية

شاي وكليوبتراوشوش صفرا سهرانة

عالنشرة اإلخباريةركلة جزائية

واجلمهور مستني الهدفكل يوم في الصحف

نقرا نبأ عن كلب نهب البلدأوقف عندك رجع الذهب

مش إنت بردو اللي كنت مسؤول عن إعالم بلدتصاريح كاذبة كالم عجب

الصعب عدا والتاريخ إنكتبأوعى تفتكر الشعب تعب

الثورة بعد ما خلصت هلق بعدا مبلشةلدورنا شكلها وصلت وإنت بعدك بالفرشة

ولك قوم وقاف الحق بسنانك تفرشيولك قوم وقاف إذ فيك نظامك عم بخزوق

قوم يا مصري ما فيش ثورة بتخلص في يوم وليلةدوس على نفسك شوية

استحمل شد حيلكما تخافش على عجلة اإلنتاج

الزم ثورة على الذاتeبكرا أحسن من اللي فات l D e e b + E d d

A transitional period

A commercial break

Tea and Cleopatra

Yellow faces staying up at night

To follow the newscast

A penalty

The audience is waiting for the goal

Every day in newspapers

We read news about a dog that has looted the country

Stop return the gold

Werenrsquot you in charge of the countryrsquos media

False statements odd expressions

The hard part is over and history has been written

Donrsquot think that the people are exhausted

The revolution is not over yet it has just begun

Looks like itrsquos our turn now and yoursquore still in bed

Crsquomon get up Yoursquoll brush your teeth later

Crsquomon get up Move your regime is screwing you

Rise up oh Egyptian No revolution finishes in a night and a day

Bear with it a little

Have endurance and tolerance

Donrsquot be afraid of the cycle of production

There should be a revolution against oneself

Tomorrow is better than the past

T r a n s l a t e d b y F a r a h E l R e w a i s s a t i

2oum Ya Masry (feat Edd) (Prod by Edd)

Deeb

null

2011

24930304

eng - Visit httpdeebbandcampcom

2524

بلسان فاكريني انو مافيهوش فن هتكلم عن كل حلم اترسم من غضبهم اتدفن

اتقسم احتاط باأللم منلفكر فاملرحلة السمعيه واحللول اللى تنقذ عناوين جانبيه ارهابية من عيون معنية باستقاللية بعد حروب عاملية محمية متدارية

منسية مرمية على اكتاف مش مرضية مستخبية بطريقة اتكالية عاالراضى العربية

بسلبية مرئية انتهازية وراء االعالم االسالمية بباينوا النيه

احتيالية عنادية سيكوباتية سرية انانية استراتيجية ضد االنسانية

و بعد املسايسة متابعة من قاعة املشاهدة لكل عربى بيتزل مستانى مساعدة

A r a b i a n K n i g h t z + S h a d i a M a n s o u r

They presume the tongue has no art so I will speak

About every dream that was drawn from their anger and got buried

It got divided surrounded by pain

And the solutions that might work are sidelined and smeared as terrorist

From eyes that are interested in independence

After world wars protected and hidden

Forgotten and thrown on unsatisfied shoulders

Concealed with consent in Arab lands

With obvious opportunism

Beneath Islamic publicity intentions show through

Fraudulent stubborn psychopathic

A secret selfish strategy against mankind

And after politics we keep tabs on things from the screening room

For every Arab who gets humiliated I am waiting for help

prisonerThis track contains verses that were originally written in English السجني

Prisoner

Arabian Knightz + Shadia Mansour

Shahadat Winter 2012 track 316

Hip Hop

26518704

2726

ماخالص كسروا بنا كلمة مسانده و من عقولنا اخدوا الورق اللى يكسب فى اللعبة

أنا عايز بلد حرة من الظلم

عايز بلد حرة من القهر عايز بلد حرة من الشر

عايز أرضي وأرض العرب العرب العرب العرب

A r a b i a n K n i g h t z + S h a d i a M a n s o u r

But itrsquos over they shattered for us the word ldquosolidarityldquo

And from our minds they took the cards that win the game

I want a country free of tyranny

I want a country free of oppression

I want a country free of evil

I want my land and the land of Arabs

Arabs Arabs Arabs

Destructive destruction destroying my district

Anti-Christ running in spreading evil wisdom

Irsquom destroying the oppressors in Arabic settlements

Known for blowing up beats and governments

My peeps die in their cribs while yrsquoall close your eyes

Two of yrsquoall are kidnapped you call it a terrorist crime

The media

Is backing up

Murderous propaganda

While we fight eternally like immortal high landers

Al Durrah Sheikh Yassin the pains unseen

Forging your own stories for the blind to see

Want to draw your own opinions bout the bombs we face

Whatrsquos your opinion if yoursquore enslaved and your mom is raped

Itrsquos too easy to speak when yoursquore far from the heat

To the White House I creep and yes Irsquom armed to the teeth

With a mic and a pen and a pad herersquos your evidence

ldquoWeapons of Mass Destructionldquo Mr President

Prisoner

Arabian Knightz + Shadia Mansour

Shahadat Winter 2012 track 316

Hip Hop

26518704

2928

أنا عايز بلد حرة من الظلم عايز بلد حرة من القهر

عايز بلد حرة من الشر عايز أرضي وأرض العرب

العرب العرب العرب

إحنا منمشي بالكرامة والثقة بالنفس معصنا قوانينكم بالثبوت بالدم

لو إن ضميركم بتريحكم بتتكلموا من ورا الفرد

قللي مني ما عم ينام بالليل عنجد ع بني انتو بتبنوا حواجز إحن بنكبر عيالنا

وبنظلنا نزيد العدد إحن السبب ليش ما بتسترجوا تغمضوا عني

في فرق كبير بني مقاوم ومقررين

A r a b i a n K n i g h t z + S h a d i a M a n s o u r

I want a country free of tyranny

I want a country free of oppression

I want a country free of evil

I want my land and the land of Arabs

Arabs Arabs Arabs

Theyrsquore dropping bombs over Baghdad

Libnan Afghan Palestinians Bin Laden Saddam

Listen Islam is all about the peace man

But wars up in these streets man

Got me loosinrsquo sleep damn

Mr Politician I got a little question

How come you are eating and all your peoples isnrsquot

I am on a mission to break up out of this prison

If yoursquore with me share my vision

Letrsquos start by saving the children

We walk with dignity and confidence in ourselves

We crushed your laws with our steadfastness and blood

If your conscience was giving you peace

You wouldnrsquot be communicating from behind a gun

Tell me whorsquos the one not getting sleep at night

While you build your checkpoints we raise the kids

Our numbers will keep increasing

We are the reason you donrsquot dare to blink

There is a big difference between a man of resistance and decision makers

T r a n s l a t e d b y N i z a r G h a n e m + S h a d i a M a n s o u r

Prisoner

Arabian Knightz + Shadia Mansour

Shahadat Winter 2012 track 316

Hip Hop

26518704

3130

النظام العاملي اجلديداحلاسة السادسة

و بدهم يردوا يعلموك النشيدنار شديد بس كله نسبي

جينا و نسيناأخبار فورية بتنهضم و بتمشينا

إللي فينا مكفينا رايح عغزة بالسفينة

و ما يأتي قبل الفكر أم الفعلملجرد الذكر لشخص مبنج قلب نكد وزعل

و طلب السعرمش حنبيع

ملا بتشتي بتشتي عاجلميعو زمن أول حتول

و مش قادرين نتجول فا مش حنضيعbشيء مريع o i k u t t

The new world order

The sixth sense

And they want to teach you the anthem anew

Heavy fire but itrsquos all relative

We came and forgot

Instant news digested and keeps us moving

Wersquove had enough

Going to Gaza by boat

What comes first Thought or action

The mere question to a numb person makes him grumpy and upset

And asking for the price

We wonrsquot sell

When it rains it rains over everybody

The old times have changed

We are under house arrest so we wonrsquot get lost

Itrsquos a horrible thing

igniteولع

Walle

boikutt

null

1746378

3332

مرات بتفهم النبرة غلطبس هلئ فهمني منيح

جريح بدون تلقيح تصريح صريح بدون تلميح

فظيعكيف خلونا نطيع

بوقت تشييع جثمان الضاضمضاض لإلنتفاض ثورة الثروة قيد التصنيع

فيعبوجه عقود بقبضة من حديد

من هون لقرية بال متديدبدون مانروح لبعيد

جتميد روؤس أموال و نوويةمصلحة أول مستفيد

بتدوب بشعلة من سيدي بوزيد

ولعشوف اكمن دكتاتور منقلعولعشوف اكمن دكتاتور منقلع

ولع شوف اكمن دكتاتور منقلعصوت الثورة بكل مكان و عم منسمع

من حكام لنوابو ال استثني احدا منكم

ما بيهمكمحلد ما الهتافات تتوجه إلكم إتهزكم

أفهمكمbاإلستبداد تارك الشارع بإستعداد o i k u t t

Sometimes you misunderstand a tone

But now you understand me correctly

Wounded without vaccination

A blatant statement without any hinting

Unbelievable

How they made us obey

At the funeral of the corpse of the [quintessential Arabic letter] Ddad

Counter revolution the revolution of wealth is in process

Rise

In the face of decades under an iron fist

From here to a village without extension

Without going too far

Freezing of capital and nuclear war heads

The interest of the primary beneficiary

Melts with a flame from Sidibouzid

Ignitesee how many dictators wersquoll uproot

Ignitesee how many dictators wersquoll uproot

Ignitesee how many dictators wersquoll uproot

The sound of revolution is everywhere we make it heard

From leaders to parliamentarians

I do not exclude any of you

But you donrsquot care

Until chants are directed at you and shake you

Let me explain

Tyranny leaves the street prepared

Walle

boikutt

null

1746378

3534

من املزارع بوسط البالدفعل مضارع للرماد

فا إنصرف زاي فلوس الدولة إللي طريقها إنحرفوإنعرف و إنصبت بجيوب هالطرف من شوفرية الشرف

حتية خاصة ألسود ميدان التحريرلتعديل دستور التعتير

إن صح التعبير

عندي نظر األطرشو سمع األعمى

عايشني حياة و مكلبشني باخلوف بنفس الوقت فا قللي شو املعنىتاريخ شجعنا

الوضع الراهن منعناناس بتمر و بتسمعنا

بدون جتاوب جتارب فجاوبيا ضدنا يا معنا

إرفع قبضة الصمود فوق في الهوا ثابتةإنتفاضة أولى و ثانية بس الثالثة نابتة

أطراف كابتةبس قد ما يحاولوا ميحوا ويحطوا الناس كاتبة

بالتفاصيل و كامتة

ولعhellip شوف اكمن دكتاتور منقلعولعhellip شوف اكمن دكتاتور منقلع

ولع شوف اكمن دكتاتور منقلعصوت الثورة بكل مكان و عم منسمع

ولعhellip شوف اكمن دكتاتور منقلعbو صفهم عالدور واحد واحدhellipو شنع o i k u t t

From the farmers in the center

Changing present tense to ashes

So vanish like the statersquos money whose road has deviated

It is known that it ended up in the pockets of the corrupt who claim to be clean

A special salute to the lions of Tahrir Square

For amending the constitution of misfortune

If that can be said

I have the sight of the deaf

And the hearing of the blind

Leading a life while chained by fear at the same time so tell me whatrsquos the point

History encouraged us

The current situation prevented us

People pass by and hear us

Without any response -- testing -- so answer

Yoursquore either with us or against us

Raise the fist of resistance up in the air

A first and second Intifada but the third is sprouting

Oppressive groups

No matter how hard they try to erase and replace people have written

In details and know by heart

Ignitesee how many dictators wersquoll uproot

Ignitesee how many dictators wersquoll uproot

Ignitesee how many dictators wersquoll uproot

The sound of revolution is everywhere we make it heard

Ignitesee how many dictators wersquoll uproot

Line them up in turn one after the other and defame them

T r a n s l a t e d b y F a r a h E l R e w a i s s a t i

Walle

boikutt

null

1746378

3736

ولك انا ابن عكا وبن يافا و طولكرم انا ابن كل شبر من البحر للنهر

االرض الي حملت موسى مرمي واملسيح انااملقابر يلي فاضت من كتر التوابيت

انا اخليمة بيت التنك واحلصيرة والكانون والبيوت املسروقة والدم املهدور

انا الهوى يالي حامل الغضب والبكاوالطرقات يلي بتغرق مع كل نقطة الشتا

انا رصاصة من املجاهد عم تعبر حلدود انا حزام من القنابل مشتاق لليهود

لطفل على باب املستشفى عم بيموتانا الجئ ممنوع من العمل مكروه

انا اين املخيم يلي عاطل عن العمل سيجارة احلشيش يلي بتمحي شوية الم

H 2 Z

Irsquom the son of Acre Jaffa and Tulkarem

Irsquom the son of every inch from the river to the sea

Irsquom the land that carried Moses Mary and the Christ

Irsquom the cemeteries that overflow with coffins

Irsquom the tent the tin house the mat and the stove

The stolen houses and the wasted blood

Irsquom the wind that bears anger and tears

The roads that drown in a single drop of rain

I am a bullet that crosses borders

Irsquom a grenade against Zionists

A child that dies waiting outside the hospital

Irsquom a hated refugee whorsquos prohibited from working

Irsquom the son of the camps always unemployed

The hash cigarettes that ease the pain

iانا فلسطيني am palest inian

Ana Falasteeni

H27

null

17782504

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3938

حيطان هالبيت يلي بكره رح ينردم انا االحمر واالسود واالخضر من هالعلم

من دم االبطال من دموع الاطفالمن اجلحيم التشرد واجلوء واالنكسار

من ظلم االحتاللمن حلم االستقالل

من ارض الزيتونوالصليب والهالل

انا حافظ احلواجز بكل بالد العالممن النادر انو بيوم يعتبروني بني ادم انا سنني االعتقال انا غرف التعذيب

الوجع والصريخ واجلروح الي ما بطيبانا شعب ما انهزم بس عمرو ما انتصر

انا اكبر ارهابي الني حامل حجر اسير طول عمرو رافض انو بيوم ميوت بس معاهدة سالم بتنفي اني موجود

انا القدس بيت حلم ومخيم جننياالدان واجلراس الهالل والصليب

املدافن واملدارس وكنسية املسيح الشوارع القدمية والبيت العتيق

انا ركوة الشاي و سندويشة الفالفلالكرم والبخل واالخالق واملهازل

الكذب والصدق واخليانة والصمود Hانا فلسطيني حلتى اموت 2 Z

The walls of the house that I hate thatrsquos about to get demolished

I am the red and black and green in this flag

From the blood of heroes from the tears of children

From the hell of homelessness and broken refugees

From the oppression of the occupation

From the dream of independence

Irsquom from the land of the olives

The cross and crescent

I know all the checkpoints in all countries of the world

It is where they consider me a human being

Irsquom years of capture Irsquom the torture chambers

The pain and the screams and the wounds that never heal

I was never defeated but never had a victory

Irsquom the biggest terrorist because I carry a stone

A prisoner who spends his whole life refusing to die

But a peace treaty forgets that Irsquom alive

Irsquom Jerusalem Bethlehem and Jenin refugee camp

The call to prayer the bells the crescent and the cross

The old cemeteries schools and church of Christ

The old streets and the ancient house

Irsquom the tea cup and the falafel sandwich

Generosity and greed morality and farce

Lies and betrayal and honesty and persistence

I am Palestinian until I die

T r a n s l a t e d b y t h e a r t i s t

Ana Falasteeni

H27

null

17782504

eng - iTunNORM 0000057E 0000056B 00004E0F 00004D32 00021C96 00021C96 00008000 00008000 0000ECEA 00007530

4140

صباح اخلير با والد عمومناتفضلوا شرفونا

شو بتحبوا نضيفكم دم عربي وال دموع من عيوننابعتقد هيك تأملوا نستقبلن

هيك تعقدوا ملا تدركوا على غلطتهنمن هيك لبسنا الكوفية

البيضة والسودةصاروا كالب الزمان يلبسوها كموضة

مهما تفننوا فيامهما غيروا بلونا

كوفية عربية بتضال عربية

حطتنا بدن ياهاثقافتنا بدن ياها

S h a d i a M a n s o u r w i t h M 1 o f D e a d P r e z

Good morning cousins

Come in and honor us with your presence

What would you like us to serve you Arab blood or tears from our eyes

I think thatrsquos how they hoped we would recieve them

Thatrsquos why they got tangled up when they tripped up on their own mistake

Thatrsquos why we wore the kufeyyeh

The black and white one

Dogs of the past started to wear it as a fashion statement

However they change it

Whatever colour they make it

The Kufeyyeh is Arab and will always be Arab

Our scarf they want it

Our intellect they want it

kufeyyeh arabeyyeh الكوفية عربية

Kufeyyeh Arabeyyeh

Shadia Mansour and M1

Shahadat Winter 2012 track 616

Hip Hop

26239166

4342

كرامتنا بدن ياهاكل شي إلنا بدن ياه

ما رح نسكتلن نسمحلن الالبقلن يسرقوا شغلة مش إلهن ما خصن فيا

بيقلدونا باللبسكل هاألرض بيكفيهنش

طمعانني عالقدسإعرفوا كيف تكونوا بشر

قبل ما تلبسوا الكوفيةجينا نذكرن مني إحنا

وغصبا من عن أبوهم هاي حطتنا

من هيك لبسنا الكوفيةألنها وطنية

الكوفية الكوفية عربيةمن هيك لبسنا الكوفية

هويتنا األساسيةالكوفية الكوفية عربية

يال علي الكوفيةعلولي هالكوفية

الكوفية الكوفية عربيةعلوها لبالد الشام

كوفية عربية بتضال عربية

ما في بعد متل الشعب العربيفرجوني أية أمة بالدنيا أكثر مأثرة

الصورة واضحة نحنا مهد احلضارة

S h a d i a M a n s o u r w i t h M 1 o f D e a d P r e z

Our dignity they want it

Everything thatrsquos ours they want it

We will not be silent will not allow it

It suits them to steal something that ainrsquot theirs

They imitate our style

As if all this land werenrsquot not enough

Thirsting after Jerusalem

Know how to be human

Before you wear our scarf

We came to remind them who we are

And like it or not itrsquos our right

Thatrsquos why we wore the kufeyyeh

Because it is nationalistic

The kufeyyeh is Arab

Thatrsquos why we wore the kufeyyeh

Because it is our original identity

The kufeyyeh is Arab

Come on raise your kufeyyehs

Raise that kufeyyeh

The kufeyyeh is Arab

Raise it up for bilad ersquosham [Greater Syria the wider Arab world]

The kufeyyeh is Arab and will always be Arab

There are no others like the Arab people

Show me one region in the world that is more influencial

The picture is clear we are the origins of civilization

Kufeyyeh Arabeyyeh

Shadia Mansour and M1

Shahadat Winter 2012 track 616

Hip Hop

26239166

4544

تاريخنا وتراثنا الشاهد على وجودنامن هيك لبست التوب الفلسطيني

من حيفا جنني جبل النار إلى رام اللهخليني شوف الكوفية

البيضة واحلمراخلينا نعليها لفوق بالسما

أنا شادية العربلساني بغز غزبلساني بهز هز

كلمات احلربسجل أنا شادية منصور

واحلطة هويتيمن يوم ما خلقت

سيدي والشعب مسؤوليتيلكن تربيت بني الشرق وبني الغرب

بني لغتنيبني بخيل بني فقير

شفت احلياة من اجلهتنيبس علمتني الكوفية

كيف ما لبستونيوين ما شلحتوني

بضلني عأصولي فلسطينية

S h a d i a M a n s o u r w i t h M 1 o f D e a d P r e z

Our history traditions and customs bear witness to our existence

Thatrsquos why I wear the Palestinian dress

From Haifa Jenin Jabal El Naar to Ramallah

Let me see the kufeyyeh

The red and white one

Letrsquos raise it up to the sky

I am the singer of the Arabs

Like an earthquake I shake the ground

My words are war

Record this

I am Shadia Mansour

And this scarf is my ID

From the day I was born the people have been my responsibility

Look I was raised between the East and the West

Between two languages

Between the rich and the poor

Irsquove seen life from both sides

However the kufeyyeh has taught me

However you wear me

Wherever you leave me

I stay true to my origin Palestinian

T r a n s l a t e d b y t h e a r t i s t w i t h F a r a h E l R e w a i s s a t i

Kufeyyeh Arabeyyeh

Shadia Mansour and M1

Shahadat Winter 2012 track 616

Hip Hop

26239166

4746

حمامة سالم افتحي أجنحتكي و طيري

وين الوعي - وين امشوا معي هني وادي بني اجلبلني عني حب للطرفني

أمهاتنا حبت ذاتنا بس مو عاجبهن مسباتنا هذا احلكي بني اخواتنا

Oزين العرب واألمريكان m a r O f f e n d u m

This track contains verses that were originally written in English

You are my

(Destiny)

Itrsquos hard livinrsquo in the West - when I know the East got the best of me

(Destiny)

Could be lookinrsquo in my eyes - but yoursquoll never really see the rest of me

(Destiny)

Can you hear me maseeri [my destiny] Bi-lingualrsquos what Irsquom blessed to be

(Destiny)

Dove of Peace

Spread your wings amp fly

Consciousness What consciousness - where is it

Take a walk with me

Here in this valley between two ldquomountainsldquo

Where the source of love for both ldquosidesldquo can be found

Our mothers like us

But donrsquot like our foul language

So letrsquos keep this between the siblings

The best of Arabs amp Americans

destمصيري iny

7 Destiny

Omar Offendum

The Peace Revolution 20

21332892

eng - iTunNORM 000006D3 000006F2 000038BA 0000322F 0000E4FA 0000E4FA 00008716 0000864B 0002AB5E 000083D6

eng - iTunSMPB 00000000 00000210 0000094B 00000000008F7FA5 00000000 004108FB 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000

4948

وألله يرحم كل أمواتنا أغاني

مثل املهامتة إذا قلنا العني بالعني

ما صفى عندنا عيون بالشام بالد الشام

من فلسطني إلى جبال لبنان قبل ما اخترعوا احلدود

من اإلسكندرون إلى كردستان فهمان

جنجس خان ما خان قد ما خانونا أوالد العم بس دمنا دمهم

بني أدم - بنو ذمنبهم على أكتافنا - شلنا همهم

ليه الله بيعلم

بس ليك هذا الفتيش والبسكليت احسنلك من 100000000 مسدس

تعرف ليه ألن مو عاجبهم بسمتك

بس إبتسم برسمتك شاب عربي ومثقف

أعطيهم ختمتك وإذا لسة مو راضني

ذكرهم بكالم إيليية )أبي ماضي( raquoنسي الطني ساعة أنه طنيlaquo

Oوهذه هي القضاء والقدر يا حبيبي m a r O f f e n d u m

And may God have mercy on all our dead

Songs I sing

Like the Mahatma [the line above and the line below are linked through the sound of the name and the figure of Mahatama Ghandi]

If we say lsquoan eye for an eyersquo

There wont be any eyes left in Sham [Damascus]

Bilad al-Sham [Greater Syria the wider Arab world]

From Palestine to the mountains of Lebanon

Before they made up these borders

From Iskandaroon to Kurdistan

Understand

Genghis Khan never deceived us quite like our ldquopaternal cousinsldquo [khan also means ldquodeceiveldquo in Arabic]

But our blood is their blood

Children of Adam -- who built their sins

Upon our shoulders -- we carried their burden

Why

God knows

But listen this little firecracker amp bicycle

Are better for you than 100 million guns

Wanna know why

Because they dont like seeing you smile

But smile you will - in your human being

A young cultured Arab male

Give them your stamp of approval

And if they still donrsquot accept you

Then remind them of the words of Elliye [Abi-Madhee a Lebanese poet whose poem begins with]

ldquoHow soon a piece of dirt can forget that all he really is is just dirtldquo [ie we are all from this earth amp

will come back to it so there is no logic in viewing yourself as better than someone else]

And that my friend is our destiny

7 Destiny

Omar Offendum

The Peace Revolution 20

21332892

eng - iTunNORM 000006D3 000006F2 000038BA 0000322F 0000E4FA 0000E4FA 00008716 0000864B 0002AB5E 000083D6

eng - iTunSMPB 00000000 00000210 0000094B 00000000008F7FA5 00000000 004108FB 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000

5150

O m a r O f f e n d u m

Dove of Peace

Spread your wings amp fly

Make it easier to borrow

The aesthetics you bite

Like all the Arabic loanwords

From Spaniards amp Morros

The Karma of Inquisition

Visions of horror

So whorsquos the explorer

Really was it Columbus

Muhammad al-Idrisi or Alfaragnus

Throw a Hobson Jobson

While you figure it out

Irsquom gonna start with a cipher

Thatrsquos a siffir [zero] - no doubt

See you might not have learned to live with me

But sure as hell canrsquot without

You are my

You are my

(Destiny)

Itrsquos hard livinrsquo in the West - when I know the East got the best of me

(Destiny)

Could be lookinrsquo in my eyes - but yoursquoll never really see the rest of me

(Destiny)

Can you hear me maseeri [my destiny] Bi-lingualrsquos what Irsquom blessed to be

(Destiny)

حمامة سالم افتحي أجنحتكي و طيري

I write right to left

You write left to right

Metaphor of a foreignerrsquos plight

Dressed to type

Stereo amp a mic

Scenario of a fight

The burial of a white

Imperial at his heightrsquos

A Turkish Rapperrsquos Delight

Semetic etiquette might

Just have you rollin your ldquoRrsquosldquo

Poetic amp light

And grab a hold of your sorrows

To relieve your tomorrows

7 Destiny

Omar Offendum

The Peace Revolution 20

21332892

eng - iTunNORM 000006D3 000006F2 000038BA 0000322F 0000E4FA 0000E4FA 00008716 0000864B 0002AB5E 000083D6

eng - iTunSMPB 00000000 00000210 0000094B 00000000008F7FA5 00000000 004108FB 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000

5352

O m a r O f f e n d u m

Dove of Peace

Spread your wings amp fly

Bitched out by the West

Press get a big shout

From the people gettinrsquo rich out of this (bout)

Now whatrsquos this really all about

Land money or power

It was the colonizerrsquos fault

But now itrsquos really just ours

Leavinrsquo a sour tase in our mouths

Like generational slave names

Whenever speakinrsquo out

Out-spoken leaders gettinrsquo taken out

Quicker than belligerent drunks in a bar

We a far cry from livinrsquo as one

T r a n s l a t e d b y t h e a r t i s t

(Destiny)

Itrsquos hard livinrsquo in the West - when I know the East got the best of me

(Destiny)

Could be lookinrsquo in my eyes - but yoursquoll never really see the rest of me

(Destiny)

Can you hear me maseeri [my destiny] Bi-lingualrsquos what Irsquom blessed to be

(Destiny)

حمامة سالم افتحي أجنحتكي و طيري

See arab [Arabs] shootin at each other

From Iraq to Falasteen [Palastine]

Syria to Libnan [Lebanon]

Algeria to Sudan

Pedagogy of the oppressed tricklinrsquo down

Conquerinrsquo through divisions

And sadly this isnrsquot the first time

One land one love one chance one blood

No fuss no fight Yeah right young blood

AKrsquos cheaper than a book

Crooked leaders in a hook

Gettinrsquo fished out

Missles gettinrsquo dished out

7 Destiny

Omar Offendum

The Peace Revolution 20

21332892

eng - iTunNORM 000006D3 000006F2 000038BA 0000322F 0000E4FA 0000E4FA 00008716 0000864B 0002AB5E 000083D6

eng - iTunSMPB 00000000 00000210 0000094B 00000000008F7FA5 00000000 004108FB 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000

5554

زي ما صار مبارح صار اليوم اطف التلفزيون امسك مايكروفون

زي ما صار مبارح صار اليوم اطف التلفزيون امسك مايكروفون

زي ما صار مبارح صار اليوم اطف التلفزيون امسك مايكروفون

زي ما صار مبارح صار اليوم اطف التلفزيون امسك مايكروفون

النه الوقت عم يسبق بقلك خي سالم بس اصبر

بدك تستني هاي اخلطط بعمرها ما تضبطبيدفعلك قد ما بدك عشان تسكت

واذا بتفتح متك طخة وحده وبعد بتسقط

s t o r m t r a p

What happened yesterday happens today

switch off your TV and grab a microphone

What happened yesterday happens today

switch off your TV and grab a microphone

What happened yesterday happens today

switch off your TV and grab a microphone

What happened yesterday happens today

switch off your TV and grab a microphone

Because time is racing

He keeps telling you peace is coming just be patient

You want to wait these plans never succeed

Hersquoll pay you as much as you want to keep you quiet

And if you open your mouth one shot will silence you

what happened yesterdayزي ما صار مبارح

Zey ma sar mbareh

Stormtrap

null

2009

1728613

eng - Visit httpstormtrapbandcampcom

5756

اركض اركض وخليك راكض

واذا بتفتح متك رح يقلك خليك ساكت رح يقلك انساك من هاملشاكل

حوشوا هالشواك وضبوا شناتكم واشتروا التذاكرففكر شوي وما تكنش أهبل

وين ما تروح في الدنيا رح تتبهدلمش شايف قدامي عم بسمع أصوات بيسألني

ليش لسه عايش هون روح عيش محل تانيبدي احك بس الكلمات مش طالعة من لساني

عنصرية هونن عنصرية هناك عنصرية كل ما اطلع برا الشباك

شيطان بيعمل حاله مالكبس هو بالواقع بدو يعيش بالك

جدار بيمثل عقلية ناس بدهاش تعيش معاك

زي ما صار مبارح صار اليوم اطف التلفزيون امسك مايكروفون

ما مبثل شخص او اشخاص مبثل فكرةاسم احلرية حاملينه

من بلد ما فيه حياة عاديةسواءا ضد االحتالل أو ضد العنصرية

أصواتكم وينايي خلوها تنسمع وتطلع نتائج ايجابية

فكمل كتابة او تسجيل وصدقني شغلك مش رايح عالفاضي

عشان الشي الوحيد اللي رح يروح هو احن اذا منضلنا علقانني فاملاضي

s t o r m t r a p

Run run

Keep running

And if you decide to speak hersquoll tell you just stay silent

Hersquoll tell you forget these problems

Save up some money pack your bags and buy your tickets

Think about it donrsquot be a fool

Wherever you go yoursquoll get humiliated

I canrsquot see in front of me Irsquom hearing voices asking

Why are you still living here Go live somewhere else

I want to respond but the words wonrsquot come out

Racism here racism there

Racism each time I look out the window

A devil in an angelrsquos disguise

In reality he wants to live without you

The apartheid wall represents the mentality of a people who donrsquot care to coexist

What happened yesterday happens today

switch off your TV and grab a microphone

I dont represent a person or a people I represent an idea

An idea called freedom

From a land lacking a normal life

Whether yoursquore struggling against occupation or against racism

Where is your voice

Let it be heard to achieve your goals

So keep writing and recording

Believe me your work wonrsquot be lost in vain

The only thing thatrsquoll disappear is us

If we stay stuck in the past

Zey ma sar mbareh

Stormtrap

null

2009

1728613

eng - Visit httpstormtrapbandcampcom

5958

شو الي حدثجينا من حتت األرض

هيهة القصة بدة عنا هدفوننشر أصواتنا لكل حدا

جيت من حتت أرض رام اللهما ح وقف اكتب كلمات وال مرة

عندي طاقة الزم أطلعها كل يوم وكل ساعةفاو انبنى مع الوقت ولسة عم بيطور تصور

تصورفاو انبنى مع الوقت ولسة عم بيطور تصور

زي ما صار مبارح صار اليوم اطف التلفزيون امسك مايكروفون

زي ما صار مبارح صار اليوم اطف التلفزيون امسك مايكروفون

s t o r m t r a p

What happened

We came from underground

The story begins we have an objective

To spread our voices to everyone

I came from the ruins of Ramallah and

I wonrsquot ever stop writing words

I have energy that I must release every day every hour

A flow thatrsquos been built and is still developing imagine

Imagine a flow thatrsquos been built and is still developing

What happened yesterday happens today

Switch off your TV and grab a microphone

What happened yesterday happens today

Switch off your TV and grab a microphone

T r a n s l a t e d b y t h e a r t i s t

Zey ma sar mbareh

Stormtrap

null

2009

1728613

eng - Visit httpstormtrapbandcampcom

6160

Wake up the People

Donrsquot doubt it

The Maker can see you

Right now

You want to get out and see doe

So clouded

Sell out to be dope

Right now

I see you plagued by your own doubt

Canrsquot step the game up

Like a snake when it rolled down

Staircase of a lone child

No bricks lain in a cold house

Where you sold out

All alone on an old couch

t h e N a r c i c y s t

No click like an untapped phone dial

Oh wow

I felt the same homie

Donrsquot shelter pain only

Then it came slowly

Never let the frame hold me (down)

Picture life for the love though

People tend to look the other way like Columbo

We deceived by the law just to love doe

Guess they took all the worth out to numb folks

And make a severed plan

Out of bitter man

What you want a medal man

Huh Do you really think yoursquore better than Then

All you really need is a long look

Two sixteens and a strong hook like

brassThis track was originally written in English

null

2149748

6362

Wake up the People

Donrsquot doubt it

The Maker can see you

Right now

You want to get out and see doe

So clouded

Sell out to be dope

Right now

Break

Hip hop like a fresh pelvis

Yoursquore gonna regret this shit like a dead Elvis

Busy wishing you could live less selfish

Crabs in a bucket duckinrsquo these dead shellfish

Industry got a brother feeling helpless

With an ill chorus and ride yoursquore more in the tide

When a flow canrsquot keep me above the water

t h e N a r c i c y s t

Let a wave carry me out and push me farther now

Internal Inferno ten journals written but Irsquom still not sure though

Do I really want to tour to jump hurdles To be heard

So-I-Can-Feel-Like-This

Man therersquos something that I might miss--

Naw Irsquove been bluffinrsquo

Lifersquos backwards like Ben Buttonsrsquo

Irsquom in love with the stage fright on a strange night

Feels good to get the words on a page right

Wake up the People

Donrsquot doubt it

The Maker can see you

Right now

You want to get out and see doe

So clouded

Sell out to be dope

Right now

null

2149748

6564

مبارح شفت بلمنام بيروت عمتغرق حتت رماد بركان فحموا الناس بس ال raquoسكاي بارlaquo كان بعده ولعان

بيروت ثبتت حبة الثورة اللي فينا نبتت ملا أحبطت نفوسنا من اجلمود

فينا بيروت حتركت عدم دمارنا وعدم حرية خيارنا

بيوت بيروت تعمرت سكرنا عجفاف دموعنا جفوننا عليها تسكرت فتخمرت

إذا بطلت تطير قدرك عألرض مقهور إذا وقفت تكسير بتصير جزء من الديكور

e l R a s s

Yesterday I dreamt Beirut was drowning under volcanic ash

The people were turned to charcoal but Sky Bar [a posh Beirut club] was still lit up

Beirut suppressed the seed of the revolution the one that sprouted

When our spirits were foiled from immobility

In us Beirut moved

On the blood of our destruction and the negation of our freedom of choice

The houses of Beirut are rebuilt

We got drunk on the dryness of our tears our eyelids closed on them and fermented

If you stop flying your destiny on land is distress

If you stop breaking you become part of the decoration

beirutبركان بيروت rsquos volcano

Blues

2125713

6766

بحاور بناور باآلخر بواجه التاج بتوضى بصلي بتوصلني أصوات أنات احملتاج

تأمل العلم بعري العمل من العمل خياري عنار خفيفة دوب املسمار وتستوي األفكار النظيفة

عمروا دمروا زمروا تذمروا ربك صبره دربه جربه

عقلن خربوا غربوا هربوا وقبلوا بالفن عحيط الشارع

عشرط ما يكون في شك بشارع هيدي مش عاصمة ثقافة هيدي حلبة املصارع بيروت ال تعرف في املاضي وال تعرب باملضارع

حتول التركيبة خلى العقل اجلامد فكر حاله مالك املدينة رقبته طويلة متل مالك احلزين وايده لوزيري

اعتبر نفسه أول مني اكتشف هلجزيرة بأجر الفقير شقق بأسعار مدروسة

بشكل تضل طموحاته ممعوسة نهبوا األرض من ربعي وصارت احلرب شركة استثمار مبفعول رجعي

حتت شعار إعادة اإلعمار لو ما كان خلص دوره وانتهى عقد االيجار

كان احلريري ما طار وما صار مطار احلريري عاصمة لبنان بتوازن بني ضريحني

واتنيناتن عاغتيالن في عالمة استفهام e واحد قدس املوت بس لسبب l R a s s

I discuss I maneuver ultimately I confront the crown

I perform ablutions I pray I receive the moaning of the needy

The meditation of knowledge strips work from hope

My choice is on low fire melting the nails and clean thoughts are ripening

They built they destroyed they honked they complained

Your god made him patient tested him and trained him

Their minds ruined westernized chased off

They accepted art pissed on back alleys

As long as there is no doubt in the streets

This is no capital of culture itrsquos a wrestling ring

Beirut canrsquot speak of itself in the past nor conjugate itself in the present

Transitions and transformations made the closed mind think he owns the city

His neck is long like a stork his fingers long like a politicianrsquos

He thinks himself the first who discovered this peninsula

He lets the poor rent apartments at prices studied

To crush ambitions

They stole the land from my cousins

And the war became a backward-looking investment

Under the slogan of reconstruction

If his time wasnrsquot up and his contract finished

Hariri didnrsquot have to fly and it wouldnrsquot have become the Hariri airport

Lebanonrsquos capital keeps balance between two shrines

And on both assassinations there is a question mark

One sanctifies death but for a reason

Blues

2125713

6968

واحد قدس احلياة بس بالكذب واحد بايدو حتول الذهب سم وواحد تخبى من الذهب بالدم

مني الشهيد

اللي مات حتت صبابيط ثورة عبيد شهيد اللي مات فتحول على حملة اعالنات هدفها ترفع الطايفة معدالت التجنيد

قنابل بالبريد وصل سيوف علوريد حصل

املوت للبليد صنم الصبر للعنيد حلم تأليه الشهيد ظلم

خليط احلديد والدم العالج والسم الرفاه والهم النوعية والكم

الدعارة وورقة التوت مبدينة بيروت علم

e l R a s s

And one sanctifies life with lies

In onersquos hand gold turned into poison

And the other hid from gold with blood

Who is the martyr

The one who died under the shoes of the oppressedrsquos uprising is a martyr

Is it he whose death was transformed into an advertising campaign to raise the levels of

sectarian enlistment

Bombs came in the mail

Swords to the jugular true stories

Death to the cold is statuette

Patience to the stubborn is a dream

Divinity to the martyr is oppression

The mixture of steel and blood the cure and poison

Luxury and distress quality and quantity

Prostitution and modesty

The science of the city of Beirut

T r a n s l a t e d b y M o e A l i N a y e l amp + A z i z

Blues

2125713

7170

بقرأ في اجلريدة زفت شوارع جديدة

إزالة مطبات و كثير أشياء هيك مفيدة أشخاص مستفيدة

دعم من هون و من هون منظمات بس احلرية بعيدة

مقاطعة مستوطنات تعون الضفة الغربية وطنية حصرية إدعائية

طب و فلسطني التاريخية مع ألساس كانت القدس عاصمة الثقافة العربية

بس كلوحكي سياسية للشعب إحنا نتحمل الشغل و التعب و الوضع صعب

b o i k u t t

Irsquom reading in the paper

About roads newly paved

Speed bumps removed and a lot of other useful stuff (yes very)

Certain inviduals benefit

Funding from here and there

Organizations are plentiful but freedom is far-fetched

Calling for a boycott of settlements around the West Bank

Pretentious exclusive nationalism

But what about historical Palestine

I thought Jerusalem was supposed to be the ldquocapital of Arab cultureldquo

But itrsquos all political speeches for the people

We put up with the work and the sweat and itrsquos rough

a letterرسالة من مقاطعة from boikutt

risaleh mn muqataa (pt1)

boikutt

null

2010

1086983

eng - iTunPGAP0

eng - iTunNORM 00000A1E 00000A0E 000099D9 000098A0 0000CC63 0000CC63 0000826D 000080B0 000131D0 000131D0

eng - iTunSMPB 00000000 00000210 000008F3 000000000049197D 00000000 0027BA9D 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000

7372

يقنعونا إن كلشي متام و بقدر أعيش حياة عادية

زي في األفالم على مبس واحد إثنني ثالثة أربعة إلخ

كن منيح و بتنزل عليك املصاري زخ نصيحة من أخ ألخ

خليك مستقل ألن اللعبة إنلعب فإبعد عن الفخ

خليهم يقعدوا يستنوا الدعم ليموتوا يلفلفوا داخل اجلدار حلد ما يفوتوا

في متاهات مبسافات مش محددة مجددة لتوسع التوسع مش مهددة

إنتهاك احتالل بس مش على الكل

في ناس في فلسطني هون حياتهم زي الفل مش عارف شو بيفكر

شكلوا مش داري شي يوم حنروح كل الدكاكني هي حتسكر

سالم

b o i k u t t

Try to convince me that everythingrsquos fine

And that I can lead a normal life

Like in the movies

On MBC one two three four etcetera

Be good and money will rain on you

Advice from one brother to another

Stay independent because the games are being played

So steer clear of the trap

Let them wait for foreign aid until they die

Spinning in circles within the apartheid wall until they enter

Into unlimited mazes with unspecified spaces

That are renewed to fit settlement expansion unthreatened

Violation occupation

But not for everyone

There are people here in Palestine living ldquothe good lifeldquo

I donrsquot know what hersquos thinking

Seems like he doesnrsquot know one day wersquoll be gone

And all these shops will close

Peace

T r a n s l a t e d b y t h e a r t i s t w i t h L o u b n a B i l a l i

risaleh mn muqataa (pt1)

boikutt

null

2010

1086983

eng - iTunPGAP0

eng - iTunNORM 00000A1E 00000A0E 000099D9 000098A0 0000CC63 0000CC63 0000826D 000080B0 000131D0 000131D0

eng - iTunSMPB 00000000 00000210 000008F3 000000000049197D 00000000 0027BA9D 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000

7574

الضغط عاليالعدو فات جاري احملادثات

صمت دوليكمية الغازى عم تزداد

تهجير جديد مولود جديدتكرر عزو مش تارك ورا شي مفيد غير غراب

من كل البيت ما تركو شي إال البابمن االرض ل سما مسافة عاليه

إمشي الصحرا وعد لياليوجنوما

كمشوا رئيس دولة بجورةحصار

توزيع مخدراتباألحمر تلون الفرات سجون معتقالتقبلة الوداع مع الصبات

تنصت بالشبكة خيانات باألزهر

k a t i b e h 5

The pressure is high

The enemy has entered discussions are taking place

Global silence

The numbers of the occupier are increasing

A new expulsion A newborn child

The perpetuation of an invasion that leaves behind it nothing of any use except for a crow

From an entire house they left nothing but the door

From the ground to the sky is a long distance

Walk the desert and count the nights

And its stars

They caught a president in a pit

Siege

Drug dealing the Euphrates is stained red prisons detention centers

A farewell kiss with a shoe

Networks wiretapped betrayals in Al Azhar

hold me back ifهديني اذا فيك you can

null

23098943

7776

حوار أديانالكف تنجس

متسح فيه وجك مع كل شروق عالوضوءتسمع شرارة فتيل مولوتوف ينادي أصوات تتلبى

باإلنفجار

هديني إذا فيك صرت موجود بكل مكانوجي مغبش عامل زي جيش زباتا

منصرخ بوجكم raquoاحلرية ل برغوتيlaquoإعالمكو بيعرفني كلماتكو حملت إسمي

شركاتكو بتهرب مني )كتيبه خمسه هديتي إذا فيك(

بتالقيني بني والد حفظوا غنية املخيماتبنفسية فالح عمال يزو املدينة

افالم تافهةبرنامج تافه

بتدور على مخك بتالقي مش موجوداخلليج يتحكم بإعالم

هادول حبوب التنومي ٦1 سنة بعدن مش شغالني

عالمادامك واخد وجهة نظري

ع محمل اجلدمسموح لك تستعجب وتظهر إنزعاجك بوجودي

ألني صديق لكل املشاهد الغير مرغوبة فيهاش بيختار حياتو بالتحديد بحكيلك هيك منحياها ومحد

ضغط رصاص وابارود بخليكاش حتيدالتجارب بتدلك عطريق

هديتي إذا فيك

k a t i b e h 5

A dialogue of religions

The hand is tainted

And with it you cleanse your face at ablution each sunrise

You hear the sparking of the fuse of a molotov calling voices respond

Explosion

Hold me back if you can I have become present everywhere

My face is concealed like the army of Zapata

We shout in your face ldquoFreedom for Barghoutildquo

Your media knows me your words have glimpsed my name

Your corporations flee from me

(Katibe Khamseh hold me back if you can)

Yoursquoll find me among children that have memorized the song ldquoAl Moukhayamatldquo

In the persona of a peasant that is visiting the city

Shallow films

Shallow programs

You look for your mind but you find it is not there

The Gulf controls media with its boundaries

These sleeping pills 61 years and theyrsquore still not effective

Great

As long as you are taking my point of view seriously

Yoursquore allowed to be taken aback and to show your irritation

Just like you show your irritation at my presence

Because I am a friend to all the images that are not desirable

This is how we live out these images and no one chooses their life specifically Irsquoll tell you

The pressure of bullets and gunpowder does not allow you to move away

Experience will guide you on the road

Hold me back if you can

null

23098943

7978

موقف واحد صريح من صميم روح لشعوب املقاومة ضمير ظهور البشرية

السبيل صعب ورا الغضبدعم لكل أسالوب محارب

د لنحرق نظامك منتدرب منجرب منخرب منستععم نحرق نظامك

هديتي إذا فيك

إطلع منيحمش رح تقدر توخذ كل شي من أول نظرة

نظرة عامة raquoبشرة مش بيضةlaquoجبني عريضة مكتوب مولود عنيد بالفطرة

فوت بالتقاليد عد التجاعيدلك هاي مش أول مرة

لغات ودراسات حط العلم بغالفمش رح تقدر تفهم ليه بعد في بارود ع الكتافلون األرض ولون الليل بيعطيك البني و السواد

بوعدك مش لوحدي رح أضل عد رماد الال اللعبة اجلديدة وال والدنا ع اللعبة جداد

بكفيش إنفلونزا الصقور صار في إنفلونزا اخلنازيرموسم مرض جديد لرئيس مبثل ع نفوس ومريض بهدوء البيض

هديتي إذا فيك

k a t i b e h 5

A single honest stance from the bottom of the soul for the people of the resistance the conscience

that exposes humanity

The path is difficult when following anger

A support for every style of battle

We train we strive we disrupt we prepare to burn your system

We are burning your system

Hold me back if you can

Look closely

You wonrsquot be able to see it all at first sight

An overview ldquocomplexion that is not whiteldquo

A broad forehead written born stubborn by nature

Look at the traditions and count the wrinkles

This is not the first time

Languages and scholarship put education under wraps

You wonrsquot be able to understand why there is still gunpowder on shoulders

The color of earth and the color of night gives you brown and blackness

I promise you that I will not be alone to count the ashes no

This game to us is not new and nor are our children new to the game

As if the influenza of eagles was not enough now therersquos the influenza of pigs

The season of a new disease for a president acting for a public and sick with the

calmness of white people

Hold me back if you can

null

23098943

8180

اإلحتالل نكه البشر بنكهة املجاريبالسالم حوار أديانبإقرار ملكية كذابة

بتشويه تاريخ وسرقة حضاراتولك أه

فلسطني إفريقيا الدجلة والفراتإجتاه البشرية لإلضمحالل سرطان بشري بعضها

الشتا ميسح اخلطايا واآلثاروليش بتتخبى وبتتغطى بنفس كل سفارة سميك الستار

لساتني باكل الضربة ورا الضره ورا الضربةوحتى ما أفعل وأساوي تكمشني الرجفة

بدل ما أضرب فيك بضرب بحاليبوعدكش حضلني كامش حالي حفلتها

حفلتها

هديني إذا فيك هديني إذا فيكهديني إذا فيك

k a t i b e h 5

The occupation has seasoned humanity with the flavor of sewers

With peace with dialogue of religions

With the declaration of false ownership

With the distortion of history and the theft of civilizations

Oh yes

Palestine Africa the Tigris and Euphrates

Humanity is leading to reduction a human cancer bites it

Exile wipes clean the sins and the traces

And why are you hiding and seeking cover when all the embassies are already well concealed

I am still taking one beating after another

And so that I donrsquot take action and do something shudders grip my body

Instead of beating you I beat myself

I canrsquot promise you that I can keep myself restrained

Irsquom gonna let go

Hold me back if you can

Hold me back if you can

Hold me back if you can

T r a n s l a t e d b y R i m a N a j d i a n d F a y s a l B i b i

null

23098943

8382

طول عمر الشعب املصري مع بعض أحلك الظروفبص وفر في التاريخ وانت ياما هاتشوف

الدين ده ليا وليكوفيا وفيك

حاجة روحانية بتخليك حتس اللي بيك

ايد في ايد نبني فيها من جديد

مصر زعلت علي حاصل وسطنا مش مفيد

بعد ثورة وبعد عيد فتنة تقتل حلم واتتحقق لنا

واحد اتننيالذكري بتعيش اكتر من عمر االنسان

بصمتنا تغييرنا جوة وبرة امليدان مش هانضيع نصر ثورتنا بفتنة نشئت بينا

A r a b i a n K n i g h t s + M C G a z a + A m e e r

The Egyptian people have always stuck together

Through the worst times look at history

And see how often wersquove been there for each other

That whole idea of religion

Is for you and for me something spiritual that makes you feel whatrsquos inside you

Hand in hand

We build Egypt up again

Egypt is angry at whatrsquos happening between us

Itrsquos not helpful

After the revolution after the celebration

Sectarian strife is killing the dream we fulfilled

One two

The memory lasts more than a lifetime

Our mark is our change in and outside Tahrir Square

We wonrsquot give up the victory of our revolution in exchange for sectarian strife between

us

hand inايد في ايد hand

Eid Fe Eid

Yasser Ameer Youssef Rush E Money amp MCGaza | by BOGEY

Single Hit track 11

20112011

Hip-Hop

24002867

eng - Hip-Hop 4 Life

eng - iTunNORM 000005E2 0000058E 0000424E 00003537 00026E95 0001C2B3 00008000 00008000 00005045 00005045

8584

بلدنا محتجانا ايدنا واحدة ضد احملنة تفرق ايه معاك ديانتي ملا ربك هو ربي

اصلك هو اصلي ارضك هي ارضي

ملا اتقال لي اكتت فيول فتنة انا قولت غلط علشان الفتنة مفتعلة في بلدنا وكان وراها غرض

فالفرد افترض فبفرض السياسة األمر اختلط

فالزم يبقي املصل سياسي من اصل املرض العسس واحلرس مافرقوش صليب وهالل

وكنا كلنا واحد وراء االقفالدم الشهيد شاهد

ياما بالفتنة انكسرنا وحدتنا بصوت واحد وضد الظلم انتصرنا

وديني هو ديني صلة بيني وبني ربي هارفع علمي وارفع راسي فوق

انا مصري

ايد في ايد نبني فيها من جديد

مصر زعلت علي حاصل وسطنا مش مفيد

بعد ثورة وبعد عيد فتنة تقتل حلم واتتحقق لنا

خلو حمامة السالم من الطيور املنقرضةعلشان تبقي القلوب مبتعدة منقسمه سهل تتسم

فكرين مناعة و قوة أم الدنيا بالطمع مرتبطةنسر املصريني ليس له دين احنا بنحميها بالدم

العنف بذوره بتكتر عاوز يوصل واحلروب حتصل

A r a b i a n K n i g h t s + M C G a z a + A m e e r

Our country needs us all together against the hard times

What difference does my religion make to you when your god is my god

Your origin is mine

Your land is my land

When they told me about sectarian strife I said thatrsquos wrong

Because itrsquos been planted in our country and behind it is some purpose

Makes one think somethingrsquos going on

By playing politics everythingrsquos gotten mixed up

The antidote has to be political just like the poison itself

The military doesnrsquot distinguish between cross and crescent

Wersquore all held together behind bars

The blood of the martyrs bears witness

To how much wersquove been broken by sectarianism

Through our unity we triumphed with one voice over injustice

And my religion is my own a rapport between me and God

Irsquoll raise my flag and my head up

Irsquom Egyptian

Hand in hand

We build Egypt up again

Egypt is angry at whatrsquos happening between us

Itrsquos not helpful

After the revolution after the victory

Sectarian strife is killing the dream we fulfilled

They drove the dove of peace to extinction

To keep hearts apart and divided itrsquos easy to poison them

Do they really think the resilience and strength of Egypt is connected to greed

The Egyptian eagle has no religion we protect it with our blood

The roots of violence are increasing want to gain control to start wars

Eid Fe Eid

Yasser Ameer Youssef Rush E Money amp MCGaza | by BOGEY

Single Hit track 11

20112011

Hip-Hop

24002867

eng - Hip-Hop 4 Life

eng - iTunNORM 000005E2 0000058E 0000424E 00003537 00026E95 0001C2B3 00008000 00008000 00005045 00005045

8786

للعاقيدة يكسر وألعضاء املشاعر تتشال تصتأصلعلى كالم ربهم اتكبرو فعملو قدر واتقدر

وقته مستنينه ليه خططوا مضمون الرسائل اتغير الن الهدف هو تدمير قعدة الوحدهوقتل كل قائد يقود الناس بره احملنه

فيبقي سهل يزيحنا ميحي أوصول عليها كبرناوكل واحد علي حداه يقول أنا محدش يقول احنا

فاببطء بحرص بص بعقل بحذر شوفقبل ما يخلوا خيالك يتخلله اخلوف

واخلوف ده افراز بيطلع من غده ملا الكلب بيشوفهابيعرف انك فاريسه سهل ياكلها ركز

فرق تسد إخلعوفق جتد إرفع

ثورة تقدصمت يفرد- يفرق

ما بيجمع بيننامن حقي النقد من حقك - تسمع

طب إسمع وراجع ما صور التاريخ طب باله بيكفي صور زمانييوم حصار كنيسة املهد مني دافع مني اتقمع مني اتنفا

مسلم مسيحي أل كان فلسطيني اتذكر معي ثورة غضب يناير

اتذكر معي الوحدة اإليد الوحدة اتشرف انتا مصرياتذكر معي األخ بإيد األخ يحمي األخ بدون إلخ

كالمي ماشي ماشي ال-لتفهمني بهويتي مسلم وال نصراني قبطي

ما في حجة لربطي خلبطي حلطي ألوطي ألغير خطيخير أجناد األرض

من أرض بيت املقدس كل السالم بعد ما قلت إلنقسام في وطنيانا ملزم أقول ال لفتنة

تفتت مجد شعب تعب عانى ضحى بالغالي حتى بناه

A r a b i a n K n i g h t s + M C G a z a + A m e e r

The relationship between Egyptians breaks down and the organs that feel are taken out

They got full of themselves in the name of their god and invented a new fate for us

Theyrsquore waiting for a time and theyrsquore plotting The meaning of their messages changes

Because the goal is to destroy the foundation of unity

And kill every leader who takes the people out of hard times

Itrsquos easy to remove us to wipe out the traditions we grew up with

Everyone on his own everyone says ldquoIldquo and no one says ldquoweldquo

Slowly carefully look Wisely with caution see

Before they make your imagination a slave to fear

And that fear releases a secretion from a gland

And when the dog sees it he knows yoursquore easy prey

Divide yoursquoll conquer

Bring harmony and yoursquoll reap Start

A revolution and it will catch on

Silence is solitary It divides

It doesnrsquot bring us together

It is my right to criticize and your right to listen

So listen and look back at history or better look at my life time

The day the Nativity Church was under siege who was persecuted Who was exiled

A Muslim A Christian No he was Palestinian

Letrsquos remember the angry revolution of January

Letrsquos remember the unity the one hand Be proud yoursquore Egyptian

Remember the brother holding hands with a brother protecting a brother

And I can go on

Donrsquot teach me about my identity whether Irsquom a Muslim or a Christian Copt

Therersquos no excuse to tie me down beat me to make me cower and kneel and stray from my courseThe Earthrsquos most virtuous soldiers

Come from the land of Bayt al-Maqdis [Jerusalem] I salute you After I said no to division in my countryIrsquom committed to saying no to seditionThat dissolves the glory of a people who labored suffered sacrificed what was most dear to build it

T r a n s l a t e d b y A l e x O r t i z + A h m e d S h a w k e t + K h a l e d A l H i l l i

Eid Fe Eid

Yasser Ameer Youssef Rush E Money amp MCGaza | by BOGEY

Single Hit track 11

20112011

Hip-Hop

24002867

eng - Hip-Hop 4 Life

eng - iTunNORM 000005E2 0000058E 0000424E 00003537 00026E95 0001C2B3 00008000 00008000 00005045 00005045

8988

الفن واملواهب زي حرب الكواكب الكل عايز يكون جنم صراع في الداخل

بهدي جنون العظمة بفلفل حر توابل تسيل دموع زي القنابل

زي مابتكلم وداني شغالة كون سامع نبض الشارع علشان أ

حالف أقضي على اإلعالم املتآمر مغامر في الكالم بس إنت مش سامع

ملا بأمسك القلم والورقة الهم بينزاح مخي بيرتاح بأقول اللي على البال

ملا بأقعد بحس بتأنيب ضمير كون في ستوديو بسجل على بيت خطير مفروض أ

e l D e e b + S t o r m t r a p

Art and talent are like Star Wars

Secretly everyone wants to be a star of conflict

I make megalomania tranquil with chilli hot spices

Tears flow like bombs

Thatrsquos how I talk and the world keeps moving

So that I can hear the pulse of the streets

Irsquove sworn to obliterate the media conspirators

I am adventurous in my speech but you do not hear

When I hold the pen and the paper my anxiety is lifted

My mind relaxes and I say whatrsquos on it

When I sit down I feel guilty

I should be in the studio recording dangerous beats

addictأدمان الشهرة ion to fame

Edman El Shuhra

Stormtrap amp Mohamed El Deeb

2011

Hip-Hop

15305855

- vocals Mohamed El Deeb Stormtrap13produced by Stormtrap

9190

إحساس غريب إنك تدمن الكالم ارسم يا فنان واخترع زي دافينشي الرسام

ولو مفيش ورقة باستخدم تليفوني خايف إن فكرة متعديش على صوتي

دنيا غريبة يوم مر يوم بونبوني بس أنا عمري ماغيرت لوني

املوسيقى بنادولي وبطابعي فضولي مهما قالوا لي هافهمها مبفهومي فـساعات أالقي نفسي بكلم نفسي واسمع أصوات غريبة في دماغي

وهو ده الصدى الصوت اللي بسمعه اكن مفيش حد فارقة معاه احالمي

شوف شوف مش هدف إنو أنا شخصيا أنا

هدفي انه كلماتي وموسيقتي تنتشرعشان هيك حتشوفني دوما مستمر مستثمر

كل وقتي كل طاقتي على أصواتي خوذ شك خوذ حتويل خوذ كاش

بس ما تنساش أي شي بيتعلق بالواقع بدناش ما تخاف ألنها قضيتنا مش منسية مية باملية هايذي ثورة كمان ثقافية

خليني أوضح هاي املوسيقى مش معمولة للتلفازeهاي املوسيقى مش معمولة لهز الطياز l D e e b + S t o r m t r a p

Strange feeling to be out of words

Paint oh artist and discover like Da Vinci the artist

If I donrsquot have paper I use my cell

I am afraid that the idea does not come through my voice

Strange world one day is bitter another like candy

But Irsquove never changed my color

Music is my Tylenol and my nature curious

So whatever they tell me Irsquoll understand it my way

Sometimes I find myself talking to myself

And I hear weird voices in my head

Which is just the echo of the sound I hear

As if no one cares about my dreams

See see

My goals are not self serving

My goal is that my words and music spread

Thatrsquos why yoursquoll see me always and continuously investing

All my time my energy on my sounds

Take a check take a transfer take cash

But never forget anything related to reality wersquore not interested

Donrsquot be afraid because our cause is not forgotten

One hundred percent this is also a cultural revolution

Let me explain this music is not meant to be televised

This music is not made for booty shaking

Edman El Shuhra

Stormtrap amp Mohamed El Deeb

2011

Hip-Hop

15305855

- vocals Mohamed El Deeb Stormtrap13produced by Stormtrap

9392

مش فاهم ليش الكل قاتل حاله يكون في مسابقةحابني نتصابح حياكم زات املكافحة

واالعالم ميت ع حيالله قصة ما بيدرس هالقصة من نصها

وبعدن بينفخهامش احلق علينا اذا ما بيبحثوا

وملا يبدوا يحكوا عنا أل عنجد بيبعصوابيفكروا انه كل شي هشك بشك

بس حدن الزم يقلهم انه الهب هوب مش هيكبدك تدير بالك عشانها هاي اللحظة احلاسمة

ملا يجوا عليك الديب والعاصفةنكسر حدود وبنبني وحدة عشان نحيي مجتماعاتنا

وننهي معانتناعشان هيك منكتب كلمات صريحة والها معنى

مش للشهرة مش حتى يجي حدن يدفعلنا

e l D e e b + S t o r m t r a p

I donrsquot understand why everyone is killing themselves to be in the contest

Wersquod like to say goodmorning to salute you in this same struggle

The mediarsquos dying for any story

But they donrsquot study the storyrsquos real text

And then they blow it out of proportion

Itrsquos not our fault if they donrsquot search

And when they talk about us then they really screw it up

They think everything is empty pointless

Somebody needs to tell them that hip hop is not like that

You should take care because this is the critical moment

When the wolf and storm come haunting you

We break borders and we create a unity to revitalize our communities

And stop our suffering

That is why we write frank words that have meaning

Itrsquos not for fame or even so that someone pays us

T r a n s l a t e d b y N i z a r G h a n e m

Edman El Shuhra

Stormtrap amp Mohamed El Deeb

2011

Hip-Hop

15305855

- vocals Mohamed El Deeb Stormtrap13produced by Stormtrap

9594

حضل عهل مود يعنيما إنتلك النجوم عم تقرب

بهل ال مود حكون عطول لبهل جنوم إدءر لو مضطر شن هجوم عل النجوم كلها

خللي األرض تدور حول أصبعي تنلك

ما إنتلك متلي متلك مولع طيار ألفكاري من العقدي تنفك فرد قعدي بني 4 حيطان ما بتنهز و منها ما بنهز

يلز املا بينلزالكاس عل الطاولي و منو عم مز مز

لتفتل براصي وحس من حالي عم كز كزعل ورقة كالمي مدروس و ما بزت زت بجرب ما عيد حالي متا يقولو عم نق نق

موزع قافياتي جواز كأن عم فت فت

بهل األطشة خلي الديني اللي تسمعني ترن رنFبسبيلي جاري يوم ع يوم عم برك رك a r e e q e l A t r a s h

Irsquoll stay in this mood

Didnrsquot I tell you The stars are getting closer

Irsquoll stay in this mood until I touch these stars

Even if I have to launch an attack on all the stars

Irsquoll make the Earth rotate around my finger I told you

Didnrsquot I tell you Irsquom just like you I lit up a joint so my ideas would untie their knot

Sitting this way in between four walls I wonrsquot budge

The most delectable

Drink is on the table from which Irsquom taking sips

Till my head starts spinning and Irsquom sick of myself

On the paper my words are calculated I donrsquot just toss them about

I try not to repeat myself so they wonrsquot say Irsquom nagging

I deal my rhymes out like theyrsquore cards

In this verse Irsquoll make those ears ring

My fountain is running and every day I excel

tالنجوم عم تقرب he stars are gett ing closer

null

29781717

9796

لضل ماشي جالس بينما غيري عم بلك لك شريط معلق ريحة العة عم بتفح فحكل ما فتح متو بتالقي عم بكب كب

عايشها إرهاب و مفي إال بسب سببزبالتي ما بكبو تيكون بعلمك

األالف مسم و بحياتو ما بينسم بزقة من هل التم تخلي سقفك ينش نش

تلمو ردم و ما تفكر إنو ترد رد و عم بحكي عالواطي متا الصالي فيك ترج رج

بطبعي عاقل بس بالراب بزل زل عل الرايق بال ما نط وال فز فز

type of shitعال بارد أبرد من شباط بس يقز قزتخلي عضامك ع بعض تسك سك

ما إنتلك النجوم عم تقرب بهل ال مود حكون عطول لبهل جنوم إدءر

لو مضطر شن هجوم عل النجوم كلهاخللي األرض تدور حول أصبعي تنلك

أنا متنبئ بنبه و بحقق ما قلتلك بعد وقتها ما عم نكت

عاملكرفون إبرة هرون عم بشكشك في شكcheck one two

هيك بدسدس عالنبض

F a r e e q e l A t r a s h

So I can walk straight when others are still playing

A broken record that reeks of a musty smell

Every time he opens his mouth he spews them out

He lives in terror and all he does is curse

I wouldnrsquot throw him in my garbage just so you know

Irsquove irritated thousands and never been irritated in my life

One spit out of this mouth will make your roof leak

And yoursquoll pick up the rubble and donrsquot even think about answering back

Irsquom talking in a low voice so the hall wonrsquot shake with you in it

Irsquom reasonable by nature but when it comes to rap I humiliate cold-heartedly

Without jumping or leaping around

I do it coldly colder than icy February-type of shit

Irsquoll make your bones rattle against each other

Didnrsquot I tell you The stars are getting closer

Irsquoll stay in this mood until I touch these stars

Even if I have to launch an attack on all the stars

Irsquoll make the Earth rotate around my finger I told you

Irsquom a psychic I predict and deliver

Didnrsquot I tell you to stand back when Irsquom not joking

Irsquom pricking the microphone with a heroin needle Is there any doubt

Check one two

Thatrsquos how I feel the pulse

null

29781717

9998

بدقق و زتزت حكي بتزجزج كأنها مزهزها عم بتشمشم عم خطط عم تكتيك و مني ملحلح من هون للساعة توقف تك تيك تك تيك

لك ليك منفخ حاله عامبيكازيب عا غيري بس بوجهي بتاءتإوجهه بيباءبإ من أد ما بعصب بسبسب

زر إنذار إذني بتطنطن و بشوف من عالباب عم بدقدق

عكروت بدو يفوت ليشوف الفن فني بس الفن هون بجسمي معبأ

من حلقي طايف و من متي عم بت شرشر و بيس البيس زلزال برجرج خليك تضبضب تنضب بالبيت لتكنكن

و أنا متأسف ألني بدي استأذن بس بعد شفت كابتشينو بتصحصح

ما إنتلك النجوم عم تقرببهل ال مود حكون عطول لبهل جنوم إدءر

لو مضطر شن هجوم عل النجوم كلهاخللي األرض تدور حول أصبعي تنلك

هيدا هب هوبمش هبل و ال بهل

هيدا زجل تتغزل في

ورايي إيقاع عليي إتبع و ما إطلع عنو يا بصير متل غير مسيس

زقفوا مع االيقاعزقفوا مع االيقاع

F a r e e q e l A t r a s h

Checking and hurling words that tickle as if I was high and sniffing

I am planning and scheming and Irsquom not going anywhere till the clock stops ticking

Look hersquos so full of it lying to others but in my face he stutters

And his face turns red from all the anger and he curses

My earsrsquo alarm bells start ringing

And I go to see whorsquos knocking at the door

Some bastard who wants to see where ldquothe artldquo is

But the art is right here packed in my body

Flowing from my throat running out of my mouth

And the bass is an earthquake that shakes and forces you to pack up and go home

And Irsquom sorry because I need to take leave

But after a sip of cappuccino yoursquoll come around

Didnrsquot I tell you The stars are getting closer

Irsquoll stay in this mood

Until I touch these stars even if I have to launch an attack on all the stars

Irsquoll make the Earth rotate around my finger I told you

This is hip hop

Itrsquos not stupid nor dumb

Itrsquos zajal [a form of Arabic poetry in the Levant]

That you flirt with

There is a beat that I have to follow canrsquot lose it or Irsquoll be like other MCs

Clap with the beat

Clap with the beat

T r a n s l a t e d b y K h a l e d A l H i l l i

null

29781717

101100

انا ببلعهم بتفهم وال مره بسبهمبخليهم داميا يضاربو بتفكيرهم

أنا وراهم قدامهم جنابهم محتلهممش طايقهم مرات وزنهم بكون منزلهم

مرتبهم صاففهم وبقلم أنا حاكمهم زاتتهم مش عاجبيني أنا ماحيهم قائدهم وبنفس الوقت أنا عبيدهم

وبفك وربط أنا بلعب مبعانيهمانا حاميهم بأسطر اللي تقويهم

انا واعدهم اني أستر على فاضحهم ومطلعهم بصوره اللي تبشعهم

بس أنا محترمهم وبسطور ساجنهم مكتفهم كأسير بجنازير القهر

ومهديهم بحبل اللي يبشر بالصبر وانا لي الفخر أكون الشوك اللي فيهم

Dوأكون القهر اللي داميا يسقيهم A M

Yo this is dedicated to the lyrics

Irsquom swallowing them spitting them never dissing them

Giving them freedom of speech

Irsquom behind them in front of them because of them always standing with them

Sometimes get sick of them sick of how you abuse them

Gather them in line with my pen I order them

Didnrsquot like it Throwing them out and replacing them

Irsquom their leader and also their slave

Small changes make huge differences

I train them in pages to make them strong

Promising to use them not abuse them

Or allow the wrong mouths to utter them

Approach them with a military mind and find peace in them

Irsquom lucky to be full of thorns and even luckier that I found the lyrics

So theyrsquoll help me find the roses in me

wordsكلمات

null

26837427

103102

raquoالكل سمعك بس السؤال اذا اللي سمعك فهمكlaquoكلمات ليست كالكلمات بل raquoعالماتlaquo

اللي توجهنا وين مابدنا عحبال السيرك هي تثبتنا ريح العالم من كل جهه اذا احنا ضعاف بتوقعنا بس

raquoأل بلمره ألlaquo raquoكلمات عندي طنlaquoكل واحده الها هدف اخدت حرف عحرف

نسجت جمل اللي البسهم وقت البرد raquoراح اضلني اناديlaquo raquoبنحكي كلماتlaquo

انت بتعرف انهم مبنصب شهاد بحكو املاضي وتنبوا حاضر أي بالد

قد ماحكيت قد ما أحكي فش كالم يغطي بسفي كالم يربي وينمي انت بس أروي

في شوف انه قوه والقوه بتقويفيك و أن رويته مصيره يسقيك )مثل للقوه( العدو من أمامكم

والبحر من ورائكم فال تخيبوا أسيادكمفأين أشعاركم وأين مجادلتكم

فأنتم تسكتون وتخمدون أحالمكم)انهي( نهيت ورجعت للعامية بكلمات

مرمية طالعه من عقليه شعبيهمتل جنيب اللي بذاكرة كل واحد محفوظ مدروس واذا أل معناته في خلل معكوس

عاملجتمع اللي قمع كتاباته Dاللي سمح لنسيانه يشيل خطواته A M

ldquoThey all hear you but few listen to youldquo

Lyrics ainrsquot just a bunch of words they are ldquosignsldquo

Leading us stabilizing us on tight ropes

Winds every way if we are thin we will fall

ldquoBut hell noldquo ldquoyou can measure my words in tonsldquo

Every word has a meaning I knitted a letter with another letter

Made warm sentences to wear in cold days

ldquoSo Irsquoll still shoutldquo ldquowe control lyricsldquo

You know lyrics are like a witness

They witnessed the past and forecast the future

As much as I said or say I canrsquot describe them

But there is a way to find the description and thatrsquos through them

Quench the thirst of the pages with them

So in the future itrsquoll quench your thirst

Keep feeding them as soon as they grow up

Theyrsquoll give you strength

ldquoExample for the strengthldquo

ldquoThe enemy is before you the sea is behind you

So donrsquot you dare disappoint our ancestors

Where are our deep poems Where are our strong statements

From generation to generation we kill our dreamsldquo

ldquoEnough philosophizingldquo ok lets get back to street talk

Words coming outta simple minds

Like Najeeb Mahfuz [literally lsquowell-rememberedrsquo also a famous author]

They keep living in our minds

And if you donrsquot know who he is - then I rest my case

null

26837427

105104

raquoالكل سمعك بس السؤال اذا اللي سمعك فهمكlaquoكلمات ليست كالكلمات بل raquoعالماتlaquo

اللي توجهنا وين مابدنا عحبال السيرك هي تثبتنا ريح العالم من كل جهه اذا احنا ضعاف بتوقعنا بس

raquoأل بلمره ألlaquo raquoكلمات عندي طنlaquoكل واحده الها هدف اخدت حرف عحرف

نسجت جمل اللي البسهم وقت البرد raquoراح اضلني اناديlaquo raquoبنحكي كلماتlaquo

ألف با كبايه أوعك تكسرهاامسكها للنهاية وكل ما تفضى مليها

كلمه أو رواية ومع املراحل زيدها شيحكاية وهيك ضلك زود فيها

وجيبها لتجمعاتك وساعتها استعملها لنقاشاتك وملواقفك استخدمها

هادي مدافعك اللي مداها بسيطرتك وما دافعك انه ما تخليها رايتك

ما هي تكتب ما هي توصف ما هي تكذب ما هي تنصف

ما هي هي الهروب هياللجوء هي الدروب هي

العبور باحلدود واللي مبرؤهم مبدع وبفوز باخللود واللي بسرقهم مش مقنع

واذا بتديهم احلرية بنادوك ممنوعDواذا بتوخد احلريه بنادوك مسموح A M

ldquoThey all hear you but few listen to youldquo

Lyrics ainrsquot just a bunch of words they are ldquosignsldquo

Leading us stabilizing us on tight ropes

Winds every way if we are thin we will fall

ldquoBut hell noldquo ldquoyou can measure my words in tonsldquo

Every word has a meaning I knitted a letter with another letter

Made warm sentences to wear in cold days

ldquoSo Irsquoll still shoutldquo ldquowe control lyricsldquo

The Arabic alphabet is like a glass donrsquot break it

Hold it tight and keep filling it

And then bring it to our arguments

Scream till your throat gets dry and then wet it

It holds our body itrsquos like our legs

If you stand for nothing yoursquoll fall for anything

The words write create

They kill lead and sometimes even lie

You can use them to build borders

And those who are gifted

Can use them to walk through borders

And in some governments

Itrsquos forbidden to give words freedom

But if you choke them and kill them

Thatrsquos allowed

F i g u r a t i v e t r a n s l a t i o n o f f e r e d b y t h e a r t i s t s

null

26837427

107106

further reading

The tracks presented in this document are not a comprehensive sampling of the genre of the market of hip hop in Arabic or of hip hop and rap in the wider Middle East

Artists featured here hail from Egypt Lebanon Palestine and the anglophone Arab diaspora The thriving North African hip hop scene is not represented nor is the work of the established francophone Arab diaspora nor the expanding hip hop scenes of especially Iran or Turkey

This collection does not attempt a comprehensive chronology Tracks featured here are not primarily new releases (though some are) neither are they all ldquoclassicsrdquo These limitations of scope are important to note

Many tracks of the popular Libyan group Ibn Thabitt and other groups from across the region have been translated and are hosted with commentary on the notable blog

revolutionaryarabrapblogspotcom

Another valuable resource is the Beirut-based blog by Jackson Allers ldquoBeats and Breathrdquo which features articulate critiques and reviews of events and releases from the region

jacksonallerswordpresscom

Hass Dennaoui (alias Big Hass) who recently launched started the first all hip-hop FM radio show in Saudi Arabia Laish Hip Hop (Why Hip Hop) manages a lively blog which

hosts an internet feed of his radio show and interviews with MCs and influential hip hop figures from around the world

revoltradioblogspotcom

Lebaneseundergroundcom hosts coverage of underground music in Lebanon including hip hop

And finally an excellent article by Hishaam Aidi on implications of the use of hip hop as foreign policy ldquoThe Grand (Hip-Hop) Chessboard Race Rap and Raison DrsquoEtatrdquo was published in The Middle East Report Fall 2011 Excerpts of the piece were published by Al Jazeera English in the article ldquoLeveraging Hip Hop in US Foreign Policyrdquo

All the artists and many of the translators whose work is showcased here host a significant online presence Their sites are listed with more about each of them on the following pages

109108

artist bios

ARABIAN KNIGHTZ the premier hip hop group from the land of the Nile River have not only established themselves as the lyricists with the sharpest swords in their land but they have also created the most consistent voice for rebellion strength and hope for the youth of the Middle East During the 2011 Revolution Arabian Knightz released two singles ldquoRebelrdquo and ldquoNot Your Prisonerrdquo anthems of resistance which gained worldwide attention and major media coverage for their powerful lyrics against a wicked system The group formed in 2006 through the cipher hip hoprsquos natural way of choosing like mindsets on the mic Rush Sphinx and E-Money were ahead of their peers adapting an authentic Arab perspective to the art dominated by Western voices mixing English and Arabic raps After hitting the studio for successful underground tracks AK enlisted super-producer Fredwreck (Snoop Dogg Xzibit Tha Dogg Pound) ldquoFokkakrdquo the single from this studio session was an instant hit and (surprisingly for Arabic Hip Hop) projected them to the top ten of the singles charts Arab League Records was formed amidst a growing fanbase and numerous collaborations with other Arab hip hop artists the first international Arab hip hop record label Desert Saga Volume 1 mixtape was the debut release led by ldquoThe Onerdquo featuring Egyptrsquos MC Amin Arabian Knightz have recorded their debut album Uknighted State of Arabia a masterpiece for Arab hip hop years in the making featuring instrumentals dominated by traditional percussions and players are scheduled for a Winter 2012 Release They are on Facebook

BOIKUTT is a musician and MC based in Ramallah Palestine Creating sounds using sampled material field recordings and electronic devices the results range between hip-hop downtempo ambient glitch and experimental He has composed and produced music for artists such as Kronos Quartet Bukue One Spiritchild Tamer Abu-Ghazaleh Bleubird and others and has appeared as an MC on albums for artists such as Slovo Heliodrome Bonnot and Lethal Skillz A co-founder of the Ramallah Underground Collective which has toured across the Arab World Europe and Australia Boikutt is also co-founder and member of audio-visual group Tashweesh with whom he is currently touring Also as a solo performer he has been in Beirut Cairo Manila Copenhagen London Hamburg Dubai Bethlehem and other cities He has produced and exhibited a few sound-art pieces composed several film scores has most recently composed the music for a dance theater performance entitled Bound by

New York-based company Yaa Samar Dance Theatre and is now working on different collaborative and solo projects His work may be heard at soundcloudcomboikutt and on Facebook

DAM Da Arabian MCrsquos are Suhell Nafar Tamer Nafar and Mahmoud Jreri The first Palestinian hip hop crew and among the first to rap in Arabic the group began working together in the late 1990s Struck by the uncanny resemblance of the reality of the streets in a Tupac video to the streets in their own neighborhood of Lyd they were inspired to tell their stories through hip hop Their timely song ldquoMin Irhabirdquo (ldquoWhorsquos the Terroristrdquo) was downloaded a million times shortly after its internet realese in 2001 and DAM became a household name among youth throughout the Middle East Ten years of performing all over the world has strengthened the grouprsquos commitment to continue living and working in their hometown of Lyd 15 minutes from Tel Aviv and working to provide the youth of the city and neighboring communities with programs and opportunities that have been denied to Palestinian citizens of Israel Their music is a unique fusion of East and West and encompasses influences as varied as Ghassan Kanafani Ahlam Mosteghanemi Mahmoud Darwish Naji al Ali Tupac Biggie Public Enemy MBS Krsquonaan and Pharoahe Monch IHDA (Dedication) DAMrsquos long-awaited first international album was released in 2007 and DAM has seen its songs and members featured in films such as Ford Transit (Dir Hany Abu Assad) Where in the World is Osama Bin Laden (Dir Morgan Spurlock) Salt of this Sea (Dir Annemarie Jacir) Local Angel and Forgiveness (Dir Udi Aloni) DAMrsquos history and influence on the Arab hip hop scene is detailed in the feature-length documentary Slingshot Hip Hop (Dir Jackie Reem Salloum) The group has also been featured in Vibe National Geographic Rolling Stone Q Basement Reuters and The New York Times and has appeared on MTV CNN BBC and Al Jazeera Their work can be heard and explored at damrapcom

EL DEEB first ventured into Egyptian Hip Hop when he joined Asfalt in 2005 He left in 2007 to create Wighit Nazara duo represented by Mohamed Yasser and himself It was a successful musical project that lasted until mid 2010 Currently he is working on his solo career with plans to release an EP every couple of months or so Cairofornia is his first solo EP His work may be heard at deebbandcampcom and on Facebook

EL RASS was born in Tripoli Lebanon He started writing poetry in literary Arabic at age 11 and started rhyming in spoken Lebanese dialect in 1999 at age 15 At that time he formed one third of a group of 3 MCrsquos going under the name of ldquoMlouk el Micrdquo (ldquoKings of the Micrdquo) They recorded one album and performed locally At 17 he left for France to study Finance and Economics Studies were hard money was scarce and exile was tough but music and poetry never left him as he continued rhyming with some underground French MCrsquos like Medline and Moebius and developed new musical skills on percussion in classical Arabic singing and baglama (turkish buzuk) After graduating and working for almost two years in the hell of banking and market finance El Rass decided to return to Lebanon He spent a year just re-discovering Beirut and making and learning music He now works as a journalist at the newspaper Assafir while concurrently pursuing joint projects with other producers and musicians He calls his work Taalik in reference to the same word in Arabic for ldquocommentrdquo and another word that comes from the same semantic root moaallakat which is a corpus of selected pre-Islamic poetry that was written with gold ink on the walls of the Karsquoaba in Mecca His work may be heard at soundcloudcomElRass

FAREEQ EL ATRASH is a hip hop band based out of Hamra St Beirut with a sound that is distinguished by laid back topical flows over live instrumentation It consists of Edd (raps) Nasser (raps) FZ (vocal production and FX) Fouad Afra (drums) Goo (plays guitar keys heart strings) and Abed Kobeissy (plays bass and buzuk) Their 2010 album and 2009 prealbum are available online More of their work may be found on Facebook Eddrsquos solo work can also be heard at soundcloudcomEdd

H2Z was born in Kuwait in 1986 where he lived for four years Due to the gulf war his family moved to Lebanon where he lived for the most part of his life Inspired by the tragic events in the Middle East and elsewhere in the world H2Z adopted rap music as a way to raise awareness about the injustices suffered by his people and to deliver a message through his music to anyone who supports the Palestinian cause His career began in 2004 when he was introduced to the production business by fellow rappers and soon he started producing his own tracks and established a local band producing many tracks for himself and other musicians in Lebanon In 2008 he released his first solo album titled 3aed which contained

17 tracks The political influence was noticed throughout the album and was generally well-received He is now studying for a degree in business administration at Wayne State University in Michigan His work may be heard at reverbnationcomh2z

KATIBEH 5 are based in Borj el Barajneh Lebanon Their work can be found at reverbnationcomkatibeh5 and myspacecomkatibe5palestine and on Facebook

M1 is Mutulu Olugbala of the New York based collective Dead Prez whose work is online at deadprezcom M1 is also on Facebook

MC GAZA is Adnan Mahmoud Ghonim an Algerian born artist and university student based in Gaza It was the beginning of 2005 when he attended one of the hip hop concerts in Gaza City ndash Gaza City that never appreciated the art he loved and attached himself to ndash and it was love at first sight between them Through some of the concerts he participated in a number of songs he collaborated on with Arabs from Egypt Algeria and Palestine and some active participation to represent the Palestinian people and interviews for both Arab and foreign press he was able to make a name for himself in the Gazan hip hop community His work may be found at youtubecomMCGaza and on Facebook

THE NARCICYST Having pioneered the Arab Hip-Hop movement with seminal Iraqi-Canadian crew Euphrates The Narcicyst recently broke through borders and shattered traveling etiquette touring solo around the world sharing stages with the likes of Brother Ali Mos Def and Kanye West to name a few On top of music The Narcicyst is a celebrated theorist whose academic work Fear of an Arab Planet has him from the stage to the classrooms of internationally renowned universities He is now also a professor at Concordia University teaching a Fine Arts course ldquoHip-Hop Past Present and Futurerdquo His writings have been published by multiple university presses and magazines internationally he is also a self-published author having recently released the biographical and social-study on the Arab world The Diatribes of a Dying Tribe As a true artist interested in really pushing his own artistic boundaries The Narcicyst has stepped into acting currently starring in the short music film PHATWA and in the first internationally-released film from the United Arab Emirates called City of Life A true multi-media

111110

KHALED AL HILLI is a PhD candidate in Comparative Literature at the Graduate Center City University of New York He has a BA in English Literature and a Masterrsquos degree in Teaching Second Languages Born in Iraq Khaled has taught in Lebanon and Saudi Arabia at both college and high school levels He has also worked with various Iraqi news outlets and has subtitledtranslated documentary films dealing with current social and political issues His research interests include Arabic political literature prison literature and literature in the diaspora He may be reached at hillykhalidgmailcom

+AZIZ is a NYC-based marketing consultant and a musician He is working through The World Music Parade to develop an animation project based on his music More about that project can be found at themusicparadetumblrcom He tweets from plusaziz

FAYSAL BIBI is a paleontologist and electronic musician currently based in Berlin

LOUBNA BILALI is originally from Morocco She did her undergrad and first MA in English Linguistics at Chouaib Doukkali University El Jadida She came to the US in 2008 to pursue a Masterrsquos degree in French to English translation and is currently working on a PhD in translation studies at Kent State University in Ohio She is very interested in learning and teaching languages as well as translating and localizing computer applications and websites She may be reached at loubnabilaligmailcom

FARAH ELREWAISSATI is a freelance translator pro-Palestine activist and BDS advocate who blogs at youthanormalizationblogspotcom She tweets from 3beee

NIZAR GHANEM was born in Lebanon He has been active in intercultural education interactive learning and conflict resolution across the Arab world His work on conflict resolution involved using theater comics and music as tools for emotional expression and social mobilization

RIMA NAJDI is a Performing Artist She studied dramatic arts at the Lebanese University in Beirut and obtained a Masterrsquos degree in Performance Studies at NYU New York She has written and performed in various plays and performances Najdi is particularly interested in multi-media performing arts and the position of the spectators

BARRAK ALZAID (copy editor) is the Artistic Director of ArteEast He is the editor of the ArteEast Quarterly a dynamic online portal featuring four publications that highlight contemporary art and culture from the Middle East and diaspora ndash ArtersquoZine Shahadat (contemporary short-form literature) Gallery and Cinematek (an online film center) He is also the curator for ArteEastrsquos Across Histories Art Talk Series featuring a series of panels on residencies in Fall 2011 He tweets from barrakster

RAYYA EL ZEIN (editor) is working towards a PhD in Theatre at the Graduate Center City University of New York Her research is increasingly focusing on theories of reception historical studies of audience behavior and popular culture in the Arab world She holds an MA in Performance Studies from NYU and is currently a teaching fellow at City College in Harlem She tweets from rayelz

translator biosdreamer Yassin recently established an arts label in the UAE called The Medium focusing on delivering art from Arabs in the diaspora and at lsquohomersquo to the rest of the world iraqisthebombcom He tweets from TheNarcicyst

OMAR OFFENDUM is a Syrian-American hip hop artist born in Saudi Arabia raised in Washington DC and living in Los Angeles Known for taking audiences on a lyrical journey from the jasmine-tree-lined courtyards of Nizar Qabbanirsquos Damascene homes to the flooded riverbanks of Langston Hughesrsquo Harlem Renaissance poems - Offendum has been featured on several major news outlets (BBC Yahoo ABC News Aljazeera PBS) toured the world to promote his ground-breaking music helped raise thousands of dollars for various humanitarian relief organizations (PCRF KinderUSA ANERA Islamic Relief) lectured at a number of prestigious academic institutions (Harvard MIT Stanford Columbia American University of Beirut NYU-AbuDhabi Qatar Education City) and most recently been involved in creating several critically-acclaimed songs about the popular democratic uprisings throughout the Middle East amp North Africa He is currently hard at work promoting his solo release - affectionately dubbed SyrianamericanA His work may be heard (and read) at offendumbandcampcom He is on Facebook and he tweets from Offendum

RAMALLAH UNDERGROUND based in Ramallah Palestine was born from the immediacy of musical experimentation and out of the need to give voice to a generation of Palestinians and Arabs facing a turbulent and uncertain political landscape The collective was founded by artists Boikutt Stormtrap and Aswatt and has always held a commitment to both the honesty of their work and the need to creatively rejuvenate Arabic culture To this end they combine music ranging from Arabic electronic music hip-hop and trip hop to downtempo with a deep sense of their local culture and the imposing presence of Palestine in their lives The outcome is a new specific and distinct sound RU (as producers and as MCrsquos ) has collaborated with numerous artists across the globe including countries like Lebanon UK Switzerland Italy USA France and many more including a collaboration with Slovo (a band headed by the guitarist from faithless) in their track ldquoNakbardquo which appears on their album Todo Cambia and with Kronos Quartet in the track ldquoTashweeshrdquo which appears on Floodplain RU has also performed live shows in Ramallah Bethlehem Vienna London Cairo Lausanne Amsterdam and Washington DC Their shows are mainly a performance of their hip-hop tracks as well as a few of their own electronic productions as a warm up More recently RU has incorporated a visual set in their live

performances brought to you by Palestinian visual artist Ruanne RU hopes to give a voice to Palestinians and Arabs bringing an alternative voice from the Arab world Their lyrics and music are an expression of anguish and defiance ultimately remaining a defiant voice of the colonized against the colonizer They continue to play a big role in the Arab underground cultural scene while slowly gaining wide global and local popularity

SHADIA MANSOURrsquos work can be found at myspacecomshadiamusic and on Facebook

STORMTRAP is a music producercomposerMC from Palestine Experimenting with old samples instruments and field recordings his sound is the result of a fusion of ambient atmospheres combined with various noises and hip hop beats His lyrics deal with different themes inspired mainly by his personal experiences in Palestine and life in the diaspora Stormtrap played a fundamental role in forming the band Ramallah Underground with which he has performed worldwide the past few years Currently he is working in Vienna with Aras Seyhan and Eren Ileri on a new album which combines live instruments synthesizers turntables beats and Arabic lyrics- which will be released early 2012 His work may be heard at soundcloudcomstormtrap He tweets from asifeh

AMEER YOSSEF 25 has sung and writen music with the band Klaket for the past four years His work may be heard at youtubecomAmeer and on Facebook

towards the work Her work for now concentrates on the process of making interactive and participatory performances that question borders stereotypes and languages

MOE ALI NAYEL is a fixer and a journalist based in Beirut Lebanon He uses social media blogging non-mainstream music journalism and writing as a word spreading eye opening socializing arena He uses social media as a bridge that cuts distance between people on this planet making it a tiny village This bridge starts in his office and takes him to every corner in the world enabling him to connect and network with people and cultures sharing and exchanging stories of the unheard and the neglected He blogs at Words of Action and he tweets from MoeAliNay

ALEX ORTIZ is a video and radio journalist and translator based in Cairo Egypt He graduated from Brown University in 2009 with a double major in Comparative Literature and Middle East Studies He was a CASA I fellow from 2009-2010 and a CASA II fellow from 2010-2011 He currently works for CBS News as a field producer He tweets from cairowitness

AHMED SHAWKET is an independent translator living in Cairo Egypt He is a graduate of the Helwan University Faculty of Arts where he majored in philosophy Ahmed works on literary media and commercial translation

113112

ABOUT SHAHADATShahadat is a quarterly online series designed to provide a platform for short-form writing and experimentation in writing by young and underexposed writers from the MENA region (Middle East and North Africa) The series features stories vignettes reflections and chronicles in translation and the original language of Arabic Farsi Turkish or Kurdish It makes up one quarter of ArteEastrsquos online programming the AE Quarterly For past issues of Shahadat click here

ABOUT THIS SERIES Shahadat is proud to run two alternating series and releases two issues a year of each The issue yoursquove just perused is part of the ldquoExploring Popular Literaturerdquo series This series challenges traditional understandings of ldquoliteraturerdquo emerging from the Middle East and North Africa by presenting genres of creative production that rely on words and language but which have not typically been studied as literature Works are presented in their original language and in translation

In each issue we gather texts from a spectrum of writers to challenge the singular status of the artistauthor and to encourage a more complex presentation of the Middle Eastern and North African ldquostreetrdquo for English-speaking audiences Shahadatrsquos other series ldquoContemporary Literature in Translationrdquo features the work of a single young author in the original language and in English translation

BEHIND THE DOCUMENTShahadat is co-edited by Rayya El Zein Alex Ortiz and ArteEastrsquos Artistic Director Barrak Alzaid All three are young professionals and scholars with artistic inclinations (literature poetry translation and performance) All three have strong connections to New York City and various metropole of the MENA region Shahadat is for us an experiment and a labor of love An editorial board of established scholars and authors is currently being conceived

SPECIAL THANKS TOAnmar El ZeinKinda AkashAndrew JohnstonLivia Alexander

Shahadat logo design by Rima Farouki

114

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Page 7: Shahadat Winter 2012

1312

ساعة بتمسك حالك ملا تشوف قدامك

اللي قامك واللي شالك مش مستغرب اذا افكار جهنمية عم بدور ببالك

نازل بتنادي عالدنيا بس الدنيا نامت وحتى اذا قامت ما حتسمع كالمك

ما حتسمع كالمك

هون يوم معاك مية عليك حواجز حواليك كلبشات عايديك

قولي شو سويت مابدي فوت باحليط ياريت بس انا فايت هيك هيك

حياتي عجل بسكليت وهأل فلت اجلنزير اجا الوقت ادعس بنزين

ابدا شد ابدا مد حكيي لكل النواحي

ألنو كلماتي سالحي

بدهم يجوعوا األهالي ألنو الناس ملا يجوعو ما بوعودو يفكروا باملقاومة

11 22 33 عم ميحونا هات لننزل عال مالجئ قبل ما يشوفونا

بقصوفونا وين ما روحنا بس بحياتهم ما بطحونا

صامدون ألخر حلظة لصوار يخكم ايصابونا

R a m a l l a h U n d e r g r o u n d

In the moments when you try to get a hold of things

When you look in front of you

At the one who picked you up and removed you

Donrsquot be surprised if evil thoughts fill your mind

You went on calling the world but the world is sleeping

And even if it wakes up it wonrsquot hear your voice

It wonrsquot hear your voice

Here therersquos one day with you and a hundred others against you

Barriers around you

Handcuffs on your hands

Tell me what you did

I hope I donrsquot crash into a wall

But Irsquom crashing anyways

My life is more like a bike tire

But now wersquore off the tracks time to hit the gas

Never pull never stretch my speech

For any reason

Because my words are my weapons

They wanna starve our people because when people are starving they no longer think of

leading resistance

One by one two by two three by three theyrsquore trying to wipe us out

Letrsquos go to the shelters before they see us

They shoot us wherever we go

But we never give up

Steadfast lsquotil the last breath when your missiles hit

3 Min Ill Kahef

Ramallah Underground ft Lethal Skillz

The Peace Revolution 20

24420868

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1514

و رؤساء العرب سابونا تركونا و هربوا لعند عدونا

ألنو ما قدروا يعدونا وعدونا باملستقبل بس شوف لوين جابونا

2007 عالم مبشي دوغري و احنا فجرونا جوعونا بدهم ينسونا

قعدنا سنني نبني و اجو فجأة هيك هدونا هددونا و خوفونا

بالدميقراطية سمموناحتى نعيش حياة طبيعية ما خلونا

حطونا عخط النار ونسفونا دمرونا نشفولنا دمنا كل هاد و لسا ما خلصونا من همنا

بحاول اطنش بس السياسة بتشدني بقولها افلتي ما بدي

بتقولي انا جزء من حياتك مش حتقدر متشي ضدي

بحاول اطنش بس السياسة بتشدني بقولها افلتي ما بدي

بتقولي انا جزء من حياتك مش حتقدر متشي ضدي

R a m a l l a h U n d e r g r o u n d

And Arab leaders let us down

Abandoned us fled to our enemies

Because they couldnrsquot infect us with their cowardice

They promised the future and look what they got us into

2007 the worldrsquos moving ahead and they blow us up

Starve us they wanna forget us

We spent years building and they came suddenly led us on

Threatened and frightened us

Poisoned us with democracy

Wouldnrsquot let us have a normal life

They set us right on line of fire they ruined us destroyed us dried up our blood

All that and still they couldnrsquot finish the job

I am trying not to care anymore but politics pulls at me

I say leave me alone

She says I am part of your life

You wonrsquot be able to resist me

I am trying not to care anymore but politics pulls at me

I say leave me alone

She says I am part of your life

You wonrsquot be able to resist me

T r a n s l a t e d b y L o u b n a B i l a l i

3 Min Ill Kahef

Ramallah Underground ft Lethal Skillz

The Peace Revolution 20

24420868

eng - iTunNORM 00000E33 00000D93 0000B0A7 00008C71 0001CD0B 0002129C 00008000 00008000 0000A2CF 0000633A

1716

)مصر داميا بتناديك(

التورتة رجعت للشعبالبورصة وقعت من اللعب

الشعار القدمي رجعالشرطة في خدمة الشعب

احلال كان صعب بس النهار ده أفضل احنا نقدر نزرع صحرتنا أخضر

اتخلصنا من حكم هتلر فرعون ملعون وبحكم تويتر وفيسبوك املصري ثاير مدعوم بلغة احلق

كانوا بيقولولنا أل مش فارقة معاهم إن شاء الله حتى االرض تنشق ثورتنا ثورة شعبية سلمية وطنية

طالبنا با حلرية الكرامة عدالة اجتماعية الشعب كان ممسوك بقبضة فوالذية

شغل مقاولة ومصالح شخصية كانوا بيتعاملوا معانا بكل همجية

يطلعوا عالقنوات الفضائية بتصاريح استفزازية

e l D e e b + E d d

(Egypt is always calling on you)

The people have regained the pie

The stockmarketrsquos been put out of commission

The old slogan is back

Police are in the service of the people

The situation was tough but today is better

We can make our desert green

We got rid of Hitlerrsquos rule a damned pharaoh

In the age of Twitter and Facebook the Egyptian walks confidently using the language of righteousness

They used to tell us no they didnrsquot care even if God wished the earth to split open

Our revolution is a popular peaceful national revolution

We have demanded freedom dignity and social justice

The people were controlled with an iron fist

Business contacts and personal interests

They treated us viciously

They appeared on satellite TV channels and issued provocative statements

rقوم يا مصري ise egypt ian

2oum Ya Masry (feat Edd) (Prod by Edd)

Deeb

null

2011

24930304

eng - Visit httpdeebbandcampcom

1918

انتصرنا في 11 فبراير بفرحة مليونية زغرطتي يا مصر يا بهية حققنا احلرية

الثورة بعد ما خلصت هلق بعدا مبلشةلدورنا شكلها وصلت وإنت بعدك بالفرشة

ولك قوم وقاف الحق بسنانك تفرشيولك قوم وقاف هز فيك نظامك عم بخزوق قوم يا مصري ما فيش ثورة بتخلص في يوم وليلة

دوس على نفسك شويةاستحمل شد حيلك

ما تخافش على عجلة اإلنتاج الزم ثورة على الذاتبكرا أحسن من اللي فات

ديكتاتوري هاإلنسان كان ببلد دميقراطيعايش فوق الغيم كان مرتاح رأسه فاضياملمنوع إلو مسموح كان ألن صاحبه قاضي

مطنش عاملخدرات ليضل شعبه طافيتيضل شعبه مسلطن ملتهي عم يضحك

كونه غير واعيفمن السهل فيه تتحكم ضو أخضر للشرطة

عليها ما فيك تتشكىفي حال فيك شكك بشكلك بشنغلك

تالتني سنةأكتر من أي رئيس بقي

ولك كسرسكور اإلستاذ نبيه بريمبصر بيقولوا معليه أنا التعتير إبني

eعم شوف شو في أكل من مبارح بقي ألعطيه لقمة l D e e b + E d d

We won on February 11 the joy of millions

Ululate oh Egypt oh Bahia we have achieved freedom

The revolution is not over yet it has just begun

Looks like itrsquos our turn now and yoursquore still in bed

Crsquomon get up Yoursquoll brush your teeth later

Crsquomon get up Move your regime is screwing you

Rise up oh Egyptian No revolution finishes in a night and a day

Bear with it a little

Have endurance and tolerance

Donrsquot be afraid of the cycle of production there should be a revolution against oneself

Tomorrow is better than the past

The man was a dictator in a democratic country

Living on clouds he was comfortable and carefree

What is prohibited was permitted for him because he was friends with a judge

He turned a blind eye to drugs so that his people would remain unaware

So that his people would remain high busy laughing

Because they are unconscious

It is easy to control them the police have a green light

You couldnrsquot report them

If they are suspicious of you of the way you look they would hang you

Thirty years

He ruled more than any other president

He even broke the record of Mr Nabih Berri [longstanding Lebanese head of parliament]

In Egypt they say itrsquos ok misfortune is my son

I will check what is left over from yesterday to feed it

2oum Ya Masry (feat Edd) (Prod by Edd)

Deeb

null

2011

24930304

eng - Visit httpdeebbandcampcom

2120

ملني بشكيحالتي متل هاملاليني مرتة

ولك قوم ننزل عساحة التحرير دغريب11 شهر 2 سجلنا رحيل حسني

اللي قضى كل هالسنني يشتغل عميل ضدي

ثورة بعد ما خلصت هلق بعدا مبلشةلدورنا شكلها وصلت وإنت بعدك بالفرشة

ولك قوم وقاف الحق بسنانك تفرشيولك قوم وقاف إذ فيك نظامك عم بخزوق

قوم يا مصري ما فيش ثورة بتخلص في يوم وليلةدوس على نفسك شوية

استحمل شد حيلكما تخافش على عجلة اإلنتاج

الزم ثورة على الذاتبكرا أحسن من اللي فات

أنا مدنيبلوح بقلمي كأنه علمي

من عرقي بروي عملي كأنه عطشيالبركة ببلدي العربي

إني فيني كون عفويفيني قوم ثور

إذا بس كان مسموم بدنيحلريتي بالتعبير

ما في حدود حتدنيبتشوفني بساحة التحرير بوسط بيروت

مش كرمال السما ترجع زرقاإلسقاط النظام اللي احلرية سلبنا

e l D e e b + E d d

To whom will I complain

My situation like that of millions is bad

Crsquomon letrsquos go straight to Tahrir Square

On February 11 we witnessed the departure of Hosni

Who has been working as an agent all these years against mehellip

The revolution is not over yet it has just begun

Looks like itrsquos our turn now and yoursquore still in bed

Crsquomon get up Yoursquoll brush your teeth later

Crsquomon get up Move your regime is screwing you

Rise up oh Egyptian No revolution finishes in a night and a day

Bear with it a little

Have endurance and tolerance

Donrsquot be afraid of the cycle of production

There should be a revolution against oneself

Tomorrow is better than the past

I am a civilian

I wave my pen as if it is my flag

I water my work with my sweat as if itrsquos my thirst

Whatrsquos good about my Arab country

Is that I can be spontaneous

I can rise up and revolt

When Irsquom angry

For my freedom of expression

There are no limitations

You see me in Tahrir Square and in downtown Beirut

But not for the sky to become blue again [in reference to the slogan of the Lebanese Future Movement]

But to topple the regime that has taken away freedom

2oum Ya Masry (feat Edd) (Prod by Edd)

Deeb

null

2011

24930304

eng - Visit httpdeebbandcampcom

2322

فترة إنتقاليةفقرة إعالنية

شاي وكليوبتراوشوش صفرا سهرانة

عالنشرة اإلخباريةركلة جزائية

واجلمهور مستني الهدفكل يوم في الصحف

نقرا نبأ عن كلب نهب البلدأوقف عندك رجع الذهب

مش إنت بردو اللي كنت مسؤول عن إعالم بلدتصاريح كاذبة كالم عجب

الصعب عدا والتاريخ إنكتبأوعى تفتكر الشعب تعب

الثورة بعد ما خلصت هلق بعدا مبلشةلدورنا شكلها وصلت وإنت بعدك بالفرشة

ولك قوم وقاف الحق بسنانك تفرشيولك قوم وقاف إذ فيك نظامك عم بخزوق

قوم يا مصري ما فيش ثورة بتخلص في يوم وليلةدوس على نفسك شوية

استحمل شد حيلكما تخافش على عجلة اإلنتاج

الزم ثورة على الذاتeبكرا أحسن من اللي فات l D e e b + E d d

A transitional period

A commercial break

Tea and Cleopatra

Yellow faces staying up at night

To follow the newscast

A penalty

The audience is waiting for the goal

Every day in newspapers

We read news about a dog that has looted the country

Stop return the gold

Werenrsquot you in charge of the countryrsquos media

False statements odd expressions

The hard part is over and history has been written

Donrsquot think that the people are exhausted

The revolution is not over yet it has just begun

Looks like itrsquos our turn now and yoursquore still in bed

Crsquomon get up Yoursquoll brush your teeth later

Crsquomon get up Move your regime is screwing you

Rise up oh Egyptian No revolution finishes in a night and a day

Bear with it a little

Have endurance and tolerance

Donrsquot be afraid of the cycle of production

There should be a revolution against oneself

Tomorrow is better than the past

T r a n s l a t e d b y F a r a h E l R e w a i s s a t i

2oum Ya Masry (feat Edd) (Prod by Edd)

Deeb

null

2011

24930304

eng - Visit httpdeebbandcampcom

2524

بلسان فاكريني انو مافيهوش فن هتكلم عن كل حلم اترسم من غضبهم اتدفن

اتقسم احتاط باأللم منلفكر فاملرحلة السمعيه واحللول اللى تنقذ عناوين جانبيه ارهابية من عيون معنية باستقاللية بعد حروب عاملية محمية متدارية

منسية مرمية على اكتاف مش مرضية مستخبية بطريقة اتكالية عاالراضى العربية

بسلبية مرئية انتهازية وراء االعالم االسالمية بباينوا النيه

احتيالية عنادية سيكوباتية سرية انانية استراتيجية ضد االنسانية

و بعد املسايسة متابعة من قاعة املشاهدة لكل عربى بيتزل مستانى مساعدة

A r a b i a n K n i g h t z + S h a d i a M a n s o u r

They presume the tongue has no art so I will speak

About every dream that was drawn from their anger and got buried

It got divided surrounded by pain

And the solutions that might work are sidelined and smeared as terrorist

From eyes that are interested in independence

After world wars protected and hidden

Forgotten and thrown on unsatisfied shoulders

Concealed with consent in Arab lands

With obvious opportunism

Beneath Islamic publicity intentions show through

Fraudulent stubborn psychopathic

A secret selfish strategy against mankind

And after politics we keep tabs on things from the screening room

For every Arab who gets humiliated I am waiting for help

prisonerThis track contains verses that were originally written in English السجني

Prisoner

Arabian Knightz + Shadia Mansour

Shahadat Winter 2012 track 316

Hip Hop

26518704

2726

ماخالص كسروا بنا كلمة مسانده و من عقولنا اخدوا الورق اللى يكسب فى اللعبة

أنا عايز بلد حرة من الظلم

عايز بلد حرة من القهر عايز بلد حرة من الشر

عايز أرضي وأرض العرب العرب العرب العرب

A r a b i a n K n i g h t z + S h a d i a M a n s o u r

But itrsquos over they shattered for us the word ldquosolidarityldquo

And from our minds they took the cards that win the game

I want a country free of tyranny

I want a country free of oppression

I want a country free of evil

I want my land and the land of Arabs

Arabs Arabs Arabs

Destructive destruction destroying my district

Anti-Christ running in spreading evil wisdom

Irsquom destroying the oppressors in Arabic settlements

Known for blowing up beats and governments

My peeps die in their cribs while yrsquoall close your eyes

Two of yrsquoall are kidnapped you call it a terrorist crime

The media

Is backing up

Murderous propaganda

While we fight eternally like immortal high landers

Al Durrah Sheikh Yassin the pains unseen

Forging your own stories for the blind to see

Want to draw your own opinions bout the bombs we face

Whatrsquos your opinion if yoursquore enslaved and your mom is raped

Itrsquos too easy to speak when yoursquore far from the heat

To the White House I creep and yes Irsquom armed to the teeth

With a mic and a pen and a pad herersquos your evidence

ldquoWeapons of Mass Destructionldquo Mr President

Prisoner

Arabian Knightz + Shadia Mansour

Shahadat Winter 2012 track 316

Hip Hop

26518704

2928

أنا عايز بلد حرة من الظلم عايز بلد حرة من القهر

عايز بلد حرة من الشر عايز أرضي وأرض العرب

العرب العرب العرب

إحنا منمشي بالكرامة والثقة بالنفس معصنا قوانينكم بالثبوت بالدم

لو إن ضميركم بتريحكم بتتكلموا من ورا الفرد

قللي مني ما عم ينام بالليل عنجد ع بني انتو بتبنوا حواجز إحن بنكبر عيالنا

وبنظلنا نزيد العدد إحن السبب ليش ما بتسترجوا تغمضوا عني

في فرق كبير بني مقاوم ومقررين

A r a b i a n K n i g h t z + S h a d i a M a n s o u r

I want a country free of tyranny

I want a country free of oppression

I want a country free of evil

I want my land and the land of Arabs

Arabs Arabs Arabs

Theyrsquore dropping bombs over Baghdad

Libnan Afghan Palestinians Bin Laden Saddam

Listen Islam is all about the peace man

But wars up in these streets man

Got me loosinrsquo sleep damn

Mr Politician I got a little question

How come you are eating and all your peoples isnrsquot

I am on a mission to break up out of this prison

If yoursquore with me share my vision

Letrsquos start by saving the children

We walk with dignity and confidence in ourselves

We crushed your laws with our steadfastness and blood

If your conscience was giving you peace

You wouldnrsquot be communicating from behind a gun

Tell me whorsquos the one not getting sleep at night

While you build your checkpoints we raise the kids

Our numbers will keep increasing

We are the reason you donrsquot dare to blink

There is a big difference between a man of resistance and decision makers

T r a n s l a t e d b y N i z a r G h a n e m + S h a d i a M a n s o u r

Prisoner

Arabian Knightz + Shadia Mansour

Shahadat Winter 2012 track 316

Hip Hop

26518704

3130

النظام العاملي اجلديداحلاسة السادسة

و بدهم يردوا يعلموك النشيدنار شديد بس كله نسبي

جينا و نسيناأخبار فورية بتنهضم و بتمشينا

إللي فينا مكفينا رايح عغزة بالسفينة

و ما يأتي قبل الفكر أم الفعلملجرد الذكر لشخص مبنج قلب نكد وزعل

و طلب السعرمش حنبيع

ملا بتشتي بتشتي عاجلميعو زمن أول حتول

و مش قادرين نتجول فا مش حنضيعbشيء مريع o i k u t t

The new world order

The sixth sense

And they want to teach you the anthem anew

Heavy fire but itrsquos all relative

We came and forgot

Instant news digested and keeps us moving

Wersquove had enough

Going to Gaza by boat

What comes first Thought or action

The mere question to a numb person makes him grumpy and upset

And asking for the price

We wonrsquot sell

When it rains it rains over everybody

The old times have changed

We are under house arrest so we wonrsquot get lost

Itrsquos a horrible thing

igniteولع

Walle

boikutt

null

1746378

3332

مرات بتفهم النبرة غلطبس هلئ فهمني منيح

جريح بدون تلقيح تصريح صريح بدون تلميح

فظيعكيف خلونا نطيع

بوقت تشييع جثمان الضاضمضاض لإلنتفاض ثورة الثروة قيد التصنيع

فيعبوجه عقود بقبضة من حديد

من هون لقرية بال متديدبدون مانروح لبعيد

جتميد روؤس أموال و نوويةمصلحة أول مستفيد

بتدوب بشعلة من سيدي بوزيد

ولعشوف اكمن دكتاتور منقلعولعشوف اكمن دكتاتور منقلع

ولع شوف اكمن دكتاتور منقلعصوت الثورة بكل مكان و عم منسمع

من حكام لنوابو ال استثني احدا منكم

ما بيهمكمحلد ما الهتافات تتوجه إلكم إتهزكم

أفهمكمbاإلستبداد تارك الشارع بإستعداد o i k u t t

Sometimes you misunderstand a tone

But now you understand me correctly

Wounded without vaccination

A blatant statement without any hinting

Unbelievable

How they made us obey

At the funeral of the corpse of the [quintessential Arabic letter] Ddad

Counter revolution the revolution of wealth is in process

Rise

In the face of decades under an iron fist

From here to a village without extension

Without going too far

Freezing of capital and nuclear war heads

The interest of the primary beneficiary

Melts with a flame from Sidibouzid

Ignitesee how many dictators wersquoll uproot

Ignitesee how many dictators wersquoll uproot

Ignitesee how many dictators wersquoll uproot

The sound of revolution is everywhere we make it heard

From leaders to parliamentarians

I do not exclude any of you

But you donrsquot care

Until chants are directed at you and shake you

Let me explain

Tyranny leaves the street prepared

Walle

boikutt

null

1746378

3534

من املزارع بوسط البالدفعل مضارع للرماد

فا إنصرف زاي فلوس الدولة إللي طريقها إنحرفوإنعرف و إنصبت بجيوب هالطرف من شوفرية الشرف

حتية خاصة ألسود ميدان التحريرلتعديل دستور التعتير

إن صح التعبير

عندي نظر األطرشو سمع األعمى

عايشني حياة و مكلبشني باخلوف بنفس الوقت فا قللي شو املعنىتاريخ شجعنا

الوضع الراهن منعناناس بتمر و بتسمعنا

بدون جتاوب جتارب فجاوبيا ضدنا يا معنا

إرفع قبضة الصمود فوق في الهوا ثابتةإنتفاضة أولى و ثانية بس الثالثة نابتة

أطراف كابتةبس قد ما يحاولوا ميحوا ويحطوا الناس كاتبة

بالتفاصيل و كامتة

ولعhellip شوف اكمن دكتاتور منقلعولعhellip شوف اكمن دكتاتور منقلع

ولع شوف اكمن دكتاتور منقلعصوت الثورة بكل مكان و عم منسمع

ولعhellip شوف اكمن دكتاتور منقلعbو صفهم عالدور واحد واحدhellipو شنع o i k u t t

From the farmers in the center

Changing present tense to ashes

So vanish like the statersquos money whose road has deviated

It is known that it ended up in the pockets of the corrupt who claim to be clean

A special salute to the lions of Tahrir Square

For amending the constitution of misfortune

If that can be said

I have the sight of the deaf

And the hearing of the blind

Leading a life while chained by fear at the same time so tell me whatrsquos the point

History encouraged us

The current situation prevented us

People pass by and hear us

Without any response -- testing -- so answer

Yoursquore either with us or against us

Raise the fist of resistance up in the air

A first and second Intifada but the third is sprouting

Oppressive groups

No matter how hard they try to erase and replace people have written

In details and know by heart

Ignitesee how many dictators wersquoll uproot

Ignitesee how many dictators wersquoll uproot

Ignitesee how many dictators wersquoll uproot

The sound of revolution is everywhere we make it heard

Ignitesee how many dictators wersquoll uproot

Line them up in turn one after the other and defame them

T r a n s l a t e d b y F a r a h E l R e w a i s s a t i

Walle

boikutt

null

1746378

3736

ولك انا ابن عكا وبن يافا و طولكرم انا ابن كل شبر من البحر للنهر

االرض الي حملت موسى مرمي واملسيح انااملقابر يلي فاضت من كتر التوابيت

انا اخليمة بيت التنك واحلصيرة والكانون والبيوت املسروقة والدم املهدور

انا الهوى يالي حامل الغضب والبكاوالطرقات يلي بتغرق مع كل نقطة الشتا

انا رصاصة من املجاهد عم تعبر حلدود انا حزام من القنابل مشتاق لليهود

لطفل على باب املستشفى عم بيموتانا الجئ ممنوع من العمل مكروه

انا اين املخيم يلي عاطل عن العمل سيجارة احلشيش يلي بتمحي شوية الم

H 2 Z

Irsquom the son of Acre Jaffa and Tulkarem

Irsquom the son of every inch from the river to the sea

Irsquom the land that carried Moses Mary and the Christ

Irsquom the cemeteries that overflow with coffins

Irsquom the tent the tin house the mat and the stove

The stolen houses and the wasted blood

Irsquom the wind that bears anger and tears

The roads that drown in a single drop of rain

I am a bullet that crosses borders

Irsquom a grenade against Zionists

A child that dies waiting outside the hospital

Irsquom a hated refugee whorsquos prohibited from working

Irsquom the son of the camps always unemployed

The hash cigarettes that ease the pain

iانا فلسطيني am palest inian

Ana Falasteeni

H27

null

17782504

eng - iTunNORM 0000057E 0000056B 00004E0F 00004D32 00021C96 00021C96 00008000 00008000 0000ECEA 00007530

3938

حيطان هالبيت يلي بكره رح ينردم انا االحمر واالسود واالخضر من هالعلم

من دم االبطال من دموع الاطفالمن اجلحيم التشرد واجلوء واالنكسار

من ظلم االحتاللمن حلم االستقالل

من ارض الزيتونوالصليب والهالل

انا حافظ احلواجز بكل بالد العالممن النادر انو بيوم يعتبروني بني ادم انا سنني االعتقال انا غرف التعذيب

الوجع والصريخ واجلروح الي ما بطيبانا شعب ما انهزم بس عمرو ما انتصر

انا اكبر ارهابي الني حامل حجر اسير طول عمرو رافض انو بيوم ميوت بس معاهدة سالم بتنفي اني موجود

انا القدس بيت حلم ومخيم جننياالدان واجلراس الهالل والصليب

املدافن واملدارس وكنسية املسيح الشوارع القدمية والبيت العتيق

انا ركوة الشاي و سندويشة الفالفلالكرم والبخل واالخالق واملهازل

الكذب والصدق واخليانة والصمود Hانا فلسطيني حلتى اموت 2 Z

The walls of the house that I hate thatrsquos about to get demolished

I am the red and black and green in this flag

From the blood of heroes from the tears of children

From the hell of homelessness and broken refugees

From the oppression of the occupation

From the dream of independence

Irsquom from the land of the olives

The cross and crescent

I know all the checkpoints in all countries of the world

It is where they consider me a human being

Irsquom years of capture Irsquom the torture chambers

The pain and the screams and the wounds that never heal

I was never defeated but never had a victory

Irsquom the biggest terrorist because I carry a stone

A prisoner who spends his whole life refusing to die

But a peace treaty forgets that Irsquom alive

Irsquom Jerusalem Bethlehem and Jenin refugee camp

The call to prayer the bells the crescent and the cross

The old cemeteries schools and church of Christ

The old streets and the ancient house

Irsquom the tea cup and the falafel sandwich

Generosity and greed morality and farce

Lies and betrayal and honesty and persistence

I am Palestinian until I die

T r a n s l a t e d b y t h e a r t i s t

Ana Falasteeni

H27

null

17782504

eng - iTunNORM 0000057E 0000056B 00004E0F 00004D32 00021C96 00021C96 00008000 00008000 0000ECEA 00007530

4140

صباح اخلير با والد عمومناتفضلوا شرفونا

شو بتحبوا نضيفكم دم عربي وال دموع من عيوننابعتقد هيك تأملوا نستقبلن

هيك تعقدوا ملا تدركوا على غلطتهنمن هيك لبسنا الكوفية

البيضة والسودةصاروا كالب الزمان يلبسوها كموضة

مهما تفننوا فيامهما غيروا بلونا

كوفية عربية بتضال عربية

حطتنا بدن ياهاثقافتنا بدن ياها

S h a d i a M a n s o u r w i t h M 1 o f D e a d P r e z

Good morning cousins

Come in and honor us with your presence

What would you like us to serve you Arab blood or tears from our eyes

I think thatrsquos how they hoped we would recieve them

Thatrsquos why they got tangled up when they tripped up on their own mistake

Thatrsquos why we wore the kufeyyeh

The black and white one

Dogs of the past started to wear it as a fashion statement

However they change it

Whatever colour they make it

The Kufeyyeh is Arab and will always be Arab

Our scarf they want it

Our intellect they want it

kufeyyeh arabeyyeh الكوفية عربية

Kufeyyeh Arabeyyeh

Shadia Mansour and M1

Shahadat Winter 2012 track 616

Hip Hop

26239166

4342

كرامتنا بدن ياهاكل شي إلنا بدن ياه

ما رح نسكتلن نسمحلن الالبقلن يسرقوا شغلة مش إلهن ما خصن فيا

بيقلدونا باللبسكل هاألرض بيكفيهنش

طمعانني عالقدسإعرفوا كيف تكونوا بشر

قبل ما تلبسوا الكوفيةجينا نذكرن مني إحنا

وغصبا من عن أبوهم هاي حطتنا

من هيك لبسنا الكوفيةألنها وطنية

الكوفية الكوفية عربيةمن هيك لبسنا الكوفية

هويتنا األساسيةالكوفية الكوفية عربية

يال علي الكوفيةعلولي هالكوفية

الكوفية الكوفية عربيةعلوها لبالد الشام

كوفية عربية بتضال عربية

ما في بعد متل الشعب العربيفرجوني أية أمة بالدنيا أكثر مأثرة

الصورة واضحة نحنا مهد احلضارة

S h a d i a M a n s o u r w i t h M 1 o f D e a d P r e z

Our dignity they want it

Everything thatrsquos ours they want it

We will not be silent will not allow it

It suits them to steal something that ainrsquot theirs

They imitate our style

As if all this land werenrsquot not enough

Thirsting after Jerusalem

Know how to be human

Before you wear our scarf

We came to remind them who we are

And like it or not itrsquos our right

Thatrsquos why we wore the kufeyyeh

Because it is nationalistic

The kufeyyeh is Arab

Thatrsquos why we wore the kufeyyeh

Because it is our original identity

The kufeyyeh is Arab

Come on raise your kufeyyehs

Raise that kufeyyeh

The kufeyyeh is Arab

Raise it up for bilad ersquosham [Greater Syria the wider Arab world]

The kufeyyeh is Arab and will always be Arab

There are no others like the Arab people

Show me one region in the world that is more influencial

The picture is clear we are the origins of civilization

Kufeyyeh Arabeyyeh

Shadia Mansour and M1

Shahadat Winter 2012 track 616

Hip Hop

26239166

4544

تاريخنا وتراثنا الشاهد على وجودنامن هيك لبست التوب الفلسطيني

من حيفا جنني جبل النار إلى رام اللهخليني شوف الكوفية

البيضة واحلمراخلينا نعليها لفوق بالسما

أنا شادية العربلساني بغز غزبلساني بهز هز

كلمات احلربسجل أنا شادية منصور

واحلطة هويتيمن يوم ما خلقت

سيدي والشعب مسؤوليتيلكن تربيت بني الشرق وبني الغرب

بني لغتنيبني بخيل بني فقير

شفت احلياة من اجلهتنيبس علمتني الكوفية

كيف ما لبستونيوين ما شلحتوني

بضلني عأصولي فلسطينية

S h a d i a M a n s o u r w i t h M 1 o f D e a d P r e z

Our history traditions and customs bear witness to our existence

Thatrsquos why I wear the Palestinian dress

From Haifa Jenin Jabal El Naar to Ramallah

Let me see the kufeyyeh

The red and white one

Letrsquos raise it up to the sky

I am the singer of the Arabs

Like an earthquake I shake the ground

My words are war

Record this

I am Shadia Mansour

And this scarf is my ID

From the day I was born the people have been my responsibility

Look I was raised between the East and the West

Between two languages

Between the rich and the poor

Irsquove seen life from both sides

However the kufeyyeh has taught me

However you wear me

Wherever you leave me

I stay true to my origin Palestinian

T r a n s l a t e d b y t h e a r t i s t w i t h F a r a h E l R e w a i s s a t i

Kufeyyeh Arabeyyeh

Shadia Mansour and M1

Shahadat Winter 2012 track 616

Hip Hop

26239166

4746

حمامة سالم افتحي أجنحتكي و طيري

وين الوعي - وين امشوا معي هني وادي بني اجلبلني عني حب للطرفني

أمهاتنا حبت ذاتنا بس مو عاجبهن مسباتنا هذا احلكي بني اخواتنا

Oزين العرب واألمريكان m a r O f f e n d u m

This track contains verses that were originally written in English

You are my

(Destiny)

Itrsquos hard livinrsquo in the West - when I know the East got the best of me

(Destiny)

Could be lookinrsquo in my eyes - but yoursquoll never really see the rest of me

(Destiny)

Can you hear me maseeri [my destiny] Bi-lingualrsquos what Irsquom blessed to be

(Destiny)

Dove of Peace

Spread your wings amp fly

Consciousness What consciousness - where is it

Take a walk with me

Here in this valley between two ldquomountainsldquo

Where the source of love for both ldquosidesldquo can be found

Our mothers like us

But donrsquot like our foul language

So letrsquos keep this between the siblings

The best of Arabs amp Americans

destمصيري iny

7 Destiny

Omar Offendum

The Peace Revolution 20

21332892

eng - iTunNORM 000006D3 000006F2 000038BA 0000322F 0000E4FA 0000E4FA 00008716 0000864B 0002AB5E 000083D6

eng - iTunSMPB 00000000 00000210 0000094B 00000000008F7FA5 00000000 004108FB 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000

4948

وألله يرحم كل أمواتنا أغاني

مثل املهامتة إذا قلنا العني بالعني

ما صفى عندنا عيون بالشام بالد الشام

من فلسطني إلى جبال لبنان قبل ما اخترعوا احلدود

من اإلسكندرون إلى كردستان فهمان

جنجس خان ما خان قد ما خانونا أوالد العم بس دمنا دمهم

بني أدم - بنو ذمنبهم على أكتافنا - شلنا همهم

ليه الله بيعلم

بس ليك هذا الفتيش والبسكليت احسنلك من 100000000 مسدس

تعرف ليه ألن مو عاجبهم بسمتك

بس إبتسم برسمتك شاب عربي ومثقف

أعطيهم ختمتك وإذا لسة مو راضني

ذكرهم بكالم إيليية )أبي ماضي( raquoنسي الطني ساعة أنه طنيlaquo

Oوهذه هي القضاء والقدر يا حبيبي m a r O f f e n d u m

And may God have mercy on all our dead

Songs I sing

Like the Mahatma [the line above and the line below are linked through the sound of the name and the figure of Mahatama Ghandi]

If we say lsquoan eye for an eyersquo

There wont be any eyes left in Sham [Damascus]

Bilad al-Sham [Greater Syria the wider Arab world]

From Palestine to the mountains of Lebanon

Before they made up these borders

From Iskandaroon to Kurdistan

Understand

Genghis Khan never deceived us quite like our ldquopaternal cousinsldquo [khan also means ldquodeceiveldquo in Arabic]

But our blood is their blood

Children of Adam -- who built their sins

Upon our shoulders -- we carried their burden

Why

God knows

But listen this little firecracker amp bicycle

Are better for you than 100 million guns

Wanna know why

Because they dont like seeing you smile

But smile you will - in your human being

A young cultured Arab male

Give them your stamp of approval

And if they still donrsquot accept you

Then remind them of the words of Elliye [Abi-Madhee a Lebanese poet whose poem begins with]

ldquoHow soon a piece of dirt can forget that all he really is is just dirtldquo [ie we are all from this earth amp

will come back to it so there is no logic in viewing yourself as better than someone else]

And that my friend is our destiny

7 Destiny

Omar Offendum

The Peace Revolution 20

21332892

eng - iTunNORM 000006D3 000006F2 000038BA 0000322F 0000E4FA 0000E4FA 00008716 0000864B 0002AB5E 000083D6

eng - iTunSMPB 00000000 00000210 0000094B 00000000008F7FA5 00000000 004108FB 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000

5150

O m a r O f f e n d u m

Dove of Peace

Spread your wings amp fly

Make it easier to borrow

The aesthetics you bite

Like all the Arabic loanwords

From Spaniards amp Morros

The Karma of Inquisition

Visions of horror

So whorsquos the explorer

Really was it Columbus

Muhammad al-Idrisi or Alfaragnus

Throw a Hobson Jobson

While you figure it out

Irsquom gonna start with a cipher

Thatrsquos a siffir [zero] - no doubt

See you might not have learned to live with me

But sure as hell canrsquot without

You are my

You are my

(Destiny)

Itrsquos hard livinrsquo in the West - when I know the East got the best of me

(Destiny)

Could be lookinrsquo in my eyes - but yoursquoll never really see the rest of me

(Destiny)

Can you hear me maseeri [my destiny] Bi-lingualrsquos what Irsquom blessed to be

(Destiny)

حمامة سالم افتحي أجنحتكي و طيري

I write right to left

You write left to right

Metaphor of a foreignerrsquos plight

Dressed to type

Stereo amp a mic

Scenario of a fight

The burial of a white

Imperial at his heightrsquos

A Turkish Rapperrsquos Delight

Semetic etiquette might

Just have you rollin your ldquoRrsquosldquo

Poetic amp light

And grab a hold of your sorrows

To relieve your tomorrows

7 Destiny

Omar Offendum

The Peace Revolution 20

21332892

eng - iTunNORM 000006D3 000006F2 000038BA 0000322F 0000E4FA 0000E4FA 00008716 0000864B 0002AB5E 000083D6

eng - iTunSMPB 00000000 00000210 0000094B 00000000008F7FA5 00000000 004108FB 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000

5352

O m a r O f f e n d u m

Dove of Peace

Spread your wings amp fly

Bitched out by the West

Press get a big shout

From the people gettinrsquo rich out of this (bout)

Now whatrsquos this really all about

Land money or power

It was the colonizerrsquos fault

But now itrsquos really just ours

Leavinrsquo a sour tase in our mouths

Like generational slave names

Whenever speakinrsquo out

Out-spoken leaders gettinrsquo taken out

Quicker than belligerent drunks in a bar

We a far cry from livinrsquo as one

T r a n s l a t e d b y t h e a r t i s t

(Destiny)

Itrsquos hard livinrsquo in the West - when I know the East got the best of me

(Destiny)

Could be lookinrsquo in my eyes - but yoursquoll never really see the rest of me

(Destiny)

Can you hear me maseeri [my destiny] Bi-lingualrsquos what Irsquom blessed to be

(Destiny)

حمامة سالم افتحي أجنحتكي و طيري

See arab [Arabs] shootin at each other

From Iraq to Falasteen [Palastine]

Syria to Libnan [Lebanon]

Algeria to Sudan

Pedagogy of the oppressed tricklinrsquo down

Conquerinrsquo through divisions

And sadly this isnrsquot the first time

One land one love one chance one blood

No fuss no fight Yeah right young blood

AKrsquos cheaper than a book

Crooked leaders in a hook

Gettinrsquo fished out

Missles gettinrsquo dished out

7 Destiny

Omar Offendum

The Peace Revolution 20

21332892

eng - iTunNORM 000006D3 000006F2 000038BA 0000322F 0000E4FA 0000E4FA 00008716 0000864B 0002AB5E 000083D6

eng - iTunSMPB 00000000 00000210 0000094B 00000000008F7FA5 00000000 004108FB 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000

5554

زي ما صار مبارح صار اليوم اطف التلفزيون امسك مايكروفون

زي ما صار مبارح صار اليوم اطف التلفزيون امسك مايكروفون

زي ما صار مبارح صار اليوم اطف التلفزيون امسك مايكروفون

زي ما صار مبارح صار اليوم اطف التلفزيون امسك مايكروفون

النه الوقت عم يسبق بقلك خي سالم بس اصبر

بدك تستني هاي اخلطط بعمرها ما تضبطبيدفعلك قد ما بدك عشان تسكت

واذا بتفتح متك طخة وحده وبعد بتسقط

s t o r m t r a p

What happened yesterday happens today

switch off your TV and grab a microphone

What happened yesterday happens today

switch off your TV and grab a microphone

What happened yesterday happens today

switch off your TV and grab a microphone

What happened yesterday happens today

switch off your TV and grab a microphone

Because time is racing

He keeps telling you peace is coming just be patient

You want to wait these plans never succeed

Hersquoll pay you as much as you want to keep you quiet

And if you open your mouth one shot will silence you

what happened yesterdayزي ما صار مبارح

Zey ma sar mbareh

Stormtrap

null

2009

1728613

eng - Visit httpstormtrapbandcampcom

5756

اركض اركض وخليك راكض

واذا بتفتح متك رح يقلك خليك ساكت رح يقلك انساك من هاملشاكل

حوشوا هالشواك وضبوا شناتكم واشتروا التذاكرففكر شوي وما تكنش أهبل

وين ما تروح في الدنيا رح تتبهدلمش شايف قدامي عم بسمع أصوات بيسألني

ليش لسه عايش هون روح عيش محل تانيبدي احك بس الكلمات مش طالعة من لساني

عنصرية هونن عنصرية هناك عنصرية كل ما اطلع برا الشباك

شيطان بيعمل حاله مالكبس هو بالواقع بدو يعيش بالك

جدار بيمثل عقلية ناس بدهاش تعيش معاك

زي ما صار مبارح صار اليوم اطف التلفزيون امسك مايكروفون

ما مبثل شخص او اشخاص مبثل فكرةاسم احلرية حاملينه

من بلد ما فيه حياة عاديةسواءا ضد االحتالل أو ضد العنصرية

أصواتكم وينايي خلوها تنسمع وتطلع نتائج ايجابية

فكمل كتابة او تسجيل وصدقني شغلك مش رايح عالفاضي

عشان الشي الوحيد اللي رح يروح هو احن اذا منضلنا علقانني فاملاضي

s t o r m t r a p

Run run

Keep running

And if you decide to speak hersquoll tell you just stay silent

Hersquoll tell you forget these problems

Save up some money pack your bags and buy your tickets

Think about it donrsquot be a fool

Wherever you go yoursquoll get humiliated

I canrsquot see in front of me Irsquom hearing voices asking

Why are you still living here Go live somewhere else

I want to respond but the words wonrsquot come out

Racism here racism there

Racism each time I look out the window

A devil in an angelrsquos disguise

In reality he wants to live without you

The apartheid wall represents the mentality of a people who donrsquot care to coexist

What happened yesterday happens today

switch off your TV and grab a microphone

I dont represent a person or a people I represent an idea

An idea called freedom

From a land lacking a normal life

Whether yoursquore struggling against occupation or against racism

Where is your voice

Let it be heard to achieve your goals

So keep writing and recording

Believe me your work wonrsquot be lost in vain

The only thing thatrsquoll disappear is us

If we stay stuck in the past

Zey ma sar mbareh

Stormtrap

null

2009

1728613

eng - Visit httpstormtrapbandcampcom

5958

شو الي حدثجينا من حتت األرض

هيهة القصة بدة عنا هدفوننشر أصواتنا لكل حدا

جيت من حتت أرض رام اللهما ح وقف اكتب كلمات وال مرة

عندي طاقة الزم أطلعها كل يوم وكل ساعةفاو انبنى مع الوقت ولسة عم بيطور تصور

تصورفاو انبنى مع الوقت ولسة عم بيطور تصور

زي ما صار مبارح صار اليوم اطف التلفزيون امسك مايكروفون

زي ما صار مبارح صار اليوم اطف التلفزيون امسك مايكروفون

s t o r m t r a p

What happened

We came from underground

The story begins we have an objective

To spread our voices to everyone

I came from the ruins of Ramallah and

I wonrsquot ever stop writing words

I have energy that I must release every day every hour

A flow thatrsquos been built and is still developing imagine

Imagine a flow thatrsquos been built and is still developing

What happened yesterday happens today

Switch off your TV and grab a microphone

What happened yesterday happens today

Switch off your TV and grab a microphone

T r a n s l a t e d b y t h e a r t i s t

Zey ma sar mbareh

Stormtrap

null

2009

1728613

eng - Visit httpstormtrapbandcampcom

6160

Wake up the People

Donrsquot doubt it

The Maker can see you

Right now

You want to get out and see doe

So clouded

Sell out to be dope

Right now

I see you plagued by your own doubt

Canrsquot step the game up

Like a snake when it rolled down

Staircase of a lone child

No bricks lain in a cold house

Where you sold out

All alone on an old couch

t h e N a r c i c y s t

No click like an untapped phone dial

Oh wow

I felt the same homie

Donrsquot shelter pain only

Then it came slowly

Never let the frame hold me (down)

Picture life for the love though

People tend to look the other way like Columbo

We deceived by the law just to love doe

Guess they took all the worth out to numb folks

And make a severed plan

Out of bitter man

What you want a medal man

Huh Do you really think yoursquore better than Then

All you really need is a long look

Two sixteens and a strong hook like

brassThis track was originally written in English

null

2149748

6362

Wake up the People

Donrsquot doubt it

The Maker can see you

Right now

You want to get out and see doe

So clouded

Sell out to be dope

Right now

Break

Hip hop like a fresh pelvis

Yoursquore gonna regret this shit like a dead Elvis

Busy wishing you could live less selfish

Crabs in a bucket duckinrsquo these dead shellfish

Industry got a brother feeling helpless

With an ill chorus and ride yoursquore more in the tide

When a flow canrsquot keep me above the water

t h e N a r c i c y s t

Let a wave carry me out and push me farther now

Internal Inferno ten journals written but Irsquom still not sure though

Do I really want to tour to jump hurdles To be heard

So-I-Can-Feel-Like-This

Man therersquos something that I might miss--

Naw Irsquove been bluffinrsquo

Lifersquos backwards like Ben Buttonsrsquo

Irsquom in love with the stage fright on a strange night

Feels good to get the words on a page right

Wake up the People

Donrsquot doubt it

The Maker can see you

Right now

You want to get out and see doe

So clouded

Sell out to be dope

Right now

null

2149748

6564

مبارح شفت بلمنام بيروت عمتغرق حتت رماد بركان فحموا الناس بس ال raquoسكاي بارlaquo كان بعده ولعان

بيروت ثبتت حبة الثورة اللي فينا نبتت ملا أحبطت نفوسنا من اجلمود

فينا بيروت حتركت عدم دمارنا وعدم حرية خيارنا

بيوت بيروت تعمرت سكرنا عجفاف دموعنا جفوننا عليها تسكرت فتخمرت

إذا بطلت تطير قدرك عألرض مقهور إذا وقفت تكسير بتصير جزء من الديكور

e l R a s s

Yesterday I dreamt Beirut was drowning under volcanic ash

The people were turned to charcoal but Sky Bar [a posh Beirut club] was still lit up

Beirut suppressed the seed of the revolution the one that sprouted

When our spirits were foiled from immobility

In us Beirut moved

On the blood of our destruction and the negation of our freedom of choice

The houses of Beirut are rebuilt

We got drunk on the dryness of our tears our eyelids closed on them and fermented

If you stop flying your destiny on land is distress

If you stop breaking you become part of the decoration

beirutبركان بيروت rsquos volcano

Blues

2125713

6766

بحاور بناور باآلخر بواجه التاج بتوضى بصلي بتوصلني أصوات أنات احملتاج

تأمل العلم بعري العمل من العمل خياري عنار خفيفة دوب املسمار وتستوي األفكار النظيفة

عمروا دمروا زمروا تذمروا ربك صبره دربه جربه

عقلن خربوا غربوا هربوا وقبلوا بالفن عحيط الشارع

عشرط ما يكون في شك بشارع هيدي مش عاصمة ثقافة هيدي حلبة املصارع بيروت ال تعرف في املاضي وال تعرب باملضارع

حتول التركيبة خلى العقل اجلامد فكر حاله مالك املدينة رقبته طويلة متل مالك احلزين وايده لوزيري

اعتبر نفسه أول مني اكتشف هلجزيرة بأجر الفقير شقق بأسعار مدروسة

بشكل تضل طموحاته ممعوسة نهبوا األرض من ربعي وصارت احلرب شركة استثمار مبفعول رجعي

حتت شعار إعادة اإلعمار لو ما كان خلص دوره وانتهى عقد االيجار

كان احلريري ما طار وما صار مطار احلريري عاصمة لبنان بتوازن بني ضريحني

واتنيناتن عاغتيالن في عالمة استفهام e واحد قدس املوت بس لسبب l R a s s

I discuss I maneuver ultimately I confront the crown

I perform ablutions I pray I receive the moaning of the needy

The meditation of knowledge strips work from hope

My choice is on low fire melting the nails and clean thoughts are ripening

They built they destroyed they honked they complained

Your god made him patient tested him and trained him

Their minds ruined westernized chased off

They accepted art pissed on back alleys

As long as there is no doubt in the streets

This is no capital of culture itrsquos a wrestling ring

Beirut canrsquot speak of itself in the past nor conjugate itself in the present

Transitions and transformations made the closed mind think he owns the city

His neck is long like a stork his fingers long like a politicianrsquos

He thinks himself the first who discovered this peninsula

He lets the poor rent apartments at prices studied

To crush ambitions

They stole the land from my cousins

And the war became a backward-looking investment

Under the slogan of reconstruction

If his time wasnrsquot up and his contract finished

Hariri didnrsquot have to fly and it wouldnrsquot have become the Hariri airport

Lebanonrsquos capital keeps balance between two shrines

And on both assassinations there is a question mark

One sanctifies death but for a reason

Blues

2125713

6968

واحد قدس احلياة بس بالكذب واحد بايدو حتول الذهب سم وواحد تخبى من الذهب بالدم

مني الشهيد

اللي مات حتت صبابيط ثورة عبيد شهيد اللي مات فتحول على حملة اعالنات هدفها ترفع الطايفة معدالت التجنيد

قنابل بالبريد وصل سيوف علوريد حصل

املوت للبليد صنم الصبر للعنيد حلم تأليه الشهيد ظلم

خليط احلديد والدم العالج والسم الرفاه والهم النوعية والكم

الدعارة وورقة التوت مبدينة بيروت علم

e l R a s s

And one sanctifies life with lies

In onersquos hand gold turned into poison

And the other hid from gold with blood

Who is the martyr

The one who died under the shoes of the oppressedrsquos uprising is a martyr

Is it he whose death was transformed into an advertising campaign to raise the levels of

sectarian enlistment

Bombs came in the mail

Swords to the jugular true stories

Death to the cold is statuette

Patience to the stubborn is a dream

Divinity to the martyr is oppression

The mixture of steel and blood the cure and poison

Luxury and distress quality and quantity

Prostitution and modesty

The science of the city of Beirut

T r a n s l a t e d b y M o e A l i N a y e l amp + A z i z

Blues

2125713

7170

بقرأ في اجلريدة زفت شوارع جديدة

إزالة مطبات و كثير أشياء هيك مفيدة أشخاص مستفيدة

دعم من هون و من هون منظمات بس احلرية بعيدة

مقاطعة مستوطنات تعون الضفة الغربية وطنية حصرية إدعائية

طب و فلسطني التاريخية مع ألساس كانت القدس عاصمة الثقافة العربية

بس كلوحكي سياسية للشعب إحنا نتحمل الشغل و التعب و الوضع صعب

b o i k u t t

Irsquom reading in the paper

About roads newly paved

Speed bumps removed and a lot of other useful stuff (yes very)

Certain inviduals benefit

Funding from here and there

Organizations are plentiful but freedom is far-fetched

Calling for a boycott of settlements around the West Bank

Pretentious exclusive nationalism

But what about historical Palestine

I thought Jerusalem was supposed to be the ldquocapital of Arab cultureldquo

But itrsquos all political speeches for the people

We put up with the work and the sweat and itrsquos rough

a letterرسالة من مقاطعة from boikutt

risaleh mn muqataa (pt1)

boikutt

null

2010

1086983

eng - iTunPGAP0

eng - iTunNORM 00000A1E 00000A0E 000099D9 000098A0 0000CC63 0000CC63 0000826D 000080B0 000131D0 000131D0

eng - iTunSMPB 00000000 00000210 000008F3 000000000049197D 00000000 0027BA9D 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000

7372

يقنعونا إن كلشي متام و بقدر أعيش حياة عادية

زي في األفالم على مبس واحد إثنني ثالثة أربعة إلخ

كن منيح و بتنزل عليك املصاري زخ نصيحة من أخ ألخ

خليك مستقل ألن اللعبة إنلعب فإبعد عن الفخ

خليهم يقعدوا يستنوا الدعم ليموتوا يلفلفوا داخل اجلدار حلد ما يفوتوا

في متاهات مبسافات مش محددة مجددة لتوسع التوسع مش مهددة

إنتهاك احتالل بس مش على الكل

في ناس في فلسطني هون حياتهم زي الفل مش عارف شو بيفكر

شكلوا مش داري شي يوم حنروح كل الدكاكني هي حتسكر

سالم

b o i k u t t

Try to convince me that everythingrsquos fine

And that I can lead a normal life

Like in the movies

On MBC one two three four etcetera

Be good and money will rain on you

Advice from one brother to another

Stay independent because the games are being played

So steer clear of the trap

Let them wait for foreign aid until they die

Spinning in circles within the apartheid wall until they enter

Into unlimited mazes with unspecified spaces

That are renewed to fit settlement expansion unthreatened

Violation occupation

But not for everyone

There are people here in Palestine living ldquothe good lifeldquo

I donrsquot know what hersquos thinking

Seems like he doesnrsquot know one day wersquoll be gone

And all these shops will close

Peace

T r a n s l a t e d b y t h e a r t i s t w i t h L o u b n a B i l a l i

risaleh mn muqataa (pt1)

boikutt

null

2010

1086983

eng - iTunPGAP0

eng - iTunNORM 00000A1E 00000A0E 000099D9 000098A0 0000CC63 0000CC63 0000826D 000080B0 000131D0 000131D0

eng - iTunSMPB 00000000 00000210 000008F3 000000000049197D 00000000 0027BA9D 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000

7574

الضغط عاليالعدو فات جاري احملادثات

صمت دوليكمية الغازى عم تزداد

تهجير جديد مولود جديدتكرر عزو مش تارك ورا شي مفيد غير غراب

من كل البيت ما تركو شي إال البابمن االرض ل سما مسافة عاليه

إمشي الصحرا وعد لياليوجنوما

كمشوا رئيس دولة بجورةحصار

توزيع مخدراتباألحمر تلون الفرات سجون معتقالتقبلة الوداع مع الصبات

تنصت بالشبكة خيانات باألزهر

k a t i b e h 5

The pressure is high

The enemy has entered discussions are taking place

Global silence

The numbers of the occupier are increasing

A new expulsion A newborn child

The perpetuation of an invasion that leaves behind it nothing of any use except for a crow

From an entire house they left nothing but the door

From the ground to the sky is a long distance

Walk the desert and count the nights

And its stars

They caught a president in a pit

Siege

Drug dealing the Euphrates is stained red prisons detention centers

A farewell kiss with a shoe

Networks wiretapped betrayals in Al Azhar

hold me back ifهديني اذا فيك you can

null

23098943

7776

حوار أديانالكف تنجس

متسح فيه وجك مع كل شروق عالوضوءتسمع شرارة فتيل مولوتوف ينادي أصوات تتلبى

باإلنفجار

هديني إذا فيك صرت موجود بكل مكانوجي مغبش عامل زي جيش زباتا

منصرخ بوجكم raquoاحلرية ل برغوتيlaquoإعالمكو بيعرفني كلماتكو حملت إسمي

شركاتكو بتهرب مني )كتيبه خمسه هديتي إذا فيك(

بتالقيني بني والد حفظوا غنية املخيماتبنفسية فالح عمال يزو املدينة

افالم تافهةبرنامج تافه

بتدور على مخك بتالقي مش موجوداخلليج يتحكم بإعالم

هادول حبوب التنومي ٦1 سنة بعدن مش شغالني

عالمادامك واخد وجهة نظري

ع محمل اجلدمسموح لك تستعجب وتظهر إنزعاجك بوجودي

ألني صديق لكل املشاهد الغير مرغوبة فيهاش بيختار حياتو بالتحديد بحكيلك هيك منحياها ومحد

ضغط رصاص وابارود بخليكاش حتيدالتجارب بتدلك عطريق

هديتي إذا فيك

k a t i b e h 5

A dialogue of religions

The hand is tainted

And with it you cleanse your face at ablution each sunrise

You hear the sparking of the fuse of a molotov calling voices respond

Explosion

Hold me back if you can I have become present everywhere

My face is concealed like the army of Zapata

We shout in your face ldquoFreedom for Barghoutildquo

Your media knows me your words have glimpsed my name

Your corporations flee from me

(Katibe Khamseh hold me back if you can)

Yoursquoll find me among children that have memorized the song ldquoAl Moukhayamatldquo

In the persona of a peasant that is visiting the city

Shallow films

Shallow programs

You look for your mind but you find it is not there

The Gulf controls media with its boundaries

These sleeping pills 61 years and theyrsquore still not effective

Great

As long as you are taking my point of view seriously

Yoursquore allowed to be taken aback and to show your irritation

Just like you show your irritation at my presence

Because I am a friend to all the images that are not desirable

This is how we live out these images and no one chooses their life specifically Irsquoll tell you

The pressure of bullets and gunpowder does not allow you to move away

Experience will guide you on the road

Hold me back if you can

null

23098943

7978

موقف واحد صريح من صميم روح لشعوب املقاومة ضمير ظهور البشرية

السبيل صعب ورا الغضبدعم لكل أسالوب محارب

د لنحرق نظامك منتدرب منجرب منخرب منستععم نحرق نظامك

هديتي إذا فيك

إطلع منيحمش رح تقدر توخذ كل شي من أول نظرة

نظرة عامة raquoبشرة مش بيضةlaquoجبني عريضة مكتوب مولود عنيد بالفطرة

فوت بالتقاليد عد التجاعيدلك هاي مش أول مرة

لغات ودراسات حط العلم بغالفمش رح تقدر تفهم ليه بعد في بارود ع الكتافلون األرض ولون الليل بيعطيك البني و السواد

بوعدك مش لوحدي رح أضل عد رماد الال اللعبة اجلديدة وال والدنا ع اللعبة جداد

بكفيش إنفلونزا الصقور صار في إنفلونزا اخلنازيرموسم مرض جديد لرئيس مبثل ع نفوس ومريض بهدوء البيض

هديتي إذا فيك

k a t i b e h 5

A single honest stance from the bottom of the soul for the people of the resistance the conscience

that exposes humanity

The path is difficult when following anger

A support for every style of battle

We train we strive we disrupt we prepare to burn your system

We are burning your system

Hold me back if you can

Look closely

You wonrsquot be able to see it all at first sight

An overview ldquocomplexion that is not whiteldquo

A broad forehead written born stubborn by nature

Look at the traditions and count the wrinkles

This is not the first time

Languages and scholarship put education under wraps

You wonrsquot be able to understand why there is still gunpowder on shoulders

The color of earth and the color of night gives you brown and blackness

I promise you that I will not be alone to count the ashes no

This game to us is not new and nor are our children new to the game

As if the influenza of eagles was not enough now therersquos the influenza of pigs

The season of a new disease for a president acting for a public and sick with the

calmness of white people

Hold me back if you can

null

23098943

8180

اإلحتالل نكه البشر بنكهة املجاريبالسالم حوار أديانبإقرار ملكية كذابة

بتشويه تاريخ وسرقة حضاراتولك أه

فلسطني إفريقيا الدجلة والفراتإجتاه البشرية لإلضمحالل سرطان بشري بعضها

الشتا ميسح اخلطايا واآلثاروليش بتتخبى وبتتغطى بنفس كل سفارة سميك الستار

لساتني باكل الضربة ورا الضره ورا الضربةوحتى ما أفعل وأساوي تكمشني الرجفة

بدل ما أضرب فيك بضرب بحاليبوعدكش حضلني كامش حالي حفلتها

حفلتها

هديني إذا فيك هديني إذا فيكهديني إذا فيك

k a t i b e h 5

The occupation has seasoned humanity with the flavor of sewers

With peace with dialogue of religions

With the declaration of false ownership

With the distortion of history and the theft of civilizations

Oh yes

Palestine Africa the Tigris and Euphrates

Humanity is leading to reduction a human cancer bites it

Exile wipes clean the sins and the traces

And why are you hiding and seeking cover when all the embassies are already well concealed

I am still taking one beating after another

And so that I donrsquot take action and do something shudders grip my body

Instead of beating you I beat myself

I canrsquot promise you that I can keep myself restrained

Irsquom gonna let go

Hold me back if you can

Hold me back if you can

Hold me back if you can

T r a n s l a t e d b y R i m a N a j d i a n d F a y s a l B i b i

null

23098943

8382

طول عمر الشعب املصري مع بعض أحلك الظروفبص وفر في التاريخ وانت ياما هاتشوف

الدين ده ليا وليكوفيا وفيك

حاجة روحانية بتخليك حتس اللي بيك

ايد في ايد نبني فيها من جديد

مصر زعلت علي حاصل وسطنا مش مفيد

بعد ثورة وبعد عيد فتنة تقتل حلم واتتحقق لنا

واحد اتننيالذكري بتعيش اكتر من عمر االنسان

بصمتنا تغييرنا جوة وبرة امليدان مش هانضيع نصر ثورتنا بفتنة نشئت بينا

A r a b i a n K n i g h t s + M C G a z a + A m e e r

The Egyptian people have always stuck together

Through the worst times look at history

And see how often wersquove been there for each other

That whole idea of religion

Is for you and for me something spiritual that makes you feel whatrsquos inside you

Hand in hand

We build Egypt up again

Egypt is angry at whatrsquos happening between us

Itrsquos not helpful

After the revolution after the celebration

Sectarian strife is killing the dream we fulfilled

One two

The memory lasts more than a lifetime

Our mark is our change in and outside Tahrir Square

We wonrsquot give up the victory of our revolution in exchange for sectarian strife between

us

hand inايد في ايد hand

Eid Fe Eid

Yasser Ameer Youssef Rush E Money amp MCGaza | by BOGEY

Single Hit track 11

20112011

Hip-Hop

24002867

eng - Hip-Hop 4 Life

eng - iTunNORM 000005E2 0000058E 0000424E 00003537 00026E95 0001C2B3 00008000 00008000 00005045 00005045

8584

بلدنا محتجانا ايدنا واحدة ضد احملنة تفرق ايه معاك ديانتي ملا ربك هو ربي

اصلك هو اصلي ارضك هي ارضي

ملا اتقال لي اكتت فيول فتنة انا قولت غلط علشان الفتنة مفتعلة في بلدنا وكان وراها غرض

فالفرد افترض فبفرض السياسة األمر اختلط

فالزم يبقي املصل سياسي من اصل املرض العسس واحلرس مافرقوش صليب وهالل

وكنا كلنا واحد وراء االقفالدم الشهيد شاهد

ياما بالفتنة انكسرنا وحدتنا بصوت واحد وضد الظلم انتصرنا

وديني هو ديني صلة بيني وبني ربي هارفع علمي وارفع راسي فوق

انا مصري

ايد في ايد نبني فيها من جديد

مصر زعلت علي حاصل وسطنا مش مفيد

بعد ثورة وبعد عيد فتنة تقتل حلم واتتحقق لنا

خلو حمامة السالم من الطيور املنقرضةعلشان تبقي القلوب مبتعدة منقسمه سهل تتسم

فكرين مناعة و قوة أم الدنيا بالطمع مرتبطةنسر املصريني ليس له دين احنا بنحميها بالدم

العنف بذوره بتكتر عاوز يوصل واحلروب حتصل

A r a b i a n K n i g h t s + M C G a z a + A m e e r

Our country needs us all together against the hard times

What difference does my religion make to you when your god is my god

Your origin is mine

Your land is my land

When they told me about sectarian strife I said thatrsquos wrong

Because itrsquos been planted in our country and behind it is some purpose

Makes one think somethingrsquos going on

By playing politics everythingrsquos gotten mixed up

The antidote has to be political just like the poison itself

The military doesnrsquot distinguish between cross and crescent

Wersquore all held together behind bars

The blood of the martyrs bears witness

To how much wersquove been broken by sectarianism

Through our unity we triumphed with one voice over injustice

And my religion is my own a rapport between me and God

Irsquoll raise my flag and my head up

Irsquom Egyptian

Hand in hand

We build Egypt up again

Egypt is angry at whatrsquos happening between us

Itrsquos not helpful

After the revolution after the victory

Sectarian strife is killing the dream we fulfilled

They drove the dove of peace to extinction

To keep hearts apart and divided itrsquos easy to poison them

Do they really think the resilience and strength of Egypt is connected to greed

The Egyptian eagle has no religion we protect it with our blood

The roots of violence are increasing want to gain control to start wars

Eid Fe Eid

Yasser Ameer Youssef Rush E Money amp MCGaza | by BOGEY

Single Hit track 11

20112011

Hip-Hop

24002867

eng - Hip-Hop 4 Life

eng - iTunNORM 000005E2 0000058E 0000424E 00003537 00026E95 0001C2B3 00008000 00008000 00005045 00005045

8786

للعاقيدة يكسر وألعضاء املشاعر تتشال تصتأصلعلى كالم ربهم اتكبرو فعملو قدر واتقدر

وقته مستنينه ليه خططوا مضمون الرسائل اتغير الن الهدف هو تدمير قعدة الوحدهوقتل كل قائد يقود الناس بره احملنه

فيبقي سهل يزيحنا ميحي أوصول عليها كبرناوكل واحد علي حداه يقول أنا محدش يقول احنا

فاببطء بحرص بص بعقل بحذر شوفقبل ما يخلوا خيالك يتخلله اخلوف

واخلوف ده افراز بيطلع من غده ملا الكلب بيشوفهابيعرف انك فاريسه سهل ياكلها ركز

فرق تسد إخلعوفق جتد إرفع

ثورة تقدصمت يفرد- يفرق

ما بيجمع بيننامن حقي النقد من حقك - تسمع

طب إسمع وراجع ما صور التاريخ طب باله بيكفي صور زمانييوم حصار كنيسة املهد مني دافع مني اتقمع مني اتنفا

مسلم مسيحي أل كان فلسطيني اتذكر معي ثورة غضب يناير

اتذكر معي الوحدة اإليد الوحدة اتشرف انتا مصرياتذكر معي األخ بإيد األخ يحمي األخ بدون إلخ

كالمي ماشي ماشي ال-لتفهمني بهويتي مسلم وال نصراني قبطي

ما في حجة لربطي خلبطي حلطي ألوطي ألغير خطيخير أجناد األرض

من أرض بيت املقدس كل السالم بعد ما قلت إلنقسام في وطنيانا ملزم أقول ال لفتنة

تفتت مجد شعب تعب عانى ضحى بالغالي حتى بناه

A r a b i a n K n i g h t s + M C G a z a + A m e e r

The relationship between Egyptians breaks down and the organs that feel are taken out

They got full of themselves in the name of their god and invented a new fate for us

Theyrsquore waiting for a time and theyrsquore plotting The meaning of their messages changes

Because the goal is to destroy the foundation of unity

And kill every leader who takes the people out of hard times

Itrsquos easy to remove us to wipe out the traditions we grew up with

Everyone on his own everyone says ldquoIldquo and no one says ldquoweldquo

Slowly carefully look Wisely with caution see

Before they make your imagination a slave to fear

And that fear releases a secretion from a gland

And when the dog sees it he knows yoursquore easy prey

Divide yoursquoll conquer

Bring harmony and yoursquoll reap Start

A revolution and it will catch on

Silence is solitary It divides

It doesnrsquot bring us together

It is my right to criticize and your right to listen

So listen and look back at history or better look at my life time

The day the Nativity Church was under siege who was persecuted Who was exiled

A Muslim A Christian No he was Palestinian

Letrsquos remember the angry revolution of January

Letrsquos remember the unity the one hand Be proud yoursquore Egyptian

Remember the brother holding hands with a brother protecting a brother

And I can go on

Donrsquot teach me about my identity whether Irsquom a Muslim or a Christian Copt

Therersquos no excuse to tie me down beat me to make me cower and kneel and stray from my courseThe Earthrsquos most virtuous soldiers

Come from the land of Bayt al-Maqdis [Jerusalem] I salute you After I said no to division in my countryIrsquom committed to saying no to seditionThat dissolves the glory of a people who labored suffered sacrificed what was most dear to build it

T r a n s l a t e d b y A l e x O r t i z + A h m e d S h a w k e t + K h a l e d A l H i l l i

Eid Fe Eid

Yasser Ameer Youssef Rush E Money amp MCGaza | by BOGEY

Single Hit track 11

20112011

Hip-Hop

24002867

eng - Hip-Hop 4 Life

eng - iTunNORM 000005E2 0000058E 0000424E 00003537 00026E95 0001C2B3 00008000 00008000 00005045 00005045

8988

الفن واملواهب زي حرب الكواكب الكل عايز يكون جنم صراع في الداخل

بهدي جنون العظمة بفلفل حر توابل تسيل دموع زي القنابل

زي مابتكلم وداني شغالة كون سامع نبض الشارع علشان أ

حالف أقضي على اإلعالم املتآمر مغامر في الكالم بس إنت مش سامع

ملا بأمسك القلم والورقة الهم بينزاح مخي بيرتاح بأقول اللي على البال

ملا بأقعد بحس بتأنيب ضمير كون في ستوديو بسجل على بيت خطير مفروض أ

e l D e e b + S t o r m t r a p

Art and talent are like Star Wars

Secretly everyone wants to be a star of conflict

I make megalomania tranquil with chilli hot spices

Tears flow like bombs

Thatrsquos how I talk and the world keeps moving

So that I can hear the pulse of the streets

Irsquove sworn to obliterate the media conspirators

I am adventurous in my speech but you do not hear

When I hold the pen and the paper my anxiety is lifted

My mind relaxes and I say whatrsquos on it

When I sit down I feel guilty

I should be in the studio recording dangerous beats

addictأدمان الشهرة ion to fame

Edman El Shuhra

Stormtrap amp Mohamed El Deeb

2011

Hip-Hop

15305855

- vocals Mohamed El Deeb Stormtrap13produced by Stormtrap

9190

إحساس غريب إنك تدمن الكالم ارسم يا فنان واخترع زي دافينشي الرسام

ولو مفيش ورقة باستخدم تليفوني خايف إن فكرة متعديش على صوتي

دنيا غريبة يوم مر يوم بونبوني بس أنا عمري ماغيرت لوني

املوسيقى بنادولي وبطابعي فضولي مهما قالوا لي هافهمها مبفهومي فـساعات أالقي نفسي بكلم نفسي واسمع أصوات غريبة في دماغي

وهو ده الصدى الصوت اللي بسمعه اكن مفيش حد فارقة معاه احالمي

شوف شوف مش هدف إنو أنا شخصيا أنا

هدفي انه كلماتي وموسيقتي تنتشرعشان هيك حتشوفني دوما مستمر مستثمر

كل وقتي كل طاقتي على أصواتي خوذ شك خوذ حتويل خوذ كاش

بس ما تنساش أي شي بيتعلق بالواقع بدناش ما تخاف ألنها قضيتنا مش منسية مية باملية هايذي ثورة كمان ثقافية

خليني أوضح هاي املوسيقى مش معمولة للتلفازeهاي املوسيقى مش معمولة لهز الطياز l D e e b + S t o r m t r a p

Strange feeling to be out of words

Paint oh artist and discover like Da Vinci the artist

If I donrsquot have paper I use my cell

I am afraid that the idea does not come through my voice

Strange world one day is bitter another like candy

But Irsquove never changed my color

Music is my Tylenol and my nature curious

So whatever they tell me Irsquoll understand it my way

Sometimes I find myself talking to myself

And I hear weird voices in my head

Which is just the echo of the sound I hear

As if no one cares about my dreams

See see

My goals are not self serving

My goal is that my words and music spread

Thatrsquos why yoursquoll see me always and continuously investing

All my time my energy on my sounds

Take a check take a transfer take cash

But never forget anything related to reality wersquore not interested

Donrsquot be afraid because our cause is not forgotten

One hundred percent this is also a cultural revolution

Let me explain this music is not meant to be televised

This music is not made for booty shaking

Edman El Shuhra

Stormtrap amp Mohamed El Deeb

2011

Hip-Hop

15305855

- vocals Mohamed El Deeb Stormtrap13produced by Stormtrap

9392

مش فاهم ليش الكل قاتل حاله يكون في مسابقةحابني نتصابح حياكم زات املكافحة

واالعالم ميت ع حيالله قصة ما بيدرس هالقصة من نصها

وبعدن بينفخهامش احلق علينا اذا ما بيبحثوا

وملا يبدوا يحكوا عنا أل عنجد بيبعصوابيفكروا انه كل شي هشك بشك

بس حدن الزم يقلهم انه الهب هوب مش هيكبدك تدير بالك عشانها هاي اللحظة احلاسمة

ملا يجوا عليك الديب والعاصفةنكسر حدود وبنبني وحدة عشان نحيي مجتماعاتنا

وننهي معانتناعشان هيك منكتب كلمات صريحة والها معنى

مش للشهرة مش حتى يجي حدن يدفعلنا

e l D e e b + S t o r m t r a p

I donrsquot understand why everyone is killing themselves to be in the contest

Wersquod like to say goodmorning to salute you in this same struggle

The mediarsquos dying for any story

But they donrsquot study the storyrsquos real text

And then they blow it out of proportion

Itrsquos not our fault if they donrsquot search

And when they talk about us then they really screw it up

They think everything is empty pointless

Somebody needs to tell them that hip hop is not like that

You should take care because this is the critical moment

When the wolf and storm come haunting you

We break borders and we create a unity to revitalize our communities

And stop our suffering

That is why we write frank words that have meaning

Itrsquos not for fame or even so that someone pays us

T r a n s l a t e d b y N i z a r G h a n e m

Edman El Shuhra

Stormtrap amp Mohamed El Deeb

2011

Hip-Hop

15305855

- vocals Mohamed El Deeb Stormtrap13produced by Stormtrap

9594

حضل عهل مود يعنيما إنتلك النجوم عم تقرب

بهل ال مود حكون عطول لبهل جنوم إدءر لو مضطر شن هجوم عل النجوم كلها

خللي األرض تدور حول أصبعي تنلك

ما إنتلك متلي متلك مولع طيار ألفكاري من العقدي تنفك فرد قعدي بني 4 حيطان ما بتنهز و منها ما بنهز

يلز املا بينلزالكاس عل الطاولي و منو عم مز مز

لتفتل براصي وحس من حالي عم كز كزعل ورقة كالمي مدروس و ما بزت زت بجرب ما عيد حالي متا يقولو عم نق نق

موزع قافياتي جواز كأن عم فت فت

بهل األطشة خلي الديني اللي تسمعني ترن رنFبسبيلي جاري يوم ع يوم عم برك رك a r e e q e l A t r a s h

Irsquoll stay in this mood

Didnrsquot I tell you The stars are getting closer

Irsquoll stay in this mood until I touch these stars

Even if I have to launch an attack on all the stars

Irsquoll make the Earth rotate around my finger I told you

Didnrsquot I tell you Irsquom just like you I lit up a joint so my ideas would untie their knot

Sitting this way in between four walls I wonrsquot budge

The most delectable

Drink is on the table from which Irsquom taking sips

Till my head starts spinning and Irsquom sick of myself

On the paper my words are calculated I donrsquot just toss them about

I try not to repeat myself so they wonrsquot say Irsquom nagging

I deal my rhymes out like theyrsquore cards

In this verse Irsquoll make those ears ring

My fountain is running and every day I excel

tالنجوم عم تقرب he stars are gett ing closer

null

29781717

9796

لضل ماشي جالس بينما غيري عم بلك لك شريط معلق ريحة العة عم بتفح فحكل ما فتح متو بتالقي عم بكب كب

عايشها إرهاب و مفي إال بسب سببزبالتي ما بكبو تيكون بعلمك

األالف مسم و بحياتو ما بينسم بزقة من هل التم تخلي سقفك ينش نش

تلمو ردم و ما تفكر إنو ترد رد و عم بحكي عالواطي متا الصالي فيك ترج رج

بطبعي عاقل بس بالراب بزل زل عل الرايق بال ما نط وال فز فز

type of shitعال بارد أبرد من شباط بس يقز قزتخلي عضامك ع بعض تسك سك

ما إنتلك النجوم عم تقرب بهل ال مود حكون عطول لبهل جنوم إدءر

لو مضطر شن هجوم عل النجوم كلهاخللي األرض تدور حول أصبعي تنلك

أنا متنبئ بنبه و بحقق ما قلتلك بعد وقتها ما عم نكت

عاملكرفون إبرة هرون عم بشكشك في شكcheck one two

هيك بدسدس عالنبض

F a r e e q e l A t r a s h

So I can walk straight when others are still playing

A broken record that reeks of a musty smell

Every time he opens his mouth he spews them out

He lives in terror and all he does is curse

I wouldnrsquot throw him in my garbage just so you know

Irsquove irritated thousands and never been irritated in my life

One spit out of this mouth will make your roof leak

And yoursquoll pick up the rubble and donrsquot even think about answering back

Irsquom talking in a low voice so the hall wonrsquot shake with you in it

Irsquom reasonable by nature but when it comes to rap I humiliate cold-heartedly

Without jumping or leaping around

I do it coldly colder than icy February-type of shit

Irsquoll make your bones rattle against each other

Didnrsquot I tell you The stars are getting closer

Irsquoll stay in this mood until I touch these stars

Even if I have to launch an attack on all the stars

Irsquoll make the Earth rotate around my finger I told you

Irsquom a psychic I predict and deliver

Didnrsquot I tell you to stand back when Irsquom not joking

Irsquom pricking the microphone with a heroin needle Is there any doubt

Check one two

Thatrsquos how I feel the pulse

null

29781717

9998

بدقق و زتزت حكي بتزجزج كأنها مزهزها عم بتشمشم عم خطط عم تكتيك و مني ملحلح من هون للساعة توقف تك تيك تك تيك

لك ليك منفخ حاله عامبيكازيب عا غيري بس بوجهي بتاءتإوجهه بيباءبإ من أد ما بعصب بسبسب

زر إنذار إذني بتطنطن و بشوف من عالباب عم بدقدق

عكروت بدو يفوت ليشوف الفن فني بس الفن هون بجسمي معبأ

من حلقي طايف و من متي عم بت شرشر و بيس البيس زلزال برجرج خليك تضبضب تنضب بالبيت لتكنكن

و أنا متأسف ألني بدي استأذن بس بعد شفت كابتشينو بتصحصح

ما إنتلك النجوم عم تقرببهل ال مود حكون عطول لبهل جنوم إدءر

لو مضطر شن هجوم عل النجوم كلهاخللي األرض تدور حول أصبعي تنلك

هيدا هب هوبمش هبل و ال بهل

هيدا زجل تتغزل في

ورايي إيقاع عليي إتبع و ما إطلع عنو يا بصير متل غير مسيس

زقفوا مع االيقاعزقفوا مع االيقاع

F a r e e q e l A t r a s h

Checking and hurling words that tickle as if I was high and sniffing

I am planning and scheming and Irsquom not going anywhere till the clock stops ticking

Look hersquos so full of it lying to others but in my face he stutters

And his face turns red from all the anger and he curses

My earsrsquo alarm bells start ringing

And I go to see whorsquos knocking at the door

Some bastard who wants to see where ldquothe artldquo is

But the art is right here packed in my body

Flowing from my throat running out of my mouth

And the bass is an earthquake that shakes and forces you to pack up and go home

And Irsquom sorry because I need to take leave

But after a sip of cappuccino yoursquoll come around

Didnrsquot I tell you The stars are getting closer

Irsquoll stay in this mood

Until I touch these stars even if I have to launch an attack on all the stars

Irsquoll make the Earth rotate around my finger I told you

This is hip hop

Itrsquos not stupid nor dumb

Itrsquos zajal [a form of Arabic poetry in the Levant]

That you flirt with

There is a beat that I have to follow canrsquot lose it or Irsquoll be like other MCs

Clap with the beat

Clap with the beat

T r a n s l a t e d b y K h a l e d A l H i l l i

null

29781717

101100

انا ببلعهم بتفهم وال مره بسبهمبخليهم داميا يضاربو بتفكيرهم

أنا وراهم قدامهم جنابهم محتلهممش طايقهم مرات وزنهم بكون منزلهم

مرتبهم صاففهم وبقلم أنا حاكمهم زاتتهم مش عاجبيني أنا ماحيهم قائدهم وبنفس الوقت أنا عبيدهم

وبفك وربط أنا بلعب مبعانيهمانا حاميهم بأسطر اللي تقويهم

انا واعدهم اني أستر على فاضحهم ومطلعهم بصوره اللي تبشعهم

بس أنا محترمهم وبسطور ساجنهم مكتفهم كأسير بجنازير القهر

ومهديهم بحبل اللي يبشر بالصبر وانا لي الفخر أكون الشوك اللي فيهم

Dوأكون القهر اللي داميا يسقيهم A M

Yo this is dedicated to the lyrics

Irsquom swallowing them spitting them never dissing them

Giving them freedom of speech

Irsquom behind them in front of them because of them always standing with them

Sometimes get sick of them sick of how you abuse them

Gather them in line with my pen I order them

Didnrsquot like it Throwing them out and replacing them

Irsquom their leader and also their slave

Small changes make huge differences

I train them in pages to make them strong

Promising to use them not abuse them

Or allow the wrong mouths to utter them

Approach them with a military mind and find peace in them

Irsquom lucky to be full of thorns and even luckier that I found the lyrics

So theyrsquoll help me find the roses in me

wordsكلمات

null

26837427

103102

raquoالكل سمعك بس السؤال اذا اللي سمعك فهمكlaquoكلمات ليست كالكلمات بل raquoعالماتlaquo

اللي توجهنا وين مابدنا عحبال السيرك هي تثبتنا ريح العالم من كل جهه اذا احنا ضعاف بتوقعنا بس

raquoأل بلمره ألlaquo raquoكلمات عندي طنlaquoكل واحده الها هدف اخدت حرف عحرف

نسجت جمل اللي البسهم وقت البرد raquoراح اضلني اناديlaquo raquoبنحكي كلماتlaquo

انت بتعرف انهم مبنصب شهاد بحكو املاضي وتنبوا حاضر أي بالد

قد ماحكيت قد ما أحكي فش كالم يغطي بسفي كالم يربي وينمي انت بس أروي

في شوف انه قوه والقوه بتقويفيك و أن رويته مصيره يسقيك )مثل للقوه( العدو من أمامكم

والبحر من ورائكم فال تخيبوا أسيادكمفأين أشعاركم وأين مجادلتكم

فأنتم تسكتون وتخمدون أحالمكم)انهي( نهيت ورجعت للعامية بكلمات

مرمية طالعه من عقليه شعبيهمتل جنيب اللي بذاكرة كل واحد محفوظ مدروس واذا أل معناته في خلل معكوس

عاملجتمع اللي قمع كتاباته Dاللي سمح لنسيانه يشيل خطواته A M

ldquoThey all hear you but few listen to youldquo

Lyrics ainrsquot just a bunch of words they are ldquosignsldquo

Leading us stabilizing us on tight ropes

Winds every way if we are thin we will fall

ldquoBut hell noldquo ldquoyou can measure my words in tonsldquo

Every word has a meaning I knitted a letter with another letter

Made warm sentences to wear in cold days

ldquoSo Irsquoll still shoutldquo ldquowe control lyricsldquo

You know lyrics are like a witness

They witnessed the past and forecast the future

As much as I said or say I canrsquot describe them

But there is a way to find the description and thatrsquos through them

Quench the thirst of the pages with them

So in the future itrsquoll quench your thirst

Keep feeding them as soon as they grow up

Theyrsquoll give you strength

ldquoExample for the strengthldquo

ldquoThe enemy is before you the sea is behind you

So donrsquot you dare disappoint our ancestors

Where are our deep poems Where are our strong statements

From generation to generation we kill our dreamsldquo

ldquoEnough philosophizingldquo ok lets get back to street talk

Words coming outta simple minds

Like Najeeb Mahfuz [literally lsquowell-rememberedrsquo also a famous author]

They keep living in our minds

And if you donrsquot know who he is - then I rest my case

null

26837427

105104

raquoالكل سمعك بس السؤال اذا اللي سمعك فهمكlaquoكلمات ليست كالكلمات بل raquoعالماتlaquo

اللي توجهنا وين مابدنا عحبال السيرك هي تثبتنا ريح العالم من كل جهه اذا احنا ضعاف بتوقعنا بس

raquoأل بلمره ألlaquo raquoكلمات عندي طنlaquoكل واحده الها هدف اخدت حرف عحرف

نسجت جمل اللي البسهم وقت البرد raquoراح اضلني اناديlaquo raquoبنحكي كلماتlaquo

ألف با كبايه أوعك تكسرهاامسكها للنهاية وكل ما تفضى مليها

كلمه أو رواية ومع املراحل زيدها شيحكاية وهيك ضلك زود فيها

وجيبها لتجمعاتك وساعتها استعملها لنقاشاتك وملواقفك استخدمها

هادي مدافعك اللي مداها بسيطرتك وما دافعك انه ما تخليها رايتك

ما هي تكتب ما هي توصف ما هي تكذب ما هي تنصف

ما هي هي الهروب هياللجوء هي الدروب هي

العبور باحلدود واللي مبرؤهم مبدع وبفوز باخللود واللي بسرقهم مش مقنع

واذا بتديهم احلرية بنادوك ممنوعDواذا بتوخد احلريه بنادوك مسموح A M

ldquoThey all hear you but few listen to youldquo

Lyrics ainrsquot just a bunch of words they are ldquosignsldquo

Leading us stabilizing us on tight ropes

Winds every way if we are thin we will fall

ldquoBut hell noldquo ldquoyou can measure my words in tonsldquo

Every word has a meaning I knitted a letter with another letter

Made warm sentences to wear in cold days

ldquoSo Irsquoll still shoutldquo ldquowe control lyricsldquo

The Arabic alphabet is like a glass donrsquot break it

Hold it tight and keep filling it

And then bring it to our arguments

Scream till your throat gets dry and then wet it

It holds our body itrsquos like our legs

If you stand for nothing yoursquoll fall for anything

The words write create

They kill lead and sometimes even lie

You can use them to build borders

And those who are gifted

Can use them to walk through borders

And in some governments

Itrsquos forbidden to give words freedom

But if you choke them and kill them

Thatrsquos allowed

F i g u r a t i v e t r a n s l a t i o n o f f e r e d b y t h e a r t i s t s

null

26837427

107106

further reading

The tracks presented in this document are not a comprehensive sampling of the genre of the market of hip hop in Arabic or of hip hop and rap in the wider Middle East

Artists featured here hail from Egypt Lebanon Palestine and the anglophone Arab diaspora The thriving North African hip hop scene is not represented nor is the work of the established francophone Arab diaspora nor the expanding hip hop scenes of especially Iran or Turkey

This collection does not attempt a comprehensive chronology Tracks featured here are not primarily new releases (though some are) neither are they all ldquoclassicsrdquo These limitations of scope are important to note

Many tracks of the popular Libyan group Ibn Thabitt and other groups from across the region have been translated and are hosted with commentary on the notable blog

revolutionaryarabrapblogspotcom

Another valuable resource is the Beirut-based blog by Jackson Allers ldquoBeats and Breathrdquo which features articulate critiques and reviews of events and releases from the region

jacksonallerswordpresscom

Hass Dennaoui (alias Big Hass) who recently launched started the first all hip-hop FM radio show in Saudi Arabia Laish Hip Hop (Why Hip Hop) manages a lively blog which

hosts an internet feed of his radio show and interviews with MCs and influential hip hop figures from around the world

revoltradioblogspotcom

Lebaneseundergroundcom hosts coverage of underground music in Lebanon including hip hop

And finally an excellent article by Hishaam Aidi on implications of the use of hip hop as foreign policy ldquoThe Grand (Hip-Hop) Chessboard Race Rap and Raison DrsquoEtatrdquo was published in The Middle East Report Fall 2011 Excerpts of the piece were published by Al Jazeera English in the article ldquoLeveraging Hip Hop in US Foreign Policyrdquo

All the artists and many of the translators whose work is showcased here host a significant online presence Their sites are listed with more about each of them on the following pages

109108

artist bios

ARABIAN KNIGHTZ the premier hip hop group from the land of the Nile River have not only established themselves as the lyricists with the sharpest swords in their land but they have also created the most consistent voice for rebellion strength and hope for the youth of the Middle East During the 2011 Revolution Arabian Knightz released two singles ldquoRebelrdquo and ldquoNot Your Prisonerrdquo anthems of resistance which gained worldwide attention and major media coverage for their powerful lyrics against a wicked system The group formed in 2006 through the cipher hip hoprsquos natural way of choosing like mindsets on the mic Rush Sphinx and E-Money were ahead of their peers adapting an authentic Arab perspective to the art dominated by Western voices mixing English and Arabic raps After hitting the studio for successful underground tracks AK enlisted super-producer Fredwreck (Snoop Dogg Xzibit Tha Dogg Pound) ldquoFokkakrdquo the single from this studio session was an instant hit and (surprisingly for Arabic Hip Hop) projected them to the top ten of the singles charts Arab League Records was formed amidst a growing fanbase and numerous collaborations with other Arab hip hop artists the first international Arab hip hop record label Desert Saga Volume 1 mixtape was the debut release led by ldquoThe Onerdquo featuring Egyptrsquos MC Amin Arabian Knightz have recorded their debut album Uknighted State of Arabia a masterpiece for Arab hip hop years in the making featuring instrumentals dominated by traditional percussions and players are scheduled for a Winter 2012 Release They are on Facebook

BOIKUTT is a musician and MC based in Ramallah Palestine Creating sounds using sampled material field recordings and electronic devices the results range between hip-hop downtempo ambient glitch and experimental He has composed and produced music for artists such as Kronos Quartet Bukue One Spiritchild Tamer Abu-Ghazaleh Bleubird and others and has appeared as an MC on albums for artists such as Slovo Heliodrome Bonnot and Lethal Skillz A co-founder of the Ramallah Underground Collective which has toured across the Arab World Europe and Australia Boikutt is also co-founder and member of audio-visual group Tashweesh with whom he is currently touring Also as a solo performer he has been in Beirut Cairo Manila Copenhagen London Hamburg Dubai Bethlehem and other cities He has produced and exhibited a few sound-art pieces composed several film scores has most recently composed the music for a dance theater performance entitled Bound by

New York-based company Yaa Samar Dance Theatre and is now working on different collaborative and solo projects His work may be heard at soundcloudcomboikutt and on Facebook

DAM Da Arabian MCrsquos are Suhell Nafar Tamer Nafar and Mahmoud Jreri The first Palestinian hip hop crew and among the first to rap in Arabic the group began working together in the late 1990s Struck by the uncanny resemblance of the reality of the streets in a Tupac video to the streets in their own neighborhood of Lyd they were inspired to tell their stories through hip hop Their timely song ldquoMin Irhabirdquo (ldquoWhorsquos the Terroristrdquo) was downloaded a million times shortly after its internet realese in 2001 and DAM became a household name among youth throughout the Middle East Ten years of performing all over the world has strengthened the grouprsquos commitment to continue living and working in their hometown of Lyd 15 minutes from Tel Aviv and working to provide the youth of the city and neighboring communities with programs and opportunities that have been denied to Palestinian citizens of Israel Their music is a unique fusion of East and West and encompasses influences as varied as Ghassan Kanafani Ahlam Mosteghanemi Mahmoud Darwish Naji al Ali Tupac Biggie Public Enemy MBS Krsquonaan and Pharoahe Monch IHDA (Dedication) DAMrsquos long-awaited first international album was released in 2007 and DAM has seen its songs and members featured in films such as Ford Transit (Dir Hany Abu Assad) Where in the World is Osama Bin Laden (Dir Morgan Spurlock) Salt of this Sea (Dir Annemarie Jacir) Local Angel and Forgiveness (Dir Udi Aloni) DAMrsquos history and influence on the Arab hip hop scene is detailed in the feature-length documentary Slingshot Hip Hop (Dir Jackie Reem Salloum) The group has also been featured in Vibe National Geographic Rolling Stone Q Basement Reuters and The New York Times and has appeared on MTV CNN BBC and Al Jazeera Their work can be heard and explored at damrapcom

EL DEEB first ventured into Egyptian Hip Hop when he joined Asfalt in 2005 He left in 2007 to create Wighit Nazara duo represented by Mohamed Yasser and himself It was a successful musical project that lasted until mid 2010 Currently he is working on his solo career with plans to release an EP every couple of months or so Cairofornia is his first solo EP His work may be heard at deebbandcampcom and on Facebook

EL RASS was born in Tripoli Lebanon He started writing poetry in literary Arabic at age 11 and started rhyming in spoken Lebanese dialect in 1999 at age 15 At that time he formed one third of a group of 3 MCrsquos going under the name of ldquoMlouk el Micrdquo (ldquoKings of the Micrdquo) They recorded one album and performed locally At 17 he left for France to study Finance and Economics Studies were hard money was scarce and exile was tough but music and poetry never left him as he continued rhyming with some underground French MCrsquos like Medline and Moebius and developed new musical skills on percussion in classical Arabic singing and baglama (turkish buzuk) After graduating and working for almost two years in the hell of banking and market finance El Rass decided to return to Lebanon He spent a year just re-discovering Beirut and making and learning music He now works as a journalist at the newspaper Assafir while concurrently pursuing joint projects with other producers and musicians He calls his work Taalik in reference to the same word in Arabic for ldquocommentrdquo and another word that comes from the same semantic root moaallakat which is a corpus of selected pre-Islamic poetry that was written with gold ink on the walls of the Karsquoaba in Mecca His work may be heard at soundcloudcomElRass

FAREEQ EL ATRASH is a hip hop band based out of Hamra St Beirut with a sound that is distinguished by laid back topical flows over live instrumentation It consists of Edd (raps) Nasser (raps) FZ (vocal production and FX) Fouad Afra (drums) Goo (plays guitar keys heart strings) and Abed Kobeissy (plays bass and buzuk) Their 2010 album and 2009 prealbum are available online More of their work may be found on Facebook Eddrsquos solo work can also be heard at soundcloudcomEdd

H2Z was born in Kuwait in 1986 where he lived for four years Due to the gulf war his family moved to Lebanon where he lived for the most part of his life Inspired by the tragic events in the Middle East and elsewhere in the world H2Z adopted rap music as a way to raise awareness about the injustices suffered by his people and to deliver a message through his music to anyone who supports the Palestinian cause His career began in 2004 when he was introduced to the production business by fellow rappers and soon he started producing his own tracks and established a local band producing many tracks for himself and other musicians in Lebanon In 2008 he released his first solo album titled 3aed which contained

17 tracks The political influence was noticed throughout the album and was generally well-received He is now studying for a degree in business administration at Wayne State University in Michigan His work may be heard at reverbnationcomh2z

KATIBEH 5 are based in Borj el Barajneh Lebanon Their work can be found at reverbnationcomkatibeh5 and myspacecomkatibe5palestine and on Facebook

M1 is Mutulu Olugbala of the New York based collective Dead Prez whose work is online at deadprezcom M1 is also on Facebook

MC GAZA is Adnan Mahmoud Ghonim an Algerian born artist and university student based in Gaza It was the beginning of 2005 when he attended one of the hip hop concerts in Gaza City ndash Gaza City that never appreciated the art he loved and attached himself to ndash and it was love at first sight between them Through some of the concerts he participated in a number of songs he collaborated on with Arabs from Egypt Algeria and Palestine and some active participation to represent the Palestinian people and interviews for both Arab and foreign press he was able to make a name for himself in the Gazan hip hop community His work may be found at youtubecomMCGaza and on Facebook

THE NARCICYST Having pioneered the Arab Hip-Hop movement with seminal Iraqi-Canadian crew Euphrates The Narcicyst recently broke through borders and shattered traveling etiquette touring solo around the world sharing stages with the likes of Brother Ali Mos Def and Kanye West to name a few On top of music The Narcicyst is a celebrated theorist whose academic work Fear of an Arab Planet has him from the stage to the classrooms of internationally renowned universities He is now also a professor at Concordia University teaching a Fine Arts course ldquoHip-Hop Past Present and Futurerdquo His writings have been published by multiple university presses and magazines internationally he is also a self-published author having recently released the biographical and social-study on the Arab world The Diatribes of a Dying Tribe As a true artist interested in really pushing his own artistic boundaries The Narcicyst has stepped into acting currently starring in the short music film PHATWA and in the first internationally-released film from the United Arab Emirates called City of Life A true multi-media

111110

KHALED AL HILLI is a PhD candidate in Comparative Literature at the Graduate Center City University of New York He has a BA in English Literature and a Masterrsquos degree in Teaching Second Languages Born in Iraq Khaled has taught in Lebanon and Saudi Arabia at both college and high school levels He has also worked with various Iraqi news outlets and has subtitledtranslated documentary films dealing with current social and political issues His research interests include Arabic political literature prison literature and literature in the diaspora He may be reached at hillykhalidgmailcom

+AZIZ is a NYC-based marketing consultant and a musician He is working through The World Music Parade to develop an animation project based on his music More about that project can be found at themusicparadetumblrcom He tweets from plusaziz

FAYSAL BIBI is a paleontologist and electronic musician currently based in Berlin

LOUBNA BILALI is originally from Morocco She did her undergrad and first MA in English Linguistics at Chouaib Doukkali University El Jadida She came to the US in 2008 to pursue a Masterrsquos degree in French to English translation and is currently working on a PhD in translation studies at Kent State University in Ohio She is very interested in learning and teaching languages as well as translating and localizing computer applications and websites She may be reached at loubnabilaligmailcom

FARAH ELREWAISSATI is a freelance translator pro-Palestine activist and BDS advocate who blogs at youthanormalizationblogspotcom She tweets from 3beee

NIZAR GHANEM was born in Lebanon He has been active in intercultural education interactive learning and conflict resolution across the Arab world His work on conflict resolution involved using theater comics and music as tools for emotional expression and social mobilization

RIMA NAJDI is a Performing Artist She studied dramatic arts at the Lebanese University in Beirut and obtained a Masterrsquos degree in Performance Studies at NYU New York She has written and performed in various plays and performances Najdi is particularly interested in multi-media performing arts and the position of the spectators

BARRAK ALZAID (copy editor) is the Artistic Director of ArteEast He is the editor of the ArteEast Quarterly a dynamic online portal featuring four publications that highlight contemporary art and culture from the Middle East and diaspora ndash ArtersquoZine Shahadat (contemporary short-form literature) Gallery and Cinematek (an online film center) He is also the curator for ArteEastrsquos Across Histories Art Talk Series featuring a series of panels on residencies in Fall 2011 He tweets from barrakster

RAYYA EL ZEIN (editor) is working towards a PhD in Theatre at the Graduate Center City University of New York Her research is increasingly focusing on theories of reception historical studies of audience behavior and popular culture in the Arab world She holds an MA in Performance Studies from NYU and is currently a teaching fellow at City College in Harlem She tweets from rayelz

translator biosdreamer Yassin recently established an arts label in the UAE called The Medium focusing on delivering art from Arabs in the diaspora and at lsquohomersquo to the rest of the world iraqisthebombcom He tweets from TheNarcicyst

OMAR OFFENDUM is a Syrian-American hip hop artist born in Saudi Arabia raised in Washington DC and living in Los Angeles Known for taking audiences on a lyrical journey from the jasmine-tree-lined courtyards of Nizar Qabbanirsquos Damascene homes to the flooded riverbanks of Langston Hughesrsquo Harlem Renaissance poems - Offendum has been featured on several major news outlets (BBC Yahoo ABC News Aljazeera PBS) toured the world to promote his ground-breaking music helped raise thousands of dollars for various humanitarian relief organizations (PCRF KinderUSA ANERA Islamic Relief) lectured at a number of prestigious academic institutions (Harvard MIT Stanford Columbia American University of Beirut NYU-AbuDhabi Qatar Education City) and most recently been involved in creating several critically-acclaimed songs about the popular democratic uprisings throughout the Middle East amp North Africa He is currently hard at work promoting his solo release - affectionately dubbed SyrianamericanA His work may be heard (and read) at offendumbandcampcom He is on Facebook and he tweets from Offendum

RAMALLAH UNDERGROUND based in Ramallah Palestine was born from the immediacy of musical experimentation and out of the need to give voice to a generation of Palestinians and Arabs facing a turbulent and uncertain political landscape The collective was founded by artists Boikutt Stormtrap and Aswatt and has always held a commitment to both the honesty of their work and the need to creatively rejuvenate Arabic culture To this end they combine music ranging from Arabic electronic music hip-hop and trip hop to downtempo with a deep sense of their local culture and the imposing presence of Palestine in their lives The outcome is a new specific and distinct sound RU (as producers and as MCrsquos ) has collaborated with numerous artists across the globe including countries like Lebanon UK Switzerland Italy USA France and many more including a collaboration with Slovo (a band headed by the guitarist from faithless) in their track ldquoNakbardquo which appears on their album Todo Cambia and with Kronos Quartet in the track ldquoTashweeshrdquo which appears on Floodplain RU has also performed live shows in Ramallah Bethlehem Vienna London Cairo Lausanne Amsterdam and Washington DC Their shows are mainly a performance of their hip-hop tracks as well as a few of their own electronic productions as a warm up More recently RU has incorporated a visual set in their live

performances brought to you by Palestinian visual artist Ruanne RU hopes to give a voice to Palestinians and Arabs bringing an alternative voice from the Arab world Their lyrics and music are an expression of anguish and defiance ultimately remaining a defiant voice of the colonized against the colonizer They continue to play a big role in the Arab underground cultural scene while slowly gaining wide global and local popularity

SHADIA MANSOURrsquos work can be found at myspacecomshadiamusic and on Facebook

STORMTRAP is a music producercomposerMC from Palestine Experimenting with old samples instruments and field recordings his sound is the result of a fusion of ambient atmospheres combined with various noises and hip hop beats His lyrics deal with different themes inspired mainly by his personal experiences in Palestine and life in the diaspora Stormtrap played a fundamental role in forming the band Ramallah Underground with which he has performed worldwide the past few years Currently he is working in Vienna with Aras Seyhan and Eren Ileri on a new album which combines live instruments synthesizers turntables beats and Arabic lyrics- which will be released early 2012 His work may be heard at soundcloudcomstormtrap He tweets from asifeh

AMEER YOSSEF 25 has sung and writen music with the band Klaket for the past four years His work may be heard at youtubecomAmeer and on Facebook

towards the work Her work for now concentrates on the process of making interactive and participatory performances that question borders stereotypes and languages

MOE ALI NAYEL is a fixer and a journalist based in Beirut Lebanon He uses social media blogging non-mainstream music journalism and writing as a word spreading eye opening socializing arena He uses social media as a bridge that cuts distance between people on this planet making it a tiny village This bridge starts in his office and takes him to every corner in the world enabling him to connect and network with people and cultures sharing and exchanging stories of the unheard and the neglected He blogs at Words of Action and he tweets from MoeAliNay

ALEX ORTIZ is a video and radio journalist and translator based in Cairo Egypt He graduated from Brown University in 2009 with a double major in Comparative Literature and Middle East Studies He was a CASA I fellow from 2009-2010 and a CASA II fellow from 2010-2011 He currently works for CBS News as a field producer He tweets from cairowitness

AHMED SHAWKET is an independent translator living in Cairo Egypt He is a graduate of the Helwan University Faculty of Arts where he majored in philosophy Ahmed works on literary media and commercial translation

113112

ABOUT SHAHADATShahadat is a quarterly online series designed to provide a platform for short-form writing and experimentation in writing by young and underexposed writers from the MENA region (Middle East and North Africa) The series features stories vignettes reflections and chronicles in translation and the original language of Arabic Farsi Turkish or Kurdish It makes up one quarter of ArteEastrsquos online programming the AE Quarterly For past issues of Shahadat click here

ABOUT THIS SERIES Shahadat is proud to run two alternating series and releases two issues a year of each The issue yoursquove just perused is part of the ldquoExploring Popular Literaturerdquo series This series challenges traditional understandings of ldquoliteraturerdquo emerging from the Middle East and North Africa by presenting genres of creative production that rely on words and language but which have not typically been studied as literature Works are presented in their original language and in translation

In each issue we gather texts from a spectrum of writers to challenge the singular status of the artistauthor and to encourage a more complex presentation of the Middle Eastern and North African ldquostreetrdquo for English-speaking audiences Shahadatrsquos other series ldquoContemporary Literature in Translationrdquo features the work of a single young author in the original language and in English translation

BEHIND THE DOCUMENTShahadat is co-edited by Rayya El Zein Alex Ortiz and ArteEastrsquos Artistic Director Barrak Alzaid All three are young professionals and scholars with artistic inclinations (literature poetry translation and performance) All three have strong connections to New York City and various metropole of the MENA region Shahadat is for us an experiment and a labor of love An editorial board of established scholars and authors is currently being conceived

SPECIAL THANKS TOAnmar El ZeinKinda AkashAndrew JohnstonLivia Alexander

Shahadat logo design by Rima Farouki

114

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Page 8: Shahadat Winter 2012

1514

و رؤساء العرب سابونا تركونا و هربوا لعند عدونا

ألنو ما قدروا يعدونا وعدونا باملستقبل بس شوف لوين جابونا

2007 عالم مبشي دوغري و احنا فجرونا جوعونا بدهم ينسونا

قعدنا سنني نبني و اجو فجأة هيك هدونا هددونا و خوفونا

بالدميقراطية سمموناحتى نعيش حياة طبيعية ما خلونا

حطونا عخط النار ونسفونا دمرونا نشفولنا دمنا كل هاد و لسا ما خلصونا من همنا

بحاول اطنش بس السياسة بتشدني بقولها افلتي ما بدي

بتقولي انا جزء من حياتك مش حتقدر متشي ضدي

بحاول اطنش بس السياسة بتشدني بقولها افلتي ما بدي

بتقولي انا جزء من حياتك مش حتقدر متشي ضدي

R a m a l l a h U n d e r g r o u n d

And Arab leaders let us down

Abandoned us fled to our enemies

Because they couldnrsquot infect us with their cowardice

They promised the future and look what they got us into

2007 the worldrsquos moving ahead and they blow us up

Starve us they wanna forget us

We spent years building and they came suddenly led us on

Threatened and frightened us

Poisoned us with democracy

Wouldnrsquot let us have a normal life

They set us right on line of fire they ruined us destroyed us dried up our blood

All that and still they couldnrsquot finish the job

I am trying not to care anymore but politics pulls at me

I say leave me alone

She says I am part of your life

You wonrsquot be able to resist me

I am trying not to care anymore but politics pulls at me

I say leave me alone

She says I am part of your life

You wonrsquot be able to resist me

T r a n s l a t e d b y L o u b n a B i l a l i

3 Min Ill Kahef

Ramallah Underground ft Lethal Skillz

The Peace Revolution 20

24420868

eng - iTunNORM 00000E33 00000D93 0000B0A7 00008C71 0001CD0B 0002129C 00008000 00008000 0000A2CF 0000633A

1716

)مصر داميا بتناديك(

التورتة رجعت للشعبالبورصة وقعت من اللعب

الشعار القدمي رجعالشرطة في خدمة الشعب

احلال كان صعب بس النهار ده أفضل احنا نقدر نزرع صحرتنا أخضر

اتخلصنا من حكم هتلر فرعون ملعون وبحكم تويتر وفيسبوك املصري ثاير مدعوم بلغة احلق

كانوا بيقولولنا أل مش فارقة معاهم إن شاء الله حتى االرض تنشق ثورتنا ثورة شعبية سلمية وطنية

طالبنا با حلرية الكرامة عدالة اجتماعية الشعب كان ممسوك بقبضة فوالذية

شغل مقاولة ومصالح شخصية كانوا بيتعاملوا معانا بكل همجية

يطلعوا عالقنوات الفضائية بتصاريح استفزازية

e l D e e b + E d d

(Egypt is always calling on you)

The people have regained the pie

The stockmarketrsquos been put out of commission

The old slogan is back

Police are in the service of the people

The situation was tough but today is better

We can make our desert green

We got rid of Hitlerrsquos rule a damned pharaoh

In the age of Twitter and Facebook the Egyptian walks confidently using the language of righteousness

They used to tell us no they didnrsquot care even if God wished the earth to split open

Our revolution is a popular peaceful national revolution

We have demanded freedom dignity and social justice

The people were controlled with an iron fist

Business contacts and personal interests

They treated us viciously

They appeared on satellite TV channels and issued provocative statements

rقوم يا مصري ise egypt ian

2oum Ya Masry (feat Edd) (Prod by Edd)

Deeb

null

2011

24930304

eng - Visit httpdeebbandcampcom

1918

انتصرنا في 11 فبراير بفرحة مليونية زغرطتي يا مصر يا بهية حققنا احلرية

الثورة بعد ما خلصت هلق بعدا مبلشةلدورنا شكلها وصلت وإنت بعدك بالفرشة

ولك قوم وقاف الحق بسنانك تفرشيولك قوم وقاف هز فيك نظامك عم بخزوق قوم يا مصري ما فيش ثورة بتخلص في يوم وليلة

دوس على نفسك شويةاستحمل شد حيلك

ما تخافش على عجلة اإلنتاج الزم ثورة على الذاتبكرا أحسن من اللي فات

ديكتاتوري هاإلنسان كان ببلد دميقراطيعايش فوق الغيم كان مرتاح رأسه فاضياملمنوع إلو مسموح كان ألن صاحبه قاضي

مطنش عاملخدرات ليضل شعبه طافيتيضل شعبه مسلطن ملتهي عم يضحك

كونه غير واعيفمن السهل فيه تتحكم ضو أخضر للشرطة

عليها ما فيك تتشكىفي حال فيك شكك بشكلك بشنغلك

تالتني سنةأكتر من أي رئيس بقي

ولك كسرسكور اإلستاذ نبيه بريمبصر بيقولوا معليه أنا التعتير إبني

eعم شوف شو في أكل من مبارح بقي ألعطيه لقمة l D e e b + E d d

We won on February 11 the joy of millions

Ululate oh Egypt oh Bahia we have achieved freedom

The revolution is not over yet it has just begun

Looks like itrsquos our turn now and yoursquore still in bed

Crsquomon get up Yoursquoll brush your teeth later

Crsquomon get up Move your regime is screwing you

Rise up oh Egyptian No revolution finishes in a night and a day

Bear with it a little

Have endurance and tolerance

Donrsquot be afraid of the cycle of production there should be a revolution against oneself

Tomorrow is better than the past

The man was a dictator in a democratic country

Living on clouds he was comfortable and carefree

What is prohibited was permitted for him because he was friends with a judge

He turned a blind eye to drugs so that his people would remain unaware

So that his people would remain high busy laughing

Because they are unconscious

It is easy to control them the police have a green light

You couldnrsquot report them

If they are suspicious of you of the way you look they would hang you

Thirty years

He ruled more than any other president

He even broke the record of Mr Nabih Berri [longstanding Lebanese head of parliament]

In Egypt they say itrsquos ok misfortune is my son

I will check what is left over from yesterday to feed it

2oum Ya Masry (feat Edd) (Prod by Edd)

Deeb

null

2011

24930304

eng - Visit httpdeebbandcampcom

2120

ملني بشكيحالتي متل هاملاليني مرتة

ولك قوم ننزل عساحة التحرير دغريب11 شهر 2 سجلنا رحيل حسني

اللي قضى كل هالسنني يشتغل عميل ضدي

ثورة بعد ما خلصت هلق بعدا مبلشةلدورنا شكلها وصلت وإنت بعدك بالفرشة

ولك قوم وقاف الحق بسنانك تفرشيولك قوم وقاف إذ فيك نظامك عم بخزوق

قوم يا مصري ما فيش ثورة بتخلص في يوم وليلةدوس على نفسك شوية

استحمل شد حيلكما تخافش على عجلة اإلنتاج

الزم ثورة على الذاتبكرا أحسن من اللي فات

أنا مدنيبلوح بقلمي كأنه علمي

من عرقي بروي عملي كأنه عطشيالبركة ببلدي العربي

إني فيني كون عفويفيني قوم ثور

إذا بس كان مسموم بدنيحلريتي بالتعبير

ما في حدود حتدنيبتشوفني بساحة التحرير بوسط بيروت

مش كرمال السما ترجع زرقاإلسقاط النظام اللي احلرية سلبنا

e l D e e b + E d d

To whom will I complain

My situation like that of millions is bad

Crsquomon letrsquos go straight to Tahrir Square

On February 11 we witnessed the departure of Hosni

Who has been working as an agent all these years against mehellip

The revolution is not over yet it has just begun

Looks like itrsquos our turn now and yoursquore still in bed

Crsquomon get up Yoursquoll brush your teeth later

Crsquomon get up Move your regime is screwing you

Rise up oh Egyptian No revolution finishes in a night and a day

Bear with it a little

Have endurance and tolerance

Donrsquot be afraid of the cycle of production

There should be a revolution against oneself

Tomorrow is better than the past

I am a civilian

I wave my pen as if it is my flag

I water my work with my sweat as if itrsquos my thirst

Whatrsquos good about my Arab country

Is that I can be spontaneous

I can rise up and revolt

When Irsquom angry

For my freedom of expression

There are no limitations

You see me in Tahrir Square and in downtown Beirut

But not for the sky to become blue again [in reference to the slogan of the Lebanese Future Movement]

But to topple the regime that has taken away freedom

2oum Ya Masry (feat Edd) (Prod by Edd)

Deeb

null

2011

24930304

eng - Visit httpdeebbandcampcom

2322

فترة إنتقاليةفقرة إعالنية

شاي وكليوبتراوشوش صفرا سهرانة

عالنشرة اإلخباريةركلة جزائية

واجلمهور مستني الهدفكل يوم في الصحف

نقرا نبأ عن كلب نهب البلدأوقف عندك رجع الذهب

مش إنت بردو اللي كنت مسؤول عن إعالم بلدتصاريح كاذبة كالم عجب

الصعب عدا والتاريخ إنكتبأوعى تفتكر الشعب تعب

الثورة بعد ما خلصت هلق بعدا مبلشةلدورنا شكلها وصلت وإنت بعدك بالفرشة

ولك قوم وقاف الحق بسنانك تفرشيولك قوم وقاف إذ فيك نظامك عم بخزوق

قوم يا مصري ما فيش ثورة بتخلص في يوم وليلةدوس على نفسك شوية

استحمل شد حيلكما تخافش على عجلة اإلنتاج

الزم ثورة على الذاتeبكرا أحسن من اللي فات l D e e b + E d d

A transitional period

A commercial break

Tea and Cleopatra

Yellow faces staying up at night

To follow the newscast

A penalty

The audience is waiting for the goal

Every day in newspapers

We read news about a dog that has looted the country

Stop return the gold

Werenrsquot you in charge of the countryrsquos media

False statements odd expressions

The hard part is over and history has been written

Donrsquot think that the people are exhausted

The revolution is not over yet it has just begun

Looks like itrsquos our turn now and yoursquore still in bed

Crsquomon get up Yoursquoll brush your teeth later

Crsquomon get up Move your regime is screwing you

Rise up oh Egyptian No revolution finishes in a night and a day

Bear with it a little

Have endurance and tolerance

Donrsquot be afraid of the cycle of production

There should be a revolution against oneself

Tomorrow is better than the past

T r a n s l a t e d b y F a r a h E l R e w a i s s a t i

2oum Ya Masry (feat Edd) (Prod by Edd)

Deeb

null

2011

24930304

eng - Visit httpdeebbandcampcom

2524

بلسان فاكريني انو مافيهوش فن هتكلم عن كل حلم اترسم من غضبهم اتدفن

اتقسم احتاط باأللم منلفكر فاملرحلة السمعيه واحللول اللى تنقذ عناوين جانبيه ارهابية من عيون معنية باستقاللية بعد حروب عاملية محمية متدارية

منسية مرمية على اكتاف مش مرضية مستخبية بطريقة اتكالية عاالراضى العربية

بسلبية مرئية انتهازية وراء االعالم االسالمية بباينوا النيه

احتيالية عنادية سيكوباتية سرية انانية استراتيجية ضد االنسانية

و بعد املسايسة متابعة من قاعة املشاهدة لكل عربى بيتزل مستانى مساعدة

A r a b i a n K n i g h t z + S h a d i a M a n s o u r

They presume the tongue has no art so I will speak

About every dream that was drawn from their anger and got buried

It got divided surrounded by pain

And the solutions that might work are sidelined and smeared as terrorist

From eyes that are interested in independence

After world wars protected and hidden

Forgotten and thrown on unsatisfied shoulders

Concealed with consent in Arab lands

With obvious opportunism

Beneath Islamic publicity intentions show through

Fraudulent stubborn psychopathic

A secret selfish strategy against mankind

And after politics we keep tabs on things from the screening room

For every Arab who gets humiliated I am waiting for help

prisonerThis track contains verses that were originally written in English السجني

Prisoner

Arabian Knightz + Shadia Mansour

Shahadat Winter 2012 track 316

Hip Hop

26518704

2726

ماخالص كسروا بنا كلمة مسانده و من عقولنا اخدوا الورق اللى يكسب فى اللعبة

أنا عايز بلد حرة من الظلم

عايز بلد حرة من القهر عايز بلد حرة من الشر

عايز أرضي وأرض العرب العرب العرب العرب

A r a b i a n K n i g h t z + S h a d i a M a n s o u r

But itrsquos over they shattered for us the word ldquosolidarityldquo

And from our minds they took the cards that win the game

I want a country free of tyranny

I want a country free of oppression

I want a country free of evil

I want my land and the land of Arabs

Arabs Arabs Arabs

Destructive destruction destroying my district

Anti-Christ running in spreading evil wisdom

Irsquom destroying the oppressors in Arabic settlements

Known for blowing up beats and governments

My peeps die in their cribs while yrsquoall close your eyes

Two of yrsquoall are kidnapped you call it a terrorist crime

The media

Is backing up

Murderous propaganda

While we fight eternally like immortal high landers

Al Durrah Sheikh Yassin the pains unseen

Forging your own stories for the blind to see

Want to draw your own opinions bout the bombs we face

Whatrsquos your opinion if yoursquore enslaved and your mom is raped

Itrsquos too easy to speak when yoursquore far from the heat

To the White House I creep and yes Irsquom armed to the teeth

With a mic and a pen and a pad herersquos your evidence

ldquoWeapons of Mass Destructionldquo Mr President

Prisoner

Arabian Knightz + Shadia Mansour

Shahadat Winter 2012 track 316

Hip Hop

26518704

2928

أنا عايز بلد حرة من الظلم عايز بلد حرة من القهر

عايز بلد حرة من الشر عايز أرضي وأرض العرب

العرب العرب العرب

إحنا منمشي بالكرامة والثقة بالنفس معصنا قوانينكم بالثبوت بالدم

لو إن ضميركم بتريحكم بتتكلموا من ورا الفرد

قللي مني ما عم ينام بالليل عنجد ع بني انتو بتبنوا حواجز إحن بنكبر عيالنا

وبنظلنا نزيد العدد إحن السبب ليش ما بتسترجوا تغمضوا عني

في فرق كبير بني مقاوم ومقررين

A r a b i a n K n i g h t z + S h a d i a M a n s o u r

I want a country free of tyranny

I want a country free of oppression

I want a country free of evil

I want my land and the land of Arabs

Arabs Arabs Arabs

Theyrsquore dropping bombs over Baghdad

Libnan Afghan Palestinians Bin Laden Saddam

Listen Islam is all about the peace man

But wars up in these streets man

Got me loosinrsquo sleep damn

Mr Politician I got a little question

How come you are eating and all your peoples isnrsquot

I am on a mission to break up out of this prison

If yoursquore with me share my vision

Letrsquos start by saving the children

We walk with dignity and confidence in ourselves

We crushed your laws with our steadfastness and blood

If your conscience was giving you peace

You wouldnrsquot be communicating from behind a gun

Tell me whorsquos the one not getting sleep at night

While you build your checkpoints we raise the kids

Our numbers will keep increasing

We are the reason you donrsquot dare to blink

There is a big difference between a man of resistance and decision makers

T r a n s l a t e d b y N i z a r G h a n e m + S h a d i a M a n s o u r

Prisoner

Arabian Knightz + Shadia Mansour

Shahadat Winter 2012 track 316

Hip Hop

26518704

3130

النظام العاملي اجلديداحلاسة السادسة

و بدهم يردوا يعلموك النشيدنار شديد بس كله نسبي

جينا و نسيناأخبار فورية بتنهضم و بتمشينا

إللي فينا مكفينا رايح عغزة بالسفينة

و ما يأتي قبل الفكر أم الفعلملجرد الذكر لشخص مبنج قلب نكد وزعل

و طلب السعرمش حنبيع

ملا بتشتي بتشتي عاجلميعو زمن أول حتول

و مش قادرين نتجول فا مش حنضيعbشيء مريع o i k u t t

The new world order

The sixth sense

And they want to teach you the anthem anew

Heavy fire but itrsquos all relative

We came and forgot

Instant news digested and keeps us moving

Wersquove had enough

Going to Gaza by boat

What comes first Thought or action

The mere question to a numb person makes him grumpy and upset

And asking for the price

We wonrsquot sell

When it rains it rains over everybody

The old times have changed

We are under house arrest so we wonrsquot get lost

Itrsquos a horrible thing

igniteولع

Walle

boikutt

null

1746378

3332

مرات بتفهم النبرة غلطبس هلئ فهمني منيح

جريح بدون تلقيح تصريح صريح بدون تلميح

فظيعكيف خلونا نطيع

بوقت تشييع جثمان الضاضمضاض لإلنتفاض ثورة الثروة قيد التصنيع

فيعبوجه عقود بقبضة من حديد

من هون لقرية بال متديدبدون مانروح لبعيد

جتميد روؤس أموال و نوويةمصلحة أول مستفيد

بتدوب بشعلة من سيدي بوزيد

ولعشوف اكمن دكتاتور منقلعولعشوف اكمن دكتاتور منقلع

ولع شوف اكمن دكتاتور منقلعصوت الثورة بكل مكان و عم منسمع

من حكام لنوابو ال استثني احدا منكم

ما بيهمكمحلد ما الهتافات تتوجه إلكم إتهزكم

أفهمكمbاإلستبداد تارك الشارع بإستعداد o i k u t t

Sometimes you misunderstand a tone

But now you understand me correctly

Wounded without vaccination

A blatant statement without any hinting

Unbelievable

How they made us obey

At the funeral of the corpse of the [quintessential Arabic letter] Ddad

Counter revolution the revolution of wealth is in process

Rise

In the face of decades under an iron fist

From here to a village without extension

Without going too far

Freezing of capital and nuclear war heads

The interest of the primary beneficiary

Melts with a flame from Sidibouzid

Ignitesee how many dictators wersquoll uproot

Ignitesee how many dictators wersquoll uproot

Ignitesee how many dictators wersquoll uproot

The sound of revolution is everywhere we make it heard

From leaders to parliamentarians

I do not exclude any of you

But you donrsquot care

Until chants are directed at you and shake you

Let me explain

Tyranny leaves the street prepared

Walle

boikutt

null

1746378

3534

من املزارع بوسط البالدفعل مضارع للرماد

فا إنصرف زاي فلوس الدولة إللي طريقها إنحرفوإنعرف و إنصبت بجيوب هالطرف من شوفرية الشرف

حتية خاصة ألسود ميدان التحريرلتعديل دستور التعتير

إن صح التعبير

عندي نظر األطرشو سمع األعمى

عايشني حياة و مكلبشني باخلوف بنفس الوقت فا قللي شو املعنىتاريخ شجعنا

الوضع الراهن منعناناس بتمر و بتسمعنا

بدون جتاوب جتارب فجاوبيا ضدنا يا معنا

إرفع قبضة الصمود فوق في الهوا ثابتةإنتفاضة أولى و ثانية بس الثالثة نابتة

أطراف كابتةبس قد ما يحاولوا ميحوا ويحطوا الناس كاتبة

بالتفاصيل و كامتة

ولعhellip شوف اكمن دكتاتور منقلعولعhellip شوف اكمن دكتاتور منقلع

ولع شوف اكمن دكتاتور منقلعصوت الثورة بكل مكان و عم منسمع

ولعhellip شوف اكمن دكتاتور منقلعbو صفهم عالدور واحد واحدhellipو شنع o i k u t t

From the farmers in the center

Changing present tense to ashes

So vanish like the statersquos money whose road has deviated

It is known that it ended up in the pockets of the corrupt who claim to be clean

A special salute to the lions of Tahrir Square

For amending the constitution of misfortune

If that can be said

I have the sight of the deaf

And the hearing of the blind

Leading a life while chained by fear at the same time so tell me whatrsquos the point

History encouraged us

The current situation prevented us

People pass by and hear us

Without any response -- testing -- so answer

Yoursquore either with us or against us

Raise the fist of resistance up in the air

A first and second Intifada but the third is sprouting

Oppressive groups

No matter how hard they try to erase and replace people have written

In details and know by heart

Ignitesee how many dictators wersquoll uproot

Ignitesee how many dictators wersquoll uproot

Ignitesee how many dictators wersquoll uproot

The sound of revolution is everywhere we make it heard

Ignitesee how many dictators wersquoll uproot

Line them up in turn one after the other and defame them

T r a n s l a t e d b y F a r a h E l R e w a i s s a t i

Walle

boikutt

null

1746378

3736

ولك انا ابن عكا وبن يافا و طولكرم انا ابن كل شبر من البحر للنهر

االرض الي حملت موسى مرمي واملسيح انااملقابر يلي فاضت من كتر التوابيت

انا اخليمة بيت التنك واحلصيرة والكانون والبيوت املسروقة والدم املهدور

انا الهوى يالي حامل الغضب والبكاوالطرقات يلي بتغرق مع كل نقطة الشتا

انا رصاصة من املجاهد عم تعبر حلدود انا حزام من القنابل مشتاق لليهود

لطفل على باب املستشفى عم بيموتانا الجئ ممنوع من العمل مكروه

انا اين املخيم يلي عاطل عن العمل سيجارة احلشيش يلي بتمحي شوية الم

H 2 Z

Irsquom the son of Acre Jaffa and Tulkarem

Irsquom the son of every inch from the river to the sea

Irsquom the land that carried Moses Mary and the Christ

Irsquom the cemeteries that overflow with coffins

Irsquom the tent the tin house the mat and the stove

The stolen houses and the wasted blood

Irsquom the wind that bears anger and tears

The roads that drown in a single drop of rain

I am a bullet that crosses borders

Irsquom a grenade against Zionists

A child that dies waiting outside the hospital

Irsquom a hated refugee whorsquos prohibited from working

Irsquom the son of the camps always unemployed

The hash cigarettes that ease the pain

iانا فلسطيني am palest inian

Ana Falasteeni

H27

null

17782504

eng - iTunNORM 0000057E 0000056B 00004E0F 00004D32 00021C96 00021C96 00008000 00008000 0000ECEA 00007530

3938

حيطان هالبيت يلي بكره رح ينردم انا االحمر واالسود واالخضر من هالعلم

من دم االبطال من دموع الاطفالمن اجلحيم التشرد واجلوء واالنكسار

من ظلم االحتاللمن حلم االستقالل

من ارض الزيتونوالصليب والهالل

انا حافظ احلواجز بكل بالد العالممن النادر انو بيوم يعتبروني بني ادم انا سنني االعتقال انا غرف التعذيب

الوجع والصريخ واجلروح الي ما بطيبانا شعب ما انهزم بس عمرو ما انتصر

انا اكبر ارهابي الني حامل حجر اسير طول عمرو رافض انو بيوم ميوت بس معاهدة سالم بتنفي اني موجود

انا القدس بيت حلم ومخيم جننياالدان واجلراس الهالل والصليب

املدافن واملدارس وكنسية املسيح الشوارع القدمية والبيت العتيق

انا ركوة الشاي و سندويشة الفالفلالكرم والبخل واالخالق واملهازل

الكذب والصدق واخليانة والصمود Hانا فلسطيني حلتى اموت 2 Z

The walls of the house that I hate thatrsquos about to get demolished

I am the red and black and green in this flag

From the blood of heroes from the tears of children

From the hell of homelessness and broken refugees

From the oppression of the occupation

From the dream of independence

Irsquom from the land of the olives

The cross and crescent

I know all the checkpoints in all countries of the world

It is where they consider me a human being

Irsquom years of capture Irsquom the torture chambers

The pain and the screams and the wounds that never heal

I was never defeated but never had a victory

Irsquom the biggest terrorist because I carry a stone

A prisoner who spends his whole life refusing to die

But a peace treaty forgets that Irsquom alive

Irsquom Jerusalem Bethlehem and Jenin refugee camp

The call to prayer the bells the crescent and the cross

The old cemeteries schools and church of Christ

The old streets and the ancient house

Irsquom the tea cup and the falafel sandwich

Generosity and greed morality and farce

Lies and betrayal and honesty and persistence

I am Palestinian until I die

T r a n s l a t e d b y t h e a r t i s t

Ana Falasteeni

H27

null

17782504

eng - iTunNORM 0000057E 0000056B 00004E0F 00004D32 00021C96 00021C96 00008000 00008000 0000ECEA 00007530

4140

صباح اخلير با والد عمومناتفضلوا شرفونا

شو بتحبوا نضيفكم دم عربي وال دموع من عيوننابعتقد هيك تأملوا نستقبلن

هيك تعقدوا ملا تدركوا على غلطتهنمن هيك لبسنا الكوفية

البيضة والسودةصاروا كالب الزمان يلبسوها كموضة

مهما تفننوا فيامهما غيروا بلونا

كوفية عربية بتضال عربية

حطتنا بدن ياهاثقافتنا بدن ياها

S h a d i a M a n s o u r w i t h M 1 o f D e a d P r e z

Good morning cousins

Come in and honor us with your presence

What would you like us to serve you Arab blood or tears from our eyes

I think thatrsquos how they hoped we would recieve them

Thatrsquos why they got tangled up when they tripped up on their own mistake

Thatrsquos why we wore the kufeyyeh

The black and white one

Dogs of the past started to wear it as a fashion statement

However they change it

Whatever colour they make it

The Kufeyyeh is Arab and will always be Arab

Our scarf they want it

Our intellect they want it

kufeyyeh arabeyyeh الكوفية عربية

Kufeyyeh Arabeyyeh

Shadia Mansour and M1

Shahadat Winter 2012 track 616

Hip Hop

26239166

4342

كرامتنا بدن ياهاكل شي إلنا بدن ياه

ما رح نسكتلن نسمحلن الالبقلن يسرقوا شغلة مش إلهن ما خصن فيا

بيقلدونا باللبسكل هاألرض بيكفيهنش

طمعانني عالقدسإعرفوا كيف تكونوا بشر

قبل ما تلبسوا الكوفيةجينا نذكرن مني إحنا

وغصبا من عن أبوهم هاي حطتنا

من هيك لبسنا الكوفيةألنها وطنية

الكوفية الكوفية عربيةمن هيك لبسنا الكوفية

هويتنا األساسيةالكوفية الكوفية عربية

يال علي الكوفيةعلولي هالكوفية

الكوفية الكوفية عربيةعلوها لبالد الشام

كوفية عربية بتضال عربية

ما في بعد متل الشعب العربيفرجوني أية أمة بالدنيا أكثر مأثرة

الصورة واضحة نحنا مهد احلضارة

S h a d i a M a n s o u r w i t h M 1 o f D e a d P r e z

Our dignity they want it

Everything thatrsquos ours they want it

We will not be silent will not allow it

It suits them to steal something that ainrsquot theirs

They imitate our style

As if all this land werenrsquot not enough

Thirsting after Jerusalem

Know how to be human

Before you wear our scarf

We came to remind them who we are

And like it or not itrsquos our right

Thatrsquos why we wore the kufeyyeh

Because it is nationalistic

The kufeyyeh is Arab

Thatrsquos why we wore the kufeyyeh

Because it is our original identity

The kufeyyeh is Arab

Come on raise your kufeyyehs

Raise that kufeyyeh

The kufeyyeh is Arab

Raise it up for bilad ersquosham [Greater Syria the wider Arab world]

The kufeyyeh is Arab and will always be Arab

There are no others like the Arab people

Show me one region in the world that is more influencial

The picture is clear we are the origins of civilization

Kufeyyeh Arabeyyeh

Shadia Mansour and M1

Shahadat Winter 2012 track 616

Hip Hop

26239166

4544

تاريخنا وتراثنا الشاهد على وجودنامن هيك لبست التوب الفلسطيني

من حيفا جنني جبل النار إلى رام اللهخليني شوف الكوفية

البيضة واحلمراخلينا نعليها لفوق بالسما

أنا شادية العربلساني بغز غزبلساني بهز هز

كلمات احلربسجل أنا شادية منصور

واحلطة هويتيمن يوم ما خلقت

سيدي والشعب مسؤوليتيلكن تربيت بني الشرق وبني الغرب

بني لغتنيبني بخيل بني فقير

شفت احلياة من اجلهتنيبس علمتني الكوفية

كيف ما لبستونيوين ما شلحتوني

بضلني عأصولي فلسطينية

S h a d i a M a n s o u r w i t h M 1 o f D e a d P r e z

Our history traditions and customs bear witness to our existence

Thatrsquos why I wear the Palestinian dress

From Haifa Jenin Jabal El Naar to Ramallah

Let me see the kufeyyeh

The red and white one

Letrsquos raise it up to the sky

I am the singer of the Arabs

Like an earthquake I shake the ground

My words are war

Record this

I am Shadia Mansour

And this scarf is my ID

From the day I was born the people have been my responsibility

Look I was raised between the East and the West

Between two languages

Between the rich and the poor

Irsquove seen life from both sides

However the kufeyyeh has taught me

However you wear me

Wherever you leave me

I stay true to my origin Palestinian

T r a n s l a t e d b y t h e a r t i s t w i t h F a r a h E l R e w a i s s a t i

Kufeyyeh Arabeyyeh

Shadia Mansour and M1

Shahadat Winter 2012 track 616

Hip Hop

26239166

4746

حمامة سالم افتحي أجنحتكي و طيري

وين الوعي - وين امشوا معي هني وادي بني اجلبلني عني حب للطرفني

أمهاتنا حبت ذاتنا بس مو عاجبهن مسباتنا هذا احلكي بني اخواتنا

Oزين العرب واألمريكان m a r O f f e n d u m

This track contains verses that were originally written in English

You are my

(Destiny)

Itrsquos hard livinrsquo in the West - when I know the East got the best of me

(Destiny)

Could be lookinrsquo in my eyes - but yoursquoll never really see the rest of me

(Destiny)

Can you hear me maseeri [my destiny] Bi-lingualrsquos what Irsquom blessed to be

(Destiny)

Dove of Peace

Spread your wings amp fly

Consciousness What consciousness - where is it

Take a walk with me

Here in this valley between two ldquomountainsldquo

Where the source of love for both ldquosidesldquo can be found

Our mothers like us

But donrsquot like our foul language

So letrsquos keep this between the siblings

The best of Arabs amp Americans

destمصيري iny

7 Destiny

Omar Offendum

The Peace Revolution 20

21332892

eng - iTunNORM 000006D3 000006F2 000038BA 0000322F 0000E4FA 0000E4FA 00008716 0000864B 0002AB5E 000083D6

eng - iTunSMPB 00000000 00000210 0000094B 00000000008F7FA5 00000000 004108FB 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000

4948

وألله يرحم كل أمواتنا أغاني

مثل املهامتة إذا قلنا العني بالعني

ما صفى عندنا عيون بالشام بالد الشام

من فلسطني إلى جبال لبنان قبل ما اخترعوا احلدود

من اإلسكندرون إلى كردستان فهمان

جنجس خان ما خان قد ما خانونا أوالد العم بس دمنا دمهم

بني أدم - بنو ذمنبهم على أكتافنا - شلنا همهم

ليه الله بيعلم

بس ليك هذا الفتيش والبسكليت احسنلك من 100000000 مسدس

تعرف ليه ألن مو عاجبهم بسمتك

بس إبتسم برسمتك شاب عربي ومثقف

أعطيهم ختمتك وإذا لسة مو راضني

ذكرهم بكالم إيليية )أبي ماضي( raquoنسي الطني ساعة أنه طنيlaquo

Oوهذه هي القضاء والقدر يا حبيبي m a r O f f e n d u m

And may God have mercy on all our dead

Songs I sing

Like the Mahatma [the line above and the line below are linked through the sound of the name and the figure of Mahatama Ghandi]

If we say lsquoan eye for an eyersquo

There wont be any eyes left in Sham [Damascus]

Bilad al-Sham [Greater Syria the wider Arab world]

From Palestine to the mountains of Lebanon

Before they made up these borders

From Iskandaroon to Kurdistan

Understand

Genghis Khan never deceived us quite like our ldquopaternal cousinsldquo [khan also means ldquodeceiveldquo in Arabic]

But our blood is their blood

Children of Adam -- who built their sins

Upon our shoulders -- we carried their burden

Why

God knows

But listen this little firecracker amp bicycle

Are better for you than 100 million guns

Wanna know why

Because they dont like seeing you smile

But smile you will - in your human being

A young cultured Arab male

Give them your stamp of approval

And if they still donrsquot accept you

Then remind them of the words of Elliye [Abi-Madhee a Lebanese poet whose poem begins with]

ldquoHow soon a piece of dirt can forget that all he really is is just dirtldquo [ie we are all from this earth amp

will come back to it so there is no logic in viewing yourself as better than someone else]

And that my friend is our destiny

7 Destiny

Omar Offendum

The Peace Revolution 20

21332892

eng - iTunNORM 000006D3 000006F2 000038BA 0000322F 0000E4FA 0000E4FA 00008716 0000864B 0002AB5E 000083D6

eng - iTunSMPB 00000000 00000210 0000094B 00000000008F7FA5 00000000 004108FB 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000

5150

O m a r O f f e n d u m

Dove of Peace

Spread your wings amp fly

Make it easier to borrow

The aesthetics you bite

Like all the Arabic loanwords

From Spaniards amp Morros

The Karma of Inquisition

Visions of horror

So whorsquos the explorer

Really was it Columbus

Muhammad al-Idrisi or Alfaragnus

Throw a Hobson Jobson

While you figure it out

Irsquom gonna start with a cipher

Thatrsquos a siffir [zero] - no doubt

See you might not have learned to live with me

But sure as hell canrsquot without

You are my

You are my

(Destiny)

Itrsquos hard livinrsquo in the West - when I know the East got the best of me

(Destiny)

Could be lookinrsquo in my eyes - but yoursquoll never really see the rest of me

(Destiny)

Can you hear me maseeri [my destiny] Bi-lingualrsquos what Irsquom blessed to be

(Destiny)

حمامة سالم افتحي أجنحتكي و طيري

I write right to left

You write left to right

Metaphor of a foreignerrsquos plight

Dressed to type

Stereo amp a mic

Scenario of a fight

The burial of a white

Imperial at his heightrsquos

A Turkish Rapperrsquos Delight

Semetic etiquette might

Just have you rollin your ldquoRrsquosldquo

Poetic amp light

And grab a hold of your sorrows

To relieve your tomorrows

7 Destiny

Omar Offendum

The Peace Revolution 20

21332892

eng - iTunNORM 000006D3 000006F2 000038BA 0000322F 0000E4FA 0000E4FA 00008716 0000864B 0002AB5E 000083D6

eng - iTunSMPB 00000000 00000210 0000094B 00000000008F7FA5 00000000 004108FB 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000

5352

O m a r O f f e n d u m

Dove of Peace

Spread your wings amp fly

Bitched out by the West

Press get a big shout

From the people gettinrsquo rich out of this (bout)

Now whatrsquos this really all about

Land money or power

It was the colonizerrsquos fault

But now itrsquos really just ours

Leavinrsquo a sour tase in our mouths

Like generational slave names

Whenever speakinrsquo out

Out-spoken leaders gettinrsquo taken out

Quicker than belligerent drunks in a bar

We a far cry from livinrsquo as one

T r a n s l a t e d b y t h e a r t i s t

(Destiny)

Itrsquos hard livinrsquo in the West - when I know the East got the best of me

(Destiny)

Could be lookinrsquo in my eyes - but yoursquoll never really see the rest of me

(Destiny)

Can you hear me maseeri [my destiny] Bi-lingualrsquos what Irsquom blessed to be

(Destiny)

حمامة سالم افتحي أجنحتكي و طيري

See arab [Arabs] shootin at each other

From Iraq to Falasteen [Palastine]

Syria to Libnan [Lebanon]

Algeria to Sudan

Pedagogy of the oppressed tricklinrsquo down

Conquerinrsquo through divisions

And sadly this isnrsquot the first time

One land one love one chance one blood

No fuss no fight Yeah right young blood

AKrsquos cheaper than a book

Crooked leaders in a hook

Gettinrsquo fished out

Missles gettinrsquo dished out

7 Destiny

Omar Offendum

The Peace Revolution 20

21332892

eng - iTunNORM 000006D3 000006F2 000038BA 0000322F 0000E4FA 0000E4FA 00008716 0000864B 0002AB5E 000083D6

eng - iTunSMPB 00000000 00000210 0000094B 00000000008F7FA5 00000000 004108FB 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000

5554

زي ما صار مبارح صار اليوم اطف التلفزيون امسك مايكروفون

زي ما صار مبارح صار اليوم اطف التلفزيون امسك مايكروفون

زي ما صار مبارح صار اليوم اطف التلفزيون امسك مايكروفون

زي ما صار مبارح صار اليوم اطف التلفزيون امسك مايكروفون

النه الوقت عم يسبق بقلك خي سالم بس اصبر

بدك تستني هاي اخلطط بعمرها ما تضبطبيدفعلك قد ما بدك عشان تسكت

واذا بتفتح متك طخة وحده وبعد بتسقط

s t o r m t r a p

What happened yesterday happens today

switch off your TV and grab a microphone

What happened yesterday happens today

switch off your TV and grab a microphone

What happened yesterday happens today

switch off your TV and grab a microphone

What happened yesterday happens today

switch off your TV and grab a microphone

Because time is racing

He keeps telling you peace is coming just be patient

You want to wait these plans never succeed

Hersquoll pay you as much as you want to keep you quiet

And if you open your mouth one shot will silence you

what happened yesterdayزي ما صار مبارح

Zey ma sar mbareh

Stormtrap

null

2009

1728613

eng - Visit httpstormtrapbandcampcom

5756

اركض اركض وخليك راكض

واذا بتفتح متك رح يقلك خليك ساكت رح يقلك انساك من هاملشاكل

حوشوا هالشواك وضبوا شناتكم واشتروا التذاكرففكر شوي وما تكنش أهبل

وين ما تروح في الدنيا رح تتبهدلمش شايف قدامي عم بسمع أصوات بيسألني

ليش لسه عايش هون روح عيش محل تانيبدي احك بس الكلمات مش طالعة من لساني

عنصرية هونن عنصرية هناك عنصرية كل ما اطلع برا الشباك

شيطان بيعمل حاله مالكبس هو بالواقع بدو يعيش بالك

جدار بيمثل عقلية ناس بدهاش تعيش معاك

زي ما صار مبارح صار اليوم اطف التلفزيون امسك مايكروفون

ما مبثل شخص او اشخاص مبثل فكرةاسم احلرية حاملينه

من بلد ما فيه حياة عاديةسواءا ضد االحتالل أو ضد العنصرية

أصواتكم وينايي خلوها تنسمع وتطلع نتائج ايجابية

فكمل كتابة او تسجيل وصدقني شغلك مش رايح عالفاضي

عشان الشي الوحيد اللي رح يروح هو احن اذا منضلنا علقانني فاملاضي

s t o r m t r a p

Run run

Keep running

And if you decide to speak hersquoll tell you just stay silent

Hersquoll tell you forget these problems

Save up some money pack your bags and buy your tickets

Think about it donrsquot be a fool

Wherever you go yoursquoll get humiliated

I canrsquot see in front of me Irsquom hearing voices asking

Why are you still living here Go live somewhere else

I want to respond but the words wonrsquot come out

Racism here racism there

Racism each time I look out the window

A devil in an angelrsquos disguise

In reality he wants to live without you

The apartheid wall represents the mentality of a people who donrsquot care to coexist

What happened yesterday happens today

switch off your TV and grab a microphone

I dont represent a person or a people I represent an idea

An idea called freedom

From a land lacking a normal life

Whether yoursquore struggling against occupation or against racism

Where is your voice

Let it be heard to achieve your goals

So keep writing and recording

Believe me your work wonrsquot be lost in vain

The only thing thatrsquoll disappear is us

If we stay stuck in the past

Zey ma sar mbareh

Stormtrap

null

2009

1728613

eng - Visit httpstormtrapbandcampcom

5958

شو الي حدثجينا من حتت األرض

هيهة القصة بدة عنا هدفوننشر أصواتنا لكل حدا

جيت من حتت أرض رام اللهما ح وقف اكتب كلمات وال مرة

عندي طاقة الزم أطلعها كل يوم وكل ساعةفاو انبنى مع الوقت ولسة عم بيطور تصور

تصورفاو انبنى مع الوقت ولسة عم بيطور تصور

زي ما صار مبارح صار اليوم اطف التلفزيون امسك مايكروفون

زي ما صار مبارح صار اليوم اطف التلفزيون امسك مايكروفون

s t o r m t r a p

What happened

We came from underground

The story begins we have an objective

To spread our voices to everyone

I came from the ruins of Ramallah and

I wonrsquot ever stop writing words

I have energy that I must release every day every hour

A flow thatrsquos been built and is still developing imagine

Imagine a flow thatrsquos been built and is still developing

What happened yesterday happens today

Switch off your TV and grab a microphone

What happened yesterday happens today

Switch off your TV and grab a microphone

T r a n s l a t e d b y t h e a r t i s t

Zey ma sar mbareh

Stormtrap

null

2009

1728613

eng - Visit httpstormtrapbandcampcom

6160

Wake up the People

Donrsquot doubt it

The Maker can see you

Right now

You want to get out and see doe

So clouded

Sell out to be dope

Right now

I see you plagued by your own doubt

Canrsquot step the game up

Like a snake when it rolled down

Staircase of a lone child

No bricks lain in a cold house

Where you sold out

All alone on an old couch

t h e N a r c i c y s t

No click like an untapped phone dial

Oh wow

I felt the same homie

Donrsquot shelter pain only

Then it came slowly

Never let the frame hold me (down)

Picture life for the love though

People tend to look the other way like Columbo

We deceived by the law just to love doe

Guess they took all the worth out to numb folks

And make a severed plan

Out of bitter man

What you want a medal man

Huh Do you really think yoursquore better than Then

All you really need is a long look

Two sixteens and a strong hook like

brassThis track was originally written in English

null

2149748

6362

Wake up the People

Donrsquot doubt it

The Maker can see you

Right now

You want to get out and see doe

So clouded

Sell out to be dope

Right now

Break

Hip hop like a fresh pelvis

Yoursquore gonna regret this shit like a dead Elvis

Busy wishing you could live less selfish

Crabs in a bucket duckinrsquo these dead shellfish

Industry got a brother feeling helpless

With an ill chorus and ride yoursquore more in the tide

When a flow canrsquot keep me above the water

t h e N a r c i c y s t

Let a wave carry me out and push me farther now

Internal Inferno ten journals written but Irsquom still not sure though

Do I really want to tour to jump hurdles To be heard

So-I-Can-Feel-Like-This

Man therersquos something that I might miss--

Naw Irsquove been bluffinrsquo

Lifersquos backwards like Ben Buttonsrsquo

Irsquom in love with the stage fright on a strange night

Feels good to get the words on a page right

Wake up the People

Donrsquot doubt it

The Maker can see you

Right now

You want to get out and see doe

So clouded

Sell out to be dope

Right now

null

2149748

6564

مبارح شفت بلمنام بيروت عمتغرق حتت رماد بركان فحموا الناس بس ال raquoسكاي بارlaquo كان بعده ولعان

بيروت ثبتت حبة الثورة اللي فينا نبتت ملا أحبطت نفوسنا من اجلمود

فينا بيروت حتركت عدم دمارنا وعدم حرية خيارنا

بيوت بيروت تعمرت سكرنا عجفاف دموعنا جفوننا عليها تسكرت فتخمرت

إذا بطلت تطير قدرك عألرض مقهور إذا وقفت تكسير بتصير جزء من الديكور

e l R a s s

Yesterday I dreamt Beirut was drowning under volcanic ash

The people were turned to charcoal but Sky Bar [a posh Beirut club] was still lit up

Beirut suppressed the seed of the revolution the one that sprouted

When our spirits were foiled from immobility

In us Beirut moved

On the blood of our destruction and the negation of our freedom of choice

The houses of Beirut are rebuilt

We got drunk on the dryness of our tears our eyelids closed on them and fermented

If you stop flying your destiny on land is distress

If you stop breaking you become part of the decoration

beirutبركان بيروت rsquos volcano

Blues

2125713

6766

بحاور بناور باآلخر بواجه التاج بتوضى بصلي بتوصلني أصوات أنات احملتاج

تأمل العلم بعري العمل من العمل خياري عنار خفيفة دوب املسمار وتستوي األفكار النظيفة

عمروا دمروا زمروا تذمروا ربك صبره دربه جربه

عقلن خربوا غربوا هربوا وقبلوا بالفن عحيط الشارع

عشرط ما يكون في شك بشارع هيدي مش عاصمة ثقافة هيدي حلبة املصارع بيروت ال تعرف في املاضي وال تعرب باملضارع

حتول التركيبة خلى العقل اجلامد فكر حاله مالك املدينة رقبته طويلة متل مالك احلزين وايده لوزيري

اعتبر نفسه أول مني اكتشف هلجزيرة بأجر الفقير شقق بأسعار مدروسة

بشكل تضل طموحاته ممعوسة نهبوا األرض من ربعي وصارت احلرب شركة استثمار مبفعول رجعي

حتت شعار إعادة اإلعمار لو ما كان خلص دوره وانتهى عقد االيجار

كان احلريري ما طار وما صار مطار احلريري عاصمة لبنان بتوازن بني ضريحني

واتنيناتن عاغتيالن في عالمة استفهام e واحد قدس املوت بس لسبب l R a s s

I discuss I maneuver ultimately I confront the crown

I perform ablutions I pray I receive the moaning of the needy

The meditation of knowledge strips work from hope

My choice is on low fire melting the nails and clean thoughts are ripening

They built they destroyed they honked they complained

Your god made him patient tested him and trained him

Their minds ruined westernized chased off

They accepted art pissed on back alleys

As long as there is no doubt in the streets

This is no capital of culture itrsquos a wrestling ring

Beirut canrsquot speak of itself in the past nor conjugate itself in the present

Transitions and transformations made the closed mind think he owns the city

His neck is long like a stork his fingers long like a politicianrsquos

He thinks himself the first who discovered this peninsula

He lets the poor rent apartments at prices studied

To crush ambitions

They stole the land from my cousins

And the war became a backward-looking investment

Under the slogan of reconstruction

If his time wasnrsquot up and his contract finished

Hariri didnrsquot have to fly and it wouldnrsquot have become the Hariri airport

Lebanonrsquos capital keeps balance between two shrines

And on both assassinations there is a question mark

One sanctifies death but for a reason

Blues

2125713

6968

واحد قدس احلياة بس بالكذب واحد بايدو حتول الذهب سم وواحد تخبى من الذهب بالدم

مني الشهيد

اللي مات حتت صبابيط ثورة عبيد شهيد اللي مات فتحول على حملة اعالنات هدفها ترفع الطايفة معدالت التجنيد

قنابل بالبريد وصل سيوف علوريد حصل

املوت للبليد صنم الصبر للعنيد حلم تأليه الشهيد ظلم

خليط احلديد والدم العالج والسم الرفاه والهم النوعية والكم

الدعارة وورقة التوت مبدينة بيروت علم

e l R a s s

And one sanctifies life with lies

In onersquos hand gold turned into poison

And the other hid from gold with blood

Who is the martyr

The one who died under the shoes of the oppressedrsquos uprising is a martyr

Is it he whose death was transformed into an advertising campaign to raise the levels of

sectarian enlistment

Bombs came in the mail

Swords to the jugular true stories

Death to the cold is statuette

Patience to the stubborn is a dream

Divinity to the martyr is oppression

The mixture of steel and blood the cure and poison

Luxury and distress quality and quantity

Prostitution and modesty

The science of the city of Beirut

T r a n s l a t e d b y M o e A l i N a y e l amp + A z i z

Blues

2125713

7170

بقرأ في اجلريدة زفت شوارع جديدة

إزالة مطبات و كثير أشياء هيك مفيدة أشخاص مستفيدة

دعم من هون و من هون منظمات بس احلرية بعيدة

مقاطعة مستوطنات تعون الضفة الغربية وطنية حصرية إدعائية

طب و فلسطني التاريخية مع ألساس كانت القدس عاصمة الثقافة العربية

بس كلوحكي سياسية للشعب إحنا نتحمل الشغل و التعب و الوضع صعب

b o i k u t t

Irsquom reading in the paper

About roads newly paved

Speed bumps removed and a lot of other useful stuff (yes very)

Certain inviduals benefit

Funding from here and there

Organizations are plentiful but freedom is far-fetched

Calling for a boycott of settlements around the West Bank

Pretentious exclusive nationalism

But what about historical Palestine

I thought Jerusalem was supposed to be the ldquocapital of Arab cultureldquo

But itrsquos all political speeches for the people

We put up with the work and the sweat and itrsquos rough

a letterرسالة من مقاطعة from boikutt

risaleh mn muqataa (pt1)

boikutt

null

2010

1086983

eng - iTunPGAP0

eng - iTunNORM 00000A1E 00000A0E 000099D9 000098A0 0000CC63 0000CC63 0000826D 000080B0 000131D0 000131D0

eng - iTunSMPB 00000000 00000210 000008F3 000000000049197D 00000000 0027BA9D 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000

7372

يقنعونا إن كلشي متام و بقدر أعيش حياة عادية

زي في األفالم على مبس واحد إثنني ثالثة أربعة إلخ

كن منيح و بتنزل عليك املصاري زخ نصيحة من أخ ألخ

خليك مستقل ألن اللعبة إنلعب فإبعد عن الفخ

خليهم يقعدوا يستنوا الدعم ليموتوا يلفلفوا داخل اجلدار حلد ما يفوتوا

في متاهات مبسافات مش محددة مجددة لتوسع التوسع مش مهددة

إنتهاك احتالل بس مش على الكل

في ناس في فلسطني هون حياتهم زي الفل مش عارف شو بيفكر

شكلوا مش داري شي يوم حنروح كل الدكاكني هي حتسكر

سالم

b o i k u t t

Try to convince me that everythingrsquos fine

And that I can lead a normal life

Like in the movies

On MBC one two three four etcetera

Be good and money will rain on you

Advice from one brother to another

Stay independent because the games are being played

So steer clear of the trap

Let them wait for foreign aid until they die

Spinning in circles within the apartheid wall until they enter

Into unlimited mazes with unspecified spaces

That are renewed to fit settlement expansion unthreatened

Violation occupation

But not for everyone

There are people here in Palestine living ldquothe good lifeldquo

I donrsquot know what hersquos thinking

Seems like he doesnrsquot know one day wersquoll be gone

And all these shops will close

Peace

T r a n s l a t e d b y t h e a r t i s t w i t h L o u b n a B i l a l i

risaleh mn muqataa (pt1)

boikutt

null

2010

1086983

eng - iTunPGAP0

eng - iTunNORM 00000A1E 00000A0E 000099D9 000098A0 0000CC63 0000CC63 0000826D 000080B0 000131D0 000131D0

eng - iTunSMPB 00000000 00000210 000008F3 000000000049197D 00000000 0027BA9D 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000

7574

الضغط عاليالعدو فات جاري احملادثات

صمت دوليكمية الغازى عم تزداد

تهجير جديد مولود جديدتكرر عزو مش تارك ورا شي مفيد غير غراب

من كل البيت ما تركو شي إال البابمن االرض ل سما مسافة عاليه

إمشي الصحرا وعد لياليوجنوما

كمشوا رئيس دولة بجورةحصار

توزيع مخدراتباألحمر تلون الفرات سجون معتقالتقبلة الوداع مع الصبات

تنصت بالشبكة خيانات باألزهر

k a t i b e h 5

The pressure is high

The enemy has entered discussions are taking place

Global silence

The numbers of the occupier are increasing

A new expulsion A newborn child

The perpetuation of an invasion that leaves behind it nothing of any use except for a crow

From an entire house they left nothing but the door

From the ground to the sky is a long distance

Walk the desert and count the nights

And its stars

They caught a president in a pit

Siege

Drug dealing the Euphrates is stained red prisons detention centers

A farewell kiss with a shoe

Networks wiretapped betrayals in Al Azhar

hold me back ifهديني اذا فيك you can

null

23098943

7776

حوار أديانالكف تنجس

متسح فيه وجك مع كل شروق عالوضوءتسمع شرارة فتيل مولوتوف ينادي أصوات تتلبى

باإلنفجار

هديني إذا فيك صرت موجود بكل مكانوجي مغبش عامل زي جيش زباتا

منصرخ بوجكم raquoاحلرية ل برغوتيlaquoإعالمكو بيعرفني كلماتكو حملت إسمي

شركاتكو بتهرب مني )كتيبه خمسه هديتي إذا فيك(

بتالقيني بني والد حفظوا غنية املخيماتبنفسية فالح عمال يزو املدينة

افالم تافهةبرنامج تافه

بتدور على مخك بتالقي مش موجوداخلليج يتحكم بإعالم

هادول حبوب التنومي ٦1 سنة بعدن مش شغالني

عالمادامك واخد وجهة نظري

ع محمل اجلدمسموح لك تستعجب وتظهر إنزعاجك بوجودي

ألني صديق لكل املشاهد الغير مرغوبة فيهاش بيختار حياتو بالتحديد بحكيلك هيك منحياها ومحد

ضغط رصاص وابارود بخليكاش حتيدالتجارب بتدلك عطريق

هديتي إذا فيك

k a t i b e h 5

A dialogue of religions

The hand is tainted

And with it you cleanse your face at ablution each sunrise

You hear the sparking of the fuse of a molotov calling voices respond

Explosion

Hold me back if you can I have become present everywhere

My face is concealed like the army of Zapata

We shout in your face ldquoFreedom for Barghoutildquo

Your media knows me your words have glimpsed my name

Your corporations flee from me

(Katibe Khamseh hold me back if you can)

Yoursquoll find me among children that have memorized the song ldquoAl Moukhayamatldquo

In the persona of a peasant that is visiting the city

Shallow films

Shallow programs

You look for your mind but you find it is not there

The Gulf controls media with its boundaries

These sleeping pills 61 years and theyrsquore still not effective

Great

As long as you are taking my point of view seriously

Yoursquore allowed to be taken aback and to show your irritation

Just like you show your irritation at my presence

Because I am a friend to all the images that are not desirable

This is how we live out these images and no one chooses their life specifically Irsquoll tell you

The pressure of bullets and gunpowder does not allow you to move away

Experience will guide you on the road

Hold me back if you can

null

23098943

7978

موقف واحد صريح من صميم روح لشعوب املقاومة ضمير ظهور البشرية

السبيل صعب ورا الغضبدعم لكل أسالوب محارب

د لنحرق نظامك منتدرب منجرب منخرب منستععم نحرق نظامك

هديتي إذا فيك

إطلع منيحمش رح تقدر توخذ كل شي من أول نظرة

نظرة عامة raquoبشرة مش بيضةlaquoجبني عريضة مكتوب مولود عنيد بالفطرة

فوت بالتقاليد عد التجاعيدلك هاي مش أول مرة

لغات ودراسات حط العلم بغالفمش رح تقدر تفهم ليه بعد في بارود ع الكتافلون األرض ولون الليل بيعطيك البني و السواد

بوعدك مش لوحدي رح أضل عد رماد الال اللعبة اجلديدة وال والدنا ع اللعبة جداد

بكفيش إنفلونزا الصقور صار في إنفلونزا اخلنازيرموسم مرض جديد لرئيس مبثل ع نفوس ومريض بهدوء البيض

هديتي إذا فيك

k a t i b e h 5

A single honest stance from the bottom of the soul for the people of the resistance the conscience

that exposes humanity

The path is difficult when following anger

A support for every style of battle

We train we strive we disrupt we prepare to burn your system

We are burning your system

Hold me back if you can

Look closely

You wonrsquot be able to see it all at first sight

An overview ldquocomplexion that is not whiteldquo

A broad forehead written born stubborn by nature

Look at the traditions and count the wrinkles

This is not the first time

Languages and scholarship put education under wraps

You wonrsquot be able to understand why there is still gunpowder on shoulders

The color of earth and the color of night gives you brown and blackness

I promise you that I will not be alone to count the ashes no

This game to us is not new and nor are our children new to the game

As if the influenza of eagles was not enough now therersquos the influenza of pigs

The season of a new disease for a president acting for a public and sick with the

calmness of white people

Hold me back if you can

null

23098943

8180

اإلحتالل نكه البشر بنكهة املجاريبالسالم حوار أديانبإقرار ملكية كذابة

بتشويه تاريخ وسرقة حضاراتولك أه

فلسطني إفريقيا الدجلة والفراتإجتاه البشرية لإلضمحالل سرطان بشري بعضها

الشتا ميسح اخلطايا واآلثاروليش بتتخبى وبتتغطى بنفس كل سفارة سميك الستار

لساتني باكل الضربة ورا الضره ورا الضربةوحتى ما أفعل وأساوي تكمشني الرجفة

بدل ما أضرب فيك بضرب بحاليبوعدكش حضلني كامش حالي حفلتها

حفلتها

هديني إذا فيك هديني إذا فيكهديني إذا فيك

k a t i b e h 5

The occupation has seasoned humanity with the flavor of sewers

With peace with dialogue of religions

With the declaration of false ownership

With the distortion of history and the theft of civilizations

Oh yes

Palestine Africa the Tigris and Euphrates

Humanity is leading to reduction a human cancer bites it

Exile wipes clean the sins and the traces

And why are you hiding and seeking cover when all the embassies are already well concealed

I am still taking one beating after another

And so that I donrsquot take action and do something shudders grip my body

Instead of beating you I beat myself

I canrsquot promise you that I can keep myself restrained

Irsquom gonna let go

Hold me back if you can

Hold me back if you can

Hold me back if you can

T r a n s l a t e d b y R i m a N a j d i a n d F a y s a l B i b i

null

23098943

8382

طول عمر الشعب املصري مع بعض أحلك الظروفبص وفر في التاريخ وانت ياما هاتشوف

الدين ده ليا وليكوفيا وفيك

حاجة روحانية بتخليك حتس اللي بيك

ايد في ايد نبني فيها من جديد

مصر زعلت علي حاصل وسطنا مش مفيد

بعد ثورة وبعد عيد فتنة تقتل حلم واتتحقق لنا

واحد اتننيالذكري بتعيش اكتر من عمر االنسان

بصمتنا تغييرنا جوة وبرة امليدان مش هانضيع نصر ثورتنا بفتنة نشئت بينا

A r a b i a n K n i g h t s + M C G a z a + A m e e r

The Egyptian people have always stuck together

Through the worst times look at history

And see how often wersquove been there for each other

That whole idea of religion

Is for you and for me something spiritual that makes you feel whatrsquos inside you

Hand in hand

We build Egypt up again

Egypt is angry at whatrsquos happening between us

Itrsquos not helpful

After the revolution after the celebration

Sectarian strife is killing the dream we fulfilled

One two

The memory lasts more than a lifetime

Our mark is our change in and outside Tahrir Square

We wonrsquot give up the victory of our revolution in exchange for sectarian strife between

us

hand inايد في ايد hand

Eid Fe Eid

Yasser Ameer Youssef Rush E Money amp MCGaza | by BOGEY

Single Hit track 11

20112011

Hip-Hop

24002867

eng - Hip-Hop 4 Life

eng - iTunNORM 000005E2 0000058E 0000424E 00003537 00026E95 0001C2B3 00008000 00008000 00005045 00005045

8584

بلدنا محتجانا ايدنا واحدة ضد احملنة تفرق ايه معاك ديانتي ملا ربك هو ربي

اصلك هو اصلي ارضك هي ارضي

ملا اتقال لي اكتت فيول فتنة انا قولت غلط علشان الفتنة مفتعلة في بلدنا وكان وراها غرض

فالفرد افترض فبفرض السياسة األمر اختلط

فالزم يبقي املصل سياسي من اصل املرض العسس واحلرس مافرقوش صليب وهالل

وكنا كلنا واحد وراء االقفالدم الشهيد شاهد

ياما بالفتنة انكسرنا وحدتنا بصوت واحد وضد الظلم انتصرنا

وديني هو ديني صلة بيني وبني ربي هارفع علمي وارفع راسي فوق

انا مصري

ايد في ايد نبني فيها من جديد

مصر زعلت علي حاصل وسطنا مش مفيد

بعد ثورة وبعد عيد فتنة تقتل حلم واتتحقق لنا

خلو حمامة السالم من الطيور املنقرضةعلشان تبقي القلوب مبتعدة منقسمه سهل تتسم

فكرين مناعة و قوة أم الدنيا بالطمع مرتبطةنسر املصريني ليس له دين احنا بنحميها بالدم

العنف بذوره بتكتر عاوز يوصل واحلروب حتصل

A r a b i a n K n i g h t s + M C G a z a + A m e e r

Our country needs us all together against the hard times

What difference does my religion make to you when your god is my god

Your origin is mine

Your land is my land

When they told me about sectarian strife I said thatrsquos wrong

Because itrsquos been planted in our country and behind it is some purpose

Makes one think somethingrsquos going on

By playing politics everythingrsquos gotten mixed up

The antidote has to be political just like the poison itself

The military doesnrsquot distinguish between cross and crescent

Wersquore all held together behind bars

The blood of the martyrs bears witness

To how much wersquove been broken by sectarianism

Through our unity we triumphed with one voice over injustice

And my religion is my own a rapport between me and God

Irsquoll raise my flag and my head up

Irsquom Egyptian

Hand in hand

We build Egypt up again

Egypt is angry at whatrsquos happening between us

Itrsquos not helpful

After the revolution after the victory

Sectarian strife is killing the dream we fulfilled

They drove the dove of peace to extinction

To keep hearts apart and divided itrsquos easy to poison them

Do they really think the resilience and strength of Egypt is connected to greed

The Egyptian eagle has no religion we protect it with our blood

The roots of violence are increasing want to gain control to start wars

Eid Fe Eid

Yasser Ameer Youssef Rush E Money amp MCGaza | by BOGEY

Single Hit track 11

20112011

Hip-Hop

24002867

eng - Hip-Hop 4 Life

eng - iTunNORM 000005E2 0000058E 0000424E 00003537 00026E95 0001C2B3 00008000 00008000 00005045 00005045

8786

للعاقيدة يكسر وألعضاء املشاعر تتشال تصتأصلعلى كالم ربهم اتكبرو فعملو قدر واتقدر

وقته مستنينه ليه خططوا مضمون الرسائل اتغير الن الهدف هو تدمير قعدة الوحدهوقتل كل قائد يقود الناس بره احملنه

فيبقي سهل يزيحنا ميحي أوصول عليها كبرناوكل واحد علي حداه يقول أنا محدش يقول احنا

فاببطء بحرص بص بعقل بحذر شوفقبل ما يخلوا خيالك يتخلله اخلوف

واخلوف ده افراز بيطلع من غده ملا الكلب بيشوفهابيعرف انك فاريسه سهل ياكلها ركز

فرق تسد إخلعوفق جتد إرفع

ثورة تقدصمت يفرد- يفرق

ما بيجمع بيننامن حقي النقد من حقك - تسمع

طب إسمع وراجع ما صور التاريخ طب باله بيكفي صور زمانييوم حصار كنيسة املهد مني دافع مني اتقمع مني اتنفا

مسلم مسيحي أل كان فلسطيني اتذكر معي ثورة غضب يناير

اتذكر معي الوحدة اإليد الوحدة اتشرف انتا مصرياتذكر معي األخ بإيد األخ يحمي األخ بدون إلخ

كالمي ماشي ماشي ال-لتفهمني بهويتي مسلم وال نصراني قبطي

ما في حجة لربطي خلبطي حلطي ألوطي ألغير خطيخير أجناد األرض

من أرض بيت املقدس كل السالم بعد ما قلت إلنقسام في وطنيانا ملزم أقول ال لفتنة

تفتت مجد شعب تعب عانى ضحى بالغالي حتى بناه

A r a b i a n K n i g h t s + M C G a z a + A m e e r

The relationship between Egyptians breaks down and the organs that feel are taken out

They got full of themselves in the name of their god and invented a new fate for us

Theyrsquore waiting for a time and theyrsquore plotting The meaning of their messages changes

Because the goal is to destroy the foundation of unity

And kill every leader who takes the people out of hard times

Itrsquos easy to remove us to wipe out the traditions we grew up with

Everyone on his own everyone says ldquoIldquo and no one says ldquoweldquo

Slowly carefully look Wisely with caution see

Before they make your imagination a slave to fear

And that fear releases a secretion from a gland

And when the dog sees it he knows yoursquore easy prey

Divide yoursquoll conquer

Bring harmony and yoursquoll reap Start

A revolution and it will catch on

Silence is solitary It divides

It doesnrsquot bring us together

It is my right to criticize and your right to listen

So listen and look back at history or better look at my life time

The day the Nativity Church was under siege who was persecuted Who was exiled

A Muslim A Christian No he was Palestinian

Letrsquos remember the angry revolution of January

Letrsquos remember the unity the one hand Be proud yoursquore Egyptian

Remember the brother holding hands with a brother protecting a brother

And I can go on

Donrsquot teach me about my identity whether Irsquom a Muslim or a Christian Copt

Therersquos no excuse to tie me down beat me to make me cower and kneel and stray from my courseThe Earthrsquos most virtuous soldiers

Come from the land of Bayt al-Maqdis [Jerusalem] I salute you After I said no to division in my countryIrsquom committed to saying no to seditionThat dissolves the glory of a people who labored suffered sacrificed what was most dear to build it

T r a n s l a t e d b y A l e x O r t i z + A h m e d S h a w k e t + K h a l e d A l H i l l i

Eid Fe Eid

Yasser Ameer Youssef Rush E Money amp MCGaza | by BOGEY

Single Hit track 11

20112011

Hip-Hop

24002867

eng - Hip-Hop 4 Life

eng - iTunNORM 000005E2 0000058E 0000424E 00003537 00026E95 0001C2B3 00008000 00008000 00005045 00005045

8988

الفن واملواهب زي حرب الكواكب الكل عايز يكون جنم صراع في الداخل

بهدي جنون العظمة بفلفل حر توابل تسيل دموع زي القنابل

زي مابتكلم وداني شغالة كون سامع نبض الشارع علشان أ

حالف أقضي على اإلعالم املتآمر مغامر في الكالم بس إنت مش سامع

ملا بأمسك القلم والورقة الهم بينزاح مخي بيرتاح بأقول اللي على البال

ملا بأقعد بحس بتأنيب ضمير كون في ستوديو بسجل على بيت خطير مفروض أ

e l D e e b + S t o r m t r a p

Art and talent are like Star Wars

Secretly everyone wants to be a star of conflict

I make megalomania tranquil with chilli hot spices

Tears flow like bombs

Thatrsquos how I talk and the world keeps moving

So that I can hear the pulse of the streets

Irsquove sworn to obliterate the media conspirators

I am adventurous in my speech but you do not hear

When I hold the pen and the paper my anxiety is lifted

My mind relaxes and I say whatrsquos on it

When I sit down I feel guilty

I should be in the studio recording dangerous beats

addictأدمان الشهرة ion to fame

Edman El Shuhra

Stormtrap amp Mohamed El Deeb

2011

Hip-Hop

15305855

- vocals Mohamed El Deeb Stormtrap13produced by Stormtrap

9190

إحساس غريب إنك تدمن الكالم ارسم يا فنان واخترع زي دافينشي الرسام

ولو مفيش ورقة باستخدم تليفوني خايف إن فكرة متعديش على صوتي

دنيا غريبة يوم مر يوم بونبوني بس أنا عمري ماغيرت لوني

املوسيقى بنادولي وبطابعي فضولي مهما قالوا لي هافهمها مبفهومي فـساعات أالقي نفسي بكلم نفسي واسمع أصوات غريبة في دماغي

وهو ده الصدى الصوت اللي بسمعه اكن مفيش حد فارقة معاه احالمي

شوف شوف مش هدف إنو أنا شخصيا أنا

هدفي انه كلماتي وموسيقتي تنتشرعشان هيك حتشوفني دوما مستمر مستثمر

كل وقتي كل طاقتي على أصواتي خوذ شك خوذ حتويل خوذ كاش

بس ما تنساش أي شي بيتعلق بالواقع بدناش ما تخاف ألنها قضيتنا مش منسية مية باملية هايذي ثورة كمان ثقافية

خليني أوضح هاي املوسيقى مش معمولة للتلفازeهاي املوسيقى مش معمولة لهز الطياز l D e e b + S t o r m t r a p

Strange feeling to be out of words

Paint oh artist and discover like Da Vinci the artist

If I donrsquot have paper I use my cell

I am afraid that the idea does not come through my voice

Strange world one day is bitter another like candy

But Irsquove never changed my color

Music is my Tylenol and my nature curious

So whatever they tell me Irsquoll understand it my way

Sometimes I find myself talking to myself

And I hear weird voices in my head

Which is just the echo of the sound I hear

As if no one cares about my dreams

See see

My goals are not self serving

My goal is that my words and music spread

Thatrsquos why yoursquoll see me always and continuously investing

All my time my energy on my sounds

Take a check take a transfer take cash

But never forget anything related to reality wersquore not interested

Donrsquot be afraid because our cause is not forgotten

One hundred percent this is also a cultural revolution

Let me explain this music is not meant to be televised

This music is not made for booty shaking

Edman El Shuhra

Stormtrap amp Mohamed El Deeb

2011

Hip-Hop

15305855

- vocals Mohamed El Deeb Stormtrap13produced by Stormtrap

9392

مش فاهم ليش الكل قاتل حاله يكون في مسابقةحابني نتصابح حياكم زات املكافحة

واالعالم ميت ع حيالله قصة ما بيدرس هالقصة من نصها

وبعدن بينفخهامش احلق علينا اذا ما بيبحثوا

وملا يبدوا يحكوا عنا أل عنجد بيبعصوابيفكروا انه كل شي هشك بشك

بس حدن الزم يقلهم انه الهب هوب مش هيكبدك تدير بالك عشانها هاي اللحظة احلاسمة

ملا يجوا عليك الديب والعاصفةنكسر حدود وبنبني وحدة عشان نحيي مجتماعاتنا

وننهي معانتناعشان هيك منكتب كلمات صريحة والها معنى

مش للشهرة مش حتى يجي حدن يدفعلنا

e l D e e b + S t o r m t r a p

I donrsquot understand why everyone is killing themselves to be in the contest

Wersquod like to say goodmorning to salute you in this same struggle

The mediarsquos dying for any story

But they donrsquot study the storyrsquos real text

And then they blow it out of proportion

Itrsquos not our fault if they donrsquot search

And when they talk about us then they really screw it up

They think everything is empty pointless

Somebody needs to tell them that hip hop is not like that

You should take care because this is the critical moment

When the wolf and storm come haunting you

We break borders and we create a unity to revitalize our communities

And stop our suffering

That is why we write frank words that have meaning

Itrsquos not for fame or even so that someone pays us

T r a n s l a t e d b y N i z a r G h a n e m

Edman El Shuhra

Stormtrap amp Mohamed El Deeb

2011

Hip-Hop

15305855

- vocals Mohamed El Deeb Stormtrap13produced by Stormtrap

9594

حضل عهل مود يعنيما إنتلك النجوم عم تقرب

بهل ال مود حكون عطول لبهل جنوم إدءر لو مضطر شن هجوم عل النجوم كلها

خللي األرض تدور حول أصبعي تنلك

ما إنتلك متلي متلك مولع طيار ألفكاري من العقدي تنفك فرد قعدي بني 4 حيطان ما بتنهز و منها ما بنهز

يلز املا بينلزالكاس عل الطاولي و منو عم مز مز

لتفتل براصي وحس من حالي عم كز كزعل ورقة كالمي مدروس و ما بزت زت بجرب ما عيد حالي متا يقولو عم نق نق

موزع قافياتي جواز كأن عم فت فت

بهل األطشة خلي الديني اللي تسمعني ترن رنFبسبيلي جاري يوم ع يوم عم برك رك a r e e q e l A t r a s h

Irsquoll stay in this mood

Didnrsquot I tell you The stars are getting closer

Irsquoll stay in this mood until I touch these stars

Even if I have to launch an attack on all the stars

Irsquoll make the Earth rotate around my finger I told you

Didnrsquot I tell you Irsquom just like you I lit up a joint so my ideas would untie their knot

Sitting this way in between four walls I wonrsquot budge

The most delectable

Drink is on the table from which Irsquom taking sips

Till my head starts spinning and Irsquom sick of myself

On the paper my words are calculated I donrsquot just toss them about

I try not to repeat myself so they wonrsquot say Irsquom nagging

I deal my rhymes out like theyrsquore cards

In this verse Irsquoll make those ears ring

My fountain is running and every day I excel

tالنجوم عم تقرب he stars are gett ing closer

null

29781717

9796

لضل ماشي جالس بينما غيري عم بلك لك شريط معلق ريحة العة عم بتفح فحكل ما فتح متو بتالقي عم بكب كب

عايشها إرهاب و مفي إال بسب سببزبالتي ما بكبو تيكون بعلمك

األالف مسم و بحياتو ما بينسم بزقة من هل التم تخلي سقفك ينش نش

تلمو ردم و ما تفكر إنو ترد رد و عم بحكي عالواطي متا الصالي فيك ترج رج

بطبعي عاقل بس بالراب بزل زل عل الرايق بال ما نط وال فز فز

type of shitعال بارد أبرد من شباط بس يقز قزتخلي عضامك ع بعض تسك سك

ما إنتلك النجوم عم تقرب بهل ال مود حكون عطول لبهل جنوم إدءر

لو مضطر شن هجوم عل النجوم كلهاخللي األرض تدور حول أصبعي تنلك

أنا متنبئ بنبه و بحقق ما قلتلك بعد وقتها ما عم نكت

عاملكرفون إبرة هرون عم بشكشك في شكcheck one two

هيك بدسدس عالنبض

F a r e e q e l A t r a s h

So I can walk straight when others are still playing

A broken record that reeks of a musty smell

Every time he opens his mouth he spews them out

He lives in terror and all he does is curse

I wouldnrsquot throw him in my garbage just so you know

Irsquove irritated thousands and never been irritated in my life

One spit out of this mouth will make your roof leak

And yoursquoll pick up the rubble and donrsquot even think about answering back

Irsquom talking in a low voice so the hall wonrsquot shake with you in it

Irsquom reasonable by nature but when it comes to rap I humiliate cold-heartedly

Without jumping or leaping around

I do it coldly colder than icy February-type of shit

Irsquoll make your bones rattle against each other

Didnrsquot I tell you The stars are getting closer

Irsquoll stay in this mood until I touch these stars

Even if I have to launch an attack on all the stars

Irsquoll make the Earth rotate around my finger I told you

Irsquom a psychic I predict and deliver

Didnrsquot I tell you to stand back when Irsquom not joking

Irsquom pricking the microphone with a heroin needle Is there any doubt

Check one two

Thatrsquos how I feel the pulse

null

29781717

9998

بدقق و زتزت حكي بتزجزج كأنها مزهزها عم بتشمشم عم خطط عم تكتيك و مني ملحلح من هون للساعة توقف تك تيك تك تيك

لك ليك منفخ حاله عامبيكازيب عا غيري بس بوجهي بتاءتإوجهه بيباءبإ من أد ما بعصب بسبسب

زر إنذار إذني بتطنطن و بشوف من عالباب عم بدقدق

عكروت بدو يفوت ليشوف الفن فني بس الفن هون بجسمي معبأ

من حلقي طايف و من متي عم بت شرشر و بيس البيس زلزال برجرج خليك تضبضب تنضب بالبيت لتكنكن

و أنا متأسف ألني بدي استأذن بس بعد شفت كابتشينو بتصحصح

ما إنتلك النجوم عم تقرببهل ال مود حكون عطول لبهل جنوم إدءر

لو مضطر شن هجوم عل النجوم كلهاخللي األرض تدور حول أصبعي تنلك

هيدا هب هوبمش هبل و ال بهل

هيدا زجل تتغزل في

ورايي إيقاع عليي إتبع و ما إطلع عنو يا بصير متل غير مسيس

زقفوا مع االيقاعزقفوا مع االيقاع

F a r e e q e l A t r a s h

Checking and hurling words that tickle as if I was high and sniffing

I am planning and scheming and Irsquom not going anywhere till the clock stops ticking

Look hersquos so full of it lying to others but in my face he stutters

And his face turns red from all the anger and he curses

My earsrsquo alarm bells start ringing

And I go to see whorsquos knocking at the door

Some bastard who wants to see where ldquothe artldquo is

But the art is right here packed in my body

Flowing from my throat running out of my mouth

And the bass is an earthquake that shakes and forces you to pack up and go home

And Irsquom sorry because I need to take leave

But after a sip of cappuccino yoursquoll come around

Didnrsquot I tell you The stars are getting closer

Irsquoll stay in this mood

Until I touch these stars even if I have to launch an attack on all the stars

Irsquoll make the Earth rotate around my finger I told you

This is hip hop

Itrsquos not stupid nor dumb

Itrsquos zajal [a form of Arabic poetry in the Levant]

That you flirt with

There is a beat that I have to follow canrsquot lose it or Irsquoll be like other MCs

Clap with the beat

Clap with the beat

T r a n s l a t e d b y K h a l e d A l H i l l i

null

29781717

101100

انا ببلعهم بتفهم وال مره بسبهمبخليهم داميا يضاربو بتفكيرهم

أنا وراهم قدامهم جنابهم محتلهممش طايقهم مرات وزنهم بكون منزلهم

مرتبهم صاففهم وبقلم أنا حاكمهم زاتتهم مش عاجبيني أنا ماحيهم قائدهم وبنفس الوقت أنا عبيدهم

وبفك وربط أنا بلعب مبعانيهمانا حاميهم بأسطر اللي تقويهم

انا واعدهم اني أستر على فاضحهم ومطلعهم بصوره اللي تبشعهم

بس أنا محترمهم وبسطور ساجنهم مكتفهم كأسير بجنازير القهر

ومهديهم بحبل اللي يبشر بالصبر وانا لي الفخر أكون الشوك اللي فيهم

Dوأكون القهر اللي داميا يسقيهم A M

Yo this is dedicated to the lyrics

Irsquom swallowing them spitting them never dissing them

Giving them freedom of speech

Irsquom behind them in front of them because of them always standing with them

Sometimes get sick of them sick of how you abuse them

Gather them in line with my pen I order them

Didnrsquot like it Throwing them out and replacing them

Irsquom their leader and also their slave

Small changes make huge differences

I train them in pages to make them strong

Promising to use them not abuse them

Or allow the wrong mouths to utter them

Approach them with a military mind and find peace in them

Irsquom lucky to be full of thorns and even luckier that I found the lyrics

So theyrsquoll help me find the roses in me

wordsكلمات

null

26837427

103102

raquoالكل سمعك بس السؤال اذا اللي سمعك فهمكlaquoكلمات ليست كالكلمات بل raquoعالماتlaquo

اللي توجهنا وين مابدنا عحبال السيرك هي تثبتنا ريح العالم من كل جهه اذا احنا ضعاف بتوقعنا بس

raquoأل بلمره ألlaquo raquoكلمات عندي طنlaquoكل واحده الها هدف اخدت حرف عحرف

نسجت جمل اللي البسهم وقت البرد raquoراح اضلني اناديlaquo raquoبنحكي كلماتlaquo

انت بتعرف انهم مبنصب شهاد بحكو املاضي وتنبوا حاضر أي بالد

قد ماحكيت قد ما أحكي فش كالم يغطي بسفي كالم يربي وينمي انت بس أروي

في شوف انه قوه والقوه بتقويفيك و أن رويته مصيره يسقيك )مثل للقوه( العدو من أمامكم

والبحر من ورائكم فال تخيبوا أسيادكمفأين أشعاركم وأين مجادلتكم

فأنتم تسكتون وتخمدون أحالمكم)انهي( نهيت ورجعت للعامية بكلمات

مرمية طالعه من عقليه شعبيهمتل جنيب اللي بذاكرة كل واحد محفوظ مدروس واذا أل معناته في خلل معكوس

عاملجتمع اللي قمع كتاباته Dاللي سمح لنسيانه يشيل خطواته A M

ldquoThey all hear you but few listen to youldquo

Lyrics ainrsquot just a bunch of words they are ldquosignsldquo

Leading us stabilizing us on tight ropes

Winds every way if we are thin we will fall

ldquoBut hell noldquo ldquoyou can measure my words in tonsldquo

Every word has a meaning I knitted a letter with another letter

Made warm sentences to wear in cold days

ldquoSo Irsquoll still shoutldquo ldquowe control lyricsldquo

You know lyrics are like a witness

They witnessed the past and forecast the future

As much as I said or say I canrsquot describe them

But there is a way to find the description and thatrsquos through them

Quench the thirst of the pages with them

So in the future itrsquoll quench your thirst

Keep feeding them as soon as they grow up

Theyrsquoll give you strength

ldquoExample for the strengthldquo

ldquoThe enemy is before you the sea is behind you

So donrsquot you dare disappoint our ancestors

Where are our deep poems Where are our strong statements

From generation to generation we kill our dreamsldquo

ldquoEnough philosophizingldquo ok lets get back to street talk

Words coming outta simple minds

Like Najeeb Mahfuz [literally lsquowell-rememberedrsquo also a famous author]

They keep living in our minds

And if you donrsquot know who he is - then I rest my case

null

26837427

105104

raquoالكل سمعك بس السؤال اذا اللي سمعك فهمكlaquoكلمات ليست كالكلمات بل raquoعالماتlaquo

اللي توجهنا وين مابدنا عحبال السيرك هي تثبتنا ريح العالم من كل جهه اذا احنا ضعاف بتوقعنا بس

raquoأل بلمره ألlaquo raquoكلمات عندي طنlaquoكل واحده الها هدف اخدت حرف عحرف

نسجت جمل اللي البسهم وقت البرد raquoراح اضلني اناديlaquo raquoبنحكي كلماتlaquo

ألف با كبايه أوعك تكسرهاامسكها للنهاية وكل ما تفضى مليها

كلمه أو رواية ومع املراحل زيدها شيحكاية وهيك ضلك زود فيها

وجيبها لتجمعاتك وساعتها استعملها لنقاشاتك وملواقفك استخدمها

هادي مدافعك اللي مداها بسيطرتك وما دافعك انه ما تخليها رايتك

ما هي تكتب ما هي توصف ما هي تكذب ما هي تنصف

ما هي هي الهروب هياللجوء هي الدروب هي

العبور باحلدود واللي مبرؤهم مبدع وبفوز باخللود واللي بسرقهم مش مقنع

واذا بتديهم احلرية بنادوك ممنوعDواذا بتوخد احلريه بنادوك مسموح A M

ldquoThey all hear you but few listen to youldquo

Lyrics ainrsquot just a bunch of words they are ldquosignsldquo

Leading us stabilizing us on tight ropes

Winds every way if we are thin we will fall

ldquoBut hell noldquo ldquoyou can measure my words in tonsldquo

Every word has a meaning I knitted a letter with another letter

Made warm sentences to wear in cold days

ldquoSo Irsquoll still shoutldquo ldquowe control lyricsldquo

The Arabic alphabet is like a glass donrsquot break it

Hold it tight and keep filling it

And then bring it to our arguments

Scream till your throat gets dry and then wet it

It holds our body itrsquos like our legs

If you stand for nothing yoursquoll fall for anything

The words write create

They kill lead and sometimes even lie

You can use them to build borders

And those who are gifted

Can use them to walk through borders

And in some governments

Itrsquos forbidden to give words freedom

But if you choke them and kill them

Thatrsquos allowed

F i g u r a t i v e t r a n s l a t i o n o f f e r e d b y t h e a r t i s t s

null

26837427

107106

further reading

The tracks presented in this document are not a comprehensive sampling of the genre of the market of hip hop in Arabic or of hip hop and rap in the wider Middle East

Artists featured here hail from Egypt Lebanon Palestine and the anglophone Arab diaspora The thriving North African hip hop scene is not represented nor is the work of the established francophone Arab diaspora nor the expanding hip hop scenes of especially Iran or Turkey

This collection does not attempt a comprehensive chronology Tracks featured here are not primarily new releases (though some are) neither are they all ldquoclassicsrdquo These limitations of scope are important to note

Many tracks of the popular Libyan group Ibn Thabitt and other groups from across the region have been translated and are hosted with commentary on the notable blog

revolutionaryarabrapblogspotcom

Another valuable resource is the Beirut-based blog by Jackson Allers ldquoBeats and Breathrdquo which features articulate critiques and reviews of events and releases from the region

jacksonallerswordpresscom

Hass Dennaoui (alias Big Hass) who recently launched started the first all hip-hop FM radio show in Saudi Arabia Laish Hip Hop (Why Hip Hop) manages a lively blog which

hosts an internet feed of his radio show and interviews with MCs and influential hip hop figures from around the world

revoltradioblogspotcom

Lebaneseundergroundcom hosts coverage of underground music in Lebanon including hip hop

And finally an excellent article by Hishaam Aidi on implications of the use of hip hop as foreign policy ldquoThe Grand (Hip-Hop) Chessboard Race Rap and Raison DrsquoEtatrdquo was published in The Middle East Report Fall 2011 Excerpts of the piece were published by Al Jazeera English in the article ldquoLeveraging Hip Hop in US Foreign Policyrdquo

All the artists and many of the translators whose work is showcased here host a significant online presence Their sites are listed with more about each of them on the following pages

109108

artist bios

ARABIAN KNIGHTZ the premier hip hop group from the land of the Nile River have not only established themselves as the lyricists with the sharpest swords in their land but they have also created the most consistent voice for rebellion strength and hope for the youth of the Middle East During the 2011 Revolution Arabian Knightz released two singles ldquoRebelrdquo and ldquoNot Your Prisonerrdquo anthems of resistance which gained worldwide attention and major media coverage for their powerful lyrics against a wicked system The group formed in 2006 through the cipher hip hoprsquos natural way of choosing like mindsets on the mic Rush Sphinx and E-Money were ahead of their peers adapting an authentic Arab perspective to the art dominated by Western voices mixing English and Arabic raps After hitting the studio for successful underground tracks AK enlisted super-producer Fredwreck (Snoop Dogg Xzibit Tha Dogg Pound) ldquoFokkakrdquo the single from this studio session was an instant hit and (surprisingly for Arabic Hip Hop) projected them to the top ten of the singles charts Arab League Records was formed amidst a growing fanbase and numerous collaborations with other Arab hip hop artists the first international Arab hip hop record label Desert Saga Volume 1 mixtape was the debut release led by ldquoThe Onerdquo featuring Egyptrsquos MC Amin Arabian Knightz have recorded their debut album Uknighted State of Arabia a masterpiece for Arab hip hop years in the making featuring instrumentals dominated by traditional percussions and players are scheduled for a Winter 2012 Release They are on Facebook

BOIKUTT is a musician and MC based in Ramallah Palestine Creating sounds using sampled material field recordings and electronic devices the results range between hip-hop downtempo ambient glitch and experimental He has composed and produced music for artists such as Kronos Quartet Bukue One Spiritchild Tamer Abu-Ghazaleh Bleubird and others and has appeared as an MC on albums for artists such as Slovo Heliodrome Bonnot and Lethal Skillz A co-founder of the Ramallah Underground Collective which has toured across the Arab World Europe and Australia Boikutt is also co-founder and member of audio-visual group Tashweesh with whom he is currently touring Also as a solo performer he has been in Beirut Cairo Manila Copenhagen London Hamburg Dubai Bethlehem and other cities He has produced and exhibited a few sound-art pieces composed several film scores has most recently composed the music for a dance theater performance entitled Bound by

New York-based company Yaa Samar Dance Theatre and is now working on different collaborative and solo projects His work may be heard at soundcloudcomboikutt and on Facebook

DAM Da Arabian MCrsquos are Suhell Nafar Tamer Nafar and Mahmoud Jreri The first Palestinian hip hop crew and among the first to rap in Arabic the group began working together in the late 1990s Struck by the uncanny resemblance of the reality of the streets in a Tupac video to the streets in their own neighborhood of Lyd they were inspired to tell their stories through hip hop Their timely song ldquoMin Irhabirdquo (ldquoWhorsquos the Terroristrdquo) was downloaded a million times shortly after its internet realese in 2001 and DAM became a household name among youth throughout the Middle East Ten years of performing all over the world has strengthened the grouprsquos commitment to continue living and working in their hometown of Lyd 15 minutes from Tel Aviv and working to provide the youth of the city and neighboring communities with programs and opportunities that have been denied to Palestinian citizens of Israel Their music is a unique fusion of East and West and encompasses influences as varied as Ghassan Kanafani Ahlam Mosteghanemi Mahmoud Darwish Naji al Ali Tupac Biggie Public Enemy MBS Krsquonaan and Pharoahe Monch IHDA (Dedication) DAMrsquos long-awaited first international album was released in 2007 and DAM has seen its songs and members featured in films such as Ford Transit (Dir Hany Abu Assad) Where in the World is Osama Bin Laden (Dir Morgan Spurlock) Salt of this Sea (Dir Annemarie Jacir) Local Angel and Forgiveness (Dir Udi Aloni) DAMrsquos history and influence on the Arab hip hop scene is detailed in the feature-length documentary Slingshot Hip Hop (Dir Jackie Reem Salloum) The group has also been featured in Vibe National Geographic Rolling Stone Q Basement Reuters and The New York Times and has appeared on MTV CNN BBC and Al Jazeera Their work can be heard and explored at damrapcom

EL DEEB first ventured into Egyptian Hip Hop when he joined Asfalt in 2005 He left in 2007 to create Wighit Nazara duo represented by Mohamed Yasser and himself It was a successful musical project that lasted until mid 2010 Currently he is working on his solo career with plans to release an EP every couple of months or so Cairofornia is his first solo EP His work may be heard at deebbandcampcom and on Facebook

EL RASS was born in Tripoli Lebanon He started writing poetry in literary Arabic at age 11 and started rhyming in spoken Lebanese dialect in 1999 at age 15 At that time he formed one third of a group of 3 MCrsquos going under the name of ldquoMlouk el Micrdquo (ldquoKings of the Micrdquo) They recorded one album and performed locally At 17 he left for France to study Finance and Economics Studies were hard money was scarce and exile was tough but music and poetry never left him as he continued rhyming with some underground French MCrsquos like Medline and Moebius and developed new musical skills on percussion in classical Arabic singing and baglama (turkish buzuk) After graduating and working for almost two years in the hell of banking and market finance El Rass decided to return to Lebanon He spent a year just re-discovering Beirut and making and learning music He now works as a journalist at the newspaper Assafir while concurrently pursuing joint projects with other producers and musicians He calls his work Taalik in reference to the same word in Arabic for ldquocommentrdquo and another word that comes from the same semantic root moaallakat which is a corpus of selected pre-Islamic poetry that was written with gold ink on the walls of the Karsquoaba in Mecca His work may be heard at soundcloudcomElRass

FAREEQ EL ATRASH is a hip hop band based out of Hamra St Beirut with a sound that is distinguished by laid back topical flows over live instrumentation It consists of Edd (raps) Nasser (raps) FZ (vocal production and FX) Fouad Afra (drums) Goo (plays guitar keys heart strings) and Abed Kobeissy (plays bass and buzuk) Their 2010 album and 2009 prealbum are available online More of their work may be found on Facebook Eddrsquos solo work can also be heard at soundcloudcomEdd

H2Z was born in Kuwait in 1986 where he lived for four years Due to the gulf war his family moved to Lebanon where he lived for the most part of his life Inspired by the tragic events in the Middle East and elsewhere in the world H2Z adopted rap music as a way to raise awareness about the injustices suffered by his people and to deliver a message through his music to anyone who supports the Palestinian cause His career began in 2004 when he was introduced to the production business by fellow rappers and soon he started producing his own tracks and established a local band producing many tracks for himself and other musicians in Lebanon In 2008 he released his first solo album titled 3aed which contained

17 tracks The political influence was noticed throughout the album and was generally well-received He is now studying for a degree in business administration at Wayne State University in Michigan His work may be heard at reverbnationcomh2z

KATIBEH 5 are based in Borj el Barajneh Lebanon Their work can be found at reverbnationcomkatibeh5 and myspacecomkatibe5palestine and on Facebook

M1 is Mutulu Olugbala of the New York based collective Dead Prez whose work is online at deadprezcom M1 is also on Facebook

MC GAZA is Adnan Mahmoud Ghonim an Algerian born artist and university student based in Gaza It was the beginning of 2005 when he attended one of the hip hop concerts in Gaza City ndash Gaza City that never appreciated the art he loved and attached himself to ndash and it was love at first sight between them Through some of the concerts he participated in a number of songs he collaborated on with Arabs from Egypt Algeria and Palestine and some active participation to represent the Palestinian people and interviews for both Arab and foreign press he was able to make a name for himself in the Gazan hip hop community His work may be found at youtubecomMCGaza and on Facebook

THE NARCICYST Having pioneered the Arab Hip-Hop movement with seminal Iraqi-Canadian crew Euphrates The Narcicyst recently broke through borders and shattered traveling etiquette touring solo around the world sharing stages with the likes of Brother Ali Mos Def and Kanye West to name a few On top of music The Narcicyst is a celebrated theorist whose academic work Fear of an Arab Planet has him from the stage to the classrooms of internationally renowned universities He is now also a professor at Concordia University teaching a Fine Arts course ldquoHip-Hop Past Present and Futurerdquo His writings have been published by multiple university presses and magazines internationally he is also a self-published author having recently released the biographical and social-study on the Arab world The Diatribes of a Dying Tribe As a true artist interested in really pushing his own artistic boundaries The Narcicyst has stepped into acting currently starring in the short music film PHATWA and in the first internationally-released film from the United Arab Emirates called City of Life A true multi-media

111110

KHALED AL HILLI is a PhD candidate in Comparative Literature at the Graduate Center City University of New York He has a BA in English Literature and a Masterrsquos degree in Teaching Second Languages Born in Iraq Khaled has taught in Lebanon and Saudi Arabia at both college and high school levels He has also worked with various Iraqi news outlets and has subtitledtranslated documentary films dealing with current social and political issues His research interests include Arabic political literature prison literature and literature in the diaspora He may be reached at hillykhalidgmailcom

+AZIZ is a NYC-based marketing consultant and a musician He is working through The World Music Parade to develop an animation project based on his music More about that project can be found at themusicparadetumblrcom He tweets from plusaziz

FAYSAL BIBI is a paleontologist and electronic musician currently based in Berlin

LOUBNA BILALI is originally from Morocco She did her undergrad and first MA in English Linguistics at Chouaib Doukkali University El Jadida She came to the US in 2008 to pursue a Masterrsquos degree in French to English translation and is currently working on a PhD in translation studies at Kent State University in Ohio She is very interested in learning and teaching languages as well as translating and localizing computer applications and websites She may be reached at loubnabilaligmailcom

FARAH ELREWAISSATI is a freelance translator pro-Palestine activist and BDS advocate who blogs at youthanormalizationblogspotcom She tweets from 3beee

NIZAR GHANEM was born in Lebanon He has been active in intercultural education interactive learning and conflict resolution across the Arab world His work on conflict resolution involved using theater comics and music as tools for emotional expression and social mobilization

RIMA NAJDI is a Performing Artist She studied dramatic arts at the Lebanese University in Beirut and obtained a Masterrsquos degree in Performance Studies at NYU New York She has written and performed in various plays and performances Najdi is particularly interested in multi-media performing arts and the position of the spectators

BARRAK ALZAID (copy editor) is the Artistic Director of ArteEast He is the editor of the ArteEast Quarterly a dynamic online portal featuring four publications that highlight contemporary art and culture from the Middle East and diaspora ndash ArtersquoZine Shahadat (contemporary short-form literature) Gallery and Cinematek (an online film center) He is also the curator for ArteEastrsquos Across Histories Art Talk Series featuring a series of panels on residencies in Fall 2011 He tweets from barrakster

RAYYA EL ZEIN (editor) is working towards a PhD in Theatre at the Graduate Center City University of New York Her research is increasingly focusing on theories of reception historical studies of audience behavior and popular culture in the Arab world She holds an MA in Performance Studies from NYU and is currently a teaching fellow at City College in Harlem She tweets from rayelz

translator biosdreamer Yassin recently established an arts label in the UAE called The Medium focusing on delivering art from Arabs in the diaspora and at lsquohomersquo to the rest of the world iraqisthebombcom He tweets from TheNarcicyst

OMAR OFFENDUM is a Syrian-American hip hop artist born in Saudi Arabia raised in Washington DC and living in Los Angeles Known for taking audiences on a lyrical journey from the jasmine-tree-lined courtyards of Nizar Qabbanirsquos Damascene homes to the flooded riverbanks of Langston Hughesrsquo Harlem Renaissance poems - Offendum has been featured on several major news outlets (BBC Yahoo ABC News Aljazeera PBS) toured the world to promote his ground-breaking music helped raise thousands of dollars for various humanitarian relief organizations (PCRF KinderUSA ANERA Islamic Relief) lectured at a number of prestigious academic institutions (Harvard MIT Stanford Columbia American University of Beirut NYU-AbuDhabi Qatar Education City) and most recently been involved in creating several critically-acclaimed songs about the popular democratic uprisings throughout the Middle East amp North Africa He is currently hard at work promoting his solo release - affectionately dubbed SyrianamericanA His work may be heard (and read) at offendumbandcampcom He is on Facebook and he tweets from Offendum

RAMALLAH UNDERGROUND based in Ramallah Palestine was born from the immediacy of musical experimentation and out of the need to give voice to a generation of Palestinians and Arabs facing a turbulent and uncertain political landscape The collective was founded by artists Boikutt Stormtrap and Aswatt and has always held a commitment to both the honesty of their work and the need to creatively rejuvenate Arabic culture To this end they combine music ranging from Arabic electronic music hip-hop and trip hop to downtempo with a deep sense of their local culture and the imposing presence of Palestine in their lives The outcome is a new specific and distinct sound RU (as producers and as MCrsquos ) has collaborated with numerous artists across the globe including countries like Lebanon UK Switzerland Italy USA France and many more including a collaboration with Slovo (a band headed by the guitarist from faithless) in their track ldquoNakbardquo which appears on their album Todo Cambia and with Kronos Quartet in the track ldquoTashweeshrdquo which appears on Floodplain RU has also performed live shows in Ramallah Bethlehem Vienna London Cairo Lausanne Amsterdam and Washington DC Their shows are mainly a performance of their hip-hop tracks as well as a few of their own electronic productions as a warm up More recently RU has incorporated a visual set in their live

performances brought to you by Palestinian visual artist Ruanne RU hopes to give a voice to Palestinians and Arabs bringing an alternative voice from the Arab world Their lyrics and music are an expression of anguish and defiance ultimately remaining a defiant voice of the colonized against the colonizer They continue to play a big role in the Arab underground cultural scene while slowly gaining wide global and local popularity

SHADIA MANSOURrsquos work can be found at myspacecomshadiamusic and on Facebook

STORMTRAP is a music producercomposerMC from Palestine Experimenting with old samples instruments and field recordings his sound is the result of a fusion of ambient atmospheres combined with various noises and hip hop beats His lyrics deal with different themes inspired mainly by his personal experiences in Palestine and life in the diaspora Stormtrap played a fundamental role in forming the band Ramallah Underground with which he has performed worldwide the past few years Currently he is working in Vienna with Aras Seyhan and Eren Ileri on a new album which combines live instruments synthesizers turntables beats and Arabic lyrics- which will be released early 2012 His work may be heard at soundcloudcomstormtrap He tweets from asifeh

AMEER YOSSEF 25 has sung and writen music with the band Klaket for the past four years His work may be heard at youtubecomAmeer and on Facebook

towards the work Her work for now concentrates on the process of making interactive and participatory performances that question borders stereotypes and languages

MOE ALI NAYEL is a fixer and a journalist based in Beirut Lebanon He uses social media blogging non-mainstream music journalism and writing as a word spreading eye opening socializing arena He uses social media as a bridge that cuts distance between people on this planet making it a tiny village This bridge starts in his office and takes him to every corner in the world enabling him to connect and network with people and cultures sharing and exchanging stories of the unheard and the neglected He blogs at Words of Action and he tweets from MoeAliNay

ALEX ORTIZ is a video and radio journalist and translator based in Cairo Egypt He graduated from Brown University in 2009 with a double major in Comparative Literature and Middle East Studies He was a CASA I fellow from 2009-2010 and a CASA II fellow from 2010-2011 He currently works for CBS News as a field producer He tweets from cairowitness

AHMED SHAWKET is an independent translator living in Cairo Egypt He is a graduate of the Helwan University Faculty of Arts where he majored in philosophy Ahmed works on literary media and commercial translation

113112

ABOUT SHAHADATShahadat is a quarterly online series designed to provide a platform for short-form writing and experimentation in writing by young and underexposed writers from the MENA region (Middle East and North Africa) The series features stories vignettes reflections and chronicles in translation and the original language of Arabic Farsi Turkish or Kurdish It makes up one quarter of ArteEastrsquos online programming the AE Quarterly For past issues of Shahadat click here

ABOUT THIS SERIES Shahadat is proud to run two alternating series and releases two issues a year of each The issue yoursquove just perused is part of the ldquoExploring Popular Literaturerdquo series This series challenges traditional understandings of ldquoliteraturerdquo emerging from the Middle East and North Africa by presenting genres of creative production that rely on words and language but which have not typically been studied as literature Works are presented in their original language and in translation

In each issue we gather texts from a spectrum of writers to challenge the singular status of the artistauthor and to encourage a more complex presentation of the Middle Eastern and North African ldquostreetrdquo for English-speaking audiences Shahadatrsquos other series ldquoContemporary Literature in Translationrdquo features the work of a single young author in the original language and in English translation

BEHIND THE DOCUMENTShahadat is co-edited by Rayya El Zein Alex Ortiz and ArteEastrsquos Artistic Director Barrak Alzaid All three are young professionals and scholars with artistic inclinations (literature poetry translation and performance) All three have strong connections to New York City and various metropole of the MENA region Shahadat is for us an experiment and a labor of love An editorial board of established scholars and authors is currently being conceived

SPECIAL THANKS TOAnmar El ZeinKinda AkashAndrew JohnstonLivia Alexander

Shahadat logo design by Rima Farouki

114

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Page 9: Shahadat Winter 2012

1716

)مصر داميا بتناديك(

التورتة رجعت للشعبالبورصة وقعت من اللعب

الشعار القدمي رجعالشرطة في خدمة الشعب

احلال كان صعب بس النهار ده أفضل احنا نقدر نزرع صحرتنا أخضر

اتخلصنا من حكم هتلر فرعون ملعون وبحكم تويتر وفيسبوك املصري ثاير مدعوم بلغة احلق

كانوا بيقولولنا أل مش فارقة معاهم إن شاء الله حتى االرض تنشق ثورتنا ثورة شعبية سلمية وطنية

طالبنا با حلرية الكرامة عدالة اجتماعية الشعب كان ممسوك بقبضة فوالذية

شغل مقاولة ومصالح شخصية كانوا بيتعاملوا معانا بكل همجية

يطلعوا عالقنوات الفضائية بتصاريح استفزازية

e l D e e b + E d d

(Egypt is always calling on you)

The people have regained the pie

The stockmarketrsquos been put out of commission

The old slogan is back

Police are in the service of the people

The situation was tough but today is better

We can make our desert green

We got rid of Hitlerrsquos rule a damned pharaoh

In the age of Twitter and Facebook the Egyptian walks confidently using the language of righteousness

They used to tell us no they didnrsquot care even if God wished the earth to split open

Our revolution is a popular peaceful national revolution

We have demanded freedom dignity and social justice

The people were controlled with an iron fist

Business contacts and personal interests

They treated us viciously

They appeared on satellite TV channels and issued provocative statements

rقوم يا مصري ise egypt ian

2oum Ya Masry (feat Edd) (Prod by Edd)

Deeb

null

2011

24930304

eng - Visit httpdeebbandcampcom

1918

انتصرنا في 11 فبراير بفرحة مليونية زغرطتي يا مصر يا بهية حققنا احلرية

الثورة بعد ما خلصت هلق بعدا مبلشةلدورنا شكلها وصلت وإنت بعدك بالفرشة

ولك قوم وقاف الحق بسنانك تفرشيولك قوم وقاف هز فيك نظامك عم بخزوق قوم يا مصري ما فيش ثورة بتخلص في يوم وليلة

دوس على نفسك شويةاستحمل شد حيلك

ما تخافش على عجلة اإلنتاج الزم ثورة على الذاتبكرا أحسن من اللي فات

ديكتاتوري هاإلنسان كان ببلد دميقراطيعايش فوق الغيم كان مرتاح رأسه فاضياملمنوع إلو مسموح كان ألن صاحبه قاضي

مطنش عاملخدرات ليضل شعبه طافيتيضل شعبه مسلطن ملتهي عم يضحك

كونه غير واعيفمن السهل فيه تتحكم ضو أخضر للشرطة

عليها ما فيك تتشكىفي حال فيك شكك بشكلك بشنغلك

تالتني سنةأكتر من أي رئيس بقي

ولك كسرسكور اإلستاذ نبيه بريمبصر بيقولوا معليه أنا التعتير إبني

eعم شوف شو في أكل من مبارح بقي ألعطيه لقمة l D e e b + E d d

We won on February 11 the joy of millions

Ululate oh Egypt oh Bahia we have achieved freedom

The revolution is not over yet it has just begun

Looks like itrsquos our turn now and yoursquore still in bed

Crsquomon get up Yoursquoll brush your teeth later

Crsquomon get up Move your regime is screwing you

Rise up oh Egyptian No revolution finishes in a night and a day

Bear with it a little

Have endurance and tolerance

Donrsquot be afraid of the cycle of production there should be a revolution against oneself

Tomorrow is better than the past

The man was a dictator in a democratic country

Living on clouds he was comfortable and carefree

What is prohibited was permitted for him because he was friends with a judge

He turned a blind eye to drugs so that his people would remain unaware

So that his people would remain high busy laughing

Because they are unconscious

It is easy to control them the police have a green light

You couldnrsquot report them

If they are suspicious of you of the way you look they would hang you

Thirty years

He ruled more than any other president

He even broke the record of Mr Nabih Berri [longstanding Lebanese head of parliament]

In Egypt they say itrsquos ok misfortune is my son

I will check what is left over from yesterday to feed it

2oum Ya Masry (feat Edd) (Prod by Edd)

Deeb

null

2011

24930304

eng - Visit httpdeebbandcampcom

2120

ملني بشكيحالتي متل هاملاليني مرتة

ولك قوم ننزل عساحة التحرير دغريب11 شهر 2 سجلنا رحيل حسني

اللي قضى كل هالسنني يشتغل عميل ضدي

ثورة بعد ما خلصت هلق بعدا مبلشةلدورنا شكلها وصلت وإنت بعدك بالفرشة

ولك قوم وقاف الحق بسنانك تفرشيولك قوم وقاف إذ فيك نظامك عم بخزوق

قوم يا مصري ما فيش ثورة بتخلص في يوم وليلةدوس على نفسك شوية

استحمل شد حيلكما تخافش على عجلة اإلنتاج

الزم ثورة على الذاتبكرا أحسن من اللي فات

أنا مدنيبلوح بقلمي كأنه علمي

من عرقي بروي عملي كأنه عطشيالبركة ببلدي العربي

إني فيني كون عفويفيني قوم ثور

إذا بس كان مسموم بدنيحلريتي بالتعبير

ما في حدود حتدنيبتشوفني بساحة التحرير بوسط بيروت

مش كرمال السما ترجع زرقاإلسقاط النظام اللي احلرية سلبنا

e l D e e b + E d d

To whom will I complain

My situation like that of millions is bad

Crsquomon letrsquos go straight to Tahrir Square

On February 11 we witnessed the departure of Hosni

Who has been working as an agent all these years against mehellip

The revolution is not over yet it has just begun

Looks like itrsquos our turn now and yoursquore still in bed

Crsquomon get up Yoursquoll brush your teeth later

Crsquomon get up Move your regime is screwing you

Rise up oh Egyptian No revolution finishes in a night and a day

Bear with it a little

Have endurance and tolerance

Donrsquot be afraid of the cycle of production

There should be a revolution against oneself

Tomorrow is better than the past

I am a civilian

I wave my pen as if it is my flag

I water my work with my sweat as if itrsquos my thirst

Whatrsquos good about my Arab country

Is that I can be spontaneous

I can rise up and revolt

When Irsquom angry

For my freedom of expression

There are no limitations

You see me in Tahrir Square and in downtown Beirut

But not for the sky to become blue again [in reference to the slogan of the Lebanese Future Movement]

But to topple the regime that has taken away freedom

2oum Ya Masry (feat Edd) (Prod by Edd)

Deeb

null

2011

24930304

eng - Visit httpdeebbandcampcom

2322

فترة إنتقاليةفقرة إعالنية

شاي وكليوبتراوشوش صفرا سهرانة

عالنشرة اإلخباريةركلة جزائية

واجلمهور مستني الهدفكل يوم في الصحف

نقرا نبأ عن كلب نهب البلدأوقف عندك رجع الذهب

مش إنت بردو اللي كنت مسؤول عن إعالم بلدتصاريح كاذبة كالم عجب

الصعب عدا والتاريخ إنكتبأوعى تفتكر الشعب تعب

الثورة بعد ما خلصت هلق بعدا مبلشةلدورنا شكلها وصلت وإنت بعدك بالفرشة

ولك قوم وقاف الحق بسنانك تفرشيولك قوم وقاف إذ فيك نظامك عم بخزوق

قوم يا مصري ما فيش ثورة بتخلص في يوم وليلةدوس على نفسك شوية

استحمل شد حيلكما تخافش على عجلة اإلنتاج

الزم ثورة على الذاتeبكرا أحسن من اللي فات l D e e b + E d d

A transitional period

A commercial break

Tea and Cleopatra

Yellow faces staying up at night

To follow the newscast

A penalty

The audience is waiting for the goal

Every day in newspapers

We read news about a dog that has looted the country

Stop return the gold

Werenrsquot you in charge of the countryrsquos media

False statements odd expressions

The hard part is over and history has been written

Donrsquot think that the people are exhausted

The revolution is not over yet it has just begun

Looks like itrsquos our turn now and yoursquore still in bed

Crsquomon get up Yoursquoll brush your teeth later

Crsquomon get up Move your regime is screwing you

Rise up oh Egyptian No revolution finishes in a night and a day

Bear with it a little

Have endurance and tolerance

Donrsquot be afraid of the cycle of production

There should be a revolution against oneself

Tomorrow is better than the past

T r a n s l a t e d b y F a r a h E l R e w a i s s a t i

2oum Ya Masry (feat Edd) (Prod by Edd)

Deeb

null

2011

24930304

eng - Visit httpdeebbandcampcom

2524

بلسان فاكريني انو مافيهوش فن هتكلم عن كل حلم اترسم من غضبهم اتدفن

اتقسم احتاط باأللم منلفكر فاملرحلة السمعيه واحللول اللى تنقذ عناوين جانبيه ارهابية من عيون معنية باستقاللية بعد حروب عاملية محمية متدارية

منسية مرمية على اكتاف مش مرضية مستخبية بطريقة اتكالية عاالراضى العربية

بسلبية مرئية انتهازية وراء االعالم االسالمية بباينوا النيه

احتيالية عنادية سيكوباتية سرية انانية استراتيجية ضد االنسانية

و بعد املسايسة متابعة من قاعة املشاهدة لكل عربى بيتزل مستانى مساعدة

A r a b i a n K n i g h t z + S h a d i a M a n s o u r

They presume the tongue has no art so I will speak

About every dream that was drawn from their anger and got buried

It got divided surrounded by pain

And the solutions that might work are sidelined and smeared as terrorist

From eyes that are interested in independence

After world wars protected and hidden

Forgotten and thrown on unsatisfied shoulders

Concealed with consent in Arab lands

With obvious opportunism

Beneath Islamic publicity intentions show through

Fraudulent stubborn psychopathic

A secret selfish strategy against mankind

And after politics we keep tabs on things from the screening room

For every Arab who gets humiliated I am waiting for help

prisonerThis track contains verses that were originally written in English السجني

Prisoner

Arabian Knightz + Shadia Mansour

Shahadat Winter 2012 track 316

Hip Hop

26518704

2726

ماخالص كسروا بنا كلمة مسانده و من عقولنا اخدوا الورق اللى يكسب فى اللعبة

أنا عايز بلد حرة من الظلم

عايز بلد حرة من القهر عايز بلد حرة من الشر

عايز أرضي وأرض العرب العرب العرب العرب

A r a b i a n K n i g h t z + S h a d i a M a n s o u r

But itrsquos over they shattered for us the word ldquosolidarityldquo

And from our minds they took the cards that win the game

I want a country free of tyranny

I want a country free of oppression

I want a country free of evil

I want my land and the land of Arabs

Arabs Arabs Arabs

Destructive destruction destroying my district

Anti-Christ running in spreading evil wisdom

Irsquom destroying the oppressors in Arabic settlements

Known for blowing up beats and governments

My peeps die in their cribs while yrsquoall close your eyes

Two of yrsquoall are kidnapped you call it a terrorist crime

The media

Is backing up

Murderous propaganda

While we fight eternally like immortal high landers

Al Durrah Sheikh Yassin the pains unseen

Forging your own stories for the blind to see

Want to draw your own opinions bout the bombs we face

Whatrsquos your opinion if yoursquore enslaved and your mom is raped

Itrsquos too easy to speak when yoursquore far from the heat

To the White House I creep and yes Irsquom armed to the teeth

With a mic and a pen and a pad herersquos your evidence

ldquoWeapons of Mass Destructionldquo Mr President

Prisoner

Arabian Knightz + Shadia Mansour

Shahadat Winter 2012 track 316

Hip Hop

26518704

2928

أنا عايز بلد حرة من الظلم عايز بلد حرة من القهر

عايز بلد حرة من الشر عايز أرضي وأرض العرب

العرب العرب العرب

إحنا منمشي بالكرامة والثقة بالنفس معصنا قوانينكم بالثبوت بالدم

لو إن ضميركم بتريحكم بتتكلموا من ورا الفرد

قللي مني ما عم ينام بالليل عنجد ع بني انتو بتبنوا حواجز إحن بنكبر عيالنا

وبنظلنا نزيد العدد إحن السبب ليش ما بتسترجوا تغمضوا عني

في فرق كبير بني مقاوم ومقررين

A r a b i a n K n i g h t z + S h a d i a M a n s o u r

I want a country free of tyranny

I want a country free of oppression

I want a country free of evil

I want my land and the land of Arabs

Arabs Arabs Arabs

Theyrsquore dropping bombs over Baghdad

Libnan Afghan Palestinians Bin Laden Saddam

Listen Islam is all about the peace man

But wars up in these streets man

Got me loosinrsquo sleep damn

Mr Politician I got a little question

How come you are eating and all your peoples isnrsquot

I am on a mission to break up out of this prison

If yoursquore with me share my vision

Letrsquos start by saving the children

We walk with dignity and confidence in ourselves

We crushed your laws with our steadfastness and blood

If your conscience was giving you peace

You wouldnrsquot be communicating from behind a gun

Tell me whorsquos the one not getting sleep at night

While you build your checkpoints we raise the kids

Our numbers will keep increasing

We are the reason you donrsquot dare to blink

There is a big difference between a man of resistance and decision makers

T r a n s l a t e d b y N i z a r G h a n e m + S h a d i a M a n s o u r

Prisoner

Arabian Knightz + Shadia Mansour

Shahadat Winter 2012 track 316

Hip Hop

26518704

3130

النظام العاملي اجلديداحلاسة السادسة

و بدهم يردوا يعلموك النشيدنار شديد بس كله نسبي

جينا و نسيناأخبار فورية بتنهضم و بتمشينا

إللي فينا مكفينا رايح عغزة بالسفينة

و ما يأتي قبل الفكر أم الفعلملجرد الذكر لشخص مبنج قلب نكد وزعل

و طلب السعرمش حنبيع

ملا بتشتي بتشتي عاجلميعو زمن أول حتول

و مش قادرين نتجول فا مش حنضيعbشيء مريع o i k u t t

The new world order

The sixth sense

And they want to teach you the anthem anew

Heavy fire but itrsquos all relative

We came and forgot

Instant news digested and keeps us moving

Wersquove had enough

Going to Gaza by boat

What comes first Thought or action

The mere question to a numb person makes him grumpy and upset

And asking for the price

We wonrsquot sell

When it rains it rains over everybody

The old times have changed

We are under house arrest so we wonrsquot get lost

Itrsquos a horrible thing

igniteولع

Walle

boikutt

null

1746378

3332

مرات بتفهم النبرة غلطبس هلئ فهمني منيح

جريح بدون تلقيح تصريح صريح بدون تلميح

فظيعكيف خلونا نطيع

بوقت تشييع جثمان الضاضمضاض لإلنتفاض ثورة الثروة قيد التصنيع

فيعبوجه عقود بقبضة من حديد

من هون لقرية بال متديدبدون مانروح لبعيد

جتميد روؤس أموال و نوويةمصلحة أول مستفيد

بتدوب بشعلة من سيدي بوزيد

ولعشوف اكمن دكتاتور منقلعولعشوف اكمن دكتاتور منقلع

ولع شوف اكمن دكتاتور منقلعصوت الثورة بكل مكان و عم منسمع

من حكام لنوابو ال استثني احدا منكم

ما بيهمكمحلد ما الهتافات تتوجه إلكم إتهزكم

أفهمكمbاإلستبداد تارك الشارع بإستعداد o i k u t t

Sometimes you misunderstand a tone

But now you understand me correctly

Wounded without vaccination

A blatant statement without any hinting

Unbelievable

How they made us obey

At the funeral of the corpse of the [quintessential Arabic letter] Ddad

Counter revolution the revolution of wealth is in process

Rise

In the face of decades under an iron fist

From here to a village without extension

Without going too far

Freezing of capital and nuclear war heads

The interest of the primary beneficiary

Melts with a flame from Sidibouzid

Ignitesee how many dictators wersquoll uproot

Ignitesee how many dictators wersquoll uproot

Ignitesee how many dictators wersquoll uproot

The sound of revolution is everywhere we make it heard

From leaders to parliamentarians

I do not exclude any of you

But you donrsquot care

Until chants are directed at you and shake you

Let me explain

Tyranny leaves the street prepared

Walle

boikutt

null

1746378

3534

من املزارع بوسط البالدفعل مضارع للرماد

فا إنصرف زاي فلوس الدولة إللي طريقها إنحرفوإنعرف و إنصبت بجيوب هالطرف من شوفرية الشرف

حتية خاصة ألسود ميدان التحريرلتعديل دستور التعتير

إن صح التعبير

عندي نظر األطرشو سمع األعمى

عايشني حياة و مكلبشني باخلوف بنفس الوقت فا قللي شو املعنىتاريخ شجعنا

الوضع الراهن منعناناس بتمر و بتسمعنا

بدون جتاوب جتارب فجاوبيا ضدنا يا معنا

إرفع قبضة الصمود فوق في الهوا ثابتةإنتفاضة أولى و ثانية بس الثالثة نابتة

أطراف كابتةبس قد ما يحاولوا ميحوا ويحطوا الناس كاتبة

بالتفاصيل و كامتة

ولعhellip شوف اكمن دكتاتور منقلعولعhellip شوف اكمن دكتاتور منقلع

ولع شوف اكمن دكتاتور منقلعصوت الثورة بكل مكان و عم منسمع

ولعhellip شوف اكمن دكتاتور منقلعbو صفهم عالدور واحد واحدhellipو شنع o i k u t t

From the farmers in the center

Changing present tense to ashes

So vanish like the statersquos money whose road has deviated

It is known that it ended up in the pockets of the corrupt who claim to be clean

A special salute to the lions of Tahrir Square

For amending the constitution of misfortune

If that can be said

I have the sight of the deaf

And the hearing of the blind

Leading a life while chained by fear at the same time so tell me whatrsquos the point

History encouraged us

The current situation prevented us

People pass by and hear us

Without any response -- testing -- so answer

Yoursquore either with us or against us

Raise the fist of resistance up in the air

A first and second Intifada but the third is sprouting

Oppressive groups

No matter how hard they try to erase and replace people have written

In details and know by heart

Ignitesee how many dictators wersquoll uproot

Ignitesee how many dictators wersquoll uproot

Ignitesee how many dictators wersquoll uproot

The sound of revolution is everywhere we make it heard

Ignitesee how many dictators wersquoll uproot

Line them up in turn one after the other and defame them

T r a n s l a t e d b y F a r a h E l R e w a i s s a t i

Walle

boikutt

null

1746378

3736

ولك انا ابن عكا وبن يافا و طولكرم انا ابن كل شبر من البحر للنهر

االرض الي حملت موسى مرمي واملسيح انااملقابر يلي فاضت من كتر التوابيت

انا اخليمة بيت التنك واحلصيرة والكانون والبيوت املسروقة والدم املهدور

انا الهوى يالي حامل الغضب والبكاوالطرقات يلي بتغرق مع كل نقطة الشتا

انا رصاصة من املجاهد عم تعبر حلدود انا حزام من القنابل مشتاق لليهود

لطفل على باب املستشفى عم بيموتانا الجئ ممنوع من العمل مكروه

انا اين املخيم يلي عاطل عن العمل سيجارة احلشيش يلي بتمحي شوية الم

H 2 Z

Irsquom the son of Acre Jaffa and Tulkarem

Irsquom the son of every inch from the river to the sea

Irsquom the land that carried Moses Mary and the Christ

Irsquom the cemeteries that overflow with coffins

Irsquom the tent the tin house the mat and the stove

The stolen houses and the wasted blood

Irsquom the wind that bears anger and tears

The roads that drown in a single drop of rain

I am a bullet that crosses borders

Irsquom a grenade against Zionists

A child that dies waiting outside the hospital

Irsquom a hated refugee whorsquos prohibited from working

Irsquom the son of the camps always unemployed

The hash cigarettes that ease the pain

iانا فلسطيني am palest inian

Ana Falasteeni

H27

null

17782504

eng - iTunNORM 0000057E 0000056B 00004E0F 00004D32 00021C96 00021C96 00008000 00008000 0000ECEA 00007530

3938

حيطان هالبيت يلي بكره رح ينردم انا االحمر واالسود واالخضر من هالعلم

من دم االبطال من دموع الاطفالمن اجلحيم التشرد واجلوء واالنكسار

من ظلم االحتاللمن حلم االستقالل

من ارض الزيتونوالصليب والهالل

انا حافظ احلواجز بكل بالد العالممن النادر انو بيوم يعتبروني بني ادم انا سنني االعتقال انا غرف التعذيب

الوجع والصريخ واجلروح الي ما بطيبانا شعب ما انهزم بس عمرو ما انتصر

انا اكبر ارهابي الني حامل حجر اسير طول عمرو رافض انو بيوم ميوت بس معاهدة سالم بتنفي اني موجود

انا القدس بيت حلم ومخيم جننياالدان واجلراس الهالل والصليب

املدافن واملدارس وكنسية املسيح الشوارع القدمية والبيت العتيق

انا ركوة الشاي و سندويشة الفالفلالكرم والبخل واالخالق واملهازل

الكذب والصدق واخليانة والصمود Hانا فلسطيني حلتى اموت 2 Z

The walls of the house that I hate thatrsquos about to get demolished

I am the red and black and green in this flag

From the blood of heroes from the tears of children

From the hell of homelessness and broken refugees

From the oppression of the occupation

From the dream of independence

Irsquom from the land of the olives

The cross and crescent

I know all the checkpoints in all countries of the world

It is where they consider me a human being

Irsquom years of capture Irsquom the torture chambers

The pain and the screams and the wounds that never heal

I was never defeated but never had a victory

Irsquom the biggest terrorist because I carry a stone

A prisoner who spends his whole life refusing to die

But a peace treaty forgets that Irsquom alive

Irsquom Jerusalem Bethlehem and Jenin refugee camp

The call to prayer the bells the crescent and the cross

The old cemeteries schools and church of Christ

The old streets and the ancient house

Irsquom the tea cup and the falafel sandwich

Generosity and greed morality and farce

Lies and betrayal and honesty and persistence

I am Palestinian until I die

T r a n s l a t e d b y t h e a r t i s t

Ana Falasteeni

H27

null

17782504

eng - iTunNORM 0000057E 0000056B 00004E0F 00004D32 00021C96 00021C96 00008000 00008000 0000ECEA 00007530

4140

صباح اخلير با والد عمومناتفضلوا شرفونا

شو بتحبوا نضيفكم دم عربي وال دموع من عيوننابعتقد هيك تأملوا نستقبلن

هيك تعقدوا ملا تدركوا على غلطتهنمن هيك لبسنا الكوفية

البيضة والسودةصاروا كالب الزمان يلبسوها كموضة

مهما تفننوا فيامهما غيروا بلونا

كوفية عربية بتضال عربية

حطتنا بدن ياهاثقافتنا بدن ياها

S h a d i a M a n s o u r w i t h M 1 o f D e a d P r e z

Good morning cousins

Come in and honor us with your presence

What would you like us to serve you Arab blood or tears from our eyes

I think thatrsquos how they hoped we would recieve them

Thatrsquos why they got tangled up when they tripped up on their own mistake

Thatrsquos why we wore the kufeyyeh

The black and white one

Dogs of the past started to wear it as a fashion statement

However they change it

Whatever colour they make it

The Kufeyyeh is Arab and will always be Arab

Our scarf they want it

Our intellect they want it

kufeyyeh arabeyyeh الكوفية عربية

Kufeyyeh Arabeyyeh

Shadia Mansour and M1

Shahadat Winter 2012 track 616

Hip Hop

26239166

4342

كرامتنا بدن ياهاكل شي إلنا بدن ياه

ما رح نسكتلن نسمحلن الالبقلن يسرقوا شغلة مش إلهن ما خصن فيا

بيقلدونا باللبسكل هاألرض بيكفيهنش

طمعانني عالقدسإعرفوا كيف تكونوا بشر

قبل ما تلبسوا الكوفيةجينا نذكرن مني إحنا

وغصبا من عن أبوهم هاي حطتنا

من هيك لبسنا الكوفيةألنها وطنية

الكوفية الكوفية عربيةمن هيك لبسنا الكوفية

هويتنا األساسيةالكوفية الكوفية عربية

يال علي الكوفيةعلولي هالكوفية

الكوفية الكوفية عربيةعلوها لبالد الشام

كوفية عربية بتضال عربية

ما في بعد متل الشعب العربيفرجوني أية أمة بالدنيا أكثر مأثرة

الصورة واضحة نحنا مهد احلضارة

S h a d i a M a n s o u r w i t h M 1 o f D e a d P r e z

Our dignity they want it

Everything thatrsquos ours they want it

We will not be silent will not allow it

It suits them to steal something that ainrsquot theirs

They imitate our style

As if all this land werenrsquot not enough

Thirsting after Jerusalem

Know how to be human

Before you wear our scarf

We came to remind them who we are

And like it or not itrsquos our right

Thatrsquos why we wore the kufeyyeh

Because it is nationalistic

The kufeyyeh is Arab

Thatrsquos why we wore the kufeyyeh

Because it is our original identity

The kufeyyeh is Arab

Come on raise your kufeyyehs

Raise that kufeyyeh

The kufeyyeh is Arab

Raise it up for bilad ersquosham [Greater Syria the wider Arab world]

The kufeyyeh is Arab and will always be Arab

There are no others like the Arab people

Show me one region in the world that is more influencial

The picture is clear we are the origins of civilization

Kufeyyeh Arabeyyeh

Shadia Mansour and M1

Shahadat Winter 2012 track 616

Hip Hop

26239166

4544

تاريخنا وتراثنا الشاهد على وجودنامن هيك لبست التوب الفلسطيني

من حيفا جنني جبل النار إلى رام اللهخليني شوف الكوفية

البيضة واحلمراخلينا نعليها لفوق بالسما

أنا شادية العربلساني بغز غزبلساني بهز هز

كلمات احلربسجل أنا شادية منصور

واحلطة هويتيمن يوم ما خلقت

سيدي والشعب مسؤوليتيلكن تربيت بني الشرق وبني الغرب

بني لغتنيبني بخيل بني فقير

شفت احلياة من اجلهتنيبس علمتني الكوفية

كيف ما لبستونيوين ما شلحتوني

بضلني عأصولي فلسطينية

S h a d i a M a n s o u r w i t h M 1 o f D e a d P r e z

Our history traditions and customs bear witness to our existence

Thatrsquos why I wear the Palestinian dress

From Haifa Jenin Jabal El Naar to Ramallah

Let me see the kufeyyeh

The red and white one

Letrsquos raise it up to the sky

I am the singer of the Arabs

Like an earthquake I shake the ground

My words are war

Record this

I am Shadia Mansour

And this scarf is my ID

From the day I was born the people have been my responsibility

Look I was raised between the East and the West

Between two languages

Between the rich and the poor

Irsquove seen life from both sides

However the kufeyyeh has taught me

However you wear me

Wherever you leave me

I stay true to my origin Palestinian

T r a n s l a t e d b y t h e a r t i s t w i t h F a r a h E l R e w a i s s a t i

Kufeyyeh Arabeyyeh

Shadia Mansour and M1

Shahadat Winter 2012 track 616

Hip Hop

26239166

4746

حمامة سالم افتحي أجنحتكي و طيري

وين الوعي - وين امشوا معي هني وادي بني اجلبلني عني حب للطرفني

أمهاتنا حبت ذاتنا بس مو عاجبهن مسباتنا هذا احلكي بني اخواتنا

Oزين العرب واألمريكان m a r O f f e n d u m

This track contains verses that were originally written in English

You are my

(Destiny)

Itrsquos hard livinrsquo in the West - when I know the East got the best of me

(Destiny)

Could be lookinrsquo in my eyes - but yoursquoll never really see the rest of me

(Destiny)

Can you hear me maseeri [my destiny] Bi-lingualrsquos what Irsquom blessed to be

(Destiny)

Dove of Peace

Spread your wings amp fly

Consciousness What consciousness - where is it

Take a walk with me

Here in this valley between two ldquomountainsldquo

Where the source of love for both ldquosidesldquo can be found

Our mothers like us

But donrsquot like our foul language

So letrsquos keep this between the siblings

The best of Arabs amp Americans

destمصيري iny

7 Destiny

Omar Offendum

The Peace Revolution 20

21332892

eng - iTunNORM 000006D3 000006F2 000038BA 0000322F 0000E4FA 0000E4FA 00008716 0000864B 0002AB5E 000083D6

eng - iTunSMPB 00000000 00000210 0000094B 00000000008F7FA5 00000000 004108FB 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000

4948

وألله يرحم كل أمواتنا أغاني

مثل املهامتة إذا قلنا العني بالعني

ما صفى عندنا عيون بالشام بالد الشام

من فلسطني إلى جبال لبنان قبل ما اخترعوا احلدود

من اإلسكندرون إلى كردستان فهمان

جنجس خان ما خان قد ما خانونا أوالد العم بس دمنا دمهم

بني أدم - بنو ذمنبهم على أكتافنا - شلنا همهم

ليه الله بيعلم

بس ليك هذا الفتيش والبسكليت احسنلك من 100000000 مسدس

تعرف ليه ألن مو عاجبهم بسمتك

بس إبتسم برسمتك شاب عربي ومثقف

أعطيهم ختمتك وإذا لسة مو راضني

ذكرهم بكالم إيليية )أبي ماضي( raquoنسي الطني ساعة أنه طنيlaquo

Oوهذه هي القضاء والقدر يا حبيبي m a r O f f e n d u m

And may God have mercy on all our dead

Songs I sing

Like the Mahatma [the line above and the line below are linked through the sound of the name and the figure of Mahatama Ghandi]

If we say lsquoan eye for an eyersquo

There wont be any eyes left in Sham [Damascus]

Bilad al-Sham [Greater Syria the wider Arab world]

From Palestine to the mountains of Lebanon

Before they made up these borders

From Iskandaroon to Kurdistan

Understand

Genghis Khan never deceived us quite like our ldquopaternal cousinsldquo [khan also means ldquodeceiveldquo in Arabic]

But our blood is their blood

Children of Adam -- who built their sins

Upon our shoulders -- we carried their burden

Why

God knows

But listen this little firecracker amp bicycle

Are better for you than 100 million guns

Wanna know why

Because they dont like seeing you smile

But smile you will - in your human being

A young cultured Arab male

Give them your stamp of approval

And if they still donrsquot accept you

Then remind them of the words of Elliye [Abi-Madhee a Lebanese poet whose poem begins with]

ldquoHow soon a piece of dirt can forget that all he really is is just dirtldquo [ie we are all from this earth amp

will come back to it so there is no logic in viewing yourself as better than someone else]

And that my friend is our destiny

7 Destiny

Omar Offendum

The Peace Revolution 20

21332892

eng - iTunNORM 000006D3 000006F2 000038BA 0000322F 0000E4FA 0000E4FA 00008716 0000864B 0002AB5E 000083D6

eng - iTunSMPB 00000000 00000210 0000094B 00000000008F7FA5 00000000 004108FB 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000

5150

O m a r O f f e n d u m

Dove of Peace

Spread your wings amp fly

Make it easier to borrow

The aesthetics you bite

Like all the Arabic loanwords

From Spaniards amp Morros

The Karma of Inquisition

Visions of horror

So whorsquos the explorer

Really was it Columbus

Muhammad al-Idrisi or Alfaragnus

Throw a Hobson Jobson

While you figure it out

Irsquom gonna start with a cipher

Thatrsquos a siffir [zero] - no doubt

See you might not have learned to live with me

But sure as hell canrsquot without

You are my

You are my

(Destiny)

Itrsquos hard livinrsquo in the West - when I know the East got the best of me

(Destiny)

Could be lookinrsquo in my eyes - but yoursquoll never really see the rest of me

(Destiny)

Can you hear me maseeri [my destiny] Bi-lingualrsquos what Irsquom blessed to be

(Destiny)

حمامة سالم افتحي أجنحتكي و طيري

I write right to left

You write left to right

Metaphor of a foreignerrsquos plight

Dressed to type

Stereo amp a mic

Scenario of a fight

The burial of a white

Imperial at his heightrsquos

A Turkish Rapperrsquos Delight

Semetic etiquette might

Just have you rollin your ldquoRrsquosldquo

Poetic amp light

And grab a hold of your sorrows

To relieve your tomorrows

7 Destiny

Omar Offendum

The Peace Revolution 20

21332892

eng - iTunNORM 000006D3 000006F2 000038BA 0000322F 0000E4FA 0000E4FA 00008716 0000864B 0002AB5E 000083D6

eng - iTunSMPB 00000000 00000210 0000094B 00000000008F7FA5 00000000 004108FB 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000

5352

O m a r O f f e n d u m

Dove of Peace

Spread your wings amp fly

Bitched out by the West

Press get a big shout

From the people gettinrsquo rich out of this (bout)

Now whatrsquos this really all about

Land money or power

It was the colonizerrsquos fault

But now itrsquos really just ours

Leavinrsquo a sour tase in our mouths

Like generational slave names

Whenever speakinrsquo out

Out-spoken leaders gettinrsquo taken out

Quicker than belligerent drunks in a bar

We a far cry from livinrsquo as one

T r a n s l a t e d b y t h e a r t i s t

(Destiny)

Itrsquos hard livinrsquo in the West - when I know the East got the best of me

(Destiny)

Could be lookinrsquo in my eyes - but yoursquoll never really see the rest of me

(Destiny)

Can you hear me maseeri [my destiny] Bi-lingualrsquos what Irsquom blessed to be

(Destiny)

حمامة سالم افتحي أجنحتكي و طيري

See arab [Arabs] shootin at each other

From Iraq to Falasteen [Palastine]

Syria to Libnan [Lebanon]

Algeria to Sudan

Pedagogy of the oppressed tricklinrsquo down

Conquerinrsquo through divisions

And sadly this isnrsquot the first time

One land one love one chance one blood

No fuss no fight Yeah right young blood

AKrsquos cheaper than a book

Crooked leaders in a hook

Gettinrsquo fished out

Missles gettinrsquo dished out

7 Destiny

Omar Offendum

The Peace Revolution 20

21332892

eng - iTunNORM 000006D3 000006F2 000038BA 0000322F 0000E4FA 0000E4FA 00008716 0000864B 0002AB5E 000083D6

eng - iTunSMPB 00000000 00000210 0000094B 00000000008F7FA5 00000000 004108FB 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000

5554

زي ما صار مبارح صار اليوم اطف التلفزيون امسك مايكروفون

زي ما صار مبارح صار اليوم اطف التلفزيون امسك مايكروفون

زي ما صار مبارح صار اليوم اطف التلفزيون امسك مايكروفون

زي ما صار مبارح صار اليوم اطف التلفزيون امسك مايكروفون

النه الوقت عم يسبق بقلك خي سالم بس اصبر

بدك تستني هاي اخلطط بعمرها ما تضبطبيدفعلك قد ما بدك عشان تسكت

واذا بتفتح متك طخة وحده وبعد بتسقط

s t o r m t r a p

What happened yesterday happens today

switch off your TV and grab a microphone

What happened yesterday happens today

switch off your TV and grab a microphone

What happened yesterday happens today

switch off your TV and grab a microphone

What happened yesterday happens today

switch off your TV and grab a microphone

Because time is racing

He keeps telling you peace is coming just be patient

You want to wait these plans never succeed

Hersquoll pay you as much as you want to keep you quiet

And if you open your mouth one shot will silence you

what happened yesterdayزي ما صار مبارح

Zey ma sar mbareh

Stormtrap

null

2009

1728613

eng - Visit httpstormtrapbandcampcom

5756

اركض اركض وخليك راكض

واذا بتفتح متك رح يقلك خليك ساكت رح يقلك انساك من هاملشاكل

حوشوا هالشواك وضبوا شناتكم واشتروا التذاكرففكر شوي وما تكنش أهبل

وين ما تروح في الدنيا رح تتبهدلمش شايف قدامي عم بسمع أصوات بيسألني

ليش لسه عايش هون روح عيش محل تانيبدي احك بس الكلمات مش طالعة من لساني

عنصرية هونن عنصرية هناك عنصرية كل ما اطلع برا الشباك

شيطان بيعمل حاله مالكبس هو بالواقع بدو يعيش بالك

جدار بيمثل عقلية ناس بدهاش تعيش معاك

زي ما صار مبارح صار اليوم اطف التلفزيون امسك مايكروفون

ما مبثل شخص او اشخاص مبثل فكرةاسم احلرية حاملينه

من بلد ما فيه حياة عاديةسواءا ضد االحتالل أو ضد العنصرية

أصواتكم وينايي خلوها تنسمع وتطلع نتائج ايجابية

فكمل كتابة او تسجيل وصدقني شغلك مش رايح عالفاضي

عشان الشي الوحيد اللي رح يروح هو احن اذا منضلنا علقانني فاملاضي

s t o r m t r a p

Run run

Keep running

And if you decide to speak hersquoll tell you just stay silent

Hersquoll tell you forget these problems

Save up some money pack your bags and buy your tickets

Think about it donrsquot be a fool

Wherever you go yoursquoll get humiliated

I canrsquot see in front of me Irsquom hearing voices asking

Why are you still living here Go live somewhere else

I want to respond but the words wonrsquot come out

Racism here racism there

Racism each time I look out the window

A devil in an angelrsquos disguise

In reality he wants to live without you

The apartheid wall represents the mentality of a people who donrsquot care to coexist

What happened yesterday happens today

switch off your TV and grab a microphone

I dont represent a person or a people I represent an idea

An idea called freedom

From a land lacking a normal life

Whether yoursquore struggling against occupation or against racism

Where is your voice

Let it be heard to achieve your goals

So keep writing and recording

Believe me your work wonrsquot be lost in vain

The only thing thatrsquoll disappear is us

If we stay stuck in the past

Zey ma sar mbareh

Stormtrap

null

2009

1728613

eng - Visit httpstormtrapbandcampcom

5958

شو الي حدثجينا من حتت األرض

هيهة القصة بدة عنا هدفوننشر أصواتنا لكل حدا

جيت من حتت أرض رام اللهما ح وقف اكتب كلمات وال مرة

عندي طاقة الزم أطلعها كل يوم وكل ساعةفاو انبنى مع الوقت ولسة عم بيطور تصور

تصورفاو انبنى مع الوقت ولسة عم بيطور تصور

زي ما صار مبارح صار اليوم اطف التلفزيون امسك مايكروفون

زي ما صار مبارح صار اليوم اطف التلفزيون امسك مايكروفون

s t o r m t r a p

What happened

We came from underground

The story begins we have an objective

To spread our voices to everyone

I came from the ruins of Ramallah and

I wonrsquot ever stop writing words

I have energy that I must release every day every hour

A flow thatrsquos been built and is still developing imagine

Imagine a flow thatrsquos been built and is still developing

What happened yesterday happens today

Switch off your TV and grab a microphone

What happened yesterday happens today

Switch off your TV and grab a microphone

T r a n s l a t e d b y t h e a r t i s t

Zey ma sar mbareh

Stormtrap

null

2009

1728613

eng - Visit httpstormtrapbandcampcom

6160

Wake up the People

Donrsquot doubt it

The Maker can see you

Right now

You want to get out and see doe

So clouded

Sell out to be dope

Right now

I see you plagued by your own doubt

Canrsquot step the game up

Like a snake when it rolled down

Staircase of a lone child

No bricks lain in a cold house

Where you sold out

All alone on an old couch

t h e N a r c i c y s t

No click like an untapped phone dial

Oh wow

I felt the same homie

Donrsquot shelter pain only

Then it came slowly

Never let the frame hold me (down)

Picture life for the love though

People tend to look the other way like Columbo

We deceived by the law just to love doe

Guess they took all the worth out to numb folks

And make a severed plan

Out of bitter man

What you want a medal man

Huh Do you really think yoursquore better than Then

All you really need is a long look

Two sixteens and a strong hook like

brassThis track was originally written in English

null

2149748

6362

Wake up the People

Donrsquot doubt it

The Maker can see you

Right now

You want to get out and see doe

So clouded

Sell out to be dope

Right now

Break

Hip hop like a fresh pelvis

Yoursquore gonna regret this shit like a dead Elvis

Busy wishing you could live less selfish

Crabs in a bucket duckinrsquo these dead shellfish

Industry got a brother feeling helpless

With an ill chorus and ride yoursquore more in the tide

When a flow canrsquot keep me above the water

t h e N a r c i c y s t

Let a wave carry me out and push me farther now

Internal Inferno ten journals written but Irsquom still not sure though

Do I really want to tour to jump hurdles To be heard

So-I-Can-Feel-Like-This

Man therersquos something that I might miss--

Naw Irsquove been bluffinrsquo

Lifersquos backwards like Ben Buttonsrsquo

Irsquom in love with the stage fright on a strange night

Feels good to get the words on a page right

Wake up the People

Donrsquot doubt it

The Maker can see you

Right now

You want to get out and see doe

So clouded

Sell out to be dope

Right now

null

2149748

6564

مبارح شفت بلمنام بيروت عمتغرق حتت رماد بركان فحموا الناس بس ال raquoسكاي بارlaquo كان بعده ولعان

بيروت ثبتت حبة الثورة اللي فينا نبتت ملا أحبطت نفوسنا من اجلمود

فينا بيروت حتركت عدم دمارنا وعدم حرية خيارنا

بيوت بيروت تعمرت سكرنا عجفاف دموعنا جفوننا عليها تسكرت فتخمرت

إذا بطلت تطير قدرك عألرض مقهور إذا وقفت تكسير بتصير جزء من الديكور

e l R a s s

Yesterday I dreamt Beirut was drowning under volcanic ash

The people were turned to charcoal but Sky Bar [a posh Beirut club] was still lit up

Beirut suppressed the seed of the revolution the one that sprouted

When our spirits were foiled from immobility

In us Beirut moved

On the blood of our destruction and the negation of our freedom of choice

The houses of Beirut are rebuilt

We got drunk on the dryness of our tears our eyelids closed on them and fermented

If you stop flying your destiny on land is distress

If you stop breaking you become part of the decoration

beirutبركان بيروت rsquos volcano

Blues

2125713

6766

بحاور بناور باآلخر بواجه التاج بتوضى بصلي بتوصلني أصوات أنات احملتاج

تأمل العلم بعري العمل من العمل خياري عنار خفيفة دوب املسمار وتستوي األفكار النظيفة

عمروا دمروا زمروا تذمروا ربك صبره دربه جربه

عقلن خربوا غربوا هربوا وقبلوا بالفن عحيط الشارع

عشرط ما يكون في شك بشارع هيدي مش عاصمة ثقافة هيدي حلبة املصارع بيروت ال تعرف في املاضي وال تعرب باملضارع

حتول التركيبة خلى العقل اجلامد فكر حاله مالك املدينة رقبته طويلة متل مالك احلزين وايده لوزيري

اعتبر نفسه أول مني اكتشف هلجزيرة بأجر الفقير شقق بأسعار مدروسة

بشكل تضل طموحاته ممعوسة نهبوا األرض من ربعي وصارت احلرب شركة استثمار مبفعول رجعي

حتت شعار إعادة اإلعمار لو ما كان خلص دوره وانتهى عقد االيجار

كان احلريري ما طار وما صار مطار احلريري عاصمة لبنان بتوازن بني ضريحني

واتنيناتن عاغتيالن في عالمة استفهام e واحد قدس املوت بس لسبب l R a s s

I discuss I maneuver ultimately I confront the crown

I perform ablutions I pray I receive the moaning of the needy

The meditation of knowledge strips work from hope

My choice is on low fire melting the nails and clean thoughts are ripening

They built they destroyed they honked they complained

Your god made him patient tested him and trained him

Their minds ruined westernized chased off

They accepted art pissed on back alleys

As long as there is no doubt in the streets

This is no capital of culture itrsquos a wrestling ring

Beirut canrsquot speak of itself in the past nor conjugate itself in the present

Transitions and transformations made the closed mind think he owns the city

His neck is long like a stork his fingers long like a politicianrsquos

He thinks himself the first who discovered this peninsula

He lets the poor rent apartments at prices studied

To crush ambitions

They stole the land from my cousins

And the war became a backward-looking investment

Under the slogan of reconstruction

If his time wasnrsquot up and his contract finished

Hariri didnrsquot have to fly and it wouldnrsquot have become the Hariri airport

Lebanonrsquos capital keeps balance between two shrines

And on both assassinations there is a question mark

One sanctifies death but for a reason

Blues

2125713

6968

واحد قدس احلياة بس بالكذب واحد بايدو حتول الذهب سم وواحد تخبى من الذهب بالدم

مني الشهيد

اللي مات حتت صبابيط ثورة عبيد شهيد اللي مات فتحول على حملة اعالنات هدفها ترفع الطايفة معدالت التجنيد

قنابل بالبريد وصل سيوف علوريد حصل

املوت للبليد صنم الصبر للعنيد حلم تأليه الشهيد ظلم

خليط احلديد والدم العالج والسم الرفاه والهم النوعية والكم

الدعارة وورقة التوت مبدينة بيروت علم

e l R a s s

And one sanctifies life with lies

In onersquos hand gold turned into poison

And the other hid from gold with blood

Who is the martyr

The one who died under the shoes of the oppressedrsquos uprising is a martyr

Is it he whose death was transformed into an advertising campaign to raise the levels of

sectarian enlistment

Bombs came in the mail

Swords to the jugular true stories

Death to the cold is statuette

Patience to the stubborn is a dream

Divinity to the martyr is oppression

The mixture of steel and blood the cure and poison

Luxury and distress quality and quantity

Prostitution and modesty

The science of the city of Beirut

T r a n s l a t e d b y M o e A l i N a y e l amp + A z i z

Blues

2125713

7170

بقرأ في اجلريدة زفت شوارع جديدة

إزالة مطبات و كثير أشياء هيك مفيدة أشخاص مستفيدة

دعم من هون و من هون منظمات بس احلرية بعيدة

مقاطعة مستوطنات تعون الضفة الغربية وطنية حصرية إدعائية

طب و فلسطني التاريخية مع ألساس كانت القدس عاصمة الثقافة العربية

بس كلوحكي سياسية للشعب إحنا نتحمل الشغل و التعب و الوضع صعب

b o i k u t t

Irsquom reading in the paper

About roads newly paved

Speed bumps removed and a lot of other useful stuff (yes very)

Certain inviduals benefit

Funding from here and there

Organizations are plentiful but freedom is far-fetched

Calling for a boycott of settlements around the West Bank

Pretentious exclusive nationalism

But what about historical Palestine

I thought Jerusalem was supposed to be the ldquocapital of Arab cultureldquo

But itrsquos all political speeches for the people

We put up with the work and the sweat and itrsquos rough

a letterرسالة من مقاطعة from boikutt

risaleh mn muqataa (pt1)

boikutt

null

2010

1086983

eng - iTunPGAP0

eng - iTunNORM 00000A1E 00000A0E 000099D9 000098A0 0000CC63 0000CC63 0000826D 000080B0 000131D0 000131D0

eng - iTunSMPB 00000000 00000210 000008F3 000000000049197D 00000000 0027BA9D 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000

7372

يقنعونا إن كلشي متام و بقدر أعيش حياة عادية

زي في األفالم على مبس واحد إثنني ثالثة أربعة إلخ

كن منيح و بتنزل عليك املصاري زخ نصيحة من أخ ألخ

خليك مستقل ألن اللعبة إنلعب فإبعد عن الفخ

خليهم يقعدوا يستنوا الدعم ليموتوا يلفلفوا داخل اجلدار حلد ما يفوتوا

في متاهات مبسافات مش محددة مجددة لتوسع التوسع مش مهددة

إنتهاك احتالل بس مش على الكل

في ناس في فلسطني هون حياتهم زي الفل مش عارف شو بيفكر

شكلوا مش داري شي يوم حنروح كل الدكاكني هي حتسكر

سالم

b o i k u t t

Try to convince me that everythingrsquos fine

And that I can lead a normal life

Like in the movies

On MBC one two three four etcetera

Be good and money will rain on you

Advice from one brother to another

Stay independent because the games are being played

So steer clear of the trap

Let them wait for foreign aid until they die

Spinning in circles within the apartheid wall until they enter

Into unlimited mazes with unspecified spaces

That are renewed to fit settlement expansion unthreatened

Violation occupation

But not for everyone

There are people here in Palestine living ldquothe good lifeldquo

I donrsquot know what hersquos thinking

Seems like he doesnrsquot know one day wersquoll be gone

And all these shops will close

Peace

T r a n s l a t e d b y t h e a r t i s t w i t h L o u b n a B i l a l i

risaleh mn muqataa (pt1)

boikutt

null

2010

1086983

eng - iTunPGAP0

eng - iTunNORM 00000A1E 00000A0E 000099D9 000098A0 0000CC63 0000CC63 0000826D 000080B0 000131D0 000131D0

eng - iTunSMPB 00000000 00000210 000008F3 000000000049197D 00000000 0027BA9D 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000

7574

الضغط عاليالعدو فات جاري احملادثات

صمت دوليكمية الغازى عم تزداد

تهجير جديد مولود جديدتكرر عزو مش تارك ورا شي مفيد غير غراب

من كل البيت ما تركو شي إال البابمن االرض ل سما مسافة عاليه

إمشي الصحرا وعد لياليوجنوما

كمشوا رئيس دولة بجورةحصار

توزيع مخدراتباألحمر تلون الفرات سجون معتقالتقبلة الوداع مع الصبات

تنصت بالشبكة خيانات باألزهر

k a t i b e h 5

The pressure is high

The enemy has entered discussions are taking place

Global silence

The numbers of the occupier are increasing

A new expulsion A newborn child

The perpetuation of an invasion that leaves behind it nothing of any use except for a crow

From an entire house they left nothing but the door

From the ground to the sky is a long distance

Walk the desert and count the nights

And its stars

They caught a president in a pit

Siege

Drug dealing the Euphrates is stained red prisons detention centers

A farewell kiss with a shoe

Networks wiretapped betrayals in Al Azhar

hold me back ifهديني اذا فيك you can

null

23098943

7776

حوار أديانالكف تنجس

متسح فيه وجك مع كل شروق عالوضوءتسمع شرارة فتيل مولوتوف ينادي أصوات تتلبى

باإلنفجار

هديني إذا فيك صرت موجود بكل مكانوجي مغبش عامل زي جيش زباتا

منصرخ بوجكم raquoاحلرية ل برغوتيlaquoإعالمكو بيعرفني كلماتكو حملت إسمي

شركاتكو بتهرب مني )كتيبه خمسه هديتي إذا فيك(

بتالقيني بني والد حفظوا غنية املخيماتبنفسية فالح عمال يزو املدينة

افالم تافهةبرنامج تافه

بتدور على مخك بتالقي مش موجوداخلليج يتحكم بإعالم

هادول حبوب التنومي ٦1 سنة بعدن مش شغالني

عالمادامك واخد وجهة نظري

ع محمل اجلدمسموح لك تستعجب وتظهر إنزعاجك بوجودي

ألني صديق لكل املشاهد الغير مرغوبة فيهاش بيختار حياتو بالتحديد بحكيلك هيك منحياها ومحد

ضغط رصاص وابارود بخليكاش حتيدالتجارب بتدلك عطريق

هديتي إذا فيك

k a t i b e h 5

A dialogue of religions

The hand is tainted

And with it you cleanse your face at ablution each sunrise

You hear the sparking of the fuse of a molotov calling voices respond

Explosion

Hold me back if you can I have become present everywhere

My face is concealed like the army of Zapata

We shout in your face ldquoFreedom for Barghoutildquo

Your media knows me your words have glimpsed my name

Your corporations flee from me

(Katibe Khamseh hold me back if you can)

Yoursquoll find me among children that have memorized the song ldquoAl Moukhayamatldquo

In the persona of a peasant that is visiting the city

Shallow films

Shallow programs

You look for your mind but you find it is not there

The Gulf controls media with its boundaries

These sleeping pills 61 years and theyrsquore still not effective

Great

As long as you are taking my point of view seriously

Yoursquore allowed to be taken aback and to show your irritation

Just like you show your irritation at my presence

Because I am a friend to all the images that are not desirable

This is how we live out these images and no one chooses their life specifically Irsquoll tell you

The pressure of bullets and gunpowder does not allow you to move away

Experience will guide you on the road

Hold me back if you can

null

23098943

7978

موقف واحد صريح من صميم روح لشعوب املقاومة ضمير ظهور البشرية

السبيل صعب ورا الغضبدعم لكل أسالوب محارب

د لنحرق نظامك منتدرب منجرب منخرب منستععم نحرق نظامك

هديتي إذا فيك

إطلع منيحمش رح تقدر توخذ كل شي من أول نظرة

نظرة عامة raquoبشرة مش بيضةlaquoجبني عريضة مكتوب مولود عنيد بالفطرة

فوت بالتقاليد عد التجاعيدلك هاي مش أول مرة

لغات ودراسات حط العلم بغالفمش رح تقدر تفهم ليه بعد في بارود ع الكتافلون األرض ولون الليل بيعطيك البني و السواد

بوعدك مش لوحدي رح أضل عد رماد الال اللعبة اجلديدة وال والدنا ع اللعبة جداد

بكفيش إنفلونزا الصقور صار في إنفلونزا اخلنازيرموسم مرض جديد لرئيس مبثل ع نفوس ومريض بهدوء البيض

هديتي إذا فيك

k a t i b e h 5

A single honest stance from the bottom of the soul for the people of the resistance the conscience

that exposes humanity

The path is difficult when following anger

A support for every style of battle

We train we strive we disrupt we prepare to burn your system

We are burning your system

Hold me back if you can

Look closely

You wonrsquot be able to see it all at first sight

An overview ldquocomplexion that is not whiteldquo

A broad forehead written born stubborn by nature

Look at the traditions and count the wrinkles

This is not the first time

Languages and scholarship put education under wraps

You wonrsquot be able to understand why there is still gunpowder on shoulders

The color of earth and the color of night gives you brown and blackness

I promise you that I will not be alone to count the ashes no

This game to us is not new and nor are our children new to the game

As if the influenza of eagles was not enough now therersquos the influenza of pigs

The season of a new disease for a president acting for a public and sick with the

calmness of white people

Hold me back if you can

null

23098943

8180

اإلحتالل نكه البشر بنكهة املجاريبالسالم حوار أديانبإقرار ملكية كذابة

بتشويه تاريخ وسرقة حضاراتولك أه

فلسطني إفريقيا الدجلة والفراتإجتاه البشرية لإلضمحالل سرطان بشري بعضها

الشتا ميسح اخلطايا واآلثاروليش بتتخبى وبتتغطى بنفس كل سفارة سميك الستار

لساتني باكل الضربة ورا الضره ورا الضربةوحتى ما أفعل وأساوي تكمشني الرجفة

بدل ما أضرب فيك بضرب بحاليبوعدكش حضلني كامش حالي حفلتها

حفلتها

هديني إذا فيك هديني إذا فيكهديني إذا فيك

k a t i b e h 5

The occupation has seasoned humanity with the flavor of sewers

With peace with dialogue of religions

With the declaration of false ownership

With the distortion of history and the theft of civilizations

Oh yes

Palestine Africa the Tigris and Euphrates

Humanity is leading to reduction a human cancer bites it

Exile wipes clean the sins and the traces

And why are you hiding and seeking cover when all the embassies are already well concealed

I am still taking one beating after another

And so that I donrsquot take action and do something shudders grip my body

Instead of beating you I beat myself

I canrsquot promise you that I can keep myself restrained

Irsquom gonna let go

Hold me back if you can

Hold me back if you can

Hold me back if you can

T r a n s l a t e d b y R i m a N a j d i a n d F a y s a l B i b i

null

23098943

8382

طول عمر الشعب املصري مع بعض أحلك الظروفبص وفر في التاريخ وانت ياما هاتشوف

الدين ده ليا وليكوفيا وفيك

حاجة روحانية بتخليك حتس اللي بيك

ايد في ايد نبني فيها من جديد

مصر زعلت علي حاصل وسطنا مش مفيد

بعد ثورة وبعد عيد فتنة تقتل حلم واتتحقق لنا

واحد اتننيالذكري بتعيش اكتر من عمر االنسان

بصمتنا تغييرنا جوة وبرة امليدان مش هانضيع نصر ثورتنا بفتنة نشئت بينا

A r a b i a n K n i g h t s + M C G a z a + A m e e r

The Egyptian people have always stuck together

Through the worst times look at history

And see how often wersquove been there for each other

That whole idea of religion

Is for you and for me something spiritual that makes you feel whatrsquos inside you

Hand in hand

We build Egypt up again

Egypt is angry at whatrsquos happening between us

Itrsquos not helpful

After the revolution after the celebration

Sectarian strife is killing the dream we fulfilled

One two

The memory lasts more than a lifetime

Our mark is our change in and outside Tahrir Square

We wonrsquot give up the victory of our revolution in exchange for sectarian strife between

us

hand inايد في ايد hand

Eid Fe Eid

Yasser Ameer Youssef Rush E Money amp MCGaza | by BOGEY

Single Hit track 11

20112011

Hip-Hop

24002867

eng - Hip-Hop 4 Life

eng - iTunNORM 000005E2 0000058E 0000424E 00003537 00026E95 0001C2B3 00008000 00008000 00005045 00005045

8584

بلدنا محتجانا ايدنا واحدة ضد احملنة تفرق ايه معاك ديانتي ملا ربك هو ربي

اصلك هو اصلي ارضك هي ارضي

ملا اتقال لي اكتت فيول فتنة انا قولت غلط علشان الفتنة مفتعلة في بلدنا وكان وراها غرض

فالفرد افترض فبفرض السياسة األمر اختلط

فالزم يبقي املصل سياسي من اصل املرض العسس واحلرس مافرقوش صليب وهالل

وكنا كلنا واحد وراء االقفالدم الشهيد شاهد

ياما بالفتنة انكسرنا وحدتنا بصوت واحد وضد الظلم انتصرنا

وديني هو ديني صلة بيني وبني ربي هارفع علمي وارفع راسي فوق

انا مصري

ايد في ايد نبني فيها من جديد

مصر زعلت علي حاصل وسطنا مش مفيد

بعد ثورة وبعد عيد فتنة تقتل حلم واتتحقق لنا

خلو حمامة السالم من الطيور املنقرضةعلشان تبقي القلوب مبتعدة منقسمه سهل تتسم

فكرين مناعة و قوة أم الدنيا بالطمع مرتبطةنسر املصريني ليس له دين احنا بنحميها بالدم

العنف بذوره بتكتر عاوز يوصل واحلروب حتصل

A r a b i a n K n i g h t s + M C G a z a + A m e e r

Our country needs us all together against the hard times

What difference does my religion make to you when your god is my god

Your origin is mine

Your land is my land

When they told me about sectarian strife I said thatrsquos wrong

Because itrsquos been planted in our country and behind it is some purpose

Makes one think somethingrsquos going on

By playing politics everythingrsquos gotten mixed up

The antidote has to be political just like the poison itself

The military doesnrsquot distinguish between cross and crescent

Wersquore all held together behind bars

The blood of the martyrs bears witness

To how much wersquove been broken by sectarianism

Through our unity we triumphed with one voice over injustice

And my religion is my own a rapport between me and God

Irsquoll raise my flag and my head up

Irsquom Egyptian

Hand in hand

We build Egypt up again

Egypt is angry at whatrsquos happening between us

Itrsquos not helpful

After the revolution after the victory

Sectarian strife is killing the dream we fulfilled

They drove the dove of peace to extinction

To keep hearts apart and divided itrsquos easy to poison them

Do they really think the resilience and strength of Egypt is connected to greed

The Egyptian eagle has no religion we protect it with our blood

The roots of violence are increasing want to gain control to start wars

Eid Fe Eid

Yasser Ameer Youssef Rush E Money amp MCGaza | by BOGEY

Single Hit track 11

20112011

Hip-Hop

24002867

eng - Hip-Hop 4 Life

eng - iTunNORM 000005E2 0000058E 0000424E 00003537 00026E95 0001C2B3 00008000 00008000 00005045 00005045

8786

للعاقيدة يكسر وألعضاء املشاعر تتشال تصتأصلعلى كالم ربهم اتكبرو فعملو قدر واتقدر

وقته مستنينه ليه خططوا مضمون الرسائل اتغير الن الهدف هو تدمير قعدة الوحدهوقتل كل قائد يقود الناس بره احملنه

فيبقي سهل يزيحنا ميحي أوصول عليها كبرناوكل واحد علي حداه يقول أنا محدش يقول احنا

فاببطء بحرص بص بعقل بحذر شوفقبل ما يخلوا خيالك يتخلله اخلوف

واخلوف ده افراز بيطلع من غده ملا الكلب بيشوفهابيعرف انك فاريسه سهل ياكلها ركز

فرق تسد إخلعوفق جتد إرفع

ثورة تقدصمت يفرد- يفرق

ما بيجمع بيننامن حقي النقد من حقك - تسمع

طب إسمع وراجع ما صور التاريخ طب باله بيكفي صور زمانييوم حصار كنيسة املهد مني دافع مني اتقمع مني اتنفا

مسلم مسيحي أل كان فلسطيني اتذكر معي ثورة غضب يناير

اتذكر معي الوحدة اإليد الوحدة اتشرف انتا مصرياتذكر معي األخ بإيد األخ يحمي األخ بدون إلخ

كالمي ماشي ماشي ال-لتفهمني بهويتي مسلم وال نصراني قبطي

ما في حجة لربطي خلبطي حلطي ألوطي ألغير خطيخير أجناد األرض

من أرض بيت املقدس كل السالم بعد ما قلت إلنقسام في وطنيانا ملزم أقول ال لفتنة

تفتت مجد شعب تعب عانى ضحى بالغالي حتى بناه

A r a b i a n K n i g h t s + M C G a z a + A m e e r

The relationship between Egyptians breaks down and the organs that feel are taken out

They got full of themselves in the name of their god and invented a new fate for us

Theyrsquore waiting for a time and theyrsquore plotting The meaning of their messages changes

Because the goal is to destroy the foundation of unity

And kill every leader who takes the people out of hard times

Itrsquos easy to remove us to wipe out the traditions we grew up with

Everyone on his own everyone says ldquoIldquo and no one says ldquoweldquo

Slowly carefully look Wisely with caution see

Before they make your imagination a slave to fear

And that fear releases a secretion from a gland

And when the dog sees it he knows yoursquore easy prey

Divide yoursquoll conquer

Bring harmony and yoursquoll reap Start

A revolution and it will catch on

Silence is solitary It divides

It doesnrsquot bring us together

It is my right to criticize and your right to listen

So listen and look back at history or better look at my life time

The day the Nativity Church was under siege who was persecuted Who was exiled

A Muslim A Christian No he was Palestinian

Letrsquos remember the angry revolution of January

Letrsquos remember the unity the one hand Be proud yoursquore Egyptian

Remember the brother holding hands with a brother protecting a brother

And I can go on

Donrsquot teach me about my identity whether Irsquom a Muslim or a Christian Copt

Therersquos no excuse to tie me down beat me to make me cower and kneel and stray from my courseThe Earthrsquos most virtuous soldiers

Come from the land of Bayt al-Maqdis [Jerusalem] I salute you After I said no to division in my countryIrsquom committed to saying no to seditionThat dissolves the glory of a people who labored suffered sacrificed what was most dear to build it

T r a n s l a t e d b y A l e x O r t i z + A h m e d S h a w k e t + K h a l e d A l H i l l i

Eid Fe Eid

Yasser Ameer Youssef Rush E Money amp MCGaza | by BOGEY

Single Hit track 11

20112011

Hip-Hop

24002867

eng - Hip-Hop 4 Life

eng - iTunNORM 000005E2 0000058E 0000424E 00003537 00026E95 0001C2B3 00008000 00008000 00005045 00005045

8988

الفن واملواهب زي حرب الكواكب الكل عايز يكون جنم صراع في الداخل

بهدي جنون العظمة بفلفل حر توابل تسيل دموع زي القنابل

زي مابتكلم وداني شغالة كون سامع نبض الشارع علشان أ

حالف أقضي على اإلعالم املتآمر مغامر في الكالم بس إنت مش سامع

ملا بأمسك القلم والورقة الهم بينزاح مخي بيرتاح بأقول اللي على البال

ملا بأقعد بحس بتأنيب ضمير كون في ستوديو بسجل على بيت خطير مفروض أ

e l D e e b + S t o r m t r a p

Art and talent are like Star Wars

Secretly everyone wants to be a star of conflict

I make megalomania tranquil with chilli hot spices

Tears flow like bombs

Thatrsquos how I talk and the world keeps moving

So that I can hear the pulse of the streets

Irsquove sworn to obliterate the media conspirators

I am adventurous in my speech but you do not hear

When I hold the pen and the paper my anxiety is lifted

My mind relaxes and I say whatrsquos on it

When I sit down I feel guilty

I should be in the studio recording dangerous beats

addictأدمان الشهرة ion to fame

Edman El Shuhra

Stormtrap amp Mohamed El Deeb

2011

Hip-Hop

15305855

- vocals Mohamed El Deeb Stormtrap13produced by Stormtrap

9190

إحساس غريب إنك تدمن الكالم ارسم يا فنان واخترع زي دافينشي الرسام

ولو مفيش ورقة باستخدم تليفوني خايف إن فكرة متعديش على صوتي

دنيا غريبة يوم مر يوم بونبوني بس أنا عمري ماغيرت لوني

املوسيقى بنادولي وبطابعي فضولي مهما قالوا لي هافهمها مبفهومي فـساعات أالقي نفسي بكلم نفسي واسمع أصوات غريبة في دماغي

وهو ده الصدى الصوت اللي بسمعه اكن مفيش حد فارقة معاه احالمي

شوف شوف مش هدف إنو أنا شخصيا أنا

هدفي انه كلماتي وموسيقتي تنتشرعشان هيك حتشوفني دوما مستمر مستثمر

كل وقتي كل طاقتي على أصواتي خوذ شك خوذ حتويل خوذ كاش

بس ما تنساش أي شي بيتعلق بالواقع بدناش ما تخاف ألنها قضيتنا مش منسية مية باملية هايذي ثورة كمان ثقافية

خليني أوضح هاي املوسيقى مش معمولة للتلفازeهاي املوسيقى مش معمولة لهز الطياز l D e e b + S t o r m t r a p

Strange feeling to be out of words

Paint oh artist and discover like Da Vinci the artist

If I donrsquot have paper I use my cell

I am afraid that the idea does not come through my voice

Strange world one day is bitter another like candy

But Irsquove never changed my color

Music is my Tylenol and my nature curious

So whatever they tell me Irsquoll understand it my way

Sometimes I find myself talking to myself

And I hear weird voices in my head

Which is just the echo of the sound I hear

As if no one cares about my dreams

See see

My goals are not self serving

My goal is that my words and music spread

Thatrsquos why yoursquoll see me always and continuously investing

All my time my energy on my sounds

Take a check take a transfer take cash

But never forget anything related to reality wersquore not interested

Donrsquot be afraid because our cause is not forgotten

One hundred percent this is also a cultural revolution

Let me explain this music is not meant to be televised

This music is not made for booty shaking

Edman El Shuhra

Stormtrap amp Mohamed El Deeb

2011

Hip-Hop

15305855

- vocals Mohamed El Deeb Stormtrap13produced by Stormtrap

9392

مش فاهم ليش الكل قاتل حاله يكون في مسابقةحابني نتصابح حياكم زات املكافحة

واالعالم ميت ع حيالله قصة ما بيدرس هالقصة من نصها

وبعدن بينفخهامش احلق علينا اذا ما بيبحثوا

وملا يبدوا يحكوا عنا أل عنجد بيبعصوابيفكروا انه كل شي هشك بشك

بس حدن الزم يقلهم انه الهب هوب مش هيكبدك تدير بالك عشانها هاي اللحظة احلاسمة

ملا يجوا عليك الديب والعاصفةنكسر حدود وبنبني وحدة عشان نحيي مجتماعاتنا

وننهي معانتناعشان هيك منكتب كلمات صريحة والها معنى

مش للشهرة مش حتى يجي حدن يدفعلنا

e l D e e b + S t o r m t r a p

I donrsquot understand why everyone is killing themselves to be in the contest

Wersquod like to say goodmorning to salute you in this same struggle

The mediarsquos dying for any story

But they donrsquot study the storyrsquos real text

And then they blow it out of proportion

Itrsquos not our fault if they donrsquot search

And when they talk about us then they really screw it up

They think everything is empty pointless

Somebody needs to tell them that hip hop is not like that

You should take care because this is the critical moment

When the wolf and storm come haunting you

We break borders and we create a unity to revitalize our communities

And stop our suffering

That is why we write frank words that have meaning

Itrsquos not for fame or even so that someone pays us

T r a n s l a t e d b y N i z a r G h a n e m

Edman El Shuhra

Stormtrap amp Mohamed El Deeb

2011

Hip-Hop

15305855

- vocals Mohamed El Deeb Stormtrap13produced by Stormtrap

9594

حضل عهل مود يعنيما إنتلك النجوم عم تقرب

بهل ال مود حكون عطول لبهل جنوم إدءر لو مضطر شن هجوم عل النجوم كلها

خللي األرض تدور حول أصبعي تنلك

ما إنتلك متلي متلك مولع طيار ألفكاري من العقدي تنفك فرد قعدي بني 4 حيطان ما بتنهز و منها ما بنهز

يلز املا بينلزالكاس عل الطاولي و منو عم مز مز

لتفتل براصي وحس من حالي عم كز كزعل ورقة كالمي مدروس و ما بزت زت بجرب ما عيد حالي متا يقولو عم نق نق

موزع قافياتي جواز كأن عم فت فت

بهل األطشة خلي الديني اللي تسمعني ترن رنFبسبيلي جاري يوم ع يوم عم برك رك a r e e q e l A t r a s h

Irsquoll stay in this mood

Didnrsquot I tell you The stars are getting closer

Irsquoll stay in this mood until I touch these stars

Even if I have to launch an attack on all the stars

Irsquoll make the Earth rotate around my finger I told you

Didnrsquot I tell you Irsquom just like you I lit up a joint so my ideas would untie their knot

Sitting this way in between four walls I wonrsquot budge

The most delectable

Drink is on the table from which Irsquom taking sips

Till my head starts spinning and Irsquom sick of myself

On the paper my words are calculated I donrsquot just toss them about

I try not to repeat myself so they wonrsquot say Irsquom nagging

I deal my rhymes out like theyrsquore cards

In this verse Irsquoll make those ears ring

My fountain is running and every day I excel

tالنجوم عم تقرب he stars are gett ing closer

null

29781717

9796

لضل ماشي جالس بينما غيري عم بلك لك شريط معلق ريحة العة عم بتفح فحكل ما فتح متو بتالقي عم بكب كب

عايشها إرهاب و مفي إال بسب سببزبالتي ما بكبو تيكون بعلمك

األالف مسم و بحياتو ما بينسم بزقة من هل التم تخلي سقفك ينش نش

تلمو ردم و ما تفكر إنو ترد رد و عم بحكي عالواطي متا الصالي فيك ترج رج

بطبعي عاقل بس بالراب بزل زل عل الرايق بال ما نط وال فز فز

type of shitعال بارد أبرد من شباط بس يقز قزتخلي عضامك ع بعض تسك سك

ما إنتلك النجوم عم تقرب بهل ال مود حكون عطول لبهل جنوم إدءر

لو مضطر شن هجوم عل النجوم كلهاخللي األرض تدور حول أصبعي تنلك

أنا متنبئ بنبه و بحقق ما قلتلك بعد وقتها ما عم نكت

عاملكرفون إبرة هرون عم بشكشك في شكcheck one two

هيك بدسدس عالنبض

F a r e e q e l A t r a s h

So I can walk straight when others are still playing

A broken record that reeks of a musty smell

Every time he opens his mouth he spews them out

He lives in terror and all he does is curse

I wouldnrsquot throw him in my garbage just so you know

Irsquove irritated thousands and never been irritated in my life

One spit out of this mouth will make your roof leak

And yoursquoll pick up the rubble and donrsquot even think about answering back

Irsquom talking in a low voice so the hall wonrsquot shake with you in it

Irsquom reasonable by nature but when it comes to rap I humiliate cold-heartedly

Without jumping or leaping around

I do it coldly colder than icy February-type of shit

Irsquoll make your bones rattle against each other

Didnrsquot I tell you The stars are getting closer

Irsquoll stay in this mood until I touch these stars

Even if I have to launch an attack on all the stars

Irsquoll make the Earth rotate around my finger I told you

Irsquom a psychic I predict and deliver

Didnrsquot I tell you to stand back when Irsquom not joking

Irsquom pricking the microphone with a heroin needle Is there any doubt

Check one two

Thatrsquos how I feel the pulse

null

29781717

9998

بدقق و زتزت حكي بتزجزج كأنها مزهزها عم بتشمشم عم خطط عم تكتيك و مني ملحلح من هون للساعة توقف تك تيك تك تيك

لك ليك منفخ حاله عامبيكازيب عا غيري بس بوجهي بتاءتإوجهه بيباءبإ من أد ما بعصب بسبسب

زر إنذار إذني بتطنطن و بشوف من عالباب عم بدقدق

عكروت بدو يفوت ليشوف الفن فني بس الفن هون بجسمي معبأ

من حلقي طايف و من متي عم بت شرشر و بيس البيس زلزال برجرج خليك تضبضب تنضب بالبيت لتكنكن

و أنا متأسف ألني بدي استأذن بس بعد شفت كابتشينو بتصحصح

ما إنتلك النجوم عم تقرببهل ال مود حكون عطول لبهل جنوم إدءر

لو مضطر شن هجوم عل النجوم كلهاخللي األرض تدور حول أصبعي تنلك

هيدا هب هوبمش هبل و ال بهل

هيدا زجل تتغزل في

ورايي إيقاع عليي إتبع و ما إطلع عنو يا بصير متل غير مسيس

زقفوا مع االيقاعزقفوا مع االيقاع

F a r e e q e l A t r a s h

Checking and hurling words that tickle as if I was high and sniffing

I am planning and scheming and Irsquom not going anywhere till the clock stops ticking

Look hersquos so full of it lying to others but in my face he stutters

And his face turns red from all the anger and he curses

My earsrsquo alarm bells start ringing

And I go to see whorsquos knocking at the door

Some bastard who wants to see where ldquothe artldquo is

But the art is right here packed in my body

Flowing from my throat running out of my mouth

And the bass is an earthquake that shakes and forces you to pack up and go home

And Irsquom sorry because I need to take leave

But after a sip of cappuccino yoursquoll come around

Didnrsquot I tell you The stars are getting closer

Irsquoll stay in this mood

Until I touch these stars even if I have to launch an attack on all the stars

Irsquoll make the Earth rotate around my finger I told you

This is hip hop

Itrsquos not stupid nor dumb

Itrsquos zajal [a form of Arabic poetry in the Levant]

That you flirt with

There is a beat that I have to follow canrsquot lose it or Irsquoll be like other MCs

Clap with the beat

Clap with the beat

T r a n s l a t e d b y K h a l e d A l H i l l i

null

29781717

101100

انا ببلعهم بتفهم وال مره بسبهمبخليهم داميا يضاربو بتفكيرهم

أنا وراهم قدامهم جنابهم محتلهممش طايقهم مرات وزنهم بكون منزلهم

مرتبهم صاففهم وبقلم أنا حاكمهم زاتتهم مش عاجبيني أنا ماحيهم قائدهم وبنفس الوقت أنا عبيدهم

وبفك وربط أنا بلعب مبعانيهمانا حاميهم بأسطر اللي تقويهم

انا واعدهم اني أستر على فاضحهم ومطلعهم بصوره اللي تبشعهم

بس أنا محترمهم وبسطور ساجنهم مكتفهم كأسير بجنازير القهر

ومهديهم بحبل اللي يبشر بالصبر وانا لي الفخر أكون الشوك اللي فيهم

Dوأكون القهر اللي داميا يسقيهم A M

Yo this is dedicated to the lyrics

Irsquom swallowing them spitting them never dissing them

Giving them freedom of speech

Irsquom behind them in front of them because of them always standing with them

Sometimes get sick of them sick of how you abuse them

Gather them in line with my pen I order them

Didnrsquot like it Throwing them out and replacing them

Irsquom their leader and also their slave

Small changes make huge differences

I train them in pages to make them strong

Promising to use them not abuse them

Or allow the wrong mouths to utter them

Approach them with a military mind and find peace in them

Irsquom lucky to be full of thorns and even luckier that I found the lyrics

So theyrsquoll help me find the roses in me

wordsكلمات

null

26837427

103102

raquoالكل سمعك بس السؤال اذا اللي سمعك فهمكlaquoكلمات ليست كالكلمات بل raquoعالماتlaquo

اللي توجهنا وين مابدنا عحبال السيرك هي تثبتنا ريح العالم من كل جهه اذا احنا ضعاف بتوقعنا بس

raquoأل بلمره ألlaquo raquoكلمات عندي طنlaquoكل واحده الها هدف اخدت حرف عحرف

نسجت جمل اللي البسهم وقت البرد raquoراح اضلني اناديlaquo raquoبنحكي كلماتlaquo

انت بتعرف انهم مبنصب شهاد بحكو املاضي وتنبوا حاضر أي بالد

قد ماحكيت قد ما أحكي فش كالم يغطي بسفي كالم يربي وينمي انت بس أروي

في شوف انه قوه والقوه بتقويفيك و أن رويته مصيره يسقيك )مثل للقوه( العدو من أمامكم

والبحر من ورائكم فال تخيبوا أسيادكمفأين أشعاركم وأين مجادلتكم

فأنتم تسكتون وتخمدون أحالمكم)انهي( نهيت ورجعت للعامية بكلمات

مرمية طالعه من عقليه شعبيهمتل جنيب اللي بذاكرة كل واحد محفوظ مدروس واذا أل معناته في خلل معكوس

عاملجتمع اللي قمع كتاباته Dاللي سمح لنسيانه يشيل خطواته A M

ldquoThey all hear you but few listen to youldquo

Lyrics ainrsquot just a bunch of words they are ldquosignsldquo

Leading us stabilizing us on tight ropes

Winds every way if we are thin we will fall

ldquoBut hell noldquo ldquoyou can measure my words in tonsldquo

Every word has a meaning I knitted a letter with another letter

Made warm sentences to wear in cold days

ldquoSo Irsquoll still shoutldquo ldquowe control lyricsldquo

You know lyrics are like a witness

They witnessed the past and forecast the future

As much as I said or say I canrsquot describe them

But there is a way to find the description and thatrsquos through them

Quench the thirst of the pages with them

So in the future itrsquoll quench your thirst

Keep feeding them as soon as they grow up

Theyrsquoll give you strength

ldquoExample for the strengthldquo

ldquoThe enemy is before you the sea is behind you

So donrsquot you dare disappoint our ancestors

Where are our deep poems Where are our strong statements

From generation to generation we kill our dreamsldquo

ldquoEnough philosophizingldquo ok lets get back to street talk

Words coming outta simple minds

Like Najeeb Mahfuz [literally lsquowell-rememberedrsquo also a famous author]

They keep living in our minds

And if you donrsquot know who he is - then I rest my case

null

26837427

105104

raquoالكل سمعك بس السؤال اذا اللي سمعك فهمكlaquoكلمات ليست كالكلمات بل raquoعالماتlaquo

اللي توجهنا وين مابدنا عحبال السيرك هي تثبتنا ريح العالم من كل جهه اذا احنا ضعاف بتوقعنا بس

raquoأل بلمره ألlaquo raquoكلمات عندي طنlaquoكل واحده الها هدف اخدت حرف عحرف

نسجت جمل اللي البسهم وقت البرد raquoراح اضلني اناديlaquo raquoبنحكي كلماتlaquo

ألف با كبايه أوعك تكسرهاامسكها للنهاية وكل ما تفضى مليها

كلمه أو رواية ومع املراحل زيدها شيحكاية وهيك ضلك زود فيها

وجيبها لتجمعاتك وساعتها استعملها لنقاشاتك وملواقفك استخدمها

هادي مدافعك اللي مداها بسيطرتك وما دافعك انه ما تخليها رايتك

ما هي تكتب ما هي توصف ما هي تكذب ما هي تنصف

ما هي هي الهروب هياللجوء هي الدروب هي

العبور باحلدود واللي مبرؤهم مبدع وبفوز باخللود واللي بسرقهم مش مقنع

واذا بتديهم احلرية بنادوك ممنوعDواذا بتوخد احلريه بنادوك مسموح A M

ldquoThey all hear you but few listen to youldquo

Lyrics ainrsquot just a bunch of words they are ldquosignsldquo

Leading us stabilizing us on tight ropes

Winds every way if we are thin we will fall

ldquoBut hell noldquo ldquoyou can measure my words in tonsldquo

Every word has a meaning I knitted a letter with another letter

Made warm sentences to wear in cold days

ldquoSo Irsquoll still shoutldquo ldquowe control lyricsldquo

The Arabic alphabet is like a glass donrsquot break it

Hold it tight and keep filling it

And then bring it to our arguments

Scream till your throat gets dry and then wet it

It holds our body itrsquos like our legs

If you stand for nothing yoursquoll fall for anything

The words write create

They kill lead and sometimes even lie

You can use them to build borders

And those who are gifted

Can use them to walk through borders

And in some governments

Itrsquos forbidden to give words freedom

But if you choke them and kill them

Thatrsquos allowed

F i g u r a t i v e t r a n s l a t i o n o f f e r e d b y t h e a r t i s t s

null

26837427

107106

further reading

The tracks presented in this document are not a comprehensive sampling of the genre of the market of hip hop in Arabic or of hip hop and rap in the wider Middle East

Artists featured here hail from Egypt Lebanon Palestine and the anglophone Arab diaspora The thriving North African hip hop scene is not represented nor is the work of the established francophone Arab diaspora nor the expanding hip hop scenes of especially Iran or Turkey

This collection does not attempt a comprehensive chronology Tracks featured here are not primarily new releases (though some are) neither are they all ldquoclassicsrdquo These limitations of scope are important to note

Many tracks of the popular Libyan group Ibn Thabitt and other groups from across the region have been translated and are hosted with commentary on the notable blog

revolutionaryarabrapblogspotcom

Another valuable resource is the Beirut-based blog by Jackson Allers ldquoBeats and Breathrdquo which features articulate critiques and reviews of events and releases from the region

jacksonallerswordpresscom

Hass Dennaoui (alias Big Hass) who recently launched started the first all hip-hop FM radio show in Saudi Arabia Laish Hip Hop (Why Hip Hop) manages a lively blog which

hosts an internet feed of his radio show and interviews with MCs and influential hip hop figures from around the world

revoltradioblogspotcom

Lebaneseundergroundcom hosts coverage of underground music in Lebanon including hip hop

And finally an excellent article by Hishaam Aidi on implications of the use of hip hop as foreign policy ldquoThe Grand (Hip-Hop) Chessboard Race Rap and Raison DrsquoEtatrdquo was published in The Middle East Report Fall 2011 Excerpts of the piece were published by Al Jazeera English in the article ldquoLeveraging Hip Hop in US Foreign Policyrdquo

All the artists and many of the translators whose work is showcased here host a significant online presence Their sites are listed with more about each of them on the following pages

109108

artist bios

ARABIAN KNIGHTZ the premier hip hop group from the land of the Nile River have not only established themselves as the lyricists with the sharpest swords in their land but they have also created the most consistent voice for rebellion strength and hope for the youth of the Middle East During the 2011 Revolution Arabian Knightz released two singles ldquoRebelrdquo and ldquoNot Your Prisonerrdquo anthems of resistance which gained worldwide attention and major media coverage for their powerful lyrics against a wicked system The group formed in 2006 through the cipher hip hoprsquos natural way of choosing like mindsets on the mic Rush Sphinx and E-Money were ahead of their peers adapting an authentic Arab perspective to the art dominated by Western voices mixing English and Arabic raps After hitting the studio for successful underground tracks AK enlisted super-producer Fredwreck (Snoop Dogg Xzibit Tha Dogg Pound) ldquoFokkakrdquo the single from this studio session was an instant hit and (surprisingly for Arabic Hip Hop) projected them to the top ten of the singles charts Arab League Records was formed amidst a growing fanbase and numerous collaborations with other Arab hip hop artists the first international Arab hip hop record label Desert Saga Volume 1 mixtape was the debut release led by ldquoThe Onerdquo featuring Egyptrsquos MC Amin Arabian Knightz have recorded their debut album Uknighted State of Arabia a masterpiece for Arab hip hop years in the making featuring instrumentals dominated by traditional percussions and players are scheduled for a Winter 2012 Release They are on Facebook

BOIKUTT is a musician and MC based in Ramallah Palestine Creating sounds using sampled material field recordings and electronic devices the results range between hip-hop downtempo ambient glitch and experimental He has composed and produced music for artists such as Kronos Quartet Bukue One Spiritchild Tamer Abu-Ghazaleh Bleubird and others and has appeared as an MC on albums for artists such as Slovo Heliodrome Bonnot and Lethal Skillz A co-founder of the Ramallah Underground Collective which has toured across the Arab World Europe and Australia Boikutt is also co-founder and member of audio-visual group Tashweesh with whom he is currently touring Also as a solo performer he has been in Beirut Cairo Manila Copenhagen London Hamburg Dubai Bethlehem and other cities He has produced and exhibited a few sound-art pieces composed several film scores has most recently composed the music for a dance theater performance entitled Bound by

New York-based company Yaa Samar Dance Theatre and is now working on different collaborative and solo projects His work may be heard at soundcloudcomboikutt and on Facebook

DAM Da Arabian MCrsquos are Suhell Nafar Tamer Nafar and Mahmoud Jreri The first Palestinian hip hop crew and among the first to rap in Arabic the group began working together in the late 1990s Struck by the uncanny resemblance of the reality of the streets in a Tupac video to the streets in their own neighborhood of Lyd they were inspired to tell their stories through hip hop Their timely song ldquoMin Irhabirdquo (ldquoWhorsquos the Terroristrdquo) was downloaded a million times shortly after its internet realese in 2001 and DAM became a household name among youth throughout the Middle East Ten years of performing all over the world has strengthened the grouprsquos commitment to continue living and working in their hometown of Lyd 15 minutes from Tel Aviv and working to provide the youth of the city and neighboring communities with programs and opportunities that have been denied to Palestinian citizens of Israel Their music is a unique fusion of East and West and encompasses influences as varied as Ghassan Kanafani Ahlam Mosteghanemi Mahmoud Darwish Naji al Ali Tupac Biggie Public Enemy MBS Krsquonaan and Pharoahe Monch IHDA (Dedication) DAMrsquos long-awaited first international album was released in 2007 and DAM has seen its songs and members featured in films such as Ford Transit (Dir Hany Abu Assad) Where in the World is Osama Bin Laden (Dir Morgan Spurlock) Salt of this Sea (Dir Annemarie Jacir) Local Angel and Forgiveness (Dir Udi Aloni) DAMrsquos history and influence on the Arab hip hop scene is detailed in the feature-length documentary Slingshot Hip Hop (Dir Jackie Reem Salloum) The group has also been featured in Vibe National Geographic Rolling Stone Q Basement Reuters and The New York Times and has appeared on MTV CNN BBC and Al Jazeera Their work can be heard and explored at damrapcom

EL DEEB first ventured into Egyptian Hip Hop when he joined Asfalt in 2005 He left in 2007 to create Wighit Nazara duo represented by Mohamed Yasser and himself It was a successful musical project that lasted until mid 2010 Currently he is working on his solo career with plans to release an EP every couple of months or so Cairofornia is his first solo EP His work may be heard at deebbandcampcom and on Facebook

EL RASS was born in Tripoli Lebanon He started writing poetry in literary Arabic at age 11 and started rhyming in spoken Lebanese dialect in 1999 at age 15 At that time he formed one third of a group of 3 MCrsquos going under the name of ldquoMlouk el Micrdquo (ldquoKings of the Micrdquo) They recorded one album and performed locally At 17 he left for France to study Finance and Economics Studies were hard money was scarce and exile was tough but music and poetry never left him as he continued rhyming with some underground French MCrsquos like Medline and Moebius and developed new musical skills on percussion in classical Arabic singing and baglama (turkish buzuk) After graduating and working for almost two years in the hell of banking and market finance El Rass decided to return to Lebanon He spent a year just re-discovering Beirut and making and learning music He now works as a journalist at the newspaper Assafir while concurrently pursuing joint projects with other producers and musicians He calls his work Taalik in reference to the same word in Arabic for ldquocommentrdquo and another word that comes from the same semantic root moaallakat which is a corpus of selected pre-Islamic poetry that was written with gold ink on the walls of the Karsquoaba in Mecca His work may be heard at soundcloudcomElRass

FAREEQ EL ATRASH is a hip hop band based out of Hamra St Beirut with a sound that is distinguished by laid back topical flows over live instrumentation It consists of Edd (raps) Nasser (raps) FZ (vocal production and FX) Fouad Afra (drums) Goo (plays guitar keys heart strings) and Abed Kobeissy (plays bass and buzuk) Their 2010 album and 2009 prealbum are available online More of their work may be found on Facebook Eddrsquos solo work can also be heard at soundcloudcomEdd

