Lyrics are often by poets and people who have a gift for words, college professors are not what you have in mind when you want to write a song. But since this is a song about the Middle East and Palestine in particular history is always in style. What better lyrics can you get is not written by someone who teaches history?
Jean Pierre Filiu is a professor of history (contemporary Middle East) at Sciences Po (Paris) also has a gift for words, he write lyrics for the Toulouse based hip-hop group Zebda. Together, they have released this song dedicated to the Gaza youth. The song is about finding hope and not giving up in a desperate situation. This is the voice of a population that has seen it and lived it all from the mass protests to the violence. Giving up on hope is not on the table.
Thanks to the gift of subtitle we have the song in both English and Arabic. As for the rap band, Zebda. mixes rock, rap, ska, Latin, Arab, and French accordion music. They have been around since 1985 doing their political activism through music. The popularity of the group showcases their lyrical wit, musical excitement and unique talent to generate limitless supplies of good-will. Some appreciate their playful sense of humor, commitment to its music, and mastery of its unique style.
Aside from that, Zebda's music and messages focus on heavy and often divisive issues like immigration, assimilation, racism, equality, and the problems facing. This time they turn their attention to Gaza, a place like the has been dismissed by the media and politics. Something Zebda knows a lot about as they grew up on the margins of the French way of life.
Zebda just performed in Toulouse where they played a live version of their "One life less" at the very moment of the Gaza long-awaited ceasefire. How timely, even though the song has been released some time ago, it's still applicable.
Zebda-One life less-(une vie de moins)
Zebda- حياة بالناقص -(une vie de moins)
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