Where's The Beef?
Courting Israel’s most popular thug rapper, Subliminal, who’ll soon be touring the US, The Jewish Journal writes,
It’s hard to believe that less than eight months ago Subliminal was officially uninvited to the Prospect Park bash in Brooklyn, N.Y., by JDub Records, a nonprofit Jewish record label. Deemed too right-wing for the event, Subliminal apparently didn’t fall under the concert’s banner of “openness and peace.”
Hrm, that’s funny. Cuz following the event, The NY Times wrote,
One of the biggest Israeli rap stars, Subliminal (né Kobi Shimoni), was not invited to the concert. Striking a gangsta pose with heavy jewelry, including his signature bejeweled Star of David, Subliminal represents the right wing of Israeli rap. His latest album has gone platinum in Israel (more than 40,000 copies) on the strength of catchy anthems and incendiary nationalist imagery, as in “Divide and Conquer,” where he says: “The country is shaking like a cigarette in the mouth of Yasir Arafat.”
Subliminal has already created a divide in the hip-hop community. Aaron Bisman, the founder of JDub Records and one of the promoters of the Prospect Park concert, said he did not invite Subliminal because he did not think the concert’s message of openness and peace would be of interest to him.
Looks like someone’s talking ish… Either that or The Jewish Journal‘s Kelly Hartog has trouble reading English, whereas being “officially uninvited” is hardly the same thing as not being invited at all.
The whole thing is utterly ridiculous, really, and why that issue was even remotely necessary to mention in the context of the story leaves me at a loss.
One thing is for certain, however: Knowing firsthand the beef that he and his crew create with other rappers here in Israel and the disingenuous nature in which they deal with it (feel free to ask me about this privately), Subliminal is anything but a man of peace.
The whole thing is utterly ridiculous, really, and why that issue was even remotely necessary to mention in the context of the story leaves me at a loss.
————————————
That’s right – it’s TOTALLY immaterial that a concert billed as a a celebration of “openness” actually censored a major act – or that a concert promoted as relating to Israel excluded someone who obviously strikes a chord with the majority of Israelis.
I mean, after all, we lefties DISAGREE WITH HIM. What else is there to discuss – he’s obviously beyond the pale. And those 40,000 records he sold – well, probably everyone in Gaza bought 4 each – cause EVERYBODY that WE know agrees with US…
Pathetic.
I’m asking you privately…what are you scared of?
that concert was not about openness, it was about dialogue across divisive lines through music. how can someone who punches people he doesn’t like onstage get up, bounce to the other’s rhymes, and get down in a positive settign when they seethe negativity?
and what about the practical level of this ish? ever wonder how much a “big” act like subliminal costs?
I heard this fool Subliminal punched someone but I have yet to get the real story straight. Any first hand accounters out there? Wh’happen?
his boy the shadow punched sagol 59 in the face outside a nightclub and ran away
Yeah, but like what precipitated the punch? Sure, running is bitch and all, but I’d like the full story before I pass judgment on this guy as a person. (As for his music – that shit is mega weak to me anyway).
Sorry for the starry-eyed “Man, Israel sure is cool” post, but can we all appreciate for a second that Israel’s biggest thug rapper speaks like five languages? All together now, kids: “Only in Israel!” (Now let’s get back on the bus and go to Ein Gedi.)
I was at that concert in Brooklyn. I def. would have died (of joy) is Subliminal was there. The Palestinian MC who rapped in Arabic (did not care for it, just sounded weird) was the only one who spoke about politics…And the others where left like Mook-E even i do like him, but what I guess people cant understand is that the Right IS for peace MORE than anyone else. However, we choose not to shoot ourselves in the foot while getting. Subliminal represent the frustrated israel who wants peace, who wants not to worry about going to a nightclub or taking the bus to school. I like him, i like what he has to say.
And again i thought the left was all about no censorship, but they sensor more than anyone….
“officially uninvited” is hardly the same thing as not being invited at all”
Let me get this straight. When going public, jdub ‘made official’ their reasons for not inviting subliminal. so they ‘officially’ did not invite him which is slightly different than ‘officially uninviting’ him, since he was never invited in the first place…right? However, it seems that the issue of his presence was particularly relevant given the nature of the event, thus jdub’s need to ‘officially’ state their reasons for not inviting him. Hmm. It seems that one could in fact make a case that jdub officially uninvited subliminal, if the issue of his presence was implied by the nature of the event, and it’s not clear to me who is making a bigger deal of this subtle moral-semantic issue, the author of the Jewish Journal article, or Mobius . That said, Eminem is the best.
“Subliminal because he did not think the concert’s message of openness and peace would be of interest to him.”
So he thought about inviting him, assumed he was ‘anti-openess’ (ironic) and decided not to invite him. But that’s much different than ‘uninviting’ him. At least different enough (“the whole thing is utterly ridiculous”) to upset one MC from New Jersey.