H2Z was born in Kuwait in 1986 where he lived for four years Due to the gulf war his family moved to Lebanon where he lived for the most part of his life Inspired by the tragic events in the Middle East and elsewhere in the world H2Z adopted rap music as a way to raise awareness about the injustices suffered by his people and to deliver a message through his music to anyone who supports the Palestinian cause His career began in 2004 when he was introduced to the production business by fellow rappers and soon he started producing his own tracks and established a local band producing many tracks for himself and other musicians in Lebanon In 2008 he released his first solo album titled 3aed which contained

17 tracks The political influence was noticed throughout the album and was generally well-received He is now studying for a degree in business administration at Wayne State University in Michigan His work may be heard at reverbnationcomh2z

KATIBEH 5 are based in Borj el Barajneh Lebanon Their work can be found at reverbnationcomkatibeh5 and myspacecomkatibe5palestine and on Facebook

M1 is Mutulu Olugbala of the New York based collective Dead Prez whose work is online at deadprezcom M1 is also on Facebook

MC GAZA is Adnan Mahmoud Ghonim an Algerian born artist and university student based in Gaza It was the beginning of 2005 when he attended one of the hip hop concerts in Gaza City ndash Gaza City that never appreciated the art he loved and attached himself to ndash and it was love at first sight between them Through some of the concerts he participated in a number of songs he collaborated on with Arabs from Egypt Algeria and Palestine and some active participation to represent the Palestinian people and interviews for both Arab and foreign press he was able to make a name for himself in the Gazan hip hop community His work may be found at youtubecomMCGaza and on Facebook

THE NARCICYST Having pioneered the Arab Hip-Hop movement with seminal Iraqi-Canadian crew Euphrates The Narcicyst recently broke through borders and shattered traveling etiquette touring solo around the world sharing stages with the likes of Brother Ali Mos Def and Kanye West to name a few On top of music The Narcicyst is a celebrated theorist whose academic work Fear of an Arab Planet has him from the stage to the classrooms of internationally renowned universities He is now also a professor at Concordia University teaching a Fine Arts course ldquoHip-Hop Past Present and Futurerdquo His writings have been published by multiple university presses and magazines internationally he is also a self-published author having recently released the biographical and social-study on the Arab world The Diatribes of a Dying Tribe As a true artist interested in really pushing his own artistic boundaries The Narcicyst has stepped into acting currently starring in the short music film PHATWA and in the first internationally-released film from the United Arab Emirates called City of Life A true multi-media

111110

KHALED AL HILLI is a PhD candidate in Comparative Literature at the Graduate Center City University of New York He has a BA in English Literature and a Masterrsquos degree in Teaching Second Languages Born in Iraq Khaled has taught in Lebanon and Saudi Arabia at both college and high school levels He has also worked with various Iraqi news outlets and has subtitledtranslated documentary films dealing with current social and political issues His research interests include Arabic political literature prison literature and literature in the diaspora He may be reached at hillykhalidgmailcom

+AZIZ is a NYC-based marketing consultant and a musician He is working through The World Music Parade to develop an animation project based on his music More about that project can be found at themusicparadetumblrcom He tweets from plusaziz

FAYSAL BIBI is a paleontologist and electronic musician currently based in Berlin

LOUBNA BILALI is originally from Morocco She did her undergrad and first MA in English Linguistics at Chouaib Doukkali University El Jadida She came to the US in 2008 to pursue a Masterrsquos degree in French to English translation and is currently working on a PhD in translation studies at Kent State University in Ohio She is very interested in learning and teaching languages as well as translating and localizing computer applications and websites She may be reached at loubnabilaligmailcom

FARAH ELREWAISSATI is a freelance translator pro-Palestine activist and BDS advocate who blogs at youthanormalizationblogspotcom She tweets from 3beee

NIZAR GHANEM was born in Lebanon He has been active in intercultural education interactive learning and conflict resolution across the Arab world His work on conflict resolution involved using theater comics and music as tools for emotional expression and social mobilization

RIMA NAJDI is a Performing Artist She studied dramatic arts at the Lebanese University in Beirut and obtained a Masterrsquos degree in Performance Studies at NYU New York She has written and performed in various plays and performances Najdi is particularly interested in multi-media performing arts and the position of the spectators

BARRAK ALZAID (copy editor) is the Artistic Director of ArteEast He is the editor of the ArteEast Quarterly a dynamic online portal featuring four publications that highlight contemporary art and culture from the Middle East and diaspora ndash ArtersquoZine Shahadat (contemporary short-form literature) Gallery and Cinematek (an online film center) He is also the curator for ArteEastrsquos Across Histories Art Talk Series featuring a series of panels on residencies in Fall 2011 He tweets from barrakster

RAYYA EL ZEIN (editor) is working towards a PhD in Theatre at the Graduate Center City University of New York Her research is increasingly focusing on theories of reception historical studies of audience behavior and popular culture in the Arab world She holds an MA in Performance Studies from NYU and is currently a teaching fellow at City College in Harlem She tweets from rayelz

translator biosdreamer Yassin recently established an arts label in the UAE called The Medium focusing on delivering art from Arabs in the diaspora and at lsquohomersquo to the rest of the world iraqisthebombcom He tweets from TheNarcicyst

OMAR OFFENDUM is a Syrian-American hip hop artist born in Saudi Arabia raised in Washington DC and living in Los Angeles Known for taking audiences on a lyrical journey from the jasmine-tree-lined courtyards of Nizar Qabbanirsquos Damascene homes to the flooded riverbanks of Langston Hughesrsquo Harlem Renaissance poems - Offendum has been featured on several major news outlets (BBC Yahoo ABC News Aljazeera PBS) toured the world to promote his ground-breaking music helped raise thousands of dollars for various humanitarian relief organizations (PCRF KinderUSA ANERA Islamic Relief) lectured at a number of prestigious academic institutions (Harvard MIT Stanford Columbia American University of Beirut NYU-AbuDhabi Qatar Education City) and most recently been involved in creating several critically-acclaimed songs about the popular democratic uprisings throughout the Middle East amp North Africa He is currently hard at work promoting his solo release - affectionately dubbed SyrianamericanA His work may be heard (and read) at offendumbandcampcom He is on Facebook and he tweets from Offendum

RAMALLAH UNDERGROUND based in Ramallah Palestine was born from the immediacy of musical experimentation and out of the need to give voice to a generation of Palestinians and Arabs facing a turbulent and uncertain political landscape The collective was founded by artists Boikutt Stormtrap and Aswatt and has always held a commitment to both the honesty of their work and the need to creatively rejuvenate Arabic culture To this end they combine music ranging from Arabic electronic music hip-hop and trip hop to downtempo with a deep sense of their local culture and the imposing presence of Palestine in their lives The outcome is a new specific and distinct sound RU (as producers and as MCrsquos ) has collaborated with numerous artists across the globe including countries like Lebanon UK Switzerland Italy USA France and many more including a collaboration with Slovo (a band headed by the guitarist from faithless) in their track ldquoNakbardquo which appears on their album Todo Cambia and with Kronos Quartet in the track ldquoTashweeshrdquo which appears on Floodplain RU has also performed live shows in Ramallah Bethlehem Vienna London Cairo Lausanne Amsterdam and Washington DC Their shows are mainly a performance of their hip-hop tracks as well as a few of their own electronic productions as a warm up More recently RU has incorporated a visual set in their live

performances brought to you by Palestinian visual artist Ruanne RU hopes to give a voice to Palestinians and Arabs bringing an alternative voice from the Arab world Their lyrics and music are an expression of anguish and defiance ultimately remaining a defiant voice of the colonized against the colonizer They continue to play a big role in the Arab underground cultural scene while slowly gaining wide global and local popularity

SHADIA MANSOURrsquos work can be found at myspacecomshadiamusic and on Facebook

STORMTRAP is a music producercomposerMC from Palestine Experimenting with old samples instruments and field recordings his sound is the result of a fusion of ambient atmospheres combined with various noises and hip hop beats His lyrics deal with different themes inspired mainly by his personal experiences in Palestine and life in the diaspora Stormtrap played a fundamental role in forming the band Ramallah Underground with which he has performed worldwide the past few years Currently he is working in Vienna with Aras Seyhan and Eren Ileri on a new album which combines live instruments synthesizers turntables beats and Arabic lyrics- which will be released early 2012 His work may be heard at soundcloudcomstormtrap He tweets from asifeh

AMEER YOSSEF 25 has sung and writen music with the band Klaket for the past four years His work may be heard at youtubecomAmeer and on Facebook

towards the work Her work for now concentrates on the process of making interactive and participatory performances that question borders stereotypes and languages

MOE ALI NAYEL is a fixer and a journalist based in Beirut Lebanon He uses social media blogging non-mainstream music journalism and writing as a word spreading eye opening socializing arena He uses social media as a bridge that cuts distance between people on this planet making it a tiny village This bridge starts in his office and takes him to every corner in the world enabling him to connect and network with people and cultures sharing and exchanging stories of the unheard and the neglected He blogs at Words of Action and he tweets from MoeAliNay

ALEX ORTIZ is a video and radio journalist and translator based in Cairo Egypt He graduated from Brown University in 2009 with a double major in Comparative Literature and Middle East Studies He was a CASA I fellow from 2009-2010 and a CASA II fellow from 2010-2011 He currently works for CBS News as a field producer He tweets from cairowitness

AHMED SHAWKET is an independent translator living in Cairo Egypt He is a graduate of the Helwan University Faculty of Arts where he majored in philosophy Ahmed works on literary media and commercial translation

113112

ABOUT SHAHADATShahadat is a quarterly online series designed to provide a platform for short-form writing and experimentation in writing by young and underexposed writers from the MENA region (Middle East and North Africa) The series features stories vignettes reflections and chronicles in translation and the original language of Arabic Farsi Turkish or Kurdish It makes up one quarter of ArteEastrsquos online programming the AE Quarterly For past issues of Shahadat click here

ABOUT THIS SERIES Shahadat is proud to run two alternating series and releases two issues a year of each The issue yoursquove just perused is part of the ldquoExploring Popular Literaturerdquo series This series challenges traditional understandings of ldquoliteraturerdquo emerging from the Middle East and North Africa by presenting genres of creative production that rely on words and language but which have not typically been studied as literature Works are presented in their original language and in translation

In each issue we gather texts from a spectrum of writers to challenge the singular status of the artistauthor and to encourage a more complex presentation of the Middle Eastern and North African ldquostreetrdquo for English-speaking audiences Shahadatrsquos other series ldquoContemporary Literature in Translationrdquo features the work of a single young author in the original language and in English translation

BEHIND THE DOCUMENTShahadat is co-edited by Rayya El Zein Alex Ortiz and ArteEastrsquos Artistic Director Barrak Alzaid All three are young professionals and scholars with artistic inclinations (literature poetry translation and performance) All three have strong connections to New York City and various metropole of the MENA region Shahadat is for us an experiment and a labor of love An editorial board of established scholars and authors is currently being conceived

SPECIAL THANKS TOAnmar El ZeinKinda AkashAndrew JohnstonLivia Alexander

Shahadat logo design by Rima Farouki

114

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Page 10: Shahadat Winter 2012

1918

انتصرنا في 11 فبراير بفرحة مليونية زغرطتي يا مصر يا بهية حققنا احلرية

الثورة بعد ما خلصت هلق بعدا مبلشةلدورنا شكلها وصلت وإنت بعدك بالفرشة

ولك قوم وقاف الحق بسنانك تفرشيولك قوم وقاف هز فيك نظامك عم بخزوق قوم يا مصري ما فيش ثورة بتخلص في يوم وليلة

دوس على نفسك شويةاستحمل شد حيلك

ما تخافش على عجلة اإلنتاج الزم ثورة على الذاتبكرا أحسن من اللي فات

ديكتاتوري هاإلنسان كان ببلد دميقراطيعايش فوق الغيم كان مرتاح رأسه فاضياملمنوع إلو مسموح كان ألن صاحبه قاضي

مطنش عاملخدرات ليضل شعبه طافيتيضل شعبه مسلطن ملتهي عم يضحك

كونه غير واعيفمن السهل فيه تتحكم ضو أخضر للشرطة

عليها ما فيك تتشكىفي حال فيك شكك بشكلك بشنغلك

تالتني سنةأكتر من أي رئيس بقي

ولك كسرسكور اإلستاذ نبيه بريمبصر بيقولوا معليه أنا التعتير إبني

eعم شوف شو في أكل من مبارح بقي ألعطيه لقمة l D e e b + E d d

We won on February 11 the joy of millions

Ululate oh Egypt oh Bahia we have achieved freedom

The revolution is not over yet it has just begun

Looks like itrsquos our turn now and yoursquore still in bed

Crsquomon get up Yoursquoll brush your teeth later

Crsquomon get up Move your regime is screwing you

Rise up oh Egyptian No revolution finishes in a night and a day

Bear with it a little

Have endurance and tolerance

Donrsquot be afraid of the cycle of production there should be a revolution against oneself

Tomorrow is better than the past

The man was a dictator in a democratic country

Living on clouds he was comfortable and carefree

What is prohibited was permitted for him because he was friends with a judge

He turned a blind eye to drugs so that his people would remain unaware

So that his people would remain high busy laughing

Because they are unconscious

It is easy to control them the police have a green light

You couldnrsquot report them

If they are suspicious of you of the way you look they would hang you

Thirty years

He ruled more than any other president

He even broke the record of Mr Nabih Berri [longstanding Lebanese head of parliament]

In Egypt they say itrsquos ok misfortune is my son

I will check what is left over from yesterday to feed it

2oum Ya Masry (feat Edd) (Prod by Edd)

Deeb

null

2011

24930304

eng - Visit httpdeebbandcampcom

2120

ملني بشكيحالتي متل هاملاليني مرتة

ولك قوم ننزل عساحة التحرير دغريب11 شهر 2 سجلنا رحيل حسني

اللي قضى كل هالسنني يشتغل عميل ضدي

ثورة بعد ما خلصت هلق بعدا مبلشةلدورنا شكلها وصلت وإنت بعدك بالفرشة

ولك قوم وقاف الحق بسنانك تفرشيولك قوم وقاف إذ فيك نظامك عم بخزوق

قوم يا مصري ما فيش ثورة بتخلص في يوم وليلةدوس على نفسك شوية

استحمل شد حيلكما تخافش على عجلة اإلنتاج

الزم ثورة على الذاتبكرا أحسن من اللي فات

أنا مدنيبلوح بقلمي كأنه علمي

من عرقي بروي عملي كأنه عطشيالبركة ببلدي العربي

إني فيني كون عفويفيني قوم ثور

إذا بس كان مسموم بدنيحلريتي بالتعبير

ما في حدود حتدنيبتشوفني بساحة التحرير بوسط بيروت

مش كرمال السما ترجع زرقاإلسقاط النظام اللي احلرية سلبنا

e l D e e b + E d d

To whom will I complain

My situation like that of millions is bad

Crsquomon letrsquos go straight to Tahrir Square

On February 11 we witnessed the departure of Hosni

Who has been working as an agent all these years against mehellip

The revolution is not over yet it has just begun

Looks like itrsquos our turn now and yoursquore still in bed

Crsquomon get up Yoursquoll brush your teeth later

Crsquomon get up Move your regime is screwing you

Rise up oh Egyptian No revolution finishes in a night and a day

Bear with it a little

Have endurance and tolerance

Donrsquot be afraid of the cycle of production

There should be a revolution against oneself

Tomorrow is better than the past

I am a civilian

I wave my pen as if it is my flag

I water my work with my sweat as if itrsquos my thirst

Whatrsquos good about my Arab country

Is that I can be spontaneous

I can rise up and revolt

When Irsquom angry

For my freedom of expression

There are no limitations

You see me in Tahrir Square and in downtown Beirut

But not for the sky to become blue again [in reference to the slogan of the Lebanese Future Movement]

But to topple the regime that has taken away freedom

2oum Ya Masry (feat Edd) (Prod by Edd)

Deeb

null

2011

24930304

eng - Visit httpdeebbandcampcom

2322

فترة إنتقاليةفقرة إعالنية

شاي وكليوبتراوشوش صفرا سهرانة

عالنشرة اإلخباريةركلة جزائية

واجلمهور مستني الهدفكل يوم في الصحف

نقرا نبأ عن كلب نهب البلدأوقف عندك رجع الذهب

مش إنت بردو اللي كنت مسؤول عن إعالم بلدتصاريح كاذبة كالم عجب

الصعب عدا والتاريخ إنكتبأوعى تفتكر الشعب تعب

الثورة بعد ما خلصت هلق بعدا مبلشةلدورنا شكلها وصلت وإنت بعدك بالفرشة

ولك قوم وقاف الحق بسنانك تفرشيولك قوم وقاف إذ فيك نظامك عم بخزوق

قوم يا مصري ما فيش ثورة بتخلص في يوم وليلةدوس على نفسك شوية

استحمل شد حيلكما تخافش على عجلة اإلنتاج

الزم ثورة على الذاتeبكرا أحسن من اللي فات l D e e b + E d d

A transitional period

A commercial break

Tea and Cleopatra

Yellow faces staying up at night

To follow the newscast

A penalty

The audience is waiting for the goal

Every day in newspapers

We read news about a dog that has looted the country

Stop return the gold

Werenrsquot you in charge of the countryrsquos media

False statements odd expressions

The hard part is over and history has been written

Donrsquot think that the people are exhausted

The revolution is not over yet it has just begun

Looks like itrsquos our turn now and yoursquore still in bed

Crsquomon get up Yoursquoll brush your teeth later

Crsquomon get up Move your regime is screwing you

Rise up oh Egyptian No revolution finishes in a night and a day

Bear with it a little

Have endurance and tolerance

Donrsquot be afraid of the cycle of production

There should be a revolution against oneself

Tomorrow is better than the past

T r a n s l a t e d b y F a r a h E l R e w a i s s a t i

2oum Ya Masry (feat Edd) (Prod by Edd)

Deeb

null

2011

24930304

eng - Visit httpdeebbandcampcom

2524

بلسان فاكريني انو مافيهوش فن هتكلم عن كل حلم اترسم من غضبهم اتدفن

اتقسم احتاط باأللم منلفكر فاملرحلة السمعيه واحللول اللى تنقذ عناوين جانبيه ارهابية من عيون معنية باستقاللية بعد حروب عاملية محمية متدارية

منسية مرمية على اكتاف مش مرضية مستخبية بطريقة اتكالية عاالراضى العربية

بسلبية مرئية انتهازية وراء االعالم االسالمية بباينوا النيه

احتيالية عنادية سيكوباتية سرية انانية استراتيجية ضد االنسانية

و بعد املسايسة متابعة من قاعة املشاهدة لكل عربى بيتزل مستانى مساعدة

A r a b i a n K n i g h t z + S h a d i a M a n s o u r

They presume the tongue has no art so I will speak

About every dream that was drawn from their anger and got buried

It got divided surrounded by pain

And the solutions that might work are sidelined and smeared as terrorist

From eyes that are interested in independence

After world wars protected and hidden

Forgotten and thrown on unsatisfied shoulders

Concealed with consent in Arab lands

With obvious opportunism

Beneath Islamic publicity intentions show through

Fraudulent stubborn psychopathic

A secret selfish strategy against mankind

And after politics we keep tabs on things from the screening room

For every Arab who gets humiliated I am waiting for help

prisonerThis track contains verses that were originally written in English السجني

Prisoner

Arabian Knightz + Shadia Mansour

Shahadat Winter 2012 track 316

Hip Hop

26518704

2726

ماخالص كسروا بنا كلمة مسانده و من عقولنا اخدوا الورق اللى يكسب فى اللعبة

أنا عايز بلد حرة من الظلم

عايز بلد حرة من القهر عايز بلد حرة من الشر

عايز أرضي وأرض العرب العرب العرب العرب

A r a b i a n K n i g h t z + S h a d i a M a n s o u r

But itrsquos over they shattered for us the word ldquosolidarityldquo

And from our minds they took the cards that win the game

I want a country free of tyranny

I want a country free of oppression

I want a country free of evil

I want my land and the land of Arabs

Arabs Arabs Arabs

Destructive destruction destroying my district

Anti-Christ running in spreading evil wisdom

Irsquom destroying the oppressors in Arabic settlements

Known for blowing up beats and governments

My peeps die in their cribs while yrsquoall close your eyes

Two of yrsquoall are kidnapped you call it a terrorist crime

The media

Is backing up

Murderous propaganda

While we fight eternally like immortal high landers

Al Durrah Sheikh Yassin the pains unseen

Forging your own stories for the blind to see

Want to draw your own opinions bout the bombs we face

Whatrsquos your opinion if yoursquore enslaved and your mom is raped

Itrsquos too easy to speak when yoursquore far from the heat

To the White House I creep and yes Irsquom armed to the teeth

With a mic and a pen and a pad herersquos your evidence

ldquoWeapons of Mass Destructionldquo Mr President

Prisoner

Arabian Knightz + Shadia Mansour

Shahadat Winter 2012 track 316

Hip Hop

26518704

2928

أنا عايز بلد حرة من الظلم عايز بلد حرة من القهر

عايز بلد حرة من الشر عايز أرضي وأرض العرب

العرب العرب العرب

إحنا منمشي بالكرامة والثقة بالنفس معصنا قوانينكم بالثبوت بالدم

لو إن ضميركم بتريحكم بتتكلموا من ورا الفرد

قللي مني ما عم ينام بالليل عنجد ع بني انتو بتبنوا حواجز إحن بنكبر عيالنا

وبنظلنا نزيد العدد إحن السبب ليش ما بتسترجوا تغمضوا عني

في فرق كبير بني مقاوم ومقررين

A r a b i a n K n i g h t z + S h a d i a M a n s o u r

I want a country free of tyranny

I want a country free of oppression

I want a country free of evil

I want my land and the land of Arabs

Arabs Arabs Arabs

Theyrsquore dropping bombs over Baghdad

Libnan Afghan Palestinians Bin Laden Saddam

Listen Islam is all about the peace man

But wars up in these streets man

Got me loosinrsquo sleep damn

Mr Politician I got a little question

How come you are eating and all your peoples isnrsquot

I am on a mission to break up out of this prison

If yoursquore with me share my vision

Letrsquos start by saving the children

We walk with dignity and confidence in ourselves

We crushed your laws with our steadfastness and blood

If your conscience was giving you peace

You wouldnrsquot be communicating from behind a gun

Tell me whorsquos the one not getting sleep at night

While you build your checkpoints we raise the kids

Our numbers will keep increasing

We are the reason you donrsquot dare to blink

There is a big difference between a man of resistance and decision makers

T r a n s l a t e d b y N i z a r G h a n e m + S h a d i a M a n s o u r

Prisoner

Arabian Knightz + Shadia Mansour

Shahadat Winter 2012 track 316

Hip Hop

26518704

3130

النظام العاملي اجلديداحلاسة السادسة

و بدهم يردوا يعلموك النشيدنار شديد بس كله نسبي

جينا و نسيناأخبار فورية بتنهضم و بتمشينا

إللي فينا مكفينا رايح عغزة بالسفينة

و ما يأتي قبل الفكر أم الفعلملجرد الذكر لشخص مبنج قلب نكد وزعل

و طلب السعرمش حنبيع

ملا بتشتي بتشتي عاجلميعو زمن أول حتول

و مش قادرين نتجول فا مش حنضيعbشيء مريع o i k u t t

The new world order

The sixth sense

And they want to teach you the anthem anew

Heavy fire but itrsquos all relative

We came and forgot

Instant news digested and keeps us moving

Wersquove had enough

Going to Gaza by boat

What comes first Thought or action

The mere question to a numb person makes him grumpy and upset

And asking for the price

We wonrsquot sell

When it rains it rains over everybody

The old times have changed

We are under house arrest so we wonrsquot get lost

Itrsquos a horrible thing

igniteولع

Walle

boikutt

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3332

مرات بتفهم النبرة غلطبس هلئ فهمني منيح

جريح بدون تلقيح تصريح صريح بدون تلميح

فظيعكيف خلونا نطيع

بوقت تشييع جثمان الضاضمضاض لإلنتفاض ثورة الثروة قيد التصنيع

فيعبوجه عقود بقبضة من حديد

من هون لقرية بال متديدبدون مانروح لبعيد

جتميد روؤس أموال و نوويةمصلحة أول مستفيد

بتدوب بشعلة من سيدي بوزيد

ولعشوف اكمن دكتاتور منقلعولعشوف اكمن دكتاتور منقلع

ولع شوف اكمن دكتاتور منقلعصوت الثورة بكل مكان و عم منسمع

من حكام لنوابو ال استثني احدا منكم

ما بيهمكمحلد ما الهتافات تتوجه إلكم إتهزكم

أفهمكمbاإلستبداد تارك الشارع بإستعداد o i k u t t

Sometimes you misunderstand a tone

But now you understand me correctly

Wounded without vaccination

A blatant statement without any hinting

Unbelievable

How they made us obey

At the funeral of the corpse of the [quintessential Arabic letter] Ddad

Counter revolution the revolution of wealth is in process

Rise

In the face of decades under an iron fist

From here to a village without extension

Without going too far

Freezing of capital and nuclear war heads

The interest of the primary beneficiary

Melts with a flame from Sidibouzid

Ignitesee how many dictators wersquoll uproot

Ignitesee how many dictators wersquoll uproot

Ignitesee how many dictators wersquoll uproot

The sound of revolution is everywhere we make it heard

From leaders to parliamentarians

I do not exclude any of you

But you donrsquot care

Until chants are directed at you and shake you

Let me explain

Tyranny leaves the street prepared

Walle

boikutt

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3534

من املزارع بوسط البالدفعل مضارع للرماد

فا إنصرف زاي فلوس الدولة إللي طريقها إنحرفوإنعرف و إنصبت بجيوب هالطرف من شوفرية الشرف

حتية خاصة ألسود ميدان التحريرلتعديل دستور التعتير

إن صح التعبير

عندي نظر األطرشو سمع األعمى

عايشني حياة و مكلبشني باخلوف بنفس الوقت فا قللي شو املعنىتاريخ شجعنا

الوضع الراهن منعناناس بتمر و بتسمعنا

بدون جتاوب جتارب فجاوبيا ضدنا يا معنا

إرفع قبضة الصمود فوق في الهوا ثابتةإنتفاضة أولى و ثانية بس الثالثة نابتة

أطراف كابتةبس قد ما يحاولوا ميحوا ويحطوا الناس كاتبة

بالتفاصيل و كامتة

ولعhellip شوف اكمن دكتاتور منقلعولعhellip شوف اكمن دكتاتور منقلع

ولع شوف اكمن دكتاتور منقلعصوت الثورة بكل مكان و عم منسمع

ولعhellip شوف اكمن دكتاتور منقلعbو صفهم عالدور واحد واحدhellipو شنع o i k u t t

From the farmers in the center

Changing present tense to ashes

So vanish like the statersquos money whose road has deviated

It is known that it ended up in the pockets of the corrupt who claim to be clean

A special salute to the lions of Tahrir Square

For amending the constitution of misfortune

If that can be said

I have the sight of the deaf

And the hearing of the blind

Leading a life while chained by fear at the same time so tell me whatrsquos the point

History encouraged us

The current situation prevented us

People pass by and hear us

Without any response -- testing -- so answer

Yoursquore either with us or against us

Raise the fist of resistance up in the air

A first and second Intifada but the third is sprouting

Oppressive groups

No matter how hard they try to erase and replace people have written

In details and know by heart

Ignitesee how many dictators wersquoll uproot

Ignitesee how many dictators wersquoll uproot

Ignitesee how many dictators wersquoll uproot

The sound of revolution is everywhere we make it heard

Ignitesee how many dictators wersquoll uproot

Line them up in turn one after the other and defame them

T r a n s l a t e d b y F a r a h E l R e w a i s s a t i

Walle

boikutt

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1746378

3736

ولك انا ابن عكا وبن يافا و طولكرم انا ابن كل شبر من البحر للنهر

االرض الي حملت موسى مرمي واملسيح انااملقابر يلي فاضت من كتر التوابيت

انا اخليمة بيت التنك واحلصيرة والكانون والبيوت املسروقة والدم املهدور

انا الهوى يالي حامل الغضب والبكاوالطرقات يلي بتغرق مع كل نقطة الشتا

انا رصاصة من املجاهد عم تعبر حلدود انا حزام من القنابل مشتاق لليهود

لطفل على باب املستشفى عم بيموتانا الجئ ممنوع من العمل مكروه

انا اين املخيم يلي عاطل عن العمل سيجارة احلشيش يلي بتمحي شوية الم

H 2 Z

Irsquom the son of Acre Jaffa and Tulkarem

Irsquom the son of every inch from the river to the sea

Irsquom the land that carried Moses Mary and the Christ

Irsquom the cemeteries that overflow with coffins

Irsquom the tent the tin house the mat and the stove

The stolen houses and the wasted blood

Irsquom the wind that bears anger and tears

The roads that drown in a single drop of rain

I am a bullet that crosses borders

Irsquom a grenade against Zionists

A child that dies waiting outside the hospital

Irsquom a hated refugee whorsquos prohibited from working

Irsquom the son of the camps always unemployed

The hash cigarettes that ease the pain

iانا فلسطيني am palest inian

Ana Falasteeni

H27

null

17782504

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3938

حيطان هالبيت يلي بكره رح ينردم انا االحمر واالسود واالخضر من هالعلم

من دم االبطال من دموع الاطفالمن اجلحيم التشرد واجلوء واالنكسار

من ظلم االحتاللمن حلم االستقالل

من ارض الزيتونوالصليب والهالل

انا حافظ احلواجز بكل بالد العالممن النادر انو بيوم يعتبروني بني ادم انا سنني االعتقال انا غرف التعذيب

الوجع والصريخ واجلروح الي ما بطيبانا شعب ما انهزم بس عمرو ما انتصر

انا اكبر ارهابي الني حامل حجر اسير طول عمرو رافض انو بيوم ميوت بس معاهدة سالم بتنفي اني موجود

انا القدس بيت حلم ومخيم جننياالدان واجلراس الهالل والصليب

املدافن واملدارس وكنسية املسيح الشوارع القدمية والبيت العتيق

انا ركوة الشاي و سندويشة الفالفلالكرم والبخل واالخالق واملهازل

الكذب والصدق واخليانة والصمود Hانا فلسطيني حلتى اموت 2 Z

The walls of the house that I hate thatrsquos about to get demolished

I am the red and black and green in this flag

From the blood of heroes from the tears of children

From the hell of homelessness and broken refugees

From the oppression of the occupation

From the dream of independence

Irsquom from the land of the olives

The cross and crescent

I know all the checkpoints in all countries of the world

It is where they consider me a human being

Irsquom years of capture Irsquom the torture chambers

The pain and the screams and the wounds that never heal

I was never defeated but never had a victory

Irsquom the biggest terrorist because I carry a stone

A prisoner who spends his whole life refusing to die

But a peace treaty forgets that Irsquom alive

Irsquom Jerusalem Bethlehem and Jenin refugee camp

The call to prayer the bells the crescent and the cross

The old cemeteries schools and church of Christ

The old streets and the ancient house

Irsquom the tea cup and the falafel sandwich

Generosity and greed morality and farce

Lies and betrayal and honesty and persistence

I am Palestinian until I die

T r a n s l a t e d b y t h e a r t i s t

Ana Falasteeni

H27

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17782504

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4140

صباح اخلير با والد عمومناتفضلوا شرفونا

شو بتحبوا نضيفكم دم عربي وال دموع من عيوننابعتقد هيك تأملوا نستقبلن

هيك تعقدوا ملا تدركوا على غلطتهنمن هيك لبسنا الكوفية

البيضة والسودةصاروا كالب الزمان يلبسوها كموضة

مهما تفننوا فيامهما غيروا بلونا

كوفية عربية بتضال عربية

حطتنا بدن ياهاثقافتنا بدن ياها

S h a d i a M a n s o u r w i t h M 1 o f D e a d P r e z

Good morning cousins

Come in and honor us with your presence

What would you like us to serve you Arab blood or tears from our eyes

I think thatrsquos how they hoped we would recieve them

Thatrsquos why they got tangled up when they tripped up on their own mistake

Thatrsquos why we wore the kufeyyeh

The black and white one

Dogs of the past started to wear it as a fashion statement

However they change it

Whatever colour they make it

The Kufeyyeh is Arab and will always be Arab

Our scarf they want it

Our intellect they want it

kufeyyeh arabeyyeh الكوفية عربية

Kufeyyeh Arabeyyeh

Shadia Mansour and M1

Shahadat Winter 2012 track 616

Hip Hop

26239166

4342

كرامتنا بدن ياهاكل شي إلنا بدن ياه

ما رح نسكتلن نسمحلن الالبقلن يسرقوا شغلة مش إلهن ما خصن فيا

بيقلدونا باللبسكل هاألرض بيكفيهنش

طمعانني عالقدسإعرفوا كيف تكونوا بشر

قبل ما تلبسوا الكوفيةجينا نذكرن مني إحنا

وغصبا من عن أبوهم هاي حطتنا

من هيك لبسنا الكوفيةألنها وطنية

الكوفية الكوفية عربيةمن هيك لبسنا الكوفية

هويتنا األساسيةالكوفية الكوفية عربية

يال علي الكوفيةعلولي هالكوفية

الكوفية الكوفية عربيةعلوها لبالد الشام

كوفية عربية بتضال عربية

ما في بعد متل الشعب العربيفرجوني أية أمة بالدنيا أكثر مأثرة

الصورة واضحة نحنا مهد احلضارة

S h a d i a M a n s o u r w i t h M 1 o f D e a d P r e z

Our dignity they want it

Everything thatrsquos ours they want it

We will not be silent will not allow it

It suits them to steal something that ainrsquot theirs

They imitate our style

As if all this land werenrsquot not enough

Thirsting after Jerusalem

Know how to be human

Before you wear our scarf

We came to remind them who we are

And like it or not itrsquos our right

Thatrsquos why we wore the kufeyyeh

Because it is nationalistic

The kufeyyeh is Arab

Thatrsquos why we wore the kufeyyeh

Because it is our original identity

The kufeyyeh is Arab

Come on raise your kufeyyehs

Raise that kufeyyeh

The kufeyyeh is Arab

Raise it up for bilad ersquosham [Greater Syria the wider Arab world]

The kufeyyeh is Arab and will always be Arab

There are no others like the Arab people

Show me one region in the world that is more influencial

The picture is clear we are the origins of civilization

Kufeyyeh Arabeyyeh

Shadia Mansour and M1

Shahadat Winter 2012 track 616

Hip Hop

26239166

4544

تاريخنا وتراثنا الشاهد على وجودنامن هيك لبست التوب الفلسطيني

من حيفا جنني جبل النار إلى رام اللهخليني شوف الكوفية

البيضة واحلمراخلينا نعليها لفوق بالسما

أنا شادية العربلساني بغز غزبلساني بهز هز

كلمات احلربسجل أنا شادية منصور

واحلطة هويتيمن يوم ما خلقت

سيدي والشعب مسؤوليتيلكن تربيت بني الشرق وبني الغرب

بني لغتنيبني بخيل بني فقير

شفت احلياة من اجلهتنيبس علمتني الكوفية

كيف ما لبستونيوين ما شلحتوني

بضلني عأصولي فلسطينية

S h a d i a M a n s o u r w i t h M 1 o f D e a d P r e z

Our history traditions and customs bear witness to our existence

Thatrsquos why I wear the Palestinian dress

From Haifa Jenin Jabal El Naar to Ramallah

Let me see the kufeyyeh

The red and white one

Letrsquos raise it up to the sky

I am the singer of the Arabs

Like an earthquake I shake the ground

My words are war

Record this

I am Shadia Mansour

And this scarf is my ID

From the day I was born the people have been my responsibility

Look I was raised between the East and the West

Between two languages

Between the rich and the poor

Irsquove seen life from both sides

However the kufeyyeh has taught me

However you wear me

Wherever you leave me

I stay true to my origin Palestinian

T r a n s l a t e d b y t h e a r t i s t w i t h F a r a h E l R e w a i s s a t i

Kufeyyeh Arabeyyeh

Shadia Mansour and M1

Shahadat Winter 2012 track 616

Hip Hop

26239166

4746

حمامة سالم افتحي أجنحتكي و طيري

وين الوعي - وين امشوا معي هني وادي بني اجلبلني عني حب للطرفني

أمهاتنا حبت ذاتنا بس مو عاجبهن مسباتنا هذا احلكي بني اخواتنا

Oزين العرب واألمريكان m a r O f f e n d u m

This track contains verses that were originally written in English

You are my

(Destiny)

Itrsquos hard livinrsquo in the West - when I know the East got the best of me

(Destiny)

Could be lookinrsquo in my eyes - but yoursquoll never really see the rest of me

(Destiny)

Can you hear me maseeri [my destiny] Bi-lingualrsquos what Irsquom blessed to be

(Destiny)

Dove of Peace

Spread your wings amp fly

Consciousness What consciousness - where is it

Take a walk with me

Here in this valley between two ldquomountainsldquo

Where the source of love for both ldquosidesldquo can be found

Our mothers like us

But donrsquot like our foul language

So letrsquos keep this between the siblings

The best of Arabs amp Americans

destمصيري iny

7 Destiny

Omar Offendum

The Peace Revolution 20

21332892

eng - iTunNORM 000006D3 000006F2 000038BA 0000322F 0000E4FA 0000E4FA 00008716 0000864B 0002AB5E 000083D6

eng - iTunSMPB 00000000 00000210 0000094B 00000000008F7FA5 00000000 004108FB 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000

4948

وألله يرحم كل أمواتنا أغاني

مثل املهامتة إذا قلنا العني بالعني

ما صفى عندنا عيون بالشام بالد الشام

من فلسطني إلى جبال لبنان قبل ما اخترعوا احلدود

من اإلسكندرون إلى كردستان فهمان

جنجس خان ما خان قد ما خانونا أوالد العم بس دمنا دمهم

بني أدم - بنو ذمنبهم على أكتافنا - شلنا همهم

ليه الله بيعلم

بس ليك هذا الفتيش والبسكليت احسنلك من 100000000 مسدس

تعرف ليه ألن مو عاجبهم بسمتك

بس إبتسم برسمتك شاب عربي ومثقف

أعطيهم ختمتك وإذا لسة مو راضني

ذكرهم بكالم إيليية )أبي ماضي( raquoنسي الطني ساعة أنه طنيlaquo

Oوهذه هي القضاء والقدر يا حبيبي m a r O f f e n d u m

And may God have mercy on all our dead

Songs I sing

Like the Mahatma [the line above and the line below are linked through the sound of the name and the figure of Mahatama Ghandi]

If we say lsquoan eye for an eyersquo

There wont be any eyes left in Sham [Damascus]

Bilad al-Sham [Greater Syria the wider Arab world]

From Palestine to the mountains of Lebanon

Before they made up these borders

From Iskandaroon to Kurdistan

Understand

Genghis Khan never deceived us quite like our ldquopaternal cousinsldquo [khan also means ldquodeceiveldquo in Arabic]

But our blood is their blood

Children of Adam -- who built their sins

Upon our shoulders -- we carried their burden

Why

God knows

But listen this little firecracker amp bicycle

Are better for you than 100 million guns

Wanna know why

Because they dont like seeing you smile

But smile you will - in your human being

A young cultured Arab male

Give them your stamp of approval

And if they still donrsquot accept you

Then remind them of the words of Elliye [Abi-Madhee a Lebanese poet whose poem begins with]

ldquoHow soon a piece of dirt can forget that all he really is is just dirtldquo [ie we are all from this earth amp

will come back to it so there is no logic in viewing yourself as better than someone else]

And that my friend is our destiny

7 Destiny

Omar Offendum

The Peace Revolution 20

21332892

eng - iTunNORM 000006D3 000006F2 000038BA 0000322F 0000E4FA 0000E4FA 00008716 0000864B 0002AB5E 000083D6

eng - iTunSMPB 00000000 00000210 0000094B 00000000008F7FA5 00000000 004108FB 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000

5150

O m a r O f f e n d u m

Dove of Peace

Spread your wings amp fly

Make it easier to borrow

The aesthetics you bite

Like all the Arabic loanwords

From Spaniards amp Morros

The Karma of Inquisition

Visions of horror

So whorsquos the explorer

Really was it Columbus

Muhammad al-Idrisi or Alfaragnus

Throw a Hobson Jobson

While you figure it out

Irsquom gonna start with a cipher

Thatrsquos a siffir [zero] - no doubt

See you might not have learned to live with me

But sure as hell canrsquot without

You are my

You are my

(Destiny)

Itrsquos hard livinrsquo in the West - when I know the East got the best of me

(Destiny)

Could be lookinrsquo in my eyes - but yoursquoll never really see the rest of me

(Destiny)

Can you hear me maseeri [my destiny] Bi-lingualrsquos what Irsquom blessed to be

(Destiny)

حمامة سالم افتحي أجنحتكي و طيري

I write right to left

You write left to right

Metaphor of a foreignerrsquos plight

Dressed to type

Stereo amp a mic

Scenario of a fight

The burial of a white

Imperial at his heightrsquos

A Turkish Rapperrsquos Delight

Semetic etiquette might

Just have you rollin your ldquoRrsquosldquo

Poetic amp light

And grab a hold of your sorrows

To relieve your tomorrows

7 Destiny

Omar Offendum

The Peace Revolution 20

21332892

eng - iTunNORM 000006D3 000006F2 000038BA 0000322F 0000E4FA 0000E4FA 00008716 0000864B 0002AB5E 000083D6

eng - iTunSMPB 00000000 00000210 0000094B 00000000008F7FA5 00000000 004108FB 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000

5352

O m a r O f f e n d u m

Dove of Peace

Spread your wings amp fly

Bitched out by the West

Press get a big shout

From the people gettinrsquo rich out of this (bout)

Now whatrsquos this really all about

Land money or power

It was the colonizerrsquos fault

But now itrsquos really just ours

Leavinrsquo a sour tase in our mouths

Like generational slave names

Whenever speakinrsquo out

Out-spoken leaders gettinrsquo taken out

Quicker than belligerent drunks in a bar

We a far cry from livinrsquo as one

T r a n s l a t e d b y t h e a r t i s t

(Destiny)

Itrsquos hard livinrsquo in the West - when I know the East got the best of me

(Destiny)

Could be lookinrsquo in my eyes - but yoursquoll never really see the rest of me

(Destiny)

Can you hear me maseeri [my destiny] Bi-lingualrsquos what Irsquom blessed to be

(Destiny)

حمامة سالم افتحي أجنحتكي و طيري

See arab [Arabs] shootin at each other

From Iraq to Falasteen [Palastine]

Syria to Libnan [Lebanon]

Algeria to Sudan

Pedagogy of the oppressed tricklinrsquo down

Conquerinrsquo through divisions

And sadly this isnrsquot the first time

One land one love one chance one blood

No fuss no fight Yeah right young blood

AKrsquos cheaper than a book

Crooked leaders in a hook

Gettinrsquo fished out

Missles gettinrsquo dished out

7 Destiny

Omar Offendum

The Peace Revolution 20

21332892

eng - iTunNORM 000006D3 000006F2 000038BA 0000322F 0000E4FA 0000E4FA 00008716 0000864B 0002AB5E 000083D6

eng - iTunSMPB 00000000 00000210 0000094B 00000000008F7FA5 00000000 004108FB 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000

5554

زي ما صار مبارح صار اليوم اطف التلفزيون امسك مايكروفون

زي ما صار مبارح صار اليوم اطف التلفزيون امسك مايكروفون

زي ما صار مبارح صار اليوم اطف التلفزيون امسك مايكروفون

زي ما صار مبارح صار اليوم اطف التلفزيون امسك مايكروفون

النه الوقت عم يسبق بقلك خي سالم بس اصبر

بدك تستني هاي اخلطط بعمرها ما تضبطبيدفعلك قد ما بدك عشان تسكت

واذا بتفتح متك طخة وحده وبعد بتسقط

s t o r m t r a p

What happened yesterday happens today

switch off your TV and grab a microphone

What happened yesterday happens today

switch off your TV and grab a microphone

What happened yesterday happens today

switch off your TV and grab a microphone

What happened yesterday happens today

switch off your TV and grab a microphone

Because time is racing

He keeps telling you peace is coming just be patient

You want to wait these plans never succeed

Hersquoll pay you as much as you want to keep you quiet

And if you open your mouth one shot will silence you

what happened yesterdayزي ما صار مبارح

Zey ma sar mbareh

Stormtrap

null

2009

1728613

eng - Visit httpstormtrapbandcampcom

5756

اركض اركض وخليك راكض

واذا بتفتح متك رح يقلك خليك ساكت رح يقلك انساك من هاملشاكل

حوشوا هالشواك وضبوا شناتكم واشتروا التذاكرففكر شوي وما تكنش أهبل

وين ما تروح في الدنيا رح تتبهدلمش شايف قدامي عم بسمع أصوات بيسألني

ليش لسه عايش هون روح عيش محل تانيبدي احك بس الكلمات مش طالعة من لساني

عنصرية هونن عنصرية هناك عنصرية كل ما اطلع برا الشباك

شيطان بيعمل حاله مالكبس هو بالواقع بدو يعيش بالك

جدار بيمثل عقلية ناس بدهاش تعيش معاك

زي ما صار مبارح صار اليوم اطف التلفزيون امسك مايكروفون

ما مبثل شخص او اشخاص مبثل فكرةاسم احلرية حاملينه

من بلد ما فيه حياة عاديةسواءا ضد االحتالل أو ضد العنصرية

أصواتكم وينايي خلوها تنسمع وتطلع نتائج ايجابية

فكمل كتابة او تسجيل وصدقني شغلك مش رايح عالفاضي

عشان الشي الوحيد اللي رح يروح هو احن اذا منضلنا علقانني فاملاضي

s t o r m t r a p

Run run

Keep running

And if you decide to speak hersquoll tell you just stay silent

Hersquoll tell you forget these problems

Save up some money pack your bags and buy your tickets

Think about it donrsquot be a fool

Wherever you go yoursquoll get humiliated

I canrsquot see in front of me Irsquom hearing voices asking

Why are you still living here Go live somewhere else

I want to respond but the words wonrsquot come out

Racism here racism there

Racism each time I look out the window

A devil in an angelrsquos disguise

In reality he wants to live without you

The apartheid wall represents the mentality of a people who donrsquot care to coexist

What happened yesterday happens today

switch off your TV and grab a microphone

I dont represent a person or a people I represent an idea

An idea called freedom

From a land lacking a normal life

Whether yoursquore struggling against occupation or against racism

Where is your voice

Let it be heard to achieve your goals

So keep writing and recording

Believe me your work wonrsquot be lost in vain

The only thing thatrsquoll disappear is us

If we stay stuck in the past

Zey ma sar mbareh

Stormtrap

null

2009

1728613

eng - Visit httpstormtrapbandcampcom

5958

شو الي حدثجينا من حتت األرض

هيهة القصة بدة عنا هدفوننشر أصواتنا لكل حدا

جيت من حتت أرض رام اللهما ح وقف اكتب كلمات وال مرة

عندي طاقة الزم أطلعها كل يوم وكل ساعةفاو انبنى مع الوقت ولسة عم بيطور تصور

تصورفاو انبنى مع الوقت ولسة عم بيطور تصور

زي ما صار مبارح صار اليوم اطف التلفزيون امسك مايكروفون

زي ما صار مبارح صار اليوم اطف التلفزيون امسك مايكروفون

s t o r m t r a p

What happened

We came from underground

The story begins we have an objective

To spread our voices to everyone

I came from the ruins of Ramallah and

I wonrsquot ever stop writing words

I have energy that I must release every day every hour

A flow thatrsquos been built and is still developing imagine

Imagine a flow thatrsquos been built and is still developing

What happened yesterday happens today

Switch off your TV and grab a microphone

What happened yesterday happens today

Switch off your TV and grab a microphone

T r a n s l a t e d b y t h e a r t i s t

Zey ma sar mbareh

Stormtrap

null

2009

1728613

eng - Visit httpstormtrapbandcampcom

6160

Wake up the People

Donrsquot doubt it

The Maker can see you

Right now

You want to get out and see doe

So clouded

Sell out to be dope

Right now

I see you plagued by your own doubt

Canrsquot step the game up

Like a snake when it rolled down

Staircase of a lone child

No bricks lain in a cold house

Where you sold out

All alone on an old couch

t h e N a r c i c y s t

No click like an untapped phone dial

Oh wow

I felt the same homie

Donrsquot shelter pain only

Then it came slowly

Never let the frame hold me (down)

Picture life for the love though

People tend to look the other way like Columbo

We deceived by the law just to love doe

Guess they took all the worth out to numb folks

And make a severed plan

Out of bitter man

What you want a medal man

Huh Do you really think yoursquore better than Then

All you really need is a long look

Two sixteens and a strong hook like

brassThis track was originally written in English

null

2149748

6362

Wake up the People

Donrsquot doubt it

The Maker can see you

Right now

You want to get out and see doe

So clouded

Sell out to be dope

Right now

Break

Hip hop like a fresh pelvis

Yoursquore gonna regret this shit like a dead Elvis

Busy wishing you could live less selfish

Crabs in a bucket duckinrsquo these dead shellfish

Industry got a brother feeling helpless

With an ill chorus and ride yoursquore more in the tide

When a flow canrsquot keep me above the water

t h e N a r c i c y s t

Let a wave carry me out and push me farther now

Internal Inferno ten journals written but Irsquom still not sure though

Do I really want to tour to jump hurdles To be heard

So-I-Can-Feel-Like-This

Man therersquos something that I might miss--

Naw Irsquove been bluffinrsquo

Lifersquos backwards like Ben Buttonsrsquo

Irsquom in love with the stage fright on a strange night

Feels good to get the words on a page right

Wake up the People

Donrsquot doubt it

The Maker can see you

Right now

You want to get out and see doe

So clouded

Sell out to be dope

Right now

null

2149748

6564

مبارح شفت بلمنام بيروت عمتغرق حتت رماد بركان فحموا الناس بس ال raquoسكاي بارlaquo كان بعده ولعان

بيروت ثبتت حبة الثورة اللي فينا نبتت ملا أحبطت نفوسنا من اجلمود

فينا بيروت حتركت عدم دمارنا وعدم حرية خيارنا

بيوت بيروت تعمرت سكرنا عجفاف دموعنا جفوننا عليها تسكرت فتخمرت

إذا بطلت تطير قدرك عألرض مقهور إذا وقفت تكسير بتصير جزء من الديكور

e l R a s s

Yesterday I dreamt Beirut was drowning under volcanic ash

The people were turned to charcoal but Sky Bar [a posh Beirut club] was still lit up

Beirut suppressed the seed of the revolution the one that sprouted

When our spirits were foiled from immobility

In us Beirut moved

On the blood of our destruction and the negation of our freedom of choice

The houses of Beirut are rebuilt

We got drunk on the dryness of our tears our eyelids closed on them and fermented

If you stop flying your destiny on land is distress

If you stop breaking you become part of the decoration

beirutبركان بيروت rsquos volcano

Blues

2125713

6766

بحاور بناور باآلخر بواجه التاج بتوضى بصلي بتوصلني أصوات أنات احملتاج

تأمل العلم بعري العمل من العمل خياري عنار خفيفة دوب املسمار وتستوي األفكار النظيفة

عمروا دمروا زمروا تذمروا ربك صبره دربه جربه

عقلن خربوا غربوا هربوا وقبلوا بالفن عحيط الشارع

عشرط ما يكون في شك بشارع هيدي مش عاصمة ثقافة هيدي حلبة املصارع بيروت ال تعرف في املاضي وال تعرب باملضارع

حتول التركيبة خلى العقل اجلامد فكر حاله مالك املدينة رقبته طويلة متل مالك احلزين وايده لوزيري

اعتبر نفسه أول مني اكتشف هلجزيرة بأجر الفقير شقق بأسعار مدروسة

بشكل تضل طموحاته ممعوسة نهبوا األرض من ربعي وصارت احلرب شركة استثمار مبفعول رجعي

حتت شعار إعادة اإلعمار لو ما كان خلص دوره وانتهى عقد االيجار

كان احلريري ما طار وما صار مطار احلريري عاصمة لبنان بتوازن بني ضريحني

واتنيناتن عاغتيالن في عالمة استفهام e واحد قدس املوت بس لسبب l R a s s

I discuss I maneuver ultimately I confront the crown

I perform ablutions I pray I receive the moaning of the needy

The meditation of knowledge strips work from hope

My choice is on low fire melting the nails and clean thoughts are ripening

They built they destroyed they honked they complained

Your god made him patient tested him and trained him

Their minds ruined westernized chased off

They accepted art pissed on back alleys

As long as there is no doubt in the streets

This is no capital of culture itrsquos a wrestling ring

Beirut canrsquot speak of itself in the past nor conjugate itself in the present

Transitions and transformations made the closed mind think he owns the city

His neck is long like a stork his fingers long like a politicianrsquos

He thinks himself the first who discovered this peninsula

He lets the poor rent apartments at prices studied

To crush ambitions

They stole the land from my cousins

And the war became a backward-looking investment

Under the slogan of reconstruction

If his time wasnrsquot up and his contract finished

Hariri didnrsquot have to fly and it wouldnrsquot have become the Hariri airport

Lebanonrsquos capital keeps balance between two shrines

And on both assassinations there is a question mark

One sanctifies death but for a reason

Blues

2125713

6968

واحد قدس احلياة بس بالكذب واحد بايدو حتول الذهب سم وواحد تخبى من الذهب بالدم

مني الشهيد

اللي مات حتت صبابيط ثورة عبيد شهيد اللي مات فتحول على حملة اعالنات هدفها ترفع الطايفة معدالت التجنيد

قنابل بالبريد وصل سيوف علوريد حصل

املوت للبليد صنم الصبر للعنيد حلم تأليه الشهيد ظلم

خليط احلديد والدم العالج والسم الرفاه والهم النوعية والكم

الدعارة وورقة التوت مبدينة بيروت علم

e l R a s s

And one sanctifies life with lies

In onersquos hand gold turned into poison

And the other hid from gold with blood

Who is the martyr

The one who died under the shoes of the oppressedrsquos uprising is a martyr

Is it he whose death was transformed into an advertising campaign to raise the levels of

sectarian enlistment

Bombs came in the mail

Swords to the jugular true stories

Death to the cold is statuette

Patience to the stubborn is a dream

Divinity to the martyr is oppression

The mixture of steel and blood the cure and poison

Luxury and distress quality and quantity

Prostitution and modesty

The science of the city of Beirut

T r a n s l a t e d b y M o e A l i N a y e l amp + A z i z

Blues

2125713

7170

بقرأ في اجلريدة زفت شوارع جديدة

إزالة مطبات و كثير أشياء هيك مفيدة أشخاص مستفيدة

دعم من هون و من هون منظمات بس احلرية بعيدة

مقاطعة مستوطنات تعون الضفة الغربية وطنية حصرية إدعائية

طب و فلسطني التاريخية مع ألساس كانت القدس عاصمة الثقافة العربية

بس كلوحكي سياسية للشعب إحنا نتحمل الشغل و التعب و الوضع صعب

b o i k u t t

Irsquom reading in the paper

About roads newly paved

Speed bumps removed and a lot of other useful stuff (yes very)

Certain inviduals benefit

Funding from here and there

Organizations are plentiful but freedom is far-fetched

Calling for a boycott of settlements around the West Bank

Pretentious exclusive nationalism

But what about historical Palestine

I thought Jerusalem was supposed to be the ldquocapital of Arab cultureldquo

But itrsquos all political speeches for the people

We put up with the work and the sweat and itrsquos rough

a letterرسالة من مقاطعة from boikutt

risaleh mn muqataa (pt1)

boikutt

null

2010

1086983

eng - iTunPGAP0

eng - iTunNORM 00000A1E 00000A0E 000099D9 000098A0 0000CC63 0000CC63 0000826D 000080B0 000131D0 000131D0

eng - iTunSMPB 00000000 00000210 000008F3 000000000049197D 00000000 0027BA9D 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000

7372

يقنعونا إن كلشي متام و بقدر أعيش حياة عادية

زي في األفالم على مبس واحد إثنني ثالثة أربعة إلخ

كن منيح و بتنزل عليك املصاري زخ نصيحة من أخ ألخ

خليك مستقل ألن اللعبة إنلعب فإبعد عن الفخ

خليهم يقعدوا يستنوا الدعم ليموتوا يلفلفوا داخل اجلدار حلد ما يفوتوا

في متاهات مبسافات مش محددة مجددة لتوسع التوسع مش مهددة

إنتهاك احتالل بس مش على الكل

في ناس في فلسطني هون حياتهم زي الفل مش عارف شو بيفكر

شكلوا مش داري شي يوم حنروح كل الدكاكني هي حتسكر

سالم

b o i k u t t

Try to convince me that everythingrsquos fine

And that I can lead a normal life

Like in the movies

On MBC one two three four etcetera

Be good and money will rain on you

Advice from one brother to another

Stay independent because the games are being played

So steer clear of the trap

Let them wait for foreign aid until they die

Spinning in circles within the apartheid wall until they enter

Into unlimited mazes with unspecified spaces

That are renewed to fit settlement expansion unthreatened

Violation occupation

But not for everyone

There are people here in Palestine living ldquothe good lifeldquo

I donrsquot know what hersquos thinking

Seems like he doesnrsquot know one day wersquoll be gone

And all these shops will close

Peace

T r a n s l a t e d b y t h e a r t i s t w i t h L o u b n a B i l a l i

risaleh mn muqataa (pt1)

boikutt

null

2010

1086983

eng - iTunPGAP0

eng - iTunNORM 00000A1E 00000A0E 000099D9 000098A0 0000CC63 0000CC63 0000826D 000080B0 000131D0 000131D0

eng - iTunSMPB 00000000 00000210 000008F3 000000000049197D 00000000 0027BA9D 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000

7574

الضغط عاليالعدو فات جاري احملادثات

صمت دوليكمية الغازى عم تزداد

تهجير جديد مولود جديدتكرر عزو مش تارك ورا شي مفيد غير غراب

من كل البيت ما تركو شي إال البابمن االرض ل سما مسافة عاليه

إمشي الصحرا وعد لياليوجنوما

كمشوا رئيس دولة بجورةحصار

توزيع مخدراتباألحمر تلون الفرات سجون معتقالتقبلة الوداع مع الصبات

تنصت بالشبكة خيانات باألزهر

k a t i b e h 5

The pressure is high

The enemy has entered discussions are taking place

Global silence

The numbers of the occupier are increasing

A new expulsion A newborn child

The perpetuation of an invasion that leaves behind it nothing of any use except for a crow

From an entire house they left nothing but the door

From the ground to the sky is a long distance

Walk the desert and count the nights

And its stars

They caught a president in a pit

Siege

Drug dealing the Euphrates is stained red prisons detention centers

A farewell kiss with a shoe

Networks wiretapped betrayals in Al Azhar

hold me back ifهديني اذا فيك you can

null

23098943

7776

حوار أديانالكف تنجس

متسح فيه وجك مع كل شروق عالوضوءتسمع شرارة فتيل مولوتوف ينادي أصوات تتلبى

باإلنفجار

هديني إذا فيك صرت موجود بكل مكانوجي مغبش عامل زي جيش زباتا

منصرخ بوجكم raquoاحلرية ل برغوتيlaquoإعالمكو بيعرفني كلماتكو حملت إسمي

شركاتكو بتهرب مني )كتيبه خمسه هديتي إذا فيك(

بتالقيني بني والد حفظوا غنية املخيماتبنفسية فالح عمال يزو املدينة

افالم تافهةبرنامج تافه

بتدور على مخك بتالقي مش موجوداخلليج يتحكم بإعالم

هادول حبوب التنومي ٦1 سنة بعدن مش شغالني

عالمادامك واخد وجهة نظري

ع محمل اجلدمسموح لك تستعجب وتظهر إنزعاجك بوجودي

ألني صديق لكل املشاهد الغير مرغوبة فيهاش بيختار حياتو بالتحديد بحكيلك هيك منحياها ومحد

ضغط رصاص وابارود بخليكاش حتيدالتجارب بتدلك عطريق

هديتي إذا فيك

k a t i b e h 5

A dialogue of religions

The hand is tainted

And with it you cleanse your face at ablution each sunrise

You hear the sparking of the fuse of a molotov calling voices respond

Explosion

Hold me back if you can I have become present everywhere

My face is concealed like the army of Zapata

We shout in your face ldquoFreedom for Barghoutildquo

Your media knows me your words have glimpsed my name

Your corporations flee from me

(Katibe Khamseh hold me back if you can)

Yoursquoll find me among children that have memorized the song ldquoAl Moukhayamatldquo

In the persona of a peasant that is visiting the city

Shallow films

Shallow programs

You look for your mind but you find it is not there

The Gulf controls media with its boundaries

These sleeping pills 61 years and theyrsquore still not effective

Great

As long as you are taking my point of view seriously

Yoursquore allowed to be taken aback and to show your irritation

Just like you show your irritation at my presence

Because I am a friend to all the images that are not desirable

This is how we live out these images and no one chooses their life specifically Irsquoll tell you

The pressure of bullets and gunpowder does not allow you to move away

Experience will guide you on the road

Hold me back if you can

null

23098943

7978

موقف واحد صريح من صميم روح لشعوب املقاومة ضمير ظهور البشرية

السبيل صعب ورا الغضبدعم لكل أسالوب محارب

د لنحرق نظامك منتدرب منجرب منخرب منستععم نحرق نظامك

هديتي إذا فيك

إطلع منيحمش رح تقدر توخذ كل شي من أول نظرة

نظرة عامة raquoبشرة مش بيضةlaquoجبني عريضة مكتوب مولود عنيد بالفطرة

فوت بالتقاليد عد التجاعيدلك هاي مش أول مرة

لغات ودراسات حط العلم بغالفمش رح تقدر تفهم ليه بعد في بارود ع الكتافلون األرض ولون الليل بيعطيك البني و السواد

بوعدك مش لوحدي رح أضل عد رماد الال اللعبة اجلديدة وال والدنا ع اللعبة جداد

بكفيش إنفلونزا الصقور صار في إنفلونزا اخلنازيرموسم مرض جديد لرئيس مبثل ع نفوس ومريض بهدوء البيض

هديتي إذا فيك

k a t i b e h 5

A single honest stance from the bottom of the soul for the people of the resistance the conscience

that exposes humanity

The path is difficult when following anger

A support for every style of battle

We train we strive we disrupt we prepare to burn your system

We are burning your system

Hold me back if you can

Look closely

You wonrsquot be able to see it all at first sight

An overview ldquocomplexion that is not whiteldquo

A broad forehead written born stubborn by nature

Look at the traditions and count the wrinkles

This is not the first time

Languages and scholarship put education under wraps

You wonrsquot be able to understand why there is still gunpowder on shoulders

The color of earth and the color of night gives you brown and blackness

I promise you that I will not be alone to count the ashes no

This game to us is not new and nor are our children new to the game

As if the influenza of eagles was not enough now therersquos the influenza of pigs

The season of a new disease for a president acting for a public and sick with the

calmness of white people

Hold me back if you can

null

23098943

8180

اإلحتالل نكه البشر بنكهة املجاريبالسالم حوار أديانبإقرار ملكية كذابة

بتشويه تاريخ وسرقة حضاراتولك أه

فلسطني إفريقيا الدجلة والفراتإجتاه البشرية لإلضمحالل سرطان بشري بعضها

الشتا ميسح اخلطايا واآلثاروليش بتتخبى وبتتغطى بنفس كل سفارة سميك الستار

لساتني باكل الضربة ورا الضره ورا الضربةوحتى ما أفعل وأساوي تكمشني الرجفة

بدل ما أضرب فيك بضرب بحاليبوعدكش حضلني كامش حالي حفلتها

حفلتها

هديني إذا فيك هديني إذا فيكهديني إذا فيك

k a t i b e h 5

The occupation has seasoned humanity with the flavor of sewers

With peace with dialogue of religions

With the declaration of false ownership

With the distortion of history and the theft of civilizations

Oh yes

Palestine Africa the Tigris and Euphrates

Humanity is leading to reduction a human cancer bites it

Exile wipes clean the sins and the traces

And why are you hiding and seeking cover when all the embassies are already well concealed

I am still taking one beating after another

And so that I donrsquot take action and do something shudders grip my body

Instead of beating you I beat myself

I canrsquot promise you that I can keep myself restrained

Irsquom gonna let go

Hold me back if you can

Hold me back if you can

Hold me back if you can

T r a n s l a t e d b y R i m a N a j d i a n d F a y s a l B i b i

null

23098943

8382

طول عمر الشعب املصري مع بعض أحلك الظروفبص وفر في التاريخ وانت ياما هاتشوف

الدين ده ليا وليكوفيا وفيك

حاجة روحانية بتخليك حتس اللي بيك

ايد في ايد نبني فيها من جديد

مصر زعلت علي حاصل وسطنا مش مفيد

بعد ثورة وبعد عيد فتنة تقتل حلم واتتحقق لنا

واحد اتننيالذكري بتعيش اكتر من عمر االنسان

بصمتنا تغييرنا جوة وبرة امليدان مش هانضيع نصر ثورتنا بفتنة نشئت بينا

A r a b i a n K n i g h t s + M C G a z a + A m e e r

The Egyptian people have always stuck together

Through the worst times look at history

And see how often wersquove been there for each other

That whole idea of religion

Is for you and for me something spiritual that makes you feel whatrsquos inside you

Hand in hand

We build Egypt up again

Egypt is angry at whatrsquos happening between us

Itrsquos not helpful

After the revolution after the celebration

Sectarian strife is killing the dream we fulfilled

One two

The memory lasts more than a lifetime

Our mark is our change in and outside Tahrir Square

We wonrsquot give up the victory of our revolution in exchange for sectarian strife between

us

hand inايد في ايد hand

Eid Fe Eid

Yasser Ameer Youssef Rush E Money amp MCGaza | by BOGEY

Single Hit track 11

20112011

Hip-Hop

24002867

eng - Hip-Hop 4 Life

eng - iTunNORM 000005E2 0000058E 0000424E 00003537 00026E95 0001C2B3 00008000 00008000 00005045 00005045

8584

بلدنا محتجانا ايدنا واحدة ضد احملنة تفرق ايه معاك ديانتي ملا ربك هو ربي

اصلك هو اصلي ارضك هي ارضي

ملا اتقال لي اكتت فيول فتنة انا قولت غلط علشان الفتنة مفتعلة في بلدنا وكان وراها غرض

فالفرد افترض فبفرض السياسة األمر اختلط

فالزم يبقي املصل سياسي من اصل املرض العسس واحلرس مافرقوش صليب وهالل

وكنا كلنا واحد وراء االقفالدم الشهيد شاهد

ياما بالفتنة انكسرنا وحدتنا بصوت واحد وضد الظلم انتصرنا

وديني هو ديني صلة بيني وبني ربي هارفع علمي وارفع راسي فوق

انا مصري

ايد في ايد نبني فيها من جديد

مصر زعلت علي حاصل وسطنا مش مفيد

بعد ثورة وبعد عيد فتنة تقتل حلم واتتحقق لنا

خلو حمامة السالم من الطيور املنقرضةعلشان تبقي القلوب مبتعدة منقسمه سهل تتسم

فكرين مناعة و قوة أم الدنيا بالطمع مرتبطةنسر املصريني ليس له دين احنا بنحميها بالدم

العنف بذوره بتكتر عاوز يوصل واحلروب حتصل

A r a b i a n K n i g h t s + M C G a z a + A m e e r

Our country needs us all together against the hard times

What difference does my religion make to you when your god is my god

Your origin is mine

Your land is my land

When they told me about sectarian strife I said thatrsquos wrong

Because itrsquos been planted in our country and behind it is some purpose

Makes one think somethingrsquos going on

By playing politics everythingrsquos gotten mixed up

The antidote has to be political just like the poison itself

The military doesnrsquot distinguish between cross and crescent

Wersquore all held together behind bars

The blood of the martyrs bears witness

To how much wersquove been broken by sectarianism

Through our unity we triumphed with one voice over injustice

And my religion is my own a rapport between me and God

Irsquoll raise my flag and my head up

Irsquom Egyptian

Hand in hand

We build Egypt up again

Egypt is angry at whatrsquos happening between us

Itrsquos not helpful

After the revolution after the victory

Sectarian strife is killing the dream we fulfilled

They drove the dove of peace to extinction

To keep hearts apart and divided itrsquos easy to poison them

Do they really think the resilience and strength of Egypt is connected to greed

The Egyptian eagle has no religion we protect it with our blood

The roots of violence are increasing want to gain control to start wars

Eid Fe Eid

Yasser Ameer Youssef Rush E Money amp MCGaza | by BOGEY

Single Hit track 11

20112011

Hip-Hop

24002867

eng - Hip-Hop 4 Life

eng - iTunNORM 000005E2 0000058E 0000424E 00003537 00026E95 0001C2B3 00008000 00008000 00005045 00005045

8786

للعاقيدة يكسر وألعضاء املشاعر تتشال تصتأصلعلى كالم ربهم اتكبرو فعملو قدر واتقدر

وقته مستنينه ليه خططوا مضمون الرسائل اتغير الن الهدف هو تدمير قعدة الوحدهوقتل كل قائد يقود الناس بره احملنه

فيبقي سهل يزيحنا ميحي أوصول عليها كبرناوكل واحد علي حداه يقول أنا محدش يقول احنا

فاببطء بحرص بص بعقل بحذر شوفقبل ما يخلوا خيالك يتخلله اخلوف

واخلوف ده افراز بيطلع من غده ملا الكلب بيشوفهابيعرف انك فاريسه سهل ياكلها ركز

فرق تسد إخلعوفق جتد إرفع

ثورة تقدصمت يفرد- يفرق

ما بيجمع بيننامن حقي النقد من حقك - تسمع

طب إسمع وراجع ما صور التاريخ طب باله بيكفي صور زمانييوم حصار كنيسة املهد مني دافع مني اتقمع مني اتنفا

مسلم مسيحي أل كان فلسطيني اتذكر معي ثورة غضب يناير

اتذكر معي الوحدة اإليد الوحدة اتشرف انتا مصرياتذكر معي األخ بإيد األخ يحمي األخ بدون إلخ

كالمي ماشي ماشي ال-لتفهمني بهويتي مسلم وال نصراني قبطي

ما في حجة لربطي خلبطي حلطي ألوطي ألغير خطيخير أجناد األرض

من أرض بيت املقدس كل السالم بعد ما قلت إلنقسام في وطنيانا ملزم أقول ال لفتنة

تفتت مجد شعب تعب عانى ضحى بالغالي حتى بناه

A r a b i a n K n i g h t s + M C G a z a + A m e e r

The relationship between Egyptians breaks down and the organs that feel are taken out

They got full of themselves in the name of their god and invented a new fate for us

Theyrsquore waiting for a time and theyrsquore plotting The meaning of their messages changes

Because the goal is to destroy the foundation of unity

And kill every leader who takes the people out of hard times

Itrsquos easy to remove us to wipe out the traditions we grew up with

Everyone on his own everyone says ldquoIldquo and no one says ldquoweldquo

Slowly carefully look Wisely with caution see

Before they make your imagination a slave to fear

And that fear releases a secretion from a gland

And when the dog sees it he knows yoursquore easy prey

Divide yoursquoll conquer

Bring harmony and yoursquoll reap Start

A revolution and it will catch on

Silence is solitary It divides

It doesnrsquot bring us together

It is my right to criticize and your right to listen

So listen and look back at history or better look at my life time

The day the Nativity Church was under siege who was persecuted Who was exiled

A Muslim A Christian No he was Palestinian

Letrsquos remember the angry revolution of January

Letrsquos remember the unity the one hand Be proud yoursquore Egyptian

Remember the brother holding hands with a brother protecting a brother

And I can go on

Donrsquot teach me about my identity whether Irsquom a Muslim or a Christian Copt

Therersquos no excuse to tie me down beat me to make me cower and kneel and stray from my courseThe Earthrsquos most virtuous soldiers

Come from the land of Bayt al-Maqdis [Jerusalem] I salute you After I said no to division in my countryIrsquom committed to saying no to seditionThat dissolves the glory of a people who labored suffered sacrificed what was most dear to build it

T r a n s l a t e d b y A l e x O r t i z + A h m e d S h a w k e t + K h a l e d A l H i l l i

Eid Fe Eid

Yasser Ameer Youssef Rush E Money amp MCGaza | by BOGEY

Single Hit track 11

20112011

Hip-Hop

24002867

eng - Hip-Hop 4 Life

eng - iTunNORM 000005E2 0000058E 0000424E 00003537 00026E95 0001C2B3 00008000 00008000 00005045 00005045

8988

الفن واملواهب زي حرب الكواكب الكل عايز يكون جنم صراع في الداخل

بهدي جنون العظمة بفلفل حر توابل تسيل دموع زي القنابل

زي مابتكلم وداني شغالة كون سامع نبض الشارع علشان أ

حالف أقضي على اإلعالم املتآمر مغامر في الكالم بس إنت مش سامع

ملا بأمسك القلم والورقة الهم بينزاح مخي بيرتاح بأقول اللي على البال

ملا بأقعد بحس بتأنيب ضمير كون في ستوديو بسجل على بيت خطير مفروض أ

e l D e e b + S t o r m t r a p

Art and talent are like Star Wars

Secretly everyone wants to be a star of conflict

I make megalomania tranquil with chilli hot spices

Tears flow like bombs

Thatrsquos how I talk and the world keeps moving

So that I can hear the pulse of the streets

Irsquove sworn to obliterate the media conspirators

I am adventurous in my speech but you do not hear

When I hold the pen and the paper my anxiety is lifted

My mind relaxes and I say whatrsquos on it

When I sit down I feel guilty

I should be in the studio recording dangerous beats

addictأدمان الشهرة ion to fame

Edman El Shuhra

Stormtrap amp Mohamed El Deeb

2011

Hip-Hop

15305855

- vocals Mohamed El Deeb Stormtrap13produced by Stormtrap

9190

إحساس غريب إنك تدمن الكالم ارسم يا فنان واخترع زي دافينشي الرسام

ولو مفيش ورقة باستخدم تليفوني خايف إن فكرة متعديش على صوتي

دنيا غريبة يوم مر يوم بونبوني بس أنا عمري ماغيرت لوني

املوسيقى بنادولي وبطابعي فضولي مهما قالوا لي هافهمها مبفهومي فـساعات أالقي نفسي بكلم نفسي واسمع أصوات غريبة في دماغي

وهو ده الصدى الصوت اللي بسمعه اكن مفيش حد فارقة معاه احالمي

شوف شوف مش هدف إنو أنا شخصيا أنا

هدفي انه كلماتي وموسيقتي تنتشرعشان هيك حتشوفني دوما مستمر مستثمر

كل وقتي كل طاقتي على أصواتي خوذ شك خوذ حتويل خوذ كاش

بس ما تنساش أي شي بيتعلق بالواقع بدناش ما تخاف ألنها قضيتنا مش منسية مية باملية هايذي ثورة كمان ثقافية

خليني أوضح هاي املوسيقى مش معمولة للتلفازeهاي املوسيقى مش معمولة لهز الطياز l D e e b + S t o r m t r a p

Strange feeling to be out of words

Paint oh artist and discover like Da Vinci the artist

If I donrsquot have paper I use my cell

I am afraid that the idea does not come through my voice

Strange world one day is bitter another like candy

But Irsquove never changed my color

Music is my Tylenol and my nature curious

So whatever they tell me Irsquoll understand it my way

Sometimes I find myself talking to myself

And I hear weird voices in my head

Which is just the echo of the sound I hear

As if no one cares about my dreams

See see

My goals are not self serving

My goal is that my words and music spread

Thatrsquos why yoursquoll see me always and continuously investing

All my time my energy on my sounds

Take a check take a transfer take cash

But never forget anything related to reality wersquore not interested

Donrsquot be afraid because our cause is not forgotten

One hundred percent this is also a cultural revolution

Let me explain this music is not meant to be televised

This music is not made for booty shaking

Edman El Shuhra

Stormtrap amp Mohamed El Deeb

2011

Hip-Hop

15305855

- vocals Mohamed El Deeb Stormtrap13produced by Stormtrap

9392

مش فاهم ليش الكل قاتل حاله يكون في مسابقةحابني نتصابح حياكم زات املكافحة

واالعالم ميت ع حيالله قصة ما بيدرس هالقصة من نصها

وبعدن بينفخهامش احلق علينا اذا ما بيبحثوا

وملا يبدوا يحكوا عنا أل عنجد بيبعصوابيفكروا انه كل شي هشك بشك

بس حدن الزم يقلهم انه الهب هوب مش هيكبدك تدير بالك عشانها هاي اللحظة احلاسمة

ملا يجوا عليك الديب والعاصفةنكسر حدود وبنبني وحدة عشان نحيي مجتماعاتنا

وننهي معانتناعشان هيك منكتب كلمات صريحة والها معنى

مش للشهرة مش حتى يجي حدن يدفعلنا

e l D e e b + S t o r m t r a p

I donrsquot understand why everyone is killing themselves to be in the contest

Wersquod like to say goodmorning to salute you in this same struggle

The mediarsquos dying for any story

But they donrsquot study the storyrsquos real text

And then they blow it out of proportion

Itrsquos not our fault if they donrsquot search

And when they talk about us then they really screw it up

They think everything is empty pointless

Somebody needs to tell them that hip hop is not like that

You should take care because this is the critical moment

When the wolf and storm come haunting you

We break borders and we create a unity to revitalize our communities

And stop our suffering

That is why we write frank words that have meaning

Itrsquos not for fame or even so that someone pays us

T r a n s l a t e d b y N i z a r G h a n e m

Edman El Shuhra

Stormtrap amp Mohamed El Deeb

2011

Hip-Hop

15305855

- vocals Mohamed El Deeb Stormtrap13produced by Stormtrap

9594

حضل عهل مود يعنيما إنتلك النجوم عم تقرب

بهل ال مود حكون عطول لبهل جنوم إدءر لو مضطر شن هجوم عل النجوم كلها

خللي األرض تدور حول أصبعي تنلك

ما إنتلك متلي متلك مولع طيار ألفكاري من العقدي تنفك فرد قعدي بني 4 حيطان ما بتنهز و منها ما بنهز

يلز املا بينلزالكاس عل الطاولي و منو عم مز مز

لتفتل براصي وحس من حالي عم كز كزعل ورقة كالمي مدروس و ما بزت زت بجرب ما عيد حالي متا يقولو عم نق نق

موزع قافياتي جواز كأن عم فت فت

بهل األطشة خلي الديني اللي تسمعني ترن رنFبسبيلي جاري يوم ع يوم عم برك رك a r e e q e l A t r a s h

Irsquoll stay in this mood

Didnrsquot I tell you The stars are getting closer

Irsquoll stay in this mood until I touch these stars

Even if I have to launch an attack on all the stars

Irsquoll make the Earth rotate around my finger I told you

Didnrsquot I tell you Irsquom just like you I lit up a joint so my ideas would untie their knot

Sitting this way in between four walls I wonrsquot budge

The most delectable

Drink is on the table from which Irsquom taking sips

Till my head starts spinning and Irsquom sick of myself

On the paper my words are calculated I donrsquot just toss them about

I try not to repeat myself so they wonrsquot say Irsquom nagging

I deal my rhymes out like theyrsquore cards

In this verse Irsquoll make those ears ring

My fountain is running and every day I excel

tالنجوم عم تقرب he stars are gett ing closer

null

29781717

9796

لضل ماشي جالس بينما غيري عم بلك لك شريط معلق ريحة العة عم بتفح فحكل ما فتح متو بتالقي عم بكب كب

عايشها إرهاب و مفي إال بسب سببزبالتي ما بكبو تيكون بعلمك

األالف مسم و بحياتو ما بينسم بزقة من هل التم تخلي سقفك ينش نش

تلمو ردم و ما تفكر إنو ترد رد و عم بحكي عالواطي متا الصالي فيك ترج رج

بطبعي عاقل بس بالراب بزل زل عل الرايق بال ما نط وال فز فز

type of shitعال بارد أبرد من شباط بس يقز قزتخلي عضامك ع بعض تسك سك

ما إنتلك النجوم عم تقرب بهل ال مود حكون عطول لبهل جنوم إدءر

لو مضطر شن هجوم عل النجوم كلهاخللي األرض تدور حول أصبعي تنلك

أنا متنبئ بنبه و بحقق ما قلتلك بعد وقتها ما عم نكت

عاملكرفون إبرة هرون عم بشكشك في شكcheck one two

هيك بدسدس عالنبض

F a r e e q e l A t r a s h

So I can walk straight when others are still playing

A broken record that reeks of a musty smell

Every time he opens his mouth he spews them out

He lives in terror and all he does is curse

I wouldnrsquot throw him in my garbage just so you know

Irsquove irritated thousands and never been irritated in my life

One spit out of this mouth will make your roof leak

And yoursquoll pick up the rubble and donrsquot even think about answering back

Irsquom talking in a low voice so the hall wonrsquot shake with you in it

Irsquom reasonable by nature but when it comes to rap I humiliate cold-heartedly

Without jumping or leaping around

I do it coldly colder than icy February-type of shit

Irsquoll make your bones rattle against each other

Didnrsquot I tell you The stars are getting closer

Irsquoll stay in this mood until I touch these stars

Even if I have to launch an attack on all the stars

Irsquoll make the Earth rotate around my finger I told you

Irsquom a psychic I predict and deliver

Didnrsquot I tell you to stand back when Irsquom not joking

Irsquom pricking the microphone with a heroin needle Is there any doubt

Check one two

Thatrsquos how I feel the pulse

null

29781717

9998

بدقق و زتزت حكي بتزجزج كأنها مزهزها عم بتشمشم عم خطط عم تكتيك و مني ملحلح من هون للساعة توقف تك تيك تك تيك

لك ليك منفخ حاله عامبيكازيب عا غيري بس بوجهي بتاءتإوجهه بيباءبإ من أد ما بعصب بسبسب

زر إنذار إذني بتطنطن و بشوف من عالباب عم بدقدق

عكروت بدو يفوت ليشوف الفن فني بس الفن هون بجسمي معبأ

من حلقي طايف و من متي عم بت شرشر و بيس البيس زلزال برجرج خليك تضبضب تنضب بالبيت لتكنكن

و أنا متأسف ألني بدي استأذن بس بعد شفت كابتشينو بتصحصح

ما إنتلك النجوم عم تقرببهل ال مود حكون عطول لبهل جنوم إدءر

لو مضطر شن هجوم عل النجوم كلهاخللي األرض تدور حول أصبعي تنلك

هيدا هب هوبمش هبل و ال بهل

هيدا زجل تتغزل في

ورايي إيقاع عليي إتبع و ما إطلع عنو يا بصير متل غير مسيس

زقفوا مع االيقاعزقفوا مع االيقاع

F a r e e q e l A t r a s h

Checking and hurling words that tickle as if I was high and sniffing

I am planning and scheming and Irsquom not going anywhere till the clock stops ticking

Look hersquos so full of it lying to others but in my face he stutters

And his face turns red from all the anger and he curses

My earsrsquo alarm bells start ringing

And I go to see whorsquos knocking at the door

Some bastard who wants to see where ldquothe artldquo is

But the art is right here packed in my body

Flowing from my throat running out of my mouth

And the bass is an earthquake that shakes and forces you to pack up and go home

And Irsquom sorry because I need to take leave

But after a sip of cappuccino yoursquoll come around

Didnrsquot I tell you The stars are getting closer

Irsquoll stay in this mood

Until I touch these stars even if I have to launch an attack on all the stars

Irsquoll make the Earth rotate around my finger I told you

This is hip hop

Itrsquos not stupid nor dumb

Itrsquos zajal [a form of Arabic poetry in the Levant]

That you flirt with

There is a beat that I have to follow canrsquot lose it or Irsquoll be like other MCs

Clap with the beat

Clap with the beat

T r a n s l a t e d b y K h a l e d A l H i l l i

null

29781717

101100

انا ببلعهم بتفهم وال مره بسبهمبخليهم داميا يضاربو بتفكيرهم

أنا وراهم قدامهم جنابهم محتلهممش طايقهم مرات وزنهم بكون منزلهم

مرتبهم صاففهم وبقلم أنا حاكمهم زاتتهم مش عاجبيني أنا ماحيهم قائدهم وبنفس الوقت أنا عبيدهم

وبفك وربط أنا بلعب مبعانيهمانا حاميهم بأسطر اللي تقويهم

انا واعدهم اني أستر على فاضحهم ومطلعهم بصوره اللي تبشعهم

بس أنا محترمهم وبسطور ساجنهم مكتفهم كأسير بجنازير القهر

ومهديهم بحبل اللي يبشر بالصبر وانا لي الفخر أكون الشوك اللي فيهم

Dوأكون القهر اللي داميا يسقيهم A M

Yo this is dedicated to the lyrics

Irsquom swallowing them spitting them never dissing them

Giving them freedom of speech

Irsquom behind them in front of them because of them always standing with them

Sometimes get sick of them sick of how you abuse them

Gather them in line with my pen I order them

Didnrsquot like it Throwing them out and replacing them

Irsquom their leader and also their slave

Small changes make huge differences

I train them in pages to make them strong

Promising to use them not abuse them

Or allow the wrong mouths to utter them

Approach them with a military mind and find peace in them

Irsquom lucky to be full of thorns and even luckier that I found the lyrics

So theyrsquoll help me find the roses in me

wordsكلمات

null

26837427

103102

raquoالكل سمعك بس السؤال اذا اللي سمعك فهمكlaquoكلمات ليست كالكلمات بل raquoعالماتlaquo

اللي توجهنا وين مابدنا عحبال السيرك هي تثبتنا ريح العالم من كل جهه اذا احنا ضعاف بتوقعنا بس

raquoأل بلمره ألlaquo raquoكلمات عندي طنlaquoكل واحده الها هدف اخدت حرف عحرف

نسجت جمل اللي البسهم وقت البرد raquoراح اضلني اناديlaquo raquoبنحكي كلماتlaquo

انت بتعرف انهم مبنصب شهاد بحكو املاضي وتنبوا حاضر أي بالد

قد ماحكيت قد ما أحكي فش كالم يغطي بسفي كالم يربي وينمي انت بس أروي

في شوف انه قوه والقوه بتقويفيك و أن رويته مصيره يسقيك )مثل للقوه( العدو من أمامكم

والبحر من ورائكم فال تخيبوا أسيادكمفأين أشعاركم وأين مجادلتكم

فأنتم تسكتون وتخمدون أحالمكم)انهي( نهيت ورجعت للعامية بكلمات

مرمية طالعه من عقليه شعبيهمتل جنيب اللي بذاكرة كل واحد محفوظ مدروس واذا أل معناته في خلل معكوس

عاملجتمع اللي قمع كتاباته Dاللي سمح لنسيانه يشيل خطواته A M

ldquoThey all hear you but few listen to youldquo

Lyrics ainrsquot just a bunch of words they are ldquosignsldquo

Leading us stabilizing us on tight ropes

Winds every way if we are thin we will fall

ldquoBut hell noldquo ldquoyou can measure my words in tonsldquo

Every word has a meaning I knitted a letter with another letter

Made warm sentences to wear in cold days

ldquoSo Irsquoll still shoutldquo ldquowe control lyricsldquo

You know lyrics are like a witness

They witnessed the past and forecast the future

As much as I said or say I canrsquot describe them

But there is a way to find the description and thatrsquos through them

Quench the thirst of the pages with them

So in the future itrsquoll quench your thirst

Keep feeding them as soon as they grow up

Theyrsquoll give you strength

ldquoExample for the strengthldquo

ldquoThe enemy is before you the sea is behind you

So donrsquot you dare disappoint our ancestors

Where are our deep poems Where are our strong statements

From generation to generation we kill our dreamsldquo

ldquoEnough philosophizingldquo ok lets get back to street talk

Words coming outta simple minds

Like Najeeb Mahfuz [literally lsquowell-rememberedrsquo also a famous author]

They keep living in our minds

And if you donrsquot know who he is - then I rest my case

null

26837427

105104

raquoالكل سمعك بس السؤال اذا اللي سمعك فهمكlaquoكلمات ليست كالكلمات بل raquoعالماتlaquo

اللي توجهنا وين مابدنا عحبال السيرك هي تثبتنا ريح العالم من كل جهه اذا احنا ضعاف بتوقعنا بس

raquoأل بلمره ألlaquo raquoكلمات عندي طنlaquoكل واحده الها هدف اخدت حرف عحرف

نسجت جمل اللي البسهم وقت البرد raquoراح اضلني اناديlaquo raquoبنحكي كلماتlaquo

ألف با كبايه أوعك تكسرهاامسكها للنهاية وكل ما تفضى مليها

كلمه أو رواية ومع املراحل زيدها شيحكاية وهيك ضلك زود فيها

وجيبها لتجمعاتك وساعتها استعملها لنقاشاتك وملواقفك استخدمها

هادي مدافعك اللي مداها بسيطرتك وما دافعك انه ما تخليها رايتك

ما هي تكتب ما هي توصف ما هي تكذب ما هي تنصف

ما هي هي الهروب هياللجوء هي الدروب هي

العبور باحلدود واللي مبرؤهم مبدع وبفوز باخللود واللي بسرقهم مش مقنع

واذا بتديهم احلرية بنادوك ممنوعDواذا بتوخد احلريه بنادوك مسموح A M

ldquoThey all hear you but few listen to youldquo

Lyrics ainrsquot just a bunch of words they are ldquosignsldquo

Leading us stabilizing us on tight ropes

Winds every way if we are thin we will fall

ldquoBut hell noldquo ldquoyou can measure my words in tonsldquo

Every word has a meaning I knitted a letter with another letter

Made warm sentences to wear in cold days

ldquoSo Irsquoll still shoutldquo ldquowe control lyricsldquo

The Arabic alphabet is like a glass donrsquot break it

Hold it tight and keep filling it

And then bring it to our arguments

Scream till your throat gets dry and then wet it

It holds our body itrsquos like our legs

If you stand for nothing yoursquoll fall for anything

The words write create

They kill lead and sometimes even lie

You can use them to build borders

And those who are gifted

Can use them to walk through borders

And in some governments

Itrsquos forbidden to give words freedom

But if you choke them and kill them

Thatrsquos allowed

F i g u r a t i v e t r a n s l a t i o n o f f e r e d b y t h e a r t i s t s

null

26837427

107106

further reading

The tracks presented in this document are not a comprehensive sampling of the genre of the market of hip hop in Arabic or of hip hop and rap in the wider Middle East

Artists featured here hail from Egypt Lebanon Palestine and the anglophone Arab diaspora The thriving North African hip hop scene is not represented nor is the work of the established francophone Arab diaspora nor the expanding hip hop scenes of especially Iran or Turkey

This collection does not attempt a comprehensive chronology Tracks featured here are not primarily new releases (though some are) neither are they all ldquoclassicsrdquo These limitations of scope are important to note

Many tracks of the popular Libyan group Ibn Thabitt and other groups from across the region have been translated and are hosted with commentary on the notable blog

revolutionaryarabrapblogspotcom

Another valuable resource is the Beirut-based blog by Jackson Allers ldquoBeats and Breathrdquo which features articulate critiques and reviews of events and releases from the region

jacksonallerswordpresscom

Hass Dennaoui (alias Big Hass) who recently launched started the first all hip-hop FM radio show in Saudi Arabia Laish Hip Hop (Why Hip Hop) manages a lively blog which

hosts an internet feed of his radio show and interviews with MCs and influential hip hop figures from around the world

revoltradioblogspotcom

Lebaneseundergroundcom hosts coverage of underground music in Lebanon including hip hop

And finally an excellent article by Hishaam Aidi on implications of the use of hip hop as foreign policy ldquoThe Grand (Hip-Hop) Chessboard Race Rap and Raison DrsquoEtatrdquo was published in The Middle East Report Fall 2011 Excerpts of the piece were published by Al Jazeera English in the article ldquoLeveraging Hip Hop in US Foreign Policyrdquo

All the artists and many of the translators whose work is showcased here host a significant online presence Their sites are listed with more about each of them on the following pages

109108

artist bios

ARABIAN KNIGHTZ the premier hip hop group from the land of the Nile River have not only established themselves as the lyricists with the sharpest swords in their land but they have also created the most consistent voice for rebellion strength and hope for the youth of the Middle East During the 2011 Revolution Arabian Knightz released two singles ldquoRebelrdquo and ldquoNot Your Prisonerrdquo anthems of resistance which gained worldwide attention and major media coverage for their powerful lyrics against a wicked system The group formed in 2006 through the cipher hip hoprsquos natural way of choosing like mindsets on the mic Rush Sphinx and E-Money were ahead of their peers adapting an authentic Arab perspective to the art dominated by Western voices mixing English and Arabic raps After hitting the studio for successful underground tracks AK enlisted super-producer Fredwreck (Snoop Dogg Xzibit Tha Dogg Pound) ldquoFokkakrdquo the single from this studio session was an instant hit and (surprisingly for Arabic Hip Hop) projected them to the top ten of the singles charts Arab League Records was formed amidst a growing fanbase and numerous collaborations with other Arab hip hop artists the first international Arab hip hop record label Desert Saga Volume 1 mixtape was the debut release led by ldquoThe Onerdquo featuring Egyptrsquos MC Amin Arabian Knightz have recorded their debut album Uknighted State of Arabia a masterpiece for Arab hip hop years in the making featuring instrumentals dominated by traditional percussions and players are scheduled for a Winter 2012 Release They are on Facebook

BOIKUTT is a musician and MC based in Ramallah Palestine Creating sounds using sampled material field recordings and electronic devices the results range between hip-hop downtempo ambient glitch and experimental He has composed and produced music for artists such as Kronos Quartet Bukue One Spiritchild Tamer Abu-Ghazaleh Bleubird and others and has appeared as an MC on albums for artists such as Slovo Heliodrome Bonnot and Lethal Skillz A co-founder of the Ramallah Underground Collective which has toured across the Arab World Europe and Australia Boikutt is also co-founder and member of audio-visual group Tashweesh with whom he is currently touring Also as a solo performer he has been in Beirut Cairo Manila Copenhagen London Hamburg Dubai Bethlehem and other cities He has produced and exhibited a few sound-art pieces composed several film scores has most recently composed the music for a dance theater performance entitled Bound by

New York-based company Yaa Samar Dance Theatre and is now working on different collaborative and solo projects His work may be heard at soundcloudcomboikutt and on Facebook

DAM Da Arabian MCrsquos are Suhell Nafar Tamer Nafar and Mahmoud Jreri The first Palestinian hip hop crew and among the first to rap in Arabic the group began working together in the late 1990s Struck by the uncanny resemblance of the reality of the streets in a Tupac video to the streets in their own neighborhood of Lyd they were inspired to tell their stories through hip hop Their timely song ldquoMin Irhabirdquo (ldquoWhorsquos the Terroristrdquo) was downloaded a million times shortly after its internet realese in 2001 and DAM became a household name among youth throughout the Middle East Ten years of performing all over the world has strengthened the grouprsquos commitment to continue living and working in their hometown of Lyd 15 minutes from Tel Aviv and working to provide the youth of the city and neighboring communities with programs and opportunities that have been denied to Palestinian citizens of Israel Their music is a unique fusion of East and West and encompasses influences as varied as Ghassan Kanafani Ahlam Mosteghanemi Mahmoud Darwish Naji al Ali Tupac Biggie Public Enemy MBS Krsquonaan and Pharoahe Monch IHDA (Dedication) DAMrsquos long-awaited first international album was released in 2007 and DAM has seen its songs and members featured in films such as Ford Transit (Dir Hany Abu Assad) Where in the World is Osama Bin Laden (Dir Morgan Spurlock) Salt of this Sea (Dir Annemarie Jacir) Local Angel and Forgiveness (Dir Udi Aloni) DAMrsquos history and influence on the Arab hip hop scene is detailed in the feature-length documentary Slingshot Hip Hop (Dir Jackie Reem Salloum) The group has also been featured in Vibe National Geographic Rolling Stone Q Basement Reuters and The New York Times and has appeared on MTV CNN BBC and Al Jazeera Their work can be heard and explored at damrapcom

EL DEEB first ventured into Egyptian Hip Hop when he joined Asfalt in 2005 He left in 2007 to create Wighit Nazara duo represented by Mohamed Yasser and himself It was a successful musical project that lasted until mid 2010 Currently he is working on his solo career with plans to release an EP every couple of months or so Cairofornia is his first solo EP His work may be heard at deebbandcampcom and on Facebook

EL RASS was born in Tripoli Lebanon He started writing poetry in literary Arabic at age 11 and started rhyming in spoken Lebanese dialect in 1999 at age 15 At that time he formed one third of a group of 3 MCrsquos going under the name of ldquoMlouk el Micrdquo (ldquoKings of the Micrdquo) They recorded one album and performed locally At 17 he left for France to study Finance and Economics Studies were hard money was scarce and exile was tough but music and poetry never left him as he continued rhyming with some underground French MCrsquos like Medline and Moebius and developed new musical skills on percussion in classical Arabic singing and baglama (turkish buzuk) After graduating and working for almost two years in the hell of banking and market finance El Rass decided to return to Lebanon He spent a year just re-discovering Beirut and making and learning music He now works as a journalist at the newspaper Assafir while concurrently pursuing joint projects with other producers and musicians He calls his work Taalik in reference to the same word in Arabic for ldquocommentrdquo and another word that comes from the same semantic root moaallakat which is a corpus of selected pre-Islamic poetry that was written with gold ink on the walls of the Karsquoaba in Mecca His work may be heard at soundcloudcomElRass

FAREEQ EL ATRASH is a hip hop band based out of Hamra St Beirut with a sound that is distinguished by laid back topical flows over live instrumentation It consists of Edd (raps) Nasser (raps) FZ (vocal production and FX) Fouad Afra (drums) Goo (plays guitar keys heart strings) and Abed Kobeissy (plays bass and buzuk) Their 2010 album and 2009 prealbum are available online More of their work may be found on Facebook Eddrsquos solo work can also be heard at soundcloudcomEdd

H2Z was born in Kuwait in 1986 where he lived for four years Due to the gulf war his family moved to Lebanon where he lived for the most part of his life Inspired by the tragic events in the Middle East and elsewhere in the world H2Z adopted rap music as a way to raise awareness about the injustices suffered by his people and to deliver a message through his music to anyone who supports the Palestinian cause His career began in 2004 when he was introduced to the production business by fellow rappers and soon he started producing his own tracks and established a local band producing many tracks for himself and other musicians in Lebanon In 2008 he released his first solo album titled 3aed which contained

17 tracks The political influence was noticed throughout the album and was generally well-received He is now studying for a degree in business administration at Wayne State University in Michigan His work may be heard at reverbnationcomh2z

KATIBEH 5 are based in Borj el Barajneh Lebanon Their work can be found at reverbnationcomkatibeh5 and myspacecomkatibe5palestine and on Facebook

M1 is Mutulu Olugbala of the New York based collective Dead Prez whose work is online at deadprezcom M1 is also on Facebook

MC GAZA is Adnan Mahmoud Ghonim an Algerian born artist and university student based in Gaza It was the beginning of 2005 when he attended one of the hip hop concerts in Gaza City ndash Gaza City that never appreciated the art he loved and attached himself to ndash and it was love at first sight between them Through some of the concerts he participated in a number of songs he collaborated on with Arabs from Egypt Algeria and Palestine and some active participation to represent the Palestinian people and interviews for both Arab and foreign press he was able to make a name for himself in the Gazan hip hop community His work may be found at youtubecomMCGaza and on Facebook

THE NARCICYST Having pioneered the Arab Hip-Hop movement with seminal Iraqi-Canadian crew Euphrates The Narcicyst recently broke through borders and shattered traveling etiquette touring solo around the world sharing stages with the likes of Brother Ali Mos Def and Kanye West to name a few On top of music The Narcicyst is a celebrated theorist whose academic work Fear of an Arab Planet has him from the stage to the classrooms of internationally renowned universities He is now also a professor at Concordia University teaching a Fine Arts course ldquoHip-Hop Past Present and Futurerdquo His writings have been published by multiple university presses and magazines internationally he is also a self-published author having recently released the biographical and social-study on the Arab world The Diatribes of a Dying Tribe As a true artist interested in really pushing his own artistic boundaries The Narcicyst has stepped into acting currently starring in the short music film PHATWA and in the first internationally-released film from the United Arab Emirates called City of Life A true multi-media

111110

KHALED AL HILLI is a PhD candidate in Comparative Literature at the Graduate Center City University of New York He has a BA in English Literature and a Masterrsquos degree in Teaching Second Languages Born in Iraq Khaled has taught in Lebanon and Saudi Arabia at both college and high school levels He has also worked with various Iraqi news outlets and has subtitledtranslated documentary films dealing with current social and political issues His research interests include Arabic political literature prison literature and literature in the diaspora He may be reached at hillykhalidgmailcom

+AZIZ is a NYC-based marketing consultant and a musician He is working through The World Music Parade to develop an animation project based on his music More about that project can be found at themusicparadetumblrcom He tweets from plusaziz

FAYSAL BIBI is a paleontologist and electronic musician currently based in Berlin

LOUBNA BILALI is originally from Morocco She did her undergrad and first MA in English Linguistics at Chouaib Doukkali University El Jadida She came to the US in 2008 to pursue a Masterrsquos degree in French to English translation and is currently working on a PhD in translation studies at Kent State University in Ohio She is very interested in learning and teaching languages as well as translating and localizing computer applications and websites She may be reached at loubnabilaligmailcom

FARAH ELREWAISSATI is a freelance translator pro-Palestine activist and BDS advocate who blogs at youthanormalizationblogspotcom She tweets from 3beee

NIZAR GHANEM was born in Lebanon He has been active in intercultural education interactive learning and conflict resolution across the Arab world His work on conflict resolution involved using theater comics and music as tools for emotional expression and social mobilization

RIMA NAJDI is a Performing Artist She studied dramatic arts at the Lebanese University in Beirut and obtained a Masterrsquos degree in Performance Studies at NYU New York She has written and performed in various plays and performances Najdi is particularly interested in multi-media performing arts and the position of the spectators

BARRAK ALZAID (copy editor) is the Artistic Director of ArteEast He is the editor of the ArteEast Quarterly a dynamic online portal featuring four publications that highlight contemporary art and culture from the Middle East and diaspora ndash ArtersquoZine Shahadat (contemporary short-form literature) Gallery and Cinematek (an online film center) He is also the curator for ArteEastrsquos Across Histories Art Talk Series featuring a series of panels on residencies in Fall 2011 He tweets from barrakster

RAYYA EL ZEIN (editor) is working towards a PhD in Theatre at the Graduate Center City University of New York Her research is increasingly focusing on theories of reception historical studies of audience behavior and popular culture in the Arab world She holds an MA in Performance Studies from NYU and is currently a teaching fellow at City College in Harlem She tweets from rayelz

translator biosdreamer Yassin recently established an arts label in the UAE called The Medium focusing on delivering art from Arabs in the diaspora and at lsquohomersquo to the rest of the world iraqisthebombcom He tweets from TheNarcicyst

OMAR OFFENDUM is a Syrian-American hip hop artist born in Saudi Arabia raised in Washington DC and living in Los Angeles Known for taking audiences on a lyrical journey from the jasmine-tree-lined courtyards of Nizar Qabbanirsquos Damascene homes to the flooded riverbanks of Langston Hughesrsquo Harlem Renaissance poems - Offendum has been featured on several major news outlets (BBC Yahoo ABC News Aljazeera PBS) toured the world to promote his ground-breaking music helped raise thousands of dollars for various humanitarian relief organizations (PCRF KinderUSA ANERA Islamic Relief) lectured at a number of prestigious academic institutions (Harvard MIT Stanford Columbia American University of Beirut NYU-AbuDhabi Qatar Education City) and most recently been involved in creating several critically-acclaimed songs about the popular democratic uprisings throughout the Middle East amp North Africa He is currently hard at work promoting his solo release - affectionately dubbed SyrianamericanA His work may be heard (and read) at offendumbandcampcom He is on Facebook and he tweets from Offendum

RAMALLAH UNDERGROUND based in Ramallah Palestine was born from the immediacy of musical experimentation and out of the need to give voice to a generation of Palestinians and Arabs facing a turbulent and uncertain political landscape The collective was founded by artists Boikutt Stormtrap and Aswatt and has always held a commitment to both the honesty of their work and the need to creatively rejuvenate Arabic culture To this end they combine music ranging from Arabic electronic music hip-hop and trip hop to downtempo with a deep sense of their local culture and the imposing presence of Palestine in their lives The outcome is a new specific and distinct sound RU (as producers and as MCrsquos ) has collaborated with numerous artists across the globe including countries like Lebanon UK Switzerland Italy USA France and many more including a collaboration with Slovo (a band headed by the guitarist from faithless) in their track ldquoNakbardquo which appears on their album Todo Cambia and with Kronos Quartet in the track ldquoTashweeshrdquo which appears on Floodplain RU has also performed live shows in Ramallah Bethlehem Vienna London Cairo Lausanne Amsterdam and Washington DC Their shows are mainly a performance of their hip-hop tracks as well as a few of their own electronic productions as a warm up More recently RU has incorporated a visual set in their live

performances brought to you by Palestinian visual artist Ruanne RU hopes to give a voice to Palestinians and Arabs bringing an alternative voice from the Arab world Their lyrics and music are an expression of anguish and defiance ultimately remaining a defiant voice of the colonized against the colonizer They continue to play a big role in the Arab underground cultural scene while slowly gaining wide global and local popularity

SHADIA MANSOURrsquos work can be found at myspacecomshadiamusic and on Facebook

STORMTRAP is a music producercomposerMC from Palestine Experimenting with old samples instruments and field recordings his sound is the result of a fusion of ambient atmospheres combined with various noises and hip hop beats His lyrics deal with different themes inspired mainly by his personal experiences in Palestine and life in the diaspora Stormtrap played a fundamental role in forming the band Ramallah Underground with which he has performed worldwide the past few years Currently he is working in Vienna with Aras Seyhan and Eren Ileri on a new album which combines live instruments synthesizers turntables beats and Arabic lyrics- which will be released early 2012 His work may be heard at soundcloudcomstormtrap He tweets from asifeh

AMEER YOSSEF 25 has sung and writen music with the band Klaket for the past four years His work may be heard at youtubecomAmeer and on Facebook

towards the work Her work for now concentrates on the process of making interactive and participatory performances that question borders stereotypes and languages

MOE ALI NAYEL is a fixer and a journalist based in Beirut Lebanon He uses social media blogging non-mainstream music journalism and writing as a word spreading eye opening socializing arena He uses social media as a bridge that cuts distance between people on this planet making it a tiny village This bridge starts in his office and takes him to every corner in the world enabling him to connect and network with people and cultures sharing and exchanging stories of the unheard and the neglected He blogs at Words of Action and he tweets from MoeAliNay

ALEX ORTIZ is a video and radio journalist and translator based in Cairo Egypt He graduated from Brown University in 2009 with a double major in Comparative Literature and Middle East Studies He was a CASA I fellow from 2009-2010 and a CASA II fellow from 2010-2011 He currently works for CBS News as a field producer He tweets from cairowitness

AHMED SHAWKET is an independent translator living in Cairo Egypt He is a graduate of the Helwan University Faculty of Arts where he majored in philosophy Ahmed works on literary media and commercial translation

113112

ABOUT SHAHADATShahadat is a quarterly online series designed to provide a platform for short-form writing and experimentation in writing by young and underexposed writers from the MENA region (Middle East and North Africa) The series features stories vignettes reflections and chronicles in translation and the original language of Arabic Farsi Turkish or Kurdish It makes up one quarter of ArteEastrsquos online programming the AE Quarterly For past issues of Shahadat click here

ABOUT THIS SERIES Shahadat is proud to run two alternating series and releases two issues a year of each The issue yoursquove just perused is part of the ldquoExploring Popular Literaturerdquo series This series challenges traditional understandings of ldquoliteraturerdquo emerging from the Middle East and North Africa by presenting genres of creative production that rely on words and language but which have not typically been studied as literature Works are presented in their original language and in translation

In each issue we gather texts from a spectrum of writers to challenge the singular status of the artistauthor and to encourage a more complex presentation of the Middle Eastern and North African ldquostreetrdquo for English-speaking audiences Shahadatrsquos other series ldquoContemporary Literature in Translationrdquo features the work of a single young author in the original language and in English translation

BEHIND THE DOCUMENTShahadat is co-edited by Rayya El Zein Alex Ortiz and ArteEastrsquos Artistic Director Barrak Alzaid All three are young professionals and scholars with artistic inclinations (literature poetry translation and performance) All three have strong connections to New York City and various metropole of the MENA region Shahadat is for us an experiment and a labor of love An editorial board of established scholars and authors is currently being conceived

SPECIAL THANKS TOAnmar El ZeinKinda AkashAndrew JohnstonLivia Alexander

Shahadat logo design by Rima Farouki

114

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Page 11: Shahadat Winter 2012

2120

ملني بشكيحالتي متل هاملاليني مرتة

ولك قوم ننزل عساحة التحرير دغريب11 شهر 2 سجلنا رحيل حسني

اللي قضى كل هالسنني يشتغل عميل ضدي

ثورة بعد ما خلصت هلق بعدا مبلشةلدورنا شكلها وصلت وإنت بعدك بالفرشة

ولك قوم وقاف الحق بسنانك تفرشيولك قوم وقاف إذ فيك نظامك عم بخزوق

قوم يا مصري ما فيش ثورة بتخلص في يوم وليلةدوس على نفسك شوية

استحمل شد حيلكما تخافش على عجلة اإلنتاج

الزم ثورة على الذاتبكرا أحسن من اللي فات

أنا مدنيبلوح بقلمي كأنه علمي

من عرقي بروي عملي كأنه عطشيالبركة ببلدي العربي

إني فيني كون عفويفيني قوم ثور

إذا بس كان مسموم بدنيحلريتي بالتعبير

ما في حدود حتدنيبتشوفني بساحة التحرير بوسط بيروت

مش كرمال السما ترجع زرقاإلسقاط النظام اللي احلرية سلبنا

e l D e e b + E d d

To whom will I complain

My situation like that of millions is bad

Crsquomon letrsquos go straight to Tahrir Square

On February 11 we witnessed the departure of Hosni

Who has been working as an agent all these years against mehellip

The revolution is not over yet it has just begun

Looks like itrsquos our turn now and yoursquore still in bed

Crsquomon get up Yoursquoll brush your teeth later

Crsquomon get up Move your regime is screwing you

Rise up oh Egyptian No revolution finishes in a night and a day

Bear with it a little

Have endurance and tolerance

Donrsquot be afraid of the cycle of production

There should be a revolution against oneself

Tomorrow is better than the past

I am a civilian

I wave my pen as if it is my flag

I water my work with my sweat as if itrsquos my thirst

Whatrsquos good about my Arab country

Is that I can be spontaneous

I can rise up and revolt

When Irsquom angry

For my freedom of expression

There are no limitations

You see me in Tahrir Square and in downtown Beirut

But not for the sky to become blue again [in reference to the slogan of the Lebanese Future Movement]

But to topple the regime that has taken away freedom

2oum Ya Masry (feat Edd) (Prod by Edd)

Deeb

null

2011

24930304

eng - Visit httpdeebbandcampcom

2322

فترة إنتقاليةفقرة إعالنية

شاي وكليوبتراوشوش صفرا سهرانة

عالنشرة اإلخباريةركلة جزائية

واجلمهور مستني الهدفكل يوم في الصحف

نقرا نبأ عن كلب نهب البلدأوقف عندك رجع الذهب

مش إنت بردو اللي كنت مسؤول عن إعالم بلدتصاريح كاذبة كالم عجب

الصعب عدا والتاريخ إنكتبأوعى تفتكر الشعب تعب

الثورة بعد ما خلصت هلق بعدا مبلشةلدورنا شكلها وصلت وإنت بعدك بالفرشة

ولك قوم وقاف الحق بسنانك تفرشيولك قوم وقاف إذ فيك نظامك عم بخزوق

قوم يا مصري ما فيش ثورة بتخلص في يوم وليلةدوس على نفسك شوية

استحمل شد حيلكما تخافش على عجلة اإلنتاج

الزم ثورة على الذاتeبكرا أحسن من اللي فات l D e e b + E d d

A transitional period

A commercial break

Tea and Cleopatra

Yellow faces staying up at night

To follow the newscast

A penalty

The audience is waiting for the goal

Every day in newspapers

We read news about a dog that has looted the country

Stop return the gold

Werenrsquot you in charge of the countryrsquos media

False statements odd expressions

The hard part is over and history has been written

Donrsquot think that the people are exhausted

The revolution is not over yet it has just begun

Looks like itrsquos our turn now and yoursquore still in bed

Crsquomon get up Yoursquoll brush your teeth later

Crsquomon get up Move your regime is screwing you

Rise up oh Egyptian No revolution finishes in a night and a day

Bear with it a little

Have endurance and tolerance

Donrsquot be afraid of the cycle of production

There should be a revolution against oneself

Tomorrow is better than the past

T r a n s l a t e d b y F a r a h E l R e w a i s s a t i

2oum Ya Masry (feat Edd) (Prod by Edd)

Deeb

null

2011

24930304

eng - Visit httpdeebbandcampcom

2524

بلسان فاكريني انو مافيهوش فن هتكلم عن كل حلم اترسم من غضبهم اتدفن

اتقسم احتاط باأللم منلفكر فاملرحلة السمعيه واحللول اللى تنقذ عناوين جانبيه ارهابية من عيون معنية باستقاللية بعد حروب عاملية محمية متدارية

منسية مرمية على اكتاف مش مرضية مستخبية بطريقة اتكالية عاالراضى العربية

بسلبية مرئية انتهازية وراء االعالم االسالمية بباينوا النيه

احتيالية عنادية سيكوباتية سرية انانية استراتيجية ضد االنسانية

و بعد املسايسة متابعة من قاعة املشاهدة لكل عربى بيتزل مستانى مساعدة

A r a b i a n K n i g h t z + S h a d i a M a n s o u r

They presume the tongue has no art so I will speak

About every dream that was drawn from their anger and got buried

It got divided surrounded by pain

And the solutions that might work are sidelined and smeared as terrorist

From eyes that are interested in independence

After world wars protected and hidden

Forgotten and thrown on unsatisfied shoulders

Concealed with consent in Arab lands

With obvious opportunism

Beneath Islamic publicity intentions show through

Fraudulent stubborn psychopathic

A secret selfish strategy against mankind

And after politics we keep tabs on things from the screening room

For every Arab who gets humiliated I am waiting for help

prisonerThis track contains verses that were originally written in English السجني

Prisoner

Arabian Knightz + Shadia Mansour

Shahadat Winter 2012 track 316

Hip Hop

26518704

2726

ماخالص كسروا بنا كلمة مسانده و من عقولنا اخدوا الورق اللى يكسب فى اللعبة

أنا عايز بلد حرة من الظلم

عايز بلد حرة من القهر عايز بلد حرة من الشر

عايز أرضي وأرض العرب العرب العرب العرب

A r a b i a n K n i g h t z + S h a d i a M a n s o u r

But itrsquos over they shattered for us the word ldquosolidarityldquo

And from our minds they took the cards that win the game

I want a country free of tyranny

I want a country free of oppression

I want a country free of evil

I want my land and the land of Arabs

Arabs Arabs Arabs

Destructive destruction destroying my district

Anti-Christ running in spreading evil wisdom

Irsquom destroying the oppressors in Arabic settlements

Known for blowing up beats and governments

My peeps die in their cribs while yrsquoall close your eyes

Two of yrsquoall are kidnapped you call it a terrorist crime

The media

Is backing up

Murderous propaganda

While we fight eternally like immortal high landers

Al Durrah Sheikh Yassin the pains unseen

Forging your own stories for the blind to see

Want to draw your own opinions bout the bombs we face

Whatrsquos your opinion if yoursquore enslaved and your mom is raped

Itrsquos too easy to speak when yoursquore far from the heat

To the White House I creep and yes Irsquom armed to the teeth

With a mic and a pen and a pad herersquos your evidence

ldquoWeapons of Mass Destructionldquo Mr President

Prisoner

Arabian Knightz + Shadia Mansour

Shahadat Winter 2012 track 316

Hip Hop

26518704

2928

أنا عايز بلد حرة من الظلم عايز بلد حرة من القهر

عايز بلد حرة من الشر عايز أرضي وأرض العرب

العرب العرب العرب

إحنا منمشي بالكرامة والثقة بالنفس معصنا قوانينكم بالثبوت بالدم

لو إن ضميركم بتريحكم بتتكلموا من ورا الفرد

قللي مني ما عم ينام بالليل عنجد ع بني انتو بتبنوا حواجز إحن بنكبر عيالنا

وبنظلنا نزيد العدد إحن السبب ليش ما بتسترجوا تغمضوا عني

في فرق كبير بني مقاوم ومقررين

A r a b i a n K n i g h t z + S h a d i a M a n s o u r

I want a country free of tyranny

I want a country free of oppression

I want a country free of evil

I want my land and the land of Arabs

Arabs Arabs Arabs

Theyrsquore dropping bombs over Baghdad

Libnan Afghan Palestinians Bin Laden Saddam

Listen Islam is all about the peace man

But wars up in these streets man

Got me loosinrsquo sleep damn

Mr Politician I got a little question

How come you are eating and all your peoples isnrsquot

I am on a mission to break up out of this prison

If yoursquore with me share my vision

Letrsquos start by saving the children

We walk with dignity and confidence in ourselves

We crushed your laws with our steadfastness and blood

If your conscience was giving you peace

You wouldnrsquot be communicating from behind a gun

Tell me whorsquos the one not getting sleep at night

While you build your checkpoints we raise the kids

Our numbers will keep increasing

We are the reason you donrsquot dare to blink

There is a big difference between a man of resistance and decision makers

T r a n s l a t e d b y N i z a r G h a n e m + S h a d i a M a n s o u r

Prisoner

Arabian Knightz + Shadia Mansour

Shahadat Winter 2012 track 316

Hip Hop

26518704

3130

النظام العاملي اجلديداحلاسة السادسة

و بدهم يردوا يعلموك النشيدنار شديد بس كله نسبي

جينا و نسيناأخبار فورية بتنهضم و بتمشينا

إللي فينا مكفينا رايح عغزة بالسفينة

و ما يأتي قبل الفكر أم الفعلملجرد الذكر لشخص مبنج قلب نكد وزعل

و طلب السعرمش حنبيع

ملا بتشتي بتشتي عاجلميعو زمن أول حتول

و مش قادرين نتجول فا مش حنضيعbشيء مريع o i k u t t

The new world order

The sixth sense

And they want to teach you the anthem anew

Heavy fire but itrsquos all relative

We came and forgot

Instant news digested and keeps us moving

Wersquove had enough

Going to Gaza by boat

What comes first Thought or action

The mere question to a numb person makes him grumpy and upset

And asking for the price

We wonrsquot sell

When it rains it rains over everybody

The old times have changed

We are under house arrest so we wonrsquot get lost

Itrsquos a horrible thing

igniteولع

Walle

boikutt

null

1746378

3332

مرات بتفهم النبرة غلطبس هلئ فهمني منيح

جريح بدون تلقيح تصريح صريح بدون تلميح

فظيعكيف خلونا نطيع

بوقت تشييع جثمان الضاضمضاض لإلنتفاض ثورة الثروة قيد التصنيع

فيعبوجه عقود بقبضة من حديد

من هون لقرية بال متديدبدون مانروح لبعيد

جتميد روؤس أموال و نوويةمصلحة أول مستفيد

بتدوب بشعلة من سيدي بوزيد

ولعشوف اكمن دكتاتور منقلعولعشوف اكمن دكتاتور منقلع

ولع شوف اكمن دكتاتور منقلعصوت الثورة بكل مكان و عم منسمع

من حكام لنوابو ال استثني احدا منكم

ما بيهمكمحلد ما الهتافات تتوجه إلكم إتهزكم

أفهمكمbاإلستبداد تارك الشارع بإستعداد o i k u t t

Sometimes you misunderstand a tone

But now you understand me correctly

Wounded without vaccination

A blatant statement without any hinting

Unbelievable

How they made us obey

At the funeral of the corpse of the [quintessential Arabic letter] Ddad

Counter revolution the revolution of wealth is in process

Rise

In the face of decades under an iron fist

From here to a village without extension

Without going too far

Freezing of capital and nuclear war heads

The interest of the primary beneficiary

Melts with a flame from Sidibouzid

Ignitesee how many dictators wersquoll uproot

Ignitesee how many dictators wersquoll uproot

Ignitesee how many dictators wersquoll uproot

The sound of revolution is everywhere we make it heard

From leaders to parliamentarians

I do not exclude any of you

But you donrsquot care

Until chants are directed at you and shake you

Let me explain

Tyranny leaves the street prepared

Walle

boikutt

null

1746378

3534

من املزارع بوسط البالدفعل مضارع للرماد

فا إنصرف زاي فلوس الدولة إللي طريقها إنحرفوإنعرف و إنصبت بجيوب هالطرف من شوفرية الشرف

حتية خاصة ألسود ميدان التحريرلتعديل دستور التعتير

إن صح التعبير

عندي نظر األطرشو سمع األعمى

عايشني حياة و مكلبشني باخلوف بنفس الوقت فا قللي شو املعنىتاريخ شجعنا

الوضع الراهن منعناناس بتمر و بتسمعنا

بدون جتاوب جتارب فجاوبيا ضدنا يا معنا

إرفع قبضة الصمود فوق في الهوا ثابتةإنتفاضة أولى و ثانية بس الثالثة نابتة

أطراف كابتةبس قد ما يحاولوا ميحوا ويحطوا الناس كاتبة

بالتفاصيل و كامتة

ولعhellip شوف اكمن دكتاتور منقلعولعhellip شوف اكمن دكتاتور منقلع

ولع شوف اكمن دكتاتور منقلعصوت الثورة بكل مكان و عم منسمع

ولعhellip شوف اكمن دكتاتور منقلعbو صفهم عالدور واحد واحدhellipو شنع o i k u t t

From the farmers in the center

Changing present tense to ashes

So vanish like the statersquos money whose road has deviated

It is known that it ended up in the pockets of the corrupt who claim to be clean

A special salute to the lions of Tahrir Square

For amending the constitution of misfortune

If that can be said

I have the sight of the deaf

And the hearing of the blind

Leading a life while chained by fear at the same time so tell me whatrsquos the point

History encouraged us

The current situation prevented us

People pass by and hear us

Without any response -- testing -- so answer

Yoursquore either with us or against us

Raise the fist of resistance up in the air

A first and second Intifada but the third is sprouting

Oppressive groups

No matter how hard they try to erase and replace people have written

In details and know by heart

Ignitesee how many dictators wersquoll uproot

Ignitesee how many dictators wersquoll uproot

Ignitesee how many dictators wersquoll uproot

The sound of revolution is everywhere we make it heard

Ignitesee how many dictators wersquoll uproot

Line them up in turn one after the other and defame them

T r a n s l a t e d b y F a r a h E l R e w a i s s a t i

Walle

boikutt

null

1746378

3736

ولك انا ابن عكا وبن يافا و طولكرم انا ابن كل شبر من البحر للنهر

االرض الي حملت موسى مرمي واملسيح انااملقابر يلي فاضت من كتر التوابيت

انا اخليمة بيت التنك واحلصيرة والكانون والبيوت املسروقة والدم املهدور

انا الهوى يالي حامل الغضب والبكاوالطرقات يلي بتغرق مع كل نقطة الشتا

انا رصاصة من املجاهد عم تعبر حلدود انا حزام من القنابل مشتاق لليهود

لطفل على باب املستشفى عم بيموتانا الجئ ممنوع من العمل مكروه

انا اين املخيم يلي عاطل عن العمل سيجارة احلشيش يلي بتمحي شوية الم

H 2 Z

Irsquom the son of Acre Jaffa and Tulkarem

Irsquom the son of every inch from the river to the sea

Irsquom the land that carried Moses Mary and the Christ

Irsquom the cemeteries that overflow with coffins

Irsquom the tent the tin house the mat and the stove

The stolen houses and the wasted blood

Irsquom the wind that bears anger and tears

The roads that drown in a single drop of rain

I am a bullet that crosses borders

Irsquom a grenade against Zionists

A child that dies waiting outside the hospital

Irsquom a hated refugee whorsquos prohibited from working

Irsquom the son of the camps always unemployed

The hash cigarettes that ease the pain

iانا فلسطيني am palest inian

Ana Falasteeni

H27

null

17782504

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3938

حيطان هالبيت يلي بكره رح ينردم انا االحمر واالسود واالخضر من هالعلم

من دم االبطال من دموع الاطفالمن اجلحيم التشرد واجلوء واالنكسار

من ظلم االحتاللمن حلم االستقالل

من ارض الزيتونوالصليب والهالل

انا حافظ احلواجز بكل بالد العالممن النادر انو بيوم يعتبروني بني ادم انا سنني االعتقال انا غرف التعذيب

الوجع والصريخ واجلروح الي ما بطيبانا شعب ما انهزم بس عمرو ما انتصر

انا اكبر ارهابي الني حامل حجر اسير طول عمرو رافض انو بيوم ميوت بس معاهدة سالم بتنفي اني موجود

انا القدس بيت حلم ومخيم جننياالدان واجلراس الهالل والصليب

املدافن واملدارس وكنسية املسيح الشوارع القدمية والبيت العتيق

انا ركوة الشاي و سندويشة الفالفلالكرم والبخل واالخالق واملهازل

الكذب والصدق واخليانة والصمود Hانا فلسطيني حلتى اموت 2 Z

The walls of the house that I hate thatrsquos about to get demolished

I am the red and black and green in this flag

From the blood of heroes from the tears of children

From the hell of homelessness and broken refugees

From the oppression of the occupation

From the dream of independence

Irsquom from the land of the olives

The cross and crescent

I know all the checkpoints in all countries of the world

It is where they consider me a human being

Irsquom years of capture Irsquom the torture chambers

The pain and the screams and the wounds that never heal

I was never defeated but never had a victory

Irsquom the biggest terrorist because I carry a stone

A prisoner who spends his whole life refusing to die

But a peace treaty forgets that Irsquom alive

Irsquom Jerusalem Bethlehem and Jenin refugee camp

The call to prayer the bells the crescent and the cross

The old cemeteries schools and church of Christ

The old streets and the ancient house

Irsquom the tea cup and the falafel sandwich

Generosity and greed morality and farce

Lies and betrayal and honesty and persistence

I am Palestinian until I die

T r a n s l a t e d b y t h e a r t i s t

Ana Falasteeni

H27

null

17782504

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4140

صباح اخلير با والد عمومناتفضلوا شرفونا

شو بتحبوا نضيفكم دم عربي وال دموع من عيوننابعتقد هيك تأملوا نستقبلن

هيك تعقدوا ملا تدركوا على غلطتهنمن هيك لبسنا الكوفية

البيضة والسودةصاروا كالب الزمان يلبسوها كموضة

مهما تفننوا فيامهما غيروا بلونا

كوفية عربية بتضال عربية

حطتنا بدن ياهاثقافتنا بدن ياها

S h a d i a M a n s o u r w i t h M 1 o f D e a d P r e z

Good morning cousins

Come in and honor us with your presence

What would you like us to serve you Arab blood or tears from our eyes

I think thatrsquos how they hoped we would recieve them

Thatrsquos why they got tangled up when they tripped up on their own mistake

Thatrsquos why we wore the kufeyyeh

The black and white one

Dogs of the past started to wear it as a fashion statement

However they change it

Whatever colour they make it

The Kufeyyeh is Arab and will always be Arab

Our scarf they want it

Our intellect they want it

kufeyyeh arabeyyeh الكوفية عربية

Kufeyyeh Arabeyyeh

Shadia Mansour and M1

Shahadat Winter 2012 track 616

Hip Hop

26239166

4342

كرامتنا بدن ياهاكل شي إلنا بدن ياه

ما رح نسكتلن نسمحلن الالبقلن يسرقوا شغلة مش إلهن ما خصن فيا

بيقلدونا باللبسكل هاألرض بيكفيهنش

طمعانني عالقدسإعرفوا كيف تكونوا بشر

قبل ما تلبسوا الكوفيةجينا نذكرن مني إحنا

وغصبا من عن أبوهم هاي حطتنا

من هيك لبسنا الكوفيةألنها وطنية

الكوفية الكوفية عربيةمن هيك لبسنا الكوفية

هويتنا األساسيةالكوفية الكوفية عربية

يال علي الكوفيةعلولي هالكوفية

الكوفية الكوفية عربيةعلوها لبالد الشام

كوفية عربية بتضال عربية

ما في بعد متل الشعب العربيفرجوني أية أمة بالدنيا أكثر مأثرة

الصورة واضحة نحنا مهد احلضارة

S h a d i a M a n s o u r w i t h M 1 o f D e a d P r e z

Our dignity they want it

Everything thatrsquos ours they want it

We will not be silent will not allow it

It suits them to steal something that ainrsquot theirs

They imitate our style

As if all this land werenrsquot not enough

Thirsting after Jerusalem

Know how to be human

Before you wear our scarf

We came to remind them who we are

And like it or not itrsquos our right

Thatrsquos why we wore the kufeyyeh

Because it is nationalistic

The kufeyyeh is Arab

Thatrsquos why we wore the kufeyyeh

Because it is our original identity

The kufeyyeh is Arab

Come on raise your kufeyyehs

Raise that kufeyyeh

The kufeyyeh is Arab

Raise it up for bilad ersquosham [Greater Syria the wider Arab world]

The kufeyyeh is Arab and will always be Arab

There are no others like the Arab people

Show me one region in the world that is more influencial

The picture is clear we are the origins of civilization

Kufeyyeh Arabeyyeh

Shadia Mansour and M1

Shahadat Winter 2012 track 616

Hip Hop

26239166

4544

تاريخنا وتراثنا الشاهد على وجودنامن هيك لبست التوب الفلسطيني

من حيفا جنني جبل النار إلى رام اللهخليني شوف الكوفية

البيضة واحلمراخلينا نعليها لفوق بالسما

أنا شادية العربلساني بغز غزبلساني بهز هز

كلمات احلربسجل أنا شادية منصور

واحلطة هويتيمن يوم ما خلقت

سيدي والشعب مسؤوليتيلكن تربيت بني الشرق وبني الغرب

بني لغتنيبني بخيل بني فقير

شفت احلياة من اجلهتنيبس علمتني الكوفية

كيف ما لبستونيوين ما شلحتوني

بضلني عأصولي فلسطينية

S h a d i a M a n s o u r w i t h M 1 o f D e a d P r e z

Our history traditions and customs bear witness to our existence

Thatrsquos why I wear the Palestinian dress

From Haifa Jenin Jabal El Naar to Ramallah

Let me see the kufeyyeh

The red and white one

Letrsquos raise it up to the sky

I am the singer of the Arabs

Like an earthquake I shake the ground

My words are war

Record this

I am Shadia Mansour

And this scarf is my ID

From the day I was born the people have been my responsibility

Look I was raised between the East and the West

Between two languages

Between the rich and the poor

Irsquove seen life from both sides

However the kufeyyeh has taught me

However you wear me

Wherever you leave me

I stay true to my origin Palestinian

T r a n s l a t e d b y t h e a r t i s t w i t h F a r a h E l R e w a i s s a t i

Kufeyyeh Arabeyyeh

Shadia Mansour and M1

Shahadat Winter 2012 track 616

Hip Hop

26239166

4746

حمامة سالم افتحي أجنحتكي و طيري

وين الوعي - وين امشوا معي هني وادي بني اجلبلني عني حب للطرفني

أمهاتنا حبت ذاتنا بس مو عاجبهن مسباتنا هذا احلكي بني اخواتنا

Oزين العرب واألمريكان m a r O f f e n d u m

This track contains verses that were originally written in English

You are my

(Destiny)

Itrsquos hard livinrsquo in the West - when I know the East got the best of me

(Destiny)

Could be lookinrsquo in my eyes - but yoursquoll never really see the rest of me

(Destiny)

Can you hear me maseeri [my destiny] Bi-lingualrsquos what Irsquom blessed to be

(Destiny)

Dove of Peace

Spread your wings amp fly

Consciousness What consciousness - where is it

Take a walk with me

Here in this valley between two ldquomountainsldquo

Where the source of love for both ldquosidesldquo can be found

Our mothers like us

But donrsquot like our foul language

So letrsquos keep this between the siblings

The best of Arabs amp Americans

destمصيري iny

7 Destiny

Omar Offendum

The Peace Revolution 20

21332892

eng - iTunNORM 000006D3 000006F2 000038BA 0000322F 0000E4FA 0000E4FA 00008716 0000864B 0002AB5E 000083D6

eng - iTunSMPB 00000000 00000210 0000094B 00000000008F7FA5 00000000 004108FB 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000

4948

وألله يرحم كل أمواتنا أغاني

مثل املهامتة إذا قلنا العني بالعني

ما صفى عندنا عيون بالشام بالد الشام

من فلسطني إلى جبال لبنان قبل ما اخترعوا احلدود

من اإلسكندرون إلى كردستان فهمان

جنجس خان ما خان قد ما خانونا أوالد العم بس دمنا دمهم

بني أدم - بنو ذمنبهم على أكتافنا - شلنا همهم

ليه الله بيعلم

بس ليك هذا الفتيش والبسكليت احسنلك من 100000000 مسدس

تعرف ليه ألن مو عاجبهم بسمتك

بس إبتسم برسمتك شاب عربي ومثقف

أعطيهم ختمتك وإذا لسة مو راضني

ذكرهم بكالم إيليية )أبي ماضي( raquoنسي الطني ساعة أنه طنيlaquo

Oوهذه هي القضاء والقدر يا حبيبي m a r O f f e n d u m

And may God have mercy on all our dead

Songs I sing

Like the Mahatma [the line above and the line below are linked through the sound of the name and the figure of Mahatama Ghandi]

If we say lsquoan eye for an eyersquo

There wont be any eyes left in Sham [Damascus]

Bilad al-Sham [Greater Syria the wider Arab world]

From Palestine to the mountains of Lebanon

Before they made up these borders

From Iskandaroon to Kurdistan

Understand

Genghis Khan never deceived us quite like our ldquopaternal cousinsldquo [khan also means ldquodeceiveldquo in Arabic]

But our blood is their blood

Children of Adam -- who built their sins

Upon our shoulders -- we carried their burden

Why

God knows

But listen this little firecracker amp bicycle

Are better for you than 100 million guns

Wanna know why

Because they dont like seeing you smile

But smile you will - in your human being

A young cultured Arab male

Give them your stamp of approval

And if they still donrsquot accept you

Then remind them of the words of Elliye [Abi-Madhee a Lebanese poet whose poem begins with]

ldquoHow soon a piece of dirt can forget that all he really is is just dirtldquo [ie we are all from this earth amp

will come back to it so there is no logic in viewing yourself as better than someone else]

And that my friend is our destiny

7 Destiny

Omar Offendum

The Peace Revolution 20

21332892

eng - iTunNORM 000006D3 000006F2 000038BA 0000322F 0000E4FA 0000E4FA 00008716 0000864B 0002AB5E 000083D6

eng - iTunSMPB 00000000 00000210 0000094B 00000000008F7FA5 00000000 004108FB 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000

5150

O m a r O f f e n d u m

Dove of Peace

Spread your wings amp fly

Make it easier to borrow

The aesthetics you bite

Like all the Arabic loanwords

From Spaniards amp Morros

The Karma of Inquisition

Visions of horror

So whorsquos the explorer

Really was it Columbus

Muhammad al-Idrisi or Alfaragnus

Throw a Hobson Jobson

While you figure it out

Irsquom gonna start with a cipher

Thatrsquos a siffir [zero] - no doubt

See you might not have learned to live with me

But sure as hell canrsquot without

You are my

You are my

(Destiny)

Itrsquos hard livinrsquo in the West - when I know the East got the best of me

(Destiny)

Could be lookinrsquo in my eyes - but yoursquoll never really see the rest of me

(Destiny)

Can you hear me maseeri [my destiny] Bi-lingualrsquos what Irsquom blessed to be

(Destiny)

حمامة سالم افتحي أجنحتكي و طيري

I write right to left

You write left to right

Metaphor of a foreignerrsquos plight

Dressed to type

Stereo amp a mic

Scenario of a fight

The burial of a white

Imperial at his heightrsquos

A Turkish Rapperrsquos Delight

Semetic etiquette might

Just have you rollin your ldquoRrsquosldquo

Poetic amp light

And grab a hold of your sorrows

To relieve your tomorrows

7 Destiny

Omar Offendum

The Peace Revolution 20

21332892

eng - iTunNORM 000006D3 000006F2 000038BA 0000322F 0000E4FA 0000E4FA 00008716 0000864B 0002AB5E 000083D6

eng - iTunSMPB 00000000 00000210 0000094B 00000000008F7FA5 00000000 004108FB 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000

5352

O m a r O f f e n d u m

Dove of Peace

Spread your wings amp fly

Bitched out by the West

Press get a big shout

From the people gettinrsquo rich out of this (bout)

Now whatrsquos this really all about

Land money or power

It was the colonizerrsquos fault

But now itrsquos really just ours

Leavinrsquo a sour tase in our mouths

Like generational slave names

Whenever speakinrsquo out

Out-spoken leaders gettinrsquo taken out

Quicker than belligerent drunks in a bar

We a far cry from livinrsquo as one

T r a n s l a t e d b y t h e a r t i s t

(Destiny)

Itrsquos hard livinrsquo in the West - when I know the East got the best of me

(Destiny)

Could be lookinrsquo in my eyes - but yoursquoll never really see the rest of me

(Destiny)

Can you hear me maseeri [my destiny] Bi-lingualrsquos what Irsquom blessed to be

(Destiny)

حمامة سالم افتحي أجنحتكي و طيري

See arab [Arabs] shootin at each other

From Iraq to Falasteen [Palastine]

Syria to Libnan [Lebanon]

Algeria to Sudan

Pedagogy of the oppressed tricklinrsquo down

Conquerinrsquo through divisions

And sadly this isnrsquot the first time

One land one love one chance one blood

No fuss no fight Yeah right young blood

AKrsquos cheaper than a book

Crooked leaders in a hook

Gettinrsquo fished out

Missles gettinrsquo dished out

7 Destiny

Omar Offendum

The Peace Revolution 20

21332892

eng - iTunNORM 000006D3 000006F2 000038BA 0000322F 0000E4FA 0000E4FA 00008716 0000864B 0002AB5E 000083D6

eng - iTunSMPB 00000000 00000210 0000094B 00000000008F7FA5 00000000 004108FB 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000

5554

زي ما صار مبارح صار اليوم اطف التلفزيون امسك مايكروفون

زي ما صار مبارح صار اليوم اطف التلفزيون امسك مايكروفون

زي ما صار مبارح صار اليوم اطف التلفزيون امسك مايكروفون

زي ما صار مبارح صار اليوم اطف التلفزيون امسك مايكروفون

النه الوقت عم يسبق بقلك خي سالم بس اصبر

بدك تستني هاي اخلطط بعمرها ما تضبطبيدفعلك قد ما بدك عشان تسكت

واذا بتفتح متك طخة وحده وبعد بتسقط

s t o r m t r a p

What happened yesterday happens today

switch off your TV and grab a microphone

What happened yesterday happens today

switch off your TV and grab a microphone

What happened yesterday happens today

switch off your TV and grab a microphone

What happened yesterday happens today

switch off your TV and grab a microphone

Because time is racing

He keeps telling you peace is coming just be patient

You want to wait these plans never succeed

Hersquoll pay you as much as you want to keep you quiet

And if you open your mouth one shot will silence you

what happened yesterdayزي ما صار مبارح

Zey ma sar mbareh

Stormtrap

null

2009

1728613

eng - Visit httpstormtrapbandcampcom

5756

اركض اركض وخليك راكض

واذا بتفتح متك رح يقلك خليك ساكت رح يقلك انساك من هاملشاكل

حوشوا هالشواك وضبوا شناتكم واشتروا التذاكرففكر شوي وما تكنش أهبل

وين ما تروح في الدنيا رح تتبهدلمش شايف قدامي عم بسمع أصوات بيسألني

ليش لسه عايش هون روح عيش محل تانيبدي احك بس الكلمات مش طالعة من لساني

عنصرية هونن عنصرية هناك عنصرية كل ما اطلع برا الشباك

شيطان بيعمل حاله مالكبس هو بالواقع بدو يعيش بالك

جدار بيمثل عقلية ناس بدهاش تعيش معاك

زي ما صار مبارح صار اليوم اطف التلفزيون امسك مايكروفون

ما مبثل شخص او اشخاص مبثل فكرةاسم احلرية حاملينه

من بلد ما فيه حياة عاديةسواءا ضد االحتالل أو ضد العنصرية

أصواتكم وينايي خلوها تنسمع وتطلع نتائج ايجابية

فكمل كتابة او تسجيل وصدقني شغلك مش رايح عالفاضي

عشان الشي الوحيد اللي رح يروح هو احن اذا منضلنا علقانني فاملاضي

s t o r m t r a p

Run run

Keep running

And if you decide to speak hersquoll tell you just stay silent

Hersquoll tell you forget these problems

Save up some money pack your bags and buy your tickets

Think about it donrsquot be a fool

Wherever you go yoursquoll get humiliated

I canrsquot see in front of me Irsquom hearing voices asking

Why are you still living here Go live somewhere else

I want to respond but the words wonrsquot come out

Racism here racism there

Racism each time I look out the window

A devil in an angelrsquos disguise

In reality he wants to live without you

The apartheid wall represents the mentality of a people who donrsquot care to coexist

What happened yesterday happens today

switch off your TV and grab a microphone

I dont represent a person or a people I represent an idea

An idea called freedom

From a land lacking a normal life

Whether yoursquore struggling against occupation or against racism

Where is your voice

Let it be heard to achieve your goals

So keep writing and recording

Believe me your work wonrsquot be lost in vain

The only thing thatrsquoll disappear is us

If we stay stuck in the past

Zey ma sar mbareh

Stormtrap

null

2009

1728613

eng - Visit httpstormtrapbandcampcom

5958

شو الي حدثجينا من حتت األرض

هيهة القصة بدة عنا هدفوننشر أصواتنا لكل حدا

جيت من حتت أرض رام اللهما ح وقف اكتب كلمات وال مرة

عندي طاقة الزم أطلعها كل يوم وكل ساعةفاو انبنى مع الوقت ولسة عم بيطور تصور

تصورفاو انبنى مع الوقت ولسة عم بيطور تصور

زي ما صار مبارح صار اليوم اطف التلفزيون امسك مايكروفون

زي ما صار مبارح صار اليوم اطف التلفزيون امسك مايكروفون

s t o r m t r a p

What happened

We came from underground

The story begins we have an objective

To spread our voices to everyone

I came from the ruins of Ramallah and

I wonrsquot ever stop writing words

I have energy that I must release every day every hour

A flow thatrsquos been built and is still developing imagine

Imagine a flow thatrsquos been built and is still developing

What happened yesterday happens today

Switch off your TV and grab a microphone

What happened yesterday happens today

Switch off your TV and grab a microphone

T r a n s l a t e d b y t h e a r t i s t

Zey ma sar mbareh

Stormtrap

null

2009

1728613

eng - Visit httpstormtrapbandcampcom

6160

Wake up the People

Donrsquot doubt it

The Maker can see you

Right now

You want to get out and see doe

So clouded

Sell out to be dope

Right now

I see you plagued by your own doubt

Canrsquot step the game up

Like a snake when it rolled down

Staircase of a lone child

No bricks lain in a cold house

Where you sold out

All alone on an old couch

t h e N a r c i c y s t

No click like an untapped phone dial

Oh wow

I felt the same homie

Donrsquot shelter pain only

Then it came slowly

Never let the frame hold me (down)

Picture life for the love though

People tend to look the other way like Columbo

We deceived by the law just to love doe

Guess they took all the worth out to numb folks

And make a severed plan

Out of bitter man

What you want a medal man

Huh Do you really think yoursquore better than Then

All you really need is a long look

Two sixteens and a strong hook like

brassThis track was originally written in English

null

2149748

6362

Wake up the People

Donrsquot doubt it

The Maker can see you

Right now

You want to get out and see doe

So clouded

Sell out to be dope

Right now

Break

Hip hop like a fresh pelvis

Yoursquore gonna regret this shit like a dead Elvis

Busy wishing you could live less selfish

Crabs in a bucket duckinrsquo these dead shellfish

Industry got a brother feeling helpless

With an ill chorus and ride yoursquore more in the tide

When a flow canrsquot keep me above the water

t h e N a r c i c y s t

Let a wave carry me out and push me farther now

Internal Inferno ten journals written but Irsquom still not sure though

Do I really want to tour to jump hurdles To be heard

So-I-Can-Feel-Like-This

Man therersquos something that I might miss--

Naw Irsquove been bluffinrsquo

Lifersquos backwards like Ben Buttonsrsquo

Irsquom in love with the stage fright on a strange night

Feels good to get the words on a page right

Wake up the People

Donrsquot doubt it

The Maker can see you

Right now

You want to get out and see doe

So clouded

Sell out to be dope

Right now

null

2149748

6564

مبارح شفت بلمنام بيروت عمتغرق حتت رماد بركان فحموا الناس بس ال raquoسكاي بارlaquo كان بعده ولعان

بيروت ثبتت حبة الثورة اللي فينا نبتت ملا أحبطت نفوسنا من اجلمود

فينا بيروت حتركت عدم دمارنا وعدم حرية خيارنا

بيوت بيروت تعمرت سكرنا عجفاف دموعنا جفوننا عليها تسكرت فتخمرت

إذا بطلت تطير قدرك عألرض مقهور إذا وقفت تكسير بتصير جزء من الديكور

e l R a s s

Yesterday I dreamt Beirut was drowning under volcanic ash

The people were turned to charcoal but Sky Bar [a posh Beirut club] was still lit up

Beirut suppressed the seed of the revolution the one that sprouted

When our spirits were foiled from immobility

In us Beirut moved

On the blood of our destruction and the negation of our freedom of choice

The houses of Beirut are rebuilt

We got drunk on the dryness of our tears our eyelids closed on them and fermented

If you stop flying your destiny on land is distress

If you stop breaking you become part of the decoration

beirutبركان بيروت rsquos volcano

Blues

2125713

6766

بحاور بناور باآلخر بواجه التاج بتوضى بصلي بتوصلني أصوات أنات احملتاج

تأمل العلم بعري العمل من العمل خياري عنار خفيفة دوب املسمار وتستوي األفكار النظيفة

عمروا دمروا زمروا تذمروا ربك صبره دربه جربه

عقلن خربوا غربوا هربوا وقبلوا بالفن عحيط الشارع

عشرط ما يكون في شك بشارع هيدي مش عاصمة ثقافة هيدي حلبة املصارع بيروت ال تعرف في املاضي وال تعرب باملضارع

حتول التركيبة خلى العقل اجلامد فكر حاله مالك املدينة رقبته طويلة متل مالك احلزين وايده لوزيري

اعتبر نفسه أول مني اكتشف هلجزيرة بأجر الفقير شقق بأسعار مدروسة

بشكل تضل طموحاته ممعوسة نهبوا األرض من ربعي وصارت احلرب شركة استثمار مبفعول رجعي

حتت شعار إعادة اإلعمار لو ما كان خلص دوره وانتهى عقد االيجار

كان احلريري ما طار وما صار مطار احلريري عاصمة لبنان بتوازن بني ضريحني

واتنيناتن عاغتيالن في عالمة استفهام e واحد قدس املوت بس لسبب l R a s s

I discuss I maneuver ultimately I confront the crown

I perform ablutions I pray I receive the moaning of the needy

The meditation of knowledge strips work from hope

My choice is on low fire melting the nails and clean thoughts are ripening

They built they destroyed they honked they complained

Your god made him patient tested him and trained him

Their minds ruined westernized chased off

They accepted art pissed on back alleys

As long as there is no doubt in the streets

This is no capital of culture itrsquos a wrestling ring

Beirut canrsquot speak of itself in the past nor conjugate itself in the present

Transitions and transformations made the closed mind think he owns the city

His neck is long like a stork his fingers long like a politicianrsquos

He thinks himself the first who discovered this peninsula

He lets the poor rent apartments at prices studied

To crush ambitions

They stole the land from my cousins

And the war became a backward-looking investment

Under the slogan of reconstruction

If his time wasnrsquot up and his contract finished

Hariri didnrsquot have to fly and it wouldnrsquot have become the Hariri airport

Lebanonrsquos capital keeps balance between two shrines

And on both assassinations there is a question mark

One sanctifies death but for a reason

Blues

2125713

6968

واحد قدس احلياة بس بالكذب واحد بايدو حتول الذهب سم وواحد تخبى من الذهب بالدم

مني الشهيد

اللي مات حتت صبابيط ثورة عبيد شهيد اللي مات فتحول على حملة اعالنات هدفها ترفع الطايفة معدالت التجنيد

قنابل بالبريد وصل سيوف علوريد حصل

املوت للبليد صنم الصبر للعنيد حلم تأليه الشهيد ظلم

خليط احلديد والدم العالج والسم الرفاه والهم النوعية والكم

الدعارة وورقة التوت مبدينة بيروت علم

e l R a s s

And one sanctifies life with lies

In onersquos hand gold turned into poison

And the other hid from gold with blood

Who is the martyr

The one who died under the shoes of the oppressedrsquos uprising is a martyr

Is it he whose death was transformed into an advertising campaign to raise the levels of

sectarian enlistment

Bombs came in the mail

Swords to the jugular true stories

Death to the cold is statuette

Patience to the stubborn is a dream

Divinity to the martyr is oppression

The mixture of steel and blood the cure and poison

Luxury and distress quality and quantity

Prostitution and modesty

The science of the city of Beirut

T r a n s l a t e d b y M o e A l i N a y e l amp + A z i z

Blues

2125713

7170

بقرأ في اجلريدة زفت شوارع جديدة

إزالة مطبات و كثير أشياء هيك مفيدة أشخاص مستفيدة

دعم من هون و من هون منظمات بس احلرية بعيدة

مقاطعة مستوطنات تعون الضفة الغربية وطنية حصرية إدعائية

طب و فلسطني التاريخية مع ألساس كانت القدس عاصمة الثقافة العربية

بس كلوحكي سياسية للشعب إحنا نتحمل الشغل و التعب و الوضع صعب

b o i k u t t

Irsquom reading in the paper

About roads newly paved

Speed bumps removed and a lot of other useful stuff (yes very)

Certain inviduals benefit

Funding from here and there

Organizations are plentiful but freedom is far-fetched

Calling for a boycott of settlements around the West Bank

Pretentious exclusive nationalism

But what about historical Palestine

I thought Jerusalem was supposed to be the ldquocapital of Arab cultureldquo

But itrsquos all political speeches for the people

We put up with the work and the sweat and itrsquos rough

a letterرسالة من مقاطعة from boikutt

risaleh mn muqataa (pt1)

boikutt

null

2010

1086983

eng - iTunPGAP0

eng - iTunNORM 00000A1E 00000A0E 000099D9 000098A0 0000CC63 0000CC63 0000826D 000080B0 000131D0 000131D0

eng - iTunSMPB 00000000 00000210 000008F3 000000000049197D 00000000 0027BA9D 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000

7372

يقنعونا إن كلشي متام و بقدر أعيش حياة عادية

زي في األفالم على مبس واحد إثنني ثالثة أربعة إلخ

كن منيح و بتنزل عليك املصاري زخ نصيحة من أخ ألخ

خليك مستقل ألن اللعبة إنلعب فإبعد عن الفخ

خليهم يقعدوا يستنوا الدعم ليموتوا يلفلفوا داخل اجلدار حلد ما يفوتوا

في متاهات مبسافات مش محددة مجددة لتوسع التوسع مش مهددة

إنتهاك احتالل بس مش على الكل

في ناس في فلسطني هون حياتهم زي الفل مش عارف شو بيفكر

شكلوا مش داري شي يوم حنروح كل الدكاكني هي حتسكر

سالم

b o i k u t t

Try to convince me that everythingrsquos fine

And that I can lead a normal life

Like in the movies

On MBC one two three four etcetera

Be good and money will rain on you

Advice from one brother to another

Stay independent because the games are being played

So steer clear of the trap

Let them wait for foreign aid until they die

Spinning in circles within the apartheid wall until they enter

Into unlimited mazes with unspecified spaces

That are renewed to fit settlement expansion unthreatened

Violation occupation

But not for everyone

There are people here in Palestine living ldquothe good lifeldquo

I donrsquot know what hersquos thinking

Seems like he doesnrsquot know one day wersquoll be gone

And all these shops will close

Peace

T r a n s l a t e d b y t h e a r t i s t w i t h L o u b n a B i l a l i

risaleh mn muqataa (pt1)

boikutt

null

2010

1086983

eng - iTunPGAP0

eng - iTunNORM 00000A1E 00000A0E 000099D9 000098A0 0000CC63 0000CC63 0000826D 000080B0 000131D0 000131D0

eng - iTunSMPB 00000000 00000210 000008F3 000000000049197D 00000000 0027BA9D 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000

7574

الضغط عاليالعدو فات جاري احملادثات

صمت دوليكمية الغازى عم تزداد

تهجير جديد مولود جديدتكرر عزو مش تارك ورا شي مفيد غير غراب

من كل البيت ما تركو شي إال البابمن االرض ل سما مسافة عاليه

إمشي الصحرا وعد لياليوجنوما

كمشوا رئيس دولة بجورةحصار

توزيع مخدراتباألحمر تلون الفرات سجون معتقالتقبلة الوداع مع الصبات

تنصت بالشبكة خيانات باألزهر

k a t i b e h 5

The pressure is high

The enemy has entered discussions are taking place

Global silence

The numbers of the occupier are increasing

A new expulsion A newborn child

The perpetuation of an invasion that leaves behind it nothing of any use except for a crow

From an entire house they left nothing but the door

From the ground to the sky is a long distance

Walk the desert and count the nights

And its stars

They caught a president in a pit

Siege

Drug dealing the Euphrates is stained red prisons detention centers

A farewell kiss with a shoe

Networks wiretapped betrayals in Al Azhar

hold me back ifهديني اذا فيك you can

null

23098943

7776

حوار أديانالكف تنجس

متسح فيه وجك مع كل شروق عالوضوءتسمع شرارة فتيل مولوتوف ينادي أصوات تتلبى

باإلنفجار

هديني إذا فيك صرت موجود بكل مكانوجي مغبش عامل زي جيش زباتا

منصرخ بوجكم raquoاحلرية ل برغوتيlaquoإعالمكو بيعرفني كلماتكو حملت إسمي

شركاتكو بتهرب مني )كتيبه خمسه هديتي إذا فيك(

بتالقيني بني والد حفظوا غنية املخيماتبنفسية فالح عمال يزو املدينة

افالم تافهةبرنامج تافه

بتدور على مخك بتالقي مش موجوداخلليج يتحكم بإعالم

هادول حبوب التنومي ٦1 سنة بعدن مش شغالني

عالمادامك واخد وجهة نظري

ع محمل اجلدمسموح لك تستعجب وتظهر إنزعاجك بوجودي

ألني صديق لكل املشاهد الغير مرغوبة فيهاش بيختار حياتو بالتحديد بحكيلك هيك منحياها ومحد

ضغط رصاص وابارود بخليكاش حتيدالتجارب بتدلك عطريق

هديتي إذا فيك

k a t i b e h 5

A dialogue of religions

The hand is tainted

And with it you cleanse your face at ablution each sunrise

You hear the sparking of the fuse of a molotov calling voices respond

Explosion

Hold me back if you can I have become present everywhere

My face is concealed like the army of Zapata

We shout in your face ldquoFreedom for Barghoutildquo

Your media knows me your words have glimpsed my name

Your corporations flee from me

(Katibe Khamseh hold me back if you can)

Yoursquoll find me among children that have memorized the song ldquoAl Moukhayamatldquo

In the persona of a peasant that is visiting the city

Shallow films

Shallow programs

You look for your mind but you find it is not there

The Gulf controls media with its boundaries

These sleeping pills 61 years and theyrsquore still not effective

Great

As long as you are taking my point of view seriously

Yoursquore allowed to be taken aback and to show your irritation

Just like you show your irritation at my presence

Because I am a friend to all the images that are not desirable

This is how we live out these images and no one chooses their life specifically Irsquoll tell you

The pressure of bullets and gunpowder does not allow you to move away

Experience will guide you on the road

Hold me back if you can

null

23098943

7978

موقف واحد صريح من صميم روح لشعوب املقاومة ضمير ظهور البشرية

السبيل صعب ورا الغضبدعم لكل أسالوب محارب

د لنحرق نظامك منتدرب منجرب منخرب منستععم نحرق نظامك

هديتي إذا فيك

إطلع منيحمش رح تقدر توخذ كل شي من أول نظرة

نظرة عامة raquoبشرة مش بيضةlaquoجبني عريضة مكتوب مولود عنيد بالفطرة

فوت بالتقاليد عد التجاعيدلك هاي مش أول مرة

لغات ودراسات حط العلم بغالفمش رح تقدر تفهم ليه بعد في بارود ع الكتافلون األرض ولون الليل بيعطيك البني و السواد

بوعدك مش لوحدي رح أضل عد رماد الال اللعبة اجلديدة وال والدنا ع اللعبة جداد

بكفيش إنفلونزا الصقور صار في إنفلونزا اخلنازيرموسم مرض جديد لرئيس مبثل ع نفوس ومريض بهدوء البيض

هديتي إذا فيك

k a t i b e h 5

A single honest stance from the bottom of the soul for the people of the resistance the conscience

that exposes humanity

The path is difficult when following anger

A support for every style of battle

We train we strive we disrupt we prepare to burn your system

We are burning your system

Hold me back if you can

Look closely

You wonrsquot be able to see it all at first sight

An overview ldquocomplexion that is not whiteldquo

A broad forehead written born stubborn by nature

Look at the traditions and count the wrinkles

This is not the first time

Languages and scholarship put education under wraps

You wonrsquot be able to understand why there is still gunpowder on shoulders

The color of earth and the color of night gives you brown and blackness

I promise you that I will not be alone to count the ashes no

This game to us is not new and nor are our children new to the game

As if the influenza of eagles was not enough now therersquos the influenza of pigs

The season of a new disease for a president acting for a public and sick with the

calmness of white people

Hold me back if you can

null

23098943

8180

اإلحتالل نكه البشر بنكهة املجاريبالسالم حوار أديانبإقرار ملكية كذابة

بتشويه تاريخ وسرقة حضاراتولك أه

فلسطني إفريقيا الدجلة والفراتإجتاه البشرية لإلضمحالل سرطان بشري بعضها

الشتا ميسح اخلطايا واآلثاروليش بتتخبى وبتتغطى بنفس كل سفارة سميك الستار

لساتني باكل الضربة ورا الضره ورا الضربةوحتى ما أفعل وأساوي تكمشني الرجفة

بدل ما أضرب فيك بضرب بحاليبوعدكش حضلني كامش حالي حفلتها

حفلتها

هديني إذا فيك هديني إذا فيكهديني إذا فيك

k a t i b e h 5

The occupation has seasoned humanity with the flavor of sewers

With peace with dialogue of religions

With the declaration of false ownership

With the distortion of history and the theft of civilizations

Oh yes

Palestine Africa the Tigris and Euphrates

Humanity is leading to reduction a human cancer bites it

Exile wipes clean the sins and the traces

And why are you hiding and seeking cover when all the embassies are already well concealed

I am still taking one beating after another

And so that I donrsquot take action and do something shudders grip my body

Instead of beating you I beat myself

I canrsquot promise you that I can keep myself restrained

Irsquom gonna let go

Hold me back if you can

Hold me back if you can

Hold me back if you can

T r a n s l a t e d b y R i m a N a j d i a n d F a y s a l B i b i

null

23098943

8382

طول عمر الشعب املصري مع بعض أحلك الظروفبص وفر في التاريخ وانت ياما هاتشوف

الدين ده ليا وليكوفيا وفيك

حاجة روحانية بتخليك حتس اللي بيك

ايد في ايد نبني فيها من جديد

مصر زعلت علي حاصل وسطنا مش مفيد

بعد ثورة وبعد عيد فتنة تقتل حلم واتتحقق لنا

واحد اتننيالذكري بتعيش اكتر من عمر االنسان

بصمتنا تغييرنا جوة وبرة امليدان مش هانضيع نصر ثورتنا بفتنة نشئت بينا

A r a b i a n K n i g h t s + M C G a z a + A m e e r

The Egyptian people have always stuck together

Through the worst times look at history

And see how often wersquove been there for each other

That whole idea of religion

Is for you and for me something spiritual that makes you feel whatrsquos inside you

Hand in hand

We build Egypt up again

Egypt is angry at whatrsquos happening between us

Itrsquos not helpful

After the revolution after the celebration

Sectarian strife is killing the dream we fulfilled

One two

The memory lasts more than a lifetime

Our mark is our change in and outside Tahrir Square

We wonrsquot give up the victory of our revolution in exchange for sectarian strife between

us

hand inايد في ايد hand

Eid Fe Eid

Yasser Ameer Youssef Rush E Money amp MCGaza | by BOGEY

Single Hit track 11

20112011

Hip-Hop

24002867

eng - Hip-Hop 4 Life

eng - iTunNORM 000005E2 0000058E 0000424E 00003537 00026E95 0001C2B3 00008000 00008000 00005045 00005045

8584

بلدنا محتجانا ايدنا واحدة ضد احملنة تفرق ايه معاك ديانتي ملا ربك هو ربي

اصلك هو اصلي ارضك هي ارضي

ملا اتقال لي اكتت فيول فتنة انا قولت غلط علشان الفتنة مفتعلة في بلدنا وكان وراها غرض

فالفرد افترض فبفرض السياسة األمر اختلط

فالزم يبقي املصل سياسي من اصل املرض العسس واحلرس مافرقوش صليب وهالل

وكنا كلنا واحد وراء االقفالدم الشهيد شاهد

ياما بالفتنة انكسرنا وحدتنا بصوت واحد وضد الظلم انتصرنا

وديني هو ديني صلة بيني وبني ربي هارفع علمي وارفع راسي فوق

انا مصري

ايد في ايد نبني فيها من جديد

مصر زعلت علي حاصل وسطنا مش مفيد

بعد ثورة وبعد عيد فتنة تقتل حلم واتتحقق لنا

خلو حمامة السالم من الطيور املنقرضةعلشان تبقي القلوب مبتعدة منقسمه سهل تتسم

فكرين مناعة و قوة أم الدنيا بالطمع مرتبطةنسر املصريني ليس له دين احنا بنحميها بالدم

العنف بذوره بتكتر عاوز يوصل واحلروب حتصل

A r a b i a n K n i g h t s + M C G a z a + A m e e r

Our country needs us all together against the hard times

What difference does my religion make to you when your god is my god

Your origin is mine

Your land is my land

When they told me about sectarian strife I said thatrsquos wrong

Because itrsquos been planted in our country and behind it is some purpose

Makes one think somethingrsquos going on

By playing politics everythingrsquos gotten mixed up

The antidote has to be political just like the poison itself

The military doesnrsquot distinguish between cross and crescent

Wersquore all held together behind bars

The blood of the martyrs bears witness

To how much wersquove been broken by sectarianism

Through our unity we triumphed with one voice over injustice

And my religion is my own a rapport between me and God

Irsquoll raise my flag and my head up

Irsquom Egyptian

Hand in hand

We build Egypt up again

Egypt is angry at whatrsquos happening between us

Itrsquos not helpful

After the revolution after the victory

Sectarian strife is killing the dream we fulfilled

They drove the dove of peace to extinction

To keep hearts apart and divided itrsquos easy to poison them

Do they really think the resilience and strength of Egypt is connected to greed

The Egyptian eagle has no religion we protect it with our blood

The roots of violence are increasing want to gain control to start wars

Eid Fe Eid

Yasser Ameer Youssef Rush E Money amp MCGaza | by BOGEY

Single Hit track 11

20112011

Hip-Hop

24002867

eng - Hip-Hop 4 Life

eng - iTunNORM 000005E2 0000058E 0000424E 00003537 00026E95 0001C2B3 00008000 00008000 00005045 00005045

8786

للعاقيدة يكسر وألعضاء املشاعر تتشال تصتأصلعلى كالم ربهم اتكبرو فعملو قدر واتقدر

وقته مستنينه ليه خططوا مضمون الرسائل اتغير الن الهدف هو تدمير قعدة الوحدهوقتل كل قائد يقود الناس بره احملنه

فيبقي سهل يزيحنا ميحي أوصول عليها كبرناوكل واحد علي حداه يقول أنا محدش يقول احنا

فاببطء بحرص بص بعقل بحذر شوفقبل ما يخلوا خيالك يتخلله اخلوف

واخلوف ده افراز بيطلع من غده ملا الكلب بيشوفهابيعرف انك فاريسه سهل ياكلها ركز

فرق تسد إخلعوفق جتد إرفع

ثورة تقدصمت يفرد- يفرق

ما بيجمع بيننامن حقي النقد من حقك - تسمع

طب إسمع وراجع ما صور التاريخ طب باله بيكفي صور زمانييوم حصار كنيسة املهد مني دافع مني اتقمع مني اتنفا

مسلم مسيحي أل كان فلسطيني اتذكر معي ثورة غضب يناير

اتذكر معي الوحدة اإليد الوحدة اتشرف انتا مصرياتذكر معي األخ بإيد األخ يحمي األخ بدون إلخ

كالمي ماشي ماشي ال-لتفهمني بهويتي مسلم وال نصراني قبطي

ما في حجة لربطي خلبطي حلطي ألوطي ألغير خطيخير أجناد األرض

من أرض بيت املقدس كل السالم بعد ما قلت إلنقسام في وطنيانا ملزم أقول ال لفتنة

تفتت مجد شعب تعب عانى ضحى بالغالي حتى بناه

A r a b i a n K n i g h t s + M C G a z a + A m e e r

The relationship between Egyptians breaks down and the organs that feel are taken out

They got full of themselves in the name of their god and invented a new fate for us

Theyrsquore waiting for a time and theyrsquore plotting The meaning of their messages changes

Because the goal is to destroy the foundation of unity

And kill every leader who takes the people out of hard times

Itrsquos easy to remove us to wipe out the traditions we grew up with

Everyone on his own everyone says ldquoIldquo and no one says ldquoweldquo

Slowly carefully look Wisely with caution see

Before they make your imagination a slave to fear

And that fear releases a secretion from a gland

And when the dog sees it he knows yoursquore easy prey

Divide yoursquoll conquer

Bring harmony and yoursquoll reap Start

A revolution and it will catch on

Silence is solitary It divides

It doesnrsquot bring us together

It is my right to criticize and your right to listen

So listen and look back at history or better look at my life time

The day the Nativity Church was under siege who was persecuted Who was exiled

A Muslim A Christian No he was Palestinian

Letrsquos remember the angry revolution of January

Letrsquos remember the unity the one hand Be proud yoursquore Egyptian

Remember the brother holding hands with a brother protecting a brother

And I can go on

Donrsquot teach me about my identity whether Irsquom a Muslim or a Christian Copt

Therersquos no excuse to tie me down beat me to make me cower and kneel and stray from my courseThe Earthrsquos most virtuous soldiers

Come from the land of Bayt al-Maqdis [Jerusalem] I salute you After I said no to division in my countryIrsquom committed to saying no to seditionThat dissolves the glory of a people who labored suffered sacrificed what was most dear to build it

T r a n s l a t e d b y A l e x O r t i z + A h m e d S h a w k e t + K h a l e d A l H i l l i

Eid Fe Eid

Yasser Ameer Youssef Rush E Money amp MCGaza | by BOGEY

Single Hit track 11

20112011

Hip-Hop

24002867

eng - Hip-Hop 4 Life

eng - iTunNORM 000005E2 0000058E 0000424E 00003537 00026E95 0001C2B3 00008000 00008000 00005045 00005045

8988

الفن واملواهب زي حرب الكواكب الكل عايز يكون جنم صراع في الداخل

بهدي جنون العظمة بفلفل حر توابل تسيل دموع زي القنابل

زي مابتكلم وداني شغالة كون سامع نبض الشارع علشان أ

حالف أقضي على اإلعالم املتآمر مغامر في الكالم بس إنت مش سامع

ملا بأمسك القلم والورقة الهم بينزاح مخي بيرتاح بأقول اللي على البال

ملا بأقعد بحس بتأنيب ضمير كون في ستوديو بسجل على بيت خطير مفروض أ

e l D e e b + S t o r m t r a p

Art and talent are like Star Wars

Secretly everyone wants to be a star of conflict

I make megalomania tranquil with chilli hot spices

Tears flow like bombs

Thatrsquos how I talk and the world keeps moving

So that I can hear the pulse of the streets

Irsquove sworn to obliterate the media conspirators

I am adventurous in my speech but you do not hear

When I hold the pen and the paper my anxiety is lifted

My mind relaxes and I say whatrsquos on it

When I sit down I feel guilty

I should be in the studio recording dangerous beats

addictأدمان الشهرة ion to fame

Edman El Shuhra

Stormtrap amp Mohamed El Deeb

2011

Hip-Hop

15305855

- vocals Mohamed El Deeb Stormtrap13produced by Stormtrap

9190

إحساس غريب إنك تدمن الكالم ارسم يا فنان واخترع زي دافينشي الرسام

ولو مفيش ورقة باستخدم تليفوني خايف إن فكرة متعديش على صوتي

دنيا غريبة يوم مر يوم بونبوني بس أنا عمري ماغيرت لوني

املوسيقى بنادولي وبطابعي فضولي مهما قالوا لي هافهمها مبفهومي فـساعات أالقي نفسي بكلم نفسي واسمع أصوات غريبة في دماغي

وهو ده الصدى الصوت اللي بسمعه اكن مفيش حد فارقة معاه احالمي

شوف شوف مش هدف إنو أنا شخصيا أنا

هدفي انه كلماتي وموسيقتي تنتشرعشان هيك حتشوفني دوما مستمر مستثمر

كل وقتي كل طاقتي على أصواتي خوذ شك خوذ حتويل خوذ كاش

بس ما تنساش أي شي بيتعلق بالواقع بدناش ما تخاف ألنها قضيتنا مش منسية مية باملية هايذي ثورة كمان ثقافية

خليني أوضح هاي املوسيقى مش معمولة للتلفازeهاي املوسيقى مش معمولة لهز الطياز l D e e b + S t o r m t r a p

Strange feeling to be out of words

Paint oh artist and discover like Da Vinci the artist

If I donrsquot have paper I use my cell

I am afraid that the idea does not come through my voice

Strange world one day is bitter another like candy

But Irsquove never changed my color

Music is my Tylenol and my nature curious

So whatever they tell me Irsquoll understand it my way

Sometimes I find myself talking to myself

And I hear weird voices in my head

Which is just the echo of the sound I hear

As if no one cares about my dreams

See see

My goals are not self serving

My goal is that my words and music spread

Thatrsquos why yoursquoll see me always and continuously investing

All my time my energy on my sounds

Take a check take a transfer take cash

But never forget anything related to reality wersquore not interested

Donrsquot be afraid because our cause is not forgotten

One hundred percent this is also a cultural revolution

Let me explain this music is not meant to be televised

This music is not made for booty shaking

Edman El Shuhra

Stormtrap amp Mohamed El Deeb

2011

Hip-Hop

15305855

- vocals Mohamed El Deeb Stormtrap13produced by Stormtrap

9392

مش فاهم ليش الكل قاتل حاله يكون في مسابقةحابني نتصابح حياكم زات املكافحة

واالعالم ميت ع حيالله قصة ما بيدرس هالقصة من نصها

وبعدن بينفخهامش احلق علينا اذا ما بيبحثوا

وملا يبدوا يحكوا عنا أل عنجد بيبعصوابيفكروا انه كل شي هشك بشك

بس حدن الزم يقلهم انه الهب هوب مش هيكبدك تدير بالك عشانها هاي اللحظة احلاسمة

ملا يجوا عليك الديب والعاصفةنكسر حدود وبنبني وحدة عشان نحيي مجتماعاتنا

وننهي معانتناعشان هيك منكتب كلمات صريحة والها معنى

مش للشهرة مش حتى يجي حدن يدفعلنا

e l D e e b + S t o r m t r a p

I donrsquot understand why everyone is killing themselves to be in the contest

Wersquod like to say goodmorning to salute you in this same struggle

The mediarsquos dying for any story

But they donrsquot study the storyrsquos real text

And then they blow it out of proportion

Itrsquos not our fault if they donrsquot search

And when they talk about us then they really screw it up

They think everything is empty pointless

Somebody needs to tell them that hip hop is not like that

You should take care because this is the critical moment

When the wolf and storm come haunting you

We break borders and we create a unity to revitalize our communities

And stop our suffering

That is why we write frank words that have meaning

Itrsquos not for fame or even so that someone pays us

T r a n s l a t e d b y N i z a r G h a n e m

Edman El Shuhra

Stormtrap amp Mohamed El Deeb

2011

Hip-Hop

15305855

- vocals Mohamed El Deeb Stormtrap13produced by Stormtrap

9594

حضل عهل مود يعنيما إنتلك النجوم عم تقرب

بهل ال مود حكون عطول لبهل جنوم إدءر لو مضطر شن هجوم عل النجوم كلها

خللي األرض تدور حول أصبعي تنلك

ما إنتلك متلي متلك مولع طيار ألفكاري من العقدي تنفك فرد قعدي بني 4 حيطان ما بتنهز و منها ما بنهز

يلز املا بينلزالكاس عل الطاولي و منو عم مز مز

لتفتل براصي وحس من حالي عم كز كزعل ورقة كالمي مدروس و ما بزت زت بجرب ما عيد حالي متا يقولو عم نق نق

موزع قافياتي جواز كأن عم فت فت

بهل األطشة خلي الديني اللي تسمعني ترن رنFبسبيلي جاري يوم ع يوم عم برك رك a r e e q e l A t r a s h

Irsquoll stay in this mood

Didnrsquot I tell you The stars are getting closer

Irsquoll stay in this mood until I touch these stars

Even if I have to launch an attack on all the stars

Irsquoll make the Earth rotate around my finger I told you

Didnrsquot I tell you Irsquom just like you I lit up a joint so my ideas would untie their knot

Sitting this way in between four walls I wonrsquot budge

The most delectable

Drink is on the table from which Irsquom taking sips

Till my head starts spinning and Irsquom sick of myself

On the paper my words are calculated I donrsquot just toss them about

I try not to repeat myself so they wonrsquot say Irsquom nagging

I deal my rhymes out like theyrsquore cards

In this verse Irsquoll make those ears ring

My fountain is running and every day I excel

tالنجوم عم تقرب he stars are gett ing closer

null

29781717

9796

لضل ماشي جالس بينما غيري عم بلك لك شريط معلق ريحة العة عم بتفح فحكل ما فتح متو بتالقي عم بكب كب

عايشها إرهاب و مفي إال بسب سببزبالتي ما بكبو تيكون بعلمك

األالف مسم و بحياتو ما بينسم بزقة من هل التم تخلي سقفك ينش نش

تلمو ردم و ما تفكر إنو ترد رد و عم بحكي عالواطي متا الصالي فيك ترج رج

بطبعي عاقل بس بالراب بزل زل عل الرايق بال ما نط وال فز فز

type of shitعال بارد أبرد من شباط بس يقز قزتخلي عضامك ع بعض تسك سك

ما إنتلك النجوم عم تقرب بهل ال مود حكون عطول لبهل جنوم إدءر

لو مضطر شن هجوم عل النجوم كلهاخللي األرض تدور حول أصبعي تنلك

أنا متنبئ بنبه و بحقق ما قلتلك بعد وقتها ما عم نكت

عاملكرفون إبرة هرون عم بشكشك في شكcheck one two

هيك بدسدس عالنبض

F a r e e q e l A t r a s h

So I can walk straight when others are still playing

A broken record that reeks of a musty smell

Every time he opens his mouth he spews them out

He lives in terror and all he does is curse

I wouldnrsquot throw him in my garbage just so you know

Irsquove irritated thousands and never been irritated in my life

One spit out of this mouth will make your roof leak

And yoursquoll pick up the rubble and donrsquot even think about answering back

Irsquom talking in a low voice so the hall wonrsquot shake with you in it

Irsquom reasonable by nature but when it comes to rap I humiliate cold-heartedly

Without jumping or leaping around

I do it coldly colder than icy February-type of shit

Irsquoll make your bones rattle against each other

Didnrsquot I tell you The stars are getting closer

Irsquoll stay in this mood until I touch these stars

Even if I have to launch an attack on all the stars

Irsquoll make the Earth rotate around my finger I told you

Irsquom a psychic I predict and deliver

Didnrsquot I tell you to stand back when Irsquom not joking

Irsquom pricking the microphone with a heroin needle Is there any doubt

Check one two

Thatrsquos how I feel the pulse

null

29781717

9998

بدقق و زتزت حكي بتزجزج كأنها مزهزها عم بتشمشم عم خطط عم تكتيك و مني ملحلح من هون للساعة توقف تك تيك تك تيك

لك ليك منفخ حاله عامبيكازيب عا غيري بس بوجهي بتاءتإوجهه بيباءبإ من أد ما بعصب بسبسب

زر إنذار إذني بتطنطن و بشوف من عالباب عم بدقدق

عكروت بدو يفوت ليشوف الفن فني بس الفن هون بجسمي معبأ

من حلقي طايف و من متي عم بت شرشر و بيس البيس زلزال برجرج خليك تضبضب تنضب بالبيت لتكنكن

و أنا متأسف ألني بدي استأذن بس بعد شفت كابتشينو بتصحصح

ما إنتلك النجوم عم تقرببهل ال مود حكون عطول لبهل جنوم إدءر

لو مضطر شن هجوم عل النجوم كلهاخللي األرض تدور حول أصبعي تنلك

هيدا هب هوبمش هبل و ال بهل

هيدا زجل تتغزل في

ورايي إيقاع عليي إتبع و ما إطلع عنو يا بصير متل غير مسيس

زقفوا مع االيقاعزقفوا مع االيقاع

F a r e e q e l A t r a s h

Checking and hurling words that tickle as if I was high and sniffing

I am planning and scheming and Irsquom not going anywhere till the clock stops ticking

Look hersquos so full of it lying to others but in my face he stutters

And his face turns red from all the anger and he curses

My earsrsquo alarm bells start ringing

And I go to see whorsquos knocking at the door

Some bastard who wants to see where ldquothe artldquo is

But the art is right here packed in my body

Flowing from my throat running out of my mouth

And the bass is an earthquake that shakes and forces you to pack up and go home

And Irsquom sorry because I need to take leave

But after a sip of cappuccino yoursquoll come around

Didnrsquot I tell you The stars are getting closer

Irsquoll stay in this mood

Until I touch these stars even if I have to launch an attack on all the stars

Irsquoll make the Earth rotate around my finger I told you

This is hip hop

Itrsquos not stupid nor dumb

Itrsquos zajal [a form of Arabic poetry in the Levant]

That you flirt with

There is a beat that I have to follow canrsquot lose it or Irsquoll be like other MCs

Clap with the beat

Clap with the beat

T r a n s l a t e d b y K h a l e d A l H i l l i

null

29781717

101100

انا ببلعهم بتفهم وال مره بسبهمبخليهم داميا يضاربو بتفكيرهم

أنا وراهم قدامهم جنابهم محتلهممش طايقهم مرات وزنهم بكون منزلهم

مرتبهم صاففهم وبقلم أنا حاكمهم زاتتهم مش عاجبيني أنا ماحيهم قائدهم وبنفس الوقت أنا عبيدهم

وبفك وربط أنا بلعب مبعانيهمانا حاميهم بأسطر اللي تقويهم

انا واعدهم اني أستر على فاضحهم ومطلعهم بصوره اللي تبشعهم

بس أنا محترمهم وبسطور ساجنهم مكتفهم كأسير بجنازير القهر

ومهديهم بحبل اللي يبشر بالصبر وانا لي الفخر أكون الشوك اللي فيهم

Dوأكون القهر اللي داميا يسقيهم A M

Yo this is dedicated to the lyrics

Irsquom swallowing them spitting them never dissing them

Giving them freedom of speech

Irsquom behind them in front of them because of them always standing with them

Sometimes get sick of them sick of how you abuse them

Gather them in line with my pen I order them

Didnrsquot like it Throwing them out and replacing them

Irsquom their leader and also their slave

Small changes make huge differences

I train them in pages to make them strong

Promising to use them not abuse them

Or allow the wrong mouths to utter them

Approach them with a military mind and find peace in them

Irsquom lucky to be full of thorns and even luckier that I found the lyrics

So theyrsquoll help me find the roses in me

wordsكلمات

null

26837427

103102

raquoالكل سمعك بس السؤال اذا اللي سمعك فهمكlaquoكلمات ليست كالكلمات بل raquoعالماتlaquo

اللي توجهنا وين مابدنا عحبال السيرك هي تثبتنا ريح العالم من كل جهه اذا احنا ضعاف بتوقعنا بس

raquoأل بلمره ألlaquo raquoكلمات عندي طنlaquoكل واحده الها هدف اخدت حرف عحرف

نسجت جمل اللي البسهم وقت البرد raquoراح اضلني اناديlaquo raquoبنحكي كلماتlaquo

انت بتعرف انهم مبنصب شهاد بحكو املاضي وتنبوا حاضر أي بالد

قد ماحكيت قد ما أحكي فش كالم يغطي بسفي كالم يربي وينمي انت بس أروي

في شوف انه قوه والقوه بتقويفيك و أن رويته مصيره يسقيك )مثل للقوه( العدو من أمامكم

والبحر من ورائكم فال تخيبوا أسيادكمفأين أشعاركم وأين مجادلتكم

فأنتم تسكتون وتخمدون أحالمكم)انهي( نهيت ورجعت للعامية بكلمات

مرمية طالعه من عقليه شعبيهمتل جنيب اللي بذاكرة كل واحد محفوظ مدروس واذا أل معناته في خلل معكوس

عاملجتمع اللي قمع كتاباته Dاللي سمح لنسيانه يشيل خطواته A M

ldquoThey all hear you but few listen to youldquo

Lyrics ainrsquot just a bunch of words they are ldquosignsldquo

Leading us stabilizing us on tight ropes

Winds every way if we are thin we will fall

ldquoBut hell noldquo ldquoyou can measure my words in tonsldquo

Every word has a meaning I knitted a letter with another letter

Made warm sentences to wear in cold days

ldquoSo Irsquoll still shoutldquo ldquowe control lyricsldquo

You know lyrics are like a witness

They witnessed the past and forecast the future

As much as I said or say I canrsquot describe them

But there is a way to find the description and thatrsquos through them

Quench the thirst of the pages with them

So in the future itrsquoll quench your thirst

Keep feeding them as soon as they grow up

Theyrsquoll give you strength

ldquoExample for the strengthldquo

ldquoThe enemy is before you the sea is behind you

So donrsquot you dare disappoint our ancestors

Where are our deep poems Where are our strong statements

From generation to generation we kill our dreamsldquo

ldquoEnough philosophizingldquo ok lets get back to street talk

Words coming outta simple minds

Like Najeeb Mahfuz [literally lsquowell-rememberedrsquo also a famous author]

They keep living in our minds

And if you donrsquot know who he is - then I rest my case

null

26837427

105104

raquoالكل سمعك بس السؤال اذا اللي سمعك فهمكlaquoكلمات ليست كالكلمات بل raquoعالماتlaquo

اللي توجهنا وين مابدنا عحبال السيرك هي تثبتنا ريح العالم من كل جهه اذا احنا ضعاف بتوقعنا بس

raquoأل بلمره ألlaquo raquoكلمات عندي طنlaquoكل واحده الها هدف اخدت حرف عحرف

نسجت جمل اللي البسهم وقت البرد raquoراح اضلني اناديlaquo raquoبنحكي كلماتlaquo

ألف با كبايه أوعك تكسرهاامسكها للنهاية وكل ما تفضى مليها

كلمه أو رواية ومع املراحل زيدها شيحكاية وهيك ضلك زود فيها

وجيبها لتجمعاتك وساعتها استعملها لنقاشاتك وملواقفك استخدمها

هادي مدافعك اللي مداها بسيطرتك وما دافعك انه ما تخليها رايتك

ما هي تكتب ما هي توصف ما هي تكذب ما هي تنصف

ما هي هي الهروب هياللجوء هي الدروب هي

العبور باحلدود واللي مبرؤهم مبدع وبفوز باخللود واللي بسرقهم مش مقنع

واذا بتديهم احلرية بنادوك ممنوعDواذا بتوخد احلريه بنادوك مسموح A M

ldquoThey all hear you but few listen to youldquo

Lyrics ainrsquot just a bunch of words they are ldquosignsldquo

Leading us stabilizing us on tight ropes

Winds every way if we are thin we will fall

ldquoBut hell noldquo ldquoyou can measure my words in tonsldquo

Every word has a meaning I knitted a letter with another letter

Made warm sentences to wear in cold days

ldquoSo Irsquoll still shoutldquo ldquowe control lyricsldquo

The Arabic alphabet is like a glass donrsquot break it

Hold it tight and keep filling it

And then bring it to our arguments

Scream till your throat gets dry and then wet it

It holds our body itrsquos like our legs

If you stand for nothing yoursquoll fall for anything

The words write create

They kill lead and sometimes even lie

You can use them to build borders

And those who are gifted

Can use them to walk through borders

And in some governments

Itrsquos forbidden to give words freedom

But if you choke them and kill them

Thatrsquos allowed

F i g u r a t i v e t r a n s l a t i o n o f f e r e d b y t h e a r t i s t s

null

26837427

107106

further reading

The tracks presented in this document are not a comprehensive sampling of the genre of the market of hip hop in Arabic or of hip hop and rap in the wider Middle East

Artists featured here hail from Egypt Lebanon Palestine and the anglophone Arab diaspora The thriving North African hip hop scene is not represented nor is the work of the established francophone Arab diaspora nor the expanding hip hop scenes of especially Iran or Turkey

This collection does not attempt a comprehensive chronology Tracks featured here are not primarily new releases (though some are) neither are they all ldquoclassicsrdquo These limitations of scope are important to note

Many tracks of the popular Libyan group Ibn Thabitt and other groups from across the region have been translated and are hosted with commentary on the notable blog

revolutionaryarabrapblogspotcom

Another valuable resource is the Beirut-based blog by Jackson Allers ldquoBeats and Breathrdquo which features articulate critiques and reviews of events and releases from the region

jacksonallerswordpresscom

Hass Dennaoui (alias Big Hass) who recently launched started the first all hip-hop FM radio show in Saudi Arabia Laish Hip Hop (Why Hip Hop) manages a lively blog which

hosts an internet feed of his radio show and interviews with MCs and influential hip hop figures from around the world

revoltradioblogspotcom

Lebaneseundergroundcom hosts coverage of underground music in Lebanon including hip hop

And finally an excellent article by Hishaam Aidi on implications of the use of hip hop as foreign policy ldquoThe Grand (Hip-Hop) Chessboard Race Rap and Raison DrsquoEtatrdquo was published in The Middle East Report Fall 2011 Excerpts of the piece were published by Al Jazeera English in the article ldquoLeveraging Hip Hop in US Foreign Policyrdquo

All the artists and many of the translators whose work is showcased here host a significant online presence Their sites are listed with more about each of them on the following pages

109108

artist bios

ARABIAN KNIGHTZ the premier hip hop group from the land of the Nile River have not only established themselves as the lyricists with the sharpest swords in their land but they have also created the most consistent voice for rebellion strength and hope for the youth of the Middle East During the 2011 Revolution Arabian Knightz released two singles ldquoRebelrdquo and ldquoNot Your Prisonerrdquo anthems of resistance which gained worldwide attention and major media coverage for their powerful lyrics against a wicked system The group formed in 2006 through the cipher hip hoprsquos natural way of choosing like mindsets on the mic Rush Sphinx and E-Money were ahead of their peers adapting an authentic Arab perspective to the art dominated by Western voices mixing English and Arabic raps After hitting the studio for successful underground tracks AK enlisted super-producer Fredwreck (Snoop Dogg Xzibit Tha Dogg Pound) ldquoFokkakrdquo the single from this studio session was an instant hit and (surprisingly for Arabic Hip Hop) projected them to the top ten of the singles charts Arab League Records was formed amidst a growing fanbase and numerous collaborations with other Arab hip hop artists the first international Arab hip hop record label Desert Saga Volume 1 mixtape was the debut release led by ldquoThe Onerdquo featuring Egyptrsquos MC Amin Arabian Knightz have recorded their debut album Uknighted State of Arabia a masterpiece for Arab hip hop years in the making featuring instrumentals dominated by traditional percussions and players are scheduled for a Winter 2012 Release They are on Facebook

BOIKUTT is a musician and MC based in Ramallah Palestine Creating sounds using sampled material field recordings and electronic devices the results range between hip-hop downtempo ambient glitch and experimental He has composed and produced music for artists such as Kronos Quartet Bukue One Spiritchild Tamer Abu-Ghazaleh Bleubird and others and has appeared as an MC on albums for artists such as Slovo Heliodrome Bonnot and Lethal Skillz A co-founder of the Ramallah Underground Collective which has toured across the Arab World Europe and Australia Boikutt is also co-founder and member of audio-visual group Tashweesh with whom he is currently touring Also as a solo performer he has been in Beirut Cairo Manila Copenhagen London Hamburg Dubai Bethlehem and other cities He has produced and exhibited a few sound-art pieces composed several film scores has most recently composed the music for a dance theater performance entitled Bound by

New York-based company Yaa Samar Dance Theatre and is now working on different collaborative and solo projects His work may be heard at soundcloudcomboikutt and on Facebook

DAM Da Arabian MCrsquos are Suhell Nafar Tamer Nafar and Mahmoud Jreri The first Palestinian hip hop crew and among the first to rap in Arabic the group began working together in the late 1990s Struck by the uncanny resemblance of the reality of the streets in a Tupac video to the streets in their own neighborhood of Lyd they were inspired to tell their stories through hip hop Their timely song ldquoMin Irhabirdquo (ldquoWhorsquos the Terroristrdquo) was downloaded a million times shortly after its internet realese in 2001 and DAM became a household name among youth throughout the Middle East Ten years of performing all over the world has strengthened the grouprsquos commitment to continue living and working in their hometown of Lyd 15 minutes from Tel Aviv and working to provide the youth of the city and neighboring communities with programs and opportunities that have been denied to Palestinian citizens of Israel Their music is a unique fusion of East and West and encompasses influences as varied as Ghassan Kanafani Ahlam Mosteghanemi Mahmoud Darwish Naji al Ali Tupac Biggie Public Enemy MBS Krsquonaan and Pharoahe Monch IHDA (Dedication) DAMrsquos long-awaited first international album was released in 2007 and DAM has seen its songs and members featured in films such as Ford Transit (Dir Hany Abu Assad) Where in the World is Osama Bin Laden (Dir Morgan Spurlock) Salt of this Sea (Dir Annemarie Jacir) Local Angel and Forgiveness (Dir Udi Aloni) DAMrsquos history and influence on the Arab hip hop scene is detailed in the feature-length documentary Slingshot Hip Hop (Dir Jackie Reem Salloum) The group has also been featured in Vibe National Geographic Rolling Stone Q Basement Reuters and The New York Times and has appeared on MTV CNN BBC and Al Jazeera Their work can be heard and explored at damrapcom

EL DEEB first ventured into Egyptian Hip Hop when he joined Asfalt in 2005 He left in 2007 to create Wighit Nazara duo represented by Mohamed Yasser and himself It was a successful musical project that lasted until mid 2010 Currently he is working on his solo career with plans to release an EP every couple of months or so Cairofornia is his first solo EP His work may be heard at deebbandcampcom and on Facebook

EL RASS was born in Tripoli Lebanon He started writing poetry in literary Arabic at age 11 and started rhyming in spoken Lebanese dialect in 1999 at age 15 At that time he formed one third of a group of 3 MCrsquos going under the name of ldquoMlouk el Micrdquo (ldquoKings of the Micrdquo) They recorded one album and performed locally At 17 he left for France to study Finance and Economics Studies were hard money was scarce and exile was tough but music and poetry never left him as he continued rhyming with some underground French MCrsquos like Medline and Moebius and developed new musical skills on percussion in classical Arabic singing and baglama (turkish buzuk) After graduating and working for almost two years in the hell of banking and market finance El Rass decided to return to Lebanon He spent a year just re-discovering Beirut and making and learning music He now works as a journalist at the newspaper Assafir while concurrently pursuing joint projects with other producers and musicians He calls his work Taalik in reference to the same word in Arabic for ldquocommentrdquo and another word that comes from the same semantic root moaallakat which is a corpus of selected pre-Islamic poetry that was written with gold ink on the walls of the Karsquoaba in Mecca His work may be heard at soundcloudcomElRass

FAREEQ EL ATRASH is a hip hop band based out of Hamra St Beirut with a sound that is distinguished by laid back topical flows over live instrumentation It consists of Edd (raps) Nasser (raps) FZ (vocal production and FX) Fouad Afra (drums) Goo (plays guitar keys heart strings) and Abed Kobeissy (plays bass and buzuk) Their 2010 album and 2009 prealbum are available online More of their work may be found on Facebook Eddrsquos solo work can also be heard at soundcloudcomEdd

H2Z was born in Kuwait in 1986 where he lived for four years Due to the gulf war his family moved to Lebanon where he lived for the most part of his life Inspired by the tragic events in the Middle East and elsewhere in the world H2Z adopted rap music as a way to raise awareness about the injustices suffered by his people and to deliver a message through his music to anyone who supports the Palestinian cause His career began in 2004 when he was introduced to the production business by fellow rappers and soon he started producing his own tracks and established a local band producing many tracks for himself and other musicians in Lebanon In 2008 he released his first solo album titled 3aed which contained

17 tracks The political influence was noticed throughout the album and was generally well-received He is now studying for a degree in business administration at Wayne State University in Michigan His work may be heard at reverbnationcomh2z

KATIBEH 5 are based in Borj el Barajneh Lebanon Their work can be found at reverbnationcomkatibeh5 and myspacecomkatibe5palestine and on Facebook

M1 is Mutulu Olugbala of the New York based collective Dead Prez whose work is online at deadprezcom M1 is also on Facebook

MC GAZA is Adnan Mahmoud Ghonim an Algerian born artist and university student based in Gaza It was the beginning of 2005 when he attended one of the hip hop concerts in Gaza City ndash Gaza City that never appreciated the art he loved and attached himself to ndash and it was love at first sight between them Through some of the concerts he participated in a number of songs he collaborated on with Arabs from Egypt Algeria and Palestine and some active participation to represent the Palestinian people and interviews for both Arab and foreign press he was able to make a name for himself in the Gazan hip hop community His work may be found at youtubecomMCGaza and on Facebook

THE NARCICYST Having pioneered the Arab Hip-Hop movement with seminal Iraqi-Canadian crew Euphrates The Narcicyst recently broke through borders and shattered traveling etiquette touring solo around the world sharing stages with the likes of Brother Ali Mos Def and Kanye West to name a few On top of music The Narcicyst is a celebrated theorist whose academic work Fear of an Arab Planet has him from the stage to the classrooms of internationally renowned universities He is now also a professor at Concordia University teaching a Fine Arts course ldquoHip-Hop Past Present and Futurerdquo His writings have been published by multiple university presses and magazines internationally he is also a self-published author having recently released the biographical and social-study on the Arab world The Diatribes of a Dying Tribe As a true artist interested in really pushing his own artistic boundaries The Narcicyst has stepped into acting currently starring in the short music film PHATWA and in the first internationally-released film from the United Arab Emirates called City of Life A true multi-media

111110

KHALED AL HILLI is a PhD candidate in Comparative Literature at the Graduate Center City University of New York He has a BA in English Literature and a Masterrsquos degree in Teaching Second Languages Born in Iraq Khaled has taught in Lebanon and Saudi Arabia at both college and high school levels He has also worked with various Iraqi news outlets and has subtitledtranslated documentary films dealing with current social and political issues His research interests include Arabic political literature prison literature and literature in the diaspora He may be reached at hillykhalidgmailcom

+AZIZ is a NYC-based marketing consultant and a musician He is working through The World Music Parade to develop an animation project based on his music More about that project can be found at themusicparadetumblrcom He tweets from plusaziz

FAYSAL BIBI is a paleontologist and electronic musician currently based in Berlin

LOUBNA BILALI is originally from Morocco She did her undergrad and first MA in English Linguistics at Chouaib Doukkali University El Jadida She came to the US in 2008 to pursue a Masterrsquos degree in French to English translation and is currently working on a PhD in translation studies at Kent State University in Ohio She is very interested in learning and teaching languages as well as translating and localizing computer applications and websites She may be reached at loubnabilaligmailcom

FARAH ELREWAISSATI is a freelance translator pro-Palestine activist and BDS advocate who blogs at youthanormalizationblogspotcom She tweets from 3beee

NIZAR GHANEM was born in Lebanon He has been active in intercultural education interactive learning and conflict resolution across the Arab world His work on conflict resolution involved using theater comics and music as tools for emotional expression and social mobilization

RIMA NAJDI is a Performing Artist She studied dramatic arts at the Lebanese University in Beirut and obtained a Masterrsquos degree in Performance Studies at NYU New York She has written and performed in various plays and performances Najdi is particularly interested in multi-media performing arts and the position of the spectators

BARRAK ALZAID (copy editor) is the Artistic Director of ArteEast He is the editor of the ArteEast Quarterly a dynamic online portal featuring four publications that highlight contemporary art and culture from the Middle East and diaspora ndash ArtersquoZine Shahadat (contemporary short-form literature) Gallery and Cinematek (an online film center) He is also the curator for ArteEastrsquos Across Histories Art Talk Series featuring a series of panels on residencies in Fall 2011 He tweets from barrakster

RAYYA EL ZEIN (editor) is working towards a PhD in Theatre at the Graduate Center City University of New York Her research is increasingly focusing on theories of reception historical studies of audience behavior and popular culture in the Arab world She holds an MA in Performance Studies from NYU and is currently a teaching fellow at City College in Harlem She tweets from rayelz

translator biosdreamer Yassin recently established an arts label in the UAE called The Medium focusing on delivering art from Arabs in the diaspora and at lsquohomersquo to the rest of the world iraqisthebombcom He tweets from TheNarcicyst

OMAR OFFENDUM is a Syrian-American hip hop artist born in Saudi Arabia raised in Washington DC and living in Los Angeles Known for taking audiences on a lyrical journey from the jasmine-tree-lined courtyards of Nizar Qabbanirsquos Damascene homes to the flooded riverbanks of Langston Hughesrsquo Harlem Renaissance poems - Offendum has been featured on several major news outlets (BBC Yahoo ABC News Aljazeera PBS) toured the world to promote his ground-breaking music helped raise thousands of dollars for various humanitarian relief organizations (PCRF KinderUSA ANERA Islamic Relief) lectured at a number of prestigious academic institutions (Harvard MIT Stanford Columbia American University of Beirut NYU-AbuDhabi Qatar Education City) and most recently been involved in creating several critically-acclaimed songs about the popular democratic uprisings throughout the Middle East amp North Africa He is currently hard at work promoting his solo release - affectionately dubbed SyrianamericanA His work may be heard (and read) at offendumbandcampcom He is on Facebook and he tweets from Offendum

RAMALLAH UNDERGROUND based in Ramallah Palestine was born from the immediacy of musical experimentation and out of the need to give voice to a generation of Palestinians and Arabs facing a turbulent and uncertain political landscape The collective was founded by artists Boikutt Stormtrap and Aswatt and has always held a commitment to both the honesty of their work and the need to creatively rejuvenate Arabic culture To this end they combine music ranging from Arabic electronic music hip-hop and trip hop to downtempo with a deep sense of their local culture and the imposing presence of Palestine in their lives The outcome is a new specific and distinct sound RU (as producers and as MCrsquos ) has collaborated with numerous artists across the globe including countries like Lebanon UK Switzerland Italy USA France and many more including a collaboration with Slovo (a band headed by the guitarist from faithless) in their track ldquoNakbardquo which appears on their album Todo Cambia and with Kronos Quartet in the track ldquoTashweeshrdquo which appears on Floodplain RU has also performed live shows in Ramallah Bethlehem Vienna London Cairo Lausanne Amsterdam and Washington DC Their shows are mainly a performance of their hip-hop tracks as well as a few of their own electronic productions as a warm up More recently RU has incorporated a visual set in their live

performances brought to you by Palestinian visual artist Ruanne RU hopes to give a voice to Palestinians and Arabs bringing an alternative voice from the Arab world Their lyrics and music are an expression of anguish and defiance ultimately remaining a defiant voice of the colonized against the colonizer They continue to play a big role in the Arab underground cultural scene while slowly gaining wide global and local popularity

SHADIA MANSOURrsquos work can be found at myspacecomshadiamusic and on Facebook

STORMTRAP is a music producercomposerMC from Palestine Experimenting with old samples instruments and field recordings his sound is the result of a fusion of ambient atmospheres combined with various noises and hip hop beats His lyrics deal with different themes inspired mainly by his personal experiences in Palestine and life in the diaspora Stormtrap played a fundamental role in forming the band Ramallah Underground with which he has performed worldwide the past few years Currently he is working in Vienna with Aras Seyhan and Eren Ileri on a new album which combines live instruments synthesizers turntables beats and Arabic lyrics- which will be released early 2012 His work may be heard at soundcloudcomstormtrap He tweets from asifeh

AMEER YOSSEF 25 has sung and writen music with the band Klaket for the past four years His work may be heard at youtubecomAmeer and on Facebook

towards the work Her work for now concentrates on the process of making interactive and participatory performances that question borders stereotypes and languages

MOE ALI NAYEL is a fixer and a journalist based in Beirut Lebanon He uses social media blogging non-mainstream music journalism and writing as a word spreading eye opening socializing arena He uses social media as a bridge that cuts distance between people on this planet making it a tiny village This bridge starts in his office and takes him to every corner in the world enabling him to connect and network with people and cultures sharing and exchanging stories of the unheard and the neglected He blogs at Words of Action and he tweets from MoeAliNay

ALEX ORTIZ is a video and radio journalist and translator based in Cairo Egypt He graduated from Brown University in 2009 with a double major in Comparative Literature and Middle East Studies He was a CASA I fellow from 2009-2010 and a CASA II fellow from 2010-2011 He currently works for CBS News as a field producer He tweets from cairowitness

AHMED SHAWKET is an independent translator living in Cairo Egypt He is a graduate of the Helwan University Faculty of Arts where he majored in philosophy Ahmed works on literary media and commercial translation

113112

ABOUT SHAHADATShahadat is a quarterly online series designed to provide a platform for short-form writing and experimentation in writing by young and underexposed writers from the MENA region (Middle East and North Africa) The series features stories vignettes reflections and chronicles in translation and the original language of Arabic Farsi Turkish or Kurdish It makes up one quarter of ArteEastrsquos online programming the AE Quarterly For past issues of Shahadat click here

ABOUT THIS SERIES Shahadat is proud to run two alternating series and releases two issues a year of each The issue yoursquove just perused is part of the ldquoExploring Popular Literaturerdquo series This series challenges traditional understandings of ldquoliteraturerdquo emerging from the Middle East and North Africa by presenting genres of creative production that rely on words and language but which have not typically been studied as literature Works are presented in their original language and in translation

In each issue we gather texts from a spectrum of writers to challenge the singular status of the artistauthor and to encourage a more complex presentation of the Middle Eastern and North African ldquostreetrdquo for English-speaking audiences Shahadatrsquos other series ldquoContemporary Literature in Translationrdquo features the work of a single young author in the original language and in English translation

BEHIND THE DOCUMENTShahadat is co-edited by Rayya El Zein Alex Ortiz and ArteEastrsquos Artistic Director Barrak Alzaid All three are young professionals and scholars with artistic inclinations (literature poetry translation and performance) All three have strong connections to New York City and various metropole of the MENA region Shahadat is for us an experiment and a labor of love An editorial board of established scholars and authors is currently being conceived

SPECIAL THANKS TOAnmar El ZeinKinda AkashAndrew JohnstonLivia Alexander

Shahadat logo design by Rima Farouki

114

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Page 12: Shahadat Winter 2012

2322

فترة إنتقاليةفقرة إعالنية

شاي وكليوبتراوشوش صفرا سهرانة

عالنشرة اإلخباريةركلة جزائية

واجلمهور مستني الهدفكل يوم في الصحف

نقرا نبأ عن كلب نهب البلدأوقف عندك رجع الذهب

مش إنت بردو اللي كنت مسؤول عن إعالم بلدتصاريح كاذبة كالم عجب

الصعب عدا والتاريخ إنكتبأوعى تفتكر الشعب تعب

الثورة بعد ما خلصت هلق بعدا مبلشةلدورنا شكلها وصلت وإنت بعدك بالفرشة

ولك قوم وقاف الحق بسنانك تفرشيولك قوم وقاف إذ فيك نظامك عم بخزوق

قوم يا مصري ما فيش ثورة بتخلص في يوم وليلةدوس على نفسك شوية

استحمل شد حيلكما تخافش على عجلة اإلنتاج

الزم ثورة على الذاتeبكرا أحسن من اللي فات l D e e b + E d d

A transitional period

A commercial break

Tea and Cleopatra

Yellow faces staying up at night

To follow the newscast

A penalty

The audience is waiting for the goal

Every day in newspapers

We read news about a dog that has looted the country

Stop return the gold

Werenrsquot you in charge of the countryrsquos media

False statements odd expressions

The hard part is over and history has been written

Donrsquot think that the people are exhausted

The revolution is not over yet it has just begun

Looks like itrsquos our turn now and yoursquore still in bed

Crsquomon get up Yoursquoll brush your teeth later

Crsquomon get up Move your regime is screwing you

Rise up oh Egyptian No revolution finishes in a night and a day

Bear with it a little

Have endurance and tolerance

Donrsquot be afraid of the cycle of production

There should be a revolution against oneself

Tomorrow is better than the past

T r a n s l a t e d b y F a r a h E l R e w a i s s a t i

2oum Ya Masry (feat Edd) (Prod by Edd)

Deeb

null

2011

24930304

eng - Visit httpdeebbandcampcom

2524

بلسان فاكريني انو مافيهوش فن هتكلم عن كل حلم اترسم من غضبهم اتدفن

اتقسم احتاط باأللم منلفكر فاملرحلة السمعيه واحللول اللى تنقذ عناوين جانبيه ارهابية من عيون معنية باستقاللية بعد حروب عاملية محمية متدارية

منسية مرمية على اكتاف مش مرضية مستخبية بطريقة اتكالية عاالراضى العربية

بسلبية مرئية انتهازية وراء االعالم االسالمية بباينوا النيه

احتيالية عنادية سيكوباتية سرية انانية استراتيجية ضد االنسانية

و بعد املسايسة متابعة من قاعة املشاهدة لكل عربى بيتزل مستانى مساعدة

A r a b i a n K n i g h t z + S h a d i a M a n s o u r

They presume the tongue has no art so I will speak

About every dream that was drawn from their anger and got buried

It got divided surrounded by pain

And the solutions that might work are sidelined and smeared as terrorist

From eyes that are interested in independence

After world wars protected and hidden

Forgotten and thrown on unsatisfied shoulders

Concealed with consent in Arab lands

With obvious opportunism

Beneath Islamic publicity intentions show through

Fraudulent stubborn psychopathic

A secret selfish strategy against mankind

And after politics we keep tabs on things from the screening room

For every Arab who gets humiliated I am waiting for help

prisonerThis track contains verses that were originally written in English السجني

Prisoner

Arabian Knightz + Shadia Mansour

Shahadat Winter 2012 track 316

Hip Hop

26518704

2726

ماخالص كسروا بنا كلمة مسانده و من عقولنا اخدوا الورق اللى يكسب فى اللعبة

أنا عايز بلد حرة من الظلم

عايز بلد حرة من القهر عايز بلد حرة من الشر

عايز أرضي وأرض العرب العرب العرب العرب

A r a b i a n K n i g h t z + S h a d i a M a n s o u r

But itrsquos over they shattered for us the word ldquosolidarityldquo

And from our minds they took the cards that win the game

I want a country free of tyranny

I want a country free of oppression

I want a country free of evil

I want my land and the land of Arabs

Arabs Arabs Arabs

Destructive destruction destroying my district

Anti-Christ running in spreading evil wisdom

Irsquom destroying the oppressors in Arabic settlements

Known for blowing up beats and governments

My peeps die in their cribs while yrsquoall close your eyes

Two of yrsquoall are kidnapped you call it a terrorist crime

The media

Is backing up

Murderous propaganda

While we fight eternally like immortal high landers

Al Durrah Sheikh Yassin the pains unseen

Forging your own stories for the blind to see

Want to draw your own opinions bout the bombs we face

Whatrsquos your opinion if yoursquore enslaved and your mom is raped

Itrsquos too easy to speak when yoursquore far from the heat

To the White House I creep and yes Irsquom armed to the teeth

With a mic and a pen and a pad herersquos your evidence

ldquoWeapons of Mass Destructionldquo Mr President

Prisoner

Arabian Knightz + Shadia Mansour

Shahadat Winter 2012 track 316

Hip Hop

26518704

2928

أنا عايز بلد حرة من الظلم عايز بلد حرة من القهر

عايز بلد حرة من الشر عايز أرضي وأرض العرب

العرب العرب العرب

إحنا منمشي بالكرامة والثقة بالنفس معصنا قوانينكم بالثبوت بالدم

لو إن ضميركم بتريحكم بتتكلموا من ورا الفرد

قللي مني ما عم ينام بالليل عنجد ع بني انتو بتبنوا حواجز إحن بنكبر عيالنا

وبنظلنا نزيد العدد إحن السبب ليش ما بتسترجوا تغمضوا عني

في فرق كبير بني مقاوم ومقررين

A r a b i a n K n i g h t z + S h a d i a M a n s o u r

I want a country free of tyranny

I want a country free of oppression

I want a country free of evil

I want my land and the land of Arabs

Arabs Arabs Arabs

Theyrsquore dropping bombs over Baghdad

Libnan Afghan Palestinians Bin Laden Saddam

Listen Islam is all about the peace man

But wars up in these streets man

Got me loosinrsquo sleep damn

Mr Politician I got a little question

How come you are eating and all your peoples isnrsquot

I am on a mission to break up out of this prison

If yoursquore with me share my vision

Letrsquos start by saving the children

We walk with dignity and confidence in ourselves

We crushed your laws with our steadfastness and blood

If your conscience was giving you peace

You wouldnrsquot be communicating from behind a gun

Tell me whorsquos the one not getting sleep at night

While you build your checkpoints we raise the kids

Our numbers will keep increasing

We are the reason you donrsquot dare to blink

There is a big difference between a man of resistance and decision makers

T r a n s l a t e d b y N i z a r G h a n e m + S h a d i a M a n s o u r

Prisoner

Arabian Knightz + Shadia Mansour

Shahadat Winter 2012 track 316

Hip Hop

26518704

3130

النظام العاملي اجلديداحلاسة السادسة

و بدهم يردوا يعلموك النشيدنار شديد بس كله نسبي

جينا و نسيناأخبار فورية بتنهضم و بتمشينا

إللي فينا مكفينا رايح عغزة بالسفينة

و ما يأتي قبل الفكر أم الفعلملجرد الذكر لشخص مبنج قلب نكد وزعل

و طلب السعرمش حنبيع

ملا بتشتي بتشتي عاجلميعو زمن أول حتول

و مش قادرين نتجول فا مش حنضيعbشيء مريع o i k u t t

The new world order

The sixth sense

And they want to teach you the anthem anew

Heavy fire but itrsquos all relative

We came and forgot

Instant news digested and keeps us moving

Wersquove had enough

Going to Gaza by boat

What comes first Thought or action

The mere question to a numb person makes him grumpy and upset

And asking for the price

We wonrsquot sell

When it rains it rains over everybody

The old times have changed

We are under house arrest so we wonrsquot get lost

Itrsquos a horrible thing

igniteولع

Walle

boikutt

null

1746378

3332

مرات بتفهم النبرة غلطبس هلئ فهمني منيح

جريح بدون تلقيح تصريح صريح بدون تلميح

فظيعكيف خلونا نطيع

بوقت تشييع جثمان الضاضمضاض لإلنتفاض ثورة الثروة قيد التصنيع

فيعبوجه عقود بقبضة من حديد

من هون لقرية بال متديدبدون مانروح لبعيد

جتميد روؤس أموال و نوويةمصلحة أول مستفيد

بتدوب بشعلة من سيدي بوزيد

ولعشوف اكمن دكتاتور منقلعولعشوف اكمن دكتاتور منقلع

ولع شوف اكمن دكتاتور منقلعصوت الثورة بكل مكان و عم منسمع

من حكام لنوابو ال استثني احدا منكم

ما بيهمكمحلد ما الهتافات تتوجه إلكم إتهزكم

أفهمكمbاإلستبداد تارك الشارع بإستعداد o i k u t t

Sometimes you misunderstand a tone

But now you understand me correctly

Wounded without vaccination

A blatant statement without any hinting

Unbelievable

How they made us obey

At the funeral of the corpse of the [quintessential Arabic letter] Ddad

Counter revolution the revolution of wealth is in process

Rise

In the face of decades under an iron fist

From here to a village without extension

Without going too far

Freezing of capital and nuclear war heads

The interest of the primary beneficiary

Melts with a flame from Sidibouzid

Ignitesee how many dictators wersquoll uproot

Ignitesee how many dictators wersquoll uproot

Ignitesee how many dictators wersquoll uproot

The sound of revolution is everywhere we make it heard

From leaders to parliamentarians

I do not exclude any of you

But you donrsquot care

Until chants are directed at you and shake you

Let me explain

Tyranny leaves the street prepared

Walle

boikutt

null

1746378

3534

من املزارع بوسط البالدفعل مضارع للرماد

فا إنصرف زاي فلوس الدولة إللي طريقها إنحرفوإنعرف و إنصبت بجيوب هالطرف من شوفرية الشرف

حتية خاصة ألسود ميدان التحريرلتعديل دستور التعتير

إن صح التعبير

عندي نظر األطرشو سمع األعمى

عايشني حياة و مكلبشني باخلوف بنفس الوقت فا قللي شو املعنىتاريخ شجعنا

الوضع الراهن منعناناس بتمر و بتسمعنا

بدون جتاوب جتارب فجاوبيا ضدنا يا معنا

إرفع قبضة الصمود فوق في الهوا ثابتةإنتفاضة أولى و ثانية بس الثالثة نابتة

أطراف كابتةبس قد ما يحاولوا ميحوا ويحطوا الناس كاتبة

بالتفاصيل و كامتة

ولعhellip شوف اكمن دكتاتور منقلعولعhellip شوف اكمن دكتاتور منقلع

ولع شوف اكمن دكتاتور منقلعصوت الثورة بكل مكان و عم منسمع

ولعhellip شوف اكمن دكتاتور منقلعbو صفهم عالدور واحد واحدhellipو شنع o i k u t t

From the farmers in the center

Changing present tense to ashes

So vanish like the statersquos money whose road has deviated

It is known that it ended up in the pockets of the corrupt who claim to be clean

A special salute to the lions of Tahrir Square

For amending the constitution of misfortune

If that can be said

I have the sight of the deaf

And the hearing of the blind

Leading a life while chained by fear at the same time so tell me whatrsquos the point

History encouraged us

The current situation prevented us

People pass by and hear us

Without any response -- testing -- so answer

Yoursquore either with us or against us

Raise the fist of resistance up in the air

A first and second Intifada but the third is sprouting

Oppressive groups

No matter how hard they try to erase and replace people have written

In details and know by heart

Ignitesee how many dictators wersquoll uproot

Ignitesee how many dictators wersquoll uproot

Ignitesee how many dictators wersquoll uproot

The sound of revolution is everywhere we make it heard

Ignitesee how many dictators wersquoll uproot

Line them up in turn one after the other and defame them

T r a n s l a t e d b y F a r a h E l R e w a i s s a t i

Walle

boikutt

null

1746378

3736

ولك انا ابن عكا وبن يافا و طولكرم انا ابن كل شبر من البحر للنهر

االرض الي حملت موسى مرمي واملسيح انااملقابر يلي فاضت من كتر التوابيت

انا اخليمة بيت التنك واحلصيرة والكانون والبيوت املسروقة والدم املهدور

انا الهوى يالي حامل الغضب والبكاوالطرقات يلي بتغرق مع كل نقطة الشتا

انا رصاصة من املجاهد عم تعبر حلدود انا حزام من القنابل مشتاق لليهود

لطفل على باب املستشفى عم بيموتانا الجئ ممنوع من العمل مكروه

انا اين املخيم يلي عاطل عن العمل سيجارة احلشيش يلي بتمحي شوية الم

H 2 Z

Irsquom the son of Acre Jaffa and Tulkarem

Irsquom the son of every inch from the river to the sea

Irsquom the land that carried Moses Mary and the Christ

Irsquom the cemeteries that overflow with coffins

Irsquom the tent the tin house the mat and the stove

The stolen houses and the wasted blood

Irsquom the wind that bears anger and tears

The roads that drown in a single drop of rain

I am a bullet that crosses borders

Irsquom a grenade against Zionists

A child that dies waiting outside the hospital

Irsquom a hated refugee whorsquos prohibited from working

Irsquom the son of the camps always unemployed

The hash cigarettes that ease the pain

iانا فلسطيني am palest inian

Ana Falasteeni

H27

null

17782504

eng - iTunNORM 0000057E 0000056B 00004E0F 00004D32 00021C96 00021C96 00008000 00008000 0000ECEA 00007530

3938

حيطان هالبيت يلي بكره رح ينردم انا االحمر واالسود واالخضر من هالعلم

من دم االبطال من دموع الاطفالمن اجلحيم التشرد واجلوء واالنكسار

من ظلم االحتاللمن حلم االستقالل

من ارض الزيتونوالصليب والهالل

انا حافظ احلواجز بكل بالد العالممن النادر انو بيوم يعتبروني بني ادم انا سنني االعتقال انا غرف التعذيب

الوجع والصريخ واجلروح الي ما بطيبانا شعب ما انهزم بس عمرو ما انتصر

انا اكبر ارهابي الني حامل حجر اسير طول عمرو رافض انو بيوم ميوت بس معاهدة سالم بتنفي اني موجود

انا القدس بيت حلم ومخيم جننياالدان واجلراس الهالل والصليب

املدافن واملدارس وكنسية املسيح الشوارع القدمية والبيت العتيق

انا ركوة الشاي و سندويشة الفالفلالكرم والبخل واالخالق واملهازل

الكذب والصدق واخليانة والصمود Hانا فلسطيني حلتى اموت 2 Z

The walls of the house that I hate thatrsquos about to get demolished

I am the red and black and green in this flag

From the blood of heroes from the tears of children

From the hell of homelessness and broken refugees

From the oppression of the occupation

From the dream of independence

Irsquom from the land of the olives

The cross and crescent

I know all the checkpoints in all countries of the world

It is where they consider me a human being

Irsquom years of capture Irsquom the torture chambers

The pain and the screams and the wounds that never heal

I was never defeated but never had a victory

Irsquom the biggest terrorist because I carry a stone

A prisoner who spends his whole life refusing to die

But a peace treaty forgets that Irsquom alive

Irsquom Jerusalem Bethlehem and Jenin refugee camp

The call to prayer the bells the crescent and the cross

The old cemeteries schools and church of Christ

The old streets and the ancient house

Irsquom the tea cup and the falafel sandwich

Generosity and greed morality and farce

Lies and betrayal and honesty and persistence

I am Palestinian until I die

T r a n s l a t e d b y t h e a r t i s t

Ana Falasteeni

H27

null

17782504

eng - iTunNORM 0000057E 0000056B 00004E0F 00004D32 00021C96 00021C96 00008000 00008000 0000ECEA 00007530

4140

صباح اخلير با والد عمومناتفضلوا شرفونا

شو بتحبوا نضيفكم دم عربي وال دموع من عيوننابعتقد هيك تأملوا نستقبلن

هيك تعقدوا ملا تدركوا على غلطتهنمن هيك لبسنا الكوفية

البيضة والسودةصاروا كالب الزمان يلبسوها كموضة

مهما تفننوا فيامهما غيروا بلونا

كوفية عربية بتضال عربية

حطتنا بدن ياهاثقافتنا بدن ياها

S h a d i a M a n s o u r w i t h M 1 o f D e a d P r e z

Good morning cousins

Come in and honor us with your presence

What would you like us to serve you Arab blood or tears from our eyes

I think thatrsquos how they hoped we would recieve them

Thatrsquos why they got tangled up when they tripped up on their own mistake

Thatrsquos why we wore the kufeyyeh

The black and white one

Dogs of the past started to wear it as a fashion statement

However they change it

Whatever colour they make it

The Kufeyyeh is Arab and will always be Arab

Our scarf they want it

Our intellect they want it

kufeyyeh arabeyyeh الكوفية عربية

Kufeyyeh Arabeyyeh

Shadia Mansour and M1

Shahadat Winter 2012 track 616

Hip Hop

26239166

4342

كرامتنا بدن ياهاكل شي إلنا بدن ياه

ما رح نسكتلن نسمحلن الالبقلن يسرقوا شغلة مش إلهن ما خصن فيا

بيقلدونا باللبسكل هاألرض بيكفيهنش

طمعانني عالقدسإعرفوا كيف تكونوا بشر

قبل ما تلبسوا الكوفيةجينا نذكرن مني إحنا

وغصبا من عن أبوهم هاي حطتنا

من هيك لبسنا الكوفيةألنها وطنية

الكوفية الكوفية عربيةمن هيك لبسنا الكوفية

هويتنا األساسيةالكوفية الكوفية عربية

يال علي الكوفيةعلولي هالكوفية

الكوفية الكوفية عربيةعلوها لبالد الشام

كوفية عربية بتضال عربية

ما في بعد متل الشعب العربيفرجوني أية أمة بالدنيا أكثر مأثرة

الصورة واضحة نحنا مهد احلضارة

S h a d i a M a n s o u r w i t h M 1 o f D e a d P r e z

Our dignity they want it

Everything thatrsquos ours they want it

We will not be silent will not allow it

It suits them to steal something that ainrsquot theirs

They imitate our style

As if all this land werenrsquot not enough

Thirsting after Jerusalem

Know how to be human

Before you wear our scarf

We came to remind them who we are

And like it or not itrsquos our right

Thatrsquos why we wore the kufeyyeh

Because it is nationalistic

The kufeyyeh is Arab

Thatrsquos why we wore the kufeyyeh

Because it is our original identity

The kufeyyeh is Arab

Come on raise your kufeyyehs

Raise that kufeyyeh

The kufeyyeh is Arab

Raise it up for bilad ersquosham [Greater Syria the wider Arab world]

The kufeyyeh is Arab and will always be Arab

There are no others like the Arab people

Show me one region in the world that is more influencial

The picture is clear we are the origins of civilization

Kufeyyeh Arabeyyeh

Shadia Mansour and M1

Shahadat Winter 2012 track 616

Hip Hop

26239166

4544

تاريخنا وتراثنا الشاهد على وجودنامن هيك لبست التوب الفلسطيني

من حيفا جنني جبل النار إلى رام اللهخليني شوف الكوفية

البيضة واحلمراخلينا نعليها لفوق بالسما

أنا شادية العربلساني بغز غزبلساني بهز هز

كلمات احلربسجل أنا شادية منصور

واحلطة هويتيمن يوم ما خلقت

سيدي والشعب مسؤوليتيلكن تربيت بني الشرق وبني الغرب

بني لغتنيبني بخيل بني فقير

شفت احلياة من اجلهتنيبس علمتني الكوفية

كيف ما لبستونيوين ما شلحتوني

بضلني عأصولي فلسطينية

S h a d i a M a n s o u r w i t h M 1 o f D e a d P r e z

Our history traditions and customs bear witness to our existence

Thatrsquos why I wear the Palestinian dress

From Haifa Jenin Jabal El Naar to Ramallah

Let me see the kufeyyeh

The red and white one

Letrsquos raise it up to the sky

I am the singer of the Arabs

Like an earthquake I shake the ground

My words are war

Record this

I am Shadia Mansour

And this scarf is my ID

From the day I was born the people have been my responsibility

Look I was raised between the East and the West

Between two languages

Between the rich and the poor

Irsquove seen life from both sides

However the kufeyyeh has taught me

However you wear me

Wherever you leave me

I stay true to my origin Palestinian

T r a n s l a t e d b y t h e a r t i s t w i t h F a r a h E l R e w a i s s a t i

Kufeyyeh Arabeyyeh

Shadia Mansour and M1

Shahadat Winter 2012 track 616

Hip Hop

26239166

4746

حمامة سالم افتحي أجنحتكي و طيري

وين الوعي - وين امشوا معي هني وادي بني اجلبلني عني حب للطرفني

أمهاتنا حبت ذاتنا بس مو عاجبهن مسباتنا هذا احلكي بني اخواتنا

Oزين العرب واألمريكان m a r O f f e n d u m

This track contains verses that were originally written in English

You are my

(Destiny)

Itrsquos hard livinrsquo in the West - when I know the East got the best of me

(Destiny)

Could be lookinrsquo in my eyes - but yoursquoll never really see the rest of me

(Destiny)

Can you hear me maseeri [my destiny] Bi-lingualrsquos what Irsquom blessed to be

(Destiny)

Dove of Peace

Spread your wings amp fly

Consciousness What consciousness - where is it

Take a walk with me

Here in this valley between two ldquomountainsldquo

Where the source of love for both ldquosidesldquo can be found

Our mothers like us

But donrsquot like our foul language

So letrsquos keep this between the siblings

The best of Arabs amp Americans

destمصيري iny

7 Destiny

Omar Offendum

The Peace Revolution 20

21332892

eng - iTunNORM 000006D3 000006F2 000038BA 0000322F 0000E4FA 0000E4FA 00008716 0000864B 0002AB5E 000083D6

eng - iTunSMPB 00000000 00000210 0000094B 00000000008F7FA5 00000000 004108FB 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000

4948

وألله يرحم كل أمواتنا أغاني

مثل املهامتة إذا قلنا العني بالعني

ما صفى عندنا عيون بالشام بالد الشام

من فلسطني إلى جبال لبنان قبل ما اخترعوا احلدود

من اإلسكندرون إلى كردستان فهمان

جنجس خان ما خان قد ما خانونا أوالد العم بس دمنا دمهم

بني أدم - بنو ذمنبهم على أكتافنا - شلنا همهم

ليه الله بيعلم

بس ليك هذا الفتيش والبسكليت احسنلك من 100000000 مسدس

تعرف ليه ألن مو عاجبهم بسمتك

بس إبتسم برسمتك شاب عربي ومثقف

أعطيهم ختمتك وإذا لسة مو راضني

ذكرهم بكالم إيليية )أبي ماضي( raquoنسي الطني ساعة أنه طنيlaquo

Oوهذه هي القضاء والقدر يا حبيبي m a r O f f e n d u m

And may God have mercy on all our dead

Songs I sing

Like the Mahatma [the line above and the line below are linked through the sound of the name and the figure of Mahatama Ghandi]

If we say lsquoan eye for an eyersquo

There wont be any eyes left in Sham [Damascus]

Bilad al-Sham [Greater Syria the wider Arab world]

From Palestine to the mountains of Lebanon

Before they made up these borders

From Iskandaroon to Kurdistan

Understand

Genghis Khan never deceived us quite like our ldquopaternal cousinsldquo [khan also means ldquodeceiveldquo in Arabic]

But our blood is their blood

Children of Adam -- who built their sins

Upon our shoulders -- we carried their burden

Why

God knows

But listen this little firecracker amp bicycle

Are better for you than 100 million guns

Wanna know why

Because they dont like seeing you smile

But smile you will - in your human being

A young cultured Arab male

Give them your stamp of approval

And if they still donrsquot accept you

Then remind them of the words of Elliye [Abi-Madhee a Lebanese poet whose poem begins with]

ldquoHow soon a piece of dirt can forget that all he really is is just dirtldquo [ie we are all from this earth amp

will come back to it so there is no logic in viewing yourself as better than someone else]

And that my friend is our destiny

7 Destiny

Omar Offendum

The Peace Revolution 20

21332892

eng - iTunNORM 000006D3 000006F2 000038BA 0000322F 0000E4FA 0000E4FA 00008716 0000864B 0002AB5E 000083D6

eng - iTunSMPB 00000000 00000210 0000094B 00000000008F7FA5 00000000 004108FB 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000

5150

O m a r O f f e n d u m

Dove of Peace

Spread your wings amp fly

Make it easier to borrow

The aesthetics you bite

Like all the Arabic loanwords

From Spaniards amp Morros

The Karma of Inquisition

Visions of horror

So whorsquos the explorer

Really was it Columbus

Muhammad al-Idrisi or Alfaragnus

Throw a Hobson Jobson

While you figure it out

Irsquom gonna start with a cipher

Thatrsquos a siffir [zero] - no doubt

See you might not have learned to live with me

But sure as hell canrsquot without

You are my

You are my

(Destiny)

Itrsquos hard livinrsquo in the West - when I know the East got the best of me

(Destiny)

Could be lookinrsquo in my eyes - but yoursquoll never really see the rest of me

(Destiny)

Can you hear me maseeri [my destiny] Bi-lingualrsquos what Irsquom blessed to be

(Destiny)

حمامة سالم افتحي أجنحتكي و طيري

I write right to left

You write left to right

Metaphor of a foreignerrsquos plight

Dressed to type

Stereo amp a mic

Scenario of a fight

The burial of a white

Imperial at his heightrsquos

A Turkish Rapperrsquos Delight

Semetic etiquette might

Just have you rollin your ldquoRrsquosldquo

Poetic amp light

And grab a hold of your sorrows

To relieve your tomorrows

7 Destiny

Omar Offendum

The Peace Revolution 20

21332892

eng - iTunNORM 000006D3 000006F2 000038BA 0000322F 0000E4FA 0000E4FA 00008716 0000864B 0002AB5E 000083D6

eng - iTunSMPB 00000000 00000210 0000094B 00000000008F7FA5 00000000 004108FB 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000

5352

O m a r O f f e n d u m

Dove of Peace

Spread your wings amp fly

Bitched out by the West

Press get a big shout

From the people gettinrsquo rich out of this (bout)

Now whatrsquos this really all about

Land money or power

It was the colonizerrsquos fault

But now itrsquos really just ours

Leavinrsquo a sour tase in our mouths

Like generational slave names

Whenever speakinrsquo out

Out-spoken leaders gettinrsquo taken out

Quicker than belligerent drunks in a bar

We a far cry from livinrsquo as one

T r a n s l a t e d b y t h e a r t i s t

(Destiny)

Itrsquos hard livinrsquo in the West - when I know the East got the best of me

(Destiny)

Could be lookinrsquo in my eyes - but yoursquoll never really see the rest of me

(Destiny)

Can you hear me maseeri [my destiny] Bi-lingualrsquos what Irsquom blessed to be

(Destiny)

حمامة سالم افتحي أجنحتكي و طيري

See arab [Arabs] shootin at each other

From Iraq to Falasteen [Palastine]

Syria to Libnan [Lebanon]

Algeria to Sudan

Pedagogy of the oppressed tricklinrsquo down

Conquerinrsquo through divisions

And sadly this isnrsquot the first time

One land one love one chance one blood

No fuss no fight Yeah right young blood

AKrsquos cheaper than a book

Crooked leaders in a hook

Gettinrsquo fished out

Missles gettinrsquo dished out

7 Destiny

Omar Offendum

The Peace Revolution 20

21332892

eng - iTunNORM 000006D3 000006F2 000038BA 0000322F 0000E4FA 0000E4FA 00008716 0000864B 0002AB5E 000083D6

eng - iTunSMPB 00000000 00000210 0000094B 00000000008F7FA5 00000000 004108FB 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000

5554

زي ما صار مبارح صار اليوم اطف التلفزيون امسك مايكروفون

زي ما صار مبارح صار اليوم اطف التلفزيون امسك مايكروفون

زي ما صار مبارح صار اليوم اطف التلفزيون امسك مايكروفون

زي ما صار مبارح صار اليوم اطف التلفزيون امسك مايكروفون

النه الوقت عم يسبق بقلك خي سالم بس اصبر

بدك تستني هاي اخلطط بعمرها ما تضبطبيدفعلك قد ما بدك عشان تسكت

واذا بتفتح متك طخة وحده وبعد بتسقط

s t o r m t r a p

What happened yesterday happens today

switch off your TV and grab a microphone

What happened yesterday happens today

switch off your TV and grab a microphone

What happened yesterday happens today

switch off your TV and grab a microphone

What happened yesterday happens today

switch off your TV and grab a microphone

Because time is racing

He keeps telling you peace is coming just be patient

You want to wait these plans never succeed

Hersquoll pay you as much as you want to keep you quiet

And if you open your mouth one shot will silence you

what happened yesterdayزي ما صار مبارح

Zey ma sar mbareh

Stormtrap

null

2009

1728613

eng - Visit httpstormtrapbandcampcom

5756

اركض اركض وخليك راكض

واذا بتفتح متك رح يقلك خليك ساكت رح يقلك انساك من هاملشاكل

حوشوا هالشواك وضبوا شناتكم واشتروا التذاكرففكر شوي وما تكنش أهبل

وين ما تروح في الدنيا رح تتبهدلمش شايف قدامي عم بسمع أصوات بيسألني

ليش لسه عايش هون روح عيش محل تانيبدي احك بس الكلمات مش طالعة من لساني

عنصرية هونن عنصرية هناك عنصرية كل ما اطلع برا الشباك

شيطان بيعمل حاله مالكبس هو بالواقع بدو يعيش بالك

جدار بيمثل عقلية ناس بدهاش تعيش معاك

زي ما صار مبارح صار اليوم اطف التلفزيون امسك مايكروفون

ما مبثل شخص او اشخاص مبثل فكرةاسم احلرية حاملينه

من بلد ما فيه حياة عاديةسواءا ضد االحتالل أو ضد العنصرية

أصواتكم وينايي خلوها تنسمع وتطلع نتائج ايجابية

فكمل كتابة او تسجيل وصدقني شغلك مش رايح عالفاضي

عشان الشي الوحيد اللي رح يروح هو احن اذا منضلنا علقانني فاملاضي

s t o r m t r a p

Run run

Keep running

And if you decide to speak hersquoll tell you just stay silent

Hersquoll tell you forget these problems

Save up some money pack your bags and buy your tickets

Think about it donrsquot be a fool

Wherever you go yoursquoll get humiliated

I canrsquot see in front of me Irsquom hearing voices asking

Why are you still living here Go live somewhere else

I want to respond but the words wonrsquot come out

Racism here racism there

Racism each time I look out the window

A devil in an angelrsquos disguise

In reality he wants to live without you

The apartheid wall represents the mentality of a people who donrsquot care to coexist

What happened yesterday happens today

switch off your TV and grab a microphone

I dont represent a person or a people I represent an idea

An idea called freedom

From a land lacking a normal life

Whether yoursquore struggling against occupation or against racism

Where is your voice

Let it be heard to achieve your goals

So keep writing and recording

Believe me your work wonrsquot be lost in vain

The only thing thatrsquoll disappear is us

If we stay stuck in the past

Zey ma sar mbareh

Stormtrap

null

2009

1728613

eng - Visit httpstormtrapbandcampcom

5958

شو الي حدثجينا من حتت األرض

هيهة القصة بدة عنا هدفوننشر أصواتنا لكل حدا

جيت من حتت أرض رام اللهما ح وقف اكتب كلمات وال مرة

عندي طاقة الزم أطلعها كل يوم وكل ساعةفاو انبنى مع الوقت ولسة عم بيطور تصور

تصورفاو انبنى مع الوقت ولسة عم بيطور تصور

زي ما صار مبارح صار اليوم اطف التلفزيون امسك مايكروفون

زي ما صار مبارح صار اليوم اطف التلفزيون امسك مايكروفون

s t o r m t r a p

What happened

We came from underground

The story begins we have an objective

To spread our voices to everyone

I came from the ruins of Ramallah and

I wonrsquot ever stop writing words

I have energy that I must release every day every hour

A flow thatrsquos been built and is still developing imagine

Imagine a flow thatrsquos been built and is still developing

What happened yesterday happens today

Switch off your TV and grab a microphone

What happened yesterday happens today

Switch off your TV and grab a microphone

T r a n s l a t e d b y t h e a r t i s t

Zey ma sar mbareh

Stormtrap

null

2009

1728613

eng - Visit httpstormtrapbandcampcom

6160

Wake up the People

Donrsquot doubt it

The Maker can see you

Right now

You want to get out and see doe

So clouded

Sell out to be dope

Right now

I see you plagued by your own doubt

Canrsquot step the game up

Like a snake when it rolled down

Staircase of a lone child

No bricks lain in a cold house

Where you sold out

All alone on an old couch

t h e N a r c i c y s t

No click like an untapped phone dial

Oh wow

I felt the same homie

Donrsquot shelter pain only

Then it came slowly

Never let the frame hold me (down)

Picture life for the love though

People tend to look the other way like Columbo

We deceived by the law just to love doe

Guess they took all the worth out to numb folks

And make a severed plan

Out of bitter man

What you want a medal man

Huh Do you really think yoursquore better than Then

All you really need is a long look

Two sixteens and a strong hook like

brassThis track was originally written in English

null

2149748

6362

Wake up the People

Donrsquot doubt it

The Maker can see you

Right now

You want to get out and see doe

So clouded

Sell out to be dope

Right now

Break

Hip hop like a fresh pelvis

Yoursquore gonna regret this shit like a dead Elvis

Busy wishing you could live less selfish

Crabs in a bucket duckinrsquo these dead shellfish

Industry got a brother feeling helpless

With an ill chorus and ride yoursquore more in the tide

When a flow canrsquot keep me above the water

t h e N a r c i c y s t

Let a wave carry me out and push me farther now

Internal Inferno ten journals written but Irsquom still not sure though

Do I really want to tour to jump hurdles To be heard

So-I-Can-Feel-Like-This

Man therersquos something that I might miss--

Naw Irsquove been bluffinrsquo

Lifersquos backwards like Ben Buttonsrsquo

Irsquom in love with the stage fright on a strange night

Feels good to get the words on a page right

Wake up the People

Donrsquot doubt it

The Maker can see you

Right now

You want to get out and see doe

So clouded

Sell out to be dope

Right now

null

2149748

6564

مبارح شفت بلمنام بيروت عمتغرق حتت رماد بركان فحموا الناس بس ال raquoسكاي بارlaquo كان بعده ولعان

بيروت ثبتت حبة الثورة اللي فينا نبتت ملا أحبطت نفوسنا من اجلمود

فينا بيروت حتركت عدم دمارنا وعدم حرية خيارنا

بيوت بيروت تعمرت سكرنا عجفاف دموعنا جفوننا عليها تسكرت فتخمرت

إذا بطلت تطير قدرك عألرض مقهور إذا وقفت تكسير بتصير جزء من الديكور

e l R a s s

Yesterday I dreamt Beirut was drowning under volcanic ash

The people were turned to charcoal but Sky Bar [a posh Beirut club] was still lit up

Beirut suppressed the seed of the revolution the one that sprouted

When our spirits were foiled from immobility

In us Beirut moved

On the blood of our destruction and the negation of our freedom of choice

The houses of Beirut are rebuilt

We got drunk on the dryness of our tears our eyelids closed on them and fermented

If you stop flying your destiny on land is distress

If you stop breaking you become part of the decoration

beirutبركان بيروت rsquos volcano

Blues

2125713

6766

بحاور بناور باآلخر بواجه التاج بتوضى بصلي بتوصلني أصوات أنات احملتاج

تأمل العلم بعري العمل من العمل خياري عنار خفيفة دوب املسمار وتستوي األفكار النظيفة

عمروا دمروا زمروا تذمروا ربك صبره دربه جربه

عقلن خربوا غربوا هربوا وقبلوا بالفن عحيط الشارع

عشرط ما يكون في شك بشارع هيدي مش عاصمة ثقافة هيدي حلبة املصارع بيروت ال تعرف في املاضي وال تعرب باملضارع

حتول التركيبة خلى العقل اجلامد فكر حاله مالك املدينة رقبته طويلة متل مالك احلزين وايده لوزيري

اعتبر نفسه أول مني اكتشف هلجزيرة بأجر الفقير شقق بأسعار مدروسة

بشكل تضل طموحاته ممعوسة نهبوا األرض من ربعي وصارت احلرب شركة استثمار مبفعول رجعي

حتت شعار إعادة اإلعمار لو ما كان خلص دوره وانتهى عقد االيجار

كان احلريري ما طار وما صار مطار احلريري عاصمة لبنان بتوازن بني ضريحني

واتنيناتن عاغتيالن في عالمة استفهام e واحد قدس املوت بس لسبب l R a s s

I discuss I maneuver ultimately I confront the crown

I perform ablutions I pray I receive the moaning of the needy

The meditation of knowledge strips work from hope

My choice is on low fire melting the nails and clean thoughts are ripening

They built they destroyed they honked they complained

Your god made him patient tested him and trained him

Their minds ruined westernized chased off

They accepted art pissed on back alleys

As long as there is no doubt in the streets

This is no capital of culture itrsquos a wrestling ring

Beirut canrsquot speak of itself in the past nor conjugate itself in the present

Transitions and transformations made the closed mind think he owns the city

His neck is long like a stork his fingers long like a politicianrsquos

He thinks himself the first who discovered this peninsula

He lets the poor rent apartments at prices studied

To crush ambitions

They stole the land from my cousins

And the war became a backward-looking investment

Under the slogan of reconstruction

If his time wasnrsquot up and his contract finished

Hariri didnrsquot have to fly and it wouldnrsquot have become the Hariri airport

Lebanonrsquos capital keeps balance between two shrines

And on both assassinations there is a question mark

One sanctifies death but for a reason

Blues

2125713

6968

واحد قدس احلياة بس بالكذب واحد بايدو حتول الذهب سم وواحد تخبى من الذهب بالدم

مني الشهيد

اللي مات حتت صبابيط ثورة عبيد شهيد اللي مات فتحول على حملة اعالنات هدفها ترفع الطايفة معدالت التجنيد

قنابل بالبريد وصل سيوف علوريد حصل

املوت للبليد صنم الصبر للعنيد حلم تأليه الشهيد ظلم

خليط احلديد والدم العالج والسم الرفاه والهم النوعية والكم

الدعارة وورقة التوت مبدينة بيروت علم

e l R a s s

And one sanctifies life with lies

In onersquos hand gold turned into poison

And the other hid from gold with blood

Who is the martyr

The one who died under the shoes of the oppressedrsquos uprising is a martyr

Is it he whose death was transformed into an advertising campaign to raise the levels of

sectarian enlistment

Bombs came in the mail

Swords to the jugular true stories

Death to the cold is statuette

Patience to the stubborn is a dream

Divinity to the martyr is oppression

The mixture of steel and blood the cure and poison

Luxury and distress quality and quantity

Prostitution and modesty

The science of the city of Beirut

T r a n s l a t e d b y M o e A l i N a y e l amp + A z i z

Blues

2125713

7170

بقرأ في اجلريدة زفت شوارع جديدة

إزالة مطبات و كثير أشياء هيك مفيدة أشخاص مستفيدة

دعم من هون و من هون منظمات بس احلرية بعيدة

مقاطعة مستوطنات تعون الضفة الغربية وطنية حصرية إدعائية

طب و فلسطني التاريخية مع ألساس كانت القدس عاصمة الثقافة العربية

بس كلوحكي سياسية للشعب إحنا نتحمل الشغل و التعب و الوضع صعب

b o i k u t t

Irsquom reading in the paper

About roads newly paved

Speed bumps removed and a lot of other useful stuff (yes very)

Certain inviduals benefit

Funding from here and there

Organizations are plentiful but freedom is far-fetched

Calling for a boycott of settlements around the West Bank

Pretentious exclusive nationalism

But what about historical Palestine

I thought Jerusalem was supposed to be the ldquocapital of Arab cultureldquo

But itrsquos all political speeches for the people

We put up with the work and the sweat and itrsquos rough

a letterرسالة من مقاطعة from boikutt

risaleh mn muqataa (pt1)

boikutt

null

2010

1086983

eng - iTunPGAP0

eng - iTunNORM 00000A1E 00000A0E 000099D9 000098A0 0000CC63 0000CC63 0000826D 000080B0 000131D0 000131D0

eng - iTunSMPB 00000000 00000210 000008F3 000000000049197D 00000000 0027BA9D 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000

7372

يقنعونا إن كلشي متام و بقدر أعيش حياة عادية

زي في األفالم على مبس واحد إثنني ثالثة أربعة إلخ

كن منيح و بتنزل عليك املصاري زخ نصيحة من أخ ألخ

خليك مستقل ألن اللعبة إنلعب فإبعد عن الفخ

خليهم يقعدوا يستنوا الدعم ليموتوا يلفلفوا داخل اجلدار حلد ما يفوتوا

في متاهات مبسافات مش محددة مجددة لتوسع التوسع مش مهددة

إنتهاك احتالل بس مش على الكل

في ناس في فلسطني هون حياتهم زي الفل مش عارف شو بيفكر

شكلوا مش داري شي يوم حنروح كل الدكاكني هي حتسكر

سالم

b o i k u t t

Try to convince me that everythingrsquos fine

And that I can lead a normal life

Like in the movies

On MBC one two three four etcetera

Be good and money will rain on you

Advice from one brother to another

Stay independent because the games are being played

So steer clear of the trap

Let them wait for foreign aid until they die

Spinning in circles within the apartheid wall until they enter

Into unlimited mazes with unspecified spaces

That are renewed to fit settlement expansion unthreatened

Violation occupation

But not for everyone

There are people here in Palestine living ldquothe good lifeldquo

I donrsquot know what hersquos thinking

Seems like he doesnrsquot know one day wersquoll be gone

And all these shops will close

Peace

T r a n s l a t e d b y t h e a r t i s t w i t h L o u b n a B i l a l i

risaleh mn muqataa (pt1)

boikutt

null

2010

1086983

eng - iTunPGAP0

eng - iTunNORM 00000A1E 00000A0E 000099D9 000098A0 0000CC63 0000CC63 0000826D 000080B0 000131D0 000131D0

eng - iTunSMPB 00000000 00000210 000008F3 000000000049197D 00000000 0027BA9D 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000

7574

الضغط عاليالعدو فات جاري احملادثات

صمت دوليكمية الغازى عم تزداد

تهجير جديد مولود جديدتكرر عزو مش تارك ورا شي مفيد غير غراب

من كل البيت ما تركو شي إال البابمن االرض ل سما مسافة عاليه

إمشي الصحرا وعد لياليوجنوما

كمشوا رئيس دولة بجورةحصار

توزيع مخدراتباألحمر تلون الفرات سجون معتقالتقبلة الوداع مع الصبات

تنصت بالشبكة خيانات باألزهر

k a t i b e h 5

The pressure is high

The enemy has entered discussions are taking place

Global silence

The numbers of the occupier are increasing

A new expulsion A newborn child

The perpetuation of an invasion that leaves behind it nothing of any use except for a crow

From an entire house they left nothing but the door

From the ground to the sky is a long distance

Walk the desert and count the nights

And its stars

They caught a president in a pit

Siege

Drug dealing the Euphrates is stained red prisons detention centers

A farewell kiss with a shoe

Networks wiretapped betrayals in Al Azhar

hold me back ifهديني اذا فيك you can

null

23098943

7776

حوار أديانالكف تنجس

متسح فيه وجك مع كل شروق عالوضوءتسمع شرارة فتيل مولوتوف ينادي أصوات تتلبى

باإلنفجار

هديني إذا فيك صرت موجود بكل مكانوجي مغبش عامل زي جيش زباتا

منصرخ بوجكم raquoاحلرية ل برغوتيlaquoإعالمكو بيعرفني كلماتكو حملت إسمي

شركاتكو بتهرب مني )كتيبه خمسه هديتي إذا فيك(

بتالقيني بني والد حفظوا غنية املخيماتبنفسية فالح عمال يزو املدينة

افالم تافهةبرنامج تافه

بتدور على مخك بتالقي مش موجوداخلليج يتحكم بإعالم

هادول حبوب التنومي ٦1 سنة بعدن مش شغالني

عالمادامك واخد وجهة نظري

ع محمل اجلدمسموح لك تستعجب وتظهر إنزعاجك بوجودي

ألني صديق لكل املشاهد الغير مرغوبة فيهاش بيختار حياتو بالتحديد بحكيلك هيك منحياها ومحد

ضغط رصاص وابارود بخليكاش حتيدالتجارب بتدلك عطريق

هديتي إذا فيك

k a t i b e h 5

A dialogue of religions

The hand is tainted

And with it you cleanse your face at ablution each sunrise

You hear the sparking of the fuse of a molotov calling voices respond

Explosion

Hold me back if you can I have become present everywhere

My face is concealed like the army of Zapata

We shout in your face ldquoFreedom for Barghoutildquo

Your media knows me your words have glimpsed my name

Your corporations flee from me

(Katibe Khamseh hold me back if you can)

Yoursquoll find me among children that have memorized the song ldquoAl Moukhayamatldquo

In the persona of a peasant that is visiting the city

Shallow films

Shallow programs

You look for your mind but you find it is not there

The Gulf controls media with its boundaries

These sleeping pills 61 years and theyrsquore still not effective

Great

As long as you are taking my point of view seriously

Yoursquore allowed to be taken aback and to show your irritation

Just like you show your irritation at my presence

Because I am a friend to all the images that are not desirable

This is how we live out these images and no one chooses their life specifically Irsquoll tell you

The pressure of bullets and gunpowder does not allow you to move away

Experience will guide you on the road

Hold me back if you can

null

23098943

7978

موقف واحد صريح من صميم روح لشعوب املقاومة ضمير ظهور البشرية

السبيل صعب ورا الغضبدعم لكل أسالوب محارب

د لنحرق نظامك منتدرب منجرب منخرب منستععم نحرق نظامك

هديتي إذا فيك

إطلع منيحمش رح تقدر توخذ كل شي من أول نظرة

نظرة عامة raquoبشرة مش بيضةlaquoجبني عريضة مكتوب مولود عنيد بالفطرة

فوت بالتقاليد عد التجاعيدلك هاي مش أول مرة

لغات ودراسات حط العلم بغالفمش رح تقدر تفهم ليه بعد في بارود ع الكتافلون األرض ولون الليل بيعطيك البني و السواد

بوعدك مش لوحدي رح أضل عد رماد الال اللعبة اجلديدة وال والدنا ع اللعبة جداد

بكفيش إنفلونزا الصقور صار في إنفلونزا اخلنازيرموسم مرض جديد لرئيس مبثل ع نفوس ومريض بهدوء البيض

هديتي إذا فيك

k a t i b e h 5

A single honest stance from the bottom of the soul for the people of the resistance the conscience

that exposes humanity

The path is difficult when following anger

A support for every style of battle

We train we strive we disrupt we prepare to burn your system

We are burning your system

Hold me back if you can

Look closely

You wonrsquot be able to see it all at first sight

An overview ldquocomplexion that is not whiteldquo

A broad forehead written born stubborn by nature

Look at the traditions and count the wrinkles

This is not the first time

Languages and scholarship put education under wraps

You wonrsquot be able to understand why there is still gunpowder on shoulders

The color of earth and the color of night gives you brown and blackness

I promise you that I will not be alone to count the ashes no

This game to us is not new and nor are our children new to the game

As if the influenza of eagles was not enough now therersquos the influenza of pigs

The season of a new disease for a president acting for a public and sick with the

calmness of white people

Hold me back if you can

null

23098943

8180

اإلحتالل نكه البشر بنكهة املجاريبالسالم حوار أديانبإقرار ملكية كذابة

بتشويه تاريخ وسرقة حضاراتولك أه

فلسطني إفريقيا الدجلة والفراتإجتاه البشرية لإلضمحالل سرطان بشري بعضها

الشتا ميسح اخلطايا واآلثاروليش بتتخبى وبتتغطى بنفس كل سفارة سميك الستار

لساتني باكل الضربة ورا الضره ورا الضربةوحتى ما أفعل وأساوي تكمشني الرجفة

بدل ما أضرب فيك بضرب بحاليبوعدكش حضلني كامش حالي حفلتها

حفلتها

هديني إذا فيك هديني إذا فيكهديني إذا فيك

k a t i b e h 5

The occupation has seasoned humanity with the flavor of sewers

With peace with dialogue of religions

With the declaration of false ownership

With the distortion of history and the theft of civilizations

Oh yes

Palestine Africa the Tigris and Euphrates

Humanity is leading to reduction a human cancer bites it

Exile wipes clean the sins and the traces

And why are you hiding and seeking cover when all the embassies are already well concealed

I am still taking one beating after another

And so that I donrsquot take action and do something shudders grip my body

Instead of beating you I beat myself

I canrsquot promise you that I can keep myself restrained

Irsquom gonna let go

Hold me back if you can

Hold me back if you can

Hold me back if you can

T r a n s l a t e d b y R i m a N a j d i a n d F a y s a l B i b i

null

23098943

8382

طول عمر الشعب املصري مع بعض أحلك الظروفبص وفر في التاريخ وانت ياما هاتشوف

الدين ده ليا وليكوفيا وفيك

حاجة روحانية بتخليك حتس اللي بيك

ايد في ايد نبني فيها من جديد

مصر زعلت علي حاصل وسطنا مش مفيد

بعد ثورة وبعد عيد فتنة تقتل حلم واتتحقق لنا

واحد اتننيالذكري بتعيش اكتر من عمر االنسان

بصمتنا تغييرنا جوة وبرة امليدان مش هانضيع نصر ثورتنا بفتنة نشئت بينا

A r a b i a n K n i g h t s + M C G a z a + A m e e r

The Egyptian people have always stuck together

Through the worst times look at history

And see how often wersquove been there for each other

That whole idea of religion

Is for you and for me something spiritual that makes you feel whatrsquos inside you

Hand in hand

We build Egypt up again

Egypt is angry at whatrsquos happening between us

Itrsquos not helpful

After the revolution after the celebration

Sectarian strife is killing the dream we fulfilled

One two

The memory lasts more than a lifetime

Our mark is our change in and outside Tahrir Square

We wonrsquot give up the victory of our revolution in exchange for sectarian strife between

us

hand inايد في ايد hand

Eid Fe Eid

Yasser Ameer Youssef Rush E Money amp MCGaza | by BOGEY

Single Hit track 11

20112011

Hip-Hop

24002867

eng - Hip-Hop 4 Life

eng - iTunNORM 000005E2 0000058E 0000424E 00003537 00026E95 0001C2B3 00008000 00008000 00005045 00005045

8584

بلدنا محتجانا ايدنا واحدة ضد احملنة تفرق ايه معاك ديانتي ملا ربك هو ربي

اصلك هو اصلي ارضك هي ارضي

ملا اتقال لي اكتت فيول فتنة انا قولت غلط علشان الفتنة مفتعلة في بلدنا وكان وراها غرض

فالفرد افترض فبفرض السياسة األمر اختلط

فالزم يبقي املصل سياسي من اصل املرض العسس واحلرس مافرقوش صليب وهالل

وكنا كلنا واحد وراء االقفالدم الشهيد شاهد

ياما بالفتنة انكسرنا وحدتنا بصوت واحد وضد الظلم انتصرنا

وديني هو ديني صلة بيني وبني ربي هارفع علمي وارفع راسي فوق

انا مصري

ايد في ايد نبني فيها من جديد

مصر زعلت علي حاصل وسطنا مش مفيد

بعد ثورة وبعد عيد فتنة تقتل حلم واتتحقق لنا

خلو حمامة السالم من الطيور املنقرضةعلشان تبقي القلوب مبتعدة منقسمه سهل تتسم

فكرين مناعة و قوة أم الدنيا بالطمع مرتبطةنسر املصريني ليس له دين احنا بنحميها بالدم

العنف بذوره بتكتر عاوز يوصل واحلروب حتصل

A r a b i a n K n i g h t s + M C G a z a + A m e e r

Our country needs us all together against the hard times

What difference does my religion make to you when your god is my god

Your origin is mine

Your land is my land

When they told me about sectarian strife I said thatrsquos wrong

Because itrsquos been planted in our country and behind it is some purpose

Makes one think somethingrsquos going on

By playing politics everythingrsquos gotten mixed up

The antidote has to be political just like the poison itself

The military doesnrsquot distinguish between cross and crescent

Wersquore all held together behind bars

The blood of the martyrs bears witness

To how much wersquove been broken by sectarianism

Through our unity we triumphed with one voice over injustice

And my religion is my own a rapport between me and God

Irsquoll raise my flag and my head up

Irsquom Egyptian

Hand in hand

We build Egypt up again

Egypt is angry at whatrsquos happening between us

Itrsquos not helpful

After the revolution after the victory

Sectarian strife is killing the dream we fulfilled

They drove the dove of peace to extinction

To keep hearts apart and divided itrsquos easy to poison them

Do they really think the resilience and strength of Egypt is connected to greed

The Egyptian eagle has no religion we protect it with our blood

The roots of violence are increasing want to gain control to start wars

Eid Fe Eid

Yasser Ameer Youssef Rush E Money amp MCGaza | by BOGEY

Single Hit track 11

20112011

Hip-Hop

24002867

eng - Hip-Hop 4 Life

eng - iTunNORM 000005E2 0000058E 0000424E 00003537 00026E95 0001C2B3 00008000 00008000 00005045 00005045

8786

للعاقيدة يكسر وألعضاء املشاعر تتشال تصتأصلعلى كالم ربهم اتكبرو فعملو قدر واتقدر

وقته مستنينه ليه خططوا مضمون الرسائل اتغير الن الهدف هو تدمير قعدة الوحدهوقتل كل قائد يقود الناس بره احملنه

فيبقي سهل يزيحنا ميحي أوصول عليها كبرناوكل واحد علي حداه يقول أنا محدش يقول احنا

فاببطء بحرص بص بعقل بحذر شوفقبل ما يخلوا خيالك يتخلله اخلوف

واخلوف ده افراز بيطلع من غده ملا الكلب بيشوفهابيعرف انك فاريسه سهل ياكلها ركز

فرق تسد إخلعوفق جتد إرفع

ثورة تقدصمت يفرد- يفرق

ما بيجمع بيننامن حقي النقد من حقك - تسمع

طب إسمع وراجع ما صور التاريخ طب باله بيكفي صور زمانييوم حصار كنيسة املهد مني دافع مني اتقمع مني اتنفا

مسلم مسيحي أل كان فلسطيني اتذكر معي ثورة غضب يناير

اتذكر معي الوحدة اإليد الوحدة اتشرف انتا مصرياتذكر معي األخ بإيد األخ يحمي األخ بدون إلخ

كالمي ماشي ماشي ال-لتفهمني بهويتي مسلم وال نصراني قبطي

ما في حجة لربطي خلبطي حلطي ألوطي ألغير خطيخير أجناد األرض

من أرض بيت املقدس كل السالم بعد ما قلت إلنقسام في وطنيانا ملزم أقول ال لفتنة

تفتت مجد شعب تعب عانى ضحى بالغالي حتى بناه

A r a b i a n K n i g h t s + M C G a z a + A m e e r

The relationship between Egyptians breaks down and the organs that feel are taken out

They got full of themselves in the name of their god and invented a new fate for us

Theyrsquore waiting for a time and theyrsquore plotting The meaning of their messages changes

Because the goal is to destroy the foundation of unity

And kill every leader who takes the people out of hard times

Itrsquos easy to remove us to wipe out the traditions we grew up with

Everyone on his own everyone says ldquoIldquo and no one says ldquoweldquo

Slowly carefully look Wisely with caution see

Before they make your imagination a slave to fear

And that fear releases a secretion from a gland

And when the dog sees it he knows yoursquore easy prey

Divide yoursquoll conquer

Bring harmony and yoursquoll reap Start

A revolution and it will catch on

Silence is solitary It divides

It doesnrsquot bring us together

It is my right to criticize and your right to listen

So listen and look back at history or better look at my life time

The day the Nativity Church was under siege who was persecuted Who was exiled

A Muslim A Christian No he was Palestinian

Letrsquos remember the angry revolution of January

Letrsquos remember the unity the one hand Be proud yoursquore Egyptian

Remember the brother holding hands with a brother protecting a brother

And I can go on

Donrsquot teach me about my identity whether Irsquom a Muslim or a Christian Copt

Therersquos no excuse to tie me down beat me to make me cower and kneel and stray from my courseThe Earthrsquos most virtuous soldiers

Come from the land of Bayt al-Maqdis [Jerusalem] I salute you After I said no to division in my countryIrsquom committed to saying no to seditionThat dissolves the glory of a people who labored suffered sacrificed what was most dear to build it

T r a n s l a t e d b y A l e x O r t i z + A h m e d S h a w k e t + K h a l e d A l H i l l i

Eid Fe Eid

Yasser Ameer Youssef Rush E Money amp MCGaza | by BOGEY

Single Hit track 11

20112011

Hip-Hop

24002867

eng - Hip-Hop 4 Life

eng - iTunNORM 000005E2 0000058E 0000424E 00003537 00026E95 0001C2B3 00008000 00008000 00005045 00005045

8988

الفن واملواهب زي حرب الكواكب الكل عايز يكون جنم صراع في الداخل

بهدي جنون العظمة بفلفل حر توابل تسيل دموع زي القنابل

زي مابتكلم وداني شغالة كون سامع نبض الشارع علشان أ

حالف أقضي على اإلعالم املتآمر مغامر في الكالم بس إنت مش سامع

ملا بأمسك القلم والورقة الهم بينزاح مخي بيرتاح بأقول اللي على البال

ملا بأقعد بحس بتأنيب ضمير كون في ستوديو بسجل على بيت خطير مفروض أ

e l D e e b + S t o r m t r a p

Art and talent are like Star Wars

Secretly everyone wants to be a star of conflict

I make megalomania tranquil with chilli hot spices

Tears flow like bombs

Thatrsquos how I talk and the world keeps moving

So that I can hear the pulse of the streets

Irsquove sworn to obliterate the media conspirators

I am adventurous in my speech but you do not hear

When I hold the pen and the paper my anxiety is lifted

My mind relaxes and I say whatrsquos on it

When I sit down I feel guilty

I should be in the studio recording dangerous beats

addictأدمان الشهرة ion to fame

Edman El Shuhra

Stormtrap amp Mohamed El Deeb

2011

Hip-Hop

15305855

- vocals Mohamed El Deeb Stormtrap13produced by Stormtrap

9190

إحساس غريب إنك تدمن الكالم ارسم يا فنان واخترع زي دافينشي الرسام

ولو مفيش ورقة باستخدم تليفوني خايف إن فكرة متعديش على صوتي

دنيا غريبة يوم مر يوم بونبوني بس أنا عمري ماغيرت لوني

املوسيقى بنادولي وبطابعي فضولي مهما قالوا لي هافهمها مبفهومي فـساعات أالقي نفسي بكلم نفسي واسمع أصوات غريبة في دماغي

وهو ده الصدى الصوت اللي بسمعه اكن مفيش حد فارقة معاه احالمي

شوف شوف مش هدف إنو أنا شخصيا أنا

هدفي انه كلماتي وموسيقتي تنتشرعشان هيك حتشوفني دوما مستمر مستثمر

كل وقتي كل طاقتي على أصواتي خوذ شك خوذ حتويل خوذ كاش

بس ما تنساش أي شي بيتعلق بالواقع بدناش ما تخاف ألنها قضيتنا مش منسية مية باملية هايذي ثورة كمان ثقافية

خليني أوضح هاي املوسيقى مش معمولة للتلفازeهاي املوسيقى مش معمولة لهز الطياز l D e e b + S t o r m t r a p

Strange feeling to be out of words

Paint oh artist and discover like Da Vinci the artist

If I donrsquot have paper I use my cell

I am afraid that the idea does not come through my voice

Strange world one day is bitter another like candy

But Irsquove never changed my color

Music is my Tylenol and my nature curious

So whatever they tell me Irsquoll understand it my way

Sometimes I find myself talking to myself

And I hear weird voices in my head

Which is just the echo of the sound I hear

As if no one cares about my dreams

See see

My goals are not self serving

My goal is that my words and music spread

Thatrsquos why yoursquoll see me always and continuously investing

All my time my energy on my sounds

Take a check take a transfer take cash

But never forget anything related to reality wersquore not interested

Donrsquot be afraid because our cause is not forgotten

One hundred percent this is also a cultural revolution

Let me explain this music is not meant to be televised

This music is not made for booty shaking

Edman El Shuhra

Stormtrap amp Mohamed El Deeb

2011

Hip-Hop

15305855

- vocals Mohamed El Deeb Stormtrap13produced by Stormtrap

9392

مش فاهم ليش الكل قاتل حاله يكون في مسابقةحابني نتصابح حياكم زات املكافحة

واالعالم ميت ع حيالله قصة ما بيدرس هالقصة من نصها

وبعدن بينفخهامش احلق علينا اذا ما بيبحثوا

وملا يبدوا يحكوا عنا أل عنجد بيبعصوابيفكروا انه كل شي هشك بشك

بس حدن الزم يقلهم انه الهب هوب مش هيكبدك تدير بالك عشانها هاي اللحظة احلاسمة

ملا يجوا عليك الديب والعاصفةنكسر حدود وبنبني وحدة عشان نحيي مجتماعاتنا

وننهي معانتناعشان هيك منكتب كلمات صريحة والها معنى

مش للشهرة مش حتى يجي حدن يدفعلنا

e l D e e b + S t o r m t r a p

I donrsquot understand why everyone is killing themselves to be in the contest

Wersquod like to say goodmorning to salute you in this same struggle

The mediarsquos dying for any story

But they donrsquot study the storyrsquos real text

And then they blow it out of proportion

Itrsquos not our fault if they donrsquot search

And when they talk about us then they really screw it up

They think everything is empty pointless

Somebody needs to tell them that hip hop is not like that

You should take care because this is the critical moment

When the wolf and storm come haunting you

We break borders and we create a unity to revitalize our communities

And stop our suffering

That is why we write frank words that have meaning

Itrsquos not for fame or even so that someone pays us

T r a n s l a t e d b y N i z a r G h a n e m

Edman El Shuhra

Stormtrap amp Mohamed El Deeb

2011

Hip-Hop

15305855

- vocals Mohamed El Deeb Stormtrap13produced by Stormtrap

9594

حضل عهل مود يعنيما إنتلك النجوم عم تقرب

بهل ال مود حكون عطول لبهل جنوم إدءر لو مضطر شن هجوم عل النجوم كلها

خللي األرض تدور حول أصبعي تنلك

ما إنتلك متلي متلك مولع طيار ألفكاري من العقدي تنفك فرد قعدي بني 4 حيطان ما بتنهز و منها ما بنهز

يلز املا بينلزالكاس عل الطاولي و منو عم مز مز

لتفتل براصي وحس من حالي عم كز كزعل ورقة كالمي مدروس و ما بزت زت بجرب ما عيد حالي متا يقولو عم نق نق

موزع قافياتي جواز كأن عم فت فت

بهل األطشة خلي الديني اللي تسمعني ترن رنFبسبيلي جاري يوم ع يوم عم برك رك a r e e q e l A t r a s h

Irsquoll stay in this mood

Didnrsquot I tell you The stars are getting closer

Irsquoll stay in this mood until I touch these stars

Even if I have to launch an attack on all the stars

Irsquoll make the Earth rotate around my finger I told you

Didnrsquot I tell you Irsquom just like you I lit up a joint so my ideas would untie their knot

Sitting this way in between four walls I wonrsquot budge

The most delectable

Drink is on the table from which Irsquom taking sips

Till my head starts spinning and Irsquom sick of myself

On the paper my words are calculated I donrsquot just toss them about

I try not to repeat myself so they wonrsquot say Irsquom nagging

I deal my rhymes out like theyrsquore cards

In this verse Irsquoll make those ears ring

My fountain is running and every day I excel

tالنجوم عم تقرب he stars are gett ing closer

null

29781717

9796

لضل ماشي جالس بينما غيري عم بلك لك شريط معلق ريحة العة عم بتفح فحكل ما فتح متو بتالقي عم بكب كب

عايشها إرهاب و مفي إال بسب سببزبالتي ما بكبو تيكون بعلمك

األالف مسم و بحياتو ما بينسم بزقة من هل التم تخلي سقفك ينش نش

تلمو ردم و ما تفكر إنو ترد رد و عم بحكي عالواطي متا الصالي فيك ترج رج

بطبعي عاقل بس بالراب بزل زل عل الرايق بال ما نط وال فز فز

type of shitعال بارد أبرد من شباط بس يقز قزتخلي عضامك ع بعض تسك سك

ما إنتلك النجوم عم تقرب بهل ال مود حكون عطول لبهل جنوم إدءر

لو مضطر شن هجوم عل النجوم كلهاخللي األرض تدور حول أصبعي تنلك

أنا متنبئ بنبه و بحقق ما قلتلك بعد وقتها ما عم نكت

عاملكرفون إبرة هرون عم بشكشك في شكcheck one two

هيك بدسدس عالنبض

F a r e e q e l A t r a s h

So I can walk straight when others are still playing

A broken record that reeks of a musty smell

Every time he opens his mouth he spews them out

He lives in terror and all he does is curse

I wouldnrsquot throw him in my garbage just so you know

Irsquove irritated thousands and never been irritated in my life

One spit out of this mouth will make your roof leak

And yoursquoll pick up the rubble and donrsquot even think about answering back

Irsquom talking in a low voice so the hall wonrsquot shake with you in it

Irsquom reasonable by nature but when it comes to rap I humiliate cold-heartedly

Without jumping or leaping around

I do it coldly colder than icy February-type of shit

Irsquoll make your bones rattle against each other

Didnrsquot I tell you The stars are getting closer

Irsquoll stay in this mood until I touch these stars

Even if I have to launch an attack on all the stars

Irsquoll make the Earth rotate around my finger I told you

Irsquom a psychic I predict and deliver

Didnrsquot I tell you to stand back when Irsquom not joking

Irsquom pricking the microphone with a heroin needle Is there any doubt

Check one two

Thatrsquos how I feel the pulse

null

29781717

9998

بدقق و زتزت حكي بتزجزج كأنها مزهزها عم بتشمشم عم خطط عم تكتيك و مني ملحلح من هون للساعة توقف تك تيك تك تيك

لك ليك منفخ حاله عامبيكازيب عا غيري بس بوجهي بتاءتإوجهه بيباءبإ من أد ما بعصب بسبسب

زر إنذار إذني بتطنطن و بشوف من عالباب عم بدقدق

عكروت بدو يفوت ليشوف الفن فني بس الفن هون بجسمي معبأ

من حلقي طايف و من متي عم بت شرشر و بيس البيس زلزال برجرج خليك تضبضب تنضب بالبيت لتكنكن

و أنا متأسف ألني بدي استأذن بس بعد شفت كابتشينو بتصحصح

ما إنتلك النجوم عم تقرببهل ال مود حكون عطول لبهل جنوم إدءر

لو مضطر شن هجوم عل النجوم كلهاخللي األرض تدور حول أصبعي تنلك

هيدا هب هوبمش هبل و ال بهل

هيدا زجل تتغزل في

ورايي إيقاع عليي إتبع و ما إطلع عنو يا بصير متل غير مسيس

زقفوا مع االيقاعزقفوا مع االيقاع

F a r e e q e l A t r a s h

Checking and hurling words that tickle as if I was high and sniffing

I am planning and scheming and Irsquom not going anywhere till the clock stops ticking

Look hersquos so full of it lying to others but in my face he stutters

And his face turns red from all the anger and he curses

My earsrsquo alarm bells start ringing

And I go to see whorsquos knocking at the door

Some bastard who wants to see where ldquothe artldquo is

But the art is right here packed in my body

Flowing from my throat running out of my mouth

And the bass is an earthquake that shakes and forces you to pack up and go home

And Irsquom sorry because I need to take leave

But after a sip of cappuccino yoursquoll come around

Didnrsquot I tell you The stars are getting closer

Irsquoll stay in this mood

Until I touch these stars even if I have to launch an attack on all the stars

Irsquoll make the Earth rotate around my finger I told you

This is hip hop

Itrsquos not stupid nor dumb

Itrsquos zajal [a form of Arabic poetry in the Levant]

That you flirt with

There is a beat that I have to follow canrsquot lose it or Irsquoll be like other MCs

Clap with the beat

Clap with the beat

T r a n s l a t e d b y K h a l e d A l H i l l i

null

29781717

101100

انا ببلعهم بتفهم وال مره بسبهمبخليهم داميا يضاربو بتفكيرهم

أنا وراهم قدامهم جنابهم محتلهممش طايقهم مرات وزنهم بكون منزلهم

مرتبهم صاففهم وبقلم أنا حاكمهم زاتتهم مش عاجبيني أنا ماحيهم قائدهم وبنفس الوقت أنا عبيدهم

وبفك وربط أنا بلعب مبعانيهمانا حاميهم بأسطر اللي تقويهم

انا واعدهم اني أستر على فاضحهم ومطلعهم بصوره اللي تبشعهم

بس أنا محترمهم وبسطور ساجنهم مكتفهم كأسير بجنازير القهر

ومهديهم بحبل اللي يبشر بالصبر وانا لي الفخر أكون الشوك اللي فيهم

Dوأكون القهر اللي داميا يسقيهم A M

Yo this is dedicated to the lyrics

Irsquom swallowing them spitting them never dissing them

Giving them freedom of speech

Irsquom behind them in front of them because of them always standing with them

Sometimes get sick of them sick of how you abuse them

Gather them in line with my pen I order them

Didnrsquot like it Throwing them out and replacing them

Irsquom their leader and also their slave

Small changes make huge differences

I train them in pages to make them strong

Promising to use them not abuse them

Or allow the wrong mouths to utter them

Approach them with a military mind and find peace in them

Irsquom lucky to be full of thorns and even luckier that I found the lyrics

So theyrsquoll help me find the roses in me

wordsكلمات

null

26837427

103102

raquoالكل سمعك بس السؤال اذا اللي سمعك فهمكlaquoكلمات ليست كالكلمات بل raquoعالماتlaquo

اللي توجهنا وين مابدنا عحبال السيرك هي تثبتنا ريح العالم من كل جهه اذا احنا ضعاف بتوقعنا بس

raquoأل بلمره ألlaquo raquoكلمات عندي طنlaquoكل واحده الها هدف اخدت حرف عحرف

نسجت جمل اللي البسهم وقت البرد raquoراح اضلني اناديlaquo raquoبنحكي كلماتlaquo

انت بتعرف انهم مبنصب شهاد بحكو املاضي وتنبوا حاضر أي بالد

قد ماحكيت قد ما أحكي فش كالم يغطي بسفي كالم يربي وينمي انت بس أروي

في شوف انه قوه والقوه بتقويفيك و أن رويته مصيره يسقيك )مثل للقوه( العدو من أمامكم

والبحر من ورائكم فال تخيبوا أسيادكمفأين أشعاركم وأين مجادلتكم

فأنتم تسكتون وتخمدون أحالمكم)انهي( نهيت ورجعت للعامية بكلمات

مرمية طالعه من عقليه شعبيهمتل جنيب اللي بذاكرة كل واحد محفوظ مدروس واذا أل معناته في خلل معكوس

عاملجتمع اللي قمع كتاباته Dاللي سمح لنسيانه يشيل خطواته A M

ldquoThey all hear you but few listen to youldquo

Lyrics ainrsquot just a bunch of words they are ldquosignsldquo

Leading us stabilizing us on tight ropes

Winds every way if we are thin we will fall

ldquoBut hell noldquo ldquoyou can measure my words in tonsldquo

Every word has a meaning I knitted a letter with another letter

Made warm sentences to wear in cold days

ldquoSo Irsquoll still shoutldquo ldquowe control lyricsldquo

You know lyrics are like a witness

They witnessed the past and forecast the future

As much as I said or say I canrsquot describe them

But there is a way to find the description and thatrsquos through them

Quench the thirst of the pages with them

So in the future itrsquoll quench your thirst

Keep feeding them as soon as they grow up

Theyrsquoll give you strength

ldquoExample for the strengthldquo

ldquoThe enemy is before you the sea is behind you

So donrsquot you dare disappoint our ancestors

Where are our deep poems Where are our strong statements

From generation to generation we kill our dreamsldquo

ldquoEnough philosophizingldquo ok lets get back to street talk

Words coming outta simple minds

Like Najeeb Mahfuz [literally lsquowell-rememberedrsquo also a famous author]

They keep living in our minds

And if you donrsquot know who he is - then I rest my case

null

26837427

105104

raquoالكل سمعك بس السؤال اذا اللي سمعك فهمكlaquoكلمات ليست كالكلمات بل raquoعالماتlaquo

اللي توجهنا وين مابدنا عحبال السيرك هي تثبتنا ريح العالم من كل جهه اذا احنا ضعاف بتوقعنا بس

raquoأل بلمره ألlaquo raquoكلمات عندي طنlaquoكل واحده الها هدف اخدت حرف عحرف

نسجت جمل اللي البسهم وقت البرد raquoراح اضلني اناديlaquo raquoبنحكي كلماتlaquo

ألف با كبايه أوعك تكسرهاامسكها للنهاية وكل ما تفضى مليها

كلمه أو رواية ومع املراحل زيدها شيحكاية وهيك ضلك زود فيها

وجيبها لتجمعاتك وساعتها استعملها لنقاشاتك وملواقفك استخدمها

هادي مدافعك اللي مداها بسيطرتك وما دافعك انه ما تخليها رايتك

ما هي تكتب ما هي توصف ما هي تكذب ما هي تنصف

ما هي هي الهروب هياللجوء هي الدروب هي

العبور باحلدود واللي مبرؤهم مبدع وبفوز باخللود واللي بسرقهم مش مقنع

واذا بتديهم احلرية بنادوك ممنوعDواذا بتوخد احلريه بنادوك مسموح A M

ldquoThey all hear you but few listen to youldquo

Lyrics ainrsquot just a bunch of words they are ldquosignsldquo

Leading us stabilizing us on tight ropes

Winds every way if we are thin we will fall

ldquoBut hell noldquo ldquoyou can measure my words in tonsldquo

Every word has a meaning I knitted a letter with another letter

Made warm sentences to wear in cold days

ldquoSo Irsquoll still shoutldquo ldquowe control lyricsldquo

The Arabic alphabet is like a glass donrsquot break it

Hold it tight and keep filling it

And then bring it to our arguments

Scream till your throat gets dry and then wet it

It holds our body itrsquos like our legs

If you stand for nothing yoursquoll fall for anything

The words write create

They kill lead and sometimes even lie

You can use them to build borders

And those who are gifted

Can use them to walk through borders

And in some governments

Itrsquos forbidden to give words freedom

But if you choke them and kill them

Thatrsquos allowed

F i g u r a t i v e t r a n s l a t i o n o f f e r e d b y t h e a r t i s t s

null

26837427

107106

further reading

The tracks presented in this document are not a comprehensive sampling of the genre of the market of hip hop in Arabic or of hip hop and rap in the wider Middle East

Artists featured here hail from Egypt Lebanon Palestine and the anglophone Arab diaspora The thriving North African hip hop scene is not represented nor is the work of the established francophone Arab diaspora nor the expanding hip hop scenes of especially Iran or Turkey

This collection does not attempt a comprehensive chronology Tracks featured here are not primarily new releases (though some are) neither are they all ldquoclassicsrdquo These limitations of scope are important to note

Many tracks of the popular Libyan group Ibn Thabitt and other groups from across the region have been translated and are hosted with commentary on the notable blog

revolutionaryarabrapblogspotcom

Another valuable resource is the Beirut-based blog by Jackson Allers ldquoBeats and Breathrdquo which features articulate critiques and reviews of events and releases from the region

jacksonallerswordpresscom

Hass Dennaoui (alias Big Hass) who recently launched started the first all hip-hop FM radio show in Saudi Arabia Laish Hip Hop (Why Hip Hop) manages a lively blog which

hosts an internet feed of his radio show and interviews with MCs and influential hip hop figures from around the world

revoltradioblogspotcom

Lebaneseundergroundcom hosts coverage of underground music in Lebanon including hip hop

And finally an excellent article by Hishaam Aidi on implications of the use of hip hop as foreign policy ldquoThe Grand (Hip-Hop) Chessboard Race Rap and Raison DrsquoEtatrdquo was published in The Middle East Report Fall 2011 Excerpts of the piece were published by Al Jazeera English in the article ldquoLeveraging Hip Hop in US Foreign Policyrdquo

All the artists and many of the translators whose work is showcased here host a significant online presence Their sites are listed with more about each of them on the following pages

109108

artist bios

ARABIAN KNIGHTZ the premier hip hop group from the land of the Nile River have not only established themselves as the lyricists with the sharpest swords in their land but they have also created the most consistent voice for rebellion strength and hope for the youth of the Middle East During the 2011 Revolution Arabian Knightz released two singles ldquoRebelrdquo and ldquoNot Your Prisonerrdquo anthems of resistance which gained worldwide attention and major media coverage for their powerful lyrics against a wicked system The group formed in 2006 through the cipher hip hoprsquos natural way of choosing like mindsets on the mic Rush Sphinx and E-Money were ahead of their peers adapting an authentic Arab perspective to the art dominated by Western voices mixing English and Arabic raps After hitting the studio for successful underground tracks AK enlisted super-producer Fredwreck (Snoop Dogg Xzibit Tha Dogg Pound) ldquoFokkakrdquo the single from this studio session was an instant hit and (surprisingly for Arabic Hip Hop) projected them to the top ten of the singles charts Arab League Records was formed amidst a growing fanbase and numerous collaborations with other Arab hip hop artists the first international Arab hip hop record label Desert Saga Volume 1 mixtape was the debut release led by ldquoThe Onerdquo featuring Egyptrsquos MC Amin Arabian Knightz have recorded their debut album Uknighted State of Arabia a masterpiece for Arab hip hop years in the making featuring instrumentals dominated by traditional percussions and players are scheduled for a Winter 2012 Release They are on Facebook

BOIKUTT is a musician and MC based in Ramallah Palestine Creating sounds using sampled material field recordings and electronic devices the results range between hip-hop downtempo ambient glitch and experimental He has composed and produced music for artists such as Kronos Quartet Bukue One Spiritchild Tamer Abu-Ghazaleh Bleubird and others and has appeared as an MC on albums for artists such as Slovo Heliodrome Bonnot and Lethal Skillz A co-founder of the Ramallah Underground Collective which has toured across the Arab World Europe and Australia Boikutt is also co-founder and member of audio-visual group Tashweesh with whom he is currently touring Also as a solo performer he has been in Beirut Cairo Manila Copenhagen London Hamburg Dubai Bethlehem and other cities He has produced and exhibited a few sound-art pieces composed several film scores has most recently composed the music for a dance theater performance entitled Bound by

New York-based company Yaa Samar Dance Theatre and is now working on different collaborative and solo projects His work may be heard at soundcloudcomboikutt and on Facebook

DAM Da Arabian MCrsquos are Suhell Nafar Tamer Nafar and Mahmoud Jreri The first Palestinian hip hop crew and among the first to rap in Arabic the group began working together in the late 1990s Struck by the uncanny resemblance of the reality of the streets in a Tupac video to the streets in their own neighborhood of Lyd they were inspired to tell their stories through hip hop Their timely song ldquoMin Irhabirdquo (ldquoWhorsquos the Terroristrdquo) was downloaded a million times shortly after its internet realese in 2001 and DAM became a household name among youth throughout the Middle East Ten years of performing all over the world has strengthened the grouprsquos commitment to continue living and working in their hometown of Lyd 15 minutes from Tel Aviv and working to provide the youth of the city and neighboring communities with programs and opportunities that have been denied to Palestinian citizens of Israel Their music is a unique fusion of East and West and encompasses influences as varied as Ghassan Kanafani Ahlam Mosteghanemi Mahmoud Darwish Naji al Ali Tupac Biggie Public Enemy MBS Krsquonaan and Pharoahe Monch IHDA (Dedication) DAMrsquos long-awaited first international album was released in 2007 and DAM has seen its songs and members featured in films such as Ford Transit (Dir Hany Abu Assad) Where in the World is Osama Bin Laden (Dir Morgan Spurlock) Salt of this Sea (Dir Annemarie Jacir) Local Angel and Forgiveness (Dir Udi Aloni) DAMrsquos history and influence on the Arab hip hop scene is detailed in the feature-length documentary Slingshot Hip Hop (Dir Jackie Reem Salloum) The group has also been featured in Vibe National Geographic Rolling Stone Q Basement Reuters and The New York Times and has appeared on MTV CNN BBC and Al Jazeera Their work can be heard and explored at damrapcom

EL DEEB first ventured into Egyptian Hip Hop when he joined Asfalt in 2005 He left in 2007 to create Wighit Nazara duo represented by Mohamed Yasser and himself It was a successful musical project that lasted until mid 2010 Currently he is working on his solo career with plans to release an EP every couple of months or so Cairofornia is his first solo EP His work may be heard at deebbandcampcom and on Facebook

EL RASS was born in Tripoli Lebanon He started writing poetry in literary Arabic at age 11 and started rhyming in spoken Lebanese dialect in 1999 at age 15 At that time he formed one third of a group of 3 MCrsquos going under the name of ldquoMlouk el Micrdquo (ldquoKings of the Micrdquo) They recorded one album and performed locally At 17 he left for France to study Finance and Economics Studies were hard money was scarce and exile was tough but music and poetry never left him as he continued rhyming with some underground French MCrsquos like Medline and Moebius and developed new musical skills on percussion in classical Arabic singing and baglama (turkish buzuk) After graduating and working for almost two years in the hell of banking and market finance El Rass decided to return to Lebanon He spent a year just re-discovering Beirut and making and learning music He now works as a journalist at the newspaper Assafir while concurrently pursuing joint projects with other producers and musicians He calls his work Taalik in reference to the same word in Arabic for ldquocommentrdquo and another word that comes from the same semantic root moaallakat which is a corpus of selected pre-Islamic poetry that was written with gold ink on the walls of the Karsquoaba in Mecca His work may be heard at soundcloudcomElRass

FAREEQ EL ATRASH is a hip hop band based out of Hamra St Beirut with a sound that is distinguished by laid back topical flows over live instrumentation It consists of Edd (raps) Nasser (raps) FZ (vocal production and FX) Fouad Afra (drums) Goo (plays guitar keys heart strings) and Abed Kobeissy (plays bass and buzuk) Their 2010 album and 2009 prealbum are available online More of their work may be found on Facebook Eddrsquos solo work can also be heard at soundcloudcomEdd

H2Z was born in Kuwait in 1986 where he lived for four years Due to the gulf war his family moved to Lebanon where he lived for the most part of his life Inspired by the tragic events in the Middle East and elsewhere in the world H2Z adopted rap music as a way to raise awareness about the injustices suffered by his people and to deliver a message through his music to anyone who supports the Palestinian cause His career began in 2004 when he was introduced to the production business by fellow rappers and soon he started producing his own tracks and established a local band producing many tracks for himself and other musicians in Lebanon In 2008 he released his first solo album titled 3aed which contained

17 tracks The political influence was noticed throughout the album and was generally well-received He is now studying for a degree in business administration at Wayne State University in Michigan His work may be heard at reverbnationcomh2z

KATIBEH 5 are based in Borj el Barajneh Lebanon Their work can be found at reverbnationcomkatibeh5 and myspacecomkatibe5palestine and on Facebook

M1 is Mutulu Olugbala of the New York based collective Dead Prez whose work is online at deadprezcom M1 is also on Facebook

MC GAZA is Adnan Mahmoud Ghonim an Algerian born artist and university student based in Gaza It was the beginning of 2005 when he attended one of the hip hop concerts in Gaza City ndash Gaza City that never appreciated the art he loved and attached himself to ndash and it was love at first sight between them Through some of the concerts he participated in a number of songs he collaborated on with Arabs from Egypt Algeria and Palestine and some active participation to represent the Palestinian people and interviews for both Arab and foreign press he was able to make a name for himself in the Gazan hip hop community His work may be found at youtubecomMCGaza and on Facebook

THE NARCICYST Having pioneered the Arab Hip-Hop movement with seminal Iraqi-Canadian crew Euphrates The Narcicyst recently broke through borders and shattered traveling etiquette touring solo around the world sharing stages with the likes of Brother Ali Mos Def and Kanye West to name a few On top of music The Narcicyst is a celebrated theorist whose academic work Fear of an Arab Planet has him from the stage to the classrooms of internationally renowned universities He is now also a professor at Concordia University teaching a Fine Arts course ldquoHip-Hop Past Present and Futurerdquo His writings have been published by multiple university presses and magazines internationally he is also a self-published author having recently released the biographical and social-study on the Arab world The Diatribes of a Dying Tribe As a true artist interested in really pushing his own artistic boundaries The Narcicyst has stepped into acting currently starring in the short music film PHATWA and in the first internationally-released film from the United Arab Emirates called City of Life A true multi-media

111110

KHALED AL HILLI is a PhD candidate in Comparative Literature at the Graduate Center City University of New York He has a BA in English Literature and a Masterrsquos degree in Teaching Second Languages Born in Iraq Khaled has taught in Lebanon and Saudi Arabia at both college and high school levels He has also worked with various Iraqi news outlets and has subtitledtranslated documentary films dealing with current social and political issues His research interests include Arabic political literature prison literature and literature in the diaspora He may be reached at hillykhalidgmailcom

+AZIZ is a NYC-based marketing consultant and a musician He is working through The World Music Parade to develop an animation project based on his music More about that project can be found at themusicparadetumblrcom He tweets from plusaziz

FAYSAL BIBI is a paleontologist and electronic musician currently based in Berlin

LOUBNA BILALI is originally from Morocco She did her undergrad and first MA in English Linguistics at Chouaib Doukkali University El Jadida She came to the US in 2008 to pursue a Masterrsquos degree in French to English translation and is currently working on a PhD in translation studies at Kent State University in Ohio She is very interested in learning and teaching languages as well as translating and localizing computer applications and websites She may be reached at loubnabilaligmailcom

FARAH ELREWAISSATI is a freelance translator pro-Palestine activist and BDS advocate who blogs at youthanormalizationblogspotcom She tweets from 3beee

NIZAR GHANEM was born in Lebanon He has been active in intercultural education interactive learning and conflict resolution across the Arab world His work on conflict resolution involved using theater comics and music as tools for emotional expression and social mobilization

RIMA NAJDI is a Performing Artist She studied dramatic arts at the Lebanese University in Beirut and obtained a Masterrsquos degree in Performance Studies at NYU New York She has written and performed in various plays and performances Najdi is particularly interested in multi-media performing arts and the position of the spectators

BARRAK ALZAID (copy editor) is the Artistic Director of ArteEast He is the editor of the ArteEast Quarterly a dynamic online portal featuring four publications that highlight contemporary art and culture from the Middle East and diaspora ndash ArtersquoZine Shahadat (contemporary short-form literature) Gallery and Cinematek (an online film center) He is also the curator for ArteEastrsquos Across Histories Art Talk Series featuring a series of panels on residencies in Fall 2011 He tweets from barrakster

RAYYA EL ZEIN (editor) is working towards a PhD in Theatre at the Graduate Center City University of New York Her research is increasingly focusing on theories of reception historical studies of audience behavior and popular culture in the Arab world She holds an MA in Performance Studies from NYU and is currently a teaching fellow at City College in Harlem She tweets from rayelz

translator biosdreamer Yassin recently established an arts label in the UAE called The Medium focusing on delivering art from Arabs in the diaspora and at lsquohomersquo to the rest of the world iraqisthebombcom He tweets from TheNarcicyst

OMAR OFFENDUM is a Syrian-American hip hop artist born in Saudi Arabia raised in Washington DC and living in Los Angeles Known for taking audiences on a lyrical journey from the jasmine-tree-lined courtyards of Nizar Qabbanirsquos Damascene homes to the flooded riverbanks of Langston Hughesrsquo Harlem Renaissance poems - Offendum has been featured on several major news outlets (BBC Yahoo ABC News Aljazeera PBS) toured the world to promote his ground-breaking music helped raise thousands of dollars for various humanitarian relief organizations (PCRF KinderUSA ANERA Islamic Relief) lectured at a number of prestigious academic institutions (Harvard MIT Stanford Columbia American University of Beirut NYU-AbuDhabi Qatar Education City) and most recently been involved in creating several critically-acclaimed songs about the popular democratic uprisings throughout the Middle East amp North Africa He is currently hard at work promoting his solo release - affectionately dubbed SyrianamericanA His work may be heard (and read) at offendumbandcampcom He is on Facebook and he tweets from Offendum

RAMALLAH UNDERGROUND based in Ramallah Palestine was born from the immediacy of musical experimentation and out of the need to give voice to a generation of Palestinians and Arabs facing a turbulent and uncertain political landscape The collective was founded by artists Boikutt Stormtrap and Aswatt and has always held a commitment to both the honesty of their work and the need to creatively rejuvenate Arabic culture To this end they combine music ranging from Arabic electronic music hip-hop and trip hop to downtempo with a deep sense of their local culture and the imposing presence of Palestine in their lives The outcome is a new specific and distinct sound RU (as producers and as MCrsquos ) has collaborated with numerous artists across the globe including countries like Lebanon UK Switzerland Italy USA France and many more including a collaboration with Slovo (a band headed by the guitarist from faithless) in their track ldquoNakbardquo which appears on their album Todo Cambia and with Kronos Quartet in the track ldquoTashweeshrdquo which appears on Floodplain RU has also performed live shows in Ramallah Bethlehem Vienna London Cairo Lausanne Amsterdam and Washington DC Their shows are mainly a performance of their hip-hop tracks as well as a few of their own electronic productions as a warm up More recently RU has incorporated a visual set in their live

performances brought to you by Palestinian visual artist Ruanne RU hopes to give a voice to Palestinians and Arabs bringing an alternative voice from the Arab world Their lyrics and music are an expression of anguish and defiance ultimately remaining a defiant voice of the colonized against the colonizer They continue to play a big role in the Arab underground cultural scene while slowly gaining wide global and local popularity

SHADIA MANSOURrsquos work can be found at myspacecomshadiamusic and on Facebook

STORMTRAP is a music producercomposerMC from Palestine Experimenting with old samples instruments and field recordings his sound is the result of a fusion of ambient atmospheres combined with various noises and hip hop beats His lyrics deal with different themes inspired mainly by his personal experiences in Palestine and life in the diaspora Stormtrap played a fundamental role in forming the band Ramallah Underground with which he has performed worldwide the past few years Currently he is working in Vienna with Aras Seyhan and Eren Ileri on a new album which combines live instruments synthesizers turntables beats and Arabic lyrics- which will be released early 2012 His work may be heard at soundcloudcomstormtrap He tweets from asifeh

AMEER YOSSEF 25 has sung and writen music with the band Klaket for the past four years His work may be heard at youtubecomAmeer and on Facebook

towards the work Her work for now concentrates on the process of making interactive and participatory performances that question borders stereotypes and languages

MOE ALI NAYEL is a fixer and a journalist based in Beirut Lebanon He uses social media blogging non-mainstream music journalism and writing as a word spreading eye opening socializing arena He uses social media as a bridge that cuts distance between people on this planet making it a tiny village This bridge starts in his office and takes him to every corner in the world enabling him to connect and network with people and cultures sharing and exchanging stories of the unheard and the neglected He blogs at Words of Action and he tweets from MoeAliNay

ALEX ORTIZ is a video and radio journalist and translator based in Cairo Egypt He graduated from Brown University in 2009 with a double major in Comparative Literature and Middle East Studies He was a CASA I fellow from 2009-2010 and a CASA II fellow from 2010-2011 He currently works for CBS News as a field producer He tweets from cairowitness

AHMED SHAWKET is an independent translator living in Cairo Egypt He is a graduate of the Helwan University Faculty of Arts where he majored in philosophy Ahmed works on literary media and commercial translation

113112

ABOUT SHAHADATShahadat is a quarterly online series designed to provide a platform for short-form writing and experimentation in writing by young and underexposed writers from the MENA region (Middle East and North Africa) The series features stories vignettes reflections and chronicles in translation and the original language of Arabic Farsi Turkish or Kurdish It makes up one quarter of ArteEastrsquos online programming the AE Quarterly For past issues of Shahadat click here

ABOUT THIS SERIES Shahadat is proud to run two alternating series and releases two issues a year of each The issue yoursquove just perused is part of the ldquoExploring Popular Literaturerdquo series This series challenges traditional understandings of ldquoliteraturerdquo emerging from the Middle East and North Africa by presenting genres of creative production that rely on words and language but which have not typically been studied as literature Works are presented in their original language and in translation

In each issue we gather texts from a spectrum of writers to challenge the singular status of the artistauthor and to encourage a more complex presentation of the Middle Eastern and North African ldquostreetrdquo for English-speaking audiences Shahadatrsquos other series ldquoContemporary Literature in Translationrdquo features the work of a single young author in the original language and in English translation

BEHIND THE DOCUMENTShahadat is co-edited by Rayya El Zein Alex Ortiz and ArteEastrsquos Artistic Director Barrak Alzaid All three are young professionals and scholars with artistic inclinations (literature poetry translation and performance) All three have strong connections to New York City and various metropole of the MENA region Shahadat is for us an experiment and a labor of love An editorial board of established scholars and authors is currently being conceived

SPECIAL THANKS TOAnmar El ZeinKinda AkashAndrew JohnstonLivia Alexander

Shahadat logo design by Rima Farouki

114

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Page 13: Shahadat Winter 2012

2524

بلسان فاكريني انو مافيهوش فن هتكلم عن كل حلم اترسم من غضبهم اتدفن

اتقسم احتاط باأللم منلفكر فاملرحلة السمعيه واحللول اللى تنقذ عناوين جانبيه ارهابية من عيون معنية باستقاللية بعد حروب عاملية محمية متدارية

منسية مرمية على اكتاف مش مرضية مستخبية بطريقة اتكالية عاالراضى العربية

بسلبية مرئية انتهازية وراء االعالم االسالمية بباينوا النيه

احتيالية عنادية سيكوباتية سرية انانية استراتيجية ضد االنسانية

و بعد املسايسة متابعة من قاعة املشاهدة لكل عربى بيتزل مستانى مساعدة

A r a b i a n K n i g h t z + S h a d i a M a n s o u r

They presume the tongue has no art so I will speak

About every dream that was drawn from their anger and got buried

It got divided surrounded by pain

And the solutions that might work are sidelined and smeared as terrorist

From eyes that are interested in independence

After world wars protected and hidden

Forgotten and thrown on unsatisfied shoulders

Concealed with consent in Arab lands

With obvious opportunism

Beneath Islamic publicity intentions show through

Fraudulent stubborn psychopathic

A secret selfish strategy against mankind

And after politics we keep tabs on things from the screening room

For every Arab who gets humiliated I am waiting for help

prisonerThis track contains verses that were originally written in English السجني

Prisoner

Arabian Knightz + Shadia Mansour

Shahadat Winter 2012 track 316

Hip Hop

26518704

2726

ماخالص كسروا بنا كلمة مسانده و من عقولنا اخدوا الورق اللى يكسب فى اللعبة

أنا عايز بلد حرة من الظلم

عايز بلد حرة من القهر عايز بلد حرة من الشر

عايز أرضي وأرض العرب العرب العرب العرب

A r a b i a n K n i g h t z + S h a d i a M a n s o u r

But itrsquos over they shattered for us the word ldquosolidarityldquo

And from our minds they took the cards that win the game

I want a country free of tyranny

I want a country free of oppression

I want a country free of evil

I want my land and the land of Arabs

Arabs Arabs Arabs

Destructive destruction destroying my district

Anti-Christ running in spreading evil wisdom

Irsquom destroying the oppressors in Arabic settlements

Known for blowing up beats and governments

My peeps die in their cribs while yrsquoall close your eyes

Two of yrsquoall are kidnapped you call it a terrorist crime

The media

Is backing up

Murderous propaganda

While we fight eternally like immortal high landers

Al Durrah Sheikh Yassin the pains unseen

Forging your own stories for the blind to see

Want to draw your own opinions bout the bombs we face

Whatrsquos your opinion if yoursquore enslaved and your mom is raped

Itrsquos too easy to speak when yoursquore far from the heat

To the White House I creep and yes Irsquom armed to the teeth

With a mic and a pen and a pad herersquos your evidence

ldquoWeapons of Mass Destructionldquo Mr President

Prisoner

Arabian Knightz + Shadia Mansour

Shahadat Winter 2012 track 316

Hip Hop

26518704

2928

أنا عايز بلد حرة من الظلم عايز بلد حرة من القهر

عايز بلد حرة من الشر عايز أرضي وأرض العرب

العرب العرب العرب

إحنا منمشي بالكرامة والثقة بالنفس معصنا قوانينكم بالثبوت بالدم

لو إن ضميركم بتريحكم بتتكلموا من ورا الفرد

قللي مني ما عم ينام بالليل عنجد ع بني انتو بتبنوا حواجز إحن بنكبر عيالنا

وبنظلنا نزيد العدد إحن السبب ليش ما بتسترجوا تغمضوا عني

في فرق كبير بني مقاوم ومقررين

A r a b i a n K n i g h t z + S h a d i a M a n s o u r

I want a country free of tyranny

I want a country free of oppression

I want a country free of evil

I want my land and the land of Arabs

Arabs Arabs Arabs

Theyrsquore dropping bombs over Baghdad

Libnan Afghan Palestinians Bin Laden Saddam

Listen Islam is all about the peace man

But wars up in these streets man

Got me loosinrsquo sleep damn

Mr Politician I got a little question

How come you are eating and all your peoples isnrsquot

I am on a mission to break up out of this prison

If yoursquore with me share my vision

Letrsquos start by saving the children

We walk with dignity and confidence in ourselves

We crushed your laws with our steadfastness and blood

If your conscience was giving you peace

You wouldnrsquot be communicating from behind a gun

Tell me whorsquos the one not getting sleep at night

While you build your checkpoints we raise the kids

Our numbers will keep increasing

We are the reason you donrsquot dare to blink

There is a big difference between a man of resistance and decision makers

T r a n s l a t e d b y N i z a r G h a n e m + S h a d i a M a n s o u r

Prisoner

Arabian Knightz + Shadia Mansour

Shahadat Winter 2012 track 316

Hip Hop

26518704

3130

النظام العاملي اجلديداحلاسة السادسة

و بدهم يردوا يعلموك النشيدنار شديد بس كله نسبي

جينا و نسيناأخبار فورية بتنهضم و بتمشينا

إللي فينا مكفينا رايح عغزة بالسفينة

و ما يأتي قبل الفكر أم الفعلملجرد الذكر لشخص مبنج قلب نكد وزعل

و طلب السعرمش حنبيع

ملا بتشتي بتشتي عاجلميعو زمن أول حتول

و مش قادرين نتجول فا مش حنضيعbشيء مريع o i k u t t

The new world order

The sixth sense

And they want to teach you the anthem anew

Heavy fire but itrsquos all relative

We came and forgot

Instant news digested and keeps us moving

Wersquove had enough

Going to Gaza by boat

What comes first Thought or action

The mere question to a numb person makes him grumpy and upset

And asking for the price

We wonrsquot sell

When it rains it rains over everybody

The old times have changed

We are under house arrest so we wonrsquot get lost

Itrsquos a horrible thing

igniteولع

Walle

boikutt

null

1746378

3332

مرات بتفهم النبرة غلطبس هلئ فهمني منيح

جريح بدون تلقيح تصريح صريح بدون تلميح

فظيعكيف خلونا نطيع

بوقت تشييع جثمان الضاضمضاض لإلنتفاض ثورة الثروة قيد التصنيع

فيعبوجه عقود بقبضة من حديد

من هون لقرية بال متديدبدون مانروح لبعيد

جتميد روؤس أموال و نوويةمصلحة أول مستفيد

بتدوب بشعلة من سيدي بوزيد

ولعشوف اكمن دكتاتور منقلعولعشوف اكمن دكتاتور منقلع

ولع شوف اكمن دكتاتور منقلعصوت الثورة بكل مكان و عم منسمع

من حكام لنوابو ال استثني احدا منكم

ما بيهمكمحلد ما الهتافات تتوجه إلكم إتهزكم

أفهمكمbاإلستبداد تارك الشارع بإستعداد o i k u t t

Sometimes you misunderstand a tone

But now you understand me correctly

Wounded without vaccination

A blatant statement without any hinting

Unbelievable

How they made us obey

At the funeral of the corpse of the [quintessential Arabic letter] Ddad

Counter revolution the revolution of wealth is in process

Rise

In the face of decades under an iron fist

From here to a village without extension

Without going too far

Freezing of capital and nuclear war heads

The interest of the primary beneficiary

Melts with a flame from Sidibouzid

Ignitesee how many dictators wersquoll uproot

Ignitesee how many dictators wersquoll uproot

Ignitesee how many dictators wersquoll uproot

The sound of revolution is everywhere we make it heard

From leaders to parliamentarians

I do not exclude any of you

But you donrsquot care

Until chants are directed at you and shake you

Let me explain

Tyranny leaves the street prepared

Walle

boikutt

null

1746378

3534

من املزارع بوسط البالدفعل مضارع للرماد

فا إنصرف زاي فلوس الدولة إللي طريقها إنحرفوإنعرف و إنصبت بجيوب هالطرف من شوفرية الشرف

حتية خاصة ألسود ميدان التحريرلتعديل دستور التعتير

إن صح التعبير

عندي نظر األطرشو سمع األعمى

عايشني حياة و مكلبشني باخلوف بنفس الوقت فا قللي شو املعنىتاريخ شجعنا

الوضع الراهن منعناناس بتمر و بتسمعنا

بدون جتاوب جتارب فجاوبيا ضدنا يا معنا

إرفع قبضة الصمود فوق في الهوا ثابتةإنتفاضة أولى و ثانية بس الثالثة نابتة

أطراف كابتةبس قد ما يحاولوا ميحوا ويحطوا الناس كاتبة

بالتفاصيل و كامتة

ولعhellip شوف اكمن دكتاتور منقلعولعhellip شوف اكمن دكتاتور منقلع

ولع شوف اكمن دكتاتور منقلعصوت الثورة بكل مكان و عم منسمع

ولعhellip شوف اكمن دكتاتور منقلعbو صفهم عالدور واحد واحدhellipو شنع o i k u t t

From the farmers in the center

Changing present tense to ashes

So vanish like the statersquos money whose road has deviated

It is known that it ended up in the pockets of the corrupt who claim to be clean

A special salute to the lions of Tahrir Square

For amending the constitution of misfortune

If that can be said

I have the sight of the deaf

And the hearing of the blind

Leading a life while chained by fear at the same time so tell me whatrsquos the point

History encouraged us

The current situation prevented us

People pass by and hear us

Without any response -- testing -- so answer

Yoursquore either with us or against us

Raise the fist of resistance up in the air

A first and second Intifada but the third is sprouting

Oppressive groups

No matter how hard they try to erase and replace people have written

In details and know by heart

Ignitesee how many dictators wersquoll uproot

Ignitesee how many dictators wersquoll uproot

Ignitesee how many dictators wersquoll uproot

The sound of revolution is everywhere we make it heard

Ignitesee how many dictators wersquoll uproot

Line them up in turn one after the other and defame them

T r a n s l a t e d b y F a r a h E l R e w a i s s a t i

Walle

boikutt

null

1746378

3736

ولك انا ابن عكا وبن يافا و طولكرم انا ابن كل شبر من البحر للنهر

االرض الي حملت موسى مرمي واملسيح انااملقابر يلي فاضت من كتر التوابيت

انا اخليمة بيت التنك واحلصيرة والكانون والبيوت املسروقة والدم املهدور

انا الهوى يالي حامل الغضب والبكاوالطرقات يلي بتغرق مع كل نقطة الشتا

انا رصاصة من املجاهد عم تعبر حلدود انا حزام من القنابل مشتاق لليهود

لطفل على باب املستشفى عم بيموتانا الجئ ممنوع من العمل مكروه

انا اين املخيم يلي عاطل عن العمل سيجارة احلشيش يلي بتمحي شوية الم

H 2 Z

Irsquom the son of Acre Jaffa and Tulkarem

Irsquom the son of every inch from the river to the sea

Irsquom the land that carried Moses Mary and the Christ

Irsquom the cemeteries that overflow with coffins

Irsquom the tent the tin house the mat and the stove

The stolen houses and the wasted blood

Irsquom the wind that bears anger and tears

The roads that drown in a single drop of rain

I am a bullet that crosses borders

Irsquom a grenade against Zionists

A child that dies waiting outside the hospital

Irsquom a hated refugee whorsquos prohibited from working

Irsquom the son of the camps always unemployed

The hash cigarettes that ease the pain

iانا فلسطيني am palest inian

Ana Falasteeni

H27

null

17782504

eng - iTunNORM 0000057E 0000056B 00004E0F 00004D32 00021C96 00021C96 00008000 00008000 0000ECEA 00007530

3938

حيطان هالبيت يلي بكره رح ينردم انا االحمر واالسود واالخضر من هالعلم

من دم االبطال من دموع الاطفالمن اجلحيم التشرد واجلوء واالنكسار

من ظلم االحتاللمن حلم االستقالل

من ارض الزيتونوالصليب والهالل

انا حافظ احلواجز بكل بالد العالممن النادر انو بيوم يعتبروني بني ادم انا سنني االعتقال انا غرف التعذيب

الوجع والصريخ واجلروح الي ما بطيبانا شعب ما انهزم بس عمرو ما انتصر

انا اكبر ارهابي الني حامل حجر اسير طول عمرو رافض انو بيوم ميوت بس معاهدة سالم بتنفي اني موجود

انا القدس بيت حلم ومخيم جننياالدان واجلراس الهالل والصليب

املدافن واملدارس وكنسية املسيح الشوارع القدمية والبيت العتيق

انا ركوة الشاي و سندويشة الفالفلالكرم والبخل واالخالق واملهازل

الكذب والصدق واخليانة والصمود Hانا فلسطيني حلتى اموت 2 Z

The walls of the house that I hate thatrsquos about to get demolished

I am the red and black and green in this flag

From the blood of heroes from the tears of children

From the hell of homelessness and broken refugees

From the oppression of the occupation

From the dream of independence

Irsquom from the land of the olives

The cross and crescent

I know all the checkpoints in all countries of the world

It is where they consider me a human being

Irsquom years of capture Irsquom the torture chambers

The pain and the screams and the wounds that never heal

I was never defeated but never had a victory

Irsquom the biggest terrorist because I carry a stone

A prisoner who spends his whole life refusing to die

But a peace treaty forgets that Irsquom alive

Irsquom Jerusalem Bethlehem and Jenin refugee camp

The call to prayer the bells the crescent and the cross

The old cemeteries schools and church of Christ

The old streets and the ancient house

Irsquom the tea cup and the falafel sandwich

Generosity and greed morality and farce

Lies and betrayal and honesty and persistence

I am Palestinian until I die

T r a n s l a t e d b y t h e a r t i s t

Ana Falasteeni

H27

null

17782504

eng - iTunNORM 0000057E 0000056B 00004E0F 00004D32 00021C96 00021C96 00008000 00008000 0000ECEA 00007530

4140

صباح اخلير با والد عمومناتفضلوا شرفونا

شو بتحبوا نضيفكم دم عربي وال دموع من عيوننابعتقد هيك تأملوا نستقبلن

هيك تعقدوا ملا تدركوا على غلطتهنمن هيك لبسنا الكوفية

البيضة والسودةصاروا كالب الزمان يلبسوها كموضة

مهما تفننوا فيامهما غيروا بلونا

كوفية عربية بتضال عربية

حطتنا بدن ياهاثقافتنا بدن ياها

S h a d i a M a n s o u r w i t h M 1 o f D e a d P r e z

Good morning cousins

Come in and honor us with your presence

What would you like us to serve you Arab blood or tears from our eyes

I think thatrsquos how they hoped we would recieve them

Thatrsquos why they got tangled up when they tripped up on their own mistake

Thatrsquos why we wore the kufeyyeh

The black and white one

Dogs of the past started to wear it as a fashion statement

However they change it

Whatever colour they make it

The Kufeyyeh is Arab and will always be Arab

Our scarf they want it

Our intellect they want it

kufeyyeh arabeyyeh الكوفية عربية

Kufeyyeh Arabeyyeh

Shadia Mansour and M1

Shahadat Winter 2012 track 616

Hip Hop

26239166

4342

كرامتنا بدن ياهاكل شي إلنا بدن ياه

ما رح نسكتلن نسمحلن الالبقلن يسرقوا شغلة مش إلهن ما خصن فيا

بيقلدونا باللبسكل هاألرض بيكفيهنش

طمعانني عالقدسإعرفوا كيف تكونوا بشر

قبل ما تلبسوا الكوفيةجينا نذكرن مني إحنا

وغصبا من عن أبوهم هاي حطتنا

من هيك لبسنا الكوفيةألنها وطنية

الكوفية الكوفية عربيةمن هيك لبسنا الكوفية

هويتنا األساسيةالكوفية الكوفية عربية

يال علي الكوفيةعلولي هالكوفية

الكوفية الكوفية عربيةعلوها لبالد الشام

كوفية عربية بتضال عربية

ما في بعد متل الشعب العربيفرجوني أية أمة بالدنيا أكثر مأثرة

الصورة واضحة نحنا مهد احلضارة

S h a d i a M a n s o u r w i t h M 1 o f D e a d P r e z

Our dignity they want it

Everything thatrsquos ours they want it

We will not be silent will not allow it

It suits them to steal something that ainrsquot theirs

They imitate our style

As if all this land werenrsquot not enough

Thirsting after Jerusalem

Know how to be human

Before you wear our scarf

We came to remind them who we are

And like it or not itrsquos our right

Thatrsquos why we wore the kufeyyeh

Because it is nationalistic

The kufeyyeh is Arab

Thatrsquos why we wore the kufeyyeh

Because it is our original identity

The kufeyyeh is Arab

Come on raise your kufeyyehs

Raise that kufeyyeh

The kufeyyeh is Arab

Raise it up for bilad ersquosham [Greater Syria the wider Arab world]

The kufeyyeh is Arab and will always be Arab

There are no others like the Arab people

Show me one region in the world that is more influencial

The picture is clear we are the origins of civilization

Kufeyyeh Arabeyyeh

Shadia Mansour and M1

Shahadat Winter 2012 track 616

Hip Hop

26239166

4544

تاريخنا وتراثنا الشاهد على وجودنامن هيك لبست التوب الفلسطيني

من حيفا جنني جبل النار إلى رام اللهخليني شوف الكوفية

البيضة واحلمراخلينا نعليها لفوق بالسما

أنا شادية العربلساني بغز غزبلساني بهز هز

كلمات احلربسجل أنا شادية منصور

واحلطة هويتيمن يوم ما خلقت

سيدي والشعب مسؤوليتيلكن تربيت بني الشرق وبني الغرب

بني لغتنيبني بخيل بني فقير

شفت احلياة من اجلهتنيبس علمتني الكوفية

كيف ما لبستونيوين ما شلحتوني

بضلني عأصولي فلسطينية

S h a d i a M a n s o u r w i t h M 1 o f D e a d P r e z

Our history traditions and customs bear witness to our existence

Thatrsquos why I wear the Palestinian dress

From Haifa Jenin Jabal El Naar to Ramallah

Let me see the kufeyyeh

The red and white one

Letrsquos raise it up to the sky

I am the singer of the Arabs

Like an earthquake I shake the ground

My words are war

Record this

I am Shadia Mansour

And this scarf is my ID

From the day I was born the people have been my responsibility

Look I was raised between the East and the West

Between two languages

Between the rich and the poor

Irsquove seen life from both sides

However the kufeyyeh has taught me

However you wear me

Wherever you leave me

I stay true to my origin Palestinian

T r a n s l a t e d b y t h e a r t i s t w i t h F a r a h E l R e w a i s s a t i

Kufeyyeh Arabeyyeh

Shadia Mansour and M1

Shahadat Winter 2012 track 616

Hip Hop

26239166

4746

حمامة سالم افتحي أجنحتكي و طيري

وين الوعي - وين امشوا معي هني وادي بني اجلبلني عني حب للطرفني

أمهاتنا حبت ذاتنا بس مو عاجبهن مسباتنا هذا احلكي بني اخواتنا

Oزين العرب واألمريكان m a r O f f e n d u m

This track contains verses that were originally written in English

You are my

(Destiny)

Itrsquos hard livinrsquo in the West - when I know the East got the best of me

(Destiny)

Could be lookinrsquo in my eyes - but yoursquoll never really see the rest of me

(Destiny)

Can you hear me maseeri [my destiny] Bi-lingualrsquos what Irsquom blessed to be

(Destiny)

Dove of Peace

Spread your wings amp fly

Consciousness What consciousness - where is it

Take a walk with me

Here in this valley between two ldquomountainsldquo

Where the source of love for both ldquosidesldquo can be found

Our mothers like us

But donrsquot like our foul language

So letrsquos keep this between the siblings

The best of Arabs amp Americans

destمصيري iny

7 Destiny

Omar Offendum

The Peace Revolution 20

21332892

eng - iTunNORM 000006D3 000006F2 000038BA 0000322F 0000E4FA 0000E4FA 00008716 0000864B 0002AB5E 000083D6

eng - iTunSMPB 00000000 00000210 0000094B 00000000008F7FA5 00000000 004108FB 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000

4948

وألله يرحم كل أمواتنا أغاني

مثل املهامتة إذا قلنا العني بالعني

ما صفى عندنا عيون بالشام بالد الشام

من فلسطني إلى جبال لبنان قبل ما اخترعوا احلدود

من اإلسكندرون إلى كردستان فهمان

جنجس خان ما خان قد ما خانونا أوالد العم بس دمنا دمهم

بني أدم - بنو ذمنبهم على أكتافنا - شلنا همهم

ليه الله بيعلم

بس ليك هذا الفتيش والبسكليت احسنلك من 100000000 مسدس

تعرف ليه ألن مو عاجبهم بسمتك

بس إبتسم برسمتك شاب عربي ومثقف

أعطيهم ختمتك وإذا لسة مو راضني

ذكرهم بكالم إيليية )أبي ماضي( raquoنسي الطني ساعة أنه طنيlaquo

Oوهذه هي القضاء والقدر يا حبيبي m a r O f f e n d u m

And may God have mercy on all our dead

Songs I sing

Like the Mahatma [the line above and the line below are linked through the sound of the name and the figure of Mahatama Ghandi]

If we say lsquoan eye for an eyersquo

There wont be any eyes left in Sham [Damascus]

Bilad al-Sham [Greater Syria the wider Arab world]

From Palestine to the mountains of Lebanon

Before they made up these borders

From Iskandaroon to Kurdistan

Understand

Genghis Khan never deceived us quite like our ldquopaternal cousinsldquo [khan also means ldquodeceiveldquo in Arabic]

But our blood is their blood

Children of Adam -- who built their sins

Upon our shoulders -- we carried their burden

Why

God knows

But listen this little firecracker amp bicycle

Are better for you than 100 million guns

Wanna know why

Because they dont like seeing you smile

But smile you will - in your human being

A young cultured Arab male

Give them your stamp of approval

And if they still donrsquot accept you

Then remind them of the words of Elliye [Abi-Madhee a Lebanese poet whose poem begins with]

ldquoHow soon a piece of dirt can forget that all he really is is just dirtldquo [ie we are all from this earth amp

will come back to it so there is no logic in viewing yourself as better than someone else]

And that my friend is our destiny

7 Destiny

Omar Offendum

The Peace Revolution 20

21332892

eng - iTunNORM 000006D3 000006F2 000038BA 0000322F 0000E4FA 0000E4FA 00008716 0000864B 0002AB5E 000083D6

eng - iTunSMPB 00000000 00000210 0000094B 00000000008F7FA5 00000000 004108FB 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000

5150

O m a r O f f e n d u m

Dove of Peace

Spread your wings amp fly

Make it easier to borrow

The aesthetics you bite

Like all the Arabic loanwords

From Spaniards amp Morros

The Karma of Inquisition

Visions of horror

So whorsquos the explorer

Really was it Columbus

Muhammad al-Idrisi or Alfaragnus

Throw a Hobson Jobson

While you figure it out

Irsquom gonna start with a cipher

Thatrsquos a siffir [zero] - no doubt

See you might not have learned to live with me

But sure as hell canrsquot without

You are my

You are my

(Destiny)

Itrsquos hard livinrsquo in the West - when I know the East got the best of me

(Destiny)

Could be lookinrsquo in my eyes - but yoursquoll never really see the rest of me

(Destiny)

Can you hear me maseeri [my destiny] Bi-lingualrsquos what Irsquom blessed to be

(Destiny)

حمامة سالم افتحي أجنحتكي و طيري

I write right to left

You write left to right

Metaphor of a foreignerrsquos plight

Dressed to type

Stereo amp a mic

Scenario of a fight

The burial of a white

Imperial at his heightrsquos

A Turkish Rapperrsquos Delight

Semetic etiquette might

Just have you rollin your ldquoRrsquosldquo

Poetic amp light

And grab a hold of your sorrows

To relieve your tomorrows

7 Destiny

Omar Offendum

The Peace Revolution 20

21332892

eng - iTunNORM 000006D3 000006F2 000038BA 0000322F 0000E4FA 0000E4FA 00008716 0000864B 0002AB5E 000083D6

eng - iTunSMPB 00000000 00000210 0000094B 00000000008F7FA5 00000000 004108FB 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000

5352

O m a r O f f e n d u m

Dove of Peace

Spread your wings amp fly

Bitched out by the West

Press get a big shout

From the people gettinrsquo rich out of this (bout)

Now whatrsquos this really all about

Land money or power

It was the colonizerrsquos fault

But now itrsquos really just ours

Leavinrsquo a sour tase in our mouths

Like generational slave names

Whenever speakinrsquo out

Out-spoken leaders gettinrsquo taken out

Quicker than belligerent drunks in a bar

We a far cry from livinrsquo as one

T r a n s l a t e d b y t h e a r t i s t

(Destiny)

Itrsquos hard livinrsquo in the West - when I know the East got the best of me

(Destiny)

Could be lookinrsquo in my eyes - but yoursquoll never really see the rest of me

(Destiny)

Can you hear me maseeri [my destiny] Bi-lingualrsquos what Irsquom blessed to be

(Destiny)

حمامة سالم افتحي أجنحتكي و طيري

See arab [Arabs] shootin at each other

From Iraq to Falasteen [Palastine]

Syria to Libnan [Lebanon]

Algeria to Sudan

Pedagogy of the oppressed tricklinrsquo down

Conquerinrsquo through divisions

And sadly this isnrsquot the first time

One land one love one chance one blood

No fuss no fight Yeah right young blood

AKrsquos cheaper than a book

Crooked leaders in a hook

Gettinrsquo fished out

Missles gettinrsquo dished out

7 Destiny

Omar Offendum

The Peace Revolution 20

21332892

eng - iTunNORM 000006D3 000006F2 000038BA 0000322F 0000E4FA 0000E4FA 00008716 0000864B 0002AB5E 000083D6

eng - iTunSMPB 00000000 00000210 0000094B 00000000008F7FA5 00000000 004108FB 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000

5554

زي ما صار مبارح صار اليوم اطف التلفزيون امسك مايكروفون

زي ما صار مبارح صار اليوم اطف التلفزيون امسك مايكروفون

زي ما صار مبارح صار اليوم اطف التلفزيون امسك مايكروفون

زي ما صار مبارح صار اليوم اطف التلفزيون امسك مايكروفون

النه الوقت عم يسبق بقلك خي سالم بس اصبر

بدك تستني هاي اخلطط بعمرها ما تضبطبيدفعلك قد ما بدك عشان تسكت

واذا بتفتح متك طخة وحده وبعد بتسقط

s t o r m t r a p

What happened yesterday happens today

switch off your TV and grab a microphone

What happened yesterday happens today

switch off your TV and grab a microphone

What happened yesterday happens today

switch off your TV and grab a microphone

What happened yesterday happens today

switch off your TV and grab a microphone

Because time is racing

He keeps telling you peace is coming just be patient

You want to wait these plans never succeed

Hersquoll pay you as much as you want to keep you quiet

And if you open your mouth one shot will silence you

what happened yesterdayزي ما صار مبارح

Zey ma sar mbareh

Stormtrap

null

2009

1728613

eng - Visit httpstormtrapbandcampcom

5756

اركض اركض وخليك راكض

واذا بتفتح متك رح يقلك خليك ساكت رح يقلك انساك من هاملشاكل

حوشوا هالشواك وضبوا شناتكم واشتروا التذاكرففكر شوي وما تكنش أهبل

وين ما تروح في الدنيا رح تتبهدلمش شايف قدامي عم بسمع أصوات بيسألني

ليش لسه عايش هون روح عيش محل تانيبدي احك بس الكلمات مش طالعة من لساني

عنصرية هونن عنصرية هناك عنصرية كل ما اطلع برا الشباك

شيطان بيعمل حاله مالكبس هو بالواقع بدو يعيش بالك

جدار بيمثل عقلية ناس بدهاش تعيش معاك

زي ما صار مبارح صار اليوم اطف التلفزيون امسك مايكروفون

ما مبثل شخص او اشخاص مبثل فكرةاسم احلرية حاملينه

من بلد ما فيه حياة عاديةسواءا ضد االحتالل أو ضد العنصرية

أصواتكم وينايي خلوها تنسمع وتطلع نتائج ايجابية

فكمل كتابة او تسجيل وصدقني شغلك مش رايح عالفاضي

عشان الشي الوحيد اللي رح يروح هو احن اذا منضلنا علقانني فاملاضي

s t o r m t r a p

Run run

Keep running

And if you decide to speak hersquoll tell you just stay silent

Hersquoll tell you forget these problems

Save up some money pack your bags and buy your tickets

Think about it donrsquot be a fool

Wherever you go yoursquoll get humiliated

I canrsquot see in front of me Irsquom hearing voices asking

Why are you still living here Go live somewhere else

I want to respond but the words wonrsquot come out

Racism here racism there

Racism each time I look out the window

A devil in an angelrsquos disguise

In reality he wants to live without you

The apartheid wall represents the mentality of a people who donrsquot care to coexist

What happened yesterday happens today

switch off your TV and grab a microphone

I dont represent a person or a people I represent an idea

An idea called freedom

From a land lacking a normal life

Whether yoursquore struggling against occupation or against racism

Where is your voice

Let it be heard to achieve your goals

So keep writing and recording

Believe me your work wonrsquot be lost in vain

The only thing thatrsquoll disappear is us

If we stay stuck in the past

Zey ma sar mbareh

Stormtrap

null

2009

1728613

eng - Visit httpstormtrapbandcampcom

5958

شو الي حدثجينا من حتت األرض

هيهة القصة بدة عنا هدفوننشر أصواتنا لكل حدا

جيت من حتت أرض رام اللهما ح وقف اكتب كلمات وال مرة

عندي طاقة الزم أطلعها كل يوم وكل ساعةفاو انبنى مع الوقت ولسة عم بيطور تصور

تصورفاو انبنى مع الوقت ولسة عم بيطور تصور

زي ما صار مبارح صار اليوم اطف التلفزيون امسك مايكروفون

زي ما صار مبارح صار اليوم اطف التلفزيون امسك مايكروفون

s t o r m t r a p

What happened

We came from underground

The story begins we have an objective

To spread our voices to everyone

I came from the ruins of Ramallah and

I wonrsquot ever stop writing words

I have energy that I must release every day every hour

A flow thatrsquos been built and is still developing imagine

Imagine a flow thatrsquos been built and is still developing

What happened yesterday happens today

Switch off your TV and grab a microphone

What happened yesterday happens today

Switch off your TV and grab a microphone

T r a n s l a t e d b y t h e a r t i s t

Zey ma sar mbareh

Stormtrap

null

2009

1728613

eng - Visit httpstormtrapbandcampcom

6160

Wake up the People

Donrsquot doubt it

The Maker can see you

Right now

You want to get out and see doe

So clouded

Sell out to be dope

Right now

I see you plagued by your own doubt

Canrsquot step the game up

Like a snake when it rolled down

Staircase of a lone child

No bricks lain in a cold house

Where you sold out

All alone on an old couch

t h e N a r c i c y s t

No click like an untapped phone dial

Oh wow

I felt the same homie

Donrsquot shelter pain only

Then it came slowly

Never let the frame hold me (down)

Picture life for the love though

People tend to look the other way like Columbo

We deceived by the law just to love doe

Guess they took all the worth out to numb folks

And make a severed plan

Out of bitter man

What you want a medal man

Huh Do you really think yoursquore better than Then

All you really need is a long look

Two sixteens and a strong hook like

brassThis track was originally written in English

null

2149748

6362

Wake up the People

Donrsquot doubt it

The Maker can see you

Right now

You want to get out and see doe

So clouded

Sell out to be dope

Right now

Break

Hip hop like a fresh pelvis

Yoursquore gonna regret this shit like a dead Elvis

Busy wishing you could live less selfish

Crabs in a bucket duckinrsquo these dead shellfish

Industry got a brother feeling helpless

With an ill chorus and ride yoursquore more in the tide

When a flow canrsquot keep me above the water

t h e N a r c i c y s t

Let a wave carry me out and push me farther now

Internal Inferno ten journals written but Irsquom still not sure though

Do I really want to tour to jump hurdles To be heard

So-I-Can-Feel-Like-This

Man therersquos something that I might miss--

Naw Irsquove been bluffinrsquo

Lifersquos backwards like Ben Buttonsrsquo

Irsquom in love with the stage fright on a strange night

Feels good to get the words on a page right

Wake up the People

Donrsquot doubt it

The Maker can see you

Right now

You want to get out and see doe

So clouded

Sell out to be dope

Right now

null

2149748

6564

مبارح شفت بلمنام بيروت عمتغرق حتت رماد بركان فحموا الناس بس ال raquoسكاي بارlaquo كان بعده ولعان

بيروت ثبتت حبة الثورة اللي فينا نبتت ملا أحبطت نفوسنا من اجلمود

فينا بيروت حتركت عدم دمارنا وعدم حرية خيارنا

بيوت بيروت تعمرت سكرنا عجفاف دموعنا جفوننا عليها تسكرت فتخمرت

إذا بطلت تطير قدرك عألرض مقهور إذا وقفت تكسير بتصير جزء من الديكور

e l R a s s

Yesterday I dreamt Beirut was drowning under volcanic ash

The people were turned to charcoal but Sky Bar [a posh Beirut club] was still lit up

Beirut suppressed the seed of the revolution the one that sprouted

When our spirits were foiled from immobility

In us Beirut moved

On the blood of our destruction and the negation of our freedom of choice

The houses of Beirut are rebuilt

We got drunk on the dryness of our tears our eyelids closed on them and fermented

If you stop flying your destiny on land is distress

If you stop breaking you become part of the decoration

beirutبركان بيروت rsquos volcano

Blues

2125713

6766

بحاور بناور باآلخر بواجه التاج بتوضى بصلي بتوصلني أصوات أنات احملتاج

تأمل العلم بعري العمل من العمل خياري عنار خفيفة دوب املسمار وتستوي األفكار النظيفة

عمروا دمروا زمروا تذمروا ربك صبره دربه جربه

عقلن خربوا غربوا هربوا وقبلوا بالفن عحيط الشارع

عشرط ما يكون في شك بشارع هيدي مش عاصمة ثقافة هيدي حلبة املصارع بيروت ال تعرف في املاضي وال تعرب باملضارع

حتول التركيبة خلى العقل اجلامد فكر حاله مالك املدينة رقبته طويلة متل مالك احلزين وايده لوزيري

اعتبر نفسه أول مني اكتشف هلجزيرة بأجر الفقير شقق بأسعار مدروسة

بشكل تضل طموحاته ممعوسة نهبوا األرض من ربعي وصارت احلرب شركة استثمار مبفعول رجعي

حتت شعار إعادة اإلعمار لو ما كان خلص دوره وانتهى عقد االيجار

كان احلريري ما طار وما صار مطار احلريري عاصمة لبنان بتوازن بني ضريحني

واتنيناتن عاغتيالن في عالمة استفهام e واحد قدس املوت بس لسبب l R a s s

I discuss I maneuver ultimately I confront the crown

I perform ablutions I pray I receive the moaning of the needy

The meditation of knowledge strips work from hope

My choice is on low fire melting the nails and clean thoughts are ripening

They built they destroyed they honked they complained

Your god made him patient tested him and trained him

Their minds ruined westernized chased off

They accepted art pissed on back alleys

As long as there is no doubt in the streets

This is no capital of culture itrsquos a wrestling ring

Beirut canrsquot speak of itself in the past nor conjugate itself in the present

Transitions and transformations made the closed mind think he owns the city

His neck is long like a stork his fingers long like a politicianrsquos

He thinks himself the first who discovered this peninsula

He lets the poor rent apartments at prices studied

To crush ambitions

They stole the land from my cousins

And the war became a backward-looking investment

Under the slogan of reconstruction

If his time wasnrsquot up and his contract finished

Hariri didnrsquot have to fly and it wouldnrsquot have become the Hariri airport

Lebanonrsquos capital keeps balance between two shrines

And on both assassinations there is a question mark

One sanctifies death but for a reason

Blues

2125713

6968

واحد قدس احلياة بس بالكذب واحد بايدو حتول الذهب سم وواحد تخبى من الذهب بالدم

مني الشهيد

اللي مات حتت صبابيط ثورة عبيد شهيد اللي مات فتحول على حملة اعالنات هدفها ترفع الطايفة معدالت التجنيد

قنابل بالبريد وصل سيوف علوريد حصل

املوت للبليد صنم الصبر للعنيد حلم تأليه الشهيد ظلم

خليط احلديد والدم العالج والسم الرفاه والهم النوعية والكم

الدعارة وورقة التوت مبدينة بيروت علم

e l R a s s

And one sanctifies life with lies

In onersquos hand gold turned into poison

And the other hid from gold with blood

Who is the martyr

The one who died under the shoes of the oppressedrsquos uprising is a martyr

Is it he whose death was transformed into an advertising campaign to raise the levels of

sectarian enlistment

Bombs came in the mail

Swords to the jugular true stories

Death to the cold is statuette

Patience to the stubborn is a dream

Divinity to the martyr is oppression

The mixture of steel and blood the cure and poison

Luxury and distress quality and quantity

Prostitution and modesty

The science of the city of Beirut

T r a n s l a t e d b y M o e A l i N a y e l amp + A z i z

Blues

2125713

7170

بقرأ في اجلريدة زفت شوارع جديدة

إزالة مطبات و كثير أشياء هيك مفيدة أشخاص مستفيدة

دعم من هون و من هون منظمات بس احلرية بعيدة

مقاطعة مستوطنات تعون الضفة الغربية وطنية حصرية إدعائية

طب و فلسطني التاريخية مع ألساس كانت القدس عاصمة الثقافة العربية

بس كلوحكي سياسية للشعب إحنا نتحمل الشغل و التعب و الوضع صعب

b o i k u t t

Irsquom reading in the paper

About roads newly paved

Speed bumps removed and a lot of other useful stuff (yes very)

Certain inviduals benefit

Funding from here and there

Organizations are plentiful but freedom is far-fetched

Calling for a boycott of settlements around the West Bank

Pretentious exclusive nationalism

But what about historical Palestine

I thought Jerusalem was supposed to be the ldquocapital of Arab cultureldquo

But itrsquos all political speeches for the people

We put up with the work and the sweat and itrsquos rough

a letterرسالة من مقاطعة from boikutt

risaleh mn muqataa (pt1)

boikutt

null

2010

1086983

eng - iTunPGAP0

eng - iTunNORM 00000A1E 00000A0E 000099D9 000098A0 0000CC63 0000CC63 0000826D 000080B0 000131D0 000131D0

eng - iTunSMPB 00000000 00000210 000008F3 000000000049197D 00000000 0027BA9D 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000

7372

يقنعونا إن كلشي متام و بقدر أعيش حياة عادية

زي في األفالم على مبس واحد إثنني ثالثة أربعة إلخ

كن منيح و بتنزل عليك املصاري زخ نصيحة من أخ ألخ

خليك مستقل ألن اللعبة إنلعب فإبعد عن الفخ

خليهم يقعدوا يستنوا الدعم ليموتوا يلفلفوا داخل اجلدار حلد ما يفوتوا

في متاهات مبسافات مش محددة مجددة لتوسع التوسع مش مهددة

إنتهاك احتالل بس مش على الكل

في ناس في فلسطني هون حياتهم زي الفل مش عارف شو بيفكر

شكلوا مش داري شي يوم حنروح كل الدكاكني هي حتسكر

سالم

b o i k u t t

Try to convince me that everythingrsquos fine

And that I can lead a normal life

Like in the movies

On MBC one two three four etcetera

Be good and money will rain on you

Advice from one brother to another

Stay independent because the games are being played

So steer clear of the trap

Let them wait for foreign aid until they die

Spinning in circles within the apartheid wall until they enter

Into unlimited mazes with unspecified spaces

That are renewed to fit settlement expansion unthreatened

Violation occupation

But not for everyone

There are people here in Palestine living ldquothe good lifeldquo

I donrsquot know what hersquos thinking

Seems like he doesnrsquot know one day wersquoll be gone

And all these shops will close

Peace

T r a n s l a t e d b y t h e a r t i s t w i t h L o u b n a B i l a l i

risaleh mn muqataa (pt1)

boikutt

null

2010

1086983

eng - iTunPGAP0

eng - iTunNORM 00000A1E 00000A0E 000099D9 000098A0 0000CC63 0000CC63 0000826D 000080B0 000131D0 000131D0

eng - iTunSMPB 00000000 00000210 000008F3 000000000049197D 00000000 0027BA9D 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000

7574

الضغط عاليالعدو فات جاري احملادثات

صمت دوليكمية الغازى عم تزداد

تهجير جديد مولود جديدتكرر عزو مش تارك ورا شي مفيد غير غراب

من كل البيت ما تركو شي إال البابمن االرض ل سما مسافة عاليه

إمشي الصحرا وعد لياليوجنوما

كمشوا رئيس دولة بجورةحصار

توزيع مخدراتباألحمر تلون الفرات سجون معتقالتقبلة الوداع مع الصبات

تنصت بالشبكة خيانات باألزهر

k a t i b e h 5

The pressure is high

The enemy has entered discussions are taking place

Global silence

The numbers of the occupier are increasing

A new expulsion A newborn child

The perpetuation of an invasion that leaves behind it nothing of any use except for a crow

From an entire house they left nothing but the door

From the ground to the sky is a long distance

Walk the desert and count the nights

And its stars

They caught a president in a pit

Siege

Drug dealing the Euphrates is stained red prisons detention centers

A farewell kiss with a shoe

Networks wiretapped betrayals in Al Azhar

hold me back ifهديني اذا فيك you can

null

23098943

7776

حوار أديانالكف تنجس

متسح فيه وجك مع كل شروق عالوضوءتسمع شرارة فتيل مولوتوف ينادي أصوات تتلبى

باإلنفجار

هديني إذا فيك صرت موجود بكل مكانوجي مغبش عامل زي جيش زباتا

منصرخ بوجكم raquoاحلرية ل برغوتيlaquoإعالمكو بيعرفني كلماتكو حملت إسمي

شركاتكو بتهرب مني )كتيبه خمسه هديتي إذا فيك(

بتالقيني بني والد حفظوا غنية املخيماتبنفسية فالح عمال يزو املدينة

افالم تافهةبرنامج تافه

بتدور على مخك بتالقي مش موجوداخلليج يتحكم بإعالم

هادول حبوب التنومي ٦1 سنة بعدن مش شغالني

عالمادامك واخد وجهة نظري

ع محمل اجلدمسموح لك تستعجب وتظهر إنزعاجك بوجودي

ألني صديق لكل املشاهد الغير مرغوبة فيهاش بيختار حياتو بالتحديد بحكيلك هيك منحياها ومحد

ضغط رصاص وابارود بخليكاش حتيدالتجارب بتدلك عطريق

هديتي إذا فيك

k a t i b e h 5

A dialogue of religions

The hand is tainted

And with it you cleanse your face at ablution each sunrise

You hear the sparking of the fuse of a molotov calling voices respond

Explosion

Hold me back if you can I have become present everywhere

My face is concealed like the army of Zapata

We shout in your face ldquoFreedom for Barghoutildquo

Your media knows me your words have glimpsed my name

Your corporations flee from me

(Katibe Khamseh hold me back if you can)

Yoursquoll find me among children that have memorized the song ldquoAl Moukhayamatldquo

In the persona of a peasant that is visiting the city

Shallow films

Shallow programs

You look for your mind but you find it is not there

The Gulf controls media with its boundaries

These sleeping pills 61 years and theyrsquore still not effective

Great

As long as you are taking my point of view seriously

Yoursquore allowed to be taken aback and to show your irritation

Just like you show your irritation at my presence

Because I am a friend to all the images that are not desirable

This is how we live out these images and no one chooses their life specifically Irsquoll tell you

The pressure of bullets and gunpowder does not allow you to move away

Experience will guide you on the road

Hold me back if you can

null

23098943

7978

موقف واحد صريح من صميم روح لشعوب املقاومة ضمير ظهور البشرية

السبيل صعب ورا الغضبدعم لكل أسالوب محارب

د لنحرق نظامك منتدرب منجرب منخرب منستععم نحرق نظامك

هديتي إذا فيك

إطلع منيحمش رح تقدر توخذ كل شي من أول نظرة

نظرة عامة raquoبشرة مش بيضةlaquoجبني عريضة مكتوب مولود عنيد بالفطرة

فوت بالتقاليد عد التجاعيدلك هاي مش أول مرة

لغات ودراسات حط العلم بغالفمش رح تقدر تفهم ليه بعد في بارود ع الكتافلون األرض ولون الليل بيعطيك البني و السواد

بوعدك مش لوحدي رح أضل عد رماد الال اللعبة اجلديدة وال والدنا ع اللعبة جداد

بكفيش إنفلونزا الصقور صار في إنفلونزا اخلنازيرموسم مرض جديد لرئيس مبثل ع نفوس ومريض بهدوء البيض

هديتي إذا فيك

k a t i b e h 5

A single honest stance from the bottom of the soul for the people of the resistance the conscience

that exposes humanity

The path is difficult when following anger

A support for every style of battle

We train we strive we disrupt we prepare to burn your system

We are burning your system

Hold me back if you can

Look closely

You wonrsquot be able to see it all at first sight

An overview ldquocomplexion that is not whiteldquo

A broad forehead written born stubborn by nature

Look at the traditions and count the wrinkles

This is not the first time

Languages and scholarship put education under wraps

You wonrsquot be able to understand why there is still gunpowder on shoulders

The color of earth and the color of night gives you brown and blackness

I promise you that I will not be alone to count the ashes no

This game to us is not new and nor are our children new to the game

As if the influenza of eagles was not enough now therersquos the influenza of pigs

The season of a new disease for a president acting for a public and sick with the

calmness of white people

Hold me back if you can

null

23098943

8180

اإلحتالل نكه البشر بنكهة املجاريبالسالم حوار أديانبإقرار ملكية كذابة

بتشويه تاريخ وسرقة حضاراتولك أه

فلسطني إفريقيا الدجلة والفراتإجتاه البشرية لإلضمحالل سرطان بشري بعضها

الشتا ميسح اخلطايا واآلثاروليش بتتخبى وبتتغطى بنفس كل سفارة سميك الستار

لساتني باكل الضربة ورا الضره ورا الضربةوحتى ما أفعل وأساوي تكمشني الرجفة

بدل ما أضرب فيك بضرب بحاليبوعدكش حضلني كامش حالي حفلتها

حفلتها

هديني إذا فيك هديني إذا فيكهديني إذا فيك

k a t i b e h 5

The occupation has seasoned humanity with the flavor of sewers

With peace with dialogue of religions

With the declaration of false ownership

With the distortion of history and the theft of civilizations

Oh yes

Palestine Africa the Tigris and Euphrates

Humanity is leading to reduction a human cancer bites it

Exile wipes clean the sins and the traces

And why are you hiding and seeking cover when all the embassies are already well concealed

I am still taking one beating after another

And so that I donrsquot take action and do something shudders grip my body

Instead of beating you I beat myself

I canrsquot promise you that I can keep myself restrained

Irsquom gonna let go

Hold me back if you can

Hold me back if you can

Hold me back if you can

T r a n s l a t e d b y R i m a N a j d i a n d F a y s a l B i b i

null

23098943

8382

طول عمر الشعب املصري مع بعض أحلك الظروفبص وفر في التاريخ وانت ياما هاتشوف

الدين ده ليا وليكوفيا وفيك

حاجة روحانية بتخليك حتس اللي بيك

ايد في ايد نبني فيها من جديد

مصر زعلت علي حاصل وسطنا مش مفيد

بعد ثورة وبعد عيد فتنة تقتل حلم واتتحقق لنا

واحد اتننيالذكري بتعيش اكتر من عمر االنسان

بصمتنا تغييرنا جوة وبرة امليدان مش هانضيع نصر ثورتنا بفتنة نشئت بينا

A r a b i a n K n i g h t s + M C G a z a + A m e e r

The Egyptian people have always stuck together

Through the worst times look at history

And see how often wersquove been there for each other

That whole idea of religion

Is for you and for me something spiritual that makes you feel whatrsquos inside you

Hand in hand

We build Egypt up again

Egypt is angry at whatrsquos happening between us

Itrsquos not helpful

After the revolution after the celebration

Sectarian strife is killing the dream we fulfilled

One two

The memory lasts more than a lifetime

Our mark is our change in and outside Tahrir Square

We wonrsquot give up the victory of our revolution in exchange for sectarian strife between

us

hand inايد في ايد hand

Eid Fe Eid

Yasser Ameer Youssef Rush E Money amp MCGaza | by BOGEY

Single Hit track 11

20112011

Hip-Hop

24002867

eng - Hip-Hop 4 Life

eng - iTunNORM 000005E2 0000058E 0000424E 00003537 00026E95 0001C2B3 00008000 00008000 00005045 00005045

8584

بلدنا محتجانا ايدنا واحدة ضد احملنة تفرق ايه معاك ديانتي ملا ربك هو ربي

اصلك هو اصلي ارضك هي ارضي

ملا اتقال لي اكتت فيول فتنة انا قولت غلط علشان الفتنة مفتعلة في بلدنا وكان وراها غرض

فالفرد افترض فبفرض السياسة األمر اختلط

فالزم يبقي املصل سياسي من اصل املرض العسس واحلرس مافرقوش صليب وهالل

وكنا كلنا واحد وراء االقفالدم الشهيد شاهد

ياما بالفتنة انكسرنا وحدتنا بصوت واحد وضد الظلم انتصرنا

وديني هو ديني صلة بيني وبني ربي هارفع علمي وارفع راسي فوق

انا مصري

ايد في ايد نبني فيها من جديد

مصر زعلت علي حاصل وسطنا مش مفيد

بعد ثورة وبعد عيد فتنة تقتل حلم واتتحقق لنا

خلو حمامة السالم من الطيور املنقرضةعلشان تبقي القلوب مبتعدة منقسمه سهل تتسم

فكرين مناعة و قوة أم الدنيا بالطمع مرتبطةنسر املصريني ليس له دين احنا بنحميها بالدم

العنف بذوره بتكتر عاوز يوصل واحلروب حتصل

A r a b i a n K n i g h t s + M C G a z a + A m e e r

Our country needs us all together against the hard times

What difference does my religion make to you when your god is my god

Your origin is mine

Your land is my land

When they told me about sectarian strife I said thatrsquos wrong

Because itrsquos been planted in our country and behind it is some purpose

Makes one think somethingrsquos going on

By playing politics everythingrsquos gotten mixed up

The antidote has to be political just like the poison itself

The military doesnrsquot distinguish between cross and crescent

Wersquore all held together behind bars

The blood of the martyrs bears witness

To how much wersquove been broken by sectarianism

Through our unity we triumphed with one voice over injustice

And my religion is my own a rapport between me and God

Irsquoll raise my flag and my head up

Irsquom Egyptian

Hand in hand

We build Egypt up again

Egypt is angry at whatrsquos happening between us

Itrsquos not helpful

After the revolution after the victory

Sectarian strife is killing the dream we fulfilled

They drove the dove of peace to extinction

To keep hearts apart and divided itrsquos easy to poison them

Do they really think the resilience and strength of Egypt is connected to greed

The Egyptian eagle has no religion we protect it with our blood

The roots of violence are increasing want to gain control to start wars

Eid Fe Eid

Yasser Ameer Youssef Rush E Money amp MCGaza | by BOGEY

Single Hit track 11

20112011

Hip-Hop

24002867

eng - Hip-Hop 4 Life

eng - iTunNORM 000005E2 0000058E 0000424E 00003537 00026E95 0001C2B3 00008000 00008000 00005045 00005045

8786

للعاقيدة يكسر وألعضاء املشاعر تتشال تصتأصلعلى كالم ربهم اتكبرو فعملو قدر واتقدر

وقته مستنينه ليه خططوا مضمون الرسائل اتغير الن الهدف هو تدمير قعدة الوحدهوقتل كل قائد يقود الناس بره احملنه

فيبقي سهل يزيحنا ميحي أوصول عليها كبرناوكل واحد علي حداه يقول أنا محدش يقول احنا

فاببطء بحرص بص بعقل بحذر شوفقبل ما يخلوا خيالك يتخلله اخلوف

واخلوف ده افراز بيطلع من غده ملا الكلب بيشوفهابيعرف انك فاريسه سهل ياكلها ركز

فرق تسد إخلعوفق جتد إرفع

ثورة تقدصمت يفرد- يفرق

ما بيجمع بيننامن حقي النقد من حقك - تسمع

طب إسمع وراجع ما صور التاريخ طب باله بيكفي صور زمانييوم حصار كنيسة املهد مني دافع مني اتقمع مني اتنفا

مسلم مسيحي أل كان فلسطيني اتذكر معي ثورة غضب يناير

اتذكر معي الوحدة اإليد الوحدة اتشرف انتا مصرياتذكر معي األخ بإيد األخ يحمي األخ بدون إلخ

كالمي ماشي ماشي ال-لتفهمني بهويتي مسلم وال نصراني قبطي

ما في حجة لربطي خلبطي حلطي ألوطي ألغير خطيخير أجناد األرض

من أرض بيت املقدس كل السالم بعد ما قلت إلنقسام في وطنيانا ملزم أقول ال لفتنة

تفتت مجد شعب تعب عانى ضحى بالغالي حتى بناه

A r a b i a n K n i g h t s + M C G a z a + A m e e r

The relationship between Egyptians breaks down and the organs that feel are taken out

They got full of themselves in the name of their god and invented a new fate for us

Theyrsquore waiting for a time and theyrsquore plotting The meaning of their messages changes

Because the goal is to destroy the foundation of unity

And kill every leader who takes the people out of hard times

Itrsquos easy to remove us to wipe out the traditions we grew up with

Everyone on his own everyone says ldquoIldquo and no one says ldquoweldquo

Slowly carefully look Wisely with caution see

Before they make your imagination a slave to fear

And that fear releases a secretion from a gland

And when the dog sees it he knows yoursquore easy prey

Divide yoursquoll conquer

Bring harmony and yoursquoll reap Start

A revolution and it will catch on

Silence is solitary It divides

It doesnrsquot bring us together

It is my right to criticize and your right to listen

So listen and look back at history or better look at my life time

The day the Nativity Church was under siege who was persecuted Who was exiled

A Muslim A Christian No he was Palestinian

Letrsquos remember the angry revolution of January

Letrsquos remember the unity the one hand Be proud yoursquore Egyptian

Remember the brother holding hands with a brother protecting a brother

And I can go on

Donrsquot teach me about my identity whether Irsquom a Muslim or a Christian Copt

Therersquos no excuse to tie me down beat me to make me cower and kneel and stray from my courseThe Earthrsquos most virtuous soldiers

Come from the land of Bayt al-Maqdis [Jerusalem] I salute you After I said no to division in my countryIrsquom committed to saying no to seditionThat dissolves the glory of a people who labored suffered sacrificed what was most dear to build it

T r a n s l a t e d b y A l e x O r t i z + A h m e d S h a w k e t + K h a l e d A l H i l l i

Eid Fe Eid

Yasser Ameer Youssef Rush E Money amp MCGaza | by BOGEY

Single Hit track 11

20112011

Hip-Hop

24002867

eng - Hip-Hop 4 Life

eng - iTunNORM 000005E2 0000058E 0000424E 00003537 00026E95 0001C2B3 00008000 00008000 00005045 00005045

8988

الفن واملواهب زي حرب الكواكب الكل عايز يكون جنم صراع في الداخل

بهدي جنون العظمة بفلفل حر توابل تسيل دموع زي القنابل

زي مابتكلم وداني شغالة كون سامع نبض الشارع علشان أ

حالف أقضي على اإلعالم املتآمر مغامر في الكالم بس إنت مش سامع

ملا بأمسك القلم والورقة الهم بينزاح مخي بيرتاح بأقول اللي على البال

ملا بأقعد بحس بتأنيب ضمير كون في ستوديو بسجل على بيت خطير مفروض أ

e l D e e b + S t o r m t r a p

Art and talent are like Star Wars

Secretly everyone wants to be a star of conflict

I make megalomania tranquil with chilli hot spices

Tears flow like bombs

Thatrsquos how I talk and the world keeps moving

So that I can hear the pulse of the streets

Irsquove sworn to obliterate the media conspirators

I am adventurous in my speech but you do not hear

When I hold the pen and the paper my anxiety is lifted

My mind relaxes and I say whatrsquos on it

When I sit down I feel guilty

I should be in the studio recording dangerous beats

addictأدمان الشهرة ion to fame

Edman El Shuhra

Stormtrap amp Mohamed El Deeb

2011

Hip-Hop

15305855

- vocals Mohamed El Deeb Stormtrap13produced by Stormtrap

9190

إحساس غريب إنك تدمن الكالم ارسم يا فنان واخترع زي دافينشي الرسام

ولو مفيش ورقة باستخدم تليفوني خايف إن فكرة متعديش على صوتي

دنيا غريبة يوم مر يوم بونبوني بس أنا عمري ماغيرت لوني

املوسيقى بنادولي وبطابعي فضولي مهما قالوا لي هافهمها مبفهومي فـساعات أالقي نفسي بكلم نفسي واسمع أصوات غريبة في دماغي

وهو ده الصدى الصوت اللي بسمعه اكن مفيش حد فارقة معاه احالمي

شوف شوف مش هدف إنو أنا شخصيا أنا

هدفي انه كلماتي وموسيقتي تنتشرعشان هيك حتشوفني دوما مستمر مستثمر

كل وقتي كل طاقتي على أصواتي خوذ شك خوذ حتويل خوذ كاش

بس ما تنساش أي شي بيتعلق بالواقع بدناش ما تخاف ألنها قضيتنا مش منسية مية باملية هايذي ثورة كمان ثقافية

خليني أوضح هاي املوسيقى مش معمولة للتلفازeهاي املوسيقى مش معمولة لهز الطياز l D e e b + S t o r m t r a p

Strange feeling to be out of words

Paint oh artist and discover like Da Vinci the artist

If I donrsquot have paper I use my cell

I am afraid that the idea does not come through my voice

Strange world one day is bitter another like candy

But Irsquove never changed my color

Music is my Tylenol and my nature curious

So whatever they tell me Irsquoll understand it my way

Sometimes I find myself talking to myself

And I hear weird voices in my head

Which is just the echo of the sound I hear

As if no one cares about my dreams

See see

My goals are not self serving

My goal is that my words and music spread

Thatrsquos why yoursquoll see me always and continuously investing

All my time my energy on my sounds

Take a check take a transfer take cash

But never forget anything related to reality wersquore not interested

Donrsquot be afraid because our cause is not forgotten

One hundred percent this is also a cultural revolution

Let me explain this music is not meant to be televised

This music is not made for booty shaking

Edman El Shuhra

Stormtrap amp Mohamed El Deeb

2011

Hip-Hop

15305855

- vocals Mohamed El Deeb Stormtrap13produced by Stormtrap

9392

مش فاهم ليش الكل قاتل حاله يكون في مسابقةحابني نتصابح حياكم زات املكافحة

واالعالم ميت ع حيالله قصة ما بيدرس هالقصة من نصها

وبعدن بينفخهامش احلق علينا اذا ما بيبحثوا

وملا يبدوا يحكوا عنا أل عنجد بيبعصوابيفكروا انه كل شي هشك بشك

بس حدن الزم يقلهم انه الهب هوب مش هيكبدك تدير بالك عشانها هاي اللحظة احلاسمة

ملا يجوا عليك الديب والعاصفةنكسر حدود وبنبني وحدة عشان نحيي مجتماعاتنا

وننهي معانتناعشان هيك منكتب كلمات صريحة والها معنى

مش للشهرة مش حتى يجي حدن يدفعلنا

e l D e e b + S t o r m t r a p

I donrsquot understand why everyone is killing themselves to be in the contest

Wersquod like to say goodmorning to salute you in this same struggle

The mediarsquos dying for any story

But they donrsquot study the storyrsquos real text

And then they blow it out of proportion

Itrsquos not our fault if they donrsquot search

And when they talk about us then they really screw it up

They think everything is empty pointless

Somebody needs to tell them that hip hop is not like that

You should take care because this is the critical moment

When the wolf and storm come haunting you

We break borders and we create a unity to revitalize our communities

And stop our suffering

That is why we write frank words that have meaning

Itrsquos not for fame or even so that someone pays us

T r a n s l a t e d b y N i z a r G h a n e m

Edman El Shuhra

Stormtrap amp Mohamed El Deeb

2011

Hip-Hop

15305855

- vocals Mohamed El Deeb Stormtrap13produced by Stormtrap

9594

حضل عهل مود يعنيما إنتلك النجوم عم تقرب

بهل ال مود حكون عطول لبهل جنوم إدءر لو مضطر شن هجوم عل النجوم كلها

خللي األرض تدور حول أصبعي تنلك

ما إنتلك متلي متلك مولع طيار ألفكاري من العقدي تنفك فرد قعدي بني 4 حيطان ما بتنهز و منها ما بنهز

يلز املا بينلزالكاس عل الطاولي و منو عم مز مز

لتفتل براصي وحس من حالي عم كز كزعل ورقة كالمي مدروس و ما بزت زت بجرب ما عيد حالي متا يقولو عم نق نق

موزع قافياتي جواز كأن عم فت فت

بهل األطشة خلي الديني اللي تسمعني ترن رنFبسبيلي جاري يوم ع يوم عم برك رك a r e e q e l A t r a s h

Irsquoll stay in this mood

Didnrsquot I tell you The stars are getting closer

Irsquoll stay in this mood until I touch these stars

Even if I have to launch an attack on all the stars

Irsquoll make the Earth rotate around my finger I told you

Didnrsquot I tell you Irsquom just like you I lit up a joint so my ideas would untie their knot

Sitting this way in between four walls I wonrsquot budge

The most delectable

Drink is on the table from which Irsquom taking sips

Till my head starts spinning and Irsquom sick of myself

On the paper my words are calculated I donrsquot just toss them about

I try not to repeat myself so they wonrsquot say Irsquom nagging

I deal my rhymes out like theyrsquore cards

In this verse Irsquoll make those ears ring

My fountain is running and every day I excel

tالنجوم عم تقرب he stars are gett ing closer

null

29781717

9796

لضل ماشي جالس بينما غيري عم بلك لك شريط معلق ريحة العة عم بتفح فحكل ما فتح متو بتالقي عم بكب كب

عايشها إرهاب و مفي إال بسب سببزبالتي ما بكبو تيكون بعلمك

األالف مسم و بحياتو ما بينسم بزقة من هل التم تخلي سقفك ينش نش

تلمو ردم و ما تفكر إنو ترد رد و عم بحكي عالواطي متا الصالي فيك ترج رج

بطبعي عاقل بس بالراب بزل زل عل الرايق بال ما نط وال فز فز

type of shitعال بارد أبرد من شباط بس يقز قزتخلي عضامك ع بعض تسك سك

ما إنتلك النجوم عم تقرب بهل ال مود حكون عطول لبهل جنوم إدءر

لو مضطر شن هجوم عل النجوم كلهاخللي األرض تدور حول أصبعي تنلك

أنا متنبئ بنبه و بحقق ما قلتلك بعد وقتها ما عم نكت

عاملكرفون إبرة هرون عم بشكشك في شكcheck one two

هيك بدسدس عالنبض

F a r e e q e l A t r a s h

So I can walk straight when others are still playing

A broken record that reeks of a musty smell

Every time he opens his mouth he spews them out

He lives in terror and all he does is curse

I wouldnrsquot throw him in my garbage just so you know

Irsquove irritated thousands and never been irritated in my life

One spit out of this mouth will make your roof leak

And yoursquoll pick up the rubble and donrsquot even think about answering back

Irsquom talking in a low voice so the hall wonrsquot shake with you in it

Irsquom reasonable by nature but when it comes to rap I humiliate cold-heartedly

Without jumping or leaping around

I do it coldly colder than icy February-type of shit

Irsquoll make your bones rattle against each other

Didnrsquot I tell you The stars are getting closer

Irsquoll stay in this mood until I touch these stars

Even if I have to launch an attack on all the stars

Irsquoll make the Earth rotate around my finger I told you

Irsquom a psychic I predict and deliver

Didnrsquot I tell you to stand back when Irsquom not joking

Irsquom pricking the microphone with a heroin needle Is there any doubt

Check one two

Thatrsquos how I feel the pulse

null

29781717

9998

بدقق و زتزت حكي بتزجزج كأنها مزهزها عم بتشمشم عم خطط عم تكتيك و مني ملحلح من هون للساعة توقف تك تيك تك تيك

لك ليك منفخ حاله عامبيكازيب عا غيري بس بوجهي بتاءتإوجهه بيباءبإ من أد ما بعصب بسبسب

زر إنذار إذني بتطنطن و بشوف من عالباب عم بدقدق

عكروت بدو يفوت ليشوف الفن فني بس الفن هون بجسمي معبأ

من حلقي طايف و من متي عم بت شرشر و بيس البيس زلزال برجرج خليك تضبضب تنضب بالبيت لتكنكن

و أنا متأسف ألني بدي استأذن بس بعد شفت كابتشينو بتصحصح

ما إنتلك النجوم عم تقرببهل ال مود حكون عطول لبهل جنوم إدءر

لو مضطر شن هجوم عل النجوم كلهاخللي األرض تدور حول أصبعي تنلك

هيدا هب هوبمش هبل و ال بهل

هيدا زجل تتغزل في

ورايي إيقاع عليي إتبع و ما إطلع عنو يا بصير متل غير مسيس

زقفوا مع االيقاعزقفوا مع االيقاع

F a r e e q e l A t r a s h

Checking and hurling words that tickle as if I was high and sniffing

I am planning and scheming and Irsquom not going anywhere till the clock stops ticking

Look hersquos so full of it lying to others but in my face he stutters

And his face turns red from all the anger and he curses

My earsrsquo alarm bells start ringing

And I go to see whorsquos knocking at the door

Some bastard who wants to see where ldquothe artldquo is

But the art is right here packed in my body

Flowing from my throat running out of my mouth

And the bass is an earthquake that shakes and forces you to pack up and go home

And Irsquom sorry because I need to take leave

But after a sip of cappuccino yoursquoll come around

Didnrsquot I tell you The stars are getting closer

Irsquoll stay in this mood

Until I touch these stars even if I have to launch an attack on all the stars

Irsquoll make the Earth rotate around my finger I told you

This is hip hop

Itrsquos not stupid nor dumb

Itrsquos zajal [a form of Arabic poetry in the Levant]

That you flirt with

There is a beat that I have to follow canrsquot lose it or Irsquoll be like other MCs

Clap with the beat

Clap with the beat

T r a n s l a t e d b y K h a l e d A l H i l l i

null

29781717

101100

انا ببلعهم بتفهم وال مره بسبهمبخليهم داميا يضاربو بتفكيرهم

أنا وراهم قدامهم جنابهم محتلهممش طايقهم مرات وزنهم بكون منزلهم

مرتبهم صاففهم وبقلم أنا حاكمهم زاتتهم مش عاجبيني أنا ماحيهم قائدهم وبنفس الوقت أنا عبيدهم

وبفك وربط أنا بلعب مبعانيهمانا حاميهم بأسطر اللي تقويهم

انا واعدهم اني أستر على فاضحهم ومطلعهم بصوره اللي تبشعهم

بس أنا محترمهم وبسطور ساجنهم مكتفهم كأسير بجنازير القهر

ومهديهم بحبل اللي يبشر بالصبر وانا لي الفخر أكون الشوك اللي فيهم

Dوأكون القهر اللي داميا يسقيهم A M

Yo this is dedicated to the lyrics

Irsquom swallowing them spitting them never dissing them

Giving them freedom of speech

Irsquom behind them in front of them because of them always standing with them

Sometimes get sick of them sick of how you abuse them

Gather them in line with my pen I order them

Didnrsquot like it Throwing them out and replacing them

Irsquom their leader and also their slave

Small changes make huge differences

I train them in pages to make them strong

Promising to use them not abuse them

Or allow the wrong mouths to utter them

Approach them with a military mind and find peace in them

Irsquom lucky to be full of thorns and even luckier that I found the lyrics

So theyrsquoll help me find the roses in me

wordsكلمات

null

26837427

103102

raquoالكل سمعك بس السؤال اذا اللي سمعك فهمكlaquoكلمات ليست كالكلمات بل raquoعالماتlaquo

اللي توجهنا وين مابدنا عحبال السيرك هي تثبتنا ريح العالم من كل جهه اذا احنا ضعاف بتوقعنا بس

raquoأل بلمره ألlaquo raquoكلمات عندي طنlaquoكل واحده الها هدف اخدت حرف عحرف

نسجت جمل اللي البسهم وقت البرد raquoراح اضلني اناديlaquo raquoبنحكي كلماتlaquo

انت بتعرف انهم مبنصب شهاد بحكو املاضي وتنبوا حاضر أي بالد

قد ماحكيت قد ما أحكي فش كالم يغطي بسفي كالم يربي وينمي انت بس أروي

في شوف انه قوه والقوه بتقويفيك و أن رويته مصيره يسقيك )مثل للقوه( العدو من أمامكم

والبحر من ورائكم فال تخيبوا أسيادكمفأين أشعاركم وأين مجادلتكم

فأنتم تسكتون وتخمدون أحالمكم)انهي( نهيت ورجعت للعامية بكلمات

مرمية طالعه من عقليه شعبيهمتل جنيب اللي بذاكرة كل واحد محفوظ مدروس واذا أل معناته في خلل معكوس

عاملجتمع اللي قمع كتاباته Dاللي سمح لنسيانه يشيل خطواته A M

ldquoThey all hear you but few listen to youldquo

Lyrics ainrsquot just a bunch of words they are ldquosignsldquo

Leading us stabilizing us on tight ropes

Winds every way if we are thin we will fall

ldquoBut hell noldquo ldquoyou can measure my words in tonsldquo

Every word has a meaning I knitted a letter with another letter

Made warm sentences to wear in cold days

ldquoSo Irsquoll still shoutldquo ldquowe control lyricsldquo

You know lyrics are like a witness

They witnessed the past and forecast the future

As much as I said or say I canrsquot describe them

But there is a way to find the description and thatrsquos through them

Quench the thirst of the pages with them

So in the future itrsquoll quench your thirst

Keep feeding them as soon as they grow up

Theyrsquoll give you strength

ldquoExample for the strengthldquo

ldquoThe enemy is before you the sea is behind you

So donrsquot you dare disappoint our ancestors

Where are our deep poems Where are our strong statements

From generation to generation we kill our dreamsldquo

ldquoEnough philosophizingldquo ok lets get back to street talk

Words coming outta simple minds

Like Najeeb Mahfuz [literally lsquowell-rememberedrsquo also a famous author]

They keep living in our minds

And if you donrsquot know who he is - then I rest my case

null

26837427

105104

raquoالكل سمعك بس السؤال اذا اللي سمعك فهمكlaquoكلمات ليست كالكلمات بل raquoعالماتlaquo

اللي توجهنا وين مابدنا عحبال السيرك هي تثبتنا ريح العالم من كل جهه اذا احنا ضعاف بتوقعنا بس

raquoأل بلمره ألlaquo raquoكلمات عندي طنlaquoكل واحده الها هدف اخدت حرف عحرف

نسجت جمل اللي البسهم وقت البرد raquoراح اضلني اناديlaquo raquoبنحكي كلماتlaquo

ألف با كبايه أوعك تكسرهاامسكها للنهاية وكل ما تفضى مليها

كلمه أو رواية ومع املراحل زيدها شيحكاية وهيك ضلك زود فيها

وجيبها لتجمعاتك وساعتها استعملها لنقاشاتك وملواقفك استخدمها

هادي مدافعك اللي مداها بسيطرتك وما دافعك انه ما تخليها رايتك

ما هي تكتب ما هي توصف ما هي تكذب ما هي تنصف

ما هي هي الهروب هياللجوء هي الدروب هي

العبور باحلدود واللي مبرؤهم مبدع وبفوز باخللود واللي بسرقهم مش مقنع

واذا بتديهم احلرية بنادوك ممنوعDواذا بتوخد احلريه بنادوك مسموح A M

ldquoThey all hear you but few listen to youldquo

Lyrics ainrsquot just a bunch of words they are ldquosignsldquo

Leading us stabilizing us on tight ropes

Winds every way if we are thin we will fall

ldquoBut hell noldquo ldquoyou can measure my words in tonsldquo

Every word has a meaning I knitted a letter with another letter

Made warm sentences to wear in cold days

ldquoSo Irsquoll still shoutldquo ldquowe control lyricsldquo

The Arabic alphabet is like a glass donrsquot break it

Hold it tight and keep filling it

And then bring it to our arguments

Scream till your throat gets dry and then wet it

It holds our body itrsquos like our legs

If you stand for nothing yoursquoll fall for anything

The words write create

They kill lead and sometimes even lie

You can use them to build borders

And those who are gifted

Can use them to walk through borders

And in some governments

Itrsquos forbidden to give words freedom

But if you choke them and kill them

Thatrsquos allowed

F i g u r a t i v e t r a n s l a t i o n o f f e r e d b y t h e a r t i s t s

null

26837427

107106

further reading

The tracks presented in this document are not a comprehensive sampling of the genre of the market of hip hop in Arabic or of hip hop and rap in the wider Middle East

Artists featured here hail from Egypt Lebanon Palestine and the anglophone Arab diaspora The thriving North African hip hop scene is not represented nor is the work of the established francophone Arab diaspora nor the expanding hip hop scenes of especially Iran or Turkey

This collection does not attempt a comprehensive chronology Tracks featured here are not primarily new releases (though some are) neither are they all ldquoclassicsrdquo These limitations of scope are important to note

Many tracks of the popular Libyan group Ibn Thabitt and other groups from across the region have been translated and are hosted with commentary on the notable blog

revolutionaryarabrapblogspotcom

Another valuable resource is the Beirut-based blog by Jackson Allers ldquoBeats and Breathrdquo which features articulate critiques and reviews of events and releases from the region

jacksonallerswordpresscom

Hass Dennaoui (alias Big Hass) who recently launched started the first all hip-hop FM radio show in Saudi Arabia Laish Hip Hop (Why Hip Hop) manages a lively blog which

hosts an internet feed of his radio show and interviews with MCs and influential hip hop figures from around the world

revoltradioblogspotcom

Lebaneseundergroundcom hosts coverage of underground music in Lebanon including hip hop

And finally an excellent article by Hishaam Aidi on implications of the use of hip hop as foreign policy ldquoThe Grand (Hip-Hop) Chessboard Race Rap and Raison DrsquoEtatrdquo was published in The Middle East Report Fall 2011 Excerpts of the piece were published by Al Jazeera English in the article ldquoLeveraging Hip Hop in US Foreign Policyrdquo

All the artists and many of the translators whose work is showcased here host a significant online presence Their sites are listed with more about each of them on the following pages

109108

artist bios

ARABIAN KNIGHTZ the premier hip hop group from the land of the Nile River have not only established themselves as the lyricists with the sharpest swords in their land but they have also created the most consistent voice for rebellion strength and hope for the youth of the Middle East During the 2011 Revolution Arabian Knightz released two singles ldquoRebelrdquo and ldquoNot Your Prisonerrdquo anthems of resistance which gained worldwide attention and major media coverage for their powerful lyrics against a wicked system The group formed in 2006 through the cipher hip hoprsquos natural way of choosing like mindsets on the mic Rush Sphinx and E-Money were ahead of their peers adapting an authentic Arab perspective to the art dominated by Western voices mixing English and Arabic raps After hitting the studio for successful underground tracks AK enlisted super-producer Fredwreck (Snoop Dogg Xzibit Tha Dogg Pound) ldquoFokkakrdquo the single from this studio session was an instant hit and (surprisingly for Arabic Hip Hop) projected them to the top ten of the singles charts Arab League Records was formed amidst a growing fanbase and numerous collaborations with other Arab hip hop artists the first international Arab hip hop record label Desert Saga Volume 1 mixtape was the debut release led by ldquoThe Onerdquo featuring Egyptrsquos MC Amin Arabian Knightz have recorded their debut album Uknighted State of Arabia a masterpiece for Arab hip hop years in the making featuring instrumentals dominated by traditional percussions and players are scheduled for a Winter 2012 Release They are on Facebook

BOIKUTT is a musician and MC based in Ramallah Palestine Creating sounds using sampled material field recordings and electronic devices the results range between hip-hop downtempo ambient glitch and experimental He has composed and produced music for artists such as Kronos Quartet Bukue One Spiritchild Tamer Abu-Ghazaleh Bleubird and others and has appeared as an MC on albums for artists such as Slovo Heliodrome Bonnot and Lethal Skillz A co-founder of the Ramallah Underground Collective which has toured across the Arab World Europe and Australia Boikutt is also co-founder and member of audio-visual group Tashweesh with whom he is currently touring Also as a solo performer he has been in Beirut Cairo Manila Copenhagen London Hamburg Dubai Bethlehem and other cities He has produced and exhibited a few sound-art pieces composed several film scores has most recently composed the music for a dance theater performance entitled Bound by

New York-based company Yaa Samar Dance Theatre and is now working on different collaborative and solo projects His work may be heard at soundcloudcomboikutt and on Facebook

DAM Da Arabian MCrsquos are Suhell Nafar Tamer Nafar and Mahmoud Jreri The first Palestinian hip hop crew and among the first to rap in Arabic the group began working together in the late 1990s Struck by the uncanny resemblance of the reality of the streets in a Tupac video to the streets in their own neighborhood of Lyd they were inspired to tell their stories through hip hop Their timely song ldquoMin Irhabirdquo (ldquoWhorsquos the Terroristrdquo) was downloaded a million times shortly after its internet realese in 2001 and DAM became a household name among youth throughout the Middle East Ten years of performing all over the world has strengthened the grouprsquos commitment to continue living and working in their hometown of Lyd 15 minutes from Tel Aviv and working to provide the youth of the city and neighboring communities with programs and opportunities that have been denied to Palestinian citizens of Israel Their music is a unique fusion of East and West and encompasses influences as varied as Ghassan Kanafani Ahlam Mosteghanemi Mahmoud Darwish Naji al Ali Tupac Biggie Public Enemy MBS Krsquonaan and Pharoahe Monch IHDA (Dedication) DAMrsquos long-awaited first international album was released in 2007 and DAM has seen its songs and members featured in films such as Ford Transit (Dir Hany Abu Assad) Where in the World is Osama Bin Laden (Dir Morgan Spurlock) Salt of this Sea (Dir Annemarie Jacir) Local Angel and Forgiveness (Dir Udi Aloni) DAMrsquos history and influence on the Arab hip hop scene is detailed in the feature-length documentary Slingshot Hip Hop (Dir Jackie Reem Salloum) The group has also been featured in Vibe National Geographic Rolling Stone Q Basement Reuters and The New York Times and has appeared on MTV CNN BBC and Al Jazeera Their work can be heard and explored at damrapcom

EL DEEB first ventured into Egyptian Hip Hop when he joined Asfalt in 2005 He left in 2007 to create Wighit Nazara duo represented by Mohamed Yasser and himself It was a successful musical project that lasted until mid 2010 Currently he is working on his solo career with plans to release an EP every couple of months or so Cairofornia is his first solo EP His work may be heard at deebbandcampcom and on Facebook

EL RASS was born in Tripoli Lebanon He started writing poetry in literary Arabic at age 11 and started rhyming in spoken Lebanese dialect in 1999 at age 15 At that time he formed one third of a group of 3 MCrsquos going under the name of ldquoMlouk el Micrdquo (ldquoKings of the Micrdquo) They recorded one album and performed locally At 17 he left for France to study Finance and Economics Studies were hard money was scarce and exile was tough but music and poetry never left him as he continued rhyming with some underground French MCrsquos like Medline and Moebius and developed new musical skills on percussion in classical Arabic singing and baglama (turkish buzuk) After graduating and working for almost two years in the hell of banking and market finance El Rass decided to return to Lebanon He spent a year just re-discovering Beirut and making and learning music He now works as a journalist at the newspaper Assafir while concurrently pursuing joint projects with other producers and musicians He calls his work Taalik in reference to the same word in Arabic for ldquocommentrdquo and another word that comes from the same semantic root moaallakat which is a corpus of selected pre-Islamic poetry that was written with gold ink on the walls of the Karsquoaba in Mecca His work may be heard at soundcloudcomElRass

FAREEQ EL ATRASH is a hip hop band based out of Hamra St Beirut with a sound that is distinguished by laid back topical flows over live instrumentation It consists of Edd (raps) Nasser (raps) FZ (vocal production and FX) Fouad Afra (drums) Goo (plays guitar keys heart strings) and Abed Kobeissy (plays bass and buzuk) Their 2010 album and 2009 prealbum are available online More of their work may be found on Facebook Eddrsquos solo work can also be heard at soundcloudcomEdd

H2Z was born in Kuwait in 1986 where he lived for four years Due to the gulf war his family moved to Lebanon where he lived for the most part of his life Inspired by the tragic events in the Middle East and elsewhere in the world H2Z adopted rap music as a way to raise awareness about the injustices suffered by his people and to deliver a message through his music to anyone who supports the Palestinian cause His career began in 2004 when he was introduced to the production business by fellow rappers and soon he started producing his own tracks and established a local band producing many tracks for himself and other musicians in Lebanon In 2008 he released his first solo album titled 3aed which contained

17 tracks The political influence was noticed throughout the album and was generally well-received He is now studying for a degree in business administration at Wayne State University in Michigan His work may be heard at reverbnationcomh2z

KATIBEH 5 are based in Borj el Barajneh Lebanon Their work can be found at reverbnationcomkatibeh5 and myspacecomkatibe5palestine and on Facebook

M1 is Mutulu Olugbala of the New York based collective Dead Prez whose work is online at deadprezcom M1 is also on Facebook

MC GAZA is Adnan Mahmoud Ghonim an Algerian born artist and university student based in Gaza It was the beginning of 2005 when he attended one of the hip hop concerts in Gaza City ndash Gaza City that never appreciated the art he loved and attached himself to ndash and it was love at first sight between them Through some of the concerts he participated in a number of songs he collaborated on with Arabs from Egypt Algeria and Palestine and some active participation to represent the Palestinian people and interviews for both Arab and foreign press he was able to make a name for himself in the Gazan hip hop community His work may be found at youtubecomMCGaza and on Facebook

THE NARCICYST Having pioneered the Arab Hip-Hop movement with seminal Iraqi-Canadian crew Euphrates The Narcicyst recently broke through borders and shattered traveling etiquette touring solo around the world sharing stages with the likes of Brother Ali Mos Def and Kanye West to name a few On top of music The Narcicyst is a celebrated theorist whose academic work Fear of an Arab Planet has him from the stage to the classrooms of internationally renowned universities He is now also a professor at Concordia University teaching a Fine Arts course ldquoHip-Hop Past Present and Futurerdquo His writings have been published by multiple university presses and magazines internationally he is also a self-published author having recently released the biographical and social-study on the Arab world The Diatribes of a Dying Tribe As a true artist interested in really pushing his own artistic boundaries The Narcicyst has stepped into acting currently starring in the short music film PHATWA and in the first internationally-released film from the United Arab Emirates called City of Life A true multi-media

111110

KHALED AL HILLI is a PhD candidate in Comparative Literature at the Graduate Center City University of New York He has a BA in English Literature and a Masterrsquos degree in Teaching Second Languages Born in Iraq Khaled has taught in Lebanon and Saudi Arabia at both college and high school levels He has also worked with various Iraqi news outlets and has subtitledtranslated documentary films dealing with current social and political issues His research interests include Arabic political literature prison literature and literature in the diaspora He may be reached at hillykhalidgmailcom

+AZIZ is a NYC-based marketing consultant and a musician He is working through The World Music Parade to develop an animation project based on his music More about that project can be found at themusicparadetumblrcom He tweets from plusaziz

FAYSAL BIBI is a paleontologist and electronic musician currently based in Berlin

LOUBNA BILALI is originally from Morocco She did her undergrad and first MA in English Linguistics at Chouaib Doukkali University El Jadida She came to the US in 2008 to pursue a Masterrsquos degree in French to English translation and is currently working on a PhD in translation studies at Kent State University in Ohio She is very interested in learning and teaching languages as well as translating and localizing computer applications and websites She may be reached at loubnabilaligmailcom

FARAH ELREWAISSATI is a freelance translator pro-Palestine activist and BDS advocate who blogs at youthanormalizationblogspotcom She tweets from 3beee

NIZAR GHANEM was born in Lebanon He has been active in intercultural education interactive learning and conflict resolution across the Arab world His work on conflict resolution involved using theater comics and music as tools for emotional expression and social mobilization

RIMA NAJDI is a Performing Artist She studied dramatic arts at the Lebanese University in Beirut and obtained a Masterrsquos degree in Performance Studies at NYU New York She has written and performed in various plays and performances Najdi is particularly interested in multi-media performing arts and the position of the spectators

BARRAK ALZAID (copy editor) is the Artistic Director of ArteEast He is the editor of the ArteEast Quarterly a dynamic online portal featuring four publications that highlight contemporary art and culture from the Middle East and diaspora ndash ArtersquoZine Shahadat (contemporary short-form literature) Gallery and Cinematek (an online film center) He is also the curator for ArteEastrsquos Across Histories Art Talk Series featuring a series of panels on residencies in Fall 2011 He tweets from barrakster

RAYYA EL ZEIN (editor) is working towards a PhD in Theatre at the Graduate Center City University of New York Her research is increasingly focusing on theories of reception historical studies of audience behavior and popular culture in the Arab world She holds an MA in Performance Studies from NYU and is currently a teaching fellow at City College in Harlem She tweets from rayelz

translator biosdreamer Yassin recently established an arts label in the UAE called The Medium focusing on delivering art from Arabs in the diaspora and at lsquohomersquo to the rest of the world iraqisthebombcom He tweets from TheNarcicyst

OMAR OFFENDUM is a Syrian-American hip hop artist born in Saudi Arabia raised in Washington DC and living in Los Angeles Known for taking audiences on a lyrical journey from the jasmine-tree-lined courtyards of Nizar Qabbanirsquos Damascene homes to the flooded riverbanks of Langston Hughesrsquo Harlem Renaissance poems - Offendum has been featured on several major news outlets (BBC Yahoo ABC News Aljazeera PBS) toured the world to promote his ground-breaking music helped raise thousands of dollars for various humanitarian relief organizations (PCRF KinderUSA ANERA Islamic Relief) lectured at a number of prestigious academic institutions (Harvard MIT Stanford Columbia American University of Beirut NYU-AbuDhabi Qatar Education City) and most recently been involved in creating several critically-acclaimed songs about the popular democratic uprisings throughout the Middle East amp North Africa He is currently hard at work promoting his solo release - affectionately dubbed SyrianamericanA His work may be heard (and read) at offendumbandcampcom He is on Facebook and he tweets from Offendum

RAMALLAH UNDERGROUND based in Ramallah Palestine was born from the immediacy of musical experimentation and out of the need to give voice to a generation of Palestinians and Arabs facing a turbulent and uncertain political landscape The collective was founded by artists Boikutt Stormtrap and Aswatt and has always held a commitment to both the honesty of their work and the need to creatively rejuvenate Arabic culture To this end they combine music ranging from Arabic electronic music hip-hop and trip hop to downtempo with a deep sense of their local culture and the imposing presence of Palestine in their lives The outcome is a new specific and distinct sound RU (as producers and as MCrsquos ) has collaborated with numerous artists across the globe including countries like Lebanon UK Switzerland Italy USA France and many more including a collaboration with Slovo (a band headed by the guitarist from faithless) in their track ldquoNakbardquo which appears on their album Todo Cambia and with Kronos Quartet in the track ldquoTashweeshrdquo which appears on Floodplain RU has also performed live shows in Ramallah Bethlehem Vienna London Cairo Lausanne Amsterdam and Washington DC Their shows are mainly a performance of their hip-hop tracks as well as a few of their own electronic productions as a warm up More recently RU has incorporated a visual set in their live

performances brought to you by Palestinian visual artist Ruanne RU hopes to give a voice to Palestinians and Arabs bringing an alternative voice from the Arab world Their lyrics and music are an expression of anguish and defiance ultimately remaining a defiant voice of the colonized against the colonizer They continue to play a big role in the Arab underground cultural scene while slowly gaining wide global and local popularity

SHADIA MANSOURrsquos work can be found at myspacecomshadiamusic and on Facebook

STORMTRAP is a music producercomposerMC from Palestine Experimenting with old samples instruments and field recordings his sound is the result of a fusion of ambient atmospheres combined with various noises and hip hop beats His lyrics deal with different themes inspired mainly by his personal experiences in Palestine and life in the diaspora Stormtrap played a fundamental role in forming the band Ramallah Underground with which he has performed worldwide the past few years Currently he is working in Vienna with Aras Seyhan and Eren Ileri on a new album which combines live instruments synthesizers turntables beats and Arabic lyrics- which will be released early 2012 His work may be heard at soundcloudcomstormtrap He tweets from asifeh

AMEER YOSSEF 25 has sung and writen music with the band Klaket for the past four years His work may be heard at youtubecomAmeer and on Facebook

towards the work Her work for now concentrates on the process of making interactive and participatory performances that question borders stereotypes and languages

MOE ALI NAYEL is a fixer and a journalist based in Beirut Lebanon He uses social media blogging non-mainstream music journalism and writing as a word spreading eye opening socializing arena He uses social media as a bridge that cuts distance between people on this planet making it a tiny village This bridge starts in his office and takes him to every corner in the world enabling him to connect and network with people and cultures sharing and exchanging stories of the unheard and the neglected He blogs at Words of Action and he tweets from MoeAliNay

ALEX ORTIZ is a video and radio journalist and translator based in Cairo Egypt He graduated from Brown University in 2009 with a double major in Comparative Literature and Middle East Studies He was a CASA I fellow from 2009-2010 and a CASA II fellow from 2010-2011 He currently works for CBS News as a field producer He tweets from cairowitness

AHMED SHAWKET is an independent translator living in Cairo Egypt He is a graduate of the Helwan University Faculty of Arts where he majored in philosophy Ahmed works on literary media and commercial translation

113112

ABOUT SHAHADATShahadat is a quarterly online series designed to provide a platform for short-form writing and experimentation in writing by young and underexposed writers from the MENA region (Middle East and North Africa) The series features stories vignettes reflections and chronicles in translation and the original language of Arabic Farsi Turkish or Kurdish It makes up one quarter of ArteEastrsquos online programming the AE Quarterly For past issues of Shahadat click here

ABOUT THIS SERIES Shahadat is proud to run two alternating series and releases two issues a year of each The issue yoursquove just perused is part of the ldquoExploring Popular Literaturerdquo series This series challenges traditional understandings of ldquoliteraturerdquo emerging from the Middle East and North Africa by presenting genres of creative production that rely on words and language but which have not typically been studied as literature Works are presented in their original language and in translation

