Part of Counterculture Pioneers: Middle East

Directed by J. Reem Salloum (2008)

Slingshot Hip Hop documents the birth of the hip hop scene in Palestine, braiding together the stories of young Palestinian artists living in Gaza, the West Bank and Palestine 48—the locals’ term for Israel. Shot over four-and-a half-years, the film mixes footage that director J. Reem Salloum painstakingly filmed with rappers living under occupation with video made by the rappers themselves, with Palestinian acts like DAM, Palestinian Rapperz, and Abeer describing how artists like 2Pac and Chuck D. helped them hone voices to illustrate their struggle.