Israeli Hip Hop - Hip Hop As A Method of Globalization

Hip Hop As A Method of Globalization

Though hip-hop has been adopted by numerous countries throughout the world, Israel remains as a prime example of the manifestation of “glocalization” in the musical realm. Originally hailing from the Japanese business world, this concept was introduced to the Western world by British sociologist Roland Robertson in the early 1990s. As explained by Hartwig Vens in his article published in the World Press, the idea of glocalization describes the “rising appearance of artistic hybrids that blend the global and the local” which accurately portray the interplay between these seemingly conflicting scenes. By recognizing the dual nature of glocalization, hip-hop’s role within Israeli society can be revealed to show its nature of meshing opposing forces to form a creative and original product. Consistent with Vens’ claim, Israeli hip-hop is thus an imitated art, largely globalized and affected tremendously by the United States, while still displaying distinct characteristics specific only to Israeli society and culture.

Many of Israel’s hip-hop artists thus reflect upon the integration of global and local influences into their music. Global forces have thus proven to be powerful in affecting and shaping the many facets of hip-hop’s character in Israel. Even the beginnings of rap music in Israel portray the dominant and significant nature of the Western world on global music, since no traces of hip-hop existed in Israel prior to its introduction by DJ Leron Teeni on his widely broadcast radio show. Even once it was first presented on the show, the performers still maintained hip-hop’s American origins by rapping solely in English. Only once hip-hop expanded to include other music artists was Hebrew utilized as a language to spread person opinions and beliefs of society. Even then, English was still used as an effective means of rapping and reaching audiences, and many Israeli hip-hop songs today incorporate some aspects of English lyrics or colloquial terms into their content.

Though numerous examples are available, one specific music video exemplifies this phenomenon of language thoroughly. In his video for the song, “Bababa,” Subliminal incorporates various musical elements into his performance, including the talents of Miri Ben-Ari on violin. It is interesting to note how the first thirty seconds of lyrics rapped are entirely in English and could easily be mistaken for a hip-hop song written and produced in America. Such lyrics as “all my real” and “one is for the money, two is for the show…five for that flow” reveal the immense effect American hip-hop has on music produced halfway around the globe. The music video additionally displays other elements of Americanization including the mention of the Grammys and the presentation of the actors as stereotypical members of the hip-hop subculture. One such African-American man is shown wearing a New York Yankees baseball cap, and scantily clad women dancing throughout the video is representative of the stereotypical American hip-hop culture. Within another one of his music videos, “Toro,” Subliminal further expresses qualities of the Western world. Not only is the video reminiscent of hip-hop in the United States, but it holds some elements of reggaeton and Hispanic roots, especially when explicitly mentioning the word “dinero” in the chorus (Spanish for “money”).

Therefore, throughout Israeli hip-hop music, the borrowing from America is quite apparent in the common usage of English language and slang terms in lyrics, as well as through the incorporation of certain American hip-hop culture elements such as break dancing and specific clothing. Not only has Israel maintained a relationship with the United States in its Americanization and adoption of Western qualities, but it has dispersed its own artifacts to America. Though it surfaced only a decade ago, Israeli hip-hop has successfully spread to the United States, primarily through the fan base of young Jewish Zionists living in America. Specific artists, especially Hadag Nachash and Subliminal, have accumulated fans in America and often travel worldwide (and primarily to the US) on tours to further promote their music. Strong connections are present between America and Israel, mostly due to the grounds upon which Israel was established. Since its creation as a state was a result of the Zionist movement, many Jewish Zionists living in the United States feel a strong sense of pride and personal relationship with their religious homeland. Zionist youths primarily are therefore very involved in the current political and social situations occurring in Israel. Furthermore, they are extremely receptive to any cultural artifacts being produced and released by Israel’s music industry, so the hip-hop music of Israeli artists easily thrives within the American Jewish youth population. Thus, many are thrilled when Israeli hip-hop artists come to America to perform and often sing the lyrics along with the performer.