In each issue we gather texts from a spectrum of writers to challenge the singular status of the artistauthor and to encourage a more complex presentation of the Middle Eastern and North African ldquostreetrdquo for English-speaking audiences Shahadatrsquos other series ldquoContemporary Literature in Translationrdquo features the work of a single young author in the original language and in English translation

BEHIND THE DOCUMENTShahadat is co-edited by Rayya El Zein Alex Ortiz and ArteEastrsquos Artistic Director Barrak Alzaid All three are young professionals and scholars with artistic inclinations (literature poetry translation and performance) All three have strong connections to New York City and various metropole of the MENA region Shahadat is for us an experiment and a labor of love An editorial board of established scholars and authors is currently being conceived

SPECIAL THANKS TOAnmar El ZeinKinda AkashAndrew JohnstonLivia Alexander

Shahadat logo design by Rima Farouki

114

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Page 14: Shahadat Winter 2012

2726

ماخالص كسروا بنا كلمة مسانده و من عقولنا اخدوا الورق اللى يكسب فى اللعبة

أنا عايز بلد حرة من الظلم

عايز بلد حرة من القهر عايز بلد حرة من الشر

عايز أرضي وأرض العرب العرب العرب العرب

A r a b i a n K n i g h t z + S h a d i a M a n s o u r

But itrsquos over they shattered for us the word ldquosolidarityldquo

And from our minds they took the cards that win the game

I want a country free of tyranny

I want a country free of oppression

I want a country free of evil

I want my land and the land of Arabs

Arabs Arabs Arabs

Destructive destruction destroying my district

Anti-Christ running in spreading evil wisdom

Irsquom destroying the oppressors in Arabic settlements

Known for blowing up beats and governments

My peeps die in their cribs while yrsquoall close your eyes

Two of yrsquoall are kidnapped you call it a terrorist crime

The media

Is backing up

Murderous propaganda

While we fight eternally like immortal high landers

Al Durrah Sheikh Yassin the pains unseen

Forging your own stories for the blind to see

Want to draw your own opinions bout the bombs we face

Whatrsquos your opinion if yoursquore enslaved and your mom is raped

Itrsquos too easy to speak when yoursquore far from the heat

To the White House I creep and yes Irsquom armed to the teeth

With a mic and a pen and a pad herersquos your evidence

ldquoWeapons of Mass Destructionldquo Mr President

Prisoner

Arabian Knightz + Shadia Mansour

Shahadat Winter 2012 track 316

Hip Hop

26518704

2928

أنا عايز بلد حرة من الظلم عايز بلد حرة من القهر

عايز بلد حرة من الشر عايز أرضي وأرض العرب

العرب العرب العرب

إحنا منمشي بالكرامة والثقة بالنفس معصنا قوانينكم بالثبوت بالدم

لو إن ضميركم بتريحكم بتتكلموا من ورا الفرد

قللي مني ما عم ينام بالليل عنجد ع بني انتو بتبنوا حواجز إحن بنكبر عيالنا

وبنظلنا نزيد العدد إحن السبب ليش ما بتسترجوا تغمضوا عني

في فرق كبير بني مقاوم ومقررين

A r a b i a n K n i g h t z + S h a d i a M a n s o u r

I want a country free of tyranny

I want a country free of oppression

I want a country free of evil

I want my land and the land of Arabs

Arabs Arabs Arabs

Theyrsquore dropping bombs over Baghdad

Libnan Afghan Palestinians Bin Laden Saddam

Listen Islam is all about the peace man

But wars up in these streets man

Got me loosinrsquo sleep damn

Mr Politician I got a little question

How come you are eating and all your peoples isnrsquot

I am on a mission to break up out of this prison

If yoursquore with me share my vision

Letrsquos start by saving the children

We walk with dignity and confidence in ourselves

We crushed your laws with our steadfastness and blood

If your conscience was giving you peace

You wouldnrsquot be communicating from behind a gun

Tell me whorsquos the one not getting sleep at night

While you build your checkpoints we raise the kids

Our numbers will keep increasing

We are the reason you donrsquot dare to blink

There is a big difference between a man of resistance and decision makers

T r a n s l a t e d b y N i z a r G h a n e m + S h a d i a M a n s o u r

Prisoner

Arabian Knightz + Shadia Mansour

Shahadat Winter 2012 track 316

Hip Hop

26518704

3130

النظام العاملي اجلديداحلاسة السادسة

و بدهم يردوا يعلموك النشيدنار شديد بس كله نسبي

جينا و نسيناأخبار فورية بتنهضم و بتمشينا

إللي فينا مكفينا رايح عغزة بالسفينة

و ما يأتي قبل الفكر أم الفعلملجرد الذكر لشخص مبنج قلب نكد وزعل

و طلب السعرمش حنبيع

ملا بتشتي بتشتي عاجلميعو زمن أول حتول

و مش قادرين نتجول فا مش حنضيعbشيء مريع o i k u t t

The new world order

The sixth sense

And they want to teach you the anthem anew

Heavy fire but itrsquos all relative

We came and forgot

Instant news digested and keeps us moving

Wersquove had enough

Going to Gaza by boat

What comes first Thought or action

The mere question to a numb person makes him grumpy and upset

And asking for the price

We wonrsquot sell

When it rains it rains over everybody

The old times have changed

We are under house arrest so we wonrsquot get lost

Itrsquos a horrible thing

igniteولع

Walle

boikutt

null

1746378

3332

مرات بتفهم النبرة غلطبس هلئ فهمني منيح

جريح بدون تلقيح تصريح صريح بدون تلميح

فظيعكيف خلونا نطيع

بوقت تشييع جثمان الضاضمضاض لإلنتفاض ثورة الثروة قيد التصنيع

فيعبوجه عقود بقبضة من حديد

من هون لقرية بال متديدبدون مانروح لبعيد

جتميد روؤس أموال و نوويةمصلحة أول مستفيد

بتدوب بشعلة من سيدي بوزيد

ولعشوف اكمن دكتاتور منقلعولعشوف اكمن دكتاتور منقلع

ولع شوف اكمن دكتاتور منقلعصوت الثورة بكل مكان و عم منسمع

من حكام لنوابو ال استثني احدا منكم

ما بيهمكمحلد ما الهتافات تتوجه إلكم إتهزكم

أفهمكمbاإلستبداد تارك الشارع بإستعداد o i k u t t

Sometimes you misunderstand a tone

But now you understand me correctly

Wounded without vaccination

A blatant statement without any hinting

Unbelievable

How they made us obey

At the funeral of the corpse of the [quintessential Arabic letter] Ddad

Counter revolution the revolution of wealth is in process

Rise

In the face of decades under an iron fist

From here to a village without extension

Without going too far

Freezing of capital and nuclear war heads

The interest of the primary beneficiary

Melts with a flame from Sidibouzid

Ignitesee how many dictators wersquoll uproot

Ignitesee how many dictators wersquoll uproot

Ignitesee how many dictators wersquoll uproot

The sound of revolution is everywhere we make it heard

From leaders to parliamentarians

I do not exclude any of you

But you donrsquot care

Until chants are directed at you and shake you

Let me explain

Tyranny leaves the street prepared

Walle

boikutt

null

1746378

3534

من املزارع بوسط البالدفعل مضارع للرماد

فا إنصرف زاي فلوس الدولة إللي طريقها إنحرفوإنعرف و إنصبت بجيوب هالطرف من شوفرية الشرف

حتية خاصة ألسود ميدان التحريرلتعديل دستور التعتير

إن صح التعبير

عندي نظر األطرشو سمع األعمى

عايشني حياة و مكلبشني باخلوف بنفس الوقت فا قللي شو املعنىتاريخ شجعنا

الوضع الراهن منعناناس بتمر و بتسمعنا

بدون جتاوب جتارب فجاوبيا ضدنا يا معنا

إرفع قبضة الصمود فوق في الهوا ثابتةإنتفاضة أولى و ثانية بس الثالثة نابتة

أطراف كابتةبس قد ما يحاولوا ميحوا ويحطوا الناس كاتبة

بالتفاصيل و كامتة

ولعhellip شوف اكمن دكتاتور منقلعولعhellip شوف اكمن دكتاتور منقلع

ولع شوف اكمن دكتاتور منقلعصوت الثورة بكل مكان و عم منسمع

ولعhellip شوف اكمن دكتاتور منقلعbو صفهم عالدور واحد واحدhellipو شنع o i k u t t

From the farmers in the center

Changing present tense to ashes

So vanish like the statersquos money whose road has deviated

It is known that it ended up in the pockets of the corrupt who claim to be clean

A special salute to the lions of Tahrir Square

For amending the constitution of misfortune

If that can be said

I have the sight of the deaf

And the hearing of the blind

Leading a life while chained by fear at the same time so tell me whatrsquos the point

History encouraged us

The current situation prevented us

People pass by and hear us

Without any response -- testing -- so answer

Yoursquore either with us or against us

Raise the fist of resistance up in the air

A first and second Intifada but the third is sprouting

Oppressive groups

No matter how hard they try to erase and replace people have written

In details and know by heart

Ignitesee how many dictators wersquoll uproot

Ignitesee how many dictators wersquoll uproot

Ignitesee how many dictators wersquoll uproot

The sound of revolution is everywhere we make it heard

Ignitesee how many dictators wersquoll uproot

Line them up in turn one after the other and defame them

T r a n s l a t e d b y F a r a h E l R e w a i s s a t i

Walle

boikutt

null

1746378

3736

ولك انا ابن عكا وبن يافا و طولكرم انا ابن كل شبر من البحر للنهر

االرض الي حملت موسى مرمي واملسيح انااملقابر يلي فاضت من كتر التوابيت

انا اخليمة بيت التنك واحلصيرة والكانون والبيوت املسروقة والدم املهدور

انا الهوى يالي حامل الغضب والبكاوالطرقات يلي بتغرق مع كل نقطة الشتا

انا رصاصة من املجاهد عم تعبر حلدود انا حزام من القنابل مشتاق لليهود

لطفل على باب املستشفى عم بيموتانا الجئ ممنوع من العمل مكروه

انا اين املخيم يلي عاطل عن العمل سيجارة احلشيش يلي بتمحي شوية الم

H 2 Z

Irsquom the son of Acre Jaffa and Tulkarem

Irsquom the son of every inch from the river to the sea

Irsquom the land that carried Moses Mary and the Christ

Irsquom the cemeteries that overflow with coffins

Irsquom the tent the tin house the mat and the stove

The stolen houses and the wasted blood

Irsquom the wind that bears anger and tears

The roads that drown in a single drop of rain

I am a bullet that crosses borders

Irsquom a grenade against Zionists

A child that dies waiting outside the hospital

Irsquom a hated refugee whorsquos prohibited from working

Irsquom the son of the camps always unemployed

The hash cigarettes that ease the pain

iانا فلسطيني am palest inian

Ana Falasteeni

H27

null

17782504

eng - iTunNORM 0000057E 0000056B 00004E0F 00004D32 00021C96 00021C96 00008000 00008000 0000ECEA 00007530

3938

حيطان هالبيت يلي بكره رح ينردم انا االحمر واالسود واالخضر من هالعلم

من دم االبطال من دموع الاطفالمن اجلحيم التشرد واجلوء واالنكسار

من ظلم االحتاللمن حلم االستقالل

من ارض الزيتونوالصليب والهالل

انا حافظ احلواجز بكل بالد العالممن النادر انو بيوم يعتبروني بني ادم انا سنني االعتقال انا غرف التعذيب

الوجع والصريخ واجلروح الي ما بطيبانا شعب ما انهزم بس عمرو ما انتصر

انا اكبر ارهابي الني حامل حجر اسير طول عمرو رافض انو بيوم ميوت بس معاهدة سالم بتنفي اني موجود

انا القدس بيت حلم ومخيم جننياالدان واجلراس الهالل والصليب

املدافن واملدارس وكنسية املسيح الشوارع القدمية والبيت العتيق

انا ركوة الشاي و سندويشة الفالفلالكرم والبخل واالخالق واملهازل

الكذب والصدق واخليانة والصمود Hانا فلسطيني حلتى اموت 2 Z

The walls of the house that I hate thatrsquos about to get demolished

I am the red and black and green in this flag

From the blood of heroes from the tears of children

From the hell of homelessness and broken refugees

From the oppression of the occupation

From the dream of independence

Irsquom from the land of the olives

The cross and crescent

I know all the checkpoints in all countries of the world

It is where they consider me a human being

Irsquom years of capture Irsquom the torture chambers

The pain and the screams and the wounds that never heal

I was never defeated but never had a victory

Irsquom the biggest terrorist because I carry a stone

A prisoner who spends his whole life refusing to die

But a peace treaty forgets that Irsquom alive

Irsquom Jerusalem Bethlehem and Jenin refugee camp

The call to prayer the bells the crescent and the cross

The old cemeteries schools and church of Christ

The old streets and the ancient house

Irsquom the tea cup and the falafel sandwich

Generosity and greed morality and farce

Lies and betrayal and honesty and persistence

I am Palestinian until I die

T r a n s l a t e d b y t h e a r t i s t

Ana Falasteeni

H27

null

17782504

eng - iTunNORM 0000057E 0000056B 00004E0F 00004D32 00021C96 00021C96 00008000 00008000 0000ECEA 00007530

4140

صباح اخلير با والد عمومناتفضلوا شرفونا

شو بتحبوا نضيفكم دم عربي وال دموع من عيوننابعتقد هيك تأملوا نستقبلن

هيك تعقدوا ملا تدركوا على غلطتهنمن هيك لبسنا الكوفية

البيضة والسودةصاروا كالب الزمان يلبسوها كموضة

مهما تفننوا فيامهما غيروا بلونا

كوفية عربية بتضال عربية

حطتنا بدن ياهاثقافتنا بدن ياها

S h a d i a M a n s o u r w i t h M 1 o f D e a d P r e z

Good morning cousins

Come in and honor us with your presence

What would you like us to serve you Arab blood or tears from our eyes

I think thatrsquos how they hoped we would recieve them

Thatrsquos why they got tangled up when they tripped up on their own mistake

Thatrsquos why we wore the kufeyyeh

The black and white one

Dogs of the past started to wear it as a fashion statement

However they change it

Whatever colour they make it

The Kufeyyeh is Arab and will always be Arab

Our scarf they want it

Our intellect they want it

kufeyyeh arabeyyeh الكوفية عربية

Kufeyyeh Arabeyyeh

Shadia Mansour and M1

Shahadat Winter 2012 track 616

Hip Hop

26239166

4342

كرامتنا بدن ياهاكل شي إلنا بدن ياه

ما رح نسكتلن نسمحلن الالبقلن يسرقوا شغلة مش إلهن ما خصن فيا

بيقلدونا باللبسكل هاألرض بيكفيهنش

طمعانني عالقدسإعرفوا كيف تكونوا بشر

قبل ما تلبسوا الكوفيةجينا نذكرن مني إحنا

وغصبا من عن أبوهم هاي حطتنا

من هيك لبسنا الكوفيةألنها وطنية

الكوفية الكوفية عربيةمن هيك لبسنا الكوفية

هويتنا األساسيةالكوفية الكوفية عربية

يال علي الكوفيةعلولي هالكوفية

الكوفية الكوفية عربيةعلوها لبالد الشام

كوفية عربية بتضال عربية

ما في بعد متل الشعب العربيفرجوني أية أمة بالدنيا أكثر مأثرة

الصورة واضحة نحنا مهد احلضارة

S h a d i a M a n s o u r w i t h M 1 o f D e a d P r e z

Our dignity they want it

Everything thatrsquos ours they want it

We will not be silent will not allow it

It suits them to steal something that ainrsquot theirs

They imitate our style

As if all this land werenrsquot not enough

Thirsting after Jerusalem

Know how to be human

Before you wear our scarf

We came to remind them who we are

And like it or not itrsquos our right

Thatrsquos why we wore the kufeyyeh

Because it is nationalistic

The kufeyyeh is Arab

Thatrsquos why we wore the kufeyyeh

Because it is our original identity

The kufeyyeh is Arab

Come on raise your kufeyyehs

Raise that kufeyyeh

The kufeyyeh is Arab

Raise it up for bilad ersquosham [Greater Syria the wider Arab world]

The kufeyyeh is Arab and will always be Arab

There are no others like the Arab people

Show me one region in the world that is more influencial

The picture is clear we are the origins of civilization

Kufeyyeh Arabeyyeh

Shadia Mansour and M1

Shahadat Winter 2012 track 616

Hip Hop

26239166

4544

تاريخنا وتراثنا الشاهد على وجودنامن هيك لبست التوب الفلسطيني

من حيفا جنني جبل النار إلى رام اللهخليني شوف الكوفية

البيضة واحلمراخلينا نعليها لفوق بالسما

أنا شادية العربلساني بغز غزبلساني بهز هز

كلمات احلربسجل أنا شادية منصور

واحلطة هويتيمن يوم ما خلقت

سيدي والشعب مسؤوليتيلكن تربيت بني الشرق وبني الغرب

بني لغتنيبني بخيل بني فقير

شفت احلياة من اجلهتنيبس علمتني الكوفية

كيف ما لبستونيوين ما شلحتوني

بضلني عأصولي فلسطينية

S h a d i a M a n s o u r w i t h M 1 o f D e a d P r e z

Our history traditions and customs bear witness to our existence

Thatrsquos why I wear the Palestinian dress

From Haifa Jenin Jabal El Naar to Ramallah

Let me see the kufeyyeh

The red and white one

Letrsquos raise it up to the sky

I am the singer of the Arabs

Like an earthquake I shake the ground

My words are war

Record this

I am Shadia Mansour

And this scarf is my ID

From the day I was born the people have been my responsibility

Look I was raised between the East and the West

Between two languages

Between the rich and the poor

Irsquove seen life from both sides

However the kufeyyeh has taught me

However you wear me

Wherever you leave me

I stay true to my origin Palestinian

T r a n s l a t e d b y t h e a r t i s t w i t h F a r a h E l R e w a i s s a t i

Kufeyyeh Arabeyyeh

Shadia Mansour and M1

Shahadat Winter 2012 track 616

Hip Hop

26239166

4746

حمامة سالم افتحي أجنحتكي و طيري

وين الوعي - وين امشوا معي هني وادي بني اجلبلني عني حب للطرفني

أمهاتنا حبت ذاتنا بس مو عاجبهن مسباتنا هذا احلكي بني اخواتنا

Oزين العرب واألمريكان m a r O f f e n d u m

This track contains verses that were originally written in English

You are my

(Destiny)

Itrsquos hard livinrsquo in the West - when I know the East got the best of me

(Destiny)

Could be lookinrsquo in my eyes - but yoursquoll never really see the rest of me

(Destiny)

Can you hear me maseeri [my destiny] Bi-lingualrsquos what Irsquom blessed to be

(Destiny)

Dove of Peace

Spread your wings amp fly

Consciousness What consciousness - where is it

Take a walk with me

Here in this valley between two ldquomountainsldquo

Where the source of love for both ldquosidesldquo can be found

Our mothers like us

But donrsquot like our foul language

So letrsquos keep this between the siblings

The best of Arabs amp Americans

destمصيري iny

7 Destiny

Omar Offendum

The Peace Revolution 20

21332892

eng - iTunNORM 000006D3 000006F2 000038BA 0000322F 0000E4FA 0000E4FA 00008716 0000864B 0002AB5E 000083D6

eng - iTunSMPB 00000000 00000210 0000094B 00000000008F7FA5 00000000 004108FB 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000

4948

وألله يرحم كل أمواتنا أغاني

مثل املهامتة إذا قلنا العني بالعني

ما صفى عندنا عيون بالشام بالد الشام

من فلسطني إلى جبال لبنان قبل ما اخترعوا احلدود

من اإلسكندرون إلى كردستان فهمان

جنجس خان ما خان قد ما خانونا أوالد العم بس دمنا دمهم

بني أدم - بنو ذمنبهم على أكتافنا - شلنا همهم

ليه الله بيعلم

بس ليك هذا الفتيش والبسكليت احسنلك من 100000000 مسدس

تعرف ليه ألن مو عاجبهم بسمتك

بس إبتسم برسمتك شاب عربي ومثقف

أعطيهم ختمتك وإذا لسة مو راضني

ذكرهم بكالم إيليية )أبي ماضي( raquoنسي الطني ساعة أنه طنيlaquo

Oوهذه هي القضاء والقدر يا حبيبي m a r O f f e n d u m

And may God have mercy on all our dead

Songs I sing

Like the Mahatma [the line above and the line below are linked through the sound of the name and the figure of Mahatama Ghandi]

If we say lsquoan eye for an eyersquo

There wont be any eyes left in Sham [Damascus]

Bilad al-Sham [Greater Syria the wider Arab world]

From Palestine to the mountains of Lebanon

Before they made up these borders

From Iskandaroon to Kurdistan

Understand

Genghis Khan never deceived us quite like our ldquopaternal cousinsldquo [khan also means ldquodeceiveldquo in Arabic]

But our blood is their blood

Children of Adam -- who built their sins

Upon our shoulders -- we carried their burden

Why

God knows

But listen this little firecracker amp bicycle

Are better for you than 100 million guns

Wanna know why

Because they dont like seeing you smile

But smile you will - in your human being

A young cultured Arab male

Give them your stamp of approval

And if they still donrsquot accept you

Then remind them of the words of Elliye [Abi-Madhee a Lebanese poet whose poem begins with]

ldquoHow soon a piece of dirt can forget that all he really is is just dirtldquo [ie we are all from this earth amp

will come back to it so there is no logic in viewing yourself as better than someone else]

And that my friend is our destiny

7 Destiny

Omar Offendum

The Peace Revolution 20

21332892

eng - iTunNORM 000006D3 000006F2 000038BA 0000322F 0000E4FA 0000E4FA 00008716 0000864B 0002AB5E 000083D6

eng - iTunSMPB 00000000 00000210 0000094B 00000000008F7FA5 00000000 004108FB 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000

5150

O m a r O f f e n d u m

Dove of Peace

Spread your wings amp fly

Make it easier to borrow

The aesthetics you bite

Like all the Arabic loanwords

From Spaniards amp Morros

The Karma of Inquisition

Visions of horror

So whorsquos the explorer

Really was it Columbus

Muhammad al-Idrisi or Alfaragnus

Throw a Hobson Jobson

While you figure it out

Irsquom gonna start with a cipher

Thatrsquos a siffir [zero] - no doubt

See you might not have learned to live with me

But sure as hell canrsquot without

You are my

You are my

(Destiny)

Itrsquos hard livinrsquo in the West - when I know the East got the best of me

(Destiny)

Could be lookinrsquo in my eyes - but yoursquoll never really see the rest of me

(Destiny)

Can you hear me maseeri [my destiny] Bi-lingualrsquos what Irsquom blessed to be

(Destiny)

حمامة سالم افتحي أجنحتكي و طيري

I write right to left

You write left to right

Metaphor of a foreignerrsquos plight

Dressed to type

Stereo amp a mic

Scenario of a fight

The burial of a white

Imperial at his heightrsquos

A Turkish Rapperrsquos Delight

Semetic etiquette might

Just have you rollin your ldquoRrsquosldquo

Poetic amp light

And grab a hold of your sorrows

To relieve your tomorrows

7 Destiny

Omar Offendum

The Peace Revolution 20

21332892

eng - iTunNORM 000006D3 000006F2 000038BA 0000322F 0000E4FA 0000E4FA 00008716 0000864B 0002AB5E 000083D6

eng - iTunSMPB 00000000 00000210 0000094B 00000000008F7FA5 00000000 004108FB 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000

5352

O m a r O f f e n d u m

Dove of Peace

Spread your wings amp fly

Bitched out by the West

Press get a big shout

From the people gettinrsquo rich out of this (bout)

Now whatrsquos this really all about

Land money or power

It was the colonizerrsquos fault

But now itrsquos really just ours

Leavinrsquo a sour tase in our mouths

Like generational slave names

Whenever speakinrsquo out

Out-spoken leaders gettinrsquo taken out

Quicker than belligerent drunks in a bar

We a far cry from livinrsquo as one

T r a n s l a t e d b y t h e a r t i s t

(Destiny)

Itrsquos hard livinrsquo in the West - when I know the East got the best of me

(Destiny)

Could be lookinrsquo in my eyes - but yoursquoll never really see the rest of me

(Destiny)

Can you hear me maseeri [my destiny] Bi-lingualrsquos what Irsquom blessed to be

(Destiny)

حمامة سالم افتحي أجنحتكي و طيري

See arab [Arabs] shootin at each other

From Iraq to Falasteen [Palastine]

Syria to Libnan [Lebanon]

Algeria to Sudan

Pedagogy of the oppressed tricklinrsquo down

Conquerinrsquo through divisions

And sadly this isnrsquot the first time

One land one love one chance one blood

No fuss no fight Yeah right young blood

AKrsquos cheaper than a book

Crooked leaders in a hook

Gettinrsquo fished out

Missles gettinrsquo dished out

7 Destiny

Omar Offendum

The Peace Revolution 20

21332892

eng - iTunNORM 000006D3 000006F2 000038BA 0000322F 0000E4FA 0000E4FA 00008716 0000864B 0002AB5E 000083D6

eng - iTunSMPB 00000000 00000210 0000094B 00000000008F7FA5 00000000 004108FB 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000

5554

زي ما صار مبارح صار اليوم اطف التلفزيون امسك مايكروفون

زي ما صار مبارح صار اليوم اطف التلفزيون امسك مايكروفون

زي ما صار مبارح صار اليوم اطف التلفزيون امسك مايكروفون

زي ما صار مبارح صار اليوم اطف التلفزيون امسك مايكروفون

النه الوقت عم يسبق بقلك خي سالم بس اصبر

بدك تستني هاي اخلطط بعمرها ما تضبطبيدفعلك قد ما بدك عشان تسكت

واذا بتفتح متك طخة وحده وبعد بتسقط

s t o r m t r a p

What happened yesterday happens today

switch off your TV and grab a microphone

What happened yesterday happens today

switch off your TV and grab a microphone

What happened yesterday happens today

switch off your TV and grab a microphone

What happened yesterday happens today

switch off your TV and grab a microphone

Because time is racing

He keeps telling you peace is coming just be patient

You want to wait these plans never succeed

Hersquoll pay you as much as you want to keep you quiet

And if you open your mouth one shot will silence you

what happened yesterdayزي ما صار مبارح

Zey ma sar mbareh

Stormtrap

null

2009

1728613

eng - Visit httpstormtrapbandcampcom

5756

اركض اركض وخليك راكض

واذا بتفتح متك رح يقلك خليك ساكت رح يقلك انساك من هاملشاكل

حوشوا هالشواك وضبوا شناتكم واشتروا التذاكرففكر شوي وما تكنش أهبل

وين ما تروح في الدنيا رح تتبهدلمش شايف قدامي عم بسمع أصوات بيسألني

ليش لسه عايش هون روح عيش محل تانيبدي احك بس الكلمات مش طالعة من لساني

عنصرية هونن عنصرية هناك عنصرية كل ما اطلع برا الشباك

شيطان بيعمل حاله مالكبس هو بالواقع بدو يعيش بالك

جدار بيمثل عقلية ناس بدهاش تعيش معاك

زي ما صار مبارح صار اليوم اطف التلفزيون امسك مايكروفون

ما مبثل شخص او اشخاص مبثل فكرةاسم احلرية حاملينه

من بلد ما فيه حياة عاديةسواءا ضد االحتالل أو ضد العنصرية

أصواتكم وينايي خلوها تنسمع وتطلع نتائج ايجابية

فكمل كتابة او تسجيل وصدقني شغلك مش رايح عالفاضي

عشان الشي الوحيد اللي رح يروح هو احن اذا منضلنا علقانني فاملاضي

s t o r m t r a p

Run run

Keep running

And if you decide to speak hersquoll tell you just stay silent

Hersquoll tell you forget these problems

Save up some money pack your bags and buy your tickets

Think about it donrsquot be a fool

Wherever you go yoursquoll get humiliated

I canrsquot see in front of me Irsquom hearing voices asking

Why are you still living here Go live somewhere else

I want to respond but the words wonrsquot come out

Racism here racism there

Racism each time I look out the window

A devil in an angelrsquos disguise

In reality he wants to live without you

The apartheid wall represents the mentality of a people who donrsquot care to coexist

What happened yesterday happens today

switch off your TV and grab a microphone

I dont represent a person or a people I represent an idea

An idea called freedom

From a land lacking a normal life

Whether yoursquore struggling against occupation or against racism

Where is your voice

Let it be heard to achieve your goals

So keep writing and recording

Believe me your work wonrsquot be lost in vain

The only thing thatrsquoll disappear is us

If we stay stuck in the past

Zey ma sar mbareh

Stormtrap

null

2009

1728613

eng - Visit httpstormtrapbandcampcom

5958

شو الي حدثجينا من حتت األرض

هيهة القصة بدة عنا هدفوننشر أصواتنا لكل حدا

جيت من حتت أرض رام اللهما ح وقف اكتب كلمات وال مرة

عندي طاقة الزم أطلعها كل يوم وكل ساعةفاو انبنى مع الوقت ولسة عم بيطور تصور

تصورفاو انبنى مع الوقت ولسة عم بيطور تصور

زي ما صار مبارح صار اليوم اطف التلفزيون امسك مايكروفون

زي ما صار مبارح صار اليوم اطف التلفزيون امسك مايكروفون

s t o r m t r a p

What happened

We came from underground

The story begins we have an objective

To spread our voices to everyone

I came from the ruins of Ramallah and

I wonrsquot ever stop writing words

I have energy that I must release every day every hour

A flow thatrsquos been built and is still developing imagine

Imagine a flow thatrsquos been built and is still developing

What happened yesterday happens today

Switch off your TV and grab a microphone

What happened yesterday happens today

Switch off your TV and grab a microphone

T r a n s l a t e d b y t h e a r t i s t

Zey ma sar mbareh

Stormtrap

null

2009

1728613

eng - Visit httpstormtrapbandcampcom

6160

Wake up the People

Donrsquot doubt it

The Maker can see you

Right now

You want to get out and see doe

So clouded

Sell out to be dope

Right now

I see you plagued by your own doubt

Canrsquot step the game up

Like a snake when it rolled down

Staircase of a lone child

No bricks lain in a cold house

Where you sold out

All alone on an old couch

t h e N a r c i c y s t

No click like an untapped phone dial

Oh wow

I felt the same homie

Donrsquot shelter pain only

Then it came slowly

Never let the frame hold me (down)

Picture life for the love though

People tend to look the other way like Columbo

We deceived by the law just to love doe

Guess they took all the worth out to numb folks

And make a severed plan

Out of bitter man

What you want a medal man

Huh Do you really think yoursquore better than Then

All you really need is a long look

Two sixteens and a strong hook like

brassThis track was originally written in English

null

2149748

6362

Wake up the People

Donrsquot doubt it

The Maker can see you

Right now

You want to get out and see doe

So clouded

Sell out to be dope

Right now

Break

Hip hop like a fresh pelvis

Yoursquore gonna regret this shit like a dead Elvis

Busy wishing you could live less selfish

Crabs in a bucket duckinrsquo these dead shellfish

Industry got a brother feeling helpless

With an ill chorus and ride yoursquore more in the tide

When a flow canrsquot keep me above the water

t h e N a r c i c y s t

Let a wave carry me out and push me farther now

Internal Inferno ten journals written but Irsquom still not sure though

Do I really want to tour to jump hurdles To be heard

So-I-Can-Feel-Like-This

Man therersquos something that I might miss--

Naw Irsquove been bluffinrsquo

Lifersquos backwards like Ben Buttonsrsquo

Irsquom in love with the stage fright on a strange night

Feels good to get the words on a page right

Wake up the People

Donrsquot doubt it

The Maker can see you

Right now

You want to get out and see doe

So clouded

Sell out to be dope

Right now

null

2149748

6564

مبارح شفت بلمنام بيروت عمتغرق حتت رماد بركان فحموا الناس بس ال raquoسكاي بارlaquo كان بعده ولعان

بيروت ثبتت حبة الثورة اللي فينا نبتت ملا أحبطت نفوسنا من اجلمود

فينا بيروت حتركت عدم دمارنا وعدم حرية خيارنا

بيوت بيروت تعمرت سكرنا عجفاف دموعنا جفوننا عليها تسكرت فتخمرت

إذا بطلت تطير قدرك عألرض مقهور إذا وقفت تكسير بتصير جزء من الديكور

e l R a s s

Yesterday I dreamt Beirut was drowning under volcanic ash

The people were turned to charcoal but Sky Bar [a posh Beirut club] was still lit up

Beirut suppressed the seed of the revolution the one that sprouted

When our spirits were foiled from immobility

In us Beirut moved

On the blood of our destruction and the negation of our freedom of choice

The houses of Beirut are rebuilt

We got drunk on the dryness of our tears our eyelids closed on them and fermented

If you stop flying your destiny on land is distress

If you stop breaking you become part of the decoration

beirutبركان بيروت rsquos volcano

Blues

2125713

6766

بحاور بناور باآلخر بواجه التاج بتوضى بصلي بتوصلني أصوات أنات احملتاج

تأمل العلم بعري العمل من العمل خياري عنار خفيفة دوب املسمار وتستوي األفكار النظيفة

عمروا دمروا زمروا تذمروا ربك صبره دربه جربه

عقلن خربوا غربوا هربوا وقبلوا بالفن عحيط الشارع

عشرط ما يكون في شك بشارع هيدي مش عاصمة ثقافة هيدي حلبة املصارع بيروت ال تعرف في املاضي وال تعرب باملضارع

حتول التركيبة خلى العقل اجلامد فكر حاله مالك املدينة رقبته طويلة متل مالك احلزين وايده لوزيري

اعتبر نفسه أول مني اكتشف هلجزيرة بأجر الفقير شقق بأسعار مدروسة

بشكل تضل طموحاته ممعوسة نهبوا األرض من ربعي وصارت احلرب شركة استثمار مبفعول رجعي

حتت شعار إعادة اإلعمار لو ما كان خلص دوره وانتهى عقد االيجار

كان احلريري ما طار وما صار مطار احلريري عاصمة لبنان بتوازن بني ضريحني

واتنيناتن عاغتيالن في عالمة استفهام e واحد قدس املوت بس لسبب l R a s s

I discuss I maneuver ultimately I confront the crown

I perform ablutions I pray I receive the moaning of the needy

The meditation of knowledge strips work from hope

My choice is on low fire melting the nails and clean thoughts are ripening

They built they destroyed they honked they complained

Your god made him patient tested him and trained him

Their minds ruined westernized chased off

They accepted art pissed on back alleys

As long as there is no doubt in the streets

This is no capital of culture itrsquos a wrestling ring

Beirut canrsquot speak of itself in the past nor conjugate itself in the present

Transitions and transformations made the closed mind think he owns the city

His neck is long like a stork his fingers long like a politicianrsquos

He thinks himself the first who discovered this peninsula

He lets the poor rent apartments at prices studied

To crush ambitions

They stole the land from my cousins

And the war became a backward-looking investment

Under the slogan of reconstruction

If his time wasnrsquot up and his contract finished

Hariri didnrsquot have to fly and it wouldnrsquot have become the Hariri airport

Lebanonrsquos capital keeps balance between two shrines

And on both assassinations there is a question mark

One sanctifies death but for a reason

Blues

2125713

6968

واحد قدس احلياة بس بالكذب واحد بايدو حتول الذهب سم وواحد تخبى من الذهب بالدم

مني الشهيد

اللي مات حتت صبابيط ثورة عبيد شهيد اللي مات فتحول على حملة اعالنات هدفها ترفع الطايفة معدالت التجنيد

قنابل بالبريد وصل سيوف علوريد حصل

املوت للبليد صنم الصبر للعنيد حلم تأليه الشهيد ظلم

خليط احلديد والدم العالج والسم الرفاه والهم النوعية والكم

الدعارة وورقة التوت مبدينة بيروت علم

e l R a s s

And one sanctifies life with lies

In onersquos hand gold turned into poison

And the other hid from gold with blood

Who is the martyr

The one who died under the shoes of the oppressedrsquos uprising is a martyr

Is it he whose death was transformed into an advertising campaign to raise the levels of

sectarian enlistment

Bombs came in the mail

Swords to the jugular true stories

Death to the cold is statuette

Patience to the stubborn is a dream

Divinity to the martyr is oppression

The mixture of steel and blood the cure and poison

Luxury and distress quality and quantity

Prostitution and modesty

The science of the city of Beirut

T r a n s l a t e d b y M o e A l i N a y e l amp + A z i z

Blues

2125713

7170

بقرأ في اجلريدة زفت شوارع جديدة

إزالة مطبات و كثير أشياء هيك مفيدة أشخاص مستفيدة

دعم من هون و من هون منظمات بس احلرية بعيدة

مقاطعة مستوطنات تعون الضفة الغربية وطنية حصرية إدعائية

طب و فلسطني التاريخية مع ألساس كانت القدس عاصمة الثقافة العربية

بس كلوحكي سياسية للشعب إحنا نتحمل الشغل و التعب و الوضع صعب

b o i k u t t

Irsquom reading in the paper

About roads newly paved

Speed bumps removed and a lot of other useful stuff (yes very)

Certain inviduals benefit

Funding from here and there

Organizations are plentiful but freedom is far-fetched

Calling for a boycott of settlements around the West Bank

Pretentious exclusive nationalism

But what about historical Palestine

I thought Jerusalem was supposed to be the ldquocapital of Arab cultureldquo

But itrsquos all political speeches for the people

We put up with the work and the sweat and itrsquos rough

a letterرسالة من مقاطعة from boikutt

risaleh mn muqataa (pt1)

boikutt

null

2010

1086983

eng - iTunPGAP0

eng - iTunNORM 00000A1E 00000A0E 000099D9 000098A0 0000CC63 0000CC63 0000826D 000080B0 000131D0 000131D0

eng - iTunSMPB 00000000 00000210 000008F3 000000000049197D 00000000 0027BA9D 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000

7372

يقنعونا إن كلشي متام و بقدر أعيش حياة عادية

زي في األفالم على مبس واحد إثنني ثالثة أربعة إلخ

كن منيح و بتنزل عليك املصاري زخ نصيحة من أخ ألخ

خليك مستقل ألن اللعبة إنلعب فإبعد عن الفخ

خليهم يقعدوا يستنوا الدعم ليموتوا يلفلفوا داخل اجلدار حلد ما يفوتوا

في متاهات مبسافات مش محددة مجددة لتوسع التوسع مش مهددة

إنتهاك احتالل بس مش على الكل

في ناس في فلسطني هون حياتهم زي الفل مش عارف شو بيفكر

شكلوا مش داري شي يوم حنروح كل الدكاكني هي حتسكر

سالم

b o i k u t t

Try to convince me that everythingrsquos fine

And that I can lead a normal life

Like in the movies

On MBC one two three four etcetera

Be good and money will rain on you

Advice from one brother to another

Stay independent because the games are being played

So steer clear of the trap

Let them wait for foreign aid until they die

Spinning in circles within the apartheid wall until they enter

Into unlimited mazes with unspecified spaces

That are renewed to fit settlement expansion unthreatened

Violation occupation

But not for everyone

There are people here in Palestine living ldquothe good lifeldquo

I donrsquot know what hersquos thinking

Seems like he doesnrsquot know one day wersquoll be gone

And all these shops will close

Peace

T r a n s l a t e d b y t h e a r t i s t w i t h L o u b n a B i l a l i

risaleh mn muqataa (pt1)

boikutt

null

2010

1086983

eng - iTunPGAP0

eng - iTunNORM 00000A1E 00000A0E 000099D9 000098A0 0000CC63 0000CC63 0000826D 000080B0 000131D0 000131D0

eng - iTunSMPB 00000000 00000210 000008F3 000000000049197D 00000000 0027BA9D 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000

7574

الضغط عاليالعدو فات جاري احملادثات

صمت دوليكمية الغازى عم تزداد

تهجير جديد مولود جديدتكرر عزو مش تارك ورا شي مفيد غير غراب

من كل البيت ما تركو شي إال البابمن االرض ل سما مسافة عاليه

إمشي الصحرا وعد لياليوجنوما

كمشوا رئيس دولة بجورةحصار

توزيع مخدراتباألحمر تلون الفرات سجون معتقالتقبلة الوداع مع الصبات

تنصت بالشبكة خيانات باألزهر

k a t i b e h 5

The pressure is high

The enemy has entered discussions are taking place

Global silence

The numbers of the occupier are increasing

A new expulsion A newborn child

The perpetuation of an invasion that leaves behind it nothing of any use except for a crow

From an entire house they left nothing but the door

From the ground to the sky is a long distance

Walk the desert and count the nights

And its stars

They caught a president in a pit

Siege

Drug dealing the Euphrates is stained red prisons detention centers

A farewell kiss with a shoe

Networks wiretapped betrayals in Al Azhar

hold me back ifهديني اذا فيك you can

null

23098943

7776

حوار أديانالكف تنجس

متسح فيه وجك مع كل شروق عالوضوءتسمع شرارة فتيل مولوتوف ينادي أصوات تتلبى

باإلنفجار

هديني إذا فيك صرت موجود بكل مكانوجي مغبش عامل زي جيش زباتا

منصرخ بوجكم raquoاحلرية ل برغوتيlaquoإعالمكو بيعرفني كلماتكو حملت إسمي

شركاتكو بتهرب مني )كتيبه خمسه هديتي إذا فيك(

بتالقيني بني والد حفظوا غنية املخيماتبنفسية فالح عمال يزو املدينة

افالم تافهةبرنامج تافه

بتدور على مخك بتالقي مش موجوداخلليج يتحكم بإعالم

هادول حبوب التنومي ٦1 سنة بعدن مش شغالني

عالمادامك واخد وجهة نظري

ع محمل اجلدمسموح لك تستعجب وتظهر إنزعاجك بوجودي

ألني صديق لكل املشاهد الغير مرغوبة فيهاش بيختار حياتو بالتحديد بحكيلك هيك منحياها ومحد

ضغط رصاص وابارود بخليكاش حتيدالتجارب بتدلك عطريق

هديتي إذا فيك

k a t i b e h 5

A dialogue of religions

The hand is tainted

And with it you cleanse your face at ablution each sunrise

You hear the sparking of the fuse of a molotov calling voices respond

Explosion

Hold me back if you can I have become present everywhere

My face is concealed like the army of Zapata

We shout in your face ldquoFreedom for Barghoutildquo

Your media knows me your words have glimpsed my name

Your corporations flee from me

(Katibe Khamseh hold me back if you can)

Yoursquoll find me among children that have memorized the song ldquoAl Moukhayamatldquo

In the persona of a peasant that is visiting the city

Shallow films

Shallow programs

You look for your mind but you find it is not there

The Gulf controls media with its boundaries

These sleeping pills 61 years and theyrsquore still not effective

Great

As long as you are taking my point of view seriously

Yoursquore allowed to be taken aback and to show your irritation

Just like you show your irritation at my presence

Because I am a friend to all the images that are not desirable

This is how we live out these images and no one chooses their life specifically Irsquoll tell you

The pressure of bullets and gunpowder does not allow you to move away

Experience will guide you on the road

Hold me back if you can

null

23098943

7978

موقف واحد صريح من صميم روح لشعوب املقاومة ضمير ظهور البشرية

السبيل صعب ورا الغضبدعم لكل أسالوب محارب

د لنحرق نظامك منتدرب منجرب منخرب منستععم نحرق نظامك

هديتي إذا فيك

إطلع منيحمش رح تقدر توخذ كل شي من أول نظرة

نظرة عامة raquoبشرة مش بيضةlaquoجبني عريضة مكتوب مولود عنيد بالفطرة

فوت بالتقاليد عد التجاعيدلك هاي مش أول مرة

لغات ودراسات حط العلم بغالفمش رح تقدر تفهم ليه بعد في بارود ع الكتافلون األرض ولون الليل بيعطيك البني و السواد

بوعدك مش لوحدي رح أضل عد رماد الال اللعبة اجلديدة وال والدنا ع اللعبة جداد

بكفيش إنفلونزا الصقور صار في إنفلونزا اخلنازيرموسم مرض جديد لرئيس مبثل ع نفوس ومريض بهدوء البيض

هديتي إذا فيك

k a t i b e h 5

A single honest stance from the bottom of the soul for the people of the resistance the conscience

that exposes humanity

The path is difficult when following anger

A support for every style of battle

We train we strive we disrupt we prepare to burn your system

We are burning your system

Hold me back if you can

Look closely

You wonrsquot be able to see it all at first sight

An overview ldquocomplexion that is not whiteldquo

A broad forehead written born stubborn by nature

Look at the traditions and count the wrinkles

This is not the first time

Languages and scholarship put education under wraps

You wonrsquot be able to understand why there is still gunpowder on shoulders

The color of earth and the color of night gives you brown and blackness

I promise you that I will not be alone to count the ashes no

This game to us is not new and nor are our children new to the game

As if the influenza of eagles was not enough now therersquos the influenza of pigs

The season of a new disease for a president acting for a public and sick with the

calmness of white people

Hold me back if you can

null

23098943

8180

اإلحتالل نكه البشر بنكهة املجاريبالسالم حوار أديانبإقرار ملكية كذابة

بتشويه تاريخ وسرقة حضاراتولك أه

فلسطني إفريقيا الدجلة والفراتإجتاه البشرية لإلضمحالل سرطان بشري بعضها

الشتا ميسح اخلطايا واآلثاروليش بتتخبى وبتتغطى بنفس كل سفارة سميك الستار

لساتني باكل الضربة ورا الضره ورا الضربةوحتى ما أفعل وأساوي تكمشني الرجفة

بدل ما أضرب فيك بضرب بحاليبوعدكش حضلني كامش حالي حفلتها

حفلتها

هديني إذا فيك هديني إذا فيكهديني إذا فيك

k a t i b e h 5

The occupation has seasoned humanity with the flavor of sewers

With peace with dialogue of religions

With the declaration of false ownership

With the distortion of history and the theft of civilizations

Oh yes

Palestine Africa the Tigris and Euphrates

Humanity is leading to reduction a human cancer bites it

Exile wipes clean the sins and the traces

And why are you hiding and seeking cover when all the embassies are already well concealed

I am still taking one beating after another

And so that I donrsquot take action and do something shudders grip my body

Instead of beating you I beat myself

I canrsquot promise you that I can keep myself restrained

Irsquom gonna let go

Hold me back if you can

Hold me back if you can

Hold me back if you can

T r a n s l a t e d b y R i m a N a j d i a n d F a y s a l B i b i

null

23098943

8382

طول عمر الشعب املصري مع بعض أحلك الظروفبص وفر في التاريخ وانت ياما هاتشوف

الدين ده ليا وليكوفيا وفيك

حاجة روحانية بتخليك حتس اللي بيك

ايد في ايد نبني فيها من جديد

مصر زعلت علي حاصل وسطنا مش مفيد

بعد ثورة وبعد عيد فتنة تقتل حلم واتتحقق لنا

واحد اتننيالذكري بتعيش اكتر من عمر االنسان

بصمتنا تغييرنا جوة وبرة امليدان مش هانضيع نصر ثورتنا بفتنة نشئت بينا

A r a b i a n K n i g h t s + M C G a z a + A m e e r

The Egyptian people have always stuck together

Through the worst times look at history

And see how often wersquove been there for each other

That whole idea of religion

Is for you and for me something spiritual that makes you feel whatrsquos inside you

Hand in hand

We build Egypt up again

Egypt is angry at whatrsquos happening between us

Itrsquos not helpful

After the revolution after the celebration

Sectarian strife is killing the dream we fulfilled

One two

The memory lasts more than a lifetime

Our mark is our change in and outside Tahrir Square

We wonrsquot give up the victory of our revolution in exchange for sectarian strife between

us

hand inايد في ايد hand

Eid Fe Eid

Yasser Ameer Youssef Rush E Money amp MCGaza | by BOGEY

Single Hit track 11

20112011

Hip-Hop

24002867

eng - Hip-Hop 4 Life

eng - iTunNORM 000005E2 0000058E 0000424E 00003537 00026E95 0001C2B3 00008000 00008000 00005045 00005045

8584

بلدنا محتجانا ايدنا واحدة ضد احملنة تفرق ايه معاك ديانتي ملا ربك هو ربي

اصلك هو اصلي ارضك هي ارضي

ملا اتقال لي اكتت فيول فتنة انا قولت غلط علشان الفتنة مفتعلة في بلدنا وكان وراها غرض

فالفرد افترض فبفرض السياسة األمر اختلط

فالزم يبقي املصل سياسي من اصل املرض العسس واحلرس مافرقوش صليب وهالل

وكنا كلنا واحد وراء االقفالدم الشهيد شاهد

ياما بالفتنة انكسرنا وحدتنا بصوت واحد وضد الظلم انتصرنا

وديني هو ديني صلة بيني وبني ربي هارفع علمي وارفع راسي فوق

انا مصري

ايد في ايد نبني فيها من جديد

مصر زعلت علي حاصل وسطنا مش مفيد

بعد ثورة وبعد عيد فتنة تقتل حلم واتتحقق لنا

خلو حمامة السالم من الطيور املنقرضةعلشان تبقي القلوب مبتعدة منقسمه سهل تتسم

فكرين مناعة و قوة أم الدنيا بالطمع مرتبطةنسر املصريني ليس له دين احنا بنحميها بالدم

العنف بذوره بتكتر عاوز يوصل واحلروب حتصل

A r a b i a n K n i g h t s + M C G a z a + A m e e r

Our country needs us all together against the hard times

What difference does my religion make to you when your god is my god

Your origin is mine

Your land is my land

When they told me about sectarian strife I said thatrsquos wrong

Because itrsquos been planted in our country and behind it is some purpose

Makes one think somethingrsquos going on

By playing politics everythingrsquos gotten mixed up

The antidote has to be political just like the poison itself

The military doesnrsquot distinguish between cross and crescent

Wersquore all held together behind bars

The blood of the martyrs bears witness

To how much wersquove been broken by sectarianism

Through our unity we triumphed with one voice over injustice

And my religion is my own a rapport between me and God

Irsquoll raise my flag and my head up

Irsquom Egyptian

Hand in hand

We build Egypt up again

Egypt is angry at whatrsquos happening between us

Itrsquos not helpful

After the revolution after the victory

Sectarian strife is killing the dream we fulfilled

They drove the dove of peace to extinction

To keep hearts apart and divided itrsquos easy to poison them

Do they really think the resilience and strength of Egypt is connected to greed

The Egyptian eagle has no religion we protect it with our blood

The roots of violence are increasing want to gain control to start wars

Eid Fe Eid

Yasser Ameer Youssef Rush E Money amp MCGaza | by BOGEY

Single Hit track 11

20112011

Hip-Hop

24002867

eng - Hip-Hop 4 Life

eng - iTunNORM 000005E2 0000058E 0000424E 00003537 00026E95 0001C2B3 00008000 00008000 00005045 00005045

8786

للعاقيدة يكسر وألعضاء املشاعر تتشال تصتأصلعلى كالم ربهم اتكبرو فعملو قدر واتقدر

وقته مستنينه ليه خططوا مضمون الرسائل اتغير الن الهدف هو تدمير قعدة الوحدهوقتل كل قائد يقود الناس بره احملنه

فيبقي سهل يزيحنا ميحي أوصول عليها كبرناوكل واحد علي حداه يقول أنا محدش يقول احنا

فاببطء بحرص بص بعقل بحذر شوفقبل ما يخلوا خيالك يتخلله اخلوف

واخلوف ده افراز بيطلع من غده ملا الكلب بيشوفهابيعرف انك فاريسه سهل ياكلها ركز

فرق تسد إخلعوفق جتد إرفع

ثورة تقدصمت يفرد- يفرق

ما بيجمع بيننامن حقي النقد من حقك - تسمع

طب إسمع وراجع ما صور التاريخ طب باله بيكفي صور زمانييوم حصار كنيسة املهد مني دافع مني اتقمع مني اتنفا

مسلم مسيحي أل كان فلسطيني اتذكر معي ثورة غضب يناير

اتذكر معي الوحدة اإليد الوحدة اتشرف انتا مصرياتذكر معي األخ بإيد األخ يحمي األخ بدون إلخ

كالمي ماشي ماشي ال-لتفهمني بهويتي مسلم وال نصراني قبطي

ما في حجة لربطي خلبطي حلطي ألوطي ألغير خطيخير أجناد األرض

من أرض بيت املقدس كل السالم بعد ما قلت إلنقسام في وطنيانا ملزم أقول ال لفتنة

تفتت مجد شعب تعب عانى ضحى بالغالي حتى بناه

A r a b i a n K n i g h t s + M C G a z a + A m e e r

The relationship between Egyptians breaks down and the organs that feel are taken out

They got full of themselves in the name of their god and invented a new fate for us

Theyrsquore waiting for a time and theyrsquore plotting The meaning of their messages changes

Because the goal is to destroy the foundation of unity

And kill every leader who takes the people out of hard times

Itrsquos easy to remove us to wipe out the traditions we grew up with

Everyone on his own everyone says ldquoIldquo and no one says ldquoweldquo

Slowly carefully look Wisely with caution see

Before they make your imagination a slave to fear

And that fear releases a secretion from a gland

And when the dog sees it he knows yoursquore easy prey

Divide yoursquoll conquer

Bring harmony and yoursquoll reap Start

A revolution and it will catch on

Silence is solitary It divides

It doesnrsquot bring us together

It is my right to criticize and your right to listen

So listen and look back at history or better look at my life time

The day the Nativity Church was under siege who was persecuted Who was exiled

A Muslim A Christian No he was Palestinian

Letrsquos remember the angry revolution of January

Letrsquos remember the unity the one hand Be proud yoursquore Egyptian

Remember the brother holding hands with a brother protecting a brother

And I can go on

Donrsquot teach me about my identity whether Irsquom a Muslim or a Christian Copt

Therersquos no excuse to tie me down beat me to make me cower and kneel and stray from my courseThe Earthrsquos most virtuous soldiers

Come from the land of Bayt al-Maqdis [Jerusalem] I salute you After I said no to division in my countryIrsquom committed to saying no to seditionThat dissolves the glory of a people who labored suffered sacrificed what was most dear to build it

T r a n s l a t e d b y A l e x O r t i z + A h m e d S h a w k e t + K h a l e d A l H i l l i

Eid Fe Eid

Yasser Ameer Youssef Rush E Money amp MCGaza | by BOGEY

Single Hit track 11

20112011

Hip-Hop

24002867

eng - Hip-Hop 4 Life

eng - iTunNORM 000005E2 0000058E 0000424E 00003537 00026E95 0001C2B3 00008000 00008000 00005045 00005045

8988

الفن واملواهب زي حرب الكواكب الكل عايز يكون جنم صراع في الداخل

بهدي جنون العظمة بفلفل حر توابل تسيل دموع زي القنابل

زي مابتكلم وداني شغالة كون سامع نبض الشارع علشان أ

حالف أقضي على اإلعالم املتآمر مغامر في الكالم بس إنت مش سامع

ملا بأمسك القلم والورقة الهم بينزاح مخي بيرتاح بأقول اللي على البال

ملا بأقعد بحس بتأنيب ضمير كون في ستوديو بسجل على بيت خطير مفروض أ

e l D e e b + S t o r m t r a p

Art and talent are like Star Wars

Secretly everyone wants to be a star of conflict

I make megalomania tranquil with chilli hot spices

Tears flow like bombs

Thatrsquos how I talk and the world keeps moving

So that I can hear the pulse of the streets

Irsquove sworn to obliterate the media conspirators

I am adventurous in my speech but you do not hear

When I hold the pen and the paper my anxiety is lifted

My mind relaxes and I say whatrsquos on it

When I sit down I feel guilty

I should be in the studio recording dangerous beats

addictأدمان الشهرة ion to fame

Edman El Shuhra

Stormtrap amp Mohamed El Deeb

2011

Hip-Hop

15305855

- vocals Mohamed El Deeb Stormtrap13produced by Stormtrap

9190

إحساس غريب إنك تدمن الكالم ارسم يا فنان واخترع زي دافينشي الرسام

ولو مفيش ورقة باستخدم تليفوني خايف إن فكرة متعديش على صوتي

دنيا غريبة يوم مر يوم بونبوني بس أنا عمري ماغيرت لوني

املوسيقى بنادولي وبطابعي فضولي مهما قالوا لي هافهمها مبفهومي فـساعات أالقي نفسي بكلم نفسي واسمع أصوات غريبة في دماغي

وهو ده الصدى الصوت اللي بسمعه اكن مفيش حد فارقة معاه احالمي

شوف شوف مش هدف إنو أنا شخصيا أنا

هدفي انه كلماتي وموسيقتي تنتشرعشان هيك حتشوفني دوما مستمر مستثمر

كل وقتي كل طاقتي على أصواتي خوذ شك خوذ حتويل خوذ كاش

بس ما تنساش أي شي بيتعلق بالواقع بدناش ما تخاف ألنها قضيتنا مش منسية مية باملية هايذي ثورة كمان ثقافية

خليني أوضح هاي املوسيقى مش معمولة للتلفازeهاي املوسيقى مش معمولة لهز الطياز l D e e b + S t o r m t r a p

Strange feeling to be out of words

Paint oh artist and discover like Da Vinci the artist

If I donrsquot have paper I use my cell

I am afraid that the idea does not come through my voice

Strange world one day is bitter another like candy

But Irsquove never changed my color

Music is my Tylenol and my nature curious

So whatever they tell me Irsquoll understand it my way

Sometimes I find myself talking to myself

And I hear weird voices in my head

Which is just the echo of the sound I hear

As if no one cares about my dreams

See see

My goals are not self serving

My goal is that my words and music spread

Thatrsquos why yoursquoll see me always and continuously investing

All my time my energy on my sounds

Take a check take a transfer take cash

But never forget anything related to reality wersquore not interested

Donrsquot be afraid because our cause is not forgotten

One hundred percent this is also a cultural revolution

Let me explain this music is not meant to be televised

This music is not made for booty shaking

Edman El Shuhra

Stormtrap amp Mohamed El Deeb

2011

Hip-Hop

15305855

- vocals Mohamed El Deeb Stormtrap13produced by Stormtrap

9392

مش فاهم ليش الكل قاتل حاله يكون في مسابقةحابني نتصابح حياكم زات املكافحة

واالعالم ميت ع حيالله قصة ما بيدرس هالقصة من نصها

وبعدن بينفخهامش احلق علينا اذا ما بيبحثوا

وملا يبدوا يحكوا عنا أل عنجد بيبعصوابيفكروا انه كل شي هشك بشك

بس حدن الزم يقلهم انه الهب هوب مش هيكبدك تدير بالك عشانها هاي اللحظة احلاسمة

ملا يجوا عليك الديب والعاصفةنكسر حدود وبنبني وحدة عشان نحيي مجتماعاتنا

وننهي معانتناعشان هيك منكتب كلمات صريحة والها معنى

مش للشهرة مش حتى يجي حدن يدفعلنا

e l D e e b + S t o r m t r a p

I donrsquot understand why everyone is killing themselves to be in the contest

Wersquod like to say goodmorning to salute you in this same struggle

The mediarsquos dying for any story

But they donrsquot study the storyrsquos real text

And then they blow it out of proportion

Itrsquos not our fault if they donrsquot search

And when they talk about us then they really screw it up

They think everything is empty pointless

Somebody needs to tell them that hip hop is not like that

You should take care because this is the critical moment

When the wolf and storm come haunting you

We break borders and we create a unity to revitalize our communities

And stop our suffering

That is why we write frank words that have meaning

Itrsquos not for fame or even so that someone pays us

T r a n s l a t e d b y N i z a r G h a n e m

Edman El Shuhra

Stormtrap amp Mohamed El Deeb

2011

Hip-Hop

15305855

- vocals Mohamed El Deeb Stormtrap13produced by Stormtrap

9594

حضل عهل مود يعنيما إنتلك النجوم عم تقرب

بهل ال مود حكون عطول لبهل جنوم إدءر لو مضطر شن هجوم عل النجوم كلها

خللي األرض تدور حول أصبعي تنلك

ما إنتلك متلي متلك مولع طيار ألفكاري من العقدي تنفك فرد قعدي بني 4 حيطان ما بتنهز و منها ما بنهز

يلز املا بينلزالكاس عل الطاولي و منو عم مز مز

لتفتل براصي وحس من حالي عم كز كزعل ورقة كالمي مدروس و ما بزت زت بجرب ما عيد حالي متا يقولو عم نق نق

موزع قافياتي جواز كأن عم فت فت

بهل األطشة خلي الديني اللي تسمعني ترن رنFبسبيلي جاري يوم ع يوم عم برك رك a r e e q e l A t r a s h

Irsquoll stay in this mood

Didnrsquot I tell you The stars are getting closer

Irsquoll stay in this mood until I touch these stars

Even if I have to launch an attack on all the stars

Irsquoll make the Earth rotate around my finger I told you

Didnrsquot I tell you Irsquom just like you I lit up a joint so my ideas would untie their knot

Sitting this way in between four walls I wonrsquot budge

The most delectable

Drink is on the table from which Irsquom taking sips

Till my head starts spinning and Irsquom sick of myself

On the paper my words are calculated I donrsquot just toss them about

I try not to repeat myself so they wonrsquot say Irsquom nagging

I deal my rhymes out like theyrsquore cards

In this verse Irsquoll make those ears ring

My fountain is running and every day I excel

tالنجوم عم تقرب he stars are gett ing closer

null

29781717

9796

لضل ماشي جالس بينما غيري عم بلك لك شريط معلق ريحة العة عم بتفح فحكل ما فتح متو بتالقي عم بكب كب

عايشها إرهاب و مفي إال بسب سببزبالتي ما بكبو تيكون بعلمك

األالف مسم و بحياتو ما بينسم بزقة من هل التم تخلي سقفك ينش نش

تلمو ردم و ما تفكر إنو ترد رد و عم بحكي عالواطي متا الصالي فيك ترج رج

بطبعي عاقل بس بالراب بزل زل عل الرايق بال ما نط وال فز فز

type of shitعال بارد أبرد من شباط بس يقز قزتخلي عضامك ع بعض تسك سك

ما إنتلك النجوم عم تقرب بهل ال مود حكون عطول لبهل جنوم إدءر

لو مضطر شن هجوم عل النجوم كلهاخللي األرض تدور حول أصبعي تنلك

أنا متنبئ بنبه و بحقق ما قلتلك بعد وقتها ما عم نكت

عاملكرفون إبرة هرون عم بشكشك في شكcheck one two

هيك بدسدس عالنبض

F a r e e q e l A t r a s h

So I can walk straight when others are still playing

A broken record that reeks of a musty smell

Every time he opens his mouth he spews them out

He lives in terror and all he does is curse

I wouldnrsquot throw him in my garbage just so you know

Irsquove irritated thousands and never been irritated in my life

One spit out of this mouth will make your roof leak

And yoursquoll pick up the rubble and donrsquot even think about answering back

Irsquom talking in a low voice so the hall wonrsquot shake with you in it

Irsquom reasonable by nature but when it comes to rap I humiliate cold-heartedly

Without jumping or leaping around

I do it coldly colder than icy February-type of shit

Irsquoll make your bones rattle against each other

Didnrsquot I tell you The stars are getting closer

Irsquoll stay in this mood until I touch these stars

Even if I have to launch an attack on all the stars

Irsquoll make the Earth rotate around my finger I told you

Irsquom a psychic I predict and deliver

Didnrsquot I tell you to stand back when Irsquom not joking

Irsquom pricking the microphone with a heroin needle Is there any doubt

Check one two

Thatrsquos how I feel the pulse

null

29781717

9998

بدقق و زتزت حكي بتزجزج كأنها مزهزها عم بتشمشم عم خطط عم تكتيك و مني ملحلح من هون للساعة توقف تك تيك تك تيك

لك ليك منفخ حاله عامبيكازيب عا غيري بس بوجهي بتاءتإوجهه بيباءبإ من أد ما بعصب بسبسب

زر إنذار إذني بتطنطن و بشوف من عالباب عم بدقدق

عكروت بدو يفوت ليشوف الفن فني بس الفن هون بجسمي معبأ

من حلقي طايف و من متي عم بت شرشر و بيس البيس زلزال برجرج خليك تضبضب تنضب بالبيت لتكنكن

و أنا متأسف ألني بدي استأذن بس بعد شفت كابتشينو بتصحصح

ما إنتلك النجوم عم تقرببهل ال مود حكون عطول لبهل جنوم إدءر

لو مضطر شن هجوم عل النجوم كلهاخللي األرض تدور حول أصبعي تنلك

هيدا هب هوبمش هبل و ال بهل

هيدا زجل تتغزل في

ورايي إيقاع عليي إتبع و ما إطلع عنو يا بصير متل غير مسيس

زقفوا مع االيقاعزقفوا مع االيقاع

F a r e e q e l A t r a s h

Checking and hurling words that tickle as if I was high and sniffing

I am planning and scheming and Irsquom not going anywhere till the clock stops ticking

Look hersquos so full of it lying to others but in my face he stutters

And his face turns red from all the anger and he curses

My earsrsquo alarm bells start ringing

And I go to see whorsquos knocking at the door

Some bastard who wants to see where ldquothe artldquo is

But the art is right here packed in my body

Flowing from my throat running out of my mouth

And the bass is an earthquake that shakes and forces you to pack up and go home

And Irsquom sorry because I need to take leave

But after a sip of cappuccino yoursquoll come around

Didnrsquot I tell you The stars are getting closer

Irsquoll stay in this mood

Until I touch these stars even if I have to launch an attack on all the stars

Irsquoll make the Earth rotate around my finger I told you

This is hip hop

Itrsquos not stupid nor dumb

Itrsquos zajal [a form of Arabic poetry in the Levant]

That you flirt with

There is a beat that I have to follow canrsquot lose it or Irsquoll be like other MCs

Clap with the beat

Clap with the beat

T r a n s l a t e d b y K h a l e d A l H i l l i

null

29781717

101100

انا ببلعهم بتفهم وال مره بسبهمبخليهم داميا يضاربو بتفكيرهم

أنا وراهم قدامهم جنابهم محتلهممش طايقهم مرات وزنهم بكون منزلهم

مرتبهم صاففهم وبقلم أنا حاكمهم زاتتهم مش عاجبيني أنا ماحيهم قائدهم وبنفس الوقت أنا عبيدهم

وبفك وربط أنا بلعب مبعانيهمانا حاميهم بأسطر اللي تقويهم

انا واعدهم اني أستر على فاضحهم ومطلعهم بصوره اللي تبشعهم

بس أنا محترمهم وبسطور ساجنهم مكتفهم كأسير بجنازير القهر

ومهديهم بحبل اللي يبشر بالصبر وانا لي الفخر أكون الشوك اللي فيهم

Dوأكون القهر اللي داميا يسقيهم A M

Yo this is dedicated to the lyrics

Irsquom swallowing them spitting them never dissing them

Giving them freedom of speech

Irsquom behind them in front of them because of them always standing with them

Sometimes get sick of them sick of how you abuse them

Gather them in line with my pen I order them

Didnrsquot like it Throwing them out and replacing them

Irsquom their leader and also their slave

Small changes make huge differences

I train them in pages to make them strong

Promising to use them not abuse them

Or allow the wrong mouths to utter them

Approach them with a military mind and find peace in them

Irsquom lucky to be full of thorns and even luckier that I found the lyrics

So theyrsquoll help me find the roses in me

wordsكلمات

null

26837427

103102

raquoالكل سمعك بس السؤال اذا اللي سمعك فهمكlaquoكلمات ليست كالكلمات بل raquoعالماتlaquo

اللي توجهنا وين مابدنا عحبال السيرك هي تثبتنا ريح العالم من كل جهه اذا احنا ضعاف بتوقعنا بس

raquoأل بلمره ألlaquo raquoكلمات عندي طنlaquoكل واحده الها هدف اخدت حرف عحرف

نسجت جمل اللي البسهم وقت البرد raquoراح اضلني اناديlaquo raquoبنحكي كلماتlaquo

انت بتعرف انهم مبنصب شهاد بحكو املاضي وتنبوا حاضر أي بالد

قد ماحكيت قد ما أحكي فش كالم يغطي بسفي كالم يربي وينمي انت بس أروي

في شوف انه قوه والقوه بتقويفيك و أن رويته مصيره يسقيك )مثل للقوه( العدو من أمامكم

والبحر من ورائكم فال تخيبوا أسيادكمفأين أشعاركم وأين مجادلتكم

فأنتم تسكتون وتخمدون أحالمكم)انهي( نهيت ورجعت للعامية بكلمات

مرمية طالعه من عقليه شعبيهمتل جنيب اللي بذاكرة كل واحد محفوظ مدروس واذا أل معناته في خلل معكوس

عاملجتمع اللي قمع كتاباته Dاللي سمح لنسيانه يشيل خطواته A M

ldquoThey all hear you but few listen to youldquo

Lyrics ainrsquot just a bunch of words they are ldquosignsldquo

Leading us stabilizing us on tight ropes

Winds every way if we are thin we will fall

ldquoBut hell noldquo ldquoyou can measure my words in tonsldquo

Every word has a meaning I knitted a letter with another letter

Made warm sentences to wear in cold days

ldquoSo Irsquoll still shoutldquo ldquowe control lyricsldquo

You know lyrics are like a witness

They witnessed the past and forecast the future

As much as I said or say I canrsquot describe them

But there is a way to find the description and thatrsquos through them

Quench the thirst of the pages with them

So in the future itrsquoll quench your thirst

Keep feeding them as soon as they grow up

Theyrsquoll give you strength

ldquoExample for the strengthldquo

ldquoThe enemy is before you the sea is behind you

So donrsquot you dare disappoint our ancestors

Where are our deep poems Where are our strong statements

From generation to generation we kill our dreamsldquo

ldquoEnough philosophizingldquo ok lets get back to street talk

Words coming outta simple minds

Like Najeeb Mahfuz [literally lsquowell-rememberedrsquo also a famous author]

They keep living in our minds

And if you donrsquot know who he is - then I rest my case

null

26837427

105104

raquoالكل سمعك بس السؤال اذا اللي سمعك فهمكlaquoكلمات ليست كالكلمات بل raquoعالماتlaquo

اللي توجهنا وين مابدنا عحبال السيرك هي تثبتنا ريح العالم من كل جهه اذا احنا ضعاف بتوقعنا بس

raquoأل بلمره ألlaquo raquoكلمات عندي طنlaquoكل واحده الها هدف اخدت حرف عحرف

نسجت جمل اللي البسهم وقت البرد raquoراح اضلني اناديlaquo raquoبنحكي كلماتlaquo

ألف با كبايه أوعك تكسرهاامسكها للنهاية وكل ما تفضى مليها

كلمه أو رواية ومع املراحل زيدها شيحكاية وهيك ضلك زود فيها

وجيبها لتجمعاتك وساعتها استعملها لنقاشاتك وملواقفك استخدمها

هادي مدافعك اللي مداها بسيطرتك وما دافعك انه ما تخليها رايتك

ما هي تكتب ما هي توصف ما هي تكذب ما هي تنصف

ما هي هي الهروب هياللجوء هي الدروب هي

العبور باحلدود واللي مبرؤهم مبدع وبفوز باخللود واللي بسرقهم مش مقنع

واذا بتديهم احلرية بنادوك ممنوعDواذا بتوخد احلريه بنادوك مسموح A M

ldquoThey all hear you but few listen to youldquo

Lyrics ainrsquot just a bunch of words they are ldquosignsldquo

Leading us stabilizing us on tight ropes

Winds every way if we are thin we will fall

ldquoBut hell noldquo ldquoyou can measure my words in tonsldquo

Every word has a meaning I knitted a letter with another letter

Made warm sentences to wear in cold days

ldquoSo Irsquoll still shoutldquo ldquowe control lyricsldquo

The Arabic alphabet is like a glass donrsquot break it

Hold it tight and keep filling it

And then bring it to our arguments

Scream till your throat gets dry and then wet it

It holds our body itrsquos like our legs

If you stand for nothing yoursquoll fall for anything

The words write create

They kill lead and sometimes even lie

You can use them to build borders

And those who are gifted

Can use them to walk through borders

And in some governments

Itrsquos forbidden to give words freedom

But if you choke them and kill them

Thatrsquos allowed

F i g u r a t i v e t r a n s l a t i o n o f f e r e d b y t h e a r t i s t s

null

26837427

107106

further reading

The tracks presented in this document are not a comprehensive sampling of the genre of the market of hip hop in Arabic or of hip hop and rap in the wider Middle East

Artists featured here hail from Egypt Lebanon Palestine and the anglophone Arab diaspora The thriving North African hip hop scene is not represented nor is the work of the established francophone Arab diaspora nor the expanding hip hop scenes of especially Iran or Turkey

This collection does not attempt a comprehensive chronology Tracks featured here are not primarily new releases (though some are) neither are they all ldquoclassicsrdquo These limitations of scope are important to note

Many tracks of the popular Libyan group Ibn Thabitt and other groups from across the region have been translated and are hosted with commentary on the notable blog

revolutionaryarabrapblogspotcom

Another valuable resource is the Beirut-based blog by Jackson Allers ldquoBeats and Breathrdquo which features articulate critiques and reviews of events and releases from the region

jacksonallerswordpresscom

Hass Dennaoui (alias Big Hass) who recently launched started the first all hip-hop FM radio show in Saudi Arabia Laish Hip Hop (Why Hip Hop) manages a lively blog which

hosts an internet feed of his radio show and interviews with MCs and influential hip hop figures from around the world

revoltradioblogspotcom

Lebaneseundergroundcom hosts coverage of underground music in Lebanon including hip hop

And finally an excellent article by Hishaam Aidi on implications of the use of hip hop as foreign policy ldquoThe Grand (Hip-Hop) Chessboard Race Rap and Raison DrsquoEtatrdquo was published in The Middle East Report Fall 2011 Excerpts of the piece were published by Al Jazeera English in the article ldquoLeveraging Hip Hop in US Foreign Policyrdquo

All the artists and many of the translators whose work is showcased here host a significant online presence Their sites are listed with more about each of them on the following pages

109108

artist bios

ARABIAN KNIGHTZ the premier hip hop group from the land of the Nile River have not only established themselves as the lyricists with the sharpest swords in their land but they have also created the most consistent voice for rebellion strength and hope for the youth of the Middle East During the 2011 Revolution Arabian Knightz released two singles ldquoRebelrdquo and ldquoNot Your Prisonerrdquo anthems of resistance which gained worldwide attention and major media coverage for their powerful lyrics against a wicked system The group formed in 2006 through the cipher hip hoprsquos natural way of choosing like mindsets on the mic Rush Sphinx and E-Money were ahead of their peers adapting an authentic Arab perspective to the art dominated by Western voices mixing English and Arabic raps After hitting the studio for successful underground tracks AK enlisted super-producer Fredwreck (Snoop Dogg Xzibit Tha Dogg Pound) ldquoFokkakrdquo the single from this studio session was an instant hit and (surprisingly for Arabic Hip Hop) projected them to the top ten of the singles charts Arab League Records was formed amidst a growing fanbase and numerous collaborations with other Arab hip hop artists the first international Arab hip hop record label Desert Saga Volume 1 mixtape was the debut release led by ldquoThe Onerdquo featuring Egyptrsquos MC Amin Arabian Knightz have recorded their debut album Uknighted State of Arabia a masterpiece for Arab hip hop years in the making featuring instrumentals dominated by traditional percussions and players are scheduled for a Winter 2012 Release They are on Facebook

BOIKUTT is a musician and MC based in Ramallah Palestine Creating sounds using sampled material field recordings and electronic devices the results range between hip-hop downtempo ambient glitch and experimental He has composed and produced music for artists such as Kronos Quartet Bukue One Spiritchild Tamer Abu-Ghazaleh Bleubird and others and has appeared as an MC on albums for artists such as Slovo Heliodrome Bonnot and Lethal Skillz A co-founder of the Ramallah Underground Collective which has toured across the Arab World Europe and Australia Boikutt is also co-founder and member of audio-visual group Tashweesh with whom he is currently touring Also as a solo performer he has been in Beirut Cairo Manila Copenhagen London Hamburg Dubai Bethlehem and other cities He has produced and exhibited a few sound-art pieces composed several film scores has most recently composed the music for a dance theater performance entitled Bound by

New York-based company Yaa Samar Dance Theatre and is now working on different collaborative and solo projects His work may be heard at soundcloudcomboikutt and on Facebook

DAM Da Arabian MCrsquos are Suhell Nafar Tamer Nafar and Mahmoud Jreri The first Palestinian hip hop crew and among the first to rap in Arabic the group began working together in the late 1990s Struck by the uncanny resemblance of the reality of the streets in a Tupac video to the streets in their own neighborhood of Lyd they were inspired to tell their stories through hip hop Their timely song ldquoMin Irhabirdquo (ldquoWhorsquos the Terroristrdquo) was downloaded a million times shortly after its internet realese in 2001 and DAM became a household name among youth throughout the Middle East Ten years of performing all over the world has strengthened the grouprsquos commitment to continue living and working in their hometown of Lyd 15 minutes from Tel Aviv and working to provide the youth of the city and neighboring communities with programs and opportunities that have been denied to Palestinian citizens of Israel Their music is a unique fusion of East and West and encompasses influences as varied as Ghassan Kanafani Ahlam Mosteghanemi Mahmoud Darwish Naji al Ali Tupac Biggie Public Enemy MBS Krsquonaan and Pharoahe Monch IHDA (Dedication) DAMrsquos long-awaited first international album was released in 2007 and DAM has seen its songs and members featured in films such as Ford Transit (Dir Hany Abu Assad) Where in the World is Osama Bin Laden (Dir Morgan Spurlock) Salt of this Sea (Dir Annemarie Jacir) Local Angel and Forgiveness (Dir Udi Aloni) DAMrsquos history and influence on the Arab hip hop scene is detailed in the feature-length documentary Slingshot Hip Hop (Dir Jackie Reem Salloum) The group has also been featured in Vibe National Geographic Rolling Stone Q Basement Reuters and The New York Times and has appeared on MTV CNN BBC and Al Jazeera Their work can be heard and explored at damrapcom

EL DEEB first ventured into Egyptian Hip Hop when he joined Asfalt in 2005 He left in 2007 to create Wighit Nazara duo represented by Mohamed Yasser and himself It was a successful musical project that lasted until mid 2010 Currently he is working on his solo career with plans to release an EP every couple of months or so Cairofornia is his first solo EP His work may be heard at deebbandcampcom and on Facebook

EL RASS was born in Tripoli Lebanon He started writing poetry in literary Arabic at age 11 and started rhyming in spoken Lebanese dialect in 1999 at age 15 At that time he formed one third of a group of 3 MCrsquos going under the name of ldquoMlouk el Micrdquo (ldquoKings of the Micrdquo) They recorded one album and performed locally At 17 he left for France to study Finance and Economics Studies were hard money was scarce and exile was tough but music and poetry never left him as he continued rhyming with some underground French MCrsquos like Medline and Moebius and developed new musical skills on percussion in classical Arabic singing and baglama (turkish buzuk) After graduating and working for almost two years in the hell of banking and market finance El Rass decided to return to Lebanon He spent a year just re-discovering Beirut and making and learning music He now works as a journalist at the newspaper Assafir while concurrently pursuing joint projects with other producers and musicians He calls his work Taalik in reference to the same word in Arabic for ldquocommentrdquo and another word that comes from the same semantic root moaallakat which is a corpus of selected pre-Islamic poetry that was written with gold ink on the walls of the Karsquoaba in Mecca His work may be heard at soundcloudcomElRass

FAREEQ EL ATRASH is a hip hop band based out of Hamra St Beirut with a sound that is distinguished by laid back topical flows over live instrumentation It consists of Edd (raps) Nasser (raps) FZ (vocal production and FX) Fouad Afra (drums) Goo (plays guitar keys heart strings) and Abed Kobeissy (plays bass and buzuk) Their 2010 album and 2009 prealbum are available online More of their work may be found on Facebook Eddrsquos solo work can also be heard at soundcloudcomEdd

H2Z was born in Kuwait in 1986 where he lived for four years Due to the gulf war his family moved to Lebanon where he lived for the most part of his life Inspired by the tragic events in the Middle East and elsewhere in the world H2Z adopted rap music as a way to raise awareness about the injustices suffered by his people and to deliver a message through his music to anyone who supports the Palestinian cause His career began in 2004 when he was introduced to the production business by fellow rappers and soon he started producing his own tracks and established a local band producing many tracks for himself and other musicians in Lebanon In 2008 he released his first solo album titled 3aed which contained

17 tracks The political influence was noticed throughout the album and was generally well-received He is now studying for a degree in business administration at Wayne State University in Michigan His work may be heard at reverbnationcomh2z

KATIBEH 5 are based in Borj el Barajneh Lebanon Their work can be found at reverbnationcomkatibeh5 and myspacecomkatibe5palestine and on Facebook

M1 is Mutulu Olugbala of the New York based collective Dead Prez whose work is online at deadprezcom M1 is also on Facebook

MC GAZA is Adnan Mahmoud Ghonim an Algerian born artist and university student based in Gaza It was the beginning of 2005 when he attended one of the hip hop concerts in Gaza City ndash Gaza City that never appreciated the art he loved and attached himself to ndash and it was love at first sight between them Through some of the concerts he participated in a number of songs he collaborated on with Arabs from Egypt Algeria and Palestine and some active participation to represent the Palestinian people and interviews for both Arab and foreign press he was able to make a name for himself in the Gazan hip hop community His work may be found at youtubecomMCGaza and on Facebook

THE NARCICYST Having pioneered the Arab Hip-Hop movement with seminal Iraqi-Canadian crew Euphrates The Narcicyst recently broke through borders and shattered traveling etiquette touring solo around the world sharing stages with the likes of Brother Ali Mos Def and Kanye West to name a few On top of music The Narcicyst is a celebrated theorist whose academic work Fear of an Arab Planet has him from the stage to the classrooms of internationally renowned universities He is now also a professor at Concordia University teaching a Fine Arts course ldquoHip-Hop Past Present and Futurerdquo His writings have been published by multiple university presses and magazines internationally he is also a self-published author having recently released the biographical and social-study on the Arab world The Diatribes of a Dying Tribe As a true artist interested in really pushing his own artistic boundaries The Narcicyst has stepped into acting currently starring in the short music film PHATWA and in the first internationally-released film from the United Arab Emirates called City of Life A true multi-media

111110

KHALED AL HILLI is a PhD candidate in Comparative Literature at the Graduate Center City University of New York He has a BA in English Literature and a Masterrsquos degree in Teaching Second Languages Born in Iraq Khaled has taught in Lebanon and Saudi Arabia at both college and high school levels He has also worked with various Iraqi news outlets and has subtitledtranslated documentary films dealing with current social and political issues His research interests include Arabic political literature prison literature and literature in the diaspora He may be reached at hillykhalidgmailcom

+AZIZ is a NYC-based marketing consultant and a musician He is working through The World Music Parade to develop an animation project based on his music More about that project can be found at themusicparadetumblrcom He tweets from plusaziz

FAYSAL BIBI is a paleontologist and electronic musician currently based in Berlin

LOUBNA BILALI is originally from Morocco She did her undergrad and first MA in English Linguistics at Chouaib Doukkali University El Jadida She came to the US in 2008 to pursue a Masterrsquos degree in French to English translation and is currently working on a PhD in translation studies at Kent State University in Ohio She is very interested in learning and teaching languages as well as translating and localizing computer applications and websites She may be reached at loubnabilaligmailcom

FARAH ELREWAISSATI is a freelance translator pro-Palestine activist and BDS advocate who blogs at youthanormalizationblogspotcom She tweets from 3beee

NIZAR GHANEM was born in Lebanon He has been active in intercultural education interactive learning and conflict resolution across the Arab world His work on conflict resolution involved using theater comics and music as tools for emotional expression and social mobilization

RIMA NAJDI is a Performing Artist She studied dramatic arts at the Lebanese University in Beirut and obtained a Masterrsquos degree in Performance Studies at NYU New York She has written and performed in various plays and performances Najdi is particularly interested in multi-media performing arts and the position of the spectators

BARRAK ALZAID (copy editor) is the Artistic Director of ArteEast He is the editor of the ArteEast Quarterly a dynamic online portal featuring four publications that highlight contemporary art and culture from the Middle East and diaspora ndash ArtersquoZine Shahadat (contemporary short-form literature) Gallery and Cinematek (an online film center) He is also the curator for ArteEastrsquos Across Histories Art Talk Series featuring a series of panels on residencies in Fall 2011 He tweets from barrakster

RAYYA EL ZEIN (editor) is working towards a PhD in Theatre at the Graduate Center City University of New York Her research is increasingly focusing on theories of reception historical studies of audience behavior and popular culture in the Arab world She holds an MA in Performance Studies from NYU and is currently a teaching fellow at City College in Harlem She tweets from rayelz

translator biosdreamer Yassin recently established an arts label in the UAE called The Medium focusing on delivering art from Arabs in the diaspora and at lsquohomersquo to the rest of the world iraqisthebombcom He tweets from TheNarcicyst

OMAR OFFENDUM is a Syrian-American hip hop artist born in Saudi Arabia raised in Washington DC and living in Los Angeles Known for taking audiences on a lyrical journey from the jasmine-tree-lined courtyards of Nizar Qabbanirsquos Damascene homes to the flooded riverbanks of Langston Hughesrsquo Harlem Renaissance poems - Offendum has been featured on several major news outlets (BBC Yahoo ABC News Aljazeera PBS) toured the world to promote his ground-breaking music helped raise thousands of dollars for various humanitarian relief organizations (PCRF KinderUSA ANERA Islamic Relief) lectured at a number of prestigious academic institutions (Harvard MIT Stanford Columbia American University of Beirut NYU-AbuDhabi Qatar Education City) and most recently been involved in creating several critically-acclaimed songs about the popular democratic uprisings throughout the Middle East amp North Africa He is currently hard at work promoting his solo release - affectionately dubbed SyrianamericanA His work may be heard (and read) at offendumbandcampcom He is on Facebook and he tweets from Offendum

RAMALLAH UNDERGROUND based in Ramallah Palestine was born from the immediacy of musical experimentation and out of the need to give voice to a generation of Palestinians and Arabs facing a turbulent and uncertain political landscape The collective was founded by artists Boikutt Stormtrap and Aswatt and has always held a commitment to both the honesty of their work and the need to creatively rejuvenate Arabic culture To this end they combine music ranging from Arabic electronic music hip-hop and trip hop to downtempo with a deep sense of their local culture and the imposing presence of Palestine in their lives The outcome is a new specific and distinct sound RU (as producers and as MCrsquos ) has collaborated with numerous artists across the globe including countries like Lebanon UK Switzerland Italy USA France and many more including a collaboration with Slovo (a band headed by the guitarist from faithless) in their track ldquoNakbardquo which appears on their album Todo Cambia and with Kronos Quartet in the track ldquoTashweeshrdquo which appears on Floodplain RU has also performed live shows in Ramallah Bethlehem Vienna London Cairo Lausanne Amsterdam and Washington DC Their shows are mainly a performance of their hip-hop tracks as well as a few of their own electronic productions as a warm up More recently RU has incorporated a visual set in their live

performances brought to you by Palestinian visual artist Ruanne RU hopes to give a voice to Palestinians and Arabs bringing an alternative voice from the Arab world Their lyrics and music are an expression of anguish and defiance ultimately remaining a defiant voice of the colonized against the colonizer They continue to play a big role in the Arab underground cultural scene while slowly gaining wide global and local popularity

SHADIA MANSOURrsquos work can be found at myspacecomshadiamusic and on Facebook

STORMTRAP is a music producercomposerMC from Palestine Experimenting with old samples instruments and field recordings his sound is the result of a fusion of ambient atmospheres combined with various noises and hip hop beats His lyrics deal with different themes inspired mainly by his personal experiences in Palestine and life in the diaspora Stormtrap played a fundamental role in forming the band Ramallah Underground with which he has performed worldwide the past few years Currently he is working in Vienna with Aras Seyhan and Eren Ileri on a new album which combines live instruments synthesizers turntables beats and Arabic lyrics- which will be released early 2012 His work may be heard at soundcloudcomstormtrap He tweets from asifeh

AMEER YOSSEF 25 has sung and writen music with the band Klaket for the past four years His work may be heard at youtubecomAmeer and on Facebook

towards the work Her work for now concentrates on the process of making interactive and participatory performances that question borders stereotypes and languages

MOE ALI NAYEL is a fixer and a journalist based in Beirut Lebanon He uses social media blogging non-mainstream music journalism and writing as a word spreading eye opening socializing arena He uses social media as a bridge that cuts distance between people on this planet making it a tiny village This bridge starts in his office and takes him to every corner in the world enabling him to connect and network with people and cultures sharing and exchanging stories of the unheard and the neglected He blogs at Words of Action and he tweets from MoeAliNay

ALEX ORTIZ is a video and radio journalist and translator based in Cairo Egypt He graduated from Brown University in 2009 with a double major in Comparative Literature and Middle East Studies He was a CASA I fellow from 2009-2010 and a CASA II fellow from 2010-2011 He currently works for CBS News as a field producer He tweets from cairowitness

AHMED SHAWKET is an independent translator living in Cairo Egypt He is a graduate of the Helwan University Faculty of Arts where he majored in philosophy Ahmed works on literary media and commercial translation

113112

ABOUT SHAHADATShahadat is a quarterly online series designed to provide a platform for short-form writing and experimentation in writing by young and underexposed writers from the MENA region (Middle East and North Africa) The series features stories vignettes reflections and chronicles in translation and the original language of Arabic Farsi Turkish or Kurdish It makes up one quarter of ArteEastrsquos online programming the AE Quarterly For past issues of Shahadat click here

ABOUT THIS SERIES Shahadat is proud to run two alternating series and releases two issues a year of each The issue yoursquove just perused is part of the ldquoExploring Popular Literaturerdquo series This series challenges traditional understandings of ldquoliteraturerdquo emerging from the Middle East and North Africa by presenting genres of creative production that rely on words and language but which have not typically been studied as literature Works are presented in their original language and in translation

In each issue we gather texts from a spectrum of writers to challenge the singular status of the artistauthor and to encourage a more complex presentation of the Middle Eastern and North African ldquostreetrdquo for English-speaking audiences Shahadatrsquos other series ldquoContemporary Literature in Translationrdquo features the work of a single young author in the original language and in English translation

BEHIND THE DOCUMENTShahadat is co-edited by Rayya El Zein Alex Ortiz and ArteEastrsquos Artistic Director Barrak Alzaid All three are young professionals and scholars with artistic inclinations (literature poetry translation and performance) All three have strong connections to New York City and various metropole of the MENA region Shahadat is for us an experiment and a labor of love An editorial board of established scholars and authors is currently being conceived

SPECIAL THANKS TOAnmar El ZeinKinda AkashAndrew JohnstonLivia Alexander

Shahadat logo design by Rima Farouki

114

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Page 15: Shahadat Winter 2012

2928

أنا عايز بلد حرة من الظلم عايز بلد حرة من القهر

عايز بلد حرة من الشر عايز أرضي وأرض العرب

العرب العرب العرب

إحنا منمشي بالكرامة والثقة بالنفس معصنا قوانينكم بالثبوت بالدم

لو إن ضميركم بتريحكم بتتكلموا من ورا الفرد

قللي مني ما عم ينام بالليل عنجد ع بني انتو بتبنوا حواجز إحن بنكبر عيالنا

وبنظلنا نزيد العدد إحن السبب ليش ما بتسترجوا تغمضوا عني

في فرق كبير بني مقاوم ومقررين

A r a b i a n K n i g h t z + S h a d i a M a n s o u r

I want a country free of tyranny

I want a country free of oppression

I want a country free of evil

I want my land and the land of Arabs

Arabs Arabs Arabs

Theyrsquore dropping bombs over Baghdad

Libnan Afghan Palestinians Bin Laden Saddam

Listen Islam is all about the peace man

But wars up in these streets man

Got me loosinrsquo sleep damn

Mr Politician I got a little question

How come you are eating and all your peoples isnrsquot

I am on a mission to break up out of this prison

If yoursquore with me share my vision

Letrsquos start by saving the children

We walk with dignity and confidence in ourselves

We crushed your laws with our steadfastness and blood

If your conscience was giving you peace

You wouldnrsquot be communicating from behind a gun

Tell me whorsquos the one not getting sleep at night

While you build your checkpoints we raise the kids

Our numbers will keep increasing

We are the reason you donrsquot dare to blink

There is a big difference between a man of resistance and decision makers

T r a n s l a t e d b y N i z a r G h a n e m + S h a d i a M a n s o u r

Prisoner

Arabian Knightz + Shadia Mansour

Shahadat Winter 2012 track 316

Hip Hop

26518704

3130

النظام العاملي اجلديداحلاسة السادسة

و بدهم يردوا يعلموك النشيدنار شديد بس كله نسبي

جينا و نسيناأخبار فورية بتنهضم و بتمشينا

إللي فينا مكفينا رايح عغزة بالسفينة

و ما يأتي قبل الفكر أم الفعلملجرد الذكر لشخص مبنج قلب نكد وزعل

و طلب السعرمش حنبيع

ملا بتشتي بتشتي عاجلميعو زمن أول حتول

و مش قادرين نتجول فا مش حنضيعbشيء مريع o i k u t t

The new world order

The sixth sense

And they want to teach you the anthem anew

Heavy fire but itrsquos all relative

We came and forgot

Instant news digested and keeps us moving

Wersquove had enough

Going to Gaza by boat

What comes first Thought or action

The mere question to a numb person makes him grumpy and upset

And asking for the price

We wonrsquot sell

When it rains it rains over everybody

The old times have changed

We are under house arrest so we wonrsquot get lost

Itrsquos a horrible thing

igniteولع

Walle

boikutt

null

1746378

3332

مرات بتفهم النبرة غلطبس هلئ فهمني منيح

جريح بدون تلقيح تصريح صريح بدون تلميح

فظيعكيف خلونا نطيع

بوقت تشييع جثمان الضاضمضاض لإلنتفاض ثورة الثروة قيد التصنيع

فيعبوجه عقود بقبضة من حديد

من هون لقرية بال متديدبدون مانروح لبعيد

جتميد روؤس أموال و نوويةمصلحة أول مستفيد

بتدوب بشعلة من سيدي بوزيد

ولعشوف اكمن دكتاتور منقلعولعشوف اكمن دكتاتور منقلع

ولع شوف اكمن دكتاتور منقلعصوت الثورة بكل مكان و عم منسمع

من حكام لنوابو ال استثني احدا منكم

ما بيهمكمحلد ما الهتافات تتوجه إلكم إتهزكم

أفهمكمbاإلستبداد تارك الشارع بإستعداد o i k u t t

Sometimes you misunderstand a tone

But now you understand me correctly

Wounded without vaccination

A blatant statement without any hinting

Unbelievable

How they made us obey

At the funeral of the corpse of the [quintessential Arabic letter] Ddad

Counter revolution the revolution of wealth is in process

Rise

In the face of decades under an iron fist

From here to a village without extension

Without going too far

Freezing of capital and nuclear war heads

The interest of the primary beneficiary

Melts with a flame from Sidibouzid

Ignitesee how many dictators wersquoll uproot

Ignitesee how many dictators wersquoll uproot

Ignitesee how many dictators wersquoll uproot

The sound of revolution is everywhere we make it heard

From leaders to parliamentarians

I do not exclude any of you

But you donrsquot care

Until chants are directed at you and shake you

Let me explain

Tyranny leaves the street prepared

Walle

boikutt

null

1746378

3534

من املزارع بوسط البالدفعل مضارع للرماد

فا إنصرف زاي فلوس الدولة إللي طريقها إنحرفوإنعرف و إنصبت بجيوب هالطرف من شوفرية الشرف

حتية خاصة ألسود ميدان التحريرلتعديل دستور التعتير

إن صح التعبير

عندي نظر األطرشو سمع األعمى

عايشني حياة و مكلبشني باخلوف بنفس الوقت فا قللي شو املعنىتاريخ شجعنا

الوضع الراهن منعناناس بتمر و بتسمعنا

بدون جتاوب جتارب فجاوبيا ضدنا يا معنا

إرفع قبضة الصمود فوق في الهوا ثابتةإنتفاضة أولى و ثانية بس الثالثة نابتة

أطراف كابتةبس قد ما يحاولوا ميحوا ويحطوا الناس كاتبة

بالتفاصيل و كامتة

ولعhellip شوف اكمن دكتاتور منقلعولعhellip شوف اكمن دكتاتور منقلع

ولع شوف اكمن دكتاتور منقلعصوت الثورة بكل مكان و عم منسمع

ولعhellip شوف اكمن دكتاتور منقلعbو صفهم عالدور واحد واحدhellipو شنع o i k u t t

From the farmers in the center

Changing present tense to ashes

So vanish like the statersquos money whose road has deviated

It is known that it ended up in the pockets of the corrupt who claim to be clean

A special salute to the lions of Tahrir Square

For amending the constitution of misfortune

If that can be said

I have the sight of the deaf

And the hearing of the blind

Leading a life while chained by fear at the same time so tell me whatrsquos the point

History encouraged us

The current situation prevented us

People pass by and hear us

Without any response -- testing -- so answer

Yoursquore either with us or against us

Raise the fist of resistance up in the air

A first and second Intifada but the third is sprouting

Oppressive groups

No matter how hard they try to erase and replace people have written

In details and know by heart

Ignitesee how many dictators wersquoll uproot

Ignitesee how many dictators wersquoll uproot

Ignitesee how many dictators wersquoll uproot

The sound of revolution is everywhere we make it heard

Ignitesee how many dictators wersquoll uproot

Line them up in turn one after the other and defame them

T r a n s l a t e d b y F a r a h E l R e w a i s s a t i

Walle

boikutt

null

1746378

3736

ولك انا ابن عكا وبن يافا و طولكرم انا ابن كل شبر من البحر للنهر

االرض الي حملت موسى مرمي واملسيح انااملقابر يلي فاضت من كتر التوابيت

انا اخليمة بيت التنك واحلصيرة والكانون والبيوت املسروقة والدم املهدور

انا الهوى يالي حامل الغضب والبكاوالطرقات يلي بتغرق مع كل نقطة الشتا

انا رصاصة من املجاهد عم تعبر حلدود انا حزام من القنابل مشتاق لليهود

لطفل على باب املستشفى عم بيموتانا الجئ ممنوع من العمل مكروه

انا اين املخيم يلي عاطل عن العمل سيجارة احلشيش يلي بتمحي شوية الم

H 2 Z

Irsquom the son of Acre Jaffa and Tulkarem

Irsquom the son of every inch from the river to the sea

Irsquom the land that carried Moses Mary and the Christ

Irsquom the cemeteries that overflow with coffins

Irsquom the tent the tin house the mat and the stove

The stolen houses and the wasted blood

Irsquom the wind that bears anger and tears

The roads that drown in a single drop of rain

I am a bullet that crosses borders

Irsquom a grenade against Zionists

A child that dies waiting outside the hospital

Irsquom a hated refugee whorsquos prohibited from working

Irsquom the son of the camps always unemployed

The hash cigarettes that ease the pain

iانا فلسطيني am palest inian

Ana Falasteeni

H27

null

17782504

eng - iTunNORM 0000057E 0000056B 00004E0F 00004D32 00021C96 00021C96 00008000 00008000 0000ECEA 00007530

3938

حيطان هالبيت يلي بكره رح ينردم انا االحمر واالسود واالخضر من هالعلم

من دم االبطال من دموع الاطفالمن اجلحيم التشرد واجلوء واالنكسار

من ظلم االحتاللمن حلم االستقالل

من ارض الزيتونوالصليب والهالل

انا حافظ احلواجز بكل بالد العالممن النادر انو بيوم يعتبروني بني ادم انا سنني االعتقال انا غرف التعذيب

الوجع والصريخ واجلروح الي ما بطيبانا شعب ما انهزم بس عمرو ما انتصر

انا اكبر ارهابي الني حامل حجر اسير طول عمرو رافض انو بيوم ميوت بس معاهدة سالم بتنفي اني موجود

انا القدس بيت حلم ومخيم جننياالدان واجلراس الهالل والصليب

املدافن واملدارس وكنسية املسيح الشوارع القدمية والبيت العتيق

انا ركوة الشاي و سندويشة الفالفلالكرم والبخل واالخالق واملهازل

الكذب والصدق واخليانة والصمود Hانا فلسطيني حلتى اموت 2 Z

The walls of the house that I hate thatrsquos about to get demolished

I am the red and black and green in this flag

From the blood of heroes from the tears of children

From the hell of homelessness and broken refugees

From the oppression of the occupation

From the dream of independence

Irsquom from the land of the olives

The cross and crescent

I know all the checkpoints in all countries of the world

It is where they consider me a human being

Irsquom years of capture Irsquom the torture chambers

The pain and the screams and the wounds that never heal

I was never defeated but never had a victory

Irsquom the biggest terrorist because I carry a stone

A prisoner who spends his whole life refusing to die

But a peace treaty forgets that Irsquom alive

Irsquom Jerusalem Bethlehem and Jenin refugee camp

The call to prayer the bells the crescent and the cross

The old cemeteries schools and church of Christ

The old streets and the ancient house

Irsquom the tea cup and the falafel sandwich

Generosity and greed morality and farce

Lies and betrayal and honesty and persistence

I am Palestinian until I die

T r a n s l a t e d b y t h e a r t i s t

Ana Falasteeni

H27

null

17782504

eng - iTunNORM 0000057E 0000056B 00004E0F 00004D32 00021C96 00021C96 00008000 00008000 0000ECEA 00007530

4140

صباح اخلير با والد عمومناتفضلوا شرفونا

شو بتحبوا نضيفكم دم عربي وال دموع من عيوننابعتقد هيك تأملوا نستقبلن

هيك تعقدوا ملا تدركوا على غلطتهنمن هيك لبسنا الكوفية

البيضة والسودةصاروا كالب الزمان يلبسوها كموضة

مهما تفننوا فيامهما غيروا بلونا

كوفية عربية بتضال عربية

حطتنا بدن ياهاثقافتنا بدن ياها

S h a d i a M a n s o u r w i t h M 1 o f D e a d P r e z

Good morning cousins

Come in and honor us with your presence

What would you like us to serve you Arab blood or tears from our eyes

I think thatrsquos how they hoped we would recieve them

Thatrsquos why they got tangled up when they tripped up on their own mistake

Thatrsquos why we wore the kufeyyeh

The black and white one

Dogs of the past started to wear it as a fashion statement

However they change it

Whatever colour they make it

The Kufeyyeh is Arab and will always be Arab

Our scarf they want it

Our intellect they want it

kufeyyeh arabeyyeh الكوفية عربية

Kufeyyeh Arabeyyeh

Shadia Mansour and M1

Shahadat Winter 2012 track 616

Hip Hop

26239166

4342

كرامتنا بدن ياهاكل شي إلنا بدن ياه

ما رح نسكتلن نسمحلن الالبقلن يسرقوا شغلة مش إلهن ما خصن فيا

بيقلدونا باللبسكل هاألرض بيكفيهنش

طمعانني عالقدسإعرفوا كيف تكونوا بشر

قبل ما تلبسوا الكوفيةجينا نذكرن مني إحنا

وغصبا من عن أبوهم هاي حطتنا

من هيك لبسنا الكوفيةألنها وطنية

الكوفية الكوفية عربيةمن هيك لبسنا الكوفية

هويتنا األساسيةالكوفية الكوفية عربية

يال علي الكوفيةعلولي هالكوفية

الكوفية الكوفية عربيةعلوها لبالد الشام

كوفية عربية بتضال عربية

ما في بعد متل الشعب العربيفرجوني أية أمة بالدنيا أكثر مأثرة

الصورة واضحة نحنا مهد احلضارة

S h a d i a M a n s o u r w i t h M 1 o f D e a d P r e z

Our dignity they want it

Everything thatrsquos ours they want it

We will not be silent will not allow it

It suits them to steal something that ainrsquot theirs

They imitate our style

As if all this land werenrsquot not enough

Thirsting after Jerusalem

Know how to be human

Before you wear our scarf

We came to remind them who we are

And like it or not itrsquos our right

Thatrsquos why we wore the kufeyyeh

Because it is nationalistic

The kufeyyeh is Arab

Thatrsquos why we wore the kufeyyeh

Because it is our original identity

The kufeyyeh is Arab

Come on raise your kufeyyehs

Raise that kufeyyeh

The kufeyyeh is Arab

Raise it up for bilad ersquosham [Greater Syria the wider Arab world]

The kufeyyeh is Arab and will always be Arab

There are no others like the Arab people

Show me one region in the world that is more influencial

The picture is clear we are the origins of civilization

Kufeyyeh Arabeyyeh

Shadia Mansour and M1

Shahadat Winter 2012 track 616

Hip Hop

26239166

4544

تاريخنا وتراثنا الشاهد على وجودنامن هيك لبست التوب الفلسطيني

من حيفا جنني جبل النار إلى رام اللهخليني شوف الكوفية

البيضة واحلمراخلينا نعليها لفوق بالسما

أنا شادية العربلساني بغز غزبلساني بهز هز

كلمات احلربسجل أنا شادية منصور

واحلطة هويتيمن يوم ما خلقت

سيدي والشعب مسؤوليتيلكن تربيت بني الشرق وبني الغرب

بني لغتنيبني بخيل بني فقير

شفت احلياة من اجلهتنيبس علمتني الكوفية

كيف ما لبستونيوين ما شلحتوني

بضلني عأصولي فلسطينية

S h a d i a M a n s o u r w i t h M 1 o f D e a d P r e z

Our history traditions and customs bear witness to our existence

Thatrsquos why I wear the Palestinian dress

From Haifa Jenin Jabal El Naar to Ramallah

Let me see the kufeyyeh

The red and white one

Letrsquos raise it up to the sky

I am the singer of the Arabs

Like an earthquake I shake the ground

My words are war

Record this

I am Shadia Mansour

And this scarf is my ID

From the day I was born the people have been my responsibility

Look I was raised between the East and the West

Between two languages

Between the rich and the poor

Irsquove seen life from both sides

However the kufeyyeh has taught me

However you wear me

Wherever you leave me

I stay true to my origin Palestinian

T r a n s l a t e d b y t h e a r t i s t w i t h F a r a h E l R e w a i s s a t i

Kufeyyeh Arabeyyeh

Shadia Mansour and M1

Shahadat Winter 2012 track 616

Hip Hop

26239166

4746

حمامة سالم افتحي أجنحتكي و طيري

وين الوعي - وين امشوا معي هني وادي بني اجلبلني عني حب للطرفني

أمهاتنا حبت ذاتنا بس مو عاجبهن مسباتنا هذا احلكي بني اخواتنا

Oزين العرب واألمريكان m a r O f f e n d u m

This track contains verses that were originally written in English

You are my

(Destiny)

Itrsquos hard livinrsquo in the West - when I know the East got the best of me

(Destiny)

Could be lookinrsquo in my eyes - but yoursquoll never really see the rest of me

(Destiny)

Can you hear me maseeri [my destiny] Bi-lingualrsquos what Irsquom blessed to be

(Destiny)

Dove of Peace

Spread your wings amp fly

Consciousness What consciousness - where is it

Take a walk with me

Here in this valley between two ldquomountainsldquo

Where the source of love for both ldquosidesldquo can be found

Our mothers like us

But donrsquot like our foul language

So letrsquos keep this between the siblings

The best of Arabs amp Americans

destمصيري iny

7 Destiny

Omar Offendum

The Peace Revolution 20

21332892

eng - iTunNORM 000006D3 000006F2 000038BA 0000322F 0000E4FA 0000E4FA 00008716 0000864B 0002AB5E 000083D6

eng - iTunSMPB 00000000 00000210 0000094B 00000000008F7FA5 00000000 004108FB 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000

4948

وألله يرحم كل أمواتنا أغاني

مثل املهامتة إذا قلنا العني بالعني

ما صفى عندنا عيون بالشام بالد الشام

من فلسطني إلى جبال لبنان قبل ما اخترعوا احلدود

من اإلسكندرون إلى كردستان فهمان

جنجس خان ما خان قد ما خانونا أوالد العم بس دمنا دمهم

بني أدم - بنو ذمنبهم على أكتافنا - شلنا همهم

ليه الله بيعلم

بس ليك هذا الفتيش والبسكليت احسنلك من 100000000 مسدس

تعرف ليه ألن مو عاجبهم بسمتك

بس إبتسم برسمتك شاب عربي ومثقف

أعطيهم ختمتك وإذا لسة مو راضني

ذكرهم بكالم إيليية )أبي ماضي( raquoنسي الطني ساعة أنه طنيlaquo

Oوهذه هي القضاء والقدر يا حبيبي m a r O f f e n d u m

And may God have mercy on all our dead

Songs I sing

Like the Mahatma [the line above and the line below are linked through the sound of the name and the figure of Mahatama Ghandi]

If we say lsquoan eye for an eyersquo

There wont be any eyes left in Sham [Damascus]

Bilad al-Sham [Greater Syria the wider Arab world]

From Palestine to the mountains of Lebanon

Before they made up these borders

From Iskandaroon to Kurdistan

Understand

Genghis Khan never deceived us quite like our ldquopaternal cousinsldquo [khan also means ldquodeceiveldquo in Arabic]

But our blood is their blood

Children of Adam -- who built their sins

Upon our shoulders -- we carried their burden

Why

God knows

But listen this little firecracker amp bicycle

Are better for you than 100 million guns

Wanna know why

Because they dont like seeing you smile

But smile you will - in your human being

A young cultured Arab male

Give them your stamp of approval

And if they still donrsquot accept you

Then remind them of the words of Elliye [Abi-Madhee a Lebanese poet whose poem begins with]

ldquoHow soon a piece of dirt can forget that all he really is is just dirtldquo [ie we are all from this earth amp

will come back to it so there is no logic in viewing yourself as better than someone else]

And that my friend is our destiny

7 Destiny

Omar Offendum

The Peace Revolution 20

21332892

eng - iTunNORM 000006D3 000006F2 000038BA 0000322F 0000E4FA 0000E4FA 00008716 0000864B 0002AB5E 000083D6

eng - iTunSMPB 00000000 00000210 0000094B 00000000008F7FA5 00000000 004108FB 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000

5150

O m a r O f f e n d u m

Dove of Peace

Spread your wings amp fly

Make it easier to borrow

The aesthetics you bite

Like all the Arabic loanwords

From Spaniards amp Morros

The Karma of Inquisition

Visions of horror

So whorsquos the explorer

Really was it Columbus

Muhammad al-Idrisi or Alfaragnus

Throw a Hobson Jobson

While you figure it out

Irsquom gonna start with a cipher

Thatrsquos a siffir [zero] - no doubt

See you might not have learned to live with me

But sure as hell canrsquot without

You are my

You are my

(Destiny)

Itrsquos hard livinrsquo in the West - when I know the East got the best of me

(Destiny)

Could be lookinrsquo in my eyes - but yoursquoll never really see the rest of me

(Destiny)

Can you hear me maseeri [my destiny] Bi-lingualrsquos what Irsquom blessed to be

(Destiny)

حمامة سالم افتحي أجنحتكي و طيري

I write right to left

You write left to right

Metaphor of a foreignerrsquos plight

Dressed to type

Stereo amp a mic

Scenario of a fight

The burial of a white

Imperial at his heightrsquos

A Turkish Rapperrsquos Delight

Semetic etiquette might

Just have you rollin your ldquoRrsquosldquo

Poetic amp light

And grab a hold of your sorrows

To relieve your tomorrows

7 Destiny

Omar Offendum

The Peace Revolution 20

21332892

eng - iTunNORM 000006D3 000006F2 000038BA 0000322F 0000E4FA 0000E4FA 00008716 0000864B 0002AB5E 000083D6

eng - iTunSMPB 00000000 00000210 0000094B 00000000008F7FA5 00000000 004108FB 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000

5352

O m a r O f f e n d u m

Dove of Peace

Spread your wings amp fly

Bitched out by the West

Press get a big shout

From the people gettinrsquo rich out of this (bout)

Now whatrsquos this really all about

Land money or power

It was the colonizerrsquos fault

But now itrsquos really just ours

Leavinrsquo a sour tase in our mouths

Like generational slave names

Whenever speakinrsquo out

Out-spoken leaders gettinrsquo taken out

Quicker than belligerent drunks in a bar

We a far cry from livinrsquo as one

T r a n s l a t e d b y t h e a r t i s t

(Destiny)

Itrsquos hard livinrsquo in the West - when I know the East got the best of me

(Destiny)

Could be lookinrsquo in my eyes - but yoursquoll never really see the rest of me

(Destiny)

Can you hear me maseeri [my destiny] Bi-lingualrsquos what Irsquom blessed to be

(Destiny)

حمامة سالم افتحي أجنحتكي و طيري

See arab [Arabs] shootin at each other

From Iraq to Falasteen [Palastine]

Syria to Libnan [Lebanon]

Algeria to Sudan

Pedagogy of the oppressed tricklinrsquo down

Conquerinrsquo through divisions

And sadly this isnrsquot the first time

One land one love one chance one blood

No fuss no fight Yeah right young blood

AKrsquos cheaper than a book

Crooked leaders in a hook

Gettinrsquo fished out

Missles gettinrsquo dished out

7 Destiny

Omar Offendum

The Peace Revolution 20

21332892

eng - iTunNORM 000006D3 000006F2 000038BA 0000322F 0000E4FA 0000E4FA 00008716 0000864B 0002AB5E 000083D6

eng - iTunSMPB 00000000 00000210 0000094B 00000000008F7FA5 00000000 004108FB 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000

5554

زي ما صار مبارح صار اليوم اطف التلفزيون امسك مايكروفون

زي ما صار مبارح صار اليوم اطف التلفزيون امسك مايكروفون

زي ما صار مبارح صار اليوم اطف التلفزيون امسك مايكروفون

زي ما صار مبارح صار اليوم اطف التلفزيون امسك مايكروفون

النه الوقت عم يسبق بقلك خي سالم بس اصبر

بدك تستني هاي اخلطط بعمرها ما تضبطبيدفعلك قد ما بدك عشان تسكت

واذا بتفتح متك طخة وحده وبعد بتسقط

s t o r m t r a p

What happened yesterday happens today

switch off your TV and grab a microphone

What happened yesterday happens today

switch off your TV and grab a microphone

What happened yesterday happens today

switch off your TV and grab a microphone

What happened yesterday happens today

switch off your TV and grab a microphone

Because time is racing

He keeps telling you peace is coming just be patient

You want to wait these plans never succeed

Hersquoll pay you as much as you want to keep you quiet

And if you open your mouth one shot will silence you

what happened yesterdayزي ما صار مبارح

Zey ma sar mbareh

Stormtrap

null

2009

1728613

eng - Visit httpstormtrapbandcampcom

5756

اركض اركض وخليك راكض

واذا بتفتح متك رح يقلك خليك ساكت رح يقلك انساك من هاملشاكل

حوشوا هالشواك وضبوا شناتكم واشتروا التذاكرففكر شوي وما تكنش أهبل

وين ما تروح في الدنيا رح تتبهدلمش شايف قدامي عم بسمع أصوات بيسألني

ليش لسه عايش هون روح عيش محل تانيبدي احك بس الكلمات مش طالعة من لساني

عنصرية هونن عنصرية هناك عنصرية كل ما اطلع برا الشباك

شيطان بيعمل حاله مالكبس هو بالواقع بدو يعيش بالك

جدار بيمثل عقلية ناس بدهاش تعيش معاك

زي ما صار مبارح صار اليوم اطف التلفزيون امسك مايكروفون

ما مبثل شخص او اشخاص مبثل فكرةاسم احلرية حاملينه

من بلد ما فيه حياة عاديةسواءا ضد االحتالل أو ضد العنصرية

أصواتكم وينايي خلوها تنسمع وتطلع نتائج ايجابية

فكمل كتابة او تسجيل وصدقني شغلك مش رايح عالفاضي

عشان الشي الوحيد اللي رح يروح هو احن اذا منضلنا علقانني فاملاضي

s t o r m t r a p

Run run

Keep running

And if you decide to speak hersquoll tell you just stay silent

Hersquoll tell you forget these problems

Save up some money pack your bags and buy your tickets

Think about it donrsquot be a fool

Wherever you go yoursquoll get humiliated

I canrsquot see in front of me Irsquom hearing voices asking

Why are you still living here Go live somewhere else

I want to respond but the words wonrsquot come out

Racism here racism there

Racism each time I look out the window

A devil in an angelrsquos disguise

In reality he wants to live without you

The apartheid wall represents the mentality of a people who donrsquot care to coexist

What happened yesterday happens today

switch off your TV and grab a microphone

I dont represent a person or a people I represent an idea

An idea called freedom

From a land lacking a normal life

Whether yoursquore struggling against occupation or against racism

Where is your voice

Let it be heard to achieve your goals

So keep writing and recording

Believe me your work wonrsquot be lost in vain

The only thing thatrsquoll disappear is us

If we stay stuck in the past

Zey ma sar mbareh

Stormtrap

null

2009

1728613

eng - Visit httpstormtrapbandcampcom

5958

شو الي حدثجينا من حتت األرض

هيهة القصة بدة عنا هدفوننشر أصواتنا لكل حدا

جيت من حتت أرض رام اللهما ح وقف اكتب كلمات وال مرة

عندي طاقة الزم أطلعها كل يوم وكل ساعةفاو انبنى مع الوقت ولسة عم بيطور تصور

تصورفاو انبنى مع الوقت ولسة عم بيطور تصور

زي ما صار مبارح صار اليوم اطف التلفزيون امسك مايكروفون

زي ما صار مبارح صار اليوم اطف التلفزيون امسك مايكروفون

s t o r m t r a p

What happened

We came from underground

The story begins we have an objective

To spread our voices to everyone

I came from the ruins of Ramallah and

I wonrsquot ever stop writing words

I have energy that I must release every day every hour

A flow thatrsquos been built and is still developing imagine

Imagine a flow thatrsquos been built and is still developing

What happened yesterday happens today

Switch off your TV and grab a microphone

What happened yesterday happens today

Switch off your TV and grab a microphone

T r a n s l a t e d b y t h e a r t i s t

Zey ma sar mbareh

Stormtrap

null

2009

1728613

eng - Visit httpstormtrapbandcampcom

6160

Wake up the People

Donrsquot doubt it

The Maker can see you

Right now

You want to get out and see doe

So clouded

Sell out to be dope

Right now

I see you plagued by your own doubt

Canrsquot step the game up

Like a snake when it rolled down

Staircase of a lone child

No bricks lain in a cold house

Where you sold out

All alone on an old couch

t h e N a r c i c y s t

No click like an untapped phone dial

Oh wow

I felt the same homie

Donrsquot shelter pain only

Then it came slowly

Never let the frame hold me (down)

Picture life for the love though

People tend to look the other way like Columbo

We deceived by the law just to love doe

Guess they took all the worth out to numb folks

And make a severed plan

Out of bitter man

What you want a medal man

Huh Do you really think yoursquore better than Then

All you really need is a long look

Two sixteens and a strong hook like

brassThis track was originally written in English

null

2149748

6362

Wake up the People

Donrsquot doubt it

The Maker can see you

Right now

You want to get out and see doe

So clouded

Sell out to be dope

Right now

Break

Hip hop like a fresh pelvis

Yoursquore gonna regret this shit like a dead Elvis

Busy wishing you could live less selfish

Crabs in a bucket duckinrsquo these dead shellfish

Industry got a brother feeling helpless

With an ill chorus and ride yoursquore more in the tide

When a flow canrsquot keep me above the water

t h e N a r c i c y s t

Let a wave carry me out and push me farther now

Internal Inferno ten journals written but Irsquom still not sure though

Do I really want to tour to jump hurdles To be heard

So-I-Can-Feel-Like-This

Man therersquos something that I might miss--

Naw Irsquove been bluffinrsquo

Lifersquos backwards like Ben Buttonsrsquo

Irsquom in love with the stage fright on a strange night

Feels good to get the words on a page right

Wake up the People

Donrsquot doubt it

The Maker can see you

Right now

You want to get out and see doe

So clouded

Sell out to be dope

Right now

null

2149748

6564

مبارح شفت بلمنام بيروت عمتغرق حتت رماد بركان فحموا الناس بس ال raquoسكاي بارlaquo كان بعده ولعان

بيروت ثبتت حبة الثورة اللي فينا نبتت ملا أحبطت نفوسنا من اجلمود

فينا بيروت حتركت عدم دمارنا وعدم حرية خيارنا

بيوت بيروت تعمرت سكرنا عجفاف دموعنا جفوننا عليها تسكرت فتخمرت

إذا بطلت تطير قدرك عألرض مقهور إذا وقفت تكسير بتصير جزء من الديكور

e l R a s s

Yesterday I dreamt Beirut was drowning under volcanic ash

The people were turned to charcoal but Sky Bar [a posh Beirut club] was still lit up

Beirut suppressed the seed of the revolution the one that sprouted

When our spirits were foiled from immobility

In us Beirut moved

On the blood of our destruction and the negation of our freedom of choice

The houses of Beirut are rebuilt

We got drunk on the dryness of our tears our eyelids closed on them and fermented

If you stop flying your destiny on land is distress

If you stop breaking you become part of the decoration

beirutبركان بيروت rsquos volcano

Blues

2125713

6766

بحاور بناور باآلخر بواجه التاج بتوضى بصلي بتوصلني أصوات أنات احملتاج

تأمل العلم بعري العمل من العمل خياري عنار خفيفة دوب املسمار وتستوي األفكار النظيفة

عمروا دمروا زمروا تذمروا ربك صبره دربه جربه

عقلن خربوا غربوا هربوا وقبلوا بالفن عحيط الشارع

عشرط ما يكون في شك بشارع هيدي مش عاصمة ثقافة هيدي حلبة املصارع بيروت ال تعرف في املاضي وال تعرب باملضارع

حتول التركيبة خلى العقل اجلامد فكر حاله مالك املدينة رقبته طويلة متل مالك احلزين وايده لوزيري

اعتبر نفسه أول مني اكتشف هلجزيرة بأجر الفقير شقق بأسعار مدروسة

بشكل تضل طموحاته ممعوسة نهبوا األرض من ربعي وصارت احلرب شركة استثمار مبفعول رجعي

حتت شعار إعادة اإلعمار لو ما كان خلص دوره وانتهى عقد االيجار

كان احلريري ما طار وما صار مطار احلريري عاصمة لبنان بتوازن بني ضريحني

واتنيناتن عاغتيالن في عالمة استفهام e واحد قدس املوت بس لسبب l R a s s

I discuss I maneuver ultimately I confront the crown

I perform ablutions I pray I receive the moaning of the needy

The meditation of knowledge strips work from hope

My choice is on low fire melting the nails and clean thoughts are ripening

They built they destroyed they honked they complained

Your god made him patient tested him and trained him

Their minds ruined westernized chased off

They accepted art pissed on back alleys

As long as there is no doubt in the streets

This is no capital of culture itrsquos a wrestling ring

Beirut canrsquot speak of itself in the past nor conjugate itself in the present

Transitions and transformations made the closed mind think he owns the city

His neck is long like a stork his fingers long like a politicianrsquos

He thinks himself the first who discovered this peninsula

He lets the poor rent apartments at prices studied

To crush ambitions

They stole the land from my cousins

And the war became a backward-looking investment

Under the slogan of reconstruction

If his time wasnrsquot up and his contract finished

Hariri didnrsquot have to fly and it wouldnrsquot have become the Hariri airport

Lebanonrsquos capital keeps balance between two shrines

And on both assassinations there is a question mark

One sanctifies death but for a reason

Blues

2125713

6968

واحد قدس احلياة بس بالكذب واحد بايدو حتول الذهب سم وواحد تخبى من الذهب بالدم

مني الشهيد

اللي مات حتت صبابيط ثورة عبيد شهيد اللي مات فتحول على حملة اعالنات هدفها ترفع الطايفة معدالت التجنيد

قنابل بالبريد وصل سيوف علوريد حصل

املوت للبليد صنم الصبر للعنيد حلم تأليه الشهيد ظلم

خليط احلديد والدم العالج والسم الرفاه والهم النوعية والكم

الدعارة وورقة التوت مبدينة بيروت علم

e l R a s s

And one sanctifies life with lies

In onersquos hand gold turned into poison

And the other hid from gold with blood

Who is the martyr

The one who died under the shoes of the oppressedrsquos uprising is a martyr

Is it he whose death was transformed into an advertising campaign to raise the levels of

sectarian enlistment

Bombs came in the mail

Swords to the jugular true stories

Death to the cold is statuette

Patience to the stubborn is a dream

Divinity to the martyr is oppression

The mixture of steel and blood the cure and poison

Luxury and distress quality and quantity

Prostitution and modesty

The science of the city of Beirut

T r a n s l a t e d b y M o e A l i N a y e l amp + A z i z

Blues

2125713

7170

بقرأ في اجلريدة زفت شوارع جديدة

إزالة مطبات و كثير أشياء هيك مفيدة أشخاص مستفيدة

دعم من هون و من هون منظمات بس احلرية بعيدة

مقاطعة مستوطنات تعون الضفة الغربية وطنية حصرية إدعائية

طب و فلسطني التاريخية مع ألساس كانت القدس عاصمة الثقافة العربية

بس كلوحكي سياسية للشعب إحنا نتحمل الشغل و التعب و الوضع صعب

b o i k u t t

Irsquom reading in the paper

About roads newly paved

Speed bumps removed and a lot of other useful stuff (yes very)

Certain inviduals benefit

Funding from here and there

Organizations are plentiful but freedom is far-fetched

Calling for a boycott of settlements around the West Bank

Pretentious exclusive nationalism

But what about historical Palestine

I thought Jerusalem was supposed to be the ldquocapital of Arab cultureldquo

But itrsquos all political speeches for the people

We put up with the work and the sweat and itrsquos rough

a letterرسالة من مقاطعة from boikutt

risaleh mn muqataa (pt1)

boikutt

null

2010

1086983

eng - iTunPGAP0

eng - iTunNORM 00000A1E 00000A0E 000099D9 000098A0 0000CC63 0000CC63 0000826D 000080B0 000131D0 000131D0

eng - iTunSMPB 00000000 00000210 000008F3 000000000049197D 00000000 0027BA9D 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000

7372

يقنعونا إن كلشي متام و بقدر أعيش حياة عادية

زي في األفالم على مبس واحد إثنني ثالثة أربعة إلخ

كن منيح و بتنزل عليك املصاري زخ نصيحة من أخ ألخ

خليك مستقل ألن اللعبة إنلعب فإبعد عن الفخ

خليهم يقعدوا يستنوا الدعم ليموتوا يلفلفوا داخل اجلدار حلد ما يفوتوا

في متاهات مبسافات مش محددة مجددة لتوسع التوسع مش مهددة

إنتهاك احتالل بس مش على الكل

في ناس في فلسطني هون حياتهم زي الفل مش عارف شو بيفكر

شكلوا مش داري شي يوم حنروح كل الدكاكني هي حتسكر

سالم

b o i k u t t

Try to convince me that everythingrsquos fine

And that I can lead a normal life

Like in the movies

On MBC one two three four etcetera

Be good and money will rain on you

Advice from one brother to another

Stay independent because the games are being played

So steer clear of the trap

Let them wait for foreign aid until they die

Spinning in circles within the apartheid wall until they enter

Into unlimited mazes with unspecified spaces

That are renewed to fit settlement expansion unthreatened

Violation occupation

But not for everyone

There are people here in Palestine living ldquothe good lifeldquo

I donrsquot know what hersquos thinking

Seems like he doesnrsquot know one day wersquoll be gone

And all these shops will close

Peace

T r a n s l a t e d b y t h e a r t i s t w i t h L o u b n a B i l a l i

risaleh mn muqataa (pt1)

boikutt

null

2010

1086983

eng - iTunPGAP0

eng - iTunNORM 00000A1E 00000A0E 000099D9 000098A0 0000CC63 0000CC63 0000826D 000080B0 000131D0 000131D0

eng - iTunSMPB 00000000 00000210 000008F3 000000000049197D 00000000 0027BA9D 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000

7574

الضغط عاليالعدو فات جاري احملادثات

صمت دوليكمية الغازى عم تزداد

تهجير جديد مولود جديدتكرر عزو مش تارك ورا شي مفيد غير غراب

من كل البيت ما تركو شي إال البابمن االرض ل سما مسافة عاليه

إمشي الصحرا وعد لياليوجنوما

كمشوا رئيس دولة بجورةحصار

توزيع مخدراتباألحمر تلون الفرات سجون معتقالتقبلة الوداع مع الصبات

تنصت بالشبكة خيانات باألزهر

k a t i b e h 5

The pressure is high

The enemy has entered discussions are taking place

Global silence

The numbers of the occupier are increasing

A new expulsion A newborn child

The perpetuation of an invasion that leaves behind it nothing of any use except for a crow

From an entire house they left nothing but the door

From the ground to the sky is a long distance

Walk the desert and count the nights

And its stars

They caught a president in a pit

Siege

Drug dealing the Euphrates is stained red prisons detention centers

A farewell kiss with a shoe

Networks wiretapped betrayals in Al Azhar

hold me back ifهديني اذا فيك you can

null

23098943

7776

حوار أديانالكف تنجس

متسح فيه وجك مع كل شروق عالوضوءتسمع شرارة فتيل مولوتوف ينادي أصوات تتلبى

باإلنفجار

هديني إذا فيك صرت موجود بكل مكانوجي مغبش عامل زي جيش زباتا

منصرخ بوجكم raquoاحلرية ل برغوتيlaquoإعالمكو بيعرفني كلماتكو حملت إسمي

شركاتكو بتهرب مني )كتيبه خمسه هديتي إذا فيك(

بتالقيني بني والد حفظوا غنية املخيماتبنفسية فالح عمال يزو املدينة

افالم تافهةبرنامج تافه

بتدور على مخك بتالقي مش موجوداخلليج يتحكم بإعالم

هادول حبوب التنومي ٦1 سنة بعدن مش شغالني

عالمادامك واخد وجهة نظري

ع محمل اجلدمسموح لك تستعجب وتظهر إنزعاجك بوجودي

ألني صديق لكل املشاهد الغير مرغوبة فيهاش بيختار حياتو بالتحديد بحكيلك هيك منحياها ومحد

ضغط رصاص وابارود بخليكاش حتيدالتجارب بتدلك عطريق

هديتي إذا فيك

k a t i b e h 5

A dialogue of religions

The hand is tainted

And with it you cleanse your face at ablution each sunrise

You hear the sparking of the fuse of a molotov calling voices respond

Explosion

Hold me back if you can I have become present everywhere

My face is concealed like the army of Zapata

We shout in your face ldquoFreedom for Barghoutildquo

Your media knows me your words have glimpsed my name

Your corporations flee from me

(Katibe Khamseh hold me back if you can)

Yoursquoll find me among children that have memorized the song ldquoAl Moukhayamatldquo

In the persona of a peasant that is visiting the city

Shallow films

Shallow programs

You look for your mind but you find it is not there

The Gulf controls media with its boundaries

These sleeping pills 61 years and theyrsquore still not effective

Great

As long as you are taking my point of view seriously

Yoursquore allowed to be taken aback and to show your irritation

Just like you show your irritation at my presence

Because I am a friend to all the images that are not desirable

This is how we live out these images and no one chooses their life specifically Irsquoll tell you

The pressure of bullets and gunpowder does not allow you to move away

Experience will guide you on the road

Hold me back if you can

null

23098943

7978

موقف واحد صريح من صميم روح لشعوب املقاومة ضمير ظهور البشرية

السبيل صعب ورا الغضبدعم لكل أسالوب محارب

د لنحرق نظامك منتدرب منجرب منخرب منستععم نحرق نظامك

هديتي إذا فيك

إطلع منيحمش رح تقدر توخذ كل شي من أول نظرة

نظرة عامة raquoبشرة مش بيضةlaquoجبني عريضة مكتوب مولود عنيد بالفطرة

فوت بالتقاليد عد التجاعيدلك هاي مش أول مرة

لغات ودراسات حط العلم بغالفمش رح تقدر تفهم ليه بعد في بارود ع الكتافلون األرض ولون الليل بيعطيك البني و السواد

بوعدك مش لوحدي رح أضل عد رماد الال اللعبة اجلديدة وال والدنا ع اللعبة جداد

بكفيش إنفلونزا الصقور صار في إنفلونزا اخلنازيرموسم مرض جديد لرئيس مبثل ع نفوس ومريض بهدوء البيض

هديتي إذا فيك

k a t i b e h 5

A single honest stance from the bottom of the soul for the people of the resistance the conscience

that exposes humanity

The path is difficult when following anger

A support for every style of battle

We train we strive we disrupt we prepare to burn your system

We are burning your system

Hold me back if you can

Look closely

You wonrsquot be able to see it all at first sight

An overview ldquocomplexion that is not whiteldquo

A broad forehead written born stubborn by nature

Look at the traditions and count the wrinkles

This is not the first time

Languages and scholarship put education under wraps

You wonrsquot be able to understand why there is still gunpowder on shoulders

The color of earth and the color of night gives you brown and blackness

I promise you that I will not be alone to count the ashes no

This game to us is not new and nor are our children new to the game

As if the influenza of eagles was not enough now therersquos the influenza of pigs

The season of a new disease for a president acting for a public and sick with the

calmness of white people

Hold me back if you can

null

23098943

8180

اإلحتالل نكه البشر بنكهة املجاريبالسالم حوار أديانبإقرار ملكية كذابة

بتشويه تاريخ وسرقة حضاراتولك أه

فلسطني إفريقيا الدجلة والفراتإجتاه البشرية لإلضمحالل سرطان بشري بعضها

الشتا ميسح اخلطايا واآلثاروليش بتتخبى وبتتغطى بنفس كل سفارة سميك الستار

لساتني باكل الضربة ورا الضره ورا الضربةوحتى ما أفعل وأساوي تكمشني الرجفة

بدل ما أضرب فيك بضرب بحاليبوعدكش حضلني كامش حالي حفلتها

حفلتها

هديني إذا فيك هديني إذا فيكهديني إذا فيك

k a t i b e h 5

The occupation has seasoned humanity with the flavor of sewers

With peace with dialogue of religions

With the declaration of false ownership

With the distortion of history and the theft of civilizations

Oh yes

Palestine Africa the Tigris and Euphrates

Humanity is leading to reduction a human cancer bites it

Exile wipes clean the sins and the traces

And why are you hiding and seeking cover when all the embassies are already well concealed

I am still taking one beating after another

And so that I donrsquot take action and do something shudders grip my body

Instead of beating you I beat myself

I canrsquot promise you that I can keep myself restrained

Irsquom gonna let go

Hold me back if you can

Hold me back if you can

Hold me back if you can

T r a n s l a t e d b y R i m a N a j d i a n d F a y s a l B i b i

null

23098943

8382

طول عمر الشعب املصري مع بعض أحلك الظروفبص وفر في التاريخ وانت ياما هاتشوف

الدين ده ليا وليكوفيا وفيك

حاجة روحانية بتخليك حتس اللي بيك

ايد في ايد نبني فيها من جديد

مصر زعلت علي حاصل وسطنا مش مفيد

بعد ثورة وبعد عيد فتنة تقتل حلم واتتحقق لنا

واحد اتننيالذكري بتعيش اكتر من عمر االنسان

بصمتنا تغييرنا جوة وبرة امليدان مش هانضيع نصر ثورتنا بفتنة نشئت بينا

A r a b i a n K n i g h t s + M C G a z a + A m e e r

The Egyptian people have always stuck together

Through the worst times look at history

And see how often wersquove been there for each other

That whole idea of religion

Is for you and for me something spiritual that makes you feel whatrsquos inside you

Hand in hand

We build Egypt up again

Egypt is angry at whatrsquos happening between us

Itrsquos not helpful

After the revolution after the celebration

Sectarian strife is killing the dream we fulfilled

One two

The memory lasts more than a lifetime

Our mark is our change in and outside Tahrir Square

We wonrsquot give up the victory of our revolution in exchange for sectarian strife between

us

hand inايد في ايد hand

Eid Fe Eid

Yasser Ameer Youssef Rush E Money amp MCGaza | by BOGEY

Single Hit track 11

20112011

Hip-Hop

24002867

eng - Hip-Hop 4 Life

eng - iTunNORM 000005E2 0000058E 0000424E 00003537 00026E95 0001C2B3 00008000 00008000 00005045 00005045

8584

بلدنا محتجانا ايدنا واحدة ضد احملنة تفرق ايه معاك ديانتي ملا ربك هو ربي

اصلك هو اصلي ارضك هي ارضي

ملا اتقال لي اكتت فيول فتنة انا قولت غلط علشان الفتنة مفتعلة في بلدنا وكان وراها غرض

فالفرد افترض فبفرض السياسة األمر اختلط

فالزم يبقي املصل سياسي من اصل املرض العسس واحلرس مافرقوش صليب وهالل

وكنا كلنا واحد وراء االقفالدم الشهيد شاهد

ياما بالفتنة انكسرنا وحدتنا بصوت واحد وضد الظلم انتصرنا

وديني هو ديني صلة بيني وبني ربي هارفع علمي وارفع راسي فوق

انا مصري

ايد في ايد نبني فيها من جديد

مصر زعلت علي حاصل وسطنا مش مفيد

بعد ثورة وبعد عيد فتنة تقتل حلم واتتحقق لنا

خلو حمامة السالم من الطيور املنقرضةعلشان تبقي القلوب مبتعدة منقسمه سهل تتسم

فكرين مناعة و قوة أم الدنيا بالطمع مرتبطةنسر املصريني ليس له دين احنا بنحميها بالدم

العنف بذوره بتكتر عاوز يوصل واحلروب حتصل

A r a b i a n K n i g h t s + M C G a z a + A m e e r

Our country needs us all together against the hard times

What difference does my religion make to you when your god is my god

Your origin is mine

Your land is my land

When they told me about sectarian strife I said thatrsquos wrong

Because itrsquos been planted in our country and behind it is some purpose

Makes one think somethingrsquos going on

By playing politics everythingrsquos gotten mixed up

The antidote has to be political just like the poison itself

The military doesnrsquot distinguish between cross and crescent

Wersquore all held together behind bars

The blood of the martyrs bears witness

To how much wersquove been broken by sectarianism

Through our unity we triumphed with one voice over injustice

And my religion is my own a rapport between me and God

Irsquoll raise my flag and my head up

Irsquom Egyptian

Hand in hand

We build Egypt up again

Egypt is angry at whatrsquos happening between us

Itrsquos not helpful

After the revolution after the victory

Sectarian strife is killing the dream we fulfilled

They drove the dove of peace to extinction

To keep hearts apart and divided itrsquos easy to poison them

Do they really think the resilience and strength of Egypt is connected to greed

The Egyptian eagle has no religion we protect it with our blood

The roots of violence are increasing want to gain control to start wars

Eid Fe Eid

Yasser Ameer Youssef Rush E Money amp MCGaza | by BOGEY

Single Hit track 11

20112011

Hip-Hop

24002867

eng - Hip-Hop 4 Life

eng - iTunNORM 000005E2 0000058E 0000424E 00003537 00026E95 0001C2B3 00008000 00008000 00005045 00005045

8786

للعاقيدة يكسر وألعضاء املشاعر تتشال تصتأصلعلى كالم ربهم اتكبرو فعملو قدر واتقدر

وقته مستنينه ليه خططوا مضمون الرسائل اتغير الن الهدف هو تدمير قعدة الوحدهوقتل كل قائد يقود الناس بره احملنه

فيبقي سهل يزيحنا ميحي أوصول عليها كبرناوكل واحد علي حداه يقول أنا محدش يقول احنا

فاببطء بحرص بص بعقل بحذر شوفقبل ما يخلوا خيالك يتخلله اخلوف

واخلوف ده افراز بيطلع من غده ملا الكلب بيشوفهابيعرف انك فاريسه سهل ياكلها ركز

فرق تسد إخلعوفق جتد إرفع

ثورة تقدصمت يفرد- يفرق

ما بيجمع بيننامن حقي النقد من حقك - تسمع

طب إسمع وراجع ما صور التاريخ طب باله بيكفي صور زمانييوم حصار كنيسة املهد مني دافع مني اتقمع مني اتنفا

مسلم مسيحي أل كان فلسطيني اتذكر معي ثورة غضب يناير

اتذكر معي الوحدة اإليد الوحدة اتشرف انتا مصرياتذكر معي األخ بإيد األخ يحمي األخ بدون إلخ

كالمي ماشي ماشي ال-لتفهمني بهويتي مسلم وال نصراني قبطي

ما في حجة لربطي خلبطي حلطي ألوطي ألغير خطيخير أجناد األرض

من أرض بيت املقدس كل السالم بعد ما قلت إلنقسام في وطنيانا ملزم أقول ال لفتنة

تفتت مجد شعب تعب عانى ضحى بالغالي حتى بناه

A r a b i a n K n i g h t s + M C G a z a + A m e e r

The relationship between Egyptians breaks down and the organs that feel are taken out

They got full of themselves in the name of their god and invented a new fate for us

Theyrsquore waiting for a time and theyrsquore plotting The meaning of their messages changes

Because the goal is to destroy the foundation of unity

And kill every leader who takes the people out of hard times

Itrsquos easy to remove us to wipe out the traditions we grew up with

Everyone on his own everyone says ldquoIldquo and no one says ldquoweldquo

Slowly carefully look Wisely with caution see

Before they make your imagination a slave to fear

And that fear releases a secretion from a gland

And when the dog sees it he knows yoursquore easy prey

Divide yoursquoll conquer

Bring harmony and yoursquoll reap Start

A revolution and it will catch on

Silence is solitary It divides

It doesnrsquot bring us together

It is my right to criticize and your right to listen

So listen and look back at history or better look at my life time

The day the Nativity Church was under siege who was persecuted Who was exiled

A Muslim A Christian No he was Palestinian

Letrsquos remember the angry revolution of January

Letrsquos remember the unity the one hand Be proud yoursquore Egyptian

Remember the brother holding hands with a brother protecting a brother

And I can go on

Donrsquot teach me about my identity whether Irsquom a Muslim or a Christian Copt

Therersquos no excuse to tie me down beat me to make me cower and kneel and stray from my courseThe Earthrsquos most virtuous soldiers

Come from the land of Bayt al-Maqdis [Jerusalem] I salute you After I said no to division in my countryIrsquom committed to saying no to seditionThat dissolves the glory of a people who labored suffered sacrificed what was most dear to build it

T r a n s l a t e d b y A l e x O r t i z + A h m e d S h a w k e t + K h a l e d A l H i l l i

Eid Fe Eid

Yasser Ameer Youssef Rush E Money amp MCGaza | by BOGEY

Single Hit track 11

20112011

Hip-Hop

24002867

eng - Hip-Hop 4 Life

eng - iTunNORM 000005E2 0000058E 0000424E 00003537 00026E95 0001C2B3 00008000 00008000 00005045 00005045

8988

الفن واملواهب زي حرب الكواكب الكل عايز يكون جنم صراع في الداخل

بهدي جنون العظمة بفلفل حر توابل تسيل دموع زي القنابل

زي مابتكلم وداني شغالة كون سامع نبض الشارع علشان أ

حالف أقضي على اإلعالم املتآمر مغامر في الكالم بس إنت مش سامع

ملا بأمسك القلم والورقة الهم بينزاح مخي بيرتاح بأقول اللي على البال

ملا بأقعد بحس بتأنيب ضمير كون في ستوديو بسجل على بيت خطير مفروض أ

e l D e e b + S t o r m t r a p

Art and talent are like Star Wars

Secretly everyone wants to be a star of conflict

I make megalomania tranquil with chilli hot spices

Tears flow like bombs

Thatrsquos how I talk and the world keeps moving

So that I can hear the pulse of the streets

Irsquove sworn to obliterate the media conspirators

I am adventurous in my speech but you do not hear

When I hold the pen and the paper my anxiety is lifted

My mind relaxes and I say whatrsquos on it

When I sit down I feel guilty

I should be in the studio recording dangerous beats

addictأدمان الشهرة ion to fame

Edman El Shuhra

Stormtrap amp Mohamed El Deeb

2011

Hip-Hop

15305855

- vocals Mohamed El Deeb Stormtrap13produced by Stormtrap

9190

إحساس غريب إنك تدمن الكالم ارسم يا فنان واخترع زي دافينشي الرسام

ولو مفيش ورقة باستخدم تليفوني خايف إن فكرة متعديش على صوتي

دنيا غريبة يوم مر يوم بونبوني بس أنا عمري ماغيرت لوني

املوسيقى بنادولي وبطابعي فضولي مهما قالوا لي هافهمها مبفهومي فـساعات أالقي نفسي بكلم نفسي واسمع أصوات غريبة في دماغي

وهو ده الصدى الصوت اللي بسمعه اكن مفيش حد فارقة معاه احالمي

شوف شوف مش هدف إنو أنا شخصيا أنا

هدفي انه كلماتي وموسيقتي تنتشرعشان هيك حتشوفني دوما مستمر مستثمر

كل وقتي كل طاقتي على أصواتي خوذ شك خوذ حتويل خوذ كاش

بس ما تنساش أي شي بيتعلق بالواقع بدناش ما تخاف ألنها قضيتنا مش منسية مية باملية هايذي ثورة كمان ثقافية

خليني أوضح هاي املوسيقى مش معمولة للتلفازeهاي املوسيقى مش معمولة لهز الطياز l D e e b + S t o r m t r a p

Strange feeling to be out of words

Paint oh artist and discover like Da Vinci the artist

If I donrsquot have paper I use my cell

I am afraid that the idea does not come through my voice

Strange world one day is bitter another like candy

But Irsquove never changed my color

Music is my Tylenol and my nature curious

So whatever they tell me Irsquoll understand it my way

Sometimes I find myself talking to myself

And I hear weird voices in my head

Which is just the echo of the sound I hear

As if no one cares about my dreams

See see

My goals are not self serving

My goal is that my words and music spread

Thatrsquos why yoursquoll see me always and continuously investing

All my time my energy on my sounds

Take a check take a transfer take cash

But never forget anything related to reality wersquore not interested

Donrsquot be afraid because our cause is not forgotten

One hundred percent this is also a cultural revolution

Let me explain this music is not meant to be televised

This music is not made for booty shaking

Edman El Shuhra

Stormtrap amp Mohamed El Deeb

2011

Hip-Hop

15305855

- vocals Mohamed El Deeb Stormtrap13produced by Stormtrap

9392

مش فاهم ليش الكل قاتل حاله يكون في مسابقةحابني نتصابح حياكم زات املكافحة

واالعالم ميت ع حيالله قصة ما بيدرس هالقصة من نصها

وبعدن بينفخهامش احلق علينا اذا ما بيبحثوا

وملا يبدوا يحكوا عنا أل عنجد بيبعصوابيفكروا انه كل شي هشك بشك

بس حدن الزم يقلهم انه الهب هوب مش هيكبدك تدير بالك عشانها هاي اللحظة احلاسمة

ملا يجوا عليك الديب والعاصفةنكسر حدود وبنبني وحدة عشان نحيي مجتماعاتنا

وننهي معانتناعشان هيك منكتب كلمات صريحة والها معنى

مش للشهرة مش حتى يجي حدن يدفعلنا

e l D e e b + S t o r m t r a p

I donrsquot understand why everyone is killing themselves to be in the contest

Wersquod like to say goodmorning to salute you in this same struggle

The mediarsquos dying for any story

But they donrsquot study the storyrsquos real text

And then they blow it out of proportion

Itrsquos not our fault if they donrsquot search

And when they talk about us then they really screw it up

They think everything is empty pointless

Somebody needs to tell them that hip hop is not like that

You should take care because this is the critical moment

When the wolf and storm come haunting you

We break borders and we create a unity to revitalize our communities

And stop our suffering

That is why we write frank words that have meaning

Itrsquos not for fame or even so that someone pays us

T r a n s l a t e d b y N i z a r G h a n e m

Edman El Shuhra

Stormtrap amp Mohamed El Deeb

2011

Hip-Hop

15305855

- vocals Mohamed El Deeb Stormtrap13produced by Stormtrap

9594

حضل عهل مود يعنيما إنتلك النجوم عم تقرب

بهل ال مود حكون عطول لبهل جنوم إدءر لو مضطر شن هجوم عل النجوم كلها

خللي األرض تدور حول أصبعي تنلك

ما إنتلك متلي متلك مولع طيار ألفكاري من العقدي تنفك فرد قعدي بني 4 حيطان ما بتنهز و منها ما بنهز

يلز املا بينلزالكاس عل الطاولي و منو عم مز مز

لتفتل براصي وحس من حالي عم كز كزعل ورقة كالمي مدروس و ما بزت زت بجرب ما عيد حالي متا يقولو عم نق نق

موزع قافياتي جواز كأن عم فت فت

بهل األطشة خلي الديني اللي تسمعني ترن رنFبسبيلي جاري يوم ع يوم عم برك رك a r e e q e l A t r a s h

Irsquoll stay in this mood

Didnrsquot I tell you The stars are getting closer

Irsquoll stay in this mood until I touch these stars

Even if I have to launch an attack on all the stars

Irsquoll make the Earth rotate around my finger I told you

Didnrsquot I tell you Irsquom just like you I lit up a joint so my ideas would untie their knot

Sitting this way in between four walls I wonrsquot budge

The most delectable

Drink is on the table from which Irsquom taking sips

Till my head starts spinning and Irsquom sick of myself

On the paper my words are calculated I donrsquot just toss them about

I try not to repeat myself so they wonrsquot say Irsquom nagging

I deal my rhymes out like theyrsquore cards

In this verse Irsquoll make those ears ring

My fountain is running and every day I excel

tالنجوم عم تقرب he stars are gett ing closer

null

29781717

9796

لضل ماشي جالس بينما غيري عم بلك لك شريط معلق ريحة العة عم بتفح فحكل ما فتح متو بتالقي عم بكب كب

عايشها إرهاب و مفي إال بسب سببزبالتي ما بكبو تيكون بعلمك

األالف مسم و بحياتو ما بينسم بزقة من هل التم تخلي سقفك ينش نش

تلمو ردم و ما تفكر إنو ترد رد و عم بحكي عالواطي متا الصالي فيك ترج رج

بطبعي عاقل بس بالراب بزل زل عل الرايق بال ما نط وال فز فز

type of shitعال بارد أبرد من شباط بس يقز قزتخلي عضامك ع بعض تسك سك

ما إنتلك النجوم عم تقرب بهل ال مود حكون عطول لبهل جنوم إدءر

لو مضطر شن هجوم عل النجوم كلهاخللي األرض تدور حول أصبعي تنلك

أنا متنبئ بنبه و بحقق ما قلتلك بعد وقتها ما عم نكت

عاملكرفون إبرة هرون عم بشكشك في شكcheck one two

هيك بدسدس عالنبض

F a r e e q e l A t r a s h

So I can walk straight when others are still playing

A broken record that reeks of a musty smell

Every time he opens his mouth he spews them out

He lives in terror and all he does is curse

I wouldnrsquot throw him in my garbage just so you know

Irsquove irritated thousands and never been irritated in my life

One spit out of this mouth will make your roof leak

And yoursquoll pick up the rubble and donrsquot even think about answering back

Irsquom talking in a low voice so the hall wonrsquot shake with you in it

Irsquom reasonable by nature but when it comes to rap I humiliate cold-heartedly

Without jumping or leaping around

I do it coldly colder than icy February-type of shit

Irsquoll make your bones rattle against each other

Didnrsquot I tell you The stars are getting closer

Irsquoll stay in this mood until I touch these stars

Even if I have to launch an attack on all the stars

Irsquoll make the Earth rotate around my finger I told you

Irsquom a psychic I predict and deliver

Didnrsquot I tell you to stand back when Irsquom not joking

Irsquom pricking the microphone with a heroin needle Is there any doubt

Check one two

Thatrsquos how I feel the pulse

null

29781717

9998

بدقق و زتزت حكي بتزجزج كأنها مزهزها عم بتشمشم عم خطط عم تكتيك و مني ملحلح من هون للساعة توقف تك تيك تك تيك

لك ليك منفخ حاله عامبيكازيب عا غيري بس بوجهي بتاءتإوجهه بيباءبإ من أد ما بعصب بسبسب

زر إنذار إذني بتطنطن و بشوف من عالباب عم بدقدق

عكروت بدو يفوت ليشوف الفن فني بس الفن هون بجسمي معبأ

من حلقي طايف و من متي عم بت شرشر و بيس البيس زلزال برجرج خليك تضبضب تنضب بالبيت لتكنكن

و أنا متأسف ألني بدي استأذن بس بعد شفت كابتشينو بتصحصح

ما إنتلك النجوم عم تقرببهل ال مود حكون عطول لبهل جنوم إدءر

لو مضطر شن هجوم عل النجوم كلهاخللي األرض تدور حول أصبعي تنلك

هيدا هب هوبمش هبل و ال بهل

هيدا زجل تتغزل في

ورايي إيقاع عليي إتبع و ما إطلع عنو يا بصير متل غير مسيس

زقفوا مع االيقاعزقفوا مع االيقاع

F a r e e q e l A t r a s h

Checking and hurling words that tickle as if I was high and sniffing

I am planning and scheming and Irsquom not going anywhere till the clock stops ticking

Look hersquos so full of it lying to others but in my face he stutters

And his face turns red from all the anger and he curses

My earsrsquo alarm bells start ringing

And I go to see whorsquos knocking at the door

Some bastard who wants to see where ldquothe artldquo is

But the art is right here packed in my body

Flowing from my throat running out of my mouth

And the bass is an earthquake that shakes and forces you to pack up and go home

And Irsquom sorry because I need to take leave

But after a sip of cappuccino yoursquoll come around

Didnrsquot I tell you The stars are getting closer

Irsquoll stay in this mood

Until I touch these stars even if I have to launch an attack on all the stars

Irsquoll make the Earth rotate around my finger I told you

This is hip hop

Itrsquos not stupid nor dumb

Itrsquos zajal [a form of Arabic poetry in the Levant]

That you flirt with

There is a beat that I have to follow canrsquot lose it or Irsquoll be like other MCs

Clap with the beat

Clap with the beat

T r a n s l a t e d b y K h a l e d A l H i l l i

null

29781717

101100

انا ببلعهم بتفهم وال مره بسبهمبخليهم داميا يضاربو بتفكيرهم

أنا وراهم قدامهم جنابهم محتلهممش طايقهم مرات وزنهم بكون منزلهم

مرتبهم صاففهم وبقلم أنا حاكمهم زاتتهم مش عاجبيني أنا ماحيهم قائدهم وبنفس الوقت أنا عبيدهم

وبفك وربط أنا بلعب مبعانيهمانا حاميهم بأسطر اللي تقويهم

انا واعدهم اني أستر على فاضحهم ومطلعهم بصوره اللي تبشعهم

بس أنا محترمهم وبسطور ساجنهم مكتفهم كأسير بجنازير القهر

ومهديهم بحبل اللي يبشر بالصبر وانا لي الفخر أكون الشوك اللي فيهم

Dوأكون القهر اللي داميا يسقيهم A M

Yo this is dedicated to the lyrics

Irsquom swallowing them spitting them never dissing them

Giving them freedom of speech

Irsquom behind them in front of them because of them always standing with them

Sometimes get sick of them sick of how you abuse them

Gather them in line with my pen I order them

Didnrsquot like it Throwing them out and replacing them

Irsquom their leader and also their slave

Small changes make huge differences

I train them in pages to make them strong

Promising to use them not abuse them

Or allow the wrong mouths to utter them

Approach them with a military mind and find peace in them

Irsquom lucky to be full of thorns and even luckier that I found the lyrics

So theyrsquoll help me find the roses in me

wordsكلمات

null

26837427

103102

raquoالكل سمعك بس السؤال اذا اللي سمعك فهمكlaquoكلمات ليست كالكلمات بل raquoعالماتlaquo

اللي توجهنا وين مابدنا عحبال السيرك هي تثبتنا ريح العالم من كل جهه اذا احنا ضعاف بتوقعنا بس

raquoأل بلمره ألlaquo raquoكلمات عندي طنlaquoكل واحده الها هدف اخدت حرف عحرف

نسجت جمل اللي البسهم وقت البرد raquoراح اضلني اناديlaquo raquoبنحكي كلماتlaquo

انت بتعرف انهم مبنصب شهاد بحكو املاضي وتنبوا حاضر أي بالد

قد ماحكيت قد ما أحكي فش كالم يغطي بسفي كالم يربي وينمي انت بس أروي

في شوف انه قوه والقوه بتقويفيك و أن رويته مصيره يسقيك )مثل للقوه( العدو من أمامكم

والبحر من ورائكم فال تخيبوا أسيادكمفأين أشعاركم وأين مجادلتكم

فأنتم تسكتون وتخمدون أحالمكم)انهي( نهيت ورجعت للعامية بكلمات

مرمية طالعه من عقليه شعبيهمتل جنيب اللي بذاكرة كل واحد محفوظ مدروس واذا أل معناته في خلل معكوس

عاملجتمع اللي قمع كتاباته Dاللي سمح لنسيانه يشيل خطواته A M

ldquoThey all hear you but few listen to youldquo

Lyrics ainrsquot just a bunch of words they are ldquosignsldquo

Leading us stabilizing us on tight ropes

Winds every way if we are thin we will fall

ldquoBut hell noldquo ldquoyou can measure my words in tonsldquo

Every word has a meaning I knitted a letter with another letter

Made warm sentences to wear in cold days

ldquoSo Irsquoll still shoutldquo ldquowe control lyricsldquo

You know lyrics are like a witness

They witnessed the past and forecast the future

As much as I said or say I canrsquot describe them

But there is a way to find the description and thatrsquos through them

Quench the thirst of the pages with them

So in the future itrsquoll quench your thirst

Keep feeding them as soon as they grow up

Theyrsquoll give you strength

ldquoExample for the strengthldquo

ldquoThe enemy is before you the sea is behind you

So donrsquot you dare disappoint our ancestors

Where are our deep poems Where are our strong statements

From generation to generation we kill our dreamsldquo

ldquoEnough philosophizingldquo ok lets get back to street talk

Words coming outta simple minds

Like Najeeb Mahfuz [literally lsquowell-rememberedrsquo also a famous author]

They keep living in our minds

And if you donrsquot know who he is - then I rest my case

null

26837427

105104

raquoالكل سمعك بس السؤال اذا اللي سمعك فهمكlaquoكلمات ليست كالكلمات بل raquoعالماتlaquo

اللي توجهنا وين مابدنا عحبال السيرك هي تثبتنا ريح العالم من كل جهه اذا احنا ضعاف بتوقعنا بس

raquoأل بلمره ألlaquo raquoكلمات عندي طنlaquoكل واحده الها هدف اخدت حرف عحرف

نسجت جمل اللي البسهم وقت البرد raquoراح اضلني اناديlaquo raquoبنحكي كلماتlaquo

ألف با كبايه أوعك تكسرهاامسكها للنهاية وكل ما تفضى مليها

كلمه أو رواية ومع املراحل زيدها شيحكاية وهيك ضلك زود فيها

وجيبها لتجمعاتك وساعتها استعملها لنقاشاتك وملواقفك استخدمها

هادي مدافعك اللي مداها بسيطرتك وما دافعك انه ما تخليها رايتك

ما هي تكتب ما هي توصف ما هي تكذب ما هي تنصف

ما هي هي الهروب هياللجوء هي الدروب هي

العبور باحلدود واللي مبرؤهم مبدع وبفوز باخللود واللي بسرقهم مش مقنع

واذا بتديهم احلرية بنادوك ممنوعDواذا بتوخد احلريه بنادوك مسموح A M

ldquoThey all hear you but few listen to youldquo

Lyrics ainrsquot just a bunch of words they are ldquosignsldquo

Leading us stabilizing us on tight ropes

Winds every way if we are thin we will fall

ldquoBut hell noldquo ldquoyou can measure my words in tonsldquo

Every word has a meaning I knitted a letter with another letter

Made warm sentences to wear in cold days

ldquoSo Irsquoll still shoutldquo ldquowe control lyricsldquo

The Arabic alphabet is like a glass donrsquot break it

Hold it tight and keep filling it

And then bring it to our arguments

Scream till your throat gets dry and then wet it

It holds our body itrsquos like our legs

If you stand for nothing yoursquoll fall for anything

The words write create

They kill lead and sometimes even lie

You can use them to build borders

And those who are gifted

Can use them to walk through borders

And in some governments

Itrsquos forbidden to give words freedom

But if you choke them and kill them

Thatrsquos allowed

F i g u r a t i v e t r a n s l a t i o n o f f e r e d b y t h e a r t i s t s

null

26837427

107106

further reading

The tracks presented in this document are not a comprehensive sampling of the genre of the market of hip hop in Arabic or of hip hop and rap in the wider Middle East

Artists featured here hail from Egypt Lebanon Palestine and the anglophone Arab diaspora The thriving North African hip hop scene is not represented nor is the work of the established francophone Arab diaspora nor the expanding hip hop scenes of especially Iran or Turkey

This collection does not attempt a comprehensive chronology Tracks featured here are not primarily new releases (though some are) neither are they all ldquoclassicsrdquo These limitations of scope are important to note

Many tracks of the popular Libyan group Ibn Thabitt and other groups from across the region have been translated and are hosted with commentary on the notable blog

revolutionaryarabrapblogspotcom

Another valuable resource is the Beirut-based blog by Jackson Allers ldquoBeats and Breathrdquo which features articulate critiques and reviews of events and releases from the region

jacksonallerswordpresscom

Hass Dennaoui (alias Big Hass) who recently launched started the first all hip-hop FM radio show in Saudi Arabia Laish Hip Hop (Why Hip Hop) manages a lively blog which

hosts an internet feed of his radio show and interviews with MCs and influential hip hop figures from around the world

revoltradioblogspotcom

Lebaneseundergroundcom hosts coverage of underground music in Lebanon including hip hop

And finally an excellent article by Hishaam Aidi on implications of the use of hip hop as foreign policy ldquoThe Grand (Hip-Hop) Chessboard Race Rap and Raison DrsquoEtatrdquo was published in The Middle East Report Fall 2011 Excerpts of the piece were published by Al Jazeera English in the article ldquoLeveraging Hip Hop in US Foreign Policyrdquo

All the artists and many of the translators whose work is showcased here host a significant online presence Their sites are listed with more about each of them on the following pages

109108

artist bios

ARABIAN KNIGHTZ the premier hip hop group from the land of the Nile River have not only established themselves as the lyricists with the sharpest swords in their land but they have also created the most consistent voice for rebellion strength and hope for the youth of the Middle East During the 2011 Revolution Arabian Knightz released two singles ldquoRebelrdquo and ldquoNot Your Prisonerrdquo anthems of resistance which gained worldwide attention and major media coverage for their powerful lyrics against a wicked system The group formed in 2006 through the cipher hip hoprsquos natural way of choosing like mindsets on the mic Rush Sphinx and E-Money were ahead of their peers adapting an authentic Arab perspective to the art dominated by Western voices mixing English and Arabic raps After hitting the studio for successful underground tracks AK enlisted super-producer Fredwreck (Snoop Dogg Xzibit Tha Dogg Pound) ldquoFokkakrdquo the single from this studio session was an instant hit and (surprisingly for Arabic Hip Hop) projected them to the top ten of the singles charts Arab League Records was formed amidst a growing fanbase and numerous collaborations with other Arab hip hop artists the first international Arab hip hop record label Desert Saga Volume 1 mixtape was the debut release led by ldquoThe Onerdquo featuring Egyptrsquos MC Amin Arabian Knightz have recorded their debut album Uknighted State of Arabia a masterpiece for Arab hip hop years in the making featuring instrumentals dominated by traditional percussions and players are scheduled for a Winter 2012 Release They are on Facebook

BOIKUTT is a musician and MC based in Ramallah Palestine Creating sounds using sampled material field recordings and electronic devices the results range between hip-hop downtempo ambient glitch and experimental He has composed and produced music for artists such as Kronos Quartet Bukue One Spiritchild Tamer Abu-Ghazaleh Bleubird and others and has appeared as an MC on albums for artists such as Slovo Heliodrome Bonnot and Lethal Skillz A co-founder of the Ramallah Underground Collective which has toured across the Arab World Europe and Australia Boikutt is also co-founder and member of audio-visual group Tashweesh with whom he is currently touring Also as a solo performer he has been in Beirut Cairo Manila Copenhagen London Hamburg Dubai Bethlehem and other cities He has produced and exhibited a few sound-art pieces composed several film scores has most recently composed the music for a dance theater performance entitled Bound by

New York-based company Yaa Samar Dance Theatre and is now working on different collaborative and solo projects His work may be heard at soundcloudcomboikutt and on Facebook

DAM Da Arabian MCrsquos are Suhell Nafar Tamer Nafar and Mahmoud Jreri The first Palestinian hip hop crew and among the first to rap in Arabic the group began working together in the late 1990s Struck by the uncanny resemblance of the reality of the streets in a Tupac video to the streets in their own neighborhood of Lyd they were inspired to tell their stories through hip hop Their timely song ldquoMin Irhabirdquo (ldquoWhorsquos the Terroristrdquo) was downloaded a million times shortly after its internet realese in 2001 and DAM became a household name among youth throughout the Middle East Ten years of performing all over the world has strengthened the grouprsquos commitment to continue living and working in their hometown of Lyd 15 minutes from Tel Aviv and working to provide the youth of the city and neighboring communities with programs and opportunities that have been denied to Palestinian citizens of Israel Their music is a unique fusion of East and West and encompasses influences as varied as Ghassan Kanafani Ahlam Mosteghanemi Mahmoud Darwish Naji al Ali Tupac Biggie Public Enemy MBS Krsquonaan and Pharoahe Monch IHDA (Dedication) DAMrsquos long-awaited first international album was released in 2007 and DAM has seen its songs and members featured in films such as Ford Transit (Dir Hany Abu Assad) Where in the World is Osama Bin Laden (Dir Morgan Spurlock) Salt of this Sea (Dir Annemarie Jacir) Local Angel and Forgiveness (Dir Udi Aloni) DAMrsquos history and influence on the Arab hip hop scene is detailed in the feature-length documentary Slingshot Hip Hop (Dir Jackie Reem Salloum) The group has also been featured in Vibe National Geographic Rolling Stone Q Basement Reuters and The New York Times and has appeared on MTV CNN BBC and Al Jazeera Their work can be heard and explored at damrapcom

EL DEEB first ventured into Egyptian Hip Hop when he joined Asfalt in 2005 He left in 2007 to create Wighit Nazara duo represented by Mohamed Yasser and himself It was a successful musical project that lasted until mid 2010 Currently he is working on his solo career with plans to release an EP every couple of months or so Cairofornia is his first solo EP His work may be heard at deebbandcampcom and on Facebook

EL RASS was born in Tripoli Lebanon He started writing poetry in literary Arabic at age 11 and started rhyming in spoken Lebanese dialect in 1999 at age 15 At that time he formed one third of a group of 3 MCrsquos going under the name of ldquoMlouk el Micrdquo (ldquoKings of the Micrdquo) They recorded one album and performed locally At 17 he left for France to study Finance and Economics Studies were hard money was scarce and exile was tough but music and poetry never left him as he continued rhyming with some underground French MCrsquos like Medline and Moebius and developed new musical skills on percussion in classical Arabic singing and baglama (turkish buzuk) After graduating and working for almost two years in the hell of banking and market finance El Rass decided to return to Lebanon He spent a year just re-discovering Beirut and making and learning music He now works as a journalist at the newspaper Assafir while concurrently pursuing joint projects with other producers and musicians He calls his work Taalik in reference to the same word in Arabic for ldquocommentrdquo and another word that comes from the same semantic root moaallakat which is a corpus of selected pre-Islamic poetry that was written with gold ink on the walls of the Karsquoaba in Mecca His work may be heard at soundcloudcomElRass

FAREEQ EL ATRASH is a hip hop band based out of Hamra St Beirut with a sound that is distinguished by laid back topical flows over live instrumentation It consists of Edd (raps) Nasser (raps) FZ (vocal production and FX) Fouad Afra (drums) Goo (plays guitar keys heart strings) and Abed Kobeissy (plays bass and buzuk) Their 2010 album and 2009 prealbum are available online More of their work may be found on Facebook Eddrsquos solo work can also be heard at soundcloudcomEdd

H2Z was born in Kuwait in 1986 where he lived for four years Due to the gulf war his family moved to Lebanon where he lived for the most part of his life Inspired by the tragic events in the Middle East and elsewhere in the world H2Z adopted rap music as a way to raise awareness about the injustices suffered by his people and to deliver a message through his music to anyone who supports the Palestinian cause His career began in 2004 when he was introduced to the production business by fellow rappers and soon he started producing his own tracks and established a local band producing many tracks for himself and other musicians in Lebanon In 2008 he released his first solo album titled 3aed which contained

17 tracks The political influence was noticed throughout the album and was generally well-received He is now studying for a degree in business administration at Wayne State University in Michigan His work may be heard at reverbnationcomh2z

KATIBEH 5 are based in Borj el Barajneh Lebanon Their work can be found at reverbnationcomkatibeh5 and myspacecomkatibe5palestine and on Facebook

M1 is Mutulu Olugbala of the New York based collective Dead Prez whose work is online at deadprezcom M1 is also on Facebook

MC GAZA is Adnan Mahmoud Ghonim an Algerian born artist and university student based in Gaza It was the beginning of 2005 when he attended one of the hip hop concerts in Gaza City ndash Gaza City that never appreciated the art he loved and attached himself to ndash and it was love at first sight between them Through some of the concerts he participated in a number of songs he collaborated on with Arabs from Egypt Algeria and Palestine and some active participation to represent the Palestinian people and interviews for both Arab and foreign press he was able to make a name for himself in the Gazan hip hop community His work may be found at youtubecomMCGaza and on Facebook

THE NARCICYST Having pioneered the Arab Hip-Hop movement with seminal Iraqi-Canadian crew Euphrates The Narcicyst recently broke through borders and shattered traveling etiquette touring solo around the world sharing stages with the likes of Brother Ali Mos Def and Kanye West to name a few On top of music The Narcicyst is a celebrated theorist whose academic work Fear of an Arab Planet has him from the stage to the classrooms of internationally renowned universities He is now also a professor at Concordia University teaching a Fine Arts course ldquoHip-Hop Past Present and Futurerdquo His writings have been published by multiple university presses and magazines internationally he is also a self-published author having recently released the biographical and social-study on the Arab world The Diatribes of a Dying Tribe As a true artist interested in really pushing his own artistic boundaries The Narcicyst has stepped into acting currently starring in the short music film PHATWA and in the first internationally-released film from the United Arab Emirates called City of Life A true multi-media

111110

KHALED AL HILLI is a PhD candidate in Comparative Literature at the Graduate Center City University of New York He has a BA in English Literature and a Masterrsquos degree in Teaching Second Languages Born in Iraq Khaled has taught in Lebanon and Saudi Arabia at both college and high school levels He has also worked with various Iraqi news outlets and has subtitledtranslated documentary films dealing with current social and political issues His research interests include Arabic political literature prison literature and literature in the diaspora He may be reached at hillykhalidgmailcom

+AZIZ is a NYC-based marketing consultant and a musician He is working through The World Music Parade to develop an animation project based on his music More about that project can be found at themusicparadetumblrcom He tweets from plusaziz

FAYSAL BIBI is a paleontologist and electronic musician currently based in Berlin

LOUBNA BILALI is originally from Morocco She did her undergrad and first MA in English Linguistics at Chouaib Doukkali University El Jadida She came to the US in 2008 to pursue a Masterrsquos degree in French to English translation and is currently working on a PhD in translation studies at Kent State University in Ohio She is very interested in learning and teaching languages as well as translating and localizing computer applications and websites She may be reached at loubnabilaligmailcom

FARAH ELREWAISSATI is a freelance translator pro-Palestine activist and BDS advocate who blogs at youthanormalizationblogspotcom She tweets from 3beee

NIZAR GHANEM was born in Lebanon He has been active in intercultural education interactive learning and conflict resolution across the Arab world His work on conflict resolution involved using theater comics and music as tools for emotional expression and social mobilization

RIMA NAJDI is a Performing Artist She studied dramatic arts at the Lebanese University in Beirut and obtained a Masterrsquos degree in Performance Studies at NYU New York She has written and performed in various plays and performances Najdi is particularly interested in multi-media performing arts and the position of the spectators

BARRAK ALZAID (copy editor) is the Artistic Director of ArteEast He is the editor of the ArteEast Quarterly a dynamic online portal featuring four publications that highlight contemporary art and culture from the Middle East and diaspora ndash ArtersquoZine Shahadat (contemporary short-form literature) Gallery and Cinematek (an online film center) He is also the curator for ArteEastrsquos Across Histories Art Talk Series featuring a series of panels on residencies in Fall 2011 He tweets from barrakster

RAYYA EL ZEIN (editor) is working towards a PhD in Theatre at the Graduate Center City University of New York Her research is increasingly focusing on theories of reception historical studies of audience behavior and popular culture in the Arab world She holds an MA in Performance Studies from NYU and is currently a teaching fellow at City College in Harlem She tweets from rayelz

translator biosdreamer Yassin recently established an arts label in the UAE called The Medium focusing on delivering art from Arabs in the diaspora and at lsquohomersquo to the rest of the world iraqisthebombcom He tweets from TheNarcicyst

OMAR OFFENDUM is a Syrian-American hip hop artist born in Saudi Arabia raised in Washington DC and living in Los Angeles Known for taking audiences on a lyrical journey from the jasmine-tree-lined courtyards of Nizar Qabbanirsquos Damascene homes to the flooded riverbanks of Langston Hughesrsquo Harlem Renaissance poems - Offendum has been featured on several major news outlets (BBC Yahoo ABC News Aljazeera PBS) toured the world to promote his ground-breaking music helped raise thousands of dollars for various humanitarian relief organizations (PCRF KinderUSA ANERA Islamic Relief) lectured at a number of prestigious academic institutions (Harvard MIT Stanford Columbia American University of Beirut NYU-AbuDhabi Qatar Education City) and most recently been involved in creating several critically-acclaimed songs about the popular democratic uprisings throughout the Middle East amp North Africa He is currently hard at work promoting his solo release - affectionately dubbed SyrianamericanA His work may be heard (and read) at offendumbandcampcom He is on Facebook and he tweets from Offendum

RAMALLAH UNDERGROUND based in Ramallah Palestine was born from the immediacy of musical experimentation and out of the need to give voice to a generation of Palestinians and Arabs facing a turbulent and uncertain political landscape The collective was founded by artists Boikutt Stormtrap and Aswatt and has always held a commitment to both the honesty of their work and the need to creatively rejuvenate Arabic culture To this end they combine music ranging from Arabic electronic music hip-hop and trip hop to downtempo with a deep sense of their local culture and the imposing presence of Palestine in their lives The outcome is a new specific and distinct sound RU (as producers and as MCrsquos ) has collaborated with numerous artists across the globe including countries like Lebanon UK Switzerland Italy USA France and many more including a collaboration with Slovo (a band headed by the guitarist from faithless) in their track ldquoNakbardquo which appears on their album Todo Cambia and with Kronos Quartet in the track ldquoTashweeshrdquo which appears on Floodplain RU has also performed live shows in Ramallah Bethlehem Vienna London Cairo Lausanne Amsterdam and Washington DC Their shows are mainly a performance of their hip-hop tracks as well as a few of their own electronic productions as a warm up More recently RU has incorporated a visual set in their live

performances brought to you by Palestinian visual artist Ruanne RU hopes to give a voice to Palestinians and Arabs bringing an alternative voice from the Arab world Their lyrics and music are an expression of anguish and defiance ultimately remaining a defiant voice of the colonized against the colonizer They continue to play a big role in the Arab underground cultural scene while slowly gaining wide global and local popularity

SHADIA MANSOURrsquos work can be found at myspacecomshadiamusic and on Facebook

STORMTRAP is a music producercomposerMC from Palestine Experimenting with old samples instruments and field recordings his sound is the result of a fusion of ambient atmospheres combined with various noises and hip hop beats His lyrics deal with different themes inspired mainly by his personal experiences in Palestine and life in the diaspora Stormtrap played a fundamental role in forming the band Ramallah Underground with which he has performed worldwide the past few years Currently he is working in Vienna with Aras Seyhan and Eren Ileri on a new album which combines live instruments synthesizers turntables beats and Arabic lyrics- which will be released early 2012 His work may be heard at soundcloudcomstormtrap He tweets from asifeh

AMEER YOSSEF 25 has sung and writen music with the band Klaket for the past four years His work may be heard at youtubecomAmeer and on Facebook

towards the work Her work for now concentrates on the process of making interactive and participatory performances that question borders stereotypes and languages

MOE ALI NAYEL is a fixer and a journalist based in Beirut Lebanon He uses social media blogging non-mainstream music journalism and writing as a word spreading eye opening socializing arena He uses social media as a bridge that cuts distance between people on this planet making it a tiny village This bridge starts in his office and takes him to every corner in the world enabling him to connect and network with people and cultures sharing and exchanging stories of the unheard and the neglected He blogs at Words of Action and he tweets from MoeAliNay

ALEX ORTIZ is a video and radio journalist and translator based in Cairo Egypt He graduated from Brown University in 2009 with a double major in Comparative Literature and Middle East Studies He was a CASA I fellow from 2009-2010 and a CASA II fellow from 2010-2011 He currently works for CBS News as a field producer He tweets from cairowitness

AHMED SHAWKET is an independent translator living in Cairo Egypt He is a graduate of the Helwan University Faculty of Arts where he majored in philosophy Ahmed works on literary media and commercial translation

113112

ABOUT SHAHADATShahadat is a quarterly online series designed to provide a platform for short-form writing and experimentation in writing by young and underexposed writers from the MENA region (Middle East and North Africa) The series features stories vignettes reflections and chronicles in translation and the original language of Arabic Farsi Turkish or Kurdish It makes up one quarter of ArteEastrsquos online programming the AE Quarterly For past issues of Shahadat click here

ABOUT THIS SERIES Shahadat is proud to run two alternating series and releases two issues a year of each The issue yoursquove just perused is part of the ldquoExploring Popular Literaturerdquo series This series challenges traditional understandings of ldquoliteraturerdquo emerging from the Middle East and North Africa by presenting genres of creative production that rely on words and language but which have not typically been studied as literature Works are presented in their original language and in translation

In each issue we gather texts from a spectrum of writers to challenge the singular status of the artistauthor and to encourage a more complex presentation of the Middle Eastern and North African ldquostreetrdquo for English-speaking audiences Shahadatrsquos other series ldquoContemporary Literature in Translationrdquo features the work of a single young author in the original language and in English translation

BEHIND THE DOCUMENTShahadat is co-edited by Rayya El Zein Alex Ortiz and ArteEastrsquos Artistic Director Barrak Alzaid All three are young professionals and scholars with artistic inclinations (literature poetry translation and performance) All three have strong connections to New York City and various metropole of the MENA region Shahadat is for us an experiment and a labor of love An editorial board of established scholars and authors is currently being conceived

SPECIAL THANKS TOAnmar El ZeinKinda AkashAndrew JohnstonLivia Alexander

Shahadat logo design by Rima Farouki

114

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Page 16: Shahadat Winter 2012

3130

النظام العاملي اجلديداحلاسة السادسة

و بدهم يردوا يعلموك النشيدنار شديد بس كله نسبي

جينا و نسيناأخبار فورية بتنهضم و بتمشينا

إللي فينا مكفينا رايح عغزة بالسفينة

و ما يأتي قبل الفكر أم الفعلملجرد الذكر لشخص مبنج قلب نكد وزعل

و طلب السعرمش حنبيع

ملا بتشتي بتشتي عاجلميعو زمن أول حتول

و مش قادرين نتجول فا مش حنضيعbشيء مريع o i k u t t

The new world order

The sixth sense

And they want to teach you the anthem anew

Heavy fire but itrsquos all relative

We came and forgot

Instant news digested and keeps us moving

Wersquove had enough

Going to Gaza by boat

What comes first Thought or action

The mere question to a numb person makes him grumpy and upset

And asking for the price

We wonrsquot sell

When it rains it rains over everybody

The old times have changed

We are under house arrest so we wonrsquot get lost

Itrsquos a horrible thing

igniteولع

Walle

boikutt

null

1746378

3332

مرات بتفهم النبرة غلطبس هلئ فهمني منيح

جريح بدون تلقيح تصريح صريح بدون تلميح

فظيعكيف خلونا نطيع

بوقت تشييع جثمان الضاضمضاض لإلنتفاض ثورة الثروة قيد التصنيع

فيعبوجه عقود بقبضة من حديد

من هون لقرية بال متديدبدون مانروح لبعيد

جتميد روؤس أموال و نوويةمصلحة أول مستفيد

بتدوب بشعلة من سيدي بوزيد

ولعشوف اكمن دكتاتور منقلعولعشوف اكمن دكتاتور منقلع

ولع شوف اكمن دكتاتور منقلعصوت الثورة بكل مكان و عم منسمع

من حكام لنوابو ال استثني احدا منكم

ما بيهمكمحلد ما الهتافات تتوجه إلكم إتهزكم

أفهمكمbاإلستبداد تارك الشارع بإستعداد o i k u t t

Sometimes you misunderstand a tone

But now you understand me correctly

Wounded without vaccination

A blatant statement without any hinting

Unbelievable

How they made us obey

At the funeral of the corpse of the [quintessential Arabic letter] Ddad

Counter revolution the revolution of wealth is in process

Rise

In the face of decades under an iron fist

From here to a village without extension

Without going too far

Freezing of capital and nuclear war heads

The interest of the primary beneficiary

Melts with a flame from Sidibouzid

Ignitesee how many dictators wersquoll uproot

Ignitesee how many dictators wersquoll uproot

Ignitesee how many dictators wersquoll uproot

The sound of revolution is everywhere we make it heard

From leaders to parliamentarians

I do not exclude any of you

But you donrsquot care

Until chants are directed at you and shake you

Let me explain

Tyranny leaves the street prepared

Walle

boikutt

null

1746378

3534

من املزارع بوسط البالدفعل مضارع للرماد

فا إنصرف زاي فلوس الدولة إللي طريقها إنحرفوإنعرف و إنصبت بجيوب هالطرف من شوفرية الشرف

حتية خاصة ألسود ميدان التحريرلتعديل دستور التعتير

إن صح التعبير

عندي نظر األطرشو سمع األعمى

عايشني حياة و مكلبشني باخلوف بنفس الوقت فا قللي شو املعنىتاريخ شجعنا

الوضع الراهن منعناناس بتمر و بتسمعنا

بدون جتاوب جتارب فجاوبيا ضدنا يا معنا

إرفع قبضة الصمود فوق في الهوا ثابتةإنتفاضة أولى و ثانية بس الثالثة نابتة

أطراف كابتةبس قد ما يحاولوا ميحوا ويحطوا الناس كاتبة

بالتفاصيل و كامتة

ولعhellip شوف اكمن دكتاتور منقلعولعhellip شوف اكمن دكتاتور منقلع

ولع شوف اكمن دكتاتور منقلعصوت الثورة بكل مكان و عم منسمع

ولعhellip شوف اكمن دكتاتور منقلعbو صفهم عالدور واحد واحدhellipو شنع o i k u t t

From the farmers in the center

Changing present tense to ashes

So vanish like the statersquos money whose road has deviated

It is known that it ended up in the pockets of the corrupt who claim to be clean

A special salute to the lions of Tahrir Square

For amending the constitution of misfortune

If that can be said

I have the sight of the deaf

And the hearing of the blind

Leading a life while chained by fear at the same time so tell me whatrsquos the point

History encouraged us

The current situation prevented us

People pass by and hear us

Without any response -- testing -- so answer

Yoursquore either with us or against us

Raise the fist of resistance up in the air

A first and second Intifada but the third is sprouting

Oppressive groups

No matter how hard they try to erase and replace people have written

In details and know by heart

Ignitesee how many dictators wersquoll uproot

Ignitesee how many dictators wersquoll uproot

Ignitesee how many dictators wersquoll uproot

The sound of revolution is everywhere we make it heard

Ignitesee how many dictators wersquoll uproot

Line them up in turn one after the other and defame them

T r a n s l a t e d b y F a r a h E l R e w a i s s a t i

Walle

boikutt

null

1746378

3736

ولك انا ابن عكا وبن يافا و طولكرم انا ابن كل شبر من البحر للنهر

االرض الي حملت موسى مرمي واملسيح انااملقابر يلي فاضت من كتر التوابيت

انا اخليمة بيت التنك واحلصيرة والكانون والبيوت املسروقة والدم املهدور

انا الهوى يالي حامل الغضب والبكاوالطرقات يلي بتغرق مع كل نقطة الشتا

انا رصاصة من املجاهد عم تعبر حلدود انا حزام من القنابل مشتاق لليهود

لطفل على باب املستشفى عم بيموتانا الجئ ممنوع من العمل مكروه

انا اين املخيم يلي عاطل عن العمل سيجارة احلشيش يلي بتمحي شوية الم

H 2 Z

Irsquom the son of Acre Jaffa and Tulkarem

Irsquom the son of every inch from the river to the sea

Irsquom the land that carried Moses Mary and the Christ

Irsquom the cemeteries that overflow with coffins

Irsquom the tent the tin house the mat and the stove

The stolen houses and the wasted blood

Irsquom the wind that bears anger and tears

The roads that drown in a single drop of rain

I am a bullet that crosses borders

Irsquom a grenade against Zionists

A child that dies waiting outside the hospital

Irsquom a hated refugee whorsquos prohibited from working

Irsquom the son of the camps always unemployed

The hash cigarettes that ease the pain

iانا فلسطيني am palest inian

Ana Falasteeni

H27

null

17782504

eng - iTunNORM 0000057E 0000056B 00004E0F 00004D32 00021C96 00021C96 00008000 00008000 0000ECEA 00007530

3938

حيطان هالبيت يلي بكره رح ينردم انا االحمر واالسود واالخضر من هالعلم

من دم االبطال من دموع الاطفالمن اجلحيم التشرد واجلوء واالنكسار

من ظلم االحتاللمن حلم االستقالل

من ارض الزيتونوالصليب والهالل

انا حافظ احلواجز بكل بالد العالممن النادر انو بيوم يعتبروني بني ادم انا سنني االعتقال انا غرف التعذيب

الوجع والصريخ واجلروح الي ما بطيبانا شعب ما انهزم بس عمرو ما انتصر

انا اكبر ارهابي الني حامل حجر اسير طول عمرو رافض انو بيوم ميوت بس معاهدة سالم بتنفي اني موجود

انا القدس بيت حلم ومخيم جننياالدان واجلراس الهالل والصليب

املدافن واملدارس وكنسية املسيح الشوارع القدمية والبيت العتيق

انا ركوة الشاي و سندويشة الفالفلالكرم والبخل واالخالق واملهازل

الكذب والصدق واخليانة والصمود Hانا فلسطيني حلتى اموت 2 Z

The walls of the house that I hate thatrsquos about to get demolished

I am the red and black and green in this flag

From the blood of heroes from the tears of children

From the hell of homelessness and broken refugees

From the oppression of the occupation

From the dream of independence

Irsquom from the land of the olives

The cross and crescent

I know all the checkpoints in all countries of the world

It is where they consider me a human being

Irsquom years of capture Irsquom the torture chambers

The pain and the screams and the wounds that never heal

I was never defeated but never had a victory

Irsquom the biggest terrorist because I carry a stone

A prisoner who spends his whole life refusing to die

But a peace treaty forgets that Irsquom alive

Irsquom Jerusalem Bethlehem and Jenin refugee camp

The call to prayer the bells the crescent and the cross

The old cemeteries schools and church of Christ

The old streets and the ancient house

Irsquom the tea cup and the falafel sandwich

Generosity and greed morality and farce

Lies and betrayal and honesty and persistence

I am Palestinian until I die

T r a n s l a t e d b y t h e a r t i s t

Ana Falasteeni

H27

null

17782504

eng - iTunNORM 0000057E 0000056B 00004E0F 00004D32 00021C96 00021C96 00008000 00008000 0000ECEA 00007530

4140

صباح اخلير با والد عمومناتفضلوا شرفونا

شو بتحبوا نضيفكم دم عربي وال دموع من عيوننابعتقد هيك تأملوا نستقبلن

هيك تعقدوا ملا تدركوا على غلطتهنمن هيك لبسنا الكوفية

البيضة والسودةصاروا كالب الزمان يلبسوها كموضة

مهما تفننوا فيامهما غيروا بلونا

كوفية عربية بتضال عربية

حطتنا بدن ياهاثقافتنا بدن ياها

S h a d i a M a n s o u r w i t h M 1 o f D e a d P r e z

Good morning cousins

Come in and honor us with your presence

What would you like us to serve you Arab blood or tears from our eyes

I think thatrsquos how they hoped we would recieve them

Thatrsquos why they got tangled up when they tripped up on their own mistake

Thatrsquos why we wore the kufeyyeh

The black and white one

Dogs of the past started to wear it as a fashion statement

However they change it

Whatever colour they make it

The Kufeyyeh is Arab and will always be Arab

Our scarf they want it

Our intellect they want it

kufeyyeh arabeyyeh الكوفية عربية

Kufeyyeh Arabeyyeh

Shadia Mansour and M1

Shahadat Winter 2012 track 616

Hip Hop

26239166

4342

كرامتنا بدن ياهاكل شي إلنا بدن ياه

ما رح نسكتلن نسمحلن الالبقلن يسرقوا شغلة مش إلهن ما خصن فيا

بيقلدونا باللبسكل هاألرض بيكفيهنش

طمعانني عالقدسإعرفوا كيف تكونوا بشر

قبل ما تلبسوا الكوفيةجينا نذكرن مني إحنا

وغصبا من عن أبوهم هاي حطتنا

من هيك لبسنا الكوفيةألنها وطنية

الكوفية الكوفية عربيةمن هيك لبسنا الكوفية

هويتنا األساسيةالكوفية الكوفية عربية

يال علي الكوفيةعلولي هالكوفية

الكوفية الكوفية عربيةعلوها لبالد الشام

كوفية عربية بتضال عربية

ما في بعد متل الشعب العربيفرجوني أية أمة بالدنيا أكثر مأثرة

الصورة واضحة نحنا مهد احلضارة

S h a d i a M a n s o u r w i t h M 1 o f D e a d P r e z

Our dignity they want it

Everything thatrsquos ours they want it

We will not be silent will not allow it

It suits them to steal something that ainrsquot theirs

They imitate our style

As if all this land werenrsquot not enough

Thirsting after Jerusalem

Know how to be human

Before you wear our scarf

We came to remind them who we are

And like it or not itrsquos our right

Thatrsquos why we wore the kufeyyeh

Because it is nationalistic

The kufeyyeh is Arab

Thatrsquos why we wore the kufeyyeh

Because it is our original identity

The kufeyyeh is Arab

Come on raise your kufeyyehs

Raise that kufeyyeh

The kufeyyeh is Arab

Raise it up for bilad ersquosham [Greater Syria the wider Arab world]

The kufeyyeh is Arab and will always be Arab

There are no others like the Arab people

Show me one region in the world that is more influencial

The picture is clear we are the origins of civilization

Kufeyyeh Arabeyyeh

Shadia Mansour and M1

Shahadat Winter 2012 track 616

Hip Hop

26239166

4544

تاريخنا وتراثنا الشاهد على وجودنامن هيك لبست التوب الفلسطيني

من حيفا جنني جبل النار إلى رام اللهخليني شوف الكوفية

البيضة واحلمراخلينا نعليها لفوق بالسما

أنا شادية العربلساني بغز غزبلساني بهز هز

كلمات احلربسجل أنا شادية منصور

واحلطة هويتيمن يوم ما خلقت

سيدي والشعب مسؤوليتيلكن تربيت بني الشرق وبني الغرب

بني لغتنيبني بخيل بني فقير

شفت احلياة من اجلهتنيبس علمتني الكوفية

كيف ما لبستونيوين ما شلحتوني

بضلني عأصولي فلسطينية

S h a d i a M a n s o u r w i t h M 1 o f D e a d P r e z

Our history traditions and customs bear witness to our existence

Thatrsquos why I wear the Palestinian dress

From Haifa Jenin Jabal El Naar to Ramallah

Let me see the kufeyyeh

The red and white one

Letrsquos raise it up to the sky

I am the singer of the Arabs

Like an earthquake I shake the ground

My words are war

Record this

I am Shadia Mansour

And this scarf is my ID

From the day I was born the people have been my responsibility

Look I was raised between the East and the West

Between two languages

Between the rich and the poor

Irsquove seen life from both sides

However the kufeyyeh has taught me

However you wear me

Wherever you leave me

I stay true to my origin Palestinian

T r a n s l a t e d b y t h e a r t i s t w i t h F a r a h E l R e w a i s s a t i

Kufeyyeh Arabeyyeh

Shadia Mansour and M1

Shahadat Winter 2012 track 616

Hip Hop

26239166

4746

حمامة سالم افتحي أجنحتكي و طيري

وين الوعي - وين امشوا معي هني وادي بني اجلبلني عني حب للطرفني

أمهاتنا حبت ذاتنا بس مو عاجبهن مسباتنا هذا احلكي بني اخواتنا

Oزين العرب واألمريكان m a r O f f e n d u m

This track contains verses that were originally written in English

You are my

(Destiny)

Itrsquos hard livinrsquo in the West - when I know the East got the best of me

(Destiny)

Could be lookinrsquo in my eyes - but yoursquoll never really see the rest of me

(Destiny)

Can you hear me maseeri [my destiny] Bi-lingualrsquos what Irsquom blessed to be

(Destiny)

Dove of Peace

Spread your wings amp fly

Consciousness What consciousness - where is it

Take a walk with me

Here in this valley between two ldquomountainsldquo

Where the source of love for both ldquosidesldquo can be found

Our mothers like us

But donrsquot like our foul language

So letrsquos keep this between the siblings

The best of Arabs amp Americans

destمصيري iny

7 Destiny

Omar Offendum

The Peace Revolution 20

21332892

eng - iTunNORM 000006D3 000006F2 000038BA 0000322F 0000E4FA 0000E4FA 00008716 0000864B 0002AB5E 000083D6

eng - iTunSMPB 00000000 00000210 0000094B 00000000008F7FA5 00000000 004108FB 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000

4948

وألله يرحم كل أمواتنا أغاني

مثل املهامتة إذا قلنا العني بالعني

ما صفى عندنا عيون بالشام بالد الشام

من فلسطني إلى جبال لبنان قبل ما اخترعوا احلدود

من اإلسكندرون إلى كردستان فهمان

جنجس خان ما خان قد ما خانونا أوالد العم بس دمنا دمهم

بني أدم - بنو ذمنبهم على أكتافنا - شلنا همهم

ليه الله بيعلم

بس ليك هذا الفتيش والبسكليت احسنلك من 100000000 مسدس

تعرف ليه ألن مو عاجبهم بسمتك

بس إبتسم برسمتك شاب عربي ومثقف

أعطيهم ختمتك وإذا لسة مو راضني

ذكرهم بكالم إيليية )أبي ماضي( raquoنسي الطني ساعة أنه طنيlaquo

Oوهذه هي القضاء والقدر يا حبيبي m a r O f f e n d u m

And may God have mercy on all our dead

Songs I sing

Like the Mahatma [the line above and the line below are linked through the sound of the name and the figure of Mahatama Ghandi]

If we say lsquoan eye for an eyersquo

There wont be any eyes left in Sham [Damascus]

Bilad al-Sham [Greater Syria the wider Arab world]

From Palestine to the mountains of Lebanon

Before they made up these borders

From Iskandaroon to Kurdistan

Understand

Genghis Khan never deceived us quite like our ldquopaternal cousinsldquo [khan also means ldquodeceiveldquo in Arabic]

But our blood is their blood

Children of Adam -- who built their sins

Upon our shoulders -- we carried their burden

Why

God knows

But listen this little firecracker amp bicycle

Are better for you than 100 million guns

Wanna know why

Because they dont like seeing you smile

But smile you will - in your human being

A young cultured Arab male

Give them your stamp of approval

And if they still donrsquot accept you

Then remind them of the words of Elliye [Abi-Madhee a Lebanese poet whose poem begins with]

ldquoHow soon a piece of dirt can forget that all he really is is just dirtldquo [ie we are all from this earth amp

will come back to it so there is no logic in viewing yourself as better than someone else]

And that my friend is our destiny

7 Destiny

Omar Offendum

The Peace Revolution 20

21332892

eng - iTunNORM 000006D3 000006F2 000038BA 0000322F 0000E4FA 0000E4FA 00008716 0000864B 0002AB5E 000083D6

eng - iTunSMPB 00000000 00000210 0000094B 00000000008F7FA5 00000000 004108FB 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000

5150

O m a r O f f e n d u m

Dove of Peace

Spread your wings amp fly

Make it easier to borrow

The aesthetics you bite

Like all the Arabic loanwords

From Spaniards amp Morros

The Karma of Inquisition

Visions of horror

So whorsquos the explorer

Really was it Columbus

Muhammad al-Idrisi or Alfaragnus

Throw a Hobson Jobson

While you figure it out

Irsquom gonna start with a cipher

Thatrsquos a siffir [zero] - no doubt

See you might not have learned to live with me

But sure as hell canrsquot without

You are my

You are my

(Destiny)

Itrsquos hard livinrsquo in the West - when I know the East got the best of me

(Destiny)

Could be lookinrsquo in my eyes - but yoursquoll never really see the rest of me

(Destiny)

Can you hear me maseeri [my destiny] Bi-lingualrsquos what Irsquom blessed to be

(Destiny)

حمامة سالم افتحي أجنحتكي و طيري

I write right to left

You write left to right

Metaphor of a foreignerrsquos plight

Dressed to type

Stereo amp a mic

Scenario of a fight

The burial of a white

Imperial at his heightrsquos

A Turkish Rapperrsquos Delight

Semetic etiquette might

Just have you rollin your ldquoRrsquosldquo

Poetic amp light

And grab a hold of your sorrows

To relieve your tomorrows

7 Destiny

Omar Offendum

The Peace Revolution 20

21332892

eng - iTunNORM 000006D3 000006F2 000038BA 0000322F 0000E4FA 0000E4FA 00008716 0000864B 0002AB5E 000083D6

eng - iTunSMPB 00000000 00000210 0000094B 00000000008F7FA5 00000000 004108FB 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000

5352

O m a r O f f e n d u m

Dove of Peace

Spread your wings amp fly

Bitched out by the West

Press get a big shout

From the people gettinrsquo rich out of this (bout)

Now whatrsquos this really all about

Land money or power

It was the colonizerrsquos fault

But now itrsquos really just ours

Leavinrsquo a sour tase in our mouths

Like generational slave names

Whenever speakinrsquo out

Out-spoken leaders gettinrsquo taken out

Quicker than belligerent drunks in a bar

We a far cry from livinrsquo as one

T r a n s l a t e d b y t h e a r t i s t

(Destiny)

Itrsquos hard livinrsquo in the West - when I know the East got the best of me

(Destiny)

Could be lookinrsquo in my eyes - but yoursquoll never really see the rest of me

(Destiny)

Can you hear me maseeri [my destiny] Bi-lingualrsquos what Irsquom blessed to be

(Destiny)

حمامة سالم افتحي أجنحتكي و طيري

See arab [Arabs] shootin at each other

From Iraq to Falasteen [Palastine]

Syria to Libnan [Lebanon]

Algeria to Sudan

Pedagogy of the oppressed tricklinrsquo down

Conquerinrsquo through divisions

And sadly this isnrsquot the first time

One land one love one chance one blood

No fuss no fight Yeah right young blood

AKrsquos cheaper than a book

Crooked leaders in a hook

Gettinrsquo fished out

Missles gettinrsquo dished out

7 Destiny

Omar Offendum

The Peace Revolution 20

21332892

eng - iTunNORM 000006D3 000006F2 000038BA 0000322F 0000E4FA 0000E4FA 00008716 0000864B 0002AB5E 000083D6

eng - iTunSMPB 00000000 00000210 0000094B 00000000008F7FA5 00000000 004108FB 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000

5554

زي ما صار مبارح صار اليوم اطف التلفزيون امسك مايكروفون

زي ما صار مبارح صار اليوم اطف التلفزيون امسك مايكروفون

زي ما صار مبارح صار اليوم اطف التلفزيون امسك مايكروفون

زي ما صار مبارح صار اليوم اطف التلفزيون امسك مايكروفون

النه الوقت عم يسبق بقلك خي سالم بس اصبر

بدك تستني هاي اخلطط بعمرها ما تضبطبيدفعلك قد ما بدك عشان تسكت

واذا بتفتح متك طخة وحده وبعد بتسقط

s t o r m t r a p

What happened yesterday happens today

switch off your TV and grab a microphone

What happened yesterday happens today

switch off your TV and grab a microphone

What happened yesterday happens today

switch off your TV and grab a microphone

What happened yesterday happens today

switch off your TV and grab a microphone

Because time is racing

He keeps telling you peace is coming just be patient

You want to wait these plans never succeed

Hersquoll pay you as much as you want to keep you quiet

And if you open your mouth one shot will silence you

what happened yesterdayزي ما صار مبارح

Zey ma sar mbareh

Stormtrap

null

2009

1728613

eng - Visit httpstormtrapbandcampcom

5756

اركض اركض وخليك راكض

واذا بتفتح متك رح يقلك خليك ساكت رح يقلك انساك من هاملشاكل

حوشوا هالشواك وضبوا شناتكم واشتروا التذاكرففكر شوي وما تكنش أهبل

وين ما تروح في الدنيا رح تتبهدلمش شايف قدامي عم بسمع أصوات بيسألني

ليش لسه عايش هون روح عيش محل تانيبدي احك بس الكلمات مش طالعة من لساني

عنصرية هونن عنصرية هناك عنصرية كل ما اطلع برا الشباك

شيطان بيعمل حاله مالكبس هو بالواقع بدو يعيش بالك

جدار بيمثل عقلية ناس بدهاش تعيش معاك

زي ما صار مبارح صار اليوم اطف التلفزيون امسك مايكروفون

ما مبثل شخص او اشخاص مبثل فكرةاسم احلرية حاملينه

من بلد ما فيه حياة عاديةسواءا ضد االحتالل أو ضد العنصرية

أصواتكم وينايي خلوها تنسمع وتطلع نتائج ايجابية

فكمل كتابة او تسجيل وصدقني شغلك مش رايح عالفاضي

عشان الشي الوحيد اللي رح يروح هو احن اذا منضلنا علقانني فاملاضي

s t o r m t r a p

Run run

Keep running

And if you decide to speak hersquoll tell you just stay silent

Hersquoll tell you forget these problems

Save up some money pack your bags and buy your tickets

Think about it donrsquot be a fool

Wherever you go yoursquoll get humiliated

I canrsquot see in front of me Irsquom hearing voices asking

Why are you still living here Go live somewhere else

I want to respond but the words wonrsquot come out

Racism here racism there

Racism each time I look out the window

A devil in an angelrsquos disguise

In reality he wants to live without you

The apartheid wall represents the mentality of a people who donrsquot care to coexist

What happened yesterday happens today

switch off your TV and grab a microphone

I dont represent a person or a people I represent an idea

An idea called freedom

From a land lacking a normal life

Whether yoursquore struggling against occupation or against racism

Where is your voice

Let it be heard to achieve your goals

So keep writing and recording

Believe me your work wonrsquot be lost in vain

The only thing thatrsquoll disappear is us

If we stay stuck in the past

Zey ma sar mbareh

Stormtrap

null

2009

1728613

eng - Visit httpstormtrapbandcampcom

5958

شو الي حدثجينا من حتت األرض

هيهة القصة بدة عنا هدفوننشر أصواتنا لكل حدا

جيت من حتت أرض رام اللهما ح وقف اكتب كلمات وال مرة

عندي طاقة الزم أطلعها كل يوم وكل ساعةفاو انبنى مع الوقت ولسة عم بيطور تصور

تصورفاو انبنى مع الوقت ولسة عم بيطور تصور

زي ما صار مبارح صار اليوم اطف التلفزيون امسك مايكروفون

زي ما صار مبارح صار اليوم اطف التلفزيون امسك مايكروفون

s t o r m t r a p

What happened

We came from underground

The story begins we have an objective

To spread our voices to everyone

I came from the ruins of Ramallah and

I wonrsquot ever stop writing words

I have energy that I must release every day every hour

A flow thatrsquos been built and is still developing imagine

Imagine a flow thatrsquos been built and is still developing

What happened yesterday happens today

Switch off your TV and grab a microphone

What happened yesterday happens today

Switch off your TV and grab a microphone

T r a n s l a t e d b y t h e a r t i s t

Zey ma sar mbareh

Stormtrap

null

2009

1728613

eng - Visit httpstormtrapbandcampcom

6160

Wake up the People

Donrsquot doubt it

The Maker can see you

Right now

You want to get out and see doe

So clouded

Sell out to be dope

Right now

I see you plagued by your own doubt

Canrsquot step the game up

Like a snake when it rolled down

Staircase of a lone child

No bricks lain in a cold house

Where you sold out

All alone on an old couch

t h e N a r c i c y s t

No click like an untapped phone dial

Oh wow

I felt the same homie

Donrsquot shelter pain only

Then it came slowly

Never let the frame hold me (down)

Picture life for the love though

People tend to look the other way like Columbo

We deceived by the law just to love doe

Guess they took all the worth out to numb folks

And make a severed plan

Out of bitter man

What you want a medal man

Huh Do you really think yoursquore better than Then

All you really need is a long look

Two sixteens and a strong hook like

brassThis track was originally written in English

null

2149748

6362

Wake up the People

Donrsquot doubt it

The Maker can see you

Right now

You want to get out and see doe

So clouded

Sell out to be dope

Right now

Break

Hip hop like a fresh pelvis

Yoursquore gonna regret this shit like a dead Elvis

Busy wishing you could live less selfish

Crabs in a bucket duckinrsquo these dead shellfish

Industry got a brother feeling helpless

With an ill chorus and ride yoursquore more in the tide

When a flow canrsquot keep me above the water

t h e N a r c i c y s t

Let a wave carry me out and push me farther now

Internal Inferno ten journals written but Irsquom still not sure though

Do I really want to tour to jump hurdles To be heard

So-I-Can-Feel-Like-This

Man therersquos something that I might miss--

Naw Irsquove been bluffinrsquo

Lifersquos backwards like Ben Buttonsrsquo

Irsquom in love with the stage fright on a strange night

Feels good to get the words on a page right

Wake up the People

Donrsquot doubt it

The Maker can see you

Right now

You want to get out and see doe

So clouded

Sell out to be dope

Right now

null

2149748

6564

مبارح شفت بلمنام بيروت عمتغرق حتت رماد بركان فحموا الناس بس ال raquoسكاي بارlaquo كان بعده ولعان

بيروت ثبتت حبة الثورة اللي فينا نبتت ملا أحبطت نفوسنا من اجلمود

فينا بيروت حتركت عدم دمارنا وعدم حرية خيارنا

بيوت بيروت تعمرت سكرنا عجفاف دموعنا جفوننا عليها تسكرت فتخمرت

إذا بطلت تطير قدرك عألرض مقهور إذا وقفت تكسير بتصير جزء من الديكور

e l R a s s

Yesterday I dreamt Beirut was drowning under volcanic ash

The people were turned to charcoal but Sky Bar [a posh Beirut club] was still lit up

Beirut suppressed the seed of the revolution the one that sprouted

When our spirits were foiled from immobility

In us Beirut moved

On the blood of our destruction and the negation of our freedom of choice

The houses of Beirut are rebuilt

We got drunk on the dryness of our tears our eyelids closed on them and fermented

If you stop flying your destiny on land is distress

If you stop breaking you become part of the decoration

beirutبركان بيروت rsquos volcano

Blues

2125713

6766

بحاور بناور باآلخر بواجه التاج بتوضى بصلي بتوصلني أصوات أنات احملتاج

تأمل العلم بعري العمل من العمل خياري عنار خفيفة دوب املسمار وتستوي األفكار النظيفة

عمروا دمروا زمروا تذمروا ربك صبره دربه جربه

عقلن خربوا غربوا هربوا وقبلوا بالفن عحيط الشارع

عشرط ما يكون في شك بشارع هيدي مش عاصمة ثقافة هيدي حلبة املصارع بيروت ال تعرف في املاضي وال تعرب باملضارع

حتول التركيبة خلى العقل اجلامد فكر حاله مالك املدينة رقبته طويلة متل مالك احلزين وايده لوزيري

اعتبر نفسه أول مني اكتشف هلجزيرة بأجر الفقير شقق بأسعار مدروسة

بشكل تضل طموحاته ممعوسة نهبوا األرض من ربعي وصارت احلرب شركة استثمار مبفعول رجعي

حتت شعار إعادة اإلعمار لو ما كان خلص دوره وانتهى عقد االيجار

كان احلريري ما طار وما صار مطار احلريري عاصمة لبنان بتوازن بني ضريحني

واتنيناتن عاغتيالن في عالمة استفهام e واحد قدس املوت بس لسبب l R a s s

I discuss I maneuver ultimately I confront the crown

I perform ablutions I pray I receive the moaning of the needy

The meditation of knowledge strips work from hope

My choice is on low fire melting the nails and clean thoughts are ripening

They built they destroyed they honked they complained

Your god made him patient tested him and trained him

Their minds ruined westernized chased off

They accepted art pissed on back alleys

As long as there is no doubt in the streets

This is no capital of culture itrsquos a wrestling ring

Beirut canrsquot speak of itself in the past nor conjugate itself in the present

Transitions and transformations made the closed mind think he owns the city

His neck is long like a stork his fingers long like a politicianrsquos

He thinks himself the first who discovered this peninsula

He lets the poor rent apartments at prices studied

To crush ambitions

They stole the land from my cousins

And the war became a backward-looking investment

Under the slogan of reconstruction

If his time wasnrsquot up and his contract finished

Hariri didnrsquot have to fly and it wouldnrsquot have become the Hariri airport

Lebanonrsquos capital keeps balance between two shrines

And on both assassinations there is a question mark

One sanctifies death but for a reason

Blues

2125713

6968

واحد قدس احلياة بس بالكذب واحد بايدو حتول الذهب سم وواحد تخبى من الذهب بالدم

مني الشهيد

اللي مات حتت صبابيط ثورة عبيد شهيد اللي مات فتحول على حملة اعالنات هدفها ترفع الطايفة معدالت التجنيد

قنابل بالبريد وصل سيوف علوريد حصل

املوت للبليد صنم الصبر للعنيد حلم تأليه الشهيد ظلم

خليط احلديد والدم العالج والسم الرفاه والهم النوعية والكم

الدعارة وورقة التوت مبدينة بيروت علم

e l R a s s

And one sanctifies life with lies

In onersquos hand gold turned into poison

And the other hid from gold with blood

Who is the martyr

The one who died under the shoes of the oppressedrsquos uprising is a martyr

Is it he whose death was transformed into an advertising campaign to raise the levels of

sectarian enlistment

Bombs came in the mail

Swords to the jugular true stories

Death to the cold is statuette

Patience to the stubborn is a dream

Divinity to the martyr is oppression

The mixture of steel and blood the cure and poison

Luxury and distress quality and quantity

Prostitution and modesty

The science of the city of Beirut

T r a n s l a t e d b y M o e A l i N a y e l amp + A z i z

Blues

2125713

7170

بقرأ في اجلريدة زفت شوارع جديدة

إزالة مطبات و كثير أشياء هيك مفيدة أشخاص مستفيدة

دعم من هون و من هون منظمات بس احلرية بعيدة

مقاطعة مستوطنات تعون الضفة الغربية وطنية حصرية إدعائية

طب و فلسطني التاريخية مع ألساس كانت القدس عاصمة الثقافة العربية

بس كلوحكي سياسية للشعب إحنا نتحمل الشغل و التعب و الوضع صعب

b o i k u t t

Irsquom reading in the paper

About roads newly paved

Speed bumps removed and a lot of other useful stuff (yes very)

Certain inviduals benefit

Funding from here and there

Organizations are plentiful but freedom is far-fetched

Calling for a boycott of settlements around the West Bank

Pretentious exclusive nationalism

But what about historical Palestine

I thought Jerusalem was supposed to be the ldquocapital of Arab cultureldquo

But itrsquos all political speeches for the people

We put up with the work and the sweat and itrsquos rough

a letterرسالة من مقاطعة from boikutt

risaleh mn muqataa (pt1)

boikutt

null

2010

1086983

eng - iTunPGAP0

eng - iTunNORM 00000A1E 00000A0E 000099D9 000098A0 0000CC63 0000CC63 0000826D 000080B0 000131D0 000131D0

eng - iTunSMPB 00000000 00000210 000008F3 000000000049197D 00000000 0027BA9D 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000

7372

يقنعونا إن كلشي متام و بقدر أعيش حياة عادية

زي في األفالم على مبس واحد إثنني ثالثة أربعة إلخ

كن منيح و بتنزل عليك املصاري زخ نصيحة من أخ ألخ

خليك مستقل ألن اللعبة إنلعب فإبعد عن الفخ

خليهم يقعدوا يستنوا الدعم ليموتوا يلفلفوا داخل اجلدار حلد ما يفوتوا

في متاهات مبسافات مش محددة مجددة لتوسع التوسع مش مهددة

إنتهاك احتالل بس مش على الكل

في ناس في فلسطني هون حياتهم زي الفل مش عارف شو بيفكر

شكلوا مش داري شي يوم حنروح كل الدكاكني هي حتسكر

سالم

b o i k u t t

Try to convince me that everythingrsquos fine

And that I can lead a normal life

Like in the movies

On MBC one two three four etcetera

Be good and money will rain on you

Advice from one brother to another

Stay independent because the games are being played

So steer clear of the trap

Let them wait for foreign aid until they die

Spinning in circles within the apartheid wall until they enter

Into unlimited mazes with unspecified spaces

That are renewed to fit settlement expansion unthreatened

Violation occupation

But not for everyone

There are people here in Palestine living ldquothe good lifeldquo

I donrsquot know what hersquos thinking

Seems like he doesnrsquot know one day wersquoll be gone

And all these shops will close

Peace

T r a n s l a t e d b y t h e a r t i s t w i t h L o u b n a B i l a l i

risaleh mn muqataa (pt1)

boikutt

null

2010

1086983

eng - iTunPGAP0

eng - iTunNORM 00000A1E 00000A0E 000099D9 000098A0 0000CC63 0000CC63 0000826D 000080B0 000131D0 000131D0

eng - iTunSMPB 00000000 00000210 000008F3 000000000049197D 00000000 0027BA9D 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000

7574

الضغط عاليالعدو فات جاري احملادثات

صمت دوليكمية الغازى عم تزداد

تهجير جديد مولود جديدتكرر عزو مش تارك ورا شي مفيد غير غراب

من كل البيت ما تركو شي إال البابمن االرض ل سما مسافة عاليه

إمشي الصحرا وعد لياليوجنوما

كمشوا رئيس دولة بجورةحصار

توزيع مخدراتباألحمر تلون الفرات سجون معتقالتقبلة الوداع مع الصبات

تنصت بالشبكة خيانات باألزهر

k a t i b e h 5

The pressure is high

The enemy has entered discussions are taking place

Global silence

The numbers of the occupier are increasing

A new expulsion A newborn child

The perpetuation of an invasion that leaves behind it nothing of any use except for a crow

From an entire house they left nothing but the door

From the ground to the sky is a long distance

Walk the desert and count the nights

And its stars

They caught a president in a pit

Siege

Drug dealing the Euphrates is stained red prisons detention centers

A farewell kiss with a shoe

Networks wiretapped betrayals in Al Azhar

hold me back ifهديني اذا فيك you can

null

23098943

7776

حوار أديانالكف تنجس

متسح فيه وجك مع كل شروق عالوضوءتسمع شرارة فتيل مولوتوف ينادي أصوات تتلبى

باإلنفجار

هديني إذا فيك صرت موجود بكل مكانوجي مغبش عامل زي جيش زباتا

منصرخ بوجكم raquoاحلرية ل برغوتيlaquoإعالمكو بيعرفني كلماتكو حملت إسمي

شركاتكو بتهرب مني )كتيبه خمسه هديتي إذا فيك(

بتالقيني بني والد حفظوا غنية املخيماتبنفسية فالح عمال يزو املدينة

افالم تافهةبرنامج تافه

بتدور على مخك بتالقي مش موجوداخلليج يتحكم بإعالم

هادول حبوب التنومي ٦1 سنة بعدن مش شغالني

عالمادامك واخد وجهة نظري

ع محمل اجلدمسموح لك تستعجب وتظهر إنزعاجك بوجودي

ألني صديق لكل املشاهد الغير مرغوبة فيهاش بيختار حياتو بالتحديد بحكيلك هيك منحياها ومحد

ضغط رصاص وابارود بخليكاش حتيدالتجارب بتدلك عطريق

هديتي إذا فيك

k a t i b e h 5

A dialogue of religions

The hand is tainted

And with it you cleanse your face at ablution each sunrise

You hear the sparking of the fuse of a molotov calling voices respond

Explosion

Hold me back if you can I have become present everywhere

My face is concealed like the army of Zapata

We shout in your face ldquoFreedom for Barghoutildquo

Your media knows me your words have glimpsed my name

Your corporations flee from me

(Katibe Khamseh hold me back if you can)

Yoursquoll find me among children that have memorized the song ldquoAl Moukhayamatldquo

In the persona of a peasant that is visiting the city

Shallow films

Shallow programs

You look for your mind but you find it is not there

The Gulf controls media with its boundaries

These sleeping pills 61 years and theyrsquore still not effective

Great

As long as you are taking my point of view seriously

Yoursquore allowed to be taken aback and to show your irritation

Just like you show your irritation at my presence

Because I am a friend to all the images that are not desirable

This is how we live out these images and no one chooses their life specifically Irsquoll tell you

The pressure of bullets and gunpowder does not allow you to move away

Experience will guide you on the road

Hold me back if you can

null

23098943

7978

موقف واحد صريح من صميم روح لشعوب املقاومة ضمير ظهور البشرية

السبيل صعب ورا الغضبدعم لكل أسالوب محارب

د لنحرق نظامك منتدرب منجرب منخرب منستععم نحرق نظامك

هديتي إذا فيك

إطلع منيحمش رح تقدر توخذ كل شي من أول نظرة

نظرة عامة raquoبشرة مش بيضةlaquoجبني عريضة مكتوب مولود عنيد بالفطرة

فوت بالتقاليد عد التجاعيدلك هاي مش أول مرة

لغات ودراسات حط العلم بغالفمش رح تقدر تفهم ليه بعد في بارود ع الكتافلون األرض ولون الليل بيعطيك البني و السواد

بوعدك مش لوحدي رح أضل عد رماد الال اللعبة اجلديدة وال والدنا ع اللعبة جداد

بكفيش إنفلونزا الصقور صار في إنفلونزا اخلنازيرموسم مرض جديد لرئيس مبثل ع نفوس ومريض بهدوء البيض

هديتي إذا فيك

k a t i b e h 5

A single honest stance from the bottom of the soul for the people of the resistance the conscience

that exposes humanity

The path is difficult when following anger

A support for every style of battle

We train we strive we disrupt we prepare to burn your system

We are burning your system

Hold me back if you can

Look closely

You wonrsquot be able to see it all at first sight

An overview ldquocomplexion that is not whiteldquo

A broad forehead written born stubborn by nature

Look at the traditions and count the wrinkles

This is not the first time

Languages and scholarship put education under wraps

You wonrsquot be able to understand why there is still gunpowder on shoulders

The color of earth and the color of night gives you brown and blackness

I promise you that I will not be alone to count the ashes no

This game to us is not new and nor are our children new to the game

As if the influenza of eagles was not enough now therersquos the influenza of pigs

The season of a new disease for a president acting for a public and sick with the

calmness of white people

Hold me back if you can

null

23098943

8180

اإلحتالل نكه البشر بنكهة املجاريبالسالم حوار أديانبإقرار ملكية كذابة

بتشويه تاريخ وسرقة حضاراتولك أه

فلسطني إفريقيا الدجلة والفراتإجتاه البشرية لإلضمحالل سرطان بشري بعضها

الشتا ميسح اخلطايا واآلثاروليش بتتخبى وبتتغطى بنفس كل سفارة سميك الستار

لساتني باكل الضربة ورا الضره ورا الضربةوحتى ما أفعل وأساوي تكمشني الرجفة

بدل ما أضرب فيك بضرب بحاليبوعدكش حضلني كامش حالي حفلتها

حفلتها

هديني إذا فيك هديني إذا فيكهديني إذا فيك

k a t i b e h 5

The occupation has seasoned humanity with the flavor of sewers

With peace with dialogue of religions

With the declaration of false ownership

With the distortion of history and the theft of civilizations

Oh yes

Palestine Africa the Tigris and Euphrates

Humanity is leading to reduction a human cancer bites it

Exile wipes clean the sins and the traces

And why are you hiding and seeking cover when all the embassies are already well concealed

I am still taking one beating after another

And so that I donrsquot take action and do something shudders grip my body

Instead of beating you I beat myself

I canrsquot promise you that I can keep myself restrained

Irsquom gonna let go

Hold me back if you can

Hold me back if you can

Hold me back if you can

T r a n s l a t e d b y R i m a N a j d i a n d F a y s a l B i b i

null

23098943

8382

طول عمر الشعب املصري مع بعض أحلك الظروفبص وفر في التاريخ وانت ياما هاتشوف

الدين ده ليا وليكوفيا وفيك

حاجة روحانية بتخليك حتس اللي بيك

ايد في ايد نبني فيها من جديد

مصر زعلت علي حاصل وسطنا مش مفيد

بعد ثورة وبعد عيد فتنة تقتل حلم واتتحقق لنا

واحد اتننيالذكري بتعيش اكتر من عمر االنسان

بصمتنا تغييرنا جوة وبرة امليدان مش هانضيع نصر ثورتنا بفتنة نشئت بينا

A r a b i a n K n i g h t s + M C G a z a + A m e e r

The Egyptian people have always stuck together

Through the worst times look at history

And see how often wersquove been there for each other

That whole idea of religion

Is for you and for me something spiritual that makes you feel whatrsquos inside you

Hand in hand

We build Egypt up again

Egypt is angry at whatrsquos happening between us

Itrsquos not helpful

After the revolution after the celebration

Sectarian strife is killing the dream we fulfilled

One two

The memory lasts more than a lifetime

Our mark is our change in and outside Tahrir Square

We wonrsquot give up the victory of our revolution in exchange for sectarian strife between

us

hand inايد في ايد hand

Eid Fe Eid

Yasser Ameer Youssef Rush E Money amp MCGaza | by BOGEY

Single Hit track 11

20112011

Hip-Hop

24002867

eng - Hip-Hop 4 Life

eng - iTunNORM 000005E2 0000058E 0000424E 00003537 00026E95 0001C2B3 00008000 00008000 00005045 00005045

8584

بلدنا محتجانا ايدنا واحدة ضد احملنة تفرق ايه معاك ديانتي ملا ربك هو ربي

اصلك هو اصلي ارضك هي ارضي

ملا اتقال لي اكتت فيول فتنة انا قولت غلط علشان الفتنة مفتعلة في بلدنا وكان وراها غرض

فالفرد افترض فبفرض السياسة األمر اختلط

فالزم يبقي املصل سياسي من اصل املرض العسس واحلرس مافرقوش صليب وهالل

وكنا كلنا واحد وراء االقفالدم الشهيد شاهد

ياما بالفتنة انكسرنا وحدتنا بصوت واحد وضد الظلم انتصرنا

وديني هو ديني صلة بيني وبني ربي هارفع علمي وارفع راسي فوق

انا مصري

ايد في ايد نبني فيها من جديد

مصر زعلت علي حاصل وسطنا مش مفيد

بعد ثورة وبعد عيد فتنة تقتل حلم واتتحقق لنا

خلو حمامة السالم من الطيور املنقرضةعلشان تبقي القلوب مبتعدة منقسمه سهل تتسم

فكرين مناعة و قوة أم الدنيا بالطمع مرتبطةنسر املصريني ليس له دين احنا بنحميها بالدم

العنف بذوره بتكتر عاوز يوصل واحلروب حتصل

A r a b i a n K n i g h t s + M C G a z a + A m e e r

Our country needs us all together against the hard times

What difference does my religion make to you when your god is my god

Your origin is mine

Your land is my land

When they told me about sectarian strife I said thatrsquos wrong

Because itrsquos been planted in our country and behind it is some purpose

Makes one think somethingrsquos going on

By playing politics everythingrsquos gotten mixed up

The antidote has to be political just like the poison itself

The military doesnrsquot distinguish between cross and crescent

Wersquore all held together behind bars

The blood of the martyrs bears witness

To how much wersquove been broken by sectarianism

Through our unity we triumphed with one voice over injustice

And my religion is my own a rapport between me and God

Irsquoll raise my flag and my head up

Irsquom Egyptian

Hand in hand

We build Egypt up again

Egypt is angry at whatrsquos happening between us

Itrsquos not helpful

After the revolution after the victory

Sectarian strife is killing the dream we fulfilled

They drove the dove of peace to extinction

To keep hearts apart and divided itrsquos easy to poison them

Do they really think the resilience and strength of Egypt is connected to greed

The Egyptian eagle has no religion we protect it with our blood

The roots of violence are increasing want to gain control to start wars

Eid Fe Eid

Yasser Ameer Youssef Rush E Money amp MCGaza | by BOGEY

Single Hit track 11

20112011

Hip-Hop

24002867

eng - Hip-Hop 4 Life

eng - iTunNORM 000005E2 0000058E 0000424E 00003537 00026E95 0001C2B3 00008000 00008000 00005045 00005045

8786

للعاقيدة يكسر وألعضاء املشاعر تتشال تصتأصلعلى كالم ربهم اتكبرو فعملو قدر واتقدر

وقته مستنينه ليه خططوا مضمون الرسائل اتغير الن الهدف هو تدمير قعدة الوحدهوقتل كل قائد يقود الناس بره احملنه

فيبقي سهل يزيحنا ميحي أوصول عليها كبرناوكل واحد علي حداه يقول أنا محدش يقول احنا

فاببطء بحرص بص بعقل بحذر شوفقبل ما يخلوا خيالك يتخلله اخلوف

واخلوف ده افراز بيطلع من غده ملا الكلب بيشوفهابيعرف انك فاريسه سهل ياكلها ركز

فرق تسد إخلعوفق جتد إرفع

ثورة تقدصمت يفرد- يفرق

ما بيجمع بيننامن حقي النقد من حقك - تسمع

طب إسمع وراجع ما صور التاريخ طب باله بيكفي صور زمانييوم حصار كنيسة املهد مني دافع مني اتقمع مني اتنفا

مسلم مسيحي أل كان فلسطيني اتذكر معي ثورة غضب يناير

اتذكر معي الوحدة اإليد الوحدة اتشرف انتا مصرياتذكر معي األخ بإيد األخ يحمي األخ بدون إلخ

كالمي ماشي ماشي ال-لتفهمني بهويتي مسلم وال نصراني قبطي

ما في حجة لربطي خلبطي حلطي ألوطي ألغير خطيخير أجناد األرض

من أرض بيت املقدس كل السالم بعد ما قلت إلنقسام في وطنيانا ملزم أقول ال لفتنة

تفتت مجد شعب تعب عانى ضحى بالغالي حتى بناه

A r a b i a n K n i g h t s + M C G a z a + A m e e r

The relationship between Egyptians breaks down and the organs that feel are taken out

They got full of themselves in the name of their god and invented a new fate for us

Theyrsquore waiting for a time and theyrsquore plotting The meaning of their messages changes

Because the goal is to destroy the foundation of unity

And kill every leader who takes the people out of hard times

Itrsquos easy to remove us to wipe out the traditions we grew up with

Everyone on his own everyone says ldquoIldquo and no one says ldquoweldquo

Slowly carefully look Wisely with caution see

Before they make your imagination a slave to fear

And that fear releases a secretion from a gland

And when the dog sees it he knows yoursquore easy prey

Divide yoursquoll conquer

Bring harmony and yoursquoll reap Start

A revolution and it will catch on

Silence is solitary It divides

It doesnrsquot bring us together

It is my right to criticize and your right to listen

So listen and look back at history or better look at my life time

The day the Nativity Church was under siege who was persecuted Who was exiled

A Muslim A Christian No he was Palestinian

Letrsquos remember the angry revolution of January

Letrsquos remember the unity the one hand Be proud yoursquore Egyptian

Remember the brother holding hands with a brother protecting a brother

And I can go on

Donrsquot teach me about my identity whether Irsquom a Muslim or a Christian Copt

Therersquos no excuse to tie me down beat me to make me cower and kneel and stray from my courseThe Earthrsquos most virtuous soldiers

Come from the land of Bayt al-Maqdis [Jerusalem] I salute you After I said no to division in my countryIrsquom committed to saying no to seditionThat dissolves the glory of a people who labored suffered sacrificed what was most dear to build it

T r a n s l a t e d b y A l e x O r t i z + A h m e d S h a w k e t + K h a l e d A l H i l l i

Eid Fe Eid

Yasser Ameer Youssef Rush E Money amp MCGaza | by BOGEY

Single Hit track 11

20112011

Hip-Hop

24002867

eng - Hip-Hop 4 Life

eng - iTunNORM 000005E2 0000058E 0000424E 00003537 00026E95 0001C2B3 00008000 00008000 00005045 00005045

8988

الفن واملواهب زي حرب الكواكب الكل عايز يكون جنم صراع في الداخل

بهدي جنون العظمة بفلفل حر توابل تسيل دموع زي القنابل

زي مابتكلم وداني شغالة كون سامع نبض الشارع علشان أ

حالف أقضي على اإلعالم املتآمر مغامر في الكالم بس إنت مش سامع

ملا بأمسك القلم والورقة الهم بينزاح مخي بيرتاح بأقول اللي على البال

ملا بأقعد بحس بتأنيب ضمير كون في ستوديو بسجل على بيت خطير مفروض أ

e l D e e b + S t o r m t r a p

Art and talent are like Star Wars

Secretly everyone wants to be a star of conflict

I make megalomania tranquil with chilli hot spices

Tears flow like bombs

Thatrsquos how I talk and the world keeps moving

So that I can hear the pulse of the streets

Irsquove sworn to obliterate the media conspirators

I am adventurous in my speech but you do not hear

When I hold the pen and the paper my anxiety is lifted

My mind relaxes and I say whatrsquos on it

When I sit down I feel guilty

I should be in the studio recording dangerous beats

addictأدمان الشهرة ion to fame

Edman El Shuhra

Stormtrap amp Mohamed El Deeb

2011

Hip-Hop

15305855

- vocals Mohamed El Deeb Stormtrap13produced by Stormtrap

9190

إحساس غريب إنك تدمن الكالم ارسم يا فنان واخترع زي دافينشي الرسام

ولو مفيش ورقة باستخدم تليفوني خايف إن فكرة متعديش على صوتي

دنيا غريبة يوم مر يوم بونبوني بس أنا عمري ماغيرت لوني

املوسيقى بنادولي وبطابعي فضولي مهما قالوا لي هافهمها مبفهومي فـساعات أالقي نفسي بكلم نفسي واسمع أصوات غريبة في دماغي

وهو ده الصدى الصوت اللي بسمعه اكن مفيش حد فارقة معاه احالمي

شوف شوف مش هدف إنو أنا شخصيا أنا

هدفي انه كلماتي وموسيقتي تنتشرعشان هيك حتشوفني دوما مستمر مستثمر

كل وقتي كل طاقتي على أصواتي خوذ شك خوذ حتويل خوذ كاش

بس ما تنساش أي شي بيتعلق بالواقع بدناش ما تخاف ألنها قضيتنا مش منسية مية باملية هايذي ثورة كمان ثقافية

خليني أوضح هاي املوسيقى مش معمولة للتلفازeهاي املوسيقى مش معمولة لهز الطياز l D e e b + S t o r m t r a p

Strange feeling to be out of words

Paint oh artist and discover like Da Vinci the artist

If I donrsquot have paper I use my cell

I am afraid that the idea does not come through my voice

Strange world one day is bitter another like candy

But Irsquove never changed my color

Music is my Tylenol and my nature curious

So whatever they tell me Irsquoll understand it my way

Sometimes I find myself talking to myself

And I hear weird voices in my head

Which is just the echo of the sound I hear

As if no one cares about my dreams

See see

My goals are not self serving

My goal is that my words and music spread

Thatrsquos why yoursquoll see me always and continuously investing

All my time my energy on my sounds

Take a check take a transfer take cash

But never forget anything related to reality wersquore not interested

Donrsquot be afraid because our cause is not forgotten

One hundred percent this is also a cultural revolution

Let me explain this music is not meant to be televised

This music is not made for booty shaking

Edman El Shuhra

Stormtrap amp Mohamed El Deeb

2011

Hip-Hop

15305855

- vocals Mohamed El Deeb Stormtrap13produced by Stormtrap

9392

مش فاهم ليش الكل قاتل حاله يكون في مسابقةحابني نتصابح حياكم زات املكافحة

واالعالم ميت ع حيالله قصة ما بيدرس هالقصة من نصها

وبعدن بينفخهامش احلق علينا اذا ما بيبحثوا

وملا يبدوا يحكوا عنا أل عنجد بيبعصوابيفكروا انه كل شي هشك بشك

بس حدن الزم يقلهم انه الهب هوب مش هيكبدك تدير بالك عشانها هاي اللحظة احلاسمة

ملا يجوا عليك الديب والعاصفةنكسر حدود وبنبني وحدة عشان نحيي مجتماعاتنا

وننهي معانتناعشان هيك منكتب كلمات صريحة والها معنى

مش للشهرة مش حتى يجي حدن يدفعلنا

e l D e e b + S t o r m t r a p

I donrsquot understand why everyone is killing themselves to be in the contest

Wersquod like to say goodmorning to salute you in this same struggle

The mediarsquos dying for any story

But they donrsquot study the storyrsquos real text

And then they blow it out of proportion

Itrsquos not our fault if they donrsquot search

And when they talk about us then they really screw it up

They think everything is empty pointless

Somebody needs to tell them that hip hop is not like that

You should take care because this is the critical moment

When the wolf and storm come haunting you

We break borders and we create a unity to revitalize our communities

And stop our suffering

That is why we write frank words that have meaning

Itrsquos not for fame or even so that someone pays us

T r a n s l a t e d b y N i z a r G h a n e m

Edman El Shuhra

Stormtrap amp Mohamed El Deeb

2011

Hip-Hop

15305855

- vocals Mohamed El Deeb Stormtrap13produced by Stormtrap

9594

حضل عهل مود يعنيما إنتلك النجوم عم تقرب

بهل ال مود حكون عطول لبهل جنوم إدءر لو مضطر شن هجوم عل النجوم كلها

خللي األرض تدور حول أصبعي تنلك

ما إنتلك متلي متلك مولع طيار ألفكاري من العقدي تنفك فرد قعدي بني 4 حيطان ما بتنهز و منها ما بنهز

يلز املا بينلزالكاس عل الطاولي و منو عم مز مز

لتفتل براصي وحس من حالي عم كز كزعل ورقة كالمي مدروس و ما بزت زت بجرب ما عيد حالي متا يقولو عم نق نق

موزع قافياتي جواز كأن عم فت فت

بهل األطشة خلي الديني اللي تسمعني ترن رنFبسبيلي جاري يوم ع يوم عم برك رك a r e e q e l A t r a s h

Irsquoll stay in this mood

Didnrsquot I tell you The stars are getting closer

Irsquoll stay in this mood until I touch these stars

Even if I have to launch an attack on all the stars

Irsquoll make the Earth rotate around my finger I told you

Didnrsquot I tell you Irsquom just like you I lit up a joint so my ideas would untie their knot

Sitting this way in between four walls I wonrsquot budge

The most delectable

Drink is on the table from which Irsquom taking sips

Till my head starts spinning and Irsquom sick of myself

On the paper my words are calculated I donrsquot just toss them about

I try not to repeat myself so they wonrsquot say Irsquom nagging

I deal my rhymes out like theyrsquore cards

In this verse Irsquoll make those ears ring

My fountain is running and every day I excel

tالنجوم عم تقرب he stars are gett ing closer

null

29781717

9796

لضل ماشي جالس بينما غيري عم بلك لك شريط معلق ريحة العة عم بتفح فحكل ما فتح متو بتالقي عم بكب كب

عايشها إرهاب و مفي إال بسب سببزبالتي ما بكبو تيكون بعلمك

األالف مسم و بحياتو ما بينسم بزقة من هل التم تخلي سقفك ينش نش

تلمو ردم و ما تفكر إنو ترد رد و عم بحكي عالواطي متا الصالي فيك ترج رج

بطبعي عاقل بس بالراب بزل زل عل الرايق بال ما نط وال فز فز

type of shitعال بارد أبرد من شباط بس يقز قزتخلي عضامك ع بعض تسك سك

ما إنتلك النجوم عم تقرب بهل ال مود حكون عطول لبهل جنوم إدءر

لو مضطر شن هجوم عل النجوم كلهاخللي األرض تدور حول أصبعي تنلك

أنا متنبئ بنبه و بحقق ما قلتلك بعد وقتها ما عم نكت

عاملكرفون إبرة هرون عم بشكشك في شكcheck one two

هيك بدسدس عالنبض

F a r e e q e l A t r a s h

So I can walk straight when others are still playing

A broken record that reeks of a musty smell

Every time he opens his mouth he spews them out

He lives in terror and all he does is curse

I wouldnrsquot throw him in my garbage just so you know

Irsquove irritated thousands and never been irritated in my life

One spit out of this mouth will make your roof leak

And yoursquoll pick up the rubble and donrsquot even think about answering back

Irsquom talking in a low voice so the hall wonrsquot shake with you in it

Irsquom reasonable by nature but when it comes to rap I humiliate cold-heartedly

Without jumping or leaping around

I do it coldly colder than icy February-type of shit

Irsquoll make your bones rattle against each other

Didnrsquot I tell you The stars are getting closer

Irsquoll stay in this mood until I touch these stars

Even if I have to launch an attack on all the stars

Irsquoll make the Earth rotate around my finger I told you

Irsquom a psychic I predict and deliver

Didnrsquot I tell you to stand back when Irsquom not joking

Irsquom pricking the microphone with a heroin needle Is there any doubt

Check one two

Thatrsquos how I feel the pulse

null

29781717

9998

بدقق و زتزت حكي بتزجزج كأنها مزهزها عم بتشمشم عم خطط عم تكتيك و مني ملحلح من هون للساعة توقف تك تيك تك تيك

لك ليك منفخ حاله عامبيكازيب عا غيري بس بوجهي بتاءتإوجهه بيباءبإ من أد ما بعصب بسبسب

زر إنذار إذني بتطنطن و بشوف من عالباب عم بدقدق

عكروت بدو يفوت ليشوف الفن فني بس الفن هون بجسمي معبأ

من حلقي طايف و من متي عم بت شرشر و بيس البيس زلزال برجرج خليك تضبضب تنضب بالبيت لتكنكن

و أنا متأسف ألني بدي استأذن بس بعد شفت كابتشينو بتصحصح

ما إنتلك النجوم عم تقرببهل ال مود حكون عطول لبهل جنوم إدءر

لو مضطر شن هجوم عل النجوم كلهاخللي األرض تدور حول أصبعي تنلك

هيدا هب هوبمش هبل و ال بهل

هيدا زجل تتغزل في

ورايي إيقاع عليي إتبع و ما إطلع عنو يا بصير متل غير مسيس

زقفوا مع االيقاعزقفوا مع االيقاع

F a r e e q e l A t r a s h

Checking and hurling words that tickle as if I was high and sniffing

I am planning and scheming and Irsquom not going anywhere till the clock stops ticking

Look hersquos so full of it lying to others but in my face he stutters

And his face turns red from all the anger and he curses

My earsrsquo alarm bells start ringing

And I go to see whorsquos knocking at the door

Some bastard who wants to see where ldquothe artldquo is

But the art is right here packed in my body

Flowing from my throat running out of my mouth

And the bass is an earthquake that shakes and forces you to pack up and go home

And Irsquom sorry because I need to take leave

But after a sip of cappuccino yoursquoll come around

Didnrsquot I tell you The stars are getting closer

Irsquoll stay in this mood

Until I touch these stars even if I have to launch an attack on all the stars

Irsquoll make the Earth rotate around my finger I told you

This is hip hop

Itrsquos not stupid nor dumb

Itrsquos zajal [a form of Arabic poetry in the Levant]

That you flirt with

There is a beat that I have to follow canrsquot lose it or Irsquoll be like other MCs

Clap with the beat

Clap with the beat

T r a n s l a t e d b y K h a l e d A l H i l l i

null

29781717

101100

انا ببلعهم بتفهم وال مره بسبهمبخليهم داميا يضاربو بتفكيرهم

أنا وراهم قدامهم جنابهم محتلهممش طايقهم مرات وزنهم بكون منزلهم

مرتبهم صاففهم وبقلم أنا حاكمهم زاتتهم مش عاجبيني أنا ماحيهم قائدهم وبنفس الوقت أنا عبيدهم

وبفك وربط أنا بلعب مبعانيهمانا حاميهم بأسطر اللي تقويهم

انا واعدهم اني أستر على فاضحهم ومطلعهم بصوره اللي تبشعهم

بس أنا محترمهم وبسطور ساجنهم مكتفهم كأسير بجنازير القهر

ومهديهم بحبل اللي يبشر بالصبر وانا لي الفخر أكون الشوك اللي فيهم

Dوأكون القهر اللي داميا يسقيهم A M

Yo this is dedicated to the lyrics

Irsquom swallowing them spitting them never dissing them

Giving them freedom of speech

Irsquom behind them in front of them because of them always standing with them

Sometimes get sick of them sick of how you abuse them

Gather them in line with my pen I order them

Didnrsquot like it Throwing them out and replacing them

Irsquom their leader and also their slave

Small changes make huge differences

I train them in pages to make them strong

Promising to use them not abuse them

Or allow the wrong mouths to utter them

Approach them with a military mind and find peace in them

Irsquom lucky to be full of thorns and even luckier that I found the lyrics

So theyrsquoll help me find the roses in me

wordsكلمات

null

26837427

103102

raquoالكل سمعك بس السؤال اذا اللي سمعك فهمكlaquoكلمات ليست كالكلمات بل raquoعالماتlaquo

اللي توجهنا وين مابدنا عحبال السيرك هي تثبتنا ريح العالم من كل جهه اذا احنا ضعاف بتوقعنا بس

raquoأل بلمره ألlaquo raquoكلمات عندي طنlaquoكل واحده الها هدف اخدت حرف عحرف

نسجت جمل اللي البسهم وقت البرد raquoراح اضلني اناديlaquo raquoبنحكي كلماتlaquo

انت بتعرف انهم مبنصب شهاد بحكو املاضي وتنبوا حاضر أي بالد

قد ماحكيت قد ما أحكي فش كالم يغطي بسفي كالم يربي وينمي انت بس أروي

في شوف انه قوه والقوه بتقويفيك و أن رويته مصيره يسقيك )مثل للقوه( العدو من أمامكم

والبحر من ورائكم فال تخيبوا أسيادكمفأين أشعاركم وأين مجادلتكم

فأنتم تسكتون وتخمدون أحالمكم)انهي( نهيت ورجعت للعامية بكلمات

مرمية طالعه من عقليه شعبيهمتل جنيب اللي بذاكرة كل واحد محفوظ مدروس واذا أل معناته في خلل معكوس

عاملجتمع اللي قمع كتاباته Dاللي سمح لنسيانه يشيل خطواته A M

ldquoThey all hear you but few listen to youldquo

Lyrics ainrsquot just a bunch of words they are ldquosignsldquo

Leading us stabilizing us on tight ropes

Winds every way if we are thin we will fall

ldquoBut hell noldquo ldquoyou can measure my words in tonsldquo

Every word has a meaning I knitted a letter with another letter

Made warm sentences to wear in cold days

ldquoSo Irsquoll still shoutldquo ldquowe control lyricsldquo

You know lyrics are like a witness

They witnessed the past and forecast the future

As much as I said or say I canrsquot describe them

But there is a way to find the description and thatrsquos through them

Quench the thirst of the pages with them

So in the future itrsquoll quench your thirst

Keep feeding them as soon as they grow up

Theyrsquoll give you strength

ldquoExample for the strengthldquo

ldquoThe enemy is before you the sea is behind you

So donrsquot you dare disappoint our ancestors

Where are our deep poems Where are our strong statements

From generation to generation we kill our dreamsldquo

ldquoEnough philosophizingldquo ok lets get back to street talk

Words coming outta simple minds

Like Najeeb Mahfuz [literally lsquowell-rememberedrsquo also a famous author]

They keep living in our minds

And if you donrsquot know who he is - then I rest my case

null

26837427

105104

raquoالكل سمعك بس السؤال اذا اللي سمعك فهمكlaquoكلمات ليست كالكلمات بل raquoعالماتlaquo

اللي توجهنا وين مابدنا عحبال السيرك هي تثبتنا ريح العالم من كل جهه اذا احنا ضعاف بتوقعنا بس

raquoأل بلمره ألlaquo raquoكلمات عندي طنlaquoكل واحده الها هدف اخدت حرف عحرف

نسجت جمل اللي البسهم وقت البرد raquoراح اضلني اناديlaquo raquoبنحكي كلماتlaquo

ألف با كبايه أوعك تكسرهاامسكها للنهاية وكل ما تفضى مليها

كلمه أو رواية ومع املراحل زيدها شيحكاية وهيك ضلك زود فيها

وجيبها لتجمعاتك وساعتها استعملها لنقاشاتك وملواقفك استخدمها

هادي مدافعك اللي مداها بسيطرتك وما دافعك انه ما تخليها رايتك

ما هي تكتب ما هي توصف ما هي تكذب ما هي تنصف

ما هي هي الهروب هياللجوء هي الدروب هي

العبور باحلدود واللي مبرؤهم مبدع وبفوز باخللود واللي بسرقهم مش مقنع

واذا بتديهم احلرية بنادوك ممنوعDواذا بتوخد احلريه بنادوك مسموح A M

ldquoThey all hear you but few listen to youldquo

Lyrics ainrsquot just a bunch of words they are ldquosignsldquo

Leading us stabilizing us on tight ropes

Winds every way if we are thin we will fall

ldquoBut hell noldquo ldquoyou can measure my words in tonsldquo

Every word has a meaning I knitted a letter with another letter

Made warm sentences to wear in cold days

ldquoSo Irsquoll still shoutldquo ldquowe control lyricsldquo

The Arabic alphabet is like a glass donrsquot break it

Hold it tight and keep filling it

And then bring it to our arguments

Scream till your throat gets dry and then wet it

It holds our body itrsquos like our legs

If you stand for nothing yoursquoll fall for anything

The words write create

They kill lead and sometimes even lie

You can use them to build borders

And those who are gifted

Can use them to walk through borders

And in some governments

Itrsquos forbidden to give words freedom

But if you choke them and kill them

Thatrsquos allowed

F i g u r a t i v e t r a n s l a t i o n o f f e r e d b y t h e a r t i s t s

null

26837427

107106

further reading

The tracks presented in this document are not a comprehensive sampling of the genre of the market of hip hop in Arabic or of hip hop and rap in the wider Middle East

Artists featured here hail from Egypt Lebanon Palestine and the anglophone Arab diaspora The thriving North African hip hop scene is not represented nor is the work of the established francophone Arab diaspora nor the expanding hip hop scenes of especially Iran or Turkey

This collection does not attempt a comprehensive chronology Tracks featured here are not primarily new releases (though some are) neither are they all ldquoclassicsrdquo These limitations of scope are important to note

Many tracks of the popular Libyan group Ibn Thabitt and other groups from across the region have been translated and are hosted with commentary on the notable blog

revolutionaryarabrapblogspotcom

Another valuable resource is the Beirut-based blog by Jackson Allers ldquoBeats and Breathrdquo which features articulate critiques and reviews of events and releases from the region

jacksonallerswordpresscom

Hass Dennaoui (alias Big Hass) who recently launched started the first all hip-hop FM radio show in Saudi Arabia Laish Hip Hop (Why Hip Hop) manages a lively blog which

hosts an internet feed of his radio show and interviews with MCs and influential hip hop figures from around the world

revoltradioblogspotcom

Lebaneseundergroundcom hosts coverage of underground music in Lebanon including hip hop

And finally an excellent article by Hishaam Aidi on implications of the use of hip hop as foreign policy ldquoThe Grand (Hip-Hop) Chessboard Race Rap and Raison DrsquoEtatrdquo was published in The Middle East Report Fall 2011 Excerpts of the piece were published by Al Jazeera English in the article ldquoLeveraging Hip Hop in US Foreign Policyrdquo

All the artists and many of the translators whose work is showcased here host a significant online presence Their sites are listed with more about each of them on the following pages

109108

artist bios

ARABIAN KNIGHTZ the premier hip hop group from the land of the Nile River have not only established themselves as the lyricists with the sharpest swords in their land but they have also created the most consistent voice for rebellion strength and hope for the youth of the Middle East During the 2011 Revolution Arabian Knightz released two singles ldquoRebelrdquo and ldquoNot Your Prisonerrdquo anthems of resistance which gained worldwide attention and major media coverage for their powerful lyrics against a wicked system The group formed in 2006 through the cipher hip hoprsquos natural way of choosing like mindsets on the mic Rush Sphinx and E-Money were ahead of their peers adapting an authentic Arab perspective to the art dominated by Western voices mixing English and Arabic raps After hitting the studio for successful underground tracks AK enlisted super-producer Fredwreck (Snoop Dogg Xzibit Tha Dogg Pound) ldquoFokkakrdquo the single from this studio session was an instant hit and (surprisingly for Arabic Hip Hop) projected them to the top ten of the singles charts Arab League Records was formed amidst a growing fanbase and numerous collaborations with other Arab hip hop artists the first international Arab hip hop record label Desert Saga Volume 1 mixtape was the debut release led by ldquoThe Onerdquo featuring Egyptrsquos MC Amin Arabian Knightz have recorded their debut album Uknighted State of Arabia a masterpiece for Arab hip hop years in the making featuring instrumentals dominated by traditional percussions and players are scheduled for a Winter 2012 Release They are on Facebook

BOIKUTT is a musician and MC based in Ramallah Palestine Creating sounds using sampled material field recordings and electronic devices the results range between hip-hop downtempo ambient glitch and experimental He has composed and produced music for artists such as Kronos Quartet Bukue One Spiritchild Tamer Abu-Ghazaleh Bleubird and others and has appeared as an MC on albums for artists such as Slovo Heliodrome Bonnot and Lethal Skillz A co-founder of the Ramallah Underground Collective which has toured across the Arab World Europe and Australia Boikutt is also co-founder and member of audio-visual group Tashweesh with whom he is currently touring Also as a solo performer he has been in Beirut Cairo Manila Copenhagen London Hamburg Dubai Bethlehem and other cities He has produced and exhibited a few sound-art pieces composed several film scores has most recently composed the music for a dance theater performance entitled Bound by

New York-based company Yaa Samar Dance Theatre and is now working on different collaborative and solo projects His work may be heard at soundcloudcomboikutt and on Facebook

DAM Da Arabian MCrsquos are Suhell Nafar Tamer Nafar and Mahmoud Jreri The first Palestinian hip hop crew and among the first to rap in Arabic the group began working together in the late 1990s Struck by the uncanny resemblance of the reality of the streets in a Tupac video to the streets in their own neighborhood of Lyd they were inspired to tell their stories through hip hop Their timely song ldquoMin Irhabirdquo (ldquoWhorsquos the Terroristrdquo) was downloaded a million times shortly after its internet realese in 2001 and DAM became a household name among youth throughout the Middle East Ten years of performing all over the world has strengthened the grouprsquos commitment to continue living and working in their hometown of Lyd 15 minutes from Tel Aviv and working to provide the youth of the city and neighboring communities with programs and opportunities that have been denied to Palestinian citizens of Israel Their music is a unique fusion of East and West and encompasses influences as varied as Ghassan Kanafani Ahlam Mosteghanemi Mahmoud Darwish Naji al Ali Tupac Biggie Public Enemy MBS Krsquonaan and Pharoahe Monch IHDA (Dedication) DAMrsquos long-awaited first international album was released in 2007 and DAM has seen its songs and members featured in films such as Ford Transit (Dir Hany Abu Assad) Where in the World is Osama Bin Laden (Dir Morgan Spurlock) Salt of this Sea (Dir Annemarie Jacir) Local Angel and Forgiveness (Dir Udi Aloni) DAMrsquos history and influence on the Arab hip hop scene is detailed in the feature-length documentary Slingshot Hip Hop (Dir Jackie Reem Salloum) The group has also been featured in Vibe National Geographic Rolling Stone Q Basement Reuters and The New York Times and has appeared on MTV CNN BBC and Al Jazeera Their work can be heard and explored at damrapcom

EL DEEB first ventured into Egyptian Hip Hop when he joined Asfalt in 2005 He left in 2007 to create Wighit Nazara duo represented by Mohamed Yasser and himself It was a successful musical project that lasted until mid 2010 Currently he is working on his solo career with plans to release an EP every couple of months or so Cairofornia is his first solo EP His work may be heard at deebbandcampcom and on Facebook

EL RASS was born in Tripoli Lebanon He started writing poetry in literary Arabic at age 11 and started rhyming in spoken Lebanese dialect in 1999 at age 15 At that time he formed one third of a group of 3 MCrsquos going under the name of ldquoMlouk el Micrdquo (ldquoKings of the Micrdquo) They recorded one album and performed locally At 17 he left for France to study Finance and Economics Studies were hard money was scarce and exile was tough but music and poetry never left him as he continued rhyming with some underground French MCrsquos like Medline and Moebius and developed new musical skills on percussion in classical Arabic singing and baglama (turkish buzuk) After graduating and working for almost two years in the hell of banking and market finance El Rass decided to return to Lebanon He spent a year just re-discovering Beirut and making and learning music He now works as a journalist at the newspaper Assafir while concurrently pursuing joint projects with other producers and musicians He calls his work Taalik in reference to the same word in Arabic for ldquocommentrdquo and another word that comes from the same semantic root moaallakat which is a corpus of selected pre-Islamic poetry that was written with gold ink on the walls of the Karsquoaba in Mecca His work may be heard at soundcloudcomElRass

FAREEQ EL ATRASH is a hip hop band based out of Hamra St Beirut with a sound that is distinguished by laid back topical flows over live instrumentation It consists of Edd (raps) Nasser (raps) FZ (vocal production and FX) Fouad Afra (drums) Goo (plays guitar keys heart strings) and Abed Kobeissy (plays bass and buzuk) Their 2010 album and 2009 prealbum are available online More of their work may be found on Facebook Eddrsquos solo work can also be heard at soundcloudcomEdd

H2Z was born in Kuwait in 1986 where he lived for four years Due to the gulf war his family moved to Lebanon where he lived for the most part of his life Inspired by the tragic events in the Middle East and elsewhere in the world H2Z adopted rap music as a way to raise awareness about the injustices suffered by his people and to deliver a message through his music to anyone who supports the Palestinian cause His career began in 2004 when he was introduced to the production business by fellow rappers and soon he started producing his own tracks and established a local band producing many tracks for himself and other musicians in Lebanon In 2008 he released his first solo album titled 3aed which contained

17 tracks The political influence was noticed throughout the album and was generally well-received He is now studying for a degree in business administration at Wayne State University in Michigan His work may be heard at reverbnationcomh2z

KATIBEH 5 are based in Borj el Barajneh Lebanon Their work can be found at reverbnationcomkatibeh5 and myspacecomkatibe5palestine and on Facebook

M1 is Mutulu Olugbala of the New York based collective Dead Prez whose work is online at deadprezcom M1 is also on Facebook

MC GAZA is Adnan Mahmoud Ghonim an Algerian born artist and university student based in Gaza It was the beginning of 2005 when he attended one of the hip hop concerts in Gaza City ndash Gaza City that never appreciated the art he loved and attached himself to ndash and it was love at first sight between them Through some of the concerts he participated in a number of songs he collaborated on with Arabs from Egypt Algeria and Palestine and some active participation to represent the Palestinian people and interviews for both Arab and foreign press he was able to make a name for himself in the Gazan hip hop community His work may be found at youtubecomMCGaza and on Facebook

THE NARCICYST Having pioneered the Arab Hip-Hop movement with seminal Iraqi-Canadian crew Euphrates The Narcicyst recently broke through borders and shattered traveling etiquette touring solo around the world sharing stages with the likes of Brother Ali Mos Def and Kanye West to name a few On top of music The Narcicyst is a celebrated theorist whose academic work Fear of an Arab Planet has him from the stage to the classrooms of internationally renowned universities He is now also a professor at Concordia University teaching a Fine Arts course ldquoHip-Hop Past Present and Futurerdquo His writings have been published by multiple university presses and magazines internationally he is also a self-published author having recently released the biographical and social-study on the Arab world The Diatribes of a Dying Tribe As a true artist interested in really pushing his own artistic boundaries The Narcicyst has stepped into acting currently starring in the short music film PHATWA and in the first internationally-released film from the United Arab Emirates called City of Life A true multi-media

111110

KHALED AL HILLI is a PhD candidate in Comparative Literature at the Graduate Center City University of New York He has a BA in English Literature and a Masterrsquos degree in Teaching Second Languages Born in Iraq Khaled has taught in Lebanon and Saudi Arabia at both college and high school levels He has also worked with various Iraqi news outlets and has subtitledtranslated documentary films dealing with current social and political issues His research interests include Arabic political literature prison literature and literature in the diaspora He may be reached at hillykhalidgmailcom

+AZIZ is a NYC-based marketing consultant and a musician He is working through The World Music Parade to develop an animation project based on his music More about that project can be found at themusicparadetumblrcom He tweets from plusaziz

FAYSAL BIBI is a paleontologist and electronic musician currently based in Berlin

LOUBNA BILALI is originally from Morocco She did her undergrad and first MA in English Linguistics at Chouaib Doukkali University El Jadida She came to the US in 2008 to pursue a Masterrsquos degree in French to English translation and is currently working on a PhD in translation studies at Kent State University in Ohio She is very interested in learning and teaching languages as well as translating and localizing computer applications and websites She may be reached at loubnabilaligmailcom

FARAH ELREWAISSATI is a freelance translator pro-Palestine activist and BDS advocate who blogs at youthanormalizationblogspotcom She tweets from 3beee

NIZAR GHANEM was born in Lebanon He has been active in intercultural education interactive learning and conflict resolution across the Arab world His work on conflict resolution involved using theater comics and music as tools for emotional expression and social mobilization

RIMA NAJDI is a Performing Artist She studied dramatic arts at the Lebanese University in Beirut and obtained a Masterrsquos degree in Performance Studies at NYU New York She has written and performed in various plays and performances Najdi is particularly interested in multi-media performing arts and the position of the spectators

BARRAK ALZAID (copy editor) is the Artistic Director of ArteEast He is the editor of the ArteEast Quarterly a dynamic online portal featuring four publications that highlight contemporary art and culture from the Middle East and diaspora ndash ArtersquoZine Shahadat (contemporary short-form literature) Gallery and Cinematek (an online film center) He is also the curator for ArteEastrsquos Across Histories Art Talk Series featuring a series of panels on residencies in Fall 2011 He tweets from barrakster

RAYYA EL ZEIN (editor) is working towards a PhD in Theatre at the Graduate Center City University of New York Her research is increasingly focusing on theories of reception historical studies of audience behavior and popular culture in the Arab world She holds an MA in Performance Studies from NYU and is currently a teaching fellow at City College in Harlem She tweets from rayelz

translator biosdreamer Yassin recently established an arts label in the UAE called The Medium focusing on delivering art from Arabs in the diaspora and at lsquohomersquo to the rest of the world iraqisthebombcom He tweets from TheNarcicyst

OMAR OFFENDUM is a Syrian-American hip hop artist born in Saudi Arabia raised in Washington DC and living in Los Angeles Known for taking audiences on a lyrical journey from the jasmine-tree-lined courtyards of Nizar Qabbanirsquos Damascene homes to the flooded riverbanks of Langston Hughesrsquo Harlem Renaissance poems - Offendum has been featured on several major news outlets (BBC Yahoo ABC News Aljazeera PBS) toured the world to promote his ground-breaking music helped raise thousands of dollars for various humanitarian relief organizations (PCRF KinderUSA ANERA Islamic Relief) lectured at a number of prestigious academic institutions (Harvard MIT Stanford Columbia American University of Beirut NYU-AbuDhabi Qatar Education City) and most recently been involved in creating several critically-acclaimed songs about the popular democratic uprisings throughout the Middle East amp North Africa He is currently hard at work promoting his solo release - affectionately dubbed SyrianamericanA His work may be heard (and read) at offendumbandcampcom He is on Facebook and he tweets from Offendum

RAMALLAH UNDERGROUND based in Ramallah Palestine was born from the immediacy of musical experimentation and out of the need to give voice to a generation of Palestinians and Arabs facing a turbulent and uncertain political landscape The collective was founded by artists Boikutt Stormtrap and Aswatt and has always held a commitment to both the honesty of their work and the need to creatively rejuvenate Arabic culture To this end they combine music ranging from Arabic electronic music hip-hop and trip hop to downtempo with a deep sense of their local culture and the imposing presence of Palestine in their lives The outcome is a new specific and distinct sound RU (as producers and as MCrsquos ) has collaborated with numerous artists across the globe including countries like Lebanon UK Switzerland Italy USA France and many more including a collaboration with Slovo (a band headed by the guitarist from faithless) in their track ldquoNakbardquo which appears on their album Todo Cambia and with Kronos Quartet in the track ldquoTashweeshrdquo which appears on Floodplain RU has also performed live shows in Ramallah Bethlehem Vienna London Cairo Lausanne Amsterdam and Washington DC Their shows are mainly a performance of their hip-hop tracks as well as a few of their own electronic productions as a warm up More recently RU has incorporated a visual set in their live

performances brought to you by Palestinian visual artist Ruanne RU hopes to give a voice to Palestinians and Arabs bringing an alternative voice from the Arab world Their lyrics and music are an expression of anguish and defiance ultimately remaining a defiant voice of the colonized against the colonizer They continue to play a big role in the Arab underground cultural scene while slowly gaining wide global and local popularity

SHADIA MANSOURrsquos work can be found at myspacecomshadiamusic and on Facebook

STORMTRAP is a music producercomposerMC from Palestine Experimenting with old samples instruments and field recordings his sound is the result of a fusion of ambient atmospheres combined with various noises and hip hop beats His lyrics deal with different themes inspired mainly by his personal experiences in Palestine and life in the diaspora Stormtrap played a fundamental role in forming the band Ramallah Underground with which he has performed worldwide the past few years Currently he is working in Vienna with Aras Seyhan and Eren Ileri on a new album which combines live instruments synthesizers turntables beats and Arabic lyrics- which will be released early 2012 His work may be heard at soundcloudcomstormtrap He tweets from asifeh

AMEER YOSSEF 25 has sung and writen music with the band Klaket for the past four years His work may be heard at youtubecomAmeer and on Facebook

towards the work Her work for now concentrates on the process of making interactive and participatory performances that question borders stereotypes and languages

MOE ALI NAYEL is a fixer and a journalist based in Beirut Lebanon He uses social media blogging non-mainstream music journalism and writing as a word spreading eye opening socializing arena He uses social media as a bridge that cuts distance between people on this planet making it a tiny village This bridge starts in his office and takes him to every corner in the world enabling him to connect and network with people and cultures sharing and exchanging stories of the unheard and the neglected He blogs at Words of Action and he tweets from MoeAliNay

ALEX ORTIZ is a video and radio journalist and translator based in Cairo Egypt He graduated from Brown University in 2009 with a double major in Comparative Literature and Middle East Studies He was a CASA I fellow from 2009-2010 and a CASA II fellow from 2010-2011 He currently works for CBS News as a field producer He tweets from cairowitness

AHMED SHAWKET is an independent translator living in Cairo Egypt He is a graduate of the Helwan University Faculty of Arts where he majored in philosophy Ahmed works on literary media and commercial translation

113112

ABOUT SHAHADATShahadat is a quarterly online series designed to provide a platform for short-form writing and experimentation in writing by young and underexposed writers from the MENA region (Middle East and North Africa) The series features stories vignettes reflections and chronicles in translation and the original language of Arabic Farsi Turkish or Kurdish It makes up one quarter of ArteEastrsquos online programming the AE Quarterly For past issues of Shahadat click here

ABOUT THIS SERIES Shahadat is proud to run two alternating series and releases two issues a year of each The issue yoursquove just perused is part of the ldquoExploring Popular Literaturerdquo series This series challenges traditional understandings of ldquoliteraturerdquo emerging from the Middle East and North Africa by presenting genres of creative production that rely on words and language but which have not typically been studied as literature Works are presented in their original language and in translation

In each issue we gather texts from a spectrum of writers to challenge the singular status of the artistauthor and to encourage a more complex presentation of the Middle Eastern and North African ldquostreetrdquo for English-speaking audiences Shahadatrsquos other series ldquoContemporary Literature in Translationrdquo features the work of a single young author in the original language and in English translation

BEHIND THE DOCUMENTShahadat is co-edited by Rayya El Zein Alex Ortiz and ArteEastrsquos Artistic Director Barrak Alzaid All three are young professionals and scholars with artistic inclinations (literature poetry translation and performance) All three have strong connections to New York City and various metropole of the MENA region Shahadat is for us an experiment and a labor of love An editorial board of established scholars and authors is currently being conceived

SPECIAL THANKS TOAnmar El ZeinKinda AkashAndrew JohnstonLivia Alexander

Shahadat logo design by Rima Farouki

114

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Page 17: Shahadat Winter 2012

3332

مرات بتفهم النبرة غلطبس هلئ فهمني منيح

جريح بدون تلقيح تصريح صريح بدون تلميح

فظيعكيف خلونا نطيع

بوقت تشييع جثمان الضاضمضاض لإلنتفاض ثورة الثروة قيد التصنيع

فيعبوجه عقود بقبضة من حديد

من هون لقرية بال متديدبدون مانروح لبعيد

جتميد روؤس أموال و نوويةمصلحة أول مستفيد

بتدوب بشعلة من سيدي بوزيد

ولعشوف اكمن دكتاتور منقلعولعشوف اكمن دكتاتور منقلع

ولع شوف اكمن دكتاتور منقلعصوت الثورة بكل مكان و عم منسمع

من حكام لنوابو ال استثني احدا منكم

ما بيهمكمحلد ما الهتافات تتوجه إلكم إتهزكم

أفهمكمbاإلستبداد تارك الشارع بإستعداد o i k u t t

Sometimes you misunderstand a tone

But now you understand me correctly

Wounded without vaccination

A blatant statement without any hinting

Unbelievable

How they made us obey

At the funeral of the corpse of the [quintessential Arabic letter] Ddad

Counter revolution the revolution of wealth is in process

Rise

In the face of decades under an iron fist

From here to a village without extension

Without going too far

Freezing of capital and nuclear war heads

The interest of the primary beneficiary

Melts with a flame from Sidibouzid

Ignitesee how many dictators wersquoll uproot

Ignitesee how many dictators wersquoll uproot

Ignitesee how many dictators wersquoll uproot

The sound of revolution is everywhere we make it heard

From leaders to parliamentarians

I do not exclude any of you

But you donrsquot care

Until chants are directed at you and shake you

Let me explain

Tyranny leaves the street prepared

Walle

boikutt

null

1746378

3534

من املزارع بوسط البالدفعل مضارع للرماد

فا إنصرف زاي فلوس الدولة إللي طريقها إنحرفوإنعرف و إنصبت بجيوب هالطرف من شوفرية الشرف

حتية خاصة ألسود ميدان التحريرلتعديل دستور التعتير

إن صح التعبير

عندي نظر األطرشو سمع األعمى

عايشني حياة و مكلبشني باخلوف بنفس الوقت فا قللي شو املعنىتاريخ شجعنا

الوضع الراهن منعناناس بتمر و بتسمعنا

بدون جتاوب جتارب فجاوبيا ضدنا يا معنا

إرفع قبضة الصمود فوق في الهوا ثابتةإنتفاضة أولى و ثانية بس الثالثة نابتة

أطراف كابتةبس قد ما يحاولوا ميحوا ويحطوا الناس كاتبة

بالتفاصيل و كامتة

ولعhellip شوف اكمن دكتاتور منقلعولعhellip شوف اكمن دكتاتور منقلع

ولع شوف اكمن دكتاتور منقلعصوت الثورة بكل مكان و عم منسمع

ولعhellip شوف اكمن دكتاتور منقلعbو صفهم عالدور واحد واحدhellipو شنع o i k u t t

From the farmers in the center

Changing present tense to ashes

So vanish like the statersquos money whose road has deviated

It is known that it ended up in the pockets of the corrupt who claim to be clean

A special salute to the lions of Tahrir Square

For amending the constitution of misfortune

If that can be said

I have the sight of the deaf

And the hearing of the blind

Leading a life while chained by fear at the same time so tell me whatrsquos the point

History encouraged us

The current situation prevented us

People pass by and hear us

Without any response -- testing -- so answer

Yoursquore either with us or against us

Raise the fist of resistance up in the air

A first and second Intifada but the third is sprouting

Oppressive groups

No matter how hard they try to erase and replace people have written

In details and know by heart

Ignitesee how many dictators wersquoll uproot

Ignitesee how many dictators wersquoll uproot

Ignitesee how many dictators wersquoll uproot

The sound of revolution is everywhere we make it heard

Ignitesee how many dictators wersquoll uproot

Line them up in turn one after the other and defame them

T r a n s l a t e d b y F a r a h E l R e w a i s s a t i

Walle

boikutt

null

1746378

3736

ولك انا ابن عكا وبن يافا و طولكرم انا ابن كل شبر من البحر للنهر

االرض الي حملت موسى مرمي واملسيح انااملقابر يلي فاضت من كتر التوابيت

انا اخليمة بيت التنك واحلصيرة والكانون والبيوت املسروقة والدم املهدور

انا الهوى يالي حامل الغضب والبكاوالطرقات يلي بتغرق مع كل نقطة الشتا

انا رصاصة من املجاهد عم تعبر حلدود انا حزام من القنابل مشتاق لليهود

لطفل على باب املستشفى عم بيموتانا الجئ ممنوع من العمل مكروه

انا اين املخيم يلي عاطل عن العمل سيجارة احلشيش يلي بتمحي شوية الم

H 2 Z

Irsquom the son of Acre Jaffa and Tulkarem

Irsquom the son of every inch from the river to the sea

Irsquom the land that carried Moses Mary and the Christ

Irsquom the cemeteries that overflow with coffins

Irsquom the tent the tin house the mat and the stove

The stolen houses and the wasted blood

Irsquom the wind that bears anger and tears

The roads that drown in a single drop of rain

I am a bullet that crosses borders

Irsquom a grenade against Zionists

A child that dies waiting outside the hospital

Irsquom a hated refugee whorsquos prohibited from working

Irsquom the son of the camps always unemployed

The hash cigarettes that ease the pain

iانا فلسطيني am palest inian

Ana Falasteeni

H27

null

17782504

eng - iTunNORM 0000057E 0000056B 00004E0F 00004D32 00021C96 00021C96 00008000 00008000 0000ECEA 00007530

3938

حيطان هالبيت يلي بكره رح ينردم انا االحمر واالسود واالخضر من هالعلم

من دم االبطال من دموع الاطفالمن اجلحيم التشرد واجلوء واالنكسار

من ظلم االحتاللمن حلم االستقالل

من ارض الزيتونوالصليب والهالل

انا حافظ احلواجز بكل بالد العالممن النادر انو بيوم يعتبروني بني ادم انا سنني االعتقال انا غرف التعذيب

الوجع والصريخ واجلروح الي ما بطيبانا شعب ما انهزم بس عمرو ما انتصر

انا اكبر ارهابي الني حامل حجر اسير طول عمرو رافض انو بيوم ميوت بس معاهدة سالم بتنفي اني موجود

انا القدس بيت حلم ومخيم جننياالدان واجلراس الهالل والصليب

املدافن واملدارس وكنسية املسيح الشوارع القدمية والبيت العتيق

انا ركوة الشاي و سندويشة الفالفلالكرم والبخل واالخالق واملهازل

الكذب والصدق واخليانة والصمود Hانا فلسطيني حلتى اموت 2 Z

The walls of the house that I hate thatrsquos about to get demolished

I am the red and black and green in this flag

From the blood of heroes from the tears of children

From the hell of homelessness and broken refugees

From the oppression of the occupation

From the dream of independence

Irsquom from the land of the olives

The cross and crescent

I know all the checkpoints in all countries of the world

It is where they consider me a human being

Irsquom years of capture Irsquom the torture chambers

The pain and the screams and the wounds that never heal

I was never defeated but never had a victory

Irsquom the biggest terrorist because I carry a stone

A prisoner who spends his whole life refusing to die

But a peace treaty forgets that Irsquom alive

Irsquom Jerusalem Bethlehem and Jenin refugee camp

The call to prayer the bells the crescent and the cross

The old cemeteries schools and church of Christ

The old streets and the ancient house

Irsquom the tea cup and the falafel sandwich

Generosity and greed morality and farce

Lies and betrayal and honesty and persistence

I am Palestinian until I die

T r a n s l a t e d b y t h e a r t i s t

Ana Falasteeni

H27

null

17782504

eng - iTunNORM 0000057E 0000056B 00004E0F 00004D32 00021C96 00021C96 00008000 00008000 0000ECEA 00007530

4140

صباح اخلير با والد عمومناتفضلوا شرفونا

شو بتحبوا نضيفكم دم عربي وال دموع من عيوننابعتقد هيك تأملوا نستقبلن

هيك تعقدوا ملا تدركوا على غلطتهنمن هيك لبسنا الكوفية

البيضة والسودةصاروا كالب الزمان يلبسوها كموضة

مهما تفننوا فيامهما غيروا بلونا

كوفية عربية بتضال عربية

حطتنا بدن ياهاثقافتنا بدن ياها

S h a d i a M a n s o u r w i t h M 1 o f D e a d P r e z

Good morning cousins

Come in and honor us with your presence

What would you like us to serve you Arab blood or tears from our eyes

I think thatrsquos how they hoped we would recieve them

Thatrsquos why they got tangled up when they tripped up on their own mistake

Thatrsquos why we wore the kufeyyeh

The black and white one

Dogs of the past started to wear it as a fashion statement

However they change it

Whatever colour they make it

The Kufeyyeh is Arab and will always be Arab

Our scarf they want it

Our intellect they want it

kufeyyeh arabeyyeh الكوفية عربية

Kufeyyeh Arabeyyeh

Shadia Mansour and M1

Shahadat Winter 2012 track 616

Hip Hop

26239166

4342

كرامتنا بدن ياهاكل شي إلنا بدن ياه

ما رح نسكتلن نسمحلن الالبقلن يسرقوا شغلة مش إلهن ما خصن فيا

بيقلدونا باللبسكل هاألرض بيكفيهنش

طمعانني عالقدسإعرفوا كيف تكونوا بشر

قبل ما تلبسوا الكوفيةجينا نذكرن مني إحنا

وغصبا من عن أبوهم هاي حطتنا

من هيك لبسنا الكوفيةألنها وطنية

الكوفية الكوفية عربيةمن هيك لبسنا الكوفية

هويتنا األساسيةالكوفية الكوفية عربية

يال علي الكوفيةعلولي هالكوفية

الكوفية الكوفية عربيةعلوها لبالد الشام

كوفية عربية بتضال عربية

ما في بعد متل الشعب العربيفرجوني أية أمة بالدنيا أكثر مأثرة

الصورة واضحة نحنا مهد احلضارة

S h a d i a M a n s o u r w i t h M 1 o f D e a d P r e z

Our dignity they want it

Everything thatrsquos ours they want it

We will not be silent will not allow it

It suits them to steal something that ainrsquot theirs

They imitate our style

As if all this land werenrsquot not enough

Thirsting after Jerusalem

Know how to be human

Before you wear our scarf

We came to remind them who we are

And like it or not itrsquos our right

Thatrsquos why we wore the kufeyyeh

Because it is nationalistic

The kufeyyeh is Arab

Thatrsquos why we wore the kufeyyeh

Because it is our original identity

The kufeyyeh is Arab

Come on raise your kufeyyehs

Raise that kufeyyeh

The kufeyyeh is Arab

Raise it up for bilad ersquosham [Greater Syria the wider Arab world]

The kufeyyeh is Arab and will always be Arab

There are no others like the Arab people

Show me one region in the world that is more influencial

The picture is clear we are the origins of civilization

Kufeyyeh Arabeyyeh

Shadia Mansour and M1

Shahadat Winter 2012 track 616

Hip Hop

26239166

4544

تاريخنا وتراثنا الشاهد على وجودنامن هيك لبست التوب الفلسطيني

من حيفا جنني جبل النار إلى رام اللهخليني شوف الكوفية

البيضة واحلمراخلينا نعليها لفوق بالسما

أنا شادية العربلساني بغز غزبلساني بهز هز

كلمات احلربسجل أنا شادية منصور

واحلطة هويتيمن يوم ما خلقت

سيدي والشعب مسؤوليتيلكن تربيت بني الشرق وبني الغرب

بني لغتنيبني بخيل بني فقير

شفت احلياة من اجلهتنيبس علمتني الكوفية

كيف ما لبستونيوين ما شلحتوني

بضلني عأصولي فلسطينية

S h a d i a M a n s o u r w i t h M 1 o f D e a d P r e z

Our history traditions and customs bear witness to our existence

Thatrsquos why I wear the Palestinian dress

From Haifa Jenin Jabal El Naar to Ramallah

Let me see the kufeyyeh

The red and white one

Letrsquos raise it up to the sky

I am the singer of the Arabs

Like an earthquake I shake the ground

My words are war

Record this

I am Shadia Mansour

And this scarf is my ID

From the day I was born the people have been my responsibility

Look I was raised between the East and the West

Between two languages

Between the rich and the poor

Irsquove seen life from both sides

However the kufeyyeh has taught me

However you wear me

Wherever you leave me

I stay true to my origin Palestinian

T r a n s l a t e d b y t h e a r t i s t w i t h F a r a h E l R e w a i s s a t i

Kufeyyeh Arabeyyeh

Shadia Mansour and M1

Shahadat Winter 2012 track 616

Hip Hop

26239166

4746

حمامة سالم افتحي أجنحتكي و طيري

وين الوعي - وين امشوا معي هني وادي بني اجلبلني عني حب للطرفني

أمهاتنا حبت ذاتنا بس مو عاجبهن مسباتنا هذا احلكي بني اخواتنا

Oزين العرب واألمريكان m a r O f f e n d u m

This track contains verses that were originally written in English

You are my

(Destiny)

Itrsquos hard livinrsquo in the West - when I know the East got the best of me

(Destiny)

Could be lookinrsquo in my eyes - but yoursquoll never really see the rest of me

(Destiny)

Can you hear me maseeri [my destiny] Bi-lingualrsquos what Irsquom blessed to be

(Destiny)

Dove of Peace

Spread your wings amp fly

Consciousness What consciousness - where is it

Take a walk with me

Here in this valley between two ldquomountainsldquo

Where the source of love for both ldquosidesldquo can be found

Our mothers like us

But donrsquot like our foul language

So letrsquos keep this between the siblings

The best of Arabs amp Americans

destمصيري iny

7 Destiny

Omar Offendum

The Peace Revolution 20

21332892

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eng - iTunSMPB 00000000 00000210 0000094B 00000000008F7FA5 00000000 004108FB 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000

4948

وألله يرحم كل أمواتنا أغاني

مثل املهامتة إذا قلنا العني بالعني

ما صفى عندنا عيون بالشام بالد الشام

من فلسطني إلى جبال لبنان قبل ما اخترعوا احلدود

من اإلسكندرون إلى كردستان فهمان

جنجس خان ما خان قد ما خانونا أوالد العم بس دمنا دمهم

بني أدم - بنو ذمنبهم على أكتافنا - شلنا همهم

ليه الله بيعلم

بس ليك هذا الفتيش والبسكليت احسنلك من 100000000 مسدس

تعرف ليه ألن مو عاجبهم بسمتك

بس إبتسم برسمتك شاب عربي ومثقف

أعطيهم ختمتك وإذا لسة مو راضني

ذكرهم بكالم إيليية )أبي ماضي( raquoنسي الطني ساعة أنه طنيlaquo

Oوهذه هي القضاء والقدر يا حبيبي m a r O f f e n d u m

And may God have mercy on all our dead

Songs I sing

Like the Mahatma [the line above and the line below are linked through the sound of the name and the figure of Mahatama Ghandi]

If we say lsquoan eye for an eyersquo

There wont be any eyes left in Sham [Damascus]

Bilad al-Sham [Greater Syria the wider Arab world]

From Palestine to the mountains of Lebanon

Before they made up these borders

From Iskandaroon to Kurdistan

Understand

Genghis Khan never deceived us quite like our ldquopaternal cousinsldquo [khan also means ldquodeceiveldquo in Arabic]

But our blood is their blood

Children of Adam -- who built their sins

Upon our shoulders -- we carried their burden

Why

God knows

But listen this little firecracker amp bicycle

Are better for you than 100 million guns

Wanna know why

Because they dont like seeing you smile

But smile you will - in your human being

A young cultured Arab male

Give them your stamp of approval

And if they still donrsquot accept you

Then remind them of the words of Elliye [Abi-Madhee a Lebanese poet whose poem begins with]

ldquoHow soon a piece of dirt can forget that all he really is is just dirtldquo [ie we are all from this earth amp

will come back to it so there is no logic in viewing yourself as better than someone else]

And that my friend is our destiny

7 Destiny

Omar Offendum

The Peace Revolution 20

21332892

eng - iTunNORM 000006D3 000006F2 000038BA 0000322F 0000E4FA 0000E4FA 00008716 0000864B 0002AB5E 000083D6

eng - iTunSMPB 00000000 00000210 0000094B 00000000008F7FA5 00000000 004108FB 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000

5150

O m a r O f f e n d u m

Dove of Peace

Spread your wings amp fly

Make it easier to borrow

The aesthetics you bite

Like all the Arabic loanwords

From Spaniards amp Morros

The Karma of Inquisition

Visions of horror

So whorsquos the explorer

Really was it Columbus

Muhammad al-Idrisi or Alfaragnus

Throw a Hobson Jobson

While you figure it out

Irsquom gonna start with a cipher

Thatrsquos a siffir [zero] - no doubt

See you might not have learned to live with me

But sure as hell canrsquot without

You are my

You are my

(Destiny)

Itrsquos hard livinrsquo in the West - when I know the East got the best of me

(Destiny)

Could be lookinrsquo in my eyes - but yoursquoll never really see the rest of me

(Destiny)

Can you hear me maseeri [my destiny] Bi-lingualrsquos what Irsquom blessed to be

(Destiny)

حمامة سالم افتحي أجنحتكي و طيري

I write right to left

You write left to right

Metaphor of a foreignerrsquos plight

Dressed to type

Stereo amp a mic

Scenario of a fight

The burial of a white

Imperial at his heightrsquos

A Turkish Rapperrsquos Delight

Semetic etiquette might

Just have you rollin your ldquoRrsquosldquo

Poetic amp light

And grab a hold of your sorrows

To relieve your tomorrows

7 Destiny

Omar Offendum

The Peace Revolution 20

21332892

eng - iTunNORM 000006D3 000006F2 000038BA 0000322F 0000E4FA 0000E4FA 00008716 0000864B 0002AB5E 000083D6

eng - iTunSMPB 00000000 00000210 0000094B 00000000008F7FA5 00000000 004108FB 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000

5352

O m a r O f f e n d u m

Dove of Peace

Spread your wings amp fly

Bitched out by the West

Press get a big shout

From the people gettinrsquo rich out of this (bout)

Now whatrsquos this really all about

Land money or power

It was the colonizerrsquos fault

But now itrsquos really just ours

Leavinrsquo a sour tase in our mouths

Like generational slave names

Whenever speakinrsquo out

Out-spoken leaders gettinrsquo taken out

Quicker than belligerent drunks in a bar

We a far cry from livinrsquo as one

T r a n s l a t e d b y t h e a r t i s t

(Destiny)

Itrsquos hard livinrsquo in the West - when I know the East got the best of me

(Destiny)

Could be lookinrsquo in my eyes - but yoursquoll never really see the rest of me

(Destiny)

Can you hear me maseeri [my destiny] Bi-lingualrsquos what Irsquom blessed to be

(Destiny)

حمامة سالم افتحي أجنحتكي و طيري

See arab [Arabs] shootin at each other

From Iraq to Falasteen [Palastine]

Syria to Libnan [Lebanon]

Algeria to Sudan

Pedagogy of the oppressed tricklinrsquo down

Conquerinrsquo through divisions

And sadly this isnrsquot the first time

One land one love one chance one blood

No fuss no fight Yeah right young blood

AKrsquos cheaper than a book

Crooked leaders in a hook

Gettinrsquo fished out

Missles gettinrsquo dished out

7 Destiny

Omar Offendum

The Peace Revolution 20

21332892

eng - iTunNORM 000006D3 000006F2 000038BA 0000322F 0000E4FA 0000E4FA 00008716 0000864B 0002AB5E 000083D6

eng - iTunSMPB 00000000 00000210 0000094B 00000000008F7FA5 00000000 004108FB 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000

5554

زي ما صار مبارح صار اليوم اطف التلفزيون امسك مايكروفون

زي ما صار مبارح صار اليوم اطف التلفزيون امسك مايكروفون

زي ما صار مبارح صار اليوم اطف التلفزيون امسك مايكروفون

زي ما صار مبارح صار اليوم اطف التلفزيون امسك مايكروفون

النه الوقت عم يسبق بقلك خي سالم بس اصبر

بدك تستني هاي اخلطط بعمرها ما تضبطبيدفعلك قد ما بدك عشان تسكت

واذا بتفتح متك طخة وحده وبعد بتسقط

s t o r m t r a p

What happened yesterday happens today

switch off your TV and grab a microphone

What happened yesterday happens today

switch off your TV and grab a microphone

What happened yesterday happens today

switch off your TV and grab a microphone

What happened yesterday happens today

switch off your TV and grab a microphone

Because time is racing

He keeps telling you peace is coming just be patient

You want to wait these plans never succeed

Hersquoll pay you as much as you want to keep you quiet

And if you open your mouth one shot will silence you

what happened yesterdayزي ما صار مبارح

Zey ma sar mbareh

Stormtrap

null

2009

1728613

eng - Visit httpstormtrapbandcampcom

5756

اركض اركض وخليك راكض

واذا بتفتح متك رح يقلك خليك ساكت رح يقلك انساك من هاملشاكل

حوشوا هالشواك وضبوا شناتكم واشتروا التذاكرففكر شوي وما تكنش أهبل

وين ما تروح في الدنيا رح تتبهدلمش شايف قدامي عم بسمع أصوات بيسألني

ليش لسه عايش هون روح عيش محل تانيبدي احك بس الكلمات مش طالعة من لساني

عنصرية هونن عنصرية هناك عنصرية كل ما اطلع برا الشباك

شيطان بيعمل حاله مالكبس هو بالواقع بدو يعيش بالك

جدار بيمثل عقلية ناس بدهاش تعيش معاك

زي ما صار مبارح صار اليوم اطف التلفزيون امسك مايكروفون

ما مبثل شخص او اشخاص مبثل فكرةاسم احلرية حاملينه

من بلد ما فيه حياة عاديةسواءا ضد االحتالل أو ضد العنصرية

أصواتكم وينايي خلوها تنسمع وتطلع نتائج ايجابية

فكمل كتابة او تسجيل وصدقني شغلك مش رايح عالفاضي

عشان الشي الوحيد اللي رح يروح هو احن اذا منضلنا علقانني فاملاضي

s t o r m t r a p

Run run

Keep running

And if you decide to speak hersquoll tell you just stay silent

Hersquoll tell you forget these problems

Save up some money pack your bags and buy your tickets

Think about it donrsquot be a fool

Wherever you go yoursquoll get humiliated

I canrsquot see in front of me Irsquom hearing voices asking

Why are you still living here Go live somewhere else

I want to respond but the words wonrsquot come out

Racism here racism there

Racism each time I look out the window

A devil in an angelrsquos disguise

In reality he wants to live without you

The apartheid wall represents the mentality of a people who donrsquot care to coexist

What happened yesterday happens today

switch off your TV and grab a microphone

I dont represent a person or a people I represent an idea

An idea called freedom

From a land lacking a normal life

Whether yoursquore struggling against occupation or against racism

Where is your voice

Let it be heard to achieve your goals

So keep writing and recording

Believe me your work wonrsquot be lost in vain

The only thing thatrsquoll disappear is us

If we stay stuck in the past

Zey ma sar mbareh

Stormtrap

null

2009

1728613

eng - Visit httpstormtrapbandcampcom

5958

شو الي حدثجينا من حتت األرض

هيهة القصة بدة عنا هدفوننشر أصواتنا لكل حدا

جيت من حتت أرض رام اللهما ح وقف اكتب كلمات وال مرة

عندي طاقة الزم أطلعها كل يوم وكل ساعةفاو انبنى مع الوقت ولسة عم بيطور تصور

تصورفاو انبنى مع الوقت ولسة عم بيطور تصور

زي ما صار مبارح صار اليوم اطف التلفزيون امسك مايكروفون

زي ما صار مبارح صار اليوم اطف التلفزيون امسك مايكروفون

s t o r m t r a p

What happened

We came from underground

The story begins we have an objective

To spread our voices to everyone

I came from the ruins of Ramallah and

I wonrsquot ever stop writing words

I have energy that I must release every day every hour

A flow thatrsquos been built and is still developing imagine

Imagine a flow thatrsquos been built and is still developing

What happened yesterday happens today

Switch off your TV and grab a microphone

What happened yesterday happens today

Switch off your TV and grab a microphone

T r a n s l a t e d b y t h e a r t i s t

Zey ma sar mbareh

Stormtrap

null

2009

1728613

eng - Visit httpstormtrapbandcampcom

6160

Wake up the People

Donrsquot doubt it

The Maker can see you

Right now

You want to get out and see doe

So clouded

Sell out to be dope

Right now

I see you plagued by your own doubt

Canrsquot step the game up

Like a snake when it rolled down

Staircase of a lone child

No bricks lain in a cold house

Where you sold out

All alone on an old couch

t h e N a r c i c y s t

No click like an untapped phone dial

Oh wow

I felt the same homie

Donrsquot shelter pain only

Then it came slowly

Never let the frame hold me (down)

Picture life for the love though

People tend to look the other way like Columbo

We deceived by the law just to love doe

Guess they took all the worth out to numb folks

And make a severed plan

Out of bitter man

What you want a medal man

Huh Do you really think yoursquore better than Then

All you really need is a long look

Two sixteens and a strong hook like

brassThis track was originally written in English

null

2149748

6362

Wake up the People

Donrsquot doubt it

The Maker can see you

Right now

You want to get out and see doe

So clouded

Sell out to be dope

Right now

Break

Hip hop like a fresh pelvis

Yoursquore gonna regret this shit like a dead Elvis

Busy wishing you could live less selfish

Crabs in a bucket duckinrsquo these dead shellfish

Industry got a brother feeling helpless

With an ill chorus and ride yoursquore more in the tide

When a flow canrsquot keep me above the water

t h e N a r c i c y s t

Let a wave carry me out and push me farther now

Internal Inferno ten journals written but Irsquom still not sure though

Do I really want to tour to jump hurdles To be heard

So-I-Can-Feel-Like-This

Man therersquos something that I might miss--

Naw Irsquove been bluffinrsquo

Lifersquos backwards like Ben Buttonsrsquo

Irsquom in love with the stage fright on a strange night

Feels good to get the words on a page right

Wake up the People

Donrsquot doubt it

The Maker can see you

Right now

You want to get out and see doe

So clouded

Sell out to be dope

Right now

null

2149748

6564

مبارح شفت بلمنام بيروت عمتغرق حتت رماد بركان فحموا الناس بس ال raquoسكاي بارlaquo كان بعده ولعان

بيروت ثبتت حبة الثورة اللي فينا نبتت ملا أحبطت نفوسنا من اجلمود

فينا بيروت حتركت عدم دمارنا وعدم حرية خيارنا

بيوت بيروت تعمرت سكرنا عجفاف دموعنا جفوننا عليها تسكرت فتخمرت

إذا بطلت تطير قدرك عألرض مقهور إذا وقفت تكسير بتصير جزء من الديكور

e l R a s s

Yesterday I dreamt Beirut was drowning under volcanic ash

The people were turned to charcoal but Sky Bar [a posh Beirut club] was still lit up

Beirut suppressed the seed of the revolution the one that sprouted

When our spirits were foiled from immobility

In us Beirut moved

On the blood of our destruction and the negation of our freedom of choice

The houses of Beirut are rebuilt

We got drunk on the dryness of our tears our eyelids closed on them and fermented

If you stop flying your destiny on land is distress

If you stop breaking you become part of the decoration

beirutبركان بيروت rsquos volcano

Blues

2125713

6766

بحاور بناور باآلخر بواجه التاج بتوضى بصلي بتوصلني أصوات أنات احملتاج

تأمل العلم بعري العمل من العمل خياري عنار خفيفة دوب املسمار وتستوي األفكار النظيفة

عمروا دمروا زمروا تذمروا ربك صبره دربه جربه

عقلن خربوا غربوا هربوا وقبلوا بالفن عحيط الشارع

عشرط ما يكون في شك بشارع هيدي مش عاصمة ثقافة هيدي حلبة املصارع بيروت ال تعرف في املاضي وال تعرب باملضارع

حتول التركيبة خلى العقل اجلامد فكر حاله مالك املدينة رقبته طويلة متل مالك احلزين وايده لوزيري

اعتبر نفسه أول مني اكتشف هلجزيرة بأجر الفقير شقق بأسعار مدروسة

بشكل تضل طموحاته ممعوسة نهبوا األرض من ربعي وصارت احلرب شركة استثمار مبفعول رجعي

حتت شعار إعادة اإلعمار لو ما كان خلص دوره وانتهى عقد االيجار

كان احلريري ما طار وما صار مطار احلريري عاصمة لبنان بتوازن بني ضريحني

واتنيناتن عاغتيالن في عالمة استفهام e واحد قدس املوت بس لسبب l R a s s

I discuss I maneuver ultimately I confront the crown

I perform ablutions I pray I receive the moaning of the needy

The meditation of knowledge strips work from hope

My choice is on low fire melting the nails and clean thoughts are ripening

They built they destroyed they honked they complained

Your god made him patient tested him and trained him

Their minds ruined westernized chased off

They accepted art pissed on back alleys

As long as there is no doubt in the streets

This is no capital of culture itrsquos a wrestling ring

Beirut canrsquot speak of itself in the past nor conjugate itself in the present

Transitions and transformations made the closed mind think he owns the city

His neck is long like a stork his fingers long like a politicianrsquos

He thinks himself the first who discovered this peninsula

He lets the poor rent apartments at prices studied

To crush ambitions

They stole the land from my cousins

And the war became a backward-looking investment

Under the slogan of reconstruction

If his time wasnrsquot up and his contract finished

Hariri didnrsquot have to fly and it wouldnrsquot have become the Hariri airport

Lebanonrsquos capital keeps balance between two shrines

And on both assassinations there is a question mark

One sanctifies death but for a reason

Blues

2125713

6968

واحد قدس احلياة بس بالكذب واحد بايدو حتول الذهب سم وواحد تخبى من الذهب بالدم

مني الشهيد

اللي مات حتت صبابيط ثورة عبيد شهيد اللي مات فتحول على حملة اعالنات هدفها ترفع الطايفة معدالت التجنيد

قنابل بالبريد وصل سيوف علوريد حصل

املوت للبليد صنم الصبر للعنيد حلم تأليه الشهيد ظلم

خليط احلديد والدم العالج والسم الرفاه والهم النوعية والكم

الدعارة وورقة التوت مبدينة بيروت علم

e l R a s s

And one sanctifies life with lies

In onersquos hand gold turned into poison

And the other hid from gold with blood

Who is the martyr

The one who died under the shoes of the oppressedrsquos uprising is a martyr

Is it he whose death was transformed into an advertising campaign to raise the levels of

sectarian enlistment

Bombs came in the mail

Swords to the jugular true stories

Death to the cold is statuette

Patience to the stubborn is a dream

Divinity to the martyr is oppression

The mixture of steel and blood the cure and poison

Luxury and distress quality and quantity

Prostitution and modesty

The science of the city of Beirut

T r a n s l a t e d b y M o e A l i N a y e l amp + A z i z

Blues

2125713

7170

بقرأ في اجلريدة زفت شوارع جديدة

إزالة مطبات و كثير أشياء هيك مفيدة أشخاص مستفيدة

دعم من هون و من هون منظمات بس احلرية بعيدة

مقاطعة مستوطنات تعون الضفة الغربية وطنية حصرية إدعائية

طب و فلسطني التاريخية مع ألساس كانت القدس عاصمة الثقافة العربية

بس كلوحكي سياسية للشعب إحنا نتحمل الشغل و التعب و الوضع صعب

b o i k u t t

Irsquom reading in the paper

About roads newly paved

Speed bumps removed and a lot of other useful stuff (yes very)

Certain inviduals benefit

Funding from here and there

Organizations are plentiful but freedom is far-fetched

Calling for a boycott of settlements around the West Bank

Pretentious exclusive nationalism

But what about historical Palestine

I thought Jerusalem was supposed to be the ldquocapital of Arab cultureldquo

But itrsquos all political speeches for the people

We put up with the work and the sweat and itrsquos rough

a letterرسالة من مقاطعة from boikutt

risaleh mn muqataa (pt1)

boikutt

null

2010

1086983

eng - iTunPGAP0

eng - iTunNORM 00000A1E 00000A0E 000099D9 000098A0 0000CC63 0000CC63 0000826D 000080B0 000131D0 000131D0

eng - iTunSMPB 00000000 00000210 000008F3 000000000049197D 00000000 0027BA9D 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000

7372

يقنعونا إن كلشي متام و بقدر أعيش حياة عادية

زي في األفالم على مبس واحد إثنني ثالثة أربعة إلخ

كن منيح و بتنزل عليك املصاري زخ نصيحة من أخ ألخ

خليك مستقل ألن اللعبة إنلعب فإبعد عن الفخ

خليهم يقعدوا يستنوا الدعم ليموتوا يلفلفوا داخل اجلدار حلد ما يفوتوا

في متاهات مبسافات مش محددة مجددة لتوسع التوسع مش مهددة

إنتهاك احتالل بس مش على الكل

في ناس في فلسطني هون حياتهم زي الفل مش عارف شو بيفكر

شكلوا مش داري شي يوم حنروح كل الدكاكني هي حتسكر

سالم

b o i k u t t

Try to convince me that everythingrsquos fine

And that I can lead a normal life

Like in the movies

On MBC one two three four etcetera

Be good and money will rain on you

Advice from one brother to another

Stay independent because the games are being played

So steer clear of the trap

Let them wait for foreign aid until they die

Spinning in circles within the apartheid wall until they enter

Into unlimited mazes with unspecified spaces

That are renewed to fit settlement expansion unthreatened

Violation occupation

But not for everyone

There are people here in Palestine living ldquothe good lifeldquo

I donrsquot know what hersquos thinking

Seems like he doesnrsquot know one day wersquoll be gone

And all these shops will close

Peace

T r a n s l a t e d b y t h e a r t i s t w i t h L o u b n a B i l a l i

risaleh mn muqataa (pt1)

boikutt

null

2010

1086983

eng - iTunPGAP0

eng - iTunNORM 00000A1E 00000A0E 000099D9 000098A0 0000CC63 0000CC63 0000826D 000080B0 000131D0 000131D0

eng - iTunSMPB 00000000 00000210 000008F3 000000000049197D 00000000 0027BA9D 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000

7574

الضغط عاليالعدو فات جاري احملادثات

صمت دوليكمية الغازى عم تزداد

تهجير جديد مولود جديدتكرر عزو مش تارك ورا شي مفيد غير غراب

من كل البيت ما تركو شي إال البابمن االرض ل سما مسافة عاليه

إمشي الصحرا وعد لياليوجنوما

كمشوا رئيس دولة بجورةحصار

توزيع مخدراتباألحمر تلون الفرات سجون معتقالتقبلة الوداع مع الصبات

تنصت بالشبكة خيانات باألزهر

k a t i b e h 5

The pressure is high

The enemy has entered discussions are taking place

Global silence

The numbers of the occupier are increasing

A new expulsion A newborn child

The perpetuation of an invasion that leaves behind it nothing of any use except for a crow

From an entire house they left nothing but the door

From the ground to the sky is a long distance

Walk the desert and count the nights

And its stars

They caught a president in a pit

Siege

Drug dealing the Euphrates is stained red prisons detention centers

A farewell kiss with a shoe

Networks wiretapped betrayals in Al Azhar

hold me back ifهديني اذا فيك you can

null

23098943

7776

حوار أديانالكف تنجس

متسح فيه وجك مع كل شروق عالوضوءتسمع شرارة فتيل مولوتوف ينادي أصوات تتلبى

باإلنفجار

هديني إذا فيك صرت موجود بكل مكانوجي مغبش عامل زي جيش زباتا

منصرخ بوجكم raquoاحلرية ل برغوتيlaquoإعالمكو بيعرفني كلماتكو حملت إسمي

شركاتكو بتهرب مني )كتيبه خمسه هديتي إذا فيك(

بتالقيني بني والد حفظوا غنية املخيماتبنفسية فالح عمال يزو املدينة

افالم تافهةبرنامج تافه

بتدور على مخك بتالقي مش موجوداخلليج يتحكم بإعالم

هادول حبوب التنومي ٦1 سنة بعدن مش شغالني

عالمادامك واخد وجهة نظري

ع محمل اجلدمسموح لك تستعجب وتظهر إنزعاجك بوجودي

ألني صديق لكل املشاهد الغير مرغوبة فيهاش بيختار حياتو بالتحديد بحكيلك هيك منحياها ومحد

ضغط رصاص وابارود بخليكاش حتيدالتجارب بتدلك عطريق

هديتي إذا فيك

k a t i b e h 5

A dialogue of religions

The hand is tainted

And with it you cleanse your face at ablution each sunrise

You hear the sparking of the fuse of a molotov calling voices respond

Explosion

Hold me back if you can I have become present everywhere

My face is concealed like the army of Zapata

We shout in your face ldquoFreedom for Barghoutildquo

Your media knows me your words have glimpsed my name

Your corporations flee from me

(Katibe Khamseh hold me back if you can)

Yoursquoll find me among children that have memorized the song ldquoAl Moukhayamatldquo

In the persona of a peasant that is visiting the city

Shallow films

Shallow programs

You look for your mind but you find it is not there

The Gulf controls media with its boundaries

These sleeping pills 61 years and theyrsquore still not effective

Great

As long as you are taking my point of view seriously

Yoursquore allowed to be taken aback and to show your irritation

Just like you show your irritation at my presence

Because I am a friend to all the images that are not desirable

This is how we live out these images and no one chooses their life specifically Irsquoll tell you

The pressure of bullets and gunpowder does not allow you to move away

Experience will guide you on the road

Hold me back if you can

null

23098943

7978

موقف واحد صريح من صميم روح لشعوب املقاومة ضمير ظهور البشرية

السبيل صعب ورا الغضبدعم لكل أسالوب محارب

د لنحرق نظامك منتدرب منجرب منخرب منستععم نحرق نظامك

هديتي إذا فيك

إطلع منيحمش رح تقدر توخذ كل شي من أول نظرة

نظرة عامة raquoبشرة مش بيضةlaquoجبني عريضة مكتوب مولود عنيد بالفطرة

فوت بالتقاليد عد التجاعيدلك هاي مش أول مرة

لغات ودراسات حط العلم بغالفمش رح تقدر تفهم ليه بعد في بارود ع الكتافلون األرض ولون الليل بيعطيك البني و السواد

بوعدك مش لوحدي رح أضل عد رماد الال اللعبة اجلديدة وال والدنا ع اللعبة جداد

بكفيش إنفلونزا الصقور صار في إنفلونزا اخلنازيرموسم مرض جديد لرئيس مبثل ع نفوس ومريض بهدوء البيض

هديتي إذا فيك

k a t i b e h 5

A single honest stance from the bottom of the soul for the people of the resistance the conscience

that exposes humanity

The path is difficult when following anger

A support for every style of battle

We train we strive we disrupt we prepare to burn your system

We are burning your system

Hold me back if you can

Look closely

You wonrsquot be able to see it all at first sight

An overview ldquocomplexion that is not whiteldquo

A broad forehead written born stubborn by nature

Look at the traditions and count the wrinkles

This is not the first time

Languages and scholarship put education under wraps

You wonrsquot be able to understand why there is still gunpowder on shoulders

The color of earth and the color of night gives you brown and blackness

I promise you that I will not be alone to count the ashes no

This game to us is not new and nor are our children new to the game

As if the influenza of eagles was not enough now therersquos the influenza of pigs

The season of a new disease for a president acting for a public and sick with the

calmness of white people

Hold me back if you can

null

23098943

8180

اإلحتالل نكه البشر بنكهة املجاريبالسالم حوار أديانبإقرار ملكية كذابة

بتشويه تاريخ وسرقة حضاراتولك أه

فلسطني إفريقيا الدجلة والفراتإجتاه البشرية لإلضمحالل سرطان بشري بعضها

الشتا ميسح اخلطايا واآلثاروليش بتتخبى وبتتغطى بنفس كل سفارة سميك الستار

لساتني باكل الضربة ورا الضره ورا الضربةوحتى ما أفعل وأساوي تكمشني الرجفة

بدل ما أضرب فيك بضرب بحاليبوعدكش حضلني كامش حالي حفلتها

حفلتها

هديني إذا فيك هديني إذا فيكهديني إذا فيك

k a t i b e h 5

The occupation has seasoned humanity with the flavor of sewers

With peace with dialogue of religions

With the declaration of false ownership

With the distortion of history and the theft of civilizations

Oh yes

Palestine Africa the Tigris and Euphrates

Humanity is leading to reduction a human cancer bites it

Exile wipes clean the sins and the traces

And why are you hiding and seeking cover when all the embassies are already well concealed

I am still taking one beating after another

And so that I donrsquot take action and do something shudders grip my body

Instead of beating you I beat myself

I canrsquot promise you that I can keep myself restrained

Irsquom gonna let go

Hold me back if you can

Hold me back if you can

Hold me back if you can

T r a n s l a t e d b y R i m a N a j d i a n d F a y s a l B i b i

null

23098943

8382

طول عمر الشعب املصري مع بعض أحلك الظروفبص وفر في التاريخ وانت ياما هاتشوف

الدين ده ليا وليكوفيا وفيك

حاجة روحانية بتخليك حتس اللي بيك

ايد في ايد نبني فيها من جديد

مصر زعلت علي حاصل وسطنا مش مفيد

بعد ثورة وبعد عيد فتنة تقتل حلم واتتحقق لنا

واحد اتننيالذكري بتعيش اكتر من عمر االنسان

بصمتنا تغييرنا جوة وبرة امليدان مش هانضيع نصر ثورتنا بفتنة نشئت بينا

A r a b i a n K n i g h t s + M C G a z a + A m e e r

The Egyptian people have always stuck together

Through the worst times look at history

And see how often wersquove been there for each other

That whole idea of religion

Is for you and for me something spiritual that makes you feel whatrsquos inside you

Hand in hand

We build Egypt up again

Egypt is angry at whatrsquos happening between us

Itrsquos not helpful

After the revolution after the celebration

Sectarian strife is killing the dream we fulfilled

One two

The memory lasts more than a lifetime

Our mark is our change in and outside Tahrir Square

We wonrsquot give up the victory of our revolution in exchange for sectarian strife between

us

hand inايد في ايد hand

Eid Fe Eid

Yasser Ameer Youssef Rush E Money amp MCGaza | by BOGEY

Single Hit track 11

20112011

Hip-Hop

24002867

eng - Hip-Hop 4 Life

eng - iTunNORM 000005E2 0000058E 0000424E 00003537 00026E95 0001C2B3 00008000 00008000 00005045 00005045

8584

بلدنا محتجانا ايدنا واحدة ضد احملنة تفرق ايه معاك ديانتي ملا ربك هو ربي

اصلك هو اصلي ارضك هي ارضي

ملا اتقال لي اكتت فيول فتنة انا قولت غلط علشان الفتنة مفتعلة في بلدنا وكان وراها غرض

فالفرد افترض فبفرض السياسة األمر اختلط

فالزم يبقي املصل سياسي من اصل املرض العسس واحلرس مافرقوش صليب وهالل

وكنا كلنا واحد وراء االقفالدم الشهيد شاهد

ياما بالفتنة انكسرنا وحدتنا بصوت واحد وضد الظلم انتصرنا

وديني هو ديني صلة بيني وبني ربي هارفع علمي وارفع راسي فوق

انا مصري

ايد في ايد نبني فيها من جديد

مصر زعلت علي حاصل وسطنا مش مفيد

بعد ثورة وبعد عيد فتنة تقتل حلم واتتحقق لنا

خلو حمامة السالم من الطيور املنقرضةعلشان تبقي القلوب مبتعدة منقسمه سهل تتسم

فكرين مناعة و قوة أم الدنيا بالطمع مرتبطةنسر املصريني ليس له دين احنا بنحميها بالدم

العنف بذوره بتكتر عاوز يوصل واحلروب حتصل

A r a b i a n K n i g h t s + M C G a z a + A m e e r

Our country needs us all together against the hard times

What difference does my religion make to you when your god is my god

Your origin is mine

Your land is my land

When they told me about sectarian strife I said thatrsquos wrong

Because itrsquos been planted in our country and behind it is some purpose

Makes one think somethingrsquos going on

By playing politics everythingrsquos gotten mixed up

The antidote has to be political just like the poison itself

The military doesnrsquot distinguish between cross and crescent

Wersquore all held together behind bars

The blood of the martyrs bears witness

To how much wersquove been broken by sectarianism

Through our unity we triumphed with one voice over injustice

And my religion is my own a rapport between me and God

Irsquoll raise my flag and my head up

Irsquom Egyptian

Hand in hand

We build Egypt up again

Egypt is angry at whatrsquos happening between us

Itrsquos not helpful

After the revolution after the victory

Sectarian strife is killing the dream we fulfilled

They drove the dove of peace to extinction

To keep hearts apart and divided itrsquos easy to poison them

Do they really think the resilience and strength of Egypt is connected to greed

The Egyptian eagle has no religion we protect it with our blood

The roots of violence are increasing want to gain control to start wars

Eid Fe Eid

Yasser Ameer Youssef Rush E Money amp MCGaza | by BOGEY

Single Hit track 11

20112011

Hip-Hop

24002867

eng - Hip-Hop 4 Life

eng - iTunNORM 000005E2 0000058E 0000424E 00003537 00026E95 0001C2B3 00008000 00008000 00005045 00005045

8786

للعاقيدة يكسر وألعضاء املشاعر تتشال تصتأصلعلى كالم ربهم اتكبرو فعملو قدر واتقدر

وقته مستنينه ليه خططوا مضمون الرسائل اتغير الن الهدف هو تدمير قعدة الوحدهوقتل كل قائد يقود الناس بره احملنه

فيبقي سهل يزيحنا ميحي أوصول عليها كبرناوكل واحد علي حداه يقول أنا محدش يقول احنا

فاببطء بحرص بص بعقل بحذر شوفقبل ما يخلوا خيالك يتخلله اخلوف

واخلوف ده افراز بيطلع من غده ملا الكلب بيشوفهابيعرف انك فاريسه سهل ياكلها ركز

فرق تسد إخلعوفق جتد إرفع

ثورة تقدصمت يفرد- يفرق

ما بيجمع بيننامن حقي النقد من حقك - تسمع

طب إسمع وراجع ما صور التاريخ طب باله بيكفي صور زمانييوم حصار كنيسة املهد مني دافع مني اتقمع مني اتنفا

مسلم مسيحي أل كان فلسطيني اتذكر معي ثورة غضب يناير

اتذكر معي الوحدة اإليد الوحدة اتشرف انتا مصرياتذكر معي األخ بإيد األخ يحمي األخ بدون إلخ

كالمي ماشي ماشي ال-لتفهمني بهويتي مسلم وال نصراني قبطي

ما في حجة لربطي خلبطي حلطي ألوطي ألغير خطيخير أجناد األرض

من أرض بيت املقدس كل السالم بعد ما قلت إلنقسام في وطنيانا ملزم أقول ال لفتنة

تفتت مجد شعب تعب عانى ضحى بالغالي حتى بناه

A r a b i a n K n i g h t s + M C G a z a + A m e e r

The relationship between Egyptians breaks down and the organs that feel are taken out

They got full of themselves in the name of their god and invented a new fate for us

Theyrsquore waiting for a time and theyrsquore plotting The meaning of their messages changes

Because the goal is to destroy the foundation of unity

And kill every leader who takes the people out of hard times

Itrsquos easy to remove us to wipe out the traditions we grew up with

Everyone on his own everyone says ldquoIldquo and no one says ldquoweldquo

Slowly carefully look Wisely with caution see

Before they make your imagination a slave to fear

And that fear releases a secretion from a gland

And when the dog sees it he knows yoursquore easy prey

Divide yoursquoll conquer

Bring harmony and yoursquoll reap Start

A revolution and it will catch on

Silence is solitary It divides

It doesnrsquot bring us together

It is my right to criticize and your right to listen

So listen and look back at history or better look at my life time

The day the Nativity Church was under siege who was persecuted Who was exiled

A Muslim A Christian No he was Palestinian

Letrsquos remember the angry revolution of January

Letrsquos remember the unity the one hand Be proud yoursquore Egyptian

Remember the brother holding hands with a brother protecting a brother

And I can go on

Donrsquot teach me about my identity whether Irsquom a Muslim or a Christian Copt

Therersquos no excuse to tie me down beat me to make me cower and kneel and stray from my courseThe Earthrsquos most virtuous soldiers

Come from the land of Bayt al-Maqdis [Jerusalem] I salute you After I said no to division in my countryIrsquom committed to saying no to seditionThat dissolves the glory of a people who labored suffered sacrificed what was most dear to build it

T r a n s l a t e d b y A l e x O r t i z + A h m e d S h a w k e t + K h a l e d A l H i l l i

Eid Fe Eid

Yasser Ameer Youssef Rush E Money amp MCGaza | by BOGEY

Single Hit track 11

20112011

Hip-Hop

24002867

eng - Hip-Hop 4 Life

eng - iTunNORM 000005E2 0000058E 0000424E 00003537 00026E95 0001C2B3 00008000 00008000 00005045 00005045

8988

الفن واملواهب زي حرب الكواكب الكل عايز يكون جنم صراع في الداخل

بهدي جنون العظمة بفلفل حر توابل تسيل دموع زي القنابل

زي مابتكلم وداني شغالة كون سامع نبض الشارع علشان أ

حالف أقضي على اإلعالم املتآمر مغامر في الكالم بس إنت مش سامع

ملا بأمسك القلم والورقة الهم بينزاح مخي بيرتاح بأقول اللي على البال

ملا بأقعد بحس بتأنيب ضمير كون في ستوديو بسجل على بيت خطير مفروض أ

e l D e e b + S t o r m t r a p

Art and talent are like Star Wars

Secretly everyone wants to be a star of conflict

I make megalomania tranquil with chilli hot spices

Tears flow like bombs

Thatrsquos how I talk and the world keeps moving

So that I can hear the pulse of the streets

Irsquove sworn to obliterate the media conspirators

I am adventurous in my speech but you do not hear

When I hold the pen and the paper my anxiety is lifted

My mind relaxes and I say whatrsquos on it

When I sit down I feel guilty

I should be in the studio recording dangerous beats

addictأدمان الشهرة ion to fame

Edman El Shuhra

Stormtrap amp Mohamed El Deeb

2011

Hip-Hop

15305855

- vocals Mohamed El Deeb Stormtrap13produced by Stormtrap

9190

إحساس غريب إنك تدمن الكالم ارسم يا فنان واخترع زي دافينشي الرسام

ولو مفيش ورقة باستخدم تليفوني خايف إن فكرة متعديش على صوتي

دنيا غريبة يوم مر يوم بونبوني بس أنا عمري ماغيرت لوني

املوسيقى بنادولي وبطابعي فضولي مهما قالوا لي هافهمها مبفهومي فـساعات أالقي نفسي بكلم نفسي واسمع أصوات غريبة في دماغي

وهو ده الصدى الصوت اللي بسمعه اكن مفيش حد فارقة معاه احالمي

شوف شوف مش هدف إنو أنا شخصيا أنا

هدفي انه كلماتي وموسيقتي تنتشرعشان هيك حتشوفني دوما مستمر مستثمر

كل وقتي كل طاقتي على أصواتي خوذ شك خوذ حتويل خوذ كاش

بس ما تنساش أي شي بيتعلق بالواقع بدناش ما تخاف ألنها قضيتنا مش منسية مية باملية هايذي ثورة كمان ثقافية

خليني أوضح هاي املوسيقى مش معمولة للتلفازeهاي املوسيقى مش معمولة لهز الطياز l D e e b + S t o r m t r a p

Strange feeling to be out of words

Paint oh artist and discover like Da Vinci the artist

If I donrsquot have paper I use my cell

I am afraid that the idea does not come through my voice

Strange world one day is bitter another like candy

But Irsquove never changed my color

Music is my Tylenol and my nature curious

So whatever they tell me Irsquoll understand it my way

Sometimes I find myself talking to myself

And I hear weird voices in my head

Which is just the echo of the sound I hear

As if no one cares about my dreams

See see

My goals are not self serving

My goal is that my words and music spread

Thatrsquos why yoursquoll see me always and continuously investing

All my time my energy on my sounds

Take a check take a transfer take cash

But never forget anything related to reality wersquore not interested

Donrsquot be afraid because our cause is not forgotten

One hundred percent this is also a cultural revolution

Let me explain this music is not meant to be televised

This music is not made for booty shaking

Edman El Shuhra

Stormtrap amp Mohamed El Deeb

2011

Hip-Hop

15305855

- vocals Mohamed El Deeb Stormtrap13produced by Stormtrap

9392

مش فاهم ليش الكل قاتل حاله يكون في مسابقةحابني نتصابح حياكم زات املكافحة

واالعالم ميت ع حيالله قصة ما بيدرس هالقصة من نصها

وبعدن بينفخهامش احلق علينا اذا ما بيبحثوا

وملا يبدوا يحكوا عنا أل عنجد بيبعصوابيفكروا انه كل شي هشك بشك

بس حدن الزم يقلهم انه الهب هوب مش هيكبدك تدير بالك عشانها هاي اللحظة احلاسمة

ملا يجوا عليك الديب والعاصفةنكسر حدود وبنبني وحدة عشان نحيي مجتماعاتنا

وننهي معانتناعشان هيك منكتب كلمات صريحة والها معنى

مش للشهرة مش حتى يجي حدن يدفعلنا

e l D e e b + S t o r m t r a p

I donrsquot understand why everyone is killing themselves to be in the contest

Wersquod like to say goodmorning to salute you in this same struggle

The mediarsquos dying for any story

But they donrsquot study the storyrsquos real text

And then they blow it out of proportion

Itrsquos not our fault if they donrsquot search

And when they talk about us then they really screw it up

They think everything is empty pointless

Somebody needs to tell them that hip hop is not like that

You should take care because this is the critical moment

When the wolf and storm come haunting you

We break borders and we create a unity to revitalize our communities

And stop our suffering

That is why we write frank words that have meaning

Itrsquos not for fame or even so that someone pays us

T r a n s l a t e d b y N i z a r G h a n e m

Edman El Shuhra

Stormtrap amp Mohamed El Deeb

2011

Hip-Hop

15305855

- vocals Mohamed El Deeb Stormtrap13produced by Stormtrap

9594

حضل عهل مود يعنيما إنتلك النجوم عم تقرب

بهل ال مود حكون عطول لبهل جنوم إدءر لو مضطر شن هجوم عل النجوم كلها

خللي األرض تدور حول أصبعي تنلك

ما إنتلك متلي متلك مولع طيار ألفكاري من العقدي تنفك فرد قعدي بني 4 حيطان ما بتنهز و منها ما بنهز

يلز املا بينلزالكاس عل الطاولي و منو عم مز مز

لتفتل براصي وحس من حالي عم كز كزعل ورقة كالمي مدروس و ما بزت زت بجرب ما عيد حالي متا يقولو عم نق نق

موزع قافياتي جواز كأن عم فت فت

بهل األطشة خلي الديني اللي تسمعني ترن رنFبسبيلي جاري يوم ع يوم عم برك رك a r e e q e l A t r a s h

Irsquoll stay in this mood

Didnrsquot I tell you The stars are getting closer

Irsquoll stay in this mood until I touch these stars

Even if I have to launch an attack on all the stars

Irsquoll make the Earth rotate around my finger I told you

Didnrsquot I tell you Irsquom just like you I lit up a joint so my ideas would untie their knot

Sitting this way in between four walls I wonrsquot budge

The most delectable

Drink is on the table from which Irsquom taking sips

Till my head starts spinning and Irsquom sick of myself

On the paper my words are calculated I donrsquot just toss them about

I try not to repeat myself so they wonrsquot say Irsquom nagging

I deal my rhymes out like theyrsquore cards

In this verse Irsquoll make those ears ring

My fountain is running and every day I excel

tالنجوم عم تقرب he stars are gett ing closer

null

29781717

9796

لضل ماشي جالس بينما غيري عم بلك لك شريط معلق ريحة العة عم بتفح فحكل ما فتح متو بتالقي عم بكب كب

عايشها إرهاب و مفي إال بسب سببزبالتي ما بكبو تيكون بعلمك

األالف مسم و بحياتو ما بينسم بزقة من هل التم تخلي سقفك ينش نش

تلمو ردم و ما تفكر إنو ترد رد و عم بحكي عالواطي متا الصالي فيك ترج رج

بطبعي عاقل بس بالراب بزل زل عل الرايق بال ما نط وال فز فز

type of shitعال بارد أبرد من شباط بس يقز قزتخلي عضامك ع بعض تسك سك

ما إنتلك النجوم عم تقرب بهل ال مود حكون عطول لبهل جنوم إدءر

لو مضطر شن هجوم عل النجوم كلهاخللي األرض تدور حول أصبعي تنلك

أنا متنبئ بنبه و بحقق ما قلتلك بعد وقتها ما عم نكت

عاملكرفون إبرة هرون عم بشكشك في شكcheck one two

هيك بدسدس عالنبض

F a r e e q e l A t r a s h

So I can walk straight when others are still playing

A broken record that reeks of a musty smell

Every time he opens his mouth he spews them out

He lives in terror and all he does is curse

I wouldnrsquot throw him in my garbage just so you know

Irsquove irritated thousands and never been irritated in my life

One spit out of this mouth will make your roof leak

And yoursquoll pick up the rubble and donrsquot even think about answering back

Irsquom talking in a low voice so the hall wonrsquot shake with you in it

Irsquom reasonable by nature but when it comes to rap I humiliate cold-heartedly

Without jumping or leaping around

I do it coldly colder than icy February-type of shit

Irsquoll make your bones rattle against each other

Didnrsquot I tell you The stars are getting closer

Irsquoll stay in this mood until I touch these stars

Even if I have to launch an attack on all the stars

Irsquoll make the Earth rotate around my finger I told you

Irsquom a psychic I predict and deliver

Didnrsquot I tell you to stand back when Irsquom not joking

Irsquom pricking the microphone with a heroin needle Is there any doubt

Check one two

Thatrsquos how I feel the pulse

null

29781717

9998

بدقق و زتزت حكي بتزجزج كأنها مزهزها عم بتشمشم عم خطط عم تكتيك و مني ملحلح من هون للساعة توقف تك تيك تك تيك

لك ليك منفخ حاله عامبيكازيب عا غيري بس بوجهي بتاءتإوجهه بيباءبإ من أد ما بعصب بسبسب

زر إنذار إذني بتطنطن و بشوف من عالباب عم بدقدق

عكروت بدو يفوت ليشوف الفن فني بس الفن هون بجسمي معبأ

من حلقي طايف و من متي عم بت شرشر و بيس البيس زلزال برجرج خليك تضبضب تنضب بالبيت لتكنكن

و أنا متأسف ألني بدي استأذن بس بعد شفت كابتشينو بتصحصح

ما إنتلك النجوم عم تقرببهل ال مود حكون عطول لبهل جنوم إدءر

لو مضطر شن هجوم عل النجوم كلهاخللي األرض تدور حول أصبعي تنلك

هيدا هب هوبمش هبل و ال بهل

هيدا زجل تتغزل في

ورايي إيقاع عليي إتبع و ما إطلع عنو يا بصير متل غير مسيس

زقفوا مع االيقاعزقفوا مع االيقاع

F a r e e q e l A t r a s h

Checking and hurling words that tickle as if I was high and sniffing

I am planning and scheming and Irsquom not going anywhere till the clock stops ticking

Look hersquos so full of it lying to others but in my face he stutters

And his face turns red from all the anger and he curses

My earsrsquo alarm bells start ringing

And I go to see whorsquos knocking at the door

Some bastard who wants to see where ldquothe artldquo is

But the art is right here packed in my body

Flowing from my throat running out of my mouth

And the bass is an earthquake that shakes and forces you to pack up and go home

And Irsquom sorry because I need to take leave

But after a sip of cappuccino yoursquoll come around

Didnrsquot I tell you The stars are getting closer

Irsquoll stay in this mood

Until I touch these stars even if I have to launch an attack on all the stars

Irsquoll make the Earth rotate around my finger I told you

This is hip hop

Itrsquos not stupid nor dumb

Itrsquos zajal [a form of Arabic poetry in the Levant]

That you flirt with

There is a beat that I have to follow canrsquot lose it or Irsquoll be like other MCs

Clap with the beat

Clap with the beat

T r a n s l a t e d b y K h a l e d A l H i l l i

null

29781717

101100

انا ببلعهم بتفهم وال مره بسبهمبخليهم داميا يضاربو بتفكيرهم

أنا وراهم قدامهم جنابهم محتلهممش طايقهم مرات وزنهم بكون منزلهم

مرتبهم صاففهم وبقلم أنا حاكمهم زاتتهم مش عاجبيني أنا ماحيهم قائدهم وبنفس الوقت أنا عبيدهم

وبفك وربط أنا بلعب مبعانيهمانا حاميهم بأسطر اللي تقويهم

انا واعدهم اني أستر على فاضحهم ومطلعهم بصوره اللي تبشعهم

بس أنا محترمهم وبسطور ساجنهم مكتفهم كأسير بجنازير القهر

ومهديهم بحبل اللي يبشر بالصبر وانا لي الفخر أكون الشوك اللي فيهم

Dوأكون القهر اللي داميا يسقيهم A M

Yo this is dedicated to the lyrics

Irsquom swallowing them spitting them never dissing them

Giving them freedom of speech

Irsquom behind them in front of them because of them always standing with them

Sometimes get sick of them sick of how you abuse them

Gather them in line with my pen I order them

Didnrsquot like it Throwing them out and replacing them

Irsquom their leader and also their slave

Small changes make huge differences

I train them in pages to make them strong

Promising to use them not abuse them

Or allow the wrong mouths to utter them

Approach them with a military mind and find peace in them

Irsquom lucky to be full of thorns and even luckier that I found the lyrics

So theyrsquoll help me find the roses in me

wordsكلمات

null

26837427

103102

raquoالكل سمعك بس السؤال اذا اللي سمعك فهمكlaquoكلمات ليست كالكلمات بل raquoعالماتlaquo

اللي توجهنا وين مابدنا عحبال السيرك هي تثبتنا ريح العالم من كل جهه اذا احنا ضعاف بتوقعنا بس

raquoأل بلمره ألlaquo raquoكلمات عندي طنlaquoكل واحده الها هدف اخدت حرف عحرف

نسجت جمل اللي البسهم وقت البرد raquoراح اضلني اناديlaquo raquoبنحكي كلماتlaquo

انت بتعرف انهم مبنصب شهاد بحكو املاضي وتنبوا حاضر أي بالد

قد ماحكيت قد ما أحكي فش كالم يغطي بسفي كالم يربي وينمي انت بس أروي

في شوف انه قوه والقوه بتقويفيك و أن رويته مصيره يسقيك )مثل للقوه( العدو من أمامكم

والبحر من ورائكم فال تخيبوا أسيادكمفأين أشعاركم وأين مجادلتكم

فأنتم تسكتون وتخمدون أحالمكم)انهي( نهيت ورجعت للعامية بكلمات

مرمية طالعه من عقليه شعبيهمتل جنيب اللي بذاكرة كل واحد محفوظ مدروس واذا أل معناته في خلل معكوس

عاملجتمع اللي قمع كتاباته Dاللي سمح لنسيانه يشيل خطواته A M

ldquoThey all hear you but few listen to youldquo

Lyrics ainrsquot just a bunch of words they are ldquosignsldquo

Leading us stabilizing us on tight ropes

Winds every way if we are thin we will fall

ldquoBut hell noldquo ldquoyou can measure my words in tonsldquo

Every word has a meaning I knitted a letter with another letter

Made warm sentences to wear in cold days

ldquoSo Irsquoll still shoutldquo ldquowe control lyricsldquo

You know lyrics are like a witness

They witnessed the past and forecast the future

As much as I said or say I canrsquot describe them

But there is a way to find the description and thatrsquos through them

Quench the thirst of the pages with them

So in the future itrsquoll quench your thirst

Keep feeding them as soon as they grow up

Theyrsquoll give you strength

ldquoExample for the strengthldquo

ldquoThe enemy is before you the sea is behind you

So donrsquot you dare disappoint our ancestors

Where are our deep poems Where are our strong statements

From generation to generation we kill our dreamsldquo

ldquoEnough philosophizingldquo ok lets get back to street talk

Words coming outta simple minds

Like Najeeb Mahfuz [literally lsquowell-rememberedrsquo also a famous author]

They keep living in our minds

And if you donrsquot know who he is - then I rest my case

null

26837427

105104

raquoالكل سمعك بس السؤال اذا اللي سمعك فهمكlaquoكلمات ليست كالكلمات بل raquoعالماتlaquo

اللي توجهنا وين مابدنا عحبال السيرك هي تثبتنا ريح العالم من كل جهه اذا احنا ضعاف بتوقعنا بس

raquoأل بلمره ألlaquo raquoكلمات عندي طنlaquoكل واحده الها هدف اخدت حرف عحرف

نسجت جمل اللي البسهم وقت البرد raquoراح اضلني اناديlaquo raquoبنحكي كلماتlaquo

ألف با كبايه أوعك تكسرهاامسكها للنهاية وكل ما تفضى مليها

كلمه أو رواية ومع املراحل زيدها شيحكاية وهيك ضلك زود فيها

وجيبها لتجمعاتك وساعتها استعملها لنقاشاتك وملواقفك استخدمها

هادي مدافعك اللي مداها بسيطرتك وما دافعك انه ما تخليها رايتك

ما هي تكتب ما هي توصف ما هي تكذب ما هي تنصف

ما هي هي الهروب هياللجوء هي الدروب هي

العبور باحلدود واللي مبرؤهم مبدع وبفوز باخللود واللي بسرقهم مش مقنع

واذا بتديهم احلرية بنادوك ممنوعDواذا بتوخد احلريه بنادوك مسموح A M

ldquoThey all hear you but few listen to youldquo

Lyrics ainrsquot just a bunch of words they are ldquosignsldquo

Leading us stabilizing us on tight ropes

Winds every way if we are thin we will fall

ldquoBut hell noldquo ldquoyou can measure my words in tonsldquo

Every word has a meaning I knitted a letter with another letter

Made warm sentences to wear in cold days

ldquoSo Irsquoll still shoutldquo ldquowe control lyricsldquo

The Arabic alphabet is like a glass donrsquot break it

Hold it tight and keep filling it

And then bring it to our arguments

Scream till your throat gets dry and then wet it

It holds our body itrsquos like our legs

If you stand for nothing yoursquoll fall for anything

The words write create

They kill lead and sometimes even lie

You can use them to build borders

And those who are gifted

Can use them to walk through borders

And in some governments

Itrsquos forbidden to give words freedom

But if you choke them and kill them

Thatrsquos allowed

F i g u r a t i v e t r a n s l a t i o n o f f e r e d b y t h e a r t i s t s

null

26837427

107106

further reading

The tracks presented in this document are not a comprehensive sampling of the genre of the market of hip hop in Arabic or of hip hop and rap in the wider Middle East

Artists featured here hail from Egypt Lebanon Palestine and the anglophone Arab diaspora The thriving North African hip hop scene is not represented nor is the work of the established francophone Arab diaspora nor the expanding hip hop scenes of especially Iran or Turkey

This collection does not attempt a comprehensive chronology Tracks featured here are not primarily new releases (though some are) neither are they all ldquoclassicsrdquo These limitations of scope are important to note

Many tracks of the popular Libyan group Ibn Thabitt and other groups from across the region have been translated and are hosted with commentary on the notable blog

revolutionaryarabrapblogspotcom

Another valuable resource is the Beirut-based blog by Jackson Allers ldquoBeats and Breathrdquo which features articulate critiques and reviews of events and releases from the region

jacksonallerswordpresscom

Hass Dennaoui (alias Big Hass) who recently launched started the first all hip-hop FM radio show in Saudi Arabia Laish Hip Hop (Why Hip Hop) manages a lively blog which

hosts an internet feed of his radio show and interviews with MCs and influential hip hop figures from around the world

revoltradioblogspotcom

Lebaneseundergroundcom hosts coverage of underground music in Lebanon including hip hop

And finally an excellent article by Hishaam Aidi on implications of the use of hip hop as foreign policy ldquoThe Grand (Hip-Hop) Chessboard Race Rap and Raison DrsquoEtatrdquo was published in The Middle East Report Fall 2011 Excerpts of the piece were published by Al Jazeera English in the article ldquoLeveraging Hip Hop in US Foreign Policyrdquo

All the artists and many of the translators whose work is showcased here host a significant online presence Their sites are listed with more about each of them on the following pages

109108

artist bios

ARABIAN KNIGHTZ the premier hip hop group from the land of the Nile River have not only established themselves as the lyricists with the sharpest swords in their land but they have also created the most consistent voice for rebellion strength and hope for the youth of the Middle East During the 2011 Revolution Arabian Knightz released two singles ldquoRebelrdquo and ldquoNot Your Prisonerrdquo anthems of resistance which gained worldwide attention and major media coverage for their powerful lyrics against a wicked system The group formed in 2006 through the cipher hip hoprsquos natural way of choosing like mindsets on the mic Rush Sphinx and E-Money were ahead of their peers adapting an authentic Arab perspective to the art dominated by Western voices mixing English and Arabic raps After hitting the studio for successful underground tracks AK enlisted super-producer Fredwreck (Snoop Dogg Xzibit Tha Dogg Pound) ldquoFokkakrdquo the single from this studio session was an instant hit and (surprisingly for Arabic Hip Hop) projected them to the top ten of the singles charts Arab League Records was formed amidst a growing fanbase and numerous collaborations with other Arab hip hop artists the first international Arab hip hop record label Desert Saga Volume 1 mixtape was the debut release led by ldquoThe Onerdquo featuring Egyptrsquos MC Amin Arabian Knightz have recorded their debut album Uknighted State of Arabia a masterpiece for Arab hip hop years in the making featuring instrumentals dominated by traditional percussions and players are scheduled for a Winter 2012 Release They are on Facebook

BOIKUTT is a musician and MC based in Ramallah Palestine Creating sounds using sampled material field recordings and electronic devices the results range between hip-hop downtempo ambient glitch and experimental He has composed and produced music for artists such as Kronos Quartet Bukue One Spiritchild Tamer Abu-Ghazaleh Bleubird and others and has appeared as an MC on albums for artists such as Slovo Heliodrome Bonnot and Lethal Skillz A co-founder of the Ramallah Underground Collective which has toured across the Arab World Europe and Australia Boikutt is also co-founder and member of audio-visual group Tashweesh with whom he is currently touring Also as a solo performer he has been in Beirut Cairo Manila Copenhagen London Hamburg Dubai Bethlehem and other cities He has produced and exhibited a few sound-art pieces composed several film scores has most recently composed the music for a dance theater performance entitled Bound by

New York-based company Yaa Samar Dance Theatre and is now working on different collaborative and solo projects His work may be heard at soundcloudcomboikutt and on Facebook

DAM Da Arabian MCrsquos are Suhell Nafar Tamer Nafar and Mahmoud Jreri The first Palestinian hip hop crew and among the first to rap in Arabic the group began working together in the late 1990s Struck by the uncanny resemblance of the reality of the streets in a Tupac video to the streets in their own neighborhood of Lyd they were inspired to tell their stories through hip hop Their timely song ldquoMin Irhabirdquo (ldquoWhorsquos the Terroristrdquo) was downloaded a million times shortly after its internet realese in 2001 and DAM became a household name among youth throughout the Middle East Ten years of performing all over the world has strengthened the grouprsquos commitment to continue living and working in their hometown of Lyd 15 minutes from Tel Aviv and working to provide the youth of the city and neighboring communities with programs and opportunities that have been denied to Palestinian citizens of Israel Their music is a unique fusion of East and West and encompasses influences as varied as Ghassan Kanafani Ahlam Mosteghanemi Mahmoud Darwish Naji al Ali Tupac Biggie Public Enemy MBS Krsquonaan and Pharoahe Monch IHDA (Dedication) DAMrsquos long-awaited first international album was released in 2007 and DAM has seen its songs and members featured in films such as Ford Transit (Dir Hany Abu Assad) Where in the World is Osama Bin Laden (Dir Morgan Spurlock) Salt of this Sea (Dir Annemarie Jacir) Local Angel and Forgiveness (Dir Udi Aloni) DAMrsquos history and influence on the Arab hip hop scene is detailed in the feature-length documentary Slingshot Hip Hop (Dir Jackie Reem Salloum) The group has also been featured in Vibe National Geographic Rolling Stone Q Basement Reuters and The New York Times and has appeared on MTV CNN BBC and Al Jazeera Their work can be heard and explored at damrapcom

EL DEEB first ventured into Egyptian Hip Hop when he joined Asfalt in 2005 He left in 2007 to create Wighit Nazara duo represented by Mohamed Yasser and himself It was a successful musical project that lasted until mid 2010 Currently he is working on his solo career with plans to release an EP every couple of months or so Cairofornia is his first solo EP His work may be heard at deebbandcampcom and on Facebook

EL RASS was born in Tripoli Lebanon He started writing poetry in literary Arabic at age 11 and started rhyming in spoken Lebanese dialect in 1999 at age 15 At that time he formed one third of a group of 3 MCrsquos going under the name of ldquoMlouk el Micrdquo (ldquoKings of the Micrdquo) They recorded one album and performed locally At 17 he left for France to study Finance and Economics Studies were hard money was scarce and exile was tough but music and poetry never left him as he continued rhyming with some underground French MCrsquos like Medline and Moebius and developed new musical skills on percussion in classical Arabic singing and baglama (turkish buzuk) After graduating and working for almost two years in the hell of banking and market finance El Rass decided to return to Lebanon He spent a year just re-discovering Beirut and making and learning music He now works as a journalist at the newspaper Assafir while concurrently pursuing joint projects with other producers and musicians He calls his work Taalik in reference to the same word in Arabic for ldquocommentrdquo and another word that comes from the same semantic root moaallakat which is a corpus of selected pre-Islamic poetry that was written with gold ink on the walls of the Karsquoaba in Mecca His work may be heard at soundcloudcomElRass

FAREEQ EL ATRASH is a hip hop band based out of Hamra St Beirut with a sound that is distinguished by laid back topical flows over live instrumentation It consists of Edd (raps) Nasser (raps) FZ (vocal production and FX) Fouad Afra (drums) Goo (plays guitar keys heart strings) and Abed Kobeissy (plays bass and buzuk) Their 2010 album and 2009 prealbum are available online More of their work may be found on Facebook Eddrsquos solo work can also be heard at soundcloudcomEdd

H2Z was born in Kuwait in 1986 where he lived for four years Due to the gulf war his family moved to Lebanon where he lived for the most part of his life Inspired by the tragic events in the Middle East and elsewhere in the world H2Z adopted rap music as a way to raise awareness about the injustices suffered by his people and to deliver a message through his music to anyone who supports the Palestinian cause His career began in 2004 when he was introduced to the production business by fellow rappers and soon he started producing his own tracks and established a local band producing many tracks for himself and other musicians in Lebanon In 2008 he released his first solo album titled 3aed which contained

17 tracks The political influence was noticed throughout the album and was generally well-received He is now studying for a degree in business administration at Wayne State University in Michigan His work may be heard at reverbnationcomh2z

KATIBEH 5 are based in Borj el Barajneh Lebanon Their work can be found at reverbnationcomkatibeh5 and myspacecomkatibe5palestine and on Facebook

M1 is Mutulu Olugbala of the New York based collective Dead Prez whose work is online at deadprezcom M1 is also on Facebook

MC GAZA is Adnan Mahmoud Ghonim an Algerian born artist and university student based in Gaza It was the beginning of 2005 when he attended one of the hip hop concerts in Gaza City ndash Gaza City that never appreciated the art he loved and attached himself to ndash and it was love at first sight between them Through some of the concerts he participated in a number of songs he collaborated on with Arabs from Egypt Algeria and Palestine and some active participation to represent the Palestinian people and interviews for both Arab and foreign press he was able to make a name for himself in the Gazan hip hop community His work may be found at youtubecomMCGaza and on Facebook

THE NARCICYST Having pioneered the Arab Hip-Hop movement with seminal Iraqi-Canadian crew Euphrates The Narcicyst recently broke through borders and shattered traveling etiquette touring solo around the world sharing stages with the likes of Brother Ali Mos Def and Kanye West to name a few On top of music The Narcicyst is a celebrated theorist whose academic work Fear of an Arab Planet has him from the stage to the classrooms of internationally renowned universities He is now also a professor at Concordia University teaching a Fine Arts course ldquoHip-Hop Past Present and Futurerdquo His writings have been published by multiple university presses and magazines internationally he is also a self-published author having recently released the biographical and social-study on the Arab world The Diatribes of a Dying Tribe As a true artist interested in really pushing his own artistic boundaries The Narcicyst has stepped into acting currently starring in the short music film PHATWA and in the first internationally-released film from the United Arab Emirates called City of Life A true multi-media

111110

KHALED AL HILLI is a PhD candidate in Comparative Literature at the Graduate Center City University of New York He has a BA in English Literature and a Masterrsquos degree in Teaching Second Languages Born in Iraq Khaled has taught in Lebanon and Saudi Arabia at both college and high school levels He has also worked with various Iraqi news outlets and has subtitledtranslated documentary films dealing with current social and political issues His research interests include Arabic political literature prison literature and literature in the diaspora He may be reached at hillykhalidgmailcom

+AZIZ is a NYC-based marketing consultant and a musician He is working through The World Music Parade to develop an animation project based on his music More about that project can be found at themusicparadetumblrcom He tweets from plusaziz

FAYSAL BIBI is a paleontologist and electronic musician currently based in Berlin

LOUBNA BILALI is originally from Morocco She did her undergrad and first MA in English Linguistics at Chouaib Doukkali University El Jadida She came to the US in 2008 to pursue a Masterrsquos degree in French to English translation and is currently working on a PhD in translation studies at Kent State University in Ohio She is very interested in learning and teaching languages as well as translating and localizing computer applications and websites She may be reached at loubnabilaligmailcom

FARAH ELREWAISSATI is a freelance translator pro-Palestine activist and BDS advocate who blogs at youthanormalizationblogspotcom She tweets from 3beee

NIZAR GHANEM was born in Lebanon He has been active in intercultural education interactive learning and conflict resolution across the Arab world His work on conflict resolution involved using theater comics and music as tools for emotional expression and social mobilization

RIMA NAJDI is a Performing Artist She studied dramatic arts at the Lebanese University in Beirut and obtained a Masterrsquos degree in Performance Studies at NYU New York She has written and performed in various plays and performances Najdi is particularly interested in multi-media performing arts and the position of the spectators

BARRAK ALZAID (copy editor) is the Artistic Director of ArteEast He is the editor of the ArteEast Quarterly a dynamic online portal featuring four publications that highlight contemporary art and culture from the Middle East and diaspora ndash ArtersquoZine Shahadat (contemporary short-form literature) Gallery and Cinematek (an online film center) He is also the curator for ArteEastrsquos Across Histories Art Talk Series featuring a series of panels on residencies in Fall 2011 He tweets from barrakster

RAYYA EL ZEIN (editor) is working towards a PhD in Theatre at the Graduate Center City University of New York Her research is increasingly focusing on theories of reception historical studies of audience behavior and popular culture in the Arab world She holds an MA in Performance Studies from NYU and is currently a teaching fellow at City College in Harlem She tweets from rayelz

translator biosdreamer Yassin recently established an arts label in the UAE called The Medium focusing on delivering art from Arabs in the diaspora and at lsquohomersquo to the rest of the world iraqisthebombcom He tweets from TheNarcicyst

OMAR OFFENDUM is a Syrian-American hip hop artist born in Saudi Arabia raised in Washington DC and living in Los Angeles Known for taking audiences on a lyrical journey from the jasmine-tree-lined courtyards of Nizar Qabbanirsquos Damascene homes to the flooded riverbanks of Langston Hughesrsquo Harlem Renaissance poems - Offendum has been featured on several major news outlets (BBC Yahoo ABC News Aljazeera PBS) toured the world to promote his ground-breaking music helped raise thousands of dollars for various humanitarian relief organizations (PCRF KinderUSA ANERA Islamic Relief) lectured at a number of prestigious academic institutions (Harvard MIT Stanford Columbia American University of Beirut NYU-AbuDhabi Qatar Education City) and most recently been involved in creating several critically-acclaimed songs about the popular democratic uprisings throughout the Middle East amp North Africa He is currently hard at work promoting his solo release - affectionately dubbed SyrianamericanA His work may be heard (and read) at offendumbandcampcom He is on Facebook and he tweets from Offendum

RAMALLAH UNDERGROUND based in Ramallah Palestine was born from the immediacy of musical experimentation and out of the need to give voice to a generation of Palestinians and Arabs facing a turbulent and uncertain political landscape The collective was founded by artists Boikutt Stormtrap and Aswatt and has always held a commitment to both the honesty of their work and the need to creatively rejuvenate Arabic culture To this end they combine music ranging from Arabic electronic music hip-hop and trip hop to downtempo with a deep sense of their local culture and the imposing presence of Palestine in their lives The outcome is a new specific and distinct sound RU (as producers and as MCrsquos ) has collaborated with numerous artists across the globe including countries like Lebanon UK Switzerland Italy USA France and many more including a collaboration with Slovo (a band headed by the guitarist from faithless) in their track ldquoNakbardquo which appears on their album Todo Cambia and with Kronos Quartet in the track ldquoTashweeshrdquo which appears on Floodplain RU has also performed live shows in Ramallah Bethlehem Vienna London Cairo Lausanne Amsterdam and Washington DC Their shows are mainly a performance of their hip-hop tracks as well as a few of their own electronic productions as a warm up More recently RU has incorporated a visual set in their live

performances brought to you by Palestinian visual artist Ruanne RU hopes to give a voice to Palestinians and Arabs bringing an alternative voice from the Arab world Their lyrics and music are an expression of anguish and defiance ultimately remaining a defiant voice of the colonized against the colonizer They continue to play a big role in the Arab underground cultural scene while slowly gaining wide global and local popularity

SHADIA MANSOURrsquos work can be found at myspacecomshadiamusic and on Facebook

STORMTRAP is a music producercomposerMC from Palestine Experimenting with old samples instruments and field recordings his sound is the result of a fusion of ambient atmospheres combined with various noises and hip hop beats His lyrics deal with different themes inspired mainly by his personal experiences in Palestine and life in the diaspora Stormtrap played a fundamental role in forming the band Ramallah Underground with which he has performed worldwide the past few years Currently he is working in Vienna with Aras Seyhan and Eren Ileri on a new album which combines live instruments synthesizers turntables beats and Arabic lyrics- which will be released early 2012 His work may be heard at soundcloudcomstormtrap He tweets from asifeh

AMEER YOSSEF 25 has sung and writen music with the band Klaket for the past four years His work may be heard at youtubecomAmeer and on Facebook

towards the work Her work for now concentrates on the process of making interactive and participatory performances that question borders stereotypes and languages

MOE ALI NAYEL is a fixer and a journalist based in Beirut Lebanon He uses social media blogging non-mainstream music journalism and writing as a word spreading eye opening socializing arena He uses social media as a bridge that cuts distance between people on this planet making it a tiny village This bridge starts in his office and takes him to every corner in the world enabling him to connect and network with people and cultures sharing and exchanging stories of the unheard and the neglected He blogs at Words of Action and he tweets from MoeAliNay

ALEX ORTIZ is a video and radio journalist and translator based in Cairo Egypt He graduated from Brown University in 2009 with a double major in Comparative Literature and Middle East Studies He was a CASA I fellow from 2009-2010 and a CASA II fellow from 2010-2011 He currently works for CBS News as a field producer He tweets from cairowitness

AHMED SHAWKET is an independent translator living in Cairo Egypt He is a graduate of the Helwan University Faculty of Arts where he majored in philosophy Ahmed works on literary media and commercial translation

113112

ABOUT SHAHADATShahadat is a quarterly online series designed to provide a platform for short-form writing and experimentation in writing by young and underexposed writers from the MENA region (Middle East and North Africa) The series features stories vignettes reflections and chronicles in translation and the original language of Arabic Farsi Turkish or Kurdish It makes up one quarter of ArteEastrsquos online programming the AE Quarterly For past issues of Shahadat click here

ABOUT THIS SERIES Shahadat is proud to run two alternating series and releases two issues a year of each The issue yoursquove just perused is part of the ldquoExploring Popular Literaturerdquo series This series challenges traditional understandings of ldquoliteraturerdquo emerging from the Middle East and North Africa by presenting genres of creative production that rely on words and language but which have not typically been studied as literature Works are presented in their original language and in translation

In each issue we gather texts from a spectrum of writers to challenge the singular status of the artistauthor and to encourage a more complex presentation of the Middle Eastern and North African ldquostreetrdquo for English-speaking audiences Shahadatrsquos other series ldquoContemporary Literature in Translationrdquo features the work of a single young author in the original language and in English translation

BEHIND THE DOCUMENTShahadat is co-edited by Rayya El Zein Alex Ortiz and ArteEastrsquos Artistic Director Barrak Alzaid All three are young professionals and scholars with artistic inclinations (literature poetry translation and performance) All three have strong connections to New York City and various metropole of the MENA region Shahadat is for us an experiment and a labor of love An editorial board of established scholars and authors is currently being conceived

SPECIAL THANKS TOAnmar El ZeinKinda AkashAndrew JohnstonLivia Alexander

Shahadat logo design by Rima Farouki

114

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Page 18: Shahadat Winter 2012

3534

من املزارع بوسط البالدفعل مضارع للرماد

فا إنصرف زاي فلوس الدولة إللي طريقها إنحرفوإنعرف و إنصبت بجيوب هالطرف من شوفرية الشرف

حتية خاصة ألسود ميدان التحريرلتعديل دستور التعتير

إن صح التعبير

عندي نظر األطرشو سمع األعمى

عايشني حياة و مكلبشني باخلوف بنفس الوقت فا قللي شو املعنىتاريخ شجعنا

الوضع الراهن منعناناس بتمر و بتسمعنا

بدون جتاوب جتارب فجاوبيا ضدنا يا معنا

إرفع قبضة الصمود فوق في الهوا ثابتةإنتفاضة أولى و ثانية بس الثالثة نابتة

أطراف كابتةبس قد ما يحاولوا ميحوا ويحطوا الناس كاتبة

بالتفاصيل و كامتة

ولعhellip شوف اكمن دكتاتور منقلعولعhellip شوف اكمن دكتاتور منقلع

ولع شوف اكمن دكتاتور منقلعصوت الثورة بكل مكان و عم منسمع

ولعhellip شوف اكمن دكتاتور منقلعbو صفهم عالدور واحد واحدhellipو شنع o i k u t t

From the farmers in the center

Changing present tense to ashes

So vanish like the statersquos money whose road has deviated

It is known that it ended up in the pockets of the corrupt who claim to be clean

A special salute to the lions of Tahrir Square

For amending the constitution of misfortune

If that can be said

I have the sight of the deaf

And the hearing of the blind

Leading a life while chained by fear at the same time so tell me whatrsquos the point

History encouraged us

The current situation prevented us

People pass by and hear us

Without any response -- testing -- so answer

Yoursquore either with us or against us

Raise the fist of resistance up in the air

A first and second Intifada but the third is sprouting

Oppressive groups

No matter how hard they try to erase and replace people have written

In details and know by heart

Ignitesee how many dictators wersquoll uproot

Ignitesee how many dictators wersquoll uproot

Ignitesee how many dictators wersquoll uproot

The sound of revolution is everywhere we make it heard

Ignitesee how many dictators wersquoll uproot

Line them up in turn one after the other and defame them

T r a n s l a t e d b y F a r a h E l R e w a i s s a t i

Walle

boikutt

null

1746378

3736

ولك انا ابن عكا وبن يافا و طولكرم انا ابن كل شبر من البحر للنهر

االرض الي حملت موسى مرمي واملسيح انااملقابر يلي فاضت من كتر التوابيت

انا اخليمة بيت التنك واحلصيرة والكانون والبيوت املسروقة والدم املهدور

انا الهوى يالي حامل الغضب والبكاوالطرقات يلي بتغرق مع كل نقطة الشتا

انا رصاصة من املجاهد عم تعبر حلدود انا حزام من القنابل مشتاق لليهود

لطفل على باب املستشفى عم بيموتانا الجئ ممنوع من العمل مكروه

انا اين املخيم يلي عاطل عن العمل سيجارة احلشيش يلي بتمحي شوية الم

H 2 Z

Irsquom the son of Acre Jaffa and Tulkarem

Irsquom the son of every inch from the river to the sea

Irsquom the land that carried Moses Mary and the Christ

Irsquom the cemeteries that overflow with coffins

Irsquom the tent the tin house the mat and the stove

The stolen houses and the wasted blood

Irsquom the wind that bears anger and tears

The roads that drown in a single drop of rain

I am a bullet that crosses borders

Irsquom a grenade against Zionists

A child that dies waiting outside the hospital

Irsquom a hated refugee whorsquos prohibited from working

Irsquom the son of the camps always unemployed

The hash cigarettes that ease the pain

iانا فلسطيني am palest inian

Ana Falasteeni

H27

null

17782504

eng - iTunNORM 0000057E 0000056B 00004E0F 00004D32 00021C96 00021C96 00008000 00008000 0000ECEA 00007530

3938

حيطان هالبيت يلي بكره رح ينردم انا االحمر واالسود واالخضر من هالعلم

من دم االبطال من دموع الاطفالمن اجلحيم التشرد واجلوء واالنكسار

من ظلم االحتاللمن حلم االستقالل

من ارض الزيتونوالصليب والهالل

انا حافظ احلواجز بكل بالد العالممن النادر انو بيوم يعتبروني بني ادم انا سنني االعتقال انا غرف التعذيب

الوجع والصريخ واجلروح الي ما بطيبانا شعب ما انهزم بس عمرو ما انتصر

انا اكبر ارهابي الني حامل حجر اسير طول عمرو رافض انو بيوم ميوت بس معاهدة سالم بتنفي اني موجود

انا القدس بيت حلم ومخيم جننياالدان واجلراس الهالل والصليب

املدافن واملدارس وكنسية املسيح الشوارع القدمية والبيت العتيق

انا ركوة الشاي و سندويشة الفالفلالكرم والبخل واالخالق واملهازل

الكذب والصدق واخليانة والصمود Hانا فلسطيني حلتى اموت 2 Z

The walls of the house that I hate thatrsquos about to get demolished

I am the red and black and green in this flag

From the blood of heroes from the tears of children

From the hell of homelessness and broken refugees

From the oppression of the occupation

From the dream of independence

Irsquom from the land of the olives

The cross and crescent

I know all the checkpoints in all countries of the world

It is where they consider me a human being

Irsquom years of capture Irsquom the torture chambers

The pain and the screams and the wounds that never heal

I was never defeated but never had a victory

Irsquom the biggest terrorist because I carry a stone

A prisoner who spends his whole life refusing to die

But a peace treaty forgets that Irsquom alive

Irsquom Jerusalem Bethlehem and Jenin refugee camp

The call to prayer the bells the crescent and the cross

The old cemeteries schools and church of Christ

The old streets and the ancient house

Irsquom the tea cup and the falafel sandwich

Generosity and greed morality and farce

Lies and betrayal and honesty and persistence

I am Palestinian until I die

T r a n s l a t e d b y t h e a r t i s t

Ana Falasteeni

H27

null

17782504

eng - iTunNORM 0000057E 0000056B 00004E0F 00004D32 00021C96 00021C96 00008000 00008000 0000ECEA 00007530

4140

صباح اخلير با والد عمومناتفضلوا شرفونا

شو بتحبوا نضيفكم دم عربي وال دموع من عيوننابعتقد هيك تأملوا نستقبلن

هيك تعقدوا ملا تدركوا على غلطتهنمن هيك لبسنا الكوفية

البيضة والسودةصاروا كالب الزمان يلبسوها كموضة

مهما تفننوا فيامهما غيروا بلونا

كوفية عربية بتضال عربية

حطتنا بدن ياهاثقافتنا بدن ياها

S h a d i a M a n s o u r w i t h M 1 o f D e a d P r e z

Good morning cousins

Come in and honor us with your presence

What would you like us to serve you Arab blood or tears from our eyes

I think thatrsquos how they hoped we would recieve them

Thatrsquos why they got tangled up when they tripped up on their own mistake

Thatrsquos why we wore the kufeyyeh

The black and white one

Dogs of the past started to wear it as a fashion statement

However they change it

Whatever colour they make it

The Kufeyyeh is Arab and will always be Arab

Our scarf they want it

Our intellect they want it

kufeyyeh arabeyyeh الكوفية عربية

Kufeyyeh Arabeyyeh

Shadia Mansour and M1

Shahadat Winter 2012 track 616

Hip Hop

26239166

4342

كرامتنا بدن ياهاكل شي إلنا بدن ياه

ما رح نسكتلن نسمحلن الالبقلن يسرقوا شغلة مش إلهن ما خصن فيا

بيقلدونا باللبسكل هاألرض بيكفيهنش

طمعانني عالقدسإعرفوا كيف تكونوا بشر

قبل ما تلبسوا الكوفيةجينا نذكرن مني إحنا

وغصبا من عن أبوهم هاي حطتنا

من هيك لبسنا الكوفيةألنها وطنية

الكوفية الكوفية عربيةمن هيك لبسنا الكوفية

هويتنا األساسيةالكوفية الكوفية عربية

يال علي الكوفيةعلولي هالكوفية

الكوفية الكوفية عربيةعلوها لبالد الشام

كوفية عربية بتضال عربية

ما في بعد متل الشعب العربيفرجوني أية أمة بالدنيا أكثر مأثرة

الصورة واضحة نحنا مهد احلضارة

S h a d i a M a n s o u r w i t h M 1 o f D e a d P r e z

Our dignity they want it

Everything thatrsquos ours they want it

We will not be silent will not allow it

It suits them to steal something that ainrsquot theirs

They imitate our style

As if all this land werenrsquot not enough

Thirsting after Jerusalem

Know how to be human

Before you wear our scarf

We came to remind them who we are

And like it or not itrsquos our right

Thatrsquos why we wore the kufeyyeh

Because it is nationalistic

The kufeyyeh is Arab

Thatrsquos why we wore the kufeyyeh

Because it is our original identity

The kufeyyeh is Arab

Come on raise your kufeyyehs

Raise that kufeyyeh

The kufeyyeh is Arab

Raise it up for bilad ersquosham [Greater Syria the wider Arab world]

The kufeyyeh is Arab and will always be Arab

There are no others like the Arab people

Show me one region in the world that is more influencial

The picture is clear we are the origins of civilization

Kufeyyeh Arabeyyeh

Shadia Mansour and M1

Shahadat Winter 2012 track 616

Hip Hop

26239166

4544

تاريخنا وتراثنا الشاهد على وجودنامن هيك لبست التوب الفلسطيني

من حيفا جنني جبل النار إلى رام اللهخليني شوف الكوفية

البيضة واحلمراخلينا نعليها لفوق بالسما

أنا شادية العربلساني بغز غزبلساني بهز هز

كلمات احلربسجل أنا شادية منصور

واحلطة هويتيمن يوم ما خلقت

سيدي والشعب مسؤوليتيلكن تربيت بني الشرق وبني الغرب

بني لغتنيبني بخيل بني فقير

شفت احلياة من اجلهتنيبس علمتني الكوفية

كيف ما لبستونيوين ما شلحتوني

بضلني عأصولي فلسطينية

S h a d i a M a n s o u r w i t h M 1 o f D e a d P r e z

Our history traditions and customs bear witness to our existence

Thatrsquos why I wear the Palestinian dress

From Haifa Jenin Jabal El Naar to Ramallah

Let me see the kufeyyeh

The red and white one

Letrsquos raise it up to the sky

I am the singer of the Arabs

Like an earthquake I shake the ground

My words are war

Record this

I am Shadia Mansour

And this scarf is my ID

From the day I was born the people have been my responsibility

Look I was raised between the East and the West

Between two languages

Between the rich and the poor

Irsquove seen life from both sides

However the kufeyyeh has taught me

However you wear me

Wherever you leave me

I stay true to my origin Palestinian

T r a n s l a t e d b y t h e a r t i s t w i t h F a r a h E l R e w a i s s a t i

Kufeyyeh Arabeyyeh

Shadia Mansour and M1

Shahadat Winter 2012 track 616

Hip Hop

26239166

4746

حمامة سالم افتحي أجنحتكي و طيري

وين الوعي - وين امشوا معي هني وادي بني اجلبلني عني حب للطرفني

أمهاتنا حبت ذاتنا بس مو عاجبهن مسباتنا هذا احلكي بني اخواتنا

Oزين العرب واألمريكان m a r O f f e n d u m

This track contains verses that were originally written in English

You are my

(Destiny)

Itrsquos hard livinrsquo in the West - when I know the East got the best of me

(Destiny)

Could be lookinrsquo in my eyes - but yoursquoll never really see the rest of me

(Destiny)

Can you hear me maseeri [my destiny] Bi-lingualrsquos what Irsquom blessed to be

(Destiny)

Dove of Peace

Spread your wings amp fly

Consciousness What consciousness - where is it

Take a walk with me

Here in this valley between two ldquomountainsldquo

Where the source of love for both ldquosidesldquo can be found

Our mothers like us

But donrsquot like our foul language

So letrsquos keep this between the siblings

The best of Arabs amp Americans

destمصيري iny

7 Destiny

Omar Offendum

The Peace Revolution 20

21332892

eng - iTunNORM 000006D3 000006F2 000038BA 0000322F 0000E4FA 0000E4FA 00008716 0000864B 0002AB5E 000083D6

eng - iTunSMPB 00000000 00000210 0000094B 00000000008F7FA5 00000000 004108FB 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000

4948

وألله يرحم كل أمواتنا أغاني

مثل املهامتة إذا قلنا العني بالعني

ما صفى عندنا عيون بالشام بالد الشام

من فلسطني إلى جبال لبنان قبل ما اخترعوا احلدود

من اإلسكندرون إلى كردستان فهمان

جنجس خان ما خان قد ما خانونا أوالد العم بس دمنا دمهم

بني أدم - بنو ذمنبهم على أكتافنا - شلنا همهم

ليه الله بيعلم

بس ليك هذا الفتيش والبسكليت احسنلك من 100000000 مسدس

تعرف ليه ألن مو عاجبهم بسمتك

بس إبتسم برسمتك شاب عربي ومثقف

أعطيهم ختمتك وإذا لسة مو راضني

ذكرهم بكالم إيليية )أبي ماضي( raquoنسي الطني ساعة أنه طنيlaquo

Oوهذه هي القضاء والقدر يا حبيبي m a r O f f e n d u m

And may God have mercy on all our dead

Songs I sing

Like the Mahatma [the line above and the line below are linked through the sound of the name and the figure of Mahatama Ghandi]

If we say lsquoan eye for an eyersquo

There wont be any eyes left in Sham [Damascus]

Bilad al-Sham [Greater Syria the wider Arab world]

From Palestine to the mountains of Lebanon

Before they made up these borders

From Iskandaroon to Kurdistan

Understand

Genghis Khan never deceived us quite like our ldquopaternal cousinsldquo [khan also means ldquodeceiveldquo in Arabic]

But our blood is their blood

Children of Adam -- who built their sins

Upon our shoulders -- we carried their burden

Why

God knows

But listen this little firecracker amp bicycle

Are better for you than 100 million guns

Wanna know why

Because they dont like seeing you smile

But smile you will - in your human being

A young cultured Arab male

Give them your stamp of approval

And if they still donrsquot accept you

Then remind them of the words of Elliye [Abi-Madhee a Lebanese poet whose poem begins with]

ldquoHow soon a piece of dirt can forget that all he really is is just dirtldquo [ie we are all from this earth amp

will come back to it so there is no logic in viewing yourself as better than someone else]

And that my friend is our destiny

7 Destiny

Omar Offendum

The Peace Revolution 20

21332892

eng - iTunNORM 000006D3 000006F2 000038BA 0000322F 0000E4FA 0000E4FA 00008716 0000864B 0002AB5E 000083D6

eng - iTunSMPB 00000000 00000210 0000094B 00000000008F7FA5 00000000 004108FB 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000

5150

O m a r O f f e n d u m

Dove of Peace

Spread your wings amp fly

Make it easier to borrow

The aesthetics you bite

Like all the Arabic loanwords

From Spaniards amp Morros

The Karma of Inquisition

Visions of horror

So whorsquos the explorer

Really was it Columbus

Muhammad al-Idrisi or Alfaragnus

Throw a Hobson Jobson

While you figure it out

Irsquom gonna start with a cipher

Thatrsquos a siffir [zero] - no doubt

See you might not have learned to live with me

But sure as hell canrsquot without

You are my

You are my

(Destiny)

Itrsquos hard livinrsquo in the West - when I know the East got the best of me

(Destiny)

Could be lookinrsquo in my eyes - but yoursquoll never really see the rest of me

(Destiny)

Can you hear me maseeri [my destiny] Bi-lingualrsquos what Irsquom blessed to be

(Destiny)

حمامة سالم افتحي أجنحتكي و طيري

I write right to left

You write left to right

Metaphor of a foreignerrsquos plight

Dressed to type

Stereo amp a mic

Scenario of a fight

The burial of a white

Imperial at his heightrsquos

A Turkish Rapperrsquos Delight

Semetic etiquette might

Just have you rollin your ldquoRrsquosldquo

Poetic amp light

And grab a hold of your sorrows

To relieve your tomorrows

7 Destiny

Omar Offendum

The Peace Revolution 20

21332892

eng - iTunNORM 000006D3 000006F2 000038BA 0000322F 0000E4FA 0000E4FA 00008716 0000864B 0002AB5E 000083D6

eng - iTunSMPB 00000000 00000210 0000094B 00000000008F7FA5 00000000 004108FB 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000

5352

O m a r O f f e n d u m

Dove of Peace

Spread your wings amp fly

Bitched out by the West

Press get a big shout

From the people gettinrsquo rich out of this (bout)

Now whatrsquos this really all about

Land money or power

It was the colonizerrsquos fault

But now itrsquos really just ours

Leavinrsquo a sour tase in our mouths

Like generational slave names

Whenever speakinrsquo out

Out-spoken leaders gettinrsquo taken out

Quicker than belligerent drunks in a bar

We a far cry from livinrsquo as one

T r a n s l a t e d b y t h e a r t i s t

(Destiny)

Itrsquos hard livinrsquo in the West - when I know the East got the best of me

(Destiny)

Could be lookinrsquo in my eyes - but yoursquoll never really see the rest of me

(Destiny)

Can you hear me maseeri [my destiny] Bi-lingualrsquos what Irsquom blessed to be

(Destiny)

حمامة سالم افتحي أجنحتكي و طيري

See arab [Arabs] shootin at each other

From Iraq to Falasteen [Palastine]

Syria to Libnan [Lebanon]

Algeria to Sudan

Pedagogy of the oppressed tricklinrsquo down

Conquerinrsquo through divisions

And sadly this isnrsquot the first time

One land one love one chance one blood

No fuss no fight Yeah right young blood

AKrsquos cheaper than a book

Crooked leaders in a hook

Gettinrsquo fished out

Missles gettinrsquo dished out

7 Destiny

Omar Offendum

The Peace Revolution 20

21332892

eng - iTunNORM 000006D3 000006F2 000038BA 0000322F 0000E4FA 0000E4FA 00008716 0000864B 0002AB5E 000083D6

eng - iTunSMPB 00000000 00000210 0000094B 00000000008F7FA5 00000000 004108FB 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000

5554

زي ما صار مبارح صار اليوم اطف التلفزيون امسك مايكروفون

زي ما صار مبارح صار اليوم اطف التلفزيون امسك مايكروفون

زي ما صار مبارح صار اليوم اطف التلفزيون امسك مايكروفون

زي ما صار مبارح صار اليوم اطف التلفزيون امسك مايكروفون

النه الوقت عم يسبق بقلك خي سالم بس اصبر

بدك تستني هاي اخلطط بعمرها ما تضبطبيدفعلك قد ما بدك عشان تسكت

واذا بتفتح متك طخة وحده وبعد بتسقط

s t o r m t r a p

What happened yesterday happens today

switch off your TV and grab a microphone

What happened yesterday happens today

switch off your TV and grab a microphone

What happened yesterday happens today

switch off your TV and grab a microphone

What happened yesterday happens today

switch off your TV and grab a microphone

Because time is racing

He keeps telling you peace is coming just be patient

You want to wait these plans never succeed

Hersquoll pay you as much as you want to keep you quiet

And if you open your mouth one shot will silence you

what happened yesterdayزي ما صار مبارح

Zey ma sar mbareh

Stormtrap

null

2009

1728613

eng - Visit httpstormtrapbandcampcom

5756

اركض اركض وخليك راكض

واذا بتفتح متك رح يقلك خليك ساكت رح يقلك انساك من هاملشاكل

حوشوا هالشواك وضبوا شناتكم واشتروا التذاكرففكر شوي وما تكنش أهبل

وين ما تروح في الدنيا رح تتبهدلمش شايف قدامي عم بسمع أصوات بيسألني

ليش لسه عايش هون روح عيش محل تانيبدي احك بس الكلمات مش طالعة من لساني

عنصرية هونن عنصرية هناك عنصرية كل ما اطلع برا الشباك

شيطان بيعمل حاله مالكبس هو بالواقع بدو يعيش بالك

جدار بيمثل عقلية ناس بدهاش تعيش معاك

زي ما صار مبارح صار اليوم اطف التلفزيون امسك مايكروفون

ما مبثل شخص او اشخاص مبثل فكرةاسم احلرية حاملينه

من بلد ما فيه حياة عاديةسواءا ضد االحتالل أو ضد العنصرية

أصواتكم وينايي خلوها تنسمع وتطلع نتائج ايجابية

فكمل كتابة او تسجيل وصدقني شغلك مش رايح عالفاضي

عشان الشي الوحيد اللي رح يروح هو احن اذا منضلنا علقانني فاملاضي

s t o r m t r a p

Run run

Keep running

And if you decide to speak hersquoll tell you just stay silent

Hersquoll tell you forget these problems

Save up some money pack your bags and buy your tickets

Think about it donrsquot be a fool

Wherever you go yoursquoll get humiliated

I canrsquot see in front of me Irsquom hearing voices asking

Why are you still living here Go live somewhere else

I want to respond but the words wonrsquot come out

Racism here racism there

Racism each time I look out the window

A devil in an angelrsquos disguise

In reality he wants to live without you

The apartheid wall represents the mentality of a people who donrsquot care to coexist

What happened yesterday happens today

switch off your TV and grab a microphone

I dont represent a person or a people I represent an idea

An idea called freedom

From a land lacking a normal life

Whether yoursquore struggling against occupation or against racism

Where is your voice

Let it be heard to achieve your goals

So keep writing and recording

Believe me your work wonrsquot be lost in vain

The only thing thatrsquoll disappear is us

If we stay stuck in the past

Zey ma sar mbareh

Stormtrap

null

2009

1728613

eng - Visit httpstormtrapbandcampcom

5958

شو الي حدثجينا من حتت األرض

هيهة القصة بدة عنا هدفوننشر أصواتنا لكل حدا

جيت من حتت أرض رام اللهما ح وقف اكتب كلمات وال مرة

عندي طاقة الزم أطلعها كل يوم وكل ساعةفاو انبنى مع الوقت ولسة عم بيطور تصور

تصورفاو انبنى مع الوقت ولسة عم بيطور تصور

زي ما صار مبارح صار اليوم اطف التلفزيون امسك مايكروفون

زي ما صار مبارح صار اليوم اطف التلفزيون امسك مايكروفون

s t o r m t r a p

What happened

We came from underground

The story begins we have an objective

To spread our voices to everyone

I came from the ruins of Ramallah and

I wonrsquot ever stop writing words

I have energy that I must release every day every hour

A flow thatrsquos been built and is still developing imagine

Imagine a flow thatrsquos been built and is still developing

What happened yesterday happens today

Switch off your TV and grab a microphone

What happened yesterday happens today

Switch off your TV and grab a microphone

T r a n s l a t e d b y t h e a r t i s t

Zey ma sar mbareh

Stormtrap

null

2009

1728613

eng - Visit httpstormtrapbandcampcom

6160

Wake up the People

Donrsquot doubt it

The Maker can see you

Right now

You want to get out and see doe

So clouded

Sell out to be dope

Right now

I see you plagued by your own doubt

Canrsquot step the game up

Like a snake when it rolled down

Staircase of a lone child

No bricks lain in a cold house

Where you sold out

All alone on an old couch

t h e N a r c i c y s t

No click like an untapped phone dial

Oh wow

I felt the same homie

Donrsquot shelter pain only

Then it came slowly

Never let the frame hold me (down)

Picture life for the love though

People tend to look the other way like Columbo

We deceived by the law just to love doe

Guess they took all the worth out to numb folks

And make a severed plan

Out of bitter man

What you want a medal man

Huh Do you really think yoursquore better than Then

All you really need is a long look

Two sixteens and a strong hook like

brassThis track was originally written in English

null

2149748

6362

Wake up the People

Donrsquot doubt it

The Maker can see you

Right now

You want to get out and see doe

So clouded

Sell out to be dope

Right now

Break

Hip hop like a fresh pelvis

Yoursquore gonna regret this shit like a dead Elvis

Busy wishing you could live less selfish

Crabs in a bucket duckinrsquo these dead shellfish

Industry got a brother feeling helpless

With an ill chorus and ride yoursquore more in the tide

When a flow canrsquot keep me above the water

t h e N a r c i c y s t

Let a wave carry me out and push me farther now

Internal Inferno ten journals written but Irsquom still not sure though

Do I really want to tour to jump hurdles To be heard

So-I-Can-Feel-Like-This

Man therersquos something that I might miss--

Naw Irsquove been bluffinrsquo

Lifersquos backwards like Ben Buttonsrsquo

Irsquom in love with the stage fright on a strange night

Feels good to get the words on a page right

Wake up the People

Donrsquot doubt it

The Maker can see you

Right now

You want to get out and see doe

So clouded

Sell out to be dope

Right now

null

2149748

6564

مبارح شفت بلمنام بيروت عمتغرق حتت رماد بركان فحموا الناس بس ال raquoسكاي بارlaquo كان بعده ولعان

بيروت ثبتت حبة الثورة اللي فينا نبتت ملا أحبطت نفوسنا من اجلمود

فينا بيروت حتركت عدم دمارنا وعدم حرية خيارنا

بيوت بيروت تعمرت سكرنا عجفاف دموعنا جفوننا عليها تسكرت فتخمرت

إذا بطلت تطير قدرك عألرض مقهور إذا وقفت تكسير بتصير جزء من الديكور

e l R a s s

Yesterday I dreamt Beirut was drowning under volcanic ash

The people were turned to charcoal but Sky Bar [a posh Beirut club] was still lit up

Beirut suppressed the seed of the revolution the one that sprouted

When our spirits were foiled from immobility

In us Beirut moved

On the blood of our destruction and the negation of our freedom of choice

The houses of Beirut are rebuilt

We got drunk on the dryness of our tears our eyelids closed on them and fermented

If you stop flying your destiny on land is distress

If you stop breaking you become part of the decoration

beirutبركان بيروت rsquos volcano

Blues

2125713

6766

بحاور بناور باآلخر بواجه التاج بتوضى بصلي بتوصلني أصوات أنات احملتاج

تأمل العلم بعري العمل من العمل خياري عنار خفيفة دوب املسمار وتستوي األفكار النظيفة

عمروا دمروا زمروا تذمروا ربك صبره دربه جربه

عقلن خربوا غربوا هربوا وقبلوا بالفن عحيط الشارع

عشرط ما يكون في شك بشارع هيدي مش عاصمة ثقافة هيدي حلبة املصارع بيروت ال تعرف في املاضي وال تعرب باملضارع

حتول التركيبة خلى العقل اجلامد فكر حاله مالك املدينة رقبته طويلة متل مالك احلزين وايده لوزيري

اعتبر نفسه أول مني اكتشف هلجزيرة بأجر الفقير شقق بأسعار مدروسة

بشكل تضل طموحاته ممعوسة نهبوا األرض من ربعي وصارت احلرب شركة استثمار مبفعول رجعي

حتت شعار إعادة اإلعمار لو ما كان خلص دوره وانتهى عقد االيجار

كان احلريري ما طار وما صار مطار احلريري عاصمة لبنان بتوازن بني ضريحني

واتنيناتن عاغتيالن في عالمة استفهام e واحد قدس املوت بس لسبب l R a s s

I discuss I maneuver ultimately I confront the crown

I perform ablutions I pray I receive the moaning of the needy

The meditation of knowledge strips work from hope

My choice is on low fire melting the nails and clean thoughts are ripening

They built they destroyed they honked they complained

Your god made him patient tested him and trained him

Their minds ruined westernized chased off

They accepted art pissed on back alleys

As long as there is no doubt in the streets

This is no capital of culture itrsquos a wrestling ring

Beirut canrsquot speak of itself in the past nor conjugate itself in the present

Transitions and transformations made the closed mind think he owns the city

His neck is long like a stork his fingers long like a politicianrsquos

He thinks himself the first who discovered this peninsula

He lets the poor rent apartments at prices studied

To crush ambitions

They stole the land from my cousins

And the war became a backward-looking investment

Under the slogan of reconstruction

If his time wasnrsquot up and his contract finished

Hariri didnrsquot have to fly and it wouldnrsquot have become the Hariri airport

Lebanonrsquos capital keeps balance between two shrines

And on both assassinations there is a question mark

One sanctifies death but for a reason

Blues

2125713

6968

واحد قدس احلياة بس بالكذب واحد بايدو حتول الذهب سم وواحد تخبى من الذهب بالدم

مني الشهيد

اللي مات حتت صبابيط ثورة عبيد شهيد اللي مات فتحول على حملة اعالنات هدفها ترفع الطايفة معدالت التجنيد

قنابل بالبريد وصل سيوف علوريد حصل

املوت للبليد صنم الصبر للعنيد حلم تأليه الشهيد ظلم

خليط احلديد والدم العالج والسم الرفاه والهم النوعية والكم

الدعارة وورقة التوت مبدينة بيروت علم

e l R a s s

And one sanctifies life with lies

In onersquos hand gold turned into poison

And the other hid from gold with blood

Who is the martyr

The one who died under the shoes of the oppressedrsquos uprising is a martyr

Is it he whose death was transformed into an advertising campaign to raise the levels of

sectarian enlistment

Bombs came in the mail

Swords to the jugular true stories

Death to the cold is statuette

Patience to the stubborn is a dream

Divinity to the martyr is oppression

The mixture of steel and blood the cure and poison

Luxury and distress quality and quantity

Prostitution and modesty

The science of the city of Beirut

T r a n s l a t e d b y M o e A l i N a y e l amp + A z i z

Blues

2125713

7170

بقرأ في اجلريدة زفت شوارع جديدة

إزالة مطبات و كثير أشياء هيك مفيدة أشخاص مستفيدة

دعم من هون و من هون منظمات بس احلرية بعيدة

مقاطعة مستوطنات تعون الضفة الغربية وطنية حصرية إدعائية

طب و فلسطني التاريخية مع ألساس كانت القدس عاصمة الثقافة العربية

بس كلوحكي سياسية للشعب إحنا نتحمل الشغل و التعب و الوضع صعب

b o i k u t t

Irsquom reading in the paper

About roads newly paved

Speed bumps removed and a lot of other useful stuff (yes very)

Certain inviduals benefit

Funding from here and there

Organizations are plentiful but freedom is far-fetched

Calling for a boycott of settlements around the West Bank

Pretentious exclusive nationalism

But what about historical Palestine

I thought Jerusalem was supposed to be the ldquocapital of Arab cultureldquo

But itrsquos all political speeches for the people

We put up with the work and the sweat and itrsquos rough

a letterرسالة من مقاطعة from boikutt

risaleh mn muqataa (pt1)

boikutt

null

2010

1086983

eng - iTunPGAP0

eng - iTunNORM 00000A1E 00000A0E 000099D9 000098A0 0000CC63 0000CC63 0000826D 000080B0 000131D0 000131D0

eng - iTunSMPB 00000000 00000210 000008F3 000000000049197D 00000000 0027BA9D 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000

7372

يقنعونا إن كلشي متام و بقدر أعيش حياة عادية

زي في األفالم على مبس واحد إثنني ثالثة أربعة إلخ

كن منيح و بتنزل عليك املصاري زخ نصيحة من أخ ألخ

خليك مستقل ألن اللعبة إنلعب فإبعد عن الفخ

خليهم يقعدوا يستنوا الدعم ليموتوا يلفلفوا داخل اجلدار حلد ما يفوتوا

في متاهات مبسافات مش محددة مجددة لتوسع التوسع مش مهددة

إنتهاك احتالل بس مش على الكل

في ناس في فلسطني هون حياتهم زي الفل مش عارف شو بيفكر

شكلوا مش داري شي يوم حنروح كل الدكاكني هي حتسكر

سالم

b o i k u t t

Try to convince me that everythingrsquos fine

And that I can lead a normal life

Like in the movies

On MBC one two three four etcetera

Be good and money will rain on you

Advice from one brother to another

Stay independent because the games are being played

So steer clear of the trap

Let them wait for foreign aid until they die

Spinning in circles within the apartheid wall until they enter

Into unlimited mazes with unspecified spaces

That are renewed to fit settlement expansion unthreatened

Violation occupation

But not for everyone

There are people here in Palestine living ldquothe good lifeldquo

I donrsquot know what hersquos thinking

Seems like he doesnrsquot know one day wersquoll be gone

And all these shops will close

Peace

T r a n s l a t e d b y t h e a r t i s t w i t h L o u b n a B i l a l i

risaleh mn muqataa (pt1)

boikutt

null

2010

1086983

eng - iTunPGAP0

eng - iTunNORM 00000A1E 00000A0E 000099D9 000098A0 0000CC63 0000CC63 0000826D 000080B0 000131D0 000131D0

eng - iTunSMPB 00000000 00000210 000008F3 000000000049197D 00000000 0027BA9D 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000

7574

الضغط عاليالعدو فات جاري احملادثات

صمت دوليكمية الغازى عم تزداد

تهجير جديد مولود جديدتكرر عزو مش تارك ورا شي مفيد غير غراب

من كل البيت ما تركو شي إال البابمن االرض ل سما مسافة عاليه

إمشي الصحرا وعد لياليوجنوما

كمشوا رئيس دولة بجورةحصار

توزيع مخدراتباألحمر تلون الفرات سجون معتقالتقبلة الوداع مع الصبات

تنصت بالشبكة خيانات باألزهر

k a t i b e h 5

The pressure is high

The enemy has entered discussions are taking place

Global silence

The numbers of the occupier are increasing

A new expulsion A newborn child

The perpetuation of an invasion that leaves behind it nothing of any use except for a crow

From an entire house they left nothing but the door

From the ground to the sky is a long distance

Walk the desert and count the nights

And its stars

They caught a president in a pit

Siege

Drug dealing the Euphrates is stained red prisons detention centers

A farewell kiss with a shoe

Networks wiretapped betrayals in Al Azhar

hold me back ifهديني اذا فيك you can

null

23098943

7776

حوار أديانالكف تنجس

متسح فيه وجك مع كل شروق عالوضوءتسمع شرارة فتيل مولوتوف ينادي أصوات تتلبى

باإلنفجار

هديني إذا فيك صرت موجود بكل مكانوجي مغبش عامل زي جيش زباتا

منصرخ بوجكم raquoاحلرية ل برغوتيlaquoإعالمكو بيعرفني كلماتكو حملت إسمي

شركاتكو بتهرب مني )كتيبه خمسه هديتي إذا فيك(

بتالقيني بني والد حفظوا غنية املخيماتبنفسية فالح عمال يزو املدينة

افالم تافهةبرنامج تافه

بتدور على مخك بتالقي مش موجوداخلليج يتحكم بإعالم

هادول حبوب التنومي ٦1 سنة بعدن مش شغالني

عالمادامك واخد وجهة نظري

ع محمل اجلدمسموح لك تستعجب وتظهر إنزعاجك بوجودي

ألني صديق لكل املشاهد الغير مرغوبة فيهاش بيختار حياتو بالتحديد بحكيلك هيك منحياها ومحد

ضغط رصاص وابارود بخليكاش حتيدالتجارب بتدلك عطريق

هديتي إذا فيك

k a t i b e h 5

A dialogue of religions

The hand is tainted

And with it you cleanse your face at ablution each sunrise

You hear the sparking of the fuse of a molotov calling voices respond

Explosion

Hold me back if you can I have become present everywhere

My face is concealed like the army of Zapata

We shout in your face ldquoFreedom for Barghoutildquo

Your media knows me your words have glimpsed my name

Your corporations flee from me

(Katibe Khamseh hold me back if you can)

Yoursquoll find me among children that have memorized the song ldquoAl Moukhayamatldquo

In the persona of a peasant that is visiting the city

Shallow films

Shallow programs

You look for your mind but you find it is not there

The Gulf controls media with its boundaries

These sleeping pills 61 years and theyrsquore still not effective

Great

As long as you are taking my point of view seriously

Yoursquore allowed to be taken aback and to show your irritation

Just like you show your irritation at my presence

Because I am a friend to all the images that are not desirable

This is how we live out these images and no one chooses their life specifically Irsquoll tell you

The pressure of bullets and gunpowder does not allow you to move away

Experience will guide you on the road

Hold me back if you can

null

23098943

7978

موقف واحد صريح من صميم روح لشعوب املقاومة ضمير ظهور البشرية

السبيل صعب ورا الغضبدعم لكل أسالوب محارب

د لنحرق نظامك منتدرب منجرب منخرب منستععم نحرق نظامك

هديتي إذا فيك

إطلع منيحمش رح تقدر توخذ كل شي من أول نظرة

نظرة عامة raquoبشرة مش بيضةlaquoجبني عريضة مكتوب مولود عنيد بالفطرة

فوت بالتقاليد عد التجاعيدلك هاي مش أول مرة

لغات ودراسات حط العلم بغالفمش رح تقدر تفهم ليه بعد في بارود ع الكتافلون األرض ولون الليل بيعطيك البني و السواد

بوعدك مش لوحدي رح أضل عد رماد الال اللعبة اجلديدة وال والدنا ع اللعبة جداد

بكفيش إنفلونزا الصقور صار في إنفلونزا اخلنازيرموسم مرض جديد لرئيس مبثل ع نفوس ومريض بهدوء البيض

