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Omar Offendum: Soundtrack
of the Revolution
Interview by
Julia Pyper
August 15, 2011
Omar Offendum almost lost his train of thought when
he saw a video post on his Facebook wall, mid Skype
interview, of his song "#Jan25"
being played in
Tahrir Square. It was July, months after the
whirlwind revolution that brought down Egypt’s former
president
Hosni Mubarak, but as the protests in the Middle
East persist,
Offendum’s lyrics of liberation continue to be part
of an anthem of resistance around the world – both on
and offline.
The song features
not only Offendum, but a cast of talented hip-hop
artists, including
Amir Sulaiman,
The
Narcicyst,
Freeway and
R&B singer Ayah. When "#Jan25"
was released, just days before
Mubarak stepped down, its plays on YouTube reached
the thousands almost instantly. It was around 40,000
hits that Al Jazeera caught wind of the hip-hop
phenomenon and invited Offendum to do an
interview the day he incidentally arrived to perform
in Qatar.
The Los
Angeles-based Syrian-American rapper makes frequent
trips back to the Middle East for shows and to visit
family. He is all too aware of what’s taking place in
his native Syria where
President Bashar al-Assad is waging war on civilians
from the air, ground and sea. While the violence has
spurred Offendum and many other Arab artists to speak
out, there’s a sense of concern that their words could
one day be used against them or their family (Offendum’s
mother and sister live still live in Syria). And yet,
they continue to show solidarity through their art.
After taking part
in a number of collaborative projects
Offendum released his first solo album
SyrianamericanA last summer. He’s made three trips
to perform in Canada already this year, and in October
his work will take him halfway around the world to
Australia for the Melbourne International Arts Festival.
ArtThreat caught up with
Omar Offendum to discuss the impact his song
“#Jan25,” the role of hip-hop in the recent revolutions
and his reactions to the ongoing protests in the Middle
East.
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Julia Pyper: How did you get
involved with the "#Jan25"
song?
Omar Offendum:
My good friend
Sami Matar, a Palestinian-American producer and
composer, first sent me the instrumental track in early
February and asked if I’d be interested in making a song
about the revolution that was taking place in Egypt.
Initially I hesitated—I’m not usually one to jump on
“revolutionary bandwagons” so to speak. But the
situation in Egypt was developing so quickly and on such
a monumental scale that I felt compelled to speak on it.
I did my best to
frame [my lyrics] within the context of a global
struggle for peace and justice, by referencing quotes
from
Gandhi,
Malcolm X, and
Martin Luther King. I
mentioned the roots of revolution in Tunisia and the
potential to spread to other nations, etcetera. We
completed the piece by reaching out to fellow artists in
the U.S. and Canada and were able to emphasize the fact
that it represented a cross-cultural solidarity with the
Egyptian people in their quest for freedom and liberty.
Julia Pyper: Do you feel the
protests in the Middle East are making progress?
Omar Offendum:
Overall I would say yes. There is definitely progress
being made in the sense that decades-long dictatorships
have crumbled in the face of unprecedented protests.
Seeing the former Egyptian president
Hosni Mubarak in a cage is certainly a testament to
that. However, the euphoria of toppling the
Mubarak regime in 18 days has passed, and the
reality of what happens next, in terms of holding
criminals accountable and reshaping civil society has
slowly set in. Real lasting progress doesn’t happen
overnight; it takes time and is something you
continuously work at.
The violent and
protracted revolutions in countries like Syria and Libya
also show just how difficult carving that path towards
progress can be. Yet I’ve always maintained that
witnessing the barriers of fear and silence get torn
down in these nations by the sheer will of peaceful
protesters is a triumph in and of itself. It’s something
that I, and millions of Arabs around the world, never
expected to see in our lifetime. When a tyrant’s statue
gets toppled by youth-led grassroots movements fed up
with the fatalism of their parents’ generation, it sends
a much more powerful message to the world than what took
place in Iraq several years ago as a result of a foreign
military intervention.
Julia Pyper: How would you
define Arab hip-hop?
Omar Offendum:
Personally, I don’t like to label it as “Arab Hip-Hop.”
