An Introduction to Hip-Hop in Israel
Hip-hop was originated in New York City in the 1970’s, and since has spread world wide to create unique and emerging cultures. Hip-hop is unique because it refers to a wider cultural movement as well as a musical genre. Hip hop has the ability for people to let their voices be heard, no matter what your stance in or view towards society may be. Within America hip-hop has become increasingly commercialized and has constant references to drugs, money and violence. Israel on the other hand has begun to form their own hip-hop cultural movement that addresses religion, political issues, and the struggles of growing up in Israel. These artists are looking to inspire people with their words and not physical force, which is why it has become such a positive movement. The main message that these artists are driving forward is a hope for peace, but many artists/groups vary in their opinions on how to achieve such a goal. This is what makes hip-hop in Israel so revolutionary because it allows for so many viewpoints to be heard, no matter how controversial or how much of a minority they may be within society. Most of all hip-hop has the ability to accurately get across peoples viewpoints better than any other popular music in Israel and in some cases better than the media.
When hip-hop first arrived in Israel in the 1990’s it was strictly American artists rapping in English. The music didn’t represent the voice of the people and most notably it wasn’t in Hebrew. It wasn’t until an Israeli DJ by the name of Leron Teeni that people began to rap in Hebrew. “In the beginning,” he says, “the kids rapped in English. They came on our show and wanted to grab the mike. But we said: ‘No, no way, rap in Hebrew.’ There are about 100,000 American groups that can do it better in English. We want to listen to rap in our own language.” (World Press, Hartwig Vens) This is why Teeni is often noted as the father of hip-hop in Israel because he realized the true essence of hip-hop as not merely a musical genre. Teeni was able to grasp the concept of it needing to become more of a personal and self expressing art that could speak to the people. He particularly addresses hip-hop's ability to give a voice to the less privileged minority within Israel. Though he often pressed the need for the youth to begin rapping in Hebrew, it wasn’t until a group by the name of Shabak Samech released their album in 1995 that a group was widely played and acclaimed that strictly rapped in Hebrew.