هديتي إذا فيك

k a t i b e h 5

A single honest stance from the bottom of the soul for the people of the resistance the conscience

that exposes humanity

The path is difficult when following anger

A support for every style of battle

We train we strive we disrupt we prepare to burn your system

We are burning your system

Hold me back if you can

Look closely

You wonrsquot be able to see it all at first sight

An overview ldquocomplexion that is not whiteldquo

A broad forehead written born stubborn by nature

Look at the traditions and count the wrinkles

This is not the first time

Languages and scholarship put education under wraps

You wonrsquot be able to understand why there is still gunpowder on shoulders

The color of earth and the color of night gives you brown and blackness

I promise you that I will not be alone to count the ashes no

This game to us is not new and nor are our children new to the game

As if the influenza of eagles was not enough now therersquos the influenza of pigs

The season of a new disease for a president acting for a public and sick with the

calmness of white people

Hold me back if you can

null

23098943

8180

اإلحتالل نكه البشر بنكهة املجاريبالسالم حوار أديانبإقرار ملكية كذابة

بتشويه تاريخ وسرقة حضاراتولك أه

فلسطني إفريقيا الدجلة والفراتإجتاه البشرية لإلضمحالل سرطان بشري بعضها

الشتا ميسح اخلطايا واآلثاروليش بتتخبى وبتتغطى بنفس كل سفارة سميك الستار

لساتني باكل الضربة ورا الضره ورا الضربةوحتى ما أفعل وأساوي تكمشني الرجفة

بدل ما أضرب فيك بضرب بحاليبوعدكش حضلني كامش حالي حفلتها

حفلتها

هديني إذا فيك هديني إذا فيكهديني إذا فيك

k a t i b e h 5

The occupation has seasoned humanity with the flavor of sewers

With peace with dialogue of religions

With the declaration of false ownership

With the distortion of history and the theft of civilizations

Oh yes

Palestine Africa the Tigris and Euphrates

Humanity is leading to reduction a human cancer bites it

Exile wipes clean the sins and the traces

And why are you hiding and seeking cover when all the embassies are already well concealed

I am still taking one beating after another

And so that I donrsquot take action and do something shudders grip my body

Instead of beating you I beat myself

I canrsquot promise you that I can keep myself restrained

Irsquom gonna let go

Hold me back if you can

Hold me back if you can

Hold me back if you can

T r a n s l a t e d b y R i m a N a j d i a n d F a y s a l B i b i

null

23098943

8382

طول عمر الشعب املصري مع بعض أحلك الظروفبص وفر في التاريخ وانت ياما هاتشوف

الدين ده ليا وليكوفيا وفيك

حاجة روحانية بتخليك حتس اللي بيك

ايد في ايد نبني فيها من جديد

مصر زعلت علي حاصل وسطنا مش مفيد

بعد ثورة وبعد عيد فتنة تقتل حلم واتتحقق لنا

واحد اتننيالذكري بتعيش اكتر من عمر االنسان

بصمتنا تغييرنا جوة وبرة امليدان مش هانضيع نصر ثورتنا بفتنة نشئت بينا

A r a b i a n K n i g h t s + M C G a z a + A m e e r

The Egyptian people have always stuck together

Through the worst times look at history

And see how often wersquove been there for each other

That whole idea of religion

Is for you and for me something spiritual that makes you feel whatrsquos inside you

Hand in hand

We build Egypt up again

Egypt is angry at whatrsquos happening between us

Itrsquos not helpful

After the revolution after the celebration

Sectarian strife is killing the dream we fulfilled

One two

The memory lasts more than a lifetime

Our mark is our change in and outside Tahrir Square

We wonrsquot give up the victory of our revolution in exchange for sectarian strife between

us

hand inايد في ايد hand

Eid Fe Eid

Yasser Ameer Youssef Rush E Money amp MCGaza | by BOGEY

Single Hit track 11

20112011

Hip-Hop

24002867

eng - Hip-Hop 4 Life

eng - iTunNORM 000005E2 0000058E 0000424E 00003537 00026E95 0001C2B3 00008000 00008000 00005045 00005045

8584

بلدنا محتجانا ايدنا واحدة ضد احملنة تفرق ايه معاك ديانتي ملا ربك هو ربي

اصلك هو اصلي ارضك هي ارضي

ملا اتقال لي اكتت فيول فتنة انا قولت غلط علشان الفتنة مفتعلة في بلدنا وكان وراها غرض

فالفرد افترض فبفرض السياسة األمر اختلط

فالزم يبقي املصل سياسي من اصل املرض العسس واحلرس مافرقوش صليب وهالل

وكنا كلنا واحد وراء االقفالدم الشهيد شاهد

ياما بالفتنة انكسرنا وحدتنا بصوت واحد وضد الظلم انتصرنا

وديني هو ديني صلة بيني وبني ربي هارفع علمي وارفع راسي فوق

انا مصري

ايد في ايد نبني فيها من جديد

مصر زعلت علي حاصل وسطنا مش مفيد

بعد ثورة وبعد عيد فتنة تقتل حلم واتتحقق لنا

خلو حمامة السالم من الطيور املنقرضةعلشان تبقي القلوب مبتعدة منقسمه سهل تتسم

فكرين مناعة و قوة أم الدنيا بالطمع مرتبطةنسر املصريني ليس له دين احنا بنحميها بالدم

العنف بذوره بتكتر عاوز يوصل واحلروب حتصل

A r a b i a n K n i g h t s + M C G a z a + A m e e r

Our country needs us all together against the hard times

What difference does my religion make to you when your god is my god

Your origin is mine

Your land is my land

When they told me about sectarian strife I said thatrsquos wrong

Because itrsquos been planted in our country and behind it is some purpose

Makes one think somethingrsquos going on

By playing politics everythingrsquos gotten mixed up

The antidote has to be political just like the poison itself

The military doesnrsquot distinguish between cross and crescent

Wersquore all held together behind bars

The blood of the martyrs bears witness

To how much wersquove been broken by sectarianism

Through our unity we triumphed with one voice over injustice

And my religion is my own a rapport between me and God

Irsquoll raise my flag and my head up

Irsquom Egyptian

Hand in hand

We build Egypt up again

Egypt is angry at whatrsquos happening between us

Itrsquos not helpful

After the revolution after the victory

Sectarian strife is killing the dream we fulfilled

They drove the dove of peace to extinction

To keep hearts apart and divided itrsquos easy to poison them

Do they really think the resilience and strength of Egypt is connected to greed

The Egyptian eagle has no religion we protect it with our blood

The roots of violence are increasing want to gain control to start wars

Eid Fe Eid

Yasser Ameer Youssef Rush E Money amp MCGaza | by BOGEY

Single Hit track 11

20112011

Hip-Hop

24002867

eng - Hip-Hop 4 Life

eng - iTunNORM 000005E2 0000058E 0000424E 00003537 00026E95 0001C2B3 00008000 00008000 00005045 00005045

8786

للعاقيدة يكسر وألعضاء املشاعر تتشال تصتأصلعلى كالم ربهم اتكبرو فعملو قدر واتقدر

وقته مستنينه ليه خططوا مضمون الرسائل اتغير الن الهدف هو تدمير قعدة الوحدهوقتل كل قائد يقود الناس بره احملنه

فيبقي سهل يزيحنا ميحي أوصول عليها كبرناوكل واحد علي حداه يقول أنا محدش يقول احنا

فاببطء بحرص بص بعقل بحذر شوفقبل ما يخلوا خيالك يتخلله اخلوف

واخلوف ده افراز بيطلع من غده ملا الكلب بيشوفهابيعرف انك فاريسه سهل ياكلها ركز

فرق تسد إخلعوفق جتد إرفع

ثورة تقدصمت يفرد- يفرق

ما بيجمع بيننامن حقي النقد من حقك - تسمع

طب إسمع وراجع ما صور التاريخ طب باله بيكفي صور زمانييوم حصار كنيسة املهد مني دافع مني اتقمع مني اتنفا

مسلم مسيحي أل كان فلسطيني اتذكر معي ثورة غضب يناير

اتذكر معي الوحدة اإليد الوحدة اتشرف انتا مصرياتذكر معي األخ بإيد األخ يحمي األخ بدون إلخ

كالمي ماشي ماشي ال-لتفهمني بهويتي مسلم وال نصراني قبطي

ما في حجة لربطي خلبطي حلطي ألوطي ألغير خطيخير أجناد األرض

من أرض بيت املقدس كل السالم بعد ما قلت إلنقسام في وطنيانا ملزم أقول ال لفتنة

تفتت مجد شعب تعب عانى ضحى بالغالي حتى بناه

A r a b i a n K n i g h t s + M C G a z a + A m e e r

The relationship between Egyptians breaks down and the organs that feel are taken out

They got full of themselves in the name of their god and invented a new fate for us

Theyrsquore waiting for a time and theyrsquore plotting The meaning of their messages changes

Because the goal is to destroy the foundation of unity

And kill every leader who takes the people out of hard times

Itrsquos easy to remove us to wipe out the traditions we grew up with

Everyone on his own everyone says ldquoIldquo and no one says ldquoweldquo

Slowly carefully look Wisely with caution see

Before they make your imagination a slave to fear

And that fear releases a secretion from a gland

And when the dog sees it he knows yoursquore easy prey

Divide yoursquoll conquer

Bring harmony and yoursquoll reap Start

A revolution and it will catch on

Silence is solitary It divides

It doesnrsquot bring us together

It is my right to criticize and your right to listen

So listen and look back at history or better look at my life time

The day the Nativity Church was under siege who was persecuted Who was exiled

A Muslim A Christian No he was Palestinian

Letrsquos remember the angry revolution of January

Letrsquos remember the unity the one hand Be proud yoursquore Egyptian

Remember the brother holding hands with a brother protecting a brother

And I can go on

Donrsquot teach me about my identity whether Irsquom a Muslim or a Christian Copt

Therersquos no excuse to tie me down beat me to make me cower and kneel and stray from my courseThe Earthrsquos most virtuous soldiers

Come from the land of Bayt al-Maqdis [Jerusalem] I salute you After I said no to division in my countryIrsquom committed to saying no to seditionThat dissolves the glory of a people who labored suffered sacrificed what was most dear to build it

T r a n s l a t e d b y A l e x O r t i z + A h m e d S h a w k e t + K h a l e d A l H i l l i

Eid Fe Eid

Yasser Ameer Youssef Rush E Money amp MCGaza | by BOGEY

Single Hit track 11

20112011

Hip-Hop

24002867

eng - Hip-Hop 4 Life

eng - iTunNORM 000005E2 0000058E 0000424E 00003537 00026E95 0001C2B3 00008000 00008000 00005045 00005045

8988

الفن واملواهب زي حرب الكواكب الكل عايز يكون جنم صراع في الداخل

بهدي جنون العظمة بفلفل حر توابل تسيل دموع زي القنابل

زي مابتكلم وداني شغالة كون سامع نبض الشارع علشان أ

حالف أقضي على اإلعالم املتآمر مغامر في الكالم بس إنت مش سامع

ملا بأمسك القلم والورقة الهم بينزاح مخي بيرتاح بأقول اللي على البال

ملا بأقعد بحس بتأنيب ضمير كون في ستوديو بسجل على بيت خطير مفروض أ

e l D e e b + S t o r m t r a p

Art and talent are like Star Wars

Secretly everyone wants to be a star of conflict

I make megalomania tranquil with chilli hot spices

Tears flow like bombs

Thatrsquos how I talk and the world keeps moving

So that I can hear the pulse of the streets

Irsquove sworn to obliterate the media conspirators

I am adventurous in my speech but you do not hear

When I hold the pen and the paper my anxiety is lifted

My mind relaxes and I say whatrsquos on it

When I sit down I feel guilty

I should be in the studio recording dangerous beats

addictأدمان الشهرة ion to fame

Edman El Shuhra

Stormtrap amp Mohamed El Deeb

2011

Hip-Hop

15305855

- vocals Mohamed El Deeb Stormtrap13produced by Stormtrap

9190

إحساس غريب إنك تدمن الكالم ارسم يا فنان واخترع زي دافينشي الرسام

ولو مفيش ورقة باستخدم تليفوني خايف إن فكرة متعديش على صوتي

دنيا غريبة يوم مر يوم بونبوني بس أنا عمري ماغيرت لوني

املوسيقى بنادولي وبطابعي فضولي مهما قالوا لي هافهمها مبفهومي فـساعات أالقي نفسي بكلم نفسي واسمع أصوات غريبة في دماغي

وهو ده الصدى الصوت اللي بسمعه اكن مفيش حد فارقة معاه احالمي

شوف شوف مش هدف إنو أنا شخصيا أنا

هدفي انه كلماتي وموسيقتي تنتشرعشان هيك حتشوفني دوما مستمر مستثمر

كل وقتي كل طاقتي على أصواتي خوذ شك خوذ حتويل خوذ كاش

بس ما تنساش أي شي بيتعلق بالواقع بدناش ما تخاف ألنها قضيتنا مش منسية مية باملية هايذي ثورة كمان ثقافية

خليني أوضح هاي املوسيقى مش معمولة للتلفازeهاي املوسيقى مش معمولة لهز الطياز l D e e b + S t o r m t r a p

Strange feeling to be out of words

Paint oh artist and discover like Da Vinci the artist

If I donrsquot have paper I use my cell

I am afraid that the idea does not come through my voice

Strange world one day is bitter another like candy

But Irsquove never changed my color

Music is my Tylenol and my nature curious

So whatever they tell me Irsquoll understand it my way

Sometimes I find myself talking to myself

And I hear weird voices in my head

Which is just the echo of the sound I hear

As if no one cares about my dreams

See see

My goals are not self serving

My goal is that my words and music spread

Thatrsquos why yoursquoll see me always and continuously investing

All my time my energy on my sounds

Take a check take a transfer take cash

But never forget anything related to reality wersquore not interested

Donrsquot be afraid because our cause is not forgotten

One hundred percent this is also a cultural revolution

Let me explain this music is not meant to be televised

This music is not made for booty shaking

Edman El Shuhra

Stormtrap amp Mohamed El Deeb

2011

Hip-Hop

15305855

- vocals Mohamed El Deeb Stormtrap13produced by Stormtrap

9392

مش فاهم ليش الكل قاتل حاله يكون في مسابقةحابني نتصابح حياكم زات املكافحة

واالعالم ميت ع حيالله قصة ما بيدرس هالقصة من نصها

وبعدن بينفخهامش احلق علينا اذا ما بيبحثوا

وملا يبدوا يحكوا عنا أل عنجد بيبعصوابيفكروا انه كل شي هشك بشك

بس حدن الزم يقلهم انه الهب هوب مش هيكبدك تدير بالك عشانها هاي اللحظة احلاسمة

ملا يجوا عليك الديب والعاصفةنكسر حدود وبنبني وحدة عشان نحيي مجتماعاتنا

وننهي معانتناعشان هيك منكتب كلمات صريحة والها معنى

مش للشهرة مش حتى يجي حدن يدفعلنا

e l D e e b + S t o r m t r a p

I donrsquot understand why everyone is killing themselves to be in the contest

Wersquod like to say goodmorning to salute you in this same struggle

The mediarsquos dying for any story

But they donrsquot study the storyrsquos real text

And then they blow it out of proportion

Itrsquos not our fault if they donrsquot search

And when they talk about us then they really screw it up

They think everything is empty pointless

Somebody needs to tell them that hip hop is not like that

You should take care because this is the critical moment

When the wolf and storm come haunting you

We break borders and we create a unity to revitalize our communities

And stop our suffering

That is why we write frank words that have meaning

Itrsquos not for fame or even so that someone pays us

T r a n s l a t e d b y N i z a r G h a n e m

Edman El Shuhra

Stormtrap amp Mohamed El Deeb

2011

Hip-Hop

15305855

- vocals Mohamed El Deeb Stormtrap13produced by Stormtrap

9594

حضل عهل مود يعنيما إنتلك النجوم عم تقرب

بهل ال مود حكون عطول لبهل جنوم إدءر لو مضطر شن هجوم عل النجوم كلها

خللي األرض تدور حول أصبعي تنلك

ما إنتلك متلي متلك مولع طيار ألفكاري من العقدي تنفك فرد قعدي بني 4 حيطان ما بتنهز و منها ما بنهز

يلز املا بينلزالكاس عل الطاولي و منو عم مز مز

لتفتل براصي وحس من حالي عم كز كزعل ورقة كالمي مدروس و ما بزت زت بجرب ما عيد حالي متا يقولو عم نق نق

موزع قافياتي جواز كأن عم فت فت

بهل األطشة خلي الديني اللي تسمعني ترن رنFبسبيلي جاري يوم ع يوم عم برك رك a r e e q e l A t r a s h

Irsquoll stay in this mood

Didnrsquot I tell you The stars are getting closer

Irsquoll stay in this mood until I touch these stars

Even if I have to launch an attack on all the stars

Irsquoll make the Earth rotate around my finger I told you

Didnrsquot I tell you Irsquom just like you I lit up a joint so my ideas would untie their knot

Sitting this way in between four walls I wonrsquot budge

The most delectable

Drink is on the table from which Irsquom taking sips

Till my head starts spinning and Irsquom sick of myself

On the paper my words are calculated I donrsquot just toss them about

I try not to repeat myself so they wonrsquot say Irsquom nagging

I deal my rhymes out like theyrsquore cards

In this verse Irsquoll make those ears ring

My fountain is running and every day I excel

tالنجوم عم تقرب he stars are gett ing closer

null

29781717

9796

لضل ماشي جالس بينما غيري عم بلك لك شريط معلق ريحة العة عم بتفح فحكل ما فتح متو بتالقي عم بكب كب

عايشها إرهاب و مفي إال بسب سببزبالتي ما بكبو تيكون بعلمك

األالف مسم و بحياتو ما بينسم بزقة من هل التم تخلي سقفك ينش نش

تلمو ردم و ما تفكر إنو ترد رد و عم بحكي عالواطي متا الصالي فيك ترج رج

بطبعي عاقل بس بالراب بزل زل عل الرايق بال ما نط وال فز فز

type of shitعال بارد أبرد من شباط بس يقز قزتخلي عضامك ع بعض تسك سك

ما إنتلك النجوم عم تقرب بهل ال مود حكون عطول لبهل جنوم إدءر

لو مضطر شن هجوم عل النجوم كلهاخللي األرض تدور حول أصبعي تنلك

أنا متنبئ بنبه و بحقق ما قلتلك بعد وقتها ما عم نكت

عاملكرفون إبرة هرون عم بشكشك في شكcheck one two

هيك بدسدس عالنبض

F a r e e q e l A t r a s h

So I can walk straight when others are still playing

A broken record that reeks of a musty smell

Every time he opens his mouth he spews them out

He lives in terror and all he does is curse

I wouldnrsquot throw him in my garbage just so you know

Irsquove irritated thousands and never been irritated in my life

One spit out of this mouth will make your roof leak

And yoursquoll pick up the rubble and donrsquot even think about answering back

Irsquom talking in a low voice so the hall wonrsquot shake with you in it

Irsquom reasonable by nature but when it comes to rap I humiliate cold-heartedly

Without jumping or leaping around

I do it coldly colder than icy February-type of shit

Irsquoll make your bones rattle against each other

Didnrsquot I tell you The stars are getting closer

Irsquoll stay in this mood until I touch these stars

Even if I have to launch an attack on all the stars

Irsquoll make the Earth rotate around my finger I told you

Irsquom a psychic I predict and deliver

Didnrsquot I tell you to stand back when Irsquom not joking

Irsquom pricking the microphone with a heroin needle Is there any doubt

Check one two

Thatrsquos how I feel the pulse

null

29781717

9998

بدقق و زتزت حكي بتزجزج كأنها مزهزها عم بتشمشم عم خطط عم تكتيك و مني ملحلح من هون للساعة توقف تك تيك تك تيك

لك ليك منفخ حاله عامبيكازيب عا غيري بس بوجهي بتاءتإوجهه بيباءبإ من أد ما بعصب بسبسب

زر إنذار إذني بتطنطن و بشوف من عالباب عم بدقدق

عكروت بدو يفوت ليشوف الفن فني بس الفن هون بجسمي معبأ

من حلقي طايف و من متي عم بت شرشر و بيس البيس زلزال برجرج خليك تضبضب تنضب بالبيت لتكنكن

و أنا متأسف ألني بدي استأذن بس بعد شفت كابتشينو بتصحصح

ما إنتلك النجوم عم تقرببهل ال مود حكون عطول لبهل جنوم إدءر

لو مضطر شن هجوم عل النجوم كلهاخللي األرض تدور حول أصبعي تنلك

هيدا هب هوبمش هبل و ال بهل

هيدا زجل تتغزل في

ورايي إيقاع عليي إتبع و ما إطلع عنو يا بصير متل غير مسيس

زقفوا مع االيقاعزقفوا مع االيقاع

F a r e e q e l A t r a s h

Checking and hurling words that tickle as if I was high and sniffing

I am planning and scheming and Irsquom not going anywhere till the clock stops ticking

Look hersquos so full of it lying to others but in my face he stutters

And his face turns red from all the anger and he curses

My earsrsquo alarm bells start ringing

And I go to see whorsquos knocking at the door

Some bastard who wants to see where ldquothe artldquo is

But the art is right here packed in my body

Flowing from my throat running out of my mouth

And the bass is an earthquake that shakes and forces you to pack up and go home

And Irsquom sorry because I need to take leave

But after a sip of cappuccino yoursquoll come around

Didnrsquot I tell you The stars are getting closer

Irsquoll stay in this mood

Until I touch these stars even if I have to launch an attack on all the stars

Irsquoll make the Earth rotate around my finger I told you

This is hip hop

Itrsquos not stupid nor dumb

Itrsquos zajal [a form of Arabic poetry in the Levant]

That you flirt with

There is a beat that I have to follow canrsquot lose it or Irsquoll be like other MCs

Clap with the beat

Clap with the beat

T r a n s l a t e d b y K h a l e d A l H i l l i

null

29781717

101100

انا ببلعهم بتفهم وال مره بسبهمبخليهم داميا يضاربو بتفكيرهم

أنا وراهم قدامهم جنابهم محتلهممش طايقهم مرات وزنهم بكون منزلهم

مرتبهم صاففهم وبقلم أنا حاكمهم زاتتهم مش عاجبيني أنا ماحيهم قائدهم وبنفس الوقت أنا عبيدهم

وبفك وربط أنا بلعب مبعانيهمانا حاميهم بأسطر اللي تقويهم

انا واعدهم اني أستر على فاضحهم ومطلعهم بصوره اللي تبشعهم

بس أنا محترمهم وبسطور ساجنهم مكتفهم كأسير بجنازير القهر

ومهديهم بحبل اللي يبشر بالصبر وانا لي الفخر أكون الشوك اللي فيهم

Dوأكون القهر اللي داميا يسقيهم A M

Yo this is dedicated to the lyrics

Irsquom swallowing them spitting them never dissing them

Giving them freedom of speech

Irsquom behind them in front of them because of them always standing with them

Sometimes get sick of them sick of how you abuse them

Gather them in line with my pen I order them

Didnrsquot like it Throwing them out and replacing them

Irsquom their leader and also their slave

Small changes make huge differences

I train them in pages to make them strong

Promising to use them not abuse them

Or allow the wrong mouths to utter them

Approach them with a military mind and find peace in them

Irsquom lucky to be full of thorns and even luckier that I found the lyrics

So theyrsquoll help me find the roses in me

wordsكلمات

null

26837427

103102

raquoالكل سمعك بس السؤال اذا اللي سمعك فهمكlaquoكلمات ليست كالكلمات بل raquoعالماتlaquo

اللي توجهنا وين مابدنا عحبال السيرك هي تثبتنا ريح العالم من كل جهه اذا احنا ضعاف بتوقعنا بس

raquoأل بلمره ألlaquo raquoكلمات عندي طنlaquoكل واحده الها هدف اخدت حرف عحرف

نسجت جمل اللي البسهم وقت البرد raquoراح اضلني اناديlaquo raquoبنحكي كلماتlaquo

انت بتعرف انهم مبنصب شهاد بحكو املاضي وتنبوا حاضر أي بالد

قد ماحكيت قد ما أحكي فش كالم يغطي بسفي كالم يربي وينمي انت بس أروي

في شوف انه قوه والقوه بتقويفيك و أن رويته مصيره يسقيك )مثل للقوه( العدو من أمامكم

والبحر من ورائكم فال تخيبوا أسيادكمفأين أشعاركم وأين مجادلتكم

فأنتم تسكتون وتخمدون أحالمكم)انهي( نهيت ورجعت للعامية بكلمات

مرمية طالعه من عقليه شعبيهمتل جنيب اللي بذاكرة كل واحد محفوظ مدروس واذا أل معناته في خلل معكوس

عاملجتمع اللي قمع كتاباته Dاللي سمح لنسيانه يشيل خطواته A M

ldquoThey all hear you but few listen to youldquo

Lyrics ainrsquot just a bunch of words they are ldquosignsldquo

Leading us stabilizing us on tight ropes

Winds every way if we are thin we will fall

ldquoBut hell noldquo ldquoyou can measure my words in tonsldquo

Every word has a meaning I knitted a letter with another letter

Made warm sentences to wear in cold days

ldquoSo Irsquoll still shoutldquo ldquowe control lyricsldquo

You know lyrics are like a witness

They witnessed the past and forecast the future

As much as I said or say I canrsquot describe them

But there is a way to find the description and thatrsquos through them

Quench the thirst of the pages with them

So in the future itrsquoll quench your thirst

Keep feeding them as soon as they grow up

Theyrsquoll give you strength

ldquoExample for the strengthldquo

ldquoThe enemy is before you the sea is behind you

So donrsquot you dare disappoint our ancestors

Where are our deep poems Where are our strong statements

From generation to generation we kill our dreamsldquo

ldquoEnough philosophizingldquo ok lets get back to street talk

Words coming outta simple minds

Like Najeeb Mahfuz [literally lsquowell-rememberedrsquo also a famous author]

They keep living in our minds

And if you donrsquot know who he is - then I rest my case

null

26837427

105104

raquoالكل سمعك بس السؤال اذا اللي سمعك فهمكlaquoكلمات ليست كالكلمات بل raquoعالماتlaquo

اللي توجهنا وين مابدنا عحبال السيرك هي تثبتنا ريح العالم من كل جهه اذا احنا ضعاف بتوقعنا بس

raquoأل بلمره ألlaquo raquoكلمات عندي طنlaquoكل واحده الها هدف اخدت حرف عحرف

نسجت جمل اللي البسهم وقت البرد raquoراح اضلني اناديlaquo raquoبنحكي كلماتlaquo

ألف با كبايه أوعك تكسرهاامسكها للنهاية وكل ما تفضى مليها

كلمه أو رواية ومع املراحل زيدها شيحكاية وهيك ضلك زود فيها

وجيبها لتجمعاتك وساعتها استعملها لنقاشاتك وملواقفك استخدمها

هادي مدافعك اللي مداها بسيطرتك وما دافعك انه ما تخليها رايتك

ما هي تكتب ما هي توصف ما هي تكذب ما هي تنصف

ما هي هي الهروب هياللجوء هي الدروب هي

العبور باحلدود واللي مبرؤهم مبدع وبفوز باخللود واللي بسرقهم مش مقنع

واذا بتديهم احلرية بنادوك ممنوعDواذا بتوخد احلريه بنادوك مسموح A M

ldquoThey all hear you but few listen to youldquo

Lyrics ainrsquot just a bunch of words they are ldquosignsldquo

Leading us stabilizing us on tight ropes

Winds every way if we are thin we will fall

ldquoBut hell noldquo ldquoyou can measure my words in tonsldquo

Every word has a meaning I knitted a letter with another letter

Made warm sentences to wear in cold days

ldquoSo Irsquoll still shoutldquo ldquowe control lyricsldquo

The Arabic alphabet is like a glass donrsquot break it

Hold it tight and keep filling it

And then bring it to our arguments

Scream till your throat gets dry and then wet it

It holds our body itrsquos like our legs

If you stand for nothing yoursquoll fall for anything

The words write create

They kill lead and sometimes even lie

You can use them to build borders

And those who are gifted

Can use them to walk through borders

And in some governments

Itrsquos forbidden to give words freedom

But if you choke them and kill them

Thatrsquos allowed

F i g u r a t i v e t r a n s l a t i o n o f f e r e d b y t h e a r t i s t s

null

26837427

107106

further reading

The tracks presented in this document are not a comprehensive sampling of the genre of the market of hip hop in Arabic or of hip hop and rap in the wider Middle East

Artists featured here hail from Egypt Lebanon Palestine and the anglophone Arab diaspora The thriving North African hip hop scene is not represented nor is the work of the established francophone Arab diaspora nor the expanding hip hop scenes of especially Iran or Turkey

This collection does not attempt a comprehensive chronology Tracks featured here are not primarily new releases (though some are) neither are they all ldquoclassicsrdquo These limitations of scope are important to note

Many tracks of the popular Libyan group Ibn Thabitt and other groups from across the region have been translated and are hosted with commentary on the notable blog

revolutionaryarabrapblogspotcom

Another valuable resource is the Beirut-based blog by Jackson Allers ldquoBeats and Breathrdquo which features articulate critiques and reviews of events and releases from the region

jacksonallerswordpresscom

Hass Dennaoui (alias Big Hass) who recently launched started the first all hip-hop FM radio show in Saudi Arabia Laish Hip Hop (Why Hip Hop) manages a lively blog which

hosts an internet feed of his radio show and interviews with MCs and influential hip hop figures from around the world

revoltradioblogspotcom

Lebaneseundergroundcom hosts coverage of underground music in Lebanon including hip hop

And finally an excellent article by Hishaam Aidi on implications of the use of hip hop as foreign policy ldquoThe Grand (Hip-Hop) Chessboard Race Rap and Raison DrsquoEtatrdquo was published in The Middle East Report Fall 2011 Excerpts of the piece were published by Al Jazeera English in the article ldquoLeveraging Hip Hop in US Foreign Policyrdquo

All the artists and many of the translators whose work is showcased here host a significant online presence Their sites are listed with more about each of them on the following pages

109108

artist bios

ARABIAN KNIGHTZ the premier hip hop group from the land of the Nile River have not only established themselves as the lyricists with the sharpest swords in their land but they have also created the most consistent voice for rebellion strength and hope for the youth of the Middle East During the 2011 Revolution Arabian Knightz released two singles ldquoRebelrdquo and ldquoNot Your Prisonerrdquo anthems of resistance which gained worldwide attention and major media coverage for their powerful lyrics against a wicked system The group formed in 2006 through the cipher hip hoprsquos natural way of choosing like mindsets on the mic Rush Sphinx and E-Money were ahead of their peers adapting an authentic Arab perspective to the art dominated by Western voices mixing English and Arabic raps After hitting the studio for successful underground tracks AK enlisted super-producer Fredwreck (Snoop Dogg Xzibit Tha Dogg Pound) ldquoFokkakrdquo the single from this studio session was an instant hit and (surprisingly for Arabic Hip Hop) projected them to the top ten of the singles charts Arab League Records was formed amidst a growing fanbase and numerous collaborations with other Arab hip hop artists the first international Arab hip hop record label Desert Saga Volume 1 mixtape was the debut release led by ldquoThe Onerdquo featuring Egyptrsquos MC Amin Arabian Knightz have recorded their debut album Uknighted State of Arabia a masterpiece for Arab hip hop years in the making featuring instrumentals dominated by traditional percussions and players are scheduled for a Winter 2012 Release They are on Facebook

BOIKUTT is a musician and MC based in Ramallah Palestine Creating sounds using sampled material field recordings and electronic devices the results range between hip-hop downtempo ambient glitch and experimental He has composed and produced music for artists such as Kronos Quartet Bukue One Spiritchild Tamer Abu-Ghazaleh Bleubird and others and has appeared as an MC on albums for artists such as Slovo Heliodrome Bonnot and Lethal Skillz A co-founder of the Ramallah Underground Collective which has toured across the Arab World Europe and Australia Boikutt is also co-founder and member of audio-visual group Tashweesh with whom he is currently touring Also as a solo performer he has been in Beirut Cairo Manila Copenhagen London Hamburg Dubai Bethlehem and other cities He has produced and exhibited a few sound-art pieces composed several film scores has most recently composed the music for a dance theater performance entitled Bound by

New York-based company Yaa Samar Dance Theatre and is now working on different collaborative and solo projects His work may be heard at soundcloudcomboikutt and on Facebook

DAM Da Arabian MCrsquos are Suhell Nafar Tamer Nafar and Mahmoud Jreri The first Palestinian hip hop crew and among the first to rap in Arabic the group began working together in the late 1990s Struck by the uncanny resemblance of the reality of the streets in a Tupac video to the streets in their own neighborhood of Lyd they were inspired to tell their stories through hip hop Their timely song ldquoMin Irhabirdquo (ldquoWhorsquos the Terroristrdquo) was downloaded a million times shortly after its internet realese in 2001 and DAM became a household name among youth throughout the Middle East Ten years of performing all over the world has strengthened the grouprsquos commitment to continue living and working in their hometown of Lyd 15 minutes from Tel Aviv and working to provide the youth of the city and neighboring communities with programs and opportunities that have been denied to Palestinian citizens of Israel Their music is a unique fusion of East and West and encompasses influences as varied as Ghassan Kanafani Ahlam Mosteghanemi Mahmoud Darwish Naji al Ali Tupac Biggie Public Enemy MBS Krsquonaan and Pharoahe Monch IHDA (Dedication) DAMrsquos long-awaited first international album was released in 2007 and DAM has seen its songs and members featured in films such as Ford Transit (Dir Hany Abu Assad) Where in the World is Osama Bin Laden (Dir Morgan Spurlock) Salt of this Sea (Dir Annemarie Jacir) Local Angel and Forgiveness (Dir Udi Aloni) DAMrsquos history and influence on the Arab hip hop scene is detailed in the feature-length documentary Slingshot Hip Hop (Dir Jackie Reem Salloum) The group has also been featured in Vibe National Geographic Rolling Stone Q Basement Reuters and The New York Times and has appeared on MTV CNN BBC and Al Jazeera Their work can be heard and explored at damrapcom

EL DEEB first ventured into Egyptian Hip Hop when he joined Asfalt in 2005 He left in 2007 to create Wighit Nazara duo represented by Mohamed Yasser and himself It was a successful musical project that lasted until mid 2010 Currently he is working on his solo career with plans to release an EP every couple of months or so Cairofornia is his first solo EP His work may be heard at deebbandcampcom and on Facebook

EL RASS was born in Tripoli Lebanon He started writing poetry in literary Arabic at age 11 and started rhyming in spoken Lebanese dialect in 1999 at age 15 At that time he formed one third of a group of 3 MCrsquos going under the name of ldquoMlouk el Micrdquo (ldquoKings of the Micrdquo) They recorded one album and performed locally At 17 he left for France to study Finance and Economics Studies were hard money was scarce and exile was tough but music and poetry never left him as he continued rhyming with some underground French MCrsquos like Medline and Moebius and developed new musical skills on percussion in classical Arabic singing and baglama (turkish buzuk) After graduating and working for almost two years in the hell of banking and market finance El Rass decided to return to Lebanon He spent a year just re-discovering Beirut and making and learning music He now works as a journalist at the newspaper Assafir while concurrently pursuing joint projects with other producers and musicians He calls his work Taalik in reference to the same word in Arabic for ldquocommentrdquo and another word that comes from the same semantic root moaallakat which is a corpus of selected pre-Islamic poetry that was written with gold ink on the walls of the Karsquoaba in Mecca His work may be heard at soundcloudcomElRass

FAREEQ EL ATRASH is a hip hop band based out of Hamra St Beirut with a sound that is distinguished by laid back topical flows over live instrumentation It consists of Edd (raps) Nasser (raps) FZ (vocal production and FX) Fouad Afra (drums) Goo (plays guitar keys heart strings) and Abed Kobeissy (plays bass and buzuk) Their 2010 album and 2009 prealbum are available online More of their work may be found on Facebook Eddrsquos solo work can also be heard at soundcloudcomEdd

H2Z was born in Kuwait in 1986 where he lived for four years Due to the gulf war his family moved to Lebanon where he lived for the most part of his life Inspired by the tragic events in the Middle East and elsewhere in the world H2Z adopted rap music as a way to raise awareness about the injustices suffered by his people and to deliver a message through his music to anyone who supports the Palestinian cause His career began in 2004 when he was introduced to the production business by fellow rappers and soon he started producing his own tracks and established a local band producing many tracks for himself and other musicians in Lebanon In 2008 he released his first solo album titled 3aed which contained

17 tracks The political influence was noticed throughout the album and was generally well-received He is now studying for a degree in business administration at Wayne State University in Michigan His work may be heard at reverbnationcomh2z

KATIBEH 5 are based in Borj el Barajneh Lebanon Their work can be found at reverbnationcomkatibeh5 and myspacecomkatibe5palestine and on Facebook

M1 is Mutulu Olugbala of the New York based collective Dead Prez whose work is online at deadprezcom M1 is also on Facebook

MC GAZA is Adnan Mahmoud Ghonim an Algerian born artist and university student based in Gaza It was the beginning of 2005 when he attended one of the hip hop concerts in Gaza City ndash Gaza City that never appreciated the art he loved and attached himself to ndash and it was love at first sight between them Through some of the concerts he participated in a number of songs he collaborated on with Arabs from Egypt Algeria and Palestine and some active participation to represent the Palestinian people and interviews for both Arab and foreign press he was able to make a name for himself in the Gazan hip hop community His work may be found at youtubecomMCGaza and on Facebook

THE NARCICYST Having pioneered the Arab Hip-Hop movement with seminal Iraqi-Canadian crew Euphrates The Narcicyst recently broke through borders and shattered traveling etiquette touring solo around the world sharing stages with the likes of Brother Ali Mos Def and Kanye West to name a few On top of music The Narcicyst is a celebrated theorist whose academic work Fear of an Arab Planet has him from the stage to the classrooms of internationally renowned universities He is now also a professor at Concordia University teaching a Fine Arts course ldquoHip-Hop Past Present and Futurerdquo His writings have been published by multiple university presses and magazines internationally he is also a self-published author having recently released the biographical and social-study on the Arab world The Diatribes of a Dying Tribe As a true artist interested in really pushing his own artistic boundaries The Narcicyst has stepped into acting currently starring in the short music film PHATWA and in the first internationally-released film from the United Arab Emirates called City of Life A true multi-media

111110

KHALED AL HILLI is a PhD candidate in Comparative Literature at the Graduate Center City University of New York He has a BA in English Literature and a Masterrsquos degree in Teaching Second Languages Born in Iraq Khaled has taught in Lebanon and Saudi Arabia at both college and high school levels He has also worked with various Iraqi news outlets and has subtitledtranslated documentary films dealing with current social and political issues His research interests include Arabic political literature prison literature and literature in the diaspora He may be reached at hillykhalidgmailcom

+AZIZ is a NYC-based marketing consultant and a musician He is working through The World Music Parade to develop an animation project based on his music More about that project can be found at themusicparadetumblrcom He tweets from plusaziz

FAYSAL BIBI is a paleontologist and electronic musician currently based in Berlin

LOUBNA BILALI is originally from Morocco She did her undergrad and first MA in English Linguistics at Chouaib Doukkali University El Jadida She came to the US in 2008 to pursue a Masterrsquos degree in French to English translation and is currently working on a PhD in translation studies at Kent State University in Ohio She is very interested in learning and teaching languages as well as translating and localizing computer applications and websites She may be reached at loubnabilaligmailcom

FARAH ELREWAISSATI is a freelance translator pro-Palestine activist and BDS advocate who blogs at youthanormalizationblogspotcom She tweets from 3beee

NIZAR GHANEM was born in Lebanon He has been active in intercultural education interactive learning and conflict resolution across the Arab world His work on conflict resolution involved using theater comics and music as tools for emotional expression and social mobilization

RIMA NAJDI is a Performing Artist She studied dramatic arts at the Lebanese University in Beirut and obtained a Masterrsquos degree in Performance Studies at NYU New York She has written and performed in various plays and performances Najdi is particularly interested in multi-media performing arts and the position of the spectators

BARRAK ALZAID (copy editor) is the Artistic Director of ArteEast He is the editor of the ArteEast Quarterly a dynamic online portal featuring four publications that highlight contemporary art and culture from the Middle East and diaspora ndash ArtersquoZine Shahadat (contemporary short-form literature) Gallery and Cinematek (an online film center) He is also the curator for ArteEastrsquos Across Histories Art Talk Series featuring a series of panels on residencies in Fall 2011 He tweets from barrakster

RAYYA EL ZEIN (editor) is working towards a PhD in Theatre at the Graduate Center City University of New York Her research is increasingly focusing on theories of reception historical studies of audience behavior and popular culture in the Arab world She holds an MA in Performance Studies from NYU and is currently a teaching fellow at City College in Harlem She tweets from rayelz

translator biosdreamer Yassin recently established an arts label in the UAE called The Medium focusing on delivering art from Arabs in the diaspora and at lsquohomersquo to the rest of the world iraqisthebombcom He tweets from TheNarcicyst

OMAR OFFENDUM is a Syrian-American hip hop artist born in Saudi Arabia raised in Washington DC and living in Los Angeles Known for taking audiences on a lyrical journey from the jasmine-tree-lined courtyards of Nizar Qabbanirsquos Damascene homes to the flooded riverbanks of Langston Hughesrsquo Harlem Renaissance poems - Offendum has been featured on several major news outlets (BBC Yahoo ABC News Aljazeera PBS) toured the world to promote his ground-breaking music helped raise thousands of dollars for various humanitarian relief organizations (PCRF KinderUSA ANERA Islamic Relief) lectured at a number of prestigious academic institutions (Harvard MIT Stanford Columbia American University of Beirut NYU-AbuDhabi Qatar Education City) and most recently been involved in creating several critically-acclaimed songs about the popular democratic uprisings throughout the Middle East amp North Africa He is currently hard at work promoting his solo release - affectionately dubbed SyrianamericanA His work may be heard (and read) at offendumbandcampcom He is on Facebook and he tweets from Offendum

RAMALLAH UNDERGROUND based in Ramallah Palestine was born from the immediacy of musical experimentation and out of the need to give voice to a generation of Palestinians and Arabs facing a turbulent and uncertain political landscape The collective was founded by artists Boikutt Stormtrap and Aswatt and has always held a commitment to both the honesty of their work and the need to creatively rejuvenate Arabic culture To this end they combine music ranging from Arabic electronic music hip-hop and trip hop to downtempo with a deep sense of their local culture and the imposing presence of Palestine in their lives The outcome is a new specific and distinct sound RU (as producers and as MCrsquos ) has collaborated with numerous artists across the globe including countries like Lebanon UK Switzerland Italy USA France and many more including a collaboration with Slovo (a band headed by the guitarist from faithless) in their track ldquoNakbardquo which appears on their album Todo Cambia and with Kronos Quartet in the track ldquoTashweeshrdquo which appears on Floodplain RU has also performed live shows in Ramallah Bethlehem Vienna London Cairo Lausanne Amsterdam and Washington DC Their shows are mainly a performance of their hip-hop tracks as well as a few of their own electronic productions as a warm up More recently RU has incorporated a visual set in their live

performances brought to you by Palestinian visual artist Ruanne RU hopes to give a voice to Palestinians and Arabs bringing an alternative voice from the Arab world Their lyrics and music are an expression of anguish and defiance ultimately remaining a defiant voice of the colonized against the colonizer They continue to play a big role in the Arab underground cultural scene while slowly gaining wide global and local popularity

SHADIA MANSOURrsquos work can be found at myspacecomshadiamusic and on Facebook

STORMTRAP is a music producercomposerMC from Palestine Experimenting with old samples instruments and field recordings his sound is the result of a fusion of ambient atmospheres combined with various noises and hip hop beats His lyrics deal with different themes inspired mainly by his personal experiences in Palestine and life in the diaspora Stormtrap played a fundamental role in forming the band Ramallah Underground with which he has performed worldwide the past few years Currently he is working in Vienna with Aras Seyhan and Eren Ileri on a new album which combines live instruments synthesizers turntables beats and Arabic lyrics- which will be released early 2012 His work may be heard at soundcloudcomstormtrap He tweets from asifeh

AMEER YOSSEF 25 has sung and writen music with the band Klaket for the past four years His work may be heard at youtubecomAmeer and on Facebook

towards the work Her work for now concentrates on the process of making interactive and participatory performances that question borders stereotypes and languages

MOE ALI NAYEL is a fixer and a journalist based in Beirut Lebanon He uses social media blogging non-mainstream music journalism and writing as a word spreading eye opening socializing arena He uses social media as a bridge that cuts distance between people on this planet making it a tiny village This bridge starts in his office and takes him to every corner in the world enabling him to connect and network with people and cultures sharing and exchanging stories of the unheard and the neglected He blogs at Words of Action and he tweets from MoeAliNay

ALEX ORTIZ is a video and radio journalist and translator based in Cairo Egypt He graduated from Brown University in 2009 with a double major in Comparative Literature and Middle East Studies He was a CASA I fellow from 2009-2010 and a CASA II fellow from 2010-2011 He currently works for CBS News as a field producer He tweets from cairowitness

AHMED SHAWKET is an independent translator living in Cairo Egypt He is a graduate of the Helwan University Faculty of Arts where he majored in philosophy Ahmed works on literary media and commercial translation

113112

ABOUT SHAHADATShahadat is a quarterly online series designed to provide a platform for short-form writing and experimentation in writing by young and underexposed writers from the MENA region (Middle East and North Africa) The series features stories vignettes reflections and chronicles in translation and the original language of Arabic Farsi Turkish or Kurdish It makes up one quarter of ArteEastrsquos online programming the AE Quarterly For past issues of Shahadat click here

ABOUT THIS SERIES Shahadat is proud to run two alternating series and releases two issues a year of each The issue yoursquove just perused is part of the ldquoExploring Popular Literaturerdquo series This series challenges traditional understandings of ldquoliteraturerdquo emerging from the Middle East and North Africa by presenting genres of creative production that rely on words and language but which have not typically been studied as literature Works are presented in their original language and in translation

In each issue we gather texts from a spectrum of writers to challenge the singular status of the artistauthor and to encourage a more complex presentation of the Middle Eastern and North African ldquostreetrdquo for English-speaking audiences Shahadatrsquos other series ldquoContemporary Literature in Translationrdquo features the work of a single young author in the original language and in English translation

BEHIND THE DOCUMENTShahadat is co-edited by Rayya El Zein Alex Ortiz and ArteEastrsquos Artistic Director Barrak Alzaid All three are young professionals and scholars with artistic inclinations (literature poetry translation and performance) All three have strong connections to New York City and various metropole of the MENA region Shahadat is for us an experiment and a labor of love An editorial board of established scholars and authors is currently being conceived

SPECIAL THANKS TOAnmar El ZeinKinda AkashAndrew JohnstonLivia Alexander

Shahadat logo design by Rima Farouki

114

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Page 19: Shahadat Winter 2012

3736

ولك انا ابن عكا وبن يافا و طولكرم انا ابن كل شبر من البحر للنهر

االرض الي حملت موسى مرمي واملسيح انااملقابر يلي فاضت من كتر التوابيت

انا اخليمة بيت التنك واحلصيرة والكانون والبيوت املسروقة والدم املهدور

انا الهوى يالي حامل الغضب والبكاوالطرقات يلي بتغرق مع كل نقطة الشتا

انا رصاصة من املجاهد عم تعبر حلدود انا حزام من القنابل مشتاق لليهود

لطفل على باب املستشفى عم بيموتانا الجئ ممنوع من العمل مكروه

انا اين املخيم يلي عاطل عن العمل سيجارة احلشيش يلي بتمحي شوية الم

H 2 Z

Irsquom the son of Acre Jaffa and Tulkarem

Irsquom the son of every inch from the river to the sea

Irsquom the land that carried Moses Mary and the Christ

Irsquom the cemeteries that overflow with coffins

Irsquom the tent the tin house the mat and the stove

The stolen houses and the wasted blood

Irsquom the wind that bears anger and tears

The roads that drown in a single drop of rain

I am a bullet that crosses borders

Irsquom a grenade against Zionists

A child that dies waiting outside the hospital

Irsquom a hated refugee whorsquos prohibited from working

Irsquom the son of the camps always unemployed

The hash cigarettes that ease the pain

iانا فلسطيني am palest inian

Ana Falasteeni

H27

null

17782504

eng - iTunNORM 0000057E 0000056B 00004E0F 00004D32 00021C96 00021C96 00008000 00008000 0000ECEA 00007530

3938

حيطان هالبيت يلي بكره رح ينردم انا االحمر واالسود واالخضر من هالعلم

من دم االبطال من دموع الاطفالمن اجلحيم التشرد واجلوء واالنكسار

من ظلم االحتاللمن حلم االستقالل

من ارض الزيتونوالصليب والهالل

انا حافظ احلواجز بكل بالد العالممن النادر انو بيوم يعتبروني بني ادم انا سنني االعتقال انا غرف التعذيب

الوجع والصريخ واجلروح الي ما بطيبانا شعب ما انهزم بس عمرو ما انتصر

انا اكبر ارهابي الني حامل حجر اسير طول عمرو رافض انو بيوم ميوت بس معاهدة سالم بتنفي اني موجود

انا القدس بيت حلم ومخيم جننياالدان واجلراس الهالل والصليب

املدافن واملدارس وكنسية املسيح الشوارع القدمية والبيت العتيق

انا ركوة الشاي و سندويشة الفالفلالكرم والبخل واالخالق واملهازل

الكذب والصدق واخليانة والصمود Hانا فلسطيني حلتى اموت 2 Z

The walls of the house that I hate thatrsquos about to get demolished

I am the red and black and green in this flag

From the blood of heroes from the tears of children

From the hell of homelessness and broken refugees

From the oppression of the occupation

From the dream of independence

Irsquom from the land of the olives

The cross and crescent

I know all the checkpoints in all countries of the world

It is where they consider me a human being

Irsquom years of capture Irsquom the torture chambers

The pain and the screams and the wounds that never heal

I was never defeated but never had a victory

Irsquom the biggest terrorist because I carry a stone

A prisoner who spends his whole life refusing to die

But a peace treaty forgets that Irsquom alive

Irsquom Jerusalem Bethlehem and Jenin refugee camp

The call to prayer the bells the crescent and the cross

The old cemeteries schools and church of Christ

The old streets and the ancient house

Irsquom the tea cup and the falafel sandwich

Generosity and greed morality and farce

Lies and betrayal and honesty and persistence

I am Palestinian until I die

T r a n s l a t e d b y t h e a r t i s t

Ana Falasteeni

H27

null

17782504

eng - iTunNORM 0000057E 0000056B 00004E0F 00004D32 00021C96 00021C96 00008000 00008000 0000ECEA 00007530

4140

صباح اخلير با والد عمومناتفضلوا شرفونا

شو بتحبوا نضيفكم دم عربي وال دموع من عيوننابعتقد هيك تأملوا نستقبلن

هيك تعقدوا ملا تدركوا على غلطتهنمن هيك لبسنا الكوفية

البيضة والسودةصاروا كالب الزمان يلبسوها كموضة

مهما تفننوا فيامهما غيروا بلونا

كوفية عربية بتضال عربية

حطتنا بدن ياهاثقافتنا بدن ياها

S h a d i a M a n s o u r w i t h M 1 o f D e a d P r e z

Good morning cousins

Come in and honor us with your presence

What would you like us to serve you Arab blood or tears from our eyes

I think thatrsquos how they hoped we would recieve them

Thatrsquos why they got tangled up when they tripped up on their own mistake

Thatrsquos why we wore the kufeyyeh

The black and white one

Dogs of the past started to wear it as a fashion statement

However they change it

Whatever colour they make it

The Kufeyyeh is Arab and will always be Arab

Our scarf they want it

Our intellect they want it

kufeyyeh arabeyyeh الكوفية عربية

Kufeyyeh Arabeyyeh

Shadia Mansour and M1

Shahadat Winter 2012 track 616

Hip Hop

26239166

4342

كرامتنا بدن ياهاكل شي إلنا بدن ياه

ما رح نسكتلن نسمحلن الالبقلن يسرقوا شغلة مش إلهن ما خصن فيا

بيقلدونا باللبسكل هاألرض بيكفيهنش

طمعانني عالقدسإعرفوا كيف تكونوا بشر

قبل ما تلبسوا الكوفيةجينا نذكرن مني إحنا

وغصبا من عن أبوهم هاي حطتنا

من هيك لبسنا الكوفيةألنها وطنية

الكوفية الكوفية عربيةمن هيك لبسنا الكوفية

هويتنا األساسيةالكوفية الكوفية عربية

يال علي الكوفيةعلولي هالكوفية

الكوفية الكوفية عربيةعلوها لبالد الشام

كوفية عربية بتضال عربية

ما في بعد متل الشعب العربيفرجوني أية أمة بالدنيا أكثر مأثرة

الصورة واضحة نحنا مهد احلضارة

S h a d i a M a n s o u r w i t h M 1 o f D e a d P r e z

Our dignity they want it

Everything thatrsquos ours they want it

We will not be silent will not allow it

It suits them to steal something that ainrsquot theirs

They imitate our style

As if all this land werenrsquot not enough

Thirsting after Jerusalem

Know how to be human

Before you wear our scarf

We came to remind them who we are

And like it or not itrsquos our right

Thatrsquos why we wore the kufeyyeh

Because it is nationalistic

The kufeyyeh is Arab

Thatrsquos why we wore the kufeyyeh

Because it is our original identity

The kufeyyeh is Arab

Come on raise your kufeyyehs

Raise that kufeyyeh

The kufeyyeh is Arab

Raise it up for bilad ersquosham [Greater Syria the wider Arab world]

The kufeyyeh is Arab and will always be Arab

There are no others like the Arab people

Show me one region in the world that is more influencial

The picture is clear we are the origins of civilization

Kufeyyeh Arabeyyeh

Shadia Mansour and M1

Shahadat Winter 2012 track 616

Hip Hop

26239166

4544

تاريخنا وتراثنا الشاهد على وجودنامن هيك لبست التوب الفلسطيني

من حيفا جنني جبل النار إلى رام اللهخليني شوف الكوفية

البيضة واحلمراخلينا نعليها لفوق بالسما

أنا شادية العربلساني بغز غزبلساني بهز هز

كلمات احلربسجل أنا شادية منصور

واحلطة هويتيمن يوم ما خلقت

سيدي والشعب مسؤوليتيلكن تربيت بني الشرق وبني الغرب

بني لغتنيبني بخيل بني فقير

شفت احلياة من اجلهتنيبس علمتني الكوفية

كيف ما لبستونيوين ما شلحتوني

بضلني عأصولي فلسطينية

S h a d i a M a n s o u r w i t h M 1 o f D e a d P r e z

Our history traditions and customs bear witness to our existence

Thatrsquos why I wear the Palestinian dress

From Haifa Jenin Jabal El Naar to Ramallah

Let me see the kufeyyeh

The red and white one

Letrsquos raise it up to the sky

I am the singer of the Arabs

Like an earthquake I shake the ground

My words are war

Record this

I am Shadia Mansour

And this scarf is my ID

From the day I was born the people have been my responsibility

Look I was raised between the East and the West

Between two languages

Between the rich and the poor

Irsquove seen life from both sides

However the kufeyyeh has taught me

However you wear me

Wherever you leave me

I stay true to my origin Palestinian

T r a n s l a t e d b y t h e a r t i s t w i t h F a r a h E l R e w a i s s a t i

Kufeyyeh Arabeyyeh

Shadia Mansour and M1

Shahadat Winter 2012 track 616

Hip Hop

26239166

4746

حمامة سالم افتحي أجنحتكي و طيري

وين الوعي - وين امشوا معي هني وادي بني اجلبلني عني حب للطرفني

أمهاتنا حبت ذاتنا بس مو عاجبهن مسباتنا هذا احلكي بني اخواتنا

Oزين العرب واألمريكان m a r O f f e n d u m

This track contains verses that were originally written in English

You are my

(Destiny)

Itrsquos hard livinrsquo in the West - when I know the East got the best of me

(Destiny)

Could be lookinrsquo in my eyes - but yoursquoll never really see the rest of me

(Destiny)

Can you hear me maseeri [my destiny] Bi-lingualrsquos what Irsquom blessed to be

(Destiny)

Dove of Peace

Spread your wings amp fly

Consciousness What consciousness - where is it

Take a walk with me

Here in this valley between two ldquomountainsldquo

Where the source of love for both ldquosidesldquo can be found

Our mothers like us

But donrsquot like our foul language

So letrsquos keep this between the siblings

The best of Arabs amp Americans

destمصيري iny

7 Destiny

Omar Offendum

The Peace Revolution 20

21332892

eng - iTunNORM 000006D3 000006F2 000038BA 0000322F 0000E4FA 0000E4FA 00008716 0000864B 0002AB5E 000083D6

eng - iTunSMPB 00000000 00000210 0000094B 00000000008F7FA5 00000000 004108FB 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000

4948

وألله يرحم كل أمواتنا أغاني

مثل املهامتة إذا قلنا العني بالعني

ما صفى عندنا عيون بالشام بالد الشام

من فلسطني إلى جبال لبنان قبل ما اخترعوا احلدود

من اإلسكندرون إلى كردستان فهمان

جنجس خان ما خان قد ما خانونا أوالد العم بس دمنا دمهم

بني أدم - بنو ذمنبهم على أكتافنا - شلنا همهم

ليه الله بيعلم

بس ليك هذا الفتيش والبسكليت احسنلك من 100000000 مسدس

تعرف ليه ألن مو عاجبهم بسمتك

بس إبتسم برسمتك شاب عربي ومثقف

أعطيهم ختمتك وإذا لسة مو راضني

ذكرهم بكالم إيليية )أبي ماضي( raquoنسي الطني ساعة أنه طنيlaquo

Oوهذه هي القضاء والقدر يا حبيبي m a r O f f e n d u m

And may God have mercy on all our dead

Songs I sing

Like the Mahatma [the line above and the line below are linked through the sound of the name and the figure of Mahatama Ghandi]

If we say lsquoan eye for an eyersquo

There wont be any eyes left in Sham [Damascus]

Bilad al-Sham [Greater Syria the wider Arab world]

From Palestine to the mountains of Lebanon

Before they made up these borders

From Iskandaroon to Kurdistan

Understand

Genghis Khan never deceived us quite like our ldquopaternal cousinsldquo [khan also means ldquodeceiveldquo in Arabic]

But our blood is their blood

Children of Adam -- who built their sins

Upon our shoulders -- we carried their burden

Why

God knows

But listen this little firecracker amp bicycle

Are better for you than 100 million guns

Wanna know why

Because they dont like seeing you smile

But smile you will - in your human being

A young cultured Arab male

Give them your stamp of approval

And if they still donrsquot accept you

Then remind them of the words of Elliye [Abi-Madhee a Lebanese poet whose poem begins with]

ldquoHow soon a piece of dirt can forget that all he really is is just dirtldquo [ie we are all from this earth amp

will come back to it so there is no logic in viewing yourself as better than someone else]

And that my friend is our destiny

7 Destiny

Omar Offendum

The Peace Revolution 20

21332892

eng - iTunNORM 000006D3 000006F2 000038BA 0000322F 0000E4FA 0000E4FA 00008716 0000864B 0002AB5E 000083D6

eng - iTunSMPB 00000000 00000210 0000094B 00000000008F7FA5 00000000 004108FB 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000

5150

O m a r O f f e n d u m

Dove of Peace

Spread your wings amp fly

Make it easier to borrow

The aesthetics you bite

Like all the Arabic loanwords

From Spaniards amp Morros

The Karma of Inquisition

Visions of horror

So whorsquos the explorer

Really was it Columbus

Muhammad al-Idrisi or Alfaragnus

Throw a Hobson Jobson

While you figure it out

Irsquom gonna start with a cipher

Thatrsquos a siffir [zero] - no doubt

See you might not have learned to live with me

But sure as hell canrsquot without

You are my

You are my

(Destiny)

Itrsquos hard livinrsquo in the West - when I know the East got the best of me

(Destiny)

Could be lookinrsquo in my eyes - but yoursquoll never really see the rest of me

(Destiny)

Can you hear me maseeri [my destiny] Bi-lingualrsquos what Irsquom blessed to be

(Destiny)

حمامة سالم افتحي أجنحتكي و طيري

I write right to left

You write left to right

Metaphor of a foreignerrsquos plight

Dressed to type

Stereo amp a mic

Scenario of a fight

The burial of a white

Imperial at his heightrsquos

A Turkish Rapperrsquos Delight

Semetic etiquette might

Just have you rollin your ldquoRrsquosldquo

Poetic amp light

And grab a hold of your sorrows

To relieve your tomorrows

7 Destiny

Omar Offendum

The Peace Revolution 20

21332892

eng - iTunNORM 000006D3 000006F2 000038BA 0000322F 0000E4FA 0000E4FA 00008716 0000864B 0002AB5E 000083D6

eng - iTunSMPB 00000000 00000210 0000094B 00000000008F7FA5 00000000 004108FB 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000

5352

O m a r O f f e n d u m

Dove of Peace

Spread your wings amp fly

Bitched out by the West

Press get a big shout

From the people gettinrsquo rich out of this (bout)

Now whatrsquos this really all about

Land money or power

It was the colonizerrsquos fault

But now itrsquos really just ours

Leavinrsquo a sour tase in our mouths

Like generational slave names

Whenever speakinrsquo out

Out-spoken leaders gettinrsquo taken out

Quicker than belligerent drunks in a bar

We a far cry from livinrsquo as one

T r a n s l a t e d b y t h e a r t i s t

(Destiny)

Itrsquos hard livinrsquo in the West - when I know the East got the best of me

(Destiny)

Could be lookinrsquo in my eyes - but yoursquoll never really see the rest of me

(Destiny)

Can you hear me maseeri [my destiny] Bi-lingualrsquos what Irsquom blessed to be

(Destiny)

حمامة سالم افتحي أجنحتكي و طيري

See arab [Arabs] shootin at each other

From Iraq to Falasteen [Palastine]

Syria to Libnan [Lebanon]

Algeria to Sudan

Pedagogy of the oppressed tricklinrsquo down

Conquerinrsquo through divisions

And sadly this isnrsquot the first time

One land one love one chance one blood

No fuss no fight Yeah right young blood

AKrsquos cheaper than a book

Crooked leaders in a hook

Gettinrsquo fished out

Missles gettinrsquo dished out

7 Destiny

Omar Offendum

The Peace Revolution 20

21332892

eng - iTunNORM 000006D3 000006F2 000038BA 0000322F 0000E4FA 0000E4FA 00008716 0000864B 0002AB5E 000083D6

eng - iTunSMPB 00000000 00000210 0000094B 00000000008F7FA5 00000000 004108FB 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000

5554

زي ما صار مبارح صار اليوم اطف التلفزيون امسك مايكروفون

زي ما صار مبارح صار اليوم اطف التلفزيون امسك مايكروفون

زي ما صار مبارح صار اليوم اطف التلفزيون امسك مايكروفون

زي ما صار مبارح صار اليوم اطف التلفزيون امسك مايكروفون

النه الوقت عم يسبق بقلك خي سالم بس اصبر

بدك تستني هاي اخلطط بعمرها ما تضبطبيدفعلك قد ما بدك عشان تسكت

واذا بتفتح متك طخة وحده وبعد بتسقط

s t o r m t r a p

What happened yesterday happens today

switch off your TV and grab a microphone

What happened yesterday happens today

switch off your TV and grab a microphone

What happened yesterday happens today

switch off your TV and grab a microphone

What happened yesterday happens today

switch off your TV and grab a microphone

Because time is racing

He keeps telling you peace is coming just be patient

You want to wait these plans never succeed

Hersquoll pay you as much as you want to keep you quiet

And if you open your mouth one shot will silence you

what happened yesterdayزي ما صار مبارح

Zey ma sar mbareh

Stormtrap

null

2009

1728613

eng - Visit httpstormtrapbandcampcom

5756

اركض اركض وخليك راكض

واذا بتفتح متك رح يقلك خليك ساكت رح يقلك انساك من هاملشاكل

حوشوا هالشواك وضبوا شناتكم واشتروا التذاكرففكر شوي وما تكنش أهبل

وين ما تروح في الدنيا رح تتبهدلمش شايف قدامي عم بسمع أصوات بيسألني

ليش لسه عايش هون روح عيش محل تانيبدي احك بس الكلمات مش طالعة من لساني

عنصرية هونن عنصرية هناك عنصرية كل ما اطلع برا الشباك

شيطان بيعمل حاله مالكبس هو بالواقع بدو يعيش بالك

جدار بيمثل عقلية ناس بدهاش تعيش معاك

زي ما صار مبارح صار اليوم اطف التلفزيون امسك مايكروفون

ما مبثل شخص او اشخاص مبثل فكرةاسم احلرية حاملينه

من بلد ما فيه حياة عاديةسواءا ضد االحتالل أو ضد العنصرية

أصواتكم وينايي خلوها تنسمع وتطلع نتائج ايجابية

فكمل كتابة او تسجيل وصدقني شغلك مش رايح عالفاضي

عشان الشي الوحيد اللي رح يروح هو احن اذا منضلنا علقانني فاملاضي

s t o r m t r a p

Run run

Keep running

And if you decide to speak hersquoll tell you just stay silent

Hersquoll tell you forget these problems

Save up some money pack your bags and buy your tickets

Think about it donrsquot be a fool

Wherever you go yoursquoll get humiliated

I canrsquot see in front of me Irsquom hearing voices asking

Why are you still living here Go live somewhere else

I want to respond but the words wonrsquot come out

Racism here racism there

Racism each time I look out the window

A devil in an angelrsquos disguise

In reality he wants to live without you

The apartheid wall represents the mentality of a people who donrsquot care to coexist

What happened yesterday happens today

switch off your TV and grab a microphone

I dont represent a person or a people I represent an idea

An idea called freedom

From a land lacking a normal life

Whether yoursquore struggling against occupation or against racism

Where is your voice

Let it be heard to achieve your goals

So keep writing and recording

Believe me your work wonrsquot be lost in vain

The only thing thatrsquoll disappear is us

If we stay stuck in the past

Zey ma sar mbareh

Stormtrap

null

2009

1728613

eng - Visit httpstormtrapbandcampcom

5958

شو الي حدثجينا من حتت األرض

هيهة القصة بدة عنا هدفوننشر أصواتنا لكل حدا

جيت من حتت أرض رام اللهما ح وقف اكتب كلمات وال مرة

عندي طاقة الزم أطلعها كل يوم وكل ساعةفاو انبنى مع الوقت ولسة عم بيطور تصور

تصورفاو انبنى مع الوقت ولسة عم بيطور تصور

زي ما صار مبارح صار اليوم اطف التلفزيون امسك مايكروفون

زي ما صار مبارح صار اليوم اطف التلفزيون امسك مايكروفون

s t o r m t r a p

What happened

We came from underground

The story begins we have an objective

To spread our voices to everyone

I came from the ruins of Ramallah and

I wonrsquot ever stop writing words

I have energy that I must release every day every hour

A flow thatrsquos been built and is still developing imagine

Imagine a flow thatrsquos been built and is still developing

What happened yesterday happens today

Switch off your TV and grab a microphone

What happened yesterday happens today

Switch off your TV and grab a microphone

T r a n s l a t e d b y t h e a r t i s t

Zey ma sar mbareh

Stormtrap

null

2009

1728613

eng - Visit httpstormtrapbandcampcom

6160

Wake up the People

Donrsquot doubt it

The Maker can see you

Right now

You want to get out and see doe

So clouded

Sell out to be dope

Right now

I see you plagued by your own doubt

Canrsquot step the game up

Like a snake when it rolled down

Staircase of a lone child

No bricks lain in a cold house

Where you sold out

All alone on an old couch

t h e N a r c i c y s t

No click like an untapped phone dial

Oh wow

I felt the same homie

Donrsquot shelter pain only

Then it came slowly

Never let the frame hold me (down)

Picture life for the love though

People tend to look the other way like Columbo

We deceived by the law just to love doe

Guess they took all the worth out to numb folks

And make a severed plan

Out of bitter man

What you want a medal man

Huh Do you really think yoursquore better than Then

All you really need is a long look

Two sixteens and a strong hook like

brassThis track was originally written in English

null

2149748

6362

Wake up the People

Donrsquot doubt it

The Maker can see you

Right now

You want to get out and see doe

So clouded

Sell out to be dope

Right now

Break

Hip hop like a fresh pelvis

Yoursquore gonna regret this shit like a dead Elvis

Busy wishing you could live less selfish

Crabs in a bucket duckinrsquo these dead shellfish

Industry got a brother feeling helpless

With an ill chorus and ride yoursquore more in the tide

When a flow canrsquot keep me above the water

t h e N a r c i c y s t

Let a wave carry me out and push me farther now

Internal Inferno ten journals written but Irsquom still not sure though

Do I really want to tour to jump hurdles To be heard

So-I-Can-Feel-Like-This

Man therersquos something that I might miss--

Naw Irsquove been bluffinrsquo

Lifersquos backwards like Ben Buttonsrsquo

Irsquom in love with the stage fright on a strange night

Feels good to get the words on a page right

Wake up the People

Donrsquot doubt it

The Maker can see you

Right now

You want to get out and see doe

So clouded

Sell out to be dope

Right now

null

2149748

6564

مبارح شفت بلمنام بيروت عمتغرق حتت رماد بركان فحموا الناس بس ال raquoسكاي بارlaquo كان بعده ولعان

بيروت ثبتت حبة الثورة اللي فينا نبتت ملا أحبطت نفوسنا من اجلمود

فينا بيروت حتركت عدم دمارنا وعدم حرية خيارنا

بيوت بيروت تعمرت سكرنا عجفاف دموعنا جفوننا عليها تسكرت فتخمرت

إذا بطلت تطير قدرك عألرض مقهور إذا وقفت تكسير بتصير جزء من الديكور

e l R a s s

Yesterday I dreamt Beirut was drowning under volcanic ash

The people were turned to charcoal but Sky Bar [a posh Beirut club] was still lit up

Beirut suppressed the seed of the revolution the one that sprouted

When our spirits were foiled from immobility

In us Beirut moved

On the blood of our destruction and the negation of our freedom of choice

The houses of Beirut are rebuilt

We got drunk on the dryness of our tears our eyelids closed on them and fermented

If you stop flying your destiny on land is distress

If you stop breaking you become part of the decoration

beirutبركان بيروت rsquos volcano

Blues

2125713

6766

بحاور بناور باآلخر بواجه التاج بتوضى بصلي بتوصلني أصوات أنات احملتاج

تأمل العلم بعري العمل من العمل خياري عنار خفيفة دوب املسمار وتستوي األفكار النظيفة

عمروا دمروا زمروا تذمروا ربك صبره دربه جربه

عقلن خربوا غربوا هربوا وقبلوا بالفن عحيط الشارع

عشرط ما يكون في شك بشارع هيدي مش عاصمة ثقافة هيدي حلبة املصارع بيروت ال تعرف في املاضي وال تعرب باملضارع

حتول التركيبة خلى العقل اجلامد فكر حاله مالك املدينة رقبته طويلة متل مالك احلزين وايده لوزيري

اعتبر نفسه أول مني اكتشف هلجزيرة بأجر الفقير شقق بأسعار مدروسة

بشكل تضل طموحاته ممعوسة نهبوا األرض من ربعي وصارت احلرب شركة استثمار مبفعول رجعي

حتت شعار إعادة اإلعمار لو ما كان خلص دوره وانتهى عقد االيجار

كان احلريري ما طار وما صار مطار احلريري عاصمة لبنان بتوازن بني ضريحني

واتنيناتن عاغتيالن في عالمة استفهام e واحد قدس املوت بس لسبب l R a s s

I discuss I maneuver ultimately I confront the crown

I perform ablutions I pray I receive the moaning of the needy

The meditation of knowledge strips work from hope

My choice is on low fire melting the nails and clean thoughts are ripening

They built they destroyed they honked they complained

Your god made him patient tested him and trained him

Their minds ruined westernized chased off

They accepted art pissed on back alleys

As long as there is no doubt in the streets

This is no capital of culture itrsquos a wrestling ring

Beirut canrsquot speak of itself in the past nor conjugate itself in the present

Transitions and transformations made the closed mind think he owns the city

His neck is long like a stork his fingers long like a politicianrsquos

He thinks himself the first who discovered this peninsula

He lets the poor rent apartments at prices studied

To crush ambitions

They stole the land from my cousins

And the war became a backward-looking investment

Under the slogan of reconstruction

If his time wasnrsquot up and his contract finished

Hariri didnrsquot have to fly and it wouldnrsquot have become the Hariri airport

Lebanonrsquos capital keeps balance between two shrines

And on both assassinations there is a question mark

One sanctifies death but for a reason

Blues

2125713

6968

واحد قدس احلياة بس بالكذب واحد بايدو حتول الذهب سم وواحد تخبى من الذهب بالدم

مني الشهيد

اللي مات حتت صبابيط ثورة عبيد شهيد اللي مات فتحول على حملة اعالنات هدفها ترفع الطايفة معدالت التجنيد

قنابل بالبريد وصل سيوف علوريد حصل

املوت للبليد صنم الصبر للعنيد حلم تأليه الشهيد ظلم

خليط احلديد والدم العالج والسم الرفاه والهم النوعية والكم

الدعارة وورقة التوت مبدينة بيروت علم

e l R a s s

And one sanctifies life with lies

In onersquos hand gold turned into poison

And the other hid from gold with blood

Who is the martyr

The one who died under the shoes of the oppressedrsquos uprising is a martyr

Is it he whose death was transformed into an advertising campaign to raise the levels of

sectarian enlistment

Bombs came in the mail

Swords to the jugular true stories

Death to the cold is statuette

Patience to the stubborn is a dream

Divinity to the martyr is oppression

The mixture of steel and blood the cure and poison

Luxury and distress quality and quantity

Prostitution and modesty

The science of the city of Beirut

T r a n s l a t e d b y M o e A l i N a y e l amp + A z i z

Blues

2125713

7170

بقرأ في اجلريدة زفت شوارع جديدة

إزالة مطبات و كثير أشياء هيك مفيدة أشخاص مستفيدة

دعم من هون و من هون منظمات بس احلرية بعيدة

مقاطعة مستوطنات تعون الضفة الغربية وطنية حصرية إدعائية

طب و فلسطني التاريخية مع ألساس كانت القدس عاصمة الثقافة العربية

بس كلوحكي سياسية للشعب إحنا نتحمل الشغل و التعب و الوضع صعب

b o i k u t t

Irsquom reading in the paper

About roads newly paved

Speed bumps removed and a lot of other useful stuff (yes very)

Certain inviduals benefit

Funding from here and there

Organizations are plentiful but freedom is far-fetched

Calling for a boycott of settlements around the West Bank

Pretentious exclusive nationalism

But what about historical Palestine

I thought Jerusalem was supposed to be the ldquocapital of Arab cultureldquo

But itrsquos all political speeches for the people

We put up with the work and the sweat and itrsquos rough

a letterرسالة من مقاطعة from boikutt

risaleh mn muqataa (pt1)

boikutt

null

2010

1086983

eng - iTunPGAP0

eng - iTunNORM 00000A1E 00000A0E 000099D9 000098A0 0000CC63 0000CC63 0000826D 000080B0 000131D0 000131D0

eng - iTunSMPB 00000000 00000210 000008F3 000000000049197D 00000000 0027BA9D 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000

7372

يقنعونا إن كلشي متام و بقدر أعيش حياة عادية

زي في األفالم على مبس واحد إثنني ثالثة أربعة إلخ

كن منيح و بتنزل عليك املصاري زخ نصيحة من أخ ألخ

خليك مستقل ألن اللعبة إنلعب فإبعد عن الفخ

خليهم يقعدوا يستنوا الدعم ليموتوا يلفلفوا داخل اجلدار حلد ما يفوتوا

في متاهات مبسافات مش محددة مجددة لتوسع التوسع مش مهددة

إنتهاك احتالل بس مش على الكل

في ناس في فلسطني هون حياتهم زي الفل مش عارف شو بيفكر

شكلوا مش داري شي يوم حنروح كل الدكاكني هي حتسكر

سالم

b o i k u t t

Try to convince me that everythingrsquos fine

And that I can lead a normal life

Like in the movies

On MBC one two three four etcetera

Be good and money will rain on you

Advice from one brother to another

Stay independent because the games are being played

So steer clear of the trap

Let them wait for foreign aid until they die

Spinning in circles within the apartheid wall until they enter

Into unlimited mazes with unspecified spaces

That are renewed to fit settlement expansion unthreatened

Violation occupation

But not for everyone

There are people here in Palestine living ldquothe good lifeldquo

I donrsquot know what hersquos thinking

Seems like he doesnrsquot know one day wersquoll be gone

And all these shops will close

Peace

T r a n s l a t e d b y t h e a r t i s t w i t h L o u b n a B i l a l i

risaleh mn muqataa (pt1)

boikutt

null

2010

1086983

eng - iTunPGAP0

eng - iTunNORM 00000A1E 00000A0E 000099D9 000098A0 0000CC63 0000CC63 0000826D 000080B0 000131D0 000131D0

eng - iTunSMPB 00000000 00000210 000008F3 000000000049197D 00000000 0027BA9D 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000

7574

الضغط عاليالعدو فات جاري احملادثات

صمت دوليكمية الغازى عم تزداد

تهجير جديد مولود جديدتكرر عزو مش تارك ورا شي مفيد غير غراب

من كل البيت ما تركو شي إال البابمن االرض ل سما مسافة عاليه

إمشي الصحرا وعد لياليوجنوما

كمشوا رئيس دولة بجورةحصار

توزيع مخدراتباألحمر تلون الفرات سجون معتقالتقبلة الوداع مع الصبات

تنصت بالشبكة خيانات باألزهر

k a t i b e h 5

The pressure is high

The enemy has entered discussions are taking place

Global silence

The numbers of the occupier are increasing

A new expulsion A newborn child

The perpetuation of an invasion that leaves behind it nothing of any use except for a crow

From an entire house they left nothing but the door

From the ground to the sky is a long distance

Walk the desert and count the nights

And its stars

They caught a president in a pit

Siege

Drug dealing the Euphrates is stained red prisons detention centers

A farewell kiss with a shoe

Networks wiretapped betrayals in Al Azhar

hold me back ifهديني اذا فيك you can

null

23098943

7776

حوار أديانالكف تنجس

متسح فيه وجك مع كل شروق عالوضوءتسمع شرارة فتيل مولوتوف ينادي أصوات تتلبى

باإلنفجار

هديني إذا فيك صرت موجود بكل مكانوجي مغبش عامل زي جيش زباتا

منصرخ بوجكم raquoاحلرية ل برغوتيlaquoإعالمكو بيعرفني كلماتكو حملت إسمي

شركاتكو بتهرب مني )كتيبه خمسه هديتي إذا فيك(

بتالقيني بني والد حفظوا غنية املخيماتبنفسية فالح عمال يزو املدينة

افالم تافهةبرنامج تافه

بتدور على مخك بتالقي مش موجوداخلليج يتحكم بإعالم

هادول حبوب التنومي ٦1 سنة بعدن مش شغالني

عالمادامك واخد وجهة نظري

ع محمل اجلدمسموح لك تستعجب وتظهر إنزعاجك بوجودي

ألني صديق لكل املشاهد الغير مرغوبة فيهاش بيختار حياتو بالتحديد بحكيلك هيك منحياها ومحد

ضغط رصاص وابارود بخليكاش حتيدالتجارب بتدلك عطريق

هديتي إذا فيك

k a t i b e h 5

A dialogue of religions

The hand is tainted

And with it you cleanse your face at ablution each sunrise

You hear the sparking of the fuse of a molotov calling voices respond

Explosion

Hold me back if you can I have become present everywhere

My face is concealed like the army of Zapata

We shout in your face ldquoFreedom for Barghoutildquo

Your media knows me your words have glimpsed my name

Your corporations flee from me

(Katibe Khamseh hold me back if you can)

Yoursquoll find me among children that have memorized the song ldquoAl Moukhayamatldquo

In the persona of a peasant that is visiting the city

Shallow films

Shallow programs

You look for your mind but you find it is not there

The Gulf controls media with its boundaries

These sleeping pills 61 years and theyrsquore still not effective

Great

As long as you are taking my point of view seriously

Yoursquore allowed to be taken aback and to show your irritation

Just like you show your irritation at my presence

Because I am a friend to all the images that are not desirable

This is how we live out these images and no one chooses their life specifically Irsquoll tell you

The pressure of bullets and gunpowder does not allow you to move away

Experience will guide you on the road

Hold me back if you can

null

23098943

7978

موقف واحد صريح من صميم روح لشعوب املقاومة ضمير ظهور البشرية

السبيل صعب ورا الغضبدعم لكل أسالوب محارب

د لنحرق نظامك منتدرب منجرب منخرب منستععم نحرق نظامك

هديتي إذا فيك

إطلع منيحمش رح تقدر توخذ كل شي من أول نظرة

نظرة عامة raquoبشرة مش بيضةlaquoجبني عريضة مكتوب مولود عنيد بالفطرة

فوت بالتقاليد عد التجاعيدلك هاي مش أول مرة

لغات ودراسات حط العلم بغالفمش رح تقدر تفهم ليه بعد في بارود ع الكتافلون األرض ولون الليل بيعطيك البني و السواد

بوعدك مش لوحدي رح أضل عد رماد الال اللعبة اجلديدة وال والدنا ع اللعبة جداد

بكفيش إنفلونزا الصقور صار في إنفلونزا اخلنازيرموسم مرض جديد لرئيس مبثل ع نفوس ومريض بهدوء البيض

هديتي إذا فيك

k a t i b e h 5

A single honest stance from the bottom of the soul for the people of the resistance the conscience

that exposes humanity

The path is difficult when following anger

A support for every style of battle

We train we strive we disrupt we prepare to burn your system

We are burning your system

Hold me back if you can

Look closely

You wonrsquot be able to see it all at first sight

An overview ldquocomplexion that is not whiteldquo

A broad forehead written born stubborn by nature

Look at the traditions and count the wrinkles

This is not the first time

Languages and scholarship put education under wraps

You wonrsquot be able to understand why there is still gunpowder on shoulders

The color of earth and the color of night gives you brown and blackness

I promise you that I will not be alone to count the ashes no

This game to us is not new and nor are our children new to the game

As if the influenza of eagles was not enough now therersquos the influenza of pigs

The season of a new disease for a president acting for a public and sick with the

calmness of white people

Hold me back if you can

null

23098943

8180

اإلحتالل نكه البشر بنكهة املجاريبالسالم حوار أديانبإقرار ملكية كذابة

بتشويه تاريخ وسرقة حضاراتولك أه

فلسطني إفريقيا الدجلة والفراتإجتاه البشرية لإلضمحالل سرطان بشري بعضها

الشتا ميسح اخلطايا واآلثاروليش بتتخبى وبتتغطى بنفس كل سفارة سميك الستار

لساتني باكل الضربة ورا الضره ورا الضربةوحتى ما أفعل وأساوي تكمشني الرجفة

بدل ما أضرب فيك بضرب بحاليبوعدكش حضلني كامش حالي حفلتها

حفلتها

هديني إذا فيك هديني إذا فيكهديني إذا فيك

k a t i b e h 5

The occupation has seasoned humanity with the flavor of sewers

With peace with dialogue of religions

With the declaration of false ownership

With the distortion of history and the theft of civilizations

Oh yes

Palestine Africa the Tigris and Euphrates

Humanity is leading to reduction a human cancer bites it

Exile wipes clean the sins and the traces

And why are you hiding and seeking cover when all the embassies are already well concealed

I am still taking one beating after another

And so that I donrsquot take action and do something shudders grip my body

Instead of beating you I beat myself

I canrsquot promise you that I can keep myself restrained

Irsquom gonna let go

Hold me back if you can

Hold me back if you can

Hold me back if you can

T r a n s l a t e d b y R i m a N a j d i a n d F a y s a l B i b i

null

23098943

8382

طول عمر الشعب املصري مع بعض أحلك الظروفبص وفر في التاريخ وانت ياما هاتشوف

الدين ده ليا وليكوفيا وفيك

حاجة روحانية بتخليك حتس اللي بيك

ايد في ايد نبني فيها من جديد

مصر زعلت علي حاصل وسطنا مش مفيد

بعد ثورة وبعد عيد فتنة تقتل حلم واتتحقق لنا

واحد اتننيالذكري بتعيش اكتر من عمر االنسان

بصمتنا تغييرنا جوة وبرة امليدان مش هانضيع نصر ثورتنا بفتنة نشئت بينا

A r a b i a n K n i g h t s + M C G a z a + A m e e r

The Egyptian people have always stuck together

Through the worst times look at history

And see how often wersquove been there for each other

That whole idea of religion

Is for you and for me something spiritual that makes you feel whatrsquos inside you

Hand in hand

We build Egypt up again

Egypt is angry at whatrsquos happening between us

Itrsquos not helpful

After the revolution after the celebration

Sectarian strife is killing the dream we fulfilled

One two

The memory lasts more than a lifetime

Our mark is our change in and outside Tahrir Square

We wonrsquot give up the victory of our revolution in exchange for sectarian strife between

us

hand inايد في ايد hand

Eid Fe Eid

Yasser Ameer Youssef Rush E Money amp MCGaza | by BOGEY

Single Hit track 11

20112011

Hip-Hop

24002867

eng - Hip-Hop 4 Life

eng - iTunNORM 000005E2 0000058E 0000424E 00003537 00026E95 0001C2B3 00008000 00008000 00005045 00005045

8584

بلدنا محتجانا ايدنا واحدة ضد احملنة تفرق ايه معاك ديانتي ملا ربك هو ربي

اصلك هو اصلي ارضك هي ارضي

ملا اتقال لي اكتت فيول فتنة انا قولت غلط علشان الفتنة مفتعلة في بلدنا وكان وراها غرض

فالفرد افترض فبفرض السياسة األمر اختلط

فالزم يبقي املصل سياسي من اصل املرض العسس واحلرس مافرقوش صليب وهالل

وكنا كلنا واحد وراء االقفالدم الشهيد شاهد

ياما بالفتنة انكسرنا وحدتنا بصوت واحد وضد الظلم انتصرنا

وديني هو ديني صلة بيني وبني ربي هارفع علمي وارفع راسي فوق

انا مصري

ايد في ايد نبني فيها من جديد

مصر زعلت علي حاصل وسطنا مش مفيد

بعد ثورة وبعد عيد فتنة تقتل حلم واتتحقق لنا

خلو حمامة السالم من الطيور املنقرضةعلشان تبقي القلوب مبتعدة منقسمه سهل تتسم

فكرين مناعة و قوة أم الدنيا بالطمع مرتبطةنسر املصريني ليس له دين احنا بنحميها بالدم

العنف بذوره بتكتر عاوز يوصل واحلروب حتصل

A r a b i a n K n i g h t s + M C G a z a + A m e e r

Our country needs us all together against the hard times

What difference does my religion make to you when your god is my god

Your origin is mine

Your land is my land

When they told me about sectarian strife I said thatrsquos wrong

Because itrsquos been planted in our country and behind it is some purpose

Makes one think somethingrsquos going on

By playing politics everythingrsquos gotten mixed up

The antidote has to be political just like the poison itself

The military doesnrsquot distinguish between cross and crescent

Wersquore all held together behind bars

The blood of the martyrs bears witness

To how much wersquove been broken by sectarianism

Through our unity we triumphed with one voice over injustice

And my religion is my own a rapport between me and God

Irsquoll raise my flag and my head up

Irsquom Egyptian

Hand in hand

We build Egypt up again

Egypt is angry at whatrsquos happening between us

Itrsquos not helpful

After the revolution after the victory

Sectarian strife is killing the dream we fulfilled

They drove the dove of peace to extinction

To keep hearts apart and divided itrsquos easy to poison them

Do they really think the resilience and strength of Egypt is connected to greed

The Egyptian eagle has no religion we protect it with our blood

The roots of violence are increasing want to gain control to start wars

Eid Fe Eid

Yasser Ameer Youssef Rush E Money amp MCGaza | by BOGEY

Single Hit track 11

20112011

Hip-Hop

24002867

eng - Hip-Hop 4 Life

eng - iTunNORM 000005E2 0000058E 0000424E 00003537 00026E95 0001C2B3 00008000 00008000 00005045 00005045

8786

للعاقيدة يكسر وألعضاء املشاعر تتشال تصتأصلعلى كالم ربهم اتكبرو فعملو قدر واتقدر

وقته مستنينه ليه خططوا مضمون الرسائل اتغير الن الهدف هو تدمير قعدة الوحدهوقتل كل قائد يقود الناس بره احملنه

فيبقي سهل يزيحنا ميحي أوصول عليها كبرناوكل واحد علي حداه يقول أنا محدش يقول احنا

فاببطء بحرص بص بعقل بحذر شوفقبل ما يخلوا خيالك يتخلله اخلوف

واخلوف ده افراز بيطلع من غده ملا الكلب بيشوفهابيعرف انك فاريسه سهل ياكلها ركز

فرق تسد إخلعوفق جتد إرفع

ثورة تقدصمت يفرد- يفرق

ما بيجمع بيننامن حقي النقد من حقك - تسمع

طب إسمع وراجع ما صور التاريخ طب باله بيكفي صور زمانييوم حصار كنيسة املهد مني دافع مني اتقمع مني اتنفا

مسلم مسيحي أل كان فلسطيني اتذكر معي ثورة غضب يناير

اتذكر معي الوحدة اإليد الوحدة اتشرف انتا مصرياتذكر معي األخ بإيد األخ يحمي األخ بدون إلخ

كالمي ماشي ماشي ال-لتفهمني بهويتي مسلم وال نصراني قبطي

ما في حجة لربطي خلبطي حلطي ألوطي ألغير خطيخير أجناد األرض

من أرض بيت املقدس كل السالم بعد ما قلت إلنقسام في وطنيانا ملزم أقول ال لفتنة

تفتت مجد شعب تعب عانى ضحى بالغالي حتى بناه

A r a b i a n K n i g h t s + M C G a z a + A m e e r

The relationship between Egyptians breaks down and the organs that feel are taken out

They got full of themselves in the name of their god and invented a new fate for us

Theyrsquore waiting for a time and theyrsquore plotting The meaning of their messages changes

Because the goal is to destroy the foundation of unity

And kill every leader who takes the people out of hard times

Itrsquos easy to remove us to wipe out the traditions we grew up with

Everyone on his own everyone says ldquoIldquo and no one says ldquoweldquo

Slowly carefully look Wisely with caution see

Before they make your imagination a slave to fear

And that fear releases a secretion from a gland

And when the dog sees it he knows yoursquore easy prey

Divide yoursquoll conquer

Bring harmony and yoursquoll reap Start

A revolution and it will catch on

Silence is solitary It divides

It doesnrsquot bring us together

It is my right to criticize and your right to listen

So listen and look back at history or better look at my life time

The day the Nativity Church was under siege who was persecuted Who was exiled

A Muslim A Christian No he was Palestinian

Letrsquos remember the angry revolution of January

Letrsquos remember the unity the one hand Be proud yoursquore Egyptian

Remember the brother holding hands with a brother protecting a brother

And I can go on

Donrsquot teach me about my identity whether Irsquom a Muslim or a Christian Copt

Therersquos no excuse to tie me down beat me to make me cower and kneel and stray from my courseThe Earthrsquos most virtuous soldiers

Come from the land of Bayt al-Maqdis [Jerusalem] I salute you After I said no to division in my countryIrsquom committed to saying no to seditionThat dissolves the glory of a people who labored suffered sacrificed what was most dear to build it

T r a n s l a t e d b y A l e x O r t i z + A h m e d S h a w k e t + K h a l e d A l H i l l i

Eid Fe Eid

Yasser Ameer Youssef Rush E Money amp MCGaza | by BOGEY

Single Hit track 11

20112011

Hip-Hop

24002867

eng - Hip-Hop 4 Life

eng - iTunNORM 000005E2 0000058E 0000424E 00003537 00026E95 0001C2B3 00008000 00008000 00005045 00005045

8988

الفن واملواهب زي حرب الكواكب الكل عايز يكون جنم صراع في الداخل

بهدي جنون العظمة بفلفل حر توابل تسيل دموع زي القنابل

زي مابتكلم وداني شغالة كون سامع نبض الشارع علشان أ

حالف أقضي على اإلعالم املتآمر مغامر في الكالم بس إنت مش سامع

ملا بأمسك القلم والورقة الهم بينزاح مخي بيرتاح بأقول اللي على البال

ملا بأقعد بحس بتأنيب ضمير كون في ستوديو بسجل على بيت خطير مفروض أ

e l D e e b + S t o r m t r a p

Art and talent are like Star Wars

Secretly everyone wants to be a star of conflict

I make megalomania tranquil with chilli hot spices

Tears flow like bombs

Thatrsquos how I talk and the world keeps moving

So that I can hear the pulse of the streets

Irsquove sworn to obliterate the media conspirators

I am adventurous in my speech but you do not hear

When I hold the pen and the paper my anxiety is lifted

My mind relaxes and I say whatrsquos on it

When I sit down I feel guilty

I should be in the studio recording dangerous beats

addictأدمان الشهرة ion to fame

Edman El Shuhra

Stormtrap amp Mohamed El Deeb

2011

Hip-Hop

15305855

- vocals Mohamed El Deeb Stormtrap13produced by Stormtrap

9190

إحساس غريب إنك تدمن الكالم ارسم يا فنان واخترع زي دافينشي الرسام

ولو مفيش ورقة باستخدم تليفوني خايف إن فكرة متعديش على صوتي

دنيا غريبة يوم مر يوم بونبوني بس أنا عمري ماغيرت لوني

املوسيقى بنادولي وبطابعي فضولي مهما قالوا لي هافهمها مبفهومي فـساعات أالقي نفسي بكلم نفسي واسمع أصوات غريبة في دماغي

وهو ده الصدى الصوت اللي بسمعه اكن مفيش حد فارقة معاه احالمي

شوف شوف مش هدف إنو أنا شخصيا أنا

هدفي انه كلماتي وموسيقتي تنتشرعشان هيك حتشوفني دوما مستمر مستثمر

كل وقتي كل طاقتي على أصواتي خوذ شك خوذ حتويل خوذ كاش

بس ما تنساش أي شي بيتعلق بالواقع بدناش ما تخاف ألنها قضيتنا مش منسية مية باملية هايذي ثورة كمان ثقافية

خليني أوضح هاي املوسيقى مش معمولة للتلفازeهاي املوسيقى مش معمولة لهز الطياز l D e e b + S t o r m t r a p

Strange feeling to be out of words

Paint oh artist and discover like Da Vinci the artist

If I donrsquot have paper I use my cell

I am afraid that the idea does not come through my voice

Strange world one day is bitter another like candy

But Irsquove never changed my color

Music is my Tylenol and my nature curious

So whatever they tell me Irsquoll understand it my way

Sometimes I find myself talking to myself

And I hear weird voices in my head

Which is just the echo of the sound I hear

As if no one cares about my dreams

See see

My goals are not self serving

My goal is that my words and music spread

Thatrsquos why yoursquoll see me always and continuously investing

All my time my energy on my sounds

Take a check take a transfer take cash

But never forget anything related to reality wersquore not interested

Donrsquot be afraid because our cause is not forgotten

One hundred percent this is also a cultural revolution

Let me explain this music is not meant to be televised

This music is not made for booty shaking

Edman El Shuhra

Stormtrap amp Mohamed El Deeb

2011

Hip-Hop

15305855

- vocals Mohamed El Deeb Stormtrap13produced by Stormtrap

9392

مش فاهم ليش الكل قاتل حاله يكون في مسابقةحابني نتصابح حياكم زات املكافحة

واالعالم ميت ع حيالله قصة ما بيدرس هالقصة من نصها

وبعدن بينفخهامش احلق علينا اذا ما بيبحثوا

وملا يبدوا يحكوا عنا أل عنجد بيبعصوابيفكروا انه كل شي هشك بشك

بس حدن الزم يقلهم انه الهب هوب مش هيكبدك تدير بالك عشانها هاي اللحظة احلاسمة

ملا يجوا عليك الديب والعاصفةنكسر حدود وبنبني وحدة عشان نحيي مجتماعاتنا

وننهي معانتناعشان هيك منكتب كلمات صريحة والها معنى

مش للشهرة مش حتى يجي حدن يدفعلنا

e l D e e b + S t o r m t r a p

I donrsquot understand why everyone is killing themselves to be in the contest

Wersquod like to say goodmorning to salute you in this same struggle

The mediarsquos dying for any story

But they donrsquot study the storyrsquos real text

And then they blow it out of proportion

Itrsquos not our fault if they donrsquot search

And when they talk about us then they really screw it up

They think everything is empty pointless

Somebody needs to tell them that hip hop is not like that

You should take care because this is the critical moment

When the wolf and storm come haunting you

We break borders and we create a unity to revitalize our communities

And stop our suffering

That is why we write frank words that have meaning

Itrsquos not for fame or even so that someone pays us

T r a n s l a t e d b y N i z a r G h a n e m

Edman El Shuhra

Stormtrap amp Mohamed El Deeb

2011

Hip-Hop

15305855

- vocals Mohamed El Deeb Stormtrap13produced by Stormtrap

9594

حضل عهل مود يعنيما إنتلك النجوم عم تقرب

بهل ال مود حكون عطول لبهل جنوم إدءر لو مضطر شن هجوم عل النجوم كلها

خللي األرض تدور حول أصبعي تنلك

ما إنتلك متلي متلك مولع طيار ألفكاري من العقدي تنفك فرد قعدي بني 4 حيطان ما بتنهز و منها ما بنهز

يلز املا بينلزالكاس عل الطاولي و منو عم مز مز

لتفتل براصي وحس من حالي عم كز كزعل ورقة كالمي مدروس و ما بزت زت بجرب ما عيد حالي متا يقولو عم نق نق

موزع قافياتي جواز كأن عم فت فت

بهل األطشة خلي الديني اللي تسمعني ترن رنFبسبيلي جاري يوم ع يوم عم برك رك a r e e q e l A t r a s h

Irsquoll stay in this mood

Didnrsquot I tell you The stars are getting closer

Irsquoll stay in this mood until I touch these stars

Even if I have to launch an attack on all the stars

Irsquoll make the Earth rotate around my finger I told you

Didnrsquot I tell you Irsquom just like you I lit up a joint so my ideas would untie their knot

Sitting this way in between four walls I wonrsquot budge

The most delectable

Drink is on the table from which Irsquom taking sips

Till my head starts spinning and Irsquom sick of myself

On the paper my words are calculated I donrsquot just toss them about

I try not to repeat myself so they wonrsquot say Irsquom nagging

I deal my rhymes out like theyrsquore cards

In this verse Irsquoll make those ears ring

My fountain is running and every day I excel

tالنجوم عم تقرب he stars are gett ing closer

null

29781717

9796

لضل ماشي جالس بينما غيري عم بلك لك شريط معلق ريحة العة عم بتفح فحكل ما فتح متو بتالقي عم بكب كب

عايشها إرهاب و مفي إال بسب سببزبالتي ما بكبو تيكون بعلمك

األالف مسم و بحياتو ما بينسم بزقة من هل التم تخلي سقفك ينش نش

تلمو ردم و ما تفكر إنو ترد رد و عم بحكي عالواطي متا الصالي فيك ترج رج

بطبعي عاقل بس بالراب بزل زل عل الرايق بال ما نط وال فز فز

type of shitعال بارد أبرد من شباط بس يقز قزتخلي عضامك ع بعض تسك سك

ما إنتلك النجوم عم تقرب بهل ال مود حكون عطول لبهل جنوم إدءر

لو مضطر شن هجوم عل النجوم كلهاخللي األرض تدور حول أصبعي تنلك

أنا متنبئ بنبه و بحقق ما قلتلك بعد وقتها ما عم نكت

عاملكرفون إبرة هرون عم بشكشك في شكcheck one two

هيك بدسدس عالنبض

F a r e e q e l A t r a s h

So I can walk straight when others are still playing

A broken record that reeks of a musty smell

Every time he opens his mouth he spews them out

He lives in terror and all he does is curse

I wouldnrsquot throw him in my garbage just so you know

Irsquove irritated thousands and never been irritated in my life

One spit out of this mouth will make your roof leak

And yoursquoll pick up the rubble and donrsquot even think about answering back

Irsquom talking in a low voice so the hall wonrsquot shake with you in it

Irsquom reasonable by nature but when it comes to rap I humiliate cold-heartedly

Without jumping or leaping around

I do it coldly colder than icy February-type of shit

Irsquoll make your bones rattle against each other

Didnrsquot I tell you The stars are getting closer

Irsquoll stay in this mood until I touch these stars

Even if I have to launch an attack on all the stars

Irsquoll make the Earth rotate around my finger I told you

Irsquom a psychic I predict and deliver

Didnrsquot I tell you to stand back when Irsquom not joking

Irsquom pricking the microphone with a heroin needle Is there any doubt

Check one two

Thatrsquos how I feel the pulse

null

29781717

9998

بدقق و زتزت حكي بتزجزج كأنها مزهزها عم بتشمشم عم خطط عم تكتيك و مني ملحلح من هون للساعة توقف تك تيك تك تيك

لك ليك منفخ حاله عامبيكازيب عا غيري بس بوجهي بتاءتإوجهه بيباءبإ من أد ما بعصب بسبسب

زر إنذار إذني بتطنطن و بشوف من عالباب عم بدقدق

عكروت بدو يفوت ليشوف الفن فني بس الفن هون بجسمي معبأ

من حلقي طايف و من متي عم بت شرشر و بيس البيس زلزال برجرج خليك تضبضب تنضب بالبيت لتكنكن

و أنا متأسف ألني بدي استأذن بس بعد شفت كابتشينو بتصحصح

ما إنتلك النجوم عم تقرببهل ال مود حكون عطول لبهل جنوم إدءر

لو مضطر شن هجوم عل النجوم كلهاخللي األرض تدور حول أصبعي تنلك

هيدا هب هوبمش هبل و ال بهل

هيدا زجل تتغزل في

ورايي إيقاع عليي إتبع و ما إطلع عنو يا بصير متل غير مسيس

زقفوا مع االيقاعزقفوا مع االيقاع

F a r e e q e l A t r a s h

Checking and hurling words that tickle as if I was high and sniffing

I am planning and scheming and Irsquom not going anywhere till the clock stops ticking

Look hersquos so full of it lying to others but in my face he stutters

And his face turns red from all the anger and he curses

My earsrsquo alarm bells start ringing

And I go to see whorsquos knocking at the door

Some bastard who wants to see where ldquothe artldquo is

But the art is right here packed in my body

Flowing from my throat running out of my mouth

And the bass is an earthquake that shakes and forces you to pack up and go home

And Irsquom sorry because I need to take leave

But after a sip of cappuccino yoursquoll come around

Didnrsquot I tell you The stars are getting closer

Irsquoll stay in this mood

Until I touch these stars even if I have to launch an attack on all the stars

Irsquoll make the Earth rotate around my finger I told you

This is hip hop

Itrsquos not stupid nor dumb

Itrsquos zajal [a form of Arabic poetry in the Levant]

That you flirt with

There is a beat that I have to follow canrsquot lose it or Irsquoll be like other MCs

Clap with the beat

Clap with the beat

T r a n s l a t e d b y K h a l e d A l H i l l i

null

29781717

101100

انا ببلعهم بتفهم وال مره بسبهمبخليهم داميا يضاربو بتفكيرهم

أنا وراهم قدامهم جنابهم محتلهممش طايقهم مرات وزنهم بكون منزلهم

مرتبهم صاففهم وبقلم أنا حاكمهم زاتتهم مش عاجبيني أنا ماحيهم قائدهم وبنفس الوقت أنا عبيدهم

وبفك وربط أنا بلعب مبعانيهمانا حاميهم بأسطر اللي تقويهم

انا واعدهم اني أستر على فاضحهم ومطلعهم بصوره اللي تبشعهم

بس أنا محترمهم وبسطور ساجنهم مكتفهم كأسير بجنازير القهر

ومهديهم بحبل اللي يبشر بالصبر وانا لي الفخر أكون الشوك اللي فيهم

Dوأكون القهر اللي داميا يسقيهم A M

Yo this is dedicated to the lyrics

Irsquom swallowing them spitting them never dissing them

Giving them freedom of speech

Irsquom behind them in front of them because of them always standing with them

Sometimes get sick of them sick of how you abuse them

Gather them in line with my pen I order them

Didnrsquot like it Throwing them out and replacing them

Irsquom their leader and also their slave

Small changes make huge differences

I train them in pages to make them strong

Promising to use them not abuse them

Or allow the wrong mouths to utter them

Approach them with a military mind and find peace in them

Irsquom lucky to be full of thorns and even luckier that I found the lyrics

So theyrsquoll help me find the roses in me

wordsكلمات

null

26837427

103102

raquoالكل سمعك بس السؤال اذا اللي سمعك فهمكlaquoكلمات ليست كالكلمات بل raquoعالماتlaquo

اللي توجهنا وين مابدنا عحبال السيرك هي تثبتنا ريح العالم من كل جهه اذا احنا ضعاف بتوقعنا بس

raquoأل بلمره ألlaquo raquoكلمات عندي طنlaquoكل واحده الها هدف اخدت حرف عحرف

نسجت جمل اللي البسهم وقت البرد raquoراح اضلني اناديlaquo raquoبنحكي كلماتlaquo

انت بتعرف انهم مبنصب شهاد بحكو املاضي وتنبوا حاضر أي بالد

قد ماحكيت قد ما أحكي فش كالم يغطي بسفي كالم يربي وينمي انت بس أروي

في شوف انه قوه والقوه بتقويفيك و أن رويته مصيره يسقيك )مثل للقوه( العدو من أمامكم

والبحر من ورائكم فال تخيبوا أسيادكمفأين أشعاركم وأين مجادلتكم

فأنتم تسكتون وتخمدون أحالمكم)انهي( نهيت ورجعت للعامية بكلمات

مرمية طالعه من عقليه شعبيهمتل جنيب اللي بذاكرة كل واحد محفوظ مدروس واذا أل معناته في خلل معكوس

عاملجتمع اللي قمع كتاباته Dاللي سمح لنسيانه يشيل خطواته A M

ldquoThey all hear you but few listen to youldquo

Lyrics ainrsquot just a bunch of words they are ldquosignsldquo

Leading us stabilizing us on tight ropes

Winds every way if we are thin we will fall

ldquoBut hell noldquo ldquoyou can measure my words in tonsldquo

Every word has a meaning I knitted a letter with another letter

Made warm sentences to wear in cold days

ldquoSo Irsquoll still shoutldquo ldquowe control lyricsldquo

You know lyrics are like a witness

They witnessed the past and forecast the future

As much as I said or say I canrsquot describe them

But there is a way to find the description and thatrsquos through them

Quench the thirst of the pages with them

So in the future itrsquoll quench your thirst

Keep feeding them as soon as they grow up

Theyrsquoll give you strength

ldquoExample for the strengthldquo

ldquoThe enemy is before you the sea is behind you

So donrsquot you dare disappoint our ancestors

Where are our deep poems Where are our strong statements

From generation to generation we kill our dreamsldquo

ldquoEnough philosophizingldquo ok lets get back to street talk

Words coming outta simple minds

Like Najeeb Mahfuz [literally lsquowell-rememberedrsquo also a famous author]

They keep living in our minds

And if you donrsquot know who he is - then I rest my case

null

26837427

105104

raquoالكل سمعك بس السؤال اذا اللي سمعك فهمكlaquoكلمات ليست كالكلمات بل raquoعالماتlaquo

اللي توجهنا وين مابدنا عحبال السيرك هي تثبتنا ريح العالم من كل جهه اذا احنا ضعاف بتوقعنا بس

raquoأل بلمره ألlaquo raquoكلمات عندي طنlaquoكل واحده الها هدف اخدت حرف عحرف

نسجت جمل اللي البسهم وقت البرد raquoراح اضلني اناديlaquo raquoبنحكي كلماتlaquo

ألف با كبايه أوعك تكسرهاامسكها للنهاية وكل ما تفضى مليها

كلمه أو رواية ومع املراحل زيدها شيحكاية وهيك ضلك زود فيها

وجيبها لتجمعاتك وساعتها استعملها لنقاشاتك وملواقفك استخدمها

هادي مدافعك اللي مداها بسيطرتك وما دافعك انه ما تخليها رايتك

ما هي تكتب ما هي توصف ما هي تكذب ما هي تنصف

ما هي هي الهروب هياللجوء هي الدروب هي

العبور باحلدود واللي مبرؤهم مبدع وبفوز باخللود واللي بسرقهم مش مقنع

واذا بتديهم احلرية بنادوك ممنوعDواذا بتوخد احلريه بنادوك مسموح A M

ldquoThey all hear you but few listen to youldquo

Lyrics ainrsquot just a bunch of words they are ldquosignsldquo

Leading us stabilizing us on tight ropes

Winds every way if we are thin we will fall

ldquoBut hell noldquo ldquoyou can measure my words in tonsldquo

Every word has a meaning I knitted a letter with another letter

Made warm sentences to wear in cold days

ldquoSo Irsquoll still shoutldquo ldquowe control lyricsldquo

The Arabic alphabet is like a glass donrsquot break it

Hold it tight and keep filling it

And then bring it to our arguments

Scream till your throat gets dry and then wet it

It holds our body itrsquos like our legs

If you stand for nothing yoursquoll fall for anything

The words write create

They kill lead and sometimes even lie

You can use them to build borders

And those who are gifted

Can use them to walk through borders

And in some governments

Itrsquos forbidden to give words freedom

But if you choke them and kill them

Thatrsquos allowed

F i g u r a t i v e t r a n s l a t i o n o f f e r e d b y t h e a r t i s t s

null

26837427

107106

further reading

The tracks presented in this document are not a comprehensive sampling of the genre of the market of hip hop in Arabic or of hip hop and rap in the wider Middle East

Artists featured here hail from Egypt Lebanon Palestine and the anglophone Arab diaspora The thriving North African hip hop scene is not represented nor is the work of the established francophone Arab diaspora nor the expanding hip hop scenes of especially Iran or Turkey

This collection does not attempt a comprehensive chronology Tracks featured here are not primarily new releases (though some are) neither are they all ldquoclassicsrdquo These limitations of scope are important to note

Many tracks of the popular Libyan group Ibn Thabitt and other groups from across the region have been translated and are hosted with commentary on the notable blog

revolutionaryarabrapblogspotcom

Another valuable resource is the Beirut-based blog by Jackson Allers ldquoBeats and Breathrdquo which features articulate critiques and reviews of events and releases from the region

jacksonallerswordpresscom

Hass Dennaoui (alias Big Hass) who recently launched started the first all hip-hop FM radio show in Saudi Arabia Laish Hip Hop (Why Hip Hop) manages a lively blog which

hosts an internet feed of his radio show and interviews with MCs and influential hip hop figures from around the world

revoltradioblogspotcom

Lebaneseundergroundcom hosts coverage of underground music in Lebanon including hip hop

And finally an excellent article by Hishaam Aidi on implications of the use of hip hop as foreign policy ldquoThe Grand (Hip-Hop) Chessboard Race Rap and Raison DrsquoEtatrdquo was published in The Middle East Report Fall 2011 Excerpts of the piece were published by Al Jazeera English in the article ldquoLeveraging Hip Hop in US Foreign Policyrdquo

All the artists and many of the translators whose work is showcased here host a significant online presence Their sites are listed with more about each of them on the following pages

109108

artist bios

ARABIAN KNIGHTZ the premier hip hop group from the land of the Nile River have not only established themselves as the lyricists with the sharpest swords in their land but they have also created the most consistent voice for rebellion strength and hope for the youth of the Middle East During the 2011 Revolution Arabian Knightz released two singles ldquoRebelrdquo and ldquoNot Your Prisonerrdquo anthems of resistance which gained worldwide attention and major media coverage for their powerful lyrics against a wicked system The group formed in 2006 through the cipher hip hoprsquos natural way of choosing like mindsets on the mic Rush Sphinx and E-Money were ahead of their peers adapting an authentic Arab perspective to the art dominated by Western voices mixing English and Arabic raps After hitting the studio for successful underground tracks AK enlisted super-producer Fredwreck (Snoop Dogg Xzibit Tha Dogg Pound) ldquoFokkakrdquo the single from this studio session was an instant hit and (surprisingly for Arabic Hip Hop) projected them to the top ten of the singles charts Arab League Records was formed amidst a growing fanbase and numerous collaborations with other Arab hip hop artists the first international Arab hip hop record label Desert Saga Volume 1 mixtape was the debut release led by ldquoThe Onerdquo featuring Egyptrsquos MC Amin Arabian Knightz have recorded their debut album Uknighted State of Arabia a masterpiece for Arab hip hop years in the making featuring instrumentals dominated by traditional percussions and players are scheduled for a Winter 2012 Release They are on Facebook

BOIKUTT is a musician and MC based in Ramallah Palestine Creating sounds using sampled material field recordings and electronic devices the results range between hip-hop downtempo ambient glitch and experimental He has composed and produced music for artists such as Kronos Quartet Bukue One Spiritchild Tamer Abu-Ghazaleh Bleubird and others and has appeared as an MC on albums for artists such as Slovo Heliodrome Bonnot and Lethal Skillz A co-founder of the Ramallah Underground Collective which has toured across the Arab World Europe and Australia Boikutt is also co-founder and member of audio-visual group Tashweesh with whom he is currently touring Also as a solo performer he has been in Beirut Cairo Manila Copenhagen London Hamburg Dubai Bethlehem and other cities He has produced and exhibited a few sound-art pieces composed several film scores has most recently composed the music for a dance theater performance entitled Bound by

New York-based company Yaa Samar Dance Theatre and is now working on different collaborative and solo projects His work may be heard at soundcloudcomboikutt and on Facebook

DAM Da Arabian MCrsquos are Suhell Nafar Tamer Nafar and Mahmoud Jreri The first Palestinian hip hop crew and among the first to rap in Arabic the group began working together in the late 1990s Struck by the uncanny resemblance of the reality of the streets in a Tupac video to the streets in their own neighborhood of Lyd they were inspired to tell their stories through hip hop Their timely song ldquoMin Irhabirdquo (ldquoWhorsquos the Terroristrdquo) was downloaded a million times shortly after its internet realese in 2001 and DAM became a household name among youth throughout the Middle East Ten years of performing all over the world has strengthened the grouprsquos commitment to continue living and working in their hometown of Lyd 15 minutes from Tel Aviv and working to provide the youth of the city and neighboring communities with programs and opportunities that have been denied to Palestinian citizens of Israel Their music is a unique fusion of East and West and encompasses influences as varied as Ghassan Kanafani Ahlam Mosteghanemi Mahmoud Darwish Naji al Ali Tupac Biggie Public Enemy MBS Krsquonaan and Pharoahe Monch IHDA (Dedication) DAMrsquos long-awaited first international album was released in 2007 and DAM has seen its songs and members featured in films such as Ford Transit (Dir Hany Abu Assad) Where in the World is Osama Bin Laden (Dir Morgan Spurlock) Salt of this Sea (Dir Annemarie Jacir) Local Angel and Forgiveness (Dir Udi Aloni) DAMrsquos history and influence on the Arab hip hop scene is detailed in the feature-length documentary Slingshot Hip Hop (Dir Jackie Reem Salloum) The group has also been featured in Vibe National Geographic Rolling Stone Q Basement Reuters and The New York Times and has appeared on MTV CNN BBC and Al Jazeera Their work can be heard and explored at damrapcom

EL DEEB first ventured into Egyptian Hip Hop when he joined Asfalt in 2005 He left in 2007 to create Wighit Nazara duo represented by Mohamed Yasser and himself It was a successful musical project that lasted until mid 2010 Currently he is working on his solo career with plans to release an EP every couple of months or so Cairofornia is his first solo EP His work may be heard at deebbandcampcom and on Facebook

EL RASS was born in Tripoli Lebanon He started writing poetry in literary Arabic at age 11 and started rhyming in spoken Lebanese dialect in 1999 at age 15 At that time he formed one third of a group of 3 MCrsquos going under the name of ldquoMlouk el Micrdquo (ldquoKings of the Micrdquo) They recorded one album and performed locally At 17 he left for France to study Finance and Economics Studies were hard money was scarce and exile was tough but music and poetry never left him as he continued rhyming with some underground French MCrsquos like Medline and Moebius and developed new musical skills on percussion in classical Arabic singing and baglama (turkish buzuk) After graduating and working for almost two years in the hell of banking and market finance El Rass decided to return to Lebanon He spent a year just re-discovering Beirut and making and learning music He now works as a journalist at the newspaper Assafir while concurrently pursuing joint projects with other producers and musicians He calls his work Taalik in reference to the same word in Arabic for ldquocommentrdquo and another word that comes from the same semantic root moaallakat which is a corpus of selected pre-Islamic poetry that was written with gold ink on the walls of the Karsquoaba in Mecca His work may be heard at soundcloudcomElRass

FAREEQ EL ATRASH is a hip hop band based out of Hamra St Beirut with a sound that is distinguished by laid back topical flows over live instrumentation It consists of Edd (raps) Nasser (raps) FZ (vocal production and FX) Fouad Afra (drums) Goo (plays guitar keys heart strings) and Abed Kobeissy (plays bass and buzuk) Their 2010 album and 2009 prealbum are available online More of their work may be found on Facebook Eddrsquos solo work can also be heard at soundcloudcomEdd

H2Z was born in Kuwait in 1986 where he lived for four years Due to the gulf war his family moved to Lebanon where he lived for the most part of his life Inspired by the tragic events in the Middle East and elsewhere in the world H2Z adopted rap music as a way to raise awareness about the injustices suffered by his people and to deliver a message through his music to anyone who supports the Palestinian cause His career began in 2004 when he was introduced to the production business by fellow rappers and soon he started producing his own tracks and established a local band producing many tracks for himself and other musicians in Lebanon In 2008 he released his first solo album titled 3aed which contained

17 tracks The political influence was noticed throughout the album and was generally well-received He is now studying for a degree in business administration at Wayne State University in Michigan His work may be heard at reverbnationcomh2z

KATIBEH 5 are based in Borj el Barajneh Lebanon Their work can be found at reverbnationcomkatibeh5 and myspacecomkatibe5palestine and on Facebook

M1 is Mutulu Olugbala of the New York based collective Dead Prez whose work is online at deadprezcom M1 is also on Facebook

MC GAZA is Adnan Mahmoud Ghonim an Algerian born artist and university student based in Gaza It was the beginning of 2005 when he attended one of the hip hop concerts in Gaza City ndash Gaza City that never appreciated the art he loved and attached himself to ndash and it was love at first sight between them Through some of the concerts he participated in a number of songs he collaborated on with Arabs from Egypt Algeria and Palestine and some active participation to represent the Palestinian people and interviews for both Arab and foreign press he was able to make a name for himself in the Gazan hip hop community His work may be found at youtubecomMCGaza and on Facebook

THE NARCICYST Having pioneered the Arab Hip-Hop movement with seminal Iraqi-Canadian crew Euphrates The Narcicyst recently broke through borders and shattered traveling etiquette touring solo around the world sharing stages with the likes of Brother Ali Mos Def and Kanye West to name a few On top of music The Narcicyst is a celebrated theorist whose academic work Fear of an Arab Planet has him from the stage to the classrooms of internationally renowned universities He is now also a professor at Concordia University teaching a Fine Arts course ldquoHip-Hop Past Present and Futurerdquo His writings have been published by multiple university presses and magazines internationally he is also a self-published author having recently released the biographical and social-study on the Arab world The Diatribes of a Dying Tribe As a true artist interested in really pushing his own artistic boundaries The Narcicyst has stepped into acting currently starring in the short music film PHATWA and in the first internationally-released film from the United Arab Emirates called City of Life A true multi-media

111110

KHALED AL HILLI is a PhD candidate in Comparative Literature at the Graduate Center City University of New York He has a BA in English Literature and a Masterrsquos degree in Teaching Second Languages Born in Iraq Khaled has taught in Lebanon and Saudi Arabia at both college and high school levels He has also worked with various Iraqi news outlets and has subtitledtranslated documentary films dealing with current social and political issues His research interests include Arabic political literature prison literature and literature in the diaspora He may be reached at hillykhalidgmailcom

+AZIZ is a NYC-based marketing consultant and a musician He is working through The World Music Parade to develop an animation project based on his music More about that project can be found at themusicparadetumblrcom He tweets from plusaziz

FAYSAL BIBI is a paleontologist and electronic musician currently based in Berlin

LOUBNA BILALI is originally from Morocco She did her undergrad and first MA in English Linguistics at Chouaib Doukkali University El Jadida She came to the US in 2008 to pursue a Masterrsquos degree in French to English translation and is currently working on a PhD in translation studies at Kent State University in Ohio She is very interested in learning and teaching languages as well as translating and localizing computer applications and websites She may be reached at loubnabilaligmailcom

FARAH ELREWAISSATI is a freelance translator pro-Palestine activist and BDS advocate who blogs at youthanormalizationblogspotcom She tweets from 3beee

NIZAR GHANEM was born in Lebanon He has been active in intercultural education interactive learning and conflict resolution across the Arab world His work on conflict resolution involved using theater comics and music as tools for emotional expression and social mobilization

RIMA NAJDI is a Performing Artist She studied dramatic arts at the Lebanese University in Beirut and obtained a Masterrsquos degree in Performance Studies at NYU New York She has written and performed in various plays and performances Najdi is particularly interested in multi-media performing arts and the position of the spectators

BARRAK ALZAID (copy editor) is the Artistic Director of ArteEast He is the editor of the ArteEast Quarterly a dynamic online portal featuring four publications that highlight contemporary art and culture from the Middle East and diaspora ndash ArtersquoZine Shahadat (contemporary short-form literature) Gallery and Cinematek (an online film center) He is also the curator for ArteEastrsquos Across Histories Art Talk Series featuring a series of panels on residencies in Fall 2011 He tweets from barrakster

RAYYA EL ZEIN (editor) is working towards a PhD in Theatre at the Graduate Center City University of New York Her research is increasingly focusing on theories of reception historical studies of audience behavior and popular culture in the Arab world She holds an MA in Performance Studies from NYU and is currently a teaching fellow at City College in Harlem She tweets from rayelz

translator biosdreamer Yassin recently established an arts label in the UAE called The Medium focusing on delivering art from Arabs in the diaspora and at lsquohomersquo to the rest of the world iraqisthebombcom He tweets from TheNarcicyst

OMAR OFFENDUM is a Syrian-American hip hop artist born in Saudi Arabia raised in Washington DC and living in Los Angeles Known for taking audiences on a lyrical journey from the jasmine-tree-lined courtyards of Nizar Qabbanirsquos Damascene homes to the flooded riverbanks of Langston Hughesrsquo Harlem Renaissance poems - Offendum has been featured on several major news outlets (BBC Yahoo ABC News Aljazeera PBS) toured the world to promote his ground-breaking music helped raise thousands of dollars for various humanitarian relief organizations (PCRF KinderUSA ANERA Islamic Relief) lectured at a number of prestigious academic institutions (Harvard MIT Stanford Columbia American University of Beirut NYU-AbuDhabi Qatar Education City) and most recently been involved in creating several critically-acclaimed songs about the popular democratic uprisings throughout the Middle East amp North Africa He is currently hard at work promoting his solo release - affectionately dubbed SyrianamericanA His work may be heard (and read) at offendumbandcampcom He is on Facebook and he tweets from Offendum

RAMALLAH UNDERGROUND based in Ramallah Palestine was born from the immediacy of musical experimentation and out of the need to give voice to a generation of Palestinians and Arabs facing a turbulent and uncertain political landscape The collective was founded by artists Boikutt Stormtrap and Aswatt and has always held a commitment to both the honesty of their work and the need to creatively rejuvenate Arabic culture To this end they combine music ranging from Arabic electronic music hip-hop and trip hop to downtempo with a deep sense of their local culture and the imposing presence of Palestine in their lives The outcome is a new specific and distinct sound RU (as producers and as MCrsquos ) has collaborated with numerous artists across the globe including countries like Lebanon UK Switzerland Italy USA France and many more including a collaboration with Slovo (a band headed by the guitarist from faithless) in their track ldquoNakbardquo which appears on their album Todo Cambia and with Kronos Quartet in the track ldquoTashweeshrdquo which appears on Floodplain RU has also performed live shows in Ramallah Bethlehem Vienna London Cairo Lausanne Amsterdam and Washington DC Their shows are mainly a performance of their hip-hop tracks as well as a few of their own electronic productions as a warm up More recently RU has incorporated a visual set in their live

performances brought to you by Palestinian visual artist Ruanne RU hopes to give a voice to Palestinians and Arabs bringing an alternative voice from the Arab world Their lyrics and music are an expression of anguish and defiance ultimately remaining a defiant voice of the colonized against the colonizer They continue to play a big role in the Arab underground cultural scene while slowly gaining wide global and local popularity

SHADIA MANSOURrsquos work can be found at myspacecomshadiamusic and on Facebook

STORMTRAP is a music producercomposerMC from Palestine Experimenting with old samples instruments and field recordings his sound is the result of a fusion of ambient atmospheres combined with various noises and hip hop beats His lyrics deal with different themes inspired mainly by his personal experiences in Palestine and life in the diaspora Stormtrap played a fundamental role in forming the band Ramallah Underground with which he has performed worldwide the past few years Currently he is working in Vienna with Aras Seyhan and Eren Ileri on a new album which combines live instruments synthesizers turntables beats and Arabic lyrics- which will be released early 2012 His work may be heard at soundcloudcomstormtrap He tweets from asifeh

AMEER YOSSEF 25 has sung and writen music with the band Klaket for the past four years His work may be heard at youtubecomAmeer and on Facebook

towards the work Her work for now concentrates on the process of making interactive and participatory performances that question borders stereotypes and languages

MOE ALI NAYEL is a fixer and a journalist based in Beirut Lebanon He uses social media blogging non-mainstream music journalism and writing as a word spreading eye opening socializing arena He uses social media as a bridge that cuts distance between people on this planet making it a tiny village This bridge starts in his office and takes him to every corner in the world enabling him to connect and network with people and cultures sharing and exchanging stories of the unheard and the neglected He blogs at Words of Action and he tweets from MoeAliNay

ALEX ORTIZ is a video and radio journalist and translator based in Cairo Egypt He graduated from Brown University in 2009 with a double major in Comparative Literature and Middle East Studies He was a CASA I fellow from 2009-2010 and a CASA II fellow from 2010-2011 He currently works for CBS News as a field producer He tweets from cairowitness

AHMED SHAWKET is an independent translator living in Cairo Egypt He is a graduate of the Helwan University Faculty of Arts where he majored in philosophy Ahmed works on literary media and commercial translation

113112

ABOUT SHAHADATShahadat is a quarterly online series designed to provide a platform for short-form writing and experimentation in writing by young and underexposed writers from the MENA region (Middle East and North Africa) The series features stories vignettes reflections and chronicles in translation and the original language of Arabic Farsi Turkish or Kurdish It makes up one quarter of ArteEastrsquos online programming the AE Quarterly For past issues of Shahadat click here

ABOUT THIS SERIES Shahadat is proud to run two alternating series and releases two issues a year of each The issue yoursquove just perused is part of the ldquoExploring Popular Literaturerdquo series This series challenges traditional understandings of ldquoliteraturerdquo emerging from the Middle East and North Africa by presenting genres of creative production that rely on words and language but which have not typically been studied as literature Works are presented in their original language and in translation

In each issue we gather texts from a spectrum of writers to challenge the singular status of the artistauthor and to encourage a more complex presentation of the Middle Eastern and North African ldquostreetrdquo for English-speaking audiences Shahadatrsquos other series ldquoContemporary Literature in Translationrdquo features the work of a single young author in the original language and in English translation

BEHIND THE DOCUMENTShahadat is co-edited by Rayya El Zein Alex Ortiz and ArteEastrsquos Artistic Director Barrak Alzaid All three are young professionals and scholars with artistic inclinations (literature poetry translation and performance) All three have strong connections to New York City and various metropole of the MENA region Shahadat is for us an experiment and a labor of love An editorial board of established scholars and authors is currently being conceived

SPECIAL THANKS TOAnmar El ZeinKinda AkashAndrew JohnstonLivia Alexander

Shahadat logo design by Rima Farouki

114

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Page 20: Shahadat Winter 2012

3938

حيطان هالبيت يلي بكره رح ينردم انا االحمر واالسود واالخضر من هالعلم

من دم االبطال من دموع الاطفالمن اجلحيم التشرد واجلوء واالنكسار

من ظلم االحتاللمن حلم االستقالل

من ارض الزيتونوالصليب والهالل

انا حافظ احلواجز بكل بالد العالممن النادر انو بيوم يعتبروني بني ادم انا سنني االعتقال انا غرف التعذيب

الوجع والصريخ واجلروح الي ما بطيبانا شعب ما انهزم بس عمرو ما انتصر

انا اكبر ارهابي الني حامل حجر اسير طول عمرو رافض انو بيوم ميوت بس معاهدة سالم بتنفي اني موجود

انا القدس بيت حلم ومخيم جننياالدان واجلراس الهالل والصليب

املدافن واملدارس وكنسية املسيح الشوارع القدمية والبيت العتيق

انا ركوة الشاي و سندويشة الفالفلالكرم والبخل واالخالق واملهازل

الكذب والصدق واخليانة والصمود Hانا فلسطيني حلتى اموت 2 Z

The walls of the house that I hate thatrsquos about to get demolished

I am the red and black and green in this flag

From the blood of heroes from the tears of children

From the hell of homelessness and broken refugees

From the oppression of the occupation

From the dream of independence

Irsquom from the land of the olives

The cross and crescent

I know all the checkpoints in all countries of the world

It is where they consider me a human being

Irsquom years of capture Irsquom the torture chambers

The pain and the screams and the wounds that never heal

I was never defeated but never had a victory

Irsquom the biggest terrorist because I carry a stone

A prisoner who spends his whole life refusing to die

But a peace treaty forgets that Irsquom alive

Irsquom Jerusalem Bethlehem and Jenin refugee camp

The call to prayer the bells the crescent and the cross

The old cemeteries schools and church of Christ

The old streets and the ancient house

Irsquom the tea cup and the falafel sandwich

Generosity and greed morality and farce

Lies and betrayal and honesty and persistence

I am Palestinian until I die

T r a n s l a t e d b y t h e a r t i s t

Ana Falasteeni

H27

null

17782504

eng - iTunNORM 0000057E 0000056B 00004E0F 00004D32 00021C96 00021C96 00008000 00008000 0000ECEA 00007530

4140

صباح اخلير با والد عمومناتفضلوا شرفونا

شو بتحبوا نضيفكم دم عربي وال دموع من عيوننابعتقد هيك تأملوا نستقبلن

هيك تعقدوا ملا تدركوا على غلطتهنمن هيك لبسنا الكوفية

البيضة والسودةصاروا كالب الزمان يلبسوها كموضة

مهما تفننوا فيامهما غيروا بلونا

كوفية عربية بتضال عربية

حطتنا بدن ياهاثقافتنا بدن ياها

S h a d i a M a n s o u r w i t h M 1 o f D e a d P r e z

Good morning cousins

Come in and honor us with your presence

What would you like us to serve you Arab blood or tears from our eyes

I think thatrsquos how they hoped we would recieve them

Thatrsquos why they got tangled up when they tripped up on their own mistake

Thatrsquos why we wore the kufeyyeh

The black and white one

Dogs of the past started to wear it as a fashion statement

However they change it

Whatever colour they make it

The Kufeyyeh is Arab and will always be Arab

Our scarf they want it

Our intellect they want it

kufeyyeh arabeyyeh الكوفية عربية

Kufeyyeh Arabeyyeh

Shadia Mansour and M1

Shahadat Winter 2012 track 616

Hip Hop

26239166

4342

كرامتنا بدن ياهاكل شي إلنا بدن ياه

ما رح نسكتلن نسمحلن الالبقلن يسرقوا شغلة مش إلهن ما خصن فيا

بيقلدونا باللبسكل هاألرض بيكفيهنش

طمعانني عالقدسإعرفوا كيف تكونوا بشر

قبل ما تلبسوا الكوفيةجينا نذكرن مني إحنا

وغصبا من عن أبوهم هاي حطتنا

من هيك لبسنا الكوفيةألنها وطنية

الكوفية الكوفية عربيةمن هيك لبسنا الكوفية

هويتنا األساسيةالكوفية الكوفية عربية

يال علي الكوفيةعلولي هالكوفية

الكوفية الكوفية عربيةعلوها لبالد الشام

كوفية عربية بتضال عربية

ما في بعد متل الشعب العربيفرجوني أية أمة بالدنيا أكثر مأثرة

الصورة واضحة نحنا مهد احلضارة

S h a d i a M a n s o u r w i t h M 1 o f D e a d P r e z

Our dignity they want it

Everything thatrsquos ours they want it

We will not be silent will not allow it

It suits them to steal something that ainrsquot theirs

They imitate our style

As if all this land werenrsquot not enough

Thirsting after Jerusalem

Know how to be human

Before you wear our scarf

We came to remind them who we are

And like it or not itrsquos our right

Thatrsquos why we wore the kufeyyeh

Because it is nationalistic

The kufeyyeh is Arab

Thatrsquos why we wore the kufeyyeh

Because it is our original identity

The kufeyyeh is Arab

Come on raise your kufeyyehs

Raise that kufeyyeh

The kufeyyeh is Arab

Raise it up for bilad ersquosham [Greater Syria the wider Arab world]

The kufeyyeh is Arab and will always be Arab

There are no others like the Arab people

Show me one region in the world that is more influencial

The picture is clear we are the origins of civilization

Kufeyyeh Arabeyyeh

Shadia Mansour and M1

Shahadat Winter 2012 track 616

Hip Hop

26239166

4544

تاريخنا وتراثنا الشاهد على وجودنامن هيك لبست التوب الفلسطيني

من حيفا جنني جبل النار إلى رام اللهخليني شوف الكوفية

البيضة واحلمراخلينا نعليها لفوق بالسما

أنا شادية العربلساني بغز غزبلساني بهز هز

كلمات احلربسجل أنا شادية منصور

واحلطة هويتيمن يوم ما خلقت

سيدي والشعب مسؤوليتيلكن تربيت بني الشرق وبني الغرب

بني لغتنيبني بخيل بني فقير

شفت احلياة من اجلهتنيبس علمتني الكوفية

كيف ما لبستونيوين ما شلحتوني

بضلني عأصولي فلسطينية

S h a d i a M a n s o u r w i t h M 1 o f D e a d P r e z

Our history traditions and customs bear witness to our existence

Thatrsquos why I wear the Palestinian dress

From Haifa Jenin Jabal El Naar to Ramallah

Let me see the kufeyyeh

The red and white one

Letrsquos raise it up to the sky

I am the singer of the Arabs

Like an earthquake I shake the ground

My words are war

Record this

I am Shadia Mansour

And this scarf is my ID

From the day I was born the people have been my responsibility

Look I was raised between the East and the West

Between two languages

Between the rich and the poor

Irsquove seen life from both sides

However the kufeyyeh has taught me

However you wear me

Wherever you leave me

I stay true to my origin Palestinian

T r a n s l a t e d b y t h e a r t i s t w i t h F a r a h E l R e w a i s s a t i

Kufeyyeh Arabeyyeh

Shadia Mansour and M1

Shahadat Winter 2012 track 616

Hip Hop

26239166

4746

حمامة سالم افتحي أجنحتكي و طيري

وين الوعي - وين امشوا معي هني وادي بني اجلبلني عني حب للطرفني

أمهاتنا حبت ذاتنا بس مو عاجبهن مسباتنا هذا احلكي بني اخواتنا

Oزين العرب واألمريكان m a r O f f e n d u m

This track contains verses that were originally written in English

You are my

(Destiny)

Itrsquos hard livinrsquo in the West - when I know the East got the best of me

(Destiny)

Could be lookinrsquo in my eyes - but yoursquoll never really see the rest of me

(Destiny)

Can you hear me maseeri [my destiny] Bi-lingualrsquos what Irsquom blessed to be

(Destiny)

Dove of Peace

Spread your wings amp fly

Consciousness What consciousness - where is it

Take a walk with me

Here in this valley between two ldquomountainsldquo

Where the source of love for both ldquosidesldquo can be found

Our mothers like us

But donrsquot like our foul language

So letrsquos keep this between the siblings

The best of Arabs amp Americans

destمصيري iny

7 Destiny

Omar Offendum

The Peace Revolution 20

21332892

eng - iTunNORM 000006D3 000006F2 000038BA 0000322F 0000E4FA 0000E4FA 00008716 0000864B 0002AB5E 000083D6

eng - iTunSMPB 00000000 00000210 0000094B 00000000008F7FA5 00000000 004108FB 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000

4948

وألله يرحم كل أمواتنا أغاني

مثل املهامتة إذا قلنا العني بالعني

ما صفى عندنا عيون بالشام بالد الشام

من فلسطني إلى جبال لبنان قبل ما اخترعوا احلدود

من اإلسكندرون إلى كردستان فهمان

جنجس خان ما خان قد ما خانونا أوالد العم بس دمنا دمهم

بني أدم - بنو ذمنبهم على أكتافنا - شلنا همهم

ليه الله بيعلم

بس ليك هذا الفتيش والبسكليت احسنلك من 100000000 مسدس

تعرف ليه ألن مو عاجبهم بسمتك

بس إبتسم برسمتك شاب عربي ومثقف

أعطيهم ختمتك وإذا لسة مو راضني

ذكرهم بكالم إيليية )أبي ماضي( raquoنسي الطني ساعة أنه طنيlaquo

Oوهذه هي القضاء والقدر يا حبيبي m a r O f f e n d u m

And may God have mercy on all our dead

Songs I sing

Like the Mahatma [the line above and the line below are linked through the sound of the name and the figure of Mahatama Ghandi]

If we say lsquoan eye for an eyersquo

There wont be any eyes left in Sham [Damascus]

Bilad al-Sham [Greater Syria the wider Arab world]

From Palestine to the mountains of Lebanon

Before they made up these borders

From Iskandaroon to Kurdistan

Understand

Genghis Khan never deceived us quite like our ldquopaternal cousinsldquo [khan also means ldquodeceiveldquo in Arabic]

But our blood is their blood

Children of Adam -- who built their sins

Upon our shoulders -- we carried their burden

Why

God knows

But listen this little firecracker amp bicycle

Are better for you than 100 million guns

Wanna know why

Because they dont like seeing you smile

But smile you will - in your human being

A young cultured Arab male

Give them your stamp of approval

And if they still donrsquot accept you

Then remind them of the words of Elliye [Abi-Madhee a Lebanese poet whose poem begins with]

ldquoHow soon a piece of dirt can forget that all he really is is just dirtldquo [ie we are all from this earth amp

will come back to it so there is no logic in viewing yourself as better than someone else]

And that my friend is our destiny

7 Destiny

Omar Offendum

The Peace Revolution 20

21332892

eng - iTunNORM 000006D3 000006F2 000038BA 0000322F 0000E4FA 0000E4FA 00008716 0000864B 0002AB5E 000083D6

eng - iTunSMPB 00000000 00000210 0000094B 00000000008F7FA5 00000000 004108FB 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000

5150

O m a r O f f e n d u m

Dove of Peace

Spread your wings amp fly

Make it easier to borrow

The aesthetics you bite

Like all the Arabic loanwords

From Spaniards amp Morros

The Karma of Inquisition

Visions of horror

So whorsquos the explorer

Really was it Columbus

Muhammad al-Idrisi or Alfaragnus

Throw a Hobson Jobson

While you figure it out

Irsquom gonna start with a cipher

Thatrsquos a siffir [zero] - no doubt

See you might not have learned to live with me

But sure as hell canrsquot without

You are my

You are my

(Destiny)

Itrsquos hard livinrsquo in the West - when I know the East got the best of me

(Destiny)

Could be lookinrsquo in my eyes - but yoursquoll never really see the rest of me

(Destiny)

Can you hear me maseeri [my destiny] Bi-lingualrsquos what Irsquom blessed to be

(Destiny)

حمامة سالم افتحي أجنحتكي و طيري

I write right to left

You write left to right

Metaphor of a foreignerrsquos plight

Dressed to type

Stereo amp a mic

Scenario of a fight

The burial of a white

Imperial at his heightrsquos

A Turkish Rapperrsquos Delight

Semetic etiquette might

Just have you rollin your ldquoRrsquosldquo

Poetic amp light

And grab a hold of your sorrows

To relieve your tomorrows

7 Destiny

Omar Offendum

The Peace Revolution 20

21332892

eng - iTunNORM 000006D3 000006F2 000038BA 0000322F 0000E4FA 0000E4FA 00008716 0000864B 0002AB5E 000083D6

eng - iTunSMPB 00000000 00000210 0000094B 00000000008F7FA5 00000000 004108FB 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000

5352

O m a r O f f e n d u m

Dove of Peace

Spread your wings amp fly

Bitched out by the West

Press get a big shout

From the people gettinrsquo rich out of this (bout)

Now whatrsquos this really all about

Land money or power

It was the colonizerrsquos fault

But now itrsquos really just ours

Leavinrsquo a sour tase in our mouths

Like generational slave names

Whenever speakinrsquo out

Out-spoken leaders gettinrsquo taken out

Quicker than belligerent drunks in a bar

We a far cry from livinrsquo as one

T r a n s l a t e d b y t h e a r t i s t

(Destiny)

Itrsquos hard livinrsquo in the West - when I know the East got the best of me

(Destiny)

Could be lookinrsquo in my eyes - but yoursquoll never really see the rest of me

(Destiny)

Can you hear me maseeri [my destiny] Bi-lingualrsquos what Irsquom blessed to be

(Destiny)

حمامة سالم افتحي أجنحتكي و طيري

See arab [Arabs] shootin at each other

From Iraq to Falasteen [Palastine]

Syria to Libnan [Lebanon]

Algeria to Sudan

Pedagogy of the oppressed tricklinrsquo down

Conquerinrsquo through divisions

And sadly this isnrsquot the first time

One land one love one chance one blood

No fuss no fight Yeah right young blood

AKrsquos cheaper than a book

Crooked leaders in a hook

Gettinrsquo fished out

Missles gettinrsquo dished out

7 Destiny

Omar Offendum

The Peace Revolution 20

21332892

eng - iTunNORM 000006D3 000006F2 000038BA 0000322F 0000E4FA 0000E4FA 00008716 0000864B 0002AB5E 000083D6

eng - iTunSMPB 00000000 00000210 0000094B 00000000008F7FA5 00000000 004108FB 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000

5554

زي ما صار مبارح صار اليوم اطف التلفزيون امسك مايكروفون

زي ما صار مبارح صار اليوم اطف التلفزيون امسك مايكروفون

زي ما صار مبارح صار اليوم اطف التلفزيون امسك مايكروفون

زي ما صار مبارح صار اليوم اطف التلفزيون امسك مايكروفون

النه الوقت عم يسبق بقلك خي سالم بس اصبر

بدك تستني هاي اخلطط بعمرها ما تضبطبيدفعلك قد ما بدك عشان تسكت

واذا بتفتح متك طخة وحده وبعد بتسقط

s t o r m t r a p

What happened yesterday happens today

switch off your TV and grab a microphone

What happened yesterday happens today

switch off your TV and grab a microphone

What happened yesterday happens today

switch off your TV and grab a microphone

What happened yesterday happens today

switch off your TV and grab a microphone

Because time is racing

He keeps telling you peace is coming just be patient

You want to wait these plans never succeed

Hersquoll pay you as much as you want to keep you quiet

And if you open your mouth one shot will silence you

what happened yesterdayزي ما صار مبارح

Zey ma sar mbareh

Stormtrap

null

2009

1728613

eng - Visit httpstormtrapbandcampcom

5756

اركض اركض وخليك راكض

واذا بتفتح متك رح يقلك خليك ساكت رح يقلك انساك من هاملشاكل

حوشوا هالشواك وضبوا شناتكم واشتروا التذاكرففكر شوي وما تكنش أهبل

وين ما تروح في الدنيا رح تتبهدلمش شايف قدامي عم بسمع أصوات بيسألني

ليش لسه عايش هون روح عيش محل تانيبدي احك بس الكلمات مش طالعة من لساني

عنصرية هونن عنصرية هناك عنصرية كل ما اطلع برا الشباك

شيطان بيعمل حاله مالكبس هو بالواقع بدو يعيش بالك

جدار بيمثل عقلية ناس بدهاش تعيش معاك

زي ما صار مبارح صار اليوم اطف التلفزيون امسك مايكروفون

ما مبثل شخص او اشخاص مبثل فكرةاسم احلرية حاملينه

من بلد ما فيه حياة عاديةسواءا ضد االحتالل أو ضد العنصرية

أصواتكم وينايي خلوها تنسمع وتطلع نتائج ايجابية

فكمل كتابة او تسجيل وصدقني شغلك مش رايح عالفاضي

عشان الشي الوحيد اللي رح يروح هو احن اذا منضلنا علقانني فاملاضي

s t o r m t r a p

Run run

Keep running

And if you decide to speak hersquoll tell you just stay silent

Hersquoll tell you forget these problems

Save up some money pack your bags and buy your tickets

Think about it donrsquot be a fool

Wherever you go yoursquoll get humiliated

I canrsquot see in front of me Irsquom hearing voices asking

Why are you still living here Go live somewhere else

I want to respond but the words wonrsquot come out

Racism here racism there

Racism each time I look out the window

A devil in an angelrsquos disguise

In reality he wants to live without you

The apartheid wall represents the mentality of a people who donrsquot care to coexist

What happened yesterday happens today

switch off your TV and grab a microphone

I dont represent a person or a people I represent an idea

An idea called freedom

From a land lacking a normal life

Whether yoursquore struggling against occupation or against racism

Where is your voice

Let it be heard to achieve your goals

So keep writing and recording

Believe me your work wonrsquot be lost in vain

The only thing thatrsquoll disappear is us

If we stay stuck in the past

Zey ma sar mbareh

Stormtrap

null

2009

1728613

eng - Visit httpstormtrapbandcampcom

5958

شو الي حدثجينا من حتت األرض

هيهة القصة بدة عنا هدفوننشر أصواتنا لكل حدا

جيت من حتت أرض رام اللهما ح وقف اكتب كلمات وال مرة

عندي طاقة الزم أطلعها كل يوم وكل ساعةفاو انبنى مع الوقت ولسة عم بيطور تصور

تصورفاو انبنى مع الوقت ولسة عم بيطور تصور

زي ما صار مبارح صار اليوم اطف التلفزيون امسك مايكروفون

زي ما صار مبارح صار اليوم اطف التلفزيون امسك مايكروفون

s t o r m t r a p

What happened

We came from underground

The story begins we have an objective

To spread our voices to everyone

I came from the ruins of Ramallah and

I wonrsquot ever stop writing words

I have energy that I must release every day every hour

A flow thatrsquos been built and is still developing imagine

Imagine a flow thatrsquos been built and is still developing

What happened yesterday happens today

Switch off your TV and grab a microphone

What happened yesterday happens today

Switch off your TV and grab a microphone

T r a n s l a t e d b y t h e a r t i s t

Zey ma sar mbareh

Stormtrap

null

2009

1728613

eng - Visit httpstormtrapbandcampcom

6160

Wake up the People

Donrsquot doubt it

The Maker can see you

Right now

You want to get out and see doe

So clouded

Sell out to be dope

Right now

I see you plagued by your own doubt

Canrsquot step the game up

Like a snake when it rolled down

Staircase of a lone child

No bricks lain in a cold house

Where you sold out

All alone on an old couch

t h e N a r c i c y s t

No click like an untapped phone dial

Oh wow

I felt the same homie

Donrsquot shelter pain only

Then it came slowly

Never let the frame hold me (down)

Picture life for the love though

People tend to look the other way like Columbo

We deceived by the law just to love doe

Guess they took all the worth out to numb folks

And make a severed plan

Out of bitter man

What you want a medal man

Huh Do you really think yoursquore better than Then

All you really need is a long look

Two sixteens and a strong hook like

brassThis track was originally written in English

null

2149748

6362

Wake up the People

Donrsquot doubt it

The Maker can see you

Right now

You want to get out and see doe

So clouded

Sell out to be dope

Right now

Break

Hip hop like a fresh pelvis

Yoursquore gonna regret this shit like a dead Elvis

Busy wishing you could live less selfish

Crabs in a bucket duckinrsquo these dead shellfish

Industry got a brother feeling helpless

With an ill chorus and ride yoursquore more in the tide

When a flow canrsquot keep me above the water

t h e N a r c i c y s t

Let a wave carry me out and push me farther now

Internal Inferno ten journals written but Irsquom still not sure though

Do I really want to tour to jump hurdles To be heard

So-I-Can-Feel-Like-This

Man therersquos something that I might miss--

Naw Irsquove been bluffinrsquo

Lifersquos backwards like Ben Buttonsrsquo

Irsquom in love with the stage fright on a strange night

Feels good to get the words on a page right

Wake up the People

Donrsquot doubt it

The Maker can see you

Right now

You want to get out and see doe

So clouded

Sell out to be dope

Right now

null

2149748

6564

مبارح شفت بلمنام بيروت عمتغرق حتت رماد بركان فحموا الناس بس ال raquoسكاي بارlaquo كان بعده ولعان

بيروت ثبتت حبة الثورة اللي فينا نبتت ملا أحبطت نفوسنا من اجلمود

فينا بيروت حتركت عدم دمارنا وعدم حرية خيارنا

بيوت بيروت تعمرت سكرنا عجفاف دموعنا جفوننا عليها تسكرت فتخمرت

إذا بطلت تطير قدرك عألرض مقهور إذا وقفت تكسير بتصير جزء من الديكور

e l R a s s

Yesterday I dreamt Beirut was drowning under volcanic ash

The people were turned to charcoal but Sky Bar [a posh Beirut club] was still lit up

Beirut suppressed the seed of the revolution the one that sprouted

When our spirits were foiled from immobility

In us Beirut moved

On the blood of our destruction and the negation of our freedom of choice

The houses of Beirut are rebuilt

We got drunk on the dryness of our tears our eyelids closed on them and fermented

If you stop flying your destiny on land is distress

If you stop breaking you become part of the decoration

beirutبركان بيروت rsquos volcano

Blues

2125713

6766

بحاور بناور باآلخر بواجه التاج بتوضى بصلي بتوصلني أصوات أنات احملتاج

تأمل العلم بعري العمل من العمل خياري عنار خفيفة دوب املسمار وتستوي األفكار النظيفة

عمروا دمروا زمروا تذمروا ربك صبره دربه جربه

عقلن خربوا غربوا هربوا وقبلوا بالفن عحيط الشارع

عشرط ما يكون في شك بشارع هيدي مش عاصمة ثقافة هيدي حلبة املصارع بيروت ال تعرف في املاضي وال تعرب باملضارع

حتول التركيبة خلى العقل اجلامد فكر حاله مالك املدينة رقبته طويلة متل مالك احلزين وايده لوزيري

اعتبر نفسه أول مني اكتشف هلجزيرة بأجر الفقير شقق بأسعار مدروسة

بشكل تضل طموحاته ممعوسة نهبوا األرض من ربعي وصارت احلرب شركة استثمار مبفعول رجعي

حتت شعار إعادة اإلعمار لو ما كان خلص دوره وانتهى عقد االيجار

كان احلريري ما طار وما صار مطار احلريري عاصمة لبنان بتوازن بني ضريحني

واتنيناتن عاغتيالن في عالمة استفهام e واحد قدس املوت بس لسبب l R a s s

I discuss I maneuver ultimately I confront the crown

I perform ablutions I pray I receive the moaning of the needy

The meditation of knowledge strips work from hope

My choice is on low fire melting the nails and clean thoughts are ripening

They built they destroyed they honked they complained

Your god made him patient tested him and trained him

Their minds ruined westernized chased off

They accepted art pissed on back alleys

As long as there is no doubt in the streets

This is no capital of culture itrsquos a wrestling ring

Beirut canrsquot speak of itself in the past nor conjugate itself in the present

Transitions and transformations made the closed mind think he owns the city

His neck is long like a stork his fingers long like a politicianrsquos

He thinks himself the first who discovered this peninsula

He lets the poor rent apartments at prices studied

To crush ambitions

They stole the land from my cousins

And the war became a backward-looking investment

Under the slogan of reconstruction

If his time wasnrsquot up and his contract finished

Hariri didnrsquot have to fly and it wouldnrsquot have become the Hariri airport

Lebanonrsquos capital keeps balance between two shrines

And on both assassinations there is a question mark

One sanctifies death but for a reason

Blues

2125713

6968

واحد قدس احلياة بس بالكذب واحد بايدو حتول الذهب سم وواحد تخبى من الذهب بالدم

مني الشهيد

اللي مات حتت صبابيط ثورة عبيد شهيد اللي مات فتحول على حملة اعالنات هدفها ترفع الطايفة معدالت التجنيد

قنابل بالبريد وصل سيوف علوريد حصل

املوت للبليد صنم الصبر للعنيد حلم تأليه الشهيد ظلم

خليط احلديد والدم العالج والسم الرفاه والهم النوعية والكم

الدعارة وورقة التوت مبدينة بيروت علم

e l R a s s

And one sanctifies life with lies

In onersquos hand gold turned into poison

And the other hid from gold with blood

Who is the martyr

The one who died under the shoes of the oppressedrsquos uprising is a martyr

Is it he whose death was transformed into an advertising campaign to raise the levels of

sectarian enlistment

Bombs came in the mail

Swords to the jugular true stories

Death to the cold is statuette

Patience to the stubborn is a dream

Divinity to the martyr is oppression

The mixture of steel and blood the cure and poison

Luxury and distress quality and quantity

Prostitution and modesty

The science of the city of Beirut

T r a n s l a t e d b y M o e A l i N a y e l amp + A z i z

Blues

2125713

7170

بقرأ في اجلريدة زفت شوارع جديدة

إزالة مطبات و كثير أشياء هيك مفيدة أشخاص مستفيدة

دعم من هون و من هون منظمات بس احلرية بعيدة

مقاطعة مستوطنات تعون الضفة الغربية وطنية حصرية إدعائية

طب و فلسطني التاريخية مع ألساس كانت القدس عاصمة الثقافة العربية

بس كلوحكي سياسية للشعب إحنا نتحمل الشغل و التعب و الوضع صعب

b o i k u t t

Irsquom reading in the paper

About roads newly paved

Speed bumps removed and a lot of other useful stuff (yes very)

Certain inviduals benefit

Funding from here and there

Organizations are plentiful but freedom is far-fetched

Calling for a boycott of settlements around the West Bank

Pretentious exclusive nationalism

But what about historical Palestine

I thought Jerusalem was supposed to be the ldquocapital of Arab cultureldquo

But itrsquos all political speeches for the people

We put up with the work and the sweat and itrsquos rough

a letterرسالة من مقاطعة from boikutt

risaleh mn muqataa (pt1)

boikutt

null

2010

1086983

eng - iTunPGAP0

eng - iTunNORM 00000A1E 00000A0E 000099D9 000098A0 0000CC63 0000CC63 0000826D 000080B0 000131D0 000131D0

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7372

يقنعونا إن كلشي متام و بقدر أعيش حياة عادية

زي في األفالم على مبس واحد إثنني ثالثة أربعة إلخ

كن منيح و بتنزل عليك املصاري زخ نصيحة من أخ ألخ

خليك مستقل ألن اللعبة إنلعب فإبعد عن الفخ

خليهم يقعدوا يستنوا الدعم ليموتوا يلفلفوا داخل اجلدار حلد ما يفوتوا

في متاهات مبسافات مش محددة مجددة لتوسع التوسع مش مهددة

إنتهاك احتالل بس مش على الكل

في ناس في فلسطني هون حياتهم زي الفل مش عارف شو بيفكر

شكلوا مش داري شي يوم حنروح كل الدكاكني هي حتسكر

سالم

b o i k u t t

Try to convince me that everythingrsquos fine

And that I can lead a normal life

Like in the movies

On MBC one two three four etcetera

Be good and money will rain on you

Advice from one brother to another

Stay independent because the games are being played

So steer clear of the trap

Let them wait for foreign aid until they die

Spinning in circles within the apartheid wall until they enter

Into unlimited mazes with unspecified spaces

That are renewed to fit settlement expansion unthreatened

Violation occupation

But not for everyone

There are people here in Palestine living ldquothe good lifeldquo

I donrsquot know what hersquos thinking

Seems like he doesnrsquot know one day wersquoll be gone

And all these shops will close

Peace

T r a n s l a t e d b y t h e a r t i s t w i t h L o u b n a B i l a l i

risaleh mn muqataa (pt1)

boikutt

null

2010

1086983

eng - iTunPGAP0

eng - iTunNORM 00000A1E 00000A0E 000099D9 000098A0 0000CC63 0000CC63 0000826D 000080B0 000131D0 000131D0

eng - iTunSMPB 00000000 00000210 000008F3 000000000049197D 00000000 0027BA9D 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000

7574

الضغط عاليالعدو فات جاري احملادثات

صمت دوليكمية الغازى عم تزداد

تهجير جديد مولود جديدتكرر عزو مش تارك ورا شي مفيد غير غراب

من كل البيت ما تركو شي إال البابمن االرض ل سما مسافة عاليه

إمشي الصحرا وعد لياليوجنوما

كمشوا رئيس دولة بجورةحصار

توزيع مخدراتباألحمر تلون الفرات سجون معتقالتقبلة الوداع مع الصبات

تنصت بالشبكة خيانات باألزهر

k a t i b e h 5

The pressure is high

The enemy has entered discussions are taking place

Global silence

The numbers of the occupier are increasing

A new expulsion A newborn child

The perpetuation of an invasion that leaves behind it nothing of any use except for a crow

From an entire house they left nothing but the door

From the ground to the sky is a long distance

Walk the desert and count the nights

And its stars

They caught a president in a pit

Siege

Drug dealing the Euphrates is stained red prisons detention centers

A farewell kiss with a shoe

Networks wiretapped betrayals in Al Azhar

hold me back ifهديني اذا فيك you can

null

23098943

7776

حوار أديانالكف تنجس

متسح فيه وجك مع كل شروق عالوضوءتسمع شرارة فتيل مولوتوف ينادي أصوات تتلبى

باإلنفجار

هديني إذا فيك صرت موجود بكل مكانوجي مغبش عامل زي جيش زباتا

منصرخ بوجكم raquoاحلرية ل برغوتيlaquoإعالمكو بيعرفني كلماتكو حملت إسمي

شركاتكو بتهرب مني )كتيبه خمسه هديتي إذا فيك(

بتالقيني بني والد حفظوا غنية املخيماتبنفسية فالح عمال يزو املدينة

افالم تافهةبرنامج تافه

بتدور على مخك بتالقي مش موجوداخلليج يتحكم بإعالم

هادول حبوب التنومي ٦1 سنة بعدن مش شغالني

عالمادامك واخد وجهة نظري

ع محمل اجلدمسموح لك تستعجب وتظهر إنزعاجك بوجودي

ألني صديق لكل املشاهد الغير مرغوبة فيهاش بيختار حياتو بالتحديد بحكيلك هيك منحياها ومحد

ضغط رصاص وابارود بخليكاش حتيدالتجارب بتدلك عطريق

هديتي إذا فيك

k a t i b e h 5

A dialogue of religions

The hand is tainted

And with it you cleanse your face at ablution each sunrise

You hear the sparking of the fuse of a molotov calling voices respond

Explosion

Hold me back if you can I have become present everywhere

My face is concealed like the army of Zapata

We shout in your face ldquoFreedom for Barghoutildquo

Your media knows me your words have glimpsed my name

Your corporations flee from me

(Katibe Khamseh hold me back if you can)

Yoursquoll find me among children that have memorized the song ldquoAl Moukhayamatldquo

In the persona of a peasant that is visiting the city

Shallow films

Shallow programs

You look for your mind but you find it is not there

The Gulf controls media with its boundaries

These sleeping pills 61 years and theyrsquore still not effective

Great

As long as you are taking my point of view seriously

Yoursquore allowed to be taken aback and to show your irritation

Just like you show your irritation at my presence

Because I am a friend to all the images that are not desirable

This is how we live out these images and no one chooses their life specifically Irsquoll tell you

The pressure of bullets and gunpowder does not allow you to move away

Experience will guide you on the road

Hold me back if you can

null

23098943

7978

موقف واحد صريح من صميم روح لشعوب املقاومة ضمير ظهور البشرية

السبيل صعب ورا الغضبدعم لكل أسالوب محارب

د لنحرق نظامك منتدرب منجرب منخرب منستععم نحرق نظامك

هديتي إذا فيك

إطلع منيحمش رح تقدر توخذ كل شي من أول نظرة

نظرة عامة raquoبشرة مش بيضةlaquoجبني عريضة مكتوب مولود عنيد بالفطرة

فوت بالتقاليد عد التجاعيدلك هاي مش أول مرة

لغات ودراسات حط العلم بغالفمش رح تقدر تفهم ليه بعد في بارود ع الكتافلون األرض ولون الليل بيعطيك البني و السواد

بوعدك مش لوحدي رح أضل عد رماد الال اللعبة اجلديدة وال والدنا ع اللعبة جداد

بكفيش إنفلونزا الصقور صار في إنفلونزا اخلنازيرموسم مرض جديد لرئيس مبثل ع نفوس ومريض بهدوء البيض

هديتي إذا فيك

k a t i b e h 5

A single honest stance from the bottom of the soul for the people of the resistance the conscience

that exposes humanity

The path is difficult when following anger

A support for every style of battle

We train we strive we disrupt we prepare to burn your system

We are burning your system

Hold me back if you can

Look closely

You wonrsquot be able to see it all at first sight

An overview ldquocomplexion that is not whiteldquo

A broad forehead written born stubborn by nature

Look at the traditions and count the wrinkles

This is not the first time

Languages and scholarship put education under wraps

You wonrsquot be able to understand why there is still gunpowder on shoulders

The color of earth and the color of night gives you brown and blackness

I promise you that I will not be alone to count the ashes no

This game to us is not new and nor are our children new to the game

As if the influenza of eagles was not enough now therersquos the influenza of pigs

The season of a new disease for a president acting for a public and sick with the

calmness of white people

Hold me back if you can

null

23098943

8180

اإلحتالل نكه البشر بنكهة املجاريبالسالم حوار أديانبإقرار ملكية كذابة

بتشويه تاريخ وسرقة حضاراتولك أه

فلسطني إفريقيا الدجلة والفراتإجتاه البشرية لإلضمحالل سرطان بشري بعضها

الشتا ميسح اخلطايا واآلثاروليش بتتخبى وبتتغطى بنفس كل سفارة سميك الستار

لساتني باكل الضربة ورا الضره ورا الضربةوحتى ما أفعل وأساوي تكمشني الرجفة

بدل ما أضرب فيك بضرب بحاليبوعدكش حضلني كامش حالي حفلتها

حفلتها

هديني إذا فيك هديني إذا فيكهديني إذا فيك

k a t i b e h 5

The occupation has seasoned humanity with the flavor of sewers

With peace with dialogue of religions

With the declaration of false ownership

With the distortion of history and the theft of civilizations

Oh yes

Palestine Africa the Tigris and Euphrates

Humanity is leading to reduction a human cancer bites it

Exile wipes clean the sins and the traces

And why are you hiding and seeking cover when all the embassies are already well concealed

I am still taking one beating after another

And so that I donrsquot take action and do something shudders grip my body

Instead of beating you I beat myself

I canrsquot promise you that I can keep myself restrained

Irsquom gonna let go

Hold me back if you can

Hold me back if you can

Hold me back if you can

T r a n s l a t e d b y R i m a N a j d i a n d F a y s a l B i b i

null

23098943

8382

طول عمر الشعب املصري مع بعض أحلك الظروفبص وفر في التاريخ وانت ياما هاتشوف

الدين ده ليا وليكوفيا وفيك

حاجة روحانية بتخليك حتس اللي بيك

ايد في ايد نبني فيها من جديد

مصر زعلت علي حاصل وسطنا مش مفيد

بعد ثورة وبعد عيد فتنة تقتل حلم واتتحقق لنا

واحد اتننيالذكري بتعيش اكتر من عمر االنسان

بصمتنا تغييرنا جوة وبرة امليدان مش هانضيع نصر ثورتنا بفتنة نشئت بينا

A r a b i a n K n i g h t s + M C G a z a + A m e e r

The Egyptian people have always stuck together

Through the worst times look at history

And see how often wersquove been there for each other

That whole idea of religion

Is for you and for me something spiritual that makes you feel whatrsquos inside you

Hand in hand

We build Egypt up again

Egypt is angry at whatrsquos happening between us

Itrsquos not helpful

After the revolution after the celebration

Sectarian strife is killing the dream we fulfilled

One two

The memory lasts more than a lifetime

Our mark is our change in and outside Tahrir Square

We wonrsquot give up the victory of our revolution in exchange for sectarian strife between

us

hand inايد في ايد hand

Eid Fe Eid

Yasser Ameer Youssef Rush E Money amp MCGaza | by BOGEY

Single Hit track 11

20112011

Hip-Hop

24002867

eng - Hip-Hop 4 Life

eng - iTunNORM 000005E2 0000058E 0000424E 00003537 00026E95 0001C2B3 00008000 00008000 00005045 00005045

8584

بلدنا محتجانا ايدنا واحدة ضد احملنة تفرق ايه معاك ديانتي ملا ربك هو ربي

اصلك هو اصلي ارضك هي ارضي

ملا اتقال لي اكتت فيول فتنة انا قولت غلط علشان الفتنة مفتعلة في بلدنا وكان وراها غرض

فالفرد افترض فبفرض السياسة األمر اختلط

فالزم يبقي املصل سياسي من اصل املرض العسس واحلرس مافرقوش صليب وهالل

وكنا كلنا واحد وراء االقفالدم الشهيد شاهد

ياما بالفتنة انكسرنا وحدتنا بصوت واحد وضد الظلم انتصرنا

وديني هو ديني صلة بيني وبني ربي هارفع علمي وارفع راسي فوق

انا مصري

ايد في ايد نبني فيها من جديد

مصر زعلت علي حاصل وسطنا مش مفيد

بعد ثورة وبعد عيد فتنة تقتل حلم واتتحقق لنا

خلو حمامة السالم من الطيور املنقرضةعلشان تبقي القلوب مبتعدة منقسمه سهل تتسم

فكرين مناعة و قوة أم الدنيا بالطمع مرتبطةنسر املصريني ليس له دين احنا بنحميها بالدم

العنف بذوره بتكتر عاوز يوصل واحلروب حتصل

A r a b i a n K n i g h t s + M C G a z a + A m e e r

Our country needs us all together against the hard times

What difference does my religion make to you when your god is my god

Your origin is mine

Your land is my land

When they told me about sectarian strife I said thatrsquos wrong

Because itrsquos been planted in our country and behind it is some purpose

Makes one think somethingrsquos going on

By playing politics everythingrsquos gotten mixed up

The antidote has to be political just like the poison itself

The military doesnrsquot distinguish between cross and crescent

Wersquore all held together behind bars

The blood of the martyrs bears witness

To how much wersquove been broken by sectarianism

Through our unity we triumphed with one voice over injustice

And my religion is my own a rapport between me and God

Irsquoll raise my flag and my head up

Irsquom Egyptian

Hand in hand

We build Egypt up again

Egypt is angry at whatrsquos happening between us

Itrsquos not helpful

After the revolution after the victory

Sectarian strife is killing the dream we fulfilled

They drove the dove of peace to extinction

To keep hearts apart and divided itrsquos easy to poison them

Do they really think the resilience and strength of Egypt is connected to greed

The Egyptian eagle has no religion we protect it with our blood

The roots of violence are increasing want to gain control to start wars

Eid Fe Eid

Yasser Ameer Youssef Rush E Money amp MCGaza | by BOGEY

Single Hit track 11

20112011

Hip-Hop

24002867

eng - Hip-Hop 4 Life

eng - iTunNORM 000005E2 0000058E 0000424E 00003537 00026E95 0001C2B3 00008000 00008000 00005045 00005045

8786

للعاقيدة يكسر وألعضاء املشاعر تتشال تصتأصلعلى كالم ربهم اتكبرو فعملو قدر واتقدر

وقته مستنينه ليه خططوا مضمون الرسائل اتغير الن الهدف هو تدمير قعدة الوحدهوقتل كل قائد يقود الناس بره احملنه

فيبقي سهل يزيحنا ميحي أوصول عليها كبرناوكل واحد علي حداه يقول أنا محدش يقول احنا

فاببطء بحرص بص بعقل بحذر شوفقبل ما يخلوا خيالك يتخلله اخلوف

واخلوف ده افراز بيطلع من غده ملا الكلب بيشوفهابيعرف انك فاريسه سهل ياكلها ركز

فرق تسد إخلعوفق جتد إرفع

ثورة تقدصمت يفرد- يفرق

ما بيجمع بيننامن حقي النقد من حقك - تسمع

طب إسمع وراجع ما صور التاريخ طب باله بيكفي صور زمانييوم حصار كنيسة املهد مني دافع مني اتقمع مني اتنفا

مسلم مسيحي أل كان فلسطيني اتذكر معي ثورة غضب يناير

اتذكر معي الوحدة اإليد الوحدة اتشرف انتا مصرياتذكر معي األخ بإيد األخ يحمي األخ بدون إلخ

كالمي ماشي ماشي ال-لتفهمني بهويتي مسلم وال نصراني قبطي

ما في حجة لربطي خلبطي حلطي ألوطي ألغير خطيخير أجناد األرض

من أرض بيت املقدس كل السالم بعد ما قلت إلنقسام في وطنيانا ملزم أقول ال لفتنة

تفتت مجد شعب تعب عانى ضحى بالغالي حتى بناه

A r a b i a n K n i g h t s + M C G a z a + A m e e r

The relationship between Egyptians breaks down and the organs that feel are taken out

They got full of themselves in the name of their god and invented a new fate for us

Theyrsquore waiting for a time and theyrsquore plotting The meaning of their messages changes

Because the goal is to destroy the foundation of unity

And kill every leader who takes the people out of hard times

Itrsquos easy to remove us to wipe out the traditions we grew up with

Everyone on his own everyone says ldquoIldquo and no one says ldquoweldquo

Slowly carefully look Wisely with caution see

Before they make your imagination a slave to fear

And that fear releases a secretion from a gland

And when the dog sees it he knows yoursquore easy prey

Divide yoursquoll conquer

Bring harmony and yoursquoll reap Start

A revolution and it will catch on

Silence is solitary It divides

It doesnrsquot bring us together

It is my right to criticize and your right to listen

So listen and look back at history or better look at my life time

The day the Nativity Church was under siege who was persecuted Who was exiled

A Muslim A Christian No he was Palestinian

Letrsquos remember the angry revolution of January

Letrsquos remember the unity the one hand Be proud yoursquore Egyptian

Remember the brother holding hands with a brother protecting a brother

And I can go on

Donrsquot teach me about my identity whether Irsquom a Muslim or a Christian Copt

Therersquos no excuse to tie me down beat me to make me cower and kneel and stray from my courseThe Earthrsquos most virtuous soldiers

Come from the land of Bayt al-Maqdis [Jerusalem] I salute you After I said no to division in my countryIrsquom committed to saying no to seditionThat dissolves the glory of a people who labored suffered sacrificed what was most dear to build it

T r a n s l a t e d b y A l e x O r t i z + A h m e d S h a w k e t + K h a l e d A l H i l l i

Eid Fe Eid

Yasser Ameer Youssef Rush E Money amp MCGaza | by BOGEY

Single Hit track 11

20112011

Hip-Hop

24002867

eng - Hip-Hop 4 Life

eng - iTunNORM 000005E2 0000058E 0000424E 00003537 00026E95 0001C2B3 00008000 00008000 00005045 00005045

8988

الفن واملواهب زي حرب الكواكب الكل عايز يكون جنم صراع في الداخل

بهدي جنون العظمة بفلفل حر توابل تسيل دموع زي القنابل

زي مابتكلم وداني شغالة كون سامع نبض الشارع علشان أ

حالف أقضي على اإلعالم املتآمر مغامر في الكالم بس إنت مش سامع

ملا بأمسك القلم والورقة الهم بينزاح مخي بيرتاح بأقول اللي على البال

ملا بأقعد بحس بتأنيب ضمير كون في ستوديو بسجل على بيت خطير مفروض أ

e l D e e b + S t o r m t r a p

Art and talent are like Star Wars

Secretly everyone wants to be a star of conflict

I make megalomania tranquil with chilli hot spices

Tears flow like bombs

Thatrsquos how I talk and the world keeps moving

So that I can hear the pulse of the streets

Irsquove sworn to obliterate the media conspirators

I am adventurous in my speech but you do not hear

When I hold the pen and the paper my anxiety is lifted

My mind relaxes and I say whatrsquos on it

When I sit down I feel guilty

I should be in the studio recording dangerous beats

addictأدمان الشهرة ion to fame

Edman El Shuhra

Stormtrap amp Mohamed El Deeb

2011

Hip-Hop

15305855

- vocals Mohamed El Deeb Stormtrap13produced by Stormtrap

9190

إحساس غريب إنك تدمن الكالم ارسم يا فنان واخترع زي دافينشي الرسام

ولو مفيش ورقة باستخدم تليفوني خايف إن فكرة متعديش على صوتي

دنيا غريبة يوم مر يوم بونبوني بس أنا عمري ماغيرت لوني

املوسيقى بنادولي وبطابعي فضولي مهما قالوا لي هافهمها مبفهومي فـساعات أالقي نفسي بكلم نفسي واسمع أصوات غريبة في دماغي

وهو ده الصدى الصوت اللي بسمعه اكن مفيش حد فارقة معاه احالمي

شوف شوف مش هدف إنو أنا شخصيا أنا

هدفي انه كلماتي وموسيقتي تنتشرعشان هيك حتشوفني دوما مستمر مستثمر

كل وقتي كل طاقتي على أصواتي خوذ شك خوذ حتويل خوذ كاش

بس ما تنساش أي شي بيتعلق بالواقع بدناش ما تخاف ألنها قضيتنا مش منسية مية باملية هايذي ثورة كمان ثقافية

خليني أوضح هاي املوسيقى مش معمولة للتلفازeهاي املوسيقى مش معمولة لهز الطياز l D e e b + S t o r m t r a p

Strange feeling to be out of words

Paint oh artist and discover like Da Vinci the artist

If I donrsquot have paper I use my cell

I am afraid that the idea does not come through my voice

Strange world one day is bitter another like candy

But Irsquove never changed my color

Music is my Tylenol and my nature curious

So whatever they tell me Irsquoll understand it my way

Sometimes I find myself talking to myself

And I hear weird voices in my head

Which is just the echo of the sound I hear

As if no one cares about my dreams

See see

My goals are not self serving

My goal is that my words and music spread

Thatrsquos why yoursquoll see me always and continuously investing

All my time my energy on my sounds

Take a check take a transfer take cash

But never forget anything related to reality wersquore not interested

Donrsquot be afraid because our cause is not forgotten

One hundred percent this is also a cultural revolution

Let me explain this music is not meant to be televised

This music is not made for booty shaking

Edman El Shuhra

Stormtrap amp Mohamed El Deeb

2011

Hip-Hop

15305855

- vocals Mohamed El Deeb Stormtrap13produced by Stormtrap

9392

مش فاهم ليش الكل قاتل حاله يكون في مسابقةحابني نتصابح حياكم زات املكافحة

واالعالم ميت ع حيالله قصة ما بيدرس هالقصة من نصها

وبعدن بينفخهامش احلق علينا اذا ما بيبحثوا

وملا يبدوا يحكوا عنا أل عنجد بيبعصوابيفكروا انه كل شي هشك بشك

بس حدن الزم يقلهم انه الهب هوب مش هيكبدك تدير بالك عشانها هاي اللحظة احلاسمة

ملا يجوا عليك الديب والعاصفةنكسر حدود وبنبني وحدة عشان نحيي مجتماعاتنا

وننهي معانتناعشان هيك منكتب كلمات صريحة والها معنى

مش للشهرة مش حتى يجي حدن يدفعلنا

e l D e e b + S t o r m t r a p

I donrsquot understand why everyone is killing themselves to be in the contest

Wersquod like to say goodmorning to salute you in this same struggle

The mediarsquos dying for any story

But they donrsquot study the storyrsquos real text

And then they blow it out of proportion

Itrsquos not our fault if they donrsquot search

And when they talk about us then they really screw it up

They think everything is empty pointless

Somebody needs to tell them that hip hop is not like that

You should take care because this is the critical moment

When the wolf and storm come haunting you

We break borders and we create a unity to revitalize our communities

And stop our suffering

That is why we write frank words that have meaning

Itrsquos not for fame or even so that someone pays us

T r a n s l a t e d b y N i z a r G h a n e m

Edman El Shuhra

Stormtrap amp Mohamed El Deeb

2011

Hip-Hop

15305855

- vocals Mohamed El Deeb Stormtrap13produced by Stormtrap

9594

حضل عهل مود يعنيما إنتلك النجوم عم تقرب

بهل ال مود حكون عطول لبهل جنوم إدءر لو مضطر شن هجوم عل النجوم كلها

خللي األرض تدور حول أصبعي تنلك

ما إنتلك متلي متلك مولع طيار ألفكاري من العقدي تنفك فرد قعدي بني 4 حيطان ما بتنهز و منها ما بنهز

يلز املا بينلزالكاس عل الطاولي و منو عم مز مز

لتفتل براصي وحس من حالي عم كز كزعل ورقة كالمي مدروس و ما بزت زت بجرب ما عيد حالي متا يقولو عم نق نق

موزع قافياتي جواز كأن عم فت فت

بهل األطشة خلي الديني اللي تسمعني ترن رنFبسبيلي جاري يوم ع يوم عم برك رك a r e e q e l A t r a s h

Irsquoll stay in this mood

Didnrsquot I tell you The stars are getting closer

Irsquoll stay in this mood until I touch these stars

Even if I have to launch an attack on all the stars

Irsquoll make the Earth rotate around my finger I told you

Didnrsquot I tell you Irsquom just like you I lit up a joint so my ideas would untie their knot

Sitting this way in between four walls I wonrsquot budge

The most delectable

Drink is on the table from which Irsquom taking sips

Till my head starts spinning and Irsquom sick of myself

On the paper my words are calculated I donrsquot just toss them about

I try not to repeat myself so they wonrsquot say Irsquom nagging

I deal my rhymes out like theyrsquore cards

In this verse Irsquoll make those ears ring

My fountain is running and every day I excel

tالنجوم عم تقرب he stars are gett ing closer

null

29781717

9796

لضل ماشي جالس بينما غيري عم بلك لك شريط معلق ريحة العة عم بتفح فحكل ما فتح متو بتالقي عم بكب كب

عايشها إرهاب و مفي إال بسب سببزبالتي ما بكبو تيكون بعلمك

األالف مسم و بحياتو ما بينسم بزقة من هل التم تخلي سقفك ينش نش

تلمو ردم و ما تفكر إنو ترد رد و عم بحكي عالواطي متا الصالي فيك ترج رج

بطبعي عاقل بس بالراب بزل زل عل الرايق بال ما نط وال فز فز

type of shitعال بارد أبرد من شباط بس يقز قزتخلي عضامك ع بعض تسك سك

ما إنتلك النجوم عم تقرب بهل ال مود حكون عطول لبهل جنوم إدءر

لو مضطر شن هجوم عل النجوم كلهاخللي األرض تدور حول أصبعي تنلك

أنا متنبئ بنبه و بحقق ما قلتلك بعد وقتها ما عم نكت

عاملكرفون إبرة هرون عم بشكشك في شكcheck one two

هيك بدسدس عالنبض

F a r e e q e l A t r a s h

So I can walk straight when others are still playing

A broken record that reeks of a musty smell

Every time he opens his mouth he spews them out

He lives in terror and all he does is curse

I wouldnrsquot throw him in my garbage just so you know

Irsquove irritated thousands and never been irritated in my life

One spit out of this mouth will make your roof leak

And yoursquoll pick up the rubble and donrsquot even think about answering back

Irsquom talking in a low voice so the hall wonrsquot shake with you in it

Irsquom reasonable by nature but when it comes to rap I humiliate cold-heartedly

Without jumping or leaping around

I do it coldly colder than icy February-type of shit

Irsquoll make your bones rattle against each other

Didnrsquot I tell you The stars are getting closer

Irsquoll stay in this mood until I touch these stars

Even if I have to launch an attack on all the stars

Irsquoll make the Earth rotate around my finger I told you

Irsquom a psychic I predict and deliver

Didnrsquot I tell you to stand back when Irsquom not joking

Irsquom pricking the microphone with a heroin needle Is there any doubt

Check one two

Thatrsquos how I feel the pulse

null

29781717

9998

بدقق و زتزت حكي بتزجزج كأنها مزهزها عم بتشمشم عم خطط عم تكتيك و مني ملحلح من هون للساعة توقف تك تيك تك تيك

لك ليك منفخ حاله عامبيكازيب عا غيري بس بوجهي بتاءتإوجهه بيباءبإ من أد ما بعصب بسبسب

زر إنذار إذني بتطنطن و بشوف من عالباب عم بدقدق

عكروت بدو يفوت ليشوف الفن فني بس الفن هون بجسمي معبأ

من حلقي طايف و من متي عم بت شرشر و بيس البيس زلزال برجرج خليك تضبضب تنضب بالبيت لتكنكن

و أنا متأسف ألني بدي استأذن بس بعد شفت كابتشينو بتصحصح

ما إنتلك النجوم عم تقرببهل ال مود حكون عطول لبهل جنوم إدءر

لو مضطر شن هجوم عل النجوم كلهاخللي األرض تدور حول أصبعي تنلك

هيدا هب هوبمش هبل و ال بهل

هيدا زجل تتغزل في

ورايي إيقاع عليي إتبع و ما إطلع عنو يا بصير متل غير مسيس

زقفوا مع االيقاعزقفوا مع االيقاع

F a r e e q e l A t r a s h

Checking and hurling words that tickle as if I was high and sniffing

I am planning and scheming and Irsquom not going anywhere till the clock stops ticking

Look hersquos so full of it lying to others but in my face he stutters

And his face turns red from all the anger and he curses

My earsrsquo alarm bells start ringing

And I go to see whorsquos knocking at the door

Some bastard who wants to see where ldquothe artldquo is

But the art is right here packed in my body

Flowing from my throat running out of my mouth

And the bass is an earthquake that shakes and forces you to pack up and go home

And Irsquom sorry because I need to take leave

But after a sip of cappuccino yoursquoll come around

Didnrsquot I tell you The stars are getting closer

Irsquoll stay in this mood

Until I touch these stars even if I have to launch an attack on all the stars

Irsquoll make the Earth rotate around my finger I told you

This is hip hop

Itrsquos not stupid nor dumb

Itrsquos zajal [a form of Arabic poetry in the Levant]

That you flirt with

There is a beat that I have to follow canrsquot lose it or Irsquoll be like other MCs

Clap with the beat

Clap with the beat

T r a n s l a t e d b y K h a l e d A l H i l l i

null

29781717

101100

انا ببلعهم بتفهم وال مره بسبهمبخليهم داميا يضاربو بتفكيرهم

أنا وراهم قدامهم جنابهم محتلهممش طايقهم مرات وزنهم بكون منزلهم

مرتبهم صاففهم وبقلم أنا حاكمهم زاتتهم مش عاجبيني أنا ماحيهم قائدهم وبنفس الوقت أنا عبيدهم

وبفك وربط أنا بلعب مبعانيهمانا حاميهم بأسطر اللي تقويهم

انا واعدهم اني أستر على فاضحهم ومطلعهم بصوره اللي تبشعهم

بس أنا محترمهم وبسطور ساجنهم مكتفهم كأسير بجنازير القهر

ومهديهم بحبل اللي يبشر بالصبر وانا لي الفخر أكون الشوك اللي فيهم

Dوأكون القهر اللي داميا يسقيهم A M

Yo this is dedicated to the lyrics

Irsquom swallowing them spitting them never dissing them

Giving them freedom of speech

Irsquom behind them in front of them because of them always standing with them

Sometimes get sick of them sick of how you abuse them

Gather them in line with my pen I order them

Didnrsquot like it Throwing them out and replacing them

Irsquom their leader and also their slave

Small changes make huge differences

I train them in pages to make them strong

Promising to use them not abuse them

Or allow the wrong mouths to utter them

Approach them with a military mind and find peace in them

Irsquom lucky to be full of thorns and even luckier that I found the lyrics

So theyrsquoll help me find the roses in me

wordsكلمات

null

26837427

103102

raquoالكل سمعك بس السؤال اذا اللي سمعك فهمكlaquoكلمات ليست كالكلمات بل raquoعالماتlaquo

اللي توجهنا وين مابدنا عحبال السيرك هي تثبتنا ريح العالم من كل جهه اذا احنا ضعاف بتوقعنا بس

raquoأل بلمره ألlaquo raquoكلمات عندي طنlaquoكل واحده الها هدف اخدت حرف عحرف

نسجت جمل اللي البسهم وقت البرد raquoراح اضلني اناديlaquo raquoبنحكي كلماتlaquo

انت بتعرف انهم مبنصب شهاد بحكو املاضي وتنبوا حاضر أي بالد

قد ماحكيت قد ما أحكي فش كالم يغطي بسفي كالم يربي وينمي انت بس أروي

في شوف انه قوه والقوه بتقويفيك و أن رويته مصيره يسقيك )مثل للقوه( العدو من أمامكم

والبحر من ورائكم فال تخيبوا أسيادكمفأين أشعاركم وأين مجادلتكم

فأنتم تسكتون وتخمدون أحالمكم)انهي( نهيت ورجعت للعامية بكلمات

مرمية طالعه من عقليه شعبيهمتل جنيب اللي بذاكرة كل واحد محفوظ مدروس واذا أل معناته في خلل معكوس

عاملجتمع اللي قمع كتاباته Dاللي سمح لنسيانه يشيل خطواته A M

ldquoThey all hear you but few listen to youldquo

Lyrics ainrsquot just a bunch of words they are ldquosignsldquo

Leading us stabilizing us on tight ropes

Winds every way if we are thin we will fall

ldquoBut hell noldquo ldquoyou can measure my words in tonsldquo

Every word has a meaning I knitted a letter with another letter

Made warm sentences to wear in cold days

ldquoSo Irsquoll still shoutldquo ldquowe control lyricsldquo

You know lyrics are like a witness

They witnessed the past and forecast the future

As much as I said or say I canrsquot describe them

But there is a way to find the description and thatrsquos through them

Quench the thirst of the pages with them

So in the future itrsquoll quench your thirst

Keep feeding them as soon as they grow up

Theyrsquoll give you strength

ldquoExample for the strengthldquo

ldquoThe enemy is before you the sea is behind you

So donrsquot you dare disappoint our ancestors

Where are our deep poems Where are our strong statements

From generation to generation we kill our dreamsldquo

ldquoEnough philosophizingldquo ok lets get back to street talk

Words coming outta simple minds

Like Najeeb Mahfuz [literally lsquowell-rememberedrsquo also a famous author]

They keep living in our minds

And if you donrsquot know who he is - then I rest my case

null

26837427

105104

raquoالكل سمعك بس السؤال اذا اللي سمعك فهمكlaquoكلمات ليست كالكلمات بل raquoعالماتlaquo

اللي توجهنا وين مابدنا عحبال السيرك هي تثبتنا ريح العالم من كل جهه اذا احنا ضعاف بتوقعنا بس

raquoأل بلمره ألlaquo raquoكلمات عندي طنlaquoكل واحده الها هدف اخدت حرف عحرف

نسجت جمل اللي البسهم وقت البرد raquoراح اضلني اناديlaquo raquoبنحكي كلماتlaquo

ألف با كبايه أوعك تكسرهاامسكها للنهاية وكل ما تفضى مليها

كلمه أو رواية ومع املراحل زيدها شيحكاية وهيك ضلك زود فيها

وجيبها لتجمعاتك وساعتها استعملها لنقاشاتك وملواقفك استخدمها

هادي مدافعك اللي مداها بسيطرتك وما دافعك انه ما تخليها رايتك

ما هي تكتب ما هي توصف ما هي تكذب ما هي تنصف

ما هي هي الهروب هياللجوء هي الدروب هي

العبور باحلدود واللي مبرؤهم مبدع وبفوز باخللود واللي بسرقهم مش مقنع

واذا بتديهم احلرية بنادوك ممنوعDواذا بتوخد احلريه بنادوك مسموح A M

ldquoThey all hear you but few listen to youldquo

Lyrics ainrsquot just a bunch of words they are ldquosignsldquo

Leading us stabilizing us on tight ropes

Winds every way if we are thin we will fall

ldquoBut hell noldquo ldquoyou can measure my words in tonsldquo

Every word has a meaning I knitted a letter with another letter

Made warm sentences to wear in cold days

ldquoSo Irsquoll still shoutldquo ldquowe control lyricsldquo

The Arabic alphabet is like a glass donrsquot break it

Hold it tight and keep filling it

And then bring it to our arguments

Scream till your throat gets dry and then wet it

It holds our body itrsquos like our legs

If you stand for nothing yoursquoll fall for anything

The words write create

They kill lead and sometimes even lie

You can use them to build borders

And those who are gifted

Can use them to walk through borders

And in some governments

Itrsquos forbidden to give words freedom

But if you choke them and kill them

Thatrsquos allowed

F i g u r a t i v e t r a n s l a t i o n o f f e r e d b y t h e a r t i s t s

null

26837427

107106

further reading

The tracks presented in this document are not a comprehensive sampling of the genre of the market of hip hop in Arabic or of hip hop and rap in the wider Middle East

Artists featured here hail from Egypt Lebanon Palestine and the anglophone Arab diaspora The thriving North African hip hop scene is not represented nor is the work of the established francophone Arab diaspora nor the expanding hip hop scenes of especially Iran or Turkey

This collection does not attempt a comprehensive chronology Tracks featured here are not primarily new releases (though some are) neither are they all ldquoclassicsrdquo These limitations of scope are important to note

Many tracks of the popular Libyan group Ibn Thabitt and other groups from across the region have been translated and are hosted with commentary on the notable blog

revolutionaryarabrapblogspotcom

Another valuable resource is the Beirut-based blog by Jackson Allers ldquoBeats and Breathrdquo which features articulate critiques and reviews of events and releases from the region

jacksonallerswordpresscom

Hass Dennaoui (alias Big Hass) who recently launched started the first all hip-hop FM radio show in Saudi Arabia Laish Hip Hop (Why Hip Hop) manages a lively blog which

hosts an internet feed of his radio show and interviews with MCs and influential hip hop figures from around the world

revoltradioblogspotcom

Lebaneseundergroundcom hosts coverage of underground music in Lebanon including hip hop

And finally an excellent article by Hishaam Aidi on implications of the use of hip hop as foreign policy ldquoThe Grand (Hip-Hop) Chessboard Race Rap and Raison DrsquoEtatrdquo was published in The Middle East Report Fall 2011 Excerpts of the piece were published by Al Jazeera English in the article ldquoLeveraging Hip Hop in US Foreign Policyrdquo

All the artists and many of the translators whose work is showcased here host a significant online presence Their sites are listed with more about each of them on the following pages

109108

artist bios

ARABIAN KNIGHTZ the premier hip hop group from the land of the Nile River have not only established themselves as the lyricists with the sharpest swords in their land but they have also created the most consistent voice for rebellion strength and hope for the youth of the Middle East During the 2011 Revolution Arabian Knightz released two singles ldquoRebelrdquo and ldquoNot Your Prisonerrdquo anthems of resistance which gained worldwide attention and major media coverage for their powerful lyrics against a wicked system The group formed in 2006 through the cipher hip hoprsquos natural way of choosing like mindsets on the mic Rush Sphinx and E-Money were ahead of their peers adapting an authentic Arab perspective to the art dominated by Western voices mixing English and Arabic raps After hitting the studio for successful underground tracks AK enlisted super-producer Fredwreck (Snoop Dogg Xzibit Tha Dogg Pound) ldquoFokkakrdquo the single from this studio session was an instant hit and (surprisingly for Arabic Hip Hop) projected them to the top ten of the singles charts Arab League Records was formed amidst a growing fanbase and numerous collaborations with other Arab hip hop artists the first international Arab hip hop record label Desert Saga Volume 1 mixtape was the debut release led by ldquoThe Onerdquo featuring Egyptrsquos MC Amin Arabian Knightz have recorded their debut album Uknighted State of Arabia a masterpiece for Arab hip hop years in the making featuring instrumentals dominated by traditional percussions and players are scheduled for a Winter 2012 Release They are on Facebook

BOIKUTT is a musician and MC based in Ramallah Palestine Creating sounds using sampled material field recordings and electronic devices the results range between hip-hop downtempo ambient glitch and experimental He has composed and produced music for artists such as Kronos Quartet Bukue One Spiritchild Tamer Abu-Ghazaleh Bleubird and others and has appeared as an MC on albums for artists such as Slovo Heliodrome Bonnot and Lethal Skillz A co-founder of the Ramallah Underground Collective which has toured across the Arab World Europe and Australia Boikutt is also co-founder and member of audio-visual group Tashweesh with whom he is currently touring Also as a solo performer he has been in Beirut Cairo Manila Copenhagen London Hamburg Dubai Bethlehem and other cities He has produced and exhibited a few sound-art pieces composed several film scores has most recently composed the music for a dance theater performance entitled Bound by

New York-based company Yaa Samar Dance Theatre and is now working on different collaborative and solo projects His work may be heard at soundcloudcomboikutt and on Facebook

DAM Da Arabian MCrsquos are Suhell Nafar Tamer Nafar and Mahmoud Jreri The first Palestinian hip hop crew and among the first to rap in Arabic the group began working together in the late 1990s Struck by the uncanny resemblance of the reality of the streets in a Tupac video to the streets in their own neighborhood of Lyd they were inspired to tell their stories through hip hop Their timely song ldquoMin Irhabirdquo (ldquoWhorsquos the Terroristrdquo) was downloaded a million times shortly after its internet realese in 2001 and DAM became a household name among youth throughout the Middle East Ten years of performing all over the world has strengthened the grouprsquos commitment to continue living and working in their hometown of Lyd 15 minutes from Tel Aviv and working to provide the youth of the city and neighboring communities with programs and opportunities that have been denied to Palestinian citizens of Israel Their music is a unique fusion of East and West and encompasses influences as varied as Ghassan Kanafani Ahlam Mosteghanemi Mahmoud Darwish Naji al Ali Tupac Biggie Public Enemy MBS Krsquonaan and Pharoahe Monch IHDA (Dedication) DAMrsquos long-awaited first international album was released in 2007 and DAM has seen its songs and members featured in films such as Ford Transit (Dir Hany Abu Assad) Where in the World is Osama Bin Laden (Dir Morgan Spurlock) Salt of this Sea (Dir Annemarie Jacir) Local Angel and Forgiveness (Dir Udi Aloni) DAMrsquos history and influence on the Arab hip hop scene is detailed in the feature-length documentary Slingshot Hip Hop (Dir Jackie Reem Salloum) The group has also been featured in Vibe National Geographic Rolling Stone Q Basement Reuters and The New York Times and has appeared on MTV CNN BBC and Al Jazeera Their work can be heard and explored at damrapcom

EL DEEB first ventured into Egyptian Hip Hop when he joined Asfalt in 2005 He left in 2007 to create Wighit Nazara duo represented by Mohamed Yasser and himself It was a successful musical project that lasted until mid 2010 Currently he is working on his solo career with plans to release an EP every couple of months or so Cairofornia is his first solo EP His work may be heard at deebbandcampcom and on Facebook

EL RASS was born in Tripoli Lebanon He started writing poetry in literary Arabic at age 11 and started rhyming in spoken Lebanese dialect in 1999 at age 15 At that time he formed one third of a group of 3 MCrsquos going under the name of ldquoMlouk el Micrdquo (ldquoKings of the Micrdquo) They recorded one album and performed locally At 17 he left for France to study Finance and Economics Studies were hard money was scarce and exile was tough but music and poetry never left him as he continued rhyming with some underground French MCrsquos like Medline and Moebius and developed new musical skills on percussion in classical Arabic singing and baglama (turkish buzuk) After graduating and working for almost two years in the hell of banking and market finance El Rass decided to return to Lebanon He spent a year just re-discovering Beirut and making and learning music He now works as a journalist at the newspaper Assafir while concurrently pursuing joint projects with other producers and musicians He calls his work Taalik in reference to the same word in Arabic for ldquocommentrdquo and another word that comes from the same semantic root moaallakat which is a corpus of selected pre-Islamic poetry that was written with gold ink on the walls of the Karsquoaba in Mecca His work may be heard at soundcloudcomElRass

FAREEQ EL ATRASH is a hip hop band based out of Hamra St Beirut with a sound that is distinguished by laid back topical flows over live instrumentation It consists of Edd (raps) Nasser (raps) FZ (vocal production and FX) Fouad Afra (drums) Goo (plays guitar keys heart strings) and Abed Kobeissy (plays bass and buzuk) Their 2010 album and 2009 prealbum are available online More of their work may be found on Facebook Eddrsquos solo work can also be heard at soundcloudcomEdd

H2Z was born in Kuwait in 1986 where he lived for four years Due to the gulf war his family moved to Lebanon where he lived for the most part of his life Inspired by the tragic events in the Middle East and elsewhere in the world H2Z adopted rap music as a way to raise awareness about the injustices suffered by his people and to deliver a message through his music to anyone who supports the Palestinian cause His career began in 2004 when he was introduced to the production business by fellow rappers and soon he started producing his own tracks and established a local band producing many tracks for himself and other musicians in Lebanon In 2008 he released his first solo album titled 3aed which contained

17 tracks The political influence was noticed throughout the album and was generally well-received He is now studying for a degree in business administration at Wayne State University in Michigan His work may be heard at reverbnationcomh2z

KATIBEH 5 are based in Borj el Barajneh Lebanon Their work can be found at reverbnationcomkatibeh5 and myspacecomkatibe5palestine and on Facebook

M1 is Mutulu Olugbala of the New York based collective Dead Prez whose work is online at deadprezcom M1 is also on Facebook

MC GAZA is Adnan Mahmoud Ghonim an Algerian born artist and university student based in Gaza It was the beginning of 2005 when he attended one of the hip hop concerts in Gaza City ndash Gaza City that never appreciated the art he loved and attached himself to ndash and it was love at first sight between them Through some of the concerts he participated in a number of songs he collaborated on with Arabs from Egypt Algeria and Palestine and some active participation to represent the Palestinian people and interviews for both Arab and foreign press he was able to make a name for himself in the Gazan hip hop community His work may be found at youtubecomMCGaza and on Facebook

THE NARCICYST Having pioneered the Arab Hip-Hop movement with seminal Iraqi-Canadian crew Euphrates The Narcicyst recently broke through borders and shattered traveling etiquette touring solo around the world sharing stages with the likes of Brother Ali Mos Def and Kanye West to name a few On top of music The Narcicyst is a celebrated theorist whose academic work Fear of an Arab Planet has him from the stage to the classrooms of internationally renowned universities He is now also a professor at Concordia University teaching a Fine Arts course ldquoHip-Hop Past Present and Futurerdquo His writings have been published by multiple university presses and magazines internationally he is also a self-published author having recently released the biographical and social-study on the Arab world The Diatribes of a Dying Tribe As a true artist interested in really pushing his own artistic boundaries The Narcicyst has stepped into acting currently starring in the short music film PHATWA and in the first internationally-released film from the United Arab Emirates called City of Life A true multi-media

111110

KHALED AL HILLI is a PhD candidate in Comparative Literature at the Graduate Center City University of New York He has a BA in English Literature and a Masterrsquos degree in Teaching Second Languages Born in Iraq Khaled has taught in Lebanon and Saudi Arabia at both college and high school levels He has also worked with various Iraqi news outlets and has subtitledtranslated documentary films dealing with current social and political issues His research interests include Arabic political literature prison literature and literature in the diaspora He may be reached at hillykhalidgmailcom

+AZIZ is a NYC-based marketing consultant and a musician He is working through The World Music Parade to develop an animation project based on his music More about that project can be found at themusicparadetumblrcom He tweets from plusaziz

FAYSAL BIBI is a paleontologist and electronic musician currently based in Berlin

LOUBNA BILALI is originally from Morocco She did her undergrad and first MA in English Linguistics at Chouaib Doukkali University El Jadida She came to the US in 2008 to pursue a Masterrsquos degree in French to English translation and is currently working on a PhD in translation studies at Kent State University in Ohio She is very interested in learning and teaching languages as well as translating and localizing computer applications and websites She may be reached at loubnabilaligmailcom

FARAH ELREWAISSATI is a freelance translator pro-Palestine activist and BDS advocate who blogs at youthanormalizationblogspotcom She tweets from 3beee

NIZAR GHANEM was born in Lebanon He has been active in intercultural education interactive learning and conflict resolution across the Arab world His work on conflict resolution involved using theater comics and music as tools for emotional expression and social mobilization

RIMA NAJDI is a Performing Artist She studied dramatic arts at the Lebanese University in Beirut and obtained a Masterrsquos degree in Performance Studies at NYU New York She has written and performed in various plays and performances Najdi is particularly interested in multi-media performing arts and the position of the spectators

BARRAK ALZAID (copy editor) is the Artistic Director of ArteEast He is the editor of the ArteEast Quarterly a dynamic online portal featuring four publications that highlight contemporary art and culture from the Middle East and diaspora ndash ArtersquoZine Shahadat (contemporary short-form literature) Gallery and Cinematek (an online film center) He is also the curator for ArteEastrsquos Across Histories Art Talk Series featuring a series of panels on residencies in Fall 2011 He tweets from barrakster

RAYYA EL ZEIN (editor) is working towards a PhD in Theatre at the Graduate Center City University of New York Her research is increasingly focusing on theories of reception historical studies of audience behavior and popular culture in the Arab world She holds an MA in Performance Studies from NYU and is currently a teaching fellow at City College in Harlem She tweets from rayelz

translator biosdreamer Yassin recently established an arts label in the UAE called The Medium focusing on delivering art from Arabs in the diaspora and at lsquohomersquo to the rest of the world iraqisthebombcom He tweets from TheNarcicyst

OMAR OFFENDUM is a Syrian-American hip hop artist born in Saudi Arabia raised in Washington DC and living in Los Angeles Known for taking audiences on a lyrical journey from the jasmine-tree-lined courtyards of Nizar Qabbanirsquos Damascene homes to the flooded riverbanks of Langston Hughesrsquo Harlem Renaissance poems - Offendum has been featured on several major news outlets (BBC Yahoo ABC News Aljazeera PBS) toured the world to promote his ground-breaking music helped raise thousands of dollars for various humanitarian relief organizations (PCRF KinderUSA ANERA Islamic Relief) lectured at a number of prestigious academic institutions (Harvard MIT Stanford Columbia American University of Beirut NYU-AbuDhabi Qatar Education City) and most recently been involved in creating several critically-acclaimed songs about the popular democratic uprisings throughout the Middle East amp North Africa He is currently hard at work promoting his solo release - affectionately dubbed SyrianamericanA His work may be heard (and read) at offendumbandcampcom He is on Facebook and he tweets from Offendum

RAMALLAH UNDERGROUND based in Ramallah Palestine was born from the immediacy of musical experimentation and out of the need to give voice to a generation of Palestinians and Arabs facing a turbulent and uncertain political landscape The collective was founded by artists Boikutt Stormtrap and Aswatt and has always held a commitment to both the honesty of their work and the need to creatively rejuvenate Arabic culture To this end they combine music ranging from Arabic electronic music hip-hop and trip hop to downtempo with a deep sense of their local culture and the imposing presence of Palestine in their lives The outcome is a new specific and distinct sound RU (as producers and as MCrsquos ) has collaborated with numerous artists across the globe including countries like Lebanon UK Switzerland Italy USA France and many more including a collaboration with Slovo (a band headed by the guitarist from faithless) in their track ldquoNakbardquo which appears on their album Todo Cambia and with Kronos Quartet in the track ldquoTashweeshrdquo which appears on Floodplain RU has also performed live shows in Ramallah Bethlehem Vienna London Cairo Lausanne Amsterdam and Washington DC Their shows are mainly a performance of their hip-hop tracks as well as a few of their own electronic productions as a warm up More recently RU has incorporated a visual set in their live

performances brought to you by Palestinian visual artist Ruanne RU hopes to give a voice to Palestinians and Arabs bringing an alternative voice from the Arab world Their lyrics and music are an expression of anguish and defiance ultimately remaining a defiant voice of the colonized against the colonizer They continue to play a big role in the Arab underground cultural scene while slowly gaining wide global and local popularity

SHADIA MANSOURrsquos work can be found at myspacecomshadiamusic and on Facebook

STORMTRAP is a music producercomposerMC from Palestine Experimenting with old samples instruments and field recordings his sound is the result of a fusion of ambient atmospheres combined with various noises and hip hop beats His lyrics deal with different themes inspired mainly by his personal experiences in Palestine and life in the diaspora Stormtrap played a fundamental role in forming the band Ramallah Underground with which he has performed worldwide the past few years Currently he is working in Vienna with Aras Seyhan and Eren Ileri on a new album which combines live instruments synthesizers turntables beats and Arabic lyrics- which will be released early 2012 His work may be heard at soundcloudcomstormtrap He tweets from asifeh

AMEER YOSSEF 25 has sung and writen music with the band Klaket for the past four years His work may be heard at youtubecomAmeer and on Facebook

towards the work Her work for now concentrates on the process of making interactive and participatory performances that question borders stereotypes and languages

MOE ALI NAYEL is a fixer and a journalist based in Beirut Lebanon He uses social media blogging non-mainstream music journalism and writing as a word spreading eye opening socializing arena He uses social media as a bridge that cuts distance between people on this planet making it a tiny village This bridge starts in his office and takes him to every corner in the world enabling him to connect and network with people and cultures sharing and exchanging stories of the unheard and the neglected He blogs at Words of Action and he tweets from MoeAliNay

ALEX ORTIZ is a video and radio journalist and translator based in Cairo Egypt He graduated from Brown University in 2009 with a double major in Comparative Literature and Middle East Studies He was a CASA I fellow from 2009-2010 and a CASA II fellow from 2010-2011 He currently works for CBS News as a field producer He tweets from cairowitness

AHMED SHAWKET is an independent translator living in Cairo Egypt He is a graduate of the Helwan University Faculty of Arts where he majored in philosophy Ahmed works on literary media and commercial translation

113112

ABOUT SHAHADATShahadat is a quarterly online series designed to provide a platform for short-form writing and experimentation in writing by young and underexposed writers from the MENA region (Middle East and North Africa) The series features stories vignettes reflections and chronicles in translation and the original language of Arabic Farsi Turkish or Kurdish It makes up one quarter of ArteEastrsquos online programming the AE Quarterly For past issues of Shahadat click here

ABOUT THIS SERIES Shahadat is proud to run two alternating series and releases two issues a year of each The issue yoursquove just perused is part of the ldquoExploring Popular Literaturerdquo series This series challenges traditional understandings of ldquoliteraturerdquo emerging from the Middle East and North Africa by presenting genres of creative production that rely on words and language but which have not typically been studied as literature Works are presented in their original language and in translation

In each issue we gather texts from a spectrum of writers to challenge the singular status of the artistauthor and to encourage a more complex presentation of the Middle Eastern and North African ldquostreetrdquo for English-speaking audiences Shahadatrsquos other series ldquoContemporary Literature in Translationrdquo features the work of a single young author in the original language and in English translation

BEHIND THE DOCUMENTShahadat is co-edited by Rayya El Zein Alex Ortiz and ArteEastrsquos Artistic Director Barrak Alzaid All three are young professionals and scholars with artistic inclinations (literature poetry translation and performance) All three have strong connections to New York City and various metropole of the MENA region Shahadat is for us an experiment and a labor of love An editorial board of established scholars and authors is currently being conceived

SPECIAL THANKS TOAnmar El ZeinKinda AkashAndrew JohnstonLivia Alexander

Shahadat logo design by Rima Farouki

114

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Page 21: Shahadat Winter 2012

4140

صباح اخلير با والد عمومناتفضلوا شرفونا

شو بتحبوا نضيفكم دم عربي وال دموع من عيوننابعتقد هيك تأملوا نستقبلن

هيك تعقدوا ملا تدركوا على غلطتهنمن هيك لبسنا الكوفية

البيضة والسودةصاروا كالب الزمان يلبسوها كموضة

مهما تفننوا فيامهما غيروا بلونا

كوفية عربية بتضال عربية

حطتنا بدن ياهاثقافتنا بدن ياها

S h a d i a M a n s o u r w i t h M 1 o f D e a d P r e z

Good morning cousins

Come in and honor us with your presence

What would you like us to serve you Arab blood or tears from our eyes

I think thatrsquos how they hoped we would recieve them

Thatrsquos why they got tangled up when they tripped up on their own mistake

Thatrsquos why we wore the kufeyyeh

The black and white one

Dogs of the past started to wear it as a fashion statement

However they change it

Whatever colour they make it

The Kufeyyeh is Arab and will always be Arab

Our scarf they want it

Our intellect they want it

kufeyyeh arabeyyeh الكوفية عربية

Kufeyyeh Arabeyyeh

Shadia Mansour and M1

Shahadat Winter 2012 track 616

Hip Hop

26239166

4342

كرامتنا بدن ياهاكل شي إلنا بدن ياه

ما رح نسكتلن نسمحلن الالبقلن يسرقوا شغلة مش إلهن ما خصن فيا

بيقلدونا باللبسكل هاألرض بيكفيهنش

طمعانني عالقدسإعرفوا كيف تكونوا بشر

قبل ما تلبسوا الكوفيةجينا نذكرن مني إحنا

وغصبا من عن أبوهم هاي حطتنا

من هيك لبسنا الكوفيةألنها وطنية

الكوفية الكوفية عربيةمن هيك لبسنا الكوفية

هويتنا األساسيةالكوفية الكوفية عربية

يال علي الكوفيةعلولي هالكوفية

الكوفية الكوفية عربيةعلوها لبالد الشام

كوفية عربية بتضال عربية

ما في بعد متل الشعب العربيفرجوني أية أمة بالدنيا أكثر مأثرة

الصورة واضحة نحنا مهد احلضارة

S h a d i a M a n s o u r w i t h M 1 o f D e a d P r e z

Our dignity they want it

Everything thatrsquos ours they want it

We will not be silent will not allow it

It suits them to steal something that ainrsquot theirs

They imitate our style

As if all this land werenrsquot not enough

Thirsting after Jerusalem

Know how to be human

Before you wear our scarf

We came to remind them who we are

And like it or not itrsquos our right

Thatrsquos why we wore the kufeyyeh

Because it is nationalistic

The kufeyyeh is Arab

Thatrsquos why we wore the kufeyyeh

Because it is our original identity

The kufeyyeh is Arab

Come on raise your kufeyyehs

Raise that kufeyyeh

The kufeyyeh is Arab

Raise it up for bilad ersquosham [Greater Syria the wider Arab world]

The kufeyyeh is Arab and will always be Arab

There are no others like the Arab people

Show me one region in the world that is more influencial

The picture is clear we are the origins of civilization

Kufeyyeh Arabeyyeh

Shadia Mansour and M1

Shahadat Winter 2012 track 616

Hip Hop

26239166

4544

تاريخنا وتراثنا الشاهد على وجودنامن هيك لبست التوب الفلسطيني

من حيفا جنني جبل النار إلى رام اللهخليني شوف الكوفية

البيضة واحلمراخلينا نعليها لفوق بالسما

أنا شادية العربلساني بغز غزبلساني بهز هز

كلمات احلربسجل أنا شادية منصور

واحلطة هويتيمن يوم ما خلقت

سيدي والشعب مسؤوليتيلكن تربيت بني الشرق وبني الغرب

بني لغتنيبني بخيل بني فقير

شفت احلياة من اجلهتنيبس علمتني الكوفية

كيف ما لبستونيوين ما شلحتوني

بضلني عأصولي فلسطينية

S h a d i a M a n s o u r w i t h M 1 o f D e a d P r e z

Our history traditions and customs bear witness to our existence

Thatrsquos why I wear the Palestinian dress

From Haifa Jenin Jabal El Naar to Ramallah

Let me see the kufeyyeh

The red and white one

Letrsquos raise it up to the sky

I am the singer of the Arabs

Like an earthquake I shake the ground

My words are war

Record this

I am Shadia Mansour

And this scarf is my ID

From the day I was born the people have been my responsibility

Look I was raised between the East and the West

Between two languages

Between the rich and the poor

Irsquove seen life from both sides

However the kufeyyeh has taught me

However you wear me

Wherever you leave me

I stay true to my origin Palestinian

T r a n s l a t e d b y t h e a r t i s t w i t h F a r a h E l R e w a i s s a t i

Kufeyyeh Arabeyyeh

Shadia Mansour and M1

Shahadat Winter 2012 track 616

Hip Hop

26239166

4746

حمامة سالم افتحي أجنحتكي و طيري

وين الوعي - وين امشوا معي هني وادي بني اجلبلني عني حب للطرفني

أمهاتنا حبت ذاتنا بس مو عاجبهن مسباتنا هذا احلكي بني اخواتنا

Oزين العرب واألمريكان m a r O f f e n d u m

This track contains verses that were originally written in English

You are my

(Destiny)

Itrsquos hard livinrsquo in the West - when I know the East got the best of me

(Destiny)

Could be lookinrsquo in my eyes - but yoursquoll never really see the rest of me

(Destiny)

Can you hear me maseeri [my destiny] Bi-lingualrsquos what Irsquom blessed to be

(Destiny)

Dove of Peace

Spread your wings amp fly

Consciousness What consciousness - where is it

Take a walk with me

Here in this valley between two ldquomountainsldquo

Where the source of love for both ldquosidesldquo can be found

Our mothers like us

But donrsquot like our foul language

So letrsquos keep this between the siblings

The best of Arabs amp Americans

destمصيري iny

7 Destiny

Omar Offendum

The Peace Revolution 20

21332892

eng - iTunNORM 000006D3 000006F2 000038BA 0000322F 0000E4FA 0000E4FA 00008716 0000864B 0002AB5E 000083D6

eng - iTunSMPB 00000000 00000210 0000094B 00000000008F7FA5 00000000 004108FB 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000

4948

وألله يرحم كل أمواتنا أغاني

مثل املهامتة إذا قلنا العني بالعني

ما صفى عندنا عيون بالشام بالد الشام

من فلسطني إلى جبال لبنان قبل ما اخترعوا احلدود

من اإلسكندرون إلى كردستان فهمان

جنجس خان ما خان قد ما خانونا أوالد العم بس دمنا دمهم

بني أدم - بنو ذمنبهم على أكتافنا - شلنا همهم

ليه الله بيعلم

بس ليك هذا الفتيش والبسكليت احسنلك من 100000000 مسدس

تعرف ليه ألن مو عاجبهم بسمتك

بس إبتسم برسمتك شاب عربي ومثقف

أعطيهم ختمتك وإذا لسة مو راضني

ذكرهم بكالم إيليية )أبي ماضي( raquoنسي الطني ساعة أنه طنيlaquo

Oوهذه هي القضاء والقدر يا حبيبي m a r O f f e n d u m

And may God have mercy on all our dead

Songs I sing

Like the Mahatma [the line above and the line below are linked through the sound of the name and the figure of Mahatama Ghandi]

If we say lsquoan eye for an eyersquo

There wont be any eyes left in Sham [Damascus]

Bilad al-Sham [Greater Syria the wider Arab world]

From Palestine to the mountains of Lebanon

Before they made up these borders

From Iskandaroon to Kurdistan

Understand

Genghis Khan never deceived us quite like our ldquopaternal cousinsldquo [khan also means ldquodeceiveldquo in Arabic]

But our blood is their blood

Children of Adam -- who built their sins

Upon our shoulders -- we carried their burden

Why

God knows

But listen this little firecracker amp bicycle

Are better for you than 100 million guns

Wanna know why

Because they dont like seeing you smile

But smile you will - in your human being

A young cultured Arab male

Give them your stamp of approval

And if they still donrsquot accept you

Then remind them of the words of Elliye [Abi-Madhee a Lebanese poet whose poem begins with]

ldquoHow soon a piece of dirt can forget that all he really is is just dirtldquo [ie we are all from this earth amp

will come back to it so there is no logic in viewing yourself as better than someone else]

And that my friend is our destiny

7 Destiny

Omar Offendum

The Peace Revolution 20

21332892

eng - iTunNORM 000006D3 000006F2 000038BA 0000322F 0000E4FA 0000E4FA 00008716 0000864B 0002AB5E 000083D6

eng - iTunSMPB 00000000 00000210 0000094B 00000000008F7FA5 00000000 004108FB 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000

5150

O m a r O f f e n d u m

Dove of Peace

Spread your wings amp fly

Make it easier to borrow

The aesthetics you bite

Like all the Arabic loanwords

From Spaniards amp Morros

The Karma of Inquisition

Visions of horror

So whorsquos the explorer

Really was it Columbus

Muhammad al-Idrisi or Alfaragnus

Throw a Hobson Jobson

While you figure it out

Irsquom gonna start with a cipher

Thatrsquos a siffir [zero] - no doubt

See you might not have learned to live with me

But sure as hell canrsquot without

You are my

You are my

(Destiny)

Itrsquos hard livinrsquo in the West - when I know the East got the best of me

(Destiny)

Could be lookinrsquo in my eyes - but yoursquoll never really see the rest of me

(Destiny)

Can you hear me maseeri [my destiny] Bi-lingualrsquos what Irsquom blessed to be

(Destiny)

حمامة سالم افتحي أجنحتكي و طيري

I write right to left

You write left to right

Metaphor of a foreignerrsquos plight

Dressed to type

Stereo amp a mic

Scenario of a fight

The burial of a white

Imperial at his heightrsquos

A Turkish Rapperrsquos Delight

Semetic etiquette might

Just have you rollin your ldquoRrsquosldquo

Poetic amp light

And grab a hold of your sorrows

To relieve your tomorrows

7 Destiny

Omar Offendum

The Peace Revolution 20

21332892

eng - iTunNORM 000006D3 000006F2 000038BA 0000322F 0000E4FA 0000E4FA 00008716 0000864B 0002AB5E 000083D6

eng - iTunSMPB 00000000 00000210 0000094B 00000000008F7FA5 00000000 004108FB 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000

5352

O m a r O f f e n d u m

Dove of Peace

Spread your wings amp fly

Bitched out by the West

Press get a big shout

From the people gettinrsquo rich out of this (bout)

Now whatrsquos this really all about

Land money or power

It was the colonizerrsquos fault

But now itrsquos really just ours

Leavinrsquo a sour tase in our mouths

Like generational slave names

Whenever speakinrsquo out

Out-spoken leaders gettinrsquo taken out

Quicker than belligerent drunks in a bar

We a far cry from livinrsquo as one

T r a n s l a t e d b y t h e a r t i s t

(Destiny)

Itrsquos hard livinrsquo in the West - when I know the East got the best of me

(Destiny)

Could be lookinrsquo in my eyes - but yoursquoll never really see the rest of me

(Destiny)

Can you hear me maseeri [my destiny] Bi-lingualrsquos what Irsquom blessed to be

(Destiny)

حمامة سالم افتحي أجنحتكي و طيري

See arab [Arabs] shootin at each other

From Iraq to Falasteen [Palastine]

Syria to Libnan [Lebanon]

Algeria to Sudan

Pedagogy of the oppressed tricklinrsquo down

Conquerinrsquo through divisions

And sadly this isnrsquot the first time

One land one love one chance one blood

No fuss no fight Yeah right young blood

AKrsquos cheaper than a book

Crooked leaders in a hook

Gettinrsquo fished out

Missles gettinrsquo dished out

7 Destiny

Omar Offendum

The Peace Revolution 20

21332892

eng - iTunNORM 000006D3 000006F2 000038BA 0000322F 0000E4FA 0000E4FA 00008716 0000864B 0002AB5E 000083D6

eng - iTunSMPB 00000000 00000210 0000094B 00000000008F7FA5 00000000 004108FB 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000

5554

زي ما صار مبارح صار اليوم اطف التلفزيون امسك مايكروفون

زي ما صار مبارح صار اليوم اطف التلفزيون امسك مايكروفون

زي ما صار مبارح صار اليوم اطف التلفزيون امسك مايكروفون

زي ما صار مبارح صار اليوم اطف التلفزيون امسك مايكروفون

النه الوقت عم يسبق بقلك خي سالم بس اصبر

بدك تستني هاي اخلطط بعمرها ما تضبطبيدفعلك قد ما بدك عشان تسكت

واذا بتفتح متك طخة وحده وبعد بتسقط

s t o r m t r a p

What happened yesterday happens today

switch off your TV and grab a microphone

What happened yesterday happens today

switch off your TV and grab a microphone

What happened yesterday happens today

switch off your TV and grab a microphone

What happened yesterday happens today

switch off your TV and grab a microphone

Because time is racing

He keeps telling you peace is coming just be patient

You want to wait these plans never succeed

Hersquoll pay you as much as you want to keep you quiet

And if you open your mouth one shot will silence you

what happened yesterdayزي ما صار مبارح

Zey ma sar mbareh

Stormtrap

null

2009

1728613

eng - Visit httpstormtrapbandcampcom

5756

اركض اركض وخليك راكض

واذا بتفتح متك رح يقلك خليك ساكت رح يقلك انساك من هاملشاكل

حوشوا هالشواك وضبوا شناتكم واشتروا التذاكرففكر شوي وما تكنش أهبل

وين ما تروح في الدنيا رح تتبهدلمش شايف قدامي عم بسمع أصوات بيسألني

ليش لسه عايش هون روح عيش محل تانيبدي احك بس الكلمات مش طالعة من لساني

عنصرية هونن عنصرية هناك عنصرية كل ما اطلع برا الشباك

شيطان بيعمل حاله مالكبس هو بالواقع بدو يعيش بالك

جدار بيمثل عقلية ناس بدهاش تعيش معاك

زي ما صار مبارح صار اليوم اطف التلفزيون امسك مايكروفون

ما مبثل شخص او اشخاص مبثل فكرةاسم احلرية حاملينه

من بلد ما فيه حياة عاديةسواءا ضد االحتالل أو ضد العنصرية

أصواتكم وينايي خلوها تنسمع وتطلع نتائج ايجابية

فكمل كتابة او تسجيل وصدقني شغلك مش رايح عالفاضي

عشان الشي الوحيد اللي رح يروح هو احن اذا منضلنا علقانني فاملاضي

s t o r m t r a p

Run run

Keep running

And if you decide to speak hersquoll tell you just stay silent

Hersquoll tell you forget these problems

Save up some money pack your bags and buy your tickets

Think about it donrsquot be a fool

Wherever you go yoursquoll get humiliated

I canrsquot see in front of me Irsquom hearing voices asking

Why are you still living here Go live somewhere else

I want to respond but the words wonrsquot come out

Racism here racism there

Racism each time I look out the window

A devil in an angelrsquos disguise

In reality he wants to live without you

The apartheid wall represents the mentality of a people who donrsquot care to coexist

What happened yesterday happens today

switch off your TV and grab a microphone

I dont represent a person or a people I represent an idea

An idea called freedom

From a land lacking a normal life

Whether yoursquore struggling against occupation or against racism

Where is your voice

Let it be heard to achieve your goals

So keep writing and recording

Believe me your work wonrsquot be lost in vain

The only thing thatrsquoll disappear is us

If we stay stuck in the past

Zey ma sar mbareh

Stormtrap

null

2009

1728613

eng - Visit httpstormtrapbandcampcom

5958

شو الي حدثجينا من حتت األرض

هيهة القصة بدة عنا هدفوننشر أصواتنا لكل حدا

جيت من حتت أرض رام اللهما ح وقف اكتب كلمات وال مرة

عندي طاقة الزم أطلعها كل يوم وكل ساعةفاو انبنى مع الوقت ولسة عم بيطور تصور

تصورفاو انبنى مع الوقت ولسة عم بيطور تصور

زي ما صار مبارح صار اليوم اطف التلفزيون امسك مايكروفون

زي ما صار مبارح صار اليوم اطف التلفزيون امسك مايكروفون

s t o r m t r a p

What happened

We came from underground

The story begins we have an objective

To spread our voices to everyone

I came from the ruins of Ramallah and

I wonrsquot ever stop writing words

I have energy that I must release every day every hour

A flow thatrsquos been built and is still developing imagine

Imagine a flow thatrsquos been built and is still developing

What happened yesterday happens today

Switch off your TV and grab a microphone

What happened yesterday happens today

Switch off your TV and grab a microphone

T r a n s l a t e d b y t h e a r t i s t

Zey ma sar mbareh

Stormtrap

null

2009

1728613

eng - Visit httpstormtrapbandcampcom

6160

Wake up the People

Donrsquot doubt it

The Maker can see you

Right now

You want to get out and see doe

So clouded

Sell out to be dope

Right now

I see you plagued by your own doubt

Canrsquot step the game up

Like a snake when it rolled down

Staircase of a lone child

No bricks lain in a cold house

Where you sold out

All alone on an old couch

t h e N a r c i c y s t

No click like an untapped phone dial

Oh wow

I felt the same homie

Donrsquot shelter pain only

Then it came slowly

Never let the frame hold me (down)

Picture life for the love though

People tend to look the other way like Columbo

We deceived by the law just to love doe

Guess they took all the worth out to numb folks

And make a severed plan

Out of bitter man

What you want a medal man

Huh Do you really think yoursquore better than Then

All you really need is a long look

Two sixteens and a strong hook like

brassThis track was originally written in English

null

2149748

6362

Wake up the People

Donrsquot doubt it

The Maker can see you

Right now

You want to get out and see doe

So clouded

Sell out to be dope

Right now

Break

Hip hop like a fresh pelvis

Yoursquore gonna regret this shit like a dead Elvis

Busy wishing you could live less selfish

Crabs in a bucket duckinrsquo these dead shellfish

Industry got a brother feeling helpless

With an ill chorus and ride yoursquore more in the tide

When a flow canrsquot keep me above the water

t h e N a r c i c y s t

Let a wave carry me out and push me farther now

Internal Inferno ten journals written but Irsquom still not sure though

Do I really want to tour to jump hurdles To be heard

So-I-Can-Feel-Like-This

Man therersquos something that I might miss--

Naw Irsquove been bluffinrsquo

Lifersquos backwards like Ben Buttonsrsquo

Irsquom in love with the stage fright on a strange night

Feels good to get the words on a page right

Wake up the People

Donrsquot doubt it

The Maker can see you

Right now

You want to get out and see doe

So clouded

Sell out to be dope

Right now

null

2149748

6564

مبارح شفت بلمنام بيروت عمتغرق حتت رماد بركان فحموا الناس بس ال raquoسكاي بارlaquo كان بعده ولعان

بيروت ثبتت حبة الثورة اللي فينا نبتت ملا أحبطت نفوسنا من اجلمود

فينا بيروت حتركت عدم دمارنا وعدم حرية خيارنا

بيوت بيروت تعمرت سكرنا عجفاف دموعنا جفوننا عليها تسكرت فتخمرت

إذا بطلت تطير قدرك عألرض مقهور إذا وقفت تكسير بتصير جزء من الديكور

e l R a s s

Yesterday I dreamt Beirut was drowning under volcanic ash

The people were turned to charcoal but Sky Bar [a posh Beirut club] was still lit up

Beirut suppressed the seed of the revolution the one that sprouted

When our spirits were foiled from immobility

In us Beirut moved

On the blood of our destruction and the negation of our freedom of choice

The houses of Beirut are rebuilt

We got drunk on the dryness of our tears our eyelids closed on them and fermented

If you stop flying your destiny on land is distress

If you stop breaking you become part of the decoration

beirutبركان بيروت rsquos volcano

Blues

2125713

6766

بحاور بناور باآلخر بواجه التاج بتوضى بصلي بتوصلني أصوات أنات احملتاج

تأمل العلم بعري العمل من العمل خياري عنار خفيفة دوب املسمار وتستوي األفكار النظيفة

عمروا دمروا زمروا تذمروا ربك صبره دربه جربه

عقلن خربوا غربوا هربوا وقبلوا بالفن عحيط الشارع

عشرط ما يكون في شك بشارع هيدي مش عاصمة ثقافة هيدي حلبة املصارع بيروت ال تعرف في املاضي وال تعرب باملضارع

حتول التركيبة خلى العقل اجلامد فكر حاله مالك املدينة رقبته طويلة متل مالك احلزين وايده لوزيري

اعتبر نفسه أول مني اكتشف هلجزيرة بأجر الفقير شقق بأسعار مدروسة

بشكل تضل طموحاته ممعوسة نهبوا األرض من ربعي وصارت احلرب شركة استثمار مبفعول رجعي

حتت شعار إعادة اإلعمار لو ما كان خلص دوره وانتهى عقد االيجار

كان احلريري ما طار وما صار مطار احلريري عاصمة لبنان بتوازن بني ضريحني

واتنيناتن عاغتيالن في عالمة استفهام e واحد قدس املوت بس لسبب l R a s s

I discuss I maneuver ultimately I confront the crown

I perform ablutions I pray I receive the moaning of the needy

The meditation of knowledge strips work from hope

My choice is on low fire melting the nails and clean thoughts are ripening

They built they destroyed they honked they complained

Your god made him patient tested him and trained him

Their minds ruined westernized chased off

They accepted art pissed on back alleys

As long as there is no doubt in the streets

This is no capital of culture itrsquos a wrestling ring

Beirut canrsquot speak of itself in the past nor conjugate itself in the present

Transitions and transformations made the closed mind think he owns the city

His neck is long like a stork his fingers long like a politicianrsquos

He thinks himself the first who discovered this peninsula

He lets the poor rent apartments at prices studied

To crush ambitions

They stole the land from my cousins

And the war became a backward-looking investment

Under the slogan of reconstruction

If his time wasnrsquot up and his contract finished

Hariri didnrsquot have to fly and it wouldnrsquot have become the Hariri airport

Lebanonrsquos capital keeps balance between two shrines

And on both assassinations there is a question mark

One sanctifies death but for a reason

Blues

2125713

6968

واحد قدس احلياة بس بالكذب واحد بايدو حتول الذهب سم وواحد تخبى من الذهب بالدم

مني الشهيد

اللي مات حتت صبابيط ثورة عبيد شهيد اللي مات فتحول على حملة اعالنات هدفها ترفع الطايفة معدالت التجنيد

قنابل بالبريد وصل سيوف علوريد حصل

املوت للبليد صنم الصبر للعنيد حلم تأليه الشهيد ظلم

خليط احلديد والدم العالج والسم الرفاه والهم النوعية والكم

الدعارة وورقة التوت مبدينة بيروت علم

e l R a s s

And one sanctifies life with lies

In onersquos hand gold turned into poison

And the other hid from gold with blood

Who is the martyr

The one who died under the shoes of the oppressedrsquos uprising is a martyr

Is it he whose death was transformed into an advertising campaign to raise the levels of

sectarian enlistment

Bombs came in the mail

Swords to the jugular true stories

Death to the cold is statuette

Patience to the stubborn is a dream

Divinity to the martyr is oppression

The mixture of steel and blood the cure and poison

Luxury and distress quality and quantity

Prostitution and modesty

The science of the city of Beirut

T r a n s l a t e d b y M o e A l i N a y e l amp + A z i z

Blues

2125713

7170

بقرأ في اجلريدة زفت شوارع جديدة

إزالة مطبات و كثير أشياء هيك مفيدة أشخاص مستفيدة

دعم من هون و من هون منظمات بس احلرية بعيدة

مقاطعة مستوطنات تعون الضفة الغربية وطنية حصرية إدعائية

طب و فلسطني التاريخية مع ألساس كانت القدس عاصمة الثقافة العربية

بس كلوحكي سياسية للشعب إحنا نتحمل الشغل و التعب و الوضع صعب

b o i k u t t

Irsquom reading in the paper

About roads newly paved

Speed bumps removed and a lot of other useful stuff (yes very)

Certain inviduals benefit

Funding from here and there

Organizations are plentiful but freedom is far-fetched

Calling for a boycott of settlements around the West Bank

Pretentious exclusive nationalism

But what about historical Palestine

I thought Jerusalem was supposed to be the ldquocapital of Arab cultureldquo

But itrsquos all political speeches for the people

We put up with the work and the sweat and itrsquos rough

a letterرسالة من مقاطعة from boikutt

risaleh mn muqataa (pt1)

boikutt

null

2010

1086983

eng - iTunPGAP0

eng - iTunNORM 00000A1E 00000A0E 000099D9 000098A0 0000CC63 0000CC63 0000826D 000080B0 000131D0 000131D0

eng - iTunSMPB 00000000 00000210 000008F3 000000000049197D 00000000 0027BA9D 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000

7372

يقنعونا إن كلشي متام و بقدر أعيش حياة عادية

زي في األفالم على مبس واحد إثنني ثالثة أربعة إلخ

كن منيح و بتنزل عليك املصاري زخ نصيحة من أخ ألخ

خليك مستقل ألن اللعبة إنلعب فإبعد عن الفخ

خليهم يقعدوا يستنوا الدعم ليموتوا يلفلفوا داخل اجلدار حلد ما يفوتوا

في متاهات مبسافات مش محددة مجددة لتوسع التوسع مش مهددة

إنتهاك احتالل بس مش على الكل

في ناس في فلسطني هون حياتهم زي الفل مش عارف شو بيفكر

شكلوا مش داري شي يوم حنروح كل الدكاكني هي حتسكر

سالم

b o i k u t t

Try to convince me that everythingrsquos fine

And that I can lead a normal life

Like in the movies

On MBC one two three four etcetera

Be good and money will rain on you

Advice from one brother to another

Stay independent because the games are being played

So steer clear of the trap

Let them wait for foreign aid until they die

Spinning in circles within the apartheid wall until they enter

Into unlimited mazes with unspecified spaces

That are renewed to fit settlement expansion unthreatened

Violation occupation

But not for everyone

There are people here in Palestine living ldquothe good lifeldquo

I donrsquot know what hersquos thinking

Seems like he doesnrsquot know one day wersquoll be gone

And all these shops will close

Peace

T r a n s l a t e d b y t h e a r t i s t w i t h L o u b n a B i l a l i

risaleh mn muqataa (pt1)

boikutt

null

2010

1086983

eng - iTunPGAP0

eng - iTunNORM 00000A1E 00000A0E 000099D9 000098A0 0000CC63 0000CC63 0000826D 000080B0 000131D0 000131D0

eng - iTunSMPB 00000000 00000210 000008F3 000000000049197D 00000000 0027BA9D 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000

7574

الضغط عاليالعدو فات جاري احملادثات

صمت دوليكمية الغازى عم تزداد

تهجير جديد مولود جديدتكرر عزو مش تارك ورا شي مفيد غير غراب

من كل البيت ما تركو شي إال البابمن االرض ل سما مسافة عاليه

إمشي الصحرا وعد لياليوجنوما

كمشوا رئيس دولة بجورةحصار

توزيع مخدراتباألحمر تلون الفرات سجون معتقالتقبلة الوداع مع الصبات

تنصت بالشبكة خيانات باألزهر

k a t i b e h 5

The pressure is high

The enemy has entered discussions are taking place

Global silence

The numbers of the occupier are increasing

A new expulsion A newborn child

The perpetuation of an invasion that leaves behind it nothing of any use except for a crow

From an entire house they left nothing but the door

From the ground to the sky is a long distance

Walk the desert and count the nights

And its stars

They caught a president in a pit

Siege

Drug dealing the Euphrates is stained red prisons detention centers

A farewell kiss with a shoe

Networks wiretapped betrayals in Al Azhar

hold me back ifهديني اذا فيك you can

null

23098943

7776

حوار أديانالكف تنجس

متسح فيه وجك مع كل شروق عالوضوءتسمع شرارة فتيل مولوتوف ينادي أصوات تتلبى

باإلنفجار

هديني إذا فيك صرت موجود بكل مكانوجي مغبش عامل زي جيش زباتا

منصرخ بوجكم raquoاحلرية ل برغوتيlaquoإعالمكو بيعرفني كلماتكو حملت إسمي

شركاتكو بتهرب مني )كتيبه خمسه هديتي إذا فيك(

بتالقيني بني والد حفظوا غنية املخيماتبنفسية فالح عمال يزو املدينة

افالم تافهةبرنامج تافه

بتدور على مخك بتالقي مش موجوداخلليج يتحكم بإعالم

هادول حبوب التنومي ٦1 سنة بعدن مش شغالني

عالمادامك واخد وجهة نظري

ع محمل اجلدمسموح لك تستعجب وتظهر إنزعاجك بوجودي

ألني صديق لكل املشاهد الغير مرغوبة فيهاش بيختار حياتو بالتحديد بحكيلك هيك منحياها ومحد

ضغط رصاص وابارود بخليكاش حتيدالتجارب بتدلك عطريق

هديتي إذا فيك

k a t i b e h 5

A dialogue of religions

The hand is tainted

And with it you cleanse your face at ablution each sunrise

You hear the sparking of the fuse of a molotov calling voices respond

Explosion

Hold me back if you can I have become present everywhere

My face is concealed like the army of Zapata

We shout in your face ldquoFreedom for Barghoutildquo

Your media knows me your words have glimpsed my name

Your corporations flee from me

(Katibe Khamseh hold me back if you can)

Yoursquoll find me among children that have memorized the song ldquoAl Moukhayamatldquo

In the persona of a peasant that is visiting the city

Shallow films

Shallow programs

You look for your mind but you find it is not there

The Gulf controls media with its boundaries

These sleeping pills 61 years and theyrsquore still not effective

Great

As long as you are taking my point of view seriously

Yoursquore allowed to be taken aback and to show your irritation

Just like you show your irritation at my presence

Because I am a friend to all the images that are not desirable

This is how we live out these images and no one chooses their life specifically Irsquoll tell you

The pressure of bullets and gunpowder does not allow you to move away

Experience will guide you on the road

Hold me back if you can

null

23098943

7978

موقف واحد صريح من صميم روح لشعوب املقاومة ضمير ظهور البشرية

السبيل صعب ورا الغضبدعم لكل أسالوب محارب

د لنحرق نظامك منتدرب منجرب منخرب منستععم نحرق نظامك

هديتي إذا فيك

إطلع منيحمش رح تقدر توخذ كل شي من أول نظرة

نظرة عامة raquoبشرة مش بيضةlaquoجبني عريضة مكتوب مولود عنيد بالفطرة

فوت بالتقاليد عد التجاعيدلك هاي مش أول مرة

لغات ودراسات حط العلم بغالفمش رح تقدر تفهم ليه بعد في بارود ع الكتافلون األرض ولون الليل بيعطيك البني و السواد

بوعدك مش لوحدي رح أضل عد رماد الال اللعبة اجلديدة وال والدنا ع اللعبة جداد

بكفيش إنفلونزا الصقور صار في إنفلونزا اخلنازيرموسم مرض جديد لرئيس مبثل ع نفوس ومريض بهدوء البيض

هديتي إذا فيك

k a t i b e h 5

A single honest stance from the bottom of the soul for the people of the resistance the conscience

that exposes humanity

The path is difficult when following anger

A support for every style of battle

We train we strive we disrupt we prepare to burn your system

We are burning your system

Hold me back if you can

Look closely

You wonrsquot be able to see it all at first sight

An overview ldquocomplexion that is not whiteldquo

A broad forehead written born stubborn by nature

Look at the traditions and count the wrinkles

This is not the first time

Languages and scholarship put education under wraps

You wonrsquot be able to understand why there is still gunpowder on shoulders

The color of earth and the color of night gives you brown and blackness

I promise you that I will not be alone to count the ashes no

This game to us is not new and nor are our children new to the game

As if the influenza of eagles was not enough now therersquos the influenza of pigs

The season of a new disease for a president acting for a public and sick with the

calmness of white people

Hold me back if you can

null

23098943

8180

اإلحتالل نكه البشر بنكهة املجاريبالسالم حوار أديانبإقرار ملكية كذابة

بتشويه تاريخ وسرقة حضاراتولك أه

فلسطني إفريقيا الدجلة والفراتإجتاه البشرية لإلضمحالل سرطان بشري بعضها

الشتا ميسح اخلطايا واآلثاروليش بتتخبى وبتتغطى بنفس كل سفارة سميك الستار

لساتني باكل الضربة ورا الضره ورا الضربةوحتى ما أفعل وأساوي تكمشني الرجفة

بدل ما أضرب فيك بضرب بحاليبوعدكش حضلني كامش حالي حفلتها

حفلتها

هديني إذا فيك هديني إذا فيكهديني إذا فيك

k a t i b e h 5

The occupation has seasoned humanity with the flavor of sewers

With peace with dialogue of religions

With the declaration of false ownership

With the distortion of history and the theft of civilizations

Oh yes

Palestine Africa the Tigris and Euphrates

Humanity is leading to reduction a human cancer bites it

Exile wipes clean the sins and the traces

And why are you hiding and seeking cover when all the embassies are already well concealed

I am still taking one beating after another

And so that I donrsquot take action and do something shudders grip my body

Instead of beating you I beat myself

I canrsquot promise you that I can keep myself restrained

Irsquom gonna let go

Hold me back if you can

Hold me back if you can

Hold me back if you can

T r a n s l a t e d b y R i m a N a j d i a n d F a y s a l B i b i

null

23098943

8382

طول عمر الشعب املصري مع بعض أحلك الظروفبص وفر في التاريخ وانت ياما هاتشوف

الدين ده ليا وليكوفيا وفيك

حاجة روحانية بتخليك حتس اللي بيك

ايد في ايد نبني فيها من جديد

مصر زعلت علي حاصل وسطنا مش مفيد

بعد ثورة وبعد عيد فتنة تقتل حلم واتتحقق لنا

واحد اتننيالذكري بتعيش اكتر من عمر االنسان

بصمتنا تغييرنا جوة وبرة امليدان مش هانضيع نصر ثورتنا بفتنة نشئت بينا

A r a b i a n K n i g h t s + M C G a z a + A m e e r

The Egyptian people have always stuck together

Through the worst times look at history

And see how often wersquove been there for each other

That whole idea of religion

Is for you and for me something spiritual that makes you feel whatrsquos inside you

Hand in hand

We build Egypt up again

Egypt is angry at whatrsquos happening between us

Itrsquos not helpful

After the revolution after the celebration

Sectarian strife is killing the dream we fulfilled

One two

The memory lasts more than a lifetime

Our mark is our change in and outside Tahrir Square

We wonrsquot give up the victory of our revolution in exchange for sectarian strife between

us

hand inايد في ايد hand

Eid Fe Eid

Yasser Ameer Youssef Rush E Money amp MCGaza | by BOGEY

Single Hit track 11

20112011

Hip-Hop

24002867

eng - Hip-Hop 4 Life

eng - iTunNORM 000005E2 0000058E 0000424E 00003537 00026E95 0001C2B3 00008000 00008000 00005045 00005045

8584

بلدنا محتجانا ايدنا واحدة ضد احملنة تفرق ايه معاك ديانتي ملا ربك هو ربي

اصلك هو اصلي ارضك هي ارضي

ملا اتقال لي اكتت فيول فتنة انا قولت غلط علشان الفتنة مفتعلة في بلدنا وكان وراها غرض

فالفرد افترض فبفرض السياسة األمر اختلط

فالزم يبقي املصل سياسي من اصل املرض العسس واحلرس مافرقوش صليب وهالل

وكنا كلنا واحد وراء االقفالدم الشهيد شاهد

ياما بالفتنة انكسرنا وحدتنا بصوت واحد وضد الظلم انتصرنا

وديني هو ديني صلة بيني وبني ربي هارفع علمي وارفع راسي فوق

انا مصري

ايد في ايد نبني فيها من جديد

مصر زعلت علي حاصل وسطنا مش مفيد

بعد ثورة وبعد عيد فتنة تقتل حلم واتتحقق لنا

خلو حمامة السالم من الطيور املنقرضةعلشان تبقي القلوب مبتعدة منقسمه سهل تتسم

فكرين مناعة و قوة أم الدنيا بالطمع مرتبطةنسر املصريني ليس له دين احنا بنحميها بالدم

العنف بذوره بتكتر عاوز يوصل واحلروب حتصل

A r a b i a n K n i g h t s + M C G a z a + A m e e r

Our country needs us all together against the hard times

What difference does my religion make to you when your god is my god

Your origin is mine

Your land is my land

When they told me about sectarian strife I said thatrsquos wrong

Because itrsquos been planted in our country and behind it is some purpose

Makes one think somethingrsquos going on

By playing politics everythingrsquos gotten mixed up

The antidote has to be political just like the poison itself

The military doesnrsquot distinguish between cross and crescent

Wersquore all held together behind bars

The blood of the martyrs bears witness

To how much wersquove been broken by sectarianism

Through our unity we triumphed with one voice over injustice

And my religion is my own a rapport between me and God

Irsquoll raise my flag and my head up

Irsquom Egyptian

Hand in hand

We build Egypt up again

Egypt is angry at whatrsquos happening between us

Itrsquos not helpful

After the revolution after the victory

Sectarian strife is killing the dream we fulfilled

They drove the dove of peace to extinction

To keep hearts apart and divided itrsquos easy to poison them

Do they really think the resilience and strength of Egypt is connected to greed

The Egyptian eagle has no religion we protect it with our blood

The roots of violence are increasing want to gain control to start wars

Eid Fe Eid

Yasser Ameer Youssef Rush E Money amp MCGaza | by BOGEY

Single Hit track 11

20112011

Hip-Hop

24002867

eng - Hip-Hop 4 Life

eng - iTunNORM 000005E2 0000058E 0000424E 00003537 00026E95 0001C2B3 00008000 00008000 00005045 00005045

8786

للعاقيدة يكسر وألعضاء املشاعر تتشال تصتأصلعلى كالم ربهم اتكبرو فعملو قدر واتقدر

وقته مستنينه ليه خططوا مضمون الرسائل اتغير الن الهدف هو تدمير قعدة الوحدهوقتل كل قائد يقود الناس بره احملنه

فيبقي سهل يزيحنا ميحي أوصول عليها كبرناوكل واحد علي حداه يقول أنا محدش يقول احنا

فاببطء بحرص بص بعقل بحذر شوفقبل ما يخلوا خيالك يتخلله اخلوف

واخلوف ده افراز بيطلع من غده ملا الكلب بيشوفهابيعرف انك فاريسه سهل ياكلها ركز

فرق تسد إخلعوفق جتد إرفع

ثورة تقدصمت يفرد- يفرق

ما بيجمع بيننامن حقي النقد من حقك - تسمع

طب إسمع وراجع ما صور التاريخ طب باله بيكفي صور زمانييوم حصار كنيسة املهد مني دافع مني اتقمع مني اتنفا

مسلم مسيحي أل كان فلسطيني اتذكر معي ثورة غضب يناير

اتذكر معي الوحدة اإليد الوحدة اتشرف انتا مصرياتذكر معي األخ بإيد األخ يحمي األخ بدون إلخ

كالمي ماشي ماشي ال-لتفهمني بهويتي مسلم وال نصراني قبطي

ما في حجة لربطي خلبطي حلطي ألوطي ألغير خطيخير أجناد األرض

من أرض بيت املقدس كل السالم بعد ما قلت إلنقسام في وطنيانا ملزم أقول ال لفتنة

تفتت مجد شعب تعب عانى ضحى بالغالي حتى بناه

A r a b i a n K n i g h t s + M C G a z a + A m e e r

The relationship between Egyptians breaks down and the organs that feel are taken out

They got full of themselves in the name of their god and invented a new fate for us

Theyrsquore waiting for a time and theyrsquore plotting The meaning of their messages changes

Because the goal is to destroy the foundation of unity

And kill every leader who takes the people out of hard times

Itrsquos easy to remove us to wipe out the traditions we grew up with

Everyone on his own everyone says ldquoIldquo and no one says ldquoweldquo

Slowly carefully look Wisely with caution see

Before they make your imagination a slave to fear

And that fear releases a secretion from a gland

And when the dog sees it he knows yoursquore easy prey

Divide yoursquoll conquer

Bring harmony and yoursquoll reap Start

A revolution and it will catch on

Silence is solitary It divides

It doesnrsquot bring us together

It is my right to criticize and your right to listen

So listen and look back at history or better look at my life time

The day the Nativity Church was under siege who was persecuted Who was exiled

A Muslim A Christian No he was Palestinian

Letrsquos remember the angry revolution of January

Letrsquos remember the unity the one hand Be proud yoursquore Egyptian

Remember the brother holding hands with a brother protecting a brother

And I can go on

Donrsquot teach me about my identity whether Irsquom a Muslim or a Christian Copt

Therersquos no excuse to tie me down beat me to make me cower and kneel and stray from my courseThe Earthrsquos most virtuous soldiers

Come from the land of Bayt al-Maqdis [Jerusalem] I salute you After I said no to division in my countryIrsquom committed to saying no to seditionThat dissolves the glory of a people who labored suffered sacrificed what was most dear to build it

T r a n s l a t e d b y A l e x O r t i z + A h m e d S h a w k e t + K h a l e d A l H i l l i

Eid Fe Eid

Yasser Ameer Youssef Rush E Money amp MCGaza | by BOGEY

Single Hit track 11

20112011

Hip-Hop

24002867

eng - Hip-Hop 4 Life

eng - iTunNORM 000005E2 0000058E 0000424E 00003537 00026E95 0001C2B3 00008000 00008000 00005045 00005045

8988

الفن واملواهب زي حرب الكواكب الكل عايز يكون جنم صراع في الداخل

بهدي جنون العظمة بفلفل حر توابل تسيل دموع زي القنابل

زي مابتكلم وداني شغالة كون سامع نبض الشارع علشان أ

حالف أقضي على اإلعالم املتآمر مغامر في الكالم بس إنت مش سامع

ملا بأمسك القلم والورقة الهم بينزاح مخي بيرتاح بأقول اللي على البال

ملا بأقعد بحس بتأنيب ضمير كون في ستوديو بسجل على بيت خطير مفروض أ

e l D e e b + S t o r m t r a p

Art and talent are like Star Wars

Secretly everyone wants to be a star of conflict

I make megalomania tranquil with chilli hot spices

Tears flow like bombs

Thatrsquos how I talk and the world keeps moving

So that I can hear the pulse of the streets

Irsquove sworn to obliterate the media conspirators

I am adventurous in my speech but you do not hear

When I hold the pen and the paper my anxiety is lifted

My mind relaxes and I say whatrsquos on it

When I sit down I feel guilty

I should be in the studio recording dangerous beats

addictأدمان الشهرة ion to fame

Edman El Shuhra

Stormtrap amp Mohamed El Deeb

2011

Hip-Hop

15305855

- vocals Mohamed El Deeb Stormtrap13produced by Stormtrap

9190

إحساس غريب إنك تدمن الكالم ارسم يا فنان واخترع زي دافينشي الرسام

ولو مفيش ورقة باستخدم تليفوني خايف إن فكرة متعديش على صوتي

دنيا غريبة يوم مر يوم بونبوني بس أنا عمري ماغيرت لوني

املوسيقى بنادولي وبطابعي فضولي مهما قالوا لي هافهمها مبفهومي فـساعات أالقي نفسي بكلم نفسي واسمع أصوات غريبة في دماغي

وهو ده الصدى الصوت اللي بسمعه اكن مفيش حد فارقة معاه احالمي

شوف شوف مش هدف إنو أنا شخصيا أنا

هدفي انه كلماتي وموسيقتي تنتشرعشان هيك حتشوفني دوما مستمر مستثمر

كل وقتي كل طاقتي على أصواتي خوذ شك خوذ حتويل خوذ كاش

بس ما تنساش أي شي بيتعلق بالواقع بدناش ما تخاف ألنها قضيتنا مش منسية مية باملية هايذي ثورة كمان ثقافية

خليني أوضح هاي املوسيقى مش معمولة للتلفازeهاي املوسيقى مش معمولة لهز الطياز l D e e b + S t o r m t r a p

Strange feeling to be out of words

Paint oh artist and discover like Da Vinci the artist

If I donrsquot have paper I use my cell

I am afraid that the idea does not come through my voice

Strange world one day is bitter another like candy

But Irsquove never changed my color

Music is my Tylenol and my nature curious

So whatever they tell me Irsquoll understand it my way

Sometimes I find myself talking to myself

And I hear weird voices in my head

Which is just the echo of the sound I hear

As if no one cares about my dreams

See see

My goals are not self serving

My goal is that my words and music spread

Thatrsquos why yoursquoll see me always and continuously investing

All my time my energy on my sounds

Take a check take a transfer take cash

But never forget anything related to reality wersquore not interested

Donrsquot be afraid because our cause is not forgotten

One hundred percent this is also a cultural revolution

Let me explain this music is not meant to be televised

This music is not made for booty shaking

Edman El Shuhra

Stormtrap amp Mohamed El Deeb

2011

Hip-Hop

15305855

- vocals Mohamed El Deeb Stormtrap13produced by Stormtrap

9392

مش فاهم ليش الكل قاتل حاله يكون في مسابقةحابني نتصابح حياكم زات املكافحة

واالعالم ميت ع حيالله قصة ما بيدرس هالقصة من نصها

وبعدن بينفخهامش احلق علينا اذا ما بيبحثوا

وملا يبدوا يحكوا عنا أل عنجد بيبعصوابيفكروا انه كل شي هشك بشك

بس حدن الزم يقلهم انه الهب هوب مش هيكبدك تدير بالك عشانها هاي اللحظة احلاسمة

ملا يجوا عليك الديب والعاصفةنكسر حدود وبنبني وحدة عشان نحيي مجتماعاتنا

وننهي معانتناعشان هيك منكتب كلمات صريحة والها معنى

مش للشهرة مش حتى يجي حدن يدفعلنا

e l D e e b + S t o r m t r a p

I donrsquot understand why everyone is killing themselves to be in the contest

Wersquod like to say goodmorning to salute you in this same struggle

The mediarsquos dying for any story

But they donrsquot study the storyrsquos real text

And then they blow it out of proportion

Itrsquos not our fault if they donrsquot search

And when they talk about us then they really screw it up

They think everything is empty pointless

Somebody needs to tell them that hip hop is not like that

You should take care because this is the critical moment

When the wolf and storm come haunting you

We break borders and we create a unity to revitalize our communities

And stop our suffering

That is why we write frank words that have meaning

Itrsquos not for fame or even so that someone pays us

T r a n s l a t e d b y N i z a r G h a n e m

Edman El Shuhra

Stormtrap amp Mohamed El Deeb

2011

Hip-Hop

15305855

- vocals Mohamed El Deeb Stormtrap13produced by Stormtrap

9594

حضل عهل مود يعنيما إنتلك النجوم عم تقرب

بهل ال مود حكون عطول لبهل جنوم إدءر لو مضطر شن هجوم عل النجوم كلها

خللي األرض تدور حول أصبعي تنلك

ما إنتلك متلي متلك مولع طيار ألفكاري من العقدي تنفك فرد قعدي بني 4 حيطان ما بتنهز و منها ما بنهز

يلز املا بينلزالكاس عل الطاولي و منو عم مز مز

لتفتل براصي وحس من حالي عم كز كزعل ورقة كالمي مدروس و ما بزت زت بجرب ما عيد حالي متا يقولو عم نق نق

موزع قافياتي جواز كأن عم فت فت

بهل األطشة خلي الديني اللي تسمعني ترن رنFبسبيلي جاري يوم ع يوم عم برك رك a r e e q e l A t r a s h

Irsquoll stay in this mood

Didnrsquot I tell you The stars are getting closer

Irsquoll stay in this mood until I touch these stars

Even if I have to launch an attack on all the stars

Irsquoll make the Earth rotate around my finger I told you

Didnrsquot I tell you Irsquom just like you I lit up a joint so my ideas would untie their knot

Sitting this way in between four walls I wonrsquot budge

The most delectable

Drink is on the table from which Irsquom taking sips

Till my head starts spinning and Irsquom sick of myself

On the paper my words are calculated I donrsquot just toss them about

I try not to repeat myself so they wonrsquot say Irsquom nagging

I deal my rhymes out like theyrsquore cards

In this verse Irsquoll make those ears ring

My fountain is running and every day I excel

tالنجوم عم تقرب he stars are gett ing closer

null

29781717

9796

لضل ماشي جالس بينما غيري عم بلك لك شريط معلق ريحة العة عم بتفح فحكل ما فتح متو بتالقي عم بكب كب

عايشها إرهاب و مفي إال بسب سببزبالتي ما بكبو تيكون بعلمك

األالف مسم و بحياتو ما بينسم بزقة من هل التم تخلي سقفك ينش نش

تلمو ردم و ما تفكر إنو ترد رد و عم بحكي عالواطي متا الصالي فيك ترج رج

بطبعي عاقل بس بالراب بزل زل عل الرايق بال ما نط وال فز فز

type of shitعال بارد أبرد من شباط بس يقز قزتخلي عضامك ع بعض تسك سك

ما إنتلك النجوم عم تقرب بهل ال مود حكون عطول لبهل جنوم إدءر

لو مضطر شن هجوم عل النجوم كلهاخللي األرض تدور حول أصبعي تنلك

أنا متنبئ بنبه و بحقق ما قلتلك بعد وقتها ما عم نكت

عاملكرفون إبرة هرون عم بشكشك في شكcheck one two

هيك بدسدس عالنبض

F a r e e q e l A t r a s h

So I can walk straight when others are still playing

A broken record that reeks of a musty smell

Every time he opens his mouth he spews them out

He lives in terror and all he does is curse

I wouldnrsquot throw him in my garbage just so you know

Irsquove irritated thousands and never been irritated in my life

One spit out of this mouth will make your roof leak

And yoursquoll pick up the rubble and donrsquot even think about answering back

Irsquom talking in a low voice so the hall wonrsquot shake with you in it

Irsquom reasonable by nature but when it comes to rap I humiliate cold-heartedly

Without jumping or leaping around

I do it coldly colder than icy February-type of shit

Irsquoll make your bones rattle against each other

Didnrsquot I tell you The stars are getting closer

Irsquoll stay in this mood until I touch these stars

Even if I have to launch an attack on all the stars

Irsquoll make the Earth rotate around my finger I told you

Irsquom a psychic I predict and deliver

Didnrsquot I tell you to stand back when Irsquom not joking

Irsquom pricking the microphone with a heroin needle Is there any doubt

Check one two

Thatrsquos how I feel the pulse

null

29781717

9998

بدقق و زتزت حكي بتزجزج كأنها مزهزها عم بتشمشم عم خطط عم تكتيك و مني ملحلح من هون للساعة توقف تك تيك تك تيك

لك ليك منفخ حاله عامبيكازيب عا غيري بس بوجهي بتاءتإوجهه بيباءبإ من أد ما بعصب بسبسب

زر إنذار إذني بتطنطن و بشوف من عالباب عم بدقدق

عكروت بدو يفوت ليشوف الفن فني بس الفن هون بجسمي معبأ

من حلقي طايف و من متي عم بت شرشر و بيس البيس زلزال برجرج خليك تضبضب تنضب بالبيت لتكنكن

و أنا متأسف ألني بدي استأذن بس بعد شفت كابتشينو بتصحصح

ما إنتلك النجوم عم تقرببهل ال مود حكون عطول لبهل جنوم إدءر

لو مضطر شن هجوم عل النجوم كلهاخللي األرض تدور حول أصبعي تنلك

هيدا هب هوبمش هبل و ال بهل

هيدا زجل تتغزل في

ورايي إيقاع عليي إتبع و ما إطلع عنو يا بصير متل غير مسيس

زقفوا مع االيقاعزقفوا مع االيقاع

F a r e e q e l A t r a s h

Checking and hurling words that tickle as if I was high and sniffing

I am planning and scheming and Irsquom not going anywhere till the clock stops ticking

Look hersquos so full of it lying to others but in my face he stutters

And his face turns red from all the anger and he curses

My earsrsquo alarm bells start ringing

And I go to see whorsquos knocking at the door

Some bastard who wants to see where ldquothe artldquo is

But the art is right here packed in my body

Flowing from my throat running out of my mouth

And the bass is an earthquake that shakes and forces you to pack up and go home

And Irsquom sorry because I need to take leave

But after a sip of cappuccino yoursquoll come around

Didnrsquot I tell you The stars are getting closer

Irsquoll stay in this mood

Until I touch these stars even if I have to launch an attack on all the stars

Irsquoll make the Earth rotate around my finger I told you

This is hip hop

Itrsquos not stupid nor dumb

Itrsquos zajal [a form of Arabic poetry in the Levant]

That you flirt with

There is a beat that I have to follow canrsquot lose it or Irsquoll be like other MCs

Clap with the beat

Clap with the beat

T r a n s l a t e d b y K h a l e d A l H i l l i

null

29781717

101100

انا ببلعهم بتفهم وال مره بسبهمبخليهم داميا يضاربو بتفكيرهم

أنا وراهم قدامهم جنابهم محتلهممش طايقهم مرات وزنهم بكون منزلهم

مرتبهم صاففهم وبقلم أنا حاكمهم زاتتهم مش عاجبيني أنا ماحيهم قائدهم وبنفس الوقت أنا عبيدهم

وبفك وربط أنا بلعب مبعانيهمانا حاميهم بأسطر اللي تقويهم

انا واعدهم اني أستر على فاضحهم ومطلعهم بصوره اللي تبشعهم

بس أنا محترمهم وبسطور ساجنهم مكتفهم كأسير بجنازير القهر

ومهديهم بحبل اللي يبشر بالصبر وانا لي الفخر أكون الشوك اللي فيهم

Dوأكون القهر اللي داميا يسقيهم A M

Yo this is dedicated to the lyrics

Irsquom swallowing them spitting them never dissing them

Giving them freedom of speech

Irsquom behind them in front of them because of them always standing with them

Sometimes get sick of them sick of how you abuse them

Gather them in line with my pen I order them

Didnrsquot like it Throwing them out and replacing them

Irsquom their leader and also their slave

Small changes make huge differences

I train them in pages to make them strong

Promising to use them not abuse them

Or allow the wrong mouths to utter them

Approach them with a military mind and find peace in them

Irsquom lucky to be full of thorns and even luckier that I found the lyrics

So theyrsquoll help me find the roses in me

wordsكلمات

null

26837427

103102

raquoالكل سمعك بس السؤال اذا اللي سمعك فهمكlaquoكلمات ليست كالكلمات بل raquoعالماتlaquo

اللي توجهنا وين مابدنا عحبال السيرك هي تثبتنا ريح العالم من كل جهه اذا احنا ضعاف بتوقعنا بس

raquoأل بلمره ألlaquo raquoكلمات عندي طنlaquoكل واحده الها هدف اخدت حرف عحرف

نسجت جمل اللي البسهم وقت البرد raquoراح اضلني اناديlaquo raquoبنحكي كلماتlaquo

انت بتعرف انهم مبنصب شهاد بحكو املاضي وتنبوا حاضر أي بالد

قد ماحكيت قد ما أحكي فش كالم يغطي بسفي كالم يربي وينمي انت بس أروي

في شوف انه قوه والقوه بتقويفيك و أن رويته مصيره يسقيك )مثل للقوه( العدو من أمامكم

والبحر من ورائكم فال تخيبوا أسيادكمفأين أشعاركم وأين مجادلتكم

فأنتم تسكتون وتخمدون أحالمكم)انهي( نهيت ورجعت للعامية بكلمات

مرمية طالعه من عقليه شعبيهمتل جنيب اللي بذاكرة كل واحد محفوظ مدروس واذا أل معناته في خلل معكوس

عاملجتمع اللي قمع كتاباته Dاللي سمح لنسيانه يشيل خطواته A M

ldquoThey all hear you but few listen to youldquo

Lyrics ainrsquot just a bunch of words they are ldquosignsldquo

Leading us stabilizing us on tight ropes

Winds every way if we are thin we will fall

ldquoBut hell noldquo ldquoyou can measure my words in tonsldquo

Every word has a meaning I knitted a letter with another letter

Made warm sentences to wear in cold days

ldquoSo Irsquoll still shoutldquo ldquowe control lyricsldquo

You know lyrics are like a witness

They witnessed the past and forecast the future

As much as I said or say I canrsquot describe them

But there is a way to find the description and thatrsquos through them

Quench the thirst of the pages with them

So in the future itrsquoll quench your thirst

Keep feeding them as soon as they grow up

Theyrsquoll give you strength

ldquoExample for the strengthldquo

ldquoThe enemy is before you the sea is behind you

So donrsquot you dare disappoint our ancestors

Where are our deep poems Where are our strong statements

From generation to generation we kill our dreamsldquo

ldquoEnough philosophizingldquo ok lets get back to street talk

Words coming outta simple minds

Like Najeeb Mahfuz [literally lsquowell-rememberedrsquo also a famous author]

They keep living in our minds

And if you donrsquot know who he is - then I rest my case

null

26837427

105104

raquoالكل سمعك بس السؤال اذا اللي سمعك فهمكlaquoكلمات ليست كالكلمات بل raquoعالماتlaquo

اللي توجهنا وين مابدنا عحبال السيرك هي تثبتنا ريح العالم من كل جهه اذا احنا ضعاف بتوقعنا بس

raquoأل بلمره ألlaquo raquoكلمات عندي طنlaquoكل واحده الها هدف اخدت حرف عحرف

نسجت جمل اللي البسهم وقت البرد raquoراح اضلني اناديlaquo raquoبنحكي كلماتlaquo

ألف با كبايه أوعك تكسرهاامسكها للنهاية وكل ما تفضى مليها

كلمه أو رواية ومع املراحل زيدها شيحكاية وهيك ضلك زود فيها

وجيبها لتجمعاتك وساعتها استعملها لنقاشاتك وملواقفك استخدمها

هادي مدافعك اللي مداها بسيطرتك وما دافعك انه ما تخليها رايتك

ما هي تكتب ما هي توصف ما هي تكذب ما هي تنصف

ما هي هي الهروب هياللجوء هي الدروب هي

العبور باحلدود واللي مبرؤهم مبدع وبفوز باخللود واللي بسرقهم مش مقنع

واذا بتديهم احلرية بنادوك ممنوعDواذا بتوخد احلريه بنادوك مسموح A M

ldquoThey all hear you but few listen to youldquo

Lyrics ainrsquot just a bunch of words they are ldquosignsldquo

Leading us stabilizing us on tight ropes

Winds every way if we are thin we will fall

ldquoBut hell noldquo ldquoyou can measure my words in tonsldquo

Every word has a meaning I knitted a letter with another letter

Made warm sentences to wear in cold days

ldquoSo Irsquoll still shoutldquo ldquowe control lyricsldquo

The Arabic alphabet is like a glass donrsquot break it

Hold it tight and keep filling it

And then bring it to our arguments

Scream till your throat gets dry and then wet it

It holds our body itrsquos like our legs

If you stand for nothing yoursquoll fall for anything

The words write create

They kill lead and sometimes even lie

You can use them to build borders

And those who are gifted

Can use them to walk through borders

And in some governments

Itrsquos forbidden to give words freedom

But if you choke them and kill them

Thatrsquos allowed

F i g u r a t i v e t r a n s l a t i o n o f f e r e d b y t h e a r t i s t s

null

26837427

107106

further reading

The tracks presented in this document are not a comprehensive sampling of the genre of the market of hip hop in Arabic or of hip hop and rap in the wider Middle East

Artists featured here hail from Egypt Lebanon Palestine and the anglophone Arab diaspora The thriving North African hip hop scene is not represented nor is the work of the established francophone Arab diaspora nor the expanding hip hop scenes of especially Iran or Turkey

This collection does not attempt a comprehensive chronology Tracks featured here are not primarily new releases (though some are) neither are they all ldquoclassicsrdquo These limitations of scope are important to note

Many tracks of the popular Libyan group Ibn Thabitt and other groups from across the region have been translated and are hosted with commentary on the notable blog

revolutionaryarabrapblogspotcom

Another valuable resource is the Beirut-based blog by Jackson Allers ldquoBeats and Breathrdquo which features articulate critiques and reviews of events and releases from the region

jacksonallerswordpresscom

Hass Dennaoui (alias Big Hass) who recently launched started the first all hip-hop FM radio show in Saudi Arabia Laish Hip Hop (Why Hip Hop) manages a lively blog which

hosts an internet feed of his radio show and interviews with MCs and influential hip hop figures from around the world

revoltradioblogspotcom

Lebaneseundergroundcom hosts coverage of underground music in Lebanon including hip hop

And finally an excellent article by Hishaam Aidi on implications of the use of hip hop as foreign policy ldquoThe Grand (Hip-Hop) Chessboard Race Rap and Raison DrsquoEtatrdquo was published in The Middle East Report Fall 2011 Excerpts of the piece were published by Al Jazeera English in the article ldquoLeveraging Hip Hop in US Foreign Policyrdquo

All the artists and many of the translators whose work is showcased here host a significant online presence Their sites are listed with more about each of them on the following pages

109108

artist bios

ARABIAN KNIGHTZ the premier hip hop group from the land of the Nile River have not only established themselves as the lyricists with the sharpest swords in their land but they have also created the most consistent voice for rebellion strength and hope for the youth of the Middle East During the 2011 Revolution Arabian Knightz released two singles ldquoRebelrdquo and ldquoNot Your Prisonerrdquo anthems of resistance which gained worldwide attention and major media coverage for their powerful lyrics against a wicked system The group formed in 2006 through the cipher hip hoprsquos natural way of choosing like mindsets on the mic Rush Sphinx and E-Money were ahead of their peers adapting an authentic Arab perspective to the art dominated by Western voices mixing English and Arabic raps After hitting the studio for successful underground tracks AK enlisted super-producer Fredwreck (Snoop Dogg Xzibit Tha Dogg Pound) ldquoFokkakrdquo the single from this studio session was an instant hit and (surprisingly for Arabic Hip Hop) projected them to the top ten of the singles charts Arab League Records was formed amidst a growing fanbase and numerous collaborations with other Arab hip hop artists the first international Arab hip hop record label Desert Saga Volume 1 mixtape was the debut release led by ldquoThe Onerdquo featuring Egyptrsquos MC Amin Arabian Knightz have recorded their debut album Uknighted State of Arabia a masterpiece for Arab hip hop years in the making featuring instrumentals dominated by traditional percussions and players are scheduled for a Winter 2012 Release They are on Facebook

BOIKUTT is a musician and MC based in Ramallah Palestine Creating sounds using sampled material field recordings and electronic devices the results range between hip-hop downtempo ambient glitch and experimental He has composed and produced music for artists such as Kronos Quartet Bukue One Spiritchild Tamer Abu-Ghazaleh Bleubird and others and has appeared as an MC on albums for artists such as Slovo Heliodrome Bonnot and Lethal Skillz A co-founder of the Ramallah Underground Collective which has toured across the Arab World Europe and Australia Boikutt is also co-founder and member of audio-visual group Tashweesh with whom he is currently touring Also as a solo performer he has been in Beirut Cairo Manila Copenhagen London Hamburg Dubai Bethlehem and other cities He has produced and exhibited a few sound-art pieces composed several film scores has most recently composed the music for a dance theater performance entitled Bound by

New York-based company Yaa Samar Dance Theatre and is now working on different collaborative and solo projects His work may be heard at soundcloudcomboikutt and on Facebook

DAM Da Arabian MCrsquos are Suhell Nafar Tamer Nafar and Mahmoud Jreri The first Palestinian hip hop crew and among the first to rap in Arabic the group began working together in the late 1990s Struck by the uncanny resemblance of the reality of the streets in a Tupac video to the streets in their own neighborhood of Lyd they were inspired to tell their stories through hip hop Their timely song ldquoMin Irhabirdquo (ldquoWhorsquos the Terroristrdquo) was downloaded a million times shortly after its internet realese in 2001 and DAM became a household name among youth throughout the Middle East Ten years of performing all over the world has strengthened the grouprsquos commitment to continue living and working in their hometown of Lyd 15 minutes from Tel Aviv and working to provide the youth of the city and neighboring communities with programs and opportunities that have been denied to Palestinian citizens of Israel Their music is a unique fusion of East and West and encompasses influences as varied as Ghassan Kanafani Ahlam Mosteghanemi Mahmoud Darwish Naji al Ali Tupac Biggie Public Enemy MBS Krsquonaan and Pharoahe Monch IHDA (Dedication) DAMrsquos long-awaited first international album was released in 2007 and DAM has seen its songs and members featured in films such as Ford Transit (Dir Hany Abu Assad) Where in the World is Osama Bin Laden (Dir Morgan Spurlock) Salt of this Sea (Dir Annemarie Jacir) Local Angel and Forgiveness (Dir Udi Aloni) DAMrsquos history and influence on the Arab hip hop scene is detailed in the feature-length documentary Slingshot Hip Hop (Dir Jackie Reem Salloum) The group has also been featured in Vibe National Geographic Rolling Stone Q Basement Reuters and The New York Times and has appeared on MTV CNN BBC and Al Jazeera Their work can be heard and explored at damrapcom

EL DEEB first ventured into Egyptian Hip Hop when he joined Asfalt in 2005 He left in 2007 to create Wighit Nazara duo represented by Mohamed Yasser and himself It was a successful musical project that lasted until mid 2010 Currently he is working on his solo career with plans to release an EP every couple of months or so Cairofornia is his first solo EP His work may be heard at deebbandcampcom and on Facebook

EL RASS was born in Tripoli Lebanon He started writing poetry in literary Arabic at age 11 and started rhyming in spoken Lebanese dialect in 1999 at age 15 At that time he formed one third of a group of 3 MCrsquos going under the name of ldquoMlouk el Micrdquo (ldquoKings of the Micrdquo) They recorded one album and performed locally At 17 he left for France to study Finance and Economics Studies were hard money was scarce and exile was tough but music and poetry never left him as he continued rhyming with some underground French MCrsquos like Medline and Moebius and developed new musical skills on percussion in classical Arabic singing and baglama (turkish buzuk) After graduating and working for almost two years in the hell of banking and market finance El Rass decided to return to Lebanon He spent a year just re-discovering Beirut and making and learning music He now works as a journalist at the newspaper Assafir while concurrently pursuing joint projects with other producers and musicians He calls his work Taalik in reference to the same word in Arabic for ldquocommentrdquo and another word that comes from the same semantic root moaallakat which is a corpus of selected pre-Islamic poetry that was written with gold ink on the walls of the Karsquoaba in Mecca His work may be heard at soundcloudcomElRass

FAREEQ EL ATRASH is a hip hop band based out of Hamra St Beirut with a sound that is distinguished by laid back topical flows over live instrumentation It consists of Edd (raps) Nasser (raps) FZ (vocal production and FX) Fouad Afra (drums) Goo (plays guitar keys heart strings) and Abed Kobeissy (plays bass and buzuk) Their 2010 album and 2009 prealbum are available online More of their work may be found on Facebook Eddrsquos solo work can also be heard at soundcloudcomEdd

H2Z was born in Kuwait in 1986 where he lived for four years Due to the gulf war his family moved to Lebanon where he lived for the most part of his life Inspired by the tragic events in the Middle East and elsewhere in the world H2Z adopted rap music as a way to raise awareness about the injustices suffered by his people and to deliver a message through his music to anyone who supports the Palestinian cause His career began in 2004 when he was introduced to the production business by fellow rappers and soon he started producing his own tracks and established a local band producing many tracks for himself and other musicians in Lebanon In 2008 he released his first solo album titled 3aed which contained

17 tracks The political influence was noticed throughout the album and was generally well-received He is now studying for a degree in business administration at Wayne State University in Michigan His work may be heard at reverbnationcomh2z

KATIBEH 5 are based in Borj el Barajneh Lebanon Their work can be found at reverbnationcomkatibeh5 and myspacecomkatibe5palestine and on Facebook

M1 is Mutulu Olugbala of the New York based collective Dead Prez whose work is online at deadprezcom M1 is also on Facebook

MC GAZA is Adnan Mahmoud Ghonim an Algerian born artist and university student based in Gaza It was the beginning of 2005 when he attended one of the hip hop concerts in Gaza City ndash Gaza City that never appreciated the art he loved and attached himself to ndash and it was love at first sight between them Through some of the concerts he participated in a number of songs he collaborated on with Arabs from Egypt Algeria and Palestine and some active participation to represent the Palestinian people and interviews for both Arab and foreign press he was able to make a name for himself in the Gazan hip hop community His work may be found at youtubecomMCGaza and on Facebook

THE NARCICYST Having pioneered the Arab Hip-Hop movement with seminal Iraqi-Canadian crew Euphrates The Narcicyst recently broke through borders and shattered traveling etiquette touring solo around the world sharing stages with the likes of Brother Ali Mos Def and Kanye West to name a few On top of music The Narcicyst is a celebrated theorist whose academic work Fear of an Arab Planet has him from the stage to the classrooms of internationally renowned universities He is now also a professor at Concordia University teaching a Fine Arts course ldquoHip-Hop Past Present and Futurerdquo His writings have been published by multiple university presses and magazines internationally he is also a self-published author having recently released the biographical and social-study on the Arab world The Diatribes of a Dying Tribe As a true artist interested in really pushing his own artistic boundaries The Narcicyst has stepped into acting currently starring in the short music film PHATWA and in the first internationally-released film from the United Arab Emirates called City of Life A true multi-media

111110

KHALED AL HILLI is a PhD candidate in Comparative Literature at the Graduate Center City University of New York He has a BA in English Literature and a Masterrsquos degree in Teaching Second Languages Born in Iraq Khaled has taught in Lebanon and Saudi Arabia at both college and high school levels He has also worked with various Iraqi news outlets and has subtitledtranslated documentary films dealing with current social and political issues His research interests include Arabic political literature prison literature and literature in the diaspora He may be reached at hillykhalidgmailcom

+AZIZ is a NYC-based marketing consultant and a musician He is working through The World Music Parade to develop an animation project based on his music More about that project can be found at themusicparadetumblrcom He tweets from plusaziz

FAYSAL BIBI is a paleontologist and electronic musician currently based in Berlin

LOUBNA BILALI is originally from Morocco She did her undergrad and first MA in English Linguistics at Chouaib Doukkali University El Jadida She came to the US in 2008 to pursue a Masterrsquos degree in French to English translation and is currently working on a PhD in translation studies at Kent State University in Ohio She is very interested in learning and teaching languages as well as translating and localizing computer applications and websites She may be reached at loubnabilaligmailcom

FARAH ELREWAISSATI is a freelance translator pro-Palestine activist and BDS advocate who blogs at youthanormalizationblogspotcom She tweets from 3beee

NIZAR GHANEM was born in Lebanon He has been active in intercultural education interactive learning and conflict resolution across the Arab world His work on conflict resolution involved using theater comics and music as tools for emotional expression and social mobilization

RIMA NAJDI is a Performing Artist She studied dramatic arts at the Lebanese University in Beirut and obtained a Masterrsquos degree in Performance Studies at NYU New York She has written and performed in various plays and performances Najdi is particularly interested in multi-media performing arts and the position of the spectators

BARRAK ALZAID (copy editor) is the Artistic Director of ArteEast He is the editor of the ArteEast Quarterly a dynamic online portal featuring four publications that highlight contemporary art and culture from the Middle East and diaspora ndash ArtersquoZine Shahadat (contemporary short-form literature) Gallery and Cinematek (an online film center) He is also the curator for ArteEastrsquos Across Histories Art Talk Series featuring a series of panels on residencies in Fall 2011 He tweets from barrakster

RAYYA EL ZEIN (editor) is working towards a PhD in Theatre at the Graduate Center City University of New York Her research is increasingly focusing on theories of reception historical studies of audience behavior and popular culture in the Arab world She holds an MA in Performance Studies from NYU and is currently a teaching fellow at City College in Harlem She tweets from rayelz

translator biosdreamer Yassin recently established an arts label in the UAE called The Medium focusing on delivering art from Arabs in the diaspora and at lsquohomersquo to the rest of the world iraqisthebombcom He tweets from TheNarcicyst

OMAR OFFENDUM is a Syrian-American hip hop artist born in Saudi Arabia raised in Washington DC and living in Los Angeles Known for taking audiences on a lyrical journey from the jasmine-tree-lined courtyards of Nizar Qabbanirsquos Damascene homes to the flooded riverbanks of Langston Hughesrsquo Harlem Renaissance poems - Offendum has been featured on several major news outlets (BBC Yahoo ABC News Aljazeera PBS) toured the world to promote his ground-breaking music helped raise thousands of dollars for various humanitarian relief organizations (PCRF KinderUSA ANERA Islamic Relief) lectured at a number of prestigious academic institutions (Harvard MIT Stanford Columbia American University of Beirut NYU-AbuDhabi Qatar Education City) and most recently been involved in creating several critically-acclaimed songs about the popular democratic uprisings throughout the Middle East amp North Africa He is currently hard at work promoting his solo release - affectionately dubbed SyrianamericanA His work may be heard (and read) at offendumbandcampcom He is on Facebook and he tweets from Offendum

RAMALLAH UNDERGROUND based in Ramallah Palestine was born from the immediacy of musical experimentation and out of the need to give voice to a generation of Palestinians and Arabs facing a turbulent and uncertain political landscape The collective was founded by artists Boikutt Stormtrap and Aswatt and has always held a commitment to both the honesty of their work and the need to creatively rejuvenate Arabic culture To this end they combine music ranging from Arabic electronic music hip-hop and trip hop to downtempo with a deep sense of their local culture and the imposing presence of Palestine in their lives The outcome is a new specific and distinct sound RU (as producers and as MCrsquos ) has collaborated with numerous artists across the globe including countries like Lebanon UK Switzerland Italy USA France and many more including a collaboration with Slovo (a band headed by the guitarist from faithless) in their track ldquoNakbardquo which appears on their album Todo Cambia and with Kronos Quartet in the track ldquoTashweeshrdquo which appears on Floodplain RU has also performed live shows in Ramallah Bethlehem Vienna London Cairo Lausanne Amsterdam and Washington DC Their shows are mainly a performance of their hip-hop tracks as well as a few of their own electronic productions as a warm up More recently RU has incorporated a visual set in their live

performances brought to you by Palestinian visual artist Ruanne RU hopes to give a voice to Palestinians and Arabs bringing an alternative voice from the Arab world Their lyrics and music are an expression of anguish and defiance ultimately remaining a defiant voice of the colonized against the colonizer They continue to play a big role in the Arab underground cultural scene while slowly gaining wide global and local popularity

SHADIA MANSOURrsquos work can be found at myspacecomshadiamusic and on Facebook

STORMTRAP is a music producercomposerMC from Palestine Experimenting with old samples instruments and field recordings his sound is the result of a fusion of ambient atmospheres combined with various noises and hip hop beats His lyrics deal with different themes inspired mainly by his personal experiences in Palestine and life in the diaspora Stormtrap played a fundamental role in forming the band Ramallah Underground with which he has performed worldwide the past few years Currently he is working in Vienna with Aras Seyhan and Eren Ileri on a new album which combines live instruments synthesizers turntables beats and Arabic lyrics- which will be released early 2012 His work may be heard at soundcloudcomstormtrap He tweets from asifeh

AMEER YOSSEF 25 has sung and writen music with the band Klaket for the past four years His work may be heard at youtubecomAmeer and on Facebook

towards the work Her work for now concentrates on the process of making interactive and participatory performances that question borders stereotypes and languages

MOE ALI NAYEL is a fixer and a journalist based in Beirut Lebanon He uses social media blogging non-mainstream music journalism and writing as a word spreading eye opening socializing arena He uses social media as a bridge that cuts distance between people on this planet making it a tiny village This bridge starts in his office and takes him to every corner in the world enabling him to connect and network with people and cultures sharing and exchanging stories of the unheard and the neglected He blogs at Words of Action and he tweets from MoeAliNay

ALEX ORTIZ is a video and radio journalist and translator based in Cairo Egypt He graduated from Brown University in 2009 with a double major in Comparative Literature and Middle East Studies He was a CASA I fellow from 2009-2010 and a CASA II fellow from 2010-2011 He currently works for CBS News as a field producer He tweets from cairowitness

AHMED SHAWKET is an independent translator living in Cairo Egypt He is a graduate of the Helwan University Faculty of Arts where he majored in philosophy Ahmed works on literary media and commercial translation

113112

ABOUT SHAHADATShahadat is a quarterly online series designed to provide a platform for short-form writing and experimentation in writing by young and underexposed writers from the MENA region (Middle East and North Africa) The series features stories vignettes reflections and chronicles in translation and the original language of Arabic Farsi Turkish or Kurdish It makes up one quarter of ArteEastrsquos online programming the AE Quarterly For past issues of Shahadat click here

ABOUT THIS SERIES Shahadat is proud to run two alternating series and releases two issues a year of each The issue yoursquove just perused is part of the ldquoExploring Popular Literaturerdquo series This series challenges traditional understandings of ldquoliteraturerdquo emerging from the Middle East and North Africa by presenting genres of creative production that rely on words and language but which have not typically been studied as literature Works are presented in their original language and in translation

In each issue we gather texts from a spectrum of writers to challenge the singular status of the artistauthor and to encourage a more complex presentation of the Middle Eastern and North African ldquostreetrdquo for English-speaking audiences Shahadatrsquos other series ldquoContemporary Literature in Translationrdquo features the work of a single young author in the original language and in English translation

BEHIND THE DOCUMENTShahadat is co-edited by Rayya El Zein Alex Ortiz and ArteEastrsquos Artistic Director Barrak Alzaid All three are young professionals and scholars with artistic inclinations (literature poetry translation and performance) All three have strong connections to New York City and various metropole of the MENA region Shahadat is for us an experiment and a labor of love An editorial board of established scholars and authors is currently being conceived

SPECIAL THANKS TOAnmar El ZeinKinda AkashAndrew JohnstonLivia Alexander

Shahadat logo design by Rima Farouki

114

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Page 22: Shahadat Winter 2012

4342

كرامتنا بدن ياهاكل شي إلنا بدن ياه

ما رح نسكتلن نسمحلن الالبقلن يسرقوا شغلة مش إلهن ما خصن فيا

بيقلدونا باللبسكل هاألرض بيكفيهنش

طمعانني عالقدسإعرفوا كيف تكونوا بشر

قبل ما تلبسوا الكوفيةجينا نذكرن مني إحنا

وغصبا من عن أبوهم هاي حطتنا

من هيك لبسنا الكوفيةألنها وطنية

الكوفية الكوفية عربيةمن هيك لبسنا الكوفية

هويتنا األساسيةالكوفية الكوفية عربية

يال علي الكوفيةعلولي هالكوفية

الكوفية الكوفية عربيةعلوها لبالد الشام

كوفية عربية بتضال عربية

ما في بعد متل الشعب العربيفرجوني أية أمة بالدنيا أكثر مأثرة

الصورة واضحة نحنا مهد احلضارة

S h a d i a M a n s o u r w i t h M 1 o f D e a d P r e z

Our dignity they want it

Everything thatrsquos ours they want it

We will not be silent will not allow it

It suits them to steal something that ainrsquot theirs

They imitate our style

As if all this land werenrsquot not enough

Thirsting after Jerusalem

Know how to be human

Before you wear our scarf

We came to remind them who we are

And like it or not itrsquos our right

Thatrsquos why we wore the kufeyyeh

Because it is nationalistic

The kufeyyeh is Arab

Thatrsquos why we wore the kufeyyeh

Because it is our original identity

The kufeyyeh is Arab

Come on raise your kufeyyehs

Raise that kufeyyeh

The kufeyyeh is Arab

Raise it up for bilad ersquosham [Greater Syria the wider Arab world]

The kufeyyeh is Arab and will always be Arab

There are no others like the Arab people

Show me one region in the world that is more influencial

The picture is clear we are the origins of civilization

Kufeyyeh Arabeyyeh

Shadia Mansour and M1

Shahadat Winter 2012 track 616

Hip Hop

26239166

4544

تاريخنا وتراثنا الشاهد على وجودنامن هيك لبست التوب الفلسطيني

من حيفا جنني جبل النار إلى رام اللهخليني شوف الكوفية

البيضة واحلمراخلينا نعليها لفوق بالسما

أنا شادية العربلساني بغز غزبلساني بهز هز

كلمات احلربسجل أنا شادية منصور

واحلطة هويتيمن يوم ما خلقت

سيدي والشعب مسؤوليتيلكن تربيت بني الشرق وبني الغرب

بني لغتنيبني بخيل بني فقير

شفت احلياة من اجلهتنيبس علمتني الكوفية

كيف ما لبستونيوين ما شلحتوني

بضلني عأصولي فلسطينية

S h a d i a M a n s o u r w i t h M 1 o f D e a d P r e z

Our history traditions and customs bear witness to our existence

Thatrsquos why I wear the Palestinian dress

From Haifa Jenin Jabal El Naar to Ramallah

Let me see the kufeyyeh

The red and white one

Letrsquos raise it up to the sky

I am the singer of the Arabs

Like an earthquake I shake the ground

My words are war

Record this

I am Shadia Mansour

And this scarf is my ID

From the day I was born the people have been my responsibility

Look I was raised between the East and the West

Between two languages

Between the rich and the poor

Irsquove seen life from both sides

However the kufeyyeh has taught me

However you wear me

Wherever you leave me

I stay true to my origin Palestinian

T r a n s l a t e d b y t h e a r t i s t w i t h F a r a h E l R e w a i s s a t i

Kufeyyeh Arabeyyeh

Shadia Mansour and M1

Shahadat Winter 2012 track 616

Hip Hop

26239166

4746

حمامة سالم افتحي أجنحتكي و طيري

وين الوعي - وين امشوا معي هني وادي بني اجلبلني عني حب للطرفني

أمهاتنا حبت ذاتنا بس مو عاجبهن مسباتنا هذا احلكي بني اخواتنا

Oزين العرب واألمريكان m a r O f f e n d u m

This track contains verses that were originally written in English

You are my

(Destiny)

Itrsquos hard livinrsquo in the West - when I know the East got the best of me

(Destiny)

Could be lookinrsquo in my eyes - but yoursquoll never really see the rest of me

(Destiny)

Can you hear me maseeri [my destiny] Bi-lingualrsquos what Irsquom blessed to be

(Destiny)

Dove of Peace

Spread your wings amp fly

Consciousness What consciousness - where is it

Take a walk with me

Here in this valley between two ldquomountainsldquo

Where the source of love for both ldquosidesldquo can be found

Our mothers like us

But donrsquot like our foul language

So letrsquos keep this between the siblings

The best of Arabs amp Americans

destمصيري iny

7 Destiny

Omar Offendum

The Peace Revolution 20

21332892

eng - iTunNORM 000006D3 000006F2 000038BA 0000322F 0000E4FA 0000E4FA 00008716 0000864B 0002AB5E 000083D6

eng - iTunSMPB 00000000 00000210 0000094B 00000000008F7FA5 00000000 004108FB 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000

4948

وألله يرحم كل أمواتنا أغاني

مثل املهامتة إذا قلنا العني بالعني

ما صفى عندنا عيون بالشام بالد الشام

من فلسطني إلى جبال لبنان قبل ما اخترعوا احلدود

من اإلسكندرون إلى كردستان فهمان

جنجس خان ما خان قد ما خانونا أوالد العم بس دمنا دمهم

بني أدم - بنو ذمنبهم على أكتافنا - شلنا همهم

ليه الله بيعلم

بس ليك هذا الفتيش والبسكليت احسنلك من 100000000 مسدس

تعرف ليه ألن مو عاجبهم بسمتك

بس إبتسم برسمتك شاب عربي ومثقف

أعطيهم ختمتك وإذا لسة مو راضني

ذكرهم بكالم إيليية )أبي ماضي( raquoنسي الطني ساعة أنه طنيlaquo

Oوهذه هي القضاء والقدر يا حبيبي m a r O f f e n d u m

And may God have mercy on all our dead

Songs I sing

Like the Mahatma [the line above and the line below are linked through the sound of the name and the figure of Mahatama Ghandi]

If we say lsquoan eye for an eyersquo

There wont be any eyes left in Sham [Damascus]

Bilad al-Sham [Greater Syria the wider Arab world]

From Palestine to the mountains of Lebanon

Before they made up these borders

From Iskandaroon to Kurdistan

Understand

Genghis Khan never deceived us quite like our ldquopaternal cousinsldquo [khan also means ldquodeceiveldquo in Arabic]

But our blood is their blood

Children of Adam -- who built their sins

Upon our shoulders -- we carried their burden

Why

God knows

But listen this little firecracker amp bicycle

Are better for you than 100 million guns

Wanna know why

Because they dont like seeing you smile

But smile you will - in your human being

A young cultured Arab male

Give them your stamp of approval

And if they still donrsquot accept you

Then remind them of the words of Elliye [Abi-Madhee a Lebanese poet whose poem begins with]

ldquoHow soon a piece of dirt can forget that all he really is is just dirtldquo [ie we are all from this earth amp

will come back to it so there is no logic in viewing yourself as better than someone else]

And that my friend is our destiny

7 Destiny

Omar Offendum

The Peace Revolution 20

21332892

eng - iTunNORM 000006D3 000006F2 000038BA 0000322F 0000E4FA 0000E4FA 00008716 0000864B 0002AB5E 000083D6

eng - iTunSMPB 00000000 00000210 0000094B 00000000008F7FA5 00000000 004108FB 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000

5150

O m a r O f f e n d u m

Dove of Peace

Spread your wings amp fly

Make it easier to borrow

The aesthetics you bite

Like all the Arabic loanwords

From Spaniards amp Morros

The Karma of Inquisition

Visions of horror

So whorsquos the explorer

Really was it Columbus

Muhammad al-Idrisi or Alfaragnus

Throw a Hobson Jobson

While you figure it out

Irsquom gonna start with a cipher

Thatrsquos a siffir [zero] - no doubt

See you might not have learned to live with me

But sure as hell canrsquot without

You are my

You are my

(Destiny)

Itrsquos hard livinrsquo in the West - when I know the East got the best of me

(Destiny)

Could be lookinrsquo in my eyes - but yoursquoll never really see the rest of me

(Destiny)

Can you hear me maseeri [my destiny] Bi-lingualrsquos what Irsquom blessed to be

(Destiny)

حمامة سالم افتحي أجنحتكي و طيري

I write right to left

You write left to right

Metaphor of a foreignerrsquos plight

Dressed to type

Stereo amp a mic

Scenario of a fight

The burial of a white

Imperial at his heightrsquos

A Turkish Rapperrsquos Delight

Semetic etiquette might

Just have you rollin your ldquoRrsquosldquo

Poetic amp light

And grab a hold of your sorrows

To relieve your tomorrows

7 Destiny

Omar Offendum

The Peace Revolution 20

21332892

eng - iTunNORM 000006D3 000006F2 000038BA 0000322F 0000E4FA 0000E4FA 00008716 0000864B 0002AB5E 000083D6

eng - iTunSMPB 00000000 00000210 0000094B 00000000008F7FA5 00000000 004108FB 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000

5352

O m a r O f f e n d u m

Dove of Peace

Spread your wings amp fly

Bitched out by the West

Press get a big shout

From the people gettinrsquo rich out of this (bout)

Now whatrsquos this really all about

Land money or power

It was the colonizerrsquos fault

But now itrsquos really just ours

Leavinrsquo a sour tase in our mouths

Like generational slave names

Whenever speakinrsquo out

Out-spoken leaders gettinrsquo taken out

Quicker than belligerent drunks in a bar

We a far cry from livinrsquo as one

T r a n s l a t e d b y t h e a r t i s t

(Destiny)

Itrsquos hard livinrsquo in the West - when I know the East got the best of me

(Destiny)

Could be lookinrsquo in my eyes - but yoursquoll never really see the rest of me

(Destiny)

Can you hear me maseeri [my destiny] Bi-lingualrsquos what Irsquom blessed to be

(Destiny)

حمامة سالم افتحي أجنحتكي و طيري

See arab [Arabs] shootin at each other

From Iraq to Falasteen [Palastine]

Syria to Libnan [Lebanon]

Algeria to Sudan

Pedagogy of the oppressed tricklinrsquo down

Conquerinrsquo through divisions

And sadly this isnrsquot the first time

One land one love one chance one blood

No fuss no fight Yeah right young blood

AKrsquos cheaper than a book

Crooked leaders in a hook

Gettinrsquo fished out

Missles gettinrsquo dished out

7 Destiny

Omar Offendum

The Peace Revolution 20

21332892

eng - iTunNORM 000006D3 000006F2 000038BA 0000322F 0000E4FA 0000E4FA 00008716 0000864B 0002AB5E 000083D6

eng - iTunSMPB 00000000 00000210 0000094B 00000000008F7FA5 00000000 004108FB 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000

5554

زي ما صار مبارح صار اليوم اطف التلفزيون امسك مايكروفون

زي ما صار مبارح صار اليوم اطف التلفزيون امسك مايكروفون

زي ما صار مبارح صار اليوم اطف التلفزيون امسك مايكروفون

زي ما صار مبارح صار اليوم اطف التلفزيون امسك مايكروفون

النه الوقت عم يسبق بقلك خي سالم بس اصبر

بدك تستني هاي اخلطط بعمرها ما تضبطبيدفعلك قد ما بدك عشان تسكت

واذا بتفتح متك طخة وحده وبعد بتسقط

s t o r m t r a p

What happened yesterday happens today

switch off your TV and grab a microphone

What happened yesterday happens today

switch off your TV and grab a microphone

What happened yesterday happens today

switch off your TV and grab a microphone

What happened yesterday happens today

switch off your TV and grab a microphone

Because time is racing

He keeps telling you peace is coming just be patient

You want to wait these plans never succeed

Hersquoll pay you as much as you want to keep you quiet

And if you open your mouth one shot will silence you

what happened yesterdayزي ما صار مبارح

Zey ma sar mbareh

Stormtrap

null

2009

1728613

eng - Visit httpstormtrapbandcampcom

5756

اركض اركض وخليك راكض

واذا بتفتح متك رح يقلك خليك ساكت رح يقلك انساك من هاملشاكل

حوشوا هالشواك وضبوا شناتكم واشتروا التذاكرففكر شوي وما تكنش أهبل

وين ما تروح في الدنيا رح تتبهدلمش شايف قدامي عم بسمع أصوات بيسألني

ليش لسه عايش هون روح عيش محل تانيبدي احك بس الكلمات مش طالعة من لساني

عنصرية هونن عنصرية هناك عنصرية كل ما اطلع برا الشباك

شيطان بيعمل حاله مالكبس هو بالواقع بدو يعيش بالك

جدار بيمثل عقلية ناس بدهاش تعيش معاك

زي ما صار مبارح صار اليوم اطف التلفزيون امسك مايكروفون

ما مبثل شخص او اشخاص مبثل فكرةاسم احلرية حاملينه

من بلد ما فيه حياة عاديةسواءا ضد االحتالل أو ضد العنصرية

أصواتكم وينايي خلوها تنسمع وتطلع نتائج ايجابية

فكمل كتابة او تسجيل وصدقني شغلك مش رايح عالفاضي

عشان الشي الوحيد اللي رح يروح هو احن اذا منضلنا علقانني فاملاضي

s t o r m t r a p

Run run

Keep running

And if you decide to speak hersquoll tell you just stay silent

Hersquoll tell you forget these problems

Save up some money pack your bags and buy your tickets

Think about it donrsquot be a fool

Wherever you go yoursquoll get humiliated

I canrsquot see in front of me Irsquom hearing voices asking

Why are you still living here Go live somewhere else

I want to respond but the words wonrsquot come out

Racism here racism there

Racism each time I look out the window

A devil in an angelrsquos disguise

In reality he wants to live without you

The apartheid wall represents the mentality of a people who donrsquot care to coexist

What happened yesterday happens today

switch off your TV and grab a microphone

I dont represent a person or a people I represent an idea

An idea called freedom

From a land lacking a normal life

Whether yoursquore struggling against occupation or against racism

Where is your voice

Let it be heard to achieve your goals

So keep writing and recording

Believe me your work wonrsquot be lost in vain

The only thing thatrsquoll disappear is us

If we stay stuck in the past

Zey ma sar mbareh

Stormtrap

null

2009

1728613

eng - Visit httpstormtrapbandcampcom

5958

شو الي حدثجينا من حتت األرض

هيهة القصة بدة عنا هدفوننشر أصواتنا لكل حدا

جيت من حتت أرض رام اللهما ح وقف اكتب كلمات وال مرة

عندي طاقة الزم أطلعها كل يوم وكل ساعةفاو انبنى مع الوقت ولسة عم بيطور تصور

تصورفاو انبنى مع الوقت ولسة عم بيطور تصور

زي ما صار مبارح صار اليوم اطف التلفزيون امسك مايكروفون

زي ما صار مبارح صار اليوم اطف التلفزيون امسك مايكروفون

s t o r m t r a p

What happened

We came from underground

The story begins we have an objective

To spread our voices to everyone

I came from the ruins of Ramallah and

I wonrsquot ever stop writing words

I have energy that I must release every day every hour

A flow thatrsquos been built and is still developing imagine

Imagine a flow thatrsquos been built and is still developing

What happened yesterday happens today

Switch off your TV and grab a microphone

What happened yesterday happens today

Switch off your TV and grab a microphone

T r a n s l a t e d b y t h e a r t i s t

Zey ma sar mbareh

Stormtrap

null

2009

1728613

eng - Visit httpstormtrapbandcampcom

6160

Wake up the People

Donrsquot doubt it

The Maker can see you

Right now

You want to get out and see doe

So clouded

Sell out to be dope

Right now

I see you plagued by your own doubt

Canrsquot step the game up

Like a snake when it rolled down

Staircase of a lone child

No bricks lain in a cold house

Where you sold out

All alone on an old couch

t h e N a r c i c y s t

No click like an untapped phone dial

Oh wow

I felt the same homie

Donrsquot shelter pain only

Then it came slowly

Never let the frame hold me (down)

Picture life for the love though

People tend to look the other way like Columbo

We deceived by the law just to love doe

Guess they took all the worth out to numb folks

And make a severed plan

Out of bitter man

What you want a medal man

Huh Do you really think yoursquore better than Then

All you really need is a long look

Two sixteens and a strong hook like

brassThis track was originally written in English

null

2149748

6362

Wake up the People

Donrsquot doubt it

The Maker can see you

Right now

You want to get out and see doe

So clouded

Sell out to be dope

Right now

Break

Hip hop like a fresh pelvis

Yoursquore gonna regret this shit like a dead Elvis

Busy wishing you could live less selfish

Crabs in a bucket duckinrsquo these dead shellfish

Industry got a brother feeling helpless

With an ill chorus and ride yoursquore more in the tide

When a flow canrsquot keep me above the water

t h e N a r c i c y s t

Let a wave carry me out and push me farther now

Internal Inferno ten journals written but Irsquom still not sure though

Do I really want to tour to jump hurdles To be heard

So-I-Can-Feel-Like-This

Man therersquos something that I might miss--

Naw Irsquove been bluffinrsquo

Lifersquos backwards like Ben Buttonsrsquo

Irsquom in love with the stage fright on a strange night

Feels good to get the words on a page right

Wake up the People

Donrsquot doubt it

The Maker can see you

Right now

You want to get out and see doe

So clouded

Sell out to be dope

Right now

null

2149748

6564

مبارح شفت بلمنام بيروت عمتغرق حتت رماد بركان فحموا الناس بس ال raquoسكاي بارlaquo كان بعده ولعان

بيروت ثبتت حبة الثورة اللي فينا نبتت ملا أحبطت نفوسنا من اجلمود

فينا بيروت حتركت عدم دمارنا وعدم حرية خيارنا

بيوت بيروت تعمرت سكرنا عجفاف دموعنا جفوننا عليها تسكرت فتخمرت

إذا بطلت تطير قدرك عألرض مقهور إذا وقفت تكسير بتصير جزء من الديكور

e l R a s s

Yesterday I dreamt Beirut was drowning under volcanic ash

The people were turned to charcoal but Sky Bar [a posh Beirut club] was still lit up

Beirut suppressed the seed of the revolution the one that sprouted

When our spirits were foiled from immobility

In us Beirut moved

On the blood of our destruction and the negation of our freedom of choice

The houses of Beirut are rebuilt

We got drunk on the dryness of our tears our eyelids closed on them and fermented

If you stop flying your destiny on land is distress

If you stop breaking you become part of the decoration

beirutبركان بيروت rsquos volcano

Blues

2125713

6766

بحاور بناور باآلخر بواجه التاج بتوضى بصلي بتوصلني أصوات أنات احملتاج

تأمل العلم بعري العمل من العمل خياري عنار خفيفة دوب املسمار وتستوي األفكار النظيفة

عمروا دمروا زمروا تذمروا ربك صبره دربه جربه

عقلن خربوا غربوا هربوا وقبلوا بالفن عحيط الشارع

عشرط ما يكون في شك بشارع هيدي مش عاصمة ثقافة هيدي حلبة املصارع بيروت ال تعرف في املاضي وال تعرب باملضارع

حتول التركيبة خلى العقل اجلامد فكر حاله مالك املدينة رقبته طويلة متل مالك احلزين وايده لوزيري

اعتبر نفسه أول مني اكتشف هلجزيرة بأجر الفقير شقق بأسعار مدروسة

بشكل تضل طموحاته ممعوسة نهبوا األرض من ربعي وصارت احلرب شركة استثمار مبفعول رجعي

حتت شعار إعادة اإلعمار لو ما كان خلص دوره وانتهى عقد االيجار

كان احلريري ما طار وما صار مطار احلريري عاصمة لبنان بتوازن بني ضريحني

واتنيناتن عاغتيالن في عالمة استفهام e واحد قدس املوت بس لسبب l R a s s

I discuss I maneuver ultimately I confront the crown

I perform ablutions I pray I receive the moaning of the needy

The meditation of knowledge strips work from hope

My choice is on low fire melting the nails and clean thoughts are ripening

They built they destroyed they honked they complained

Your god made him patient tested him and trained him

Their minds ruined westernized chased off

They accepted art pissed on back alleys

As long as there is no doubt in the streets

This is no capital of culture itrsquos a wrestling ring

Beirut canrsquot speak of itself in the past nor conjugate itself in the present

Transitions and transformations made the closed mind think he owns the city

His neck is long like a stork his fingers long like a politicianrsquos

He thinks himself the first who discovered this peninsula

He lets the poor rent apartments at prices studied

To crush ambitions

They stole the land from my cousins

And the war became a backward-looking investment

Under the slogan of reconstruction

If his time wasnrsquot up and his contract finished

Hariri didnrsquot have to fly and it wouldnrsquot have become the Hariri airport

Lebanonrsquos capital keeps balance between two shrines

And on both assassinations there is a question mark

One sanctifies death but for a reason

Blues

2125713

6968

واحد قدس احلياة بس بالكذب واحد بايدو حتول الذهب سم وواحد تخبى من الذهب بالدم

مني الشهيد

اللي مات حتت صبابيط ثورة عبيد شهيد اللي مات فتحول على حملة اعالنات هدفها ترفع الطايفة معدالت التجنيد

قنابل بالبريد وصل سيوف علوريد حصل

املوت للبليد صنم الصبر للعنيد حلم تأليه الشهيد ظلم

خليط احلديد والدم العالج والسم الرفاه والهم النوعية والكم

الدعارة وورقة التوت مبدينة بيروت علم

e l R a s s

And one sanctifies life with lies

In onersquos hand gold turned into poison

And the other hid from gold with blood

Who is the martyr

The one who died under the shoes of the oppressedrsquos uprising is a martyr

Is it he whose death was transformed into an advertising campaign to raise the levels of

sectarian enlistment

Bombs came in the mail

Swords to the jugular true stories

Death to the cold is statuette

Patience to the stubborn is a dream

Divinity to the martyr is oppression

The mixture of steel and blood the cure and poison

Luxury and distress quality and quantity

Prostitution and modesty

The science of the city of Beirut

T r a n s l a t e d b y M o e A l i N a y e l amp + A z i z

Blues

2125713

7170

بقرأ في اجلريدة زفت شوارع جديدة

إزالة مطبات و كثير أشياء هيك مفيدة أشخاص مستفيدة

دعم من هون و من هون منظمات بس احلرية بعيدة

مقاطعة مستوطنات تعون الضفة الغربية وطنية حصرية إدعائية

طب و فلسطني التاريخية مع ألساس كانت القدس عاصمة الثقافة العربية

بس كلوحكي سياسية للشعب إحنا نتحمل الشغل و التعب و الوضع صعب

b o i k u t t

Irsquom reading in the paper

About roads newly paved

Speed bumps removed and a lot of other useful stuff (yes very)

Certain inviduals benefit

Funding from here and there

Organizations are plentiful but freedom is far-fetched

Calling for a boycott of settlements around the West Bank

Pretentious exclusive nationalism

But what about historical Palestine

I thought Jerusalem was supposed to be the ldquocapital of Arab cultureldquo

But itrsquos all political speeches for the people

We put up with the work and the sweat and itrsquos rough

a letterرسالة من مقاطعة from boikutt

risaleh mn muqataa (pt1)

boikutt

null

2010

1086983

eng - iTunPGAP0

eng - iTunNORM 00000A1E 00000A0E 000099D9 000098A0 0000CC63 0000CC63 0000826D 000080B0 000131D0 000131D0

eng - iTunSMPB 00000000 00000210 000008F3 000000000049197D 00000000 0027BA9D 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000

7372

يقنعونا إن كلشي متام و بقدر أعيش حياة عادية

زي في األفالم على مبس واحد إثنني ثالثة أربعة إلخ

كن منيح و بتنزل عليك املصاري زخ نصيحة من أخ ألخ

خليك مستقل ألن اللعبة إنلعب فإبعد عن الفخ

خليهم يقعدوا يستنوا الدعم ليموتوا يلفلفوا داخل اجلدار حلد ما يفوتوا

في متاهات مبسافات مش محددة مجددة لتوسع التوسع مش مهددة

إنتهاك احتالل بس مش على الكل

في ناس في فلسطني هون حياتهم زي الفل مش عارف شو بيفكر

شكلوا مش داري شي يوم حنروح كل الدكاكني هي حتسكر

سالم

b o i k u t t

Try to convince me that everythingrsquos fine

And that I can lead a normal life

Like in the movies

On MBC one two three four etcetera

Be good and money will rain on you

Advice from one brother to another

Stay independent because the games are being played

So steer clear of the trap

Let them wait for foreign aid until they die

Spinning in circles within the apartheid wall until they enter

Into unlimited mazes with unspecified spaces

That are renewed to fit settlement expansion unthreatened

Violation occupation

But not for everyone

There are people here in Palestine living ldquothe good lifeldquo

I donrsquot know what hersquos thinking

Seems like he doesnrsquot know one day wersquoll be gone

And all these shops will close

Peace

T r a n s l a t e d b y t h e a r t i s t w i t h L o u b n a B i l a l i

risaleh mn muqataa (pt1)

boikutt

null

2010

1086983

eng - iTunPGAP0

eng - iTunNORM 00000A1E 00000A0E 000099D9 000098A0 0000CC63 0000CC63 0000826D 000080B0 000131D0 000131D0

eng - iTunSMPB 00000000 00000210 000008F3 000000000049197D 00000000 0027BA9D 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000

7574

الضغط عاليالعدو فات جاري احملادثات

صمت دوليكمية الغازى عم تزداد

تهجير جديد مولود جديدتكرر عزو مش تارك ورا شي مفيد غير غراب

من كل البيت ما تركو شي إال البابمن االرض ل سما مسافة عاليه

إمشي الصحرا وعد لياليوجنوما

كمشوا رئيس دولة بجورةحصار

توزيع مخدراتباألحمر تلون الفرات سجون معتقالتقبلة الوداع مع الصبات

تنصت بالشبكة خيانات باألزهر

k a t i b e h 5

The pressure is high

The enemy has entered discussions are taking place

Global silence

The numbers of the occupier are increasing

A new expulsion A newborn child

The perpetuation of an invasion that leaves behind it nothing of any use except for a crow

From an entire house they left nothing but the door

From the ground to the sky is a long distance

Walk the desert and count the nights

And its stars

They caught a president in a pit

Siege

Drug dealing the Euphrates is stained red prisons detention centers

A farewell kiss with a shoe

Networks wiretapped betrayals in Al Azhar

hold me back ifهديني اذا فيك you can

null

23098943

7776

حوار أديانالكف تنجس

متسح فيه وجك مع كل شروق عالوضوءتسمع شرارة فتيل مولوتوف ينادي أصوات تتلبى

باإلنفجار

هديني إذا فيك صرت موجود بكل مكانوجي مغبش عامل زي جيش زباتا

منصرخ بوجكم raquoاحلرية ل برغوتيlaquoإعالمكو بيعرفني كلماتكو حملت إسمي

شركاتكو بتهرب مني )كتيبه خمسه هديتي إذا فيك(

بتالقيني بني والد حفظوا غنية املخيماتبنفسية فالح عمال يزو املدينة

افالم تافهةبرنامج تافه

بتدور على مخك بتالقي مش موجوداخلليج يتحكم بإعالم

هادول حبوب التنومي ٦1 سنة بعدن مش شغالني

عالمادامك واخد وجهة نظري

ع محمل اجلدمسموح لك تستعجب وتظهر إنزعاجك بوجودي

ألني صديق لكل املشاهد الغير مرغوبة فيهاش بيختار حياتو بالتحديد بحكيلك هيك منحياها ومحد

ضغط رصاص وابارود بخليكاش حتيدالتجارب بتدلك عطريق

هديتي إذا فيك

k a t i b e h 5

A dialogue of religions

The hand is tainted

And with it you cleanse your face at ablution each sunrise

You hear the sparking of the fuse of a molotov calling voices respond

Explosion

Hold me back if you can I have become present everywhere

My face is concealed like the army of Zapata

We shout in your face ldquoFreedom for Barghoutildquo

Your media knows me your words have glimpsed my name

Your corporations flee from me

(Katibe Khamseh hold me back if you can)

Yoursquoll find me among children that have memorized the song ldquoAl Moukhayamatldquo

In the persona of a peasant that is visiting the city

Shallow films

Shallow programs

You look for your mind but you find it is not there

The Gulf controls media with its boundaries

These sleeping pills 61 years and theyrsquore still not effective

Great

As long as you are taking my point of view seriously

Yoursquore allowed to be taken aback and to show your irritation

Just like you show your irritation at my presence

Because I am a friend to all the images that are not desirable

This is how we live out these images and no one chooses their life specifically Irsquoll tell you

The pressure of bullets and gunpowder does not allow you to move away

Experience will guide you on the road

Hold me back if you can

null

23098943

7978

موقف واحد صريح من صميم روح لشعوب املقاومة ضمير ظهور البشرية

السبيل صعب ورا الغضبدعم لكل أسالوب محارب

د لنحرق نظامك منتدرب منجرب منخرب منستععم نحرق نظامك

هديتي إذا فيك

إطلع منيحمش رح تقدر توخذ كل شي من أول نظرة

نظرة عامة raquoبشرة مش بيضةlaquoجبني عريضة مكتوب مولود عنيد بالفطرة

فوت بالتقاليد عد التجاعيدلك هاي مش أول مرة

لغات ودراسات حط العلم بغالفمش رح تقدر تفهم ليه بعد في بارود ع الكتافلون األرض ولون الليل بيعطيك البني و السواد

بوعدك مش لوحدي رح أضل عد رماد الال اللعبة اجلديدة وال والدنا ع اللعبة جداد

بكفيش إنفلونزا الصقور صار في إنفلونزا اخلنازيرموسم مرض جديد لرئيس مبثل ع نفوس ومريض بهدوء البيض

هديتي إذا فيك

k a t i b e h 5

A single honest stance from the bottom of the soul for the people of the resistance the conscience

that exposes humanity

The path is difficult when following anger

A support for every style of battle

We train we strive we disrupt we prepare to burn your system

We are burning your system

Hold me back if you can

Look closely

You wonrsquot be able to see it all at first sight

An overview ldquocomplexion that is not whiteldquo

A broad forehead written born stubborn by nature

Look at the traditions and count the wrinkles

This is not the first time

Languages and scholarship put education under wraps

You wonrsquot be able to understand why there is still gunpowder on shoulders

The color of earth and the color of night gives you brown and blackness

I promise you that I will not be alone to count the ashes no

This game to us is not new and nor are our children new to the game

As if the influenza of eagles was not enough now therersquos the influenza of pigs

The season of a new disease for a president acting for a public and sick with the

calmness of white people

Hold me back if you can

null

23098943

8180

اإلحتالل نكه البشر بنكهة املجاريبالسالم حوار أديانبإقرار ملكية كذابة

بتشويه تاريخ وسرقة حضاراتولك أه

فلسطني إفريقيا الدجلة والفراتإجتاه البشرية لإلضمحالل سرطان بشري بعضها

الشتا ميسح اخلطايا واآلثاروليش بتتخبى وبتتغطى بنفس كل سفارة سميك الستار

لساتني باكل الضربة ورا الضره ورا الضربةوحتى ما أفعل وأساوي تكمشني الرجفة

بدل ما أضرب فيك بضرب بحاليبوعدكش حضلني كامش حالي حفلتها

حفلتها

هديني إذا فيك هديني إذا فيكهديني إذا فيك

k a t i b e h 5

The occupation has seasoned humanity with the flavor of sewers

With peace with dialogue of religions

With the declaration of false ownership

With the distortion of history and the theft of civilizations

Oh yes

Palestine Africa the Tigris and Euphrates

Humanity is leading to reduction a human cancer bites it

Exile wipes clean the sins and the traces

And why are you hiding and seeking cover when all the embassies are already well concealed

I am still taking one beating after another

And so that I donrsquot take action and do something shudders grip my body

Instead of beating you I beat myself

I canrsquot promise you that I can keep myself restrained

Irsquom gonna let go

Hold me back if you can

Hold me back if you can

Hold me back if you can

T r a n s l a t e d b y R i m a N a j d i a n d F a y s a l B i b i

null

23098943

8382

طول عمر الشعب املصري مع بعض أحلك الظروفبص وفر في التاريخ وانت ياما هاتشوف

الدين ده ليا وليكوفيا وفيك

حاجة روحانية بتخليك حتس اللي بيك

ايد في ايد نبني فيها من جديد

مصر زعلت علي حاصل وسطنا مش مفيد

بعد ثورة وبعد عيد فتنة تقتل حلم واتتحقق لنا

واحد اتننيالذكري بتعيش اكتر من عمر االنسان

بصمتنا تغييرنا جوة وبرة امليدان مش هانضيع نصر ثورتنا بفتنة نشئت بينا

A r a b i a n K n i g h t s + M C G a z a + A m e e r

The Egyptian people have always stuck together

Through the worst times look at history

And see how often wersquove been there for each other

That whole idea of religion

Is for you and for me something spiritual that makes you feel whatrsquos inside you

Hand in hand

We build Egypt up again

Egypt is angry at whatrsquos happening between us

Itrsquos not helpful

After the revolution after the celebration

Sectarian strife is killing the dream we fulfilled

One two

The memory lasts more than a lifetime

Our mark is our change in and outside Tahrir Square

We wonrsquot give up the victory of our revolution in exchange for sectarian strife between

us

hand inايد في ايد hand

Eid Fe Eid

Yasser Ameer Youssef Rush E Money amp MCGaza | by BOGEY

Single Hit track 11

20112011

Hip-Hop

24002867

eng - Hip-Hop 4 Life

eng - iTunNORM 000005E2 0000058E 0000424E 00003537 00026E95 0001C2B3 00008000 00008000 00005045 00005045

8584

بلدنا محتجانا ايدنا واحدة ضد احملنة تفرق ايه معاك ديانتي ملا ربك هو ربي

اصلك هو اصلي ارضك هي ارضي

ملا اتقال لي اكتت فيول فتنة انا قولت غلط علشان الفتنة مفتعلة في بلدنا وكان وراها غرض

فالفرد افترض فبفرض السياسة األمر اختلط

فالزم يبقي املصل سياسي من اصل املرض العسس واحلرس مافرقوش صليب وهالل

وكنا كلنا واحد وراء االقفالدم الشهيد شاهد

ياما بالفتنة انكسرنا وحدتنا بصوت واحد وضد الظلم انتصرنا

وديني هو ديني صلة بيني وبني ربي هارفع علمي وارفع راسي فوق

انا مصري

ايد في ايد نبني فيها من جديد

مصر زعلت علي حاصل وسطنا مش مفيد

بعد ثورة وبعد عيد فتنة تقتل حلم واتتحقق لنا

خلو حمامة السالم من الطيور املنقرضةعلشان تبقي القلوب مبتعدة منقسمه سهل تتسم

فكرين مناعة و قوة أم الدنيا بالطمع مرتبطةنسر املصريني ليس له دين احنا بنحميها بالدم

العنف بذوره بتكتر عاوز يوصل واحلروب حتصل

A r a b i a n K n i g h t s + M C G a z a + A m e e r

Our country needs us all together against the hard times

What difference does my religion make to you when your god is my god

Your origin is mine

Your land is my land

When they told me about sectarian strife I said thatrsquos wrong

Because itrsquos been planted in our country and behind it is some purpose

Makes one think somethingrsquos going on

By playing politics everythingrsquos gotten mixed up

The antidote has to be political just like the poison itself

The military doesnrsquot distinguish between cross and crescent

Wersquore all held together behind bars

The blood of the martyrs bears witness

To how much wersquove been broken by sectarianism

Through our unity we triumphed with one voice over injustice

And my religion is my own a rapport between me and God

Irsquoll raise my flag and my head up

Irsquom Egyptian

Hand in hand

We build Egypt up again

Egypt is angry at whatrsquos happening between us

Itrsquos not helpful

After the revolution after the victory

Sectarian strife is killing the dream we fulfilled

They drove the dove of peace to extinction

To keep hearts apart and divided itrsquos easy to poison them

Do they really think the resilience and strength of Egypt is connected to greed

The Egyptian eagle has no religion we protect it with our blood

The roots of violence are increasing want to gain control to start wars

Eid Fe Eid

Yasser Ameer Youssef Rush E Money amp MCGaza | by BOGEY

Single Hit track 11

20112011

Hip-Hop

24002867

eng - Hip-Hop 4 Life

eng - iTunNORM 000005E2 0000058E 0000424E 00003537 00026E95 0001C2B3 00008000 00008000 00005045 00005045

8786

للعاقيدة يكسر وألعضاء املشاعر تتشال تصتأصلعلى كالم ربهم اتكبرو فعملو قدر واتقدر

وقته مستنينه ليه خططوا مضمون الرسائل اتغير الن الهدف هو تدمير قعدة الوحدهوقتل كل قائد يقود الناس بره احملنه

فيبقي سهل يزيحنا ميحي أوصول عليها كبرناوكل واحد علي حداه يقول أنا محدش يقول احنا

فاببطء بحرص بص بعقل بحذر شوفقبل ما يخلوا خيالك يتخلله اخلوف

واخلوف ده افراز بيطلع من غده ملا الكلب بيشوفهابيعرف انك فاريسه سهل ياكلها ركز

فرق تسد إخلعوفق جتد إرفع

ثورة تقدصمت يفرد- يفرق

ما بيجمع بيننامن حقي النقد من حقك - تسمع

طب إسمع وراجع ما صور التاريخ طب باله بيكفي صور زمانييوم حصار كنيسة املهد مني دافع مني اتقمع مني اتنفا

مسلم مسيحي أل كان فلسطيني اتذكر معي ثورة غضب يناير

اتذكر معي الوحدة اإليد الوحدة اتشرف انتا مصرياتذكر معي األخ بإيد األخ يحمي األخ بدون إلخ

كالمي ماشي ماشي ال-لتفهمني بهويتي مسلم وال نصراني قبطي

ما في حجة لربطي خلبطي حلطي ألوطي ألغير خطيخير أجناد األرض

من أرض بيت املقدس كل السالم بعد ما قلت إلنقسام في وطنيانا ملزم أقول ال لفتنة

تفتت مجد شعب تعب عانى ضحى بالغالي حتى بناه

A r a b i a n K n i g h t s + M C G a z a + A m e e r

The relationship between Egyptians breaks down and the organs that feel are taken out

They got full of themselves in the name of their god and invented a new fate for us

Theyrsquore waiting for a time and theyrsquore plotting The meaning of their messages changes

Because the goal is to destroy the foundation of unity

And kill every leader who takes the people out of hard times

Itrsquos easy to remove us to wipe out the traditions we grew up with

Everyone on his own everyone says ldquoIldquo and no one says ldquoweldquo

Slowly carefully look Wisely with caution see

Before they make your imagination a slave to fear

And that fear releases a secretion from a gland

And when the dog sees it he knows yoursquore easy prey

Divide yoursquoll conquer

Bring harmony and yoursquoll reap Start

A revolution and it will catch on

Silence is solitary It divides

It doesnrsquot bring us together

It is my right to criticize and your right to listen

So listen and look back at history or better look at my life time

The day the Nativity Church was under siege who was persecuted Who was exiled

A Muslim A Christian No he was Palestinian

Letrsquos remember the angry revolution of January

Letrsquos remember the unity the one hand Be proud yoursquore Egyptian

Remember the brother holding hands with a brother protecting a brother

And I can go on

Donrsquot teach me about my identity whether Irsquom a Muslim or a Christian Copt

Therersquos no excuse to tie me down beat me to make me cower and kneel and stray from my courseThe Earthrsquos most virtuous soldiers

Come from the land of Bayt al-Maqdis [Jerusalem] I salute you After I said no to division in my countryIrsquom committed to saying no to seditionThat dissolves the glory of a people who labored suffered sacrificed what was most dear to build it

T r a n s l a t e d b y A l e x O r t i z + A h m e d S h a w k e t + K h a l e d A l H i l l i

Eid Fe Eid

Yasser Ameer Youssef Rush E Money amp MCGaza | by BOGEY

Single Hit track 11

20112011

Hip-Hop

24002867

eng - Hip-Hop 4 Life

eng - iTunNORM 000005E2 0000058E 0000424E 00003537 00026E95 0001C2B3 00008000 00008000 00005045 00005045

8988

الفن واملواهب زي حرب الكواكب الكل عايز يكون جنم صراع في الداخل

بهدي جنون العظمة بفلفل حر توابل تسيل دموع زي القنابل

زي مابتكلم وداني شغالة كون سامع نبض الشارع علشان أ

حالف أقضي على اإلعالم املتآمر مغامر في الكالم بس إنت مش سامع

ملا بأمسك القلم والورقة الهم بينزاح مخي بيرتاح بأقول اللي على البال

ملا بأقعد بحس بتأنيب ضمير كون في ستوديو بسجل على بيت خطير مفروض أ

e l D e e b + S t o r m t r a p

Art and talent are like Star Wars

Secretly everyone wants to be a star of conflict

I make megalomania tranquil with chilli hot spices

Tears flow like bombs

Thatrsquos how I talk and the world keeps moving

So that I can hear the pulse of the streets

Irsquove sworn to obliterate the media conspirators

I am adventurous in my speech but you do not hear

When I hold the pen and the paper my anxiety is lifted

My mind relaxes and I say whatrsquos on it

When I sit down I feel guilty

I should be in the studio recording dangerous beats

addictأدمان الشهرة ion to fame

Edman El Shuhra

Stormtrap amp Mohamed El Deeb

2011

Hip-Hop

15305855

- vocals Mohamed El Deeb Stormtrap13produced by Stormtrap

9190

إحساس غريب إنك تدمن الكالم ارسم يا فنان واخترع زي دافينشي الرسام

ولو مفيش ورقة باستخدم تليفوني خايف إن فكرة متعديش على صوتي

دنيا غريبة يوم مر يوم بونبوني بس أنا عمري ماغيرت لوني

املوسيقى بنادولي وبطابعي فضولي مهما قالوا لي هافهمها مبفهومي فـساعات أالقي نفسي بكلم نفسي واسمع أصوات غريبة في دماغي

وهو ده الصدى الصوت اللي بسمعه اكن مفيش حد فارقة معاه احالمي

شوف شوف مش هدف إنو أنا شخصيا أنا

هدفي انه كلماتي وموسيقتي تنتشرعشان هيك حتشوفني دوما مستمر مستثمر

كل وقتي كل طاقتي على أصواتي خوذ شك خوذ حتويل خوذ كاش

بس ما تنساش أي شي بيتعلق بالواقع بدناش ما تخاف ألنها قضيتنا مش منسية مية باملية هايذي ثورة كمان ثقافية

خليني أوضح هاي املوسيقى مش معمولة للتلفازeهاي املوسيقى مش معمولة لهز الطياز l D e e b + S t o r m t r a p

Strange feeling to be out of words

Paint oh artist and discover like Da Vinci the artist

If I donrsquot have paper I use my cell

I am afraid that the idea does not come through my voice

Strange world one day is bitter another like candy

But Irsquove never changed my color

Music is my Tylenol and my nature curious

So whatever they tell me Irsquoll understand it my way

Sometimes I find myself talking to myself

And I hear weird voices in my head

Which is just the echo of the sound I hear

As if no one cares about my dreams

See see

My goals are not self serving

My goal is that my words and music spread

Thatrsquos why yoursquoll see me always and continuously investing

All my time my energy on my sounds

Take a check take a transfer take cash

But never forget anything related to reality wersquore not interested

Donrsquot be afraid because our cause is not forgotten

One hundred percent this is also a cultural revolution

Let me explain this music is not meant to be televised

This music is not made for booty shaking

Edman El Shuhra

Stormtrap amp Mohamed El Deeb

2011

Hip-Hop

15305855

- vocals Mohamed El Deeb Stormtrap13produced by Stormtrap

9392

مش فاهم ليش الكل قاتل حاله يكون في مسابقةحابني نتصابح حياكم زات املكافحة

واالعالم ميت ع حيالله قصة ما بيدرس هالقصة من نصها

وبعدن بينفخهامش احلق علينا اذا ما بيبحثوا

وملا يبدوا يحكوا عنا أل عنجد بيبعصوابيفكروا انه كل شي هشك بشك

بس حدن الزم يقلهم انه الهب هوب مش هيكبدك تدير بالك عشانها هاي اللحظة احلاسمة

ملا يجوا عليك الديب والعاصفةنكسر حدود وبنبني وحدة عشان نحيي مجتماعاتنا

وننهي معانتناعشان هيك منكتب كلمات صريحة والها معنى

مش للشهرة مش حتى يجي حدن يدفعلنا

e l D e e b + S t o r m t r a p

I donrsquot understand why everyone is killing themselves to be in the contest

Wersquod like to say goodmorning to salute you in this same struggle

The mediarsquos dying for any story

But they donrsquot study the storyrsquos real text

And then they blow it out of proportion

Itrsquos not our fault if they donrsquot search

And when they talk about us then they really screw it up

They think everything is empty pointless

Somebody needs to tell them that hip hop is not like that

You should take care because this is the critical moment

When the wolf and storm come haunting you

We break borders and we create a unity to revitalize our communities

And stop our suffering

That is why we write frank words that have meaning

Itrsquos not for fame or even so that someone pays us

T r a n s l a t e d b y N i z a r G h a n e m

Edman El Shuhra

Stormtrap amp Mohamed El Deeb

2011

Hip-Hop

15305855

- vocals Mohamed El Deeb Stormtrap13produced by Stormtrap

9594

حضل عهل مود يعنيما إنتلك النجوم عم تقرب

بهل ال مود حكون عطول لبهل جنوم إدءر لو مضطر شن هجوم عل النجوم كلها

خللي األرض تدور حول أصبعي تنلك

ما إنتلك متلي متلك مولع طيار ألفكاري من العقدي تنفك فرد قعدي بني 4 حيطان ما بتنهز و منها ما بنهز

يلز املا بينلزالكاس عل الطاولي و منو عم مز مز

لتفتل براصي وحس من حالي عم كز كزعل ورقة كالمي مدروس و ما بزت زت بجرب ما عيد حالي متا يقولو عم نق نق

موزع قافياتي جواز كأن عم فت فت

بهل األطشة خلي الديني اللي تسمعني ترن رنFبسبيلي جاري يوم ع يوم عم برك رك a r e e q e l A t r a s h

Irsquoll stay in this mood

Didnrsquot I tell you The stars are getting closer

Irsquoll stay in this mood until I touch these stars

Even if I have to launch an attack on all the stars

Irsquoll make the Earth rotate around my finger I told you

Didnrsquot I tell you Irsquom just like you I lit up a joint so my ideas would untie their knot

Sitting this way in between four walls I wonrsquot budge

The most delectable

Drink is on the table from which Irsquom taking sips

Till my head starts spinning and Irsquom sick of myself

On the paper my words are calculated I donrsquot just toss them about

I try not to repeat myself so they wonrsquot say Irsquom nagging

I deal my rhymes out like theyrsquore cards

In this verse Irsquoll make those ears ring

My fountain is running and every day I excel

tالنجوم عم تقرب he stars are gett ing closer

null

29781717

9796

لضل ماشي جالس بينما غيري عم بلك لك شريط معلق ريحة العة عم بتفح فحكل ما فتح متو بتالقي عم بكب كب

عايشها إرهاب و مفي إال بسب سببزبالتي ما بكبو تيكون بعلمك

األالف مسم و بحياتو ما بينسم بزقة من هل التم تخلي سقفك ينش نش

تلمو ردم و ما تفكر إنو ترد رد و عم بحكي عالواطي متا الصالي فيك ترج رج

بطبعي عاقل بس بالراب بزل زل عل الرايق بال ما نط وال فز فز

type of shitعال بارد أبرد من شباط بس يقز قزتخلي عضامك ع بعض تسك سك

ما إنتلك النجوم عم تقرب بهل ال مود حكون عطول لبهل جنوم إدءر

لو مضطر شن هجوم عل النجوم كلهاخللي األرض تدور حول أصبعي تنلك

أنا متنبئ بنبه و بحقق ما قلتلك بعد وقتها ما عم نكت

عاملكرفون إبرة هرون عم بشكشك في شكcheck one two

هيك بدسدس عالنبض

F a r e e q e l A t r a s h

So I can walk straight when others are still playing

A broken record that reeks of a musty smell

Every time he opens his mouth he spews them out

He lives in terror and all he does is curse

I wouldnrsquot throw him in my garbage just so you know

Irsquove irritated thousands and never been irritated in my life

One spit out of this mouth will make your roof leak

And yoursquoll pick up the rubble and donrsquot even think about answering back

Irsquom talking in a low voice so the hall wonrsquot shake with you in it

Irsquom reasonable by nature but when it comes to rap I humiliate cold-heartedly

Without jumping or leaping around

I do it coldly colder than icy February-type of shit

Irsquoll make your bones rattle against each other

Didnrsquot I tell you The stars are getting closer

Irsquoll stay in this mood until I touch these stars

Even if I have to launch an attack on all the stars

Irsquoll make the Earth rotate around my finger I told you

Irsquom a psychic I predict and deliver

Didnrsquot I tell you to stand back when Irsquom not joking

Irsquom pricking the microphone with a heroin needle Is there any doubt

Check one two

Thatrsquos how I feel the pulse

null

29781717

9998

بدقق و زتزت حكي بتزجزج كأنها مزهزها عم بتشمشم عم خطط عم تكتيك و مني ملحلح من هون للساعة توقف تك تيك تك تيك

لك ليك منفخ حاله عامبيكازيب عا غيري بس بوجهي بتاءتإوجهه بيباءبإ من أد ما بعصب بسبسب

زر إنذار إذني بتطنطن و بشوف من عالباب عم بدقدق

عكروت بدو يفوت ليشوف الفن فني بس الفن هون بجسمي معبأ

من حلقي طايف و من متي عم بت شرشر و بيس البيس زلزال برجرج خليك تضبضب تنضب بالبيت لتكنكن

و أنا متأسف ألني بدي استأذن بس بعد شفت كابتشينو بتصحصح

ما إنتلك النجوم عم تقرببهل ال مود حكون عطول لبهل جنوم إدءر

لو مضطر شن هجوم عل النجوم كلهاخللي األرض تدور حول أصبعي تنلك

هيدا هب هوبمش هبل و ال بهل

هيدا زجل تتغزل في

ورايي إيقاع عليي إتبع و ما إطلع عنو يا بصير متل غير مسيس

زقفوا مع االيقاعزقفوا مع االيقاع

F a r e e q e l A t r a s h

Checking and hurling words that tickle as if I was high and sniffing

I am planning and scheming and Irsquom not going anywhere till the clock stops ticking

Look hersquos so full of it lying to others but in my face he stutters

And his face turns red from all the anger and he curses

My earsrsquo alarm bells start ringing

And I go to see whorsquos knocking at the door

Some bastard who wants to see where ldquothe artldquo is

But the art is right here packed in my body

Flowing from my throat running out of my mouth

And the bass is an earthquake that shakes and forces you to pack up and go home

And Irsquom sorry because I need to take leave

But after a sip of cappuccino yoursquoll come around

Didnrsquot I tell you The stars are getting closer

Irsquoll stay in this mood

Until I touch these stars even if I have to launch an attack on all the stars

Irsquoll make the Earth rotate around my finger I told you

This is hip hop

Itrsquos not stupid nor dumb

Itrsquos zajal [a form of Arabic poetry in the Levant]

That you flirt with

There is a beat that I have to follow canrsquot lose it or Irsquoll be like other MCs

Clap with the beat

Clap with the beat

T r a n s l a t e d b y K h a l e d A l H i l l i

null

29781717

101100

انا ببلعهم بتفهم وال مره بسبهمبخليهم داميا يضاربو بتفكيرهم

أنا وراهم قدامهم جنابهم محتلهممش طايقهم مرات وزنهم بكون منزلهم

مرتبهم صاففهم وبقلم أنا حاكمهم زاتتهم مش عاجبيني أنا ماحيهم قائدهم وبنفس الوقت أنا عبيدهم

وبفك وربط أنا بلعب مبعانيهمانا حاميهم بأسطر اللي تقويهم

انا واعدهم اني أستر على فاضحهم ومطلعهم بصوره اللي تبشعهم

بس أنا محترمهم وبسطور ساجنهم مكتفهم كأسير بجنازير القهر

ومهديهم بحبل اللي يبشر بالصبر وانا لي الفخر أكون الشوك اللي فيهم

Dوأكون القهر اللي داميا يسقيهم A M

Yo this is dedicated to the lyrics

Irsquom swallowing them spitting them never dissing them

Giving them freedom of speech

Irsquom behind them in front of them because of them always standing with them

Sometimes get sick of them sick of how you abuse them

Gather them in line with my pen I order them

Didnrsquot like it Throwing them out and replacing them

Irsquom their leader and also their slave

Small changes make huge differences

I train them in pages to make them strong

Promising to use them not abuse them

Or allow the wrong mouths to utter them

Approach them with a military mind and find peace in them

Irsquom lucky to be full of thorns and even luckier that I found the lyrics

So theyrsquoll help me find the roses in me

wordsكلمات

null

26837427

103102

raquoالكل سمعك بس السؤال اذا اللي سمعك فهمكlaquoكلمات ليست كالكلمات بل raquoعالماتlaquo

اللي توجهنا وين مابدنا عحبال السيرك هي تثبتنا ريح العالم من كل جهه اذا احنا ضعاف بتوقعنا بس

raquoأل بلمره ألlaquo raquoكلمات عندي طنlaquoكل واحده الها هدف اخدت حرف عحرف

نسجت جمل اللي البسهم وقت البرد raquoراح اضلني اناديlaquo raquoبنحكي كلماتlaquo

انت بتعرف انهم مبنصب شهاد بحكو املاضي وتنبوا حاضر أي بالد

قد ماحكيت قد ما أحكي فش كالم يغطي بسفي كالم يربي وينمي انت بس أروي

في شوف انه قوه والقوه بتقويفيك و أن رويته مصيره يسقيك )مثل للقوه( العدو من أمامكم

والبحر من ورائكم فال تخيبوا أسيادكمفأين أشعاركم وأين مجادلتكم

فأنتم تسكتون وتخمدون أحالمكم)انهي( نهيت ورجعت للعامية بكلمات

مرمية طالعه من عقليه شعبيهمتل جنيب اللي بذاكرة كل واحد محفوظ مدروس واذا أل معناته في خلل معكوس

عاملجتمع اللي قمع كتاباته Dاللي سمح لنسيانه يشيل خطواته A M

ldquoThey all hear you but few listen to youldquo

Lyrics ainrsquot just a bunch of words they are ldquosignsldquo

Leading us stabilizing us on tight ropes

Winds every way if we are thin we will fall

ldquoBut hell noldquo ldquoyou can measure my words in tonsldquo

Every word has a meaning I knitted a letter with another letter

Made warm sentences to wear in cold days

ldquoSo Irsquoll still shoutldquo ldquowe control lyricsldquo

You know lyrics are like a witness

They witnessed the past and forecast the future

As much as I said or say I canrsquot describe them

But there is a way to find the description and thatrsquos through them

Quench the thirst of the pages with them

So in the future itrsquoll quench your thirst

Keep feeding them as soon as they grow up

Theyrsquoll give you strength

ldquoExample for the strengthldquo

ldquoThe enemy is before you the sea is behind you

So donrsquot you dare disappoint our ancestors

Where are our deep poems Where are our strong statements

From generation to generation we kill our dreamsldquo

ldquoEnough philosophizingldquo ok lets get back to street talk

Words coming outta simple minds

Like Najeeb Mahfuz [literally lsquowell-rememberedrsquo also a famous author]

They keep living in our minds

And if you donrsquot know who he is - then I rest my case

null

26837427

105104

raquoالكل سمعك بس السؤال اذا اللي سمعك فهمكlaquoكلمات ليست كالكلمات بل raquoعالماتlaquo

اللي توجهنا وين مابدنا عحبال السيرك هي تثبتنا ريح العالم من كل جهه اذا احنا ضعاف بتوقعنا بس

raquoأل بلمره ألlaquo raquoكلمات عندي طنlaquoكل واحده الها هدف اخدت حرف عحرف

نسجت جمل اللي البسهم وقت البرد raquoراح اضلني اناديlaquo raquoبنحكي كلماتlaquo

ألف با كبايه أوعك تكسرهاامسكها للنهاية وكل ما تفضى مليها

كلمه أو رواية ومع املراحل زيدها شيحكاية وهيك ضلك زود فيها

وجيبها لتجمعاتك وساعتها استعملها لنقاشاتك وملواقفك استخدمها

هادي مدافعك اللي مداها بسيطرتك وما دافعك انه ما تخليها رايتك

ما هي تكتب ما هي توصف ما هي تكذب ما هي تنصف

ما هي هي الهروب هياللجوء هي الدروب هي

العبور باحلدود واللي مبرؤهم مبدع وبفوز باخللود واللي بسرقهم مش مقنع

واذا بتديهم احلرية بنادوك ممنوعDواذا بتوخد احلريه بنادوك مسموح A M

ldquoThey all hear you but few listen to youldquo

Lyrics ainrsquot just a bunch of words they are ldquosignsldquo

Leading us stabilizing us on tight ropes

Winds every way if we are thin we will fall

ldquoBut hell noldquo ldquoyou can measure my words in tonsldquo

Every word has a meaning I knitted a letter with another letter

Made warm sentences to wear in cold days

ldquoSo Irsquoll still shoutldquo ldquowe control lyricsldquo

The Arabic alphabet is like a glass donrsquot break it

Hold it tight and keep filling it

And then bring it to our arguments

Scream till your throat gets dry and then wet it

It holds our body itrsquos like our legs

If you stand for nothing yoursquoll fall for anything

The words write create

They kill lead and sometimes even lie

You can use them to build borders

And those who are gifted

Can use them to walk through borders

And in some governments

Itrsquos forbidden to give words freedom

But if you choke them and kill them

Thatrsquos allowed

F i g u r a t i v e t r a n s l a t i o n o f f e r e d b y t h e a r t i s t s

null

26837427

107106

further reading

The tracks presented in this document are not a comprehensive sampling of the genre of the market of hip hop in Arabic or of hip hop and rap in the wider Middle East

Artists featured here hail from Egypt Lebanon Palestine and the anglophone Arab diaspora The thriving North African hip hop scene is not represented nor is the work of the established francophone Arab diaspora nor the expanding hip hop scenes of especially Iran or Turkey

This collection does not attempt a comprehensive chronology Tracks featured here are not primarily new releases (though some are) neither are they all ldquoclassicsrdquo These limitations of scope are important to note

Many tracks of the popular Libyan group Ibn Thabitt and other groups from across the region have been translated and are hosted with commentary on the notable blog

revolutionaryarabrapblogspotcom

Another valuable resource is the Beirut-based blog by Jackson Allers ldquoBeats and Breathrdquo which features articulate critiques and reviews of events and releases from the region

jacksonallerswordpresscom

Hass Dennaoui (alias Big Hass) who recently launched started the first all hip-hop FM radio show in Saudi Arabia Laish Hip Hop (Why Hip Hop) manages a lively blog which

hosts an internet feed of his radio show and interviews with MCs and influential hip hop figures from around the world

revoltradioblogspotcom

Lebaneseundergroundcom hosts coverage of underground music in Lebanon including hip hop

And finally an excellent article by Hishaam Aidi on implications of the use of hip hop as foreign policy ldquoThe Grand (Hip-Hop) Chessboard Race Rap and Raison DrsquoEtatrdquo was published in The Middle East Report Fall 2011 Excerpts of the piece were published by Al Jazeera English in the article ldquoLeveraging Hip Hop in US Foreign Policyrdquo

All the artists and many of the translators whose work is showcased here host a significant online presence Their sites are listed with more about each of them on the following pages

109108

artist bios

ARABIAN KNIGHTZ the premier hip hop group from the land of the Nile River have not only established themselves as the lyricists with the sharpest swords in their land but they have also created the most consistent voice for rebellion strength and hope for the youth of the Middle East During the 2011 Revolution Arabian Knightz released two singles ldquoRebelrdquo and ldquoNot Your Prisonerrdquo anthems of resistance which gained worldwide attention and major media coverage for their powerful lyrics against a wicked system The group formed in 2006 through the cipher hip hoprsquos natural way of choosing like mindsets on the mic Rush Sphinx and E-Money were ahead of their peers adapting an authentic Arab perspective to the art dominated by Western voices mixing English and Arabic raps After hitting the studio for successful underground tracks AK enlisted super-producer Fredwreck (Snoop Dogg Xzibit Tha Dogg Pound) ldquoFokkakrdquo the single from this studio session was an instant hit and (surprisingly for Arabic Hip Hop) projected them to the top ten of the singles charts Arab League Records was formed amidst a growing fanbase and numerous collaborations with other Arab hip hop artists the first international Arab hip hop record label Desert Saga Volume 1 mixtape was the debut release led by ldquoThe Onerdquo featuring Egyptrsquos MC Amin Arabian Knightz have recorded their debut album Uknighted State of Arabia a masterpiece for Arab hip hop years in the making featuring instrumentals dominated by traditional percussions and players are scheduled for a Winter 2012 Release They are on Facebook

BOIKUTT is a musician and MC based in Ramallah Palestine Creating sounds using sampled material field recordings and electronic devices the results range between hip-hop downtempo ambient glitch and experimental He has composed and produced music for artists such as Kronos Quartet Bukue One Spiritchild Tamer Abu-Ghazaleh Bleubird and others and has appeared as an MC on albums for artists such as Slovo Heliodrome Bonnot and Lethal Skillz A co-founder of the Ramallah Underground Collective which has toured across the Arab World Europe and Australia Boikutt is also co-founder and member of audio-visual group Tashweesh with whom he is currently touring Also as a solo performer he has been in Beirut Cairo Manila Copenhagen London Hamburg Dubai Bethlehem and other cities He has produced and exhibited a few sound-art pieces composed several film scores has most recently composed the music for a dance theater performance entitled Bound by

New York-based company Yaa Samar Dance Theatre and is now working on different collaborative and solo projects His work may be heard at soundcloudcomboikutt and on Facebook

DAM Da Arabian MCrsquos are Suhell Nafar Tamer Nafar and Mahmoud Jreri The first Palestinian hip hop crew and among the first to rap in Arabic the group began working together in the late 1990s Struck by the uncanny resemblance of the reality of the streets in a Tupac video to the streets in their own neighborhood of Lyd they were inspired to tell their stories through hip hop Their timely song ldquoMin Irhabirdquo (ldquoWhorsquos the Terroristrdquo) was downloaded a million times shortly after its internet realese in 2001 and DAM became a household name among youth throughout the Middle East Ten years of performing all over the world has strengthened the grouprsquos commitment to continue living and working in their hometown of Lyd 15 minutes from Tel Aviv and working to provide the youth of the city and neighboring communities with programs and opportunities that have been denied to Palestinian citizens of Israel Their music is a unique fusion of East and West and encompasses influences as varied as Ghassan Kanafani Ahlam Mosteghanemi Mahmoud Darwish Naji al Ali Tupac Biggie Public Enemy MBS Krsquonaan and Pharoahe Monch IHDA (Dedication) DAMrsquos long-awaited first international album was released in 2007 and DAM has seen its songs and members featured in films such as Ford Transit (Dir Hany Abu Assad) Where in the World is Osama Bin Laden (Dir Morgan Spurlock) Salt of this Sea (Dir Annemarie Jacir) Local Angel and Forgiveness (Dir Udi Aloni) DAMrsquos history and influence on the Arab hip hop scene is detailed in the feature-length documentary Slingshot Hip Hop (Dir Jackie Reem Salloum) The group has also been featured in Vibe National Geographic Rolling Stone Q Basement Reuters and The New York Times and has appeared on MTV CNN BBC and Al Jazeera Their work can be heard and explored at damrapcom

EL DEEB first ventured into Egyptian Hip Hop when he joined Asfalt in 2005 He left in 2007 to create Wighit Nazara duo represented by Mohamed Yasser and himself It was a successful musical project that lasted until mid 2010 Currently he is working on his solo career with plans to release an EP every couple of months or so Cairofornia is his first solo EP His work may be heard at deebbandcampcom and on Facebook

EL RASS was born in Tripoli Lebanon He started writing poetry in literary Arabic at age 11 and started rhyming in spoken Lebanese dialect in 1999 at age 15 At that time he formed one third of a group of 3 MCrsquos going under the name of ldquoMlouk el Micrdquo (ldquoKings of the Micrdquo) They recorded one album and performed locally At 17 he left for France to study Finance and Economics Studies were hard money was scarce and exile was tough but music and poetry never left him as he continued rhyming with some underground French MCrsquos like Medline and Moebius and developed new musical skills on percussion in classical Arabic singing and baglama (turkish buzuk) After graduating and working for almost two years in the hell of banking and market finance El Rass decided to return to Lebanon He spent a year just re-discovering Beirut and making and learning music He now works as a journalist at the newspaper Assafir while concurrently pursuing joint projects with other producers and musicians He calls his work Taalik in reference to the same word in Arabic for ldquocommentrdquo and another word that comes from the same semantic root moaallakat which is a corpus of selected pre-Islamic poetry that was written with gold ink on the walls of the Karsquoaba in Mecca His work may be heard at soundcloudcomElRass

FAREEQ EL ATRASH is a hip hop band based out of Hamra St Beirut with a sound that is distinguished by laid back topical flows over live instrumentation It consists of Edd (raps) Nasser (raps) FZ (vocal production and FX) Fouad Afra (drums) Goo (plays guitar keys heart strings) and Abed Kobeissy (plays bass and buzuk) Their 2010 album and 2009 prealbum are available online More of their work may be found on Facebook Eddrsquos solo work can also be heard at soundcloudcomEdd

H2Z was born in Kuwait in 1986 where he lived for four years Due to the gulf war his family moved to Lebanon where he lived for the most part of his life Inspired by the tragic events in the Middle East and elsewhere in the world H2Z adopted rap music as a way to raise awareness about the injustices suffered by his people and to deliver a message through his music to anyone who supports the Palestinian cause His career began in 2004 when he was introduced to the production business by fellow rappers and soon he started producing his own tracks and established a local band producing many tracks for himself and other musicians in Lebanon In 2008 he released his first solo album titled 3aed which contained

17 tracks The political influence was noticed throughout the album and was generally well-received He is now studying for a degree in business administration at Wayne State University in Michigan His work may be heard at reverbnationcomh2z

KATIBEH 5 are based in Borj el Barajneh Lebanon Their work can be found at reverbnationcomkatibeh5 and myspacecomkatibe5palestine and on Facebook

M1 is Mutulu Olugbala of the New York based collective Dead Prez whose work is online at deadprezcom M1 is also on Facebook

MC GAZA is Adnan Mahmoud Ghonim an Algerian born artist and university student based in Gaza It was the beginning of 2005 when he attended one of the hip hop concerts in Gaza City ndash Gaza City that never appreciated the art he loved and attached himself to ndash and it was love at first sight between them Through some of the concerts he participated in a number of songs he collaborated on with Arabs from Egypt Algeria and Palestine and some active participation to represent the Palestinian people and interviews for both Arab and foreign press he was able to make a name for himself in the Gazan hip hop community His work may be found at youtubecomMCGaza and on Facebook

THE NARCICYST Having pioneered the Arab Hip-Hop movement with seminal Iraqi-Canadian crew Euphrates The Narcicyst recently broke through borders and shattered traveling etiquette touring solo around the world sharing stages with the likes of Brother Ali Mos Def and Kanye West to name a few On top of music The Narcicyst is a celebrated theorist whose academic work Fear of an Arab Planet has him from the stage to the classrooms of internationally renowned universities He is now also a professor at Concordia University teaching a Fine Arts course ldquoHip-Hop Past Present and Futurerdquo His writings have been published by multiple university presses and magazines internationally he is also a self-published author having recently released the biographical and social-study on the Arab world The Diatribes of a Dying Tribe As a true artist interested in really pushing his own artistic boundaries The Narcicyst has stepped into acting currently starring in the short music film PHATWA and in the first internationally-released film from the United Arab Emirates called City of Life A true multi-media

111110

KHALED AL HILLI is a PhD candidate in Comparative Literature at the Graduate Center City University of New York He has a BA in English Literature and a Masterrsquos degree in Teaching Second Languages Born in Iraq Khaled has taught in Lebanon and Saudi Arabia at both college and high school levels He has also worked with various Iraqi news outlets and has subtitledtranslated documentary films dealing with current social and political issues His research interests include Arabic political literature prison literature and literature in the diaspora He may be reached at hillykhalidgmailcom

+AZIZ is a NYC-based marketing consultant and a musician He is working through The World Music Parade to develop an animation project based on his music More about that project can be found at themusicparadetumblrcom He tweets from plusaziz

FAYSAL BIBI is a paleontologist and electronic musician currently based in Berlin

LOUBNA BILALI is originally from Morocco She did her undergrad and first MA in English Linguistics at Chouaib Doukkali University El Jadida She came to the US in 2008 to pursue a Masterrsquos degree in French to English translation and is currently working on a PhD in translation studies at Kent State University in Ohio She is very interested in learning and teaching languages as well as translating and localizing computer applications and websites She may be reached at loubnabilaligmailcom

FARAH ELREWAISSATI is a freelance translator pro-Palestine activist and BDS advocate who blogs at youthanormalizationblogspotcom She tweets from 3beee

NIZAR GHANEM was born in Lebanon He has been active in intercultural education interactive learning and conflict resolution across the Arab world His work on conflict resolution involved using theater comics and music as tools for emotional expression and social mobilization

RIMA NAJDI is a Performing Artist She studied dramatic arts at the Lebanese University in Beirut and obtained a Masterrsquos degree in Performance Studies at NYU New York She has written and performed in various plays and performances Najdi is particularly interested in multi-media performing arts and the position of the spectators

BARRAK ALZAID (copy editor) is the Artistic Director of ArteEast He is the editor of the ArteEast Quarterly a dynamic online portal featuring four publications that highlight contemporary art and culture from the Middle East and diaspora ndash ArtersquoZine Shahadat (contemporary short-form literature) Gallery and Cinematek (an online film center) He is also the curator for ArteEastrsquos Across Histories Art Talk Series featuring a series of panels on residencies in Fall 2011 He tweets from barrakster

RAYYA EL ZEIN (editor) is working towards a PhD in Theatre at the Graduate Center City University of New York Her research is increasingly focusing on theories of reception historical studies of audience behavior and popular culture in the Arab world She holds an MA in Performance Studies from NYU and is currently a teaching fellow at City College in Harlem She tweets from rayelz

translator biosdreamer Yassin recently established an arts label in the UAE called The Medium focusing on delivering art from Arabs in the diaspora and at lsquohomersquo to the rest of the world iraqisthebombcom He tweets from TheNarcicyst

OMAR OFFENDUM is a Syrian-American hip hop artist born in Saudi Arabia raised in Washington DC and living in Los Angeles Known for taking audiences on a lyrical journey from the jasmine-tree-lined courtyards of Nizar Qabbanirsquos Damascene homes to the flooded riverbanks of Langston Hughesrsquo Harlem Renaissance poems - Offendum has been featured on several major news outlets (BBC Yahoo ABC News Aljazeera PBS) toured the world to promote his ground-breaking music helped raise thousands of dollars for various humanitarian relief organizations (PCRF KinderUSA ANERA Islamic Relief) lectured at a number of prestigious academic institutions (Harvard MIT Stanford Columbia American University of Beirut NYU-AbuDhabi Qatar Education City) and most recently been involved in creating several critically-acclaimed songs about the popular democratic uprisings throughout the Middle East amp North Africa He is currently hard at work promoting his solo release - affectionately dubbed SyrianamericanA His work may be heard (and read) at offendumbandcampcom He is on Facebook and he tweets from Offendum

RAMALLAH UNDERGROUND based in Ramallah Palestine was born from the immediacy of musical experimentation and out of the need to give voice to a generation of Palestinians and Arabs facing a turbulent and uncertain political landscape The collective was founded by artists Boikutt Stormtrap and Aswatt and has always held a commitment to both the honesty of their work and the need to creatively rejuvenate Arabic culture To this end they combine music ranging from Arabic electronic music hip-hop and trip hop to downtempo with a deep sense of their local culture and the imposing presence of Palestine in their lives The outcome is a new specific and distinct sound RU (as producers and as MCrsquos ) has collaborated with numerous artists across the globe including countries like Lebanon UK Switzerland Italy USA France and many more including a collaboration with Slovo (a band headed by the guitarist from faithless) in their track ldquoNakbardquo which appears on their album Todo Cambia and with Kronos Quartet in the track ldquoTashweeshrdquo which appears on Floodplain RU has also performed live shows in Ramallah Bethlehem Vienna London Cairo Lausanne Amsterdam and Washington DC Their shows are mainly a performance of their hip-hop tracks as well as a few of their own electronic productions as a warm up More recently RU has incorporated a visual set in their live

performances brought to you by Palestinian visual artist Ruanne RU hopes to give a voice to Palestinians and Arabs bringing an alternative voice from the Arab world Their lyrics and music are an expression of anguish and defiance ultimately remaining a defiant voice of the colonized against the colonizer They continue to play a big role in the Arab underground cultural scene while slowly gaining wide global and local popularity

SHADIA MANSOURrsquos work can be found at myspacecomshadiamusic and on Facebook

STORMTRAP is a music producercomposerMC from Palestine Experimenting with old samples instruments and field recordings his sound is the result of a fusion of ambient atmospheres combined with various noises and hip hop beats His lyrics deal with different themes inspired mainly by his personal experiences in Palestine and life in the diaspora Stormtrap played a fundamental role in forming the band Ramallah Underground with which he has performed worldwide the past few years Currently he is working in Vienna with Aras Seyhan and Eren Ileri on a new album which combines live instruments synthesizers turntables beats and Arabic lyrics- which will be released early 2012 His work may be heard at soundcloudcomstormtrap He tweets from asifeh

AMEER YOSSEF 25 has sung and writen music with the band Klaket for the past four years His work may be heard at youtubecomAmeer and on Facebook

towards the work Her work for now concentrates on the process of making interactive and participatory performances that question borders stereotypes and languages

MOE ALI NAYEL is a fixer and a journalist based in Beirut Lebanon He uses social media blogging non-mainstream music journalism and writing as a word spreading eye opening socializing arena He uses social media as a bridge that cuts distance between people on this planet making it a tiny village This bridge starts in his office and takes him to every corner in the world enabling him to connect and network with people and cultures sharing and exchanging stories of the unheard and the neglected He blogs at Words of Action and he tweets from MoeAliNay

ALEX ORTIZ is a video and radio journalist and translator based in Cairo Egypt He graduated from Brown University in 2009 with a double major in Comparative Literature and Middle East Studies He was a CASA I fellow from 2009-2010 and a CASA II fellow from 2010-2011 He currently works for CBS News as a field producer He tweets from cairowitness

AHMED SHAWKET is an independent translator living in Cairo Egypt He is a graduate of the Helwan University Faculty of Arts where he majored in philosophy Ahmed works on literary media and commercial translation

113112

ABOUT SHAHADATShahadat is a quarterly online series designed to provide a platform for short-form writing and experimentation in writing by young and underexposed writers from the MENA region (Middle East and North Africa) The series features stories vignettes reflections and chronicles in translation and the original language of Arabic Farsi Turkish or Kurdish It makes up one quarter of ArteEastrsquos online programming the AE Quarterly For past issues of Shahadat click here

ABOUT THIS SERIES Shahadat is proud to run two alternating series and releases two issues a year of each The issue yoursquove just perused is part of the ldquoExploring Popular Literaturerdquo series This series challenges traditional understandings of ldquoliteraturerdquo emerging from the Middle East and North Africa by presenting genres of creative production that rely on words and language but which have not typically been studied as literature Works are presented in their original language and in translation

In each issue we gather texts from a spectrum of writers to challenge the singular status of the artistauthor and to encourage a more complex presentation of the Middle Eastern and North African ldquostreetrdquo for English-speaking audiences Shahadatrsquos other series ldquoContemporary Literature in Translationrdquo features the work of a single young author in the original language and in English translation

BEHIND THE DOCUMENTShahadat is co-edited by Rayya El Zein Alex Ortiz and ArteEastrsquos Artistic Director Barrak Alzaid All three are young professionals and scholars with artistic inclinations (literature poetry translation and performance) All three have strong connections to New York City and various metropole of the MENA region Shahadat is for us an experiment and a labor of love An editorial board of established scholars and authors is currently being conceived

SPECIAL THANKS TOAnmar El ZeinKinda AkashAndrew JohnstonLivia Alexander

Shahadat logo design by Rima Farouki

114

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Page 23: Shahadat Winter 2012

4544

تاريخنا وتراثنا الشاهد على وجودنامن هيك لبست التوب الفلسطيني

من حيفا جنني جبل النار إلى رام اللهخليني شوف الكوفية

البيضة واحلمراخلينا نعليها لفوق بالسما

أنا شادية العربلساني بغز غزبلساني بهز هز

كلمات احلربسجل أنا شادية منصور

واحلطة هويتيمن يوم ما خلقت

سيدي والشعب مسؤوليتيلكن تربيت بني الشرق وبني الغرب

بني لغتنيبني بخيل بني فقير

شفت احلياة من اجلهتنيبس علمتني الكوفية

كيف ما لبستونيوين ما شلحتوني

بضلني عأصولي فلسطينية

S h a d i a M a n s o u r w i t h M 1 o f D e a d P r e z

Our history traditions and customs bear witness to our existence

Thatrsquos why I wear the Palestinian dress

From Haifa Jenin Jabal El Naar to Ramallah

Let me see the kufeyyeh

The red and white one

Letrsquos raise it up to the sky

I am the singer of the Arabs

Like an earthquake I shake the ground

My words are war

Record this

I am Shadia Mansour

And this scarf is my ID

From the day I was born the people have been my responsibility

Look I was raised between the East and the West

Between two languages

Between the rich and the poor

Irsquove seen life from both sides

However the kufeyyeh has taught me

However you wear me

Wherever you leave me

I stay true to my origin Palestinian

T r a n s l a t e d b y t h e a r t i s t w i t h F a r a h E l R e w a i s s a t i

Kufeyyeh Arabeyyeh

Shadia Mansour and M1

Shahadat Winter 2012 track 616

Hip Hop

26239166

4746

حمامة سالم افتحي أجنحتكي و طيري

وين الوعي - وين امشوا معي هني وادي بني اجلبلني عني حب للطرفني

أمهاتنا حبت ذاتنا بس مو عاجبهن مسباتنا هذا احلكي بني اخواتنا

Oزين العرب واألمريكان m a r O f f e n d u m

This track contains verses that were originally written in English

You are my

(Destiny)

Itrsquos hard livinrsquo in the West - when I know the East got the best of me

(Destiny)

Could be lookinrsquo in my eyes - but yoursquoll never really see the rest of me

(Destiny)

Can you hear me maseeri [my destiny] Bi-lingualrsquos what Irsquom blessed to be

(Destiny)

Dove of Peace

Spread your wings amp fly

Consciousness What consciousness - where is it

Take a walk with me

Here in this valley between two ldquomountainsldquo

Where the source of love for both ldquosidesldquo can be found

Our mothers like us

But donrsquot like our foul language

So letrsquos keep this between the siblings

The best of Arabs amp Americans

destمصيري iny

7 Destiny

Omar Offendum

The Peace Revolution 20

21332892

eng - iTunNORM 000006D3 000006F2 000038BA 0000322F 0000E4FA 0000E4FA 00008716 0000864B 0002AB5E 000083D6

eng - iTunSMPB 00000000 00000210 0000094B 00000000008F7FA5 00000000 004108FB 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000

4948

وألله يرحم كل أمواتنا أغاني

مثل املهامتة إذا قلنا العني بالعني

ما صفى عندنا عيون بالشام بالد الشام

من فلسطني إلى جبال لبنان قبل ما اخترعوا احلدود

من اإلسكندرون إلى كردستان فهمان

جنجس خان ما خان قد ما خانونا أوالد العم بس دمنا دمهم

بني أدم - بنو ذمنبهم على أكتافنا - شلنا همهم

ليه الله بيعلم

بس ليك هذا الفتيش والبسكليت احسنلك من 100000000 مسدس

تعرف ليه ألن مو عاجبهم بسمتك

بس إبتسم برسمتك شاب عربي ومثقف

أعطيهم ختمتك وإذا لسة مو راضني

ذكرهم بكالم إيليية )أبي ماضي( raquoنسي الطني ساعة أنه طنيlaquo

Oوهذه هي القضاء والقدر يا حبيبي m a r O f f e n d u m

And may God have mercy on all our dead

Songs I sing

Like the Mahatma [the line above and the line below are linked through the sound of the name and the figure of Mahatama Ghandi]

If we say lsquoan eye for an eyersquo

There wont be any eyes left in Sham [Damascus]

Bilad al-Sham [Greater Syria the wider Arab world]

From Palestine to the mountains of Lebanon

Before they made up these borders

From Iskandaroon to Kurdistan

Understand

Genghis Khan never deceived us quite like our ldquopaternal cousinsldquo [khan also means ldquodeceiveldquo in Arabic]

But our blood is their blood

Children of Adam -- who built their sins

Upon our shoulders -- we carried their burden

Why

God knows

But listen this little firecracker amp bicycle

Are better for you than 100 million guns

Wanna know why

Because they dont like seeing you smile

But smile you will - in your human being

A young cultured Arab male

Give them your stamp of approval

And if they still donrsquot accept you

Then remind them of the words of Elliye [Abi-Madhee a Lebanese poet whose poem begins with]

ldquoHow soon a piece of dirt can forget that all he really is is just dirtldquo [ie we are all from this earth amp

will come back to it so there is no logic in viewing yourself as better than someone else]

And that my friend is our destiny

7 Destiny

Omar Offendum

The Peace Revolution 20

21332892

eng - iTunNORM 000006D3 000006F2 000038BA 0000322F 0000E4FA 0000E4FA 00008716 0000864B 0002AB5E 000083D6

eng - iTunSMPB 00000000 00000210 0000094B 00000000008F7FA5 00000000 004108FB 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000

5150

O m a r O f f e n d u m

Dove of Peace

Spread your wings amp fly

Make it easier to borrow

The aesthetics you bite

Like all the Arabic loanwords

From Spaniards amp Morros

The Karma of Inquisition

Visions of horror

So whorsquos the explorer

Really was it Columbus

Muhammad al-Idrisi or Alfaragnus

Throw a Hobson Jobson

While you figure it out

Irsquom gonna start with a cipher

Thatrsquos a siffir [zero] - no doubt

See you might not have learned to live with me

But sure as hell canrsquot without

You are my

You are my

(Destiny)

Itrsquos hard livinrsquo in the West - when I know the East got the best of me

(Destiny)

Could be lookinrsquo in my eyes - but yoursquoll never really see the rest of me

(Destiny)

Can you hear me maseeri [my destiny] Bi-lingualrsquos what Irsquom blessed to be

(Destiny)

حمامة سالم افتحي أجنحتكي و طيري

I write right to left

You write left to right

Metaphor of a foreignerrsquos plight

Dressed to type

Stereo amp a mic

Scenario of a fight

The burial of a white

Imperial at his heightrsquos

A Turkish Rapperrsquos Delight

Semetic etiquette might

Just have you rollin your ldquoRrsquosldquo

Poetic amp light

And grab a hold of your sorrows

To relieve your tomorrows

7 Destiny

Omar Offendum

The Peace Revolution 20

21332892

eng - iTunNORM 000006D3 000006F2 000038BA 0000322F 0000E4FA 0000E4FA 00008716 0000864B 0002AB5E 000083D6

eng - iTunSMPB 00000000 00000210 0000094B 00000000008F7FA5 00000000 004108FB 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000

5352

O m a r O f f e n d u m

Dove of Peace

Spread your wings amp fly

Bitched out by the West

Press get a big shout

From the people gettinrsquo rich out of this (bout)

Now whatrsquos this really all about

Land money or power

It was the colonizerrsquos fault

But now itrsquos really just ours

Leavinrsquo a sour tase in our mouths

Like generational slave names

Whenever speakinrsquo out

Out-spoken leaders gettinrsquo taken out

Quicker than belligerent drunks in a bar

We a far cry from livinrsquo as one

T r a n s l a t e d b y t h e a r t i s t

(Destiny)

Itrsquos hard livinrsquo in the West - when I know the East got the best of me

(Destiny)

Could be lookinrsquo in my eyes - but yoursquoll never really see the rest of me

(Destiny)

Can you hear me maseeri [my destiny] Bi-lingualrsquos what Irsquom blessed to be

(Destiny)

حمامة سالم افتحي أجنحتكي و طيري

See arab [Arabs] shootin at each other

From Iraq to Falasteen [Palastine]

Syria to Libnan [Lebanon]

Algeria to Sudan

Pedagogy of the oppressed tricklinrsquo down

Conquerinrsquo through divisions

And sadly this isnrsquot the first time

One land one love one chance one blood

No fuss no fight Yeah right young blood

AKrsquos cheaper than a book

Crooked leaders in a hook

Gettinrsquo fished out

Missles gettinrsquo dished out

7 Destiny

Omar Offendum

The Peace Revolution 20

21332892

eng - iTunNORM 000006D3 000006F2 000038BA 0000322F 0000E4FA 0000E4FA 00008716 0000864B 0002AB5E 000083D6

eng - iTunSMPB 00000000 00000210 0000094B 00000000008F7FA5 00000000 004108FB 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000

5554

زي ما صار مبارح صار اليوم اطف التلفزيون امسك مايكروفون

زي ما صار مبارح صار اليوم اطف التلفزيون امسك مايكروفون

زي ما صار مبارح صار اليوم اطف التلفزيون امسك مايكروفون

زي ما صار مبارح صار اليوم اطف التلفزيون امسك مايكروفون

النه الوقت عم يسبق بقلك خي سالم بس اصبر

بدك تستني هاي اخلطط بعمرها ما تضبطبيدفعلك قد ما بدك عشان تسكت

واذا بتفتح متك طخة وحده وبعد بتسقط

s t o r m t r a p

What happened yesterday happens today

switch off your TV and grab a microphone

What happened yesterday happens today

switch off your TV and grab a microphone

What happened yesterday happens today

switch off your TV and grab a microphone

What happened yesterday happens today

switch off your TV and grab a microphone

Because time is racing

He keeps telling you peace is coming just be patient

You want to wait these plans never succeed

Hersquoll pay you as much as you want to keep you quiet

And if you open your mouth one shot will silence you

what happened yesterdayزي ما صار مبارح

Zey ma sar mbareh

Stormtrap

null

2009

1728613

eng - Visit httpstormtrapbandcampcom

5756

اركض اركض وخليك راكض

واذا بتفتح متك رح يقلك خليك ساكت رح يقلك انساك من هاملشاكل

حوشوا هالشواك وضبوا شناتكم واشتروا التذاكرففكر شوي وما تكنش أهبل

وين ما تروح في الدنيا رح تتبهدلمش شايف قدامي عم بسمع أصوات بيسألني

ليش لسه عايش هون روح عيش محل تانيبدي احك بس الكلمات مش طالعة من لساني

عنصرية هونن عنصرية هناك عنصرية كل ما اطلع برا الشباك

شيطان بيعمل حاله مالكبس هو بالواقع بدو يعيش بالك

جدار بيمثل عقلية ناس بدهاش تعيش معاك

زي ما صار مبارح صار اليوم اطف التلفزيون امسك مايكروفون

ما مبثل شخص او اشخاص مبثل فكرةاسم احلرية حاملينه

من بلد ما فيه حياة عاديةسواءا ضد االحتالل أو ضد العنصرية

أصواتكم وينايي خلوها تنسمع وتطلع نتائج ايجابية

فكمل كتابة او تسجيل وصدقني شغلك مش رايح عالفاضي

عشان الشي الوحيد اللي رح يروح هو احن اذا منضلنا علقانني فاملاضي

s t o r m t r a p

Run run

Keep running

And if you decide to speak hersquoll tell you just stay silent

Hersquoll tell you forget these problems

Save up some money pack your bags and buy your tickets

Think about it donrsquot be a fool

Wherever you go yoursquoll get humiliated

I canrsquot see in front of me Irsquom hearing voices asking

Why are you still living here Go live somewhere else

I want to respond but the words wonrsquot come out

Racism here racism there

Racism each time I look out the window

A devil in an angelrsquos disguise

In reality he wants to live without you

The apartheid wall represents the mentality of a people who donrsquot care to coexist

What happened yesterday happens today

switch off your TV and grab a microphone

I dont represent a person or a people I represent an idea

An idea called freedom

From a land lacking a normal life

Whether yoursquore struggling against occupation or against racism

Where is your voice

Let it be heard to achieve your goals

So keep writing and recording

Believe me your work wonrsquot be lost in vain

The only thing thatrsquoll disappear is us

If we stay stuck in the past

Zey ma sar mbareh

Stormtrap

null

2009

1728613

eng - Visit httpstormtrapbandcampcom

5958

شو الي حدثجينا من حتت األرض

هيهة القصة بدة عنا هدفوننشر أصواتنا لكل حدا

جيت من حتت أرض رام اللهما ح وقف اكتب كلمات وال مرة

عندي طاقة الزم أطلعها كل يوم وكل ساعةفاو انبنى مع الوقت ولسة عم بيطور تصور

تصورفاو انبنى مع الوقت ولسة عم بيطور تصور

زي ما صار مبارح صار اليوم اطف التلفزيون امسك مايكروفون

زي ما صار مبارح صار اليوم اطف التلفزيون امسك مايكروفون

s t o r m t r a p

What happened

We came from underground

The story begins we have an objective

To spread our voices to everyone

I came from the ruins of Ramallah and

I wonrsquot ever stop writing words

I have energy that I must release every day every hour

A flow thatrsquos been built and is still developing imagine

Imagine a flow thatrsquos been built and is still developing

What happened yesterday happens today

Switch off your TV and grab a microphone

What happened yesterday happens today

Switch off your TV and grab a microphone

T r a n s l a t e d b y t h e a r t i s t

Zey ma sar mbareh

Stormtrap

null

2009

1728613

eng - Visit httpstormtrapbandcampcom

6160

Wake up the People

Donrsquot doubt it

The Maker can see you

Right now

You want to get out and see doe

So clouded

Sell out to be dope

Right now

I see you plagued by your own doubt

Canrsquot step the game up

Like a snake when it rolled down

Staircase of a lone child

No bricks lain in a cold house

Where you sold out

All alone on an old couch

t h e N a r c i c y s t

No click like an untapped phone dial

Oh wow

I felt the same homie

Donrsquot shelter pain only

Then it came slowly

Never let the frame hold me (down)

Picture life for the love though

People tend to look the other way like Columbo

We deceived by the law just to love doe

Guess they took all the worth out to numb folks

And make a severed plan

Out of bitter man

What you want a medal man

Huh Do you really think yoursquore better than Then

All you really need is a long look

Two sixteens and a strong hook like

brassThis track was originally written in English

null

2149748

6362

Wake up the People

Donrsquot doubt it

The Maker can see you

Right now

You want to get out and see doe

So clouded

Sell out to be dope

Right now

Break

Hip hop like a fresh pelvis

Yoursquore gonna regret this shit like a dead Elvis

Busy wishing you could live less selfish

Crabs in a bucket duckinrsquo these dead shellfish

Industry got a brother feeling helpless

With an ill chorus and ride yoursquore more in the tide

When a flow canrsquot keep me above the water

t h e N a r c i c y s t

Let a wave carry me out and push me farther now

Internal Inferno ten journals written but Irsquom still not sure though

Do I really want to tour to jump hurdles To be heard

So-I-Can-Feel-Like-This

Man therersquos something that I might miss--

Naw Irsquove been bluffinrsquo

Lifersquos backwards like Ben Buttonsrsquo

Irsquom in love with the stage fright on a strange night

Feels good to get the words on a page right

Wake up the People

Donrsquot doubt it

The Maker can see you

Right now

You want to get out and see doe

So clouded

Sell out to be dope

Right now

null

2149748

6564

مبارح شفت بلمنام بيروت عمتغرق حتت رماد بركان فحموا الناس بس ال raquoسكاي بارlaquo كان بعده ولعان

بيروت ثبتت حبة الثورة اللي فينا نبتت ملا أحبطت نفوسنا من اجلمود

فينا بيروت حتركت عدم دمارنا وعدم حرية خيارنا

بيوت بيروت تعمرت سكرنا عجفاف دموعنا جفوننا عليها تسكرت فتخمرت

إذا بطلت تطير قدرك عألرض مقهور إذا وقفت تكسير بتصير جزء من الديكور

e l R a s s

Yesterday I dreamt Beirut was drowning under volcanic ash

The people were turned to charcoal but Sky Bar [a posh Beirut club] was still lit up

Beirut suppressed the seed of the revolution the one that sprouted

When our spirits were foiled from immobility

In us Beirut moved

On the blood of our destruction and the negation of our freedom of choice

The houses of Beirut are rebuilt

We got drunk on the dryness of our tears our eyelids closed on them and fermented

If you stop flying your destiny on land is distress

If you stop breaking you become part of the decoration

beirutبركان بيروت rsquos volcano

Blues

2125713

6766

بحاور بناور باآلخر بواجه التاج بتوضى بصلي بتوصلني أصوات أنات احملتاج

تأمل العلم بعري العمل من العمل خياري عنار خفيفة دوب املسمار وتستوي األفكار النظيفة

عمروا دمروا زمروا تذمروا ربك صبره دربه جربه

عقلن خربوا غربوا هربوا وقبلوا بالفن عحيط الشارع

عشرط ما يكون في شك بشارع هيدي مش عاصمة ثقافة هيدي حلبة املصارع بيروت ال تعرف في املاضي وال تعرب باملضارع

حتول التركيبة خلى العقل اجلامد فكر حاله مالك املدينة رقبته طويلة متل مالك احلزين وايده لوزيري

اعتبر نفسه أول مني اكتشف هلجزيرة بأجر الفقير شقق بأسعار مدروسة

بشكل تضل طموحاته ممعوسة نهبوا األرض من ربعي وصارت احلرب شركة استثمار مبفعول رجعي

حتت شعار إعادة اإلعمار لو ما كان خلص دوره وانتهى عقد االيجار

كان احلريري ما طار وما صار مطار احلريري عاصمة لبنان بتوازن بني ضريحني

واتنيناتن عاغتيالن في عالمة استفهام e واحد قدس املوت بس لسبب l R a s s

I discuss I maneuver ultimately I confront the crown

I perform ablutions I pray I receive the moaning of the needy

The meditation of knowledge strips work from hope

My choice is on low fire melting the nails and clean thoughts are ripening

They built they destroyed they honked they complained

Your god made him patient tested him and trained him

Their minds ruined westernized chased off

They accepted art pissed on back alleys

As long as there is no doubt in the streets

This is no capital of culture itrsquos a wrestling ring

Beirut canrsquot speak of itself in the past nor conjugate itself in the present

Transitions and transformations made the closed mind think he owns the city

His neck is long like a stork his fingers long like a politicianrsquos

He thinks himself the first who discovered this peninsula

He lets the poor rent apartments at prices studied

To crush ambitions

They stole the land from my cousins

And the war became a backward-looking investment

Under the slogan of reconstruction

If his time wasnrsquot up and his contract finished

Hariri didnrsquot have to fly and it wouldnrsquot have become the Hariri airport

Lebanonrsquos capital keeps balance between two shrines

And on both assassinations there is a question mark

One sanctifies death but for a reason

Blues

2125713

6968

واحد قدس احلياة بس بالكذب واحد بايدو حتول الذهب سم وواحد تخبى من الذهب بالدم

مني الشهيد

اللي مات حتت صبابيط ثورة عبيد شهيد اللي مات فتحول على حملة اعالنات هدفها ترفع الطايفة معدالت التجنيد

قنابل بالبريد وصل سيوف علوريد حصل

املوت للبليد صنم الصبر للعنيد حلم تأليه الشهيد ظلم

خليط احلديد والدم العالج والسم الرفاه والهم النوعية والكم

الدعارة وورقة التوت مبدينة بيروت علم

e l R a s s

And one sanctifies life with lies

In onersquos hand gold turned into poison

And the other hid from gold with blood

Who is the martyr

The one who died under the shoes of the oppressedrsquos uprising is a martyr

Is it he whose death was transformed into an advertising campaign to raise the levels of

sectarian enlistment

Bombs came in the mail

Swords to the jugular true stories

Death to the cold is statuette

Patience to the stubborn is a dream

Divinity to the martyr is oppression

The mixture of steel and blood the cure and poison

Luxury and distress quality and quantity

Prostitution and modesty

The science of the city of Beirut

T r a n s l a t e d b y M o e A l i N a y e l amp + A z i z

Blues

2125713

7170

بقرأ في اجلريدة زفت شوارع جديدة

إزالة مطبات و كثير أشياء هيك مفيدة أشخاص مستفيدة

دعم من هون و من هون منظمات بس احلرية بعيدة

مقاطعة مستوطنات تعون الضفة الغربية وطنية حصرية إدعائية

طب و فلسطني التاريخية مع ألساس كانت القدس عاصمة الثقافة العربية

بس كلوحكي سياسية للشعب إحنا نتحمل الشغل و التعب و الوضع صعب

b o i k u t t

Irsquom reading in the paper

About roads newly paved

Speed bumps removed and a lot of other useful stuff (yes very)

Certain inviduals benefit

Funding from here and there

Organizations are plentiful but freedom is far-fetched

Calling for a boycott of settlements around the West Bank

Pretentious exclusive nationalism

But what about historical Palestine

I thought Jerusalem was supposed to be the ldquocapital of Arab cultureldquo

But itrsquos all political speeches for the people

We put up with the work and the sweat and itrsquos rough

a letterرسالة من مقاطعة from boikutt

risaleh mn muqataa (pt1)

boikutt

null

2010

1086983

eng - iTunPGAP0

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7372

يقنعونا إن كلشي متام و بقدر أعيش حياة عادية

زي في األفالم على مبس واحد إثنني ثالثة أربعة إلخ

كن منيح و بتنزل عليك املصاري زخ نصيحة من أخ ألخ

خليك مستقل ألن اللعبة إنلعب فإبعد عن الفخ

خليهم يقعدوا يستنوا الدعم ليموتوا يلفلفوا داخل اجلدار حلد ما يفوتوا

في متاهات مبسافات مش محددة مجددة لتوسع التوسع مش مهددة

إنتهاك احتالل بس مش على الكل

في ناس في فلسطني هون حياتهم زي الفل مش عارف شو بيفكر

شكلوا مش داري شي يوم حنروح كل الدكاكني هي حتسكر

سالم

b o i k u t t

Try to convince me that everythingrsquos fine

And that I can lead a normal life

Like in the movies

On MBC one two three four etcetera

Be good and money will rain on you

Advice from one brother to another

Stay independent because the games are being played

So steer clear of the trap

Let them wait for foreign aid until they die

Spinning in circles within the apartheid wall until they enter

Into unlimited mazes with unspecified spaces

That are renewed to fit settlement expansion unthreatened

Violation occupation

But not for everyone

There are people here in Palestine living ldquothe good lifeldquo

I donrsquot know what hersquos thinking

Seems like he doesnrsquot know one day wersquoll be gone

And all these shops will close

Peace

T r a n s l a t e d b y t h e a r t i s t w i t h L o u b n a B i l a l i

risaleh mn muqataa (pt1)

boikutt

null

2010

1086983

eng - iTunPGAP0

eng - iTunNORM 00000A1E 00000A0E 000099D9 000098A0 0000CC63 0000CC63 0000826D 000080B0 000131D0 000131D0

eng - iTunSMPB 00000000 00000210 000008F3 000000000049197D 00000000 0027BA9D 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000

7574

الضغط عاليالعدو فات جاري احملادثات

صمت دوليكمية الغازى عم تزداد

تهجير جديد مولود جديدتكرر عزو مش تارك ورا شي مفيد غير غراب

من كل البيت ما تركو شي إال البابمن االرض ل سما مسافة عاليه

إمشي الصحرا وعد لياليوجنوما

كمشوا رئيس دولة بجورةحصار

توزيع مخدراتباألحمر تلون الفرات سجون معتقالتقبلة الوداع مع الصبات

تنصت بالشبكة خيانات باألزهر

k a t i b e h 5

The pressure is high

The enemy has entered discussions are taking place

Global silence

The numbers of the occupier are increasing

A new expulsion A newborn child

The perpetuation of an invasion that leaves behind it nothing of any use except for a crow

From an entire house they left nothing but the door

From the ground to the sky is a long distance

Walk the desert and count the nights

And its stars

They caught a president in a pit

Siege

Drug dealing the Euphrates is stained red prisons detention centers

A farewell kiss with a shoe

Networks wiretapped betrayals in Al Azhar

hold me back ifهديني اذا فيك you can

null

23098943

7776

حوار أديانالكف تنجس

متسح فيه وجك مع كل شروق عالوضوءتسمع شرارة فتيل مولوتوف ينادي أصوات تتلبى

باإلنفجار

هديني إذا فيك صرت موجود بكل مكانوجي مغبش عامل زي جيش زباتا

منصرخ بوجكم raquoاحلرية ل برغوتيlaquoإعالمكو بيعرفني كلماتكو حملت إسمي

شركاتكو بتهرب مني )كتيبه خمسه هديتي إذا فيك(

بتالقيني بني والد حفظوا غنية املخيماتبنفسية فالح عمال يزو املدينة

افالم تافهةبرنامج تافه

بتدور على مخك بتالقي مش موجوداخلليج يتحكم بإعالم

هادول حبوب التنومي ٦1 سنة بعدن مش شغالني

عالمادامك واخد وجهة نظري

ع محمل اجلدمسموح لك تستعجب وتظهر إنزعاجك بوجودي

ألني صديق لكل املشاهد الغير مرغوبة فيهاش بيختار حياتو بالتحديد بحكيلك هيك منحياها ومحد

ضغط رصاص وابارود بخليكاش حتيدالتجارب بتدلك عطريق

هديتي إذا فيك

k a t i b e h 5

A dialogue of religions

The hand is tainted

And with it you cleanse your face at ablution each sunrise

You hear the sparking of the fuse of a molotov calling voices respond

Explosion

Hold me back if you can I have become present everywhere

My face is concealed like the army of Zapata

We shout in your face ldquoFreedom for Barghoutildquo

Your media knows me your words have glimpsed my name

Your corporations flee from me

(Katibe Khamseh hold me back if you can)

