PUMP YOUR FIST! Rap and Resist!
With special guests straight outta Palestine! DAM
Thursday, October 1
Doors at 8 pm, show at 9 pm
The ARTery (9535 Jasper Avenue), $10
with: Hip Hop Beats by DJ DICE, Politic Live, people’s poets
Hosted by Kaz Mega
Spread the word by inviting friends to the Facebook event.
DAM
Suhell Nafar, Tamer Nafar, Mahmoud Jreri DAM is the first and leading Palestinian rap group. It is composed of Tamer Nafar, his younger brother Suhell, and Mahmoud Jreri, The group has been performing together since the late 90s. Tamer, who had been performing Rap since 1998 with his brother, was first contacted by Mahmoud Jreri. Mahmoud was writing his own lyrics so they quickly decided to join forces and the group was born in 1999. All three members of the group were born and grew up in the slums of Lod, 20 km from Jerusalem. DAM’s music is a unique fusion of East and West, combining Arabic percussion rhythms, Middle Eastern melodies and urban Hip Hop/Rap
The lyrics of DAM are influenced by the Palestinian struggle for freedom and equality. DAM also draw their influence from such controversial issues as drugs and women’s rights. The songs, lyrics and music, are written and arranged by all members of the group and musically produced by them and other known producers.
DAM’s debut album Stop Selling Drugs was released locally in 1998, followed by the second album called Min Irhabi (Who’s the Terrorist?) which was released in 2001. The controversial title track of this album was released on the net and more than 1 million people downloaded it within one month from the website ArabRap.Net. The song was also distributed free with Rolling Stone magazine in France and became a “street” anthem. It was also featured in a compilation in France with Manu Chao, Zebda, Noir Desir and many other top artists.
Furthermore, the lyrics of the song were taught in some Universities around the world because of their deep meaning, and were also used in pro-Palestinian demonstrations around the world.
DAM are now gaining increased international popularity around the world through their unique message and ground-breaking live shows.
Dedication is DAMs long-awaited first international album which was released autumn 2006.
Politic Live
Considered by Dose Magazine to be one of Canada’s most underrated hip-hop groups, Bigga Nolte, Young Mav and Dirt Gritie of Politic Live are a hip-hop trio born and bread in one of urban music’s most unlikely of places, Edmonton, Alberta.
Fusing their West Indian roots with past and modern day hip-hop influences, Politic Live has done their own to diversify the genre of hip-hop and set a stylistic, musical precedence for Canadian hip-hop releases.
Opening for the likes of Nas, Snoop Dogg, and The Game; appearing on MuchMusic and CBC; and gaining critical acclaim in both Canada and the US, have left Politic Live with a thirst to continue making music that is commercially accessible but still contains substance.
Fortunately their work has not gone unnoticed. With the assistance of the province of Alberta, the group has been funded for multiple projects and furthermore has been invited to nationally represent the province’s bourgeoning arts community on more than one occasion.
Philanthropists by nature, Politic Live believe in the importance of walking the walk that they talk. Giving back along the way, Politic Live has been involved in a variety of community efforts over the years. While they have helped raise money for Edmonton’s Youth Emergency Shelter and the Red Cross, their most notable contribution is producing, organizing, and hosting Edmonton’s Hip-Hop For Hunger, an annual Christmas time event that in over five years has raised 4,000 lbs of food for the Edmonton Food Bank.
Though “unsigned hype,” Politic Live continues to hustle to make sure their name is a mainstay in the minds of Canada’s hip-hop community. Often faced with negative stereotypes due to their geography, this hip-hop team from the prairies is set to defy those ideologies and penetrate the Canadian music industry and international music community alike.
http://www.PoliticLive.com
people’s poets
The people’s poets are three Edmonton MCs who rap about social justice issues, local and global. Rosouljah, 4 Life and solidario joined up in the fall of 2006 with the intention of making critically conscious hip hop. They then hooked up with Edmonton’s renowned cut artist DJ Dice, who has over two decades of experience in contributing to the local Hip Hop scene. This hip hop collective mixes rhymes about life experiences with political commentary.
people’s poets self released album NO LIFE WITHOUT ROOTS debuted at No. 1 on the CIUT 89.5 (U of Toronto) Hip Hop Chart in mid April and maintained a presence for 5 weeks. Recent chart activity has included 88.5 CJSR (University of Alberta) 90.9 CJSW (U of Calgary), 102.7 FM CILU (Lakehead University), CJSF 90.1 MHz (Burnaby) and CFBX 92.5FM (Kamloops) Hip Hop Charts.
NO LIFE WITHOUT ROOTS was also no. 16 on the top 20 hip hop !earshot charts for May and June 2009. Aside from lending their voice and support to a variety of community groups, the people’s poets also offer workshops on hip-hop, art and resistance, and tools for expression.
Kaz Mega
This guy does it all. Battle emcee, song writer, producer, performer! No matter the form Kaz Mega will deliver with originality and mad creativity. Kaz has worked on many tracks for Politic Live and was the 2008 Canadian Scribble Jam Producer Battle Champion. Kaz is currently in the studio with a variety of acts from Edmonton so keep your eyes and ears open for Kaz Mega Tunes coming your way!
PALESTINE SOLIDARITY NETWORK 