Gaza rappers use hip hop to speak to West
"City to City" competition connects the strip with EU
If hip hop is a genre of music associated with the struggle of a people, then there is no better place than the impoverished, blockaded and recently bombarded Gaza Strip to host a rap competition.
Thousands of fans crowded the Red Crescent hall, where the event was held, to watch seven hip hop groups battle it out against each other in a competition called "Our Message."
The competition was organized by a group of ladies in Gaza in cooperation with the municipality of the Norwegian city of Termso and was part of a project called "City to City."
"The point of the project is to find common ground between the culture of Gaza and Norway," competition manager Nour Afanie said, adding "we believe that Gaza rappers have something worth saying about their personal struggles and the struggles of their homeland."
The point of the project is to find common ground between the culture of Gaza and NorwayNour Afanie -- Competition manager
The attention was mainly on the competition's young talent who found a way to express themselves and describe the reality of life in the strip.
"The rappers hope that hip hop will show the Palestinian nation's struggle and suffering to Westerners using a common language," Afanie said.
The jury, who were present albeit via video phone expressed their pleasure in taking part in an event that supports the Palestinian people and their "fair cause."
The municipality of Termso has been working for some two years on a number of workshops for youth in Gaza to help young people unleash their talents and face their daily struggles.