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NBC News Report Suggests Hip-Hop Fueled The Arab Spring

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by Philip Bump | 9:07 am, September 16th, 2011

» 25 comments

Public Enemy’s Chuck D once made the famous claim that “rap is CNN for black people” – it’s news made entertaining. In America, hip-hop and rap began as a vocalization of a culture that was not prominent, a culture with frustrations and oppressions that found voice when paired with turntables, a breakbeat and rhyme. American hip-hop was a political statement before it was an economic powerhouse.

In a recent report, NBC’s Karl Bostic indicates that this pattern has re-emerged in the Arab world. Hip-hop as an underground critique has burst into the political world, providing a soundtrack to the Arab Spring.

Bostic interviewed artists in Egypt, Libya, Tunisia, Bahrain and the West Bank. (Longer versions of many of the interviews are on MSNBC’s website.) Though the political situation and roadblocks in each are unique, hip-hop (according to the interviewees) has served as town crier in mobilizing the population – informing, engaging and inspiring.

Omar Offendum, a Syrian-American hip-hop artist, notes:

Even if the dictator doesn’t necessarily step down, the fact that people are out there and speaking about issues that they for so long they were quiet about or afraid to speak about, is in and of itself a triumph. And hip-hop artists are certainly taking advantage of that.

Hip-hop in the Arab World preceded this year’s uprisings but has not been welcome. Boge, a Libyan rapper who learned English from movies and hip-hop, notes that the authorities “used to put us in prison, just for rapping.” In Syria, which is still struggling to gain freedom, the song “Come On, Leave Bashar” (below) has become an underground anthem – in part because a man singing it was arrested and killed, his vocal cords removed.

The West has fostered and empowered this hip-hop revolution by helping to broadcast the music to a broader audience. The Bahraini MC notes the “media buzz we got because we mixed English and Arabic in the song” – providing distribution the message would not otherwise have gotten.

Other media outlets have covered the role hip-hop plays in the revolutions. Arab Media and Society took a comprehensive look, and, in July, so did the BBC. The latter notes the burgeoning hip-hop scene in newly-freed Benghazi, and quotes one rapper saying that “these revolutions have broken the fear barrier and the silence.”

In the Arab revolutions, hip-hop may just be a backing track, or it may be the bullhorn of the masses; it’s hard to tell from here. But either way, breaking that silence is the point. In the NBC documentary, Deeb, an artist from Egypt, echoes Chuck D.

State media is, you know, the traditional news where you know what’s going on. No, you don’t know what’s going on. Hip-hop is from the streets. We know what’s going on.

Fight the power.

Arab Spring, Hip Hop, Karl Bostic, rap music

TruDat

Yeah, it was hop-hip.

These lefy media types won’t give credit where credit is due, i.e., the Bush administration.
mmars

Further proof that the children are running the shop at nbc.
RapeannCoulter

hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha
TruDat

Did you just take a look at your penis or something?
http://www.facebook.com/people/Farax-Shirwac/100001414842261 Farax Shirwac

Bush Administration? Hahhahahaahahhaahahaha
TruDat

Interesting that Bush predicted the Iraq war would lead to democracy in the Middle East, and after invading Iraq Muammar Gaddafi gave up his nukes, but to goofy liberal morons such as yourself, the Arab Spring is the result of some hip-hop artist. What a bunch of delusional fools you libs are. But hey, you voted for a bumper sticker in 2008, so you’re consistently stupid.
Anonymous

“Interesting that Bush predicted the Iraq war would lead to democracy in the Middle East, ”
Both iraq and libya do not have democracy at present! You must love hypocrisy because you have little credence to call someone stupid especially after such a statement.

On the topic, hip-hop did not cause Arab spring but it is a medium to channel feelings about oppression.
TruDat

They are, however, heading towards democracy. Iraq has held multiple elections; Libya outed Gaddafi.
http://www.storminsmorningjava.blogspot.com/ stormin1961

your walking a thin line Philip. this should be reported to AttackWatch.com. Obama himself took credit for the Arab Spring (and then bitched about it being “bad luck” for his economic recovery).
Anonymous

lol……………….i grew up in Nigeria, elections mean nothing and also, the first decade of democracy is the most corrupt 10 years of govt you will see in any country.

BTw……by mentioning that they are heading towards democracy, you are agreeing that Obama was effective on Libya
http://www.facebook.com/people/Ken-Watson/100000378332267 Ken Watson

Of course, it was Jihadture…..

Ayman Al-Zahiri told you everything’s haram. Dervishes spinning, you said, “Oh, man!”
Jihad is fast.
Jihad is cool.
Abu Nidal says, yep, it’s true.
So you head out there to Tahiri Square and you pump your fist up into the air
then you hop on your camel just to do some travel
and you ride all day and you stop to pray
so you drop right down
prostrate on the ground
and out comes the Man from the Well
and you try to yell
but he’s got a smell
so you take a breath
and it means your death.
Now you’re with the Man in the Well, you make a bomb and go to Israel!
You bomb synagogues, busses and schools
pizza joints and airports, too.
And you don’t stop, sureshot, you keep on killing Jews and then when there’s no more Jews you go overseas and kill Americans, too!
You kill infidels, wherever they are, in shopping malls and tittie bars
where they congregate
and if you’re caught, say “Why the hate?”
So now you see what you want to be, just have your jihad on TV
cuz the Man from the Well he’s through with smells and swank hotels and now he’ll take you straight to HELL!
http://www.facebook.com/people/Ken-Watson/100000378332267 Ken Watson

If they do not have democracy in Iraq, what DO they have?
Anonymous

I thought it was Barack Hussein Obama ll’s ‘ Death to America & Israel ‘ apology tour a few years back that sparked the fire that fanned the flames of change that now has Iran in charge of the entire Middle East.
Anonymous

Dat rite, dawg.
Anonymous

No, doing Iran’s dirty work, particularly in Iraq, is what has left Iran in a stronger position in the Middle East.
Anonymous

Forced american democracy in Iraq.
Anonymous

Yup! Look what wondrous things it’s done for the USA intellectual/cultural levels. Hit don’t git no better’n this/that!!!
Anonymous

The liberals are trying their best to heap praise on their favorite pet causes for the overthrow of Mubarak. But who will they point the finger of blame to when Egypt becomes another terrorist haven/Islamist country, or God forbid, when war erupts?
Jason

Again with the liberals and their bizarre love affair for babbling ignoramuses with microphones.

Jesus Christ, idiot. Just go find a homeless black guy to fuck under a bridge and get this stupid white guilt shit out of your system.
Sharpo

further proof that all conservatives are crybaby cowards.
Sharpo

no. they’re not heading towards democracy. Check iraqi pkk for proof.

grow up trudat and find your balls.
Sharpo

why are you a poosey?
Sharpo

can i shave your wife this weekend?
Sharpo

Jason is an ignorant american who has no idea what this article is really about

Jason, why are you ignorant?
David Edwards2754

This is very interesting given the fact that last year I held an event on hip hop in the middle east for my school