Knight-Ridder hypes Palestinian hip-hop: genocidal hatred with a deep house beat.

Across the Gaza Strip, West Bank and even in Israel, young Arabic rappers are trying to juggle Middle East traditions with contemporary Western culture to create a political voice for their generation.

“It’s the CNN of Palestine,” says Tamer Nafar, a way to broadcast the news. Nafar, a skinny 26-year-old, is helping to turn Arabic hip-hop into an international phenomenon.

As a movement in its infancy, Palestinian hip-hop shares more in common with early American rap than the narcissistic, modern-day mainstream hip-hop that dominates MTV.

Just as Public Enemy, N.W.A. and Ice-T created furors with songs such as “911 Is a Joke,” “F-k Tha Police” and “Cop Killer,” Palestinian rappers such as Nafar take a provocative, controversial approach with songs such as “Who’s a Terrorist.”

“You call me the terrorist?

Who’s the terrorist?

I’m the terrorist?

How am I the terrorist

When you’ve taken my land?!

Who’s the terrorist?

You’re the terrorist!

You’ve taken everything I own

while I’m living in my homeland.”

Nafar and his group DAM (“blood” in Arabic and Hebrew) are pioneers in the Palestinian hip-hop scene. They’ve generated a loyal following among Israelis and Palestinians by singing in Hebrew and Arabic.

“It’s a form of nonviolent resistance,” says William Youmans, a Palestinian-American rapper who performs as the Iron Sheik. “The idea is to provoke critical thinking and encourage people to look at these issues from the perspective of the victims.”

…

In perhaps its most controversial song, “Watch Your Back, Arabs,” R.F.M. lashes out at Jews and Arabs.

“Where are the Arab people?

Where is the Arab blood?

Where is the Arab anger?

Where, where and where …

Driving the coupe car

Smoking the cigar

Voting for the super star ”American Idol“

And forgetting about our martyrs, wounded, prisoners. … Have you heard the last news!?”