Straight Outta Zion
After a long and arduous journey, Ravid Plotnik has emerged as the king of Israeli rap
The influence of American culture on Israeli culture is quite visible in many arenas. Rap is one example of this. Some Ethiopian rappers as well as others will adopt the look and style of African American rappers. As much as that influence exists, there is still quite a bit of unique flavor to Israeli rap and hip hop. Israeli hip hop has gone through different iterations with names such as Subliminal, HaTzel (The Shadow), and Hadag Nahash getting things started. For the last decade or so, a new king has been crowned.
Rap Royalty of the Day
If you ask fans of Israeli rap who their favorite rapper is, they will likely reply Ravid Plotnik or Tuna. Some may mention Nes and Stilla who have delivered hits such as Harbu Darbu and Teek Katan (Small Bag), but they are new to the game and they aren’t seen as legends.
The Israeli rap of Ravid Plotnik is different. It is profound and packs a punch. Absent are mentions of violence, riches, or unkind descriptions of women. He is a poet and his lyrics will leave you chewing on new ideas or rethinking old ones.
A Star Is Born
Born and raised in Petach Tikvah, Ravid Plotnick has reached the heights of Israeli hip hop. He has been a part of the conversation about the top rappers in Israel for more than a decade, but the last few years have seen him rise to the top.
Originally going by Nechi Nech (‘white’ in Amharic) which he was called by his many Ethiopian friends growing up who called him this affectionately1. He carried it with him into an industry that traditionally featured black artists.
In a 2015 article in Mako, Plotnik shared that as much as he enjoyed rap from abroad, Israeli hip hop is what really made him want to become a rapper. That desire came from a pure place and allowed him to express himself2. This could be a piece of the puzzle that allowed him to achieve greatness. He didn’t want to try to reproduce what was done abroad. He might have found some influences in American rap, but he was significantly more inspired by Israeli hip hop and that allowed him to comment more on his life and his country.
Israel’s rap game is climbing as more and more rappers enter the scene. Hip hop in Israel has had a steady climb especially with the many pop culture influences from the US.
The Character of Israeli Rap
I have found that many Israeli rappers use meaningful lyrics that tell a story - either their own or that of Israel as a whole. I haven’t encountered many rap songs in Hebrew with some of the more common themes of American rap - women, money, and material possessions. There are plenty of rap songs in the US that also tell a story thoughtfully, but they seem to be overshadowed these days by the ones with less compelling themes.
Documenting the Process
I recently watched a documentary about Ravid Plotnik on the Kan network (Channel 11) and it followed him as he worked on his new album. He spent time on a moshav in the south focusing on the music. Collaborators would visit and he would write and think with them. As chill and laidback as he appears in general and in concerts, he takes a focused and diligent approach to his music. He displayed an impressive work ethic toiling over lyrics and getting the recordings just right. It was a fun view of him and his life as he doesn’t take himself very seriously. He doesn’t seem to realize that he’s well known, but go to one of his sold-out concerts and you will see many rapping and singing along with him.
The Rapper as Artist
In 2017, Liel Liebovitz of the Forward wrote an article about Plotnik that acts as almost a love letter to the hip hop star.
“Growing up is an art form at which very few rappers excel. Like ballers, boxers, or ballerinas, they start young, burn bright, and bow out in the midday of their lives, duller and dimmer than before. A young artist’s howl about violence and poverty and insecurity is exhilarating; a middle-aged musing about success and its trappings is not. Defying this trajectory isn’t easy; doing it while producing a minor-key masterpiece that meditates on technology, religion, and relationships is even harder3.”
In summary, Ravid Plotnik is a king and offers a great window into Israeli society. Those who enjoy rap might be a more natural fit for his music, but the beats of his songs bop nicely and it’s worth a shot. It will also score you points with fans of Israeli music that you know of and like Ravid Plotnik.
This Rapper is Special
Leibovitz describes Plotnik’s song, “L’faamim” (Sometimes) as a masterpiece.
In this one song, Plotnik “gives you more to think and feel about than other artists do in entire careers.”
He has some classics and just released a new album. I would recommend a sampling of נתראה בגלגול הבא / “We will see each other in the next reincarnation” to get a feel for his style.
If you do choose to get a taste, enjoy the thinking and the feeling.
Song of the Week
יהיה בסדר
Yee-hee-yeh b’seh-dare
It will be okay
This comes from the days of Ravid Plotnik going by Nechi Nech (Whitey white). It was a smash hit that could be heard across the airwaves and became popular abroad as well. Cafe Shachor Hazak provides the core and Plotnik brings a fun rap verse. You might be familiar with it and not have heard it in a while or it might be new. The idea that “hakol yehiye beseder” / “everything will be okay” is somewhat of a mantra for Israelis.
Slang of the Week
פייק נוז
Fake news
This has slipped into regular Hebrew conversation whether people connect it to Trump or not. It’s one of my favorite examples of English words or phrases appearing in Hebrew conversation.
Thank you kindly for reading this week’s post. I hope that you will continue to read and enjoy.
Tune in next week for a Sababoosh podcast episode with Professor Danny Chamovits, President of Ben Gurion University of the Negev! Catch it on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or Sababoosh.com
Wishing you a Shabbat shalom and a quiet and safe weekend!
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Ravid Plotnik. Wikipedia. https://he.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D7%A8%D7%91%D7%99%D7%93_%D7%A4%D7%9C%D7%95%D7%98%D7%A0%D7%99%D7%A7
Bardin, Noam. “"ההיפ הופ הישראלי בא להצלה? שטויות". נצ'י נצ' עושה סדר”. Mako. https://www.mako.co.il/music-Magazine/articles/Article-2b0136233a1bf41006.htm
Liebovitz, Liel. “Israeli Rap for Grown-Ups”. Tablet Magazine. https://www.tabletmag.com/sections/news/articles/israeli-rap-for-grown-ups