DAM

DAM, meaning "everlasting" in Arabic, is the first Palestinian hip hop crew and among the first to rap in Arabic. Formed in the late 1990s, Tamer Nafar, Suhell Nafar, and Mahmood Jrere were inspired to tell their story through the rhythms of hip hop. DAM’s sound is unmistakable. Their music is a unique fusion of east and west, blending fierceful Arabic rap with Arabic rhythms, Middle Eastern sounds and melodies, and the pulsating beats of urban hiphop.

DAM is known for addressing important political issues and social taboos in their songs. Their song "Min Irhabi" ("Who is the Terrorist"), which was released during the second Intifada and was downloaded over a million times on the internet shortly after its release (2001), made the band a figure of identification for young people in the Middle East. DAM's popularity remains unbroken to this day. Their first release of their third album "BEN HAANA WA MAANA" (2019), Emta Njawzak Yamma ("When will you get married?"), which deals with the social pressures of marriage, also became an instant hit, reaching 1.6 million views in just 6 months.

DAM was formed in the late 1990s when Tamer Nafar, Suhell Nafar and Mahmood Jrere were inspired to tell their story (as Palestinians living in Israel) through the rhythms of hip-hop. In 2015, the group released their first joint single "Who You Are" with Maysa Daw, who subsequently became part of the hip-hop crew. DAM have not only played in the Arab world but have also increasingly performed in Europe and the USA over the last 15 years.