Israeli Rapper Takes U.S.

A number of Subliminal's lyrics are in Arabic -- not only making his words more accessible to communities across the globe, but also reflecting his Middle Eastern heritage. His being the son of Jewish refugees is at the core of his hard-line politics. "My mother is from Mashad, Iran, where every Jewish girl was married by the age of seven, because if a Muslim asked for the girl's hand and you said no, they would kill you," he says. "In Tunisia, my father grew up with his family locking all the doors and windows whenever performing a Jewish ceremony -- out of fear of attacks." Both parents, he says, "ran for their lives" to Israel, where they spent decades recovering from the persecution they had faced...

Subliminal blames the controversy on bad press -- not so much about him, but his people. "The international media makes us look like blood-eating, Arab kid-killing monsters," he says. "You want to know what's real? Listen to my lyrics, and you can find out."

Those lyrics have actually earned him accolades from a number of Arab hip-hop artists, some of whom have even asked to work with him. "They say they are Muslims," Subliminal recounts, "and that they understand the message and accept it. They also give us props and respect, because they thought Jews were guys in black costumes, doing secret ceremonies in the Temple way up there [laughs]. Then they see a guy who looks just like them, who eats the same humus and couscous and kouba, and speaks Arabic just like them."...

Politics aside, the beats on the album (which is the extent of what i can understand, aside from Wyclef) are addictive. For more info you can check out the Wikipedia page: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Subliminal_(rapper)  He's collaborated with some big names, include Wu-Tang Clan.