Yoursquoll find me among children that have memorized the song ldquoAl Moukhayamatldquo

In the persona of a peasant that is visiting the city

Shallow films

Shallow programs

You look for your mind but you find it is not there

The Gulf controls media with its boundaries

These sleeping pills 61 years and theyrsquore still not effective

Great

As long as you are taking my point of view seriously

Yoursquore allowed to be taken aback and to show your irritation

Just like you show your irritation at my presence

Because I am a friend to all the images that are not desirable

This is how we live out these images and no one chooses their life specifically Irsquoll tell you

The pressure of bullets and gunpowder does not allow you to move away

Experience will guide you on the road

Hold me back if you can

null

23098943

7978

موقف واحد صريح من صميم روح لشعوب املقاومة ضمير ظهور البشرية

السبيل صعب ورا الغضبدعم لكل أسالوب محارب

د لنحرق نظامك منتدرب منجرب منخرب منستععم نحرق نظامك

هديتي إذا فيك

إطلع منيحمش رح تقدر توخذ كل شي من أول نظرة

نظرة عامة raquoبشرة مش بيضةlaquoجبني عريضة مكتوب مولود عنيد بالفطرة

فوت بالتقاليد عد التجاعيدلك هاي مش أول مرة

لغات ودراسات حط العلم بغالفمش رح تقدر تفهم ليه بعد في بارود ع الكتافلون األرض ولون الليل بيعطيك البني و السواد

بوعدك مش لوحدي رح أضل عد رماد الال اللعبة اجلديدة وال والدنا ع اللعبة جداد

بكفيش إنفلونزا الصقور صار في إنفلونزا اخلنازيرموسم مرض جديد لرئيس مبثل ع نفوس ومريض بهدوء البيض

هديتي إذا فيك

k a t i b e h 5

A single honest stance from the bottom of the soul for the people of the resistance the conscience

that exposes humanity

The path is difficult when following anger

A support for every style of battle

We train we strive we disrupt we prepare to burn your system

We are burning your system

Hold me back if you can

Look closely

You wonrsquot be able to see it all at first sight

An overview ldquocomplexion that is not whiteldquo

A broad forehead written born stubborn by nature

Look at the traditions and count the wrinkles

This is not the first time

Languages and scholarship put education under wraps

You wonrsquot be able to understand why there is still gunpowder on shoulders

The color of earth and the color of night gives you brown and blackness

I promise you that I will not be alone to count the ashes no

This game to us is not new and nor are our children new to the game

As if the influenza of eagles was not enough now therersquos the influenza of pigs

The season of a new disease for a president acting for a public and sick with the

calmness of white people

Hold me back if you can

null

23098943

8180

اإلحتالل نكه البشر بنكهة املجاريبالسالم حوار أديانبإقرار ملكية كذابة

بتشويه تاريخ وسرقة حضاراتولك أه

فلسطني إفريقيا الدجلة والفراتإجتاه البشرية لإلضمحالل سرطان بشري بعضها

الشتا ميسح اخلطايا واآلثاروليش بتتخبى وبتتغطى بنفس كل سفارة سميك الستار

لساتني باكل الضربة ورا الضره ورا الضربةوحتى ما أفعل وأساوي تكمشني الرجفة

بدل ما أضرب فيك بضرب بحاليبوعدكش حضلني كامش حالي حفلتها

حفلتها

هديني إذا فيك هديني إذا فيكهديني إذا فيك

k a t i b e h 5

The occupation has seasoned humanity with the flavor of sewers

With peace with dialogue of religions

With the declaration of false ownership

With the distortion of history and the theft of civilizations

Oh yes

Palestine Africa the Tigris and Euphrates

Humanity is leading to reduction a human cancer bites it

Exile wipes clean the sins and the traces

And why are you hiding and seeking cover when all the embassies are already well concealed

I am still taking one beating after another

And so that I donrsquot take action and do something shudders grip my body

Instead of beating you I beat myself

I canrsquot promise you that I can keep myself restrained

Irsquom gonna let go

Hold me back if you can

Hold me back if you can

Hold me back if you can

T r a n s l a t e d b y R i m a N a j d i a n d F a y s a l B i b i

null

23098943

8382

طول عمر الشعب املصري مع بعض أحلك الظروفبص وفر في التاريخ وانت ياما هاتشوف

الدين ده ليا وليكوفيا وفيك

حاجة روحانية بتخليك حتس اللي بيك

ايد في ايد نبني فيها من جديد

مصر زعلت علي حاصل وسطنا مش مفيد

بعد ثورة وبعد عيد فتنة تقتل حلم واتتحقق لنا

واحد اتننيالذكري بتعيش اكتر من عمر االنسان

بصمتنا تغييرنا جوة وبرة امليدان مش هانضيع نصر ثورتنا بفتنة نشئت بينا

A r a b i a n K n i g h t s + M C G a z a + A m e e r

The Egyptian people have always stuck together

Through the worst times look at history

And see how often wersquove been there for each other

That whole idea of religion

Is for you and for me something spiritual that makes you feel whatrsquos inside you

Hand in hand

We build Egypt up again

Egypt is angry at whatrsquos happening between us

Itrsquos not helpful

After the revolution after the celebration

Sectarian strife is killing the dream we fulfilled

One two

The memory lasts more than a lifetime

Our mark is our change in and outside Tahrir Square

We wonrsquot give up the victory of our revolution in exchange for sectarian strife between

us

hand inايد في ايد hand

Eid Fe Eid

Yasser Ameer Youssef Rush E Money amp MCGaza | by BOGEY

Single Hit track 11

20112011

Hip-Hop

24002867

eng - Hip-Hop 4 Life

eng - iTunNORM 000005E2 0000058E 0000424E 00003537 00026E95 0001C2B3 00008000 00008000 00005045 00005045

8584

بلدنا محتجانا ايدنا واحدة ضد احملنة تفرق ايه معاك ديانتي ملا ربك هو ربي

اصلك هو اصلي ارضك هي ارضي

ملا اتقال لي اكتت فيول فتنة انا قولت غلط علشان الفتنة مفتعلة في بلدنا وكان وراها غرض

فالفرد افترض فبفرض السياسة األمر اختلط

فالزم يبقي املصل سياسي من اصل املرض العسس واحلرس مافرقوش صليب وهالل

وكنا كلنا واحد وراء االقفالدم الشهيد شاهد

ياما بالفتنة انكسرنا وحدتنا بصوت واحد وضد الظلم انتصرنا

وديني هو ديني صلة بيني وبني ربي هارفع علمي وارفع راسي فوق

انا مصري

ايد في ايد نبني فيها من جديد

مصر زعلت علي حاصل وسطنا مش مفيد

بعد ثورة وبعد عيد فتنة تقتل حلم واتتحقق لنا

خلو حمامة السالم من الطيور املنقرضةعلشان تبقي القلوب مبتعدة منقسمه سهل تتسم

فكرين مناعة و قوة أم الدنيا بالطمع مرتبطةنسر املصريني ليس له دين احنا بنحميها بالدم

العنف بذوره بتكتر عاوز يوصل واحلروب حتصل

A r a b i a n K n i g h t s + M C G a z a + A m e e r

Our country needs us all together against the hard times

What difference does my religion make to you when your god is my god

Your origin is mine

Your land is my land

When they told me about sectarian strife I said thatrsquos wrong

Because itrsquos been planted in our country and behind it is some purpose

Makes one think somethingrsquos going on

By playing politics everythingrsquos gotten mixed up

The antidote has to be political just like the poison itself

The military doesnrsquot distinguish between cross and crescent

Wersquore all held together behind bars

The blood of the martyrs bears witness

To how much wersquove been broken by sectarianism

Through our unity we triumphed with one voice over injustice

And my religion is my own a rapport between me and God

Irsquoll raise my flag and my head up

Irsquom Egyptian

Hand in hand

We build Egypt up again

Egypt is angry at whatrsquos happening between us

Itrsquos not helpful

After the revolution after the victory

Sectarian strife is killing the dream we fulfilled

They drove the dove of peace to extinction

To keep hearts apart and divided itrsquos easy to poison them

Do they really think the resilience and strength of Egypt is connected to greed

The Egyptian eagle has no religion we protect it with our blood

The roots of violence are increasing want to gain control to start wars

Eid Fe Eid

Yasser Ameer Youssef Rush E Money amp MCGaza | by BOGEY

Single Hit track 11

20112011

Hip-Hop

24002867

eng - Hip-Hop 4 Life

eng - iTunNORM 000005E2 0000058E 0000424E 00003537 00026E95 0001C2B3 00008000 00008000 00005045 00005045

8786

للعاقيدة يكسر وألعضاء املشاعر تتشال تصتأصلعلى كالم ربهم اتكبرو فعملو قدر واتقدر

وقته مستنينه ليه خططوا مضمون الرسائل اتغير الن الهدف هو تدمير قعدة الوحدهوقتل كل قائد يقود الناس بره احملنه

فيبقي سهل يزيحنا ميحي أوصول عليها كبرناوكل واحد علي حداه يقول أنا محدش يقول احنا

فاببطء بحرص بص بعقل بحذر شوفقبل ما يخلوا خيالك يتخلله اخلوف

واخلوف ده افراز بيطلع من غده ملا الكلب بيشوفهابيعرف انك فاريسه سهل ياكلها ركز

فرق تسد إخلعوفق جتد إرفع

ثورة تقدصمت يفرد- يفرق

ما بيجمع بيننامن حقي النقد من حقك - تسمع

طب إسمع وراجع ما صور التاريخ طب باله بيكفي صور زمانييوم حصار كنيسة املهد مني دافع مني اتقمع مني اتنفا

مسلم مسيحي أل كان فلسطيني اتذكر معي ثورة غضب يناير

اتذكر معي الوحدة اإليد الوحدة اتشرف انتا مصرياتذكر معي األخ بإيد األخ يحمي األخ بدون إلخ

كالمي ماشي ماشي ال-لتفهمني بهويتي مسلم وال نصراني قبطي

ما في حجة لربطي خلبطي حلطي ألوطي ألغير خطيخير أجناد األرض

من أرض بيت املقدس كل السالم بعد ما قلت إلنقسام في وطنيانا ملزم أقول ال لفتنة

تفتت مجد شعب تعب عانى ضحى بالغالي حتى بناه

A r a b i a n K n i g h t s + M C G a z a + A m e e r

The relationship between Egyptians breaks down and the organs that feel are taken out

They got full of themselves in the name of their god and invented a new fate for us

Theyrsquore waiting for a time and theyrsquore plotting The meaning of their messages changes

Because the goal is to destroy the foundation of unity

And kill every leader who takes the people out of hard times

Itrsquos easy to remove us to wipe out the traditions we grew up with

Everyone on his own everyone says ldquoIldquo and no one says ldquoweldquo

Slowly carefully look Wisely with caution see

Before they make your imagination a slave to fear

And that fear releases a secretion from a gland

And when the dog sees it he knows yoursquore easy prey

Divide yoursquoll conquer

Bring harmony and yoursquoll reap Start

A revolution and it will catch on

Silence is solitary It divides

It doesnrsquot bring us together

It is my right to criticize and your right to listen

So listen and look back at history or better look at my life time

The day the Nativity Church was under siege who was persecuted Who was exiled

A Muslim A Christian No he was Palestinian

Letrsquos remember the angry revolution of January

Letrsquos remember the unity the one hand Be proud yoursquore Egyptian

Remember the brother holding hands with a brother protecting a brother

And I can go on

Donrsquot teach me about my identity whether Irsquom a Muslim or a Christian Copt

Therersquos no excuse to tie me down beat me to make me cower and kneel and stray from my courseThe Earthrsquos most virtuous soldiers

Come from the land of Bayt al-Maqdis [Jerusalem] I salute you After I said no to division in my countryIrsquom committed to saying no to seditionThat dissolves the glory of a people who labored suffered sacrificed what was most dear to build it

T r a n s l a t e d b y A l e x O r t i z + A h m e d S h a w k e t + K h a l e d A l H i l l i

Eid Fe Eid

Yasser Ameer Youssef Rush E Money amp MCGaza | by BOGEY

Single Hit track 11

20112011

Hip-Hop

24002867

eng - Hip-Hop 4 Life

eng - iTunNORM 000005E2 0000058E 0000424E 00003537 00026E95 0001C2B3 00008000 00008000 00005045 00005045

8988

الفن واملواهب زي حرب الكواكب الكل عايز يكون جنم صراع في الداخل

بهدي جنون العظمة بفلفل حر توابل تسيل دموع زي القنابل

زي مابتكلم وداني شغالة كون سامع نبض الشارع علشان أ

حالف أقضي على اإلعالم املتآمر مغامر في الكالم بس إنت مش سامع

ملا بأمسك القلم والورقة الهم بينزاح مخي بيرتاح بأقول اللي على البال

ملا بأقعد بحس بتأنيب ضمير كون في ستوديو بسجل على بيت خطير مفروض أ

e l D e e b + S t o r m t r a p

Art and talent are like Star Wars

Secretly everyone wants to be a star of conflict

I make megalomania tranquil with chilli hot spices

Tears flow like bombs

Thatrsquos how I talk and the world keeps moving

So that I can hear the pulse of the streets

Irsquove sworn to obliterate the media conspirators

I am adventurous in my speech but you do not hear

When I hold the pen and the paper my anxiety is lifted

My mind relaxes and I say whatrsquos on it

When I sit down I feel guilty

I should be in the studio recording dangerous beats

addictأدمان الشهرة ion to fame

Edman El Shuhra

Stormtrap amp Mohamed El Deeb

2011

Hip-Hop

15305855

- vocals Mohamed El Deeb Stormtrap13produced by Stormtrap

9190

إحساس غريب إنك تدمن الكالم ارسم يا فنان واخترع زي دافينشي الرسام

ولو مفيش ورقة باستخدم تليفوني خايف إن فكرة متعديش على صوتي

دنيا غريبة يوم مر يوم بونبوني بس أنا عمري ماغيرت لوني

املوسيقى بنادولي وبطابعي فضولي مهما قالوا لي هافهمها مبفهومي فـساعات أالقي نفسي بكلم نفسي واسمع أصوات غريبة في دماغي

وهو ده الصدى الصوت اللي بسمعه اكن مفيش حد فارقة معاه احالمي

شوف شوف مش هدف إنو أنا شخصيا أنا

هدفي انه كلماتي وموسيقتي تنتشرعشان هيك حتشوفني دوما مستمر مستثمر

كل وقتي كل طاقتي على أصواتي خوذ شك خوذ حتويل خوذ كاش

بس ما تنساش أي شي بيتعلق بالواقع بدناش ما تخاف ألنها قضيتنا مش منسية مية باملية هايذي ثورة كمان ثقافية

خليني أوضح هاي املوسيقى مش معمولة للتلفازeهاي املوسيقى مش معمولة لهز الطياز l D e e b + S t o r m t r a p

Strange feeling to be out of words

Paint oh artist and discover like Da Vinci the artist

If I donrsquot have paper I use my cell

I am afraid that the idea does not come through my voice

Strange world one day is bitter another like candy

But Irsquove never changed my color

Music is my Tylenol and my nature curious

So whatever they tell me Irsquoll understand it my way

Sometimes I find myself talking to myself

And I hear weird voices in my head

Which is just the echo of the sound I hear

As if no one cares about my dreams

See see

My goals are not self serving

My goal is that my words and music spread

Thatrsquos why yoursquoll see me always and continuously investing

All my time my energy on my sounds

Take a check take a transfer take cash

But never forget anything related to reality wersquore not interested

Donrsquot be afraid because our cause is not forgotten

One hundred percent this is also a cultural revolution

Let me explain this music is not meant to be televised

This music is not made for booty shaking

Edman El Shuhra

Stormtrap amp Mohamed El Deeb

2011

Hip-Hop

15305855

- vocals Mohamed El Deeb Stormtrap13produced by Stormtrap

9392

مش فاهم ليش الكل قاتل حاله يكون في مسابقةحابني نتصابح حياكم زات املكافحة

واالعالم ميت ع حيالله قصة ما بيدرس هالقصة من نصها

وبعدن بينفخهامش احلق علينا اذا ما بيبحثوا

وملا يبدوا يحكوا عنا أل عنجد بيبعصوابيفكروا انه كل شي هشك بشك

بس حدن الزم يقلهم انه الهب هوب مش هيكبدك تدير بالك عشانها هاي اللحظة احلاسمة

ملا يجوا عليك الديب والعاصفةنكسر حدود وبنبني وحدة عشان نحيي مجتماعاتنا

وننهي معانتناعشان هيك منكتب كلمات صريحة والها معنى

مش للشهرة مش حتى يجي حدن يدفعلنا

e l D e e b + S t o r m t r a p

I donrsquot understand why everyone is killing themselves to be in the contest

Wersquod like to say goodmorning to salute you in this same struggle

The mediarsquos dying for any story

But they donrsquot study the storyrsquos real text

And then they blow it out of proportion

Itrsquos not our fault if they donrsquot search

And when they talk about us then they really screw it up

They think everything is empty pointless

Somebody needs to tell them that hip hop is not like that

You should take care because this is the critical moment

When the wolf and storm come haunting you

We break borders and we create a unity to revitalize our communities

And stop our suffering

That is why we write frank words that have meaning

Itrsquos not for fame or even so that someone pays us

T r a n s l a t e d b y N i z a r G h a n e m

Edman El Shuhra

Stormtrap amp Mohamed El Deeb

2011

Hip-Hop

15305855

- vocals Mohamed El Deeb Stormtrap13produced by Stormtrap

9594

حضل عهل مود يعنيما إنتلك النجوم عم تقرب

بهل ال مود حكون عطول لبهل جنوم إدءر لو مضطر شن هجوم عل النجوم كلها

خللي األرض تدور حول أصبعي تنلك

ما إنتلك متلي متلك مولع طيار ألفكاري من العقدي تنفك فرد قعدي بني 4 حيطان ما بتنهز و منها ما بنهز

يلز املا بينلزالكاس عل الطاولي و منو عم مز مز

لتفتل براصي وحس من حالي عم كز كزعل ورقة كالمي مدروس و ما بزت زت بجرب ما عيد حالي متا يقولو عم نق نق

موزع قافياتي جواز كأن عم فت فت

بهل األطشة خلي الديني اللي تسمعني ترن رنFبسبيلي جاري يوم ع يوم عم برك رك a r e e q e l A t r a s h

Irsquoll stay in this mood

Didnrsquot I tell you The stars are getting closer

Irsquoll stay in this mood until I touch these stars

Even if I have to launch an attack on all the stars

Irsquoll make the Earth rotate around my finger I told you

Didnrsquot I tell you Irsquom just like you I lit up a joint so my ideas would untie their knot

Sitting this way in between four walls I wonrsquot budge

The most delectable

Drink is on the table from which Irsquom taking sips

Till my head starts spinning and Irsquom sick of myself

On the paper my words are calculated I donrsquot just toss them about

I try not to repeat myself so they wonrsquot say Irsquom nagging

I deal my rhymes out like theyrsquore cards

In this verse Irsquoll make those ears ring

My fountain is running and every day I excel

tالنجوم عم تقرب he stars are gett ing closer

null

29781717

9796

لضل ماشي جالس بينما غيري عم بلك لك شريط معلق ريحة العة عم بتفح فحكل ما فتح متو بتالقي عم بكب كب

عايشها إرهاب و مفي إال بسب سببزبالتي ما بكبو تيكون بعلمك

األالف مسم و بحياتو ما بينسم بزقة من هل التم تخلي سقفك ينش نش

تلمو ردم و ما تفكر إنو ترد رد و عم بحكي عالواطي متا الصالي فيك ترج رج

بطبعي عاقل بس بالراب بزل زل عل الرايق بال ما نط وال فز فز

type of shitعال بارد أبرد من شباط بس يقز قزتخلي عضامك ع بعض تسك سك

ما إنتلك النجوم عم تقرب بهل ال مود حكون عطول لبهل جنوم إدءر

لو مضطر شن هجوم عل النجوم كلهاخللي األرض تدور حول أصبعي تنلك

أنا متنبئ بنبه و بحقق ما قلتلك بعد وقتها ما عم نكت

عاملكرفون إبرة هرون عم بشكشك في شكcheck one two

هيك بدسدس عالنبض

F a r e e q e l A t r a s h

So I can walk straight when others are still playing

A broken record that reeks of a musty smell

Every time he opens his mouth he spews them out

He lives in terror and all he does is curse

I wouldnrsquot throw him in my garbage just so you know

Irsquove irritated thousands and never been irritated in my life

One spit out of this mouth will make your roof leak

And yoursquoll pick up the rubble and donrsquot even think about answering back

Irsquom talking in a low voice so the hall wonrsquot shake with you in it

Irsquom reasonable by nature but when it comes to rap I humiliate cold-heartedly

Without jumping or leaping around

I do it coldly colder than icy February-type of shit

Irsquoll make your bones rattle against each other

Didnrsquot I tell you The stars are getting closer

Irsquoll stay in this mood until I touch these stars

Even if I have to launch an attack on all the stars

Irsquoll make the Earth rotate around my finger I told you

Irsquom a psychic I predict and deliver

Didnrsquot I tell you to stand back when Irsquom not joking

Irsquom pricking the microphone with a heroin needle Is there any doubt

Check one two

Thatrsquos how I feel the pulse

null

29781717

9998

بدقق و زتزت حكي بتزجزج كأنها مزهزها عم بتشمشم عم خطط عم تكتيك و مني ملحلح من هون للساعة توقف تك تيك تك تيك

لك ليك منفخ حاله عامبيكازيب عا غيري بس بوجهي بتاءتإوجهه بيباءبإ من أد ما بعصب بسبسب

زر إنذار إذني بتطنطن و بشوف من عالباب عم بدقدق

عكروت بدو يفوت ليشوف الفن فني بس الفن هون بجسمي معبأ

من حلقي طايف و من متي عم بت شرشر و بيس البيس زلزال برجرج خليك تضبضب تنضب بالبيت لتكنكن

و أنا متأسف ألني بدي استأذن بس بعد شفت كابتشينو بتصحصح

ما إنتلك النجوم عم تقرببهل ال مود حكون عطول لبهل جنوم إدءر

لو مضطر شن هجوم عل النجوم كلهاخللي األرض تدور حول أصبعي تنلك

هيدا هب هوبمش هبل و ال بهل

هيدا زجل تتغزل في

ورايي إيقاع عليي إتبع و ما إطلع عنو يا بصير متل غير مسيس

زقفوا مع االيقاعزقفوا مع االيقاع

F a r e e q e l A t r a s h

Checking and hurling words that tickle as if I was high and sniffing

I am planning and scheming and Irsquom not going anywhere till the clock stops ticking

Look hersquos so full of it lying to others but in my face he stutters

And his face turns red from all the anger and he curses

My earsrsquo alarm bells start ringing

And I go to see whorsquos knocking at the door

Some bastard who wants to see where ldquothe artldquo is

But the art is right here packed in my body

Flowing from my throat running out of my mouth

And the bass is an earthquake that shakes and forces you to pack up and go home

And Irsquom sorry because I need to take leave

But after a sip of cappuccino yoursquoll come around

Didnrsquot I tell you The stars are getting closer

Irsquoll stay in this mood

Until I touch these stars even if I have to launch an attack on all the stars

Irsquoll make the Earth rotate around my finger I told you

This is hip hop

Itrsquos not stupid nor dumb

Itrsquos zajal [a form of Arabic poetry in the Levant]

That you flirt with

There is a beat that I have to follow canrsquot lose it or Irsquoll be like other MCs

Clap with the beat

Clap with the beat

T r a n s l a t e d b y K h a l e d A l H i l l i

null

29781717

101100

انا ببلعهم بتفهم وال مره بسبهمبخليهم داميا يضاربو بتفكيرهم

أنا وراهم قدامهم جنابهم محتلهممش طايقهم مرات وزنهم بكون منزلهم

مرتبهم صاففهم وبقلم أنا حاكمهم زاتتهم مش عاجبيني أنا ماحيهم قائدهم وبنفس الوقت أنا عبيدهم

وبفك وربط أنا بلعب مبعانيهمانا حاميهم بأسطر اللي تقويهم

انا واعدهم اني أستر على فاضحهم ومطلعهم بصوره اللي تبشعهم

بس أنا محترمهم وبسطور ساجنهم مكتفهم كأسير بجنازير القهر

ومهديهم بحبل اللي يبشر بالصبر وانا لي الفخر أكون الشوك اللي فيهم

Dوأكون القهر اللي داميا يسقيهم A M

Yo this is dedicated to the lyrics

Irsquom swallowing them spitting them never dissing them

Giving them freedom of speech

Irsquom behind them in front of them because of them always standing with them

Sometimes get sick of them sick of how you abuse them

Gather them in line with my pen I order them

Didnrsquot like it Throwing them out and replacing them

Irsquom their leader and also their slave

Small changes make huge differences

I train them in pages to make them strong

Promising to use them not abuse them

Or allow the wrong mouths to utter them

Approach them with a military mind and find peace in them

Irsquom lucky to be full of thorns and even luckier that I found the lyrics

So theyrsquoll help me find the roses in me

wordsكلمات

null

26837427

103102

raquoالكل سمعك بس السؤال اذا اللي سمعك فهمكlaquoكلمات ليست كالكلمات بل raquoعالماتlaquo

اللي توجهنا وين مابدنا عحبال السيرك هي تثبتنا ريح العالم من كل جهه اذا احنا ضعاف بتوقعنا بس

raquoأل بلمره ألlaquo raquoكلمات عندي طنlaquoكل واحده الها هدف اخدت حرف عحرف

نسجت جمل اللي البسهم وقت البرد raquoراح اضلني اناديlaquo raquoبنحكي كلماتlaquo

انت بتعرف انهم مبنصب شهاد بحكو املاضي وتنبوا حاضر أي بالد

قد ماحكيت قد ما أحكي فش كالم يغطي بسفي كالم يربي وينمي انت بس أروي

في شوف انه قوه والقوه بتقويفيك و أن رويته مصيره يسقيك )مثل للقوه( العدو من أمامكم

والبحر من ورائكم فال تخيبوا أسيادكمفأين أشعاركم وأين مجادلتكم

فأنتم تسكتون وتخمدون أحالمكم)انهي( نهيت ورجعت للعامية بكلمات

مرمية طالعه من عقليه شعبيهمتل جنيب اللي بذاكرة كل واحد محفوظ مدروس واذا أل معناته في خلل معكوس

عاملجتمع اللي قمع كتاباته Dاللي سمح لنسيانه يشيل خطواته A M

ldquoThey all hear you but few listen to youldquo

Lyrics ainrsquot just a bunch of words they are ldquosignsldquo

Leading us stabilizing us on tight ropes

Winds every way if we are thin we will fall

ldquoBut hell noldquo ldquoyou can measure my words in tonsldquo

Every word has a meaning I knitted a letter with another letter

Made warm sentences to wear in cold days

ldquoSo Irsquoll still shoutldquo ldquowe control lyricsldquo

You know lyrics are like a witness

They witnessed the past and forecast the future

As much as I said or say I canrsquot describe them

But there is a way to find the description and thatrsquos through them

Quench the thirst of the pages with them

So in the future itrsquoll quench your thirst

Keep feeding them as soon as they grow up

Theyrsquoll give you strength

ldquoExample for the strengthldquo

ldquoThe enemy is before you the sea is behind you

So donrsquot you dare disappoint our ancestors

Where are our deep poems Where are our strong statements

From generation to generation we kill our dreamsldquo

ldquoEnough philosophizingldquo ok lets get back to street talk

Words coming outta simple minds

Like Najeeb Mahfuz [literally lsquowell-rememberedrsquo also a famous author]

They keep living in our minds

And if you donrsquot know who he is - then I rest my case

null

26837427

105104

raquoالكل سمعك بس السؤال اذا اللي سمعك فهمكlaquoكلمات ليست كالكلمات بل raquoعالماتlaquo

اللي توجهنا وين مابدنا عحبال السيرك هي تثبتنا ريح العالم من كل جهه اذا احنا ضعاف بتوقعنا بس

raquoأل بلمره ألlaquo raquoكلمات عندي طنlaquoكل واحده الها هدف اخدت حرف عحرف

نسجت جمل اللي البسهم وقت البرد raquoراح اضلني اناديlaquo raquoبنحكي كلماتlaquo

ألف با كبايه أوعك تكسرهاامسكها للنهاية وكل ما تفضى مليها

كلمه أو رواية ومع املراحل زيدها شيحكاية وهيك ضلك زود فيها

وجيبها لتجمعاتك وساعتها استعملها لنقاشاتك وملواقفك استخدمها

هادي مدافعك اللي مداها بسيطرتك وما دافعك انه ما تخليها رايتك

ما هي تكتب ما هي توصف ما هي تكذب ما هي تنصف

ما هي هي الهروب هياللجوء هي الدروب هي

العبور باحلدود واللي مبرؤهم مبدع وبفوز باخللود واللي بسرقهم مش مقنع

واذا بتديهم احلرية بنادوك ممنوعDواذا بتوخد احلريه بنادوك مسموح A M

ldquoThey all hear you but few listen to youldquo

Lyrics ainrsquot just a bunch of words they are ldquosignsldquo

Leading us stabilizing us on tight ropes

Winds every way if we are thin we will fall

ldquoBut hell noldquo ldquoyou can measure my words in tonsldquo

Every word has a meaning I knitted a letter with another letter

Made warm sentences to wear in cold days

ldquoSo Irsquoll still shoutldquo ldquowe control lyricsldquo

The Arabic alphabet is like a glass donrsquot break it

Hold it tight and keep filling it

And then bring it to our arguments

Scream till your throat gets dry and then wet it

It holds our body itrsquos like our legs

If you stand for nothing yoursquoll fall for anything

The words write create

They kill lead and sometimes even lie

You can use them to build borders

And those who are gifted

Can use them to walk through borders

And in some governments

Itrsquos forbidden to give words freedom

But if you choke them and kill them

Thatrsquos allowed

F i g u r a t i v e t r a n s l a t i o n o f f e r e d b y t h e a r t i s t s

null

26837427

107106

further reading

The tracks presented in this document are not a comprehensive sampling of the genre of the market of hip hop in Arabic or of hip hop and rap in the wider Middle East

Artists featured here hail from Egypt Lebanon Palestine and the anglophone Arab diaspora The thriving North African hip hop scene is not represented nor is the work of the established francophone Arab diaspora nor the expanding hip hop scenes of especially Iran or Turkey

This collection does not attempt a comprehensive chronology Tracks featured here are not primarily new releases (though some are) neither are they all ldquoclassicsrdquo These limitations of scope are important to note

Many tracks of the popular Libyan group Ibn Thabitt and other groups from across the region have been translated and are hosted with commentary on the notable blog

revolutionaryarabrapblogspotcom

Another valuable resource is the Beirut-based blog by Jackson Allers ldquoBeats and Breathrdquo which features articulate critiques and reviews of events and releases from the region

jacksonallerswordpresscom

Hass Dennaoui (alias Big Hass) who recently launched started the first all hip-hop FM radio show in Saudi Arabia Laish Hip Hop (Why Hip Hop) manages a lively blog which

hosts an internet feed of his radio show and interviews with MCs and influential hip hop figures from around the world

revoltradioblogspotcom

Lebaneseundergroundcom hosts coverage of underground music in Lebanon including hip hop

And finally an excellent article by Hishaam Aidi on implications of the use of hip hop as foreign policy ldquoThe Grand (Hip-Hop) Chessboard Race Rap and Raison DrsquoEtatrdquo was published in The Middle East Report Fall 2011 Excerpts of the piece were published by Al Jazeera English in the article ldquoLeveraging Hip Hop in US Foreign Policyrdquo

All the artists and many of the translators whose work is showcased here host a significant online presence Their sites are listed with more about each of them on the following pages

109108

artist bios

ARABIAN KNIGHTZ the premier hip hop group from the land of the Nile River have not only established themselves as the lyricists with the sharpest swords in their land but they have also created the most consistent voice for rebellion strength and hope for the youth of the Middle East During the 2011 Revolution Arabian Knightz released two singles ldquoRebelrdquo and ldquoNot Your Prisonerrdquo anthems of resistance which gained worldwide attention and major media coverage for their powerful lyrics against a wicked system The group formed in 2006 through the cipher hip hoprsquos natural way of choosing like mindsets on the mic Rush Sphinx and E-Money were ahead of their peers adapting an authentic Arab perspective to the art dominated by Western voices mixing English and Arabic raps After hitting the studio for successful underground tracks AK enlisted super-producer Fredwreck (Snoop Dogg Xzibit Tha Dogg Pound) ldquoFokkakrdquo the single from this studio session was an instant hit and (surprisingly for Arabic Hip Hop) projected them to the top ten of the singles charts Arab League Records was formed amidst a growing fanbase and numerous collaborations with other Arab hip hop artists the first international Arab hip hop record label Desert Saga Volume 1 mixtape was the debut release led by ldquoThe Onerdquo featuring Egyptrsquos MC Amin Arabian Knightz have recorded their debut album Uknighted State of Arabia a masterpiece for Arab hip hop years in the making featuring instrumentals dominated by traditional percussions and players are scheduled for a Winter 2012 Release They are on Facebook

BOIKUTT is a musician and MC based in Ramallah Palestine Creating sounds using sampled material field recordings and electronic devices the results range between hip-hop downtempo ambient glitch and experimental He has composed and produced music for artists such as Kronos Quartet Bukue One Spiritchild Tamer Abu-Ghazaleh Bleubird and others and has appeared as an MC on albums for artists such as Slovo Heliodrome Bonnot and Lethal Skillz A co-founder of the Ramallah Underground Collective which has toured across the Arab World Europe and Australia Boikutt is also co-founder and member of audio-visual group Tashweesh with whom he is currently touring Also as a solo performer he has been in Beirut Cairo Manila Copenhagen London Hamburg Dubai Bethlehem and other cities He has produced and exhibited a few sound-art pieces composed several film scores has most recently composed the music for a dance theater performance entitled Bound by

New York-based company Yaa Samar Dance Theatre and is now working on different collaborative and solo projects His work may be heard at soundcloudcomboikutt and on Facebook

DAM Da Arabian MCrsquos are Suhell Nafar Tamer Nafar and Mahmoud Jreri The first Palestinian hip hop crew and among the first to rap in Arabic the group began working together in the late 1990s Struck by the uncanny resemblance of the reality of the streets in a Tupac video to the streets in their own neighborhood of Lyd they were inspired to tell their stories through hip hop Their timely song ldquoMin Irhabirdquo (ldquoWhorsquos the Terroristrdquo) was downloaded a million times shortly after its internet realese in 2001 and DAM became a household name among youth throughout the Middle East Ten years of performing all over the world has strengthened the grouprsquos commitment to continue living and working in their hometown of Lyd 15 minutes from Tel Aviv and working to provide the youth of the city and neighboring communities with programs and opportunities that have been denied to Palestinian citizens of Israel Their music is a unique fusion of East and West and encompasses influences as varied as Ghassan Kanafani Ahlam Mosteghanemi Mahmoud Darwish Naji al Ali Tupac Biggie Public Enemy MBS Krsquonaan and Pharoahe Monch IHDA (Dedication) DAMrsquos long-awaited first international album was released in 2007 and DAM has seen its songs and members featured in films such as Ford Transit (Dir Hany Abu Assad) Where in the World is Osama Bin Laden (Dir Morgan Spurlock) Salt of this Sea (Dir Annemarie Jacir) Local Angel and Forgiveness (Dir Udi Aloni) DAMrsquos history and influence on the Arab hip hop scene is detailed in the feature-length documentary Slingshot Hip Hop (Dir Jackie Reem Salloum) The group has also been featured in Vibe National Geographic Rolling Stone Q Basement Reuters and The New York Times and has appeared on MTV CNN BBC and Al Jazeera Their work can be heard and explored at damrapcom

EL DEEB first ventured into Egyptian Hip Hop when he joined Asfalt in 2005 He left in 2007 to create Wighit Nazara duo represented by Mohamed Yasser and himself It was a successful musical project that lasted until mid 2010 Currently he is working on his solo career with plans to release an EP every couple of months or so Cairofornia is his first solo EP His work may be heard at deebbandcampcom and on Facebook

EL RASS was born in Tripoli Lebanon He started writing poetry in literary Arabic at age 11 and started rhyming in spoken Lebanese dialect in 1999 at age 15 At that time he formed one third of a group of 3 MCrsquos going under the name of ldquoMlouk el Micrdquo (ldquoKings of the Micrdquo) They recorded one album and performed locally At 17 he left for France to study Finance and Economics Studies were hard money was scarce and exile was tough but music and poetry never left him as he continued rhyming with some underground French MCrsquos like Medline and Moebius and developed new musical skills on percussion in classical Arabic singing and baglama (turkish buzuk) After graduating and working for almost two years in the hell of banking and market finance El Rass decided to return to Lebanon He spent a year just re-discovering Beirut and making and learning music He now works as a journalist at the newspaper Assafir while concurrently pursuing joint projects with other producers and musicians He calls his work Taalik in reference to the same word in Arabic for ldquocommentrdquo and another word that comes from the same semantic root moaallakat which is a corpus of selected pre-Islamic poetry that was written with gold ink on the walls of the Karsquoaba in Mecca His work may be heard at soundcloudcomElRass

FAREEQ EL ATRASH is a hip hop band based out of Hamra St Beirut with a sound that is distinguished by laid back topical flows over live instrumentation It consists of Edd (raps) Nasser (raps) FZ (vocal production and FX) Fouad Afra (drums) Goo (plays guitar keys heart strings) and Abed Kobeissy (plays bass and buzuk) Their 2010 album and 2009 prealbum are available online More of their work may be found on Facebook Eddrsquos solo work can also be heard at soundcloudcomEdd

H2Z was born in Kuwait in 1986 where he lived for four years Due to the gulf war his family moved to Lebanon where he lived for the most part of his life Inspired by the tragic events in the Middle East and elsewhere in the world H2Z adopted rap music as a way to raise awareness about the injustices suffered by his people and to deliver a message through his music to anyone who supports the Palestinian cause His career began in 2004 when he was introduced to the production business by fellow rappers and soon he started producing his own tracks and established a local band producing many tracks for himself and other musicians in Lebanon In 2008 he released his first solo album titled 3aed which contained

17 tracks The political influence was noticed throughout the album and was generally well-received He is now studying for a degree in business administration at Wayne State University in Michigan His work may be heard at reverbnationcomh2z

KATIBEH 5 are based in Borj el Barajneh Lebanon Their work can be found at reverbnationcomkatibeh5 and myspacecomkatibe5palestine and on Facebook

M1 is Mutulu Olugbala of the New York based collective Dead Prez whose work is online at deadprezcom M1 is also on Facebook

MC GAZA is Adnan Mahmoud Ghonim an Algerian born artist and university student based in Gaza It was the beginning of 2005 when he attended one of the hip hop concerts in Gaza City ndash Gaza City that never appreciated the art he loved and attached himself to ndash and it was love at first sight between them Through some of the concerts he participated in a number of songs he collaborated on with Arabs from Egypt Algeria and Palestine and some active participation to represent the Palestinian people and interviews for both Arab and foreign press he was able to make a name for himself in the Gazan hip hop community His work may be found at youtubecomMCGaza and on Facebook

THE NARCICYST Having pioneered the Arab Hip-Hop movement with seminal Iraqi-Canadian crew Euphrates The Narcicyst recently broke through borders and shattered traveling etiquette touring solo around the world sharing stages with the likes of Brother Ali Mos Def and Kanye West to name a few On top of music The Narcicyst is a celebrated theorist whose academic work Fear of an Arab Planet has him from the stage to the classrooms of internationally renowned universities He is now also a professor at Concordia University teaching a Fine Arts course ldquoHip-Hop Past Present and Futurerdquo His writings have been published by multiple university presses and magazines internationally he is also a self-published author having recently released the biographical and social-study on the Arab world The Diatribes of a Dying Tribe As a true artist interested in really pushing his own artistic boundaries The Narcicyst has stepped into acting currently starring in the short music film PHATWA and in the first internationally-released film from the United Arab Emirates called City of Life A true multi-media

111110

KHALED AL HILLI is a PhD candidate in Comparative Literature at the Graduate Center City University of New York He has a BA in English Literature and a Masterrsquos degree in Teaching Second Languages Born in Iraq Khaled has taught in Lebanon and Saudi Arabia at both college and high school levels He has also worked with various Iraqi news outlets and has subtitledtranslated documentary films dealing with current social and political issues His research interests include Arabic political literature prison literature and literature in the diaspora He may be reached at hillykhalidgmailcom

+AZIZ is a NYC-based marketing consultant and a musician He is working through The World Music Parade to develop an animation project based on his music More about that project can be found at themusicparadetumblrcom He tweets from plusaziz

FAYSAL BIBI is a paleontologist and electronic musician currently based in Berlin

LOUBNA BILALI is originally from Morocco She did her undergrad and first MA in English Linguistics at Chouaib Doukkali University El Jadida She came to the US in 2008 to pursue a Masterrsquos degree in French to English translation and is currently working on a PhD in translation studies at Kent State University in Ohio She is very interested in learning and teaching languages as well as translating and localizing computer applications and websites She may be reached at loubnabilaligmailcom

FARAH ELREWAISSATI is a freelance translator pro-Palestine activist and BDS advocate who blogs at youthanormalizationblogspotcom She tweets from 3beee

NIZAR GHANEM was born in Lebanon He has been active in intercultural education interactive learning and conflict resolution across the Arab world His work on conflict resolution involved using theater comics and music as tools for emotional expression and social mobilization

RIMA NAJDI is a Performing Artist She studied dramatic arts at the Lebanese University in Beirut and obtained a Masterrsquos degree in Performance Studies at NYU New York She has written and performed in various plays and performances Najdi is particularly interested in multi-media performing arts and the position of the spectators

BARRAK ALZAID (copy editor) is the Artistic Director of ArteEast He is the editor of the ArteEast Quarterly a dynamic online portal featuring four publications that highlight contemporary art and culture from the Middle East and diaspora ndash ArtersquoZine Shahadat (contemporary short-form literature) Gallery and Cinematek (an online film center) He is also the curator for ArteEastrsquos Across Histories Art Talk Series featuring a series of panels on residencies in Fall 2011 He tweets from barrakster

RAYYA EL ZEIN (editor) is working towards a PhD in Theatre at the Graduate Center City University of New York Her research is increasingly focusing on theories of reception historical studies of audience behavior and popular culture in the Arab world She holds an MA in Performance Studies from NYU and is currently a teaching fellow at City College in Harlem She tweets from rayelz

translator biosdreamer Yassin recently established an arts label in the UAE called The Medium focusing on delivering art from Arabs in the diaspora and at lsquohomersquo to the rest of the world iraqisthebombcom He tweets from TheNarcicyst

OMAR OFFENDUM is a Syrian-American hip hop artist born in Saudi Arabia raised in Washington DC and living in Los Angeles Known for taking audiences on a lyrical journey from the jasmine-tree-lined courtyards of Nizar Qabbanirsquos Damascene homes to the flooded riverbanks of Langston Hughesrsquo Harlem Renaissance poems - Offendum has been featured on several major news outlets (BBC Yahoo ABC News Aljazeera PBS) toured the world to promote his ground-breaking music helped raise thousands of dollars for various humanitarian relief organizations (PCRF KinderUSA ANERA Islamic Relief) lectured at a number of prestigious academic institutions (Harvard MIT Stanford Columbia American University of Beirut NYU-AbuDhabi Qatar Education City) and most recently been involved in creating several critically-acclaimed songs about the popular democratic uprisings throughout the Middle East amp North Africa He is currently hard at work promoting his solo release - affectionately dubbed SyrianamericanA His work may be heard (and read) at offendumbandcampcom He is on Facebook and he tweets from Offendum

RAMALLAH UNDERGROUND based in Ramallah Palestine was born from the immediacy of musical experimentation and out of the need to give voice to a generation of Palestinians and Arabs facing a turbulent and uncertain political landscape The collective was founded by artists Boikutt Stormtrap and Aswatt and has always held a commitment to both the honesty of their work and the need to creatively rejuvenate Arabic culture To this end they combine music ranging from Arabic electronic music hip-hop and trip hop to downtempo with a deep sense of their local culture and the imposing presence of Palestine in their lives The outcome is a new specific and distinct sound RU (as producers and as MCrsquos ) has collaborated with numerous artists across the globe including countries like Lebanon UK Switzerland Italy USA France and many more including a collaboration with Slovo (a band headed by the guitarist from faithless) in their track ldquoNakbardquo which appears on their album Todo Cambia and with Kronos Quartet in the track ldquoTashweeshrdquo which appears on Floodplain RU has also performed live shows in Ramallah Bethlehem Vienna London Cairo Lausanne Amsterdam and Washington DC Their shows are mainly a performance of their hip-hop tracks as well as a few of their own electronic productions as a warm up More recently RU has incorporated a visual set in their live

performances brought to you by Palestinian visual artist Ruanne RU hopes to give a voice to Palestinians and Arabs bringing an alternative voice from the Arab world Their lyrics and music are an expression of anguish and defiance ultimately remaining a defiant voice of the colonized against the colonizer They continue to play a big role in the Arab underground cultural scene while slowly gaining wide global and local popularity

SHADIA MANSOURrsquos work can be found at myspacecomshadiamusic and on Facebook

STORMTRAP is a music producercomposerMC from Palestine Experimenting with old samples instruments and field recordings his sound is the result of a fusion of ambient atmospheres combined with various noises and hip hop beats His lyrics deal with different themes inspired mainly by his personal experiences in Palestine and life in the diaspora Stormtrap played a fundamental role in forming the band Ramallah Underground with which he has performed worldwide the past few years Currently he is working in Vienna with Aras Seyhan and Eren Ileri on a new album which combines live instruments synthesizers turntables beats and Arabic lyrics- which will be released early 2012 His work may be heard at soundcloudcomstormtrap He tweets from asifeh

AMEER YOSSEF 25 has sung and writen music with the band Klaket for the past four years His work may be heard at youtubecomAmeer and on Facebook

towards the work Her work for now concentrates on the process of making interactive and participatory performances that question borders stereotypes and languages

MOE ALI NAYEL is a fixer and a journalist based in Beirut Lebanon He uses social media blogging non-mainstream music journalism and writing as a word spreading eye opening socializing arena He uses social media as a bridge that cuts distance between people on this planet making it a tiny village This bridge starts in his office and takes him to every corner in the world enabling him to connect and network with people and cultures sharing and exchanging stories of the unheard and the neglected He blogs at Words of Action and he tweets from MoeAliNay

ALEX ORTIZ is a video and radio journalist and translator based in Cairo Egypt He graduated from Brown University in 2009 with a double major in Comparative Literature and Middle East Studies He was a CASA I fellow from 2009-2010 and a CASA II fellow from 2010-2011 He currently works for CBS News as a field producer He tweets from cairowitness

AHMED SHAWKET is an independent translator living in Cairo Egypt He is a graduate of the Helwan University Faculty of Arts where he majored in philosophy Ahmed works on literary media and commercial translation

113112

ABOUT SHAHADATShahadat is a quarterly online series designed to provide a platform for short-form writing and experimentation in writing by young and underexposed writers from the MENA region (Middle East and North Africa) The series features stories vignettes reflections and chronicles in translation and the original language of Arabic Farsi Turkish or Kurdish It makes up one quarter of ArteEastrsquos online programming the AE Quarterly For past issues of Shahadat click here

ABOUT THIS SERIES Shahadat is proud to run two alternating series and releases two issues a year of each The issue yoursquove just perused is part of the ldquoExploring Popular Literaturerdquo series This series challenges traditional understandings of ldquoliteraturerdquo emerging from the Middle East and North Africa by presenting genres of creative production that rely on words and language but which have not typically been studied as literature Works are presented in their original language and in translation

In each issue we gather texts from a spectrum of writers to challenge the singular status of the artistauthor and to encourage a more complex presentation of the Middle Eastern and North African ldquostreetrdquo for English-speaking audiences Shahadatrsquos other series ldquoContemporary Literature in Translationrdquo features the work of a single young author in the original language and in English translation

BEHIND THE DOCUMENTShahadat is co-edited by Rayya El Zein Alex Ortiz and ArteEastrsquos Artistic Director Barrak Alzaid All three are young professionals and scholars with artistic inclinations (literature poetry translation and performance) All three have strong connections to New York City and various metropole of the MENA region Shahadat is for us an experiment and a labor of love An editorial board of established scholars and authors is currently being conceived

SPECIAL THANKS TOAnmar El ZeinKinda AkashAndrew JohnstonLivia Alexander

Shahadat logo design by Rima Farouki

114

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Page 24: Shahadat Winter 2012

4746

حمامة سالم افتحي أجنحتكي و طيري

وين الوعي - وين امشوا معي هني وادي بني اجلبلني عني حب للطرفني

أمهاتنا حبت ذاتنا بس مو عاجبهن مسباتنا هذا احلكي بني اخواتنا

Oزين العرب واألمريكان m a r O f f e n d u m

This track contains verses that were originally written in English

You are my

(Destiny)

Itrsquos hard livinrsquo in the West - when I know the East got the best of me

(Destiny)

Could be lookinrsquo in my eyes - but yoursquoll never really see the rest of me

(Destiny)

Can you hear me maseeri [my destiny] Bi-lingualrsquos what Irsquom blessed to be

(Destiny)

Dove of Peace

Spread your wings amp fly

Consciousness What consciousness - where is it

Take a walk with me

Here in this valley between two ldquomountainsldquo

Where the source of love for both ldquosidesldquo can be found

Our mothers like us

But donrsquot like our foul language

So letrsquos keep this between the siblings

The best of Arabs amp Americans

destمصيري iny

7 Destiny

Omar Offendum

The Peace Revolution 20

21332892

eng - iTunNORM 000006D3 000006F2 000038BA 0000322F 0000E4FA 0000E4FA 00008716 0000864B 0002AB5E 000083D6

eng - iTunSMPB 00000000 00000210 0000094B 00000000008F7FA5 00000000 004108FB 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000

4948

وألله يرحم كل أمواتنا أغاني

مثل املهامتة إذا قلنا العني بالعني

ما صفى عندنا عيون بالشام بالد الشام

من فلسطني إلى جبال لبنان قبل ما اخترعوا احلدود

من اإلسكندرون إلى كردستان فهمان

جنجس خان ما خان قد ما خانونا أوالد العم بس دمنا دمهم

بني أدم - بنو ذمنبهم على أكتافنا - شلنا همهم

ليه الله بيعلم

بس ليك هذا الفتيش والبسكليت احسنلك من 100000000 مسدس

تعرف ليه ألن مو عاجبهم بسمتك

بس إبتسم برسمتك شاب عربي ومثقف

أعطيهم ختمتك وإذا لسة مو راضني

ذكرهم بكالم إيليية )أبي ماضي( raquoنسي الطني ساعة أنه طنيlaquo

Oوهذه هي القضاء والقدر يا حبيبي m a r O f f e n d u m

And may God have mercy on all our dead

Songs I sing

Like the Mahatma [the line above and the line below are linked through the sound of the name and the figure of Mahatama Ghandi]

If we say lsquoan eye for an eyersquo

There wont be any eyes left in Sham [Damascus]

Bilad al-Sham [Greater Syria the wider Arab world]

From Palestine to the mountains of Lebanon

Before they made up these borders

From Iskandaroon to Kurdistan

Understand

Genghis Khan never deceived us quite like our ldquopaternal cousinsldquo [khan also means ldquodeceiveldquo in Arabic]

But our blood is their blood

Children of Adam -- who built their sins

Upon our shoulders -- we carried their burden

Why

God knows

But listen this little firecracker amp bicycle

Are better for you than 100 million guns

Wanna know why

Because they dont like seeing you smile

But smile you will - in your human being

A young cultured Arab male

Give them your stamp of approval

And if they still donrsquot accept you

Then remind them of the words of Elliye [Abi-Madhee a Lebanese poet whose poem begins with]

ldquoHow soon a piece of dirt can forget that all he really is is just dirtldquo [ie we are all from this earth amp

will come back to it so there is no logic in viewing yourself as better than someone else]

And that my friend is our destiny

7 Destiny

Omar Offendum

The Peace Revolution 20

21332892

eng - iTunNORM 000006D3 000006F2 000038BA 0000322F 0000E4FA 0000E4FA 00008716 0000864B 0002AB5E 000083D6

eng - iTunSMPB 00000000 00000210 0000094B 00000000008F7FA5 00000000 004108FB 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000

5150

O m a r O f f e n d u m

Dove of Peace

Spread your wings amp fly

Make it easier to borrow

The aesthetics you bite

Like all the Arabic loanwords

From Spaniards amp Morros

The Karma of Inquisition

Visions of horror

So whorsquos the explorer

Really was it Columbus

Muhammad al-Idrisi or Alfaragnus

Throw a Hobson Jobson

While you figure it out

Irsquom gonna start with a cipher

Thatrsquos a siffir [zero] - no doubt

See you might not have learned to live with me

But sure as hell canrsquot without

You are my

You are my

(Destiny)

Itrsquos hard livinrsquo in the West - when I know the East got the best of me

(Destiny)

Could be lookinrsquo in my eyes - but yoursquoll never really see the rest of me

(Destiny)

Can you hear me maseeri [my destiny] Bi-lingualrsquos what Irsquom blessed to be

(Destiny)

حمامة سالم افتحي أجنحتكي و طيري

I write right to left

You write left to right

Metaphor of a foreignerrsquos plight

Dressed to type

Stereo amp a mic

Scenario of a fight

The burial of a white

Imperial at his heightrsquos

A Turkish Rapperrsquos Delight

Semetic etiquette might

Just have you rollin your ldquoRrsquosldquo

Poetic amp light

And grab a hold of your sorrows

To relieve your tomorrows

7 Destiny

Omar Offendum

The Peace Revolution 20

21332892

eng - iTunNORM 000006D3 000006F2 000038BA 0000322F 0000E4FA 0000E4FA 00008716 0000864B 0002AB5E 000083D6

eng - iTunSMPB 00000000 00000210 0000094B 00000000008F7FA5 00000000 004108FB 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000

5352

O m a r O f f e n d u m

Dove of Peace

Spread your wings amp fly

Bitched out by the West

Press get a big shout

From the people gettinrsquo rich out of this (bout)

Now whatrsquos this really all about

Land money or power

It was the colonizerrsquos fault

But now itrsquos really just ours

Leavinrsquo a sour tase in our mouths

Like generational slave names

Whenever speakinrsquo out

Out-spoken leaders gettinrsquo taken out

Quicker than belligerent drunks in a bar

We a far cry from livinrsquo as one

T r a n s l a t e d b y t h e a r t i s t

(Destiny)

Itrsquos hard livinrsquo in the West - when I know the East got the best of me

(Destiny)

Could be lookinrsquo in my eyes - but yoursquoll never really see the rest of me

(Destiny)

Can you hear me maseeri [my destiny] Bi-lingualrsquos what Irsquom blessed to be

(Destiny)

حمامة سالم افتحي أجنحتكي و طيري

See arab [Arabs] shootin at each other

From Iraq to Falasteen [Palastine]

Syria to Libnan [Lebanon]

Algeria to Sudan

Pedagogy of the oppressed tricklinrsquo down

Conquerinrsquo through divisions

And sadly this isnrsquot the first time

One land one love one chance one blood

No fuss no fight Yeah right young blood

AKrsquos cheaper than a book

Crooked leaders in a hook

Gettinrsquo fished out

Missles gettinrsquo dished out

7 Destiny

Omar Offendum

The Peace Revolution 20

21332892

eng - iTunNORM 000006D3 000006F2 000038BA 0000322F 0000E4FA 0000E4FA 00008716 0000864B 0002AB5E 000083D6

eng - iTunSMPB 00000000 00000210 0000094B 00000000008F7FA5 00000000 004108FB 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000

5554

زي ما صار مبارح صار اليوم اطف التلفزيون امسك مايكروفون

زي ما صار مبارح صار اليوم اطف التلفزيون امسك مايكروفون

زي ما صار مبارح صار اليوم اطف التلفزيون امسك مايكروفون

زي ما صار مبارح صار اليوم اطف التلفزيون امسك مايكروفون

النه الوقت عم يسبق بقلك خي سالم بس اصبر

بدك تستني هاي اخلطط بعمرها ما تضبطبيدفعلك قد ما بدك عشان تسكت

واذا بتفتح متك طخة وحده وبعد بتسقط

s t o r m t r a p

What happened yesterday happens today

switch off your TV and grab a microphone

What happened yesterday happens today

switch off your TV and grab a microphone

What happened yesterday happens today

switch off your TV and grab a microphone

What happened yesterday happens today

switch off your TV and grab a microphone

Because time is racing

He keeps telling you peace is coming just be patient

You want to wait these plans never succeed

Hersquoll pay you as much as you want to keep you quiet

And if you open your mouth one shot will silence you

what happened yesterdayزي ما صار مبارح

Zey ma sar mbareh

Stormtrap

null

2009

1728613

eng - Visit httpstormtrapbandcampcom

5756

اركض اركض وخليك راكض

واذا بتفتح متك رح يقلك خليك ساكت رح يقلك انساك من هاملشاكل

حوشوا هالشواك وضبوا شناتكم واشتروا التذاكرففكر شوي وما تكنش أهبل

وين ما تروح في الدنيا رح تتبهدلمش شايف قدامي عم بسمع أصوات بيسألني

ليش لسه عايش هون روح عيش محل تانيبدي احك بس الكلمات مش طالعة من لساني

عنصرية هونن عنصرية هناك عنصرية كل ما اطلع برا الشباك

شيطان بيعمل حاله مالكبس هو بالواقع بدو يعيش بالك

جدار بيمثل عقلية ناس بدهاش تعيش معاك

زي ما صار مبارح صار اليوم اطف التلفزيون امسك مايكروفون

ما مبثل شخص او اشخاص مبثل فكرةاسم احلرية حاملينه

من بلد ما فيه حياة عاديةسواءا ضد االحتالل أو ضد العنصرية

أصواتكم وينايي خلوها تنسمع وتطلع نتائج ايجابية

فكمل كتابة او تسجيل وصدقني شغلك مش رايح عالفاضي

عشان الشي الوحيد اللي رح يروح هو احن اذا منضلنا علقانني فاملاضي

s t o r m t r a p

Run run

Keep running

And if you decide to speak hersquoll tell you just stay silent

Hersquoll tell you forget these problems

Save up some money pack your bags and buy your tickets

Think about it donrsquot be a fool

Wherever you go yoursquoll get humiliated

I canrsquot see in front of me Irsquom hearing voices asking

Why are you still living here Go live somewhere else

I want to respond but the words wonrsquot come out

Racism here racism there

Racism each time I look out the window

A devil in an angelrsquos disguise

In reality he wants to live without you

The apartheid wall represents the mentality of a people who donrsquot care to coexist

What happened yesterday happens today

switch off your TV and grab a microphone

I dont represent a person or a people I represent an idea

An idea called freedom

From a land lacking a normal life

Whether yoursquore struggling against occupation or against racism

Where is your voice

Let it be heard to achieve your goals

So keep writing and recording

Believe me your work wonrsquot be lost in vain

The only thing thatrsquoll disappear is us

If we stay stuck in the past

Zey ma sar mbareh

Stormtrap

null

2009

1728613

eng - Visit httpstormtrapbandcampcom

5958

شو الي حدثجينا من حتت األرض

هيهة القصة بدة عنا هدفوننشر أصواتنا لكل حدا

جيت من حتت أرض رام اللهما ح وقف اكتب كلمات وال مرة

عندي طاقة الزم أطلعها كل يوم وكل ساعةفاو انبنى مع الوقت ولسة عم بيطور تصور

تصورفاو انبنى مع الوقت ولسة عم بيطور تصور

زي ما صار مبارح صار اليوم اطف التلفزيون امسك مايكروفون

زي ما صار مبارح صار اليوم اطف التلفزيون امسك مايكروفون

s t o r m t r a p

What happened

We came from underground

The story begins we have an objective

To spread our voices to everyone

I came from the ruins of Ramallah and

I wonrsquot ever stop writing words

I have energy that I must release every day every hour

A flow thatrsquos been built and is still developing imagine

Imagine a flow thatrsquos been built and is still developing

What happened yesterday happens today

Switch off your TV and grab a microphone

What happened yesterday happens today

Switch off your TV and grab a microphone

T r a n s l a t e d b y t h e a r t i s t

Zey ma sar mbareh

Stormtrap

null

2009

1728613

eng - Visit httpstormtrapbandcampcom

6160

Wake up the People

Donrsquot doubt it

The Maker can see you

Right now

You want to get out and see doe

So clouded

Sell out to be dope

Right now

I see you plagued by your own doubt

Canrsquot step the game up

Like a snake when it rolled down

Staircase of a lone child

No bricks lain in a cold house

Where you sold out

All alone on an old couch

t h e N a r c i c y s t

No click like an untapped phone dial

Oh wow

I felt the same homie

Donrsquot shelter pain only

Then it came slowly

Never let the frame hold me (down)

Picture life for the love though

People tend to look the other way like Columbo

We deceived by the law just to love doe

Guess they took all the worth out to numb folks

And make a severed plan

Out of bitter man

What you want a medal man

Huh Do you really think yoursquore better than Then

All you really need is a long look

Two sixteens and a strong hook like

brassThis track was originally written in English

null

2149748

6362

Wake up the People

Donrsquot doubt it

The Maker can see you

Right now

You want to get out and see doe

So clouded

Sell out to be dope

Right now

Break

Hip hop like a fresh pelvis

Yoursquore gonna regret this shit like a dead Elvis

Busy wishing you could live less selfish

Crabs in a bucket duckinrsquo these dead shellfish

Industry got a brother feeling helpless

With an ill chorus and ride yoursquore more in the tide

When a flow canrsquot keep me above the water

t h e N a r c i c y s t

Let a wave carry me out and push me farther now

Internal Inferno ten journals written but Irsquom still not sure though

Do I really want to tour to jump hurdles To be heard

So-I-Can-Feel-Like-This

Man therersquos something that I might miss--

Naw Irsquove been bluffinrsquo

Lifersquos backwards like Ben Buttonsrsquo

Irsquom in love with the stage fright on a strange night

Feels good to get the words on a page right

Wake up the People

Donrsquot doubt it

The Maker can see you

Right now

You want to get out and see doe

So clouded

Sell out to be dope

Right now

null

2149748

6564

مبارح شفت بلمنام بيروت عمتغرق حتت رماد بركان فحموا الناس بس ال raquoسكاي بارlaquo كان بعده ولعان

بيروت ثبتت حبة الثورة اللي فينا نبتت ملا أحبطت نفوسنا من اجلمود

فينا بيروت حتركت عدم دمارنا وعدم حرية خيارنا

بيوت بيروت تعمرت سكرنا عجفاف دموعنا جفوننا عليها تسكرت فتخمرت

إذا بطلت تطير قدرك عألرض مقهور إذا وقفت تكسير بتصير جزء من الديكور

e l R a s s

Yesterday I dreamt Beirut was drowning under volcanic ash

The people were turned to charcoal but Sky Bar [a posh Beirut club] was still lit up

Beirut suppressed the seed of the revolution the one that sprouted

When our spirits were foiled from immobility

In us Beirut moved

On the blood of our destruction and the negation of our freedom of choice

The houses of Beirut are rebuilt

We got drunk on the dryness of our tears our eyelids closed on them and fermented

If you stop flying your destiny on land is distress

If you stop breaking you become part of the decoration

beirutبركان بيروت rsquos volcano

Blues

2125713

6766

بحاور بناور باآلخر بواجه التاج بتوضى بصلي بتوصلني أصوات أنات احملتاج

تأمل العلم بعري العمل من العمل خياري عنار خفيفة دوب املسمار وتستوي األفكار النظيفة

عمروا دمروا زمروا تذمروا ربك صبره دربه جربه

عقلن خربوا غربوا هربوا وقبلوا بالفن عحيط الشارع

عشرط ما يكون في شك بشارع هيدي مش عاصمة ثقافة هيدي حلبة املصارع بيروت ال تعرف في املاضي وال تعرب باملضارع

حتول التركيبة خلى العقل اجلامد فكر حاله مالك املدينة رقبته طويلة متل مالك احلزين وايده لوزيري

اعتبر نفسه أول مني اكتشف هلجزيرة بأجر الفقير شقق بأسعار مدروسة

بشكل تضل طموحاته ممعوسة نهبوا األرض من ربعي وصارت احلرب شركة استثمار مبفعول رجعي

حتت شعار إعادة اإلعمار لو ما كان خلص دوره وانتهى عقد االيجار

كان احلريري ما طار وما صار مطار احلريري عاصمة لبنان بتوازن بني ضريحني

واتنيناتن عاغتيالن في عالمة استفهام e واحد قدس املوت بس لسبب l R a s s

I discuss I maneuver ultimately I confront the crown

I perform ablutions I pray I receive the moaning of the needy

The meditation of knowledge strips work from hope

My choice is on low fire melting the nails and clean thoughts are ripening

They built they destroyed they honked they complained

Your god made him patient tested him and trained him

Their minds ruined westernized chased off

They accepted art pissed on back alleys

As long as there is no doubt in the streets

This is no capital of culture itrsquos a wrestling ring

Beirut canrsquot speak of itself in the past nor conjugate itself in the present

Transitions and transformations made the closed mind think he owns the city

His neck is long like a stork his fingers long like a politicianrsquos

He thinks himself the first who discovered this peninsula

He lets the poor rent apartments at prices studied

To crush ambitions

They stole the land from my cousins

And the war became a backward-looking investment

Under the slogan of reconstruction

If his time wasnrsquot up and his contract finished

Hariri didnrsquot have to fly and it wouldnrsquot have become the Hariri airport

Lebanonrsquos capital keeps balance between two shrines

And on both assassinations there is a question mark

One sanctifies death but for a reason

Blues

2125713

6968

واحد قدس احلياة بس بالكذب واحد بايدو حتول الذهب سم وواحد تخبى من الذهب بالدم

مني الشهيد

اللي مات حتت صبابيط ثورة عبيد شهيد اللي مات فتحول على حملة اعالنات هدفها ترفع الطايفة معدالت التجنيد

قنابل بالبريد وصل سيوف علوريد حصل

املوت للبليد صنم الصبر للعنيد حلم تأليه الشهيد ظلم

خليط احلديد والدم العالج والسم الرفاه والهم النوعية والكم

الدعارة وورقة التوت مبدينة بيروت علم

e l R a s s

And one sanctifies life with lies

In onersquos hand gold turned into poison

And the other hid from gold with blood

Who is the martyr

The one who died under the shoes of the oppressedrsquos uprising is a martyr

Is it he whose death was transformed into an advertising campaign to raise the levels of

sectarian enlistment

Bombs came in the mail

Swords to the jugular true stories

Death to the cold is statuette

Patience to the stubborn is a dream

Divinity to the martyr is oppression

The mixture of steel and blood the cure and poison

Luxury and distress quality and quantity

Prostitution and modesty

The science of the city of Beirut

T r a n s l a t e d b y M o e A l i N a y e l amp + A z i z

Blues

2125713

7170

بقرأ في اجلريدة زفت شوارع جديدة

إزالة مطبات و كثير أشياء هيك مفيدة أشخاص مستفيدة

دعم من هون و من هون منظمات بس احلرية بعيدة

مقاطعة مستوطنات تعون الضفة الغربية وطنية حصرية إدعائية

طب و فلسطني التاريخية مع ألساس كانت القدس عاصمة الثقافة العربية

بس كلوحكي سياسية للشعب إحنا نتحمل الشغل و التعب و الوضع صعب

b o i k u t t

Irsquom reading in the paper

About roads newly paved

Speed bumps removed and a lot of other useful stuff (yes very)

Certain inviduals benefit

Funding from here and there

Organizations are plentiful but freedom is far-fetched

Calling for a boycott of settlements around the West Bank

Pretentious exclusive nationalism

But what about historical Palestine

I thought Jerusalem was supposed to be the ldquocapital of Arab cultureldquo

But itrsquos all political speeches for the people

We put up with the work and the sweat and itrsquos rough

a letterرسالة من مقاطعة from boikutt

risaleh mn muqataa (pt1)

boikutt

null

2010

1086983

eng - iTunPGAP0

eng - iTunNORM 00000A1E 00000A0E 000099D9 000098A0 0000CC63 0000CC63 0000826D 000080B0 000131D0 000131D0

eng - iTunSMPB 00000000 00000210 000008F3 000000000049197D 00000000 0027BA9D 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000

7372

يقنعونا إن كلشي متام و بقدر أعيش حياة عادية

زي في األفالم على مبس واحد إثنني ثالثة أربعة إلخ

كن منيح و بتنزل عليك املصاري زخ نصيحة من أخ ألخ

خليك مستقل ألن اللعبة إنلعب فإبعد عن الفخ

خليهم يقعدوا يستنوا الدعم ليموتوا يلفلفوا داخل اجلدار حلد ما يفوتوا

في متاهات مبسافات مش محددة مجددة لتوسع التوسع مش مهددة

إنتهاك احتالل بس مش على الكل

في ناس في فلسطني هون حياتهم زي الفل مش عارف شو بيفكر

شكلوا مش داري شي يوم حنروح كل الدكاكني هي حتسكر

سالم

b o i k u t t

Try to convince me that everythingrsquos fine

And that I can lead a normal life

Like in the movies

On MBC one two three four etcetera

Be good and money will rain on you

Advice from one brother to another

Stay independent because the games are being played

So steer clear of the trap

Let them wait for foreign aid until they die

Spinning in circles within the apartheid wall until they enter

Into unlimited mazes with unspecified spaces

That are renewed to fit settlement expansion unthreatened

Violation occupation

But not for everyone

There are people here in Palestine living ldquothe good lifeldquo

I donrsquot know what hersquos thinking

Seems like he doesnrsquot know one day wersquoll be gone

And all these shops will close

Peace

T r a n s l a t e d b y t h e a r t i s t w i t h L o u b n a B i l a l i

risaleh mn muqataa (pt1)

boikutt

null

2010

1086983

eng - iTunPGAP0

eng - iTunNORM 00000A1E 00000A0E 000099D9 000098A0 0000CC63 0000CC63 0000826D 000080B0 000131D0 000131D0

eng - iTunSMPB 00000000 00000210 000008F3 000000000049197D 00000000 0027BA9D 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000

7574

الضغط عاليالعدو فات جاري احملادثات

صمت دوليكمية الغازى عم تزداد

تهجير جديد مولود جديدتكرر عزو مش تارك ورا شي مفيد غير غراب

من كل البيت ما تركو شي إال البابمن االرض ل سما مسافة عاليه

إمشي الصحرا وعد لياليوجنوما

كمشوا رئيس دولة بجورةحصار

توزيع مخدراتباألحمر تلون الفرات سجون معتقالتقبلة الوداع مع الصبات

تنصت بالشبكة خيانات باألزهر

k a t i b e h 5

The pressure is high

The enemy has entered discussions are taking place

Global silence

The numbers of the occupier are increasing

A new expulsion A newborn child

The perpetuation of an invasion that leaves behind it nothing of any use except for a crow

From an entire house they left nothing but the door

From the ground to the sky is a long distance

Walk the desert and count the nights

And its stars

They caught a president in a pit

Siege

Drug dealing the Euphrates is stained red prisons detention centers

A farewell kiss with a shoe

Networks wiretapped betrayals in Al Azhar

hold me back ifهديني اذا فيك you can

null

23098943

7776

حوار أديانالكف تنجس

متسح فيه وجك مع كل شروق عالوضوءتسمع شرارة فتيل مولوتوف ينادي أصوات تتلبى

باإلنفجار

هديني إذا فيك صرت موجود بكل مكانوجي مغبش عامل زي جيش زباتا

منصرخ بوجكم raquoاحلرية ل برغوتيlaquoإعالمكو بيعرفني كلماتكو حملت إسمي

شركاتكو بتهرب مني )كتيبه خمسه هديتي إذا فيك(

بتالقيني بني والد حفظوا غنية املخيماتبنفسية فالح عمال يزو املدينة

افالم تافهةبرنامج تافه

بتدور على مخك بتالقي مش موجوداخلليج يتحكم بإعالم

هادول حبوب التنومي ٦1 سنة بعدن مش شغالني

عالمادامك واخد وجهة نظري

ع محمل اجلدمسموح لك تستعجب وتظهر إنزعاجك بوجودي

ألني صديق لكل املشاهد الغير مرغوبة فيهاش بيختار حياتو بالتحديد بحكيلك هيك منحياها ومحد

ضغط رصاص وابارود بخليكاش حتيدالتجارب بتدلك عطريق

هديتي إذا فيك

k a t i b e h 5

A dialogue of religions

The hand is tainted

And with it you cleanse your face at ablution each sunrise

You hear the sparking of the fuse of a molotov calling voices respond

Explosion

Hold me back if you can I have become present everywhere

My face is concealed like the army of Zapata

We shout in your face ldquoFreedom for Barghoutildquo

Your media knows me your words have glimpsed my name

Your corporations flee from me

(Katibe Khamseh hold me back if you can)

Yoursquoll find me among children that have memorized the song ldquoAl Moukhayamatldquo

In the persona of a peasant that is visiting the city

Shallow films

Shallow programs

You look for your mind but you find it is not there

The Gulf controls media with its boundaries

These sleeping pills 61 years and theyrsquore still not effective

Great

As long as you are taking my point of view seriously

Yoursquore allowed to be taken aback and to show your irritation

Just like you show your irritation at my presence

Because I am a friend to all the images that are not desirable

This is how we live out these images and no one chooses their life specifically Irsquoll tell you

The pressure of bullets and gunpowder does not allow you to move away

Experience will guide you on the road

Hold me back if you can

null

23098943

7978

موقف واحد صريح من صميم روح لشعوب املقاومة ضمير ظهور البشرية

السبيل صعب ورا الغضبدعم لكل أسالوب محارب

د لنحرق نظامك منتدرب منجرب منخرب منستععم نحرق نظامك

هديتي إذا فيك

إطلع منيحمش رح تقدر توخذ كل شي من أول نظرة

نظرة عامة raquoبشرة مش بيضةlaquoجبني عريضة مكتوب مولود عنيد بالفطرة

فوت بالتقاليد عد التجاعيدلك هاي مش أول مرة

لغات ودراسات حط العلم بغالفمش رح تقدر تفهم ليه بعد في بارود ع الكتافلون األرض ولون الليل بيعطيك البني و السواد

بوعدك مش لوحدي رح أضل عد رماد الال اللعبة اجلديدة وال والدنا ع اللعبة جداد

بكفيش إنفلونزا الصقور صار في إنفلونزا اخلنازيرموسم مرض جديد لرئيس مبثل ع نفوس ومريض بهدوء البيض

هديتي إذا فيك

k a t i b e h 5

A single honest stance from the bottom of the soul for the people of the resistance the conscience

that exposes humanity

The path is difficult when following anger

A support for every style of battle

We train we strive we disrupt we prepare to burn your system

We are burning your system

Hold me back if you can

Look closely

You wonrsquot be able to see it all at first sight

An overview ldquocomplexion that is not whiteldquo

A broad forehead written born stubborn by nature

Look at the traditions and count the wrinkles

This is not the first time

Languages and scholarship put education under wraps

You wonrsquot be able to understand why there is still gunpowder on shoulders

The color of earth and the color of night gives you brown and blackness

I promise you that I will not be alone to count the ashes no

This game to us is not new and nor are our children new to the game

As if the influenza of eagles was not enough now therersquos the influenza of pigs

The season of a new disease for a president acting for a public and sick with the

calmness of white people

Hold me back if you can

null

23098943

8180

اإلحتالل نكه البشر بنكهة املجاريبالسالم حوار أديانبإقرار ملكية كذابة

بتشويه تاريخ وسرقة حضاراتولك أه

فلسطني إفريقيا الدجلة والفراتإجتاه البشرية لإلضمحالل سرطان بشري بعضها

الشتا ميسح اخلطايا واآلثاروليش بتتخبى وبتتغطى بنفس كل سفارة سميك الستار

لساتني باكل الضربة ورا الضره ورا الضربةوحتى ما أفعل وأساوي تكمشني الرجفة

بدل ما أضرب فيك بضرب بحاليبوعدكش حضلني كامش حالي حفلتها

حفلتها

هديني إذا فيك هديني إذا فيكهديني إذا فيك

k a t i b e h 5

The occupation has seasoned humanity with the flavor of sewers

With peace with dialogue of religions

With the declaration of false ownership

With the distortion of history and the theft of civilizations

Oh yes

Palestine Africa the Tigris and Euphrates

Humanity is leading to reduction a human cancer bites it

Exile wipes clean the sins and the traces

And why are you hiding and seeking cover when all the embassies are already well concealed

I am still taking one beating after another

And so that I donrsquot take action and do something shudders grip my body

Instead of beating you I beat myself

I canrsquot promise you that I can keep myself restrained

Irsquom gonna let go

Hold me back if you can

Hold me back if you can

Hold me back if you can

T r a n s l a t e d b y R i m a N a j d i a n d F a y s a l B i b i

null

23098943

8382

طول عمر الشعب املصري مع بعض أحلك الظروفبص وفر في التاريخ وانت ياما هاتشوف

الدين ده ليا وليكوفيا وفيك

حاجة روحانية بتخليك حتس اللي بيك

ايد في ايد نبني فيها من جديد

مصر زعلت علي حاصل وسطنا مش مفيد

بعد ثورة وبعد عيد فتنة تقتل حلم واتتحقق لنا

واحد اتننيالذكري بتعيش اكتر من عمر االنسان

بصمتنا تغييرنا جوة وبرة امليدان مش هانضيع نصر ثورتنا بفتنة نشئت بينا

A r a b i a n K n i g h t s + M C G a z a + A m e e r

The Egyptian people have always stuck together

Through the worst times look at history

And see how often wersquove been there for each other

That whole idea of religion

Is for you and for me something spiritual that makes you feel whatrsquos inside you

Hand in hand

We build Egypt up again

Egypt is angry at whatrsquos happening between us

Itrsquos not helpful

After the revolution after the celebration

Sectarian strife is killing the dream we fulfilled

One two

The memory lasts more than a lifetime

Our mark is our change in and outside Tahrir Square

We wonrsquot give up the victory of our revolution in exchange for sectarian strife between

us

hand inايد في ايد hand

Eid Fe Eid

Yasser Ameer Youssef Rush E Money amp MCGaza | by BOGEY

Single Hit track 11

20112011

Hip-Hop

24002867

eng - Hip-Hop 4 Life

eng - iTunNORM 000005E2 0000058E 0000424E 00003537 00026E95 0001C2B3 00008000 00008000 00005045 00005045

8584

بلدنا محتجانا ايدنا واحدة ضد احملنة تفرق ايه معاك ديانتي ملا ربك هو ربي

اصلك هو اصلي ارضك هي ارضي

ملا اتقال لي اكتت فيول فتنة انا قولت غلط علشان الفتنة مفتعلة في بلدنا وكان وراها غرض

فالفرد افترض فبفرض السياسة األمر اختلط

فالزم يبقي املصل سياسي من اصل املرض العسس واحلرس مافرقوش صليب وهالل

وكنا كلنا واحد وراء االقفالدم الشهيد شاهد

ياما بالفتنة انكسرنا وحدتنا بصوت واحد وضد الظلم انتصرنا

وديني هو ديني صلة بيني وبني ربي هارفع علمي وارفع راسي فوق

انا مصري

ايد في ايد نبني فيها من جديد

مصر زعلت علي حاصل وسطنا مش مفيد

بعد ثورة وبعد عيد فتنة تقتل حلم واتتحقق لنا

خلو حمامة السالم من الطيور املنقرضةعلشان تبقي القلوب مبتعدة منقسمه سهل تتسم

فكرين مناعة و قوة أم الدنيا بالطمع مرتبطةنسر املصريني ليس له دين احنا بنحميها بالدم

العنف بذوره بتكتر عاوز يوصل واحلروب حتصل

A r a b i a n K n i g h t s + M C G a z a + A m e e r

Our country needs us all together against the hard times

What difference does my religion make to you when your god is my god

Your origin is mine

Your land is my land

When they told me about sectarian strife I said thatrsquos wrong

Because itrsquos been planted in our country and behind it is some purpose

Makes one think somethingrsquos going on

By playing politics everythingrsquos gotten mixed up

The antidote has to be political just like the poison itself

The military doesnrsquot distinguish between cross and crescent

Wersquore all held together behind bars

The blood of the martyrs bears witness

To how much wersquove been broken by sectarianism

Through our unity we triumphed with one voice over injustice

And my religion is my own a rapport between me and God

Irsquoll raise my flag and my head up

Irsquom Egyptian

Hand in hand

We build Egypt up again

Egypt is angry at whatrsquos happening between us

Itrsquos not helpful

After the revolution after the victory

Sectarian strife is killing the dream we fulfilled

They drove the dove of peace to extinction

To keep hearts apart and divided itrsquos easy to poison them

Do they really think the resilience and strength of Egypt is connected to greed

The Egyptian eagle has no religion we protect it with our blood

The roots of violence are increasing want to gain control to start wars

Eid Fe Eid

Yasser Ameer Youssef Rush E Money amp MCGaza | by BOGEY

Single Hit track 11

20112011

Hip-Hop

24002867

eng - Hip-Hop 4 Life

eng - iTunNORM 000005E2 0000058E 0000424E 00003537 00026E95 0001C2B3 00008000 00008000 00005045 00005045

8786

للعاقيدة يكسر وألعضاء املشاعر تتشال تصتأصلعلى كالم ربهم اتكبرو فعملو قدر واتقدر

وقته مستنينه ليه خططوا مضمون الرسائل اتغير الن الهدف هو تدمير قعدة الوحدهوقتل كل قائد يقود الناس بره احملنه

فيبقي سهل يزيحنا ميحي أوصول عليها كبرناوكل واحد علي حداه يقول أنا محدش يقول احنا

فاببطء بحرص بص بعقل بحذر شوفقبل ما يخلوا خيالك يتخلله اخلوف

واخلوف ده افراز بيطلع من غده ملا الكلب بيشوفهابيعرف انك فاريسه سهل ياكلها ركز

فرق تسد إخلعوفق جتد إرفع

ثورة تقدصمت يفرد- يفرق

ما بيجمع بيننامن حقي النقد من حقك - تسمع

طب إسمع وراجع ما صور التاريخ طب باله بيكفي صور زمانييوم حصار كنيسة املهد مني دافع مني اتقمع مني اتنفا

مسلم مسيحي أل كان فلسطيني اتذكر معي ثورة غضب يناير

اتذكر معي الوحدة اإليد الوحدة اتشرف انتا مصرياتذكر معي األخ بإيد األخ يحمي األخ بدون إلخ

كالمي ماشي ماشي ال-لتفهمني بهويتي مسلم وال نصراني قبطي

ما في حجة لربطي خلبطي حلطي ألوطي ألغير خطيخير أجناد األرض

من أرض بيت املقدس كل السالم بعد ما قلت إلنقسام في وطنيانا ملزم أقول ال لفتنة

تفتت مجد شعب تعب عانى ضحى بالغالي حتى بناه

A r a b i a n K n i g h t s + M C G a z a + A m e e r

The relationship between Egyptians breaks down and the organs that feel are taken out

They got full of themselves in the name of their god and invented a new fate for us

Theyrsquore waiting for a time and theyrsquore plotting The meaning of their messages changes

Because the goal is to destroy the foundation of unity

And kill every leader who takes the people out of hard times

Itrsquos easy to remove us to wipe out the traditions we grew up with

Everyone on his own everyone says ldquoIldquo and no one says ldquoweldquo

Slowly carefully look Wisely with caution see

Before they make your imagination a slave to fear

And that fear releases a secretion from a gland

And when the dog sees it he knows yoursquore easy prey

Divide yoursquoll conquer

Bring harmony and yoursquoll reap Start

A revolution and it will catch on

Silence is solitary It divides

It doesnrsquot bring us together

It is my right to criticize and your right to listen

So listen and look back at history or better look at my life time

The day the Nativity Church was under siege who was persecuted Who was exiled

A Muslim A Christian No he was Palestinian

Letrsquos remember the angry revolution of January

Letrsquos remember the unity the one hand Be proud yoursquore Egyptian

Remember the brother holding hands with a brother protecting a brother

And I can go on

Donrsquot teach me about my identity whether Irsquom a Muslim or a Christian Copt

Therersquos no excuse to tie me down beat me to make me cower and kneel and stray from my courseThe Earthrsquos most virtuous soldiers

Come from the land of Bayt al-Maqdis [Jerusalem] I salute you After I said no to division in my countryIrsquom committed to saying no to seditionThat dissolves the glory of a people who labored suffered sacrificed what was most dear to build it

T r a n s l a t e d b y A l e x O r t i z + A h m e d S h a w k e t + K h a l e d A l H i l l i

Eid Fe Eid

Yasser Ameer Youssef Rush E Money amp MCGaza | by BOGEY

Single Hit track 11

20112011

Hip-Hop

24002867

eng - Hip-Hop 4 Life

eng - iTunNORM 000005E2 0000058E 0000424E 00003537 00026E95 0001C2B3 00008000 00008000 00005045 00005045

8988

الفن واملواهب زي حرب الكواكب الكل عايز يكون جنم صراع في الداخل

بهدي جنون العظمة بفلفل حر توابل تسيل دموع زي القنابل

زي مابتكلم وداني شغالة كون سامع نبض الشارع علشان أ

حالف أقضي على اإلعالم املتآمر مغامر في الكالم بس إنت مش سامع

ملا بأمسك القلم والورقة الهم بينزاح مخي بيرتاح بأقول اللي على البال

ملا بأقعد بحس بتأنيب ضمير كون في ستوديو بسجل على بيت خطير مفروض أ

e l D e e b + S t o r m t r a p

Art and talent are like Star Wars

Secretly everyone wants to be a star of conflict

I make megalomania tranquil with chilli hot spices

Tears flow like bombs

Thatrsquos how I talk and the world keeps moving

So that I can hear the pulse of the streets

Irsquove sworn to obliterate the media conspirators

I am adventurous in my speech but you do not hear

When I hold the pen and the paper my anxiety is lifted

My mind relaxes and I say whatrsquos on it

When I sit down I feel guilty

I should be in the studio recording dangerous beats

addictأدمان الشهرة ion to fame

Edman El Shuhra

Stormtrap amp Mohamed El Deeb

2011

Hip-Hop

15305855

- vocals Mohamed El Deeb Stormtrap13produced by Stormtrap

9190

إحساس غريب إنك تدمن الكالم ارسم يا فنان واخترع زي دافينشي الرسام

ولو مفيش ورقة باستخدم تليفوني خايف إن فكرة متعديش على صوتي

دنيا غريبة يوم مر يوم بونبوني بس أنا عمري ماغيرت لوني

املوسيقى بنادولي وبطابعي فضولي مهما قالوا لي هافهمها مبفهومي فـساعات أالقي نفسي بكلم نفسي واسمع أصوات غريبة في دماغي

وهو ده الصدى الصوت اللي بسمعه اكن مفيش حد فارقة معاه احالمي

شوف شوف مش هدف إنو أنا شخصيا أنا

هدفي انه كلماتي وموسيقتي تنتشرعشان هيك حتشوفني دوما مستمر مستثمر

كل وقتي كل طاقتي على أصواتي خوذ شك خوذ حتويل خوذ كاش

بس ما تنساش أي شي بيتعلق بالواقع بدناش ما تخاف ألنها قضيتنا مش منسية مية باملية هايذي ثورة كمان ثقافية

خليني أوضح هاي املوسيقى مش معمولة للتلفازeهاي املوسيقى مش معمولة لهز الطياز l D e e b + S t o r m t r a p

Strange feeling to be out of words

Paint oh artist and discover like Da Vinci the artist

If I donrsquot have paper I use my cell

I am afraid that the idea does not come through my voice

Strange world one day is bitter another like candy

But Irsquove never changed my color

Music is my Tylenol and my nature curious

So whatever they tell me Irsquoll understand it my way

Sometimes I find myself talking to myself

And I hear weird voices in my head

Which is just the echo of the sound I hear

As if no one cares about my dreams

See see

My goals are not self serving

My goal is that my words and music spread

Thatrsquos why yoursquoll see me always and continuously investing

All my time my energy on my sounds

Take a check take a transfer take cash

But never forget anything related to reality wersquore not interested

Donrsquot be afraid because our cause is not forgotten

One hundred percent this is also a cultural revolution

Let me explain this music is not meant to be televised

This music is not made for booty shaking

Edman El Shuhra

Stormtrap amp Mohamed El Deeb

2011

Hip-Hop

15305855

- vocals Mohamed El Deeb Stormtrap13produced by Stormtrap

9392

مش فاهم ليش الكل قاتل حاله يكون في مسابقةحابني نتصابح حياكم زات املكافحة

واالعالم ميت ع حيالله قصة ما بيدرس هالقصة من نصها

وبعدن بينفخهامش احلق علينا اذا ما بيبحثوا

وملا يبدوا يحكوا عنا أل عنجد بيبعصوابيفكروا انه كل شي هشك بشك

بس حدن الزم يقلهم انه الهب هوب مش هيكبدك تدير بالك عشانها هاي اللحظة احلاسمة

ملا يجوا عليك الديب والعاصفةنكسر حدود وبنبني وحدة عشان نحيي مجتماعاتنا

وننهي معانتناعشان هيك منكتب كلمات صريحة والها معنى

مش للشهرة مش حتى يجي حدن يدفعلنا

e l D e e b + S t o r m t r a p

I donrsquot understand why everyone is killing themselves to be in the contest

Wersquod like to say goodmorning to salute you in this same struggle

The mediarsquos dying for any story

But they donrsquot study the storyrsquos real text

And then they blow it out of proportion

Itrsquos not our fault if they donrsquot search

And when they talk about us then they really screw it up

They think everything is empty pointless

Somebody needs to tell them that hip hop is not like that

You should take care because this is the critical moment

When the wolf and storm come haunting you

We break borders and we create a unity to revitalize our communities

And stop our suffering

That is why we write frank words that have meaning

Itrsquos not for fame or even so that someone pays us

T r a n s l a t e d b y N i z a r G h a n e m

Edman El Shuhra

Stormtrap amp Mohamed El Deeb

2011

Hip-Hop

15305855

- vocals Mohamed El Deeb Stormtrap13produced by Stormtrap

9594

حضل عهل مود يعنيما إنتلك النجوم عم تقرب

بهل ال مود حكون عطول لبهل جنوم إدءر لو مضطر شن هجوم عل النجوم كلها

خللي األرض تدور حول أصبعي تنلك

ما إنتلك متلي متلك مولع طيار ألفكاري من العقدي تنفك فرد قعدي بني 4 حيطان ما بتنهز و منها ما بنهز

يلز املا بينلزالكاس عل الطاولي و منو عم مز مز

لتفتل براصي وحس من حالي عم كز كزعل ورقة كالمي مدروس و ما بزت زت بجرب ما عيد حالي متا يقولو عم نق نق

موزع قافياتي جواز كأن عم فت فت

بهل األطشة خلي الديني اللي تسمعني ترن رنFبسبيلي جاري يوم ع يوم عم برك رك a r e e q e l A t r a s h

Irsquoll stay in this mood

Didnrsquot I tell you The stars are getting closer

Irsquoll stay in this mood until I touch these stars

Even if I have to launch an attack on all the stars

Irsquoll make the Earth rotate around my finger I told you

Didnrsquot I tell you Irsquom just like you I lit up a joint so my ideas would untie their knot

Sitting this way in between four walls I wonrsquot budge

The most delectable

Drink is on the table from which Irsquom taking sips

Till my head starts spinning and Irsquom sick of myself

On the paper my words are calculated I donrsquot just toss them about

I try not to repeat myself so they wonrsquot say Irsquom nagging

I deal my rhymes out like theyrsquore cards

In this verse Irsquoll make those ears ring

My fountain is running and every day I excel

tالنجوم عم تقرب he stars are gett ing closer

null

29781717

9796

لضل ماشي جالس بينما غيري عم بلك لك شريط معلق ريحة العة عم بتفح فحكل ما فتح متو بتالقي عم بكب كب

عايشها إرهاب و مفي إال بسب سببزبالتي ما بكبو تيكون بعلمك

األالف مسم و بحياتو ما بينسم بزقة من هل التم تخلي سقفك ينش نش

تلمو ردم و ما تفكر إنو ترد رد و عم بحكي عالواطي متا الصالي فيك ترج رج

بطبعي عاقل بس بالراب بزل زل عل الرايق بال ما نط وال فز فز

type of shitعال بارد أبرد من شباط بس يقز قزتخلي عضامك ع بعض تسك سك

ما إنتلك النجوم عم تقرب بهل ال مود حكون عطول لبهل جنوم إدءر

لو مضطر شن هجوم عل النجوم كلهاخللي األرض تدور حول أصبعي تنلك

أنا متنبئ بنبه و بحقق ما قلتلك بعد وقتها ما عم نكت

عاملكرفون إبرة هرون عم بشكشك في شكcheck one two

هيك بدسدس عالنبض

F a r e e q e l A t r a s h

So I can walk straight when others are still playing

A broken record that reeks of a musty smell

Every time he opens his mouth he spews them out

He lives in terror and all he does is curse

I wouldnrsquot throw him in my garbage just so you know

Irsquove irritated thousands and never been irritated in my life

One spit out of this mouth will make your roof leak

And yoursquoll pick up the rubble and donrsquot even think about answering back

Irsquom talking in a low voice so the hall wonrsquot shake with you in it

Irsquom reasonable by nature but when it comes to rap I humiliate cold-heartedly

Without jumping or leaping around

I do it coldly colder than icy February-type of shit

Irsquoll make your bones rattle against each other

Didnrsquot I tell you The stars are getting closer

Irsquoll stay in this mood until I touch these stars

Even if I have to launch an attack on all the stars

Irsquoll make the Earth rotate around my finger I told you

Irsquom a psychic I predict and deliver

Didnrsquot I tell you to stand back when Irsquom not joking

Irsquom pricking the microphone with a heroin needle Is there any doubt

Check one two

Thatrsquos how I feel the pulse

null

29781717

9998

بدقق و زتزت حكي بتزجزج كأنها مزهزها عم بتشمشم عم خطط عم تكتيك و مني ملحلح من هون للساعة توقف تك تيك تك تيك

لك ليك منفخ حاله عامبيكازيب عا غيري بس بوجهي بتاءتإوجهه بيباءبإ من أد ما بعصب بسبسب

زر إنذار إذني بتطنطن و بشوف من عالباب عم بدقدق

عكروت بدو يفوت ليشوف الفن فني بس الفن هون بجسمي معبأ

من حلقي طايف و من متي عم بت شرشر و بيس البيس زلزال برجرج خليك تضبضب تنضب بالبيت لتكنكن

و أنا متأسف ألني بدي استأذن بس بعد شفت كابتشينو بتصحصح

ما إنتلك النجوم عم تقرببهل ال مود حكون عطول لبهل جنوم إدءر

لو مضطر شن هجوم عل النجوم كلهاخللي األرض تدور حول أصبعي تنلك

هيدا هب هوبمش هبل و ال بهل

هيدا زجل تتغزل في

ورايي إيقاع عليي إتبع و ما إطلع عنو يا بصير متل غير مسيس

زقفوا مع االيقاعزقفوا مع االيقاع

F a r e e q e l A t r a s h

Checking and hurling words that tickle as if I was high and sniffing

I am planning and scheming and Irsquom not going anywhere till the clock stops ticking

Look hersquos so full of it lying to others but in my face he stutters

And his face turns red from all the anger and he curses

My earsrsquo alarm bells start ringing

And I go to see whorsquos knocking at the door

Some bastard who wants to see where ldquothe artldquo is

But the art is right here packed in my body

Flowing from my throat running out of my mouth

And the bass is an earthquake that shakes and forces you to pack up and go home

And Irsquom sorry because I need to take leave

But after a sip of cappuccino yoursquoll come around

Didnrsquot I tell you The stars are getting closer

Irsquoll stay in this mood

Until I touch these stars even if I have to launch an attack on all the stars

Irsquoll make the Earth rotate around my finger I told you

This is hip hop

Itrsquos not stupid nor dumb

Itrsquos zajal [a form of Arabic poetry in the Levant]

That you flirt with

There is a beat that I have to follow canrsquot lose it or Irsquoll be like other MCs

Clap with the beat

Clap with the beat

T r a n s l a t e d b y K h a l e d A l H i l l i

null

29781717

101100

انا ببلعهم بتفهم وال مره بسبهمبخليهم داميا يضاربو بتفكيرهم

أنا وراهم قدامهم جنابهم محتلهممش طايقهم مرات وزنهم بكون منزلهم

مرتبهم صاففهم وبقلم أنا حاكمهم زاتتهم مش عاجبيني أنا ماحيهم قائدهم وبنفس الوقت أنا عبيدهم

وبفك وربط أنا بلعب مبعانيهمانا حاميهم بأسطر اللي تقويهم

انا واعدهم اني أستر على فاضحهم ومطلعهم بصوره اللي تبشعهم

بس أنا محترمهم وبسطور ساجنهم مكتفهم كأسير بجنازير القهر

ومهديهم بحبل اللي يبشر بالصبر وانا لي الفخر أكون الشوك اللي فيهم

Dوأكون القهر اللي داميا يسقيهم A M

Yo this is dedicated to the lyrics

Irsquom swallowing them spitting them never dissing them

Giving them freedom of speech

Irsquom behind them in front of them because of them always standing with them

Sometimes get sick of them sick of how you abuse them

Gather them in line with my pen I order them

Didnrsquot like it Throwing them out and replacing them

Irsquom their leader and also their slave

Small changes make huge differences

I train them in pages to make them strong

Promising to use them not abuse them

Or allow the wrong mouths to utter them

Approach them with a military mind and find peace in them

Irsquom lucky to be full of thorns and even luckier that I found the lyrics

So theyrsquoll help me find the roses in me

wordsكلمات

null

26837427

103102

raquoالكل سمعك بس السؤال اذا اللي سمعك فهمكlaquoكلمات ليست كالكلمات بل raquoعالماتlaquo

اللي توجهنا وين مابدنا عحبال السيرك هي تثبتنا ريح العالم من كل جهه اذا احنا ضعاف بتوقعنا بس

raquoأل بلمره ألlaquo raquoكلمات عندي طنlaquoكل واحده الها هدف اخدت حرف عحرف

نسجت جمل اللي البسهم وقت البرد raquoراح اضلني اناديlaquo raquoبنحكي كلماتlaquo

انت بتعرف انهم مبنصب شهاد بحكو املاضي وتنبوا حاضر أي بالد

قد ماحكيت قد ما أحكي فش كالم يغطي بسفي كالم يربي وينمي انت بس أروي

في شوف انه قوه والقوه بتقويفيك و أن رويته مصيره يسقيك )مثل للقوه( العدو من أمامكم

والبحر من ورائكم فال تخيبوا أسيادكمفأين أشعاركم وأين مجادلتكم

فأنتم تسكتون وتخمدون أحالمكم)انهي( نهيت ورجعت للعامية بكلمات

مرمية طالعه من عقليه شعبيهمتل جنيب اللي بذاكرة كل واحد محفوظ مدروس واذا أل معناته في خلل معكوس

عاملجتمع اللي قمع كتاباته Dاللي سمح لنسيانه يشيل خطواته A M

ldquoThey all hear you but few listen to youldquo

Lyrics ainrsquot just a bunch of words they are ldquosignsldquo

Leading us stabilizing us on tight ropes

Winds every way if we are thin we will fall

ldquoBut hell noldquo ldquoyou can measure my words in tonsldquo

Every word has a meaning I knitted a letter with another letter

Made warm sentences to wear in cold days

ldquoSo Irsquoll still shoutldquo ldquowe control lyricsldquo

You know lyrics are like a witness

They witnessed the past and forecast the future

As much as I said or say I canrsquot describe them

But there is a way to find the description and thatrsquos through them

Quench the thirst of the pages with them

So in the future itrsquoll quench your thirst

Keep feeding them as soon as they grow up

Theyrsquoll give you strength

ldquoExample for the strengthldquo

ldquoThe enemy is before you the sea is behind you

So donrsquot you dare disappoint our ancestors

Where are our deep poems Where are our strong statements

From generation to generation we kill our dreamsldquo

ldquoEnough philosophizingldquo ok lets get back to street talk

Words coming outta simple minds

Like Najeeb Mahfuz [literally lsquowell-rememberedrsquo also a famous author]

They keep living in our minds

And if you donrsquot know who he is - then I rest my case

null

26837427

105104

raquoالكل سمعك بس السؤال اذا اللي سمعك فهمكlaquoكلمات ليست كالكلمات بل raquoعالماتlaquo

اللي توجهنا وين مابدنا عحبال السيرك هي تثبتنا ريح العالم من كل جهه اذا احنا ضعاف بتوقعنا بس

raquoأل بلمره ألlaquo raquoكلمات عندي طنlaquoكل واحده الها هدف اخدت حرف عحرف

نسجت جمل اللي البسهم وقت البرد raquoراح اضلني اناديlaquo raquoبنحكي كلماتlaquo

ألف با كبايه أوعك تكسرهاامسكها للنهاية وكل ما تفضى مليها

كلمه أو رواية ومع املراحل زيدها شيحكاية وهيك ضلك زود فيها

وجيبها لتجمعاتك وساعتها استعملها لنقاشاتك وملواقفك استخدمها

هادي مدافعك اللي مداها بسيطرتك وما دافعك انه ما تخليها رايتك

ما هي تكتب ما هي توصف ما هي تكذب ما هي تنصف

ما هي هي الهروب هياللجوء هي الدروب هي

العبور باحلدود واللي مبرؤهم مبدع وبفوز باخللود واللي بسرقهم مش مقنع

واذا بتديهم احلرية بنادوك ممنوعDواذا بتوخد احلريه بنادوك مسموح A M

ldquoThey all hear you but few listen to youldquo

Lyrics ainrsquot just a bunch of words they are ldquosignsldquo

Leading us stabilizing us on tight ropes

Winds every way if we are thin we will fall

ldquoBut hell noldquo ldquoyou can measure my words in tonsldquo

Every word has a meaning I knitted a letter with another letter

Made warm sentences to wear in cold days

ldquoSo Irsquoll still shoutldquo ldquowe control lyricsldquo

The Arabic alphabet is like a glass donrsquot break it

Hold it tight and keep filling it

And then bring it to our arguments

Scream till your throat gets dry and then wet it

It holds our body itrsquos like our legs

If you stand for nothing yoursquoll fall for anything

The words write create

They kill lead and sometimes even lie

You can use them to build borders

And those who are gifted

Can use them to walk through borders

And in some governments

Itrsquos forbidden to give words freedom

But if you choke them and kill them

Thatrsquos allowed

F i g u r a t i v e t r a n s l a t i o n o f f e r e d b y t h e a r t i s t s

null

26837427

107106

further reading

The tracks presented in this document are not a comprehensive sampling of the genre of the market of hip hop in Arabic or of hip hop and rap in the wider Middle East

Artists featured here hail from Egypt Lebanon Palestine and the anglophone Arab diaspora The thriving North African hip hop scene is not represented nor is the work of the established francophone Arab diaspora nor the expanding hip hop scenes of especially Iran or Turkey

This collection does not attempt a comprehensive chronology Tracks featured here are not primarily new releases (though some are) neither are they all ldquoclassicsrdquo These limitations of scope are important to note

Many tracks of the popular Libyan group Ibn Thabitt and other groups from across the region have been translated and are hosted with commentary on the notable blog

revolutionaryarabrapblogspotcom

Another valuable resource is the Beirut-based blog by Jackson Allers ldquoBeats and Breathrdquo which features articulate critiques and reviews of events and releases from the region

jacksonallerswordpresscom

Hass Dennaoui (alias Big Hass) who recently launched started the first all hip-hop FM radio show in Saudi Arabia Laish Hip Hop (Why Hip Hop) manages a lively blog which

hosts an internet feed of his radio show and interviews with MCs and influential hip hop figures from around the world

revoltradioblogspotcom

Lebaneseundergroundcom hosts coverage of underground music in Lebanon including hip hop

And finally an excellent article by Hishaam Aidi on implications of the use of hip hop as foreign policy ldquoThe Grand (Hip-Hop) Chessboard Race Rap and Raison DrsquoEtatrdquo was published in The Middle East Report Fall 2011 Excerpts of the piece were published by Al Jazeera English in the article ldquoLeveraging Hip Hop in US Foreign Policyrdquo

All the artists and many of the translators whose work is showcased here host a significant online presence Their sites are listed with more about each of them on the following pages

109108

artist bios

ARABIAN KNIGHTZ the premier hip hop group from the land of the Nile River have not only established themselves as the lyricists with the sharpest swords in their land but they have also created the most consistent voice for rebellion strength and hope for the youth of the Middle East During the 2011 Revolution Arabian Knightz released two singles ldquoRebelrdquo and ldquoNot Your Prisonerrdquo anthems of resistance which gained worldwide attention and major media coverage for their powerful lyrics against a wicked system The group formed in 2006 through the cipher hip hoprsquos natural way of choosing like mindsets on the mic Rush Sphinx and E-Money were ahead of their peers adapting an authentic Arab perspective to the art dominated by Western voices mixing English and Arabic raps After hitting the studio for successful underground tracks AK enlisted super-producer Fredwreck (Snoop Dogg Xzibit Tha Dogg Pound) ldquoFokkakrdquo the single from this studio session was an instant hit and (surprisingly for Arabic Hip Hop) projected them to the top ten of the singles charts Arab League Records was formed amidst a growing fanbase and numerous collaborations with other Arab hip hop artists the first international Arab hip hop record label Desert Saga Volume 1 mixtape was the debut release led by ldquoThe Onerdquo featuring Egyptrsquos MC Amin Arabian Knightz have recorded their debut album Uknighted State of Arabia a masterpiece for Arab hip hop years in the making featuring instrumentals dominated by traditional percussions and players are scheduled for a Winter 2012 Release They are on Facebook

BOIKUTT is a musician and MC based in Ramallah Palestine Creating sounds using sampled material field recordings and electronic devices the results range between hip-hop downtempo ambient glitch and experimental He has composed and produced music for artists such as Kronos Quartet Bukue One Spiritchild Tamer Abu-Ghazaleh Bleubird and others and has appeared as an MC on albums for artists such as Slovo Heliodrome Bonnot and Lethal Skillz A co-founder of the Ramallah Underground Collective which has toured across the Arab World Europe and Australia Boikutt is also co-founder and member of audio-visual group Tashweesh with whom he is currently touring Also as a solo performer he has been in Beirut Cairo Manila Copenhagen London Hamburg Dubai Bethlehem and other cities He has produced and exhibited a few sound-art pieces composed several film scores has most recently composed the music for a dance theater performance entitled Bound by

New York-based company Yaa Samar Dance Theatre and is now working on different collaborative and solo projects His work may be heard at soundcloudcomboikutt and on Facebook

DAM Da Arabian MCrsquos are Suhell Nafar Tamer Nafar and Mahmoud Jreri The first Palestinian hip hop crew and among the first to rap in Arabic the group began working together in the late 1990s Struck by the uncanny resemblance of the reality of the streets in a Tupac video to the streets in their own neighborhood of Lyd they were inspired to tell their stories through hip hop Their timely song ldquoMin Irhabirdquo (ldquoWhorsquos the Terroristrdquo) was downloaded a million times shortly after its internet realese in 2001 and DAM became a household name among youth throughout the Middle East Ten years of performing all over the world has strengthened the grouprsquos commitment to continue living and working in their hometown of Lyd 15 minutes from Tel Aviv and working to provide the youth of the city and neighboring communities with programs and opportunities that have been denied to Palestinian citizens of Israel Their music is a unique fusion of East and West and encompasses influences as varied as Ghassan Kanafani Ahlam Mosteghanemi Mahmoud Darwish Naji al Ali Tupac Biggie Public Enemy MBS Krsquonaan and Pharoahe Monch IHDA (Dedication) DAMrsquos long-awaited first international album was released in 2007 and DAM has seen its songs and members featured in films such as Ford Transit (Dir Hany Abu Assad) Where in the World is Osama Bin Laden (Dir Morgan Spurlock) Salt of this Sea (Dir Annemarie Jacir) Local Angel and Forgiveness (Dir Udi Aloni) DAMrsquos history and influence on the Arab hip hop scene is detailed in the feature-length documentary Slingshot Hip Hop (Dir Jackie Reem Salloum) The group has also been featured in Vibe National Geographic Rolling Stone Q Basement Reuters and The New York Times and has appeared on MTV CNN BBC and Al Jazeera Their work can be heard and explored at damrapcom

EL DEEB first ventured into Egyptian Hip Hop when he joined Asfalt in 2005 He left in 2007 to create Wighit Nazara duo represented by Mohamed Yasser and himself It was a successful musical project that lasted until mid 2010 Currently he is working on his solo career with plans to release an EP every couple of months or so Cairofornia is his first solo EP His work may be heard at deebbandcampcom and on Facebook

EL RASS was born in Tripoli Lebanon He started writing poetry in literary Arabic at age 11 and started rhyming in spoken Lebanese dialect in 1999 at age 15 At that time he formed one third of a group of 3 MCrsquos going under the name of ldquoMlouk el Micrdquo (ldquoKings of the Micrdquo) They recorded one album and performed locally At 17 he left for France to study Finance and Economics Studies were hard money was scarce and exile was tough but music and poetry never left him as he continued rhyming with some underground French MCrsquos like Medline and Moebius and developed new musical skills on percussion in classical Arabic singing and baglama (turkish buzuk) After graduating and working for almost two years in the hell of banking and market finance El Rass decided to return to Lebanon He spent a year just re-discovering Beirut and making and learning music He now works as a journalist at the newspaper Assafir while concurrently pursuing joint projects with other producers and musicians He calls his work Taalik in reference to the same word in Arabic for ldquocommentrdquo and another word that comes from the same semantic root moaallakat which is a corpus of selected pre-Islamic poetry that was written with gold ink on the walls of the Karsquoaba in Mecca His work may be heard at soundcloudcomElRass

FAREEQ EL ATRASH is a hip hop band based out of Hamra St Beirut with a sound that is distinguished by laid back topical flows over live instrumentation It consists of Edd (raps) Nasser (raps) FZ (vocal production and FX) Fouad Afra (drums) Goo (plays guitar keys heart strings) and Abed Kobeissy (plays bass and buzuk) Their 2010 album and 2009 prealbum are available online More of their work may be found on Facebook Eddrsquos solo work can also be heard at soundcloudcomEdd

H2Z was born in Kuwait in 1986 where he lived for four years Due to the gulf war his family moved to Lebanon where he lived for the most part of his life Inspired by the tragic events in the Middle East and elsewhere in the world H2Z adopted rap music as a way to raise awareness about the injustices suffered by his people and to deliver a message through his music to anyone who supports the Palestinian cause His career began in 2004 when he was introduced to the production business by fellow rappers and soon he started producing his own tracks and established a local band producing many tracks for himself and other musicians in Lebanon In 2008 he released his first solo album titled 3aed which contained

17 tracks The political influence was noticed throughout the album and was generally well-received He is now studying for a degree in business administration at Wayne State University in Michigan His work may be heard at reverbnationcomh2z

KATIBEH 5 are based in Borj el Barajneh Lebanon Their work can be found at reverbnationcomkatibeh5 and myspacecomkatibe5palestine and on Facebook

M1 is Mutulu Olugbala of the New York based collective Dead Prez whose work is online at deadprezcom M1 is also on Facebook

MC GAZA is Adnan Mahmoud Ghonim an Algerian born artist and university student based in Gaza It was the beginning of 2005 when he attended one of the hip hop concerts in Gaza City ndash Gaza City that never appreciated the art he loved and attached himself to ndash and it was love at first sight between them Through some of the concerts he participated in a number of songs he collaborated on with Arabs from Egypt Algeria and Palestine and some active participation to represent the Palestinian people and interviews for both Arab and foreign press he was able to make a name for himself in the Gazan hip hop community His work may be found at youtubecomMCGaza and on Facebook

THE NARCICYST Having pioneered the Arab Hip-Hop movement with seminal Iraqi-Canadian crew Euphrates The Narcicyst recently broke through borders and shattered traveling etiquette touring solo around the world sharing stages with the likes of Brother Ali Mos Def and Kanye West to name a few On top of music The Narcicyst is a celebrated theorist whose academic work Fear of an Arab Planet has him from the stage to the classrooms of internationally renowned universities He is now also a professor at Concordia University teaching a Fine Arts course ldquoHip-Hop Past Present and Futurerdquo His writings have been published by multiple university presses and magazines internationally he is also a self-published author having recently released the biographical and social-study on the Arab world The Diatribes of a Dying Tribe As a true artist interested in really pushing his own artistic boundaries The Narcicyst has stepped into acting currently starring in the short music film PHATWA and in the first internationally-released film from the United Arab Emirates called City of Life A true multi-media

111110

KHALED AL HILLI is a PhD candidate in Comparative Literature at the Graduate Center City University of New York He has a BA in English Literature and a Masterrsquos degree in Teaching Second Languages Born in Iraq Khaled has taught in Lebanon and Saudi Arabia at both college and high school levels He has also worked with various Iraqi news outlets and has subtitledtranslated documentary films dealing with current social and political issues His research interests include Arabic political literature prison literature and literature in the diaspora He may be reached at hillykhalidgmailcom

+AZIZ is a NYC-based marketing consultant and a musician He is working through The World Music Parade to develop an animation project based on his music More about that project can be found at themusicparadetumblrcom He tweets from plusaziz

FAYSAL BIBI is a paleontologist and electronic musician currently based in Berlin

LOUBNA BILALI is originally from Morocco She did her undergrad and first MA in English Linguistics at Chouaib Doukkali University El Jadida She came to the US in 2008 to pursue a Masterrsquos degree in French to English translation and is currently working on a PhD in translation studies at Kent State University in Ohio She is very interested in learning and teaching languages as well as translating and localizing computer applications and websites She may be reached at loubnabilaligmailcom

FARAH ELREWAISSATI is a freelance translator pro-Palestine activist and BDS advocate who blogs at youthanormalizationblogspotcom She tweets from 3beee

NIZAR GHANEM was born in Lebanon He has been active in intercultural education interactive learning and conflict resolution across the Arab world His work on conflict resolution involved using theater comics and music as tools for emotional expression and social mobilization

RIMA NAJDI is a Performing Artist She studied dramatic arts at the Lebanese University in Beirut and obtained a Masterrsquos degree in Performance Studies at NYU New York She has written and performed in various plays and performances Najdi is particularly interested in multi-media performing arts and the position of the spectators

BARRAK ALZAID (copy editor) is the Artistic Director of ArteEast He is the editor of the ArteEast Quarterly a dynamic online portal featuring four publications that highlight contemporary art and culture from the Middle East and diaspora ndash ArtersquoZine Shahadat (contemporary short-form literature) Gallery and Cinematek (an online film center) He is also the curator for ArteEastrsquos Across Histories Art Talk Series featuring a series of panels on residencies in Fall 2011 He tweets from barrakster

RAYYA EL ZEIN (editor) is working towards a PhD in Theatre at the Graduate Center City University of New York Her research is increasingly focusing on theories of reception historical studies of audience behavior and popular culture in the Arab world She holds an MA in Performance Studies from NYU and is currently a teaching fellow at City College in Harlem She tweets from rayelz

translator biosdreamer Yassin recently established an arts label in the UAE called The Medium focusing on delivering art from Arabs in the diaspora and at lsquohomersquo to the rest of the world iraqisthebombcom He tweets from TheNarcicyst

OMAR OFFENDUM is a Syrian-American hip hop artist born in Saudi Arabia raised in Washington DC and living in Los Angeles Known for taking audiences on a lyrical journey from the jasmine-tree-lined courtyards of Nizar Qabbanirsquos Damascene homes to the flooded riverbanks of Langston Hughesrsquo Harlem Renaissance poems - Offendum has been featured on several major news outlets (BBC Yahoo ABC News Aljazeera PBS) toured the world to promote his ground-breaking music helped raise thousands of dollars for various humanitarian relief organizations (PCRF KinderUSA ANERA Islamic Relief) lectured at a number of prestigious academic institutions (Harvard MIT Stanford Columbia American University of Beirut NYU-AbuDhabi Qatar Education City) and most recently been involved in creating several critically-acclaimed songs about the popular democratic uprisings throughout the Middle East amp North Africa He is currently hard at work promoting his solo release - affectionately dubbed SyrianamericanA His work may be heard (and read) at offendumbandcampcom He is on Facebook and he tweets from Offendum

RAMALLAH UNDERGROUND based in Ramallah Palestine was born from the immediacy of musical experimentation and out of the need to give voice to a generation of Palestinians and Arabs facing a turbulent and uncertain political landscape The collective was founded by artists Boikutt Stormtrap and Aswatt and has always held a commitment to both the honesty of their work and the need to creatively rejuvenate Arabic culture To this end they combine music ranging from Arabic electronic music hip-hop and trip hop to downtempo with a deep sense of their local culture and the imposing presence of Palestine in their lives The outcome is a new specific and distinct sound RU (as producers and as MCrsquos ) has collaborated with numerous artists across the globe including countries like Lebanon UK Switzerland Italy USA France and many more including a collaboration with Slovo (a band headed by the guitarist from faithless) in their track ldquoNakbardquo which appears on their album Todo Cambia and with Kronos Quartet in the track ldquoTashweeshrdquo which appears on Floodplain RU has also performed live shows in Ramallah Bethlehem Vienna London Cairo Lausanne Amsterdam and Washington DC Their shows are mainly a performance of their hip-hop tracks as well as a few of their own electronic productions as a warm up More recently RU has incorporated a visual set in their live

performances brought to you by Palestinian visual artist Ruanne RU hopes to give a voice to Palestinians and Arabs bringing an alternative voice from the Arab world Their lyrics and music are an expression of anguish and defiance ultimately remaining a defiant voice of the colonized against the colonizer They continue to play a big role in the Arab underground cultural scene while slowly gaining wide global and local popularity

SHADIA MANSOURrsquos work can be found at myspacecomshadiamusic and on Facebook

STORMTRAP is a music producercomposerMC from Palestine Experimenting with old samples instruments and field recordings his sound is the result of a fusion of ambient atmospheres combined with various noises and hip hop beats His lyrics deal with different themes inspired mainly by his personal experiences in Palestine and life in the diaspora Stormtrap played a fundamental role in forming the band Ramallah Underground with which he has performed worldwide the past few years Currently he is working in Vienna with Aras Seyhan and Eren Ileri on a new album which combines live instruments synthesizers turntables beats and Arabic lyrics- which will be released early 2012 His work may be heard at soundcloudcomstormtrap He tweets from asifeh

AMEER YOSSEF 25 has sung and writen music with the band Klaket for the past four years His work may be heard at youtubecomAmeer and on Facebook

towards the work Her work for now concentrates on the process of making interactive and participatory performances that question borders stereotypes and languages

MOE ALI NAYEL is a fixer and a journalist based in Beirut Lebanon He uses social media blogging non-mainstream music journalism and writing as a word spreading eye opening socializing arena He uses social media as a bridge that cuts distance between people on this planet making it a tiny village This bridge starts in his office and takes him to every corner in the world enabling him to connect and network with people and cultures sharing and exchanging stories of the unheard and the neglected He blogs at Words of Action and he tweets from MoeAliNay

ALEX ORTIZ is a video and radio journalist and translator based in Cairo Egypt He graduated from Brown University in 2009 with a double major in Comparative Literature and Middle East Studies He was a CASA I fellow from 2009-2010 and a CASA II fellow from 2010-2011 He currently works for CBS News as a field producer He tweets from cairowitness

AHMED SHAWKET is an independent translator living in Cairo Egypt He is a graduate of the Helwan University Faculty of Arts where he majored in philosophy Ahmed works on literary media and commercial translation

113112

ABOUT SHAHADATShahadat is a quarterly online series designed to provide a platform for short-form writing and experimentation in writing by young and underexposed writers from the MENA region (Middle East and North Africa) The series features stories vignettes reflections and chronicles in translation and the original language of Arabic Farsi Turkish or Kurdish It makes up one quarter of ArteEastrsquos online programming the AE Quarterly For past issues of Shahadat click here

ABOUT THIS SERIES Shahadat is proud to run two alternating series and releases two issues a year of each The issue yoursquove just perused is part of the ldquoExploring Popular Literaturerdquo series This series challenges traditional understandings of ldquoliteraturerdquo emerging from the Middle East and North Africa by presenting genres of creative production that rely on words and language but which have not typically been studied as literature Works are presented in their original language and in translation

In each issue we gather texts from a spectrum of writers to challenge the singular status of the artistauthor and to encourage a more complex presentation of the Middle Eastern and North African ldquostreetrdquo for English-speaking audiences Shahadatrsquos other series ldquoContemporary Literature in Translationrdquo features the work of a single young author in the original language and in English translation

BEHIND THE DOCUMENTShahadat is co-edited by Rayya El Zein Alex Ortiz and ArteEastrsquos Artistic Director Barrak Alzaid All three are young professionals and scholars with artistic inclinations (literature poetry translation and performance) All three have strong connections to New York City and various metropole of the MENA region Shahadat is for us an experiment and a labor of love An editorial board of established scholars and authors is currently being conceived

SPECIAL THANKS TOAnmar El ZeinKinda AkashAndrew JohnstonLivia Alexander

Shahadat logo design by Rima Farouki

114

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Page 25: Shahadat Winter 2012

4948

وألله يرحم كل أمواتنا أغاني

مثل املهامتة إذا قلنا العني بالعني

ما صفى عندنا عيون بالشام بالد الشام

من فلسطني إلى جبال لبنان قبل ما اخترعوا احلدود

من اإلسكندرون إلى كردستان فهمان

جنجس خان ما خان قد ما خانونا أوالد العم بس دمنا دمهم

بني أدم - بنو ذمنبهم على أكتافنا - شلنا همهم

ليه الله بيعلم

بس ليك هذا الفتيش والبسكليت احسنلك من 100000000 مسدس

تعرف ليه ألن مو عاجبهم بسمتك

بس إبتسم برسمتك شاب عربي ومثقف

أعطيهم ختمتك وإذا لسة مو راضني

ذكرهم بكالم إيليية )أبي ماضي( raquoنسي الطني ساعة أنه طنيlaquo

Oوهذه هي القضاء والقدر يا حبيبي m a r O f f e n d u m

And may God have mercy on all our dead

Songs I sing

Like the Mahatma [the line above and the line below are linked through the sound of the name and the figure of Mahatama Ghandi]

If we say lsquoan eye for an eyersquo

There wont be any eyes left in Sham [Damascus]

Bilad al-Sham [Greater Syria the wider Arab world]

From Palestine to the mountains of Lebanon

Before they made up these borders

From Iskandaroon to Kurdistan

Understand

Genghis Khan never deceived us quite like our ldquopaternal cousinsldquo [khan also means ldquodeceiveldquo in Arabic]

But our blood is their blood

Children of Adam -- who built their sins

Upon our shoulders -- we carried their burden

Why

God knows

But listen this little firecracker amp bicycle

Are better for you than 100 million guns

Wanna know why

Because they dont like seeing you smile

But smile you will - in your human being

A young cultured Arab male

Give them your stamp of approval

And if they still donrsquot accept you

Then remind them of the words of Elliye [Abi-Madhee a Lebanese poet whose poem begins with]

ldquoHow soon a piece of dirt can forget that all he really is is just dirtldquo [ie we are all from this earth amp

will come back to it so there is no logic in viewing yourself as better than someone else]

And that my friend is our destiny

7 Destiny

Omar Offendum

The Peace Revolution 20

21332892

eng - iTunNORM 000006D3 000006F2 000038BA 0000322F 0000E4FA 0000E4FA 00008716 0000864B 0002AB5E 000083D6

eng - iTunSMPB 00000000 00000210 0000094B 00000000008F7FA5 00000000 004108FB 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000

5150

O m a r O f f e n d u m

Dove of Peace

Spread your wings amp fly

Make it easier to borrow

The aesthetics you bite

Like all the Arabic loanwords

From Spaniards amp Morros

The Karma of Inquisition

Visions of horror

So whorsquos the explorer

Really was it Columbus

Muhammad al-Idrisi or Alfaragnus

Throw a Hobson Jobson

While you figure it out

Irsquom gonna start with a cipher

Thatrsquos a siffir [zero] - no doubt

See you might not have learned to live with me

But sure as hell canrsquot without

You are my

You are my

(Destiny)

Itrsquos hard livinrsquo in the West - when I know the East got the best of me

(Destiny)

Could be lookinrsquo in my eyes - but yoursquoll never really see the rest of me

(Destiny)

Can you hear me maseeri [my destiny] Bi-lingualrsquos what Irsquom blessed to be

(Destiny)

حمامة سالم افتحي أجنحتكي و طيري

I write right to left

You write left to right

Metaphor of a foreignerrsquos plight

Dressed to type

Stereo amp a mic

Scenario of a fight

The burial of a white

Imperial at his heightrsquos

A Turkish Rapperrsquos Delight

Semetic etiquette might

Just have you rollin your ldquoRrsquosldquo

Poetic amp light

And grab a hold of your sorrows

To relieve your tomorrows

7 Destiny

Omar Offendum

The Peace Revolution 20

21332892

eng - iTunNORM 000006D3 000006F2 000038BA 0000322F 0000E4FA 0000E4FA 00008716 0000864B 0002AB5E 000083D6

eng - iTunSMPB 00000000 00000210 0000094B 00000000008F7FA5 00000000 004108FB 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000

5352

O m a r O f f e n d u m

Dove of Peace

Spread your wings amp fly

Bitched out by the West

Press get a big shout

From the people gettinrsquo rich out of this (bout)

Now whatrsquos this really all about

Land money or power

It was the colonizerrsquos fault

But now itrsquos really just ours

Leavinrsquo a sour tase in our mouths

Like generational slave names

Whenever speakinrsquo out

Out-spoken leaders gettinrsquo taken out

Quicker than belligerent drunks in a bar

We a far cry from livinrsquo as one

T r a n s l a t e d b y t h e a r t i s t

(Destiny)

Itrsquos hard livinrsquo in the West - when I know the East got the best of me

(Destiny)

Could be lookinrsquo in my eyes - but yoursquoll never really see the rest of me

(Destiny)

Can you hear me maseeri [my destiny] Bi-lingualrsquos what Irsquom blessed to be

(Destiny)

حمامة سالم افتحي أجنحتكي و طيري

See arab [Arabs] shootin at each other

From Iraq to Falasteen [Palastine]

Syria to Libnan [Lebanon]

Algeria to Sudan

Pedagogy of the oppressed tricklinrsquo down

Conquerinrsquo through divisions

And sadly this isnrsquot the first time

One land one love one chance one blood

No fuss no fight Yeah right young blood

AKrsquos cheaper than a book

Crooked leaders in a hook

Gettinrsquo fished out

Missles gettinrsquo dished out

7 Destiny

Omar Offendum

The Peace Revolution 20

21332892

eng - iTunNORM 000006D3 000006F2 000038BA 0000322F 0000E4FA 0000E4FA 00008716 0000864B 0002AB5E 000083D6

eng - iTunSMPB 00000000 00000210 0000094B 00000000008F7FA5 00000000 004108FB 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000

5554

زي ما صار مبارح صار اليوم اطف التلفزيون امسك مايكروفون

زي ما صار مبارح صار اليوم اطف التلفزيون امسك مايكروفون

زي ما صار مبارح صار اليوم اطف التلفزيون امسك مايكروفون

زي ما صار مبارح صار اليوم اطف التلفزيون امسك مايكروفون

النه الوقت عم يسبق بقلك خي سالم بس اصبر

بدك تستني هاي اخلطط بعمرها ما تضبطبيدفعلك قد ما بدك عشان تسكت

واذا بتفتح متك طخة وحده وبعد بتسقط

s t o r m t r a p

What happened yesterday happens today

switch off your TV and grab a microphone

What happened yesterday happens today

switch off your TV and grab a microphone

What happened yesterday happens today

switch off your TV and grab a microphone

What happened yesterday happens today

switch off your TV and grab a microphone

Because time is racing

He keeps telling you peace is coming just be patient

You want to wait these plans never succeed

Hersquoll pay you as much as you want to keep you quiet

And if you open your mouth one shot will silence you

what happened yesterdayزي ما صار مبارح

Zey ma sar mbareh

Stormtrap

null

2009

1728613

eng - Visit httpstormtrapbandcampcom

5756

اركض اركض وخليك راكض

واذا بتفتح متك رح يقلك خليك ساكت رح يقلك انساك من هاملشاكل

حوشوا هالشواك وضبوا شناتكم واشتروا التذاكرففكر شوي وما تكنش أهبل

وين ما تروح في الدنيا رح تتبهدلمش شايف قدامي عم بسمع أصوات بيسألني

ليش لسه عايش هون روح عيش محل تانيبدي احك بس الكلمات مش طالعة من لساني

عنصرية هونن عنصرية هناك عنصرية كل ما اطلع برا الشباك

شيطان بيعمل حاله مالكبس هو بالواقع بدو يعيش بالك

جدار بيمثل عقلية ناس بدهاش تعيش معاك

زي ما صار مبارح صار اليوم اطف التلفزيون امسك مايكروفون

ما مبثل شخص او اشخاص مبثل فكرةاسم احلرية حاملينه

من بلد ما فيه حياة عاديةسواءا ضد االحتالل أو ضد العنصرية

أصواتكم وينايي خلوها تنسمع وتطلع نتائج ايجابية

فكمل كتابة او تسجيل وصدقني شغلك مش رايح عالفاضي

عشان الشي الوحيد اللي رح يروح هو احن اذا منضلنا علقانني فاملاضي

s t o r m t r a p

Run run

Keep running

And if you decide to speak hersquoll tell you just stay silent

Hersquoll tell you forget these problems

Save up some money pack your bags and buy your tickets

Think about it donrsquot be a fool

Wherever you go yoursquoll get humiliated

I canrsquot see in front of me Irsquom hearing voices asking

Why are you still living here Go live somewhere else

I want to respond but the words wonrsquot come out

Racism here racism there

Racism each time I look out the window

A devil in an angelrsquos disguise

In reality he wants to live without you

The apartheid wall represents the mentality of a people who donrsquot care to coexist

What happened yesterday happens today

switch off your TV and grab a microphone

I dont represent a person or a people I represent an idea

An idea called freedom

From a land lacking a normal life

Whether yoursquore struggling against occupation or against racism

Where is your voice

Let it be heard to achieve your goals

So keep writing and recording

Believe me your work wonrsquot be lost in vain

The only thing thatrsquoll disappear is us

If we stay stuck in the past

Zey ma sar mbareh

Stormtrap

null

2009

1728613

eng - Visit httpstormtrapbandcampcom

5958

شو الي حدثجينا من حتت األرض

هيهة القصة بدة عنا هدفوننشر أصواتنا لكل حدا

جيت من حتت أرض رام اللهما ح وقف اكتب كلمات وال مرة

عندي طاقة الزم أطلعها كل يوم وكل ساعةفاو انبنى مع الوقت ولسة عم بيطور تصور

تصورفاو انبنى مع الوقت ولسة عم بيطور تصور

زي ما صار مبارح صار اليوم اطف التلفزيون امسك مايكروفون

زي ما صار مبارح صار اليوم اطف التلفزيون امسك مايكروفون

s t o r m t r a p

What happened

We came from underground

The story begins we have an objective

To spread our voices to everyone

I came from the ruins of Ramallah and

I wonrsquot ever stop writing words

I have energy that I must release every day every hour

A flow thatrsquos been built and is still developing imagine

Imagine a flow thatrsquos been built and is still developing

What happened yesterday happens today

Switch off your TV and grab a microphone

What happened yesterday happens today

Switch off your TV and grab a microphone

T r a n s l a t e d b y t h e a r t i s t

Zey ma sar mbareh

Stormtrap

null

2009

1728613

eng - Visit httpstormtrapbandcampcom

6160

Wake up the People

Donrsquot doubt it

The Maker can see you

Right now

You want to get out and see doe

So clouded

Sell out to be dope

Right now

I see you plagued by your own doubt

Canrsquot step the game up

Like a snake when it rolled down

Staircase of a lone child

No bricks lain in a cold house

Where you sold out

All alone on an old couch

t h e N a r c i c y s t

No click like an untapped phone dial

Oh wow

I felt the same homie

Donrsquot shelter pain only

Then it came slowly

Never let the frame hold me (down)

Picture life for the love though

People tend to look the other way like Columbo

We deceived by the law just to love doe

Guess they took all the worth out to numb folks

And make a severed plan

Out of bitter man

What you want a medal man

Huh Do you really think yoursquore better than Then

All you really need is a long look

Two sixteens and a strong hook like

brassThis track was originally written in English

null

2149748

6362

Wake up the People

Donrsquot doubt it

The Maker can see you

Right now

You want to get out and see doe

So clouded

Sell out to be dope

Right now

Break

Hip hop like a fresh pelvis

Yoursquore gonna regret this shit like a dead Elvis

Busy wishing you could live less selfish

Crabs in a bucket duckinrsquo these dead shellfish

Industry got a brother feeling helpless

With an ill chorus and ride yoursquore more in the tide

When a flow canrsquot keep me above the water

t h e N a r c i c y s t

Let a wave carry me out and push me farther now

Internal Inferno ten journals written but Irsquom still not sure though

Do I really want to tour to jump hurdles To be heard

So-I-Can-Feel-Like-This

Man therersquos something that I might miss--

Naw Irsquove been bluffinrsquo

Lifersquos backwards like Ben Buttonsrsquo

Irsquom in love with the stage fright on a strange night

Feels good to get the words on a page right

Wake up the People

Donrsquot doubt it

The Maker can see you

Right now

You want to get out and see doe

So clouded

Sell out to be dope

Right now

null

2149748

6564

مبارح شفت بلمنام بيروت عمتغرق حتت رماد بركان فحموا الناس بس ال raquoسكاي بارlaquo كان بعده ولعان

بيروت ثبتت حبة الثورة اللي فينا نبتت ملا أحبطت نفوسنا من اجلمود

فينا بيروت حتركت عدم دمارنا وعدم حرية خيارنا

بيوت بيروت تعمرت سكرنا عجفاف دموعنا جفوننا عليها تسكرت فتخمرت

إذا بطلت تطير قدرك عألرض مقهور إذا وقفت تكسير بتصير جزء من الديكور

e l R a s s

Yesterday I dreamt Beirut was drowning under volcanic ash

The people were turned to charcoal but Sky Bar [a posh Beirut club] was still lit up

Beirut suppressed the seed of the revolution the one that sprouted

When our spirits were foiled from immobility

In us Beirut moved

On the blood of our destruction and the negation of our freedom of choice

The houses of Beirut are rebuilt

We got drunk on the dryness of our tears our eyelids closed on them and fermented

If you stop flying your destiny on land is distress

If you stop breaking you become part of the decoration

beirutبركان بيروت rsquos volcano

Blues

2125713

6766

بحاور بناور باآلخر بواجه التاج بتوضى بصلي بتوصلني أصوات أنات احملتاج

تأمل العلم بعري العمل من العمل خياري عنار خفيفة دوب املسمار وتستوي األفكار النظيفة

عمروا دمروا زمروا تذمروا ربك صبره دربه جربه

عقلن خربوا غربوا هربوا وقبلوا بالفن عحيط الشارع

عشرط ما يكون في شك بشارع هيدي مش عاصمة ثقافة هيدي حلبة املصارع بيروت ال تعرف في املاضي وال تعرب باملضارع

حتول التركيبة خلى العقل اجلامد فكر حاله مالك املدينة رقبته طويلة متل مالك احلزين وايده لوزيري

اعتبر نفسه أول مني اكتشف هلجزيرة بأجر الفقير شقق بأسعار مدروسة

بشكل تضل طموحاته ممعوسة نهبوا األرض من ربعي وصارت احلرب شركة استثمار مبفعول رجعي

حتت شعار إعادة اإلعمار لو ما كان خلص دوره وانتهى عقد االيجار

كان احلريري ما طار وما صار مطار احلريري عاصمة لبنان بتوازن بني ضريحني

واتنيناتن عاغتيالن في عالمة استفهام e واحد قدس املوت بس لسبب l R a s s

I discuss I maneuver ultimately I confront the crown

I perform ablutions I pray I receive the moaning of the needy

The meditation of knowledge strips work from hope

My choice is on low fire melting the nails and clean thoughts are ripening

They built they destroyed they honked they complained

Your god made him patient tested him and trained him

Their minds ruined westernized chased off

They accepted art pissed on back alleys

As long as there is no doubt in the streets

This is no capital of culture itrsquos a wrestling ring

Beirut canrsquot speak of itself in the past nor conjugate itself in the present

Transitions and transformations made the closed mind think he owns the city

His neck is long like a stork his fingers long like a politicianrsquos

He thinks himself the first who discovered this peninsula

He lets the poor rent apartments at prices studied

To crush ambitions

They stole the land from my cousins

And the war became a backward-looking investment

Under the slogan of reconstruction

If his time wasnrsquot up and his contract finished

Hariri didnrsquot have to fly and it wouldnrsquot have become the Hariri airport

Lebanonrsquos capital keeps balance between two shrines

And on both assassinations there is a question mark

One sanctifies death but for a reason

Blues

2125713

6968

واحد قدس احلياة بس بالكذب واحد بايدو حتول الذهب سم وواحد تخبى من الذهب بالدم

مني الشهيد

اللي مات حتت صبابيط ثورة عبيد شهيد اللي مات فتحول على حملة اعالنات هدفها ترفع الطايفة معدالت التجنيد

قنابل بالبريد وصل سيوف علوريد حصل

املوت للبليد صنم الصبر للعنيد حلم تأليه الشهيد ظلم

خليط احلديد والدم العالج والسم الرفاه والهم النوعية والكم

الدعارة وورقة التوت مبدينة بيروت علم

e l R a s s

And one sanctifies life with lies

In onersquos hand gold turned into poison

And the other hid from gold with blood

Who is the martyr

The one who died under the shoes of the oppressedrsquos uprising is a martyr

Is it he whose death was transformed into an advertising campaign to raise the levels of

sectarian enlistment

Bombs came in the mail

Swords to the jugular true stories

Death to the cold is statuette

Patience to the stubborn is a dream

Divinity to the martyr is oppression

The mixture of steel and blood the cure and poison

Luxury and distress quality and quantity

Prostitution and modesty

The science of the city of Beirut

T r a n s l a t e d b y M o e A l i N a y e l amp + A z i z

Blues

2125713

7170

بقرأ في اجلريدة زفت شوارع جديدة

إزالة مطبات و كثير أشياء هيك مفيدة أشخاص مستفيدة

دعم من هون و من هون منظمات بس احلرية بعيدة

مقاطعة مستوطنات تعون الضفة الغربية وطنية حصرية إدعائية

طب و فلسطني التاريخية مع ألساس كانت القدس عاصمة الثقافة العربية

بس كلوحكي سياسية للشعب إحنا نتحمل الشغل و التعب و الوضع صعب

b o i k u t t

Irsquom reading in the paper

About roads newly paved

Speed bumps removed and a lot of other useful stuff (yes very)

Certain inviduals benefit

Funding from here and there

Organizations are plentiful but freedom is far-fetched

Calling for a boycott of settlements around the West Bank

Pretentious exclusive nationalism

But what about historical Palestine

I thought Jerusalem was supposed to be the ldquocapital of Arab cultureldquo

But itrsquos all political speeches for the people

We put up with the work and the sweat and itrsquos rough

a letterرسالة من مقاطعة from boikutt

risaleh mn muqataa (pt1)

boikutt

null

2010

1086983

eng - iTunPGAP0

eng - iTunNORM 00000A1E 00000A0E 000099D9 000098A0 0000CC63 0000CC63 0000826D 000080B0 000131D0 000131D0

eng - iTunSMPB 00000000 00000210 000008F3 000000000049197D 00000000 0027BA9D 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000

7372

يقنعونا إن كلشي متام و بقدر أعيش حياة عادية

زي في األفالم على مبس واحد إثنني ثالثة أربعة إلخ

كن منيح و بتنزل عليك املصاري زخ نصيحة من أخ ألخ

خليك مستقل ألن اللعبة إنلعب فإبعد عن الفخ

خليهم يقعدوا يستنوا الدعم ليموتوا يلفلفوا داخل اجلدار حلد ما يفوتوا

في متاهات مبسافات مش محددة مجددة لتوسع التوسع مش مهددة

إنتهاك احتالل بس مش على الكل

في ناس في فلسطني هون حياتهم زي الفل مش عارف شو بيفكر

شكلوا مش داري شي يوم حنروح كل الدكاكني هي حتسكر

سالم

b o i k u t t

Try to convince me that everythingrsquos fine

And that I can lead a normal life

Like in the movies

On MBC one two three four etcetera

Be good and money will rain on you

Advice from one brother to another

Stay independent because the games are being played

So steer clear of the trap

Let them wait for foreign aid until they die

Spinning in circles within the apartheid wall until they enter

Into unlimited mazes with unspecified spaces

That are renewed to fit settlement expansion unthreatened

Violation occupation

But not for everyone

There are people here in Palestine living ldquothe good lifeldquo

I donrsquot know what hersquos thinking

Seems like he doesnrsquot know one day wersquoll be gone

And all these shops will close

Peace

T r a n s l a t e d b y t h e a r t i s t w i t h L o u b n a B i l a l i

risaleh mn muqataa (pt1)

boikutt

null

2010

1086983

eng - iTunPGAP0

eng - iTunNORM 00000A1E 00000A0E 000099D9 000098A0 0000CC63 0000CC63 0000826D 000080B0 000131D0 000131D0

eng - iTunSMPB 00000000 00000210 000008F3 000000000049197D 00000000 0027BA9D 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000

7574

الضغط عاليالعدو فات جاري احملادثات

صمت دوليكمية الغازى عم تزداد

تهجير جديد مولود جديدتكرر عزو مش تارك ورا شي مفيد غير غراب

من كل البيت ما تركو شي إال البابمن االرض ل سما مسافة عاليه

إمشي الصحرا وعد لياليوجنوما

كمشوا رئيس دولة بجورةحصار

توزيع مخدراتباألحمر تلون الفرات سجون معتقالتقبلة الوداع مع الصبات

تنصت بالشبكة خيانات باألزهر

k a t i b e h 5

The pressure is high

The enemy has entered discussions are taking place

Global silence

The numbers of the occupier are increasing

A new expulsion A newborn child

The perpetuation of an invasion that leaves behind it nothing of any use except for a crow

From an entire house they left nothing but the door

From the ground to the sky is a long distance

Walk the desert and count the nights

And its stars

They caught a president in a pit

Siege

Drug dealing the Euphrates is stained red prisons detention centers

A farewell kiss with a shoe

Networks wiretapped betrayals in Al Azhar

hold me back ifهديني اذا فيك you can

null

23098943

7776

حوار أديانالكف تنجس

متسح فيه وجك مع كل شروق عالوضوءتسمع شرارة فتيل مولوتوف ينادي أصوات تتلبى

باإلنفجار

هديني إذا فيك صرت موجود بكل مكانوجي مغبش عامل زي جيش زباتا

منصرخ بوجكم raquoاحلرية ل برغوتيlaquoإعالمكو بيعرفني كلماتكو حملت إسمي

شركاتكو بتهرب مني )كتيبه خمسه هديتي إذا فيك(

بتالقيني بني والد حفظوا غنية املخيماتبنفسية فالح عمال يزو املدينة

افالم تافهةبرنامج تافه

بتدور على مخك بتالقي مش موجوداخلليج يتحكم بإعالم

هادول حبوب التنومي ٦1 سنة بعدن مش شغالني

عالمادامك واخد وجهة نظري

ع محمل اجلدمسموح لك تستعجب وتظهر إنزعاجك بوجودي

ألني صديق لكل املشاهد الغير مرغوبة فيهاش بيختار حياتو بالتحديد بحكيلك هيك منحياها ومحد

ضغط رصاص وابارود بخليكاش حتيدالتجارب بتدلك عطريق

هديتي إذا فيك

k a t i b e h 5

A dialogue of religions

The hand is tainted

And with it you cleanse your face at ablution each sunrise

You hear the sparking of the fuse of a molotov calling voices respond

Explosion

Hold me back if you can I have become present everywhere

My face is concealed like the army of Zapata

We shout in your face ldquoFreedom for Barghoutildquo

Your media knows me your words have glimpsed my name

Your corporations flee from me

(Katibe Khamseh hold me back if you can)

Yoursquoll find me among children that have memorized the song ldquoAl Moukhayamatldquo

In the persona of a peasant that is visiting the city

Shallow films

Shallow programs

You look for your mind but you find it is not there

The Gulf controls media with its boundaries

These sleeping pills 61 years and theyrsquore still not effective

Great

As long as you are taking my point of view seriously

Yoursquore allowed to be taken aback and to show your irritation

Just like you show your irritation at my presence

Because I am a friend to all the images that are not desirable

This is how we live out these images and no one chooses their life specifically Irsquoll tell you

The pressure of bullets and gunpowder does not allow you to move away

Experience will guide you on the road

Hold me back if you can

null

23098943

7978

موقف واحد صريح من صميم روح لشعوب املقاومة ضمير ظهور البشرية

السبيل صعب ورا الغضبدعم لكل أسالوب محارب

د لنحرق نظامك منتدرب منجرب منخرب منستععم نحرق نظامك

هديتي إذا فيك

إطلع منيحمش رح تقدر توخذ كل شي من أول نظرة

نظرة عامة raquoبشرة مش بيضةlaquoجبني عريضة مكتوب مولود عنيد بالفطرة

فوت بالتقاليد عد التجاعيدلك هاي مش أول مرة

لغات ودراسات حط العلم بغالفمش رح تقدر تفهم ليه بعد في بارود ع الكتافلون األرض ولون الليل بيعطيك البني و السواد

بوعدك مش لوحدي رح أضل عد رماد الال اللعبة اجلديدة وال والدنا ع اللعبة جداد

بكفيش إنفلونزا الصقور صار في إنفلونزا اخلنازيرموسم مرض جديد لرئيس مبثل ع نفوس ومريض بهدوء البيض

هديتي إذا فيك

k a t i b e h 5

A single honest stance from the bottom of the soul for the people of the resistance the conscience

that exposes humanity

The path is difficult when following anger

A support for every style of battle

We train we strive we disrupt we prepare to burn your system

We are burning your system

Hold me back if you can

Look closely

You wonrsquot be able to see it all at first sight

An overview ldquocomplexion that is not whiteldquo

A broad forehead written born stubborn by nature

Look at the traditions and count the wrinkles

This is not the first time

Languages and scholarship put education under wraps

You wonrsquot be able to understand why there is still gunpowder on shoulders

The color of earth and the color of night gives you brown and blackness

I promise you that I will not be alone to count the ashes no

This game to us is not new and nor are our children new to the game

As if the influenza of eagles was not enough now therersquos the influenza of pigs

The season of a new disease for a president acting for a public and sick with the

calmness of white people

Hold me back if you can

null

23098943

8180

اإلحتالل نكه البشر بنكهة املجاريبالسالم حوار أديانبإقرار ملكية كذابة

بتشويه تاريخ وسرقة حضاراتولك أه

فلسطني إفريقيا الدجلة والفراتإجتاه البشرية لإلضمحالل سرطان بشري بعضها

الشتا ميسح اخلطايا واآلثاروليش بتتخبى وبتتغطى بنفس كل سفارة سميك الستار

لساتني باكل الضربة ورا الضره ورا الضربةوحتى ما أفعل وأساوي تكمشني الرجفة

بدل ما أضرب فيك بضرب بحاليبوعدكش حضلني كامش حالي حفلتها

حفلتها

هديني إذا فيك هديني إذا فيكهديني إذا فيك

k a t i b e h 5

The occupation has seasoned humanity with the flavor of sewers

With peace with dialogue of religions

With the declaration of false ownership

With the distortion of history and the theft of civilizations

Oh yes

Palestine Africa the Tigris and Euphrates

Humanity is leading to reduction a human cancer bites it

Exile wipes clean the sins and the traces

And why are you hiding and seeking cover when all the embassies are already well concealed

I am still taking one beating after another

And so that I donrsquot take action and do something shudders grip my body

Instead of beating you I beat myself

I canrsquot promise you that I can keep myself restrained

Irsquom gonna let go

Hold me back if you can

Hold me back if you can

Hold me back if you can

T r a n s l a t e d b y R i m a N a j d i a n d F a y s a l B i b i

null

23098943

8382

طول عمر الشعب املصري مع بعض أحلك الظروفبص وفر في التاريخ وانت ياما هاتشوف

الدين ده ليا وليكوفيا وفيك

حاجة روحانية بتخليك حتس اللي بيك

ايد في ايد نبني فيها من جديد

مصر زعلت علي حاصل وسطنا مش مفيد

بعد ثورة وبعد عيد فتنة تقتل حلم واتتحقق لنا

واحد اتننيالذكري بتعيش اكتر من عمر االنسان

بصمتنا تغييرنا جوة وبرة امليدان مش هانضيع نصر ثورتنا بفتنة نشئت بينا

A r a b i a n K n i g h t s + M C G a z a + A m e e r

The Egyptian people have always stuck together

Through the worst times look at history

And see how often wersquove been there for each other

That whole idea of religion

Is for you and for me something spiritual that makes you feel whatrsquos inside you

Hand in hand

We build Egypt up again

Egypt is angry at whatrsquos happening between us

Itrsquos not helpful

After the revolution after the celebration

Sectarian strife is killing the dream we fulfilled

One two

The memory lasts more than a lifetime

Our mark is our change in and outside Tahrir Square

We wonrsquot give up the victory of our revolution in exchange for sectarian strife between

us

hand inايد في ايد hand

Eid Fe Eid

Yasser Ameer Youssef Rush E Money amp MCGaza | by BOGEY

Single Hit track 11

20112011

Hip-Hop

24002867

eng - Hip-Hop 4 Life

eng - iTunNORM 000005E2 0000058E 0000424E 00003537 00026E95 0001C2B3 00008000 00008000 00005045 00005045

8584

بلدنا محتجانا ايدنا واحدة ضد احملنة تفرق ايه معاك ديانتي ملا ربك هو ربي

اصلك هو اصلي ارضك هي ارضي

ملا اتقال لي اكتت فيول فتنة انا قولت غلط علشان الفتنة مفتعلة في بلدنا وكان وراها غرض

فالفرد افترض فبفرض السياسة األمر اختلط

فالزم يبقي املصل سياسي من اصل املرض العسس واحلرس مافرقوش صليب وهالل

وكنا كلنا واحد وراء االقفالدم الشهيد شاهد

ياما بالفتنة انكسرنا وحدتنا بصوت واحد وضد الظلم انتصرنا

وديني هو ديني صلة بيني وبني ربي هارفع علمي وارفع راسي فوق

انا مصري

ايد في ايد نبني فيها من جديد

مصر زعلت علي حاصل وسطنا مش مفيد

بعد ثورة وبعد عيد فتنة تقتل حلم واتتحقق لنا

خلو حمامة السالم من الطيور املنقرضةعلشان تبقي القلوب مبتعدة منقسمه سهل تتسم

فكرين مناعة و قوة أم الدنيا بالطمع مرتبطةنسر املصريني ليس له دين احنا بنحميها بالدم

العنف بذوره بتكتر عاوز يوصل واحلروب حتصل

A r a b i a n K n i g h t s + M C G a z a + A m e e r

Our country needs us all together against the hard times

What difference does my religion make to you when your god is my god

Your origin is mine

Your land is my land

When they told me about sectarian strife I said thatrsquos wrong

Because itrsquos been planted in our country and behind it is some purpose

Makes one think somethingrsquos going on

By playing politics everythingrsquos gotten mixed up

The antidote has to be political just like the poison itself

The military doesnrsquot distinguish between cross and crescent

Wersquore all held together behind bars

The blood of the martyrs bears witness

To how much wersquove been broken by sectarianism

Through our unity we triumphed with one voice over injustice

And my religion is my own a rapport between me and God

Irsquoll raise my flag and my head up

Irsquom Egyptian

Hand in hand

We build Egypt up again

Egypt is angry at whatrsquos happening between us

Itrsquos not helpful

After the revolution after the victory

Sectarian strife is killing the dream we fulfilled

They drove the dove of peace to extinction

To keep hearts apart and divided itrsquos easy to poison them

Do they really think the resilience and strength of Egypt is connected to greed

The Egyptian eagle has no religion we protect it with our blood

The roots of violence are increasing want to gain control to start wars

Eid Fe Eid

Yasser Ameer Youssef Rush E Money amp MCGaza | by BOGEY

Single Hit track 11

20112011

Hip-Hop

24002867

eng - Hip-Hop 4 Life

eng - iTunNORM 000005E2 0000058E 0000424E 00003537 00026E95 0001C2B3 00008000 00008000 00005045 00005045

8786

للعاقيدة يكسر وألعضاء املشاعر تتشال تصتأصلعلى كالم ربهم اتكبرو فعملو قدر واتقدر

وقته مستنينه ليه خططوا مضمون الرسائل اتغير الن الهدف هو تدمير قعدة الوحدهوقتل كل قائد يقود الناس بره احملنه

فيبقي سهل يزيحنا ميحي أوصول عليها كبرناوكل واحد علي حداه يقول أنا محدش يقول احنا

فاببطء بحرص بص بعقل بحذر شوفقبل ما يخلوا خيالك يتخلله اخلوف

واخلوف ده افراز بيطلع من غده ملا الكلب بيشوفهابيعرف انك فاريسه سهل ياكلها ركز

فرق تسد إخلعوفق جتد إرفع

ثورة تقدصمت يفرد- يفرق

ما بيجمع بيننامن حقي النقد من حقك - تسمع

طب إسمع وراجع ما صور التاريخ طب باله بيكفي صور زمانييوم حصار كنيسة املهد مني دافع مني اتقمع مني اتنفا

مسلم مسيحي أل كان فلسطيني اتذكر معي ثورة غضب يناير

اتذكر معي الوحدة اإليد الوحدة اتشرف انتا مصرياتذكر معي األخ بإيد األخ يحمي األخ بدون إلخ

كالمي ماشي ماشي ال-لتفهمني بهويتي مسلم وال نصراني قبطي

ما في حجة لربطي خلبطي حلطي ألوطي ألغير خطيخير أجناد األرض

من أرض بيت املقدس كل السالم بعد ما قلت إلنقسام في وطنيانا ملزم أقول ال لفتنة

تفتت مجد شعب تعب عانى ضحى بالغالي حتى بناه

A r a b i a n K n i g h t s + M C G a z a + A m e e r

The relationship between Egyptians breaks down and the organs that feel are taken out

They got full of themselves in the name of their god and invented a new fate for us

Theyrsquore waiting for a time and theyrsquore plotting The meaning of their messages changes

Because the goal is to destroy the foundation of unity

And kill every leader who takes the people out of hard times

Itrsquos easy to remove us to wipe out the traditions we grew up with

Everyone on his own everyone says ldquoIldquo and no one says ldquoweldquo

Slowly carefully look Wisely with caution see

Before they make your imagination a slave to fear

And that fear releases a secretion from a gland

And when the dog sees it he knows yoursquore easy prey

Divide yoursquoll conquer

Bring harmony and yoursquoll reap Start

A revolution and it will catch on

Silence is solitary It divides

It doesnrsquot bring us together

It is my right to criticize and your right to listen

So listen and look back at history or better look at my life time

The day the Nativity Church was under siege who was persecuted Who was exiled

A Muslim A Christian No he was Palestinian

Letrsquos remember the angry revolution of January

Letrsquos remember the unity the one hand Be proud yoursquore Egyptian

Remember the brother holding hands with a brother protecting a brother

And I can go on

Donrsquot teach me about my identity whether Irsquom a Muslim or a Christian Copt

Therersquos no excuse to tie me down beat me to make me cower and kneel and stray from my courseThe Earthrsquos most virtuous soldiers

Come from the land of Bayt al-Maqdis [Jerusalem] I salute you After I said no to division in my countryIrsquom committed to saying no to seditionThat dissolves the glory of a people who labored suffered sacrificed what was most dear to build it

T r a n s l a t e d b y A l e x O r t i z + A h m e d S h a w k e t + K h a l e d A l H i l l i

Eid Fe Eid

Yasser Ameer Youssef Rush E Money amp MCGaza | by BOGEY

Single Hit track 11

20112011

Hip-Hop

24002867

eng - Hip-Hop 4 Life

eng - iTunNORM 000005E2 0000058E 0000424E 00003537 00026E95 0001C2B3 00008000 00008000 00005045 00005045

8988

الفن واملواهب زي حرب الكواكب الكل عايز يكون جنم صراع في الداخل

بهدي جنون العظمة بفلفل حر توابل تسيل دموع زي القنابل

زي مابتكلم وداني شغالة كون سامع نبض الشارع علشان أ

حالف أقضي على اإلعالم املتآمر مغامر في الكالم بس إنت مش سامع

ملا بأمسك القلم والورقة الهم بينزاح مخي بيرتاح بأقول اللي على البال

ملا بأقعد بحس بتأنيب ضمير كون في ستوديو بسجل على بيت خطير مفروض أ

e l D e e b + S t o r m t r a p

Art and talent are like Star Wars

Secretly everyone wants to be a star of conflict

I make megalomania tranquil with chilli hot spices

Tears flow like bombs

Thatrsquos how I talk and the world keeps moving

So that I can hear the pulse of the streets

Irsquove sworn to obliterate the media conspirators

I am adventurous in my speech but you do not hear

When I hold the pen and the paper my anxiety is lifted

My mind relaxes and I say whatrsquos on it

When I sit down I feel guilty

I should be in the studio recording dangerous beats

addictأدمان الشهرة ion to fame

Edman El Shuhra

Stormtrap amp Mohamed El Deeb

2011

Hip-Hop

15305855

- vocals Mohamed El Deeb Stormtrap13produced by Stormtrap

9190

إحساس غريب إنك تدمن الكالم ارسم يا فنان واخترع زي دافينشي الرسام

ولو مفيش ورقة باستخدم تليفوني خايف إن فكرة متعديش على صوتي

دنيا غريبة يوم مر يوم بونبوني بس أنا عمري ماغيرت لوني

املوسيقى بنادولي وبطابعي فضولي مهما قالوا لي هافهمها مبفهومي فـساعات أالقي نفسي بكلم نفسي واسمع أصوات غريبة في دماغي

وهو ده الصدى الصوت اللي بسمعه اكن مفيش حد فارقة معاه احالمي

شوف شوف مش هدف إنو أنا شخصيا أنا

هدفي انه كلماتي وموسيقتي تنتشرعشان هيك حتشوفني دوما مستمر مستثمر

كل وقتي كل طاقتي على أصواتي خوذ شك خوذ حتويل خوذ كاش

بس ما تنساش أي شي بيتعلق بالواقع بدناش ما تخاف ألنها قضيتنا مش منسية مية باملية هايذي ثورة كمان ثقافية

خليني أوضح هاي املوسيقى مش معمولة للتلفازeهاي املوسيقى مش معمولة لهز الطياز l D e e b + S t o r m t r a p

Strange feeling to be out of words

Paint oh artist and discover like Da Vinci the artist

If I donrsquot have paper I use my cell

I am afraid that the idea does not come through my voice

Strange world one day is bitter another like candy

But Irsquove never changed my color

Music is my Tylenol and my nature curious

So whatever they tell me Irsquoll understand it my way

Sometimes I find myself talking to myself

And I hear weird voices in my head

Which is just the echo of the sound I hear

As if no one cares about my dreams

See see

My goals are not self serving

My goal is that my words and music spread

Thatrsquos why yoursquoll see me always and continuously investing

All my time my energy on my sounds

Take a check take a transfer take cash

But never forget anything related to reality wersquore not interested

Donrsquot be afraid because our cause is not forgotten

One hundred percent this is also a cultural revolution

Let me explain this music is not meant to be televised

This music is not made for booty shaking

Edman El Shuhra

Stormtrap amp Mohamed El Deeb

2011

Hip-Hop

15305855

- vocals Mohamed El Deeb Stormtrap13produced by Stormtrap

9392

مش فاهم ليش الكل قاتل حاله يكون في مسابقةحابني نتصابح حياكم زات املكافحة

واالعالم ميت ع حيالله قصة ما بيدرس هالقصة من نصها

وبعدن بينفخهامش احلق علينا اذا ما بيبحثوا

وملا يبدوا يحكوا عنا أل عنجد بيبعصوابيفكروا انه كل شي هشك بشك

بس حدن الزم يقلهم انه الهب هوب مش هيكبدك تدير بالك عشانها هاي اللحظة احلاسمة

ملا يجوا عليك الديب والعاصفةنكسر حدود وبنبني وحدة عشان نحيي مجتماعاتنا

وننهي معانتناعشان هيك منكتب كلمات صريحة والها معنى

مش للشهرة مش حتى يجي حدن يدفعلنا

e l D e e b + S t o r m t r a p

I donrsquot understand why everyone is killing themselves to be in the contest

Wersquod like to say goodmorning to salute you in this same struggle

The mediarsquos dying for any story

But they donrsquot study the storyrsquos real text

And then they blow it out of proportion

Itrsquos not our fault if they donrsquot search

And when they talk about us then they really screw it up

They think everything is empty pointless

Somebody needs to tell them that hip hop is not like that

You should take care because this is the critical moment

When the wolf and storm come haunting you

We break borders and we create a unity to revitalize our communities

And stop our suffering

That is why we write frank words that have meaning

Itrsquos not for fame or even so that someone pays us

T r a n s l a t e d b y N i z a r G h a n e m

Edman El Shuhra

Stormtrap amp Mohamed El Deeb

2011

Hip-Hop

15305855

- vocals Mohamed El Deeb Stormtrap13produced by Stormtrap

9594

حضل عهل مود يعنيما إنتلك النجوم عم تقرب

بهل ال مود حكون عطول لبهل جنوم إدءر لو مضطر شن هجوم عل النجوم كلها

خللي األرض تدور حول أصبعي تنلك

ما إنتلك متلي متلك مولع طيار ألفكاري من العقدي تنفك فرد قعدي بني 4 حيطان ما بتنهز و منها ما بنهز

يلز املا بينلزالكاس عل الطاولي و منو عم مز مز

لتفتل براصي وحس من حالي عم كز كزعل ورقة كالمي مدروس و ما بزت زت بجرب ما عيد حالي متا يقولو عم نق نق

موزع قافياتي جواز كأن عم فت فت

بهل األطشة خلي الديني اللي تسمعني ترن رنFبسبيلي جاري يوم ع يوم عم برك رك a r e e q e l A t r a s h

Irsquoll stay in this mood

Didnrsquot I tell you The stars are getting closer

Irsquoll stay in this mood until I touch these stars

Even if I have to launch an attack on all the stars

Irsquoll make the Earth rotate around my finger I told you

Didnrsquot I tell you Irsquom just like you I lit up a joint so my ideas would untie their knot

Sitting this way in between four walls I wonrsquot budge

The most delectable

Drink is on the table from which Irsquom taking sips

Till my head starts spinning and Irsquom sick of myself

On the paper my words are calculated I donrsquot just toss them about

I try not to repeat myself so they wonrsquot say Irsquom nagging

I deal my rhymes out like theyrsquore cards

In this verse Irsquoll make those ears ring

My fountain is running and every day I excel

tالنجوم عم تقرب he stars are gett ing closer

null

29781717

9796

لضل ماشي جالس بينما غيري عم بلك لك شريط معلق ريحة العة عم بتفح فحكل ما فتح متو بتالقي عم بكب كب

عايشها إرهاب و مفي إال بسب سببزبالتي ما بكبو تيكون بعلمك

األالف مسم و بحياتو ما بينسم بزقة من هل التم تخلي سقفك ينش نش

تلمو ردم و ما تفكر إنو ترد رد و عم بحكي عالواطي متا الصالي فيك ترج رج

بطبعي عاقل بس بالراب بزل زل عل الرايق بال ما نط وال فز فز

type of shitعال بارد أبرد من شباط بس يقز قزتخلي عضامك ع بعض تسك سك

ما إنتلك النجوم عم تقرب بهل ال مود حكون عطول لبهل جنوم إدءر

لو مضطر شن هجوم عل النجوم كلهاخللي األرض تدور حول أصبعي تنلك

أنا متنبئ بنبه و بحقق ما قلتلك بعد وقتها ما عم نكت

عاملكرفون إبرة هرون عم بشكشك في شكcheck one two

هيك بدسدس عالنبض

F a r e e q e l A t r a s h

So I can walk straight when others are still playing

A broken record that reeks of a musty smell

Every time he opens his mouth he spews them out

He lives in terror and all he does is curse

I wouldnrsquot throw him in my garbage just so you know

Irsquove irritated thousands and never been irritated in my life

One spit out of this mouth will make your roof leak

And yoursquoll pick up the rubble and donrsquot even think about answering back

Irsquom talking in a low voice so the hall wonrsquot shake with you in it

Irsquom reasonable by nature but when it comes to rap I humiliate cold-heartedly

Without jumping or leaping around

I do it coldly colder than icy February-type of shit

Irsquoll make your bones rattle against each other

Didnrsquot I tell you The stars are getting closer

Irsquoll stay in this mood until I touch these stars

Even if I have to launch an attack on all the stars

Irsquoll make the Earth rotate around my finger I told you

Irsquom a psychic I predict and deliver

Didnrsquot I tell you to stand back when Irsquom not joking

Irsquom pricking the microphone with a heroin needle Is there any doubt

Check one two

Thatrsquos how I feel the pulse

null

29781717

9998

بدقق و زتزت حكي بتزجزج كأنها مزهزها عم بتشمشم عم خطط عم تكتيك و مني ملحلح من هون للساعة توقف تك تيك تك تيك

لك ليك منفخ حاله عامبيكازيب عا غيري بس بوجهي بتاءتإوجهه بيباءبإ من أد ما بعصب بسبسب

زر إنذار إذني بتطنطن و بشوف من عالباب عم بدقدق

عكروت بدو يفوت ليشوف الفن فني بس الفن هون بجسمي معبأ

من حلقي طايف و من متي عم بت شرشر و بيس البيس زلزال برجرج خليك تضبضب تنضب بالبيت لتكنكن

و أنا متأسف ألني بدي استأذن بس بعد شفت كابتشينو بتصحصح

ما إنتلك النجوم عم تقرببهل ال مود حكون عطول لبهل جنوم إدءر

لو مضطر شن هجوم عل النجوم كلهاخللي األرض تدور حول أصبعي تنلك

هيدا هب هوبمش هبل و ال بهل

هيدا زجل تتغزل في

ورايي إيقاع عليي إتبع و ما إطلع عنو يا بصير متل غير مسيس

زقفوا مع االيقاعزقفوا مع االيقاع

F a r e e q e l A t r a s h

Checking and hurling words that tickle as if I was high and sniffing

I am planning and scheming and Irsquom not going anywhere till the clock stops ticking

Look hersquos so full of it lying to others but in my face he stutters

And his face turns red from all the anger and he curses

My earsrsquo alarm bells start ringing

And I go to see whorsquos knocking at the door

Some bastard who wants to see where ldquothe artldquo is

But the art is right here packed in my body

Flowing from my throat running out of my mouth

And the bass is an earthquake that shakes and forces you to pack up and go home

And Irsquom sorry because I need to take leave

But after a sip of cappuccino yoursquoll come around

Didnrsquot I tell you The stars are getting closer

Irsquoll stay in this mood

Until I touch these stars even if I have to launch an attack on all the stars

Irsquoll make the Earth rotate around my finger I told you

This is hip hop

Itrsquos not stupid nor dumb

Itrsquos zajal [a form of Arabic poetry in the Levant]

That you flirt with

There is a beat that I have to follow canrsquot lose it or Irsquoll be like other MCs

Clap with the beat

Clap with the beat

T r a n s l a t e d b y K h a l e d A l H i l l i

null

29781717

101100

انا ببلعهم بتفهم وال مره بسبهمبخليهم داميا يضاربو بتفكيرهم

أنا وراهم قدامهم جنابهم محتلهممش طايقهم مرات وزنهم بكون منزلهم

مرتبهم صاففهم وبقلم أنا حاكمهم زاتتهم مش عاجبيني أنا ماحيهم قائدهم وبنفس الوقت أنا عبيدهم

وبفك وربط أنا بلعب مبعانيهمانا حاميهم بأسطر اللي تقويهم

انا واعدهم اني أستر على فاضحهم ومطلعهم بصوره اللي تبشعهم

بس أنا محترمهم وبسطور ساجنهم مكتفهم كأسير بجنازير القهر

ومهديهم بحبل اللي يبشر بالصبر وانا لي الفخر أكون الشوك اللي فيهم

Dوأكون القهر اللي داميا يسقيهم A M

Yo this is dedicated to the lyrics

Irsquom swallowing them spitting them never dissing them

Giving them freedom of speech

Irsquom behind them in front of them because of them always standing with them

Sometimes get sick of them sick of how you abuse them

Gather them in line with my pen I order them

Didnrsquot like it Throwing them out and replacing them

Irsquom their leader and also their slave

Small changes make huge differences

I train them in pages to make them strong

Promising to use them not abuse them

Or allow the wrong mouths to utter them

Approach them with a military mind and find peace in them

Irsquom lucky to be full of thorns and even luckier that I found the lyrics

So theyrsquoll help me find the roses in me

wordsكلمات

null

26837427

103102

raquoالكل سمعك بس السؤال اذا اللي سمعك فهمكlaquoكلمات ليست كالكلمات بل raquoعالماتlaquo

اللي توجهنا وين مابدنا عحبال السيرك هي تثبتنا ريح العالم من كل جهه اذا احنا ضعاف بتوقعنا بس

raquoأل بلمره ألlaquo raquoكلمات عندي طنlaquoكل واحده الها هدف اخدت حرف عحرف

نسجت جمل اللي البسهم وقت البرد raquoراح اضلني اناديlaquo raquoبنحكي كلماتlaquo

انت بتعرف انهم مبنصب شهاد بحكو املاضي وتنبوا حاضر أي بالد

قد ماحكيت قد ما أحكي فش كالم يغطي بسفي كالم يربي وينمي انت بس أروي

في شوف انه قوه والقوه بتقويفيك و أن رويته مصيره يسقيك )مثل للقوه( العدو من أمامكم

والبحر من ورائكم فال تخيبوا أسيادكمفأين أشعاركم وأين مجادلتكم

فأنتم تسكتون وتخمدون أحالمكم)انهي( نهيت ورجعت للعامية بكلمات

مرمية طالعه من عقليه شعبيهمتل جنيب اللي بذاكرة كل واحد محفوظ مدروس واذا أل معناته في خلل معكوس

عاملجتمع اللي قمع كتاباته Dاللي سمح لنسيانه يشيل خطواته A M

ldquoThey all hear you but few listen to youldquo

Lyrics ainrsquot just a bunch of words they are ldquosignsldquo

Leading us stabilizing us on tight ropes

Winds every way if we are thin we will fall

ldquoBut hell noldquo ldquoyou can measure my words in tonsldquo

Every word has a meaning I knitted a letter with another letter

Made warm sentences to wear in cold days

ldquoSo Irsquoll still shoutldquo ldquowe control lyricsldquo

You know lyrics are like a witness

They witnessed the past and forecast the future

As much as I said or say I canrsquot describe them

But there is a way to find the description and thatrsquos through them

Quench the thirst of the pages with them

So in the future itrsquoll quench your thirst

Keep feeding them as soon as they grow up

Theyrsquoll give you strength

ldquoExample for the strengthldquo

ldquoThe enemy is before you the sea is behind you

So donrsquot you dare disappoint our ancestors

Where are our deep poems Where are our strong statements

From generation to generation we kill our dreamsldquo

ldquoEnough philosophizingldquo ok lets get back to street talk

Words coming outta simple minds

Like Najeeb Mahfuz [literally lsquowell-rememberedrsquo also a famous author]

They keep living in our minds

And if you donrsquot know who he is - then I rest my case

null

26837427

105104

raquoالكل سمعك بس السؤال اذا اللي سمعك فهمكlaquoكلمات ليست كالكلمات بل raquoعالماتlaquo

اللي توجهنا وين مابدنا عحبال السيرك هي تثبتنا ريح العالم من كل جهه اذا احنا ضعاف بتوقعنا بس

raquoأل بلمره ألlaquo raquoكلمات عندي طنlaquoكل واحده الها هدف اخدت حرف عحرف

نسجت جمل اللي البسهم وقت البرد raquoراح اضلني اناديlaquo raquoبنحكي كلماتlaquo

ألف با كبايه أوعك تكسرهاامسكها للنهاية وكل ما تفضى مليها

كلمه أو رواية ومع املراحل زيدها شيحكاية وهيك ضلك زود فيها

وجيبها لتجمعاتك وساعتها استعملها لنقاشاتك وملواقفك استخدمها

هادي مدافعك اللي مداها بسيطرتك وما دافعك انه ما تخليها رايتك

ما هي تكتب ما هي توصف ما هي تكذب ما هي تنصف

ما هي هي الهروب هياللجوء هي الدروب هي

العبور باحلدود واللي مبرؤهم مبدع وبفوز باخللود واللي بسرقهم مش مقنع

واذا بتديهم احلرية بنادوك ممنوعDواذا بتوخد احلريه بنادوك مسموح A M

ldquoThey all hear you but few listen to youldquo

Lyrics ainrsquot just a bunch of words they are ldquosignsldquo

Leading us stabilizing us on tight ropes

Winds every way if we are thin we will fall

ldquoBut hell noldquo ldquoyou can measure my words in tonsldquo

Every word has a meaning I knitted a letter with another letter

Made warm sentences to wear in cold days

ldquoSo Irsquoll still shoutldquo ldquowe control lyricsldquo

The Arabic alphabet is like a glass donrsquot break it

Hold it tight and keep filling it

And then bring it to our arguments

Scream till your throat gets dry and then wet it

It holds our body itrsquos like our legs

If you stand for nothing yoursquoll fall for anything

The words write create

They kill lead and sometimes even lie

You can use them to build borders

And those who are gifted

Can use them to walk through borders

And in some governments

Itrsquos forbidden to give words freedom

But if you choke them and kill them

Thatrsquos allowed

F i g u r a t i v e t r a n s l a t i o n o f f e r e d b y t h e a r t i s t s

null

26837427

107106

further reading

The tracks presented in this document are not a comprehensive sampling of the genre of the market of hip hop in Arabic or of hip hop and rap in the wider Middle East

Artists featured here hail from Egypt Lebanon Palestine and the anglophone Arab diaspora The thriving North African hip hop scene is not represented nor is the work of the established francophone Arab diaspora nor the expanding hip hop scenes of especially Iran or Turkey

This collection does not attempt a comprehensive chronology Tracks featured here are not primarily new releases (though some are) neither are they all ldquoclassicsrdquo These limitations of scope are important to note

Many tracks of the popular Libyan group Ibn Thabitt and other groups from across the region have been translated and are hosted with commentary on the notable blog

revolutionaryarabrapblogspotcom

Another valuable resource is the Beirut-based blog by Jackson Allers ldquoBeats and Breathrdquo which features articulate critiques and reviews of events and releases from the region

jacksonallerswordpresscom

Hass Dennaoui (alias Big Hass) who recently launched started the first all hip-hop FM radio show in Saudi Arabia Laish Hip Hop (Why Hip Hop) manages a lively blog which

hosts an internet feed of his radio show and interviews with MCs and influential hip hop figures from around the world

revoltradioblogspotcom

Lebaneseundergroundcom hosts coverage of underground music in Lebanon including hip hop

And finally an excellent article by Hishaam Aidi on implications of the use of hip hop as foreign policy ldquoThe Grand (Hip-Hop) Chessboard Race Rap and Raison DrsquoEtatrdquo was published in The Middle East Report Fall 2011 Excerpts of the piece were published by Al Jazeera English in the article ldquoLeveraging Hip Hop in US Foreign Policyrdquo

All the artists and many of the translators whose work is showcased here host a significant online presence Their sites are listed with more about each of them on the following pages

109108

artist bios

ARABIAN KNIGHTZ the premier hip hop group from the land of the Nile River have not only established themselves as the lyricists with the sharpest swords in their land but they have also created the most consistent voice for rebellion strength and hope for the youth of the Middle East During the 2011 Revolution Arabian Knightz released two singles ldquoRebelrdquo and ldquoNot Your Prisonerrdquo anthems of resistance which gained worldwide attention and major media coverage for their powerful lyrics against a wicked system The group formed in 2006 through the cipher hip hoprsquos natural way of choosing like mindsets on the mic Rush Sphinx and E-Money were ahead of their peers adapting an authentic Arab perspective to the art dominated by Western voices mixing English and Arabic raps After hitting the studio for successful underground tracks AK enlisted super-producer Fredwreck (Snoop Dogg Xzibit Tha Dogg Pound) ldquoFokkakrdquo the single from this studio session was an instant hit and (surprisingly for Arabic Hip Hop) projected them to the top ten of the singles charts Arab League Records was formed amidst a growing fanbase and numerous collaborations with other Arab hip hop artists the first international Arab hip hop record label Desert Saga Volume 1 mixtape was the debut release led by ldquoThe Onerdquo featuring Egyptrsquos MC Amin Arabian Knightz have recorded their debut album Uknighted State of Arabia a masterpiece for Arab hip hop years in the making featuring instrumentals dominated by traditional percussions and players are scheduled for a Winter 2012 Release They are on Facebook

BOIKUTT is a musician and MC based in Ramallah Palestine Creating sounds using sampled material field recordings and electronic devices the results range between hip-hop downtempo ambient glitch and experimental He has composed and produced music for artists such as Kronos Quartet Bukue One Spiritchild Tamer Abu-Ghazaleh Bleubird and others and has appeared as an MC on albums for artists such as Slovo Heliodrome Bonnot and Lethal Skillz A co-founder of the Ramallah Underground Collective which has toured across the Arab World Europe and Australia Boikutt is also co-founder and member of audio-visual group Tashweesh with whom he is currently touring Also as a solo performer he has been in Beirut Cairo Manila Copenhagen London Hamburg Dubai Bethlehem and other cities He has produced and exhibited a few sound-art pieces composed several film scores has most recently composed the music for a dance theater performance entitled Bound by

New York-based company Yaa Samar Dance Theatre and is now working on different collaborative and solo projects His work may be heard at soundcloudcomboikutt and on Facebook

DAM Da Arabian MCrsquos are Suhell Nafar Tamer Nafar and Mahmoud Jreri The first Palestinian hip hop crew and among the first to rap in Arabic the group began working together in the late 1990s Struck by the uncanny resemblance of the reality of the streets in a Tupac video to the streets in their own neighborhood of Lyd they were inspired to tell their stories through hip hop Their timely song ldquoMin Irhabirdquo (ldquoWhorsquos the Terroristrdquo) was downloaded a million times shortly after its internet realese in 2001 and DAM became a household name among youth throughout the Middle East Ten years of performing all over the world has strengthened the grouprsquos commitment to continue living and working in their hometown of Lyd 15 minutes from Tel Aviv and working to provide the youth of the city and neighboring communities with programs and opportunities that have been denied to Palestinian citizens of Israel Their music is a unique fusion of East and West and encompasses influences as varied as Ghassan Kanafani Ahlam Mosteghanemi Mahmoud Darwish Naji al Ali Tupac Biggie Public Enemy MBS Krsquonaan and Pharoahe Monch IHDA (Dedication) DAMrsquos long-awaited first international album was released in 2007 and DAM has seen its songs and members featured in films such as Ford Transit (Dir Hany Abu Assad) Where in the World is Osama Bin Laden (Dir Morgan Spurlock) Salt of this Sea (Dir Annemarie Jacir) Local Angel and Forgiveness (Dir Udi Aloni) DAMrsquos history and influence on the Arab hip hop scene is detailed in the feature-length documentary Slingshot Hip Hop (Dir Jackie Reem Salloum) The group has also been featured in Vibe National Geographic Rolling Stone Q Basement Reuters and The New York Times and has appeared on MTV CNN BBC and Al Jazeera Their work can be heard and explored at damrapcom

EL DEEB first ventured into Egyptian Hip Hop when he joined Asfalt in 2005 He left in 2007 to create Wighit Nazara duo represented by Mohamed Yasser and himself It was a successful musical project that lasted until mid 2010 Currently he is working on his solo career with plans to release an EP every couple of months or so Cairofornia is his first solo EP His work may be heard at deebbandcampcom and on Facebook

EL RASS was born in Tripoli Lebanon He started writing poetry in literary Arabic at age 11 and started rhyming in spoken Lebanese dialect in 1999 at age 15 At that time he formed one third of a group of 3 MCrsquos going under the name of ldquoMlouk el Micrdquo (ldquoKings of the Micrdquo) They recorded one album and performed locally At 17 he left for France to study Finance and Economics Studies were hard money was scarce and exile was tough but music and poetry never left him as he continued rhyming with some underground French MCrsquos like Medline and Moebius and developed new musical skills on percussion in classical Arabic singing and baglama (turkish buzuk) After graduating and working for almost two years in the hell of banking and market finance El Rass decided to return to Lebanon He spent a year just re-discovering Beirut and making and learning music He now works as a journalist at the newspaper Assafir while concurrently pursuing joint projects with other producers and musicians He calls his work Taalik in reference to the same word in Arabic for ldquocommentrdquo and another word that comes from the same semantic root moaallakat which is a corpus of selected pre-Islamic poetry that was written with gold ink on the walls of the Karsquoaba in Mecca His work may be heard at soundcloudcomElRass

FAREEQ EL ATRASH is a hip hop band based out of Hamra St Beirut with a sound that is distinguished by laid back topical flows over live instrumentation It consists of Edd (raps) Nasser (raps) FZ (vocal production and FX) Fouad Afra (drums) Goo (plays guitar keys heart strings) and Abed Kobeissy (plays bass and buzuk) Their 2010 album and 2009 prealbum are available online More of their work may be found on Facebook Eddrsquos solo work can also be heard at soundcloudcomEdd

H2Z was born in Kuwait in 1986 where he lived for four years Due to the gulf war his family moved to Lebanon where he lived for the most part of his life Inspired by the tragic events in the Middle East and elsewhere in the world H2Z adopted rap music as a way to raise awareness about the injustices suffered by his people and to deliver a message through his music to anyone who supports the Palestinian cause His career began in 2004 when he was introduced to the production business by fellow rappers and soon he started producing his own tracks and established a local band producing many tracks for himself and other musicians in Lebanon In 2008 he released his first solo album titled 3aed which contained

17 tracks The political influence was noticed throughout the album and was generally well-received He is now studying for a degree in business administration at Wayne State University in Michigan His work may be heard at reverbnationcomh2z

KATIBEH 5 are based in Borj el Barajneh Lebanon Their work can be found at reverbnationcomkatibeh5 and myspacecomkatibe5palestine and on Facebook

M1 is Mutulu Olugbala of the New York based collective Dead Prez whose work is online at deadprezcom M1 is also on Facebook

MC GAZA is Adnan Mahmoud Ghonim an Algerian born artist and university student based in Gaza It was the beginning of 2005 when he attended one of the hip hop concerts in Gaza City ndash Gaza City that never appreciated the art he loved and attached himself to ndash and it was love at first sight between them Through some of the concerts he participated in a number of songs he collaborated on with Arabs from Egypt Algeria and Palestine and some active participation to represent the Palestinian people and interviews for both Arab and foreign press he was able to make a name for himself in the Gazan hip hop community His work may be found at youtubecomMCGaza and on Facebook

THE NARCICYST Having pioneered the Arab Hip-Hop movement with seminal Iraqi-Canadian crew Euphrates The Narcicyst recently broke through borders and shattered traveling etiquette touring solo around the world sharing stages with the likes of Brother Ali Mos Def and Kanye West to name a few On top of music The Narcicyst is a celebrated theorist whose academic work Fear of an Arab Planet has him from the stage to the classrooms of internationally renowned universities He is now also a professor at Concordia University teaching a Fine Arts course ldquoHip-Hop Past Present and Futurerdquo His writings have been published by multiple university presses and magazines internationally he is also a self-published author having recently released the biographical and social-study on the Arab world The Diatribes of a Dying Tribe As a true artist interested in really pushing his own artistic boundaries The Narcicyst has stepped into acting currently starring in the short music film PHATWA and in the first internationally-released film from the United Arab Emirates called City of Life A true multi-media

111110

KHALED AL HILLI is a PhD candidate in Comparative Literature at the Graduate Center City University of New York He has a BA in English Literature and a Masterrsquos degree in Teaching Second Languages Born in Iraq Khaled has taught in Lebanon and Saudi Arabia at both college and high school levels He has also worked with various Iraqi news outlets and has subtitledtranslated documentary films dealing with current social and political issues His research interests include Arabic political literature prison literature and literature in the diaspora He may be reached at hillykhalidgmailcom

+AZIZ is a NYC-based marketing consultant and a musician He is working through The World Music Parade to develop an animation project based on his music More about that project can be found at themusicparadetumblrcom He tweets from plusaziz

FAYSAL BIBI is a paleontologist and electronic musician currently based in Berlin

LOUBNA BILALI is originally from Morocco She did her undergrad and first MA in English Linguistics at Chouaib Doukkali University El Jadida She came to the US in 2008 to pursue a Masterrsquos degree in French to English translation and is currently working on a PhD in translation studies at Kent State University in Ohio She is very interested in learning and teaching languages as well as translating and localizing computer applications and websites She may be reached at loubnabilaligmailcom

FARAH ELREWAISSATI is a freelance translator pro-Palestine activist and BDS advocate who blogs at youthanormalizationblogspotcom She tweets from 3beee

NIZAR GHANEM was born in Lebanon He has been active in intercultural education interactive learning and conflict resolution across the Arab world His work on conflict resolution involved using theater comics and music as tools for emotional expression and social mobilization

RIMA NAJDI is a Performing Artist She studied dramatic arts at the Lebanese University in Beirut and obtained a Masterrsquos degree in Performance Studies at NYU New York She has written and performed in various plays and performances Najdi is particularly interested in multi-media performing arts and the position of the spectators

BARRAK ALZAID (copy editor) is the Artistic Director of ArteEast He is the editor of the ArteEast Quarterly a dynamic online portal featuring four publications that highlight contemporary art and culture from the Middle East and diaspora ndash ArtersquoZine Shahadat (contemporary short-form literature) Gallery and Cinematek (an online film center) He is also the curator for ArteEastrsquos Across Histories Art Talk Series featuring a series of panels on residencies in Fall 2011 He tweets from barrakster

RAYYA EL ZEIN (editor) is working towards a PhD in Theatre at the Graduate Center City University of New York Her research is increasingly focusing on theories of reception historical studies of audience behavior and popular culture in the Arab world She holds an MA in Performance Studies from NYU and is currently a teaching fellow at City College in Harlem She tweets from rayelz

translator biosdreamer Yassin recently established an arts label in the UAE called The Medium focusing on delivering art from Arabs in the diaspora and at lsquohomersquo to the rest of the world iraqisthebombcom He tweets from TheNarcicyst

OMAR OFFENDUM is a Syrian-American hip hop artist born in Saudi Arabia raised in Washington DC and living in Los Angeles Known for taking audiences on a lyrical journey from the jasmine-tree-lined courtyards of Nizar Qabbanirsquos Damascene homes to the flooded riverbanks of Langston Hughesrsquo Harlem Renaissance poems - Offendum has been featured on several major news outlets (BBC Yahoo ABC News Aljazeera PBS) toured the world to promote his ground-breaking music helped raise thousands of dollars for various humanitarian relief organizations (PCRF KinderUSA ANERA Islamic Relief) lectured at a number of prestigious academic institutions (Harvard MIT Stanford Columbia American University of Beirut NYU-AbuDhabi Qatar Education City) and most recently been involved in creating several critically-acclaimed songs about the popular democratic uprisings throughout the Middle East amp North Africa He is currently hard at work promoting his solo release - affectionately dubbed SyrianamericanA His work may be heard (and read) at offendumbandcampcom He is on Facebook and he tweets from Offendum

RAMALLAH UNDERGROUND based in Ramallah Palestine was born from the immediacy of musical experimentation and out of the need to give voice to a generation of Palestinians and Arabs facing a turbulent and uncertain political landscape The collective was founded by artists Boikutt Stormtrap and Aswatt and has always held a commitment to both the honesty of their work and the need to creatively rejuvenate Arabic culture To this end they combine music ranging from Arabic electronic music hip-hop and trip hop to downtempo with a deep sense of their local culture and the imposing presence of Palestine in their lives The outcome is a new specific and distinct sound RU (as producers and as MCrsquos ) has collaborated with numerous artists across the globe including countries like Lebanon UK Switzerland Italy USA France and many more including a collaboration with Slovo (a band headed by the guitarist from faithless) in their track ldquoNakbardquo which appears on their album Todo Cambia and with Kronos Quartet in the track ldquoTashweeshrdquo which appears on Floodplain RU has also performed live shows in Ramallah Bethlehem Vienna London Cairo Lausanne Amsterdam and Washington DC Their shows are mainly a performance of their hip-hop tracks as well as a few of their own electronic productions as a warm up More recently RU has incorporated a visual set in their live

performances brought to you by Palestinian visual artist Ruanne RU hopes to give a voice to Palestinians and Arabs bringing an alternative voice from the Arab world Their lyrics and music are an expression of anguish and defiance ultimately remaining a defiant voice of the colonized against the colonizer They continue to play a big role in the Arab underground cultural scene while slowly gaining wide global and local popularity

SHADIA MANSOURrsquos work can be found at myspacecomshadiamusic and on Facebook

STORMTRAP is a music producercomposerMC from Palestine Experimenting with old samples instruments and field recordings his sound is the result of a fusion of ambient atmospheres combined with various noises and hip hop beats His lyrics deal with different themes inspired mainly by his personal experiences in Palestine and life in the diaspora Stormtrap played a fundamental role in forming the band Ramallah Underground with which he has performed worldwide the past few years Currently he is working in Vienna with Aras Seyhan and Eren Ileri on a new album which combines live instruments synthesizers turntables beats and Arabic lyrics- which will be released early 2012 His work may be heard at soundcloudcomstormtrap He tweets from asifeh

AMEER YOSSEF 25 has sung and writen music with the band Klaket for the past four years His work may be heard at youtubecomAmeer and on Facebook

towards the work Her work for now concentrates on the process of making interactive and participatory performances that question borders stereotypes and languages

MOE ALI NAYEL is a fixer and a journalist based in Beirut Lebanon He uses social media blogging non-mainstream music journalism and writing as a word spreading eye opening socializing arena He uses social media as a bridge that cuts distance between people on this planet making it a tiny village This bridge starts in his office and takes him to every corner in the world enabling him to connect and network with people and cultures sharing and exchanging stories of the unheard and the neglected He blogs at Words of Action and he tweets from MoeAliNay

ALEX ORTIZ is a video and radio journalist and translator based in Cairo Egypt He graduated from Brown University in 2009 with a double major in Comparative Literature and Middle East Studies He was a CASA I fellow from 2009-2010 and a CASA II fellow from 2010-2011 He currently works for CBS News as a field producer He tweets from cairowitness

AHMED SHAWKET is an independent translator living in Cairo Egypt He is a graduate of the Helwan University Faculty of Arts where he majored in philosophy Ahmed works on literary media and commercial translation

113112

ABOUT SHAHADATShahadat is a quarterly online series designed to provide a platform for short-form writing and experimentation in writing by young and underexposed writers from the MENA region (Middle East and North Africa) The series features stories vignettes reflections and chronicles in translation and the original language of Arabic Farsi Turkish or Kurdish It makes up one quarter of ArteEastrsquos online programming the AE Quarterly For past issues of Shahadat click here

ABOUT THIS SERIES Shahadat is proud to run two alternating series and releases two issues a year of each The issue yoursquove just perused is part of the ldquoExploring Popular Literaturerdquo series This series challenges traditional understandings of ldquoliteraturerdquo emerging from the Middle East and North Africa by presenting genres of creative production that rely on words and language but which have not typically been studied as literature Works are presented in their original language and in translation

In each issue we gather texts from a spectrum of writers to challenge the singular status of the artistauthor and to encourage a more complex presentation of the Middle Eastern and North African ldquostreetrdquo for English-speaking audiences Shahadatrsquos other series ldquoContemporary Literature in Translationrdquo features the work of a single young author in the original language and in English translation

BEHIND THE DOCUMENTShahadat is co-edited by Rayya El Zein Alex Ortiz and ArteEastrsquos Artistic Director Barrak Alzaid All three are young professionals and scholars with artistic inclinations (literature poetry translation and performance) All three have strong connections to New York City and various metropole of the MENA region Shahadat is for us an experiment and a labor of love An editorial board of established scholars and authors is currently being conceived

SPECIAL THANKS TOAnmar El ZeinKinda AkashAndrew JohnstonLivia Alexander

Shahadat logo design by Rima Farouki

114

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Page 26: Shahadat Winter 2012

5150

O m a r O f f e n d u m

Dove of Peace

Spread your wings amp fly

Make it easier to borrow

The aesthetics you bite

Like all the Arabic loanwords

From Spaniards amp Morros

The Karma of Inquisition

Visions of horror

So whorsquos the explorer

Really was it Columbus

Muhammad al-Idrisi or Alfaragnus

Throw a Hobson Jobson

While you figure it out

Irsquom gonna start with a cipher

Thatrsquos a siffir [zero] - no doubt

See you might not have learned to live with me

But sure as hell canrsquot without

You are my

You are my

(Destiny)

Itrsquos hard livinrsquo in the West - when I know the East got the best of me

(Destiny)

Could be lookinrsquo in my eyes - but yoursquoll never really see the rest of me

(Destiny)

Can you hear me maseeri [my destiny] Bi-lingualrsquos what Irsquom blessed to be

(Destiny)

حمامة سالم افتحي أجنحتكي و طيري

I write right to left

You write left to right

Metaphor of a foreignerrsquos plight

Dressed to type

Stereo amp a mic

Scenario of a fight

The burial of a white

Imperial at his heightrsquos

A Turkish Rapperrsquos Delight

Semetic etiquette might

Just have you rollin your ldquoRrsquosldquo

Poetic amp light

And grab a hold of your sorrows

To relieve your tomorrows

7 Destiny

Omar Offendum

The Peace Revolution 20

21332892

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5352

O m a r O f f e n d u m

Dove of Peace

Spread your wings amp fly

Bitched out by the West

Press get a big shout

From the people gettinrsquo rich out of this (bout)

Now whatrsquos this really all about

Land money or power

It was the colonizerrsquos fault

But now itrsquos really just ours

Leavinrsquo a sour tase in our mouths

Like generational slave names

Whenever speakinrsquo out

Out-spoken leaders gettinrsquo taken out

Quicker than belligerent drunks in a bar

We a far cry from livinrsquo as one

T r a n s l a t e d b y t h e a r t i s t

(Destiny)

Itrsquos hard livinrsquo in the West - when I know the East got the best of me

(Destiny)

Could be lookinrsquo in my eyes - but yoursquoll never really see the rest of me

(Destiny)

Can you hear me maseeri [my destiny] Bi-lingualrsquos what Irsquom blessed to be

(Destiny)

حمامة سالم افتحي أجنحتكي و طيري

See arab [Arabs] shootin at each other

From Iraq to Falasteen [Palastine]

Syria to Libnan [Lebanon]

Algeria to Sudan

Pedagogy of the oppressed tricklinrsquo down

Conquerinrsquo through divisions

And sadly this isnrsquot the first time

One land one love one chance one blood

No fuss no fight Yeah right young blood

AKrsquos cheaper than a book

Crooked leaders in a hook

Gettinrsquo fished out

Missles gettinrsquo dished out

7 Destiny

Omar Offendum

The Peace Revolution 20

21332892

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eng - iTunSMPB 00000000 00000210 0000094B 00000000008F7FA5 00000000 004108FB 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000

5554

زي ما صار مبارح صار اليوم اطف التلفزيون امسك مايكروفون

زي ما صار مبارح صار اليوم اطف التلفزيون امسك مايكروفون

زي ما صار مبارح صار اليوم اطف التلفزيون امسك مايكروفون

زي ما صار مبارح صار اليوم اطف التلفزيون امسك مايكروفون

النه الوقت عم يسبق بقلك خي سالم بس اصبر

بدك تستني هاي اخلطط بعمرها ما تضبطبيدفعلك قد ما بدك عشان تسكت

واذا بتفتح متك طخة وحده وبعد بتسقط

s t o r m t r a p

What happened yesterday happens today

switch off your TV and grab a microphone

What happened yesterday happens today

switch off your TV and grab a microphone

What happened yesterday happens today

switch off your TV and grab a microphone

What happened yesterday happens today

switch off your TV and grab a microphone

Because time is racing

He keeps telling you peace is coming just be patient

You want to wait these plans never succeed

Hersquoll pay you as much as you want to keep you quiet

And if you open your mouth one shot will silence you

what happened yesterdayزي ما صار مبارح

Zey ma sar mbareh

Stormtrap

null

2009

1728613

eng - Visit httpstormtrapbandcampcom

5756

اركض اركض وخليك راكض

واذا بتفتح متك رح يقلك خليك ساكت رح يقلك انساك من هاملشاكل

حوشوا هالشواك وضبوا شناتكم واشتروا التذاكرففكر شوي وما تكنش أهبل

وين ما تروح في الدنيا رح تتبهدلمش شايف قدامي عم بسمع أصوات بيسألني

ليش لسه عايش هون روح عيش محل تانيبدي احك بس الكلمات مش طالعة من لساني

عنصرية هونن عنصرية هناك عنصرية كل ما اطلع برا الشباك

شيطان بيعمل حاله مالكبس هو بالواقع بدو يعيش بالك

جدار بيمثل عقلية ناس بدهاش تعيش معاك

زي ما صار مبارح صار اليوم اطف التلفزيون امسك مايكروفون

ما مبثل شخص او اشخاص مبثل فكرةاسم احلرية حاملينه

من بلد ما فيه حياة عاديةسواءا ضد االحتالل أو ضد العنصرية

أصواتكم وينايي خلوها تنسمع وتطلع نتائج ايجابية

فكمل كتابة او تسجيل وصدقني شغلك مش رايح عالفاضي

عشان الشي الوحيد اللي رح يروح هو احن اذا منضلنا علقانني فاملاضي

s t o r m t r a p

Run run

Keep running

And if you decide to speak hersquoll tell you just stay silent

Hersquoll tell you forget these problems

Save up some money pack your bags and buy your tickets

Think about it donrsquot be a fool

Wherever you go yoursquoll get humiliated

I canrsquot see in front of me Irsquom hearing voices asking

Why are you still living here Go live somewhere else

I want to respond but the words wonrsquot come out

Racism here racism there

Racism each time I look out the window

A devil in an angelrsquos disguise

In reality he wants to live without you

The apartheid wall represents the mentality of a people who donrsquot care to coexist

What happened yesterday happens today

switch off your TV and grab a microphone

I dont represent a person or a people I represent an idea

An idea called freedom

From a land lacking a normal life

Whether yoursquore struggling against occupation or against racism

Where is your voice

Let it be heard to achieve your goals

So keep writing and recording

Believe me your work wonrsquot be lost in vain

The only thing thatrsquoll disappear is us

If we stay stuck in the past

Zey ma sar mbareh

Stormtrap

null

2009

1728613

eng - Visit httpstormtrapbandcampcom

5958

شو الي حدثجينا من حتت األرض

هيهة القصة بدة عنا هدفوننشر أصواتنا لكل حدا

جيت من حتت أرض رام اللهما ح وقف اكتب كلمات وال مرة

عندي طاقة الزم أطلعها كل يوم وكل ساعةفاو انبنى مع الوقت ولسة عم بيطور تصور

تصورفاو انبنى مع الوقت ولسة عم بيطور تصور

زي ما صار مبارح صار اليوم اطف التلفزيون امسك مايكروفون

زي ما صار مبارح صار اليوم اطف التلفزيون امسك مايكروفون

s t o r m t r a p

What happened

We came from underground

The story begins we have an objective

To spread our voices to everyone

I came from the ruins of Ramallah and

I wonrsquot ever stop writing words

I have energy that I must release every day every hour

A flow thatrsquos been built and is still developing imagine

Imagine a flow thatrsquos been built and is still developing

What happened yesterday happens today

Switch off your TV and grab a microphone

What happened yesterday happens today

Switch off your TV and grab a microphone

T r a n s l a t e d b y t h e a r t i s t

Zey ma sar mbareh

Stormtrap

null

2009

1728613

eng - Visit httpstormtrapbandcampcom

6160

Wake up the People

Donrsquot doubt it

The Maker can see you

Right now

You want to get out and see doe

So clouded

Sell out to be dope

Right now

I see you plagued by your own doubt

Canrsquot step the game up

Like a snake when it rolled down

Staircase of a lone child

No bricks lain in a cold house

Where you sold out

All alone on an old couch

t h e N a r c i c y s t

No click like an untapped phone dial

Oh wow

I felt the same homie

Donrsquot shelter pain only

Then it came slowly

Never let the frame hold me (down)

Picture life for the love though

People tend to look the other way like Columbo

We deceived by the law just to love doe

Guess they took all the worth out to numb folks

And make a severed plan

Out of bitter man

What you want a medal man

Huh Do you really think yoursquore better than Then

All you really need is a long look

Two sixteens and a strong hook like

brassThis track was originally written in English

null

2149748

6362

Wake up the People

Donrsquot doubt it

The Maker can see you

Right now

You want to get out and see doe

So clouded

Sell out to be dope

Right now

Break

Hip hop like a fresh pelvis

Yoursquore gonna regret this shit like a dead Elvis

Busy wishing you could live less selfish

Crabs in a bucket duckinrsquo these dead shellfish

Industry got a brother feeling helpless

With an ill chorus and ride yoursquore more in the tide

When a flow canrsquot keep me above the water

t h e N a r c i c y s t

Let a wave carry me out and push me farther now

Internal Inferno ten journals written but Irsquom still not sure though

Do I really want to tour to jump hurdles To be heard

So-I-Can-Feel-Like-This

Man therersquos something that I might miss--

Naw Irsquove been bluffinrsquo

Lifersquos backwards like Ben Buttonsrsquo

Irsquom in love with the stage fright on a strange night

Feels good to get the words on a page right

Wake up the People

Donrsquot doubt it

The Maker can see you

Right now

You want to get out and see doe

So clouded

Sell out to be dope

Right now

null

2149748

6564

مبارح شفت بلمنام بيروت عمتغرق حتت رماد بركان فحموا الناس بس ال raquoسكاي بارlaquo كان بعده ولعان

بيروت ثبتت حبة الثورة اللي فينا نبتت ملا أحبطت نفوسنا من اجلمود

فينا بيروت حتركت عدم دمارنا وعدم حرية خيارنا

بيوت بيروت تعمرت سكرنا عجفاف دموعنا جفوننا عليها تسكرت فتخمرت

إذا بطلت تطير قدرك عألرض مقهور إذا وقفت تكسير بتصير جزء من الديكور

e l R a s s

Yesterday I dreamt Beirut was drowning under volcanic ash

The people were turned to charcoal but Sky Bar [a posh Beirut club] was still lit up

Beirut suppressed the seed of the revolution the one that sprouted

When our spirits were foiled from immobility

In us Beirut moved

On the blood of our destruction and the negation of our freedom of choice

The houses of Beirut are rebuilt

We got drunk on the dryness of our tears our eyelids closed on them and fermented

If you stop flying your destiny on land is distress

If you stop breaking you become part of the decoration

beirutبركان بيروت rsquos volcano

Blues

2125713

6766

بحاور بناور باآلخر بواجه التاج بتوضى بصلي بتوصلني أصوات أنات احملتاج

تأمل العلم بعري العمل من العمل خياري عنار خفيفة دوب املسمار وتستوي األفكار النظيفة

عمروا دمروا زمروا تذمروا ربك صبره دربه جربه

عقلن خربوا غربوا هربوا وقبلوا بالفن عحيط الشارع

عشرط ما يكون في شك بشارع هيدي مش عاصمة ثقافة هيدي حلبة املصارع بيروت ال تعرف في املاضي وال تعرب باملضارع

حتول التركيبة خلى العقل اجلامد فكر حاله مالك املدينة رقبته طويلة متل مالك احلزين وايده لوزيري

اعتبر نفسه أول مني اكتشف هلجزيرة بأجر الفقير شقق بأسعار مدروسة

بشكل تضل طموحاته ممعوسة نهبوا األرض من ربعي وصارت احلرب شركة استثمار مبفعول رجعي

حتت شعار إعادة اإلعمار لو ما كان خلص دوره وانتهى عقد االيجار

كان احلريري ما طار وما صار مطار احلريري عاصمة لبنان بتوازن بني ضريحني

واتنيناتن عاغتيالن في عالمة استفهام e واحد قدس املوت بس لسبب l R a s s

I discuss I maneuver ultimately I confront the crown

I perform ablutions I pray I receive the moaning of the needy

The meditation of knowledge strips work from hope

My choice is on low fire melting the nails and clean thoughts are ripening

They built they destroyed they honked they complained

Your god made him patient tested him and trained him

Their minds ruined westernized chased off

They accepted art pissed on back alleys

As long as there is no doubt in the streets

This is no capital of culture itrsquos a wrestling ring

Beirut canrsquot speak of itself in the past nor conjugate itself in the present

Transitions and transformations made the closed mind think he owns the city

His neck is long like a stork his fingers long like a politicianrsquos

He thinks himself the first who discovered this peninsula

He lets the poor rent apartments at prices studied

To crush ambitions

They stole the land from my cousins

And the war became a backward-looking investment

Under the slogan of reconstruction

If his time wasnrsquot up and his contract finished

Hariri didnrsquot have to fly and it wouldnrsquot have become the Hariri airport

Lebanonrsquos capital keeps balance between two shrines

And on both assassinations there is a question mark

One sanctifies death but for a reason

Blues

2125713

6968

واحد قدس احلياة بس بالكذب واحد بايدو حتول الذهب سم وواحد تخبى من الذهب بالدم

مني الشهيد

اللي مات حتت صبابيط ثورة عبيد شهيد اللي مات فتحول على حملة اعالنات هدفها ترفع الطايفة معدالت التجنيد

قنابل بالبريد وصل سيوف علوريد حصل

املوت للبليد صنم الصبر للعنيد حلم تأليه الشهيد ظلم

خليط احلديد والدم العالج والسم الرفاه والهم النوعية والكم

الدعارة وورقة التوت مبدينة بيروت علم

e l R a s s

And one sanctifies life with lies

In onersquos hand gold turned into poison

And the other hid from gold with blood

Who is the martyr

The one who died under the shoes of the oppressedrsquos uprising is a martyr

Is it he whose death was transformed into an advertising campaign to raise the levels of

sectarian enlistment

Bombs came in the mail

Swords to the jugular true stories

Death to the cold is statuette

Patience to the stubborn is a dream

Divinity to the martyr is oppression

The mixture of steel and blood the cure and poison

Luxury and distress quality and quantity

Prostitution and modesty

The science of the city of Beirut

T r a n s l a t e d b y M o e A l i N a y e l amp + A z i z

Blues

2125713

7170

بقرأ في اجلريدة زفت شوارع جديدة

إزالة مطبات و كثير أشياء هيك مفيدة أشخاص مستفيدة

دعم من هون و من هون منظمات بس احلرية بعيدة

مقاطعة مستوطنات تعون الضفة الغربية وطنية حصرية إدعائية

طب و فلسطني التاريخية مع ألساس كانت القدس عاصمة الثقافة العربية

بس كلوحكي سياسية للشعب إحنا نتحمل الشغل و التعب و الوضع صعب

b o i k u t t

Irsquom reading in the paper

About roads newly paved

Speed bumps removed and a lot of other useful stuff (yes very)

Certain inviduals benefit

Funding from here and there

Organizations are plentiful but freedom is far-fetched

Calling for a boycott of settlements around the West Bank

Pretentious exclusive nationalism

But what about historical Palestine

I thought Jerusalem was supposed to be the ldquocapital of Arab cultureldquo

But itrsquos all political speeches for the people

We put up with the work and the sweat and itrsquos rough

a letterرسالة من مقاطعة from boikutt

risaleh mn muqataa (pt1)

boikutt

null

2010

1086983

eng - iTunPGAP0

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eng - iTunSMPB 00000000 00000210 000008F3 000000000049197D 00000000 0027BA9D 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000

7372

يقنعونا إن كلشي متام و بقدر أعيش حياة عادية

زي في األفالم على مبس واحد إثنني ثالثة أربعة إلخ

كن منيح و بتنزل عليك املصاري زخ نصيحة من أخ ألخ

خليك مستقل ألن اللعبة إنلعب فإبعد عن الفخ

خليهم يقعدوا يستنوا الدعم ليموتوا يلفلفوا داخل اجلدار حلد ما يفوتوا

في متاهات مبسافات مش محددة مجددة لتوسع التوسع مش مهددة

إنتهاك احتالل بس مش على الكل

في ناس في فلسطني هون حياتهم زي الفل مش عارف شو بيفكر

شكلوا مش داري شي يوم حنروح كل الدكاكني هي حتسكر

سالم

b o i k u t t

Try to convince me that everythingrsquos fine

And that I can lead a normal life

Like in the movies

On MBC one two three four etcetera

Be good and money will rain on you

Advice from one brother to another

Stay independent because the games are being played

So steer clear of the trap

Let them wait for foreign aid until they die

Spinning in circles within the apartheid wall until they enter

Into unlimited mazes with unspecified spaces

That are renewed to fit settlement expansion unthreatened

Violation occupation

But not for everyone

There are people here in Palestine living ldquothe good lifeldquo

I donrsquot know what hersquos thinking

Seems like he doesnrsquot know one day wersquoll be gone

And all these shops will close

Peace

T r a n s l a t e d b y t h e a r t i s t w i t h L o u b n a B i l a l i

risaleh mn muqataa (pt1)

boikutt

null

2010

1086983

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7574

الضغط عاليالعدو فات جاري احملادثات

صمت دوليكمية الغازى عم تزداد

تهجير جديد مولود جديدتكرر عزو مش تارك ورا شي مفيد غير غراب

من كل البيت ما تركو شي إال البابمن االرض ل سما مسافة عاليه

إمشي الصحرا وعد لياليوجنوما

كمشوا رئيس دولة بجورةحصار

توزيع مخدراتباألحمر تلون الفرات سجون معتقالتقبلة الوداع مع الصبات

تنصت بالشبكة خيانات باألزهر

k a t i b e h 5

The pressure is high

The enemy has entered discussions are taking place

Global silence

The numbers of the occupier are increasing

A new expulsion A newborn child

The perpetuation of an invasion that leaves behind it nothing of any use except for a crow

From an entire house they left nothing but the door

From the ground to the sky is a long distance

Walk the desert and count the nights

And its stars

They caught a president in a pit

Siege

Drug dealing the Euphrates is stained red prisons detention centers

A farewell kiss with a shoe

Networks wiretapped betrayals in Al Azhar

hold me back ifهديني اذا فيك you can

null

23098943

7776

حوار أديانالكف تنجس

متسح فيه وجك مع كل شروق عالوضوءتسمع شرارة فتيل مولوتوف ينادي أصوات تتلبى

باإلنفجار

هديني إذا فيك صرت موجود بكل مكانوجي مغبش عامل زي جيش زباتا

منصرخ بوجكم raquoاحلرية ل برغوتيlaquoإعالمكو بيعرفني كلماتكو حملت إسمي

شركاتكو بتهرب مني )كتيبه خمسه هديتي إذا فيك(

بتالقيني بني والد حفظوا غنية املخيماتبنفسية فالح عمال يزو املدينة

افالم تافهةبرنامج تافه

بتدور على مخك بتالقي مش موجوداخلليج يتحكم بإعالم

هادول حبوب التنومي ٦1 سنة بعدن مش شغالني

عالمادامك واخد وجهة نظري

ع محمل اجلدمسموح لك تستعجب وتظهر إنزعاجك بوجودي

ألني صديق لكل املشاهد الغير مرغوبة فيهاش بيختار حياتو بالتحديد بحكيلك هيك منحياها ومحد

ضغط رصاص وابارود بخليكاش حتيدالتجارب بتدلك عطريق

هديتي إذا فيك

k a t i b e h 5

A dialogue of religions

The hand is tainted

And with it you cleanse your face at ablution each sunrise

You hear the sparking of the fuse of a molotov calling voices respond

Explosion

Hold me back if you can I have become present everywhere

My face is concealed like the army of Zapata

We shout in your face ldquoFreedom for Barghoutildquo

Your media knows me your words have glimpsed my name

Your corporations flee from me

(Katibe Khamseh hold me back if you can)

Yoursquoll find me among children that have memorized the song ldquoAl Moukhayamatldquo

In the persona of a peasant that is visiting the city

Shallow films

Shallow programs

You look for your mind but you find it is not there

The Gulf controls media with its boundaries

These sleeping pills 61 years and theyrsquore still not effective

Great

As long as you are taking my point of view seriously

Yoursquore allowed to be taken aback and to show your irritation

Just like you show your irritation at my presence

Because I am a friend to all the images that are not desirable

This is how we live out these images and no one chooses their life specifically Irsquoll tell you

The pressure of bullets and gunpowder does not allow you to move away

Experience will guide you on the road

Hold me back if you can

null

23098943

7978

موقف واحد صريح من صميم روح لشعوب املقاومة ضمير ظهور البشرية

السبيل صعب ورا الغضبدعم لكل أسالوب محارب

د لنحرق نظامك منتدرب منجرب منخرب منستععم نحرق نظامك

هديتي إذا فيك

إطلع منيحمش رح تقدر توخذ كل شي من أول نظرة

نظرة عامة raquoبشرة مش بيضةlaquoجبني عريضة مكتوب مولود عنيد بالفطرة

فوت بالتقاليد عد التجاعيدلك هاي مش أول مرة

لغات ودراسات حط العلم بغالفمش رح تقدر تفهم ليه بعد في بارود ع الكتافلون األرض ولون الليل بيعطيك البني و السواد

بوعدك مش لوحدي رح أضل عد رماد الال اللعبة اجلديدة وال والدنا ع اللعبة جداد

بكفيش إنفلونزا الصقور صار في إنفلونزا اخلنازيرموسم مرض جديد لرئيس مبثل ع نفوس ومريض بهدوء البيض

هديتي إذا فيك

k a t i b e h 5

A single honest stance from the bottom of the soul for the people of the resistance the conscience

that exposes humanity

The path is difficult when following anger

A support for every style of battle

We train we strive we disrupt we prepare to burn your system

We are burning your system

Hold me back if you can

Look closely

You wonrsquot be able to see it all at first sight

An overview ldquocomplexion that is not whiteldquo

A broad forehead written born stubborn by nature

Look at the traditions and count the wrinkles

This is not the first time

Languages and scholarship put education under wraps

You wonrsquot be able to understand why there is still gunpowder on shoulders

The color of earth and the color of night gives you brown and blackness

I promise you that I will not be alone to count the ashes no

This game to us is not new and nor are our children new to the game

As if the influenza of eagles was not enough now therersquos the influenza of pigs

The season of a new disease for a president acting for a public and sick with the

calmness of white people

Hold me back if you can

null

23098943

8180

اإلحتالل نكه البشر بنكهة املجاريبالسالم حوار أديانبإقرار ملكية كذابة

بتشويه تاريخ وسرقة حضاراتولك أه

فلسطني إفريقيا الدجلة والفراتإجتاه البشرية لإلضمحالل سرطان بشري بعضها

الشتا ميسح اخلطايا واآلثاروليش بتتخبى وبتتغطى بنفس كل سفارة سميك الستار

لساتني باكل الضربة ورا الضره ورا الضربةوحتى ما أفعل وأساوي تكمشني الرجفة

بدل ما أضرب فيك بضرب بحاليبوعدكش حضلني كامش حالي حفلتها

حفلتها

هديني إذا فيك هديني إذا فيكهديني إذا فيك

k a t i b e h 5

The occupation has seasoned humanity with the flavor of sewers

With peace with dialogue of religions

With the declaration of false ownership

With the distortion of history and the theft of civilizations

Oh yes

Palestine Africa the Tigris and Euphrates

Humanity is leading to reduction a human cancer bites it

Exile wipes clean the sins and the traces

And why are you hiding and seeking cover when all the embassies are already well concealed

I am still taking one beating after another

And so that I donrsquot take action and do something shudders grip my body

Instead of beating you I beat myself

I canrsquot promise you that I can keep myself restrained

Irsquom gonna let go

Hold me back if you can

Hold me back if you can

Hold me back if you can

T r a n s l a t e d b y R i m a N a j d i a n d F a y s a l B i b i

null

23098943

8382

طول عمر الشعب املصري مع بعض أحلك الظروفبص وفر في التاريخ وانت ياما هاتشوف

الدين ده ليا وليكوفيا وفيك

حاجة روحانية بتخليك حتس اللي بيك

ايد في ايد نبني فيها من جديد

مصر زعلت علي حاصل وسطنا مش مفيد

بعد ثورة وبعد عيد فتنة تقتل حلم واتتحقق لنا

واحد اتننيالذكري بتعيش اكتر من عمر االنسان

بصمتنا تغييرنا جوة وبرة امليدان مش هانضيع نصر ثورتنا بفتنة نشئت بينا

A r a b i a n K n i g h t s + M C G a z a + A m e e r

The Egyptian people have always stuck together

Through the worst times look at history

And see how often wersquove been there for each other

That whole idea of religion

Is for you and for me something spiritual that makes you feel whatrsquos inside you

Hand in hand

We build Egypt up again

Egypt is angry at whatrsquos happening between us

Itrsquos not helpful

After the revolution after the celebration

Sectarian strife is killing the dream we fulfilled

One two

The memory lasts more than a lifetime

Our mark is our change in and outside Tahrir Square

We wonrsquot give up the victory of our revolution in exchange for sectarian strife between

us

hand inايد في ايد hand

Eid Fe Eid

Yasser Ameer Youssef Rush E Money amp MCGaza | by BOGEY

Single Hit track 11

20112011

Hip-Hop

24002867

eng - Hip-Hop 4 Life

eng - iTunNORM 000005E2 0000058E 0000424E 00003537 00026E95 0001C2B3 00008000 00008000 00005045 00005045

8584

بلدنا محتجانا ايدنا واحدة ضد احملنة تفرق ايه معاك ديانتي ملا ربك هو ربي

اصلك هو اصلي ارضك هي ارضي

ملا اتقال لي اكتت فيول فتنة انا قولت غلط علشان الفتنة مفتعلة في بلدنا وكان وراها غرض

فالفرد افترض فبفرض السياسة األمر اختلط

فالزم يبقي املصل سياسي من اصل املرض العسس واحلرس مافرقوش صليب وهالل

وكنا كلنا واحد وراء االقفالدم الشهيد شاهد

ياما بالفتنة انكسرنا وحدتنا بصوت واحد وضد الظلم انتصرنا

وديني هو ديني صلة بيني وبني ربي هارفع علمي وارفع راسي فوق

انا مصري

ايد في ايد نبني فيها من جديد

مصر زعلت علي حاصل وسطنا مش مفيد

بعد ثورة وبعد عيد فتنة تقتل حلم واتتحقق لنا

خلو حمامة السالم من الطيور املنقرضةعلشان تبقي القلوب مبتعدة منقسمه سهل تتسم

فكرين مناعة و قوة أم الدنيا بالطمع مرتبطةنسر املصريني ليس له دين احنا بنحميها بالدم

العنف بذوره بتكتر عاوز يوصل واحلروب حتصل

A r a b i a n K n i g h t s + M C G a z a + A m e e r

Our country needs us all together against the hard times

What difference does my religion make to you when your god is my god

Your origin is mine

Your land is my land

When they told me about sectarian strife I said thatrsquos wrong

Because itrsquos been planted in our country and behind it is some purpose

Makes one think somethingrsquos going on

By playing politics everythingrsquos gotten mixed up

The antidote has to be political just like the poison itself

The military doesnrsquot distinguish between cross and crescent

Wersquore all held together behind bars

The blood of the martyrs bears witness

To how much wersquove been broken by sectarianism

Through our unity we triumphed with one voice over injustice

And my religion is my own a rapport between me and God

Irsquoll raise my flag and my head up

Irsquom Egyptian

Hand in hand

We build Egypt up again

Egypt is angry at whatrsquos happening between us

Itrsquos not helpful

After the revolution after the victory

Sectarian strife is killing the dream we fulfilled

They drove the dove of peace to extinction

To keep hearts apart and divided itrsquos easy to poison them

Do they really think the resilience and strength of Egypt is connected to greed

The Egyptian eagle has no religion we protect it with our blood

The roots of violence are increasing want to gain control to start wars

Eid Fe Eid

Yasser Ameer Youssef Rush E Money amp MCGaza | by BOGEY

Single Hit track 11

20112011

Hip-Hop

24002867

eng - Hip-Hop 4 Life

eng - iTunNORM 000005E2 0000058E 0000424E 00003537 00026E95 0001C2B3 00008000 00008000 00005045 00005045

8786

للعاقيدة يكسر وألعضاء املشاعر تتشال تصتأصلعلى كالم ربهم اتكبرو فعملو قدر واتقدر

وقته مستنينه ليه خططوا مضمون الرسائل اتغير الن الهدف هو تدمير قعدة الوحدهوقتل كل قائد يقود الناس بره احملنه

فيبقي سهل يزيحنا ميحي أوصول عليها كبرناوكل واحد علي حداه يقول أنا محدش يقول احنا

فاببطء بحرص بص بعقل بحذر شوفقبل ما يخلوا خيالك يتخلله اخلوف

واخلوف ده افراز بيطلع من غده ملا الكلب بيشوفهابيعرف انك فاريسه سهل ياكلها ركز

فرق تسد إخلعوفق جتد إرفع

ثورة تقدصمت يفرد- يفرق

ما بيجمع بيننامن حقي النقد من حقك - تسمع

طب إسمع وراجع ما صور التاريخ طب باله بيكفي صور زمانييوم حصار كنيسة املهد مني دافع مني اتقمع مني اتنفا

مسلم مسيحي أل كان فلسطيني اتذكر معي ثورة غضب يناير

اتذكر معي الوحدة اإليد الوحدة اتشرف انتا مصرياتذكر معي األخ بإيد األخ يحمي األخ بدون إلخ

كالمي ماشي ماشي ال-لتفهمني بهويتي مسلم وال نصراني قبطي

ما في حجة لربطي خلبطي حلطي ألوطي ألغير خطيخير أجناد األرض

من أرض بيت املقدس كل السالم بعد ما قلت إلنقسام في وطنيانا ملزم أقول ال لفتنة

تفتت مجد شعب تعب عانى ضحى بالغالي حتى بناه

A r a b i a n K n i g h t s + M C G a z a + A m e e r

The relationship between Egyptians breaks down and the organs that feel are taken out

They got full of themselves in the name of their god and invented a new fate for us

Theyrsquore waiting for a time and theyrsquore plotting The meaning of their messages changes

Because the goal is to destroy the foundation of unity

And kill every leader who takes the people out of hard times

Itrsquos easy to remove us to wipe out the traditions we grew up with

Everyone on his own everyone says ldquoIldquo and no one says ldquoweldquo

Slowly carefully look Wisely with caution see

Before they make your imagination a slave to fear

And that fear releases a secretion from a gland

And when the dog sees it he knows yoursquore easy prey

Divide yoursquoll conquer

Bring harmony and yoursquoll reap Start

A revolution and it will catch on

Silence is solitary It divides

It doesnrsquot bring us together

It is my right to criticize and your right to listen

So listen and look back at history or better look at my life time

The day the Nativity Church was under siege who was persecuted Who was exiled

A Muslim A Christian No he was Palestinian

Letrsquos remember the angry revolution of January

Letrsquos remember the unity the one hand Be proud yoursquore Egyptian

Remember the brother holding hands with a brother protecting a brother

And I can go on

Donrsquot teach me about my identity whether Irsquom a Muslim or a Christian Copt

Therersquos no excuse to tie me down beat me to make me cower and kneel and stray from my courseThe Earthrsquos most virtuous soldiers

Come from the land of Bayt al-Maqdis [Jerusalem] I salute you After I said no to division in my countryIrsquom committed to saying no to seditionThat dissolves the glory of a people who labored suffered sacrificed what was most dear to build it

T r a n s l a t e d b y A l e x O r t i z + A h m e d S h a w k e t + K h a l e d A l H i l l i

Eid Fe Eid

Yasser Ameer Youssef Rush E Money amp MCGaza | by BOGEY

Single Hit track 11

20112011

Hip-Hop

24002867

eng - Hip-Hop 4 Life

eng - iTunNORM 000005E2 0000058E 0000424E 00003537 00026E95 0001C2B3 00008000 00008000 00005045 00005045

8988

الفن واملواهب زي حرب الكواكب الكل عايز يكون جنم صراع في الداخل

بهدي جنون العظمة بفلفل حر توابل تسيل دموع زي القنابل

زي مابتكلم وداني شغالة كون سامع نبض الشارع علشان أ

حالف أقضي على اإلعالم املتآمر مغامر في الكالم بس إنت مش سامع

ملا بأمسك القلم والورقة الهم بينزاح مخي بيرتاح بأقول اللي على البال

ملا بأقعد بحس بتأنيب ضمير كون في ستوديو بسجل على بيت خطير مفروض أ

e l D e e b + S t o r m t r a p

Art and talent are like Star Wars

Secretly everyone wants to be a star of conflict

I make megalomania tranquil with chilli hot spices

Tears flow like bombs

Thatrsquos how I talk and the world keeps moving

So that I can hear the pulse of the streets

Irsquove sworn to obliterate the media conspirators

I am adventurous in my speech but you do not hear

When I hold the pen and the paper my anxiety is lifted

My mind relaxes and I say whatrsquos on it

When I sit down I feel guilty

I should be in the studio recording dangerous beats

addictأدمان الشهرة ion to fame

Edman El Shuhra

Stormtrap amp Mohamed El Deeb

2011

Hip-Hop

15305855

- vocals Mohamed El Deeb Stormtrap13produced by Stormtrap

9190

إحساس غريب إنك تدمن الكالم ارسم يا فنان واخترع زي دافينشي الرسام

ولو مفيش ورقة باستخدم تليفوني خايف إن فكرة متعديش على صوتي

دنيا غريبة يوم مر يوم بونبوني بس أنا عمري ماغيرت لوني

املوسيقى بنادولي وبطابعي فضولي مهما قالوا لي هافهمها مبفهومي فـساعات أالقي نفسي بكلم نفسي واسمع أصوات غريبة في دماغي

وهو ده الصدى الصوت اللي بسمعه اكن مفيش حد فارقة معاه احالمي

شوف شوف مش هدف إنو أنا شخصيا أنا

هدفي انه كلماتي وموسيقتي تنتشرعشان هيك حتشوفني دوما مستمر مستثمر

كل وقتي كل طاقتي على أصواتي خوذ شك خوذ حتويل خوذ كاش

بس ما تنساش أي شي بيتعلق بالواقع بدناش ما تخاف ألنها قضيتنا مش منسية مية باملية هايذي ثورة كمان ثقافية

خليني أوضح هاي املوسيقى مش معمولة للتلفازeهاي املوسيقى مش معمولة لهز الطياز l D e e b + S t o r m t r a p

Strange feeling to be out of words

Paint oh artist and discover like Da Vinci the artist

If I donrsquot have paper I use my cell

I am afraid that the idea does not come through my voice

Strange world one day is bitter another like candy

But Irsquove never changed my color

Music is my Tylenol and my nature curious

So whatever they tell me Irsquoll understand it my way

Sometimes I find myself talking to myself

And I hear weird voices in my head

Which is just the echo of the sound I hear

As if no one cares about my dreams

See see

My goals are not self serving

My goal is that my words and music spread

Thatrsquos why yoursquoll see me always and continuously investing

All my time my energy on my sounds

Take a check take a transfer take cash

But never forget anything related to reality wersquore not interested

Donrsquot be afraid because our cause is not forgotten

One hundred percent this is also a cultural revolution

Let me explain this music is not meant to be televised

This music is not made for booty shaking

Edman El Shuhra

Stormtrap amp Mohamed El Deeb

2011

Hip-Hop

15305855

- vocals Mohamed El Deeb Stormtrap13produced by Stormtrap

9392

مش فاهم ليش الكل قاتل حاله يكون في مسابقةحابني نتصابح حياكم زات املكافحة

واالعالم ميت ع حيالله قصة ما بيدرس هالقصة من نصها

وبعدن بينفخهامش احلق علينا اذا ما بيبحثوا

وملا يبدوا يحكوا عنا أل عنجد بيبعصوابيفكروا انه كل شي هشك بشك

بس حدن الزم يقلهم انه الهب هوب مش هيكبدك تدير بالك عشانها هاي اللحظة احلاسمة

ملا يجوا عليك الديب والعاصفةنكسر حدود وبنبني وحدة عشان نحيي مجتماعاتنا

وننهي معانتناعشان هيك منكتب كلمات صريحة والها معنى

مش للشهرة مش حتى يجي حدن يدفعلنا

e l D e e b + S t o r m t r a p

I donrsquot understand why everyone is killing themselves to be in the contest

Wersquod like to say goodmorning to salute you in this same struggle

The mediarsquos dying for any story

But they donrsquot study the storyrsquos real text

And then they blow it out of proportion

Itrsquos not our fault if they donrsquot search

And when they talk about us then they really screw it up

They think everything is empty pointless

Somebody needs to tell them that hip hop is not like that

You should take care because this is the critical moment

When the wolf and storm come haunting you

We break borders and we create a unity to revitalize our communities

And stop our suffering

That is why we write frank words that have meaning

Itrsquos not for fame or even so that someone pays us

T r a n s l a t e d b y N i z a r G h a n e m

Edman El Shuhra

Stormtrap amp Mohamed El Deeb

2011

Hip-Hop

15305855

- vocals Mohamed El Deeb Stormtrap13produced by Stormtrap

9594

حضل عهل مود يعنيما إنتلك النجوم عم تقرب

بهل ال مود حكون عطول لبهل جنوم إدءر لو مضطر شن هجوم عل النجوم كلها

خللي األرض تدور حول أصبعي تنلك

ما إنتلك متلي متلك مولع طيار ألفكاري من العقدي تنفك فرد قعدي بني 4 حيطان ما بتنهز و منها ما بنهز

يلز املا بينلزالكاس عل الطاولي و منو عم مز مز

لتفتل براصي وحس من حالي عم كز كزعل ورقة كالمي مدروس و ما بزت زت بجرب ما عيد حالي متا يقولو عم نق نق

موزع قافياتي جواز كأن عم فت فت

بهل األطشة خلي الديني اللي تسمعني ترن رنFبسبيلي جاري يوم ع يوم عم برك رك a r e e q e l A t r a s h

Irsquoll stay in this mood

Didnrsquot I tell you The stars are getting closer

Irsquoll stay in this mood until I touch these stars

Even if I have to launch an attack on all the stars

Irsquoll make the Earth rotate around my finger I told you

Didnrsquot I tell you Irsquom just like you I lit up a joint so my ideas would untie their knot

Sitting this way in between four walls I wonrsquot budge

The most delectable

Drink is on the table from which Irsquom taking sips

Till my head starts spinning and Irsquom sick of myself

On the paper my words are calculated I donrsquot just toss them about

I try not to repeat myself so they wonrsquot say Irsquom nagging

I deal my rhymes out like theyrsquore cards

In this verse Irsquoll make those ears ring

My fountain is running and every day I excel

tالنجوم عم تقرب he stars are gett ing closer

null

29781717

9796

لضل ماشي جالس بينما غيري عم بلك لك شريط معلق ريحة العة عم بتفح فحكل ما فتح متو بتالقي عم بكب كب

عايشها إرهاب و مفي إال بسب سببزبالتي ما بكبو تيكون بعلمك

األالف مسم و بحياتو ما بينسم بزقة من هل التم تخلي سقفك ينش نش

تلمو ردم و ما تفكر إنو ترد رد و عم بحكي عالواطي متا الصالي فيك ترج رج

بطبعي عاقل بس بالراب بزل زل عل الرايق بال ما نط وال فز فز

type of shitعال بارد أبرد من شباط بس يقز قزتخلي عضامك ع بعض تسك سك

ما إنتلك النجوم عم تقرب بهل ال مود حكون عطول لبهل جنوم إدءر

لو مضطر شن هجوم عل النجوم كلهاخللي األرض تدور حول أصبعي تنلك

أنا متنبئ بنبه و بحقق ما قلتلك بعد وقتها ما عم نكت

عاملكرفون إبرة هرون عم بشكشك في شكcheck one two

هيك بدسدس عالنبض

F a r e e q e l A t r a s h

So I can walk straight when others are still playing

A broken record that reeks of a musty smell

Every time he opens his mouth he spews them out

He lives in terror and all he does is curse

I wouldnrsquot throw him in my garbage just so you know

Irsquove irritated thousands and never been irritated in my life

One spit out of this mouth will make your roof leak

And yoursquoll pick up the rubble and donrsquot even think about answering back

Irsquom talking in a low voice so the hall wonrsquot shake with you in it

Irsquom reasonable by nature but when it comes to rap I humiliate cold-heartedly

Without jumping or leaping around

I do it coldly colder than icy February-type of shit

Irsquoll make your bones rattle against each other

Didnrsquot I tell you The stars are getting closer

Irsquoll stay in this mood until I touch these stars

Even if I have to launch an attack on all the stars

Irsquoll make the Earth rotate around my finger I told you

Irsquom a psychic I predict and deliver

Didnrsquot I tell you to stand back when Irsquom not joking

Irsquom pricking the microphone with a heroin needle Is there any doubt

Check one two

Thatrsquos how I feel the pulse

null

29781717

9998

بدقق و زتزت حكي بتزجزج كأنها مزهزها عم بتشمشم عم خطط عم تكتيك و مني ملحلح من هون للساعة توقف تك تيك تك تيك

لك ليك منفخ حاله عامبيكازيب عا غيري بس بوجهي بتاءتإوجهه بيباءبإ من أد ما بعصب بسبسب

زر إنذار إذني بتطنطن و بشوف من عالباب عم بدقدق

عكروت بدو يفوت ليشوف الفن فني بس الفن هون بجسمي معبأ

من حلقي طايف و من متي عم بت شرشر و بيس البيس زلزال برجرج خليك تضبضب تنضب بالبيت لتكنكن

و أنا متأسف ألني بدي استأذن بس بعد شفت كابتشينو بتصحصح

ما إنتلك النجوم عم تقرببهل ال مود حكون عطول لبهل جنوم إدءر

لو مضطر شن هجوم عل النجوم كلهاخللي األرض تدور حول أصبعي تنلك

هيدا هب هوبمش هبل و ال بهل

هيدا زجل تتغزل في

ورايي إيقاع عليي إتبع و ما إطلع عنو يا بصير متل غير مسيس

زقفوا مع االيقاعزقفوا مع االيقاع

F a r e e q e l A t r a s h

Checking and hurling words that tickle as if I was high and sniffing

I am planning and scheming and Irsquom not going anywhere till the clock stops ticking

Look hersquos so full of it lying to others but in my face he stutters

And his face turns red from all the anger and he curses

My earsrsquo alarm bells start ringing

And I go to see whorsquos knocking at the door

Some bastard who wants to see where ldquothe artldquo is

But the art is right here packed in my body

Flowing from my throat running out of my mouth

And the bass is an earthquake that shakes and forces you to pack up and go home

And Irsquom sorry because I need to take leave

But after a sip of cappuccino yoursquoll come around

Didnrsquot I tell you The stars are getting closer

Irsquoll stay in this mood

Until I touch these stars even if I have to launch an attack on all the stars

Irsquoll make the Earth rotate around my finger I told you

This is hip hop

Itrsquos not stupid nor dumb

Itrsquos zajal [a form of Arabic poetry in the Levant]

That you flirt with

There is a beat that I have to follow canrsquot lose it or Irsquoll be like other MCs

Clap with the beat

Clap with the beat

T r a n s l a t e d b y K h a l e d A l H i l l i

null

29781717

101100

انا ببلعهم بتفهم وال مره بسبهمبخليهم داميا يضاربو بتفكيرهم

أنا وراهم قدامهم جنابهم محتلهممش طايقهم مرات وزنهم بكون منزلهم

مرتبهم صاففهم وبقلم أنا حاكمهم زاتتهم مش عاجبيني أنا ماحيهم قائدهم وبنفس الوقت أنا عبيدهم

وبفك وربط أنا بلعب مبعانيهمانا حاميهم بأسطر اللي تقويهم

انا واعدهم اني أستر على فاضحهم ومطلعهم بصوره اللي تبشعهم

بس أنا محترمهم وبسطور ساجنهم مكتفهم كأسير بجنازير القهر

ومهديهم بحبل اللي يبشر بالصبر وانا لي الفخر أكون الشوك اللي فيهم

Dوأكون القهر اللي داميا يسقيهم A M

Yo this is dedicated to the lyrics

Irsquom swallowing them spitting them never dissing them

Giving them freedom of speech

Irsquom behind them in front of them because of them always standing with them

Sometimes get sick of them sick of how you abuse them

Gather them in line with my pen I order them

Didnrsquot like it Throwing them out and replacing them

Irsquom their leader and also their slave

Small changes make huge differences

I train them in pages to make them strong

Promising to use them not abuse them

Or allow the wrong mouths to utter them

Approach them with a military mind and find peace in them

Irsquom lucky to be full of thorns and even luckier that I found the lyrics

So theyrsquoll help me find the roses in me

wordsكلمات

null

26837427

103102

raquoالكل سمعك بس السؤال اذا اللي سمعك فهمكlaquoكلمات ليست كالكلمات بل raquoعالماتlaquo

اللي توجهنا وين مابدنا عحبال السيرك هي تثبتنا ريح العالم من كل جهه اذا احنا ضعاف بتوقعنا بس

raquoأل بلمره ألlaquo raquoكلمات عندي طنlaquoكل واحده الها هدف اخدت حرف عحرف

نسجت جمل اللي البسهم وقت البرد raquoراح اضلني اناديlaquo raquoبنحكي كلماتlaquo

انت بتعرف انهم مبنصب شهاد بحكو املاضي وتنبوا حاضر أي بالد

قد ماحكيت قد ما أحكي فش كالم يغطي بسفي كالم يربي وينمي انت بس أروي

في شوف انه قوه والقوه بتقويفيك و أن رويته مصيره يسقيك )مثل للقوه( العدو من أمامكم

والبحر من ورائكم فال تخيبوا أسيادكمفأين أشعاركم وأين مجادلتكم

فأنتم تسكتون وتخمدون أحالمكم)انهي( نهيت ورجعت للعامية بكلمات

مرمية طالعه من عقليه شعبيهمتل جنيب اللي بذاكرة كل واحد محفوظ مدروس واذا أل معناته في خلل معكوس

عاملجتمع اللي قمع كتاباته Dاللي سمح لنسيانه يشيل خطواته A M

ldquoThey all hear you but few listen to youldquo

Lyrics ainrsquot just a bunch of words they are ldquosignsldquo

Leading us stabilizing us on tight ropes

Winds every way if we are thin we will fall

ldquoBut hell noldquo ldquoyou can measure my words in tonsldquo

Every word has a meaning I knitted a letter with another letter

Made warm sentences to wear in cold days

ldquoSo Irsquoll still shoutldquo ldquowe control lyricsldquo

You know lyrics are like a witness

They witnessed the past and forecast the future

As much as I said or say I canrsquot describe them

But there is a way to find the description and thatrsquos through them

Quench the thirst of the pages with them

So in the future itrsquoll quench your thirst

Keep feeding them as soon as they grow up

Theyrsquoll give you strength

ldquoExample for the strengthldquo

ldquoThe enemy is before you the sea is behind you

So donrsquot you dare disappoint our ancestors

Where are our deep poems Where are our strong statements

From generation to generation we kill our dreamsldquo

ldquoEnough philosophizingldquo ok lets get back to street talk

Words coming outta simple minds

Like Najeeb Mahfuz [literally lsquowell-rememberedrsquo also a famous author]

They keep living in our minds

And if you donrsquot know who he is - then I rest my case

null

26837427

105104

raquoالكل سمعك بس السؤال اذا اللي سمعك فهمكlaquoكلمات ليست كالكلمات بل raquoعالماتlaquo

اللي توجهنا وين مابدنا عحبال السيرك هي تثبتنا ريح العالم من كل جهه اذا احنا ضعاف بتوقعنا بس

raquoأل بلمره ألlaquo raquoكلمات عندي طنlaquoكل واحده الها هدف اخدت حرف عحرف

نسجت جمل اللي البسهم وقت البرد raquoراح اضلني اناديlaquo raquoبنحكي كلماتlaquo

ألف با كبايه أوعك تكسرهاامسكها للنهاية وكل ما تفضى مليها

كلمه أو رواية ومع املراحل زيدها شيحكاية وهيك ضلك زود فيها

وجيبها لتجمعاتك وساعتها استعملها لنقاشاتك وملواقفك استخدمها

هادي مدافعك اللي مداها بسيطرتك وما دافعك انه ما تخليها رايتك

ما هي تكتب ما هي توصف ما هي تكذب ما هي تنصف

ما هي هي الهروب هياللجوء هي الدروب هي

العبور باحلدود واللي مبرؤهم مبدع وبفوز باخللود واللي بسرقهم مش مقنع

واذا بتديهم احلرية بنادوك ممنوعDواذا بتوخد احلريه بنادوك مسموح A M

ldquoThey all hear you but few listen to youldquo

Lyrics ainrsquot just a bunch of words they are ldquosignsldquo

Leading us stabilizing us on tight ropes

Winds every way if we are thin we will fall

ldquoBut hell noldquo ldquoyou can measure my words in tonsldquo

Every word has a meaning I knitted a letter with another letter

Made warm sentences to wear in cold days

ldquoSo Irsquoll still shoutldquo ldquowe control lyricsldquo

The Arabic alphabet is like a glass donrsquot break it

Hold it tight and keep filling it

And then bring it to our arguments

Scream till your throat gets dry and then wet it

It holds our body itrsquos like our legs

If you stand for nothing yoursquoll fall for anything

The words write create

They kill lead and sometimes even lie

You can use them to build borders

And those who are gifted

Can use them to walk through borders

And in some governments

Itrsquos forbidden to give words freedom

But if you choke them and kill them

Thatrsquos allowed

F i g u r a t i v e t r a n s l a t i o n o f f e r e d b y t h e a r t i s t s

null

26837427

107106

further reading

The tracks presented in this document are not a comprehensive sampling of the genre of the market of hip hop in Arabic or of hip hop and rap in the wider Middle East

Artists featured here hail from Egypt Lebanon Palestine and the anglophone Arab diaspora The thriving North African hip hop scene is not represented nor is the work of the established francophone Arab diaspora nor the expanding hip hop scenes of especially Iran or Turkey

This collection does not attempt a comprehensive chronology Tracks featured here are not primarily new releases (though some are) neither are they all ldquoclassicsrdquo These limitations of scope are important to note

Many tracks of the popular Libyan group Ibn Thabitt and other groups from across the region have been translated and are hosted with commentary on the notable blog

revolutionaryarabrapblogspotcom

Another valuable resource is the Beirut-based blog by Jackson Allers ldquoBeats and Breathrdquo which features articulate critiques and reviews of events and releases from the region

jacksonallerswordpresscom

Hass Dennaoui (alias Big Hass) who recently launched started the first all hip-hop FM radio show in Saudi Arabia Laish Hip Hop (Why Hip Hop) manages a lively blog which

hosts an internet feed of his radio show and interviews with MCs and influential hip hop figures from around the world

revoltradioblogspotcom

Lebaneseundergroundcom hosts coverage of underground music in Lebanon including hip hop

And finally an excellent article by Hishaam Aidi on implications of the use of hip hop as foreign policy ldquoThe Grand (Hip-Hop) Chessboard Race Rap and Raison DrsquoEtatrdquo was published in The Middle East Report Fall 2011 Excerpts of the piece were published by Al Jazeera English in the article ldquoLeveraging Hip Hop in US Foreign Policyrdquo

All the artists and many of the translators whose work is showcased here host a significant online presence Their sites are listed with more about each of them on the following pages

109108

artist bios

ARABIAN KNIGHTZ the premier hip hop group from the land of the Nile River have not only established themselves as the lyricists with the sharpest swords in their land but they have also created the most consistent voice for rebellion strength and hope for the youth of the Middle East During the 2011 Revolution Arabian Knightz released two singles ldquoRebelrdquo and ldquoNot Your Prisonerrdquo anthems of resistance which gained worldwide attention and major media coverage for their powerful lyrics against a wicked system The group formed in 2006 through the cipher hip hoprsquos natural way of choosing like mindsets on the mic Rush Sphinx and E-Money were ahead of their peers adapting an authentic Arab perspective to the art dominated by Western voices mixing English and Arabic raps After hitting the studio for successful underground tracks AK enlisted super-producer Fredwreck (Snoop Dogg Xzibit Tha Dogg Pound) ldquoFokkakrdquo the single from this studio session was an instant hit and (surprisingly for Arabic Hip Hop) projected them to the top ten of the singles charts Arab League Records was formed amidst a growing fanbase and numerous collaborations with other Arab hip hop artists the first international Arab hip hop record label Desert Saga Volume 1 mixtape was the debut release led by ldquoThe Onerdquo featuring Egyptrsquos MC Amin Arabian Knightz have recorded their debut album Uknighted State of Arabia a masterpiece for Arab hip hop years in the making featuring instrumentals dominated by traditional percussions and players are scheduled for a Winter 2012 Release They are on Facebook

BOIKUTT is a musician and MC based in Ramallah Palestine Creating sounds using sampled material field recordings and electronic devices the results range between hip-hop downtempo ambient glitch and experimental He has composed and produced music for artists such as Kronos Quartet Bukue One Spiritchild Tamer Abu-Ghazaleh Bleubird and others and has appeared as an MC on albums for artists such as Slovo Heliodrome Bonnot and Lethal Skillz A co-founder of the Ramallah Underground Collective which has toured across the Arab World Europe and Australia Boikutt is also co-founder and member of audio-visual group Tashweesh with whom he is currently touring Also as a solo performer he has been in Beirut Cairo Manila Copenhagen London Hamburg Dubai Bethlehem and other cities He has produced and exhibited a few sound-art pieces composed several film scores has most recently composed the music for a dance theater performance entitled Bound by

New York-based company Yaa Samar Dance Theatre and is now working on different collaborative and solo projects His work may be heard at soundcloudcomboikutt and on Facebook

DAM Da Arabian MCrsquos are Suhell Nafar Tamer Nafar and Mahmoud Jreri The first Palestinian hip hop crew and among the first to rap in Arabic the group began working together in the late 1990s Struck by the uncanny resemblance of the reality of the streets in a Tupac video to the streets in their own neighborhood of Lyd they were inspired to tell their stories through hip hop Their timely song ldquoMin Irhabirdquo (ldquoWhorsquos the Terroristrdquo) was downloaded a million times shortly after its internet realese in 2001 and DAM became a household name among youth throughout the Middle East Ten years of performing all over the world has strengthened the grouprsquos commitment to continue living and working in their hometown of Lyd 15 minutes from Tel Aviv and working to provide the youth of the city and neighboring communities with programs and opportunities that have been denied to Palestinian citizens of Israel Their music is a unique fusion of East and West and encompasses influences as varied as Ghassan Kanafani Ahlam Mosteghanemi Mahmoud Darwish Naji al Ali Tupac Biggie Public Enemy MBS Krsquonaan and Pharoahe Monch IHDA (Dedication) DAMrsquos long-awaited first international album was released in 2007 and DAM has seen its songs and members featured in films such as Ford Transit (Dir Hany Abu Assad) Where in the World is Osama Bin Laden (Dir Morgan Spurlock) Salt of this Sea (Dir Annemarie Jacir) Local Angel and Forgiveness (Dir Udi Aloni) DAMrsquos history and influence on the Arab hip hop scene is detailed in the feature-length documentary Slingshot Hip Hop (Dir Jackie Reem Salloum) The group has also been featured in Vibe National Geographic Rolling Stone Q Basement Reuters and The New York Times and has appeared on MTV CNN BBC and Al Jazeera Their work can be heard and explored at damrapcom

EL DEEB first ventured into Egyptian Hip Hop when he joined Asfalt in 2005 He left in 2007 to create Wighit Nazara duo represented by Mohamed Yasser and himself It was a successful musical project that lasted until mid 2010 Currently he is working on his solo career with plans to release an EP every couple of months or so Cairofornia is his first solo EP His work may be heard at deebbandcampcom and on Facebook

EL RASS was born in Tripoli Lebanon He started writing poetry in literary Arabic at age 11 and started rhyming in spoken Lebanese dialect in 1999 at age 15 At that time he formed one third of a group of 3 MCrsquos going under the name of ldquoMlouk el Micrdquo (ldquoKings of the Micrdquo) They recorded one album and performed locally At 17 he left for France to study Finance and Economics Studies were hard money was scarce and exile was tough but music and poetry never left him as he continued rhyming with some underground French MCrsquos like Medline and Moebius and developed new musical skills on percussion in classical Arabic singing and baglama (turkish buzuk) After graduating and working for almost two years in the hell of banking and market finance El Rass decided to return to Lebanon He spent a year just re-discovering Beirut and making and learning music He now works as a journalist at the newspaper Assafir while concurrently pursuing joint projects with other producers and musicians He calls his work Taalik in reference to the same word in Arabic for ldquocommentrdquo and another word that comes from the same semantic root moaallakat which is a corpus of selected pre-Islamic poetry that was written with gold ink on the walls of the Karsquoaba in Mecca His work may be heard at soundcloudcomElRass

FAREEQ EL ATRASH is a hip hop band based out of Hamra St Beirut with a sound that is distinguished by laid back topical flows over live instrumentation It consists of Edd (raps) Nasser (raps) FZ (vocal production and FX) Fouad Afra (drums) Goo (plays guitar keys heart strings) and Abed Kobeissy (plays bass and buzuk) Their 2010 album and 2009 prealbum are available online More of their work may be found on Facebook Eddrsquos solo work can also be heard at soundcloudcomEdd

H2Z was born in Kuwait in 1986 where he lived for four years Due to the gulf war his family moved to Lebanon where he lived for the most part of his life Inspired by the tragic events in the Middle East and elsewhere in the world H2Z adopted rap music as a way to raise awareness about the injustices suffered by his people and to deliver a message through his music to anyone who supports the Palestinian cause His career began in 2004 when he was introduced to the production business by fellow rappers and soon he started producing his own tracks and established a local band producing many tracks for himself and other musicians in Lebanon In 2008 he released his first solo album titled 3aed which contained

17 tracks The political influence was noticed throughout the album and was generally well-received He is now studying for a degree in business administration at Wayne State University in Michigan His work may be heard at reverbnationcomh2z

KATIBEH 5 are based in Borj el Barajneh Lebanon Their work can be found at reverbnationcomkatibeh5 and myspacecomkatibe5palestine and on Facebook

M1 is Mutulu Olugbala of the New York based collective Dead Prez whose work is online at deadprezcom M1 is also on Facebook

MC GAZA is Adnan Mahmoud Ghonim an Algerian born artist and university student based in Gaza It was the beginning of 2005 when he attended one of the hip hop concerts in Gaza City ndash Gaza City that never appreciated the art he loved and attached himself to ndash and it was love at first sight between them Through some of the concerts he participated in a number of songs he collaborated on with Arabs from Egypt Algeria and Palestine and some active participation to represent the Palestinian people and interviews for both Arab and foreign press he was able to make a name for himself in the Gazan hip hop community His work may be found at youtubecomMCGaza and on Facebook

THE NARCICYST Having pioneered the Arab Hip-Hop movement with seminal Iraqi-Canadian crew Euphrates The Narcicyst recently broke through borders and shattered traveling etiquette touring solo around the world sharing stages with the likes of Brother Ali Mos Def and Kanye West to name a few On top of music The Narcicyst is a celebrated theorist whose academic work Fear of an Arab Planet has him from the stage to the classrooms of internationally renowned universities He is now also a professor at Concordia University teaching a Fine Arts course ldquoHip-Hop Past Present and Futurerdquo His writings have been published by multiple university presses and magazines internationally he is also a self-published author having recently released the biographical and social-study on the Arab world The Diatribes of a Dying Tribe As a true artist interested in really pushing his own artistic boundaries The Narcicyst has stepped into acting currently starring in the short music film PHATWA and in the first internationally-released film from the United Arab Emirates called City of Life A true multi-media

111110

KHALED AL HILLI is a PhD candidate in Comparative Literature at the Graduate Center City University of New York He has a BA in English Literature and a Masterrsquos degree in Teaching Second Languages Born in Iraq Khaled has taught in Lebanon and Saudi Arabia at both college and high school levels He has also worked with various Iraqi news outlets and has subtitledtranslated documentary films dealing with current social and political issues His research interests include Arabic political literature prison literature and literature in the diaspora He may be reached at hillykhalidgmailcom

+AZIZ is a NYC-based marketing consultant and a musician He is working through The World Music Parade to develop an animation project based on his music More about that project can be found at themusicparadetumblrcom He tweets from plusaziz

FAYSAL BIBI is a paleontologist and electronic musician currently based in Berlin

LOUBNA BILALI is originally from Morocco She did her undergrad and first MA in English Linguistics at Chouaib Doukkali University El Jadida She came to the US in 2008 to pursue a Masterrsquos degree in French to English translation and is currently working on a PhD in translation studies at Kent State University in Ohio She is very interested in learning and teaching languages as well as translating and localizing computer applications and websites She may be reached at loubnabilaligmailcom

FARAH ELREWAISSATI is a freelance translator pro-Palestine activist and BDS advocate who blogs at youthanormalizationblogspotcom She tweets from 3beee

NIZAR GHANEM was born in Lebanon He has been active in intercultural education interactive learning and conflict resolution across the Arab world His work on conflict resolution involved using theater comics and music as tools for emotional expression and social mobilization

RIMA NAJDI is a Performing Artist She studied dramatic arts at the Lebanese University in Beirut and obtained a Masterrsquos degree in Performance Studies at NYU New York She has written and performed in various plays and performances Najdi is particularly interested in multi-media performing arts and the position of the spectators

BARRAK ALZAID (copy editor) is the Artistic Director of ArteEast He is the editor of the ArteEast Quarterly a dynamic online portal featuring four publications that highlight contemporary art and culture from the Middle East and diaspora ndash ArtersquoZine Shahadat (contemporary short-form literature) Gallery and Cinematek (an online film center) He is also the curator for ArteEastrsquos Across Histories Art Talk Series featuring a series of panels on residencies in Fall 2011 He tweets from barrakster

RAYYA EL ZEIN (editor) is working towards a PhD in Theatre at the Graduate Center City University of New York Her research is increasingly focusing on theories of reception historical studies of audience behavior and popular culture in the Arab world She holds an MA in Performance Studies from NYU and is currently a teaching fellow at City College in Harlem She tweets from rayelz

translator biosdreamer Yassin recently established an arts label in the UAE called The Medium focusing on delivering art from Arabs in the diaspora and at lsquohomersquo to the rest of the world iraqisthebombcom He tweets from TheNarcicyst

OMAR OFFENDUM is a Syrian-American hip hop artist born in Saudi Arabia raised in Washington DC and living in Los Angeles Known for taking audiences on a lyrical journey from the jasmine-tree-lined courtyards of Nizar Qabbanirsquos Damascene homes to the flooded riverbanks of Langston Hughesrsquo Harlem Renaissance poems - Offendum has been featured on several major news outlets (BBC Yahoo ABC News Aljazeera PBS) toured the world to promote his ground-breaking music helped raise thousands of dollars for various humanitarian relief organizations (PCRF KinderUSA ANERA Islamic Relief) lectured at a number of prestigious academic institutions (Harvard MIT Stanford Columbia American University of Beirut NYU-AbuDhabi Qatar Education City) and most recently been involved in creating several critically-acclaimed songs about the popular democratic uprisings throughout the Middle East amp North Africa He is currently hard at work promoting his solo release - affectionately dubbed SyrianamericanA His work may be heard (and read) at offendumbandcampcom He is on Facebook and he tweets from Offendum

RAMALLAH UNDERGROUND based in Ramallah Palestine was born from the immediacy of musical experimentation and out of the need to give voice to a generation of Palestinians and Arabs facing a turbulent and uncertain political landscape The collective was founded by artists Boikutt Stormtrap and Aswatt and has always held a commitment to both the honesty of their work and the need to creatively rejuvenate Arabic culture To this end they combine music ranging from Arabic electronic music hip-hop and trip hop to downtempo with a deep sense of their local culture and the imposing presence of Palestine in their lives The outcome is a new specific and distinct sound RU (as producers and as MCrsquos ) has collaborated with numerous artists across the globe including countries like Lebanon UK Switzerland Italy USA France and many more including a collaboration with Slovo (a band headed by the guitarist from faithless) in their track ldquoNakbardquo which appears on their album Todo Cambia and with Kronos Quartet in the track ldquoTashweeshrdquo which appears on Floodplain RU has also performed live shows in Ramallah Bethlehem Vienna London Cairo Lausanne Amsterdam and Washington DC Their shows are mainly a performance of their hip-hop tracks as well as a few of their own electronic productions as a warm up More recently RU has incorporated a visual set in their live

performances brought to you by Palestinian visual artist Ruanne RU hopes to give a voice to Palestinians and Arabs bringing an alternative voice from the Arab world Their lyrics and music are an expression of anguish and defiance ultimately remaining a defiant voice of the colonized against the colonizer They continue to play a big role in the Arab underground cultural scene while slowly gaining wide global and local popularity

SHADIA MANSOURrsquos work can be found at myspacecomshadiamusic and on Facebook

STORMTRAP is a music producercomposerMC from Palestine Experimenting with old samples instruments and field recordings his sound is the result of a fusion of ambient atmospheres combined with various noises and hip hop beats His lyrics deal with different themes inspired mainly by his personal experiences in Palestine and life in the diaspora Stormtrap played a fundamental role in forming the band Ramallah Underground with which he has performed worldwide the past few years Currently he is working in Vienna with Aras Seyhan and Eren Ileri on a new album which combines live instruments synthesizers turntables beats and Arabic lyrics- which will be released early 2012 His work may be heard at soundcloudcomstormtrap He tweets from asifeh

AMEER YOSSEF 25 has sung and writen music with the band Klaket for the past four years His work may be heard at youtubecomAmeer and on Facebook

towards the work Her work for now concentrates on the process of making interactive and participatory performances that question borders stereotypes and languages

MOE ALI NAYEL is a fixer and a journalist based in Beirut Lebanon He uses social media blogging non-mainstream music journalism and writing as a word spreading eye opening socializing arena He uses social media as a bridge that cuts distance between people on this planet making it a tiny village This bridge starts in his office and takes him to every corner in the world enabling him to connect and network with people and cultures sharing and exchanging stories of the unheard and the neglected He blogs at Words of Action and he tweets from MoeAliNay

ALEX ORTIZ is a video and radio journalist and translator based in Cairo Egypt He graduated from Brown University in 2009 with a double major in Comparative Literature and Middle East Studies He was a CASA I fellow from 2009-2010 and a CASA II fellow from 2010-2011 He currently works for CBS News as a field producer He tweets from cairowitness

AHMED SHAWKET is an independent translator living in Cairo Egypt He is a graduate of the Helwan University Faculty of Arts where he majored in philosophy Ahmed works on literary media and commercial translation

113112

ABOUT SHAHADATShahadat is a quarterly online series designed to provide a platform for short-form writing and experimentation in writing by young and underexposed writers from the MENA region (Middle East and North Africa) The series features stories vignettes reflections and chronicles in translation and the original language of Arabic Farsi Turkish or Kurdish It makes up one quarter of ArteEastrsquos online programming the AE Quarterly For past issues of Shahadat click here

ABOUT THIS SERIES Shahadat is proud to run two alternating series and releases two issues a year of each The issue yoursquove just perused is part of the ldquoExploring Popular Literaturerdquo series This series challenges traditional understandings of ldquoliteraturerdquo emerging from the Middle East and North Africa by presenting genres of creative production that rely on words and language but which have not typically been studied as literature Works are presented in their original language and in translation

In each issue we gather texts from a spectrum of writers to challenge the singular status of the artistauthor and to encourage a more complex presentation of the Middle Eastern and North African ldquostreetrdquo for English-speaking audiences Shahadatrsquos other series ldquoContemporary Literature in Translationrdquo features the work of a single young author in the original language and in English translation

BEHIND THE DOCUMENTShahadat is co-edited by Rayya El Zein Alex Ortiz and ArteEastrsquos Artistic Director Barrak Alzaid All three are young professionals and scholars with artistic inclinations (literature poetry translation and performance) All three have strong connections to New York City and various metropole of the MENA region Shahadat is for us an experiment and a labor of love An editorial board of established scholars and authors is currently being conceived

SPECIAL THANKS TOAnmar El ZeinKinda AkashAndrew JohnstonLivia Alexander

Shahadat logo design by Rima Farouki

114

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Page 27: Shahadat Winter 2012

5352

O m a r O f f e n d u m

Dove of Peace

Spread your wings amp fly

Bitched out by the West

Press get a big shout

From the people gettinrsquo rich out of this (bout)

Now whatrsquos this really all about

Land money or power

It was the colonizerrsquos fault

But now itrsquos really just ours

Leavinrsquo a sour tase in our mouths

Like generational slave names

Whenever speakinrsquo out

Out-spoken leaders gettinrsquo taken out

Quicker than belligerent drunks in a bar

We a far cry from livinrsquo as one

T r a n s l a t e d b y t h e a r t i s t

(Destiny)

Itrsquos hard livinrsquo in the West - when I know the East got the best of me

(Destiny)

Could be lookinrsquo in my eyes - but yoursquoll never really see the rest of me

(Destiny)

Can you hear me maseeri [my destiny] Bi-lingualrsquos what Irsquom blessed to be

(Destiny)

حمامة سالم افتحي أجنحتكي و طيري

See arab [Arabs] shootin at each other

From Iraq to Falasteen [Palastine]

Syria to Libnan [Lebanon]

Algeria to Sudan

Pedagogy of the oppressed tricklinrsquo down

Conquerinrsquo through divisions

And sadly this isnrsquot the first time

One land one love one chance one blood

No fuss no fight Yeah right young blood

AKrsquos cheaper than a book

Crooked leaders in a hook

Gettinrsquo fished out

Missles gettinrsquo dished out

7 Destiny

Omar Offendum

The Peace Revolution 20

21332892

eng - iTunNORM 000006D3 000006F2 000038BA 0000322F 0000E4FA 0000E4FA 00008716 0000864B 0002AB5E 000083D6

eng - iTunSMPB 00000000 00000210 0000094B 00000000008F7FA5 00000000 004108FB 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000

5554

زي ما صار مبارح صار اليوم اطف التلفزيون امسك مايكروفون

زي ما صار مبارح صار اليوم اطف التلفزيون امسك مايكروفون

زي ما صار مبارح صار اليوم اطف التلفزيون امسك مايكروفون

زي ما صار مبارح صار اليوم اطف التلفزيون امسك مايكروفون

النه الوقت عم يسبق بقلك خي سالم بس اصبر

بدك تستني هاي اخلطط بعمرها ما تضبطبيدفعلك قد ما بدك عشان تسكت

واذا بتفتح متك طخة وحده وبعد بتسقط

s t o r m t r a p

What happened yesterday happens today

switch off your TV and grab a microphone

What happened yesterday happens today

switch off your TV and grab a microphone

What happened yesterday happens today

switch off your TV and grab a microphone

What happened yesterday happens today

switch off your TV and grab a microphone

Because time is racing

He keeps telling you peace is coming just be patient

You want to wait these plans never succeed

Hersquoll pay you as much as you want to keep you quiet

And if you open your mouth one shot will silence you

what happened yesterdayزي ما صار مبارح

Zey ma sar mbareh

Stormtrap

null

2009

1728613

eng - Visit httpstormtrapbandcampcom

5756

اركض اركض وخليك راكض

واذا بتفتح متك رح يقلك خليك ساكت رح يقلك انساك من هاملشاكل

حوشوا هالشواك وضبوا شناتكم واشتروا التذاكرففكر شوي وما تكنش أهبل

وين ما تروح في الدنيا رح تتبهدلمش شايف قدامي عم بسمع أصوات بيسألني

ليش لسه عايش هون روح عيش محل تانيبدي احك بس الكلمات مش طالعة من لساني

عنصرية هونن عنصرية هناك عنصرية كل ما اطلع برا الشباك

شيطان بيعمل حاله مالكبس هو بالواقع بدو يعيش بالك

جدار بيمثل عقلية ناس بدهاش تعيش معاك

زي ما صار مبارح صار اليوم اطف التلفزيون امسك مايكروفون

ما مبثل شخص او اشخاص مبثل فكرةاسم احلرية حاملينه

من بلد ما فيه حياة عاديةسواءا ضد االحتالل أو ضد العنصرية

أصواتكم وينايي خلوها تنسمع وتطلع نتائج ايجابية

فكمل كتابة او تسجيل وصدقني شغلك مش رايح عالفاضي

عشان الشي الوحيد اللي رح يروح هو احن اذا منضلنا علقانني فاملاضي

s t o r m t r a p

Run run

Keep running

And if you decide to speak hersquoll tell you just stay silent

Hersquoll tell you forget these problems

Save up some money pack your bags and buy your tickets

Think about it donrsquot be a fool

Wherever you go yoursquoll get humiliated

I canrsquot see in front of me Irsquom hearing voices asking

Why are you still living here Go live somewhere else

I want to respond but the words wonrsquot come out

Racism here racism there

Racism each time I look out the window

A devil in an angelrsquos disguise

In reality he wants to live without you

The apartheid wall represents the mentality of a people who donrsquot care to coexist

What happened yesterday happens today

switch off your TV and grab a microphone

I dont represent a person or a people I represent an idea

An idea called freedom

From a land lacking a normal life

Whether yoursquore struggling against occupation or against racism

Where is your voice

Let it be heard to achieve your goals

So keep writing and recording

Believe me your work wonrsquot be lost in vain

The only thing thatrsquoll disappear is us

If we stay stuck in the past

Zey ma sar mbareh

Stormtrap

null

2009

1728613

eng - Visit httpstormtrapbandcampcom

5958

شو الي حدثجينا من حتت األرض

هيهة القصة بدة عنا هدفوننشر أصواتنا لكل حدا

جيت من حتت أرض رام اللهما ح وقف اكتب كلمات وال مرة

عندي طاقة الزم أطلعها كل يوم وكل ساعةفاو انبنى مع الوقت ولسة عم بيطور تصور

تصورفاو انبنى مع الوقت ولسة عم بيطور تصور

زي ما صار مبارح صار اليوم اطف التلفزيون امسك مايكروفون

زي ما صار مبارح صار اليوم اطف التلفزيون امسك مايكروفون

s t o r m t r a p

What happened

We came from underground

The story begins we have an objective

To spread our voices to everyone

I came from the ruins of Ramallah and

I wonrsquot ever stop writing words

I have energy that I must release every day every hour

A flow thatrsquos been built and is still developing imagine

Imagine a flow thatrsquos been built and is still developing

What happened yesterday happens today

Switch off your TV and grab a microphone

What happened yesterday happens today

Switch off your TV and grab a microphone

T r a n s l a t e d b y t h e a r t i s t

Zey ma sar mbareh

Stormtrap

null

2009

1728613

eng - Visit httpstormtrapbandcampcom

6160

Wake up the People

Donrsquot doubt it

The Maker can see you

Right now

You want to get out and see doe

So clouded

Sell out to be dope

Right now

I see you plagued by your own doubt

Canrsquot step the game up

Like a snake when it rolled down

Staircase of a lone child

No bricks lain in a cold house

Where you sold out

All alone on an old couch

t h e N a r c i c y s t

No click like an untapped phone dial

Oh wow

I felt the same homie

Donrsquot shelter pain only

Then it came slowly

Never let the frame hold me (down)

Picture life for the love though

People tend to look the other way like Columbo

We deceived by the law just to love doe

Guess they took all the worth out to numb folks

And make a severed plan

Out of bitter man

What you want a medal man

Huh Do you really think yoursquore better than Then

All you really need is a long look

Two sixteens and a strong hook like

brassThis track was originally written in English

null

2149748

6362

Wake up the People

Donrsquot doubt it

The Maker can see you

Right now

You want to get out and see doe

So clouded

Sell out to be dope

Right now

Break

Hip hop like a fresh pelvis

Yoursquore gonna regret this shit like a dead Elvis

Busy wishing you could live less selfish

Crabs in a bucket duckinrsquo these dead shellfish

Industry got a brother feeling helpless

With an ill chorus and ride yoursquore more in the tide

When a flow canrsquot keep me above the water

t h e N a r c i c y s t

Let a wave carry me out and push me farther now

Internal Inferno ten journals written but Irsquom still not sure though

Do I really want to tour to jump hurdles To be heard

So-I-Can-Feel-Like-This

Man therersquos something that I might miss--

Naw Irsquove been bluffinrsquo

Lifersquos backwards like Ben Buttonsrsquo

Irsquom in love with the stage fright on a strange night

Feels good to get the words on a page right

Wake up the People

Donrsquot doubt it

The Maker can see you

Right now

You want to get out and see doe

So clouded

Sell out to be dope

Right now

null

2149748

6564

مبارح شفت بلمنام بيروت عمتغرق حتت رماد بركان فحموا الناس بس ال raquoسكاي بارlaquo كان بعده ولعان

بيروت ثبتت حبة الثورة اللي فينا نبتت ملا أحبطت نفوسنا من اجلمود

فينا بيروت حتركت عدم دمارنا وعدم حرية خيارنا

بيوت بيروت تعمرت سكرنا عجفاف دموعنا جفوننا عليها تسكرت فتخمرت

إذا بطلت تطير قدرك عألرض مقهور إذا وقفت تكسير بتصير جزء من الديكور

e l R a s s

Yesterday I dreamt Beirut was drowning under volcanic ash

The people were turned to charcoal but Sky Bar [a posh Beirut club] was still lit up

Beirut suppressed the seed of the revolution the one that sprouted

When our spirits were foiled from immobility

In us Beirut moved

On the blood of our destruction and the negation of our freedom of choice

The houses of Beirut are rebuilt

We got drunk on the dryness of our tears our eyelids closed on them and fermented

If you stop flying your destiny on land is distress

If you stop breaking you become part of the decoration

beirutبركان بيروت rsquos volcano

Blues

2125713

6766

بحاور بناور باآلخر بواجه التاج بتوضى بصلي بتوصلني أصوات أنات احملتاج

تأمل العلم بعري العمل من العمل خياري عنار خفيفة دوب املسمار وتستوي األفكار النظيفة

عمروا دمروا زمروا تذمروا ربك صبره دربه جربه

عقلن خربوا غربوا هربوا وقبلوا بالفن عحيط الشارع

عشرط ما يكون في شك بشارع هيدي مش عاصمة ثقافة هيدي حلبة املصارع بيروت ال تعرف في املاضي وال تعرب باملضارع

حتول التركيبة خلى العقل اجلامد فكر حاله مالك املدينة رقبته طويلة متل مالك احلزين وايده لوزيري

اعتبر نفسه أول مني اكتشف هلجزيرة بأجر الفقير شقق بأسعار مدروسة

بشكل تضل طموحاته ممعوسة نهبوا األرض من ربعي وصارت احلرب شركة استثمار مبفعول رجعي

حتت شعار إعادة اإلعمار لو ما كان خلص دوره وانتهى عقد االيجار

كان احلريري ما طار وما صار مطار احلريري عاصمة لبنان بتوازن بني ضريحني

واتنيناتن عاغتيالن في عالمة استفهام e واحد قدس املوت بس لسبب l R a s s

I discuss I maneuver ultimately I confront the crown

I perform ablutions I pray I receive the moaning of the needy

The meditation of knowledge strips work from hope

My choice is on low fire melting the nails and clean thoughts are ripening

They built they destroyed they honked they complained

Your god made him patient tested him and trained him

Their minds ruined westernized chased off

They accepted art pissed on back alleys

As long as there is no doubt in the streets

This is no capital of culture itrsquos a wrestling ring

Beirut canrsquot speak of itself in the past nor conjugate itself in the present

Transitions and transformations made the closed mind think he owns the city

His neck is long like a stork his fingers long like a politicianrsquos

He thinks himself the first who discovered this peninsula

He lets the poor rent apartments at prices studied

To crush ambitions

They stole the land from my cousins

And the war became a backward-looking investment

Under the slogan of reconstruction

If his time wasnrsquot up and his contract finished

Hariri didnrsquot have to fly and it wouldnrsquot have become the Hariri airport

Lebanonrsquos capital keeps balance between two shrines

And on both assassinations there is a question mark

One sanctifies death but for a reason

Blues

2125713

6968

واحد قدس احلياة بس بالكذب واحد بايدو حتول الذهب سم وواحد تخبى من الذهب بالدم

مني الشهيد

اللي مات حتت صبابيط ثورة عبيد شهيد اللي مات فتحول على حملة اعالنات هدفها ترفع الطايفة معدالت التجنيد

قنابل بالبريد وصل سيوف علوريد حصل

املوت للبليد صنم الصبر للعنيد حلم تأليه الشهيد ظلم

خليط احلديد والدم العالج والسم الرفاه والهم النوعية والكم

الدعارة وورقة التوت مبدينة بيروت علم

e l R a s s

And one sanctifies life with lies

In onersquos hand gold turned into poison

And the other hid from gold with blood

Who is the martyr

The one who died under the shoes of the oppressedrsquos uprising is a martyr

Is it he whose death was transformed into an advertising campaign to raise the levels of

sectarian enlistment

Bombs came in the mail

Swords to the jugular true stories

Death to the cold is statuette

Patience to the stubborn is a dream

Divinity to the martyr is oppression

The mixture of steel and blood the cure and poison

Luxury and distress quality and quantity

Prostitution and modesty

The science of the city of Beirut

T r a n s l a t e d b y M o e A l i N a y e l amp + A z i z

Blues

2125713

7170

بقرأ في اجلريدة زفت شوارع جديدة

إزالة مطبات و كثير أشياء هيك مفيدة أشخاص مستفيدة

دعم من هون و من هون منظمات بس احلرية بعيدة

مقاطعة مستوطنات تعون الضفة الغربية وطنية حصرية إدعائية

طب و فلسطني التاريخية مع ألساس كانت القدس عاصمة الثقافة العربية

بس كلوحكي سياسية للشعب إحنا نتحمل الشغل و التعب و الوضع صعب

b o i k u t t

Irsquom reading in the paper

About roads newly paved

Speed bumps removed and a lot of other useful stuff (yes very)

Certain inviduals benefit

Funding from here and there

Organizations are plentiful but freedom is far-fetched

Calling for a boycott of settlements around the West Bank

Pretentious exclusive nationalism

But what about historical Palestine

I thought Jerusalem was supposed to be the ldquocapital of Arab cultureldquo

But itrsquos all political speeches for the people

We put up with the work and the sweat and itrsquos rough

a letterرسالة من مقاطعة from boikutt

risaleh mn muqataa (pt1)

boikutt

null

2010

1086983

eng - iTunPGAP0

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eng - iTunSMPB 00000000 00000210 000008F3 000000000049197D 00000000 0027BA9D 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000

7372

يقنعونا إن كلشي متام و بقدر أعيش حياة عادية

زي في األفالم على مبس واحد إثنني ثالثة أربعة إلخ

كن منيح و بتنزل عليك املصاري زخ نصيحة من أخ ألخ

خليك مستقل ألن اللعبة إنلعب فإبعد عن الفخ

خليهم يقعدوا يستنوا الدعم ليموتوا يلفلفوا داخل اجلدار حلد ما يفوتوا

في متاهات مبسافات مش محددة مجددة لتوسع التوسع مش مهددة

إنتهاك احتالل بس مش على الكل

في ناس في فلسطني هون حياتهم زي الفل مش عارف شو بيفكر

شكلوا مش داري شي يوم حنروح كل الدكاكني هي حتسكر

سالم

b o i k u t t

Try to convince me that everythingrsquos fine

And that I can lead a normal life

Like in the movies

On MBC one two three four etcetera

Be good and money will rain on you

Advice from one brother to another

Stay independent because the games are being played

So steer clear of the trap

Let them wait for foreign aid until they die

Spinning in circles within the apartheid wall until they enter

Into unlimited mazes with unspecified spaces

That are renewed to fit settlement expansion unthreatened

Violation occupation

But not for everyone

There are people here in Palestine living ldquothe good lifeldquo

I donrsquot know what hersquos thinking

Seems like he doesnrsquot know one day wersquoll be gone

And all these shops will close

Peace

T r a n s l a t e d b y t h e a r t i s t w i t h L o u b n a B i l a l i

risaleh mn muqataa (pt1)

boikutt

null

2010

1086983

eng - iTunPGAP0

eng - iTunNORM 00000A1E 00000A0E 000099D9 000098A0 0000CC63 0000CC63 0000826D 000080B0 000131D0 000131D0

eng - iTunSMPB 00000000 00000210 000008F3 000000000049197D 00000000 0027BA9D 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000

7574

الضغط عاليالعدو فات جاري احملادثات

صمت دوليكمية الغازى عم تزداد

تهجير جديد مولود جديدتكرر عزو مش تارك ورا شي مفيد غير غراب

من كل البيت ما تركو شي إال البابمن االرض ل سما مسافة عاليه

إمشي الصحرا وعد لياليوجنوما

كمشوا رئيس دولة بجورةحصار

توزيع مخدراتباألحمر تلون الفرات سجون معتقالتقبلة الوداع مع الصبات

تنصت بالشبكة خيانات باألزهر

k a t i b e h 5

The pressure is high

The enemy has entered discussions are taking place

Global silence

The numbers of the occupier are increasing

A new expulsion A newborn child

The perpetuation of an invasion that leaves behind it nothing of any use except for a crow

From an entire house they left nothing but the door

From the ground to the sky is a long distance

Walk the desert and count the nights

And its stars

They caught a president in a pit

Siege

Drug dealing the Euphrates is stained red prisons detention centers

A farewell kiss with a shoe

Networks wiretapped betrayals in Al Azhar

hold me back ifهديني اذا فيك you can

null

23098943

7776

حوار أديانالكف تنجس

متسح فيه وجك مع كل شروق عالوضوءتسمع شرارة فتيل مولوتوف ينادي أصوات تتلبى

باإلنفجار

هديني إذا فيك صرت موجود بكل مكانوجي مغبش عامل زي جيش زباتا

منصرخ بوجكم raquoاحلرية ل برغوتيlaquoإعالمكو بيعرفني كلماتكو حملت إسمي

شركاتكو بتهرب مني )كتيبه خمسه هديتي إذا فيك(

بتالقيني بني والد حفظوا غنية املخيماتبنفسية فالح عمال يزو املدينة

افالم تافهةبرنامج تافه

بتدور على مخك بتالقي مش موجوداخلليج يتحكم بإعالم

هادول حبوب التنومي ٦1 سنة بعدن مش شغالني

عالمادامك واخد وجهة نظري

ع محمل اجلدمسموح لك تستعجب وتظهر إنزعاجك بوجودي

ألني صديق لكل املشاهد الغير مرغوبة فيهاش بيختار حياتو بالتحديد بحكيلك هيك منحياها ومحد

ضغط رصاص وابارود بخليكاش حتيدالتجارب بتدلك عطريق

هديتي إذا فيك

k a t i b e h 5

A dialogue of religions

The hand is tainted

And with it you cleanse your face at ablution each sunrise

You hear the sparking of the fuse of a molotov calling voices respond

Explosion

Hold me back if you can I have become present everywhere

My face is concealed like the army of Zapata

We shout in your face ldquoFreedom for Barghoutildquo

Your media knows me your words have glimpsed my name

Your corporations flee from me

(Katibe Khamseh hold me back if you can)

Yoursquoll find me among children that have memorized the song ldquoAl Moukhayamatldquo

In the persona of a peasant that is visiting the city

Shallow films

Shallow programs

You look for your mind but you find it is not there

The Gulf controls media with its boundaries

These sleeping pills 61 years and theyrsquore still not effective

Great

As long as you are taking my point of view seriously

Yoursquore allowed to be taken aback and to show your irritation

Just like you show your irritation at my presence

Because I am a friend to all the images that are not desirable

This is how we live out these images and no one chooses their life specifically Irsquoll tell you

The pressure of bullets and gunpowder does not allow you to move away

Experience will guide you on the road

Hold me back if you can

null

23098943

7978

موقف واحد صريح من صميم روح لشعوب املقاومة ضمير ظهور البشرية

السبيل صعب ورا الغضبدعم لكل أسالوب محارب

د لنحرق نظامك منتدرب منجرب منخرب منستععم نحرق نظامك

هديتي إذا فيك

إطلع منيحمش رح تقدر توخذ كل شي من أول نظرة

نظرة عامة raquoبشرة مش بيضةlaquoجبني عريضة مكتوب مولود عنيد بالفطرة

فوت بالتقاليد عد التجاعيدلك هاي مش أول مرة

لغات ودراسات حط العلم بغالفمش رح تقدر تفهم ليه بعد في بارود ع الكتافلون األرض ولون الليل بيعطيك البني و السواد

بوعدك مش لوحدي رح أضل عد رماد الال اللعبة اجلديدة وال والدنا ع اللعبة جداد

بكفيش إنفلونزا الصقور صار في إنفلونزا اخلنازيرموسم مرض جديد لرئيس مبثل ع نفوس ومريض بهدوء البيض

هديتي إذا فيك

k a t i b e h 5

A single honest stance from the bottom of the soul for the people of the resistance the conscience

that exposes humanity

The path is difficult when following anger

A support for every style of battle

We train we strive we disrupt we prepare to burn your system

We are burning your system

Hold me back if you can

Look closely

You wonrsquot be able to see it all at first sight

An overview ldquocomplexion that is not whiteldquo

A broad forehead written born stubborn by nature

Look at the traditions and count the wrinkles

This is not the first time

Languages and scholarship put education under wraps

You wonrsquot be able to understand why there is still gunpowder on shoulders

The color of earth and the color of night gives you brown and blackness

I promise you that I will not be alone to count the ashes no

This game to us is not new and nor are our children new to the game

As if the influenza of eagles was not enough now therersquos the influenza of pigs

The season of a new disease for a president acting for a public and sick with the

calmness of white people

Hold me back if you can

null

23098943

8180

اإلحتالل نكه البشر بنكهة املجاريبالسالم حوار أديانبإقرار ملكية كذابة

بتشويه تاريخ وسرقة حضاراتولك أه

فلسطني إفريقيا الدجلة والفراتإجتاه البشرية لإلضمحالل سرطان بشري بعضها

الشتا ميسح اخلطايا واآلثاروليش بتتخبى وبتتغطى بنفس كل سفارة سميك الستار

لساتني باكل الضربة ورا الضره ورا الضربةوحتى ما أفعل وأساوي تكمشني الرجفة

بدل ما أضرب فيك بضرب بحاليبوعدكش حضلني كامش حالي حفلتها

حفلتها

هديني إذا فيك هديني إذا فيكهديني إذا فيك

k a t i b e h 5

The occupation has seasoned humanity with the flavor of sewers

With peace with dialogue of religions

With the declaration of false ownership

With the distortion of history and the theft of civilizations

Oh yes

Palestine Africa the Tigris and Euphrates

Humanity is leading to reduction a human cancer bites it

Exile wipes clean the sins and the traces

And why are you hiding and seeking cover when all the embassies are already well concealed

I am still taking one beating after another

And so that I donrsquot take action and do something shudders grip my body

Instead of beating you I beat myself

I canrsquot promise you that I can keep myself restrained

Irsquom gonna let go

Hold me back if you can

Hold me back if you can

Hold me back if you can

T r a n s l a t e d b y R i m a N a j d i a n d F a y s a l B i b i

null

23098943

8382

طول عمر الشعب املصري مع بعض أحلك الظروفبص وفر في التاريخ وانت ياما هاتشوف

الدين ده ليا وليكوفيا وفيك

حاجة روحانية بتخليك حتس اللي بيك

ايد في ايد نبني فيها من جديد

مصر زعلت علي حاصل وسطنا مش مفيد

بعد ثورة وبعد عيد فتنة تقتل حلم واتتحقق لنا

واحد اتننيالذكري بتعيش اكتر من عمر االنسان

بصمتنا تغييرنا جوة وبرة امليدان مش هانضيع نصر ثورتنا بفتنة نشئت بينا

A r a b i a n K n i g h t s + M C G a z a + A m e e r

The Egyptian people have always stuck together

Through the worst times look at history

And see how often wersquove been there for each other

That whole idea of religion

Is for you and for me something spiritual that makes you feel whatrsquos inside you

Hand in hand

We build Egypt up again

Egypt is angry at whatrsquos happening between us

Itrsquos not helpful

After the revolution after the celebration

Sectarian strife is killing the dream we fulfilled

One two

The memory lasts more than a lifetime

Our mark is our change in and outside Tahrir Square

We wonrsquot give up the victory of our revolution in exchange for sectarian strife between

us

hand inايد في ايد hand

Eid Fe Eid

Yasser Ameer Youssef Rush E Money amp MCGaza | by BOGEY

Single Hit track 11

20112011

Hip-Hop

24002867

eng - Hip-Hop 4 Life

eng - iTunNORM 000005E2 0000058E 0000424E 00003537 00026E95 0001C2B3 00008000 00008000 00005045 00005045

8584

بلدنا محتجانا ايدنا واحدة ضد احملنة تفرق ايه معاك ديانتي ملا ربك هو ربي

اصلك هو اصلي ارضك هي ارضي

ملا اتقال لي اكتت فيول فتنة انا قولت غلط علشان الفتنة مفتعلة في بلدنا وكان وراها غرض

فالفرد افترض فبفرض السياسة األمر اختلط

فالزم يبقي املصل سياسي من اصل املرض العسس واحلرس مافرقوش صليب وهالل

وكنا كلنا واحد وراء االقفالدم الشهيد شاهد

ياما بالفتنة انكسرنا وحدتنا بصوت واحد وضد الظلم انتصرنا

وديني هو ديني صلة بيني وبني ربي هارفع علمي وارفع راسي فوق

انا مصري

ايد في ايد نبني فيها من جديد

مصر زعلت علي حاصل وسطنا مش مفيد

بعد ثورة وبعد عيد فتنة تقتل حلم واتتحقق لنا

خلو حمامة السالم من الطيور املنقرضةعلشان تبقي القلوب مبتعدة منقسمه سهل تتسم

فكرين مناعة و قوة أم الدنيا بالطمع مرتبطةنسر املصريني ليس له دين احنا بنحميها بالدم

العنف بذوره بتكتر عاوز يوصل واحلروب حتصل

A r a b i a n K n i g h t s + M C G a z a + A m e e r

Our country needs us all together against the hard times

What difference does my religion make to you when your god is my god

Your origin is mine

Your land is my land

When they told me about sectarian strife I said thatrsquos wrong

Because itrsquos been planted in our country and behind it is some purpose

Makes one think somethingrsquos going on

By playing politics everythingrsquos gotten mixed up

The antidote has to be political just like the poison itself

The military doesnrsquot distinguish between cross and crescent

Wersquore all held together behind bars

The blood of the martyrs bears witness

To how much wersquove been broken by sectarianism

Through our unity we triumphed with one voice over injustice

And my religion is my own a rapport between me and God

Irsquoll raise my flag and my head up

Irsquom Egyptian

Hand in hand

We build Egypt up again

Egypt is angry at whatrsquos happening between us

Itrsquos not helpful

After the revolution after the victory

Sectarian strife is killing the dream we fulfilled

They drove the dove of peace to extinction

To keep hearts apart and divided itrsquos easy to poison them

Do they really think the resilience and strength of Egypt is connected to greed

The Egyptian eagle has no religion we protect it with our blood

The roots of violence are increasing want to gain control to start wars

Eid Fe Eid

Yasser Ameer Youssef Rush E Money amp MCGaza | by BOGEY

Single Hit track 11

20112011

Hip-Hop

24002867

eng - Hip-Hop 4 Life

eng - iTunNORM 000005E2 0000058E 0000424E 00003537 00026E95 0001C2B3 00008000 00008000 00005045 00005045

8786

للعاقيدة يكسر وألعضاء املشاعر تتشال تصتأصلعلى كالم ربهم اتكبرو فعملو قدر واتقدر

وقته مستنينه ليه خططوا مضمون الرسائل اتغير الن الهدف هو تدمير قعدة الوحدهوقتل كل قائد يقود الناس بره احملنه

فيبقي سهل يزيحنا ميحي أوصول عليها كبرناوكل واحد علي حداه يقول أنا محدش يقول احنا

فاببطء بحرص بص بعقل بحذر شوفقبل ما يخلوا خيالك يتخلله اخلوف

واخلوف ده افراز بيطلع من غده ملا الكلب بيشوفهابيعرف انك فاريسه سهل ياكلها ركز

فرق تسد إخلعوفق جتد إرفع

ثورة تقدصمت يفرد- يفرق

ما بيجمع بيننامن حقي النقد من حقك - تسمع

طب إسمع وراجع ما صور التاريخ طب باله بيكفي صور زمانييوم حصار كنيسة املهد مني دافع مني اتقمع مني اتنفا

مسلم مسيحي أل كان فلسطيني اتذكر معي ثورة غضب يناير

اتذكر معي الوحدة اإليد الوحدة اتشرف انتا مصرياتذكر معي األخ بإيد األخ يحمي األخ بدون إلخ

كالمي ماشي ماشي ال-لتفهمني بهويتي مسلم وال نصراني قبطي

ما في حجة لربطي خلبطي حلطي ألوطي ألغير خطيخير أجناد األرض

من أرض بيت املقدس كل السالم بعد ما قلت إلنقسام في وطنيانا ملزم أقول ال لفتنة

تفتت مجد شعب تعب عانى ضحى بالغالي حتى بناه

A r a b i a n K n i g h t s + M C G a z a + A m e e r

The relationship between Egyptians breaks down and the organs that feel are taken out

They got full of themselves in the name of their god and invented a new fate for us

Theyrsquore waiting for a time and theyrsquore plotting The meaning of their messages changes

Because the goal is to destroy the foundation of unity

And kill every leader who takes the people out of hard times

Itrsquos easy to remove us to wipe out the traditions we grew up with

Everyone on his own everyone says ldquoIldquo and no one says ldquoweldquo

Slowly carefully look Wisely with caution see

Before they make your imagination a slave to fear

And that fear releases a secretion from a gland

And when the dog sees it he knows yoursquore easy prey

Divide yoursquoll conquer

Bring harmony and yoursquoll reap Start

A revolution and it will catch on

Silence is solitary It divides

It doesnrsquot bring us together

It is my right to criticize and your right to listen

So listen and look back at history or better look at my life time

The day the Nativity Church was under siege who was persecuted Who was exiled

A Muslim A Christian No he was Palestinian

Letrsquos remember the angry revolution of January

Letrsquos remember the unity the one hand Be proud yoursquore Egyptian

Remember the brother holding hands with a brother protecting a brother

And I can go on

Donrsquot teach me about my identity whether Irsquom a Muslim or a Christian Copt

Therersquos no excuse to tie me down beat me to make me cower and kneel and stray from my courseThe Earthrsquos most virtuous soldiers

Come from the land of Bayt al-Maqdis [Jerusalem] I salute you After I said no to division in my countryIrsquom committed to saying no to seditionThat dissolves the glory of a people who labored suffered sacrificed what was most dear to build it

T r a n s l a t e d b y A l e x O r t i z + A h m e d S h a w k e t + K h a l e d A l H i l l i

Eid Fe Eid

Yasser Ameer Youssef Rush E Money amp MCGaza | by BOGEY

Single Hit track 11

20112011

Hip-Hop

24002867

eng - Hip-Hop 4 Life

eng - iTunNORM 000005E2 0000058E 0000424E 00003537 00026E95 0001C2B3 00008000 00008000 00005045 00005045

8988

الفن واملواهب زي حرب الكواكب الكل عايز يكون جنم صراع في الداخل

بهدي جنون العظمة بفلفل حر توابل تسيل دموع زي القنابل

زي مابتكلم وداني شغالة كون سامع نبض الشارع علشان أ

حالف أقضي على اإلعالم املتآمر مغامر في الكالم بس إنت مش سامع

ملا بأمسك القلم والورقة الهم بينزاح مخي بيرتاح بأقول اللي على البال

ملا بأقعد بحس بتأنيب ضمير كون في ستوديو بسجل على بيت خطير مفروض أ

e l D e e b + S t o r m t r a p

Art and talent are like Star Wars

Secretly everyone wants to be a star of conflict

I make megalomania tranquil with chilli hot spices

Tears flow like bombs

Thatrsquos how I talk and the world keeps moving

So that I can hear the pulse of the streets

Irsquove sworn to obliterate the media conspirators

I am adventurous in my speech but you do not hear

When I hold the pen and the paper my anxiety is lifted

My mind relaxes and I say whatrsquos on it

When I sit down I feel guilty

I should be in the studio recording dangerous beats

addictأدمان الشهرة ion to fame

Edman El Shuhra

Stormtrap amp Mohamed El Deeb

2011

Hip-Hop

15305855

- vocals Mohamed El Deeb Stormtrap13produced by Stormtrap

9190

إحساس غريب إنك تدمن الكالم ارسم يا فنان واخترع زي دافينشي الرسام

ولو مفيش ورقة باستخدم تليفوني خايف إن فكرة متعديش على صوتي

دنيا غريبة يوم مر يوم بونبوني بس أنا عمري ماغيرت لوني

املوسيقى بنادولي وبطابعي فضولي مهما قالوا لي هافهمها مبفهومي فـساعات أالقي نفسي بكلم نفسي واسمع أصوات غريبة في دماغي

وهو ده الصدى الصوت اللي بسمعه اكن مفيش حد فارقة معاه احالمي

شوف شوف مش هدف إنو أنا شخصيا أنا

هدفي انه كلماتي وموسيقتي تنتشرعشان هيك حتشوفني دوما مستمر مستثمر

كل وقتي كل طاقتي على أصواتي خوذ شك خوذ حتويل خوذ كاش

بس ما تنساش أي شي بيتعلق بالواقع بدناش ما تخاف ألنها قضيتنا مش منسية مية باملية هايذي ثورة كمان ثقافية

خليني أوضح هاي املوسيقى مش معمولة للتلفازeهاي املوسيقى مش معمولة لهز الطياز l D e e b + S t o r m t r a p

Strange feeling to be out of words

Paint oh artist and discover like Da Vinci the artist

If I donrsquot have paper I use my cell

I am afraid that the idea does not come through my voice

Strange world one day is bitter another like candy

But Irsquove never changed my color

Music is my Tylenol and my nature curious

So whatever they tell me Irsquoll understand it my way

Sometimes I find myself talking to myself

And I hear weird voices in my head

Which is just the echo of the sound I hear

As if no one cares about my dreams

See see

My goals are not self serving

My goal is that my words and music spread

Thatrsquos why yoursquoll see me always and continuously investing

All my time my energy on my sounds

Take a check take a transfer take cash

But never forget anything related to reality wersquore not interested

Donrsquot be afraid because our cause is not forgotten

One hundred percent this is also a cultural revolution

Let me explain this music is not meant to be televised

This music is not made for booty shaking

Edman El Shuhra

Stormtrap amp Mohamed El Deeb

2011

Hip-Hop

15305855

- vocals Mohamed El Deeb Stormtrap13produced by Stormtrap

9392

مش فاهم ليش الكل قاتل حاله يكون في مسابقةحابني نتصابح حياكم زات املكافحة

واالعالم ميت ع حيالله قصة ما بيدرس هالقصة من نصها

وبعدن بينفخهامش احلق علينا اذا ما بيبحثوا

وملا يبدوا يحكوا عنا أل عنجد بيبعصوابيفكروا انه كل شي هشك بشك

بس حدن الزم يقلهم انه الهب هوب مش هيكبدك تدير بالك عشانها هاي اللحظة احلاسمة

ملا يجوا عليك الديب والعاصفةنكسر حدود وبنبني وحدة عشان نحيي مجتماعاتنا

وننهي معانتناعشان هيك منكتب كلمات صريحة والها معنى

مش للشهرة مش حتى يجي حدن يدفعلنا

e l D e e b + S t o r m t r a p

I donrsquot understand why everyone is killing themselves to be in the contest

Wersquod like to say goodmorning to salute you in this same struggle

The mediarsquos dying for any story

But they donrsquot study the storyrsquos real text

And then they blow it out of proportion

Itrsquos not our fault if they donrsquot search

And when they talk about us then they really screw it up

They think everything is empty pointless

Somebody needs to tell them that hip hop is not like that

You should take care because this is the critical moment

When the wolf and storm come haunting you

We break borders and we create a unity to revitalize our communities

And stop our suffering

That is why we write frank words that have meaning

Itrsquos not for fame or even so that someone pays us

T r a n s l a t e d b y N i z a r G h a n e m

Edman El Shuhra

Stormtrap amp Mohamed El Deeb

2011

Hip-Hop

15305855

- vocals Mohamed El Deeb Stormtrap13produced by Stormtrap

9594

حضل عهل مود يعنيما إنتلك النجوم عم تقرب

بهل ال مود حكون عطول لبهل جنوم إدءر لو مضطر شن هجوم عل النجوم كلها

خللي األرض تدور حول أصبعي تنلك

ما إنتلك متلي متلك مولع طيار ألفكاري من العقدي تنفك فرد قعدي بني 4 حيطان ما بتنهز و منها ما بنهز

يلز املا بينلزالكاس عل الطاولي و منو عم مز مز

لتفتل براصي وحس من حالي عم كز كزعل ورقة كالمي مدروس و ما بزت زت بجرب ما عيد حالي متا يقولو عم نق نق

موزع قافياتي جواز كأن عم فت فت

بهل األطشة خلي الديني اللي تسمعني ترن رنFبسبيلي جاري يوم ع يوم عم برك رك a r e e q e l A t r a s h

Irsquoll stay in this mood

Didnrsquot I tell you The stars are getting closer

Irsquoll stay in this mood until I touch these stars

Even if I have to launch an attack on all the stars

Irsquoll make the Earth rotate around my finger I told you

Didnrsquot I tell you Irsquom just like you I lit up a joint so my ideas would untie their knot

Sitting this way in between four walls I wonrsquot budge

The most delectable

Drink is on the table from which Irsquom taking sips

Till my head starts spinning and Irsquom sick of myself

On the paper my words are calculated I donrsquot just toss them about

I try not to repeat myself so they wonrsquot say Irsquom nagging

I deal my rhymes out like theyrsquore cards

In this verse Irsquoll make those ears ring

My fountain is running and every day I excel

tالنجوم عم تقرب he stars are gett ing closer

null

29781717

9796

لضل ماشي جالس بينما غيري عم بلك لك شريط معلق ريحة العة عم بتفح فحكل ما فتح متو بتالقي عم بكب كب

عايشها إرهاب و مفي إال بسب سببزبالتي ما بكبو تيكون بعلمك

األالف مسم و بحياتو ما بينسم بزقة من هل التم تخلي سقفك ينش نش

تلمو ردم و ما تفكر إنو ترد رد و عم بحكي عالواطي متا الصالي فيك ترج رج

بطبعي عاقل بس بالراب بزل زل عل الرايق بال ما نط وال فز فز

type of shitعال بارد أبرد من شباط بس يقز قزتخلي عضامك ع بعض تسك سك

ما إنتلك النجوم عم تقرب بهل ال مود حكون عطول لبهل جنوم إدءر

لو مضطر شن هجوم عل النجوم كلهاخللي األرض تدور حول أصبعي تنلك

أنا متنبئ بنبه و بحقق ما قلتلك بعد وقتها ما عم نكت

عاملكرفون إبرة هرون عم بشكشك في شكcheck one two

هيك بدسدس عالنبض

F a r e e q e l A t r a s h

So I can walk straight when others are still playing

A broken record that reeks of a musty smell

Every time he opens his mouth he spews them out

He lives in terror and all he does is curse

I wouldnrsquot throw him in my garbage just so you know

Irsquove irritated thousands and never been irritated in my life

One spit out of this mouth will make your roof leak

And yoursquoll pick up the rubble and donrsquot even think about answering back

Irsquom talking in a low voice so the hall wonrsquot shake with you in it

Irsquom reasonable by nature but when it comes to rap I humiliate cold-heartedly

Without jumping or leaping around

I do it coldly colder than icy February-type of shit

Irsquoll make your bones rattle against each other

Didnrsquot I tell you The stars are getting closer

Irsquoll stay in this mood until I touch these stars

Even if I have to launch an attack on all the stars

Irsquoll make the Earth rotate around my finger I told you

Irsquom a psychic I predict and deliver

Didnrsquot I tell you to stand back when Irsquom not joking

Irsquom pricking the microphone with a heroin needle Is there any doubt

Check one two

Thatrsquos how I feel the pulse

null

29781717

9998

بدقق و زتزت حكي بتزجزج كأنها مزهزها عم بتشمشم عم خطط عم تكتيك و مني ملحلح من هون للساعة توقف تك تيك تك تيك

لك ليك منفخ حاله عامبيكازيب عا غيري بس بوجهي بتاءتإوجهه بيباءبإ من أد ما بعصب بسبسب

زر إنذار إذني بتطنطن و بشوف من عالباب عم بدقدق

عكروت بدو يفوت ليشوف الفن فني بس الفن هون بجسمي معبأ

من حلقي طايف و من متي عم بت شرشر و بيس البيس زلزال برجرج خليك تضبضب تنضب بالبيت لتكنكن

و أنا متأسف ألني بدي استأذن بس بعد شفت كابتشينو بتصحصح

ما إنتلك النجوم عم تقرببهل ال مود حكون عطول لبهل جنوم إدءر

لو مضطر شن هجوم عل النجوم كلهاخللي األرض تدور حول أصبعي تنلك

هيدا هب هوبمش هبل و ال بهل

هيدا زجل تتغزل في

ورايي إيقاع عليي إتبع و ما إطلع عنو يا بصير متل غير مسيس

زقفوا مع االيقاعزقفوا مع االيقاع

F a r e e q e l A t r a s h

Checking and hurling words that tickle as if I was high and sniffing

I am planning and scheming and Irsquom not going anywhere till the clock stops ticking

Look hersquos so full of it lying to others but in my face he stutters

And his face turns red from all the anger and he curses

My earsrsquo alarm bells start ringing

And I go to see whorsquos knocking at the door

Some bastard who wants to see where ldquothe artldquo is

But the art is right here packed in my body

Flowing from my throat running out of my mouth

And the bass is an earthquake that shakes and forces you to pack up and go home

And Irsquom sorry because I need to take leave

But after a sip of cappuccino yoursquoll come around

Didnrsquot I tell you The stars are getting closer

Irsquoll stay in this mood

Until I touch these stars even if I have to launch an attack on all the stars

Irsquoll make the Earth rotate around my finger I told you

This is hip hop

Itrsquos not stupid nor dumb

Itrsquos zajal [a form of Arabic poetry in the Levant]

That you flirt with

There is a beat that I have to follow canrsquot lose it or Irsquoll be like other MCs

Clap with the beat

Clap with the beat

T r a n s l a t e d b y K h a l e d A l H i l l i

null

29781717

101100

انا ببلعهم بتفهم وال مره بسبهمبخليهم داميا يضاربو بتفكيرهم

أنا وراهم قدامهم جنابهم محتلهممش طايقهم مرات وزنهم بكون منزلهم

مرتبهم صاففهم وبقلم أنا حاكمهم زاتتهم مش عاجبيني أنا ماحيهم قائدهم وبنفس الوقت أنا عبيدهم

وبفك وربط أنا بلعب مبعانيهمانا حاميهم بأسطر اللي تقويهم

انا واعدهم اني أستر على فاضحهم ومطلعهم بصوره اللي تبشعهم

بس أنا محترمهم وبسطور ساجنهم مكتفهم كأسير بجنازير القهر

ومهديهم بحبل اللي يبشر بالصبر وانا لي الفخر أكون الشوك اللي فيهم

Dوأكون القهر اللي داميا يسقيهم A M

Yo this is dedicated to the lyrics

Irsquom swallowing them spitting them never dissing them

Giving them freedom of speech

Irsquom behind them in front of them because of them always standing with them

Sometimes get sick of them sick of how you abuse them

Gather them in line with my pen I order them

Didnrsquot like it Throwing them out and replacing them

Irsquom their leader and also their slave

Small changes make huge differences

I train them in pages to make them strong

Promising to use them not abuse them

Or allow the wrong mouths to utter them

Approach them with a military mind and find peace in them

Irsquom lucky to be full of thorns and even luckier that I found the lyrics

So theyrsquoll help me find the roses in me

wordsكلمات

null

26837427

103102

raquoالكل سمعك بس السؤال اذا اللي سمعك فهمكlaquoكلمات ليست كالكلمات بل raquoعالماتlaquo

اللي توجهنا وين مابدنا عحبال السيرك هي تثبتنا ريح العالم من كل جهه اذا احنا ضعاف بتوقعنا بس

raquoأل بلمره ألlaquo raquoكلمات عندي طنlaquoكل واحده الها هدف اخدت حرف عحرف

نسجت جمل اللي البسهم وقت البرد raquoراح اضلني اناديlaquo raquoبنحكي كلماتlaquo

انت بتعرف انهم مبنصب شهاد بحكو املاضي وتنبوا حاضر أي بالد

قد ماحكيت قد ما أحكي فش كالم يغطي بسفي كالم يربي وينمي انت بس أروي

في شوف انه قوه والقوه بتقويفيك و أن رويته مصيره يسقيك )مثل للقوه( العدو من أمامكم

والبحر من ورائكم فال تخيبوا أسيادكمفأين أشعاركم وأين مجادلتكم

فأنتم تسكتون وتخمدون أحالمكم)انهي( نهيت ورجعت للعامية بكلمات

مرمية طالعه من عقليه شعبيهمتل جنيب اللي بذاكرة كل واحد محفوظ مدروس واذا أل معناته في خلل معكوس

عاملجتمع اللي قمع كتاباته Dاللي سمح لنسيانه يشيل خطواته A M

ldquoThey all hear you but few listen to youldquo

Lyrics ainrsquot just a bunch of words they are ldquosignsldquo

Leading us stabilizing us on tight ropes

Winds every way if we are thin we will fall

ldquoBut hell noldquo ldquoyou can measure my words in tonsldquo

Every word has a meaning I knitted a letter with another letter

Made warm sentences to wear in cold days

ldquoSo Irsquoll still shoutldquo ldquowe control lyricsldquo

You know lyrics are like a witness

They witnessed the past and forecast the future

As much as I said or say I canrsquot describe them

But there is a way to find the description and thatrsquos through them

Quench the thirst of the pages with them

So in the future itrsquoll quench your thirst

Keep feeding them as soon as they grow up

Theyrsquoll give you strength

ldquoExample for the strengthldquo

ldquoThe enemy is before you the sea is behind you

So donrsquot you dare disappoint our ancestors

Where are our deep poems Where are our strong statements

From generation to generation we kill our dreamsldquo

ldquoEnough philosophizingldquo ok lets get back to street talk

Words coming outta simple minds

Like Najeeb Mahfuz [literally lsquowell-rememberedrsquo also a famous author]

They keep living in our minds

And if you donrsquot know who he is - then I rest my case

null

26837427

105104

raquoالكل سمعك بس السؤال اذا اللي سمعك فهمكlaquoكلمات ليست كالكلمات بل raquoعالماتlaquo

اللي توجهنا وين مابدنا عحبال السيرك هي تثبتنا ريح العالم من كل جهه اذا احنا ضعاف بتوقعنا بس

raquoأل بلمره ألlaquo raquoكلمات عندي طنlaquoكل واحده الها هدف اخدت حرف عحرف

نسجت جمل اللي البسهم وقت البرد raquoراح اضلني اناديlaquo raquoبنحكي كلماتlaquo

ألف با كبايه أوعك تكسرهاامسكها للنهاية وكل ما تفضى مليها

كلمه أو رواية ومع املراحل زيدها شيحكاية وهيك ضلك زود فيها

وجيبها لتجمعاتك وساعتها استعملها لنقاشاتك وملواقفك استخدمها

هادي مدافعك اللي مداها بسيطرتك وما دافعك انه ما تخليها رايتك

ما هي تكتب ما هي توصف ما هي تكذب ما هي تنصف

ما هي هي الهروب هياللجوء هي الدروب هي

العبور باحلدود واللي مبرؤهم مبدع وبفوز باخللود واللي بسرقهم مش مقنع

واذا بتديهم احلرية بنادوك ممنوعDواذا بتوخد احلريه بنادوك مسموح A M

ldquoThey all hear you but few listen to youldquo

Lyrics ainrsquot just a bunch of words they are ldquosignsldquo

Leading us stabilizing us on tight ropes

Winds every way if we are thin we will fall

ldquoBut hell noldquo ldquoyou can measure my words in tonsldquo

Every word has a meaning I knitted a letter with another letter

Made warm sentences to wear in cold days

ldquoSo Irsquoll still shoutldquo ldquowe control lyricsldquo

The Arabic alphabet is like a glass donrsquot break it

Hold it tight and keep filling it

And then bring it to our arguments

Scream till your throat gets dry and then wet it

It holds our body itrsquos like our legs

If you stand for nothing yoursquoll fall for anything

The words write create

They kill lead and sometimes even lie

You can use them to build borders

And those who are gifted

Can use them to walk through borders

And in some governments

Itrsquos forbidden to give words freedom

But if you choke them and kill them

Thatrsquos allowed

F i g u r a t i v e t r a n s l a t i o n o f f e r e d b y t h e a r t i s t s

null

26837427

107106

further reading

The tracks presented in this document are not a comprehensive sampling of the genre of the market of hip hop in Arabic or of hip hop and rap in the wider Middle East

Artists featured here hail from Egypt Lebanon Palestine and the anglophone Arab diaspora The thriving North African hip hop scene is not represented nor is the work of the established francophone Arab diaspora nor the expanding hip hop scenes of especially Iran or Turkey

This collection does not attempt a comprehensive chronology Tracks featured here are not primarily new releases (though some are) neither are they all ldquoclassicsrdquo These limitations of scope are important to note

Many tracks of the popular Libyan group Ibn Thabitt and other groups from across the region have been translated and are hosted with commentary on the notable blog

revolutionaryarabrapblogspotcom

Another valuable resource is the Beirut-based blog by Jackson Allers ldquoBeats and Breathrdquo which features articulate critiques and reviews of events and releases from the region

jacksonallerswordpresscom

Hass Dennaoui (alias Big Hass) who recently launched started the first all hip-hop FM radio show in Saudi Arabia Laish Hip Hop (Why Hip Hop) manages a lively blog which

hosts an internet feed of his radio show and interviews with MCs and influential hip hop figures from around the world

revoltradioblogspotcom

Lebaneseundergroundcom hosts coverage of underground music in Lebanon including hip hop

And finally an excellent article by Hishaam Aidi on implications of the use of hip hop as foreign policy ldquoThe Grand (Hip-Hop) Chessboard Race Rap and Raison DrsquoEtatrdquo was published in The Middle East Report Fall 2011 Excerpts of the piece were published by Al Jazeera English in the article ldquoLeveraging Hip Hop in US Foreign Policyrdquo

All the artists and many of the translators whose work is showcased here host a significant online presence Their sites are listed with more about each of them on the following pages

109108

artist bios

ARABIAN KNIGHTZ the premier hip hop group from the land of the Nile River have not only established themselves as the lyricists with the sharpest swords in their land but they have also created the most consistent voice for rebellion strength and hope for the youth of the Middle East During the 2011 Revolution Arabian Knightz released two singles ldquoRebelrdquo and ldquoNot Your Prisonerrdquo anthems of resistance which gained worldwide attention and major media coverage for their powerful lyrics against a wicked system The group formed in 2006 through the cipher hip hoprsquos natural way of choosing like mindsets on the mic Rush Sphinx and E-Money were ahead of their peers adapting an authentic Arab perspective to the art dominated by Western voices mixing English and Arabic raps After hitting the studio for successful underground tracks AK enlisted super-producer Fredwreck (Snoop Dogg Xzibit Tha Dogg Pound) ldquoFokkakrdquo the single from this studio session was an instant hit and (surprisingly for Arabic Hip Hop) projected them to the top ten of the singles charts Arab League Records was formed amidst a growing fanbase and numerous collaborations with other Arab hip hop artists the first international Arab hip hop record label Desert Saga Volume 1 mixtape was the debut release led by ldquoThe Onerdquo featuring Egyptrsquos MC Amin Arabian Knightz have recorded their debut album Uknighted State of Arabia a masterpiece for Arab hip hop years in the making featuring instrumentals dominated by traditional percussions and players are scheduled for a Winter 2012 Release They are on Facebook

BOIKUTT is a musician and MC based in Ramallah Palestine Creating sounds using sampled material field recordings and electronic devices the results range between hip-hop downtempo ambient glitch and experimental He has composed and produced music for artists such as Kronos Quartet Bukue One Spiritchild Tamer Abu-Ghazaleh Bleubird and others and has appeared as an MC on albums for artists such as Slovo Heliodrome Bonnot and Lethal Skillz A co-founder of the Ramallah Underground Collective which has toured across the Arab World Europe and Australia Boikutt is also co-founder and member of audio-visual group Tashweesh with whom he is currently touring Also as a solo performer he has been in Beirut Cairo Manila Copenhagen London Hamburg Dubai Bethlehem and other cities He has produced and exhibited a few sound-art pieces composed several film scores has most recently composed the music for a dance theater performance entitled Bound by

New York-based company Yaa Samar Dance Theatre and is now working on different collaborative and solo projects His work may be heard at soundcloudcomboikutt and on Facebook

DAM Da Arabian MCrsquos are Suhell Nafar Tamer Nafar and Mahmoud Jreri The first Palestinian hip hop crew and among the first to rap in Arabic the group began working together in the late 1990s Struck by the uncanny resemblance of the reality of the streets in a Tupac video to the streets in their own neighborhood of Lyd they were inspired to tell their stories through hip hop Their timely song ldquoMin Irhabirdquo (ldquoWhorsquos the Terroristrdquo) was downloaded a million times shortly after its internet realese in 2001 and DAM became a household name among youth throughout the Middle East Ten years of performing all over the world has strengthened the grouprsquos commitment to continue living and working in their hometown of Lyd 15 minutes from Tel Aviv and working to provide the youth of the city and neighboring communities with programs and opportunities that have been denied to Palestinian citizens of Israel Their music is a unique fusion of East and West and encompasses influences as varied as Ghassan Kanafani Ahlam Mosteghanemi Mahmoud Darwish Naji al Ali Tupac Biggie Public Enemy MBS Krsquonaan and Pharoahe Monch IHDA (Dedication) DAMrsquos long-awaited first international album was released in 2007 and DAM has seen its songs and members featured in films such as Ford Transit (Dir Hany Abu Assad) Where in the World is Osama Bin Laden (Dir Morgan Spurlock) Salt of this Sea (Dir Annemarie Jacir) Local Angel and Forgiveness (Dir Udi Aloni) DAMrsquos history and influence on the Arab hip hop scene is detailed in the feature-length documentary Slingshot Hip Hop (Dir Jackie Reem Salloum) The group has also been featured in Vibe National Geographic Rolling Stone Q Basement Reuters and The New York Times and has appeared on MTV CNN BBC and Al Jazeera Their work can be heard and explored at damrapcom

EL DEEB first ventured into Egyptian Hip Hop when he joined Asfalt in 2005 He left in 2007 to create Wighit Nazara duo represented by Mohamed Yasser and himself It was a successful musical project that lasted until mid 2010 Currently he is working on his solo career with plans to release an EP every couple of months or so Cairofornia is his first solo EP His work may be heard at deebbandcampcom and on Facebook

EL RASS was born in Tripoli Lebanon He started writing poetry in literary Arabic at age 11 and started rhyming in spoken Lebanese dialect in 1999 at age 15 At that time he formed one third of a group of 3 MCrsquos going under the name of ldquoMlouk el Micrdquo (ldquoKings of the Micrdquo) They recorded one album and performed locally At 17 he left for France to study Finance and Economics Studies were hard money was scarce and exile was tough but music and poetry never left him as he continued rhyming with some underground French MCrsquos like Medline and Moebius and developed new musical skills on percussion in classical Arabic singing and baglama (turkish buzuk) After graduating and working for almost two years in the hell of banking and market finance El Rass decided to return to Lebanon He spent a year just re-discovering Beirut and making and learning music He now works as a journalist at the newspaper Assafir while concurrently pursuing joint projects with other producers and musicians He calls his work Taalik in reference to the same word in Arabic for ldquocommentrdquo and another word that comes from the same semantic root moaallakat which is a corpus of selected pre-Islamic poetry that was written with gold ink on the walls of the Karsquoaba in Mecca His work may be heard at soundcloudcomElRass

FAREEQ EL ATRASH is a hip hop band based out of Hamra St Beirut with a sound that is distinguished by laid back topical flows over live instrumentation It consists of Edd (raps) Nasser (raps) FZ (vocal production and FX) Fouad Afra (drums) Goo (plays guitar keys heart strings) and Abed Kobeissy (plays bass and buzuk) Their 2010 album and 2009 prealbum are available online More of their work may be found on Facebook Eddrsquos solo work can also be heard at soundcloudcomEdd

H2Z was born in Kuwait in 1986 where he lived for four years Due to the gulf war his family moved to Lebanon where he lived for the most part of his life Inspired by the tragic events in the Middle East and elsewhere in the world H2Z adopted rap music as a way to raise awareness about the injustices suffered by his people and to deliver a message through his music to anyone who supports the Palestinian cause His career began in 2004 when he was introduced to the production business by fellow rappers and soon he started producing his own tracks and established a local band producing many tracks for himself and other musicians in Lebanon In 2008 he released his first solo album titled 3aed which contained

17 tracks The political influence was noticed throughout the album and was generally well-received He is now studying for a degree in business administration at Wayne State University in Michigan His work may be heard at reverbnationcomh2z

KATIBEH 5 are based in Borj el Barajneh Lebanon Their work can be found at reverbnationcomkatibeh5 and myspacecomkatibe5palestine and on Facebook

M1 is Mutulu Olugbala of the New York based collective Dead Prez whose work is online at deadprezcom M1 is also on Facebook

MC GAZA is Adnan Mahmoud Ghonim an Algerian born artist and university student based in Gaza It was the beginning of 2005 when he attended one of the hip hop concerts in Gaza City ndash Gaza City that never appreciated the art he loved and attached himself to ndash and it was love at first sight between them Through some of the concerts he participated in a number of songs he collaborated on with Arabs from Egypt Algeria and Palestine and some active participation to represent the Palestinian people and interviews for both Arab and foreign press he was able to make a name for himself in the Gazan hip hop community His work may be found at youtubecomMCGaza and on Facebook

THE NARCICYST Having pioneered the Arab Hip-Hop movement with seminal Iraqi-Canadian crew Euphrates The Narcicyst recently broke through borders and shattered traveling etiquette touring solo around the world sharing stages with the likes of Brother Ali Mos Def and Kanye West to name a few On top of music The Narcicyst is a celebrated theorist whose academic work Fear of an Arab Planet has him from the stage to the classrooms of internationally renowned universities He is now also a professor at Concordia University teaching a Fine Arts course ldquoHip-Hop Past Present and Futurerdquo His writings have been published by multiple university presses and magazines internationally he is also a self-published author having recently released the biographical and social-study on the Arab world The Diatribes of a Dying Tribe As a true artist interested in really pushing his own artistic boundaries The Narcicyst has stepped into acting currently starring in the short music film PHATWA and in the first internationally-released film from the United Arab Emirates called City of Life A true multi-media

111110

KHALED AL HILLI is a PhD candidate in Comparative Literature at the Graduate Center City University of New York He has a BA in English Literature and a Masterrsquos degree in Teaching Second Languages Born in Iraq Khaled has taught in Lebanon and Saudi Arabia at both college and high school levels He has also worked with various Iraqi news outlets and has subtitledtranslated documentary films dealing with current social and political issues His research interests include Arabic political literature prison literature and literature in the diaspora He may be reached at hillykhalidgmailcom

+AZIZ is a NYC-based marketing consultant and a musician He is working through The World Music Parade to develop an animation project based on his music More about that project can be found at themusicparadetumblrcom He tweets from plusaziz

FAYSAL BIBI is a paleontologist and electronic musician currently based in Berlin

LOUBNA BILALI is originally from Morocco She did her undergrad and first MA in English Linguistics at Chouaib Doukkali University El Jadida She came to the US in 2008 to pursue a Masterrsquos degree in French to English translation and is currently working on a PhD in translation studies at Kent State University in Ohio She is very interested in learning and teaching languages as well as translating and localizing computer applications and websites She may be reached at loubnabilaligmailcom

FARAH ELREWAISSATI is a freelance translator pro-Palestine activist and BDS advocate who blogs at youthanormalizationblogspotcom She tweets from 3beee

NIZAR GHANEM was born in Lebanon He has been active in intercultural education interactive learning and conflict resolution across the Arab world His work on conflict resolution involved using theater comics and music as tools for emotional expression and social mobilization

RIMA NAJDI is a Performing Artist She studied dramatic arts at the Lebanese University in Beirut and obtained a Masterrsquos degree in Performance Studies at NYU New York She has written and performed in various plays and performances Najdi is particularly interested in multi-media performing arts and the position of the spectators

BARRAK ALZAID (copy editor) is the Artistic Director of ArteEast He is the editor of the ArteEast Quarterly a dynamic online portal featuring four publications that highlight contemporary art and culture from the Middle East and diaspora ndash ArtersquoZine Shahadat (contemporary short-form literature) Gallery and Cinematek (an online film center) He is also the curator for ArteEastrsquos Across Histories Art Talk Series featuring a series of panels on residencies in Fall 2011 He tweets from barrakster

RAYYA EL ZEIN (editor) is working towards a PhD in Theatre at the Graduate Center City University of New York Her research is increasingly focusing on theories of reception historical studies of audience behavior and popular culture in the Arab world She holds an MA in Performance Studies from NYU and is currently a teaching fellow at City College in Harlem She tweets from rayelz

translator biosdreamer Yassin recently established an arts label in the UAE called The Medium focusing on delivering art from Arabs in the diaspora and at lsquohomersquo to the rest of the world iraqisthebombcom He tweets from TheNarcicyst

OMAR OFFENDUM is a Syrian-American hip hop artist born in Saudi Arabia raised in Washington DC and living in Los Angeles Known for taking audiences on a lyrical journey from the jasmine-tree-lined courtyards of Nizar Qabbanirsquos Damascene homes to the flooded riverbanks of Langston Hughesrsquo Harlem Renaissance poems - Offendum has been featured on several major news outlets (BBC Yahoo ABC News Aljazeera PBS) toured the world to promote his ground-breaking music helped raise thousands of dollars for various humanitarian relief organizations (PCRF KinderUSA ANERA Islamic Relief) lectured at a number of prestigious academic institutions (Harvard MIT Stanford Columbia American University of Beirut NYU-AbuDhabi Qatar Education City) and most recently been involved in creating several critically-acclaimed songs about the popular democratic uprisings throughout the Middle East amp North Africa He is currently hard at work promoting his solo release - affectionately dubbed SyrianamericanA His work may be heard (and read) at offendumbandcampcom He is on Facebook and he tweets from Offendum

RAMALLAH UNDERGROUND based in Ramallah Palestine was born from the immediacy of musical experimentation and out of the need to give voice to a generation of Palestinians and Arabs facing a turbulent and uncertain political landscape The collective was founded by artists Boikutt Stormtrap and Aswatt and has always held a commitment to both the honesty of their work and the need to creatively rejuvenate Arabic culture To this end they combine music ranging from Arabic electronic music hip-hop and trip hop to downtempo with a deep sense of their local culture and the imposing presence of Palestine in their lives The outcome is a new specific and distinct sound RU (as producers and as MCrsquos ) has collaborated with numerous artists across the globe including countries like Lebanon UK Switzerland Italy USA France and many more including a collaboration with Slovo (a band headed by the guitarist from faithless) in their track ldquoNakbardquo which appears on their album Todo Cambia and with Kronos Quartet in the track ldquoTashweeshrdquo which appears on Floodplain RU has also performed live shows in Ramallah Bethlehem Vienna London Cairo Lausanne Amsterdam and Washington DC Their shows are mainly a performance of their hip-hop tracks as well as a few of their own electronic productions as a warm up More recently RU has incorporated a visual set in their live

performances brought to you by Palestinian visual artist Ruanne RU hopes to give a voice to Palestinians and Arabs bringing an alternative voice from the Arab world Their lyrics and music are an expression of anguish and defiance ultimately remaining a defiant voice of the colonized against the colonizer They continue to play a big role in the Arab underground cultural scene while slowly gaining wide global and local popularity

SHADIA MANSOURrsquos work can be found at myspacecomshadiamusic and on Facebook

STORMTRAP is a music producercomposerMC from Palestine Experimenting with old samples instruments and field recordings his sound is the result of a fusion of ambient atmospheres combined with various noises and hip hop beats His lyrics deal with different themes inspired mainly by his personal experiences in Palestine and life in the diaspora Stormtrap played a fundamental role in forming the band Ramallah Underground with which he has performed worldwide the past few years Currently he is working in Vienna with Aras Seyhan and Eren Ileri on a new album which combines live instruments synthesizers turntables beats and Arabic lyrics- which will be released early 2012 His work may be heard at soundcloudcomstormtrap He tweets from asifeh

AMEER YOSSEF 25 has sung and writen music with the band Klaket for the past four years His work may be heard at youtubecomAmeer and on Facebook

towards the work Her work for now concentrates on the process of making interactive and participatory performances that question borders stereotypes and languages

MOE ALI NAYEL is a fixer and a journalist based in Beirut Lebanon He uses social media blogging non-mainstream music journalism and writing as a word spreading eye opening socializing arena He uses social media as a bridge that cuts distance between people on this planet making it a tiny village This bridge starts in his office and takes him to every corner in the world enabling him to connect and network with people and cultures sharing and exchanging stories of the unheard and the neglected He blogs at Words of Action and he tweets from MoeAliNay

ALEX ORTIZ is a video and radio journalist and translator based in Cairo Egypt He graduated from Brown University in 2009 with a double major in Comparative Literature and Middle East Studies He was a CASA I fellow from 2009-2010 and a CASA II fellow from 2010-2011 He currently works for CBS News as a field producer He tweets from cairowitness

AHMED SHAWKET is an independent translator living in Cairo Egypt He is a graduate of the Helwan University Faculty of Arts where he majored in philosophy Ahmed works on literary media and commercial translation

113112

ABOUT SHAHADATShahadat is a quarterly online series designed to provide a platform for short-form writing and experimentation in writing by young and underexposed writers from the MENA region (Middle East and North Africa) The series features stories vignettes reflections and chronicles in translation and the original language of Arabic Farsi Turkish or Kurdish It makes up one quarter of ArteEastrsquos online programming the AE Quarterly For past issues of Shahadat click here

ABOUT THIS SERIES Shahadat is proud to run two alternating series and releases two issues a year of each The issue yoursquove just perused is part of the ldquoExploring Popular Literaturerdquo series This series challenges traditional understandings of ldquoliteraturerdquo emerging from the Middle East and North Africa by presenting genres of creative production that rely on words and language but which have not typically been studied as literature Works are presented in their original language and in translation

In each issue we gather texts from a spectrum of writers to challenge the singular status of the artistauthor and to encourage a more complex presentation of the Middle Eastern and North African ldquostreetrdquo for English-speaking audiences Shahadatrsquos other series ldquoContemporary Literature in Translationrdquo features the work of a single young author in the original language and in English translation

BEHIND THE DOCUMENTShahadat is co-edited by Rayya El Zein Alex Ortiz and ArteEastrsquos Artistic Director Barrak Alzaid All three are young professionals and scholars with artistic inclinations (literature poetry translation and performance) All three have strong connections to New York City and various metropole of the MENA region Shahadat is for us an experiment and a labor of love An editorial board of established scholars and authors is currently being conceived

SPECIAL THANKS TOAnmar El ZeinKinda AkashAndrew JohnstonLivia Alexander

Shahadat logo design by Rima Farouki

114

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Page 28: Shahadat Winter 2012

5554

زي ما صار مبارح صار اليوم اطف التلفزيون امسك مايكروفون

زي ما صار مبارح صار اليوم اطف التلفزيون امسك مايكروفون

زي ما صار مبارح صار اليوم اطف التلفزيون امسك مايكروفون

زي ما صار مبارح صار اليوم اطف التلفزيون امسك مايكروفون

النه الوقت عم يسبق بقلك خي سالم بس اصبر

بدك تستني هاي اخلطط بعمرها ما تضبطبيدفعلك قد ما بدك عشان تسكت

واذا بتفتح متك طخة وحده وبعد بتسقط

s t o r m t r a p

What happened yesterday happens today

switch off your TV and grab a microphone

What happened yesterday happens today

switch off your TV and grab a microphone

What happened yesterday happens today

switch off your TV and grab a microphone

What happened yesterday happens today

switch off your TV and grab a microphone

Because time is racing

He keeps telling you peace is coming just be patient

You want to wait these plans never succeed

Hersquoll pay you as much as you want to keep you quiet

And if you open your mouth one shot will silence you

what happened yesterdayزي ما صار مبارح

Zey ma sar mbareh

Stormtrap

null

2009

1728613

eng - Visit httpstormtrapbandcampcom

5756

اركض اركض وخليك راكض

واذا بتفتح متك رح يقلك خليك ساكت رح يقلك انساك من هاملشاكل

حوشوا هالشواك وضبوا شناتكم واشتروا التذاكرففكر شوي وما تكنش أهبل

وين ما تروح في الدنيا رح تتبهدلمش شايف قدامي عم بسمع أصوات بيسألني

ليش لسه عايش هون روح عيش محل تانيبدي احك بس الكلمات مش طالعة من لساني

عنصرية هونن عنصرية هناك عنصرية كل ما اطلع برا الشباك

شيطان بيعمل حاله مالكبس هو بالواقع بدو يعيش بالك

جدار بيمثل عقلية ناس بدهاش تعيش معاك

زي ما صار مبارح صار اليوم اطف التلفزيون امسك مايكروفون

ما مبثل شخص او اشخاص مبثل فكرةاسم احلرية حاملينه

من بلد ما فيه حياة عاديةسواءا ضد االحتالل أو ضد العنصرية

أصواتكم وينايي خلوها تنسمع وتطلع نتائج ايجابية

فكمل كتابة او تسجيل وصدقني شغلك مش رايح عالفاضي

عشان الشي الوحيد اللي رح يروح هو احن اذا منضلنا علقانني فاملاضي

s t o r m t r a p

Run run

Keep running

And if you decide to speak hersquoll tell you just stay silent

Hersquoll tell you forget these problems

Save up some money pack your bags and buy your tickets

Think about it donrsquot be a fool

Wherever you go yoursquoll get humiliated

I canrsquot see in front of me Irsquom hearing voices asking

Why are you still living here Go live somewhere else

I want to respond but the words wonrsquot come out

Racism here racism there

Racism each time I look out the window

A devil in an angelrsquos disguise

In reality he wants to live without you

The apartheid wall represents the mentality of a people who donrsquot care to coexist

What happened yesterday happens today

switch off your TV and grab a microphone

I dont represent a person or a people I represent an idea

An idea called freedom

From a land lacking a normal life

Whether yoursquore struggling against occupation or against racism

Where is your voice

Let it be heard to achieve your goals

So keep writing and recording

Believe me your work wonrsquot be lost in vain

The only thing thatrsquoll disappear is us

If we stay stuck in the past

Zey ma sar mbareh

Stormtrap

null

2009

1728613

eng - Visit httpstormtrapbandcampcom

5958

شو الي حدثجينا من حتت األرض

هيهة القصة بدة عنا هدفوننشر أصواتنا لكل حدا

جيت من حتت أرض رام اللهما ح وقف اكتب كلمات وال مرة

عندي طاقة الزم أطلعها كل يوم وكل ساعةفاو انبنى مع الوقت ولسة عم بيطور تصور

تصورفاو انبنى مع الوقت ولسة عم بيطور تصور

زي ما صار مبارح صار اليوم اطف التلفزيون امسك مايكروفون

زي ما صار مبارح صار اليوم اطف التلفزيون امسك مايكروفون

s t o r m t r a p

What happened

We came from underground

The story begins we have an objective

To spread our voices to everyone

I came from the ruins of Ramallah and

I wonrsquot ever stop writing words

I have energy that I must release every day every hour

A flow thatrsquos been built and is still developing imagine

Imagine a flow thatrsquos been built and is still developing

What happened yesterday happens today

Switch off your TV and grab a microphone

What happened yesterday happens today

Switch off your TV and grab a microphone

T r a n s l a t e d b y t h e a r t i s t

Zey ma sar mbareh

Stormtrap

null

2009

1728613

eng - Visit httpstormtrapbandcampcom

6160

Wake up the People

Donrsquot doubt it

The Maker can see you

Right now

You want to get out and see doe

So clouded

Sell out to be dope

Right now

I see you plagued by your own doubt

Canrsquot step the game up

Like a snake when it rolled down

Staircase of a lone child

No bricks lain in a cold house

Where you sold out

All alone on an old couch

t h e N a r c i c y s t

No click like an untapped phone dial

Oh wow

I felt the same homie

Donrsquot shelter pain only

Then it came slowly

Never let the frame hold me (down)

Picture life for the love though

People tend to look the other way like Columbo

We deceived by the law just to love doe

Guess they took all the worth out to numb folks

And make a severed plan

Out of bitter man

What you want a medal man

Huh Do you really think yoursquore better than Then

All you really need is a long look

Two sixteens and a strong hook like

brassThis track was originally written in English

null

2149748

6362

Wake up the People

Donrsquot doubt it

The Maker can see you

Right now

You want to get out and see doe

So clouded

Sell out to be dope

Right now

Break

Hip hop like a fresh pelvis

Yoursquore gonna regret this shit like a dead Elvis

Busy wishing you could live less selfish

Crabs in a bucket duckinrsquo these dead shellfish

Industry got a brother feeling helpless

With an ill chorus and ride yoursquore more in the tide

When a flow canrsquot keep me above the water

t h e N a r c i c y s t

Let a wave carry me out and push me farther now

Internal Inferno ten journals written but Irsquom still not sure though

Do I really want to tour to jump hurdles To be heard

So-I-Can-Feel-Like-This

Man therersquos something that I might miss--

Naw Irsquove been bluffinrsquo

Lifersquos backwards like Ben Buttonsrsquo

Irsquom in love with the stage fright on a strange night

Feels good to get the words on a page right

Wake up the People

Donrsquot doubt it

The Maker can see you

Right now

You want to get out and see doe

So clouded

Sell out to be dope

Right now

null

2149748

6564

مبارح شفت بلمنام بيروت عمتغرق حتت رماد بركان فحموا الناس بس ال raquoسكاي بارlaquo كان بعده ولعان

بيروت ثبتت حبة الثورة اللي فينا نبتت ملا أحبطت نفوسنا من اجلمود

فينا بيروت حتركت عدم دمارنا وعدم حرية خيارنا

بيوت بيروت تعمرت سكرنا عجفاف دموعنا جفوننا عليها تسكرت فتخمرت

إذا بطلت تطير قدرك عألرض مقهور إذا وقفت تكسير بتصير جزء من الديكور

e l R a s s

Yesterday I dreamt Beirut was drowning under volcanic ash

The people were turned to charcoal but Sky Bar [a posh Beirut club] was still lit up

Beirut suppressed the seed of the revolution the one that sprouted

When our spirits were foiled from immobility

In us Beirut moved

On the blood of our destruction and the negation of our freedom of choice

The houses of Beirut are rebuilt

We got drunk on the dryness of our tears our eyelids closed on them and fermented

If you stop flying your destiny on land is distress

If you stop breaking you become part of the decoration

beirutبركان بيروت rsquos volcano

Blues

2125713

6766

بحاور بناور باآلخر بواجه التاج بتوضى بصلي بتوصلني أصوات أنات احملتاج

تأمل العلم بعري العمل من العمل خياري عنار خفيفة دوب املسمار وتستوي األفكار النظيفة

عمروا دمروا زمروا تذمروا ربك صبره دربه جربه

عقلن خربوا غربوا هربوا وقبلوا بالفن عحيط الشارع

عشرط ما يكون في شك بشارع هيدي مش عاصمة ثقافة هيدي حلبة املصارع بيروت ال تعرف في املاضي وال تعرب باملضارع

حتول التركيبة خلى العقل اجلامد فكر حاله مالك املدينة رقبته طويلة متل مالك احلزين وايده لوزيري

اعتبر نفسه أول مني اكتشف هلجزيرة بأجر الفقير شقق بأسعار مدروسة

بشكل تضل طموحاته ممعوسة نهبوا األرض من ربعي وصارت احلرب شركة استثمار مبفعول رجعي

حتت شعار إعادة اإلعمار لو ما كان خلص دوره وانتهى عقد االيجار

كان احلريري ما طار وما صار مطار احلريري عاصمة لبنان بتوازن بني ضريحني

واتنيناتن عاغتيالن في عالمة استفهام e واحد قدس املوت بس لسبب l R a s s

I discuss I maneuver ultimately I confront the crown

I perform ablutions I pray I receive the moaning of the needy

The meditation of knowledge strips work from hope

My choice is on low fire melting the nails and clean thoughts are ripening

They built they destroyed they honked they complained

Your god made him patient tested him and trained him

Their minds ruined westernized chased off

They accepted art pissed on back alleys

As long as there is no doubt in the streets

This is no capital of culture itrsquos a wrestling ring

Beirut canrsquot speak of itself in the past nor conjugate itself in the present

Transitions and transformations made the closed mind think he owns the city

His neck is long like a stork his fingers long like a politicianrsquos

He thinks himself the first who discovered this peninsula

He lets the poor rent apartments at prices studied

To crush ambitions

They stole the land from my cousins

And the war became a backward-looking investment

Under the slogan of reconstruction

If his time wasnrsquot up and his contract finished

Hariri didnrsquot have to fly and it wouldnrsquot have become the Hariri airport

Lebanonrsquos capital keeps balance between two shrines

And on both assassinations there is a question mark

One sanctifies death but for a reason

Blues

2125713

6968

واحد قدس احلياة بس بالكذب واحد بايدو حتول الذهب سم وواحد تخبى من الذهب بالدم

مني الشهيد

اللي مات حتت صبابيط ثورة عبيد شهيد اللي مات فتحول على حملة اعالنات هدفها ترفع الطايفة معدالت التجنيد

قنابل بالبريد وصل سيوف علوريد حصل

املوت للبليد صنم الصبر للعنيد حلم تأليه الشهيد ظلم

خليط احلديد والدم العالج والسم الرفاه والهم النوعية والكم

الدعارة وورقة التوت مبدينة بيروت علم

e l R a s s

And one sanctifies life with lies

In onersquos hand gold turned into poison

And the other hid from gold with blood

Who is the martyr

The one who died under the shoes of the oppressedrsquos uprising is a martyr

Is it he whose death was transformed into an advertising campaign to raise the levels of

sectarian enlistment

Bombs came in the mail

Swords to the jugular true stories

Death to the cold is statuette

Patience to the stubborn is a dream

Divinity to the martyr is oppression

The mixture of steel and blood the cure and poison

Luxury and distress quality and quantity

Prostitution and modesty

The science of the city of Beirut

T r a n s l a t e d b y M o e A l i N a y e l amp + A z i z

Blues

2125713

7170

بقرأ في اجلريدة زفت شوارع جديدة

إزالة مطبات و كثير أشياء هيك مفيدة أشخاص مستفيدة

دعم من هون و من هون منظمات بس احلرية بعيدة

مقاطعة مستوطنات تعون الضفة الغربية وطنية حصرية إدعائية

طب و فلسطني التاريخية مع ألساس كانت القدس عاصمة الثقافة العربية

بس كلوحكي سياسية للشعب إحنا نتحمل الشغل و التعب و الوضع صعب

b o i k u t t

Irsquom reading in the paper

About roads newly paved

Speed bumps removed and a lot of other useful stuff (yes very)

Certain inviduals benefit

Funding from here and there

Organizations are plentiful but freedom is far-fetched

Calling for a boycott of settlements around the West Bank

Pretentious exclusive nationalism

But what about historical Palestine

I thought Jerusalem was supposed to be the ldquocapital of Arab cultureldquo

But itrsquos all political speeches for the people

We put up with the work and the sweat and itrsquos rough

a letterرسالة من مقاطعة from boikutt

risaleh mn muqataa (pt1)

boikutt

null

2010

1086983

eng - iTunPGAP0

eng - iTunNORM 00000A1E 00000A0E 000099D9 000098A0 0000CC63 0000CC63 0000826D 000080B0 000131D0 000131D0

eng - iTunSMPB 00000000 00000210 000008F3 000000000049197D 00000000 0027BA9D 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000

7372

يقنعونا إن كلشي متام و بقدر أعيش حياة عادية

زي في األفالم على مبس واحد إثنني ثالثة أربعة إلخ

كن منيح و بتنزل عليك املصاري زخ نصيحة من أخ ألخ

خليك مستقل ألن اللعبة إنلعب فإبعد عن الفخ

خليهم يقعدوا يستنوا الدعم ليموتوا يلفلفوا داخل اجلدار حلد ما يفوتوا

في متاهات مبسافات مش محددة مجددة لتوسع التوسع مش مهددة

إنتهاك احتالل بس مش على الكل

في ناس في فلسطني هون حياتهم زي الفل مش عارف شو بيفكر

شكلوا مش داري شي يوم حنروح كل الدكاكني هي حتسكر

سالم

b o i k u t t

Try to convince me that everythingrsquos fine

And that I can lead a normal life

Like in the movies

On MBC one two three four etcetera

Be good and money will rain on you

Advice from one brother to another

Stay independent because the games are being played

So steer clear of the trap

Let them wait for foreign aid until they die

Spinning in circles within the apartheid wall until they enter

Into unlimited mazes with unspecified spaces

That are renewed to fit settlement expansion unthreatened

Violation occupation

But not for everyone

There are people here in Palestine living ldquothe good lifeldquo

I donrsquot know what hersquos thinking

Seems like he doesnrsquot know one day wersquoll be gone

And all these shops will close

Peace

T r a n s l a t e d b y t h e a r t i s t w i t h L o u b n a B i l a l i

risaleh mn muqataa (pt1)

boikutt

null

2010

1086983

eng - iTunPGAP0

eng - iTunNORM 00000A1E 00000A0E 000099D9 000098A0 0000CC63 0000CC63 0000826D 000080B0 000131D0 000131D0

eng - iTunSMPB 00000000 00000210 000008F3 000000000049197D 00000000 0027BA9D 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000

7574

الضغط عاليالعدو فات جاري احملادثات

صمت دوليكمية الغازى عم تزداد

تهجير جديد مولود جديدتكرر عزو مش تارك ورا شي مفيد غير غراب

من كل البيت ما تركو شي إال البابمن االرض ل سما مسافة عاليه

إمشي الصحرا وعد لياليوجنوما

كمشوا رئيس دولة بجورةحصار

توزيع مخدراتباألحمر تلون الفرات سجون معتقالتقبلة الوداع مع الصبات

تنصت بالشبكة خيانات باألزهر

k a t i b e h 5

The pressure is high

The enemy has entered discussions are taking place

Global silence

The numbers of the occupier are increasing

A new expulsion A newborn child

The perpetuation of an invasion that leaves behind it nothing of any use except for a crow

From an entire house they left nothing but the door

From the ground to the sky is a long distance

Walk the desert and count the nights

And its stars

They caught a president in a pit

Siege

Drug dealing the Euphrates is stained red prisons detention centers

A farewell kiss with a shoe

Networks wiretapped betrayals in Al Azhar

hold me back ifهديني اذا فيك you can

null

23098943

7776

حوار أديانالكف تنجس

متسح فيه وجك مع كل شروق عالوضوءتسمع شرارة فتيل مولوتوف ينادي أصوات تتلبى

باإلنفجار

هديني إذا فيك صرت موجود بكل مكانوجي مغبش عامل زي جيش زباتا

منصرخ بوجكم raquoاحلرية ل برغوتيlaquoإعالمكو بيعرفني كلماتكو حملت إسمي

شركاتكو بتهرب مني )كتيبه خمسه هديتي إذا فيك(

بتالقيني بني والد حفظوا غنية املخيماتبنفسية فالح عمال يزو املدينة

افالم تافهةبرنامج تافه

بتدور على مخك بتالقي مش موجوداخلليج يتحكم بإعالم

هادول حبوب التنومي ٦1 سنة بعدن مش شغالني

عالمادامك واخد وجهة نظري

ع محمل اجلدمسموح لك تستعجب وتظهر إنزعاجك بوجودي

ألني صديق لكل املشاهد الغير مرغوبة فيهاش بيختار حياتو بالتحديد بحكيلك هيك منحياها ومحد

ضغط رصاص وابارود بخليكاش حتيدالتجارب بتدلك عطريق

هديتي إذا فيك

k a t i b e h 5

A dialogue of religions

The hand is tainted

And with it you cleanse your face at ablution each sunrise

You hear the sparking of the fuse of a molotov calling voices respond

Explosion

Hold me back if you can I have become present everywhere

My face is concealed like the army of Zapata

We shout in your face ldquoFreedom for Barghoutildquo

Your media knows me your words have glimpsed my name

Your corporations flee from me

(Katibe Khamseh hold me back if you can)

Yoursquoll find me among children that have memorized the song ldquoAl Moukhayamatldquo

In the persona of a peasant that is visiting the city

Shallow films

Shallow programs

You look for your mind but you find it is not there

The Gulf controls media with its boundaries

These sleeping pills 61 years and theyrsquore still not effective

Great

As long as you are taking my point of view seriously

Yoursquore allowed to be taken aback and to show your irritation

Just like you show your irritation at my presence

Because I am a friend to all the images that are not desirable

This is how we live out these images and no one chooses their life specifically Irsquoll tell you

The pressure of bullets and gunpowder does not allow you to move away

Experience will guide you on the road

Hold me back if you can

null

23098943

7978

موقف واحد صريح من صميم روح لشعوب املقاومة ضمير ظهور البشرية

السبيل صعب ورا الغضبدعم لكل أسالوب محارب

د لنحرق نظامك منتدرب منجرب منخرب منستععم نحرق نظامك

هديتي إذا فيك

إطلع منيحمش رح تقدر توخذ كل شي من أول نظرة

نظرة عامة raquoبشرة مش بيضةlaquoجبني عريضة مكتوب مولود عنيد بالفطرة

فوت بالتقاليد عد التجاعيدلك هاي مش أول مرة

لغات ودراسات حط العلم بغالفمش رح تقدر تفهم ليه بعد في بارود ع الكتافلون األرض ولون الليل بيعطيك البني و السواد

بوعدك مش لوحدي رح أضل عد رماد الال اللعبة اجلديدة وال والدنا ع اللعبة جداد

بكفيش إنفلونزا الصقور صار في إنفلونزا اخلنازيرموسم مرض جديد لرئيس مبثل ع نفوس ومريض بهدوء البيض

هديتي إذا فيك

k a t i b e h 5

A single honest stance from the bottom of the soul for the people of the resistance the conscience

that exposes humanity

The path is difficult when following anger

A support for every style of battle

We train we strive we disrupt we prepare to burn your system

We are burning your system

Hold me back if you can

Look closely

You wonrsquot be able to see it all at first sight

An overview ldquocomplexion that is not whiteldquo

A broad forehead written born stubborn by nature

Look at the traditions and count the wrinkles

This is not the first time

Languages and scholarship put education under wraps

You wonrsquot be able to understand why there is still gunpowder on shoulders

The color of earth and the color of night gives you brown and blackness

I promise you that I will not be alone to count the ashes no

This game to us is not new and nor are our children new to the game

As if the influenza of eagles was not enough now therersquos the influenza of pigs

The season of a new disease for a president acting for a public and sick with the

calmness of white people

Hold me back if you can

null

23098943

8180

اإلحتالل نكه البشر بنكهة املجاريبالسالم حوار أديانبإقرار ملكية كذابة

بتشويه تاريخ وسرقة حضاراتولك أه

فلسطني إفريقيا الدجلة والفراتإجتاه البشرية لإلضمحالل سرطان بشري بعضها

الشتا ميسح اخلطايا واآلثاروليش بتتخبى وبتتغطى بنفس كل سفارة سميك الستار

لساتني باكل الضربة ورا الضره ورا الضربةوحتى ما أفعل وأساوي تكمشني الرجفة

بدل ما أضرب فيك بضرب بحاليبوعدكش حضلني كامش حالي حفلتها

حفلتها

هديني إذا فيك هديني إذا فيكهديني إذا فيك

k a t i b e h 5

The occupation has seasoned humanity with the flavor of sewers

With peace with dialogue of religions

With the declaration of false ownership

With the distortion of history and the theft of civilizations

Oh yes

Palestine Africa the Tigris and Euphrates

Humanity is leading to reduction a human cancer bites it

Exile wipes clean the sins and the traces

And why are you hiding and seeking cover when all the embassies are already well concealed

I am still taking one beating after another

And so that I donrsquot take action and do something shudders grip my body

Instead of beating you I beat myself

I canrsquot promise you that I can keep myself restrained

Irsquom gonna let go

Hold me back if you can

Hold me back if you can

Hold me back if you can

T r a n s l a t e d b y R i m a N a j d i a n d F a y s a l B i b i

null

23098943

8382

طول عمر الشعب املصري مع بعض أحلك الظروفبص وفر في التاريخ وانت ياما هاتشوف

الدين ده ليا وليكوفيا وفيك

حاجة روحانية بتخليك حتس اللي بيك

ايد في ايد نبني فيها من جديد

مصر زعلت علي حاصل وسطنا مش مفيد

بعد ثورة وبعد عيد فتنة تقتل حلم واتتحقق لنا

واحد اتننيالذكري بتعيش اكتر من عمر االنسان

بصمتنا تغييرنا جوة وبرة امليدان مش هانضيع نصر ثورتنا بفتنة نشئت بينا

A r a b i a n K n i g h t s + M C G a z a + A m e e r

The Egyptian people have always stuck together

Through the worst times look at history

And see how often wersquove been there for each other

That whole idea of religion

Is for you and for me something spiritual that makes you feel whatrsquos inside you

Hand in hand

We build Egypt up again

Egypt is angry at whatrsquos happening between us

Itrsquos not helpful

After the revolution after the celebration

Sectarian strife is killing the dream we fulfilled

One two

The memory lasts more than a lifetime

Our mark is our change in and outside Tahrir Square

We wonrsquot give up the victory of our revolution in exchange for sectarian strife between

us

hand inايد في ايد hand

Eid Fe Eid

Yasser Ameer Youssef Rush E Money amp MCGaza | by BOGEY

Single Hit track 11

20112011

Hip-Hop

24002867

eng - Hip-Hop 4 Life

eng - iTunNORM 000005E2 0000058E 0000424E 00003537 00026E95 0001C2B3 00008000 00008000 00005045 00005045

8584

بلدنا محتجانا ايدنا واحدة ضد احملنة تفرق ايه معاك ديانتي ملا ربك هو ربي

اصلك هو اصلي ارضك هي ارضي

ملا اتقال لي اكتت فيول فتنة انا قولت غلط علشان الفتنة مفتعلة في بلدنا وكان وراها غرض

فالفرد افترض فبفرض السياسة األمر اختلط

فالزم يبقي املصل سياسي من اصل املرض العسس واحلرس مافرقوش صليب وهالل

وكنا كلنا واحد وراء االقفالدم الشهيد شاهد

ياما بالفتنة انكسرنا وحدتنا بصوت واحد وضد الظلم انتصرنا

وديني هو ديني صلة بيني وبني ربي هارفع علمي وارفع راسي فوق

انا مصري

ايد في ايد نبني فيها من جديد

مصر زعلت علي حاصل وسطنا مش مفيد

بعد ثورة وبعد عيد فتنة تقتل حلم واتتحقق لنا

خلو حمامة السالم من الطيور املنقرضةعلشان تبقي القلوب مبتعدة منقسمه سهل تتسم

فكرين مناعة و قوة أم الدنيا بالطمع مرتبطةنسر املصريني ليس له دين احنا بنحميها بالدم

العنف بذوره بتكتر عاوز يوصل واحلروب حتصل

A r a b i a n K n i g h t s + M C G a z a + A m e e r

Our country needs us all together against the hard times

What difference does my religion make to you when your god is my god

Your origin is mine

Your land is my land

When they told me about sectarian strife I said thatrsquos wrong

Because itrsquos been planted in our country and behind it is some purpose

Makes one think somethingrsquos going on

By playing politics everythingrsquos gotten mixed up

The antidote has to be political just like the poison itself

The military doesnrsquot distinguish between cross and crescent

Wersquore all held together behind bars

The blood of the martyrs bears witness

To how much wersquove been broken by sectarianism

Through our unity we triumphed with one voice over injustice

And my religion is my own a rapport between me and God

Irsquoll raise my flag and my head up

Irsquom Egyptian

Hand in hand

We build Egypt up again

Egypt is angry at whatrsquos happening between us

Itrsquos not helpful

After the revolution after the victory

Sectarian strife is killing the dream we fulfilled

They drove the dove of peace to extinction

To keep hearts apart and divided itrsquos easy to poison them

Do they really think the resilience and strength of Egypt is connected to greed

The Egyptian eagle has no religion we protect it with our blood

The roots of violence are increasing want to gain control to start wars

Eid Fe Eid

Yasser Ameer Youssef Rush E Money amp MCGaza | by BOGEY

Single Hit track 11

20112011

Hip-Hop

24002867

eng - Hip-Hop 4 Life

eng - iTunNORM 000005E2 0000058E 0000424E 00003537 00026E95 0001C2B3 00008000 00008000 00005045 00005045

8786

للعاقيدة يكسر وألعضاء املشاعر تتشال تصتأصلعلى كالم ربهم اتكبرو فعملو قدر واتقدر

وقته مستنينه ليه خططوا مضمون الرسائل اتغير الن الهدف هو تدمير قعدة الوحدهوقتل كل قائد يقود الناس بره احملنه

فيبقي سهل يزيحنا ميحي أوصول عليها كبرناوكل واحد علي حداه يقول أنا محدش يقول احنا

فاببطء بحرص بص بعقل بحذر شوفقبل ما يخلوا خيالك يتخلله اخلوف

واخلوف ده افراز بيطلع من غده ملا الكلب بيشوفهابيعرف انك فاريسه سهل ياكلها ركز

فرق تسد إخلعوفق جتد إرفع

ثورة تقدصمت يفرد- يفرق

ما بيجمع بيننامن حقي النقد من حقك - تسمع

طب إسمع وراجع ما صور التاريخ طب باله بيكفي صور زمانييوم حصار كنيسة املهد مني دافع مني اتقمع مني اتنفا

مسلم مسيحي أل كان فلسطيني اتذكر معي ثورة غضب يناير

اتذكر معي الوحدة اإليد الوحدة اتشرف انتا مصرياتذكر معي األخ بإيد األخ يحمي األخ بدون إلخ

كالمي ماشي ماشي ال-لتفهمني بهويتي مسلم وال نصراني قبطي

ما في حجة لربطي خلبطي حلطي ألوطي ألغير خطيخير أجناد األرض

من أرض بيت املقدس كل السالم بعد ما قلت إلنقسام في وطنيانا ملزم أقول ال لفتنة

تفتت مجد شعب تعب عانى ضحى بالغالي حتى بناه

A r a b i a n K n i g h t s + M C G a z a + A m e e r

The relationship between Egyptians breaks down and the organs that feel are taken out

They got full of themselves in the name of their god and invented a new fate for us

Theyrsquore waiting for a time and theyrsquore plotting The meaning of their messages changes

Because the goal is to destroy the foundation of unity

And kill every leader who takes the people out of hard times

Itrsquos easy to remove us to wipe out the traditions we grew up with

Everyone on his own everyone says ldquoIldquo and no one says ldquoweldquo

Slowly carefully look Wisely with caution see

Before they make your imagination a slave to fear

And that fear releases a secretion from a gland

And when the dog sees it he knows yoursquore easy prey

Divide yoursquoll conquer

Bring harmony and yoursquoll reap Start

A revolution and it will catch on

Silence is solitary It divides

It doesnrsquot bring us together

It is my right to criticize and your right to listen

So listen and look back at history or better look at my life time

The day the Nativity Church was under siege who was persecuted Who was exiled

A Muslim A Christian No he was Palestinian

Letrsquos remember the angry revolution of January

Letrsquos remember the unity the one hand Be proud yoursquore Egyptian

Remember the brother holding hands with a brother protecting a brother

And I can go on

Donrsquot teach me about my identity whether Irsquom a Muslim or a Christian Copt

Therersquos no excuse to tie me down beat me to make me cower and kneel and stray from my courseThe Earthrsquos most virtuous soldiers

Come from the land of Bayt al-Maqdis [Jerusalem] I salute you After I said no to division in my countryIrsquom committed to saying no to seditionThat dissolves the glory of a people who labored suffered sacrificed what was most dear to build it

T r a n s l a t e d b y A l e x O r t i z + A h m e d S h a w k e t + K h a l e d A l H i l l i

Eid Fe Eid

Yasser Ameer Youssef Rush E Money amp MCGaza | by BOGEY

Single Hit track 11

20112011

Hip-Hop

24002867

eng - Hip-Hop 4 Life

eng - iTunNORM 000005E2 0000058E 0000424E 00003537 00026E95 0001C2B3 00008000 00008000 00005045 00005045

8988

الفن واملواهب زي حرب الكواكب الكل عايز يكون جنم صراع في الداخل

بهدي جنون العظمة بفلفل حر توابل تسيل دموع زي القنابل

زي مابتكلم وداني شغالة كون سامع نبض الشارع علشان أ

حالف أقضي على اإلعالم املتآمر مغامر في الكالم بس إنت مش سامع

ملا بأمسك القلم والورقة الهم بينزاح مخي بيرتاح بأقول اللي على البال

ملا بأقعد بحس بتأنيب ضمير كون في ستوديو بسجل على بيت خطير مفروض أ

e l D e e b + S t o r m t r a p

Art and talent are like Star Wars

Secretly everyone wants to be a star of conflict

I make megalomania tranquil with chilli hot spices

Tears flow like bombs

Thatrsquos how I talk and the world keeps moving

So that I can hear the pulse of the streets

Irsquove sworn to obliterate the media conspirators

I am adventurous in my speech but you do not hear

When I hold the pen and the paper my anxiety is lifted

My mind relaxes and I say whatrsquos on it

When I sit down I feel guilty

I should be in the studio recording dangerous beats

addictأدمان الشهرة ion to fame

Edman El Shuhra

Stormtrap amp Mohamed El Deeb

2011

Hip-Hop

15305855

- vocals Mohamed El Deeb Stormtrap13produced by Stormtrap

9190

إحساس غريب إنك تدمن الكالم ارسم يا فنان واخترع زي دافينشي الرسام

ولو مفيش ورقة باستخدم تليفوني خايف إن فكرة متعديش على صوتي

دنيا غريبة يوم مر يوم بونبوني بس أنا عمري ماغيرت لوني

املوسيقى بنادولي وبطابعي فضولي مهما قالوا لي هافهمها مبفهومي فـساعات أالقي نفسي بكلم نفسي واسمع أصوات غريبة في دماغي

وهو ده الصدى الصوت اللي بسمعه اكن مفيش حد فارقة معاه احالمي

شوف شوف مش هدف إنو أنا شخصيا أنا

هدفي انه كلماتي وموسيقتي تنتشرعشان هيك حتشوفني دوما مستمر مستثمر

كل وقتي كل طاقتي على أصواتي خوذ شك خوذ حتويل خوذ كاش

بس ما تنساش أي شي بيتعلق بالواقع بدناش ما تخاف ألنها قضيتنا مش منسية مية باملية هايذي ثورة كمان ثقافية

خليني أوضح هاي املوسيقى مش معمولة للتلفازeهاي املوسيقى مش معمولة لهز الطياز l D e e b + S t o r m t r a p

Strange feeling to be out of words

Paint oh artist and discover like Da Vinci the artist

If I donrsquot have paper I use my cell

I am afraid that the idea does not come through my voice

Strange world one day is bitter another like candy

But Irsquove never changed my color

Music is my Tylenol and my nature curious

So whatever they tell me Irsquoll understand it my way

Sometimes I find myself talking to myself

And I hear weird voices in my head

Which is just the echo of the sound I hear

As if no one cares about my dreams

See see

My goals are not self serving

My goal is that my words and music spread

Thatrsquos why yoursquoll see me always and continuously investing

All my time my energy on my sounds

Take a check take a transfer take cash

But never forget anything related to reality wersquore not interested

Donrsquot be afraid because our cause is not forgotten

One hundred percent this is also a cultural revolution

Let me explain this music is not meant to be televised

This music is not made for booty shaking

Edman El Shuhra

Stormtrap amp Mohamed El Deeb

2011

Hip-Hop

15305855

- vocals Mohamed El Deeb Stormtrap13produced by Stormtrap

9392

مش فاهم ليش الكل قاتل حاله يكون في مسابقةحابني نتصابح حياكم زات املكافحة

واالعالم ميت ع حيالله قصة ما بيدرس هالقصة من نصها

وبعدن بينفخهامش احلق علينا اذا ما بيبحثوا

وملا يبدوا يحكوا عنا أل عنجد بيبعصوابيفكروا انه كل شي هشك بشك

بس حدن الزم يقلهم انه الهب هوب مش هيكبدك تدير بالك عشانها هاي اللحظة احلاسمة

ملا يجوا عليك الديب والعاصفةنكسر حدود وبنبني وحدة عشان نحيي مجتماعاتنا

وننهي معانتناعشان هيك منكتب كلمات صريحة والها معنى

مش للشهرة مش حتى يجي حدن يدفعلنا

e l D e e b + S t o r m t r a p

I donrsquot understand why everyone is killing themselves to be in the contest

Wersquod like to say goodmorning to salute you in this same struggle

The mediarsquos dying for any story

But they donrsquot study the storyrsquos real text

And then they blow it out of proportion

Itrsquos not our fault if they donrsquot search

And when they talk about us then they really screw it up

They think everything is empty pointless

Somebody needs to tell them that hip hop is not like that

You should take care because this is the critical moment

When the wolf and storm come haunting you

We break borders and we create a unity to revitalize our communities

And stop our suffering

That is why we write frank words that have meaning

Itrsquos not for fame or even so that someone pays us

T r a n s l a t e d b y N i z a r G h a n e m

Edman El Shuhra

Stormtrap amp Mohamed El Deeb

2011

Hip-Hop

15305855

- vocals Mohamed El Deeb Stormtrap13produced by Stormtrap

9594

حضل عهل مود يعنيما إنتلك النجوم عم تقرب

بهل ال مود حكون عطول لبهل جنوم إدءر لو مضطر شن هجوم عل النجوم كلها

خللي األرض تدور حول أصبعي تنلك

ما إنتلك متلي متلك مولع طيار ألفكاري من العقدي تنفك فرد قعدي بني 4 حيطان ما بتنهز و منها ما بنهز

يلز املا بينلزالكاس عل الطاولي و منو عم مز مز

لتفتل براصي وحس من حالي عم كز كزعل ورقة كالمي مدروس و ما بزت زت بجرب ما عيد حالي متا يقولو عم نق نق

موزع قافياتي جواز كأن عم فت فت

بهل األطشة خلي الديني اللي تسمعني ترن رنFبسبيلي جاري يوم ع يوم عم برك رك a r e e q e l A t r a s h

Irsquoll stay in this mood

Didnrsquot I tell you The stars are getting closer

Irsquoll stay in this mood until I touch these stars

Even if I have to launch an attack on all the stars

Irsquoll make the Earth rotate around my finger I told you

Didnrsquot I tell you Irsquom just like you I lit up a joint so my ideas would untie their knot

Sitting this way in between four walls I wonrsquot budge

The most delectable

Drink is on the table from which Irsquom taking sips

Till my head starts spinning and Irsquom sick of myself

On the paper my words are calculated I donrsquot just toss them about

I try not to repeat myself so they wonrsquot say Irsquom nagging

I deal my rhymes out like theyrsquore cards

In this verse Irsquoll make those ears ring

My fountain is running and every day I excel

tالنجوم عم تقرب he stars are gett ing closer

null

29781717

9796

لضل ماشي جالس بينما غيري عم بلك لك شريط معلق ريحة العة عم بتفح فحكل ما فتح متو بتالقي عم بكب كب

عايشها إرهاب و مفي إال بسب سببزبالتي ما بكبو تيكون بعلمك

األالف مسم و بحياتو ما بينسم بزقة من هل التم تخلي سقفك ينش نش

تلمو ردم و ما تفكر إنو ترد رد و عم بحكي عالواطي متا الصالي فيك ترج رج

بطبعي عاقل بس بالراب بزل زل عل الرايق بال ما نط وال فز فز

type of shitعال بارد أبرد من شباط بس يقز قزتخلي عضامك ع بعض تسك سك

ما إنتلك النجوم عم تقرب بهل ال مود حكون عطول لبهل جنوم إدءر

لو مضطر شن هجوم عل النجوم كلهاخللي األرض تدور حول أصبعي تنلك

أنا متنبئ بنبه و بحقق ما قلتلك بعد وقتها ما عم نكت

عاملكرفون إبرة هرون عم بشكشك في شكcheck one two

هيك بدسدس عالنبض

F a r e e q e l A t r a s h

So I can walk straight when others are still playing

A broken record that reeks of a musty smell

Every time he opens his mouth he spews them out

He lives in terror and all he does is curse

I wouldnrsquot throw him in my garbage just so you know

Irsquove irritated thousands and never been irritated in my life

One spit out of this mouth will make your roof leak

And yoursquoll pick up the rubble and donrsquot even think about answering back

Irsquom talking in a low voice so the hall wonrsquot shake with you in it

Irsquom reasonable by nature but when it comes to rap I humiliate cold-heartedly

Without jumping or leaping around

I do it coldly colder than icy February-type of shit

Irsquoll make your bones rattle against each other

Didnrsquot I tell you The stars are getting closer

Irsquoll stay in this mood until I touch these stars

Even if I have to launch an attack on all the stars

Irsquoll make the Earth rotate around my finger I told you

Irsquom a psychic I predict and deliver

Didnrsquot I tell you to stand back when Irsquom not joking

Irsquom pricking the microphone with a heroin needle Is there any doubt

Check one two

Thatrsquos how I feel the pulse

null

29781717

9998

بدقق و زتزت حكي بتزجزج كأنها مزهزها عم بتشمشم عم خطط عم تكتيك و مني ملحلح من هون للساعة توقف تك تيك تك تيك

لك ليك منفخ حاله عامبيكازيب عا غيري بس بوجهي بتاءتإوجهه بيباءبإ من أد ما بعصب بسبسب

زر إنذار إذني بتطنطن و بشوف من عالباب عم بدقدق

عكروت بدو يفوت ليشوف الفن فني بس الفن هون بجسمي معبأ

من حلقي طايف و من متي عم بت شرشر و بيس البيس زلزال برجرج خليك تضبضب تنضب بالبيت لتكنكن

و أنا متأسف ألني بدي استأذن بس بعد شفت كابتشينو بتصحصح

ما إنتلك النجوم عم تقرببهل ال مود حكون عطول لبهل جنوم إدءر

لو مضطر شن هجوم عل النجوم كلهاخللي األرض تدور حول أصبعي تنلك

هيدا هب هوبمش هبل و ال بهل

هيدا زجل تتغزل في

ورايي إيقاع عليي إتبع و ما إطلع عنو يا بصير متل غير مسيس

زقفوا مع االيقاعزقفوا مع االيقاع

F a r e e q e l A t r a s h

Checking and hurling words that tickle as if I was high and sniffing

I am planning and scheming and Irsquom not going anywhere till the clock stops ticking

Look hersquos so full of it lying to others but in my face he stutters

And his face turns red from all the anger and he curses

My earsrsquo alarm bells start ringing

And I go to see whorsquos knocking at the door

Some bastard who wants to see where ldquothe artldquo is

But the art is right here packed in my body

Flowing from my throat running out of my mouth

And the bass is an earthquake that shakes and forces you to pack up and go home

And Irsquom sorry because I need to take leave

But after a sip of cappuccino yoursquoll come around

Didnrsquot I tell you The stars are getting closer

Irsquoll stay in this mood

Until I touch these stars even if I have to launch an attack on all the stars

Irsquoll make the Earth rotate around my finger I told you

This is hip hop

Itrsquos not stupid nor dumb

Itrsquos zajal [a form of Arabic poetry in the Levant]

That you flirt with

There is a beat that I have to follow canrsquot lose it or Irsquoll be like other MCs

Clap with the beat

Clap with the beat

T r a n s l a t e d b y K h a l e d A l H i l l i

null

29781717

101100

انا ببلعهم بتفهم وال مره بسبهمبخليهم داميا يضاربو بتفكيرهم

أنا وراهم قدامهم جنابهم محتلهممش طايقهم مرات وزنهم بكون منزلهم

مرتبهم صاففهم وبقلم أنا حاكمهم زاتتهم مش عاجبيني أنا ماحيهم قائدهم وبنفس الوقت أنا عبيدهم

وبفك وربط أنا بلعب مبعانيهمانا حاميهم بأسطر اللي تقويهم

انا واعدهم اني أستر على فاضحهم ومطلعهم بصوره اللي تبشعهم

بس أنا محترمهم وبسطور ساجنهم مكتفهم كأسير بجنازير القهر

ومهديهم بحبل اللي يبشر بالصبر وانا لي الفخر أكون الشوك اللي فيهم

Dوأكون القهر اللي داميا يسقيهم A M

Yo this is dedicated to the lyrics

Irsquom swallowing them spitting them never dissing them

Giving them freedom of speech

Irsquom behind them in front of them because of them always standing with them

Sometimes get sick of them sick of how you abuse them

Gather them in line with my pen I order them

Didnrsquot like it Throwing them out and replacing them

Irsquom their leader and also their slave

Small changes make huge differences

I train them in pages to make them strong

Promising to use them not abuse them

Or allow the wrong mouths to utter them

Approach them with a military mind and find peace in them

Irsquom lucky to be full of thorns and even luckier that I found the lyrics

So theyrsquoll help me find the roses in me

wordsكلمات

null

26837427

103102

raquoالكل سمعك بس السؤال اذا اللي سمعك فهمكlaquoكلمات ليست كالكلمات بل raquoعالماتlaquo

اللي توجهنا وين مابدنا عحبال السيرك هي تثبتنا ريح العالم من كل جهه اذا احنا ضعاف بتوقعنا بس

raquoأل بلمره ألlaquo raquoكلمات عندي طنlaquoكل واحده الها هدف اخدت حرف عحرف

نسجت جمل اللي البسهم وقت البرد raquoراح اضلني اناديlaquo raquoبنحكي كلماتlaquo

انت بتعرف انهم مبنصب شهاد بحكو املاضي وتنبوا حاضر أي بالد

قد ماحكيت قد ما أحكي فش كالم يغطي بسفي كالم يربي وينمي انت بس أروي

في شوف انه قوه والقوه بتقويفيك و أن رويته مصيره يسقيك )مثل للقوه( العدو من أمامكم

والبحر من ورائكم فال تخيبوا أسيادكمفأين أشعاركم وأين مجادلتكم

فأنتم تسكتون وتخمدون أحالمكم)انهي( نهيت ورجعت للعامية بكلمات

مرمية طالعه من عقليه شعبيهمتل جنيب اللي بذاكرة كل واحد محفوظ مدروس واذا أل معناته في خلل معكوس

عاملجتمع اللي قمع كتاباته Dاللي سمح لنسيانه يشيل خطواته A M

ldquoThey all hear you but few listen to youldquo

Lyrics ainrsquot just a bunch of words they are ldquosignsldquo

Leading us stabilizing us on tight ropes

Winds every way if we are thin we will fall

ldquoBut hell noldquo ldquoyou can measure my words in tonsldquo

Every word has a meaning I knitted a letter with another letter

Made warm sentences to wear in cold days

ldquoSo Irsquoll still shoutldquo ldquowe control lyricsldquo

You know lyrics are like a witness

They witnessed the past and forecast the future

As much as I said or say I canrsquot describe them

But there is a way to find the description and thatrsquos through them

Quench the thirst of the pages with them

So in the future itrsquoll quench your thirst

Keep feeding them as soon as they grow up

Theyrsquoll give you strength

ldquoExample for the strengthldquo

ldquoThe enemy is before you the sea is behind you

So donrsquot you dare disappoint our ancestors

Where are our deep poems Where are our strong statements

From generation to generation we kill our dreamsldquo

ldquoEnough philosophizingldquo ok lets get back to street talk

Words coming outta simple minds

Like Najeeb Mahfuz [literally lsquowell-rememberedrsquo also a famous author]

They keep living in our minds

And if you donrsquot know who he is - then I rest my case

null

26837427

105104

raquoالكل سمعك بس السؤال اذا اللي سمعك فهمكlaquoكلمات ليست كالكلمات بل raquoعالماتlaquo

اللي توجهنا وين مابدنا عحبال السيرك هي تثبتنا ريح العالم من كل جهه اذا احنا ضعاف بتوقعنا بس

raquoأل بلمره ألlaquo raquoكلمات عندي طنlaquoكل واحده الها هدف اخدت حرف عحرف

نسجت جمل اللي البسهم وقت البرد raquoراح اضلني اناديlaquo raquoبنحكي كلماتlaquo

ألف با كبايه أوعك تكسرهاامسكها للنهاية وكل ما تفضى مليها

كلمه أو رواية ومع املراحل زيدها شيحكاية وهيك ضلك زود فيها

وجيبها لتجمعاتك وساعتها استعملها لنقاشاتك وملواقفك استخدمها

هادي مدافعك اللي مداها بسيطرتك وما دافعك انه ما تخليها رايتك

ما هي تكتب ما هي توصف ما هي تكذب ما هي تنصف

ما هي هي الهروب هياللجوء هي الدروب هي

العبور باحلدود واللي مبرؤهم مبدع وبفوز باخللود واللي بسرقهم مش مقنع

واذا بتديهم احلرية بنادوك ممنوعDواذا بتوخد احلريه بنادوك مسموح A M

ldquoThey all hear you but few listen to youldquo

Lyrics ainrsquot just a bunch of words they are ldquosignsldquo

Leading us stabilizing us on tight ropes

Winds every way if we are thin we will fall

ldquoBut hell noldquo ldquoyou can measure my words in tonsldquo

Every word has a meaning I knitted a letter with another letter

Made warm sentences to wear in cold days

ldquoSo Irsquoll still shoutldquo ldquowe control lyricsldquo

The Arabic alphabet is like a glass donrsquot break it

Hold it tight and keep filling it

And then bring it to our arguments

Scream till your throat gets dry and then wet it

It holds our body itrsquos like our legs

If you stand for nothing yoursquoll fall for anything

The words write create

They kill lead and sometimes even lie

You can use them to build borders

And those who are gifted

Can use them to walk through borders

And in some governments

Itrsquos forbidden to give words freedom

But if you choke them and kill them

Thatrsquos allowed

F i g u r a t i v e t r a n s l a t i o n o f f e r e d b y t h e a r t i s t s

null

26837427

107106

further reading

The tracks presented in this document are not a comprehensive sampling of the genre of the market of hip hop in Arabic or of hip hop and rap in the wider Middle East

Artists featured here hail from Egypt Lebanon Palestine and the anglophone Arab diaspora The thriving North African hip hop scene is not represented nor is the work of the established francophone Arab diaspora nor the expanding hip hop scenes of especially Iran or Turkey

This collection does not attempt a comprehensive chronology Tracks featured here are not primarily new releases (though some are) neither are they all ldquoclassicsrdquo These limitations of scope are important to note

Many tracks of the popular Libyan group Ibn Thabitt and other groups from across the region have been translated and are hosted with commentary on the notable blog

revolutionaryarabrapblogspotcom

Another valuable resource is the Beirut-based blog by Jackson Allers ldquoBeats and Breathrdquo which features articulate critiques and reviews of events and releases from the region

jacksonallerswordpresscom

Hass Dennaoui (alias Big Hass) who recently launched started the first all hip-hop FM radio show in Saudi Arabia Laish Hip Hop (Why Hip Hop) manages a lively blog which

hosts an internet feed of his radio show and interviews with MCs and influential hip hop figures from around the world

revoltradioblogspotcom

Lebaneseundergroundcom hosts coverage of underground music in Lebanon including hip hop

And finally an excellent article by Hishaam Aidi on implications of the use of hip hop as foreign policy ldquoThe Grand (Hip-Hop) Chessboard Race Rap and Raison DrsquoEtatrdquo was published in The Middle East Report Fall 2011 Excerpts of the piece were published by Al Jazeera English in the article ldquoLeveraging Hip Hop in US Foreign Policyrdquo

All the artists and many of the translators whose work is showcased here host a significant online presence Their sites are listed with more about each of them on the following pages

109108

artist bios

ARABIAN KNIGHTZ the premier hip hop group from the land of the Nile River have not only established themselves as the lyricists with the sharpest swords in their land but they have also created the most consistent voice for rebellion strength and hope for the youth of the Middle East During the 2011 Revolution Arabian Knightz released two singles ldquoRebelrdquo and ldquoNot Your Prisonerrdquo anthems of resistance which gained worldwide attention and major media coverage for their powerful lyrics against a wicked system The group formed in 2006 through the cipher hip hoprsquos natural way of choosing like mindsets on the mic Rush Sphinx and E-Money were ahead of their peers adapting an authentic Arab perspective to the art dominated by Western voices mixing English and Arabic raps After hitting the studio for successful underground tracks AK enlisted super-producer Fredwreck (Snoop Dogg Xzibit Tha Dogg Pound) ldquoFokkakrdquo the single from this studio session was an instant hit and (surprisingly for Arabic Hip Hop) projected them to the top ten of the singles charts Arab League Records was formed amidst a growing fanbase and numerous collaborations with other Arab hip hop artists the first international Arab hip hop record label Desert Saga Volume 1 mixtape was the debut release led by ldquoThe Onerdquo featuring Egyptrsquos MC Amin Arabian Knightz have recorded their debut album Uknighted State of Arabia a masterpiece for Arab hip hop years in the making featuring instrumentals dominated by traditional percussions and players are scheduled for a Winter 2012 Release They are on Facebook

BOIKUTT is a musician and MC based in Ramallah Palestine Creating sounds using sampled material field recordings and electronic devices the results range between hip-hop downtempo ambient glitch and experimental He has composed and produced music for artists such as Kronos Quartet Bukue One Spiritchild Tamer Abu-Ghazaleh Bleubird and others and has appeared as an MC on albums for artists such as Slovo Heliodrome Bonnot and Lethal Skillz A co-founder of the Ramallah Underground Collective which has toured across the Arab World Europe and Australia Boikutt is also co-founder and member of audio-visual group Tashweesh with whom he is currently touring Also as a solo performer he has been in Beirut Cairo Manila Copenhagen London Hamburg Dubai Bethlehem and other cities He has produced and exhibited a few sound-art pieces composed several film scores has most recently composed the music for a dance theater performance entitled Bound by

New York-based company Yaa Samar Dance Theatre and is now working on different collaborative and solo projects His work may be heard at soundcloudcomboikutt and on Facebook

DAM Da Arabian MCrsquos are Suhell Nafar Tamer Nafar and Mahmoud Jreri The first Palestinian hip hop crew and among the first to rap in Arabic the group began working together in the late 1990s Struck by the uncanny resemblance of the reality of the streets in a Tupac video to the streets in their own neighborhood of Lyd they were inspired to tell their stories through hip hop Their timely song ldquoMin Irhabirdquo (ldquoWhorsquos the Terroristrdquo) was downloaded a million times shortly after its internet realese in 2001 and DAM became a household name among youth throughout the Middle East Ten years of performing all over the world has strengthened the grouprsquos commitment to continue living and working in their hometown of Lyd 15 minutes from Tel Aviv and working to provide the youth of the city and neighboring communities with programs and opportunities that have been denied to Palestinian citizens of Israel Their music is a unique fusion of East and West and encompasses influences as varied as Ghassan Kanafani Ahlam Mosteghanemi Mahmoud Darwish Naji al Ali Tupac Biggie Public Enemy MBS Krsquonaan and Pharoahe Monch IHDA (Dedication) DAMrsquos long-awaited first international album was released in 2007 and DAM has seen its songs and members featured in films such as Ford Transit (Dir Hany Abu Assad) Where in the World is Osama Bin Laden (Dir Morgan Spurlock) Salt of this Sea (Dir Annemarie Jacir) Local Angel and Forgiveness (Dir Udi Aloni) DAMrsquos history and influence on the Arab hip hop scene is detailed in the feature-length documentary Slingshot Hip Hop (Dir Jackie Reem Salloum) The group has also been featured in Vibe National Geographic Rolling Stone Q Basement Reuters and The New York Times and has appeared on MTV CNN BBC and Al Jazeera Their work can be heard and explored at damrapcom

EL DEEB first ventured into Egyptian Hip Hop when he joined Asfalt in 2005 He left in 2007 to create Wighit Nazara duo represented by Mohamed Yasser and himself It was a successful musical project that lasted until mid 2010 Currently he is working on his solo career with plans to release an EP every couple of months or so Cairofornia is his first solo EP His work may be heard at deebbandcampcom and on Facebook

EL RASS was born in Tripoli Lebanon He started writing poetry in literary Arabic at age 11 and started rhyming in spoken Lebanese dialect in 1999 at age 15 At that time he formed one third of a group of 3 MCrsquos going under the name of ldquoMlouk el Micrdquo (ldquoKings of the Micrdquo) They recorded one album and performed locally At 17 he left for France to study Finance and Economics Studies were hard money was scarce and exile was tough but music and poetry never left him as he continued rhyming with some underground French MCrsquos like Medline and Moebius and developed new musical skills on percussion in classical Arabic singing and baglama (turkish buzuk) After graduating and working for almost two years in the hell of banking and market finance El Rass decided to return to Lebanon He spent a year just re-discovering Beirut and making and learning music He now works as a journalist at the newspaper Assafir while concurrently pursuing joint projects with other producers and musicians He calls his work Taalik in reference to the same word in Arabic for ldquocommentrdquo and another word that comes from the same semantic root moaallakat which is a corpus of selected pre-Islamic poetry that was written with gold ink on the walls of the Karsquoaba in Mecca His work may be heard at soundcloudcomElRass

FAREEQ EL ATRASH is a hip hop band based out of Hamra St Beirut with a sound that is distinguished by laid back topical flows over live instrumentation It consists of Edd (raps) Nasser (raps) FZ (vocal production and FX) Fouad Afra (drums) Goo (plays guitar keys heart strings) and Abed Kobeissy (plays bass and buzuk) Their 2010 album and 2009 prealbum are available online More of their work may be found on Facebook Eddrsquos solo work can also be heard at soundcloudcomEdd

H2Z was born in Kuwait in 1986 where he lived for four years Due to the gulf war his family moved to Lebanon where he lived for the most part of his life Inspired by the tragic events in the Middle East and elsewhere in the world H2Z adopted rap music as a way to raise awareness about the injustices suffered by his people and to deliver a message through his music to anyone who supports the Palestinian cause His career began in 2004 when he was introduced to the production business by fellow rappers and soon he started producing his own tracks and established a local band producing many tracks for himself and other musicians in Lebanon In 2008 he released his first solo album titled 3aed which contained

17 tracks The political influence was noticed throughout the album and was generally well-received He is now studying for a degree in business administration at Wayne State University in Michigan His work may be heard at reverbnationcomh2z

KATIBEH 5 are based in Borj el Barajneh Lebanon Their work can be found at reverbnationcomkatibeh5 and myspacecomkatibe5palestine and on Facebook

M1 is Mutulu Olugbala of the New York based collective Dead Prez whose work is online at deadprezcom M1 is also on Facebook

MC GAZA is Adnan Mahmoud Ghonim an Algerian born artist and university student based in Gaza It was the beginning of 2005 when he attended one of the hip hop concerts in Gaza City ndash Gaza City that never appreciated the art he loved and attached himself to ndash and it was love at first sight between them Through some of the concerts he participated in a number of songs he collaborated on with Arabs from Egypt Algeria and Palestine and some active participation to represent the Palestinian people and interviews for both Arab and foreign press he was able to make a name for himself in the Gazan hip hop community His work may be found at youtubecomMCGaza and on Facebook

THE NARCICYST Having pioneered the Arab Hip-Hop movement with seminal Iraqi-Canadian crew Euphrates The Narcicyst recently broke through borders and shattered traveling etiquette touring solo around the world sharing stages with the likes of Brother Ali Mos Def and Kanye West to name a few On top of music The Narcicyst is a celebrated theorist whose academic work Fear of an Arab Planet has him from the stage to the classrooms of internationally renowned universities He is now also a professor at Concordia University teaching a Fine Arts course ldquoHip-Hop Past Present and Futurerdquo His writings have been published by multiple university presses and magazines internationally he is also a self-published author having recently released the biographical and social-study on the Arab world The Diatribes of a Dying Tribe As a true artist interested in really pushing his own artistic boundaries The Narcicyst has stepped into acting currently starring in the short music film PHATWA and in the first internationally-released film from the United Arab Emirates called City of Life A true multi-media

111110

KHALED AL HILLI is a PhD candidate in Comparative Literature at the Graduate Center City University of New York He has a BA in English Literature and a Masterrsquos degree in Teaching Second Languages Born in Iraq Khaled has taught in Lebanon and Saudi Arabia at both college and high school levels He has also worked with various Iraqi news outlets and has subtitledtranslated documentary films dealing with current social and political issues His research interests include Arabic political literature prison literature and literature in the diaspora He may be reached at hillykhalidgmailcom

+AZIZ is a NYC-based marketing consultant and a musician He is working through The World Music Parade to develop an animation project based on his music More about that project can be found at themusicparadetumblrcom He tweets from plusaziz

FAYSAL BIBI is a paleontologist and electronic musician currently based in Berlin

LOUBNA BILALI is originally from Morocco She did her undergrad and first MA in English Linguistics at Chouaib Doukkali University El Jadida She came to the US in 2008 to pursue a Masterrsquos degree in French to English translation and is currently working on a PhD in translation studies at Kent State University in Ohio She is very interested in learning and teaching languages as well as translating and localizing computer applications and websites She may be reached at loubnabilaligmailcom

FARAH ELREWAISSATI is a freelance translator pro-Palestine activist and BDS advocate who blogs at youthanormalizationblogspotcom She tweets from 3beee

NIZAR GHANEM was born in Lebanon He has been active in intercultural education interactive learning and conflict resolution across the Arab world His work on conflict resolution involved using theater comics and music as tools for emotional expression and social mobilization

RIMA NAJDI is a Performing Artist She studied dramatic arts at the Lebanese University in Beirut and obtained a Masterrsquos degree in Performance Studies at NYU New York She has written and performed in various plays and performances Najdi is particularly interested in multi-media performing arts and the position of the spectators

BARRAK ALZAID (copy editor) is the Artistic Director of ArteEast He is the editor of the ArteEast Quarterly a dynamic online portal featuring four publications that highlight contemporary art and culture from the Middle East and diaspora ndash ArtersquoZine Shahadat (contemporary short-form literature) Gallery and Cinematek (an online film center) He is also the curator for ArteEastrsquos Across Histories Art Talk Series featuring a series of panels on residencies in Fall 2011 He tweets from barrakster