Just as Israeli hip-hop portrays the global trends present in the current times, situations and qualities personal to this specific country are inherently incorporated into the songs and lyrics. As issues such as politics and religion are being fought through the usage of hip-hop, Israeli rap artists display a wide range of opinions being offered and performed. Just as explained by Liron Teeni, the radio DJ who first introduced American hip-hop to America, this variety of perspectives merely reflect the true reality, since “rappers are taking sides on the issue..hip-hop is about being brave, telling the truth like it is and not looking for excuses…just talking about the real stuff.” Discussions of this “real stuff” portrayed in Israeli hip-hop vary from political divides to social tensions and religious fights. Though the music has been maintained as a space for stratified opinionated beliefs, perhaps it holds the power of ultimately uniting those involved in some of these divisions.

As expected, due to Israel’s establishment of a country based on Jewish ideals and beliefs, the many themes contained in hip-hop’s lyrics extend to issues of religion. Within the nation, there is an obvious divide between the very religious Jews and those who are more secular;. Tensions between these opposing groups are apparent in numerous settings, especially when discussing the politics of Israel. Many laws in Israel pertain to this subject, such as the requirement that all citizens enter into the army at age 18, men for three years and women for two. The army has therefore become a ubiquitous characteristic of Israel and has been engrained within the culture and society so much so that it is nearly impossible to walk the streets of any Israeli city without witnessing soldiers in green. Religious arguments have arisen though, and a compromise was reached that entitled the ultra-Orthodox Jews to abstain from enlisting in the army, since they would be studying in yeshiva or getting married around age 18. Though it is now expected that the army is composed of mostly seculars, there still do exist tense feelings towards those unwilling to fight in the Israeli Defense Forces. Further laws, such as those pertaining to Shabbat, instigate conflict between the religious and secular. Since Israel was founded upon religious beliefs, many Orthodox Jews desire that cities practically shut down on Shabbat, which at one point was true. Recently though, more stores are open on Shabbat and roads are once again covered in cars traversing the country. Therefore, those religious Jews are frustrated that the country is not based on Judaism as much as it used to be, and secular citizens are upset with the manner in which religion is dictating their lifestyle.

Such rules and social expectations are often either supported or argued against in Israeli hip-hop music, and one particular song perfectly encompasses the religious aspect, as well as the political and social tensions apparent in Israel. Hadag Nachash’s “Shirat Hasticker,” literally meaning, “The Sticker Song,” has proven to be one of the most popular rap songs, both in Israel and the United States. Unique in its content, the song is entirely composed of various bumper stickers found on cars in Israel. Since bumper stickers are very popular in Israel and are often placed on cars to display the driver’s political, religious, and social stances, Hadag Nachash accurately portrays the country’s numerous perspectives on all localized issues. By collecting a variety of these bumper stickers and listing them as lyrics in the song, opinions as broad as the citizens within Israel are effectively expressed in the one song alone.

While discussing the relationship between global and local influences on Israeli hip-hop to create the effect of “glocalization,” one music video in particular precisely reveals this phenomenon. “Halayla Zeh Ha’zman,” (or “Tonight is the Time”) performed by Alon De Loco and Gad Elbaz, effectively presents the manner in which glocalization has encompassed Israeli hip-hop. Opening with a seeming stand-off between Palestinians and overtly religious Orthodox Jews, the video begins with obvious influences from American hip-hop, primarily in the break dancing performed by both groups and the clothing reminiscent of American style (such as the Puma shirt and the “bling”). The song continues to illustrate glocalization through the incorporation of Middle Eastern sounding beats and rhythms, and the chorus is sung in a voice reminiscent of many Israeli musicians and singers. Thus, the music video acts as a clear representation of how elements derived from global and local sources are utilized in Israel, so as to create a unique hip-hop subculture.