Mali Huriye is my favorite song from DAM‘s 2006 album Dedication (lyrics here). DAM is a Palestinian hip hop group from Lyd, and they’re currently trying to raise money to finish their second album. From their IndieGoGo fundraising page:
Heralded by the major French newspaper Le Monde as “the spokesman of a new generation,” DAM, the first Palestinian hip hop crew and among the first to rap in Arabic, began working together in the late 1990s. Struck by the uncanny resemblance of the reality of the streets in a Tupac video to the streets in their own neighborhood of Lyd, Tamer Nafar, Suhell Nafar, and Mahmoud Jreri were inspired to tell their stories through hip hop. After their timely song “Min Irhabi” (“Who’s the terrorist”) was downloaded over a million times shortly after its internet release in 2001, DAM became a household name among youth throughout the Middle East. Rolling Stone in France distributed the song free in one of their issues, and the song has been featured in various compilations.
Ten years of performing all over the world have strengthened DAM’s commitment to continue living in their hometown of Lyd – fifteen minutes from Tel Aviv – working to provide the youth of the city and neighboring communities with programs and opportunities that have otherwise been denied to Palestinian citizens of Israel. In addition, they have conducted workshops for young people from the West Bank to the US, Canada, and Europe.
DAM’s music is a unique fusion of east and west, combining Arabic percussion rhythms, Middle Eastern melodies, and urban hip hop. “IHDA” (“Dedication”), DAM’s long-awaited first international album, was released in 2006, and DAM has seen its songs and members featured in films such as “Ford Transit” (Dir. Hany Abu Assad), “Where in the World is Osama Bin Laden?” (Dir. Morgan Spurlock), “Salt of this Sea” (Dir. Annemarie Jacir), and “Local Angel” and “Forgiveness” (Dir. Udi Aloni). DAM’s history and influence on the Arab hip hop scene is detailed in the feature-length documentary “Slingshot Hip Hop” (Dir. Jackie Reem Salloum). The group has also been featured in Vibe, National Geographic, Rolling Stone, Q, Basement, Reuters, and The New York Times, and has appeared on MTV, CNN, BBC, and Al Jazeera. . .
Our new album will cost us over $35,000 and we have covered some of this but we need $23,000 more to finish and get it out. The money we raise will cover studio bills, recording the last few songs, mixing, mastering, cover art, design and printing of the CD. Anything extra will go towards making a music video for a song from the new album and promotional material.
Help DAM finish their album here.
Also, DAM is about to kick off a U.S tour be sure to check them out if they’re playing near you:
DAM U.S TOUR Oct/Nov 2011
Saturday, October 29 Slingshot Hip Hop screening followed by Q&A with DAM & Jackie Salloum
Location: Wayne State University Community Arts Auditorium
Time: 4 PM; doors at 3:30 PM; $3 public, $2 students
Detroit, MI
For more info: http://www.arabamerica.com/
http://www.artwithimpact.org/
Sunday, October 30, Songs For Freedom: A Benefit for the Freedom Theatre of Jenin
Location: Joe’s Pub (425 Lafayette Street, New York, NY)
Time: 7PM; $100 tickets
New York, NY
Hosted by Pulitzer Prize-winner Tony Kushner
Directed by Jo Bonney
Musical appearances by DAM, David Byrne, Suzan-Lori Parks, Aimee Mann, Angelique Kidjo, Audra McDonald as well as a special performance by the acting company of The Freedom Theatre.
Tickets and info: http://www.joespub.com/
Tuesday, November 1, Fordham University
Location: Fordham University
Time: to be announced
New York, NY
Wednesday, November 2, Slingshot Hip Hop screening followed by Q&A with DAM & Jackie Salloum
Time: 6:00pm at Daniels Auditorium
Location: Nichols College, Daniels Auditorium
Dudley, Massachusetts
More info: http://www.artwithimpact.org/
Friday, November 4, Slingshot Hip Hop screening and DAM show
Slingshot Hip Hop screening, Time: 5:30pm followed by Q&A with DAM and Jackie Salloum
DAM performance, Time: 8pm
Location: Portland State University
Salmon Street Studio, 109 SE Salmon St Portland
Portland, OR
Info: http://oia.pdx.edu/spotlight/
Wednesday, November 9, Hip Hop for Palestine event – DAM and INVINCIBLE
Location: The Loft at Center Stage (1374 West Peachtree Street)
Time: 9pm (doors @ 8pm)
Tickets $15 http://www.ticketalternative.
Atlanta, GA
Friday, November 11, Rutgers University
Time: 8-11pm
Trayes Hall, DCC
New Brunswick, NJ
Saturday, November 12, Brown University
Providence, RI
More info coming…
Sunday, November 13, The Middle East Downstairs
DAM, Shadia Mansour, Mazzi, Yusef Abdel Mateen
Time: 8pm
Location: 472 Massachusetts Ave,Cambridge, MA, 02139
Boston, MA
Tickets & info: http://www.ticketweb.com/t3/
MORE SHOWS WILL BE ANNOUNCED SOON… https://www.facebook.
There are still dates open to book DAM: please contact dampalestinetour@gmail.com
so far only one night on the west coast..what’s up w/that? where’s the bay area?
They’re pretty DAM good.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SBQ-vW6rz_Y
They’re not good they’re awesome!! Heard them in person twice-the last time in Silwan when IOF-sponsored tear gas accompanied the event. Note: the little soldier-boy thugs’ attacks injured a youth and delayed the DAM show/poetry reading in the Silwan tent-and set us all running and my faint heart pounding- but did NOT shut it down. Viva resistance.