They shoulda had MC Munkach… b*tches.
There’s a difference between censorship and not allowing someone a platform from which to proclaim their views. That said, unless those views are advocating violence, let them be heard and the people will decide what is sensible and what it not.
P.S. I love that my spamblock word is “Portman”; do you guys create the list from which those words are drawn?
i really like his music. even though i don\\\’t understand hebrew really well, a lot of the songs are very nice to listen to and i had someone translate some of the songs for me and one of them is this whole thing about how nice life would be when there is peace.anyways, i agree with HaZeev. and im going to subs concert tomorrow!
the shadow punched sagol cuz sagol had a song on his album criticizing commercial rap in israel (though in the song he named no names and made no allusions to subliminal and his crew).
ms. black jew (whose name i still insist on you changing) — are you so naive that you don’t get how the press works? “so tell me aaron, why didn’t you invite subliminal to the event? isn’t he the most popular rapper in israel?” — “i doubt he would’ve been interested.” — oh drama! he made it part of his official announcement! or uh, no he didn’t, he responded to a journalist’s question.
Yo here’s a novel concept for a hip-hop show: How about “inviting” and “uninviting” people on the basis of whether they’re whack or not? Oh, yeah, ’cause that way there’d be no Israeli MCs on the bill!!! Ha ha just kidding…or am I?
Sara – you in the Bay?
Luv!
rootle – im in la. you said sub spoke five languages? r u serious..which ones?
oh and i lovvvve the song he sings with sarit haddad, hassod. every one should hear it.
ms black jew — for real, what’s going on with the name?
“are you so naive that you don’t get how the press works?”
Yeah! Fuck the MSM man! (Actually I have no idea what you’re talking about.)
“ms black jew — for real, what’s going on with the name?”
Didn’t we go through this already? Why are you people obsessively opposed to the idea of a black person appropriating a derogatory term as a vehicle for self-empowerment but perfectly comfortable tossing the word ‘kike’ around? If that’s not a double standard please educate me as to why. Perhaps Mobius’ Dad or John “the negro liberator” Brown could teach me something about ‘racial relations’?
hmm… I apparently missed the discussion on your name first time around. Not sure who “you people” is/are. Also not sure why “you people” would be “obsessively opposed” (obsessively!) “to the idea of a black person appropriating a derogatory term as a vehicle for self-empowerment.”
My question was “what’s going on with the name?”
So is your answer that you’re on a revolution to reclaim…. well, I’m not sure, cause there are 10 words in your name, and the syntax is a lil’ off.
Still care to explain? I mean, if it’s getting old, my apologies…
“Still care to explain? I mean, if it’s getting old, my apologies…”
No I’m sorry! I thought you were someone else. “You people” refers only to Mobius and yourself as both of you raised the issue of my name (above). Since you may have been absent for the birth of my name…First, (as a prologue) Mobius’ sister referred to me as a nigger 108 times after he invited her to do some guest writing here. Later, after I took further offense at her use of the epithet “sand nigger” as a reference to Arabs (not only because I am black) she called me “ms. black jew who the word sand nigger makes cry”. And the name just sort of stuck! (The syntax is indeed retarded.) Anyway, ever since, Mobius has “insisted” that I change my name despite the fact that he flaunts the word ‘kike’ when it serves his purposes. I find this extremely hypocritical.
As far as I am concerned Jdub records is whack for disregarding SUbliminal,and making matters worse having the Palestinian rappper, where is the equality in that..As far as I am concerned he is right on point, Can’t wait for the NYC show…we have to show our support, For the person really tellin it like it is, and truly reppin the Israelis (my opinion, before u all jump down my throat) big up Subliminal..
The Shadow punched Sagol (not in the face, I don’t think) because of a line in the song “man” where Sagol says that he has real chest hair. I think it has something to do with an ad The Shadow did about getting chest hair removed. Sagol said he was sorry at the concert where they were both performing, and felt really bad about it, then he got over it, and the Shadow got over it (but never apologized).
What’s JDUB’s problem not inviting Subliminal? He invited good rappers with intelligent lyrics. And it’s bullshit to say the left-wing rappers want peace less and don’t care about suicide bombings. The fact that they mourn the loss of their friends but think the solution is attempting coexistence and not beefing up “security.”
The left doesn’t have a monopoly on wanting peace, and the right doesn’t have one on wanting the Israelis to lead normal lives.
dickforce:
I used to consider you a real killjoy, but the above comments prove to me that you actually get the joke alot better than some of the rest of these assholes. I just wish you didn’t have a bone to pick with Isra-Ruskie Black Metal Bands. BTW this thread is weak, since Israeli hiphop is caca from the giddy-up, and I could give a shit who punched who….Nonphixion are the gullyist Israeli rappers and they live in fucking Canarsie!!! and they weren’t invited to unity-fest either. so boo hoodio hoo, please get a new musical moshiach- EVERYBODY!
