A hip-hop diss track can sometimes reveal more than bruised egos.
Such is the case with new song SLV, Shabjdeed’s attack on fellow Palestinian rapper Saint Levant.
Arabic hip-hop has not been laced with musical potshots historically, but SLV, an acronym for Saint Levant, takes aim at the artist's catalogue, public image and, more contentiously, what he considers a weak public stance on the plight of Palestine.
This is in contrast to Shabjdeed, whose work is grittier, laced with Palestinian vernacular and inspired by everyday life under occupation in the West Bank.
Another reason Shabjdeed launched the tirade appears to be Saint Levant’s announcement of a show in Amman on August 13, the same day as Shabjdeed’s own concert in the same city, despite the latter announcing first.
What makes the incident evocative is the dilemma many Palestinian artists navigate: forging their own creative paths while keeping the plight of their homeland in public view.
It can be argued that Saint Levant, through his growing music profile and fashion collaborations, is doing precisely that. He is one of the highest-profile Palestinian musicians operating today, and his success has carried Palestine’s plight into spaces where it might otherwise have been absent.
Shabjdeed, however, is arguably forcing a kind of purity test on Saint Levant, and by extension on Palestinian musicians more broadly, suggesting their music must somehow remain aligned with Palestinian resistance both on record and in public spaces.
Beyond raising problematic questions about who decides what is authentic, that view also diminishes the work of other Palestinian artists − from Le Trio Joubran and Zeyne to Shamaly and Lina Makoul − who have released music that is lyrically eclectic, adventurous and deeply personal without weakening their public stance on Palestine.
These works, tackling love, grief, mental health, fashion and faith, are all part of the Palestinian musician’s experience and should not be confined to one creative corner.
Analysing BTS's Grammys boycott
Last week, it was announced that BTS are boycotting the 2027 Grammy Awards in protest at the Recording Academy's creation of a new Best Asian Pop Music category.
The seven members released a joint statement saying they had decided not to submit their latest album for consideration.
“We have decided not to enter the Grammys this year,” the statement, posted in Korean, said. “We hope music itself can be heard and loved rather than being distinguished by region or language.” Read the full story here.
It seems that the impact of their boycott is being heard far and wide, another misstep by the Recording Academy, an organisation that has spent a decade fielding criticism over how it sorts genres and artists.
Saeed Saeed explains: “This is overdue recognition in the wrong sense. Had the award arrived 15 years ago, when K-pop was bubbling under with acts such as Wonder Girls and BigBang, it would have been a discovery platform.” Read the full analysis here.
Guggenheim Abu Dhabi's first director named
Guggenheim Abu Dhabi has appointed Valerie Hillings as its inaugural director ahead of the museum’s opening on December 11.
The Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi announced that Hillings will lead the museum’s strategic direction and oversee its opening exhibitions, public programmes and final preparations for its launch.
She has a longstanding connection to the project. From 2009 to 2018, Hillings served as curator and associate director of curatorial affairs for the Guggenheim Abu Dhabi project at the Solomon R Guggenheim Foundation.
Read more about her work here.
Dates for your diary
Al Shami and Leen Hayek at Dubai World Trade Centre – August 8
Miami Band at Coca-Cola Arena, Dubai – August 29
Christina Aguilera at Etihad Arena, Abu Dhabi –September 25
Other highlights
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