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Aljazeera channel - El General Tunisien Rap

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    Al Jazeera Anchor: [Speaking in formal, literary Arabic] ...Tunisians and because of the quality of the singing that he presented that talked about the deposed president personally.
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    So he was arrested during the society-wide protests a few weeks ago.
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    El Général: Mr. President!
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    Here, today, I speak in my name and the name of the people and everyone who lives in misery.
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    2011: this man is still dying of hunger.
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    He wants to work to survive, but his voice is not heard!
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    Go out into the street and see how the people have become animals.
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    Look at the police with batons. Thwack-thwack-thwack! They don't care!
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    There is still no one to tell them the word "stop."
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    Even the law that's in the constitution, put it in water and drink it.
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    Every day I hear of a man's case decided by the sword,
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    even if the official knows that he is an honest citizen. I see
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    the police beat women for wearing headscarves.
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    Would you accept that for your daughter? I know my words make the eye weep - I know!
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    But you're still a father. You would not accept evil being done to your children. Alors!
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    This is a message from one of your children
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    who is speaking with you of suffering. We are living like dogs!
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    Half of the people live in humiliation and have tasted from the cup of suffering.
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    Mr. President, your people are dying. So many people are eating from the garbage. There, you see...
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    AJ: And joining us today in [Al Jazeera's Tunis] studio is the rap singer Hamada ben Amor.
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    I mean, as he is known, "El Général," as I wish to greet him from the beginning.
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    G: May peace be upon you.
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    AJ: Hamada, this genre of music, how can it influence people and reach them?
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    G: [Speaking in very colloquial Tunisian Arabic] In all honesty, right now, because of rap, the people in Tunisia came together. You understand?
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    It speaks in the name of the people and it in the name of the "why?," the Tunisian people,
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    and the problems that are happening in the country. You know what I mean?
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    And this, I mean, I'm still a Tunisian rapper, you know? I spoke in the name of the entire [Tunisian] people in the song.
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    And it reached the president of the country and, in this way, I was arrested.
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    AJ: Was it your first directly political song?
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    G: No, no, no. I sing about politics but this, for the public, is the most famous song.
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    AJ: The most famous song. When they arrested you, what did they do to you?
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    G: In all honesty, they took me to the Interior Ministry. I was questioned for three days. You know? Interrogated.
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    They liked to say, "Who's the leader? Who's writing this?" Know what I mean?
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    AJ: You mean, "Who was it who wrote these words?"
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    G: I mean, [state security] knew that I worked alone.
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    AJ: Were violent methods used on you in the investigation?
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    G: No, no, God be praised! AJ: No, they didn't use any... G: No, no.
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    AJ: Now, you have become famous. What can rap music contribute now to the transformation of the new Tunisia?
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    G: By God, I see so much that is lacking in Tunisia right now, in a new Tunisia.
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    I see so much that is lacking in the new transitional government and I will try to give [Tunisia] something more with rap,
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    not in the voice of government officials but in the voice of the Tunisian people.
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    AJ: Being named "El Général" - where did that come from? In Tunisia there was a general, but that general was Ben Ali!
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    G: That's true. It was because the leading rappers weren't singing about politics, you know? I chose it because I would sing about politics.
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    I chose this name because it's strong, because it's a symbol...a political symbol.
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    AJ: The political significance of rap...did it have a specific political color? G: Huh?
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    AJ: I mean a...a specific partisan color that meant liberal or whatever?
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    G: Color? No, no, no. I mean, I'm a person with no party. I work in rap and only in rap. You know?
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    I'm not a politician but I sing about politics. You get what I mean?
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    AJ: In the era of the 1970s and 1980s there were political songs in Tunisia, in the universities.
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    There were Cheikh Imam, Marcel Khalifa, and other Tunisians as well.
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    Now, have politics in Tunisia become necessarily entangled with rap?
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    G: No, it's not entangled with rap. But, because rap is, right now, the closest way to...
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    All of the people are listening to it now. Rap has become the most well-known form of art - not just in Tunisia but in the whole world. But it's near the roots.
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    AJ: Are you currently engaged in the production of a new song?
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    G: God willing. Two days ago, a new song came out. Its name is ta7ya tunis ("Long live Tunisia").
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    AJ: ta7ya tunis...
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    G: It's about the reality of the current time. God willing, we'll get our freedom.
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    AJ: Thank you very much, Hamada bin Amor, the famous Tunisian rap singer El Général. You are most welcome here.
Title:
Aljazeera channel - El General Tunisien Rap
Description:

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Video Language:
Arabic
Duration:
04:27

English subtitles

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