Who cares about jdub records there free concert did Subliminal has a real venue and is the highest grossing rap album in israel and has is own label 5 lets see Persian Arabic English French Hebrew. More talent then all those others.
jboogs – are nonphixion really Israeli or just ghetto Jewish? Please clarificate.
whatever guys, i’m seeing subliminal in the bay tommorrow, and couldn’t be more excited. you complain about his lyrics- i’ll be listening to good music.
“As far as I am concerned Jdub records is whack for disregarding SUbliminal,and making matters worse having the Palestinian rappper, where is the equality in that”
digital — there were two other israeli rappers there, sagol & mookie. so please, stfu. also, if you think he reps israelis more than sagol, you don’t know israelis.
ms. black jew — i understand why you chose that name, but seriously, at some point, you gotta let it go. also, what is this bullshit about my invocation of kike “whenever i feel like it”? i used it once on a t-shirt to make a statement about antisemitism over a year ago…
mf — nonphixion and necro are brothers. their parents are israelis though they were raised ORTHODOX in brooklyn.
“Who cares about jdub records there free concert did Subliminal has a real venue and is the highest grossing rap album in israel and has is own label 5 lets see Persian Arabic English French Hebrew. More talent then all those others.”
yet somehow he’s positioning himself as the underdog claiming he’s been slighted… please. this is just more TACTical behavior on his part. you should see my email interchange with david levy, his manager. these guys talk more shit than sewage treatment workers.
“i understand why you chose that name, but seriously, at some point, you gotta let it go”
Until soemone gives a good reason why (besides whatever nameless discomfort it causes certain readers to feel. C’mon out with it!) I don’t see why I need to “let it go” at least until every poster here is equally compelled to ‘let go’ of their own peculiarly irritating and inflammatory discursive style.
Not to single anyone out. But why can a white person comfortably appropriate the slang of hip-hop, refer to Israel as an Apartheid state, sell a t-shirt with the word kike printed on it, but a black woman can’t use the n word as a personally meaningful reference to someone’s sister’s blatant racism? My name seems relatively harmless. Give me a good reason besides some bullshit about ‘letting it go’. (But why Dad?) It empowers me godammit.
a little carificatin’- Ill Bill and Necro are brothers, and Bill was born in Israel. Goretex is Jewish, Sabac and Eclipse are goyish.
BTW- no one ever seems to give props to the first backpacker ever to rhyme in Ivrit. That would have been Siah from Siah and Yeshua, who rocked some lyrics about hitting the beach on an Unsung Heroes track way back in what 99? He still probably gets more juice than sagol 59 or subliminal or Hadag Nachash or whoever, of course his time has come and gone in the states, but he represents everything most of you new-skool backpackers love about hiphop and yet NOBODY namechecks him in favor of these mediocre pretenders. a damn shame
Ms BJWTWSNMC (i like the acronym)
Thanks for the explanation… totally not what I thought. Which might actually be the best reason for changing your name… Although your reasons for using it seem relatively valid, as someone who wasn’t around for the original christening, I had no idea why you would use those particular words.
Even if it was Mobius’ sister’s ridiculous language originally, out of context it just looks like yours.
And I actually -liked- your reasoning!
“But why can a white person comfortably appropriate the slang of hip-hop, refer to Israel as an Apartheid state, sell a t-shirt with the word kike printed on it, but a black woman can’t use the n word as a personally meaningful reference to someone’s sister’s blatant racism?”
#1. appropriate the slang of hip-hop? i grew up on hip-hop. the first record i ever bought was a hip-hop record. i produce hip-hop music. i perform hip-hop music. i dj hip-hop music. i organize hip-hop events. and you’re giving me shit about using hip-hop slang because i’m not black? i am hip-hop, and hip-hop knows no color.
#2. i didn’t refer to israel as an apartheid state. i refered to certain policies within israel as reminiscent of those of south africa’s aparthetid regime.
#3. i never said you couldn’t use that as a reference, but at some point it just gets old and loses relevance and meaning, which is clearly exemplified by ariela’s misunderstanding of it.
what i’d like to know is why you read this site, if for no other reason than to pick fights with me.
I cannot be any more excited about the subliminal’s concert next week. I eat, breathe, and dream his songs for the last few days in anticipaition. The next day after the concert…i have to be at work at 7am!! But i am young and i couldnt care less, i am going to have a great time! AAHHH I just want to scream
Also my 1st CD i bought was Missy Misterminer Eliot….mmmm that girl can really crunk it up. She spits lyrics better than anyone I ever herd (b’inglit). Hip-hop is da shit music and i dont care if i be white boy (or light skined jew, cuz i dont associiate myself with “white” culture)…VIVE HIP-HOP
its a local flow on a global track……fowever israel
#1 Wasn’t that an annoying and somewhat demeaning exercise in self-defense?