I see myself as a participant in hip-hop culture in a
more general sense—one who has sought to use this art
form as a tool of self-expression and communication. So
as long as I’m honest about my life experiences, the
fact that I’m Arab will naturally make its way into my
lyrics. This is something I hope other young people
around the world will understand. Hip-hop culture gives
us an opportunity to look past the borders that separate
us and the nationalities that supposedly define us and
focus on the real connections we have with one another.
That said, hip-hop,
like all art, is at its best a reflection of the
cultures and communities from which it emanates. So with
respect to the Arab world, there are certainly lyrical
and stylistic differences that can be seen from city to
city. A Palestinian refugee living in the Gaza strip
will naturally have something different to say than a
young Emirati living in a Dubai high-rise. As long as
they’re “keeping it real” I salute them all.
Julia Pyper: Would you call
yourself a “socially conscious” rapper?
Omar Offendum:
I’d like to think of myself as a “socially conscious
person” and hope that my art naturally reflects that
state of mind. By being aware of what’s happening in my
community—both locally and abroad—I can use my lyrics to
underscore the fact that “injustice anywhere is a threat
to justice everywhere” (Martin Luther King).
I’ve always sought
to build bridges between the two seemingly opposed sides
of my identity as an Arab/Muslim and American/Westerner
through my music and lyrics. I do this quite literally
in my album
SyrianamericanA by rapping in both English and
Arabic and translating famous poems from each tradition
for the other audience to appreciate (Nizar
Qabbani into English/Langston
Hughes into Arabic). The sonic, linguistic and
thematic diversity of the record is a direct result of
how I choose to live my life—looking past the difference
each culture may have on the surface and celebrating the
humanity we all share.
Julia Pyper: What’s the
significance of the name “Offendum”?
Omar Offendum:
I chose the name because it embodies the very
misunderstandings and stereotypes I break down with my
music. It references a Middle Eastern title of
nobility “Effendi,”
which effectively means “Sir / Lord / Master” in the
Turkish language— “Effendim” being the possessive form
of the word (“my master”). Yet when spelled with an “O”
the name conjures up disrespectful and insulting imagery
to an English-speaking audience (“offend them”). The
fact that my name can mean something so noble on one
side of the world, and so offensive on the other is a
testament to the bridge-building I seek to accomplish as
an artist.
Julia Pyper: What are your
thoughts on the ongoing revolution and crackdown in
Syria?
Omar Offendum:
First, I would like to send my “sinsyrian” condolences
to all the families who have lost loved ones during
these uprisings in Tunisia, Egypt,
Libya, Yemen,
Bahrain, Syria—and of course as a result of the constant
turmoil in places like Iraq, Palestine, Lebanon,
Afghanistan, Pakistan,
Somalia and
Sudan. Anyone who is
familiar with my music should be able to discern that I
am, and have always been supportive of families
struggling for peace, justice, and equality the world
over.
Therefore, what is
happening in Syria doesn’t just affect me as a fellow
Syrian; it affects me as a person of conscience, and is
both heartbreaking and awe-inspiring to me at the same
time. It’s heartbreaking in terms of the sectarianism
and overall bloodshed, and the sadistic nature of many
of the crimes being committed against peaceful
protesters, including women and children. Also, the
systematic use of torture, intimidation and collective
punishment on entire cities and towns. And up until very
recently, the general silence from much of the
international community and especially the neighboring
Arab states has been very disappointing.
It is, however,
quite awe-inspiring to see that the overwhelming
majority of protests have remained peaceful whilst up
against these terrifying odds, and have in fact
continued to grow and spread the more violent the
crackdowns become—even in the Holy month of Ramadan.
This [Syrian] regime had made it virtually impossible to
criticize them publicly without fear of being censored,
jailed, or kidnapped during the past four decades. So
the fact that the Syrian people have broken that silence
is a triumph in and of itself.
Julia Pyper:
Do you think the "#Jan25"
song helped break the silence?
Omar Offendum:
I am proud of what we were able to accomplish with "#Jan25,"
but the real music of the revolution is being made by
people on the ground who are experiencing it firsthand.
