Tuesday Morning Boredom Relief

[bengraham.livejournal.com]

This is Israel's T.A.C.T. All Stars. T.A.C.T stands for 'Tel Aviv City Team', and is the name of the record label set up by Israel's biggest selling rapper Subliminal, and his mate Ha'Tzel (which is Hebrew for 'The Shadow'). The T.A.C.T All Stars are an ever-changing "posse" of artists for whom Subliminal and The Shadow produce, as well as collaborating and performing together. Subliminal has also collaborated with Wyclef Jean, Joe Budden and Wu-Tang affiliates Killah Priest and Remedy.

This video is from 2004, and features Subliminal and the Shadow, along with All Stars Itzik Shamly and Sivan (Hamalka, the lovely lady who is HUGE in Israel right now). They're performing a cover of 'Prahim ba'Kaneh' (literally 'Flowers In The Gun Barrel') which was originally a big chart hit in Israel in 1970 for Ruthi Navon.

Why am I posting it? Well... with Eurovision around the corner, this strikes me as being pretty much the perfect Eurovision song - the more mainstream pop bits interspersed with the harder rapping, and all accompanied by a rhythm that gets even the "older generation" in this TV audience clapping their hands in time and singing along.

But mostly, I'm posting it because I just reckon it's a good tune. Thoughts?

If anyone is interested, I have a good deal of Subliminal's back catalogue. It's a bit hit and miss, and mostly he tries too hard to sound like Dre/Snoop. But I like it. I think the Hebrew language lends itself to rap music pretty well... it's quite a lyrical sounding tongue.

Comments

[mcatzilut.livejournal.com]

I love Subliminal. Ben, what other Israeli pop do you listen to? I've been on an Aviv Gefen binge since I got back from Israel (last month). While I was there, I found to my dismay that there wasn't an Israeli music magazine. (Maybe I can convince a Federation to give me shekel to move to Israel and start one.) I even submitted a Ke'varat song for the Pop Open second round.

[bengraham.livejournal.com]

I own lots of Israeli pop, but I've never really listened to any of it very much, with the exception of Subliminal and the second Hadag Nachash album. I've got albums by Hayehudim, Ha'ivrit, Beit Habubot, Anashim, Mook E... probably some others too. I binged in the CD shops in the Dizengoff Centre last Pesach!! I don't know Ke'varat, but I've downloaded the whole Pop Open so far, so I guess your song is on my iTunes somewhere. What was it called?

[mcatzilut.livejournal.com]

It was called "The Ballad of Ari and Derchi." In the original Hebrew, it's a pun. Since it's Havladah Ari V'Derchi (arrivederci). You probably heard their most famous song tho. They wrote "Yo Ya."

[koganbot]

Was this the Israeli equivalent of the Ed Sullivan Show? There seemed to be a demographic and style difference between performers and audience. Also, I'm presuming that none of the lyrics when translated mean, "When I threw her out the window, I broke the bitch's arm."

(Nice tune, good rhythmic intercession by the rappers.)