An Arab Rapper To Like: Black Unit Mohammed Wafi

I met this guy at a checkpoint few years ago, Mohammed Wafi was on his way to Egypt to go to school--his mom is Egyptian making him a Palestinian Egyptian rapper. I remember him having an awesome hair style and someone pointed him to me and said, this guy is a big deal.

I ended up talking to him and listening to his music on his laptop. We had lots of time to kill, so why not? the music was catchy. We talked about his collaboration and the movie Sling Shot Hip Hop that was released a year prior.

Two years later, Wafi and his band Black Unit release this lovely track, with numbers....they count to 48, each number tell a Palestinian story. This is a very Gaza track, that speaks about division and militants in Gaza, but the Israeli gets a great deal in this track. This is very creative way to tell a story and channel that rage.

This time Wafi brings a friend for the track, he featured Alaa Shoblaq. This is a track made by guys who have nothing, but really want to make music--I happen to think they are awesome. Hope you will enjoy the track and the artwork accompanying it.

Wafi does interior design--something he studied in college
 
Mohammed wafi from black unit band - 48 numbers ft. alaa shoblaq

Israelis Boycott Musicians Too! Wagner Is A Case

Richard Wagner composed some of the finest and most refined music there is to find.  His work is notable for their complex texture, vivid harmonies. His music pulled something so well, the ability to create musical themes associated with individual characters, places, ideas or plot elements.


Yet this Legendary (and controversial) German composer loved himself so much. He let the world knows it too. It would be hard to find some other composer who has displayed a greater egotism and sureness of his own genius than Richard Wagner! "I'm not like other people. 1 have finer nerves - I must have beauty and brilliance and light. The world owes me what 1 need. I can't live on a miserable organist's post, like your master Bach!" Trust me you would too if you were writing both the music and libretto for every one of your stage works like Wagner.

But egotism is not the reason why some people in Israel and many Jews resent the guy and reject his music.

To be clear, Wagner was not a Nazi and he has died long before Nazi take power in Germany, yet his music still unwelcome in Israel. We have called on artists to boycott Israel concerts before, but the Israelis seem to always response, art should not be boycotted. It's true music builds bridges between people, but why do Israelis do not welcome the music of the iconic and genius composer like Wagner? I was reading this article today "What’s Behind Israel’s Unofficial Ban on Wagner?"

Jonathan Livny was so eager to have the music of the late German composer Richard Wagner played in Israel, he dipped into his own pocket to make it happen. A few months ago, he hired 100 of the country’s best musicians, rented a hall at Tel Aviv University, and advertised a concert with ads in the newspaper. Within a week, he says, 600 tickets were sold. Livny is a 64-year-old classical-music buff whose father raised him on the Wagner records he fled Germany with in 1935. He describes the 19th-century musician as one of the most important composers in history. But Wagner was also a raging anti-Semite, and though he died long before the rise of Nazi Germany, Adolf Hitler made him an icon of the Third Reich, the regime that killed 6 million Jews. Days before the concert was to take place earlier this month, Tel Aviv University informed Livny he could no longer use the venue. A Tel Aviv hotel agreed to host the event instead but backed out as well.

Here's the truth, Richard Wagner lived decades before the birth of Nazism, yet his influence on the National Socialist movement and its its leader was gigantic. Wagner did not seem to like Jewish music and spoke ill about many of the composers. The Jewish composer, according to Wagner, makes a confused heap of the forms and styles of all ages and masters. I can understand the boycott for Wagner and his music in Israel, it remains a sensitive subject in this tiny nation. On the other hand will Israelis now understand the plight of Palestinians who call for a cultural boycott.

Algeria Does't Mind The Annoying Enrico Macias Visiting

Enrico Macias is French, Jewish and Algerian and has made a fuss about not being allowed to visit what he calls his home. He tried in 2000, but was denied an invitation due to local protest but civil society groups due to Macias' support for Israels' policies in the occupied Palestinians Territories.

Macias tried again ib 2007 but he was denied again. Now he thinks he is being denied the right to go visit his homeland--welcome to the club asshole, I and several million Palestinians cannot do that either. Then the Minister of Telecommunication in Algeria, Nasir Mahl spoke up revealing that Macias is the one who backed down on the visit and changed his mind.

Macias is enjoying this as he has been speaking about this "ban". The Minister did a fine job explaining the case on an Algerian radio that airs in Paris. "No one denied this guy entry, all the French people who want to visit Algeria are welcome to do so, Macias is one of them" said Nasir Mahl. The French singer has been talking about Algeria being a bad friend of France and using his talking points to discredit yet another Arab country.

I love the bit when Nasir said in the interview, "In Algeria, we try to be silent on such matters, for for 10 years now, as part of the government I can assure you that Macias is a lair."

Supposedly Macias tried to be part of of the official delegation to France in a visit to Algeria, accompanying another lovely Jewish guy named Nicolas Sarkozy. But this did not happen after a protest from a government official who has declared Macias  persona non grata. However later in a State dinner in Paris, Macias was present and met a number of government officials--he sat on the same table as the Algerian Minister of Housing. 

There is a local story from the people who live in the same town where Macias claims his heritage, Qosntinah where Macias grandfather was reported to have taken a leak in the local mosque (I chose not to believe this story.) Needless to say one of Macias better known songs in Arabic promote alcoholism.

This is not a an anti-French effort this is someone who had controversial opinions and often incites hatred toward the Arab people. Again, America does this and so does the rest of Europe. Macias had voiced support to Israeli Cast Lead assault where Israel murdered close to 1500 Palestinians including my girl cousin Amal who was making tea that day. 

Enrico Macias - Habibi Ya Aini