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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.