Whether it’s created in a studio, or out on the streets
in the form of a call and response chant, the fact that
it’s born out of a natural desire for dignity, freedom
and self-determination is what proves that the silence
has been broken. While it may take several generations
to really see these things through, the seeds have been
planted, and the fruits of these struggles will be ripe
in time for future generations to savor.
Omar Offendum’s
Facebook /
Twitter
Source:
ArtThreat
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Nizar
Tawfiq Qabbani
((21 March 1923 – 30 April 1998) was a
Syrian diplomat,
poet and
publisher. His poetic style combines
simplicity and elegance in exploring themes
of love, eroticism, feminism, religion, and
Arab nationalism. He is one of the most
revered contemporary poets in the
Arab world. . . . When Qabbani was 15,
his sister, who was 25 at the time,
committed suicide because she refused to
marry a man she did not love. During her
funeral he decided to fight the social
conditions he saw as causing her death. When
asked whether he was a revolutionary, the
poet answered: “Love in the Arab world is
like a prisoner, and I want to set (it)
free. I want to free the Arab soul, sense
and body with my poetry. The relationships
between men and women in our society are not
healthy.” He is known as one of the most
feminist and progressive intellectuals
of his time. The city of
Damascus remained a powerful
muse in his
poetry, most notably in the
Jasmine
Scent of Damascus. The 1967
Arab defeat also influenced his poetry
and his lament for the Arab cause. The
defeat marked a qualitative shift in
Qabbani's work—from erotic love poems to
poems with overt political themes of
rejectionism and resistance. For instance,
his poem
Marginal Notes on the Book of
Defeat, a stinging self-criticism of
Arab inferiority, drew anger from both the
right and left sides of the Arab political
dialogue.—Wikipedia |
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Unlike many other
Negro authors, [Langston] Hughes (1902-1967) neither wrote about the dull,
cultured, intellectual elite, who are unpopular with
students, nor did he glory in gory lynchings and sex
perversions, which are unpopular with school boards. His
writings are about poor, ordinary people but with a
strong sense of humor. When asked what Negro writers
they like, students invariably list Hughes. Langston Hughes is
difficult to classify as a writer. He was among the
leaders of the
Negro Renaissance, but he continued to
write later than most others of this period. He wrote
poetry, short stories, novels, essays and edited many
collections of Negro writings. Hughes had written
a number of short story collections, among them
Laughing to Keep from Crying (1952),
Something in Common and Other
Stories (1963), and
The Ways of White Folks (1934). Most of the stories are humorous, but one
always knows that much of the laughing is “to keep from
crying.” Topics vary from white tourists in Harlem to
brothels in Cuba to standard problems of getting a job
and family spats. Although many of the stories deal with
prostitutes and drinking and other forms of “low life,”
these are not treated in an objectionable manner.
more
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#Jan25 Egypt—Omar Offendum
Inspired by the
resilience of Egyptian people during their recent
uprising, several notable musicians from North America
have teamed up to release a song of solidarity and
empowerment. The track is fittingly titled "#Jan25" as a
reference to both the date the protests officially began
in Egypt, and its prominence as a trending topic on
Twitter. Produced by
Sami Matar, a Palestinian-American composer from
Southern California, and featuring the likes of
Freeway,
The Narcicyst,
Omar Offendum, HBO Def Poet
Amir Sulaiman, and Canadian R&B vocalist
Ayah—this track serves as a testament to the
revolution's effect on the hearts and minds of today's
youth, and the spirit of resistance it has come to
symbolize for oppressed people worldwide.
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Omar Offendum—SyrianamericanA /
Omar Offendum—Destiny /
Omar Offendum—Finjan
Omar Offendum—father's day /
Omar Offendum—Superhero /
Omar Offendum—Hustle On
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Obama calls for Syrian leader to step down—The
demand for
President Bashar Assad's ouster is echoed by the
governments of Canada and the European Union. The U.S.
also expands its sanctions. The pressure may have a
limited effect, however. . . .
Saudi Arabia, which has powerful influence with the
Sunni
Muslim majority of the
Alawite-led
country, also has condemned
Assad and recently withdrew its ambassador. It did
not react immediately to the U.S. and European actions.—LaTimes
posted 19 August 2011
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Black Routes to Islam
Edited by Manning Marable and Hishaam D.
