Palestinian Rappers Gain Global Attention as New York Times Highlights Their Rise

The Palestinian rap scene has recently gained significant international exposure, with The New York Times dedicating a feature to a new wave of Palestinian artists, including rappers Shabjdeed and Saint Levant. Shabjdeed, born in 1995 in the East Jerusalem village of Aqraba and raised there, is a prominent figure in Palestinian hip-hop and part of the Ramallah-based label BLTNM. Since 2017, he has released eight studio albums, with lyrics focusing on the daily life of a young Palestinian in the West Bank and the Palestinian struggle. His song "Mitkit" was named among the greatest hip-hop tracks by the BBC in 2019, and he appeared in a 2020 Burberry campaign alongside two other Palestinian rappers.

Saint Levant, born in Jerusalem 25 years ago and having spent part of his life in Gaza, now lives in Los Angeles. He is best known for his 2022 multilingual hit "Very Few Friends," which has amassed 9 million views on YouTube. His latest album, "Deira," released by Universal in June 2024, blends hip-hop, pop, folk, and world music, and addresses themes such as the Palestinian right of return and statehood aspirations. The title track honors his family’s hotel in Gaza, destroyed in an Israeli airstrike in January 2024 during the Gaza war. However, The New York Times notes that Saint Levant currently sings more about loved ones than his homeland.

The two artists recently sparked controversy when Shabjdeed released a diss track titled "SLV," criticizing Saint Levant for mainstream success and accusing him of commodifying Palestinian causes to appeal to Western audiences. This sparked debate over Palestinian representation amid the Gaza war and allegations of genocide. Both rappers performed competing shows in Amman, Jordan. The article also quotes Arab-Israeli rapper Tamer Nafar from Lod, who reflected on the fractured Palestinian identity since 1948, emphasizing how occupation has dispersed Palestinians and altered their perspectives and living conditions without changing their core identity.