- Girl Scouts: The Silent Killers
- Ray Lewis Named New Pope
- John Edwards Admits Fathering Clay Aiken's Baby
IMF Offers Member Nations Secure Mattresses
MIDDLE EAST
Fatah, Hamas To Collaborate On Rap Album
ANKARA, Turkey (CAP) - Following meetings in Cairo and Gaza City to finalize the terms of a recording deal, Fatah and Hamas officials met in Turkey's capital yesterday to announce that the two groups would be collaborating on a new rap album to be released next month. Proceeds from music downloads will go toward the Gaza Strip Rebeautification Project.
"Nothing brings two disparate groups together like music," said Arab League Secretary General Amr Mousa, who brokered the deal. "Well, except maybe a good Shawarma or Falafel, but the last time we tried a unified recipe book, it just ended with a giant food fight and Hamas taking control of the Gaza Strip.
"Our hope is that instead of hating on each other, both Fatah and Hamas can work together on a shared hatred of Western authority, historical boundaries, and the Po-Po," added Mousa.
World leaders are reacting positively to the news of a music-themed peace approach and are anxious to receive advanced copies. Many are likening it to the 1993 Bloods & Crips album, Banging On Wax, the cooperative effort that came so close to ending gang violence forever had one third of the combined gangs not ended up deceased.
"Only by working together can these two factions ensure a long-lasting peace and sales of 500,000 units," President Obama said at this morning's press briefing. "With that said, the, uhh, second, third and fourth songs are totally dope with fresh beats you can dance to and I can't wait to illegally download the rest of the album."
The album, tentatively titled Peace Out, Palestine, is being penned and performed by local hip hop artists Mahmoudy Moud and the Fatah Bunch, the Sugarhamas Gang and Grandmaster Fatah. Famed Turkish producer DJ Ist N. Bull is overseeing the effort, which is being recorded at the historic Abbas Road studios and will be released on Def Jew Records.
"A lot of blood and sweat has gone into the making of this album," said DJ Bull. "Mostly blood, I guess, as fighting has already broken out three times during recording sessions. Thank Allah for all the guest artists helping else there might not be anybody left."
DJ Bull said the album features guest tracks by Jew-Z (Fatah Gots To Chill), LL Cool Jew (Hamas Said Knock You Out) and DJ Jazzy Jew (Palestinians Just Don't Understand). Other tracks include Nuthin But A "Gaza" Thang, Hamaz N The Hood, and Pop Goes The Peace Accord. And DJ Bull has already lined up the first leg of the group's Straight Outta Cairo tour with stops in Egypt, Israel and Saudi Arabia.
"This is shaping up to be the best rap album from the region since MC Hamas' 1990 CD, Please Hamas Don't Hurt 'Em," said Palestinian hip hop blogger Doug E. Fatah. "This shit is a thousand years of conflict whittled down to 14 kick-ass tracks."
Other early reviews have been extremely positive as well, with Rolling Stone calling it "The Middle East at its unrest best."
If the album sells as well as many think it will, DJ Bull said he's already planning to record a set of contemporary favorites with the two factions to try to reach a wider audience. Early tracks include He Ain't Heavy, He's Hamas; Once, Twice, Three Times A Fatah; and Israel In The Stream.
- Banner Stands» Browse banner stands by Post-Up Stand. Trade Show Displays, Retractable Banner Displays, and more. High quality, 48 hour turnaround time!
- Advertise Here» Do you have a product or service of interest to CAP News fans? Contact us now for rates and availability!
