Loading ...Revolution Anthems: The Rise of Tunisian Rappers from the Arab Spring
By: Jack Moran / Arab America Contributing Writer
Following the Arab Spring Protests of 2010 and 2011, Tunisian rap and hip-hop music became increasingly popular within the Middle East. This was due primarily to a young rapper, El Général, an artist from northern Tunisia, and the success of his most popular song Ṛayīs li-Blād (Head of State). In addition to El Général, who garnered significant attention from national and local media for his pivotal role in the revolution, another frequently mentioned Tunisian rapper was Balti. Balti was a trailblazer in the Tunisian rap scene, he was a very well known rapper in the country before the revolution. The media often portrayed the two artists as rivals, however, this wasn’t the case.
Both of the rappers shared different ways of expressing their political views through their music. El Général was a sharp critic of the Ben Ali regime, while Balṭi was perceived as loyal to the former regime, with numerous reports suggesting that Balti had a significant role in Ben Ali’s inner circle. News sources within Tunisia even argued that El Général had replaced Balṭi as Tunisia’s most prominent rapper, claiming that Balti had failed to produce “revolution” songs, therefore losing support among Arab Spring protests.
Following the revolution, El Général’s music changed slightly, mainly focusing on social and humanitarian issues. In his post-revolutionary songs, he expressed his discontent with the ongoing political and social struggles in Tunisia. His feature track Deuxième Révolution, released in July 2011, was a call for a second revolution, reflecting his belief that the first had not achieved the changes it promised. El Général’s post-revolutionary work also revealed his evolving views on Islam, transitioning from revolutionary music, to instead a platform to promote his religious beliefs and advocate for the revival of Islam. This was a theme that had already been evident in his earlier revolutionary tracks. In Ṛayīs li-Blād, for example, he condemned the police for assaulting a woman in a hijab, while in Tūnis ǝBlādna, he criticized the exclusion of prayer calls from city life during Ben Ali’s regime.
El Général’s most influential revolutionary songs consisted of 2 albums, released at the height of the Arab Spring. The first, and most famous, was Ṛayīs li-Blād. This song not only became the anthem of the Tunisian revolution but also captivated people in different Arab countries. Released on November 7, 2010, El Général released the song on a national holiday under Ben Ali’s regime, Ṛayīs li-Blād made a bold statement. El Général addressed Ben Ali directly in his song, he criticized his regime and spotlighted social injustices, including corruption of the president and his entourage, the lack of opportunities for young people, and the arbitrary actions of the security forces. This daring move was something no other Tunisian artist had done so openly before.
Check out Arab America’s blog here!
