DAM (band)
Encyclopedia
DAM is a Palestinian
hip-hop group. Based in Lod, Israel, DAM was founded in 1999 by brothers Tamar
and Suhell Nafar and their friend Mahmoud Jreri, and their songs are largely about the Israeli-Palestinian conflict
and poverty. The group's name is the Arabic verb for "to last forever/eternity" (دام) and the Hebrew word for "blood" (דם), but can also be an acronym for "Da Arabian MCs." The Arabic word for "blood" (دم) is spelled similarly, but without an alif
.
DAM raps primarily in Arabic
, but it also raps in English and Hebrew to widen its audience appeal. DAM's single "Born Here" is in Hebrew, for example. The group collaborated with Israeli rock band Shotei Hanevuah
on the song "Generations Demand Peace." On November 17, 2006, the group released its first album, Dedication. They appeared on Al Jazeera
's program From Washington on June 4, 2007, during a report on Arabic Pop-rap.
Palestinian people
The Palestinian people, also referred to as Palestinians or Palestinian Arabs , are an Arabic-speaking people with origins in Palestine. Despite various wars and exoduses, roughly one third of the world's Palestinian population continues to reside in the area encompassing the West Bank, the Gaza...
hip-hop group. Based in Lod, Israel, DAM was founded in 1999 by brothers Tamar
Tamer Nafar
Tamer Nafar , is a Palestinian and Arab-Israeli rap artist.Tamer was born on June 6, 1979 in the city of Lod, Israel. He began writing and making rap music in 1998 and in 2000 his brother Suhell and their friend Mahmoud Jrere joined him to start the first Palestinian-Arab or Arab Israeli rap group,...
and Suhell Nafar and their friend Mahmoud Jreri, and their songs are largely about the Israeli-Palestinian conflict
Israeli-Palestinian conflict
The Israeli–Palestinian conflict is the ongoing conflict between Israelis and Palestinians. The conflict is wide-ranging, and the term is also used in reference to the earlier phases of the same conflict, between Jewish and Zionist yishuv and the Arab population living in Palestine under Ottoman or...
and poverty. The group's name is the Arabic verb for "to last forever/eternity" (دام) and the Hebrew word for "blood" (דם), but can also be an acronym for "Da Arabian MCs." The Arabic word for "blood" (دم) is spelled similarly, but without an alif
Aleph
* Aleph or Alef is the first letter of the Semitic abjads descended from Proto-Canaanite, Arabic alphabet, Phoenician alphabet, Hebrew alphabet, Syriac alphabet-People:*Aleph , an Italo disco artist and alias of Dave Rodgers...
.
DAM raps primarily in Arabic
Arabic language
Arabic is a name applied to the descendants of the Classical Arabic language of the 6th century AD, used most prominently in the Quran, the Islamic Holy Book...
, but it also raps in English and Hebrew to widen its audience appeal. DAM's single "Born Here" is in Hebrew, for example. The group collaborated with Israeli rock band Shotei Hanevuah
Shotei Hanevuah
Shotei Ha'nevua , or "The Fools of Prophecy", was an Israeli musical group selected as Israel's "Band of the Year" in 2005. The band described its music as a fusion of dub reggae with hip-hop and dance music, with an eastern Mediterranean flavor...
on the song "Generations Demand Peace." On November 17, 2006, the group released its first album, Dedication. They appeared on Al Jazeera
Al Jazeera
Al Jazeera is an independent broadcaster owned by the state of Qatar through the Qatar Media Corporation and headquartered in Doha, Qatar...
's program From Washington on June 4, 2007, during a report on Arabic Pop-rap.
External links
Video
- Interview with Tamer Nafar from Democracy Now! program, May 15, 2008
- DAM:LONDON – official 15-minute documentary film, shot during DAM's brief visit to the UK in October 2006
- Slingshot hiphop