Yvonne Saba is a Palestinian Arab American Radio Host covering Indie Arabic Music.
Current Radio shows:
Arabeat on 88Fm (Hebrew)
The Bridge on IDC International Radio (english)
The Bridge Podcast

Sameh "SAZ" Zakout is a native of Ramle, a predominantly Palestinian Arab city within Israel, known for its excessive crime and poverty. Transcending the violence plaguing his people and his city, SAZ chose hip hop as a means to overcome, stating, "If I didn't have music, I'd probably be in the streets selling drugs and getting shot at". SAZ was inspired to write hip hop rhymes by his third grade Arabic teacher. He began performing publicly at the age of 16 and has since become prominent figure in the hip hop scene. SAZ rhymes in Arabic, Hebrew and English and is widely hailed for his beatbox technique. He has been featured in 'Rolling Stones' magazine and on 'CNN', and has performed in Europe, the United States, and across Palestine and Israel. SAZ uses rap music to deliver a message of unity and love between people. Saz also sees his music as a powerful tool for building bridges between people and fighting ignorance and apathy across the entire world. His lyrics are self-reflective, honest and direct. SAZ criticizes his Arab neighbors in Ramle that turn to drugs and violence instead of pursuing an education and a better future. SAZ believes music is his weapon for making a difference and giving pride and hope to all people around the world

Da Arabian MC's  (Suhell Nafar, Tamer Nafar, Mahmoud Jreri)

Heralded by the major French newspaper Le Monde as “the spokesman of a new generation,” DAM, the first Palestinian hip hop crew and among the first to rap in Arabic, began working together in the late 1990s. Struck by the uncanny resemblance of the reality of the streets in a Tupac video to the streets in their own neighborhood of Lyd, Tamer Nafar, Suhell Nafar, Mahmoud Jreri were inspired to tell their stories through hip hop.

After their timely song “Min Irhabi” (“Who's the terrorist”) was downloaded over a million times shortly after its internet release in 2001, DAM became a household name among youth throughout the Middle East. Rolling Stone in France distributed the song free in one of their issues, and the song has been featured in various compilations.

Ten years of performing all over the world has strengthened DAM’s commitment to continue living in their hometown of Lyd – fifteen minutes from Tel Aviv – working to provide the youth of the city and neighboring communities with programs and opportunities that have otherwise been denied to Palestinian citizens of Israel. In addition, they have conducted workshops for young people from the West Bank to the US, Canada, and Europe.

DAM’s music is a unique fusion of east and west, combining Arabic percussion rhythms, Middle Eastern melodies, and urban hip hop. Their work has been influenced by artists as varied as Ghassan Kanafani, Ahlam Mosteghanemi, Mahmoud Darwish, Naji al Ali, Tupac, Biggie, Public Enemy, MBS, K'naan, and Pharoahe Monch.

“IHDA” (“Dedication”), DAM’s long-awaited first international album, was released in 2007, and DAM has seen its songs and members featured in films such as “Ford Transit” (Dir. Hany Abu Assad) “Where in the World is Osama Bin Laden?” (Dir. Morgan Spurlock), “Salt of this Sea” (Dir. Annemarie Jacir), and “Local Angel” and “Forgiveness” (Dir. Udi Aloni). DAM's history and influence on the Arab hip hop scene is detailed in the feature-length documentary “Slingshot Hip Hop” (Dir. Jackie Reem Salloum). The group has also been featured in Vibe, National Geographic, Rolling Stone, Q, Basement, Reuters, and The New York Times, and has appeared on MTV, CNN, BBC, and Al Jazeera

فرقة الراب العربي الفلسطينية - دام
دام - الناطقون بلسان الجيل الجديد، على حد تعريف صحيفة "لي موند" الفرنسيه, هي أول فرقة هيب هوب فلسطينية وإحدى أوائل فرق الراب العربي, بدأ مشروعهم في آواخر التسعينات, حين لفت نظرهم التشابه بين الشوارع في فيديو توباك( فنان راب امريكي مشهور) وبين حارتهم في مدينة اللد, ما دفع تامر نفار وأخوه سهيل نفار ومحمود جريري إلى رواية للعالم من خلال الهيب هوب.
في عام 2001 صدرت لهم أغنية "مين إرهابي" التي حملها من الانترنت أكثر من مليون شخص. وجعلت من "دام" اسماً تداولا بين جيل الشباب في الشرق الأوسط، حتى أن مجلة الرولينغ ستون الفرنسية، عالمية الشهرة، وزعت الأغنية مجاناً في أحد أعدادها, كما ودخلت هذه الأعنية في العديد من البومات المنوعات العربية والعالمية، إلى جانب أغانٍ أخرى للفرقة.

بعد عشر سنوات من التجول بين منصات العالم، صار أعضاء فرقة دام اكثر إصرارا على العيش في في مدينتهم - اللد التي تبعد 15 دقيقه عن تل ابيب، وازداد عزمهم على تزويد شباب مدينتهم ومناطق اخرى ببرامج وفرص التي لا يتمتع بها الفلسطينيون في اسرائيل، بشكل عام. فقاموا بفعاليات تشجيعية وورشات عمل، خرجت من حدود مدينتهم ووصلت إلى مناطق الضفة الغربية والولايات المتحدة وكندا وأوروبا.

الموسيقى التي تنتجها "دام" هي مزيج مميز بين الشرق والغرب, حيث تجمع الإيقاع العربي والألحان الشرقية مع الـ"هيب هوب" الحديث. وقد تأثرت أعمالهم من عدة مبدعين مثل : غسان كنفاني, أحلام مستغانمي, محمود درويش, ناجي العلي, upac‪,‬ B‪.I.G, K’nan, MBS, Pharoahe Monch. ‬T

"إهداء" هو عنوان أول ألبوم عالمي لـ"دام"، والذي صدر بعام 2007، بعد طول انتظار من قبل الجمهور. وقد استخدمت بعض اغاني هذا الألبوم في عديد من الافلام مثل : فورد ترانزيت ( من اخراج هاني ابو اسعد) " اين اسامه بن لادن" (من اخراج مورجان سبورلوك) " ملح هذا البحر" (من اخراج أن ماري جسير), و "ملاك محلي" و "مسامحة" (من اخراج اودي الوني). عرض تاريخ "دام" وتأثيرها على ساحة الهيب هوب العربي في الفلم الوثائقي "سلينج شوت هيب هوب" (من اخراج جاكي ريم سالوم). كما وأن الفرقة تظهر في الإعلام العالمي في عديد من المقابلات والتقارير في الجزيره ووسائل الإعلام الأخرى، منها: ‪Vibe, National Geographic, Rolling Stone, Q, Basement, Reuters, and The New York Times, and has appeared on MTV, CNN, BBC

Rami Saba is following