Hameda Ben Amor[1][2] (Arabic: حمادة بن عمر; born 7 October 1989), better known by his stage name El General (الجنرال), is a Tunisian rap musician. His song "Rais Lebled", released in November 2010, has been described as the "anthem of the Jasmine Revolution".[1]
Career
Ben Amor has been making mainly political rap songs since 2007. The songs were previously kept underground by the strict censorship of the autocratic regime of Tunisian president Zine El Abidine Ben Ali. On December 24, 2010, two days after his second famous protest song "Tunisia Our Country" was released on YouTube and Facebook and one week after the protests in Tunisia began, he was arrested by Tunisian police. Three days later, Ben Amor was released, after being forced to sign a statement to no longer make any political songs.[1]
Ben Amor's “President of the Country,” a searing Arabic rap song, served as a soundtrack for the revolution. The week before Mohamed Bouazizi’s death, Hamada Ben Amor used a handheld camera to tape himself singing the song, a baseball cap pulled over his eyes. “Mr. President,” he exclaimed, “your people are dead!” Al Jazeera and various social media picked up the video. The secret police arrested Ben Amor, inflaming his followers, and hastening Ben Ali’s exit.[3]
After the overthrow of Ben Ali, his songs enjoyed enormous popularity in Tunisia, particularly "Rais Lebled" which became known as the anthem of the revolution and gained him international recognition.[1]
Discography
- Albums
- "Malesh?"[citation needed]
- "Sidi Rais"
- "Rais Lebled"
- "Tounes bledna"
- Hor
- Yhebbou Ylezzouni
- 3ammel 3al 3ali
- Mechia w Tzid
- Tfol Sghir
- Mise à jour
- Solo
- Ma Nsina
- Ready
- Hwemna
- Donia
- Tsunami
- Waadi
- Fannen & Ensen
- Contributing artist
See also
References
- ^ a b c d Vivienne Walt in Time: El Général and the Rap Anthem of the Mideast Revolution
- ^ Monia Ghanmi in Magharebia.com: Retour sur scène pour les rappeurs tunisiens interdits (in French)
- ^ Coll, Steve (January 24, 2011). "Democratic Movements". The New Yorker. Retrieved May 16, 2020.
External links
- "Rais Lebled" on Youtube.com (with English subtitles)
- Video interview with El Général
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This page was last edited on 21 July 2023, at 06:32