RAYYA EL ZEIN (editor) is working towards a PhD in Theatre at the Graduate Center City University of New York Her research is increasingly focusing on theories of reception historical studies of audience behavior and popular culture in the Arab world She holds an MA in Performance Studies from NYU and is currently a teaching fellow at City College in Harlem She tweets from rayelz

translator biosdreamer Yassin recently established an arts label in the UAE called The Medium focusing on delivering art from Arabs in the diaspora and at lsquohomersquo to the rest of the world iraqisthebombcom He tweets from TheNarcicyst

OMAR OFFENDUM is a Syrian-American hip hop artist born in Saudi Arabia raised in Washington DC and living in Los Angeles Known for taking audiences on a lyrical journey from the jasmine-tree-lined courtyards of Nizar Qabbanirsquos Damascene homes to the flooded riverbanks of Langston Hughesrsquo Harlem Renaissance poems - Offendum has been featured on several major news outlets (BBC Yahoo ABC News Aljazeera PBS) toured the world to promote his ground-breaking music helped raise thousands of dollars for various humanitarian relief organizations (PCRF KinderUSA ANERA Islamic Relief) lectured at a number of prestigious academic institutions (Harvard MIT Stanford Columbia American University of Beirut NYU-AbuDhabi Qatar Education City) and most recently been involved in creating several critically-acclaimed songs about the popular democratic uprisings throughout the Middle East amp North Africa He is currently hard at work promoting his solo release - affectionately dubbed SyrianamericanA His work may be heard (and read) at offendumbandcampcom He is on Facebook and he tweets from Offendum

RAMALLAH UNDERGROUND based in Ramallah Palestine was born from the immediacy of musical experimentation and out of the need to give voice to a generation of Palestinians and Arabs facing a turbulent and uncertain political landscape The collective was founded by artists Boikutt Stormtrap and Aswatt and has always held a commitment to both the honesty of their work and the need to creatively rejuvenate Arabic culture To this end they combine music ranging from Arabic electronic music hip-hop and trip hop to downtempo with a deep sense of their local culture and the imposing presence of Palestine in their lives The outcome is a new specific and distinct sound RU (as producers and as MCrsquos ) has collaborated with numerous artists across the globe including countries like Lebanon UK Switzerland Italy USA France and many more including a collaboration with Slovo (a band headed by the guitarist from faithless) in their track ldquoNakbardquo which appears on their album Todo Cambia and with Kronos Quartet in the track ldquoTashweeshrdquo which appears on Floodplain RU has also performed live shows in Ramallah Bethlehem Vienna London Cairo Lausanne Amsterdam and Washington DC Their shows are mainly a performance of their hip-hop tracks as well as a few of their own electronic productions as a warm up More recently RU has incorporated a visual set in their live

performances brought to you by Palestinian visual artist Ruanne RU hopes to give a voice to Palestinians and Arabs bringing an alternative voice from the Arab world Their lyrics and music are an expression of anguish and defiance ultimately remaining a defiant voice of the colonized against the colonizer They continue to play a big role in the Arab underground cultural scene while slowly gaining wide global and local popularity

SHADIA MANSOURrsquos work can be found at myspacecomshadiamusic and on Facebook

STORMTRAP is a music producercomposerMC from Palestine Experimenting with old samples instruments and field recordings his sound is the result of a fusion of ambient atmospheres combined with various noises and hip hop beats His lyrics deal with different themes inspired mainly by his personal experiences in Palestine and life in the diaspora Stormtrap played a fundamental role in forming the band Ramallah Underground with which he has performed worldwide the past few years Currently he is working in Vienna with Aras Seyhan and Eren Ileri on a new album which combines live instruments synthesizers turntables beats and Arabic lyrics- which will be released early 2012 His work may be heard at soundcloudcomstormtrap He tweets from asifeh

AMEER YOSSEF 25 has sung and writen music with the band Klaket for the past four years His work may be heard at youtubecomAmeer and on Facebook

towards the work Her work for now concentrates on the process of making interactive and participatory performances that question borders stereotypes and languages

MOE ALI NAYEL is a fixer and a journalist based in Beirut Lebanon He uses social media blogging non-mainstream music journalism and writing as a word spreading eye opening socializing arena He uses social media as a bridge that cuts distance between people on this planet making it a tiny village This bridge starts in his office and takes him to every corner in the world enabling him to connect and network with people and cultures sharing and exchanging stories of the unheard and the neglected He blogs at Words of Action and he tweets from MoeAliNay

ALEX ORTIZ is a video and radio journalist and translator based in Cairo Egypt He graduated from Brown University in 2009 with a double major in Comparative Literature and Middle East Studies He was a CASA I fellow from 2009-2010 and a CASA II fellow from 2010-2011 He currently works for CBS News as a field producer He tweets from cairowitness

AHMED SHAWKET is an independent translator living in Cairo Egypt He is a graduate of the Helwan University Faculty of Arts where he majored in philosophy Ahmed works on literary media and commercial translation

113112

ABOUT SHAHADATShahadat is a quarterly online series designed to provide a platform for short-form writing and experimentation in writing by young and underexposed writers from the MENA region (Middle East and North Africa) The series features stories vignettes reflections and chronicles in translation and the original language of Arabic Farsi Turkish or Kurdish It makes up one quarter of ArteEastrsquos online programming the AE Quarterly For past issues of Shahadat click here

ABOUT THIS SERIES Shahadat is proud to run two alternating series and releases two issues a year of each The issue yoursquove just perused is part of the ldquoExploring Popular Literaturerdquo series This series challenges traditional understandings of ldquoliteraturerdquo emerging from the Middle East and North Africa by presenting genres of creative production that rely on words and language but which have not typically been studied as literature Works are presented in their original language and in translation

In each issue we gather texts from a spectrum of writers to challenge the singular status of the artistauthor and to encourage a more complex presentation of the Middle Eastern and North African ldquostreetrdquo for English-speaking audiences Shahadatrsquos other series ldquoContemporary Literature in Translationrdquo features the work of a single young author in the original language and in English translation

BEHIND THE DOCUMENTShahadat is co-edited by Rayya El Zein Alex Ortiz and ArteEastrsquos Artistic Director Barrak Alzaid All three are young professionals and scholars with artistic inclinations (literature poetry translation and performance) All three have strong connections to New York City and various metropole of the MENA region Shahadat is for us an experiment and a labor of love An editorial board of established scholars and authors is currently being conceived

SPECIAL THANKS TOAnmar El ZeinKinda AkashAndrew JohnstonLivia Alexander

Shahadat logo design by Rima Farouki

114

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Page 29: Shahadat Winter 2012

5756

اركض اركض وخليك راكض

واذا بتفتح متك رح يقلك خليك ساكت رح يقلك انساك من هاملشاكل

حوشوا هالشواك وضبوا شناتكم واشتروا التذاكرففكر شوي وما تكنش أهبل

وين ما تروح في الدنيا رح تتبهدلمش شايف قدامي عم بسمع أصوات بيسألني

ليش لسه عايش هون روح عيش محل تانيبدي احك بس الكلمات مش طالعة من لساني

عنصرية هونن عنصرية هناك عنصرية كل ما اطلع برا الشباك

شيطان بيعمل حاله مالكبس هو بالواقع بدو يعيش بالك

جدار بيمثل عقلية ناس بدهاش تعيش معاك

زي ما صار مبارح صار اليوم اطف التلفزيون امسك مايكروفون

ما مبثل شخص او اشخاص مبثل فكرةاسم احلرية حاملينه

من بلد ما فيه حياة عاديةسواءا ضد االحتالل أو ضد العنصرية

أصواتكم وينايي خلوها تنسمع وتطلع نتائج ايجابية

فكمل كتابة او تسجيل وصدقني شغلك مش رايح عالفاضي

عشان الشي الوحيد اللي رح يروح هو احن اذا منضلنا علقانني فاملاضي

s t o r m t r a p

Run run

Keep running

And if you decide to speak hersquoll tell you just stay silent

Hersquoll tell you forget these problems

Save up some money pack your bags and buy your tickets

Think about it donrsquot be a fool

Wherever you go yoursquoll get humiliated

I canrsquot see in front of me Irsquom hearing voices asking

Why are you still living here Go live somewhere else

I want to respond but the words wonrsquot come out

Racism here racism there

Racism each time I look out the window

A devil in an angelrsquos disguise

In reality he wants to live without you

The apartheid wall represents the mentality of a people who donrsquot care to coexist

What happened yesterday happens today

switch off your TV and grab a microphone

I dont represent a person or a people I represent an idea

An idea called freedom

From a land lacking a normal life

Whether yoursquore struggling against occupation or against racism

Where is your voice

Let it be heard to achieve your goals

So keep writing and recording

Believe me your work wonrsquot be lost in vain

The only thing thatrsquoll disappear is us

If we stay stuck in the past

Zey ma sar mbareh

Stormtrap

null

2009

1728613

eng - Visit httpstormtrapbandcampcom

5958

شو الي حدثجينا من حتت األرض

هيهة القصة بدة عنا هدفوننشر أصواتنا لكل حدا

جيت من حتت أرض رام اللهما ح وقف اكتب كلمات وال مرة

عندي طاقة الزم أطلعها كل يوم وكل ساعةفاو انبنى مع الوقت ولسة عم بيطور تصور

تصورفاو انبنى مع الوقت ولسة عم بيطور تصور

زي ما صار مبارح صار اليوم اطف التلفزيون امسك مايكروفون

زي ما صار مبارح صار اليوم اطف التلفزيون امسك مايكروفون

s t o r m t r a p

What happened

We came from underground

The story begins we have an objective

To spread our voices to everyone

I came from the ruins of Ramallah and

I wonrsquot ever stop writing words

I have energy that I must release every day every hour

A flow thatrsquos been built and is still developing imagine

Imagine a flow thatrsquos been built and is still developing

What happened yesterday happens today

Switch off your TV and grab a microphone

What happened yesterday happens today

Switch off your TV and grab a microphone

T r a n s l a t e d b y t h e a r t i s t

Zey ma sar mbareh

Stormtrap

null

2009

1728613

eng - Visit httpstormtrapbandcampcom

6160

Wake up the People

Donrsquot doubt it

The Maker can see you

Right now

You want to get out and see doe

So clouded

Sell out to be dope

Right now

I see you plagued by your own doubt

Canrsquot step the game up

Like a snake when it rolled down

Staircase of a lone child

No bricks lain in a cold house

Where you sold out

All alone on an old couch

t h e N a r c i c y s t

No click like an untapped phone dial

Oh wow

I felt the same homie

Donrsquot shelter pain only

Then it came slowly

Never let the frame hold me (down)

Picture life for the love though

People tend to look the other way like Columbo

We deceived by the law just to love doe

Guess they took all the worth out to numb folks

And make a severed plan

Out of bitter man

What you want a medal man

Huh Do you really think yoursquore better than Then

All you really need is a long look

Two sixteens and a strong hook like

brassThis track was originally written in English

null

2149748

6362

Wake up the People

Donrsquot doubt it

The Maker can see you

Right now

You want to get out and see doe

So clouded

Sell out to be dope

Right now

Break

Hip hop like a fresh pelvis

Yoursquore gonna regret this shit like a dead Elvis

Busy wishing you could live less selfish

Crabs in a bucket duckinrsquo these dead shellfish

Industry got a brother feeling helpless

With an ill chorus and ride yoursquore more in the tide

When a flow canrsquot keep me above the water

t h e N a r c i c y s t

Let a wave carry me out and push me farther now

Internal Inferno ten journals written but Irsquom still not sure though

Do I really want to tour to jump hurdles To be heard

So-I-Can-Feel-Like-This

Man therersquos something that I might miss--

Naw Irsquove been bluffinrsquo

Lifersquos backwards like Ben Buttonsrsquo

Irsquom in love with the stage fright on a strange night

Feels good to get the words on a page right

Wake up the People

Donrsquot doubt it

The Maker can see you

Right now

You want to get out and see doe

So clouded

Sell out to be dope

Right now

null

2149748

6564

مبارح شفت بلمنام بيروت عمتغرق حتت رماد بركان فحموا الناس بس ال raquoسكاي بارlaquo كان بعده ولعان

بيروت ثبتت حبة الثورة اللي فينا نبتت ملا أحبطت نفوسنا من اجلمود

فينا بيروت حتركت عدم دمارنا وعدم حرية خيارنا

بيوت بيروت تعمرت سكرنا عجفاف دموعنا جفوننا عليها تسكرت فتخمرت

إذا بطلت تطير قدرك عألرض مقهور إذا وقفت تكسير بتصير جزء من الديكور

e l R a s s

Yesterday I dreamt Beirut was drowning under volcanic ash

The people were turned to charcoal but Sky Bar [a posh Beirut club] was still lit up

Beirut suppressed the seed of the revolution the one that sprouted

When our spirits were foiled from immobility

In us Beirut moved

On the blood of our destruction and the negation of our freedom of choice

The houses of Beirut are rebuilt

We got drunk on the dryness of our tears our eyelids closed on them and fermented

If you stop flying your destiny on land is distress

If you stop breaking you become part of the decoration

beirutبركان بيروت rsquos volcano

Blues

2125713

6766

بحاور بناور باآلخر بواجه التاج بتوضى بصلي بتوصلني أصوات أنات احملتاج

تأمل العلم بعري العمل من العمل خياري عنار خفيفة دوب املسمار وتستوي األفكار النظيفة

عمروا دمروا زمروا تذمروا ربك صبره دربه جربه

عقلن خربوا غربوا هربوا وقبلوا بالفن عحيط الشارع

عشرط ما يكون في شك بشارع هيدي مش عاصمة ثقافة هيدي حلبة املصارع بيروت ال تعرف في املاضي وال تعرب باملضارع

حتول التركيبة خلى العقل اجلامد فكر حاله مالك املدينة رقبته طويلة متل مالك احلزين وايده لوزيري

اعتبر نفسه أول مني اكتشف هلجزيرة بأجر الفقير شقق بأسعار مدروسة

بشكل تضل طموحاته ممعوسة نهبوا األرض من ربعي وصارت احلرب شركة استثمار مبفعول رجعي

حتت شعار إعادة اإلعمار لو ما كان خلص دوره وانتهى عقد االيجار

كان احلريري ما طار وما صار مطار احلريري عاصمة لبنان بتوازن بني ضريحني

واتنيناتن عاغتيالن في عالمة استفهام e واحد قدس املوت بس لسبب l R a s s

I discuss I maneuver ultimately I confront the crown

I perform ablutions I pray I receive the moaning of the needy

The meditation of knowledge strips work from hope

My choice is on low fire melting the nails and clean thoughts are ripening

They built they destroyed they honked they complained

Your god made him patient tested him and trained him

Their minds ruined westernized chased off

They accepted art pissed on back alleys

As long as there is no doubt in the streets

This is no capital of culture itrsquos a wrestling ring

Beirut canrsquot speak of itself in the past nor conjugate itself in the present

Transitions and transformations made the closed mind think he owns the city

His neck is long like a stork his fingers long like a politicianrsquos

He thinks himself the first who discovered this peninsula

He lets the poor rent apartments at prices studied

To crush ambitions

They stole the land from my cousins

And the war became a backward-looking investment

Under the slogan of reconstruction

If his time wasnrsquot up and his contract finished

Hariri didnrsquot have to fly and it wouldnrsquot have become the Hariri airport

Lebanonrsquos capital keeps balance between two shrines

And on both assassinations there is a question mark

One sanctifies death but for a reason

Blues

2125713

6968

واحد قدس احلياة بس بالكذب واحد بايدو حتول الذهب سم وواحد تخبى من الذهب بالدم

مني الشهيد

اللي مات حتت صبابيط ثورة عبيد شهيد اللي مات فتحول على حملة اعالنات هدفها ترفع الطايفة معدالت التجنيد

قنابل بالبريد وصل سيوف علوريد حصل

املوت للبليد صنم الصبر للعنيد حلم تأليه الشهيد ظلم

خليط احلديد والدم العالج والسم الرفاه والهم النوعية والكم

الدعارة وورقة التوت مبدينة بيروت علم

e l R a s s

And one sanctifies life with lies

In onersquos hand gold turned into poison

And the other hid from gold with blood

Who is the martyr

The one who died under the shoes of the oppressedrsquos uprising is a martyr

Is it he whose death was transformed into an advertising campaign to raise the levels of

sectarian enlistment

Bombs came in the mail

Swords to the jugular true stories

Death to the cold is statuette

Patience to the stubborn is a dream

Divinity to the martyr is oppression

The mixture of steel and blood the cure and poison

Luxury and distress quality and quantity

Prostitution and modesty

The science of the city of Beirut

T r a n s l a t e d b y M o e A l i N a y e l amp + A z i z

Blues

2125713

7170

بقرأ في اجلريدة زفت شوارع جديدة

إزالة مطبات و كثير أشياء هيك مفيدة أشخاص مستفيدة

دعم من هون و من هون منظمات بس احلرية بعيدة

مقاطعة مستوطنات تعون الضفة الغربية وطنية حصرية إدعائية

طب و فلسطني التاريخية مع ألساس كانت القدس عاصمة الثقافة العربية

بس كلوحكي سياسية للشعب إحنا نتحمل الشغل و التعب و الوضع صعب

b o i k u t t

Irsquom reading in the paper

About roads newly paved

Speed bumps removed and a lot of other useful stuff (yes very)

Certain inviduals benefit

Funding from here and there

Organizations are plentiful but freedom is far-fetched

Calling for a boycott of settlements around the West Bank

Pretentious exclusive nationalism

But what about historical Palestine

I thought Jerusalem was supposed to be the ldquocapital of Arab cultureldquo

But itrsquos all political speeches for the people

We put up with the work and the sweat and itrsquos rough

a letterرسالة من مقاطعة from boikutt

risaleh mn muqataa (pt1)

boikutt

null

2010

1086983

eng - iTunPGAP0

eng - iTunNORM 00000A1E 00000A0E 000099D9 000098A0 0000CC63 0000CC63 0000826D 000080B0 000131D0 000131D0

eng - iTunSMPB 00000000 00000210 000008F3 000000000049197D 00000000 0027BA9D 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000

7372

يقنعونا إن كلشي متام و بقدر أعيش حياة عادية

زي في األفالم على مبس واحد إثنني ثالثة أربعة إلخ

كن منيح و بتنزل عليك املصاري زخ نصيحة من أخ ألخ

خليك مستقل ألن اللعبة إنلعب فإبعد عن الفخ

خليهم يقعدوا يستنوا الدعم ليموتوا يلفلفوا داخل اجلدار حلد ما يفوتوا

في متاهات مبسافات مش محددة مجددة لتوسع التوسع مش مهددة

إنتهاك احتالل بس مش على الكل

في ناس في فلسطني هون حياتهم زي الفل مش عارف شو بيفكر

شكلوا مش داري شي يوم حنروح كل الدكاكني هي حتسكر

سالم

b o i k u t t

Try to convince me that everythingrsquos fine

And that I can lead a normal life

Like in the movies

On MBC one two three four etcetera

Be good and money will rain on you

Advice from one brother to another

Stay independent because the games are being played

So steer clear of the trap

Let them wait for foreign aid until they die

Spinning in circles within the apartheid wall until they enter

Into unlimited mazes with unspecified spaces

That are renewed to fit settlement expansion unthreatened

Violation occupation

But not for everyone

There are people here in Palestine living ldquothe good lifeldquo

I donrsquot know what hersquos thinking

Seems like he doesnrsquot know one day wersquoll be gone

And all these shops will close

Peace

T r a n s l a t e d b y t h e a r t i s t w i t h L o u b n a B i l a l i

risaleh mn muqataa (pt1)

boikutt

null

2010

1086983

eng - iTunPGAP0

eng - iTunNORM 00000A1E 00000A0E 000099D9 000098A0 0000CC63 0000CC63 0000826D 000080B0 000131D0 000131D0

eng - iTunSMPB 00000000 00000210 000008F3 000000000049197D 00000000 0027BA9D 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000

7574

الضغط عاليالعدو فات جاري احملادثات

صمت دوليكمية الغازى عم تزداد

تهجير جديد مولود جديدتكرر عزو مش تارك ورا شي مفيد غير غراب

من كل البيت ما تركو شي إال البابمن االرض ل سما مسافة عاليه

إمشي الصحرا وعد لياليوجنوما

كمشوا رئيس دولة بجورةحصار

توزيع مخدراتباألحمر تلون الفرات سجون معتقالتقبلة الوداع مع الصبات

تنصت بالشبكة خيانات باألزهر

k a t i b e h 5

The pressure is high

The enemy has entered discussions are taking place

Global silence

The numbers of the occupier are increasing

A new expulsion A newborn child

The perpetuation of an invasion that leaves behind it nothing of any use except for a crow

From an entire house they left nothing but the door

From the ground to the sky is a long distance

Walk the desert and count the nights

And its stars

They caught a president in a pit

Siege

Drug dealing the Euphrates is stained red prisons detention centers

A farewell kiss with a shoe

Networks wiretapped betrayals in Al Azhar

hold me back ifهديني اذا فيك you can

null

23098943

7776

حوار أديانالكف تنجس

متسح فيه وجك مع كل شروق عالوضوءتسمع شرارة فتيل مولوتوف ينادي أصوات تتلبى

باإلنفجار

هديني إذا فيك صرت موجود بكل مكانوجي مغبش عامل زي جيش زباتا

منصرخ بوجكم raquoاحلرية ل برغوتيlaquoإعالمكو بيعرفني كلماتكو حملت إسمي

شركاتكو بتهرب مني )كتيبه خمسه هديتي إذا فيك(

بتالقيني بني والد حفظوا غنية املخيماتبنفسية فالح عمال يزو املدينة

افالم تافهةبرنامج تافه

بتدور على مخك بتالقي مش موجوداخلليج يتحكم بإعالم

هادول حبوب التنومي ٦1 سنة بعدن مش شغالني

عالمادامك واخد وجهة نظري

ع محمل اجلدمسموح لك تستعجب وتظهر إنزعاجك بوجودي

ألني صديق لكل املشاهد الغير مرغوبة فيهاش بيختار حياتو بالتحديد بحكيلك هيك منحياها ومحد

ضغط رصاص وابارود بخليكاش حتيدالتجارب بتدلك عطريق

هديتي إذا فيك

k a t i b e h 5

A dialogue of religions

The hand is tainted

And with it you cleanse your face at ablution each sunrise

You hear the sparking of the fuse of a molotov calling voices respond

Explosion

Hold me back if you can I have become present everywhere

My face is concealed like the army of Zapata

We shout in your face ldquoFreedom for Barghoutildquo

Your media knows me your words have glimpsed my name

Your corporations flee from me

(Katibe Khamseh hold me back if you can)

Yoursquoll find me among children that have memorized the song ldquoAl Moukhayamatldquo

In the persona of a peasant that is visiting the city

Shallow films

Shallow programs

You look for your mind but you find it is not there

The Gulf controls media with its boundaries

These sleeping pills 61 years and theyrsquore still not effective

Great

As long as you are taking my point of view seriously

Yoursquore allowed to be taken aback and to show your irritation

Just like you show your irritation at my presence

Because I am a friend to all the images that are not desirable

This is how we live out these images and no one chooses their life specifically Irsquoll tell you

The pressure of bullets and gunpowder does not allow you to move away

Experience will guide you on the road

Hold me back if you can

null

23098943

7978

موقف واحد صريح من صميم روح لشعوب املقاومة ضمير ظهور البشرية

السبيل صعب ورا الغضبدعم لكل أسالوب محارب

د لنحرق نظامك منتدرب منجرب منخرب منستععم نحرق نظامك

هديتي إذا فيك

إطلع منيحمش رح تقدر توخذ كل شي من أول نظرة

نظرة عامة raquoبشرة مش بيضةlaquoجبني عريضة مكتوب مولود عنيد بالفطرة

فوت بالتقاليد عد التجاعيدلك هاي مش أول مرة

لغات ودراسات حط العلم بغالفمش رح تقدر تفهم ليه بعد في بارود ع الكتافلون األرض ولون الليل بيعطيك البني و السواد

بوعدك مش لوحدي رح أضل عد رماد الال اللعبة اجلديدة وال والدنا ع اللعبة جداد

بكفيش إنفلونزا الصقور صار في إنفلونزا اخلنازيرموسم مرض جديد لرئيس مبثل ع نفوس ومريض بهدوء البيض

هديتي إذا فيك

k a t i b e h 5

A single honest stance from the bottom of the soul for the people of the resistance the conscience

that exposes humanity

The path is difficult when following anger

A support for every style of battle

We train we strive we disrupt we prepare to burn your system

We are burning your system

Hold me back if you can

Look closely

You wonrsquot be able to see it all at first sight

An overview ldquocomplexion that is not whiteldquo

A broad forehead written born stubborn by nature

Look at the traditions and count the wrinkles

This is not the first time

Languages and scholarship put education under wraps

You wonrsquot be able to understand why there is still gunpowder on shoulders

The color of earth and the color of night gives you brown and blackness

I promise you that I will not be alone to count the ashes no

This game to us is not new and nor are our children new to the game

As if the influenza of eagles was not enough now therersquos the influenza of pigs

The season of a new disease for a president acting for a public and sick with the

calmness of white people

Hold me back if you can

null

23098943

8180

اإلحتالل نكه البشر بنكهة املجاريبالسالم حوار أديانبإقرار ملكية كذابة

بتشويه تاريخ وسرقة حضاراتولك أه

فلسطني إفريقيا الدجلة والفراتإجتاه البشرية لإلضمحالل سرطان بشري بعضها

الشتا ميسح اخلطايا واآلثاروليش بتتخبى وبتتغطى بنفس كل سفارة سميك الستار

لساتني باكل الضربة ورا الضره ورا الضربةوحتى ما أفعل وأساوي تكمشني الرجفة

بدل ما أضرب فيك بضرب بحاليبوعدكش حضلني كامش حالي حفلتها

حفلتها

هديني إذا فيك هديني إذا فيكهديني إذا فيك

k a t i b e h 5

The occupation has seasoned humanity with the flavor of sewers

With peace with dialogue of religions

With the declaration of false ownership

With the distortion of history and the theft of civilizations

Oh yes

Palestine Africa the Tigris and Euphrates

Humanity is leading to reduction a human cancer bites it

Exile wipes clean the sins and the traces

And why are you hiding and seeking cover when all the embassies are already well concealed

I am still taking one beating after another

And so that I donrsquot take action and do something shudders grip my body

Instead of beating you I beat myself

I canrsquot promise you that I can keep myself restrained

Irsquom gonna let go

Hold me back if you can

Hold me back if you can

Hold me back if you can

T r a n s l a t e d b y R i m a N a j d i a n d F a y s a l B i b i

null

23098943

8382

طول عمر الشعب املصري مع بعض أحلك الظروفبص وفر في التاريخ وانت ياما هاتشوف

الدين ده ليا وليكوفيا وفيك

حاجة روحانية بتخليك حتس اللي بيك

ايد في ايد نبني فيها من جديد

مصر زعلت علي حاصل وسطنا مش مفيد

بعد ثورة وبعد عيد فتنة تقتل حلم واتتحقق لنا

واحد اتننيالذكري بتعيش اكتر من عمر االنسان

بصمتنا تغييرنا جوة وبرة امليدان مش هانضيع نصر ثورتنا بفتنة نشئت بينا

A r a b i a n K n i g h t s + M C G a z a + A m e e r

The Egyptian people have always stuck together

Through the worst times look at history

And see how often wersquove been there for each other

That whole idea of religion

Is for you and for me something spiritual that makes you feel whatrsquos inside you

Hand in hand

We build Egypt up again

Egypt is angry at whatrsquos happening between us

Itrsquos not helpful

After the revolution after the celebration

Sectarian strife is killing the dream we fulfilled

One two

The memory lasts more than a lifetime

Our mark is our change in and outside Tahrir Square

We wonrsquot give up the victory of our revolution in exchange for sectarian strife between

us

hand inايد في ايد hand

Eid Fe Eid

Yasser Ameer Youssef Rush E Money amp MCGaza | by BOGEY

Single Hit track 11

20112011

Hip-Hop

24002867

eng - Hip-Hop 4 Life

eng - iTunNORM 000005E2 0000058E 0000424E 00003537 00026E95 0001C2B3 00008000 00008000 00005045 00005045

8584

بلدنا محتجانا ايدنا واحدة ضد احملنة تفرق ايه معاك ديانتي ملا ربك هو ربي

اصلك هو اصلي ارضك هي ارضي

ملا اتقال لي اكتت فيول فتنة انا قولت غلط علشان الفتنة مفتعلة في بلدنا وكان وراها غرض

فالفرد افترض فبفرض السياسة األمر اختلط

فالزم يبقي املصل سياسي من اصل املرض العسس واحلرس مافرقوش صليب وهالل

وكنا كلنا واحد وراء االقفالدم الشهيد شاهد

ياما بالفتنة انكسرنا وحدتنا بصوت واحد وضد الظلم انتصرنا

وديني هو ديني صلة بيني وبني ربي هارفع علمي وارفع راسي فوق

انا مصري

ايد في ايد نبني فيها من جديد

مصر زعلت علي حاصل وسطنا مش مفيد

بعد ثورة وبعد عيد فتنة تقتل حلم واتتحقق لنا

خلو حمامة السالم من الطيور املنقرضةعلشان تبقي القلوب مبتعدة منقسمه سهل تتسم

فكرين مناعة و قوة أم الدنيا بالطمع مرتبطةنسر املصريني ليس له دين احنا بنحميها بالدم

العنف بذوره بتكتر عاوز يوصل واحلروب حتصل

A r a b i a n K n i g h t s + M C G a z a + A m e e r

Our country needs us all together against the hard times

What difference does my religion make to you when your god is my god

Your origin is mine

Your land is my land

When they told me about sectarian strife I said thatrsquos wrong

Because itrsquos been planted in our country and behind it is some purpose

Makes one think somethingrsquos going on

By playing politics everythingrsquos gotten mixed up

The antidote has to be political just like the poison itself

The military doesnrsquot distinguish between cross and crescent

Wersquore all held together behind bars

The blood of the martyrs bears witness

To how much wersquove been broken by sectarianism

Through our unity we triumphed with one voice over injustice

And my religion is my own a rapport between me and God

Irsquoll raise my flag and my head up

Irsquom Egyptian

Hand in hand

We build Egypt up again

Egypt is angry at whatrsquos happening between us

Itrsquos not helpful

After the revolution after the victory

Sectarian strife is killing the dream we fulfilled

They drove the dove of peace to extinction

To keep hearts apart and divided itrsquos easy to poison them

Do they really think the resilience and strength of Egypt is connected to greed

The Egyptian eagle has no religion we protect it with our blood

The roots of violence are increasing want to gain control to start wars

Eid Fe Eid

Yasser Ameer Youssef Rush E Money amp MCGaza | by BOGEY

Single Hit track 11

20112011

Hip-Hop

24002867

eng - Hip-Hop 4 Life

eng - iTunNORM 000005E2 0000058E 0000424E 00003537 00026E95 0001C2B3 00008000 00008000 00005045 00005045

8786

للعاقيدة يكسر وألعضاء املشاعر تتشال تصتأصلعلى كالم ربهم اتكبرو فعملو قدر واتقدر

وقته مستنينه ليه خططوا مضمون الرسائل اتغير الن الهدف هو تدمير قعدة الوحدهوقتل كل قائد يقود الناس بره احملنه

فيبقي سهل يزيحنا ميحي أوصول عليها كبرناوكل واحد علي حداه يقول أنا محدش يقول احنا

فاببطء بحرص بص بعقل بحذر شوفقبل ما يخلوا خيالك يتخلله اخلوف

واخلوف ده افراز بيطلع من غده ملا الكلب بيشوفهابيعرف انك فاريسه سهل ياكلها ركز

فرق تسد إخلعوفق جتد إرفع

ثورة تقدصمت يفرد- يفرق

ما بيجمع بيننامن حقي النقد من حقك - تسمع

طب إسمع وراجع ما صور التاريخ طب باله بيكفي صور زمانييوم حصار كنيسة املهد مني دافع مني اتقمع مني اتنفا

مسلم مسيحي أل كان فلسطيني اتذكر معي ثورة غضب يناير

اتذكر معي الوحدة اإليد الوحدة اتشرف انتا مصرياتذكر معي األخ بإيد األخ يحمي األخ بدون إلخ

كالمي ماشي ماشي ال-لتفهمني بهويتي مسلم وال نصراني قبطي

ما في حجة لربطي خلبطي حلطي ألوطي ألغير خطيخير أجناد األرض

من أرض بيت املقدس كل السالم بعد ما قلت إلنقسام في وطنيانا ملزم أقول ال لفتنة

تفتت مجد شعب تعب عانى ضحى بالغالي حتى بناه

A r a b i a n K n i g h t s + M C G a z a + A m e e r

The relationship between Egyptians breaks down and the organs that feel are taken out

They got full of themselves in the name of their god and invented a new fate for us

Theyrsquore waiting for a time and theyrsquore plotting The meaning of their messages changes

Because the goal is to destroy the foundation of unity

And kill every leader who takes the people out of hard times

Itrsquos easy to remove us to wipe out the traditions we grew up with

Everyone on his own everyone says ldquoIldquo and no one says ldquoweldquo

Slowly carefully look Wisely with caution see

Before they make your imagination a slave to fear

And that fear releases a secretion from a gland

And when the dog sees it he knows yoursquore easy prey

Divide yoursquoll conquer

Bring harmony and yoursquoll reap Start

A revolution and it will catch on

Silence is solitary It divides

It doesnrsquot bring us together

It is my right to criticize and your right to listen

So listen and look back at history or better look at my life time

The day the Nativity Church was under siege who was persecuted Who was exiled

A Muslim A Christian No he was Palestinian

Letrsquos remember the angry revolution of January

Letrsquos remember the unity the one hand Be proud yoursquore Egyptian

Remember the brother holding hands with a brother protecting a brother

And I can go on

Donrsquot teach me about my identity whether Irsquom a Muslim or a Christian Copt

Therersquos no excuse to tie me down beat me to make me cower and kneel and stray from my courseThe Earthrsquos most virtuous soldiers

Come from the land of Bayt al-Maqdis [Jerusalem] I salute you After I said no to division in my countryIrsquom committed to saying no to seditionThat dissolves the glory of a people who labored suffered sacrificed what was most dear to build it

T r a n s l a t e d b y A l e x O r t i z + A h m e d S h a w k e t + K h a l e d A l H i l l i

Eid Fe Eid

Yasser Ameer Youssef Rush E Money amp MCGaza | by BOGEY

Single Hit track 11

20112011

Hip-Hop

24002867

eng - Hip-Hop 4 Life

eng - iTunNORM 000005E2 0000058E 0000424E 00003537 00026E95 0001C2B3 00008000 00008000 00005045 00005045

8988

الفن واملواهب زي حرب الكواكب الكل عايز يكون جنم صراع في الداخل

بهدي جنون العظمة بفلفل حر توابل تسيل دموع زي القنابل

زي مابتكلم وداني شغالة كون سامع نبض الشارع علشان أ

حالف أقضي على اإلعالم املتآمر مغامر في الكالم بس إنت مش سامع

ملا بأمسك القلم والورقة الهم بينزاح مخي بيرتاح بأقول اللي على البال

ملا بأقعد بحس بتأنيب ضمير كون في ستوديو بسجل على بيت خطير مفروض أ

e l D e e b + S t o r m t r a p

Art and talent are like Star Wars

Secretly everyone wants to be a star of conflict

I make megalomania tranquil with chilli hot spices

Tears flow like bombs

Thatrsquos how I talk and the world keeps moving

So that I can hear the pulse of the streets

Irsquove sworn to obliterate the media conspirators

I am adventurous in my speech but you do not hear

When I hold the pen and the paper my anxiety is lifted

My mind relaxes and I say whatrsquos on it

When I sit down I feel guilty

I should be in the studio recording dangerous beats

addictأدمان الشهرة ion to fame

Edman El Shuhra

Stormtrap amp Mohamed El Deeb

2011

Hip-Hop

15305855

- vocals Mohamed El Deeb Stormtrap13produced by Stormtrap

9190

إحساس غريب إنك تدمن الكالم ارسم يا فنان واخترع زي دافينشي الرسام

ولو مفيش ورقة باستخدم تليفوني خايف إن فكرة متعديش على صوتي

دنيا غريبة يوم مر يوم بونبوني بس أنا عمري ماغيرت لوني

املوسيقى بنادولي وبطابعي فضولي مهما قالوا لي هافهمها مبفهومي فـساعات أالقي نفسي بكلم نفسي واسمع أصوات غريبة في دماغي

وهو ده الصدى الصوت اللي بسمعه اكن مفيش حد فارقة معاه احالمي

شوف شوف مش هدف إنو أنا شخصيا أنا

هدفي انه كلماتي وموسيقتي تنتشرعشان هيك حتشوفني دوما مستمر مستثمر

كل وقتي كل طاقتي على أصواتي خوذ شك خوذ حتويل خوذ كاش

بس ما تنساش أي شي بيتعلق بالواقع بدناش ما تخاف ألنها قضيتنا مش منسية مية باملية هايذي ثورة كمان ثقافية

خليني أوضح هاي املوسيقى مش معمولة للتلفازeهاي املوسيقى مش معمولة لهز الطياز l D e e b + S t o r m t r a p

Strange feeling to be out of words

Paint oh artist and discover like Da Vinci the artist

If I donrsquot have paper I use my cell

I am afraid that the idea does not come through my voice

Strange world one day is bitter another like candy

But Irsquove never changed my color

Music is my Tylenol and my nature curious

So whatever they tell me Irsquoll understand it my way

Sometimes I find myself talking to myself

And I hear weird voices in my head

Which is just the echo of the sound I hear

As if no one cares about my dreams

See see

My goals are not self serving

My goal is that my words and music spread

Thatrsquos why yoursquoll see me always and continuously investing

All my time my energy on my sounds

Take a check take a transfer take cash

But never forget anything related to reality wersquore not interested

Donrsquot be afraid because our cause is not forgotten

One hundred percent this is also a cultural revolution

Let me explain this music is not meant to be televised

This music is not made for booty shaking

Edman El Shuhra

Stormtrap amp Mohamed El Deeb

2011

Hip-Hop

15305855

- vocals Mohamed El Deeb Stormtrap13produced by Stormtrap

9392

مش فاهم ليش الكل قاتل حاله يكون في مسابقةحابني نتصابح حياكم زات املكافحة

واالعالم ميت ع حيالله قصة ما بيدرس هالقصة من نصها

وبعدن بينفخهامش احلق علينا اذا ما بيبحثوا

وملا يبدوا يحكوا عنا أل عنجد بيبعصوابيفكروا انه كل شي هشك بشك

بس حدن الزم يقلهم انه الهب هوب مش هيكبدك تدير بالك عشانها هاي اللحظة احلاسمة

ملا يجوا عليك الديب والعاصفةنكسر حدود وبنبني وحدة عشان نحيي مجتماعاتنا

وننهي معانتناعشان هيك منكتب كلمات صريحة والها معنى

مش للشهرة مش حتى يجي حدن يدفعلنا

e l D e e b + S t o r m t r a p

I donrsquot understand why everyone is killing themselves to be in the contest

Wersquod like to say goodmorning to salute you in this same struggle

The mediarsquos dying for any story

But they donrsquot study the storyrsquos real text

And then they blow it out of proportion

Itrsquos not our fault if they donrsquot search

And when they talk about us then they really screw it up

They think everything is empty pointless

Somebody needs to tell them that hip hop is not like that

You should take care because this is the critical moment

When the wolf and storm come haunting you

We break borders and we create a unity to revitalize our communities

And stop our suffering

That is why we write frank words that have meaning

Itrsquos not for fame or even so that someone pays us

T r a n s l a t e d b y N i z a r G h a n e m

Edman El Shuhra

Stormtrap amp Mohamed El Deeb

2011

Hip-Hop

15305855

- vocals Mohamed El Deeb Stormtrap13produced by Stormtrap

9594

حضل عهل مود يعنيما إنتلك النجوم عم تقرب

بهل ال مود حكون عطول لبهل جنوم إدءر لو مضطر شن هجوم عل النجوم كلها

خللي األرض تدور حول أصبعي تنلك

ما إنتلك متلي متلك مولع طيار ألفكاري من العقدي تنفك فرد قعدي بني 4 حيطان ما بتنهز و منها ما بنهز

يلز املا بينلزالكاس عل الطاولي و منو عم مز مز

لتفتل براصي وحس من حالي عم كز كزعل ورقة كالمي مدروس و ما بزت زت بجرب ما عيد حالي متا يقولو عم نق نق

موزع قافياتي جواز كأن عم فت فت

بهل األطشة خلي الديني اللي تسمعني ترن رنFبسبيلي جاري يوم ع يوم عم برك رك a r e e q e l A t r a s h

Irsquoll stay in this mood

Didnrsquot I tell you The stars are getting closer

Irsquoll stay in this mood until I touch these stars

Even if I have to launch an attack on all the stars

Irsquoll make the Earth rotate around my finger I told you

Didnrsquot I tell you Irsquom just like you I lit up a joint so my ideas would untie their knot

Sitting this way in between four walls I wonrsquot budge

The most delectable

Drink is on the table from which Irsquom taking sips

Till my head starts spinning and Irsquom sick of myself

On the paper my words are calculated I donrsquot just toss them about

I try not to repeat myself so they wonrsquot say Irsquom nagging

I deal my rhymes out like theyrsquore cards

In this verse Irsquoll make those ears ring

My fountain is running and every day I excel

tالنجوم عم تقرب he stars are gett ing closer

null

29781717

9796

لضل ماشي جالس بينما غيري عم بلك لك شريط معلق ريحة العة عم بتفح فحكل ما فتح متو بتالقي عم بكب كب

عايشها إرهاب و مفي إال بسب سببزبالتي ما بكبو تيكون بعلمك

األالف مسم و بحياتو ما بينسم بزقة من هل التم تخلي سقفك ينش نش

تلمو ردم و ما تفكر إنو ترد رد و عم بحكي عالواطي متا الصالي فيك ترج رج

بطبعي عاقل بس بالراب بزل زل عل الرايق بال ما نط وال فز فز

type of shitعال بارد أبرد من شباط بس يقز قزتخلي عضامك ع بعض تسك سك

ما إنتلك النجوم عم تقرب بهل ال مود حكون عطول لبهل جنوم إدءر

لو مضطر شن هجوم عل النجوم كلهاخللي األرض تدور حول أصبعي تنلك

أنا متنبئ بنبه و بحقق ما قلتلك بعد وقتها ما عم نكت

عاملكرفون إبرة هرون عم بشكشك في شكcheck one two

هيك بدسدس عالنبض

F a r e e q e l A t r a s h

So I can walk straight when others are still playing

A broken record that reeks of a musty smell

Every time he opens his mouth he spews them out

He lives in terror and all he does is curse

I wouldnrsquot throw him in my garbage just so you know

Irsquove irritated thousands and never been irritated in my life

One spit out of this mouth will make your roof leak

And yoursquoll pick up the rubble and donrsquot even think about answering back

Irsquom talking in a low voice so the hall wonrsquot shake with you in it

Irsquom reasonable by nature but when it comes to rap I humiliate cold-heartedly

Without jumping or leaping around

I do it coldly colder than icy February-type of shit

Irsquoll make your bones rattle against each other

Didnrsquot I tell you The stars are getting closer

Irsquoll stay in this mood until I touch these stars

Even if I have to launch an attack on all the stars

Irsquoll make the Earth rotate around my finger I told you

Irsquom a psychic I predict and deliver

Didnrsquot I tell you to stand back when Irsquom not joking

Irsquom pricking the microphone with a heroin needle Is there any doubt

Check one two

Thatrsquos how I feel the pulse

null

29781717

9998

بدقق و زتزت حكي بتزجزج كأنها مزهزها عم بتشمشم عم خطط عم تكتيك و مني ملحلح من هون للساعة توقف تك تيك تك تيك

لك ليك منفخ حاله عامبيكازيب عا غيري بس بوجهي بتاءتإوجهه بيباءبإ من أد ما بعصب بسبسب

زر إنذار إذني بتطنطن و بشوف من عالباب عم بدقدق

عكروت بدو يفوت ليشوف الفن فني بس الفن هون بجسمي معبأ

من حلقي طايف و من متي عم بت شرشر و بيس البيس زلزال برجرج خليك تضبضب تنضب بالبيت لتكنكن

و أنا متأسف ألني بدي استأذن بس بعد شفت كابتشينو بتصحصح

ما إنتلك النجوم عم تقرببهل ال مود حكون عطول لبهل جنوم إدءر

لو مضطر شن هجوم عل النجوم كلهاخللي األرض تدور حول أصبعي تنلك

هيدا هب هوبمش هبل و ال بهل

هيدا زجل تتغزل في

ورايي إيقاع عليي إتبع و ما إطلع عنو يا بصير متل غير مسيس

زقفوا مع االيقاعزقفوا مع االيقاع

F a r e e q e l A t r a s h

Checking and hurling words that tickle as if I was high and sniffing

I am planning and scheming and Irsquom not going anywhere till the clock stops ticking

Look hersquos so full of it lying to others but in my face he stutters

And his face turns red from all the anger and he curses

My earsrsquo alarm bells start ringing

And I go to see whorsquos knocking at the door

Some bastard who wants to see where ldquothe artldquo is

But the art is right here packed in my body

Flowing from my throat running out of my mouth

And the bass is an earthquake that shakes and forces you to pack up and go home

And Irsquom sorry because I need to take leave

But after a sip of cappuccino yoursquoll come around

Didnrsquot I tell you The stars are getting closer

Irsquoll stay in this mood

Until I touch these stars even if I have to launch an attack on all the stars

Irsquoll make the Earth rotate around my finger I told you

This is hip hop

Itrsquos not stupid nor dumb

Itrsquos zajal [a form of Arabic poetry in the Levant]

That you flirt with

There is a beat that I have to follow canrsquot lose it or Irsquoll be like other MCs

Clap with the beat

Clap with the beat

T r a n s l a t e d b y K h a l e d A l H i l l i

null

29781717

101100

انا ببلعهم بتفهم وال مره بسبهمبخليهم داميا يضاربو بتفكيرهم

أنا وراهم قدامهم جنابهم محتلهممش طايقهم مرات وزنهم بكون منزلهم

مرتبهم صاففهم وبقلم أنا حاكمهم زاتتهم مش عاجبيني أنا ماحيهم قائدهم وبنفس الوقت أنا عبيدهم

وبفك وربط أنا بلعب مبعانيهمانا حاميهم بأسطر اللي تقويهم

انا واعدهم اني أستر على فاضحهم ومطلعهم بصوره اللي تبشعهم

بس أنا محترمهم وبسطور ساجنهم مكتفهم كأسير بجنازير القهر

ومهديهم بحبل اللي يبشر بالصبر وانا لي الفخر أكون الشوك اللي فيهم

Dوأكون القهر اللي داميا يسقيهم A M

Yo this is dedicated to the lyrics

Irsquom swallowing them spitting them never dissing them

Giving them freedom of speech

Irsquom behind them in front of them because of them always standing with them

Sometimes get sick of them sick of how you abuse them

Gather them in line with my pen I order them

Didnrsquot like it Throwing them out and replacing them

Irsquom their leader and also their slave

Small changes make huge differences

I train them in pages to make them strong

Promising to use them not abuse them

Or allow the wrong mouths to utter them

Approach them with a military mind and find peace in them

Irsquom lucky to be full of thorns and even luckier that I found the lyrics

So theyrsquoll help me find the roses in me

wordsكلمات

null

26837427

103102

raquoالكل سمعك بس السؤال اذا اللي سمعك فهمكlaquoكلمات ليست كالكلمات بل raquoعالماتlaquo

اللي توجهنا وين مابدنا عحبال السيرك هي تثبتنا ريح العالم من كل جهه اذا احنا ضعاف بتوقعنا بس

raquoأل بلمره ألlaquo raquoكلمات عندي طنlaquoكل واحده الها هدف اخدت حرف عحرف

نسجت جمل اللي البسهم وقت البرد raquoراح اضلني اناديlaquo raquoبنحكي كلماتlaquo

انت بتعرف انهم مبنصب شهاد بحكو املاضي وتنبوا حاضر أي بالد

قد ماحكيت قد ما أحكي فش كالم يغطي بسفي كالم يربي وينمي انت بس أروي

في شوف انه قوه والقوه بتقويفيك و أن رويته مصيره يسقيك )مثل للقوه( العدو من أمامكم

والبحر من ورائكم فال تخيبوا أسيادكمفأين أشعاركم وأين مجادلتكم

فأنتم تسكتون وتخمدون أحالمكم)انهي( نهيت ورجعت للعامية بكلمات

مرمية طالعه من عقليه شعبيهمتل جنيب اللي بذاكرة كل واحد محفوظ مدروس واذا أل معناته في خلل معكوس

عاملجتمع اللي قمع كتاباته Dاللي سمح لنسيانه يشيل خطواته A M

ldquoThey all hear you but few listen to youldquo

Lyrics ainrsquot just a bunch of words they are ldquosignsldquo

Leading us stabilizing us on tight ropes

Winds every way if we are thin we will fall

ldquoBut hell noldquo ldquoyou can measure my words in tonsldquo

Every word has a meaning I knitted a letter with another letter

Made warm sentences to wear in cold days

ldquoSo Irsquoll still shoutldquo ldquowe control lyricsldquo

You know lyrics are like a witness

They witnessed the past and forecast the future

As much as I said or say I canrsquot describe them

But there is a way to find the description and thatrsquos through them

Quench the thirst of the pages with them

So in the future itrsquoll quench your thirst

Keep feeding them as soon as they grow up

Theyrsquoll give you strength

ldquoExample for the strengthldquo

ldquoThe enemy is before you the sea is behind you

So donrsquot you dare disappoint our ancestors

Where are our deep poems Where are our strong statements

From generation to generation we kill our dreamsldquo

ldquoEnough philosophizingldquo ok lets get back to street talk

Words coming outta simple minds

Like Najeeb Mahfuz [literally lsquowell-rememberedrsquo also a famous author]

They keep living in our minds

And if you donrsquot know who he is - then I rest my case

null

26837427

105104

raquoالكل سمعك بس السؤال اذا اللي سمعك فهمكlaquoكلمات ليست كالكلمات بل raquoعالماتlaquo

اللي توجهنا وين مابدنا عحبال السيرك هي تثبتنا ريح العالم من كل جهه اذا احنا ضعاف بتوقعنا بس

raquoأل بلمره ألlaquo raquoكلمات عندي طنlaquoكل واحده الها هدف اخدت حرف عحرف

نسجت جمل اللي البسهم وقت البرد raquoراح اضلني اناديlaquo raquoبنحكي كلماتlaquo

ألف با كبايه أوعك تكسرهاامسكها للنهاية وكل ما تفضى مليها

كلمه أو رواية ومع املراحل زيدها شيحكاية وهيك ضلك زود فيها

وجيبها لتجمعاتك وساعتها استعملها لنقاشاتك وملواقفك استخدمها

هادي مدافعك اللي مداها بسيطرتك وما دافعك انه ما تخليها رايتك

ما هي تكتب ما هي توصف ما هي تكذب ما هي تنصف

ما هي هي الهروب هياللجوء هي الدروب هي

العبور باحلدود واللي مبرؤهم مبدع وبفوز باخللود واللي بسرقهم مش مقنع

واذا بتديهم احلرية بنادوك ممنوعDواذا بتوخد احلريه بنادوك مسموح A M

ldquoThey all hear you but few listen to youldquo

Lyrics ainrsquot just a bunch of words they are ldquosignsldquo

Leading us stabilizing us on tight ropes

Winds every way if we are thin we will fall

ldquoBut hell noldquo ldquoyou can measure my words in tonsldquo

Every word has a meaning I knitted a letter with another letter

Made warm sentences to wear in cold days

ldquoSo Irsquoll still shoutldquo ldquowe control lyricsldquo

The Arabic alphabet is like a glass donrsquot break it

Hold it tight and keep filling it

And then bring it to our arguments

Scream till your throat gets dry and then wet it

It holds our body itrsquos like our legs

If you stand for nothing yoursquoll fall for anything

The words write create

They kill lead and sometimes even lie

You can use them to build borders

And those who are gifted

Can use them to walk through borders

And in some governments

Itrsquos forbidden to give words freedom

But if you choke them and kill them

Thatrsquos allowed

F i g u r a t i v e t r a n s l a t i o n o f f e r e d b y t h e a r t i s t s

null

26837427

107106

further reading

The tracks presented in this document are not a comprehensive sampling of the genre of the market of hip hop in Arabic or of hip hop and rap in the wider Middle East

Artists featured here hail from Egypt Lebanon Palestine and the anglophone Arab diaspora The thriving North African hip hop scene is not represented nor is the work of the established francophone Arab diaspora nor the expanding hip hop scenes of especially Iran or Turkey

This collection does not attempt a comprehensive chronology Tracks featured here are not primarily new releases (though some are) neither are they all ldquoclassicsrdquo These limitations of scope are important to note

Many tracks of the popular Libyan group Ibn Thabitt and other groups from across the region have been translated and are hosted with commentary on the notable blog

revolutionaryarabrapblogspotcom

Another valuable resource is the Beirut-based blog by Jackson Allers ldquoBeats and Breathrdquo which features articulate critiques and reviews of events and releases from the region

jacksonallerswordpresscom

Hass Dennaoui (alias Big Hass) who recently launched started the first all hip-hop FM radio show in Saudi Arabia Laish Hip Hop (Why Hip Hop) manages a lively blog which

hosts an internet feed of his radio show and interviews with MCs and influential hip hop figures from around the world

revoltradioblogspotcom

Lebaneseundergroundcom hosts coverage of underground music in Lebanon including hip hop

And finally an excellent article by Hishaam Aidi on implications of the use of hip hop as foreign policy ldquoThe Grand (Hip-Hop) Chessboard Race Rap and Raison DrsquoEtatrdquo was published in The Middle East Report Fall 2011 Excerpts of the piece were published by Al Jazeera English in the article ldquoLeveraging Hip Hop in US Foreign Policyrdquo

All the artists and many of the translators whose work is showcased here host a significant online presence Their sites are listed with more about each of them on the following pages

109108

artist bios

ARABIAN KNIGHTZ the premier hip hop group from the land of the Nile River have not only established themselves as the lyricists with the sharpest swords in their land but they have also created the most consistent voice for rebellion strength and hope for the youth of the Middle East During the 2011 Revolution Arabian Knightz released two singles ldquoRebelrdquo and ldquoNot Your Prisonerrdquo anthems of resistance which gained worldwide attention and major media coverage for their powerful lyrics against a wicked system The group formed in 2006 through the cipher hip hoprsquos natural way of choosing like mindsets on the mic Rush Sphinx and E-Money were ahead of their peers adapting an authentic Arab perspective to the art dominated by Western voices mixing English and Arabic raps After hitting the studio for successful underground tracks AK enlisted super-producer Fredwreck (Snoop Dogg Xzibit Tha Dogg Pound) ldquoFokkakrdquo the single from this studio session was an instant hit and (surprisingly for Arabic Hip Hop) projected them to the top ten of the singles charts Arab League Records was formed amidst a growing fanbase and numerous collaborations with other Arab hip hop artists the first international Arab hip hop record label Desert Saga Volume 1 mixtape was the debut release led by ldquoThe Onerdquo featuring Egyptrsquos MC Amin Arabian Knightz have recorded their debut album Uknighted State of Arabia a masterpiece for Arab hip hop years in the making featuring instrumentals dominated by traditional percussions and players are scheduled for a Winter 2012 Release They are on Facebook

BOIKUTT is a musician and MC based in Ramallah Palestine Creating sounds using sampled material field recordings and electronic devices the results range between hip-hop downtempo ambient glitch and experimental He has composed and produced music for artists such as Kronos Quartet Bukue One Spiritchild Tamer Abu-Ghazaleh Bleubird and others and has appeared as an MC on albums for artists such as Slovo Heliodrome Bonnot and Lethal Skillz A co-founder of the Ramallah Underground Collective which has toured across the Arab World Europe and Australia Boikutt is also co-founder and member of audio-visual group Tashweesh with whom he is currently touring Also as a solo performer he has been in Beirut Cairo Manila Copenhagen London Hamburg Dubai Bethlehem and other cities He has produced and exhibited a few sound-art pieces composed several film scores has most recently composed the music for a dance theater performance entitled Bound by

New York-based company Yaa Samar Dance Theatre and is now working on different collaborative and solo projects His work may be heard at soundcloudcomboikutt and on Facebook

DAM Da Arabian MCrsquos are Suhell Nafar Tamer Nafar and Mahmoud Jreri The first Palestinian hip hop crew and among the first to rap in Arabic the group began working together in the late 1990s Struck by the uncanny resemblance of the reality of the streets in a Tupac video to the streets in their own neighborhood of Lyd they were inspired to tell their stories through hip hop Their timely song ldquoMin Irhabirdquo (ldquoWhorsquos the Terroristrdquo) was downloaded a million times shortly after its internet realese in 2001 and DAM became a household name among youth throughout the Middle East Ten years of performing all over the world has strengthened the grouprsquos commitment to continue living and working in their hometown of Lyd 15 minutes from Tel Aviv and working to provide the youth of the city and neighboring communities with programs and opportunities that have been denied to Palestinian citizens of Israel Their music is a unique fusion of East and West and encompasses influences as varied as Ghassan Kanafani Ahlam Mosteghanemi Mahmoud Darwish Naji al Ali Tupac Biggie Public Enemy MBS Krsquonaan and Pharoahe Monch IHDA (Dedication) DAMrsquos long-awaited first international album was released in 2007 and DAM has seen its songs and members featured in films such as Ford Transit (Dir Hany Abu Assad) Where in the World is Osama Bin Laden (Dir Morgan Spurlock) Salt of this Sea (Dir Annemarie Jacir) Local Angel and Forgiveness (Dir Udi Aloni) DAMrsquos history and influence on the Arab hip hop scene is detailed in the feature-length documentary Slingshot Hip Hop (Dir Jackie Reem Salloum) The group has also been featured in Vibe National Geographic Rolling Stone Q Basement Reuters and The New York Times and has appeared on MTV CNN BBC and Al Jazeera Their work can be heard and explored at damrapcom

EL DEEB first ventured into Egyptian Hip Hop when he joined Asfalt in 2005 He left in 2007 to create Wighit Nazara duo represented by Mohamed Yasser and himself It was a successful musical project that lasted until mid 2010 Currently he is working on his solo career with plans to release an EP every couple of months or so Cairofornia is his first solo EP His work may be heard at deebbandcampcom and on Facebook

EL RASS was born in Tripoli Lebanon He started writing poetry in literary Arabic at age 11 and started rhyming in spoken Lebanese dialect in 1999 at age 15 At that time he formed one third of a group of 3 MCrsquos going under the name of ldquoMlouk el Micrdquo (ldquoKings of the Micrdquo) They recorded one album and performed locally At 17 he left for France to study Finance and Economics Studies were hard money was scarce and exile was tough but music and poetry never left him as he continued rhyming with some underground French MCrsquos like Medline and Moebius and developed new musical skills on percussion in classical Arabic singing and baglama (turkish buzuk) After graduating and working for almost two years in the hell of banking and market finance El Rass decided to return to Lebanon He spent a year just re-discovering Beirut and making and learning music He now works as a journalist at the newspaper Assafir while concurrently pursuing joint projects with other producers and musicians He calls his work Taalik in reference to the same word in Arabic for ldquocommentrdquo and another word that comes from the same semantic root moaallakat which is a corpus of selected pre-Islamic poetry that was written with gold ink on the walls of the Karsquoaba in Mecca His work may be heard at soundcloudcomElRass

FAREEQ EL ATRASH is a hip hop band based out of Hamra St Beirut with a sound that is distinguished by laid back topical flows over live instrumentation It consists of Edd (raps) Nasser (raps) FZ (vocal production and FX) Fouad Afra (drums) Goo (plays guitar keys heart strings) and Abed Kobeissy (plays bass and buzuk) Their 2010 album and 2009 prealbum are available online More of their work may be found on Facebook Eddrsquos solo work can also be heard at soundcloudcomEdd

H2Z was born in Kuwait in 1986 where he lived for four years Due to the gulf war his family moved to Lebanon where he lived for the most part of his life Inspired by the tragic events in the Middle East and elsewhere in the world H2Z adopted rap music as a way to raise awareness about the injustices suffered by his people and to deliver a message through his music to anyone who supports the Palestinian cause His career began in 2004 when he was introduced to the production business by fellow rappers and soon he started producing his own tracks and established a local band producing many tracks for himself and other musicians in Lebanon In 2008 he released his first solo album titled 3aed which contained

17 tracks The political influence was noticed throughout the album and was generally well-received He is now studying for a degree in business administration at Wayne State University in Michigan His work may be heard at reverbnationcomh2z

KATIBEH 5 are based in Borj el Barajneh Lebanon Their work can be found at reverbnationcomkatibeh5 and myspacecomkatibe5palestine and on Facebook

M1 is Mutulu Olugbala of the New York based collective Dead Prez whose work is online at deadprezcom M1 is also on Facebook

MC GAZA is Adnan Mahmoud Ghonim an Algerian born artist and university student based in Gaza It was the beginning of 2005 when he attended one of the hip hop concerts in Gaza City ndash Gaza City that never appreciated the art he loved and attached himself to ndash and it was love at first sight between them Through some of the concerts he participated in a number of songs he collaborated on with Arabs from Egypt Algeria and Palestine and some active participation to represent the Palestinian people and interviews for both Arab and foreign press he was able to make a name for himself in the Gazan hip hop community His work may be found at youtubecomMCGaza and on Facebook

THE NARCICYST Having pioneered the Arab Hip-Hop movement with seminal Iraqi-Canadian crew Euphrates The Narcicyst recently broke through borders and shattered traveling etiquette touring solo around the world sharing stages with the likes of Brother Ali Mos Def and Kanye West to name a few On top of music The Narcicyst is a celebrated theorist whose academic work Fear of an Arab Planet has him from the stage to the classrooms of internationally renowned universities He is now also a professor at Concordia University teaching a Fine Arts course ldquoHip-Hop Past Present and Futurerdquo His writings have been published by multiple university presses and magazines internationally he is also a self-published author having recently released the biographical and social-study on the Arab world The Diatribes of a Dying Tribe As a true artist interested in really pushing his own artistic boundaries The Narcicyst has stepped into acting currently starring in the short music film PHATWA and in the first internationally-released film from the United Arab Emirates called City of Life A true multi-media

111110

KHALED AL HILLI is a PhD candidate in Comparative Literature at the Graduate Center City University of New York He has a BA in English Literature and a Masterrsquos degree in Teaching Second Languages Born in Iraq Khaled has taught in Lebanon and Saudi Arabia at both college and high school levels He has also worked with various Iraqi news outlets and has subtitledtranslated documentary films dealing with current social and political issues His research interests include Arabic political literature prison literature and literature in the diaspora He may be reached at hillykhalidgmailcom

+AZIZ is a NYC-based marketing consultant and a musician He is working through The World Music Parade to develop an animation project based on his music More about that project can be found at themusicparadetumblrcom He tweets from plusaziz

FAYSAL BIBI is a paleontologist and electronic musician currently based in Berlin

LOUBNA BILALI is originally from Morocco She did her undergrad and first MA in English Linguistics at Chouaib Doukkali University El Jadida She came to the US in 2008 to pursue a Masterrsquos degree in French to English translation and is currently working on a PhD in translation studies at Kent State University in Ohio She is very interested in learning and teaching languages as well as translating and localizing computer applications and websites She may be reached at loubnabilaligmailcom

FARAH ELREWAISSATI is a freelance translator pro-Palestine activist and BDS advocate who blogs at youthanormalizationblogspotcom She tweets from 3beee

NIZAR GHANEM was born in Lebanon He has been active in intercultural education interactive learning and conflict resolution across the Arab world His work on conflict resolution involved using theater comics and music as tools for emotional expression and social mobilization

RIMA NAJDI is a Performing Artist She studied dramatic arts at the Lebanese University in Beirut and obtained a Masterrsquos degree in Performance Studies at NYU New York She has written and performed in various plays and performances Najdi is particularly interested in multi-media performing arts and the position of the spectators

BARRAK ALZAID (copy editor) is the Artistic Director of ArteEast He is the editor of the ArteEast Quarterly a dynamic online portal featuring four publications that highlight contemporary art and culture from the Middle East and diaspora ndash ArtersquoZine Shahadat (contemporary short-form literature) Gallery and Cinematek (an online film center) He is also the curator for ArteEastrsquos Across Histories Art Talk Series featuring a series of panels on residencies in Fall 2011 He tweets from barrakster

RAYYA EL ZEIN (editor) is working towards a PhD in Theatre at the Graduate Center City University of New York Her research is increasingly focusing on theories of reception historical studies of audience behavior and popular culture in the Arab world She holds an MA in Performance Studies from NYU and is currently a teaching fellow at City College in Harlem She tweets from rayelz

translator biosdreamer Yassin recently established an arts label in the UAE called The Medium focusing on delivering art from Arabs in the diaspora and at lsquohomersquo to the rest of the world iraqisthebombcom He tweets from TheNarcicyst

OMAR OFFENDUM is a Syrian-American hip hop artist born in Saudi Arabia raised in Washington DC and living in Los Angeles Known for taking audiences on a lyrical journey from the jasmine-tree-lined courtyards of Nizar Qabbanirsquos Damascene homes to the flooded riverbanks of Langston Hughesrsquo Harlem Renaissance poems - Offendum has been featured on several major news outlets (BBC Yahoo ABC News Aljazeera PBS) toured the world to promote his ground-breaking music helped raise thousands of dollars for various humanitarian relief organizations (PCRF KinderUSA ANERA Islamic Relief) lectured at a number of prestigious academic institutions (Harvard MIT Stanford Columbia American University of Beirut NYU-AbuDhabi Qatar Education City) and most recently been involved in creating several critically-acclaimed songs about the popular democratic uprisings throughout the Middle East amp North Africa He is currently hard at work promoting his solo release - affectionately dubbed SyrianamericanA His work may be heard (and read) at offendumbandcampcom He is on Facebook and he tweets from Offendum

RAMALLAH UNDERGROUND based in Ramallah Palestine was born from the immediacy of musical experimentation and out of the need to give voice to a generation of Palestinians and Arabs facing a turbulent and uncertain political landscape The collective was founded by artists Boikutt Stormtrap and Aswatt and has always held a commitment to both the honesty of their work and the need to creatively rejuvenate Arabic culture To this end they combine music ranging from Arabic electronic music hip-hop and trip hop to downtempo with a deep sense of their local culture and the imposing presence of Palestine in their lives The outcome is a new specific and distinct sound RU (as producers and as MCrsquos ) has collaborated with numerous artists across the globe including countries like Lebanon UK Switzerland Italy USA France and many more including a collaboration with Slovo (a band headed by the guitarist from faithless) in their track ldquoNakbardquo which appears on their album Todo Cambia and with Kronos Quartet in the track ldquoTashweeshrdquo which appears on Floodplain RU has also performed live shows in Ramallah Bethlehem Vienna London Cairo Lausanne Amsterdam and Washington DC Their shows are mainly a performance of their hip-hop tracks as well as a few of their own electronic productions as a warm up More recently RU has incorporated a visual set in their live

performances brought to you by Palestinian visual artist Ruanne RU hopes to give a voice to Palestinians and Arabs bringing an alternative voice from the Arab world Their lyrics and music are an expression of anguish and defiance ultimately remaining a defiant voice of the colonized against the colonizer They continue to play a big role in the Arab underground cultural scene while slowly gaining wide global and local popularity

SHADIA MANSOURrsquos work can be found at myspacecomshadiamusic and on Facebook

STORMTRAP is a music producercomposerMC from Palestine Experimenting with old samples instruments and field recordings his sound is the result of a fusion of ambient atmospheres combined with various noises and hip hop beats His lyrics deal with different themes inspired mainly by his personal experiences in Palestine and life in the diaspora Stormtrap played a fundamental role in forming the band Ramallah Underground with which he has performed worldwide the past few years Currently he is working in Vienna with Aras Seyhan and Eren Ileri on a new album which combines live instruments synthesizers turntables beats and Arabic lyrics- which will be released early 2012 His work may be heard at soundcloudcomstormtrap He tweets from asifeh

AMEER YOSSEF 25 has sung and writen music with the band Klaket for the past four years His work may be heard at youtubecomAmeer and on Facebook

towards the work Her work for now concentrates on the process of making interactive and participatory performances that question borders stereotypes and languages

MOE ALI NAYEL is a fixer and a journalist based in Beirut Lebanon He uses social media blogging non-mainstream music journalism and writing as a word spreading eye opening socializing arena He uses social media as a bridge that cuts distance between people on this planet making it a tiny village This bridge starts in his office and takes him to every corner in the world enabling him to connect and network with people and cultures sharing and exchanging stories of the unheard and the neglected He blogs at Words of Action and he tweets from MoeAliNay

ALEX ORTIZ is a video and radio journalist and translator based in Cairo Egypt He graduated from Brown University in 2009 with a double major in Comparative Literature and Middle East Studies He was a CASA I fellow from 2009-2010 and a CASA II fellow from 2010-2011 He currently works for CBS News as a field producer He tweets from cairowitness

AHMED SHAWKET is an independent translator living in Cairo Egypt He is a graduate of the Helwan University Faculty of Arts where he majored in philosophy Ahmed works on literary media and commercial translation

113112

ABOUT SHAHADATShahadat is a quarterly online series designed to provide a platform for short-form writing and experimentation in writing by young and underexposed writers from the MENA region (Middle East and North Africa) The series features stories vignettes reflections and chronicles in translation and the original language of Arabic Farsi Turkish or Kurdish It makes up one quarter of ArteEastrsquos online programming the AE Quarterly For past issues of Shahadat click here

ABOUT THIS SERIES Shahadat is proud to run two alternating series and releases two issues a year of each The issue yoursquove just perused is part of the ldquoExploring Popular Literaturerdquo series This series challenges traditional understandings of ldquoliteraturerdquo emerging from the Middle East and North Africa by presenting genres of creative production that rely on words and language but which have not typically been studied as literature Works are presented in their original language and in translation

In each issue we gather texts from a spectrum of writers to challenge the singular status of the artistauthor and to encourage a more complex presentation of the Middle Eastern and North African ldquostreetrdquo for English-speaking audiences Shahadatrsquos other series ldquoContemporary Literature in Translationrdquo features the work of a single young author in the original language and in English translation

BEHIND THE DOCUMENTShahadat is co-edited by Rayya El Zein Alex Ortiz and ArteEastrsquos Artistic Director Barrak Alzaid All three are young professionals and scholars with artistic inclinations (literature poetry translation and performance) All three have strong connections to New York City and various metropole of the MENA region Shahadat is for us an experiment and a labor of love An editorial board of established scholars and authors is currently being conceived

SPECIAL THANKS TOAnmar El ZeinKinda AkashAndrew JohnstonLivia Alexander

Shahadat logo design by Rima Farouki

114

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Page 30: Shahadat Winter 2012

5958

شو الي حدثجينا من حتت األرض

هيهة القصة بدة عنا هدفوننشر أصواتنا لكل حدا

جيت من حتت أرض رام اللهما ح وقف اكتب كلمات وال مرة

عندي طاقة الزم أطلعها كل يوم وكل ساعةفاو انبنى مع الوقت ولسة عم بيطور تصور

تصورفاو انبنى مع الوقت ولسة عم بيطور تصور

زي ما صار مبارح صار اليوم اطف التلفزيون امسك مايكروفون

زي ما صار مبارح صار اليوم اطف التلفزيون امسك مايكروفون

s t o r m t r a p

What happened

We came from underground

The story begins we have an objective

To spread our voices to everyone

I came from the ruins of Ramallah and

I wonrsquot ever stop writing words

I have energy that I must release every day every hour

A flow thatrsquos been built and is still developing imagine

Imagine a flow thatrsquos been built and is still developing

What happened yesterday happens today

Switch off your TV and grab a microphone

What happened yesterday happens today

Switch off your TV and grab a microphone

T r a n s l a t e d b y t h e a r t i s t

Zey ma sar mbareh

Stormtrap

null

2009

1728613

eng - Visit httpstormtrapbandcampcom

6160

Wake up the People

Donrsquot doubt it

The Maker can see you

Right now

You want to get out and see doe

So clouded

Sell out to be dope

Right now

I see you plagued by your own doubt

Canrsquot step the game up

Like a snake when it rolled down

Staircase of a lone child

No bricks lain in a cold house

Where you sold out

All alone on an old couch

t h e N a r c i c y s t

No click like an untapped phone dial

Oh wow

I felt the same homie

Donrsquot shelter pain only

Then it came slowly

Never let the frame hold me (down)

Picture life for the love though

People tend to look the other way like Columbo

We deceived by the law just to love doe

Guess they took all the worth out to numb folks

And make a severed plan

Out of bitter man

What you want a medal man

Huh Do you really think yoursquore better than Then

All you really need is a long look

Two sixteens and a strong hook like

brassThis track was originally written in English

null

2149748

6362

Wake up the People

Donrsquot doubt it

The Maker can see you

Right now

You want to get out and see doe

So clouded

Sell out to be dope

Right now

Break

Hip hop like a fresh pelvis

Yoursquore gonna regret this shit like a dead Elvis

Busy wishing you could live less selfish

Crabs in a bucket duckinrsquo these dead shellfish

Industry got a brother feeling helpless

With an ill chorus and ride yoursquore more in the tide

When a flow canrsquot keep me above the water

t h e N a r c i c y s t

Let a wave carry me out and push me farther now

Internal Inferno ten journals written but Irsquom still not sure though

Do I really want to tour to jump hurdles To be heard

So-I-Can-Feel-Like-This

Man therersquos something that I might miss--

Naw Irsquove been bluffinrsquo

Lifersquos backwards like Ben Buttonsrsquo

Irsquom in love with the stage fright on a strange night

Feels good to get the words on a page right

Wake up the People

Donrsquot doubt it

The Maker can see you

Right now

You want to get out and see doe

So clouded

Sell out to be dope

Right now

null

2149748

6564

مبارح شفت بلمنام بيروت عمتغرق حتت رماد بركان فحموا الناس بس ال raquoسكاي بارlaquo كان بعده ولعان

بيروت ثبتت حبة الثورة اللي فينا نبتت ملا أحبطت نفوسنا من اجلمود

فينا بيروت حتركت عدم دمارنا وعدم حرية خيارنا

بيوت بيروت تعمرت سكرنا عجفاف دموعنا جفوننا عليها تسكرت فتخمرت

إذا بطلت تطير قدرك عألرض مقهور إذا وقفت تكسير بتصير جزء من الديكور

e l R a s s

Yesterday I dreamt Beirut was drowning under volcanic ash

The people were turned to charcoal but Sky Bar [a posh Beirut club] was still lit up

Beirut suppressed the seed of the revolution the one that sprouted

When our spirits were foiled from immobility

In us Beirut moved

On the blood of our destruction and the negation of our freedom of choice

The houses of Beirut are rebuilt

We got drunk on the dryness of our tears our eyelids closed on them and fermented

If you stop flying your destiny on land is distress

If you stop breaking you become part of the decoration

beirutبركان بيروت rsquos volcano

Blues

2125713

6766

بحاور بناور باآلخر بواجه التاج بتوضى بصلي بتوصلني أصوات أنات احملتاج

تأمل العلم بعري العمل من العمل خياري عنار خفيفة دوب املسمار وتستوي األفكار النظيفة

عمروا دمروا زمروا تذمروا ربك صبره دربه جربه

عقلن خربوا غربوا هربوا وقبلوا بالفن عحيط الشارع

عشرط ما يكون في شك بشارع هيدي مش عاصمة ثقافة هيدي حلبة املصارع بيروت ال تعرف في املاضي وال تعرب باملضارع

حتول التركيبة خلى العقل اجلامد فكر حاله مالك املدينة رقبته طويلة متل مالك احلزين وايده لوزيري

اعتبر نفسه أول مني اكتشف هلجزيرة بأجر الفقير شقق بأسعار مدروسة

بشكل تضل طموحاته ممعوسة نهبوا األرض من ربعي وصارت احلرب شركة استثمار مبفعول رجعي

حتت شعار إعادة اإلعمار لو ما كان خلص دوره وانتهى عقد االيجار

كان احلريري ما طار وما صار مطار احلريري عاصمة لبنان بتوازن بني ضريحني

واتنيناتن عاغتيالن في عالمة استفهام e واحد قدس املوت بس لسبب l R a s s

I discuss I maneuver ultimately I confront the crown

I perform ablutions I pray I receive the moaning of the needy

The meditation of knowledge strips work from hope

My choice is on low fire melting the nails and clean thoughts are ripening

They built they destroyed they honked they complained

Your god made him patient tested him and trained him

Their minds ruined westernized chased off

They accepted art pissed on back alleys

As long as there is no doubt in the streets

This is no capital of culture itrsquos a wrestling ring

Beirut canrsquot speak of itself in the past nor conjugate itself in the present

Transitions and transformations made the closed mind think he owns the city

His neck is long like a stork his fingers long like a politicianrsquos

He thinks himself the first who discovered this peninsula

He lets the poor rent apartments at prices studied

To crush ambitions

They stole the land from my cousins

And the war became a backward-looking investment

Under the slogan of reconstruction

If his time wasnrsquot up and his contract finished

Hariri didnrsquot have to fly and it wouldnrsquot have become the Hariri airport

Lebanonrsquos capital keeps balance between two shrines

And on both assassinations there is a question mark

One sanctifies death but for a reason

Blues

2125713

6968

واحد قدس احلياة بس بالكذب واحد بايدو حتول الذهب سم وواحد تخبى من الذهب بالدم

مني الشهيد

اللي مات حتت صبابيط ثورة عبيد شهيد اللي مات فتحول على حملة اعالنات هدفها ترفع الطايفة معدالت التجنيد

قنابل بالبريد وصل سيوف علوريد حصل

املوت للبليد صنم الصبر للعنيد حلم تأليه الشهيد ظلم

خليط احلديد والدم العالج والسم الرفاه والهم النوعية والكم

الدعارة وورقة التوت مبدينة بيروت علم

e l R a s s

And one sanctifies life with lies

In onersquos hand gold turned into poison

And the other hid from gold with blood

Who is the martyr

The one who died under the shoes of the oppressedrsquos uprising is a martyr

Is it he whose death was transformed into an advertising campaign to raise the levels of

sectarian enlistment

Bombs came in the mail

Swords to the jugular true stories

Death to the cold is statuette

Patience to the stubborn is a dream

Divinity to the martyr is oppression

The mixture of steel and blood the cure and poison

Luxury and distress quality and quantity

Prostitution and modesty

The science of the city of Beirut

T r a n s l a t e d b y M o e A l i N a y e l amp + A z i z

Blues

2125713

7170

بقرأ في اجلريدة زفت شوارع جديدة

إزالة مطبات و كثير أشياء هيك مفيدة أشخاص مستفيدة

دعم من هون و من هون منظمات بس احلرية بعيدة

مقاطعة مستوطنات تعون الضفة الغربية وطنية حصرية إدعائية

طب و فلسطني التاريخية مع ألساس كانت القدس عاصمة الثقافة العربية

بس كلوحكي سياسية للشعب إحنا نتحمل الشغل و التعب و الوضع صعب

b o i k u t t

Irsquom reading in the paper

About roads newly paved

Speed bumps removed and a lot of other useful stuff (yes very)

Certain inviduals benefit

Funding from here and there

Organizations are plentiful but freedom is far-fetched

Calling for a boycott of settlements around the West Bank

Pretentious exclusive nationalism

But what about historical Palestine

I thought Jerusalem was supposed to be the ldquocapital of Arab cultureldquo

But itrsquos all political speeches for the people

We put up with the work and the sweat and itrsquos rough

a letterرسالة من مقاطعة from boikutt

risaleh mn muqataa (pt1)

boikutt

null

2010

1086983

eng - iTunPGAP0

eng - iTunNORM 00000A1E 00000A0E 000099D9 000098A0 0000CC63 0000CC63 0000826D 000080B0 000131D0 000131D0

eng - iTunSMPB 00000000 00000210 000008F3 000000000049197D 00000000 0027BA9D 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000

7372

يقنعونا إن كلشي متام و بقدر أعيش حياة عادية

زي في األفالم على مبس واحد إثنني ثالثة أربعة إلخ

كن منيح و بتنزل عليك املصاري زخ نصيحة من أخ ألخ

خليك مستقل ألن اللعبة إنلعب فإبعد عن الفخ

خليهم يقعدوا يستنوا الدعم ليموتوا يلفلفوا داخل اجلدار حلد ما يفوتوا

في متاهات مبسافات مش محددة مجددة لتوسع التوسع مش مهددة

إنتهاك احتالل بس مش على الكل

في ناس في فلسطني هون حياتهم زي الفل مش عارف شو بيفكر

شكلوا مش داري شي يوم حنروح كل الدكاكني هي حتسكر

سالم

b o i k u t t

Try to convince me that everythingrsquos fine

And that I can lead a normal life

Like in the movies

On MBC one two three four etcetera

Be good and money will rain on you

Advice from one brother to another

Stay independent because the games are being played

So steer clear of the trap

Let them wait for foreign aid until they die

Spinning in circles within the apartheid wall until they enter

Into unlimited mazes with unspecified spaces

That are renewed to fit settlement expansion unthreatened

Violation occupation

But not for everyone

There are people here in Palestine living ldquothe good lifeldquo

I donrsquot know what hersquos thinking

Seems like he doesnrsquot know one day wersquoll be gone

And all these shops will close

Peace

T r a n s l a t e d b y t h e a r t i s t w i t h L o u b n a B i l a l i

risaleh mn muqataa (pt1)

boikutt

null

2010

1086983

eng - iTunPGAP0

eng - iTunNORM 00000A1E 00000A0E 000099D9 000098A0 0000CC63 0000CC63 0000826D 000080B0 000131D0 000131D0

eng - iTunSMPB 00000000 00000210 000008F3 000000000049197D 00000000 0027BA9D 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000

7574

الضغط عاليالعدو فات جاري احملادثات

صمت دوليكمية الغازى عم تزداد

تهجير جديد مولود جديدتكرر عزو مش تارك ورا شي مفيد غير غراب

من كل البيت ما تركو شي إال البابمن االرض ل سما مسافة عاليه

إمشي الصحرا وعد لياليوجنوما

كمشوا رئيس دولة بجورةحصار

توزيع مخدراتباألحمر تلون الفرات سجون معتقالتقبلة الوداع مع الصبات

تنصت بالشبكة خيانات باألزهر

k a t i b e h 5

The pressure is high

The enemy has entered discussions are taking place

Global silence

The numbers of the occupier are increasing

A new expulsion A newborn child

The perpetuation of an invasion that leaves behind it nothing of any use except for a crow

From an entire house they left nothing but the door

From the ground to the sky is a long distance

Walk the desert and count the nights

And its stars

They caught a president in a pit

Siege

Drug dealing the Euphrates is stained red prisons detention centers

A farewell kiss with a shoe

Networks wiretapped betrayals in Al Azhar

hold me back ifهديني اذا فيك you can

null

23098943

7776

حوار أديانالكف تنجس

متسح فيه وجك مع كل شروق عالوضوءتسمع شرارة فتيل مولوتوف ينادي أصوات تتلبى

باإلنفجار

هديني إذا فيك صرت موجود بكل مكانوجي مغبش عامل زي جيش زباتا

منصرخ بوجكم raquoاحلرية ل برغوتيlaquoإعالمكو بيعرفني كلماتكو حملت إسمي

شركاتكو بتهرب مني )كتيبه خمسه هديتي إذا فيك(

بتالقيني بني والد حفظوا غنية املخيماتبنفسية فالح عمال يزو املدينة

افالم تافهةبرنامج تافه

بتدور على مخك بتالقي مش موجوداخلليج يتحكم بإعالم

هادول حبوب التنومي ٦1 سنة بعدن مش شغالني

عالمادامك واخد وجهة نظري

ع محمل اجلدمسموح لك تستعجب وتظهر إنزعاجك بوجودي

ألني صديق لكل املشاهد الغير مرغوبة فيهاش بيختار حياتو بالتحديد بحكيلك هيك منحياها ومحد

ضغط رصاص وابارود بخليكاش حتيدالتجارب بتدلك عطريق

هديتي إذا فيك

k a t i b e h 5

A dialogue of religions

The hand is tainted

And with it you cleanse your face at ablution each sunrise

You hear the sparking of the fuse of a molotov calling voices respond

Explosion

Hold me back if you can I have become present everywhere

My face is concealed like the army of Zapata

We shout in your face ldquoFreedom for Barghoutildquo

Your media knows me your words have glimpsed my name

Your corporations flee from me

(Katibe Khamseh hold me back if you can)

Yoursquoll find me among children that have memorized the song ldquoAl Moukhayamatldquo

In the persona of a peasant that is visiting the city

Shallow films

Shallow programs

You look for your mind but you find it is not there

The Gulf controls media with its boundaries

These sleeping pills 61 years and theyrsquore still not effective

Great

As long as you are taking my point of view seriously

Yoursquore allowed to be taken aback and to show your irritation

Just like you show your irritation at my presence

Because I am a friend to all the images that are not desirable

This is how we live out these images and no one chooses their life specifically Irsquoll tell you

The pressure of bullets and gunpowder does not allow you to move away

Experience will guide you on the road

Hold me back if you can

null

23098943

7978

موقف واحد صريح من صميم روح لشعوب املقاومة ضمير ظهور البشرية

السبيل صعب ورا الغضبدعم لكل أسالوب محارب

د لنحرق نظامك منتدرب منجرب منخرب منستععم نحرق نظامك

هديتي إذا فيك

إطلع منيحمش رح تقدر توخذ كل شي من أول نظرة

نظرة عامة raquoبشرة مش بيضةlaquoجبني عريضة مكتوب مولود عنيد بالفطرة

فوت بالتقاليد عد التجاعيدلك هاي مش أول مرة

لغات ودراسات حط العلم بغالفمش رح تقدر تفهم ليه بعد في بارود ع الكتافلون األرض ولون الليل بيعطيك البني و السواد

بوعدك مش لوحدي رح أضل عد رماد الال اللعبة اجلديدة وال والدنا ع اللعبة جداد

بكفيش إنفلونزا الصقور صار في إنفلونزا اخلنازيرموسم مرض جديد لرئيس مبثل ع نفوس ومريض بهدوء البيض

هديتي إذا فيك

k a t i b e h 5

A single honest stance from the bottom of the soul for the people of the resistance the conscience

that exposes humanity

The path is difficult when following anger

A support for every style of battle

We train we strive we disrupt we prepare to burn your system

We are burning your system

Hold me back if you can

Look closely

You wonrsquot be able to see it all at first sight

An overview ldquocomplexion that is not whiteldquo

A broad forehead written born stubborn by nature

Look at the traditions and count the wrinkles

This is not the first time

Languages and scholarship put education under wraps

You wonrsquot be able to understand why there is still gunpowder on shoulders

The color of earth and the color of night gives you brown and blackness

I promise you that I will not be alone to count the ashes no

This game to us is not new and nor are our children new to the game

As if the influenza of eagles was not enough now therersquos the influenza of pigs

The season of a new disease for a president acting for a public and sick with the

calmness of white people

Hold me back if you can

null

23098943

8180

اإلحتالل نكه البشر بنكهة املجاريبالسالم حوار أديانبإقرار ملكية كذابة

بتشويه تاريخ وسرقة حضاراتولك أه

فلسطني إفريقيا الدجلة والفراتإجتاه البشرية لإلضمحالل سرطان بشري بعضها

الشتا ميسح اخلطايا واآلثاروليش بتتخبى وبتتغطى بنفس كل سفارة سميك الستار

لساتني باكل الضربة ورا الضره ورا الضربةوحتى ما أفعل وأساوي تكمشني الرجفة

بدل ما أضرب فيك بضرب بحاليبوعدكش حضلني كامش حالي حفلتها

حفلتها

هديني إذا فيك هديني إذا فيكهديني إذا فيك

k a t i b e h 5

The occupation has seasoned humanity with the flavor of sewers

With peace with dialogue of religions

With the declaration of false ownership

With the distortion of history and the theft of civilizations

Oh yes

Palestine Africa the Tigris and Euphrates

Humanity is leading to reduction a human cancer bites it

Exile wipes clean the sins and the traces

And why are you hiding and seeking cover when all the embassies are already well concealed

I am still taking one beating after another

And so that I donrsquot take action and do something shudders grip my body

Instead of beating you I beat myself

I canrsquot promise you that I can keep myself restrained

Irsquom gonna let go

Hold me back if you can

Hold me back if you can

Hold me back if you can

T r a n s l a t e d b y R i m a N a j d i a n d F a y s a l B i b i

null

23098943

8382

طول عمر الشعب املصري مع بعض أحلك الظروفبص وفر في التاريخ وانت ياما هاتشوف

الدين ده ليا وليكوفيا وفيك

حاجة روحانية بتخليك حتس اللي بيك

ايد في ايد نبني فيها من جديد

مصر زعلت علي حاصل وسطنا مش مفيد

بعد ثورة وبعد عيد فتنة تقتل حلم واتتحقق لنا

واحد اتننيالذكري بتعيش اكتر من عمر االنسان

بصمتنا تغييرنا جوة وبرة امليدان مش هانضيع نصر ثورتنا بفتنة نشئت بينا

A r a b i a n K n i g h t s + M C G a z a + A m e e r

The Egyptian people have always stuck together

Through the worst times look at history

And see how often wersquove been there for each other

That whole idea of religion

Is for you and for me something spiritual that makes you feel whatrsquos inside you

Hand in hand

We build Egypt up again

Egypt is angry at whatrsquos happening between us

Itrsquos not helpful

After the revolution after the celebration

Sectarian strife is killing the dream we fulfilled

One two

The memory lasts more than a lifetime

Our mark is our change in and outside Tahrir Square

We wonrsquot give up the victory of our revolution in exchange for sectarian strife between

us

hand inايد في ايد hand

Eid Fe Eid

Yasser Ameer Youssef Rush E Money amp MCGaza | by BOGEY

Single Hit track 11

20112011

Hip-Hop

24002867

eng - Hip-Hop 4 Life

eng - iTunNORM 000005E2 0000058E 0000424E 00003537 00026E95 0001C2B3 00008000 00008000 00005045 00005045

8584

بلدنا محتجانا ايدنا واحدة ضد احملنة تفرق ايه معاك ديانتي ملا ربك هو ربي

اصلك هو اصلي ارضك هي ارضي

ملا اتقال لي اكتت فيول فتنة انا قولت غلط علشان الفتنة مفتعلة في بلدنا وكان وراها غرض

فالفرد افترض فبفرض السياسة األمر اختلط

فالزم يبقي املصل سياسي من اصل املرض العسس واحلرس مافرقوش صليب وهالل

وكنا كلنا واحد وراء االقفالدم الشهيد شاهد

ياما بالفتنة انكسرنا وحدتنا بصوت واحد وضد الظلم انتصرنا

وديني هو ديني صلة بيني وبني ربي هارفع علمي وارفع راسي فوق

انا مصري

ايد في ايد نبني فيها من جديد

مصر زعلت علي حاصل وسطنا مش مفيد

بعد ثورة وبعد عيد فتنة تقتل حلم واتتحقق لنا

خلو حمامة السالم من الطيور املنقرضةعلشان تبقي القلوب مبتعدة منقسمه سهل تتسم

فكرين مناعة و قوة أم الدنيا بالطمع مرتبطةنسر املصريني ليس له دين احنا بنحميها بالدم

العنف بذوره بتكتر عاوز يوصل واحلروب حتصل

A r a b i a n K n i g h t s + M C G a z a + A m e e r

Our country needs us all together against the hard times

What difference does my religion make to you when your god is my god

Your origin is mine

Your land is my land

When they told me about sectarian strife I said thatrsquos wrong

Because itrsquos been planted in our country and behind it is some purpose

Makes one think somethingrsquos going on

By playing politics everythingrsquos gotten mixed up

The antidote has to be political just like the poison itself

The military doesnrsquot distinguish between cross and crescent

Wersquore all held together behind bars

The blood of the martyrs bears witness

To how much wersquove been broken by sectarianism

Through our unity we triumphed with one voice over injustice

And my religion is my own a rapport between me and God

Irsquoll raise my flag and my head up

Irsquom Egyptian

Hand in hand

We build Egypt up again

Egypt is angry at whatrsquos happening between us

Itrsquos not helpful

After the revolution after the victory

Sectarian strife is killing the dream we fulfilled

They drove the dove of peace to extinction

To keep hearts apart and divided itrsquos easy to poison them

Do they really think the resilience and strength of Egypt is connected to greed

The Egyptian eagle has no religion we protect it with our blood

The roots of violence are increasing want to gain control to start wars

Eid Fe Eid

Yasser Ameer Youssef Rush E Money amp MCGaza | by BOGEY

Single Hit track 11

20112011

Hip-Hop

24002867

eng - Hip-Hop 4 Life

eng - iTunNORM 000005E2 0000058E 0000424E 00003537 00026E95 0001C2B3 00008000 00008000 00005045 00005045

8786

للعاقيدة يكسر وألعضاء املشاعر تتشال تصتأصلعلى كالم ربهم اتكبرو فعملو قدر واتقدر

وقته مستنينه ليه خططوا مضمون الرسائل اتغير الن الهدف هو تدمير قعدة الوحدهوقتل كل قائد يقود الناس بره احملنه

فيبقي سهل يزيحنا ميحي أوصول عليها كبرناوكل واحد علي حداه يقول أنا محدش يقول احنا

فاببطء بحرص بص بعقل بحذر شوفقبل ما يخلوا خيالك يتخلله اخلوف

واخلوف ده افراز بيطلع من غده ملا الكلب بيشوفهابيعرف انك فاريسه سهل ياكلها ركز

فرق تسد إخلعوفق جتد إرفع

ثورة تقدصمت يفرد- يفرق

ما بيجمع بيننامن حقي النقد من حقك - تسمع

طب إسمع وراجع ما صور التاريخ طب باله بيكفي صور زمانييوم حصار كنيسة املهد مني دافع مني اتقمع مني اتنفا

مسلم مسيحي أل كان فلسطيني اتذكر معي ثورة غضب يناير

اتذكر معي الوحدة اإليد الوحدة اتشرف انتا مصرياتذكر معي األخ بإيد األخ يحمي األخ بدون إلخ

كالمي ماشي ماشي ال-لتفهمني بهويتي مسلم وال نصراني قبطي

ما في حجة لربطي خلبطي حلطي ألوطي ألغير خطيخير أجناد األرض

من أرض بيت املقدس كل السالم بعد ما قلت إلنقسام في وطنيانا ملزم أقول ال لفتنة

تفتت مجد شعب تعب عانى ضحى بالغالي حتى بناه

A r a b i a n K n i g h t s + M C G a z a + A m e e r

The relationship between Egyptians breaks down and the organs that feel are taken out

They got full of themselves in the name of their god and invented a new fate for us

Theyrsquore waiting for a time and theyrsquore plotting The meaning of their messages changes

Because the goal is to destroy the foundation of unity

And kill every leader who takes the people out of hard times

Itrsquos easy to remove us to wipe out the traditions we grew up with

Everyone on his own everyone says ldquoIldquo and no one says ldquoweldquo

Slowly carefully look Wisely with caution see

Before they make your imagination a slave to fear

And that fear releases a secretion from a gland

And when the dog sees it he knows yoursquore easy prey

Divide yoursquoll conquer

Bring harmony and yoursquoll reap Start

A revolution and it will catch on

Silence is solitary It divides

It doesnrsquot bring us together

It is my right to criticize and your right to listen

So listen and look back at history or better look at my life time

The day the Nativity Church was under siege who was persecuted Who was exiled

A Muslim A Christian No he was Palestinian

Letrsquos remember the angry revolution of January

Letrsquos remember the unity the one hand Be proud yoursquore Egyptian

Remember the brother holding hands with a brother protecting a brother

And I can go on

Donrsquot teach me about my identity whether Irsquom a Muslim or a Christian Copt

Therersquos no excuse to tie me down beat me to make me cower and kneel and stray from my courseThe Earthrsquos most virtuous soldiers

Come from the land of Bayt al-Maqdis [Jerusalem] I salute you After I said no to division in my countryIrsquom committed to saying no to seditionThat dissolves the glory of a people who labored suffered sacrificed what was most dear to build it

T r a n s l a t e d b y A l e x O r t i z + A h m e d S h a w k e t + K h a l e d A l H i l l i

Eid Fe Eid

Yasser Ameer Youssef Rush E Money amp MCGaza | by BOGEY

Single Hit track 11

20112011

Hip-Hop

24002867

eng - Hip-Hop 4 Life

eng - iTunNORM 000005E2 0000058E 0000424E 00003537 00026E95 0001C2B3 00008000 00008000 00005045 00005045

8988

الفن واملواهب زي حرب الكواكب الكل عايز يكون جنم صراع في الداخل

بهدي جنون العظمة بفلفل حر توابل تسيل دموع زي القنابل

زي مابتكلم وداني شغالة كون سامع نبض الشارع علشان أ

حالف أقضي على اإلعالم املتآمر مغامر في الكالم بس إنت مش سامع

ملا بأمسك القلم والورقة الهم بينزاح مخي بيرتاح بأقول اللي على البال

ملا بأقعد بحس بتأنيب ضمير كون في ستوديو بسجل على بيت خطير مفروض أ

e l D e e b + S t o r m t r a p

Art and talent are like Star Wars

Secretly everyone wants to be a star of conflict

I make megalomania tranquil with chilli hot spices

Tears flow like bombs

Thatrsquos how I talk and the world keeps moving

So that I can hear the pulse of the streets

Irsquove sworn to obliterate the media conspirators

I am adventurous in my speech but you do not hear

When I hold the pen and the paper my anxiety is lifted

My mind relaxes and I say whatrsquos on it

When I sit down I feel guilty

I should be in the studio recording dangerous beats

addictأدمان الشهرة ion to fame

Edman El Shuhra

Stormtrap amp Mohamed El Deeb

2011

Hip-Hop

15305855

- vocals Mohamed El Deeb Stormtrap13produced by Stormtrap

9190

إحساس غريب إنك تدمن الكالم ارسم يا فنان واخترع زي دافينشي الرسام

ولو مفيش ورقة باستخدم تليفوني خايف إن فكرة متعديش على صوتي

دنيا غريبة يوم مر يوم بونبوني بس أنا عمري ماغيرت لوني

املوسيقى بنادولي وبطابعي فضولي مهما قالوا لي هافهمها مبفهومي فـساعات أالقي نفسي بكلم نفسي واسمع أصوات غريبة في دماغي

وهو ده الصدى الصوت اللي بسمعه اكن مفيش حد فارقة معاه احالمي

شوف شوف مش هدف إنو أنا شخصيا أنا

هدفي انه كلماتي وموسيقتي تنتشرعشان هيك حتشوفني دوما مستمر مستثمر

كل وقتي كل طاقتي على أصواتي خوذ شك خوذ حتويل خوذ كاش

بس ما تنساش أي شي بيتعلق بالواقع بدناش ما تخاف ألنها قضيتنا مش منسية مية باملية هايذي ثورة كمان ثقافية

خليني أوضح هاي املوسيقى مش معمولة للتلفازeهاي املوسيقى مش معمولة لهز الطياز l D e e b + S t o r m t r a p

Strange feeling to be out of words

Paint oh artist and discover like Da Vinci the artist

If I donrsquot have paper I use my cell

I am afraid that the idea does not come through my voice

Strange world one day is bitter another like candy

But Irsquove never changed my color

Music is my Tylenol and my nature curious

So whatever they tell me Irsquoll understand it my way

Sometimes I find myself talking to myself

And I hear weird voices in my head

Which is just the echo of the sound I hear

As if no one cares about my dreams

See see

My goals are not self serving

My goal is that my words and music spread

Thatrsquos why yoursquoll see me always and continuously investing

All my time my energy on my sounds

Take a check take a transfer take cash

But never forget anything related to reality wersquore not interested

Donrsquot be afraid because our cause is not forgotten

One hundred percent this is also a cultural revolution

Let me explain this music is not meant to be televised

This music is not made for booty shaking

Edman El Shuhra

Stormtrap amp Mohamed El Deeb

2011

Hip-Hop

15305855

- vocals Mohamed El Deeb Stormtrap13produced by Stormtrap

9392

مش فاهم ليش الكل قاتل حاله يكون في مسابقةحابني نتصابح حياكم زات املكافحة

واالعالم ميت ع حيالله قصة ما بيدرس هالقصة من نصها

وبعدن بينفخهامش احلق علينا اذا ما بيبحثوا

وملا يبدوا يحكوا عنا أل عنجد بيبعصوابيفكروا انه كل شي هشك بشك

بس حدن الزم يقلهم انه الهب هوب مش هيكبدك تدير بالك عشانها هاي اللحظة احلاسمة

ملا يجوا عليك الديب والعاصفةنكسر حدود وبنبني وحدة عشان نحيي مجتماعاتنا

وننهي معانتناعشان هيك منكتب كلمات صريحة والها معنى

مش للشهرة مش حتى يجي حدن يدفعلنا

e l D e e b + S t o r m t r a p

I donrsquot understand why everyone is killing themselves to be in the contest

Wersquod like to say goodmorning to salute you in this same struggle

The mediarsquos dying for any story

But they donrsquot study the storyrsquos real text

And then they blow it out of proportion

Itrsquos not our fault if they donrsquot search

And when they talk about us then they really screw it up

They think everything is empty pointless

Somebody needs to tell them that hip hop is not like that

You should take care because this is the critical moment

When the wolf and storm come haunting you

We break borders and we create a unity to revitalize our communities

And stop our suffering

That is why we write frank words that have meaning

Itrsquos not for fame or even so that someone pays us

T r a n s l a t e d b y N i z a r G h a n e m

Edman El Shuhra

Stormtrap amp Mohamed El Deeb

2011

Hip-Hop

15305855

- vocals Mohamed El Deeb Stormtrap13produced by Stormtrap

9594

حضل عهل مود يعنيما إنتلك النجوم عم تقرب

بهل ال مود حكون عطول لبهل جنوم إدءر لو مضطر شن هجوم عل النجوم كلها

خللي األرض تدور حول أصبعي تنلك

ما إنتلك متلي متلك مولع طيار ألفكاري من العقدي تنفك فرد قعدي بني 4 حيطان ما بتنهز و منها ما بنهز

يلز املا بينلزالكاس عل الطاولي و منو عم مز مز

لتفتل براصي وحس من حالي عم كز كزعل ورقة كالمي مدروس و ما بزت زت بجرب ما عيد حالي متا يقولو عم نق نق

موزع قافياتي جواز كأن عم فت فت

بهل األطشة خلي الديني اللي تسمعني ترن رنFبسبيلي جاري يوم ع يوم عم برك رك a r e e q e l A t r a s h

Irsquoll stay in this mood

Didnrsquot I tell you The stars are getting closer

Irsquoll stay in this mood until I touch these stars

Even if I have to launch an attack on all the stars

Irsquoll make the Earth rotate around my finger I told you

Didnrsquot I tell you Irsquom just like you I lit up a joint so my ideas would untie their knot

Sitting this way in between four walls I wonrsquot budge

The most delectable

Drink is on the table from which Irsquom taking sips

Till my head starts spinning and Irsquom sick of myself

On the paper my words are calculated I donrsquot just toss them about

I try not to repeat myself so they wonrsquot say Irsquom nagging

I deal my rhymes out like theyrsquore cards

In this verse Irsquoll make those ears ring

My fountain is running and every day I excel

tالنجوم عم تقرب he stars are gett ing closer

null

29781717

9796

لضل ماشي جالس بينما غيري عم بلك لك شريط معلق ريحة العة عم بتفح فحكل ما فتح متو بتالقي عم بكب كب

عايشها إرهاب و مفي إال بسب سببزبالتي ما بكبو تيكون بعلمك

األالف مسم و بحياتو ما بينسم بزقة من هل التم تخلي سقفك ينش نش

تلمو ردم و ما تفكر إنو ترد رد و عم بحكي عالواطي متا الصالي فيك ترج رج

بطبعي عاقل بس بالراب بزل زل عل الرايق بال ما نط وال فز فز

type of shitعال بارد أبرد من شباط بس يقز قزتخلي عضامك ع بعض تسك سك

ما إنتلك النجوم عم تقرب بهل ال مود حكون عطول لبهل جنوم إدءر

لو مضطر شن هجوم عل النجوم كلهاخللي األرض تدور حول أصبعي تنلك

أنا متنبئ بنبه و بحقق ما قلتلك بعد وقتها ما عم نكت

عاملكرفون إبرة هرون عم بشكشك في شكcheck one two

هيك بدسدس عالنبض

F a r e e q e l A t r a s h

So I can walk straight when others are still playing

A broken record that reeks of a musty smell

Every time he opens his mouth he spews them out

He lives in terror and all he does is curse

I wouldnrsquot throw him in my garbage just so you know

Irsquove irritated thousands and never been irritated in my life

One spit out of this mouth will make your roof leak

And yoursquoll pick up the rubble and donrsquot even think about answering back

Irsquom talking in a low voice so the hall wonrsquot shake with you in it

Irsquom reasonable by nature but when it comes to rap I humiliate cold-heartedly

Without jumping or leaping around

I do it coldly colder than icy February-type of shit

Irsquoll make your bones rattle against each other

Didnrsquot I tell you The stars are getting closer

Irsquoll stay in this mood until I touch these stars

Even if I have to launch an attack on all the stars

Irsquoll make the Earth rotate around my finger I told you

Irsquom a psychic I predict and deliver

Didnrsquot I tell you to stand back when Irsquom not joking

Irsquom pricking the microphone with a heroin needle Is there any doubt

Check one two

Thatrsquos how I feel the pulse

null

29781717

9998

بدقق و زتزت حكي بتزجزج كأنها مزهزها عم بتشمشم عم خطط عم تكتيك و مني ملحلح من هون للساعة توقف تك تيك تك تيك

لك ليك منفخ حاله عامبيكازيب عا غيري بس بوجهي بتاءتإوجهه بيباءبإ من أد ما بعصب بسبسب

زر إنذار إذني بتطنطن و بشوف من عالباب عم بدقدق

عكروت بدو يفوت ليشوف الفن فني بس الفن هون بجسمي معبأ

من حلقي طايف و من متي عم بت شرشر و بيس البيس زلزال برجرج خليك تضبضب تنضب بالبيت لتكنكن

و أنا متأسف ألني بدي استأذن بس بعد شفت كابتشينو بتصحصح

ما إنتلك النجوم عم تقرببهل ال مود حكون عطول لبهل جنوم إدءر

لو مضطر شن هجوم عل النجوم كلهاخللي األرض تدور حول أصبعي تنلك

هيدا هب هوبمش هبل و ال بهل

هيدا زجل تتغزل في

ورايي إيقاع عليي إتبع و ما إطلع عنو يا بصير متل غير مسيس

زقفوا مع االيقاعزقفوا مع االيقاع

F a r e e q e l A t r a s h

Checking and hurling words that tickle as if I was high and sniffing

I am planning and scheming and Irsquom not going anywhere till the clock stops ticking

Look hersquos so full of it lying to others but in my face he stutters

And his face turns red from all the anger and he curses

My earsrsquo alarm bells start ringing

And I go to see whorsquos knocking at the door

Some bastard who wants to see where ldquothe artldquo is

But the art is right here packed in my body

Flowing from my throat running out of my mouth

And the bass is an earthquake that shakes and forces you to pack up and go home

And Irsquom sorry because I need to take leave

But after a sip of cappuccino yoursquoll come around

Didnrsquot I tell you The stars are getting closer

Irsquoll stay in this mood

Until I touch these stars even if I have to launch an attack on all the stars

Irsquoll make the Earth rotate around my finger I told you

This is hip hop

Itrsquos not stupid nor dumb

Itrsquos zajal [a form of Arabic poetry in the Levant]

That you flirt with

There is a beat that I have to follow canrsquot lose it or Irsquoll be like other MCs

Clap with the beat

Clap with the beat

T r a n s l a t e d b y K h a l e d A l H i l l i

null

29781717

101100

انا ببلعهم بتفهم وال مره بسبهمبخليهم داميا يضاربو بتفكيرهم

أنا وراهم قدامهم جنابهم محتلهممش طايقهم مرات وزنهم بكون منزلهم

مرتبهم صاففهم وبقلم أنا حاكمهم زاتتهم مش عاجبيني أنا ماحيهم قائدهم وبنفس الوقت أنا عبيدهم

وبفك وربط أنا بلعب مبعانيهمانا حاميهم بأسطر اللي تقويهم

انا واعدهم اني أستر على فاضحهم ومطلعهم بصوره اللي تبشعهم

بس أنا محترمهم وبسطور ساجنهم مكتفهم كأسير بجنازير القهر

ومهديهم بحبل اللي يبشر بالصبر وانا لي الفخر أكون الشوك اللي فيهم

Dوأكون القهر اللي داميا يسقيهم A M

Yo this is dedicated to the lyrics

Irsquom swallowing them spitting them never dissing them

Giving them freedom of speech

Irsquom behind them in front of them because of them always standing with them

Sometimes get sick of them sick of how you abuse them

Gather them in line with my pen I order them

Didnrsquot like it Throwing them out and replacing them

Irsquom their leader and also their slave

Small changes make huge differences

I train them in pages to make them strong

Promising to use them not abuse them

Or allow the wrong mouths to utter them

Approach them with a military mind and find peace in them

Irsquom lucky to be full of thorns and even luckier that I found the lyrics

So theyrsquoll help me find the roses in me

wordsكلمات

null

26837427

103102

raquoالكل سمعك بس السؤال اذا اللي سمعك فهمكlaquoكلمات ليست كالكلمات بل raquoعالماتlaquo

اللي توجهنا وين مابدنا عحبال السيرك هي تثبتنا ريح العالم من كل جهه اذا احنا ضعاف بتوقعنا بس

raquoأل بلمره ألlaquo raquoكلمات عندي طنlaquoكل واحده الها هدف اخدت حرف عحرف

نسجت جمل اللي البسهم وقت البرد raquoراح اضلني اناديlaquo raquoبنحكي كلماتlaquo

انت بتعرف انهم مبنصب شهاد بحكو املاضي وتنبوا حاضر أي بالد

قد ماحكيت قد ما أحكي فش كالم يغطي بسفي كالم يربي وينمي انت بس أروي

في شوف انه قوه والقوه بتقويفيك و أن رويته مصيره يسقيك )مثل للقوه( العدو من أمامكم

والبحر من ورائكم فال تخيبوا أسيادكمفأين أشعاركم وأين مجادلتكم

فأنتم تسكتون وتخمدون أحالمكم)انهي( نهيت ورجعت للعامية بكلمات

مرمية طالعه من عقليه شعبيهمتل جنيب اللي بذاكرة كل واحد محفوظ مدروس واذا أل معناته في خلل معكوس

عاملجتمع اللي قمع كتاباته Dاللي سمح لنسيانه يشيل خطواته A M

ldquoThey all hear you but few listen to youldquo

Lyrics ainrsquot just a bunch of words they are ldquosignsldquo

Leading us stabilizing us on tight ropes

Winds every way if we are thin we will fall

ldquoBut hell noldquo ldquoyou can measure my words in tonsldquo

Every word has a meaning I knitted a letter with another letter

Made warm sentences to wear in cold days

ldquoSo Irsquoll still shoutldquo ldquowe control lyricsldquo

You know lyrics are like a witness

They witnessed the past and forecast the future

As much as I said or say I canrsquot describe them

But there is a way to find the description and thatrsquos through them

Quench the thirst of the pages with them

So in the future itrsquoll quench your thirst

Keep feeding them as soon as they grow up

Theyrsquoll give you strength

ldquoExample for the strengthldquo

ldquoThe enemy is before you the sea is behind you

So donrsquot you dare disappoint our ancestors

Where are our deep poems Where are our strong statements

From generation to generation we kill our dreamsldquo

ldquoEnough philosophizingldquo ok lets get back to street talk

Words coming outta simple minds

Like Najeeb Mahfuz [literally lsquowell-rememberedrsquo also a famous author]

They keep living in our minds

And if you donrsquot know who he is - then I rest my case

null

26837427

105104

raquoالكل سمعك بس السؤال اذا اللي سمعك فهمكlaquoكلمات ليست كالكلمات بل raquoعالماتlaquo

اللي توجهنا وين مابدنا عحبال السيرك هي تثبتنا ريح العالم من كل جهه اذا احنا ضعاف بتوقعنا بس

raquoأل بلمره ألlaquo raquoكلمات عندي طنlaquoكل واحده الها هدف اخدت حرف عحرف

نسجت جمل اللي البسهم وقت البرد raquoراح اضلني اناديlaquo raquoبنحكي كلماتlaquo

ألف با كبايه أوعك تكسرهاامسكها للنهاية وكل ما تفضى مليها

كلمه أو رواية ومع املراحل زيدها شيحكاية وهيك ضلك زود فيها

وجيبها لتجمعاتك وساعتها استعملها لنقاشاتك وملواقفك استخدمها

هادي مدافعك اللي مداها بسيطرتك وما دافعك انه ما تخليها رايتك

ما هي تكتب ما هي توصف ما هي تكذب ما هي تنصف

ما هي هي الهروب هياللجوء هي الدروب هي

العبور باحلدود واللي مبرؤهم مبدع وبفوز باخللود واللي بسرقهم مش مقنع

واذا بتديهم احلرية بنادوك ممنوعDواذا بتوخد احلريه بنادوك مسموح A M

ldquoThey all hear you but few listen to youldquo

Lyrics ainrsquot just a bunch of words they are ldquosignsldquo

Leading us stabilizing us on tight ropes

Winds every way if we are thin we will fall

ldquoBut hell noldquo ldquoyou can measure my words in tonsldquo

Every word has a meaning I knitted a letter with another letter

Made warm sentences to wear in cold days

ldquoSo Irsquoll still shoutldquo ldquowe control lyricsldquo

The Arabic alphabet is like a glass donrsquot break it

Hold it tight and keep filling it

And then bring it to our arguments

Scream till your throat gets dry and then wet it

It holds our body itrsquos like our legs

If you stand for nothing yoursquoll fall for anything

The words write create

They kill lead and sometimes even lie

You can use them to build borders

And those who are gifted

Can use them to walk through borders

And in some governments

Itrsquos forbidden to give words freedom

But if you choke them and kill them

Thatrsquos allowed

F i g u r a t i v e t r a n s l a t i o n o f f e r e d b y t h e a r t i s t s

null

26837427

107106

further reading

The tracks presented in this document are not a comprehensive sampling of the genre of the market of hip hop in Arabic or of hip hop and rap in the wider Middle East

Artists featured here hail from Egypt Lebanon Palestine and the anglophone Arab diaspora The thriving North African hip hop scene is not represented nor is the work of the established francophone Arab diaspora nor the expanding hip hop scenes of especially Iran or Turkey

This collection does not attempt a comprehensive chronology Tracks featured here are not primarily new releases (though some are) neither are they all ldquoclassicsrdquo These limitations of scope are important to note

Many tracks of the popular Libyan group Ibn Thabitt and other groups from across the region have been translated and are hosted with commentary on the notable blog

revolutionaryarabrapblogspotcom

Another valuable resource is the Beirut-based blog by Jackson Allers ldquoBeats and Breathrdquo which features articulate critiques and reviews of events and releases from the region

jacksonallerswordpresscom

Hass Dennaoui (alias Big Hass) who recently launched started the first all hip-hop FM radio show in Saudi Arabia Laish Hip Hop (Why Hip Hop) manages a lively blog which

hosts an internet feed of his radio show and interviews with MCs and influential hip hop figures from around the world

revoltradioblogspotcom

Lebaneseundergroundcom hosts coverage of underground music in Lebanon including hip hop

And finally an excellent article by Hishaam Aidi on implications of the use of hip hop as foreign policy ldquoThe Grand (Hip-Hop) Chessboard Race Rap and Raison DrsquoEtatrdquo was published in The Middle East Report Fall 2011 Excerpts of the piece were published by Al Jazeera English in the article ldquoLeveraging Hip Hop in US Foreign Policyrdquo

All the artists and many of the translators whose work is showcased here host a significant online presence Their sites are listed with more about each of them on the following pages

109108

artist bios

ARABIAN KNIGHTZ the premier hip hop group from the land of the Nile River have not only established themselves as the lyricists with the sharpest swords in their land but they have also created the most consistent voice for rebellion strength and hope for the youth of the Middle East During the 2011 Revolution Arabian Knightz released two singles ldquoRebelrdquo and ldquoNot Your Prisonerrdquo anthems of resistance which gained worldwide attention and major media coverage for their powerful lyrics against a wicked system The group formed in 2006 through the cipher hip hoprsquos natural way of choosing like mindsets on the mic Rush Sphinx and E-Money were ahead of their peers adapting an authentic Arab perspective to the art dominated by Western voices mixing English and Arabic raps After hitting the studio for successful underground tracks AK enlisted super-producer Fredwreck (Snoop Dogg Xzibit Tha Dogg Pound) ldquoFokkakrdquo the single from this studio session was an instant hit and (surprisingly for Arabic Hip Hop) projected them to the top ten of the singles charts Arab League Records was formed amidst a growing fanbase and numerous collaborations with other Arab hip hop artists the first international Arab hip hop record label Desert Saga Volume 1 mixtape was the debut release led by ldquoThe Onerdquo featuring Egyptrsquos MC Amin Arabian Knightz have recorded their debut album Uknighted State of Arabia a masterpiece for Arab hip hop years in the making featuring instrumentals dominated by traditional percussions and players are scheduled for a Winter 2012 Release They are on Facebook

BOIKUTT is a musician and MC based in Ramallah Palestine Creating sounds using sampled material field recordings and electronic devices the results range between hip-hop downtempo ambient glitch and experimental He has composed and produced music for artists such as Kronos Quartet Bukue One Spiritchild Tamer Abu-Ghazaleh Bleubird and others and has appeared as an MC on albums for artists such as Slovo Heliodrome Bonnot and Lethal Skillz A co-founder of the Ramallah Underground Collective which has toured across the Arab World Europe and Australia Boikutt is also co-founder and member of audio-visual group Tashweesh with whom he is currently touring Also as a solo performer he has been in Beirut Cairo Manila Copenhagen London Hamburg Dubai Bethlehem and other cities He has produced and exhibited a few sound-art pieces composed several film scores has most recently composed the music for a dance theater performance entitled Bound by

New York-based company Yaa Samar Dance Theatre and is now working on different collaborative and solo projects His work may be heard at soundcloudcomboikutt and on Facebook

DAM Da Arabian MCrsquos are Suhell Nafar Tamer Nafar and Mahmoud Jreri The first Palestinian hip hop crew and among the first to rap in Arabic the group began working together in the late 1990s Struck by the uncanny resemblance of the reality of the streets in a Tupac video to the streets in their own neighborhood of Lyd they were inspired to tell their stories through hip hop Their timely song ldquoMin Irhabirdquo (ldquoWhorsquos the Terroristrdquo) was downloaded a million times shortly after its internet realese in 2001 and DAM became a household name among youth throughout the Middle East Ten years of performing all over the world has strengthened the grouprsquos commitment to continue living and working in their hometown of Lyd 15 minutes from Tel Aviv and working to provide the youth of the city and neighboring communities with programs and opportunities that have been denied to Palestinian citizens of Israel Their music is a unique fusion of East and West and encompasses influences as varied as Ghassan Kanafani Ahlam Mosteghanemi Mahmoud Darwish Naji al Ali Tupac Biggie Public Enemy MBS Krsquonaan and Pharoahe Monch IHDA (Dedication) DAMrsquos long-awaited first international album was released in 2007 and DAM has seen its songs and members featured in films such as Ford Transit (Dir Hany Abu Assad) Where in the World is Osama Bin Laden (Dir Morgan Spurlock) Salt of this Sea (Dir Annemarie Jacir) Local Angel and Forgiveness (Dir Udi Aloni) DAMrsquos history and influence on the Arab hip hop scene is detailed in the feature-length documentary Slingshot Hip Hop (Dir Jackie Reem Salloum) The group has also been featured in Vibe National Geographic Rolling Stone Q Basement Reuters and The New York Times and has appeared on MTV CNN BBC and Al Jazeera Their work can be heard and explored at damrapcom

EL DEEB first ventured into Egyptian Hip Hop when he joined Asfalt in 2005 He left in 2007 to create Wighit Nazara duo represented by Mohamed Yasser and himself It was a successful musical project that lasted until mid 2010 Currently he is working on his solo career with plans to release an EP every couple of months or so Cairofornia is his first solo EP His work may be heard at deebbandcampcom and on Facebook

EL RASS was born in Tripoli Lebanon He started writing poetry in literary Arabic at age 11 and started rhyming in spoken Lebanese dialect in 1999 at age 15 At that time he formed one third of a group of 3 MCrsquos going under the name of ldquoMlouk el Micrdquo (ldquoKings of the Micrdquo) They recorded one album and performed locally At 17 he left for France to study Finance and Economics Studies were hard money was scarce and exile was tough but music and poetry never left him as he continued rhyming with some underground French MCrsquos like Medline and Moebius and developed new musical skills on percussion in classical Arabic singing and baglama (turkish buzuk) After graduating and working for almost two years in the hell of banking and market finance El Rass decided to return to Lebanon He spent a year just re-discovering Beirut and making and learning music He now works as a journalist at the newspaper Assafir while concurrently pursuing joint projects with other producers and musicians He calls his work Taalik in reference to the same word in Arabic for ldquocommentrdquo and another word that comes from the same semantic root moaallakat which is a corpus of selected pre-Islamic poetry that was written with gold ink on the walls of the Karsquoaba in Mecca His work may be heard at soundcloudcomElRass

FAREEQ EL ATRASH is a hip hop band based out of Hamra St Beirut with a sound that is distinguished by laid back topical flows over live instrumentation It consists of Edd (raps) Nasser (raps) FZ (vocal production and FX) Fouad Afra (drums) Goo (plays guitar keys heart strings) and Abed Kobeissy (plays bass and buzuk) Their 2010 album and 2009 prealbum are available online More of their work may be found on Facebook Eddrsquos solo work can also be heard at soundcloudcomEdd

H2Z was born in Kuwait in 1986 where he lived for four years Due to the gulf war his family moved to Lebanon where he lived for the most part of his life Inspired by the tragic events in the Middle East and elsewhere in the world H2Z adopted rap music as a way to raise awareness about the injustices suffered by his people and to deliver a message through his music to anyone who supports the Palestinian cause His career began in 2004 when he was introduced to the production business by fellow rappers and soon he started producing his own tracks and established a local band producing many tracks for himself and other musicians in Lebanon In 2008 he released his first solo album titled 3aed which contained

17 tracks The political influence was noticed throughout the album and was generally well-received He is now studying for a degree in business administration at Wayne State University in Michigan His work may be heard at reverbnationcomh2z

KATIBEH 5 are based in Borj el Barajneh Lebanon Their work can be found at reverbnationcomkatibeh5 and myspacecomkatibe5palestine and on Facebook

M1 is Mutulu Olugbala of the New York based collective Dead Prez whose work is online at deadprezcom M1 is also on Facebook

MC GAZA is Adnan Mahmoud Ghonim an Algerian born artist and university student based in Gaza It was the beginning of 2005 when he attended one of the hip hop concerts in Gaza City ndash Gaza City that never appreciated the art he loved and attached himself to ndash and it was love at first sight between them Through some of the concerts he participated in a number of songs he collaborated on with Arabs from Egypt Algeria and Palestine and some active participation to represent the Palestinian people and interviews for both Arab and foreign press he was able to make a name for himself in the Gazan hip hop community His work may be found at youtubecomMCGaza and on Facebook

THE NARCICYST Having pioneered the Arab Hip-Hop movement with seminal Iraqi-Canadian crew Euphrates The Narcicyst recently broke through borders and shattered traveling etiquette touring solo around the world sharing stages with the likes of Brother Ali Mos Def and Kanye West to name a few On top of music The Narcicyst is a celebrated theorist whose academic work Fear of an Arab Planet has him from the stage to the classrooms of internationally renowned universities He is now also a professor at Concordia University teaching a Fine Arts course ldquoHip-Hop Past Present and Futurerdquo His writings have been published by multiple university presses and magazines internationally he is also a self-published author having recently released the biographical and social-study on the Arab world The Diatribes of a Dying Tribe As a true artist interested in really pushing his own artistic boundaries The Narcicyst has stepped into acting currently starring in the short music film PHATWA and in the first internationally-released film from the United Arab Emirates called City of Life A true multi-media

111110

KHALED AL HILLI is a PhD candidate in Comparative Literature at the Graduate Center City University of New York He has a BA in English Literature and a Masterrsquos degree in Teaching Second Languages Born in Iraq Khaled has taught in Lebanon and Saudi Arabia at both college and high school levels He has also worked with various Iraqi news outlets and has subtitledtranslated documentary films dealing with current social and political issues His research interests include Arabic political literature prison literature and literature in the diaspora He may be reached at hillykhalidgmailcom

+AZIZ is a NYC-based marketing consultant and a musician He is working through The World Music Parade to develop an animation project based on his music More about that project can be found at themusicparadetumblrcom He tweets from plusaziz

FAYSAL BIBI is a paleontologist and electronic musician currently based in Berlin

LOUBNA BILALI is originally from Morocco She did her undergrad and first MA in English Linguistics at Chouaib Doukkali University El Jadida She came to the US in 2008 to pursue a Masterrsquos degree in French to English translation and is currently working on a PhD in translation studies at Kent State University in Ohio She is very interested in learning and teaching languages as well as translating and localizing computer applications and websites She may be reached at loubnabilaligmailcom

FARAH ELREWAISSATI is a freelance translator pro-Palestine activist and BDS advocate who blogs at youthanormalizationblogspotcom She tweets from 3beee

NIZAR GHANEM was born in Lebanon He has been active in intercultural education interactive learning and conflict resolution across the Arab world His work on conflict resolution involved using theater comics and music as tools for emotional expression and social mobilization

RIMA NAJDI is a Performing Artist She studied dramatic arts at the Lebanese University in Beirut and obtained a Masterrsquos degree in Performance Studies at NYU New York She has written and performed in various plays and performances Najdi is particularly interested in multi-media performing arts and the position of the spectators

BARRAK ALZAID (copy editor) is the Artistic Director of ArteEast He is the editor of the ArteEast Quarterly a dynamic online portal featuring four publications that highlight contemporary art and culture from the Middle East and diaspora ndash ArtersquoZine Shahadat (contemporary short-form literature) Gallery and Cinematek (an online film center) He is also the curator for ArteEastrsquos Across Histories Art Talk Series featuring a series of panels on residencies in Fall 2011 He tweets from barrakster

RAYYA EL ZEIN (editor) is working towards a PhD in Theatre at the Graduate Center City University of New York Her research is increasingly focusing on theories of reception historical studies of audience behavior and popular culture in the Arab world She holds an MA in Performance Studies from NYU and is currently a teaching fellow at City College in Harlem She tweets from rayelz

translator biosdreamer Yassin recently established an arts label in the UAE called The Medium focusing on delivering art from Arabs in the diaspora and at lsquohomersquo to the rest of the world iraqisthebombcom He tweets from TheNarcicyst

OMAR OFFENDUM is a Syrian-American hip hop artist born in Saudi Arabia raised in Washington DC and living in Los Angeles Known for taking audiences on a lyrical journey from the jasmine-tree-lined courtyards of Nizar Qabbanirsquos Damascene homes to the flooded riverbanks of Langston Hughesrsquo Harlem Renaissance poems - Offendum has been featured on several major news outlets (BBC Yahoo ABC News Aljazeera PBS) toured the world to promote his ground-breaking music helped raise thousands of dollars for various humanitarian relief organizations (PCRF KinderUSA ANERA Islamic Relief) lectured at a number of prestigious academic institutions (Harvard MIT Stanford Columbia American University of Beirut NYU-AbuDhabi Qatar Education City) and most recently been involved in creating several critically-acclaimed songs about the popular democratic uprisings throughout the Middle East amp North Africa He is currently hard at work promoting his solo release - affectionately dubbed SyrianamericanA His work may be heard (and read) at offendumbandcampcom He is on Facebook and he tweets from Offendum

RAMALLAH UNDERGROUND based in Ramallah Palestine was born from the immediacy of musical experimentation and out of the need to give voice to a generation of Palestinians and Arabs facing a turbulent and uncertain political landscape The collective was founded by artists Boikutt Stormtrap and Aswatt and has always held a commitment to both the honesty of their work and the need to creatively rejuvenate Arabic culture To this end they combine music ranging from Arabic electronic music hip-hop and trip hop to downtempo with a deep sense of their local culture and the imposing presence of Palestine in their lives The outcome is a new specific and distinct sound RU (as producers and as MCrsquos ) has collaborated with numerous artists across the globe including countries like Lebanon UK Switzerland Italy USA France and many more including a collaboration with Slovo (a band headed by the guitarist from faithless) in their track ldquoNakbardquo which appears on their album Todo Cambia and with Kronos Quartet in the track ldquoTashweeshrdquo which appears on Floodplain RU has also performed live shows in Ramallah Bethlehem Vienna London Cairo Lausanne Amsterdam and Washington DC Their shows are mainly a performance of their hip-hop tracks as well as a few of their own electronic productions as a warm up More recently RU has incorporated a visual set in their live

performances brought to you by Palestinian visual artist Ruanne RU hopes to give a voice to Palestinians and Arabs bringing an alternative voice from the Arab world Their lyrics and music are an expression of anguish and defiance ultimately remaining a defiant voice of the colonized against the colonizer They continue to play a big role in the Arab underground cultural scene while slowly gaining wide global and local popularity

SHADIA MANSOURrsquos work can be found at myspacecomshadiamusic and on Facebook

STORMTRAP is a music producercomposerMC from Palestine Experimenting with old samples instruments and field recordings his sound is the result of a fusion of ambient atmospheres combined with various noises and hip hop beats His lyrics deal with different themes inspired mainly by his personal experiences in Palestine and life in the diaspora Stormtrap played a fundamental role in forming the band Ramallah Underground with which he has performed worldwide the past few years Currently he is working in Vienna with Aras Seyhan and Eren Ileri on a new album which combines live instruments synthesizers turntables beats and Arabic lyrics- which will be released early 2012 His work may be heard at soundcloudcomstormtrap He tweets from asifeh

AMEER YOSSEF 25 has sung and writen music with the band Klaket for the past four years His work may be heard at youtubecomAmeer and on Facebook

towards the work Her work for now concentrates on the process of making interactive and participatory performances that question borders stereotypes and languages

MOE ALI NAYEL is a fixer and a journalist based in Beirut Lebanon He uses social media blogging non-mainstream music journalism and writing as a word spreading eye opening socializing arena He uses social media as a bridge that cuts distance between people on this planet making it a tiny village This bridge starts in his office and takes him to every corner in the world enabling him to connect and network with people and cultures sharing and exchanging stories of the unheard and the neglected He blogs at Words of Action and he tweets from MoeAliNay

ALEX ORTIZ is a video and radio journalist and translator based in Cairo Egypt He graduated from Brown University in 2009 with a double major in Comparative Literature and Middle East Studies He was a CASA I fellow from 2009-2010 and a CASA II fellow from 2010-2011 He currently works for CBS News as a field producer He tweets from cairowitness

AHMED SHAWKET is an independent translator living in Cairo Egypt He is a graduate of the Helwan University Faculty of Arts where he majored in philosophy Ahmed works on literary media and commercial translation

113112

ABOUT SHAHADATShahadat is a quarterly online series designed to provide a platform for short-form writing and experimentation in writing by young and underexposed writers from the MENA region (Middle East and North Africa) The series features stories vignettes reflections and chronicles in translation and the original language of Arabic Farsi Turkish or Kurdish It makes up one quarter of ArteEastrsquos online programming the AE Quarterly For past issues of Shahadat click here

ABOUT THIS SERIES Shahadat is proud to run two alternating series and releases two issues a year of each The issue yoursquove just perused is part of the ldquoExploring Popular Literaturerdquo series This series challenges traditional understandings of ldquoliteraturerdquo emerging from the Middle East and North Africa by presenting genres of creative production that rely on words and language but which have not typically been studied as literature Works are presented in their original language and in translation

In each issue we gather texts from a spectrum of writers to challenge the singular status of the artistauthor and to encourage a more complex presentation of the Middle Eastern and North African ldquostreetrdquo for English-speaking audiences Shahadatrsquos other series ldquoContemporary Literature in Translationrdquo features the work of a single young author in the original language and in English translation

BEHIND THE DOCUMENTShahadat is co-edited by Rayya El Zein Alex Ortiz and ArteEastrsquos Artistic Director Barrak Alzaid All three are young professionals and scholars with artistic inclinations (literature poetry translation and performance) All three have strong connections to New York City and various metropole of the MENA region Shahadat is for us an experiment and a labor of love An editorial board of established scholars and authors is currently being conceived

SPECIAL THANKS TOAnmar El ZeinKinda AkashAndrew JohnstonLivia Alexander

Shahadat logo design by Rima Farouki

114

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Page 31: Shahadat Winter 2012

6160

Wake up the People

Donrsquot doubt it

The Maker can see you

Right now

You want to get out and see doe

So clouded

Sell out to be dope

Right now

I see you plagued by your own doubt

Canrsquot step the game up

Like a snake when it rolled down

Staircase of a lone child

No bricks lain in a cold house

Where you sold out

All alone on an old couch

t h e N a r c i c y s t

No click like an untapped phone dial

Oh wow

I felt the same homie

Donrsquot shelter pain only

Then it came slowly

Never let the frame hold me (down)

Picture life for the love though

People tend to look the other way like Columbo

We deceived by the law just to love doe

Guess they took all the worth out to numb folks

And make a severed plan

Out of bitter man

What you want a medal man

Huh Do you really think yoursquore better than Then

All you really need is a long look

Two sixteens and a strong hook like

brassThis track was originally written in English

null

2149748

6362

Wake up the People

Donrsquot doubt it

The Maker can see you

Right now

You want to get out and see doe

So clouded

Sell out to be dope

Right now

Break

Hip hop like a fresh pelvis

Yoursquore gonna regret this shit like a dead Elvis

Busy wishing you could live less selfish

Crabs in a bucket duckinrsquo these dead shellfish

Industry got a brother feeling helpless

With an ill chorus and ride yoursquore more in the tide

When a flow canrsquot keep me above the water

t h e N a r c i c y s t

Let a wave carry me out and push me farther now

Internal Inferno ten journals written but Irsquom still not sure though

Do I really want to tour to jump hurdles To be heard

So-I-Can-Feel-Like-This

Man therersquos something that I might miss--

Naw Irsquove been bluffinrsquo

Lifersquos backwards like Ben Buttonsrsquo

Irsquom in love with the stage fright on a strange night

Feels good to get the words on a page right

Wake up the People

Donrsquot doubt it

The Maker can see you

Right now

You want to get out and see doe

So clouded

Sell out to be dope

Right now

null

2149748

6564

مبارح شفت بلمنام بيروت عمتغرق حتت رماد بركان فحموا الناس بس ال raquoسكاي بارlaquo كان بعده ولعان

بيروت ثبتت حبة الثورة اللي فينا نبتت ملا أحبطت نفوسنا من اجلمود

فينا بيروت حتركت عدم دمارنا وعدم حرية خيارنا

بيوت بيروت تعمرت سكرنا عجفاف دموعنا جفوننا عليها تسكرت فتخمرت

إذا بطلت تطير قدرك عألرض مقهور إذا وقفت تكسير بتصير جزء من الديكور

e l R a s s

Yesterday I dreamt Beirut was drowning under volcanic ash

The people were turned to charcoal but Sky Bar [a posh Beirut club] was still lit up

Beirut suppressed the seed of the revolution the one that sprouted

When our spirits were foiled from immobility

In us Beirut moved

On the blood of our destruction and the negation of our freedom of choice

The houses of Beirut are rebuilt

We got drunk on the dryness of our tears our eyelids closed on them and fermented

If you stop flying your destiny on land is distress

If you stop breaking you become part of the decoration

beirutبركان بيروت rsquos volcano

Blues

2125713

6766

بحاور بناور باآلخر بواجه التاج بتوضى بصلي بتوصلني أصوات أنات احملتاج

تأمل العلم بعري العمل من العمل خياري عنار خفيفة دوب املسمار وتستوي األفكار النظيفة

عمروا دمروا زمروا تذمروا ربك صبره دربه جربه

عقلن خربوا غربوا هربوا وقبلوا بالفن عحيط الشارع

عشرط ما يكون في شك بشارع هيدي مش عاصمة ثقافة هيدي حلبة املصارع بيروت ال تعرف في املاضي وال تعرب باملضارع

حتول التركيبة خلى العقل اجلامد فكر حاله مالك املدينة رقبته طويلة متل مالك احلزين وايده لوزيري

اعتبر نفسه أول مني اكتشف هلجزيرة بأجر الفقير شقق بأسعار مدروسة

بشكل تضل طموحاته ممعوسة نهبوا األرض من ربعي وصارت احلرب شركة استثمار مبفعول رجعي

حتت شعار إعادة اإلعمار لو ما كان خلص دوره وانتهى عقد االيجار

كان احلريري ما طار وما صار مطار احلريري عاصمة لبنان بتوازن بني ضريحني

واتنيناتن عاغتيالن في عالمة استفهام e واحد قدس املوت بس لسبب l R a s s

I discuss I maneuver ultimately I confront the crown

I perform ablutions I pray I receive the moaning of the needy

The meditation of knowledge strips work from hope

My choice is on low fire melting the nails and clean thoughts are ripening

They built they destroyed they honked they complained

Your god made him patient tested him and trained him

Their minds ruined westernized chased off

They accepted art pissed on back alleys

As long as there is no doubt in the streets

This is no capital of culture itrsquos a wrestling ring

Beirut canrsquot speak of itself in the past nor conjugate itself in the present

Transitions and transformations made the closed mind think he owns the city

His neck is long like a stork his fingers long like a politicianrsquos

He thinks himself the first who discovered this peninsula

He lets the poor rent apartments at prices studied

To crush ambitions

They stole the land from my cousins

And the war became a backward-looking investment

Under the slogan of reconstruction

If his time wasnrsquot up and his contract finished

Hariri didnrsquot have to fly and it wouldnrsquot have become the Hariri airport

Lebanonrsquos capital keeps balance between two shrines

And on both assassinations there is a question mark

One sanctifies death but for a reason

Blues

2125713

6968

واحد قدس احلياة بس بالكذب واحد بايدو حتول الذهب سم وواحد تخبى من الذهب بالدم

مني الشهيد

اللي مات حتت صبابيط ثورة عبيد شهيد اللي مات فتحول على حملة اعالنات هدفها ترفع الطايفة معدالت التجنيد

قنابل بالبريد وصل سيوف علوريد حصل

املوت للبليد صنم الصبر للعنيد حلم تأليه الشهيد ظلم

خليط احلديد والدم العالج والسم الرفاه والهم النوعية والكم

الدعارة وورقة التوت مبدينة بيروت علم

e l R a s s

And one sanctifies life with lies

In onersquos hand gold turned into poison

And the other hid from gold with blood

Who is the martyr

The one who died under the shoes of the oppressedrsquos uprising is a martyr

Is it he whose death was transformed into an advertising campaign to raise the levels of

sectarian enlistment

Bombs came in the mail

Swords to the jugular true stories

Death to the cold is statuette

Patience to the stubborn is a dream

Divinity to the martyr is oppression

The mixture of steel and blood the cure and poison

Luxury and distress quality and quantity

Prostitution and modesty

The science of the city of Beirut

T r a n s l a t e d b y M o e A l i N a y e l amp + A z i z

Blues

2125713

7170

بقرأ في اجلريدة زفت شوارع جديدة

إزالة مطبات و كثير أشياء هيك مفيدة أشخاص مستفيدة

دعم من هون و من هون منظمات بس احلرية بعيدة

مقاطعة مستوطنات تعون الضفة الغربية وطنية حصرية إدعائية

طب و فلسطني التاريخية مع ألساس كانت القدس عاصمة الثقافة العربية

بس كلوحكي سياسية للشعب إحنا نتحمل الشغل و التعب و الوضع صعب

b o i k u t t

Irsquom reading in the paper

About roads newly paved

Speed bumps removed and a lot of other useful stuff (yes very)

Certain inviduals benefit

Funding from here and there

Organizations are plentiful but freedom is far-fetched

Calling for a boycott of settlements around the West Bank

Pretentious exclusive nationalism

But what about historical Palestine

I thought Jerusalem was supposed to be the ldquocapital of Arab cultureldquo

But itrsquos all political speeches for the people

We put up with the work and the sweat and itrsquos rough

a letterرسالة من مقاطعة from boikutt

risaleh mn muqataa (pt1)

boikutt

null

2010

1086983

eng - iTunPGAP0

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eng - iTunSMPB 00000000 00000210 000008F3 000000000049197D 00000000 0027BA9D 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000

7372

يقنعونا إن كلشي متام و بقدر أعيش حياة عادية

زي في األفالم على مبس واحد إثنني ثالثة أربعة إلخ

كن منيح و بتنزل عليك املصاري زخ نصيحة من أخ ألخ

خليك مستقل ألن اللعبة إنلعب فإبعد عن الفخ

خليهم يقعدوا يستنوا الدعم ليموتوا يلفلفوا داخل اجلدار حلد ما يفوتوا

في متاهات مبسافات مش محددة مجددة لتوسع التوسع مش مهددة

إنتهاك احتالل بس مش على الكل

في ناس في فلسطني هون حياتهم زي الفل مش عارف شو بيفكر

شكلوا مش داري شي يوم حنروح كل الدكاكني هي حتسكر

سالم

b o i k u t t

Try to convince me that everythingrsquos fine

And that I can lead a normal life

Like in the movies

On MBC one two three four etcetera

Be good and money will rain on you

Advice from one brother to another

Stay independent because the games are being played

So steer clear of the trap

Let them wait for foreign aid until they die

Spinning in circles within the apartheid wall until they enter

Into unlimited mazes with unspecified spaces

That are renewed to fit settlement expansion unthreatened

Violation occupation

But not for everyone

There are people here in Palestine living ldquothe good lifeldquo

I donrsquot know what hersquos thinking

Seems like he doesnrsquot know one day wersquoll be gone

And all these shops will close

Peace

T r a n s l a t e d b y t h e a r t i s t w i t h L o u b n a B i l a l i

risaleh mn muqataa (pt1)

boikutt

null

2010

1086983

eng - iTunPGAP0

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eng - iTunSMPB 00000000 00000210 000008F3 000000000049197D 00000000 0027BA9D 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000

7574

الضغط عاليالعدو فات جاري احملادثات

صمت دوليكمية الغازى عم تزداد

تهجير جديد مولود جديدتكرر عزو مش تارك ورا شي مفيد غير غراب

من كل البيت ما تركو شي إال البابمن االرض ل سما مسافة عاليه

إمشي الصحرا وعد لياليوجنوما

كمشوا رئيس دولة بجورةحصار

توزيع مخدراتباألحمر تلون الفرات سجون معتقالتقبلة الوداع مع الصبات

تنصت بالشبكة خيانات باألزهر

k a t i b e h 5

The pressure is high

The enemy has entered discussions are taking place

Global silence

The numbers of the occupier are increasing

A new expulsion A newborn child

The perpetuation of an invasion that leaves behind it nothing of any use except for a crow

From an entire house they left nothing but the door

From the ground to the sky is a long distance

Walk the desert and count the nights

And its stars

They caught a president in a pit

Siege

Drug dealing the Euphrates is stained red prisons detention centers

A farewell kiss with a shoe

Networks wiretapped betrayals in Al Azhar

hold me back ifهديني اذا فيك you can

null

23098943

7776

حوار أديانالكف تنجس

متسح فيه وجك مع كل شروق عالوضوءتسمع شرارة فتيل مولوتوف ينادي أصوات تتلبى

باإلنفجار

هديني إذا فيك صرت موجود بكل مكانوجي مغبش عامل زي جيش زباتا

منصرخ بوجكم raquoاحلرية ل برغوتيlaquoإعالمكو بيعرفني كلماتكو حملت إسمي

شركاتكو بتهرب مني )كتيبه خمسه هديتي إذا فيك(

بتالقيني بني والد حفظوا غنية املخيماتبنفسية فالح عمال يزو املدينة

افالم تافهةبرنامج تافه

بتدور على مخك بتالقي مش موجوداخلليج يتحكم بإعالم

هادول حبوب التنومي ٦1 سنة بعدن مش شغالني

عالمادامك واخد وجهة نظري

ع محمل اجلدمسموح لك تستعجب وتظهر إنزعاجك بوجودي

ألني صديق لكل املشاهد الغير مرغوبة فيهاش بيختار حياتو بالتحديد بحكيلك هيك منحياها ومحد

ضغط رصاص وابارود بخليكاش حتيدالتجارب بتدلك عطريق

هديتي إذا فيك

k a t i b e h 5

A dialogue of religions

The hand is tainted

And with it you cleanse your face at ablution each sunrise

You hear the sparking of the fuse of a molotov calling voices respond

Explosion

Hold me back if you can I have become present everywhere

My face is concealed like the army of Zapata

We shout in your face ldquoFreedom for Barghoutildquo

Your media knows me your words have glimpsed my name

Your corporations flee from me

(Katibe Khamseh hold me back if you can)

Yoursquoll find me among children that have memorized the song ldquoAl Moukhayamatldquo

In the persona of a peasant that is visiting the city

Shallow films

Shallow programs

You look for your mind but you find it is not there

The Gulf controls media with its boundaries

These sleeping pills 61 years and theyrsquore still not effective

Great

As long as you are taking my point of view seriously

Yoursquore allowed to be taken aback and to show your irritation

Just like you show your irritation at my presence

Because I am a friend to all the images that are not desirable

This is how we live out these images and no one chooses their life specifically Irsquoll tell you

The pressure of bullets and gunpowder does not allow you to move away

Experience will guide you on the road

Hold me back if you can

null

23098943

7978

موقف واحد صريح من صميم روح لشعوب املقاومة ضمير ظهور البشرية

السبيل صعب ورا الغضبدعم لكل أسالوب محارب

د لنحرق نظامك منتدرب منجرب منخرب منستععم نحرق نظامك

هديتي إذا فيك

إطلع منيحمش رح تقدر توخذ كل شي من أول نظرة

نظرة عامة raquoبشرة مش بيضةlaquoجبني عريضة مكتوب مولود عنيد بالفطرة

فوت بالتقاليد عد التجاعيدلك هاي مش أول مرة

لغات ودراسات حط العلم بغالفمش رح تقدر تفهم ليه بعد في بارود ع الكتافلون األرض ولون الليل بيعطيك البني و السواد

بوعدك مش لوحدي رح أضل عد رماد الال اللعبة اجلديدة وال والدنا ع اللعبة جداد

بكفيش إنفلونزا الصقور صار في إنفلونزا اخلنازيرموسم مرض جديد لرئيس مبثل ع نفوس ومريض بهدوء البيض

هديتي إذا فيك

k a t i b e h 5

A single honest stance from the bottom of the soul for the people of the resistance the conscience

that exposes humanity

The path is difficult when following anger

A support for every style of battle

We train we strive we disrupt we prepare to burn your system

We are burning your system

Hold me back if you can

Look closely

You wonrsquot be able to see it all at first sight

An overview ldquocomplexion that is not whiteldquo

A broad forehead written born stubborn by nature

Look at the traditions and count the wrinkles

This is not the first time

Languages and scholarship put education under wraps

You wonrsquot be able to understand why there is still gunpowder on shoulders

The color of earth and the color of night gives you brown and blackness

I promise you that I will not be alone to count the ashes no

This game to us is not new and nor are our children new to the game

As if the influenza of eagles was not enough now therersquos the influenza of pigs

The season of a new disease for a president acting for a public and sick with the

calmness of white people

Hold me back if you can

null

23098943

8180

اإلحتالل نكه البشر بنكهة املجاريبالسالم حوار أديانبإقرار ملكية كذابة

بتشويه تاريخ وسرقة حضاراتولك أه

فلسطني إفريقيا الدجلة والفراتإجتاه البشرية لإلضمحالل سرطان بشري بعضها

الشتا ميسح اخلطايا واآلثاروليش بتتخبى وبتتغطى بنفس كل سفارة سميك الستار

لساتني باكل الضربة ورا الضره ورا الضربةوحتى ما أفعل وأساوي تكمشني الرجفة

بدل ما أضرب فيك بضرب بحاليبوعدكش حضلني كامش حالي حفلتها

حفلتها

هديني إذا فيك هديني إذا فيكهديني إذا فيك

k a t i b e h 5

The occupation has seasoned humanity with the flavor of sewers

With peace with dialogue of religions

With the declaration of false ownership

With the distortion of history and the theft of civilizations

Oh yes

Palestine Africa the Tigris and Euphrates

Humanity is leading to reduction a human cancer bites it

Exile wipes clean the sins and the traces

And why are you hiding and seeking cover when all the embassies are already well concealed

I am still taking one beating after another

And so that I donrsquot take action and do something shudders grip my body

Instead of beating you I beat myself

I canrsquot promise you that I can keep myself restrained

Irsquom gonna let go

Hold me back if you can

Hold me back if you can

Hold me back if you can

T r a n s l a t e d b y R i m a N a j d i a n d F a y s a l B i b i

null

23098943

8382

طول عمر الشعب املصري مع بعض أحلك الظروفبص وفر في التاريخ وانت ياما هاتشوف

الدين ده ليا وليكوفيا وفيك

حاجة روحانية بتخليك حتس اللي بيك

ايد في ايد نبني فيها من جديد

مصر زعلت علي حاصل وسطنا مش مفيد

بعد ثورة وبعد عيد فتنة تقتل حلم واتتحقق لنا

واحد اتننيالذكري بتعيش اكتر من عمر االنسان

بصمتنا تغييرنا جوة وبرة امليدان مش هانضيع نصر ثورتنا بفتنة نشئت بينا

A r a b i a n K n i g h t s + M C G a z a + A m e e r

The Egyptian people have always stuck together

Through the worst times look at history

And see how often wersquove been there for each other

That whole idea of religion

Is for you and for me something spiritual that makes you feel whatrsquos inside you

Hand in hand

We build Egypt up again

Egypt is angry at whatrsquos happening between us

Itrsquos not helpful

After the revolution after the celebration

Sectarian strife is killing the dream we fulfilled

One two

The memory lasts more than a lifetime

Our mark is our change in and outside Tahrir Square

We wonrsquot give up the victory of our revolution in exchange for sectarian strife between

us

hand inايد في ايد hand

Eid Fe Eid

Yasser Ameer Youssef Rush E Money amp MCGaza | by BOGEY

Single Hit track 11

20112011

Hip-Hop

24002867

eng - Hip-Hop 4 Life

eng - iTunNORM 000005E2 0000058E 0000424E 00003537 00026E95 0001C2B3 00008000 00008000 00005045 00005045

8584

بلدنا محتجانا ايدنا واحدة ضد احملنة تفرق ايه معاك ديانتي ملا ربك هو ربي

اصلك هو اصلي ارضك هي ارضي

ملا اتقال لي اكتت فيول فتنة انا قولت غلط علشان الفتنة مفتعلة في بلدنا وكان وراها غرض

فالفرد افترض فبفرض السياسة األمر اختلط

فالزم يبقي املصل سياسي من اصل املرض العسس واحلرس مافرقوش صليب وهالل

وكنا كلنا واحد وراء االقفالدم الشهيد شاهد

ياما بالفتنة انكسرنا وحدتنا بصوت واحد وضد الظلم انتصرنا

وديني هو ديني صلة بيني وبني ربي هارفع علمي وارفع راسي فوق

انا مصري

ايد في ايد نبني فيها من جديد

مصر زعلت علي حاصل وسطنا مش مفيد

بعد ثورة وبعد عيد فتنة تقتل حلم واتتحقق لنا

خلو حمامة السالم من الطيور املنقرضةعلشان تبقي القلوب مبتعدة منقسمه سهل تتسم

فكرين مناعة و قوة أم الدنيا بالطمع مرتبطةنسر املصريني ليس له دين احنا بنحميها بالدم

العنف بذوره بتكتر عاوز يوصل واحلروب حتصل

A r a b i a n K n i g h t s + M C G a z a + A m e e r

Our country needs us all together against the hard times

What difference does my religion make to you when your god is my god

Your origin is mine

Your land is my land

When they told me about sectarian strife I said thatrsquos wrong

Because itrsquos been planted in our country and behind it is some purpose

Makes one think somethingrsquos going on

By playing politics everythingrsquos gotten mixed up

The antidote has to be political just like the poison itself

The military doesnrsquot distinguish between cross and crescent

Wersquore all held together behind bars

The blood of the martyrs bears witness

To how much wersquove been broken by sectarianism

Through our unity we triumphed with one voice over injustice

And my religion is my own a rapport between me and God

Irsquoll raise my flag and my head up

Irsquom Egyptian

Hand in hand

We build Egypt up again

Egypt is angry at whatrsquos happening between us

Itrsquos not helpful

After the revolution after the victory

Sectarian strife is killing the dream we fulfilled

They drove the dove of peace to extinction

To keep hearts apart and divided itrsquos easy to poison them

Do they really think the resilience and strength of Egypt is connected to greed

The Egyptian eagle has no religion we protect it with our blood

The roots of violence are increasing want to gain control to start wars

Eid Fe Eid

Yasser Ameer Youssef Rush E Money amp MCGaza | by BOGEY

Single Hit track 11

20112011

Hip-Hop

24002867

eng - Hip-Hop 4 Life

eng - iTunNORM 000005E2 0000058E 0000424E 00003537 00026E95 0001C2B3 00008000 00008000 00005045 00005045

8786

للعاقيدة يكسر وألعضاء املشاعر تتشال تصتأصلعلى كالم ربهم اتكبرو فعملو قدر واتقدر

وقته مستنينه ليه خططوا مضمون الرسائل اتغير الن الهدف هو تدمير قعدة الوحدهوقتل كل قائد يقود الناس بره احملنه

فيبقي سهل يزيحنا ميحي أوصول عليها كبرناوكل واحد علي حداه يقول أنا محدش يقول احنا

فاببطء بحرص بص بعقل بحذر شوفقبل ما يخلوا خيالك يتخلله اخلوف

واخلوف ده افراز بيطلع من غده ملا الكلب بيشوفهابيعرف انك فاريسه سهل ياكلها ركز

فرق تسد إخلعوفق جتد إرفع

ثورة تقدصمت يفرد- يفرق

ما بيجمع بيننامن حقي النقد من حقك - تسمع

طب إسمع وراجع ما صور التاريخ طب باله بيكفي صور زمانييوم حصار كنيسة املهد مني دافع مني اتقمع مني اتنفا

مسلم مسيحي أل كان فلسطيني اتذكر معي ثورة غضب يناير

اتذكر معي الوحدة اإليد الوحدة اتشرف انتا مصرياتذكر معي األخ بإيد األخ يحمي األخ بدون إلخ

كالمي ماشي ماشي ال-لتفهمني بهويتي مسلم وال نصراني قبطي

ما في حجة لربطي خلبطي حلطي ألوطي ألغير خطيخير أجناد األرض

من أرض بيت املقدس كل السالم بعد ما قلت إلنقسام في وطنيانا ملزم أقول ال لفتنة

تفتت مجد شعب تعب عانى ضحى بالغالي حتى بناه

A r a b i a n K n i g h t s + M C G a z a + A m e e r

The relationship between Egyptians breaks down and the organs that feel are taken out

They got full of themselves in the name of their god and invented a new fate for us

Theyrsquore waiting for a time and theyrsquore plotting The meaning of their messages changes

Because the goal is to destroy the foundation of unity

And kill every leader who takes the people out of hard times

Itrsquos easy to remove us to wipe out the traditions we grew up with

Everyone on his own everyone says ldquoIldquo and no one says ldquoweldquo

Slowly carefully look Wisely with caution see

Before they make your imagination a slave to fear

And that fear releases a secretion from a gland

And when the dog sees it he knows yoursquore easy prey

Divide yoursquoll conquer

Bring harmony and yoursquoll reap Start

A revolution and it will catch on

Silence is solitary It divides

It doesnrsquot bring us together

It is my right to criticize and your right to listen

So listen and look back at history or better look at my life time

The day the Nativity Church was under siege who was persecuted Who was exiled

A Muslim A Christian No he was Palestinian

Letrsquos remember the angry revolution of January

Letrsquos remember the unity the one hand Be proud yoursquore Egyptian

Remember the brother holding hands with a brother protecting a brother

And I can go on

Donrsquot teach me about my identity whether Irsquom a Muslim or a Christian Copt

Therersquos no excuse to tie me down beat me to make me cower and kneel and stray from my courseThe Earthrsquos most virtuous soldiers

Come from the land of Bayt al-Maqdis [Jerusalem] I salute you After I said no to division in my countryIrsquom committed to saying no to seditionThat dissolves the glory of a people who labored suffered sacrificed what was most dear to build it

T r a n s l a t e d b y A l e x O r t i z + A h m e d S h a w k e t + K h a l e d A l H i l l i

Eid Fe Eid

Yasser Ameer Youssef Rush E Money amp MCGaza | by BOGEY

Single Hit track 11

20112011

Hip-Hop

24002867

eng - Hip-Hop 4 Life

eng - iTunNORM 000005E2 0000058E 0000424E 00003537 00026E95 0001C2B3 00008000 00008000 00005045 00005045

8988

الفن واملواهب زي حرب الكواكب الكل عايز يكون جنم صراع في الداخل

بهدي جنون العظمة بفلفل حر توابل تسيل دموع زي القنابل

زي مابتكلم وداني شغالة كون سامع نبض الشارع علشان أ

حالف أقضي على اإلعالم املتآمر مغامر في الكالم بس إنت مش سامع

ملا بأمسك القلم والورقة الهم بينزاح مخي بيرتاح بأقول اللي على البال

ملا بأقعد بحس بتأنيب ضمير كون في ستوديو بسجل على بيت خطير مفروض أ

e l D e e b + S t o r m t r a p

Art and talent are like Star Wars

Secretly everyone wants to be a star of conflict

I make megalomania tranquil with chilli hot spices

Tears flow like bombs

Thatrsquos how I talk and the world keeps moving

So that I can hear the pulse of the streets

Irsquove sworn to obliterate the media conspirators

I am adventurous in my speech but you do not hear

When I hold the pen and the paper my anxiety is lifted

My mind relaxes and I say whatrsquos on it

When I sit down I feel guilty

I should be in the studio recording dangerous beats

addictأدمان الشهرة ion to fame

Edman El Shuhra

Stormtrap amp Mohamed El Deeb

2011

Hip-Hop

15305855

- vocals Mohamed El Deeb Stormtrap13produced by Stormtrap

9190

إحساس غريب إنك تدمن الكالم ارسم يا فنان واخترع زي دافينشي الرسام

ولو مفيش ورقة باستخدم تليفوني خايف إن فكرة متعديش على صوتي

دنيا غريبة يوم مر يوم بونبوني بس أنا عمري ماغيرت لوني

املوسيقى بنادولي وبطابعي فضولي مهما قالوا لي هافهمها مبفهومي فـساعات أالقي نفسي بكلم نفسي واسمع أصوات غريبة في دماغي

وهو ده الصدى الصوت اللي بسمعه اكن مفيش حد فارقة معاه احالمي

شوف شوف مش هدف إنو أنا شخصيا أنا

هدفي انه كلماتي وموسيقتي تنتشرعشان هيك حتشوفني دوما مستمر مستثمر

كل وقتي كل طاقتي على أصواتي خوذ شك خوذ حتويل خوذ كاش

بس ما تنساش أي شي بيتعلق بالواقع بدناش ما تخاف ألنها قضيتنا مش منسية مية باملية هايذي ثورة كمان ثقافية

خليني أوضح هاي املوسيقى مش معمولة للتلفازeهاي املوسيقى مش معمولة لهز الطياز l D e e b + S t o r m t r a p

Strange feeling to be out of words

Paint oh artist and discover like Da Vinci the artist

If I donrsquot have paper I use my cell

I am afraid that the idea does not come through my voice

Strange world one day is bitter another like candy

But Irsquove never changed my color

Music is my Tylenol and my nature curious

So whatever they tell me Irsquoll understand it my way

Sometimes I find myself talking to myself

And I hear weird voices in my head

Which is just the echo of the sound I hear

As if no one cares about my dreams

See see

My goals are not self serving

My goal is that my words and music spread

Thatrsquos why yoursquoll see me always and continuously investing

All my time my energy on my sounds

Take a check take a transfer take cash

But never forget anything related to reality wersquore not interested

Donrsquot be afraid because our cause is not forgotten

One hundred percent this is also a cultural revolution

Let me explain this music is not meant to be televised

This music is not made for booty shaking

Edman El Shuhra

Stormtrap amp Mohamed El Deeb

2011

Hip-Hop

15305855

- vocals Mohamed El Deeb Stormtrap13produced by Stormtrap

9392

مش فاهم ليش الكل قاتل حاله يكون في مسابقةحابني نتصابح حياكم زات املكافحة

واالعالم ميت ع حيالله قصة ما بيدرس هالقصة من نصها

وبعدن بينفخهامش احلق علينا اذا ما بيبحثوا

وملا يبدوا يحكوا عنا أل عنجد بيبعصوابيفكروا انه كل شي هشك بشك

بس حدن الزم يقلهم انه الهب هوب مش هيكبدك تدير بالك عشانها هاي اللحظة احلاسمة

ملا يجوا عليك الديب والعاصفةنكسر حدود وبنبني وحدة عشان نحيي مجتماعاتنا

وننهي معانتناعشان هيك منكتب كلمات صريحة والها معنى

مش للشهرة مش حتى يجي حدن يدفعلنا

e l D e e b + S t o r m t r a p

I donrsquot understand why everyone is killing themselves to be in the contest

Wersquod like to say goodmorning to salute you in this same struggle

The mediarsquos dying for any story

But they donrsquot study the storyrsquos real text

And then they blow it out of proportion

Itrsquos not our fault if they donrsquot search

And when they talk about us then they really screw it up

They think everything is empty pointless

Somebody needs to tell them that hip hop is not like that

You should take care because this is the critical moment

When the wolf and storm come haunting you

We break borders and we create a unity to revitalize our communities

And stop our suffering

That is why we write frank words that have meaning

Itrsquos not for fame or even so that someone pays us

T r a n s l a t e d b y N i z a r G h a n e m

Edman El Shuhra

Stormtrap amp Mohamed El Deeb

2011

Hip-Hop

15305855

- vocals Mohamed El Deeb Stormtrap13produced by Stormtrap

9594

حضل عهل مود يعنيما إنتلك النجوم عم تقرب

بهل ال مود حكون عطول لبهل جنوم إدءر لو مضطر شن هجوم عل النجوم كلها

خللي األرض تدور حول أصبعي تنلك

ما إنتلك متلي متلك مولع طيار ألفكاري من العقدي تنفك فرد قعدي بني 4 حيطان ما بتنهز و منها ما بنهز

يلز املا بينلزالكاس عل الطاولي و منو عم مز مز

لتفتل براصي وحس من حالي عم كز كزعل ورقة كالمي مدروس و ما بزت زت بجرب ما عيد حالي متا يقولو عم نق نق

موزع قافياتي جواز كأن عم فت فت

بهل األطشة خلي الديني اللي تسمعني ترن رنFبسبيلي جاري يوم ع يوم عم برك رك a r e e q e l A t r a s h

Irsquoll stay in this mood

Didnrsquot I tell you The stars are getting closer

Irsquoll stay in this mood until I touch these stars

Even if I have to launch an attack on all the stars

Irsquoll make the Earth rotate around my finger I told you

Didnrsquot I tell you Irsquom just like you I lit up a joint so my ideas would untie their knot

Sitting this way in between four walls I wonrsquot budge

The most delectable

Drink is on the table from which Irsquom taking sips

Till my head starts spinning and Irsquom sick of myself

On the paper my words are calculated I donrsquot just toss them about

I try not to repeat myself so they wonrsquot say Irsquom nagging

I deal my rhymes out like theyrsquore cards

In this verse Irsquoll make those ears ring

My fountain is running and every day I excel

tالنجوم عم تقرب he stars are gett ing closer

null

29781717

9796

لضل ماشي جالس بينما غيري عم بلك لك شريط معلق ريحة العة عم بتفح فحكل ما فتح متو بتالقي عم بكب كب

عايشها إرهاب و مفي إال بسب سببزبالتي ما بكبو تيكون بعلمك

األالف مسم و بحياتو ما بينسم بزقة من هل التم تخلي سقفك ينش نش

تلمو ردم و ما تفكر إنو ترد رد و عم بحكي عالواطي متا الصالي فيك ترج رج

بطبعي عاقل بس بالراب بزل زل عل الرايق بال ما نط وال فز فز

type of shitعال بارد أبرد من شباط بس يقز قزتخلي عضامك ع بعض تسك سك

ما إنتلك النجوم عم تقرب بهل ال مود حكون عطول لبهل جنوم إدءر

لو مضطر شن هجوم عل النجوم كلهاخللي األرض تدور حول أصبعي تنلك

أنا متنبئ بنبه و بحقق ما قلتلك بعد وقتها ما عم نكت

عاملكرفون إبرة هرون عم بشكشك في شكcheck one two

هيك بدسدس عالنبض

F a r e e q e l A t r a s h

So I can walk straight when others are still playing

A broken record that reeks of a musty smell

Every time he opens his mouth he spews them out

He lives in terror and all he does is curse

I wouldnrsquot throw him in my garbage just so you know

Irsquove irritated thousands and never been irritated in my life

One spit out of this mouth will make your roof leak

And yoursquoll pick up the rubble and donrsquot even think about answering back

Irsquom talking in a low voice so the hall wonrsquot shake with you in it

Irsquom reasonable by nature but when it comes to rap I humiliate cold-heartedly

Without jumping or leaping around

I do it coldly colder than icy February-type of shit

Irsquoll make your bones rattle against each other

Didnrsquot I tell you The stars are getting closer

Irsquoll stay in this mood until I touch these stars

Even if I have to launch an attack on all the stars

Irsquoll make the Earth rotate around my finger I told you

Irsquom a psychic I predict and deliver

Didnrsquot I tell you to stand back when Irsquom not joking

Irsquom pricking the microphone with a heroin needle Is there any doubt

Check one two

Thatrsquos how I feel the pulse

null

29781717

9998

بدقق و زتزت حكي بتزجزج كأنها مزهزها عم بتشمشم عم خطط عم تكتيك و مني ملحلح من هون للساعة توقف تك تيك تك تيك

لك ليك منفخ حاله عامبيكازيب عا غيري بس بوجهي بتاءتإوجهه بيباءبإ من أد ما بعصب بسبسب

زر إنذار إذني بتطنطن و بشوف من عالباب عم بدقدق

عكروت بدو يفوت ليشوف الفن فني بس الفن هون بجسمي معبأ

من حلقي طايف و من متي عم بت شرشر و بيس البيس زلزال برجرج خليك تضبضب تنضب بالبيت لتكنكن

و أنا متأسف ألني بدي استأذن بس بعد شفت كابتشينو بتصحصح

ما إنتلك النجوم عم تقرببهل ال مود حكون عطول لبهل جنوم إدءر

لو مضطر شن هجوم عل النجوم كلهاخللي األرض تدور حول أصبعي تنلك

هيدا هب هوبمش هبل و ال بهل

هيدا زجل تتغزل في

ورايي إيقاع عليي إتبع و ما إطلع عنو يا بصير متل غير مسيس

زقفوا مع االيقاعزقفوا مع االيقاع

F a r e e q e l A t r a s h

Checking and hurling words that tickle as if I was high and sniffing

I am planning and scheming and Irsquom not going anywhere till the clock stops ticking

Look hersquos so full of it lying to others but in my face he stutters

And his face turns red from all the anger and he curses

My earsrsquo alarm bells start ringing

And I go to see whorsquos knocking at the door

Some bastard who wants to see where ldquothe artldquo is

But the art is right here packed in my body

Flowing from my throat running out of my mouth

And the bass is an earthquake that shakes and forces you to pack up and go home

And Irsquom sorry because I need to take leave

But after a sip of cappuccino yoursquoll come around

Didnrsquot I tell you The stars are getting closer

Irsquoll stay in this mood

Until I touch these stars even if I have to launch an attack on all the stars

Irsquoll make the Earth rotate around my finger I told you

This is hip hop

Itrsquos not stupid nor dumb

Itrsquos zajal [a form of Arabic poetry in the Levant]

That you flirt with

There is a beat that I have to follow canrsquot lose it or Irsquoll be like other MCs

Clap with the beat

Clap with the beat

T r a n s l a t e d b y K h a l e d A l H i l l i

null

29781717

101100

انا ببلعهم بتفهم وال مره بسبهمبخليهم داميا يضاربو بتفكيرهم

أنا وراهم قدامهم جنابهم محتلهممش طايقهم مرات وزنهم بكون منزلهم

مرتبهم صاففهم وبقلم أنا حاكمهم زاتتهم مش عاجبيني أنا ماحيهم قائدهم وبنفس الوقت أنا عبيدهم

وبفك وربط أنا بلعب مبعانيهمانا حاميهم بأسطر اللي تقويهم

انا واعدهم اني أستر على فاضحهم ومطلعهم بصوره اللي تبشعهم

بس أنا محترمهم وبسطور ساجنهم مكتفهم كأسير بجنازير القهر

ومهديهم بحبل اللي يبشر بالصبر وانا لي الفخر أكون الشوك اللي فيهم

Dوأكون القهر اللي داميا يسقيهم A M

Yo this is dedicated to the lyrics

Irsquom swallowing them spitting them never dissing them

Giving them freedom of speech

Irsquom behind them in front of them because of them always standing with them

Sometimes get sick of them sick of how you abuse them

Gather them in line with my pen I order them

Didnrsquot like it Throwing them out and replacing them

Irsquom their leader and also their slave

Small changes make huge differences

I train them in pages to make them strong

Promising to use them not abuse them

Or allow the wrong mouths to utter them

Approach them with a military mind and find peace in them

Irsquom lucky to be full of thorns and even luckier that I found the lyrics

So theyrsquoll help me find the roses in me

wordsكلمات

null

26837427

103102

raquoالكل سمعك بس السؤال اذا اللي سمعك فهمكlaquoكلمات ليست كالكلمات بل raquoعالماتlaquo

اللي توجهنا وين مابدنا عحبال السيرك هي تثبتنا ريح العالم من كل جهه اذا احنا ضعاف بتوقعنا بس

raquoأل بلمره ألlaquo raquoكلمات عندي طنlaquoكل واحده الها هدف اخدت حرف عحرف

نسجت جمل اللي البسهم وقت البرد raquoراح اضلني اناديlaquo raquoبنحكي كلماتlaquo

انت بتعرف انهم مبنصب شهاد بحكو املاضي وتنبوا حاضر أي بالد

قد ماحكيت قد ما أحكي فش كالم يغطي بسفي كالم يربي وينمي انت بس أروي

في شوف انه قوه والقوه بتقويفيك و أن رويته مصيره يسقيك )مثل للقوه( العدو من أمامكم

والبحر من ورائكم فال تخيبوا أسيادكمفأين أشعاركم وأين مجادلتكم

فأنتم تسكتون وتخمدون أحالمكم)انهي( نهيت ورجعت للعامية بكلمات

مرمية طالعه من عقليه شعبيهمتل جنيب اللي بذاكرة كل واحد محفوظ مدروس واذا أل معناته في خلل معكوس

عاملجتمع اللي قمع كتاباته Dاللي سمح لنسيانه يشيل خطواته A M

ldquoThey all hear you but few listen to youldquo

Lyrics ainrsquot just a bunch of words they are ldquosignsldquo

Leading us stabilizing us on tight ropes

Winds every way if we are thin we will fall

ldquoBut hell noldquo ldquoyou can measure my words in tonsldquo

Every word has a meaning I knitted a letter with another letter

Made warm sentences to wear in cold days

ldquoSo Irsquoll still shoutldquo ldquowe control lyricsldquo

You know lyrics are like a witness

They witnessed the past and forecast the future

As much as I said or say I canrsquot describe them

But there is a way to find the description and thatrsquos through them

Quench the thirst of the pages with them

So in the future itrsquoll quench your thirst

Keep feeding them as soon as they grow up

Theyrsquoll give you strength

ldquoExample for the strengthldquo

ldquoThe enemy is before you the sea is behind you

So donrsquot you dare disappoint our ancestors

Where are our deep poems Where are our strong statements

From generation to generation we kill our dreamsldquo

ldquoEnough philosophizingldquo ok lets get back to street talk

Words coming outta simple minds

Like Najeeb Mahfuz [literally lsquowell-rememberedrsquo also a famous author]

They keep living in our minds

And if you donrsquot know who he is - then I rest my case

null

26837427

105104

raquoالكل سمعك بس السؤال اذا اللي سمعك فهمكlaquoكلمات ليست كالكلمات بل raquoعالماتlaquo

اللي توجهنا وين مابدنا عحبال السيرك هي تثبتنا ريح العالم من كل جهه اذا احنا ضعاف بتوقعنا بس

raquoأل بلمره ألlaquo raquoكلمات عندي طنlaquoكل واحده الها هدف اخدت حرف عحرف

نسجت جمل اللي البسهم وقت البرد raquoراح اضلني اناديlaquo raquoبنحكي كلماتlaquo

ألف با كبايه أوعك تكسرهاامسكها للنهاية وكل ما تفضى مليها

كلمه أو رواية ومع املراحل زيدها شيحكاية وهيك ضلك زود فيها

وجيبها لتجمعاتك وساعتها استعملها لنقاشاتك وملواقفك استخدمها

هادي مدافعك اللي مداها بسيطرتك وما دافعك انه ما تخليها رايتك

ما هي تكتب ما هي توصف ما هي تكذب ما هي تنصف

ما هي هي الهروب هياللجوء هي الدروب هي

العبور باحلدود واللي مبرؤهم مبدع وبفوز باخللود واللي بسرقهم مش مقنع

واذا بتديهم احلرية بنادوك ممنوعDواذا بتوخد احلريه بنادوك مسموح A M

ldquoThey all hear you but few listen to youldquo

Lyrics ainrsquot just a bunch of words they are ldquosignsldquo

Leading us stabilizing us on tight ropes

Winds every way if we are thin we will fall

ldquoBut hell noldquo ldquoyou can measure my words in tonsldquo

Every word has a meaning I knitted a letter with another letter

Made warm sentences to wear in cold days

ldquoSo Irsquoll still shoutldquo ldquowe control lyricsldquo

The Arabic alphabet is like a glass donrsquot break it

Hold it tight and keep filling it

And then bring it to our arguments

Scream till your throat gets dry and then wet it

It holds our body itrsquos like our legs

If you stand for nothing yoursquoll fall for anything

The words write create

They kill lead and sometimes even lie

You can use them to build borders

And those who are gifted

Can use them to walk through borders

And in some governments

Itrsquos forbidden to give words freedom

But if you choke them and kill them

Thatrsquos allowed

F i g u r a t i v e t r a n s l a t i o n o f f e r e d b y t h e a r t i s t s

null

26837427

107106

further reading

The tracks presented in this document are not a comprehensive sampling of the genre of the market of hip hop in Arabic or of hip hop and rap in the wider Middle East

Artists featured here hail from Egypt Lebanon Palestine and the anglophone Arab diaspora The thriving North African hip hop scene is not represented nor is the work of the established francophone Arab diaspora nor the expanding hip hop scenes of especially Iran or Turkey

This collection does not attempt a comprehensive chronology Tracks featured here are not primarily new releases (though some are) neither are they all ldquoclassicsrdquo These limitations of scope are important to note

Many tracks of the popular Libyan group Ibn Thabitt and other groups from across the region have been translated and are hosted with commentary on the notable blog

revolutionaryarabrapblogspotcom

Another valuable resource is the Beirut-based blog by Jackson Allers ldquoBeats and Breathrdquo which features articulate critiques and reviews of events and releases from the region

jacksonallerswordpresscom

Hass Dennaoui (alias Big Hass) who recently launched started the first all hip-hop FM radio show in Saudi Arabia Laish Hip Hop (Why Hip Hop) manages a lively blog which

hosts an internet feed of his radio show and interviews with MCs and influential hip hop figures from around the world

revoltradioblogspotcom

Lebaneseundergroundcom hosts coverage of underground music in Lebanon including hip hop

And finally an excellent article by Hishaam Aidi on implications of the use of hip hop as foreign policy ldquoThe Grand (Hip-Hop) Chessboard Race Rap and Raison DrsquoEtatrdquo was published in The Middle East Report Fall 2011 Excerpts of the piece were published by Al Jazeera English in the article ldquoLeveraging Hip Hop in US Foreign Policyrdquo

All the artists and many of the translators whose work is showcased here host a significant online presence Their sites are listed with more about each of them on the following pages

109108

artist bios

ARABIAN KNIGHTZ the premier hip hop group from the land of the Nile River have not only established themselves as the lyricists with the sharpest swords in their land but they have also created the most consistent voice for rebellion strength and hope for the youth of the Middle East During the 2011 Revolution Arabian Knightz released two singles ldquoRebelrdquo and ldquoNot Your Prisonerrdquo anthems of resistance which gained worldwide attention and major media coverage for their powerful lyrics against a wicked system The group formed in 2006 through the cipher hip hoprsquos natural way of choosing like mindsets on the mic Rush Sphinx and E-Money were ahead of their peers adapting an authentic Arab perspective to the art dominated by Western voices mixing English and Arabic raps After hitting the studio for successful underground tracks AK enlisted super-producer Fredwreck (Snoop Dogg Xzibit Tha Dogg Pound) ldquoFokkakrdquo the single from this studio session was an instant hit and (surprisingly for Arabic Hip Hop) projected them to the top ten of the singles charts Arab League Records was formed amidst a growing fanbase and numerous collaborations with other Arab hip hop artists the first international Arab hip hop record label Desert Saga Volume 1 mixtape was the debut release led by ldquoThe Onerdquo featuring Egyptrsquos MC Amin Arabian Knightz have recorded their debut album Uknighted State of Arabia a masterpiece for Arab hip hop years in the making featuring instrumentals dominated by traditional percussions and players are scheduled for a Winter 2012 Release They are on Facebook

BOIKUTT is a musician and MC based in Ramallah Palestine Creating sounds using sampled material field recordings and electronic devices the results range between hip-hop downtempo ambient glitch and experimental He has composed and produced music for artists such as Kronos Quartet Bukue One Spiritchild Tamer Abu-Ghazaleh Bleubird and others and has appeared as an MC on albums for artists such as Slovo Heliodrome Bonnot and Lethal Skillz A co-founder of the Ramallah Underground Collective which has toured across the Arab World Europe and Australia Boikutt is also co-founder and member of audio-visual group Tashweesh with whom he is currently touring Also as a solo performer he has been in Beirut Cairo Manila Copenhagen London Hamburg Dubai Bethlehem and other cities He has produced and exhibited a few sound-art pieces composed several film scores has most recently composed the music for a dance theater performance entitled Bound by

New York-based company Yaa Samar Dance Theatre and is now working on different collaborative and solo projects His work may be heard at soundcloudcomboikutt and on Facebook

DAM Da Arabian MCrsquos are Suhell Nafar Tamer Nafar and Mahmoud Jreri The first Palestinian hip hop crew and among the first to rap in Arabic the group began working together in the late 1990s Struck by the uncanny resemblance of the reality of the streets in a Tupac video to the streets in their own neighborhood of Lyd they were inspired to tell their stories through hip hop Their timely song ldquoMin Irhabirdquo (ldquoWhorsquos the Terroristrdquo) was downloaded a million times shortly after its internet realese in 2001 and DAM became a household name among youth throughout the Middle East Ten years of performing all over the world has strengthened the grouprsquos commitment to continue living and working in their hometown of Lyd 15 minutes from Tel Aviv and working to provide the youth of the city and neighboring communities with programs and opportunities that have been denied to Palestinian citizens of Israel Their music is a unique fusion of East and West and encompasses influences as varied as Ghassan Kanafani Ahlam Mosteghanemi Mahmoud Darwish Naji al Ali Tupac Biggie Public Enemy MBS Krsquonaan and Pharoahe Monch IHDA (Dedication) DAMrsquos long-awaited first international album was released in 2007 and DAM has seen its songs and members featured in films such as Ford Transit (Dir Hany Abu Assad) Where in the World is Osama Bin Laden (Dir Morgan Spurlock) Salt of this Sea (Dir Annemarie Jacir) Local Angel and Forgiveness (Dir Udi Aloni) DAMrsquos history and influence on the Arab hip hop scene is detailed in the feature-length documentary Slingshot Hip Hop (Dir Jackie Reem Salloum) The group has also been featured in Vibe National Geographic Rolling Stone Q Basement Reuters and The New York Times and has appeared on MTV CNN BBC and Al Jazeera Their work can be heard and explored at damrapcom

EL DEEB first ventured into Egyptian Hip Hop when he joined Asfalt in 2005 He left in 2007 to create Wighit Nazara duo represented by Mohamed Yasser and himself It was a successful musical project that lasted until mid 2010 Currently he is working on his solo career with plans to release an EP every couple of months or so Cairofornia is his first solo EP His work may be heard at deebbandcampcom and on Facebook

EL RASS was born in Tripoli Lebanon He started writing poetry in literary Arabic at age 11 and started rhyming in spoken Lebanese dialect in 1999 at age 15 At that time he formed one third of a group of 3 MCrsquos going under the name of ldquoMlouk el Micrdquo (ldquoKings of the Micrdquo) They recorded one album and performed locally At 17 he left for France to study Finance and Economics Studies were hard money was scarce and exile was tough but music and poetry never left him as he continued rhyming with some underground French MCrsquos like Medline and Moebius and developed new musical skills on percussion in classical Arabic singing and baglama (turkish buzuk) After graduating and working for almost two years in the hell of banking and market finance El Rass decided to return to Lebanon He spent a year just re-discovering Beirut and making and learning music He now works as a journalist at the newspaper Assafir while concurrently pursuing joint projects with other producers and musicians He calls his work Taalik in reference to the same word in Arabic for ldquocommentrdquo and another word that comes from the same semantic root moaallakat which is a corpus of selected pre-Islamic poetry that was written with gold ink on the walls of the Karsquoaba in Mecca His work may be heard at soundcloudcomElRass

FAREEQ EL ATRASH is a hip hop band based out of Hamra St Beirut with a sound that is distinguished by laid back topical flows over live instrumentation It consists of Edd (raps) Nasser (raps) FZ (vocal production and FX) Fouad Afra (drums) Goo (plays guitar keys heart strings) and Abed Kobeissy (plays bass and buzuk) Their 2010 album and 2009 prealbum are available online More of their work may be found on Facebook Eddrsquos solo work can also be heard at soundcloudcomEdd

H2Z was born in Kuwait in 1986 where he lived for four years Due to the gulf war his family moved to Lebanon where he lived for the most part of his life Inspired by the tragic events in the Middle East and elsewhere in the world H2Z adopted rap music as a way to raise awareness about the injustices suffered by his people and to deliver a message through his music to anyone who supports the Palestinian cause His career began in 2004 when he was introduced to the production business by fellow rappers and soon he started producing his own tracks and established a local band producing many tracks for himself and other musicians in Lebanon In 2008 he released his first solo album titled 3aed which contained

17 tracks The political influence was noticed throughout the album and was generally well-received He is now studying for a degree in business administration at Wayne State University in Michigan His work may be heard at reverbnationcomh2z

KATIBEH 5 are based in Borj el Barajneh Lebanon Their work can be found at reverbnationcomkatibeh5 and myspacecomkatibe5palestine and on Facebook

M1 is Mutulu Olugbala of the New York based collective Dead Prez whose work is online at deadprezcom M1 is also on Facebook

MC GAZA is Adnan Mahmoud Ghonim an Algerian born artist and university student based in Gaza It was the beginning of 2005 when he attended one of the hip hop concerts in Gaza City ndash Gaza City that never appreciated the art he loved and attached himself to ndash and it was love at first sight between them Through some of the concerts he participated in a number of songs he collaborated on with Arabs from Egypt Algeria and Palestine and some active participation to represent the Palestinian people and interviews for both Arab and foreign press he was able to make a name for himself in the Gazan hip hop community His work may be found at youtubecomMCGaza and on Facebook

THE NARCICYST Having pioneered the Arab Hip-Hop movement with seminal Iraqi-Canadian crew Euphrates The Narcicyst recently broke through borders and shattered traveling etiquette touring solo around the world sharing stages with the likes of Brother Ali Mos Def and Kanye West to name a few On top of music The Narcicyst is a celebrated theorist whose academic work Fear of an Arab Planet has him from the stage to the classrooms of internationally renowned universities He is now also a professor at Concordia University teaching a Fine Arts course ldquoHip-Hop Past Present and Futurerdquo His writings have been published by multiple university presses and magazines internationally he is also a self-published author having recently released the biographical and social-study on the Arab world The Diatribes of a Dying Tribe As a true artist interested in really pushing his own artistic boundaries The Narcicyst has stepped into acting currently starring in the short music film PHATWA and in the first internationally-released film from the United Arab Emirates called City of Life A true multi-media

111110

KHALED AL HILLI is a PhD candidate in Comparative Literature at the Graduate Center City University of New York He has a BA in English Literature and a Masterrsquos degree in Teaching Second Languages Born in Iraq Khaled has taught in Lebanon and Saudi Arabia at both college and high school levels He has also worked with various Iraqi news outlets and has subtitledtranslated documentary films dealing with current social and political issues His research interests include Arabic political literature prison literature and literature in the diaspora He may be reached at hillykhalidgmailcom

+AZIZ is a NYC-based marketing consultant and a musician He is working through The World Music Parade to develop an animation project based on his music More about that project can be found at themusicparadetumblrcom He tweets from plusaziz

FAYSAL BIBI is a paleontologist and electronic musician currently based in Berlin

LOUBNA BILALI is originally from Morocco She did her undergrad and first MA in English Linguistics at Chouaib Doukkali University El Jadida She came to the US in 2008 to pursue a Masterrsquos degree in French to English translation and is currently working on a PhD in translation studies at Kent State University in Ohio She is very interested in learning and teaching languages as well as translating and localizing computer applications and websites She may be reached at loubnabilaligmailcom

FARAH ELREWAISSATI is a freelance translator pro-Palestine activist and BDS advocate who blogs at youthanormalizationblogspotcom She tweets from 3beee

NIZAR GHANEM was born in Lebanon He has been active in intercultural education interactive learning and conflict resolution across the Arab world His work on conflict resolution involved using theater comics and music as tools for emotional expression and social mobilization

RIMA NAJDI is a Performing Artist She studied dramatic arts at the Lebanese University in Beirut and obtained a Masterrsquos degree in Performance Studies at NYU New York She has written and performed in various plays and performances Najdi is particularly interested in multi-media performing arts and the position of the spectators

BARRAK ALZAID (copy editor) is the Artistic Director of ArteEast He is the editor of the ArteEast Quarterly a dynamic online portal featuring four publications that highlight contemporary art and culture from the Middle East and diaspora ndash ArtersquoZine Shahadat (contemporary short-form literature) Gallery and Cinematek (an online film center) He is also the curator for ArteEastrsquos Across Histories Art Talk Series featuring a series of panels on residencies in Fall 2011 He tweets from barrakster

RAYYA EL ZEIN (editor) is working towards a PhD in Theatre at the Graduate Center City University of New York Her research is increasingly focusing on theories of reception historical studies of audience behavior and popular culture in the Arab world She holds an MA in Performance Studies from NYU and is currently a teaching fellow at City College in Harlem She tweets from rayelz

translator biosdreamer Yassin recently established an arts label in the UAE called The Medium focusing on delivering art from Arabs in the diaspora and at lsquohomersquo to the rest of the world iraqisthebombcom He tweets from TheNarcicyst

OMAR OFFENDUM is a Syrian-American hip hop artist born in Saudi Arabia raised in Washington DC and living in Los Angeles Known for taking audiences on a lyrical journey from the jasmine-tree-lined courtyards of Nizar Qabbanirsquos Damascene homes to the flooded riverbanks of Langston Hughesrsquo Harlem Renaissance poems - Offendum has been featured on several major news outlets (BBC Yahoo ABC News Aljazeera PBS) toured the world to promote his ground-breaking music helped raise thousands of dollars for various humanitarian relief organizations (PCRF KinderUSA ANERA Islamic Relief) lectured at a number of prestigious academic institutions (Harvard MIT Stanford Columbia American University of Beirut NYU-AbuDhabi Qatar Education City) and most recently been involved in creating several critically-acclaimed songs about the popular democratic uprisings throughout the Middle East amp North Africa He is currently hard at work promoting his solo release - affectionately dubbed SyrianamericanA His work may be heard (and read) at offendumbandcampcom He is on Facebook and he tweets from Offendum

RAMALLAH UNDERGROUND based in Ramallah Palestine was born from the immediacy of musical experimentation and out of the need to give voice to a generation of Palestinians and Arabs facing a turbulent and uncertain political landscape The collective was founded by artists Boikutt Stormtrap and Aswatt and has always held a commitment to both the honesty of their work and the need to creatively rejuvenate Arabic culture To this end they combine music ranging from Arabic electronic music hip-hop and trip hop to downtempo with a deep sense of their local culture and the imposing presence of Palestine in their lives The outcome is a new specific and distinct sound RU (as producers and as MCrsquos ) has collaborated with numerous artists across the globe including countries like Lebanon UK Switzerland Italy USA France and many more including a collaboration with Slovo (a band headed by the guitarist from faithless) in their track ldquoNakbardquo which appears on their album Todo Cambia and with Kronos Quartet in the track ldquoTashweeshrdquo which appears on Floodplain RU has also performed live shows in Ramallah Bethlehem Vienna London Cairo Lausanne Amsterdam and Washington DC Their shows are mainly a performance of their hip-hop tracks as well as a few of their own electronic productions as a warm up More recently RU has incorporated a visual set in their live

performances brought to you by Palestinian visual artist Ruanne RU hopes to give a voice to Palestinians and Arabs bringing an alternative voice from the Arab world Their lyrics and music are an expression of anguish and defiance ultimately remaining a defiant voice of the colonized against the colonizer They continue to play a big role in the Arab underground cultural scene while slowly gaining wide global and local popularity

SHADIA MANSOURrsquos work can be found at myspacecomshadiamusic and on Facebook

STORMTRAP is a music producercomposerMC from Palestine Experimenting with old samples instruments and field recordings his sound is the result of a fusion of ambient atmospheres combined with various noises and hip hop beats His lyrics deal with different themes inspired mainly by his personal experiences in Palestine and life in the diaspora Stormtrap played a fundamental role in forming the band Ramallah Underground with which he has performed worldwide the past few years Currently he is working in Vienna with Aras Seyhan and Eren Ileri on a new album which combines live instruments synthesizers turntables beats and Arabic lyrics- which will be released early 2012 His work may be heard at soundcloudcomstormtrap He tweets from asifeh

AMEER YOSSEF 25 has sung and writen music with the band Klaket for the past four years His work may be heard at youtubecomAmeer and on Facebook

towards the work Her work for now concentrates on the process of making interactive and participatory performances that question borders stereotypes and languages

MOE ALI NAYEL is a fixer and a journalist based in Beirut Lebanon He uses social media blogging non-mainstream music journalism and writing as a word spreading eye opening socializing arena He uses social media as a bridge that cuts distance between people on this planet making it a tiny village This bridge starts in his office and takes him to every corner in the world enabling him to connect and network with people and cultures sharing and exchanging stories of the unheard and the neglected He blogs at Words of Action and he tweets from MoeAliNay

ALEX ORTIZ is a video and radio journalist and translator based in Cairo Egypt He graduated from Brown University in 2009 with a double major in Comparative Literature and Middle East Studies He was a CASA I fellow from 2009-2010 and a CASA II fellow from 2010-2011 He currently works for CBS News as a field producer He tweets from cairowitness

AHMED SHAWKET is an independent translator living in Cairo Egypt He is a graduate of the Helwan University Faculty of Arts where he majored in philosophy Ahmed works on literary media and commercial translation

113112

ABOUT SHAHADATShahadat is a quarterly online series designed to provide a platform for short-form writing and experimentation in writing by young and underexposed writers from the MENA region (Middle East and North Africa) The series features stories vignettes reflections and chronicles in translation and the original language of Arabic Farsi Turkish or Kurdish It makes up one quarter of ArteEastrsquos online programming the AE Quarterly For past issues of Shahadat click here

ABOUT THIS SERIES Shahadat is proud to run two alternating series and releases two issues a year of each The issue yoursquove just perused is part of the ldquoExploring Popular Literaturerdquo series This series challenges traditional understandings of ldquoliteraturerdquo emerging from the Middle East and North Africa by presenting genres of creative production that rely on words and language but which have not typically been studied as literature Works are presented in their original language and in translation

In each issue we gather texts from a spectrum of writers to challenge the singular status of the artistauthor and to encourage a more complex presentation of the Middle Eastern and North African ldquostreetrdquo for English-speaking audiences Shahadatrsquos other series ldquoContemporary Literature in Translationrdquo features the work of a single young author in the original language and in English translation

BEHIND THE DOCUMENTShahadat is co-edited by Rayya El Zein Alex Ortiz and ArteEastrsquos Artistic Director Barrak Alzaid All three are young professionals and scholars with artistic inclinations (literature poetry translation and performance) All three have strong connections to New York City and various metropole of the MENA region Shahadat is for us an experiment and a labor of love An editorial board of established scholars and authors is currently being conceived

SPECIAL THANKS TOAnmar El ZeinKinda AkashAndrew JohnstonLivia Alexander

Shahadat logo design by Rima Farouki

114

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Page 32: Shahadat Winter 2012

6362

Wake up the People

Donrsquot doubt it

The Maker can see you

Right now

You want to get out and see doe

So clouded

Sell out to be dope

Right now

Break

Hip hop like a fresh pelvis

Yoursquore gonna regret this shit like a dead Elvis

Busy wishing you could live less selfish

Crabs in a bucket duckinrsquo these dead shellfish

Industry got a brother feeling helpless

With an ill chorus and ride yoursquore more in the tide

When a flow canrsquot keep me above the water

t h e N a r c i c y s t

Let a wave carry me out and push me farther now

Internal Inferno ten journals written but Irsquom still not sure though

Do I really want to tour to jump hurdles To be heard

So-I-Can-Feel-Like-This

Man therersquos something that I might miss--

Naw Irsquove been bluffinrsquo

Lifersquos backwards like Ben Buttonsrsquo

Irsquom in love with the stage fright on a strange night

Feels good to get the words on a page right

Wake up the People

Donrsquot doubt it

The Maker can see you

Right now

You want to get out and see doe

So clouded

Sell out to be dope

Right now

null

2149748

6564

مبارح شفت بلمنام بيروت عمتغرق حتت رماد بركان فحموا الناس بس ال raquoسكاي بارlaquo كان بعده ولعان

بيروت ثبتت حبة الثورة اللي فينا نبتت ملا أحبطت نفوسنا من اجلمود

فينا بيروت حتركت عدم دمارنا وعدم حرية خيارنا

بيوت بيروت تعمرت سكرنا عجفاف دموعنا جفوننا عليها تسكرت فتخمرت

إذا بطلت تطير قدرك عألرض مقهور إذا وقفت تكسير بتصير جزء من الديكور

e l R a s s

Yesterday I dreamt Beirut was drowning under volcanic ash

The people were turned to charcoal but Sky Bar [a posh Beirut club] was still lit up

Beirut suppressed the seed of the revolution the one that sprouted

When our spirits were foiled from immobility

In us Beirut moved

On the blood of our destruction and the negation of our freedom of choice

The houses of Beirut are rebuilt

We got drunk on the dryness of our tears our eyelids closed on them and fermented

If you stop flying your destiny on land is distress

If you stop breaking you become part of the decoration

beirutبركان بيروت rsquos volcano

Blues

2125713

6766

بحاور بناور باآلخر بواجه التاج بتوضى بصلي بتوصلني أصوات أنات احملتاج

تأمل العلم بعري العمل من العمل خياري عنار خفيفة دوب املسمار وتستوي األفكار النظيفة

عمروا دمروا زمروا تذمروا ربك صبره دربه جربه

عقلن خربوا غربوا هربوا وقبلوا بالفن عحيط الشارع

عشرط ما يكون في شك بشارع هيدي مش عاصمة ثقافة هيدي حلبة املصارع بيروت ال تعرف في املاضي وال تعرب باملضارع

حتول التركيبة خلى العقل اجلامد فكر حاله مالك املدينة رقبته طويلة متل مالك احلزين وايده لوزيري

اعتبر نفسه أول مني اكتشف هلجزيرة بأجر الفقير شقق بأسعار مدروسة

بشكل تضل طموحاته ممعوسة نهبوا األرض من ربعي وصارت احلرب شركة استثمار مبفعول رجعي

حتت شعار إعادة اإلعمار لو ما كان خلص دوره وانتهى عقد االيجار

كان احلريري ما طار وما صار مطار احلريري عاصمة لبنان بتوازن بني ضريحني

واتنيناتن عاغتيالن في عالمة استفهام e واحد قدس املوت بس لسبب l R a s s

I discuss I maneuver ultimately I confront the crown

I perform ablutions I pray I receive the moaning of the needy

The meditation of knowledge strips work from hope

My choice is on low fire melting the nails and clean thoughts are ripening

They built they destroyed they honked they complained

Your god made him patient tested him and trained him

Their minds ruined westernized chased off

They accepted art pissed on back alleys

As long as there is no doubt in the streets

This is no capital of culture itrsquos a wrestling ring

Beirut canrsquot speak of itself in the past nor conjugate itself in the present

Transitions and transformations made the closed mind think he owns the city

His neck is long like a stork his fingers long like a politicianrsquos

He thinks himself the first who discovered this peninsula

He lets the poor rent apartments at prices studied

To crush ambitions

They stole the land from my cousins

And the war became a backward-looking investment

Under the slogan of reconstruction

If his time wasnrsquot up and his contract finished

Hariri didnrsquot have to fly and it wouldnrsquot have become the Hariri airport

Lebanonrsquos capital keeps balance between two shrines

And on both assassinations there is a question mark

One sanctifies death but for a reason

Blues

2125713

6968

واحد قدس احلياة بس بالكذب واحد بايدو حتول الذهب سم وواحد تخبى من الذهب بالدم

مني الشهيد

اللي مات حتت صبابيط ثورة عبيد شهيد اللي مات فتحول على حملة اعالنات هدفها ترفع الطايفة معدالت التجنيد

قنابل بالبريد وصل سيوف علوريد حصل

املوت للبليد صنم الصبر للعنيد حلم تأليه الشهيد ظلم

خليط احلديد والدم العالج والسم الرفاه والهم النوعية والكم

الدعارة وورقة التوت مبدينة بيروت علم

e l R a s s

And one sanctifies life with lies

In onersquos hand gold turned into poison

And the other hid from gold with blood

Who is the martyr

The one who died under the shoes of the oppressedrsquos uprising is a martyr

Is it he whose death was transformed into an advertising campaign to raise the levels of

sectarian enlistment

Bombs came in the mail

Swords to the jugular true stories

Death to the cold is statuette

Patience to the stubborn is a dream

Divinity to the martyr is oppression

The mixture of steel and blood the cure and poison

Luxury and distress quality and quantity

Prostitution and modesty

The science of the city of Beirut

T r a n s l a t e d b y M o e A l i N a y e l amp + A z i z

Blues

2125713

7170

بقرأ في اجلريدة زفت شوارع جديدة

إزالة مطبات و كثير أشياء هيك مفيدة أشخاص مستفيدة

دعم من هون و من هون منظمات بس احلرية بعيدة

مقاطعة مستوطنات تعون الضفة الغربية وطنية حصرية إدعائية

طب و فلسطني التاريخية مع ألساس كانت القدس عاصمة الثقافة العربية

بس كلوحكي سياسية للشعب إحنا نتحمل الشغل و التعب و الوضع صعب

b o i k u t t

Irsquom reading in the paper

About roads newly paved

Speed bumps removed and a lot of other useful stuff (yes very)

Certain inviduals benefit

Funding from here and there

Organizations are plentiful but freedom is far-fetched

Calling for a boycott of settlements around the West Bank

Pretentious exclusive nationalism

But what about historical Palestine

I thought Jerusalem was supposed to be the ldquocapital of Arab cultureldquo

But itrsquos all political speeches for the people

We put up with the work and the sweat and itrsquos rough

a letterرسالة من مقاطعة from boikutt

risaleh mn muqataa (pt1)

boikutt

null

2010

1086983

eng - iTunPGAP0

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eng - iTunSMPB 00000000 00000210 000008F3 000000000049197D 00000000 0027BA9D 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000

7372

يقنعونا إن كلشي متام و بقدر أعيش حياة عادية

زي في األفالم على مبس واحد إثنني ثالثة أربعة إلخ

كن منيح و بتنزل عليك املصاري زخ نصيحة من أخ ألخ

خليك مستقل ألن اللعبة إنلعب فإبعد عن الفخ

خليهم يقعدوا يستنوا الدعم ليموتوا يلفلفوا داخل اجلدار حلد ما يفوتوا

في متاهات مبسافات مش محددة مجددة لتوسع التوسع مش مهددة

إنتهاك احتالل بس مش على الكل

في ناس في فلسطني هون حياتهم زي الفل مش عارف شو بيفكر

شكلوا مش داري شي يوم حنروح كل الدكاكني هي حتسكر

سالم

b o i k u t t

Try to convince me that everythingrsquos fine

And that I can lead a normal life

Like in the movies

On MBC one two three four etcetera

Be good and money will rain on you

Advice from one brother to another

Stay independent because the games are being played

So steer clear of the trap

Let them wait for foreign aid until they die

Spinning in circles within the apartheid wall until they enter

Into unlimited mazes with unspecified spaces

That are renewed to fit settlement expansion unthreatened

Violation occupation

But not for everyone

There are people here in Palestine living ldquothe good lifeldquo

I donrsquot know what hersquos thinking

Seems like he doesnrsquot know one day wersquoll be gone

And all these shops will close

Peace

T r a n s l a t e d b y t h e a r t i s t w i t h L o u b n a B i l a l i

risaleh mn muqataa (pt1)

boikutt

null

2010

1086983

eng - iTunPGAP0

eng - iTunNORM 00000A1E 00000A0E 000099D9 000098A0 0000CC63 0000CC63 0000826D 000080B0 000131D0 000131D0

eng - iTunSMPB 00000000 00000210 000008F3 000000000049197D 00000000 0027BA9D 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000

7574

الضغط عاليالعدو فات جاري احملادثات

صمت دوليكمية الغازى عم تزداد

تهجير جديد مولود جديدتكرر عزو مش تارك ورا شي مفيد غير غراب

من كل البيت ما تركو شي إال البابمن االرض ل سما مسافة عاليه

إمشي الصحرا وعد لياليوجنوما

كمشوا رئيس دولة بجورةحصار

توزيع مخدراتباألحمر تلون الفرات سجون معتقالتقبلة الوداع مع الصبات

تنصت بالشبكة خيانات باألزهر

k a t i b e h 5

The pressure is high

The enemy has entered discussions are taking place

Global silence

The numbers of the occupier are increasing

A new expulsion A newborn child

The perpetuation of an invasion that leaves behind it nothing of any use except for a crow

From an entire house they left nothing but the door

From the ground to the sky is a long distance

Walk the desert and count the nights

And its stars

They caught a president in a pit

Siege

Drug dealing the Euphrates is stained red prisons detention centers

A farewell kiss with a shoe

Networks wiretapped betrayals in Al Azhar

hold me back ifهديني اذا فيك you can

null

23098943

7776

حوار أديانالكف تنجس

متسح فيه وجك مع كل شروق عالوضوءتسمع شرارة فتيل مولوتوف ينادي أصوات تتلبى

باإلنفجار

هديني إذا فيك صرت موجود بكل مكانوجي مغبش عامل زي جيش زباتا

منصرخ بوجكم raquoاحلرية ل برغوتيlaquoإعالمكو بيعرفني كلماتكو حملت إسمي

شركاتكو بتهرب مني )كتيبه خمسه هديتي إذا فيك(

بتالقيني بني والد حفظوا غنية املخيماتبنفسية فالح عمال يزو املدينة

افالم تافهةبرنامج تافه

بتدور على مخك بتالقي مش موجوداخلليج يتحكم بإعالم

هادول حبوب التنومي ٦1 سنة بعدن مش شغالني

عالمادامك واخد وجهة نظري

ع محمل اجلدمسموح لك تستعجب وتظهر إنزعاجك بوجودي

ألني صديق لكل املشاهد الغير مرغوبة فيهاش بيختار حياتو بالتحديد بحكيلك هيك منحياها ومحد

ضغط رصاص وابارود بخليكاش حتيدالتجارب بتدلك عطريق

هديتي إذا فيك

k a t i b e h 5

A dialogue of religions

The hand is tainted

And with it you cleanse your face at ablution each sunrise

You hear the sparking of the fuse of a molotov calling voices respond

Explosion

Hold me back if you can I have become present everywhere

My face is concealed like the army of Zapata

We shout in your face ldquoFreedom for Barghoutildquo

Your media knows me your words have glimpsed my name

Your corporations flee from me

(Katibe Khamseh hold me back if you can)

Yoursquoll find me among children that have memorized the song ldquoAl Moukhayamatldquo

In the persona of a peasant that is visiting the city

Shallow films

Shallow programs

You look for your mind but you find it is not there

The Gulf controls media with its boundaries

These sleeping pills 61 years and theyrsquore still not effective

Great

As long as you are taking my point of view seriously

Yoursquore allowed to be taken aback and to show your irritation

Just like you show your irritation at my presence

Because I am a friend to all the images that are not desirable

This is how we live out these images and no one chooses their life specifically Irsquoll tell you

The pressure of bullets and gunpowder does not allow you to move away

Experience will guide you on the road

Hold me back if you can

null

23098943

7978

موقف واحد صريح من صميم روح لشعوب املقاومة ضمير ظهور البشرية

السبيل صعب ورا الغضبدعم لكل أسالوب محارب

د لنحرق نظامك منتدرب منجرب منخرب منستععم نحرق نظامك

هديتي إذا فيك

إطلع منيحمش رح تقدر توخذ كل شي من أول نظرة

نظرة عامة raquoبشرة مش بيضةlaquoجبني عريضة مكتوب مولود عنيد بالفطرة

فوت بالتقاليد عد التجاعيدلك هاي مش أول مرة

لغات ودراسات حط العلم بغالفمش رح تقدر تفهم ليه بعد في بارود ع الكتافلون األرض ولون الليل بيعطيك البني و السواد

بوعدك مش لوحدي رح أضل عد رماد الال اللعبة اجلديدة وال والدنا ع اللعبة جداد

بكفيش إنفلونزا الصقور صار في إنفلونزا اخلنازيرموسم مرض جديد لرئيس مبثل ع نفوس ومريض بهدوء البيض

هديتي إذا فيك

k a t i b e h 5

A single honest stance from the bottom of the soul for the people of the resistance the conscience

that exposes humanity

The path is difficult when following anger

A support for every style of battle

We train we strive we disrupt we prepare to burn your system

We are burning your system

Hold me back if you can

Look closely

You wonrsquot be able to see it all at first sight

An overview ldquocomplexion that is not whiteldquo

A broad forehead written born stubborn by nature

Look at the traditions and count the wrinkles

This is not the first time

Languages and scholarship put education under wraps

You wonrsquot be able to understand why there is still gunpowder on shoulders

The color of earth and the color of night gives you brown and blackness

I promise you that I will not be alone to count the ashes no

This game to us is not new and nor are our children new to the game

As if the influenza of eagles was not enough now therersquos the influenza of pigs

The season of a new disease for a president acting for a public and sick with the

calmness of white people

Hold me back if you can

null

23098943

8180

اإلحتالل نكه البشر بنكهة املجاريبالسالم حوار أديانبإقرار ملكية كذابة

بتشويه تاريخ وسرقة حضاراتولك أه

فلسطني إفريقيا الدجلة والفراتإجتاه البشرية لإلضمحالل سرطان بشري بعضها

الشتا ميسح اخلطايا واآلثاروليش بتتخبى وبتتغطى بنفس كل سفارة سميك الستار

لساتني باكل الضربة ورا الضره ورا الضربةوحتى ما أفعل وأساوي تكمشني الرجفة

بدل ما أضرب فيك بضرب بحاليبوعدكش حضلني كامش حالي حفلتها

حفلتها

هديني إذا فيك هديني إذا فيكهديني إذا فيك

k a t i b e h 5

The occupation has seasoned humanity with the flavor of sewers

With peace with dialogue of religions

With the declaration of false ownership

With the distortion of history and the theft of civilizations

Oh yes

Palestine Africa the Tigris and Euphrates

Humanity is leading to reduction a human cancer bites it

Exile wipes clean the sins and the traces

And why are you hiding and seeking cover when all the embassies are already well concealed

I am still taking one beating after another

And so that I donrsquot take action and do something shudders grip my body

Instead of beating you I beat myself

I canrsquot promise you that I can keep myself restrained

Irsquom gonna let go

Hold me back if you can

Hold me back if you can

Hold me back if you can

T r a n s l a t e d b y R i m a N a j d i a n d F a y s a l B i b i

null

23098943

8382

طول عمر الشعب املصري مع بعض أحلك الظروفبص وفر في التاريخ وانت ياما هاتشوف

الدين ده ليا وليكوفيا وفيك

حاجة روحانية بتخليك حتس اللي بيك

ايد في ايد نبني فيها من جديد

مصر زعلت علي حاصل وسطنا مش مفيد

بعد ثورة وبعد عيد فتنة تقتل حلم واتتحقق لنا

واحد اتننيالذكري بتعيش اكتر من عمر االنسان

بصمتنا تغييرنا جوة وبرة امليدان مش هانضيع نصر ثورتنا بفتنة نشئت بينا

A r a b i a n K n i g h t s + M C G a z a + A m e e r

The Egyptian people have always stuck together

Through the worst times look at history

And see how often wersquove been there for each other

That whole idea of religion

Is for you and for me something spiritual that makes you feel whatrsquos inside you

Hand in hand

We build Egypt up again

Egypt is angry at whatrsquos happening between us

Itrsquos not helpful

After the revolution after the celebration

Sectarian strife is killing the dream we fulfilled

One two

The memory lasts more than a lifetime

Our mark is our change in and outside Tahrir Square

We wonrsquot give up the victory of our revolution in exchange for sectarian strife between

us

hand inايد في ايد hand

Eid Fe Eid

Yasser Ameer Youssef Rush E Money amp MCGaza | by BOGEY

Single Hit track 11

20112011

Hip-Hop

24002867

eng - Hip-Hop 4 Life

eng - iTunNORM 000005E2 0000058E 0000424E 00003537 00026E95 0001C2B3 00008000 00008000 00005045 00005045

8584

بلدنا محتجانا ايدنا واحدة ضد احملنة تفرق ايه معاك ديانتي ملا ربك هو ربي

اصلك هو اصلي ارضك هي ارضي

ملا اتقال لي اكتت فيول فتنة انا قولت غلط علشان الفتنة مفتعلة في بلدنا وكان وراها غرض

فالفرد افترض فبفرض السياسة األمر اختلط

فالزم يبقي املصل سياسي من اصل املرض العسس واحلرس مافرقوش صليب وهالل

وكنا كلنا واحد وراء االقفالدم الشهيد شاهد

ياما بالفتنة انكسرنا وحدتنا بصوت واحد وضد الظلم انتصرنا

وديني هو ديني صلة بيني وبني ربي هارفع علمي وارفع راسي فوق

انا مصري

ايد في ايد نبني فيها من جديد

مصر زعلت علي حاصل وسطنا مش مفيد

بعد ثورة وبعد عيد فتنة تقتل حلم واتتحقق لنا

خلو حمامة السالم من الطيور املنقرضةعلشان تبقي القلوب مبتعدة منقسمه سهل تتسم

فكرين مناعة و قوة أم الدنيا بالطمع مرتبطةنسر املصريني ليس له دين احنا بنحميها بالدم

العنف بذوره بتكتر عاوز يوصل واحلروب حتصل

A r a b i a n K n i g h t s + M C G a z a + A m e e r

Our country needs us all together against the hard times

What difference does my religion make to you when your god is my god

Your origin is mine

Your land is my land

When they told me about sectarian strife I said thatrsquos wrong

Because itrsquos been planted in our country and behind it is some purpose

Makes one think somethingrsquos going on

By playing politics everythingrsquos gotten mixed up

The antidote has to be political just like the poison itself

The military doesnrsquot distinguish between cross and crescent

Wersquore all held together behind bars

The blood of the martyrs bears witness

To how much wersquove been broken by sectarianism

Through our unity we triumphed with one voice over injustice

And my religion is my own a rapport between me and God

Irsquoll raise my flag and my head up

Irsquom Egyptian

Hand in hand

We build Egypt up again

Egypt is angry at whatrsquos happening between us

Itrsquos not helpful

After the revolution after the victory

Sectarian strife is killing the dream we fulfilled

They drove the dove of peace to extinction

To keep hearts apart and divided itrsquos easy to poison them

Do they really think the resilience and strength of Egypt is connected to greed

The Egyptian eagle has no religion we protect it with our blood

The roots of violence are increasing want to gain control to start wars

Eid Fe Eid

Yasser Ameer Youssef Rush E Money amp MCGaza | by BOGEY

Single Hit track 11

20112011

Hip-Hop

24002867

eng - Hip-Hop 4 Life

eng - iTunNORM 000005E2 0000058E 0000424E 00003537 00026E95 0001C2B3 00008000 00008000 00005045 00005045

8786

للعاقيدة يكسر وألعضاء املشاعر تتشال تصتأصلعلى كالم ربهم اتكبرو فعملو قدر واتقدر

وقته مستنينه ليه خططوا مضمون الرسائل اتغير الن الهدف هو تدمير قعدة الوحدهوقتل كل قائد يقود الناس بره احملنه

فيبقي سهل يزيحنا ميحي أوصول عليها كبرناوكل واحد علي حداه يقول أنا محدش يقول احنا

فاببطء بحرص بص بعقل بحذر شوفقبل ما يخلوا خيالك يتخلله اخلوف

واخلوف ده افراز بيطلع من غده ملا الكلب بيشوفهابيعرف انك فاريسه سهل ياكلها ركز

فرق تسد إخلعوفق جتد إرفع

ثورة تقدصمت يفرد- يفرق

ما بيجمع بيننامن حقي النقد من حقك - تسمع

طب إسمع وراجع ما صور التاريخ طب باله بيكفي صور زمانييوم حصار كنيسة املهد مني دافع مني اتقمع مني اتنفا

مسلم مسيحي أل كان فلسطيني اتذكر معي ثورة غضب يناير

اتذكر معي الوحدة اإليد الوحدة اتشرف انتا مصرياتذكر معي األخ بإيد األخ يحمي األخ بدون إلخ

كالمي ماشي ماشي ال-لتفهمني بهويتي مسلم وال نصراني قبطي

ما في حجة لربطي خلبطي حلطي ألوطي ألغير خطيخير أجناد األرض

من أرض بيت املقدس كل السالم بعد ما قلت إلنقسام في وطنيانا ملزم أقول ال لفتنة

تفتت مجد شعب تعب عانى ضحى بالغالي حتى بناه

A r a b i a n K n i g h t s + M C G a z a + A m e e r

The relationship between Egyptians breaks down and the organs that feel are taken out

They got full of themselves in the name of their god and invented a new fate for us

Theyrsquore waiting for a time and theyrsquore plotting The meaning of their messages changes

Because the goal is to destroy the foundation of unity

And kill every leader who takes the people out of hard times

Itrsquos easy to remove us to wipe out the traditions we grew up with

Everyone on his own everyone says ldquoIldquo and no one says ldquoweldquo

Slowly carefully look Wisely with caution see

Before they make your imagination a slave to fear

And that fear releases a secretion from a gland

And when the dog sees it he knows yoursquore easy prey

Divide yoursquoll conquer

Bring harmony and yoursquoll reap Start

A revolution and it will catch on

Silence is solitary It divides

It doesnrsquot bring us together

It is my right to criticize and your right to listen

So listen and look back at history or better look at my life time

The day the Nativity Church was under siege who was persecuted Who was exiled

A Muslim A Christian No he was Palestinian

Letrsquos remember the angry revolution of January

Letrsquos remember the unity the one hand Be proud yoursquore Egyptian

Remember the brother holding hands with a brother protecting a brother

And I can go on

Donrsquot teach me about my identity whether Irsquom a Muslim or a Christian Copt

Therersquos no excuse to tie me down beat me to make me cower and kneel and stray from my courseThe Earthrsquos most virtuous soldiers

Come from the land of Bayt al-Maqdis [Jerusalem] I salute you After I said no to division in my countryIrsquom committed to saying no to seditionThat dissolves the glory of a people who labored suffered sacrificed what was most dear to build it

T r a n s l a t e d b y A l e x O r t i z + A h m e d S h a w k e t + K h a l e d A l H i l l i

Eid Fe Eid

Yasser Ameer Youssef Rush E Money amp MCGaza | by BOGEY

Single Hit track 11

20112011

Hip-Hop

24002867

eng - Hip-Hop 4 Life

eng - iTunNORM 000005E2 0000058E 0000424E 00003537 00026E95 0001C2B3 00008000 00008000 00005045 00005045

8988

الفن واملواهب زي حرب الكواكب الكل عايز يكون جنم صراع في الداخل

بهدي جنون العظمة بفلفل حر توابل تسيل دموع زي القنابل

زي مابتكلم وداني شغالة كون سامع نبض الشارع علشان أ

حالف أقضي على اإلعالم املتآمر مغامر في الكالم بس إنت مش سامع

ملا بأمسك القلم والورقة الهم بينزاح مخي بيرتاح بأقول اللي على البال

ملا بأقعد بحس بتأنيب ضمير كون في ستوديو بسجل على بيت خطير مفروض أ

e l D e e b + S t o r m t r a p

Art and talent are like Star Wars

Secretly everyone wants to be a star of conflict

I make megalomania tranquil with chilli hot spices

Tears flow like bombs

Thatrsquos how I talk and the world keeps moving

So that I can hear the pulse of the streets

Irsquove sworn to obliterate the media conspirators

I am adventurous in my speech but you do not hear

When I hold the pen and the paper my anxiety is lifted

My mind relaxes and I say whatrsquos on it

When I sit down I feel guilty

I should be in the studio recording dangerous beats

addictأدمان الشهرة ion to fame

Edman El Shuhra

Stormtrap amp Mohamed El Deeb

2011

Hip-Hop

15305855

- vocals Mohamed El Deeb Stormtrap13produced by Stormtrap

9190

إحساس غريب إنك تدمن الكالم ارسم يا فنان واخترع زي دافينشي الرسام

ولو مفيش ورقة باستخدم تليفوني خايف إن فكرة متعديش على صوتي

دنيا غريبة يوم مر يوم بونبوني بس أنا عمري ماغيرت لوني

املوسيقى بنادولي وبطابعي فضولي مهما قالوا لي هافهمها مبفهومي فـساعات أالقي نفسي بكلم نفسي واسمع أصوات غريبة في دماغي

وهو ده الصدى الصوت اللي بسمعه اكن مفيش حد فارقة معاه احالمي

شوف شوف مش هدف إنو أنا شخصيا أنا

هدفي انه كلماتي وموسيقتي تنتشرعشان هيك حتشوفني دوما مستمر مستثمر

كل وقتي كل طاقتي على أصواتي خوذ شك خوذ حتويل خوذ كاش

بس ما تنساش أي شي بيتعلق بالواقع بدناش ما تخاف ألنها قضيتنا مش منسية مية باملية هايذي ثورة كمان ثقافية

خليني أوضح هاي املوسيقى مش معمولة للتلفازeهاي املوسيقى مش معمولة لهز الطياز l D e e b + S t o r m t r a p

Strange feeling to be out of words

Paint oh artist and discover like Da Vinci the artist

If I donrsquot have paper I use my cell

I am afraid that the idea does not come through my voice

Strange world one day is bitter another like candy

But Irsquove never changed my color

Music is my Tylenol and my nature curious

So whatever they tell me Irsquoll understand it my way

Sometimes I find myself talking to myself

And I hear weird voices in my head

Which is just the echo of the sound I hear

As if no one cares about my dreams

See see

My goals are not self serving

My goal is that my words and music spread

Thatrsquos why yoursquoll see me always and continuously investing

All my time my energy on my sounds

Take a check take a transfer take cash

But never forget anything related to reality wersquore not interested

Donrsquot be afraid because our cause is not forgotten

One hundred percent this is also a cultural revolution

Let me explain this music is not meant to be televised

This music is not made for booty shaking

Edman El Shuhra

Stormtrap amp Mohamed El Deeb

2011

Hip-Hop

15305855

- vocals Mohamed El Deeb Stormtrap13produced by Stormtrap

9392

مش فاهم ليش الكل قاتل حاله يكون في مسابقةحابني نتصابح حياكم زات املكافحة

واالعالم ميت ع حيالله قصة ما بيدرس هالقصة من نصها

وبعدن بينفخهامش احلق علينا اذا ما بيبحثوا

وملا يبدوا يحكوا عنا أل عنجد بيبعصوابيفكروا انه كل شي هشك بشك

بس حدن الزم يقلهم انه الهب هوب مش هيكبدك تدير بالك عشانها هاي اللحظة احلاسمة

ملا يجوا عليك الديب والعاصفةنكسر حدود وبنبني وحدة عشان نحيي مجتماعاتنا

وننهي معانتناعشان هيك منكتب كلمات صريحة والها معنى

مش للشهرة مش حتى يجي حدن يدفعلنا

e l D e e b + S t o r m t r a p

I donrsquot understand why everyone is killing themselves to be in the contest

Wersquod like to say goodmorning to salute you in this same struggle

The mediarsquos dying for any story

But they donrsquot study the storyrsquos real text

And then they blow it out of proportion

Itrsquos not our fault if they donrsquot search

And when they talk about us then they really screw it up

They think everything is empty pointless

Somebody needs to tell them that hip hop is not like that

You should take care because this is the critical moment

When the wolf and storm come haunting you

We break borders and we create a unity to revitalize our communities

And stop our suffering

That is why we write frank words that have meaning

Itrsquos not for fame or even so that someone pays us

T r a n s l a t e d b y N i z a r G h a n e m

Edman El Shuhra

Stormtrap amp Mohamed El Deeb

2011

Hip-Hop

15305855

- vocals Mohamed El Deeb Stormtrap13produced by Stormtrap

9594

حضل عهل مود يعنيما إنتلك النجوم عم تقرب

بهل ال مود حكون عطول لبهل جنوم إدءر لو مضطر شن هجوم عل النجوم كلها

خللي األرض تدور حول أصبعي تنلك

ما إنتلك متلي متلك مولع طيار ألفكاري من العقدي تنفك فرد قعدي بني 4 حيطان ما بتنهز و منها ما بنهز

يلز املا بينلزالكاس عل الطاولي و منو عم مز مز

لتفتل براصي وحس من حالي عم كز كزعل ورقة كالمي مدروس و ما بزت زت بجرب ما عيد حالي متا يقولو عم نق نق

موزع قافياتي جواز كأن عم فت فت

بهل األطشة خلي الديني اللي تسمعني ترن رنFبسبيلي جاري يوم ع يوم عم برك رك a r e e q e l A t r a s h

Irsquoll stay in this mood

Didnrsquot I tell you The stars are getting closer

Irsquoll stay in this mood until I touch these stars

Even if I have to launch an attack on all the stars

Irsquoll make the Earth rotate around my finger I told you

Didnrsquot I tell you Irsquom just like you I lit up a joint so my ideas would untie their knot

Sitting this way in between four walls I wonrsquot budge

The most delectable

Drink is on the table from which Irsquom taking sips

Till my head starts spinning and Irsquom sick of myself

On the paper my words are calculated I donrsquot just toss them about

I try not to repeat myself so they wonrsquot say Irsquom nagging

I deal my rhymes out like theyrsquore cards

In this verse Irsquoll make those ears ring

My fountain is running and every day I excel

tالنجوم عم تقرب he stars are gett ing closer

null

29781717

9796

لضل ماشي جالس بينما غيري عم بلك لك شريط معلق ريحة العة عم بتفح فحكل ما فتح متو بتالقي عم بكب كب

عايشها إرهاب و مفي إال بسب سببزبالتي ما بكبو تيكون بعلمك

األالف مسم و بحياتو ما بينسم بزقة من هل التم تخلي سقفك ينش نش

تلمو ردم و ما تفكر إنو ترد رد و عم بحكي عالواطي متا الصالي فيك ترج رج

بطبعي عاقل بس بالراب بزل زل عل الرايق بال ما نط وال فز فز

type of shitعال بارد أبرد من شباط بس يقز قزتخلي عضامك ع بعض تسك سك

ما إنتلك النجوم عم تقرب بهل ال مود حكون عطول لبهل جنوم إدءر

لو مضطر شن هجوم عل النجوم كلهاخللي األرض تدور حول أصبعي تنلك

أنا متنبئ بنبه و بحقق ما قلتلك بعد وقتها ما عم نكت

عاملكرفون إبرة هرون عم بشكشك في شكcheck one two

هيك بدسدس عالنبض

F a r e e q e l A t r a s h

So I can walk straight when others are still playing

A broken record that reeks of a musty smell

Every time he opens his mouth he spews them out

He lives in terror and all he does is curse

I wouldnrsquot throw him in my garbage just so you know

Irsquove irritated thousands and never been irritated in my life

One spit out of this mouth will make your roof leak

And yoursquoll pick up the rubble and donrsquot even think about answering back

Irsquom talking in a low voice so the hall wonrsquot shake with you in it

Irsquom reasonable by nature but when it comes to rap I humiliate cold-heartedly

Without jumping or leaping around

I do it coldly colder than icy February-type of shit

Irsquoll make your bones rattle against each other

Didnrsquot I tell you The stars are getting closer

Irsquoll stay in this mood until I touch these stars

Even if I have to launch an attack on all the stars

Irsquoll make the Earth rotate around my finger I told you

Irsquom a psychic I predict and deliver

Didnrsquot I tell you to stand back when Irsquom not joking

Irsquom pricking the microphone with a heroin needle Is there any doubt

Check one two

Thatrsquos how I feel the pulse

null

29781717

9998

بدقق و زتزت حكي بتزجزج كأنها مزهزها عم بتشمشم عم خطط عم تكتيك و مني ملحلح من هون للساعة توقف تك تيك تك تيك

لك ليك منفخ حاله عامبيكازيب عا غيري بس بوجهي بتاءتإوجهه بيباءبإ من أد ما بعصب بسبسب

زر إنذار إذني بتطنطن و بشوف من عالباب عم بدقدق

عكروت بدو يفوت ليشوف الفن فني بس الفن هون بجسمي معبأ

من حلقي طايف و من متي عم بت شرشر و بيس البيس زلزال برجرج خليك تضبضب تنضب بالبيت لتكنكن

و أنا متأسف ألني بدي استأذن بس بعد شفت كابتشينو بتصحصح

ما إنتلك النجوم عم تقرببهل ال مود حكون عطول لبهل جنوم إدءر

لو مضطر شن هجوم عل النجوم كلهاخللي األرض تدور حول أصبعي تنلك

هيدا هب هوبمش هبل و ال بهل

هيدا زجل تتغزل في

ورايي إيقاع عليي إتبع و ما إطلع عنو يا بصير متل غير مسيس

زقفوا مع االيقاعزقفوا مع االيقاع

F a r e e q e l A t r a s h

Checking and hurling words that tickle as if I was high and sniffing

I am planning and scheming and Irsquom not going anywhere till the clock stops ticking

Look hersquos so full of it lying to others but in my face he stutters

And his face turns red from all the anger and he curses

My earsrsquo alarm bells start ringing

And I go to see whorsquos knocking at the door

Some bastard who wants to see where ldquothe artldquo is

But the art is right here packed in my body

Flowing from my throat running out of my mouth

And the bass is an earthquake that shakes and forces you to pack up and go home

And Irsquom sorry because I need to take leave

But after a sip of cappuccino yoursquoll come around

Didnrsquot I tell you The stars are getting closer

Irsquoll stay in this mood

Until I touch these stars even if I have to launch an attack on all the stars

Irsquoll make the Earth rotate around my finger I told you

This is hip hop

Itrsquos not stupid nor dumb

Itrsquos zajal [a form of Arabic poetry in the Levant]

That you flirt with

There is a beat that I have to follow canrsquot lose it or Irsquoll be like other MCs

Clap with the beat

Clap with the beat

T r a n s l a t e d b y K h a l e d A l H i l l i

null

29781717

101100

انا ببلعهم بتفهم وال مره بسبهمبخليهم داميا يضاربو بتفكيرهم

أنا وراهم قدامهم جنابهم محتلهممش طايقهم مرات وزنهم بكون منزلهم

مرتبهم صاففهم وبقلم أنا حاكمهم زاتتهم مش عاجبيني أنا ماحيهم قائدهم وبنفس الوقت أنا عبيدهم

وبفك وربط أنا بلعب مبعانيهمانا حاميهم بأسطر اللي تقويهم

انا واعدهم اني أستر على فاضحهم ومطلعهم بصوره اللي تبشعهم

بس أنا محترمهم وبسطور ساجنهم مكتفهم كأسير بجنازير القهر

ومهديهم بحبل اللي يبشر بالصبر وانا لي الفخر أكون الشوك اللي فيهم

Dوأكون القهر اللي داميا يسقيهم A M

Yo this is dedicated to the lyrics

Irsquom swallowing them spitting them never dissing them

Giving them freedom of speech

Irsquom behind them in front of them because of them always standing with them

Sometimes get sick of them sick of how you abuse them

Gather them in line with my pen I order them

Didnrsquot like it Throwing them out and replacing them

Irsquom their leader and also their slave

Small changes make huge differences

I train them in pages to make them strong

Promising to use them not abuse them

Or allow the wrong mouths to utter them

Approach them with a military mind and find peace in them

Irsquom lucky to be full of thorns and even luckier that I found the lyrics

So theyrsquoll help me find the roses in me

wordsكلمات

null

26837427

103102

raquoالكل سمعك بس السؤال اذا اللي سمعك فهمكlaquoكلمات ليست كالكلمات بل raquoعالماتlaquo

اللي توجهنا وين مابدنا عحبال السيرك هي تثبتنا ريح العالم من كل جهه اذا احنا ضعاف بتوقعنا بس

raquoأل بلمره ألlaquo raquoكلمات عندي طنlaquoكل واحده الها هدف اخدت حرف عحرف

نسجت جمل اللي البسهم وقت البرد raquoراح اضلني اناديlaquo raquoبنحكي كلماتlaquo

انت بتعرف انهم مبنصب شهاد بحكو املاضي وتنبوا حاضر أي بالد

قد ماحكيت قد ما أحكي فش كالم يغطي بسفي كالم يربي وينمي انت بس أروي

في شوف انه قوه والقوه بتقويفيك و أن رويته مصيره يسقيك )مثل للقوه( العدو من أمامكم

والبحر من ورائكم فال تخيبوا أسيادكمفأين أشعاركم وأين مجادلتكم

فأنتم تسكتون وتخمدون أحالمكم)انهي( نهيت ورجعت للعامية بكلمات

مرمية طالعه من عقليه شعبيهمتل جنيب اللي بذاكرة كل واحد محفوظ مدروس واذا أل معناته في خلل معكوس

عاملجتمع اللي قمع كتاباته Dاللي سمح لنسيانه يشيل خطواته A M

ldquoThey all hear you but few listen to youldquo

Lyrics ainrsquot just a bunch of words they are ldquosignsldquo

Leading us stabilizing us on tight ropes

Winds every way if we are thin we will fall

ldquoBut hell noldquo ldquoyou can measure my words in tonsldquo

Every word has a meaning I knitted a letter with another letter

Made warm sentences to wear in cold days

ldquoSo Irsquoll still shoutldquo ldquowe control lyricsldquo

You know lyrics are like a witness

They witnessed the past and forecast the future

As much as I said or say I canrsquot describe them

But there is a way to find the description and thatrsquos through them

Quench the thirst of the pages with them

So in the future itrsquoll quench your thirst

Keep feeding them as soon as they grow up

Theyrsquoll give you strength

ldquoExample for the strengthldquo

ldquoThe enemy is before you the sea is behind you

So donrsquot you dare disappoint our ancestors

Where are our deep poems Where are our strong statements

From generation to generation we kill our dreamsldquo

ldquoEnough philosophizingldquo ok lets get back to street talk

Words coming outta simple minds

Like Najeeb Mahfuz [literally lsquowell-rememberedrsquo also a famous author]

They keep living in our minds

And if you donrsquot know who he is - then I rest my case

null

26837427

105104

raquoالكل سمعك بس السؤال اذا اللي سمعك فهمكlaquoكلمات ليست كالكلمات بل raquoعالماتlaquo

اللي توجهنا وين مابدنا عحبال السيرك هي تثبتنا ريح العالم من كل جهه اذا احنا ضعاف بتوقعنا بس

raquoأل بلمره ألlaquo raquoكلمات عندي طنlaquoكل واحده الها هدف اخدت حرف عحرف

نسجت جمل اللي البسهم وقت البرد raquoراح اضلني اناديlaquo raquoبنحكي كلماتlaquo

ألف با كبايه أوعك تكسرهاامسكها للنهاية وكل ما تفضى مليها

كلمه أو رواية ومع املراحل زيدها شيحكاية وهيك ضلك زود فيها

وجيبها لتجمعاتك وساعتها استعملها لنقاشاتك وملواقفك استخدمها

هادي مدافعك اللي مداها بسيطرتك وما دافعك انه ما تخليها رايتك

ما هي تكتب ما هي توصف ما هي تكذب ما هي تنصف

ما هي هي الهروب هياللجوء هي الدروب هي

العبور باحلدود واللي مبرؤهم مبدع وبفوز باخللود واللي بسرقهم مش مقنع

واذا بتديهم احلرية بنادوك ممنوعDواذا بتوخد احلريه بنادوك مسموح A M

ldquoThey all hear you but few listen to youldquo

Lyrics ainrsquot just a bunch of words they are ldquosignsldquo

Leading us stabilizing us on tight ropes

Winds every way if we are thin we will fall

ldquoBut hell noldquo ldquoyou can measure my words in tonsldquo

Every word has a meaning I knitted a letter with another letter

Made warm sentences to wear in cold days

ldquoSo Irsquoll still shoutldquo ldquowe control lyricsldquo

The Arabic alphabet is like a glass donrsquot break it

Hold it tight and keep filling it

And then bring it to our arguments

Scream till your throat gets dry and then wet it

It holds our body itrsquos like our legs

If you stand for nothing yoursquoll fall for anything

The words write create

They kill lead and sometimes even lie

You can use them to build borders

And those who are gifted

Can use them to walk through borders

And in some governments

Itrsquos forbidden to give words freedom

But if you choke them and kill them

Thatrsquos allowed

F i g u r a t i v e t r a n s l a t i o n o f f e r e d b y t h e a r t i s t s

null

26837427

107106

further reading

The tracks presented in this document are not a comprehensive sampling of the genre of the market of hip hop in Arabic or of hip hop and rap in the wider Middle East

Artists featured here hail from Egypt Lebanon Palestine and the anglophone Arab diaspora The thriving North African hip hop scene is not represented nor is the work of the established francophone Arab diaspora nor the expanding hip hop scenes of especially Iran or Turkey

This collection does not attempt a comprehensive chronology Tracks featured here are not primarily new releases (though some are) neither are they all ldquoclassicsrdquo These limitations of scope are important to note

Many tracks of the popular Libyan group Ibn Thabitt and other groups from across the region have been translated and are hosted with commentary on the notable blog

revolutionaryarabrapblogspotcom

Another valuable resource is the Beirut-based blog by Jackson Allers ldquoBeats and Breathrdquo which features articulate critiques and reviews of events and releases from the region

jacksonallerswordpresscom

Hass Dennaoui (alias Big Hass) who recently launched started the first all hip-hop FM radio show in Saudi Arabia Laish Hip Hop (Why Hip Hop) manages a lively blog which

hosts an internet feed of his radio show and interviews with MCs and influential hip hop figures from around the world

revoltradioblogspotcom

Lebaneseundergroundcom hosts coverage of underground music in Lebanon including hip hop

And finally an excellent article by Hishaam Aidi on implications of the use of hip hop as foreign policy ldquoThe Grand (Hip-Hop) Chessboard Race Rap and Raison DrsquoEtatrdquo was published in The Middle East Report Fall 2011 Excerpts of the piece were published by Al Jazeera English in the article ldquoLeveraging Hip Hop in US Foreign Policyrdquo

All the artists and many of the translators whose work is showcased here host a significant online presence Their sites are listed with more about each of them on the following pages

109108

artist bios

ARABIAN KNIGHTZ the premier hip hop group from the land of the Nile River have not only established themselves as the lyricists with the sharpest swords in their land but they have also created the most consistent voice for rebellion strength and hope for the youth of the Middle East During the 2011 Revolution Arabian Knightz released two singles ldquoRebelrdquo and ldquoNot Your Prisonerrdquo anthems of resistance which gained worldwide attention and major media coverage for their powerful lyrics against a wicked system The group formed in 2006 through the cipher hip hoprsquos natural way of choosing like mindsets on the mic Rush Sphinx and E-Money were ahead of their peers adapting an authentic Arab perspective to the art dominated by Western voices mixing English and Arabic raps After hitting the studio for successful underground tracks AK enlisted super-producer Fredwreck (Snoop Dogg Xzibit Tha Dogg Pound) ldquoFokkakrdquo the single from this studio session was an instant hit and (surprisingly for Arabic Hip Hop) projected them to the top ten of the singles charts Arab League Records was formed amidst a growing fanbase and numerous collaborations with other Arab hip hop artists the first international Arab hip hop record label Desert Saga Volume 1 mixtape was the debut release led by ldquoThe Onerdquo featuring Egyptrsquos MC Amin Arabian Knightz have recorded their debut album Uknighted State of Arabia a masterpiece for Arab hip hop years in the making featuring instrumentals dominated by traditional percussions and players are scheduled for a Winter 2012 Release They are on Facebook

BOIKUTT is a musician and MC based in Ramallah Palestine Creating sounds using sampled material field recordings and electronic devices the results range between hip-hop downtempo ambient glitch and experimental He has composed and produced music for artists such as Kronos Quartet Bukue One Spiritchild Tamer Abu-Ghazaleh Bleubird and others and has appeared as an MC on albums for artists such as Slovo Heliodrome Bonnot and Lethal Skillz A co-founder of the Ramallah Underground Collective which has toured across the Arab World Europe and Australia Boikutt is also co-founder and member of audio-visual group Tashweesh with whom he is currently touring Also as a solo performer he has been in Beirut Cairo Manila Copenhagen London Hamburg Dubai Bethlehem and other cities He has produced and exhibited a few sound-art pieces composed several film scores has most recently composed the music for a dance theater performance entitled Bound by

New York-based company Yaa Samar Dance Theatre and is now working on different collaborative and solo projects His work may be heard at soundcloudcomboikutt and on Facebook

DAM Da Arabian MCrsquos are Suhell Nafar Tamer Nafar and Mahmoud Jreri The first Palestinian hip hop crew and among the first to rap in Arabic the group began working together in the late 1990s Struck by the uncanny resemblance of the reality of the streets in a Tupac video to the streets in their own neighborhood of Lyd they were inspired to tell their stories through hip hop Their timely song ldquoMin Irhabirdquo (ldquoWhorsquos the Terroristrdquo) was downloaded a million times shortly after its internet realese in 2001 and DAM became a household name among youth throughout the Middle East Ten years of performing all over the world has strengthened the grouprsquos commitment to continue living and working in their hometown of Lyd 15 minutes from Tel Aviv and working to provide the youth of the city and neighboring communities with programs and opportunities that have been denied to Palestinian citizens of Israel Their music is a unique fusion of East and West and encompasses influences as varied as Ghassan Kanafani Ahlam Mosteghanemi Mahmoud Darwish Naji al Ali Tupac Biggie Public Enemy MBS Krsquonaan and Pharoahe Monch IHDA (Dedication) DAMrsquos long-awaited first international album was released in 2007 and DAM has seen its songs and members featured in films such as Ford Transit (Dir Hany Abu Assad) Where in the World is Osama Bin Laden (Dir Morgan Spurlock) Salt of this Sea (Dir Annemarie Jacir) Local Angel and Forgiveness (Dir Udi Aloni) DAMrsquos history and influence on the Arab hip hop scene is detailed in the feature-length documentary Slingshot Hip Hop (Dir Jackie Reem Salloum) The group has also been featured in Vibe National Geographic Rolling Stone Q Basement Reuters and The New York Times and has appeared on MTV CNN BBC and Al Jazeera Their work can be heard and explored at damrapcom

EL DEEB first ventured into Egyptian Hip Hop when he joined Asfalt in 2005 He left in 2007 to create Wighit Nazara duo represented by Mohamed Yasser and himself It was a successful musical project that lasted until mid 2010 Currently he is working on his solo career with plans to release an EP every couple of months or so Cairofornia is his first solo EP His work may be heard at deebbandcampcom and on Facebook

EL RASS was born in Tripoli Lebanon He started writing poetry in literary Arabic at age 11 and started rhyming in spoken Lebanese dialect in 1999 at age 15 At that time he formed one third of a group of 3 MCrsquos going under the name of ldquoMlouk el Micrdquo (ldquoKings of the Micrdquo) They recorded one album and performed locally At 17 he left for France to study Finance and Economics Studies were hard money was scarce and exile was tough but music and poetry never left him as he continued rhyming with some underground French MCrsquos like Medline and Moebius and developed new musical skills on percussion in classical Arabic singing and baglama (turkish buzuk) After graduating and working for almost two years in the hell of banking and market finance El Rass decided to return to Lebanon He spent a year just re-discovering Beirut and making and learning music He now works as a journalist at the newspaper Assafir while concurrently pursuing joint projects with other producers and musicians He calls his work Taalik in reference to the same word in Arabic for ldquocommentrdquo and another word that comes from the same semantic root moaallakat which is a corpus of selected pre-Islamic poetry that was written with gold ink on the walls of the Karsquoaba in Mecca His work may be heard at soundcloudcomElRass

FAREEQ EL ATRASH is a hip hop band based out of Hamra St Beirut with a sound that is distinguished by laid back topical flows over live instrumentation It consists of Edd (raps) Nasser (raps) FZ (vocal production and FX) Fouad Afra (drums) Goo (plays guitar keys heart strings) and Abed Kobeissy (plays bass and buzuk) Their 2010 album and 2009 prealbum are available online More of their work may be found on Facebook Eddrsquos solo work can also be heard at soundcloudcomEdd

H2Z was born in Kuwait in 1986 where he lived for four years Due to the gulf war his family moved to Lebanon where he lived for the most part of his life Inspired by the tragic events in the Middle East and elsewhere in the world H2Z adopted rap music as a way to raise awareness about the injustices suffered by his people and to deliver a message through his music to anyone who supports the Palestinian cause His career began in 2004 when he was introduced to the production business by fellow rappers and soon he started producing his own tracks and established a local band producing many tracks for himself and other musicians in Lebanon In 2008 he released his first solo album titled 3aed which contained

17 tracks The political influence was noticed throughout the album and was generally well-received He is now studying for a degree in business administration at Wayne State University in Michigan His work may be heard at reverbnationcomh2z

KATIBEH 5 are based in Borj el Barajneh Lebanon Their work can be found at reverbnationcomkatibeh5 and myspacecomkatibe5palestine and on Facebook

M1 is Mutulu Olugbala of the New York based collective Dead Prez whose work is online at deadprezcom M1 is also on Facebook

MC GAZA is Adnan Mahmoud Ghonim an Algerian born artist and university student based in Gaza It was the beginning of 2005 when he attended one of the hip hop concerts in Gaza City ndash Gaza City that never appreciated the art he loved and attached himself to ndash and it was love at first sight between them Through some of the concerts he participated in a number of songs he collaborated on with Arabs from Egypt Algeria and Palestine and some active participation to represent the Palestinian people and interviews for both Arab and foreign press he was able to make a name for himself in the Gazan hip hop community His work may be found at youtubecomMCGaza and on Facebook

THE NARCICYST Having pioneered the Arab Hip-Hop movement with seminal Iraqi-Canadian crew Euphrates The Narcicyst recently broke through borders and shattered traveling etiquette touring solo around the world sharing stages with the likes of Brother Ali Mos Def and Kanye West to name a few On top of music The Narcicyst is a celebrated theorist whose academic work Fear of an Arab Planet has him from the stage to the classrooms of internationally renowned universities He is now also a professor at Concordia University teaching a Fine Arts course ldquoHip-Hop Past Present and Futurerdquo His writings have been published by multiple university presses and magazines internationally he is also a self-published author having recently released the biographical and social-study on the Arab world The Diatribes of a Dying Tribe As a true artist interested in really pushing his own artistic boundaries The Narcicyst has stepped into acting currently starring in the short music film PHATWA and in the first internationally-released film from the United Arab Emirates called City of Life A true multi-media

111110

KHALED AL HILLI is a PhD candidate in Comparative Literature at the Graduate Center City University of New York He has a BA in English Literature and a Masterrsquos degree in Teaching Second Languages Born in Iraq Khaled has taught in Lebanon and Saudi Arabia at both college and high school levels He has also worked with various Iraqi news outlets and has subtitledtranslated documentary films dealing with current social and political issues His research interests include Arabic political literature prison literature and literature in the diaspora He may be reached at hillykhalidgmailcom

+AZIZ is a NYC-based marketing consultant and a musician He is working through The World Music Parade to develop an animation project based on his music More about that project can be found at themusicparadetumblrcom He tweets from plusaziz

FAYSAL BIBI is a paleontologist and electronic musician currently based in Berlin

LOUBNA BILALI is originally from Morocco She did her undergrad and first MA in English Linguistics at Chouaib Doukkali University El Jadida She came to the US in 2008 to pursue a Masterrsquos degree in French to English translation and is currently working on a PhD in translation studies at Kent State University in Ohio She is very interested in learning and teaching languages as well as translating and localizing computer applications and websites She may be reached at loubnabilaligmailcom

FARAH ELREWAISSATI is a freelance translator pro-Palestine activist and BDS advocate who blogs at youthanormalizationblogspotcom She tweets from 3beee

NIZAR GHANEM was born in Lebanon He has been active in intercultural education interactive learning and conflict resolution across the Arab world His work on conflict resolution involved using theater comics and music as tools for emotional expression and social mobilization

RIMA NAJDI is a Performing Artist She studied dramatic arts at the Lebanese University in Beirut and obtained a Masterrsquos degree in Performance Studies at NYU New York She has written and performed in various plays and performances Najdi is particularly interested in multi-media performing arts and the position of the spectators

BARRAK ALZAID (copy editor) is the Artistic Director of ArteEast He is the editor of the ArteEast Quarterly a dynamic online portal featuring four publications that highlight contemporary art and culture from the Middle East and diaspora ndash ArtersquoZine Shahadat (contemporary short-form literature) Gallery and Cinematek (an online film center) He is also the curator for ArteEastrsquos Across Histories Art Talk Series featuring a series of panels on residencies in Fall 2011 He tweets from barrakster

RAYYA EL ZEIN (editor) is working towards a PhD in Theatre at the Graduate Center City University of New York Her research is increasingly focusing on theories of reception historical studies of audience behavior and popular culture in the Arab world She holds an MA in Performance Studies from NYU and is currently a teaching fellow at City College in Harlem She tweets from rayelz

translator biosdreamer Yassin recently established an arts label in the UAE called The Medium focusing on delivering art from Arabs in the diaspora and at lsquohomersquo to the rest of the world iraqisthebombcom He tweets from TheNarcicyst

OMAR OFFENDUM is a Syrian-American hip hop artist born in Saudi Arabia raised in Washington DC and living in Los Angeles Known for taking audiences on a lyrical journey from the jasmine-tree-lined courtyards of Nizar Qabbanirsquos Damascene homes to the flooded riverbanks of Langston Hughesrsquo Harlem Renaissance poems - Offendum has been featured on several major news outlets (BBC Yahoo ABC News Aljazeera PBS) toured the world to promote his ground-breaking music helped raise thousands of dollars for various humanitarian relief organizations (PCRF KinderUSA ANERA Islamic Relief) lectured at a number of prestigious academic institutions (Harvard MIT Stanford Columbia American University of Beirut NYU-AbuDhabi Qatar Education City) and most recently been involved in creating several critically-acclaimed songs about the popular democratic uprisings throughout the Middle East amp North Africa He is currently hard at work promoting his solo release - affectionately dubbed SyrianamericanA His work may be heard (and read) at offendumbandcampcom He is on Facebook and he tweets from Offendum

RAMALLAH UNDERGROUND based in Ramallah Palestine was born from the immediacy of musical experimentation and out of the need to give voice to a generation of Palestinians and Arabs facing a turbulent and uncertain political landscape The collective was founded by artists Boikutt Stormtrap and Aswatt and has always held a commitment to both the honesty of their work and the need to creatively rejuvenate Arabic culture To this end they combine music ranging from Arabic electronic music hip-hop and trip hop to downtempo with a deep sense of their local culture and the imposing presence of Palestine in their lives The outcome is a new specific and distinct sound RU (as producers and as MCrsquos ) has collaborated with numerous artists across the globe including countries like Lebanon UK Switzerland Italy USA France and many more including a collaboration with Slovo (a band headed by the guitarist from faithless) in their track ldquoNakbardquo which appears on their album Todo Cambia and with Kronos Quartet in the track ldquoTashweeshrdquo which appears on Floodplain RU has also performed live shows in Ramallah Bethlehem Vienna London Cairo Lausanne Amsterdam and Washington DC Their shows are mainly a performance of their hip-hop tracks as well as a few of their own electronic productions as a warm up More recently RU has incorporated a visual set in their live

performances brought to you by Palestinian visual artist Ruanne RU hopes to give a voice to Palestinians and Arabs bringing an alternative voice from the Arab world Their lyrics and music are an expression of anguish and defiance ultimately remaining a defiant voice of the colonized against the colonizer They continue to play a big role in the Arab underground cultural scene while slowly gaining wide global and local popularity

SHADIA MANSOURrsquos work can be found at myspacecomshadiamusic and on Facebook

STORMTRAP is a music producercomposerMC from Palestine Experimenting with old samples instruments and field recordings his sound is the result of a fusion of ambient atmospheres combined with various noises and hip hop beats His lyrics deal with different themes inspired mainly by his personal experiences in Palestine and life in the diaspora Stormtrap played a fundamental role in forming the band Ramallah Underground with which he has performed worldwide the past few years Currently he is working in Vienna with Aras Seyhan and Eren Ileri on a new album which combines live instruments synthesizers turntables beats and Arabic lyrics- which will be released early 2012 His work may be heard at soundcloudcomstormtrap He tweets from asifeh

AMEER YOSSEF 25 has sung and writen music with the band Klaket for the past four years His work may be heard at youtubecomAmeer and on Facebook

towards the work Her work for now concentrates on the process of making interactive and participatory performances that question borders stereotypes and languages

MOE ALI NAYEL is a fixer and a journalist based in Beirut Lebanon He uses social media blogging non-mainstream music journalism and writing as a word spreading eye opening socializing arena He uses social media as a bridge that cuts distance between people on this planet making it a tiny village This bridge starts in his office and takes him to every corner in the world enabling him to connect and network with people and cultures sharing and exchanging stories of the unheard and the neglected He blogs at Words of Action and he tweets from MoeAliNay

ALEX ORTIZ is a video and radio journalist and translator based in Cairo Egypt He graduated from Brown University in 2009 with a double major in Comparative Literature and Middle East Studies He was a CASA I fellow from 2009-2010 and a CASA II fellow from 2010-2011 He currently works for CBS News as a field producer He tweets from cairowitness

AHMED SHAWKET is an independent translator living in Cairo Egypt He is a graduate of the Helwan University Faculty of Arts where he majored in philosophy Ahmed works on literary media and commercial translation

113112

ABOUT SHAHADATShahadat is a quarterly online series designed to provide a platform for short-form writing and experimentation in writing by young and underexposed writers from the MENA region (Middle East and North Africa) The series features stories vignettes reflections and chronicles in translation and the original language of Arabic Farsi Turkish or Kurdish It makes up one quarter of ArteEastrsquos online programming the AE Quarterly For past issues of Shahadat click here

ABOUT THIS SERIES Shahadat is proud to run two alternating series and releases two issues a year of each The issue yoursquove just perused is part of the ldquoExploring Popular Literaturerdquo series This series challenges traditional understandings of ldquoliteraturerdquo emerging from the Middle East and North Africa by presenting genres of creative production that rely on words and language but which have not typically been studied as literature Works are presented in their original language and in translation

In each issue we gather texts from a spectrum of writers to challenge the singular status of the artistauthor and to encourage a more complex presentation of the Middle Eastern and North African ldquostreetrdquo for English-speaking audiences Shahadatrsquos other series ldquoContemporary Literature in Translationrdquo features the work of a single young author in the original language and in English translation

BEHIND THE DOCUMENTShahadat is co-edited by Rayya El Zein Alex Ortiz and ArteEastrsquos Artistic Director Barrak Alzaid All three are young professionals and scholars with artistic inclinations (literature poetry translation and performance) All three have strong connections to New York City and various metropole of the MENA region Shahadat is for us an experiment and a labor of love An editorial board of established scholars and authors is currently being conceived

SPECIAL THANKS TOAnmar El ZeinKinda AkashAndrew JohnstonLivia Alexander

Shahadat logo design by Rima Farouki

114

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Page 33: Shahadat Winter 2012

6564

مبارح شفت بلمنام بيروت عمتغرق حتت رماد بركان فحموا الناس بس ال raquoسكاي بارlaquo كان بعده ولعان

بيروت ثبتت حبة الثورة اللي فينا نبتت ملا أحبطت نفوسنا من اجلمود

فينا بيروت حتركت عدم دمارنا وعدم حرية خيارنا

بيوت بيروت تعمرت سكرنا عجفاف دموعنا جفوننا عليها تسكرت فتخمرت

إذا بطلت تطير قدرك عألرض مقهور إذا وقفت تكسير بتصير جزء من الديكور

e l R a s s

Yesterday I dreamt Beirut was drowning under volcanic ash

The people were turned to charcoal but Sky Bar [a posh Beirut club] was still lit up

Beirut suppressed the seed of the revolution the one that sprouted

When our spirits were foiled from immobility

In us Beirut moved

On the blood of our destruction and the negation of our freedom of choice

The houses of Beirut are rebuilt

We got drunk on the dryness of our tears our eyelids closed on them and fermented

If you stop flying your destiny on land is distress

If you stop breaking you become part of the decoration

beirutبركان بيروت rsquos volcano

Blues

2125713

6766

بحاور بناور باآلخر بواجه التاج بتوضى بصلي بتوصلني أصوات أنات احملتاج

تأمل العلم بعري العمل من العمل خياري عنار خفيفة دوب املسمار وتستوي األفكار النظيفة

عمروا دمروا زمروا تذمروا ربك صبره دربه جربه

عقلن خربوا غربوا هربوا وقبلوا بالفن عحيط الشارع

عشرط ما يكون في شك بشارع هيدي مش عاصمة ثقافة هيدي حلبة املصارع بيروت ال تعرف في املاضي وال تعرب باملضارع

حتول التركيبة خلى العقل اجلامد فكر حاله مالك املدينة رقبته طويلة متل مالك احلزين وايده لوزيري

اعتبر نفسه أول مني اكتشف هلجزيرة بأجر الفقير شقق بأسعار مدروسة

بشكل تضل طموحاته ممعوسة نهبوا األرض من ربعي وصارت احلرب شركة استثمار مبفعول رجعي

حتت شعار إعادة اإلعمار لو ما كان خلص دوره وانتهى عقد االيجار

كان احلريري ما طار وما صار مطار احلريري عاصمة لبنان بتوازن بني ضريحني

واتنيناتن عاغتيالن في عالمة استفهام e واحد قدس املوت بس لسبب l R a s s

I discuss I maneuver ultimately I confront the crown

I perform ablutions I pray I receive the moaning of the needy

The meditation of knowledge strips work from hope

My choice is on low fire melting the nails and clean thoughts are ripening

They built they destroyed they honked they complained

Your god made him patient tested him and trained him

Their minds ruined westernized chased off

They accepted art pissed on back alleys

As long as there is no doubt in the streets

This is no capital of culture itrsquos a wrestling ring

Beirut canrsquot speak of itself in the past nor conjugate itself in the present

Transitions and transformations made the closed mind think he owns the city

His neck is long like a stork his fingers long like a politicianrsquos

He thinks himself the first who discovered this peninsula

He lets the poor rent apartments at prices studied

To crush ambitions

They stole the land from my cousins

And the war became a backward-looking investment

Under the slogan of reconstruction

If his time wasnrsquot up and his contract finished

Hariri didnrsquot have to fly and it wouldnrsquot have become the Hariri airport

Lebanonrsquos capital keeps balance between two shrines

And on both assassinations there is a question mark

One sanctifies death but for a reason

Blues

2125713

6968

واحد قدس احلياة بس بالكذب واحد بايدو حتول الذهب سم وواحد تخبى من الذهب بالدم

مني الشهيد

اللي مات حتت صبابيط ثورة عبيد شهيد اللي مات فتحول على حملة اعالنات هدفها ترفع الطايفة معدالت التجنيد

قنابل بالبريد وصل سيوف علوريد حصل

املوت للبليد صنم الصبر للعنيد حلم تأليه الشهيد ظلم

خليط احلديد والدم العالج والسم الرفاه والهم النوعية والكم

الدعارة وورقة التوت مبدينة بيروت علم

e l R a s s

And one sanctifies life with lies

In onersquos hand gold turned into poison

And the other hid from gold with blood

Who is the martyr

The one who died under the shoes of the oppressedrsquos uprising is a martyr

Is it he whose death was transformed into an advertising campaign to raise the levels of

sectarian enlistment

Bombs came in the mail

Swords to the jugular true stories

Death to the cold is statuette

Patience to the stubborn is a dream

Divinity to the martyr is oppression

The mixture of steel and blood the cure and poison

Luxury and distress quality and quantity

Prostitution and modesty

The science of the city of Beirut

T r a n s l a t e d b y M o e A l i N a y e l amp + A z i z

Blues

2125713

7170

بقرأ في اجلريدة زفت شوارع جديدة

إزالة مطبات و كثير أشياء هيك مفيدة أشخاص مستفيدة

دعم من هون و من هون منظمات بس احلرية بعيدة

مقاطعة مستوطنات تعون الضفة الغربية وطنية حصرية إدعائية

طب و فلسطني التاريخية مع ألساس كانت القدس عاصمة الثقافة العربية

بس كلوحكي سياسية للشعب إحنا نتحمل الشغل و التعب و الوضع صعب

b o i k u t t

Irsquom reading in the paper

About roads newly paved

Speed bumps removed and a lot of other useful stuff (yes very)

Certain inviduals benefit

Funding from here and there

Organizations are plentiful but freedom is far-fetched

Calling for a boycott of settlements around the West Bank

Pretentious exclusive nationalism

But what about historical Palestine

I thought Jerusalem was supposed to be the ldquocapital of Arab cultureldquo

But itrsquos all political speeches for the people

We put up with the work and the sweat and itrsquos rough

a letterرسالة من مقاطعة from boikutt

risaleh mn muqataa (pt1)

boikutt

null

2010

1086983

eng - iTunPGAP0

eng - iTunNORM 00000A1E 00000A0E 000099D9 000098A0 0000CC63 0000CC63 0000826D 000080B0 000131D0 000131D0

eng - iTunSMPB 00000000 00000210 000008F3 000000000049197D 00000000 0027BA9D 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000

7372

يقنعونا إن كلشي متام و بقدر أعيش حياة عادية

زي في األفالم على مبس واحد إثنني ثالثة أربعة إلخ

كن منيح و بتنزل عليك املصاري زخ نصيحة من أخ ألخ

خليك مستقل ألن اللعبة إنلعب فإبعد عن الفخ

خليهم يقعدوا يستنوا الدعم ليموتوا يلفلفوا داخل اجلدار حلد ما يفوتوا

في متاهات مبسافات مش محددة مجددة لتوسع التوسع مش مهددة

إنتهاك احتالل بس مش على الكل

في ناس في فلسطني هون حياتهم زي الفل مش عارف شو بيفكر

شكلوا مش داري شي يوم حنروح كل الدكاكني هي حتسكر

سالم

b o i k u t t

Try to convince me that everythingrsquos fine

And that I can lead a normal life

Like in the movies

On MBC one two three four etcetera

Be good and money will rain on you

Advice from one brother to another

Stay independent because the games are being played

So steer clear of the trap

Let them wait for foreign aid until they die

Spinning in circles within the apartheid wall until they enter

Into unlimited mazes with unspecified spaces

That are renewed to fit settlement expansion unthreatened

Violation occupation

But not for everyone

There are people here in Palestine living ldquothe good lifeldquo

I donrsquot know what hersquos thinking

Seems like he doesnrsquot know one day wersquoll be gone

And all these shops will close

Peace

T r a n s l a t e d b y t h e a r t i s t w i t h L o u b n a B i l a l i

risaleh mn muqataa (pt1)

boikutt

null

2010

1086983

eng - iTunPGAP0

eng - iTunNORM 00000A1E 00000A0E 000099D9 000098A0 0000CC63 0000CC63 0000826D 000080B0 000131D0 000131D0

eng - iTunSMPB 00000000 00000210 000008F3 000000000049197D 00000000 0027BA9D 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000

7574

الضغط عاليالعدو فات جاري احملادثات

صمت دوليكمية الغازى عم تزداد

تهجير جديد مولود جديدتكرر عزو مش تارك ورا شي مفيد غير غراب

من كل البيت ما تركو شي إال البابمن االرض ل سما مسافة عاليه

إمشي الصحرا وعد لياليوجنوما

كمشوا رئيس دولة بجورةحصار

توزيع مخدراتباألحمر تلون الفرات سجون معتقالتقبلة الوداع مع الصبات

تنصت بالشبكة خيانات باألزهر

k a t i b e h 5

The pressure is high

The enemy has entered discussions are taking place

Global silence

The numbers of the occupier are increasing

A new expulsion A newborn child

The perpetuation of an invasion that leaves behind it nothing of any use except for a crow

From an entire house they left nothing but the door

From the ground to the sky is a long distance

Walk the desert and count the nights

And its stars

They caught a president in a pit

Siege

Drug dealing the Euphrates is stained red prisons detention centers

A farewell kiss with a shoe

Networks wiretapped betrayals in Al Azhar

hold me back ifهديني اذا فيك you can

null

23098943

7776

حوار أديانالكف تنجس

متسح فيه وجك مع كل شروق عالوضوءتسمع شرارة فتيل مولوتوف ينادي أصوات تتلبى

باإلنفجار

هديني إذا فيك صرت موجود بكل مكانوجي مغبش عامل زي جيش زباتا

منصرخ بوجكم raquoاحلرية ل برغوتيlaquoإعالمكو بيعرفني كلماتكو حملت إسمي

شركاتكو بتهرب مني )كتيبه خمسه هديتي إذا فيك(

بتالقيني بني والد حفظوا غنية املخيماتبنفسية فالح عمال يزو املدينة

افالم تافهةبرنامج تافه

بتدور على مخك بتالقي مش موجوداخلليج يتحكم بإعالم

هادول حبوب التنومي ٦1 سنة بعدن مش شغالني

عالمادامك واخد وجهة نظري

ع محمل اجلدمسموح لك تستعجب وتظهر إنزعاجك بوجودي

ألني صديق لكل املشاهد الغير مرغوبة فيهاش بيختار حياتو بالتحديد بحكيلك هيك منحياها ومحد

ضغط رصاص وابارود بخليكاش حتيدالتجارب بتدلك عطريق

هديتي إذا فيك

k a t i b e h 5

A dialogue of religions

The hand is tainted

And with it you cleanse your face at ablution each sunrise

You hear the sparking of the fuse of a molotov calling voices respond

Explosion

Hold me back if you can I have become present everywhere

My face is concealed like the army of Zapata

We shout in your face ldquoFreedom for Barghoutildquo

Your media knows me your words have glimpsed my name

Your corporations flee from me

(Katibe Khamseh hold me back if you can)

Yoursquoll find me among children that have memorized the song ldquoAl Moukhayamatldquo

In the persona of a peasant that is visiting the city

Shallow films

Shallow programs

You look for your mind but you find it is not there

The Gulf controls media with its boundaries

These sleeping pills 61 years and theyrsquore still not effective

Great

As long as you are taking my point of view seriously

Yoursquore allowed to be taken aback and to show your irritation

Just like you show your irritation at my presence

Because I am a friend to all the images that are not desirable

This is how we live out these images and no one chooses their life specifically Irsquoll tell you

The pressure of bullets and gunpowder does not allow you to move away

Experience will guide you on the road

Hold me back if you can

null

23098943

7978

موقف واحد صريح من صميم روح لشعوب املقاومة ضمير ظهور البشرية

السبيل صعب ورا الغضبدعم لكل أسالوب محارب

د لنحرق نظامك منتدرب منجرب منخرب منستععم نحرق نظامك

هديتي إذا فيك

إطلع منيحمش رح تقدر توخذ كل شي من أول نظرة

نظرة عامة raquoبشرة مش بيضةlaquoجبني عريضة مكتوب مولود عنيد بالفطرة

فوت بالتقاليد عد التجاعيدلك هاي مش أول مرة

لغات ودراسات حط العلم بغالفمش رح تقدر تفهم ليه بعد في بارود ع الكتافلون األرض ولون الليل بيعطيك البني و السواد

بوعدك مش لوحدي رح أضل عد رماد الال اللعبة اجلديدة وال والدنا ع اللعبة جداد

بكفيش إنفلونزا الصقور صار في إنفلونزا اخلنازيرموسم مرض جديد لرئيس مبثل ع نفوس ومريض بهدوء البيض

هديتي إذا فيك

k a t i b e h 5

A single honest stance from the bottom of the soul for the people of the resistance the conscience

that exposes humanity

The path is difficult when following anger

A support for every style of battle

We train we strive we disrupt we prepare to burn your system

We are burning your system

Hold me back if you can

Look closely

You wonrsquot be able to see it all at first sight

An overview ldquocomplexion that is not whiteldquo

A broad forehead written born stubborn by nature

Look at the traditions and count the wrinkles

This is not the first time

Languages and scholarship put education under wraps

You wonrsquot be able to understand why there is still gunpowder on shoulders

The color of earth and the color of night gives you brown and blackness

I promise you that I will not be alone to count the ashes no

This game to us is not new and nor are our children new to the game

As if the influenza of eagles was not enough now therersquos the influenza of pigs

The season of a new disease for a president acting for a public and sick with the

calmness of white people

Hold me back if you can

null

23098943

8180

اإلحتالل نكه البشر بنكهة املجاريبالسالم حوار أديانبإقرار ملكية كذابة

بتشويه تاريخ وسرقة حضاراتولك أه

فلسطني إفريقيا الدجلة والفراتإجتاه البشرية لإلضمحالل سرطان بشري بعضها

الشتا ميسح اخلطايا واآلثاروليش بتتخبى وبتتغطى بنفس كل سفارة سميك الستار

لساتني باكل الضربة ورا الضره ورا الضربةوحتى ما أفعل وأساوي تكمشني الرجفة

بدل ما أضرب فيك بضرب بحاليبوعدكش حضلني كامش حالي حفلتها

حفلتها

هديني إذا فيك هديني إذا فيكهديني إذا فيك

k a t i b e h 5

The occupation has seasoned humanity with the flavor of sewers

With peace with dialogue of religions

With the declaration of false ownership

With the distortion of history and the theft of civilizations

Oh yes

Palestine Africa the Tigris and Euphrates

Humanity is leading to reduction a human cancer bites it

Exile wipes clean the sins and the traces

And why are you hiding and seeking cover when all the embassies are already well concealed

I am still taking one beating after another

And so that I donrsquot take action and do something shudders grip my body

Instead of beating you I beat myself

I canrsquot promise you that I can keep myself restrained

Irsquom gonna let go

Hold me back if you can

Hold me back if you can

Hold me back if you can

T r a n s l a t e d b y R i m a N a j d i a n d F a y s a l B i b i

null

23098943

8382

طول عمر الشعب املصري مع بعض أحلك الظروفبص وفر في التاريخ وانت ياما هاتشوف

الدين ده ليا وليكوفيا وفيك

حاجة روحانية بتخليك حتس اللي بيك

ايد في ايد نبني فيها من جديد

مصر زعلت علي حاصل وسطنا مش مفيد

بعد ثورة وبعد عيد فتنة تقتل حلم واتتحقق لنا

واحد اتننيالذكري بتعيش اكتر من عمر االنسان

بصمتنا تغييرنا جوة وبرة امليدان مش هانضيع نصر ثورتنا بفتنة نشئت بينا

A r a b i a n K n i g h t s + M C G a z a + A m e e r

The Egyptian people have always stuck together

Through the worst times look at history

And see how often wersquove been there for each other

That whole idea of religion

Is for you and for me something spiritual that makes you feel whatrsquos inside you

Hand in hand

We build Egypt up again

Egypt is angry at whatrsquos happening between us

Itrsquos not helpful

After the revolution after the celebration

Sectarian strife is killing the dream we fulfilled

One two

The memory lasts more than a lifetime

Our mark is our change in and outside Tahrir Square

We wonrsquot give up the victory of our revolution in exchange for sectarian strife between

us

hand inايد في ايد hand

Eid Fe Eid

Yasser Ameer Youssef Rush E Money amp MCGaza | by BOGEY

Single Hit track 11

20112011

Hip-Hop

24002867

eng - Hip-Hop 4 Life

eng - iTunNORM 000005E2 0000058E 0000424E 00003537 00026E95 0001C2B3 00008000 00008000 00005045 00005045

8584

بلدنا محتجانا ايدنا واحدة ضد احملنة تفرق ايه معاك ديانتي ملا ربك هو ربي

اصلك هو اصلي ارضك هي ارضي

ملا اتقال لي اكتت فيول فتنة انا قولت غلط علشان الفتنة مفتعلة في بلدنا وكان وراها غرض

فالفرد افترض فبفرض السياسة األمر اختلط

فالزم يبقي املصل سياسي من اصل املرض العسس واحلرس مافرقوش صليب وهالل

وكنا كلنا واحد وراء االقفالدم الشهيد شاهد

ياما بالفتنة انكسرنا وحدتنا بصوت واحد وضد الظلم انتصرنا

وديني هو ديني صلة بيني وبني ربي هارفع علمي وارفع راسي فوق

انا مصري

ايد في ايد نبني فيها من جديد

مصر زعلت علي حاصل وسطنا مش مفيد

بعد ثورة وبعد عيد فتنة تقتل حلم واتتحقق لنا

خلو حمامة السالم من الطيور املنقرضةعلشان تبقي القلوب مبتعدة منقسمه سهل تتسم

فكرين مناعة و قوة أم الدنيا بالطمع مرتبطةنسر املصريني ليس له دين احنا بنحميها بالدم

العنف بذوره بتكتر عاوز يوصل واحلروب حتصل

A r a b i a n K n i g h t s + M C G a z a + A m e e r

Our country needs us all together against the hard times

What difference does my religion make to you when your god is my god

Your origin is mine

Your land is my land

When they told me about sectarian strife I said thatrsquos wrong

Because itrsquos been planted in our country and behind it is some purpose

Makes one think somethingrsquos going on

By playing politics everythingrsquos gotten mixed up

The antidote has to be political just like the poison itself

The military doesnrsquot distinguish between cross and crescent

Wersquore all held together behind bars

The blood of the martyrs bears witness

To how much wersquove been broken by sectarianism

Through our unity we triumphed with one voice over injustice

And my religion is my own a rapport between me and God

Irsquoll raise my flag and my head up

Irsquom Egyptian

Hand in hand

We build Egypt up again

Egypt is angry at whatrsquos happening between us

Itrsquos not helpful

After the revolution after the victory

Sectarian strife is killing the dream we fulfilled

They drove the dove of peace to extinction

To keep hearts apart and divided itrsquos easy to poison them

Do they really think the resilience and strength of Egypt is connected to greed

The Egyptian eagle has no religion we protect it with our blood

The roots of violence are increasing want to gain control to start wars

Eid Fe Eid

Yasser Ameer Youssef Rush E Money amp MCGaza | by BOGEY

Single Hit track 11

20112011

Hip-Hop

24002867

eng - Hip-Hop 4 Life

eng - iTunNORM 000005E2 0000058E 0000424E 00003537 00026E95 0001C2B3 00008000 00008000 00005045 00005045

8786

للعاقيدة يكسر وألعضاء املشاعر تتشال تصتأصلعلى كالم ربهم اتكبرو فعملو قدر واتقدر

وقته مستنينه ليه خططوا مضمون الرسائل اتغير الن الهدف هو تدمير قعدة الوحدهوقتل كل قائد يقود الناس بره احملنه

فيبقي سهل يزيحنا ميحي أوصول عليها كبرناوكل واحد علي حداه يقول أنا محدش يقول احنا

فاببطء بحرص بص بعقل بحذر شوفقبل ما يخلوا خيالك يتخلله اخلوف

واخلوف ده افراز بيطلع من غده ملا الكلب بيشوفهابيعرف انك فاريسه سهل ياكلها ركز

فرق تسد إخلعوفق جتد إرفع

ثورة تقدصمت يفرد- يفرق

ما بيجمع بيننامن حقي النقد من حقك - تسمع

طب إسمع وراجع ما صور التاريخ طب باله بيكفي صور زمانييوم حصار كنيسة املهد مني دافع مني اتقمع مني اتنفا

مسلم مسيحي أل كان فلسطيني اتذكر معي ثورة غضب يناير

اتذكر معي الوحدة اإليد الوحدة اتشرف انتا مصرياتذكر معي األخ بإيد األخ يحمي األخ بدون إلخ

كالمي ماشي ماشي ال-لتفهمني بهويتي مسلم وال نصراني قبطي

ما في حجة لربطي خلبطي حلطي ألوطي ألغير خطيخير أجناد األرض

من أرض بيت املقدس كل السالم بعد ما قلت إلنقسام في وطنيانا ملزم أقول ال لفتنة

تفتت مجد شعب تعب عانى ضحى بالغالي حتى بناه

A r a b i a n K n i g h t s + M C G a z a + A m e e r

The relationship between Egyptians breaks down and the organs that feel are taken out

They got full of themselves in the name of their god and invented a new fate for us

Theyrsquore waiting for a time and theyrsquore plotting The meaning of their messages changes

Because the goal is to destroy the foundation of unity

And kill every leader who takes the people out of hard times

Itrsquos easy to remove us to wipe out the traditions we grew up with

Everyone on his own everyone says ldquoIldquo and no one says ldquoweldquo

Slowly carefully look Wisely with caution see

Before they make your imagination a slave to fear

And that fear releases a secretion from a gland

And when the dog sees it he knows yoursquore easy prey

Divide yoursquoll conquer

Bring harmony and yoursquoll reap Start

A revolution and it will catch on

Silence is solitary It divides

It doesnrsquot bring us together

It is my right to criticize and your right to listen

So listen and look back at history or better look at my life time

The day the Nativity Church was under siege who was persecuted Who was exiled

A Muslim A Christian No he was Palestinian

Letrsquos remember the angry revolution of January

Letrsquos remember the unity the one hand Be proud yoursquore Egyptian

Remember the brother holding hands with a brother protecting a brother

And I can go on

Donrsquot teach me about my identity whether Irsquom a Muslim or a Christian Copt

Therersquos no excuse to tie me down beat me to make me cower and kneel and stray from my courseThe Earthrsquos most virtuous soldiers

Come from the land of Bayt al-Maqdis [Jerusalem] I salute you After I said no to division in my countryIrsquom committed to saying no to seditionThat dissolves the glory of a people who labored suffered sacrificed what was most dear to build it

T r a n s l a t e d b y A l e x O r t i z + A h m e d S h a w k e t + K h a l e d A l H i l l i

Eid Fe Eid

Yasser Ameer Youssef Rush E Money amp MCGaza | by BOGEY

Single Hit track 11

20112011

Hip-Hop

24002867

eng - Hip-Hop 4 Life

eng - iTunNORM 000005E2 0000058E 0000424E 00003537 00026E95 0001C2B3 00008000 00008000 00005045 00005045

8988

الفن واملواهب زي حرب الكواكب الكل عايز يكون جنم صراع في الداخل

بهدي جنون العظمة بفلفل حر توابل تسيل دموع زي القنابل

زي مابتكلم وداني شغالة كون سامع نبض الشارع علشان أ

حالف أقضي على اإلعالم املتآمر مغامر في الكالم بس إنت مش سامع

ملا بأمسك القلم والورقة الهم بينزاح مخي بيرتاح بأقول اللي على البال

ملا بأقعد بحس بتأنيب ضمير كون في ستوديو بسجل على بيت خطير مفروض أ

e l D e e b + S t o r m t r a p

Art and talent are like Star Wars

Secretly everyone wants to be a star of conflict

I make megalomania tranquil with chilli hot spices

Tears flow like bombs

Thatrsquos how I talk and the world keeps moving

So that I can hear the pulse of the streets

Irsquove sworn to obliterate the media conspirators

I am adventurous in my speech but you do not hear

When I hold the pen and the paper my anxiety is lifted

My mind relaxes and I say whatrsquos on it

When I sit down I feel guilty

I should be in the studio recording dangerous beats

addictأدمان الشهرة ion to fame

Edman El Shuhra

Stormtrap amp Mohamed El Deeb

2011

Hip-Hop

15305855

- vocals Mohamed El Deeb Stormtrap13produced by Stormtrap

9190

إحساس غريب إنك تدمن الكالم ارسم يا فنان واخترع زي دافينشي الرسام

ولو مفيش ورقة باستخدم تليفوني خايف إن فكرة متعديش على صوتي

دنيا غريبة يوم مر يوم بونبوني بس أنا عمري ماغيرت لوني

املوسيقى بنادولي وبطابعي فضولي مهما قالوا لي هافهمها مبفهومي فـساعات أالقي نفسي بكلم نفسي واسمع أصوات غريبة في دماغي

وهو ده الصدى الصوت اللي بسمعه اكن مفيش حد فارقة معاه احالمي

شوف شوف مش هدف إنو أنا شخصيا أنا

هدفي انه كلماتي وموسيقتي تنتشرعشان هيك حتشوفني دوما مستمر مستثمر

كل وقتي كل طاقتي على أصواتي خوذ شك خوذ حتويل خوذ كاش

بس ما تنساش أي شي بيتعلق بالواقع بدناش ما تخاف ألنها قضيتنا مش منسية مية باملية هايذي ثورة كمان ثقافية

خليني أوضح هاي املوسيقى مش معمولة للتلفازeهاي املوسيقى مش معمولة لهز الطياز l D e e b + S t o r m t r a p

Strange feeling to be out of words

Paint oh artist and discover like Da Vinci the artist

If I donrsquot have paper I use my cell

I am afraid that the idea does not come through my voice

Strange world one day is bitter another like candy

But Irsquove never changed my color

Music is my Tylenol and my nature curious

So whatever they tell me Irsquoll understand it my way

Sometimes I find myself talking to myself

And I hear weird voices in my head

Which is just the echo of the sound I hear

As if no one cares about my dreams

See see

My goals are not self serving

My goal is that my words and music spread

Thatrsquos why yoursquoll see me always and continuously investing

All my time my energy on my sounds

Take a check take a transfer take cash

But never forget anything related to reality wersquore not interested

Donrsquot be afraid because our cause is not forgotten

One hundred percent this is also a cultural revolution

Let me explain this music is not meant to be televised

This music is not made for booty shaking

Edman El Shuhra

Stormtrap amp Mohamed El Deeb

2011

Hip-Hop

15305855

- vocals Mohamed El Deeb Stormtrap13produced by Stormtrap

9392

مش فاهم ليش الكل قاتل حاله يكون في مسابقةحابني نتصابح حياكم زات املكافحة

واالعالم ميت ع حيالله قصة ما بيدرس هالقصة من نصها

وبعدن بينفخهامش احلق علينا اذا ما بيبحثوا

وملا يبدوا يحكوا عنا أل عنجد بيبعصوابيفكروا انه كل شي هشك بشك

بس حدن الزم يقلهم انه الهب هوب مش هيكبدك تدير بالك عشانها هاي اللحظة احلاسمة

ملا يجوا عليك الديب والعاصفةنكسر حدود وبنبني وحدة عشان نحيي مجتماعاتنا

وننهي معانتناعشان هيك منكتب كلمات صريحة والها معنى

مش للشهرة مش حتى يجي حدن يدفعلنا

e l D e e b + S t o r m t r a p

I donrsquot understand why everyone is killing themselves to be in the contest

Wersquod like to say goodmorning to salute you in this same struggle

The mediarsquos dying for any story

But they donrsquot study the storyrsquos real text

And then they blow it out of proportion

Itrsquos not our fault if they donrsquot search

And when they talk about us then they really screw it up

They think everything is empty pointless

Somebody needs to tell them that hip hop is not like that

You should take care because this is the critical moment

When the wolf and storm come haunting you

We break borders and we create a unity to revitalize our communities

And stop our suffering

That is why we write frank words that have meaning

Itrsquos not for fame or even so that someone pays us

T r a n s l a t e d b y N i z a r G h a n e m

Edman El Shuhra

Stormtrap amp Mohamed El Deeb

2011

Hip-Hop

15305855

- vocals Mohamed El Deeb Stormtrap13produced by Stormtrap

9594

حضل عهل مود يعنيما إنتلك النجوم عم تقرب

بهل ال مود حكون عطول لبهل جنوم إدءر لو مضطر شن هجوم عل النجوم كلها

خللي األرض تدور حول أصبعي تنلك

ما إنتلك متلي متلك مولع طيار ألفكاري من العقدي تنفك فرد قعدي بني 4 حيطان ما بتنهز و منها ما بنهز

يلز املا بينلزالكاس عل الطاولي و منو عم مز مز

لتفتل براصي وحس من حالي عم كز كزعل ورقة كالمي مدروس و ما بزت زت بجرب ما عيد حالي متا يقولو عم نق نق

موزع قافياتي جواز كأن عم فت فت

بهل األطشة خلي الديني اللي تسمعني ترن رنFبسبيلي جاري يوم ع يوم عم برك رك a r e e q e l A t r a s h

Irsquoll stay in this mood

Didnrsquot I tell you The stars are getting closer

Irsquoll stay in this mood until I touch these stars

Even if I have to launch an attack on all the stars

Irsquoll make the Earth rotate around my finger I told you

Didnrsquot I tell you Irsquom just like you I lit up a joint so my ideas would untie their knot

Sitting this way in between four walls I wonrsquot budge

The most delectable

Drink is on the table from which Irsquom taking sips

Till my head starts spinning and Irsquom sick of myself

On the paper my words are calculated I donrsquot just toss them about

I try not to repeat myself so they wonrsquot say Irsquom nagging

I deal my rhymes out like theyrsquore cards

In this verse Irsquoll make those ears ring

My fountain is running and every day I excel

tالنجوم عم تقرب he stars are gett ing closer

null

29781717

9796

لضل ماشي جالس بينما غيري عم بلك لك شريط معلق ريحة العة عم بتفح فحكل ما فتح متو بتالقي عم بكب كب

عايشها إرهاب و مفي إال بسب سببزبالتي ما بكبو تيكون بعلمك

األالف مسم و بحياتو ما بينسم بزقة من هل التم تخلي سقفك ينش نش

تلمو ردم و ما تفكر إنو ترد رد و عم بحكي عالواطي متا الصالي فيك ترج رج

بطبعي عاقل بس بالراب بزل زل عل الرايق بال ما نط وال فز فز

type of shitعال بارد أبرد من شباط بس يقز قزتخلي عضامك ع بعض تسك سك

ما إنتلك النجوم عم تقرب بهل ال مود حكون عطول لبهل جنوم إدءر

لو مضطر شن هجوم عل النجوم كلهاخللي األرض تدور حول أصبعي تنلك

أنا متنبئ بنبه و بحقق ما قلتلك بعد وقتها ما عم نكت

عاملكرفون إبرة هرون عم بشكشك في شكcheck one two

هيك بدسدس عالنبض

F a r e e q e l A t r a s h

So I can walk straight when others are still playing

A broken record that reeks of a musty smell

Every time he opens his mouth he spews them out

He lives in terror and all he does is curse

I wouldnrsquot throw him in my garbage just so you know

Irsquove irritated thousands and never been irritated in my life

One spit out of this mouth will make your roof leak

And yoursquoll pick up the rubble and donrsquot even think about answering back

Irsquom talking in a low voice so the hall wonrsquot shake with you in it

Irsquom reasonable by nature but when it comes to rap I humiliate cold-heartedly

Without jumping or leaping around

I do it coldly colder than icy February-type of shit

Irsquoll make your bones rattle against each other

Didnrsquot I tell you The stars are getting closer

Irsquoll stay in this mood until I touch these stars

Even if I have to launch an attack on all the stars

Irsquoll make the Earth rotate around my finger I told you

Irsquom a psychic I predict and deliver

Didnrsquot I tell you to stand back when Irsquom not joking

Irsquom pricking the microphone with a heroin needle Is there any doubt

Check one two

Thatrsquos how I feel the pulse

null

29781717

9998

بدقق و زتزت حكي بتزجزج كأنها مزهزها عم بتشمشم عم خطط عم تكتيك و مني ملحلح من هون للساعة توقف تك تيك تك تيك

لك ليك منفخ حاله عامبيكازيب عا غيري بس بوجهي بتاءتإوجهه بيباءبإ من أد ما بعصب بسبسب

زر إنذار إذني بتطنطن و بشوف من عالباب عم بدقدق

عكروت بدو يفوت ليشوف الفن فني بس الفن هون بجسمي معبأ

من حلقي طايف و من متي عم بت شرشر و بيس البيس زلزال برجرج خليك تضبضب تنضب بالبيت لتكنكن

و أنا متأسف ألني بدي استأذن بس بعد شفت كابتشينو بتصحصح

ما إنتلك النجوم عم تقرببهل ال مود حكون عطول لبهل جنوم إدءر

لو مضطر شن هجوم عل النجوم كلهاخللي األرض تدور حول أصبعي تنلك

هيدا هب هوبمش هبل و ال بهل

هيدا زجل تتغزل في

ورايي إيقاع عليي إتبع و ما إطلع عنو يا بصير متل غير مسيس

زقفوا مع االيقاعزقفوا مع االيقاع

F a r e e q e l A t r a s h

Checking and hurling words that tickle as if I was high and sniffing

I am planning and scheming and Irsquom not going anywhere till the clock stops ticking

Look hersquos so full of it lying to others but in my face he stutters

And his face turns red from all the anger and he curses

My earsrsquo alarm bells start ringing

And I go to see whorsquos knocking at the door

Some bastard who wants to see where ldquothe artldquo is

But the art is right here packed in my body

Flowing from my throat running out of my mouth

And the bass is an earthquake that shakes and forces you to pack up and go home

And Irsquom sorry because I need to take leave

But after a sip of cappuccino yoursquoll come around

Didnrsquot I tell you The stars are getting closer

Irsquoll stay in this mood

Until I touch these stars even if I have to launch an attack on all the stars

Irsquoll make the Earth rotate around my finger I told you

This is hip hop

Itrsquos not stupid nor dumb

Itrsquos zajal [a form of Arabic poetry in the Levant]

That you flirt with

There is a beat that I have to follow canrsquot lose it or Irsquoll be like other MCs

Clap with the beat

Clap with the beat

T r a n s l a t e d b y K h a l e d A l H i l l i

null

29781717

101100

انا ببلعهم بتفهم وال مره بسبهمبخليهم داميا يضاربو بتفكيرهم

أنا وراهم قدامهم جنابهم محتلهممش طايقهم مرات وزنهم بكون منزلهم

مرتبهم صاففهم وبقلم أنا حاكمهم زاتتهم مش عاجبيني أنا ماحيهم قائدهم وبنفس الوقت أنا عبيدهم

وبفك وربط أنا بلعب مبعانيهمانا حاميهم بأسطر اللي تقويهم

انا واعدهم اني أستر على فاضحهم ومطلعهم بصوره اللي تبشعهم

بس أنا محترمهم وبسطور ساجنهم مكتفهم كأسير بجنازير القهر

ومهديهم بحبل اللي يبشر بالصبر وانا لي الفخر أكون الشوك اللي فيهم

Dوأكون القهر اللي داميا يسقيهم A M

Yo this is dedicated to the lyrics

Irsquom swallowing them spitting them never dissing them

Giving them freedom of speech

Irsquom behind them in front of them because of them always standing with them

Sometimes get sick of them sick of how you abuse them

Gather them in line with my pen I order them

Didnrsquot like it Throwing them out and replacing them

Irsquom their leader and also their slave

Small changes make huge differences

I train them in pages to make them strong

Promising to use them not abuse them

Or allow the wrong mouths to utter them

Approach them with a military mind and find peace in them

Irsquom lucky to be full of thorns and even luckier that I found the lyrics

So theyrsquoll help me find the roses in me

wordsكلمات

null

26837427

103102

raquoالكل سمعك بس السؤال اذا اللي سمعك فهمكlaquoكلمات ليست كالكلمات بل raquoعالماتlaquo

اللي توجهنا وين مابدنا عحبال السيرك هي تثبتنا ريح العالم من كل جهه اذا احنا ضعاف بتوقعنا بس

raquoأل بلمره ألlaquo raquoكلمات عندي طنlaquoكل واحده الها هدف اخدت حرف عحرف

نسجت جمل اللي البسهم وقت البرد raquoراح اضلني اناديlaquo raquoبنحكي كلماتlaquo

انت بتعرف انهم مبنصب شهاد بحكو املاضي وتنبوا حاضر أي بالد

قد ماحكيت قد ما أحكي فش كالم يغطي بسفي كالم يربي وينمي انت بس أروي

في شوف انه قوه والقوه بتقويفيك و أن رويته مصيره يسقيك )مثل للقوه( العدو من أمامكم

والبحر من ورائكم فال تخيبوا أسيادكمفأين أشعاركم وأين مجادلتكم

فأنتم تسكتون وتخمدون أحالمكم)انهي( نهيت ورجعت للعامية بكلمات

مرمية طالعه من عقليه شعبيهمتل جنيب اللي بذاكرة كل واحد محفوظ مدروس واذا أل معناته في خلل معكوس

عاملجتمع اللي قمع كتاباته Dاللي سمح لنسيانه يشيل خطواته A M

ldquoThey all hear you but few listen to youldquo

Lyrics ainrsquot just a bunch of words they are ldquosignsldquo

Leading us stabilizing us on tight ropes

Winds every way if we are thin we will fall

ldquoBut hell noldquo ldquoyou can measure my words in tonsldquo

Every word has a meaning I knitted a letter with another letter

Made warm sentences to wear in cold days

ldquoSo Irsquoll still shoutldquo ldquowe control lyricsldquo

You know lyrics are like a witness

They witnessed the past and forecast the future

As much as I said or say I canrsquot describe them

But there is a way to find the description and thatrsquos through them

Quench the thirst of the pages with them

So in the future itrsquoll quench your thirst

Keep feeding them as soon as they grow up

Theyrsquoll give you strength

ldquoExample for the strengthldquo

ldquoThe enemy is before you the sea is behind you

So donrsquot you dare disappoint our ancestors

Where are our deep poems Where are our strong statements

From generation to generation we kill our dreamsldquo

ldquoEnough philosophizingldquo ok lets get back to street talk

Words coming outta simple minds

Like Najeeb Mahfuz [literally lsquowell-rememberedrsquo also a famous author]

They keep living in our minds

And if you donrsquot know who he is - then I rest my case

null

26837427

105104

raquoالكل سمعك بس السؤال اذا اللي سمعك فهمكlaquoكلمات ليست كالكلمات بل raquoعالماتlaquo

اللي توجهنا وين مابدنا عحبال السيرك هي تثبتنا ريح العالم من كل جهه اذا احنا ضعاف بتوقعنا بس

raquoأل بلمره ألlaquo raquoكلمات عندي طنlaquoكل واحده الها هدف اخدت حرف عحرف

نسجت جمل اللي البسهم وقت البرد raquoراح اضلني اناديlaquo raquoبنحكي كلماتlaquo

ألف با كبايه أوعك تكسرهاامسكها للنهاية وكل ما تفضى مليها

كلمه أو رواية ومع املراحل زيدها شيحكاية وهيك ضلك زود فيها

وجيبها لتجمعاتك وساعتها استعملها لنقاشاتك وملواقفك استخدمها

هادي مدافعك اللي مداها بسيطرتك وما دافعك انه ما تخليها رايتك

ما هي تكتب ما هي توصف ما هي تكذب ما هي تنصف

ما هي هي الهروب هياللجوء هي الدروب هي

العبور باحلدود واللي مبرؤهم مبدع وبفوز باخللود واللي بسرقهم مش مقنع

واذا بتديهم احلرية بنادوك ممنوعDواذا بتوخد احلريه بنادوك مسموح A M

ldquoThey all hear you but few listen to youldquo

Lyrics ainrsquot just a bunch of words they are ldquosignsldquo

Leading us stabilizing us on tight ropes

Winds every way if we are thin we will fall

ldquoBut hell noldquo ldquoyou can measure my words in tonsldquo

Every word has a meaning I knitted a letter with another letter

Made warm sentences to wear in cold days

ldquoSo Irsquoll still shoutldquo ldquowe control lyricsldquo

The Arabic alphabet is like a glass donrsquot break it

Hold it tight and keep filling it

And then bring it to our arguments

Scream till your throat gets dry and then wet it

It holds our body itrsquos like our legs

If you stand for nothing yoursquoll fall for anything

The words write create

They kill lead and sometimes even lie

You can use them to build borders

And those who are gifted

Can use them to walk through borders

And in some governments

Itrsquos forbidden to give words freedom

But if you choke them and kill them

Thatrsquos allowed

F i g u r a t i v e t r a n s l a t i o n o f f e r e d b y t h e a r t i s t s

null

26837427

107106

further reading

The tracks presented in this document are not a comprehensive sampling of the genre of the market of hip hop in Arabic or of hip hop and rap in the wider Middle East

Artists featured here hail from Egypt Lebanon Palestine and the anglophone Arab diaspora The thriving North African hip hop scene is not represented nor is the work of the established francophone Arab diaspora nor the expanding hip hop scenes of especially Iran or Turkey

This collection does not attempt a comprehensive chronology Tracks featured here are not primarily new releases (though some are) neither are they all ldquoclassicsrdquo These limitations of scope are important to note

Many tracks of the popular Libyan group Ibn Thabitt and other groups from across the region have been translated and are hosted with commentary on the notable blog

revolutionaryarabrapblogspotcom

Another valuable resource is the Beirut-based blog by Jackson Allers ldquoBeats and Breathrdquo which features articulate critiques and reviews of events and releases from the region

jacksonallerswordpresscom

Hass Dennaoui (alias Big Hass) who recently launched started the first all hip-hop FM radio show in Saudi Arabia Laish Hip Hop (Why Hip Hop) manages a lively blog which

hosts an internet feed of his radio show and interviews with MCs and influential hip hop figures from around the world

revoltradioblogspotcom

Lebaneseundergroundcom hosts coverage of underground music in Lebanon including hip hop

And finally an excellent article by Hishaam Aidi on implications of the use of hip hop as foreign policy ldquoThe Grand (Hip-Hop) Chessboard Race Rap and Raison DrsquoEtatrdquo was published in The Middle East Report Fall 2011 Excerpts of the piece were published by Al Jazeera English in the article ldquoLeveraging Hip Hop in US Foreign Policyrdquo

All the artists and many of the translators whose work is showcased here host a significant online presence Their sites are listed with more about each of them on the following pages

109108

artist bios

ARABIAN KNIGHTZ the premier hip hop group from the land of the Nile River have not only established themselves as the lyricists with the sharpest swords in their land but they have also created the most consistent voice for rebellion strength and hope for the youth of the Middle East During the 2011 Revolution Arabian Knightz released two singles ldquoRebelrdquo and ldquoNot Your Prisonerrdquo anthems of resistance which gained worldwide attention and major media coverage for their powerful lyrics against a wicked system The group formed in 2006 through the cipher hip hoprsquos natural way of choosing like mindsets on the mic Rush Sphinx and E-Money were ahead of their peers adapting an authentic Arab perspective to the art dominated by Western voices mixing English and Arabic raps After hitting the studio for successful underground tracks AK enlisted super-producer Fredwreck (Snoop Dogg Xzibit Tha Dogg Pound) ldquoFokkakrdquo the single from this studio session was an instant hit and (surprisingly for Arabic Hip Hop) projected them to the top ten of the singles charts Arab League Records was formed amidst a growing fanbase and numerous collaborations with other Arab hip hop artists the first international Arab hip hop record label Desert Saga Volume 1 mixtape was the debut release led by ldquoThe Onerdquo featuring Egyptrsquos MC Amin Arabian Knightz have recorded their debut album Uknighted State of Arabia a masterpiece for Arab hip hop years in the making featuring instrumentals dominated by traditional percussions and players are scheduled for a Winter 2012 Release They are on Facebook

BOIKUTT is a musician and MC based in Ramallah Palestine Creating sounds using sampled material field recordings and electronic devices the results range between hip-hop downtempo ambient glitch and experimental He has composed and produced music for artists such as Kronos Quartet Bukue One Spiritchild Tamer Abu-Ghazaleh Bleubird and others and has appeared as an MC on albums for artists such as Slovo Heliodrome Bonnot and Lethal Skillz A co-founder of the Ramallah Underground Collective which has toured across the Arab World Europe and Australia Boikutt is also co-founder and member of audio-visual group Tashweesh with whom he is currently touring Also as a solo performer he has been in Beirut Cairo Manila Copenhagen London Hamburg Dubai Bethlehem and other cities He has produced and exhibited a few sound-art pieces composed several film scores has most recently composed the music for a dance theater performance entitled Bound by

New York-based company Yaa Samar Dance Theatre and is now working on different collaborative and solo projects His work may be heard at soundcloudcomboikutt and on Facebook

DAM Da Arabian MCrsquos are Suhell Nafar Tamer Nafar and Mahmoud Jreri The first Palestinian hip hop crew and among the first to rap in Arabic the group began working together in the late 1990s Struck by the uncanny resemblance of the reality of the streets in a Tupac video to the streets in their own neighborhood of Lyd they were inspired to tell their stories through hip hop Their timely song ldquoMin Irhabirdquo (ldquoWhorsquos the Terroristrdquo) was downloaded a million times shortly after its internet realese in 2001 and DAM became a household name among youth throughout the Middle East Ten years of performing all over the world has strengthened the grouprsquos commitment to continue living and working in their hometown of Lyd 15 minutes from Tel Aviv and working to provide the youth of the city and neighboring communities with programs and opportunities that have been denied to Palestinian citizens of Israel Their music is a unique fusion of East and West and encompasses influences as varied as Ghassan Kanafani Ahlam Mosteghanemi Mahmoud Darwish Naji al Ali Tupac Biggie Public Enemy MBS Krsquonaan and Pharoahe Monch IHDA (Dedication) DAMrsquos long-awaited first international album was released in 2007 and DAM has seen its songs and members featured in films such as Ford Transit (Dir Hany Abu Assad) Where in the World is Osama Bin Laden (Dir Morgan Spurlock) Salt of this Sea (Dir Annemarie Jacir) Local Angel and Forgiveness (Dir Udi Aloni) DAMrsquos history and influence on the Arab hip hop scene is detailed in the feature-length documentary Slingshot Hip Hop (Dir Jackie Reem Salloum) The group has also been featured in Vibe National Geographic Rolling Stone Q Basement Reuters and The New York Times and has appeared on MTV CNN BBC and Al Jazeera Their work can be heard and explored at damrapcom

EL DEEB first ventured into Egyptian Hip Hop when he joined Asfalt in 2005 He left in 2007 to create Wighit Nazara duo represented by Mohamed Yasser and himself It was a successful musical project that lasted until mid 2010 Currently he is working on his solo career with plans to release an EP every couple of months or so Cairofornia is his first solo EP His work may be heard at deebbandcampcom and on Facebook

EL RASS was born in Tripoli Lebanon He started writing poetry in literary Arabic at age 11 and started rhyming in spoken Lebanese dialect in 1999 at age 15 At that time he formed one third of a group of 3 MCrsquos going under the name of ldquoMlouk el Micrdquo (ldquoKings of the Micrdquo) They recorded one album and performed locally At 17 he left for France to study Finance and Economics Studies were hard money was scarce and exile was tough but music and poetry never left him as he continued rhyming with some underground French MCrsquos like Medline and Moebius and developed new musical skills on percussion in classical Arabic singing and baglama (turkish buzuk) After graduating and working for almost two years in the hell of banking and market finance El Rass decided to return to Lebanon He spent a year just re-discovering Beirut and making and learning music He now works as a journalist at the newspaper Assafir while concurrently pursuing joint projects with other producers and musicians He calls his work Taalik in reference to the same word in Arabic for ldquocommentrdquo and another word that comes from the same semantic root moaallakat which is a corpus of selected pre-Islamic poetry that was written with gold ink on the walls of the Karsquoaba in Mecca His work may be heard at soundcloudcomElRass

FAREEQ EL ATRASH is a hip hop band based out of Hamra St Beirut with a sound that is distinguished by laid back topical flows over live instrumentation It consists of Edd (raps) Nasser (raps) FZ (vocal production and FX) Fouad Afra (drums) Goo (plays guitar keys heart strings) and Abed Kobeissy (plays bass and buzuk) Their 2010 album and 2009 prealbum are available online More of their work may be found on Facebook Eddrsquos solo work can also be heard at soundcloudcomEdd

H2Z was born in Kuwait in 1986 where he lived for four years Due to the gulf war his family moved to Lebanon where he lived for the most part of his life Inspired by the tragic events in the Middle East and elsewhere in the world H2Z adopted rap music as a way to raise awareness about the injustices suffered by his people and to deliver a message through his music to anyone who supports the Palestinian cause His career began in 2004 when he was introduced to the production business by fellow rappers and soon he started producing his own tracks and established a local band producing many tracks for himself and other musicians in Lebanon In 2008 he released his first solo album titled 3aed which contained

17 tracks The political influence was noticed throughout the album and was generally well-received He is now studying for a degree in business administration at Wayne State University in Michigan His work may be heard at reverbnationcomh2z

KATIBEH 5 are based in Borj el Barajneh Lebanon Their work can be found at reverbnationcomkatibeh5 and myspacecomkatibe5palestine and on Facebook

M1 is Mutulu Olugbala of the New York based collective Dead Prez whose work is online at deadprezcom M1 is also on Facebook

MC GAZA is Adnan Mahmoud Ghonim an Algerian born artist and university student based in Gaza It was the beginning of 2005 when he attended one of the hip hop concerts in Gaza City ndash Gaza City that never appreciated the art he loved and attached himself to ndash and it was love at first sight between them Through some of the concerts he participated in a number of songs he collaborated on with Arabs from Egypt Algeria and Palestine and some active participation to represent the Palestinian people and interviews for both Arab and foreign press he was able to make a name for himself in the Gazan hip hop community His work may be found at youtubecomMCGaza and on Facebook

THE NARCICYST Having pioneered the Arab Hip-Hop movement with seminal Iraqi-Canadian crew Euphrates The Narcicyst recently broke through borders and shattered traveling etiquette touring solo around the world sharing stages with the likes of Brother Ali Mos Def and Kanye West to name a few On top of music The Narcicyst is a celebrated theorist whose academic work Fear of an Arab Planet has him from the stage to the classrooms of internationally renowned universities He is now also a professor at Concordia University teaching a Fine Arts course ldquoHip-Hop Past Present and Futurerdquo His writings have been published by multiple university presses and magazines internationally he is also a self-published author having recently released the biographical and social-study on the Arab world The Diatribes of a Dying Tribe As a true artist interested in really pushing his own artistic boundaries The Narcicyst has stepped into acting currently starring in the short music film PHATWA and in the first internationally-released film from the United Arab Emirates called City of Life A true multi-media

111110

KHALED AL HILLI is a PhD candidate in Comparative Literature at the Graduate Center City University of New York He has a BA in English Literature and a Masterrsquos degree in Teaching Second Languages Born in Iraq Khaled has taught in Lebanon and Saudi Arabia at both college and high school levels He has also worked with various Iraqi news outlets and has subtitledtranslated documentary films dealing with current social and political issues His research interests include Arabic political literature prison literature and literature in the diaspora He may be reached at hillykhalidgmailcom

+AZIZ is a NYC-based marketing consultant and a musician He is working through The World Music Parade to develop an animation project based on his music More about that project can be found at themusicparadetumblrcom He tweets from plusaziz

FAYSAL BIBI is a paleontologist and electronic musician currently based in Berlin

LOUBNA BILALI is originally from Morocco She did her undergrad and first MA in English Linguistics at Chouaib Doukkali University El Jadida She came to the US in 2008 to pursue a Masterrsquos degree in French to English translation and is currently working on a PhD in translation studies at Kent State University in Ohio She is very interested in learning and teaching languages as well as translating and localizing computer applications and websites She may be reached at loubnabilaligmailcom

FARAH ELREWAISSATI is a freelance translator pro-Palestine activist and BDS advocate who blogs at youthanormalizationblogspotcom She tweets from 3beee

NIZAR GHANEM was born in Lebanon He has been active in intercultural education interactive learning and conflict resolution across the Arab world His work on conflict resolution involved using theater comics and music as tools for emotional expression and social mobilization

RIMA NAJDI is a Performing Artist She studied dramatic arts at the Lebanese University in Beirut and obtained a Masterrsquos degree in Performance Studies at NYU New York She has written and performed in various plays and performances Najdi is particularly interested in multi-media performing arts and the position of the spectators

BARRAK ALZAID (copy editor) is the Artistic Director of ArteEast He is the editor of the ArteEast Quarterly a dynamic online portal featuring four publications that highlight contemporary art and culture from the Middle East and diaspora ndash ArtersquoZine Shahadat (contemporary short-form literature) Gallery and Cinematek (an online film center) He is also the curator for ArteEastrsquos Across Histories Art Talk Series featuring a series of panels on residencies in Fall 2011 He tweets from barrakster

RAYYA EL ZEIN (editor) is working towards a PhD in Theatre at the Graduate Center City University of New York Her research is increasingly focusing on theories of reception historical studies of audience behavior and popular culture in the Arab world She holds an MA in Performance Studies from NYU and is currently a teaching fellow at City College in Harlem She tweets from rayelz

translator biosdreamer Yassin recently established an arts label in the UAE called The Medium focusing on delivering art from Arabs in the diaspora and at lsquohomersquo to the rest of the world iraqisthebombcom He tweets from TheNarcicyst

OMAR OFFENDUM is a Syrian-American hip hop artist born in Saudi Arabia raised in Washington DC and living in Los Angeles Known for taking audiences on a lyrical journey from the jasmine-tree-lined courtyards of Nizar Qabbanirsquos Damascene homes to the flooded riverbanks of Langston Hughesrsquo Harlem Renaissance poems - Offendum has been featured on several major news outlets (BBC Yahoo ABC News Aljazeera PBS) toured the world to promote his ground-breaking music helped raise thousands of dollars for various humanitarian relief organizations (PCRF KinderUSA ANERA Islamic Relief) lectured at a number of prestigious academic institutions (Harvard MIT Stanford Columbia American University of Beirut NYU-AbuDhabi Qatar Education City) and most recently been involved in creating several critically-acclaimed songs about the popular democratic uprisings throughout the Middle East amp North Africa He is currently hard at work promoting his solo release - affectionately dubbed SyrianamericanA His work may be heard (and read) at offendumbandcampcom He is on Facebook and he tweets from Offendum

RAMALLAH UNDERGROUND based in Ramallah Palestine was born from the immediacy of musical experimentation and out of the need to give voice to a generation of Palestinians and Arabs facing a turbulent and uncertain political landscape The collective was founded by artists Boikutt Stormtrap and Aswatt and has always held a commitment to both the honesty of their work and the need to creatively rejuvenate Arabic culture To this end they combine music ranging from Arabic electronic music hip-hop and trip hop to downtempo with a deep sense of their local culture and the imposing presence of Palestine in their lives The outcome is a new specific and distinct sound RU (as producers and as MCrsquos ) has collaborated with numerous artists across the globe including countries like Lebanon UK Switzerland Italy USA France and many more including a collaboration with Slovo (a band headed by the guitarist from faithless) in their track ldquoNakbardquo which appears on their album Todo Cambia and with Kronos Quartet in the track ldquoTashweeshrdquo which appears on Floodplain RU has also performed live shows in Ramallah Bethlehem Vienna London Cairo Lausanne Amsterdam and Washington DC Their shows are mainly a performance of their hip-hop tracks as well as a few of their own electronic productions as a warm up More recently RU has incorporated a visual set in their live

performances brought to you by Palestinian visual artist Ruanne RU hopes to give a voice to Palestinians and Arabs bringing an alternative voice from the Arab world Their lyrics and music are an expression of anguish and defiance ultimately remaining a defiant voice of the colonized against the colonizer They continue to play a big role in the Arab underground cultural scene while slowly gaining wide global and local popularity

SHADIA MANSOURrsquos work can be found at myspacecomshadiamusic and on Facebook

STORMTRAP is a music producercomposerMC from Palestine Experimenting with old samples instruments and field recordings his sound is the result of a fusion of ambient atmospheres combined with various noises and hip hop beats His lyrics deal with different themes inspired mainly by his personal experiences in Palestine and life in the diaspora Stormtrap played a fundamental role in forming the band Ramallah Underground with which he has performed worldwide the past few years Currently he is working in Vienna with Aras Seyhan and Eren Ileri on a new album which combines live instruments synthesizers turntables beats and Arabic lyrics- which will be released early 2012 His work may be heard at soundcloudcomstormtrap He tweets from asifeh

AMEER YOSSEF 25 has sung and writen music with the band Klaket for the past four years His work may be heard at youtubecomAmeer and on Facebook

towards the work Her work for now concentrates on the process of making interactive and participatory performances that question borders stereotypes and languages

MOE ALI NAYEL is a fixer and a journalist based in Beirut Lebanon He uses social media blogging non-mainstream music journalism and writing as a word spreading eye opening socializing arena He uses social media as a bridge that cuts distance between people on this planet making it a tiny village This bridge starts in his office and takes him to every corner in the world enabling him to connect and network with people and cultures sharing and exchanging stories of the unheard and the neglected He blogs at Words of Action and he tweets from MoeAliNay

ALEX ORTIZ is a video and radio journalist and translator based in Cairo Egypt He graduated from Brown University in 2009 with a double major in Comparative Literature and Middle East Studies He was a CASA I fellow from 2009-2010 and a CASA II fellow from 2010-2011 He currently works for CBS News as a field producer He tweets from cairowitness

AHMED SHAWKET is an independent translator living in Cairo Egypt He is a graduate of the Helwan University Faculty of Arts where he majored in philosophy Ahmed works on literary media and commercial translation

113112

ABOUT SHAHADATShahadat is a quarterly online series designed to provide a platform for short-form writing and experimentation in writing by young and underexposed writers from the MENA region (Middle East and North Africa) The series features stories vignettes reflections and chronicles in translation and the original language of Arabic Farsi Turkish or Kurdish It makes up one quarter of ArteEastrsquos online programming the AE Quarterly For past issues of Shahadat click here

ABOUT THIS SERIES Shahadat is proud to run two alternating series and releases two issues a year of each The issue yoursquove just perused is part of the ldquoExploring Popular Literaturerdquo series This series challenges traditional understandings of ldquoliteraturerdquo emerging from the Middle East and North Africa by presenting genres of creative production that rely on words and language but which have not typically been studied as literature Works are presented in their original language and in translation

In each issue we gather texts from a spectrum of writers to challenge the singular status of the artistauthor and to encourage a more complex presentation of the Middle Eastern and North African ldquostreetrdquo for English-speaking audiences Shahadatrsquos other series ldquoContemporary Literature in Translationrdquo features the work of a single young author in the original language and in English translation

BEHIND THE DOCUMENTShahadat is co-edited by Rayya El Zein Alex Ortiz and ArteEastrsquos Artistic Director Barrak Alzaid All three are young professionals and scholars with artistic inclinations (literature poetry translation and performance) All three have strong connections to New York City and various metropole of the MENA region Shahadat is for us an experiment and a labor of love An editorial board of established scholars and authors is currently being conceived

SPECIAL THANKS TOAnmar El ZeinKinda AkashAndrew JohnstonLivia Alexander

Shahadat logo design by Rima Farouki

114

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Page 34: Shahadat Winter 2012

6766

بحاور بناور باآلخر بواجه التاج بتوضى بصلي بتوصلني أصوات أنات احملتاج

تأمل العلم بعري العمل من العمل خياري عنار خفيفة دوب املسمار وتستوي األفكار النظيفة

عمروا دمروا زمروا تذمروا ربك صبره دربه جربه

عقلن خربوا غربوا هربوا وقبلوا بالفن عحيط الشارع

عشرط ما يكون في شك بشارع هيدي مش عاصمة ثقافة هيدي حلبة املصارع بيروت ال تعرف في املاضي وال تعرب باملضارع

حتول التركيبة خلى العقل اجلامد فكر حاله مالك املدينة رقبته طويلة متل مالك احلزين وايده لوزيري

اعتبر نفسه أول مني اكتشف هلجزيرة بأجر الفقير شقق بأسعار مدروسة

بشكل تضل طموحاته ممعوسة نهبوا األرض من ربعي وصارت احلرب شركة استثمار مبفعول رجعي

حتت شعار إعادة اإلعمار لو ما كان خلص دوره وانتهى عقد االيجار

كان احلريري ما طار وما صار مطار احلريري عاصمة لبنان بتوازن بني ضريحني

واتنيناتن عاغتيالن في عالمة استفهام e واحد قدس املوت بس لسبب l R a s s

I discuss I maneuver ultimately I confront the crown

I perform ablutions I pray I receive the moaning of the needy

The meditation of knowledge strips work from hope

My choice is on low fire melting the nails and clean thoughts are ripening

They built they destroyed they honked they complained

Your god made him patient tested him and trained him

Their minds ruined westernized chased off

They accepted art pissed on back alleys

As long as there is no doubt in the streets

This is no capital of culture itrsquos a wrestling ring

Beirut canrsquot speak of itself in the past nor conjugate itself in the present

Transitions and transformations made the closed mind think he owns the city

His neck is long like a stork his fingers long like a politicianrsquos

He thinks himself the first who discovered this peninsula

He lets the poor rent apartments at prices studied

To crush ambitions

They stole the land from my cousins

And the war became a backward-looking investment

Under the slogan of reconstruction

If his time wasnrsquot up and his contract finished

Hariri didnrsquot have to fly and it wouldnrsquot have become the Hariri airport

Lebanonrsquos capital keeps balance between two shrines

And on both assassinations there is a question mark

One sanctifies death but for a reason

Blues

2125713

6968

واحد قدس احلياة بس بالكذب واحد بايدو حتول الذهب سم وواحد تخبى من الذهب بالدم

مني الشهيد

اللي مات حتت صبابيط ثورة عبيد شهيد اللي مات فتحول على حملة اعالنات هدفها ترفع الطايفة معدالت التجنيد

قنابل بالبريد وصل سيوف علوريد حصل

املوت للبليد صنم الصبر للعنيد حلم تأليه الشهيد ظلم

خليط احلديد والدم العالج والسم الرفاه والهم النوعية والكم

الدعارة وورقة التوت مبدينة بيروت علم

e l R a s s

And one sanctifies life with lies

In onersquos hand gold turned into poison

And the other hid from gold with blood

Who is the martyr

The one who died under the shoes of the oppressedrsquos uprising is a martyr

Is it he whose death was transformed into an advertising campaign to raise the levels of

sectarian enlistment

Bombs came in the mail

Swords to the jugular true stories

Death to the cold is statuette

Patience to the stubborn is a dream

Divinity to the martyr is oppression

The mixture of steel and blood the cure and poison

Luxury and distress quality and quantity

Prostitution and modesty

The science of the city of Beirut

T r a n s l a t e d b y M o e A l i N a y e l amp + A z i z

Blues

2125713

7170

بقرأ في اجلريدة زفت شوارع جديدة

إزالة مطبات و كثير أشياء هيك مفيدة أشخاص مستفيدة

دعم من هون و من هون منظمات بس احلرية بعيدة

مقاطعة مستوطنات تعون الضفة الغربية وطنية حصرية إدعائية

طب و فلسطني التاريخية مع ألساس كانت القدس عاصمة الثقافة العربية

بس كلوحكي سياسية للشعب إحنا نتحمل الشغل و التعب و الوضع صعب

b o i k u t t

Irsquom reading in the paper

About roads newly paved

Speed bumps removed and a lot of other useful stuff (yes very)

Certain inviduals benefit

Funding from here and there

Organizations are plentiful but freedom is far-fetched

Calling for a boycott of settlements around the West Bank

Pretentious exclusive nationalism

But what about historical Palestine

I thought Jerusalem was supposed to be the ldquocapital of Arab cultureldquo

But itrsquos all political speeches for the people

We put up with the work and the sweat and itrsquos rough

a letterرسالة من مقاطعة from boikutt

risaleh mn muqataa (pt1)

boikutt

null

2010

1086983

eng - iTunPGAP0

eng - iTunNORM 00000A1E 00000A0E 000099D9 000098A0 0000CC63 0000CC63 0000826D 000080B0 000131D0 000131D0

eng - iTunSMPB 00000000 00000210 000008F3 000000000049197D 00000000 0027BA9D 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000

7372

يقنعونا إن كلشي متام و بقدر أعيش حياة عادية

زي في األفالم على مبس واحد إثنني ثالثة أربعة إلخ

كن منيح و بتنزل عليك املصاري زخ نصيحة من أخ ألخ

خليك مستقل ألن اللعبة إنلعب فإبعد عن الفخ

خليهم يقعدوا يستنوا الدعم ليموتوا يلفلفوا داخل اجلدار حلد ما يفوتوا

في متاهات مبسافات مش محددة مجددة لتوسع التوسع مش مهددة

إنتهاك احتالل بس مش على الكل

في ناس في فلسطني هون حياتهم زي الفل مش عارف شو بيفكر

شكلوا مش داري شي يوم حنروح كل الدكاكني هي حتسكر

سالم

b o i k u t t

Try to convince me that everythingrsquos fine

And that I can lead a normal life

Like in the movies

On MBC one two three four etcetera

Be good and money will rain on you

Advice from one brother to another

Stay independent because the games are being played

So steer clear of the trap

Let them wait for foreign aid until they die

Spinning in circles within the apartheid wall until they enter

Into unlimited mazes with unspecified spaces

That are renewed to fit settlement expansion unthreatened

Violation occupation

But not for everyone

There are people here in Palestine living ldquothe good lifeldquo

I donrsquot know what hersquos thinking

Seems like he doesnrsquot know one day wersquoll be gone

And all these shops will close

Peace

T r a n s l a t e d b y t h e a r t i s t w i t h L o u b n a B i l a l i

risaleh mn muqataa (pt1)

boikutt

null

2010

1086983

eng - iTunPGAP0

eng - iTunNORM 00000A1E 00000A0E 000099D9 000098A0 0000CC63 0000CC63 0000826D 000080B0 000131D0 000131D0

eng - iTunSMPB 00000000 00000210 000008F3 000000000049197D 00000000 0027BA9D 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000

7574

الضغط عاليالعدو فات جاري احملادثات

صمت دوليكمية الغازى عم تزداد

تهجير جديد مولود جديدتكرر عزو مش تارك ورا شي مفيد غير غراب

من كل البيت ما تركو شي إال البابمن االرض ل سما مسافة عاليه

إمشي الصحرا وعد لياليوجنوما

كمشوا رئيس دولة بجورةحصار

توزيع مخدراتباألحمر تلون الفرات سجون معتقالتقبلة الوداع مع الصبات

تنصت بالشبكة خيانات باألزهر

k a t i b e h 5

The pressure is high

The enemy has entered discussions are taking place

Global silence

The numbers of the occupier are increasing

A new expulsion A newborn child

The perpetuation of an invasion that leaves behind it nothing of any use except for a crow

From an entire house they left nothing but the door

From the ground to the sky is a long distance

Walk the desert and count the nights

And its stars

They caught a president in a pit

Siege

Drug dealing the Euphrates is stained red prisons detention centers

A farewell kiss with a shoe

Networks wiretapped betrayals in Al Azhar

hold me back ifهديني اذا فيك you can

null

23098943

7776

حوار أديانالكف تنجس

متسح فيه وجك مع كل شروق عالوضوءتسمع شرارة فتيل مولوتوف ينادي أصوات تتلبى

باإلنفجار

هديني إذا فيك صرت موجود بكل مكانوجي مغبش عامل زي جيش زباتا

منصرخ بوجكم raquoاحلرية ل برغوتيlaquoإعالمكو بيعرفني كلماتكو حملت إسمي

شركاتكو بتهرب مني )كتيبه خمسه هديتي إذا فيك(

بتالقيني بني والد حفظوا غنية املخيماتبنفسية فالح عمال يزو املدينة

افالم تافهةبرنامج تافه

بتدور على مخك بتالقي مش موجوداخلليج يتحكم بإعالم

هادول حبوب التنومي ٦1 سنة بعدن مش شغالني

عالمادامك واخد وجهة نظري

ع محمل اجلدمسموح لك تستعجب وتظهر إنزعاجك بوجودي

ألني صديق لكل املشاهد الغير مرغوبة فيهاش بيختار حياتو بالتحديد بحكيلك هيك منحياها ومحد

ضغط رصاص وابارود بخليكاش حتيدالتجارب بتدلك عطريق

هديتي إذا فيك

k a t i b e h 5

A dialogue of religions

The hand is tainted

And with it you cleanse your face at ablution each sunrise

You hear the sparking of the fuse of a molotov calling voices respond

Explosion

Hold me back if you can I have become present everywhere

My face is concealed like the army of Zapata

We shout in your face ldquoFreedom for Barghoutildquo

Your media knows me your words have glimpsed my name

Your corporations flee from me

(Katibe Khamseh hold me back if you can)

Yoursquoll find me among children that have memorized the song ldquoAl Moukhayamatldquo

In the persona of a peasant that is visiting the city

Shallow films

Shallow programs

You look for your mind but you find it is not there

The Gulf controls media with its boundaries

These sleeping pills 61 years and theyrsquore still not effective

Great

As long as you are taking my point of view seriously

Yoursquore allowed to be taken aback and to show your irritation

Just like you show your irritation at my presence

Because I am a friend to all the images that are not desirable

This is how we live out these images and no one chooses their life specifically Irsquoll tell you

The pressure of bullets and gunpowder does not allow you to move away

Experience will guide you on the road

Hold me back if you can

null

23098943

7978

موقف واحد صريح من صميم روح لشعوب املقاومة ضمير ظهور البشرية

السبيل صعب ورا الغضبدعم لكل أسالوب محارب

د لنحرق نظامك منتدرب منجرب منخرب منستععم نحرق نظامك

هديتي إذا فيك

إطلع منيحمش رح تقدر توخذ كل شي من أول نظرة

نظرة عامة raquoبشرة مش بيضةlaquoجبني عريضة مكتوب مولود عنيد بالفطرة

فوت بالتقاليد عد التجاعيدلك هاي مش أول مرة

لغات ودراسات حط العلم بغالفمش رح تقدر تفهم ليه بعد في بارود ع الكتافلون األرض ولون الليل بيعطيك البني و السواد

بوعدك مش لوحدي رح أضل عد رماد الال اللعبة اجلديدة وال والدنا ع اللعبة جداد

بكفيش إنفلونزا الصقور صار في إنفلونزا اخلنازيرموسم مرض جديد لرئيس مبثل ع نفوس ومريض بهدوء البيض

هديتي إذا فيك

k a t i b e h 5

A single honest stance from the bottom of the soul for the people of the resistance the conscience

that exposes humanity

The path is difficult when following anger

A support for every style of battle

We train we strive we disrupt we prepare to burn your system

We are burning your system

Hold me back if you can

Look closely

You wonrsquot be able to see it all at first sight

An overview ldquocomplexion that is not whiteldquo

A broad forehead written born stubborn by nature

Look at the traditions and count the wrinkles

This is not the first time

Languages and scholarship put education under wraps

You wonrsquot be able to understand why there is still gunpowder on shoulders

The color of earth and the color of night gives you brown and blackness

I promise you that I will not be alone to count the ashes no

This game to us is not new and nor are our children new to the game

As if the influenza of eagles was not enough now therersquos the influenza of pigs

The season of a new disease for a president acting for a public and sick with the

calmness of white people

Hold me back if you can

null

23098943

8180

اإلحتالل نكه البشر بنكهة املجاريبالسالم حوار أديانبإقرار ملكية كذابة

بتشويه تاريخ وسرقة حضاراتولك أه

فلسطني إفريقيا الدجلة والفراتإجتاه البشرية لإلضمحالل سرطان بشري بعضها

الشتا ميسح اخلطايا واآلثاروليش بتتخبى وبتتغطى بنفس كل سفارة سميك الستار

لساتني باكل الضربة ورا الضره ورا الضربةوحتى ما أفعل وأساوي تكمشني الرجفة

بدل ما أضرب فيك بضرب بحاليبوعدكش حضلني كامش حالي حفلتها

حفلتها

هديني إذا فيك هديني إذا فيكهديني إذا فيك

k a t i b e h 5

The occupation has seasoned humanity with the flavor of sewers

With peace with dialogue of religions

With the declaration of false ownership

With the distortion of history and the theft of civilizations

Oh yes

Palestine Africa the Tigris and Euphrates

Humanity is leading to reduction a human cancer bites it

Exile wipes clean the sins and the traces

And why are you hiding and seeking cover when all the embassies are already well concealed

I am still taking one beating after another

And so that I donrsquot take action and do something shudders grip my body

Instead of beating you I beat myself

I canrsquot promise you that I can keep myself restrained

Irsquom gonna let go

Hold me back if you can

Hold me back if you can

Hold me back if you can

T r a n s l a t e d b y R i m a N a j d i a n d F a y s a l B i b i

null

23098943

8382

طول عمر الشعب املصري مع بعض أحلك الظروفبص وفر في التاريخ وانت ياما هاتشوف

الدين ده ليا وليكوفيا وفيك

حاجة روحانية بتخليك حتس اللي بيك

ايد في ايد نبني فيها من جديد

مصر زعلت علي حاصل وسطنا مش مفيد

بعد ثورة وبعد عيد فتنة تقتل حلم واتتحقق لنا

واحد اتننيالذكري بتعيش اكتر من عمر االنسان

بصمتنا تغييرنا جوة وبرة امليدان مش هانضيع نصر ثورتنا بفتنة نشئت بينا

A r a b i a n K n i g h t s + M C G a z a + A m e e r

The Egyptian people have always stuck together

Through the worst times look at history

And see how often wersquove been there for each other

That whole idea of religion

Is for you and for me something spiritual that makes you feel whatrsquos inside you

Hand in hand

We build Egypt up again

Egypt is angry at whatrsquos happening between us

Itrsquos not helpful

After the revolution after the celebration

Sectarian strife is killing the dream we fulfilled

One two

The memory lasts more than a lifetime

Our mark is our change in and outside Tahrir Square

We wonrsquot give up the victory of our revolution in exchange for sectarian strife between

us

hand inايد في ايد hand

Eid Fe Eid

Yasser Ameer Youssef Rush E Money amp MCGaza | by BOGEY

Single Hit track 11

20112011

Hip-Hop

24002867

eng - Hip-Hop 4 Life

eng - iTunNORM 000005E2 0000058E 0000424E 00003537 00026E95 0001C2B3 00008000 00008000 00005045 00005045

8584

بلدنا محتجانا ايدنا واحدة ضد احملنة تفرق ايه معاك ديانتي ملا ربك هو ربي

اصلك هو اصلي ارضك هي ارضي

ملا اتقال لي اكتت فيول فتنة انا قولت غلط علشان الفتنة مفتعلة في بلدنا وكان وراها غرض

فالفرد افترض فبفرض السياسة األمر اختلط

فالزم يبقي املصل سياسي من اصل املرض العسس واحلرس مافرقوش صليب وهالل

وكنا كلنا واحد وراء االقفالدم الشهيد شاهد

ياما بالفتنة انكسرنا وحدتنا بصوت واحد وضد الظلم انتصرنا

وديني هو ديني صلة بيني وبني ربي هارفع علمي وارفع راسي فوق

انا مصري

ايد في ايد نبني فيها من جديد

مصر زعلت علي حاصل وسطنا مش مفيد

بعد ثورة وبعد عيد فتنة تقتل حلم واتتحقق لنا

خلو حمامة السالم من الطيور املنقرضةعلشان تبقي القلوب مبتعدة منقسمه سهل تتسم

فكرين مناعة و قوة أم الدنيا بالطمع مرتبطةنسر املصريني ليس له دين احنا بنحميها بالدم

العنف بذوره بتكتر عاوز يوصل واحلروب حتصل

A r a b i a n K n i g h t s + M C G a z a + A m e e r

Our country needs us all together against the hard times

What difference does my religion make to you when your god is my god

Your origin is mine

Your land is my land

When they told me about sectarian strife I said thatrsquos wrong

Because itrsquos been planted in our country and behind it is some purpose

Makes one think somethingrsquos going on

By playing politics everythingrsquos gotten mixed up

The antidote has to be political just like the poison itself

The military doesnrsquot distinguish between cross and crescent

Wersquore all held together behind bars

The blood of the martyrs bears witness

To how much wersquove been broken by sectarianism

Through our unity we triumphed with one voice over injustice

And my religion is my own a rapport between me and God

Irsquoll raise my flag and my head up

Irsquom Egyptian

Hand in hand

We build Egypt up again

Egypt is angry at whatrsquos happening between us

Itrsquos not helpful

After the revolution after the victory

Sectarian strife is killing the dream we fulfilled

They drove the dove of peace to extinction

To keep hearts apart and divided itrsquos easy to poison them

Do they really think the resilience and strength of Egypt is connected to greed

The Egyptian eagle has no religion we protect it with our blood

The roots of violence are increasing want to gain control to start wars

Eid Fe Eid

Yasser Ameer Youssef Rush E Money amp MCGaza | by BOGEY

Single Hit track 11

20112011

Hip-Hop

24002867

eng - Hip-Hop 4 Life

eng - iTunNORM 000005E2 0000058E 0000424E 00003537 00026E95 0001C2B3 00008000 00008000 00005045 00005045

8786

للعاقيدة يكسر وألعضاء املشاعر تتشال تصتأصلعلى كالم ربهم اتكبرو فعملو قدر واتقدر

وقته مستنينه ليه خططوا مضمون الرسائل اتغير الن الهدف هو تدمير قعدة الوحدهوقتل كل قائد يقود الناس بره احملنه

فيبقي سهل يزيحنا ميحي أوصول عليها كبرناوكل واحد علي حداه يقول أنا محدش يقول احنا

فاببطء بحرص بص بعقل بحذر شوفقبل ما يخلوا خيالك يتخلله اخلوف

واخلوف ده افراز بيطلع من غده ملا الكلب بيشوفهابيعرف انك فاريسه سهل ياكلها ركز

فرق تسد إخلعوفق جتد إرفع

ثورة تقدصمت يفرد- يفرق

ما بيجمع بيننامن حقي النقد من حقك - تسمع

طب إسمع وراجع ما صور التاريخ طب باله بيكفي صور زمانييوم حصار كنيسة املهد مني دافع مني اتقمع مني اتنفا

مسلم مسيحي أل كان فلسطيني اتذكر معي ثورة غضب يناير

اتذكر معي الوحدة اإليد الوحدة اتشرف انتا مصرياتذكر معي األخ بإيد األخ يحمي األخ بدون إلخ

كالمي ماشي ماشي ال-لتفهمني بهويتي مسلم وال نصراني قبطي

ما في حجة لربطي خلبطي حلطي ألوطي ألغير خطيخير أجناد األرض

من أرض بيت املقدس كل السالم بعد ما قلت إلنقسام في وطنيانا ملزم أقول ال لفتنة

تفتت مجد شعب تعب عانى ضحى بالغالي حتى بناه

A r a b i a n K n i g h t s + M C G a z a + A m e e r

The relationship between Egyptians breaks down and the organs that feel are taken out

They got full of themselves in the name of their god and invented a new fate for us

Theyrsquore waiting for a time and theyrsquore plotting The meaning of their messages changes

Because the goal is to destroy the foundation of unity

And kill every leader who takes the people out of hard times

Itrsquos easy to remove us to wipe out the traditions we grew up with

Everyone on his own everyone says ldquoIldquo and no one says ldquoweldquo

Slowly carefully look Wisely with caution see

Before they make your imagination a slave to fear

And that fear releases a secretion from a gland

And when the dog sees it he knows yoursquore easy prey

Divide yoursquoll conquer

Bring harmony and yoursquoll reap Start

A revolution and it will catch on

Silence is solitary It divides

It doesnrsquot bring us together

It is my right to criticize and your right to listen

So listen and look back at history or better look at my life time

The day the Nativity Church was under siege who was persecuted Who was exiled

A Muslim A Christian No he was Palestinian

Letrsquos remember the angry revolution of January

Letrsquos remember the unity the one hand Be proud yoursquore Egyptian

Remember the brother holding hands with a brother protecting a brother

And I can go on

Donrsquot teach me about my identity whether Irsquom a Muslim or a Christian Copt

Therersquos no excuse to tie me down beat me to make me cower and kneel and stray from my courseThe Earthrsquos most virtuous soldiers

Come from the land of Bayt al-Maqdis [Jerusalem] I salute you After I said no to division in my countryIrsquom committed to saying no to seditionThat dissolves the glory of a people who labored suffered sacrificed what was most dear to build it

T r a n s l a t e d b y A l e x O r t i z + A h m e d S h a w k e t + K h a l e d A l H i l l i

Eid Fe Eid

Yasser Ameer Youssef Rush E Money amp MCGaza | by BOGEY

Single Hit track 11

20112011

Hip-Hop

24002867

eng - Hip-Hop 4 Life

eng - iTunNORM 000005E2 0000058E 0000424E 00003537 00026E95 0001C2B3 00008000 00008000 00005045 00005045

8988

الفن واملواهب زي حرب الكواكب الكل عايز يكون جنم صراع في الداخل

بهدي جنون العظمة بفلفل حر توابل تسيل دموع زي القنابل

زي مابتكلم وداني شغالة كون سامع نبض الشارع علشان أ

حالف أقضي على اإلعالم املتآمر مغامر في الكالم بس إنت مش سامع

ملا بأمسك القلم والورقة الهم بينزاح مخي بيرتاح بأقول اللي على البال

ملا بأقعد بحس بتأنيب ضمير كون في ستوديو بسجل على بيت خطير مفروض أ

e l D e e b + S t o r m t r a p

Art and talent are like Star Wars

Secretly everyone wants to be a star of conflict

I make megalomania tranquil with chilli hot spices

Tears flow like bombs

Thatrsquos how I talk and the world keeps moving

So that I can hear the pulse of the streets

Irsquove sworn to obliterate the media conspirators

I am adventurous in my speech but you do not hear

When I hold the pen and the paper my anxiety is lifted

My mind relaxes and I say whatrsquos on it

When I sit down I feel guilty

I should be in the studio recording dangerous beats

addictأدمان الشهرة ion to fame

Edman El Shuhra

Stormtrap amp Mohamed El Deeb

2011

Hip-Hop

15305855

- vocals Mohamed El Deeb Stormtrap13produced by Stormtrap

9190

إحساس غريب إنك تدمن الكالم ارسم يا فنان واخترع زي دافينشي الرسام

ولو مفيش ورقة باستخدم تليفوني خايف إن فكرة متعديش على صوتي

دنيا غريبة يوم مر يوم بونبوني بس أنا عمري ماغيرت لوني

املوسيقى بنادولي وبطابعي فضولي مهما قالوا لي هافهمها مبفهومي فـساعات أالقي نفسي بكلم نفسي واسمع أصوات غريبة في دماغي

وهو ده الصدى الصوت اللي بسمعه اكن مفيش حد فارقة معاه احالمي

شوف شوف مش هدف إنو أنا شخصيا أنا

هدفي انه كلماتي وموسيقتي تنتشرعشان هيك حتشوفني دوما مستمر مستثمر

كل وقتي كل طاقتي على أصواتي خوذ شك خوذ حتويل خوذ كاش

بس ما تنساش أي شي بيتعلق بالواقع بدناش ما تخاف ألنها قضيتنا مش منسية مية باملية هايذي ثورة كمان ثقافية

خليني أوضح هاي املوسيقى مش معمولة للتلفازeهاي املوسيقى مش معمولة لهز الطياز l D e e b + S t o r m t r a p

Strange feeling to be out of words

Paint oh artist and discover like Da Vinci the artist

If I donrsquot have paper I use my cell

I am afraid that the idea does not come through my voice

Strange world one day is bitter another like candy

But Irsquove never changed my color

Music is my Tylenol and my nature curious

So whatever they tell me Irsquoll understand it my way

Sometimes I find myself talking to myself

And I hear weird voices in my head

Which is just the echo of the sound I hear

As if no one cares about my dreams

See see

My goals are not self serving

My goal is that my words and music spread

Thatrsquos why yoursquoll see me always and continuously investing

All my time my energy on my sounds

Take a check take a transfer take cash

But never forget anything related to reality wersquore not interested

Donrsquot be afraid because our cause is not forgotten

One hundred percent this is also a cultural revolution

Let me explain this music is not meant to be televised

This music is not made for booty shaking

Edman El Shuhra

Stormtrap amp Mohamed El Deeb

2011

Hip-Hop

15305855

- vocals Mohamed El Deeb Stormtrap13produced by Stormtrap

9392

مش فاهم ليش الكل قاتل حاله يكون في مسابقةحابني نتصابح حياكم زات املكافحة

واالعالم ميت ع حيالله قصة ما بيدرس هالقصة من نصها

وبعدن بينفخهامش احلق علينا اذا ما بيبحثوا

وملا يبدوا يحكوا عنا أل عنجد بيبعصوابيفكروا انه كل شي هشك بشك

بس حدن الزم يقلهم انه الهب هوب مش هيكبدك تدير بالك عشانها هاي اللحظة احلاسمة

ملا يجوا عليك الديب والعاصفةنكسر حدود وبنبني وحدة عشان نحيي مجتماعاتنا

وننهي معانتناعشان هيك منكتب كلمات صريحة والها معنى

مش للشهرة مش حتى يجي حدن يدفعلنا

e l D e e b + S t o r m t r a p

I donrsquot understand why everyone is killing themselves to be in the contest

Wersquod like to say goodmorning to salute you in this same struggle

The mediarsquos dying for any story

But they donrsquot study the storyrsquos real text

And then they blow it out of proportion

Itrsquos not our fault if they donrsquot search

And when they talk about us then they really screw it up

They think everything is empty pointless

Somebody needs to tell them that hip hop is not like that

You should take care because this is the critical moment

When the wolf and storm come haunting you

We break borders and we create a unity to revitalize our communities

And stop our suffering

That is why we write frank words that have meaning

Itrsquos not for fame or even so that someone pays us

T r a n s l a t e d b y N i z a r G h a n e m

Edman El Shuhra

Stormtrap amp Mohamed El Deeb

2011

Hip-Hop

15305855

- vocals Mohamed El Deeb Stormtrap13produced by Stormtrap

9594

حضل عهل مود يعنيما إنتلك النجوم عم تقرب

بهل ال مود حكون عطول لبهل جنوم إدءر لو مضطر شن هجوم عل النجوم كلها

خللي األرض تدور حول أصبعي تنلك

ما إنتلك متلي متلك مولع طيار ألفكاري من العقدي تنفك فرد قعدي بني 4 حيطان ما بتنهز و منها ما بنهز

يلز املا بينلزالكاس عل الطاولي و منو عم مز مز

لتفتل براصي وحس من حالي عم كز كزعل ورقة كالمي مدروس و ما بزت زت بجرب ما عيد حالي متا يقولو عم نق نق

موزع قافياتي جواز كأن عم فت فت

بهل األطشة خلي الديني اللي تسمعني ترن رنFبسبيلي جاري يوم ع يوم عم برك رك a r e e q e l A t r a s h

Irsquoll stay in this mood

Didnrsquot I tell you The stars are getting closer

Irsquoll stay in this mood until I touch these stars

Even if I have to launch an attack on all the stars

Irsquoll make the Earth rotate around my finger I told you

Didnrsquot I tell you Irsquom just like you I lit up a joint so my ideas would untie their knot

Sitting this way in between four walls I wonrsquot budge

The most delectable

Drink is on the table from which Irsquom taking sips

Till my head starts spinning and Irsquom sick of myself

On the paper my words are calculated I donrsquot just toss them about

I try not to repeat myself so they wonrsquot say Irsquom nagging

I deal my rhymes out like theyrsquore cards

In this verse Irsquoll make those ears ring

My fountain is running and every day I excel

tالنجوم عم تقرب he stars are gett ing closer

null

29781717

9796

لضل ماشي جالس بينما غيري عم بلك لك شريط معلق ريحة العة عم بتفح فحكل ما فتح متو بتالقي عم بكب كب

عايشها إرهاب و مفي إال بسب سببزبالتي ما بكبو تيكون بعلمك

األالف مسم و بحياتو ما بينسم بزقة من هل التم تخلي سقفك ينش نش

تلمو ردم و ما تفكر إنو ترد رد و عم بحكي عالواطي متا الصالي فيك ترج رج

بطبعي عاقل بس بالراب بزل زل عل الرايق بال ما نط وال فز فز

type of shitعال بارد أبرد من شباط بس يقز قزتخلي عضامك ع بعض تسك سك

ما إنتلك النجوم عم تقرب بهل ال مود حكون عطول لبهل جنوم إدءر

لو مضطر شن هجوم عل النجوم كلهاخللي األرض تدور حول أصبعي تنلك

أنا متنبئ بنبه و بحقق ما قلتلك بعد وقتها ما عم نكت

عاملكرفون إبرة هرون عم بشكشك في شكcheck one two

هيك بدسدس عالنبض

F a r e e q e l A t r a s h

So I can walk straight when others are still playing

A broken record that reeks of a musty smell

Every time he opens his mouth he spews them out

He lives in terror and all he does is curse

I wouldnrsquot throw him in my garbage just so you know

Irsquove irritated thousands and never been irritated in my life

One spit out of this mouth will make your roof leak

And yoursquoll pick up the rubble and donrsquot even think about answering back

Irsquom talking in a low voice so the hall wonrsquot shake with you in it

Irsquom reasonable by nature but when it comes to rap I humiliate cold-heartedly

Without jumping or leaping around

I do it coldly colder than icy February-type of shit

Irsquoll make your bones rattle against each other

Didnrsquot I tell you The stars are getting closer

Irsquoll stay in this mood until I touch these stars

Even if I have to launch an attack on all the stars

Irsquoll make the Earth rotate around my finger I told you

Irsquom a psychic I predict and deliver

Didnrsquot I tell you to stand back when Irsquom not joking

Irsquom pricking the microphone with a heroin needle Is there any doubt

Check one two

Thatrsquos how I feel the pulse

null

29781717

9998

بدقق و زتزت حكي بتزجزج كأنها مزهزها عم بتشمشم عم خطط عم تكتيك و مني ملحلح من هون للساعة توقف تك تيك تك تيك

لك ليك منفخ حاله عامبيكازيب عا غيري بس بوجهي بتاءتإوجهه بيباءبإ من أد ما بعصب بسبسب

زر إنذار إذني بتطنطن و بشوف من عالباب عم بدقدق

عكروت بدو يفوت ليشوف الفن فني بس الفن هون بجسمي معبأ

من حلقي طايف و من متي عم بت شرشر و بيس البيس زلزال برجرج خليك تضبضب تنضب بالبيت لتكنكن

و أنا متأسف ألني بدي استأذن بس بعد شفت كابتشينو بتصحصح

ما إنتلك النجوم عم تقرببهل ال مود حكون عطول لبهل جنوم إدءر

لو مضطر شن هجوم عل النجوم كلهاخللي األرض تدور حول أصبعي تنلك

هيدا هب هوبمش هبل و ال بهل

هيدا زجل تتغزل في

ورايي إيقاع عليي إتبع و ما إطلع عنو يا بصير متل غير مسيس

زقفوا مع االيقاعزقفوا مع االيقاع

F a r e e q e l A t r a s h

Checking and hurling words that tickle as if I was high and sniffing

I am planning and scheming and Irsquom not going anywhere till the clock stops ticking

Look hersquos so full of it lying to others but in my face he stutters

And his face turns red from all the anger and he curses

My earsrsquo alarm bells start ringing

And I go to see whorsquos knocking at the door

Some bastard who wants to see where ldquothe artldquo is

But the art is right here packed in my body

Flowing from my throat running out of my mouth

And the bass is an earthquake that shakes and forces you to pack up and go home

And Irsquom sorry because I need to take leave

But after a sip of cappuccino yoursquoll come around

Didnrsquot I tell you The stars are getting closer

Irsquoll stay in this mood

Until I touch these stars even if I have to launch an attack on all the stars

Irsquoll make the Earth rotate around my finger I told you

This is hip hop

Itrsquos not stupid nor dumb

Itrsquos zajal [a form of Arabic poetry in the Levant]

That you flirt with

There is a beat that I have to follow canrsquot lose it or Irsquoll be like other MCs

Clap with the beat

Clap with the beat

T r a n s l a t e d b y K h a l e d A l H i l l i

null

29781717

101100

انا ببلعهم بتفهم وال مره بسبهمبخليهم داميا يضاربو بتفكيرهم

أنا وراهم قدامهم جنابهم محتلهممش طايقهم مرات وزنهم بكون منزلهم

مرتبهم صاففهم وبقلم أنا حاكمهم زاتتهم مش عاجبيني أنا ماحيهم قائدهم وبنفس الوقت أنا عبيدهم

وبفك وربط أنا بلعب مبعانيهمانا حاميهم بأسطر اللي تقويهم

انا واعدهم اني أستر على فاضحهم ومطلعهم بصوره اللي تبشعهم

بس أنا محترمهم وبسطور ساجنهم مكتفهم كأسير بجنازير القهر

ومهديهم بحبل اللي يبشر بالصبر وانا لي الفخر أكون الشوك اللي فيهم

Dوأكون القهر اللي داميا يسقيهم A M

Yo this is dedicated to the lyrics

Irsquom swallowing them spitting them never dissing them

Giving them freedom of speech

Irsquom behind them in front of them because of them always standing with them

Sometimes get sick of them sick of how you abuse them

Gather them in line with my pen I order them

Didnrsquot like it Throwing them out and replacing them

Irsquom their leader and also their slave

Small changes make huge differences

I train them in pages to make them strong

Promising to use them not abuse them

Or allow the wrong mouths to utter them

Approach them with a military mind and find peace in them

Irsquom lucky to be full of thorns and even luckier that I found the lyrics

So theyrsquoll help me find the roses in me

wordsكلمات

null

26837427

103102

raquoالكل سمعك بس السؤال اذا اللي سمعك فهمكlaquoكلمات ليست كالكلمات بل raquoعالماتlaquo

اللي توجهنا وين مابدنا عحبال السيرك هي تثبتنا ريح العالم من كل جهه اذا احنا ضعاف بتوقعنا بس

raquoأل بلمره ألlaquo raquoكلمات عندي طنlaquoكل واحده الها هدف اخدت حرف عحرف

نسجت جمل اللي البسهم وقت البرد raquoراح اضلني اناديlaquo raquoبنحكي كلماتlaquo

انت بتعرف انهم مبنصب شهاد بحكو املاضي وتنبوا حاضر أي بالد

قد ماحكيت قد ما أحكي فش كالم يغطي بسفي كالم يربي وينمي انت بس أروي

في شوف انه قوه والقوه بتقويفيك و أن رويته مصيره يسقيك )مثل للقوه( العدو من أمامكم

والبحر من ورائكم فال تخيبوا أسيادكمفأين أشعاركم وأين مجادلتكم

فأنتم تسكتون وتخمدون أحالمكم)انهي( نهيت ورجعت للعامية بكلمات

مرمية طالعه من عقليه شعبيهمتل جنيب اللي بذاكرة كل واحد محفوظ مدروس واذا أل معناته في خلل معكوس

عاملجتمع اللي قمع كتاباته Dاللي سمح لنسيانه يشيل خطواته A M

ldquoThey all hear you but few listen to youldquo

Lyrics ainrsquot just a bunch of words they are ldquosignsldquo

Leading us stabilizing us on tight ropes

Winds every way if we are thin we will fall

ldquoBut hell noldquo ldquoyou can measure my words in tonsldquo

Every word has a meaning I knitted a letter with another letter

Made warm sentences to wear in cold days

ldquoSo Irsquoll still shoutldquo ldquowe control lyricsldquo

You know lyrics are like a witness

They witnessed the past and forecast the future

As much as I said or say I canrsquot describe them

But there is a way to find the description and thatrsquos through them

Quench the thirst of the pages with them

So in the future itrsquoll quench your thirst

Keep feeding them as soon as they grow up

Theyrsquoll give you strength

ldquoExample for the strengthldquo

ldquoThe enemy is before you the sea is behind you

So donrsquot you dare disappoint our ancestors

Where are our deep poems Where are our strong statements

From generation to generation we kill our dreamsldquo

ldquoEnough philosophizingldquo ok lets get back to street talk

Words coming outta simple minds

Like Najeeb Mahfuz [literally lsquowell-rememberedrsquo also a famous author]

They keep living in our minds

And if you donrsquot know who he is - then I rest my case

null

26837427

105104

raquoالكل سمعك بس السؤال اذا اللي سمعك فهمكlaquoكلمات ليست كالكلمات بل raquoعالماتlaquo

اللي توجهنا وين مابدنا عحبال السيرك هي تثبتنا ريح العالم من كل جهه اذا احنا ضعاف بتوقعنا بس

raquoأل بلمره ألlaquo raquoكلمات عندي طنlaquoكل واحده الها هدف اخدت حرف عحرف

نسجت جمل اللي البسهم وقت البرد raquoراح اضلني اناديlaquo raquoبنحكي كلماتlaquo

ألف با كبايه أوعك تكسرهاامسكها للنهاية وكل ما تفضى مليها

كلمه أو رواية ومع املراحل زيدها شيحكاية وهيك ضلك زود فيها

وجيبها لتجمعاتك وساعتها استعملها لنقاشاتك وملواقفك استخدمها

هادي مدافعك اللي مداها بسيطرتك وما دافعك انه ما تخليها رايتك

ما هي تكتب ما هي توصف ما هي تكذب ما هي تنصف

ما هي هي الهروب هياللجوء هي الدروب هي

العبور باحلدود واللي مبرؤهم مبدع وبفوز باخللود واللي بسرقهم مش مقنع

واذا بتديهم احلرية بنادوك ممنوعDواذا بتوخد احلريه بنادوك مسموح A M

ldquoThey all hear you but few listen to youldquo

Lyrics ainrsquot just a bunch of words they are ldquosignsldquo

Leading us stabilizing us on tight ropes

Winds every way if we are thin we will fall

ldquoBut hell noldquo ldquoyou can measure my words in tonsldquo

Every word has a meaning I knitted a letter with another letter

Made warm sentences to wear in cold days

ldquoSo Irsquoll still shoutldquo ldquowe control lyricsldquo

The Arabic alphabet is like a glass donrsquot break it

Hold it tight and keep filling it

And then bring it to our arguments

Scream till your throat gets dry and then wet it

It holds our body itrsquos like our legs

If you stand for nothing yoursquoll fall for anything

The words write create

They kill lead and sometimes even lie

You can use them to build borders

And those who are gifted

Can use them to walk through borders

And in some governments

Itrsquos forbidden to give words freedom

But if you choke them and kill them

Thatrsquos allowed

F i g u r a t i v e t r a n s l a t i o n o f f e r e d b y t h e a r t i s t s

null

26837427

107106

further reading

The tracks presented in this document are not a comprehensive sampling of the genre of the market of hip hop in Arabic or of hip hop and rap in the wider Middle East

Artists featured here hail from Egypt Lebanon Palestine and the anglophone Arab diaspora The thriving North African hip hop scene is not represented nor is the work of the established francophone Arab diaspora nor the expanding hip hop scenes of especially Iran or Turkey

This collection does not attempt a comprehensive chronology Tracks featured here are not primarily new releases (though some are) neither are they all ldquoclassicsrdquo These limitations of scope are important to note

Many tracks of the popular Libyan group Ibn Thabitt and other groups from across the region have been translated and are hosted with commentary on the notable blog

revolutionaryarabrapblogspotcom

Another valuable resource is the Beirut-based blog by Jackson Allers ldquoBeats and Breathrdquo which features articulate critiques and reviews of events and releases from the region

jacksonallerswordpresscom

Hass Dennaoui (alias Big Hass) who recently launched started the first all hip-hop FM radio show in Saudi Arabia Laish Hip Hop (Why Hip Hop) manages a lively blog which

hosts an internet feed of his radio show and interviews with MCs and influential hip hop figures from around the world

revoltradioblogspotcom

Lebaneseundergroundcom hosts coverage of underground music in Lebanon including hip hop

And finally an excellent article by Hishaam Aidi on implications of the use of hip hop as foreign policy ldquoThe Grand (Hip-Hop) Chessboard Race Rap and Raison DrsquoEtatrdquo was published in The Middle East Report Fall 2011 Excerpts of the piece were published by Al Jazeera English in the article ldquoLeveraging Hip Hop in US Foreign Policyrdquo

All the artists and many of the translators whose work is showcased here host a significant online presence Their sites are listed with more about each of them on the following pages

109108

artist bios

ARABIAN KNIGHTZ the premier hip hop group from the land of the Nile River have not only established themselves as the lyricists with the sharpest swords in their land but they have also created the most consistent voice for rebellion strength and hope for the youth of the Middle East During the 2011 Revolution Arabian Knightz released two singles ldquoRebelrdquo and ldquoNot Your Prisonerrdquo anthems of resistance which gained worldwide attention and major media coverage for their powerful lyrics against a wicked system The group formed in 2006 through the cipher hip hoprsquos natural way of choosing like mindsets on the mic Rush Sphinx and E-Money were ahead of their peers adapting an authentic Arab perspective to the art dominated by Western voices mixing English and Arabic raps After hitting the studio for successful underground tracks AK enlisted super-producer Fredwreck (Snoop Dogg Xzibit Tha Dogg Pound) ldquoFokkakrdquo the single from this studio session was an instant hit and (surprisingly for Arabic Hip Hop) projected them to the top ten of the singles charts Arab League Records was formed amidst a growing fanbase and numerous collaborations with other Arab hip hop artists the first international Arab hip hop record label Desert Saga Volume 1 mixtape was the debut release led by ldquoThe Onerdquo featuring Egyptrsquos MC Amin Arabian Knightz have recorded their debut album Uknighted State of Arabia a masterpiece for Arab hip hop years in the making featuring instrumentals dominated by traditional percussions and players are scheduled for a Winter 2012 Release They are on Facebook

BOIKUTT is a musician and MC based in Ramallah Palestine Creating sounds using sampled material field recordings and electronic devices the results range between hip-hop downtempo ambient glitch and experimental He has composed and produced music for artists such as Kronos Quartet Bukue One Spiritchild Tamer Abu-Ghazaleh Bleubird and others and has appeared as an MC on albums for artists such as Slovo Heliodrome Bonnot and Lethal Skillz A co-founder of the Ramallah Underground Collective which has toured across the Arab World Europe and Australia Boikutt is also co-founder and member of audio-visual group Tashweesh with whom he is currently touring Also as a solo performer he has been in Beirut Cairo Manila Copenhagen London Hamburg Dubai Bethlehem and other cities He has produced and exhibited a few sound-art pieces composed several film scores has most recently composed the music for a dance theater performance entitled Bound by

New York-based company Yaa Samar Dance Theatre and is now working on different collaborative and solo projects His work may be heard at soundcloudcomboikutt and on Facebook

DAM Da Arabian MCrsquos are Suhell Nafar Tamer Nafar and Mahmoud Jreri The first Palestinian hip hop crew and among the first to rap in Arabic the group began working together in the late 1990s Struck by the uncanny resemblance of the reality of the streets in a Tupac video to the streets in their own neighborhood of Lyd they were inspired to tell their stories through hip hop Their timely song ldquoMin Irhabirdquo (ldquoWhorsquos the Terroristrdquo) was downloaded a million times shortly after its internet realese in 2001 and DAM became a household name among youth throughout the Middle East Ten years of performing all over the world has strengthened the grouprsquos commitment to continue living and working in their hometown of Lyd 15 minutes from Tel Aviv and working to provide the youth of the city and neighboring communities with programs and opportunities that have been denied to Palestinian citizens of Israel Their music is a unique fusion of East and West and encompasses influences as varied as Ghassan Kanafani Ahlam Mosteghanemi Mahmoud Darwish Naji al Ali Tupac Biggie Public Enemy MBS Krsquonaan and Pharoahe Monch IHDA (Dedication) DAMrsquos long-awaited first international album was released in 2007 and DAM has seen its songs and members featured in films such as Ford Transit (Dir Hany Abu Assad) Where in the World is Osama Bin Laden (Dir Morgan Spurlock) Salt of this Sea (Dir Annemarie Jacir) Local Angel and Forgiveness (Dir Udi Aloni) DAMrsquos history and influence on the Arab hip hop scene is detailed in the feature-length documentary Slingshot Hip Hop (Dir Jackie Reem Salloum) The group has also been featured in Vibe National Geographic Rolling Stone Q Basement Reuters and The New York Times and has appeared on MTV CNN BBC and Al Jazeera Their work can be heard and explored at damrapcom

EL DEEB first ventured into Egyptian Hip Hop when he joined Asfalt in 2005 He left in 2007 to create Wighit Nazara duo represented by Mohamed Yasser and himself It was a successful musical project that lasted until mid 2010 Currently he is working on his solo career with plans to release an EP every couple of months or so Cairofornia is his first solo EP His work may be heard at deebbandcampcom and on Facebook

EL RASS was born in Tripoli Lebanon He started writing poetry in literary Arabic at age 11 and started rhyming in spoken Lebanese dialect in 1999 at age 15 At that time he formed one third of a group of 3 MCrsquos going under the name of ldquoMlouk el Micrdquo (ldquoKings of the Micrdquo) They recorded one album and performed locally At 17 he left for France to study Finance and Economics Studies were hard money was scarce and exile was tough but music and poetry never left him as he continued rhyming with some underground French MCrsquos like Medline and Moebius and developed new musical skills on percussion in classical Arabic singing and baglama (turkish buzuk) After graduating and working for almost two years in the hell of banking and market finance El Rass decided to return to Lebanon He spent a year just re-discovering Beirut and making and learning music He now works as a journalist at the newspaper Assafir while concurrently pursuing joint projects with other producers and musicians He calls his work Taalik in reference to the same word in Arabic for ldquocommentrdquo and another word that comes from the same semantic root moaallakat which is a corpus of selected pre-Islamic poetry that was written with gold ink on the walls of the Karsquoaba in Mecca His work may be heard at soundcloudcomElRass

FAREEQ EL ATRASH is a hip hop band based out of Hamra St Beirut with a sound that is distinguished by laid back topical flows over live instrumentation It consists of Edd (raps) Nasser (raps) FZ (vocal production and FX) Fouad Afra (drums) Goo (plays guitar keys heart strings) and Abed Kobeissy (plays bass and buzuk) Their 2010 album and 2009 prealbum are available online More of their work may be found on Facebook Eddrsquos solo work can also be heard at soundcloudcomEdd

H2Z was born in Kuwait in 1986 where he lived for four years Due to the gulf war his family moved to Lebanon where he lived for the most part of his life Inspired by the tragic events in the Middle East and elsewhere in the world H2Z adopted rap music as a way to raise awareness about the injustices suffered by his people and to deliver a message through his music to anyone who supports the Palestinian cause His career began in 2004 when he was introduced to the production business by fellow rappers and soon he started producing his own tracks and established a local band producing many tracks for himself and other musicians in Lebanon In 2008 he released his first solo album titled 3aed which contained

17 tracks The political influence was noticed throughout the album and was generally well-received He is now studying for a degree in business administration at Wayne State University in Michigan His work may be heard at reverbnationcomh2z

KATIBEH 5 are based in Borj el Barajneh Lebanon Their work can be found at reverbnationcomkatibeh5 and myspacecomkatibe5palestine and on Facebook

M1 is Mutulu Olugbala of the New York based collective Dead Prez whose work is online at deadprezcom M1 is also on Facebook

MC GAZA is Adnan Mahmoud Ghonim an Algerian born artist and university student based in Gaza It was the beginning of 2005 when he attended one of the hip hop concerts in Gaza City ndash Gaza City that never appreciated the art he loved and attached himself to ndash and it was love at first sight between them Through some of the concerts he participated in a number of songs he collaborated on with Arabs from Egypt Algeria and Palestine and some active participation to represent the Palestinian people and interviews for both Arab and foreign press he was able to make a name for himself in the Gazan hip hop community His work may be found at youtubecomMCGaza and on Facebook

THE NARCICYST Having pioneered the Arab Hip-Hop movement with seminal Iraqi-Canadian crew Euphrates The Narcicyst recently broke through borders and shattered traveling etiquette touring solo around the world sharing stages with the likes of Brother Ali Mos Def and Kanye West to name a few On top of music The Narcicyst is a celebrated theorist whose academic work Fear of an Arab Planet has him from the stage to the classrooms of internationally renowned universities He is now also a professor at Concordia University teaching a Fine Arts course ldquoHip-Hop Past Present and Futurerdquo His writings have been published by multiple university presses and magazines internationally he is also a self-published author having recently released the biographical and social-study on the Arab world The Diatribes of a Dying Tribe As a true artist interested in really pushing his own artistic boundaries The Narcicyst has stepped into acting currently starring in the short music film PHATWA and in the first internationally-released film from the United Arab Emirates called City of Life A true multi-media

111110

KHALED AL HILLI is a PhD candidate in Comparative Literature at the Graduate Center City University of New York He has a BA in English Literature and a Masterrsquos degree in Teaching Second Languages Born in Iraq Khaled has taught in Lebanon and Saudi Arabia at both college and high school levels He has also worked with various Iraqi news outlets and has subtitledtranslated documentary films dealing with current social and political issues His research interests include Arabic political literature prison literature and literature in the diaspora He may be reached at hillykhalidgmailcom

+AZIZ is a NYC-based marketing consultant and a musician He is working through The World Music Parade to develop an animation project based on his music More about that project can be found at themusicparadetumblrcom He tweets from plusaziz

FAYSAL BIBI is a paleontologist and electronic musician currently based in Berlin

LOUBNA BILALI is originally from Morocco She did her undergrad and first MA in English Linguistics at Chouaib Doukkali University El Jadida She came to the US in 2008 to pursue a Masterrsquos degree in French to English translation and is currently working on a PhD in translation studies at Kent State University in Ohio She is very interested in learning and teaching languages as well as translating and localizing computer applications and websites She may be reached at loubnabilaligmailcom

FARAH ELREWAISSATI is a freelance translator pro-Palestine activist and BDS advocate who blogs at youthanormalizationblogspotcom She tweets from 3beee

NIZAR GHANEM was born in Lebanon He has been active in intercultural education interactive learning and conflict resolution across the Arab world His work on conflict resolution involved using theater comics and music as tools for emotional expression and social mobilization

RIMA NAJDI is a Performing Artist She studied dramatic arts at the Lebanese University in Beirut and obtained a Masterrsquos degree in Performance Studies at NYU New York She has written and performed in various plays and performances Najdi is particularly interested in multi-media performing arts and the position of the spectators

BARRAK ALZAID (copy editor) is the Artistic Director of ArteEast He is the editor of the ArteEast Quarterly a dynamic online portal featuring four publications that highlight contemporary art and culture from the Middle East and diaspora ndash ArtersquoZine Shahadat (contemporary short-form literature) Gallery and Cinematek (an online film center) He is also the curator for ArteEastrsquos Across Histories Art Talk Series featuring a series of panels on residencies in Fall 2011 He tweets from barrakster

RAYYA EL ZEIN (editor) is working towards a PhD in Theatre at the Graduate Center City University of New York Her research is increasingly focusing on theories of reception historical studies of audience behavior and popular culture in the Arab world She holds an MA in Performance Studies from NYU and is currently a teaching fellow at City College in Harlem She tweets from rayelz

translator biosdreamer Yassin recently established an arts label in the UAE called The Medium focusing on delivering art from Arabs in the diaspora and at lsquohomersquo to the rest of the world iraqisthebombcom He tweets from TheNarcicyst

OMAR OFFENDUM is a Syrian-American hip hop artist born in Saudi Arabia raised in Washington DC and living in Los Angeles Known for taking audiences on a lyrical journey from the jasmine-tree-lined courtyards of Nizar Qabbanirsquos Damascene homes to the flooded riverbanks of Langston Hughesrsquo Harlem Renaissance poems - Offendum has been featured on several major news outlets (BBC Yahoo ABC News Aljazeera PBS) toured the world to promote his ground-breaking music helped raise thousands of dollars for various humanitarian relief organizations (PCRF KinderUSA ANERA Islamic Relief) lectured at a number of prestigious academic institutions (Harvard MIT Stanford Columbia American University of Beirut NYU-AbuDhabi Qatar Education City) and most recently been involved in creating several critically-acclaimed songs about the popular democratic uprisings throughout the Middle East amp North Africa He is currently hard at work promoting his solo release - affectionately dubbed SyrianamericanA His work may be heard (and read) at offendumbandcampcom He is on Facebook and he tweets from Offendum

RAMALLAH UNDERGROUND based in Ramallah Palestine was born from the immediacy of musical experimentation and out of the need to give voice to a generation of Palestinians and Arabs facing a turbulent and uncertain political landscape The collective was founded by artists Boikutt Stormtrap and Aswatt and has always held a commitment to both the honesty of their work and the need to creatively rejuvenate Arabic culture To this end they combine music ranging from Arabic electronic music hip-hop and trip hop to downtempo with a deep sense of their local culture and the imposing presence of Palestine in their lives The outcome is a new specific and distinct sound RU (as producers and as MCrsquos ) has collaborated with numerous artists across the globe including countries like Lebanon UK Switzerland Italy USA France and many more including a collaboration with Slovo (a band headed by the guitarist from faithless) in their track ldquoNakbardquo which appears on their album Todo Cambia and with Kronos Quartet in the track ldquoTashweeshrdquo which appears on Floodplain RU has also performed live shows in Ramallah Bethlehem Vienna London Cairo Lausanne Amsterdam and Washington DC Their shows are mainly a performance of their hip-hop tracks as well as a few of their own electronic productions as a warm up More recently RU has incorporated a visual set in their live

performances brought to you by Palestinian visual artist Ruanne RU hopes to give a voice to Palestinians and Arabs bringing an alternative voice from the Arab world Their lyrics and music are an expression of anguish and defiance ultimately remaining a defiant voice of the colonized against the colonizer They continue to play a big role in the Arab underground cultural scene while slowly gaining wide global and local popularity

SHADIA MANSOURrsquos work can be found at myspacecomshadiamusic and on Facebook

STORMTRAP is a music producercomposerMC from Palestine Experimenting with old samples instruments and field recordings his sound is the result of a fusion of ambient atmospheres combined with various noises and hip hop beats His lyrics deal with different themes inspired mainly by his personal experiences in Palestine and life in the diaspora Stormtrap played a fundamental role in forming the band Ramallah Underground with which he has performed worldwide the past few years Currently he is working in Vienna with Aras Seyhan and Eren Ileri on a new album which combines live instruments synthesizers turntables beats and Arabic lyrics- which will be released early 2012 His work may be heard at soundcloudcomstormtrap He tweets from asifeh

AMEER YOSSEF 25 has sung and writen music with the band Klaket for the past four years His work may be heard at youtubecomAmeer and on Facebook

towards the work Her work for now concentrates on the process of making interactive and participatory performances that question borders stereotypes and languages

MOE ALI NAYEL is a fixer and a journalist based in Beirut Lebanon He uses social media blogging non-mainstream music journalism and writing as a word spreading eye opening socializing arena He uses social media as a bridge that cuts distance between people on this planet making it a tiny village This bridge starts in his office and takes him to every corner in the world enabling him to connect and network with people and cultures sharing and exchanging stories of the unheard and the neglected He blogs at Words of Action and he tweets from MoeAliNay

ALEX ORTIZ is a video and radio journalist and translator based in Cairo Egypt He graduated from Brown University in 2009 with a double major in Comparative Literature and Middle East Studies He was a CASA I fellow from 2009-2010 and a CASA II fellow from 2010-2011 He currently works for CBS News as a field producer He tweets from cairowitness

AHMED SHAWKET is an independent translator living in Cairo Egypt He is a graduate of the Helwan University Faculty of Arts where he majored in philosophy Ahmed works on literary media and commercial translation

113112

ABOUT SHAHADATShahadat is a quarterly online series designed to provide a platform for short-form writing and experimentation in writing by young and underexposed writers from the MENA region (Middle East and North Africa) The series features stories vignettes reflections and chronicles in translation and the original language of Arabic Farsi Turkish or Kurdish It makes up one quarter of ArteEastrsquos online programming the AE Quarterly For past issues of Shahadat click here

ABOUT THIS SERIES Shahadat is proud to run two alternating series and releases two issues a year of each The issue yoursquove just perused is part of the ldquoExploring Popular Literaturerdquo series This series challenges traditional understandings of ldquoliteraturerdquo emerging from the Middle East and North Africa by presenting genres of creative production that rely on words and language but which have not typically been studied as literature Works are presented in their original language and in translation

In each issue we gather texts from a spectrum of writers to challenge the singular status of the artistauthor and to encourage a more complex presentation of the Middle Eastern and North African ldquostreetrdquo for English-speaking audiences Shahadatrsquos other series ldquoContemporary Literature in Translationrdquo features the work of a single young author in the original language and in English translation

BEHIND THE DOCUMENTShahadat is co-edited by Rayya El Zein Alex Ortiz and ArteEastrsquos Artistic Director Barrak Alzaid All three are young professionals and scholars with artistic inclinations (literature poetry translation and performance) All three have strong connections to New York City and various metropole of the MENA region Shahadat is for us an experiment and a labor of love An editorial board of established scholars and authors is currently being conceived

SPECIAL THANKS TOAnmar El ZeinKinda AkashAndrew JohnstonLivia Alexander

Shahadat logo design by Rima Farouki

114

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Page 35: Shahadat Winter 2012

6968

واحد قدس احلياة بس بالكذب واحد بايدو حتول الذهب سم وواحد تخبى من الذهب بالدم

مني الشهيد

اللي مات حتت صبابيط ثورة عبيد شهيد اللي مات فتحول على حملة اعالنات هدفها ترفع الطايفة معدالت التجنيد

قنابل بالبريد وصل سيوف علوريد حصل

املوت للبليد صنم الصبر للعنيد حلم تأليه الشهيد ظلم

خليط احلديد والدم العالج والسم الرفاه والهم النوعية والكم

الدعارة وورقة التوت مبدينة بيروت علم

e l R a s s

And one sanctifies life with lies

In onersquos hand gold turned into poison

And the other hid from gold with blood

Who is the martyr

The one who died under the shoes of the oppressedrsquos uprising is a martyr

Is it he whose death was transformed into an advertising campaign to raise the levels of

sectarian enlistment

Bombs came in the mail

Swords to the jugular true stories

Death to the cold is statuette

Patience to the stubborn is a dream

Divinity to the martyr is oppression

The mixture of steel and blood the cure and poison

Luxury and distress quality and quantity

Prostitution and modesty

The science of the city of Beirut

T r a n s l a t e d b y M o e A l i N a y e l amp + A z i z

Blues

2125713

7170

بقرأ في اجلريدة زفت شوارع جديدة

إزالة مطبات و كثير أشياء هيك مفيدة أشخاص مستفيدة

دعم من هون و من هون منظمات بس احلرية بعيدة

مقاطعة مستوطنات تعون الضفة الغربية وطنية حصرية إدعائية

طب و فلسطني التاريخية مع ألساس كانت القدس عاصمة الثقافة العربية

بس كلوحكي سياسية للشعب إحنا نتحمل الشغل و التعب و الوضع صعب

b o i k u t t

Irsquom reading in the paper

About roads newly paved

Speed bumps removed and a lot of other useful stuff (yes very)

Certain inviduals benefit

Funding from here and there

Organizations are plentiful but freedom is far-fetched

Calling for a boycott of settlements around the West Bank

Pretentious exclusive nationalism

But what about historical Palestine

I thought Jerusalem was supposed to be the ldquocapital of Arab cultureldquo

But itrsquos all political speeches for the people

We put up with the work and the sweat and itrsquos rough

a letterرسالة من مقاطعة from boikutt

risaleh mn muqataa (pt1)

boikutt

null

2010

1086983

eng - iTunPGAP0

eng - iTunNORM 00000A1E 00000A0E 000099D9 000098A0 0000CC63 0000CC63 0000826D 000080B0 000131D0 000131D0

eng - iTunSMPB 00000000 00000210 000008F3 000000000049197D 00000000 0027BA9D 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000

7372

يقنعونا إن كلشي متام و بقدر أعيش حياة عادية

زي في األفالم على مبس واحد إثنني ثالثة أربعة إلخ

كن منيح و بتنزل عليك املصاري زخ نصيحة من أخ ألخ

خليك مستقل ألن اللعبة إنلعب فإبعد عن الفخ

خليهم يقعدوا يستنوا الدعم ليموتوا يلفلفوا داخل اجلدار حلد ما يفوتوا

في متاهات مبسافات مش محددة مجددة لتوسع التوسع مش مهددة

إنتهاك احتالل بس مش على الكل

في ناس في فلسطني هون حياتهم زي الفل مش عارف شو بيفكر

شكلوا مش داري شي يوم حنروح كل الدكاكني هي حتسكر

سالم

b o i k u t t

Try to convince me that everythingrsquos fine

And that I can lead a normal life

Like in the movies

On MBC one two three four etcetera

Be good and money will rain on you

Advice from one brother to another

Stay independent because the games are being played

So steer clear of the trap

Let them wait for foreign aid until they die

Spinning in circles within the apartheid wall until they enter

Into unlimited mazes with unspecified spaces

That are renewed to fit settlement expansion unthreatened

Violation occupation

But not for everyone

There are people here in Palestine living ldquothe good lifeldquo

I donrsquot know what hersquos thinking

Seems like he doesnrsquot know one day wersquoll be gone

And all these shops will close

Peace

T r a n s l a t e d b y t h e a r t i s t w i t h L o u b n a B i l a l i

risaleh mn muqataa (pt1)

boikutt

null

2010

1086983

eng - iTunPGAP0

eng - iTunNORM 00000A1E 00000A0E 000099D9 000098A0 0000CC63 0000CC63 0000826D 000080B0 000131D0 000131D0

eng - iTunSMPB 00000000 00000210 000008F3 000000000049197D 00000000 0027BA9D 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000

7574

الضغط عاليالعدو فات جاري احملادثات

صمت دوليكمية الغازى عم تزداد

تهجير جديد مولود جديدتكرر عزو مش تارك ورا شي مفيد غير غراب

من كل البيت ما تركو شي إال البابمن االرض ل سما مسافة عاليه

إمشي الصحرا وعد لياليوجنوما

كمشوا رئيس دولة بجورةحصار

توزيع مخدراتباألحمر تلون الفرات سجون معتقالتقبلة الوداع مع الصبات

تنصت بالشبكة خيانات باألزهر

k a t i b e h 5

The pressure is high

The enemy has entered discussions are taking place

Global silence

The numbers of the occupier are increasing

A new expulsion A newborn child

The perpetuation of an invasion that leaves behind it nothing of any use except for a crow

From an entire house they left nothing but the door

From the ground to the sky is a long distance

Walk the desert and count the nights

And its stars

They caught a president in a pit

Siege

Drug dealing the Euphrates is stained red prisons detention centers

A farewell kiss with a shoe

Networks wiretapped betrayals in Al Azhar

hold me back ifهديني اذا فيك you can

null

23098943

7776

حوار أديانالكف تنجس

متسح فيه وجك مع كل شروق عالوضوءتسمع شرارة فتيل مولوتوف ينادي أصوات تتلبى

باإلنفجار

هديني إذا فيك صرت موجود بكل مكانوجي مغبش عامل زي جيش زباتا

منصرخ بوجكم raquoاحلرية ل برغوتيlaquoإعالمكو بيعرفني كلماتكو حملت إسمي

شركاتكو بتهرب مني )كتيبه خمسه هديتي إذا فيك(

بتالقيني بني والد حفظوا غنية املخيماتبنفسية فالح عمال يزو املدينة

افالم تافهةبرنامج تافه

بتدور على مخك بتالقي مش موجوداخلليج يتحكم بإعالم

هادول حبوب التنومي ٦1 سنة بعدن مش شغالني

عالمادامك واخد وجهة نظري

ع محمل اجلدمسموح لك تستعجب وتظهر إنزعاجك بوجودي

ألني صديق لكل املشاهد الغير مرغوبة فيهاش بيختار حياتو بالتحديد بحكيلك هيك منحياها ومحد

ضغط رصاص وابارود بخليكاش حتيدالتجارب بتدلك عطريق

هديتي إذا فيك

k a t i b e h 5

A dialogue of religions

The hand is tainted

And with it you cleanse your face at ablution each sunrise

You hear the sparking of the fuse of a molotov calling voices respond

Explosion

Hold me back if you can I have become present everywhere

My face is concealed like the army of Zapata

We shout in your face ldquoFreedom for Barghoutildquo

Your media knows me your words have glimpsed my name

Your corporations flee from me

(Katibe Khamseh hold me back if you can)

Yoursquoll find me among children that have memorized the song ldquoAl Moukhayamatldquo

In the persona of a peasant that is visiting the city

Shallow films

Shallow programs

You look for your mind but you find it is not there

The Gulf controls media with its boundaries

These sleeping pills 61 years and theyrsquore still not effective

Great

As long as you are taking my point of view seriously

Yoursquore allowed to be taken aback and to show your irritation

Just like you show your irritation at my presence

Because I am a friend to all the images that are not desirable

This is how we live out these images and no one chooses their life specifically Irsquoll tell you

The pressure of bullets and gunpowder does not allow you to move away

Experience will guide you on the road

Hold me back if you can

null

23098943

7978

موقف واحد صريح من صميم روح لشعوب املقاومة ضمير ظهور البشرية

السبيل صعب ورا الغضبدعم لكل أسالوب محارب

د لنحرق نظامك منتدرب منجرب منخرب منستععم نحرق نظامك

هديتي إذا فيك

إطلع منيحمش رح تقدر توخذ كل شي من أول نظرة

نظرة عامة raquoبشرة مش بيضةlaquoجبني عريضة مكتوب مولود عنيد بالفطرة

فوت بالتقاليد عد التجاعيدلك هاي مش أول مرة

لغات ودراسات حط العلم بغالفمش رح تقدر تفهم ليه بعد في بارود ع الكتافلون األرض ولون الليل بيعطيك البني و السواد

بوعدك مش لوحدي رح أضل عد رماد الال اللعبة اجلديدة وال والدنا ع اللعبة جداد

بكفيش إنفلونزا الصقور صار في إنفلونزا اخلنازيرموسم مرض جديد لرئيس مبثل ع نفوس ومريض بهدوء البيض

هديتي إذا فيك

k a t i b e h 5

A single honest stance from the bottom of the soul for the people of the resistance the conscience

that exposes humanity

The path is difficult when following anger

A support for every style of battle

We train we strive we disrupt we prepare to burn your system

We are burning your system

Hold me back if you can

Look closely

You wonrsquot be able to see it all at first sight

An overview ldquocomplexion that is not whiteldquo

A broad forehead written born stubborn by nature

Look at the traditions and count the wrinkles

This is not the first time

Languages and scholarship put education under wraps

You wonrsquot be able to understand why there is still gunpowder on shoulders

The color of earth and the color of night gives you brown and blackness

I promise you that I will not be alone to count the ashes no

This game to us is not new and nor are our children new to the game

As if the influenza of eagles was not enough now therersquos the influenza of pigs

The season of a new disease for a president acting for a public and sick with the

calmness of white people

Hold me back if you can

null

23098943

8180

اإلحتالل نكه البشر بنكهة املجاريبالسالم حوار أديانبإقرار ملكية كذابة

بتشويه تاريخ وسرقة حضاراتولك أه

فلسطني إفريقيا الدجلة والفراتإجتاه البشرية لإلضمحالل سرطان بشري بعضها

الشتا ميسح اخلطايا واآلثاروليش بتتخبى وبتتغطى بنفس كل سفارة سميك الستار

لساتني باكل الضربة ورا الضره ورا الضربةوحتى ما أفعل وأساوي تكمشني الرجفة

بدل ما أضرب فيك بضرب بحاليبوعدكش حضلني كامش حالي حفلتها

حفلتها

هديني إذا فيك هديني إذا فيكهديني إذا فيك

k a t i b e h 5

The occupation has seasoned humanity with the flavor of sewers

With peace with dialogue of religions

With the declaration of false ownership

With the distortion of history and the theft of civilizations

Oh yes

Palestine Africa the Tigris and Euphrates

Humanity is leading to reduction a human cancer bites it

Exile wipes clean the sins and the traces

And why are you hiding and seeking cover when all the embassies are already well concealed

I am still taking one beating after another

And so that I donrsquot take action and do something shudders grip my body

Instead of beating you I beat myself

I canrsquot promise you that I can keep myself restrained

Irsquom gonna let go

Hold me back if you can

Hold me back if you can

Hold me back if you can

T r a n s l a t e d b y R i m a N a j d i a n d F a y s a l B i b i

null

23098943

8382

طول عمر الشعب املصري مع بعض أحلك الظروفبص وفر في التاريخ وانت ياما هاتشوف

الدين ده ليا وليكوفيا وفيك

حاجة روحانية بتخليك حتس اللي بيك

ايد في ايد نبني فيها من جديد

مصر زعلت علي حاصل وسطنا مش مفيد

بعد ثورة وبعد عيد فتنة تقتل حلم واتتحقق لنا

واحد اتننيالذكري بتعيش اكتر من عمر االنسان

بصمتنا تغييرنا جوة وبرة امليدان مش هانضيع نصر ثورتنا بفتنة نشئت بينا

A r a b i a n K n i g h t s + M C G a z a + A m e e r

The Egyptian people have always stuck together

Through the worst times look at history

And see how often wersquove been there for each other

That whole idea of religion

Is for you and for me something spiritual that makes you feel whatrsquos inside you

Hand in hand

We build Egypt up again

Egypt is angry at whatrsquos happening between us

Itrsquos not helpful

After the revolution after the celebration

Sectarian strife is killing the dream we fulfilled

One two

The memory lasts more than a lifetime

Our mark is our change in and outside Tahrir Square

We wonrsquot give up the victory of our revolution in exchange for sectarian strife between

us

hand inايد في ايد hand

Eid Fe Eid

Yasser Ameer Youssef Rush E Money amp MCGaza | by BOGEY

Single Hit track 11

20112011

Hip-Hop

24002867

eng - Hip-Hop 4 Life

eng - iTunNORM 000005E2 0000058E 0000424E 00003537 00026E95 0001C2B3 00008000 00008000 00005045 00005045

8584

بلدنا محتجانا ايدنا واحدة ضد احملنة تفرق ايه معاك ديانتي ملا ربك هو ربي

اصلك هو اصلي ارضك هي ارضي

ملا اتقال لي اكتت فيول فتنة انا قولت غلط علشان الفتنة مفتعلة في بلدنا وكان وراها غرض

فالفرد افترض فبفرض السياسة األمر اختلط

فالزم يبقي املصل سياسي من اصل املرض العسس واحلرس مافرقوش صليب وهالل

وكنا كلنا واحد وراء االقفالدم الشهيد شاهد

ياما بالفتنة انكسرنا وحدتنا بصوت واحد وضد الظلم انتصرنا

وديني هو ديني صلة بيني وبني ربي هارفع علمي وارفع راسي فوق

انا مصري

ايد في ايد نبني فيها من جديد

مصر زعلت علي حاصل وسطنا مش مفيد

بعد ثورة وبعد عيد فتنة تقتل حلم واتتحقق لنا

خلو حمامة السالم من الطيور املنقرضةعلشان تبقي القلوب مبتعدة منقسمه سهل تتسم

فكرين مناعة و قوة أم الدنيا بالطمع مرتبطةنسر املصريني ليس له دين احنا بنحميها بالدم

العنف بذوره بتكتر عاوز يوصل واحلروب حتصل

A r a b i a n K n i g h t s + M C G a z a + A m e e r

Our country needs us all together against the hard times

What difference does my religion make to you when your god is my god

Your origin is mine

Your land is my land

When they told me about sectarian strife I said thatrsquos wrong

Because itrsquos been planted in our country and behind it is some purpose

Makes one think somethingrsquos going on

By playing politics everythingrsquos gotten mixed up

The antidote has to be political just like the poison itself

The military doesnrsquot distinguish between cross and crescent

Wersquore all held together behind bars

The blood of the martyrs bears witness

To how much wersquove been broken by sectarianism

Through our unity we triumphed with one voice over injustice

And my religion is my own a rapport between me and God

Irsquoll raise my flag and my head up

Irsquom Egyptian

Hand in hand

We build Egypt up again

Egypt is angry at whatrsquos happening between us

Itrsquos not helpful

After the revolution after the victory

Sectarian strife is killing the dream we fulfilled

They drove the dove of peace to extinction

To keep hearts apart and divided itrsquos easy to poison them

Do they really think the resilience and strength of Egypt is connected to greed

The Egyptian eagle has no religion we protect it with our blood

The roots of violence are increasing want to gain control to start wars

Eid Fe Eid

Yasser Ameer Youssef Rush E Money amp MCGaza | by BOGEY

Single Hit track 11

20112011

Hip-Hop

24002867

eng - Hip-Hop 4 Life

eng - iTunNORM 000005E2 0000058E 0000424E 00003537 00026E95 0001C2B3 00008000 00008000 00005045 00005045

8786

للعاقيدة يكسر وألعضاء املشاعر تتشال تصتأصلعلى كالم ربهم اتكبرو فعملو قدر واتقدر

وقته مستنينه ليه خططوا مضمون الرسائل اتغير الن الهدف هو تدمير قعدة الوحدهوقتل كل قائد يقود الناس بره احملنه

فيبقي سهل يزيحنا ميحي أوصول عليها كبرناوكل واحد علي حداه يقول أنا محدش يقول احنا

فاببطء بحرص بص بعقل بحذر شوفقبل ما يخلوا خيالك يتخلله اخلوف

واخلوف ده افراز بيطلع من غده ملا الكلب بيشوفهابيعرف انك فاريسه سهل ياكلها ركز

فرق تسد إخلعوفق جتد إرفع

ثورة تقدصمت يفرد- يفرق

ما بيجمع بيننامن حقي النقد من حقك - تسمع

طب إسمع وراجع ما صور التاريخ طب باله بيكفي صور زمانييوم حصار كنيسة املهد مني دافع مني اتقمع مني اتنفا

مسلم مسيحي أل كان فلسطيني اتذكر معي ثورة غضب يناير

اتذكر معي الوحدة اإليد الوحدة اتشرف انتا مصرياتذكر معي األخ بإيد األخ يحمي األخ بدون إلخ

