Rap music inspires Libyan rebels to defeat Gadhafi

I am old enough to rememeber when Rap music meant something. When the music made me feel proud and gave me to direction on what to do or not to do. I remember PE's 'Fight the Power' and the collaboration with KRSOne, McLyte and others on 'Self Destruction'. I can only hope that our young minds can find some strength in the music as these rebels have.

Libyan rebel fighter Jaad Jumaa Hashmi cranks up the volume on his pickup truck's stereo when he heads into battle against Moammar Gadhafi's forces.  He looks for inspiration from a growing cadre of amateur rappers whose powerful songs have helped define the revolution.

The music captures the anger and frustration young Libyans feel at decades of repressive rule under Gadhafi, driving the 27-year-old Hashmi forward even though the heavy machine gun bolted on the back of his truck -- and other weapons in the rebel arsenal -- are no match for Gadhafi's heavy artillery.

"It captures the youths' quest for freedom and a decent life and gives us motivation," Hashmi said as he sat in his truck on the outskirts of the front line city of Ajdabiya. He was listening to "Youth of the Revolution," which the rap group Music Masters wrote just days after the uprising began in mid-February.

"Moammar, get out, get out, game over! I'm a big, big soldier!" sang 20-year-old Milad Faraway, who started Music Masters with his friend and neighbor, 22-year-old Mohammed Madani, at the end of 2010.


Source:  The Grio - Read the full story