I don’t even want to stop it at peace in the Middle East. I’ve got a vision for other things, and making peace through music, period. A lot of people, don’t get me wrong, we in the streets and we’re in the hood and the family out here is real good in the streets – but creating some good out of the music. Hip hop has suffered such backlashes for so many years, with all kinds of stuff. I believe if an Arab and Jew can get together and Israeli and Palestinian can sit down at the dinner table and break bread and make music, then nothing is unstoppable in this world.
Is there much of a music scene in Lebanon?
Yeah, it’s a trip. My pops will call me and ask me if I’ve heard of such and such, have you heard of this guy or this girl. And everybody is singing and dancing and rapping now, and they’re doing it Arabic and English. And American culture is strong and hip hop is strong over there. And everybody loves rap music there!
Do you have artists from Palestine, Israel, Lebanon or anywhere else in the Middle East on the project?
Yeah, we actually have a crew out of Tel Aviv, a Palestinian and Israeli from there, one is in Hebrew and Arabic. Noose is from Palestine and Sneakas is from Israel. He did a rooftop interview in Tel Aviv about this project, and he got a lot of positive and negative responses, so it just seems to be going to the core of these people and demonstrating the ability of the music.
What kind of negative responses?
"How could you do that? How are you able to sell us out and work with those people?" And when I say sides, take that for what you will, because there are so many different sides; it’s so complex in the Middle East. A lot of people don’t even take into account the Christian Arabs that exist in Lebanon, Jordan – you have three of the major religions effectively in the same area, so everyone has the same negativity – how can you work with them over there. Everyone has the same negativity.
Do you think there might be a chance to have concerts over there with this project?
I pray, I pray we will be able to. I pray we will stay safe and be able to go over there and put together one of the biggest and best hip hop shows, and possible have a limited amount of the audience, making sure everyone in the audience – let’s say we televise it live in YouTube or however we’re going to do it – and that audience is safe and secure and you have people from all different races and backgrounds, but predominantly, the Arab and the Jew, the lifelong struggle – and having a good time in the same place is definitely a goal in that area.
That would be a dream come true.
Anything else you want to mention - any other projects you want to talk about?
I could talk to you until tomorrow – but I will say this, outside of Peace in the Middle East – and I love everyone involved in that project, I love everybody coming in my life through that – we have 2.3 which is a compilation, an energy drink coming out this summer - basically singles for days, beats, music – representing the middle east – not just the Middle East of the world, but the region of North Carolina I call Da Middle East – the middle of the east coast along with Virginia, up to Delaware, possibly down to South Carolina, we’re going to create a new region in America.
So after the Dirty South, all the shine, all the everything, we’re going to bring it to the Middle East - that hopefully, insha’Allah, God willing, will be where you get all of your good music at, because it because it’s long overdue for the Carolinas.
OK, that’s everything, I think. Thanks for talking to me today.
Yeah, thank you.
Learn more about the Peace in the Middle East Project and artists mentioned in this interview:
- Noose YouTube Video
- Sneakas in the Israeli News - this one is in Hebrew, but you can translate it for free into your language of choice on the web.
- Peace in the Middle East on You Tube Video 1 and Video 2
- You Know What It Iz video - by Othaz Records artists P-Wonda and Ricco Barrino
- MC Serch Interview about Peace in the Middle East
Learn more about Waleed's record label and tips for breaking into the DJing business in part one of the interview.