كالمي ماشي ماشي ال-لتفهمني بهويتي مسلم وال نصراني قبطي

ما في حجة لربطي خلبطي حلطي ألوطي ألغير خطيخير أجناد األرض

من أرض بيت املقدس كل السالم بعد ما قلت إلنقسام في وطنيانا ملزم أقول ال لفتنة

تفتت مجد شعب تعب عانى ضحى بالغالي حتى بناه

A r a b i a n K n i g h t s + M C G a z a + A m e e r

The relationship between Egyptians breaks down and the organs that feel are taken out

They got full of themselves in the name of their god and invented a new fate for us

Theyrsquore waiting for a time and theyrsquore plotting The meaning of their messages changes

Because the goal is to destroy the foundation of unity

And kill every leader who takes the people out of hard times

Itrsquos easy to remove us to wipe out the traditions we grew up with

Everyone on his own everyone says ldquoIldquo and no one says ldquoweldquo

Slowly carefully look Wisely with caution see

Before they make your imagination a slave to fear

And that fear releases a secretion from a gland

And when the dog sees it he knows yoursquore easy prey

Divide yoursquoll conquer

Bring harmony and yoursquoll reap Start

A revolution and it will catch on

Silence is solitary It divides

It doesnrsquot bring us together

It is my right to criticize and your right to listen

So listen and look back at history or better look at my life time

The day the Nativity Church was under siege who was persecuted Who was exiled

A Muslim A Christian No he was Palestinian

Letrsquos remember the angry revolution of January

Letrsquos remember the unity the one hand Be proud yoursquore Egyptian

Remember the brother holding hands with a brother protecting a brother

And I can go on

Donrsquot teach me about my identity whether Irsquom a Muslim or a Christian Copt

Therersquos no excuse to tie me down beat me to make me cower and kneel and stray from my courseThe Earthrsquos most virtuous soldiers

Come from the land of Bayt al-Maqdis [Jerusalem] I salute you After I said no to division in my countryIrsquom committed to saying no to seditionThat dissolves the glory of a people who labored suffered sacrificed what was most dear to build it

T r a n s l a t e d b y A l e x O r t i z + A h m e d S h a w k e t + K h a l e d A l H i l l i

Eid Fe Eid

Yasser Ameer Youssef Rush E Money amp MCGaza | by BOGEY

Single Hit track 11

20112011

Hip-Hop

24002867

eng - Hip-Hop 4 Life

eng - iTunNORM 000005E2 0000058E 0000424E 00003537 00026E95 0001C2B3 00008000 00008000 00005045 00005045

8988

الفن واملواهب زي حرب الكواكب الكل عايز يكون جنم صراع في الداخل

بهدي جنون العظمة بفلفل حر توابل تسيل دموع زي القنابل

زي مابتكلم وداني شغالة كون سامع نبض الشارع علشان أ

حالف أقضي على اإلعالم املتآمر مغامر في الكالم بس إنت مش سامع

ملا بأمسك القلم والورقة الهم بينزاح مخي بيرتاح بأقول اللي على البال

ملا بأقعد بحس بتأنيب ضمير كون في ستوديو بسجل على بيت خطير مفروض أ

e l D e e b + S t o r m t r a p

Art and talent are like Star Wars

Secretly everyone wants to be a star of conflict

I make megalomania tranquil with chilli hot spices

Tears flow like bombs

Thatrsquos how I talk and the world keeps moving

So that I can hear the pulse of the streets

Irsquove sworn to obliterate the media conspirators

I am adventurous in my speech but you do not hear

When I hold the pen and the paper my anxiety is lifted

My mind relaxes and I say whatrsquos on it

When I sit down I feel guilty

I should be in the studio recording dangerous beats

addictأدمان الشهرة ion to fame

Edman El Shuhra

Stormtrap amp Mohamed El Deeb

2011

Hip-Hop

15305855

- vocals Mohamed El Deeb Stormtrap13produced by Stormtrap

9190

إحساس غريب إنك تدمن الكالم ارسم يا فنان واخترع زي دافينشي الرسام

ولو مفيش ورقة باستخدم تليفوني خايف إن فكرة متعديش على صوتي

دنيا غريبة يوم مر يوم بونبوني بس أنا عمري ماغيرت لوني

املوسيقى بنادولي وبطابعي فضولي مهما قالوا لي هافهمها مبفهومي فـساعات أالقي نفسي بكلم نفسي واسمع أصوات غريبة في دماغي

وهو ده الصدى الصوت اللي بسمعه اكن مفيش حد فارقة معاه احالمي

شوف شوف مش هدف إنو أنا شخصيا أنا

هدفي انه كلماتي وموسيقتي تنتشرعشان هيك حتشوفني دوما مستمر مستثمر

كل وقتي كل طاقتي على أصواتي خوذ شك خوذ حتويل خوذ كاش

بس ما تنساش أي شي بيتعلق بالواقع بدناش ما تخاف ألنها قضيتنا مش منسية مية باملية هايذي ثورة كمان ثقافية

خليني أوضح هاي املوسيقى مش معمولة للتلفازeهاي املوسيقى مش معمولة لهز الطياز l D e e b + S t o r m t r a p

Strange feeling to be out of words

Paint oh artist and discover like Da Vinci the artist

If I donrsquot have paper I use my cell

I am afraid that the idea does not come through my voice

Strange world one day is bitter another like candy

But Irsquove never changed my color

Music is my Tylenol and my nature curious

So whatever they tell me Irsquoll understand it my way

Sometimes I find myself talking to myself

And I hear weird voices in my head

Which is just the echo of the sound I hear

As if no one cares about my dreams

See see

My goals are not self serving

My goal is that my words and music spread

Thatrsquos why yoursquoll see me always and continuously investing

All my time my energy on my sounds

Take a check take a transfer take cash

But never forget anything related to reality wersquore not interested

Donrsquot be afraid because our cause is not forgotten

One hundred percent this is also a cultural revolution

Let me explain this music is not meant to be televised

This music is not made for booty shaking

Edman El Shuhra

Stormtrap amp Mohamed El Deeb

2011

Hip-Hop

15305855

- vocals Mohamed El Deeb Stormtrap13produced by Stormtrap

9392

مش فاهم ليش الكل قاتل حاله يكون في مسابقةحابني نتصابح حياكم زات املكافحة

واالعالم ميت ع حيالله قصة ما بيدرس هالقصة من نصها

وبعدن بينفخهامش احلق علينا اذا ما بيبحثوا

وملا يبدوا يحكوا عنا أل عنجد بيبعصوابيفكروا انه كل شي هشك بشك

بس حدن الزم يقلهم انه الهب هوب مش هيكبدك تدير بالك عشانها هاي اللحظة احلاسمة

ملا يجوا عليك الديب والعاصفةنكسر حدود وبنبني وحدة عشان نحيي مجتماعاتنا

وننهي معانتناعشان هيك منكتب كلمات صريحة والها معنى

مش للشهرة مش حتى يجي حدن يدفعلنا

e l D e e b + S t o r m t r a p

I donrsquot understand why everyone is killing themselves to be in the contest

Wersquod like to say goodmorning to salute you in this same struggle

The mediarsquos dying for any story

But they donrsquot study the storyrsquos real text

And then they blow it out of proportion

Itrsquos not our fault if they donrsquot search

And when they talk about us then they really screw it up

They think everything is empty pointless

Somebody needs to tell them that hip hop is not like that

You should take care because this is the critical moment

When the wolf and storm come haunting you

We break borders and we create a unity to revitalize our communities

And stop our suffering

That is why we write frank words that have meaning

Itrsquos not for fame or even so that someone pays us

T r a n s l a t e d b y N i z a r G h a n e m

Edman El Shuhra

Stormtrap amp Mohamed El Deeb

2011

Hip-Hop

15305855

- vocals Mohamed El Deeb Stormtrap13produced by Stormtrap

9594

حضل عهل مود يعنيما إنتلك النجوم عم تقرب

بهل ال مود حكون عطول لبهل جنوم إدءر لو مضطر شن هجوم عل النجوم كلها

خللي األرض تدور حول أصبعي تنلك

ما إنتلك متلي متلك مولع طيار ألفكاري من العقدي تنفك فرد قعدي بني 4 حيطان ما بتنهز و منها ما بنهز

يلز املا بينلزالكاس عل الطاولي و منو عم مز مز

لتفتل براصي وحس من حالي عم كز كزعل ورقة كالمي مدروس و ما بزت زت بجرب ما عيد حالي متا يقولو عم نق نق

موزع قافياتي جواز كأن عم فت فت

بهل األطشة خلي الديني اللي تسمعني ترن رنFبسبيلي جاري يوم ع يوم عم برك رك a r e e q e l A t r a s h

Irsquoll stay in this mood

Didnrsquot I tell you The stars are getting closer

Irsquoll stay in this mood until I touch these stars

Even if I have to launch an attack on all the stars

Irsquoll make the Earth rotate around my finger I told you

Didnrsquot I tell you Irsquom just like you I lit up a joint so my ideas would untie their knot

Sitting this way in between four walls I wonrsquot budge

The most delectable

Drink is on the table from which Irsquom taking sips

Till my head starts spinning and Irsquom sick of myself

On the paper my words are calculated I donrsquot just toss them about

I try not to repeat myself so they wonrsquot say Irsquom nagging

I deal my rhymes out like theyrsquore cards

In this verse Irsquoll make those ears ring

My fountain is running and every day I excel

tالنجوم عم تقرب he stars are gett ing closer

null

29781717

9796

لضل ماشي جالس بينما غيري عم بلك لك شريط معلق ريحة العة عم بتفح فحكل ما فتح متو بتالقي عم بكب كب

عايشها إرهاب و مفي إال بسب سببزبالتي ما بكبو تيكون بعلمك

األالف مسم و بحياتو ما بينسم بزقة من هل التم تخلي سقفك ينش نش

تلمو ردم و ما تفكر إنو ترد رد و عم بحكي عالواطي متا الصالي فيك ترج رج

بطبعي عاقل بس بالراب بزل زل عل الرايق بال ما نط وال فز فز

type of shitعال بارد أبرد من شباط بس يقز قزتخلي عضامك ع بعض تسك سك

ما إنتلك النجوم عم تقرب بهل ال مود حكون عطول لبهل جنوم إدءر

لو مضطر شن هجوم عل النجوم كلهاخللي األرض تدور حول أصبعي تنلك

أنا متنبئ بنبه و بحقق ما قلتلك بعد وقتها ما عم نكت

عاملكرفون إبرة هرون عم بشكشك في شكcheck one two

هيك بدسدس عالنبض

F a r e e q e l A t r a s h

So I can walk straight when others are still playing

A broken record that reeks of a musty smell

Every time he opens his mouth he spews them out

He lives in terror and all he does is curse

I wouldnrsquot throw him in my garbage just so you know

Irsquove irritated thousands and never been irritated in my life

One spit out of this mouth will make your roof leak

And yoursquoll pick up the rubble and donrsquot even think about answering back

Irsquom talking in a low voice so the hall wonrsquot shake with you in it

Irsquom reasonable by nature but when it comes to rap I humiliate cold-heartedly

Without jumping or leaping around

I do it coldly colder than icy February-type of shit

Irsquoll make your bones rattle against each other

Didnrsquot I tell you The stars are getting closer

Irsquoll stay in this mood until I touch these stars

Even if I have to launch an attack on all the stars

Irsquoll make the Earth rotate around my finger I told you

Irsquom a psychic I predict and deliver

Didnrsquot I tell you to stand back when Irsquom not joking

Irsquom pricking the microphone with a heroin needle Is there any doubt

Check one two

Thatrsquos how I feel the pulse

null

29781717

9998

بدقق و زتزت حكي بتزجزج كأنها مزهزها عم بتشمشم عم خطط عم تكتيك و مني ملحلح من هون للساعة توقف تك تيك تك تيك

لك ليك منفخ حاله عامبيكازيب عا غيري بس بوجهي بتاءتإوجهه بيباءبإ من أد ما بعصب بسبسب

زر إنذار إذني بتطنطن و بشوف من عالباب عم بدقدق

عكروت بدو يفوت ليشوف الفن فني بس الفن هون بجسمي معبأ

من حلقي طايف و من متي عم بت شرشر و بيس البيس زلزال برجرج خليك تضبضب تنضب بالبيت لتكنكن

و أنا متأسف ألني بدي استأذن بس بعد شفت كابتشينو بتصحصح

ما إنتلك النجوم عم تقرببهل ال مود حكون عطول لبهل جنوم إدءر

لو مضطر شن هجوم عل النجوم كلهاخللي األرض تدور حول أصبعي تنلك

هيدا هب هوبمش هبل و ال بهل

هيدا زجل تتغزل في

ورايي إيقاع عليي إتبع و ما إطلع عنو يا بصير متل غير مسيس

زقفوا مع االيقاعزقفوا مع االيقاع

F a r e e q e l A t r a s h

Checking and hurling words that tickle as if I was high and sniffing

I am planning and scheming and Irsquom not going anywhere till the clock stops ticking

Look hersquos so full of it lying to others but in my face he stutters

And his face turns red from all the anger and he curses

My earsrsquo alarm bells start ringing

And I go to see whorsquos knocking at the door

Some bastard who wants to see where ldquothe artldquo is

But the art is right here packed in my body

Flowing from my throat running out of my mouth

And the bass is an earthquake that shakes and forces you to pack up and go home

And Irsquom sorry because I need to take leave

But after a sip of cappuccino yoursquoll come around

Didnrsquot I tell you The stars are getting closer

Irsquoll stay in this mood

Until I touch these stars even if I have to launch an attack on all the stars

Irsquoll make the Earth rotate around my finger I told you

This is hip hop

Itrsquos not stupid nor dumb

Itrsquos zajal [a form of Arabic poetry in the Levant]

That you flirt with

There is a beat that I have to follow canrsquot lose it or Irsquoll be like other MCs

Clap with the beat

Clap with the beat

T r a n s l a t e d b y K h a l e d A l H i l l i

null

29781717

101100

انا ببلعهم بتفهم وال مره بسبهمبخليهم داميا يضاربو بتفكيرهم

أنا وراهم قدامهم جنابهم محتلهممش طايقهم مرات وزنهم بكون منزلهم

مرتبهم صاففهم وبقلم أنا حاكمهم زاتتهم مش عاجبيني أنا ماحيهم قائدهم وبنفس الوقت أنا عبيدهم

وبفك وربط أنا بلعب مبعانيهمانا حاميهم بأسطر اللي تقويهم

انا واعدهم اني أستر على فاضحهم ومطلعهم بصوره اللي تبشعهم

بس أنا محترمهم وبسطور ساجنهم مكتفهم كأسير بجنازير القهر

ومهديهم بحبل اللي يبشر بالصبر وانا لي الفخر أكون الشوك اللي فيهم

Dوأكون القهر اللي داميا يسقيهم A M

Yo this is dedicated to the lyrics

Irsquom swallowing them spitting them never dissing them

Giving them freedom of speech

Irsquom behind them in front of them because of them always standing with them

Sometimes get sick of them sick of how you abuse them

Gather them in line with my pen I order them

Didnrsquot like it Throwing them out and replacing them

Irsquom their leader and also their slave

Small changes make huge differences

I train them in pages to make them strong

Promising to use them not abuse them

Or allow the wrong mouths to utter them

Approach them with a military mind and find peace in them

Irsquom lucky to be full of thorns and even luckier that I found the lyrics

So theyrsquoll help me find the roses in me

wordsكلمات

null

26837427

103102

raquoالكل سمعك بس السؤال اذا اللي سمعك فهمكlaquoكلمات ليست كالكلمات بل raquoعالماتlaquo

اللي توجهنا وين مابدنا عحبال السيرك هي تثبتنا ريح العالم من كل جهه اذا احنا ضعاف بتوقعنا بس

raquoأل بلمره ألlaquo raquoكلمات عندي طنlaquoكل واحده الها هدف اخدت حرف عحرف

نسجت جمل اللي البسهم وقت البرد raquoراح اضلني اناديlaquo raquoبنحكي كلماتlaquo

انت بتعرف انهم مبنصب شهاد بحكو املاضي وتنبوا حاضر أي بالد

قد ماحكيت قد ما أحكي فش كالم يغطي بسفي كالم يربي وينمي انت بس أروي

في شوف انه قوه والقوه بتقويفيك و أن رويته مصيره يسقيك )مثل للقوه( العدو من أمامكم

والبحر من ورائكم فال تخيبوا أسيادكمفأين أشعاركم وأين مجادلتكم

فأنتم تسكتون وتخمدون أحالمكم)انهي( نهيت ورجعت للعامية بكلمات

مرمية طالعه من عقليه شعبيهمتل جنيب اللي بذاكرة كل واحد محفوظ مدروس واذا أل معناته في خلل معكوس

عاملجتمع اللي قمع كتاباته Dاللي سمح لنسيانه يشيل خطواته A M

ldquoThey all hear you but few listen to youldquo

Lyrics ainrsquot just a bunch of words they are ldquosignsldquo

Leading us stabilizing us on tight ropes

Winds every way if we are thin we will fall

ldquoBut hell noldquo ldquoyou can measure my words in tonsldquo

Every word has a meaning I knitted a letter with another letter

Made warm sentences to wear in cold days

ldquoSo Irsquoll still shoutldquo ldquowe control lyricsldquo

You know lyrics are like a witness

They witnessed the past and forecast the future

As much as I said or say I canrsquot describe them

But there is a way to find the description and thatrsquos through them

Quench the thirst of the pages with them

So in the future itrsquoll quench your thirst

Keep feeding them as soon as they grow up

Theyrsquoll give you strength

ldquoExample for the strengthldquo

ldquoThe enemy is before you the sea is behind you

So donrsquot you dare disappoint our ancestors

Where are our deep poems Where are our strong statements

From generation to generation we kill our dreamsldquo

ldquoEnough philosophizingldquo ok lets get back to street talk

Words coming outta simple minds

Like Najeeb Mahfuz [literally lsquowell-rememberedrsquo also a famous author]

They keep living in our minds

And if you donrsquot know who he is - then I rest my case

null

26837427

105104

raquoالكل سمعك بس السؤال اذا اللي سمعك فهمكlaquoكلمات ليست كالكلمات بل raquoعالماتlaquo

اللي توجهنا وين مابدنا عحبال السيرك هي تثبتنا ريح العالم من كل جهه اذا احنا ضعاف بتوقعنا بس

raquoأل بلمره ألlaquo raquoكلمات عندي طنlaquoكل واحده الها هدف اخدت حرف عحرف

نسجت جمل اللي البسهم وقت البرد raquoراح اضلني اناديlaquo raquoبنحكي كلماتlaquo

ألف با كبايه أوعك تكسرهاامسكها للنهاية وكل ما تفضى مليها

كلمه أو رواية ومع املراحل زيدها شيحكاية وهيك ضلك زود فيها

وجيبها لتجمعاتك وساعتها استعملها لنقاشاتك وملواقفك استخدمها

هادي مدافعك اللي مداها بسيطرتك وما دافعك انه ما تخليها رايتك

ما هي تكتب ما هي توصف ما هي تكذب ما هي تنصف

ما هي هي الهروب هياللجوء هي الدروب هي

العبور باحلدود واللي مبرؤهم مبدع وبفوز باخللود واللي بسرقهم مش مقنع

واذا بتديهم احلرية بنادوك ممنوعDواذا بتوخد احلريه بنادوك مسموح A M

ldquoThey all hear you but few listen to youldquo

Lyrics ainrsquot just a bunch of words they are ldquosignsldquo

Leading us stabilizing us on tight ropes

Winds every way if we are thin we will fall

ldquoBut hell noldquo ldquoyou can measure my words in tonsldquo

Every word has a meaning I knitted a letter with another letter

Made warm sentences to wear in cold days

ldquoSo Irsquoll still shoutldquo ldquowe control lyricsldquo

The Arabic alphabet is like a glass donrsquot break it

Hold it tight and keep filling it

And then bring it to our arguments

Scream till your throat gets dry and then wet it

It holds our body itrsquos like our legs

If you stand for nothing yoursquoll fall for anything

The words write create

They kill lead and sometimes even lie

You can use them to build borders

And those who are gifted

Can use them to walk through borders

And in some governments

Itrsquos forbidden to give words freedom

But if you choke them and kill them

Thatrsquos allowed

F i g u r a t i v e t r a n s l a t i o n o f f e r e d b y t h e a r t i s t s

null

26837427

107106

further reading

The tracks presented in this document are not a comprehensive sampling of the genre of the market of hip hop in Arabic or of hip hop and rap in the wider Middle East

Artists featured here hail from Egypt Lebanon Palestine and the anglophone Arab diaspora The thriving North African hip hop scene is not represented nor is the work of the established francophone Arab diaspora nor the expanding hip hop scenes of especially Iran or Turkey

This collection does not attempt a comprehensive chronology Tracks featured here are not primarily new releases (though some are) neither are they all ldquoclassicsrdquo These limitations of scope are important to note

Many tracks of the popular Libyan group Ibn Thabitt and other groups from across the region have been translated and are hosted with commentary on the notable blog

revolutionaryarabrapblogspotcom

Another valuable resource is the Beirut-based blog by Jackson Allers ldquoBeats and Breathrdquo which features articulate critiques and reviews of events and releases from the region

jacksonallerswordpresscom

Hass Dennaoui (alias Big Hass) who recently launched started the first all hip-hop FM radio show in Saudi Arabia Laish Hip Hop (Why Hip Hop) manages a lively blog which

hosts an internet feed of his radio show and interviews with MCs and influential hip hop figures from around the world

revoltradioblogspotcom

Lebaneseundergroundcom hosts coverage of underground music in Lebanon including hip hop

And finally an excellent article by Hishaam Aidi on implications of the use of hip hop as foreign policy ldquoThe Grand (Hip-Hop) Chessboard Race Rap and Raison DrsquoEtatrdquo was published in The Middle East Report Fall 2011 Excerpts of the piece were published by Al Jazeera English in the article ldquoLeveraging Hip Hop in US Foreign Policyrdquo

All the artists and many of the translators whose work is showcased here host a significant online presence Their sites are listed with more about each of them on the following pages

109108

artist bios

ARABIAN KNIGHTZ the premier hip hop group from the land of the Nile River have not only established themselves as the lyricists with the sharpest swords in their land but they have also created the most consistent voice for rebellion strength and hope for the youth of the Middle East During the 2011 Revolution Arabian Knightz released two singles ldquoRebelrdquo and ldquoNot Your Prisonerrdquo anthems of resistance which gained worldwide attention and major media coverage for their powerful lyrics against a wicked system The group formed in 2006 through the cipher hip hoprsquos natural way of choosing like mindsets on the mic Rush Sphinx and E-Money were ahead of their peers adapting an authentic Arab perspective to the art dominated by Western voices mixing English and Arabic raps After hitting the studio for successful underground tracks AK enlisted super-producer Fredwreck (Snoop Dogg Xzibit Tha Dogg Pound) ldquoFokkakrdquo the single from this studio session was an instant hit and (surprisingly for Arabic Hip Hop) projected them to the top ten of the singles charts Arab League Records was formed amidst a growing fanbase and numerous collaborations with other Arab hip hop artists the first international Arab hip hop record label Desert Saga Volume 1 mixtape was the debut release led by ldquoThe Onerdquo featuring Egyptrsquos MC Amin Arabian Knightz have recorded their debut album Uknighted State of Arabia a masterpiece for Arab hip hop years in the making featuring instrumentals dominated by traditional percussions and players are scheduled for a Winter 2012 Release They are on Facebook

BOIKUTT is a musician and MC based in Ramallah Palestine Creating sounds using sampled material field recordings and electronic devices the results range between hip-hop downtempo ambient glitch and experimental He has composed and produced music for artists such as Kronos Quartet Bukue One Spiritchild Tamer Abu-Ghazaleh Bleubird and others and has appeared as an MC on albums for artists such as Slovo Heliodrome Bonnot and Lethal Skillz A co-founder of the Ramallah Underground Collective which has toured across the Arab World Europe and Australia Boikutt is also co-founder and member of audio-visual group Tashweesh with whom he is currently touring Also as a solo performer he has been in Beirut Cairo Manila Copenhagen London Hamburg Dubai Bethlehem and other cities He has produced and exhibited a few sound-art pieces composed several film scores has most recently composed the music for a dance theater performance entitled Bound by

New York-based company Yaa Samar Dance Theatre and is now working on different collaborative and solo projects His work may be heard at soundcloudcomboikutt and on Facebook

DAM Da Arabian MCrsquos are Suhell Nafar Tamer Nafar and Mahmoud Jreri The first Palestinian hip hop crew and among the first to rap in Arabic the group began working together in the late 1990s Struck by the uncanny resemblance of the reality of the streets in a Tupac video to the streets in their own neighborhood of Lyd they were inspired to tell their stories through hip hop Their timely song ldquoMin Irhabirdquo (ldquoWhorsquos the Terroristrdquo) was downloaded a million times shortly after its internet realese in 2001 and DAM became a household name among youth throughout the Middle East Ten years of performing all over the world has strengthened the grouprsquos commitment to continue living and working in their hometown of Lyd 15 minutes from Tel Aviv and working to provide the youth of the city and neighboring communities with programs and opportunities that have been denied to Palestinian citizens of Israel Their music is a unique fusion of East and West and encompasses influences as varied as Ghassan Kanafani Ahlam Mosteghanemi Mahmoud Darwish Naji al Ali Tupac Biggie Public Enemy MBS Krsquonaan and Pharoahe Monch IHDA (Dedication) DAMrsquos long-awaited first international album was released in 2007 and DAM has seen its songs and members featured in films such as Ford Transit (Dir Hany Abu Assad) Where in the World is Osama Bin Laden (Dir Morgan Spurlock) Salt of this Sea (Dir Annemarie Jacir) Local Angel and Forgiveness (Dir Udi Aloni) DAMrsquos history and influence on the Arab hip hop scene is detailed in the feature-length documentary Slingshot Hip Hop (Dir Jackie Reem Salloum) The group has also been featured in Vibe National Geographic Rolling Stone Q Basement Reuters and The New York Times and has appeared on MTV CNN BBC and Al Jazeera Their work can be heard and explored at damrapcom

EL DEEB first ventured into Egyptian Hip Hop when he joined Asfalt in 2005 He left in 2007 to create Wighit Nazara duo represented by Mohamed Yasser and himself It was a successful musical project that lasted until mid 2010 Currently he is working on his solo career with plans to release an EP every couple of months or so Cairofornia is his first solo EP His work may be heard at deebbandcampcom and on Facebook

EL RASS was born in Tripoli Lebanon He started writing poetry in literary Arabic at age 11 and started rhyming in spoken Lebanese dialect in 1999 at age 15 At that time he formed one third of a group of 3 MCrsquos going under the name of ldquoMlouk el Micrdquo (ldquoKings of the Micrdquo) They recorded one album and performed locally At 17 he left for France to study Finance and Economics Studies were hard money was scarce and exile was tough but music and poetry never left him as he continued rhyming with some underground French MCrsquos like Medline and Moebius and developed new musical skills on percussion in classical Arabic singing and baglama (turkish buzuk) After graduating and working for almost two years in the hell of banking and market finance El Rass decided to return to Lebanon He spent a year just re-discovering Beirut and making and learning music He now works as a journalist at the newspaper Assafir while concurrently pursuing joint projects with other producers and musicians He calls his work Taalik in reference to the same word in Arabic for ldquocommentrdquo and another word that comes from the same semantic root moaallakat which is a corpus of selected pre-Islamic poetry that was written with gold ink on the walls of the Karsquoaba in Mecca His work may be heard at soundcloudcomElRass

FAREEQ EL ATRASH is a hip hop band based out of Hamra St Beirut with a sound that is distinguished by laid back topical flows over live instrumentation It consists of Edd (raps) Nasser (raps) FZ (vocal production and FX) Fouad Afra (drums) Goo (plays guitar keys heart strings) and Abed Kobeissy (plays bass and buzuk) Their 2010 album and 2009 prealbum are available online More of their work may be found on Facebook Eddrsquos solo work can also be heard at soundcloudcomEdd

H2Z was born in Kuwait in 1986 where he lived for four years Due to the gulf war his family moved to Lebanon where he lived for the most part of his life Inspired by the tragic events in the Middle East and elsewhere in the world H2Z adopted rap music as a way to raise awareness about the injustices suffered by his people and to deliver a message through his music to anyone who supports the Palestinian cause His career began in 2004 when he was introduced to the production business by fellow rappers and soon he started producing his own tracks and established a local band producing many tracks for himself and other musicians in Lebanon In 2008 he released his first solo album titled 3aed which contained

17 tracks The political influence was noticed throughout the album and was generally well-received He is now studying for a degree in business administration at Wayne State University in Michigan His work may be heard at reverbnationcomh2z

KATIBEH 5 are based in Borj el Barajneh Lebanon Their work can be found at reverbnationcomkatibeh5 and myspacecomkatibe5palestine and on Facebook

M1 is Mutulu Olugbala of the New York based collective Dead Prez whose work is online at deadprezcom M1 is also on Facebook

MC GAZA is Adnan Mahmoud Ghonim an Algerian born artist and university student based in Gaza It was the beginning of 2005 when he attended one of the hip hop concerts in Gaza City ndash Gaza City that never appreciated the art he loved and attached himself to ndash and it was love at first sight between them Through some of the concerts he participated in a number of songs he collaborated on with Arabs from Egypt Algeria and Palestine and some active participation to represent the Palestinian people and interviews for both Arab and foreign press he was able to make a name for himself in the Gazan hip hop community His work may be found at youtubecomMCGaza and on Facebook

THE NARCICYST Having pioneered the Arab Hip-Hop movement with seminal Iraqi-Canadian crew Euphrates The Narcicyst recently broke through borders and shattered traveling etiquette touring solo around the world sharing stages with the likes of Brother Ali Mos Def and Kanye West to name a few On top of music The Narcicyst is a celebrated theorist whose academic work Fear of an Arab Planet has him from the stage to the classrooms of internationally renowned universities He is now also a professor at Concordia University teaching a Fine Arts course ldquoHip-Hop Past Present and Futurerdquo His writings have been published by multiple university presses and magazines internationally he is also a self-published author having recently released the biographical and social-study on the Arab world The Diatribes of a Dying Tribe As a true artist interested in really pushing his own artistic boundaries The Narcicyst has stepped into acting currently starring in the short music film PHATWA and in the first internationally-released film from the United Arab Emirates called City of Life A true multi-media

111110

KHALED AL HILLI is a PhD candidate in Comparative Literature at the Graduate Center City University of New York He has a BA in English Literature and a Masterrsquos degree in Teaching Second Languages Born in Iraq Khaled has taught in Lebanon and Saudi Arabia at both college and high school levels He has also worked with various Iraqi news outlets and has subtitledtranslated documentary films dealing with current social and political issues His research interests include Arabic political literature prison literature and literature in the diaspora He may be reached at hillykhalidgmailcom

+AZIZ is a NYC-based marketing consultant and a musician He is working through The World Music Parade to develop an animation project based on his music More about that project can be found at themusicparadetumblrcom He tweets from plusaziz

FAYSAL BIBI is a paleontologist and electronic musician currently based in Berlin

LOUBNA BILALI is originally from Morocco She did her undergrad and first MA in English Linguistics at Chouaib Doukkali University El Jadida She came to the US in 2008 to pursue a Masterrsquos degree in French to English translation and is currently working on a PhD in translation studies at Kent State University in Ohio She is very interested in learning and teaching languages as well as translating and localizing computer applications and websites She may be reached at loubnabilaligmailcom

FARAH ELREWAISSATI is a freelance translator pro-Palestine activist and BDS advocate who blogs at youthanormalizationblogspotcom She tweets from 3beee

NIZAR GHANEM was born in Lebanon He has been active in intercultural education interactive learning and conflict resolution across the Arab world His work on conflict resolution involved using theater comics and music as tools for emotional expression and social mobilization

RIMA NAJDI is a Performing Artist She studied dramatic arts at the Lebanese University in Beirut and obtained a Masterrsquos degree in Performance Studies at NYU New York She has written and performed in various plays and performances Najdi is particularly interested in multi-media performing arts and the position of the spectators

BARRAK ALZAID (copy editor) is the Artistic Director of ArteEast He is the editor of the ArteEast Quarterly a dynamic online portal featuring four publications that highlight contemporary art and culture from the Middle East and diaspora ndash ArtersquoZine Shahadat (contemporary short-form literature) Gallery and Cinematek (an online film center) He is also the curator for ArteEastrsquos Across Histories Art Talk Series featuring a series of panels on residencies in Fall 2011 He tweets from barrakster

RAYYA EL ZEIN (editor) is working towards a PhD in Theatre at the Graduate Center City University of New York Her research is increasingly focusing on theories of reception historical studies of audience behavior and popular culture in the Arab world She holds an MA in Performance Studies from NYU and is currently a teaching fellow at City College in Harlem She tweets from rayelz

translator biosdreamer Yassin recently established an arts label in the UAE called The Medium focusing on delivering art from Arabs in the diaspora and at lsquohomersquo to the rest of the world iraqisthebombcom He tweets from TheNarcicyst

OMAR OFFENDUM is a Syrian-American hip hop artist born in Saudi Arabia raised in Washington DC and living in Los Angeles Known for taking audiences on a lyrical journey from the jasmine-tree-lined courtyards of Nizar Qabbanirsquos Damascene homes to the flooded riverbanks of Langston Hughesrsquo Harlem Renaissance poems - Offendum has been featured on several major news outlets (BBC Yahoo ABC News Aljazeera PBS) toured the world to promote his ground-breaking music helped raise thousands of dollars for various humanitarian relief organizations (PCRF KinderUSA ANERA Islamic Relief) lectured at a number of prestigious academic institutions (Harvard MIT Stanford Columbia American University of Beirut NYU-AbuDhabi Qatar Education City) and most recently been involved in creating several critically-acclaimed songs about the popular democratic uprisings throughout the Middle East amp North Africa He is currently hard at work promoting his solo release - affectionately dubbed SyrianamericanA His work may be heard (and read) at offendumbandcampcom He is on Facebook and he tweets from Offendum

RAMALLAH UNDERGROUND based in Ramallah Palestine was born from the immediacy of musical experimentation and out of the need to give voice to a generation of Palestinians and Arabs facing a turbulent and uncertain political landscape The collective was founded by artists Boikutt Stormtrap and Aswatt and has always held a commitment to both the honesty of their work and the need to creatively rejuvenate Arabic culture To this end they combine music ranging from Arabic electronic music hip-hop and trip hop to downtempo with a deep sense of their local culture and the imposing presence of Palestine in their lives The outcome is a new specific and distinct sound RU (as producers and as MCrsquos ) has collaborated with numerous artists across the globe including countries like Lebanon UK Switzerland Italy USA France and many more including a collaboration with Slovo (a band headed by the guitarist from faithless) in their track ldquoNakbardquo which appears on their album Todo Cambia and with Kronos Quartet in the track ldquoTashweeshrdquo which appears on Floodplain RU has also performed live shows in Ramallah Bethlehem Vienna London Cairo Lausanne Amsterdam and Washington DC Their shows are mainly a performance of their hip-hop tracks as well as a few of their own electronic productions as a warm up More recently RU has incorporated a visual set in their live

performances brought to you by Palestinian visual artist Ruanne RU hopes to give a voice to Palestinians and Arabs bringing an alternative voice from the Arab world Their lyrics and music are an expression of anguish and defiance ultimately remaining a defiant voice of the colonized against the colonizer They continue to play a big role in the Arab underground cultural scene while slowly gaining wide global and local popularity

SHADIA MANSOURrsquos work can be found at myspacecomshadiamusic and on Facebook

STORMTRAP is a music producercomposerMC from Palestine Experimenting with old samples instruments and field recordings his sound is the result of a fusion of ambient atmospheres combined with various noises and hip hop beats His lyrics deal with different themes inspired mainly by his personal experiences in Palestine and life in the diaspora Stormtrap played a fundamental role in forming the band Ramallah Underground with which he has performed worldwide the past few years Currently he is working in Vienna with Aras Seyhan and Eren Ileri on a new album which combines live instruments synthesizers turntables beats and Arabic lyrics- which will be released early 2012 His work may be heard at soundcloudcomstormtrap He tweets from asifeh

AMEER YOSSEF 25 has sung and writen music with the band Klaket for the past four years His work may be heard at youtubecomAmeer and on Facebook

towards the work Her work for now concentrates on the process of making interactive and participatory performances that question borders stereotypes and languages

MOE ALI NAYEL is a fixer and a journalist based in Beirut Lebanon He uses social media blogging non-mainstream music journalism and writing as a word spreading eye opening socializing arena He uses social media as a bridge that cuts distance between people on this planet making it a tiny village This bridge starts in his office and takes him to every corner in the world enabling him to connect and network with people and cultures sharing and exchanging stories of the unheard and the neglected He blogs at Words of Action and he tweets from MoeAliNay

ALEX ORTIZ is a video and radio journalist and translator based in Cairo Egypt He graduated from Brown University in 2009 with a double major in Comparative Literature and Middle East Studies He was a CASA I fellow from 2009-2010 and a CASA II fellow from 2010-2011 He currently works for CBS News as a field producer He tweets from cairowitness

AHMED SHAWKET is an independent translator living in Cairo Egypt He is a graduate of the Helwan University Faculty of Arts where he majored in philosophy Ahmed works on literary media and commercial translation

113112

ABOUT SHAHADATShahadat is a quarterly online series designed to provide a platform for short-form writing and experimentation in writing by young and underexposed writers from the MENA region (Middle East and North Africa) The series features stories vignettes reflections and chronicles in translation and the original language of Arabic Farsi Turkish or Kurdish It makes up one quarter of ArteEastrsquos online programming the AE Quarterly For past issues of Shahadat click here

ABOUT THIS SERIES Shahadat is proud to run two alternating series and releases two issues a year of each The issue yoursquove just perused is part of the ldquoExploring Popular Literaturerdquo series This series challenges traditional understandings of ldquoliteraturerdquo emerging from the Middle East and North Africa by presenting genres of creative production that rely on words and language but which have not typically been studied as literature Works are presented in their original language and in translation

In each issue we gather texts from a spectrum of writers to challenge the singular status of the artistauthor and to encourage a more complex presentation of the Middle Eastern and North African ldquostreetrdquo for English-speaking audiences Shahadatrsquos other series ldquoContemporary Literature in Translationrdquo features the work of a single young author in the original language and in English translation

BEHIND THE DOCUMENTShahadat is co-edited by Rayya El Zein Alex Ortiz and ArteEastrsquos Artistic Director Barrak Alzaid All three are young professionals and scholars with artistic inclinations (literature poetry translation and performance) All three have strong connections to New York City and various metropole of the MENA region Shahadat is for us an experiment and a labor of love An editorial board of established scholars and authors is currently being conceived

SPECIAL THANKS TOAnmar El ZeinKinda AkashAndrew JohnstonLivia Alexander

Shahadat logo design by Rima Farouki

114

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Page 36: Shahadat Winter 2012

7170

بقرأ في اجلريدة زفت شوارع جديدة

إزالة مطبات و كثير أشياء هيك مفيدة أشخاص مستفيدة

دعم من هون و من هون منظمات بس احلرية بعيدة

مقاطعة مستوطنات تعون الضفة الغربية وطنية حصرية إدعائية

طب و فلسطني التاريخية مع ألساس كانت القدس عاصمة الثقافة العربية

بس كلوحكي سياسية للشعب إحنا نتحمل الشغل و التعب و الوضع صعب

b o i k u t t

Irsquom reading in the paper

About roads newly paved

Speed bumps removed and a lot of other useful stuff (yes very)

Certain inviduals benefit

Funding from here and there

Organizations are plentiful but freedom is far-fetched

Calling for a boycott of settlements around the West Bank

Pretentious exclusive nationalism

But what about historical Palestine

I thought Jerusalem was supposed to be the ldquocapital of Arab cultureldquo

But itrsquos all political speeches for the people

We put up with the work and the sweat and itrsquos rough

a letterرسالة من مقاطعة from boikutt

risaleh mn muqataa (pt1)

boikutt

null

2010

1086983

eng - iTunPGAP0

eng - iTunNORM 00000A1E 00000A0E 000099D9 000098A0 0000CC63 0000CC63 0000826D 000080B0 000131D0 000131D0

eng - iTunSMPB 00000000 00000210 000008F3 000000000049197D 00000000 0027BA9D 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000

7372

يقنعونا إن كلشي متام و بقدر أعيش حياة عادية

زي في األفالم على مبس واحد إثنني ثالثة أربعة إلخ

كن منيح و بتنزل عليك املصاري زخ نصيحة من أخ ألخ

خليك مستقل ألن اللعبة إنلعب فإبعد عن الفخ

خليهم يقعدوا يستنوا الدعم ليموتوا يلفلفوا داخل اجلدار حلد ما يفوتوا

في متاهات مبسافات مش محددة مجددة لتوسع التوسع مش مهددة

إنتهاك احتالل بس مش على الكل

في ناس في فلسطني هون حياتهم زي الفل مش عارف شو بيفكر

شكلوا مش داري شي يوم حنروح كل الدكاكني هي حتسكر

سالم

b o i k u t t

Try to convince me that everythingrsquos fine

And that I can lead a normal life

Like in the movies

On MBC one two three four etcetera

Be good and money will rain on you

Advice from one brother to another

Stay independent because the games are being played

So steer clear of the trap

Let them wait for foreign aid until they die

Spinning in circles within the apartheid wall until they enter

Into unlimited mazes with unspecified spaces

That are renewed to fit settlement expansion unthreatened

Violation occupation

But not for everyone

There are people here in Palestine living ldquothe good lifeldquo

I donrsquot know what hersquos thinking

Seems like he doesnrsquot know one day wersquoll be gone

And all these shops will close

Peace

T r a n s l a t e d b y t h e a r t i s t w i t h L o u b n a B i l a l i

risaleh mn muqataa (pt1)

boikutt

null

2010

1086983

eng - iTunPGAP0

eng - iTunNORM 00000A1E 00000A0E 000099D9 000098A0 0000CC63 0000CC63 0000826D 000080B0 000131D0 000131D0

eng - iTunSMPB 00000000 00000210 000008F3 000000000049197D 00000000 0027BA9D 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000

7574

الضغط عاليالعدو فات جاري احملادثات

صمت دوليكمية الغازى عم تزداد

تهجير جديد مولود جديدتكرر عزو مش تارك ورا شي مفيد غير غراب

من كل البيت ما تركو شي إال البابمن االرض ل سما مسافة عاليه

إمشي الصحرا وعد لياليوجنوما

كمشوا رئيس دولة بجورةحصار

توزيع مخدراتباألحمر تلون الفرات سجون معتقالتقبلة الوداع مع الصبات

تنصت بالشبكة خيانات باألزهر

k a t i b e h 5

The pressure is high

The enemy has entered discussions are taking place

Global silence

The numbers of the occupier are increasing

A new expulsion A newborn child

The perpetuation of an invasion that leaves behind it nothing of any use except for a crow

From an entire house they left nothing but the door

From the ground to the sky is a long distance

Walk the desert and count the nights

And its stars

They caught a president in a pit

Siege

Drug dealing the Euphrates is stained red prisons detention centers

A farewell kiss with a shoe

Networks wiretapped betrayals in Al Azhar

hold me back ifهديني اذا فيك you can

null

23098943

7776

حوار أديانالكف تنجس

متسح فيه وجك مع كل شروق عالوضوءتسمع شرارة فتيل مولوتوف ينادي أصوات تتلبى

باإلنفجار

هديني إذا فيك صرت موجود بكل مكانوجي مغبش عامل زي جيش زباتا

منصرخ بوجكم raquoاحلرية ل برغوتيlaquoإعالمكو بيعرفني كلماتكو حملت إسمي

شركاتكو بتهرب مني )كتيبه خمسه هديتي إذا فيك(

بتالقيني بني والد حفظوا غنية املخيماتبنفسية فالح عمال يزو املدينة

افالم تافهةبرنامج تافه

بتدور على مخك بتالقي مش موجوداخلليج يتحكم بإعالم

هادول حبوب التنومي ٦1 سنة بعدن مش شغالني

عالمادامك واخد وجهة نظري

ع محمل اجلدمسموح لك تستعجب وتظهر إنزعاجك بوجودي

ألني صديق لكل املشاهد الغير مرغوبة فيهاش بيختار حياتو بالتحديد بحكيلك هيك منحياها ومحد

ضغط رصاص وابارود بخليكاش حتيدالتجارب بتدلك عطريق

هديتي إذا فيك

k a t i b e h 5

A dialogue of religions

The hand is tainted

And with it you cleanse your face at ablution each sunrise

You hear the sparking of the fuse of a molotov calling voices respond

Explosion

Hold me back if you can I have become present everywhere

My face is concealed like the army of Zapata

We shout in your face ldquoFreedom for Barghoutildquo

Your media knows me your words have glimpsed my name

Your corporations flee from me

(Katibe Khamseh hold me back if you can)

Yoursquoll find me among children that have memorized the song ldquoAl Moukhayamatldquo

In the persona of a peasant that is visiting the city

Shallow films

Shallow programs

You look for your mind but you find it is not there

The Gulf controls media with its boundaries

These sleeping pills 61 years and theyrsquore still not effective

Great

As long as you are taking my point of view seriously

Yoursquore allowed to be taken aback and to show your irritation

Just like you show your irritation at my presence

Because I am a friend to all the images that are not desirable

This is how we live out these images and no one chooses their life specifically Irsquoll tell you

The pressure of bullets and gunpowder does not allow you to move away

Experience will guide you on the road

Hold me back if you can

null

23098943

7978

موقف واحد صريح من صميم روح لشعوب املقاومة ضمير ظهور البشرية

السبيل صعب ورا الغضبدعم لكل أسالوب محارب

د لنحرق نظامك منتدرب منجرب منخرب منستععم نحرق نظامك

هديتي إذا فيك

إطلع منيحمش رح تقدر توخذ كل شي من أول نظرة

نظرة عامة raquoبشرة مش بيضةlaquoجبني عريضة مكتوب مولود عنيد بالفطرة

فوت بالتقاليد عد التجاعيدلك هاي مش أول مرة

لغات ودراسات حط العلم بغالفمش رح تقدر تفهم ليه بعد في بارود ع الكتافلون األرض ولون الليل بيعطيك البني و السواد

بوعدك مش لوحدي رح أضل عد رماد الال اللعبة اجلديدة وال والدنا ع اللعبة جداد

بكفيش إنفلونزا الصقور صار في إنفلونزا اخلنازيرموسم مرض جديد لرئيس مبثل ع نفوس ومريض بهدوء البيض

هديتي إذا فيك

k a t i b e h 5

A single honest stance from the bottom of the soul for the people of the resistance the conscience

that exposes humanity

The path is difficult when following anger

A support for every style of battle

We train we strive we disrupt we prepare to burn your system

We are burning your system

Hold me back if you can

Look closely

You wonrsquot be able to see it all at first sight

An overview ldquocomplexion that is not whiteldquo

A broad forehead written born stubborn by nature

Look at the traditions and count the wrinkles

This is not the first time

Languages and scholarship put education under wraps

You wonrsquot be able to understand why there is still gunpowder on shoulders

The color of earth and the color of night gives you brown and blackness

I promise you that I will not be alone to count the ashes no

This game to us is not new and nor are our children new to the game

As if the influenza of eagles was not enough now therersquos the influenza of pigs

The season of a new disease for a president acting for a public and sick with the

calmness of white people

Hold me back if you can

null

23098943

8180

اإلحتالل نكه البشر بنكهة املجاريبالسالم حوار أديانبإقرار ملكية كذابة

بتشويه تاريخ وسرقة حضاراتولك أه

فلسطني إفريقيا الدجلة والفراتإجتاه البشرية لإلضمحالل سرطان بشري بعضها

الشتا ميسح اخلطايا واآلثاروليش بتتخبى وبتتغطى بنفس كل سفارة سميك الستار

لساتني باكل الضربة ورا الضره ورا الضربةوحتى ما أفعل وأساوي تكمشني الرجفة

بدل ما أضرب فيك بضرب بحاليبوعدكش حضلني كامش حالي حفلتها

حفلتها

هديني إذا فيك هديني إذا فيكهديني إذا فيك

k a t i b e h 5

The occupation has seasoned humanity with the flavor of sewers

With peace with dialogue of religions

With the declaration of false ownership

With the distortion of history and the theft of civilizations

Oh yes

Palestine Africa the Tigris and Euphrates

Humanity is leading to reduction a human cancer bites it

Exile wipes clean the sins and the traces

And why are you hiding and seeking cover when all the embassies are already well concealed

I am still taking one beating after another

And so that I donrsquot take action and do something shudders grip my body

Instead of beating you I beat myself

I canrsquot promise you that I can keep myself restrained

Irsquom gonna let go

Hold me back if you can

Hold me back if you can

Hold me back if you can

T r a n s l a t e d b y R i m a N a j d i a n d F a y s a l B i b i

null

23098943

8382

طول عمر الشعب املصري مع بعض أحلك الظروفبص وفر في التاريخ وانت ياما هاتشوف

الدين ده ليا وليكوفيا وفيك

حاجة روحانية بتخليك حتس اللي بيك

ايد في ايد نبني فيها من جديد

مصر زعلت علي حاصل وسطنا مش مفيد

بعد ثورة وبعد عيد فتنة تقتل حلم واتتحقق لنا

واحد اتننيالذكري بتعيش اكتر من عمر االنسان

بصمتنا تغييرنا جوة وبرة امليدان مش هانضيع نصر ثورتنا بفتنة نشئت بينا

A r a b i a n K n i g h t s + M C G a z a + A m e e r

The Egyptian people have always stuck together

Through the worst times look at history

And see how often wersquove been there for each other

That whole idea of religion

Is for you and for me something spiritual that makes you feel whatrsquos inside you

Hand in hand

We build Egypt up again

Egypt is angry at whatrsquos happening between us

Itrsquos not helpful

After the revolution after the celebration

Sectarian strife is killing the dream we fulfilled

One two

The memory lasts more than a lifetime

Our mark is our change in and outside Tahrir Square

We wonrsquot give up the victory of our revolution in exchange for sectarian strife between

us

hand inايد في ايد hand

Eid Fe Eid

Yasser Ameer Youssef Rush E Money amp MCGaza | by BOGEY

Single Hit track 11

20112011

Hip-Hop

24002867

eng - Hip-Hop 4 Life

eng - iTunNORM 000005E2 0000058E 0000424E 00003537 00026E95 0001C2B3 00008000 00008000 00005045 00005045

8584

بلدنا محتجانا ايدنا واحدة ضد احملنة تفرق ايه معاك ديانتي ملا ربك هو ربي

اصلك هو اصلي ارضك هي ارضي

ملا اتقال لي اكتت فيول فتنة انا قولت غلط علشان الفتنة مفتعلة في بلدنا وكان وراها غرض

فالفرد افترض فبفرض السياسة األمر اختلط

فالزم يبقي املصل سياسي من اصل املرض العسس واحلرس مافرقوش صليب وهالل

وكنا كلنا واحد وراء االقفالدم الشهيد شاهد

ياما بالفتنة انكسرنا وحدتنا بصوت واحد وضد الظلم انتصرنا

وديني هو ديني صلة بيني وبني ربي هارفع علمي وارفع راسي فوق

انا مصري

ايد في ايد نبني فيها من جديد

مصر زعلت علي حاصل وسطنا مش مفيد

بعد ثورة وبعد عيد فتنة تقتل حلم واتتحقق لنا

خلو حمامة السالم من الطيور املنقرضةعلشان تبقي القلوب مبتعدة منقسمه سهل تتسم

فكرين مناعة و قوة أم الدنيا بالطمع مرتبطةنسر املصريني ليس له دين احنا بنحميها بالدم

العنف بذوره بتكتر عاوز يوصل واحلروب حتصل

A r a b i a n K n i g h t s + M C G a z a + A m e e r

Our country needs us all together against the hard times

What difference does my religion make to you when your god is my god

Your origin is mine

Your land is my land

When they told me about sectarian strife I said thatrsquos wrong

Because itrsquos been planted in our country and behind it is some purpose

Makes one think somethingrsquos going on

By playing politics everythingrsquos gotten mixed up

The antidote has to be political just like the poison itself

The military doesnrsquot distinguish between cross and crescent

Wersquore all held together behind bars

The blood of the martyrs bears witness

To how much wersquove been broken by sectarianism

Through our unity we triumphed with one voice over injustice

And my religion is my own a rapport between me and God

Irsquoll raise my flag and my head up

Irsquom Egyptian

Hand in hand

We build Egypt up again

Egypt is angry at whatrsquos happening between us

Itrsquos not helpful

After the revolution after the victory

Sectarian strife is killing the dream we fulfilled

They drove the dove of peace to extinction

To keep hearts apart and divided itrsquos easy to poison them

Do they really think the resilience and strength of Egypt is connected to greed

The Egyptian eagle has no religion we protect it with our blood

The roots of violence are increasing want to gain control to start wars

Eid Fe Eid

Yasser Ameer Youssef Rush E Money amp MCGaza | by BOGEY

Single Hit track 11

20112011

Hip-Hop

24002867

eng - Hip-Hop 4 Life

eng - iTunNORM 000005E2 0000058E 0000424E 00003537 00026E95 0001C2B3 00008000 00008000 00005045 00005045

8786

للعاقيدة يكسر وألعضاء املشاعر تتشال تصتأصلعلى كالم ربهم اتكبرو فعملو قدر واتقدر

وقته مستنينه ليه خططوا مضمون الرسائل اتغير الن الهدف هو تدمير قعدة الوحدهوقتل كل قائد يقود الناس بره احملنه

فيبقي سهل يزيحنا ميحي أوصول عليها كبرناوكل واحد علي حداه يقول أنا محدش يقول احنا

فاببطء بحرص بص بعقل بحذر شوفقبل ما يخلوا خيالك يتخلله اخلوف

واخلوف ده افراز بيطلع من غده ملا الكلب بيشوفهابيعرف انك فاريسه سهل ياكلها ركز

فرق تسد إخلعوفق جتد إرفع

ثورة تقدصمت يفرد- يفرق

ما بيجمع بيننامن حقي النقد من حقك - تسمع

طب إسمع وراجع ما صور التاريخ طب باله بيكفي صور زمانييوم حصار كنيسة املهد مني دافع مني اتقمع مني اتنفا

مسلم مسيحي أل كان فلسطيني اتذكر معي ثورة غضب يناير

اتذكر معي الوحدة اإليد الوحدة اتشرف انتا مصرياتذكر معي األخ بإيد األخ يحمي األخ بدون إلخ

كالمي ماشي ماشي ال-لتفهمني بهويتي مسلم وال نصراني قبطي

ما في حجة لربطي خلبطي حلطي ألوطي ألغير خطيخير أجناد األرض

من أرض بيت املقدس كل السالم بعد ما قلت إلنقسام في وطنيانا ملزم أقول ال لفتنة

تفتت مجد شعب تعب عانى ضحى بالغالي حتى بناه

A r a b i a n K n i g h t s + M C G a z a + A m e e r

The relationship between Egyptians breaks down and the organs that feel are taken out

They got full of themselves in the name of their god and invented a new fate for us

Theyrsquore waiting for a time and theyrsquore plotting The meaning of their messages changes

Because the goal is to destroy the foundation of unity

And kill every leader who takes the people out of hard times

Itrsquos easy to remove us to wipe out the traditions we grew up with

Everyone on his own everyone says ldquoIldquo and no one says ldquoweldquo

Slowly carefully look Wisely with caution see

Before they make your imagination a slave to fear

And that fear releases a secretion from a gland

And when the dog sees it he knows yoursquore easy prey

Divide yoursquoll conquer

Bring harmony and yoursquoll reap Start

A revolution and it will catch on

Silence is solitary It divides

It doesnrsquot bring us together

It is my right to criticize and your right to listen

So listen and look back at history or better look at my life time

The day the Nativity Church was under siege who was persecuted Who was exiled

A Muslim A Christian No he was Palestinian

Letrsquos remember the angry revolution of January

Letrsquos remember the unity the one hand Be proud yoursquore Egyptian

Remember the brother holding hands with a brother protecting a brother

And I can go on

Donrsquot teach me about my identity whether Irsquom a Muslim or a Christian Copt

Therersquos no excuse to tie me down beat me to make me cower and kneel and stray from my courseThe Earthrsquos most virtuous soldiers

Come from the land of Bayt al-Maqdis [Jerusalem] I salute you After I said no to division in my countryIrsquom committed to saying no to seditionThat dissolves the glory of a people who labored suffered sacrificed what was most dear to build it

T r a n s l a t e d b y A l e x O r t i z + A h m e d S h a w k e t + K h a l e d A l H i l l i

Eid Fe Eid

Yasser Ameer Youssef Rush E Money amp MCGaza | by BOGEY

Single Hit track 11

20112011

Hip-Hop

24002867

eng - Hip-Hop 4 Life

eng - iTunNORM 000005E2 0000058E 0000424E 00003537 00026E95 0001C2B3 00008000 00008000 00005045 00005045

8988

الفن واملواهب زي حرب الكواكب الكل عايز يكون جنم صراع في الداخل

بهدي جنون العظمة بفلفل حر توابل تسيل دموع زي القنابل

زي مابتكلم وداني شغالة كون سامع نبض الشارع علشان أ

حالف أقضي على اإلعالم املتآمر مغامر في الكالم بس إنت مش سامع

ملا بأمسك القلم والورقة الهم بينزاح مخي بيرتاح بأقول اللي على البال

ملا بأقعد بحس بتأنيب ضمير كون في ستوديو بسجل على بيت خطير مفروض أ

e l D e e b + S t o r m t r a p

Art and talent are like Star Wars

Secretly everyone wants to be a star of conflict

I make megalomania tranquil with chilli hot spices

Tears flow like bombs

Thatrsquos how I talk and the world keeps moving

So that I can hear the pulse of the streets

Irsquove sworn to obliterate the media conspirators

I am adventurous in my speech but you do not hear

When I hold the pen and the paper my anxiety is lifted

My mind relaxes and I say whatrsquos on it

When I sit down I feel guilty

I should be in the studio recording dangerous beats

addictأدمان الشهرة ion to fame

Edman El Shuhra

Stormtrap amp Mohamed El Deeb

2011

Hip-Hop

15305855

- vocals Mohamed El Deeb Stormtrap13produced by Stormtrap

9190

إحساس غريب إنك تدمن الكالم ارسم يا فنان واخترع زي دافينشي الرسام

ولو مفيش ورقة باستخدم تليفوني خايف إن فكرة متعديش على صوتي

دنيا غريبة يوم مر يوم بونبوني بس أنا عمري ماغيرت لوني

املوسيقى بنادولي وبطابعي فضولي مهما قالوا لي هافهمها مبفهومي فـساعات أالقي نفسي بكلم نفسي واسمع أصوات غريبة في دماغي

وهو ده الصدى الصوت اللي بسمعه اكن مفيش حد فارقة معاه احالمي

شوف شوف مش هدف إنو أنا شخصيا أنا

هدفي انه كلماتي وموسيقتي تنتشرعشان هيك حتشوفني دوما مستمر مستثمر

كل وقتي كل طاقتي على أصواتي خوذ شك خوذ حتويل خوذ كاش

بس ما تنساش أي شي بيتعلق بالواقع بدناش ما تخاف ألنها قضيتنا مش منسية مية باملية هايذي ثورة كمان ثقافية

خليني أوضح هاي املوسيقى مش معمولة للتلفازeهاي املوسيقى مش معمولة لهز الطياز l D e e b + S t o r m t r a p

Strange feeling to be out of words

Paint oh artist and discover like Da Vinci the artist

If I donrsquot have paper I use my cell

I am afraid that the idea does not come through my voice

Strange world one day is bitter another like candy

But Irsquove never changed my color

Music is my Tylenol and my nature curious

So whatever they tell me Irsquoll understand it my way

Sometimes I find myself talking to myself

And I hear weird voices in my head

Which is just the echo of the sound I hear

As if no one cares about my dreams

See see

My goals are not self serving

My goal is that my words and music spread

Thatrsquos why yoursquoll see me always and continuously investing

All my time my energy on my sounds

Take a check take a transfer take cash

But never forget anything related to reality wersquore not interested

Donrsquot be afraid because our cause is not forgotten

One hundred percent this is also a cultural revolution

Let me explain this music is not meant to be televised

This music is not made for booty shaking

Edman El Shuhra

Stormtrap amp Mohamed El Deeb

2011

Hip-Hop

15305855

- vocals Mohamed El Deeb Stormtrap13produced by Stormtrap

9392

مش فاهم ليش الكل قاتل حاله يكون في مسابقةحابني نتصابح حياكم زات املكافحة

واالعالم ميت ع حيالله قصة ما بيدرس هالقصة من نصها

وبعدن بينفخهامش احلق علينا اذا ما بيبحثوا

وملا يبدوا يحكوا عنا أل عنجد بيبعصوابيفكروا انه كل شي هشك بشك

بس حدن الزم يقلهم انه الهب هوب مش هيكبدك تدير بالك عشانها هاي اللحظة احلاسمة

ملا يجوا عليك الديب والعاصفةنكسر حدود وبنبني وحدة عشان نحيي مجتماعاتنا

وننهي معانتناعشان هيك منكتب كلمات صريحة والها معنى

مش للشهرة مش حتى يجي حدن يدفعلنا

e l D e e b + S t o r m t r a p

I donrsquot understand why everyone is killing themselves to be in the contest

Wersquod like to say goodmorning to salute you in this same struggle

The mediarsquos dying for any story

But they donrsquot study the storyrsquos real text

And then they blow it out of proportion

Itrsquos not our fault if they donrsquot search

And when they talk about us then they really screw it up

They think everything is empty pointless

Somebody needs to tell them that hip hop is not like that

You should take care because this is the critical moment

When the wolf and storm come haunting you

We break borders and we create a unity to revitalize our communities

And stop our suffering

That is why we write frank words that have meaning

Itrsquos not for fame or even so that someone pays us

T r a n s l a t e d b y N i z a r G h a n e m

Edman El Shuhra

Stormtrap amp Mohamed El Deeb

2011

Hip-Hop

15305855

- vocals Mohamed El Deeb Stormtrap13produced by Stormtrap

9594

حضل عهل مود يعنيما إنتلك النجوم عم تقرب

بهل ال مود حكون عطول لبهل جنوم إدءر لو مضطر شن هجوم عل النجوم كلها

خللي األرض تدور حول أصبعي تنلك

ما إنتلك متلي متلك مولع طيار ألفكاري من العقدي تنفك فرد قعدي بني 4 حيطان ما بتنهز و منها ما بنهز

يلز املا بينلزالكاس عل الطاولي و منو عم مز مز

لتفتل براصي وحس من حالي عم كز كزعل ورقة كالمي مدروس و ما بزت زت بجرب ما عيد حالي متا يقولو عم نق نق

موزع قافياتي جواز كأن عم فت فت

بهل األطشة خلي الديني اللي تسمعني ترن رنFبسبيلي جاري يوم ع يوم عم برك رك a r e e q e l A t r a s h

Irsquoll stay in this mood

Didnrsquot I tell you The stars are getting closer

Irsquoll stay in this mood until I touch these stars

Even if I have to launch an attack on all the stars

Irsquoll make the Earth rotate around my finger I told you

Didnrsquot I tell you Irsquom just like you I lit up a joint so my ideas would untie their knot

Sitting this way in between four walls I wonrsquot budge

The most delectable

Drink is on the table from which Irsquom taking sips

Till my head starts spinning and Irsquom sick of myself

On the paper my words are calculated I donrsquot just toss them about

I try not to repeat myself so they wonrsquot say Irsquom nagging

I deal my rhymes out like theyrsquore cards

In this verse Irsquoll make those ears ring

My fountain is running and every day I excel

tالنجوم عم تقرب he stars are gett ing closer

null

29781717

9796

لضل ماشي جالس بينما غيري عم بلك لك شريط معلق ريحة العة عم بتفح فحكل ما فتح متو بتالقي عم بكب كب

عايشها إرهاب و مفي إال بسب سببزبالتي ما بكبو تيكون بعلمك

األالف مسم و بحياتو ما بينسم بزقة من هل التم تخلي سقفك ينش نش

تلمو ردم و ما تفكر إنو ترد رد و عم بحكي عالواطي متا الصالي فيك ترج رج

بطبعي عاقل بس بالراب بزل زل عل الرايق بال ما نط وال فز فز

type of shitعال بارد أبرد من شباط بس يقز قزتخلي عضامك ع بعض تسك سك

ما إنتلك النجوم عم تقرب بهل ال مود حكون عطول لبهل جنوم إدءر

لو مضطر شن هجوم عل النجوم كلهاخللي األرض تدور حول أصبعي تنلك

أنا متنبئ بنبه و بحقق ما قلتلك بعد وقتها ما عم نكت

عاملكرفون إبرة هرون عم بشكشك في شكcheck one two

هيك بدسدس عالنبض

F a r e e q e l A t r a s h

So I can walk straight when others are still playing

A broken record that reeks of a musty smell

Every time he opens his mouth he spews them out

He lives in terror and all he does is curse

I wouldnrsquot throw him in my garbage just so you know

Irsquove irritated thousands and never been irritated in my life

One spit out of this mouth will make your roof leak

And yoursquoll pick up the rubble and donrsquot even think about answering back

Irsquom talking in a low voice so the hall wonrsquot shake with you in it

Irsquom reasonable by nature but when it comes to rap I humiliate cold-heartedly

Without jumping or leaping around

I do it coldly colder than icy February-type of shit

Irsquoll make your bones rattle against each other

Didnrsquot I tell you The stars are getting closer

Irsquoll stay in this mood until I touch these stars

Even if I have to launch an attack on all the stars

Irsquoll make the Earth rotate around my finger I told you

Irsquom a psychic I predict and deliver

Didnrsquot I tell you to stand back when Irsquom not joking

Irsquom pricking the microphone with a heroin needle Is there any doubt

Check one two

Thatrsquos how I feel the pulse

null

29781717

9998

بدقق و زتزت حكي بتزجزج كأنها مزهزها عم بتشمشم عم خطط عم تكتيك و مني ملحلح من هون للساعة توقف تك تيك تك تيك

لك ليك منفخ حاله عامبيكازيب عا غيري بس بوجهي بتاءتإوجهه بيباءبإ من أد ما بعصب بسبسب

زر إنذار إذني بتطنطن و بشوف من عالباب عم بدقدق

عكروت بدو يفوت ليشوف الفن فني بس الفن هون بجسمي معبأ

من حلقي طايف و من متي عم بت شرشر و بيس البيس زلزال برجرج خليك تضبضب تنضب بالبيت لتكنكن

و أنا متأسف ألني بدي استأذن بس بعد شفت كابتشينو بتصحصح

ما إنتلك النجوم عم تقرببهل ال مود حكون عطول لبهل جنوم إدءر

لو مضطر شن هجوم عل النجوم كلهاخللي األرض تدور حول أصبعي تنلك

هيدا هب هوبمش هبل و ال بهل

هيدا زجل تتغزل في

ورايي إيقاع عليي إتبع و ما إطلع عنو يا بصير متل غير مسيس

زقفوا مع االيقاعزقفوا مع االيقاع

F a r e e q e l A t r a s h

Checking and hurling words that tickle as if I was high and sniffing

I am planning and scheming and Irsquom not going anywhere till the clock stops ticking

Look hersquos so full of it lying to others but in my face he stutters

And his face turns red from all the anger and he curses

My earsrsquo alarm bells start ringing

And I go to see whorsquos knocking at the door

Some bastard who wants to see where ldquothe artldquo is

But the art is right here packed in my body

Flowing from my throat running out of my mouth

And the bass is an earthquake that shakes and forces you to pack up and go home

And Irsquom sorry because I need to take leave

But after a sip of cappuccino yoursquoll come around

Didnrsquot I tell you The stars are getting closer

Irsquoll stay in this mood

Until I touch these stars even if I have to launch an attack on all the stars

Irsquoll make the Earth rotate around my finger I told you

This is hip hop

Itrsquos not stupid nor dumb

Itrsquos zajal [a form of Arabic poetry in the Levant]

That you flirt with

There is a beat that I have to follow canrsquot lose it or Irsquoll be like other MCs

Clap with the beat

Clap with the beat

T r a n s l a t e d b y K h a l e d A l H i l l i

null

29781717

101100

انا ببلعهم بتفهم وال مره بسبهمبخليهم داميا يضاربو بتفكيرهم

أنا وراهم قدامهم جنابهم محتلهممش طايقهم مرات وزنهم بكون منزلهم

مرتبهم صاففهم وبقلم أنا حاكمهم زاتتهم مش عاجبيني أنا ماحيهم قائدهم وبنفس الوقت أنا عبيدهم

وبفك وربط أنا بلعب مبعانيهمانا حاميهم بأسطر اللي تقويهم

انا واعدهم اني أستر على فاضحهم ومطلعهم بصوره اللي تبشعهم

بس أنا محترمهم وبسطور ساجنهم مكتفهم كأسير بجنازير القهر

ومهديهم بحبل اللي يبشر بالصبر وانا لي الفخر أكون الشوك اللي فيهم

Dوأكون القهر اللي داميا يسقيهم A M

Yo this is dedicated to the lyrics

Irsquom swallowing them spitting them never dissing them

Giving them freedom of speech

Irsquom behind them in front of them because of them always standing with them

Sometimes get sick of them sick of how you abuse them

Gather them in line with my pen I order them

Didnrsquot like it Throwing them out and replacing them

Irsquom their leader and also their slave

Small changes make huge differences

I train them in pages to make them strong

Promising to use them not abuse them

Or allow the wrong mouths to utter them

Approach them with a military mind and find peace in them

Irsquom lucky to be full of thorns and even luckier that I found the lyrics

So theyrsquoll help me find the roses in me

wordsكلمات

null

26837427

103102

raquoالكل سمعك بس السؤال اذا اللي سمعك فهمكlaquoكلمات ليست كالكلمات بل raquoعالماتlaquo

اللي توجهنا وين مابدنا عحبال السيرك هي تثبتنا ريح العالم من كل جهه اذا احنا ضعاف بتوقعنا بس

raquoأل بلمره ألlaquo raquoكلمات عندي طنlaquoكل واحده الها هدف اخدت حرف عحرف

نسجت جمل اللي البسهم وقت البرد raquoراح اضلني اناديlaquo raquoبنحكي كلماتlaquo

انت بتعرف انهم مبنصب شهاد بحكو املاضي وتنبوا حاضر أي بالد

قد ماحكيت قد ما أحكي فش كالم يغطي بسفي كالم يربي وينمي انت بس أروي

في شوف انه قوه والقوه بتقويفيك و أن رويته مصيره يسقيك )مثل للقوه( العدو من أمامكم

والبحر من ورائكم فال تخيبوا أسيادكمفأين أشعاركم وأين مجادلتكم

فأنتم تسكتون وتخمدون أحالمكم)انهي( نهيت ورجعت للعامية بكلمات

مرمية طالعه من عقليه شعبيهمتل جنيب اللي بذاكرة كل واحد محفوظ مدروس واذا أل معناته في خلل معكوس

عاملجتمع اللي قمع كتاباته Dاللي سمح لنسيانه يشيل خطواته A M

ldquoThey all hear you but few listen to youldquo

Lyrics ainrsquot just a bunch of words they are ldquosignsldquo

Leading us stabilizing us on tight ropes

Winds every way if we are thin we will fall

ldquoBut hell noldquo ldquoyou can measure my words in tonsldquo

Every word has a meaning I knitted a letter with another letter

Made warm sentences to wear in cold days

ldquoSo Irsquoll still shoutldquo ldquowe control lyricsldquo

You know lyrics are like a witness

They witnessed the past and forecast the future

As much as I said or say I canrsquot describe them

But there is a way to find the description and thatrsquos through them

Quench the thirst of the pages with them

So in the future itrsquoll quench your thirst

Keep feeding them as soon as they grow up

Theyrsquoll give you strength

ldquoExample for the strengthldquo

ldquoThe enemy is before you the sea is behind you

So donrsquot you dare disappoint our ancestors

Where are our deep poems Where are our strong statements

From generation to generation we kill our dreamsldquo

ldquoEnough philosophizingldquo ok lets get back to street talk

Words coming outta simple minds

Like Najeeb Mahfuz [literally lsquowell-rememberedrsquo also a famous author]

They keep living in our minds

And if you donrsquot know who he is - then I rest my case

null

26837427

105104

raquoالكل سمعك بس السؤال اذا اللي سمعك فهمكlaquoكلمات ليست كالكلمات بل raquoعالماتlaquo

اللي توجهنا وين مابدنا عحبال السيرك هي تثبتنا ريح العالم من كل جهه اذا احنا ضعاف بتوقعنا بس

raquoأل بلمره ألlaquo raquoكلمات عندي طنlaquoكل واحده الها هدف اخدت حرف عحرف

نسجت جمل اللي البسهم وقت البرد raquoراح اضلني اناديlaquo raquoبنحكي كلماتlaquo

ألف با كبايه أوعك تكسرهاامسكها للنهاية وكل ما تفضى مليها

كلمه أو رواية ومع املراحل زيدها شيحكاية وهيك ضلك زود فيها

وجيبها لتجمعاتك وساعتها استعملها لنقاشاتك وملواقفك استخدمها

هادي مدافعك اللي مداها بسيطرتك وما دافعك انه ما تخليها رايتك

ما هي تكتب ما هي توصف ما هي تكذب ما هي تنصف

ما هي هي الهروب هياللجوء هي الدروب هي

العبور باحلدود واللي مبرؤهم مبدع وبفوز باخللود واللي بسرقهم مش مقنع

واذا بتديهم احلرية بنادوك ممنوعDواذا بتوخد احلريه بنادوك مسموح A M

ldquoThey all hear you but few listen to youldquo

Lyrics ainrsquot just a bunch of words they are ldquosignsldquo

Leading us stabilizing us on tight ropes

Winds every way if we are thin we will fall

ldquoBut hell noldquo ldquoyou can measure my words in tonsldquo

Every word has a meaning I knitted a letter with another letter

Made warm sentences to wear in cold days

ldquoSo Irsquoll still shoutldquo ldquowe control lyricsldquo

The Arabic alphabet is like a glass donrsquot break it

Hold it tight and keep filling it

And then bring it to our arguments

Scream till your throat gets dry and then wet it

It holds our body itrsquos like our legs

If you stand for nothing yoursquoll fall for anything

The words write create

They kill lead and sometimes even lie

You can use them to build borders

And those who are gifted

Can use them to walk through borders

And in some governments

Itrsquos forbidden to give words freedom

But if you choke them and kill them

Thatrsquos allowed

F i g u r a t i v e t r a n s l a t i o n o f f e r e d b y t h e a r t i s t s

null

26837427

107106

further reading

The tracks presented in this document are not a comprehensive sampling of the genre of the market of hip hop in Arabic or of hip hop and rap in the wider Middle East

Artists featured here hail from Egypt Lebanon Palestine and the anglophone Arab diaspora The thriving North African hip hop scene is not represented nor is the work of the established francophone Arab diaspora nor the expanding hip hop scenes of especially Iran or Turkey

This collection does not attempt a comprehensive chronology Tracks featured here are not primarily new releases (though some are) neither are they all ldquoclassicsrdquo These limitations of scope are important to note

Many tracks of the popular Libyan group Ibn Thabitt and other groups from across the region have been translated and are hosted with commentary on the notable blog

revolutionaryarabrapblogspotcom

Another valuable resource is the Beirut-based blog by Jackson Allers ldquoBeats and Breathrdquo which features articulate critiques and reviews of events and releases from the region

jacksonallerswordpresscom

Hass Dennaoui (alias Big Hass) who recently launched started the first all hip-hop FM radio show in Saudi Arabia Laish Hip Hop (Why Hip Hop) manages a lively blog which

hosts an internet feed of his radio show and interviews with MCs and influential hip hop figures from around the world

revoltradioblogspotcom

Lebaneseundergroundcom hosts coverage of underground music in Lebanon including hip hop

And finally an excellent article by Hishaam Aidi on implications of the use of hip hop as foreign policy ldquoThe Grand (Hip-Hop) Chessboard Race Rap and Raison DrsquoEtatrdquo was published in The Middle East Report Fall 2011 Excerpts of the piece were published by Al Jazeera English in the article ldquoLeveraging Hip Hop in US Foreign Policyrdquo

All the artists and many of the translators whose work is showcased here host a significant online presence Their sites are listed with more about each of them on the following pages

109108

artist bios

ARABIAN KNIGHTZ the premier hip hop group from the land of the Nile River have not only established themselves as the lyricists with the sharpest swords in their land but they have also created the most consistent voice for rebellion strength and hope for the youth of the Middle East During the 2011 Revolution Arabian Knightz released two singles ldquoRebelrdquo and ldquoNot Your Prisonerrdquo anthems of resistance which gained worldwide attention and major media coverage for their powerful lyrics against a wicked system The group formed in 2006 through the cipher hip hoprsquos natural way of choosing like mindsets on the mic Rush Sphinx and E-Money were ahead of their peers adapting an authentic Arab perspective to the art dominated by Western voices mixing English and Arabic raps After hitting the studio for successful underground tracks AK enlisted super-producer Fredwreck (Snoop Dogg Xzibit Tha Dogg Pound) ldquoFokkakrdquo the single from this studio session was an instant hit and (surprisingly for Arabic Hip Hop) projected them to the top ten of the singles charts Arab League Records was formed amidst a growing fanbase and numerous collaborations with other Arab hip hop artists the first international Arab hip hop record label Desert Saga Volume 1 mixtape was the debut release led by ldquoThe Onerdquo featuring Egyptrsquos MC Amin Arabian Knightz have recorded their debut album Uknighted State of Arabia a masterpiece for Arab hip hop years in the making featuring instrumentals dominated by traditional percussions and players are scheduled for a Winter 2012 Release They are on Facebook

BOIKUTT is a musician and MC based in Ramallah Palestine Creating sounds using sampled material field recordings and electronic devices the results range between hip-hop downtempo ambient glitch and experimental He has composed and produced music for artists such as Kronos Quartet Bukue One Spiritchild Tamer Abu-Ghazaleh Bleubird and others and has appeared as an MC on albums for artists such as Slovo Heliodrome Bonnot and Lethal Skillz A co-founder of the Ramallah Underground Collective which has toured across the Arab World Europe and Australia Boikutt is also co-founder and member of audio-visual group Tashweesh with whom he is currently touring Also as a solo performer he has been in Beirut Cairo Manila Copenhagen London Hamburg Dubai Bethlehem and other cities He has produced and exhibited a few sound-art pieces composed several film scores has most recently composed the music for a dance theater performance entitled Bound by

New York-based company Yaa Samar Dance Theatre and is now working on different collaborative and solo projects His work may be heard at soundcloudcomboikutt and on Facebook

DAM Da Arabian MCrsquos are Suhell Nafar Tamer Nafar and Mahmoud Jreri The first Palestinian hip hop crew and among the first to rap in Arabic the group began working together in the late 1990s Struck by the uncanny resemblance of the reality of the streets in a Tupac video to the streets in their own neighborhood of Lyd they were inspired to tell their stories through hip hop Their timely song ldquoMin Irhabirdquo (ldquoWhorsquos the Terroristrdquo) was downloaded a million times shortly after its internet realese in 2001 and DAM became a household name among youth throughout the Middle East Ten years of performing all over the world has strengthened the grouprsquos commitment to continue living and working in their hometown of Lyd 15 minutes from Tel Aviv and working to provide the youth of the city and neighboring communities with programs and opportunities that have been denied to Palestinian citizens of Israel Their music is a unique fusion of East and West and encompasses influences as varied as Ghassan Kanafani Ahlam Mosteghanemi Mahmoud Darwish Naji al Ali Tupac Biggie Public Enemy MBS Krsquonaan and Pharoahe Monch IHDA (Dedication) DAMrsquos long-awaited first international album was released in 2007 and DAM has seen its songs and members featured in films such as Ford Transit (Dir Hany Abu Assad) Where in the World is Osama Bin Laden (Dir Morgan Spurlock) Salt of this Sea (Dir Annemarie Jacir) Local Angel and Forgiveness (Dir Udi Aloni) DAMrsquos history and influence on the Arab hip hop scene is detailed in the feature-length documentary Slingshot Hip Hop (Dir Jackie Reem Salloum) The group has also been featured in Vibe National Geographic Rolling Stone Q Basement Reuters and The New York Times and has appeared on MTV CNN BBC and Al Jazeera Their work can be heard and explored at damrapcom

EL DEEB first ventured into Egyptian Hip Hop when he joined Asfalt in 2005 He left in 2007 to create Wighit Nazara duo represented by Mohamed Yasser and himself It was a successful musical project that lasted until mid 2010 Currently he is working on his solo career with plans to release an EP every couple of months or so Cairofornia is his first solo EP His work may be heard at deebbandcampcom and on Facebook

EL RASS was born in Tripoli Lebanon He started writing poetry in literary Arabic at age 11 and started rhyming in spoken Lebanese dialect in 1999 at age 15 At that time he formed one third of a group of 3 MCrsquos going under the name of ldquoMlouk el Micrdquo (ldquoKings of the Micrdquo) They recorded one album and performed locally At 17 he left for France to study Finance and Economics Studies were hard money was scarce and exile was tough but music and poetry never left him as he continued rhyming with some underground French MCrsquos like Medline and Moebius and developed new musical skills on percussion in classical Arabic singing and baglama (turkish buzuk) After graduating and working for almost two years in the hell of banking and market finance El Rass decided to return to Lebanon He spent a year just re-discovering Beirut and making and learning music He now works as a journalist at the newspaper Assafir while concurrently pursuing joint projects with other producers and musicians He calls his work Taalik in reference to the same word in Arabic for ldquocommentrdquo and another word that comes from the same semantic root moaallakat which is a corpus of selected pre-Islamic poetry that was written with gold ink on the walls of the Karsquoaba in Mecca His work may be heard at soundcloudcomElRass

FAREEQ EL ATRASH is a hip hop band based out of Hamra St Beirut with a sound that is distinguished by laid back topical flows over live instrumentation It consists of Edd (raps) Nasser (raps) FZ (vocal production and FX) Fouad Afra (drums) Goo (plays guitar keys heart strings) and Abed Kobeissy (plays bass and buzuk) Their 2010 album and 2009 prealbum are available online More of their work may be found on Facebook Eddrsquos solo work can also be heard at soundcloudcomEdd

H2Z was born in Kuwait in 1986 where he lived for four years Due to the gulf war his family moved to Lebanon where he lived for the most part of his life Inspired by the tragic events in the Middle East and elsewhere in the world H2Z adopted rap music as a way to raise awareness about the injustices suffered by his people and to deliver a message through his music to anyone who supports the Palestinian cause His career began in 2004 when he was introduced to the production business by fellow rappers and soon he started producing his own tracks and established a local band producing many tracks for himself and other musicians in Lebanon In 2008 he released his first solo album titled 3aed which contained

17 tracks The political influence was noticed throughout the album and was generally well-received He is now studying for a degree in business administration at Wayne State University in Michigan His work may be heard at reverbnationcomh2z

KATIBEH 5 are based in Borj el Barajneh Lebanon Their work can be found at reverbnationcomkatibeh5 and myspacecomkatibe5palestine and on Facebook

M1 is Mutulu Olugbala of the New York based collective Dead Prez whose work is online at deadprezcom M1 is also on Facebook

MC GAZA is Adnan Mahmoud Ghonim an Algerian born artist and university student based in Gaza It was the beginning of 2005 when he attended one of the hip hop concerts in Gaza City ndash Gaza City that never appreciated the art he loved and attached himself to ndash and it was love at first sight between them Through some of the concerts he participated in a number of songs he collaborated on with Arabs from Egypt Algeria and Palestine and some active participation to represent the Palestinian people and interviews for both Arab and foreign press he was able to make a name for himself in the Gazan hip hop community His work may be found at youtubecomMCGaza and on Facebook

THE NARCICYST Having pioneered the Arab Hip-Hop movement with seminal Iraqi-Canadian crew Euphrates The Narcicyst recently broke through borders and shattered traveling etiquette touring solo around the world sharing stages with the likes of Brother Ali Mos Def and Kanye West to name a few On top of music The Narcicyst is a celebrated theorist whose academic work Fear of an Arab Planet has him from the stage to the classrooms of internationally renowned universities He is now also a professor at Concordia University teaching a Fine Arts course ldquoHip-Hop Past Present and Futurerdquo His writings have been published by multiple university presses and magazines internationally he is also a self-published author having recently released the biographical and social-study on the Arab world The Diatribes of a Dying Tribe As a true artist interested in really pushing his own artistic boundaries The Narcicyst has stepped into acting currently starring in the short music film PHATWA and in the first internationally-released film from the United Arab Emirates called City of Life A true multi-media

111110

KHALED AL HILLI is a PhD candidate in Comparative Literature at the Graduate Center City University of New York He has a BA in English Literature and a Masterrsquos degree in Teaching Second Languages Born in Iraq Khaled has taught in Lebanon and Saudi Arabia at both college and high school levels He has also worked with various Iraqi news outlets and has subtitledtranslated documentary films dealing with current social and political issues His research interests include Arabic political literature prison literature and literature in the diaspora He may be reached at hillykhalidgmailcom

+AZIZ is a NYC-based marketing consultant and a musician He is working through The World Music Parade to develop an animation project based on his music More about that project can be found at themusicparadetumblrcom He tweets from plusaziz

FAYSAL BIBI is a paleontologist and electronic musician currently based in Berlin

LOUBNA BILALI is originally from Morocco She did her undergrad and first MA in English Linguistics at Chouaib Doukkali University El Jadida She came to the US in 2008 to pursue a Masterrsquos degree in French to English translation and is currently working on a PhD in translation studies at Kent State University in Ohio She is very interested in learning and teaching languages as well as translating and localizing computer applications and websites She may be reached at loubnabilaligmailcom

FARAH ELREWAISSATI is a freelance translator pro-Palestine activist and BDS advocate who blogs at youthanormalizationblogspotcom She tweets from 3beee

NIZAR GHANEM was born in Lebanon He has been active in intercultural education interactive learning and conflict resolution across the Arab world His work on conflict resolution involved using theater comics and music as tools for emotional expression and social mobilization

RIMA NAJDI is a Performing Artist She studied dramatic arts at the Lebanese University in Beirut and obtained a Masterrsquos degree in Performance Studies at NYU New York She has written and performed in various plays and performances Najdi is particularly interested in multi-media performing arts and the position of the spectators

BARRAK ALZAID (copy editor) is the Artistic Director of ArteEast He is the editor of the ArteEast Quarterly a dynamic online portal featuring four publications that highlight contemporary art and culture from the Middle East and diaspora ndash ArtersquoZine Shahadat (contemporary short-form literature) Gallery and Cinematek (an online film center) He is also the curator for ArteEastrsquos Across Histories Art Talk Series featuring a series of panels on residencies in Fall 2011 He tweets from barrakster

RAYYA EL ZEIN (editor) is working towards a PhD in Theatre at the Graduate Center City University of New York Her research is increasingly focusing on theories of reception historical studies of audience behavior and popular culture in the Arab world She holds an MA in Performance Studies from NYU and is currently a teaching fellow at City College in Harlem She tweets from rayelz

translator biosdreamer Yassin recently established an arts label in the UAE called The Medium focusing on delivering art from Arabs in the diaspora and at lsquohomersquo to the rest of the world iraqisthebombcom He tweets from TheNarcicyst

OMAR OFFENDUM is a Syrian-American hip hop artist born in Saudi Arabia raised in Washington DC and living in Los Angeles Known for taking audiences on a lyrical journey from the jasmine-tree-lined courtyards of Nizar Qabbanirsquos Damascene homes to the flooded riverbanks of Langston Hughesrsquo Harlem Renaissance poems - Offendum has been featured on several major news outlets (BBC Yahoo ABC News Aljazeera PBS) toured the world to promote his ground-breaking music helped raise thousands of dollars for various humanitarian relief organizations (PCRF KinderUSA ANERA Islamic Relief) lectured at a number of prestigious academic institutions (Harvard MIT Stanford Columbia American University of Beirut NYU-AbuDhabi Qatar Education City) and most recently been involved in creating several critically-acclaimed songs about the popular democratic uprisings throughout the Middle East amp North Africa He is currently hard at work promoting his solo release - affectionately dubbed SyrianamericanA His work may be heard (and read) at offendumbandcampcom He is on Facebook and he tweets from Offendum

RAMALLAH UNDERGROUND based in Ramallah Palestine was born from the immediacy of musical experimentation and out of the need to give voice to a generation of Palestinians and Arabs facing a turbulent and uncertain political landscape The collective was founded by artists Boikutt Stormtrap and Aswatt and has always held a commitment to both the honesty of their work and the need to creatively rejuvenate Arabic culture To this end they combine music ranging from Arabic electronic music hip-hop and trip hop to downtempo with a deep sense of their local culture and the imposing presence of Palestine in their lives The outcome is a new specific and distinct sound RU (as producers and as MCrsquos ) has collaborated with numerous artists across the globe including countries like Lebanon UK Switzerland Italy USA France and many more including a collaboration with Slovo (a band headed by the guitarist from faithless) in their track ldquoNakbardquo which appears on their album Todo Cambia and with Kronos Quartet in the track ldquoTashweeshrdquo which appears on Floodplain RU has also performed live shows in Ramallah Bethlehem Vienna London Cairo Lausanne Amsterdam and Washington DC Their shows are mainly a performance of their hip-hop tracks as well as a few of their own electronic productions as a warm up More recently RU has incorporated a visual set in their live

performances brought to you by Palestinian visual artist Ruanne RU hopes to give a voice to Palestinians and Arabs bringing an alternative voice from the Arab world Their lyrics and music are an expression of anguish and defiance ultimately remaining a defiant voice of the colonized against the colonizer They continue to play a big role in the Arab underground cultural scene while slowly gaining wide global and local popularity

SHADIA MANSOURrsquos work can be found at myspacecomshadiamusic and on Facebook

STORMTRAP is a music producercomposerMC from Palestine Experimenting with old samples instruments and field recordings his sound is the result of a fusion of ambient atmospheres combined with various noises and hip hop beats His lyrics deal with different themes inspired mainly by his personal experiences in Palestine and life in the diaspora Stormtrap played a fundamental role in forming the band Ramallah Underground with which he has performed worldwide the past few years Currently he is working in Vienna with Aras Seyhan and Eren Ileri on a new album which combines live instruments synthesizers turntables beats and Arabic lyrics- which will be released early 2012 His work may be heard at soundcloudcomstormtrap He tweets from asifeh

AMEER YOSSEF 25 has sung and writen music with the band Klaket for the past four years His work may be heard at youtubecomAmeer and on Facebook

towards the work Her work for now concentrates on the process of making interactive and participatory performances that question borders stereotypes and languages

MOE ALI NAYEL is a fixer and a journalist based in Beirut Lebanon He uses social media blogging non-mainstream music journalism and writing as a word spreading eye opening socializing arena He uses social media as a bridge that cuts distance between people on this planet making it a tiny village This bridge starts in his office and takes him to every corner in the world enabling him to connect and network with people and cultures sharing and exchanging stories of the unheard and the neglected He blogs at Words of Action and he tweets from MoeAliNay

ALEX ORTIZ is a video and radio journalist and translator based in Cairo Egypt He graduated from Brown University in 2009 with a double major in Comparative Literature and Middle East Studies He was a CASA I fellow from 2009-2010 and a CASA II fellow from 2010-2011 He currently works for CBS News as a field producer He tweets from cairowitness

AHMED SHAWKET is an independent translator living in Cairo Egypt He is a graduate of the Helwan University Faculty of Arts where he majored in philosophy Ahmed works on literary media and commercial translation

113112

ABOUT SHAHADATShahadat is a quarterly online series designed to provide a platform for short-form writing and experimentation in writing by young and underexposed writers from the MENA region (Middle East and North Africa) The series features stories vignettes reflections and chronicles in translation and the original language of Arabic Farsi Turkish or Kurdish It makes up one quarter of ArteEastrsquos online programming the AE Quarterly For past issues of Shahadat click here

ABOUT THIS SERIES Shahadat is proud to run two alternating series and releases two issues a year of each The issue yoursquove just perused is part of the ldquoExploring Popular Literaturerdquo series This series challenges traditional understandings of ldquoliteraturerdquo emerging from the Middle East and North Africa by presenting genres of creative production that rely on words and language but which have not typically been studied as literature Works are presented in their original language and in translation

In each issue we gather texts from a spectrum of writers to challenge the singular status of the artistauthor and to encourage a more complex presentation of the Middle Eastern and North African ldquostreetrdquo for English-speaking audiences Shahadatrsquos other series ldquoContemporary Literature in Translationrdquo features the work of a single young author in the original language and in English translation

BEHIND THE DOCUMENTShahadat is co-edited by Rayya El Zein Alex Ortiz and ArteEastrsquos Artistic Director Barrak Alzaid All three are young professionals and scholars with artistic inclinations (literature poetry translation and performance) All three have strong connections to New York City and various metropole of the MENA region Shahadat is for us an experiment and a labor of love An editorial board of established scholars and authors is currently being conceived

SPECIAL THANKS TOAnmar El ZeinKinda AkashAndrew JohnstonLivia Alexander

Shahadat logo design by Rima Farouki

114

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Page 37: Shahadat Winter 2012

7372

يقنعونا إن كلشي متام و بقدر أعيش حياة عادية

زي في األفالم على مبس واحد إثنني ثالثة أربعة إلخ

كن منيح و بتنزل عليك املصاري زخ نصيحة من أخ ألخ

خليك مستقل ألن اللعبة إنلعب فإبعد عن الفخ

خليهم يقعدوا يستنوا الدعم ليموتوا يلفلفوا داخل اجلدار حلد ما يفوتوا

في متاهات مبسافات مش محددة مجددة لتوسع التوسع مش مهددة

إنتهاك احتالل بس مش على الكل

في ناس في فلسطني هون حياتهم زي الفل مش عارف شو بيفكر

شكلوا مش داري شي يوم حنروح كل الدكاكني هي حتسكر

سالم

b o i k u t t

Try to convince me that everythingrsquos fine

And that I can lead a normal life

Like in the movies

On MBC one two three four etcetera

Be good and money will rain on you

Advice from one brother to another

Stay independent because the games are being played

So steer clear of the trap

Let them wait for foreign aid until they die

Spinning in circles within the apartheid wall until they enter

Into unlimited mazes with unspecified spaces

That are renewed to fit settlement expansion unthreatened

Violation occupation

But not for everyone

There are people here in Palestine living ldquothe good lifeldquo

I donrsquot know what hersquos thinking

Seems like he doesnrsquot know one day wersquoll be gone

And all these shops will close

Peace

T r a n s l a t e d b y t h e a r t i s t w i t h L o u b n a B i l a l i

risaleh mn muqataa (pt1)

boikutt

null

2010

1086983

eng - iTunPGAP0

eng - iTunNORM 00000A1E 00000A0E 000099D9 000098A0 0000CC63 0000CC63 0000826D 000080B0 000131D0 000131D0

eng - iTunSMPB 00000000 00000210 000008F3 000000000049197D 00000000 0027BA9D 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000

7574

الضغط عاليالعدو فات جاري احملادثات

صمت دوليكمية الغازى عم تزداد

تهجير جديد مولود جديدتكرر عزو مش تارك ورا شي مفيد غير غراب

من كل البيت ما تركو شي إال البابمن االرض ل سما مسافة عاليه

إمشي الصحرا وعد لياليوجنوما

كمشوا رئيس دولة بجورةحصار

توزيع مخدراتباألحمر تلون الفرات سجون معتقالتقبلة الوداع مع الصبات

تنصت بالشبكة خيانات باألزهر

k a t i b e h 5

The pressure is high

The enemy has entered discussions are taking place

Global silence

The numbers of the occupier are increasing

A new expulsion A newborn child

The perpetuation of an invasion that leaves behind it nothing of any use except for a crow

From an entire house they left nothing but the door

From the ground to the sky is a long distance

Walk the desert and count the nights

And its stars

They caught a president in a pit

Siege

Drug dealing the Euphrates is stained red prisons detention centers

A farewell kiss with a shoe

Networks wiretapped betrayals in Al Azhar

hold me back ifهديني اذا فيك you can

null

23098943

7776

حوار أديانالكف تنجس

متسح فيه وجك مع كل شروق عالوضوءتسمع شرارة فتيل مولوتوف ينادي أصوات تتلبى

باإلنفجار

هديني إذا فيك صرت موجود بكل مكانوجي مغبش عامل زي جيش زباتا

منصرخ بوجكم raquoاحلرية ل برغوتيlaquoإعالمكو بيعرفني كلماتكو حملت إسمي

شركاتكو بتهرب مني )كتيبه خمسه هديتي إذا فيك(

بتالقيني بني والد حفظوا غنية املخيماتبنفسية فالح عمال يزو املدينة

افالم تافهةبرنامج تافه

بتدور على مخك بتالقي مش موجوداخلليج يتحكم بإعالم

هادول حبوب التنومي ٦1 سنة بعدن مش شغالني

عالمادامك واخد وجهة نظري

ع محمل اجلدمسموح لك تستعجب وتظهر إنزعاجك بوجودي

ألني صديق لكل املشاهد الغير مرغوبة فيهاش بيختار حياتو بالتحديد بحكيلك هيك منحياها ومحد

ضغط رصاص وابارود بخليكاش حتيدالتجارب بتدلك عطريق

هديتي إذا فيك

k a t i b e h 5

A dialogue of religions

The hand is tainted

And with it you cleanse your face at ablution each sunrise

You hear the sparking of the fuse of a molotov calling voices respond

Explosion

Hold me back if you can I have become present everywhere

My face is concealed like the army of Zapata

We shout in your face ldquoFreedom for Barghoutildquo

Your media knows me your words have glimpsed my name

Your corporations flee from me

(Katibe Khamseh hold me back if you can)

Yoursquoll find me among children that have memorized the song ldquoAl Moukhayamatldquo

In the persona of a peasant that is visiting the city

Shallow films

Shallow programs

You look for your mind but you find it is not there

The Gulf controls media with its boundaries

These sleeping pills 61 years and theyrsquore still not effective

Great

As long as you are taking my point of view seriously

Yoursquore allowed to be taken aback and to show your irritation

Just like you show your irritation at my presence

Because I am a friend to all the images that are not desirable

This is how we live out these images and no one chooses their life specifically Irsquoll tell you

The pressure of bullets and gunpowder does not allow you to move away

Experience will guide you on the road

Hold me back if you can

null

23098943

7978

موقف واحد صريح من صميم روح لشعوب املقاومة ضمير ظهور البشرية

السبيل صعب ورا الغضبدعم لكل أسالوب محارب

د لنحرق نظامك منتدرب منجرب منخرب منستععم نحرق نظامك

هديتي إذا فيك

إطلع منيحمش رح تقدر توخذ كل شي من أول نظرة

نظرة عامة raquoبشرة مش بيضةlaquoجبني عريضة مكتوب مولود عنيد بالفطرة

فوت بالتقاليد عد التجاعيدلك هاي مش أول مرة

لغات ودراسات حط العلم بغالفمش رح تقدر تفهم ليه بعد في بارود ع الكتافلون األرض ولون الليل بيعطيك البني و السواد

بوعدك مش لوحدي رح أضل عد رماد الال اللعبة اجلديدة وال والدنا ع اللعبة جداد

بكفيش إنفلونزا الصقور صار في إنفلونزا اخلنازيرموسم مرض جديد لرئيس مبثل ع نفوس ومريض بهدوء البيض

هديتي إذا فيك

k a t i b e h 5

A single honest stance from the bottom of the soul for the people of the resistance the conscience

that exposes humanity

The path is difficult when following anger

A support for every style of battle

We train we strive we disrupt we prepare to burn your system

We are burning your system

Hold me back if you can

Look closely

You wonrsquot be able to see it all at first sight

An overview ldquocomplexion that is not whiteldquo

A broad forehead written born stubborn by nature

Look at the traditions and count the wrinkles

This is not the first time

Languages and scholarship put education under wraps

You wonrsquot be able to understand why there is still gunpowder on shoulders

The color of earth and the color of night gives you brown and blackness

I promise you that I will not be alone to count the ashes no

This game to us is not new and nor are our children new to the game

As if the influenza of eagles was not enough now therersquos the influenza of pigs

The season of a new disease for a president acting for a public and sick with the

calmness of white people

Hold me back if you can

null

23098943

8180

اإلحتالل نكه البشر بنكهة املجاريبالسالم حوار أديانبإقرار ملكية كذابة

بتشويه تاريخ وسرقة حضاراتولك أه

فلسطني إفريقيا الدجلة والفراتإجتاه البشرية لإلضمحالل سرطان بشري بعضها

الشتا ميسح اخلطايا واآلثاروليش بتتخبى وبتتغطى بنفس كل سفارة سميك الستار

لساتني باكل الضربة ورا الضره ورا الضربةوحتى ما أفعل وأساوي تكمشني الرجفة

بدل ما أضرب فيك بضرب بحاليبوعدكش حضلني كامش حالي حفلتها

حفلتها

هديني إذا فيك هديني إذا فيكهديني إذا فيك

k a t i b e h 5

The occupation has seasoned humanity with the flavor of sewers

With peace with dialogue of religions

With the declaration of false ownership

With the distortion of history and the theft of civilizations

Oh yes

Palestine Africa the Tigris and Euphrates

Humanity is leading to reduction a human cancer bites it

Exile wipes clean the sins and the traces

And why are you hiding and seeking cover when all the embassies are already well concealed

I am still taking one beating after another

And so that I donrsquot take action and do something shudders grip my body

Instead of beating you I beat myself

I canrsquot promise you that I can keep myself restrained

Irsquom gonna let go

Hold me back if you can

Hold me back if you can

Hold me back if you can

T r a n s l a t e d b y R i m a N a j d i a n d F a y s a l B i b i

null

23098943

8382

طول عمر الشعب املصري مع بعض أحلك الظروفبص وفر في التاريخ وانت ياما هاتشوف

الدين ده ليا وليكوفيا وفيك

حاجة روحانية بتخليك حتس اللي بيك

ايد في ايد نبني فيها من جديد

مصر زعلت علي حاصل وسطنا مش مفيد

بعد ثورة وبعد عيد فتنة تقتل حلم واتتحقق لنا

واحد اتننيالذكري بتعيش اكتر من عمر االنسان

بصمتنا تغييرنا جوة وبرة امليدان مش هانضيع نصر ثورتنا بفتنة نشئت بينا

A r a b i a n K n i g h t s + M C G a z a + A m e e r

The Egyptian people have always stuck together

Through the worst times look at history

And see how often wersquove been there for each other

That whole idea of religion

Is for you and for me something spiritual that makes you feel whatrsquos inside you

Hand in hand

We build Egypt up again

Egypt is angry at whatrsquos happening between us

Itrsquos not helpful

After the revolution after the celebration

Sectarian strife is killing the dream we fulfilled

One two

The memory lasts more than a lifetime

Our mark is our change in and outside Tahrir Square

We wonrsquot give up the victory of our revolution in exchange for sectarian strife between

us

hand inايد في ايد hand

Eid Fe Eid

Yasser Ameer Youssef Rush E Money amp MCGaza | by BOGEY

Single Hit track 11

20112011

Hip-Hop

24002867

eng - Hip-Hop 4 Life

eng - iTunNORM 000005E2 0000058E 0000424E 00003537 00026E95 0001C2B3 00008000 00008000 00005045 00005045

8584

بلدنا محتجانا ايدنا واحدة ضد احملنة تفرق ايه معاك ديانتي ملا ربك هو ربي

اصلك هو اصلي ارضك هي ارضي

ملا اتقال لي اكتت فيول فتنة انا قولت غلط علشان الفتنة مفتعلة في بلدنا وكان وراها غرض

فالفرد افترض فبفرض السياسة األمر اختلط

فالزم يبقي املصل سياسي من اصل املرض العسس واحلرس مافرقوش صليب وهالل

وكنا كلنا واحد وراء االقفالدم الشهيد شاهد

ياما بالفتنة انكسرنا وحدتنا بصوت واحد وضد الظلم انتصرنا

وديني هو ديني صلة بيني وبني ربي هارفع علمي وارفع راسي فوق

انا مصري

ايد في ايد نبني فيها من جديد

مصر زعلت علي حاصل وسطنا مش مفيد

بعد ثورة وبعد عيد فتنة تقتل حلم واتتحقق لنا

خلو حمامة السالم من الطيور املنقرضةعلشان تبقي القلوب مبتعدة منقسمه سهل تتسم

فكرين مناعة و قوة أم الدنيا بالطمع مرتبطةنسر املصريني ليس له دين احنا بنحميها بالدم

العنف بذوره بتكتر عاوز يوصل واحلروب حتصل

A r a b i a n K n i g h t s + M C G a z a + A m e e r

Our country needs us all together against the hard times

What difference does my religion make to you when your god is my god

Your origin is mine

Your land is my land

When they told me about sectarian strife I said thatrsquos wrong

Because itrsquos been planted in our country and behind it is some purpose

Makes one think somethingrsquos going on

By playing politics everythingrsquos gotten mixed up

The antidote has to be political just like the poison itself

The military doesnrsquot distinguish between cross and crescent

Wersquore all held together behind bars

The blood of the martyrs bears witness

To how much wersquove been broken by sectarianism

Through our unity we triumphed with one voice over injustice

And my religion is my own a rapport between me and God

Irsquoll raise my flag and my head up

Irsquom Egyptian

Hand in hand

We build Egypt up again

Egypt is angry at whatrsquos happening between us

Itrsquos not helpful

After the revolution after the victory

Sectarian strife is killing the dream we fulfilled

They drove the dove of peace to extinction

To keep hearts apart and divided itrsquos easy to poison them

Do they really think the resilience and strength of Egypt is connected to greed

The Egyptian eagle has no religion we protect it with our blood

The roots of violence are increasing want to gain control to start wars

Eid Fe Eid

Yasser Ameer Youssef Rush E Money amp MCGaza | by BOGEY

Single Hit track 11

20112011

Hip-Hop

24002867

eng - Hip-Hop 4 Life

eng - iTunNORM 000005E2 0000058E 0000424E 00003537 00026E95 0001C2B3 00008000 00008000 00005045 00005045

8786

للعاقيدة يكسر وألعضاء املشاعر تتشال تصتأصلعلى كالم ربهم اتكبرو فعملو قدر واتقدر

وقته مستنينه ليه خططوا مضمون الرسائل اتغير الن الهدف هو تدمير قعدة الوحدهوقتل كل قائد يقود الناس بره احملنه

فيبقي سهل يزيحنا ميحي أوصول عليها كبرناوكل واحد علي حداه يقول أنا محدش يقول احنا

فاببطء بحرص بص بعقل بحذر شوفقبل ما يخلوا خيالك يتخلله اخلوف

واخلوف ده افراز بيطلع من غده ملا الكلب بيشوفهابيعرف انك فاريسه سهل ياكلها ركز

فرق تسد إخلعوفق جتد إرفع

ثورة تقدصمت يفرد- يفرق

ما بيجمع بيننامن حقي النقد من حقك - تسمع

طب إسمع وراجع ما صور التاريخ طب باله بيكفي صور زمانييوم حصار كنيسة املهد مني دافع مني اتقمع مني اتنفا

مسلم مسيحي أل كان فلسطيني اتذكر معي ثورة غضب يناير

اتذكر معي الوحدة اإليد الوحدة اتشرف انتا مصرياتذكر معي األخ بإيد األخ يحمي األخ بدون إلخ

كالمي ماشي ماشي ال-لتفهمني بهويتي مسلم وال نصراني قبطي

ما في حجة لربطي خلبطي حلطي ألوطي ألغير خطيخير أجناد األرض

من أرض بيت املقدس كل السالم بعد ما قلت إلنقسام في وطنيانا ملزم أقول ال لفتنة

تفتت مجد شعب تعب عانى ضحى بالغالي حتى بناه

A r a b i a n K n i g h t s + M C G a z a + A m e e r

The relationship between Egyptians breaks down and the organs that feel are taken out

They got full of themselves in the name of their god and invented a new fate for us

Theyrsquore waiting for a time and theyrsquore plotting The meaning of their messages changes

Because the goal is to destroy the foundation of unity

And kill every leader who takes the people out of hard times

Itrsquos easy to remove us to wipe out the traditions we grew up with

Everyone on his own everyone says ldquoIldquo and no one says ldquoweldquo

Slowly carefully look Wisely with caution see

Before they make your imagination a slave to fear

And that fear releases a secretion from a gland

And when the dog sees it he knows yoursquore easy prey

Divide yoursquoll conquer

Bring harmony and yoursquoll reap Start

A revolution and it will catch on

Silence is solitary It divides

It doesnrsquot bring us together

It is my right to criticize and your right to listen

So listen and look back at history or better look at my life time

The day the Nativity Church was under siege who was persecuted Who was exiled

A Muslim A Christian No he was Palestinian

Letrsquos remember the angry revolution of January

Letrsquos remember the unity the one hand Be proud yoursquore Egyptian

Remember the brother holding hands with a brother protecting a brother

And I can go on

Donrsquot teach me about my identity whether Irsquom a Muslim or a Christian Copt

Therersquos no excuse to tie me down beat me to make me cower and kneel and stray from my courseThe Earthrsquos most virtuous soldiers

Come from the land of Bayt al-Maqdis [Jerusalem] I salute you After I said no to division in my countryIrsquom committed to saying no to seditionThat dissolves the glory of a people who labored suffered sacrificed what was most dear to build it

T r a n s l a t e d b y A l e x O r t i z + A h m e d S h a w k e t + K h a l e d A l H i l l i

Eid Fe Eid

Yasser Ameer Youssef Rush E Money amp MCGaza | by BOGEY

Single Hit track 11

20112011

Hip-Hop

24002867

eng - Hip-Hop 4 Life

eng - iTunNORM 000005E2 0000058E 0000424E 00003537 00026E95 0001C2B3 00008000 00008000 00005045 00005045

8988

الفن واملواهب زي حرب الكواكب الكل عايز يكون جنم صراع في الداخل

بهدي جنون العظمة بفلفل حر توابل تسيل دموع زي القنابل

زي مابتكلم وداني شغالة كون سامع نبض الشارع علشان أ

حالف أقضي على اإلعالم املتآمر مغامر في الكالم بس إنت مش سامع

ملا بأمسك القلم والورقة الهم بينزاح مخي بيرتاح بأقول اللي على البال

ملا بأقعد بحس بتأنيب ضمير كون في ستوديو بسجل على بيت خطير مفروض أ

e l D e e b + S t o r m t r a p

Art and talent are like Star Wars

Secretly everyone wants to be a star of conflict

I make megalomania tranquil with chilli hot spices

Tears flow like bombs

Thatrsquos how I talk and the world keeps moving

So that I can hear the pulse of the streets

Irsquove sworn to obliterate the media conspirators

I am adventurous in my speech but you do not hear

When I hold the pen and the paper my anxiety is lifted

My mind relaxes and I say whatrsquos on it

When I sit down I feel guilty

I should be in the studio recording dangerous beats

addictأدمان الشهرة ion to fame

Edman El Shuhra

Stormtrap amp Mohamed El Deeb

2011

Hip-Hop

15305855

- vocals Mohamed El Deeb Stormtrap13produced by Stormtrap

9190

إحساس غريب إنك تدمن الكالم ارسم يا فنان واخترع زي دافينشي الرسام

ولو مفيش ورقة باستخدم تليفوني خايف إن فكرة متعديش على صوتي

دنيا غريبة يوم مر يوم بونبوني بس أنا عمري ماغيرت لوني

املوسيقى بنادولي وبطابعي فضولي مهما قالوا لي هافهمها مبفهومي فـساعات أالقي نفسي بكلم نفسي واسمع أصوات غريبة في دماغي

وهو ده الصدى الصوت اللي بسمعه اكن مفيش حد فارقة معاه احالمي

شوف شوف مش هدف إنو أنا شخصيا أنا

هدفي انه كلماتي وموسيقتي تنتشرعشان هيك حتشوفني دوما مستمر مستثمر

كل وقتي كل طاقتي على أصواتي خوذ شك خوذ حتويل خوذ كاش

بس ما تنساش أي شي بيتعلق بالواقع بدناش ما تخاف ألنها قضيتنا مش منسية مية باملية هايذي ثورة كمان ثقافية

خليني أوضح هاي املوسيقى مش معمولة للتلفازeهاي املوسيقى مش معمولة لهز الطياز l D e e b + S t o r m t r a p

Strange feeling to be out of words

Paint oh artist and discover like Da Vinci the artist

If I donrsquot have paper I use my cell

I am afraid that the idea does not come through my voice

Strange world one day is bitter another like candy

But Irsquove never changed my color

Music is my Tylenol and my nature curious

So whatever they tell me Irsquoll understand it my way

Sometimes I find myself talking to myself

And I hear weird voices in my head

Which is just the echo of the sound I hear

As if no one cares about my dreams

See see

My goals are not self serving

My goal is that my words and music spread

Thatrsquos why yoursquoll see me always and continuously investing

All my time my energy on my sounds

Take a check take a transfer take cash

But never forget anything related to reality wersquore not interested

Donrsquot be afraid because our cause is not forgotten

One hundred percent this is also a cultural revolution

Let me explain this music is not meant to be televised

This music is not made for booty shaking

Edman El Shuhra

Stormtrap amp Mohamed El Deeb

2011

Hip-Hop

15305855

- vocals Mohamed El Deeb Stormtrap13produced by Stormtrap

9392

مش فاهم ليش الكل قاتل حاله يكون في مسابقةحابني نتصابح حياكم زات املكافحة

واالعالم ميت ع حيالله قصة ما بيدرس هالقصة من نصها

وبعدن بينفخهامش احلق علينا اذا ما بيبحثوا

وملا يبدوا يحكوا عنا أل عنجد بيبعصوابيفكروا انه كل شي هشك بشك

بس حدن الزم يقلهم انه الهب هوب مش هيكبدك تدير بالك عشانها هاي اللحظة احلاسمة

ملا يجوا عليك الديب والعاصفةنكسر حدود وبنبني وحدة عشان نحيي مجتماعاتنا

وننهي معانتناعشان هيك منكتب كلمات صريحة والها معنى

مش للشهرة مش حتى يجي حدن يدفعلنا

e l D e e b + S t o r m t r a p

I donrsquot understand why everyone is killing themselves to be in the contest

Wersquod like to say goodmorning to salute you in this same struggle

The mediarsquos dying for any story

But they donrsquot study the storyrsquos real text

And then they blow it out of proportion

Itrsquos not our fault if they donrsquot search

And when they talk about us then they really screw it up

They think everything is empty pointless

Somebody needs to tell them that hip hop is not like that

You should take care because this is the critical moment

When the wolf and storm come haunting you

We break borders and we create a unity to revitalize our communities

And stop our suffering

That is why we write frank words that have meaning

Itrsquos not for fame or even so that someone pays us

T r a n s l a t e d b y N i z a r G h a n e m

Edman El Shuhra

Stormtrap amp Mohamed El Deeb

2011

Hip-Hop

15305855

- vocals Mohamed El Deeb Stormtrap13produced by Stormtrap

9594

حضل عهل مود يعنيما إنتلك النجوم عم تقرب

بهل ال مود حكون عطول لبهل جنوم إدءر لو مضطر شن هجوم عل النجوم كلها

خللي األرض تدور حول أصبعي تنلك

ما إنتلك متلي متلك مولع طيار ألفكاري من العقدي تنفك فرد قعدي بني 4 حيطان ما بتنهز و منها ما بنهز

يلز املا بينلزالكاس عل الطاولي و منو عم مز مز

لتفتل براصي وحس من حالي عم كز كزعل ورقة كالمي مدروس و ما بزت زت بجرب ما عيد حالي متا يقولو عم نق نق

موزع قافياتي جواز كأن عم فت فت

بهل األطشة خلي الديني اللي تسمعني ترن رنFبسبيلي جاري يوم ع يوم عم برك رك a r e e q e l A t r a s h

Irsquoll stay in this mood

Didnrsquot I tell you The stars are getting closer

Irsquoll stay in this mood until I touch these stars

Even if I have to launch an attack on all the stars

Irsquoll make the Earth rotate around my finger I told you

Didnrsquot I tell you Irsquom just like you I lit up a joint so my ideas would untie their knot

Sitting this way in between four walls I wonrsquot budge

The most delectable

Drink is on the table from which Irsquom taking sips

Till my head starts spinning and Irsquom sick of myself

On the paper my words are calculated I donrsquot just toss them about

I try not to repeat myself so they wonrsquot say Irsquom nagging

I deal my rhymes out like theyrsquore cards

In this verse Irsquoll make those ears ring

My fountain is running and every day I excel

tالنجوم عم تقرب he stars are gett ing closer

null

29781717

9796

لضل ماشي جالس بينما غيري عم بلك لك شريط معلق ريحة العة عم بتفح فحكل ما فتح متو بتالقي عم بكب كب

عايشها إرهاب و مفي إال بسب سببزبالتي ما بكبو تيكون بعلمك

األالف مسم و بحياتو ما بينسم بزقة من هل التم تخلي سقفك ينش نش

تلمو ردم و ما تفكر إنو ترد رد و عم بحكي عالواطي متا الصالي فيك ترج رج

بطبعي عاقل بس بالراب بزل زل عل الرايق بال ما نط وال فز فز

type of shitعال بارد أبرد من شباط بس يقز قزتخلي عضامك ع بعض تسك سك

ما إنتلك النجوم عم تقرب بهل ال مود حكون عطول لبهل جنوم إدءر

لو مضطر شن هجوم عل النجوم كلهاخللي األرض تدور حول أصبعي تنلك

أنا متنبئ بنبه و بحقق ما قلتلك بعد وقتها ما عم نكت

عاملكرفون إبرة هرون عم بشكشك في شكcheck one two

هيك بدسدس عالنبض

F a r e e q e l A t r a s h

So I can walk straight when others are still playing

A broken record that reeks of a musty smell

Every time he opens his mouth he spews them out

He lives in terror and all he does is curse

I wouldnrsquot throw him in my garbage just so you know

Irsquove irritated thousands and never been irritated in my life

One spit out of this mouth will make your roof leak

And yoursquoll pick up the rubble and donrsquot even think about answering back

Irsquom talking in a low voice so the hall wonrsquot shake with you in it

Irsquom reasonable by nature but when it comes to rap I humiliate cold-heartedly

Without jumping or leaping around

I do it coldly colder than icy February-type of shit

Irsquoll make your bones rattle against each other

Didnrsquot I tell you The stars are getting closer

Irsquoll stay in this mood until I touch these stars

Even if I have to launch an attack on all the stars

Irsquoll make the Earth rotate around my finger I told you

Irsquom a psychic I predict and deliver

Didnrsquot I tell you to stand back when Irsquom not joking

Irsquom pricking the microphone with a heroin needle Is there any doubt

Check one two

Thatrsquos how I feel the pulse

null

29781717

9998

بدقق و زتزت حكي بتزجزج كأنها مزهزها عم بتشمشم عم خطط عم تكتيك و مني ملحلح من هون للساعة توقف تك تيك تك تيك

لك ليك منفخ حاله عامبيكازيب عا غيري بس بوجهي بتاءتإوجهه بيباءبإ من أد ما بعصب بسبسب

زر إنذار إذني بتطنطن و بشوف من عالباب عم بدقدق

عكروت بدو يفوت ليشوف الفن فني بس الفن هون بجسمي معبأ

من حلقي طايف و من متي عم بت شرشر و بيس البيس زلزال برجرج خليك تضبضب تنضب بالبيت لتكنكن

و أنا متأسف ألني بدي استأذن بس بعد شفت كابتشينو بتصحصح

ما إنتلك النجوم عم تقرببهل ال مود حكون عطول لبهل جنوم إدءر

لو مضطر شن هجوم عل النجوم كلهاخللي األرض تدور حول أصبعي تنلك

هيدا هب هوبمش هبل و ال بهل

هيدا زجل تتغزل في

ورايي إيقاع عليي إتبع و ما إطلع عنو يا بصير متل غير مسيس

زقفوا مع االيقاعزقفوا مع االيقاع

F a r e e q e l A t r a s h

Checking and hurling words that tickle as if I was high and sniffing

I am planning and scheming and Irsquom not going anywhere till the clock stops ticking

Look hersquos so full of it lying to others but in my face he stutters

And his face turns red from all the anger and he curses

My earsrsquo alarm bells start ringing

And I go to see whorsquos knocking at the door

Some bastard who wants to see where ldquothe artldquo is

But the art is right here packed in my body

Flowing from my throat running out of my mouth

And the bass is an earthquake that shakes and forces you to pack up and go home

And Irsquom sorry because I need to take leave

But after a sip of cappuccino yoursquoll come around

Didnrsquot I tell you The stars are getting closer

Irsquoll stay in this mood

Until I touch these stars even if I have to launch an attack on all the stars

Irsquoll make the Earth rotate around my finger I told you

This is hip hop

Itrsquos not stupid nor dumb

Itrsquos zajal [a form of Arabic poetry in the Levant]

That you flirt with

There is a beat that I have to follow canrsquot lose it or Irsquoll be like other MCs

Clap with the beat

Clap with the beat

T r a n s l a t e d b y K h a l e d A l H i l l i

null

29781717

101100

انا ببلعهم بتفهم وال مره بسبهمبخليهم داميا يضاربو بتفكيرهم

أنا وراهم قدامهم جنابهم محتلهممش طايقهم مرات وزنهم بكون منزلهم

مرتبهم صاففهم وبقلم أنا حاكمهم زاتتهم مش عاجبيني أنا ماحيهم قائدهم وبنفس الوقت أنا عبيدهم

وبفك وربط أنا بلعب مبعانيهمانا حاميهم بأسطر اللي تقويهم

انا واعدهم اني أستر على فاضحهم ومطلعهم بصوره اللي تبشعهم

بس أنا محترمهم وبسطور ساجنهم مكتفهم كأسير بجنازير القهر

ومهديهم بحبل اللي يبشر بالصبر وانا لي الفخر أكون الشوك اللي فيهم

Dوأكون القهر اللي داميا يسقيهم A M

Yo this is dedicated to the lyrics

Irsquom swallowing them spitting them never dissing them

Giving them freedom of speech

Irsquom behind them in front of them because of them always standing with them

Sometimes get sick of them sick of how you abuse them

Gather them in line with my pen I order them

Didnrsquot like it Throwing them out and replacing them

Irsquom their leader and also their slave

Small changes make huge differences

I train them in pages to make them strong

Promising to use them not abuse them

Or allow the wrong mouths to utter them

Approach them with a military mind and find peace in them

Irsquom lucky to be full of thorns and even luckier that I found the lyrics

So theyrsquoll help me find the roses in me

wordsكلمات

null

26837427

103102

raquoالكل سمعك بس السؤال اذا اللي سمعك فهمكlaquoكلمات ليست كالكلمات بل raquoعالماتlaquo

اللي توجهنا وين مابدنا عحبال السيرك هي تثبتنا ريح العالم من كل جهه اذا احنا ضعاف بتوقعنا بس

raquoأل بلمره ألlaquo raquoكلمات عندي طنlaquoكل واحده الها هدف اخدت حرف عحرف

نسجت جمل اللي البسهم وقت البرد raquoراح اضلني اناديlaquo raquoبنحكي كلماتlaquo

انت بتعرف انهم مبنصب شهاد بحكو املاضي وتنبوا حاضر أي بالد

قد ماحكيت قد ما أحكي فش كالم يغطي بسفي كالم يربي وينمي انت بس أروي

في شوف انه قوه والقوه بتقويفيك و أن رويته مصيره يسقيك )مثل للقوه( العدو من أمامكم

والبحر من ورائكم فال تخيبوا أسيادكمفأين أشعاركم وأين مجادلتكم

فأنتم تسكتون وتخمدون أحالمكم)انهي( نهيت ورجعت للعامية بكلمات

مرمية طالعه من عقليه شعبيهمتل جنيب اللي بذاكرة كل واحد محفوظ مدروس واذا أل معناته في خلل معكوس

عاملجتمع اللي قمع كتاباته Dاللي سمح لنسيانه يشيل خطواته A M

ldquoThey all hear you but few listen to youldquo

Lyrics ainrsquot just a bunch of words they are ldquosignsldquo

Leading us stabilizing us on tight ropes

Winds every way if we are thin we will fall

ldquoBut hell noldquo ldquoyou can measure my words in tonsldquo

Every word has a meaning I knitted a letter with another letter

Made warm sentences to wear in cold days

ldquoSo Irsquoll still shoutldquo ldquowe control lyricsldquo

You know lyrics are like a witness

They witnessed the past and forecast the future

As much as I said or say I canrsquot describe them

But there is a way to find the description and thatrsquos through them

Quench the thirst of the pages with them

So in the future itrsquoll quench your thirst

Keep feeding them as soon as they grow up

Theyrsquoll give you strength

ldquoExample for the strengthldquo

ldquoThe enemy is before you the sea is behind you

So donrsquot you dare disappoint our ancestors

Where are our deep poems Where are our strong statements

From generation to generation we kill our dreamsldquo

ldquoEnough philosophizingldquo ok lets get back to street talk

Words coming outta simple minds

Like Najeeb Mahfuz [literally lsquowell-rememberedrsquo also a famous author]

They keep living in our minds

And if you donrsquot know who he is - then I rest my case

null

26837427

105104

raquoالكل سمعك بس السؤال اذا اللي سمعك فهمكlaquoكلمات ليست كالكلمات بل raquoعالماتlaquo

اللي توجهنا وين مابدنا عحبال السيرك هي تثبتنا ريح العالم من كل جهه اذا احنا ضعاف بتوقعنا بس

raquoأل بلمره ألlaquo raquoكلمات عندي طنlaquoكل واحده الها هدف اخدت حرف عحرف

نسجت جمل اللي البسهم وقت البرد raquoراح اضلني اناديlaquo raquoبنحكي كلماتlaquo

ألف با كبايه أوعك تكسرهاامسكها للنهاية وكل ما تفضى مليها

كلمه أو رواية ومع املراحل زيدها شيحكاية وهيك ضلك زود فيها

وجيبها لتجمعاتك وساعتها استعملها لنقاشاتك وملواقفك استخدمها

هادي مدافعك اللي مداها بسيطرتك وما دافعك انه ما تخليها رايتك

ما هي تكتب ما هي توصف ما هي تكذب ما هي تنصف

ما هي هي الهروب هياللجوء هي الدروب هي

العبور باحلدود واللي مبرؤهم مبدع وبفوز باخللود واللي بسرقهم مش مقنع

واذا بتديهم احلرية بنادوك ممنوعDواذا بتوخد احلريه بنادوك مسموح A M

ldquoThey all hear you but few listen to youldquo

Lyrics ainrsquot just a bunch of words they are ldquosignsldquo

Leading us stabilizing us on tight ropes

Winds every way if we are thin we will fall

ldquoBut hell noldquo ldquoyou can measure my words in tonsldquo

Every word has a meaning I knitted a letter with another letter

Made warm sentences to wear in cold days

ldquoSo Irsquoll still shoutldquo ldquowe control lyricsldquo

The Arabic alphabet is like a glass donrsquot break it

Hold it tight and keep filling it

And then bring it to our arguments

Scream till your throat gets dry and then wet it

It holds our body itrsquos like our legs

If you stand for nothing yoursquoll fall for anything

The words write create

They kill lead and sometimes even lie

You can use them to build borders

And those who are gifted

Can use them to walk through borders

And in some governments

Itrsquos forbidden to give words freedom

But if you choke them and kill them

Thatrsquos allowed

F i g u r a t i v e t r a n s l a t i o n o f f e r e d b y t h e a r t i s t s

null

26837427

107106

further reading

The tracks presented in this document are not a comprehensive sampling of the genre of the market of hip hop in Arabic or of hip hop and rap in the wider Middle East

Artists featured here hail from Egypt Lebanon Palestine and the anglophone Arab diaspora The thriving North African hip hop scene is not represented nor is the work of the established francophone Arab diaspora nor the expanding hip hop scenes of especially Iran or Turkey

This collection does not attempt a comprehensive chronology Tracks featured here are not primarily new releases (though some are) neither are they all ldquoclassicsrdquo These limitations of scope are important to note

Many tracks of the popular Libyan group Ibn Thabitt and other groups from across the region have been translated and are hosted with commentary on the notable blog

revolutionaryarabrapblogspotcom

Another valuable resource is the Beirut-based blog by Jackson Allers ldquoBeats and Breathrdquo which features articulate critiques and reviews of events and releases from the region

jacksonallerswordpresscom

Hass Dennaoui (alias Big Hass) who recently launched started the first all hip-hop FM radio show in Saudi Arabia Laish Hip Hop (Why Hip Hop) manages a lively blog which

hosts an internet feed of his radio show and interviews with MCs and influential hip hop figures from around the world

revoltradioblogspotcom

Lebaneseundergroundcom hosts coverage of underground music in Lebanon including hip hop

And finally an excellent article by Hishaam Aidi on implications of the use of hip hop as foreign policy ldquoThe Grand (Hip-Hop) Chessboard Race Rap and Raison DrsquoEtatrdquo was published in The Middle East Report Fall 2011 Excerpts of the piece were published by Al Jazeera English in the article ldquoLeveraging Hip Hop in US Foreign Policyrdquo

All the artists and many of the translators whose work is showcased here host a significant online presence Their sites are listed with more about each of them on the following pages

109108

artist bios

ARABIAN KNIGHTZ the premier hip hop group from the land of the Nile River have not only established themselves as the lyricists with the sharpest swords in their land but they have also created the most consistent voice for rebellion strength and hope for the youth of the Middle East During the 2011 Revolution Arabian Knightz released two singles ldquoRebelrdquo and ldquoNot Your Prisonerrdquo anthems of resistance which gained worldwide attention and major media coverage for their powerful lyrics against a wicked system The group formed in 2006 through the cipher hip hoprsquos natural way of choosing like mindsets on the mic Rush Sphinx and E-Money were ahead of their peers adapting an authentic Arab perspective to the art dominated by Western voices mixing English and Arabic raps After hitting the studio for successful underground tracks AK enlisted super-producer Fredwreck (Snoop Dogg Xzibit Tha Dogg Pound) ldquoFokkakrdquo the single from this studio session was an instant hit and (surprisingly for Arabic Hip Hop) projected them to the top ten of the singles charts Arab League Records was formed amidst a growing fanbase and numerous collaborations with other Arab hip hop artists the first international Arab hip hop record label Desert Saga Volume 1 mixtape was the debut release led by ldquoThe Onerdquo featuring Egyptrsquos MC Amin Arabian Knightz have recorded their debut album Uknighted State of Arabia a masterpiece for Arab hip hop years in the making featuring instrumentals dominated by traditional percussions and players are scheduled for a Winter 2012 Release They are on Facebook

BOIKUTT is a musician and MC based in Ramallah Palestine Creating sounds using sampled material field recordings and electronic devices the results range between hip-hop downtempo ambient glitch and experimental He has composed and produced music for artists such as Kronos Quartet Bukue One Spiritchild Tamer Abu-Ghazaleh Bleubird and others and has appeared as an MC on albums for artists such as Slovo Heliodrome Bonnot and Lethal Skillz A co-founder of the Ramallah Underground Collective which has toured across the Arab World Europe and Australia Boikutt is also co-founder and member of audio-visual group Tashweesh with whom he is currently touring Also as a solo performer he has been in Beirut Cairo Manila Copenhagen London Hamburg Dubai Bethlehem and other cities He has produced and exhibited a few sound-art pieces composed several film scores has most recently composed the music for a dance theater performance entitled Bound by

New York-based company Yaa Samar Dance Theatre and is now working on different collaborative and solo projects His work may be heard at soundcloudcomboikutt and on Facebook

DAM Da Arabian MCrsquos are Suhell Nafar Tamer Nafar and Mahmoud Jreri The first Palestinian hip hop crew and among the first to rap in Arabic the group began working together in the late 1990s Struck by the uncanny resemblance of the reality of the streets in a Tupac video to the streets in their own neighborhood of Lyd they were inspired to tell their stories through hip hop Their timely song ldquoMin Irhabirdquo (ldquoWhorsquos the Terroristrdquo) was downloaded a million times shortly after its internet realese in 2001 and DAM became a household name among youth throughout the Middle East Ten years of performing all over the world has strengthened the grouprsquos commitment to continue living and working in their hometown of Lyd 15 minutes from Tel Aviv and working to provide the youth of the city and neighboring communities with programs and opportunities that have been denied to Palestinian citizens of Israel Their music is a unique fusion of East and West and encompasses influences as varied as Ghassan Kanafani Ahlam Mosteghanemi Mahmoud Darwish Naji al Ali Tupac Biggie Public Enemy MBS Krsquonaan and Pharoahe Monch IHDA (Dedication) DAMrsquos long-awaited first international album was released in 2007 and DAM has seen its songs and members featured in films such as Ford Transit (Dir Hany Abu Assad) Where in the World is Osama Bin Laden (Dir Morgan Spurlock) Salt of this Sea (Dir Annemarie Jacir) Local Angel and Forgiveness (Dir Udi Aloni) DAMrsquos history and influence on the Arab hip hop scene is detailed in the feature-length documentary Slingshot Hip Hop (Dir Jackie Reem Salloum) The group has also been featured in Vibe National Geographic Rolling Stone Q Basement Reuters and The New York Times and has appeared on MTV CNN BBC and Al Jazeera Their work can be heard and explored at damrapcom

EL DEEB first ventured into Egyptian Hip Hop when he joined Asfalt in 2005 He left in 2007 to create Wighit Nazara duo represented by Mohamed Yasser and himself It was a successful musical project that lasted until mid 2010 Currently he is working on his solo career with plans to release an EP every couple of months or so Cairofornia is his first solo EP His work may be heard at deebbandcampcom and on Facebook

EL RASS was born in Tripoli Lebanon He started writing poetry in literary Arabic at age 11 and started rhyming in spoken Lebanese dialect in 1999 at age 15 At that time he formed one third of a group of 3 MCrsquos going under the name of ldquoMlouk el Micrdquo (ldquoKings of the Micrdquo) They recorded one album and performed locally At 17 he left for France to study Finance and Economics Studies were hard money was scarce and exile was tough but music and poetry never left him as he continued rhyming with some underground French MCrsquos like Medline and Moebius and developed new musical skills on percussion in classical Arabic singing and baglama (turkish buzuk) After graduating and working for almost two years in the hell of banking and market finance El Rass decided to return to Lebanon He spent a year just re-discovering Beirut and making and learning music He now works as a journalist at the newspaper Assafir while concurrently pursuing joint projects with other producers and musicians He calls his work Taalik in reference to the same word in Arabic for ldquocommentrdquo and another word that comes from the same semantic root moaallakat which is a corpus of selected pre-Islamic poetry that was written with gold ink on the walls of the Karsquoaba in Mecca His work may be heard at soundcloudcomElRass

FAREEQ EL ATRASH is a hip hop band based out of Hamra St Beirut with a sound that is distinguished by laid back topical flows over live instrumentation It consists of Edd (raps) Nasser (raps) FZ (vocal production and FX) Fouad Afra (drums) Goo (plays guitar keys heart strings) and Abed Kobeissy (plays bass and buzuk) Their 2010 album and 2009 prealbum are available online More of their work may be found on Facebook Eddrsquos solo work can also be heard at soundcloudcomEdd

H2Z was born in Kuwait in 1986 where he lived for four years Due to the gulf war his family moved to Lebanon where he lived for the most part of his life Inspired by the tragic events in the Middle East and elsewhere in the world H2Z adopted rap music as a way to raise awareness about the injustices suffered by his people and to deliver a message through his music to anyone who supports the Palestinian cause His career began in 2004 when he was introduced to the production business by fellow rappers and soon he started producing his own tracks and established a local band producing many tracks for himself and other musicians in Lebanon In 2008 he released his first solo album titled 3aed which contained

17 tracks The political influence was noticed throughout the album and was generally well-received He is now studying for a degree in business administration at Wayne State University in Michigan His work may be heard at reverbnationcomh2z

KATIBEH 5 are based in Borj el Barajneh Lebanon Their work can be found at reverbnationcomkatibeh5 and myspacecomkatibe5palestine and on Facebook

M1 is Mutulu Olugbala of the New York based collective Dead Prez whose work is online at deadprezcom M1 is also on Facebook

MC GAZA is Adnan Mahmoud Ghonim an Algerian born artist and university student based in Gaza It was the beginning of 2005 when he attended one of the hip hop concerts in Gaza City ndash Gaza City that never appreciated the art he loved and attached himself to ndash and it was love at first sight between them Through some of the concerts he participated in a number of songs he collaborated on with Arabs from Egypt Algeria and Palestine and some active participation to represent the Palestinian people and interviews for both Arab and foreign press he was able to make a name for himself in the Gazan hip hop community His work may be found at youtubecomMCGaza and on Facebook

THE NARCICYST Having pioneered the Arab Hip-Hop movement with seminal Iraqi-Canadian crew Euphrates The Narcicyst recently broke through borders and shattered traveling etiquette touring solo around the world sharing stages with the likes of Brother Ali Mos Def and Kanye West to name a few On top of music The Narcicyst is a celebrated theorist whose academic work Fear of an Arab Planet has him from the stage to the classrooms of internationally renowned universities He is now also a professor at Concordia University teaching a Fine Arts course ldquoHip-Hop Past Present and Futurerdquo His writings have been published by multiple university presses and magazines internationally he is also a self-published author having recently released the biographical and social-study on the Arab world The Diatribes of a Dying Tribe As a true artist interested in really pushing his own artistic boundaries The Narcicyst has stepped into acting currently starring in the short music film PHATWA and in the first internationally-released film from the United Arab Emirates called City of Life A true multi-media

111110

KHALED AL HILLI is a PhD candidate in Comparative Literature at the Graduate Center City University of New York He has a BA in English Literature and a Masterrsquos degree in Teaching Second Languages Born in Iraq Khaled has taught in Lebanon and Saudi Arabia at both college and high school levels He has also worked with various Iraqi news outlets and has subtitledtranslated documentary films dealing with current social and political issues His research interests include Arabic political literature prison literature and literature in the diaspora He may be reached at hillykhalidgmailcom

+AZIZ is a NYC-based marketing consultant and a musician He is working through The World Music Parade to develop an animation project based on his music More about that project can be found at themusicparadetumblrcom He tweets from plusaziz

FAYSAL BIBI is a paleontologist and electronic musician currently based in Berlin

LOUBNA BILALI is originally from Morocco She did her undergrad and first MA in English Linguistics at Chouaib Doukkali University El Jadida She came to the US in 2008 to pursue a Masterrsquos degree in French to English translation and is currently working on a PhD in translation studies at Kent State University in Ohio She is very interested in learning and teaching languages as well as translating and localizing computer applications and websites She may be reached at loubnabilaligmailcom

FARAH ELREWAISSATI is a freelance translator pro-Palestine activist and BDS advocate who blogs at youthanormalizationblogspotcom She tweets from 3beee

NIZAR GHANEM was born in Lebanon He has been active in intercultural education interactive learning and conflict resolution across the Arab world His work on conflict resolution involved using theater comics and music as tools for emotional expression and social mobilization

RIMA NAJDI is a Performing Artist She studied dramatic arts at the Lebanese University in Beirut and obtained a Masterrsquos degree in Performance Studies at NYU New York She has written and performed in various plays and performances Najdi is particularly interested in multi-media performing arts and the position of the spectators

BARRAK ALZAID (copy editor) is the Artistic Director of ArteEast He is the editor of the ArteEast Quarterly a dynamic online portal featuring four publications that highlight contemporary art and culture from the Middle East and diaspora ndash ArtersquoZine Shahadat (contemporary short-form literature) Gallery and Cinematek (an online film center) He is also the curator for ArteEastrsquos Across Histories Art Talk Series featuring a series of panels on residencies in Fall 2011 He tweets from barrakster

RAYYA EL ZEIN (editor) is working towards a PhD in Theatre at the Graduate Center City University of New York Her research is increasingly focusing on theories of reception historical studies of audience behavior and popular culture in the Arab world She holds an MA in Performance Studies from NYU and is currently a teaching fellow at City College in Harlem She tweets from rayelz

translator biosdreamer Yassin recently established an arts label in the UAE called The Medium focusing on delivering art from Arabs in the diaspora and at lsquohomersquo to the rest of the world iraqisthebombcom He tweets from TheNarcicyst

OMAR OFFENDUM is a Syrian-American hip hop artist born in Saudi Arabia raised in Washington DC and living in Los Angeles Known for taking audiences on a lyrical journey from the jasmine-tree-lined courtyards of Nizar Qabbanirsquos Damascene homes to the flooded riverbanks of Langston Hughesrsquo Harlem Renaissance poems - Offendum has been featured on several major news outlets (BBC Yahoo ABC News Aljazeera PBS) toured the world to promote his ground-breaking music helped raise thousands of dollars for various humanitarian relief organizations (PCRF KinderUSA ANERA Islamic Relief) lectured at a number of prestigious academic institutions (Harvard MIT Stanford Columbia American University of Beirut NYU-AbuDhabi Qatar Education City) and most recently been involved in creating several critically-acclaimed songs about the popular democratic uprisings throughout the Middle East amp North Africa He is currently hard at work promoting his solo release - affectionately dubbed SyrianamericanA His work may be heard (and read) at offendumbandcampcom He is on Facebook and he tweets from Offendum

RAMALLAH UNDERGROUND based in Ramallah Palestine was born from the immediacy of musical experimentation and out of the need to give voice to a generation of Palestinians and Arabs facing a turbulent and uncertain political landscape The collective was founded by artists Boikutt Stormtrap and Aswatt and has always held a commitment to both the honesty of their work and the need to creatively rejuvenate Arabic culture To this end they combine music ranging from Arabic electronic music hip-hop and trip hop to downtempo with a deep sense of their local culture and the imposing presence of Palestine in their lives The outcome is a new specific and distinct sound RU (as producers and as MCrsquos ) has collaborated with numerous artists across the globe including countries like Lebanon UK Switzerland Italy USA France and many more including a collaboration with Slovo (a band headed by the guitarist from faithless) in their track ldquoNakbardquo which appears on their album Todo Cambia and with Kronos Quartet in the track ldquoTashweeshrdquo which appears on Floodplain RU has also performed live shows in Ramallah Bethlehem Vienna London Cairo Lausanne Amsterdam and Washington DC Their shows are mainly a performance of their hip-hop tracks as well as a few of their own electronic productions as a warm up More recently RU has incorporated a visual set in their live

performances brought to you by Palestinian visual artist Ruanne RU hopes to give a voice to Palestinians and Arabs bringing an alternative voice from the Arab world Their lyrics and music are an expression of anguish and defiance ultimately remaining a defiant voice of the colonized against the colonizer They continue to play a big role in the Arab underground cultural scene while slowly gaining wide global and local popularity

SHADIA MANSOURrsquos work can be found at myspacecomshadiamusic and on Facebook

STORMTRAP is a music producercomposerMC from Palestine Experimenting with old samples instruments and field recordings his sound is the result of a fusion of ambient atmospheres combined with various noises and hip hop beats His lyrics deal with different themes inspired mainly by his personal experiences in Palestine and life in the diaspora Stormtrap played a fundamental role in forming the band Ramallah Underground with which he has performed worldwide the past few years Currently he is working in Vienna with Aras Seyhan and Eren Ileri on a new album which combines live instruments synthesizers turntables beats and Arabic lyrics- which will be released early 2012 His work may be heard at soundcloudcomstormtrap He tweets from asifeh

AMEER YOSSEF 25 has sung and writen music with the band Klaket for the past four years His work may be heard at youtubecomAmeer and on Facebook

towards the work Her work for now concentrates on the process of making interactive and participatory performances that question borders stereotypes and languages

MOE ALI NAYEL is a fixer and a journalist based in Beirut Lebanon He uses social media blogging non-mainstream music journalism and writing as a word spreading eye opening socializing arena He uses social media as a bridge that cuts distance between people on this planet making it a tiny village This bridge starts in his office and takes him to every corner in the world enabling him to connect and network with people and cultures sharing and exchanging stories of the unheard and the neglected He blogs at Words of Action and he tweets from MoeAliNay

ALEX ORTIZ is a video and radio journalist and translator based in Cairo Egypt He graduated from Brown University in 2009 with a double major in Comparative Literature and Middle East Studies He was a CASA I fellow from 2009-2010 and a CASA II fellow from 2010-2011 He currently works for CBS News as a field producer He tweets from cairowitness

AHMED SHAWKET is an independent translator living in Cairo Egypt He is a graduate of the Helwan University Faculty of Arts where he majored in philosophy Ahmed works on literary media and commercial translation

113112

ABOUT SHAHADATShahadat is a quarterly online series designed to provide a platform for short-form writing and experimentation in writing by young and underexposed writers from the MENA region (Middle East and North Africa) The series features stories vignettes reflections and chronicles in translation and the original language of Arabic Farsi Turkish or Kurdish It makes up one quarter of ArteEastrsquos online programming the AE Quarterly For past issues of Shahadat click here

ABOUT THIS SERIES Shahadat is proud to run two alternating series and releases two issues a year of each The issue yoursquove just perused is part of the ldquoExploring Popular Literaturerdquo series This series challenges traditional understandings of ldquoliteraturerdquo emerging from the Middle East and North Africa by presenting genres of creative production that rely on words and language but which have not typically been studied as literature Works are presented in their original language and in translation

In each issue we gather texts from a spectrum of writers to challenge the singular status of the artistauthor and to encourage a more complex presentation of the Middle Eastern and North African ldquostreetrdquo for English-speaking audiences Shahadatrsquos other series ldquoContemporary Literature in Translationrdquo features the work of a single young author in the original language and in English translation

BEHIND THE DOCUMENTShahadat is co-edited by Rayya El Zein Alex Ortiz and ArteEastrsquos Artistic Director Barrak Alzaid All three are young professionals and scholars with artistic inclinations (literature poetry translation and performance) All three have strong connections to New York City and various metropole of the MENA region Shahadat is for us an experiment and a labor of love An editorial board of established scholars and authors is currently being conceived

SPECIAL THANKS TOAnmar El ZeinKinda AkashAndrew JohnstonLivia Alexander

Shahadat logo design by Rima Farouki

114

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Page 38: Shahadat Winter 2012

7574

الضغط عاليالعدو فات جاري احملادثات

صمت دوليكمية الغازى عم تزداد

تهجير جديد مولود جديدتكرر عزو مش تارك ورا شي مفيد غير غراب

من كل البيت ما تركو شي إال البابمن االرض ل سما مسافة عاليه

إمشي الصحرا وعد لياليوجنوما

كمشوا رئيس دولة بجورةحصار

توزيع مخدراتباألحمر تلون الفرات سجون معتقالتقبلة الوداع مع الصبات

تنصت بالشبكة خيانات باألزهر

k a t i b e h 5

The pressure is high

The enemy has entered discussions are taking place

Global silence

The numbers of the occupier are increasing

A new expulsion A newborn child

The perpetuation of an invasion that leaves behind it nothing of any use except for a crow

From an entire house they left nothing but the door

From the ground to the sky is a long distance

Walk the desert and count the nights

And its stars

They caught a president in a pit

Siege

Drug dealing the Euphrates is stained red prisons detention centers

A farewell kiss with a shoe

Networks wiretapped betrayals in Al Azhar

hold me back ifهديني اذا فيك you can

null

23098943

7776

حوار أديانالكف تنجس

متسح فيه وجك مع كل شروق عالوضوءتسمع شرارة فتيل مولوتوف ينادي أصوات تتلبى

باإلنفجار

هديني إذا فيك صرت موجود بكل مكانوجي مغبش عامل زي جيش زباتا

منصرخ بوجكم raquoاحلرية ل برغوتيlaquoإعالمكو بيعرفني كلماتكو حملت إسمي

شركاتكو بتهرب مني )كتيبه خمسه هديتي إذا فيك(

بتالقيني بني والد حفظوا غنية املخيماتبنفسية فالح عمال يزو املدينة

افالم تافهةبرنامج تافه

بتدور على مخك بتالقي مش موجوداخلليج يتحكم بإعالم

هادول حبوب التنومي ٦1 سنة بعدن مش شغالني

عالمادامك واخد وجهة نظري

ع محمل اجلدمسموح لك تستعجب وتظهر إنزعاجك بوجودي

ألني صديق لكل املشاهد الغير مرغوبة فيهاش بيختار حياتو بالتحديد بحكيلك هيك منحياها ومحد

ضغط رصاص وابارود بخليكاش حتيدالتجارب بتدلك عطريق

هديتي إذا فيك

k a t i b e h 5

A dialogue of religions

The hand is tainted

And with it you cleanse your face at ablution each sunrise

You hear the sparking of the fuse of a molotov calling voices respond

Explosion

Hold me back if you can I have become present everywhere

My face is concealed like the army of Zapata

We shout in your face ldquoFreedom for Barghoutildquo

Your media knows me your words have glimpsed my name

Your corporations flee from me

(Katibe Khamseh hold me back if you can)

Yoursquoll find me among children that have memorized the song ldquoAl Moukhayamatldquo

In the persona of a peasant that is visiting the city

Shallow films

Shallow programs

You look for your mind but you find it is not there

The Gulf controls media with its boundaries

These sleeping pills 61 years and theyrsquore still not effective

Great

As long as you are taking my point of view seriously

Yoursquore allowed to be taken aback and to show your irritation

Just like you show your irritation at my presence

Because I am a friend to all the images that are not desirable

This is how we live out these images and no one chooses their life specifically Irsquoll tell you

The pressure of bullets and gunpowder does not allow you to move away

Experience will guide you on the road

Hold me back if you can

null

23098943

7978

موقف واحد صريح من صميم روح لشعوب املقاومة ضمير ظهور البشرية

السبيل صعب ورا الغضبدعم لكل أسالوب محارب

د لنحرق نظامك منتدرب منجرب منخرب منستععم نحرق نظامك

هديتي إذا فيك

إطلع منيحمش رح تقدر توخذ كل شي من أول نظرة

نظرة عامة raquoبشرة مش بيضةlaquoجبني عريضة مكتوب مولود عنيد بالفطرة

فوت بالتقاليد عد التجاعيدلك هاي مش أول مرة

لغات ودراسات حط العلم بغالفمش رح تقدر تفهم ليه بعد في بارود ع الكتافلون األرض ولون الليل بيعطيك البني و السواد

بوعدك مش لوحدي رح أضل عد رماد الال اللعبة اجلديدة وال والدنا ع اللعبة جداد

بكفيش إنفلونزا الصقور صار في إنفلونزا اخلنازيرموسم مرض جديد لرئيس مبثل ع نفوس ومريض بهدوء البيض

هديتي إذا فيك

k a t i b e h 5

A single honest stance from the bottom of the soul for the people of the resistance the conscience

that exposes humanity

The path is difficult when following anger

A support for every style of battle

We train we strive we disrupt we prepare to burn your system

We are burning your system

Hold me back if you can

Look closely

You wonrsquot be able to see it all at first sight

An overview ldquocomplexion that is not whiteldquo

A broad forehead written born stubborn by nature

Look at the traditions and count the wrinkles

This is not the first time

Languages and scholarship put education under wraps

You wonrsquot be able to understand why there is still gunpowder on shoulders

The color of earth and the color of night gives you brown and blackness

I promise you that I will not be alone to count the ashes no

This game to us is not new and nor are our children new to the game

As if the influenza of eagles was not enough now therersquos the influenza of pigs

The season of a new disease for a president acting for a public and sick with the

calmness of white people

Hold me back if you can

null

23098943

8180

اإلحتالل نكه البشر بنكهة املجاريبالسالم حوار أديانبإقرار ملكية كذابة

بتشويه تاريخ وسرقة حضاراتولك أه

فلسطني إفريقيا الدجلة والفراتإجتاه البشرية لإلضمحالل سرطان بشري بعضها

الشتا ميسح اخلطايا واآلثاروليش بتتخبى وبتتغطى بنفس كل سفارة سميك الستار

لساتني باكل الضربة ورا الضره ورا الضربةوحتى ما أفعل وأساوي تكمشني الرجفة

بدل ما أضرب فيك بضرب بحاليبوعدكش حضلني كامش حالي حفلتها

حفلتها

هديني إذا فيك هديني إذا فيكهديني إذا فيك

k a t i b e h 5

The occupation has seasoned humanity with the flavor of sewers

With peace with dialogue of religions

With the declaration of false ownership

With the distortion of history and the theft of civilizations

Oh yes

Palestine Africa the Tigris and Euphrates

Humanity is leading to reduction a human cancer bites it

Exile wipes clean the sins and the traces

And why are you hiding and seeking cover when all the embassies are already well concealed

I am still taking one beating after another

And so that I donrsquot take action and do something shudders grip my body

Instead of beating you I beat myself

I canrsquot promise you that I can keep myself restrained

Irsquom gonna let go

Hold me back if you can

Hold me back if you can

Hold me back if you can

T r a n s l a t e d b y R i m a N a j d i a n d F a y s a l B i b i

null

23098943

8382

طول عمر الشعب املصري مع بعض أحلك الظروفبص وفر في التاريخ وانت ياما هاتشوف

الدين ده ليا وليكوفيا وفيك

حاجة روحانية بتخليك حتس اللي بيك

ايد في ايد نبني فيها من جديد

مصر زعلت علي حاصل وسطنا مش مفيد

بعد ثورة وبعد عيد فتنة تقتل حلم واتتحقق لنا

واحد اتننيالذكري بتعيش اكتر من عمر االنسان

بصمتنا تغييرنا جوة وبرة امليدان مش هانضيع نصر ثورتنا بفتنة نشئت بينا

A r a b i a n K n i g h t s + M C G a z a + A m e e r

The Egyptian people have always stuck together

Through the worst times look at history

And see how often wersquove been there for each other

That whole idea of religion

Is for you and for me something spiritual that makes you feel whatrsquos inside you

Hand in hand

We build Egypt up again

Egypt is angry at whatrsquos happening between us

Itrsquos not helpful

After the revolution after the celebration

Sectarian strife is killing the dream we fulfilled

One two

The memory lasts more than a lifetime

Our mark is our change in and outside Tahrir Square

We wonrsquot give up the victory of our revolution in exchange for sectarian strife between

us

hand inايد في ايد hand

Eid Fe Eid

Yasser Ameer Youssef Rush E Money amp MCGaza | by BOGEY

Single Hit track 11

20112011

Hip-Hop

24002867

eng - Hip-Hop 4 Life

eng - iTunNORM 000005E2 0000058E 0000424E 00003537 00026E95 0001C2B3 00008000 00008000 00005045 00005045

8584

بلدنا محتجانا ايدنا واحدة ضد احملنة تفرق ايه معاك ديانتي ملا ربك هو ربي

اصلك هو اصلي ارضك هي ارضي

ملا اتقال لي اكتت فيول فتنة انا قولت غلط علشان الفتنة مفتعلة في بلدنا وكان وراها غرض

فالفرد افترض فبفرض السياسة األمر اختلط

فالزم يبقي املصل سياسي من اصل املرض العسس واحلرس مافرقوش صليب وهالل

وكنا كلنا واحد وراء االقفالدم الشهيد شاهد

ياما بالفتنة انكسرنا وحدتنا بصوت واحد وضد الظلم انتصرنا

وديني هو ديني صلة بيني وبني ربي هارفع علمي وارفع راسي فوق

انا مصري

ايد في ايد نبني فيها من جديد

مصر زعلت علي حاصل وسطنا مش مفيد

بعد ثورة وبعد عيد فتنة تقتل حلم واتتحقق لنا

خلو حمامة السالم من الطيور املنقرضةعلشان تبقي القلوب مبتعدة منقسمه سهل تتسم

فكرين مناعة و قوة أم الدنيا بالطمع مرتبطةنسر املصريني ليس له دين احنا بنحميها بالدم

العنف بذوره بتكتر عاوز يوصل واحلروب حتصل

A r a b i a n K n i g h t s + M C G a z a + A m e e r

Our country needs us all together against the hard times

What difference does my religion make to you when your god is my god

Your origin is mine

Your land is my land

When they told me about sectarian strife I said thatrsquos wrong

Because itrsquos been planted in our country and behind it is some purpose

Makes one think somethingrsquos going on

By playing politics everythingrsquos gotten mixed up

The antidote has to be political just like the poison itself

The military doesnrsquot distinguish between cross and crescent

Wersquore all held together behind bars

The blood of the martyrs bears witness

To how much wersquove been broken by sectarianism

Through our unity we triumphed with one voice over injustice

And my religion is my own a rapport between me and God

Irsquoll raise my flag and my head up

Irsquom Egyptian

Hand in hand

We build Egypt up again

Egypt is angry at whatrsquos happening between us

Itrsquos not helpful

After the revolution after the victory

Sectarian strife is killing the dream we fulfilled

They drove the dove of peace to extinction

To keep hearts apart and divided itrsquos easy to poison them

Do they really think the resilience and strength of Egypt is connected to greed

The Egyptian eagle has no religion we protect it with our blood

The roots of violence are increasing want to gain control to start wars

Eid Fe Eid

Yasser Ameer Youssef Rush E Money amp MCGaza | by BOGEY

Single Hit track 11

20112011

Hip-Hop

24002867

eng - Hip-Hop 4 Life

eng - iTunNORM 000005E2 0000058E 0000424E 00003537 00026E95 0001C2B3 00008000 00008000 00005045 00005045

8786

للعاقيدة يكسر وألعضاء املشاعر تتشال تصتأصلعلى كالم ربهم اتكبرو فعملو قدر واتقدر

وقته مستنينه ليه خططوا مضمون الرسائل اتغير الن الهدف هو تدمير قعدة الوحدهوقتل كل قائد يقود الناس بره احملنه

فيبقي سهل يزيحنا ميحي أوصول عليها كبرناوكل واحد علي حداه يقول أنا محدش يقول احنا

فاببطء بحرص بص بعقل بحذر شوفقبل ما يخلوا خيالك يتخلله اخلوف

واخلوف ده افراز بيطلع من غده ملا الكلب بيشوفهابيعرف انك فاريسه سهل ياكلها ركز

فرق تسد إخلعوفق جتد إرفع

ثورة تقدصمت يفرد- يفرق

ما بيجمع بيننامن حقي النقد من حقك - تسمع

طب إسمع وراجع ما صور التاريخ طب باله بيكفي صور زمانييوم حصار كنيسة املهد مني دافع مني اتقمع مني اتنفا

مسلم مسيحي أل كان فلسطيني اتذكر معي ثورة غضب يناير

اتذكر معي الوحدة اإليد الوحدة اتشرف انتا مصرياتذكر معي األخ بإيد األخ يحمي األخ بدون إلخ

كالمي ماشي ماشي ال-لتفهمني بهويتي مسلم وال نصراني قبطي

ما في حجة لربطي خلبطي حلطي ألوطي ألغير خطيخير أجناد األرض

من أرض بيت املقدس كل السالم بعد ما قلت إلنقسام في وطنيانا ملزم أقول ال لفتنة

تفتت مجد شعب تعب عانى ضحى بالغالي حتى بناه

A r a b i a n K n i g h t s + M C G a z a + A m e e r

The relationship between Egyptians breaks down and the organs that feel are taken out

They got full of themselves in the name of their god and invented a new fate for us

Theyrsquore waiting for a time and theyrsquore plotting The meaning of their messages changes

Because the goal is to destroy the foundation of unity

And kill every leader who takes the people out of hard times

Itrsquos easy to remove us to wipe out the traditions we grew up with

Everyone on his own everyone says ldquoIldquo and no one says ldquoweldquo

Slowly carefully look Wisely with caution see

Before they make your imagination a slave to fear

And that fear releases a secretion from a gland

And when the dog sees it he knows yoursquore easy prey

Divide yoursquoll conquer

Bring harmony and yoursquoll reap Start

A revolution and it will catch on

Silence is solitary It divides

It doesnrsquot bring us together

It is my right to criticize and your right to listen

So listen and look back at history or better look at my life time

The day the Nativity Church was under siege who was persecuted Who was exiled

A Muslim A Christian No he was Palestinian

Letrsquos remember the angry revolution of January

Letrsquos remember the unity the one hand Be proud yoursquore Egyptian

Remember the brother holding hands with a brother protecting a brother

And I can go on

Donrsquot teach me about my identity whether Irsquom a Muslim or a Christian Copt

Therersquos no excuse to tie me down beat me to make me cower and kneel and stray from my courseThe Earthrsquos most virtuous soldiers

Come from the land of Bayt al-Maqdis [Jerusalem] I salute you After I said no to division in my countryIrsquom committed to saying no to seditionThat dissolves the glory of a people who labored suffered sacrificed what was most dear to build it

T r a n s l a t e d b y A l e x O r t i z + A h m e d S h a w k e t + K h a l e d A l H i l l i

Eid Fe Eid

Yasser Ameer Youssef Rush E Money amp MCGaza | by BOGEY

Single Hit track 11

20112011

Hip-Hop

24002867

eng - Hip-Hop 4 Life

eng - iTunNORM 000005E2 0000058E 0000424E 00003537 00026E95 0001C2B3 00008000 00008000 00005045 00005045

8988

الفن واملواهب زي حرب الكواكب الكل عايز يكون جنم صراع في الداخل

بهدي جنون العظمة بفلفل حر توابل تسيل دموع زي القنابل

زي مابتكلم وداني شغالة كون سامع نبض الشارع علشان أ

حالف أقضي على اإلعالم املتآمر مغامر في الكالم بس إنت مش سامع

ملا بأمسك القلم والورقة الهم بينزاح مخي بيرتاح بأقول اللي على البال

ملا بأقعد بحس بتأنيب ضمير كون في ستوديو بسجل على بيت خطير مفروض أ

e l D e e b + S t o r m t r a p

Art and talent are like Star Wars

Secretly everyone wants to be a star of conflict

I make megalomania tranquil with chilli hot spices

Tears flow like bombs

Thatrsquos how I talk and the world keeps moving

So that I can hear the pulse of the streets

Irsquove sworn to obliterate the media conspirators

I am adventurous in my speech but you do not hear

When I hold the pen and the paper my anxiety is lifted

My mind relaxes and I say whatrsquos on it

When I sit down I feel guilty

I should be in the studio recording dangerous beats

addictأدمان الشهرة ion to fame

Edman El Shuhra

Stormtrap amp Mohamed El Deeb

2011

Hip-Hop

15305855

- vocals Mohamed El Deeb Stormtrap13produced by Stormtrap

9190

إحساس غريب إنك تدمن الكالم ارسم يا فنان واخترع زي دافينشي الرسام

ولو مفيش ورقة باستخدم تليفوني خايف إن فكرة متعديش على صوتي

دنيا غريبة يوم مر يوم بونبوني بس أنا عمري ماغيرت لوني

املوسيقى بنادولي وبطابعي فضولي مهما قالوا لي هافهمها مبفهومي فـساعات أالقي نفسي بكلم نفسي واسمع أصوات غريبة في دماغي

وهو ده الصدى الصوت اللي بسمعه اكن مفيش حد فارقة معاه احالمي

شوف شوف مش هدف إنو أنا شخصيا أنا

هدفي انه كلماتي وموسيقتي تنتشرعشان هيك حتشوفني دوما مستمر مستثمر

كل وقتي كل طاقتي على أصواتي خوذ شك خوذ حتويل خوذ كاش

بس ما تنساش أي شي بيتعلق بالواقع بدناش ما تخاف ألنها قضيتنا مش منسية مية باملية هايذي ثورة كمان ثقافية

خليني أوضح هاي املوسيقى مش معمولة للتلفازeهاي املوسيقى مش معمولة لهز الطياز l D e e b + S t o r m t r a p

Strange feeling to be out of words

Paint oh artist and discover like Da Vinci the artist

If I donrsquot have paper I use my cell

I am afraid that the idea does not come through my voice

Strange world one day is bitter another like candy

But Irsquove never changed my color

Music is my Tylenol and my nature curious

So whatever they tell me Irsquoll understand it my way

Sometimes I find myself talking to myself

And I hear weird voices in my head

Which is just the echo of the sound I hear

As if no one cares about my dreams

See see

My goals are not self serving

My goal is that my words and music spread

Thatrsquos why yoursquoll see me always and continuously investing

All my time my energy on my sounds

Take a check take a transfer take cash

But never forget anything related to reality wersquore not interested

Donrsquot be afraid because our cause is not forgotten

One hundred percent this is also a cultural revolution

Let me explain this music is not meant to be televised

This music is not made for booty shaking

Edman El Shuhra

Stormtrap amp Mohamed El Deeb

2011

Hip-Hop

15305855

- vocals Mohamed El Deeb Stormtrap13produced by Stormtrap

9392

مش فاهم ليش الكل قاتل حاله يكون في مسابقةحابني نتصابح حياكم زات املكافحة

واالعالم ميت ع حيالله قصة ما بيدرس هالقصة من نصها

وبعدن بينفخهامش احلق علينا اذا ما بيبحثوا

وملا يبدوا يحكوا عنا أل عنجد بيبعصوابيفكروا انه كل شي هشك بشك

بس حدن الزم يقلهم انه الهب هوب مش هيكبدك تدير بالك عشانها هاي اللحظة احلاسمة

ملا يجوا عليك الديب والعاصفةنكسر حدود وبنبني وحدة عشان نحيي مجتماعاتنا

وننهي معانتناعشان هيك منكتب كلمات صريحة والها معنى

مش للشهرة مش حتى يجي حدن يدفعلنا

e l D e e b + S t o r m t r a p

I donrsquot understand why everyone is killing themselves to be in the contest

Wersquod like to say goodmorning to salute you in this same struggle

The mediarsquos dying for any story

But they donrsquot study the storyrsquos real text

And then they blow it out of proportion

Itrsquos not our fault if they donrsquot search

And when they talk about us then they really screw it up

They think everything is empty pointless

Somebody needs to tell them that hip hop is not like that

You should take care because this is the critical moment

When the wolf and storm come haunting you

We break borders and we create a unity to revitalize our communities

And stop our suffering

That is why we write frank words that have meaning

Itrsquos not for fame or even so that someone pays us

T r a n s l a t e d b y N i z a r G h a n e m

Edman El Shuhra

Stormtrap amp Mohamed El Deeb

2011

Hip-Hop

15305855

- vocals Mohamed El Deeb Stormtrap13produced by Stormtrap

9594

حضل عهل مود يعنيما إنتلك النجوم عم تقرب

بهل ال مود حكون عطول لبهل جنوم إدءر لو مضطر شن هجوم عل النجوم كلها

خللي األرض تدور حول أصبعي تنلك

ما إنتلك متلي متلك مولع طيار ألفكاري من العقدي تنفك فرد قعدي بني 4 حيطان ما بتنهز و منها ما بنهز

يلز املا بينلزالكاس عل الطاولي و منو عم مز مز

لتفتل براصي وحس من حالي عم كز كزعل ورقة كالمي مدروس و ما بزت زت بجرب ما عيد حالي متا يقولو عم نق نق

موزع قافياتي جواز كأن عم فت فت

بهل األطشة خلي الديني اللي تسمعني ترن رنFبسبيلي جاري يوم ع يوم عم برك رك a r e e q e l A t r a s h

Irsquoll stay in this mood

Didnrsquot I tell you The stars are getting closer

Irsquoll stay in this mood until I touch these stars

Even if I have to launch an attack on all the stars

Irsquoll make the Earth rotate around my finger I told you

Didnrsquot I tell you Irsquom just like you I lit up a joint so my ideas would untie their knot

Sitting this way in between four walls I wonrsquot budge

The most delectable

Drink is on the table from which Irsquom taking sips

Till my head starts spinning and Irsquom sick of myself

On the paper my words are calculated I donrsquot just toss them about

I try not to repeat myself so they wonrsquot say Irsquom nagging

I deal my rhymes out like theyrsquore cards

In this verse Irsquoll make those ears ring

My fountain is running and every day I excel

tالنجوم عم تقرب he stars are gett ing closer

null

29781717

9796

لضل ماشي جالس بينما غيري عم بلك لك شريط معلق ريحة العة عم بتفح فحكل ما فتح متو بتالقي عم بكب كب

عايشها إرهاب و مفي إال بسب سببزبالتي ما بكبو تيكون بعلمك

األالف مسم و بحياتو ما بينسم بزقة من هل التم تخلي سقفك ينش نش

تلمو ردم و ما تفكر إنو ترد رد و عم بحكي عالواطي متا الصالي فيك ترج رج

بطبعي عاقل بس بالراب بزل زل عل الرايق بال ما نط وال فز فز

type of shitعال بارد أبرد من شباط بس يقز قزتخلي عضامك ع بعض تسك سك

ما إنتلك النجوم عم تقرب بهل ال مود حكون عطول لبهل جنوم إدءر

لو مضطر شن هجوم عل النجوم كلهاخللي األرض تدور حول أصبعي تنلك

أنا متنبئ بنبه و بحقق ما قلتلك بعد وقتها ما عم نكت

عاملكرفون إبرة هرون عم بشكشك في شكcheck one two

هيك بدسدس عالنبض

F a r e e q e l A t r a s h

So I can walk straight when others are still playing

A broken record that reeks of a musty smell

Every time he opens his mouth he spews them out

He lives in terror and all he does is curse

I wouldnrsquot throw him in my garbage just so you know

Irsquove irritated thousands and never been irritated in my life

One spit out of this mouth will make your roof leak

And yoursquoll pick up the rubble and donrsquot even think about answering back

Irsquom talking in a low voice so the hall wonrsquot shake with you in it

Irsquom reasonable by nature but when it comes to rap I humiliate cold-heartedly

Without jumping or leaping around

I do it coldly colder than icy February-type of shit

Irsquoll make your bones rattle against each other

Didnrsquot I tell you The stars are getting closer

Irsquoll stay in this mood until I touch these stars

Even if I have to launch an attack on all the stars

Irsquoll make the Earth rotate around my finger I told you

Irsquom a psychic I predict and deliver

Didnrsquot I tell you to stand back when Irsquom not joking

Irsquom pricking the microphone with a heroin needle Is there any doubt

Check one two

Thatrsquos how I feel the pulse

null

29781717

9998

بدقق و زتزت حكي بتزجزج كأنها مزهزها عم بتشمشم عم خطط عم تكتيك و مني ملحلح من هون للساعة توقف تك تيك تك تيك

لك ليك منفخ حاله عامبيكازيب عا غيري بس بوجهي بتاءتإوجهه بيباءبإ من أد ما بعصب بسبسب

زر إنذار إذني بتطنطن و بشوف من عالباب عم بدقدق

عكروت بدو يفوت ليشوف الفن فني بس الفن هون بجسمي معبأ

من حلقي طايف و من متي عم بت شرشر و بيس البيس زلزال برجرج خليك تضبضب تنضب بالبيت لتكنكن

و أنا متأسف ألني بدي استأذن بس بعد شفت كابتشينو بتصحصح

ما إنتلك النجوم عم تقرببهل ال مود حكون عطول لبهل جنوم إدءر

لو مضطر شن هجوم عل النجوم كلهاخللي األرض تدور حول أصبعي تنلك

هيدا هب هوبمش هبل و ال بهل

هيدا زجل تتغزل في

ورايي إيقاع عليي إتبع و ما إطلع عنو يا بصير متل غير مسيس

زقفوا مع االيقاعزقفوا مع االيقاع

F a r e e q e l A t r a s h

Checking and hurling words that tickle as if I was high and sniffing

I am planning and scheming and Irsquom not going anywhere till the clock stops ticking

Look hersquos so full of it lying to others but in my face he stutters

And his face turns red from all the anger and he curses

My earsrsquo alarm bells start ringing

And I go to see whorsquos knocking at the door

Some bastard who wants to see where ldquothe artldquo is

But the art is right here packed in my body

Flowing from my throat running out of my mouth

And the bass is an earthquake that shakes and forces you to pack up and go home

And Irsquom sorry because I need to take leave

But after a sip of cappuccino yoursquoll come around

Didnrsquot I tell you The stars are getting closer

Irsquoll stay in this mood

Until I touch these stars even if I have to launch an attack on all the stars

Irsquoll make the Earth rotate around my finger I told you

This is hip hop

Itrsquos not stupid nor dumb

Itrsquos zajal [a form of Arabic poetry in the Levant]

That you flirt with

There is a beat that I have to follow canrsquot lose it or Irsquoll be like other MCs

Clap with the beat

Clap with the beat

T r a n s l a t e d b y K h a l e d A l H i l l i

null

29781717

101100

انا ببلعهم بتفهم وال مره بسبهمبخليهم داميا يضاربو بتفكيرهم

أنا وراهم قدامهم جنابهم محتلهممش طايقهم مرات وزنهم بكون منزلهم

مرتبهم صاففهم وبقلم أنا حاكمهم زاتتهم مش عاجبيني أنا ماحيهم قائدهم وبنفس الوقت أنا عبيدهم

وبفك وربط أنا بلعب مبعانيهمانا حاميهم بأسطر اللي تقويهم

انا واعدهم اني أستر على فاضحهم ومطلعهم بصوره اللي تبشعهم

بس أنا محترمهم وبسطور ساجنهم مكتفهم كأسير بجنازير القهر

ومهديهم بحبل اللي يبشر بالصبر وانا لي الفخر أكون الشوك اللي فيهم

Dوأكون القهر اللي داميا يسقيهم A M

Yo this is dedicated to the lyrics

Irsquom swallowing them spitting them never dissing them

Giving them freedom of speech

Irsquom behind them in front of them because of them always standing with them

Sometimes get sick of them sick of how you abuse them

Gather them in line with my pen I order them

Didnrsquot like it Throwing them out and replacing them

Irsquom their leader and also their slave

Small changes make huge differences

I train them in pages to make them strong

Promising to use them not abuse them

Or allow the wrong mouths to utter them

Approach them with a military mind and find peace in them

Irsquom lucky to be full of thorns and even luckier that I found the lyrics

So theyrsquoll help me find the roses in me

wordsكلمات

null

26837427

103102

raquoالكل سمعك بس السؤال اذا اللي سمعك فهمكlaquoكلمات ليست كالكلمات بل raquoعالماتlaquo

اللي توجهنا وين مابدنا عحبال السيرك هي تثبتنا ريح العالم من كل جهه اذا احنا ضعاف بتوقعنا بس

raquoأل بلمره ألlaquo raquoكلمات عندي طنlaquoكل واحده الها هدف اخدت حرف عحرف

نسجت جمل اللي البسهم وقت البرد raquoراح اضلني اناديlaquo raquoبنحكي كلماتlaquo

انت بتعرف انهم مبنصب شهاد بحكو املاضي وتنبوا حاضر أي بالد

قد ماحكيت قد ما أحكي فش كالم يغطي بسفي كالم يربي وينمي انت بس أروي

في شوف انه قوه والقوه بتقويفيك و أن رويته مصيره يسقيك )مثل للقوه( العدو من أمامكم

والبحر من ورائكم فال تخيبوا أسيادكمفأين أشعاركم وأين مجادلتكم

فأنتم تسكتون وتخمدون أحالمكم)انهي( نهيت ورجعت للعامية بكلمات

مرمية طالعه من عقليه شعبيهمتل جنيب اللي بذاكرة كل واحد محفوظ مدروس واذا أل معناته في خلل معكوس

عاملجتمع اللي قمع كتاباته Dاللي سمح لنسيانه يشيل خطواته A M

ldquoThey all hear you but few listen to youldquo

Lyrics ainrsquot just a bunch of words they are ldquosignsldquo

Leading us stabilizing us on tight ropes

Winds every way if we are thin we will fall

ldquoBut hell noldquo ldquoyou can measure my words in tonsldquo

Every word has a meaning I knitted a letter with another letter

Made warm sentences to wear in cold days

ldquoSo Irsquoll still shoutldquo ldquowe control lyricsldquo

You know lyrics are like a witness

They witnessed the past and forecast the future

As much as I said or say I canrsquot describe them

But there is a way to find the description and thatrsquos through them

Quench the thirst of the pages with them

So in the future itrsquoll quench your thirst

Keep feeding them as soon as they grow up

Theyrsquoll give you strength

ldquoExample for the strengthldquo

ldquoThe enemy is before you the sea is behind you

So donrsquot you dare disappoint our ancestors

Where are our deep poems Where are our strong statements

From generation to generation we kill our dreamsldquo

ldquoEnough philosophizingldquo ok lets get back to street talk

Words coming outta simple minds

Like Najeeb Mahfuz [literally lsquowell-rememberedrsquo also a famous author]

They keep living in our minds

And if you donrsquot know who he is - then I rest my case

null

26837427

105104

raquoالكل سمعك بس السؤال اذا اللي سمعك فهمكlaquoكلمات ليست كالكلمات بل raquoعالماتlaquo

اللي توجهنا وين مابدنا عحبال السيرك هي تثبتنا ريح العالم من كل جهه اذا احنا ضعاف بتوقعنا بس

raquoأل بلمره ألlaquo raquoكلمات عندي طنlaquoكل واحده الها هدف اخدت حرف عحرف

نسجت جمل اللي البسهم وقت البرد raquoراح اضلني اناديlaquo raquoبنحكي كلماتlaquo

ألف با كبايه أوعك تكسرهاامسكها للنهاية وكل ما تفضى مليها

كلمه أو رواية ومع املراحل زيدها شيحكاية وهيك ضلك زود فيها

وجيبها لتجمعاتك وساعتها استعملها لنقاشاتك وملواقفك استخدمها

هادي مدافعك اللي مداها بسيطرتك وما دافعك انه ما تخليها رايتك

ما هي تكتب ما هي توصف ما هي تكذب ما هي تنصف

ما هي هي الهروب هياللجوء هي الدروب هي

العبور باحلدود واللي مبرؤهم مبدع وبفوز باخللود واللي بسرقهم مش مقنع

واذا بتديهم احلرية بنادوك ممنوعDواذا بتوخد احلريه بنادوك مسموح A M

ldquoThey all hear you but few listen to youldquo

Lyrics ainrsquot just a bunch of words they are ldquosignsldquo

Leading us stabilizing us on tight ropes

Winds every way if we are thin we will fall

ldquoBut hell noldquo ldquoyou can measure my words in tonsldquo

Every word has a meaning I knitted a letter with another letter

Made warm sentences to wear in cold days

ldquoSo Irsquoll still shoutldquo ldquowe control lyricsldquo

The Arabic alphabet is like a glass donrsquot break it

Hold it tight and keep filling it

And then bring it to our arguments

Scream till your throat gets dry and then wet it

It holds our body itrsquos like our legs

If you stand for nothing yoursquoll fall for anything

The words write create

They kill lead and sometimes even lie

You can use them to build borders

And those who are gifted

Can use them to walk through borders

And in some governments

Itrsquos forbidden to give words freedom

But if you choke them and kill them

Thatrsquos allowed

F i g u r a t i v e t r a n s l a t i o n o f f e r e d b y t h e a r t i s t s

null

26837427

107106

further reading

The tracks presented in this document are not a comprehensive sampling of the genre of the market of hip hop in Arabic or of hip hop and rap in the wider Middle East

Artists featured here hail from Egypt Lebanon Palestine and the anglophone Arab diaspora The thriving North African hip hop scene is not represented nor is the work of the established francophone Arab diaspora nor the expanding hip hop scenes of especially Iran or Turkey

This collection does not attempt a comprehensive chronology Tracks featured here are not primarily new releases (though some are) neither are they all ldquoclassicsrdquo These limitations of scope are important to note

Many tracks of the popular Libyan group Ibn Thabitt and other groups from across the region have been translated and are hosted with commentary on the notable blog

revolutionaryarabrapblogspotcom

Another valuable resource is the Beirut-based blog by Jackson Allers ldquoBeats and Breathrdquo which features articulate critiques and reviews of events and releases from the region

jacksonallerswordpresscom

Hass Dennaoui (alias Big Hass) who recently launched started the first all hip-hop FM radio show in Saudi Arabia Laish Hip Hop (Why Hip Hop) manages a lively blog which

hosts an internet feed of his radio show and interviews with MCs and influential hip hop figures from around the world

revoltradioblogspotcom

Lebaneseundergroundcom hosts coverage of underground music in Lebanon including hip hop

And finally an excellent article by Hishaam Aidi on implications of the use of hip hop as foreign policy ldquoThe Grand (Hip-Hop) Chessboard Race Rap and Raison DrsquoEtatrdquo was published in The Middle East Report Fall 2011 Excerpts of the piece were published by Al Jazeera English in the article ldquoLeveraging Hip Hop in US Foreign Policyrdquo

All the artists and many of the translators whose work is showcased here host a significant online presence Their sites are listed with more about each of them on the following pages

109108

artist bios

ARABIAN KNIGHTZ the premier hip hop group from the land of the Nile River have not only established themselves as the lyricists with the sharpest swords in their land but they have also created the most consistent voice for rebellion strength and hope for the youth of the Middle East During the 2011 Revolution Arabian Knightz released two singles ldquoRebelrdquo and ldquoNot Your Prisonerrdquo anthems of resistance which gained worldwide attention and major media coverage for their powerful lyrics against a wicked system The group formed in 2006 through the cipher hip hoprsquos natural way of choosing like mindsets on the mic Rush Sphinx and E-Money were ahead of their peers adapting an authentic Arab perspective to the art dominated by Western voices mixing English and Arabic raps After hitting the studio for successful underground tracks AK enlisted super-producer Fredwreck (Snoop Dogg Xzibit Tha Dogg Pound) ldquoFokkakrdquo the single from this studio session was an instant hit and (surprisingly for Arabic Hip Hop) projected them to the top ten of the singles charts Arab League Records was formed amidst a growing fanbase and numerous collaborations with other Arab hip hop artists the first international Arab hip hop record label Desert Saga Volume 1 mixtape was the debut release led by ldquoThe Onerdquo featuring Egyptrsquos MC Amin Arabian Knightz have recorded their debut album Uknighted State of Arabia a masterpiece for Arab hip hop years in the making featuring instrumentals dominated by traditional percussions and players are scheduled for a Winter 2012 Release They are on Facebook

BOIKUTT is a musician and MC based in Ramallah Palestine Creating sounds using sampled material field recordings and electronic devices the results range between hip-hop downtempo ambient glitch and experimental He has composed and produced music for artists such as Kronos Quartet Bukue One Spiritchild Tamer Abu-Ghazaleh Bleubird and others and has appeared as an MC on albums for artists such as Slovo Heliodrome Bonnot and Lethal Skillz A co-founder of the Ramallah Underground Collective which has toured across the Arab World Europe and Australia Boikutt is also co-founder and member of audio-visual group Tashweesh with whom he is currently touring Also as a solo performer he has been in Beirut Cairo Manila Copenhagen London Hamburg Dubai Bethlehem and other cities He has produced and exhibited a few sound-art pieces composed several film scores has most recently composed the music for a dance theater performance entitled Bound by

New York-based company Yaa Samar Dance Theatre and is now working on different collaborative and solo projects His work may be heard at soundcloudcomboikutt and on Facebook

DAM Da Arabian MCrsquos are Suhell Nafar Tamer Nafar and Mahmoud Jreri The first Palestinian hip hop crew and among the first to rap in Arabic the group began working together in the late 1990s Struck by the uncanny resemblance of the reality of the streets in a Tupac video to the streets in their own neighborhood of Lyd they were inspired to tell their stories through hip hop Their timely song ldquoMin Irhabirdquo (ldquoWhorsquos the Terroristrdquo) was downloaded a million times shortly after its internet realese in 2001 and DAM became a household name among youth throughout the Middle East Ten years of performing all over the world has strengthened the grouprsquos commitment to continue living and working in their hometown of Lyd 15 minutes from Tel Aviv and working to provide the youth of the city and neighboring communities with programs and opportunities that have been denied to Palestinian citizens of Israel Their music is a unique fusion of East and West and encompasses influences as varied as Ghassan Kanafani Ahlam Mosteghanemi Mahmoud Darwish Naji al Ali Tupac Biggie Public Enemy MBS Krsquonaan and Pharoahe Monch IHDA (Dedication) DAMrsquos long-awaited first international album was released in 2007 and DAM has seen its songs and members featured in films such as Ford Transit (Dir Hany Abu Assad) Where in the World is Osama Bin Laden (Dir Morgan Spurlock) Salt of this Sea (Dir Annemarie Jacir) Local Angel and Forgiveness (Dir Udi Aloni) DAMrsquos history and influence on the Arab hip hop scene is detailed in the feature-length documentary Slingshot Hip Hop (Dir Jackie Reem Salloum) The group has also been featured in Vibe National Geographic Rolling Stone Q Basement Reuters and The New York Times and has appeared on MTV CNN BBC and Al Jazeera Their work can be heard and explored at damrapcom

EL DEEB first ventured into Egyptian Hip Hop when he joined Asfalt in 2005 He left in 2007 to create Wighit Nazara duo represented by Mohamed Yasser and himself It was a successful musical project that lasted until mid 2010 Currently he is working on his solo career with plans to release an EP every couple of months or so Cairofornia is his first solo EP His work may be heard at deebbandcampcom and on Facebook

EL RASS was born in Tripoli Lebanon He started writing poetry in literary Arabic at age 11 and started rhyming in spoken Lebanese dialect in 1999 at age 15 At that time he formed one third of a group of 3 MCrsquos going under the name of ldquoMlouk el Micrdquo (ldquoKings of the Micrdquo) They recorded one album and performed locally At 17 he left for France to study Finance and Economics Studies were hard money was scarce and exile was tough but music and poetry never left him as he continued rhyming with some underground French MCrsquos like Medline and Moebius and developed new musical skills on percussion in classical Arabic singing and baglama (turkish buzuk) After graduating and working for almost two years in the hell of banking and market finance El Rass decided to return to Lebanon He spent a year just re-discovering Beirut and making and learning music He now works as a journalist at the newspaper Assafir while concurrently pursuing joint projects with other producers and musicians He calls his work Taalik in reference to the same word in Arabic for ldquocommentrdquo and another word that comes from the same semantic root moaallakat which is a corpus of selected pre-Islamic poetry that was written with gold ink on the walls of the Karsquoaba in Mecca His work may be heard at soundcloudcomElRass

FAREEQ EL ATRASH is a hip hop band based out of Hamra St Beirut with a sound that is distinguished by laid back topical flows over live instrumentation It consists of Edd (raps) Nasser (raps) FZ (vocal production and FX) Fouad Afra (drums) Goo (plays guitar keys heart strings) and Abed Kobeissy (plays bass and buzuk) Their 2010 album and 2009 prealbum are available online More of their work may be found on Facebook Eddrsquos solo work can also be heard at soundcloudcomEdd

H2Z was born in Kuwait in 1986 where he lived for four years Due to the gulf war his family moved to Lebanon where he lived for the most part of his life Inspired by the tragic events in the Middle East and elsewhere in the world H2Z adopted rap music as a way to raise awareness about the injustices suffered by his people and to deliver a message through his music to anyone who supports the Palestinian cause His career began in 2004 when he was introduced to the production business by fellow rappers and soon he started producing his own tracks and established a local band producing many tracks for himself and other musicians in Lebanon In 2008 he released his first solo album titled 3aed which contained

17 tracks The political influence was noticed throughout the album and was generally well-received He is now studying for a degree in business administration at Wayne State University in Michigan His work may be heard at reverbnationcomh2z

KATIBEH 5 are based in Borj el Barajneh Lebanon Their work can be found at reverbnationcomkatibeh5 and myspacecomkatibe5palestine and on Facebook

M1 is Mutulu Olugbala of the New York based collective Dead Prez whose work is online at deadprezcom M1 is also on Facebook

MC GAZA is Adnan Mahmoud Ghonim an Algerian born artist and university student based in Gaza It was the beginning of 2005 when he attended one of the hip hop concerts in Gaza City ndash Gaza City that never appreciated the art he loved and attached himself to ndash and it was love at first sight between them Through some of the concerts he participated in a number of songs he collaborated on with Arabs from Egypt Algeria and Palestine and some active participation to represent the Palestinian people and interviews for both Arab and foreign press he was able to make a name for himself in the Gazan hip hop community His work may be found at youtubecomMCGaza and on Facebook

THE NARCICYST Having pioneered the Arab Hip-Hop movement with seminal Iraqi-Canadian crew Euphrates The Narcicyst recently broke through borders and shattered traveling etiquette touring solo around the world sharing stages with the likes of Brother Ali Mos Def and Kanye West to name a few On top of music The Narcicyst is a celebrated theorist whose academic work Fear of an Arab Planet has him from the stage to the classrooms of internationally renowned universities He is now also a professor at Concordia University teaching a Fine Arts course ldquoHip-Hop Past Present and Futurerdquo His writings have been published by multiple university presses and magazines internationally he is also a self-published author having recently released the biographical and social-study on the Arab world The Diatribes of a Dying Tribe As a true artist interested in really pushing his own artistic boundaries The Narcicyst has stepped into acting currently starring in the short music film PHATWA and in the first internationally-released film from the United Arab Emirates called City of Life A true multi-media

111110

KHALED AL HILLI is a PhD candidate in Comparative Literature at the Graduate Center City University of New York He has a BA in English Literature and a Masterrsquos degree in Teaching Second Languages Born in Iraq Khaled has taught in Lebanon and Saudi Arabia at both college and high school levels He has also worked with various Iraqi news outlets and has subtitledtranslated documentary films dealing with current social and political issues His research interests include Arabic political literature prison literature and literature in the diaspora He may be reached at hillykhalidgmailcom

+AZIZ is a NYC-based marketing consultant and a musician He is working through The World Music Parade to develop an animation project based on his music More about that project can be found at themusicparadetumblrcom He tweets from plusaziz

FAYSAL BIBI is a paleontologist and electronic musician currently based in Berlin

LOUBNA BILALI is originally from Morocco She did her undergrad and first MA in English Linguistics at Chouaib Doukkali University El Jadida She came to the US in 2008 to pursue a Masterrsquos degree in French to English translation and is currently working on a PhD in translation studies at Kent State University in Ohio She is very interested in learning and teaching languages as well as translating and localizing computer applications and websites She may be reached at loubnabilaligmailcom

FARAH ELREWAISSATI is a freelance translator pro-Palestine activist and BDS advocate who blogs at youthanormalizationblogspotcom She tweets from 3beee

NIZAR GHANEM was born in Lebanon He has been active in intercultural education interactive learning and conflict resolution across the Arab world His work on conflict resolution involved using theater comics and music as tools for emotional expression and social mobilization

RIMA NAJDI is a Performing Artist She studied dramatic arts at the Lebanese University in Beirut and obtained a Masterrsquos degree in Performance Studies at NYU New York She has written and performed in various plays and performances Najdi is particularly interested in multi-media performing arts and the position of the spectators

BARRAK ALZAID (copy editor) is the Artistic Director of ArteEast He is the editor of the ArteEast Quarterly a dynamic online portal featuring four publications that highlight contemporary art and culture from the Middle East and diaspora ndash ArtersquoZine Shahadat (contemporary short-form literature) Gallery and Cinematek (an online film center) He is also the curator for ArteEastrsquos Across Histories Art Talk Series featuring a series of panels on residencies in Fall 2011 He tweets from barrakster

RAYYA EL ZEIN (editor) is working towards a PhD in Theatre at the Graduate Center City University of New York Her research is increasingly focusing on theories of reception historical studies of audience behavior and popular culture in the Arab world She holds an MA in Performance Studies from NYU and is currently a teaching fellow at City College in Harlem She tweets from rayelz

translator biosdreamer Yassin recently established an arts label in the UAE called The Medium focusing on delivering art from Arabs in the diaspora and at lsquohomersquo to the rest of the world iraqisthebombcom He tweets from TheNarcicyst

OMAR OFFENDUM is a Syrian-American hip hop artist born in Saudi Arabia raised in Washington DC and living in Los Angeles Known for taking audiences on a lyrical journey from the jasmine-tree-lined courtyards of Nizar Qabbanirsquos Damascene homes to the flooded riverbanks of Langston Hughesrsquo Harlem Renaissance poems - Offendum has been featured on several major news outlets (BBC Yahoo ABC News Aljazeera PBS) toured the world to promote his ground-breaking music helped raise thousands of dollars for various humanitarian relief organizations (PCRF KinderUSA ANERA Islamic Relief) lectured at a number of prestigious academic institutions (Harvard MIT Stanford Columbia American University of Beirut NYU-AbuDhabi Qatar Education City) and most recently been involved in creating several critically-acclaimed songs about the popular democratic uprisings throughout the Middle East amp North Africa He is currently hard at work promoting his solo release - affectionately dubbed SyrianamericanA His work may be heard (and read) at offendumbandcampcom He is on Facebook and he tweets from Offendum

RAMALLAH UNDERGROUND based in Ramallah Palestine was born from the immediacy of musical experimentation and out of the need to give voice to a generation of Palestinians and Arabs facing a turbulent and uncertain political landscape The collective was founded by artists Boikutt Stormtrap and Aswatt and has always held a commitment to both the honesty of their work and the need to creatively rejuvenate Arabic culture To this end they combine music ranging from Arabic electronic music hip-hop and trip hop to downtempo with a deep sense of their local culture and the imposing presence of Palestine in their lives The outcome is a new specific and distinct sound RU (as producers and as MCrsquos ) has collaborated with numerous artists across the globe including countries like Lebanon UK Switzerland Italy USA France and many more including a collaboration with Slovo (a band headed by the guitarist from faithless) in their track ldquoNakbardquo which appears on their album Todo Cambia and with Kronos Quartet in the track ldquoTashweeshrdquo which appears on Floodplain RU has also performed live shows in Ramallah Bethlehem Vienna London Cairo Lausanne Amsterdam and Washington DC Their shows are mainly a performance of their hip-hop tracks as well as a few of their own electronic productions as a warm up More recently RU has incorporated a visual set in their live

performances brought to you by Palestinian visual artist Ruanne RU hopes to give a voice to Palestinians and Arabs bringing an alternative voice from the Arab world Their lyrics and music are an expression of anguish and defiance ultimately remaining a defiant voice of the colonized against the colonizer They continue to play a big role in the Arab underground cultural scene while slowly gaining wide global and local popularity

SHADIA MANSOURrsquos work can be found at myspacecomshadiamusic and on Facebook

STORMTRAP is a music producercomposerMC from Palestine Experimenting with old samples instruments and field recordings his sound is the result of a fusion of ambient atmospheres combined with various noises and hip hop beats His lyrics deal with different themes inspired mainly by his personal experiences in Palestine and life in the diaspora Stormtrap played a fundamental role in forming the band Ramallah Underground with which he has performed worldwide the past few years Currently he is working in Vienna with Aras Seyhan and Eren Ileri on a new album which combines live instruments synthesizers turntables beats and Arabic lyrics- which will be released early 2012 His work may be heard at soundcloudcomstormtrap He tweets from asifeh

AMEER YOSSEF 25 has sung and writen music with the band Klaket for the past four years His work may be heard at youtubecomAmeer and on Facebook

towards the work Her work for now concentrates on the process of making interactive and participatory performances that question borders stereotypes and languages

MOE ALI NAYEL is a fixer and a journalist based in Beirut Lebanon He uses social media blogging non-mainstream music journalism and writing as a word spreading eye opening socializing arena He uses social media as a bridge that cuts distance between people on this planet making it a tiny village This bridge starts in his office and takes him to every corner in the world enabling him to connect and network with people and cultures sharing and exchanging stories of the unheard and the neglected He blogs at Words of Action and he tweets from MoeAliNay

ALEX ORTIZ is a video and radio journalist and translator based in Cairo Egypt He graduated from Brown University in 2009 with a double major in Comparative Literature and Middle East Studies He was a CASA I fellow from 2009-2010 and a CASA II fellow from 2010-2011 He currently works for CBS News as a field producer He tweets from cairowitness

AHMED SHAWKET is an independent translator living in Cairo Egypt He is a graduate of the Helwan University Faculty of Arts where he majored in philosophy Ahmed works on literary media and commercial translation

113112

ABOUT SHAHADATShahadat is a quarterly online series designed to provide a platform for short-form writing and experimentation in writing by young and underexposed writers from the MENA region (Middle East and North Africa) The series features stories vignettes reflections and chronicles in translation and the original language of Arabic Farsi Turkish or Kurdish It makes up one quarter of ArteEastrsquos online programming the AE Quarterly For past issues of Shahadat click here

ABOUT THIS SERIES Shahadat is proud to run two alternating series and releases two issues a year of each The issue yoursquove just perused is part of the ldquoExploring Popular Literaturerdquo series This series challenges traditional understandings of ldquoliteraturerdquo emerging from the Middle East and North Africa by presenting genres of creative production that rely on words and language but which have not typically been studied as literature Works are presented in their original language and in translation

In each issue we gather texts from a spectrum of writers to challenge the singular status of the artistauthor and to encourage a more complex presentation of the Middle Eastern and North African ldquostreetrdquo for English-speaking audiences Shahadatrsquos other series ldquoContemporary Literature in Translationrdquo features the work of a single young author in the original language and in English translation

BEHIND THE DOCUMENTShahadat is co-edited by Rayya El Zein Alex Ortiz and ArteEastrsquos Artistic Director Barrak Alzaid All three are young professionals and scholars with artistic inclinations (literature poetry translation and performance) All three have strong connections to New York City and various metropole of the MENA region Shahadat is for us an experiment and a labor of love An editorial board of established scholars and authors is currently being conceived

SPECIAL THANKS TOAnmar El ZeinKinda AkashAndrew JohnstonLivia Alexander

Shahadat logo design by Rima Farouki

114

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Page 39: Shahadat Winter 2012

7776

حوار أديانالكف تنجس

متسح فيه وجك مع كل شروق عالوضوءتسمع شرارة فتيل مولوتوف ينادي أصوات تتلبى

باإلنفجار

هديني إذا فيك صرت موجود بكل مكانوجي مغبش عامل زي جيش زباتا

منصرخ بوجكم raquoاحلرية ل برغوتيlaquoإعالمكو بيعرفني كلماتكو حملت إسمي

شركاتكو بتهرب مني )كتيبه خمسه هديتي إذا فيك(

بتالقيني بني والد حفظوا غنية املخيماتبنفسية فالح عمال يزو املدينة

افالم تافهةبرنامج تافه

بتدور على مخك بتالقي مش موجوداخلليج يتحكم بإعالم

هادول حبوب التنومي ٦1 سنة بعدن مش شغالني

عالمادامك واخد وجهة نظري

ع محمل اجلدمسموح لك تستعجب وتظهر إنزعاجك بوجودي

ألني صديق لكل املشاهد الغير مرغوبة فيهاش بيختار حياتو بالتحديد بحكيلك هيك منحياها ومحد

ضغط رصاص وابارود بخليكاش حتيدالتجارب بتدلك عطريق

هديتي إذا فيك

k a t i b e h 5

A dialogue of religions

The hand is tainted

And with it you cleanse your face at ablution each sunrise

You hear the sparking of the fuse of a molotov calling voices respond

Explosion

Hold me back if you can I have become present everywhere

My face is concealed like the army of Zapata

We shout in your face ldquoFreedom for Barghoutildquo

Your media knows me your words have glimpsed my name

Your corporations flee from me

(Katibe Khamseh hold me back if you can)

Yoursquoll find me among children that have memorized the song ldquoAl Moukhayamatldquo

In the persona of a peasant that is visiting the city

Shallow films

Shallow programs

You look for your mind but you find it is not there

The Gulf controls media with its boundaries

These sleeping pills 61 years and theyrsquore still not effective

Great

As long as you are taking my point of view seriously

Yoursquore allowed to be taken aback and to show your irritation

Just like you show your irritation at my presence

Because I am a friend to all the images that are not desirable

This is how we live out these images and no one chooses their life specifically Irsquoll tell you

The pressure of bullets and gunpowder does not allow you to move away

Experience will guide you on the road

Hold me back if you can

null

23098943

7978

موقف واحد صريح من صميم روح لشعوب املقاومة ضمير ظهور البشرية

السبيل صعب ورا الغضبدعم لكل أسالوب محارب

د لنحرق نظامك منتدرب منجرب منخرب منستععم نحرق نظامك

هديتي إذا فيك

إطلع منيحمش رح تقدر توخذ كل شي من أول نظرة

نظرة عامة raquoبشرة مش بيضةlaquoجبني عريضة مكتوب مولود عنيد بالفطرة

فوت بالتقاليد عد التجاعيدلك هاي مش أول مرة

لغات ودراسات حط العلم بغالفمش رح تقدر تفهم ليه بعد في بارود ع الكتافلون األرض ولون الليل بيعطيك البني و السواد

بوعدك مش لوحدي رح أضل عد رماد الال اللعبة اجلديدة وال والدنا ع اللعبة جداد

بكفيش إنفلونزا الصقور صار في إنفلونزا اخلنازيرموسم مرض جديد لرئيس مبثل ع نفوس ومريض بهدوء البيض

هديتي إذا فيك

k a t i b e h 5

A single honest stance from the bottom of the soul for the people of the resistance the conscience

that exposes humanity

The path is difficult when following anger

A support for every style of battle

We train we strive we disrupt we prepare to burn your system

We are burning your system

Hold me back if you can

Look closely

You wonrsquot be able to see it all at first sight

An overview ldquocomplexion that is not whiteldquo

A broad forehead written born stubborn by nature

Look at the traditions and count the wrinkles

This is not the first time

Languages and scholarship put education under wraps

You wonrsquot be able to understand why there is still gunpowder on shoulders

The color of earth and the color of night gives you brown and blackness

I promise you that I will not be alone to count the ashes no

This game to us is not new and nor are our children new to the game

As if the influenza of eagles was not enough now therersquos the influenza of pigs

The season of a new disease for a president acting for a public and sick with the

calmness of white people

Hold me back if you can

null

23098943

8180

اإلحتالل نكه البشر بنكهة املجاريبالسالم حوار أديانبإقرار ملكية كذابة

بتشويه تاريخ وسرقة حضاراتولك أه

فلسطني إفريقيا الدجلة والفراتإجتاه البشرية لإلضمحالل سرطان بشري بعضها

الشتا ميسح اخلطايا واآلثاروليش بتتخبى وبتتغطى بنفس كل سفارة سميك الستار

لساتني باكل الضربة ورا الضره ورا الضربةوحتى ما أفعل وأساوي تكمشني الرجفة

بدل ما أضرب فيك بضرب بحاليبوعدكش حضلني كامش حالي حفلتها

حفلتها

هديني إذا فيك هديني إذا فيكهديني إذا فيك

k a t i b e h 5

The occupation has seasoned humanity with the flavor of sewers

With peace with dialogue of religions

With the declaration of false ownership

With the distortion of history and the theft of civilizations

Oh yes

Palestine Africa the Tigris and Euphrates

Humanity is leading to reduction a human cancer bites it

Exile wipes clean the sins and the traces

And why are you hiding and seeking cover when all the embassies are already well concealed

I am still taking one beating after another

And so that I donrsquot take action and do something shudders grip my body

Instead of beating you I beat myself

I canrsquot promise you that I can keep myself restrained

Irsquom gonna let go

Hold me back if you can

Hold me back if you can

Hold me back if you can

T r a n s l a t e d b y R i m a N a j d i a n d F a y s a l B i b i

null

23098943

8382

طول عمر الشعب املصري مع بعض أحلك الظروفبص وفر في التاريخ وانت ياما هاتشوف

الدين ده ليا وليكوفيا وفيك

حاجة روحانية بتخليك حتس اللي بيك

ايد في ايد نبني فيها من جديد

مصر زعلت علي حاصل وسطنا مش مفيد

بعد ثورة وبعد عيد فتنة تقتل حلم واتتحقق لنا

واحد اتننيالذكري بتعيش اكتر من عمر االنسان

بصمتنا تغييرنا جوة وبرة امليدان مش هانضيع نصر ثورتنا بفتنة نشئت بينا

A r a b i a n K n i g h t s + M C G a z a + A m e e r

The Egyptian people have always stuck together

Through the worst times look at history

And see how often wersquove been there for each other

That whole idea of religion

Is for you and for me something spiritual that makes you feel whatrsquos inside you

Hand in hand

We build Egypt up again

Egypt is angry at whatrsquos happening between us

Itrsquos not helpful

After the revolution after the celebration

Sectarian strife is killing the dream we fulfilled

One two

The memory lasts more than a lifetime

Our mark is our change in and outside Tahrir Square

We wonrsquot give up the victory of our revolution in exchange for sectarian strife between

us

hand inايد في ايد hand

Eid Fe Eid

Yasser Ameer Youssef Rush E Money amp MCGaza | by BOGEY

Single Hit track 11

20112011

Hip-Hop

24002867

eng - Hip-Hop 4 Life

eng - iTunNORM 000005E2 0000058E 0000424E 00003537 00026E95 0001C2B3 00008000 00008000 00005045 00005045

8584

بلدنا محتجانا ايدنا واحدة ضد احملنة تفرق ايه معاك ديانتي ملا ربك هو ربي

اصلك هو اصلي ارضك هي ارضي

ملا اتقال لي اكتت فيول فتنة انا قولت غلط علشان الفتنة مفتعلة في بلدنا وكان وراها غرض

فالفرد افترض فبفرض السياسة األمر اختلط

فالزم يبقي املصل سياسي من اصل املرض العسس واحلرس مافرقوش صليب وهالل

وكنا كلنا واحد وراء االقفالدم الشهيد شاهد

ياما بالفتنة انكسرنا وحدتنا بصوت واحد وضد الظلم انتصرنا

وديني هو ديني صلة بيني وبني ربي هارفع علمي وارفع راسي فوق

انا مصري

ايد في ايد نبني فيها من جديد

مصر زعلت علي حاصل وسطنا مش مفيد

بعد ثورة وبعد عيد فتنة تقتل حلم واتتحقق لنا

خلو حمامة السالم من الطيور املنقرضةعلشان تبقي القلوب مبتعدة منقسمه سهل تتسم

فكرين مناعة و قوة أم الدنيا بالطمع مرتبطةنسر املصريني ليس له دين احنا بنحميها بالدم

العنف بذوره بتكتر عاوز يوصل واحلروب حتصل

A r a b i a n K n i g h t s + M C G a z a + A m e e r

Our country needs us all together against the hard times

What difference does my religion make to you when your god is my god

Your origin is mine

Your land is my land

When they told me about sectarian strife I said thatrsquos wrong

Because itrsquos been planted in our country and behind it is some purpose

Makes one think somethingrsquos going on

By playing politics everythingrsquos gotten mixed up

The antidote has to be political just like the poison itself

The military doesnrsquot distinguish between cross and crescent

Wersquore all held together behind bars

The blood of the martyrs bears witness

To how much wersquove been broken by sectarianism

Through our unity we triumphed with one voice over injustice

And my religion is my own a rapport between me and God

Irsquoll raise my flag and my head up

Irsquom Egyptian

Hand in hand

We build Egypt up again

Egypt is angry at whatrsquos happening between us

Itrsquos not helpful

After the revolution after the victory

Sectarian strife is killing the dream we fulfilled

They drove the dove of peace to extinction

To keep hearts apart and divided itrsquos easy to poison them

Do they really think the resilience and strength of Egypt is connected to greed

The Egyptian eagle has no religion we protect it with our blood

The roots of violence are increasing want to gain control to start wars

Eid Fe Eid

Yasser Ameer Youssef Rush E Money amp MCGaza | by BOGEY

Single Hit track 11

20112011

Hip-Hop

24002867

eng - Hip-Hop 4 Life

eng - iTunNORM 000005E2 0000058E 0000424E 00003537 00026E95 0001C2B3 00008000 00008000 00005045 00005045

8786

للعاقيدة يكسر وألعضاء املشاعر تتشال تصتأصلعلى كالم ربهم اتكبرو فعملو قدر واتقدر

وقته مستنينه ليه خططوا مضمون الرسائل اتغير الن الهدف هو تدمير قعدة الوحدهوقتل كل قائد يقود الناس بره احملنه

فيبقي سهل يزيحنا ميحي أوصول عليها كبرناوكل واحد علي حداه يقول أنا محدش يقول احنا

فاببطء بحرص بص بعقل بحذر شوفقبل ما يخلوا خيالك يتخلله اخلوف

واخلوف ده افراز بيطلع من غده ملا الكلب بيشوفهابيعرف انك فاريسه سهل ياكلها ركز

فرق تسد إخلعوفق جتد إرفع

ثورة تقدصمت يفرد- يفرق

ما بيجمع بيننامن حقي النقد من حقك - تسمع

طب إسمع وراجع ما صور التاريخ طب باله بيكفي صور زمانييوم حصار كنيسة املهد مني دافع مني اتقمع مني اتنفا

مسلم مسيحي أل كان فلسطيني اتذكر معي ثورة غضب يناير

اتذكر معي الوحدة اإليد الوحدة اتشرف انتا مصرياتذكر معي األخ بإيد األخ يحمي األخ بدون إلخ

كالمي ماشي ماشي ال-لتفهمني بهويتي مسلم وال نصراني قبطي

ما في حجة لربطي خلبطي حلطي ألوطي ألغير خطيخير أجناد األرض

من أرض بيت املقدس كل السالم بعد ما قلت إلنقسام في وطنيانا ملزم أقول ال لفتنة

تفتت مجد شعب تعب عانى ضحى بالغالي حتى بناه

A r a b i a n K n i g h t s + M C G a z a + A m e e r

The relationship between Egyptians breaks down and the organs that feel are taken out

They got full of themselves in the name of their god and invented a new fate for us

Theyrsquore waiting for a time and theyrsquore plotting The meaning of their messages changes

Because the goal is to destroy the foundation of unity

And kill every leader who takes the people out of hard times

Itrsquos easy to remove us to wipe out the traditions we grew up with

Everyone on his own everyone says ldquoIldquo and no one says ldquoweldquo

Slowly carefully look Wisely with caution see

Before they make your imagination a slave to fear

And that fear releases a secretion from a gland

And when the dog sees it he knows yoursquore easy prey

Divide yoursquoll conquer

Bring harmony and yoursquoll reap Start

A revolution and it will catch on

Silence is solitary It divides

It doesnrsquot bring us together

It is my right to criticize and your right to listen

So listen and look back at history or better look at my life time

The day the Nativity Church was under siege who was persecuted Who was exiled

A Muslim A Christian No he was Palestinian

Letrsquos remember the angry revolution of January

Letrsquos remember the unity the one hand Be proud yoursquore Egyptian

Remember the brother holding hands with a brother protecting a brother

And I can go on

Donrsquot teach me about my identity whether Irsquom a Muslim or a Christian Copt

Therersquos no excuse to tie me down beat me to make me cower and kneel and stray from my courseThe Earthrsquos most virtuous soldiers

Come from the land of Bayt al-Maqdis [Jerusalem] I salute you After I said no to division in my countryIrsquom committed to saying no to seditionThat dissolves the glory of a people who labored suffered sacrificed what was most dear to build it

T r a n s l a t e d b y A l e x O r t i z + A h m e d S h a w k e t + K h a l e d A l H i l l i

Eid Fe Eid

Yasser Ameer Youssef Rush E Money amp MCGaza | by BOGEY

Single Hit track 11

20112011

Hip-Hop

24002867

eng - Hip-Hop 4 Life

eng - iTunNORM 000005E2 0000058E 0000424E 00003537 00026E95 0001C2B3 00008000 00008000 00005045 00005045

8988

الفن واملواهب زي حرب الكواكب الكل عايز يكون جنم صراع في الداخل

بهدي جنون العظمة بفلفل حر توابل تسيل دموع زي القنابل

زي مابتكلم وداني شغالة كون سامع نبض الشارع علشان أ

حالف أقضي على اإلعالم املتآمر مغامر في الكالم بس إنت مش سامع

ملا بأمسك القلم والورقة الهم بينزاح مخي بيرتاح بأقول اللي على البال

ملا بأقعد بحس بتأنيب ضمير كون في ستوديو بسجل على بيت خطير مفروض أ

e l D e e b + S t o r m t r a p

Art and talent are like Star Wars

Secretly everyone wants to be a star of conflict

I make megalomania tranquil with chilli hot spices

Tears flow like bombs

Thatrsquos how I talk and the world keeps moving

So that I can hear the pulse of the streets

Irsquove sworn to obliterate the media conspirators

I am adventurous in my speech but you do not hear

When I hold the pen and the paper my anxiety is lifted

My mind relaxes and I say whatrsquos on it

When I sit down I feel guilty

I should be in the studio recording dangerous beats

addictأدمان الشهرة ion to fame

Edman El Shuhra

Stormtrap amp Mohamed El Deeb

2011

Hip-Hop

15305855

- vocals Mohamed El Deeb Stormtrap13produced by Stormtrap

9190

إحساس غريب إنك تدمن الكالم ارسم يا فنان واخترع زي دافينشي الرسام

ولو مفيش ورقة باستخدم تليفوني خايف إن فكرة متعديش على صوتي

دنيا غريبة يوم مر يوم بونبوني بس أنا عمري ماغيرت لوني

املوسيقى بنادولي وبطابعي فضولي مهما قالوا لي هافهمها مبفهومي فـساعات أالقي نفسي بكلم نفسي واسمع أصوات غريبة في دماغي

وهو ده الصدى الصوت اللي بسمعه اكن مفيش حد فارقة معاه احالمي

شوف شوف مش هدف إنو أنا شخصيا أنا

هدفي انه كلماتي وموسيقتي تنتشرعشان هيك حتشوفني دوما مستمر مستثمر

كل وقتي كل طاقتي على أصواتي خوذ شك خوذ حتويل خوذ كاش

بس ما تنساش أي شي بيتعلق بالواقع بدناش ما تخاف ألنها قضيتنا مش منسية مية باملية هايذي ثورة كمان ثقافية

خليني أوضح هاي املوسيقى مش معمولة للتلفازeهاي املوسيقى مش معمولة لهز الطياز l D e e b + S t o r m t r a p

Strange feeling to be out of words

Paint oh artist and discover like Da Vinci the artist

If I donrsquot have paper I use my cell

I am afraid that the idea does not come through my voice

Strange world one day is bitter another like candy

But Irsquove never changed my color

Music is my Tylenol and my nature curious

So whatever they tell me Irsquoll understand it my way

Sometimes I find myself talking to myself

And I hear weird voices in my head

Which is just the echo of the sound I hear

As if no one cares about my dreams

See see

My goals are not self serving

My goal is that my words and music spread

Thatrsquos why yoursquoll see me always and continuously investing

All my time my energy on my sounds

Take a check take a transfer take cash

But never forget anything related to reality wersquore not interested

Donrsquot be afraid because our cause is not forgotten

One hundred percent this is also a cultural revolution

Let me explain this music is not meant to be televised

This music is not made for booty shaking

Edman El Shuhra

Stormtrap amp Mohamed El Deeb

2011

Hip-Hop

15305855

- vocals Mohamed El Deeb Stormtrap13produced by Stormtrap

9392

مش فاهم ليش الكل قاتل حاله يكون في مسابقةحابني نتصابح حياكم زات املكافحة

واالعالم ميت ع حيالله قصة ما بيدرس هالقصة من نصها

وبعدن بينفخهامش احلق علينا اذا ما بيبحثوا

وملا يبدوا يحكوا عنا أل عنجد بيبعصوابيفكروا انه كل شي هشك بشك

بس حدن الزم يقلهم انه الهب هوب مش هيكبدك تدير بالك عشانها هاي اللحظة احلاسمة

ملا يجوا عليك الديب والعاصفةنكسر حدود وبنبني وحدة عشان نحيي مجتماعاتنا

وننهي معانتناعشان هيك منكتب كلمات صريحة والها معنى

مش للشهرة مش حتى يجي حدن يدفعلنا

e l D e e b + S t o r m t r a p

I donrsquot understand why everyone is killing themselves to be in the contest

Wersquod like to say goodmorning to salute you in this same struggle

The mediarsquos dying for any story

But they donrsquot study the storyrsquos real text

And then they blow it out of proportion

Itrsquos not our fault if they donrsquot search

And when they talk about us then they really screw it up

They think everything is empty pointless

Somebody needs to tell them that hip hop is not like that

You should take care because this is the critical moment

When the wolf and storm come haunting you

We break borders and we create a unity to revitalize our communities

And stop our suffering

That is why we write frank words that have meaning

Itrsquos not for fame or even so that someone pays us

T r a n s l a t e d b y N i z a r G h a n e m

Edman El Shuhra

Stormtrap amp Mohamed El Deeb

2011

Hip-Hop

15305855

- vocals Mohamed El Deeb Stormtrap13produced by Stormtrap

9594

حضل عهل مود يعنيما إنتلك النجوم عم تقرب

بهل ال مود حكون عطول لبهل جنوم إدءر لو مضطر شن هجوم عل النجوم كلها

خللي األرض تدور حول أصبعي تنلك

ما إنتلك متلي متلك مولع طيار ألفكاري من العقدي تنفك فرد قعدي بني 4 حيطان ما بتنهز و منها ما بنهز

يلز املا بينلزالكاس عل الطاولي و منو عم مز مز

لتفتل براصي وحس من حالي عم كز كزعل ورقة كالمي مدروس و ما بزت زت بجرب ما عيد حالي متا يقولو عم نق نق

موزع قافياتي جواز كأن عم فت فت

بهل األطشة خلي الديني اللي تسمعني ترن رنFبسبيلي جاري يوم ع يوم عم برك رك a r e e q e l A t r a s h

Irsquoll stay in this mood

Didnrsquot I tell you The stars are getting closer

Irsquoll stay in this mood until I touch these stars

Even if I have to launch an attack on all the stars

Irsquoll make the Earth rotate around my finger I told you

Didnrsquot I tell you Irsquom just like you I lit up a joint so my ideas would untie their knot

Sitting this way in between four walls I wonrsquot budge

The most delectable

Drink is on the table from which Irsquom taking sips

Till my head starts spinning and Irsquom sick of myself

On the paper my words are calculated I donrsquot just toss them about

I try not to repeat myself so they wonrsquot say Irsquom nagging

I deal my rhymes out like theyrsquore cards

In this verse Irsquoll make those ears ring

My fountain is running and every day I excel

tالنجوم عم تقرب he stars are gett ing closer

null

29781717

9796

لضل ماشي جالس بينما غيري عم بلك لك شريط معلق ريحة العة عم بتفح فحكل ما فتح متو بتالقي عم بكب كب

عايشها إرهاب و مفي إال بسب سببزبالتي ما بكبو تيكون بعلمك

األالف مسم و بحياتو ما بينسم بزقة من هل التم تخلي سقفك ينش نش

تلمو ردم و ما تفكر إنو ترد رد و عم بحكي عالواطي متا الصالي فيك ترج رج

بطبعي عاقل بس بالراب بزل زل عل الرايق بال ما نط وال فز فز

type of shitعال بارد أبرد من شباط بس يقز قزتخلي عضامك ع بعض تسك سك

ما إنتلك النجوم عم تقرب بهل ال مود حكون عطول لبهل جنوم إدءر

لو مضطر شن هجوم عل النجوم كلهاخللي األرض تدور حول أصبعي تنلك

أنا متنبئ بنبه و بحقق ما قلتلك بعد وقتها ما عم نكت

عاملكرفون إبرة هرون عم بشكشك في شكcheck one two

هيك بدسدس عالنبض

F a r e e q e l A t r a s h

So I can walk straight when others are still playing

A broken record that reeks of a musty smell

Every time he opens his mouth he spews them out

He lives in terror and all he does is curse

I wouldnrsquot throw him in my garbage just so you know

Irsquove irritated thousands and never been irritated in my life

One spit out of this mouth will make your roof leak

And yoursquoll pick up the rubble and donrsquot even think about answering back

Irsquom talking in a low voice so the hall wonrsquot shake with you in it

Irsquom reasonable by nature but when it comes to rap I humiliate cold-heartedly

Without jumping or leaping around

I do it coldly colder than icy February-type of shit

Irsquoll make your bones rattle against each other

Didnrsquot I tell you The stars are getting closer

Irsquoll stay in this mood until I touch these stars

Even if I have to launch an attack on all the stars

Irsquoll make the Earth rotate around my finger I told you

Irsquom a psychic I predict and deliver

Didnrsquot I tell you to stand back when Irsquom not joking

Irsquom pricking the microphone with a heroin needle Is there any doubt

Check one two

Thatrsquos how I feel the pulse

null

29781717

9998

بدقق و زتزت حكي بتزجزج كأنها مزهزها عم بتشمشم عم خطط عم تكتيك و مني ملحلح من هون للساعة توقف تك تيك تك تيك

لك ليك منفخ حاله عامبيكازيب عا غيري بس بوجهي بتاءتإوجهه بيباءبإ من أد ما بعصب بسبسب

زر إنذار إذني بتطنطن و بشوف من عالباب عم بدقدق

عكروت بدو يفوت ليشوف الفن فني بس الفن هون بجسمي معبأ

من حلقي طايف و من متي عم بت شرشر و بيس البيس زلزال برجرج خليك تضبضب تنضب بالبيت لتكنكن

و أنا متأسف ألني بدي استأذن بس بعد شفت كابتشينو بتصحصح

ما إنتلك النجوم عم تقرببهل ال مود حكون عطول لبهل جنوم إدءر

لو مضطر شن هجوم عل النجوم كلهاخللي األرض تدور حول أصبعي تنلك

هيدا هب هوبمش هبل و ال بهل

هيدا زجل تتغزل في

ورايي إيقاع عليي إتبع و ما إطلع عنو يا بصير متل غير مسيس

زقفوا مع االيقاعزقفوا مع االيقاع

F a r e e q e l A t r a s h

Checking and hurling words that tickle as if I was high and sniffing

I am planning and scheming and Irsquom not going anywhere till the clock stops ticking

Look hersquos so full of it lying to others but in my face he stutters

And his face turns red from all the anger and he curses

My earsrsquo alarm bells start ringing

And I go to see whorsquos knocking at the door

Some bastard who wants to see where ldquothe artldquo is

But the art is right here packed in my body

Flowing from my throat running out of my mouth

And the bass is an earthquake that shakes and forces you to pack up and go home

And Irsquom sorry because I need to take leave

But after a sip of cappuccino yoursquoll come around

Didnrsquot I tell you The stars are getting closer

Irsquoll stay in this mood

Until I touch these stars even if I have to launch an attack on all the stars

Irsquoll make the Earth rotate around my finger I told you

This is hip hop

Itrsquos not stupid nor dumb

Itrsquos zajal [a form of Arabic poetry in the Levant]

That you flirt with

There is a beat that I have to follow canrsquot lose it or Irsquoll be like other MCs

Clap with the beat

Clap with the beat

T r a n s l a t e d b y K h a l e d A l H i l l i

null

29781717

101100

انا ببلعهم بتفهم وال مره بسبهمبخليهم داميا يضاربو بتفكيرهم

أنا وراهم قدامهم جنابهم محتلهممش طايقهم مرات وزنهم بكون منزلهم

مرتبهم صاففهم وبقلم أنا حاكمهم زاتتهم مش عاجبيني أنا ماحيهم قائدهم وبنفس الوقت أنا عبيدهم

وبفك وربط أنا بلعب مبعانيهمانا حاميهم بأسطر اللي تقويهم

انا واعدهم اني أستر على فاضحهم ومطلعهم بصوره اللي تبشعهم

بس أنا محترمهم وبسطور ساجنهم مكتفهم كأسير بجنازير القهر

ومهديهم بحبل اللي يبشر بالصبر وانا لي الفخر أكون الشوك اللي فيهم

Dوأكون القهر اللي داميا يسقيهم A M

Yo this is dedicated to the lyrics

Irsquom swallowing them spitting them never dissing them

Giving them freedom of speech

Irsquom behind them in front of them because of them always standing with them

Sometimes get sick of them sick of how you abuse them

Gather them in line with my pen I order them

Didnrsquot like it Throwing them out and replacing them

Irsquom their leader and also their slave

Small changes make huge differences

I train them in pages to make them strong

Promising to use them not abuse them

Or allow the wrong mouths to utter them

Approach them with a military mind and find peace in them

Irsquom lucky to be full of thorns and even luckier that I found the lyrics

So theyrsquoll help me find the roses in me

wordsكلمات

null

26837427

103102

raquoالكل سمعك بس السؤال اذا اللي سمعك فهمكlaquoكلمات ليست كالكلمات بل raquoعالماتlaquo

اللي توجهنا وين مابدنا عحبال السيرك هي تثبتنا ريح العالم من كل جهه اذا احنا ضعاف بتوقعنا بس

raquoأل بلمره ألlaquo raquoكلمات عندي طنlaquoكل واحده الها هدف اخدت حرف عحرف

نسجت جمل اللي البسهم وقت البرد raquoراح اضلني اناديlaquo raquoبنحكي كلماتlaquo

انت بتعرف انهم مبنصب شهاد بحكو املاضي وتنبوا حاضر أي بالد

قد ماحكيت قد ما أحكي فش كالم يغطي بسفي كالم يربي وينمي انت بس أروي

في شوف انه قوه والقوه بتقويفيك و أن رويته مصيره يسقيك )مثل للقوه( العدو من أمامكم

والبحر من ورائكم فال تخيبوا أسيادكمفأين أشعاركم وأين مجادلتكم

فأنتم تسكتون وتخمدون أحالمكم)انهي( نهيت ورجعت للعامية بكلمات

مرمية طالعه من عقليه شعبيهمتل جنيب اللي بذاكرة كل واحد محفوظ مدروس واذا أل معناته في خلل معكوس

عاملجتمع اللي قمع كتاباته Dاللي سمح لنسيانه يشيل خطواته A M

ldquoThey all hear you but few listen to youldquo

Lyrics ainrsquot just a bunch of words they are ldquosignsldquo

Leading us stabilizing us on tight ropes

Winds every way if we are thin we will fall

ldquoBut hell noldquo ldquoyou can measure my words in tonsldquo

Every word has a meaning I knitted a letter with another letter

Made warm sentences to wear in cold days

ldquoSo Irsquoll still shoutldquo ldquowe control lyricsldquo

You know lyrics are like a witness

They witnessed the past and forecast the future

As much as I said or say I canrsquot describe them

But there is a way to find the description and thatrsquos through them

Quench the thirst of the pages with them

So in the future itrsquoll quench your thirst

Keep feeding them as soon as they grow up

Theyrsquoll give you strength

ldquoExample for the strengthldquo

ldquoThe enemy is before you the sea is behind you

So donrsquot you dare disappoint our ancestors

Where are our deep poems Where are our strong statements

From generation to generation we kill our dreamsldquo

ldquoEnough philosophizingldquo ok lets get back to street talk

Words coming outta simple minds

Like Najeeb Mahfuz [literally lsquowell-rememberedrsquo also a famous author]

They keep living in our minds

And if you donrsquot know who he is - then I rest my case

null

26837427

105104

raquoالكل سمعك بس السؤال اذا اللي سمعك فهمكlaquoكلمات ليست كالكلمات بل raquoعالماتlaquo

اللي توجهنا وين مابدنا عحبال السيرك هي تثبتنا ريح العالم من كل جهه اذا احنا ضعاف بتوقعنا بس

raquoأل بلمره ألlaquo raquoكلمات عندي طنlaquoكل واحده الها هدف اخدت حرف عحرف

نسجت جمل اللي البسهم وقت البرد raquoراح اضلني اناديlaquo raquoبنحكي كلماتlaquo

ألف با كبايه أوعك تكسرهاامسكها للنهاية وكل ما تفضى مليها

كلمه أو رواية ومع املراحل زيدها شيحكاية وهيك ضلك زود فيها

وجيبها لتجمعاتك وساعتها استعملها لنقاشاتك وملواقفك استخدمها

هادي مدافعك اللي مداها بسيطرتك وما دافعك انه ما تخليها رايتك

ما هي تكتب ما هي توصف ما هي تكذب ما هي تنصف

ما هي هي الهروب هياللجوء هي الدروب هي

العبور باحلدود واللي مبرؤهم مبدع وبفوز باخللود واللي بسرقهم مش مقنع

واذا بتديهم احلرية بنادوك ممنوعDواذا بتوخد احلريه بنادوك مسموح A M

ldquoThey all hear you but few listen to youldquo

Lyrics ainrsquot just a bunch of words they are ldquosignsldquo

Leading us stabilizing us on tight ropes

Winds every way if we are thin we will fall

ldquoBut hell noldquo ldquoyou can measure my words in tonsldquo

Every word has a meaning I knitted a letter with another letter

Made warm sentences to wear in cold days

ldquoSo Irsquoll still shoutldquo ldquowe control lyricsldquo

The Arabic alphabet is like a glass donrsquot break it

Hold it tight and keep filling it

And then bring it to our arguments

Scream till your throat gets dry and then wet it

It holds our body itrsquos like our legs

If you stand for nothing yoursquoll fall for anything

The words write create

They kill lead and sometimes even lie

You can use them to build borders

And those who are gifted

Can use them to walk through borders

And in some governments

Itrsquos forbidden to give words freedom

But if you choke them and kill them

Thatrsquos allowed

F i g u r a t i v e t r a n s l a t i o n o f f e r e d b y t h e a r t i s t s

null

26837427

107106

further reading

The tracks presented in this document are not a comprehensive sampling of the genre of the market of hip hop in Arabic or of hip hop and rap in the wider Middle East

Artists featured here hail from Egypt Lebanon Palestine and the anglophone Arab diaspora The thriving North African hip hop scene is not represented nor is the work of the established francophone Arab diaspora nor the expanding hip hop scenes of especially Iran or Turkey

This collection does not attempt a comprehensive chronology Tracks featured here are not primarily new releases (though some are) neither are they all ldquoclassicsrdquo These limitations of scope are important to note

Many tracks of the popular Libyan group Ibn Thabitt and other groups from across the region have been translated and are hosted with commentary on the notable blog

revolutionaryarabrapblogspotcom

Another valuable resource is the Beirut-based blog by Jackson Allers ldquoBeats and Breathrdquo which features articulate critiques and reviews of events and releases from the region

jacksonallerswordpresscom

Hass Dennaoui (alias Big Hass) who recently launched started the first all hip-hop FM radio show in Saudi Arabia Laish Hip Hop (Why Hip Hop) manages a lively blog which

hosts an internet feed of his radio show and interviews with MCs and influential hip hop figures from around the world

revoltradioblogspotcom

Lebaneseundergroundcom hosts coverage of underground music in Lebanon including hip hop

And finally an excellent article by Hishaam Aidi on implications of the use of hip hop as foreign policy ldquoThe Grand (Hip-Hop) Chessboard Race Rap and Raison DrsquoEtatrdquo was published in The Middle East Report Fall 2011 Excerpts of the piece were published by Al Jazeera English in the article ldquoLeveraging Hip Hop in US Foreign Policyrdquo

All the artists and many of the translators whose work is showcased here host a significant online presence Their sites are listed with more about each of them on the following pages

109108

artist bios

ARABIAN KNIGHTZ the premier hip hop group from the land of the Nile River have not only established themselves as the lyricists with the sharpest swords in their land but they have also created the most consistent voice for rebellion strength and hope for the youth of the Middle East During the 2011 Revolution Arabian Knightz released two singles ldquoRebelrdquo and ldquoNot Your Prisonerrdquo anthems of resistance which gained worldwide attention and major media coverage for their powerful lyrics against a wicked system The group formed in 2006 through the cipher hip hoprsquos natural way of choosing like mindsets on the mic Rush Sphinx and E-Money were ahead of their peers adapting an authentic Arab perspective to the art dominated by Western voices mixing English and Arabic raps After hitting the studio for successful underground tracks AK enlisted super-producer Fredwreck (Snoop Dogg Xzibit Tha Dogg Pound) ldquoFokkakrdquo the single from this studio session was an instant hit and (surprisingly for Arabic Hip Hop) projected them to the top ten of the singles charts Arab League Records was formed amidst a growing fanbase and numerous collaborations with other Arab hip hop artists the first international Arab hip hop record label Desert Saga Volume 1 mixtape was the debut release led by ldquoThe Onerdquo featuring Egyptrsquos MC Amin Arabian Knightz have recorded their debut album Uknighted State of Arabia a masterpiece for Arab hip hop years in the making featuring instrumentals dominated by traditional percussions and players are scheduled for a Winter 2012 Release They are on Facebook

BOIKUTT is a musician and MC based in Ramallah Palestine Creating sounds using sampled material field recordings and electronic devices the results range between hip-hop downtempo ambient glitch and experimental He has composed and produced music for artists such as Kronos Quartet Bukue One Spiritchild Tamer Abu-Ghazaleh Bleubird and others and has appeared as an MC on albums for artists such as Slovo Heliodrome Bonnot and Lethal Skillz A co-founder of the Ramallah Underground Collective which has toured across the Arab World Europe and Australia Boikutt is also co-founder and member of audio-visual group Tashweesh with whom he is currently touring Also as a solo performer he has been in Beirut Cairo Manila Copenhagen London Hamburg Dubai Bethlehem and other cities He has produced and exhibited a few sound-art pieces composed several film scores has most recently composed the music for a dance theater performance entitled Bound by

New York-based company Yaa Samar Dance Theatre and is now working on different collaborative and solo projects His work may be heard at soundcloudcomboikutt and on Facebook

DAM Da Arabian MCrsquos are Suhell Nafar Tamer Nafar and Mahmoud Jreri The first Palestinian hip hop crew and among the first to rap in Arabic the group began working together in the late 1990s Struck by the uncanny resemblance of the reality of the streets in a Tupac video to the streets in their own neighborhood of Lyd they were inspired to tell their stories through hip hop Their timely song ldquoMin Irhabirdquo (ldquoWhorsquos the Terroristrdquo) was downloaded a million times shortly after its internet realese in 2001 and DAM became a household name among youth throughout the Middle East Ten years of performing all over the world has strengthened the grouprsquos commitment to continue living and working in their hometown of Lyd 15 minutes from Tel Aviv and working to provide the youth of the city and neighboring communities with programs and opportunities that have been denied to Palestinian citizens of Israel Their music is a unique fusion of East and West and encompasses influences as varied as Ghassan Kanafani Ahlam Mosteghanemi Mahmoud Darwish Naji al Ali Tupac Biggie Public Enemy MBS Krsquonaan and Pharoahe Monch IHDA (Dedication) DAMrsquos long-awaited first international album was released in 2007 and DAM has seen its songs and members featured in films such as Ford Transit (Dir Hany Abu Assad) Where in the World is Osama Bin Laden (Dir Morgan Spurlock) Salt of this Sea (Dir Annemarie Jacir) Local Angel and Forgiveness (Dir Udi Aloni) DAMrsquos history and influence on the Arab hip hop scene is detailed in the feature-length documentary Slingshot Hip Hop (Dir Jackie Reem Salloum) The group has also been featured in Vibe National Geographic Rolling Stone Q Basement Reuters and The New York Times and has appeared on MTV CNN BBC and Al Jazeera Their work can be heard and explored at damrapcom

EL DEEB first ventured into Egyptian Hip Hop when he joined Asfalt in 2005 He left in 2007 to create Wighit Nazara duo represented by Mohamed Yasser and himself It was a successful musical project that lasted until mid 2010 Currently he is working on his solo career with plans to release an EP every couple of months or so Cairofornia is his first solo EP His work may be heard at deebbandcampcom and on Facebook

EL RASS was born in Tripoli Lebanon He started writing poetry in literary Arabic at age 11 and started rhyming in spoken Lebanese dialect in 1999 at age 15 At that time he formed one third of a group of 3 MCrsquos going under the name of ldquoMlouk el Micrdquo (ldquoKings of the Micrdquo) They recorded one album and performed locally At 17 he left for France to study Finance and Economics Studies were hard money was scarce and exile was tough but music and poetry never left him as he continued rhyming with some underground French MCrsquos like Medline and Moebius and developed new musical skills on percussion in classical Arabic singing and baglama (turkish buzuk) After graduating and working for almost two years in the hell of banking and market finance El Rass decided to return to Lebanon He spent a year just re-discovering Beirut and making and learning music He now works as a journalist at the newspaper Assafir while concurrently pursuing joint projects with other producers and musicians He calls his work Taalik in reference to the same word in Arabic for ldquocommentrdquo and another word that comes from the same semantic root moaallakat which is a corpus of selected pre-Islamic poetry that was written with gold ink on the walls of the Karsquoaba in Mecca His work may be heard at soundcloudcomElRass

FAREEQ EL ATRASH is a hip hop band based out of Hamra St Beirut with a sound that is distinguished by laid back topical flows over live instrumentation It consists of Edd (raps) Nasser (raps) FZ (vocal production and FX) Fouad Afra (drums) Goo (plays guitar keys heart strings) and Abed Kobeissy (plays bass and buzuk) Their 2010 album and 2009 prealbum are available online More of their work may be found on Facebook Eddrsquos solo work can also be heard at soundcloudcomEdd

H2Z was born in Kuwait in 1986 where he lived for four years Due to the gulf war his family moved to Lebanon where he lived for the most part of his life Inspired by the tragic events in the Middle East and elsewhere in the world H2Z adopted rap music as a way to raise awareness about the injustices suffered by his people and to deliver a message through his music to anyone who supports the Palestinian cause His career began in 2004 when he was introduced to the production business by fellow rappers and soon he started producing his own tracks and established a local band producing many tracks for himself and other musicians in Lebanon In 2008 he released his first solo album titled 3aed which contained

17 tracks The political influence was noticed throughout the album and was generally well-received He is now studying for a degree in business administration at Wayne State University in Michigan His work may be heard at reverbnationcomh2z

KATIBEH 5 are based in Borj el Barajneh Lebanon Their work can be found at reverbnationcomkatibeh5 and myspacecomkatibe5palestine and on Facebook

M1 is Mutulu Olugbala of the New York based collective Dead Prez whose work is online at deadprezcom M1 is also on Facebook

MC GAZA is Adnan Mahmoud Ghonim an Algerian born artist and university student based in Gaza It was the beginning of 2005 when he attended one of the hip hop concerts in Gaza City ndash Gaza City that never appreciated the art he loved and attached himself to ndash and it was love at first sight between them Through some of the concerts he participated in a number of songs he collaborated on with Arabs from Egypt Algeria and Palestine and some active participation to represent the Palestinian people and interviews for both Arab and foreign press he was able to make a name for himself in the Gazan hip hop community His work may be found at youtubecomMCGaza and on Facebook

THE NARCICYST Having pioneered the Arab Hip-Hop movement with seminal Iraqi-Canadian crew Euphrates The Narcicyst recently broke through borders and shattered traveling etiquette touring solo around the world sharing stages with the likes of Brother Ali Mos Def and Kanye West to name a few On top of music The Narcicyst is a celebrated theorist whose academic work Fear of an Arab Planet has him from the stage to the classrooms of internationally renowned universities He is now also a professor at Concordia University teaching a Fine Arts course ldquoHip-Hop Past Present and Futurerdquo His writings have been published by multiple university presses and magazines internationally he is also a self-published author having recently released the biographical and social-study on the Arab world The Diatribes of a Dying Tribe As a true artist interested in really pushing his own artistic boundaries The Narcicyst has stepped into acting currently starring in the short music film PHATWA and in the first internationally-released film from the United Arab Emirates called City of Life A true multi-media

111110

KHALED AL HILLI is a PhD candidate in Comparative Literature at the Graduate Center City University of New York He has a BA in English Literature and a Masterrsquos degree in Teaching Second Languages Born in Iraq Khaled has taught in Lebanon and Saudi Arabia at both college and high school levels He has also worked with various Iraqi news outlets and has subtitledtranslated documentary films dealing with current social and political issues His research interests include Arabic political literature prison literature and literature in the diaspora He may be reached at hillykhalidgmailcom

+AZIZ is a NYC-based marketing consultant and a musician He is working through The World Music Parade to develop an animation project based on his music More about that project can be found at themusicparadetumblrcom He tweets from plusaziz

FAYSAL BIBI is a paleontologist and electronic musician currently based in Berlin

LOUBNA BILALI is originally from Morocco She did her undergrad and first MA in English Linguistics at Chouaib Doukkali University El Jadida She came to the US in 2008 to pursue a Masterrsquos degree in French to English translation and is currently working on a PhD in translation studies at Kent State University in Ohio She is very interested in learning and teaching languages as well as translating and localizing computer applications and websites She may be reached at loubnabilaligmailcom

FARAH ELREWAISSATI is a freelance translator pro-Palestine activist and BDS advocate who blogs at youthanormalizationblogspotcom She tweets from 3beee

NIZAR GHANEM was born in Lebanon He has been active in intercultural education interactive learning and conflict resolution across the Arab world His work on conflict resolution involved using theater comics and music as tools for emotional expression and social mobilization

RIMA NAJDI is a Performing Artist She studied dramatic arts at the Lebanese University in Beirut and obtained a Masterrsquos degree in Performance Studies at NYU New York She has written and performed in various plays and performances Najdi is particularly interested in multi-media performing arts and the position of the spectators

BARRAK ALZAID (copy editor) is the Artistic Director of ArteEast He is the editor of the ArteEast Quarterly a dynamic online portal featuring four publications that highlight contemporary art and culture from the Middle East and diaspora ndash ArtersquoZine Shahadat (contemporary short-form literature) Gallery and Cinematek (an online film center) He is also the curator for ArteEastrsquos Across Histories Art Talk Series featuring a series of panels on residencies in Fall 2011 He tweets from barrakster

RAYYA EL ZEIN (editor) is working towards a PhD in Theatre at the Graduate Center City University of New York Her research is increasingly focusing on theories of reception historical studies of audience behavior and popular culture in the Arab world She holds an MA in Performance Studies from NYU and is currently a teaching fellow at City College in Harlem She tweets from rayelz

translator biosdreamer Yassin recently established an arts label in the UAE called The Medium focusing on delivering art from Arabs in the diaspora and at lsquohomersquo to the rest of the world iraqisthebombcom He tweets from TheNarcicyst

OMAR OFFENDUM is a Syrian-American hip hop artist born in Saudi Arabia raised in Washington DC and living in Los Angeles Known for taking audiences on a lyrical journey from the jasmine-tree-lined courtyards of Nizar Qabbanirsquos Damascene homes to the flooded riverbanks of Langston Hughesrsquo Harlem Renaissance poems - Offendum has been featured on several major news outlets (BBC Yahoo ABC News Aljazeera PBS) toured the world to promote his ground-breaking music helped raise thousands of dollars for various humanitarian relief organizations (PCRF KinderUSA ANERA Islamic Relief) lectured at a number of prestigious academic institutions (Harvard MIT Stanford Columbia American University of Beirut NYU-AbuDhabi Qatar Education City) and most recently been involved in creating several critically-acclaimed songs about the popular democratic uprisings throughout the Middle East amp North Africa He is currently hard at work promoting his solo release - affectionately dubbed SyrianamericanA His work may be heard (and read) at offendumbandcampcom He is on Facebook and he tweets from Offendum

RAMALLAH UNDERGROUND based in Ramallah Palestine was born from the immediacy of musical experimentation and out of the need to give voice to a generation of Palestinians and Arabs facing a turbulent and uncertain political landscape The collective was founded by artists Boikutt Stormtrap and Aswatt and has always held a commitment to both the honesty of their work and the need to creatively rejuvenate Arabic culture To this end they combine music ranging from Arabic electronic music hip-hop and trip hop to downtempo with a deep sense of their local culture and the imposing presence of Palestine in their lives The outcome is a new specific and distinct sound RU (as producers and as MCrsquos ) has collaborated with numerous artists across the globe including countries like Lebanon UK Switzerland Italy USA France and many more including a collaboration with Slovo (a band headed by the guitarist from faithless) in their track ldquoNakbardquo which appears on their album Todo Cambia and with Kronos Quartet in the track ldquoTashweeshrdquo which appears on Floodplain RU has also performed live shows in Ramallah Bethlehem Vienna London Cairo Lausanne Amsterdam and Washington DC Their shows are mainly a performance of their hip-hop tracks as well as a few of their own electronic productions as a warm up More recently RU has incorporated a visual set in their live

performances brought to you by Palestinian visual artist Ruanne RU hopes to give a voice to Palestinians and Arabs bringing an alternative voice from the Arab world Their lyrics and music are an expression of anguish and defiance ultimately remaining a defiant voice of the colonized against the colonizer They continue to play a big role in the Arab underground cultural scene while slowly gaining wide global and local popularity

SHADIA MANSOURrsquos work can be found at myspacecomshadiamusic and on Facebook

STORMTRAP is a music producercomposerMC from Palestine Experimenting with old samples instruments and field recordings his sound is the result of a fusion of ambient atmospheres combined with various noises and hip hop beats His lyrics deal with different themes inspired mainly by his personal experiences in Palestine and life in the diaspora Stormtrap played a fundamental role in forming the band Ramallah Underground with which he has performed worldwide the past few years Currently he is working in Vienna with Aras Seyhan and Eren Ileri on a new album which combines live instruments synthesizers turntables beats and Arabic lyrics- which will be released early 2012 His work may be heard at soundcloudcomstormtrap He tweets from asifeh

AMEER YOSSEF 25 has sung and writen music with the band Klaket for the past four years His work may be heard at youtubecomAmeer and on Facebook

towards the work Her work for now concentrates on the process of making interactive and participatory performances that question borders stereotypes and languages

MOE ALI NAYEL is a fixer and a journalist based in Beirut Lebanon He uses social media blogging non-mainstream music journalism and writing as a word spreading eye opening socializing arena He uses social media as a bridge that cuts distance between people on this planet making it a tiny village This bridge starts in his office and takes him to every corner in the world enabling him to connect and network with people and cultures sharing and exchanging stories of the unheard and the neglected He blogs at Words of Action and he tweets from MoeAliNay

ALEX ORTIZ is a video and radio journalist and translator based in Cairo Egypt He graduated from Brown University in 2009 with a double major in Comparative Literature and Middle East Studies He was a CASA I fellow from 2009-2010 and a CASA II fellow from 2010-2011 He currently works for CBS News as a field producer He tweets from cairowitness

AHMED SHAWKET is an independent translator living in Cairo Egypt He is a graduate of the Helwan University Faculty of Arts where he majored in philosophy Ahmed works on literary media and commercial translation

113112

ABOUT SHAHADATShahadat is a quarterly online series designed to provide a platform for short-form writing and experimentation in writing by young and underexposed writers from the MENA region (Middle East and North Africa) The series features stories vignettes reflections and chronicles in translation and the original language of Arabic Farsi Turkish or Kurdish It makes up one quarter of ArteEastrsquos online programming the AE Quarterly For past issues of Shahadat click here

ABOUT THIS SERIES Shahadat is proud to run two alternating series and releases two issues a year of each The issue yoursquove just perused is part of the ldquoExploring Popular Literaturerdquo series This series challenges traditional understandings of ldquoliteraturerdquo emerging from the Middle East and North Africa by presenting genres of creative production that rely on words and language but which have not typically been studied as literature Works are presented in their original language and in translation

In each issue we gather texts from a spectrum of writers to challenge the singular status of the artistauthor and to encourage a more complex presentation of the Middle Eastern and North African ldquostreetrdquo for English-speaking audiences Shahadatrsquos other series ldquoContemporary Literature in Translationrdquo features the work of a single young author in the original language and in English translation

BEHIND THE DOCUMENTShahadat is co-edited by Rayya El Zein Alex Ortiz and ArteEastrsquos Artistic Director Barrak Alzaid All three are young professionals and scholars with artistic inclinations (literature poetry translation and performance) All three have strong connections to New York City and various metropole of the MENA region Shahadat is for us an experiment and a labor of love An editorial board of established scholars and authors is currently being conceived

SPECIAL THANKS TOAnmar El ZeinKinda AkashAndrew JohnstonLivia Alexander

Shahadat logo design by Rima Farouki

114

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Page 40: Shahadat Winter 2012

7978

موقف واحد صريح من صميم روح لشعوب املقاومة ضمير ظهور البشرية

السبيل صعب ورا الغضبدعم لكل أسالوب محارب

د لنحرق نظامك منتدرب منجرب منخرب منستععم نحرق نظامك

هديتي إذا فيك

إطلع منيحمش رح تقدر توخذ كل شي من أول نظرة

نظرة عامة raquoبشرة مش بيضةlaquoجبني عريضة مكتوب مولود عنيد بالفطرة

فوت بالتقاليد عد التجاعيدلك هاي مش أول مرة

لغات ودراسات حط العلم بغالفمش رح تقدر تفهم ليه بعد في بارود ع الكتافلون األرض ولون الليل بيعطيك البني و السواد

بوعدك مش لوحدي رح أضل عد رماد الال اللعبة اجلديدة وال والدنا ع اللعبة جداد

بكفيش إنفلونزا الصقور صار في إنفلونزا اخلنازيرموسم مرض جديد لرئيس مبثل ع نفوس ومريض بهدوء البيض

هديتي إذا فيك

k a t i b e h 5

A single honest stance from the bottom of the soul for the people of the resistance the conscience

that exposes humanity

The path is difficult when following anger

A support for every style of battle

We train we strive we disrupt we prepare to burn your system

We are burning your system

Hold me back if you can

Look closely

You wonrsquot be able to see it all at first sight

An overview ldquocomplexion that is not whiteldquo

A broad forehead written born stubborn by nature

Look at the traditions and count the wrinkles

This is not the first time

Languages and scholarship put education under wraps

You wonrsquot be able to understand why there is still gunpowder on shoulders

The color of earth and the color of night gives you brown and blackness

I promise you that I will not be alone to count the ashes no

This game to us is not new and nor are our children new to the game

As if the influenza of eagles was not enough now therersquos the influenza of pigs

The season of a new disease for a president acting for a public and sick with the

calmness of white people

Hold me back if you can

null

23098943

8180

اإلحتالل نكه البشر بنكهة املجاريبالسالم حوار أديانبإقرار ملكية كذابة

بتشويه تاريخ وسرقة حضاراتولك أه

فلسطني إفريقيا الدجلة والفراتإجتاه البشرية لإلضمحالل سرطان بشري بعضها

الشتا ميسح اخلطايا واآلثاروليش بتتخبى وبتتغطى بنفس كل سفارة سميك الستار

لساتني باكل الضربة ورا الضره ورا الضربةوحتى ما أفعل وأساوي تكمشني الرجفة

بدل ما أضرب فيك بضرب بحاليبوعدكش حضلني كامش حالي حفلتها

حفلتها

هديني إذا فيك هديني إذا فيكهديني إذا فيك

k a t i b e h 5

The occupation has seasoned humanity with the flavor of sewers

With peace with dialogue of religions

With the declaration of false ownership

With the distortion of history and the theft of civilizations

Oh yes

Palestine Africa the Tigris and Euphrates

Humanity is leading to reduction a human cancer bites it

Exile wipes clean the sins and the traces

And why are you hiding and seeking cover when all the embassies are already well concealed

I am still taking one beating after another

And so that I donrsquot take action and do something shudders grip my body

Instead of beating you I beat myself

I canrsquot promise you that I can keep myself restrained

Irsquom gonna let go

Hold me back if you can

Hold me back if you can

Hold me back if you can

T r a n s l a t e d b y R i m a N a j d i a n d F a y s a l B i b i

null

23098943

8382

طول عمر الشعب املصري مع بعض أحلك الظروفبص وفر في التاريخ وانت ياما هاتشوف

الدين ده ليا وليكوفيا وفيك

حاجة روحانية بتخليك حتس اللي بيك

ايد في ايد نبني فيها من جديد

مصر زعلت علي حاصل وسطنا مش مفيد

بعد ثورة وبعد عيد فتنة تقتل حلم واتتحقق لنا

واحد اتننيالذكري بتعيش اكتر من عمر االنسان

بصمتنا تغييرنا جوة وبرة امليدان مش هانضيع نصر ثورتنا بفتنة نشئت بينا

A r a b i a n K n i g h t s + M C G a z a + A m e e r

The Egyptian people have always stuck together

Through the worst times look at history

And see how often wersquove been there for each other

That whole idea of religion

Is for you and for me something spiritual that makes you feel whatrsquos inside you

Hand in hand

We build Egypt up again

Egypt is angry at whatrsquos happening between us

Itrsquos not helpful

After the revolution after the celebration

Sectarian strife is killing the dream we fulfilled

One two

The memory lasts more than a lifetime

Our mark is our change in and outside Tahrir Square

We wonrsquot give up the victory of our revolution in exchange for sectarian strife between

us

hand inايد في ايد hand

Eid Fe Eid

Yasser Ameer Youssef Rush E Money amp MCGaza | by BOGEY

Single Hit track 11

20112011

Hip-Hop

24002867

eng - Hip-Hop 4 Life

eng - iTunNORM 000005E2 0000058E 0000424E 00003537 00026E95 0001C2B3 00008000 00008000 00005045 00005045

8584

بلدنا محتجانا ايدنا واحدة ضد احملنة تفرق ايه معاك ديانتي ملا ربك هو ربي

اصلك هو اصلي ارضك هي ارضي

ملا اتقال لي اكتت فيول فتنة انا قولت غلط علشان الفتنة مفتعلة في بلدنا وكان وراها غرض

فالفرد افترض فبفرض السياسة األمر اختلط

فالزم يبقي املصل سياسي من اصل املرض العسس واحلرس مافرقوش صليب وهالل

وكنا كلنا واحد وراء االقفالدم الشهيد شاهد

ياما بالفتنة انكسرنا وحدتنا بصوت واحد وضد الظلم انتصرنا

وديني هو ديني صلة بيني وبني ربي هارفع علمي وارفع راسي فوق

انا مصري

ايد في ايد نبني فيها من جديد

مصر زعلت علي حاصل وسطنا مش مفيد

بعد ثورة وبعد عيد فتنة تقتل حلم واتتحقق لنا

خلو حمامة السالم من الطيور املنقرضةعلشان تبقي القلوب مبتعدة منقسمه سهل تتسم

فكرين مناعة و قوة أم الدنيا بالطمع مرتبطةنسر املصريني ليس له دين احنا بنحميها بالدم

العنف بذوره بتكتر عاوز يوصل واحلروب حتصل

A r a b i a n K n i g h t s + M C G a z a + A m e e r

Our country needs us all together against the hard times

What difference does my religion make to you when your god is my god

Your origin is mine

Your land is my land

When they told me about sectarian strife I said thatrsquos wrong

Because itrsquos been planted in our country and behind it is some purpose

Makes one think somethingrsquos going on

By playing politics everythingrsquos gotten mixed up

The antidote has to be political just like the poison itself

The military doesnrsquot distinguish between cross and crescent

Wersquore all held together behind bars

The blood of the martyrs bears witness

To how much wersquove been broken by sectarianism

Through our unity we triumphed with one voice over injustice

And my religion is my own a rapport between me and God

Irsquoll raise my flag and my head up

Irsquom Egyptian

Hand in hand

We build Egypt up again

Egypt is angry at whatrsquos happening between us

Itrsquos not helpful

After the revolution after the victory

Sectarian strife is killing the dream we fulfilled

They drove the dove of peace to extinction

To keep hearts apart and divided itrsquos easy to poison them

Do they really think the resilience and strength of Egypt is connected to greed

The Egyptian eagle has no religion we protect it with our blood

The roots of violence are increasing want to gain control to start wars

Eid Fe Eid

Yasser Ameer Youssef Rush E Money amp MCGaza | by BOGEY

Single Hit track 11

20112011

Hip-Hop

24002867

eng - Hip-Hop 4 Life

eng - iTunNORM 000005E2 0000058E 0000424E 00003537 00026E95 0001C2B3 00008000 00008000 00005045 00005045

8786

للعاقيدة يكسر وألعضاء املشاعر تتشال تصتأصلعلى كالم ربهم اتكبرو فعملو قدر واتقدر

وقته مستنينه ليه خططوا مضمون الرسائل اتغير الن الهدف هو تدمير قعدة الوحدهوقتل كل قائد يقود الناس بره احملنه

فيبقي سهل يزيحنا ميحي أوصول عليها كبرناوكل واحد علي حداه يقول أنا محدش يقول احنا

فاببطء بحرص بص بعقل بحذر شوفقبل ما يخلوا خيالك يتخلله اخلوف

واخلوف ده افراز بيطلع من غده ملا الكلب بيشوفهابيعرف انك فاريسه سهل ياكلها ركز

فرق تسد إخلعوفق جتد إرفع

ثورة تقدصمت يفرد- يفرق

ما بيجمع بيننامن حقي النقد من حقك - تسمع

طب إسمع وراجع ما صور التاريخ طب باله بيكفي صور زمانييوم حصار كنيسة املهد مني دافع مني اتقمع مني اتنفا

مسلم مسيحي أل كان فلسطيني اتذكر معي ثورة غضب يناير

اتذكر معي الوحدة اإليد الوحدة اتشرف انتا مصرياتذكر معي األخ بإيد األخ يحمي األخ بدون إلخ

كالمي ماشي ماشي ال-لتفهمني بهويتي مسلم وال نصراني قبطي

ما في حجة لربطي خلبطي حلطي ألوطي ألغير خطيخير أجناد األرض

من أرض بيت املقدس كل السالم بعد ما قلت إلنقسام في وطنيانا ملزم أقول ال لفتنة

تفتت مجد شعب تعب عانى ضحى بالغالي حتى بناه

A r a b i a n K n i g h t s + M C G a z a + A m e e r

The relationship between Egyptians breaks down and the organs that feel are taken out

They got full of themselves in the name of their god and invented a new fate for us

Theyrsquore waiting for a time and theyrsquore plotting The meaning of their messages changes

Because the goal is to destroy the foundation of unity

And kill every leader who takes the people out of hard times

Itrsquos easy to remove us to wipe out the traditions we grew up with

Everyone on his own everyone says ldquoIldquo and no one says ldquoweldquo

Slowly carefully look Wisely with caution see

Before they make your imagination a slave to fear

And that fear releases a secretion from a gland

And when the dog sees it he knows yoursquore easy prey

Divide yoursquoll conquer

Bring harmony and yoursquoll reap Start

A revolution and it will catch on

Silence is solitary It divides

It doesnrsquot bring us together

It is my right to criticize and your right to listen

So listen and look back at history or better look at my life time

The day the Nativity Church was under siege who was persecuted Who was exiled

A Muslim A Christian No he was Palestinian

Letrsquos remember the angry revolution of January

Letrsquos remember the unity the one hand Be proud yoursquore Egyptian

Remember the brother holding hands with a brother protecting a brother

And I can go on

Donrsquot teach me about my identity whether Irsquom a Muslim or a Christian Copt

Therersquos no excuse to tie me down beat me to make me cower and kneel and stray from my courseThe Earthrsquos most virtuous soldiers

Come from the land of Bayt al-Maqdis [Jerusalem] I salute you After I said no to division in my countryIrsquom committed to saying no to seditionThat dissolves the glory of a people who labored suffered sacrificed what was most dear to build it

T r a n s l a t e d b y A l e x O r t i z + A h m e d S h a w k e t + K h a l e d A l H i l l i

Eid Fe Eid

Yasser Ameer Youssef Rush E Money amp MCGaza | by BOGEY

Single Hit track 11

20112011

Hip-Hop

24002867

eng - Hip-Hop 4 Life

eng - iTunNORM 000005E2 0000058E 0000424E 00003537 00026E95 0001C2B3 00008000 00008000 00005045 00005045

8988

الفن واملواهب زي حرب الكواكب الكل عايز يكون جنم صراع في الداخل

بهدي جنون العظمة بفلفل حر توابل تسيل دموع زي القنابل

زي مابتكلم وداني شغالة كون سامع نبض الشارع علشان أ

حالف أقضي على اإلعالم املتآمر مغامر في الكالم بس إنت مش سامع

ملا بأمسك القلم والورقة الهم بينزاح مخي بيرتاح بأقول اللي على البال

ملا بأقعد بحس بتأنيب ضمير كون في ستوديو بسجل على بيت خطير مفروض أ

e l D e e b + S t o r m t r a p

Art and talent are like Star Wars

Secretly everyone wants to be a star of conflict

I make megalomania tranquil with chilli hot spices

Tears flow like bombs

Thatrsquos how I talk and the world keeps moving

So that I can hear the pulse of the streets

Irsquove sworn to obliterate the media conspirators

I am adventurous in my speech but you do not hear

When I hold the pen and the paper my anxiety is lifted

My mind relaxes and I say whatrsquos on it

When I sit down I feel guilty

I should be in the studio recording dangerous beats

addictأدمان الشهرة ion to fame

Edman El Shuhra

Stormtrap amp Mohamed El Deeb

2011

Hip-Hop

15305855

- vocals Mohamed El Deeb Stormtrap13produced by Stormtrap

9190

إحساس غريب إنك تدمن الكالم ارسم يا فنان واخترع زي دافينشي الرسام

ولو مفيش ورقة باستخدم تليفوني خايف إن فكرة متعديش على صوتي

دنيا غريبة يوم مر يوم بونبوني بس أنا عمري ماغيرت لوني

املوسيقى بنادولي وبطابعي فضولي مهما قالوا لي هافهمها مبفهومي فـساعات أالقي نفسي بكلم نفسي واسمع أصوات غريبة في دماغي

وهو ده الصدى الصوت اللي بسمعه اكن مفيش حد فارقة معاه احالمي

شوف شوف مش هدف إنو أنا شخصيا أنا

هدفي انه كلماتي وموسيقتي تنتشرعشان هيك حتشوفني دوما مستمر مستثمر

كل وقتي كل طاقتي على أصواتي خوذ شك خوذ حتويل خوذ كاش

بس ما تنساش أي شي بيتعلق بالواقع بدناش ما تخاف ألنها قضيتنا مش منسية مية باملية هايذي ثورة كمان ثقافية

خليني أوضح هاي املوسيقى مش معمولة للتلفازeهاي املوسيقى مش معمولة لهز الطياز l D e e b + S t o r m t r a p

Strange feeling to be out of words

Paint oh artist and discover like Da Vinci the artist

If I donrsquot have paper I use my cell

I am afraid that the idea does not come through my voice

Strange world one day is bitter another like candy

But Irsquove never changed my color

Music is my Tylenol and my nature curious

So whatever they tell me Irsquoll understand it my way

Sometimes I find myself talking to myself

And I hear weird voices in my head

Which is just the echo of the sound I hear

As if no one cares about my dreams

See see

My goals are not self serving

My goal is that my words and music spread

Thatrsquos why yoursquoll see me always and continuously investing

All my time my energy on my sounds

Take a check take a transfer take cash

But never forget anything related to reality wersquore not interested

Donrsquot be afraid because our cause is not forgotten

One hundred percent this is also a cultural revolution

Let me explain this music is not meant to be televised

This music is not made for booty shaking

Edman El Shuhra

Stormtrap amp Mohamed El Deeb

2011

Hip-Hop

15305855

- vocals Mohamed El Deeb Stormtrap13produced by Stormtrap

9392

مش فاهم ليش الكل قاتل حاله يكون في مسابقةحابني نتصابح حياكم زات املكافحة

واالعالم ميت ع حيالله قصة ما بيدرس هالقصة من نصها

وبعدن بينفخهامش احلق علينا اذا ما بيبحثوا

وملا يبدوا يحكوا عنا أل عنجد بيبعصوابيفكروا انه كل شي هشك بشك

بس حدن الزم يقلهم انه الهب هوب مش هيكبدك تدير بالك عشانها هاي اللحظة احلاسمة

ملا يجوا عليك الديب والعاصفةنكسر حدود وبنبني وحدة عشان نحيي مجتماعاتنا

وننهي معانتناعشان هيك منكتب كلمات صريحة والها معنى

مش للشهرة مش حتى يجي حدن يدفعلنا

e l D e e b + S t o r m t r a p

I donrsquot understand why everyone is killing themselves to be in the contest

Wersquod like to say goodmorning to salute you in this same struggle

The mediarsquos dying for any story

But they donrsquot study the storyrsquos real text

And then they blow it out of proportion

Itrsquos not our fault if they donrsquot search

And when they talk about us then they really screw it up

They think everything is empty pointless

Somebody needs to tell them that hip hop is not like that

You should take care because this is the critical moment

When the wolf and storm come haunting you

We break borders and we create a unity to revitalize our communities

And stop our suffering

That is why we write frank words that have meaning

Itrsquos not for fame or even so that someone pays us

T r a n s l a t e d b y N i z a r G h a n e m

Edman El Shuhra

Stormtrap amp Mohamed El Deeb

2011

Hip-Hop

15305855

- vocals Mohamed El Deeb Stormtrap13produced by Stormtrap

9594

حضل عهل مود يعنيما إنتلك النجوم عم تقرب

بهل ال مود حكون عطول لبهل جنوم إدءر لو مضطر شن هجوم عل النجوم كلها

خللي األرض تدور حول أصبعي تنلك

ما إنتلك متلي متلك مولع طيار ألفكاري من العقدي تنفك فرد قعدي بني 4 حيطان ما بتنهز و منها ما بنهز

يلز املا بينلزالكاس عل الطاولي و منو عم مز مز

لتفتل براصي وحس من حالي عم كز كزعل ورقة كالمي مدروس و ما بزت زت بجرب ما عيد حالي متا يقولو عم نق نق

موزع قافياتي جواز كأن عم فت فت

بهل األطشة خلي الديني اللي تسمعني ترن رنFبسبيلي جاري يوم ع يوم عم برك رك a r e e q e l A t r a s h

Irsquoll stay in this mood

Didnrsquot I tell you The stars are getting closer

Irsquoll stay in this mood until I touch these stars

Even if I have to launch an attack on all the stars

Irsquoll make the Earth rotate around my finger I told you

Didnrsquot I tell you Irsquom just like you I lit up a joint so my ideas would untie their knot

Sitting this way in between four walls I wonrsquot budge

The most delectable

Drink is on the table from which Irsquom taking sips

Till my head starts spinning and Irsquom sick of myself

On the paper my words are calculated I donrsquot just toss them about

I try not to repeat myself so they wonrsquot say Irsquom nagging

I deal my rhymes out like theyrsquore cards

In this verse Irsquoll make those ears ring

My fountain is running and every day I excel

tالنجوم عم تقرب he stars are gett ing closer

null

29781717

9796

لضل ماشي جالس بينما غيري عم بلك لك شريط معلق ريحة العة عم بتفح فحكل ما فتح متو بتالقي عم بكب كب

عايشها إرهاب و مفي إال بسب سببزبالتي ما بكبو تيكون بعلمك

األالف مسم و بحياتو ما بينسم بزقة من هل التم تخلي سقفك ينش نش

تلمو ردم و ما تفكر إنو ترد رد و عم بحكي عالواطي متا الصالي فيك ترج رج

بطبعي عاقل بس بالراب بزل زل عل الرايق بال ما نط وال فز فز

type of shitعال بارد أبرد من شباط بس يقز قزتخلي عضامك ع بعض تسك سك

ما إنتلك النجوم عم تقرب بهل ال مود حكون عطول لبهل جنوم إدءر

لو مضطر شن هجوم عل النجوم كلهاخللي األرض تدور حول أصبعي تنلك

أنا متنبئ بنبه و بحقق ما قلتلك بعد وقتها ما عم نكت

عاملكرفون إبرة هرون عم بشكشك في شكcheck one two

هيك بدسدس عالنبض

F a r e e q e l A t r a s h

So I can walk straight when others are still playing

A broken record that reeks of a musty smell

Every time he opens his mouth he spews them out

He lives in terror and all he does is curse

I wouldnrsquot throw him in my garbage just so you know

Irsquove irritated thousands and never been irritated in my life

One spit out of this mouth will make your roof leak

And yoursquoll pick up the rubble and donrsquot even think about answering back

Irsquom talking in a low voice so the hall wonrsquot shake with you in it

Irsquom reasonable by nature but when it comes to rap I humiliate cold-heartedly

Without jumping or leaping around

I do it coldly colder than icy February-type of shit

Irsquoll make your bones rattle against each other

Didnrsquot I tell you The stars are getting closer

Irsquoll stay in this mood until I touch these stars

Even if I have to launch an attack on all the stars

Irsquoll make the Earth rotate around my finger I told you

Irsquom a psychic I predict and deliver

Didnrsquot I tell you to stand back when Irsquom not joking

Irsquom pricking the microphone with a heroin needle Is there any doubt

Check one two

Thatrsquos how I feel the pulse

null

29781717

9998

بدقق و زتزت حكي بتزجزج كأنها مزهزها عم بتشمشم عم خطط عم تكتيك و مني ملحلح من هون للساعة توقف تك تيك تك تيك

لك ليك منفخ حاله عامبيكازيب عا غيري بس بوجهي بتاءتإوجهه بيباءبإ من أد ما بعصب بسبسب

زر إنذار إذني بتطنطن و بشوف من عالباب عم بدقدق

عكروت بدو يفوت ليشوف الفن فني بس الفن هون بجسمي معبأ

من حلقي طايف و من متي عم بت شرشر و بيس البيس زلزال برجرج خليك تضبضب تنضب بالبيت لتكنكن

و أنا متأسف ألني بدي استأذن بس بعد شفت كابتشينو بتصحصح

ما إنتلك النجوم عم تقرببهل ال مود حكون عطول لبهل جنوم إدءر

لو مضطر شن هجوم عل النجوم كلهاخللي األرض تدور حول أصبعي تنلك

هيدا هب هوبمش هبل و ال بهل

هيدا زجل تتغزل في

ورايي إيقاع عليي إتبع و ما إطلع عنو يا بصير متل غير مسيس

زقفوا مع االيقاعزقفوا مع االيقاع

F a r e e q e l A t r a s h

Checking and hurling words that tickle as if I was high and sniffing

I am planning and scheming and Irsquom not going anywhere till the clock stops ticking

Look hersquos so full of it lying to others but in my face he stutters

And his face turns red from all the anger and he curses

My earsrsquo alarm bells start ringing

And I go to see whorsquos knocking at the door

Some bastard who wants to see where ldquothe artldquo is

But the art is right here packed in my body

Flowing from my throat running out of my mouth

And the bass is an earthquake that shakes and forces you to pack up and go home

And Irsquom sorry because I need to take leave

But after a sip of cappuccino yoursquoll come around

Didnrsquot I tell you The stars are getting closer

Irsquoll stay in this mood

Until I touch these stars even if I have to launch an attack on all the stars

Irsquoll make the Earth rotate around my finger I told you

This is hip hop

Itrsquos not stupid nor dumb

Itrsquos zajal [a form of Arabic poetry in the Levant]

That you flirt with

There is a beat that I have to follow canrsquot lose it or Irsquoll be like other MCs

Clap with the beat

Clap with the beat

T r a n s l a t e d b y K h a l e d A l H i l l i

null

29781717

101100

انا ببلعهم بتفهم وال مره بسبهمبخليهم داميا يضاربو بتفكيرهم

أنا وراهم قدامهم جنابهم محتلهممش طايقهم مرات وزنهم بكون منزلهم

مرتبهم صاففهم وبقلم أنا حاكمهم زاتتهم مش عاجبيني أنا ماحيهم قائدهم وبنفس الوقت أنا عبيدهم

وبفك وربط أنا بلعب مبعانيهمانا حاميهم بأسطر اللي تقويهم

انا واعدهم اني أستر على فاضحهم ومطلعهم بصوره اللي تبشعهم

بس أنا محترمهم وبسطور ساجنهم مكتفهم كأسير بجنازير القهر

ومهديهم بحبل اللي يبشر بالصبر وانا لي الفخر أكون الشوك اللي فيهم

Dوأكون القهر اللي داميا يسقيهم A M

Yo this is dedicated to the lyrics

Irsquom swallowing them spitting them never dissing them

Giving them freedom of speech

Irsquom behind them in front of them because of them always standing with them

Sometimes get sick of them sick of how you abuse them

Gather them in line with my pen I order them

Didnrsquot like it Throwing them out and replacing them

Irsquom their leader and also their slave

Small changes make huge differences

I train them in pages to make them strong

Promising to use them not abuse them

Or allow the wrong mouths to utter them

Approach them with a military mind and find peace in them

Irsquom lucky to be full of thorns and even luckier that I found the lyrics

So theyrsquoll help me find the roses in me

wordsكلمات

null

26837427

103102

raquoالكل سمعك بس السؤال اذا اللي سمعك فهمكlaquoكلمات ليست كالكلمات بل raquoعالماتlaquo

اللي توجهنا وين مابدنا عحبال السيرك هي تثبتنا ريح العالم من كل جهه اذا احنا ضعاف بتوقعنا بس

raquoأل بلمره ألlaquo raquoكلمات عندي طنlaquoكل واحده الها هدف اخدت حرف عحرف

نسجت جمل اللي البسهم وقت البرد raquoراح اضلني اناديlaquo raquoبنحكي كلماتlaquo

انت بتعرف انهم مبنصب شهاد بحكو املاضي وتنبوا حاضر أي بالد

قد ماحكيت قد ما أحكي فش كالم يغطي بسفي كالم يربي وينمي انت بس أروي

في شوف انه قوه والقوه بتقويفيك و أن رويته مصيره يسقيك )مثل للقوه( العدو من أمامكم

والبحر من ورائكم فال تخيبوا أسيادكمفأين أشعاركم وأين مجادلتكم

فأنتم تسكتون وتخمدون أحالمكم)انهي( نهيت ورجعت للعامية بكلمات

مرمية طالعه من عقليه شعبيهمتل جنيب اللي بذاكرة كل واحد محفوظ مدروس واذا أل معناته في خلل معكوس

عاملجتمع اللي قمع كتاباته Dاللي سمح لنسيانه يشيل خطواته A M

ldquoThey all hear you but few listen to youldquo

Lyrics ainrsquot just a bunch of words they are ldquosignsldquo

Leading us stabilizing us on tight ropes

Winds every way if we are thin we will fall

ldquoBut hell noldquo ldquoyou can measure my words in tonsldquo

Every word has a meaning I knitted a letter with another letter

Made warm sentences to wear in cold days

ldquoSo Irsquoll still shoutldquo ldquowe control lyricsldquo

You know lyrics are like a witness

They witnessed the past and forecast the future

As much as I said or say I canrsquot describe them

But there is a way to find the description and thatrsquos through them

Quench the thirst of the pages with them

So in the future itrsquoll quench your thirst

Keep feeding them as soon as they grow up

Theyrsquoll give you strength

ldquoExample for the strengthldquo

ldquoThe enemy is before you the sea is behind you

So donrsquot you dare disappoint our ancestors

Where are our deep poems Where are our strong statements

From generation to generation we kill our dreamsldquo

ldquoEnough philosophizingldquo ok lets get back to street talk

Words coming outta simple minds

Like Najeeb Mahfuz [literally lsquowell-rememberedrsquo also a famous author]

They keep living in our minds

And if you donrsquot know who he is - then I rest my case

null

26837427

105104

raquoالكل سمعك بس السؤال اذا اللي سمعك فهمكlaquoكلمات ليست كالكلمات بل raquoعالماتlaquo

اللي توجهنا وين مابدنا عحبال السيرك هي تثبتنا ريح العالم من كل جهه اذا احنا ضعاف بتوقعنا بس

raquoأل بلمره ألlaquo raquoكلمات عندي طنlaquoكل واحده الها هدف اخدت حرف عحرف

نسجت جمل اللي البسهم وقت البرد raquoراح اضلني اناديlaquo raquoبنحكي كلماتlaquo

ألف با كبايه أوعك تكسرهاامسكها للنهاية وكل ما تفضى مليها

كلمه أو رواية ومع املراحل زيدها شيحكاية وهيك ضلك زود فيها

وجيبها لتجمعاتك وساعتها استعملها لنقاشاتك وملواقفك استخدمها

هادي مدافعك اللي مداها بسيطرتك وما دافعك انه ما تخليها رايتك

ما هي تكتب ما هي توصف ما هي تكذب ما هي تنصف

ما هي هي الهروب هياللجوء هي الدروب هي

العبور باحلدود واللي مبرؤهم مبدع وبفوز باخللود واللي بسرقهم مش مقنع

واذا بتديهم احلرية بنادوك ممنوعDواذا بتوخد احلريه بنادوك مسموح A M

ldquoThey all hear you but few listen to youldquo

Lyrics ainrsquot just a bunch of words they are ldquosignsldquo

Leading us stabilizing us on tight ropes

Winds every way if we are thin we will fall

ldquoBut hell noldquo ldquoyou can measure my words in tonsldquo

Every word has a meaning I knitted a letter with another letter

Made warm sentences to wear in cold days

ldquoSo Irsquoll still shoutldquo ldquowe control lyricsldquo

The Arabic alphabet is like a glass donrsquot break it

Hold it tight and keep filling it

And then bring it to our arguments

Scream till your throat gets dry and then wet it

It holds our body itrsquos like our legs

If you stand for nothing yoursquoll fall for anything

The words write create

They kill lead and sometimes even lie

You can use them to build borders

And those who are gifted

Can use them to walk through borders

And in some governments

Itrsquos forbidden to give words freedom

But if you choke them and kill them

Thatrsquos allowed

F i g u r a t i v e t r a n s l a t i o n o f f e r e d b y t h e a r t i s t s

null

26837427

107106

further reading

The tracks presented in this document are not a comprehensive sampling of the genre of the market of hip hop in Arabic or of hip hop and rap in the wider Middle East

Artists featured here hail from Egypt Lebanon Palestine and the anglophone Arab diaspora The thriving North African hip hop scene is not represented nor is the work of the established francophone Arab diaspora nor the expanding hip hop scenes of especially Iran or Turkey

This collection does not attempt a comprehensive chronology Tracks featured here are not primarily new releases (though some are) neither are they all ldquoclassicsrdquo These limitations of scope are important to note

Many tracks of the popular Libyan group Ibn Thabitt and other groups from across the region have been translated and are hosted with commentary on the notable blog

revolutionaryarabrapblogspotcom

Another valuable resource is the Beirut-based blog by Jackson Allers ldquoBeats and Breathrdquo which features articulate critiques and reviews of events and releases from the region

jacksonallerswordpresscom

Hass Dennaoui (alias Big Hass) who recently launched started the first all hip-hop FM radio show in Saudi Arabia Laish Hip Hop (Why Hip Hop) manages a lively blog which

hosts an internet feed of his radio show and interviews with MCs and influential hip hop figures from around the world

revoltradioblogspotcom

Lebaneseundergroundcom hosts coverage of underground music in Lebanon including hip hop

And finally an excellent article by Hishaam Aidi on implications of the use of hip hop as foreign policy ldquoThe Grand (Hip-Hop) Chessboard Race Rap and Raison DrsquoEtatrdquo was published in The Middle East Report Fall 2011 Excerpts of the piece were published by Al Jazeera English in the article ldquoLeveraging Hip Hop in US Foreign Policyrdquo

All the artists and many of the translators whose work is showcased here host a significant online presence Their sites are listed with more about each of them on the following pages

109108

artist bios

ARABIAN KNIGHTZ the premier hip hop group from the land of the Nile River have not only established themselves as the lyricists with the sharpest swords in their land but they have also created the most consistent voice for rebellion strength and hope for the youth of the Middle East During the 2011 Revolution Arabian Knightz released two singles ldquoRebelrdquo and ldquoNot Your Prisonerrdquo anthems of resistance which gained worldwide attention and major media coverage for their powerful lyrics against a wicked system The group formed in 2006 through the cipher hip hoprsquos natural way of choosing like mindsets on the mic Rush Sphinx and E-Money were ahead of their peers adapting an authentic Arab perspective to the art dominated by Western voices mixing English and Arabic raps After hitting the studio for successful underground tracks AK enlisted super-producer Fredwreck (Snoop Dogg Xzibit Tha Dogg Pound) ldquoFokkakrdquo the single from this studio session was an instant hit and (surprisingly for Arabic Hip Hop) projected them to the top ten of the singles charts Arab League Records was formed amidst a growing fanbase and numerous collaborations with other Arab hip hop artists the first international Arab hip hop record label Desert Saga Volume 1 mixtape was the debut release led by ldquoThe Onerdquo featuring Egyptrsquos MC Amin Arabian Knightz have recorded their debut album Uknighted State of Arabia a masterpiece for Arab hip hop years in the making featuring instrumentals dominated by traditional percussions and players are scheduled for a Winter 2012 Release They are on Facebook

BOIKUTT is a musician and MC based in Ramallah Palestine Creating sounds using sampled material field recordings and electronic devices the results range between hip-hop downtempo ambient glitch and experimental He has composed and produced music for artists such as Kronos Quartet Bukue One Spiritchild Tamer Abu-Ghazaleh Bleubird and others and has appeared as an MC on albums for artists such as Slovo Heliodrome Bonnot and Lethal Skillz A co-founder of the Ramallah Underground Collective which has toured across the Arab World Europe and Australia Boikutt is also co-founder and member of audio-visual group Tashweesh with whom he is currently touring Also as a solo performer he has been in Beirut Cairo Manila Copenhagen London Hamburg Dubai Bethlehem and other cities He has produced and exhibited a few sound-art pieces composed several film scores has most recently composed the music for a dance theater performance entitled Bound by

New York-based company Yaa Samar Dance Theatre and is now working on different collaborative and solo projects His work may be heard at soundcloudcomboikutt and on Facebook

DAM Da Arabian MCrsquos are Suhell Nafar Tamer Nafar and Mahmoud Jreri The first Palestinian hip hop crew and among the first to rap in Arabic the group began working together in the late 1990s Struck by the uncanny resemblance of the reality of the streets in a Tupac video to the streets in their own neighborhood of Lyd they were inspired to tell their stories through hip hop Their timely song ldquoMin Irhabirdquo (ldquoWhorsquos the Terroristrdquo) was downloaded a million times shortly after its internet realese in 2001 and DAM became a household name among youth throughout the Middle East Ten years of performing all over the world has strengthened the grouprsquos commitment to continue living and working in their hometown of Lyd 15 minutes from Tel Aviv and working to provide the youth of the city and neighboring communities with programs and opportunities that have been denied to Palestinian citizens of Israel Their music is a unique fusion of East and West and encompasses influences as varied as Ghassan Kanafani Ahlam Mosteghanemi Mahmoud Darwish Naji al Ali Tupac Biggie Public Enemy MBS Krsquonaan and Pharoahe Monch IHDA (Dedication) DAMrsquos long-awaited first international album was released in 2007 and DAM has seen its songs and members featured in films such as Ford Transit (Dir Hany Abu Assad) Where in the World is Osama Bin Laden (Dir Morgan Spurlock) Salt of this Sea (Dir Annemarie Jacir) Local Angel and Forgiveness (Dir Udi Aloni) DAMrsquos history and influence on the Arab hip hop scene is detailed in the feature-length documentary Slingshot Hip Hop (Dir Jackie Reem Salloum) The group has also been featured in Vibe National Geographic Rolling Stone Q Basement Reuters and The New York Times and has appeared on MTV CNN BBC and Al Jazeera Their work can be heard and explored at damrapcom

EL DEEB first ventured into Egyptian Hip Hop when he joined Asfalt in 2005 He left in 2007 to create Wighit Nazara duo represented by Mohamed Yasser and himself It was a successful musical project that lasted until mid 2010 Currently he is working on his solo career with plans to release an EP every couple of months or so Cairofornia is his first solo EP His work may be heard at deebbandcampcom and on Facebook

EL RASS was born in Tripoli Lebanon He started writing poetry in literary Arabic at age 11 and started rhyming in spoken Lebanese dialect in 1999 at age 15 At that time he formed one third of a group of 3 MCrsquos going under the name of ldquoMlouk el Micrdquo (ldquoKings of the Micrdquo) They recorded one album and performed locally At 17 he left for France to study Finance and Economics Studies were hard money was scarce and exile was tough but music and poetry never left him as he continued rhyming with some underground French MCrsquos like Medline and Moebius and developed new musical skills on percussion in classical Arabic singing and baglama (turkish buzuk) After graduating and working for almost two years in the hell of banking and market finance El Rass decided to return to Lebanon He spent a year just re-discovering Beirut and making and learning music He now works as a journalist at the newspaper Assafir while concurrently pursuing joint projects with other producers and musicians He calls his work Taalik in reference to the same word in Arabic for ldquocommentrdquo and another word that comes from the same semantic root moaallakat which is a corpus of selected pre-Islamic poetry that was written with gold ink on the walls of the Karsquoaba in Mecca His work may be heard at soundcloudcomElRass

FAREEQ EL ATRASH is a hip hop band based out of Hamra St Beirut with a sound that is distinguished by laid back topical flows over live instrumentation It consists of Edd (raps) Nasser (raps) FZ (vocal production and FX) Fouad Afra (drums) Goo (plays guitar keys heart strings) and Abed Kobeissy (plays bass and buzuk) Their 2010 album and 2009 prealbum are available online More of their work may be found on Facebook Eddrsquos solo work can also be heard at soundcloudcomEdd

H2Z was born in Kuwait in 1986 where he lived for four years Due to the gulf war his family moved to Lebanon where he lived for the most part of his life Inspired by the tragic events in the Middle East and elsewhere in the world H2Z adopted rap music as a way to raise awareness about the injustices suffered by his people and to deliver a message through his music to anyone who supports the Palestinian cause His career began in 2004 when he was introduced to the production business by fellow rappers and soon he started producing his own tracks and established a local band producing many tracks for himself and other musicians in Lebanon In 2008 he released his first solo album titled 3aed which contained

17 tracks The political influence was noticed throughout the album and was generally well-received He is now studying for a degree in business administration at Wayne State University in Michigan His work may be heard at reverbnationcomh2z

KATIBEH 5 are based in Borj el Barajneh Lebanon Their work can be found at reverbnationcomkatibeh5 and myspacecomkatibe5palestine and on Facebook

M1 is Mutulu Olugbala of the New York based collective Dead Prez whose work is online at deadprezcom M1 is also on Facebook

MC GAZA is Adnan Mahmoud Ghonim an Algerian born artist and university student based in Gaza It was the beginning of 2005 when he attended one of the hip hop concerts in Gaza City ndash Gaza City that never appreciated the art he loved and attached himself to ndash and it was love at first sight between them Through some of the concerts he participated in a number of songs he collaborated on with Arabs from Egypt Algeria and Palestine and some active participation to represent the Palestinian people and interviews for both Arab and foreign press he was able to make a name for himself in the Gazan hip hop community His work may be found at youtubecomMCGaza and on Facebook

THE NARCICYST Having pioneered the Arab Hip-Hop movement with seminal Iraqi-Canadian crew Euphrates The Narcicyst recently broke through borders and shattered traveling etiquette touring solo around the world sharing stages with the likes of Brother Ali Mos Def and Kanye West to name a few On top of music The Narcicyst is a celebrated theorist whose academic work Fear of an Arab Planet has him from the stage to the classrooms of internationally renowned universities He is now also a professor at Concordia University teaching a Fine Arts course ldquoHip-Hop Past Present and Futurerdquo His writings have been published by multiple university presses and magazines internationally he is also a self-published author having recently released the biographical and social-study on the Arab world The Diatribes of a Dying Tribe As a true artist interested in really pushing his own artistic boundaries The Narcicyst has stepped into acting currently starring in the short music film PHATWA and in the first internationally-released film from the United Arab Emirates called City of Life A true multi-media

111110

KHALED AL HILLI is a PhD candidate in Comparative Literature at the Graduate Center City University of New York He has a BA in English Literature and a Masterrsquos degree in Teaching Second Languages Born in Iraq Khaled has taught in Lebanon and Saudi Arabia at both college and high school levels He has also worked with various Iraqi news outlets and has subtitledtranslated documentary films dealing with current social and political issues His research interests include Arabic political literature prison literature and literature in the diaspora He may be reached at hillykhalidgmailcom

+AZIZ is a NYC-based marketing consultant and a musician He is working through The World Music Parade to develop an animation project based on his music More about that project can be found at themusicparadetumblrcom He tweets from plusaziz

FAYSAL BIBI is a paleontologist and electronic musician currently based in Berlin

LOUBNA BILALI is originally from Morocco She did her undergrad and first MA in English Linguistics at Chouaib Doukkali University El Jadida She came to the US in 2008 to pursue a Masterrsquos degree in French to English translation and is currently working on a PhD in translation studies at Kent State University in Ohio She is very interested in learning and teaching languages as well as translating and localizing computer applications and websites She may be reached at loubnabilaligmailcom

FARAH ELREWAISSATI is a freelance translator pro-Palestine activist and BDS advocate who blogs at youthanormalizationblogspotcom She tweets from 3beee

NIZAR GHANEM was born in Lebanon He has been active in intercultural education interactive learning and conflict resolution across the Arab world His work on conflict resolution involved using theater comics and music as tools for emotional expression and social mobilization

RIMA NAJDI is a Performing Artist She studied dramatic arts at the Lebanese University in Beirut and obtained a Masterrsquos degree in Performance Studies at NYU New York She has written and performed in various plays and performances Najdi is particularly interested in multi-media performing arts and the position of the spectators

BARRAK ALZAID (copy editor) is the Artistic Director of ArteEast He is the editor of the ArteEast Quarterly a dynamic online portal featuring four publications that highlight contemporary art and culture from the Middle East and diaspora ndash ArtersquoZine Shahadat (contemporary short-form literature) Gallery and Cinematek (an online film center) He is also the curator for ArteEastrsquos Across Histories Art Talk Series featuring a series of panels on residencies in Fall 2011 He tweets from barrakster

RAYYA EL ZEIN (editor) is working towards a PhD in Theatre at the Graduate Center City University of New York Her research is increasingly focusing on theories of reception historical studies of audience behavior and popular culture in the Arab world She holds an MA in Performance Studies from NYU and is currently a teaching fellow at City College in Harlem She tweets from rayelz

translator biosdreamer Yassin recently established an arts label in the UAE called The Medium focusing on delivering art from Arabs in the diaspora and at lsquohomersquo to the rest of the world iraqisthebombcom He tweets from TheNarcicyst

OMAR OFFENDUM is a Syrian-American hip hop artist born in Saudi Arabia raised in Washington DC and living in Los Angeles Known for taking audiences on a lyrical journey from the jasmine-tree-lined courtyards of Nizar Qabbanirsquos Damascene homes to the flooded riverbanks of Langston Hughesrsquo Harlem Renaissance poems - Offendum has been featured on several major news outlets (BBC Yahoo ABC News Aljazeera PBS) toured the world to promote his ground-breaking music helped raise thousands of dollars for various humanitarian relief organizations (PCRF KinderUSA ANERA Islamic Relief) lectured at a number of prestigious academic institutions (Harvard MIT Stanford Columbia American University of Beirut NYU-AbuDhabi Qatar Education City) and most recently been involved in creating several critically-acclaimed songs about the popular democratic uprisings throughout the Middle East amp North Africa He is currently hard at work promoting his solo release - affectionately dubbed SyrianamericanA His work may be heard (and read) at offendumbandcampcom He is on Facebook and he tweets from Offendum

RAMALLAH UNDERGROUND based in Ramallah Palestine was born from the immediacy of musical experimentation and out of the need to give voice to a generation of Palestinians and Arabs facing a turbulent and uncertain political landscape The collective was founded by artists Boikutt Stormtrap and Aswatt and has always held a commitment to both the honesty of their work and the need to creatively rejuvenate Arabic culture To this end they combine music ranging from Arabic electronic music hip-hop and trip hop to downtempo with a deep sense of their local culture and the imposing presence of Palestine in their lives The outcome is a new specific and distinct sound RU (as producers and as MCrsquos ) has collaborated with numerous artists across the globe including countries like Lebanon UK Switzerland Italy USA France and many more including a collaboration with Slovo (a band headed by the guitarist from faithless) in their track ldquoNakbardquo which appears on their album Todo Cambia and with Kronos Quartet in the track ldquoTashweeshrdquo which appears on Floodplain RU has also performed live shows in Ramallah Bethlehem Vienna London Cairo Lausanne Amsterdam and Washington DC Their shows are mainly a performance of their hip-hop tracks as well as a few of their own electronic productions as a warm up More recently RU has incorporated a visual set in their live

performances brought to you by Palestinian visual artist Ruanne RU hopes to give a voice to Palestinians and Arabs bringing an alternative voice from the Arab world Their lyrics and music are an expression of anguish and defiance ultimately remaining a defiant voice of the colonized against the colonizer They continue to play a big role in the Arab underground cultural scene while slowly gaining wide global and local popularity

SHADIA MANSOURrsquos work can be found at myspacecomshadiamusic and on Facebook

STORMTRAP is a music producercomposerMC from Palestine Experimenting with old samples instruments and field recordings his sound is the result of a fusion of ambient atmospheres combined with various noises and hip hop beats His lyrics deal with different themes inspired mainly by his personal experiences in Palestine and life in the diaspora Stormtrap played a fundamental role in forming the band Ramallah Underground with which he has performed worldwide the past few years Currently he is working in Vienna with Aras Seyhan and Eren Ileri on a new album which combines live instruments synthesizers turntables beats and Arabic lyrics- which will be released early 2012 His work may be heard at soundcloudcomstormtrap He tweets from asifeh

AMEER YOSSEF 25 has sung and writen music with the band Klaket for the past four years His work may be heard at youtubecomAmeer and on Facebook

towards the work Her work for now concentrates on the process of making interactive and participatory performances that question borders stereotypes and languages

MOE ALI NAYEL is a fixer and a journalist based in Beirut Lebanon He uses social media blogging non-mainstream music journalism and writing as a word spreading eye opening socializing arena He uses social media as a bridge that cuts distance between people on this planet making it a tiny village This bridge starts in his office and takes him to every corner in the world enabling him to connect and network with people and cultures sharing and exchanging stories of the unheard and the neglected He blogs at Words of Action and he tweets from MoeAliNay

ALEX ORTIZ is a video and radio journalist and translator based in Cairo Egypt He graduated from Brown University in 2009 with a double major in Comparative Literature and Middle East Studies He was a CASA I fellow from 2009-2010 and a CASA II fellow from 2010-2011 He currently works for CBS News as a field producer He tweets from cairowitness

AHMED SHAWKET is an independent translator living in Cairo Egypt He is a graduate of the Helwan University Faculty of Arts where he majored in philosophy Ahmed works on literary media and commercial translation

113112

ABOUT SHAHADATShahadat is a quarterly online series designed to provide a platform for short-form writing and experimentation in writing by young and underexposed writers from the MENA region (Middle East and North Africa) The series features stories vignettes reflections and chronicles in translation and the original language of Arabic Farsi Turkish or Kurdish It makes up one quarter of ArteEastrsquos online programming the AE Quarterly For past issues of Shahadat click here

ABOUT THIS SERIES Shahadat is proud to run two alternating series and releases two issues a year of each The issue yoursquove just perused is part of the ldquoExploring Popular Literaturerdquo series This series challenges traditional understandings of ldquoliteraturerdquo emerging from the Middle East and North Africa by presenting genres of creative production that rely on words and language but which have not typically been studied as literature Works are presented in their original language and in translation

In each issue we gather texts from a spectrum of writers to challenge the singular status of the artistauthor and to encourage a more complex presentation of the Middle Eastern and North African ldquostreetrdquo for English-speaking audiences Shahadatrsquos other series ldquoContemporary Literature in Translationrdquo features the work of a single young author in the original language and in English translation

BEHIND THE DOCUMENTShahadat is co-edited by Rayya El Zein Alex Ortiz and ArteEastrsquos Artistic Director Barrak Alzaid All three are young professionals and scholars with artistic inclinations (literature poetry translation and performance) All three have strong connections to New York City and various metropole of the MENA region Shahadat is for us an experiment and a labor of love An editorial board of established scholars and authors is currently being conceived

SPECIAL THANKS TOAnmar El ZeinKinda AkashAndrew JohnstonLivia Alexander

Shahadat logo design by Rima Farouki

114

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Page 41: Shahadat Winter 2012

8180

اإلحتالل نكه البشر بنكهة املجاريبالسالم حوار أديانبإقرار ملكية كذابة

بتشويه تاريخ وسرقة حضاراتولك أه

فلسطني إفريقيا الدجلة والفراتإجتاه البشرية لإلضمحالل سرطان بشري بعضها

الشتا ميسح اخلطايا واآلثاروليش بتتخبى وبتتغطى بنفس كل سفارة سميك الستار

لساتني باكل الضربة ورا الضره ورا الضربةوحتى ما أفعل وأساوي تكمشني الرجفة

بدل ما أضرب فيك بضرب بحاليبوعدكش حضلني كامش حالي حفلتها

حفلتها

هديني إذا فيك هديني إذا فيكهديني إذا فيك

k a t i b e h 5

The occupation has seasoned humanity with the flavor of sewers

With peace with dialogue of religions

With the declaration of false ownership

With the distortion of history and the theft of civilizations

Oh yes

Palestine Africa the Tigris and Euphrates

Humanity is leading to reduction a human cancer bites it

Exile wipes clean the sins and the traces

And why are you hiding and seeking cover when all the embassies are already well concealed

I am still taking one beating after another

And so that I donrsquot take action and do something shudders grip my body

Instead of beating you I beat myself

I canrsquot promise you that I can keep myself restrained

Irsquom gonna let go

Hold me back if you can

Hold me back if you can

Hold me back if you can

T r a n s l a t e d b y R i m a N a j d i a n d F a y s a l B i b i

null

23098943

8382

طول عمر الشعب املصري مع بعض أحلك الظروفبص وفر في التاريخ وانت ياما هاتشوف

الدين ده ليا وليكوفيا وفيك

حاجة روحانية بتخليك حتس اللي بيك

ايد في ايد نبني فيها من جديد

مصر زعلت علي حاصل وسطنا مش مفيد

بعد ثورة وبعد عيد فتنة تقتل حلم واتتحقق لنا

واحد اتننيالذكري بتعيش اكتر من عمر االنسان

بصمتنا تغييرنا جوة وبرة امليدان مش هانضيع نصر ثورتنا بفتنة نشئت بينا

A r a b i a n K n i g h t s + M C G a z a + A m e e r

The Egyptian people have always stuck together

Through the worst times look at history

And see how often wersquove been there for each other

That whole idea of religion

Is for you and for me something spiritual that makes you feel whatrsquos inside you

Hand in hand

We build Egypt up again

Egypt is angry at whatrsquos happening between us

Itrsquos not helpful

After the revolution after the celebration

Sectarian strife is killing the dream we fulfilled

One two

The memory lasts more than a lifetime

Our mark is our change in and outside Tahrir Square

We wonrsquot give up the victory of our revolution in exchange for sectarian strife between

us

hand inايد في ايد hand

Eid Fe Eid

Yasser Ameer Youssef Rush E Money amp MCGaza | by BOGEY

Single Hit track 11

20112011

Hip-Hop

24002867

eng - Hip-Hop 4 Life

eng - iTunNORM 000005E2 0000058E 0000424E 00003537 00026E95 0001C2B3 00008000 00008000 00005045 00005045

8584

بلدنا محتجانا ايدنا واحدة ضد احملنة تفرق ايه معاك ديانتي ملا ربك هو ربي

اصلك هو اصلي ارضك هي ارضي

ملا اتقال لي اكتت فيول فتنة انا قولت غلط علشان الفتنة مفتعلة في بلدنا وكان وراها غرض

فالفرد افترض فبفرض السياسة األمر اختلط

فالزم يبقي املصل سياسي من اصل املرض العسس واحلرس مافرقوش صليب وهالل

وكنا كلنا واحد وراء االقفالدم الشهيد شاهد

ياما بالفتنة انكسرنا وحدتنا بصوت واحد وضد الظلم انتصرنا

وديني هو ديني صلة بيني وبني ربي هارفع علمي وارفع راسي فوق

انا مصري

ايد في ايد نبني فيها من جديد

مصر زعلت علي حاصل وسطنا مش مفيد

بعد ثورة وبعد عيد فتنة تقتل حلم واتتحقق لنا

خلو حمامة السالم من الطيور املنقرضةعلشان تبقي القلوب مبتعدة منقسمه سهل تتسم

فكرين مناعة و قوة أم الدنيا بالطمع مرتبطةنسر املصريني ليس له دين احنا بنحميها بالدم

العنف بذوره بتكتر عاوز يوصل واحلروب حتصل

A r a b i a n K n i g h t s + M C G a z a + A m e e r

Our country needs us all together against the hard times

What difference does my religion make to you when your god is my god

Your origin is mine

Your land is my land

When they told me about sectarian strife I said thatrsquos wrong

Because itrsquos been planted in our country and behind it is some purpose

Makes one think somethingrsquos going on

By playing politics everythingrsquos gotten mixed up

The antidote has to be political just like the poison itself

The military doesnrsquot distinguish between cross and crescent

Wersquore all held together behind bars

The blood of the martyrs bears witness

To how much wersquove been broken by sectarianism

Through our unity we triumphed with one voice over injustice

And my religion is my own a rapport between me and God

Irsquoll raise my flag and my head up

Irsquom Egyptian

Hand in hand

We build Egypt up again

Egypt is angry at whatrsquos happening between us

Itrsquos not helpful

After the revolution after the victory

Sectarian strife is killing the dream we fulfilled

They drove the dove of peace to extinction

To keep hearts apart and divided itrsquos easy to poison them

Do they really think the resilience and strength of Egypt is connected to greed

The Egyptian eagle has no religion we protect it with our blood

The roots of violence are increasing want to gain control to start wars

Eid Fe Eid

Yasser Ameer Youssef Rush E Money amp MCGaza | by BOGEY

Single Hit track 11

20112011

Hip-Hop

24002867

eng - Hip-Hop 4 Life

eng - iTunNORM 000005E2 0000058E 0000424E 00003537 00026E95 0001C2B3 00008000 00008000 00005045 00005045

8786

للعاقيدة يكسر وألعضاء املشاعر تتشال تصتأصلعلى كالم ربهم اتكبرو فعملو قدر واتقدر

وقته مستنينه ليه خططوا مضمون الرسائل اتغير الن الهدف هو تدمير قعدة الوحدهوقتل كل قائد يقود الناس بره احملنه

فيبقي سهل يزيحنا ميحي أوصول عليها كبرناوكل واحد علي حداه يقول أنا محدش يقول احنا

فاببطء بحرص بص بعقل بحذر شوفقبل ما يخلوا خيالك يتخلله اخلوف

واخلوف ده افراز بيطلع من غده ملا الكلب بيشوفهابيعرف انك فاريسه سهل ياكلها ركز

فرق تسد إخلعوفق جتد إرفع

ثورة تقدصمت يفرد- يفرق

ما بيجمع بيننامن حقي النقد من حقك - تسمع

طب إسمع وراجع ما صور التاريخ طب باله بيكفي صور زمانييوم حصار كنيسة املهد مني دافع مني اتقمع مني اتنفا

مسلم مسيحي أل كان فلسطيني اتذكر معي ثورة غضب يناير

اتذكر معي الوحدة اإليد الوحدة اتشرف انتا مصرياتذكر معي األخ بإيد األخ يحمي األخ بدون إلخ

كالمي ماشي ماشي ال-لتفهمني بهويتي مسلم وال نصراني قبطي

ما في حجة لربطي خلبطي حلطي ألوطي ألغير خطيخير أجناد األرض

من أرض بيت املقدس كل السالم بعد ما قلت إلنقسام في وطنيانا ملزم أقول ال لفتنة

تفتت مجد شعب تعب عانى ضحى بالغالي حتى بناه

A r a b i a n K n i g h t s + M C G a z a + A m e e r

The relationship between Egyptians breaks down and the organs that feel are taken out

They got full of themselves in the name of their god and invented a new fate for us

Theyrsquore waiting for a time and theyrsquore plotting The meaning of their messages changes

Because the goal is to destroy the foundation of unity

And kill every leader who takes the people out of hard times

Itrsquos easy to remove us to wipe out the traditions we grew up with

Everyone on his own everyone says ldquoIldquo and no one says ldquoweldquo

Slowly carefully look Wisely with caution see

Before they make your imagination a slave to fear

And that fear releases a secretion from a gland

And when the dog sees it he knows yoursquore easy prey

Divide yoursquoll conquer

Bring harmony and yoursquoll reap Start

A revolution and it will catch on

Silence is solitary It divides

It doesnrsquot bring us together

It is my right to criticize and your right to listen

So listen and look back at history or better look at my life time

The day the Nativity Church was under siege who was persecuted Who was exiled

A Muslim A Christian No he was Palestinian

Letrsquos remember the angry revolution of January

Letrsquos remember the unity the one hand Be proud yoursquore Egyptian

Remember the brother holding hands with a brother protecting a brother

And I can go on

Donrsquot teach me about my identity whether Irsquom a Muslim or a Christian Copt

Therersquos no excuse to tie me down beat me to make me cower and kneel and stray from my courseThe Earthrsquos most virtuous soldiers

Come from the land of Bayt al-Maqdis [Jerusalem] I salute you After I said no to division in my countryIrsquom committed to saying no to seditionThat dissolves the glory of a people who labored suffered sacrificed what was most dear to build it

T r a n s l a t e d b y A l e x O r t i z + A h m e d S h a w k e t + K h a l e d A l H i l l i

Eid Fe Eid

Yasser Ameer Youssef Rush E Money amp MCGaza | by BOGEY

Single Hit track 11

20112011

Hip-Hop

24002867

eng - Hip-Hop 4 Life

eng - iTunNORM 000005E2 0000058E 0000424E 00003537 00026E95 0001C2B3 00008000 00008000 00005045 00005045

8988

الفن واملواهب زي حرب الكواكب الكل عايز يكون جنم صراع في الداخل

بهدي جنون العظمة بفلفل حر توابل تسيل دموع زي القنابل

زي مابتكلم وداني شغالة كون سامع نبض الشارع علشان أ

حالف أقضي على اإلعالم املتآمر مغامر في الكالم بس إنت مش سامع

ملا بأمسك القلم والورقة الهم بينزاح مخي بيرتاح بأقول اللي على البال

ملا بأقعد بحس بتأنيب ضمير كون في ستوديو بسجل على بيت خطير مفروض أ

e l D e e b + S t o r m t r a p

Art and talent are like Star Wars

Secretly everyone wants to be a star of conflict

I make megalomania tranquil with chilli hot spices

Tears flow like bombs

Thatrsquos how I talk and the world keeps moving

So that I can hear the pulse of the streets

Irsquove sworn to obliterate the media conspirators

I am adventurous in my speech but you do not hear

When I hold the pen and the paper my anxiety is lifted

My mind relaxes and I say whatrsquos on it

When I sit down I feel guilty

I should be in the studio recording dangerous beats

addictأدمان الشهرة ion to fame

Edman El Shuhra

Stormtrap amp Mohamed El Deeb

2011

Hip-Hop

15305855

- vocals Mohamed El Deeb Stormtrap13produced by Stormtrap

9190

إحساس غريب إنك تدمن الكالم ارسم يا فنان واخترع زي دافينشي الرسام

ولو مفيش ورقة باستخدم تليفوني خايف إن فكرة متعديش على صوتي

دنيا غريبة يوم مر يوم بونبوني بس أنا عمري ماغيرت لوني

املوسيقى بنادولي وبطابعي فضولي مهما قالوا لي هافهمها مبفهومي فـساعات أالقي نفسي بكلم نفسي واسمع أصوات غريبة في دماغي

وهو ده الصدى الصوت اللي بسمعه اكن مفيش حد فارقة معاه احالمي

شوف شوف مش هدف إنو أنا شخصيا أنا

هدفي انه كلماتي وموسيقتي تنتشرعشان هيك حتشوفني دوما مستمر مستثمر

كل وقتي كل طاقتي على أصواتي خوذ شك خوذ حتويل خوذ كاش

بس ما تنساش أي شي بيتعلق بالواقع بدناش ما تخاف ألنها قضيتنا مش منسية مية باملية هايذي ثورة كمان ثقافية

خليني أوضح هاي املوسيقى مش معمولة للتلفازeهاي املوسيقى مش معمولة لهز الطياز l D e e b + S t o r m t r a p

Strange feeling to be out of words

Paint oh artist and discover like Da Vinci the artist

If I donrsquot have paper I use my cell

I am afraid that the idea does not come through my voice

Strange world one day is bitter another like candy

But Irsquove never changed my color

Music is my Tylenol and my nature curious

So whatever they tell me Irsquoll understand it my way

Sometimes I find myself talking to myself

And I hear weird voices in my head

Which is just the echo of the sound I hear

As if no one cares about my dreams

See see

My goals are not self serving

My goal is that my words and music spread

Thatrsquos why yoursquoll see me always and continuously investing

All my time my energy on my sounds

Take a check take a transfer take cash

But never forget anything related to reality wersquore not interested

Donrsquot be afraid because our cause is not forgotten

One hundred percent this is also a cultural revolution

Let me explain this music is not meant to be televised

This music is not made for booty shaking

Edman El Shuhra

Stormtrap amp Mohamed El Deeb

2011

Hip-Hop

15305855

- vocals Mohamed El Deeb Stormtrap13produced by Stormtrap

9392

مش فاهم ليش الكل قاتل حاله يكون في مسابقةحابني نتصابح حياكم زات املكافحة

واالعالم ميت ع حيالله قصة ما بيدرس هالقصة من نصها

وبعدن بينفخهامش احلق علينا اذا ما بيبحثوا

وملا يبدوا يحكوا عنا أل عنجد بيبعصوابيفكروا انه كل شي هشك بشك

بس حدن الزم يقلهم انه الهب هوب مش هيكبدك تدير بالك عشانها هاي اللحظة احلاسمة

ملا يجوا عليك الديب والعاصفةنكسر حدود وبنبني وحدة عشان نحيي مجتماعاتنا

وننهي معانتناعشان هيك منكتب كلمات صريحة والها معنى

مش للشهرة مش حتى يجي حدن يدفعلنا

e l D e e b + S t o r m t r a p

I donrsquot understand why everyone is killing themselves to be in the contest

Wersquod like to say goodmorning to salute you in this same struggle

The mediarsquos dying for any story

But they donrsquot study the storyrsquos real text

And then they blow it out of proportion

Itrsquos not our fault if they donrsquot search

And when they talk about us then they really screw it up

They think everything is empty pointless

Somebody needs to tell them that hip hop is not like that

You should take care because this is the critical moment

When the wolf and storm come haunting you

We break borders and we create a unity to revitalize our communities

And stop our suffering

That is why we write frank words that have meaning

Itrsquos not for fame or even so that someone pays us

T r a n s l a t e d b y N i z a r G h a n e m

Edman El Shuhra

Stormtrap amp Mohamed El Deeb

2011

Hip-Hop

15305855

- vocals Mohamed El Deeb Stormtrap13produced by Stormtrap

9594

حضل عهل مود يعنيما إنتلك النجوم عم تقرب

بهل ال مود حكون عطول لبهل جنوم إدءر لو مضطر شن هجوم عل النجوم كلها

خللي األرض تدور حول أصبعي تنلك

ما إنتلك متلي متلك مولع طيار ألفكاري من العقدي تنفك فرد قعدي بني 4 حيطان ما بتنهز و منها ما بنهز

يلز املا بينلزالكاس عل الطاولي و منو عم مز مز

لتفتل براصي وحس من حالي عم كز كزعل ورقة كالمي مدروس و ما بزت زت بجرب ما عيد حالي متا يقولو عم نق نق

موزع قافياتي جواز كأن عم فت فت

بهل األطشة خلي الديني اللي تسمعني ترن رنFبسبيلي جاري يوم ع يوم عم برك رك a r e e q e l A t r a s h

Irsquoll stay in this mood

Didnrsquot I tell you The stars are getting closer

Irsquoll stay in this mood until I touch these stars

Even if I have to launch an attack on all the stars

Irsquoll make the Earth rotate around my finger I told you

Didnrsquot I tell you Irsquom just like you I lit up a joint so my ideas would untie their knot

Sitting this way in between four walls I wonrsquot budge

The most delectable

Drink is on the table from which Irsquom taking sips

Till my head starts spinning and Irsquom sick of myself

On the paper my words are calculated I donrsquot just toss them about

I try not to repeat myself so they wonrsquot say Irsquom nagging

I deal my rhymes out like theyrsquore cards

In this verse Irsquoll make those ears ring

My fountain is running and every day I excel

tالنجوم عم تقرب he stars are gett ing closer

null

29781717

9796

لضل ماشي جالس بينما غيري عم بلك لك شريط معلق ريحة العة عم بتفح فحكل ما فتح متو بتالقي عم بكب كب

عايشها إرهاب و مفي إال بسب سببزبالتي ما بكبو تيكون بعلمك

األالف مسم و بحياتو ما بينسم بزقة من هل التم تخلي سقفك ينش نش

تلمو ردم و ما تفكر إنو ترد رد و عم بحكي عالواطي متا الصالي فيك ترج رج

بطبعي عاقل بس بالراب بزل زل عل الرايق بال ما نط وال فز فز

type of shitعال بارد أبرد من شباط بس يقز قزتخلي عضامك ع بعض تسك سك

ما إنتلك النجوم عم تقرب بهل ال مود حكون عطول لبهل جنوم إدءر

لو مضطر شن هجوم عل النجوم كلهاخللي األرض تدور حول أصبعي تنلك

أنا متنبئ بنبه و بحقق ما قلتلك بعد وقتها ما عم نكت

عاملكرفون إبرة هرون عم بشكشك في شكcheck one two

هيك بدسدس عالنبض

F a r e e q e l A t r a s h

So I can walk straight when others are still playing

A broken record that reeks of a musty smell

Every time he opens his mouth he spews them out

He lives in terror and all he does is curse

I wouldnrsquot throw him in my garbage just so you know

Irsquove irritated thousands and never been irritated in my life

One spit out of this mouth will make your roof leak

And yoursquoll pick up the rubble and donrsquot even think about answering back

Irsquom talking in a low voice so the hall wonrsquot shake with you in it

Irsquom reasonable by nature but when it comes to rap I humiliate cold-heartedly

Without jumping or leaping around

I do it coldly colder than icy February-type of shit

Irsquoll make your bones rattle against each other

Didnrsquot I tell you The stars are getting closer

Irsquoll stay in this mood until I touch these stars

Even if I have to launch an attack on all the stars

Irsquoll make the Earth rotate around my finger I told you

Irsquom a psychic I predict and deliver

Didnrsquot I tell you to stand back when Irsquom not joking

Irsquom pricking the microphone with a heroin needle Is there any doubt

Check one two

Thatrsquos how I feel the pulse

null

29781717

9998

بدقق و زتزت حكي بتزجزج كأنها مزهزها عم بتشمشم عم خطط عم تكتيك و مني ملحلح من هون للساعة توقف تك تيك تك تيك

لك ليك منفخ حاله عامبيكازيب عا غيري بس بوجهي بتاءتإوجهه بيباءبإ من أد ما بعصب بسبسب

زر إنذار إذني بتطنطن و بشوف من عالباب عم بدقدق

عكروت بدو يفوت ليشوف الفن فني بس الفن هون بجسمي معبأ

من حلقي طايف و من متي عم بت شرشر و بيس البيس زلزال برجرج خليك تضبضب تنضب بالبيت لتكنكن

و أنا متأسف ألني بدي استأذن بس بعد شفت كابتشينو بتصحصح

ما إنتلك النجوم عم تقرببهل ال مود حكون عطول لبهل جنوم إدءر

لو مضطر شن هجوم عل النجوم كلهاخللي األرض تدور حول أصبعي تنلك

هيدا هب هوبمش هبل و ال بهل

هيدا زجل تتغزل في

ورايي إيقاع عليي إتبع و ما إطلع عنو يا بصير متل غير مسيس

زقفوا مع االيقاعزقفوا مع االيقاع

F a r e e q e l A t r a s h

Checking and hurling words that tickle as if I was high and sniffing

I am planning and scheming and Irsquom not going anywhere till the clock stops ticking

Look hersquos so full of it lying to others but in my face he stutters

And his face turns red from all the anger and he curses

My earsrsquo alarm bells start ringing

And I go to see whorsquos knocking at the door

Some bastard who wants to see where ldquothe artldquo is

But the art is right here packed in my body

Flowing from my throat running out of my mouth

And the bass is an earthquake that shakes and forces you to pack up and go home

And Irsquom sorry because I need to take leave

But after a sip of cappuccino yoursquoll come around

Didnrsquot I tell you The stars are getting closer

Irsquoll stay in this mood

Until I touch these stars even if I have to launch an attack on all the stars

Irsquoll make the Earth rotate around my finger I told you

This is hip hop

Itrsquos not stupid nor dumb

Itrsquos zajal [a form of Arabic poetry in the Levant]

That you flirt with

There is a beat that I have to follow canrsquot lose it or Irsquoll be like other MCs

Clap with the beat

Clap with the beat

T r a n s l a t e d b y K h a l e d A l H i l l i

null

29781717

101100

انا ببلعهم بتفهم وال مره بسبهمبخليهم داميا يضاربو بتفكيرهم

أنا وراهم قدامهم جنابهم محتلهممش طايقهم مرات وزنهم بكون منزلهم

مرتبهم صاففهم وبقلم أنا حاكمهم زاتتهم مش عاجبيني أنا ماحيهم قائدهم وبنفس الوقت أنا عبيدهم

وبفك وربط أنا بلعب مبعانيهمانا حاميهم بأسطر اللي تقويهم

انا واعدهم اني أستر على فاضحهم ومطلعهم بصوره اللي تبشعهم

بس أنا محترمهم وبسطور ساجنهم مكتفهم كأسير بجنازير القهر

ومهديهم بحبل اللي يبشر بالصبر وانا لي الفخر أكون الشوك اللي فيهم

Dوأكون القهر اللي داميا يسقيهم A M

Yo this is dedicated to the lyrics

Irsquom swallowing them spitting them never dissing them

Giving them freedom of speech

Irsquom behind them in front of them because of them always standing with them

Sometimes get sick of them sick of how you abuse them

Gather them in line with my pen I order them

Didnrsquot like it Throwing them out and replacing them

Irsquom their leader and also their slave

Small changes make huge differences

I train them in pages to make them strong

Promising to use them not abuse them

Or allow the wrong mouths to utter them

Approach them with a military mind and find peace in them

Irsquom lucky to be full of thorns and even luckier that I found the lyrics

So theyrsquoll help me find the roses in me

wordsكلمات

null

26837427

103102

raquoالكل سمعك بس السؤال اذا اللي سمعك فهمكlaquoكلمات ليست كالكلمات بل raquoعالماتlaquo

اللي توجهنا وين مابدنا عحبال السيرك هي تثبتنا ريح العالم من كل جهه اذا احنا ضعاف بتوقعنا بس

raquoأل بلمره ألlaquo raquoكلمات عندي طنlaquoكل واحده الها هدف اخدت حرف عحرف

نسجت جمل اللي البسهم وقت البرد raquoراح اضلني اناديlaquo raquoبنحكي كلماتlaquo

انت بتعرف انهم مبنصب شهاد بحكو املاضي وتنبوا حاضر أي بالد

قد ماحكيت قد ما أحكي فش كالم يغطي بسفي كالم يربي وينمي انت بس أروي

في شوف انه قوه والقوه بتقويفيك و أن رويته مصيره يسقيك )مثل للقوه( العدو من أمامكم

والبحر من ورائكم فال تخيبوا أسيادكمفأين أشعاركم وأين مجادلتكم

فأنتم تسكتون وتخمدون أحالمكم)انهي( نهيت ورجعت للعامية بكلمات

مرمية طالعه من عقليه شعبيهمتل جنيب اللي بذاكرة كل واحد محفوظ مدروس واذا أل معناته في خلل معكوس

عاملجتمع اللي قمع كتاباته Dاللي سمح لنسيانه يشيل خطواته A M

ldquoThey all hear you but few listen to youldquo

Lyrics ainrsquot just a bunch of words they are ldquosignsldquo

Leading us stabilizing us on tight ropes

Winds every way if we are thin we will fall

ldquoBut hell noldquo ldquoyou can measure my words in tonsldquo

Every word has a meaning I knitted a letter with another letter

Made warm sentences to wear in cold days

ldquoSo Irsquoll still shoutldquo ldquowe control lyricsldquo

You know lyrics are like a witness

They witnessed the past and forecast the future

As much as I said or say I canrsquot describe them

But there is a way to find the description and thatrsquos through them

Quench the thirst of the pages with them

So in the future itrsquoll quench your thirst

Keep feeding them as soon as they grow up

Theyrsquoll give you strength

ldquoExample for the strengthldquo

ldquoThe enemy is before you the sea is behind you

So donrsquot you dare disappoint our ancestors

Where are our deep poems Where are our strong statements

From generation to generation we kill our dreamsldquo

ldquoEnough philosophizingldquo ok lets get back to street talk

Words coming outta simple minds

Like Najeeb Mahfuz [literally lsquowell-rememberedrsquo also a famous author]

They keep living in our minds

And if you donrsquot know who he is - then I rest my case

null

26837427

105104

raquoالكل سمعك بس السؤال اذا اللي سمعك فهمكlaquoكلمات ليست كالكلمات بل raquoعالماتlaquo

اللي توجهنا وين مابدنا عحبال السيرك هي تثبتنا ريح العالم من كل جهه اذا احنا ضعاف بتوقعنا بس

raquoأل بلمره ألlaquo raquoكلمات عندي طنlaquoكل واحده الها هدف اخدت حرف عحرف

نسجت جمل اللي البسهم وقت البرد raquoراح اضلني اناديlaquo raquoبنحكي كلماتlaquo

ألف با كبايه أوعك تكسرهاامسكها للنهاية وكل ما تفضى مليها

كلمه أو رواية ومع املراحل زيدها شيحكاية وهيك ضلك زود فيها

وجيبها لتجمعاتك وساعتها استعملها لنقاشاتك وملواقفك استخدمها

هادي مدافعك اللي مداها بسيطرتك وما دافعك انه ما تخليها رايتك

ما هي تكتب ما هي توصف ما هي تكذب ما هي تنصف

ما هي هي الهروب هياللجوء هي الدروب هي

العبور باحلدود واللي مبرؤهم مبدع وبفوز باخللود واللي بسرقهم مش مقنع

واذا بتديهم احلرية بنادوك ممنوعDواذا بتوخد احلريه بنادوك مسموح A M

ldquoThey all hear you but few listen to youldquo

Lyrics ainrsquot just a bunch of words they are ldquosignsldquo

Leading us stabilizing us on tight ropes

Winds every way if we are thin we will fall

ldquoBut hell noldquo ldquoyou can measure my words in tonsldquo

Every word has a meaning I knitted a letter with another letter

Made warm sentences to wear in cold days

ldquoSo Irsquoll still shoutldquo ldquowe control lyricsldquo

The Arabic alphabet is like a glass donrsquot break it

Hold it tight and keep filling it

And then bring it to our arguments

Scream till your throat gets dry and then wet it

It holds our body itrsquos like our legs

If you stand for nothing yoursquoll fall for anything

The words write create

They kill lead and sometimes even lie

You can use them to build borders

And those who are gifted

Can use them to walk through borders

And in some governments

Itrsquos forbidden to give words freedom

But if you choke them and kill them

Thatrsquos allowed

F i g u r a t i v e t r a n s l a t i o n o f f e r e d b y t h e a r t i s t s

null

26837427

107106

further reading

The tracks presented in this document are not a comprehensive sampling of the genre of the market of hip hop in Arabic or of hip hop and rap in the wider Middle East

Artists featured here hail from Egypt Lebanon Palestine and the anglophone Arab diaspora The thriving North African hip hop scene is not represented nor is the work of the established francophone Arab diaspora nor the expanding hip hop scenes of especially Iran or Turkey

This collection does not attempt a comprehensive chronology Tracks featured here are not primarily new releases (though some are) neither are they all ldquoclassicsrdquo These limitations of scope are important to note

Many tracks of the popular Libyan group Ibn Thabitt and other groups from across the region have been translated and are hosted with commentary on the notable blog

revolutionaryarabrapblogspotcom

Another valuable resource is the Beirut-based blog by Jackson Allers ldquoBeats and Breathrdquo which features articulate critiques and reviews of events and releases from the region

jacksonallerswordpresscom

Hass Dennaoui (alias Big Hass) who recently launched started the first all hip-hop FM radio show in Saudi Arabia Laish Hip Hop (Why Hip Hop) manages a lively blog which

hosts an internet feed of his radio show and interviews with MCs and influential hip hop figures from around the world

revoltradioblogspotcom

Lebaneseundergroundcom hosts coverage of underground music in Lebanon including hip hop

And finally an excellent article by Hishaam Aidi on implications of the use of hip hop as foreign policy ldquoThe Grand (Hip-Hop) Chessboard Race Rap and Raison DrsquoEtatrdquo was published in The Middle East Report Fall 2011 Excerpts of the piece were published by Al Jazeera English in the article ldquoLeveraging Hip Hop in US Foreign Policyrdquo

All the artists and many of the translators whose work is showcased here host a significant online presence Their sites are listed with more about each of them on the following pages

109108

artist bios

ARABIAN KNIGHTZ the premier hip hop group from the land of the Nile River have not only established themselves as the lyricists with the sharpest swords in their land but they have also created the most consistent voice for rebellion strength and hope for the youth of the Middle East During the 2011 Revolution Arabian Knightz released two singles ldquoRebelrdquo and ldquoNot Your Prisonerrdquo anthems of resistance which gained worldwide attention and major media coverage for their powerful lyrics against a wicked system The group formed in 2006 through the cipher hip hoprsquos natural way of choosing like mindsets on the mic Rush Sphinx and E-Money were ahead of their peers adapting an authentic Arab perspective to the art dominated by Western voices mixing English and Arabic raps After hitting the studio for successful underground tracks AK enlisted super-producer Fredwreck (Snoop Dogg Xzibit Tha Dogg Pound) ldquoFokkakrdquo the single from this studio session was an instant hit and (surprisingly for Arabic Hip Hop) projected them to the top ten of the singles charts Arab League Records was formed amidst a growing fanbase and numerous collaborations with other Arab hip hop artists the first international Arab hip hop record label Desert Saga Volume 1 mixtape was the debut release led by ldquoThe Onerdquo featuring Egyptrsquos MC Amin Arabian Knightz have recorded their debut album Uknighted State of Arabia a masterpiece for Arab hip hop years in the making featuring instrumentals dominated by traditional percussions and players are scheduled for a Winter 2012 Release They are on Facebook

BOIKUTT is a musician and MC based in Ramallah Palestine Creating sounds using sampled material field recordings and electronic devices the results range between hip-hop downtempo ambient glitch and experimental He has composed and produced music for artists such as Kronos Quartet Bukue One Spiritchild Tamer Abu-Ghazaleh Bleubird and others and has appeared as an MC on albums for artists such as Slovo Heliodrome Bonnot and Lethal Skillz A co-founder of the Ramallah Underground Collective which has toured across the Arab World Europe and Australia Boikutt is also co-founder and member of audio-visual group Tashweesh with whom he is currently touring Also as a solo performer he has been in Beirut Cairo Manila Copenhagen London Hamburg Dubai Bethlehem and other cities He has produced and exhibited a few sound-art pieces composed several film scores has most recently composed the music for a dance theater performance entitled Bound by

New York-based company Yaa Samar Dance Theatre and is now working on different collaborative and solo projects His work may be heard at soundcloudcomboikutt and on Facebook

DAM Da Arabian MCrsquos are Suhell Nafar Tamer Nafar and Mahmoud Jreri The first Palestinian hip hop crew and among the first to rap in Arabic the group began working together in the late 1990s Struck by the uncanny resemblance of the reality of the streets in a Tupac video to the streets in their own neighborhood of Lyd they were inspired to tell their stories through hip hop Their timely song ldquoMin Irhabirdquo (ldquoWhorsquos the Terroristrdquo) was downloaded a million times shortly after its internet realese in 2001 and DAM became a household name among youth throughout the Middle East Ten years of performing all over the world has strengthened the grouprsquos commitment to continue living and working in their hometown of Lyd 15 minutes from Tel Aviv and working to provide the youth of the city and neighboring communities with programs and opportunities that have been denied to Palestinian citizens of Israel Their music is a unique fusion of East and West and encompasses influences as varied as Ghassan Kanafani Ahlam Mosteghanemi Mahmoud Darwish Naji al Ali Tupac Biggie Public Enemy MBS Krsquonaan and Pharoahe Monch IHDA (Dedication) DAMrsquos long-awaited first international album was released in 2007 and DAM has seen its songs and members featured in films such as Ford Transit (Dir Hany Abu Assad) Where in the World is Osama Bin Laden (Dir Morgan Spurlock) Salt of this Sea (Dir Annemarie Jacir) Local Angel and Forgiveness (Dir Udi Aloni) DAMrsquos history and influence on the Arab hip hop scene is detailed in the feature-length documentary Slingshot Hip Hop (Dir Jackie Reem Salloum) The group has also been featured in Vibe National Geographic Rolling Stone Q Basement Reuters and The New York Times and has appeared on MTV CNN BBC and Al Jazeera Their work can be heard and explored at damrapcom

EL DEEB first ventured into Egyptian Hip Hop when he joined Asfalt in 2005 He left in 2007 to create Wighit Nazara duo represented by Mohamed Yasser and himself It was a successful musical project that lasted until mid 2010 Currently he is working on his solo career with plans to release an EP every couple of months or so Cairofornia is his first solo EP His work may be heard at deebbandcampcom and on Facebook

EL RASS was born in Tripoli Lebanon He started writing poetry in literary Arabic at age 11 and started rhyming in spoken Lebanese dialect in 1999 at age 15 At that time he formed one third of a group of 3 MCrsquos going under the name of ldquoMlouk el Micrdquo (ldquoKings of the Micrdquo) They recorded one album and performed locally At 17 he left for France to study Finance and Economics Studies were hard money was scarce and exile was tough but music and poetry never left him as he continued rhyming with some underground French MCrsquos like Medline and Moebius and developed new musical skills on percussion in classical Arabic singing and baglama (turkish buzuk) After graduating and working for almost two years in the hell of banking and market finance El Rass decided to return to Lebanon He spent a year just re-discovering Beirut and making and learning music He now works as a journalist at the newspaper Assafir while concurrently pursuing joint projects with other producers and musicians He calls his work Taalik in reference to the same word in Arabic for ldquocommentrdquo and another word that comes from the same semantic root moaallakat which is a corpus of selected pre-Islamic poetry that was written with gold ink on the walls of the Karsquoaba in Mecca His work may be heard at soundcloudcomElRass

FAREEQ EL ATRASH is a hip hop band based out of Hamra St Beirut with a sound that is distinguished by laid back topical flows over live instrumentation It consists of Edd (raps) Nasser (raps) FZ (vocal production and FX) Fouad Afra (drums) Goo (plays guitar keys heart strings) and Abed Kobeissy (plays bass and buzuk) Their 2010 album and 2009 prealbum are available online More of their work may be found on Facebook Eddrsquos solo work can also be heard at soundcloudcomEdd

H2Z was born in Kuwait in 1986 where he lived for four years Due to the gulf war his family moved to Lebanon where he lived for the most part of his life Inspired by the tragic events in the Middle East and elsewhere in the world H2Z adopted rap music as a way to raise awareness about the injustices suffered by his people and to deliver a message through his music to anyone who supports the Palestinian cause His career began in 2004 when he was introduced to the production business by fellow rappers and soon he started producing his own tracks and established a local band producing many tracks for himself and other musicians in Lebanon In 2008 he released his first solo album titled 3aed which contained

17 tracks The political influence was noticed throughout the album and was generally well-received He is now studying for a degree in business administration at Wayne State University in Michigan His work may be heard at reverbnationcomh2z

KATIBEH 5 are based in Borj el Barajneh Lebanon Their work can be found at reverbnationcomkatibeh5 and myspacecomkatibe5palestine and on Facebook

M1 is Mutulu Olugbala of the New York based collective Dead Prez whose work is online at deadprezcom M1 is also on Facebook

MC GAZA is Adnan Mahmoud Ghonim an Algerian born artist and university student based in Gaza It was the beginning of 2005 when he attended one of the hip hop concerts in Gaza City ndash Gaza City that never appreciated the art he loved and attached himself to ndash and it was love at first sight between them Through some of the concerts he participated in a number of songs he collaborated on with Arabs from Egypt Algeria and Palestine and some active participation to represent the Palestinian people and interviews for both Arab and foreign press he was able to make a name for himself in the Gazan hip hop community His work may be found at youtubecomMCGaza and on Facebook

THE NARCICYST Having pioneered the Arab Hip-Hop movement with seminal Iraqi-Canadian crew Euphrates The Narcicyst recently broke through borders and shattered traveling etiquette touring solo around the world sharing stages with the likes of Brother Ali Mos Def and Kanye West to name a few On top of music The Narcicyst is a celebrated theorist whose academic work Fear of an Arab Planet has him from the stage to the classrooms of internationally renowned universities He is now also a professor at Concordia University teaching a Fine Arts course ldquoHip-Hop Past Present and Futurerdquo His writings have been published by multiple university presses and magazines internationally he is also a self-published author having recently released the biographical and social-study on the Arab world The Diatribes of a Dying Tribe As a true artist interested in really pushing his own artistic boundaries The Narcicyst has stepped into acting currently starring in the short music film PHATWA and in the first internationally-released film from the United Arab Emirates called City of Life A true multi-media

111110

KHALED AL HILLI is a PhD candidate in Comparative Literature at the Graduate Center City University of New York He has a BA in English Literature and a Masterrsquos degree in Teaching Second Languages Born in Iraq Khaled has taught in Lebanon and Saudi Arabia at both college and high school levels He has also worked with various Iraqi news outlets and has subtitledtranslated documentary films dealing with current social and political issues His research interests include Arabic political literature prison literature and literature in the diaspora He may be reached at hillykhalidgmailcom

+AZIZ is a NYC-based marketing consultant and a musician He is working through The World Music Parade to develop an animation project based on his music More about that project can be found at themusicparadetumblrcom He tweets from plusaziz

FAYSAL BIBI is a paleontologist and electronic musician currently based in Berlin

LOUBNA BILALI is originally from Morocco She did her undergrad and first MA in English Linguistics at Chouaib Doukkali University El Jadida She came to the US in 2008 to pursue a Masterrsquos degree in French to English translation and is currently working on a PhD in translation studies at Kent State University in Ohio She is very interested in learning and teaching languages as well as translating and localizing computer applications and websites She may be reached at loubnabilaligmailcom

FARAH ELREWAISSATI is a freelance translator pro-Palestine activist and BDS advocate who blogs at youthanormalizationblogspotcom She tweets from 3beee

NIZAR GHANEM was born in Lebanon He has been active in intercultural education interactive learning and conflict resolution across the Arab world His work on conflict resolution involved using theater comics and music as tools for emotional expression and social mobilization

RIMA NAJDI is a Performing Artist She studied dramatic arts at the Lebanese University in Beirut and obtained a Masterrsquos degree in Performance Studies at NYU New York She has written and performed in various plays and performances Najdi is particularly interested in multi-media performing arts and the position of the spectators

BARRAK ALZAID (copy editor) is the Artistic Director of ArteEast He is the editor of the ArteEast Quarterly a dynamic online portal featuring four publications that highlight contemporary art and culture from the Middle East and diaspora ndash ArtersquoZine Shahadat (contemporary short-form literature) Gallery and Cinematek (an online film center) He is also the curator for ArteEastrsquos Across Histories Art Talk Series featuring a series of panels on residencies in Fall 2011 He tweets from barrakster

RAYYA EL ZEIN (editor) is working towards a PhD in Theatre at the Graduate Center City University of New York Her research is increasingly focusing on theories of reception historical studies of audience behavior and popular culture in the Arab world She holds an MA in Performance Studies from NYU and is currently a teaching fellow at City College in Harlem She tweets from rayelz

translator biosdreamer Yassin recently established an arts label in the UAE called The Medium focusing on delivering art from Arabs in the diaspora and at lsquohomersquo to the rest of the world iraqisthebombcom He tweets from TheNarcicyst

OMAR OFFENDUM is a Syrian-American hip hop artist born in Saudi Arabia raised in Washington DC and living in Los Angeles Known for taking audiences on a lyrical journey from the jasmine-tree-lined courtyards of Nizar Qabbanirsquos Damascene homes to the flooded riverbanks of Langston Hughesrsquo Harlem Renaissance poems - Offendum has been featured on several major news outlets (BBC Yahoo ABC News Aljazeera PBS) toured the world to promote his ground-breaking music helped raise thousands of dollars for various humanitarian relief organizations (PCRF KinderUSA ANERA Islamic Relief) lectured at a number of prestigious academic institutions (Harvard MIT Stanford Columbia American University of Beirut NYU-AbuDhabi Qatar Education City) and most recently been involved in creating several critically-acclaimed songs about the popular democratic uprisings throughout the Middle East amp North Africa He is currently hard at work promoting his solo release - affectionately dubbed SyrianamericanA His work may be heard (and read) at offendumbandcampcom He is on Facebook and he tweets from Offendum

RAMALLAH UNDERGROUND based in Ramallah Palestine was born from the immediacy of musical experimentation and out of the need to give voice to a generation of Palestinians and Arabs facing a turbulent and uncertain political landscape The collective was founded by artists Boikutt Stormtrap and Aswatt and has always held a commitment to both the honesty of their work and the need to creatively rejuvenate Arabic culture To this end they combine music ranging from Arabic electronic music hip-hop and trip hop to downtempo with a deep sense of their local culture and the imposing presence of Palestine in their lives The outcome is a new specific and distinct sound RU (as producers and as MCrsquos ) has collaborated with numerous artists across the globe including countries like Lebanon UK Switzerland Italy USA France and many more including a collaboration with Slovo (a band headed by the guitarist from faithless) in their track ldquoNakbardquo which appears on their album Todo Cambia and with Kronos Quartet in the track ldquoTashweeshrdquo which appears on Floodplain RU has also performed live shows in Ramallah Bethlehem Vienna London Cairo Lausanne Amsterdam and Washington DC Their shows are mainly a performance of their hip-hop tracks as well as a few of their own electronic productions as a warm up More recently RU has incorporated a visual set in their live

performances brought to you by Palestinian visual artist Ruanne RU hopes to give a voice to Palestinians and Arabs bringing an alternative voice from the Arab world Their lyrics and music are an expression of anguish and defiance ultimately remaining a defiant voice of the colonized against the colonizer They continue to play a big role in the Arab underground cultural scene while slowly gaining wide global and local popularity

SHADIA MANSOURrsquos work can be found at myspacecomshadiamusic and on Facebook

STORMTRAP is a music producercomposerMC from Palestine Experimenting with old samples instruments and field recordings his sound is the result of a fusion of ambient atmospheres combined with various noises and hip hop beats His lyrics deal with different themes inspired mainly by his personal experiences in Palestine and life in the diaspora Stormtrap played a fundamental role in forming the band Ramallah Underground with which he has performed worldwide the past few years Currently he is working in Vienna with Aras Seyhan and Eren Ileri on a new album which combines live instruments synthesizers turntables beats and Arabic lyrics- which will be released early 2012 His work may be heard at soundcloudcomstormtrap He tweets from asifeh

AMEER YOSSEF 25 has sung and writen music with the band Klaket for the past four years His work may be heard at youtubecomAmeer and on Facebook

towards the work Her work for now concentrates on the process of making interactive and participatory performances that question borders stereotypes and languages

MOE ALI NAYEL is a fixer and a journalist based in Beirut Lebanon He uses social media blogging non-mainstream music journalism and writing as a word spreading eye opening socializing arena He uses social media as a bridge that cuts distance between people on this planet making it a tiny village This bridge starts in his office and takes him to every corner in the world enabling him to connect and network with people and cultures sharing and exchanging stories of the unheard and the neglected He blogs at Words of Action and he tweets from MoeAliNay

ALEX ORTIZ is a video and radio journalist and translator based in Cairo Egypt He graduated from Brown University in 2009 with a double major in Comparative Literature and Middle East Studies He was a CASA I fellow from 2009-2010 and a CASA II fellow from 2010-2011 He currently works for CBS News as a field producer He tweets from cairowitness

AHMED SHAWKET is an independent translator living in Cairo Egypt He is a graduate of the Helwan University Faculty of Arts where he majored in philosophy Ahmed works on literary media and commercial translation

113112

ABOUT SHAHADATShahadat is a quarterly online series designed to provide a platform for short-form writing and experimentation in writing by young and underexposed writers from the MENA region (Middle East and North Africa) The series features stories vignettes reflections and chronicles in translation and the original language of Arabic Farsi Turkish or Kurdish It makes up one quarter of ArteEastrsquos online programming the AE Quarterly For past issues of Shahadat click here

ABOUT THIS SERIES Shahadat is proud to run two alternating series and releases two issues a year of each The issue yoursquove just perused is part of the ldquoExploring Popular Literaturerdquo series This series challenges traditional understandings of ldquoliteraturerdquo emerging from the Middle East and North Africa by presenting genres of creative production that rely on words and language but which have not typically been studied as literature Works are presented in their original language and in translation

In each issue we gather texts from a spectrum of writers to challenge the singular status of the artistauthor and to encourage a more complex presentation of the Middle Eastern and North African ldquostreetrdquo for English-speaking audiences Shahadatrsquos other series ldquoContemporary Literature in Translationrdquo features the work of a single young author in the original language and in English translation

BEHIND THE DOCUMENTShahadat is co-edited by Rayya El Zein Alex Ortiz and ArteEastrsquos Artistic Director Barrak Alzaid All three are young professionals and scholars with artistic inclinations (literature poetry translation and performance) All three have strong connections to New York City and various metropole of the MENA region Shahadat is for us an experiment and a labor of love An editorial board of established scholars and authors is currently being conceived

SPECIAL THANKS TOAnmar El ZeinKinda AkashAndrew JohnstonLivia Alexander

Shahadat logo design by Rima Farouki

114

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Page 42: Shahadat Winter 2012

8382

طول عمر الشعب املصري مع بعض أحلك الظروفبص وفر في التاريخ وانت ياما هاتشوف

الدين ده ليا وليكوفيا وفيك

حاجة روحانية بتخليك حتس اللي بيك

ايد في ايد نبني فيها من جديد

مصر زعلت علي حاصل وسطنا مش مفيد

بعد ثورة وبعد عيد فتنة تقتل حلم واتتحقق لنا

واحد اتننيالذكري بتعيش اكتر من عمر االنسان

بصمتنا تغييرنا جوة وبرة امليدان مش هانضيع نصر ثورتنا بفتنة نشئت بينا

A r a b i a n K n i g h t s + M C G a z a + A m e e r

The Egyptian people have always stuck together

Through the worst times look at history

And see how often wersquove been there for each other

That whole idea of religion

Is for you and for me something spiritual that makes you feel whatrsquos inside you

Hand in hand

We build Egypt up again

Egypt is angry at whatrsquos happening between us

Itrsquos not helpful

After the revolution after the celebration

Sectarian strife is killing the dream we fulfilled

One two

The memory lasts more than a lifetime

Our mark is our change in and outside Tahrir Square

We wonrsquot give up the victory of our revolution in exchange for sectarian strife between

us

hand inايد في ايد hand

Eid Fe Eid

Yasser Ameer Youssef Rush E Money amp MCGaza | by BOGEY

Single Hit track 11

20112011

Hip-Hop

24002867

eng - Hip-Hop 4 Life

eng - iTunNORM 000005E2 0000058E 0000424E 00003537 00026E95 0001C2B3 00008000 00008000 00005045 00005045

8584

بلدنا محتجانا ايدنا واحدة ضد احملنة تفرق ايه معاك ديانتي ملا ربك هو ربي

اصلك هو اصلي ارضك هي ارضي

ملا اتقال لي اكتت فيول فتنة انا قولت غلط علشان الفتنة مفتعلة في بلدنا وكان وراها غرض

فالفرد افترض فبفرض السياسة األمر اختلط

فالزم يبقي املصل سياسي من اصل املرض العسس واحلرس مافرقوش صليب وهالل

وكنا كلنا واحد وراء االقفالدم الشهيد شاهد

ياما بالفتنة انكسرنا وحدتنا بصوت واحد وضد الظلم انتصرنا

وديني هو ديني صلة بيني وبني ربي هارفع علمي وارفع راسي فوق

انا مصري

ايد في ايد نبني فيها من جديد

مصر زعلت علي حاصل وسطنا مش مفيد

بعد ثورة وبعد عيد فتنة تقتل حلم واتتحقق لنا

خلو حمامة السالم من الطيور املنقرضةعلشان تبقي القلوب مبتعدة منقسمه سهل تتسم

فكرين مناعة و قوة أم الدنيا بالطمع مرتبطةنسر املصريني ليس له دين احنا بنحميها بالدم

العنف بذوره بتكتر عاوز يوصل واحلروب حتصل

A r a b i a n K n i g h t s + M C G a z a + A m e e r

Our country needs us all together against the hard times

What difference does my religion make to you when your god is my god

Your origin is mine

Your land is my land

When they told me about sectarian strife I said thatrsquos wrong

Because itrsquos been planted in our country and behind it is some purpose

Makes one think somethingrsquos going on

By playing politics everythingrsquos gotten mixed up

The antidote has to be political just like the poison itself

The military doesnrsquot distinguish between cross and crescent

Wersquore all held together behind bars

The blood of the martyrs bears witness

To how much wersquove been broken by sectarianism

Through our unity we triumphed with one voice over injustice

And my religion is my own a rapport between me and God

Irsquoll raise my flag and my head up

Irsquom Egyptian

Hand in hand

We build Egypt up again

Egypt is angry at whatrsquos happening between us

Itrsquos not helpful

After the revolution after the victory

Sectarian strife is killing the dream we fulfilled

They drove the dove of peace to extinction

To keep hearts apart and divided itrsquos easy to poison them

Do they really think the resilience and strength of Egypt is connected to greed

The Egyptian eagle has no religion we protect it with our blood

The roots of violence are increasing want to gain control to start wars

Eid Fe Eid

Yasser Ameer Youssef Rush E Money amp MCGaza | by BOGEY

Single Hit track 11

20112011

Hip-Hop

24002867

eng - Hip-Hop 4 Life

eng - iTunNORM 000005E2 0000058E 0000424E 00003537 00026E95 0001C2B3 00008000 00008000 00005045 00005045

8786

للعاقيدة يكسر وألعضاء املشاعر تتشال تصتأصلعلى كالم ربهم اتكبرو فعملو قدر واتقدر

وقته مستنينه ليه خططوا مضمون الرسائل اتغير الن الهدف هو تدمير قعدة الوحدهوقتل كل قائد يقود الناس بره احملنه

فيبقي سهل يزيحنا ميحي أوصول عليها كبرناوكل واحد علي حداه يقول أنا محدش يقول احنا

فاببطء بحرص بص بعقل بحذر شوفقبل ما يخلوا خيالك يتخلله اخلوف

واخلوف ده افراز بيطلع من غده ملا الكلب بيشوفهابيعرف انك فاريسه سهل ياكلها ركز

فرق تسد إخلعوفق جتد إرفع

ثورة تقدصمت يفرد- يفرق

ما بيجمع بيننامن حقي النقد من حقك - تسمع

طب إسمع وراجع ما صور التاريخ طب باله بيكفي صور زمانييوم حصار كنيسة املهد مني دافع مني اتقمع مني اتنفا

مسلم مسيحي أل كان فلسطيني اتذكر معي ثورة غضب يناير

اتذكر معي الوحدة اإليد الوحدة اتشرف انتا مصرياتذكر معي األخ بإيد األخ يحمي األخ بدون إلخ

كالمي ماشي ماشي ال-لتفهمني بهويتي مسلم وال نصراني قبطي

ما في حجة لربطي خلبطي حلطي ألوطي ألغير خطيخير أجناد األرض

من أرض بيت املقدس كل السالم بعد ما قلت إلنقسام في وطنيانا ملزم أقول ال لفتنة

تفتت مجد شعب تعب عانى ضحى بالغالي حتى بناه

A r a b i a n K n i g h t s + M C G a z a + A m e e r

The relationship between Egyptians breaks down and the organs that feel are taken out

They got full of themselves in the name of their god and invented a new fate for us

Theyrsquore waiting for a time and theyrsquore plotting The meaning of their messages changes

Because the goal is to destroy the foundation of unity

And kill every leader who takes the people out of hard times

Itrsquos easy to remove us to wipe out the traditions we grew up with

Everyone on his own everyone says ldquoIldquo and no one says ldquoweldquo

Slowly carefully look Wisely with caution see

Before they make your imagination a slave to fear

And that fear releases a secretion from a gland

And when the dog sees it he knows yoursquore easy prey

Divide yoursquoll conquer

Bring harmony and yoursquoll reap Start

A revolution and it will catch on

Silence is solitary It divides

It doesnrsquot bring us together

It is my right to criticize and your right to listen

So listen and look back at history or better look at my life time

The day the Nativity Church was under siege who was persecuted Who was exiled

A Muslim A Christian No he was Palestinian

Letrsquos remember the angry revolution of January

Letrsquos remember the unity the one hand Be proud yoursquore Egyptian

Remember the brother holding hands with a brother protecting a brother

And I can go on

Donrsquot teach me about my identity whether Irsquom a Muslim or a Christian Copt

Therersquos no excuse to tie me down beat me to make me cower and kneel and stray from my courseThe Earthrsquos most virtuous soldiers

Come from the land of Bayt al-Maqdis [Jerusalem] I salute you After I said no to division in my countryIrsquom committed to saying no to seditionThat dissolves the glory of a people who labored suffered sacrificed what was most dear to build it

T r a n s l a t e d b y A l e x O r t i z + A h m e d S h a w k e t + K h a l e d A l H i l l i

Eid Fe Eid

Yasser Ameer Youssef Rush E Money amp MCGaza | by BOGEY

Single Hit track 11

20112011

Hip-Hop

24002867

eng - Hip-Hop 4 Life

eng - iTunNORM 000005E2 0000058E 0000424E 00003537 00026E95 0001C2B3 00008000 00008000 00005045 00005045

8988

الفن واملواهب زي حرب الكواكب الكل عايز يكون جنم صراع في الداخل

بهدي جنون العظمة بفلفل حر توابل تسيل دموع زي القنابل

زي مابتكلم وداني شغالة كون سامع نبض الشارع علشان أ

حالف أقضي على اإلعالم املتآمر مغامر في الكالم بس إنت مش سامع

ملا بأمسك القلم والورقة الهم بينزاح مخي بيرتاح بأقول اللي على البال

ملا بأقعد بحس بتأنيب ضمير كون في ستوديو بسجل على بيت خطير مفروض أ

e l D e e b + S t o r m t r a p

Art and talent are like Star Wars

Secretly everyone wants to be a star of conflict

I make megalomania tranquil with chilli hot spices

Tears flow like bombs

Thatrsquos how I talk and the world keeps moving

So that I can hear the pulse of the streets

Irsquove sworn to obliterate the media conspirators

I am adventurous in my speech but you do not hear

When I hold the pen and the paper my anxiety is lifted

My mind relaxes and I say whatrsquos on it

When I sit down I feel guilty

I should be in the studio recording dangerous beats

addictأدمان الشهرة ion to fame

Edman El Shuhra

Stormtrap amp Mohamed El Deeb

2011

Hip-Hop

15305855

- vocals Mohamed El Deeb Stormtrap13produced by Stormtrap

9190

إحساس غريب إنك تدمن الكالم ارسم يا فنان واخترع زي دافينشي الرسام

ولو مفيش ورقة باستخدم تليفوني خايف إن فكرة متعديش على صوتي

دنيا غريبة يوم مر يوم بونبوني بس أنا عمري ماغيرت لوني

املوسيقى بنادولي وبطابعي فضولي مهما قالوا لي هافهمها مبفهومي فـساعات أالقي نفسي بكلم نفسي واسمع أصوات غريبة في دماغي

وهو ده الصدى الصوت اللي بسمعه اكن مفيش حد فارقة معاه احالمي

شوف شوف مش هدف إنو أنا شخصيا أنا

هدفي انه كلماتي وموسيقتي تنتشرعشان هيك حتشوفني دوما مستمر مستثمر

كل وقتي كل طاقتي على أصواتي خوذ شك خوذ حتويل خوذ كاش

بس ما تنساش أي شي بيتعلق بالواقع بدناش ما تخاف ألنها قضيتنا مش منسية مية باملية هايذي ثورة كمان ثقافية

خليني أوضح هاي املوسيقى مش معمولة للتلفازeهاي املوسيقى مش معمولة لهز الطياز l D e e b + S t o r m t r a p

Strange feeling to be out of words

Paint oh artist and discover like Da Vinci the artist

If I donrsquot have paper I use my cell

I am afraid that the idea does not come through my voice

Strange world one day is bitter another like candy

But Irsquove never changed my color

Music is my Tylenol and my nature curious

So whatever they tell me Irsquoll understand it my way

Sometimes I find myself talking to myself

And I hear weird voices in my head

Which is just the echo of the sound I hear

As if no one cares about my dreams

See see

My goals are not self serving

My goal is that my words and music spread

Thatrsquos why yoursquoll see me always and continuously investing

All my time my energy on my sounds

Take a check take a transfer take cash

But never forget anything related to reality wersquore not interested

Donrsquot be afraid because our cause is not forgotten

One hundred percent this is also a cultural revolution

Let me explain this music is not meant to be televised

This music is not made for booty shaking

Edman El Shuhra

Stormtrap amp Mohamed El Deeb

2011

Hip-Hop

15305855

- vocals Mohamed El Deeb Stormtrap13produced by Stormtrap

9392

مش فاهم ليش الكل قاتل حاله يكون في مسابقةحابني نتصابح حياكم زات املكافحة

واالعالم ميت ع حيالله قصة ما بيدرس هالقصة من نصها

وبعدن بينفخهامش احلق علينا اذا ما بيبحثوا

وملا يبدوا يحكوا عنا أل عنجد بيبعصوابيفكروا انه كل شي هشك بشك

بس حدن الزم يقلهم انه الهب هوب مش هيكبدك تدير بالك عشانها هاي اللحظة احلاسمة

ملا يجوا عليك الديب والعاصفةنكسر حدود وبنبني وحدة عشان نحيي مجتماعاتنا

وننهي معانتناعشان هيك منكتب كلمات صريحة والها معنى

مش للشهرة مش حتى يجي حدن يدفعلنا

e l D e e b + S t o r m t r a p

I donrsquot understand why everyone is killing themselves to be in the contest

Wersquod like to say goodmorning to salute you in this same struggle

The mediarsquos dying for any story

But they donrsquot study the storyrsquos real text

And then they blow it out of proportion

Itrsquos not our fault if they donrsquot search

And when they talk about us then they really screw it up

They think everything is empty pointless

Somebody needs to tell them that hip hop is not like that

You should take care because this is the critical moment

When the wolf and storm come haunting you

We break borders and we create a unity to revitalize our communities

And stop our suffering

That is why we write frank words that have meaning

Itrsquos not for fame or even so that someone pays us

T r a n s l a t e d b y N i z a r G h a n e m

Edman El Shuhra

Stormtrap amp Mohamed El Deeb

2011

Hip-Hop

15305855

- vocals Mohamed El Deeb Stormtrap13produced by Stormtrap

9594

حضل عهل مود يعنيما إنتلك النجوم عم تقرب

بهل ال مود حكون عطول لبهل جنوم إدءر لو مضطر شن هجوم عل النجوم كلها

خللي األرض تدور حول أصبعي تنلك

ما إنتلك متلي متلك مولع طيار ألفكاري من العقدي تنفك فرد قعدي بني 4 حيطان ما بتنهز و منها ما بنهز

يلز املا بينلزالكاس عل الطاولي و منو عم مز مز

لتفتل براصي وحس من حالي عم كز كزعل ورقة كالمي مدروس و ما بزت زت بجرب ما عيد حالي متا يقولو عم نق نق

موزع قافياتي جواز كأن عم فت فت

بهل األطشة خلي الديني اللي تسمعني ترن رنFبسبيلي جاري يوم ع يوم عم برك رك a r e e q e l A t r a s h

Irsquoll stay in this mood

Didnrsquot I tell you The stars are getting closer

Irsquoll stay in this mood until I touch these stars

Even if I have to launch an attack on all the stars

Irsquoll make the Earth rotate around my finger I told you

Didnrsquot I tell you Irsquom just like you I lit up a joint so my ideas would untie their knot

Sitting this way in between four walls I wonrsquot budge

The most delectable

Drink is on the table from which Irsquom taking sips

Till my head starts spinning and Irsquom sick of myself

On the paper my words are calculated I donrsquot just toss them about

I try not to repeat myself so they wonrsquot say Irsquom nagging

I deal my rhymes out like theyrsquore cards

In this verse Irsquoll make those ears ring

My fountain is running and every day I excel

tالنجوم عم تقرب he stars are gett ing closer

null

29781717

9796

لضل ماشي جالس بينما غيري عم بلك لك شريط معلق ريحة العة عم بتفح فحكل ما فتح متو بتالقي عم بكب كب

عايشها إرهاب و مفي إال بسب سببزبالتي ما بكبو تيكون بعلمك

األالف مسم و بحياتو ما بينسم بزقة من هل التم تخلي سقفك ينش نش

تلمو ردم و ما تفكر إنو ترد رد و عم بحكي عالواطي متا الصالي فيك ترج رج

بطبعي عاقل بس بالراب بزل زل عل الرايق بال ما نط وال فز فز

type of shitعال بارد أبرد من شباط بس يقز قزتخلي عضامك ع بعض تسك سك

ما إنتلك النجوم عم تقرب بهل ال مود حكون عطول لبهل جنوم إدءر

لو مضطر شن هجوم عل النجوم كلهاخللي األرض تدور حول أصبعي تنلك

أنا متنبئ بنبه و بحقق ما قلتلك بعد وقتها ما عم نكت

عاملكرفون إبرة هرون عم بشكشك في شكcheck one two

هيك بدسدس عالنبض

F a r e e q e l A t r a s h

So I can walk straight when others are still playing

A broken record that reeks of a musty smell

Every time he opens his mouth he spews them out

He lives in terror and all he does is curse

I wouldnrsquot throw him in my garbage just so you know

Irsquove irritated thousands and never been irritated in my life

One spit out of this mouth will make your roof leak

And yoursquoll pick up the rubble and donrsquot even think about answering back

Irsquom talking in a low voice so the hall wonrsquot shake with you in it

Irsquom reasonable by nature but when it comes to rap I humiliate cold-heartedly

Without jumping or leaping around

I do it coldly colder than icy February-type of shit

Irsquoll make your bones rattle against each other

Didnrsquot I tell you The stars are getting closer

Irsquoll stay in this mood until I touch these stars

Even if I have to launch an attack on all the stars

Irsquoll make the Earth rotate around my finger I told you

Irsquom a psychic I predict and deliver

Didnrsquot I tell you to stand back when Irsquom not joking

Irsquom pricking the microphone with a heroin needle Is there any doubt

Check one two

Thatrsquos how I feel the pulse

null

29781717

9998

بدقق و زتزت حكي بتزجزج كأنها مزهزها عم بتشمشم عم خطط عم تكتيك و مني ملحلح من هون للساعة توقف تك تيك تك تيك

لك ليك منفخ حاله عامبيكازيب عا غيري بس بوجهي بتاءتإوجهه بيباءبإ من أد ما بعصب بسبسب

زر إنذار إذني بتطنطن و بشوف من عالباب عم بدقدق

عكروت بدو يفوت ليشوف الفن فني بس الفن هون بجسمي معبأ

من حلقي طايف و من متي عم بت شرشر و بيس البيس زلزال برجرج خليك تضبضب تنضب بالبيت لتكنكن

و أنا متأسف ألني بدي استأذن بس بعد شفت كابتشينو بتصحصح

ما إنتلك النجوم عم تقرببهل ال مود حكون عطول لبهل جنوم إدءر

لو مضطر شن هجوم عل النجوم كلهاخللي األرض تدور حول أصبعي تنلك

هيدا هب هوبمش هبل و ال بهل

هيدا زجل تتغزل في

ورايي إيقاع عليي إتبع و ما إطلع عنو يا بصير متل غير مسيس

زقفوا مع االيقاعزقفوا مع االيقاع

F a r e e q e l A t r a s h

Checking and hurling words that tickle as if I was high and sniffing

I am planning and scheming and Irsquom not going anywhere till the clock stops ticking

Look hersquos so full of it lying to others but in my face he stutters

And his face turns red from all the anger and he curses

My earsrsquo alarm bells start ringing

And I go to see whorsquos knocking at the door

Some bastard who wants to see where ldquothe artldquo is

But the art is right here packed in my body

Flowing from my throat running out of my mouth

And the bass is an earthquake that shakes and forces you to pack up and go home

And Irsquom sorry because I need to take leave

But after a sip of cappuccino yoursquoll come around

Didnrsquot I tell you The stars are getting closer

Irsquoll stay in this mood

Until I touch these stars even if I have to launch an attack on all the stars

Irsquoll make the Earth rotate around my finger I told you

This is hip hop

Itrsquos not stupid nor dumb

Itrsquos zajal [a form of Arabic poetry in the Levant]

That you flirt with

There is a beat that I have to follow canrsquot lose it or Irsquoll be like other MCs

Clap with the beat

Clap with the beat

T r a n s l a t e d b y K h a l e d A l H i l l i

null

29781717

101100

انا ببلعهم بتفهم وال مره بسبهمبخليهم داميا يضاربو بتفكيرهم

أنا وراهم قدامهم جنابهم محتلهممش طايقهم مرات وزنهم بكون منزلهم

مرتبهم صاففهم وبقلم أنا حاكمهم زاتتهم مش عاجبيني أنا ماحيهم قائدهم وبنفس الوقت أنا عبيدهم

وبفك وربط أنا بلعب مبعانيهمانا حاميهم بأسطر اللي تقويهم

انا واعدهم اني أستر على فاضحهم ومطلعهم بصوره اللي تبشعهم

بس أنا محترمهم وبسطور ساجنهم مكتفهم كأسير بجنازير القهر

ومهديهم بحبل اللي يبشر بالصبر وانا لي الفخر أكون الشوك اللي فيهم

Dوأكون القهر اللي داميا يسقيهم A M

Yo this is dedicated to the lyrics

Irsquom swallowing them spitting them never dissing them

Giving them freedom of speech

Irsquom behind them in front of them because of them always standing with them

Sometimes get sick of them sick of how you abuse them

Gather them in line with my pen I order them

Didnrsquot like it Throwing them out and replacing them

Irsquom their leader and also their slave

Small changes make huge differences

I train them in pages to make them strong

Promising to use them not abuse them

Or allow the wrong mouths to utter them

Approach them with a military mind and find peace in them

Irsquom lucky to be full of thorns and even luckier that I found the lyrics

So theyrsquoll help me find the roses in me

wordsكلمات

null

26837427

103102

raquoالكل سمعك بس السؤال اذا اللي سمعك فهمكlaquoكلمات ليست كالكلمات بل raquoعالماتlaquo

اللي توجهنا وين مابدنا عحبال السيرك هي تثبتنا ريح العالم من كل جهه اذا احنا ضعاف بتوقعنا بس

raquoأل بلمره ألlaquo raquoكلمات عندي طنlaquoكل واحده الها هدف اخدت حرف عحرف

نسجت جمل اللي البسهم وقت البرد raquoراح اضلني اناديlaquo raquoبنحكي كلماتlaquo

انت بتعرف انهم مبنصب شهاد بحكو املاضي وتنبوا حاضر أي بالد

قد ماحكيت قد ما أحكي فش كالم يغطي بسفي كالم يربي وينمي انت بس أروي

في شوف انه قوه والقوه بتقويفيك و أن رويته مصيره يسقيك )مثل للقوه( العدو من أمامكم

والبحر من ورائكم فال تخيبوا أسيادكمفأين أشعاركم وأين مجادلتكم

فأنتم تسكتون وتخمدون أحالمكم)انهي( نهيت ورجعت للعامية بكلمات

مرمية طالعه من عقليه شعبيهمتل جنيب اللي بذاكرة كل واحد محفوظ مدروس واذا أل معناته في خلل معكوس

عاملجتمع اللي قمع كتاباته Dاللي سمح لنسيانه يشيل خطواته A M

ldquoThey all hear you but few listen to youldquo

Lyrics ainrsquot just a bunch of words they are ldquosignsldquo

Leading us stabilizing us on tight ropes

Winds every way if we are thin we will fall

ldquoBut hell noldquo ldquoyou can measure my words in tonsldquo

Every word has a meaning I knitted a letter with another letter

Made warm sentences to wear in cold days

ldquoSo Irsquoll still shoutldquo ldquowe control lyricsldquo

You know lyrics are like a witness

They witnessed the past and forecast the future

As much as I said or say I canrsquot describe them

But there is a way to find the description and thatrsquos through them

Quench the thirst of the pages with them

So in the future itrsquoll quench your thirst

Keep feeding them as soon as they grow up

Theyrsquoll give you strength

ldquoExample for the strengthldquo

ldquoThe enemy is before you the sea is behind you

So donrsquot you dare disappoint our ancestors

Where are our deep poems Where are our strong statements

From generation to generation we kill our dreamsldquo

ldquoEnough philosophizingldquo ok lets get back to street talk

Words coming outta simple minds

Like Najeeb Mahfuz [literally lsquowell-rememberedrsquo also a famous author]

They keep living in our minds

And if you donrsquot know who he is - then I rest my case

null

26837427

105104

raquoالكل سمعك بس السؤال اذا اللي سمعك فهمكlaquoكلمات ليست كالكلمات بل raquoعالماتlaquo

اللي توجهنا وين مابدنا عحبال السيرك هي تثبتنا ريح العالم من كل جهه اذا احنا ضعاف بتوقعنا بس

raquoأل بلمره ألlaquo raquoكلمات عندي طنlaquoكل واحده الها هدف اخدت حرف عحرف

نسجت جمل اللي البسهم وقت البرد raquoراح اضلني اناديlaquo raquoبنحكي كلماتlaquo

ألف با كبايه أوعك تكسرهاامسكها للنهاية وكل ما تفضى مليها

كلمه أو رواية ومع املراحل زيدها شيحكاية وهيك ضلك زود فيها

وجيبها لتجمعاتك وساعتها استعملها لنقاشاتك وملواقفك استخدمها

هادي مدافعك اللي مداها بسيطرتك وما دافعك انه ما تخليها رايتك

ما هي تكتب ما هي توصف ما هي تكذب ما هي تنصف

ما هي هي الهروب هياللجوء هي الدروب هي

العبور باحلدود واللي مبرؤهم مبدع وبفوز باخللود واللي بسرقهم مش مقنع

واذا بتديهم احلرية بنادوك ممنوعDواذا بتوخد احلريه بنادوك مسموح A M

ldquoThey all hear you but few listen to youldquo

Lyrics ainrsquot just a bunch of words they are ldquosignsldquo

Leading us stabilizing us on tight ropes

Winds every way if we are thin we will fall

ldquoBut hell noldquo ldquoyou can measure my words in tonsldquo

Every word has a meaning I knitted a letter with another letter

Made warm sentences to wear in cold days

ldquoSo Irsquoll still shoutldquo ldquowe control lyricsldquo

The Arabic alphabet is like a glass donrsquot break it

Hold it tight and keep filling it

And then bring it to our arguments

Scream till your throat gets dry and then wet it

It holds our body itrsquos like our legs

If you stand for nothing yoursquoll fall for anything

The words write create

They kill lead and sometimes even lie

You can use them to build borders

And those who are gifted

Can use them to walk through borders

And in some governments

Itrsquos forbidden to give words freedom

But if you choke them and kill them

Thatrsquos allowed

F i g u r a t i v e t r a n s l a t i o n o f f e r e d b y t h e a r t i s t s

null

26837427

107106

further reading

The tracks presented in this document are not a comprehensive sampling of the genre of the market of hip hop in Arabic or of hip hop and rap in the wider Middle East

Artists featured here hail from Egypt Lebanon Palestine and the anglophone Arab diaspora The thriving North African hip hop scene is not represented nor is the work of the established francophone Arab diaspora nor the expanding hip hop scenes of especially Iran or Turkey

This collection does not attempt a comprehensive chronology Tracks featured here are not primarily new releases (though some are) neither are they all ldquoclassicsrdquo These limitations of scope are important to note

Many tracks of the popular Libyan group Ibn Thabitt and other groups from across the region have been translated and are hosted with commentary on the notable blog

revolutionaryarabrapblogspotcom

Another valuable resource is the Beirut-based blog by Jackson Allers ldquoBeats and Breathrdquo which features articulate critiques and reviews of events and releases from the region

jacksonallerswordpresscom

Hass Dennaoui (alias Big Hass) who recently launched started the first all hip-hop FM radio show in Saudi Arabia Laish Hip Hop (Why Hip Hop) manages a lively blog which

hosts an internet feed of his radio show and interviews with MCs and influential hip hop figures from around the world

revoltradioblogspotcom

Lebaneseundergroundcom hosts coverage of underground music in Lebanon including hip hop

And finally an excellent article by Hishaam Aidi on implications of the use of hip hop as foreign policy ldquoThe Grand (Hip-Hop) Chessboard Race Rap and Raison DrsquoEtatrdquo was published in The Middle East Report Fall 2011 Excerpts of the piece were published by Al Jazeera English in the article ldquoLeveraging Hip Hop in US Foreign Policyrdquo

All the artists and many of the translators whose work is showcased here host a significant online presence Their sites are listed with more about each of them on the following pages

109108

artist bios

ARABIAN KNIGHTZ the premier hip hop group from the land of the Nile River have not only established themselves as the lyricists with the sharpest swords in their land but they have also created the most consistent voice for rebellion strength and hope for the youth of the Middle East During the 2011 Revolution Arabian Knightz released two singles ldquoRebelrdquo and ldquoNot Your Prisonerrdquo anthems of resistance which gained worldwide attention and major media coverage for their powerful lyrics against a wicked system The group formed in 2006 through the cipher hip hoprsquos natural way of choosing like mindsets on the mic Rush Sphinx and E-Money were ahead of their peers adapting an authentic Arab perspective to the art dominated by Western voices mixing English and Arabic raps After hitting the studio for successful underground tracks AK enlisted super-producer Fredwreck (Snoop Dogg Xzibit Tha Dogg Pound) ldquoFokkakrdquo the single from this studio session was an instant hit and (surprisingly for Arabic Hip Hop) projected them to the top ten of the singles charts Arab League Records was formed amidst a growing fanbase and numerous collaborations with other Arab hip hop artists the first international Arab hip hop record label Desert Saga Volume 1 mixtape was the debut release led by ldquoThe Onerdquo featuring Egyptrsquos MC Amin Arabian Knightz have recorded their debut album Uknighted State of Arabia a masterpiece for Arab hip hop years in the making featuring instrumentals dominated by traditional percussions and players are scheduled for a Winter 2012 Release They are on Facebook

BOIKUTT is a musician and MC based in Ramallah Palestine Creating sounds using sampled material field recordings and electronic devices the results range between hip-hop downtempo ambient glitch and experimental He has composed and produced music for artists such as Kronos Quartet Bukue One Spiritchild Tamer Abu-Ghazaleh Bleubird and others and has appeared as an MC on albums for artists such as Slovo Heliodrome Bonnot and Lethal Skillz A co-founder of the Ramallah Underground Collective which has toured across the Arab World Europe and Australia Boikutt is also co-founder and member of audio-visual group Tashweesh with whom he is currently touring Also as a solo performer he has been in Beirut Cairo Manila Copenhagen London Hamburg Dubai Bethlehem and other cities He has produced and exhibited a few sound-art pieces composed several film scores has most recently composed the music for a dance theater performance entitled Bound by

New York-based company Yaa Samar Dance Theatre and is now working on different collaborative and solo projects His work may be heard at soundcloudcomboikutt and on Facebook

DAM Da Arabian MCrsquos are Suhell Nafar Tamer Nafar and Mahmoud Jreri The first Palestinian hip hop crew and among the first to rap in Arabic the group began working together in the late 1990s Struck by the uncanny resemblance of the reality of the streets in a Tupac video to the streets in their own neighborhood of Lyd they were inspired to tell their stories through hip hop Their timely song ldquoMin Irhabirdquo (ldquoWhorsquos the Terroristrdquo) was downloaded a million times shortly after its internet realese in 2001 and DAM became a household name among youth throughout the Middle East Ten years of performing all over the world has strengthened the grouprsquos commitment to continue living and working in their hometown of Lyd 15 minutes from Tel Aviv and working to provide the youth of the city and neighboring communities with programs and opportunities that have been denied to Palestinian citizens of Israel Their music is a unique fusion of East and West and encompasses influences as varied as Ghassan Kanafani Ahlam Mosteghanemi Mahmoud Darwish Naji al Ali Tupac Biggie Public Enemy MBS Krsquonaan and Pharoahe Monch IHDA (Dedication) DAMrsquos long-awaited first international album was released in 2007 and DAM has seen its songs and members featured in films such as Ford Transit (Dir Hany Abu Assad) Where in the World is Osama Bin Laden (Dir Morgan Spurlock) Salt of this Sea (Dir Annemarie Jacir) Local Angel and Forgiveness (Dir Udi Aloni) DAMrsquos history and influence on the Arab hip hop scene is detailed in the feature-length documentary Slingshot Hip Hop (Dir Jackie Reem Salloum) The group has also been featured in Vibe National Geographic Rolling Stone Q Basement Reuters and The New York Times and has appeared on MTV CNN BBC and Al Jazeera Their work can be heard and explored at damrapcom

EL DEEB first ventured into Egyptian Hip Hop when he joined Asfalt in 2005 He left in 2007 to create Wighit Nazara duo represented by Mohamed Yasser and himself It was a successful musical project that lasted until mid 2010 Currently he is working on his solo career with plans to release an EP every couple of months or so Cairofornia is his first solo EP His work may be heard at deebbandcampcom and on Facebook

EL RASS was born in Tripoli Lebanon He started writing poetry in literary Arabic at age 11 and started rhyming in spoken Lebanese dialect in 1999 at age 15 At that time he formed one third of a group of 3 MCrsquos going under the name of ldquoMlouk el Micrdquo (ldquoKings of the Micrdquo) They recorded one album and performed locally At 17 he left for France to study Finance and Economics Studies were hard money was scarce and exile was tough but music and poetry never left him as he continued rhyming with some underground French MCrsquos like Medline and Moebius and developed new musical skills on percussion in classical Arabic singing and baglama (turkish buzuk) After graduating and working for almost two years in the hell of banking and market finance El Rass decided to return to Lebanon He spent a year just re-discovering Beirut and making and learning music He now works as a journalist at the newspaper Assafir while concurrently pursuing joint projects with other producers and musicians He calls his work Taalik in reference to the same word in Arabic for ldquocommentrdquo and another word that comes from the same semantic root moaallakat which is a corpus of selected pre-Islamic poetry that was written with gold ink on the walls of the Karsquoaba in Mecca His work may be heard at soundcloudcomElRass

FAREEQ EL ATRASH is a hip hop band based out of Hamra St Beirut with a sound that is distinguished by laid back topical flows over live instrumentation It consists of Edd (raps) Nasser (raps) FZ (vocal production and FX) Fouad Afra (drums) Goo (plays guitar keys heart strings) and Abed Kobeissy (plays bass and buzuk) Their 2010 album and 2009 prealbum are available online More of their work may be found on Facebook Eddrsquos solo work can also be heard at soundcloudcomEdd

H2Z was born in Kuwait in 1986 where he lived for four years Due to the gulf war his family moved to Lebanon where he lived for the most part of his life Inspired by the tragic events in the Middle East and elsewhere in the world H2Z adopted rap music as a way to raise awareness about the injustices suffered by his people and to deliver a message through his music to anyone who supports the Palestinian cause His career began in 2004 when he was introduced to the production business by fellow rappers and soon he started producing his own tracks and established a local band producing many tracks for himself and other musicians in Lebanon In 2008 he released his first solo album titled 3aed which contained

17 tracks The political influence was noticed throughout the album and was generally well-received He is now studying for a degree in business administration at Wayne State University in Michigan His work may be heard at reverbnationcomh2z

KATIBEH 5 are based in Borj el Barajneh Lebanon Their work can be found at reverbnationcomkatibeh5 and myspacecomkatibe5palestine and on Facebook

M1 is Mutulu Olugbala of the New York based collective Dead Prez whose work is online at deadprezcom M1 is also on Facebook

MC GAZA is Adnan Mahmoud Ghonim an Algerian born artist and university student based in Gaza It was the beginning of 2005 when he attended one of the hip hop concerts in Gaza City ndash Gaza City that never appreciated the art he loved and attached himself to ndash and it was love at first sight between them Through some of the concerts he participated in a number of songs he collaborated on with Arabs from Egypt Algeria and Palestine and some active participation to represent the Palestinian people and interviews for both Arab and foreign press he was able to make a name for himself in the Gazan hip hop community His work may be found at youtubecomMCGaza and on Facebook

THE NARCICYST Having pioneered the Arab Hip-Hop movement with seminal Iraqi-Canadian crew Euphrates The Narcicyst recently broke through borders and shattered traveling etiquette touring solo around the world sharing stages with the likes of Brother Ali Mos Def and Kanye West to name a few On top of music The Narcicyst is a celebrated theorist whose academic work Fear of an Arab Planet has him from the stage to the classrooms of internationally renowned universities He is now also a professor at Concordia University teaching a Fine Arts course ldquoHip-Hop Past Present and Futurerdquo His writings have been published by multiple university presses and magazines internationally he is also a self-published author having recently released the biographical and social-study on the Arab world The Diatribes of a Dying Tribe As a true artist interested in really pushing his own artistic boundaries The Narcicyst has stepped into acting currently starring in the short music film PHATWA and in the first internationally-released film from the United Arab Emirates called City of Life A true multi-media

111110

KHALED AL HILLI is a PhD candidate in Comparative Literature at the Graduate Center City University of New York He has a BA in English Literature and a Masterrsquos degree in Teaching Second Languages Born in Iraq Khaled has taught in Lebanon and Saudi Arabia at both college and high school levels He has also worked with various Iraqi news outlets and has subtitledtranslated documentary films dealing with current social and political issues His research interests include Arabic political literature prison literature and literature in the diaspora He may be reached at hillykhalidgmailcom

+AZIZ is a NYC-based marketing consultant and a musician He is working through The World Music Parade to develop an animation project based on his music More about that project can be found at themusicparadetumblrcom He tweets from plusaziz

FAYSAL BIBI is a paleontologist and electronic musician currently based in Berlin

LOUBNA BILALI is originally from Morocco She did her undergrad and first MA in English Linguistics at Chouaib Doukkali University El Jadida She came to the US in 2008 to pursue a Masterrsquos degree in French to English translation and is currently working on a PhD in translation studies at Kent State University in Ohio She is very interested in learning and teaching languages as well as translating and localizing computer applications and websites She may be reached at loubnabilaligmailcom

FARAH ELREWAISSATI is a freelance translator pro-Palestine activist and BDS advocate who blogs at youthanormalizationblogspotcom She tweets from 3beee

NIZAR GHANEM was born in Lebanon He has been active in intercultural education interactive learning and conflict resolution across the Arab world His work on conflict resolution involved using theater comics and music as tools for emotional expression and social mobilization

RIMA NAJDI is a Performing Artist She studied dramatic arts at the Lebanese University in Beirut and obtained a Masterrsquos degree in Performance Studies at NYU New York She has written and performed in various plays and performances Najdi is particularly interested in multi-media performing arts and the position of the spectators

BARRAK ALZAID (copy editor) is the Artistic Director of ArteEast He is the editor of the ArteEast Quarterly a dynamic online portal featuring four publications that highlight contemporary art and culture from the Middle East and diaspora ndash ArtersquoZine Shahadat (contemporary short-form literature) Gallery and Cinematek (an online film center) He is also the curator for ArteEastrsquos Across Histories Art Talk Series featuring a series of panels on residencies in Fall 2011 He tweets from barrakster

RAYYA EL ZEIN (editor) is working towards a PhD in Theatre at the Graduate Center City University of New York Her research is increasingly focusing on theories of reception historical studies of audience behavior and popular culture in the Arab world She holds an MA in Performance Studies from NYU and is currently a teaching fellow at City College in Harlem She tweets from rayelz

translator biosdreamer Yassin recently established an arts label in the UAE called The Medium focusing on delivering art from Arabs in the diaspora and at lsquohomersquo to the rest of the world iraqisthebombcom He tweets from TheNarcicyst

OMAR OFFENDUM is a Syrian-American hip hop artist born in Saudi Arabia raised in Washington DC and living in Los Angeles Known for taking audiences on a lyrical journey from the jasmine-tree-lined courtyards of Nizar Qabbanirsquos Damascene homes to the flooded riverbanks of Langston Hughesrsquo Harlem Renaissance poems - Offendum has been featured on several major news outlets (BBC Yahoo ABC News Aljazeera PBS) toured the world to promote his ground-breaking music helped raise thousands of dollars for various humanitarian relief organizations (PCRF KinderUSA ANERA Islamic Relief) lectured at a number of prestigious academic institutions (Harvard MIT Stanford Columbia American University of Beirut NYU-AbuDhabi Qatar Education City) and most recently been involved in creating several critically-acclaimed songs about the popular democratic uprisings throughout the Middle East amp North Africa He is currently hard at work promoting his solo release - affectionately dubbed SyrianamericanA His work may be heard (and read) at offendumbandcampcom He is on Facebook and he tweets from Offendum

RAMALLAH UNDERGROUND based in Ramallah Palestine was born from the immediacy of musical experimentation and out of the need to give voice to a generation of Palestinians and Arabs facing a turbulent and uncertain political landscape The collective was founded by artists Boikutt Stormtrap and Aswatt and has always held a commitment to both the honesty of their work and the need to creatively rejuvenate Arabic culture To this end they combine music ranging from Arabic electronic music hip-hop and trip hop to downtempo with a deep sense of their local culture and the imposing presence of Palestine in their lives The outcome is a new specific and distinct sound RU (as producers and as MCrsquos ) has collaborated with numerous artists across the globe including countries like Lebanon UK Switzerland Italy USA France and many more including a collaboration with Slovo (a band headed by the guitarist from faithless) in their track ldquoNakbardquo which appears on their album Todo Cambia and with Kronos Quartet in the track ldquoTashweeshrdquo which appears on Floodplain RU has also performed live shows in Ramallah Bethlehem Vienna London Cairo Lausanne Amsterdam and Washington DC Their shows are mainly a performance of their hip-hop tracks as well as a few of their own electronic productions as a warm up More recently RU has incorporated a visual set in their live

performances brought to you by Palestinian visual artist Ruanne RU hopes to give a voice to Palestinians and Arabs bringing an alternative voice from the Arab world Their lyrics and music are an expression of anguish and defiance ultimately remaining a defiant voice of the colonized against the colonizer They continue to play a big role in the Arab underground cultural scene while slowly gaining wide global and local popularity

SHADIA MANSOURrsquos work can be found at myspacecomshadiamusic and on Facebook

STORMTRAP is a music producercomposerMC from Palestine Experimenting with old samples instruments and field recordings his sound is the result of a fusion of ambient atmospheres combined with various noises and hip hop beats His lyrics deal with different themes inspired mainly by his personal experiences in Palestine and life in the diaspora Stormtrap played a fundamental role in forming the band Ramallah Underground with which he has performed worldwide the past few years Currently he is working in Vienna with Aras Seyhan and Eren Ileri on a new album which combines live instruments synthesizers turntables beats and Arabic lyrics- which will be released early 2012 His work may be heard at soundcloudcomstormtrap He tweets from asifeh

AMEER YOSSEF 25 has sung and writen music with the band Klaket for the past four years His work may be heard at youtubecomAmeer and on Facebook

towards the work Her work for now concentrates on the process of making interactive and participatory performances that question borders stereotypes and languages

MOE ALI NAYEL is a fixer and a journalist based in Beirut Lebanon He uses social media blogging non-mainstream music journalism and writing as a word spreading eye opening socializing arena He uses social media as a bridge that cuts distance between people on this planet making it a tiny village This bridge starts in his office and takes him to every corner in the world enabling him to connect and network with people and cultures sharing and exchanging stories of the unheard and the neglected He blogs at Words of Action and he tweets from MoeAliNay

ALEX ORTIZ is a video and radio journalist and translator based in Cairo Egypt He graduated from Brown University in 2009 with a double major in Comparative Literature and Middle East Studies He was a CASA I fellow from 2009-2010 and a CASA II fellow from 2010-2011 He currently works for CBS News as a field producer He tweets from cairowitness

AHMED SHAWKET is an independent translator living in Cairo Egypt He is a graduate of the Helwan University Faculty of Arts where he majored in philosophy Ahmed works on literary media and commercial translation

113112

ABOUT SHAHADATShahadat is a quarterly online series designed to provide a platform for short-form writing and experimentation in writing by young and underexposed writers from the MENA region (Middle East and North Africa) The series features stories vignettes reflections and chronicles in translation and the original language of Arabic Farsi Turkish or Kurdish It makes up one quarter of ArteEastrsquos online programming the AE Quarterly For past issues of Shahadat click here

ABOUT THIS SERIES Shahadat is proud to run two alternating series and releases two issues a year of each The issue yoursquove just perused is part of the ldquoExploring Popular Literaturerdquo series This series challenges traditional understandings of ldquoliteraturerdquo emerging from the Middle East and North Africa by presenting genres of creative production that rely on words and language but which have not typically been studied as literature Works are presented in their original language and in translation

In each issue we gather texts from a spectrum of writers to challenge the singular status of the artistauthor and to encourage a more complex presentation of the Middle Eastern and North African ldquostreetrdquo for English-speaking audiences Shahadatrsquos other series ldquoContemporary Literature in Translationrdquo features the work of a single young author in the original language and in English translation

BEHIND THE DOCUMENTShahadat is co-edited by Rayya El Zein Alex Ortiz and ArteEastrsquos Artistic Director Barrak Alzaid All three are young professionals and scholars with artistic inclinations (literature poetry translation and performance) All three have strong connections to New York City and various metropole of the MENA region Shahadat is for us an experiment and a labor of love An editorial board of established scholars and authors is currently being conceived

SPECIAL THANKS TOAnmar El ZeinKinda AkashAndrew JohnstonLivia Alexander

Shahadat logo design by Rima Farouki

114

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Page 43: Shahadat Winter 2012

8584

بلدنا محتجانا ايدنا واحدة ضد احملنة تفرق ايه معاك ديانتي ملا ربك هو ربي

اصلك هو اصلي ارضك هي ارضي

ملا اتقال لي اكتت فيول فتنة انا قولت غلط علشان الفتنة مفتعلة في بلدنا وكان وراها غرض

فالفرد افترض فبفرض السياسة األمر اختلط

فالزم يبقي املصل سياسي من اصل املرض العسس واحلرس مافرقوش صليب وهالل

وكنا كلنا واحد وراء االقفالدم الشهيد شاهد

ياما بالفتنة انكسرنا وحدتنا بصوت واحد وضد الظلم انتصرنا

وديني هو ديني صلة بيني وبني ربي هارفع علمي وارفع راسي فوق

انا مصري

ايد في ايد نبني فيها من جديد

مصر زعلت علي حاصل وسطنا مش مفيد

بعد ثورة وبعد عيد فتنة تقتل حلم واتتحقق لنا

خلو حمامة السالم من الطيور املنقرضةعلشان تبقي القلوب مبتعدة منقسمه سهل تتسم

فكرين مناعة و قوة أم الدنيا بالطمع مرتبطةنسر املصريني ليس له دين احنا بنحميها بالدم

العنف بذوره بتكتر عاوز يوصل واحلروب حتصل

A r a b i a n K n i g h t s + M C G a z a + A m e e r

Our country needs us all together against the hard times

What difference does my religion make to you when your god is my god

Your origin is mine

Your land is my land

When they told me about sectarian strife I said thatrsquos wrong

Because itrsquos been planted in our country and behind it is some purpose

Makes one think somethingrsquos going on

By playing politics everythingrsquos gotten mixed up

The antidote has to be political just like the poison itself

The military doesnrsquot distinguish between cross and crescent

Wersquore all held together behind bars

The blood of the martyrs bears witness

To how much wersquove been broken by sectarianism

Through our unity we triumphed with one voice over injustice

And my religion is my own a rapport between me and God

Irsquoll raise my flag and my head up

Irsquom Egyptian

Hand in hand

We build Egypt up again

Egypt is angry at whatrsquos happening between us

Itrsquos not helpful

After the revolution after the victory

Sectarian strife is killing the dream we fulfilled

They drove the dove of peace to extinction

To keep hearts apart and divided itrsquos easy to poison them

Do they really think the resilience and strength of Egypt is connected to greed

The Egyptian eagle has no religion we protect it with our blood

The roots of violence are increasing want to gain control to start wars

Eid Fe Eid

Yasser Ameer Youssef Rush E Money amp MCGaza | by BOGEY

Single Hit track 11

20112011

Hip-Hop

24002867

eng - Hip-Hop 4 Life

eng - iTunNORM 000005E2 0000058E 0000424E 00003537 00026E95 0001C2B3 00008000 00008000 00005045 00005045

