YO! NEWS:An embittered battle has been taking place between Israeli and Palestinian forces, leaving many people emotionally and physically dead and disfigured.
LOS ANGELES (RUSHPRNEWS) JULY 3, 2008 – In an effort to spread some hip-hop love, West Coast MC Snoop Dogg has planned a concert on September 18 in the Jewish state. He is being met with some resistance though as the Palestinian Campaign for the Academic and Cultural Boycott of Israel (PACBI) has released a statement urging him to cancel his appearance.
“The Palestinian arts community was deeply saddened and surprised by the news of your upcoming performance in Israel on September 18 in Ramat Gan,†said PACBI in their statement. “We strongly urge you to cancel your plans to perform in Israel until the time comes when Israel ends its illegal occupation of Palestinian and Arab territories and respects the relevant precepts of international law concerning Palestinian rights to freedom, self-determination and equality.â€
They then went on to challenge Snoop’s uprightness as a hip-hop representative saying that he is obligated to cancel because many young Palestinians have looked to hip-hop as a means to protest the current political situation and would be prevented from attending the concert because of these same political and social restrictions.
“How can an artist whose name is prominently associated with this form of popular and freedom based musical expression, rap, be apathetic to the monstrosity of Israel’s current war crimes in Gaza, its Apartheid Wall, declared illegal by the International Court of Justice at the Hague, or it’s continued violation of fundamental Palestinian rights?â€
“It is also worth reminding you that Palestinian rappers and musicians in the occupied Palestinian territory, like all Palestinians under Israeli occupation, are denied their basic rights, including the “privilege†of freedom of expression which you – and all of us – so highly value,†the statement continued.
They concluded their lengthy statement with, “We sincerely hope that you shall cancel your announced performance in Israel.â€
At press time there had been no comments from Snoop or his camp.
– By Erin McMillon for Yo! Raps Magazine