Mothafar Assar: last rapper in Gaza

Gaza isn’t the place you might expect to find a rapper, not least one as popular as Mothafar Assar, being a music artist in this part of the world has its own unique challenges.

Life isn’t easy for a struggling artist at the best of times and Mothafar manages to stay keen while dealing with the political realities of the Palestine – Israel situation.

He was approached by the Israeli rights group Peace Now to work on a song with another Israeli rapper but decided to withdraw for fear of how he’d be viewed and the possibility of arrest:

"I believe it could have been a positive thing, but I would have been viewed as a collaborator. I would have been arrested the next day." said Assar.

Things have taken a more complicated turn as the pro-Palestinian group Hamas takes a disdainful view of his art form. His former band members have left the region and Mothafar Assar now stands as the last rapper in Gaza -  an unfortunate legacy given the positive contribution he wishes to make.