Shabjdeed and Saint Levant: Who gets to define Palestinian authenticity?
Saint Levant has often cited fellow Palestinian rapper Shabjdeed as one of his heroes. This week, that hero became a foe with the release of SLV , a hip-hop diss track taking aim at Saint Levant ’s catalogue, image and, more contentiously, his public stance on the plight of Palestine . With both artists astute students of hip-hop, the release could also be viewed as a deft marketing move, with…
The recent hip-hop diss track, SLV, released by Saint Levant, has sparked a controversy involving fellow Palestinian rapper Shabjdeed. The track directed criticisms towards Saint Levant's image, catalogue and his stance on Palestine. This has led to Shabjdeed questioning Saint Levant's priorities and his Don Juan persona, particularly in light of their scheduled gigs in Amman, Jordan, on August 13.
Despite pressure from fans for a response, Saint Levant remains silent. Shabjdeed's diss track highlights the challenges faced by Palestinian musicians as they navigate their artistic careers while staying true to their homeland's cause. Both artists possess a deep understanding of hip-hop, but this clash is more than a traditional rap battle due to the lack of a response from Saint Levant.
Musicians like Shabjdeed and Saint Levant, who are based in Ramallah and Jerusalem respectively, grapple with their personal experiences in Palestine as they forge their creative paths. While Saint Levant often focuses on displacement and longing, his work is also influenced by a sense of freedom to cross borders, as reflected in his music's use of Arabic, English and French.
Shabjdeed, on the other hand, draws directly from life under occupation, using Palestinian dialect, black humour, and detailing everyday restrictions imposed by the Israeli military. The debate surrounding these artists raises essential questions about the complexities and internal struggles faced by Palestinian musicians while balancing their artistic expression and support for Palestine.
Written by urgent.news from The National UAE's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — it may contain errors, so check the original before relying on it.
