Even Jewish weeklies have heard the sound: Israeli hip-hop artists not afraid to expose their politics (Nechemia Meyers in the Northern California Jewish Bulletin)

"REHOVOT, Israel -- Muki, one of the most popular exponents of hip-hop and rap on the Israeli music scene, is mad at Channel One. This is because Israel's public television station censored his recent telecast, removing an anti-establishment political remark that wasn't in the script. What Muki said was, "We refuse to be the enemy of another people, as they want us to be."

A Channel One spokesman, explaining the decision, said that "the Broadcasting Authority strives to avoid political statements on cultural and entertainment programs. They have their place," he declared, "on public affairs broadcasts."

In fact, the lyrics of Muki -- whose real name is Danny Niv -- are very political. His most popular song at the moment begins with the words: "Everybody talks about peace, but no one talks about justice." He adds, in a later verse, that "without justice, there will be no peace."

It is not unusual for an Israeli singer to be a peacenik. That is the norm. What is more striking is the popularity of Subliminal, who, like Muki, is inspired by the hip-hop and rap of American blacks, but is well to the right of Muki when it comes to politics."

    

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