A hateful dialogue or peace through candor? In a rap song going viral a Jew and a Palestinian sling slurs at each other. Join a unique conversation with Sameh ‘SAZ’ Zakout & Uriya Rosenman, the co-creators of DUGRI!
Read more on DUGRI in this NYT piece: https://www.nytimes.com/2021/07/21/world/middleeast/israel-palestinian-rap-video.html
Uriya Rosenman, 31, an Israeli educator and creator. In the past 8 years he works in the spaces of education and social entrepreneurship in Israel, and in June 2018 began working independently on a social project titled “Let's Talk Straight” (inspired by Joyner Lucas’ song I’m Not Racist), to highlight the hatred and tensions between Jews and Arabs in Israel.
Uriya initiated the project out of curiosity and a desire to put a mirror in front of his society, but without knowing exactly what to say. He embarked on a personal journey, beginning his research by touring around Israel, interviewing Jews and Arabs familiar with the extremes on both sides of the spectrum in order to transform their words into a blunt rap battle.
Eventually he had some solid lyrics but lacked the authenticity of a face-to-face confrontation between a Jew and Arab, so in May 2020, Rosenman reached out to the Palestinian rapper Sameh ‘SAZ’ Zakout, and they decided to join forces.
Zakout, 37, a Palestinian musician and actor, grew up in Ramle and has been a professional rapper for the last 20 years, releasing albums and gaining national attention when he vied for a record deal in the 2012 Israeli reality show, “Chai be La La Land.”
In May 2021, after 3 years of working on it, Uriya and Sameh released the project on their personal FB, IG and YT channels and it immediately became viral due to its extraordinary timing - 2 weeks after horrendous riots between Jews and Arabs started in Israel, and at the exact day of the ceasefire with Gaza after operation “Guardian of the Walls”.
Sameh and Uriya’s unique story made them become best friends, and together they established DUGRI – and authentic content venture to unite young Jews and Arabs, Palestinians and Israelis, around a new moderate narrative. They use music and education to build a community of young believers and promote collaborations for a common and benevolent future.
Dial-In Information https://cornell.zoom.us/j/99758245335?pwd=cVZReFdHSXhDN2wyWTVRS1NQbmk5dz09
Streaming site: https://cornell.zoom.us/j/99758245335?pwd=cVZReFdHSXhDN2wyWTVRS1NQbmk5dz09