8786

للعاقيدة يكسر وألعضاء املشاعر تتشال تصتأصلعلى كالم ربهم اتكبرو فعملو قدر واتقدر

وقته مستنينه ليه خططوا مضمون الرسائل اتغير الن الهدف هو تدمير قعدة الوحدهوقتل كل قائد يقود الناس بره احملنه

فيبقي سهل يزيحنا ميحي أوصول عليها كبرناوكل واحد علي حداه يقول أنا محدش يقول احنا

فاببطء بحرص بص بعقل بحذر شوفقبل ما يخلوا خيالك يتخلله اخلوف

واخلوف ده افراز بيطلع من غده ملا الكلب بيشوفهابيعرف انك فاريسه سهل ياكلها ركز

فرق تسد إخلعوفق جتد إرفع

ثورة تقدصمت يفرد- يفرق

ما بيجمع بيننامن حقي النقد من حقك - تسمع

طب إسمع وراجع ما صور التاريخ طب باله بيكفي صور زمانييوم حصار كنيسة املهد مني دافع مني اتقمع مني اتنفا

مسلم مسيحي أل كان فلسطيني اتذكر معي ثورة غضب يناير

اتذكر معي الوحدة اإليد الوحدة اتشرف انتا مصرياتذكر معي األخ بإيد األخ يحمي األخ بدون إلخ

كالمي ماشي ماشي ال-لتفهمني بهويتي مسلم وال نصراني قبطي

ما في حجة لربطي خلبطي حلطي ألوطي ألغير خطيخير أجناد األرض

من أرض بيت املقدس كل السالم بعد ما قلت إلنقسام في وطنيانا ملزم أقول ال لفتنة

تفتت مجد شعب تعب عانى ضحى بالغالي حتى بناه

A r a b i a n K n i g h t s + M C G a z a + A m e e r

The relationship between Egyptians breaks down and the organs that feel are taken out

They got full of themselves in the name of their god and invented a new fate for us

Theyrsquore waiting for a time and theyrsquore plotting The meaning of their messages changes

Because the goal is to destroy the foundation of unity

And kill every leader who takes the people out of hard times

Itrsquos easy to remove us to wipe out the traditions we grew up with

Everyone on his own everyone says ldquoIldquo and no one says ldquoweldquo

Slowly carefully look Wisely with caution see

Before they make your imagination a slave to fear

And that fear releases a secretion from a gland

And when the dog sees it he knows yoursquore easy prey

Divide yoursquoll conquer

Bring harmony and yoursquoll reap Start

A revolution and it will catch on

Silence is solitary It divides

It doesnrsquot bring us together

It is my right to criticize and your right to listen

So listen and look back at history or better look at my life time

The day the Nativity Church was under siege who was persecuted Who was exiled

A Muslim A Christian No he was Palestinian

Letrsquos remember the angry revolution of January

Letrsquos remember the unity the one hand Be proud yoursquore Egyptian

Remember the brother holding hands with a brother protecting a brother

And I can go on

Donrsquot teach me about my identity whether Irsquom a Muslim or a Christian Copt

Therersquos no excuse to tie me down beat me to make me cower and kneel and stray from my courseThe Earthrsquos most virtuous soldiers

Come from the land of Bayt al-Maqdis [Jerusalem] I salute you After I said no to division in my countryIrsquom committed to saying no to seditionThat dissolves the glory of a people who labored suffered sacrificed what was most dear to build it

T r a n s l a t e d b y A l e x O r t i z + A h m e d S h a w k e t + K h a l e d A l H i l l i

Eid Fe Eid

Yasser Ameer Youssef Rush E Money amp MCGaza | by BOGEY

Single Hit track 11

20112011

Hip-Hop

24002867

eng - Hip-Hop 4 Life

eng - iTunNORM 000005E2 0000058E 0000424E 00003537 00026E95 0001C2B3 00008000 00008000 00005045 00005045

8988

الفن واملواهب زي حرب الكواكب الكل عايز يكون جنم صراع في الداخل

بهدي جنون العظمة بفلفل حر توابل تسيل دموع زي القنابل

زي مابتكلم وداني شغالة كون سامع نبض الشارع علشان أ

حالف أقضي على اإلعالم املتآمر مغامر في الكالم بس إنت مش سامع

ملا بأمسك القلم والورقة الهم بينزاح مخي بيرتاح بأقول اللي على البال

ملا بأقعد بحس بتأنيب ضمير كون في ستوديو بسجل على بيت خطير مفروض أ

e l D e e b + S t o r m t r a p

Art and talent are like Star Wars

Secretly everyone wants to be a star of conflict

I make megalomania tranquil with chilli hot spices

Tears flow like bombs

Thatrsquos how I talk and the world keeps moving

So that I can hear the pulse of the streets

Irsquove sworn to obliterate the media conspirators

I am adventurous in my speech but you do not hear

When I hold the pen and the paper my anxiety is lifted

My mind relaxes and I say whatrsquos on it

When I sit down I feel guilty

I should be in the studio recording dangerous beats

addictأدمان الشهرة ion to fame

Edman El Shuhra

Stormtrap amp Mohamed El Deeb

2011

Hip-Hop

15305855

- vocals Mohamed El Deeb Stormtrap13produced by Stormtrap

9190

إحساس غريب إنك تدمن الكالم ارسم يا فنان واخترع زي دافينشي الرسام

ولو مفيش ورقة باستخدم تليفوني خايف إن فكرة متعديش على صوتي

دنيا غريبة يوم مر يوم بونبوني بس أنا عمري ماغيرت لوني

املوسيقى بنادولي وبطابعي فضولي مهما قالوا لي هافهمها مبفهومي فـساعات أالقي نفسي بكلم نفسي واسمع أصوات غريبة في دماغي

وهو ده الصدى الصوت اللي بسمعه اكن مفيش حد فارقة معاه احالمي

شوف شوف مش هدف إنو أنا شخصيا أنا

هدفي انه كلماتي وموسيقتي تنتشرعشان هيك حتشوفني دوما مستمر مستثمر

كل وقتي كل طاقتي على أصواتي خوذ شك خوذ حتويل خوذ كاش

بس ما تنساش أي شي بيتعلق بالواقع بدناش ما تخاف ألنها قضيتنا مش منسية مية باملية هايذي ثورة كمان ثقافية

خليني أوضح هاي املوسيقى مش معمولة للتلفازeهاي املوسيقى مش معمولة لهز الطياز l D e e b + S t o r m t r a p

Strange feeling to be out of words

Paint oh artist and discover like Da Vinci the artist

If I donrsquot have paper I use my cell

I am afraid that the idea does not come through my voice

Strange world one day is bitter another like candy

But Irsquove never changed my color

Music is my Tylenol and my nature curious

So whatever they tell me Irsquoll understand it my way

Sometimes I find myself talking to myself

And I hear weird voices in my head

Which is just the echo of the sound I hear

As if no one cares about my dreams

See see

My goals are not self serving

My goal is that my words and music spread

Thatrsquos why yoursquoll see me always and continuously investing

All my time my energy on my sounds

Take a check take a transfer take cash

But never forget anything related to reality wersquore not interested

Donrsquot be afraid because our cause is not forgotten

One hundred percent this is also a cultural revolution

Let me explain this music is not meant to be televised

This music is not made for booty shaking

Edman El Shuhra

Stormtrap amp Mohamed El Deeb

2011

Hip-Hop

15305855

- vocals Mohamed El Deeb Stormtrap13produced by Stormtrap

9392

مش فاهم ليش الكل قاتل حاله يكون في مسابقةحابني نتصابح حياكم زات املكافحة

واالعالم ميت ع حيالله قصة ما بيدرس هالقصة من نصها

وبعدن بينفخهامش احلق علينا اذا ما بيبحثوا

وملا يبدوا يحكوا عنا أل عنجد بيبعصوابيفكروا انه كل شي هشك بشك

بس حدن الزم يقلهم انه الهب هوب مش هيكبدك تدير بالك عشانها هاي اللحظة احلاسمة

ملا يجوا عليك الديب والعاصفةنكسر حدود وبنبني وحدة عشان نحيي مجتماعاتنا

وننهي معانتناعشان هيك منكتب كلمات صريحة والها معنى

مش للشهرة مش حتى يجي حدن يدفعلنا

e l D e e b + S t o r m t r a p

I donrsquot understand why everyone is killing themselves to be in the contest

Wersquod like to say goodmorning to salute you in this same struggle

The mediarsquos dying for any story

But they donrsquot study the storyrsquos real text

And then they blow it out of proportion

Itrsquos not our fault if they donrsquot search

And when they talk about us then they really screw it up

They think everything is empty pointless

Somebody needs to tell them that hip hop is not like that

You should take care because this is the critical moment

When the wolf and storm come haunting you

We break borders and we create a unity to revitalize our communities

And stop our suffering

That is why we write frank words that have meaning

Itrsquos not for fame or even so that someone pays us

T r a n s l a t e d b y N i z a r G h a n e m

Edman El Shuhra

Stormtrap amp Mohamed El Deeb

2011

Hip-Hop

15305855

- vocals Mohamed El Deeb Stormtrap13produced by Stormtrap

9594

حضل عهل مود يعنيما إنتلك النجوم عم تقرب

بهل ال مود حكون عطول لبهل جنوم إدءر لو مضطر شن هجوم عل النجوم كلها

خللي األرض تدور حول أصبعي تنلك

ما إنتلك متلي متلك مولع طيار ألفكاري من العقدي تنفك فرد قعدي بني 4 حيطان ما بتنهز و منها ما بنهز

يلز املا بينلزالكاس عل الطاولي و منو عم مز مز

لتفتل براصي وحس من حالي عم كز كزعل ورقة كالمي مدروس و ما بزت زت بجرب ما عيد حالي متا يقولو عم نق نق

موزع قافياتي جواز كأن عم فت فت

بهل األطشة خلي الديني اللي تسمعني ترن رنFبسبيلي جاري يوم ع يوم عم برك رك a r e e q e l A t r a s h

Irsquoll stay in this mood

Didnrsquot I tell you The stars are getting closer

Irsquoll stay in this mood until I touch these stars

Even if I have to launch an attack on all the stars

Irsquoll make the Earth rotate around my finger I told you

Didnrsquot I tell you Irsquom just like you I lit up a joint so my ideas would untie their knot

Sitting this way in between four walls I wonrsquot budge

The most delectable

Drink is on the table from which Irsquom taking sips

Till my head starts spinning and Irsquom sick of myself

On the paper my words are calculated I donrsquot just toss them about

I try not to repeat myself so they wonrsquot say Irsquom nagging

I deal my rhymes out like theyrsquore cards

In this verse Irsquoll make those ears ring

My fountain is running and every day I excel

tالنجوم عم تقرب he stars are gett ing closer

null

29781717

9796

لضل ماشي جالس بينما غيري عم بلك لك شريط معلق ريحة العة عم بتفح فحكل ما فتح متو بتالقي عم بكب كب

عايشها إرهاب و مفي إال بسب سببزبالتي ما بكبو تيكون بعلمك

األالف مسم و بحياتو ما بينسم بزقة من هل التم تخلي سقفك ينش نش

تلمو ردم و ما تفكر إنو ترد رد و عم بحكي عالواطي متا الصالي فيك ترج رج

بطبعي عاقل بس بالراب بزل زل عل الرايق بال ما نط وال فز فز

type of shitعال بارد أبرد من شباط بس يقز قزتخلي عضامك ع بعض تسك سك

ما إنتلك النجوم عم تقرب بهل ال مود حكون عطول لبهل جنوم إدءر

لو مضطر شن هجوم عل النجوم كلهاخللي األرض تدور حول أصبعي تنلك

أنا متنبئ بنبه و بحقق ما قلتلك بعد وقتها ما عم نكت

عاملكرفون إبرة هرون عم بشكشك في شكcheck one two

هيك بدسدس عالنبض

F a r e e q e l A t r a s h

So I can walk straight when others are still playing

A broken record that reeks of a musty smell

Every time he opens his mouth he spews them out

He lives in terror and all he does is curse

I wouldnrsquot throw him in my garbage just so you know

Irsquove irritated thousands and never been irritated in my life

One spit out of this mouth will make your roof leak

And yoursquoll pick up the rubble and donrsquot even think about answering back

Irsquom talking in a low voice so the hall wonrsquot shake with you in it

Irsquom reasonable by nature but when it comes to rap I humiliate cold-heartedly

Without jumping or leaping around

I do it coldly colder than icy February-type of shit

Irsquoll make your bones rattle against each other

Didnrsquot I tell you The stars are getting closer

Irsquoll stay in this mood until I touch these stars

Even if I have to launch an attack on all the stars

Irsquoll make the Earth rotate around my finger I told you

Irsquom a psychic I predict and deliver

Didnrsquot I tell you to stand back when Irsquom not joking

Irsquom pricking the microphone with a heroin needle Is there any doubt

Check one two

Thatrsquos how I feel the pulse

null

29781717

9998

بدقق و زتزت حكي بتزجزج كأنها مزهزها عم بتشمشم عم خطط عم تكتيك و مني ملحلح من هون للساعة توقف تك تيك تك تيك

لك ليك منفخ حاله عامبيكازيب عا غيري بس بوجهي بتاءتإوجهه بيباءبإ من أد ما بعصب بسبسب

زر إنذار إذني بتطنطن و بشوف من عالباب عم بدقدق

عكروت بدو يفوت ليشوف الفن فني بس الفن هون بجسمي معبأ

من حلقي طايف و من متي عم بت شرشر و بيس البيس زلزال برجرج خليك تضبضب تنضب بالبيت لتكنكن

و أنا متأسف ألني بدي استأذن بس بعد شفت كابتشينو بتصحصح

ما إنتلك النجوم عم تقرببهل ال مود حكون عطول لبهل جنوم إدءر

لو مضطر شن هجوم عل النجوم كلهاخللي األرض تدور حول أصبعي تنلك

هيدا هب هوبمش هبل و ال بهل

هيدا زجل تتغزل في

ورايي إيقاع عليي إتبع و ما إطلع عنو يا بصير متل غير مسيس

زقفوا مع االيقاعزقفوا مع االيقاع

F a r e e q e l A t r a s h

Checking and hurling words that tickle as if I was high and sniffing

I am planning and scheming and Irsquom not going anywhere till the clock stops ticking

Look hersquos so full of it lying to others but in my face he stutters

And his face turns red from all the anger and he curses

My earsrsquo alarm bells start ringing

And I go to see whorsquos knocking at the door

Some bastard who wants to see where ldquothe artldquo is

But the art is right here packed in my body

Flowing from my throat running out of my mouth

And the bass is an earthquake that shakes and forces you to pack up and go home

And Irsquom sorry because I need to take leave

But after a sip of cappuccino yoursquoll come around

Didnrsquot I tell you The stars are getting closer

Irsquoll stay in this mood

Until I touch these stars even if I have to launch an attack on all the stars

Irsquoll make the Earth rotate around my finger I told you

This is hip hop

Itrsquos not stupid nor dumb

Itrsquos zajal [a form of Arabic poetry in the Levant]

That you flirt with

There is a beat that I have to follow canrsquot lose it or Irsquoll be like other MCs

Clap with the beat

Clap with the beat

T r a n s l a t e d b y K h a l e d A l H i l l i

null

29781717

101100

انا ببلعهم بتفهم وال مره بسبهمبخليهم داميا يضاربو بتفكيرهم

أنا وراهم قدامهم جنابهم محتلهممش طايقهم مرات وزنهم بكون منزلهم

مرتبهم صاففهم وبقلم أنا حاكمهم زاتتهم مش عاجبيني أنا ماحيهم قائدهم وبنفس الوقت أنا عبيدهم

وبفك وربط أنا بلعب مبعانيهمانا حاميهم بأسطر اللي تقويهم

انا واعدهم اني أستر على فاضحهم ومطلعهم بصوره اللي تبشعهم

بس أنا محترمهم وبسطور ساجنهم مكتفهم كأسير بجنازير القهر

ومهديهم بحبل اللي يبشر بالصبر وانا لي الفخر أكون الشوك اللي فيهم

Dوأكون القهر اللي داميا يسقيهم A M

Yo this is dedicated to the lyrics

Irsquom swallowing them spitting them never dissing them

Giving them freedom of speech

Irsquom behind them in front of them because of them always standing with them

Sometimes get sick of them sick of how you abuse them

Gather them in line with my pen I order them

Didnrsquot like it Throwing them out and replacing them

Irsquom their leader and also their slave

Small changes make huge differences

I train them in pages to make them strong

Promising to use them not abuse them

Or allow the wrong mouths to utter them

Approach them with a military mind and find peace in them

Irsquom lucky to be full of thorns and even luckier that I found the lyrics

So theyrsquoll help me find the roses in me

wordsكلمات

null

26837427

103102

raquoالكل سمعك بس السؤال اذا اللي سمعك فهمكlaquoكلمات ليست كالكلمات بل raquoعالماتlaquo

اللي توجهنا وين مابدنا عحبال السيرك هي تثبتنا ريح العالم من كل جهه اذا احنا ضعاف بتوقعنا بس

raquoأل بلمره ألlaquo raquoكلمات عندي طنlaquoكل واحده الها هدف اخدت حرف عحرف

نسجت جمل اللي البسهم وقت البرد raquoراح اضلني اناديlaquo raquoبنحكي كلماتlaquo

انت بتعرف انهم مبنصب شهاد بحكو املاضي وتنبوا حاضر أي بالد

قد ماحكيت قد ما أحكي فش كالم يغطي بسفي كالم يربي وينمي انت بس أروي

في شوف انه قوه والقوه بتقويفيك و أن رويته مصيره يسقيك )مثل للقوه( العدو من أمامكم

والبحر من ورائكم فال تخيبوا أسيادكمفأين أشعاركم وأين مجادلتكم

فأنتم تسكتون وتخمدون أحالمكم)انهي( نهيت ورجعت للعامية بكلمات

مرمية طالعه من عقليه شعبيهمتل جنيب اللي بذاكرة كل واحد محفوظ مدروس واذا أل معناته في خلل معكوس

عاملجتمع اللي قمع كتاباته Dاللي سمح لنسيانه يشيل خطواته A M

ldquoThey all hear you but few listen to youldquo

Lyrics ainrsquot just a bunch of words they are ldquosignsldquo

Leading us stabilizing us on tight ropes

Winds every way if we are thin we will fall

ldquoBut hell noldquo ldquoyou can measure my words in tonsldquo

Every word has a meaning I knitted a letter with another letter

Made warm sentences to wear in cold days

ldquoSo Irsquoll still shoutldquo ldquowe control lyricsldquo

You know lyrics are like a witness

They witnessed the past and forecast the future

As much as I said or say I canrsquot describe them

But there is a way to find the description and thatrsquos through them

Quench the thirst of the pages with them

So in the future itrsquoll quench your thirst

Keep feeding them as soon as they grow up

Theyrsquoll give you strength

ldquoExample for the strengthldquo

ldquoThe enemy is before you the sea is behind you

So donrsquot you dare disappoint our ancestors

Where are our deep poems Where are our strong statements

From generation to generation we kill our dreamsldquo

ldquoEnough philosophizingldquo ok lets get back to street talk

Words coming outta simple minds

Like Najeeb Mahfuz [literally lsquowell-rememberedrsquo also a famous author]

They keep living in our minds

And if you donrsquot know who he is - then I rest my case

null

26837427

105104

raquoالكل سمعك بس السؤال اذا اللي سمعك فهمكlaquoكلمات ليست كالكلمات بل raquoعالماتlaquo

اللي توجهنا وين مابدنا عحبال السيرك هي تثبتنا ريح العالم من كل جهه اذا احنا ضعاف بتوقعنا بس

raquoأل بلمره ألlaquo raquoكلمات عندي طنlaquoكل واحده الها هدف اخدت حرف عحرف

نسجت جمل اللي البسهم وقت البرد raquoراح اضلني اناديlaquo raquoبنحكي كلماتlaquo

ألف با كبايه أوعك تكسرهاامسكها للنهاية وكل ما تفضى مليها

كلمه أو رواية ومع املراحل زيدها شيحكاية وهيك ضلك زود فيها

وجيبها لتجمعاتك وساعتها استعملها لنقاشاتك وملواقفك استخدمها

هادي مدافعك اللي مداها بسيطرتك وما دافعك انه ما تخليها رايتك

ما هي تكتب ما هي توصف ما هي تكذب ما هي تنصف

ما هي هي الهروب هياللجوء هي الدروب هي

العبور باحلدود واللي مبرؤهم مبدع وبفوز باخللود واللي بسرقهم مش مقنع

واذا بتديهم احلرية بنادوك ممنوعDواذا بتوخد احلريه بنادوك مسموح A M

ldquoThey all hear you but few listen to youldquo

Lyrics ainrsquot just a bunch of words they are ldquosignsldquo

Leading us stabilizing us on tight ropes

Winds every way if we are thin we will fall

ldquoBut hell noldquo ldquoyou can measure my words in tonsldquo

Every word has a meaning I knitted a letter with another letter

Made warm sentences to wear in cold days

ldquoSo Irsquoll still shoutldquo ldquowe control lyricsldquo

The Arabic alphabet is like a glass donrsquot break it

Hold it tight and keep filling it

And then bring it to our arguments

Scream till your throat gets dry and then wet it

It holds our body itrsquos like our legs

If you stand for nothing yoursquoll fall for anything

The words write create

They kill lead and sometimes even lie

You can use them to build borders

And those who are gifted

Can use them to walk through borders

And in some governments

Itrsquos forbidden to give words freedom

But if you choke them and kill them

Thatrsquos allowed

F i g u r a t i v e t r a n s l a t i o n o f f e r e d b y t h e a r t i s t s

null

26837427

107106

further reading

The tracks presented in this document are not a comprehensive sampling of the genre of the market of hip hop in Arabic or of hip hop and rap in the wider Middle East

Artists featured here hail from Egypt Lebanon Palestine and the anglophone Arab diaspora The thriving North African hip hop scene is not represented nor is the work of the established francophone Arab diaspora nor the expanding hip hop scenes of especially Iran or Turkey

This collection does not attempt a comprehensive chronology Tracks featured here are not primarily new releases (though some are) neither are they all ldquoclassicsrdquo These limitations of scope are important to note

Many tracks of the popular Libyan group Ibn Thabitt and other groups from across the region have been translated and are hosted with commentary on the notable blog

revolutionaryarabrapblogspotcom

Another valuable resource is the Beirut-based blog by Jackson Allers ldquoBeats and Breathrdquo which features articulate critiques and reviews of events and releases from the region

jacksonallerswordpresscom

Hass Dennaoui (alias Big Hass) who recently launched started the first all hip-hop FM radio show in Saudi Arabia Laish Hip Hop (Why Hip Hop) manages a lively blog which

hosts an internet feed of his radio show and interviews with MCs and influential hip hop figures from around the world

revoltradioblogspotcom

Lebaneseundergroundcom hosts coverage of underground music in Lebanon including hip hop

And finally an excellent article by Hishaam Aidi on implications of the use of hip hop as foreign policy ldquoThe Grand (Hip-Hop) Chessboard Race Rap and Raison DrsquoEtatrdquo was published in The Middle East Report Fall 2011 Excerpts of the piece were published by Al Jazeera English in the article ldquoLeveraging Hip Hop in US Foreign Policyrdquo

All the artists and many of the translators whose work is showcased here host a significant online presence Their sites are listed with more about each of them on the following pages

109108

artist bios

ARABIAN KNIGHTZ the premier hip hop group from the land of the Nile River have not only established themselves as the lyricists with the sharpest swords in their land but they have also created the most consistent voice for rebellion strength and hope for the youth of the Middle East During the 2011 Revolution Arabian Knightz released two singles ldquoRebelrdquo and ldquoNot Your Prisonerrdquo anthems of resistance which gained worldwide attention and major media coverage for their powerful lyrics against a wicked system The group formed in 2006 through the cipher hip hoprsquos natural way of choosing like mindsets on the mic Rush Sphinx and E-Money were ahead of their peers adapting an authentic Arab perspective to the art dominated by Western voices mixing English and Arabic raps After hitting the studio for successful underground tracks AK enlisted super-producer Fredwreck (Snoop Dogg Xzibit Tha Dogg Pound) ldquoFokkakrdquo the single from this studio session was an instant hit and (surprisingly for Arabic Hip Hop) projected them to the top ten of the singles charts Arab League Records was formed amidst a growing fanbase and numerous collaborations with other Arab hip hop artists the first international Arab hip hop record label Desert Saga Volume 1 mixtape was the debut release led by ldquoThe Onerdquo featuring Egyptrsquos MC Amin Arabian Knightz have recorded their debut album Uknighted State of Arabia a masterpiece for Arab hip hop years in the making featuring instrumentals dominated by traditional percussions and players are scheduled for a Winter 2012 Release They are on Facebook

BOIKUTT is a musician and MC based in Ramallah Palestine Creating sounds using sampled material field recordings and electronic devices the results range between hip-hop downtempo ambient glitch and experimental He has composed and produced music for artists such as Kronos Quartet Bukue One Spiritchild Tamer Abu-Ghazaleh Bleubird and others and has appeared as an MC on albums for artists such as Slovo Heliodrome Bonnot and Lethal Skillz A co-founder of the Ramallah Underground Collective which has toured across the Arab World Europe and Australia Boikutt is also co-founder and member of audio-visual group Tashweesh with whom he is currently touring Also as a solo performer he has been in Beirut Cairo Manila Copenhagen London Hamburg Dubai Bethlehem and other cities He has produced and exhibited a few sound-art pieces composed several film scores has most recently composed the music for a dance theater performance entitled Bound by

New York-based company Yaa Samar Dance Theatre and is now working on different collaborative and solo projects His work may be heard at soundcloudcomboikutt and on Facebook

DAM Da Arabian MCrsquos are Suhell Nafar Tamer Nafar and Mahmoud Jreri The first Palestinian hip hop crew and among the first to rap in Arabic the group began working together in the late 1990s Struck by the uncanny resemblance of the reality of the streets in a Tupac video to the streets in their own neighborhood of Lyd they were inspired to tell their stories through hip hop Their timely song ldquoMin Irhabirdquo (ldquoWhorsquos the Terroristrdquo) was downloaded a million times shortly after its internet realese in 2001 and DAM became a household name among youth throughout the Middle East Ten years of performing all over the world has strengthened the grouprsquos commitment to continue living and working in their hometown of Lyd 15 minutes from Tel Aviv and working to provide the youth of the city and neighboring communities with programs and opportunities that have been denied to Palestinian citizens of Israel Their music is a unique fusion of East and West and encompasses influences as varied as Ghassan Kanafani Ahlam Mosteghanemi Mahmoud Darwish Naji al Ali Tupac Biggie Public Enemy MBS Krsquonaan and Pharoahe Monch IHDA (Dedication) DAMrsquos long-awaited first international album was released in 2007 and DAM has seen its songs and members featured in films such as Ford Transit (Dir Hany Abu Assad) Where in the World is Osama Bin Laden (Dir Morgan Spurlock) Salt of this Sea (Dir Annemarie Jacir) Local Angel and Forgiveness (Dir Udi Aloni) DAMrsquos history and influence on the Arab hip hop scene is detailed in the feature-length documentary Slingshot Hip Hop (Dir Jackie Reem Salloum) The group has also been featured in Vibe National Geographic Rolling Stone Q Basement Reuters and The New York Times and has appeared on MTV CNN BBC and Al Jazeera Their work can be heard and explored at damrapcom

EL DEEB first ventured into Egyptian Hip Hop when he joined Asfalt in 2005 He left in 2007 to create Wighit Nazara duo represented by Mohamed Yasser and himself It was a successful musical project that lasted until mid 2010 Currently he is working on his solo career with plans to release an EP every couple of months or so Cairofornia is his first solo EP His work may be heard at deebbandcampcom and on Facebook

EL RASS was born in Tripoli Lebanon He started writing poetry in literary Arabic at age 11 and started rhyming in spoken Lebanese dialect in 1999 at age 15 At that time he formed one third of a group of 3 MCrsquos going under the name of ldquoMlouk el Micrdquo (ldquoKings of the Micrdquo) They recorded one album and performed locally At 17 he left for France to study Finance and Economics Studies were hard money was scarce and exile was tough but music and poetry never left him as he continued rhyming with some underground French MCrsquos like Medline and Moebius and developed new musical skills on percussion in classical Arabic singing and baglama (turkish buzuk) After graduating and working for almost two years in the hell of banking and market finance El Rass decided to return to Lebanon He spent a year just re-discovering Beirut and making and learning music He now works as a journalist at the newspaper Assafir while concurrently pursuing joint projects with other producers and musicians He calls his work Taalik in reference to the same word in Arabic for ldquocommentrdquo and another word that comes from the same semantic root moaallakat which is a corpus of selected pre-Islamic poetry that was written with gold ink on the walls of the Karsquoaba in Mecca His work may be heard at soundcloudcomElRass

FAREEQ EL ATRASH is a hip hop band based out of Hamra St Beirut with a sound that is distinguished by laid back topical flows over live instrumentation It consists of Edd (raps) Nasser (raps) FZ (vocal production and FX) Fouad Afra (drums) Goo (plays guitar keys heart strings) and Abed Kobeissy (plays bass and buzuk) Their 2010 album and 2009 prealbum are available online More of their work may be found on Facebook Eddrsquos solo work can also be heard at soundcloudcomEdd

H2Z was born in Kuwait in 1986 where he lived for four years Due to the gulf war his family moved to Lebanon where he lived for the most part of his life Inspired by the tragic events in the Middle East and elsewhere in the world H2Z adopted rap music as a way to raise awareness about the injustices suffered by his people and to deliver a message through his music to anyone who supports the Palestinian cause His career began in 2004 when he was introduced to the production business by fellow rappers and soon he started producing his own tracks and established a local band producing many tracks for himself and other musicians in Lebanon In 2008 he released his first solo album titled 3aed which contained

17 tracks The political influence was noticed throughout the album and was generally well-received He is now studying for a degree in business administration at Wayne State University in Michigan His work may be heard at reverbnationcomh2z

KATIBEH 5 are based in Borj el Barajneh Lebanon Their work can be found at reverbnationcomkatibeh5 and myspacecomkatibe5palestine and on Facebook

M1 is Mutulu Olugbala of the New York based collective Dead Prez whose work is online at deadprezcom M1 is also on Facebook

MC GAZA is Adnan Mahmoud Ghonim an Algerian born artist and university student based in Gaza It was the beginning of 2005 when he attended one of the hip hop concerts in Gaza City ndash Gaza City that never appreciated the art he loved and attached himself to ndash and it was love at first sight between them Through some of the concerts he participated in a number of songs he collaborated on with Arabs from Egypt Algeria and Palestine and some active participation to represent the Palestinian people and interviews for both Arab and foreign press he was able to make a name for himself in the Gazan hip hop community His work may be found at youtubecomMCGaza and on Facebook

THE NARCICYST Having pioneered the Arab Hip-Hop movement with seminal Iraqi-Canadian crew Euphrates The Narcicyst recently broke through borders and shattered traveling etiquette touring solo around the world sharing stages with the likes of Brother Ali Mos Def and Kanye West to name a few On top of music The Narcicyst is a celebrated theorist whose academic work Fear of an Arab Planet has him from the stage to the classrooms of internationally renowned universities He is now also a professor at Concordia University teaching a Fine Arts course ldquoHip-Hop Past Present and Futurerdquo His writings have been published by multiple university presses and magazines internationally he is also a self-published author having recently released the biographical and social-study on the Arab world The Diatribes of a Dying Tribe As a true artist interested in really pushing his own artistic boundaries The Narcicyst has stepped into acting currently starring in the short music film PHATWA and in the first internationally-released film from the United Arab Emirates called City of Life A true multi-media

111110

KHALED AL HILLI is a PhD candidate in Comparative Literature at the Graduate Center City University of New York He has a BA in English Literature and a Masterrsquos degree in Teaching Second Languages Born in Iraq Khaled has taught in Lebanon and Saudi Arabia at both college and high school levels He has also worked with various Iraqi news outlets and has subtitledtranslated documentary films dealing with current social and political issues His research interests include Arabic political literature prison literature and literature in the diaspora He may be reached at hillykhalidgmailcom

+AZIZ is a NYC-based marketing consultant and a musician He is working through The World Music Parade to develop an animation project based on his music More about that project can be found at themusicparadetumblrcom He tweets from plusaziz

FAYSAL BIBI is a paleontologist and electronic musician currently based in Berlin

LOUBNA BILALI is originally from Morocco She did her undergrad and first MA in English Linguistics at Chouaib Doukkali University El Jadida She came to the US in 2008 to pursue a Masterrsquos degree in French to English translation and is currently working on a PhD in translation studies at Kent State University in Ohio She is very interested in learning and teaching languages as well as translating and localizing computer applications and websites She may be reached at loubnabilaligmailcom

FARAH ELREWAISSATI is a freelance translator pro-Palestine activist and BDS advocate who blogs at youthanormalizationblogspotcom She tweets from 3beee

NIZAR GHANEM was born in Lebanon He has been active in intercultural education interactive learning and conflict resolution across the Arab world His work on conflict resolution involved using theater comics and music as tools for emotional expression and social mobilization

RIMA NAJDI is a Performing Artist She studied dramatic arts at the Lebanese University in Beirut and obtained a Masterrsquos degree in Performance Studies at NYU New York She has written and performed in various plays and performances Najdi is particularly interested in multi-media performing arts and the position of the spectators

BARRAK ALZAID (copy editor) is the Artistic Director of ArteEast He is the editor of the ArteEast Quarterly a dynamic online portal featuring four publications that highlight contemporary art and culture from the Middle East and diaspora ndash ArtersquoZine Shahadat (contemporary short-form literature) Gallery and Cinematek (an online film center) He is also the curator for ArteEastrsquos Across Histories Art Talk Series featuring a series of panels on residencies in Fall 2011 He tweets from barrakster

RAYYA EL ZEIN (editor) is working towards a PhD in Theatre at the Graduate Center City University of New York Her research is increasingly focusing on theories of reception historical studies of audience behavior and popular culture in the Arab world She holds an MA in Performance Studies from NYU and is currently a teaching fellow at City College in Harlem She tweets from rayelz

translator biosdreamer Yassin recently established an arts label in the UAE called The Medium focusing on delivering art from Arabs in the diaspora and at lsquohomersquo to the rest of the world iraqisthebombcom He tweets from TheNarcicyst

OMAR OFFENDUM is a Syrian-American hip hop artist born in Saudi Arabia raised in Washington DC and living in Los Angeles Known for taking audiences on a lyrical journey from the jasmine-tree-lined courtyards of Nizar Qabbanirsquos Damascene homes to the flooded riverbanks of Langston Hughesrsquo Harlem Renaissance poems - Offendum has been featured on several major news outlets (BBC Yahoo ABC News Aljazeera PBS) toured the world to promote his ground-breaking music helped raise thousands of dollars for various humanitarian relief organizations (PCRF KinderUSA ANERA Islamic Relief) lectured at a number of prestigious academic institutions (Harvard MIT Stanford Columbia American University of Beirut NYU-AbuDhabi Qatar Education City) and most recently been involved in creating several critically-acclaimed songs about the popular democratic uprisings throughout the Middle East amp North Africa He is currently hard at work promoting his solo release - affectionately dubbed SyrianamericanA His work may be heard (and read) at offendumbandcampcom He is on Facebook and he tweets from Offendum

RAMALLAH UNDERGROUND based in Ramallah Palestine was born from the immediacy of musical experimentation and out of the need to give voice to a generation of Palestinians and Arabs facing a turbulent and uncertain political landscape The collective was founded by artists Boikutt Stormtrap and Aswatt and has always held a commitment to both the honesty of their work and the need to creatively rejuvenate Arabic culture To this end they combine music ranging from Arabic electronic music hip-hop and trip hop to downtempo with a deep sense of their local culture and the imposing presence of Palestine in their lives The outcome is a new specific and distinct sound RU (as producers and as MCrsquos ) has collaborated with numerous artists across the globe including countries like Lebanon UK Switzerland Italy USA France and many more including a collaboration with Slovo (a band headed by the guitarist from faithless) in their track ldquoNakbardquo which appears on their album Todo Cambia and with Kronos Quartet in the track ldquoTashweeshrdquo which appears on Floodplain RU has also performed live shows in Ramallah Bethlehem Vienna London Cairo Lausanne Amsterdam and Washington DC Their shows are mainly a performance of their hip-hop tracks as well as a few of their own electronic productions as a warm up More recently RU has incorporated a visual set in their live

performances brought to you by Palestinian visual artist Ruanne RU hopes to give a voice to Palestinians and Arabs bringing an alternative voice from the Arab world Their lyrics and music are an expression of anguish and defiance ultimately remaining a defiant voice of the colonized against the colonizer They continue to play a big role in the Arab underground cultural scene while slowly gaining wide global and local popularity

SHADIA MANSOURrsquos work can be found at myspacecomshadiamusic and on Facebook

STORMTRAP is a music producercomposerMC from Palestine Experimenting with old samples instruments and field recordings his sound is the result of a fusion of ambient atmospheres combined with various noises and hip hop beats His lyrics deal with different themes inspired mainly by his personal experiences in Palestine and life in the diaspora Stormtrap played a fundamental role in forming the band Ramallah Underground with which he has performed worldwide the past few years Currently he is working in Vienna with Aras Seyhan and Eren Ileri on a new album which combines live instruments synthesizers turntables beats and Arabic lyrics- which will be released early 2012 His work may be heard at soundcloudcomstormtrap He tweets from asifeh

AMEER YOSSEF 25 has sung and writen music with the band Klaket for the past four years His work may be heard at youtubecomAmeer and on Facebook

towards the work Her work for now concentrates on the process of making interactive and participatory performances that question borders stereotypes and languages

MOE ALI NAYEL is a fixer and a journalist based in Beirut Lebanon He uses social media blogging non-mainstream music journalism and writing as a word spreading eye opening socializing arena He uses social media as a bridge that cuts distance between people on this planet making it a tiny village This bridge starts in his office and takes him to every corner in the world enabling him to connect and network with people and cultures sharing and exchanging stories of the unheard and the neglected He blogs at Words of Action and he tweets from MoeAliNay

ALEX ORTIZ is a video and radio journalist and translator based in Cairo Egypt He graduated from Brown University in 2009 with a double major in Comparative Literature and Middle East Studies He was a CASA I fellow from 2009-2010 and a CASA II fellow from 2010-2011 He currently works for CBS News as a field producer He tweets from cairowitness

AHMED SHAWKET is an independent translator living in Cairo Egypt He is a graduate of the Helwan University Faculty of Arts where he majored in philosophy Ahmed works on literary media and commercial translation

113112

ABOUT SHAHADATShahadat is a quarterly online series designed to provide a platform for short-form writing and experimentation in writing by young and underexposed writers from the MENA region (Middle East and North Africa) The series features stories vignettes reflections and chronicles in translation and the original language of Arabic Farsi Turkish or Kurdish It makes up one quarter of ArteEastrsquos online programming the AE Quarterly For past issues of Shahadat click here

ABOUT THIS SERIES Shahadat is proud to run two alternating series and releases two issues a year of each The issue yoursquove just perused is part of the ldquoExploring Popular Literaturerdquo series This series challenges traditional understandings of ldquoliteraturerdquo emerging from the Middle East and North Africa by presenting genres of creative production that rely on words and language but which have not typically been studied as literature Works are presented in their original language and in translation

In each issue we gather texts from a spectrum of writers to challenge the singular status of the artistauthor and to encourage a more complex presentation of the Middle Eastern and North African ldquostreetrdquo for English-speaking audiences Shahadatrsquos other series ldquoContemporary Literature in Translationrdquo features the work of a single young author in the original language and in English translation

BEHIND THE DOCUMENTShahadat is co-edited by Rayya El Zein Alex Ortiz and ArteEastrsquos Artistic Director Barrak Alzaid All three are young professionals and scholars with artistic inclinations (literature poetry translation and performance) All three have strong connections to New York City and various metropole of the MENA region Shahadat is for us an experiment and a labor of love An editorial board of established scholars and authors is currently being conceived

SPECIAL THANKS TOAnmar El ZeinKinda AkashAndrew JohnstonLivia Alexander

Shahadat logo design by Rima Farouki

114

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Page 44: Shahadat Winter 2012

8786

للعاقيدة يكسر وألعضاء املشاعر تتشال تصتأصلعلى كالم ربهم اتكبرو فعملو قدر واتقدر

وقته مستنينه ليه خططوا مضمون الرسائل اتغير الن الهدف هو تدمير قعدة الوحدهوقتل كل قائد يقود الناس بره احملنه

فيبقي سهل يزيحنا ميحي أوصول عليها كبرناوكل واحد علي حداه يقول أنا محدش يقول احنا

فاببطء بحرص بص بعقل بحذر شوفقبل ما يخلوا خيالك يتخلله اخلوف

واخلوف ده افراز بيطلع من غده ملا الكلب بيشوفهابيعرف انك فاريسه سهل ياكلها ركز

فرق تسد إخلعوفق جتد إرفع

ثورة تقدصمت يفرد- يفرق

ما بيجمع بيننامن حقي النقد من حقك - تسمع

طب إسمع وراجع ما صور التاريخ طب باله بيكفي صور زمانييوم حصار كنيسة املهد مني دافع مني اتقمع مني اتنفا

مسلم مسيحي أل كان فلسطيني اتذكر معي ثورة غضب يناير

اتذكر معي الوحدة اإليد الوحدة اتشرف انتا مصرياتذكر معي األخ بإيد األخ يحمي األخ بدون إلخ

كالمي ماشي ماشي ال-لتفهمني بهويتي مسلم وال نصراني قبطي

ما في حجة لربطي خلبطي حلطي ألوطي ألغير خطيخير أجناد األرض

من أرض بيت املقدس كل السالم بعد ما قلت إلنقسام في وطنيانا ملزم أقول ال لفتنة

تفتت مجد شعب تعب عانى ضحى بالغالي حتى بناه

A r a b i a n K n i g h t s + M C G a z a + A m e e r

The relationship between Egyptians breaks down and the organs that feel are taken out

They got full of themselves in the name of their god and invented a new fate for us

Theyrsquore waiting for a time and theyrsquore plotting The meaning of their messages changes

Because the goal is to destroy the foundation of unity

And kill every leader who takes the people out of hard times

Itrsquos easy to remove us to wipe out the traditions we grew up with

Everyone on his own everyone says ldquoIldquo and no one says ldquoweldquo

Slowly carefully look Wisely with caution see

Before they make your imagination a slave to fear

And that fear releases a secretion from a gland

And when the dog sees it he knows yoursquore easy prey

Divide yoursquoll conquer

Bring harmony and yoursquoll reap Start

A revolution and it will catch on

Silence is solitary It divides

It doesnrsquot bring us together

It is my right to criticize and your right to listen

So listen and look back at history or better look at my life time

The day the Nativity Church was under siege who was persecuted Who was exiled

A Muslim A Christian No he was Palestinian

Letrsquos remember the angry revolution of January

Letrsquos remember the unity the one hand Be proud yoursquore Egyptian

Remember the brother holding hands with a brother protecting a brother

And I can go on

Donrsquot teach me about my identity whether Irsquom a Muslim or a Christian Copt

Therersquos no excuse to tie me down beat me to make me cower and kneel and stray from my courseThe Earthrsquos most virtuous soldiers

Come from the land of Bayt al-Maqdis [Jerusalem] I salute you After I said no to division in my countryIrsquom committed to saying no to seditionThat dissolves the glory of a people who labored suffered sacrificed what was most dear to build it

T r a n s l a t e d b y A l e x O r t i z + A h m e d S h a w k e t + K h a l e d A l H i l l i

Eid Fe Eid

Yasser Ameer Youssef Rush E Money amp MCGaza | by BOGEY

Single Hit track 11

20112011

Hip-Hop

24002867

eng - Hip-Hop 4 Life

eng - iTunNORM 000005E2 0000058E 0000424E 00003537 00026E95 0001C2B3 00008000 00008000 00005045 00005045

8988

الفن واملواهب زي حرب الكواكب الكل عايز يكون جنم صراع في الداخل

بهدي جنون العظمة بفلفل حر توابل تسيل دموع زي القنابل

زي مابتكلم وداني شغالة كون سامع نبض الشارع علشان أ

حالف أقضي على اإلعالم املتآمر مغامر في الكالم بس إنت مش سامع

ملا بأمسك القلم والورقة الهم بينزاح مخي بيرتاح بأقول اللي على البال

ملا بأقعد بحس بتأنيب ضمير كون في ستوديو بسجل على بيت خطير مفروض أ

e l D e e b + S t o r m t r a p

Art and talent are like Star Wars

Secretly everyone wants to be a star of conflict

I make megalomania tranquil with chilli hot spices

Tears flow like bombs

Thatrsquos how I talk and the world keeps moving

So that I can hear the pulse of the streets

Irsquove sworn to obliterate the media conspirators

I am adventurous in my speech but you do not hear

When I hold the pen and the paper my anxiety is lifted

My mind relaxes and I say whatrsquos on it

When I sit down I feel guilty

I should be in the studio recording dangerous beats

addictأدمان الشهرة ion to fame

Edman El Shuhra

Stormtrap amp Mohamed El Deeb

2011

Hip-Hop

15305855

- vocals Mohamed El Deeb Stormtrap13produced by Stormtrap

9190

إحساس غريب إنك تدمن الكالم ارسم يا فنان واخترع زي دافينشي الرسام

ولو مفيش ورقة باستخدم تليفوني خايف إن فكرة متعديش على صوتي

دنيا غريبة يوم مر يوم بونبوني بس أنا عمري ماغيرت لوني

املوسيقى بنادولي وبطابعي فضولي مهما قالوا لي هافهمها مبفهومي فـساعات أالقي نفسي بكلم نفسي واسمع أصوات غريبة في دماغي

وهو ده الصدى الصوت اللي بسمعه اكن مفيش حد فارقة معاه احالمي

شوف شوف مش هدف إنو أنا شخصيا أنا

هدفي انه كلماتي وموسيقتي تنتشرعشان هيك حتشوفني دوما مستمر مستثمر

كل وقتي كل طاقتي على أصواتي خوذ شك خوذ حتويل خوذ كاش

بس ما تنساش أي شي بيتعلق بالواقع بدناش ما تخاف ألنها قضيتنا مش منسية مية باملية هايذي ثورة كمان ثقافية

خليني أوضح هاي املوسيقى مش معمولة للتلفازeهاي املوسيقى مش معمولة لهز الطياز l D e e b + S t o r m t r a p

Strange feeling to be out of words

Paint oh artist and discover like Da Vinci the artist

If I donrsquot have paper I use my cell

I am afraid that the idea does not come through my voice

Strange world one day is bitter another like candy

But Irsquove never changed my color

Music is my Tylenol and my nature curious

So whatever they tell me Irsquoll understand it my way

Sometimes I find myself talking to myself

And I hear weird voices in my head

Which is just the echo of the sound I hear

As if no one cares about my dreams

See see

My goals are not self serving

My goal is that my words and music spread

Thatrsquos why yoursquoll see me always and continuously investing

All my time my energy on my sounds

Take a check take a transfer take cash

But never forget anything related to reality wersquore not interested

Donrsquot be afraid because our cause is not forgotten

One hundred percent this is also a cultural revolution

Let me explain this music is not meant to be televised

This music is not made for booty shaking

Edman El Shuhra

Stormtrap amp Mohamed El Deeb

2011

Hip-Hop

15305855

- vocals Mohamed El Deeb Stormtrap13produced by Stormtrap

9392

مش فاهم ليش الكل قاتل حاله يكون في مسابقةحابني نتصابح حياكم زات املكافحة

واالعالم ميت ع حيالله قصة ما بيدرس هالقصة من نصها

وبعدن بينفخهامش احلق علينا اذا ما بيبحثوا

وملا يبدوا يحكوا عنا أل عنجد بيبعصوابيفكروا انه كل شي هشك بشك

بس حدن الزم يقلهم انه الهب هوب مش هيكبدك تدير بالك عشانها هاي اللحظة احلاسمة

ملا يجوا عليك الديب والعاصفةنكسر حدود وبنبني وحدة عشان نحيي مجتماعاتنا

وننهي معانتناعشان هيك منكتب كلمات صريحة والها معنى

مش للشهرة مش حتى يجي حدن يدفعلنا

e l D e e b + S t o r m t r a p

I donrsquot understand why everyone is killing themselves to be in the contest

Wersquod like to say goodmorning to salute you in this same struggle

The mediarsquos dying for any story

But they donrsquot study the storyrsquos real text

And then they blow it out of proportion

Itrsquos not our fault if they donrsquot search

And when they talk about us then they really screw it up

They think everything is empty pointless

Somebody needs to tell them that hip hop is not like that

You should take care because this is the critical moment

When the wolf and storm come haunting you

We break borders and we create a unity to revitalize our communities

And stop our suffering

That is why we write frank words that have meaning

Itrsquos not for fame or even so that someone pays us

T r a n s l a t e d b y N i z a r G h a n e m

Edman El Shuhra

Stormtrap amp Mohamed El Deeb

2011

Hip-Hop

15305855

- vocals Mohamed El Deeb Stormtrap13produced by Stormtrap

9594

حضل عهل مود يعنيما إنتلك النجوم عم تقرب

بهل ال مود حكون عطول لبهل جنوم إدءر لو مضطر شن هجوم عل النجوم كلها

خللي األرض تدور حول أصبعي تنلك

ما إنتلك متلي متلك مولع طيار ألفكاري من العقدي تنفك فرد قعدي بني 4 حيطان ما بتنهز و منها ما بنهز

يلز املا بينلزالكاس عل الطاولي و منو عم مز مز

لتفتل براصي وحس من حالي عم كز كزعل ورقة كالمي مدروس و ما بزت زت بجرب ما عيد حالي متا يقولو عم نق نق

موزع قافياتي جواز كأن عم فت فت

بهل األطشة خلي الديني اللي تسمعني ترن رنFبسبيلي جاري يوم ع يوم عم برك رك a r e e q e l A t r a s h

Irsquoll stay in this mood

Didnrsquot I tell you The stars are getting closer

Irsquoll stay in this mood until I touch these stars

Even if I have to launch an attack on all the stars

Irsquoll make the Earth rotate around my finger I told you

Didnrsquot I tell you Irsquom just like you I lit up a joint so my ideas would untie their knot

Sitting this way in between four walls I wonrsquot budge

The most delectable

Drink is on the table from which Irsquom taking sips

Till my head starts spinning and Irsquom sick of myself

On the paper my words are calculated I donrsquot just toss them about

I try not to repeat myself so they wonrsquot say Irsquom nagging

I deal my rhymes out like theyrsquore cards

In this verse Irsquoll make those ears ring

My fountain is running and every day I excel

tالنجوم عم تقرب he stars are gett ing closer

null

29781717

9796

لضل ماشي جالس بينما غيري عم بلك لك شريط معلق ريحة العة عم بتفح فحكل ما فتح متو بتالقي عم بكب كب

عايشها إرهاب و مفي إال بسب سببزبالتي ما بكبو تيكون بعلمك

األالف مسم و بحياتو ما بينسم بزقة من هل التم تخلي سقفك ينش نش

تلمو ردم و ما تفكر إنو ترد رد و عم بحكي عالواطي متا الصالي فيك ترج رج

بطبعي عاقل بس بالراب بزل زل عل الرايق بال ما نط وال فز فز

type of shitعال بارد أبرد من شباط بس يقز قزتخلي عضامك ع بعض تسك سك

ما إنتلك النجوم عم تقرب بهل ال مود حكون عطول لبهل جنوم إدءر

لو مضطر شن هجوم عل النجوم كلهاخللي األرض تدور حول أصبعي تنلك

أنا متنبئ بنبه و بحقق ما قلتلك بعد وقتها ما عم نكت

عاملكرفون إبرة هرون عم بشكشك في شكcheck one two

هيك بدسدس عالنبض

F a r e e q e l A t r a s h

So I can walk straight when others are still playing

A broken record that reeks of a musty smell

Every time he opens his mouth he spews them out

He lives in terror and all he does is curse

I wouldnrsquot throw him in my garbage just so you know

Irsquove irritated thousands and never been irritated in my life

One spit out of this mouth will make your roof leak

And yoursquoll pick up the rubble and donrsquot even think about answering back

Irsquom talking in a low voice so the hall wonrsquot shake with you in it

Irsquom reasonable by nature but when it comes to rap I humiliate cold-heartedly

Without jumping or leaping around

I do it coldly colder than icy February-type of shit

Irsquoll make your bones rattle against each other

Didnrsquot I tell you The stars are getting closer

Irsquoll stay in this mood until I touch these stars

Even if I have to launch an attack on all the stars

Irsquoll make the Earth rotate around my finger I told you

Irsquom a psychic I predict and deliver

Didnrsquot I tell you to stand back when Irsquom not joking

Irsquom pricking the microphone with a heroin needle Is there any doubt

Check one two

Thatrsquos how I feel the pulse

null

29781717

9998

بدقق و زتزت حكي بتزجزج كأنها مزهزها عم بتشمشم عم خطط عم تكتيك و مني ملحلح من هون للساعة توقف تك تيك تك تيك

لك ليك منفخ حاله عامبيكازيب عا غيري بس بوجهي بتاءتإوجهه بيباءبإ من أد ما بعصب بسبسب

زر إنذار إذني بتطنطن و بشوف من عالباب عم بدقدق

عكروت بدو يفوت ليشوف الفن فني بس الفن هون بجسمي معبأ

من حلقي طايف و من متي عم بت شرشر و بيس البيس زلزال برجرج خليك تضبضب تنضب بالبيت لتكنكن

و أنا متأسف ألني بدي استأذن بس بعد شفت كابتشينو بتصحصح

ما إنتلك النجوم عم تقرببهل ال مود حكون عطول لبهل جنوم إدءر

لو مضطر شن هجوم عل النجوم كلهاخللي األرض تدور حول أصبعي تنلك

هيدا هب هوبمش هبل و ال بهل

هيدا زجل تتغزل في

ورايي إيقاع عليي إتبع و ما إطلع عنو يا بصير متل غير مسيس

زقفوا مع االيقاعزقفوا مع االيقاع

F a r e e q e l A t r a s h

Checking and hurling words that tickle as if I was high and sniffing

I am planning and scheming and Irsquom not going anywhere till the clock stops ticking

Look hersquos so full of it lying to others but in my face he stutters

And his face turns red from all the anger and he curses

My earsrsquo alarm bells start ringing

And I go to see whorsquos knocking at the door

Some bastard who wants to see where ldquothe artldquo is

But the art is right here packed in my body

Flowing from my throat running out of my mouth

And the bass is an earthquake that shakes and forces you to pack up and go home

And Irsquom sorry because I need to take leave

But after a sip of cappuccino yoursquoll come around

Didnrsquot I tell you The stars are getting closer

Irsquoll stay in this mood

Until I touch these stars even if I have to launch an attack on all the stars

Irsquoll make the Earth rotate around my finger I told you

This is hip hop

Itrsquos not stupid nor dumb

Itrsquos zajal [a form of Arabic poetry in the Levant]

That you flirt with

There is a beat that I have to follow canrsquot lose it or Irsquoll be like other MCs

Clap with the beat

Clap with the beat

T r a n s l a t e d b y K h a l e d A l H i l l i

null

29781717

101100

انا ببلعهم بتفهم وال مره بسبهمبخليهم داميا يضاربو بتفكيرهم

أنا وراهم قدامهم جنابهم محتلهممش طايقهم مرات وزنهم بكون منزلهم

مرتبهم صاففهم وبقلم أنا حاكمهم زاتتهم مش عاجبيني أنا ماحيهم قائدهم وبنفس الوقت أنا عبيدهم

وبفك وربط أنا بلعب مبعانيهمانا حاميهم بأسطر اللي تقويهم

انا واعدهم اني أستر على فاضحهم ومطلعهم بصوره اللي تبشعهم

بس أنا محترمهم وبسطور ساجنهم مكتفهم كأسير بجنازير القهر

ومهديهم بحبل اللي يبشر بالصبر وانا لي الفخر أكون الشوك اللي فيهم

Dوأكون القهر اللي داميا يسقيهم A M

Yo this is dedicated to the lyrics

Irsquom swallowing them spitting them never dissing them

Giving them freedom of speech

Irsquom behind them in front of them because of them always standing with them

Sometimes get sick of them sick of how you abuse them

Gather them in line with my pen I order them

Didnrsquot like it Throwing them out and replacing them

Irsquom their leader and also their slave

Small changes make huge differences

I train them in pages to make them strong

Promising to use them not abuse them

Or allow the wrong mouths to utter them

Approach them with a military mind and find peace in them

Irsquom lucky to be full of thorns and even luckier that I found the lyrics

So theyrsquoll help me find the roses in me

wordsكلمات

null

26837427

103102

raquoالكل سمعك بس السؤال اذا اللي سمعك فهمكlaquoكلمات ليست كالكلمات بل raquoعالماتlaquo

اللي توجهنا وين مابدنا عحبال السيرك هي تثبتنا ريح العالم من كل جهه اذا احنا ضعاف بتوقعنا بس

raquoأل بلمره ألlaquo raquoكلمات عندي طنlaquoكل واحده الها هدف اخدت حرف عحرف

نسجت جمل اللي البسهم وقت البرد raquoراح اضلني اناديlaquo raquoبنحكي كلماتlaquo

انت بتعرف انهم مبنصب شهاد بحكو املاضي وتنبوا حاضر أي بالد

قد ماحكيت قد ما أحكي فش كالم يغطي بسفي كالم يربي وينمي انت بس أروي

في شوف انه قوه والقوه بتقويفيك و أن رويته مصيره يسقيك )مثل للقوه( العدو من أمامكم

والبحر من ورائكم فال تخيبوا أسيادكمفأين أشعاركم وأين مجادلتكم

فأنتم تسكتون وتخمدون أحالمكم)انهي( نهيت ورجعت للعامية بكلمات

مرمية طالعه من عقليه شعبيهمتل جنيب اللي بذاكرة كل واحد محفوظ مدروس واذا أل معناته في خلل معكوس

عاملجتمع اللي قمع كتاباته Dاللي سمح لنسيانه يشيل خطواته A M

ldquoThey all hear you but few listen to youldquo

Lyrics ainrsquot just a bunch of words they are ldquosignsldquo

Leading us stabilizing us on tight ropes

Winds every way if we are thin we will fall

ldquoBut hell noldquo ldquoyou can measure my words in tonsldquo

Every word has a meaning I knitted a letter with another letter

Made warm sentences to wear in cold days

ldquoSo Irsquoll still shoutldquo ldquowe control lyricsldquo

You know lyrics are like a witness

They witnessed the past and forecast the future

As much as I said or say I canrsquot describe them

But there is a way to find the description and thatrsquos through them

Quench the thirst of the pages with them

So in the future itrsquoll quench your thirst

Keep feeding them as soon as they grow up

Theyrsquoll give you strength

ldquoExample for the strengthldquo

ldquoThe enemy is before you the sea is behind you

So donrsquot you dare disappoint our ancestors

Where are our deep poems Where are our strong statements

From generation to generation we kill our dreamsldquo

ldquoEnough philosophizingldquo ok lets get back to street talk

Words coming outta simple minds

Like Najeeb Mahfuz [literally lsquowell-rememberedrsquo also a famous author]

They keep living in our minds

And if you donrsquot know who he is - then I rest my case

null

26837427

105104

raquoالكل سمعك بس السؤال اذا اللي سمعك فهمكlaquoكلمات ليست كالكلمات بل raquoعالماتlaquo

اللي توجهنا وين مابدنا عحبال السيرك هي تثبتنا ريح العالم من كل جهه اذا احنا ضعاف بتوقعنا بس

raquoأل بلمره ألlaquo raquoكلمات عندي طنlaquoكل واحده الها هدف اخدت حرف عحرف

نسجت جمل اللي البسهم وقت البرد raquoراح اضلني اناديlaquo raquoبنحكي كلماتlaquo

ألف با كبايه أوعك تكسرهاامسكها للنهاية وكل ما تفضى مليها

كلمه أو رواية ومع املراحل زيدها شيحكاية وهيك ضلك زود فيها

وجيبها لتجمعاتك وساعتها استعملها لنقاشاتك وملواقفك استخدمها

هادي مدافعك اللي مداها بسيطرتك وما دافعك انه ما تخليها رايتك

ما هي تكتب ما هي توصف ما هي تكذب ما هي تنصف

ما هي هي الهروب هياللجوء هي الدروب هي

العبور باحلدود واللي مبرؤهم مبدع وبفوز باخللود واللي بسرقهم مش مقنع

واذا بتديهم احلرية بنادوك ممنوعDواذا بتوخد احلريه بنادوك مسموح A M

ldquoThey all hear you but few listen to youldquo

Lyrics ainrsquot just a bunch of words they are ldquosignsldquo

Leading us stabilizing us on tight ropes

Winds every way if we are thin we will fall

ldquoBut hell noldquo ldquoyou can measure my words in tonsldquo

Every word has a meaning I knitted a letter with another letter

Made warm sentences to wear in cold days

ldquoSo Irsquoll still shoutldquo ldquowe control lyricsldquo

The Arabic alphabet is like a glass donrsquot break it

Hold it tight and keep filling it

And then bring it to our arguments

Scream till your throat gets dry and then wet it

It holds our body itrsquos like our legs

If you stand for nothing yoursquoll fall for anything

The words write create

They kill lead and sometimes even lie

You can use them to build borders

And those who are gifted

Can use them to walk through borders

And in some governments

Itrsquos forbidden to give words freedom

But if you choke them and kill them

Thatrsquos allowed

F i g u r a t i v e t r a n s l a t i o n o f f e r e d b y t h e a r t i s t s

null

26837427

107106

further reading

The tracks presented in this document are not a comprehensive sampling of the genre of the market of hip hop in Arabic or of hip hop and rap in the wider Middle East

Artists featured here hail from Egypt Lebanon Palestine and the anglophone Arab diaspora The thriving North African hip hop scene is not represented nor is the work of the established francophone Arab diaspora nor the expanding hip hop scenes of especially Iran or Turkey

This collection does not attempt a comprehensive chronology Tracks featured here are not primarily new releases (though some are) neither are they all ldquoclassicsrdquo These limitations of scope are important to note

Many tracks of the popular Libyan group Ibn Thabitt and other groups from across the region have been translated and are hosted with commentary on the notable blog

revolutionaryarabrapblogspotcom

Another valuable resource is the Beirut-based blog by Jackson Allers ldquoBeats and Breathrdquo which features articulate critiques and reviews of events and releases from the region

jacksonallerswordpresscom

Hass Dennaoui (alias Big Hass) who recently launched started the first all hip-hop FM radio show in Saudi Arabia Laish Hip Hop (Why Hip Hop) manages a lively blog which

hosts an internet feed of his radio show and interviews with MCs and influential hip hop figures from around the world

revoltradioblogspotcom

Lebaneseundergroundcom hosts coverage of underground music in Lebanon including hip hop

And finally an excellent article by Hishaam Aidi on implications of the use of hip hop as foreign policy ldquoThe Grand (Hip-Hop) Chessboard Race Rap and Raison DrsquoEtatrdquo was published in The Middle East Report Fall 2011 Excerpts of the piece were published by Al Jazeera English in the article ldquoLeveraging Hip Hop in US Foreign Policyrdquo

All the artists and many of the translators whose work is showcased here host a significant online presence Their sites are listed with more about each of them on the following pages

109108

artist bios

ARABIAN KNIGHTZ the premier hip hop group from the land of the Nile River have not only established themselves as the lyricists with the sharpest swords in their land but they have also created the most consistent voice for rebellion strength and hope for the youth of the Middle East During the 2011 Revolution Arabian Knightz released two singles ldquoRebelrdquo and ldquoNot Your Prisonerrdquo anthems of resistance which gained worldwide attention and major media coverage for their powerful lyrics against a wicked system The group formed in 2006 through the cipher hip hoprsquos natural way of choosing like mindsets on the mic Rush Sphinx and E-Money were ahead of their peers adapting an authentic Arab perspective to the art dominated by Western voices mixing English and Arabic raps After hitting the studio for successful underground tracks AK enlisted super-producer Fredwreck (Snoop Dogg Xzibit Tha Dogg Pound) ldquoFokkakrdquo the single from this studio session was an instant hit and (surprisingly for Arabic Hip Hop) projected them to the top ten of the singles charts Arab League Records was formed amidst a growing fanbase and numerous collaborations with other Arab hip hop artists the first international Arab hip hop record label Desert Saga Volume 1 mixtape was the debut release led by ldquoThe Onerdquo featuring Egyptrsquos MC Amin Arabian Knightz have recorded their debut album Uknighted State of Arabia a masterpiece for Arab hip hop years in the making featuring instrumentals dominated by traditional percussions and players are scheduled for a Winter 2012 Release They are on Facebook

BOIKUTT is a musician and MC based in Ramallah Palestine Creating sounds using sampled material field recordings and electronic devices the results range between hip-hop downtempo ambient glitch and experimental He has composed and produced music for artists such as Kronos Quartet Bukue One Spiritchild Tamer Abu-Ghazaleh Bleubird and others and has appeared as an MC on albums for artists such as Slovo Heliodrome Bonnot and Lethal Skillz A co-founder of the Ramallah Underground Collective which has toured across the Arab World Europe and Australia Boikutt is also co-founder and member of audio-visual group Tashweesh with whom he is currently touring Also as a solo performer he has been in Beirut Cairo Manila Copenhagen London Hamburg Dubai Bethlehem and other cities He has produced and exhibited a few sound-art pieces composed several film scores has most recently composed the music for a dance theater performance entitled Bound by

New York-based company Yaa Samar Dance Theatre and is now working on different collaborative and solo projects His work may be heard at soundcloudcomboikutt and on Facebook

DAM Da Arabian MCrsquos are Suhell Nafar Tamer Nafar and Mahmoud Jreri The first Palestinian hip hop crew and among the first to rap in Arabic the group began working together in the late 1990s Struck by the uncanny resemblance of the reality of the streets in a Tupac video to the streets in their own neighborhood of Lyd they were inspired to tell their stories through hip hop Their timely song ldquoMin Irhabirdquo (ldquoWhorsquos the Terroristrdquo) was downloaded a million times shortly after its internet realese in 2001 and DAM became a household name among youth throughout the Middle East Ten years of performing all over the world has strengthened the grouprsquos commitment to continue living and working in their hometown of Lyd 15 minutes from Tel Aviv and working to provide the youth of the city and neighboring communities with programs and opportunities that have been denied to Palestinian citizens of Israel Their music is a unique fusion of East and West and encompasses influences as varied as Ghassan Kanafani Ahlam Mosteghanemi Mahmoud Darwish Naji al Ali Tupac Biggie Public Enemy MBS Krsquonaan and Pharoahe Monch IHDA (Dedication) DAMrsquos long-awaited first international album was released in 2007 and DAM has seen its songs and members featured in films such as Ford Transit (Dir Hany Abu Assad) Where in the World is Osama Bin Laden (Dir Morgan Spurlock) Salt of this Sea (Dir Annemarie Jacir) Local Angel and Forgiveness (Dir Udi Aloni) DAMrsquos history and influence on the Arab hip hop scene is detailed in the feature-length documentary Slingshot Hip Hop (Dir Jackie Reem Salloum) The group has also been featured in Vibe National Geographic Rolling Stone Q Basement Reuters and The New York Times and has appeared on MTV CNN BBC and Al Jazeera Their work can be heard and explored at damrapcom

EL DEEB first ventured into Egyptian Hip Hop when he joined Asfalt in 2005 He left in 2007 to create Wighit Nazara duo represented by Mohamed Yasser and himself It was a successful musical project that lasted until mid 2010 Currently he is working on his solo career with plans to release an EP every couple of months or so Cairofornia is his first solo EP His work may be heard at deebbandcampcom and on Facebook

EL RASS was born in Tripoli Lebanon He started writing poetry in literary Arabic at age 11 and started rhyming in spoken Lebanese dialect in 1999 at age 15 At that time he formed one third of a group of 3 MCrsquos going under the name of ldquoMlouk el Micrdquo (ldquoKings of the Micrdquo) They recorded one album and performed locally At 17 he left for France to study Finance and Economics Studies were hard money was scarce and exile was tough but music and poetry never left him as he continued rhyming with some underground French MCrsquos like Medline and Moebius and developed new musical skills on percussion in classical Arabic singing and baglama (turkish buzuk) After graduating and working for almost two years in the hell of banking and market finance El Rass decided to return to Lebanon He spent a year just re-discovering Beirut and making and learning music He now works as a journalist at the newspaper Assafir while concurrently pursuing joint projects with other producers and musicians He calls his work Taalik in reference to the same word in Arabic for ldquocommentrdquo and another word that comes from the same semantic root moaallakat which is a corpus of selected pre-Islamic poetry that was written with gold ink on the walls of the Karsquoaba in Mecca His work may be heard at soundcloudcomElRass

FAREEQ EL ATRASH is a hip hop band based out of Hamra St Beirut with a sound that is distinguished by laid back topical flows over live instrumentation It consists of Edd (raps) Nasser (raps) FZ (vocal production and FX) Fouad Afra (drums) Goo (plays guitar keys heart strings) and Abed Kobeissy (plays bass and buzuk) Their 2010 album and 2009 prealbum are available online More of their work may be found on Facebook Eddrsquos solo work can also be heard at soundcloudcomEdd

H2Z was born in Kuwait in 1986 where he lived for four years Due to the gulf war his family moved to Lebanon where he lived for the most part of his life Inspired by the tragic events in the Middle East and elsewhere in the world H2Z adopted rap music as a way to raise awareness about the injustices suffered by his people and to deliver a message through his music to anyone who supports the Palestinian cause His career began in 2004 when he was introduced to the production business by fellow rappers and soon he started producing his own tracks and established a local band producing many tracks for himself and other musicians in Lebanon In 2008 he released his first solo album titled 3aed which contained

17 tracks The political influence was noticed throughout the album and was generally well-received He is now studying for a degree in business administration at Wayne State University in Michigan His work may be heard at reverbnationcomh2z

KATIBEH 5 are based in Borj el Barajneh Lebanon Their work can be found at reverbnationcomkatibeh5 and myspacecomkatibe5palestine and on Facebook

M1 is Mutulu Olugbala of the New York based collective Dead Prez whose work is online at deadprezcom M1 is also on Facebook

MC GAZA is Adnan Mahmoud Ghonim an Algerian born artist and university student based in Gaza It was the beginning of 2005 when he attended one of the hip hop concerts in Gaza City ndash Gaza City that never appreciated the art he loved and attached himself to ndash and it was love at first sight between them Through some of the concerts he participated in a number of songs he collaborated on with Arabs from Egypt Algeria and Palestine and some active participation to represent the Palestinian people and interviews for both Arab and foreign press he was able to make a name for himself in the Gazan hip hop community His work may be found at youtubecomMCGaza and on Facebook

THE NARCICYST Having pioneered the Arab Hip-Hop movement with seminal Iraqi-Canadian crew Euphrates The Narcicyst recently broke through borders and shattered traveling etiquette touring solo around the world sharing stages with the likes of Brother Ali Mos Def and Kanye West to name a few On top of music The Narcicyst is a celebrated theorist whose academic work Fear of an Arab Planet has him from the stage to the classrooms of internationally renowned universities He is now also a professor at Concordia University teaching a Fine Arts course ldquoHip-Hop Past Present and Futurerdquo His writings have been published by multiple university presses and magazines internationally he is also a self-published author having recently released the biographical and social-study on the Arab world The Diatribes of a Dying Tribe As a true artist interested in really pushing his own artistic boundaries The Narcicyst has stepped into acting currently starring in the short music film PHATWA and in the first internationally-released film from the United Arab Emirates called City of Life A true multi-media

111110

KHALED AL HILLI is a PhD candidate in Comparative Literature at the Graduate Center City University of New York He has a BA in English Literature and a Masterrsquos degree in Teaching Second Languages Born in Iraq Khaled has taught in Lebanon and Saudi Arabia at both college and high school levels He has also worked with various Iraqi news outlets and has subtitledtranslated documentary films dealing with current social and political issues His research interests include Arabic political literature prison literature and literature in the diaspora He may be reached at hillykhalidgmailcom

+AZIZ is a NYC-based marketing consultant and a musician He is working through The World Music Parade to develop an animation project based on his music More about that project can be found at themusicparadetumblrcom He tweets from plusaziz

FAYSAL BIBI is a paleontologist and electronic musician currently based in Berlin

LOUBNA BILALI is originally from Morocco She did her undergrad and first MA in English Linguistics at Chouaib Doukkali University El Jadida She came to the US in 2008 to pursue a Masterrsquos degree in French to English translation and is currently working on a PhD in translation studies at Kent State University in Ohio She is very interested in learning and teaching languages as well as translating and localizing computer applications and websites She may be reached at loubnabilaligmailcom

FARAH ELREWAISSATI is a freelance translator pro-Palestine activist and BDS advocate who blogs at youthanormalizationblogspotcom She tweets from 3beee

NIZAR GHANEM was born in Lebanon He has been active in intercultural education interactive learning and conflict resolution across the Arab world His work on conflict resolution involved using theater comics and music as tools for emotional expression and social mobilization

RIMA NAJDI is a Performing Artist She studied dramatic arts at the Lebanese University in Beirut and obtained a Masterrsquos degree in Performance Studies at NYU New York She has written and performed in various plays and performances Najdi is particularly interested in multi-media performing arts and the position of the spectators

BARRAK ALZAID (copy editor) is the Artistic Director of ArteEast He is the editor of the ArteEast Quarterly a dynamic online portal featuring four publications that highlight contemporary art and culture from the Middle East and diaspora ndash ArtersquoZine Shahadat (contemporary short-form literature) Gallery and Cinematek (an online film center) He is also the curator for ArteEastrsquos Across Histories Art Talk Series featuring a series of panels on residencies in Fall 2011 He tweets from barrakster

RAYYA EL ZEIN (editor) is working towards a PhD in Theatre at the Graduate Center City University of New York Her research is increasingly focusing on theories of reception historical studies of audience behavior and popular culture in the Arab world She holds an MA in Performance Studies from NYU and is currently a teaching fellow at City College in Harlem She tweets from rayelz

translator biosdreamer Yassin recently established an arts label in the UAE called The Medium focusing on delivering art from Arabs in the diaspora and at lsquohomersquo to the rest of the world iraqisthebombcom He tweets from TheNarcicyst

OMAR OFFENDUM is a Syrian-American hip hop artist born in Saudi Arabia raised in Washington DC and living in Los Angeles Known for taking audiences on a lyrical journey from the jasmine-tree-lined courtyards of Nizar Qabbanirsquos Damascene homes to the flooded riverbanks of Langston Hughesrsquo Harlem Renaissance poems - Offendum has been featured on several major news outlets (BBC Yahoo ABC News Aljazeera PBS) toured the world to promote his ground-breaking music helped raise thousands of dollars for various humanitarian relief organizations (PCRF KinderUSA ANERA Islamic Relief) lectured at a number of prestigious academic institutions (Harvard MIT Stanford Columbia American University of Beirut NYU-AbuDhabi Qatar Education City) and most recently been involved in creating several critically-acclaimed songs about the popular democratic uprisings throughout the Middle East amp North Africa He is currently hard at work promoting his solo release - affectionately dubbed SyrianamericanA His work may be heard (and read) at offendumbandcampcom He is on Facebook and he tweets from Offendum

RAMALLAH UNDERGROUND based in Ramallah Palestine was born from the immediacy of musical experimentation and out of the need to give voice to a generation of Palestinians and Arabs facing a turbulent and uncertain political landscape The collective was founded by artists Boikutt Stormtrap and Aswatt and has always held a commitment to both the honesty of their work and the need to creatively rejuvenate Arabic culture To this end they combine music ranging from Arabic electronic music hip-hop and trip hop to downtempo with a deep sense of their local culture and the imposing presence of Palestine in their lives The outcome is a new specific and distinct sound RU (as producers and as MCrsquos ) has collaborated with numerous artists across the globe including countries like Lebanon UK Switzerland Italy USA France and many more including a collaboration with Slovo (a band headed by the guitarist from faithless) in their track ldquoNakbardquo which appears on their album Todo Cambia and with Kronos Quartet in the track ldquoTashweeshrdquo which appears on Floodplain RU has also performed live shows in Ramallah Bethlehem Vienna London Cairo Lausanne Amsterdam and Washington DC Their shows are mainly a performance of their hip-hop tracks as well as a few of their own electronic productions as a warm up More recently RU has incorporated a visual set in their live

performances brought to you by Palestinian visual artist Ruanne RU hopes to give a voice to Palestinians and Arabs bringing an alternative voice from the Arab world Their lyrics and music are an expression of anguish and defiance ultimately remaining a defiant voice of the colonized against the colonizer They continue to play a big role in the Arab underground cultural scene while slowly gaining wide global and local popularity

SHADIA MANSOURrsquos work can be found at myspacecomshadiamusic and on Facebook

STORMTRAP is a music producercomposerMC from Palestine Experimenting with old samples instruments and field recordings his sound is the result of a fusion of ambient atmospheres combined with various noises and hip hop beats His lyrics deal with different themes inspired mainly by his personal experiences in Palestine and life in the diaspora Stormtrap played a fundamental role in forming the band Ramallah Underground with which he has performed worldwide the past few years Currently he is working in Vienna with Aras Seyhan and Eren Ileri on a new album which combines live instruments synthesizers turntables beats and Arabic lyrics- which will be released early 2012 His work may be heard at soundcloudcomstormtrap He tweets from asifeh

AMEER YOSSEF 25 has sung and writen music with the band Klaket for the past four years His work may be heard at youtubecomAmeer and on Facebook

towards the work Her work for now concentrates on the process of making interactive and participatory performances that question borders stereotypes and languages

MOE ALI NAYEL is a fixer and a journalist based in Beirut Lebanon He uses social media blogging non-mainstream music journalism and writing as a word spreading eye opening socializing arena He uses social media as a bridge that cuts distance between people on this planet making it a tiny village This bridge starts in his office and takes him to every corner in the world enabling him to connect and network with people and cultures sharing and exchanging stories of the unheard and the neglected He blogs at Words of Action and he tweets from MoeAliNay

ALEX ORTIZ is a video and radio journalist and translator based in Cairo Egypt He graduated from Brown University in 2009 with a double major in Comparative Literature and Middle East Studies He was a CASA I fellow from 2009-2010 and a CASA II fellow from 2010-2011 He currently works for CBS News as a field producer He tweets from cairowitness

AHMED SHAWKET is an independent translator living in Cairo Egypt He is a graduate of the Helwan University Faculty of Arts where he majored in philosophy Ahmed works on literary media and commercial translation

113112

ABOUT SHAHADATShahadat is a quarterly online series designed to provide a platform for short-form writing and experimentation in writing by young and underexposed writers from the MENA region (Middle East and North Africa) The series features stories vignettes reflections and chronicles in translation and the original language of Arabic Farsi Turkish or Kurdish It makes up one quarter of ArteEastrsquos online programming the AE Quarterly For past issues of Shahadat click here

ABOUT THIS SERIES Shahadat is proud to run two alternating series and releases two issues a year of each The issue yoursquove just perused is part of the ldquoExploring Popular Literaturerdquo series This series challenges traditional understandings of ldquoliteraturerdquo emerging from the Middle East and North Africa by presenting genres of creative production that rely on words and language but which have not typically been studied as literature Works are presented in their original language and in translation

In each issue we gather texts from a spectrum of writers to challenge the singular status of the artistauthor and to encourage a more complex presentation of the Middle Eastern and North African ldquostreetrdquo for English-speaking audiences Shahadatrsquos other series ldquoContemporary Literature in Translationrdquo features the work of a single young author in the original language and in English translation

BEHIND THE DOCUMENTShahadat is co-edited by Rayya El Zein Alex Ortiz and ArteEastrsquos Artistic Director Barrak Alzaid All three are young professionals and scholars with artistic inclinations (literature poetry translation and performance) All three have strong connections to New York City and various metropole of the MENA region Shahadat is for us an experiment and a labor of love An editorial board of established scholars and authors is currently being conceived

SPECIAL THANKS TOAnmar El ZeinKinda AkashAndrew JohnstonLivia Alexander

Shahadat logo design by Rima Farouki

114

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Page 45: Shahadat Winter 2012

8988

الفن واملواهب زي حرب الكواكب الكل عايز يكون جنم صراع في الداخل

بهدي جنون العظمة بفلفل حر توابل تسيل دموع زي القنابل

زي مابتكلم وداني شغالة كون سامع نبض الشارع علشان أ

حالف أقضي على اإلعالم املتآمر مغامر في الكالم بس إنت مش سامع

ملا بأمسك القلم والورقة الهم بينزاح مخي بيرتاح بأقول اللي على البال

ملا بأقعد بحس بتأنيب ضمير كون في ستوديو بسجل على بيت خطير مفروض أ

e l D e e b + S t o r m t r a p

Art and talent are like Star Wars

Secretly everyone wants to be a star of conflict

I make megalomania tranquil with chilli hot spices

Tears flow like bombs

Thatrsquos how I talk and the world keeps moving

So that I can hear the pulse of the streets

Irsquove sworn to obliterate the media conspirators

I am adventurous in my speech but you do not hear

When I hold the pen and the paper my anxiety is lifted

My mind relaxes and I say whatrsquos on it

When I sit down I feel guilty

I should be in the studio recording dangerous beats

addictأدمان الشهرة ion to fame

Edman El Shuhra

Stormtrap amp Mohamed El Deeb

2011

Hip-Hop

15305855

- vocals Mohamed El Deeb Stormtrap13produced by Stormtrap

9190

إحساس غريب إنك تدمن الكالم ارسم يا فنان واخترع زي دافينشي الرسام

ولو مفيش ورقة باستخدم تليفوني خايف إن فكرة متعديش على صوتي

دنيا غريبة يوم مر يوم بونبوني بس أنا عمري ماغيرت لوني

املوسيقى بنادولي وبطابعي فضولي مهما قالوا لي هافهمها مبفهومي فـساعات أالقي نفسي بكلم نفسي واسمع أصوات غريبة في دماغي

وهو ده الصدى الصوت اللي بسمعه اكن مفيش حد فارقة معاه احالمي

شوف شوف مش هدف إنو أنا شخصيا أنا

هدفي انه كلماتي وموسيقتي تنتشرعشان هيك حتشوفني دوما مستمر مستثمر

كل وقتي كل طاقتي على أصواتي خوذ شك خوذ حتويل خوذ كاش

بس ما تنساش أي شي بيتعلق بالواقع بدناش ما تخاف ألنها قضيتنا مش منسية مية باملية هايذي ثورة كمان ثقافية

خليني أوضح هاي املوسيقى مش معمولة للتلفازeهاي املوسيقى مش معمولة لهز الطياز l D e e b + S t o r m t r a p

Strange feeling to be out of words

Paint oh artist and discover like Da Vinci the artist

If I donrsquot have paper I use my cell

I am afraid that the idea does not come through my voice

Strange world one day is bitter another like candy

But Irsquove never changed my color

Music is my Tylenol and my nature curious

So whatever they tell me Irsquoll understand it my way

Sometimes I find myself talking to myself

And I hear weird voices in my head

Which is just the echo of the sound I hear

As if no one cares about my dreams

See see

My goals are not self serving

My goal is that my words and music spread

Thatrsquos why yoursquoll see me always and continuously investing

All my time my energy on my sounds

Take a check take a transfer take cash

But never forget anything related to reality wersquore not interested

Donrsquot be afraid because our cause is not forgotten

One hundred percent this is also a cultural revolution

Let me explain this music is not meant to be televised

This music is not made for booty shaking

Edman El Shuhra

Stormtrap amp Mohamed El Deeb

2011

Hip-Hop

15305855

- vocals Mohamed El Deeb Stormtrap13produced by Stormtrap

9392

مش فاهم ليش الكل قاتل حاله يكون في مسابقةحابني نتصابح حياكم زات املكافحة

واالعالم ميت ع حيالله قصة ما بيدرس هالقصة من نصها

وبعدن بينفخهامش احلق علينا اذا ما بيبحثوا

وملا يبدوا يحكوا عنا أل عنجد بيبعصوابيفكروا انه كل شي هشك بشك

بس حدن الزم يقلهم انه الهب هوب مش هيكبدك تدير بالك عشانها هاي اللحظة احلاسمة

ملا يجوا عليك الديب والعاصفةنكسر حدود وبنبني وحدة عشان نحيي مجتماعاتنا

وننهي معانتناعشان هيك منكتب كلمات صريحة والها معنى

مش للشهرة مش حتى يجي حدن يدفعلنا

e l D e e b + S t o r m t r a p

I donrsquot understand why everyone is killing themselves to be in the contest

Wersquod like to say goodmorning to salute you in this same struggle

The mediarsquos dying for any story

But they donrsquot study the storyrsquos real text

And then they blow it out of proportion

Itrsquos not our fault if they donrsquot search

And when they talk about us then they really screw it up

They think everything is empty pointless

Somebody needs to tell them that hip hop is not like that

You should take care because this is the critical moment

When the wolf and storm come haunting you

We break borders and we create a unity to revitalize our communities

And stop our suffering

That is why we write frank words that have meaning

Itrsquos not for fame or even so that someone pays us

T r a n s l a t e d b y N i z a r G h a n e m

Edman El Shuhra

Stormtrap amp Mohamed El Deeb

2011

Hip-Hop

15305855

- vocals Mohamed El Deeb Stormtrap13produced by Stormtrap

9594

حضل عهل مود يعنيما إنتلك النجوم عم تقرب

بهل ال مود حكون عطول لبهل جنوم إدءر لو مضطر شن هجوم عل النجوم كلها

خللي األرض تدور حول أصبعي تنلك

ما إنتلك متلي متلك مولع طيار ألفكاري من العقدي تنفك فرد قعدي بني 4 حيطان ما بتنهز و منها ما بنهز

يلز املا بينلزالكاس عل الطاولي و منو عم مز مز

لتفتل براصي وحس من حالي عم كز كزعل ورقة كالمي مدروس و ما بزت زت بجرب ما عيد حالي متا يقولو عم نق نق

موزع قافياتي جواز كأن عم فت فت

بهل األطشة خلي الديني اللي تسمعني ترن رنFبسبيلي جاري يوم ع يوم عم برك رك a r e e q e l A t r a s h

Irsquoll stay in this mood

Didnrsquot I tell you The stars are getting closer

Irsquoll stay in this mood until I touch these stars

Even if I have to launch an attack on all the stars

Irsquoll make the Earth rotate around my finger I told you

Didnrsquot I tell you Irsquom just like you I lit up a joint so my ideas would untie their knot

Sitting this way in between four walls I wonrsquot budge

The most delectable

Drink is on the table from which Irsquom taking sips

Till my head starts spinning and Irsquom sick of myself

On the paper my words are calculated I donrsquot just toss them about

I try not to repeat myself so they wonrsquot say Irsquom nagging

I deal my rhymes out like theyrsquore cards

In this verse Irsquoll make those ears ring

My fountain is running and every day I excel

tالنجوم عم تقرب he stars are gett ing closer

null

29781717

9796

لضل ماشي جالس بينما غيري عم بلك لك شريط معلق ريحة العة عم بتفح فحكل ما فتح متو بتالقي عم بكب كب

عايشها إرهاب و مفي إال بسب سببزبالتي ما بكبو تيكون بعلمك

األالف مسم و بحياتو ما بينسم بزقة من هل التم تخلي سقفك ينش نش

تلمو ردم و ما تفكر إنو ترد رد و عم بحكي عالواطي متا الصالي فيك ترج رج

بطبعي عاقل بس بالراب بزل زل عل الرايق بال ما نط وال فز فز

type of shitعال بارد أبرد من شباط بس يقز قزتخلي عضامك ع بعض تسك سك

ما إنتلك النجوم عم تقرب بهل ال مود حكون عطول لبهل جنوم إدءر

لو مضطر شن هجوم عل النجوم كلهاخللي األرض تدور حول أصبعي تنلك

أنا متنبئ بنبه و بحقق ما قلتلك بعد وقتها ما عم نكت

عاملكرفون إبرة هرون عم بشكشك في شكcheck one two

هيك بدسدس عالنبض

F a r e e q e l A t r a s h

So I can walk straight when others are still playing

A broken record that reeks of a musty smell

Every time he opens his mouth he spews them out

He lives in terror and all he does is curse

I wouldnrsquot throw him in my garbage just so you know

Irsquove irritated thousands and never been irritated in my life

One spit out of this mouth will make your roof leak

And yoursquoll pick up the rubble and donrsquot even think about answering back

Irsquom talking in a low voice so the hall wonrsquot shake with you in it

Irsquom reasonable by nature but when it comes to rap I humiliate cold-heartedly

Without jumping or leaping around

I do it coldly colder than icy February-type of shit

Irsquoll make your bones rattle against each other

Didnrsquot I tell you The stars are getting closer

Irsquoll stay in this mood until I touch these stars

Even if I have to launch an attack on all the stars

Irsquoll make the Earth rotate around my finger I told you

Irsquom a psychic I predict and deliver

Didnrsquot I tell you to stand back when Irsquom not joking

Irsquom pricking the microphone with a heroin needle Is there any doubt

Check one two

Thatrsquos how I feel the pulse

null

29781717

9998

بدقق و زتزت حكي بتزجزج كأنها مزهزها عم بتشمشم عم خطط عم تكتيك و مني ملحلح من هون للساعة توقف تك تيك تك تيك

لك ليك منفخ حاله عامبيكازيب عا غيري بس بوجهي بتاءتإوجهه بيباءبإ من أد ما بعصب بسبسب

زر إنذار إذني بتطنطن و بشوف من عالباب عم بدقدق

عكروت بدو يفوت ليشوف الفن فني بس الفن هون بجسمي معبأ

من حلقي طايف و من متي عم بت شرشر و بيس البيس زلزال برجرج خليك تضبضب تنضب بالبيت لتكنكن

و أنا متأسف ألني بدي استأذن بس بعد شفت كابتشينو بتصحصح

ما إنتلك النجوم عم تقرببهل ال مود حكون عطول لبهل جنوم إدءر

لو مضطر شن هجوم عل النجوم كلهاخللي األرض تدور حول أصبعي تنلك

هيدا هب هوبمش هبل و ال بهل

هيدا زجل تتغزل في

ورايي إيقاع عليي إتبع و ما إطلع عنو يا بصير متل غير مسيس

زقفوا مع االيقاعزقفوا مع االيقاع

F a r e e q e l A t r a s h

Checking and hurling words that tickle as if I was high and sniffing

I am planning and scheming and Irsquom not going anywhere till the clock stops ticking

Look hersquos so full of it lying to others but in my face he stutters

And his face turns red from all the anger and he curses

My earsrsquo alarm bells start ringing

And I go to see whorsquos knocking at the door

Some bastard who wants to see where ldquothe artldquo is

But the art is right here packed in my body

Flowing from my throat running out of my mouth

And the bass is an earthquake that shakes and forces you to pack up and go home

And Irsquom sorry because I need to take leave

But after a sip of cappuccino yoursquoll come around

Didnrsquot I tell you The stars are getting closer

Irsquoll stay in this mood

Until I touch these stars even if I have to launch an attack on all the stars

Irsquoll make the Earth rotate around my finger I told you

This is hip hop

Itrsquos not stupid nor dumb

Itrsquos zajal [a form of Arabic poetry in the Levant]

That you flirt with

There is a beat that I have to follow canrsquot lose it or Irsquoll be like other MCs

Clap with the beat

Clap with the beat

T r a n s l a t e d b y K h a l e d A l H i l l i

null

29781717

101100

انا ببلعهم بتفهم وال مره بسبهمبخليهم داميا يضاربو بتفكيرهم

أنا وراهم قدامهم جنابهم محتلهممش طايقهم مرات وزنهم بكون منزلهم

مرتبهم صاففهم وبقلم أنا حاكمهم زاتتهم مش عاجبيني أنا ماحيهم قائدهم وبنفس الوقت أنا عبيدهم

وبفك وربط أنا بلعب مبعانيهمانا حاميهم بأسطر اللي تقويهم

انا واعدهم اني أستر على فاضحهم ومطلعهم بصوره اللي تبشعهم

بس أنا محترمهم وبسطور ساجنهم مكتفهم كأسير بجنازير القهر

ومهديهم بحبل اللي يبشر بالصبر وانا لي الفخر أكون الشوك اللي فيهم

Dوأكون القهر اللي داميا يسقيهم A M

Yo this is dedicated to the lyrics

Irsquom swallowing them spitting them never dissing them

Giving them freedom of speech

Irsquom behind them in front of them because of them always standing with them

Sometimes get sick of them sick of how you abuse them

Gather them in line with my pen I order them

Didnrsquot like it Throwing them out and replacing them

Irsquom their leader and also their slave

Small changes make huge differences

I train them in pages to make them strong

Promising to use them not abuse them

Or allow the wrong mouths to utter them

Approach them with a military mind and find peace in them

Irsquom lucky to be full of thorns and even luckier that I found the lyrics

So theyrsquoll help me find the roses in me

wordsكلمات

null

26837427

103102

raquoالكل سمعك بس السؤال اذا اللي سمعك فهمكlaquoكلمات ليست كالكلمات بل raquoعالماتlaquo

اللي توجهنا وين مابدنا عحبال السيرك هي تثبتنا ريح العالم من كل جهه اذا احنا ضعاف بتوقعنا بس

raquoأل بلمره ألlaquo raquoكلمات عندي طنlaquoكل واحده الها هدف اخدت حرف عحرف

نسجت جمل اللي البسهم وقت البرد raquoراح اضلني اناديlaquo raquoبنحكي كلماتlaquo

انت بتعرف انهم مبنصب شهاد بحكو املاضي وتنبوا حاضر أي بالد

قد ماحكيت قد ما أحكي فش كالم يغطي بسفي كالم يربي وينمي انت بس أروي

في شوف انه قوه والقوه بتقويفيك و أن رويته مصيره يسقيك )مثل للقوه( العدو من أمامكم

والبحر من ورائكم فال تخيبوا أسيادكمفأين أشعاركم وأين مجادلتكم

فأنتم تسكتون وتخمدون أحالمكم)انهي( نهيت ورجعت للعامية بكلمات

مرمية طالعه من عقليه شعبيهمتل جنيب اللي بذاكرة كل واحد محفوظ مدروس واذا أل معناته في خلل معكوس

عاملجتمع اللي قمع كتاباته Dاللي سمح لنسيانه يشيل خطواته A M

ldquoThey all hear you but few listen to youldquo

Lyrics ainrsquot just a bunch of words they are ldquosignsldquo

Leading us stabilizing us on tight ropes

Winds every way if we are thin we will fall

ldquoBut hell noldquo ldquoyou can measure my words in tonsldquo

Every word has a meaning I knitted a letter with another letter

Made warm sentences to wear in cold days

ldquoSo Irsquoll still shoutldquo ldquowe control lyricsldquo

You know lyrics are like a witness

They witnessed the past and forecast the future

As much as I said or say I canrsquot describe them

But there is a way to find the description and thatrsquos through them

Quench the thirst of the pages with them

So in the future itrsquoll quench your thirst

Keep feeding them as soon as they grow up

Theyrsquoll give you strength

ldquoExample for the strengthldquo

ldquoThe enemy is before you the sea is behind you

So donrsquot you dare disappoint our ancestors

Where are our deep poems Where are our strong statements

From generation to generation we kill our dreamsldquo

ldquoEnough philosophizingldquo ok lets get back to street talk

Words coming outta simple minds

Like Najeeb Mahfuz [literally lsquowell-rememberedrsquo also a famous author]

They keep living in our minds

And if you donrsquot know who he is - then I rest my case

null

26837427

105104

raquoالكل سمعك بس السؤال اذا اللي سمعك فهمكlaquoكلمات ليست كالكلمات بل raquoعالماتlaquo

اللي توجهنا وين مابدنا عحبال السيرك هي تثبتنا ريح العالم من كل جهه اذا احنا ضعاف بتوقعنا بس

raquoأل بلمره ألlaquo raquoكلمات عندي طنlaquoكل واحده الها هدف اخدت حرف عحرف

نسجت جمل اللي البسهم وقت البرد raquoراح اضلني اناديlaquo raquoبنحكي كلماتlaquo

ألف با كبايه أوعك تكسرهاامسكها للنهاية وكل ما تفضى مليها

كلمه أو رواية ومع املراحل زيدها شيحكاية وهيك ضلك زود فيها

وجيبها لتجمعاتك وساعتها استعملها لنقاشاتك وملواقفك استخدمها

هادي مدافعك اللي مداها بسيطرتك وما دافعك انه ما تخليها رايتك

ما هي تكتب ما هي توصف ما هي تكذب ما هي تنصف

ما هي هي الهروب هياللجوء هي الدروب هي

العبور باحلدود واللي مبرؤهم مبدع وبفوز باخللود واللي بسرقهم مش مقنع

واذا بتديهم احلرية بنادوك ممنوعDواذا بتوخد احلريه بنادوك مسموح A M

ldquoThey all hear you but few listen to youldquo

Lyrics ainrsquot just a bunch of words they are ldquosignsldquo

Leading us stabilizing us on tight ropes

Winds every way if we are thin we will fall

ldquoBut hell noldquo ldquoyou can measure my words in tonsldquo

Every word has a meaning I knitted a letter with another letter

Made warm sentences to wear in cold days

ldquoSo Irsquoll still shoutldquo ldquowe control lyricsldquo

The Arabic alphabet is like a glass donrsquot break it

Hold it tight and keep filling it

And then bring it to our arguments

Scream till your throat gets dry and then wet it

It holds our body itrsquos like our legs

If you stand for nothing yoursquoll fall for anything

The words write create

They kill lead and sometimes even lie

You can use them to build borders

And those who are gifted

Can use them to walk through borders

And in some governments

Itrsquos forbidden to give words freedom

But if you choke them and kill them

Thatrsquos allowed

F i g u r a t i v e t r a n s l a t i o n o f f e r e d b y t h e a r t i s t s

null

26837427

107106

further reading

The tracks presented in this document are not a comprehensive sampling of the genre of the market of hip hop in Arabic or of hip hop and rap in the wider Middle East

Artists featured here hail from Egypt Lebanon Palestine and the anglophone Arab diaspora The thriving North African hip hop scene is not represented nor is the work of the established francophone Arab diaspora nor the expanding hip hop scenes of especially Iran or Turkey

This collection does not attempt a comprehensive chronology Tracks featured here are not primarily new releases (though some are) neither are they all ldquoclassicsrdquo These limitations of scope are important to note

Many tracks of the popular Libyan group Ibn Thabitt and other groups from across the region have been translated and are hosted with commentary on the notable blog

revolutionaryarabrapblogspotcom

Another valuable resource is the Beirut-based blog by Jackson Allers ldquoBeats and Breathrdquo which features articulate critiques and reviews of events and releases from the region

jacksonallerswordpresscom

Hass Dennaoui (alias Big Hass) who recently launched started the first all hip-hop FM radio show in Saudi Arabia Laish Hip Hop (Why Hip Hop) manages a lively blog which

hosts an internet feed of his radio show and interviews with MCs and influential hip hop figures from around the world

revoltradioblogspotcom

Lebaneseundergroundcom hosts coverage of underground music in Lebanon including hip hop

And finally an excellent article by Hishaam Aidi on implications of the use of hip hop as foreign policy ldquoThe Grand (Hip-Hop) Chessboard Race Rap and Raison DrsquoEtatrdquo was published in The Middle East Report Fall 2011 Excerpts of the piece were published by Al Jazeera English in the article ldquoLeveraging Hip Hop in US Foreign Policyrdquo

All the artists and many of the translators whose work is showcased here host a significant online presence Their sites are listed with more about each of them on the following pages

109108

artist bios

ARABIAN KNIGHTZ the premier hip hop group from the land of the Nile River have not only established themselves as the lyricists with the sharpest swords in their land but they have also created the most consistent voice for rebellion strength and hope for the youth of the Middle East During the 2011 Revolution Arabian Knightz released two singles ldquoRebelrdquo and ldquoNot Your Prisonerrdquo anthems of resistance which gained worldwide attention and major media coverage for their powerful lyrics against a wicked system The group formed in 2006 through the cipher hip hoprsquos natural way of choosing like mindsets on the mic Rush Sphinx and E-Money were ahead of their peers adapting an authentic Arab perspective to the art dominated by Western voices mixing English and Arabic raps After hitting the studio for successful underground tracks AK enlisted super-producer Fredwreck (Snoop Dogg Xzibit Tha Dogg Pound) ldquoFokkakrdquo the single from this studio session was an instant hit and (surprisingly for Arabic Hip Hop) projected them to the top ten of the singles charts Arab League Records was formed amidst a growing fanbase and numerous collaborations with other Arab hip hop artists the first international Arab hip hop record label Desert Saga Volume 1 mixtape was the debut release led by ldquoThe Onerdquo featuring Egyptrsquos MC Amin Arabian Knightz have recorded their debut album Uknighted State of Arabia a masterpiece for Arab hip hop years in the making featuring instrumentals dominated by traditional percussions and players are scheduled for a Winter 2012 Release They are on Facebook

BOIKUTT is a musician and MC based in Ramallah Palestine Creating sounds using sampled material field recordings and electronic devices the results range between hip-hop downtempo ambient glitch and experimental He has composed and produced music for artists such as Kronos Quartet Bukue One Spiritchild Tamer Abu-Ghazaleh Bleubird and others and has appeared as an MC on albums for artists such as Slovo Heliodrome Bonnot and Lethal Skillz A co-founder of the Ramallah Underground Collective which has toured across the Arab World Europe and Australia Boikutt is also co-founder and member of audio-visual group Tashweesh with whom he is currently touring Also as a solo performer he has been in Beirut Cairo Manila Copenhagen London Hamburg Dubai Bethlehem and other cities He has produced and exhibited a few sound-art pieces composed several film scores has most recently composed the music for a dance theater performance entitled Bound by

New York-based company Yaa Samar Dance Theatre and is now working on different collaborative and solo projects His work may be heard at soundcloudcomboikutt and on Facebook

DAM Da Arabian MCrsquos are Suhell Nafar Tamer Nafar and Mahmoud Jreri The first Palestinian hip hop crew and among the first to rap in Arabic the group began working together in the late 1990s Struck by the uncanny resemblance of the reality of the streets in a Tupac video to the streets in their own neighborhood of Lyd they were inspired to tell their stories through hip hop Their timely song ldquoMin Irhabirdquo (ldquoWhorsquos the Terroristrdquo) was downloaded a million times shortly after its internet realese in 2001 and DAM became a household name among youth throughout the Middle East Ten years of performing all over the world has strengthened the grouprsquos commitment to continue living and working in their hometown of Lyd 15 minutes from Tel Aviv and working to provide the youth of the city and neighboring communities with programs and opportunities that have been denied to Palestinian citizens of Israel Their music is a unique fusion of East and West and encompasses influences as varied as Ghassan Kanafani Ahlam Mosteghanemi Mahmoud Darwish Naji al Ali Tupac Biggie Public Enemy MBS Krsquonaan and Pharoahe Monch IHDA (Dedication) DAMrsquos long-awaited first international album was released in 2007 and DAM has seen its songs and members featured in films such as Ford Transit (Dir Hany Abu Assad) Where in the World is Osama Bin Laden (Dir Morgan Spurlock) Salt of this Sea (Dir Annemarie Jacir) Local Angel and Forgiveness (Dir Udi Aloni) DAMrsquos history and influence on the Arab hip hop scene is detailed in the feature-length documentary Slingshot Hip Hop (Dir Jackie Reem Salloum) The group has also been featured in Vibe National Geographic Rolling Stone Q Basement Reuters and The New York Times and has appeared on MTV CNN BBC and Al Jazeera Their work can be heard and explored at damrapcom

EL DEEB first ventured into Egyptian Hip Hop when he joined Asfalt in 2005 He left in 2007 to create Wighit Nazara duo represented by Mohamed Yasser and himself It was a successful musical project that lasted until mid 2010 Currently he is working on his solo career with plans to release an EP every couple of months or so Cairofornia is his first solo EP His work may be heard at deebbandcampcom and on Facebook

EL RASS was born in Tripoli Lebanon He started writing poetry in literary Arabic at age 11 and started rhyming in spoken Lebanese dialect in 1999 at age 15 At that time he formed one third of a group of 3 MCrsquos going under the name of ldquoMlouk el Micrdquo (ldquoKings of the Micrdquo) They recorded one album and performed locally At 17 he left for France to study Finance and Economics Studies were hard money was scarce and exile was tough but music and poetry never left him as he continued rhyming with some underground French MCrsquos like Medline and Moebius and developed new musical skills on percussion in classical Arabic singing and baglama (turkish buzuk) After graduating and working for almost two years in the hell of banking and market finance El Rass decided to return to Lebanon He spent a year just re-discovering Beirut and making and learning music He now works as a journalist at the newspaper Assafir while concurrently pursuing joint projects with other producers and musicians He calls his work Taalik in reference to the same word in Arabic for ldquocommentrdquo and another word that comes from the same semantic root moaallakat which is a corpus of selected pre-Islamic poetry that was written with gold ink on the walls of the Karsquoaba in Mecca His work may be heard at soundcloudcomElRass

FAREEQ EL ATRASH is a hip hop band based out of Hamra St Beirut with a sound that is distinguished by laid back topical flows over live instrumentation It consists of Edd (raps) Nasser (raps) FZ (vocal production and FX) Fouad Afra (drums) Goo (plays guitar keys heart strings) and Abed Kobeissy (plays bass and buzuk) Their 2010 album and 2009 prealbum are available online More of their work may be found on Facebook Eddrsquos solo work can also be heard at soundcloudcomEdd

H2Z was born in Kuwait in 1986 where he lived for four years Due to the gulf war his family moved to Lebanon where he lived for the most part of his life Inspired by the tragic events in the Middle East and elsewhere in the world H2Z adopted rap music as a way to raise awareness about the injustices suffered by his people and to deliver a message through his music to anyone who supports the Palestinian cause His career began in 2004 when he was introduced to the production business by fellow rappers and soon he started producing his own tracks and established a local band producing many tracks for himself and other musicians in Lebanon In 2008 he released his first solo album titled 3aed which contained

17 tracks The political influence was noticed throughout the album and was generally well-received He is now studying for a degree in business administration at Wayne State University in Michigan His work may be heard at reverbnationcomh2z

KATIBEH 5 are based in Borj el Barajneh Lebanon Their work can be found at reverbnationcomkatibeh5 and myspacecomkatibe5palestine and on Facebook

M1 is Mutulu Olugbala of the New York based collective Dead Prez whose work is online at deadprezcom M1 is also on Facebook

MC GAZA is Adnan Mahmoud Ghonim an Algerian born artist and university student based in Gaza It was the beginning of 2005 when he attended one of the hip hop concerts in Gaza City ndash Gaza City that never appreciated the art he loved and attached himself to ndash and it was love at first sight between them Through some of the concerts he participated in a number of songs he collaborated on with Arabs from Egypt Algeria and Palestine and some active participation to represent the Palestinian people and interviews for both Arab and foreign press he was able to make a name for himself in the Gazan hip hop community His work may be found at youtubecomMCGaza and on Facebook

THE NARCICYST Having pioneered the Arab Hip-Hop movement with seminal Iraqi-Canadian crew Euphrates The Narcicyst recently broke through borders and shattered traveling etiquette touring solo around the world sharing stages with the likes of Brother Ali Mos Def and Kanye West to name a few On top of music The Narcicyst is a celebrated theorist whose academic work Fear of an Arab Planet has him from the stage to the classrooms of internationally renowned universities He is now also a professor at Concordia University teaching a Fine Arts course ldquoHip-Hop Past Present and Futurerdquo His writings have been published by multiple university presses and magazines internationally he is also a self-published author having recently released the biographical and social-study on the Arab world The Diatribes of a Dying Tribe As a true artist interested in really pushing his own artistic boundaries The Narcicyst has stepped into acting currently starring in the short music film PHATWA and in the first internationally-released film from the United Arab Emirates called City of Life A true multi-media

111110

KHALED AL HILLI is a PhD candidate in Comparative Literature at the Graduate Center City University of New York He has a BA in English Literature and a Masterrsquos degree in Teaching Second Languages Born in Iraq Khaled has taught in Lebanon and Saudi Arabia at both college and high school levels He has also worked with various Iraqi news outlets and has subtitledtranslated documentary films dealing with current social and political issues His research interests include Arabic political literature prison literature and literature in the diaspora He may be reached at hillykhalidgmailcom

+AZIZ is a NYC-based marketing consultant and a musician He is working through The World Music Parade to develop an animation project based on his music More about that project can be found at themusicparadetumblrcom He tweets from plusaziz

FAYSAL BIBI is a paleontologist and electronic musician currently based in Berlin

LOUBNA BILALI is originally from Morocco She did her undergrad and first MA in English Linguistics at Chouaib Doukkali University El Jadida She came to the US in 2008 to pursue a Masterrsquos degree in French to English translation and is currently working on a PhD in translation studies at Kent State University in Ohio She is very interested in learning and teaching languages as well as translating and localizing computer applications and websites She may be reached at loubnabilaligmailcom

FARAH ELREWAISSATI is a freelance translator pro-Palestine activist and BDS advocate who blogs at youthanormalizationblogspotcom She tweets from 3beee

NIZAR GHANEM was born in Lebanon He has been active in intercultural education interactive learning and conflict resolution across the Arab world His work on conflict resolution involved using theater comics and music as tools for emotional expression and social mobilization

RIMA NAJDI is a Performing Artist She studied dramatic arts at the Lebanese University in Beirut and obtained a Masterrsquos degree in Performance Studies at NYU New York She has written and performed in various plays and performances Najdi is particularly interested in multi-media performing arts and the position of the spectators

BARRAK ALZAID (copy editor) is the Artistic Director of ArteEast He is the editor of the ArteEast Quarterly a dynamic online portal featuring four publications that highlight contemporary art and culture from the Middle East and diaspora ndash ArtersquoZine Shahadat (contemporary short-form literature) Gallery and Cinematek (an online film center) He is also the curator for ArteEastrsquos Across Histories Art Talk Series featuring a series of panels on residencies in Fall 2011 He tweets from barrakster

RAYYA EL ZEIN (editor) is working towards a PhD in Theatre at the Graduate Center City University of New York Her research is increasingly focusing on theories of reception historical studies of audience behavior and popular culture in the Arab world She holds an MA in Performance Studies from NYU and is currently a teaching fellow at City College in Harlem She tweets from rayelz

translator biosdreamer Yassin recently established an arts label in the UAE called The Medium focusing on delivering art from Arabs in the diaspora and at lsquohomersquo to the rest of the world iraqisthebombcom He tweets from TheNarcicyst

OMAR OFFENDUM is a Syrian-American hip hop artist born in Saudi Arabia raised in Washington DC and living in Los Angeles Known for taking audiences on a lyrical journey from the jasmine-tree-lined courtyards of Nizar Qabbanirsquos Damascene homes to the flooded riverbanks of Langston Hughesrsquo Harlem Renaissance poems - Offendum has been featured on several major news outlets (BBC Yahoo ABC News Aljazeera PBS) toured the world to promote his ground-breaking music helped raise thousands of dollars for various humanitarian relief organizations (PCRF KinderUSA ANERA Islamic Relief) lectured at a number of prestigious academic institutions (Harvard MIT Stanford Columbia American University of Beirut NYU-AbuDhabi Qatar Education City) and most recently been involved in creating several critically-acclaimed songs about the popular democratic uprisings throughout the Middle East amp North Africa He is currently hard at work promoting his solo release - affectionately dubbed SyrianamericanA His work may be heard (and read) at offendumbandcampcom He is on Facebook and he tweets from Offendum

RAMALLAH UNDERGROUND based in Ramallah Palestine was born from the immediacy of musical experimentation and out of the need to give voice to a generation of Palestinians and Arabs facing a turbulent and uncertain political landscape The collective was founded by artists Boikutt Stormtrap and Aswatt and has always held a commitment to both the honesty of their work and the need to creatively rejuvenate Arabic culture To this end they combine music ranging from Arabic electronic music hip-hop and trip hop to downtempo with a deep sense of their local culture and the imposing presence of Palestine in their lives The outcome is a new specific and distinct sound RU (as producers and as MCrsquos ) has collaborated with numerous artists across the globe including countries like Lebanon UK Switzerland Italy USA France and many more including a collaboration with Slovo (a band headed by the guitarist from faithless) in their track ldquoNakbardquo which appears on their album Todo Cambia and with Kronos Quartet in the track ldquoTashweeshrdquo which appears on Floodplain RU has also performed live shows in Ramallah Bethlehem Vienna London Cairo Lausanne Amsterdam and Washington DC Their shows are mainly a performance of their hip-hop tracks as well as a few of their own electronic productions as a warm up More recently RU has incorporated a visual set in their live

performances brought to you by Palestinian visual artist Ruanne RU hopes to give a voice to Palestinians and Arabs bringing an alternative voice from the Arab world Their lyrics and music are an expression of anguish and defiance ultimately remaining a defiant voice of the colonized against the colonizer They continue to play a big role in the Arab underground cultural scene while slowly gaining wide global and local popularity

SHADIA MANSOURrsquos work can be found at myspacecomshadiamusic and on Facebook

STORMTRAP is a music producercomposerMC from Palestine Experimenting with old samples instruments and field recordings his sound is the result of a fusion of ambient atmospheres combined with various noises and hip hop beats His lyrics deal with different themes inspired mainly by his personal experiences in Palestine and life in the diaspora Stormtrap played a fundamental role in forming the band Ramallah Underground with which he has performed worldwide the past few years Currently he is working in Vienna with Aras Seyhan and Eren Ileri on a new album which combines live instruments synthesizers turntables beats and Arabic lyrics- which will be released early 2012 His work may be heard at soundcloudcomstormtrap He tweets from asifeh

AMEER YOSSEF 25 has sung and writen music with the band Klaket for the past four years His work may be heard at youtubecomAmeer and on Facebook

towards the work Her work for now concentrates on the process of making interactive and participatory performances that question borders stereotypes and languages

MOE ALI NAYEL is a fixer and a journalist based in Beirut Lebanon He uses social media blogging non-mainstream music journalism and writing as a word spreading eye opening socializing arena He uses social media as a bridge that cuts distance between people on this planet making it a tiny village This bridge starts in his office and takes him to every corner in the world enabling him to connect and network with people and cultures sharing and exchanging stories of the unheard and the neglected He blogs at Words of Action and he tweets from MoeAliNay

ALEX ORTIZ is a video and radio journalist and translator based in Cairo Egypt He graduated from Brown University in 2009 with a double major in Comparative Literature and Middle East Studies He was a CASA I fellow from 2009-2010 and a CASA II fellow from 2010-2011 He currently works for CBS News as a field producer He tweets from cairowitness

AHMED SHAWKET is an independent translator living in Cairo Egypt He is a graduate of the Helwan University Faculty of Arts where he majored in philosophy Ahmed works on literary media and commercial translation

113112

ABOUT SHAHADATShahadat is a quarterly online series designed to provide a platform for short-form writing and experimentation in writing by young and underexposed writers from the MENA region (Middle East and North Africa) The series features stories vignettes reflections and chronicles in translation and the original language of Arabic Farsi Turkish or Kurdish It makes up one quarter of ArteEastrsquos online programming the AE Quarterly For past issues of Shahadat click here

ABOUT THIS SERIES Shahadat is proud to run two alternating series and releases two issues a year of each The issue yoursquove just perused is part of the ldquoExploring Popular Literaturerdquo series This series challenges traditional understandings of ldquoliteraturerdquo emerging from the Middle East and North Africa by presenting genres of creative production that rely on words and language but which have not typically been studied as literature Works are presented in their original language and in translation

In each issue we gather texts from a spectrum of writers to challenge the singular status of the artistauthor and to encourage a more complex presentation of the Middle Eastern and North African ldquostreetrdquo for English-speaking audiences Shahadatrsquos other series ldquoContemporary Literature in Translationrdquo features the work of a single young author in the original language and in English translation

BEHIND THE DOCUMENTShahadat is co-edited by Rayya El Zein Alex Ortiz and ArteEastrsquos Artistic Director Barrak Alzaid All three are young professionals and scholars with artistic inclinations (literature poetry translation and performance) All three have strong connections to New York City and various metropole of the MENA region Shahadat is for us an experiment and a labor of love An editorial board of established scholars and authors is currently being conceived

SPECIAL THANKS TOAnmar El ZeinKinda AkashAndrew JohnstonLivia Alexander

Shahadat logo design by Rima Farouki

114

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Page 46: Shahadat Winter 2012

9190

إحساس غريب إنك تدمن الكالم ارسم يا فنان واخترع زي دافينشي الرسام

ولو مفيش ورقة باستخدم تليفوني خايف إن فكرة متعديش على صوتي

دنيا غريبة يوم مر يوم بونبوني بس أنا عمري ماغيرت لوني

املوسيقى بنادولي وبطابعي فضولي مهما قالوا لي هافهمها مبفهومي فـساعات أالقي نفسي بكلم نفسي واسمع أصوات غريبة في دماغي

وهو ده الصدى الصوت اللي بسمعه اكن مفيش حد فارقة معاه احالمي

شوف شوف مش هدف إنو أنا شخصيا أنا

هدفي انه كلماتي وموسيقتي تنتشرعشان هيك حتشوفني دوما مستمر مستثمر

كل وقتي كل طاقتي على أصواتي خوذ شك خوذ حتويل خوذ كاش

بس ما تنساش أي شي بيتعلق بالواقع بدناش ما تخاف ألنها قضيتنا مش منسية مية باملية هايذي ثورة كمان ثقافية

خليني أوضح هاي املوسيقى مش معمولة للتلفازeهاي املوسيقى مش معمولة لهز الطياز l D e e b + S t o r m t r a p

Strange feeling to be out of words

Paint oh artist and discover like Da Vinci the artist

If I donrsquot have paper I use my cell

I am afraid that the idea does not come through my voice

Strange world one day is bitter another like candy

But Irsquove never changed my color

Music is my Tylenol and my nature curious

So whatever they tell me Irsquoll understand it my way

Sometimes I find myself talking to myself

And I hear weird voices in my head

Which is just the echo of the sound I hear

As if no one cares about my dreams

See see

My goals are not self serving

My goal is that my words and music spread

Thatrsquos why yoursquoll see me always and continuously investing

All my time my energy on my sounds

Take a check take a transfer take cash

But never forget anything related to reality wersquore not interested

Donrsquot be afraid because our cause is not forgotten

One hundred percent this is also a cultural revolution

Let me explain this music is not meant to be televised

This music is not made for booty shaking

Edman El Shuhra

Stormtrap amp Mohamed El Deeb

2011

Hip-Hop

15305855

- vocals Mohamed El Deeb Stormtrap13produced by Stormtrap

9392

مش فاهم ليش الكل قاتل حاله يكون في مسابقةحابني نتصابح حياكم زات املكافحة

واالعالم ميت ع حيالله قصة ما بيدرس هالقصة من نصها

وبعدن بينفخهامش احلق علينا اذا ما بيبحثوا

وملا يبدوا يحكوا عنا أل عنجد بيبعصوابيفكروا انه كل شي هشك بشك

بس حدن الزم يقلهم انه الهب هوب مش هيكبدك تدير بالك عشانها هاي اللحظة احلاسمة

ملا يجوا عليك الديب والعاصفةنكسر حدود وبنبني وحدة عشان نحيي مجتماعاتنا

وننهي معانتناعشان هيك منكتب كلمات صريحة والها معنى

مش للشهرة مش حتى يجي حدن يدفعلنا

e l D e e b + S t o r m t r a p

I donrsquot understand why everyone is killing themselves to be in the contest

Wersquod like to say goodmorning to salute you in this same struggle

The mediarsquos dying for any story

But they donrsquot study the storyrsquos real text

And then they blow it out of proportion

Itrsquos not our fault if they donrsquot search

And when they talk about us then they really screw it up

They think everything is empty pointless

Somebody needs to tell them that hip hop is not like that

You should take care because this is the critical moment

When the wolf and storm come haunting you

We break borders and we create a unity to revitalize our communities

And stop our suffering

That is why we write frank words that have meaning

Itrsquos not for fame or even so that someone pays us

T r a n s l a t e d b y N i z a r G h a n e m

Edman El Shuhra

Stormtrap amp Mohamed El Deeb

2011

Hip-Hop

15305855

- vocals Mohamed El Deeb Stormtrap13produced by Stormtrap

9594

حضل عهل مود يعنيما إنتلك النجوم عم تقرب

بهل ال مود حكون عطول لبهل جنوم إدءر لو مضطر شن هجوم عل النجوم كلها

خللي األرض تدور حول أصبعي تنلك

ما إنتلك متلي متلك مولع طيار ألفكاري من العقدي تنفك فرد قعدي بني 4 حيطان ما بتنهز و منها ما بنهز

يلز املا بينلزالكاس عل الطاولي و منو عم مز مز

لتفتل براصي وحس من حالي عم كز كزعل ورقة كالمي مدروس و ما بزت زت بجرب ما عيد حالي متا يقولو عم نق نق

موزع قافياتي جواز كأن عم فت فت

بهل األطشة خلي الديني اللي تسمعني ترن رنFبسبيلي جاري يوم ع يوم عم برك رك a r e e q e l A t r a s h

Irsquoll stay in this mood

Didnrsquot I tell you The stars are getting closer

Irsquoll stay in this mood until I touch these stars

Even if I have to launch an attack on all the stars

Irsquoll make the Earth rotate around my finger I told you

Didnrsquot I tell you Irsquom just like you I lit up a joint so my ideas would untie their knot

Sitting this way in between four walls I wonrsquot budge

The most delectable

Drink is on the table from which Irsquom taking sips

Till my head starts spinning and Irsquom sick of myself

On the paper my words are calculated I donrsquot just toss them about

I try not to repeat myself so they wonrsquot say Irsquom nagging

I deal my rhymes out like theyrsquore cards

In this verse Irsquoll make those ears ring

My fountain is running and every day I excel

tالنجوم عم تقرب he stars are gett ing closer

null

29781717

9796

لضل ماشي جالس بينما غيري عم بلك لك شريط معلق ريحة العة عم بتفح فحكل ما فتح متو بتالقي عم بكب كب

عايشها إرهاب و مفي إال بسب سببزبالتي ما بكبو تيكون بعلمك

األالف مسم و بحياتو ما بينسم بزقة من هل التم تخلي سقفك ينش نش

تلمو ردم و ما تفكر إنو ترد رد و عم بحكي عالواطي متا الصالي فيك ترج رج

بطبعي عاقل بس بالراب بزل زل عل الرايق بال ما نط وال فز فز

type of shitعال بارد أبرد من شباط بس يقز قزتخلي عضامك ع بعض تسك سك

ما إنتلك النجوم عم تقرب بهل ال مود حكون عطول لبهل جنوم إدءر

لو مضطر شن هجوم عل النجوم كلهاخللي األرض تدور حول أصبعي تنلك

أنا متنبئ بنبه و بحقق ما قلتلك بعد وقتها ما عم نكت

عاملكرفون إبرة هرون عم بشكشك في شكcheck one two

هيك بدسدس عالنبض

F a r e e q e l A t r a s h

So I can walk straight when others are still playing

A broken record that reeks of a musty smell

Every time he opens his mouth he spews them out

He lives in terror and all he does is curse

I wouldnrsquot throw him in my garbage just so you know

Irsquove irritated thousands and never been irritated in my life

One spit out of this mouth will make your roof leak

And yoursquoll pick up the rubble and donrsquot even think about answering back

Irsquom talking in a low voice so the hall wonrsquot shake with you in it

Irsquom reasonable by nature but when it comes to rap I humiliate cold-heartedly

Without jumping or leaping around

I do it coldly colder than icy February-type of shit

Irsquoll make your bones rattle against each other

Didnrsquot I tell you The stars are getting closer

Irsquoll stay in this mood until I touch these stars

Even if I have to launch an attack on all the stars

Irsquoll make the Earth rotate around my finger I told you

Irsquom a psychic I predict and deliver

Didnrsquot I tell you to stand back when Irsquom not joking

Irsquom pricking the microphone with a heroin needle Is there any doubt

Check one two

Thatrsquos how I feel the pulse

null

29781717

9998

بدقق و زتزت حكي بتزجزج كأنها مزهزها عم بتشمشم عم خطط عم تكتيك و مني ملحلح من هون للساعة توقف تك تيك تك تيك

لك ليك منفخ حاله عامبيكازيب عا غيري بس بوجهي بتاءتإوجهه بيباءبإ من أد ما بعصب بسبسب

زر إنذار إذني بتطنطن و بشوف من عالباب عم بدقدق

عكروت بدو يفوت ليشوف الفن فني بس الفن هون بجسمي معبأ

من حلقي طايف و من متي عم بت شرشر و بيس البيس زلزال برجرج خليك تضبضب تنضب بالبيت لتكنكن

و أنا متأسف ألني بدي استأذن بس بعد شفت كابتشينو بتصحصح

ما إنتلك النجوم عم تقرببهل ال مود حكون عطول لبهل جنوم إدءر

لو مضطر شن هجوم عل النجوم كلهاخللي األرض تدور حول أصبعي تنلك

هيدا هب هوبمش هبل و ال بهل

هيدا زجل تتغزل في

ورايي إيقاع عليي إتبع و ما إطلع عنو يا بصير متل غير مسيس

زقفوا مع االيقاعزقفوا مع االيقاع

F a r e e q e l A t r a s h

Checking and hurling words that tickle as if I was high and sniffing

I am planning and scheming and Irsquom not going anywhere till the clock stops ticking

Look hersquos so full of it lying to others but in my face he stutters

And his face turns red from all the anger and he curses

My earsrsquo alarm bells start ringing

And I go to see whorsquos knocking at the door

Some bastard who wants to see where ldquothe artldquo is

But the art is right here packed in my body

Flowing from my throat running out of my mouth

And the bass is an earthquake that shakes and forces you to pack up and go home

And Irsquom sorry because I need to take leave

But after a sip of cappuccino yoursquoll come around

Didnrsquot I tell you The stars are getting closer

Irsquoll stay in this mood

Until I touch these stars even if I have to launch an attack on all the stars

Irsquoll make the Earth rotate around my finger I told you

This is hip hop

Itrsquos not stupid nor dumb

Itrsquos zajal [a form of Arabic poetry in the Levant]

That you flirt with

There is a beat that I have to follow canrsquot lose it or Irsquoll be like other MCs

Clap with the beat

Clap with the beat

T r a n s l a t e d b y K h a l e d A l H i l l i

null

29781717

101100

انا ببلعهم بتفهم وال مره بسبهمبخليهم داميا يضاربو بتفكيرهم

أنا وراهم قدامهم جنابهم محتلهممش طايقهم مرات وزنهم بكون منزلهم

مرتبهم صاففهم وبقلم أنا حاكمهم زاتتهم مش عاجبيني أنا ماحيهم قائدهم وبنفس الوقت أنا عبيدهم

وبفك وربط أنا بلعب مبعانيهمانا حاميهم بأسطر اللي تقويهم

انا واعدهم اني أستر على فاضحهم ومطلعهم بصوره اللي تبشعهم

بس أنا محترمهم وبسطور ساجنهم مكتفهم كأسير بجنازير القهر

ومهديهم بحبل اللي يبشر بالصبر وانا لي الفخر أكون الشوك اللي فيهم

Dوأكون القهر اللي داميا يسقيهم A M

Yo this is dedicated to the lyrics

Irsquom swallowing them spitting them never dissing them

Giving them freedom of speech

Irsquom behind them in front of them because of them always standing with them

Sometimes get sick of them sick of how you abuse them

Gather them in line with my pen I order them

Didnrsquot like it Throwing them out and replacing them

Irsquom their leader and also their slave

Small changes make huge differences

I train them in pages to make them strong

Promising to use them not abuse them

Or allow the wrong mouths to utter them

Approach them with a military mind and find peace in them

Irsquom lucky to be full of thorns and even luckier that I found the lyrics

So theyrsquoll help me find the roses in me

wordsكلمات

null

26837427

103102

raquoالكل سمعك بس السؤال اذا اللي سمعك فهمكlaquoكلمات ليست كالكلمات بل raquoعالماتlaquo

اللي توجهنا وين مابدنا عحبال السيرك هي تثبتنا ريح العالم من كل جهه اذا احنا ضعاف بتوقعنا بس

raquoأل بلمره ألlaquo raquoكلمات عندي طنlaquoكل واحده الها هدف اخدت حرف عحرف

نسجت جمل اللي البسهم وقت البرد raquoراح اضلني اناديlaquo raquoبنحكي كلماتlaquo

انت بتعرف انهم مبنصب شهاد بحكو املاضي وتنبوا حاضر أي بالد

قد ماحكيت قد ما أحكي فش كالم يغطي بسفي كالم يربي وينمي انت بس أروي

في شوف انه قوه والقوه بتقويفيك و أن رويته مصيره يسقيك )مثل للقوه( العدو من أمامكم

والبحر من ورائكم فال تخيبوا أسيادكمفأين أشعاركم وأين مجادلتكم

فأنتم تسكتون وتخمدون أحالمكم)انهي( نهيت ورجعت للعامية بكلمات

مرمية طالعه من عقليه شعبيهمتل جنيب اللي بذاكرة كل واحد محفوظ مدروس واذا أل معناته في خلل معكوس

عاملجتمع اللي قمع كتاباته Dاللي سمح لنسيانه يشيل خطواته A M

ldquoThey all hear you but few listen to youldquo

Lyrics ainrsquot just a bunch of words they are ldquosignsldquo

Leading us stabilizing us on tight ropes

Winds every way if we are thin we will fall

ldquoBut hell noldquo ldquoyou can measure my words in tonsldquo

Every word has a meaning I knitted a letter with another letter

Made warm sentences to wear in cold days

ldquoSo Irsquoll still shoutldquo ldquowe control lyricsldquo

You know lyrics are like a witness

They witnessed the past and forecast the future

As much as I said or say I canrsquot describe them

But there is a way to find the description and thatrsquos through them

Quench the thirst of the pages with them

So in the future itrsquoll quench your thirst

Keep feeding them as soon as they grow up

Theyrsquoll give you strength

ldquoExample for the strengthldquo

ldquoThe enemy is before you the sea is behind you

So donrsquot you dare disappoint our ancestors

Where are our deep poems Where are our strong statements

From generation to generation we kill our dreamsldquo

ldquoEnough philosophizingldquo ok lets get back to street talk

Words coming outta simple minds

Like Najeeb Mahfuz [literally lsquowell-rememberedrsquo also a famous author]

They keep living in our minds

And if you donrsquot know who he is - then I rest my case

null

26837427

105104

raquoالكل سمعك بس السؤال اذا اللي سمعك فهمكlaquoكلمات ليست كالكلمات بل raquoعالماتlaquo

اللي توجهنا وين مابدنا عحبال السيرك هي تثبتنا ريح العالم من كل جهه اذا احنا ضعاف بتوقعنا بس

raquoأل بلمره ألlaquo raquoكلمات عندي طنlaquoكل واحده الها هدف اخدت حرف عحرف

نسجت جمل اللي البسهم وقت البرد raquoراح اضلني اناديlaquo raquoبنحكي كلماتlaquo

ألف با كبايه أوعك تكسرهاامسكها للنهاية وكل ما تفضى مليها

كلمه أو رواية ومع املراحل زيدها شيحكاية وهيك ضلك زود فيها

وجيبها لتجمعاتك وساعتها استعملها لنقاشاتك وملواقفك استخدمها

هادي مدافعك اللي مداها بسيطرتك وما دافعك انه ما تخليها رايتك

ما هي تكتب ما هي توصف ما هي تكذب ما هي تنصف

ما هي هي الهروب هياللجوء هي الدروب هي

العبور باحلدود واللي مبرؤهم مبدع وبفوز باخللود واللي بسرقهم مش مقنع

واذا بتديهم احلرية بنادوك ممنوعDواذا بتوخد احلريه بنادوك مسموح A M

ldquoThey all hear you but few listen to youldquo

Lyrics ainrsquot just a bunch of words they are ldquosignsldquo

Leading us stabilizing us on tight ropes

Winds every way if we are thin we will fall

ldquoBut hell noldquo ldquoyou can measure my words in tonsldquo

Every word has a meaning I knitted a letter with another letter

Made warm sentences to wear in cold days

ldquoSo Irsquoll still shoutldquo ldquowe control lyricsldquo

The Arabic alphabet is like a glass donrsquot break it

Hold it tight and keep filling it

And then bring it to our arguments

Scream till your throat gets dry and then wet it

It holds our body itrsquos like our legs

If you stand for nothing yoursquoll fall for anything

The words write create

They kill lead and sometimes even lie

You can use them to build borders

And those who are gifted

Can use them to walk through borders

And in some governments

Itrsquos forbidden to give words freedom

But if you choke them and kill them

Thatrsquos allowed

F i g u r a t i v e t r a n s l a t i o n o f f e r e d b y t h e a r t i s t s

null

26837427

107106

further reading

The tracks presented in this document are not a comprehensive sampling of the genre of the market of hip hop in Arabic or of hip hop and rap in the wider Middle East

Artists featured here hail from Egypt Lebanon Palestine and the anglophone Arab diaspora The thriving North African hip hop scene is not represented nor is the work of the established francophone Arab diaspora nor the expanding hip hop scenes of especially Iran or Turkey

This collection does not attempt a comprehensive chronology Tracks featured here are not primarily new releases (though some are) neither are they all ldquoclassicsrdquo These limitations of scope are important to note

Many tracks of the popular Libyan group Ibn Thabitt and other groups from across the region have been translated and are hosted with commentary on the notable blog

revolutionaryarabrapblogspotcom

Another valuable resource is the Beirut-based blog by Jackson Allers ldquoBeats and Breathrdquo which features articulate critiques and reviews of events and releases from the region

jacksonallerswordpresscom

Hass Dennaoui (alias Big Hass) who recently launched started the first all hip-hop FM radio show in Saudi Arabia Laish Hip Hop (Why Hip Hop) manages a lively blog which

hosts an internet feed of his radio show and interviews with MCs and influential hip hop figures from around the world

revoltradioblogspotcom

Lebaneseundergroundcom hosts coverage of underground music in Lebanon including hip hop

And finally an excellent article by Hishaam Aidi on implications of the use of hip hop as foreign policy ldquoThe Grand (Hip-Hop) Chessboard Race Rap and Raison DrsquoEtatrdquo was published in The Middle East Report Fall 2011 Excerpts of the piece were published by Al Jazeera English in the article ldquoLeveraging Hip Hop in US Foreign Policyrdquo

All the artists and many of the translators whose work is showcased here host a significant online presence Their sites are listed with more about each of them on the following pages

109108

artist bios

ARABIAN KNIGHTZ the premier hip hop group from the land of the Nile River have not only established themselves as the lyricists with the sharpest swords in their land but they have also created the most consistent voice for rebellion strength and hope for the youth of the Middle East During the 2011 Revolution Arabian Knightz released two singles ldquoRebelrdquo and ldquoNot Your Prisonerrdquo anthems of resistance which gained worldwide attention and major media coverage for their powerful lyrics against a wicked system The group formed in 2006 through the cipher hip hoprsquos natural way of choosing like mindsets on the mic Rush Sphinx and E-Money were ahead of their peers adapting an authentic Arab perspective to the art dominated by Western voices mixing English and Arabic raps After hitting the studio for successful underground tracks AK enlisted super-producer Fredwreck (Snoop Dogg Xzibit Tha Dogg Pound) ldquoFokkakrdquo the single from this studio session was an instant hit and (surprisingly for Arabic Hip Hop) projected them to the top ten of the singles charts Arab League Records was formed amidst a growing fanbase and numerous collaborations with other Arab hip hop artists the first international Arab hip hop record label Desert Saga Volume 1 mixtape was the debut release led by ldquoThe Onerdquo featuring Egyptrsquos MC Amin Arabian Knightz have recorded their debut album Uknighted State of Arabia a masterpiece for Arab hip hop years in the making featuring instrumentals dominated by traditional percussions and players are scheduled for a Winter 2012 Release They are on Facebook

BOIKUTT is a musician and MC based in Ramallah Palestine Creating sounds using sampled material field recordings and electronic devices the results range between hip-hop downtempo ambient glitch and experimental He has composed and produced music for artists such as Kronos Quartet Bukue One Spiritchild Tamer Abu-Ghazaleh Bleubird and others and has appeared as an MC on albums for artists such as Slovo Heliodrome Bonnot and Lethal Skillz A co-founder of the Ramallah Underground Collective which has toured across the Arab World Europe and Australia Boikutt is also co-founder and member of audio-visual group Tashweesh with whom he is currently touring Also as a solo performer he has been in Beirut Cairo Manila Copenhagen London Hamburg Dubai Bethlehem and other cities He has produced and exhibited a few sound-art pieces composed several film scores has most recently composed the music for a dance theater performance entitled Bound by

New York-based company Yaa Samar Dance Theatre and is now working on different collaborative and solo projects His work may be heard at soundcloudcomboikutt and on Facebook

DAM Da Arabian MCrsquos are Suhell Nafar Tamer Nafar and Mahmoud Jreri The first Palestinian hip hop crew and among the first to rap in Arabic the group began working together in the late 1990s Struck by the uncanny resemblance of the reality of the streets in a Tupac video to the streets in their own neighborhood of Lyd they were inspired to tell their stories through hip hop Their timely song ldquoMin Irhabirdquo (ldquoWhorsquos the Terroristrdquo) was downloaded a million times shortly after its internet realese in 2001 and DAM became a household name among youth throughout the Middle East Ten years of performing all over the world has strengthened the grouprsquos commitment to continue living and working in their hometown of Lyd 15 minutes from Tel Aviv and working to provide the youth of the city and neighboring communities with programs and opportunities that have been denied to Palestinian citizens of Israel Their music is a unique fusion of East and West and encompasses influences as varied as Ghassan Kanafani Ahlam Mosteghanemi Mahmoud Darwish Naji al Ali Tupac Biggie Public Enemy MBS Krsquonaan and Pharoahe Monch IHDA (Dedication) DAMrsquos long-awaited first international album was released in 2007 and DAM has seen its songs and members featured in films such as Ford Transit (Dir Hany Abu Assad) Where in the World is Osama Bin Laden (Dir Morgan Spurlock) Salt of this Sea (Dir Annemarie Jacir) Local Angel and Forgiveness (Dir Udi Aloni) DAMrsquos history and influence on the Arab hip hop scene is detailed in the feature-length documentary Slingshot Hip Hop (Dir Jackie Reem Salloum) The group has also been featured in Vibe National Geographic Rolling Stone Q Basement Reuters and The New York Times and has appeared on MTV CNN BBC and Al Jazeera Their work can be heard and explored at damrapcom

EL DEEB first ventured into Egyptian Hip Hop when he joined Asfalt in 2005 He left in 2007 to create Wighit Nazara duo represented by Mohamed Yasser and himself It was a successful musical project that lasted until mid 2010 Currently he is working on his solo career with plans to release an EP every couple of months or so Cairofornia is his first solo EP His work may be heard at deebbandcampcom and on Facebook

EL RASS was born in Tripoli Lebanon He started writing poetry in literary Arabic at age 11 and started rhyming in spoken Lebanese dialect in 1999 at age 15 At that time he formed one third of a group of 3 MCrsquos going under the name of ldquoMlouk el Micrdquo (ldquoKings of the Micrdquo) They recorded one album and performed locally At 17 he left for France to study Finance and Economics Studies were hard money was scarce and exile was tough but music and poetry never left him as he continued rhyming with some underground French MCrsquos like Medline and Moebius and developed new musical skills on percussion in classical Arabic singing and baglama (turkish buzuk) After graduating and working for almost two years in the hell of banking and market finance El Rass decided to return to Lebanon He spent a year just re-discovering Beirut and making and learning music He now works as a journalist at the newspaper Assafir while concurrently pursuing joint projects with other producers and musicians He calls his work Taalik in reference to the same word in Arabic for ldquocommentrdquo and another word that comes from the same semantic root moaallakat which is a corpus of selected pre-Islamic poetry that was written with gold ink on the walls of the Karsquoaba in Mecca His work may be heard at soundcloudcomElRass

FAREEQ EL ATRASH is a hip hop band based out of Hamra St Beirut with a sound that is distinguished by laid back topical flows over live instrumentation It consists of Edd (raps) Nasser (raps) FZ (vocal production and FX) Fouad Afra (drums) Goo (plays guitar keys heart strings) and Abed Kobeissy (plays bass and buzuk) Their 2010 album and 2009 prealbum are available online More of their work may be found on Facebook Eddrsquos solo work can also be heard at soundcloudcomEdd

H2Z was born in Kuwait in 1986 where he lived for four years Due to the gulf war his family moved to Lebanon where he lived for the most part of his life Inspired by the tragic events in the Middle East and elsewhere in the world H2Z adopted rap music as a way to raise awareness about the injustices suffered by his people and to deliver a message through his music to anyone who supports the Palestinian cause His career began in 2004 when he was introduced to the production business by fellow rappers and soon he started producing his own tracks and established a local band producing many tracks for himself and other musicians in Lebanon In 2008 he released his first solo album titled 3aed which contained

17 tracks The political influence was noticed throughout the album and was generally well-received He is now studying for a degree in business administration at Wayne State University in Michigan His work may be heard at reverbnationcomh2z

KATIBEH 5 are based in Borj el Barajneh Lebanon Their work can be found at reverbnationcomkatibeh5 and myspacecomkatibe5palestine and on Facebook

M1 is Mutulu Olugbala of the New York based collective Dead Prez whose work is online at deadprezcom M1 is also on Facebook

MC GAZA is Adnan Mahmoud Ghonim an Algerian born artist and university student based in Gaza It was the beginning of 2005 when he attended one of the hip hop concerts in Gaza City ndash Gaza City that never appreciated the art he loved and attached himself to ndash and it was love at first sight between them Through some of the concerts he participated in a number of songs he collaborated on with Arabs from Egypt Algeria and Palestine and some active participation to represent the Palestinian people and interviews for both Arab and foreign press he was able to make a name for himself in the Gazan hip hop community His work may be found at youtubecomMCGaza and on Facebook

THE NARCICYST Having pioneered the Arab Hip-Hop movement with seminal Iraqi-Canadian crew Euphrates The Narcicyst recently broke through borders and shattered traveling etiquette touring solo around the world sharing stages with the likes of Brother Ali Mos Def and Kanye West to name a few On top of music The Narcicyst is a celebrated theorist whose academic work Fear of an Arab Planet has him from the stage to the classrooms of internationally renowned universities He is now also a professor at Concordia University teaching a Fine Arts course ldquoHip-Hop Past Present and Futurerdquo His writings have been published by multiple university presses and magazines internationally he is also a self-published author having recently released the biographical and social-study on the Arab world The Diatribes of a Dying Tribe As a true artist interested in really pushing his own artistic boundaries The Narcicyst has stepped into acting currently starring in the short music film PHATWA and in the first internationally-released film from the United Arab Emirates called City of Life A true multi-media

111110

KHALED AL HILLI is a PhD candidate in Comparative Literature at the Graduate Center City University of New York He has a BA in English Literature and a Masterrsquos degree in Teaching Second Languages Born in Iraq Khaled has taught in Lebanon and Saudi Arabia at both college and high school levels He has also worked with various Iraqi news outlets and has subtitledtranslated documentary films dealing with current social and political issues His research interests include Arabic political literature prison literature and literature in the diaspora He may be reached at hillykhalidgmailcom

+AZIZ is a NYC-based marketing consultant and a musician He is working through The World Music Parade to develop an animation project based on his music More about that project can be found at themusicparadetumblrcom He tweets from plusaziz

FAYSAL BIBI is a paleontologist and electronic musician currently based in Berlin

LOUBNA BILALI is originally from Morocco She did her undergrad and first MA in English Linguistics at Chouaib Doukkali University El Jadida She came to the US in 2008 to pursue a Masterrsquos degree in French to English translation and is currently working on a PhD in translation studies at Kent State University in Ohio She is very interested in learning and teaching languages as well as translating and localizing computer applications and websites She may be reached at loubnabilaligmailcom

FARAH ELREWAISSATI is a freelance translator pro-Palestine activist and BDS advocate who blogs at youthanormalizationblogspotcom She tweets from 3beee

NIZAR GHANEM was born in Lebanon He has been active in intercultural education interactive learning and conflict resolution across the Arab world His work on conflict resolution involved using theater comics and music as tools for emotional expression and social mobilization

RIMA NAJDI is a Performing Artist She studied dramatic arts at the Lebanese University in Beirut and obtained a Masterrsquos degree in Performance Studies at NYU New York She has written and performed in various plays and performances Najdi is particularly interested in multi-media performing arts and the position of the spectators

BARRAK ALZAID (copy editor) is the Artistic Director of ArteEast He is the editor of the ArteEast Quarterly a dynamic online portal featuring four publications that highlight contemporary art and culture from the Middle East and diaspora ndash ArtersquoZine Shahadat (contemporary short-form literature) Gallery and Cinematek (an online film center) He is also the curator for ArteEastrsquos Across Histories Art Talk Series featuring a series of panels on residencies in Fall 2011 He tweets from barrakster

RAYYA EL ZEIN (editor) is working towards a PhD in Theatre at the Graduate Center City University of New York Her research is increasingly focusing on theories of reception historical studies of audience behavior and popular culture in the Arab world She holds an MA in Performance Studies from NYU and is currently a teaching fellow at City College in Harlem She tweets from rayelz

translator biosdreamer Yassin recently established an arts label in the UAE called The Medium focusing on delivering art from Arabs in the diaspora and at lsquohomersquo to the rest of the world iraqisthebombcom He tweets from TheNarcicyst

OMAR OFFENDUM is a Syrian-American hip hop artist born in Saudi Arabia raised in Washington DC and living in Los Angeles Known for taking audiences on a lyrical journey from the jasmine-tree-lined courtyards of Nizar Qabbanirsquos Damascene homes to the flooded riverbanks of Langston Hughesrsquo Harlem Renaissance poems - Offendum has been featured on several major news outlets (BBC Yahoo ABC News Aljazeera PBS) toured the world to promote his ground-breaking music helped raise thousands of dollars for various humanitarian relief organizations (PCRF KinderUSA ANERA Islamic Relief) lectured at a number of prestigious academic institutions (Harvard MIT Stanford Columbia American University of Beirut NYU-AbuDhabi Qatar Education City) and most recently been involved in creating several critically-acclaimed songs about the popular democratic uprisings throughout the Middle East amp North Africa He is currently hard at work promoting his solo release - affectionately dubbed SyrianamericanA His work may be heard (and read) at offendumbandcampcom He is on Facebook and he tweets from Offendum

RAMALLAH UNDERGROUND based in Ramallah Palestine was born from the immediacy of musical experimentation and out of the need to give voice to a generation of Palestinians and Arabs facing a turbulent and uncertain political landscape The collective was founded by artists Boikutt Stormtrap and Aswatt and has always held a commitment to both the honesty of their work and the need to creatively rejuvenate Arabic culture To this end they combine music ranging from Arabic electronic music hip-hop and trip hop to downtempo with a deep sense of their local culture and the imposing presence of Palestine in their lives The outcome is a new specific and distinct sound RU (as producers and as MCrsquos ) has collaborated with numerous artists across the globe including countries like Lebanon UK Switzerland Italy USA France and many more including a collaboration with Slovo (a band headed by the guitarist from faithless) in their track ldquoNakbardquo which appears on their album Todo Cambia and with Kronos Quartet in the track ldquoTashweeshrdquo which appears on Floodplain RU has also performed live shows in Ramallah Bethlehem Vienna London Cairo Lausanne Amsterdam and Washington DC Their shows are mainly a performance of their hip-hop tracks as well as a few of their own electronic productions as a warm up More recently RU has incorporated a visual set in their live

performances brought to you by Palestinian visual artist Ruanne RU hopes to give a voice to Palestinians and Arabs bringing an alternative voice from the Arab world Their lyrics and music are an expression of anguish and defiance ultimately remaining a defiant voice of the colonized against the colonizer They continue to play a big role in the Arab underground cultural scene while slowly gaining wide global and local popularity

SHADIA MANSOURrsquos work can be found at myspacecomshadiamusic and on Facebook

STORMTRAP is a music producercomposerMC from Palestine Experimenting with old samples instruments and field recordings his sound is the result of a fusion of ambient atmospheres combined with various noises and hip hop beats His lyrics deal with different themes inspired mainly by his personal experiences in Palestine and life in the diaspora Stormtrap played a fundamental role in forming the band Ramallah Underground with which he has performed worldwide the past few years Currently he is working in Vienna with Aras Seyhan and Eren Ileri on a new album which combines live instruments synthesizers turntables beats and Arabic lyrics- which will be released early 2012 His work may be heard at soundcloudcomstormtrap He tweets from asifeh

AMEER YOSSEF 25 has sung and writen music with the band Klaket for the past four years His work may be heard at youtubecomAmeer and on Facebook

towards the work Her work for now concentrates on the process of making interactive and participatory performances that question borders stereotypes and languages

MOE ALI NAYEL is a fixer and a journalist based in Beirut Lebanon He uses social media blogging non-mainstream music journalism and writing as a word spreading eye opening socializing arena He uses social media as a bridge that cuts distance between people on this planet making it a tiny village This bridge starts in his office and takes him to every corner in the world enabling him to connect and network with people and cultures sharing and exchanging stories of the unheard and the neglected He blogs at Words of Action and he tweets from MoeAliNay

ALEX ORTIZ is a video and radio journalist and translator based in Cairo Egypt He graduated from Brown University in 2009 with a double major in Comparative Literature and Middle East Studies He was a CASA I fellow from 2009-2010 and a CASA II fellow from 2010-2011 He currently works for CBS News as a field producer He tweets from cairowitness

AHMED SHAWKET is an independent translator living in Cairo Egypt He is a graduate of the Helwan University Faculty of Arts where he majored in philosophy Ahmed works on literary media and commercial translation

113112

ABOUT SHAHADATShahadat is a quarterly online series designed to provide a platform for short-form writing and experimentation in writing by young and underexposed writers from the MENA region (Middle East and North Africa) The series features stories vignettes reflections and chronicles in translation and the original language of Arabic Farsi Turkish or Kurdish It makes up one quarter of ArteEastrsquos online programming the AE Quarterly For past issues of Shahadat click here

ABOUT THIS SERIES Shahadat is proud to run two alternating series and releases two issues a year of each The issue yoursquove just perused is part of the ldquoExploring Popular Literaturerdquo series This series challenges traditional understandings of ldquoliteraturerdquo emerging from the Middle East and North Africa by presenting genres of creative production that rely on words and language but which have not typically been studied as literature Works are presented in their original language and in translation

In each issue we gather texts from a spectrum of writers to challenge the singular status of the artistauthor and to encourage a more complex presentation of the Middle Eastern and North African ldquostreetrdquo for English-speaking audiences Shahadatrsquos other series ldquoContemporary Literature in Translationrdquo features the work of a single young author in the original language and in English translation

BEHIND THE DOCUMENTShahadat is co-edited by Rayya El Zein Alex Ortiz and ArteEastrsquos Artistic Director Barrak Alzaid All three are young professionals and scholars with artistic inclinations (literature poetry translation and performance) All three have strong connections to New York City and various metropole of the MENA region Shahadat is for us an experiment and a labor of love An editorial board of established scholars and authors is currently being conceived

SPECIAL THANKS TOAnmar El ZeinKinda AkashAndrew JohnstonLivia Alexander

Shahadat logo design by Rima Farouki

114

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Page 47: Shahadat Winter 2012

9392

مش فاهم ليش الكل قاتل حاله يكون في مسابقةحابني نتصابح حياكم زات املكافحة

واالعالم ميت ع حيالله قصة ما بيدرس هالقصة من نصها

وبعدن بينفخهامش احلق علينا اذا ما بيبحثوا

وملا يبدوا يحكوا عنا أل عنجد بيبعصوابيفكروا انه كل شي هشك بشك

بس حدن الزم يقلهم انه الهب هوب مش هيكبدك تدير بالك عشانها هاي اللحظة احلاسمة

ملا يجوا عليك الديب والعاصفةنكسر حدود وبنبني وحدة عشان نحيي مجتماعاتنا

وننهي معانتناعشان هيك منكتب كلمات صريحة والها معنى

مش للشهرة مش حتى يجي حدن يدفعلنا

e l D e e b + S t o r m t r a p

I donrsquot understand why everyone is killing themselves to be in the contest

Wersquod like to say goodmorning to salute you in this same struggle

The mediarsquos dying for any story

But they donrsquot study the storyrsquos real text

And then they blow it out of proportion

Itrsquos not our fault if they donrsquot search

And when they talk about us then they really screw it up

They think everything is empty pointless

Somebody needs to tell them that hip hop is not like that

You should take care because this is the critical moment

When the wolf and storm come haunting you

We break borders and we create a unity to revitalize our communities

And stop our suffering

That is why we write frank words that have meaning

Itrsquos not for fame or even so that someone pays us

T r a n s l a t e d b y N i z a r G h a n e m

Edman El Shuhra

Stormtrap amp Mohamed El Deeb

2011

Hip-Hop

15305855

- vocals Mohamed El Deeb Stormtrap13produced by Stormtrap

9594

حضل عهل مود يعنيما إنتلك النجوم عم تقرب

بهل ال مود حكون عطول لبهل جنوم إدءر لو مضطر شن هجوم عل النجوم كلها

خللي األرض تدور حول أصبعي تنلك

ما إنتلك متلي متلك مولع طيار ألفكاري من العقدي تنفك فرد قعدي بني 4 حيطان ما بتنهز و منها ما بنهز

يلز املا بينلزالكاس عل الطاولي و منو عم مز مز

لتفتل براصي وحس من حالي عم كز كزعل ورقة كالمي مدروس و ما بزت زت بجرب ما عيد حالي متا يقولو عم نق نق

موزع قافياتي جواز كأن عم فت فت

بهل األطشة خلي الديني اللي تسمعني ترن رنFبسبيلي جاري يوم ع يوم عم برك رك a r e e q e l A t r a s h

Irsquoll stay in this mood

Didnrsquot I tell you The stars are getting closer

Irsquoll stay in this mood until I touch these stars

Even if I have to launch an attack on all the stars

Irsquoll make the Earth rotate around my finger I told you

Didnrsquot I tell you Irsquom just like you I lit up a joint so my ideas would untie their knot

Sitting this way in between four walls I wonrsquot budge

The most delectable

Drink is on the table from which Irsquom taking sips

Till my head starts spinning and Irsquom sick of myself

On the paper my words are calculated I donrsquot just toss them about

I try not to repeat myself so they wonrsquot say Irsquom nagging

I deal my rhymes out like theyrsquore cards

In this verse Irsquoll make those ears ring

My fountain is running and every day I excel

tالنجوم عم تقرب he stars are gett ing closer

null

29781717

9796

لضل ماشي جالس بينما غيري عم بلك لك شريط معلق ريحة العة عم بتفح فحكل ما فتح متو بتالقي عم بكب كب

عايشها إرهاب و مفي إال بسب سببزبالتي ما بكبو تيكون بعلمك

األالف مسم و بحياتو ما بينسم بزقة من هل التم تخلي سقفك ينش نش

تلمو ردم و ما تفكر إنو ترد رد و عم بحكي عالواطي متا الصالي فيك ترج رج

بطبعي عاقل بس بالراب بزل زل عل الرايق بال ما نط وال فز فز

type of shitعال بارد أبرد من شباط بس يقز قزتخلي عضامك ع بعض تسك سك

ما إنتلك النجوم عم تقرب بهل ال مود حكون عطول لبهل جنوم إدءر

لو مضطر شن هجوم عل النجوم كلهاخللي األرض تدور حول أصبعي تنلك

أنا متنبئ بنبه و بحقق ما قلتلك بعد وقتها ما عم نكت

عاملكرفون إبرة هرون عم بشكشك في شكcheck one two

هيك بدسدس عالنبض

F a r e e q e l A t r a s h

So I can walk straight when others are still playing

A broken record that reeks of a musty smell

Every time he opens his mouth he spews them out

He lives in terror and all he does is curse

I wouldnrsquot throw him in my garbage just so you know

Irsquove irritated thousands and never been irritated in my life

One spit out of this mouth will make your roof leak

And yoursquoll pick up the rubble and donrsquot even think about answering back

Irsquom talking in a low voice so the hall wonrsquot shake with you in it

Irsquom reasonable by nature but when it comes to rap I humiliate cold-heartedly

Without jumping or leaping around

I do it coldly colder than icy February-type of shit

Irsquoll make your bones rattle against each other

Didnrsquot I tell you The stars are getting closer

Irsquoll stay in this mood until I touch these stars

Even if I have to launch an attack on all the stars

Irsquoll make the Earth rotate around my finger I told you

Irsquom a psychic I predict and deliver

Didnrsquot I tell you to stand back when Irsquom not joking

Irsquom pricking the microphone with a heroin needle Is there any doubt

Check one two

Thatrsquos how I feel the pulse

null

29781717

9998

بدقق و زتزت حكي بتزجزج كأنها مزهزها عم بتشمشم عم خطط عم تكتيك و مني ملحلح من هون للساعة توقف تك تيك تك تيك

لك ليك منفخ حاله عامبيكازيب عا غيري بس بوجهي بتاءتإوجهه بيباءبإ من أد ما بعصب بسبسب

زر إنذار إذني بتطنطن و بشوف من عالباب عم بدقدق

عكروت بدو يفوت ليشوف الفن فني بس الفن هون بجسمي معبأ

من حلقي طايف و من متي عم بت شرشر و بيس البيس زلزال برجرج خليك تضبضب تنضب بالبيت لتكنكن

و أنا متأسف ألني بدي استأذن بس بعد شفت كابتشينو بتصحصح

ما إنتلك النجوم عم تقرببهل ال مود حكون عطول لبهل جنوم إدءر

لو مضطر شن هجوم عل النجوم كلهاخللي األرض تدور حول أصبعي تنلك

هيدا هب هوبمش هبل و ال بهل

هيدا زجل تتغزل في

ورايي إيقاع عليي إتبع و ما إطلع عنو يا بصير متل غير مسيس

زقفوا مع االيقاعزقفوا مع االيقاع

F a r e e q e l A t r a s h

Checking and hurling words that tickle as if I was high and sniffing

I am planning and scheming and Irsquom not going anywhere till the clock stops ticking

Look hersquos so full of it lying to others but in my face he stutters

And his face turns red from all the anger and he curses

My earsrsquo alarm bells start ringing

And I go to see whorsquos knocking at the door

Some bastard who wants to see where ldquothe artldquo is

But the art is right here packed in my body

Flowing from my throat running out of my mouth

And the bass is an earthquake that shakes and forces you to pack up and go home

And Irsquom sorry because I need to take leave

But after a sip of cappuccino yoursquoll come around

Didnrsquot I tell you The stars are getting closer

Irsquoll stay in this mood

Until I touch these stars even if I have to launch an attack on all the stars

Irsquoll make the Earth rotate around my finger I told you

This is hip hop

Itrsquos not stupid nor dumb

Itrsquos zajal [a form of Arabic poetry in the Levant]

That you flirt with

There is a beat that I have to follow canrsquot lose it or Irsquoll be like other MCs

Clap with the beat

Clap with the beat

T r a n s l a t e d b y K h a l e d A l H i l l i

null

29781717

101100

انا ببلعهم بتفهم وال مره بسبهمبخليهم داميا يضاربو بتفكيرهم

أنا وراهم قدامهم جنابهم محتلهممش طايقهم مرات وزنهم بكون منزلهم

مرتبهم صاففهم وبقلم أنا حاكمهم زاتتهم مش عاجبيني أنا ماحيهم قائدهم وبنفس الوقت أنا عبيدهم

وبفك وربط أنا بلعب مبعانيهمانا حاميهم بأسطر اللي تقويهم

انا واعدهم اني أستر على فاضحهم ومطلعهم بصوره اللي تبشعهم

بس أنا محترمهم وبسطور ساجنهم مكتفهم كأسير بجنازير القهر

ومهديهم بحبل اللي يبشر بالصبر وانا لي الفخر أكون الشوك اللي فيهم

Dوأكون القهر اللي داميا يسقيهم A M

Yo this is dedicated to the lyrics

Irsquom swallowing them spitting them never dissing them

Giving them freedom of speech

Irsquom behind them in front of them because of them always standing with them

Sometimes get sick of them sick of how you abuse them

Gather them in line with my pen I order them

Didnrsquot like it Throwing them out and replacing them

Irsquom their leader and also their slave

Small changes make huge differences

I train them in pages to make them strong

Promising to use them not abuse them

Or allow the wrong mouths to utter them

Approach them with a military mind and find peace in them

Irsquom lucky to be full of thorns and even luckier that I found the lyrics

So theyrsquoll help me find the roses in me

wordsكلمات

null

26837427

103102

raquoالكل سمعك بس السؤال اذا اللي سمعك فهمكlaquoكلمات ليست كالكلمات بل raquoعالماتlaquo

اللي توجهنا وين مابدنا عحبال السيرك هي تثبتنا ريح العالم من كل جهه اذا احنا ضعاف بتوقعنا بس

raquoأل بلمره ألlaquo raquoكلمات عندي طنlaquoكل واحده الها هدف اخدت حرف عحرف

نسجت جمل اللي البسهم وقت البرد raquoراح اضلني اناديlaquo raquoبنحكي كلماتlaquo

انت بتعرف انهم مبنصب شهاد بحكو املاضي وتنبوا حاضر أي بالد

قد ماحكيت قد ما أحكي فش كالم يغطي بسفي كالم يربي وينمي انت بس أروي

في شوف انه قوه والقوه بتقويفيك و أن رويته مصيره يسقيك )مثل للقوه( العدو من أمامكم

والبحر من ورائكم فال تخيبوا أسيادكمفأين أشعاركم وأين مجادلتكم

فأنتم تسكتون وتخمدون أحالمكم)انهي( نهيت ورجعت للعامية بكلمات

مرمية طالعه من عقليه شعبيهمتل جنيب اللي بذاكرة كل واحد محفوظ مدروس واذا أل معناته في خلل معكوس

عاملجتمع اللي قمع كتاباته Dاللي سمح لنسيانه يشيل خطواته A M

ldquoThey all hear you but few listen to youldquo

Lyrics ainrsquot just a bunch of words they are ldquosignsldquo

Leading us stabilizing us on tight ropes

Winds every way if we are thin we will fall

ldquoBut hell noldquo ldquoyou can measure my words in tonsldquo

Every word has a meaning I knitted a letter with another letter

Made warm sentences to wear in cold days

ldquoSo Irsquoll still shoutldquo ldquowe control lyricsldquo

You know lyrics are like a witness

They witnessed the past and forecast the future

As much as I said or say I canrsquot describe them

But there is a way to find the description and thatrsquos through them

Quench the thirst of the pages with them

So in the future itrsquoll quench your thirst

Keep feeding them as soon as they grow up

Theyrsquoll give you strength

ldquoExample for the strengthldquo

ldquoThe enemy is before you the sea is behind you

So donrsquot you dare disappoint our ancestors

Where are our deep poems Where are our strong statements

From generation to generation we kill our dreamsldquo

ldquoEnough philosophizingldquo ok lets get back to street talk

Words coming outta simple minds

Like Najeeb Mahfuz [literally lsquowell-rememberedrsquo also a famous author]

They keep living in our minds

And if you donrsquot know who he is - then I rest my case

null

26837427

105104

raquoالكل سمعك بس السؤال اذا اللي سمعك فهمكlaquoكلمات ليست كالكلمات بل raquoعالماتlaquo

اللي توجهنا وين مابدنا عحبال السيرك هي تثبتنا ريح العالم من كل جهه اذا احنا ضعاف بتوقعنا بس

raquoأل بلمره ألlaquo raquoكلمات عندي طنlaquoكل واحده الها هدف اخدت حرف عحرف

نسجت جمل اللي البسهم وقت البرد raquoراح اضلني اناديlaquo raquoبنحكي كلماتlaquo

ألف با كبايه أوعك تكسرهاامسكها للنهاية وكل ما تفضى مليها

كلمه أو رواية ومع املراحل زيدها شيحكاية وهيك ضلك زود فيها

وجيبها لتجمعاتك وساعتها استعملها لنقاشاتك وملواقفك استخدمها

هادي مدافعك اللي مداها بسيطرتك وما دافعك انه ما تخليها رايتك

ما هي تكتب ما هي توصف ما هي تكذب ما هي تنصف

ما هي هي الهروب هياللجوء هي الدروب هي

العبور باحلدود واللي مبرؤهم مبدع وبفوز باخللود واللي بسرقهم مش مقنع

واذا بتديهم احلرية بنادوك ممنوعDواذا بتوخد احلريه بنادوك مسموح A M

ldquoThey all hear you but few listen to youldquo

Lyrics ainrsquot just a bunch of words they are ldquosignsldquo

Leading us stabilizing us on tight ropes

Winds every way if we are thin we will fall

ldquoBut hell noldquo ldquoyou can measure my words in tonsldquo

Every word has a meaning I knitted a letter with another letter

Made warm sentences to wear in cold days

ldquoSo Irsquoll still shoutldquo ldquowe control lyricsldquo

The Arabic alphabet is like a glass donrsquot break it

Hold it tight and keep filling it

And then bring it to our arguments

Scream till your throat gets dry and then wet it

It holds our body itrsquos like our legs

If you stand for nothing yoursquoll fall for anything

The words write create

They kill lead and sometimes even lie

You can use them to build borders

And those who are gifted

Can use them to walk through borders

And in some governments

Itrsquos forbidden to give words freedom

But if you choke them and kill them

Thatrsquos allowed

F i g u r a t i v e t r a n s l a t i o n o f f e r e d b y t h e a r t i s t s

null

26837427

107106

further reading

The tracks presented in this document are not a comprehensive sampling of the genre of the market of hip hop in Arabic or of hip hop and rap in the wider Middle East

Artists featured here hail from Egypt Lebanon Palestine and the anglophone Arab diaspora The thriving North African hip hop scene is not represented nor is the work of the established francophone Arab diaspora nor the expanding hip hop scenes of especially Iran or Turkey

This collection does not attempt a comprehensive chronology Tracks featured here are not primarily new releases (though some are) neither are they all ldquoclassicsrdquo These limitations of scope are important to note

Many tracks of the popular Libyan group Ibn Thabitt and other groups from across the region have been translated and are hosted with commentary on the notable blog

revolutionaryarabrapblogspotcom

Another valuable resource is the Beirut-based blog by Jackson Allers ldquoBeats and Breathrdquo which features articulate critiques and reviews of events and releases from the region

jacksonallerswordpresscom

Hass Dennaoui (alias Big Hass) who recently launched started the first all hip-hop FM radio show in Saudi Arabia Laish Hip Hop (Why Hip Hop) manages a lively blog which

hosts an internet feed of his radio show and interviews with MCs and influential hip hop figures from around the world

revoltradioblogspotcom

Lebaneseundergroundcom hosts coverage of underground music in Lebanon including hip hop

And finally an excellent article by Hishaam Aidi on implications of the use of hip hop as foreign policy ldquoThe Grand (Hip-Hop) Chessboard Race Rap and Raison DrsquoEtatrdquo was published in The Middle East Report Fall 2011 Excerpts of the piece were published by Al Jazeera English in the article ldquoLeveraging Hip Hop in US Foreign Policyrdquo

All the artists and many of the translators whose work is showcased here host a significant online presence Their sites are listed with more about each of them on the following pages

109108

artist bios

ARABIAN KNIGHTZ the premier hip hop group from the land of the Nile River have not only established themselves as the lyricists with the sharpest swords in their land but they have also created the most consistent voice for rebellion strength and hope for the youth of the Middle East During the 2011 Revolution Arabian Knightz released two singles ldquoRebelrdquo and ldquoNot Your Prisonerrdquo anthems of resistance which gained worldwide attention and major media coverage for their powerful lyrics against a wicked system The group formed in 2006 through the cipher hip hoprsquos natural way of choosing like mindsets on the mic Rush Sphinx and E-Money were ahead of their peers adapting an authentic Arab perspective to the art dominated by Western voices mixing English and Arabic raps After hitting the studio for successful underground tracks AK enlisted super-producer Fredwreck (Snoop Dogg Xzibit Tha Dogg Pound) ldquoFokkakrdquo the single from this studio session was an instant hit and (surprisingly for Arabic Hip Hop) projected them to the top ten of the singles charts Arab League Records was formed amidst a growing fanbase and numerous collaborations with other Arab hip hop artists the first international Arab hip hop record label Desert Saga Volume 1 mixtape was the debut release led by ldquoThe Onerdquo featuring Egyptrsquos MC Amin Arabian Knightz have recorded their debut album Uknighted State of Arabia a masterpiece for Arab hip hop years in the making featuring instrumentals dominated by traditional percussions and players are scheduled for a Winter 2012 Release They are on Facebook

BOIKUTT is a musician and MC based in Ramallah Palestine Creating sounds using sampled material field recordings and electronic devices the results range between hip-hop downtempo ambient glitch and experimental He has composed and produced music for artists such as Kronos Quartet Bukue One Spiritchild Tamer Abu-Ghazaleh Bleubird and others and has appeared as an MC on albums for artists such as Slovo Heliodrome Bonnot and Lethal Skillz A co-founder of the Ramallah Underground Collective which has toured across the Arab World Europe and Australia Boikutt is also co-founder and member of audio-visual group Tashweesh with whom he is currently touring Also as a solo performer he has been in Beirut Cairo Manila Copenhagen London Hamburg Dubai Bethlehem and other cities He has produced and exhibited a few sound-art pieces composed several film scores has most recently composed the music for a dance theater performance entitled Bound by

New York-based company Yaa Samar Dance Theatre and is now working on different collaborative and solo projects His work may be heard at soundcloudcomboikutt and on Facebook

DAM Da Arabian MCrsquos are Suhell Nafar Tamer Nafar and Mahmoud Jreri The first Palestinian hip hop crew and among the first to rap in Arabic the group began working together in the late 1990s Struck by the uncanny resemblance of the reality of the streets in a Tupac video to the streets in their own neighborhood of Lyd they were inspired to tell their stories through hip hop Their timely song ldquoMin Irhabirdquo (ldquoWhorsquos the Terroristrdquo) was downloaded a million times shortly after its internet realese in 2001 and DAM became a household name among youth throughout the Middle East Ten years of performing all over the world has strengthened the grouprsquos commitment to continue living and working in their hometown of Lyd 15 minutes from Tel Aviv and working to provide the youth of the city and neighboring communities with programs and opportunities that have been denied to Palestinian citizens of Israel Their music is a unique fusion of East and West and encompasses influences as varied as Ghassan Kanafani Ahlam Mosteghanemi Mahmoud Darwish Naji al Ali Tupac Biggie Public Enemy MBS Krsquonaan and Pharoahe Monch IHDA (Dedication) DAMrsquos long-awaited first international album was released in 2007 and DAM has seen its songs and members featured in films such as Ford Transit (Dir Hany Abu Assad) Where in the World is Osama Bin Laden (Dir Morgan Spurlock) Salt of this Sea (Dir Annemarie Jacir) Local Angel and Forgiveness (Dir Udi Aloni) DAMrsquos history and influence on the Arab hip hop scene is detailed in the feature-length documentary Slingshot Hip Hop (Dir Jackie Reem Salloum) The group has also been featured in Vibe National Geographic Rolling Stone Q Basement Reuters and The New York Times and has appeared on MTV CNN BBC and Al Jazeera Their work can be heard and explored at damrapcom

EL DEEB first ventured into Egyptian Hip Hop when he joined Asfalt in 2005 He left in 2007 to create Wighit Nazara duo represented by Mohamed Yasser and himself It was a successful musical project that lasted until mid 2010 Currently he is working on his solo career with plans to release an EP every couple of months or so Cairofornia is his first solo EP His work may be heard at deebbandcampcom and on Facebook

EL RASS was born in Tripoli Lebanon He started writing poetry in literary Arabic at age 11 and started rhyming in spoken Lebanese dialect in 1999 at age 15 At that time he formed one third of a group of 3 MCrsquos going under the name of ldquoMlouk el Micrdquo (ldquoKings of the Micrdquo) They recorded one album and performed locally At 17 he left for France to study Finance and Economics Studies were hard money was scarce and exile was tough but music and poetry never left him as he continued rhyming with some underground French MCrsquos like Medline and Moebius and developed new musical skills on percussion in classical Arabic singing and baglama (turkish buzuk) After graduating and working for almost two years in the hell of banking and market finance El Rass decided to return to Lebanon He spent a year just re-discovering Beirut and making and learning music He now works as a journalist at the newspaper Assafir while concurrently pursuing joint projects with other producers and musicians He calls his work Taalik in reference to the same word in Arabic for ldquocommentrdquo and another word that comes from the same semantic root moaallakat which is a corpus of selected pre-Islamic poetry that was written with gold ink on the walls of the Karsquoaba in Mecca His work may be heard at soundcloudcomElRass

FAREEQ EL ATRASH is a hip hop band based out of Hamra St Beirut with a sound that is distinguished by laid back topical flows over live instrumentation It consists of Edd (raps) Nasser (raps) FZ (vocal production and FX) Fouad Afra (drums) Goo (plays guitar keys heart strings) and Abed Kobeissy (plays bass and buzuk) Their 2010 album and 2009 prealbum are available online More of their work may be found on Facebook Eddrsquos solo work can also be heard at soundcloudcomEdd

H2Z was born in Kuwait in 1986 where he lived for four years Due to the gulf war his family moved to Lebanon where he lived for the most part of his life Inspired by the tragic events in the Middle East and elsewhere in the world H2Z adopted rap music as a way to raise awareness about the injustices suffered by his people and to deliver a message through his music to anyone who supports the Palestinian cause His career began in 2004 when he was introduced to the production business by fellow rappers and soon he started producing his own tracks and established a local band producing many tracks for himself and other musicians in Lebanon In 2008 he released his first solo album titled 3aed which contained

17 tracks The political influence was noticed throughout the album and was generally well-received He is now studying for a degree in business administration at Wayne State University in Michigan His work may be heard at reverbnationcomh2z

KATIBEH 5 are based in Borj el Barajneh Lebanon Their work can be found at reverbnationcomkatibeh5 and myspacecomkatibe5palestine and on Facebook

M1 is Mutulu Olugbala of the New York based collective Dead Prez whose work is online at deadprezcom M1 is also on Facebook

MC GAZA is Adnan Mahmoud Ghonim an Algerian born artist and university student based in Gaza It was the beginning of 2005 when he attended one of the hip hop concerts in Gaza City ndash Gaza City that never appreciated the art he loved and attached himself to ndash and it was love at first sight between them Through some of the concerts he participated in a number of songs he collaborated on with Arabs from Egypt Algeria and Palestine and some active participation to represent the Palestinian people and interviews for both Arab and foreign press he was able to make a name for himself in the Gazan hip hop community His work may be found at youtubecomMCGaza and on Facebook

THE NARCICYST Having pioneered the Arab Hip-Hop movement with seminal Iraqi-Canadian crew Euphrates The Narcicyst recently broke through borders and shattered traveling etiquette touring solo around the world sharing stages with the likes of Brother Ali Mos Def and Kanye West to name a few On top of music The Narcicyst is a celebrated theorist whose academic work Fear of an Arab Planet has him from the stage to the classrooms of internationally renowned universities He is now also a professor at Concordia University teaching a Fine Arts course ldquoHip-Hop Past Present and Futurerdquo His writings have been published by multiple university presses and magazines internationally he is also a self-published author having recently released the biographical and social-study on the Arab world The Diatribes of a Dying Tribe As a true artist interested in really pushing his own artistic boundaries The Narcicyst has stepped into acting currently starring in the short music film PHATWA and in the first internationally-released film from the United Arab Emirates called City of Life A true multi-media

111110

KHALED AL HILLI is a PhD candidate in Comparative Literature at the Graduate Center City University of New York He has a BA in English Literature and a Masterrsquos degree in Teaching Second Languages Born in Iraq Khaled has taught in Lebanon and Saudi Arabia at both college and high school levels He has also worked with various Iraqi news outlets and has subtitledtranslated documentary films dealing with current social and political issues His research interests include Arabic political literature prison literature and literature in the diaspora He may be reached at hillykhalidgmailcom

+AZIZ is a NYC-based marketing consultant and a musician He is working through The World Music Parade to develop an animation project based on his music More about that project can be found at themusicparadetumblrcom He tweets from plusaziz

FAYSAL BIBI is a paleontologist and electronic musician currently based in Berlin

LOUBNA BILALI is originally from Morocco She did her undergrad and first MA in English Linguistics at Chouaib Doukkali University El Jadida She came to the US in 2008 to pursue a Masterrsquos degree in French to English translation and is currently working on a PhD in translation studies at Kent State University in Ohio She is very interested in learning and teaching languages as well as translating and localizing computer applications and websites She may be reached at loubnabilaligmailcom

FARAH ELREWAISSATI is a freelance translator pro-Palestine activist and BDS advocate who blogs at youthanormalizationblogspotcom She tweets from 3beee

NIZAR GHANEM was born in Lebanon He has been active in intercultural education interactive learning and conflict resolution across the Arab world His work on conflict resolution involved using theater comics and music as tools for emotional expression and social mobilization

RIMA NAJDI is a Performing Artist She studied dramatic arts at the Lebanese University in Beirut and obtained a Masterrsquos degree in Performance Studies at NYU New York She has written and performed in various plays and performances Najdi is particularly interested in multi-media performing arts and the position of the spectators

BARRAK ALZAID (copy editor) is the Artistic Director of ArteEast He is the editor of the ArteEast Quarterly a dynamic online portal featuring four publications that highlight contemporary art and culture from the Middle East and diaspora ndash ArtersquoZine Shahadat (contemporary short-form literature) Gallery and Cinematek (an online film center) He is also the curator for ArteEastrsquos Across Histories Art Talk Series featuring a series of panels on residencies in Fall 2011 He tweets from barrakster

RAYYA EL ZEIN (editor) is working towards a PhD in Theatre at the Graduate Center City University of New York Her research is increasingly focusing on theories of reception historical studies of audience behavior and popular culture in the Arab world She holds an MA in Performance Studies from NYU and is currently a teaching fellow at City College in Harlem She tweets from rayelz

translator biosdreamer Yassin recently established an arts label in the UAE called The Medium focusing on delivering art from Arabs in the diaspora and at lsquohomersquo to the rest of the world iraqisthebombcom He tweets from TheNarcicyst

OMAR OFFENDUM is a Syrian-American hip hop artist born in Saudi Arabia raised in Washington DC and living in Los Angeles Known for taking audiences on a lyrical journey from the jasmine-tree-lined courtyards of Nizar Qabbanirsquos Damascene homes to the flooded riverbanks of Langston Hughesrsquo Harlem Renaissance poems - Offendum has been featured on several major news outlets (BBC Yahoo ABC News Aljazeera PBS) toured the world to promote his ground-breaking music helped raise thousands of dollars for various humanitarian relief organizations (PCRF KinderUSA ANERA Islamic Relief) lectured at a number of prestigious academic institutions (Harvard MIT Stanford Columbia American University of Beirut NYU-AbuDhabi Qatar Education City) and most recently been involved in creating several critically-acclaimed songs about the popular democratic uprisings throughout the Middle East amp North Africa He is currently hard at work promoting his solo release - affectionately dubbed SyrianamericanA His work may be heard (and read) at offendumbandcampcom He is on Facebook and he tweets from Offendum

RAMALLAH UNDERGROUND based in Ramallah Palestine was born from the immediacy of musical experimentation and out of the need to give voice to a generation of Palestinians and Arabs facing a turbulent and uncertain political landscape The collective was founded by artists Boikutt Stormtrap and Aswatt and has always held a commitment to both the honesty of their work and the need to creatively rejuvenate Arabic culture To this end they combine music ranging from Arabic electronic music hip-hop and trip hop to downtempo with a deep sense of their local culture and the imposing presence of Palestine in their lives The outcome is a new specific and distinct sound RU (as producers and as MCrsquos ) has collaborated with numerous artists across the globe including countries like Lebanon UK Switzerland Italy USA France and many more including a collaboration with Slovo (a band headed by the guitarist from faithless) in their track ldquoNakbardquo which appears on their album Todo Cambia and with Kronos Quartet in the track ldquoTashweeshrdquo which appears on Floodplain RU has also performed live shows in Ramallah Bethlehem Vienna London Cairo Lausanne Amsterdam and Washington DC Their shows are mainly a performance of their hip-hop tracks as well as a few of their own electronic productions as a warm up More recently RU has incorporated a visual set in their live

performances brought to you by Palestinian visual artist Ruanne RU hopes to give a voice to Palestinians and Arabs bringing an alternative voice from the Arab world Their lyrics and music are an expression of anguish and defiance ultimately remaining a defiant voice of the colonized against the colonizer They continue to play a big role in the Arab underground cultural scene while slowly gaining wide global and local popularity

SHADIA MANSOURrsquos work can be found at myspacecomshadiamusic and on Facebook

STORMTRAP is a music producercomposerMC from Palestine Experimenting with old samples instruments and field recordings his sound is the result of a fusion of ambient atmospheres combined with various noises and hip hop beats His lyrics deal with different themes inspired mainly by his personal experiences in Palestine and life in the diaspora Stormtrap played a fundamental role in forming the band Ramallah Underground with which he has performed worldwide the past few years Currently he is working in Vienna with Aras Seyhan and Eren Ileri on a new album which combines live instruments synthesizers turntables beats and Arabic lyrics- which will be released early 2012 His work may be heard at soundcloudcomstormtrap He tweets from asifeh

AMEER YOSSEF 25 has sung and writen music with the band Klaket for the past four years His work may be heard at youtubecomAmeer and on Facebook

towards the work Her work for now concentrates on the process of making interactive and participatory performances that question borders stereotypes and languages

MOE ALI NAYEL is a fixer and a journalist based in Beirut Lebanon He uses social media blogging non-mainstream music journalism and writing as a word spreading eye opening socializing arena He uses social media as a bridge that cuts distance between people on this planet making it a tiny village This bridge starts in his office and takes him to every corner in the world enabling him to connect and network with people and cultures sharing and exchanging stories of the unheard and the neglected He blogs at Words of Action and he tweets from MoeAliNay

ALEX ORTIZ is a video and radio journalist and translator based in Cairo Egypt He graduated from Brown University in 2009 with a double major in Comparative Literature and Middle East Studies He was a CASA I fellow from 2009-2010 and a CASA II fellow from 2010-2011 He currently works for CBS News as a field producer He tweets from cairowitness

AHMED SHAWKET is an independent translator living in Cairo Egypt He is a graduate of the Helwan University Faculty of Arts where he majored in philosophy Ahmed works on literary media and commercial translation

113112

ABOUT SHAHADATShahadat is a quarterly online series designed to provide a platform for short-form writing and experimentation in writing by young and underexposed writers from the MENA region (Middle East and North Africa) The series features stories vignettes reflections and chronicles in translation and the original language of Arabic Farsi Turkish or Kurdish It makes up one quarter of ArteEastrsquos online programming the AE Quarterly For past issues of Shahadat click here

ABOUT THIS SERIES Shahadat is proud to run two alternating series and releases two issues a year of each The issue yoursquove just perused is part of the ldquoExploring Popular Literaturerdquo series This series challenges traditional understandings of ldquoliteraturerdquo emerging from the Middle East and North Africa by presenting genres of creative production that rely on words and language but which have not typically been studied as literature Works are presented in their original language and in translation

In each issue we gather texts from a spectrum of writers to challenge the singular status of the artistauthor and to encourage a more complex presentation of the Middle Eastern and North African ldquostreetrdquo for English-speaking audiences Shahadatrsquos other series ldquoContemporary Literature in Translationrdquo features the work of a single young author in the original language and in English translation

BEHIND THE DOCUMENTShahadat is co-edited by Rayya El Zein Alex Ortiz and ArteEastrsquos Artistic Director Barrak Alzaid All three are young professionals and scholars with artistic inclinations (literature poetry translation and performance) All three have strong connections to New York City and various metropole of the MENA region Shahadat is for us an experiment and a labor of love An editorial board of established scholars and authors is currently being conceived

SPECIAL THANKS TOAnmar El ZeinKinda AkashAndrew JohnstonLivia Alexander

Shahadat logo design by Rima Farouki

114

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Page 48: Shahadat Winter 2012

9594

حضل عهل مود يعنيما إنتلك النجوم عم تقرب

بهل ال مود حكون عطول لبهل جنوم إدءر لو مضطر شن هجوم عل النجوم كلها

خللي األرض تدور حول أصبعي تنلك

ما إنتلك متلي متلك مولع طيار ألفكاري من العقدي تنفك فرد قعدي بني 4 حيطان ما بتنهز و منها ما بنهز

يلز املا بينلزالكاس عل الطاولي و منو عم مز مز

لتفتل براصي وحس من حالي عم كز كزعل ورقة كالمي مدروس و ما بزت زت بجرب ما عيد حالي متا يقولو عم نق نق

موزع قافياتي جواز كأن عم فت فت

بهل األطشة خلي الديني اللي تسمعني ترن رنFبسبيلي جاري يوم ع يوم عم برك رك a r e e q e l A t r a s h

Irsquoll stay in this mood

Didnrsquot I tell you The stars are getting closer

Irsquoll stay in this mood until I touch these stars

Even if I have to launch an attack on all the stars

Irsquoll make the Earth rotate around my finger I told you

Didnrsquot I tell you Irsquom just like you I lit up a joint so my ideas would untie their knot

Sitting this way in between four walls I wonrsquot budge

The most delectable

Drink is on the table from which Irsquom taking sips

Till my head starts spinning and Irsquom sick of myself

On the paper my words are calculated I donrsquot just toss them about

I try not to repeat myself so they wonrsquot say Irsquom nagging

I deal my rhymes out like theyrsquore cards

In this verse Irsquoll make those ears ring

My fountain is running and every day I excel

tالنجوم عم تقرب he stars are gett ing closer

null

29781717

9796

لضل ماشي جالس بينما غيري عم بلك لك شريط معلق ريحة العة عم بتفح فحكل ما فتح متو بتالقي عم بكب كب

عايشها إرهاب و مفي إال بسب سببزبالتي ما بكبو تيكون بعلمك

األالف مسم و بحياتو ما بينسم بزقة من هل التم تخلي سقفك ينش نش

تلمو ردم و ما تفكر إنو ترد رد و عم بحكي عالواطي متا الصالي فيك ترج رج

بطبعي عاقل بس بالراب بزل زل عل الرايق بال ما نط وال فز فز

type of shitعال بارد أبرد من شباط بس يقز قزتخلي عضامك ع بعض تسك سك

ما إنتلك النجوم عم تقرب بهل ال مود حكون عطول لبهل جنوم إدءر

لو مضطر شن هجوم عل النجوم كلهاخللي األرض تدور حول أصبعي تنلك

أنا متنبئ بنبه و بحقق ما قلتلك بعد وقتها ما عم نكت

عاملكرفون إبرة هرون عم بشكشك في شكcheck one two

هيك بدسدس عالنبض

F a r e e q e l A t r a s h

So I can walk straight when others are still playing

A broken record that reeks of a musty smell

Every time he opens his mouth he spews them out

He lives in terror and all he does is curse

I wouldnrsquot throw him in my garbage just so you know

Irsquove irritated thousands and never been irritated in my life

One spit out of this mouth will make your roof leak

And yoursquoll pick up the rubble and donrsquot even think about answering back

Irsquom talking in a low voice so the hall wonrsquot shake with you in it

Irsquom reasonable by nature but when it comes to rap I humiliate cold-heartedly

Without jumping or leaping around

I do it coldly colder than icy February-type of shit

Irsquoll make your bones rattle against each other

Didnrsquot I tell you The stars are getting closer

Irsquoll stay in this mood until I touch these stars

Even if I have to launch an attack on all the stars

Irsquoll make the Earth rotate around my finger I told you

Irsquom a psychic I predict and deliver

Didnrsquot I tell you to stand back when Irsquom not joking

Irsquom pricking the microphone with a heroin needle Is there any doubt

Check one two

Thatrsquos how I feel the pulse

null

29781717

9998

بدقق و زتزت حكي بتزجزج كأنها مزهزها عم بتشمشم عم خطط عم تكتيك و مني ملحلح من هون للساعة توقف تك تيك تك تيك

لك ليك منفخ حاله عامبيكازيب عا غيري بس بوجهي بتاءتإوجهه بيباءبإ من أد ما بعصب بسبسب

زر إنذار إذني بتطنطن و بشوف من عالباب عم بدقدق

عكروت بدو يفوت ليشوف الفن فني بس الفن هون بجسمي معبأ

من حلقي طايف و من متي عم بت شرشر و بيس البيس زلزال برجرج خليك تضبضب تنضب بالبيت لتكنكن

و أنا متأسف ألني بدي استأذن بس بعد شفت كابتشينو بتصحصح

ما إنتلك النجوم عم تقرببهل ال مود حكون عطول لبهل جنوم إدءر

لو مضطر شن هجوم عل النجوم كلهاخللي األرض تدور حول أصبعي تنلك

هيدا هب هوبمش هبل و ال بهل

هيدا زجل تتغزل في

ورايي إيقاع عليي إتبع و ما إطلع عنو يا بصير متل غير مسيس

زقفوا مع االيقاعزقفوا مع االيقاع

F a r e e q e l A t r a s h

Checking and hurling words that tickle as if I was high and sniffing

I am planning and scheming and Irsquom not going anywhere till the clock stops ticking

Look hersquos so full of it lying to others but in my face he stutters

And his face turns red from all the anger and he curses

My earsrsquo alarm bells start ringing

And I go to see whorsquos knocking at the door

Some bastard who wants to see where ldquothe artldquo is

But the art is right here packed in my body

Flowing from my throat running out of my mouth

And the bass is an earthquake that shakes and forces you to pack up and go home

And Irsquom sorry because I need to take leave

But after a sip of cappuccino yoursquoll come around

Didnrsquot I tell you The stars are getting closer

Irsquoll stay in this mood

Until I touch these stars even if I have to launch an attack on all the stars

Irsquoll make the Earth rotate around my finger I told you

This is hip hop

Itrsquos not stupid nor dumb

Itrsquos zajal [a form of Arabic poetry in the Levant]

That you flirt with

There is a beat that I have to follow canrsquot lose it or Irsquoll be like other MCs

Clap with the beat

Clap with the beat

T r a n s l a t e d b y K h a l e d A l H i l l i

null

29781717

101100

انا ببلعهم بتفهم وال مره بسبهمبخليهم داميا يضاربو بتفكيرهم

أنا وراهم قدامهم جنابهم محتلهممش طايقهم مرات وزنهم بكون منزلهم

مرتبهم صاففهم وبقلم أنا حاكمهم زاتتهم مش عاجبيني أنا ماحيهم قائدهم وبنفس الوقت أنا عبيدهم

وبفك وربط أنا بلعب مبعانيهمانا حاميهم بأسطر اللي تقويهم

انا واعدهم اني أستر على فاضحهم ومطلعهم بصوره اللي تبشعهم

بس أنا محترمهم وبسطور ساجنهم مكتفهم كأسير بجنازير القهر

ومهديهم بحبل اللي يبشر بالصبر وانا لي الفخر أكون الشوك اللي فيهم

Dوأكون القهر اللي داميا يسقيهم A M

Yo this is dedicated to the lyrics

Irsquom swallowing them spitting them never dissing them

Giving them freedom of speech

Irsquom behind them in front of them because of them always standing with them

Sometimes get sick of them sick of how you abuse them

Gather them in line with my pen I order them

Didnrsquot like it Throwing them out and replacing them

Irsquom their leader and also their slave

Small changes make huge differences

I train them in pages to make them strong

Promising to use them not abuse them

Or allow the wrong mouths to utter them

Approach them with a military mind and find peace in them

Irsquom lucky to be full of thorns and even luckier that I found the lyrics

So theyrsquoll help me find the roses in me

wordsكلمات

null

26837427

103102

raquoالكل سمعك بس السؤال اذا اللي سمعك فهمكlaquoكلمات ليست كالكلمات بل raquoعالماتlaquo

اللي توجهنا وين مابدنا عحبال السيرك هي تثبتنا ريح العالم من كل جهه اذا احنا ضعاف بتوقعنا بس

raquoأل بلمره ألlaquo raquoكلمات عندي طنlaquoكل واحده الها هدف اخدت حرف عحرف

نسجت جمل اللي البسهم وقت البرد raquoراح اضلني اناديlaquo raquoبنحكي كلماتlaquo

انت بتعرف انهم مبنصب شهاد بحكو املاضي وتنبوا حاضر أي بالد

قد ماحكيت قد ما أحكي فش كالم يغطي بسفي كالم يربي وينمي انت بس أروي

في شوف انه قوه والقوه بتقويفيك و أن رويته مصيره يسقيك )مثل للقوه( العدو من أمامكم

والبحر من ورائكم فال تخيبوا أسيادكمفأين أشعاركم وأين مجادلتكم

فأنتم تسكتون وتخمدون أحالمكم)انهي( نهيت ورجعت للعامية بكلمات

مرمية طالعه من عقليه شعبيهمتل جنيب اللي بذاكرة كل واحد محفوظ مدروس واذا أل معناته في خلل معكوس

عاملجتمع اللي قمع كتاباته Dاللي سمح لنسيانه يشيل خطواته A M

ldquoThey all hear you but few listen to youldquo

Lyrics ainrsquot just a bunch of words they are ldquosignsldquo

Leading us stabilizing us on tight ropes

Winds every way if we are thin we will fall

ldquoBut hell noldquo ldquoyou can measure my words in tonsldquo

Every word has a meaning I knitted a letter with another letter

Made warm sentences to wear in cold days

ldquoSo Irsquoll still shoutldquo ldquowe control lyricsldquo

You know lyrics are like a witness

They witnessed the past and forecast the future

As much as I said or say I canrsquot describe them

But there is a way to find the description and thatrsquos through them

Quench the thirst of the pages with them

So in the future itrsquoll quench your thirst

Keep feeding them as soon as they grow up

Theyrsquoll give you strength

ldquoExample for the strengthldquo

ldquoThe enemy is before you the sea is behind you

So donrsquot you dare disappoint our ancestors

Where are our deep poems Where are our strong statements

From generation to generation we kill our dreamsldquo

ldquoEnough philosophizingldquo ok lets get back to street talk

Words coming outta simple minds

Like Najeeb Mahfuz [literally lsquowell-rememberedrsquo also a famous author]

They keep living in our minds

And if you donrsquot know who he is - then I rest my case

null

26837427

105104

raquoالكل سمعك بس السؤال اذا اللي سمعك فهمكlaquoكلمات ليست كالكلمات بل raquoعالماتlaquo

اللي توجهنا وين مابدنا عحبال السيرك هي تثبتنا ريح العالم من كل جهه اذا احنا ضعاف بتوقعنا بس

raquoأل بلمره ألlaquo raquoكلمات عندي طنlaquoكل واحده الها هدف اخدت حرف عحرف

نسجت جمل اللي البسهم وقت البرد raquoراح اضلني اناديlaquo raquoبنحكي كلماتlaquo

ألف با كبايه أوعك تكسرهاامسكها للنهاية وكل ما تفضى مليها

كلمه أو رواية ومع املراحل زيدها شيحكاية وهيك ضلك زود فيها

وجيبها لتجمعاتك وساعتها استعملها لنقاشاتك وملواقفك استخدمها

هادي مدافعك اللي مداها بسيطرتك وما دافعك انه ما تخليها رايتك

ما هي تكتب ما هي توصف ما هي تكذب ما هي تنصف

ما هي هي الهروب هياللجوء هي الدروب هي

العبور باحلدود واللي مبرؤهم مبدع وبفوز باخللود واللي بسرقهم مش مقنع

واذا بتديهم احلرية بنادوك ممنوعDواذا بتوخد احلريه بنادوك مسموح A M

ldquoThey all hear you but few listen to youldquo

Lyrics ainrsquot just a bunch of words they are ldquosignsldquo

Leading us stabilizing us on tight ropes

Winds every way if we are thin we will fall

ldquoBut hell noldquo ldquoyou can measure my words in tonsldquo

Every word has a meaning I knitted a letter with another letter

Made warm sentences to wear in cold days

ldquoSo Irsquoll still shoutldquo ldquowe control lyricsldquo

The Arabic alphabet is like a glass donrsquot break it

Hold it tight and keep filling it

And then bring it to our arguments

Scream till your throat gets dry and then wet it

It holds our body itrsquos like our legs

If you stand for nothing yoursquoll fall for anything

The words write create

They kill lead and sometimes even lie

You can use them to build borders

And those who are gifted

Can use them to walk through borders

And in some governments

Itrsquos forbidden to give words freedom

But if you choke them and kill them

Thatrsquos allowed

F i g u r a t i v e t r a n s l a t i o n o f f e r e d b y t h e a r t i s t s

null

26837427

107106

further reading

The tracks presented in this document are not a comprehensive sampling of the genre of the market of hip hop in Arabic or of hip hop and rap in the wider Middle East

Artists featured here hail from Egypt Lebanon Palestine and the anglophone Arab diaspora The thriving North African hip hop scene is not represented nor is the work of the established francophone Arab diaspora nor the expanding hip hop scenes of especially Iran or Turkey

This collection does not attempt a comprehensive chronology Tracks featured here are not primarily new releases (though some are) neither are they all ldquoclassicsrdquo These limitations of scope are important to note

Many tracks of the popular Libyan group Ibn Thabitt and other groups from across the region have been translated and are hosted with commentary on the notable blog

revolutionaryarabrapblogspotcom

Another valuable resource is the Beirut-based blog by Jackson Allers ldquoBeats and Breathrdquo which features articulate critiques and reviews of events and releases from the region

jacksonallerswordpresscom

Hass Dennaoui (alias Big Hass) who recently launched started the first all hip-hop FM radio show in Saudi Arabia Laish Hip Hop (Why Hip Hop) manages a lively blog which

hosts an internet feed of his radio show and interviews with MCs and influential hip hop figures from around the world

revoltradioblogspotcom

Lebaneseundergroundcom hosts coverage of underground music in Lebanon including hip hop

And finally an excellent article by Hishaam Aidi on implications of the use of hip hop as foreign policy ldquoThe Grand (Hip-Hop) Chessboard Race Rap and Raison DrsquoEtatrdquo was published in The Middle East Report Fall 2011 Excerpts of the piece were published by Al Jazeera English in the article ldquoLeveraging Hip Hop in US Foreign Policyrdquo

All the artists and many of the translators whose work is showcased here host a significant online presence Their sites are listed with more about each of them on the following pages

109108

artist bios

ARABIAN KNIGHTZ the premier hip hop group from the land of the Nile River have not only established themselves as the lyricists with the sharpest swords in their land but they have also created the most consistent voice for rebellion strength and hope for the youth of the Middle East During the 2011 Revolution Arabian Knightz released two singles ldquoRebelrdquo and ldquoNot Your Prisonerrdquo anthems of resistance which gained worldwide attention and major media coverage for their powerful lyrics against a wicked system The group formed in 2006 through the cipher hip hoprsquos natural way of choosing like mindsets on the mic Rush Sphinx and E-Money were ahead of their peers adapting an authentic Arab perspective to the art dominated by Western voices mixing English and Arabic raps After hitting the studio for successful underground tracks AK enlisted super-producer Fredwreck (Snoop Dogg Xzibit Tha Dogg Pound) ldquoFokkakrdquo the single from this studio session was an instant hit and (surprisingly for Arabic Hip Hop) projected them to the top ten of the singles charts Arab League Records was formed amidst a growing fanbase and numerous collaborations with other Arab hip hop artists the first international Arab hip hop record label Desert Saga Volume 1 mixtape was the debut release led by ldquoThe Onerdquo featuring Egyptrsquos MC Amin Arabian Knightz have recorded their debut album Uknighted State of Arabia a masterpiece for Arab hip hop years in the making featuring instrumentals dominated by traditional percussions and players are scheduled for a Winter 2012 Release They are on Facebook

BOIKUTT is a musician and MC based in Ramallah Palestine Creating sounds using sampled material field recordings and electronic devices the results range between hip-hop downtempo ambient glitch and experimental He has composed and produced music for artists such as Kronos Quartet Bukue One Spiritchild Tamer Abu-Ghazaleh Bleubird and others and has appeared as an MC on albums for artists such as Slovo Heliodrome Bonnot and Lethal Skillz A co-founder of the Ramallah Underground Collective which has toured across the Arab World Europe and Australia Boikutt is also co-founder and member of audio-visual group Tashweesh with whom he is currently touring Also as a solo performer he has been in Beirut Cairo Manila Copenhagen London Hamburg Dubai Bethlehem and other cities He has produced and exhibited a few sound-art pieces composed several film scores has most recently composed the music for a dance theater performance entitled Bound by

New York-based company Yaa Samar Dance Theatre and is now working on different collaborative and solo projects His work may be heard at soundcloudcomboikutt and on Facebook

DAM Da Arabian MCrsquos are Suhell Nafar Tamer Nafar and Mahmoud Jreri The first Palestinian hip hop crew and among the first to rap in Arabic the group began working together in the late 1990s Struck by the uncanny resemblance of the reality of the streets in a Tupac video to the streets in their own neighborhood of Lyd they were inspired to tell their stories through hip hop Their timely song ldquoMin Irhabirdquo (ldquoWhorsquos the Terroristrdquo) was downloaded a million times shortly after its internet realese in 2001 and DAM became a household name among youth throughout the Middle East Ten years of performing all over the world has strengthened the grouprsquos commitment to continue living and working in their hometown of Lyd 15 minutes from Tel Aviv and working to provide the youth of the city and neighboring communities with programs and opportunities that have been denied to Palestinian citizens of Israel Their music is a unique fusion of East and West and encompasses influences as varied as Ghassan Kanafani Ahlam Mosteghanemi Mahmoud Darwish Naji al Ali Tupac Biggie Public Enemy MBS Krsquonaan and Pharoahe Monch IHDA (Dedication) DAMrsquos long-awaited first international album was released in 2007 and DAM has seen its songs and members featured in films such as Ford Transit (Dir Hany Abu Assad) Where in the World is Osama Bin Laden (Dir Morgan Spurlock) Salt of this Sea (Dir Annemarie Jacir) Local Angel and Forgiveness (Dir Udi Aloni) DAMrsquos history and influence on the Arab hip hop scene is detailed in the feature-length documentary Slingshot Hip Hop (Dir Jackie Reem Salloum) The group has also been featured in Vibe National Geographic Rolling Stone Q Basement Reuters and The New York Times and has appeared on MTV CNN BBC and Al Jazeera Their work can be heard and explored at damrapcom

EL DEEB first ventured into Egyptian Hip Hop when he joined Asfalt in 2005 He left in 2007 to create Wighit Nazara duo represented by Mohamed Yasser and himself It was a successful musical project that lasted until mid 2010 Currently he is working on his solo career with plans to release an EP every couple of months or so Cairofornia is his first solo EP His work may be heard at deebbandcampcom and on Facebook

EL RASS was born in Tripoli Lebanon He started writing poetry in literary Arabic at age 11 and started rhyming in spoken Lebanese dialect in 1999 at age 15 At that time he formed one third of a group of 3 MCrsquos going under the name of ldquoMlouk el Micrdquo (ldquoKings of the Micrdquo) They recorded one album and performed locally At 17 he left for France to study Finance and Economics Studies were hard money was scarce and exile was tough but music and poetry never left him as he continued rhyming with some underground French MCrsquos like Medline and Moebius and developed new musical skills on percussion in classical Arabic singing and baglama (turkish buzuk) After graduating and working for almost two years in the hell of banking and market finance El Rass decided to return to Lebanon He spent a year just re-discovering Beirut and making and learning music He now works as a journalist at the newspaper Assafir while concurrently pursuing joint projects with other producers and musicians He calls his work Taalik in reference to the same word in Arabic for ldquocommentrdquo and another word that comes from the same semantic root moaallakat which is a corpus of selected pre-Islamic poetry that was written with gold ink on the walls of the Karsquoaba in Mecca His work may be heard at soundcloudcomElRass

FAREEQ EL ATRASH is a hip hop band based out of Hamra St Beirut with a sound that is distinguished by laid back topical flows over live instrumentation It consists of Edd (raps) Nasser (raps) FZ (vocal production and FX) Fouad Afra (drums) Goo (plays guitar keys heart strings) and Abed Kobeissy (plays bass and buzuk) Their 2010 album and 2009 prealbum are available online More of their work may be found on Facebook Eddrsquos solo work can also be heard at soundcloudcomEdd

H2Z was born in Kuwait in 1986 where he lived for four years Due to the gulf war his family moved to Lebanon where he lived for the most part of his life Inspired by the tragic events in the Middle East and elsewhere in the world H2Z adopted rap music as a way to raise awareness about the injustices suffered by his people and to deliver a message through his music to anyone who supports the Palestinian cause His career began in 2004 when he was introduced to the production business by fellow rappers and soon he started producing his own tracks and established a local band producing many tracks for himself and other musicians in Lebanon In 2008 he released his first solo album titled 3aed which contained

17 tracks The political influence was noticed throughout the album and was generally well-received He is now studying for a degree in business administration at Wayne State University in Michigan His work may be heard at reverbnationcomh2z

KATIBEH 5 are based in Borj el Barajneh Lebanon Their work can be found at reverbnationcomkatibeh5 and myspacecomkatibe5palestine and on Facebook

M1 is Mutulu Olugbala of the New York based collective Dead Prez whose work is online at deadprezcom M1 is also on Facebook

MC GAZA is Adnan Mahmoud Ghonim an Algerian born artist and university student based in Gaza It was the beginning of 2005 when he attended one of the hip hop concerts in Gaza City ndash Gaza City that never appreciated the art he loved and attached himself to ndash and it was love at first sight between them Through some of the concerts he participated in a number of songs he collaborated on with Arabs from Egypt Algeria and Palestine and some active participation to represent the Palestinian people and interviews for both Arab and foreign press he was able to make a name for himself in the Gazan hip hop community His work may be found at youtubecomMCGaza and on Facebook

THE NARCICYST Having pioneered the Arab Hip-Hop movement with seminal Iraqi-Canadian crew Euphrates The Narcicyst recently broke through borders and shattered traveling etiquette touring solo around the world sharing stages with the likes of Brother Ali Mos Def and Kanye West to name a few On top of music The Narcicyst is a celebrated theorist whose academic work Fear of an Arab Planet has him from the stage to the classrooms of internationally renowned universities He is now also a professor at Concordia University teaching a Fine Arts course ldquoHip-Hop Past Present and Futurerdquo His writings have been published by multiple university presses and magazines internationally he is also a self-published author having recently released the biographical and social-study on the Arab world The Diatribes of a Dying Tribe As a true artist interested in really pushing his own artistic boundaries The Narcicyst has stepped into acting currently starring in the short music film PHATWA and in the first internationally-released film from the United Arab Emirates called City of Life A true multi-media

111110

KHALED AL HILLI is a PhD candidate in Comparative Literature at the Graduate Center City University of New York He has a BA in English Literature and a Masterrsquos degree in Teaching Second Languages Born in Iraq Khaled has taught in Lebanon and Saudi Arabia at both college and high school levels He has also worked with various Iraqi news outlets and has subtitledtranslated documentary films dealing with current social and political issues His research interests include Arabic political literature prison literature and literature in the diaspora He may be reached at hillykhalidgmailcom

+AZIZ is a NYC-based marketing consultant and a musician He is working through The World Music Parade to develop an animation project based on his music More about that project can be found at themusicparadetumblrcom He tweets from plusaziz

FAYSAL BIBI is a paleontologist and electronic musician currently based in Berlin

LOUBNA BILALI is originally from Morocco She did her undergrad and first MA in English Linguistics at Chouaib Doukkali University El Jadida She came to the US in 2008 to pursue a Masterrsquos degree in French to English translation and is currently working on a PhD in translation studies at Kent State University in Ohio She is very interested in learning and teaching languages as well as translating and localizing computer applications and websites She may be reached at loubnabilaligmailcom

FARAH ELREWAISSATI is a freelance translator pro-Palestine activist and BDS advocate who blogs at youthanormalizationblogspotcom She tweets from 3beee

NIZAR GHANEM was born in Lebanon He has been active in intercultural education interactive learning and conflict resolution across the Arab world His work on conflict resolution involved using theater comics and music as tools for emotional expression and social mobilization

RIMA NAJDI is a Performing Artist She studied dramatic arts at the Lebanese University in Beirut and obtained a Masterrsquos degree in Performance Studies at NYU New York She has written and performed in various plays and performances Najdi is particularly interested in multi-media performing arts and the position of the spectators

BARRAK ALZAID (copy editor) is the Artistic Director of ArteEast He is the editor of the ArteEast Quarterly a dynamic online portal featuring four publications that highlight contemporary art and culture from the Middle East and diaspora ndash ArtersquoZine Shahadat (contemporary short-form literature) Gallery and Cinematek (an online film center) He is also the curator for ArteEastrsquos Across Histories Art Talk Series featuring a series of panels on residencies in Fall 2011 He tweets from barrakster

RAYYA EL ZEIN (editor) is working towards a PhD in Theatre at the Graduate Center City University of New York Her research is increasingly focusing on theories of reception historical studies of audience behavior and popular culture in the Arab world She holds an MA in Performance Studies from NYU and is currently a teaching fellow at City College in Harlem She tweets from rayelz

translator biosdreamer Yassin recently established an arts label in the UAE called The Medium focusing on delivering art from Arabs in the diaspora and at lsquohomersquo to the rest of the world iraqisthebombcom He tweets from TheNarcicyst

OMAR OFFENDUM is a Syrian-American hip hop artist born in Saudi Arabia raised in Washington DC and living in Los Angeles Known for taking audiences on a lyrical journey from the jasmine-tree-lined courtyards of Nizar Qabbanirsquos Damascene homes to the flooded riverbanks of Langston Hughesrsquo Harlem Renaissance poems - Offendum has been featured on several major news outlets (BBC Yahoo ABC News Aljazeera PBS) toured the world to promote his ground-breaking music helped raise thousands of dollars for various humanitarian relief organizations (PCRF KinderUSA ANERA Islamic Relief) lectured at a number of prestigious academic institutions (Harvard MIT Stanford Columbia American University of Beirut NYU-AbuDhabi Qatar Education City) and most recently been involved in creating several critically-acclaimed songs about the popular democratic uprisings throughout the Middle East amp North Africa He is currently hard at work promoting his solo release - affectionately dubbed SyrianamericanA His work may be heard (and read) at offendumbandcampcom He is on Facebook and he tweets from Offendum

RAMALLAH UNDERGROUND based in Ramallah Palestine was born from the immediacy of musical experimentation and out of the need to give voice to a generation of Palestinians and Arabs facing a turbulent and uncertain political landscape The collective was founded by artists Boikutt Stormtrap and Aswatt and has always held a commitment to both the honesty of their work and the need to creatively rejuvenate Arabic culture To this end they combine music ranging from Arabic electronic music hip-hop and trip hop to downtempo with a deep sense of their local culture and the imposing presence of Palestine in their lives The outcome is a new specific and distinct sound RU (as producers and as MCrsquos ) has collaborated with numerous artists across the globe including countries like Lebanon UK Switzerland Italy USA France and many more including a collaboration with Slovo (a band headed by the guitarist from faithless) in their track ldquoNakbardquo which appears on their album Todo Cambia and with Kronos Quartet in the track ldquoTashweeshrdquo which appears on Floodplain RU has also performed live shows in Ramallah Bethlehem Vienna London Cairo Lausanne Amsterdam and Washington DC Their shows are mainly a performance of their hip-hop tracks as well as a few of their own electronic productions as a warm up More recently RU has incorporated a visual set in their live

performances brought to you by Palestinian visual artist Ruanne RU hopes to give a voice to Palestinians and Arabs bringing an alternative voice from the Arab world Their lyrics and music are an expression of anguish and defiance ultimately remaining a defiant voice of the colonized against the colonizer They continue to play a big role in the Arab underground cultural scene while slowly gaining wide global and local popularity

SHADIA MANSOURrsquos work can be found at myspacecomshadiamusic and on Facebook

STORMTRAP is a music producercomposerMC from Palestine Experimenting with old samples instruments and field recordings his sound is the result of a fusion of ambient atmospheres combined with various noises and hip hop beats His lyrics deal with different themes inspired mainly by his personal experiences in Palestine and life in the diaspora Stormtrap played a fundamental role in forming the band Ramallah Underground with which he has performed worldwide the past few years Currently he is working in Vienna with Aras Seyhan and Eren Ileri on a new album which combines live instruments synthesizers turntables beats and Arabic lyrics- which will be released early 2012 His work may be heard at soundcloudcomstormtrap He tweets from asifeh

AMEER YOSSEF 25 has sung and writen music with the band Klaket for the past four years His work may be heard at youtubecomAmeer and on Facebook

towards the work Her work for now concentrates on the process of making interactive and participatory performances that question borders stereotypes and languages

MOE ALI NAYEL is a fixer and a journalist based in Beirut Lebanon He uses social media blogging non-mainstream music journalism and writing as a word spreading eye opening socializing arena He uses social media as a bridge that cuts distance between people on this planet making it a tiny village This bridge starts in his office and takes him to every corner in the world enabling him to connect and network with people and cultures sharing and exchanging stories of the unheard and the neglected He blogs at Words of Action and he tweets from MoeAliNay

ALEX ORTIZ is a video and radio journalist and translator based in Cairo Egypt He graduated from Brown University in 2009 with a double major in Comparative Literature and Middle East Studies He was a CASA I fellow from 2009-2010 and a CASA II fellow from 2010-2011 He currently works for CBS News as a field producer He tweets from cairowitness

AHMED SHAWKET is an independent translator living in Cairo Egypt He is a graduate of the Helwan University Faculty of Arts where he majored in philosophy Ahmed works on literary media and commercial translation

113112

ABOUT SHAHADATShahadat is a quarterly online series designed to provide a platform for short-form writing and experimentation in writing by young and underexposed writers from the MENA region (Middle East and North Africa) The series features stories vignettes reflections and chronicles in translation and the original language of Arabic Farsi Turkish or Kurdish It makes up one quarter of ArteEastrsquos online programming the AE Quarterly For past issues of Shahadat click here

ABOUT THIS SERIES Shahadat is proud to run two alternating series and releases two issues a year of each The issue yoursquove just perused is part of the ldquoExploring Popular Literaturerdquo series This series challenges traditional understandings of ldquoliteraturerdquo emerging from the Middle East and North Africa by presenting genres of creative production that rely on words and language but which have not typically been studied as literature Works are presented in their original language and in translation

In each issue we gather texts from a spectrum of writers to challenge the singular status of the artistauthor and to encourage a more complex presentation of the Middle Eastern and North African ldquostreetrdquo for English-speaking audiences Shahadatrsquos other series ldquoContemporary Literature in Translationrdquo features the work of a single young author in the original language and in English translation

BEHIND THE DOCUMENTShahadat is co-edited by Rayya El Zein Alex Ortiz and ArteEastrsquos Artistic Director Barrak Alzaid All three are young professionals and scholars with artistic inclinations (literature poetry translation and performance) All three have strong connections to New York City and various metropole of the MENA region Shahadat is for us an experiment and a labor of love An editorial board of established scholars and authors is currently being conceived

SPECIAL THANKS TOAnmar El ZeinKinda AkashAndrew JohnstonLivia Alexander

Shahadat logo design by Rima Farouki

114

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Page 49: Shahadat Winter 2012

9796

لضل ماشي جالس بينما غيري عم بلك لك شريط معلق ريحة العة عم بتفح فحكل ما فتح متو بتالقي عم بكب كب

عايشها إرهاب و مفي إال بسب سببزبالتي ما بكبو تيكون بعلمك

األالف مسم و بحياتو ما بينسم بزقة من هل التم تخلي سقفك ينش نش

تلمو ردم و ما تفكر إنو ترد رد و عم بحكي عالواطي متا الصالي فيك ترج رج

بطبعي عاقل بس بالراب بزل زل عل الرايق بال ما نط وال فز فز

type of shitعال بارد أبرد من شباط بس يقز قزتخلي عضامك ع بعض تسك سك

ما إنتلك النجوم عم تقرب بهل ال مود حكون عطول لبهل جنوم إدءر

لو مضطر شن هجوم عل النجوم كلهاخللي األرض تدور حول أصبعي تنلك

أنا متنبئ بنبه و بحقق ما قلتلك بعد وقتها ما عم نكت

عاملكرفون إبرة هرون عم بشكشك في شكcheck one two

هيك بدسدس عالنبض

F a r e e q e l A t r a s h

So I can walk straight when others are still playing

A broken record that reeks of a musty smell

Every time he opens his mouth he spews them out

He lives in terror and all he does is curse

I wouldnrsquot throw him in my garbage just so you know

Irsquove irritated thousands and never been irritated in my life

One spit out of this mouth will make your roof leak

And yoursquoll pick up the rubble and donrsquot even think about answering back

Irsquom talking in a low voice so the hall wonrsquot shake with you in it

Irsquom reasonable by nature but when it comes to rap I humiliate cold-heartedly

Without jumping or leaping around

I do it coldly colder than icy February-type of shit

Irsquoll make your bones rattle against each other

Didnrsquot I tell you The stars are getting closer

Irsquoll stay in this mood until I touch these stars

Even if I have to launch an attack on all the stars

Irsquoll make the Earth rotate around my finger I told you

Irsquom a psychic I predict and deliver

Didnrsquot I tell you to stand back when Irsquom not joking

Irsquom pricking the microphone with a heroin needle Is there any doubt

Check one two

Thatrsquos how I feel the pulse

null

29781717

9998

بدقق و زتزت حكي بتزجزج كأنها مزهزها عم بتشمشم عم خطط عم تكتيك و مني ملحلح من هون للساعة توقف تك تيك تك تيك

لك ليك منفخ حاله عامبيكازيب عا غيري بس بوجهي بتاءتإوجهه بيباءبإ من أد ما بعصب بسبسب

زر إنذار إذني بتطنطن و بشوف من عالباب عم بدقدق

عكروت بدو يفوت ليشوف الفن فني بس الفن هون بجسمي معبأ

من حلقي طايف و من متي عم بت شرشر و بيس البيس زلزال برجرج خليك تضبضب تنضب بالبيت لتكنكن

و أنا متأسف ألني بدي استأذن بس بعد شفت كابتشينو بتصحصح

ما إنتلك النجوم عم تقرببهل ال مود حكون عطول لبهل جنوم إدءر

لو مضطر شن هجوم عل النجوم كلهاخللي األرض تدور حول أصبعي تنلك

هيدا هب هوبمش هبل و ال بهل

هيدا زجل تتغزل في

ورايي إيقاع عليي إتبع و ما إطلع عنو يا بصير متل غير مسيس

زقفوا مع االيقاعزقفوا مع االيقاع

F a r e e q e l A t r a s h

Checking and hurling words that tickle as if I was high and sniffing

I am planning and scheming and Irsquom not going anywhere till the clock stops ticking

Look hersquos so full of it lying to others but in my face he stutters

And his face turns red from all the anger and he curses

My earsrsquo alarm bells start ringing

And I go to see whorsquos knocking at the door

Some bastard who wants to see where ldquothe artldquo is

But the art is right here packed in my body

Flowing from my throat running out of my mouth

And the bass is an earthquake that shakes and forces you to pack up and go home

And Irsquom sorry because I need to take leave

But after a sip of cappuccino yoursquoll come around

Didnrsquot I tell you The stars are getting closer

Irsquoll stay in this mood

Until I touch these stars even if I have to launch an attack on all the stars

Irsquoll make the Earth rotate around my finger I told you

This is hip hop

Itrsquos not stupid nor dumb

Itrsquos zajal [a form of Arabic poetry in the Levant]

That you flirt with

There is a beat that I have to follow canrsquot lose it or Irsquoll be like other MCs

Clap with the beat

Clap with the beat

T r a n s l a t e d b y K h a l e d A l H i l l i

null

29781717

101100

انا ببلعهم بتفهم وال مره بسبهمبخليهم داميا يضاربو بتفكيرهم

أنا وراهم قدامهم جنابهم محتلهممش طايقهم مرات وزنهم بكون منزلهم

مرتبهم صاففهم وبقلم أنا حاكمهم زاتتهم مش عاجبيني أنا ماحيهم قائدهم وبنفس الوقت أنا عبيدهم

وبفك وربط أنا بلعب مبعانيهمانا حاميهم بأسطر اللي تقويهم

انا واعدهم اني أستر على فاضحهم ومطلعهم بصوره اللي تبشعهم

بس أنا محترمهم وبسطور ساجنهم مكتفهم كأسير بجنازير القهر

ومهديهم بحبل اللي يبشر بالصبر وانا لي الفخر أكون الشوك اللي فيهم

Dوأكون القهر اللي داميا يسقيهم A M

Yo this is dedicated to the lyrics

Irsquom swallowing them spitting them never dissing them

Giving them freedom of speech

Irsquom behind them in front of them because of them always standing with them

Sometimes get sick of them sick of how you abuse them

Gather them in line with my pen I order them

Didnrsquot like it Throwing them out and replacing them

Irsquom their leader and also their slave

Small changes make huge differences

I train them in pages to make them strong

Promising to use them not abuse them

Or allow the wrong mouths to utter them

Approach them with a military mind and find peace in them

Irsquom lucky to be full of thorns and even luckier that I found the lyrics

So theyrsquoll help me find the roses in me

wordsكلمات

null

26837427

103102

raquoالكل سمعك بس السؤال اذا اللي سمعك فهمكlaquoكلمات ليست كالكلمات بل raquoعالماتlaquo

اللي توجهنا وين مابدنا عحبال السيرك هي تثبتنا ريح العالم من كل جهه اذا احنا ضعاف بتوقعنا بس

raquoأل بلمره ألlaquo raquoكلمات عندي طنlaquoكل واحده الها هدف اخدت حرف عحرف

نسجت جمل اللي البسهم وقت البرد raquoراح اضلني اناديlaquo raquoبنحكي كلماتlaquo

انت بتعرف انهم مبنصب شهاد بحكو املاضي وتنبوا حاضر أي بالد

قد ماحكيت قد ما أحكي فش كالم يغطي بسفي كالم يربي وينمي انت بس أروي

في شوف انه قوه والقوه بتقويفيك و أن رويته مصيره يسقيك )مثل للقوه( العدو من أمامكم

والبحر من ورائكم فال تخيبوا أسيادكمفأين أشعاركم وأين مجادلتكم

فأنتم تسكتون وتخمدون أحالمكم)انهي( نهيت ورجعت للعامية بكلمات

مرمية طالعه من عقليه شعبيهمتل جنيب اللي بذاكرة كل واحد محفوظ مدروس واذا أل معناته في خلل معكوس

عاملجتمع اللي قمع كتاباته Dاللي سمح لنسيانه يشيل خطواته A M

ldquoThey all hear you but few listen to youldquo

Lyrics ainrsquot just a bunch of words they are ldquosignsldquo

Leading us stabilizing us on tight ropes

Winds every way if we are thin we will fall

ldquoBut hell noldquo ldquoyou can measure my words in tonsldquo

Every word has a meaning I knitted a letter with another letter

Made warm sentences to wear in cold days

ldquoSo Irsquoll still shoutldquo ldquowe control lyricsldquo

You know lyrics are like a witness

They witnessed the past and forecast the future

As much as I said or say I canrsquot describe them

But there is a way to find the description and thatrsquos through them

Quench the thirst of the pages with them

So in the future itrsquoll quench your thirst

Keep feeding them as soon as they grow up

Theyrsquoll give you strength

ldquoExample for the strengthldquo

ldquoThe enemy is before you the sea is behind you

So donrsquot you dare disappoint our ancestors

Where are our deep poems Where are our strong statements

From generation to generation we kill our dreamsldquo

ldquoEnough philosophizingldquo ok lets get back to street talk

Words coming outta simple minds

Like Najeeb Mahfuz [literally lsquowell-rememberedrsquo also a famous author]

They keep living in our minds

And if you donrsquot know who he is - then I rest my case

null

26837427

105104

raquoالكل سمعك بس السؤال اذا اللي سمعك فهمكlaquoكلمات ليست كالكلمات بل raquoعالماتlaquo

اللي توجهنا وين مابدنا عحبال السيرك هي تثبتنا ريح العالم من كل جهه اذا احنا ضعاف بتوقعنا بس

raquoأل بلمره ألlaquo raquoكلمات عندي طنlaquoكل واحده الها هدف اخدت حرف عحرف

نسجت جمل اللي البسهم وقت البرد raquoراح اضلني اناديlaquo raquoبنحكي كلماتlaquo

ألف با كبايه أوعك تكسرهاامسكها للنهاية وكل ما تفضى مليها

كلمه أو رواية ومع املراحل زيدها شيحكاية وهيك ضلك زود فيها

وجيبها لتجمعاتك وساعتها استعملها لنقاشاتك وملواقفك استخدمها

هادي مدافعك اللي مداها بسيطرتك وما دافعك انه ما تخليها رايتك

ما هي تكتب ما هي توصف ما هي تكذب ما هي تنصف

ما هي هي الهروب هياللجوء هي الدروب هي

العبور باحلدود واللي مبرؤهم مبدع وبفوز باخللود واللي بسرقهم مش مقنع

واذا بتديهم احلرية بنادوك ممنوعDواذا بتوخد احلريه بنادوك مسموح A M

ldquoThey all hear you but few listen to youldquo

Lyrics ainrsquot just a bunch of words they are ldquosignsldquo

Leading us stabilizing us on tight ropes

Winds every way if we are thin we will fall

ldquoBut hell noldquo ldquoyou can measure my words in tonsldquo

Every word has a meaning I knitted a letter with another letter

Made warm sentences to wear in cold days

ldquoSo Irsquoll still shoutldquo ldquowe control lyricsldquo

The Arabic alphabet is like a glass donrsquot break it

Hold it tight and keep filling it

And then bring it to our arguments

Scream till your throat gets dry and then wet it

It holds our body itrsquos like our legs

If you stand for nothing yoursquoll fall for anything

The words write create

They kill lead and sometimes even lie

You can use them to build borders

And those who are gifted

Can use them to walk through borders

And in some governments

Itrsquos forbidden to give words freedom

But if you choke them and kill them

Thatrsquos allowed

F i g u r a t i v e t r a n s l a t i o n o f f e r e d b y t h e a r t i s t s

null

26837427

107106

further reading

The tracks presented in this document are not a comprehensive sampling of the genre of the market of hip hop in Arabic or of hip hop and rap in the wider Middle East

Artists featured here hail from Egypt Lebanon Palestine and the anglophone Arab diaspora The thriving North African hip hop scene is not represented nor is the work of the established francophone Arab diaspora nor the expanding hip hop scenes of especially Iran or Turkey

This collection does not attempt a comprehensive chronology Tracks featured here are not primarily new releases (though some are) neither are they all ldquoclassicsrdquo These limitations of scope are important to note

Many tracks of the popular Libyan group Ibn Thabitt and other groups from across the region have been translated and are hosted with commentary on the notable blog

revolutionaryarabrapblogspotcom

Another valuable resource is the Beirut-based blog by Jackson Allers ldquoBeats and Breathrdquo which features articulate critiques and reviews of events and releases from the region

jacksonallerswordpresscom

Hass Dennaoui (alias Big Hass) who recently launched started the first all hip-hop FM radio show in Saudi Arabia Laish Hip Hop (Why Hip Hop) manages a lively blog which

hosts an internet feed of his radio show and interviews with MCs and influential hip hop figures from around the world

revoltradioblogspotcom

Lebaneseundergroundcom hosts coverage of underground music in Lebanon including hip hop

And finally an excellent article by Hishaam Aidi on implications of the use of hip hop as foreign policy ldquoThe Grand (Hip-Hop) Chessboard Race Rap and Raison DrsquoEtatrdquo was published in The Middle East Report Fall 2011 Excerpts of the piece were published by Al Jazeera English in the article ldquoLeveraging Hip Hop in US Foreign Policyrdquo

All the artists and many of the translators whose work is showcased here host a significant online presence Their sites are listed with more about each of them on the following pages

109108

artist bios

ARABIAN KNIGHTZ the premier hip hop group from the land of the Nile River have not only established themselves as the lyricists with the sharpest swords in their land but they have also created the most consistent voice for rebellion strength and hope for the youth of the Middle East During the 2011 Revolution Arabian Knightz released two singles ldquoRebelrdquo and ldquoNot Your Prisonerrdquo anthems of resistance which gained worldwide attention and major media coverage for their powerful lyrics against a wicked system The group formed in 2006 through the cipher hip hoprsquos natural way of choosing like mindsets on the mic Rush Sphinx and E-Money were ahead of their peers adapting an authentic Arab perspective to the art dominated by Western voices mixing English and Arabic raps After hitting the studio for successful underground tracks AK enlisted super-producer Fredwreck (Snoop Dogg Xzibit Tha Dogg Pound) ldquoFokkakrdquo the single from this studio session was an instant hit and (surprisingly for Arabic Hip Hop) projected them to the top ten of the singles charts Arab League Records was formed amidst a growing fanbase and numerous collaborations with other Arab hip hop artists the first international Arab hip hop record label Desert Saga Volume 1 mixtape was the debut release led by ldquoThe Onerdquo featuring Egyptrsquos MC Amin Arabian Knightz have recorded their debut album Uknighted State of Arabia a masterpiece for Arab hip hop years in the making featuring instrumentals dominated by traditional percussions and players are scheduled for a Winter 2012 Release They are on Facebook

BOIKUTT is a musician and MC based in Ramallah Palestine Creating sounds using sampled material field recordings and electronic devices the results range between hip-hop downtempo ambient glitch and experimental He has composed and produced music for artists such as Kronos Quartet Bukue One Spiritchild Tamer Abu-Ghazaleh Bleubird and others and has appeared as an MC on albums for artists such as Slovo Heliodrome Bonnot and Lethal Skillz A co-founder of the Ramallah Underground Collective which has toured across the Arab World Europe and Australia Boikutt is also co-founder and member of audio-visual group Tashweesh with whom he is currently touring Also as a solo performer he has been in Beirut Cairo Manila Copenhagen London Hamburg Dubai Bethlehem and other cities He has produced and exhibited a few sound-art pieces composed several film scores has most recently composed the music for a dance theater performance entitled Bound by

New York-based company Yaa Samar Dance Theatre and is now working on different collaborative and solo projects His work may be heard at soundcloudcomboikutt and on Facebook

DAM Da Arabian MCrsquos are Suhell Nafar Tamer Nafar and Mahmoud Jreri The first Palestinian hip hop crew and among the first to rap in Arabic the group began working together in the late 1990s Struck by the uncanny resemblance of the reality of the streets in a Tupac video to the streets in their own neighborhood of Lyd they were inspired to tell their stories through hip hop Their timely song ldquoMin Irhabirdquo (ldquoWhorsquos the Terroristrdquo) was downloaded a million times shortly after its internet realese in 2001 and DAM became a household name among youth throughout the Middle East Ten years of performing all over the world has strengthened the grouprsquos commitment to continue living and working in their hometown of Lyd 15 minutes from Tel Aviv and working to provide the youth of the city and neighboring communities with programs and opportunities that have been denied to Palestinian citizens of Israel Their music is a unique fusion of East and West and encompasses influences as varied as Ghassan Kanafani Ahlam Mosteghanemi Mahmoud Darwish Naji al Ali Tupac Biggie Public Enemy MBS Krsquonaan and Pharoahe Monch IHDA (Dedication) DAMrsquos long-awaited first international album was released in 2007 and DAM has seen its songs and members featured in films such as Ford Transit (Dir Hany Abu Assad) Where in the World is Osama Bin Laden (Dir Morgan Spurlock) Salt of this Sea (Dir Annemarie Jacir) Local Angel and Forgiveness (Dir Udi Aloni) DAMrsquos history and influence on the Arab hip hop scene is detailed in the feature-length documentary Slingshot Hip Hop (Dir Jackie Reem Salloum) The group has also been featured in Vibe National Geographic Rolling Stone Q Basement Reuters and The New York Times and has appeared on MTV CNN BBC and Al Jazeera Their work can be heard and explored at damrapcom

EL DEEB first ventured into Egyptian Hip Hop when he joined Asfalt in 2005 He left in 2007 to create Wighit Nazara duo represented by Mohamed Yasser and himself It was a successful musical project that lasted until mid 2010 Currently he is working on his solo career with plans to release an EP every couple of months or so Cairofornia is his first solo EP His work may be heard at deebbandcampcom and on Facebook

EL RASS was born in Tripoli Lebanon He started writing poetry in literary Arabic at age 11 and started rhyming in spoken Lebanese dialect in 1999 at age 15 At that time he formed one third of a group of 3 MCrsquos going under the name of ldquoMlouk el Micrdquo (ldquoKings of the Micrdquo) They recorded one album and performed locally At 17 he left for France to study Finance and Economics Studies were hard money was scarce and exile was tough but music and poetry never left him as he continued rhyming with some underground French MCrsquos like Medline and Moebius and developed new musical skills on percussion in classical Arabic singing and baglama (turkish buzuk) After graduating and working for almost two years in the hell of banking and market finance El Rass decided to return to Lebanon He spent a year just re-discovering Beirut and making and learning music He now works as a journalist at the newspaper Assafir while concurrently pursuing joint projects with other producers and musicians He calls his work Taalik in reference to the same word in Arabic for ldquocommentrdquo and another word that comes from the same semantic root moaallakat which is a corpus of selected pre-Islamic poetry that was written with gold ink on the walls of the Karsquoaba in Mecca His work may be heard at soundcloudcomElRass

FAREEQ EL ATRASH is a hip hop band based out of Hamra St Beirut with a sound that is distinguished by laid back topical flows over live instrumentation It consists of Edd (raps) Nasser (raps) FZ (vocal production and FX) Fouad Afra (drums) Goo (plays guitar keys heart strings) and Abed Kobeissy (plays bass and buzuk) Their 2010 album and 2009 prealbum are available online More of their work may be found on Facebook Eddrsquos solo work can also be heard at soundcloudcomEdd

H2Z was born in Kuwait in 1986 where he lived for four years Due to the gulf war his family moved to Lebanon where he lived for the most part of his life Inspired by the tragic events in the Middle East and elsewhere in the world H2Z adopted rap music as a way to raise awareness about the injustices suffered by his people and to deliver a message through his music to anyone who supports the Palestinian cause His career began in 2004 when he was introduced to the production business by fellow rappers and soon he started producing his own tracks and established a local band producing many tracks for himself and other musicians in Lebanon In 2008 he released his first solo album titled 3aed which contained

17 tracks The political influence was noticed throughout the album and was generally well-received He is now studying for a degree in business administration at Wayne State University in Michigan His work may be heard at reverbnationcomh2z

KATIBEH 5 are based in Borj el Barajneh Lebanon Their work can be found at reverbnationcomkatibeh5 and myspacecomkatibe5palestine and on Facebook

M1 is Mutulu Olugbala of the New York based collective Dead Prez whose work is online at deadprezcom M1 is also on Facebook

MC GAZA is Adnan Mahmoud Ghonim an Algerian born artist and university student based in Gaza It was the beginning of 2005 when he attended one of the hip hop concerts in Gaza City ndash Gaza City that never appreciated the art he loved and attached himself to ndash and it was love at first sight between them Through some of the concerts he participated in a number of songs he collaborated on with Arabs from Egypt Algeria and Palestine and some active participation to represent the Palestinian people and interviews for both Arab and foreign press he was able to make a name for himself in the Gazan hip hop community His work may be found at youtubecomMCGaza and on Facebook

THE NARCICYST Having pioneered the Arab Hip-Hop movement with seminal Iraqi-Canadian crew Euphrates The Narcicyst recently broke through borders and shattered traveling etiquette touring solo around the world sharing stages with the likes of Brother Ali Mos Def and Kanye West to name a few On top of music The Narcicyst is a celebrated theorist whose academic work Fear of an Arab Planet has him from the stage to the classrooms of internationally renowned universities He is now also a professor at Concordia University teaching a Fine Arts course ldquoHip-Hop Past Present and Futurerdquo His writings have been published by multiple university presses and magazines internationally he is also a self-published author having recently released the biographical and social-study on the Arab world The Diatribes of a Dying Tribe As a true artist interested in really pushing his own artistic boundaries The Narcicyst has stepped into acting currently starring in the short music film PHATWA and in the first internationally-released film from the United Arab Emirates called City of Life A true multi-media

111110

KHALED AL HILLI is a PhD candidate in Comparative Literature at the Graduate Center City University of New York He has a BA in English Literature and a Masterrsquos degree in Teaching Second Languages Born in Iraq Khaled has taught in Lebanon and Saudi Arabia at both college and high school levels He has also worked with various Iraqi news outlets and has subtitledtranslated documentary films dealing with current social and political issues His research interests include Arabic political literature prison literature and literature in the diaspora He may be reached at hillykhalidgmailcom

+AZIZ is a NYC-based marketing consultant and a musician He is working through The World Music Parade to develop an animation project based on his music More about that project can be found at themusicparadetumblrcom He tweets from plusaziz

FAYSAL BIBI is a paleontologist and electronic musician currently based in Berlin

LOUBNA BILALI is originally from Morocco She did her undergrad and first MA in English Linguistics at Chouaib Doukkali University El Jadida She came to the US in 2008 to pursue a Masterrsquos degree in French to English translation and is currently working on a PhD in translation studies at Kent State University in Ohio She is very interested in learning and teaching languages as well as translating and localizing computer applications and websites She may be reached at loubnabilaligmailcom

FARAH ELREWAISSATI is a freelance translator pro-Palestine activist and BDS advocate who blogs at youthanormalizationblogspotcom She tweets from 3beee

NIZAR GHANEM was born in Lebanon He has been active in intercultural education interactive learning and conflict resolution across the Arab world His work on conflict resolution involved using theater comics and music as tools for emotional expression and social mobilization

RIMA NAJDI is a Performing Artist She studied dramatic arts at the Lebanese University in Beirut and obtained a Masterrsquos degree in Performance Studies at NYU New York She has written and performed in various plays and performances Najdi is particularly interested in multi-media performing arts and the position of the spectators

BARRAK ALZAID (copy editor) is the Artistic Director of ArteEast He is the editor of the ArteEast Quarterly a dynamic online portal featuring four publications that highlight contemporary art and culture from the Middle East and diaspora ndash ArtersquoZine Shahadat (contemporary short-form literature) Gallery and Cinematek (an online film center) He is also the curator for ArteEastrsquos Across Histories Art Talk Series featuring a series of panels on residencies in Fall 2011 He tweets from barrakster

RAYYA EL ZEIN (editor) is working towards a PhD in Theatre at the Graduate Center City University of New York Her research is increasingly focusing on theories of reception historical studies of audience behavior and popular culture in the Arab world She holds an MA in Performance Studies from NYU and is currently a teaching fellow at City College in Harlem She tweets from rayelz

translator biosdreamer Yassin recently established an arts label in the UAE called The Medium focusing on delivering art from Arabs in the diaspora and at lsquohomersquo to the rest of the world iraqisthebombcom He tweets from TheNarcicyst

OMAR OFFENDUM is a Syrian-American hip hop artist born in Saudi Arabia raised in Washington DC and living in Los Angeles Known for taking audiences on a lyrical journey from the jasmine-tree-lined courtyards of Nizar Qabbanirsquos Damascene homes to the flooded riverbanks of Langston Hughesrsquo Harlem Renaissance poems - Offendum has been featured on several major news outlets (BBC Yahoo ABC News Aljazeera PBS) toured the world to promote his ground-breaking music helped raise thousands of dollars for various humanitarian relief organizations (PCRF KinderUSA ANERA Islamic Relief) lectured at a number of prestigious academic institutions (Harvard MIT Stanford Columbia American University of Beirut NYU-AbuDhabi Qatar Education City) and most recently been involved in creating several critically-acclaimed songs about the popular democratic uprisings throughout the Middle East amp North Africa He is currently hard at work promoting his solo release - affectionately dubbed SyrianamericanA His work may be heard (and read) at offendumbandcampcom He is on Facebook and he tweets from Offendum

RAMALLAH UNDERGROUND based in Ramallah Palestine was born from the immediacy of musical experimentation and out of the need to give voice to a generation of Palestinians and Arabs facing a turbulent and uncertain political landscape The collective was founded by artists Boikutt Stormtrap and Aswatt and has always held a commitment to both the honesty of their work and the need to creatively rejuvenate Arabic culture To this end they combine music ranging from Arabic electronic music hip-hop and trip hop to downtempo with a deep sense of their local culture and the imposing presence of Palestine in their lives The outcome is a new specific and distinct sound RU (as producers and as MCrsquos ) has collaborated with numerous artists across the globe including countries like Lebanon UK Switzerland Italy USA France and many more including a collaboration with Slovo (a band headed by the guitarist from faithless) in their track ldquoNakbardquo which appears on their album Todo Cambia and with Kronos Quartet in the track ldquoTashweeshrdquo which appears on Floodplain RU has also performed live shows in Ramallah Bethlehem Vienna London Cairo Lausanne Amsterdam and Washington DC Their shows are mainly a performance of their hip-hop tracks as well as a few of their own electronic productions as a warm up More recently RU has incorporated a visual set in their live

performances brought to you by Palestinian visual artist Ruanne RU hopes to give a voice to Palestinians and Arabs bringing an alternative voice from the Arab world Their lyrics and music are an expression of anguish and defiance ultimately remaining a defiant voice of the colonized against the colonizer They continue to play a big role in the Arab underground cultural scene while slowly gaining wide global and local popularity

SHADIA MANSOURrsquos work can be found at myspacecomshadiamusic and on Facebook

STORMTRAP is a music producercomposerMC from Palestine Experimenting with old samples instruments and field recordings his sound is the result of a fusion of ambient atmospheres combined with various noises and hip hop beats His lyrics deal with different themes inspired mainly by his personal experiences in Palestine and life in the diaspora Stormtrap played a fundamental role in forming the band Ramallah Underground with which he has performed worldwide the past few years Currently he is working in Vienna with Aras Seyhan and Eren Ileri on a new album which combines live instruments synthesizers turntables beats and Arabic lyrics- which will be released early 2012 His work may be heard at soundcloudcomstormtrap He tweets from asifeh

AMEER YOSSEF 25 has sung and writen music with the band Klaket for the past four years His work may be heard at youtubecomAmeer and on Facebook

towards the work Her work for now concentrates on the process of making interactive and participatory performances that question borders stereotypes and languages

MOE ALI NAYEL is a fixer and a journalist based in Beirut Lebanon He uses social media blogging non-mainstream music journalism and writing as a word spreading eye opening socializing arena He uses social media as a bridge that cuts distance between people on this planet making it a tiny village This bridge starts in his office and takes him to every corner in the world enabling him to connect and network with people and cultures sharing and exchanging stories of the unheard and the neglected He blogs at Words of Action and he tweets from MoeAliNay

ALEX ORTIZ is a video and radio journalist and translator based in Cairo Egypt He graduated from Brown University in 2009 with a double major in Comparative Literature and Middle East Studies He was a CASA I fellow from 2009-2010 and a CASA II fellow from 2010-2011 He currently works for CBS News as a field producer He tweets from cairowitness

AHMED SHAWKET is an independent translator living in Cairo Egypt He is a graduate of the Helwan University Faculty of Arts where he majored in philosophy Ahmed works on literary media and commercial translation

113112

ABOUT SHAHADATShahadat is a quarterly online series designed to provide a platform for short-form writing and experimentation in writing by young and underexposed writers from the MENA region (Middle East and North Africa) The series features stories vignettes reflections and chronicles in translation and the original language of Arabic Farsi Turkish or Kurdish It makes up one quarter of ArteEastrsquos online programming the AE Quarterly For past issues of Shahadat click here

ABOUT THIS SERIES Shahadat is proud to run two alternating series and releases two issues a year of each The issue yoursquove just perused is part of the ldquoExploring Popular Literaturerdquo series This series challenges traditional understandings of ldquoliteraturerdquo emerging from the Middle East and North Africa by presenting genres of creative production that rely on words and language but which have not typically been studied as literature Works are presented in their original language and in translation

In each issue we gather texts from a spectrum of writers to challenge the singular status of the artistauthor and to encourage a more complex presentation of the Middle Eastern and North African ldquostreetrdquo for English-speaking audiences Shahadatrsquos other series ldquoContemporary Literature in Translationrdquo features the work of a single young author in the original language and in English translation

BEHIND THE DOCUMENTShahadat is co-edited by Rayya El Zein Alex Ortiz and ArteEastrsquos Artistic Director Barrak Alzaid All three are young professionals and scholars with artistic inclinations (literature poetry translation and performance) All three have strong connections to New York City and various metropole of the MENA region Shahadat is for us an experiment and a labor of love An editorial board of established scholars and authors is currently being conceived

SPECIAL THANKS TOAnmar El ZeinKinda AkashAndrew JohnstonLivia Alexander

Shahadat logo design by Rima Farouki

114

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Page 50: Shahadat Winter 2012

9998

بدقق و زتزت حكي بتزجزج كأنها مزهزها عم بتشمشم عم خطط عم تكتيك و مني ملحلح من هون للساعة توقف تك تيك تك تيك

لك ليك منفخ حاله عامبيكازيب عا غيري بس بوجهي بتاءتإوجهه بيباءبإ من أد ما بعصب بسبسب

زر إنذار إذني بتطنطن و بشوف من عالباب عم بدقدق

عكروت بدو يفوت ليشوف الفن فني بس الفن هون بجسمي معبأ

من حلقي طايف و من متي عم بت شرشر و بيس البيس زلزال برجرج خليك تضبضب تنضب بالبيت لتكنكن

و أنا متأسف ألني بدي استأذن بس بعد شفت كابتشينو بتصحصح

ما إنتلك النجوم عم تقرببهل ال مود حكون عطول لبهل جنوم إدءر

لو مضطر شن هجوم عل النجوم كلهاخللي األرض تدور حول أصبعي تنلك

هيدا هب هوبمش هبل و ال بهل

هيدا زجل تتغزل في

ورايي إيقاع عليي إتبع و ما إطلع عنو يا بصير متل غير مسيس

زقفوا مع االيقاعزقفوا مع االيقاع

F a r e e q e l A t r a s h

Checking and hurling words that tickle as if I was high and sniffing

I am planning and scheming and Irsquom not going anywhere till the clock stops ticking

Look hersquos so full of it lying to others but in my face he stutters

And his face turns red from all the anger and he curses

My earsrsquo alarm bells start ringing

And I go to see whorsquos knocking at the door

Some bastard who wants to see where ldquothe artldquo is

But the art is right here packed in my body

Flowing from my throat running out of my mouth

And the bass is an earthquake that shakes and forces you to pack up and go home

And Irsquom sorry because I need to take leave

But after a sip of cappuccino yoursquoll come around

Didnrsquot I tell you The stars are getting closer

Irsquoll stay in this mood

Until I touch these stars even if I have to launch an attack on all the stars

Irsquoll make the Earth rotate around my finger I told you

This is hip hop

Itrsquos not stupid nor dumb

Itrsquos zajal [a form of Arabic poetry in the Levant]

That you flirt with

There is a beat that I have to follow canrsquot lose it or Irsquoll be like other MCs

Clap with the beat

Clap with the beat

T r a n s l a t e d b y K h a l e d A l H i l l i

null

29781717

101100

انا ببلعهم بتفهم وال مره بسبهمبخليهم داميا يضاربو بتفكيرهم

أنا وراهم قدامهم جنابهم محتلهممش طايقهم مرات وزنهم بكون منزلهم

مرتبهم صاففهم وبقلم أنا حاكمهم زاتتهم مش عاجبيني أنا ماحيهم قائدهم وبنفس الوقت أنا عبيدهم

وبفك وربط أنا بلعب مبعانيهمانا حاميهم بأسطر اللي تقويهم

انا واعدهم اني أستر على فاضحهم ومطلعهم بصوره اللي تبشعهم

بس أنا محترمهم وبسطور ساجنهم مكتفهم كأسير بجنازير القهر

ومهديهم بحبل اللي يبشر بالصبر وانا لي الفخر أكون الشوك اللي فيهم

Dوأكون القهر اللي داميا يسقيهم A M

Yo this is dedicated to the lyrics

Irsquom swallowing them spitting them never dissing them

Giving them freedom of speech

Irsquom behind them in front of them because of them always standing with them

Sometimes get sick of them sick of how you abuse them

Gather them in line with my pen I order them

Didnrsquot like it Throwing them out and replacing them

Irsquom their leader and also their slave

Small changes make huge differences

I train them in pages to make them strong

Promising to use them not abuse them

Or allow the wrong mouths to utter them

Approach them with a military mind and find peace in them

Irsquom lucky to be full of thorns and even luckier that I found the lyrics

So theyrsquoll help me find the roses in me

wordsكلمات

null

26837427

103102

raquoالكل سمعك بس السؤال اذا اللي سمعك فهمكlaquoكلمات ليست كالكلمات بل raquoعالماتlaquo

اللي توجهنا وين مابدنا عحبال السيرك هي تثبتنا ريح العالم من كل جهه اذا احنا ضعاف بتوقعنا بس

raquoأل بلمره ألlaquo raquoكلمات عندي طنlaquoكل واحده الها هدف اخدت حرف عحرف

نسجت جمل اللي البسهم وقت البرد raquoراح اضلني اناديlaquo raquoبنحكي كلماتlaquo

انت بتعرف انهم مبنصب شهاد بحكو املاضي وتنبوا حاضر أي بالد

قد ماحكيت قد ما أحكي فش كالم يغطي بسفي كالم يربي وينمي انت بس أروي

في شوف انه قوه والقوه بتقويفيك و أن رويته مصيره يسقيك )مثل للقوه( العدو من أمامكم

والبحر من ورائكم فال تخيبوا أسيادكمفأين أشعاركم وأين مجادلتكم

فأنتم تسكتون وتخمدون أحالمكم)انهي( نهيت ورجعت للعامية بكلمات

مرمية طالعه من عقليه شعبيهمتل جنيب اللي بذاكرة كل واحد محفوظ مدروس واذا أل معناته في خلل معكوس

عاملجتمع اللي قمع كتاباته Dاللي سمح لنسيانه يشيل خطواته A M

ldquoThey all hear you but few listen to youldquo

Lyrics ainrsquot just a bunch of words they are ldquosignsldquo

Leading us stabilizing us on tight ropes

Winds every way if we are thin we will fall

ldquoBut hell noldquo ldquoyou can measure my words in tonsldquo

Every word has a meaning I knitted a letter with another letter

Made warm sentences to wear in cold days

ldquoSo Irsquoll still shoutldquo ldquowe control lyricsldquo

You know lyrics are like a witness

They witnessed the past and forecast the future

As much as I said or say I canrsquot describe them

But there is a way to find the description and thatrsquos through them

Quench the thirst of the pages with them

So in the future itrsquoll quench your thirst

Keep feeding them as soon as they grow up

Theyrsquoll give you strength

ldquoExample for the strengthldquo

ldquoThe enemy is before you the sea is behind you

So donrsquot you dare disappoint our ancestors

Where are our deep poems Where are our strong statements

From generation to generation we kill our dreamsldquo

ldquoEnough philosophizingldquo ok lets get back to street talk

Words coming outta simple minds

Like Najeeb Mahfuz [literally lsquowell-rememberedrsquo also a famous author]

They keep living in our minds

And if you donrsquot know who he is - then I rest my case

null

26837427

105104

raquoالكل سمعك بس السؤال اذا اللي سمعك فهمكlaquoكلمات ليست كالكلمات بل raquoعالماتlaquo

اللي توجهنا وين مابدنا عحبال السيرك هي تثبتنا ريح العالم من كل جهه اذا احنا ضعاف بتوقعنا بس

raquoأل بلمره ألlaquo raquoكلمات عندي طنlaquoكل واحده الها هدف اخدت حرف عحرف

نسجت جمل اللي البسهم وقت البرد raquoراح اضلني اناديlaquo raquoبنحكي كلماتlaquo

ألف با كبايه أوعك تكسرهاامسكها للنهاية وكل ما تفضى مليها

كلمه أو رواية ومع املراحل زيدها شيحكاية وهيك ضلك زود فيها

وجيبها لتجمعاتك وساعتها استعملها لنقاشاتك وملواقفك استخدمها

هادي مدافعك اللي مداها بسيطرتك وما دافعك انه ما تخليها رايتك

ما هي تكتب ما هي توصف ما هي تكذب ما هي تنصف

ما هي هي الهروب هياللجوء هي الدروب هي

العبور باحلدود واللي مبرؤهم مبدع وبفوز باخللود واللي بسرقهم مش مقنع

واذا بتديهم احلرية بنادوك ممنوعDواذا بتوخد احلريه بنادوك مسموح A M

ldquoThey all hear you but few listen to youldquo

Lyrics ainrsquot just a bunch of words they are ldquosignsldquo

Leading us stabilizing us on tight ropes

Winds every way if we are thin we will fall

ldquoBut hell noldquo ldquoyou can measure my words in tonsldquo

Every word has a meaning I knitted a letter with another letter

Made warm sentences to wear in cold days

ldquoSo Irsquoll still shoutldquo ldquowe control lyricsldquo

The Arabic alphabet is like a glass donrsquot break it

Hold it tight and keep filling it

And then bring it to our arguments

Scream till your throat gets dry and then wet it

It holds our body itrsquos like our legs

If you stand for nothing yoursquoll fall for anything

The words write create

They kill lead and sometimes even lie

You can use them to build borders

And those who are gifted

Can use them to walk through borders

And in some governments

Itrsquos forbidden to give words freedom

But if you choke them and kill them

Thatrsquos allowed

F i g u r a t i v e t r a n s l a t i o n o f f e r e d b y t h e a r t i s t s

null

26837427

107106

further reading

The tracks presented in this document are not a comprehensive sampling of the genre of the market of hip hop in Arabic or of hip hop and rap in the wider Middle East

Artists featured here hail from Egypt Lebanon Palestine and the anglophone Arab diaspora The thriving North African hip hop scene is not represented nor is the work of the established francophone Arab diaspora nor the expanding hip hop scenes of especially Iran or Turkey

This collection does not attempt a comprehensive chronology Tracks featured here are not primarily new releases (though some are) neither are they all ldquoclassicsrdquo These limitations of scope are important to note

Many tracks of the popular Libyan group Ibn Thabitt and other groups from across the region have been translated and are hosted with commentary on the notable blog

revolutionaryarabrapblogspotcom

Another valuable resource is the Beirut-based blog by Jackson Allers ldquoBeats and Breathrdquo which features articulate critiques and reviews of events and releases from the region

jacksonallerswordpresscom

Hass Dennaoui (alias Big Hass) who recently launched started the first all hip-hop FM radio show in Saudi Arabia Laish Hip Hop (Why Hip Hop) manages a lively blog which

hosts an internet feed of his radio show and interviews with MCs and influential hip hop figures from around the world

revoltradioblogspotcom

Lebaneseundergroundcom hosts coverage of underground music in Lebanon including hip hop

And finally an excellent article by Hishaam Aidi on implications of the use of hip hop as foreign policy ldquoThe Grand (Hip-Hop) Chessboard Race Rap and Raison DrsquoEtatrdquo was published in The Middle East Report Fall 2011 Excerpts of the piece were published by Al Jazeera English in the article ldquoLeveraging Hip Hop in US Foreign Policyrdquo

All the artists and many of the translators whose work is showcased here host a significant online presence Their sites are listed with more about each of them on the following pages

109108

artist bios

ARABIAN KNIGHTZ the premier hip hop group from the land of the Nile River have not only established themselves as the lyricists with the sharpest swords in their land but they have also created the most consistent voice for rebellion strength and hope for the youth of the Middle East During the 2011 Revolution Arabian Knightz released two singles ldquoRebelrdquo and ldquoNot Your Prisonerrdquo anthems of resistance which gained worldwide attention and major media coverage for their powerful lyrics against a wicked system The group formed in 2006 through the cipher hip hoprsquos natural way of choosing like mindsets on the mic Rush Sphinx and E-Money were ahead of their peers adapting an authentic Arab perspective to the art dominated by Western voices mixing English and Arabic raps After hitting the studio for successful underground tracks AK enlisted super-producer Fredwreck (Snoop Dogg Xzibit Tha Dogg Pound) ldquoFokkakrdquo the single from this studio session was an instant hit and (surprisingly for Arabic Hip Hop) projected them to the top ten of the singles charts Arab League Records was formed amidst a growing fanbase and numerous collaborations with other Arab hip hop artists the first international Arab hip hop record label Desert Saga Volume 1 mixtape was the debut release led by ldquoThe Onerdquo featuring Egyptrsquos MC Amin Arabian Knightz have recorded their debut album Uknighted State of Arabia a masterpiece for Arab hip hop years in the making featuring instrumentals dominated by traditional percussions and players are scheduled for a Winter 2012 Release They are on Facebook

BOIKUTT is a musician and MC based in Ramallah Palestine Creating sounds using sampled material field recordings and electronic devices the results range between hip-hop downtempo ambient glitch and experimental He has composed and produced music for artists such as Kronos Quartet Bukue One Spiritchild Tamer Abu-Ghazaleh Bleubird and others and has appeared as an MC on albums for artists such as Slovo Heliodrome Bonnot and Lethal Skillz A co-founder of the Ramallah Underground Collective which has toured across the Arab World Europe and Australia Boikutt is also co-founder and member of audio-visual group Tashweesh with whom he is currently touring Also as a solo performer he has been in Beirut Cairo Manila Copenhagen London Hamburg Dubai Bethlehem and other cities He has produced and exhibited a few sound-art pieces composed several film scores has most recently composed the music for a dance theater performance entitled Bound by

New York-based company Yaa Samar Dance Theatre and is now working on different collaborative and solo projects His work may be heard at soundcloudcomboikutt and on Facebook

DAM Da Arabian MCrsquos are Suhell Nafar Tamer Nafar and Mahmoud Jreri The first Palestinian hip hop crew and among the first to rap in Arabic the group began working together in the late 1990s Struck by the uncanny resemblance of the reality of the streets in a Tupac video to the streets in their own neighborhood of Lyd they were inspired to tell their stories through hip hop Their timely song ldquoMin Irhabirdquo (ldquoWhorsquos the Terroristrdquo) was downloaded a million times shortly after its internet realese in 2001 and DAM became a household name among youth throughout the Middle East Ten years of performing all over the world has strengthened the grouprsquos commitment to continue living and working in their hometown of Lyd 15 minutes from Tel Aviv and working to provide the youth of the city and neighboring communities with programs and opportunities that have been denied to Palestinian citizens of Israel Their music is a unique fusion of East and West and encompasses influences as varied as Ghassan Kanafani Ahlam Mosteghanemi Mahmoud Darwish Naji al Ali Tupac Biggie Public Enemy MBS Krsquonaan and Pharoahe Monch IHDA (Dedication) DAMrsquos long-awaited first international album was released in 2007 and DAM has seen its songs and members featured in films such as Ford Transit (Dir Hany Abu Assad) Where in the World is Osama Bin Laden (Dir Morgan Spurlock) Salt of this Sea (Dir Annemarie Jacir) Local Angel and Forgiveness (Dir Udi Aloni) DAMrsquos history and influence on the Arab hip hop scene is detailed in the feature-length documentary Slingshot Hip Hop (Dir Jackie Reem Salloum) The group has also been featured in Vibe National Geographic Rolling Stone Q Basement Reuters and The New York Times and has appeared on MTV CNN BBC and Al Jazeera Their work can be heard and explored at damrapcom

EL DEEB first ventured into Egyptian Hip Hop when he joined Asfalt in 2005 He left in 2007 to create Wighit Nazara duo represented by Mohamed Yasser and himself It was a successful musical project that lasted until mid 2010 Currently he is working on his solo career with plans to release an EP every couple of months or so Cairofornia is his first solo EP His work may be heard at deebbandcampcom and on Facebook

EL RASS was born in Tripoli Lebanon He started writing poetry in literary Arabic at age 11 and started rhyming in spoken Lebanese dialect in 1999 at age 15 At that time he formed one third of a group of 3 MCrsquos going under the name of ldquoMlouk el Micrdquo (ldquoKings of the Micrdquo) They recorded one album and performed locally At 17 he left for France to study Finance and Economics Studies were hard money was scarce and exile was tough but music and poetry never left him as he continued rhyming with some underground French MCrsquos like Medline and Moebius and developed new musical skills on percussion in classical Arabic singing and baglama (turkish buzuk) After graduating and working for almost two years in the hell of banking and market finance El Rass decided to return to Lebanon He spent a year just re-discovering Beirut and making and learning music He now works as a journalist at the newspaper Assafir while concurrently pursuing joint projects with other producers and musicians He calls his work Taalik in reference to the same word in Arabic for ldquocommentrdquo and another word that comes from the same semantic root moaallakat which is a corpus of selected pre-Islamic poetry that was written with gold ink on the walls of the Karsquoaba in Mecca His work may be heard at soundcloudcomElRass

FAREEQ EL ATRASH is a hip hop band based out of Hamra St Beirut with a sound that is distinguished by laid back topical flows over live instrumentation It consists of Edd (raps) Nasser (raps) FZ (vocal production and FX) Fouad Afra (drums) Goo (plays guitar keys heart strings) and Abed Kobeissy (plays bass and buzuk) Their 2010 album and 2009 prealbum are available online More of their work may be found on Facebook Eddrsquos solo work can also be heard at soundcloudcomEdd

H2Z was born in Kuwait in 1986 where he lived for four years Due to the gulf war his family moved to Lebanon where he lived for the most part of his life Inspired by the tragic events in the Middle East and elsewhere in the world H2Z adopted rap music as a way to raise awareness about the injustices suffered by his people and to deliver a message through his music to anyone who supports the Palestinian cause His career began in 2004 when he was introduced to the production business by fellow rappers and soon he started producing his own tracks and established a local band producing many tracks for himself and other musicians in Lebanon In 2008 he released his first solo album titled 3aed which contained

17 tracks The political influence was noticed throughout the album and was generally well-received He is now studying for a degree in business administration at Wayne State University in Michigan His work may be heard at reverbnationcomh2z

KATIBEH 5 are based in Borj el Barajneh Lebanon Their work can be found at reverbnationcomkatibeh5 and myspacecomkatibe5palestine and on Facebook

M1 is Mutulu Olugbala of the New York based collective Dead Prez whose work is online at deadprezcom M1 is also on Facebook

MC GAZA is Adnan Mahmoud Ghonim an Algerian born artist and university student based in Gaza It was the beginning of 2005 when he attended one of the hip hop concerts in Gaza City ndash Gaza City that never appreciated the art he loved and attached himself to ndash and it was love at first sight between them Through some of the concerts he participated in a number of songs he collaborated on with Arabs from Egypt Algeria and Palestine and some active participation to represent the Palestinian people and interviews for both Arab and foreign press he was able to make a name for himself in the Gazan hip hop community His work may be found at youtubecomMCGaza and on Facebook

THE NARCICYST Having pioneered the Arab Hip-Hop movement with seminal Iraqi-Canadian crew Euphrates The Narcicyst recently broke through borders and shattered traveling etiquette touring solo around the world sharing stages with the likes of Brother Ali Mos Def and Kanye West to name a few On top of music The Narcicyst is a celebrated theorist whose academic work Fear of an Arab Planet has him from the stage to the classrooms of internationally renowned universities He is now also a professor at Concordia University teaching a Fine Arts course ldquoHip-Hop Past Present and Futurerdquo His writings have been published by multiple university presses and magazines internationally he is also a self-published author having recently released the biographical and social-study on the Arab world The Diatribes of a Dying Tribe As a true artist interested in really pushing his own artistic boundaries The Narcicyst has stepped into acting currently starring in the short music film PHATWA and in the first internationally-released film from the United Arab Emirates called City of Life A true multi-media

111110

KHALED AL HILLI is a PhD candidate in Comparative Literature at the Graduate Center City University of New York He has a BA in English Literature and a Masterrsquos degree in Teaching Second Languages Born in Iraq Khaled has taught in Lebanon and Saudi Arabia at both college and high school levels He has also worked with various Iraqi news outlets and has subtitledtranslated documentary films dealing with current social and political issues His research interests include Arabic political literature prison literature and literature in the diaspora He may be reached at hillykhalidgmailcom

+AZIZ is a NYC-based marketing consultant and a musician He is working through The World Music Parade to develop an animation project based on his music More about that project can be found at themusicparadetumblrcom He tweets from plusaziz

FAYSAL BIBI is a paleontologist and electronic musician currently based in Berlin

LOUBNA BILALI is originally from Morocco She did her undergrad and first MA in English Linguistics at Chouaib Doukkali University El Jadida She came to the US in 2008 to pursue a Masterrsquos degree in French to English translation and is currently working on a PhD in translation studies at Kent State University in Ohio She is very interested in learning and teaching languages as well as translating and localizing computer applications and websites She may be reached at loubnabilaligmailcom

FARAH ELREWAISSATI is a freelance translator pro-Palestine activist and BDS advocate who blogs at youthanormalizationblogspotcom She tweets from 3beee

NIZAR GHANEM was born in Lebanon He has been active in intercultural education interactive learning and conflict resolution across the Arab world His work on conflict resolution involved using theater comics and music as tools for emotional expression and social mobilization

RIMA NAJDI is a Performing Artist She studied dramatic arts at the Lebanese University in Beirut and obtained a Masterrsquos degree in Performance Studies at NYU New York She has written and performed in various plays and performances Najdi is particularly interested in multi-media performing arts and the position of the spectators

BARRAK ALZAID (copy editor) is the Artistic Director of ArteEast He is the editor of the ArteEast Quarterly a dynamic online portal featuring four publications that highlight contemporary art and culture from the Middle East and diaspora ndash ArtersquoZine Shahadat (contemporary short-form literature) Gallery and Cinematek (an online film center) He is also the curator for ArteEastrsquos Across Histories Art Talk Series featuring a series of panels on residencies in Fall 2011 He tweets from barrakster

RAYYA EL ZEIN (editor) is working towards a PhD in Theatre at the Graduate Center City University of New York Her research is increasingly focusing on theories of reception historical studies of audience behavior and popular culture in the Arab world She holds an MA in Performance Studies from NYU and is currently a teaching fellow at City College in Harlem She tweets from rayelz

translator biosdreamer Yassin recently established an arts label in the UAE called The Medium focusing on delivering art from Arabs in the diaspora and at lsquohomersquo to the rest of the world iraqisthebombcom He tweets from TheNarcicyst

OMAR OFFENDUM is a Syrian-American hip hop artist born in Saudi Arabia raised in Washington DC and living in Los Angeles Known for taking audiences on a lyrical journey from the jasmine-tree-lined courtyards of Nizar Qabbanirsquos Damascene homes to the flooded riverbanks of Langston Hughesrsquo Harlem Renaissance poems - Offendum has been featured on several major news outlets (BBC Yahoo ABC News Aljazeera PBS) toured the world to promote his ground-breaking music helped raise thousands of dollars for various humanitarian relief organizations (PCRF KinderUSA ANERA Islamic Relief) lectured at a number of prestigious academic institutions (Harvard MIT Stanford Columbia American University of Beirut NYU-AbuDhabi Qatar Education City) and most recently been involved in creating several critically-acclaimed songs about the popular democratic uprisings throughout the Middle East amp North Africa He is currently hard at work promoting his solo release - affectionately dubbed SyrianamericanA His work may be heard (and read) at offendumbandcampcom He is on Facebook and he tweets from Offendum

RAMALLAH UNDERGROUND based in Ramallah Palestine was born from the immediacy of musical experimentation and out of the need to give voice to a generation of Palestinians and Arabs facing a turbulent and uncertain political landscape The collective was founded by artists Boikutt Stormtrap and Aswatt and has always held a commitment to both the honesty of their work and the need to creatively rejuvenate Arabic culture To this end they combine music ranging from Arabic electronic music hip-hop and trip hop to downtempo with a deep sense of their local culture and the imposing presence of Palestine in their lives The outcome is a new specific and distinct sound RU (as producers and as MCrsquos ) has collaborated with numerous artists across the globe including countries like Lebanon UK Switzerland Italy USA France and many more including a collaboration with Slovo (a band headed by the guitarist from faithless) in their track ldquoNakbardquo which appears on their album Todo Cambia and with Kronos Quartet in the track ldquoTashweeshrdquo which appears on Floodplain RU has also performed live shows in Ramallah Bethlehem Vienna London Cairo Lausanne Amsterdam and Washington DC Their shows are mainly a performance of their hip-hop tracks as well as a few of their own electronic productions as a warm up More recently RU has incorporated a visual set in their live

performances brought to you by Palestinian visual artist Ruanne RU hopes to give a voice to Palestinians and Arabs bringing an alternative voice from the Arab world Their lyrics and music are an expression of anguish and defiance ultimately remaining a defiant voice of the colonized against the colonizer They continue to play a big role in the Arab underground cultural scene while slowly gaining wide global and local popularity

SHADIA MANSOURrsquos work can be found at myspacecomshadiamusic and on Facebook

STORMTRAP is a music producercomposerMC from Palestine Experimenting with old samples instruments and field recordings his sound is the result of a fusion of ambient atmospheres combined with various noises and hip hop beats His lyrics deal with different themes inspired mainly by his personal experiences in Palestine and life in the diaspora Stormtrap played a fundamental role in forming the band Ramallah Underground with which he has performed worldwide the past few years Currently he is working in Vienna with Aras Seyhan and Eren Ileri on a new album which combines live instruments synthesizers turntables beats and Arabic lyrics- which will be released early 2012 His work may be heard at soundcloudcomstormtrap He tweets from asifeh

AMEER YOSSEF 25 has sung and writen music with the band Klaket for the past four years His work may be heard at youtubecomAmeer and on Facebook

towards the work Her work for now concentrates on the process of making interactive and participatory performances that question borders stereotypes and languages

MOE ALI NAYEL is a fixer and a journalist based in Beirut Lebanon He uses social media blogging non-mainstream music journalism and writing as a word spreading eye opening socializing arena He uses social media as a bridge that cuts distance between people on this planet making it a tiny village This bridge starts in his office and takes him to every corner in the world enabling him to connect and network with people and cultures sharing and exchanging stories of the unheard and the neglected He blogs at Words of Action and he tweets from MoeAliNay

ALEX ORTIZ is a video and radio journalist and translator based in Cairo Egypt He graduated from Brown University in 2009 with a double major in Comparative Literature and Middle East Studies He was a CASA I fellow from 2009-2010 and a CASA II fellow from 2010-2011 He currently works for CBS News as a field producer He tweets from cairowitness

AHMED SHAWKET is an independent translator living in Cairo Egypt He is a graduate of the Helwan University Faculty of Arts where he majored in philosophy Ahmed works on literary media and commercial translation

113112

ABOUT SHAHADATShahadat is a quarterly online series designed to provide a platform for short-form writing and experimentation in writing by young and underexposed writers from the MENA region (Middle East and North Africa) The series features stories vignettes reflections and chronicles in translation and the original language of Arabic Farsi Turkish or Kurdish It makes up one quarter of ArteEastrsquos online programming the AE Quarterly For past issues of Shahadat click here

ABOUT THIS SERIES Shahadat is proud to run two alternating series and releases two issues a year of each The issue yoursquove just perused is part of the ldquoExploring Popular Literaturerdquo series This series challenges traditional understandings of ldquoliteraturerdquo emerging from the Middle East and North Africa by presenting genres of creative production that rely on words and language but which have not typically been studied as literature Works are presented in their original language and in translation

In each issue we gather texts from a spectrum of writers to challenge the singular status of the artistauthor and to encourage a more complex presentation of the Middle Eastern and North African ldquostreetrdquo for English-speaking audiences Shahadatrsquos other series ldquoContemporary Literature in Translationrdquo features the work of a single young author in the original language and in English translation

BEHIND THE DOCUMENTShahadat is co-edited by Rayya El Zein Alex Ortiz and ArteEastrsquos Artistic Director Barrak Alzaid All three are young professionals and scholars with artistic inclinations (literature poetry translation and performance) All three have strong connections to New York City and various metropole of the MENA region Shahadat is for us an experiment and a labor of love An editorial board of established scholars and authors is currently being conceived

SPECIAL THANKS TOAnmar El ZeinKinda AkashAndrew JohnstonLivia Alexander

Shahadat logo design by Rima Farouki

114

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Page 51: Shahadat Winter 2012

101100

انا ببلعهم بتفهم وال مره بسبهمبخليهم داميا يضاربو بتفكيرهم

أنا وراهم قدامهم جنابهم محتلهممش طايقهم مرات وزنهم بكون منزلهم

مرتبهم صاففهم وبقلم أنا حاكمهم زاتتهم مش عاجبيني أنا ماحيهم قائدهم وبنفس الوقت أنا عبيدهم

وبفك وربط أنا بلعب مبعانيهمانا حاميهم بأسطر اللي تقويهم

انا واعدهم اني أستر على فاضحهم ومطلعهم بصوره اللي تبشعهم

بس أنا محترمهم وبسطور ساجنهم مكتفهم كأسير بجنازير القهر

ومهديهم بحبل اللي يبشر بالصبر وانا لي الفخر أكون الشوك اللي فيهم

Dوأكون القهر اللي داميا يسقيهم A M

Yo this is dedicated to the lyrics

Irsquom swallowing them spitting them never dissing them

Giving them freedom of speech

Irsquom behind them in front of them because of them always standing with them

Sometimes get sick of them sick of how you abuse them

Gather them in line with my pen I order them

Didnrsquot like it Throwing them out and replacing them

Irsquom their leader and also their slave

Small changes make huge differences

I train them in pages to make them strong

Promising to use them not abuse them

Or allow the wrong mouths to utter them

Approach them with a military mind and find peace in them

Irsquom lucky to be full of thorns and even luckier that I found the lyrics

So theyrsquoll help me find the roses in me

wordsكلمات

null

26837427

103102

raquoالكل سمعك بس السؤال اذا اللي سمعك فهمكlaquoكلمات ليست كالكلمات بل raquoعالماتlaquo

اللي توجهنا وين مابدنا عحبال السيرك هي تثبتنا ريح العالم من كل جهه اذا احنا ضعاف بتوقعنا بس

raquoأل بلمره ألlaquo raquoكلمات عندي طنlaquoكل واحده الها هدف اخدت حرف عحرف

نسجت جمل اللي البسهم وقت البرد raquoراح اضلني اناديlaquo raquoبنحكي كلماتlaquo

انت بتعرف انهم مبنصب شهاد بحكو املاضي وتنبوا حاضر أي بالد

قد ماحكيت قد ما أحكي فش كالم يغطي بسفي كالم يربي وينمي انت بس أروي

في شوف انه قوه والقوه بتقويفيك و أن رويته مصيره يسقيك )مثل للقوه( العدو من أمامكم

والبحر من ورائكم فال تخيبوا أسيادكمفأين أشعاركم وأين مجادلتكم

فأنتم تسكتون وتخمدون أحالمكم)انهي( نهيت ورجعت للعامية بكلمات

مرمية طالعه من عقليه شعبيهمتل جنيب اللي بذاكرة كل واحد محفوظ مدروس واذا أل معناته في خلل معكوس

عاملجتمع اللي قمع كتاباته Dاللي سمح لنسيانه يشيل خطواته A M

ldquoThey all hear you but few listen to youldquo

Lyrics ainrsquot just a bunch of words they are ldquosignsldquo

Leading us stabilizing us on tight ropes

Winds every way if we are thin we will fall

ldquoBut hell noldquo ldquoyou can measure my words in tonsldquo

Every word has a meaning I knitted a letter with another letter

Made warm sentences to wear in cold days

ldquoSo Irsquoll still shoutldquo ldquowe control lyricsldquo

You know lyrics are like a witness

They witnessed the past and forecast the future

As much as I said or say I canrsquot describe them

But there is a way to find the description and thatrsquos through them

Quench the thirst of the pages with them

So in the future itrsquoll quench your thirst

Keep feeding them as soon as they grow up

Theyrsquoll give you strength

ldquoExample for the strengthldquo

ldquoThe enemy is before you the sea is behind you

So donrsquot you dare disappoint our ancestors

Where are our deep poems Where are our strong statements

From generation to generation we kill our dreamsldquo

ldquoEnough philosophizingldquo ok lets get back to street talk

Words coming outta simple minds

Like Najeeb Mahfuz [literally lsquowell-rememberedrsquo also a famous author]

They keep living in our minds

And if you donrsquot know who he is - then I rest my case

null

26837427

105104

raquoالكل سمعك بس السؤال اذا اللي سمعك فهمكlaquoكلمات ليست كالكلمات بل raquoعالماتlaquo

اللي توجهنا وين مابدنا عحبال السيرك هي تثبتنا ريح العالم من كل جهه اذا احنا ضعاف بتوقعنا بس

raquoأل بلمره ألlaquo raquoكلمات عندي طنlaquoكل واحده الها هدف اخدت حرف عحرف

نسجت جمل اللي البسهم وقت البرد raquoراح اضلني اناديlaquo raquoبنحكي كلماتlaquo

ألف با كبايه أوعك تكسرهاامسكها للنهاية وكل ما تفضى مليها

كلمه أو رواية ومع املراحل زيدها شيحكاية وهيك ضلك زود فيها

وجيبها لتجمعاتك وساعتها استعملها لنقاشاتك وملواقفك استخدمها

هادي مدافعك اللي مداها بسيطرتك وما دافعك انه ما تخليها رايتك

ما هي تكتب ما هي توصف ما هي تكذب ما هي تنصف

ما هي هي الهروب هياللجوء هي الدروب هي

العبور باحلدود واللي مبرؤهم مبدع وبفوز باخللود واللي بسرقهم مش مقنع

واذا بتديهم احلرية بنادوك ممنوعDواذا بتوخد احلريه بنادوك مسموح A M

ldquoThey all hear you but few listen to youldquo

Lyrics ainrsquot just a bunch of words they are ldquosignsldquo

Leading us stabilizing us on tight ropes

Winds every way if we are thin we will fall

ldquoBut hell noldquo ldquoyou can measure my words in tonsldquo

Every word has a meaning I knitted a letter with another letter

Made warm sentences to wear in cold days

ldquoSo Irsquoll still shoutldquo ldquowe control lyricsldquo

The Arabic alphabet is like a glass donrsquot break it

Hold it tight and keep filling it

And then bring it to our arguments

Scream till your throat gets dry and then wet it

It holds our body itrsquos like our legs

If you stand for nothing yoursquoll fall for anything

The words write create

They kill lead and sometimes even lie

You can use them to build borders

And those who are gifted

Can use them to walk through borders

And in some governments

Itrsquos forbidden to give words freedom

But if you choke them and kill them

Thatrsquos allowed

F i g u r a t i v e t r a n s l a t i o n o f f e r e d b y t h e a r t i s t s

null

26837427

107106

further reading

The tracks presented in this document are not a comprehensive sampling of the genre of the market of hip hop in Arabic or of hip hop and rap in the wider Middle East

Artists featured here hail from Egypt Lebanon Palestine and the anglophone Arab diaspora The thriving North African hip hop scene is not represented nor is the work of the established francophone Arab diaspora nor the expanding hip hop scenes of especially Iran or Turkey

This collection does not attempt a comprehensive chronology Tracks featured here are not primarily new releases (though some are) neither are they all ldquoclassicsrdquo These limitations of scope are important to note

Many tracks of the popular Libyan group Ibn Thabitt and other groups from across the region have been translated and are hosted with commentary on the notable blog

revolutionaryarabrapblogspotcom

Another valuable resource is the Beirut-based blog by Jackson Allers ldquoBeats and Breathrdquo which features articulate critiques and reviews of events and releases from the region

jacksonallerswordpresscom

Hass Dennaoui (alias Big Hass) who recently launched started the first all hip-hop FM radio show in Saudi Arabia Laish Hip Hop (Why Hip Hop) manages a lively blog which

hosts an internet feed of his radio show and interviews with MCs and influential hip hop figures from around the world

revoltradioblogspotcom

Lebaneseundergroundcom hosts coverage of underground music in Lebanon including hip hop

And finally an excellent article by Hishaam Aidi on implications of the use of hip hop as foreign policy ldquoThe Grand (Hip-Hop) Chessboard Race Rap and Raison DrsquoEtatrdquo was published in The Middle East Report Fall 2011 Excerpts of the piece were published by Al Jazeera English in the article ldquoLeveraging Hip Hop in US Foreign Policyrdquo

All the artists and many of the translators whose work is showcased here host a significant online presence Their sites are listed with more about each of them on the following pages

109108

artist bios

ARABIAN KNIGHTZ the premier hip hop group from the land of the Nile River have not only established themselves as the lyricists with the sharpest swords in their land but they have also created the most consistent voice for rebellion strength and hope for the youth of the Middle East During the 2011 Revolution Arabian Knightz released two singles ldquoRebelrdquo and ldquoNot Your Prisonerrdquo anthems of resistance which gained worldwide attention and major media coverage for their powerful lyrics against a wicked system The group formed in 2006 through the cipher hip hoprsquos natural way of choosing like mindsets on the mic Rush Sphinx and E-Money were ahead of their peers adapting an authentic Arab perspective to the art dominated by Western voices mixing English and Arabic raps After hitting the studio for successful underground tracks AK enlisted super-producer Fredwreck (Snoop Dogg Xzibit Tha Dogg Pound) ldquoFokkakrdquo the single from this studio session was an instant hit and (surprisingly for Arabic Hip Hop) projected them to the top ten of the singles charts Arab League Records was formed amidst a growing fanbase and numerous collaborations with other Arab hip hop artists the first international Arab hip hop record label Desert Saga Volume 1 mixtape was the debut release led by ldquoThe Onerdquo featuring Egyptrsquos MC Amin Arabian Knightz have recorded their debut album Uknighted State of Arabia a masterpiece for Arab hip hop years in the making featuring instrumentals dominated by traditional percussions and players are scheduled for a Winter 2012 Release They are on Facebook

BOIKUTT is a musician and MC based in Ramallah Palestine Creating sounds using sampled material field recordings and electronic devices the results range between hip-hop downtempo ambient glitch and experimental He has composed and produced music for artists such as Kronos Quartet Bukue One Spiritchild Tamer Abu-Ghazaleh Bleubird and others and has appeared as an MC on albums for artists such as Slovo Heliodrome Bonnot and Lethal Skillz A co-founder of the Ramallah Underground Collective which has toured across the Arab World Europe and Australia Boikutt is also co-founder and member of audio-visual group Tashweesh with whom he is currently touring Also as a solo performer he has been in Beirut Cairo Manila Copenhagen London Hamburg Dubai Bethlehem and other cities He has produced and exhibited a few sound-art pieces composed several film scores has most recently composed the music for a dance theater performance entitled Bound by

New York-based company Yaa Samar Dance Theatre and is now working on different collaborative and solo projects His work may be heard at soundcloudcomboikutt and on Facebook

DAM Da Arabian MCrsquos are Suhell Nafar Tamer Nafar and Mahmoud Jreri The first Palestinian hip hop crew and among the first to rap in Arabic the group began working together in the late 1990s Struck by the uncanny resemblance of the reality of the streets in a Tupac video to the streets in their own neighborhood of Lyd they were inspired to tell their stories through hip hop Their timely song ldquoMin Irhabirdquo (ldquoWhorsquos the Terroristrdquo) was downloaded a million times shortly after its internet realese in 2001 and DAM became a household name among youth throughout the Middle East Ten years of performing all over the world has strengthened the grouprsquos commitment to continue living and working in their hometown of Lyd 15 minutes from Tel Aviv and working to provide the youth of the city and neighboring communities with programs and opportunities that have been denied to Palestinian citizens of Israel Their music is a unique fusion of East and West and encompasses influences as varied as Ghassan Kanafani Ahlam Mosteghanemi Mahmoud Darwish Naji al Ali Tupac Biggie Public Enemy MBS Krsquonaan and Pharoahe Monch IHDA (Dedication) DAMrsquos long-awaited first international album was released in 2007 and DAM has seen its songs and members featured in films such as Ford Transit (Dir Hany Abu Assad) Where in the World is Osama Bin Laden (Dir Morgan Spurlock) Salt of this Sea (Dir Annemarie Jacir) Local Angel and Forgiveness (Dir Udi Aloni) DAMrsquos history and influence on the Arab hip hop scene is detailed in the feature-length documentary Slingshot Hip Hop (Dir Jackie Reem Salloum) The group has also been featured in Vibe National Geographic Rolling Stone Q Basement Reuters and The New York Times and has appeared on MTV CNN BBC and Al Jazeera Their work can be heard and explored at damrapcom

EL DEEB first ventured into Egyptian Hip Hop when he joined Asfalt in 2005 He left in 2007 to create Wighit Nazara duo represented by Mohamed Yasser and himself It was a successful musical project that lasted until mid 2010 Currently he is working on his solo career with plans to release an EP every couple of months or so Cairofornia is his first solo EP His work may be heard at deebbandcampcom and on Facebook

EL RASS was born in Tripoli Lebanon He started writing poetry in literary Arabic at age 11 and started rhyming in spoken Lebanese dialect in 1999 at age 15 At that time he formed one third of a group of 3 MCrsquos going under the name of ldquoMlouk el Micrdquo (ldquoKings of the Micrdquo) They recorded one album and performed locally At 17 he left for France to study Finance and Economics Studies were hard money was scarce and exile was tough but music and poetry never left him as he continued rhyming with some underground French MCrsquos like Medline and Moebius and developed new musical skills on percussion in classical Arabic singing and baglama (turkish buzuk) After graduating and working for almost two years in the hell of banking and market finance El Rass decided to return to Lebanon He spent a year just re-discovering Beirut and making and learning music He now works as a journalist at the newspaper Assafir while concurrently pursuing joint projects with other producers and musicians He calls his work Taalik in reference to the same word in Arabic for ldquocommentrdquo and another word that comes from the same semantic root moaallakat which is a corpus of selected pre-Islamic poetry that was written with gold ink on the walls of the Karsquoaba in Mecca His work may be heard at soundcloudcomElRass

FAREEQ EL ATRASH is a hip hop band based out of Hamra St Beirut with a sound that is distinguished by laid back topical flows over live instrumentation It consists of Edd (raps) Nasser (raps) FZ (vocal production and FX) Fouad Afra (drums) Goo (plays guitar keys heart strings) and Abed Kobeissy (plays bass and buzuk) Their 2010 album and 2009 prealbum are available online More of their work may be found on Facebook Eddrsquos solo work can also be heard at soundcloudcomEdd

H2Z was born in Kuwait in 1986 where he lived for four years Due to the gulf war his family moved to Lebanon where he lived for the most part of his life Inspired by the tragic events in the Middle East and elsewhere in the world H2Z adopted rap music as a way to raise awareness about the injustices suffered by his people and to deliver a message through his music to anyone who supports the Palestinian cause His career began in 2004 when he was introduced to the production business by fellow rappers and soon he started producing his own tracks and established a local band producing many tracks for himself and other musicians in Lebanon In 2008 he released his first solo album titled 3aed which contained

17 tracks The political influence was noticed throughout the album and was generally well-received He is now studying for a degree in business administration at Wayne State University in Michigan His work may be heard at reverbnationcomh2z

KATIBEH 5 are based in Borj el Barajneh Lebanon Their work can be found at reverbnationcomkatibeh5 and myspacecomkatibe5palestine and on Facebook

M1 is Mutulu Olugbala of the New York based collective Dead Prez whose work is online at deadprezcom M1 is also on Facebook

MC GAZA is Adnan Mahmoud Ghonim an Algerian born artist and university student based in Gaza It was the beginning of 2005 when he attended one of the hip hop concerts in Gaza City ndash Gaza City that never appreciated the art he loved and attached himself to ndash and it was love at first sight between them Through some of the concerts he participated in a number of songs he collaborated on with Arabs from Egypt Algeria and Palestine and some active participation to represent the Palestinian people and interviews for both Arab and foreign press he was able to make a name for himself in the Gazan hip hop community His work may be found at youtubecomMCGaza and on Facebook

THE NARCICYST Having pioneered the Arab Hip-Hop movement with seminal Iraqi-Canadian crew Euphrates The Narcicyst recently broke through borders and shattered traveling etiquette touring solo around the world sharing stages with the likes of Brother Ali Mos Def and Kanye West to name a few On top of music The Narcicyst is a celebrated theorist whose academic work Fear of an Arab Planet has him from the stage to the classrooms of internationally renowned universities He is now also a professor at Concordia University teaching a Fine Arts course ldquoHip-Hop Past Present and Futurerdquo His writings have been published by multiple university presses and magazines internationally he is also a self-published author having recently released the biographical and social-study on the Arab world The Diatribes of a Dying Tribe As a true artist interested in really pushing his own artistic boundaries The Narcicyst has stepped into acting currently starring in the short music film PHATWA and in the first internationally-released film from the United Arab Emirates called City of Life A true multi-media

111110

KHALED AL HILLI is a PhD candidate in Comparative Literature at the Graduate Center City University of New York He has a BA in English Literature and a Masterrsquos degree in Teaching Second Languages Born in Iraq Khaled has taught in Lebanon and Saudi Arabia at both college and high school levels He has also worked with various Iraqi news outlets and has subtitledtranslated documentary films dealing with current social and political issues His research interests include Arabic political literature prison literature and literature in the diaspora He may be reached at hillykhalidgmailcom

+AZIZ is a NYC-based marketing consultant and a musician He is working through The World Music Parade to develop an animation project based on his music More about that project can be found at themusicparadetumblrcom He tweets from plusaziz

FAYSAL BIBI is a paleontologist and electronic musician currently based in Berlin

LOUBNA BILALI is originally from Morocco She did her undergrad and first MA in English Linguistics at Chouaib Doukkali University El Jadida She came to the US in 2008 to pursue a Masterrsquos degree in French to English translation and is currently working on a PhD in translation studies at Kent State University in Ohio She is very interested in learning and teaching languages as well as translating and localizing computer applications and websites She may be reached at loubnabilaligmailcom

FARAH ELREWAISSATI is a freelance translator pro-Palestine activist and BDS advocate who blogs at youthanormalizationblogspotcom She tweets from 3beee

NIZAR GHANEM was born in Lebanon He has been active in intercultural education interactive learning and conflict resolution across the Arab world His work on conflict resolution involved using theater comics and music as tools for emotional expression and social mobilization

RIMA NAJDI is a Performing Artist She studied dramatic arts at the Lebanese University in Beirut and obtained a Masterrsquos degree in Performance Studies at NYU New York She has written and performed in various plays and performances Najdi is particularly interested in multi-media performing arts and the position of the spectators

BARRAK ALZAID (copy editor) is the Artistic Director of ArteEast He is the editor of the ArteEast Quarterly a dynamic online portal featuring four publications that highlight contemporary art and culture from the Middle East and diaspora ndash ArtersquoZine Shahadat (contemporary short-form literature) Gallery and Cinematek (an online film center) He is also the curator for ArteEastrsquos Across Histories Art Talk Series featuring a series of panels on residencies in Fall 2011 He tweets from barrakster

RAYYA EL ZEIN (editor) is working towards a PhD in Theatre at the Graduate Center City University of New York Her research is increasingly focusing on theories of reception historical studies of audience behavior and popular culture in the Arab world She holds an MA in Performance Studies from NYU and is currently a teaching fellow at City College in Harlem She tweets from rayelz

translator biosdreamer Yassin recently established an arts label in the UAE called The Medium focusing on delivering art from Arabs in the diaspora and at lsquohomersquo to the rest of the world iraqisthebombcom He tweets from TheNarcicyst

OMAR OFFENDUM is a Syrian-American hip hop artist born in Saudi Arabia raised in Washington DC and living in Los Angeles Known for taking audiences on a lyrical journey from the jasmine-tree-lined courtyards of Nizar Qabbanirsquos Damascene homes to the flooded riverbanks of Langston Hughesrsquo Harlem Renaissance poems - Offendum has been featured on several major news outlets (BBC Yahoo ABC News Aljazeera PBS) toured the world to promote his ground-breaking music helped raise thousands of dollars for various humanitarian relief organizations (PCRF KinderUSA ANERA Islamic Relief) lectured at a number of prestigious academic institutions (Harvard MIT Stanford Columbia American University of Beirut NYU-AbuDhabi Qatar Education City) and most recently been involved in creating several critically-acclaimed songs about the popular democratic uprisings throughout the Middle East amp North Africa He is currently hard at work promoting his solo release - affectionately dubbed SyrianamericanA His work may be heard (and read) at offendumbandcampcom He is on Facebook and he tweets from Offendum

RAMALLAH UNDERGROUND based in Ramallah Palestine was born from the immediacy of musical experimentation and out of the need to give voice to a generation of Palestinians and Arabs facing a turbulent and uncertain political landscape The collective was founded by artists Boikutt Stormtrap and Aswatt and has always held a commitment to both the honesty of their work and the need to creatively rejuvenate Arabic culture To this end they combine music ranging from Arabic electronic music hip-hop and trip hop to downtempo with a deep sense of their local culture and the imposing presence of Palestine in their lives The outcome is a new specific and distinct sound RU (as producers and as MCrsquos ) has collaborated with numerous artists across the globe including countries like Lebanon UK Switzerland Italy USA France and many more including a collaboration with Slovo (a band headed by the guitarist from faithless) in their track ldquoNakbardquo which appears on their album Todo Cambia and with Kronos Quartet in the track ldquoTashweeshrdquo which appears on Floodplain RU has also performed live shows in Ramallah Bethlehem Vienna London Cairo Lausanne Amsterdam and Washington DC Their shows are mainly a performance of their hip-hop tracks as well as a few of their own electronic productions as a warm up More recently RU has incorporated a visual set in their live

performances brought to you by Palestinian visual artist Ruanne RU hopes to give a voice to Palestinians and Arabs bringing an alternative voice from the Arab world Their lyrics and music are an expression of anguish and defiance ultimately remaining a defiant voice of the colonized against the colonizer They continue to play a big role in the Arab underground cultural scene while slowly gaining wide global and local popularity

SHADIA MANSOURrsquos work can be found at myspacecomshadiamusic and on Facebook

STORMTRAP is a music producercomposerMC from Palestine Experimenting with old samples instruments and field recordings his sound is the result of a fusion of ambient atmospheres combined with various noises and hip hop beats His lyrics deal with different themes inspired mainly by his personal experiences in Palestine and life in the diaspora Stormtrap played a fundamental role in forming the band Ramallah Underground with which he has performed worldwide the past few years Currently he is working in Vienna with Aras Seyhan and Eren Ileri on a new album which combines live instruments synthesizers turntables beats and Arabic lyrics- which will be released early 2012 His work may be heard at soundcloudcomstormtrap He tweets from asifeh

AMEER YOSSEF 25 has sung and writen music with the band Klaket for the past four years His work may be heard at youtubecomAmeer and on Facebook

towards the work Her work for now concentrates on the process of making interactive and participatory performances that question borders stereotypes and languages

MOE ALI NAYEL is a fixer and a journalist based in Beirut Lebanon He uses social media blogging non-mainstream music journalism and writing as a word spreading eye opening socializing arena He uses social media as a bridge that cuts distance between people on this planet making it a tiny village This bridge starts in his office and takes him to every corner in the world enabling him to connect and network with people and cultures sharing and exchanging stories of the unheard and the neglected He blogs at Words of Action and he tweets from MoeAliNay

ALEX ORTIZ is a video and radio journalist and translator based in Cairo Egypt He graduated from Brown University in 2009 with a double major in Comparative Literature and Middle East Studies He was a CASA I fellow from 2009-2010 and a CASA II fellow from 2010-2011 He currently works for CBS News as a field producer He tweets from cairowitness

AHMED SHAWKET is an independent translator living in Cairo Egypt He is a graduate of the Helwan University Faculty of Arts where he majored in philosophy Ahmed works on literary media and commercial translation

113112

ABOUT SHAHADATShahadat is a quarterly online series designed to provide a platform for short-form writing and experimentation in writing by young and underexposed writers from the MENA region (Middle East and North Africa) The series features stories vignettes reflections and chronicles in translation and the original language of Arabic Farsi Turkish or Kurdish It makes up one quarter of ArteEastrsquos online programming the AE Quarterly For past issues of Shahadat click here

ABOUT THIS SERIES Shahadat is proud to run two alternating series and releases two issues a year of each The issue yoursquove just perused is part of the ldquoExploring Popular Literaturerdquo series This series challenges traditional understandings of ldquoliteraturerdquo emerging from the Middle East and North Africa by presenting genres of creative production that rely on words and language but which have not typically been studied as literature Works are presented in their original language and in translation

In each issue we gather texts from a spectrum of writers to challenge the singular status of the artistauthor and to encourage a more complex presentation of the Middle Eastern and North African ldquostreetrdquo for English-speaking audiences Shahadatrsquos other series ldquoContemporary Literature in Translationrdquo features the work of a single young author in the original language and in English translation

BEHIND THE DOCUMENTShahadat is co-edited by Rayya El Zein Alex Ortiz and ArteEastrsquos Artistic Director Barrak Alzaid All three are young professionals and scholars with artistic inclinations (literature poetry translation and performance) All three have strong connections to New York City and various metropole of the MENA region Shahadat is for us an experiment and a labor of love An editorial board of established scholars and authors is currently being conceived

SPECIAL THANKS TOAnmar El ZeinKinda AkashAndrew JohnstonLivia Alexander

Shahadat logo design by Rima Farouki

114

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Page 52: Shahadat Winter 2012

103102

raquoالكل سمعك بس السؤال اذا اللي سمعك فهمكlaquoكلمات ليست كالكلمات بل raquoعالماتlaquo

اللي توجهنا وين مابدنا عحبال السيرك هي تثبتنا ريح العالم من كل جهه اذا احنا ضعاف بتوقعنا بس

raquoأل بلمره ألlaquo raquoكلمات عندي طنlaquoكل واحده الها هدف اخدت حرف عحرف

نسجت جمل اللي البسهم وقت البرد raquoراح اضلني اناديlaquo raquoبنحكي كلماتlaquo

انت بتعرف انهم مبنصب شهاد بحكو املاضي وتنبوا حاضر أي بالد

قد ماحكيت قد ما أحكي فش كالم يغطي بسفي كالم يربي وينمي انت بس أروي

في شوف انه قوه والقوه بتقويفيك و أن رويته مصيره يسقيك )مثل للقوه( العدو من أمامكم

والبحر من ورائكم فال تخيبوا أسيادكمفأين أشعاركم وأين مجادلتكم

فأنتم تسكتون وتخمدون أحالمكم)انهي( نهيت ورجعت للعامية بكلمات

مرمية طالعه من عقليه شعبيهمتل جنيب اللي بذاكرة كل واحد محفوظ مدروس واذا أل معناته في خلل معكوس

عاملجتمع اللي قمع كتاباته Dاللي سمح لنسيانه يشيل خطواته A M

ldquoThey all hear you but few listen to youldquo

Lyrics ainrsquot just a bunch of words they are ldquosignsldquo

Leading us stabilizing us on tight ropes

Winds every way if we are thin we will fall

ldquoBut hell noldquo ldquoyou can measure my words in tonsldquo

Every word has a meaning I knitted a letter with another letter

Made warm sentences to wear in cold days

ldquoSo Irsquoll still shoutldquo ldquowe control lyricsldquo

You know lyrics are like a witness

They witnessed the past and forecast the future

As much as I said or say I canrsquot describe them

But there is a way to find the description and thatrsquos through them

Quench the thirst of the pages with them

So in the future itrsquoll quench your thirst

Keep feeding them as soon as they grow up

Theyrsquoll give you strength

ldquoExample for the strengthldquo

ldquoThe enemy is before you the sea is behind you

So donrsquot you dare disappoint our ancestors

Where are our deep poems Where are our strong statements

From generation to generation we kill our dreamsldquo

ldquoEnough philosophizingldquo ok lets get back to street talk

Words coming outta simple minds

Like Najeeb Mahfuz [literally lsquowell-rememberedrsquo also a famous author]

They keep living in our minds

And if you donrsquot know who he is - then I rest my case

null

26837427

105104

raquoالكل سمعك بس السؤال اذا اللي سمعك فهمكlaquoكلمات ليست كالكلمات بل raquoعالماتlaquo

اللي توجهنا وين مابدنا عحبال السيرك هي تثبتنا ريح العالم من كل جهه اذا احنا ضعاف بتوقعنا بس

raquoأل بلمره ألlaquo raquoكلمات عندي طنlaquoكل واحده الها هدف اخدت حرف عحرف

نسجت جمل اللي البسهم وقت البرد raquoراح اضلني اناديlaquo raquoبنحكي كلماتlaquo

ألف با كبايه أوعك تكسرهاامسكها للنهاية وكل ما تفضى مليها

كلمه أو رواية ومع املراحل زيدها شيحكاية وهيك ضلك زود فيها

وجيبها لتجمعاتك وساعتها استعملها لنقاشاتك وملواقفك استخدمها

هادي مدافعك اللي مداها بسيطرتك وما دافعك انه ما تخليها رايتك

ما هي تكتب ما هي توصف ما هي تكذب ما هي تنصف

ما هي هي الهروب هياللجوء هي الدروب هي

العبور باحلدود واللي مبرؤهم مبدع وبفوز باخللود واللي بسرقهم مش مقنع

واذا بتديهم احلرية بنادوك ممنوعDواذا بتوخد احلريه بنادوك مسموح A M

ldquoThey all hear you but few listen to youldquo

Lyrics ainrsquot just a bunch of words they are ldquosignsldquo

Leading us stabilizing us on tight ropes

Winds every way if we are thin we will fall

ldquoBut hell noldquo ldquoyou can measure my words in tonsldquo

Every word has a meaning I knitted a letter with another letter

Made warm sentences to wear in cold days

ldquoSo Irsquoll still shoutldquo ldquowe control lyricsldquo

The Arabic alphabet is like a glass donrsquot break it

Hold it tight and keep filling it

And then bring it to our arguments

Scream till your throat gets dry and then wet it

It holds our body itrsquos like our legs

If you stand for nothing yoursquoll fall for anything

The words write create

They kill lead and sometimes even lie

You can use them to build borders

And those who are gifted

Can use them to walk through borders

And in some governments

Itrsquos forbidden to give words freedom

But if you choke them and kill them

Thatrsquos allowed

F i g u r a t i v e t r a n s l a t i o n o f f e r e d b y t h e a r t i s t s

null

26837427

107106

further reading

The tracks presented in this document are not a comprehensive sampling of the genre of the market of hip hop in Arabic or of hip hop and rap in the wider Middle East

Artists featured here hail from Egypt Lebanon Palestine and the anglophone Arab diaspora The thriving North African hip hop scene is not represented nor is the work of the established francophone Arab diaspora nor the expanding hip hop scenes of especially Iran or Turkey

This collection does not attempt a comprehensive chronology Tracks featured here are not primarily new releases (though some are) neither are they all ldquoclassicsrdquo These limitations of scope are important to note

Many tracks of the popular Libyan group Ibn Thabitt and other groups from across the region have been translated and are hosted with commentary on the notable blog

revolutionaryarabrapblogspotcom

Another valuable resource is the Beirut-based blog by Jackson Allers ldquoBeats and Breathrdquo which features articulate critiques and reviews of events and releases from the region

jacksonallerswordpresscom

Hass Dennaoui (alias Big Hass) who recently launched started the first all hip-hop FM radio show in Saudi Arabia Laish Hip Hop (Why Hip Hop) manages a lively blog which

hosts an internet feed of his radio show and interviews with MCs and influential hip hop figures from around the world

revoltradioblogspotcom

Lebaneseundergroundcom hosts coverage of underground music in Lebanon including hip hop

And finally an excellent article by Hishaam Aidi on implications of the use of hip hop as foreign policy ldquoThe Grand (Hip-Hop) Chessboard Race Rap and Raison DrsquoEtatrdquo was published in The Middle East Report Fall 2011 Excerpts of the piece were published by Al Jazeera English in the article ldquoLeveraging Hip Hop in US Foreign Policyrdquo

All the artists and many of the translators whose work is showcased here host a significant online presence Their sites are listed with more about each of them on the following pages

109108

artist bios

ARABIAN KNIGHTZ the premier hip hop group from the land of the Nile River have not only established themselves as the lyricists with the sharpest swords in their land but they have also created the most consistent voice for rebellion strength and hope for the youth of the Middle East During the 2011 Revolution Arabian Knightz released two singles ldquoRebelrdquo and ldquoNot Your Prisonerrdquo anthems of resistance which gained worldwide attention and major media coverage for their powerful lyrics against a wicked system The group formed in 2006 through the cipher hip hoprsquos natural way of choosing like mindsets on the mic Rush Sphinx and E-Money were ahead of their peers adapting an authentic Arab perspective to the art dominated by Western voices mixing English and Arabic raps After hitting the studio for successful underground tracks AK enlisted super-producer Fredwreck (Snoop Dogg Xzibit Tha Dogg Pound) ldquoFokkakrdquo the single from this studio session was an instant hit and (surprisingly for Arabic Hip Hop) projected them to the top ten of the singles charts Arab League Records was formed amidst a growing fanbase and numerous collaborations with other Arab hip hop artists the first international Arab hip hop record label Desert Saga Volume 1 mixtape was the debut release led by ldquoThe Onerdquo featuring Egyptrsquos MC Amin Arabian Knightz have recorded their debut album Uknighted State of Arabia a masterpiece for Arab hip hop years in the making featuring instrumentals dominated by traditional percussions and players are scheduled for a Winter 2012 Release They are on Facebook

BOIKUTT is a musician and MC based in Ramallah Palestine Creating sounds using sampled material field recordings and electronic devices the results range between hip-hop downtempo ambient glitch and experimental He has composed and produced music for artists such as Kronos Quartet Bukue One Spiritchild Tamer Abu-Ghazaleh Bleubird and others and has appeared as an MC on albums for artists such as Slovo Heliodrome Bonnot and Lethal Skillz A co-founder of the Ramallah Underground Collective which has toured across the Arab World Europe and Australia Boikutt is also co-founder and member of audio-visual group Tashweesh with whom he is currently touring Also as a solo performer he has been in Beirut Cairo Manila Copenhagen London Hamburg Dubai Bethlehem and other cities He has produced and exhibited a few sound-art pieces composed several film scores has most recently composed the music for a dance theater performance entitled Bound by

New York-based company Yaa Samar Dance Theatre and is now working on different collaborative and solo projects His work may be heard at soundcloudcomboikutt and on Facebook

DAM Da Arabian MCrsquos are Suhell Nafar Tamer Nafar and Mahmoud Jreri The first Palestinian hip hop crew and among the first to rap in Arabic the group began working together in the late 1990s Struck by the uncanny resemblance of the reality of the streets in a Tupac video to the streets in their own neighborhood of Lyd they were inspired to tell their stories through hip hop Their timely song ldquoMin Irhabirdquo (ldquoWhorsquos the Terroristrdquo) was downloaded a million times shortly after its internet realese in 2001 and DAM became a household name among youth throughout the Middle East Ten years of performing all over the world has strengthened the grouprsquos commitment to continue living and working in their hometown of Lyd 15 minutes from Tel Aviv and working to provide the youth of the city and neighboring communities with programs and opportunities that have been denied to Palestinian citizens of Israel Their music is a unique fusion of East and West and encompasses influences as varied as Ghassan Kanafani Ahlam Mosteghanemi Mahmoud Darwish Naji al Ali Tupac Biggie Public Enemy MBS Krsquonaan and Pharoahe Monch IHDA (Dedication) DAMrsquos long-awaited first international album was released in 2007 and DAM has seen its songs and members featured in films such as Ford Transit (Dir Hany Abu Assad) Where in the World is Osama Bin Laden (Dir Morgan Spurlock) Salt of this Sea (Dir Annemarie Jacir) Local Angel and Forgiveness (Dir Udi Aloni) DAMrsquos history and influence on the Arab hip hop scene is detailed in the feature-length documentary Slingshot Hip Hop (Dir Jackie Reem Salloum) The group has also been featured in Vibe National Geographic Rolling Stone Q Basement Reuters and The New York Times and has appeared on MTV CNN BBC and Al Jazeera Their work can be heard and explored at damrapcom

EL DEEB first ventured into Egyptian Hip Hop when he joined Asfalt in 2005 He left in 2007 to create Wighit Nazara duo represented by Mohamed Yasser and himself It was a successful musical project that lasted until mid 2010 Currently he is working on his solo career with plans to release an EP every couple of months or so Cairofornia is his first solo EP His work may be heard at deebbandcampcom and on Facebook

EL RASS was born in Tripoli Lebanon He started writing poetry in literary Arabic at age 11 and started rhyming in spoken Lebanese dialect in 1999 at age 15 At that time he formed one third of a group of 3 MCrsquos going under the name of ldquoMlouk el Micrdquo (ldquoKings of the Micrdquo) They recorded one album and performed locally At 17 he left for France to study Finance and Economics Studies were hard money was scarce and exile was tough but music and poetry never left him as he continued rhyming with some underground French MCrsquos like Medline and Moebius and developed new musical skills on percussion in classical Arabic singing and baglama (turkish buzuk) After graduating and working for almost two years in the hell of banking and market finance El Rass decided to return to Lebanon He spent a year just re-discovering Beirut and making and learning music He now works as a journalist at the newspaper Assafir while concurrently pursuing joint projects with other producers and musicians He calls his work Taalik in reference to the same word in Arabic for ldquocommentrdquo and another word that comes from the same semantic root moaallakat which is a corpus of selected pre-Islamic poetry that was written with gold ink on the walls of the Karsquoaba in Mecca His work may be heard at soundcloudcomElRass

FAREEQ EL ATRASH is a hip hop band based out of Hamra St Beirut with a sound that is distinguished by laid back topical flows over live instrumentation It consists of Edd (raps) Nasser (raps) FZ (vocal production and FX) Fouad Afra (drums) Goo (plays guitar keys heart strings) and Abed Kobeissy (plays bass and buzuk) Their 2010 album and 2009 prealbum are available online More of their work may be found on Facebook Eddrsquos solo work can also be heard at soundcloudcomEdd

H2Z was born in Kuwait in 1986 where he lived for four years Due to the gulf war his family moved to Lebanon where he lived for the most part of his life Inspired by the tragic events in the Middle East and elsewhere in the world H2Z adopted rap music as a way to raise awareness about the injustices suffered by his people and to deliver a message through his music to anyone who supports the Palestinian cause His career began in 2004 when he was introduced to the production business by fellow rappers and soon he started producing his own tracks and established a local band producing many tracks for himself and other musicians in Lebanon In 2008 he released his first solo album titled 3aed which contained

17 tracks The political influence was noticed throughout the album and was generally well-received He is now studying for a degree in business administration at Wayne State University in Michigan His work may be heard at reverbnationcomh2z

KATIBEH 5 are based in Borj el Barajneh Lebanon Their work can be found at reverbnationcomkatibeh5 and myspacecomkatibe5palestine and on Facebook

M1 is Mutulu Olugbala of the New York based collective Dead Prez whose work is online at deadprezcom M1 is also on Facebook

MC GAZA is Adnan Mahmoud Ghonim an Algerian born artist and university student based in Gaza It was the beginning of 2005 when he attended one of the hip hop concerts in Gaza City ndash Gaza City that never appreciated the art he loved and attached himself to ndash and it was love at first sight between them Through some of the concerts he participated in a number of songs he collaborated on with Arabs from Egypt Algeria and Palestine and some active participation to represent the Palestinian people and interviews for both Arab and foreign press he was able to make a name for himself in the Gazan hip hop community His work may be found at youtubecomMCGaza and on Facebook

THE NARCICYST Having pioneered the Arab Hip-Hop movement with seminal Iraqi-Canadian crew Euphrates The Narcicyst recently broke through borders and shattered traveling etiquette touring solo around the world sharing stages with the likes of Brother Ali Mos Def and Kanye West to name a few On top of music The Narcicyst is a celebrated theorist whose academic work Fear of an Arab Planet has him from the stage to the classrooms of internationally renowned universities He is now also a professor at Concordia University teaching a Fine Arts course ldquoHip-Hop Past Present and Futurerdquo His writings have been published by multiple university presses and magazines internationally he is also a self-published author having recently released the biographical and social-study on the Arab world The Diatribes of a Dying Tribe As a true artist interested in really pushing his own artistic boundaries The Narcicyst has stepped into acting currently starring in the short music film PHATWA and in the first internationally-released film from the United Arab Emirates called City of Life A true multi-media

111110

KHALED AL HILLI is a PhD candidate in Comparative Literature at the Graduate Center City University of New York He has a BA in English Literature and a Masterrsquos degree in Teaching Second Languages Born in Iraq Khaled has taught in Lebanon and Saudi Arabia at both college and high school levels He has also worked with various Iraqi news outlets and has subtitledtranslated documentary films dealing with current social and political issues His research interests include Arabic political literature prison literature and literature in the diaspora He may be reached at hillykhalidgmailcom

+AZIZ is a NYC-based marketing consultant and a musician He is working through The World Music Parade to develop an animation project based on his music More about that project can be found at themusicparadetumblrcom He tweets from plusaziz

FAYSAL BIBI is a paleontologist and electronic musician currently based in Berlin

LOUBNA BILALI is originally from Morocco She did her undergrad and first MA in English Linguistics at Chouaib Doukkali University El Jadida She came to the US in 2008 to pursue a Masterrsquos degree in French to English translation and is currently working on a PhD in translation studies at Kent State University in Ohio She is very interested in learning and teaching languages as well as translating and localizing computer applications and websites She may be reached at loubnabilaligmailcom

FARAH ELREWAISSATI is a freelance translator pro-Palestine activist and BDS advocate who blogs at youthanormalizationblogspotcom She tweets from 3beee

NIZAR GHANEM was born in Lebanon He has been active in intercultural education interactive learning and conflict resolution across the Arab world His work on conflict resolution involved using theater comics and music as tools for emotional expression and social mobilization

RIMA NAJDI is a Performing Artist She studied dramatic arts at the Lebanese University in Beirut and obtained a Masterrsquos degree in Performance Studies at NYU New York She has written and performed in various plays and performances Najdi is particularly interested in multi-media performing arts and the position of the spectators

BARRAK ALZAID (copy editor) is the Artistic Director of ArteEast He is the editor of the ArteEast Quarterly a dynamic online portal featuring four publications that highlight contemporary art and culture from the Middle East and diaspora ndash ArtersquoZine Shahadat (contemporary short-form literature) Gallery and Cinematek (an online film center) He is also the curator for ArteEastrsquos Across Histories Art Talk Series featuring a series of panels on residencies in Fall 2011 He tweets from barrakster

RAYYA EL ZEIN (editor) is working towards a PhD in Theatre at the Graduate Center City University of New York Her research is increasingly focusing on theories of reception historical studies of audience behavior and popular culture in the Arab world She holds an MA in Performance Studies from NYU and is currently a teaching fellow at City College in Harlem She tweets from rayelz

translator biosdreamer Yassin recently established an arts label in the UAE called The Medium focusing on delivering art from Arabs in the diaspora and at lsquohomersquo to the rest of the world iraqisthebombcom He tweets from TheNarcicyst

OMAR OFFENDUM is a Syrian-American hip hop artist born in Saudi Arabia raised in Washington DC and living in Los Angeles Known for taking audiences on a lyrical journey from the jasmine-tree-lined courtyards of Nizar Qabbanirsquos Damascene homes to the flooded riverbanks of Langston Hughesrsquo Harlem Renaissance poems - Offendum has been featured on several major news outlets (BBC Yahoo ABC News Aljazeera PBS) toured the world to promote his ground-breaking music helped raise thousands of dollars for various humanitarian relief organizations (PCRF KinderUSA ANERA Islamic Relief) lectured at a number of prestigious academic institutions (Harvard MIT Stanford Columbia American University of Beirut NYU-AbuDhabi Qatar Education City) and most recently been involved in creating several critically-acclaimed songs about the popular democratic uprisings throughout the Middle East amp North Africa He is currently hard at work promoting his solo release - affectionately dubbed SyrianamericanA His work may be heard (and read) at offendumbandcampcom He is on Facebook and he tweets from Offendum

RAMALLAH UNDERGROUND based in Ramallah Palestine was born from the immediacy of musical experimentation and out of the need to give voice to a generation of Palestinians and Arabs facing a turbulent and uncertain political landscape The collective was founded by artists Boikutt Stormtrap and Aswatt and has always held a commitment to both the honesty of their work and the need to creatively rejuvenate Arabic culture To this end they combine music ranging from Arabic electronic music hip-hop and trip hop to downtempo with a deep sense of their local culture and the imposing presence of Palestine in their lives The outcome is a new specific and distinct sound RU (as producers and as MCrsquos ) has collaborated with numerous artists across the globe including countries like Lebanon UK Switzerland Italy USA France and many more including a collaboration with Slovo (a band headed by the guitarist from faithless) in their track ldquoNakbardquo which appears on their album Todo Cambia and with Kronos Quartet in the track ldquoTashweeshrdquo which appears on Floodplain RU has also performed live shows in Ramallah Bethlehem Vienna London Cairo Lausanne Amsterdam and Washington DC Their shows are mainly a performance of their hip-hop tracks as well as a few of their own electronic productions as a warm up More recently RU has incorporated a visual set in their live

performances brought to you by Palestinian visual artist Ruanne RU hopes to give a voice to Palestinians and Arabs bringing an alternative voice from the Arab world Their lyrics and music are an expression of anguish and defiance ultimately remaining a defiant voice of the colonized against the colonizer They continue to play a big role in the Arab underground cultural scene while slowly gaining wide global and local popularity

SHADIA MANSOURrsquos work can be found at myspacecomshadiamusic and on Facebook

STORMTRAP is a music producercomposerMC from Palestine Experimenting with old samples instruments and field recordings his sound is the result of a fusion of ambient atmospheres combined with various noises and hip hop beats His lyrics deal with different themes inspired mainly by his personal experiences in Palestine and life in the diaspora Stormtrap played a fundamental role in forming the band Ramallah Underground with which he has performed worldwide the past few years Currently he is working in Vienna with Aras Seyhan and Eren Ileri on a new album which combines live instruments synthesizers turntables beats and Arabic lyrics- which will be released early 2012 His work may be heard at soundcloudcomstormtrap He tweets from asifeh

AMEER YOSSEF 25 has sung and writen music with the band Klaket for the past four years His work may be heard at youtubecomAmeer and on Facebook

towards the work Her work for now concentrates on the process of making interactive and participatory performances that question borders stereotypes and languages

MOE ALI NAYEL is a fixer and a journalist based in Beirut Lebanon He uses social media blogging non-mainstream music journalism and writing as a word spreading eye opening socializing arena He uses social media as a bridge that cuts distance between people on this planet making it a tiny village This bridge starts in his office and takes him to every corner in the world enabling him to connect and network with people and cultures sharing and exchanging stories of the unheard and the neglected He blogs at Words of Action and he tweets from MoeAliNay

ALEX ORTIZ is a video and radio journalist and translator based in Cairo Egypt He graduated from Brown University in 2009 with a double major in Comparative Literature and Middle East Studies He was a CASA I fellow from 2009-2010 and a CASA II fellow from 2010-2011 He currently works for CBS News as a field producer He tweets from cairowitness

AHMED SHAWKET is an independent translator living in Cairo Egypt He is a graduate of the Helwan University Faculty of Arts where he majored in philosophy Ahmed works on literary media and commercial translation

113112

ABOUT SHAHADATShahadat is a quarterly online series designed to provide a platform for short-form writing and experimentation in writing by young and underexposed writers from the MENA region (Middle East and North Africa) The series features stories vignettes reflections and chronicles in translation and the original language of Arabic Farsi Turkish or Kurdish It makes up one quarter of ArteEastrsquos online programming the AE Quarterly For past issues of Shahadat click here

ABOUT THIS SERIES Shahadat is proud to run two alternating series and releases two issues a year of each The issue yoursquove just perused is part of the ldquoExploring Popular Literaturerdquo series This series challenges traditional understandings of ldquoliteraturerdquo emerging from the Middle East and North Africa by presenting genres of creative production that rely on words and language but which have not typically been studied as literature Works are presented in their original language and in translation

In each issue we gather texts from a spectrum of writers to challenge the singular status of the artistauthor and to encourage a more complex presentation of the Middle Eastern and North African ldquostreetrdquo for English-speaking audiences Shahadatrsquos other series ldquoContemporary Literature in Translationrdquo features the work of a single young author in the original language and in English translation

BEHIND THE DOCUMENTShahadat is co-edited by Rayya El Zein Alex Ortiz and ArteEastrsquos Artistic Director Barrak Alzaid All three are young professionals and scholars with artistic inclinations (literature poetry translation and performance) All three have strong connections to New York City and various metropole of the MENA region Shahadat is for us an experiment and a labor of love An editorial board of established scholars and authors is currently being conceived

SPECIAL THANKS TOAnmar El ZeinKinda AkashAndrew JohnstonLivia Alexander

Shahadat logo design by Rima Farouki

114

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Page 53: Shahadat Winter 2012

105104

raquoالكل سمعك بس السؤال اذا اللي سمعك فهمكlaquoكلمات ليست كالكلمات بل raquoعالماتlaquo

اللي توجهنا وين مابدنا عحبال السيرك هي تثبتنا ريح العالم من كل جهه اذا احنا ضعاف بتوقعنا بس

raquoأل بلمره ألlaquo raquoكلمات عندي طنlaquoكل واحده الها هدف اخدت حرف عحرف

نسجت جمل اللي البسهم وقت البرد raquoراح اضلني اناديlaquo raquoبنحكي كلماتlaquo

ألف با كبايه أوعك تكسرهاامسكها للنهاية وكل ما تفضى مليها

كلمه أو رواية ومع املراحل زيدها شيحكاية وهيك ضلك زود فيها

وجيبها لتجمعاتك وساعتها استعملها لنقاشاتك وملواقفك استخدمها

هادي مدافعك اللي مداها بسيطرتك وما دافعك انه ما تخليها رايتك

ما هي تكتب ما هي توصف ما هي تكذب ما هي تنصف

ما هي هي الهروب هياللجوء هي الدروب هي

العبور باحلدود واللي مبرؤهم مبدع وبفوز باخللود واللي بسرقهم مش مقنع

واذا بتديهم احلرية بنادوك ممنوعDواذا بتوخد احلريه بنادوك مسموح A M

ldquoThey all hear you but few listen to youldquo

Lyrics ainrsquot just a bunch of words they are ldquosignsldquo

Leading us stabilizing us on tight ropes

Winds every way if we are thin we will fall

ldquoBut hell noldquo ldquoyou can measure my words in tonsldquo

Every word has a meaning I knitted a letter with another letter

Made warm sentences to wear in cold days

ldquoSo Irsquoll still shoutldquo ldquowe control lyricsldquo

The Arabic alphabet is like a glass donrsquot break it

Hold it tight and keep filling it

And then bring it to our arguments

Scream till your throat gets dry and then wet it

It holds our body itrsquos like our legs

If you stand for nothing yoursquoll fall for anything

The words write create

They kill lead and sometimes even lie

You can use them to build borders

And those who are gifted

Can use them to walk through borders

And in some governments

Itrsquos forbidden to give words freedom

But if you choke them and kill them

Thatrsquos allowed

F i g u r a t i v e t r a n s l a t i o n o f f e r e d b y t h e a r t i s t s

null

26837427

107106

further reading

The tracks presented in this document are not a comprehensive sampling of the genre of the market of hip hop in Arabic or of hip hop and rap in the wider Middle East

Artists featured here hail from Egypt Lebanon Palestine and the anglophone Arab diaspora The thriving North African hip hop scene is not represented nor is the work of the established francophone Arab diaspora nor the expanding hip hop scenes of especially Iran or Turkey

This collection does not attempt a comprehensive chronology Tracks featured here are not primarily new releases (though some are) neither are they all ldquoclassicsrdquo These limitations of scope are important to note

Many tracks of the popular Libyan group Ibn Thabitt and other groups from across the region have been translated and are hosted with commentary on the notable blog

revolutionaryarabrapblogspotcom

Another valuable resource is the Beirut-based blog by Jackson Allers ldquoBeats and Breathrdquo which features articulate critiques and reviews of events and releases from the region

jacksonallerswordpresscom

Hass Dennaoui (alias Big Hass) who recently launched started the first all hip-hop FM radio show in Saudi Arabia Laish Hip Hop (Why Hip Hop) manages a lively blog which

hosts an internet feed of his radio show and interviews with MCs and influential hip hop figures from around the world

revoltradioblogspotcom

Lebaneseundergroundcom hosts coverage of underground music in Lebanon including hip hop

And finally an excellent article by Hishaam Aidi on implications of the use of hip hop as foreign policy ldquoThe Grand (Hip-Hop) Chessboard Race Rap and Raison DrsquoEtatrdquo was published in The Middle East Report Fall 2011 Excerpts of the piece were published by Al Jazeera English in the article ldquoLeveraging Hip Hop in US Foreign Policyrdquo

All the artists and many of the translators whose work is showcased here host a significant online presence Their sites are listed with more about each of them on the following pages

109108

artist bios

ARABIAN KNIGHTZ the premier hip hop group from the land of the Nile River have not only established themselves as the lyricists with the sharpest swords in their land but they have also created the most consistent voice for rebellion strength and hope for the youth of the Middle East During the 2011 Revolution Arabian Knightz released two singles ldquoRebelrdquo and ldquoNot Your Prisonerrdquo anthems of resistance which gained worldwide attention and major media coverage for their powerful lyrics against a wicked system The group formed in 2006 through the cipher hip hoprsquos natural way of choosing like mindsets on the mic Rush Sphinx and E-Money were ahead of their peers adapting an authentic Arab perspective to the art dominated by Western voices mixing English and Arabic raps After hitting the studio for successful underground tracks AK enlisted super-producer Fredwreck (Snoop Dogg Xzibit Tha Dogg Pound) ldquoFokkakrdquo the single from this studio session was an instant hit and (surprisingly for Arabic Hip Hop) projected them to the top ten of the singles charts Arab League Records was formed amidst a growing fanbase and numerous collaborations with other Arab hip hop artists the first international Arab hip hop record label Desert Saga Volume 1 mixtape was the debut release led by ldquoThe Onerdquo featuring Egyptrsquos MC Amin Arabian Knightz have recorded their debut album Uknighted State of Arabia a masterpiece for Arab hip hop years in the making featuring instrumentals dominated by traditional percussions and players are scheduled for a Winter 2012 Release They are on Facebook

BOIKUTT is a musician and MC based in Ramallah Palestine Creating sounds using sampled material field recordings and electronic devices the results range between hip-hop downtempo ambient glitch and experimental He has composed and produced music for artists such as Kronos Quartet Bukue One Spiritchild Tamer Abu-Ghazaleh Bleubird and others and has appeared as an MC on albums for artists such as Slovo Heliodrome Bonnot and Lethal Skillz A co-founder of the Ramallah Underground Collective which has toured across the Arab World Europe and Australia Boikutt is also co-founder and member of audio-visual group Tashweesh with whom he is currently touring Also as a solo performer he has been in Beirut Cairo Manila Copenhagen London Hamburg Dubai Bethlehem and other cities He has produced and exhibited a few sound-art pieces composed several film scores has most recently composed the music for a dance theater performance entitled Bound by

New York-based company Yaa Samar Dance Theatre and is now working on different collaborative and solo projects His work may be heard at soundcloudcomboikutt and on Facebook

DAM Da Arabian MCrsquos are Suhell Nafar Tamer Nafar and Mahmoud Jreri The first Palestinian hip hop crew and among the first to rap in Arabic the group began working together in the late 1990s Struck by the uncanny resemblance of the reality of the streets in a Tupac video to the streets in their own neighborhood of Lyd they were inspired to tell their stories through hip hop Their timely song ldquoMin Irhabirdquo (ldquoWhorsquos the Terroristrdquo) was downloaded a million times shortly after its internet realese in 2001 and DAM became a household name among youth throughout the Middle East Ten years of performing all over the world has strengthened the grouprsquos commitment to continue living and working in their hometown of Lyd 15 minutes from Tel Aviv and working to provide the youth of the city and neighboring communities with programs and opportunities that have been denied to Palestinian citizens of Israel Their music is a unique fusion of East and West and encompasses influences as varied as Ghassan Kanafani Ahlam Mosteghanemi Mahmoud Darwish Naji al Ali Tupac Biggie Public Enemy MBS Krsquonaan and Pharoahe Monch IHDA (Dedication) DAMrsquos long-awaited first international album was released in 2007 and DAM has seen its songs and members featured in films such as Ford Transit (Dir Hany Abu Assad) Where in the World is Osama Bin Laden (Dir Morgan Spurlock) Salt of this Sea (Dir Annemarie Jacir) Local Angel and Forgiveness (Dir Udi Aloni) DAMrsquos history and influence on the Arab hip hop scene is detailed in the feature-length documentary Slingshot Hip Hop (Dir Jackie Reem Salloum) The group has also been featured in Vibe National Geographic Rolling Stone Q Basement Reuters and The New York Times and has appeared on MTV CNN BBC and Al Jazeera Their work can be heard and explored at damrapcom

EL DEEB first ventured into Egyptian Hip Hop when he joined Asfalt in 2005 He left in 2007 to create Wighit Nazara duo represented by Mohamed Yasser and himself It was a successful musical project that lasted until mid 2010 Currently he is working on his solo career with plans to release an EP every couple of months or so Cairofornia is his first solo EP His work may be heard at deebbandcampcom and on Facebook

EL RASS was born in Tripoli Lebanon He started writing poetry in literary Arabic at age 11 and started rhyming in spoken Lebanese dialect in 1999 at age 15 At that time he formed one third of a group of 3 MCrsquos going under the name of ldquoMlouk el Micrdquo (ldquoKings of the Micrdquo) They recorded one album and performed locally At 17 he left for France to study Finance and Economics Studies were hard money was scarce and exile was tough but music and poetry never left him as he continued rhyming with some underground French MCrsquos like Medline and Moebius and developed new musical skills on percussion in classical Arabic singing and baglama (turkish buzuk) After graduating and working for almost two years in the hell of banking and market finance El Rass decided to return to Lebanon He spent a year just re-discovering Beirut and making and learning music He now works as a journalist at the newspaper Assafir while concurrently pursuing joint projects with other producers and musicians He calls his work Taalik in reference to the same word in Arabic for ldquocommentrdquo and another word that comes from the same semantic root moaallakat which is a corpus of selected pre-Islamic poetry that was written with gold ink on the walls of the Karsquoaba in Mecca His work may be heard at soundcloudcomElRass

FAREEQ EL ATRASH is a hip hop band based out of Hamra St Beirut with a sound that is distinguished by laid back topical flows over live instrumentation It consists of Edd (raps) Nasser (raps) FZ (vocal production and FX) Fouad Afra (drums) Goo (plays guitar keys heart strings) and Abed Kobeissy (plays bass and buzuk) Their 2010 album and 2009 prealbum are available online More of their work may be found on Facebook Eddrsquos solo work can also be heard at soundcloudcomEdd

H2Z was born in Kuwait in 1986 where he lived for four years Due to the gulf war his family moved to Lebanon where he lived for the most part of his life Inspired by the tragic events in the Middle East and elsewhere in the world H2Z adopted rap music as a way to raise awareness about the injustices suffered by his people and to deliver a message through his music to anyone who supports the Palestinian cause His career began in 2004 when he was introduced to the production business by fellow rappers and soon he started producing his own tracks and established a local band producing many tracks for himself and other musicians in Lebanon In 2008 he released his first solo album titled 3aed which contained

17 tracks The political influence was noticed throughout the album and was generally well-received He is now studying for a degree in business administration at Wayne State University in Michigan His work may be heard at reverbnationcomh2z

KATIBEH 5 are based in Borj el Barajneh Lebanon Their work can be found at reverbnationcomkatibeh5 and myspacecomkatibe5palestine and on Facebook

M1 is Mutulu Olugbala of the New York based collective Dead Prez whose work is online at deadprezcom M1 is also on Facebook

MC GAZA is Adnan Mahmoud Ghonim an Algerian born artist and university student based in Gaza It was the beginning of 2005 when he attended one of the hip hop concerts in Gaza City ndash Gaza City that never appreciated the art he loved and attached himself to ndash and it was love at first sight between them Through some of the concerts he participated in a number of songs he collaborated on with Arabs from Egypt Algeria and Palestine and some active participation to represent the Palestinian people and interviews for both Arab and foreign press he was able to make a name for himself in the Gazan hip hop community His work may be found at youtubecomMCGaza and on Facebook

THE NARCICYST Having pioneered the Arab Hip-Hop movement with seminal Iraqi-Canadian crew Euphrates The Narcicyst recently broke through borders and shattered traveling etiquette touring solo around the world sharing stages with the likes of Brother Ali Mos Def and Kanye West to name a few On top of music The Narcicyst is a celebrated theorist whose academic work Fear of an Arab Planet has him from the stage to the classrooms of internationally renowned universities He is now also a professor at Concordia University teaching a Fine Arts course ldquoHip-Hop Past Present and Futurerdquo His writings have been published by multiple university presses and magazines internationally he is also a self-published author having recently released the biographical and social-study on the Arab world The Diatribes of a Dying Tribe As a true artist interested in really pushing his own artistic boundaries The Narcicyst has stepped into acting currently starring in the short music film PHATWA and in the first internationally-released film from the United Arab Emirates called City of Life A true multi-media

111110

KHALED AL HILLI is a PhD candidate in Comparative Literature at the Graduate Center City University of New York He has a BA in English Literature and a Masterrsquos degree in Teaching Second Languages Born in Iraq Khaled has taught in Lebanon and Saudi Arabia at both college and high school levels He has also worked with various Iraqi news outlets and has subtitledtranslated documentary films dealing with current social and political issues His research interests include Arabic political literature prison literature and literature in the diaspora He may be reached at hillykhalidgmailcom

+AZIZ is a NYC-based marketing consultant and a musician He is working through The World Music Parade to develop an animation project based on his music More about that project can be found at themusicparadetumblrcom He tweets from plusaziz

FAYSAL BIBI is a paleontologist and electronic musician currently based in Berlin

LOUBNA BILALI is originally from Morocco She did her undergrad and first MA in English Linguistics at Chouaib Doukkali University El Jadida She came to the US in 2008 to pursue a Masterrsquos degree in French to English translation and is currently working on a PhD in translation studies at Kent State University in Ohio She is very interested in learning and teaching languages as well as translating and localizing computer applications and websites She may be reached at loubnabilaligmailcom

FARAH ELREWAISSATI is a freelance translator pro-Palestine activist and BDS advocate who blogs at youthanormalizationblogspotcom She tweets from 3beee

NIZAR GHANEM was born in Lebanon He has been active in intercultural education interactive learning and conflict resolution across the Arab world His work on conflict resolution involved using theater comics and music as tools for emotional expression and social mobilization

RIMA NAJDI is a Performing Artist She studied dramatic arts at the Lebanese University in Beirut and obtained a Masterrsquos degree in Performance Studies at NYU New York She has written and performed in various plays and performances Najdi is particularly interested in multi-media performing arts and the position of the spectators

BARRAK ALZAID (copy editor) is the Artistic Director of ArteEast He is the editor of the ArteEast Quarterly a dynamic online portal featuring four publications that highlight contemporary art and culture from the Middle East and diaspora ndash ArtersquoZine Shahadat (contemporary short-form literature) Gallery and Cinematek (an online film center) He is also the curator for ArteEastrsquos Across Histories Art Talk Series featuring a series of panels on residencies in Fall 2011 He tweets from barrakster

RAYYA EL ZEIN (editor) is working towards a PhD in Theatre at the Graduate Center City University of New York Her research is increasingly focusing on theories of reception historical studies of audience behavior and popular culture in the Arab world She holds an MA in Performance Studies from NYU and is currently a teaching fellow at City College in Harlem She tweets from rayelz

translator biosdreamer Yassin recently established an arts label in the UAE called The Medium focusing on delivering art from Arabs in the diaspora and at lsquohomersquo to the rest of the world iraqisthebombcom He tweets from TheNarcicyst

OMAR OFFENDUM is a Syrian-American hip hop artist born in Saudi Arabia raised in Washington DC and living in Los Angeles Known for taking audiences on a lyrical journey from the jasmine-tree-lined courtyards of Nizar Qabbanirsquos Damascene homes to the flooded riverbanks of Langston Hughesrsquo Harlem Renaissance poems - Offendum has been featured on several major news outlets (BBC Yahoo ABC News Aljazeera PBS) toured the world to promote his ground-breaking music helped raise thousands of dollars for various humanitarian relief organizations (PCRF KinderUSA ANERA Islamic Relief) lectured at a number of prestigious academic institutions (Harvard MIT Stanford Columbia American University of Beirut NYU-AbuDhabi Qatar Education City) and most recently been involved in creating several critically-acclaimed songs about the popular democratic uprisings throughout the Middle East amp North Africa He is currently hard at work promoting his solo release - affectionately dubbed SyrianamericanA His work may be heard (and read) at offendumbandcampcom He is on Facebook and he tweets from Offendum

RAMALLAH UNDERGROUND based in Ramallah Palestine was born from the immediacy of musical experimentation and out of the need to give voice to a generation of Palestinians and Arabs facing a turbulent and uncertain political landscape The collective was founded by artists Boikutt Stormtrap and Aswatt and has always held a commitment to both the honesty of their work and the need to creatively rejuvenate Arabic culture To this end they combine music ranging from Arabic electronic music hip-hop and trip hop to downtempo with a deep sense of their local culture and the imposing presence of Palestine in their lives The outcome is a new specific and distinct sound RU (as producers and as MCrsquos ) has collaborated with numerous artists across the globe including countries like Lebanon UK Switzerland Italy USA France and many more including a collaboration with Slovo (a band headed by the guitarist from faithless) in their track ldquoNakbardquo which appears on their album Todo Cambia and with Kronos Quartet in the track ldquoTashweeshrdquo which appears on Floodplain RU has also performed live shows in Ramallah Bethlehem Vienna London Cairo Lausanne Amsterdam and Washington DC Their shows are mainly a performance of their hip-hop tracks as well as a few of their own electronic productions as a warm up More recently RU has incorporated a visual set in their live

performances brought to you by Palestinian visual artist Ruanne RU hopes to give a voice to Palestinians and Arabs bringing an alternative voice from the Arab world Their lyrics and music are an expression of anguish and defiance ultimately remaining a defiant voice of the colonized against the colonizer They continue to play a big role in the Arab underground cultural scene while slowly gaining wide global and local popularity

SHADIA MANSOURrsquos work can be found at myspacecomshadiamusic and on Facebook

STORMTRAP is a music producercomposerMC from Palestine Experimenting with old samples instruments and field recordings his sound is the result of a fusion of ambient atmospheres combined with various noises and hip hop beats His lyrics deal with different themes inspired mainly by his personal experiences in Palestine and life in the diaspora Stormtrap played a fundamental role in forming the band Ramallah Underground with which he has performed worldwide the past few years Currently he is working in Vienna with Aras Seyhan and Eren Ileri on a new album which combines live instruments synthesizers turntables beats and Arabic lyrics- which will be released early 2012 His work may be heard at soundcloudcomstormtrap He tweets from asifeh

AMEER YOSSEF 25 has sung and writen music with the band Klaket for the past four years His work may be heard at youtubecomAmeer and on Facebook

towards the work Her work for now concentrates on the process of making interactive and participatory performances that question borders stereotypes and languages

MOE ALI NAYEL is a fixer and a journalist based in Beirut Lebanon He uses social media blogging non-mainstream music journalism and writing as a word spreading eye opening socializing arena He uses social media as a bridge that cuts distance between people on this planet making it a tiny village This bridge starts in his office and takes him to every corner in the world enabling him to connect and network with people and cultures sharing and exchanging stories of the unheard and the neglected He blogs at Words of Action and he tweets from MoeAliNay

ALEX ORTIZ is a video and radio journalist and translator based in Cairo Egypt He graduated from Brown University in 2009 with a double major in Comparative Literature and Middle East Studies He was a CASA I fellow from 2009-2010 and a CASA II fellow from 2010-2011 He currently works for CBS News as a field producer He tweets from cairowitness

AHMED SHAWKET is an independent translator living in Cairo Egypt He is a graduate of the Helwan University Faculty of Arts where he majored in philosophy Ahmed works on literary media and commercial translation

113112

ABOUT SHAHADATShahadat is a quarterly online series designed to provide a platform for short-form writing and experimentation in writing by young and underexposed writers from the MENA region (Middle East and North Africa) The series features stories vignettes reflections and chronicles in translation and the original language of Arabic Farsi Turkish or Kurdish It makes up one quarter of ArteEastrsquos online programming the AE Quarterly For past issues of Shahadat click here

ABOUT THIS SERIES Shahadat is proud to run two alternating series and releases two issues a year of each The issue yoursquove just perused is part of the ldquoExploring Popular Literaturerdquo series This series challenges traditional understandings of ldquoliteraturerdquo emerging from the Middle East and North Africa by presenting genres of creative production that rely on words and language but which have not typically been studied as literature Works are presented in their original language and in translation

In each issue we gather texts from a spectrum of writers to challenge the singular status of the artistauthor and to encourage a more complex presentation of the Middle Eastern and North African ldquostreetrdquo for English-speaking audiences Shahadatrsquos other series ldquoContemporary Literature in Translationrdquo features the work of a single young author in the original language and in English translation

BEHIND THE DOCUMENTShahadat is co-edited by Rayya El Zein Alex Ortiz and ArteEastrsquos Artistic Director Barrak Alzaid All three are young professionals and scholars with artistic inclinations (literature poetry translation and performance) All three have strong connections to New York City and various metropole of the MENA region Shahadat is for us an experiment and a labor of love An editorial board of established scholars and authors is currently being conceived

SPECIAL THANKS TOAnmar El ZeinKinda AkashAndrew JohnstonLivia Alexander

Shahadat logo design by Rima Farouki

114

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Page 54: Shahadat Winter 2012

107106

further reading

The tracks presented in this document are not a comprehensive sampling of the genre of the market of hip hop in Arabic or of hip hop and rap in the wider Middle East

Artists featured here hail from Egypt Lebanon Palestine and the anglophone Arab diaspora The thriving North African hip hop scene is not represented nor is the work of the established francophone Arab diaspora nor the expanding hip hop scenes of especially Iran or Turkey

This collection does not attempt a comprehensive chronology Tracks featured here are not primarily new releases (though some are) neither are they all ldquoclassicsrdquo These limitations of scope are important to note

Many tracks of the popular Libyan group Ibn Thabitt and other groups from across the region have been translated and are hosted with commentary on the notable blog

revolutionaryarabrapblogspotcom

Another valuable resource is the Beirut-based blog by Jackson Allers ldquoBeats and Breathrdquo which features articulate critiques and reviews of events and releases from the region

jacksonallerswordpresscom

Hass Dennaoui (alias Big Hass) who recently launched started the first all hip-hop FM radio show in Saudi Arabia Laish Hip Hop (Why Hip Hop) manages a lively blog which

hosts an internet feed of his radio show and interviews with MCs and influential hip hop figures from around the world

revoltradioblogspotcom

Lebaneseundergroundcom hosts coverage of underground music in Lebanon including hip hop

And finally an excellent article by Hishaam Aidi on implications of the use of hip hop as foreign policy ldquoThe Grand (Hip-Hop) Chessboard Race Rap and Raison DrsquoEtatrdquo was published in The Middle East Report Fall 2011 Excerpts of the piece were published by Al Jazeera English in the article ldquoLeveraging Hip Hop in US Foreign Policyrdquo

All the artists and many of the translators whose work is showcased here host a significant online presence Their sites are listed with more about each of them on the following pages

109108

artist bios

ARABIAN KNIGHTZ the premier hip hop group from the land of the Nile River have not only established themselves as the lyricists with the sharpest swords in their land but they have also created the most consistent voice for rebellion strength and hope for the youth of the Middle East During the 2011 Revolution Arabian Knightz released two singles ldquoRebelrdquo and ldquoNot Your Prisonerrdquo anthems of resistance which gained worldwide attention and major media coverage for their powerful lyrics against a wicked system The group formed in 2006 through the cipher hip hoprsquos natural way of choosing like mindsets on the mic Rush Sphinx and E-Money were ahead of their peers adapting an authentic Arab perspective to the art dominated by Western voices mixing English and Arabic raps After hitting the studio for successful underground tracks AK enlisted super-producer Fredwreck (Snoop Dogg Xzibit Tha Dogg Pound) ldquoFokkakrdquo the single from this studio session was an instant hit and (surprisingly for Arabic Hip Hop) projected them to the top ten of the singles charts Arab League Records was formed amidst a growing fanbase and numerous collaborations with other Arab hip hop artists the first international Arab hip hop record label Desert Saga Volume 1 mixtape was the debut release led by ldquoThe Onerdquo featuring Egyptrsquos MC Amin Arabian Knightz have recorded their debut album Uknighted State of Arabia a masterpiece for Arab hip hop years in the making featuring instrumentals dominated by traditional percussions and players are scheduled for a Winter 2012 Release They are on Facebook

BOIKUTT is a musician and MC based in Ramallah Palestine Creating sounds using sampled material field recordings and electronic devices the results range between hip-hop downtempo ambient glitch and experimental He has composed and produced music for artists such as Kronos Quartet Bukue One Spiritchild Tamer Abu-Ghazaleh Bleubird and others and has appeared as an MC on albums for artists such as Slovo Heliodrome Bonnot and Lethal Skillz A co-founder of the Ramallah Underground Collective which has toured across the Arab World Europe and Australia Boikutt is also co-founder and member of audio-visual group Tashweesh with whom he is currently touring Also as a solo performer he has been in Beirut Cairo Manila Copenhagen London Hamburg Dubai Bethlehem and other cities He has produced and exhibited a few sound-art pieces composed several film scores has most recently composed the music for a dance theater performance entitled Bound by

New York-based company Yaa Samar Dance Theatre and is now working on different collaborative and solo projects His work may be heard at soundcloudcomboikutt and on Facebook

DAM Da Arabian MCrsquos are Suhell Nafar Tamer Nafar and Mahmoud Jreri The first Palestinian hip hop crew and among the first to rap in Arabic the group began working together in the late 1990s Struck by the uncanny resemblance of the reality of the streets in a Tupac video to the streets in their own neighborhood of Lyd they were inspired to tell their stories through hip hop Their timely song ldquoMin Irhabirdquo (ldquoWhorsquos the Terroristrdquo) was downloaded a million times shortly after its internet realese in 2001 and DAM became a household name among youth throughout the Middle East Ten years of performing all over the world has strengthened the grouprsquos commitment to continue living and working in their hometown of Lyd 15 minutes from Tel Aviv and working to provide the youth of the city and neighboring communities with programs and opportunities that have been denied to Palestinian citizens of Israel Their music is a unique fusion of East and West and encompasses influences as varied as Ghassan Kanafani Ahlam Mosteghanemi Mahmoud Darwish Naji al Ali Tupac Biggie Public Enemy MBS Krsquonaan and Pharoahe Monch IHDA (Dedication) DAMrsquos long-awaited first international album was released in 2007 and DAM has seen its songs and members featured in films such as Ford Transit (Dir Hany Abu Assad) Where in the World is Osama Bin Laden (Dir Morgan Spurlock) Salt of this Sea (Dir Annemarie Jacir) Local Angel and Forgiveness (Dir Udi Aloni) DAMrsquos history and influence on the Arab hip hop scene is detailed in the feature-length documentary Slingshot Hip Hop (Dir Jackie Reem Salloum) The group has also been featured in Vibe National Geographic Rolling Stone Q Basement Reuters and The New York Times and has appeared on MTV CNN BBC and Al Jazeera Their work can be heard and explored at damrapcom

EL DEEB first ventured into Egyptian Hip Hop when he joined Asfalt in 2005 He left in 2007 to create Wighit Nazara duo represented by Mohamed Yasser and himself It was a successful musical project that lasted until mid 2010 Currently he is working on his solo career with plans to release an EP every couple of months or so Cairofornia is his first solo EP His work may be heard at deebbandcampcom and on Facebook

EL RASS was born in Tripoli Lebanon He started writing poetry in literary Arabic at age 11 and started rhyming in spoken Lebanese dialect in 1999 at age 15 At that time he formed one third of a group of 3 MCrsquos going under the name of ldquoMlouk el Micrdquo (ldquoKings of the Micrdquo) They recorded one album and performed locally At 17 he left for France to study Finance and Economics Studies were hard money was scarce and exile was tough but music and poetry never left him as he continued rhyming with some underground French MCrsquos like Medline and Moebius and developed new musical skills on percussion in classical Arabic singing and baglama (turkish buzuk) After graduating and working for almost two years in the hell of banking and market finance El Rass decided to return to Lebanon He spent a year just re-discovering Beirut and making and learning music He now works as a journalist at the newspaper Assafir while concurrently pursuing joint projects with other producers and musicians He calls his work Taalik in reference to the same word in Arabic for ldquocommentrdquo and another word that comes from the same semantic root moaallakat which is a corpus of selected pre-Islamic poetry that was written with gold ink on the walls of the Karsquoaba in Mecca His work may be heard at soundcloudcomElRass

FAREEQ EL ATRASH is a hip hop band based out of Hamra St Beirut with a sound that is distinguished by laid back topical flows over live instrumentation It consists of Edd (raps) Nasser (raps) FZ (vocal production and FX) Fouad Afra (drums) Goo (plays guitar keys heart strings) and Abed Kobeissy (plays bass and buzuk) Their 2010 album and 2009 prealbum are available online More of their work may be found on Facebook Eddrsquos solo work can also be heard at soundcloudcomEdd

H2Z was born in Kuwait in 1986 where he lived for four years Due to the gulf war his family moved to Lebanon where he lived for the most part of his life Inspired by the tragic events in the Middle East and elsewhere in the world H2Z adopted rap music as a way to raise awareness about the injustices suffered by his people and to deliver a message through his music to anyone who supports the Palestinian cause His career began in 2004 when he was introduced to the production business by fellow rappers and soon he started producing his own tracks and established a local band producing many tracks for himself and other musicians in Lebanon In 2008 he released his first solo album titled 3aed which contained

17 tracks The political influence was noticed throughout the album and was generally well-received He is now studying for a degree in business administration at Wayne State University in Michigan His work may be heard at reverbnationcomh2z

KATIBEH 5 are based in Borj el Barajneh Lebanon Their work can be found at reverbnationcomkatibeh5 and myspacecomkatibe5palestine and on Facebook

M1 is Mutulu Olugbala of the New York based collective Dead Prez whose work is online at deadprezcom M1 is also on Facebook

MC GAZA is Adnan Mahmoud Ghonim an Algerian born artist and university student based in Gaza It was the beginning of 2005 when he attended one of the hip hop concerts in Gaza City ndash Gaza City that never appreciated the art he loved and attached himself to ndash and it was love at first sight between them Through some of the concerts he participated in a number of songs he collaborated on with Arabs from Egypt Algeria and Palestine and some active participation to represent the Palestinian people and interviews for both Arab and foreign press he was able to make a name for himself in the Gazan hip hop community His work may be found at youtubecomMCGaza and on Facebook

THE NARCICYST Having pioneered the Arab Hip-Hop movement with seminal Iraqi-Canadian crew Euphrates The Narcicyst recently broke through borders and shattered traveling etiquette touring solo around the world sharing stages with the likes of Brother Ali Mos Def and Kanye West to name a few On top of music The Narcicyst is a celebrated theorist whose academic work Fear of an Arab Planet has him from the stage to the classrooms of internationally renowned universities He is now also a professor at Concordia University teaching a Fine Arts course ldquoHip-Hop Past Present and Futurerdquo His writings have been published by multiple university presses and magazines internationally he is also a self-published author having recently released the biographical and social-study on the Arab world The Diatribes of a Dying Tribe As a true artist interested in really pushing his own artistic boundaries The Narcicyst has stepped into acting currently starring in the short music film PHATWA and in the first internationally-released film from the United Arab Emirates called City of Life A true multi-media

111110

KHALED AL HILLI is a PhD candidate in Comparative Literature at the Graduate Center City University of New York He has a BA in English Literature and a Masterrsquos degree in Teaching Second Languages Born in Iraq Khaled has taught in Lebanon and Saudi Arabia at both college and high school levels He has also worked with various Iraqi news outlets and has subtitledtranslated documentary films dealing with current social and political issues His research interests include Arabic political literature prison literature and literature in the diaspora He may be reached at hillykhalidgmailcom

+AZIZ is a NYC-based marketing consultant and a musician He is working through The World Music Parade to develop an animation project based on his music More about that project can be found at themusicparadetumblrcom He tweets from plusaziz

FAYSAL BIBI is a paleontologist and electronic musician currently based in Berlin

LOUBNA BILALI is originally from Morocco She did her undergrad and first MA in English Linguistics at Chouaib Doukkali University El Jadida She came to the US in 2008 to pursue a Masterrsquos degree in French to English translation and is currently working on a PhD in translation studies at Kent State University in Ohio She is very interested in learning and teaching languages as well as translating and localizing computer applications and websites She may be reached at loubnabilaligmailcom

FARAH ELREWAISSATI is a freelance translator pro-Palestine activist and BDS advocate who blogs at youthanormalizationblogspotcom She tweets from 3beee

NIZAR GHANEM was born in Lebanon He has been active in intercultural education interactive learning and conflict resolution across the Arab world His work on conflict resolution involved using theater comics and music as tools for emotional expression and social mobilization

RIMA NAJDI is a Performing Artist She studied dramatic arts at the Lebanese University in Beirut and obtained a Masterrsquos degree in Performance Studies at NYU New York She has written and performed in various plays and performances Najdi is particularly interested in multi-media performing arts and the position of the spectators

BARRAK ALZAID (copy editor) is the Artistic Director of ArteEast He is the editor of the ArteEast Quarterly a dynamic online portal featuring four publications that highlight contemporary art and culture from the Middle East and diaspora ndash ArtersquoZine Shahadat (contemporary short-form literature) Gallery and Cinematek (an online film center) He is also the curator for ArteEastrsquos Across Histories Art Talk Series featuring a series of panels on residencies in Fall 2011 He tweets from barrakster

RAYYA EL ZEIN (editor) is working towards a PhD in Theatre at the Graduate Center City University of New York Her research is increasingly focusing on theories of reception historical studies of audience behavior and popular culture in the Arab world She holds an MA in Performance Studies from NYU and is currently a teaching fellow at City College in Harlem She tweets from rayelz

translator biosdreamer Yassin recently established an arts label in the UAE called The Medium focusing on delivering art from Arabs in the diaspora and at lsquohomersquo to the rest of the world iraqisthebombcom He tweets from TheNarcicyst

OMAR OFFENDUM is a Syrian-American hip hop artist born in Saudi Arabia raised in Washington DC and living in Los Angeles Known for taking audiences on a lyrical journey from the jasmine-tree-lined courtyards of Nizar Qabbanirsquos Damascene homes to the flooded riverbanks of Langston Hughesrsquo Harlem Renaissance poems - Offendum has been featured on several major news outlets (BBC Yahoo ABC News Aljazeera PBS) toured the world to promote his ground-breaking music helped raise thousands of dollars for various humanitarian relief organizations (PCRF KinderUSA ANERA Islamic Relief) lectured at a number of prestigious academic institutions (Harvard MIT Stanford Columbia American University of Beirut NYU-AbuDhabi Qatar Education City) and most recently been involved in creating several critically-acclaimed songs about the popular democratic uprisings throughout the Middle East amp North Africa He is currently hard at work promoting his solo release - affectionately dubbed SyrianamericanA His work may be heard (and read) at offendumbandcampcom He is on Facebook and he tweets from Offendum

RAMALLAH UNDERGROUND based in Ramallah Palestine was born from the immediacy of musical experimentation and out of the need to give voice to a generation of Palestinians and Arabs facing a turbulent and uncertain political landscape The collective was founded by artists Boikutt Stormtrap and Aswatt and has always held a commitment to both the honesty of their work and the need to creatively rejuvenate Arabic culture To this end they combine music ranging from Arabic electronic music hip-hop and trip hop to downtempo with a deep sense of their local culture and the imposing presence of Palestine in their lives The outcome is a new specific and distinct sound RU (as producers and as MCrsquos ) has collaborated with numerous artists across the globe including countries like Lebanon UK Switzerland Italy USA France and many more including a collaboration with Slovo (a band headed by the guitarist from faithless) in their track ldquoNakbardquo which appears on their album Todo Cambia and with Kronos Quartet in the track ldquoTashweeshrdquo which appears on Floodplain RU has also performed live shows in Ramallah Bethlehem Vienna London Cairo Lausanne Amsterdam and Washington DC Their shows are mainly a performance of their hip-hop tracks as well as a few of their own electronic productions as a warm up More recently RU has incorporated a visual set in their live

performances brought to you by Palestinian visual artist Ruanne RU hopes to give a voice to Palestinians and Arabs bringing an alternative voice from the Arab world Their lyrics and music are an expression of anguish and defiance ultimately remaining a defiant voice of the colonized against the colonizer They continue to play a big role in the Arab underground cultural scene while slowly gaining wide global and local popularity

SHADIA MANSOURrsquos work can be found at myspacecomshadiamusic and on Facebook

STORMTRAP is a music producercomposerMC from Palestine Experimenting with old samples instruments and field recordings his sound is the result of a fusion of ambient atmospheres combined with various noises and hip hop beats His lyrics deal with different themes inspired mainly by his personal experiences in Palestine and life in the diaspora Stormtrap played a fundamental role in forming the band Ramallah Underground with which he has performed worldwide the past few years Currently he is working in Vienna with Aras Seyhan and Eren Ileri on a new album which combines live instruments synthesizers turntables beats and Arabic lyrics- which will be released early 2012 His work may be heard at soundcloudcomstormtrap He tweets from asifeh

AMEER YOSSEF 25 has sung and writen music with the band Klaket for the past four years His work may be heard at youtubecomAmeer and on Facebook

towards the work Her work for now concentrates on the process of making interactive and participatory performances that question borders stereotypes and languages

MOE ALI NAYEL is a fixer and a journalist based in Beirut Lebanon He uses social media blogging non-mainstream music journalism and writing as a word spreading eye opening socializing arena He uses social media as a bridge that cuts distance between people on this planet making it a tiny village This bridge starts in his office and takes him to every corner in the world enabling him to connect and network with people and cultures sharing and exchanging stories of the unheard and the neglected He blogs at Words of Action and he tweets from MoeAliNay

ALEX ORTIZ is a video and radio journalist and translator based in Cairo Egypt He graduated from Brown University in 2009 with a double major in Comparative Literature and Middle East Studies He was a CASA I fellow from 2009-2010 and a CASA II fellow from 2010-2011 He currently works for CBS News as a field producer He tweets from cairowitness

AHMED SHAWKET is an independent translator living in Cairo Egypt He is a graduate of the Helwan University Faculty of Arts where he majored in philosophy Ahmed works on literary media and commercial translation

113112

ABOUT SHAHADATShahadat is a quarterly online series designed to provide a platform for short-form writing and experimentation in writing by young and underexposed writers from the MENA region (Middle East and North Africa) The series features stories vignettes reflections and chronicles in translation and the original language of Arabic Farsi Turkish or Kurdish It makes up one quarter of ArteEastrsquos online programming the AE Quarterly For past issues of Shahadat click here

ABOUT THIS SERIES Shahadat is proud to run two alternating series and releases two issues a year of each The issue yoursquove just perused is part of the ldquoExploring Popular Literaturerdquo series This series challenges traditional understandings of ldquoliteraturerdquo emerging from the Middle East and North Africa by presenting genres of creative production that rely on words and language but which have not typically been studied as literature Works are presented in their original language and in translation

In each issue we gather texts from a spectrum of writers to challenge the singular status of the artistauthor and to encourage a more complex presentation of the Middle Eastern and North African ldquostreetrdquo for English-speaking audiences Shahadatrsquos other series ldquoContemporary Literature in Translationrdquo features the work of a single young author in the original language and in English translation

BEHIND THE DOCUMENTShahadat is co-edited by Rayya El Zein Alex Ortiz and ArteEastrsquos Artistic Director Barrak Alzaid All three are young professionals and scholars with artistic inclinations (literature poetry translation and performance) All three have strong connections to New York City and various metropole of the MENA region Shahadat is for us an experiment and a labor of love An editorial board of established scholars and authors is currently being conceived

SPECIAL THANKS TOAnmar El ZeinKinda AkashAndrew JohnstonLivia Alexander

Shahadat logo design by Rima Farouki

114

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Page 55: Shahadat Winter 2012

109108

artist bios

ARABIAN KNIGHTZ the premier hip hop group from the land of the Nile River have not only established themselves as the lyricists with the sharpest swords in their land but they have also created the most consistent voice for rebellion strength and hope for the youth of the Middle East During the 2011 Revolution Arabian Knightz released two singles ldquoRebelrdquo and ldquoNot Your Prisonerrdquo anthems of resistance which gained worldwide attention and major media coverage for their powerful lyrics against a wicked system The group formed in 2006 through the cipher hip hoprsquos natural way of choosing like mindsets on the mic Rush Sphinx and E-Money were ahead of their peers adapting an authentic Arab perspective to the art dominated by Western voices mixing English and Arabic raps After hitting the studio for successful underground tracks AK enlisted super-producer Fredwreck (Snoop Dogg Xzibit Tha Dogg Pound) ldquoFokkakrdquo the single from this studio session was an instant hit and (surprisingly for Arabic Hip Hop) projected them to the top ten of the singles charts Arab League Records was formed amidst a growing fanbase and numerous collaborations with other Arab hip hop artists the first international Arab hip hop record label Desert Saga Volume 1 mixtape was the debut release led by ldquoThe Onerdquo featuring Egyptrsquos MC Amin Arabian Knightz have recorded their debut album Uknighted State of Arabia a masterpiece for Arab hip hop years in the making featuring instrumentals dominated by traditional percussions and players are scheduled for a Winter 2012 Release They are on Facebook

BOIKUTT is a musician and MC based in Ramallah Palestine Creating sounds using sampled material field recordings and electronic devices the results range between hip-hop downtempo ambient glitch and experimental He has composed and produced music for artists such as Kronos Quartet Bukue One Spiritchild Tamer Abu-Ghazaleh Bleubird and others and has appeared as an MC on albums for artists such as Slovo Heliodrome Bonnot and Lethal Skillz A co-founder of the Ramallah Underground Collective which has toured across the Arab World Europe and Australia Boikutt is also co-founder and member of audio-visual group Tashweesh with whom he is currently touring Also as a solo performer he has been in Beirut Cairo Manila Copenhagen London Hamburg Dubai Bethlehem and other cities He has produced and exhibited a few sound-art pieces composed several film scores has most recently composed the music for a dance theater performance entitled Bound by

New York-based company Yaa Samar Dance Theatre and is now working on different collaborative and solo projects His work may be heard at soundcloudcomboikutt and on Facebook

DAM Da Arabian MCrsquos are Suhell Nafar Tamer Nafar and Mahmoud Jreri The first Palestinian hip hop crew and among the first to rap in Arabic the group began working together in the late 1990s Struck by the uncanny resemblance of the reality of the streets in a Tupac video to the streets in their own neighborhood of Lyd they were inspired to tell their stories through hip hop Their timely song ldquoMin Irhabirdquo (ldquoWhorsquos the Terroristrdquo) was downloaded a million times shortly after its internet realese in 2001 and DAM became a household name among youth throughout the Middle East Ten years of performing all over the world has strengthened the grouprsquos commitment to continue living and working in their hometown of Lyd 15 minutes from Tel Aviv and working to provide the youth of the city and neighboring communities with programs and opportunities that have been denied to Palestinian citizens of Israel Their music is a unique fusion of East and West and encompasses influences as varied as Ghassan Kanafani Ahlam Mosteghanemi Mahmoud Darwish Naji al Ali Tupac Biggie Public Enemy MBS Krsquonaan and Pharoahe Monch IHDA (Dedication) DAMrsquos long-awaited first international album was released in 2007 and DAM has seen its songs and members featured in films such as Ford Transit (Dir Hany Abu Assad) Where in the World is Osama Bin Laden (Dir Morgan Spurlock) Salt of this Sea (Dir Annemarie Jacir) Local Angel and Forgiveness (Dir Udi Aloni) DAMrsquos history and influence on the Arab hip hop scene is detailed in the feature-length documentary Slingshot Hip Hop (Dir Jackie Reem Salloum) The group has also been featured in Vibe National Geographic Rolling Stone Q Basement Reuters and The New York Times and has appeared on MTV CNN BBC and Al Jazeera Their work can be heard and explored at damrapcom

EL DEEB first ventured into Egyptian Hip Hop when he joined Asfalt in 2005 He left in 2007 to create Wighit Nazara duo represented by Mohamed Yasser and himself It was a successful musical project that lasted until mid 2010 Currently he is working on his solo career with plans to release an EP every couple of months or so Cairofornia is his first solo EP His work may be heard at deebbandcampcom and on Facebook

EL RASS was born in Tripoli Lebanon He started writing poetry in literary Arabic at age 11 and started rhyming in spoken Lebanese dialect in 1999 at age 15 At that time he formed one third of a group of 3 MCrsquos going under the name of ldquoMlouk el Micrdquo (ldquoKings of the Micrdquo) They recorded one album and performed locally At 17 he left for France to study Finance and Economics Studies were hard money was scarce and exile was tough but music and poetry never left him as he continued rhyming with some underground French MCrsquos like Medline and Moebius and developed new musical skills on percussion in classical Arabic singing and baglama (turkish buzuk) After graduating and working for almost two years in the hell of banking and market finance El Rass decided to return to Lebanon He spent a year just re-discovering Beirut and making and learning music He now works as a journalist at the newspaper Assafir while concurrently pursuing joint projects with other producers and musicians He calls his work Taalik in reference to the same word in Arabic for ldquocommentrdquo and another word that comes from the same semantic root moaallakat which is a corpus of selected pre-Islamic poetry that was written with gold ink on the walls of the Karsquoaba in Mecca His work may be heard at soundcloudcomElRass

FAREEQ EL ATRASH is a hip hop band based out of Hamra St Beirut with a sound that is distinguished by laid back topical flows over live instrumentation It consists of Edd (raps) Nasser (raps) FZ (vocal production and FX) Fouad Afra (drums) Goo (plays guitar keys heart strings) and Abed Kobeissy (plays bass and buzuk) Their 2010 album and 2009 prealbum are available online More of their work may be found on Facebook Eddrsquos solo work can also be heard at soundcloudcomEdd

H2Z was born in Kuwait in 1986 where he lived for four years Due to the gulf war his family moved to Lebanon where he lived for the most part of his life Inspired by the tragic events in the Middle East and elsewhere in the world H2Z adopted rap music as a way to raise awareness about the injustices suffered by his people and to deliver a message through his music to anyone who supports the Palestinian cause His career began in 2004 when he was introduced to the production business by fellow rappers and soon he started producing his own tracks and established a local band producing many tracks for himself and other musicians in Lebanon In 2008 he released his first solo album titled 3aed which contained

17 tracks The political influence was noticed throughout the album and was generally well-received He is now studying for a degree in business administration at Wayne State University in Michigan His work may be heard at reverbnationcomh2z

KATIBEH 5 are based in Borj el Barajneh Lebanon Their work can be found at reverbnationcomkatibeh5 and myspacecomkatibe5palestine and on Facebook

M1 is Mutulu Olugbala of the New York based collective Dead Prez whose work is online at deadprezcom M1 is also on Facebook

MC GAZA is Adnan Mahmoud Ghonim an Algerian born artist and university student based in Gaza It was the beginning of 2005 when he attended one of the hip hop concerts in Gaza City ndash Gaza City that never appreciated the art he loved and attached himself to ndash and it was love at first sight between them Through some of the concerts he participated in a number of songs he collaborated on with Arabs from Egypt Algeria and Palestine and some active participation to represent the Palestinian people and interviews for both Arab and foreign press he was able to make a name for himself in the Gazan hip hop community His work may be found at youtubecomMCGaza and on Facebook

THE NARCICYST Having pioneered the Arab Hip-Hop movement with seminal Iraqi-Canadian crew Euphrates The Narcicyst recently broke through borders and shattered traveling etiquette touring solo around the world sharing stages with the likes of Brother Ali Mos Def and Kanye West to name a few On top of music The Narcicyst is a celebrated theorist whose academic work Fear of an Arab Planet has him from the stage to the classrooms of internationally renowned universities He is now also a professor at Concordia University teaching a Fine Arts course ldquoHip-Hop Past Present and Futurerdquo His writings have been published by multiple university presses and magazines internationally he is also a self-published author having recently released the biographical and social-study on the Arab world The Diatribes of a Dying Tribe As a true artist interested in really pushing his own artistic boundaries The Narcicyst has stepped into acting currently starring in the short music film PHATWA and in the first internationally-released film from the United Arab Emirates called City of Life A true multi-media

111110

KHALED AL HILLI is a PhD candidate in Comparative Literature at the Graduate Center City University of New York He has a BA in English Literature and a Masterrsquos degree in Teaching Second Languages Born in Iraq Khaled has taught in Lebanon and Saudi Arabia at both college and high school levels He has also worked with various Iraqi news outlets and has subtitledtranslated documentary films dealing with current social and political issues His research interests include Arabic political literature prison literature and literature in the diaspora He may be reached at hillykhalidgmailcom

+AZIZ is a NYC-based marketing consultant and a musician He is working through The World Music Parade to develop an animation project based on his music More about that project can be found at themusicparadetumblrcom He tweets from plusaziz

FAYSAL BIBI is a paleontologist and electronic musician currently based in Berlin

LOUBNA BILALI is originally from Morocco She did her undergrad and first MA in English Linguistics at Chouaib Doukkali University El Jadida She came to the US in 2008 to pursue a Masterrsquos degree in French to English translation and is currently working on a PhD in translation studies at Kent State University in Ohio She is very interested in learning and teaching languages as well as translating and localizing computer applications and websites She may be reached at loubnabilaligmailcom

FARAH ELREWAISSATI is a freelance translator pro-Palestine activist and BDS advocate who blogs at youthanormalizationblogspotcom She tweets from 3beee

NIZAR GHANEM was born in Lebanon He has been active in intercultural education interactive learning and conflict resolution across the Arab world His work on conflict resolution involved using theater comics and music as tools for emotional expression and social mobilization

RIMA NAJDI is a Performing Artist She studied dramatic arts at the Lebanese University in Beirut and obtained a Masterrsquos degree in Performance Studies at NYU New York She has written and performed in various plays and performances Najdi is particularly interested in multi-media performing arts and the position of the spectators

BARRAK ALZAID (copy editor) is the Artistic Director of ArteEast He is the editor of the ArteEast Quarterly a dynamic online portal featuring four publications that highlight contemporary art and culture from the Middle East and diaspora ndash ArtersquoZine Shahadat (contemporary short-form literature) Gallery and Cinematek (an online film center) He is also the curator for ArteEastrsquos Across Histories Art Talk Series featuring a series of panels on residencies in Fall 2011 He tweets from barrakster

RAYYA EL ZEIN (editor) is working towards a PhD in Theatre at the Graduate Center City University of New York Her research is increasingly focusing on theories of reception historical studies of audience behavior and popular culture in the Arab world She holds an MA in Performance Studies from NYU and is currently a teaching fellow at City College in Harlem She tweets from rayelz

translator biosdreamer Yassin recently established an arts label in the UAE called The Medium focusing on delivering art from Arabs in the diaspora and at lsquohomersquo to the rest of the world iraqisthebombcom He tweets from TheNarcicyst

OMAR OFFENDUM is a Syrian-American hip hop artist born in Saudi Arabia raised in Washington DC and living in Los Angeles Known for taking audiences on a lyrical journey from the jasmine-tree-lined courtyards of Nizar Qabbanirsquos Damascene homes to the flooded riverbanks of Langston Hughesrsquo Harlem Renaissance poems - Offendum has been featured on several major news outlets (BBC Yahoo ABC News Aljazeera PBS) toured the world to promote his ground-breaking music helped raise thousands of dollars for various humanitarian relief organizations (PCRF KinderUSA ANERA Islamic Relief) lectured at a number of prestigious academic institutions (Harvard MIT Stanford Columbia American University of Beirut NYU-AbuDhabi Qatar Education City) and most recently been involved in creating several critically-acclaimed songs about the popular democratic uprisings throughout the Middle East amp North Africa He is currently hard at work promoting his solo release - affectionately dubbed SyrianamericanA His work may be heard (and read) at offendumbandcampcom He is on Facebook and he tweets from Offendum

RAMALLAH UNDERGROUND based in Ramallah Palestine was born from the immediacy of musical experimentation and out of the need to give voice to a generation of Palestinians and Arabs facing a turbulent and uncertain political landscape The collective was founded by artists Boikutt Stormtrap and Aswatt and has always held a commitment to both the honesty of their work and the need to creatively rejuvenate Arabic culture To this end they combine music ranging from Arabic electronic music hip-hop and trip hop to downtempo with a deep sense of their local culture and the imposing presence of Palestine in their lives The outcome is a new specific and distinct sound RU (as producers and as MCrsquos ) has collaborated with numerous artists across the globe including countries like Lebanon UK Switzerland Italy USA France and many more including a collaboration with Slovo (a band headed by the guitarist from faithless) in their track ldquoNakbardquo which appears on their album Todo Cambia and with Kronos Quartet in the track ldquoTashweeshrdquo which appears on Floodplain RU has also performed live shows in Ramallah Bethlehem Vienna London Cairo Lausanne Amsterdam and Washington DC Their shows are mainly a performance of their hip-hop tracks as well as a few of their own electronic productions as a warm up More recently RU has incorporated a visual set in their live

performances brought to you by Palestinian visual artist Ruanne RU hopes to give a voice to Palestinians and Arabs bringing an alternative voice from the Arab world Their lyrics and music are an expression of anguish and defiance ultimately remaining a defiant voice of the colonized against the colonizer They continue to play a big role in the Arab underground cultural scene while slowly gaining wide global and local popularity

SHADIA MANSOURrsquos work can be found at myspacecomshadiamusic and on Facebook

STORMTRAP is a music producercomposerMC from Palestine Experimenting with old samples instruments and field recordings his sound is the result of a fusion of ambient atmospheres combined with various noises and hip hop beats His lyrics deal with different themes inspired mainly by his personal experiences in Palestine and life in the diaspora Stormtrap played a fundamental role in forming the band Ramallah Underground with which he has performed worldwide the past few years Currently he is working in Vienna with Aras Seyhan and Eren Ileri on a new album which combines live instruments synthesizers turntables beats and Arabic lyrics- which will be released early 2012 His work may be heard at soundcloudcomstormtrap He tweets from asifeh

AMEER YOSSEF 25 has sung and writen music with the band Klaket for the past four years His work may be heard at youtubecomAmeer and on Facebook

towards the work Her work for now concentrates on the process of making interactive and participatory performances that question borders stereotypes and languages

MOE ALI NAYEL is a fixer and a journalist based in Beirut Lebanon He uses social media blogging non-mainstream music journalism and writing as a word spreading eye opening socializing arena He uses social media as a bridge that cuts distance between people on this planet making it a tiny village This bridge starts in his office and takes him to every corner in the world enabling him to connect and network with people and cultures sharing and exchanging stories of the unheard and the neglected He blogs at Words of Action and he tweets from MoeAliNay

ALEX ORTIZ is a video and radio journalist and translator based in Cairo Egypt He graduated from Brown University in 2009 with a double major in Comparative Literature and Middle East Studies He was a CASA I fellow from 2009-2010 and a CASA II fellow from 2010-2011 He currently works for CBS News as a field producer He tweets from cairowitness

AHMED SHAWKET is an independent translator living in Cairo Egypt He is a graduate of the Helwan University Faculty of Arts where he majored in philosophy Ahmed works on literary media and commercial translation

113112

ABOUT SHAHADATShahadat is a quarterly online series designed to provide a platform for short-form writing and experimentation in writing by young and underexposed writers from the MENA region (Middle East and North Africa) The series features stories vignettes reflections and chronicles in translation and the original language of Arabic Farsi Turkish or Kurdish It makes up one quarter of ArteEastrsquos online programming the AE Quarterly For past issues of Shahadat click here

ABOUT THIS SERIES Shahadat is proud to run two alternating series and releases two issues a year of each The issue yoursquove just perused is part of the ldquoExploring Popular Literaturerdquo series This series challenges traditional understandings of ldquoliteraturerdquo emerging from the Middle East and North Africa by presenting genres of creative production that rely on words and language but which have not typically been studied as literature Works are presented in their original language and in translation

In each issue we gather texts from a spectrum of writers to challenge the singular status of the artistauthor and to encourage a more complex presentation of the Middle Eastern and North African ldquostreetrdquo for English-speaking audiences Shahadatrsquos other series ldquoContemporary Literature in Translationrdquo features the work of a single young author in the original language and in English translation

BEHIND THE DOCUMENTShahadat is co-edited by Rayya El Zein Alex Ortiz and ArteEastrsquos Artistic Director Barrak Alzaid All three are young professionals and scholars with artistic inclinations (literature poetry translation and performance) All three have strong connections to New York City and various metropole of the MENA region Shahadat is for us an experiment and a labor of love An editorial board of established scholars and authors is currently being conceived

SPECIAL THANKS TOAnmar El ZeinKinda AkashAndrew JohnstonLivia Alexander

Shahadat logo design by Rima Farouki

114

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Page 56: Shahadat Winter 2012

111110

KHALED AL HILLI is a PhD candidate in Comparative Literature at the Graduate Center City University of New York He has a BA in English Literature and a Masterrsquos degree in Teaching Second Languages Born in Iraq Khaled has taught in Lebanon and Saudi Arabia at both college and high school levels He has also worked with various Iraqi news outlets and has subtitledtranslated documentary films dealing with current social and political issues His research interests include Arabic political literature prison literature and literature in the diaspora He may be reached at hillykhalidgmailcom

+AZIZ is a NYC-based marketing consultant and a musician He is working through The World Music Parade to develop an animation project based on his music More about that project can be found at themusicparadetumblrcom He tweets from plusaziz

FAYSAL BIBI is a paleontologist and electronic musician currently based in Berlin

LOUBNA BILALI is originally from Morocco She did her undergrad and first MA in English Linguistics at Chouaib Doukkali University El Jadida She came to the US in 2008 to pursue a Masterrsquos degree in French to English translation and is currently working on a PhD in translation studies at Kent State University in Ohio She is very interested in learning and teaching languages as well as translating and localizing computer applications and websites She may be reached at loubnabilaligmailcom

FARAH ELREWAISSATI is a freelance translator pro-Palestine activist and BDS advocate who blogs at youthanormalizationblogspotcom She tweets from 3beee

NIZAR GHANEM was born in Lebanon He has been active in intercultural education interactive learning and conflict resolution across the Arab world His work on conflict resolution involved using theater comics and music as tools for emotional expression and social mobilization

RIMA NAJDI is a Performing Artist She studied dramatic arts at the Lebanese University in Beirut and obtained a Masterrsquos degree in Performance Studies at NYU New York She has written and performed in various plays and performances Najdi is particularly interested in multi-media performing arts and the position of the spectators

BARRAK ALZAID (copy editor) is the Artistic Director of ArteEast He is the editor of the ArteEast Quarterly a dynamic online portal featuring four publications that highlight contemporary art and culture from the Middle East and diaspora ndash ArtersquoZine Shahadat (contemporary short-form literature) Gallery and Cinematek (an online film center) He is also the curator for ArteEastrsquos Across Histories Art Talk Series featuring a series of panels on residencies in Fall 2011 He tweets from barrakster

RAYYA EL ZEIN (editor) is working towards a PhD in Theatre at the Graduate Center City University of New York Her research is increasingly focusing on theories of reception historical studies of audience behavior and popular culture in the Arab world She holds an MA in Performance Studies from NYU and is currently a teaching fellow at City College in Harlem She tweets from rayelz

translator biosdreamer Yassin recently established an arts label in the UAE called The Medium focusing on delivering art from Arabs in the diaspora and at lsquohomersquo to the rest of the world iraqisthebombcom He tweets from TheNarcicyst

OMAR OFFENDUM is a Syrian-American hip hop artist born in Saudi Arabia raised in Washington DC and living in Los Angeles Known for taking audiences on a lyrical journey from the jasmine-tree-lined courtyards of Nizar Qabbanirsquos Damascene homes to the flooded riverbanks of Langston Hughesrsquo Harlem Renaissance poems - Offendum has been featured on several major news outlets (BBC Yahoo ABC News Aljazeera PBS) toured the world to promote his ground-breaking music helped raise thousands of dollars for various humanitarian relief organizations (PCRF KinderUSA ANERA Islamic Relief) lectured at a number of prestigious academic institutions (Harvard MIT Stanford Columbia American University of Beirut NYU-AbuDhabi Qatar Education City) and most recently been involved in creating several critically-acclaimed songs about the popular democratic uprisings throughout the Middle East amp North Africa He is currently hard at work promoting his solo release - affectionately dubbed SyrianamericanA His work may be heard (and read) at offendumbandcampcom He is on Facebook and he tweets from Offendum

RAMALLAH UNDERGROUND based in Ramallah Palestine was born from the immediacy of musical experimentation and out of the need to give voice to a generation of Palestinians and Arabs facing a turbulent and uncertain political landscape The collective was founded by artists Boikutt Stormtrap and Aswatt and has always held a commitment to both the honesty of their work and the need to creatively rejuvenate Arabic culture To this end they combine music ranging from Arabic electronic music hip-hop and trip hop to downtempo with a deep sense of their local culture and the imposing presence of Palestine in their lives The outcome is a new specific and distinct sound RU (as producers and as MCrsquos ) has collaborated with numerous artists across the globe including countries like Lebanon UK Switzerland Italy USA France and many more including a collaboration with Slovo (a band headed by the guitarist from faithless) in their track ldquoNakbardquo which appears on their album Todo Cambia and with Kronos Quartet in the track ldquoTashweeshrdquo which appears on Floodplain RU has also performed live shows in Ramallah Bethlehem Vienna London Cairo Lausanne Amsterdam and Washington DC Their shows are mainly a performance of their hip-hop tracks as well as a few of their own electronic productions as a warm up More recently RU has incorporated a visual set in their live

performances brought to you by Palestinian visual artist Ruanne RU hopes to give a voice to Palestinians and Arabs bringing an alternative voice from the Arab world Their lyrics and music are an expression of anguish and defiance ultimately remaining a defiant voice of the colonized against the colonizer They continue to play a big role in the Arab underground cultural scene while slowly gaining wide global and local popularity

SHADIA MANSOURrsquos work can be found at myspacecomshadiamusic and on Facebook

STORMTRAP is a music producercomposerMC from Palestine Experimenting with old samples instruments and field recordings his sound is the result of a fusion of ambient atmospheres combined with various noises and hip hop beats His lyrics deal with different themes inspired mainly by his personal experiences in Palestine and life in the diaspora Stormtrap played a fundamental role in forming the band Ramallah Underground with which he has performed worldwide the past few years Currently he is working in Vienna with Aras Seyhan and Eren Ileri on a new album which combines live instruments synthesizers turntables beats and Arabic lyrics- which will be released early 2012 His work may be heard at soundcloudcomstormtrap He tweets from asifeh

AMEER YOSSEF 25 has sung and writen music with the band Klaket for the past four years His work may be heard at youtubecomAmeer and on Facebook

towards the work Her work for now concentrates on the process of making interactive and participatory performances that question borders stereotypes and languages

MOE ALI NAYEL is a fixer and a journalist based in Beirut Lebanon He uses social media blogging non-mainstream music journalism and writing as a word spreading eye opening socializing arena He uses social media as a bridge that cuts distance between people on this planet making it a tiny village This bridge starts in his office and takes him to every corner in the world enabling him to connect and network with people and cultures sharing and exchanging stories of the unheard and the neglected He blogs at Words of Action and he tweets from MoeAliNay

ALEX ORTIZ is a video and radio journalist and translator based in Cairo Egypt He graduated from Brown University in 2009 with a double major in Comparative Literature and Middle East Studies He was a CASA I fellow from 2009-2010 and a CASA II fellow from 2010-2011 He currently works for CBS News as a field producer He tweets from cairowitness

AHMED SHAWKET is an independent translator living in Cairo Egypt He is a graduate of the Helwan University Faculty of Arts where he majored in philosophy Ahmed works on literary media and commercial translation

113112

ABOUT SHAHADATShahadat is a quarterly online series designed to provide a platform for short-form writing and experimentation in writing by young and underexposed writers from the MENA region (Middle East and North Africa) The series features stories vignettes reflections and chronicles in translation and the original language of Arabic Farsi Turkish or Kurdish It makes up one quarter of ArteEastrsquos online programming the AE Quarterly For past issues of Shahadat click here

ABOUT THIS SERIES Shahadat is proud to run two alternating series and releases two issues a year of each The issue yoursquove just perused is part of the ldquoExploring Popular Literaturerdquo series This series challenges traditional understandings of ldquoliteraturerdquo emerging from the Middle East and North Africa by presenting genres of creative production that rely on words and language but which have not typically been studied as literature Works are presented in their original language and in translation

In each issue we gather texts from a spectrum of writers to challenge the singular status of the artistauthor and to encourage a more complex presentation of the Middle Eastern and North African ldquostreetrdquo for English-speaking audiences Shahadatrsquos other series ldquoContemporary Literature in Translationrdquo features the work of a single young author in the original language and in English translation

BEHIND THE DOCUMENTShahadat is co-edited by Rayya El Zein Alex Ortiz and ArteEastrsquos Artistic Director Barrak Alzaid All three are young professionals and scholars with artistic inclinations (literature poetry translation and performance) All three have strong connections to New York City and various metropole of the MENA region Shahadat is for us an experiment and a labor of love An editorial board of established scholars and authors is currently being conceived

SPECIAL THANKS TOAnmar El ZeinKinda AkashAndrew JohnstonLivia Alexander

Shahadat logo design by Rima Farouki

114

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113112

ABOUT SHAHADATShahadat is a quarterly online series designed to provide a platform for short-form writing and experimentation in writing by young and underexposed writers from the MENA region (Middle East and North Africa) The series features stories vignettes reflections and chronicles in translation and the original language of Arabic Farsi Turkish or Kurdish It makes up one quarter of ArteEastrsquos online programming the AE Quarterly For past issues of Shahadat click here

ABOUT THIS SERIES Shahadat is proud to run two alternating series and releases two issues a year of each The issue yoursquove just perused is part of the ldquoExploring Popular Literaturerdquo series This series challenges traditional understandings of ldquoliteraturerdquo emerging from the Middle East and North Africa by presenting genres of creative production that rely on words and language but which have not typically been studied as literature Works are presented in their original language and in translation

In each issue we gather texts from a spectrum of writers to challenge the singular status of the artistauthor and to encourage a more complex presentation of the Middle Eastern and North African ldquostreetrdquo for English-speaking audiences Shahadatrsquos other series ldquoContemporary Literature in Translationrdquo features the work of a single young author in the original language and in English translation

BEHIND THE DOCUMENTShahadat is co-edited by Rayya El Zein Alex Ortiz and ArteEastrsquos Artistic Director Barrak Alzaid All three are young professionals and scholars with artistic inclinations (literature poetry translation and performance) All three have strong connections to New York City and various metropole of the MENA region Shahadat is for us an experiment and a labor of love An editorial board of established scholars and authors is currently being conceived

SPECIAL THANKS TOAnmar El ZeinKinda AkashAndrew JohnstonLivia Alexander

Shahadat logo design by Rima Farouki

114

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Page 58: Shahadat Winter 2012

114

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