The Stream

Video: Palestinian rappers DAM take on patriarchy

Hip hop group’s first female rapper debuts in song tackling gender-based violence.

Palestinian hip hop group DAM, known for their songs resisting Israeli occupation, is taking on a new issue: gender-based violence in patriarchal societies. In their video, “Who You Are”, female artist Maysa Daw makes her debut with the group, singing “I am the dishes, the ironing, I am everything, I am nothing, but remind me: Who are you?” 

Daw told Hebrew-language site Local Call, “…I think [the song] is an honest attempt at criticising our society. Men try to stereotype women all the time, and I just want to ask which stereotypes define men, if any?”

Daw joins Tamer and Suheil Nafar and Mahmood Jreiri to make up DAM, which formed in 1999. The new single is part of a collaboration with the United Nations Population Fund.