Tamer Nafar

Review by Thomas Brown

The short:

Tamer Nafar is a central figure in the Israeli hip-hop scene, exploring political themes and providing social commentaries on life as a self-identified Palestinian in Israel through his music. Often rapped in Arabic, many of his songs also feature English lyrics or are available online through English translations.

The long:

Tamar Nafar is one of the first by most well-known figures in Israeli hip hop, forming the first-ever Palestinian group in this genre: DAM. His songs discuss the experience of disruption, hardship, and the search for political identity and agency among Palestinians. In many songs, such as in The Beat Never Goes Off (feat. MC Abdul and Noel Kharman), these themes are explored with direct reference to American hip-hop figures like Biggie Smalls and Tupac. This connection is important, as Nafar’s songs are greatly influenced by the flow and lyricism found in the discographies of American artists. However, Nafar’s sound also remains distinct with the use of Arabic in his music, as well as consistent exploration of the major political struggles faced by Palestinians. In The Beat Never Goes Off, for example, he juxtaposes the experience of Palestinians living in Israel to the experience of rappers growing up in cities in North America. Themes like the pursuit of wealth and gang violence (found in North American rap) are then compared to the pursuit of autonomy, liberty, and experience of state violence in Israel.

To listen or not to listen:

Tamer Nafar’s music is definitely a must-listen for anyone interested in SWANA area hip-hop. As mentioned, his music is often in Arabic, however, the written translated versions online can help non-Arabic listeners better understand the lived experience of Palestinian youth in Israel, especially as they relate to the themes found in American and Anglophone pop culture and hip-hop.