Corner Prophets

In his curriculum for Israel educators, Israel From Bumper to Bumper, Gabe Salgado writes:

The beauty and poetry of Israel’s music and the bombastic, shrill nature of its bumper stickers, slogans and graffiti are two phenomena that play important roles in Israeli society. Both speak volumes about Israel’s politics, values, culture and passions — and both are invaluable educational tools that should be party of every Israel curriculum for young people.

By listening to Israeli music and absorbing the lyrics simultaneously, young students of Israel can connect on an emotional level to Israeli reality. By studying bumper stickers and their backstories, students stand to gain a tremendous amount of knowledge and insight into contemporary Israel.

Shirat Hasticker (”The Sticker Song”), written by veteran Israeli author and intellectual David Grossman and performed by the youth-oriented hip-hop band Hadag Nachash, is basically a hip-hop recitation of a long series of Israeli bumberstickers, perfectly oriented so that their meanings and sounds mesh and flow seamlessly. Shirat Hasticker presents Israel educators with an extraordinary opportunity to tap into the best of two worlds, the impact of the Israeli bumper sticker, and the power of the Israeli song.

Download Salgado’s full curriculum here (PDF).

To listen to the song, click the play button below.

For streaming video click here (WMV).

ניקוי ר×?ש or Mind Cleanser was a popular satirical Israeli television show in the 1970s which poked fun at current events through highly politicized sketch comedy that honored no sacred cows. In April 2004, Israel’s Channel 1 held a televised tribute event, inviting the original cast and crew of Mind Cleanser to appear and reminisce about old times. In addition, the station asked Sagol 59 and DJ Caress to revamp the show’s theme song, catching up on the last 30 years between the show’s airing and the current era, hence the song’s title, “Current Affairs.”

The original chorus, sung by famed Israeli entertainer Tuvia Tzafir, translates as: “In the current state of affairs / when nothing is going right / the only thing one needs / is to keep your mind clean.”

Coolooloosh, Shanaan Street (of Hadag Nachash), Sagol 59, Qwami, Kashi & MC Carolina come together to support Rebel Sun (aka A7) in his battle with misrad hapanim to naturalize as a citizen of Israel.

A7, who came with his wife to Israel on a student visa some years ago, is an observant Jew, whose two daughters were born in Israel and whose wife is presently earning her masters here. Because his conversion is unrecognized by the Israeli government, and because he fudged his initial visa extension, the Israeli authorities are trying to run him out of town.

The attention generated by this song may change all that, however. After it debuted on Galei Tzahal Thursday night (at which time the freestyle I posted earlier this week was recorded), members of Kadima and Meretz called to offer their support to A7, in helping him become a citizen.

You can read all about his case here.

Sagol 59 and Coolooloosh’s Rebel Sun, aka A7, appeared on “Esek Shakhor” on Galei Tzahal Thursday night to talk about Sagol’s new album and A7’s continuing battle with the Israeli authorities to stay in the country. The highlight of their guest spot was the following freestyle session. Enjoy!