Aidi
This
collection brings together some of the best
and most innovative scholars in the country,
writing essays that are engaged,
intellectually rigorous, and a pleasure to
read. Black Routes to Islam is really about
the broad canvas of American relationships
to the Middle East -- with religion, race,
and politics at the heart of the story. It
tells a transnational history we need to
know, and then brings that history into our
current moment, showing how "war on terror"
has come to American Muslim communities.
This is a wonderful, timely, politically
powerful book.—Melani
McAlister
This impressive and sweeping collection of
essays examines the hidden history of the
‘Muslim presence’ in North America that
began with the enslavement of significant
numbers of Muslim Africans. It shows how
the development of US racial categories and
hierarchies has long been suffused with
assumptions about the Muslim world. And, it
powerfully suggests the historical
centrality of Islamic discourse and practice
to the sense of common oppression and linked
fate central to the emergence of modern
black freedom struggles.—Nikhil
Pal Singh |
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Servants of Allah: African Muslims Enslaved
in the Americas
By
Sylviane Diouf
Despite
the explosion in work on African American
and religious history, little is known about
Black Muslims who came to America as slaves.
Most assume that what Muslim faith any
Africans did bring with them was quickly
absorbed into the new Christian milieu. But,
surprisingly, as Sylviane Diouf shows in
this new, meticulously researched volume,
Islam flourished during slavery on a large
scale.
Servants of Allah presents a history
of African Muslim slaves, following them
from Africa to the Americas. It details how,
even while enslaved many Black Muslims
managed to follow most of the precepts of
their religion. Literate, urban, and well
traveled, Black Muslims drew on their
organization and the strength of their
beliefs to play a major part in the most
well known slave uprisings. Though Islam did
not survive in the Americas in its orthodox
form, its mark can be found in certain
religions, traditions, and artistic
creations of people of African descent.
But for
all their accomplishments and contributions
to the cultures of the African Diaspora, the
Muslim slaves have been largely ignored.
Servants of Allah is the first book to
examine the role of Islam in the lives of
both individual practitioners and in the
American slave community as a whole, while
also shedding light on the legacy of Islam
in today's American and Caribbean cultures. |
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By Nidaa Khoury
Khoury's poetry is fired by belief in
the human and the spiritual at a time
when many of us feel unreal and often
spiritually hollow.—Yair
Huri, Ben-Gurion University
Written in water and ink, in between the
shed blood. Nidaa Khoury's poems take us
to the bosom of an ancient woman . . .
an archetype revived. The secret she
whispers is 'smaller than words.'—Karin
Karakasli, author, Turkey
Nidaa Khoury was born in Fassouta, Upper
Galilee, in 1959. Khoury is the author
of seven books published in Arabic and
several other languages, including The
Barefoot River, which appeared in Arabic
and Hebrew and The Bitter Crown,
censored in Jordan. The Palestinian poet
is studied in Israeli universities and
widely reviewed by the Arab press. The
founder of the Association of Survival,
an NGO for minorities in Israel, Khoury
has participated in over 30
international literary and human rights
conferences and festivals. Khoury is the
subject of the award-winning film, Nidaa
Through Silence. Currently a senior
lecturer at Ben-Gurion University,
Khoury's poem Portal to the Orient is
being produced by Sarab for Dance for
performance in Palestine. Book of Sins
introduces this important Middle Eastern
poet to the Caribbean and the Americas. |
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The White Masters of the
World
From
The World and Africa, 1965
By W. E. B. Du Bois
W. E. B. Du Bois’
Arraignment and Indictment of White Civilization
(Fletcher)
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Ancient African Nations
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If you like this page consider making a donation
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Negro Digest /
Black World
Browse all issues
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____ 2005
Enjoy!
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The Death of Emmett Till by Bob Dylan
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The Lonesome Death of Hattie Carroll
/
Only a Pawn in Their Game
Rev. Jesse Lee Peterson Thanks America for
Slavery /
George Jackson /
Hurricane Carter
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The Journal of Negro History issues at Project Gutenberg
The
Haitian Declaration of Independence 1804
/
January 1, 1804 -- The Founding of
Haiti
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