#2 Um, OK. I guess.
#3 Taken care of…my name now refers directly to the core of my being as any good name should. Any possibility for misunderstanding has been removed! Perish such a thought! (The great valorizer of paradox and ambiguity, demonstrates, once again, his lack of comfort with other people’s paradox and ambiguity.)
“what i’d like to know is why you read this site, if for no other reason than to pick fights with me.”
Please, this site picks the fights all by itself. And that’s why I read it.
Hey Black Jewish Woman,
Wanna go on a date to see Subliminal? I hear he is on tour.
-White Jewish Lesbian
Sorry Mobius, it seems, once again, I have caused unnecessary confusion because of my irresponsibly ambiguous name. I have corrected it so as to avoid any further misunderstandings.
Lovely interpersonal dynamic going on this site.
I actually like the long descriptive names more than the childish nicknames.
Josh is mature.
Oh, well.
Hi, Frank Rizzo here. In the spirit of the times, I’ve also changed my name.
I just realized that my erstwhile date has included her measurements. Now I am really disappointed. An intelligent, sexy Jewish woman who posts to blogs? We should all be so lucky.
nice ta meetcha!
Sorry, nothing to say about Israeli hip-hop, just joining the identity fest.
You’re all out of your skulls.
🙂
“digital — there were two other israeli rappers there, sagol & mookie. so please, stfu. also, if you think he reps israelis more than sagol, you don’t know israelis.” I never said there weren’t. I dont think you know Israelis, just a bunch of Yuppy Americans running around Israel, oh wait I forgot about your websites, ok sorry you know more
Well sorry I don’t know myself or my family as well as you do, but as you stated, before he has the highest grossing rap album in Israel’s history so who reps Israel more?? I was just pointing out the hypocrisy by leaving him out, Having a PA rapper, then lame middle of the road rappers at best, no balance their… and U STFU
Jewish Rappers from Canarsie???? I live on Ralph AVe whats the deal, didn’t even know??? MOre INfo please
Yo Subliminal is a man of peace. A REALISTIC peace.
He supported Barak before the last intifada, in a bid to give the Palestinians a state.
After the intifada hes seen that Arafat can’t be trusted….
When a realistic peace arrives Subliminal will give it a chance…
WATCH:
CHANNELS OF RAGE
an excellent movie bout Subliminal and Tamer Nafar an israeli arab rapper…
Dror
not sure jboogs is reading this, but siah wasn’t the first to drop hebrew in “the next degree” though it’s definitely one of the best tracks in hebrew that I can think of
dori ben ze’ev was rapping in hebrew in the 80s
nigel ha’admor put out “hummus makes you stupid” in 93
even subliminal had recorded by 97
and Israelis recognize Siah. I’ve heard Soulico Crew spin The Next Degree
I don’t get why Sub was deliberately not invited when TN was there. Yeah, the “Palestinain” rapper is Tamar Nafar, who is Arab Israeli from Lod and openly calls for the destruction of the Jewish state and endorses terrorism? His song “Who’s the Terrorist” advocates terror and was downloaded from his website over a million times according to articles about him. That’s peace? This is clearly some definitioin of peace of which I was previously unaware.
Looks like news of your thug battle has finally reached civilization:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/arts…
FORGET ALL THE SUMLIMINAL AND TAKT FAMILY SHIT THE REAL STUFF IS SOULICO CREW STRAIGHT OUT OF HOLON REPRESENT!
U NEVER HEARD ISRAELY MUSIC LIKE THAT 4 DJS WORKING BACK2BACK2BACK2BACK
MIXING AND REMAKING ISRAELY CLASSICS TAKING IT 2 THE NEW WORLD
U CAN CATCH 2 SONGS ON THE SHARING PROGRAMS SOULICO ANTHEM AND ìàöéôéúé
FOR ALL OF U THAT CANT WRITE IN HEBREW JUST CUT AND PASTE
THATS ALL FOR NOW
First of all, this post implies that if you wear a star of david on your chest, then you’re a right-wing fascist. Typical left-wing rhetoric. Second of all, the part where Subliminal says “the country is dangling like a cig in Arafat’s mouth” is in his song called “Living Day by Day,” not “Dvide and Conquer.” After the media heard him say that in “Living Day by Day” they started calling him a fascist.
He choses the title in one of his songs “Divide and Conquer” just to piss off the media, but actually if you read his lyrics (and clearly you haven’t), his message is: “Together we stand, divided we fall.”
Also if Subliminal is not a man of peace, why the fuck would he write songs such as Flowers in the Gun Barrel, Peace in the Middle East, and Prayer. But of course it is typical for leftists such as yourself to distort facts and slander Israel.
Dipshit.