Saz: The Palestinian Rapper for Change 2006
Distributed by Choices, Inc., 3740 Overland Ave., Ste. F, Los Angeles CA 90034; (310) 839-1500
Produced by Yosi Mulla
Directed by Gil Karni
DVD, color, 51 min.
Sr. High - Adult
Current Events, Middle Eastern Studies, Music, Social Studies, Popular Culture
Date Entered: 01/09/2007
Reviewed by Lisa Forrest, E. H. Butler Library, State University of New York College at Buffalo, Buffalo, NYThe creation of the Jewish State of Israel in 1948 displaced hundreds of thousands of Palestinians—and has resulted in a half century of discord amongst the people of the Middle East. Many Palestinian refugees living in Israel have become victims of job, housing, and social discrimination. An underground movement of Palestinian youth is now speaking out through Westernized hip-hop music, often rapped in a mix of Arabic and Hebrew. Israeli filmmaker, Gil Karni, focuses on one such musician, 20 year old Palestinian hip-hop star Semeh Zakout (popularly known as “Saz”). Actively voicing his political frustration, Saz advocates for equality between the people of Israel through his lyrics and music. Raised in the Jewish neighborhood of Ramlah, young Saz struggles to find understanding between the differing political viewpoints of his family and the injustice that he feels each day. Music helps to bridge this gap—from night club outings to an organized meeting of Jewish-Arab youth, this well constructed film provides candid insight into the difficulties of growing up in a land of conflict. Sure to promote thoughtful classroom discussion, this film is recommended for those studying contemporary Palestinian-Israeli relations, and the link between music, history, and culture. (Downloadable guidebook is available from the Choices website.)